Simultaneous cooling-heating multiple type air conditioner

Abstract

A simultaneous cooling-heating multiple type air conditioner includes a plurality of cooling-heating combined-use indoor units controlled in an operation domain divided into a plurality of operation zones based on a refrigerant suction pressure and a refrigerant discharge pressure of a compressor. The operation domain includes three operation zones. In the first operation zone, a cooling-initiative simultaneous cooling and heating operation mode is switched to a heating-initiative simultaneous cooling and heating operation mode. In the second operation zone, the cooling-initiative simultaneous cooling and heating operation mode or the heating-initiative simultaneous cooling and heating operation mode, does not switch to different modes. In the third operation zone, the heating-initiative simultaneous cooling and heating operation mode is switched to the cooling-initiative simultaneous cooling and heating operation mode.

1 . A simultaneous cooling-heating multiple type air conditioner including a plurality of cooling-heating combined-use indoor units and operating in an operation domain having a plurality of operation zones divided by a refrigerant suction pressure and a refrigerant discharge pressure of a compressor, wherein the operation domain comprises:
 a first operation zone in which a cooling-initiative simultaneous cooling and heating operation mode is switched to a heating-initiative simultaneous cooling and heating operation mode;   a second operation zone in which the cooling-initiative simultaneous cooling and heating operation mode or the heating-initiative simultaneous cooling and heating operation mode is not switched to different modes; and   a third operation zone in which the heating-initiative simultaneous cooling and heating operation mode is switched to the cooling-initiative simultaneous cooling and heating operation mode.   
   
   
       2 . The simultaneous cooling-heating multiple type air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein
 when operating in the first operation zone, a suction pressure of the compressor is less than a first suction pressure and a discharge pressure of the compressor is less than a first discharge pressure,   when operating in the second operation zone, the suction pressure of the compressor is in a range from the first suction pressure to a second suction pressure, wherein the second suction pressure is greater than a first suction pressure, and the discharge pressure of the compressor is in a range from the first discharge pressure to a second discharge pressure, wherein the second discharge pressure is greater than the first discharge pressure, and   when operating in the third operation zone, the suction pressure of the compressor is greater than the second suction pressure and the discharge pressure of the compressor is greater than the second discharge pressure.   
   
   
       3 . The simultaneous cooling-heating multiple type air conditioner according to  claim 2 , wherein the air conditioner operating in the first operation zone is configured to be controlled to move to the second operation zone. 
   
   
       4 . The simultaneous cooling-heating multiple type air conditioner according to  claim 2 , wherein the air conditioner operating in the third operation zone is configured to be controlled to move to the second operation zone. 
   
   
       5 . The simultaneous cooling-heating multiple type air conditioner according to  claim 2 , wherein discharge flow of refrigerant from the compressor is controlled in such a manner that the air conditioner operating in the first operation zone is controlled to move to the second operation zone. 
   
   
       6 . The simultaneous cooling-heating multiple type air conditioner according to  claim 2 , wherein discharge flow of refrigerant from the compressor is controlled in such a manner that the air conditioner operating in the third operation zone is controlled to move to the second operation zone. 
   
   
       7 . The simultaneous cooling-heating multiple type air conditioner according to  claim 2 , further comprising an outdoor heat exchanger for exchanging heat of the refrigerant with outdoor air and an outdoor fan for blowing the outdoor air to the outdoor heat exchanger,
 wherein the number of revolutions of the outdoor fan is controlled in such a manner that the air conditioner is configured to be controlled to move to the second operation zone if the air conditioner is operating in the first operation zone, and the air conditioner is configured to be controlled to move to the second operation zone if the air conditioner is operating in the third operation zone.   
   
   
       8 . A simultaneous cooling-heating multiple type air conditioner, comprising:
 a plurality of cooling-heating combined-use indoor units, each indoor unit including a indoor heat exchanger;   a cooling-heating combined-use outdoor unit including a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, and a switching part installed at a discharge side of the compressor, for switching flow of refrigerant based on operation conditions such as cooling-only operation, heating-only operation, cooling-initiative simultaneous cooling and heating operation, and heating-initiative simultaneous cooling and heating operation; and   a distributor installed between the cooling-heating combined-use outdoor unit and the cooling-heating combined-use indoor units, the distributor being configured to distribute the refrigerant to the cooling-heating combined-use indoor units based on the operation conditions such as cooling-only operation, heating-only operation, cooling-initiative simultaneous cooling and heating operation, and heating-initiative simultaneous cooling and heating operation,   wherein upon the simultaneous cooling and heating operation of the cooling-heating combined-use indoor units, the air conditioner is controlled in an operation domain divided into a plurality of operation zones according to refrigerant suction pressure and refrigerant discharge pressure of the compressor, and wherein the operation domain includes   a first operation zone in which the cooling-initiative simultaneous cooling and heating operation is switched to the heating-initiative simultaneous cooling and heating operation,   a second operation zone in which the cooling-initiative simultaneous cooling and heating operation or the heating-initiative simultaneous cooling and heating operation is not switched to a different operation, and   a third operation zone in which the heating-initiative simultaneous cooling and heating operation is switched to the cooling-initiative simultaneous cooling and heating operation.   
   
   
       9 . The simultaneous cooling-heating multiple type air conditioner according to  claim 8 , wherein
 when operating in the first operation zone, the suction pressure of the compressor is less than a first suction pressure and the discharge pressure of the compressor is less than a first discharge pressure,   when operating in the second operation zone, the suction pressure of the compressor is in a range from the first suction pressure to a second suction pressure, wherein the second suction pressure is greater than a first suction pressure, and the discharge pressure of the compressor is in a range from the first discharge pressure to a second discharge pressure, wherein the second discharge pressure is greater than the first discharge pressure, and   when operating in the third operation zone, the suction pressure of the compressor is greater than the second suction pressure and the discharge pressure of the compressor is greater than the second discharge pressure.   
   
   
       10 . The simultaneous cooling-heating multiple type air conditioner according to  claim 9 , wherein the air conditioner is controlled in a manner such that the air conditioner operating in the first operation zone is controlled to move to the second operation zone. 
   
   
       11 . The simultaneous cooling-heating multiple type air conditioner according to  claim 9 , wherein the air conditioner is controlled in a manner such that the air conditioner operating in the third operation zone is controlled to move to the second operation zone. 
   
   
       12 . The simultaneous cooling-heating multiple type air conditioner according to  claim 8 , wherein discharge flow of refrigerant from the compressor is controlled in such a manner that the air conditioner operating in the first operation zone is controlled to move to the second operation zone. 
   
   
       13 . The simultaneous cooling-heating multiple type air conditioner according to  claim 8 , wherein discharge flow of refrigerant from the compressor is controlled in such a manner that the air conditioner operating in the third operation zone is controlled to move to the second operation zone. 
   
   
       14 . The simultaneous cooling-heating multiple type air conditioner according to  claim 8 , further comprising an outdoor fan for blowing the outdoor air to the outdoor heat exchanger,
 wherein the number of revolutions of the outdoor fan is controlled in such a manner that the air conditioner operating in the first operation zone is controlled to move to the second operation zone.   
   
   
       15 . The simultaneous cooling-heating multiple type air conditioner according to  claim 8 , further comprising an outdoor fan for blowing the outdoor air to the outdoor heat exchanger,
 wherein the number of revolutions of the outdoor fan is controlled in such a manner that the air conditioner operating in the third operation zone is controlled to move to the second operation zone.   
   
   
       16 . The simultaneous cooling-heating multiple type air conditioner according to  claim 8 , wherein the distributor includes a liquid header, a low pressure gas header and a high pressure gas header. 
   
   
       17 . The simultaneous cooling-heating multiple type air conditioner according to  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a liquid refrigerant pipe connected between the cooling-heating combined-use outdoor unit and the liquid header;   a low pressure gas pipe connected between the cooling-heating combined-use outdoor unit and the low pressure gas header; and   a high pressure gas pipe connected between the cooling-heating combined-use outdoor unit and the high pressure gas header.