초록 ▼

The present invention relates to air conditioners, and more particularly, to a thermal storage air conditioner in which a cold heat is produced and stored in a tank during night time for using the cold heat during day time for cooling a room. For this, the thermal storage air conditioner includes an

The present invention relates to air conditioners, and more particularly, to a thermal storage air conditioner in which a cold heat is produced and stored in a tank during night time for using the cold heat during day time for cooling a room. For this, the thermal storage air conditioner includes an outdoor unit having an outdoor heat exchanger for making heat exchange, and at least one compressor for compressing refrigerant, an indoor unit having a plurality of indoor heat exchangers for making heat exchange, a thermal storage unit for storing energy, the thermal storage unit having a plurality of thermal storage heat exchangers for making heat exchange, and a functional unit having a plurality of valves for selective control of refrigerant flows among the outdoor unit, the indoor unit and the thermal storage unit according to an operation mode, and a valve controller for making a unitary control of operation of the valves.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A thermal storage air conditioner comprising: an outdoor unit having an outdoor heat exchanger for making heat exchange, and at least one compressor for compressing refrigerant;an indoor unit having a plurality of indoor heat exchangers for making heat exchange;a thermal storage unit for storing

1. A thermal storage air conditioner comprising: an outdoor unit having an outdoor heat exchanger for making heat exchange, and at least one compressor for compressing refrigerant;an indoor unit having a plurality of indoor heat exchangers for making heat exchange;a thermal storage unit for storing energy, the thermal storage unit having a plurality of thermal storage heat exchangers for making heat exchange between the refrigerant and a thermal storage substance, said thermal storage substance being inside said thermal storage unit; anda functional unit having a plurality of valves for selective control of refrigerant flows among the outdoor unit, the indoor unit and the thermal storage unit according to an operation mode, and a valve controller for making a unitary control of operation of the valves,wherein the outdoor unit, the functional unit and the thermal storage unit are installed spaced apart from one another, each connected to the indoor unit,wherein the valve controller is configured to perform the operation mode, and wherein the operation mode includes:a thermal storage mode in which the refrigerant circulates through the functional unit, the outdoor unit and the thermal storage unit for storing energy in the thermal storage unit;a room cooling or heating with stored heat mode in which the refrigerant circulates through the functional unit, the indoor unit and the thermal storage unit so that a room is conditioned with energy stored in the thermal storage unit;a direct room cooling or heating mode in which the refrigerant circulates through the functional unit, the outdoor unit and the indoor unit so that a room is conditioned by using the outdoor unit,wherein the functional unit further includes:a supplementary flow line for heat exchanging refrigerant heat exchanged at the indoor unit and supplying refrigerant to the thermal storage unit during the room cooling or heating with stored heat mode, anda supplementary heat exchanger provided in the supplementary flow line for heat exchange between the refrigerant heat exchanged at the indoor unit and an outdoor air,wherein, the supplementary heat exchanger is operated selectively in the room cooling or heating with stored heat mode and is smaller than the outdoor heat exchanger. 2. The thermal storage air conditioner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the functional unit further includes: a first supplementary pump having one side connected to a pipe line connected to the thermal storage heat exchangers of the thermal storage unit and the other side connected to a pipe line connected to the indoor unit, for pumping refrigerant heat exchanged at the thermal storage unit to the indoor unit. 3. The thermal storage air conditioner as claimed in claim 2, wherein the functional unit includes: a second supplementary pump for forcing a refrigerant flow through the supplementary flow line. 4. The thermal storage air conditioner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the valve controller is connected to a main controller which makes general control of the outdoor unit, the indoor unit, and the thermal storage unit, to receive information on an operation mode from the main controller. 5. The thermal storage air conditioner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the indoor unit includes a plurality of indoor expansion devices for expanding refrigerant introduced to the indoor heat exchangers respectively and an indoor controller for controlling operation of the indoor expansion devices. 6. The thermal storage air conditioner as claimed in claim 5, wherein the thermal storage unit includes a plurality of thermal storage expansion devices for expanding refrigerant introduced to the thermal storage heat exchangers respectively, and a thermal storage controller for controlling operation of the thermal storage expansion devices according to a number of the indoor heat exchangers of the indoor unit under operation. 7. The thermal storage air conditioner as claimed in claim 6, wherein the indoor controller and the thermal storage controller are controlled by the main controller which controls general operation of the outdoor unit, the indoor unit, the thermal storage unit, and the functional unit. 8. The thermal storage air conditioner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the thermal storage unit includes a plurality of thermal storage expansion devices for expanding refrigerant introduced to the thermal storage heat exchangers respectively, and a thermal storage controller for controlling operation of the thermal storage expansion devices. 9. The thermal storage air conditioner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the compressor of the outdoor unit includes at least one constant speed compressor, which is operated at a fixed speed. 10. The thermal storage air conditioner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the compressor of the outdoor unit includes at least one inverter compressor which can be operated at a variable speed. 11. The thermal storage air conditioner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the compressor of the outdoor unit includes a combination of at least one constant speed compressor and at least one inverter compressor which runs at a variable speed. 12. The thermal storage air conditioner as claimed in claim 11, wherein the constant speed compressor is driven separate from the inverter compressor. 13. The thermal storage air conditioner as claimed in claim 11, wherein the constant speed compressor is driven at the same time the inverter compressor. 14. The thermal storage air conditioner as claimed in claim 11, wherein the constant speed compressor and the inverter compressor are operated selectively according to a number of the indoor heat exchangers of the indoor unit under operation.