U.S. patent application number 11/456228 was filed with the patent office on 2007-01-25 for cogeneration system and method for controlling the same.
This patent application is currently assigned to LG ELECTRONICS INC.. Invention is credited to Se Dong Chang, Yeong Seop Choe, Chang Min Choi, Won Jae Choi, Baik Young Chung, Jae Won Lee.
Application Number | 20070018009 11/456228 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37023112 |
Filed Date | 2007-01-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070018009 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Choi; Chang Min ; et
al. |
January 25, 2007 |
COGENERATION SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE SAME
Abstract
A cogeneration system and a method for controlling the same have
an advantage that it is easy to operate a cogeneration device
because the operation of the cogeneration device can be controlled
according to operation signals of an air conditioner, and have an
effect that it is possible to make the best use of the generated
electricity of the cogeneration device through an interconnection
between the air conditioner and the cogeneration device.
Inventors: |
Choi; Chang Min; (Seoul,
KR) ; Choe; Yeong Seop; (Buchun-si, KR) ;
Choi; Won Jae; (Seoul, KR) ; Lee; Jae Won;
(Seoul, KR) ; Chung; Baik Young; (Inchun-si,
KR) ; Chang; Se Dong; (Kwangmyung-si, KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
GREENBLUM & BERNSTEIN, P.L.C.
1950 ROLAND CLARKE PLACE
RESTON
VA
20191
US
|
Assignee: |
LG ELECTRONICS INC.
20 Yeoeuido-dong, Youngdeungpo-ku,
Seoul
KR
|
Family ID: |
37023112 |
Appl. No.: |
11/456228 |
Filed: |
July 10, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
237/12 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y02E 20/14 20130101;
F24F 11/30 20180101; F25B 27/00 20130101; Y02P 80/152 20151101;
Y02P 80/15 20151101; F25B 2600/07 20130101; F24F 11/54
20180101 |
Class at
Publication: |
237/012 |
International
Class: |
F24D 1/00 20060101
F24D001/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 8, 2005 |
KR |
2005-61798 |
Claims
1. A cogeneration system, comprising: a cogeneration device for
supplying at least one of electricity and heat to an air
conditioner; and a cogeneration device controller for controlling
the operation of the cogeneration device according to operation
signals from the air conditioner.
2. The cogeneration system of claim 1, wherein the cogeneration
device controller is supplied with electricity from an external
power source.
3. The cogeneration system of claim 1, further comprising an air
conditioner controller supplied with electricity from an en
external power source, for controlling the air conditioner.
4. The cogeneration system of claim 1, wherein the air conditioner
comprises an indoor unit supplied with electricity from an external
power source and an outdoor unit supplied with electricity from the
generator.
5. The cogeneration system of claim 4, wherein the cogeneration
device controller controls the operation of the cogeneration device
according to operation signals from the indoor unit.
6. The cogeneration system of claim 4, wherein the air conditioner
further comprises a remote control for wirelessly operating the
indoor unit, and the cogeneration device controller controls the
operation of the cogeneration device according to operation signals
from the indoor unit.
7. The cogeneration system of claim 1, wherein the cogeneration
device comprises a generator for generating electricity and a
driving source for driving the generator and generating heat.
8. The cogeneration system of claim 7, wherein the cogeneration
device controller controls the driving of the driving source
according to the operation signals from the air conditioner.
9. The cogeneration system of claim 7, wherein the cogeneration
device controller controls the power supply to the air conditioner
from the generator according to the operation signals from the air
conditioner.
10. The cogeneration system of claim 7, further comprising a waste
heat recovery unit for supplying waste heat recovered from the
driving source to the air conditioner.
11. The cogeneration system of claim 1, wherein the air conditioner
and the cogeneration device controller perform data communication
by the RS-485 communication protocol.
12. The cogeneration system of claim 1, further comprising a
monitoring device connected to the cogeneration device controller,
for monitoring the operations of the cogeneration device and the
air conditioner.
13. A cogeneration system, comprising: an air conditioner; an air
conditioner controller supplied with electricity from an external
power source, for controlling the air conditioner; a generator for
supplying electricity to the air conditioner; a driving source for
driving the generator and generating heat; and a controller
supplied with electricity from an external power source, for
controlling the operation of the generator according to operation
signals from the air conditioner.
14. The cogenerations system of claim 13, wherein the air
conditioner comprises an indoor unit supplied with electricity from
an external power source and an outdoor unit supplied with
electricity from the generator.
15. The cogeneration system of claim 14, wherein the air
conditioner further comprises a remote control for wirelessly
operating the indoor unit, and the cogeneration device controller
controls the operation of the cogeneration device according to
operation signals from the indoor unit.
16. A method for controlling a cogeneration system, comprising:
applying power to an indoor unit of an air conditioner and a
controller of a cogeneration device from outside; transmitting
operation signals from the indoor unit of the air conditioner to
the controller of the cogeneration device; if the signal
transmitted in the transmitting of operation signals is an ON
signal, operating the cogeneration device by the controller of the
cogeneration device; and operating the cogeneration device to
supply produced electricity to an outdoor unit of the air
conditioner.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein if the operation signals
outputted in the transmitting of operation signals are OFF signals,
the cogeneration device controller stops the cogeneration
device.
18. The method of claim 16, wherein if the operation signals
outputted in the transmitting of operation signals are OFF signals,
and the OFF signals are maintained for a predetermined time, the
operation of the cogeneration device is stopped.
19. The method of claim 16, wherein if the operation signals
outputted in the transmitting of operation signals are OFF signals,
the power supply from the cogeneration device to the outdoor unit
is cut off.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein once the power supply of the
cogeneration device is cut off, the driving source of the
cogeneration device is stopped.
Description
[0001] The present disclosure relates to subject mater contained in
priority Korean Application No. 10-2005-0061798, filed on Jul. 8,
2005, which is herein expressly incorporated by reference in its
entirety.
BACKGROUND CF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a cogeneration system, and
more particularly to, a cogeneration system, which operates an
engine and a generator according to operation signals from an air
conditioner, and which uses electricity produced by the generator
and waste heat recovered by the engine for the air conditioner,
thereby improving the efficiency of the system, and a method for
controlling the same.
[0004] 2. Description of the Background Art
[0005] In general, a cogeneration system is a system that can
produce both electricity and heat from a single energy source. The
electricity produced by the cogeneration system is supplied for use
to electrical household appliances, such as various kinds of
household lighting equipment, heat pump type air conditioners, and
so on, and the heat source produced by the cogeneration system is
used for hot water supply, warm water or the like.
[0006] FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing a
cogeneration system in accordance with the prior art.
[0007] The cogeneration system in accordance with the prior art
includes, as shown in FIG. 1, a generator 1 for producing
electricity, an engine 4 for driving the generator 1, an air
conditioner 6 driven by the electricity produced by the generator
2, waste heat recovery equipment 8 for recovering waste heat
generated by the engine 4, and a heat demanding site 10, such as a
heat storage tank, where waste heat is used.
[0008] The generator 2 and the air conditioner 6 are connected to a
power line for supplying electricity.
[0009] In the cogeneration system thus constructed, when the engine
4 is operated, the generator 2 produces electricity by the driving
force of the engine 4.
[0010] The electricity produced by the generator 2 is supplied to
the air conditioner 6 via the power line 12, to thus operate the
air conditioner 6.
[0011] The waste heat generated by the engine 4 is recovered by the
waste heat recovery equipment 8, and used in the heat demanding
site 10.
[0012] When the engine 4 is stopped, the generator 2 is also
stopped, to thus stop the power supply to the air conditioner 6
from the generator 2.
[0013] However, the cogeneration system in accordance with the
prior art has a problem in that only the electricity produced by
the generator 2 is supplied to the air conditioner 6, and the waste
heat recovered by the engine 4 is only utilized for hot water
supply, warm water, or the like in the heat demanding site, so that
it is impossible to maximize the efficiency of the system.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0014] The present invention has been made in an effort to solve
the above prior art problem, and provide a cogeneration system,
which can improve the efficiency of the system by supplying waste
heat recovered from a driving source to a compressor suction side
of an air conditioner, and which can remotely control the
operations of an engine and a generator according to an operating
state of the air conditioner, and a method for controlling the
same.
[0015] To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with
the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly
described herein, there is provided a cogeneration system,
including: a cogeneration device for supplying at least one of
electricity and heat to an air conditioner; and a cogeneration
device controller for controlling the operation of the cogeneration
device according to operation signals from the air conditioner.
[0016] The cogeneration device controller is supplied with
electricity from an external power source,
[0017] The cogeneration system further includes an air conditioner
controller supplied with electricity from an en external power
source, for controlling the air conditioner.
[0018] The air conditioner includes an indoor unit supplied with
electricity from an external power source and an outdoor unit
supplied with electricity from the generator, and the cogeneration
device controller controls the operation of the cogeneration device
according to operation signals from the indoor unit.
[0019] The air conditioner includes an indoor unit supplied with
electricity from an external power source, an outdoor unit supplied
with electricity from the generator, and a remote control for
wirelessly operating the indoor unit, and the cogeneration device
controller controls the operation of the cogeneration device
according to operation signals from the indoor unit.
[0020] The cogeneration device includes a generator for generating
electricity and a driving source for driving the generator and
generating heat.
[0021] The cogeneration device controller controls the driving of
the driving source according to the operation signals from the air
conditioner.
[0022] The cogeneration device controller controls the power supply
to the air conditioner from the generator according to the
operation signals from the air conditioner.
[0023] The cogeneration system further includes a waste heat
recovery unit for supplying waste heat recovered from the driving
source to the air conditioner.
[0024] The air conditioner and the cogeneration device controller
perform data communication by the RS-485 communication
protocol.
[0025] The cogeneration system further includes a monitoring device
connected to the cogeneration device controller, for monitoring the
operations of the cogeneration device and the air conditioner.
[0026] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention,
there is provided a method for controlling a cogeneration system,
including: applying power to an indoor unit of an air conditioner
and a controller of a cogeneration device from outside;
transmitting operation signals from the indoor unit of the air
conditioner to the controller of the cogeneration device; if the
signal transmitted in the transmitting of operation signals is an
ON signal, operating the cogeneration device by the controller of
the cogeneration device; and operating the cogeneration device to
supply produced electricity to an outdoor unit of the air
conditioner.
[0027] If the operation signals outputted in the transmitting of an
operation signal are OFF signals, the cogeneration device
controller stops the cogeneration device.
[0028] If the operation signals outputted in the transmitting of
operation signals are OFF signals, and the OFF signals are
maintained for a predetermined time, the operation of the
cogeneration device is stopped.
[0029] If the operation signals outputted in the transmitting of
operation is signals are OFF signals, the power supply from the
cogeneration device to the outdoor unit is cut off, and thereafter,
the driving source of the cogeneration device is stopped.
[0030] The cogeneration system and the method for controlling the
same in accordance with the invention have an advantage that it is
easy to operate the cogeneration device because the operation of
the cogeneration device can be controlled according to operation
signals of the air conditioner, and have an effect that it is
possible to make the best use of the generated electricity of the
cogeneration device through an interconnection between the air
conditioner and the cogeneration device.
[0031] Additionally, the air conditioner controller and the
cogeneration device controller are supplied with electricity from
an external power source, and the compressor, fan, etc. of the air
conditioner are supplied with electricity from the generator, so
that it is possible to properly use the generated electricity of
the cogeneration system and the external power source, thereby
maximizing the utilization of the generated electricity of the
cogeneration device and minimizing the utilization factor of the
external power source by
[0032] Additionally, the suction side of the compressor is
pre-heated using waste heat recovered b the engine of the
cogeneration device, so that the efficiency of the compressor is
improved, to thus reduce unnecessary waiting time when driving the
cogeneration device.
[0033] Additionally, if the operation signals outputted to the
cogeneration device controller from a plurality of remote controls
are all OFF signals, and the OFF signals are maintained for a
predetermined time, the operation of the cogeneration device is
stopped, thereby preventing a malfunction thereof.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0034] In the drawings:
[0035] FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing a
cogeneration system in accordance with the prior art;
[0036] FIG. 2 is a block diagram schematically showing a
cogeneration system in accordance with the present invention;
and
[0037] FIG. 3 is a sequential chart showing a method for
controlling a cogeneration system in accordance with the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0038] Hereinafter, an exemplary embodiment of a cogeneration
system and a method for controlling the same in accordance with the
invention will be described with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
[0039] There may be a plurality of exemplary embodiments of the
cogeneration system and the method for controlling the same in
accordance with the invention, but the most preferred embodiment
will be described hereinafter.
[0040] FIG. 2 is a block diagram schematically showing a
cogeneration system in accordance with the present invention.
[0041] The cogeneration system in accordance with the invention,
includes, as shown in FIG. 2, an air conditioner 50, a cogeneration
device 60 for supplying electricity and heat to the air conditioner
50, and a controller 70 for controlling the operation of the
cogeneration device 60 according to operation signals from the air
conditioner 50.
[0042] A description of the air conditioner 50 will be made with
respect to a heat pump type air conditioner.
[0043] The air conditioner 50 includes a plurality of indoor units
51 installed indoors and supplied with electricity from an external
power source 80, a plurality of outdoor units 52 installed outdoors
and supplied with electricity from the cogeneration device 60, and
a plurality of remote controls for wirelessly operating the
plurality of indoor units 51, respectively.
[0044] Here, the external power source 80 is a commercial power
source that is supplied from an electric power company.
[0045] The air conditioner further includes a controller (not
shown) supplied with electricity from the external power source 80,
for controlling the operations of the indoor units 51 and the
outdoor units 52. The air conditioner controller (not shown) is
installed in each of the indoor units 51 and outdoor units 52.
[0046] Therefore, the plurality of indoor units 51 and outdoor
units 52 are connected in parallel to the external power source 80
by a first power line 81.
[0047] The plurality of indoor units 51 and outdoor units 52 are
connected in parallel by a first communication line 91 so as to
perform data communication by the RS-485 communication
protocol.
[0048] The cogeneration device 60 includes a generator 61 for
generating electricity, a driving source for driving the generator
61 and generating heat, and a waste heat recovery unit (not shown)
for recovering waste heat generated from the driving source and
supplying the waste heat to the suction side of a compressor (not
shown) in the outdoor units 52.
[0049] An engine 62, a fuel cell, or the like is used as the
driving force, and thus a description thereof will be made with
respect to the engine 62.
[0050] The cogeneration device 60 is connected to the outdoor units
52 by a second power line 82 so as to supply the electricity
produced by the generator 61 to the outdoor units 52.
[0051] The cogeneration device controller 70 is connected to the
external power source 80 by the first power line 81 so as to be
supplied with electricity from the external power source 80.
[0052] The cogeneration device controller 70 controls the operation
of the cogeneration device 60 according to operation signals from
the air conditioner 50, and thus will be described with respect to
a case in which the cogeneration device 70 is constructed so as to
control the operation of the cogeneration device 60 by operation
signals inputted from the remote controls 53.
[0053] The cogeneration device controller 70 and the outdoor units
52 are connected by a second communication line 92 so as to perform
data communication by the RS-485 communication protocol, while the
cogeneration device controller 70, the generator 61, and the engine
62 are connected by a third communication line 93 so as to perform
data communication by the RS-232 communication protocol.
[0054] Additionally, the cogeneration system further includes a
monitoring device connected to the cogeneration device controller
70 by a fourth communication line 94, for monitoring the operations
of the cogeneration device 60 and the air conditioner 50.
[0055] The method for controlling the thus-constructed cogeneration
system in accordance with the invention will now be described.
[0056] FIG. 3 is a sequential chart showing a method for
controlling a cogeneration system in accordance with the present
invention.
[0057] In the method for controlling the cogeneration system in
accordance with the invention, as shown in FIG. 3, in a first step,
power is applied from the external power source to the air
conditioner controller and a cogeneration device controller.
[0058] In a second step, if a user operates the remote controls,
the remote controls output operation signals of the indoor
units.
[0059] Here, if the user operates the remote controls in order to
turn on the indoor units, the remote controls output ON signals to
the air conditioner controller.
[0060] The ON signal outputted from the remote controls is also
received by the cogeneration device controller by RS-485
communication.
[0061] In a third step, the cogeneration device controller operates
the cogeneration device according to the ON signals outputted from
the remote controls.
[0062] That is, the cogeneration device controller operates the
engine, and the generator is driven by the engine.
[0063] In a fourth step, the electricity produced by the generator
is supplied to the outdoor units.
[0064] That is, the electricity produced by the generator is
supplied to loads with relatively high power consumption, such as a
compressor, a fan, a pump, etc. in the indoor units.
[0065] Accordingly, it is possible to make the best use of the
electricity from the generator, and minimize the use of the
external power source.
[0066] Furthermore, the compressor of the indoor units is
pre-heated using waste heat of the cooling water that has cooled
down the engine and waste heat of the exhaust gas exhausted from
the engine, so that the efficiency of the compressor and the
utilization efficiency of waste heat can be increased.
[0067] Meanwhile, in the second step, if the operation signals
outputted from the plurality of remote controls to the cogeneration
device are all OFF signals, and the OFF signals are maintained for
a predetermined time, this is recognized as an operation stopped
state of the indoor units.
[0068] Therefore, the cogeneration device controller stops the
engine after cutting off the supply of the electricity produced by
the generator to the outdoor units.
[0069] Although the cogeneration system and the method for
controlling the same in accordance with the invention have been
described with reference to the illustrated drawings, the present
invention is not limited to the embodiments and drawings disclosed
in this specification, and can be applied within the scope of the
technical concept of the present invention.
[0070] The cogeneration system and the method for controlling the
same in accordance with the invention have an advantage that it is
easy to operate the cogeneration device because the operation of
the cogeneration device can be controlled according to operation
signals of the air conditioner, and have an effect that it is
possible to make the best use of the generated electricity of the
cogeneration device through an interconnection between the air
conditioner and the cogeneration device.
[0071] Additionally, the air conditioner controller and the
cogeneration device controller are supplied with electricity from
an external power source, and the compressor, fan, etc. of the air
conditioner are supplied with electricity from the generator, so
that it is possible to properly use the generated electricity of
the cogeneration system and the external power source, thereby
maximizing the utilization of the generated electricity of the
cogeneration device and minimizing the utilization factor of the
external power source by
[0072] Additionally, the suction side of the compressor is
pre-heated using waste heat recovered b the engine of the
cogeneration device, so that the efficiency of the compressor is
improved, to thus reduce unnecessary waiting time when driving the
cogeneration device.
[0073] Additionally, if the operation signals outputted to the
cogeneration device controller from a plurality of remote controls
are all OFF signals, and the OFF signals are maintained for a
predetermined time, the operation of the cogeneration device is
stopped, thereby preventing a malfunction thereof.
* * * * *