Air conditioner

Abstract

An air conditioner is provided. The air conditioner may include a compressor that compresses a refrigerant, an outdoor heat-exchanger that heat-exchanges with the refrigerant discharged from the compressor according to a first operation mode, an indoor heat-exchanger that heat-exchanges with the refrigerant discharged from the compressor according to a second operation mode, and an expander that decompresses the refrigerant passing through the outdoor heat-exchanger or the indoor heat-exchanger. The expander may include a first decompression portion disposed at an outlet side or an inlet side of the outdoor heat-exchanger, the first decompression portion having a first inner diameter, and a second decompression portion connected to the first decompression portion in series, the second decompression portion having a second inner diameter greater than the first inner diameter.

1 . An air conditioner, comprising:
 a compressor that compresses a refrigerant;   an outdoor heat-exchanger that heat-exchanges with the refrigerant discharged from the compressor according to a first operation mode;   an indoor heat-exchanger that heat-exchanges with the refrigerant discharged from the compressor according to a second operation mode; and   an expander that decompresses the refrigerant having passed through the outdoor heat-exchanger or the indoor heat-exchanger, wherein the expander comprises:   a first decompression portion disposed at an outlet side or an inlet side of the outdoor heat-exchanger, the first decompression portion having a first inner diameter; and   a second decompression portion connected to the first decompression portion in series, the second decompression portion having a second inner diameter greater than the first inner diameter.   
     
     
         2 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein, in the first operation mode, the refrigerant is introduced into the second decompression portion through the first decompression portion. 
     
     
         3 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein, in the second operation mode, the refrigerant is introduced into the first decompression portion through the second decompression portion. 
     
     
         4 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein, in the first operation mode, the first decompression portion is disposed at the outlet side of the outdoor heat-exchanger, and the second decompression portion is disposed at an inlet side of the indoor heat-exchanger. 
     
     
         5 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein, in the second operation mode, the first decompression portion is disposed at the inlet side of the outdoor heat-exchanger, and the second decompression portion is disposed at an outlet side of the indoor heat-exchanger. 
     
     
         6 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein the first decompression portion comprises:
 a cooling refrigerant inflow portion, through which the refrigerant discharged from the outdoor heat-exchanger is introduced, or refrigerant having passed through the second decompression portion is discharged; and   a first coupling portion coupled to the second decompression portion.   
     
     
         7 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein the second decompression portion comprises:
 a heating refrigerant inflow portion, through which the refrigerant discharged from the indoor heat-exchanger is introduced, or refrigerant having passed through the first decompression portion is discharged; and   a second coupling portion coupled to the first decompression portion.   
     
     
         8 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein an end of the first decompression portion is coupled to an end of the second decompression portion. 
     
     
         9 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , further comprising a connection member disposed between the first decompression portion and the second decompression portion that connects the first decompression portion to the second decompression portion. 
     
     
         10 . The air conditioner according to  claim 9 , wherein the connection member comprises a tank that connects the first decompression portion to the second decompression portion. 
     
     
         11 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein the first operation mode is a cooling operation mode, and the second operation mode is a heating operation mode. 
     
     
         12 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein a ratio of the second inner diameter to the first diameter is greater than about 1 and less than about 5. 
     
     
         13 . An air conditioner, comprising:
 a compressor that compresses a refrigerant;   an outdoor heat-exchanger disposed in an outdoor space that condenses the refrigerant having passed through the compressor in a cooling operation mode;   an indoor heat-exchanger disposed in an indoor space that condenses the refrigerant having passed through the compressor in a heating operation mode; and   a plurality of capillary tubes that expands the refrigerant introduced through the indoor heat-exchanger or the outdoor heat-exchanger, the plurality of capillary tubes being connected to each other in series, wherein, in the cooling or heating operation mode, the refrigerant passes through the plurality of capillary tubes.   
     
     
         14 . The air conditioner according to  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of capillary tubes comprises:
 a first capillary tube having a first diameter; and   a second capillary tube having a second diameter greater than the first diameter of the first capillary tube.   
     
     
         15 . The air conditioner according to  claim 14 , wherein, in the cooling operation mode, the refrigerant passes through the first capillary tube and then passes through the second capillary tube. 
     
     
         16 . The air conditioner according to  claim 15 , wherein the refrigerant flows into the second capillary tube in a two-phase state. 
     
     
         17 . The air conditioner according to  claim 14 , wherein, in the heating operation mode, the refrigerant passes through the second capillary tube and then passes through the first capillary tube. 
     
     
         18 . The air conditioner according to  claim 17 , wherein the refrigerant flows into the first capillary tube in a two-phase state. 
     
     
         19 . The air conditioner according to  claim 14 , wherein a ratio of the second inner diameter to the first inner diameter is greater than about 1 and less than about 5 
     
     
         20 . An air conditioner having a refrigeration cycle formed by a compressor, an outdoor heat-exchanger, an expander, and an indoor heat-exchanger connected to each other in series, the air conditioner comprising:
 a flow converter that guides a refrigerant discharged from the compressor into the outdoor heat-exchanger or the indoor heat-exchanger; and   the expander, wherein the expander comprises:
 a first capillary tube disposed between the outdoor heat-exchanger and the indoor heat-exchanger, the first capillary tube having a first inner diameter; and 
 a second capillary tube coupled the first capillary tube, the second capillary tube having a second inner diameter greater than the first inner diameter. 
   
     
     
         21 . The air conditioner according to  claim 20 , wherein, when the refrigeration cycle performs a cooling operation, the refrigerant passes through the first capillary tube and then passes through the second capillary tube. 
     
     
         22 . The air conditioner according to  claim 20 , wherein, when the refrigeration cycle performs a heating operation, the refrigerant passes through the second capillary tube and then passes through the first capillary tube. 
     
     
         23 . The air conditioner according to  claim 20 , wherein one end of the second capillary tube is coupled to one end of the first capillary tube. 
     
     
         24 . The air conditioner according to  claim 23 , further comprising a connection member that connects the one end of the second capillary tube to the one end of the first capillary tube. 
     
     
         25 . The air conditioner according to  claim 24 , wherein the connection member comprises a tank that connects the first capillary tube to the second capillary tube. 
     
     
         26 . The air conditioner according to  claim 17 , wherein a ratio of the second inner diameter to the first inner diameter is greater than about 1 and less than about 5. 
     
     
         27 . An expander for an air conditioner, the expander comprising:
 a first decompression portion having a first inner diameter; and   a second decompression portion connected to the first decompression portion and having a second inner diameter greater than the first inner diameter, wherein a flow rate of refrigerant through the expander increases or decreases based on a direction of refrigerant flow.   
     
     
         28 . The expander according to  claim 27 , wherein a ratio of the second inner diameter to the first inner diameter is greater than about 1 and less than about 5. 
     
     
         29 . The expander according to  claim 27 , wherein the first decompression portion comprises a first capillary tube and the second decompression portion comprises a second capillary tube connected to the first capillary tube. 
     
     
         30 . An air conditioner comprising the expander of  claim 27 .