Heat supplier

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a heat supplier. The heat supplier includes: a compressor to compress a refrigerant; a first heat exchanger to exchange heat between air and the refrigerant; a second heat exchanger to exchange heat between water and the refrigerant; a switching valve to direct the refrigerant discharged from the compressor into the first heat exchanger or the second heat exchanger; a third heat exchanger to exchange heat between refrigerant flowing through a liquid pipe, which connects the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger, and refrigerant branched from the liquid pipe and expanded; a first expansion valve to expand refrigerant flowing from the third heat exchanger to the first heat exchanger; and a second expansion valve to expand refrigerant flowing from the third heat exchanger to the second heat exchanger. The first expansion valve and the second expansion valve are selectively opened and closed according to a direction of the refrigerant flowing through the third heat exchanger, allowing the refrigerant that has passed through the third heat exchanger to flow into the first expansion valve or the second expansion valve.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heat supplier comprising:
 a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant;   a first heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between air and the refrigerant;   a second heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between water and the refrigerant;   a switching valve to direct the refrigerant discharged from the compressor into the first heat exchanger or the second heat exchanger;   a third heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between refrigerant flowing through a liquid pipe, which connects the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger, and refrigerant branched from the liquid pipe and expanded;   a first expansion valve configured to expand refrigerant flowing from the third heat exchanger to the first heat exchanger; and   a second expansion valve configured to expand refrigerant flowing from the third heat exchanger to the second heat exchanger,   wherein the first expansion valve and the second expansion valve are selectively opened and closed according to a direction of the refrigerant flowing through the third heat exchanger.   
     
     
         2 . The heat supplier of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid pipe comprises:
 a first liquid pipe at which the third heat exchanger and the first expansion valve are disposed;   a second liquid pipe at which the second expansion valve is disposed; and   a bypass pipe to connect a first side and a second side of the first liquid pipe, and   wherein the second liquid pipe and the bypass pipe are connected in parallel to the first liquid pipe at different positions.   
     
     
         3 . The heat supplier of  claim 2 , wherein the first liquid pipe is provided with a first check valve to direct refrigerant flowing through the bypass pipe into the third heat exchanger. 
     
     
         4 . The heat supplier of  claim 3 , wherein the first expansion valve and the third heat exchanger are disposed at the first liquid pipe positioned between two ends of the second bypass pipe, and
 wherein the third heat exchanger and the first check valve are disposed at the first liquid pipe positioned between two ends of the second liquid pipe.   
     
     
         5 . The heat supplier of  claim 4 , wherein the first check valve causes the refrigerant to flow into the third heat exchanger. 
     
     
         6 . The heat supplier of  claim 5 , wherein the bypass pipe is provided with a second check valve to direct refrigerant flowing through the first heat exchanger into the third heat exchanger. 
     
     
         7 . The heat supplier of  claim 3 , wherein the bypass pipe is connected to the first liquid pipe so as to bypass the first expansion valve and the third heat exchanger. 
     
     
         8 . The heat supplier of  claim 7 , wherein the second liquid pipe is connected in parallel to the first liquid pipe so as to bypass the third heat exchanger and the first check valve. 
     
     
         9 . The heat supplier of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a branch pipe branched from the liquid pipe to allow refrigerant to flow into the third heat exchanger; and   a third expansion valve disposed on the branch pipe and configured to expand refrigerant flowing therethrough.   
     
     
         10 . The heat supplier of  claim 9 , wherein the branch pipe is branched from the liquid pipe at a position between the third heat exchanger and the first expansion valve. 
     
     
         11 . The heat supplier of  claim 9 , wherein the refrigerant flowing into the third heat exchanger through the branch pipe is supplied to the compressor. 
     
     
         12 . The heat supplier of  claim 1 , wherein a size of an aperture of the second expansion valve is greater than a size of an aperture of the first expansion valve. 
     
     
         13 . The heat supplier of  claim 1 , wherein the heat supplier is operated in a heating operation mode in which the refrigerant discharged from the compressor is delivered into the second heat exchanger, and
 wherein the second expansion valve is closed in the heating operation mode, such that the refrigerant flowing from the second heat exchanger to the first heat exchanger passes through the third heat exchanger and then passes through the first expansion valve.   
     
     
         14 . The heat supplier of  claim 1 , wherein the heat supplier is operated in a cooling operation mode in which the refrigerant discharged from the compressor is transferred into the first heat exchanger, and
 wherein the first expansion valve is closed in the cooling operation mode, such that the refrigerant flowing from the first heat exchanger to the second heat exchanger passes through the third heat exchanger and then passes through the second expansion valve.   
     
     
         15 . The heat supplier of  claim 14 , wherein the liquid pipe comprises:
 a first liquid pipe at which the third heat exchanger and the first expansion valve are disposed;   a second liquid pipe at which the second expansion valve is disposed; and   a bypass pipe to connect a first side and a second side of the first liquid pipe, and   wherein the first expansion valve is closed in the cooling operation mode, such that the refrigerant flowing from the first heat exchanger to the second heat exchanger flows into the third heat exchanger through the bypass pipe, and the refrigerant flowing out from the third heat exchanger flows through the second liquid pipe.   
     
     
         16 . The heat supplier of  claim 1 , wherein the first expansion valve is disposed between the first heat exchanger and the third heat exchanger,
 wherein the second expansion valve is disposed between the second heat exchanger and the third heat exchanger, and   wherein the heat supplier further comprises:   a first bypass pipe to bypass the first expansion valve;   a second bypass pipe to bypass the second expansion valve;   a first bypass valve disposed at the first bypass pipe; and   a second bypass valve disposed at the second bypass pipe.   
     
     
         17 . The heat supplier of  claim 16 , wherein the first expansion valve and the first bypass valve are selectively opened, and
 wherein the second expansion valve and the second bypass valve are selectively opened.