US 12,111,082 B2
Air conditioning apparatus
Jaehwa Jung, Seoul (KR); and Yongcheol Sa, Seoul (KR)
Assigned to LG ELECTRONICS INC., Seoul (KR)
Appl. No. 17/792,489
Filed by LG ELECTRONICS INC., Seoul (KR)
PCT Filed Nov. 18, 2020, PCT No. PCT/KR2020/016242
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jul. 13, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/153887, PCT Pub. Date Aug. 5, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 10-2020-0010084 (KR), filed on Jan. 28, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0049970 A1, Feb. 16, 2023
Int. Cl. F25B 13/00 (2006.01)
CPC F25B 13/00 (2013.01) [F25B 2313/003 (2013.01); F25B 2313/007 (2013.01); F25B 2313/0233 (2013.01); F25B 2313/02732 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An air conditioning apparatus, comprising:
an outdoor unit through which a refrigerant circulates;
a plurality of indoor units through which water circulates, the plurality of indoor units comprising a first indoor heat exchanger and a second indoor heat exchanger; and
a heat-exchange device configured to connect the outdoor unit to the indoor unit, the heat exchange device comprising a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger, in which the refrigerant and water are heat exchanged with each other, wherein the heat exchange device comprises:
a first inflow tube that extends from the first indoor heat exchanger toward the first heat exchanger to guide a flow of the water;
a second inflow tube that extends from the second indoor heat exchanger toward the second heat exchanger to guide the flow of the water;
a first pump provided in the first inflow tube; and
a second pump provided in the second inflow tube, wherein when a first portion of the plurality of indoor units performs a heating operation and a second portion of the plurality of indoor units performs a cooling operation, when a total capacity required for the plurality of indoor units is equal to or less than a predetermined capacity, the first pump or the second pump operates, and when the total capacity required for the plurality of indoor units exceeds the predetermined capacity, the first pump and the second pump operate.