Valve assembly for a refrigerant circuit

A valve assembly for a refrigerant circuit, comprising:

• precisely two ball valves, which each have a ball as a control element and an actuator for adjusting the associated ball,
• an indirect condenser with a first check valve arranged at a downstream side thereof, and
• a condenser with a second check valve arranged at a downstream thereof,
• wherein the two ball valves are each embodied as three-way valves, which can have bidirectional through flow, having three connectors,
• wherein a first ball of a first ball valve has a T-shaped hole, which permits flow alternately through two connectors of the three connectors and blocking of one connector of the three connectors or flow simultaneously through the three connectors,
• wherein a second ball of a second ball valve has an L-shaped hole and only two connections, which permits flow alternately through two connectors of the three connectors and blocking of one connector of the three connectors or blocking of the three connectors,
• wherein the valve assembly is configured to, during a cooling operating mode, control switching of the first ball valve to connect the condenser to a high-pressure side of a compressor, thereby flowing the condenser, and control switching of the second ball valve to connect the indirect condenser to a suction side of the compressor, whereby switching of the first ball valve prevents inflow to the indirect condenser, the first check valve blocks at least the downstream side of the indirect condenser, and the indirect condenser is aspirated through an upstream side thereof by the compressor via the second ball valve, and
• wherein the valve assembly is further configured to, during a heating operating mode, control switching of the first ball valve to connect the indirect condenser to the high-pressure side of the compressor, thereby flowing the indirect condenser, and control switching of the second ball valve to connect the condenser to the suction side of the compressor, whereby switching of the first ball valve prevents inflow to the condenser, the second check valve blocks the downstream side of the condenser, and the condenser is aspirated through an upstream side thereof by the compressor via the second ball valve.