Refrigeration – Disparate apparatus utilized as heat source or absorber – With vapor compression system
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-22
2001-09-18
Ford, John K. (Department: 3743)
Refrigeration
Disparate apparatus utilized as heat source or absorber
With vapor compression system
C062S238700, C062S160000, C237S00200B, C165S240000, C126S09900D, C126S11600A
Reexamination Certificate
active
06289685
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an air conditioner comprising a refrigerant circuit for performing a refrigeration cycle.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There has conventionally been known an air conditioner comprising a refrigerant circuit and a refrigerant heating device for heating a refrigerant with warm water from a boiler (see, for example, Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. SHO 55-9618).
Specifically, the refrigerant circuit is composed of a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, an expansion mechanism, and an indoor heat exchanger which are connected to each other with piping. The refrigerant circuit has the refrigerant circulating through the inside thereof and a four-way switch valve such that the direction of circulation of the refrigerant is reversible. The air conditioner performs a cooling operation using a refrigeration cycle operation and a heating operation using a heat pump cycle operation. The air conditioner also performs a heating operation by supplying the refrigerant heated by the refrigerant heating device to the indoor heat exchanger. In short, the air conditioner performs both of the heating operation using the heat pump cycle operation and the heating operation using the refrigerant heating device.
On the other hand, the refrigerant heating device heats the refrigerant with warm water from a boiler. Specifically, the refrigerant heating device introduces the warm water generated by the boiler into a warm water tank and causes a heat exchange between the warm water in the warm water tank and the refrigerant. In short, the refrigerant heating device heats the refrigerant by using the sensible heat change of the warm water.
The air conditioner switches between the refrigeration cycle operation and the heat pump cycle operation. The outdoor heat exchanger of the refrigerant circuit functions as a condenser during the refrigeration cycle operation, while functioning as an evaporator during the heat pump cycle operation. Therefore, the specifications of the outdoor heat exchanger should be determined such that the outdoor heat exchanger exerts sufficient abilities as the condenser during the cooling operation and as the evaporator during the heating operation.
However, the optimum specifications for a condenser are different from the optimum specifications for an evaporator. Consequently, such a problem has been encountered that the outdoor heat exchanger optimized as an evaporator has an excessive ability as a condenser. Briefly, the specifications of the outdoor heat exchanger cannot be optimized as both the condenser and the evaporator. The problem leads to another problem that the operating conditions cannot be optimized during both the refrigeration cycle operation and the heat pump cycle operation, resulting in a reduction in energy efficiency.
The present invention has been achieved in view of the foregoing. It is therefore an object of the present invention to improve energy efficiency in an air conditioner comprising a refrigerant circuit.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an air conditioner with specified heating means.
Specifically, the air conditioner according to the present invention comprises a refrigerant circuit having a refrigerant circulating through the inside thereof, the refrigerant circuit comprising a heat-use-side heat exchanger for causing a heat exchange between the refrigerant and indoor air, a condenser only for condensing the refrigerant by causing a heat exchange between the refrigerant and outdoor air, and heating means only for heating the refrigerant.
In the air conditioner, a circulating operation in a refrigeration cycle is performed in the refrigerant circuit during a cooling operation. In this case, the heat exchange is caused between the refrigerant and the indoor air in the heat-use-side heat exchanger so that the refrigerant absorbs heat to be evaporated, while the indoor air is cooled. The refrigerant that has absorbed heat in the heat-use-side heat exchanger flows to the condenser. The condenser causes a heat exchange between the refrigerant and the outdoor air, so that the refrigerant radiates heat with respect to the outdoor air to be condensed.
The air conditioner also performs a heating operation. During the heating operation, the refrigerant is heated by the heating means. The heated refrigerant flows to the heat-use-side heat exchanger. In the heat-use-side heat exchanger, the refrigerant exchanges heat with the indoor air and radiates heat with respect to the indoor air, while the indoor air is heated.
In the air conditioner, the condenser only condenses the refrigerant during the cooling operation. Therefore, the condenser need not function as an evaporator, which is different from the outdoor heat exchanger of the conventional air conditioner. This renders the specifications of the condenser optimum for the condensation of the refrigerant through the heat exchange with the outdoor air and provides optimum operating conditions during the cooling operation.
In the air conditioner, on the other hand, the heating means only heats the refrigerant during the heating operation. This renders the specifications of the heating means optimum for the heating of the refrigerant and provides optimum conditions during the heating operation. Consequently, optimum operating conditions are provided during both of the cooling and heating operations, which improves energy efficiency.
Preferably, the heating means of the air conditioner heats the refrigerant by causing a heat exchange between combustion gas and the refrigerant. In the arrangement, the combustion gas exchanges heat with the refrigerant in the heating means, so that the refrigerant is heated.
Alternatively, the heating means of the air conditioner preferably heats the refrigerant by using latent heat of a heat medium heated and evaporated with combustion gas. In the arrangement, the combustion gas initially exchanges heat with the heat medium in the heating means so that the heat medium is heated and evaporated. Subsequently, the evaporated heat medium exchanges heat with the refrigerant so that the heat medium radiates heat with respect to the refrigerant and is condensed, while the refrigerant is heated.
Alternatively, the air conditioner according to the present invention comprises a refrigerant circuit having a refrigerant circulating through the inside thereof, the refrigerant circuit comprising a heat-use-side heat exchanger for causing a heat exchange between the refrigerant and indoor air and heating means heating means for heating said refrigerant by causing a heat exchange between combustion gas and said refrigerant.
Alternatively, the air conditioner according to the present invention comprises a refrigerant circuit having a refrigerant circulating through the inside thereof, the refrigerant circuit comprising a heat-use-side heat exchanger for causing a heat exchange between the refrigerant and indoor air and heating means for heating the refrigerant by using latent heat of a heat medium heated and evaporated with combustion gas.
When the air conditioner is in heating operation, the refrigerant is heated in the heating means. The heat refrigerant flows to the heat-use-side heat exchanger. In the heat-use-side heat exchanger, the refrigerant exchanges heat with the indoor air so that heat is radiated from the refrigerant to the indoor air, while the indoor heat is heated. In that case, the refrigerant is heated in the heating means through heat exchange with the combustion gas and through heat exchange with the heat medium heated and evaporated with combustion gas.
Here, it may also be considered that a heat exchange is caused between the refrigerant and warm water generated by heating water with the combustion gas in a boiler. In this case, the heat of the combustion gas is temporarily transferred to water and then transferred to the refrigerant so that the heating of the refrigerant is also performed by using the sensible heat change of the warm water. Consequently, the heat of the combustion gas in
Kawabata Katsuhiro
Tanimoto Keisuke
Utsumi Masato
Daikin Industries Ltd.
Ford John K.
Nixon & Peabody LLP
Studebaker Donald R.
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