Relay unit and air conditioning apparatus

Abstract

A relay unit connected to one or a plurality of outdoor units and a plurality of indoor units by different pipeline systems, respectively, so as to exchange heat between a refrigerant circulating through the outdoor unit and a heat medium different from the refrigerant and to circulate the heat medium through the indoor unit, provided with a valve block unit in which a plurality of valve blocks integrated with at least a plurality of branch pipes connected to the indoor unit, a plurality of main pipes which become channels for the heat medium relating to the heat exchange, and heat medium flow direction switching devices that switch the main pipes to communicate with the branch pipes are connected.

1 . A relay unit connected to one or a plurality of outdoor units and a plurality of indoor units by different pipeline systems, respectively, so as to exchange heat between a refrigerant circulating through the outdoor unit and a heat medium different from the refrigerant and to circulate the heat medium through the indoor units, the relay unit comprising:
 a valve block unit that connects a plurality of valve blocks, each integrating at least a plurality of branch pipes connected to the indoor units, a plurality of main pipes which become channels for the heat medium relating to the heat exchange, and a heat medium flow direction switching device that switches the main pipes to communicate with the branch pipes.   
     
     
         2 . The relay unit of  claim 1 , wherein
 a heat medium flow control device that adjusts a flow rate of the heat medium flowing through the branch pipes is further integrated into each of the valve blocks.   
     
     
         3 . The relay unit of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of heat medium heat exchangers that exchange heat between the refrigerant and the heat medium independently; and   a plurality of heat medium delivery devices that pressurize the heat medium relating to the heat exchange in each of the heat medium heat exchangers, respectively.   
     
     
         4 . The relay unit of  claim 1 , wherein
 the plurality of valve blocks are connected and fixed by a connecting plate.   
     
     
         5 . The relay unit of  claim 3 , wherein
 the heat medium delivery devices and heat medium flow direction switching devices of the valve blocks are installed so as to be detachable from the same side.   
     
     
         6 . The relay unit of  claim 3 , wherein
 two pipes constituting each of the branch pipes and at least one of the heat medium heat exchanger that is planar are alternately arranged.   
     
     
         7 . The relay unit of  claim 3 , wherein
 a housing that at least accommodates the plurality of heat medium heat exchangers, the valve block unit, and the plurality of heat medium delivery devices has a structure that is slidably opened/closed.   
     
     
         8 . The relay unit of  claim 3 , wherein
 among the plurality of heat medium heat exchangers, a certain number of heat medium heat exchangers are used for heating the heat medium, while the remaining heat medium heat exchangers are for cooling the heat medium.   
     
     
         9 . An air conditioning apparatus comprising:
 the relay unit of  claim 1 ;   one or a plurality of outdoor units connected to the relay unit by a pipeline and in which a refrigerant is circulated; and   one or a plurality of indoor units connected to the relay unit by a different system and in which the heat medium is circulated.