KR20130090518A - Air handing unit and control method of the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: An air conditioner is aimed to have various modes including a strong wind and a light wind, to provide an optimal low air volume because a low air volume is changed while a variable low air volume mode is being operated, and to provide an optimal high air volume because a high air volume is changed while a variable high air volume mode is being operated. CONSTITUTION: An air conditioner includes: a casing where an air inlet and an air outlet are formed; a heat exchanging unit where a heat exchanging of air with the air inlet is performed; and multiple ventilators which inhale air through the air inlet, perform the heat exchanging of the air with the heat exchanging unit and discharge the air through the air outlet. At least one among the multiple ventilators includes a constant speed motor and a first ventilating fan which is rotated by the constant speed motor. Another one among the multiple ventilators includes an inverter motor and a second ventilating fan which is rotated by the inverter motor. The multiple ventilators have a variable low air volume mode where the constant speed motor is in a stopped state and a frequency, which is inputted by the inverter motor, is changed and a variable high air volume mode where the constant speed motor is in operation and the frequency, which is inputted by the inverter motor, is changed. [Reference numerals] (AA) Start; (BB,DD,GG) No; (CC,EE,HH) Yes; (FF) Fist ventilation fan circulates at a constant speed and the rotation number of a second ventilation fan is variable; (II) First ventilation fan stops and the second ventilation maximally rotates; (JJ) End; (S1) Indoor load > a set load?; (S2) Fist ventilation fan circulates at a constant speed and the second ventilation maximally rotates; (S3) Indoor load = a set load?; (S5) Indoor load < a set load?

Description

Air conditioner and its operation method {Air Handing Unit and Control method of the same}

The present invention relates to an air conditioner and a driving method thereof, and more particularly, to an air conditioner having a variable air volume blower and a driving method thereof.

In general, an air handling unit is a device that inhales and heats indoor air and discharges it back to the room, or a part of the indoor air while inhaling and exchanging heat and air in the air To exhaust the air outside.

The air conditioner may be provided with a heat exchanger for heating or cooling the air, and a blower may be installed to allow the air to be discharged into the room after passing through the heat exchanger.

A plurality of blowers may be installed so that the other one which does not fail in case of a failure may blow air, a plurality of air blowers may be installed in series, and a plurality of air flow paths may be installed in parallel.

By using two constant speed motors in general, a plurality of blowers are capable of continuous operation while continuously driving one of them without stopping the entire system in case of failure and inspection.

If the plurality of blowers drive only one constant speed motor of two constant speed motors, the air volume may be 70% of the case of driving two constant speed motors. Can be operated in mode.

The air conditioner according to the prior art configured as described above may have only two modes, a strong wind mode in which two constant speed motors are driven, and a weak wind mode in which only one of the two constant speed motors is driven, and the optimum amount of air depending on the indoor load. There is a problem that is difficult to supply.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an air conditioner comprising: a casing having an air inlet and an air outlet; A heat exchange unit in which air is heat-exchanged with the air intake port; And a plurality of blowers configured to suck air into the air intake port, exchange heat with the heat exchange unit, and discharge the air to the air discharge ports, wherein one of the plurality of blowers includes a constant speed motor and a first blower fan connected to the constant speed motor. The other one of the plurality of blowers includes an inverter motor and a second blower fan connected to the inverter motor, wherein the plurality of blowers have a low air volume in which the constant speed motor is stopped and the frequency input to the inverter motor is variable. It may have a variable mode and a high air volume variable mode in which the constant speed motor is driven and the frequency input to the inverter motor is variable.

The air conditioner may change the air volume by varying the frequency input to the inverter motor according to the size of the indoor load in the low air volume variable mode.

The air conditioner may vary the air volume by varying the frequency input to the inverter motor according to the size of the load in the high air volume variable mode.

The frequency input to the inverter motor may be greater than or equal to the minimum set frequency and less than or equal to the maximum set frequency.

 When the air conditioner is switched from the low air volume variable mode to the high air volume variable mode, the air conditioner may input a minimum set frequency to the inverter motor and start the constant speed motor.

When the air conditioner is switched from the high air volume variable mode to the low air volume variable mode, the constant speed motor may be stopped and a maximum set frequency may be input to the inverter motor.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of operating an air conditioner, including: a high air volume variable step of rotating a first blower fan at a constant speed and varying a rotation speed of a second blower fan when an indoor load exceeds a set load; A flow rate switching step of stopping the first blowing fan and rotating the second blowing fan at the maximum speed when the indoor load is the set load; If the indoor load is less than the set load includes a low air flow variable step of varying the rotational speed of the second blowing fan in a state in which the first blowing fan is stopped.

The present invention is not limited to two modes of high wind and low wind, and can provide an optimal low wind volume while the low wind volume is variable in the middle of the low wind volume variable mode, and the optimum high wind volume while the high wind volume is variable during the high wind volume variable mode. There is an advantage that can supply.

In addition, there is an advantage that the optimum amount of air flow can be adjusted in response to the total indoor load.

1 is a schematic view showing the inside of an embodiment of an air conditioner according to the present invention;
2 is a control block diagram of an embodiment of an air conditioner according to the present invention;
3 is a graph showing a change in the frequency of the inverter motor according to the indoor load of the air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention and a change in the air volume according to the driving and stopping of the constant speed motor;
4 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a method of operating an air conditioner according to the present invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a schematic view showing the inside of an embodiment of an air conditioner according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a control block diagram of an embodiment of an air conditioner according to the present invention, and FIG. 3 is an embodiment of an air conditioner according to the present invention. An example is a graph showing a change in frequency of an inverter motor according to an indoor load and a change in air volume according to driving and stopping of a constant speed motor.

The air conditioner according to the present embodiment includes a casing 2, a heat exchanger 4, and a plurality of blowers 6 and 8. The air conditioner may be installed in the machine room or basement and connected to the room and the duct to be air-conditioned. The air conditioner may be installed on the ceiling or indoors, and directly inhales the air in the room, and may be discharged directly into the room by air conditioning.

The casing 2 has an air inlet 12 and an air outlet 14. An air inlet 12 may be connected to a suction duct through which air in the room to be air-conditioned is sucked. The air discharge port 14 may be connected to a discharge duct for discharging the air passing through the casing (2) to the room to be air-conditioned. The casing 2 may be provided with a filter 16 through which the air sucked into the air inlet 12 passes. The filter 16 can be comprised with the purification filter which filters the foreign material in air. The filter 16 is preferably located between the air intake 12 and the heat exchanger 4 in the air flow direction. The air sucked into the air intake 12 may be exchanged with the heat exchanger 4 after being purified by the filter 16 and may be discharged to the air discharge port 14.

The heat exchanger 4 exchanges air to the air intake 12. The air sucked into the air inlet 12 installed inside the casing 2 may be cooled or heated before being discharged to the air outlet 14. The heat exchanger 4 may be configured as a heat exchanger through which a refrigerant passes and to which a refrigerant pipe is connected. The heat exchanger 4 may be configured as a heat exchanger through which a working fluid such as water or antifreeze passes and a water pipe is connected.

The air conditioner may comprise a refrigeration cycle circuit having a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device and an evaporator. The heat exchanger 4 may be composed of a condenser provided between the compressor and the expansion mechanism of the refrigeration cycle circuit or an evaporator installed between the expansion mechanism and the compressor of the refrigeration cycle circuit. In the air conditioner, the refrigeration cycle circuit of the compressor, the condenser, the expansion mechanism, and the evaporator is installed separately from the heat exchanger (4), and the heat exchanger (4) is connected to the condenser or the evaporator and the water pipe of the refrigeration cycle circuit, and the water is connected to the condenser. It is possible to circulate one of the evaporators and the heat exchanger 4. The air conditioner may constitute a refrigeration cycle unit in which refrigeration cycle circuits of the compressor, the condenser, the expansion mechanism, and the evaporator are installed separately from the heat exchanger 4, and the casing 2, the heat exchanger 4, and the plurality of blowers 6 8 may be configured as an air handling unit, which is installed separately from the refrigeration cycle unit, and the heat exchanger 4 may be connected to one of the condenser and the evaporator of the refrigeration cycle unit by a water pipe.

The plurality of blowers 6 and 8 suck air into the air inlet 12, exchange heat with the heat exchange unit 4, and discharge the air to the air outlet 14. The plurality of blowers 6 and 8 may be installed in parallel in the air flow path inside the casing 2. When one of the plurality of blowers 6 and 8 is driven and the other is stationary, air may be sucked and blown by the blower which is driven. When all of the plurality of blowers 6 and 8 are driven, air may be dispersed and sucked into the plurality of blowers 6 and 8 and then blown. One of the plurality of blowers 6 and 8 may be a fixed air flow rate blower 6, and the other of the plurality of blowers 6 and 8 may be configured as the variable air flow rate blower 8. When the air volume variable blower 8 generates the maximum air volume, it can generate the same air volume as the air volume of the air volume fixed blower 6. When the air volume fixed blower 6 is driven and the air volume when the air volume variable blower 8 is driven at the maximum air volume is 100% air volume, the air volume fixed blower 6 is driven and the air volume variable blower 8 is stopped. The total air volume at the time may be 70% of the air volume when the airflow fixed blower 6 is driven, and the airflow variable blower 8 is driven at the maximum airflow, the airflow fixed blower 6 is stationary, and the airflow variable blower is stopped. The total air volume when 8 is driven at the maximum air volume can be 70% of the air volume when the air volume fixed blower 6 is driven and the air volume variable blower 8 is driven at the maximum air volume. That is, the air volume may be affected by the resistance inside the casing (2). When the air volume fixed blower (6) or the air volume variable blower (8) is driven alone, the air flow rate is the air volume fixed blower (6) and the air flow variable blower (8) at the same time When driven, it can reach 70% of the air volume.

One of the plurality of blowers 6 and 8 may include a constant speed motor 22 and a first blower fan 24 which is rotated by the constant speed motor 22. The first blower fan 24 may be directly connected to the rotating shaft of the constant speed motor 22 and rotated. The first blowing fan 24 may be connected to the rotating shaft of the constant speed motor 22 and rotated through a power transmission mechanism such as a pulley and a belt. When the constant speed motor 22 is driven, the first blowing fan 24 may be rotated at a constant speed, and when the constant speed motor 22 is stopped, the first blowing fan 24 may be stopped. The other 8 of the plurality of blowers 6 and 8 may include an inverter motor 32 and a second blowing fan 34 which is rotated by the inverter motor 32. The second blower fan 34 may be directly connected to the rotating shaft of the inverter motor 32 and rotated. The second blowing fan 34 may be connected to the rotating shaft of the inverter motor 32 through a power transmission mechanism such as a pulley and a belt. When the frequency input to the inverter motor 32 is variable, the rotational speed of the second blowing fan 34 may be variable. The frequency input to the inverter motor 32 may be greater than or equal to the minimum set frequency fmin and less than or equal to the maximum set frequency fmax.

 The plurality of blowers 6 and 8 may have a low air volume variable mode in which the constant speed motor 22 is stopped and the frequency input to the inverter motor 32 is variable. The plurality of blowers 6 and 8 may have a high air volume variable mode in which the constant speed motor 22 is driven and the frequency input to the inverter motor 32 is variable.

The air conditioner may change the air volume by varying the frequency input to the inverter motor 32 according to the size of the indoor load in the low air volume variable mode. The air conditioner may increase the frequency input to the inverter motor 32 when the indoor load is increased within a range below the set load, and adjust the frequency input to the inverter motor 32 when the indoor load is reduced within the range below the set load. Can be reduced.

 The air conditioner may change the air volume by varying the frequency input to the inverter motor 32 according to the size of the indoor load in the high air volume variable mode. The air conditioner may increase the frequency input to the inverter motor 32 when the indoor load is increased within a range above the set load, and adjust the frequency input to the inverter motor 32 when the indoor load is reduced within the range above the set load. Can be reduced.

The air conditioner may include an indoor temperature sensor 42 for detecting a temperature T1 of the room, and a supply air temperature sensor 44 for detecting a temperature T2 of the supply air supplied to the room. The air conditioner may include a temperature input unit 46 for inputting a desired temperature T3 in the room. The air conditioner may include a controller 48 that controls the inverter motor 32 in accordance with the indoor load and controls the on / off control of the constant speed motor 22.

Here, the indoor load may be determined by the temperature T1 of the room and the temperature T2 of the supply air supplied to the room from the air conditioner. The controller 48 may detect the indoor load by the difference between the temperature T1 of the room detected by the room temperature sensor 42 and the temperature T2 of the supply air detected by the supply air temperature sensor 44. If the difference between the temperature T1 of the room and the temperature T2 of the supply air is a set temperature difference, the controller 48 may detect the set load. If the difference between the temperature T1 of the room and the temperature T2 of the supply air is less than the set temperature difference, the controller 48 may detect the set load as less than the set load. The controller 48 may detect that the set load is exceeded when the difference between the room temperature T1 and the supply air temperature T2 is greater than the set temperature difference. The controller 48 may detect that the larger the difference between the room temperature T1 and the supply air temperature T2 is, the larger the indoor load is, and the smaller the difference between the room temperature T1 and the supply air temperature T2 is It can be detected that the room load is small.

Meanwhile, the indoor load may be determined by the temperature T1 of the room and the desired temperature T3 of the room. The controller 48 may detect the indoor load by the difference between the room temperature T1 detected by the room temperature sensor 42 and the desired temperature T3 of the room input by the temperature input unit 46. If the difference between the indoor temperature T1 and the desired temperature T3 in the room is a set temperature difference, the controller 48 may detect the set load. If the difference between the indoor temperature T1 and the desired temperature T3 in the room is less than the set temperature difference, the controller 48 may detect the set load as less than the set load. If the difference between the indoor temperature T1 and the desired temperature T3 in the room is greater than the set temperature difference, the controller 48 may detect that the set load is exceeded. The controller 48 may detect that the larger the difference between the indoor temperature T1 and the desired temperature T3 in the room is, the larger the indoor load is, and the smaller the difference between the indoor temperature T1 and the temperature of the supply air (T2) is. It can be detected that the room load is small.

The air conditioner detects the indoor load by the room temperature (T1) and the temperature of the supply air (T2), or detects the indoor load by the room temperature (T1) and the desired temperature (T3). It is possible to detect the room load.

The air conditioner can be switched to the high air volume variable mode during the low air volume variable mode when the indoor load is less than the set load, and the high air volume is lower than the set load when the indoor load is above the set load. The low air volume variable mode may be switched in the middle of the variable mode.

 When the air conditioner is switched from the low air volume variable mode to the high air volume variable mode, the air conditioner may input the minimum set frequency to the inverter motor 32 and start the constant speed motor 22. When the air conditioner is switched from the high air volume variable mode to the low air volume variable mode, the constant speed motor 22 may be stopped and input the maximum set frequency to the inverter motor 32. When the air conditioner is a set load, the minimum set frequency may be input to the inverter motor 32.

That is, in the air conditioner, when the indoor load is less than the set load, the constant speed motor 22 is stopped and the frequency between the minimum set frequency and the maximum set frequency may be variably input to the inverter motor 32 according to the indoor load at that time. In the air conditioner, when the indoor load is the set load, the constant speed motor 22 is started, and the inverter motor 32 may be driven at the minimum set frequency. In the air conditioner, when the indoor load exceeds the set load, the constant speed motor 22 is driven, and the inverter motor 32 has a frequency between the minimum set frequency and the maximum set frequency by the inverter motor 32 according to the indoor load at that time. It can be variable input. The setting load may be a load in which the constant speed motor 22 is started and the minimum setting frequency is input to the inverter motor 32, or a load in which the low air volume variable mode and the high air volume variable mode are switched.

Hereinafter, the operation of the present invention will be described.

First, when the air conditioner is operated, the compressor may be driven, and the heat exchanger 4 may pass hot water heat-exchanged with the refrigerant in the condenser of the refrigeration cycle circuit or cold water heat-exchanged with the refrigerant in the evaporator of the refrigeration cycle circuit. have. The heat exchanger 4 may be heated by the hot water of the heat exchanger 4 when the hot water passes through, the air sucked into the casing 2 in the room, and sucked into the casing 2 indoors when the cold water passes. Air can be cooled by cold water. During operation of the air conditioner, the first blowing fan 24 and the second blowing fan 34 may be rotated together, or the first blowing fan 24 may be stopped, and only the second blowing fan 34 may be rotated.

4 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a method of operating an air conditioner according to the present invention.

The operating method of the air conditioner according to the present embodiment rotates the first blower fan 24 at a constant speed while varying the rotational speed of the second blower fan 34 when the indoor load exceeds the set load during the operation of the air conditioner. A high air volume variable step (S1) (S2); A flow rate switching step (S3) (S4) of stopping the first blowing fan (24) and rotating the second blowing fan (34) at maximum speed if the indoor load is a set load; If the indoor load is less than the set load, the low air volume variable step (S5) (S6) for varying the number of revolutions of the second blowing fan 24 in a state in which the first blowing fan 24 is stopped.

The high air flow variable step S1 or S2 may drive the constant speed motor 22 and input a frequency between the minimum set frequency and the maximum set frequency to the inverter motor 32 when the indoor load exceeds the set load. . The inverter motor 32 may be driven at a frequency higher than the minimum set frequency when the indoor load exceeds the set load, and may be driven at the maximum set frequency when the indoor load is the maximum load. When the constant speed motor 22 is driven, the first blowing fan 24 may be rotated at a constant speed, and the inverter motor 32 may cause the rotation speed of the second blowing fan 34 to rotate differently according to the input frequency. Can be. As the frequency input to the inverter motor 32 is greater, the second blowing fan 34 may be rotated at a higher speed. As the frequency input to the inverter motor 32 is smaller, the second blower fan 34 may be rotated at a lower speed. Can be. When the first blower fan 24 and the second blower fan 34 are rotated as described above, the air sucked into the casing 2 in the room is heated or cooled while passing through the heat exchanger 4, and then the first blower fan is blown. The fan 24 and the second blower fan 34 may be dispersed and sucked, and the air blown by the first blower fan 24 and the air blown by the second blower fan 34 may be transferred to the air outlet 14. Can be discharged. When the air conditioner is operated as described above, the indoor air may be gradually raised or lowered, and the indoor load may be gradually reduced. When the indoor load is gradually decreased in a state higher than the set load, the frequency input to the inverter motor 32 may be gradually decreased, and the rotation speed of the second blowing fan 34 may be gradually decreased.

The airflow volume switching step S3 and S4 may be carried out when the indoor load is reduced in the middle of the high airflow variable steps S1 and S2 and lowered to the set load. When the indoor load becomes the set load in the middle of the high air flow variable steps S1 and S2, the constant speed motor 22 can be stopped and the maximum set frequency to the inverter motor 32 during the air flow switching steps S3 and S4. Can be input. When the constant speed motor 22 is stopped, the air heat exchanged in the heat exchanger 4 is no longer sucked into the first blower fan 24, and the air heat-exchanged in the heat exchanger 4 is the second blower fan 34. All may be sucked into and discharged to the air discharge port 14.

Low air volume variable step (S5) (S6) can be carried out when the indoor load is lowered below the set load during the single drive of the inverter motor 32, the inverter motor in the state that the constant speed motor 22 is continuously stopped At 32, a frequency lower than the maximum set frequency may be input. As the indoor load continues to decrease, the frequency input to the inverter motor 32 may decrease, and the rotation speed of the second blowing fan 34 may decrease.

On the other hand, during the single drive of the inverter motor 32, if the indoor load rises again above the set load, the constant speed motor 22 can be driven again, the indoor load after the minimum set frequency is input to the inverter motor 32 According to the variation of the constant speed motor 22 and the inverter motor 32 can be driven.

That is, the air conditioner is a high air volume variable mode for varying the frequency input to the inverter motor 32 while driving the constant speed motor 22 according to the size of the indoor load, and the inverter motor in a state where the constant speed motor 22 is stopped. A low air volume variable mode for varying the frequency input to 32 can be implemented, and the air volume optimized for the entire indoor load can be adjusted.

2: casing 4: heat exchanger
6,8: blower 22: constant speed motor
24: first blowing fan 32: inverter motor
34: second blowing fan

Claims (6)

A casing having an air inlet and an air outlet; A heat exchange unit in which air is heat-exchanged with the air intake port; A plurality of blowers configured to suck air into the air intake port, exchange heat with the heat exchange unit, and discharge the air to the air discharge port;
One of the plurality of blowers includes a constant speed motor and a first blower fan rotated by the constant speed motor,
The other of the plurality of blowers includes an inverter motor and a second blower fan rotated by the inverter motor,
The plurality of blowers may include a low air volume variable mode in which the constant speed motor is stopped and the frequency input to the inverter motor is variable;
And a high airflow variable mode in which the constant speed motor is driven and the frequency input to the inverter motor is variable. The method of claim 1,
The air conditioner is an air conditioner for varying the air volume by varying the frequency input to the inverter motor in accordance with the magnitude of the indoor load in the low air volume variable mode. The method of claim 1,
The air conditioner is an air conditioner for varying the air volume by varying the frequency input to the inverter motor in accordance with the size of the load in the high air volume variable mode. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The frequency input to the inverter motor is greater than the minimum set frequency and less than the maximum set frequency,
And the air conditioner inputs a minimum set frequency to the inverter motor and starts the constant speed motor when the air conditioner is switched from the low air flow variable mode to the high air flow variable mode. The method of claim 4, wherein
And the air conditioner stops the constant speed motor and inputs a maximum set frequency to the inverter motor when the air conditioner is switched from the high air volume variable mode to the low air volume variable mode. A high air volume variable step of rotating the first blower fan at a constant speed and varying the rotation speed of the second blower fan when the indoor load exceeds the set load;
A flow rate switching step of stopping the first blowing fan and rotating the second blowing fan at the maximum speed when the indoor load is the set load;
And a low air volume variable step of varying the rotation speed of the second blower fan when the indoor load is less than a predetermined load.

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