Heat medium relay device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12085290-B2
Application number	US-202017797214-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 7, 2020
Priority date	May 7, 2020
Publication date	Sep 10, 2024
Grant date	Sep 10, 2024

Abstract

A heat medium relay device includes a valve block provided in a third space, and including a plurality of valves to allow a secondary heat medium subjected to the heat exchange at a first heat exchanger and a secondary heat medium subjected to the heat exchange at a second heat exchanger to flow to at least one indoor unit, the valve block being lighter in weight than each of the first heat exchanger, a first pump, the second heat exchanger, and a second pump.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A heat medium relay device comprising:
a housing having a vertical cuboid shape, and having an interior partitioned into a first space, a second space above the first space, and a third space above the second space;
a first heat exchanger provided in the second space, and configured to cause heat exchange to be performed between a primary heat medium and a secondary heat medium, the primary heat medium being in a cooled state and supplied from an outdoor unit;
a first pump provided in the first space, and configured to pressurize the secondary heat medium subjected to the heat exchange at the first heat exchanger, and circulate the pressurized secondary heat medium between the first pump and at least one indoor unit;
a second heat exchanger provided in the second space, and configured to cause heat exchange to be performed between the primary heat medium and the second heat medium, the primary heat medium being in a heated state and supplied from the outdoor unit;
a second pump provided in the first space, and configured to pressurize the secondary heat medium subjected to the heat exchange at the second heat exchanger, and circulate the pressurized secondary heat medium between the second pump and the at least one indoor unit; and
a valve block provided in the third space, the valve block including a plurality of valves to allow the secondary heat medium subjected to the heat exchange at the first heat exchanger and the secondary heat medium subjected to the heat exchange at the second heat exchanger to flow to the at least one indoor unit, the valve block being lighter in weight than each of the first heat exchanger, the first pump, the second heat exchanger, and the second pump.

2. The heat medium relay device of claim 1 , comprising a control box that houses a controller configured to control the valves of the valve block,
wherein
the first pump and the second pump are provided laterally symmetrically with reference to a center line which passes through a central portion of the housing that is a center thereof in a horizontal direction, and which extends in a vertical direction,
the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger are provided laterally symmetrically in the horizontal direction with reference to the center line, and
the control box is provided closer to a front side in the first space than the first pump and the second pump, and closer to a front side in the second space than the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger.

3. The heat medium relay device of claim 1 , wherein
the housing includes
a lower front panel provided on the front side in the first space and the second space,
an upper front panel provided on a front side in the third space and above the lower front panel,
components for which a service not requiring cutting or brazing of pipes is offered, and
a control box provided over an upper region of the second space and a lower region of the third space that are located a front side of the housing, and
the components are provided in the first space and the second space, and located below the control box and on a back side of the lower front panel.

4. The heat medium relay device of claim 1 , comprising:
a first valve provided adjacent to the first heat exchanger in a horizontal direction and between a center line and the first heat exchanger, the center line extending in a vertical direction and passing through a central portion of the housing that is a center thereof in the horizontal direction, the first valve being provided at a pipe through which the secondary heat medium passes, the secondary heat medium being subjected to the heat exchange and cooled at the first heat exchanger; and
a second valve provided adjacent to the second heat exchanger in the horizontal direction and between the second heat exchanger and the first valve, the second valve being provided at a pipe through which the secondary heat medium passes, the secondary heat medium being subjected to the heat exchange and heated at the second heat exchanger.

5. The heat medium relay device of claim 1 , wherein
the housing includes
columns extending in a vertical direction from respective corners of the housing,
a first metal sheet to which the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger is fixed, the first metal sheet being fixed to the columns in a horizontal direction, and
a second metal sheet to which the valve block is fixed, the second metal sheet being fixed to the columns in the horizontal direction at a higher position than the first metal sheet.

Assignees

• Mitsubishi Electric Corp

Inventors

• Tsujimoto Sara
• Takahashi Hiroki
• Motomura Yuji
• Washiyama Hiroki

Classifications

• F24F13/32

  Supports for air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation units · CPC title

• F24F13/30

  Arrangement or mounting of heat-exchangers · CPC title

• F25B41/20

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

• F25B2313/0312

  Pressure sensors near the indoor heat exchanger · CPC title

• F25B2313/0233

  in parallel arrangements · CPC title