Air conditioner

Abstract

Provided is an air conditioner. The air conditioner includes a compressor, a condenser, a super cooling device, and an evaporator. The super cooling device includes: a first flow passage disposed in the super cooling device to guide the refrigerant coming from the condenser toward the evaporator; and a second flow passage located in the super cooling device for exchanging heat with the first flow passage and guiding the refrigerant toward the compressor. One of the first and second flow passage includes: a distribution part configured to divide a flow of the refrigerant; and an inner tube connected to the distribution part. A stream of the refrigerant flowing in the first flow passage exchanges heat with a stream of the refrigerant flowing in the second flow passage while using an outer surface area of the inner tube as a heat exchange area.

1 . An air conditioner comprising a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant, a condenser configured to condense the compressed refrigerant, an additional heat exchanger, such as a super cooling device, configured to heat exchange with, in particular to super-cool, the refrigerant after the refrigerant passes through the condenser, and an evaporator configured to evaporate the refrigerant after the refrigerant passes through the additional heat exchanger, such as the super cooling device,
 wherein the additional heat exchanger, such as the super cooling device, comprises:   a first flow passage disposed in the additional heat exchanger, such as the super cooling device, to guide the refrigerant coming from the condenser toward the evaporator; and   a second flow passage located in the additional heat exchanger, such as the super cooling device, for exchanging heat with the first flow passage and guiding the refrigerant toward the compressor,   wherein one of the first and second flow passage comprises:   a distribution part configured to divide a flow of the refrigerant; and   a plurality of inner tubes connected to the distribution part.   
     
     
         2 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein the additional heat exchanger, such as the super cooling device, further comprises a main body comprising the first and second flow passages. 
     
     
         3 . The air conditioner according to  claim 2 , wherein the inner tubes are spaced apart from each other and from the main body so that a whole outer surface of each inner tube corresponds to a heat exchange area of said inner tube. 
     
     
         4 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of tubes is a cylindrical capillary tube that extends in a length direction of the main body. 
     
     
         5 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein the distribution part and the plurality of tubes constitute the first flow passage, and the second flow passage is located outside the plurality of tubes. 
     
     
         6 . The air conditioner according to  claim 2 , further comprising an expansion device disposed at an exit side of the additional heat exchanger, such as the super cooling device, for decreasing a pressure of the refrigerant,
 wherein the main body comprises:   a first inlet part at an exit side of the condenser; and   a first outlet part disposed at an inlet side of the expansion device to discharge the refrigerant introduced into the main body through the first inlet part.   
     
     
         7 . The air conditioner according to  claim 6 , wherein the main body further comprises:
 a second inlet part through which at least a portion of the refrigerant passing through the condenser is introduced into the main body; and   a second outlet part disposed at an inlet side of the compressor to discharge the refrigerant introduced into the main body through the second inlet part.   
     
     
         8 . The air conditioner according to  claim 7 , wherein the compressor comprises an inlet port and an injection port distinct from the inlet port, wherein the second inlet part is arranged to introduce said at least a portion of the refrigerant in the second flow passage, and the second outlet part is arranged to discharge said at least a portion of the refrigerant from the second flow passage, the second outlet part being directly connected to the injection port of the compressor. 
     
     
         9 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a joining part in which streams of the refrigerant joins after passing through the plurality of inner tubes; and   a shield part disposed at the distribution part or the joining part to prevent the refrigerant flowing in the second flow passage from leaking from the additional heat exchanger, such as the super cooling device, the shield part comprising a tube coupling portion to which the plurality of inner tubes are coupled.   
     
     
         10 . The air conditioner according to  claim 2 , wherein the additional heat exchanger, such as the super cooling device, further comprises a third flow passage located in the additional heat exchanger, such as the super cooling device, for exchanging heat with the first flow passage and guiding the refrigerant passing through the evaporator toward the compressor. 
     
     
         11 . The air conditioner according to  claim 10 , further comprising a partition part to divide the plurality of inner tubes, wherein the second flow passage is located at a side of the partition part and the third flow passage is located at the other side of the partition part. 
     
     
         12 . The air conditioner according to  claim 11 , wherein a stream of the refrigerant flowing in the first flow passage exchanges heat with a stream of the refrigerant flowing in one of the second and third flow passages and then with a stream of the refrigerant flowing in the other of the second and third flow passages. 
     
     
         13 . The air conditioner according to  claim 10 , wherein the main body comprises:
 a third inlet part through which the refrigerant passing through the evaporator is introduced into the main body; and   a third outlet part disposed at an inlet side of the compressor to discharge the refrigerant introduced into the main body through the third inlet part.   
     
     
         14 . The air conditioner according to  claim 11 , wherein the partition part comprises:
 a shield part configured to prevent a stream of the refrigerant flowing in the second flow passage from mixing with a stream of the refrigerant flowing in the third flow passage; and   a tube coupling portion disposed at the shield part for coupling with the plurality of inner tubes.   
     
     
         15 . The air conditioner according to  claim 10 , wherein the main body comprises first and second refrigerant tubes in which the first flow passage is defined, and
 wherein the second flow passage is located around the first refrigerant tube, and the third flow passage is located around the second refrigerant tube.   
     
     
         16 . An air conditioner comprising:
 a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant;   a condenser configured to condense the compressed refrigerant; and   a super cooling device at an exit side of the condenser,   wherein the super cooling device comprises:   a main body in which the refrigerant passing through the condenser exchanges heat with refrigerant branching off from the refrigerant passing through the condenser;   a first inlet part through which the refrigerant passing through the condenser is introduced into the main body;   a second inlet part through which the at least a portion of the refrigerant is introduced into the main body; and   at least two inner tubes disposed in the main body,   wherein the refrigerant introduced into the main body through the first inlet part flows in the at least two inner tubes.   
     
     
         17 . The air conditioner according to  claim 16 , wherein the super cooling device further comprises:
 a distribution part disposed between the first inlet part and the inner tubes so as to distribute the refrigerant introduced through the first inlet part to the inner tubes; and   a joining part at which streams of the refrigerant join after passing through the inner tubes.   
     
     
         18 . The air conditioner according to  claim 17 , wherein the joining part comprises:
 a shield part configured to prevent the at least a portion of the refrigerant from leaking from the main body; and   tube coupling portions disposed at the shield part for coupling with the inner tubes.   
     
     
         19 . The air conditioner according to  claim 16 , further comprising an evaporator configured to evaporate the refrigerant,
 wherein the super cooling device further comprises a third inlet part to introduce the refrigerant passing the evaporator into the main body.   
     
     
         20 . The air conditioner according to  claim 19 , wherein the super cooling device further comprises:
 a first heat exchange region in which the refrigerant introduced through the second inlet part exchanges heat with the refrigerant introduced through the first inlet part;   a second heat exchange region in which the refrigerant introduced through the third inlet part exchanges heat with the refrigerant introduced through the first inlet part; and   a partition part configured to separate the first and second heat exchange regions.