Air conditioner

Abstract

An air conditioner includes a compressor, a first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger, a first valve, a second valve, a first temperature sensor, a second temperature sensor, a first pressure sensor, a second pressure sensor, and a controller. The controller determines a refrigerant leakage based on a detection value of the first pressure sensor while closing the first valve and the second valve when a temperature detected by the first temperature sensor is higher than a temperature detected by the second temperature sensor, and determines a refrigerant leakage based on a detection of the second pressure sensor while closing the first valve and the second valve when the temperature detected by the second temperature sensor is higher than the temperature detected by first temperature sensor.

1 . An air conditioner comprising:
 a compressor;   a first heat exchanger;   a second heat exchanger;   a first valve;   a second valve;   a refrigerant circuit in which refrigerant circulates in order of the compressor, the first heat exchanger, the first valve, the second heat exchanger, the second valve, and the compressor;   a first temperature sensor configured to detect a first temperature of a heat medium that exchanges heat with the refrigerant flowing through the first heat exchanger;   a second temperature sensor configured to detect a second temperature of a heat medium that exchanges heat with the refrigerant flowing through the second heat exchanger;   a first pressure sensor configured to detect a first pressure of the refrigerant of the first heat exchanger;   a second pressure sensor configured to detect a second pressure of the refrigerant of the second heat exchanger; and   a controller, wherein   the controller is configured to
 determine a refrigerant leakage based on the first pressure while closing the first valve and the second valve when the first temperature is higher than the second temperature, and 
 determine a refrigerant leakage based on the second pressure while closing the first valve and the second valve when the second temperature is higher than the first temperature. 
   
     
     
         2 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , further comprising a four-way valve, wherein
 the four-way valve is configured to switch an order in which the refrigerant circulates between a first order and a second order,   in the first order, the refrigerant circulates in order of the compressor, the first heat exchanger, the first valve, the second heat exchanger, the second valve, and the compressor,   in the second order, the refrigerant circulates in order of the compressor, the second valve, the second heat exchanger, the first valve, the first heat exchanger, and the compressor,   the controller is configured to perform a first operation and a second operation,   the first operation is an operation of collecting, when the order in which the refrigerant circulates is set to the first order, the refrigerant in the first heat exchanger by driving the compressor with the first valve closed and then closing the second valve,   the second operation is an operation of collecting, when the order in which the refrigerant circulates is set to the second order, the refrigerant in the second heat exchanger by driving the compressor with the first valve closed and then closing the second valve,   the controller is configured to
 perform any one of the first operation and the second operation when a difference between the first temperature and the second temperature is smaller than a threshold, 
 when performing the first operation, determine a refrigerant leakage based on the second pressure after the first operation, and 
 when performing the second operation, determine a refrigerant leakage based on the first pressure after the second operation. 
   
     
     
         3 . The air conditioner according to  claim 2 , wherein one of the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger configures an outdoor unit, and the other configures an indoor unit, and
 the controller is configured to determine a refrigerant leakage that occurs in the indoor unit in preference to determining a refrigerant leakage that occurs in the outdoor unit.   
     
     
         4 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to output a signal for notifying a determination result of a refrigerant leakage. 
     
     
         5 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to close the first valve and close the second valve upon receipt of a stop signal for instructing to stop driving of the compressor. 
     
     
         6 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to close one of the first valve and the second valve, and after a lapse of a reference time, close the other. 
     
     
         7 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the first temperature and the second temperature, and then close the first valve and close the second valve. 
     
     
         8 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein the second valve is configured of a decompressor configured to reduce a pressure of the refrigerant flowing from the first heat exchanger to the second heat exchanger in the refrigerant circuit.