초록 ▼

A multi-room air-conditioning apparatus includes an outdoor unit, a relay unit connected to an outdoor unit by first and second connection pipes, and a plurality of indoor units connected to the relay unit. The outdoor unit includes a second gas-liquid separating device provided on the suction side

A multi-room air-conditioning apparatus includes an outdoor unit, a relay unit connected to an outdoor unit by first and second connection pipes, and a plurality of indoor units connected to the relay unit. The outdoor unit includes a second gas-liquid separating device provided on the suction side of the compressor. The suction side of the compressor and the second gas-liquid separating device are connected to each other by a gas-side outlet pipe and a liquid-side outlet pipe.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A multi-room air-conditioning apparatus comprising: an outdoor unit that includes at least a compressor, a switching valve, and an outdoor-unit-side heat exchanger;a relay unit that is connected to the outdoor unit by a first connection pipe and a second connection pipe; anda plurality of indoor

1. A multi-room air-conditioning apparatus comprising: an outdoor unit that includes at least a compressor, a switching valve, and an outdoor-unit-side heat exchanger;a relay unit that is connected to the outdoor unit by a first connection pipe and a second connection pipe; anda plurality of indoor units, each of which includes an indoor heat exchanger and a first flow control device and which are connected to the relay unit while being arranged in parallel,wherein the outdoor unit includes a first route along which a refrigerant that is discharged from the compressor is guided to the second connection pipe via the switching valve and the outdoor-unit-side heat exchanger, and a second route along which the refrigerant is guided to the second connection pipe via the switching valve while bypassing the outdoor-unit-side heat exchanger, so that the refrigerant is guided in accordance with operation modes including a cooling operation mode, a heating operation mode, a cooling main operation mode, and a heating main operation mode,wherein the relay unit includes a first gas-liquid separating device that is connected to an intervening portion of the second connection pipe, a plurality of switching units that individually connect the indoor units to one of the first connection pipe and the second connection pipe selectively, a first bypass pipe that connects the first gas-liquid separating device to each of the indoor units, a second bypass pipe that connects the first connection pipe to the first bypass pipe, a third flow control device provided to the first bypass pipe, and a second flow control device provided to the second bypass pipe, andwherein the multi-room air-conditioning apparatus further comprises: a second gas-liquid separating device provided between the outdoor unit and the relay unit and connected to the first connection pipe;a gas-side outlet pipe that allows a gas refrigerant generated by gas-liquid separation performed by the second gas-liquid separating device to bypass the outdoor-unit-side heat exchanger and to flow into a refrigerant suction port of the compressor; anda liquid-side outlet pipe that alternatively allows, depending on a switching status of the switching valve, the gas refrigerant generated by the gas-liquid separation performed by the second gas-liquid separating device to flow into the refrigerant suction port of the compressor while bypassing the outdoor-unit-side heat exchanger, or bypasses a liquid refrigerant generated by the gas-liquid separation performed by the second gas-liquid separating device to flow into the refrigerant suction port of the compressor via the outdoor-unit-side heat exchanger. 2. The multi-room air-conditioning apparatus of claim 1, wherein, if the switching valve is switched such that the refrigerant discharged from the compressor is guided along the second route, the gas refrigerant generated by the gas-liquid separation performed by the second gas-liquid separating device flows into the refrigerant suction port of the compressor while bypassing the outdoor-unit-side heat exchanger, and the liquid refrigerant generated by the gas-liquid separation performed by the second gas-liquid separating device is supplied to the refrigerant suction port of the compressor via the outdoor-unit-side heat exchanger. 3. The multi-room air-conditioning apparatus of claim 1, wherein, if the switching valve is switched such that the refrigerant discharged from the compressor is guided along the first route, the gas refrigerant that flows into the second gas-liquid separating device is supplied to the refrigerant suction port of the compressor via the gas-side outlet pipe and the liquid-side outlet pipe that are arranged in parallel. 4. The multi-room air-conditioning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gas-side outlet pipe is provided between an accumulator and the switching valve, and the accumulator is connected to the refrigerant suction port of the compressor. 5. The multi-room air-conditioning apparatus of claim 4, wherein the gas-side outlet pipe is connected in parallel with a passage provided between the outdoor-unit-side heat exchanger and the accumulator or is inserted in the accumulator. 6. The multi-room air-conditioning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gas-side outlet pipe is connected to a suction side of the compressor. 7. The multi-room air-conditioning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second gas-liquid separating device is provided in the relay unit. 8. The multi-room air-conditioning apparatus of claim 1, wherein a closed refrigerant circuit that allows the refrigerant to flow through the outdoor unit and the relay unit is provided;wherein a closed refrigerant circuit that allows another refrigerant that is different from the refrigerant to flow through the indoor units is provided; andwherein an intermediate heat exchanger is interposed between the two refrigerant circuits. 9. The multi-room air-conditioning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the refrigerant comprises a zeotropic refrigerant mixture. 10. The multi-room air-conditioning apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: a gas flow resistor in the gas-side outlet pipe that lowers the pressure of the gas refrigerant generated by gas-liquid separation performed by the second gas-liquid separating device, such that the gas refrigerant flowing into the refrigerant suction port of the compressor is not saturated.