Heat pump apparatus

A heat pump apparatus includes a heat source-side refrigeration cycle sequentially connecting a compressor, a heat source-side heat exchanger, an expansion valve, and a heat source side of a cascade heat exchanger, and configured to circulate refrigerant, and a load-side refrigeration cycle sequentially connecting a heat medium sending unit, a load-side heat exchanger, and a load side of the cascade heat exchanger, and configured to circulate a heat medium. The heat source-side heat exchanger and the cascade heat exchanger each have a hydraulic diameter of less than 1 mm, which is calculated by 4×S/L, where S represents a cross-sectional area of a fluid passage and L represents a length of a wetted perimeter.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a U.S. national stage application of PCT/JP2014/051429 filed on Jan. 23, 2014, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a heat pump apparatus using flammable refrigerant in a heat source-side refrigeration cycle.

BACKGROUND

A fluorinated compound, such as R410 that is an HFC-based refrigerant, has widely been used as conventional refrigerant for a heat pump apparatus of a refrigerator-freezer, an air-conditioning apparatus, or other apparatus. However, such a refrigerant significantly influences global warming. Thus, it is desired to use a refrigerant less influencing global warming from the viewpoint of preventing global warming. Under such a background, there has been proposed use of a refrigerant less influencing global warming, such as R32 that is an HFC-based refrigerant, R1234yf that is an HFO-based refrigerant, and propane or isobutane that is a hydrocarbon-based refrigerant. However, these refrigerants are all flammable refrigerants (or slightly flammable refrigerants) unlike the HFC-based refrigerant that has conventionally been used.

In the heat pump apparatus using these kinds of flammable refrigerants, there is a risk in that refrigerant leaks indoors from a heat exchanger or a pipe constituting a refrigeration cycle to cause an accident, such as fire. In view of the risk, there has been proposed a heat pump apparatus of an indirect heat exchange system, in which the heat pump apparatus is divided into a primary-side refrigeration cycle located on a heat source side and a secondary-side refrigeration cycle located on a load side, thereby preventing the indoor leakage of refrigerant on the load side (see, for example, Patent Literature 1).

The heat pump apparatus includes the primary-side refrigeration cycle including a compressor, a heat source-side heat exchanger, an expansion valve, a four-way valve, and a cascade heat exchanger, and the secondary-side refrigeration cycle including a load-side heat exchanger, a pump configured to send water, a four-way valve, and the cascade heat exchanger. The cascade heat exchanger includes fluid passages each including a plurality of perforated flat tubes and small-diameter heat transfer tubes in combination, and a hydraulic diameter of each of the fluid passages is 3 mm or less and 0.5 mm or more.

PATENT LITERATURE

However, in the related-art heat pump apparatus disclosed in Patent Literature 1, there is a significant difference between an internal volume of the fluid passage for refrigerant of the cascade heat exchanger and an internal volume of the fluid passage for refrigerant of the heat source-side heat exchanger. Thus, a necessary sealing amount of refrigerant differs between a cooling operation and a heating operation, thereby causing a problem in that the sealing amount of refrigerant cannot be reduced. Further, there is a problem in that the primary-side refrigeration cycle does not have a configuration with high safety to take measures against refrigerant leakage.

SUMMARY

The present invention has been made to solve at least one of the problems as described above, and thus has an object to provide a heat pump apparatus reduced in sealing amount of refrigerant.

A heat pump apparatus according to the present invention includes a heat source-side refrigeration cycle sequentially connecting a compressor, a heat source-side heat exchanger, an expansion valve, and a heat source side of a cascade heat exchanger, the heat source-side refrigeration cycle being configured to circulate refrigerant, and a load-side refrigeration cycle sequentially connecting a heat medium sending unit, a load-side heat exchanger, and a load side of the cascade heat exchanger, the load-side refrigeration cycle being configured to circulate a heat medium. The heat source-side heat exchanger and the cascade heat exchanger each have a hydraulic diameter of less than 1 mm, which is calculated by 4×S/L, where S represents a cross-sectional area of a fluid passage and L represents a length of a wetted perimeter.

In the heat pump apparatus according to the present invention, a microchannel heat exchanger (flat tube) having a fluid passage having small internal volume and having a hydraulic diameter of less than 1 mm is used as the outdoor heat exchanger and the cascade heat exchanger in the primary-side refrigeration cycle configured to circulate refrigerant, thereby being capable of reducing a sealing amount of flammable refrigerant.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to the drawings. Note that, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below. Further, in the drawings referred to below, the size relationship between components may be different from that of actual components.

FIG. 1is a schematic diagram for illustrating a heat pump apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

The heat pump apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention includes an outdoor unit100, an indoor unit200, and connection pipes12and14.

The outdoor unit100includes a primary-side (heat source-side) refrigeration cycle configured to circulate refrigerant, including a compressor1, a four-way valve (flow switching device)2, an outdoor heat exchanger3serving as a heat source-side heat exchanger, an expansion valve4, and a heat source side of a cascade heat exchanger5, and a secondary-side (load-side) refrigeration cycle configured to circulate a heat medium, including a pump11serving as a heat medium sending unit variable in rotation speed, a four-way valve (flow switching device)15, and a load side of the cascade heat exchanger5.

The indoor unit200accommodates an indoor heat exchanger13serving as a load-side heat exchanger.

The outdoor heat exchanger3has an outdoor fan6configured to supply outdoor air, and the indoor heat exchanger13has an indoor fan16configured to supply indoor air.

In this case, as the outdoor heat exchanger3and the cascade heat exchanger5, there is used a microchannel heat exchanger (flat tube) with high heat exchange efficiency, having a fluid passage having small internal volume (that is, reduced in necessary refrigerant amount). The microchannel heat exchanger refers to a heat exchanger having a hydraulic diameter of less than 1 mm, which is calculated by 4×S/L, where S represents a cross-sectional area per fluid passage and L represents a length of a wetted perimeter (circumferential length of an inner wall surface of a fluid passage). Water is used as a heat medium for the secondary-side refrigeration cycle, and flammable refrigerant (or slightly flammable refrigerant), such as propane and isobutane, is used as refrigerant for the primary-side refrigeration cycle. When V1represents an internal volume of a fluid passage for refrigerant of the outdoor heat exchanger3and V2represents an internal volume of a fluid passage for refrigerant of the cascade heat exchanger5, V1and V2are set to satisfy a relationship of 0.9<(V1/V2)<1.1. The reason therefor is described later.

Next, an operation of the heat pump apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention is described.

First, during a cooling operation, the four-way valve2in the primary-side refrigeration cycle and the four-way valve15are connected as indicated by the solid lines.

Gas refrigerant compressed into high-temperature and high-pressure gas refrigerant by the compressor1passes through the four-way valve2to flow into the outdoor heat exchanger3. Then, the gas refrigerant exchanges heat with outdoor air in the outdoor heat exchanger3, and rejects heat to the outdoor air so that the gas refrigerant itself is condensed into high-temperature and high-pressure liquid refrigerant. The refrigerant flowing out of the outdoor heat exchanger3is expanded into low-temperature and low-pressure two-phase refrigerant by the expansion valve4. The two-phase refrigerant flows into the heat source side of the cascade heat exchanger5acting as an evaporator. Then, the two-phase refrigerant exchanges heat with water circulating through the secondary-side refrigeration cycle in the cascade heat exchanger5, and removes heat from the water to cool the water so that the two-phase refrigerant itself turns into low-temperature and low-pressure gas refrigerant. Then, the gas refrigerant flowing out of the heat source side of the cascade heat exchanger5passes through the four-way valve2to return to the compressor1.

Meanwhile, in the secondary-side refrigeration cycle, the water cooled through the heat removal by the refrigerant in the cascade heat exchanger5is discharged by the pump11, and passes through the connection pipe12to flow into the indoor heat exchanger13. Then, the water exchanges heat with indoor air in the indoor heat exchanger13, and removes heat from the indoor air to cool an indoor space so that the water itself is increased in temperature. The water flowing out of the indoor heat exchanger13passes through the connection pipe14and the four-way valve15to flow into the load side of the cascade heat exchanger5. Then, the water exchanges heat with refrigerant in the cascade heat exchanger5, and rejects heat to the refrigerant in quantity corresponding to the heat removed from the indoor air so that the water is cooled. Then, the water flowing out of the load side of the cascade heat exchanger5returns to the pump11.

Next, during a heating operation, the four-way valve2in the primary-side refrigeration cycle and the four-way valve15are connected as indicated by the dotted lines.

Gas refrigerant compressed into high-temperature and high-pressure gas refrigerant by the compressor1passes through the four-way valve2to flow into the heat source side of the cascade heat exchanger5acting as a condenser. Then, the gas refrigerant exchanges heat with water circulating through the secondary-side refrigeration cycle in the cascade heat exchanger5, and rejects heat to the water to heat the water so that the gas refrigerant itself is condensed into high-temperature and high-pressure liquid refrigerant. The liquid refrigerant flowing out of the heat source side of the cascade heat exchanger5is decompressed into low-temperature and low-pressure two-phase refrigerant by the expansion valve4. The two-phase refrigerant flows into the outdoor heat exchanger3. Then, the two-phase refrigerant exchanges heat with outdoor air in the outdoor heat exchanger3, and removes heat from the outdoor air so that the two-phase refrigerant itself is evaporated into low-temperature and low-pressure gas refrigerant. Then, the gas refrigerant flowing out of the outdoor heat exchanger3passes through the four-way valve2to return to the compressor1.

Meanwhile, in the secondary-side refrigeration cycle, the water heated through the heat removal from the refrigerant in the cascade heat exchanger5is discharged by the pump11, and passes through the connection pipe12to flow into the indoor heat exchanger13. Then, the water exchanges heat with indoor air in the indoor heat exchanger13, and rejects heat to the indoor air to heat the indoor space so that the water itself is decreased in temperature. The water flowing out of the indoor heat exchanger13passes through the connection pipe14and the four-way valve15to flow into the load side of the cascade heat exchanger5. Then, the water exchanges heat with refrigerant in the cascade heat exchanger5, and removes heat from the refrigerant in quantity corresponding to the heat rejected to the indoor air so that the water is heated. Then, the water flowing out of the load side of the cascade heat exchanger5returns to the pump11.

In the heat pump apparatus according to Embodiment 1, the microchannel heat exchanger having the fluid passage having small internal volume is used as the outdoor heat exchanger3and the cascade heat exchanger5in the primary-side refrigeration cycle configured to circulate refrigerant, thereby being capable of reducing a sealing amount of flammable refrigerant. Further, the internal volume V1of the fluid passage for refrigerant of the outdoor heat exchanger3and the internal volume V2of the fluid passage for refrigerant of the cascade heat exchanger5are set to satisfy the relationship of 0.9<(V1/V2)<1.1. Thus, a necessary sealing amount of refrigerant is substantially equal in both the cooling operation and the heating operation, thereby being capable of significantly reducing the sealing amount of flammable refrigerant.

Thus, the sealing amount of refrigerant can be set to be less than the permissible sealing amount of refrigerant of the European Standards (for example, IEC standards) (about 150 g in a case of propane). Further, the necessary sealing amount of refrigerant is substantially equal in both the cooling operation and the heating operation. Thus, a refrigerant storage tank (not shown) configured to absorb refrigerant in amounts different between the two operations is unnecessary.

In this manner, a heat pump apparatus with high safety and high degree of freedom in installation can be obtained.

Further, during both the cooling operation and the heating operation, the refrigerant and the water flow in directions reverse to each other in the cascade heat exchanger5, and the water and the indoor air flow in directions reverse to each other in the indoor heat exchanger13, thereby being capable of obtaining a heat pump apparatus having high performance with high heat exchange efficiency.

In a case where the refrigerant storage tank is not provided, when V1/V2is 0.9 or less, the internal volume of the fluid passage for refrigerant of the outdoor heat exchanger3is significantly reduced. Thus, the refrigerant cannot sufficiently be contained in the outdoor heat exchanger3during the cooling operation, thereby causing an inconvenience of return of a liquid to the compressor1or other inconveniences. Further, when V1/V2is 1.1 or more, similarly, the internal volume of the fluid passage for refrigerant of the cascade heat exchanger5is significantly reduced. Thus, the refrigerant cannot sufficiently be contained in the cascade heat exchanger5during the heating operation, thereby causing liquid return to the compressor1or other inconveniences.

Further, when necessary performance is increased to increase the size of the heat pump apparatus, as illustrated inFIG. 2, it is only necessary that two primary-side refrigeration cycles be connected to the secondary-side refrigeration cycle in parallel, thereby reducing a sealing amount of refrigerant per primary-side refrigeration cycle. Even when high performance is required as described above, the sealing amount of refrigerant per primary-side refrigeration cycle is reduced so that the sum of the sealing amounts of refrigerant of the two refrigeration cycles is less than the permissible sealing amount of refrigerant, and the plurality of modularized primary-side refrigeration cycles are connected, thereby being capable of constructing a heat pump apparatus with high air conditioning performance.

In the above, the description is given of the example where the two primary-side refrigeration cycles are connected to the secondary-side refrigeration cycle in parallel. However, three or more primary-side refrigeration cycles may be connected to the secondary-side refrigeration cycle.

Further, when the outdoor heat exchanger3includes header distributors18a,18barranged in upper and lower parts thereof as in a fin-less heat exchanger or a corrugated fin-and-tube heat exchanger, a bonding process for fins and tubes is not required, thereby being capable of simplifying the heat exchanger.

Still further, the passages are switched by using the four-way valves2,2′, and15each serving as the flow switching device. However, a two-way valve and a three-way valve may be used in combination to switch the passages.

Yet further, the water is used as the heat medium for the secondary-side refrigeration cycle, but the heat medium is not limited thereto. An antifreeze solution or other heat media may be used.

Embodiment 2 of the present invention is described below. Differences from Embodiment 1 are mainly described, and redundant description is thus omitted herein. Further, the same components as those of Embodiment 1 are denoted by the same reference signs.

FIG. 3is a schematic diagram for illustrating a heat pump apparatus according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

The heat pump apparatus according to Embodiment 2 has the same configuration as that of the heat pump apparatus according to Embodiment 1 except that the four-way valve15is constituted by four on-off valves21to24as illustrated inFIG. 3. Detailed description is thus omitted herein, and only an operation of the secondary-side refrigeration cycle is described.

In the secondary-side refrigeration cycle during the cooling operation, water cooled through heat removal by refrigerant in the cascade heat exchanger5is discharged by the pump11, and passes through the connection pipe12to flow into the indoor heat exchanger13. Then, the water exchanges heat with indoor air in the indoor heat exchanger13, and removes heat from the indoor air to cool an indoor space so that the water itself is increased in temperature. The water flowing out of the indoor heat exchanger13passes through the connection pipe14and the on-off valve22to flow into the load side of the cascade heat exchanger5. Then, the water exchanges heat with refrigerant in the cascade heat exchanger5, and rejects heat to the refrigerant in quantity corresponding to the heat removed from the indoor air so that the water is cooled. Then, the water flowing out of the load side of the cascade heat exchanger5passes through the on-off valve23to return to the pump11.

Next, in the secondary-side refrigeration cycle during the heating operation, water heated through heat removal from refrigerant in the cascade heat exchanger5is discharged by the pump11, and passes through the connection pipe12to flow into the indoor heat exchanger13. Then, the water exchanges heat with indoor air in the indoor heat exchanger13, and rejects heat to the indoor air to heat the indoor space so that the water itself is decreased in temperature. The water flowing out of the indoor heat exchanger13passes through the connection pipe14and the on-off valve21to flow into the load side of the cascade heat exchanger5. Then, the water exchanges heat with refrigerant in the cascade heat exchanger5, and removes heat from the refrigerant in quantity corresponding to the heat rejected to the indoor air so that the water is heated. Then, the water flowing out of the load side of the cascade heat exchanger5passes through the on-off valve24to return to the pump11.

As described above, in Embodiment 2, the four on-off valves21to24are used instead of the four-way valve in the secondary-side refrigeration cycle, and hence pressure loss is small as in a water circuit. Thus, even when a pressure difference required for an opening and closing operation of the four-way valve is not obtained, an effect of being capable of reliably performing the opening and closing operation is obtained.

Embodiment 3 of the present invention is described below. Differences from Embodiment 1 are mainly described, and redundant description is thus omitted herein. Further, the same components as those of Embodiment 1 are denoted by the same reference signs.

FIG. 4is a schematic diagram for illustrating a heat pump apparatus according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. As illustrated inFIG. 4, the heat pump apparatus according to Embodiment 3 has a configuration in which the four-way valve15is omitted from the heat pump apparatus according to Embodiment 1, and a high and low-pressure heat exchanger7is arranged in the primary-side refrigeration cycle instead of the four-way valve15. With this configuration, in the cascade heat exchanger5, water and refrigerant flow in directions reverse to each other during the heating operation, but flow in directions parallel to each other during the cooling operation. The other configurations are simpler than those of Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 2. Detailed description thereof is thus omitted herein, and only an operation of the primary-side refrigeration cycle is described.

First, during the cooling operation, the four-way valve2in the primary-side refrigeration cycle is connected as indicated by the solid lines.

Gas refrigerant compressed into high-temperature and high-pressure gas refrigerant by the compressor1passes through the four-way valve2to flow into the outdoor heat exchanger3. Then, the gas refrigerant exchanges heat with outdoor air in the outdoor heat exchanger3, and rejects heat to the outdoor air so that the gas refrigerant itself is condensed into high-temperature and high-pressure liquid refrigerant. The liquid refrigerant flowing out of the outdoor heat exchanger3flows into a high-pressure side of the high and low-pressure heat exchanger. Then, the liquid refrigerant is subcooled in the high and low-pressure heat exchanger7. The liquid refrigerant subcooled in the high and low-pressure heat exchanger7is expanded into low-temperature and low-pressure two-phase refrigerant by the expansion valve4. The two-phase refrigerant flows into the heat source side of the cascade heat exchanger5acting as an evaporator. Then, the two-phase refrigerant exchanges heat with water circulating through the secondary-side refrigeration cycle in the cascade heat exchanger5, and removes heat from the water to cool the water so that the two-phase refrigerant itself turns into low-temperature and low-pressure gas refrigerant. Then, the gas refrigerant flowing out of the heat source side of the cascade heat exchanger5passes through the four-way valve2to flow into a low-pressure side of the high and low-pressure heat exchanger7. Then, the gas refrigerant is superheated in the high and low-pressure heat exchanger7. The gas refrigerant superheated in the high and low-pressure heat exchanger7returns to the compressor1.

At this time, when an outlet of the cascade heat exchanger5is brought into a saturated state, a superheated region is eliminated in the heat transfer area of the cascade heat exchanger5so that the entire heat transfer surface is effectively used. In such a case, a difference in performance between the case of the flow in the reverse directions and the case of the flow in the parallel directions is reduced. That is, an effect in the case of the flow in the reverse directions during the cooling operation is reduced, thereby being capable of omitting the four-way valve of the secondary-side circuit.

Next, during the heating operation, the four-way valve2in the primary-side refrigeration cycle is connected as indicated by the dotted lines.

Gas refrigerant compressed into high-temperature and high-pressure gas refrigerant by the compressor1passes through the four-way valve2to flow into the heat source side of the cascade heat exchanger5acting as a condenser. Then, the gas refrigerant exchanges heat with water circulating through the secondary-side refrigeration cycle in the cascade heat exchanger5, and rejects heat to the water to heat the water so that the gas refrigerant itself is condensed into high-temperature and high-pressure liquid refrigerant. The liquid refrigerant flowing out of the heat source side of the cascade heat exchanger5is decompressed into low-temperature and low-pressure two-phase refrigerant by the expansion valve4. The two-phase refrigerant flows into the high-pressure side of the high and low-pressure heat exchanger7. Then, the two-phase refrigerant is superheated in the high and low-pressure heat exchanger7. The two-phase refrigerant superheated in the high and low-pressure heat exchanger7flows into the outdoor heat exchanger3. Then, the two-phase refrigerant exchanges heat with outdoor air in the outdoor heat exchanger3, and removes heat from the outdoor air so that the two-phase refrigerant itself is evaporated into low-temperature and low-pressure gas refrigerant. Then, the gas refrigerant flowing out of the outdoor heat exchanger3passes through the four-way valve2to flow into the low-pressure side of the high and low-pressure heat exchanger7. Then, the gas refrigerant is subcooled in the high and low-pressure heat exchanger7. The gas refrigerant subcooled in the high and low-pressure heat exchanger7returns to the compressor1.

The high and low-pressure heat exchanger7is reduced in pressure both on the high-pressure side and the low-pressure side during the heating operation. Thus, a temperature difference sufficient for exchanging heat is not generated, thereby significantly reducing a heat exchange amount. In the cascade heat exchanger5, the refrigerant and the water constantly flow in the directions reverse to each other, thereby being capable of obtaining a heat pump apparatus having high performance with high heat exchange efficiency.

In Embodiment 3, the high and low-pressure heat exchanger7is arranged in the primary-side refrigeration cycle, and sucked refrigerant is superheated in the high and low-pressure heat exchanger7during the cooling operation. Thus, an outlet of the cascade heat exchanger5can be brought into a wet state, thereby being capable of effectively utilizing the cascade heat exchanger5.

As described above, in the refrigeration cycle apparatus according to the present invention, the heat pump apparatus includes the primary-side refrigeration cycle including at least the compressor1, the outdoor heat exchanger3, and the expansion valve4, the secondary-side refrigeration cycle including at least the indoor heat exchanger13and the pump11, and the cascade heat exchanger5configured to exchange heat between the primary-side refrigeration cycle and the secondary-side refrigeration cycle. In this heat pump apparatus, the microchannel heat exchanger having the fluid passage having small internal volume is used as the outdoor heat exchanger3and the cascade heat exchanger5in the primary-side refrigeration cycle configured to circulate refrigerant, thereby being capable of reducing the sealing amount of flammable refrigerant. Further, the primary-side refrigeration cycle includes the four-way valve2, and the internal volume V1of the fluid passage for refrigerant of the outdoor heat exchanger3and the internal volume V2of the fluid passage for refrigerant of the cascade heat exchanger5are set to satisfy the relationship of 0.9<(V1/V2)<1.1. Thus, the necessary sealing amount of refrigerant is substantially equal in both the cooling operation and the heating operation, thereby being capable of significantly reducing the sealing amount of flammable refrigerant.

Thus, the sealing amount of refrigerant can be set to be less than the permissible sealing amount of refrigerant of the European Standards (for example, IEC standards) (about 150 g in the case of propane). Further, the necessary sealing amount of refrigerant is substantially equal in both the cooling operation and the heating operation. Thus, the refrigerant storage tank configured to absorb the refrigerant in amounts different between the two operations is unnecessary.

In this manner, the heat pump apparatus with high safety and high degree of freedom in installation can be obtained.