Air conditioner

Abstract

An air conditioner of the present invention includes temperature distribution detecting means 12 for detecting a temperature distribution in a room 1, refrigerant leakage detecting means 13 for detecting refrigerant leakage, air-blowing means 14, air-blowing control means 17 c for controlling air-blowing means 14, and wind-direction control means 17 d for controlling a wind direction of the air-blowing means 14. When the refrigerant leakage detecting means 13 detects refrigerant leakage, the air-blowing control means 17 c and/or the wind-direction control means 17 d disperses a leaked refrigerant in a direction different from inhabitants 3 and a heat source apparatus 4 detected by the temperature distribution detecting means 12 thereby enhancing the energy efficiency and safety when a flammable refrigerant is used as a refrigerant.

1 . An air conditioner comprising temperature distribution detecting means for detecting a temperature distribution in a room, refrigerant leakage detecting means for detecting refrigerant leakage, air-blowing means, air-blowing control means for controlling the air-blowing means, and wind-direction control means for controlling a wind direction of the air-blowing means, wherein when the refrigerant leakage detecting means detects refrigerant leakage, the air-blowing control means and/or the wind-direction control means disperses a leaked refrigerant. 
     
     
         2 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , further comprising refrigerant leakage alarm means which gives an alarm when the refrigerant leakage detecting means detects refrigerant leakage, wherein the refrigerant leakage alarm means gives an alarm by means of sound and/or light. 
     
     
         3 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , further comprising communication means for communicating with other devices, wherein operations of the other devices are controlled. 
     
     
         4 . The air conditioner according to  claim 2 , further comprising a storage battery provided in parallel to a body power source of the air conditioner as a power source for the refrigerant leakage detecting means and the refrigerant leakage alarm means, an energization-verification circuit for verifying energization of the air conditioner, and a power source determination circuit for selecting a power source device of the refrigerant leakage detecting means and the refrigerant leakage alarm means by a signal of the energization-verification circuit. 
     
     
         5 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , further comprising control means for controlling operation of at least one of the refrigerant leakage alarm means, the air-blowing control means, the wind-direction control means and the communication means in accordance with refrigerant concentration detected by the refrigerant leakage detecting means. 
     
     
         6 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein a flammable refrigerant is used. 
     
     
         7 . The air conditioner according to according to  claim 6 , wherein the flammable refrigerant is a single refrigerant of a HFC-based refrigerant, a single refrigerant of a hydrogen fluoride-based refrigerant having double bond of carbon, or a mixture refrigerant having the single refrigerant as a main ingredient. 
     
     
         8 . The air conditioner according to  claim 6 , wherein the flammable refrigerant is a single refrigerant of hydrocarbon or a mixture refrigerant including the single refrigerant of hydrocarbon as a main ingredient. 
     
     
         9 . The air conditioner according to  claim 7 , wherein the single refrigerant or a refrigerant in which two or three ingredients are mixed such that global warming potential becomes 5 or more and 750 or less, preferably 350 or less and more preferably 150 or less is used as the flammable refrigerant. 
     
     
         10 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein synthetic oil containing any of the following oxygenated compound, as main ingredient, polyoxyalkylene glycol, polyvinyl ether, poly (oxy) alkylene glycol or copolymer of monoether and polyvinyl ether thereof, polyol ester and polycarbonate; synthetic oil containing, as main ingredient, alkylbenzene or a olefin; or mineral oil is used as the refrigeration oil.