Refrigeration apparatus with multiple utilization units and refrigerant flow control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11293674-B2
Application number	US-201716649767-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 29, 2017
Priority date	Sep 29, 2017
Publication date	Apr 5, 2022
Grant date	Apr 5, 2022

Abstract

A refrigeration apparatus includes: a heat source unit including a compressor for refrigerant and a heat-source-side heat exchanger; utilization units, each of which is connected in parallel to the heat source unit and includes a utilization-side heat exchanger; a refrigerant-flow-path switching unit that includes first gas-side control valves, each of which switches a flow of refrigerant in a corresponding one of the utilization units, and individually switches a flow of refrigerant in each of the utilization units; a first gas-side connection pipe disposed between the heat source unit and each of the first gas-side control valves and through which high-pressure gas refrigerant flows; first gas-side branch pipes, each of which is included in the first gas-side connection pipe and communicates with a corresponding one of the utilization units; and a blocking valve.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A refrigeration apparatus that performs a refrigeration cycle in a refrigerant circuit, comprising:
a heat source unit comprising:
a compressor for refrigerant; and
a heat-source-side heat exchanger;

utilization units that are connected to the heat source unit in parallel, wherein each of the utilization units comprises a utilization-side heat exchanger;
a refrigerant-flow-path switching unit that:
comprises first gas-side control valves, each of which switches a flow of refrigerant in a corresponding one of the utilization units, and
individually switches a flow of refrigerant in each of the utilization units;

a first gas-side connection piping disposed between the heat source unit and each of the first gas-side control valves and through which high-pressure gas refrigerant flows;
first gas-side branch pipes, each of which is included in the first gas-side connection piping and communicates with a corresponding one of the utilization units; and
a blocking valve disposed in the first gas-side connection piping and that blocks a flow of refrigerant when in a closed state, wherein
each of the first gas-side control valves is disposed in each of the first gas-side branch pipes that communicates with a corresponding one of the utilization units,
the first gas-side connection piping comprises branch portions connected to the first gas-side branch pipes,
the blocking valve is disposed between the heat source unit and each of the branch portions, and
each of the first gas-side control valves in a closed state allows refrigerant to pass therethrough but in a smaller amount than in an opened stated.

2. The refrigeration apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the blocking valve is disposed in the refrigerant-flow-path switching unit.

3. The refrigeration apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a controller that controls an operation of the blocking valve; and
a refrigerant leak sensor that detects a refrigerant leak in the utilization units, wherein
in response to the refrigerant leak sensor detecting a refrigerant leak, the controller closes the blocking valve.

4. The refrigeration apparatus according to claim 3 , further comprising:
a liquid-side connection piping that is disposed between the heat source unit and the utilization units and through which refrigerant in a liquid state flows;
liquid-side branch pipes, each of which is included in the liquid-side connection piping and communicates with a corresponding one of the utilization units; and
utilization-side control valves, each of which is disposed in one of the utilization units and communicates with one of the liquid-side branch pipes, wherein
in response to the refrigerant leak sensor detecting a refrigerant leak, the controller closes a corresponding one of the utilization-side control valves.

5. The refrigeration apparatus according to claim 3 , further comprising:
a liquid-side connection piping that is disposed between the heat source unit and the utilization units and through which refrigerant in a liquid state flows; and
liquid-side branch pipes, each of which is included in the liquid-side connection piping and communicates with a corresponding one of the utilization units, wherein
the refrigerant-flow-path switching unit comprises liquid-side control valves each of which:
is disposed in one of the liquid-side branch pipes, and
switches a flow of refrigerant in a corresponding one of the utilization units, and

in response to the refrigerant leak sensor detecting a refrigerant leak, the controller closes a corresponding one of the liquid-side control valves.

6. The refrigeration apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein, in response to the refrigerant leak sensor detecting a refrigerant leak, the controller closes a corresponding one of the first gas-side control valves.

7. The refrigeration apparatus according to claim 3 , further comprising:
a second gas-side connection piping that is disposed between the heat source unit and the refrigerant-flow-path switching unit and through which low-pressure gas refrigerant flows; and
second gas-side branch pipes, each of which is included in the second gas-side connection piping and communicates with a corresponding one of the utilization units, wherein
the refrigerant-flow-path switching unit comprises second gas-side control valves, each of which:
is disposed in one of the second gas-side branch pipes, and
switches a flow of refrigerant in a corresponding one of the utilization units, and

in response to the refrigerant leak sensor detecting a refrigerant leak, the controller closes a corresponding one of the second gas-side control valves.

8. A refrigeration apparatus that performs a refrigeration cycle in a refrigerant circuit, comprising:
a heat source unit comprising:
a compressor for refrigerant; and
a heat-source-side heat exchanger;

utilization units that are connected to the heat source unit in parallel, wherein each of the utilization units comprises a utilization-side heat exchanger;
a refrigerant-flow-path switching unit that:
comprises first gas-side control valves, each of which switches a flow of refrigerant in a corresponding one of the utilization units, and
individually switches a flow of refrigerant in each of the utilization units;

a first gas-side connection piping disposed between the heat source unit and each of the first gas-side control valves and through which high-pressure gas refrigerant flows;
first gas-side branch pipes, each of which is included in the first gas-side connection piping and communicates with a corresponding one of the utilization units;
a blocking valve disposed in the first gas-side connection piping and that blocks a flow of refrigerant when in a closed state;
a controller that controls an operation of the blocking valve;
a refrigerant leak sensor that detects a refrigerant leak in the utilization units;
a second gas-side connection piping that is disposed between the heat source unit and the refrigerant-flow-path switching unit and through which low-pressure gas refrigerant flows; and
second gas-side branch pipes, each of which is included in the second gas-side connection piping and communicates with a corresponding one of the utilization units, wherein
each of the first gas-side control valves is disposed in each of the first gas-side branch pipes that communicates with a corresponding one of the utilization units,
the first gas-side connection piping comprises branch portions connected to the first gas-side branch pipes,
the blocking valve is disposed between the heat source unit and each of the branch portions,
in response to the refrigerant leak sensor detecting a refrigerant leak, the controller closes the blocking valve,
the refrigerant-flow-path switching unit comprises second gas-side control valves, each of which:
is disposed in one of the second gas-side branch pipes, and
switches a flow of refrigerant in a corresponding one of the utilization units, and

in response to the refrigerant leak sensor detecting a refrigerant leak, the controller closes a corresponding one of the second gas-side control valves.

9. The refrigeration apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the blocking valve is disposed in the refrigerant-flow-path switching unit.

10. The refrigeration apparatus according to claim 8 , further comprising:
a liquid-side connection piping that is disposed between the heat source unit and the utilization units and through which refrigerant in a liquid state flows;
liquid-side branch pipes, each of which is included in the liquid-side connection piping and communicates with a corresponding one of the utilization units; and

Assignees

• Daikin Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Yamada Takuro
• Nakagawa Yuusuke
• Oka Yuusuke
• Honda Masahiro

Classifications

• F25B2500/222

  Detecting refrigerant leaks · CPC title

• F25B41/20 Primary

  Disposition of valves, e.g. of on-off valves or flow control valves (expansion valves F25B41/31) · CPC title

• F25B6/02 Primary

  arranged in parallel · CPC title

• F25B5/02

  arranged in parallel · CPC title

• F25B2600/2519

  On-off valves · CPC title