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US 5,878,810 AGranted
Air-conditioning apparatus
AssigneeKabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
InventorsKazuo Saito, Katuyoshi Kumazawa, Tetsuo Sano, Toshihiko Saito, Yasuhiro Arai, Shinichi Kameyama
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An air-conditioning apparatus forms a refrigerating cycle with a refrigerant heater and a compressor having two cylinders. The apparatus simultaneously carries out a refrigerant heating operation and a heat pump operation when a required heating capacity is high, and when the required heating capacity is low, only the heat pump operation. This operation technique helps reduce the size of the apparatus and expand a variable width of heating capacity. The apparatus also has a defrosting unit for defrosting an outdoor heat exchanger during the heat pump operation.
Claims46
An air-conditioning apparatus comprising:
- a compressor having two suction ports, a discharge port, and two simultaneously operating cylinders corresponding to the two suction ports;
- an indoor heat exchanger;
- an outdoor heat exchanger;
- a directional control valve for connecting said indoor and outdoor heat exchangers with the discharge port and one of the suction ports of said compressor;
- an expansion valve disposed in piping for connecting said indoor heat exchanger with said outdoor heat exchanger;
- a refrigerant heater disposed between the piping and the other suction port of said compressor;
- and
- an open/close valve disposed between said refrigerant heater and the piping;
- wherein, when said refrigerant heater is turned off with said open/close valve being closed and one of said cylinders is driven to carry out a heating operation with a decreased heating capacity, the other of said cylinders is also driven to draw refrigerant downstream of said open/close valve, while said other suction port of said compressor is connected substantially only with said refrigerant heater, to exhaust the refrigerant in said refrigerant heater to form a vacuum condition therein;
- wherein, when said refrigerant heater is turned off with said open/close valve being closed and one of said cylinders is driven to carry out a cooling operation, the other of said cylinders is also driven to draw refrigerant downstream of said open/close valve, while said other suction port of said compressor is connected substantially only with said refrigerant heater, to exhaust the refrigerant in said refrigerant heater to form a vacuum condition therein;
- and
- wherein said open/close valve comprises a flow control valve.
9 more elements
An air-conditioning apparatus comprising:
- a compressor having two suction ports, a discharge e port, and two simultaneously operating cylinders corresponding to the two suction ports;
- an indoor heat exchanger;
- an outdoor heat exchanger;
- a directional control valve for connecting said indoor and outdoor heat exchangers with the discharge port and one of the suction ports of said compressor;
- an expansion valve disposed in piping for connecting said indoor heat exchanger with said outdoor heat exchanger;
- a refrigerant heater disposed between the piping and the other suction port of said compressor;
- and
- an open/close valve disposed between said refrigerant heater and the piping;
- wherein, when said refrigerant heater is turned off with said open/close valve being closed and one of said cylinders is driven to carry out a heating operation with a decreased heating capacity, the other of said cylinders is also driven to draw refrigerant downstream of said open/close valve, while said other suction port of said compressor is connected substantially only with said refrigerant heater, to exhaust the refrigerant in said refrigerant heater to form a vacuum condition therein;
- wherein, when said refrigerant heater is turned off with said open/close valve being closed and one of said cylinders is driven to carry out a cooling operation, the other of said cylinders is also driven to draw refrigerant downstream of said open/close valve, while said other suction port of said compressor is connected substantially only with said refrigerant heater, to exhaust the refrigerant in said refrigerant heater to form a vacuum condition therein;
- and
- wherein said expansion valve comprises a temperature expansion valve.
9 more elements
An air-conditioning apparatus comprising:
- a compressor having two suction ports, a discharge port, and two simultaneously operating cylinders corresponding to the two suction ports;
- an indoor heat exchanger;
- an outdoor heat exchanger;
- a directional control valve for-connecting said indoor and outdoor heat exchangers with the discharge port and one of the suction ports of said compressor;
- an expansion valve disposed in piping for connecting said indoor heat exchanger with said outdoor heat exchanger;
- a refrigerant heater disposed between a part of the piping between said expansion valve and said indoor heat exchanger and the other suction port of said compressor;
- an open/close valve disposed between said refrigerant heater and the piping;
- a flow control valve disposed between a connection of said open/close valve to the piping and said indoor heat exchanger;
- and
- bypassing open/close valve disposed in parallel with said expansion valve;
- wherein, when said refrigerant heater is turned off with said open/close valve being closed and one of said cylinders is driven to carry out a heating operation with a decreased heating capacity, the other of said cylinders is also driven to draw refrigerant downstream of said open/close valve, while said other suction port of said compressor is connected substantially only with said refrigerant heater, to exhaust the refrigerant in said refrigerant heater to form a vacuum condition therein;
- and
- wherein, when said refrigerant heater is turned off with said open/close valve being closed and one of said cylinders is driven to carry out a cooling operation, the other of said cylinders is also driven to draw refrigerant downstream of said open/close valve, while said other suction port of said compressor is connected substantially only with said refrigerant heater, to exhaust the refrigerant in said refrigerant heater to form a vacuum condition therein.
10 more elements
An air-conditioning apparatus comprising:
- a compressor having two suction ports, a discharge port, and two simultaneously operating cylinders corresponding to the two suction ports;
- an indoor heat exchanger;
- an outdoor heat exchanger;
- a directional control value for connecting said indoor and outdoor heat exchangers with the discharge port and one of the suction ports of said compressor;
- an expansion valve disposed in piping for connecting said indoor heat exchanger with said outdoor heat exchanger;
- a refrigerant heater disposed between the piping and the other suction port of said compressor;
- a first open/close valve disposed between said refrigerant heater and the piping;
- and
- a second open/close valve disposed between two systems of piping connected to the two suction ports, respectively;
- wherein, when said refrigerant heater is turned off with said first open/close valve being closed and one of said cylinders is driven to carry out a heating operation with a decreased heating, capacity, the other of said cylinders is also driven to draw refrigerant downstream of said first open/close valve, while said other suction port of said compressor is connected substantially only with said refrigerant heater, to exhaust the refrigerant in said refrigerant heater to form a vacuum condition therein;
- and
- wherein, when said refrigerant heater is turned off with said first open/close valve being closed and one of said cylinders is driven to carry out a cooling operation, the other of said cylinders is also driven to draw refrigerant downstream of said first open/close valve, while said other suction port of said compressor is connected substantially only with said refrigerant heater, to exhaust the refrigerant in said refrigerant heater to form a vacuum condition therein.
9 more elements
An air-conditioning apparatus comprising:
- a compressor having two suction ports, a discharge port, and two simultaneously operating cylinders corresponding to the two suction ports;
- an indoor heat exchanger;
- an outdoor heat exchanger;
- a directional control valve for connecting said indoor and outdoor heat exchangers with the discharge port and one of the suction ports of said compressor;
- an expansion valve disposed in piping for connecting said indoor heat exchanger with said outdoor heat exchanger;
- a refrigerant heater disposed between the piping and the other suction port of said compressor;
- a first open/close valve disposed between said refrigerant heater and the piping;
- and
- a second open/close valve disposed in bypass piping for connecting piping connected to the expansion valve side of said outdoor heat exchanger;
- wherein, when said refrigerant heater is turned off with said first open/close valve being closed and one of said cylinders is driven to carry out a heating operation with a decreased heating capacity, the other of said cylinders is also driven to draw refrigerant downstream of said first open/close valve, while said other suction port of said compressor is connected substantially only with said refrigerant heater, to exhaust the refrigerant in said refrigerant heater to form a vacuum condition therein;
- and
- wherein, when said refrigerant heater is turned off with said first open/close valve being closed and one of said cylinders is driven to carry out a cooling operation, the other of said cylinders is also driven to draw refrigerant downstream of said first open/close valve, while said other suction port of said compressor is connected substantially only with said refrigerant heater, to exhaust the refrigerant in said refrigerant heater to form a vacuum condition therein.
9 more elements
An air-conditioning apparatus comprising:
- a compressor having two suction ports, a discharge port, and two simultaneously operating cylinders corresponding to the two suction ports;
- an indoor heat exchanger;
- an outdoor heat exchanger;
- a directional control valve for connecting said indoor and outdoor heat exchangers with the discharge port and one of the suction ports of said compressor;
- an expansion valve disposed in piping for connecting said indoor heat exchanger with said outdoor heat exchanger;
- a refrigerant heater disposed between the piping and the other suction port of said compressor;
- a first open/close valve disposed between said refrigerant heater and the piping;
- and
- a second open/close valve disposed in piping for connecting piping connected to the discharge port of said compressor with the piping connected to the expansion valve side of said outdoor heat exchanger;
- wherein, when said refrigerant heater is turned off with said first open/close valve being closed and one of said cylinders is driven to carry out a heating operation with a decreased heating capacity, the other of said cylinders is also driven to draw refrigerant downstream of said first open/close valve, while said other suction port of said compressor is connected substantially only with said refrigerant heater, to exhaust the refrigerant in said refrigerant heater to form a vacuum condition therein;
- and
- wherein, when said refrigerant heater is turned off with said first open/close valve being closed and one of said cylinders is driven to carry out a cooling operation, the other of said cylinders is also driven to draw refrigerant downstream of said first open/close valve, while said other suction port of said compressor is connected substantially only with said refrigerant heater, to exhaust the refrigerant in said refrigerant heater to form a vacuum condition therein.
9 more elements
An air-conditioning apparatus comprising:
- a compressor having two suction ports, a discharge port, and two simultaneously operating cylinders corresponding to the two suction ports;
- an indoor heat exchanger;
- an outdoor heat exchanger;
- a directional control valve for connecting said indoor and outdoor heat exchangers with the discharge port and one of the suction ports of said compressor;
- an expansion valve disposed in piping for connecting said indoor heat exchanger with said outdoor heat exchanger;
- a refrigerant heater disposed between an intermediate position in the piping between said indoor heat exchanger and said expansion valve and the other suction port of said compressor;
- a first open/close valve disposed between said refrigerant heater and the piping;
- and
- a second open/close valve and heat accumulating means disposed in bypass piping for bypassing said expansion valve;
- wherein, when said refrigerant heater is turned off with said first open/close valve being closed and one of said cylinders is driven to carry out a heating operation with a decreased heating capacity, the other of said cylinders is also driven to draw refrigerant downstream of said first open/close valve, while said other suction port of said compressor is connected substantially only with said refrigerant heater, to exhaust the refrigerant in said refrigerant heater or form a vacuum condition therein;
- and
- wherein, when said refrigerant heater is turned off with said first open/close valve being closed and one of said cylinders is driven to carry out cooling operation, the other of said cylinders is also driven to draw refrigerant downstream of said first open/close valve, while said other suction port of said compressor is connected substantially only with said refrigerant heater, to exhaust the refrigerant in said refrigerant heater to form a vacuum condition therein.
9 more elements
An air-conditioning apparatus comprising:
- a compressor having two suction ports, a discharge port, and two simultaneously operating cylinders corresponding to the two suction ports;
- an indoor heat exchanger;
- an outdoor heat exchanger;
- a directional control valve for connecting said indoor and outdoor heat exchangers with the discharge port and one of the suction ports of said compressor;
- an expansion valve disposed in piping for connecting said indoor heat exchanger with said outdoor heat exchanger;
- a refrigerant heater disposed between the piping and the other suction port of said compressor;
- and
- an open/close valve disposed between said refrigerant heater and the piping;
- wherein, when said refrigerant heater is turned off with said open/close valve being closed and one of said cylinders is driven to carry out a heating operation with a decreased heating capacity, the other of said cylinders is also driven to draw refrigerant downstream of said open/close valve, while said other suction port of said compressor is connected substantially only with said refrigerant heater, to exhaust the refrigerant in said refrigerant heater to form a vacuum condition therein;
- and
- wherein, when said refrigerant heater is turned off with said open/close valve being closed and one of said cylinders is driven to carry out a cooling operation, the other of said cylinders is also driven to draw refrigerant downstream of said open/close valve, while said other suction port of said compressor is connected substantially only with said refrigerant heater, to exhaust the refrigerant in said refrigerant heater to form a vacuum condition therein.
8 more elements
An air-conditioning apparatus comprising:
- an indoor heat exchanger;
- a first cylinder connected to said indoor heat exchanger in order to compress a refrigerant transmitted from said indoor heat exchanger in a cooling mode and to compress the refrigerant to be transmitted to said indoor heat exchanger in a heating mode;
- an outdoor heat exchanger connected between said first cylinder and said indoor heat exchanger in order that the refrigerant compressed in and transmitted from said first cylinder radiates heat through said outdoor heat exchanger and is then transmitted to said indoor heat exchanger through an expansion first valve in said cooling mode and that the refrigerant transmitted from said indoor heat exchanger through said expansion first valve absorbs heat through said outdoor heat exchanger and is transmitted to said first cylinder in said heating mode;
- valve means, connected to said first cylinder, said indoor heat exchanger and said outdoor heat exchanger, for controlling flow of the refrigerant in accordance with said cooling mode and said heating mode;
- a refrigerant heater connected to said indoor heat exchanger in parallel with said outdoor heat exchanger in order to heat the refrigerant transmitted from said indoor heat exchanger through a second valve;
- and
- a second cylinder connected between said refrigerant heater and said indoor heat exchanger for causing circulation of the refrigerant by drawing said refrigerant from said refrigerant heater through a suction port of said second cylinder,
- wherein, when said refrigerant heater is turned off with said second valve being closed and said first cylinder is driven to carry out a heating operation with a decreased heating capacity, said second cylinder is also driven to draw refrigerant downstream of said second valve, while said suction port of said second cylinder is connected substantially only with said refrigerant heater, to exhaust the refrigerant in the refrigerant heater to form a vacuum condition therein;
- and
- wherein, when said refrigerant heater is turned off with said second valve being closed and said first cylinder is driven to carry out a cooling operation, said second cylinder is also driven to draw refrigerant downstream of said second valve, while said suction port of said second cylinder is connected substantially only with said refrigerant heater to exhaust the refrigerant in the refrigerant heater to form a vacuum condition therein.
7 more elements
A method of carry out a heating and cooling operation, comprising:
- providing an air-conditioning apparatus including a compressor having two suction ports and two simultaneously operating cylinders corresponding to the two suction ports;
- a refrigerant heater operatively connected by piping to one of said suction ports of said compressor;
- and an open/close valve disposed within piping operatively connected between said refrigerant heater and the other of said suction ports of said compressor;
- driving (A) one of said cylinders to carry out a heating operation with decreased capacity when said refrigerant heater is turned off and said open/close valve is closed, and (B) the other of said cylinders to draw refrigerant downstream of said open/close valve, while said other suction port of said compressor is connected substantially only with said refrigerant heater, to exhaust the refrigerant in said refrigerant heater to form a vacuum condition therein;
- and
- driving (C) one of said cylinders to carry out a cooling operation when said refrigerant heater is turned off and said open/close valve is closed, and (D) the other of said cylinders to draw refrigerant downstream of said open/close valve, while said other suction port of said compressor is connected substantially only with said refrigerant heater, to exhaust the refrigerant in said refrigerant heater to form a vacuum condition therein.
3 more elements
A method of carrying out a heating and cooling operation, comprising:
- providing an air-conditioning apparatus with an indoor heat exchanger;
- connecting a first cylinder is said indoor heat exchanger to compress a refrigerant transmitted from said indoor heat exchanger in a cooling mode and to compress the refrigerant to be transmitted to said indoor heat exchanger in a heating mode;
- connecting an outdoor heat exchanger between said first cylinder and said indoor heat exchanger in order that the refrigerant compressed in and transmitted from said first cylinder radiates heat through said outdoor heat exchanger and is then transmitted to said indoor heat exchanger through an expansion first valve in said cooling mode and that the refrigerant transmitted from said indoor heat exchanger through said expansion first valve absorbs heat through said outdoor heat exchanger and is transmitted to said first cylinder in said heating mode;
- connecting at least one valve to said first cylinder, said indoor heat exchanger and said outdoor heat exchanger, for controlling flow of the refrigerant in accordance with said cooling mode and said heating mode;
- connecting a refrigerant heater to said indoor heat exchanger in parallel with said outdoor heat exchanger in order to heat the refrigerant transmitted from said indoor heat exchanger through a second valve;
- and
- connecting a second cylinder between said refrigerant heater and said indoor heat exchanger for causing circulation of the refrigerant by drawing said refrigerant from said refrigerant heater through a suction port of said second cylinder,
- driving (A) one of said cylinders to carry out a heating operating with decreased capacity when said refrigerant heater is turned off and said open/close valve is closed, and (B) said second cylinder to draw refrigerant downstream of said second valve, while said suction port of said second cylinder is connected substantially only with said refrigerant heater, to exhaust the refrigerant in the refrigerant heater to form a vacuum condition therein;
- and
- driving (C) one of said cylinders to carry out a cooling operation, when said refrigerant heater is turned off and said second valve is closed, and (D) the other of said cylinder to draw refrigerant downstream of said open/close valve, while said other suction port of said compressor is connected substantially only with said refrigerant heater, to exhaust the refrigerant in the refrigerant heater to form a vacuum condition therein.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.