Air conditioner

Abstract

The present invention relates to an air conditioner in which oils mixed in the refrigerant compressed by a plurality of compressors are separated together and recovered in an efficient manner. An air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a plurality of compressors for compressing refrigerant; an oil separator connected to the plurality of compressors so as to separate oils mixed with the refrigerant compressed by the plurality of compressors; an oil discharge pipe connected to the oil separator so as to discharge the oils separated by the oil separator, and a plurality of oil recovery pipes branched from the oil discharge pipe so as to recover the oils separated by the oil separator to the plurality of compressors.

1 . An air conditioner comprising:
 a plurality of compressors for compressing refrigerant;   an oil separator connected to the plurality of compressors for separating oil mixed with the refrigerant as the compressed refrigerant is mixed with the oil at the plurality of compressors;   an oil discharge pipeline connected to the oil separator for discharging the oil separated at the oil separator; and   a plurality of oil recovery pipelines which are branches from the oil discharge pipeline for recovering the oil separated at the oil separator to the plurality of compressors.   
     
     
         2 . The air conditioner as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of oil recovery valves mounted to the plurality of oil recovery pipelines for opening/closing the plurality of oil recovery pipelines, respectively. 
     
     
         3 . The air conditioner as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the compressor includes an oil level sensor for measuring an oil height in the compressor. 
     
     
         4 . The air conditioner as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of oil recovery valves are opened or closed depending on oil heights measured at the oil level sensors of the plurality of compressors, respectively. 
     
     
         5 . The air conditioner as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the oil recovery valve is opened when the oil in the compressor connected thereto is below the oil level sensor. 
     
     
         6 . The air conditioner as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the oil recovery valve is closed when the height of the oil in the compressor connected thereto is above the oil level sensor. 
     
     
         7 . The air conditioner as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the compressor includes an oil pump connected to the oil recovery pipeline for introduction of the oil to an inside of the compressor. 
     
     
         8 . The air conditioner as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the oil pump is provided in the compressor. 
     
     
         9 . The air conditioner as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the compressor includes a refrigerant inlet port for introduction of the refrigerant to the compressor and the oil recovery pipeline is connected to the refrigerant inlet port. 
     
     
         10 . The air conditioner as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the compressor includes a refrigerant outlet port for discharging compressed refrigerant, and further includes a plurality of refrigerant discharge pipelines connected between the refrigerant outlet ports of the plurality of compressors and the oil separator, respectively. 
     
     
         11 . The air conditioner as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the oil separator separates the oil mixed with the refrigerant as the refrigerant compressed at the plurality of compressors is introduced in arc forms and mixed while the refrigerant swirls. 
     
     
         12 . The air conditioner as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the oil separator includes;
 a cylindrical case,   a plurality of suction pipes for introduction of the refrigerant compressed at the plurality of compressors to an inside of the case,   a refrigerant discharge pipe inserted in the case from a top side thereof in a vertical direction for discharging the refrigerant from the inside of the case, and   an oil outlet pipe connected to a lower side of the case for discharging the oil from the inside of the case.   
     
     
         13 . The air conditioner as claimed in  claim 12 , further comprising a plurality of refrigerant discharge pipelines connected between the compressors and the plurality of suction pipes, respectively. 
     
     
         14 . The air conditioner as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of suction pipes are connected to an upper side of a side of the case. 
     
     
         15 . The air conditioner as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein each of the plurality of suction pipes is bent in the case in conformity with an inside surface of the case. 
     
     
         16 . The air conditioner as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein each of the plurality of suction pipes is formed in an arc form in the case. 
     
     
         17 . The air conditioner as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein each of the plurality of suction pipes is formed in an arc with a center angle of below 90° started from a connection portion at which the suction pipe is connected to the case to an oil discharge end portion. 
     
     
         18 . The air conditioner as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein each of the plurality of suction pipes has an end portion through which the oil is discharged formed to position higher than the connection portion at which the suction pipe is connected to the case.