Patent ID: 8191377

Claim:
A method of starting a heat source apparatus that includes a compressor, a condenser, an electronic expansion valve, an evaporator, a detector for detecting temperature of refrigerant at a suction-side of the compressor, a detector for detecting suction pressure of the compressor, a detector for detecting temperature of refrigerant at a discharge-side of the compressor, and a detector for detecting discharge pressure of the compressor, the method comprising the following steps: opening the electronic expansion valve to a predetermined opening degree at the time of starting of the heat source apparatus; driving the electronic expansion valve in a direction in which the electronic expansion valve is closed, until a compressor discharge-side refrigerant super-heat reaches a predetermined temperature for the compressor discharge-side refrigerant super-heat; and controlling the opening degree of the electronic expansion valve so that the compressor suction-side refrigerant super-heat reaches a predetermined temperature for the compressor suction-side refrigerant super-heat after the compressor discharge-side refrigerant super-heat has reached the predetermined temperature for the compressor discharge-side refrigerant super-heat; wherein said step of driving the electronic expansion valve includes a step of slowing down a closing speed of the electronic expansion valve as the compressor discharge-side refrigerant super-heat approaches the predetermined temperature for the compressor discharge-side refrigerant super-heat; wherein said slowing down a closing speed of the electronic expansion valve includes: driving the electronic expansion valve at a first speed in the closing direction until the compressor discharge-side refrigerant super-heat reaches a first temperature smaller than the predetermined temperature for the compressor discharge-side refrigerant super-heat, and after the compressor discharge-side refrigerant super-heat has reached the first temperature, driving the electronic expansion valve at a second speed, slower than the first speed, until the compressor discharge-side refrigerant super-heat reaches the predetermined temperature for the compressor discharge-side refrigerant super-heat.