# US 2019/0170416 A1 · Heat source unit for refrigeration apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0170416 A1 - Document ID: US20190170416A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/321,341 - Filed: 2017-08-02 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-08-03 - Assignees: Daikin Industries, Ltd. - Applicants: Daikin Industries, Ltd. - Inventors: Hiroki UEDA; Eisaku OKUBO - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190170416A1 ## CPC - F25B 39/028: {having distributing means} - F24H 4/02: Water heaters - F25B 1/00: Compression machines, plants or systems with non-reversible cycle (F25B3/00, F25B5/00, F25B6/00, F25B7/00, F25B9/00 take precedence) - F25B 5/02: arranged in parallel - F25B 6/02: arranged in parallel - F25B 13/00: Compression machines, plants or systems, with reversible cycle (defrosting cycles F25B47/02) - F25B 27/00: Machines, plants or systems, using particular sources of energy (F25B30/06 takes precedence) - F25B 49/02: for compression type machines, plants or systems - F25B 2339/047: Water-cooled condensers - F25B 2600/2511: Evaporator distribution valves - F25B 2600/2519: On-off valves - F25B 2700/1931: Discharge pressures - F25B 2700/1933: Suction pressures - F25B 2700/21161: of the fluid heated by the condenser - F25B 2700/21171: of the fluid cooled by the evaporator - F25B: REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS - F24H: FLUID HEATERS, e.g. WATER OR AIR HEATERS, HAVING HEAT-GENERATING MEANS, e.g. HEAT PUMPS, IN GENERAL (steam generation F22) ## Abstract In an air conditioner which is a refrigeration apparatus, a heat source unit has a heat-source-side heat exchanger in which a refrigerant exchanges heat with heat source water. The heat-source-side heat exchanger includes a plurality of heat exchange sections, and has a heat exchange region whose size can be adjusted through changing the number of heat exchange sections into which the refrigerant flows. The heat source unit has a controller which can adjust the size of the heat exchange region of the heat-source-side heat exchanger based on a differential pressure index value. This can broaden the temperature range of the heat source water within which the heat source unit of the refrigeration apparatus is operable. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A heat source unit forming, together with a utilization-side unit, a refrigeration apparatus including a refrigerant circuit performing a refrigeration cycle, the heat source unit housing at least a compressor and a heat-source-side heat exchanger, each of which is provided for the refrigerant circuit, wherein the heat-source-side heat exchanger is connected to a heat source water circuit in which heat source water circulates so that a refrigerant circulating in the refrigerant circuit exchanges heat with the heat source water, the heat-source-side heat exchanger having a heat exchange region, of a variable size, in which the refrigerant flows and exchanges heat with the heat source water, and the heat source unit comprises a controller which adjusts the size of the heat exchange region of the heat-source-side heat exchanger based on a differential pressure index value indicating a difference between high pressure and low pressure of the refrigeration cycle performed by the refrigerant circuit. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The heat source unit of claim 1, wherein the controller adjusts the size of the heat exchange region of the heat-source-side heat exchanger so that the differential pressure index value becomes equal to or more than a predetermined reference index value. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The heat source unit of claim 2, wherein the controller reduces the size of the heat exchange region of the heat-source-side heat exchanger if the differential pressure index value falls below the reference index value. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The heat source unit of claim 2, wherein the controller estimates the differential pressure index value on the assumption that the size of the heat exchange region of the heat-source-side heat exchanger which is smaller than a maximum size has been increased, and increases the size of the heat exchange region of the heat-source-side heat exchanger if the estimated differential pressure index value exceeds the reference index value. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The heat source unit of claim 1, wherein the heat source unit performs a cooling action in which the heat-source-side heat exchanger functions as a condenser to cool a target in the utilization-side unit, and the controller determines, during the cooling action, a difference between an entering water temperature and an evaporation temperature or target evaporation temperature of the refrigerant in the utilization-side unit to be the differential pressure index value, the entering water temperature being a temperature of the heat source water supplied to the heat-source-side heat exchanger, and the target evaporation temperature being a target value of the evaporation temperature. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The heat source unit of claim 1, wherein the heat source unit performs a heating action in which the heat-source-side heat exchanger functions as an evaporator to heat a target in the utilization-side unit, and the controller determines, during the heating action, a difference between a condensing temperature or target condensing temperature of the refrigerant in the utilization-side unit and an entering water temperature to be the differential pressure index value, the target condensing temperature being a target value of the condensing temperature, and the entering water temperature being a temperature of the heat source water supplied to the heat-source-side heat exchanger. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The heat source unit of claim 1, wherein the heat source unit performs a cooling action in which the heat-source-side heat exchanger functions as a condenser to cool a target in the utilization-side unit, and the controller determines, during the cooling action, a difference between a condensing temperature of the refrigerant in the heat-source-side heat exchanger and an evaporation temperature or target evaporation temperature of the refrigerant in the utilization-side unit to be the differential pressure index value, the target evaporation temperature being a target value of the evaporation temperature. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The heat source unit of claim 1, wherein the heat source unit performs a heating action in which the heat-source-side heat exchanger functions as an evaporator to heat a target in the utilization-side unit, and the controller determines, during the heating action, a difference between a condensing temperature or target condensing temperature of the refrigerant in the utilization-side unit and an evaporation temperature of the refrigerant in the heat-source-side heat exchanger to be the differential pressure index value, the target condensing temperature being a target value of the condensing temperature. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The heat source unit of claim 1, wherein the heat source unit performs a cooling action in which the heat-source-side heat exchanger functions as a condenser to cool a target in the utilization-side unit, and the controller determines, during the cooling action, a difference between an exit water temperature and an evaporation temperature or target evaporation temperature of the refrigerant in the utilization-side unit to be the differential pressure index value, the exit water temperature being a temperature of the heat source water flowing out of the heat-source-side heat exchanger, and the target evaporation temperature being a target value of the evaporation temperature. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The heat source unit of claim 1, wherein the heat source unit performs a heating action in which the heat-source-side heat exchanger functions as an evaporator to heat a target in the utilization-side unit, and the controller determines, during the heating action, a difference between a condensing temperature or target condensing temperature of the refrigerant in the utilization-side unit and an exit water temperature to be the differential pressure index value, the target condensing temperature being a target value of the condensing temperature, and the exit water temperature being a temperature of the heat source water flowing out of the heat-source-side heat exchanger. ### Claim 11 A heat source unit forming, together with a utilization-side unit, a refrigeration apparatus including a refrigerant circuit performing a refrigeration cycle, the heat source unit housing at least a compressor and a heat-source-side heat exchanger, each of which is provided for the refrigerant circuit, wherein the heat-source-side heat exchanger is connected to a heat source water circuit in which heat source water circulates so that a refrigerant circulating in the refrigerant circuit exchanges heat with the heat source water, the heat-source-side heat exchanger having a heat exchange region, of a variable size, in which the refrigerant flows and exchanges heat with the heat source water, and the heat source unit comprises a controller which adjusts the size of the heat exchange region of the heat-source-side heat exchanger based on an entering water temperature, which is a temperature of the heat source water supplied to the heat-source-side heat exchanger. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The heat source unit of claim 11, wherein the heat source unit performs a cooling action in which the heat-source-side heat exchanger functions as a radiator to cool a target in the utilization-side unit, and the controller reduces the size of the heat exchange region of the heat-source-side heat exchanger if the entering water temperature falls below a predetermined reference temperature during the cooling action. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The heat source unit of claim 11, wherein the heat source unit performs a heating action in which the heat-source-side heat exchanger functions as an evaporator to heat a target in the utilization-side unit, and the controller reduces the size of the heat exchange region of the heat-source-side heat exchanger if the entering water temperature exceeds a predetermined reference temperature during the heating action. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The heat source unit of claim 12, wherein the controller adjusts the reference temperature based on a load of the refrigeration apparatus. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The heat source unit of claim 1, wherein the heat-source-side heat exchanger includes a plurality of heat exchange sections in each of which the refrigerant exchanges heat with the heat source water, and a refrigerant valve mechanism for changing the number of heat exchange sections into which the refrigerant flows, the size of the heat exchange region being variable through changing the number of heat exchange sections into which the refrigerant flows, and the controller operates the refrigerant valve mechanism to adjust the size of the heat exchange region. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The heat source unit of claim 15, wherein the heat-source-side heat exchanger further comprises a water valve mechanism for changing the number of heat exchange sections into which the heat source water flows, and the controller operates the water valve mechanism so that the heat source water is blocked from flowing into the heat exchange section into which the entry of the refrigerant has been blocked by the refrigerant valve mechanism.