Air conditioning apparatus

Abstract

An air conditioning apparatus is provided whereby the pressure pulsation generated by a compressor can be entirely reduced both during cooling and during heating, and a muffler can be shared. The air conditioning apparatus has a refrigerant circuit. The refrigerant circuit is configured so that a compressor for compressing a refrigerant, an indoor heat exchanger, an outdoor heat exchanger, and a four-way switch valve are connected via a refrigerant pipe. The four-way switch valve switches the flow of refrigerant compressed by the compressor to either the indoor heat exchanger or the outdoor heat exchanger. The air conditioning apparatus further includes a pressure pulsation reducing component. The pressure pulsation reducing component is provided between the four-way switch valve and the indoor heat exchanger. The pressure pulsation reducing component reduces pressure pulsation inside the refrigerant circuit. The pressure pulsation is generated by the compressor.

1 . An air conditioning apparatus, comprising:
 a refrigerant circuit having
 a compressor being configured to compress a refrigerant, 
 an indoor heat exchanger, 
 an outdoor heat exchanger, and 
   a four-way switch valve being configured to switch the flow of refrigerant compressed by the compressor to either the indoor heat exchanger or the outdoor heal exchanger,
 the compressor, the indoor heat exchanger, the outdoor heat exchanger, and the four-way switch valve being connected via a refrigerant pipe; and 
   a pressure pulsation reducing component being provided between the four-way switch valve and the indoor heat exchanger and configured to reduce pressure pulsation inside the refrigerant circuit generated by the compressor.   
   
   
       2 . The air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the pressure pulsation reducing component is provided within an outdoor unit configured to house the compressor and the outdoor heat exchanger therein.   
   
   
       3 . The air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the refrigerant is CO 2 . 
   
   
       4 . The air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the pressure pulsation reducing component is a vessel having a muffler function.   
   
   
       5 . The air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the pressure pulsation reducing component is one component selected from the group consisting of an expansion muffler, a π-type filter, a side branch muffler, a Helmholtz muffler, and an interference muffler.   
   
   
       6 . The air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the pressure pulsation reducing component is one component selected from the group consisting of an expansion muffler, a π-type filter, a side branch muffler, a Helmholtz muffler, and an interference muffler.   
   
   
       7 . The air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the pressure pulsation reducing component is a vessel having a muffler function.   
   
   
       8 . The air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein
 the pressure pulsation reducing component is one component selected from the group consisting of an expansion muffler, a π-type filter, a side branch muffler, a Helmholtz muffler, and an interference muffler.   
   
   
       10 . The air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the refrigerant is CO 2 . 
   
   
       11 . The air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein
 the pressure pulsation reducing component is a vessel having a muffler function.   
   
   
       12 . The air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein
 the pressure pulsation reducing component is one component selected from the group consisting of an expansion muffler, a π-type filter, a side branch muffler, a Helmholtz muffler, and an interference muffler.   
   
   
       13 . The air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein
 the pressure pulsation reducing component is one component selected from the group consisting of an expansion muffler, a π-type filter, a side branch muffler, a Helmholtz muffler, and an interference muffler.   
   
   
       14 . The air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the pressure pulsation reducing component is a vessel having a muffler function.   
   
   
       15 . The air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein
 the pressure pulsation reducing component is one component selected from the group consisting of an expansion muffler, a π-type filter, a side branch muffler, a Helmholtz muffler, and an interference muffler.   
   
   
       16 . The air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the pressure pulsation reducing component is one component selected from the group consisting of an expansion muffler, a π-type filter, a side branch muffler, a Helmholtz muffler, and an interference muffler.