JP7644965B2 - How to install and remove an air conditioner unit - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an air conditioner unit and a method for installing/removing the same, and is particularly suitable for use in temporary installations at construction sites, etc.

Due to the extreme heat in recent years, construction sites and other facilities are being forced to step up measures to prevent heatstroke. As a result, highly portable air conditioning units have been proposed.

In the air conditioner unit described in Patent Document 1, the indoor unit and the outdoor unit are arranged one above the other on a single unit frame, and the unit frame is equipped with casters to improve portability.

In the air conditioner installation stand, air conditioner device, and temporary equipment with air conditioner described in Patent Document 2, an outdoor unit and a standing part and an indoor unit installed on the standing part are arranged on an air conditioner installation stand equipped with casters, and the standing part can be installed so that it is in contact with the partition wall of the temporary equipment, and it is configured so that the air flow inside and outside the temporary equipment can be blocked.

JP 2004-198023 A JP 2020-193718 A

As a result of the inventor's investigation of Patent Documents 1 and 2, it was found that there are new problems as follows.

The air conditioners described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 are not suitable for temporary installation in open or large spaces such as construction sites. At construction sites, work is required in open spaces such as outdoors, and in buildings and other structures before and after construction of walls and ceilings, as they are not divided into small rooms. For this reason, temporary installation of air conditioners in such open or large spaces is required. On the other hand, there is also a demand for the air conditioner to be compact enough to be loaded onto an elevator. In order to temporarily install the air conditioner on a site on an upper floor, it is required that the air conditioner be transported and installed on the upper floor of the site by a construction elevator before construction, and that after construction, it be possible to transport it out using a general passenger or freight elevator that has already been installed, instead of the construction elevator that has already been removed.

The air conditioners described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 are compactly constructed on a cart equipped with casters, making them portable and likely capable of being loaded onto an elevator. The air conditioner in Patent Document 1 is designed to be installed in a tent, with the outlet of the indoor unit connected to the inside of the tent and a partition plate blocking the flow of air inside and outside. The air conditioner in Patent Document 2 is an invention that can block the flow of air inside and outside when installed in the partition wall that separates the inside and outside of a temporary facility. Both can block the flow of air inside and outside, so the air conditioning capacity can be kept to a minimum. In other words, both the outdoor unit and the indoor unit can be constructed to be compact.

However, the air conditioners described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 are both required (prerequisite) to be installed on the wall surface that separates the indoor and outdoor areas, and are not suitable for temporary installation in open or large spaces such as construction sites.

The object of the present invention is to provide an air conditioner unit that is compact and portable enough to be loaded onto an elevator, and that can be used in open or large spaces while facilitating repeated installation and removal. It is also to provide an installation/removal method that can prevent impurities from being mixed into the refrigerant when installing such an air conditioner unit, and can prevent loss of refrigerant when removing it.

The means for solving these problems are described below, but other problems and novel features will become apparent from the description of this specification and the accompanying drawings.

The air conditioner unit of the present invention is an air conditioner unit comprising an outdoor unit having a first heat exchanger, a compressor, and a first pressure regulator that constitute a first refrigerant circuit, an indoor unit having a second heat exchanger and a second pressure regulator that constitute a second refrigerant circuit, and first and second refrigerant pipes that connect the first and second refrigerant circuits to form a refrigerant circuit, and the outdoor unit and the indoor unit each have casters to make them movable, and at least one of them has a joint part that allows the first and second refrigerant pipes to be attached and detached.

The outdoor unit of the air conditioner unit of the present invention described above further includes a first valve and a second valve in the first refrigerant circuit that can isolate the first heat exchanger from the first and second refrigerant pipes, a refrigerant recovery device on the first heat exchanger side of the first valve or the second valve, and an exhaust pump on the first and second refrigerant pipe sides of the first valve or the second valve, and the method of installing the air conditioner unit sequentially performs the following steps.

First step: With the first valve and the second valve closed, the first refrigerant circuit and the second refrigerant circuit are connected by the first and second refrigerant pipes.
Second step: The exhaust pump is operated to exhaust the first and second refrigerant pipes and the second refrigerant circuit of the indoor unit.
Third step: The first valve and the second valve are opened to supply refrigerant into the first and second refrigerant pipes and the second refrigerant circuit.

The method for removing an air conditioner unit of the present invention involves carrying out the following steps in sequence.

Fourth step: With the first valve and the second valve open, the refrigerant recovery device is operated to recover refrigerant into the first and second refrigerant pipes and the second refrigerant circuit of the indoor unit.
Fifth step: closing the first valve and the second valve.
Sixth step: Remove the first and second refrigerant pipes to separate the outdoor unit from the indoor unit.

The effects of this invention can be briefly explained as follows:

In other words, it is possible to provide an air conditioner unit that is compact and portable enough to be loaded onto an elevator, while still being able to be used in open or large spaces. It is also possible to provide an installation/removal method that can reduce the mixing of impurities into the refrigerant when installing an air conditioner unit whose outdoor unit and indoor unit can be separated, and that can reduce the loss of refrigerant when removing the unit.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration example of an air conditioner unit according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of mounting the indoor unit from above. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a cart on which the outdoor unit and the indoor unit are mounted. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a refrigerant circuit for implementing an air conditioner unit having a function of switching between cooling and heating. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a refrigerant circuit of an air conditioner unit configured so that two outdoor units can be connected to one outdoor unit. FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing an example of a method for installing an air conditioner unit according to the present invention. FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing an example of a method for removing an air conditioner unit according to the present invention. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a cross section of one configuration example of a joint portion and a refrigerant pipe. FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a cross section of another example of the configuration of the joint portion and the refrigerant pipe. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a mounting structure for an outdoor unit and an indoor unit on a dolly. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the configuration of a drainage mechanism of an air-conditioning unit according to the present invention. FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the arrangement of the outdoor unit and the indoor unit. FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing the attachment of an airflow direction guide to a fan of an indoor unit. FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram showing the attachment of an exhaust duct to the outdoor unit.

1. Overview of the embodiment First, an overview of the representative embodiment disclosed in the present application will be described. In the overview of the representative embodiment, reference numerals in parentheses in the drawings refer only to components included in the concept of the components to which the reference numerals are attached.

[1] The outdoor unit and indoor unit can be separated and moved (Figure 1)
A representative embodiment disclosed in the present application is an air conditioner unit including an outdoor unit (10) having a first heat exchanger (1), a compressor (2), and a first pressure regulator (4) that constitute a first refrigerant circuit, an indoor unit (20) having a second heat exchanger (21) and a second pressure regulator (24) that constitute a second refrigerant circuit, and first and second refrigerant pipes (11, 12) that connect the first refrigerant circuit and the second refrigerant circuit to form a refrigerant circuit, and is configured as follows.

The outdoor unit and the indoor unit are each equipped with casters (13) so that they can be moved.

At least one of the outdoor unit and the indoor unit is equipped with a joint portion (6) to which the first and second refrigerant pipes can be attached and detached.

This makes it possible to provide an air conditioner unit that is compact and portable enough to be loaded onto an elevator, yet can be used in open or large spaces. Even if the outdoor unit and indoor unit are made larger to allow for use in open or large spaces, the refrigerant piping is made detachable and each unit is equipped with casters so that they can be moved independently, so the size of each unit can be kept compact enough to be loaded onto an elevator.

[2] Recovery/supply of refrigerant when separating/connecting (installing) the outdoor unit and indoor unit (Figure 1)
In the air conditioner unit of paragraph [1], the outdoor unit is provided with, in the first refrigerant circuit, a first valve (V1) and a second valve (V2) capable of isolating the first heat exchanger from the first and second refrigerant pipes, a refrigerant recovery device (3) on the first heat exchanger side of the first valve or the second valve, and an exhaust pump (5) on the first and second refrigerant pipe sides of the first valve or the second valve.

The term "valve" used in this specification, such as the first valve (V1) and the second valve (V2), can be replaced with the foreign word "valve" and can be realized in various forms, such as a check valve, a non-return valve, a solenoid valve, a gate valve, and a globe valve. It is also possible to replace the two valves with a multi-function valve, such as a three-way valve or a four-way valve.

This reduces the loss of refrigerant when the outdoor unit and indoor unit are separated, and reduces the contamination of the refrigerant with impurities when they are connected (installed) and the refrigerant is supplied to the entire refrigerant circuit.

[3] Outriggers (Fig. 1, Fig. 2)
In the air conditioner unit of item [1] or [2], at least one of the outdoor unit and the indoor unit further includes a fixing mechanism (14) that can raise the casters off the floor surface and fix the outdoor unit or the indoor unit when the outdoor unit or the indoor unit is installed. (In FIG. 1, an example of the fixing mechanism 14 is shown only at the far right of each of the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20, and illustrations of other locations are omitted.) An example of the fixing mechanism (14) is an outrigger as shown in FIG. 2.

This allows at least one of the outdoor unit and the indoor unit to be stabilized on the floor surface when installed.

[4] Bottom reinforcement (Fig. 3)
In the air conditioner unit according to any one of items [1] to [3], at least one of the outdoor unit and the indoor unit has a member having sufficient rigidity in the longitudinal direction to support its own weight, at least in two locations positioned approximately horizontally in the lateral direction (cart (30) in FIG. 3, etc.).

This ensures that at least one of the outdoor and indoor units has sufficient strength on its bottom surface to enable it to be moved using a forklift.

[5] Control section (Fig. 1)
In the air conditioner unit of any one of items [1] to [4], the outdoor unit is equipped with a control unit (8), the indoor unit is equipped with a pressure sensor (P1) that detects the pressure of at least a portion of the refrigerant in the second refrigerant circuit, and the control unit controls the output of the compressor based on the pressure detected by the pressure sensor.

This allows the refrigerant discharge pressure from the outdoor unit to be appropriately controlled depending on the length of the first and second refrigerant pipes connecting the outdoor unit and the indoor unit, i.e., the resistance to the refrigerant flow, and increases the freedom of installation location of the air conditioning unit. In other words, it is possible to configure it so that refrigerant pipes of an appropriate length can be selected depending on the installation location of the air conditioning unit.

[6] Remote control (Fig. 1)
In the air conditioner unit of item [5], the control unit is a first control unit (8), and the indoor unit is equipped with a second control unit (28), a temperature sensor (not shown), and a user interface (not shown), and the second control unit transmits the pressure value detected by the pressure sensor, the temperature detected by the temperature sensor, and control information input from the user interface to the first control unit, and the first control unit controls the operation of the compressor based on the pressure value, the temperature, and the control information input from the second control unit.

This allows the outdoor unit to be controlled from the indoor unit. The second control unit (28) is provided in the indoor unit (20) and may be connected to the outdoor unit (10) by wire or wirelessly. Alternatively, the second control unit may be composed of a communication unit that transmits and receives information to and from the first control unit, and a remote control that has a user interface wirelessly connected to the communication unit.

[7] How to install/remove the outdoor unit and indoor unit that can be separated and moved (Fig. 1, Fig. 6, Fig. 7)
A representative embodiment disclosed in the present application is a method for installing and removing an air-conditioning unit including an outdoor unit (10) and an indoor unit (20), each of which is equipped with casters (13) to enable movement, and first and second refrigerant pipes (11, 12) connecting the outdoor unit and the indoor unit and enabling attachment and detachment, the air-conditioning unit being configured as follows.

The outdoor unit has a first refrigerant circuit including a first heat exchanger (1), a compressor (2), and a first pressure regulator (4), and the indoor unit has a second refrigerant circuit including a second heat exchanger (21) and a second pressure regulator (24).

The air conditioner unit includes first and second refrigerant pipes (11, 12) that connect the first refrigerant circuit and the second refrigerant circuit to form a refrigerant circuit.

The outdoor unit further includes, in the first refrigerant circuit, a first valve (V1) and a second valve (V2) capable of isolating the first heat exchanger from the first and second refrigerant pipings, a refrigerant recovery device (3) on the first heat exchanger side of the first valve or the second valve, and an exhaust pump (5) on the first and second refrigerant piping side of the first valve or the second valve.

The air conditioning unit installation method involves performing the following steps in sequence (Figure 6).

First step (S1): With the first valve and the second valve closed, the first refrigerant circuit and the second refrigerant circuit are connected by the first and second refrigerant pipes.

Second step (S2): Operate the exhaust pump to exhaust the first and second refrigerant pipes and the second refrigerant circuit.

Third step (S4): Open the first valve and the second valve to supply refrigerant into the first and second refrigerant pipes and the second refrigerant circuit.

The method for removing an air conditioning unit involves performing the following steps in sequence (Figure 7).

Fourth step (S5): With the first valve and the second valve open, the refrigerant recovery device is operated to recover refrigerant into the first and second refrigerant pipes and the second refrigerant circuit.

Fifth step (S6): Close the first valve and the second valve.

Sixth step (S7): Remove the first and second refrigerant pipes to separate the outdoor unit from the indoor unit.

This makes it possible to provide an installation/removal method that can reduce the mixing of impurities into the refrigerant when installing an air conditioning unit whose outdoor unit and indoor unit can be separated, and can reduce the loss of refrigerant when removing the unit.

2. Details of the embodiment The embodiment will be described in further detail.

[Embodiment 1]
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration example of an air conditioner unit according to the present invention.

The air conditioner unit of the present invention is configured with an outdoor unit 10 and an indoor unit 20 connected by refrigerant pipes 11 and 12, each equipped with casters 13. When connected, it functions as an air conditioner, but when the refrigerant pipes 11 and 12 are removed and the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20 are separated, each can be moved freely. The outdoor unit 10 is equipped with a refrigerant circuit (first refrigerant circuit) consisting of a heat exchanger 1, a compressor 2, an accumulator 3, and a pressure regulator 4, and the indoor unit 20 is equipped with a refrigerant circuit (second refrigerant circuit) consisting of a heat exchanger 21 and a pressure regulator 24. The heat exchanger 1 of the outdoor unit 10 and the heat exchanger 21 of the indoor unit 20 are preferably equipped with fans 7 and 27, respectively, that help exchange heat with the outside air. The first refrigerant circuit on the outdoor unit 10 side and the second refrigerant circuit on the indoor unit 20 side are connected by refrigerant pipes 11 and 12 to form an integrated refrigerant circuit. In order to make the refrigerant pipes 11, 12 detachable, a joint part 6 is provided on one or both of the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20.

The joint part 6 is preferably configured so that the ends of the refrigerant pipes 11, 12 are flared, the joint part 6 has a structure (e.g., a cone-shaped structure) that fits tightly against the ends, the joint part 6 can be fixed by pressing the ends of the refrigerant pipes 11, 12 against the structure, and the joint part 6 can be attached and detached manually or using a simple tool.

On the other hand, it would be more preferable if the refrigerant pipes 11, 12 could be attached and detached without processing the ends. Figures 8 and 9 show examples of the configuration of the joint part 6 and the refrigerant pipes 11, 12. To make the refrigerant pipes 11, 12 detachable and detachable repeatedly, it is preferable to provide a fixing member that can connect and fix the joint part 6 and the refrigerant pipes 11, 12 and can be removed, and a sealing member that seals between the joint part 6 and the refrigerant pipes 11, 12.

Figure 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a cross section of one configuration example of the joint part 6 and the refrigerant pipes 11, 12. The joint part 6 has a thread formed on its outer periphery, which is configured to engage with the thread of the nut 61 through which the refrigerant pipes 11, 12 pass, so that the refrigerant pipes 11, 12 can be connected and fixed to the joint part 6. That is, the thread on the outer periphery of the joint part 6 and the nut 61 function as the fixing member described above. On the inside of the nut 61 (the side closer to the joint part, called the "front"), a front ferrule 62 and a rear ferrule 63, which are in contact with the outer periphery of the refrigerant pipes 11, 12 that pass through them, are provided as sealing members. The joint part 6 is in contact with the outer periphery of the refrigerant pipes 11, 12 at the frontmost part, and the gap between the joint part 6 and the outer periphery of the refrigerant pipes 11, 12 widens as it moves rearward. The front ferrule 62 fits into the gap, and its front contacts the outer circumferential surfaces of the joint portion 6 and the refrigerant pipes 11, 12, and functions as a sealing member to prevent refrigerant from leaking from inside the pipes and to prevent outside air from entering inside the pipes. The rear end of the front ferrule 62 is widened to create a gap between the outer circumferential surfaces of the refrigerant pipes 11, 12, and the front of the rear ferrule 63 fits into it, and a force is applied in a direction to further widen the gap. By tightening the nut 61, the rear ferrule 63 is pushed forward, widening the rear end of the front ferrule 62. By widening the rear end of the front ferrule 62, its outer circumferential surface is pressed into the gap of the joint portion 6, improving the sealing effect. At the same time, by pushing the front ferrule 62 forward, the inner circumferential surface of the front ferrule 62 is pressed against the outer circumferential surfaces of the pipes 11, 12, which also improves the sealing effect. The joint 6, the refrigerant pipes 11, 12, the nut 61, and the front and rear ferrules 62, 63 are made of metal such as stainless steel. When pressed against the metal, the minute irregularities on the surface deform, providing a sealing effect, but because the deformation is minute, the deformation does not become significantly large even if the refrigerant pipes 11, 12 are repeatedly attached and detached. Therefore, a considerable number of repeated uses are possible before the deformation becomes large enough to impair the sealing effect. In addition, it is more preferable that the refrigerant pipes 11, 12 have the same inner diameter as the inner diameter of the internal pipes 16 of the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20 in which the joint 6 is provided, and are in contact without any steps, as this reduces resistance to the flow of the refrigerant.

9(a) is an explanatory diagram showing a cross section of another configuration example of the joint part 6 and the refrigerant pipes 11, 12. As a sealing member, an O-ring 64 is provided instead of the front and rear ferrules 62, 63. The O-ring 64 is fitted into a groove formed on the inner peripheral surface of the joint part 6, and exerts a sealing effect by contacting the outer peripheral surface of the refrigerant pipes 11, 12. As a fixing member, an example is shown in which the joint part 6 having a thread on the outer peripheral surface and the nut 61 are configured as in the configuration example of FIG. 8. The inner peripheral surface of the nut 61 is configured to be inclined so as to widen toward the front and to contact the outer peripheral surface of the joint part 6 having an inclined surface that narrows toward the rear. By tightening the nut 61, the inclination of the inner peripheral surface of the nut 61 applies a force to the O-ring 64 that presses the inclination of the outer peripheral surface of the joint part 6 toward the outer peripheral direction of the refrigerant pipes 11, 12, thereby enhancing the sealing effect. The O-ring 64 has a circular cross section as shown in FIG. 9(b), and can seal the refrigerant by contacting the groove formed in the joint portion 6 and the outer circumferential surface of the refrigerant pipes 11 and 12. As shown in FIG. 9(c), a ring having a D-shaped cross section (called a "D-ring") can be used instead of the O-ring 64. One side of the D-ring 65 is square to fit the groove formed in the joint portion 6, and the other side is circular. The D-ring 65 has a high sealing effect because it contacts the groove of the joint portion 6 with a surface, and furthermore, the force pressing the circular surface against the outer circumferential surface of the refrigerant pipes 11 and 12 is also transmitted to a large extent, so that the sealing effect can be improved overall. As shown in FIG. 9(a), it is preferable to provide multiple O-rings 64, for example, two as shown in the figure. In addition, when two O-rings are provided, the sealing effect can be further improved by replacing one or both of them with the D-ring 65. In addition, it is more preferable to make the refrigerant pipes 11 and 12 have the same inner diameter as the inner diameter of the internal pipes 16 of the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20 where the joint part 6 is installed, and to make them contact without any steps, as this keeps resistance to the flow of the refrigerant low.

Materials that can be used for the O-ring or D-ring include, for example, hydrogenated nitrile rubber (HNBR) or ethylene propylene rubber (EPDM). When using R410A, a commonly used refrigerant in air conditioners, the pressure is generally 0.5 to 3.2 MPa and the temperature is generally -20°C to 60°C, but for temperatures lower than this, ethylene propylene rubber (EPDM) is more suitable. Also, for high pressures, D-rings are more suitable than O-rings.

In this way, since the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20 can be separated, even if the size of each unit is increased to increase the air conditioning capacity of the entire air conditioning unit, it is possible to design them to be small enough to be loaded onto an elevator. In addition, since each unit is equipped with casters 13, they can be moved separately. It is possible to provide an air conditioning unit that is compact and portable enough to be loaded onto an elevator, can be easily installed and removed repeatedly, and can be used in open or large spaces. In other words, even if the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20 are enlarged to enable use in open or large spaces, the refrigerant pipes 11, 12 are detachable, and each unit is equipped with casters 13 so that they can be moved independently, so the size of each unit can be kept compact enough to be loaded onto an elevator.

The air conditioner unit of this embodiment is configured to recover the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit before separating the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20.

The outdoor unit 10 is equipped with a first valve V1 and a second valve V2 that can shut off the first refrigerant circuit from the first and second refrigerant pipes 11, 12, and a third valve V3 and an exhaust pump 5 on the first and second refrigerant pipes 11, 12 side of the first valve V1 and the second valve V2. By using the installation/removal method described in the third embodiment below, it is possible to reduce the loss of refrigerant when the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20 are separated, and to reduce the mixing of impurities into the refrigerant when they are connected (installed) and the refrigerant is supplied to the entire refrigerant circuit.

It is more preferable that the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20 each have a fixing mechanism that can fix them to the floor surface when installed. In FIG. 1, a simple stopper using a rubber foot screw is exemplified as the fixing mechanism 14. When fixing, the caster 13 is raised from the floor by adjusting the length of the rubber foot screw, and fixed to the floor surface. The fixing mechanism 14 is provided at least at the four corners of the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20, but in FIG. 1, it is only shown at the right rear of each, and other parts are omitted. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of mounting the indoor unit 20 from above. Instead of a simple stopper using a rubber foot screw, an outrigger is provided as the fixing mechanism 14. The outdoor unit 10 should also be provided with an outrigger as the fixing mechanism 14. This allows the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20 to be stabilized against the floor surface when installed. Instead of the fixing mechanism 14 shown as an example, a stopper that stops the rotation of the wheels of the caster 13 may be provided.

The outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20 should have at least two members with sufficient rigidity to support their own weight in the longitudinal direction, approximately horizontally in the transverse direction. This allows the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20 to have strength on their bottom surfaces that allows them to be moved by a forklift. Figure 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a dolly 30 on which the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20 are mounted. A support frame (frame) 31 on which the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20 can be fixed is attached to the top of the dolly 30, which is strong enough to withstand movement by a forklift. This makes it easy to change the mounting position and fixing method according to the size of the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20. It is preferable to use a standard flatbed dolly, for example, 800 mm wide x 1200 mm long x 330 mm high, as the dolly 30. Because it is standard, it is compatible with many peripheral devices, including the forklift mentioned above, and its versatility can be enhanced by storing it when not in use, or by removing the support part 31 and reusing it for other purposes.

On the other hand, the size of the outdoor unit and indoor unit of an air conditioning system may exceed the width and length mentioned above, depending on the output. In such cases, the width, length, and strength of the support frame 31 are adjusted to accommodate this. In addition, in such cases, the size of the outdoor unit 10 and indoor unit 20, including the cart 30, may exceed the load capacity of the elevator. Construction elevators expected when installing an air conditioning system are usually large enough, but regular passenger and cargo elevators expected to be used when removing the system may not be wide or long enough.

In order to solve such problems, the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20 can be configured to rotate in the longitudinal direction on the cart 30. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the mounting structure of the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20 on the cart 30. The diagrams show the longitudinal faces of the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20 as viewed from the horizontal front, with (a) showing the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20 in a horizontally elongated state in which they can be operated, and (b) showing the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20 in a vertically elongated state. When the width of the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20 (horizontal direction in FIG. 10) is wide and exceeds not only the width of the cart 30 but also the load capacity of the passenger/freight elevator, it is preferable to configure the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20 to rotate around the longitudinal direction (perpendicular to the paper surface in FIG. 10). A fulcrum support frame 32 is provided on the support frame 31 of the dolly 30, and a rotation support frame 33 that supports the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20 and rotates around a rotation fulcrum 34 is supported. For example, the rotation fulcrum 34 can be configured by a shaft arranged on the underside of the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20, and a bearing that supports the shaft is arranged on the fulcrum support frame 32. By arranging the shaft on the rotation fulcrum in this way, sufficient strength can be maintained with a simple structure. Figure 10(a) shows the installed state, and Figure 10(b) shows the state for movement. In Figure 10(a), the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20 are installed in their original horizontal orientation and are ready to operate. In Figure 10(b), the width is kept within the width of the dolly 30, and they can be loaded into passenger and cargo elevators.

Although not shown in the figures, in another example, the fulcrum support frame 32 can be disposed on both sides of the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20 so that the rotation fulcrum 34 becomes an axis passing through the center of gravity of the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20. Because the center of gravity becomes the rotation axis, the force required for rotation can be kept small.

In this way, by configuring the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20 so that they can be rotated longitudinally on the cart 30, the degree of freedom during transportation can be increased.

Returning to the explanation of FIG. 1, the outdoor unit 10 is equipped with a control unit 8, the indoor unit 20 is equipped with a pressure sensor P1 that detects the pressure of at least a portion of the refrigerant in the second refrigerant circuit, and the control unit 8 is configured to be able to control the output of the compressor 2 based on the pressure detected by the pressure sensor P1. This allows the discharge pressure of the refrigerant from the outdoor unit 10 to be appropriately controlled depending on the length of the refrigerant pipes 11, 12 connecting the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20, i.e., the resistance to the flow of the refrigerant, thereby increasing the freedom of the installation location of the air conditioning unit. This is because refrigerant pipes 11, 12 of appropriate length can be selected depending on the installation location of the air conditioning unit.

Furthermore, the indoor unit 20 may be provided with a control unit 28, a temperature sensor (not shown), and a user interface (not shown). The temperature sensor may be installed at a position where it detects the temperature of the air conditioning target of the indoor unit 20. The user interface is an interface for inputting the temperature that is the control target, or for inputting the air conditioning mode (cooling, heating, ventilation, etc.) from the user. The control unit 28 of the indoor unit 20 transmits the pressure value detected by the pressure sensor P1, the temperature detected by the temperature sensor, and control information input from the user interface to the control unit 8 of the outdoor unit 10, and controls the operation of each component of the outdoor unit 10, such as the compressor 2, based on the control information. This allows the outdoor unit 10 to be controlled from the indoor unit 20 side. The control unit 28 is provided in the indoor unit 20 and may be connected to the outdoor unit 10 by wire or wirelessly. Alternatively, the control unit 28 may be composed of a remote control having a communication unit that transmits and receives information to and from the control unit 8 of the outdoor unit 10, and a user interface wirelessly connected to the communication unit.

[Embodiment 2]
The refrigerant circuit can be configured to be dedicated to either cooling or heating, or can be configured to be switchable between cooling and heating.

Figure 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the refrigerant circuit when realizing an air conditioner unit with the function of switching between cooling and heating. In addition to the refrigerant circuit in the air conditioner unit shown in Figure 1, it is equipped with a four-way valve VX and a receiver 9.

During cooling operation, the gaseous refrigerant discharged from the compressor 2 is sent to the heat exchanger 1 by the four-way valve VX. The heat exchanger 1 functions as a condenser and condenses and liquefies the gaseous refrigerant. The heat generated by the heat exchange is discharged to the outside of the outdoor unit 10 by the fan 7. The liquefied refrigerant is sent to the receiver 9 via the pressure regulator 4 functioning as an expansion device. The receiver 9 stores the surplus refrigerant. At this time, a non-condensable gas adsorbent 99 may be provided to remove impurity gases such as oxygen and carbon dioxide. The refrigerant is then sent to the indoor unit 20 via the second valve V2 and the refrigerant piping 12, and sent to the heat exchanger 21 functioning as an evaporator via the pressure regulator 24 (expansion device). In the heat exchanger 21, the refrigerant vaporizes and cools the outside air sent by the fan 27. The vaporized refrigerant passes through the refrigerant piping 11 and the first valve V1, is sent to the accumulator 3 by the four-way valve VX, and returns to the compressor 2.

During heating operation, the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor 2 by the four-way valve VX is sent to the heat exchanger 21 on the indoor unit 20 side through the first valve V1 and the refrigerant pipe 11. The heat exchanger 21 on the indoor unit 20 side functions as a condenser and generates heat in the process of liquefying the refrigerant. The generated heat is used for heating by the fan 27. The liquefied refrigerant discharged from the heat exchanger 21 is decompressed by the pressure regulator 24 (expansion device) and then sent to the outdoor unit 10 through the refrigerant pipe 12. In the outdoor unit 10, the refrigerant passes through the second valve V2 and the receiver 9, and is sent from the pressure regulator 4 to the heat exchanger 1, where it evaporates and gasifies. The function of the receiver 9 is to store excess refrigerant, just like during cooling operation, and the function is the same when a non-condensable gas adsorbent 99 is provided. The refrigerant gasified by the heat exchanger 1 returns to the compressor 2.

The configuration common to that shown in FIG. 1 operates in the same manner as described in embodiment 1, including the attachment and detachment of the refrigerant pipes 11 and 12, so duplicated explanations will be omitted.

As described above, the refrigerant circuit of the present invention can be modified as desired. For example, in this embodiment, a four-way valve VX is introduced to enable dual use for heating and cooling, and a receiver 9 is added. In addition, the mounting positions of the third valve V3 and exhaust pump 5 may be changed to the second valve V2 side, or to the indoor unit 20 side.

The drainage mechanism of the air conditioner unit of the present invention will be described. The refrigerant circuit in the air conditioner unit of the present invention has two heat exchangers 1 and 21, one of which releases heat and the other absorbs heat as described above. On the side that absorbs heat, drainage may be required due to condensation.

Figure 11 shows an example of the configuration of the drainage mechanism of the air conditioner unit of the present invention. The outdoor unit 10 and indoor unit 20 are supported on a cart 30 as viewed from the side. The outdoor unit 10 and indoor unit 20 are supported on the cart 30 by a support frame 31. However, in Figure 11, the support frame 31 on the outdoor unit 10 side is omitted. A drain pan 40 is provided on the cart 30 on the outdoor unit 10 side, and drainage pipes 41 from the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20 are introduced into it, so that the drainage water from each of them can be stored. A drainage pump 42 is also provided on the cart 30, which sucks up the drainage water from the drain pan 40 through a water supply pipe 43 and drains it to the outside through a drain pipe 44. It is preferable to provide a water level sensor 45-1 in the drain pan 40 to control the operation of the drainage pump 42. When a predetermined water level is reached, the drainage pump 42 is operated to drain the water. Water level sensor 45-1 is a water level sensor for detecting the water level at which drainage by drainage pump 42 should begin, but it is more preferable to further provide a second water level sensor 45-2 that can detect a higher water level. If the water level does not drop despite drainage pump 42 operating and a higher water level is detected by second water level sensor 45-2, heat exchange operation is stopped. This makes it possible to prevent the drainage from overflowing from drain pan 40 even when abnormally high humidity or other factors cause drainage that exceeds the drainage capacity. The drain pan 40 may be replaced with a drainage tank.

Figure 11 shows an example in which the drain pan 40 and drain pump 42 are provided on the outdoor unit 10 side, but they may be provided on the indoor unit 20 side, or on both the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20. Also, Figure 11 shows an example in which the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20 are arranged side by side, but the arrangement is arbitrary.

12 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the arrangement of the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20. FIG. 12 is a top view, and fans 7 and 27 are also shown to indicate the direction of exhaust or intake. (a) shows an example in which the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20 are arranged side by side, and (b) shows an example in which they are arranged vertically. In both cases, the exhaust/intake directions are reversed so that the exhaust of one unit is not sucked in by the other. In addition, the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20 can be made more stable by connecting their dollies 30 when installing them. On the other hand, it is also possible to arrange the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20 apart. Although the length of the refrigerant pipes 11 and 12 becomes longer, the freedom of arrangement of the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20 is improved. In addition, it is also possible to devise an arrangement that prevents the exhaust of one unit from returning to the intake of the other unit.

It is also possible to configure the indoor unit 20 to have an airflow guide 50 attached to the fan 27, and the outdoor unit 10 to have an exhaust duct 52 attached to the fan 7. Figure 13 is an explanatory diagram showing the attachment of the airflow guide 50 to the indoor unit 20 fan 27, and Figure 14 is an explanatory diagram showing the attachment of the duct 52 to the outdoor unit 10.

As shown in FIG. 13, an airflow guide 50 can be attached to the outside of the fan 27 of the indoor unit 20 to guide the airflow to a location where workers or others need it. The airflow guide 50 can be made of, for example, an iron bellows pipe, allowing the airflow direction to be freely adjusted. In an indoor unit 20 having two fans 27 as shown in FIG. 13, an airflow guide 50 can be attached to each of the fans 27, or it may be attached to only one of the fans. When it is attached to only one of the fans, the fan 27 on the side where the airflow guide 50 is not attached will blow air near the indoor unit 20, and the airflow from the other fan 27 will be guided away by the airflow guide 50.

As shown in FIG. 14, an exhaust duct 52 can be attached to the outdoor unit 10. When a work location requiring air conditioning is far from a location suitable for exhaust, such as outdoors, the exhaust duct 52 can guide the exhaust air to that location. More specifically, the duct 52 can be attached to the outdoor unit 10 via an exhaust hood 51 that covers the fan 7. In addition, when the total length of the duct 52 is long, it is more preferable to configure it so that a blower 53 can be installed in the middle, as shown in FIG. 14.

[Embodiment 3]
It is also possible to configure the system so that a plurality of indoor units 20 can be connected to one outdoor unit 10.

Figure 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the refrigerant circuit of an air conditioner unit configured so that two indoor units 20-1, 20-2 can be connected to one outdoor unit 10. To connect two indoor units to one outdoor unit 10, the refrigerant circuit of the outdoor unit 10 is divided into two systems, so two systems of first valves V1-1 and V1-2, two systems of second valves V2-1 and V2-2, two systems of third valves V3-1 and V3-2, and two systems of joint parts 6 are provided, and the refrigerant pipes 11-1 and 11-2, 12-1 and 12-2 can be independently attached and detached toward the indoor units 20-1 and 20-2. The other configurations are the same as those of embodiment 2 with reference to Figure 4. Duplicate explanations will be omitted.

When the two indoor units 20-1, 20-2 are connected together and operated, the first valves V1-1 and V1-2 of the two systems and the second valves V2-1 and V2-2 of the two systems are all open and operated in the same manner as in embodiment 2. When only one system is connected and operated, the first and second valves of the system that is not connected or that is connected but not operated are closed.

When installing two indoor units 20-1, 20-2 connected together, the first valves V1-1 and V1-2 and the second valves V2-1 and V2-2 of the two systems are all closed, the third valves V3-1 and V3-2 of the two systems are opened, and impurity gases are exhausted from the two indoor units 20-1, 20-2 and the refrigerant pipes 11-1, 11-2, 12-1 and 12-2 of the two systems by the exhaust pump 5, after which the third valves V3-1 and V3-2 are closed and the first valves V1-1 and V1-2 and the second valves V2-1 and V2-2 are opened to start cooling or heating operation. When disconnecting and removing indoor units 20-1, 20-2, the first valves V1-1 and V1-2 and the second valves V2-1 and V2-2 of the two systems are all open, the refrigerant is recovered in the accumulator 3, and then the first valves V1-1 and V1-2 and the second valves V2-1 and V2-2 are closed, and the refrigerant pipes 11-1 and 11-2, 12-1 and 12-2 are removed.

In this way, it is possible to configure multiple indoor units 20 to be connected to one outdoor unit 10.

[Embodiment 4]
The present invention can also be regarded as an invention relating to a method for installing/removing an air-conditioning unit as described in embodiments 1, 2, and 3. The air-conditioning unit to be covered is not limited to the embodiments described in embodiments 1, 2, and 3, but the method for installing/removing the air-conditioning unit will be described below with reference to the air-conditioning unit shown in FIG.

We will now explain how to install the air conditioner unit of the present invention. Figure 6 is a flowchart showing one example.

The air conditioner unit includes an outdoor unit 10 and an indoor unit 20, and the first and second refrigerant pipes are not yet connected. After the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20 are moved to the installation location and secured in place, first and second refrigerant pipes of appropriate length are selected, taking into consideration the distance and the handling of the pipes.

For installation, first, the first and second valves (valves V1 and V2) are closed and the first and second refrigerant pipes 11 and 12 are connected (S1). Next, the third valve (valve V3) is opened and the exhaust pump 5 is operated to exhaust the air from the first and second refrigerant pipes 11 and 12 and the refrigerant circuit in the indoor unit 20 (S2). Once sufficient exhaust has been achieved, the third valve (valve V3) is closed and the exhaust pump 5 is stopped (S3). The degree of exhaust may be detected by pressure sensors P1 and P2, or it may be determined that sufficient exhaust has been achieved after a predetermined exhaust time has elapsed. After that, the first and second valves (valves V1 and V2) are opened to supply the refrigerant (S4). This completes the installation of the air conditioner unit.

This makes it possible to prevent impurities from being mixed into the refrigerant when installing an air conditioning unit in which the outdoor unit and indoor unit can be separated.

We will now explain how to remove the air conditioner unit. Figure 7 is a flowchart showing one example.

The first and second valves (valves V1 and V2) are opened, and the compressor 2 is operated to recover the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit in the outdoor unit 10 as well as the first and second refrigerant pipes 11, 12 and the indoor unit 20 into the accumulator 3 (S5). Next, the first and second valves (valves V1 and V2) are closed, and the compressor 2 is stopped (S6). The first and second refrigerant pipes 11, 12 are disconnected to separate the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20 (S7). After that, the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20 are each moved and removed.

This reduces the loss of refrigerant when removing an air conditioner unit whose outdoor and indoor units can be separated.

The invention made by the inventor has been specifically described above based on an embodiment, but it goes without saying that the invention is not limited thereto and can be modified in various ways without departing from the gist of the invention.

1 First heat exchanger 2 Compressor 3 Refrigerant recovery device (accumulator)
Reference Signs List 4: First pressure regulator 5: Exhaust pump 6: Joint section 7, 27: Fan 8, 28: Control section 9: Receiver 99: Non-condensable gas adsorbent 10: Outdoor unit 11, 12: Refrigerant piping 16: Internal piping 13: Caster 14: Fixing mechanism (outrigger)
20 Indoor unit 21 Second heat exchanger 24 Second pressure regulator 30 Cart 31 Support frame 32 Support frame 33 Rotating support frame 34 Support 40 Drain pan, drain tank 41, 44 Water pipe 42 Drain pump 43 Drain pipe 45 Water level sensor 50 Air direction guide 51 Exhaust hood 52 Duct 53 Blower 60 Fixing member 61 Nut 62 Front ferrule 63 Rear ferrule 64 O-ring 65 D-ring V1, V2, V3 Valve
VX Four-way valve P1, P2 Pressure sensor

Claims (1)

A method for installing and removing an air-conditioning unit including an outdoor unit and an indoor unit, each of which is provided with casters and can be moved, and first and second refrigerant pipes that connect the outdoor unit and the indoor unit and can be attached and detached, comprising:
the outdoor unit includes a first refrigerant circuit including a first heat exchanger, a compressor, and a first pressure regulator;
The indoor unit includes a second refrigerant circuit including a second heat exchanger and a second pressure regulator.
the air conditioner unit includes first and second refrigerant pipes that connect the first refrigerant circuit and the second refrigerant circuit to form a refrigerant circuit;
the outdoor unit further includes, in the first refrigerant circuit, a first valve and a second valve capable of isolating the first heat exchanger from the first and second refrigerant pipes, a refrigerant recovery device located on the first heat exchanger side of the first valve or the second valve, and an exhaust pump located on the first and second refrigerant pipes side of the first valve or the second valve,
When installing the air conditioner unit,
a first step of connecting the first refrigerant circuit and the second refrigerant circuit by the first and second refrigerant pipes with the first valve and the second valve closed;
a second step of evacuating the first and second refrigerant pipes and the second refrigerant circuit by operating the exhaust pump;
a third step of supplying refrigerant into the first and second refrigerant pipes and the second refrigerant circuit by opening the first valve and the second valve;
When removing the air conditioner unit,
a fourth step of operating the refrigerant recovery unit while opening the first valve and the second valve to recover refrigerant into the first and second refrigerant pipes and the second refrigerant circuit;
a fifth step of closing the first valve and the second valve;
a sixth step of disconnecting the first and second refrigerant pipes to separate the outdoor unit from the indoor unit;
How to install and remove an air conditioner unit.

Images