Refrigeration cycle apparatus

Abstract

A refrigeration cycle apparatus includes a refrigerant circulation circuit and a liquid medium circulation circuit. The refrigerant circulation circuit includes a four-way valve and a water heat exchanger. The liquid medium circulation circuit includes a liquid flow direction switching unit, the water heat exchanger. The four-way valve switches between a first state and a second state. In the first state, the non-azeotropic refrigerant mixture flows upward from below in the water heat exchanger, and the liquid medium flows downward from above in the water heat exchanger. In the second state, the non-azeotropic refrigerant mixture flows downward from above in the water heat exchanger, and the liquid medium flows upward from below in the water heat exchanger. The direction in which the liquid medium flows through the indoor heat exchanger is constant in the first state and the second state.

1 . A refrigeration cycle apparatus comprising:
 a refrigerant circulation circuit that comprises a compressor, a four-way valve, an air heat exchanger, an expansion valve, and a water heat exchanger, and that is configured to cause a non-azeotropic refrigerant mixture to circulate through the refrigerant circulation circuit; and   a liquid medium circulation circuit that comprises a pump, a liquid flow direction switching unit, the water heat exchanger, and an indoor heat exchanger, and that is configured to cause a liquid medium to circulate through the liquid medium circulation circuit, wherein   the water heat exchanger is configured to cause the non-azeotropic refrigerant mixture to exchange heat with the liquid medium,   the four-way valve is configured to switch between a first state in which the non-azeotropic refrigerant mixture flows sequentially through the compressor, the air heat exchanger, and the water heat exchanger, and a second state in which the non-azeotropic refrigerant mixture flows sequentially through the compressor, the water heat exchanger, and the air heat exchanger,   the liquid flow direction switching unit is configured to switch a direction in which the liquid medium flows through the liquid medium circulation circuit,   in the first state, the non-azeotropic refrigerant mixture flows upward from below in the water heat exchanger, and the liquid medium flows downward from above in the water heat exchanger,   in the second state, the non-azeotropic refrigerant mixture flows downward from above in the water heat exchanger, and the liquid medium flows upward from below in the water heat exchanger, and   a direction in which the liquid medium flows in the indoor heat exchanger is constant in each of the first state and the second state,   
       the indoor heat exchanger comprises an inlet through which the liquid medium flows in, and an outlet through which the liquid medium flows out,
 the liquid flow direction switching unit comprises an inflow portion through which the liquid medium flowing out of the outlet flows in, and an outflow portion through which the liquid medium flows out toward the inlet, and 
 the pump is configured to feed the liquid medium flowing out of the outlet of the indoor heat exchanger, to the inflow portion of the liquid flow direction switching unit, or to feed the liquid medium flowing out of the outflow portion of the liquid flow direction switching unit to the inlet of the indoor heat exchanger, 
 the water heat exchanger comprises a first outflow-inflow portion and a second outflow-inflow portion through which the liquid medium flows out and flows in, 
 the first outflow-inflow portion is located upward relative to the second outflow-inflow portion, 
 the liquid flow direction switching unit comprises:
 a first flow path connected between the inflow portion and the first outflow-inflow portion; 
 a second flow path connected between the inflow portion and the second outflow-inflow portion; 
 a third flow path connected between the outflow portion and the first outflow-inflow portion; 
 a fourth flow path connected between the outflow portion and the second outflow-inflow portion; 
 a first on-off valve configured to open and close the first flow path; 
 a second on-off valve configured to open and close the second flow path; 
 a third on-off valve configured to open and close the third flow path; and 
 a fourth on-off valve configured to open and close the fourth flow path, 
 
 in the first state, the first on-off valve and the fourth on-off valve are opened, and the second on-off valve and the third on-off valve are closed, and 
 in the second state, the second on-off valve and the third on-off valve are opened, and the first on-off valve and the fourth on-off valve are closed, 
 the liquid flow direction switching unit comprises a stack structure comprising a plurality of plates stacked on each other, the plurality of plates comprise:
 a first plate in which a first through hole connected to the first on-off valve, a second through hole connected to the second on-off valve, a third through hole connected to the third on-off valve, and a fourth through hole connected to the fourth on-off valve are formed; 
 a second plate in which a fifth through hole connected to the first outflow-inflow portion and a sixth through hole connected to the second outflow-inflow portion are formed; and 
 a third plate disposed between the first plate and the second plate, and 
 
 the plurality of plates are arranged to
 form, in the first state, the first flow path between the first through hole and the fifth through hole, and the fourth flow path between the fourth through hole and the sixth through hole, and 
 form, in the second state, the second flow path between the second through hole and the sixth through hole, and the third flow path between the third through hole and the fifth through hole. 
 
 
     
     
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         7 . The refrigeration cycle apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the fifth through hole is disposed to overlap the first through hole in a stack direction in which the plurality of plates are stacked,   the sixth through hole is disposed to overlap the fourth through hole in the stack direction,   in the third plate, a seventh through hole overlapping the first through hole and the fifth through hole in the stack direction, a ninth through hole overlapping the third through hole in the stack direction, and a tenth through hole overlapping the fourth through hole and the sixth through hole in the stack direction, are formed,   the stack structure comprises: a first seal member connecting the first through hole to the seventh through hole; a second seal member connecting the third through hole to the ninth through hole; and a third seal member connecting the sixth through hole to the tenth through hole,   between the first plate and the third plate, a first space contiguous to each of the second through hole, the fourth through hole, and the tenth through hole is formed outside the first seal member and the second seal member,   between the second plate and the third plate, a second space contiguous to each of the fifth through hole, the seventh through hole, and the ninth through hole is formed outside the third seal member,   in the first state, a part of the first flow path is formed inside the first seal member, and a part of the fourth flow path is formed inside the third seal member, and   in the second state, a part of the second flow path is formed in the first space, and a part of the third flow path is formed in the second space and inside the second seal member.   
     
     
         8 . The refrigeration cycle apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein each of the first seal member, the second seal member, and the third seal member comprises a heat insulator made of a material having heat insulation property. 
     
     
         9 . The refrigeration cycle apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein heat insulation property of the third plate is higher than heat insulation property of the first plate. 
     
     
         10 . The refrigeration cycle apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first on-off valve, the second on-off valve, the third on-off valve, and the fourth on-off valve is a one-way solenoid valve configured to open and close only a flow in one direction. 
     
     
         11 . The refrigeration cycle apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first on-off valve, the second on-off valve, the third on-off valve, and the fourth on-off valve is configured to open or close a flow of the liquid medium in a vertical direction. 
     
     
         12 . The refrigeration cycle apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein heat insulation property of the third plate is higher than heat insulation property of the first plate. 
     
     
         13 . The refrigeration cycle apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein heat insulation property of the third plate is higher than heat insulation property of the first plate. 
     
     
         14 . The refrigeration cycle apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein at least one of the first on-off valve, the second on-off valve, the third on-off valve, and the fourth on-off valve is a one-way solenoid valve configured to open and close only a flow in one direction. 
     
     
         15 . The refrigeration cycle apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein at least one of the first on-off valve, the second on-off valve, the third on-off valve, and the fourth on-off valve is a one-way solenoid valve configured to open and close only a flow in one direction. 
     
     
         16 . The refrigeration cycle apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein at least one of the first on-off valve, the second on-off valve, the third on-off valve, and the fourth on-off valve is a one-way solenoid valve configured to open and close only a flow in one direction. 
     
     
         17 . The refrigeration cycle apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the first on-off valve, the second on-off valve, the third on-off valve, and the fourth on-off valve is a one-way solenoid valve configured to open and close only a flow in one direction. 
     
     
         18 . The refrigeration cycle apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein at least one of the first on-off valve, the second on-off valve, the third on-off valve, and the fourth on-off valve is configured to open or close a flow of the liquid medium in a vertical direction. 
     
     
         19 . The refrigeration cycle apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein at least one of the first on-off valve, the second on-off valve, the third on-off valve, and the fourth on-off valve is configured to open or close a flow of the liquid medium in a vertical direction. 
     
     
         20 . The refrigeration cycle apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein at least one of the first on-off valve, the second on-off valve, the third on-off valve, and the fourth on-off valve is configured to open or close a flow of the liquid medium in a vertical direction.