Air conditioner

Abstract

An air conditioner includes a compressing element, a refrigerant cooler, an expansion element, a refrigerant heater, a magnetic field generating part, a circulation volume rate ascertaining part and a control unit. The magnetic field generating part generates a magnetic field in order to perform inductive heating. The circulation volume rate ascertaining part ascertains a circulating refrigerant volume rate. The control unit performs magnetic field output control when the circulating refrigerant volume rate ascertained by the circulation volume rate ascertaining part has increased. When this control is performed the magnetic field generating part is caused to generate a magnetic field, the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generating part is increased, or the upper limit of the strength of the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generating part is increased.

1 . An air conditioner comprising:
 a compressing element;   a refrigerant cooler;   an expansion element;   a refrigerant heater;   a magnetic field generating part arranged to generate a magnetic field in order to inductively heat
 at least one element selected from the group consisting of
 a refrigerant piping arranged to circulate a refrigerant to the compressing element. 
 the refrigerant cooler, 
 the expansion element, and 
 the refrigerant heater, and 
 
 a member that thermally contacts the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant piping; 
   a circulation volume rate ascertaining part arranged and configured to ascertain a circulating refrigerant volume rate of a refrigeration cycle that includes at least the compressing element, the refrigerant cooler, the expansion element, and the refrigerant heater; and   a control unit configured to perform a magnetic field output control in which at least one process selected from the group consisting of
 causing the magnetic field generating part to generate a magnetic field, 
 increasing the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generating part, and 
 raising the upper limit of the strength of the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generating part 
   
       is performed when the circulating refrigerant volume rate ascertained by the circulation volume rate ascertaining part has increased. 
     
     
         2 . An air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the magnetic field generating part is further arranged to generate a magnetic field in order to inductively heat at least one element selected from the group consisting of
 suction refrigerant piping disposed on a suction side of the compressing element, and 
 the member that thermally contacts the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant piping, the refrigerant flowing through the suction refrigerant piping. 
   
     
     
         3 . An air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the circulation volume rate ascertaining part is arranged and configured to ascertain the circulating refrigerant volume rate based on at least
 a prescribed piston displacement volume of the compressing element, 
 a drive frequency of the compressing element, and 
 density of refrigerant suctioned by the compressing element. 
   
     
     
         4 . An air conditioner according to  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a low pressure ascertaining part arranged and configured to ascertain pressure of the refrigerant flowing through a low pressure portion of the refrigeration cycle; and   a suctioned refrigerant temperature ascertaining part is arranged and configured to ascertain temperature of the refrigerant suctioned by the compressing element,   the circulation volume rate ascertaining part being is arranged and configured to derive the density of the refrigerant suctioned by the compressing element based on the pressure ascertained by the low pressure ascertaining part and the temperature ascertained by the suctioned refrigerant temperature ascertaining part.   
     
     
         5 . An air conditioner according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the suctioned refrigerant temperature ascertaining part is disposed on a suction side of the compressing element in the refrigeration cycle and is further arranged and configured to detect a state quantity of the refrigerant that passes on a downstream side of a portion inductively heated by the magnetic field generating part.   
     
     
         6 . An air conditioner according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the control unit is further configured to perform the magnetic field output control in any one case selected from the group consisting of
 a case when the suctioned refrigerant of the compressing element is in a moist state and 
 a case when the suctioned refrigerant of the compressing element is in a superheated state wherein the degree of superheating is less than a prescribed degree of superheating. 
   
     
     
         7 . An air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the control unit is further configured to perform the magnetic field output control if the circulating refrigerant volume rate ascertained by the circulation volume rate ascertaining part exceeds a prescribed value.   
     
     
         8 . An air conditioner according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the control unit is further configured to perform the magnetic field output control in any one case selected from the group consisting of
 a case when the suctioned refrigerant of the compressing element is in a moist state and 
 a case when the suctioned refrigerant of the compressing element is in a superheated state wherein the degree of superheating is less than a prescribed degree of superheating. 
   
     
     
         9 . An air conditioner according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the control unit is further configured to perform the magnetic field output control if the circulating refrigerant volume rate ascertained by the circulation volume rate ascertaining part exceeds a prescribed value.   
     
     
         10 . An air conditioner according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the circulation volume rate ascertaining part is arranged and configured to ascertain the circulating refrigerant volume rate based on at least
 a prescribed piston displacement volume of the compressing element, 
 a drive frequency of the compressing element, and 
 density of refrigerant suctioned by the compressing element. 
   
     
     
         11 . An air conditioner according to  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a low pressure ascertaining part arranged and configured to ascertain pressure of the refrigerant flowing through a low pressure portion of the refrigeration cycle; and   a suctioned refrigerant temperature ascertaining part is arranged and configured to ascertain temperature of the refrigerant suctioned by the compressing element,   the circulation volume rate ascertaining part being is arranged and configured to derive the density of the refrigerant suctioned by the compressing element based on the pressure ascertained by the low pressure ascertaining part and the temperature ascertained by the suctioned refrigerant temperature ascertaining part.   
     
     
         12 . An air conditioner according to  claim 11 , wherein
 the suctioned refrigerant temperature ascertaining part is disposed on the suction side of the compressing element in the refrigeration cycle and is further arranged and configured to detect a state quantity of the refrigerant that passes on a downstream side of a portion inductively heated by the magnetic field generating part.   
     
     
         13 . An air conditioner according to  claim 11 , wherein
 the control unit is further configured to perform the magnetic field output control in any one case selected from the group consisting of
 a case when the suctioned refrigerant of the compressing element is in a moist state and 
 a case when the suctioned refrigerant of the compressing element is in a superheated state wherein the degree of superheating is less than a prescribed degree of superheating. 
   
     
     
         14 . An air conditioner according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the control unit is further configured to perform the magnetic field output control if the circulating refrigerant volume rate ascertained by the circulation volume rate ascertaining part exceeds a prescribed value.