U.S. patent application number 11/462501 was filed with the patent office on 2007-02-15 for driving controlling apparatus for air conditioner having plural compressors and method thereof.
This patent application is currently assigned to LG ELECTRONICS INC.. Invention is credited to Ji-Young JANG, Se-Yoon OH, Jae-Hoon SIM, Chan-Ho SONG.
Application Number | 20070033958 11/462501 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37721493 |
Filed Date | 2007-02-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070033958 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
JANG; Ji-Young ; et
al. |
February 15, 2007 |
DRIVING CONTROLLING APPARATUS FOR AIR CONDITIONER HAVING PLURAL
COMPRESSORS AND METHOD THEREOF
Abstract
A driving controlling apparatus for an air conditioner having a
plurality of compressors, and a method thereof. The apparatus
comprises a flow amount distribution resistor installed at an
outlet of an expansion valve, for passing a certain amount of
refrigerant; and a controlling unit for detecting a current load
and outputting a control signal so as to introduce a certain amount
of refrigerant into the flow amount distribution resistor based on
a driving mode corresponding to the detected load.
Inventors: |
JANG; Ji-Young; (Seongnam,
KR) ; SONG; Chan-Ho; (Goyang, KR) ; SIM;
Jae-Hoon; (Seoul, KR) ; OH; Se-Yoon; (Seoul,
KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
GREENBLUM & BERNSTEIN, P.L.C.
1950 ROLAND CLARKE PLACE
RESTON
VA
20191
US
|
Assignee: |
LG ELECTRONICS INC.
20, Yoido-Dong, Yongdungpo-Gu,
Seoul
KR
|
Family ID: |
37721493 |
Appl. No.: |
11/462501 |
Filed: |
August 4, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
62/228.5 ;
62/149 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F25B 2400/19 20130101;
F25B 49/02 20130101; F25B 2600/2523 20130101; F25B 2400/05
20130101; F25B 2400/0751 20130101; F25B 2600/021 20130101; Y02B
30/70 20130101; F25B 2400/16 20130101; F25B 2600/2501 20130101;
F25B 2400/0409 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
062/228.5 ;
062/149 |
International
Class: |
F25B 49/00 20060101
F25B049/00; F25B 45/00 20060101 F25B045/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 10, 2005 |
KR |
10-2005-0073494 |
Claims
1. A driving controlling apparatus for an air conditioner having a
plurality of compressors, comprising: a refrigerant accumulating
unit for accumulating a certain amount of refrigerant; and a
controlling unit for selecting a driving mode based on a current
driving load, and controlling the refrigerant accumulating unit
based on the selected driving mode.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the refrigerant accumulating
unit is installed at one of double flow paths between a condensing
unit and an expansion valve.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a switching unit
installed between a condensing unit and an expansion valve, for
switching a refrigerant flow on double flow paths that connect the
condensing unit and the expansion valve to each other.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the compressor is driven in a
maximum capacity driving mode, the controlling unit introduces a
refrigerant discharged from the condensing unit into the expansion
valve.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the compressor is driven in a
minimum capacity driving mode, the controlling unit introduces a
refrigerant discharged from the condensing unit into the expansion
valve via a flow path where the refrigerant accumulating unit is
installed.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controlling unit detects
an indoor temperature, and compares the detected indoor temperature
with a user's preset temperature thereby to detect a current
load.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controlling unit detects
an outdoor temperature, and compares the detected outdoor
temperature with a reference temperature thereby to detect a
current load.
8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein when the compressors are
driven in a minimum capacity driving mode, the refrigerant
accumulating unit is set to have a size enough to accumulate an
optimum refrigerant.
9. A driving controlling apparatus for an air conditioner having a
plurality of compressors, comprising: a switching unit installed
between a condensing unit and an expansion valve, for switching a
refrigerant flow on double flow paths that connect the condensing
unit to the expansion valve by a controlling signal; a refrigerant
accumulating unit installed between the condensing unit and the
expansion valve, for accumulating a certain amount of refrigerant;
and a controlling unit for selecting a driving mode based on a
current driving load, and controlling the switching unit based on
the selected driving mode.
10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the refrigerant accumulating
unit is installed at one of double flow paths between the
condensing unit and the expansion valve.
11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the compressor is driven in a
maximum capacity driving mode, the controlling unit introduces a
refrigerant discharged from the condensing unit into the expansion
valve.
12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the compressor is driven in a
minimum capacity driving mode, the controlling unit introduces a
refrigerant discharged from the condensing unit into the expansion
valve via a flow path where the refrigerant accumulating unit is
installed.
13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the controlling unit detects
an indoor temperature, and compares the detected indoor temperature
with a user's preset temperature thereby to detect a driving
load.
14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the controlling unit detects
an outdoor temperature, and compares the detected outdoor
temperature with a reference temperature thereby to detect a
current load.
15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein when the compressors are
driven in a minimum capacity driving mode, the refrigerant
accumulating unit is set to have a size enough to accumulate an
optimum refrigerant.
16. A driving controlling method for an air conditioner having a
plurality of compressors, comprising: detecting a current driving
load, and selecting a driving mode based on the detected driving
load; analyzing the driving mode, and controlling a refrigerant
circulation amount based on the analyzed result.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of selecting a
compressor driving mode comprises: detecting an indoor temperature;
and comparing the detected indoor temperature with a user's preset
temperature thereby detecting a current load.
18. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of selecting a
compressor driving mode comprises: detecting an outdoor
temperature; and comparing the detected outdoor temperature with a
reference temperature thereby detecting a current load.
19. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of controlling a
refrigerant circulation amount comprises introducing a refrigerant
discharged from a condensing unit into an expansion valve when the
compressors are driven in a maximum capacity driving mode.
20. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of controlling a
refrigerant circulation amount comprises: when the compressors are
driven in a minimum capacity driving mode, partially accumulating a
refrigerant discharged from the condensing unit in a refrigerant
accumulating unit, and then introducing the rest refrigerant having
not accumulated in the refrigerant accumulating unit into the
expansion valve.
21. A driving controlling method for an air conditioner having a
plurality of compressors, comprising: detecting a current driving
load, and selecting a driving mode based on the detected driving
load; analyzing the driving mode; when the driving mode is a
maximum capacity driving mode, introducing a refrigerant discharged
from a condensing unit into an expansion valve; and when the
driving mode is a minimum capacity driving mode, partially
accumulating a refrigerant discharged from the condensing unit in a
refrigerant accumulating unit, and then introducing the rest
refrigerant having not accumulated in the refrigerant accumulating
unit into the expansion valve.
Description
RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] The present disclosure relates to subject matter contained
in priority Korean Application No. 10-2005-0073494, filed on Aug.
10, 2005, which is herein expressly incorporated by reference in
its entirely.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a driving controlling
apparatus for an air conditioner having a plurality of compressors,
and a method thereof, and more particularly, to a driving
controlling apparatus for an air conditioner having a plurality of
compressors capable of preventing decrease of a driving efficiency
due to increase of consumption power by controlling an amount of a
refrigerant discharged from a condenser according to a compressor
driving capacity, and a method thereof.
[0004] 2. Description of the Background Art
[0005] Generally, an air conditioner serves to lower an indoor
temperature by using a refrigerating cycle of a refrigerant
compressed into a high temperature and a high pressure by a
compressor.
[0006] When the air conditioner is provided two compressors, the
two compressors are selectively driven according to a refrigerating
load.
[0007] FIG. 1 is a view showing a construction of an air
conditioner having two compressors in accordance with the related
art.
[0008] As shown, the related art air conditioner comprises a first
compressor 10 and a second compressor 20 selectively operated for
varying a compression amount of a refrigerant; a condenser 1 for
condensing a refrigerant compressed by the first compressor 10 and
the second compressor 20; an expansion valve 2 for expanding a
refrigerant condensed by the condenser 1; and an evaporator 3 for
heat-exchanging a refrigerant expanded by the expansion valve 2
with indoor air.
[0009] It is assumed that the first compressor 10 is an
inverter-type small capacity compressor and the second compressor
20 is a constant-speed type large capacity compressor.
[0010] Suction pipes 11 and 21 of the first compressor 10 and the
second compressor 20 are connected to hoses 31 and 32 diverged from
a suction hose 30, respectively. Also, discharge pipes 12 and 22 of
the first compressor 10 and the second compressor 20 are connected
to hoses 41 and 42 diverged from a discharge hose 40,
respectively.
[0011] Suction valves 33 and 34 and the discharge valves 43 and 44
selectively opened and closed by manually or by a controlling unit
(not shown) such as a microcomputer are connected to the diverged
hoses 31, 32, 41, and 42, respectively.
[0012] The air conditioner having two compressors performs a
refrigerating operation by selectively driving the first compressor
10 and the second compressor 20 according to a refrigerating
load.
[0013] More concretely, when the refrigerating load is small, only
the first compressor 10 is driven. When the refrigerating load is
medium, only the second compressor 20 is driven. On the contrary,
when the refrigerating load is large, both the first compressor 10
and the second compressor 20 are operated thereby to vary a
compression amount of a refrigerant required for a cooling
operation.
[0014] When a refrigerant is compressed by the first compressor 10
or the second compressor 20 so as to perform a refrigerating cycle,
lubricant inside the first compressor 10 and the second compressor
20 is mixed with the refrigerant thus to be discharged. The
discharged lubricant performs a refrigerating cycle, and then is
re-sucked into the first compressor 10 and the second compressor 20
via an accumulator (not shown).
[0015] Herein, a refrigerant amount to be introduced into the
compressor is set in correspondence with a compressor having a
capacity of 100% for a constant cooling capability.
[0016] However, when the system is driven in a minimum capacity
driving mode (driving of only one compressor), the refrigerant
amount to be introduced into a compressor having a capacity of 100%
increases a consumption power due to an excessive refrigerant
amount thereby to lower a driving efficiency.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0017] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide
a driving controlling apparatus for an air conditioner having a
plurality of compressors capable of preventing increase of
consumption power and decrease of a driving efficiency due to an
excessive refrigerant by controlling an amount of a refrigerant
discharged from a condenser according to a compressor driving
capacity, and a method thereof.
[0018] 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 driving controlling apparatus
for an air conditioner having a plurality of compressors,
comprising: a refrigerant accumulating unit for accumulating a
certain amount of refrigerant; and a controlling unit for selecting
a driving mode based on a current driving load, and controlling the
refrigerant accumulating unit based on the selected driving
mode.
[0019] According to another aspect of the present invention, there
is provided a driving controlling apparatus for an air conditioner
having a plurality of compressors, comprising: a switching unit
installed between a condensing unit and an expansion valve, for
switching a refrigerant flow on double flow paths that connect the
condensing unit to the expansion valve by a controlling signal; a
refrigerant accumulating unit installed between the condensing unit
and the expansion valve, for accumulating a certain amount of
refrigerant; and a controlling unit for selecting a driving mode
based on a current driving load, and controlling the switching unit
based on the selected driving mode.
[0020] To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with
the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly
described herein, there is also provided a driving controlling
method for an air conditioner having a plurality of compressors,
comprising: detecting a current driving load, and selecting a
driving mode based on the detected driving load; analyzing the
driving mode, and controlling a refrigerant circulation amount
based on the analyzed result
[0021] According to another aspect of the present invention, there
is provided a driving controlling method for an air conditioner
having a plurality of compressors, comprising: detecting a current
driving load, and selecting a driving mode based on the detected
driving load; analyzing the driving mode; when the driving mode is
a maximum capacity driving mode, introducing a refrigerant
discharged from a condensing unit into an expansion valve; and when
the driving mode is a minimum capacity driving mode, partially
accumulating a refrigerant discharged from the condensing unit in a
refrigerant accumulating unit, and then introducing the rest
refrigerant having not accumulated in the refrigerant accumulating
unit into the expansion valve.
[0022] The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and
advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from
the following detailed description of the present invention when
taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a
further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and
constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of
the invention and together with the description serve to explain
the principles of the invention.
[0024] In the drawings:
[0025] FIG. 1 is a view showing a construction of an air
conditioner having two compressors in accordance with the related
art;
[0026] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a driving controlling
apparatus for an air conditioner having a plurality of compressors
according to the present invention; and
[0027] FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a driving controlling method
for an air conditioner having a plurality of compressors according
to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0028] Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred
embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
[0029] Hereinafter, will be explained a driving controlling
apparatus for an air conditioner having a plurality of compressors
capable of preventing decrease of a driving efficiency due to
increase of consumption power by controlling an amount of a
refrigerant discharged from a condenser according to a compressor
driving capacity, and a method thereof.
[0030] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a driving controlling
apparatus for an air conditioner having a plurality of compressors
according to the present invention.
[0031] As shown, the driving controlling apparatus for an air
conditioner having a plurality of compressors according to the
present invention, comprises a switching unit 100 a refrigerant
accumulating unit 200, and a controlling unit 300.
[0032] The switching unit 100 is installed at an outlet of a
condensing unit and is switched by a controlling signal, thereby
controlling a flow of a refrigerant discharged from the condensing
unit.
[0033] More concretely, the switching unit 100 is installed between
a condensing unit and an expansion valve, and selects one of double
flow paths on which a refrigerant discharged from the condensing
unit is to flow.
[0034] As the switching unit 100, a three-way valve or an ON/OFF
valve installed at each flow path is used.
[0035] The refrigerant accumulating unit 200 accumulates a certain
amount of refrigerant introduced into the system through the
switching unit 100, thereby decreasing an amount of a refrigerant
flowing on the system.
[0036] More concretely, when the compressors are driven in a
minimum capacity driving mode, the refrigerant accumulating unit
200 accumulates a refrigerant excessively introduced into the
system thereby to circulate only a required amount of refrigerant
to a refrigerating cycle.
[0037] The controlling unit 300 detects a current load, selects a
driving mode based on the detected load, and outputs a control
signal for controlling the switching unit 100 based on the selected
driving mode.
[0038] Herein, the controlling unit 300 detects an indoor
temperature, and compares the detected indoor temperature with a
user's preset temperature thereby to detect a current load.
Otherwise, the controlling unit 300 detects an outdoor temperature,
and compares the detected outdoor temperature with a reference
temperature thereby to detect a current load.
[0039] When the compressors are driven in a maximum capacity
driving mode, the controlling unit 300 switches the switching unit
100 so as to shield a refrigerant flow to the refrigerant
accumulating unit 200, and introduces a refrigerant discharged from
the condensing unit into the expansion valve.
[0040] On the contrary, when the compressors are driven in a
minimum capacity driving mode, the controlling unit 300 switches
the switching unit 100 thereby to partially accumulate a
refrigerant discharged from the condensing unit in the refrigerant
accumulating unit 200 and to introduce the rest refrigerant having
not accumulated in the refrigerant accumulating unit 200 into the
expansion valve.
[0041] The operation will be explained with reference to FIG.
3.
[0042] First, the controlling unit 300 detects a current driving
load (SP1), and selects a compressor driving capacity based on the
detected driving load.
[0043] More concretely, when a current driving load is judged to be
an over-load, a maximum capacity driving mode is selected. On the
contrary, when a current driving load is judged to be a low load, a
minimum capacity driving mode is selected.
[0044] For instance, when the compressors are driven in a maximum
capacity driving mode, two compressors are simultaneously driven.
On the contrary, when the compressors are driven in a minimum
capacity driving mode, only one compressor, mainly one compressor
having a smaller capacity is driven.
[0045] Then, the controlling unit 300 controls the switching unit
100 so that an amount of a refrigerant discharged from the
condensing unit can be controlled according to the selected driving
mode (SP3), thereby controlling a refrigerant circulation amount
(SP4).
[0046] More concretely, when the compressors are driven in a
maximum capacity driving mode, the controlling unit 300 switches
the switching unit 100 so as to shield a refrigerant flow to the
refrigerant accumulating unit 200, and introduces a refrigerant
discharged from the condensing unit into the expansion valve.
[0047] On the contrary, when the compressors are driven in a
minimum capacity driving mode, the controlling unit 300 switches
the switching unit 100 thereby to partially accumulate a
refrigerant discharged from the condensing unit in the refrigerant
accumulating unit 200 and to introduce the rest refrigerant having
not accumulated in the refrigerant accumulating unit 200 into the
expansion valve.
[0048] As aforementioned, in the driving controlling apparatus for
an air conditioner having a plurality of compressors according to
the present invention, double flow paths having the refrigerant
accumulating unit are provided at the outlet of the condensing
unit. Accordingly, an amount of a refrigerant discharged from the
condensing unit is controlled according to a compressor driving
capacity, thereby preventing decrease of a driving efficiency and
increase of consumption power due to an excessive refrigerant.
[0049] As the present invention may be embodied in several forms
without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics
thereof, it should also be understood that the above-described
embodiments are not limited by any of the details of the foregoing
description, unless otherwise specified, but rather should be
construed broadly within its spirit and scope as defined in the
appended claims, and therefore all changes and modifications that
fall within the metes and bounds of the claims, or equivalents of
such metes and bounds are therefore intended to be embraced by the
appended claims.
* * * * *