Flow switching device and air-conditioning apparatus including the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9766000-B2
Application number	US-201214367142-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 9, 2012
Priority date	Mar 9, 2012
Publication date	Sep 19, 2017
Grant date	Sep 19, 2017

Abstract

A valve body in each of heat medium flow switching devices has an open portion. When the length from a connection between a first passage pipe and a third passage pipe to a connection between a second passage pipe and the third passage pipe is defined as a casing passage width, a valve body passage width of the open portion in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis of the valve body is smaller than the casing passage width.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An air-conditioning apparatus comprising:
a refrigerant circuit including a compressor, a first refrigerant flow switching device, refrigerant passage of a plurality of intermediate heat exchangers, a first expansion device, and a heat-source-side heat exchanger;
a heat medium circuit including heat medium passage of the plurality of intermediate heat exchangers, a pump, and a plurality of use-side heat exchangers;
first heat medium flow switching devices provided in the heat medium circuit, the first heat medium flow switching devices being configured to switch a passage of a heat medium supplied from the plurality of intermediate heat exchangers to respective use-side heat exchangers; and
second heat medium flow switching devices provided in the heat medium circuit, the second heat medium flow switching devices being configured to switch a passage of the heat medium returning from the respective use-side heat exchangers to the plurality of intermediate heat exchangers,
wherein the first heat medium flow switching devices and the second heat medium flow switching devices each include:
a first passage pipe connected to one of the plurality of intermediate heat exchangers;
a second passage pipe connected to another of the plurality of intermediate heat exchangers;
a third passage pipe connected to a corresponding one of the use-side heat exchangers, the third passage pipe including a first portion through which the first passage pipe connects to the third passage pipe and a second portion through which the second passage pipe connects to the third passage pipe, the first portion and the second portion opposing each other; and
a valve body provided in the third passage pipe and including an open portion, the valve body being configured to selectively form
a first path in which the first passage pipe is fluidly connected to the third passage pipe via the open portion, and
a second path in which the second passage pipe is fluidly connected to the third passage pipe via the open portion
by rotating about an axis extending in a direction in which the heat medium flows through the third passage pipe,

wherein:
the open portion of the valve body includes a first edge, a second edge, a third edge, and a fourth edge;
the first edge and the second edge are parallel to a first direction parallel to the axis of the valve body; and
the third edge and the fourth edge are parallel to a second direction perpendicular to the axis of the valve body, and

wherein:
a length from a connection between the first passage pipe and the third passage pipe to a connection between the second passage pipe and the third passage pipe is defined as a casing passage width;
a first length between the first edge and the third edge in the second direction is defined as a first opening width;
a second length between the third edge and the fourth edge in the first direction is defined as a second opening width;
the first opening width is smaller than the casing passage width;
the first opening width is constant from the third edge to the fourth edge; and
the second opening width is constant from the first edge to the second edge.

2. The air-conditioning apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a heating only operation mode in which each of the plurality of intermediate heat exchangers serves as a condenser;
a cooling only operation mode in which each of the plurality of intermediate heat exchangers serves as an evaporator; and
a cooling and heating mixed operation mode in which one of the plurality of intermediate heat exchangers serves as a condenser while another of the plurality of intermediate heat exchangers serves as an evaporator,
wherein a rate of the heat medium that is allowed to flow into each of the use-side heat exchangers is adjustable in accordance with a position of rotation of the open portion of a corresponding one of the valve bodies.

3. The air-conditioning apparatus of claim 1 ,
wherein the first heat medium flow switching devices and the second heat medium flow switching devices each include:
a shaft portion connected to the valve body; and
a valve body driver connected to the shaft portion of the valve body and configured to rotate the shaft portion.

4. The air-conditioning apparatus of claim 3 ,
wherein the valve body driver is connected to
the shaft portion of the valve body of a corresponding one of the first heat medium flow switching devices, and
the shaft portion of the valve body of a corresponding one of the second heat medium flow switching devices that is connected to the use-side heat exchanger to which the corresponding one of the first heat medium flow switching devices is connected.

5. The air-conditioning apparatus of claim 4 , further comprising,
a controller configured to control a rotate angle of the valve body about the axis to drive the valve body drivers of the first heat medium flow switching devices and the second heat medium flow switching devices,
wherein the controller controls the valve body drivers
to be a first rotate angle in which a state of communication between the first passage pipe and the third passage pipe is maximized or
to be a second rotate angle in which a state of communication between the second passage pipe and the third passage pipe is maximized.

6. A flow switching device comprising:
a first passage pipe and a second passage pipe;
a third passage pipe including a first portion through which the first passage pipe connects to the third passage pipe and a second portion through which the second passage pipe connects to the third passage pipe, the first portion and the second portion opposing each other;
a first valve body provided in the third passage pipe and including a first open portion, the first valve body being configured to selectively form
a first path in which the first passage pipe is fluidly connected to the third passage pipe via the first open portion, and
a second path in which the second passage pipe is fluidly connected to the third passage pipe via the first open portion
by rotating about an axis extending in a direction in which a heat medium flows through the third passage pipe;

a first shaft portion connected to the first valve body;
a fourth passage pipe and a fifth passage pipe;
a sixth passage pipe including a third portion to which the fourth passage pipe is connected and fourth portion to which the fifth passage pipe is connected, the fourth portion and the fifth portion opposing each other;
a second valve body provided in the sixth passage pipe and including a second open portion, the second valve body being configured to selectively form
a third path in which the fourth passage pipe is fluidly connected to the sixth passage pipe via the second open portion, and
a fourth path in which the fifth passage pipe is fluidly connected to the sixth passage pipe via the second open portion
by rotating about the axis;

a second shaft portion connected to the second valve body; and
a valve body driver connected to the first shaft portion and the second shaft portion, the valve body driver being configured to rotate the first shaft portion and the second shaft portion,
wherein:
the first open portion of the first valve body include a first edge and a second edge, a third edge and a fourth edge;
the first edge and the second edge are parallel to a first direction parallel to the axis of the first valve body; and
the third edge and the fourth edge are parallel to a second direction perpendicular to the axis of the first valve body,

wherein:
a length from a connection between the first passage pipe and the third passage pipe to a connection between the second passage pipe and the third passage pipe is defined as a first casing passage width;

Assignees

• Honda Takayoshi
• Shimamoto Daisuke
• Morimoto Osamu
• Mitsubishi Electric Corp

Inventors

• Honda Takayoshi
• Shimamoto Daisuke
• Morimoto Osamu

Classifications

• F25B2313/0231

  with simultaneous cooling and heating · CPC title

• F25B13/00

  Compression machines, plants or systems, with reversible cycle (defrosting cycles F25B47/02) · CPC title

• Y10T137/86533

  Rotary · CPC title

• F25B2313/02791

  using shut-off valves · CPC title

• F25B2313/023

  using multiple indoor units · CPC title