Air conditioning system

Abstract

An air conditioning system comprises an indoor unit in which a first refrigerant flows, a first tank connected to an outlet side refrigerant line of the indoor unit for sucking a first refrigerant, a second tank connected to an inlet side refrigerant line of the indoor unit and directly connected to the first tank at a position lower than the first tank for feeding back the first refrigerant stored in the first tank to the indoor unit, a connection line disposed between the first tank and the second tank, a pressure equalizing line disposed between the first tank and the second tank, a heat source cycle for cooling the first refrigerant inside the first tank by circulating a second refrigerant and heating the first refrigerant of the second tank, and a controller for controlling a plurality of switching valves installed at the connection line and the pressure equalizing line.

1 . An air conditioning system, comprising: 
 an indoor unit in which a first refrigerant flows;    a first tank connected to an outlet side refrigerant line of the indoor unit for sucking a first refrigerant;    a second tank connected to an inlet side refrigerant line of the indoor unit and directly connected to the first tank at a position lower than the first tank for feeding back the first refrigerant stored in the first tank to the indoor unit;    a connection line disposed between the first tank and the second tank;    a pressure equalizing line disposed between the first tank and the second tank;    a heat source cycle for cooling the first refrigerant inside the first tank by circulating a second refrigerant, and heating the first refrigerant of the second tank; and    a controller for controlling a plurality of switching valves installed at the connection line and the pressure equalizing line.    
   
   
       2 . The air conditioning system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat source cycle comprises: 
 a cooling unit installed at the first tank;    a heating unit connected to the cooling unit and installed at the second tank;    a compressor for supplying a second refrigerant to the cooling unit and the heating unit;    a first four-way valve installed at an outlet side refrigerant line of the compressor;    an accumulator installed between the compressor and the first four-way valve for introducing a second gaseous refrigerant to the compressor;    an outdoor heat exchanger for selectively radiating a second refrigerant discharged from the compressor;    a second four-way valve installed at an inlet side refrigerant line of the second tank; and    an expansion valve installed at a refrigerant line between the cooling unit and the heating unit.    
   
   
       3 . The air conditioning system of  claim 2 , wherein the cooling unit is installed in the first tank, and the heating unit is installed in the second tank.  
   
   
       4 . The air conditioning system of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a diaphragm installed in the first tank for dividing an inner space of the first tank into an upper space and a lower space;    a first liquid refrigerant feed back line connecting the upper space to the lower space and installed in the first tank, for feeding back the first liquid refrigerant of the first tank into the second tank; and    a check valve installed at the first liquid refrigerant feed back line.    
   
   
       5 . The air conditioning system of  claim 4 , wherein the diaphragm is horizontally disposed.  
   
   
       6 . The air conditioning system of  claim 1 , wherein one side of the connection line is connected to a lower portion of the first tank and another side of the connection line is connected to a lower portion of the second tank, one side of the pressure equalizing line is connected to a lower portion of the first tank and another side of the pressure equalizing line is connected to an upper portion of the second tank, and the pressure equalizing line is positioned to be higher than the connection line.  
   
   
       7 . The air conditioning system of  claim 1 , wherein a refrigerant level sensor for detecting a level of the first liquid refrigerant inside the first tank is installed in the first tank.  
   
   
       8 . The air conditioning system of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a cooling line having one side connected to a lower portion of the second tank and another side connected to the indoor unit, for introducing a first liquid refrigerant into the indoor unit;    a cooling line switching valve installed at the cooling line for selectively opening or closing the cooling line;    a heating line having one side connected to an upper portion of the second tank and another side connected to the indoor unit, for introducing a first gaseous refrigerant into the indoor unit; and    a heating line switching valve installed at the heating line for selectively opening or closing the heating line.    
   
   
       9 . An air conditioning system, comprising: 
 a first tank connected to an outlet side refrigerant line of an indoor unit for sucking a first liquid refrigerant;    a second tank connected to an inlet side refrigerant line of the indoor unit and directly connected to the first tank at a position lower than the first tank for feeding back the first liquid refrigerant stored in the first tank to the indoor unit.    
   
   
       10 . The air conditioning system of  claim 9 , further comprising: 
 a cooling unit installed at the first tank;    a heating unit connected to the cooling unit and installed at the second tank;    a compressor for supplying a second refrigerant to the cooling unit and the heating unit;    a first four-way valve installed at an outlet side refrigerant line of the compressor;    an accumulator installed between the compressor and the first four-way valve for introducing a second gaseous refrigerant to the compressor;    an outdoor heat exchanger for selectively radiating a second refrigerant discharged from the compressor;    a second four-way valve installed at an inlet side refrigerant line of the second tank; and    an expansion valve installed at a refrigerant line between the cooling unit and the heating unit.    
   
   
       11 . The air conditioning system of  claim 10 , wherein the cooling unit is installed in the first tank, and the heating unit is installed in the second tank.  
   
   
       12 . The air conditioning system of  claim 9 , further comprising: 
 a diaphragm installed in the first tank for dividing an inner space of the first tank into an upper space and a lower space;    a first liquid refrigerant feed back line installed in the first tank for feeding back the first liquid refrigerant of the first tank into the second tank; and    a check valve installed at the first liquid refrigerant feed back line.    
   
   
       13 . The air conditioning system of  claim 12 , wherein the diaphragm is horizontally disposed.  
   
   
       14 . The air conditioning system of  claim 9 , wherein one side of the connection line is connected to a lower portion of the first tank and another side of the connection line is connected to a lower portion of the second tank, one side of the pressure equalizing line is connected to a lower portion of the first tank and another side of the pressure equalizing line is connected to an upper portion of the second tank, and the pressure equalizing line is positioned to be higher than the connection line.  
   
   
       15 . The air conditioning system of  claim 9 , further comprising: 
 a cooling line having one side connected to a lower portion of the second tank and another side connected to the indoor unit, for introducing a first liquid refrigerant into the indoor unit;    a cooling line switching valve installed at the cooling line for selectively opening or closing the cooling line;    a heating line having one side connected to an upper portion of the second tank and another side connected to the indoor unit, for introducing a first gaseous refrigerant into the indoor unit; and    a heating line switching valve installed at the heating line for selectively opening or closing the heating line.