US 12,379,119 B2
Valve unit for a heat-pump system and method for assembling the same
David Steen, Ostend (BE); Kevin Cornelis, Ostend (BE); and Arne Degrande, Ostend (BE)
Assigned to DAIKIN INDUSTRIES, LTD., Osaka (JP); and DAIKIN EUROPE N.V., Ostend (BE)
Filed by DAIKIN INDUSTRIES, LTD., Osaka (JP); and DAIKIN EUROPE N.V., Ostend (BE)
Filed on Sep. 13, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/931,551.
Application 17/931,551 is a continuation of application No. PCT/JP2021/005527, filed on Feb. 15, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 20172339 (EP), filed on Apr. 30, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0003404 A1, Jan. 5, 2023
Int. Cl. F24F 11/36 (2018.01); F24F 11/00 (2018.01); F24F 13/14 (2006.01); F24F 13/20 (2006.01)
CPC F24F 11/36 (2018.01) [F24F 11/0001 (2013.01); F24F 13/1426 (2013.01); F24F 2013/1433 (2013.01); F24F 13/20 (2013.01); F25B 2500/222 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A valve unit for a heat-pump system including a liquid refrigerant pipe and a gas refrigerant pipe, the valve unit comprising:
a liquid refrigerant pipe portion of the liquid refrigerant pipe;
a gas refrigerant pipe portion of the gas refrigerant pipe, wherein
the liquid refrigerant pipe and the gas refrigerant pipe both extend between a heatsource-side heat exchanger in a heatsource-side unit and a utilization-side heat exchanger in a utilization-side unit;
a liquid control valve disposed in the liquid refrigerant pipe portion;
a gas control valve disposed in the gas refrigerant pipe portion;
a casing that has an intake opening and a discharge opening and that accommodates the liquid control valve and the gas control valve; and
an air-discharge mechanism that comprises:
a check air damper mounted at the intake opening of the casing and that allows air to flow from an outside of the casing towards an internal space of the casing through the intake opening of the casing;
a fan that is disposed outside the casing, that comprises a suction port and a discharge port facing an outdoor space, and that draws air from the internal space of the casing towards the outdoor space; and
an air duct that connects the discharge opening of the casing to the suction port of the fan, wherein
the air-discharge mechanism discharges the air in the internal space of the casing to the outdoor space in response to a refrigerant leakage in the casing by operating the fan and keeping the check air damper in an open position.