Air conditioning apparatus

An air conditioning apparatus for a vehicle having a passenger compartment, comprising:

• a casing having an air passage, in which an air inlet is formed on an end thereof for sucking air and an air outlet is formed on the other end thereof for blowing out air into a passenger compartment;
• a blower disposed in said air passage, for blowing air from said air inlet to said air outlet through said air passage;
• an evaporator disposed in said air passage, for cooling air;
• a condenser disposed in said air passage on a downstream side of said evaporator, for heating air;
• an outdoor heat exchanger disposed outside said air passage, for exchanging heat between outside air and a refrigerant;
• an compressor having a suction port for sucking said refrigerant on low pressure side in a refrigerating cycle, a gas injection port for injecting middle pressure gaseous refrigerant in said refrigerating cycle and a discharge port for discharging compressed refrigerant;
• first pressure reducing means for reducing pressure of said refrigerant on high pressure side to middle pressure;
• a gas-liquid separator for separating said refrigerant, pressure of which is reduced in said first pressure reducing means to said middle pressure, into gas and liquid;
• introducing means for introducing gaseous refrigerant separated in said gas-liquid separator into said gas injection port;
• and
• second pressure reducing means for reducing pressure of liquid refrigerant separated in said gas-liquid separator;
• wherein
• in a heating operation, said refrigerant circulates through said compressor, said condenser, said first pressure reducing means, said gas-liquid separator, said second pressure reducing means, and said outdoor heat exchanger in this order, while said gaseous refrigerant separated in said gas-liquid separator is introduced to said gas injection port by said introducing means;
• in a cooling operation, said refrigerant circulates at least through said compressor, said outdoor heat exchanger, said second pressure reducing means and said evaporator in this order;
• in a first dehumidifying operation, said refrigerant circulates at least through said compressor, said condenser, said outdoor heat exchanger, said second pressure reducing means and said evaporator in this order;
• in a second dehumidifying operation, said refrigerant circulates at least through said compressor, said condenser, said second pressure reducing means and said evaporator in this order;
• and
• in a third dehumidifying operation, said refrigerant circulates at least through said compressor, said condenser, said second pressure reducing means, said outdoor heat exchanger and said evaporator in this order.

An air conditioning apparatus for a vehicle having a passenger compartment, comprising:

• a casing having an air passage in which an air inlet is formed on an end thereof for sucking air and an air outlet is formed on the other end thereof for blowing out air into said passenger compartment;
• a blower disposed in said air passage, for blowing air from said air inlet to said air outlet through said air passage;
• an evaporator disposed in said air passage, for cooling air;
• a condenser disposed in said air passage on a downstream side of said evaporator, for heating air;
• an outdoor heat exchanger disposed outside said air passage, for exchanging heat between outside air and a refrigerant;
• a compressor having a suction port for sucking said refrigerant on low pressure side in a refrigerating cycle, a gas injection port for injecting middle pressure gaseous refrigerant in said refrigerating cycle and a discharge port for discharging compressed refrigerant;
• first pressure reducing means for reducing pressure of said refrigerant in high pressure side to middle pressure;
• a gas-liquid separator for separating said refrigerant, pressure of which is reduced in said first pressure reducing means to said middle pressure, into gas and liquid;
• introducing means for introducing gaseous refrigerant separated in said gas-liquid separator to said gas injection port;
• and
• second pressure reducing means for reducing pressure of liquid refrigerant separated in said gas-liquid separator;
• wherein
• in a heating operation, said refrigerant circulates through said compressor, said condenser, said first pressure reducing means, said gas-liquid separator, said second pressure reducing means, and said outdoor heat exchanger in this order, while said gaseous refrigerant separated in said gas-liquid separator is introduced into said gas injection port by said introducing means;
• in a cooling operation, said refrigerant circulates at least through said compressor, said outdoor heat exchanger, said second pressure reducing means and said evaporator in this order;
• in a first dehumidifying operation, said refrigerant circulates at least through said compressor, said condenser, said second pressure reducing means and said evaporator in this order;
• and
• in a second dehumidifying operation, said refrigerant circulates at least through said compressor, said condenser, said second pressure reducing means, said outdoor heat exchanger and said evaporator in this order.