KR101880463B1 - Air conditioner and Method for controlling it - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an outdoor unit having an indoor heat exchanger and an indoor fan, an outdoor heat exchanger, an outdoor fan, and a control unit for controlling the outdoor heat exchanger and the outdoor fan. A heat sink coupled to the control unit for heat dissipation of the control unit; And a first temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of the heat sink and transmitting the sensed temperature to the controller, wherein the controller determines whether the first temperature sensor is abnormal based on a signal from the first temperature sensor, The present invention relates to an air conditioner capable of controlling the frequency of the compressor without stopping the operation of the compressor even when an abnormality occurs in the temperature sensor.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention [0001] The present invention relates to an air conditioner,

The present invention relates to an air conditioner capable of controlling a frequency of a compressor while maintaining the operation of the air conditioner even if a temperature sensor coupled to a heat sink for dissipating the control unit malfunctions, and a control method thereof.

Generally, the air conditioner includes a compressor for compressing refrigerant, an indoor heat exchanger for heat exchange with indoor air, an expansion valve for expanding refrigerant, and an outdoor heat exchanger for heat exchange with outdoor air.

The compressor and the outdoor heat exchanger may be included in an outdoor unit, and the expansion valve and the indoor heat exchanger may be included in an indoor unit. Depending on the product, the expansion valve may be included in the outdoor unit.

The compressor may be formed of a frequency variable compressor (i.e., an inverter compressor). The performance of the air conditioner can be controlled through frequency control of the compressor.

The compressor can be controlled by a control unit (printed circuit board, PCB). At this time, heat may be generated in the control unit by power supply, and such heat may damage the control unit. Therefore, a heat sink for radiating heat of the control unit may be coupled to the control unit.

In order to prevent the control unit from being damaged by overheating, a technique for stopping the power supplied to the control unit based on the temperature of the heat sink is disclosed.

That is, the conventional air conditioner stops power supplied to the control unit based on the temperature of the control unit (or the temperature of the heat sink coupled to the control unit), and stops the operation of the compressor. With this control, damage to the control unit due to overheating of the control unit can be prevented.

On the other hand, according to the conventional air conditioner, when the temperature sensor coupled to the control unit or the heat sink is defective (i.e., when an abnormality occurs in the temperature sensor), the power supplied to the control unit is interrupted regardless of the temperature of the control unit or the heat sink Respectively. Therefore, according to the conventional air conditioner, there is inconvenience that the user can not drive the air conditioner until the defective temperature sensor is replaced or repaired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an air conditioner and a control method thereof that can determine whether or not a temperature sensor coupled to a control unit or a heat sink is defective.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an air conditioner and a control method thereof that can operate continuously without stopping the operation of the compressor even when it is determined that the temperature sensor is defective.

The present invention also relates to an air conditioner capable of controlling a frequency of a compressor based on at least one of an operation mode and an outdoor temperature to prevent damage due to overheating of the control unit when the temperature sensor is determined to be defective, And to provide a control method.

The present invention provides an indoor unit having an indoor heat exchanger and an indoor fan, An outdoor heat exchanger, an outdoor fan, and a control unit for controlling the outdoor heat exchanger and the outdoor fan; A heat sink coupled to the control unit for heat dissipation of the control unit; And a first temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of the heat sink and transmitting the sensed temperature to the controller, wherein the controller determines whether the first temperature sensor is abnormal based on a signal from the first temperature sensor, And controlling the frequency of the compressor based on the abnormality of the first temperature sensor.

The controller may determine the temperature of the heat sink based on a voltage applied to the internal resistance of the first temperature sensor. At this time, if the voltage applied to the internal resistance of the first temperature sensor is equal to or less than the voltage applied to the first temperature sensor, the controller may determine that an abnormality has occurred in the first temperature sensor have.

The controller may determine that an abnormality has occurred in the first temperature sensor when the temperature of the heat sink is higher than a predetermined first temperature or lower than a predetermined second temperature lower than the first temperature.

The controller may continue to drive the compressor even if it is determined that an abnormality has occurred in the first temperature sensor, and may control the frequency of the compressor based on at least one of the operating mode and the outdoor temperature.

The controller can continuously drive the compressor based on the set temperature in the heating mode even if it is determined that an abnormality has occurred in the first temperature sensor.

In the air conditioner according to the embodiment of the present invention, the outdoor unit may further include a second temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of the outdoor air.

At this time, when the controller determines that an abnormality has occurred in the first temperature sensor in an operation mode other than the heating mode, the controller can continuously drive the compressor based on the set temperature when the outdoor temperature is lower than a predetermined temperature.

Alternatively, the controller may determine that an abnormality has occurred in the first temperature sensor in an operation mode other than the heating mode, and may drive the compressor at a frequency lower than a preset frequency when the outdoor temperature exceeds the preset temperature have.

Also, the controller may determine that an abnormality has occurred in the first temperature sensor in an operation mode other than the heating mode, and may drive the compressor to the lowest frequency when the outdoor temperature exceeds the predetermined temperature.

The display unit may be provided on at least one of the indoor unit and the outdoor unit. The controller may display information on the abnormality of the first temperature sensor on the display unit when it is determined that an abnormality has occurred in the first temperature sensor.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a control method for an air conditioner including a compressor, an indoor heat exchanger, an expansion valve, an outdoor heat exchanger, and a control unit for controlling the compressor. A temperature sensing step in which the temperature of the heat sink coupled to the control unit is sensed through the first temperature sensor; A first determination step of determining, based on a signal from the first temperature sensor, whether or not an abnormality has occurred in the first temperature sensor; And a compressor control step of controlling the frequency of the compressor based on the result determined in the first determination step.

The compressor is continuously driven in the compressor control step, even if it is determined that an abnormality has occurred in the first temperature sensor in the first determination step, the frequency of the compressor is controlled based on at least one of the operation mode and the outdoor temperature .

Wherein the temperature of the heat sink is determined by the control unit based on the voltage applied to the internal resistance of the first temperature sensor and the voltage across the internal resistance of the first temperature sensor is higher than the first temperature It may be determined that an abnormality has occurred in the first temperature sensor when the voltage is equal to or zero volts.

The control method of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention may further include a second determining step of determining whether an operation mode of the air conditioner is a heating mode after the first determining step. At this time, if the operation mode is the heating mode in the second determination step, the frequency of the compressor can be controlled based on the set temperature.

The control method of the air conditioner may further include a third determining step of determining whether the outdoor temperature is lower than a predetermined temperature when it is determined that the operation mode is an operation mode other than the heating mode in the second determining step .

At this time, the frequency of the compressor can be controlled based on the result determined in the third determination step.

If it is determined in the third determination step that the outdoor temperature is lower than or equal to the predetermined temperature, the frequency of the compressor can be controlled based on the set temperature.

If it is determined in the third determination step that the outdoor temperature exceeds the predetermined temperature, the frequency of the compressor may be controlled to a frequency lower than a predetermined frequency.

If it is determined that the outdoor temperature exceeds the predetermined temperature, the frequency of the compressor may be controlled to the lowest frequency.

The control method of the air conditioner may further comprise the step of, between the first determining step and the second determining step, displaying information on abnormality of the first temperature sensor through a display unit provided in at least one of the indoor unit and the outdoor unit Step < / RTI >

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an air conditioner and a control method thereof that can determine whether a temperature sensor coupled to a control unit or a heat sink is defective.

Further, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide an air conditioner and its control method that can continuously operate without stopping the driving of the compressor even when it is determined that the temperature sensor is defective.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an air conditioner comprising: an air conditioner capable of controlling a frequency of a compressor based on at least one of an operating mode and an outdoor temperature when the temperature sensor is determined to be defective, And a control method thereof.

1 is a view showing an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a perspective view showing the inside of the outdoor unit.
3 is a view showing a connection relationship of main components of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.
4 is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, an air conditioner and a control method thereof according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this application, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

In addition, the same or corresponding components are denoted by the same reference numerals regardless of the reference numerals, and redundant description thereof will be omitted. For convenience of explanation, the size and shape of each constituent member shown may be exaggerated or reduced have.

1 is a view showing an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, an air conditioner 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a compressor 100, an indoor heat exchanger 200, an expansion valve 300, and an outdoor heat exchanger 400. In the illustrated embodiment, "I" represents an indoor unit and "O" represents an outdoor unit. 2, the expansion valve 300 is provided in the indoor unit I, but the expansion valve 300 may be provided in the outdoor unit O.

The compressor 100 is formed to compress the refrigerant. That is, the compressor 100 may be formed so as to pressurize the refrigerant at a low temperature and to make the refrigerant at high temperature and high pressure. At least one of the compressors 100 may be provided in the air conditioner 10.

When a plurality of compressors 100 are provided in the air conditioner 10, a plurality of compressors may be provided in series and / or in parallel along the flow direction of the refrigerant.

The compressor 100 may be formed of a frequency variable frequency. That is, the compressor 100 may be an inverter compressor.

The indoor heat exchanger 200 may be configured to heat-exchange refrigerant and indoor air. That is, the refrigerant and the indoor air in the indoor heat exchanger 200 can exchange heat with each other.

For example, the indoor heat exchanger 200 may perform the function of the evaporator in the cooling mode of the air conditioner 10 and the function of the condenser in the heating mode.

The expansion valve 300 may be formed to depressurize the refrigerant. For example, the expansion valve 300 may be provided between the indoor heat exchanger 200 and the outdoor heat exchanger 400.

The expansion valve 300 may be configured to expand the refrigerant that has passed through the heat exchanger of the indoor heat exchanger 200 and the outdoor heat exchanger 400, which operates as a condenser. That is, the expansion valve 300 may be formed to expand the refrigerant that has passed through the heat exchanger that operates as a condenser, and guide the refrigerant toward a heat exchanger that operates as an evaporator.

The outdoor heat exchanger 400 may be formed to exchange heat between the refrigerant and outdoor air. That is, the refrigerant and the outdoor air in the outdoor heat exchanger 400 can exchange heat with each other.

For example, the outdoor heat exchanger 400 may perform the function of the condenser in the cooling mode of the air conditioner 10 and the evaporator in the heating mode.

At least one of the indoor heat exchanger 200 and the outdoor heat exchanger 400 may be a microchannel fin-tube type heat exchanger. The indoor heat exchanger 200 may be provided with an indoor fan 210 and the outdoor heat exchanger 400 may be provided with an outdoor fan 410.

The air conditioner 10 may include an accumulator 500 that separates refrigerant flowing into the compressor 100 into gaseous refrigerant and liquid refrigerant and supplies only gaseous refrigerant to the compressor 100.

The accumulator 500 may be provided at a front end of the compressor 100. The accumulator 500 may be formed to separate only the gaseous refrigerant from the ideal refrigerant evaporated in the indoor heat exchanger 200 or the outdoor heat exchanger 400 and directed to the compressor 100 and guide the refrigerant to the compressor 100.

The air conditioner (10) may include a flow path switching valve (600) for switching the circulation direction of the refrigerant when the cooling mode and the heating mode are switched. The flow path switching valve 600 may be formed as a four-way valve.

For example, the channel switching valve 600 may be configured to guide the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 100 to the outdoor unit in the cooling mode and to guide the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 100 to the indoor unit in the heating mode.

Meanwhile, the control unit C for controlling the compressor 100 may be provided in the outdoor unit O. FIG. The frequency of the compressor 100 may be controlled by the controller C to prevent the controller C from overheating. This control unit C will be described below with reference to other drawings.

2 is a front perspective view showing the interior of the outdoor unit.

2, the outdoor unit O includes a case 50 forming an outer appearance. The case 50 includes a compressor 100, an outdoor heat exchanger 400, an outdoor fan 410, and an accumulator 500 may be provided. The outdoor unit O may include a controller C for controlling the compressor 100 and the outdoor fan 410.

A heat sink H for radiating heat from the control unit C may be coupled to the control unit C. [ A first temperature sensor 710 for sensing the temperature of the heat sink H may be coupled to the heat sink H and the first temperature sensor 710 may be electrically connected to the control unit C. [ . That is, the first temperature sensor 710 senses the temperature of the heat sink H and transmits the sensed temperature to the controller C.

When the outdoor fan 410 is driven, the outside air is introduced into the outdoor unit O through an air inlet (not shown) behind the outdoor unit O and is heat-exchanged with the refrigerant through the outdoor heat exchanger 400, Can be discharged to the outside through the air discharge port (70) in front of the discharge port (O).

The internal space of the outdoor unit O can be divided into a heat exchange chamber S1 and a machine room S2. That is, the inner space of the case 50 can be divided into the heat exchange chamber S1 and the machine room S2. The heat exchange chamber S1 and the machine room S2 may be separated by a partition plate 60 extending in the vertical direction in the outdoor unit O. [

The outdoor heat exchanger (400) and the outdoor fan (410) may be disposed in the heat exchange room (S1). In addition, the air inlet and the air outlet 70 may be provided in the rear and front of the case 50 at positions corresponding to the heat exchange chamber S1, respectively.

The compressor (100) and the accumulator (500) may be disposed in the machine room (S2). In addition, the above-described passage switching valve 600 may be provided in the machine room S2.

The control unit C may be disposed in the heat exchange chamber S1. For example, the controller C may be disposed at one side of the outdoor heat exchanger 400 and the outdoor fan 410.

In the illustrated embodiment, the controller C is disposed above the outdoor fan 410 on the basis of the outdoor fan 410. The control unit C may be disposed in front of the outdoor heat exchanger 400 on the basis of the outdoor heat exchanger 400. That is, the control unit C may be arranged closer to the air outlet 70 than the outdoor heat exchanger 400.

The heat sink H coupled to the control unit C may also be disposed in the heat exchange chamber S1. Further, since the heat sink H is coupled to the controller C, the heat sink H can be disposed closer to the air outlet 70 than the outdoor heat exchanger 400.

Accordingly, when the outdoor fan 410 is driven, the outside air can be sequentially discharged to the outside through the outdoor heat exchanger 400, the control unit C, the heat sink H, and the air outlet 70 have.

In order to drive and control the compressor 100, electric power must be supplied to the controller C. [ Heat may be generated in the control unit C by the power supplied to the control unit C and the control unit C may be damaged if the temperature of the control unit C becomes too high.

The controller C controls the compressor 100 to prevent the controller C from being damaged by overheating based on a signal from the first temperature sensor 710 coupled to the heat sink H, And the driving of the compressor 100 may be stopped.

If an abnormality occurs in the first temperature sensor 710, the controller C can not determine the accurate temperature of the heat sink H, and thus can prevent damage to the controller C due to overheating I will not. Here, the abnormality of the first temperature sensor 710 may indicate a malfunction due to the failure or damage of the first temperature sensor 710.

Therefore, in order to prevent damage due to overheating of the control unit C, it is preferable to precisely determine whether the first temperature sensor 710 is abnormal and to control the compressor 100 based on the result.

The conventional air conditioner stops the operation of the compressor 100 when an abnormality occurs in the first temperature sensor 710 that senses the temperature of the control unit C or the heat sink H, . That is, in the conventional air conditioner C, when an abnormality occurs in the first temperature sensor 710, the power supplied to the control unit C is cut off.

In this case, the user can not operate the air conditioner until the first temperature sensor 710 is replaced or repaired, which can be inconvenient.

Therefore, even if an abnormality occurs in the first temperature sensor 710 that senses the temperature of the control unit C or the heat sink H, it is necessary to control the operation of the air conditioner C to continue.

Hereinafter, with reference to the other drawings, it is assumed that the air conditioner 10 can be operated continuously without stopping the operation of the air conditioner 10 even when an abnormality occurs in the first temperature sensor 710 .

3 is a view showing a connection relationship of main components of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.

1 to 3, an air conditioner 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an input unit 90 to which a control command is input by a user, and a second temperature sensor 720 to sense an outside temperature . The input unit 90 and the second temperature sensor 720 may be electrically connected to the control unit C. [

A control command including an operation mode and a set temperature is input through the input unit 90. The controller C controls the compressor 100, the flow path switching valve 600, and the outdoor fan 410).

The second temperature sensor 720 is electrically connected to the controller C and may sense the temperature of the external air and transmit the sensed temperature to the controller C. [

The controller C may determine whether an abnormality has occurred in the first temperature sensor 710 based on a signal from the first temperature sensor 710. [ The controller C may control the frequency of the compressor 100 based on whether the first temperature sensor 710 is abnormal or not. That is, according to the present invention, even when it is determined by the control unit C that an abnormality has occurred in the first temperature sensor 710, the air conditioner 10 can be continuously driven without stopping.

For example, the first temperature sensor 710 may have an internal resistance (not shown). At this time, the temperature of the heat sink H can be calculated by the control unit C based on the voltage applied to the internal resistance. That is, the temperature corresponding to the voltage applied to the internal resistance may be stored in advance in a memory (not shown) or the like. Therefore, the controller C can determine the temperature of the heat sink H based on the voltage applied to the internal resistance of the first temperature sensor 710. [

In other words, the controller C may calculate or determine the temperature of the heat sink H based on the voltage applied to the internal resistance of the first temperature sensor 710.

In this case, when the voltage applied to the internal resistance of the first temperature sensor 710 is equal to the voltage applied to the first temperature sensor 710 or is 0 volts, It can be determined that an abnormality has occurred in the memory 710.

For example, when the first temperature sensor 710 is disconnected (or the internal resistance is disconnected), a voltage applied to the internal resistance of the first temperature sensor 710 is applied to the first temperature sensor 710 Lt; RTI ID = 0.0 > voltage. ≪ / RTI > Further, when a short circuit occurs in the first temperature sensor 710 (or an internal resistance is short-circuited), a voltage applied to the internal resistance of the first temperature sensor 710 may be detected as 0 volts.

The control unit C may also detect an abnormality of the first temperature sensor 710 based on the temperature of the heat sink H determined by the control unit C based on a signal from the first temperature sensor 710, It is possible to judge whether or not it occurs.

For example, when the temperature of the heat sink H is higher than a predetermined first temperature or lower than a predetermined second temperature lower than the first temperature, Can be judged to have occurred.

At this time, the first temperature may be the temperature of the heat sink H when a voltage applied to the internal resistance of the first temperature sensor 710 is detected as 0 volts (a short occurs in the first temperature sensor) have. The first temperature may vary depending on the type of sensor or internal resistance.

If the voltage applied to the internal resistance of the first temperature sensor 710 is equal to the voltage applied to the first temperature sensor 710 (when a disconnection occurs in the first temperature sensor 710) Can be the temperature of the sink (H). The second temperature may also vary depending on the type of sensor or internal resistance.

As described above, the controller C can determine whether the first temperature sensor 710 is abnormal based on the temperature of the heat sink H determined based on the signal transmitted from the first temperature sensor 710 .

The control unit C continuously drives the compressor 100 even if it is determined that an abnormality has occurred in the first temperature sensor 710. The control unit C may be configured to continuously drive the compressor 100, Can be controlled.

That is, even if the controller C determines that an abnormality has occurred in the first temperature sensor 710, the controller C does not stop the operation of the air conditioner 10 or the operation of the compressor 100 . At this time, the controller C may determine whether or not the controller C can generate overheating based on at least one of the operation mode and the outdoor temperature.

In a case where the controller C can not overheat, the controller C can control the compressor 100 based on the set temperature. Alternatively, the controller C may control the compressor 100 to have a frequency lower than a preset frequency in a case where the controller C is likely to generate overheating.

For example, in the heating mode, the outdoor heat exchanger 400 can be operated as an evaporator. Due to the low-temperature air exchanged with the refrigerant through the outdoor heat exchanger 400, .

When the inside of the outdoor unit O is in a low temperature environment, the control unit C and the heat sink H may not be damaged by overheating or may be very low.

Therefore, even if it is determined that an abnormality has occurred in the first temperature sensor 710, the controller C can continuously drive the compressor 100 based on the set temperature in the heating mode.

Alternatively, when the air conditioner 10 is operating in an operation mode other than the heating mode, the control unit C can control the frequency of the compressor 100 based on the outdoor temperature. This is because the environment in the outdoor unit O provided with the control unit C and the heat sink H in the operation mode other than the heating mode may not be the low temperature environment unlike the heating mode. Here, the operation modes other than the heating mode may include a cooling mode and a defrost mode.

Accordingly, when it is determined that an abnormality has occurred in the first temperature sensor 710 in an operation mode other than the heating mode, the controller C determines, based on the outdoor temperature sensed through the second temperature sensor 720, The frequency of the compressor 100 can be controlled.

That is, when it is determined that an abnormality has occurred in the first temperature sensor 710 in the operation mode other than the heating mode, the controller C continuously keeps the compressor 100 in the normal state .

In other words, when the outdoor temperature is lower than the predetermined temperature, there is no fear of overheating the control unit C or the heat sink H even in the operation mode other than the heating mode. Therefore, It is possible to control the frequency of the mobile terminal 100.

Here, the predetermined temperature may be about 15 캜 to about 25 캜. Preferably, the preset temperature may be about 20 < 0 > C.

On the other hand, when the air conditioner 10 is driven in an operation mode other than the heating mode and the outdoor temperature exceeds the predetermined temperature, the frequency of the compressor 100 needs to be controlled. This is because the control unit C or the heat sink H disposed in the outdoor unit O is overheated and the control unit C may be damaged.

Therefore, when the outdoor temperature exceeds the preset temperature, the controller C determines that the first temperature sensor 710 is abnormal in the operation mode other than the heating mode, It can be driven at a frequency lower than the set frequency. This is because the current flowing through the controller C increases to increase the frequency of the compressor 100, and the controller C may overheat.

In addition, the controller C may control the frequency of the compressor 100 to the lowest frequency to prevent the controller C from being damaged by overheating. That is, when it is determined that an abnormality has occurred in the first temperature sensor 710 in an operation mode other than the heating mode, and the outdoor temperature exceeds the predetermined temperature, the controller C controls the compressor 100, Can be driven at the lowest frequency.

As described above, according to the present invention, even when an abnormality occurs in the first temperature sensor 710 that senses the temperature of the controller C or the temperature of the heat sink H coupled to the controller C, The unit 10 can be continuously driven without stopping.

The air conditioner 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention may further include a display unit D provided in at least one of the indoor unit I and the outdoor unit O. [

For example, the display unit D may be configured to display an operation state of the air conditioner 10. [ Therefore, it is preferable that the display unit D is provided in the indoor unit I rather than the outdoor unit O so that the user can easily recognize the operation state of the air conditioner.

As described above, when the control unit C determines that an abnormality has occurred in the first temperature sensor 710, the control unit C causes the display unit D to display the failure of the first temperature sensor 710 Can be displayed. That is, the display unit D may be controlled by the controller C so that information on the occurrence of the abnormality of the first temperature sensor 710 is displayed on the display unit D.

Therefore, even if the first temperature sensor 710 is defective or damaged during use, the driving of the air conditioner 10 can be continued, and the user can see the information displayed on the display part D, 710) may be taken for replacement or repair.

Hereinafter, a control method of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to other drawings.

4 is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. Hereinafter, in describing the control method of the air conditioner, it is apparent that the above-described configuration of the air conditioner can be equally applied to the control method of the air conditioner.

Referring to FIG. 4, a method of controlling an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a driving start step (S100) in which a compressor (100) is driven, 1 sensed by the first temperature sensor 710 and a second temperature sensor 710 in which it is determined whether or not an abnormality has occurred in the first temperature sensor 710 based on a signal from the first temperature sensor 710, (S700) in which the frequency of the compressor (100) is controlled based on the result of the determination in the determining step (S300) and the first determining step (S300).

In the driving start step S100, the driving of the compressor 100 is started based on the operating mode and the set temperature inputted by the user, and the frequency of the compressor 100 can be controlled by the control unit C .

In the temperature sensing step S200, the temperature of the heat sink H coupled to the controller C may be sensed through the first temperature sensor 710.

That is, in order to prevent overheating of the control unit C, the temperature of the heat sink H coupled to the control unit C needs to be continuously monitored for heat dissipation of the control unit C. The controller C may control the frequency of the compressor 100 so that the controller C is not overheated based on the signal from the first temperature sensor 710. [

The control unit C determines whether or not an abnormality has occurred in the first temperature sensor 710 based on a signal transmitted from the first temperature sensor 710 to the control unit C in the first determination step S300 Can be judged.

For example, when the voltage applied to the internal resistance of the first temperature sensor 710 is equal to or less than the voltage applied to the first temperature sensor 710 in the first determining step S300 , It can be determined that an abnormality has occurred in the first temperature sensor 710. A detailed description of the abnormality determination of the first temperature sensor 710 will be omitted from the above description with reference to FIG.

In the compressor control step S700, the frequency of the compressor 100 may be controlled based on the result of the determination in step S300. The compressor control step S700 may include a limiting control step S710 in which the frequency of the compressor 100 is controlled to a predetermined frequency or less and a normal control step S720 in which the frequency of the compressor 100 is controlled based on the set temperature .

Here, in the limiting control step S710 of the compressor 100, the frequency of the compressor 100 may be controlled to be less than or equal to a predetermined frequency. In the normal control step S720, the frequency of the compressor 100 can be controlled based on the set temperature input by the user.

For example, even if it is determined that an abnormality has occurred in the first temperature sensor 710 in the first determining step S300, the compressor 100 may be continuously driven in the compressor controlling step S700 have. However, the frequency of the compressor 100 may be controlled based on at least one of the operating mode and the outdoor temperature.

Therefore, according to the present invention, even when the first temperature sensor 710 that senses the temperature of the control unit C or the temperature of the heat sink H is defective or the first temperature sensor 710 malfunctions, It is possible to continue driving without stopping the engine.

If the abnormality of the first temperature sensor 710 is determined in the first determining step S300, an information display step S400 of displaying the information on the display part D may be further included. That is, in the information display step S400, the display unit D may be controlled by the control unit C so that the information related to the abnormality of the first temperature sensor 710 is displayed on the display unit D have.

Therefore, the user can take measures for replacing or repairing the first temperature sensor 710 based on the information displayed on the display portion D. [ Also, the operation of the air conditioner can be continued until the first temperature sensor 710 is replaced or repaired.

On the other hand, when an abnormality occurs in the first genitalia sensor 710, the compressor 100 is controlled normally or limitedly in the compressor control step (S700) based on at least one of the operating mode and the outdoor temperature of the air conditioner Lt; / RTI >

Specifically, the control method of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a second determining step (S500) of determining whether the operating mode of the air conditioner is a heating mode after the first determining step (S300) .

The second determination step (S500) may be performed after the information display step (S400). That is, the information display step (S400) may be performed between the first determination step (S300) and the second determination step (S500).

If it is determined in step S300 that an abnormality has occurred in the first temperature sensor 710, the second determining step S500 determines whether the current operation mode of the air conditioner is a heating mode or a heating mode other than the heating mode It can be judged whether or not the operation mode is the operation mode. Here, the operation modes other than the heating mode may include a cooling mode and a defrost mode.

If the operation mode of the air conditioner is the heating mode in the second determination step (S500), the frequency of the compressor 100 can be controlled based on the set temperature.

That is, if it is determined in the second determination step S500 that the air conditioner is currently operating in the heating mode, the compressor 100 may be controlled in the normal state in the compressor control step S700 (S720). Steady state control of the compressor 100 may mean that the compressor 100 is controlled based on the set temperature input by the user.

As described above, even if an abnormality occurs in the first temperature sensor 710, if the air conditioner is operated in the heating mode, the operation of the air conditioner can be continued in a normal state. This is because the inside of the outdoor unit O becomes a low temperature environment when the air conditioner is operated in the heating mode and the control unit C and the heat sink H disposed in the outdoor unit O are not overheated.

The control method of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention may further include a third determining step (S600) of comparing an outdoor temperature with a preset temperature (Tset) after the second determining step (S500) .

Specifically, if it is determined in the second determination step that the operation mode is an operation mode other than the heating mode, the third determination operation 600 may determine whether the outdoor temperature is lower than a preset temperature Tset. The frequency of the compressor 100 may be controlled based on the result of the third determination (S600).

That is, since the compressor 100 can be controlled to be in a steady state (S720) or limitedly controlled (S710) according to the outdoor temperature, in the third determination step (S600), the outdoor temperature is set to the predetermined temperature Tset Can be compared.

For example, if it is determined in step S600 that the outdoor temperature is lower than the predetermined temperature Tset, the frequency of the compressor 100 may be controlled based on the set temperature. Here, the predetermined temperature Tset may be approximately 15 ° C to 25 ° C, preferably 20 ° C.

That is, if the outdoor temperature sensed by the second temperature sensor 720 in the third determination step S600 is less than the preset temperature Tset, the control unit C and the heat sink There is no fear of overheating of the compressor H, the compressor 100 can be controlled in a steady state (S720).

Alternatively, if it is determined in step S600 that the outdoor temperature has exceeded the preset temperature Tset, the frequency of the compressor 100 may be controlled to a frequency lower than a preset frequency, The frequency of the mobile station 100 can be controlled to the lowest frequency (S710).

That is, when the outdoor temperature sensed by the second temperature sensor 720 in the third determination step S600 exceeds the preset temperature Tset, the control unit C provided in the outdoor unit O There is a fear of overheating and being damaged. Therefore, in this case, it is necessary to limit the frequency of the compressor 100 in order to prevent the temperature of the controller C from rising.

As described above, according to the present invention, even when an abnormality occurs in the temperature sensor that senses the temperature of the control unit C, it is possible to continuously drive the compressor without stopping the driving of the compressor.

Also, according to the present invention, even when an abnormality occurs in the temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of the control unit C, the frequency of the compressor can be controlled to a normal state or limitedly controlled based on at least one of the operation mode and the outdoor temperature .

The foregoing description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention, And additions should be considered as falling within the scope of the following claims.

100 compressor 200 indoor heat exchanger
300 Expansion Valve 400 Outdoor Heat Exchanger
500 accumulator 600 Euro switching valve
710 first temperature sensor 720 second temperature sensor]
C control unit H Heatsink

Claims (18)

An indoor unit having an indoor heat exchanger and an indoor fan;
An outdoor unit having a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, an outdoor fan, and a control unit for controlling the compressor, the outdoor heat exchanger, and the outdoor fan;
A heat sink coupled to the control unit for heat dissipation of the control unit; And
And a first temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of the heat sink and transmitting the sensed temperature to the controller,
Wherein the control unit determines whether the first temperature sensor is abnormal based on a signal from the first temperature sensor and controls the frequency of the compressor based on whether the first temperature sensor is abnormal,
The control unit continuously drives the compressor based on the set temperature in the heating mode even if it is determined that an abnormality has occurred in the first temperature sensor,
The outdoor unit further includes a second temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of the outdoor air. When the controller determines that an abnormality has occurred in the first temperature sensor in an operation mode other than the heating mode, And when the temperature is lower than the predetermined temperature, the compressor is continuously driven based on the set temperature. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the controller determines the temperature of the heat sink based on a voltage applied to the internal resistance of the first temperature sensor,
And determines that an abnormality has occurred in the first temperature sensor when the voltage applied to the internal resistance of the first temperature sensor is equal to or zero volts as the voltage applied to the first temperature sensor. group. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the controller determines that an abnormality has occurred in the first temperature sensor when the temperature of the heat sink is higher than a predetermined first temperature or lower than a predetermined second temperature lower than the first temperature, . delete delete delete The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the control unit determines that an abnormality has occurred in the first temperature sensor in an operation mode other than the heating mode and drives the compressor to a frequency lower than a predetermined frequency when the outdoor temperature exceeds a preset temperature Air conditioner. 8. The method of claim 7,
Wherein the control unit determines that an abnormality has occurred in the first temperature sensor in an operation mode other than the heating mode and drives the compressor to the lowest frequency when the outdoor temperature exceeds the predetermined temperature. group. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein at least one of the indoor unit and the outdoor unit is provided with a display unit,
Wherein the controller displays information on an abnormality of the first temperature sensor on the display unit when it is determined that an abnormality has occurred in the first temperature sensor. A control method for an air conditioner comprising a compressor, an indoor heat exchanger, an expansion valve, an outdoor heat exchanger, and a control unit for controlling the compressor,
A driving start step in which the compressor is driven;
A temperature sensing step in which the temperature of the heat sink coupled to the control unit is sensed through the first temperature sensor;
A first determination step of determining, based on a signal from the first temperature sensor, whether or not an abnormality has occurred in the first temperature sensor; And
And a compressor control step of controlling a frequency of the compressor based on the result determined in the first determination step,
The compressor is continuously driven in the compressor control step, even if it is determined that an abnormality has occurred in the first temperature sensor in the first determination step, the frequency of the compressor is controlled based on at least one of the operation mode and the outdoor temperature And,
Further comprising a second determining step of determining whether the operating mode of the air conditioner is a heating mode after the first determining step and if the operating mode is the heating mode in the second determining step, Controlled based on temperature,
Further comprising a third determining step of determining whether the outdoor temperature is lower than a first predetermined temperature when it is determined that the operation mode is an operation mode other than the heating mode in the second determination step, Wherein when the temperature is determined to be equal to or lower than the first temperature, the frequency of the compressor is controlled based on the set temperature. delete 11. The method of claim 10,
In the first determination step,
The temperature of the heat sink is determined by the control unit based on the voltage applied to the internal resistance of the first temperature sensor,
Wherein the controller determines that an abnormality has occurred in the first temperature sensor when the voltage applied to the internal resistance of the first temperature sensor is the same as the voltage applied to the first temperature sensor or is 0 volts. / RTI > delete delete delete 11. The method of claim 10,
Wherein when the outdoor temperature exceeds the first temperature in the third determination step, the frequency of the compressor is controlled to a frequency lower than a preset frequency. 11. The method of claim 10,
Wherein when the outdoor temperature exceeds the first temperature, the frequency of the compressor is controlled to the lowest frequency. 11. The method of claim 10,
Between the first determination step and the second determination step,
Further comprising an information display step of displaying information on an abnormality of the first temperature sensor through a display unit provided on at least one of the indoor unit and the outdoor unit.

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