Air conditioner

Abstract

A condenser includes: a first heat exchange portion and a second heat exchange portion that are configured such that refrigerant in the first heat exchange portion flows in parallel with refrigerant in the second heat exchange portion; a flow rate restricting portion configured to cause a flow rate difference between a flow rate of the refrigerant passing through the first heat exchange portion and a flow rate of the refrigerant passing through the second heat exchange portion. An air conditioner includes a controller configured to control a compressor and a flow rate restricting portion. When the controller changes an air conditioning capability of the air conditioner, the controller uses a combination of a frequency of the compressor and the flow rate difference between the refrigerants passing through two heat exchange portions.

1 . An air conditioner through which refrigerant circulates in order of a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device, and an evaporator during an operation,
 the condenser including
 a first heat exchange portion and a second heat exchange portion that are configured such that refrigerant in the first heat exchange portion flows in parallel with refrigerant in the second heat exchange portion, 
 a fan provided in common to the first heat exchange portion and the second heat exchange portion, and 
 a flow rate restricting portion configured to cause a flow rate difference between a flow rate of the refrigerant passing through the first heat exchange portion and a flow rate of the refrigerant passing through the second heat exchange portion, 
   the air conditioner comprising a controller configured to control the compressor and the flow rate restricting portion, wherein   the controller is configured to use a combination of a frequency of the compressor and the flow rate difference to change an air conditioning capability of the air conditioner.   
     
     
         2 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein
 (a) when the controller changes the air conditioning capability from a first capability to a second capability lower than the first capability, the controller lowers the frequency of the compressor, and   (b) when the controller reduces an amount of circulation of refrigerant to change the air conditioning capability from the second capability to a third capability lower than the second capability, the controller causes the flow rate restricting portion to restrict the flow rate of the refrigerant passing through the second heat exchange portion to be lower than the flow rate of the refrigerant passing through the first heat exchange portion, in order to increase refrigerant stored in the second heat exchange portion.   
     
     
         3 . The air conditioner according to  claim 2 , further comprising a four-way valve configured to switch a circulation direction of the refrigerant between a cooling operation and a heating operation, wherein
 an indoor heat exchanger and an outdoor heat exchanger each are divided into two portions corresponding to the first heat exchange portion and the second heat exchange portion,   the outdoor heat exchanger functions as the condenser during the cooling operation, and   the indoor heat exchanger functions as the condenser during the heating operation.   
     
     
         4 . The air conditioner according to  claim 2 , wherein (b) when the controller changes the air conditioning capability from the second capability to the third capability, the controller causes the flow rate restricting portion to restrict the flow rate of the refrigerant passing through the second heat exchange portion to be lower than the flow rate of the refrigerant passing through the first heat exchange portion, and keeps rotation of the fan, in order to increase refrigerant stored in the second heat exchange portion. 
     
     
         5 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , further comprising a four-way valve configured to switch a circulation direction of the refrigerant between a cooling operation and a. heating operation, wherein
 an indoor heat exchanger and an outdoor heat exchanger each are divided into two portions corresponding to the first heat exchange portion and the second heat exchange portion,   the outdoor heat exchanger functions as the condenser during the cooling operation, and   the indoor heat exchanger functions as the condenser during the heating operation.