Refrigeration cycle apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11118821-B2
Application number	US-201716464081-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 19, 2017
Priority date	Jan 19, 2017
Publication date	Sep 14, 2021
Grant date	Sep 14, 2021

Abstract

A space in which an indoor unit is disposed has its corresponding refrigerant leakage sensor. A remote control for the indoor unit has its corresponding information output device for notifying the user of information visually and/or aurally. When the refrigerant leakage sensor detects a leakage of refrigerant, an alarm outputs a warning sound and a safety measure device is activated. Further, the information output device outputs guidance information for notifying the user action to be taken after the safety measure device takes the safety measure. After outputting the guidance information, the information output device stops outputting the guidance information in response to completion of the user action.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A refrigeration cycle apparatus including an outdoor unit and at least one indoor unit, the refrigeration cycle apparatus comprising:
a compressor;
an outdoor heat exchanger provided in the outdoor unit;
an indoor heat exchanger provided in the indoor unit;
a refrigerant pipe connecting the compressor, the outdoor heat exchanger, and the indoor heat exchanger;
a first shut-off valve provided in a pathway that connects the outdoor heat exchanger and the indoor heat exchanger not via the compressor in a refrigerant circulation pathway formed by the compressor, the outdoor heat exchanger, the indoor heat exchanger, and the refrigerant pipe;
a leakage detector configured to detect a leakage of refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant pipe;
an alarm configured to emit a warning sound in response to detection of the leakage of refrigerant by the leakage detector;
a safety measure device including at least any of
a mechanical ventilation device configured to forcibly ventilate a space in which the indoor unit is disposed,
a refrigerant shut-off device provided separately from the first shut-off valve, and configured to shut off supply of the refrigerant to the space, and
an agitating device configured to convect air in the space;

a first information output device configured to output information to a user corresponding to the indoor unit; and
a controller configured to control operation of the refrigeration cycle apparatus,
wherein the alarm and the safety measure device are configured to be activated when the leakage detector detects the leakage of refrigerant,
wherein the first information output device is configured to output guidance information when the leakage detector detects the leakage of refrigerant, the guidance information being for notifying a user action to be taken after the safety measure device takes a safety measure,
wherein the first information output device is configured to, after outputting the guidance information, stop outputting the guidance information in response to completion of the user action,
wherein the guidance information includes first information that prompts the user to execute ventilation in the space,
wherein the controller performs a ventilation determination function to determine whether or not the ventilation has been executed by the user after the first information output device outputs the first information,
wherein the first information output device is configured to, after starting to output the first information, continue outputting the first information until the ventilation determination function detects execution of the ventilation,
wherein the refrigeration cycle apparatus further comprises a first operation input device configured to receive, from the user, an instruction for stopping output of the first information, and
wherein the first information output device is configured to continue outputting the first information until the ventilation determination function detects execution of the ventilation, after the first operation input device receives the instruction for stopping output of the first information.

2. The refrigeration cycle apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first information output device is configured to, after starting to output the first information, stop outputting the first information when the ventilation determination function detects execution of the ventilation.

3. The refrigeration cycle apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising
the first operation input device configured to receive, from the user, an instruction for stopping output of the first information,
wherein the first information output device is configured to stop outputting the first information in response to the instruction for stopping output of the first information received by the first operation input device.

4. The refrigeration cycle apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the ventilation determination function determines whether or not the ventilation in the space has been executed, based on a drop in refrigerant concentration in the space.

5. The refrigeration cycle apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the ventilation determination function determines whether or not the ventilation in the space has been executed, based on a change in temperature in the space.

6. A refrigeration cycle apparatus including an outdoor unit and at least one indoor unit, the refrigeration cycle apparatus comprising:
a compressor;
an outdoor heat exchanger provided in the outdoor unit;
an indoor heat exchanger provided in the indoor unit;
a refrigerant pipe connecting the compressor, the outdoor heat exchanger, and the indoor heat exchanger;
a first shut-off valve provided in a pathway that connects the outdoor heat exchanger and the indoor heat exchanger not via the compressor in a refrigerant circulation pathway formed by the compressor, the outdoor heat exchanger, the indoor heat exchanger, and the refrigerant pipe;
a leakage detector configured to detect a leakage of refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant pipe;
an alarm configured to emit a warning sound in response to detection of the leakage of refrigerant by the leakage detector;
a safety measure device including at least any of
a mechanical ventilation device configured to forcibly ventilate a space in which the indoor unit is disposed,
a refrigerant shut-off device provided separately from the first shut-off valve, and configured to shut off supply of the refrigerant to the space, and
an agitating device configured to convect air in the space;

a first information output device configured to output information to a user corresponding to the indoor unit; and
a controller configured to control operation of the refrigeration cycle apparatus,
wherein the alarm and the safety measure device are configured to be activated when the leakage detector detects the leakage of refrigerant,
wherein the first information output device is configured to output guidance information when the leakage detector detects the leakage of refrigerant, the guidance information being for notifying a user action to be taken after the safety measure device takes a safety measure,
wherein the first information output device is configured to, after outputting the guidance information, stop outputting the guidance information in response to completion of the user action
wherein the guidance information includes first information that prompts the user to execute ventilation in the space,
wherein the controller performs a ventilation determination function to determine whether or not the ventilation has been executed by the user after the first information output device outputs the first information,
wherein the first information output device is configured to, after starting to output the first information, continue outputting the first information until the ventilation determination function detects execution of the ventilation,
wherein the refrigeration cycle apparatus further comprises a first operation input device configured to receive, from the user, an instruction for stopping output of the first information,
wherein the first information output device is configured to stop outputting the first information in response to the instruction for stopping output of the first information received by the first operation input device, and
wherein the first information output device is configured to, after stopping outputting the first information in response to the instruction to the first operation unit input device, output the first information again when the ventilation determination function determines that the ventilation has not been executed.

7. A refrigeration cycle apparatus including an outdoor unit and

Assignees

• Mitsubishi Electric Corp

Inventors

• Matsuda Takuya
• Wada Makoto
• Motomura Yuji
• Ishimura Katsuhiro

Classifications

• F25B49/02 Primary

  for compression type machines, plants or systems · CPC title

• F25B2500/222

  Detecting refrigerant leaks · CPC title

• F25B5/02

  arranged in parallel · CPC title

• F24F11/58

  using Internet communication · CPC title

• F24F11/36

  to leakage of heat-exchange fluid · CPC title