Air-conditioning apparatus

• US 5,526,650 A
• Filed: 09/20/1994
• Issued: 06/18/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/1993
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd. (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd. (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Takahisa, Iritani, Kunio, Isaji, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): Wayner, William E.
• Application Number:
  US08/308,929
• Time in Patent Office: 637 Days
• Field of Search: 62/160, 62/90, 62/324.6, 62/173, 62/205
• US Class Current: 62/205
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00907 where the flow direction of the refrigerant changes and an evaporator becomes condenser
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/3207 for minimizing the humidity of the air
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/00135 Deviding walls for separate air flows
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 3/153 with subsequent heating, i.e. with the air, given the required humidity in the central station, passing a heating element to achieve the required temperature

Abstract

An air-conditioning apparatus that prevents a state of blowing temperature fluctuation due to magnitude of vehicle speed in a dehumidification mode. A condenser and evaporator are disposed within an air duct, and an exterior heat exchanger is disposed externally. A capillary and check valve are provided in a refrigerant passage between the condenser and exterior heat exchanger, and a capillary is provided in a refrigerant passage between the exterior heat exchanger and evaporator. During dehumidification mode, a four-way switching valve is switched so that the flow passage of refrigerant is from the condenser to the capillary, to the check valve, to the exterior heat exchanger, to the capillary, to the evaporator, and then to an accumulator. In this case, the condenser and exterior heat exchanger function as a refrigerant condenser in a series-connected state, but because in actuality the capillary is provided, the majority of refrigerant discharged from a compressor is condensed by the condenser.

Claims

1. An air-conditioning apparatus including, within a refrigerant circulation circuit:

an evaporator disposed within an air duct,

a condenser functioning as a heating source for air passing through said evaporator,

an exterior heat exchanger disposed outside said air duct,

a first restrictor in a refrigerant passage between said condenser and said exterior heat exchanger,

a second restrictor in a refrigerant passage between said exterior heat exchanger and said evaporator, and

an operational mode of the air-conditioning apparatus being switchable to any one of a cooling, heater, or dehumidification mode by means of switching a valve provided in said refrigerant circulation circuit to switch a circulation path of refrigerant,

wherein during dehumidification mode refrigerant flows sequentially from said condenser through said first restrictor, said exterior heat exchanger, and said second restrictor to said evaporator.

2. An air-conditioning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first restrictor and said second restrictor are both formed by means of a fixed aperture.

3. An air-conditioning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first restrictor is formed with a variable aperture, and

wherein during dehumidification mode, temperature of said evaporator and temperature of said condenser can be adjusted by means of adjusting an aperture opening of said first restrictor.

4. An air-conditioning apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a compressor disposed in said refrigeration cycle, wherein a revolving speed of said compressor provided in said refrigerant circulation circuit can be adjusted, and provided with a control means which during dehumidification mode controls an aperture opening of at least said first restrictor as well as said revolving speed of said compressor.

5. An air-conditioning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first restrictor and said second restrictor are both formed with a variable aperture and combinations of aperture openings of these various restrictors are established at a plurality of stages, and

wherein during dehumidification mode, temperature of said evaporator and temperature of said condenser can be adjusted by means of correcting combinations of aperture openings of said first restrictor and said second restrictor based on information indicating a blowing temperature from an air duct at each passage of a fixed time.