Heat pump and dehumidifying air-conditioning apparatus

Abstract

A dehumidifying air-conditioning apparatus comprises a pressurizer ( 4 ) for raising a pressure of a refrigerant, a condenser ( 5 ) for condensing the refrigerant to heat a high-temperature heat source fluid, and an evaporator ( 1 ) for evaporating the refrigerant to cool process air to a temperature lower than its dew point. The dehumidifying air-conditioning apparatus further comprises a refrigerant path branched into a plurality of branched refrigerant paths ( 42, 43, 44 ) between the condenser ( 5 ) and the evaporator ( 1 ). A first heat exchanging portion ( 21 ) is disposed in the branched refrigerant path for evaporating the refrigerant under an intermediate pressure between the condensing pressure of the condenser ( 5 ) and the evaporating pressure of the evaporator ( 1 ) to cool the process air by evaporation of the refrigerant under the intermediate pressure. A second heat exchanging portion ( 22 ) is disposed in the branched refrigerant path for condensing the refrigerant under an intermediate pressure between the condensing pressure of the condenser ( 5 ) and the evaporating pressure of the evaporator ( 1 ) to heat the process air by condensation of the refrigerant under the intermediate pressure. The first heat exchanging portion ( 21 ), the evaporator ( 1 ), the second heat exchanging portion ( 22 ) are connected in the order named by paths ( 30, 31, 32, 33, 34 ).

1 . A heat pump comprising: 
 a pressurizer for raising a pressure of a refrigerant;    a condenser for condensing said refrigerant to heat a high-temperature heat source fluid;    an evaporator for evaporating said refrigerant to cool a low-temperature heat source fluid;    a refrigerant path branched into a plurality of branched refrigerant paths between said condenser and said evaporator;    a first heat exchanging portion disposed in said branched refrigerant path between said condenser and said evaporator for evaporating said refrigerant under an intermediate pressure between the condensing pressure of said condenser and the evaporating pressure of said evaporator to cool said low-temperature heat source fluid by evaporation of said refrigerant under said intermediate pressure;    a second heat exchanging portion disposed in said branched refrigerant path between said condenser and said evaporator for condensing said refrigerant under an intermediate pressure between the condensing pressure of said condenser and the evaporating pressure of said evaporator to heat said low-temperature heat source fluid by condensation of said refrigerant under said intermediate pressure;    a low-temperature heat source fluid path connecting said first heat exchanging portion, said evaporator, said second heat exchanging portion in the order named.    
     
     
         2 . A dehumidifying air-conditioning apparatus comprising: 
 a pressurizer for raising a pressure of a refrigerant;    a condenser for condensing said refrigerant to heat a high-temperature heat source fluid;    an evaporator for evaporating said refrigerant to cool process air to a temperature lower than its dew point;    a refrigerant path branched into a plurality of branched refrigerant paths between said condenser and said evaporator;    a first heat exchanging portion disposed in said branched refrigerant path between said condenser and said evaporator for evaporating said refrigerant under an intermediate pressure between the condensing pressure of said condenser and the evaporating pressure of said evaporator to cool said process air by evaporation of said refrigerant under said intermediate pressure;    a second heat exchanging portion disposed in said branched refrigerant path between said condenser and said evaporator for condensing said refrigerant under an intermediate pressure between the condensing pressure of said condenser and the evaporating pressure of said evaporator to heat said process air by condensation of said refrigerant under said intermediate pressure;    a process air path connecting said first heat exchanging portion, said evaporator, said second heat exchanging portion in the order named.    
     
     
         3 . A dehumidifying air-conditioning apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein said branched refrigerant paths extend through the interior of said evaporator in parallel, respectively, and are joined to each other at the downstream side of said evaporator.  
     
     
         4 . A dehumidifying air-conditioning apparatus according to  claim 3 , further comprising an ejector provided on a branched refrigerant path for a refrigerant which exchanges heat with process air having a high temperature, for pressurizing a refrigerant which exchanges heat with process air having a low temperature by a refrigerant which has passed through said branched refrigerant path.