JP3448357B2 - Drain water treatment device for air conditioner - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a drain water treatment device for an air conditioner that discharges drain water collected in a drain pan by a drain pump. 2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a refrigeration cycle including a compressor, a condenser, a decompressor, and an evaporator is provided. Drain water generated by the evaporator is stored in a drain pan, and air is discharged by a drain pump. Drain water treatment devices for conditioners are known. In this type, since drain water is generated during cooling operation, a drain pump is generally operated in conjunction with a cooling operation switch. Further, a water level detection sensor is provided so that drain water does not overflow from the drain pan, and when this sensor operates, immediately the operation of the drain pump and the compressor is forcibly stopped. (For example, see Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 4-42647). [0005] However, the amount of drain water generated differs depending on the absolute humidity and evaporation temperature in the room, the air flow of the indoor fan, and the like. When the amount of drain water generated is small,
It is not economical if the drain pump is always operated in conjunction with the compressor, and if the drain pump is operated under a light load condition, there is a problem that drain water guided into the drain pump is difficult to be discharged. . If the drain water becomes difficult to discharge as described above, the drain water is stirred in the drain pump, and thus there is a problem that noise is generated from the drain pump. In recent air conditioners, noise from blowers and refrigerant pipes is generally reduced, so that the noise generated from such a drain pump is annoying. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and to efficiently operate a drain pump to minimize the generation of noise, etc. It is to provide a water treatment device. [0008] In order to achieve the above object, a first aspect of the present invention provides a refrigeration cycle including a compressor, a condenser, a decompressor, and an evaporator. In a drain water treatment device of an air conditioner for collecting drain water collected in a drain pan and discharging the drain water by a drain pump, a water level detection sensor for detecting that the level of the drain water in the drain pan has reached a predetermined level is provided. When the detection sensor detects the predetermined water level, the operation of the drain pump is started on condition that the operation is stopped after the first time elapses.
When the position is detected, the drain pump is restarted for the third time.
The first time from the start of operation of the drain pump.
After a second period of time, the water level detection sensor
When the position is detected, whether the first time has elapsed or not is determined.
Operation of the drain pump and the compressor
Is provided with control means for stopping the motor. According to the first aspect of the present invention, the operation of the drain pump is started after a predetermined level of the drain water is detected, and the operation time of the drain pump is the first time (t) Since only ₁ ), the drain pump is not continuously operated until the load of the drain pump becomes light.
According to this, since the operation is not performed with a light load, the drain water is not stirred in the drain pump, and the noise generated from the drain pump can be suppressed. When the drain pump is operated, it is when the drain water is sufficient. According to this, the drain pump can be operated most efficiently. Further, even if the drain pump is not normally discharged due to an abnormality in the drain pump, for example,
After the elapse of the time (t ₂ ), the water level is detected again. If there is an abnormality in the water level at that time, the drain pump is stopped immediately and the compressor is stopped, so that the drain water overflows from the drain pan. Never
Drain water can be drained reliably. Further, even when the amount of drain water generated is so large that the drain water cannot be sufficiently discharged only in the first time (t 1), the drain water is discharged over the third time (t 3 ). Good drainage is possible. FIG. 1 shows an indoor unit 1 of a built-in type air conditioner arranged behind a ceiling. The indoor unit 1 includes a blower 2 and an indoor heat exchanger (evaporator:
Hereinafter, it is referred to as “evaporator”. 3), a drain pan 4, a drain pump 5, a water level detection sensor 6, and the like. The evaporator 3 is connected to the compressor 8, the condenser 9, and the decompressor 10 of the outdoor unit 7 via a refrigerant pipe as shown by a chain line. Reference numeral 11 denotes a discharge port, which is provided with a cylindrical flange member 12 for attaching a duct (not shown) connected to the room. Reference numeral 13 denotes a suction port, and 14 denotes a panel arranged along the ceiling surface 15, and a suction grill 16 connected to the suction port 13 is provided. The room air flows as indicated by the solid arrow by the operation of the blower 2, is cooled by the evaporator 3, and is discharged from the discharge port 11. At this time, the drain water generated by the evaporator 3 is stored in the drain pan 4. The drain pump 5 includes a motor 17 and a main body 18. A suction port 19 is provided at a lower end of the main body 18, and a drain pipe 20 is provided on a side surface thereof. The drainage pipe 20 once extends upward as shown by the dotted line and is then drawn out substantially horizontally, penetrates the wall of the housing 100 and is connected to the drain water discharge port 101. The water level detection sensor 6 has a float 21 that rises according to a change in the water level.
And a support cylinder 22 for supporting the float 21. Reference numeral 23 denotes a controller, which receives a signal from the water level detection sensor 6 and controls the operation of the drain pump 5 (motor 17) and the compressor 8 according to the flowchart shown in FIG. Here, the internal structure of the drain pump 5 is as shown in FIG. 2, and the main body 18 has an upper lid 24, a casing 26 fixed to a lower portion of the upper lid 24 with a screw 25,
Rotating blade 2 for pumping stored in this casing 26
7 is comprised. Reference numeral 28 denotes a rotating shaft of the motor 17 to which the rotating blade 27 is attached. By rotating the rotary blade 27 of the drain pump 5 having such a configuration,
Due to the centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the rotary blade 27, the drain water attached to the rotary blade 27 rises along the inner wall of the casing 26 and is discharged through the drain pipe 20. Inside the support cylinder 22 of the water level detection sensor 6, a float 21 is provided with a predetermined height (A) by drain water.
The contact which is activated when it is pushed up to the point (2) is stored.
3 to control the operation of the drain pump 5 and the compressor 8. The control will be described with reference to FIG. First, the compressor 8 is operated to start cooling (step S ₁ ). At this time, the operation of the drain pump 5 is stopped. The drain water generated in the evaporator 3 by this cooling is stored in the drain pan 4. Next, the water level is detected by the water level detection sensor 6. If the water level exceeds point A (see FIG. 2), that is, a predetermined water level set in advance, the float switch is activated (step S ₂ ), and the operation is stopped after the _first time (t ₁ ) has elapsed. on condition that is, the operation of the drain pump 5 is started (step S _3). Here, during the first time (t ₁ ), if the drain pump 5 operates normally and drain water is discharged smoothly, the drain water reaches the point B (see FIG. 2), that is, the height of the water suction port 19 of the drain pump 5. It is set to a time that can be anticipated when the water level drops. As a next step, after a lapse of a _second time (t ₂ ) shorter than the first time (t ₁ ) from the start of operation of the drain pump 5, the water level is detected again (steps S _{4 to} S). ₅ ). When a predetermined water level (point A) is detected in this step, the float switch operates (step S ₅ ), and it is determined that the drain water has not been discharged smoothly. Therefore, regardless of the lapse of the first time (t _1), forcibly stops the operation i.e. operation of the air conditioner of the drain pump 6 and the compressor 8 (Step S _6). When the predetermined water level (point A) is not detected, since the drain water is being discharged smoothly, the operation of the drain pump 6 is continued and the first time (t ₁ ) elapses as scheduled. stops the operation of the drain pump 6 (step S ₇ ~S _8). At this time, the compressor 8 has been operated. In short, according to this embodiment, the operation of the drain pump 5 is started after a predetermined water level (point A) is detected, and the drain water is smoothly discharged during the operation time of the drain pump 5. For example, only the time (t ₁ ) at which point B (see FIG. 2), that is, the level of the drain water drops to the height of the water suction port 19 of the drain pump 5 can be anticipated, the load on the drain pump 5 becomes light. Sometimes drain pump 5
Will not be operated continuously. According to this, since the operation is not performed at a light load, the drain water is not stirred in the drain pump, and the noise generated from the drain pump can be suppressed. The drain pump 5 is operated when the water level of the drain water is in the range from the point A to the point B (see FIG. 2).
Can be driven. Further, even if a situation occurs in which the drain pump 5 is abnormal and drain water is not discharged properly, the water level is detected again after the lapse of the _second time (t ₂ ). If the water level is abnormal (point A), the drain pump 5 is stopped immediately and the compressor 8 is stopped, so that the drain water does not overflow from the drain pan, and the drain water can be reliably drained. . Although the present invention has been described based on one embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as another embodiment, it is detected again whether the drain water in the drain pan 4 has reached a predetermined water level between steps S _{7 and} S _{8 in} FIG. When the water level detection sensor detects a predetermined water level after the lapse of time, the drain pump 5 is further stopped for a _third time (t ₃ ).
May be driven. The third time (t ₃ ) may be as long as the first time (t ₁ ). According to this, when the amount of generated drain water is so large that the drain water cannot be sufficiently discharged only in the first time (t ₁ ),
Efficient wastewater treatment is performed. According to the first invention, the operation of the drain pump is started after a predetermined level of the drain water is detected, and the operation time of the drain pump is the first time (t _1). ), The drain pump is not continuously operated until the load on the drain pump becomes light. Therefore, since the operation is not performed with a light load, the drain water is not stirred in the drain pump, and the noise generated from the drain pump can be suppressed. Further, even if a situation occurs in which the drain water is not discharged normally due to an abnormality in the drain pump, for example,
After the elapse of the time (t ₂ ), the water level is detected again. If there is an abnormality in the water level at this time, the drain pump immediately stops and the compressor is stopped, so that the drain water overflows from the drain pan. Never
Drain water can be drained reliably. Further, the amount of generated drain water is so large that the drain water cannot be sufficiently discharged only in the first time (t1).
Even at this time, since the discharge is performed over the third time (t3), efficient drainage can be performed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an indoor unit of an air conditioner provided with a drain treatment device according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a main part of FIG. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing control contents of a controller shown in FIG. 2; [Description of Signs] 3 Evaporator 4 Drain pan 5 Drain pump 8 Compressor 9 Condenser 10 Decompressor 19 Water inlet 23 Controller

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on front page (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) F24F 11/02 102

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] [Claim 1] Consists of a compressor, condenser, decompressor, and evaporator
Equipped with a refrigeration cycle
Store drain water in drain pan and drain with drain pump
In the drain water treatment device of the air conditioner,
To detect that the drain water level has reached a predetermined level
A water level detection sensor is provided, and this water level detection sensor
When the position is detected, the operation is stopped after the first time has elapsed.
Start operation of the drain pump on condition that
After the first time has elapsed, the water level detection sensor
When it is detected, the drain pump is operated again for the third time.
The first time from the start of operation of the drain pump.
After a short second time has elapsed, the water level detection sensor
When detected, regardless of the passage of the first time
Operation of the drain pump and the compressor
An air conditioner characterized by comprising control means for stopping the air conditioner.
Drain water treatment equipment.