Air conditioner

Abstract

An air conditioner includes a refrigerant circuit and a blower. A refrigerant flow path switching mechanism is configured to be switched to a first switching state to allow refrigerant to flow through a reheater, a first expansion valve, and a cooler in this order in the refrigerant circuit. The refrigerant flow path switching mechanism is configured to be switched to a second switching state to allow the refrigerant to flow through the reheater, the first expansion valve, and the cooler in this order in the refrigerant circuit. The reheater and the cooler are configured to allow air blown by the blower to pass through the cooler and then pass through the reheater during either of the first switching state and the second switching state.

1 . An air conditioner comprising:
 a refrigerant circuit having a compressor, a six-way valve, an outdoor heat exchanger, a reheater, a first expansion valve, and a cooler, and configured to allow refrigerant to circulate in the refrigerant circuit; and   a blower configured to blow air to the reheater and the cooler,   the six-way valve being configured to be switchable between a first switching state and a second switching state,   the six-way valve being configured to be switched to the first switching state to allow the refrigerant to flow through the compressor, the six-way valve, the outdoor heat exchanger, the six-way valve, the reheater, the first expansion valve, the six-way valve, and the cooler in this order in the refrigerant circuit,   the six-way valve being configured to be switched to the second switching state to allow the refrigerant to flow through the compressor, the six-way valve, the reheater, the first expansion valve, the six-way valve, the outdoor heat exchanger, the six-way valve, and the cooler in this order in the refrigerant circuit, and   the reheater and the cooler being configured to allow the air blown by the blower to pass through the cooler and then pass through the reheater during either of the first switching state and the second switching state.   
     
     
         2 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the refrigerant circuit has a first pipe which connects the compressor and the six-way valve, a second pipe which connects the six-way valve and the outdoor heat exchanger, a third pipe which connects the outdoor heat exchanger and the six-way valve, a fourth pipe which connects the six-way valve and the reheater, a fifth pipe which connects the reheater and the six-way valve via the first expansion valve, and a sixth pipe which connects the six-way valve and the cooler,   in the first switching state, the refrigerant circuit is configured to allow the refrigerant to flow through the compressor, the first pipe, the six-way valve, the second pipe, the outdoor heat exchanger, the third pipe, the six-way valve, the fourth pipe, the reheater, the fifth pipe, the first expansion valve, the fifth pipe, the six-way valve, the sixth pipe, and the cooler in this order, and   in the second switching state, the refrigerant circuit is configured to allow the refrigerant to flow through the compressor, the first pipe, the six-way valve, the fourth pipe, the reheater, the fifth pipe, the first expansion valve, the fifth pipe, the six-way valve, the third pipe, the outdoor heat exchanger, the second pipe, the six-way valve, the sixth pipe, and the cooler in this order.   
     
     
         3 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the refrigerant circuit has a first pipe which connects the compressor and the six-way valve, a second pipe which connects the six-way valve and the outdoor heat exchanger, a third pipe which connects the outdoor heat exchanger and the six-way valve, a fourth pipe which connects the six-way valve and the reheater, a fifth pipe which connects the reheater and the six-way valve via the first expansion valve, and a sixth pipe which connects the six-way valve and the cooler,   in the first switching state, the refrigerant circuit is configured to allow the refrigerant to flow through the compressor, the first pipe, the six-way valve, the second pipe, the outdoor heat exchanger, the third pipe, the six-way valve, the fourth pipe, the reheater, the fifth pipe, the first expansion valve, the fifth pipe, the six-way valve, the sixth pipe, and the cooler in this order, and   in the second switching state, the refrigerant circuit is configured to allow the refrigerant to flow through the compressor, the first pipe, the six-way valve, the fourth pipe, the reheater, the fifth pipe, the first expansion valve, the fifth pipe, the six-way valve, the second pipe, the outdoor heat exchanger, the third pipe, the six-way valve, the sixth pipe, and the cooler in this order.   
     
     
         4 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein the refrigerant is a refrigerant mixture. 
     
     
         5 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the refrigerant circuit has a liquid receiver, and   the liquid receiver is disposed between the reheater and the first expansion valve in the refrigerant circuit.   
     
     
         6 . The air conditioner according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the refrigerant circuit has a second expansion valve, and   the second expansion valve is disposed between the reheater and the liquid receiver in the refrigerant circuit.   
     
     
         7 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the reheater has a refrigerant inflow port and a refrigerant outflow port, and   the refrigerant inflow port is located above the refrigerant outflow port in a gravity direction.   
     
     
         8 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the refrigerant circuit has a first refrigerant closing mechanism and a second refrigerant closing mechanism,   the outdoor heat exchanger has a first heat exchange unit and a second heat exchange unit,   the first heat exchange unit and the second heat exchange unit are disposed in parallel with each other in the refrigerant circuit,   the first heat exchange unit has an internal volume larger than that of the second heat exchange unit,   the first refrigerant closing mechanism is connected to an inlet of the first heat exchange unit, and   the second refrigerant closing mechanism is connected to an outlet of the first heat exchange unit.   
     
     
         9 . The air conditioner according to  claim 8 , wherein
 the refrigerant circuit has a bypass circuit, and   the bypass circuit is disposed in parallel with the outdoor heat exchanger in the refrigerant circuit.   
     
     
         10 . The air conditioner according to  claim 8 , wherein the second refrigerant closing mechanism is a check valve. 
     
     
         11 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein the reheater has an internal volume smaller than that of the cooler. 
     
     
         12 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the reheater has a plurality of first fins,   the cooler has a plurality of second fins, and   the plurality of first fins have a summed value of surface areas which is smaller than that of the plurality of second fins.