Heat pump and flow path switching apparatus
A heat pump performs a simultaneous air-conditioning and heating operation through the addition of a flow path switching apparatus. The heat pump may include a plurality of outdoor units, a plurality of indoor units, and a plurality of flow path switching apparatuses that switch a flow path between an outdoor unit and an indoor unit. A refrigerant flow path may be formed from the outdoor unit to the indoor unit via a high-pressure gas pipe. The flow path switching apparatuses may switch a flow path so that a refrigerant flow path is formed from the indoor unit to the outdoor unit via a low-pressure gas pipe. The heat pump may further include an indoor unit mode controller that is connected to the plurality of outdoor units through a liquid pipe, and which is connected to each of the plurality of flow path switching apparatuses.
1. A flow path switching apparatus comprising:
a first 3-way valve including a first connection point, a second connection point, and a third connection point:
the first connection point of the first 3-way valve directly connectable to a high-pressure gas pipe connected to a plurality of indoor units of a heat pump;
the second connection point of the first 3-way valve directly connectable to a low-pressure gas pipe connected to the plurality of indoor units of the heat pump; and
the third connection point of the first 3-way valve directly connectable to a first gas pipe directly connected to a compressor of a first outdoor unit of the heat pump,
wherein the first 3-way valve is configured to switch between:
a first refrigerant flow path between the first connection point of the first 3-way valve and the third connection point of the first 3-way valve, connecting the first gas pipe connectable to the compressor of the first outdoor unit and the high-pressure gas pipe so that a high-pressure gaseous refrigerant received from the compressor of the first outdoor unit via the first gas pipe flows into the plurality of indoor units via the first 3-way valve and the high-pressure gas pipe, and
a second refrigerant flow path between the second connection point of the first 3-way valve and the third connection point of the first 3-way valve, connecting the low-pressure gas pipe and the first gas pipe connectable to the compressor of the first outdoor unit so that a low-pressure gaseous refrigerant received from the plurality of indoor units flows into the first gas pipe connectable to the compressor of the first outdoor unit via the first 3-way valve and the low-pressure gas pipe.
2. The flow path switching apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a bypass valve, connectable to the high-pressure gas pipe and the low-pressure gas pipe, and configured to equalize a pressure inside the high-pressure gas pipe with a pressure inside the low-pressure gas pipe.
3. The flow path switching apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a bypass valve disposed between the high-pressure gas pipe and the low-pressure gas pipe to equalize pressure inside the high-pressure gas pipe and pressure inside the low-pressure gas pipe.
4. The flow path switching apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the flow path switching apparatus is disposed separately from the outdoor unit.
5. The flow path switching apparatus of claim 2 ,
wherein the first 3-way valve and the bypass valve are disposed separately from the outdoor unit.
6. The flow path switching apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second 3-way valve including a first connection point, a second connection point, and a third connection point:
the first connection point of the second 3-way valve directly connectable to the high-pressure gas pipe directly connected to the plurality of indoor units of a heat pump;
the second connection point of the second 3-way valve directly connectable to the low-pressure gas pipe connected to the plurality of indoor units of the heat pump; and
the third connection point of the second 3-way valve directly connectable to a second gas pipe directly connected to a compressor of a second outdoor unit of the heat pump,
wherein the second 3-way valve is configured to switch between:
a third refrigerant flow path between the first connection point of the second 3-way valve and the third connection point of the second 3-way valve, connecting the second gas pipe connectable to the compressor of the second outdoor unit and the high-pressure gas pipe so that a high-pressure gaseous refrigerant received from the compressor of the second outdoor unit via the second gas pipe flows into the plurality of indoor units via the second 3-way valve and the high-pressure gas pipe, and
a fourth refrigerant flow path between the second connection point of the second 3-way valve and the third connection point of the second 3-way valve, connecting the low-pressure gas pipe and the second gas pipe connectable to the compressor of the second outdoor unit so that a low-pressure gaseous refrigerant received from the plurality of indoor units flows into the second gas pipe connectable to the compressor of the second outdoor unit via the second 3-way valve and the low-pressure gas pipe.
7. A flow path switching apparatus comprising:
a first 3-way valve including a first connection point, a second connection point, and a third connection point:
the first connection point of the first 3-way valve connectable to a high-pressure gas pipe connected to a plurality of indoor units of a heat pump;
the second connection point of the first 3-way valve connectable to a low-pressure gas pipe connected to the plurality of indoor units of the heat pump; and
the third connection point of the first 3-way valve connectable to a first gas pipe connectable to a compressor of a first outdoor unit of the heat pump,
wherein the first 3-way valve is configured to switch between:
a first refrigerant flow path between the first connection point of the first 3-way valve and the third connection point of the first 3-way valve, connecting the first gas pipe connectable to the compressor of the first outdoor unit and the high-pressure gas pipe so that a high-pressure gaseous refrigerant received from the compressor of the first outdoor unit via the first gas pipe flows into the plurality of indoor units via the first 3-way valve and the high-pressure gas pipe, and
a second refrigerant flow path between the second connection point of the first 3-way valve and the third connection point of the first 3-way valve, connecting the low-pressure gas pipe and the first gas pipe connectable to the compressor of the first outdoor unit so that a low-pressure gaseous refrigerant received from the plurality of indoor units flows into the first gas pipe connectable to the compressor of the first outdoor unit via the first 3-way valve and the low-pressure gas pipe;
a second 3-way valve including a first connection point, a second connection point, and a third connection point:
the first connection point of the second 3-way valve connectable to the high-pressure gas pipe connected to the plurality of indoor units of a heat pump;
the second connection point of the second 3-way valve connectable to the low-pressure gas pipe connected to the plurality of indoor units of the heat pump; and
the third connection point of the second 3-way valve connectable to a second gas pipe connectable to a compressor of a second outdoor unit of the heat pump,
wherein the second 3-way valve is configured to switch between:
a third refrigerant flow path between the first connection point of the second 3-way valve and the third connection point of the second 3-way valve, connecting the second gas pipe connectable to the compressor of the second outdoor unit and the high-pressure gas pipe so that a high-pressure gaseous refrigerant received from the compressor of the second outdoor unit via the second gas pipe flows into the plurality of indoor units via the second 3-way valve and the high-pressure gas pipe, and
a fourth refrigerant flow path between the second connection point of the second 3-way valve and the third connection point of the second 3-way valve, connecting the low-pressure gas pipe and the second gas pipe connectable to the compressor of the second outdoor unit so that a low-pressure gaseous refrigerant received from the plurality of indoor units flows into the second gas pipe connectable to the compressor of the second outdoor unit via the second 3-way valve and the low-pressure gas pipe,
wherein when a heating operation is simultaneously required in a first indoor unit among the plurality of indoor units together with a cooling operation in a second indoor unit among the plurality of indoor units,
the first 3-way valve switches to the first refrigerant flow path between the compressor of the first outdoor unit and the high-pressure gas pipe so that a high-pressure gaseous refrigerant received from the compressor of the first outdoor unit flows into the first indoor unit via the first 3-way valve and the high-pressure gas pipe, and
the second 3 way-valve switches to the fourth refrigerant flow path between the low-pressure gas pipe and the compressor of the second outdoor unit so that a low-pressure gaseous refrigerant received from the second indoor unit flows into the compressor of the second outdoor unit via the second 3-way valve and the low-pressure gas pipe.