Air conditioner with heat regeneration cycle
AssigneeKabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
InventorKeiichi Morita
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A refrigeration cycle of an air conditioner includes a variable-capacity compressor which has a predetermined maximum capacity. A thermal storage tank filled with a regenerative material is connected between the discharge side of the compressor and an indoor heat exchanger. In a regenerating operation of the refrigeration cycle, the regenerative material deprives the heat of a refrigerant discharged from the compressor and stores it. At this time, the compressor is driven within a capacity range having a maximum value lower than the predetermined maximum capacity, and an indoor fan for delivering air to the indoor heat exchanger is stopped.
Claims9
An air conditioner having a refrigeration cycle comprising:
- a variable-capacity compressor having a predetermined maximum capacity;
- an indoor heat exchanger;
- an expansion device;
- an outdoor heat exchanger;
- a refrigerant circulation means connecting all of said previously recited components thereby forming a closed circuit through which a refrigerant flows;
- an indoor fan for introducing air into the indoor heat exchanger;
- an outdoor fan for delivering air to the outdoor heat exchanger;
- and
- regeneration means connected to the circulation means, at a point between the discharge side of the compressor and the expansion device, for storing residual heat of the refrigerant, whereby during an ordinary heating operation and during a regenerating operation heat from the compressor is stored into the regeneration means;
- and
- drive means for, during the regenerating operation, stopping the indoor fan and driving the compressor at a capacity that is less than the predetermined maximum capacity.
An air conditioner having a refrigeration cycle comprising:
- a variable-capacity compressor having a predetermined maximum capacity;
- an indoor heat exchanger;
- an expansion means;
- an outdoor heat exchanger;
- a refrigerant circulation means connecting all of said previously recited components, thereby forming a closed circuit through which a refrigerant flows;
- an indoor fan for introducing air into the indoor heat exchanger;
- an outdoor fan for delivering air to the outdoor heat exchanger;
- and
- regeneration means connected to the circulation means at a point between the discharge side of the compressor and the indoor heat exchanger, for storing heat from the refrigerant discharged from the compressor during an orginary heating operation, rise-time operation, defrosting operation and regenerating operation, said regeneration means including:
- a regeneration material;
- a regenerative heat exchanger connected to the circulation means and located in the regenerative material;
- an endothermic heat exchanger located in the regenerative material;
- first bypass means for, in the rise-time operation, introducing the refrigerant passed through the indoor heat exchanger to the suction side of the compressor via the endothermic heat exchanger;
- and
- second bypass means for, in the defrosting operation, introducing the refrigerant passes through the indoor heat exchanger into the outdoor heat exchanger via the endothermic heat exchanger;
- and
- drive means, for in the regenerating operation, stopping the indoor fan and driving the compressor at a capacity that is less than the predetermined maximum capacity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.