Air conditioning apparatus

Abstract

An air conditioning apparatus may include an outdoor unit through which a first fluid, such as refrigerant circulates, an indoor unit through which a second fluid, such as water circulates, a heat exchange device which is configured to connect the outdoor unit to the indoor unit and in which the first fluid and the second fluid are heat-exchanged with each other, a first inner tube which is configured to connect the outdoor unit to the heat exchange device and through which the first fluid at high-pressure flows, a second inner tube which is configured to connect the outdoor unit to the heat exchange device and through which the first fluid at low-pressure flows, and a third inner tube which is configured to connect the outdoor unit to the heat exchange device and through which the first fluid in liquid form flows. The heat exchange device may include a bypass tube configured to bypass the second inner tube and a flow control valve provided in the bypass tube.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An air conditioning apparatus, comprising:
 an outdoor unit through which a first fluid circulates;   an indoor unit through which a second fluid circulates;   a heat exchange device which is configured to connect the outdoor unit to the indoor unit and in which the first fluid and the second fluid are heat-exchanged with each other;   a first inner tube which is configured to connect the outdoor unit to the heat exchange device and through which the first fluid at high pressure flows;   a second inner tube which is configured to connect the outdoor unit to the heat exchange device and through which the first fluid at low pressure flows; and   a third inner tube which is configured to connect the outdoor unit to the heat exchange device and through which first fluid in liquid form flows, wherein the heat exchange device comprises:
 a bypass tube configured to bypass the second inner tube; and 
 a flow control valve provided in the bypass tube. 
   
     
     
         2 . The air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchange device comprises:
 a branch portion at a first end of which the bypass tube is connected to the second inner tube; and   a combination portion at a second end of which the bypass tube is connected to the second inner tube.   
     
     
         3 . The air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the heat exchange device further comprises a valve provided between the branch portion and the combination portion. 
     
     
         4 . The air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein a pressure sensor is provided in the second inner tube. 
     
     
         5 . The air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the pressure sensor is configured to measure a pressure of the first fluid before the first fluid is branched at the branch portion. 
     
     
         6 . The air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein, when a heating-based simultaneous operation is performed, the valve is closed. 
     
     
         7 . The air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the flow control valve adjusts an opening degree so that a pressure measured by the pressure sensor belongs to a pressure section ranging from a first pressure (P1) to a second pressure (P2). 
     
     
         8 . The air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein, when the pressure measured by the pressure sensor is less than the first pressure (P1), the opening degree of the flow control valve is decreased, and when the pressure measured by the pressure sensor exceeds the second pressure (P2), the opening degree of the flow control valve is increased. 
     
     
         9 . The air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein an evaporation temperature of the second inner tube depending on the first pressure (P1) exceeds 0° C. 
     
     
         10 . The air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein, when a heating operation is performed, the flow control valve is opened to a maximum opening degree. 
     
     
         11 . The air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchange device comprises:
 a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger;   a first branch tube and a second branch tube, which are branched from the first inner tube; and   a third branch tube and a fourth branch tube, which are branched from the second inner tube.   
     
     
         12 . The air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a first valve provided in each of the first branch tube and the second branch tube; and   a second tube provided in each of the third branch tube and the fourth branch tube.   
     
     
         13 . The air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first tube and a second tube, which are branched from the third inner tube;   a first expansion valve provided in the first tube; and   a second expansion valve provided in the second tube.   
     
     
         14 . The air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first common tube to which the first branch tube and the third branch tube are connected;   a fifth branch tube configured to connect the second branch tube to a second common tube;   a first bypass valve provided in the fifth branch tube;   the second common tube to which a third branch tube and a fourth branch tube are connected;   a sixth branch tube configured to connect the fourth branch tube to the second common tube; and   a second bypass valve provided in the sixth branch tube.   
     
     
         15 . The air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the heat exchangers comprises:
 a first fluid passage through which the first fluid flows; and   a second fluid passage through which the second fluid to be heat-exchanged with the first fluid within the first fluid passage flows, wherein the second fluid flowing through the second fluid passage flows to the indoor unit.   
     
     
         16 . An air conditioning apparatus, comprising:
 an outdoor unit through which a first fluid circulates;   a plurality of indoor units through which a second fluid circulates;   a heat exchange device which is configured to connect the outdoor unit to the plurality of indoor units and in which the first fluid and the second fluid are heat-exchanged with each other;   a first inner tube which is configured to connect the outdoor unit to the heat exchange device and through which the first fluid at high pressure flows;   a second inner tube which is configured to connect the outdoor unit to the heat exchange device and through which the first fluid at low pressure flows; and   a third inner tube which is configured to connect the outdoor unit to the heat exchange device and through which first fluid in liquid form flows, wherein the heat exchange device comprises:
 a bypass tube configured to bypass the second inner tube; and 
 a flow control valve provided in the bypass tube, wherein the heat exchange device comprises:
 a branch portion at a first end of which the bypass tube is connected to the second inner tube; and 
 a combination portion at a second end of which the bypass tube is connected to the second inner tube, wherein the heat exchange device further comprises a valve provided between the branch portion and the combination portion. 
 
   
     
     
         17 . The air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein a pressure sensor is provided in the second inner tube. 
     
     
         18 . The air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein the pressure sensor is configured to measure a pressure of the first fluid before the first fluid is branched at the branch portion. 
     
     
         19 . The air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein the flow control valve adjusts an opening degree so that a pressure measured by the pressure sensor belongs to a pressure section ranging from a first pressure (P1) to a second pressure (P2). 
     
     
         20 . The air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein when the pressure measured by the pressure sensor is less than the first pressure (P1), the opening degree of the flow control valve is decreased, and when the pressure measured by the pressure sensor exceeds the second pressure (P2), the opening degree of the flow control valve is increased.