Air conditioning apparatus

• US 9,410,715 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2012
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daikin Europe N.V. (Daikin Industries Ltd), Daikin Industries Ltd
• Original Assignee: Daikin Europe N.V. (Daikin Industries Ltd), Daikin Industries Ltd
• Inventors: Nakagawa, Hideyuki, Honda, Masahiro, Matsuoka, Shinya
• Primary Examiner(s): Ciric, Ljiljana
• Assistant Examiner(s): COX, ALEXIS K
• Application Number:
  US14/434,683
• Publication Number:
  US 20150285530A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,391 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/89 Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2140/20 Heat-exchange fluid temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 5/0035 using evaporation
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 13/00 Compression machines, plants or systems, with reversible cycle defrosting cycles F25B47/02
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2313/0233 in parallel arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2313/02741 using one four-way valve
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2313/029 Control issues
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2313/0313 Pressure sensors near the outdoor heat exchanger
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2313/0314 Temperature sensors near the indoor heat exchanger
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/19 Refrigerant outlet condenser temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/21 Refrigerant outlet evaporator temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/1931 Discharge pressures
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/1933 Suction pressures
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/2106 of fresh outdoor air
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/21151 at the suction side of the compressor
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/21152 at the discharge side of the compressor

Abstract

An air conditioning apparatus has a refrigerant circuit made up of plural indoor units connected to an outdoor unit, and the air conditioning apparatus has a capacity controlling part and a target refrigerant temperature mode setting part. The capacity controlling part controls the air conditioning capacity of the outdoor unit in such a way that the evaporation temperature of refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit becomes a target evaporation temperature, or in such a way that the condensation temperature of the refrigerant becomes a target condensation temperature. The target refrigerant temperature mode setting part is configured to seta target refrigerant temperature mode to either a target refrigerant temperature changing mode or a target refrigerant temperature fixing mode. The target refrigerant temperature changing mode changes the target evaporation temperature or the target condensation temperature, and the target refrigerant temperature fixing mode fixes the target evaporation temperature or the target condensation temperature.

Claims

1. An air conditioning apparatus equipped with a refrigerant circuit configured with plural indoor units connected to an outdoor unit, the air conditioning apparatus comprising:

a capacity controlling part controlling an air conditioning capacity of the outdoor unit such that an evaporation temperature of refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit becomes a target evaporation temperature; and

a target refrigerant temperature mode setting part setting a target refrigerant temperature mode to one of

a target refrigerant temperature changing mode that changes the target evaporation temperature, and

a target refrigerant temperature fixing mode that fixes the target evaporation temperature,

the target refrigerant temperature changing mode having

a first changing mode that changes the target evaporation temperature in such a way that room temperatures of air conditioned spaces targeted by the indoor units reach set temperatures that are target values of the room temperatures in an amount of time, and

a second changing mode that changes the target evaporation temperature in such a way that the room temperatures reach the set temperatures in a longer amount of time than in the first changing mode, and

the first changing mode and the second changing mode being set by the target refrigerant temperature mode setting part.

2. The air conditioning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

in the target refrigerant temperature fixing mode, the target evaporation temperature is fixed to a maximum capacity evaporation temperature corresponding to a case in which an air conditioning capacity of the outdoor unit is at 100% capacity.

3. The air conditioning apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the first changing mode has

a first sub-mode that allows the target evaporation temperature to be changed to a lowest evaporation temperature exceeding the maximum capacity evaporation temperature and

a second sub-mode that does not allow the target evaporation temperature to be changed to the lowest evaporation temperature or the highest condensation temperature, and

the first sub-mode and the second sub-mode are set by the target refrigerant temperature mode setting part.

4. The air conditioning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the target refrigerant temperature changing mode further has

an automatic mode that sets a reference target evaporation temperature serving as a reference value of the target evaporation temperature in accordance with an outdoor temperature of an outside space where the outdoor unit is disposed and

a user-set mode in which a user sets the reference target evaporation temperature,

the first changing mode and the second changing mode are set, together with the automatic mode or the user-set mode, by the target refrigerant temperature mode setting part, and

the target evaporation temperature is changed by making, with respect to the reference target evaporation temperature, a correction corresponding to the first changing mode or the second changing mode.

5. The air conditioning apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

the target refrigerant temperature changing mode further has an economy mode in which the reference target evaporation temperature that has been set in the automatic mode or the user-set mode is set as the target evaporation temperature without a correction being made to the reference target evaporation temperature, and

the economy mode is set, together with the automatic mode or the user-set mode, by the target refrigerant temperature mode setting part.

6. The air conditioning apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

the reference target evaporation temperature is restricted to be no more than an upper limit evaporation temperature that has been set in accordance with the room temperatures.

7. The air conditioning apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the target refrigerant temperature changing mode further has

an automatic mode that sets a reference target evaporation temperature serving as a reference value of the target evaporation temperature in accordance with an outdoor temperature of an outside space where the outdoor unit is disposed and

a user-set mode in which a user sets the reference target evaporation temperature,

the first changing mode and the second changing mode are set, together with the automatic mode or the user-set mode, by the target refrigerant temperature mode setting part, and

the target evaporation temperature is changed by making, with respect to the reference target evaporation temperature, a correction corresponding to the first changing mode or the second changing mode.

8. The air conditioning apparatus according to claim 7, wherein

the target refrigerant temperature changing mode further has an economy mode in which the reference target evaporation temperature that has been set in the automatic mode or the user-set mode is set as the target evaporation temperature without a correction being made to the reference target evaporation temperature, and

the economy mode is set, together with the automatic mode or the user-set mode, by the target refrigerant temperature mode setting part.

9. The air conditioning apparatus according to claim 7, wherein

the reference target evaporation temperature is restricted to be no more than an upper limit evaporation temperature that has been set in accordance with the room temperatures.

10. The air conditioning apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

the target refrigerant temperature changing mode further has

an automatic mode that sets a reference target evaporation temperature serving as a reference value of the target evaporation temperature in accordance with an outdoor temperature of an outside space where the outdoor unit is disposed and

a user-set mode in which a user sets the reference target evaporation temperature,

the first changing mode and the second changing mode are set, together with the automatic mode or the user-set mode, by the target refrigerant temperature mode setting part, and

the target evaporation temperature is changed by making, with respect to the reference target evaporation temperature, a correction corresponding to the first changing mode or the second changing mode.

11. The air conditioning apparatus according to claim 10, wherein

the target refrigerant temperature changing mode further has an economy mode in which the reference target evaporation temperature that has been set in the automatic mode or the user-set mode is set as the target evaporation temperature without a correction being made to the reference target evaporation temperature, and

the economy mode is set, together with the automatic mode or the user-set mode, by the target refrigerant temperature mode setting part.

12. The air conditioning apparatus according to claim 10, wherein

the reference target evaporation temperature is restricted to be no more than an upper limit evaporation temperature that has been set in accordance with the room temperatures.

13. An air conditioning apparatus equipped with a refrigerant circuit configured with plural indoor units connected to an outdoor unit, the air conditioning apparatus comprising:

a capacity controlling part controlling an air conditioning capacity of the outdoor unit such that a condensation temperature of refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit becomes a target condensation temperature; and

a target refrigerant temperature mode setting part setting a target refrigerant temperature mode to one of

a target refrigerant temperature changing mode that changes the target condensation temperature, and

a target refrigerant temperature fixing mode that fixes the target condensation temperature,

the target refrigerant temperature changing mode having

a first changing mode that changes the target condensation temperature in such a way that room temperatures of air conditioned spaces targeted by the indoor units reach set temperatures that are target values of the room temperatures in an amount of time, and

a second changing mode that changes the target condensation temperature in such a way that the room temperatures reach the set temperatures in a longer amount of time than in the first changing mode, and

the first changing mode and the second changing mode being set by the target refrigerant temperature mode setting part.

14. The air conditioning apparatus according to claim 13, wherein

in the target refrigerant temperature fixing mode, the target condensation temperature is fixed to a maximum capacity condensation temperature corresponding to a case in which an air conditioning capacity of the outdoor unit is at 100% capacity.

15. The air conditioning apparatus according to claim 14, wherein

the first changing mode has

a first sub-mode that allows the target condensation temperature to be changed to a highest condensation temperature exceeding the maximum capacity condensation temperature and

a second sub-mode that does not allow the target condensation temperature to be changed to the highest condensation temperature, and

the first sub-mode and the second sub-mode are set by the target refrigerant temperature mode setting part.

16. The air conditioning apparatus according to claim 13, wherein

the target refrigerant temperature changing mode further has

an automatic mode that sets a reference target condensation temperature serving as a reference value of the target condensation temperature in accordance with an outdoor temperature of an outside space where the outdoor unit is disposed and

a user-set mode in which a user sets the reference target condensation temperature,

the first changing mode and the second changing mode are set, together with the automatic mode or the user-set mode, by the target refrigerant temperature mode setting part, and

the target condensation temperature is changed by making, with respect to the reference target condensation temperature, a correction corresponding to the first changing mode or the second changing mode.

17. The air conditioning apparatus according to claim 16, wherein

the target refrigerant temperature changing mode further has an economy mode in which the reference target condensation temperature that has been set in the automatic mode or the user-set mode is set as the target condensation temperature without a correction being made to the reference target condensation temperature, and

the economy mode is set, together with the automatic mode or the user-set mode, by the target refrigerant temperature mode setting part.

18. The air conditioning apparatus according to claim 14, wherein

the target refrigerant temperature changing mode further has

an automatic mode that sets a reference target condensation temperature serving as a reference value of the target condensation temperature in accordance with an outdoor temperature of an outside space where the outdoor unit is disposed and

a user-set mode in which a user sets the reference target condensation temperature,

the first changing mode and the second changing mode are set, together with the automatic mode or the user-set mode, by the target refrigerant temperature mode setting part, and

the target condensation temperature is changed by making, with respect to the reference target condensation temperature, a correction corresponding to the first changing mode or the second changing mode.

19. The air conditioning apparatus according to claim 18, wherein

the target refrigerant temperature changing mode further has an economy mode in which the reference target condensation temperature that has been set in the automatic mode or the user-set mode is set as the target condensation temperature without a correction being made to the reference target condensation temperature, and

the economy mode is set, together with the automatic mode or the user-set mode, by the target refrigerant temperature mode setting part.

20. The air conditioning apparatus according to claim 15, wherein

the target refrigerant temperature changing mode further has

an automatic mode that sets a reference target condensation temperature serving as a reference value of the target condensation temperature in accordance with an outdoor temperature of an outside space where the outdoor unit is disposed and

a user-set mode in which a user sets the reference target condensation temperature,

the first changing mode and the second changing mode are set, together with the automatic mode or the user-set mode, by the target refrigerant temperature mode setting part, and

the target condensation temperature is changed by making, with respect to the reference target condensation temperature, a correction corresponding to the first changing mode or the second changing mode.

21. The air conditioning apparatus according to claim 20, wherein

the target refrigerant temperature changing mode further has an economy mode in which the reference target condensation temperature that has been set in the automatic mode or the user-set mode is set as the target condensation temperature without a correction being made to the reference target condensation temperature, and

the economy mode is set, together with the automatic mode or the user-set mode, by the target refrigerant temperature mode setting part.