Patent ID: 8616017

Claim:
An air conditioning apparatus comprising: a first cycle in which a first medium is circulated; a second cycle in which a second medium is circulated; and a third cycle, in which the second medium is circulated; wherein: the first cycle is formed by connecting a compressor, a first heat exchanger constituted by an air heat exchanger, a first decompression valve, a second heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the first cycle and the second cycle, a second decompression valve, a third heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the first cycle and the third cycle, and a four-way valve that switches the flow direction of the first medium between a forward direction and a reverse direction, in that order; the second cycle is formed by connecting the second heat exchanger, a first pump that drives the second medium, a first branching path that branches a single path into a plurality of paths, indoor units, each of which has a fan, and a first merging path that merges a plurality of paths into a single path, in that order; the third cycle is formed by connecting the third heat exchanger, a second pump that drives the second medium, a second branching path that branches a single path into a plurality of paths, the indoor units, and a second merging path that merges a plurality of paths into a single path, in that order; a first flow path switching valve is provided with each path branched by each branching path, the first flow path switching valve being capable of switching a flow path between the second cycle and the third cycle; a second flow path switching valve is provided with each path merged by each merging path, the second flow path switching valve being capable of switching a flow path between the second cycle and the third cycle; a pair of the first flow path switching valve and the second flow path switching valve corresponding to each of the indoor units switch to connect the same cycle out of the second cycle and the third cycle; and when the first heat exchanger is defrosted and there is a halted indoor unit, the first flow path switching valve and the second flow path switching valve on the side of a halted indoor unit are switched to the third cycle side and the second pump is driven.