Multi-type air conditioner for simultaneous heating and cooling use and method for withdrawing refrigerant therefrom

Abstract

According to the multi-type air conditioner for simultaneous heating and cooling use and the method for withdrawing refrigerant therefrom, the refrigerant withdrawing device is provided between the plural outdoor units, refrigerant in the malfunctioning outdoor unit is withdrawn to the other outdoor units and the other outdoor units are normally operated while the compressor unit of the malfunctioning outdoor unit among the plural outdoor units is replaced. Thus, the compressor unit is replaced and/or the outdoor unit is repaired without cessation of heating and/or cooling.

1 . A multi-type air conditioner for simultaneous heating and cooling use comprising: 
 a plurality of outdoor units respectively including a compressor unit, a four-way valve, and an outdoor heat exchanger;    a plurality of indoor units respectively including an indoor heat exchanger and an electronic expansion valve;    a distributor installed between the plural outdoor units and the plural indoor units to selectively guide refrigerant to the plural indoor units according to operation conditions of a cooling mode, a heating mode, and a cooling and heating mode; and    a refrigerant withdrawing device installed between the plural outdoor units to withdraw the refrigerant from a malfunctioning outdoor unit to the other outdoor units when a compressor unit in the malfunctioning outdoor unit among the plural outdoor units is replaced.    
   
   
       2 . The multi-type air conditioner for simultaneous heating and cooling use as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the refrigerant withdrawing device comprises: 
 refrigerant withdrawing tubes for withdrawing the refrigerant discharged from the compressor unit of the malfunctioning outdoor unit among the plural outdoor units to the other outdoor unit; and    opening and closing valves for opening and closing the refrigerant withdrawing tubes.    
   
   
       3 . The multi-type air conditioner for simultaneous heating and cooling use as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the compressor unit includes: 
 one side to which a compressor suction tube, through which the refrigerant is sucked from the indoor units, is connected; and    another side to which a bypass for bypassing the discharged refrigerant such that the refrigerant does not pass through the outdoor heat exchangers is connected.    
   
   
       4 . The multi-type air conditioner for simultaneous heating and cooling use as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein the refrigerant withdrawing tubes connect the bypass of the malfunctioning outdoor unit to the compressor suction tube of the other outdoor units.  
   
   
       5 . The multi-type air conditioner for simultaneous heating and cooling use as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein the distributor comprises: 
 a high-pressure refrigerant tube for guiding high-pressure gas refrigerant discharged from the compressor unit to the indoor unit for performing the heating operation;    a low-pressure refrigerant tube for guiding refrigerant passing through the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth indoor units to a suction port of the compressor;    a liquid refrigerant tube for guiding liquid refrigerant discharged from the outdoor heat exchangers to the indoor units for performing cooling operation; and    a valve device for selectively opening and closing the high-pressure refrigerant tube and the low-pressure refrigerant tub.    
   
   
       6 . The multi-type air conditioner for simultaneous heating and cooling use as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein the valve device comprises: 
 a high-pressure valve installed in the high-pressure refrigerant tube to open the high-pressure refrigerant tube in the heating mode; and    a low-pressure valve installed in the low-pressure refrigerant tube to open the low-pressure refrigerant tub in the cooling mode.    
   
   
       7 . The multi-type air conditioner for simultaneous heating and cooling use as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein the outdoor unit further comprises outdoor discharge tube for guiding the liquid refrigerant discharged from the outdoor heat exchangers.  
   
   
       8 . The multi-type air conditioner for simultaneous heating and cooling use as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein the outdoor heat exchanger discharge tubes include outdoor heat exchanger discharge valves for opening and closing the outdoor heat exchanger discharge tubes.  
   
   
       9 . The multi-type air conditioner for simultaneous heating and cooling use as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein the compressor suction tubes, the bypasses, and the outdoor heat exchanger discharge tubes are respectively connected to the low-pressure refrigerant tube, the high-pressure refrigerant tube, and the liquid refrigerant tube by service valves.  
   
   
       10 . The multi-type air conditioner for simultaneous heating and cooling use as set forth in  claim 9 , wherein the compressor unit comprises a plurality of compressors.  
   
   
       11 . The multi-type air conditioner for simultaneous heating and cooling use as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the plural compressors are connected to each other via a common accumulator.  
   
   
       12 . A multi-type air conditioner for simultaneous heating and cooling use comprising: 
 a plurality of outdoor units respectively including a compressor unit, a four-way valve, and an outdoor heat exchanger;    a plurality of indoor units respectively including an indoor heat exchanger and an electronic expansion valve; and    a refrigerant withdrawing device installed between the plural outdoor units to withdraw the refrigerant from a malfunctioning outdoor unit to the other outdoor units when a compressor unit in the malfunctioning outdoor unit among the plural outdoor units is replaced.    
   
   
       13 . The multi-type air conditioner for simultaneous heating and cooling use as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein the refrigerant withdrawing device comprises: 
 refrigerant withdrawing tubes for withdrawing the refrigerant discharged from the compressor unit of the malfunctioning outdoor unit among the plural outdoor units to the other outdoor unit; and    opening and closing valves for opening and closing the refrigerant withdrawing tubes.    
   
   
       14 . The multi-type air conditioner for simultaneous heating and cooling use as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein the compressor unit includes: 
 one side to which a compressor suction tube, through which the refrigerant is sucked from the indoor units, is connected; and    another side to which a bypass for bypassing the discharged refrigerant such that the refrigerant does not pass through the outdoor heat exchangers is connected.    
   
   
       15 . The multi-type air conditioner for simultaneous heating and cooling use as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein the refrigerant withdrawing tubes connect the bypass of the malfunctioning outdoor unit to the compressor suction tube of the other outdoor units.  
   
   
       16 . A method for withdrawing refrigerant of a multi-type air conditioner for simultaneous heating and cooling use, comprising: 
 a first step of blocking the refrigerant flow to indoor units by closing a service valve installed in a malfunctioning outdoor unit among a plurality of outdoor units ( 10 ) when one of the plural outdoor units ( 10 ) malfunctions;    a second step of opening an opening and closing valve installed in a refrigerant withdrawing tube of the malfunctioned outdoor unit;    a third step of operating compressor units of the other outdoor units to pump down to withdraw the refrigerant in the malfunctioning outdoor unit to the other outdoor units;    a fourth step of closing the opening and closing valve once all of the refrigerant in the malfunctioning outdoor unit is withdrawn; and    a fifth step of replacing a compressor unit of the malfunctioning outdoor unit and normally operating the other outdoor units.    
   
   
       17 . The method for withdrawing refrigerant of a multi-type air conditioner for simultaneous heating and cooling use as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein the first step further comprises the sub-step of closing a service valve for connecting compressor suction tubes of the other outdoor units to the distributor.  
   
   
       18 . The method for withdrawing refrigerant of a multi-type air conditioner for simultaneous heating and cooling use as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein the fourth step further comprises the sub-step of opening a service valve of the other outdoor units.  
   
   
       19 . The method for withdrawing refrigerant of a multi-type air conditioner for simultaneous heating and cooling use as set forth in  claim 18 , wherein, in the fifth step, after replacing the malfunctioning outdoor unit, a vacuum is applied to the malfunctioning outdoor unit.  
   
   
       20 . The method for withdrawing refrigerant of a multi-type air conditioner for simultaneous heating and cooling use as set forth in  claim 19 , wherein, in the fifth step, after vacuum application, the service valve of the malfunctioned outdoor unit is opened.