	US 12,072,130 B2
	Refrigeration cycle apparatus
Yasutaka Ochiai, Tokyo (JP); Nobuaki Tasaki, Tokyo (JP); and Fuyuki Sato, Tokyo (JP)
Assigned to Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Tokyo (JP)
Appl. No. 17/774,586
Filed by Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Tokyo (JP)
PCT Filed May 22, 2020, PCT No. PCT/JP2020/020216 § 371(c)(1), (2) Date May 5, 2022, PCT Pub. No. WO2021/145007, PCT Pub. Date Jul. 22, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 2020-003652 (JP), filed on Jan. 14, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0397320 A1, Dec. 15, 2022
Int. Cl. F25B 49/02 (2006.01); F25B 5/02 (2006.01); F25B 40/02 (2006.01); F25B 40/06 (2006.01)

CPC F25B 49/02 (2013.01) [F25B 5/02 (2013.01); F25B 40/02 (2013.01); F25B 40/06 (2013.01); F25B 2500/08 (2013.01); F25B 2500/222 (2013.01); F25B 2600/2501 (2013.01); F25B 2700/2103 (2013.01)]

16 Claims

1. A refrigeration cycle apparatus, comprising:

a refrigeration cycle circuit that has a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device, and an evaporator that are connected through a pipe, the refrigeration cycle circuit being configured to allow refrigerant to circulate in the refrigeration cycle circuit; and

a controller configured to determine whether the refrigerant leaks or whether the expansion device malfunctions on a basis of a degree of subcooling at an outlet of the condenser and a degree of superheat at an outlet of the evaporator or a degree of superheat at a suction port of the compressor,

in a case where the degree of subcooling at the outlet of the condenser is less than or equal to a preset first threshold, and the degree of superheat at the outlet of the evaporator is less than a preset second threshold, the controller being configured to determine that the expansion device malfunctions.