Air Conditioner Units with Improved Efficiency

Abstract

The air conditioner unit includes an outdoor heat exchanger disposed in an outdoor portion and an indoor heat exchanger disposed in an indoor portion, the indoor heat exchanger including a first coil assembly and a second coil assembly, each of the first and second coil assemblies including one or more coils through which refrigerant is flowable. The air conditioner unit further includes an ejector disposed in the indoor portion, the ejector comprising a motive port, a suction port and a discharge port. The air conditioner unit further includes a phase separator disposed in the indoor portion, the phase separator comprising an inlet, a gas outlet and a liquid outlet. The air conditioner unit further includes a compressor in fluid communication with the outdoor heat exchanger and the indoor heat exchanger.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An air conditioner unit, comprising:
 an outdoor heat exchanger disposed in an outdoor portion;   an indoor heat exchanger disposed in an indoor portion, the indoor heat exchanger comprising a first coil assembly and a second coil assembly, each of the first and second coil assemblies comprising one or more coils through which refrigerant is flowable;   an ejector disposed in the indoor portion, the ejector comprising a motive port, a suction port and a discharge port;   a phase separator disposed in the indoor portion, the phase separator comprising an inlet, a gas outlet and a liquid outlet;   a compressor in fluid communication with the outdoor heat exchanger and the indoor heat exchanger; and   a bulkhead disposed between the outdoor heat exchanger and the indoor heat exchanger along a transverse direction, the bulkhead defining the indoor portion and the outdoor portion,   wherein refrigerant is flowable from the outdoor heat exchanger to the motive port, refrigerant is flowable from the first coil assembly to the suction port, refrigerant is flowable from the discharge port into the phase separator, refrigerant is flowable from the gas outlet to the compressor, and refrigerant is flowable from the liquid outlet to the second coil assembly.   
     
     
         2 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 1 , wherein refrigerant is further flowable from the outdoor heat exchanger to the first coil assembly. 
     
     
         3 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 2 , further comprising a throttling device, and wherein refrigerant flowing from the outdoor heat exchanger to the first coil assembly flows through the throttling device. 
     
     
         4 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 1 , further comprising a throttling device, and wherein refrigerant flowing from the outdoor heat exchanger to the motive port flows through the throttling device. 
     
     
         5 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 1 , wherein refrigerant is flowable from the second coil assembly to the compressor. 
     
     
         6 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the first coil assembly is proximate the bulkhead relative to the second coil assembly along the transverse direction. 
     
     
         7 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 1 , wherein the phase separator has a maximum outer diameter of less than or equal to 40 millimeters. 
     
     
         8 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 1 , wherein the ejector has a maximum outer diameter of less than or equal to 20 millimeters. 
     
     
         9 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 1 , wherein refrigerant is flowable from the discharge port to the inlet of the phase separator. 
     
     
         10 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 1 , wherein the ejector is at least partially disposed within the phase separator. 
     
     
         11 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 10 , wherein the discharge port of the ejector is disposed within the phase separator. 
     
     
         12 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 11 , wherein the discharge port is oriented at an angle to a vertical direction. 
     
     
         13 . An air conditioner unit, comprising:
 an outdoor heat exchanger disposed in an outdoor portion;   an indoor heat exchanger disposed in an indoor portion, the indoor heat exchanger comprising a first coil assembly and a second coil assembly, each of the first and second coil assemblies comprising one or more coils through which refrigerant is flowable;   an ejector disposed in the indoor portion, the ejector comprising a motive port, a suction port and a discharge port;   a phase separator disposed in the indoor portion, the phase separator comprising an inlet, a gas outlet and a liquid outlet, wherein the discharge port of the ejector is disposed within the phase separator;   a compressor in fluid communication with the outdoor heat exchanger and the indoor heat exchanger; and   a bulkhead disposed between the outdoor heat exchanger and the indoor heat exchanger along a transverse direction, the bulkhead defining the indoor portion and the outdoor portion.   
     
     
         14 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 13 , wherein at least a portion of the first coil assembly is proximate the bulkhead relative to the second coil assembly along the transverse direction. 
     
     
         15 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 13 , wherein the phase separator has a maximum outer diameter of less than or equal to 40 millimeters. 
     
     
         16 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 13 , wherein the ejector has a maximum outer diameter of less than or equal to 20 millimeters. 
     
     
         17 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 13 , wherein the discharge port is oriented at an angle to a vertical direction. 
     
     
         18 . An air conditioner unit, comprising:
 an outdoor heat exchanger disposed in an outdoor portion;   an indoor heat exchanger disposed in an indoor portion, the indoor heat exchanger comprising a first coil assembly and a second coil assembly, each of the first and second coil assemblies comprising one or more coils through which refrigerant is flowable;   an ejector disposed in the indoor portion, the ejector comprising a motive port, a suction port and a discharge port;   a phase separator disposed in the indoor portion, the phase separator comprising an inlet, a gas outlet and a liquid outlet, wherein the discharge port of the ejector is disposed within the phase separator;   a compressor in fluid communication with the outdoor heat exchanger and the indoor heat exchanger; and   a bulkhead disposed between the outdoor heat exchanger and the indoor heat exchanger along a transverse direction, the bulkhead defining the indoor portion and the outdoor portion,   wherein refrigerant is flowable from the outdoor heat exchanger to the motive port and the first coil assembly, refrigerant is flowable from the first coil assembly to the suction port, refrigerant is flowable from the discharge port into the phase separator, refrigerant is flowable from the gas outlet to the compressor, refrigerant is flowable from the liquid outlet to the second coil assembly, and refrigerant is flowable from the second coil assembly to the compressor.   
     
     
         19 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 18 , further comprising a first throttling device and a second throttling device, and wherein refrigerant flowing from the outdoor heat exchanger to the first coil assembly flows through the first throttling device and wherein refrigerant flowing from the outdoor heat exchanger to the motive port flows through the second throttling device. 
     
     
         20 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 18 , wherein at least a portion of the first coil assembly is proximate the bulkhead relative to the second coil assembly along the transverse direction.