IP Library Granted Patent US 11,441,813
Granted Patent B2
US 11,441,813 · App. 17/572,890 · Granted Sep 13, 2022

Indoor unit of refrigeration apparatus

Inventors: Yoshiyuki Tsuji (Osaka, JP); Makoto Kojima (Osaka, JP)
Assignee: DAIKIN INDUSTRIES, LTD.
F24F13/222
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,441,813
App. No.
17/572,890
Granted
Sep 13, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

An indoor unit of a refrigeration apparatus includes: a drain pan that includes four wall surfaces including a first wall surface, and has a quadrangle shape in a plan view; a heat exchanger disposed above the drain pan and through which a combustible refrigerant, having a larger specific gravity than air, flows; a fan that generates air flow to the heat exchanger; a gas sensor that detects a refrigerant leakage; and a casing accommodating the drain pan, the heat exchanger, the fan, and the gas sensor.

Claims (50)

1. An indoor unit of a refrigeration apparatus comprising:

a drain pan that:

comprises four wall surfaces including a first wall surface, and

has a quadrangle shape in a plan view;

a heat exchanger disposed above the drain pan and through which a combustible refrigerant, having a larger specific gravity than air, flows;

a fan that generates air flow to the heat exchanger;

a gas sensor that detects refrigerant leakage; and

a casing accommodating the drain pan, the heat exchanger, the fan, and the gas sensor, wherein

the casing comprises:

side plates, including a first side plate, that constitute side surfaces of an outer contour of the casing;

a partition plate that divides an internal space surrounded by the side plates into a first chamber in which the drain pan is disposed and a second chamber in which the fan is disposed; and

a blow-out port disposed in the first side plate,

the first side plate faces the first wall surface of the drain pan,

the wall surfaces of the drain pan other than the first wall surface are arranged along the side plates or the partition plate, and

the gas sensor is disposed above the drain pan and satisfies

L·W{C 1· H 1/ Q+C 2· H /( Q−C 3· L·H {circumflex over ( )}(3/2))}≤90,

where

C1=0.0067,

C2=0.01172,

C3=0.000153,

H is a height of the gas sensor from an upper end of the drain pan in [m],

L is a length of the first wall surface of the drain pan in [m],

W is a length of a wall surface of the drain pan intersecting with the first wall surface in [m],

H1 is a depth of the drain pan in [m], and

Q is a refrigerant leakage flow rate in [m 3 /s].

2. The indoor unit according to claim 1 , wherein

the indoor unit further comprises a control board,

the heat exchanger comprises a first end and a second end,

the first end is closer to the control board than the second end is, and

the gas sensor is disposed closer to the first end than to the second end.

3. The indoor unit according to claim 2 , wherein

the heat exchanger comprises:

heat transfer tubes;

a collection tube connected to a first end of each of the heat transfer tubes; and

a connection tube connected to a second end of each of the heat transfer tubes, and

the control board is installed closer to the collection tube than to the connection tube.

4. The indoor unit according to claim 2 , wherein the control board is disposed along one of the side plates or the partition plate.

5. The indoor unit according to claim 1 , wherein

the casing further comprises:

an opening in one of the side plates; and

a lid that closes the opening, and

the gas sensor is disposed at a position that is attachable and detachable through the opening when the lid is opened.

6. The indoor unit according to claim 1 , wherein the gas sensor is disposed below the heat exchanger.

7. The indoor unit according to claim 1 , wherein

the indoor unit further comprises a plurality of gas sensors that each detects refrigerant leakage, and

the plurality of gas sensors are installed at different locations.

8. The indoor unit according to claim 1 , wherein the gas sensor is covered by a case having an opening for ventilation.

9. The indoor unit according to claim 1 , wherein

the gas sensor comprises a detector and a wire, and

the wire is disposed below the detector.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 13, 2022
From: TSUJI, YOSHIYUKI; KOJIMA, MAKOTO
To: DAIKIN INDUSTRIES, LTD.
Reel/Frame 058640/0522 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP JP2019-130645 · Jul 12, 2019 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTJP2020026929 · Jul 9, 2020
Related Publication 20220128267A1 · Apr 28, 2022
Cited By (5)
US 12,460,832 US 12,487,008 US 12,674,601 US 12,704,288 US 12,716,632