Patent ID: 7775054
Filing Date: 2010-08-17
Classification: F25B,Y02B

Abstract:
1. An air conditioner comprising: a first heat exchanger for performing heat exchange between air of an indoor space and refrigerant to condition the air; a second heat exchanger connected to the first heat exchanger through a pipe, for performing heat exchange between the refrigerant and water; a constant velocity compressor operating at a constant velocity, for compressing the refrigerant to a high temperature and a high pressure; an inverter compressor operating variably according to a load capacity, for compressing the refrigerant to a high temperature and a high pressure; a first pipe for uniform distribution of oil, for guiding a flow of oil from within the inverter compressor into the constant velocity compressor; a second pipe for uniform distribution of oil, for guiding a flow of oil from within the constant velocity compressor into the inverter compressor; a first oil separator provided at an outlet of the inverter compressor, for separating oil included in refrigerant discharged from the inverter compressor; a second oil separator provided at an outlet of the constant velocity compressor, for separating oil included in refrigerant discharged from the constant velocity compressor; and an oil return opening for guiding the oil separated by each of the oil separators to flow into at least one of the constant velocity compressor and the inverter compressor, wherein the oil return opening includes: a first oil return pipe for guiding oil separated by the first oil separator to return to the inverter compressor; a second oil return pipe for guiding oil separated by the second oil separator to return to the constant velocity compressor; a first return uniform oil pipe divided from the first oil return pipe, for guiding the oil separated by the first oil separator to flow into the constant velocity compressor; a second return uniform oil pipe divided from the second oil return pipe, for guiding the oil separated by the second oil separator to flow into the inverter compressor; a plurality of valves respectively installed in the first return uniform oil pipe and the second return uniform oil pipe, so that the valves can continuously control the volume of the oil to flow into the compressor according to the operating capacity of the compressor, and wherein the oil included in refrigerant discharged from the inverter compressor flows through the first oil return pipe and the first return uniform oil pipe without mixing with the oil included in refrigerant discharged from the constant velocity compressor, and the oil included in refrigerant discharged from the constant velocity compressor flows through the second oil return pipe and the second return uniform oil pipe without mixing with the oil included in refrigerant discharged from the inverter compressor.