Air-conditioning apparatus

Abstract

An air-conditioning apparatus includes: a first heat load apparatus; a second heat load apparatus; a heat source apparatus; a solenoid valve configured to adjust a flow rate of the refrigerant that is to flow into the first heat load apparatus or the refrigerant that has flowed out from the first heat load apparatus; and a controller. The controller is configured to close the first load-side expansion valve and the solenoid valve and increase an opening degree of the second load-side expansion valve from a present opening degree thereof, when a refrigerant leak in the first heat load apparatus is detected and no refrigerant leak in the second heat load apparatus is detected.

1 . An air-conditioning apparatus comprising:
 a first heat load apparatus including a first load-side heat exchanger and a first load-side expansion valve, the first load-side heat exchanger being configured to cause heat exchange to be performed between refrigerant and air in a target space, the first load-side expansion valve being configured to expand the refrigerant that is to flow into the first load-side heat exchanger or the refrigerant that has flowed out from the first load-side heat exchanger;   a second heat load apparatus includes a second load-side heat exchanger and a second load-side expansion valve, the second load-side heat exchanger being configured to cause heat exchange to be performed between the refrigerant and air in a target space, the second load-side expansion valve being configured to expand the refrigerant that is to flow into the second load-side heat exchanger or the refrigerant that has flowed out from the second load-side heat exchanger;   a heat source apparatus including a compressor configured to compress the refrigerant, the heat source apparatus being configured to supply the refrigerant to the first load-side heat exchanger and the second load-side heat exchanger;   a refrigerant pipe through which the refrigerant flows, and connecting the first heat load apparatus, the second heat load apparatus, and the heat source apparatus in parallel;   a solenoid valve provided at the refrigerant pipe and configured to adjust a flow rate of the refrigerant that is to flow into the first heat load apparatus or the refrigerant that has flowed out from the first heat load apparatus; and   a controller,   wherein the controller is configured to close the first load-side expansion valve and the solenoid valve provided at the refrigerant pipe connected to the first heat load apparatus to shut off a flow of the refrigerant to and from the first heat load apparatus, when no refrigerant leak in the second heat load apparatus is detected and a refrigerant leak in the first heat load apparatus is detected, and start increasing an opening degree of the second load-side expansion valve the controller starts closing the first load-side expansion valve.   
     
     
         2 . The air-conditioning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein
 the heat source apparatus includes a heat-source-side expansion valve configured to expand the refrigerant, and   the controller is configured to decrease an opening degree of the heat-source-side expansion valve from a present opening degree thereof, when a refrigerant leak in the first heat load apparatus or the second heat load apparatus is detected.   
     
     
         3 . The air-conditioning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein
 the heat source apparatus further includes
 a refrigerant heat exchanger configured to cause heat exchange to be performed between the refrigerant and air, and 
 a fan configured to send air to the refrigerant heat exchanger, and 
   the controller is configured to decrease a volume of air from the fan from a present volume of air, when a refrigerant leak in the first heat load apparatus or the second heat load apparatus is detected.   
     
     
         4 . The air-conditioning apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a heat-medium heat exchanger configured to cause heat exchange to be performed between a heat medium and air,   wherein the heat source apparatus further includes a refrigerant to heat-medium heat exchanger configured to cause heat exchange to be performed between the refrigerant and a heat medium subjected to heat exchange in the heat-medium heat exchanger.   
     
     
         5 . The air-conditioning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein
 the heat source apparatus includes
 a bypass pipe connecting a suction side and a discharge side of the compressor, and 
 a bypass valve provided at the bypass pipe and configured to adjust a flow rate of the refrigerant that flows through the bypass pipe, and 
   the controller is configured to open the bypass valve when a refrigerant leak in the first heat load apparatus or the second heat load apparatus is detected.   
     
     
         6 . The air-conditioning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to reduce an operating frequency of the compressor from a present operating frequency thereof, when a refrigerant leak in the first heat load apparatus or the second heat load apparatus is detected.