Air conditioning apparatus

• US 5,241,833 A
• Filed: 06/24/1992
• Issued: 09/07/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Ohkoshi, Seizi
• Primary Examiner(s): Tanner, Harry B.
• Application Number:
  US07/903,597
• Time in Patent Office: 440 Days
• Field of Search: 62/126, 62/127, 62/129, 62/209, 62/222, 62/223, 62/224, 62/225, 62/210, 62/211, 62/212, 62/204
• US Class Current: 62/126
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/00 Control or safety arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/32 Responding to malfunctions or emergencies
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/36 to leakage of heat-exchange fluid
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/61 using timers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/84 using valves
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/86 by controlling compressors within refrigeration or heat pump circuits
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2140/00 Control inputs relating to system states
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2203/021 Compression cycle
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2500/222 Detecting refrigerant leaks
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/2106 of fresh outdoor air
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/005 of safety devices F25B49/02 and F25B49/04 take precedence

Abstract

A refrigerating circuit of an air conditioning apparatus has a refrigerating circuit which is formed with a compressor, an expansion valve, a first heat-exchanger and a second heat-exchanger. The amount of the refrigerant in the refrigerating circuit is controlled by the expansion valve which is controlled by a control unit. The control unit is provided with detector means including various sensors for detecting the ambient temperature, saturation temperature of the refrigerant in the refrigerating cycle, temperature of the discharged refrigerant fed from the compressor, etc. Detection of refrigerant leakage from the refrigerating circuit is accurately performed by the detector means. Control means responsive to the detector means controls the operation of the compressor. The compressor is stopped when the ambient temperature is within a pre-determined level and the discharged temperature exceeds a given level if the opening of the expansion valve is full. Malfunction of the compressor is thus prevented.

Claims

1. A refrigerating apparatus for air conditioning a given space comprising:

a refrigerating circuit including a compressor, an expansion valve, a first heat-exchanger disposed outside of said space and a second heat-exchanger disposed inside of said space, the flow rate of refrigerant in said refrigerating circuit being controlled by the expansion valve,

a detector means for detecting a leakage of refrigerant in said refrigerating circuit, said detector means including a first sensor for sensing the load condition of the refrigerating cycle, a second sensor for sensing the temperature of the refrigerant in the refrigerating circuit, and a third sensor for sensing the degree of opening of said expansion valve; and

control means responsive to said detector means for controlling the operation of said compressor, said control means generating a signal for stopping the operation of said compressor when the output of said first sensor is below a first predetermined level and said third sensor detects of said expansion valve is fully open.

2. A refrigerant apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first sensor includes a temperature sensor provided at said outside space for detecting the ambient temperature of the apparatus, said signal being generated when the ambient temperature is lower than a predetermined temperature.

3. A refrigerant apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first sensor includes a temperature sensor provided in the vicinity of said first heat-exchanger performing as a condensor for the refrigerant whereby said temperature sensor detects the condensing refrigerant temperature of said first heat-exchanger when the apparatus works in the cooling mode.

4. A refrigerant apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first sensor includes a temperature sensor provided in the vicinity of said first heat-exchanger performing as an evaporator for the refrigerant whereby said temperature sensor detects the evaporating refrigerant temperature of said first heat-exchanger when the apparatus works in the heating mode.

5. A refrigerant apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first sensor includes pressure sensors provided at the inlet-side of said compressor and the outlet-side of said compressor for detecting the pressure ratio of the refrigerant.

6. A refrigerant apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control means includes means for temporarily stopping the operation of said compressor, timer means for restarting the operation of said compressor when the output of said first sensor is above said predetermined level and said third sensor detects the full open setting of said expansion valve;

and means for re-starting said compressor after a given time.

7. An air conditioning apparatus for air conditioning a given space comprising:

a refrigerating circuit including a compressor, an expansion valve, a first heat-exchanger disposed outside of said space and a second heat-exchanger disposed inside of said space, the flow rate of refrigerant in said refrigerating circuit being controlled by the expansion valve,

a detector means for detecting a leakage of refrigerant in said refrigerating circuit, said detector means including (a) first detector means for detecting the load condition of the refrigerating cycle, said first detector means including a first sensor for measuring the load condition, (b) second detector means for sensing the temperature of the refrigerant in the refrigerating circuit and (c) third detector means for sensing the degree of opening of said expansion valve, said second detector means comprising a first sensor for sensing the discharged temperature of the refrigerant fed from said compressor, a third sensor for sensing the temperature of the refrigerant entering said compressor and a fourth sensor for sensing the saturation temperature of the refrigerant in said refrigerating circuit; and

control means responsive to said detector means for controlling the operation of said compressor, said control means generating a signal for stopping the operation of said compressor when the load condition sensed by said first sensor is below a first predetermined level and the temperature sensed by said second sensor exceeds a second predetermined level and said third sensor detects the full open setting condition of said expansion valve.

8. An air conditioning apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said first detector means includes a temperature sensor provided in the vicinity of said first heat-exchanger performing as a condensor for the refrigerant whereby said temperature sensor detects the condensing refrigerant temperature of said first heat-exchanger when the apparatus works in the cooling mode.

9. An air conditioning apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said first detector means includes a temperature sensor provided in the vicinity of said first heat-exchanger performing as an evaporator for the refrigerant whereby said temperature sensor detects the evaporating refrigerant temperature of said first heat-exchanger when the apparatus works in the heating mode.

10. An air conditioning apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said first detector means includes pressure sensors provided at the inlet-side of said compressor and the outlet-side of said compressor for detecting pressure ratio of the refrigerant.

11. An air conditioning apparatus for air conditioning a given space comprising:

a refrigerating circuit including a compressor, an expansion valve, a first heat-exchanger disposed outside of said space and a second heat-exchanger disposed inside of said space, the flow rate of refrigerant in said refrigerating circuit being controlled by the expansion valve,

a detector means for detecting a leakage of refrigerant in said refrigerating circuit, said detector means including (a) first detector means for detecting the load condition of the refrigerating cycle, (b) second detector means for sensing the temperature of the refrigerant in the refrigerating circuit and (c) third detector means for sensing the degree of opening of said expansion valve, said first detector means comprising a first sensor for sensing the temperature of the outside space, said second detector means comprising a second sensor for sensing the discharged temperature of the refrigerant fed from said compressor, a third sensor for sensing the temperature of the refrigerant taking into said compressor and a fourth sensor for sensing saturation temperature of the refrigerant in said refrigerating circuit; and

control means responsive to said detector means for controlling the operation of said compressor, said control means generating a signal for stopping the operation of said compressor when the temperature sensed by said first sensor is below a first predetermined level and the temperature sensed by said second sensor exceeds a second predetermined level and said third sensor detects the full open setting condition of said expansion valve.

12. An air conditioning apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said control means includes means for temporarily stopping the operation of said compressor when the temperature detected by said first sensor is above said first predetermined level and the temperature sensed by said second sensor exceeds said second predetermined level where said third detector means detects the full open setting condition of said expansion valve;

and means for re-starting said compressor after a given time.