WO2017043932A1

WO2017043932A1 - Device for diagnosing air conditioner, air conditioner system, and operating method therefor

Info

Publication number: WO2017043932A1
Application number: PCT/KR2016/010200
Authority: WO
Inventors: 김대희; 박혜리; 송준걸; 김성환
Original assignee: 엘지전자 주식회사
Priority date: 2015-09-09
Filing date: 2016-09-09
Publication date: 2017-03-16

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for diagnosing an air conditioner, an air conditioner system, and an operating method therefor, the diagnosis device: analyzing the state of the air conditioner and diagnosing a breakdown thereof in a state, in which the air conditioner stops, without operating the air conditioner, thereby enabling quick diagnosis since it is unnecessary to wait until the air conditioner starts to operate and is stabilized; enabling the waste of electric power consumed by the air conditioner to be prevented; enabling accurate diagnosis according to the minimization of the influence by the other components of the air conditioner; and improving the efficiency of breakdown diagnosis.

Description

Air conditioner diagnosis device, air conditioner system and operation method

The present invention relates to an air conditioner diagnosis apparatus, an air conditioner system, and a method of operating the air conditioner. In particular, in diagnosing a failure of an air conditioner, air for diagnosing a condition of an air conditioner without determining the operation of the air conditioner A harmonic diagnosis apparatus, an air conditioner system, and an operation method thereof.

In general, the air conditioner is installed to provide a more comfortable indoor environment for humans by discharging cold air into the room to adjust the indoor temperature and purifying the indoor air to create a comfortable indoor environment. In general, an air conditioner includes an indoor unit which is configured as a heat exchanger and installed indoors, and an outdoor unit which is configured as a compressor and a heat exchanger and supplies refrigerant to the indoor unit.

The air conditioner is separated and controlled by an indoor unit composed of a heat exchanger and an outdoor unit composed of a compressor and a heat exchanger, and is operated by controlling power supplied to the compressor or the heat exchanger. In addition, the air conditioner may be connected to at least one indoor unit to the outdoor unit, the refrigerant is supplied to the indoor unit according to the requested operating state, the operation is operated in the cooling or heating mode.

In the air conditioner, the outdoor unit and the indoor unit are connected to the refrigerant pipe, and the refrigerant compressed from the compressor of the outdoor unit is supplied to the heat exchanger of the indoor unit through the refrigerant pipe, and the refrigerant heat-exchanged in the heat exchanger of the indoor unit is returned to the compressor of the outdoor unit through the refrigerant pipe. Inflow. Accordingly, the indoor unit discharges cold air into the room through heat exchange using a refrigerant.

In order to check the condition of the air conditioner and diagnose the failure, it is necessary to operate the air conditioner.

In the general air conditioner failure diagnosis, by collecting and analyzing data generated or detected while the air conditioner is in operation, it is possible to check whether the air conditioner is operating normally and diagnose whether a failure occurs.

For example, the main electronic expansion valve (EEV) of the outdoor unit during the heating operation is used to control the suction superheat and the discharge superheat, so that the abnormality can be determined by measuring the discharge superheat of the air conditioner in operation. In addition, the pressure is measured to determine the abnormality of the electromagnetic expansion valve based on whether the pressure is satisfied under a specific temperature condition.

As described above, conventionally, the air conditioner collects data generated or detected during operation in a state in which the air conditioner is continuously operating to diagnose a failure. There was a problem that the driving must be performed.

That is, since the air conditioner is operated only for troubleshooting, it consumes unnecessary power, and the cycle is made safe only after a predetermined time has elapsed since the air conditioner is operated. there was. In addition, when the air conditioner is operated for fault diagnosis, it operates in a specific operation mode regardless of the season. For example, the air conditioner performs cooling operation in winter or heating operation in summer. There is.

Accordingly, a method for minimizing the operation of the air conditioner or diagnosing the failure of the air conditioner should be sought.

An object of the present invention is to diagnose an air conditioner and diagnose a failure in an air conditioner diagnosis apparatus, an air conditioner system, and an operation method thereof, without operating the air conditioner, In particular, the present invention relates to an air conditioner diagnosis apparatus, an air conditioner system, and an operation method for diagnosing a failure by determining an abnormality of a valve provided in an air conditioner.

An air conditioner diagnosis apparatus according to the present invention is connected to a valve of an air conditioner to be inspected, and transmits a control signal to the valve to operate a motor provided in the valve, and outputs an output waveform according to the driving of the motor. A receiving unit; An input unit to which a start signal for fault diagnosis is input; A valve driving unit outputting the control signal for driving the motor to the connection unit; A signal processor converting an output waveform of the motor received through the connection unit; A controller for diagnosing a failure of the valve by analyzing a frequency component of the output waveform converted by the signal processor; And an output unit for outputting a diagnosis result, wherein the air conditioner is in an operation stop state, and the valve is operated by the control signal alone.

In addition, the air conditioner system according to the present invention includes an air conditioner including a plurality of valves, connected to the air conditioner, and a diagnostic device for performing a troubleshooting for the valve, the diagnostic device, the An air conditioner and a connection part connected to the valve, an input part for inputting a start signal for fault diagnosis, a valve driving part for outputting a control signal for driving the motor of the valve to the connection part, and a connection of the motor received through the connection part. A signal processing unit for converting an output waveform, a control unit for diagnosing a failure of the valve by analyzing a frequency component of the output waveform converted by the signal processing unit, and an output unit for outputting a diagnosis result; The valve is characterized in that it operates independently by the control signal.

In addition, the operation method of the diagnostic apparatus of the air conditioner according to the present invention, the valve of the air conditioner to be inspected is connected, starting the diagnosis when the start signal is input, the control signal for driving the motor of the valve Transmitting the output waveform to the valve, receiving the output waveform of the motor when the motor is operated by the control signal, converting the received output waveform of the motor, and converting the frequency component of the converted output waveform. Analyzing and diagnosing a failure of the valve and outputting a diagnosis result.

The air conditioner diagnosing apparatus, the air conditioner system, and the operation method thereof according to the present invention configured as described above operate the air conditioner by analyzing a condition for the air conditioner and diagnosing a failure even when the air conditioner is not in operation. No need to wait for the air conditioner to start and stabilize, enabling quick diagnosis, preventing waste of power consumed by the air conditioner, and minimizing the effects of other components of the air conditioner for accurate diagnosis. As a result, the efficiency of failure diagnosis can be improved.

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

2 is a view briefly illustrating a refrigerant cycle of an outdoor unit and an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to the present invention.

3 is a view showing an air conditioner system including a diagnostic device according to the present invention.

Figure 4 is a simplified view of the control configuration of the diagnostic apparatus of the air conditioner system according to the present invention.

5 is an exemplary diagram showing a voltage graph according to the failure of the air conditioner according to the present invention.

6 is an exemplary view showing a change in voltage according to the failure of the air conditioner according to the present invention.

7 is a flowchart illustrating a method for diagnosing an air conditioner of a diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention.

8 is an exemplary view referred to for explaining the change of the signal in the diagnosis of the air conditioner according to the present invention.

9 and 10 are exemplary views illustrating a change according to a failure in the frequency domain in the diagnosis of the air conditioner according to the present invention.

Advantages and features of the present invention and methods for achieving them will be apparent with reference to the embodiments described below in detail with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, but can be implemented in various different forms, and only the embodiments make the disclosure of the present invention complete, and the general knowledge in the art to which the present invention belongs. It is provided to fully inform the person having the scope of the invention, which is defined only by the scope of the claims. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.

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

1 is a view schematically showing the configuration of an air conditioner according to the present invention, Figure 2 is a view showing an example of the configuration and installation distance of the outdoor unit and the indoor unit of the air conditioner according to the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the air conditioner includes an indoor unit 20 and an outdoor unit 10.

In addition, the air conditioner communicates with the indoor unit 20 in a wired or wireless manner, and transmits the input data to the indoor unit, and includes a remote controller 30 for displaying the operation state of the air conditioner, the indoor unit 20 and the outdoor unit It may further include a remote controller (not shown) connected to (10) for monitoring and controlling the operation.

The remote controller 30 is connected to the indoor unit 20 by wire or wirelessly, and transmits driving setting data to the indoor unit. The remote controller 30 inputs an operation schedule as well as an operation setting such as a mode, temperature, air volume of the indoor unit, and transmits the operation schedule to the indoor unit so that the indoor unit operates according to the setting. In addition, the remote controller 30 may receive and display indoor unit state information from the indoor unit.

The remote controller receives the data of the indoor unit to display the operating state of the indoor unit, and transmits the input data to the indoor unit or the outdoor unit to control the indoor unit to operate according to a predetermined setting.

In this case, the air conditioner may include not only an outdoor unit and an indoor unit but also a unit such as a ventilation unit, an air cleaning unit, a humidification unit, a dehumidification unit, and a heater, but a description thereof will be omitted below. The air conditioner may be classified into a ceiling type, a stand type, a wall-hung type, and the like according to the installation type, and the number of indoor units and outdoor units is not limited to the drawings.

At this time, the number of the indoor unit and the outdoor unit varies depending on the installation location or the degree of cooling and heating capacity required.

As shown in FIG. 1A, one or two

indoor units

21 and 22 may be installed in one outdoor unit 11 when installed in a home. In addition, as shown in (b) of FIG. 1, a plurality of indoor units 24 to 29 are installed in a building or the like and connected to an outdoor unit 12 having a large capacity to discharge cold air. In this case, a plurality of outdoor units may be installed according to the capacity of the indoor unit and the required load amount.

In this case, as well as a plurality of indoor units are installed in the room, a plurality of areas may be connected to the duct so that air discharged from the indoor unit may be supplied to each room through the duct.

The air conditioner is configured such that the indoor unit 20 and the outdoor unit 10 are connected to the refrigerant pipe, so that the refrigerant discharged from the outdoor unit 10 is supplied to the indoor unit 20, and flows back into the outdoor unit 10 from the indoor unit. An air conditioner discharges cool air into a room in the process of compressing and exchanging heat exchanged refrigerant through a refrigerant pipe.

The indoor unit 20 and the outdoor unit 10 communicate with each other according to a predetermined wired or wireless communication method. In this case, the air conditioner may be connected to a plurality of units through a communication line, or may communicate using a power line, and communication through a cold pipe may also be performed.

The outdoor unit 10 is operated in a cooling mode or a heating mode in response to a request of the connected indoor unit 20 or a control command of a remote controller, and supplies the refrigerant to the indoor unit.

The outdoor unit 10 includes at least one compressor 2 for compressing an incoming refrigerant to discharge a high-pressure gas refrigerant, and an accumulator for separating gaseous refrigerant and liquid refrigerant from the refrigerant and preventing unvaporized liquid refrigerant from entering the compressor. (3), an oil separator (not shown) for recovering oil from the refrigerant discharged from the compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger (4) for condensing or evaporating the refrigerant by heat exchange with outside air, and a heat exchange of the outdoor heat exchanger more smoothly. Outdoor fan (5) for introducing air to the outdoor heat exchanger and discharging the heat exchanged air to the outside, a four-way valve (7) for changing the flow path of the refrigerant according to the operation mode of the outdoor unit, Controlled outdoor electronic expansion valve (6), at least one pressure sensor (not shown) for measuring the pressure, at least one temperature sensor (not shown) for measuring the temperature, outdoor unit A control device for controlling the operation of and to perform communication with other units.

The outdoor heat exchanger (4) acts as a condenser to suck the gaseous refrigerant in the cooling operation of the air conditioner and condense the sucked gaseous refrigerant by the outdoor air, and in the heating operation of the air conditioner, the liquid refrigerant is sucked and sucked. It acts as an evaporator that causes the liquid refrigerant to evaporate by the outdoor air.

The outdoor fan 5 is rotated by the power of the outdoor fan motor 5b and the outdoor fan motor 5b, which is controlled by a controller (not shown) of the outdoor unit 10 to generate power, and generates a blowing force. It consists of an outdoor fan 5a.

The indoor unit 20 includes an expansion valve (not shown) for expanding the refrigerant supplied from the connected outdoor unit, an indoor heat exchanger 8 for exchanging the refrigerant, and indoor air to be introduced into the indoor heat exchanger, and the heat exchanged air is exposed to the room. The indoor unit fan 9, a plurality of sensors (not shown), and the control means for controlling the operation of the indoor unit (not shown).

The indoor heat exchanger 8 functions as an evaporator for cooling the indoor air while the liquid refrigerant is sucked during the cooling operation of the air conditioner and the sucked liquid refrigerant is evaporated by the indoor air in which the indoor unit 20 which requests the cooling operation is installed. . In addition, during the heating operation of the air conditioner, the gaseous refrigerant is sucked in, and the sucked gaseous refrigerant is condensed by the indoor air, which acts as a condenser to increase the indoor air temperature.

The indoor fan 9 is controlled by an indoor unit controller (not shown) to generate power by being connected to the indoor electric motor 9b for generating power and being rotated by the indoor electric motor 9b in connection with the indoor electric motor 9b. It consists of an indoor fan 9a.

In addition, the air conditioner may be configured as a cooler for cooling the room, or may be configured as a heat pump for cooling or heating the room.

As shown in FIG. 3, the air conditioner system includes an air conditioner composed of an outdoor unit 10, an indoor unit 20, and a remote controller 30, a diagnosis apparatus 100, and a terminal 50.

The terminal 50 is connected to the diagnosis apparatus 100 to receive and display a diagnosis result from the diagnosis apparatus 100. In this case, the terminal 50 may be a device such as a computer, tablet, PDA, mobile communication terminal.

In this case, the terminal 50 includes a predetermined monitoring program to execute the monitoring program, and outputs a diagnosis result according to the data received from the diagnostic apparatus 100. The terminal 50 not only displays whether there is a failure, but also outputs the type of information of the air conditioner, model information, and detailed information on the diagnosis result as a diagnosis result along with the failure.

In addition, the terminal 50 may generate and output a diagnosis result report based on the diagnosis result.

In the air conditioner, the outdoor unit 10 or the indoor unit 20 may be connected to the diagnostic apparatus 100 in units of units, and a valve provided in the outdoor unit 10 or the indoor unit 20, in particular, an electromagnetic expansion valve 6. 6a and 6b may be individually connected to the diagnosis apparatus 100. At this time, the outdoor unit 10 is connected to the unit connection unit 106 of the diagnostic device 100, the electromagnetic expansion valve 6 is connected to the valve connection unit 105. At this time, all the valves provided in the indoor unit and the outdoor unit may be connected to the valve connection unit 105, and the diagnosis apparatus 100 may diagnose a failure of the connected valve.

The diagnosis apparatus 100 is connected to a device to be connected, that is, a unit such as the outdoor unit 10 or the electronic expansion valve 6 by a power line and a communication line.

The diagnosis apparatus 100 is connected to the outdoor unit 10 through a power line and a communication line to receive operating power from the outdoor unit 10. That is, the diagnostic apparatus 100 operates by receiving a DC voltage of 5V to 12V from the outdoor unit 10. In some cases, the diagnostic apparatus 100 may operate with a DC voltage supplied by being connected to a commercial power source.

The diagnosis apparatus 100 transmits a control command for diagnosing a failure to a device connected through a communication line, so that the corresponding device performs a predetermined operation with the supplied power. In addition, the diagnostic apparatus 100 receives data on the operation of the apparatus through a communication line to diagnose a failure.

The diagnosis apparatus 100 diagnoses a failure of a valve inside the outdoor unit 10, for example, a main electromagnetic expansion valve and a solenoid valve of the outdoor unit when the outdoor unit 10 is connected. In addition, when the electromagnetic expansion valve 6 is connected, the diagnostic apparatus 100 diagnoses a failure with respect to the linear electromagnetic expansion valve 6a and the gear type electromagnetic expansion valve 6b regardless of the type thereof. The diagnosis apparatus 100 diagnoses a failure of all the valves provided in the air conditioner.

In particular, the diagnostic apparatus 100 detects a signal generated by a mechanical defect of a motor connected to the valve with respect to a valve inside the air conditioner, and analyzes the motor output waveform to determine whether the valve is normal. .

The diagnosis apparatus 100 may diagnose an electrical defect of the motor connected to the valve, that is, disconnection, short circuit, or component burnout, as well as a failure in which the needle of the motor is constrained by a foreign substance. Diagnosis of freezing of the motor, damage to the coil during welding, and foreign substances caught in the step motor can also be diagnosed.

The diagnosis apparatus 100 includes a start button 104, a communication lamp 103 for outputting a communication state, a power lamp 101 for indicating a power supply state, and a result lamp 102 for outputting a diagnosis result. It is provided. In addition, the diagnostic apparatus 100 includes a terminal connecting portion 107 connected to the terminal 50, a unit connecting portion 106 connected to the outdoor unit 10, and a valve connecting portion 105 connected to the electromagnetic expansion valve 6. do.

Accordingly, when the start button 104 is input, the diagnostic apparatus 100 turns on the power lamp 101 and outputs a communication connection state through the communication lamp 103. In addition, a predetermined control signal is transmitted so that the motor of the valve operates with respect to the device connected through the connecting parts 105 to 107, and receives data about a voltage change generated according to the motor operation. Diagnose the fault.

The diagnosis apparatus 100 outputs the result by turning on the result lamp 102 in response to the diagnosis result. At this time, the result lamp 102 outputs a diagnosis result whether it is normal or failure. When the terminal 50 is connected to the diagnosis apparatus 100, the diagnosis apparatus 100 transmits the diagnosis result to the terminal 50 so that the diagnosis result is output through the terminal 50.

As shown in FIG. 4A, the diagnostic apparatus 100 includes an input unit 160, an output unit 170, a data unit 120, a valve driving unit 130, a signal processing unit 140, and a connection unit 150. And it includes a control unit 110 for controlling the overall operation.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 4B, the signal processor 140 includes a voltage level shifter 141 and an interrupt generator 142.

The controller 110 includes an AD converter 113, a diagnosis unit 112, and a main controller 111.

The input unit 160 includes input means such as a predetermined button or switch. The input unit 160 applies a power input or a start command to the controller 110. As described above, the input unit 160 is provided with a start button 104. At this time, the start button 104 may be provided with a button for diagnosis on the solenoid valve and the electronic expansion valve, respectively.

In addition, the input unit 160 classifies the valve type according to the operation method of the start button 104 and inputs it to the controller 110. For example, when the start button 104 is pressed for a predetermined time or more, a start signal for direct acting valve diagnosis is input to the controller 110, and when a short time is operated for less than a predetermined time, a start signal for gear valve diagnosis is performed. Input to the controller 110.

Since the frequency component according to the output waveform is different from the direct acting valve and the gear valve, the input unit 160 inputs a signal to the controller 110 by dividing it according to the operation method. Accordingly, the controller 110 distinguishes the types of valves in response to the start signal, thereby performing fault diagnosis on the valves in different ways.

The output unit 170 outputs an operation state and a diagnosis result of the diagnosis apparatus 100. As described above, the output unit 170 outputs a power supply and a communication state through the power lamp 101 and the communication lamp 103, and outputs a diagnosis result through the result lamp 102. In this case, the output unit 170 may turn on the green lamp when the valve is normal and the orange lamp when the valve is broken.

The output unit 170 may be provided with a predetermined display means to output the diagnosis result as at least one of a combination of letters, numbers, and images, and to output a predetermined warning sound in the case of a failure of the diagnosis result.

The data unit 120 stores control data for operation of the diagnostic apparatus, data for signal generation for valve driving, and reference data for signal analysis and determination. In addition, the data unit 120 stores diagnostic result data at the time of diagnosing a failure of the valve.

As described above, the connection part 150 includes a terminal connection part 107, a unit connection part 106, and a valve connection part 105.

The connection unit 150 receives operating power from the outdoor unit 10 connected through the unit connection unit 106 to operate the diagnostic apparatus 100. In addition, the connection unit 150 is a valve connected to the outdoor unit 10 or the valve connection unit 105 of the unit connection unit 106, transmits a control signal and receives the data accordingly.

When the start button 104 is input to start the failure diagnosis, the valve driving unit 130 generates a control signal for operating the motor connected to the valve and applies it to the connection unit 150 according to a control command of the control unit 110. do.

The valve driving unit 130 generates a control signal and transmits the control signal to the solenoid valve or the electronic expansion valve to be operated alone through the connection unit 150. At this time, the valve driving unit 130 operates the motor of the valve, and accordingly generates a control signal to generate a predetermined voltage output waveform from the motor of the valve. At this time, the valve driver 130 converts the 5V signal output from the controller 110 into a 12V signal to drive a sufficient current to drive the valve (solenoid, EEV).

The valve driving unit 130 applies a 12V voltage to the motor coil in a 1-2-phase or 2-phase excitation scheme to control the motor of the valve, for example, a stepper motor, while the air conditioner is not operated. . At this time, the valve driving unit 130 divides the direct acting valve and the gear valve through the start signal input by the input unit 160, and in the case of the direct acting valve, applies a control signal in a two-phase excitation method. In the case of direct acting valves, the two-phase excitation method is easier to distinguish the output waveforms of the normal and fault valves than the one-two-phase excitation method.

The signal processor 140 analyzes the data input from the connection unit 150, converts the data from the connection unit 150 so that it can be determined by the controller, and inputs the same to the controller 110.

At this time, the voltage level shifting unit 141 of the signal processor 140 shifts the voltage with respect to the input output waveform to drop the voltage.

Since the motor driving voltage of the valve is 12V, which is greater than 5V, which is the maximum voltage that can be processed by the controller 110, the controller 110 may not analyze the voltage output waveform of the motor input from the connection unit 150. Accordingly, the voltage level shifting unit 141 drops the voltage to 0 to 5V with respect to the output waveform of the motor up to 12V.

In addition, the interrupt generator 142 of the signal processor 140 generates an interrupt to process a signal when the output waveform of the motor is generated.

As described above, the control signal for driving the motor of the valve is a 1-2 phase excitation method or a two phase excitation method, and the frequency component appears in the output waveform only when the control signal is at a high level. 142 generates an interrupt so that signal processing can be performed only when an output signal occurs.

As such, the signal processing unit 140 shifts the voltage level and performs signal processing only when an output signal is generated. Accordingly, the controller 110 analyzes the output waveform of the motor processed by the signal processing unit 140 to perform frequency analysis. Diagnose valve failure.

The AD converter 113 of the controller 110 converts an output waveform, which is an analog signal, into a digital signal. At this time, the AD converter 113 performs an analog-to-digital conversion to 40us.

The diagnosis unit 112 receives a digital signal and performs frequency analysis to diagnose a valve failure.

The diagnosis unit 112 analyzes the frequency spectrum by extracting the frequency component of the output waveform through a fast Fourier transform (FFT). The diagnosis unit 112 may perform FFT operation with 1024 sampling numbers and 25 kHz sampling frequency.

The diagnosis unit 112 determines whether the valve is broken based on a frequency component generated or not generated in the motor when the valve is broken through frequency analysis. In particular, the diagnosis unit 112 determines that the normal valve when the voltage fluctuation (frequency component) due to the intrinsic attenuation vibration of the normal valve, and if the voltage fluctuation (frequency component) due to the intrinsic attenuation vibration does not exist, the fault valve To judge.

The diagnosis unit 112 inputs the diagnosis result data for the valve to the main control unit 111.

The main controller 111 detects the connection state of the connection unit 150, controls the input unit 160 and the output unit 170, and controls the input / output of the data so that the data is stored in the data unit 120.

The main controller 111 controls the output unit 170 in response to the diagnosis result data input from the diagnosis unit 112 so that the diagnosis result is output through the result lamp 102.

In addition, the main controller 111 transmits the diagnosis result data to the terminal 50 when the terminal 50 is connected to the terminal connecting unit 107 or when a request is received from the terminal 50.

5 is an exemplary diagram showing a voltage graph according to the failure of the air conditioner according to the present invention. FIG. 5A is a voltage graph S1 of a normal valve, and FIG. 5B is a voltage graph S2 of a failed valve.

As shown in Figs. 5A and 5B, the normal valve and the failed valve output voltage waveforms in different forms.

In particular, in the section (A1) (B1) where the output signal of the motor occurs, the displacement of the voltage of the normal valve and the fault valve appears different. In the normal valve, a voltage shift of about 1.5v occurred, but in the faulty valve, a voltage shift of 1.3v occurred.

By analyzing the characteristics of the output waveform with respect to the output waveform of the valve motor, the diagnostic apparatus 100 determines that the valve is a normal valve if there is a voltage variation (frequency component) due to the natural damping vibration while the rotor rotates. If there is no voltage fluctuation (frequency component) due to the natural damping vibration, it is determined as a fault valve.

Since the voltage waveform is not only an electronic defect but also a mechanical defect, the diagnostic apparatus 100 controls the motor of the valve without driving the air conditioner to drive the valve alone, thereby controlling the output waveform of the valve, that is, the motor of the valve. Diagnose valve failure by analyzing the output waveforms.

6 is an exemplary view showing a change in voltage according to the failure of the air conditioner according to the present invention. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating sections A1 and B1 in which the output signal of FIG. 5 occurs. 6A is a voltage graph S11 of a normal valve, and FIG. 6B is a voltage graph S12 of a failed valve.

In the output waveform of the normal valve, overshooting and intrinsic attenuation vibrations due to rotor rotation are generated as shown in FIG.

At this time, the voltage fluctuation due to the intrinsic attenuation vibration is a vibration generated when the rotor of the step motor changes displacement in units of steps, and means a voltage fluctuation due to the counter electromotive force generated in the stator.

On the other hand, overshooting and intrinsic damping vibration do not occur in the output waveform of the failed valve as shown in FIG.

In the case of mechanical defects caused by foreign matters or electrical defects due to disconnection or short circuit, the rotor cannot rotate normally even if a control signal for driving the motor is applied to the motor of the failed valve. Voltage fluctuations due to overshooting of the voltage and natural damping vibrations are not detected.

Therefore, the diagnosis apparatus 100 diagnoses the failure of the valve by using the difference between the output waveforms of the normal valve and the failed valve, in particular, the frequency component.

As shown in FIG. 7, the diagnostic apparatus 100 is connected to the outdoor unit 10 through the connection unit 150 and the valve to be diagnosed the failure is connected, the start button 104 of the input unit 160 is When input, the controller 110 starts troubleshooting for the valve (S310).

In response to a control command of the controller 110, the valve driver 130 generates a control signal for driving the motor of the valve and outputs the control signal through the connection unit 150.

At this time, the valve driving unit 130 determines whether it is a direct acting valve or a geared valve in response to the start signal of the input unit 160, and drives the motor in a 1-2 phase excitation method or a 2-phase excitation method according to the valve type. Generate a control signal for Since the voltage of the diagnostic device 100 is 5V, the valve driving unit 130 boosts it so that the motor of 12V operates.

When the motor of the valve is operated by the control signal of the valve driving unit 130, the output waveform corresponding thereto is input to the connection unit 150 (S330).

The connection unit 150 inputs the output waveform of the received motor to the signal processor 140.

The voltage level shifting unit 141 of the signal processing unit 140 shifts the output waveform up to 12V and drops to 0 to 5V (S340).

At this time, since the output signal of the output waveform of the motor is generated only at the high level of the control signal, the interrupt generator 142 detects the rising edge of the control signal and generates an interrupt according to the high level (S350). Accordingly, the signal processor 140 performs signal processing only at the time when the output signal occurs.

The voltage drop output waveform is input to the controller 110, the AD converter 113 performs an analog-to-digital conversion (S360), and outputs a digital signal to the diagnostic unit 112 (S370).

The diagnosis unit 112 performs a FFT by sampling the digital signal (S380). The diagnosis unit 112 calculates and analyzes a frequency component of an output waveform in the frequency domain (S390).

The diagnosis unit 112 analyzes the detected frequency component (S390) to diagnose whether the valve is a normal valve or a fault valve (S400).

The diagnosis unit 112 determines that a normal valve exists when there is a voltage variation (frequency component) due to the intrinsic attenuation vibration of the normal valve through frequency analysis, and the voltage variation (frequency component) due to the inherent attenuation vibration does not exist. If it is determined to be a malfunction valve. In the case of a fault valve, since the rotor does not rotate and no natural attenuation vibration occurs, the diagnosis unit 112 determines the failure of the valve according to the presence or absence of the corresponding frequency component. In this case, data stored in the data unit 120 may be used as information on frequency components.

The main control unit 111 stores the diagnosis result data of the diagnosis unit 112 in the data unit 120 and outputs the diagnosis result through the result lamp 102 of the output unit 170 (S410).

In addition, the main controller 111 transmits the diagnosis result data to the terminal 50 when the terminal 50 is connected or when the terminal requests. Accordingly, the terminal 50 outputs not only a diagnosis result of the failure, but also detailed diagnosis result data related thereto.

As shown in FIG. 8A, an output waveform of a 12V motor is input to the connection unit 150. The voltage level shifter 141 of the signal processor 140 drops the output voltage of 12V and outputs the output waveform of 0 to 5V as shown in FIG. The interrupt generator 142 generates an interrupt by detecting the rising edge because the output signal of the output waveform is generated only at the high level of the control signal.

Accordingly, the analog output waveform is input to the AD converter 113 of the controller 110 as shown in FIG. 8C, and digitally converted as shown in FIG. 8D to output the digital signal.

The diagnosis unit 112 calculates the spectrum of the frequency component by FFT converting the digital signal as shown in FIG. 8 (e), and diagnoses the failure of the valve according to whether or not the frequency component for intrinsic attenuation vibration exists.

9 (a) shows the FFT analysis result of the output waveform of the geared normal valve, and FIG. 9 (b) shows the FFT analysis result of the output waveform of the geared failure valve.

(A) and (b) of FIG. 9 perform frequency analysis for the open section while opening the pulsed valve after closing 500 pulses of the gear-type normal valve and the fault valve in the diagnostic apparatus 100. It is done. FFT calculation conditions were sampling frequency 52KHz, sampling number 1,024, and the valve was driven at 10pps.

As shown in (a) and (b) of Figure 9, the experimental results, the normal valve is 25Hz, 50Hz section size of 50, 25, the failure valve is measured to 15, 18. Therefore, it is possible to determine the failure of the gear valve by selecting the size of the 25Hz and 50Hz section as a determination factor.

10A is an FFT analysis result of the output waveform of the direct acting normal valve, and FIG. 10B is an FFT analysis result of the output waveform of the direct acting fault valve.

As shown in (a) and (b) of Figure 10, the value of the section of the direct acting valve 25Hz, 50Hz is different from the gear valve.

The diagnosis unit 112 performs the diagnosis by making the determination factor of normal and failure different in the diagnosis of the gear valve and the direct valve. In case of the direct acting valve, the size of the frequency range is 50, 27 in the normal state and 12, 13 in the case of the fault, so the failure and the normal can be judged based on the threshold value for the valve failure determination.

Accordingly, the diagnostic apparatus 100 distinguishes the start signal by differently operating the start button of the input unit 160, so that failure diagnosis for the gear valve and the direct valve may be performed differently.

Therefore, the present invention can diagnose the failure of the device quickly and accurately by operating the device to be diagnosed alone and analyzing the voltage output waveform without operating the air conditioner. In particular, the present invention can diagnose the failure of the valve by using the difference between the frequency components of the output waveform by the motor drive of the normal valve and the failure valve.

Although all elements constituting the embodiments of the present invention are described as being combined into one operation, the present invention is not necessarily limited to these embodiments. Within the scope of the present invention, depending on the embodiment, all the components may operate selectively in combination with one or more.

The above description is merely illustrative of the technical idea of the present invention, and those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains may make various modifications and changes without departing from the essential characteristics of the present invention.

Claims

A connection part connected to a valve of an air conditioner to be inspected to transmit a control signal to the valve to operate a motor provided in the valve and to receive an output waveform according to driving of the motor;

An input unit to which a start signal for fault diagnosis is input;

A valve driving unit outputting the control signal for driving the motor to the connection unit;

A signal processor converting an output waveform of the motor received through the connection unit;

A controller for diagnosing a failure of the valve by analyzing a frequency component of the output waveform converted by the signal processor; And

And an output unit for outputting a diagnosis result.

The air conditioner is in a stopped state,

And the valve operates solely by the control signal.
The method of claim 1,

The valve driving unit boosts the voltage of 5V to 12V to operate the motor, and generates the control signal in a 1-2 phase excitation method or a 2-phase excitation method,

When the valve is a direct acting diagnostic device of the air conditioner, characterized in that for generating the control signal in a two-phase excitation method.
The method of claim 1,

And the signal processing unit includes a voltage level shifting unit for shifting the output waveform of the motor having a maximum of 12V and a voltage level from 0V to 5V to be processed by the control unit.
The method of claim 1,

And the signal processor includes an interrupt generator for detecting an rising edge of the control signal and generating an interrupt so as to process a signal in a section in which an output signal is generated among the output waveforms of the motor.
The method of claim 1,

The control unit

An AD converter for digitally converting the converted output waveform;

A diagnosis unit that determines whether the valve is broken by analyzing frequency components of the digital signal output from the AD converter; And

And a main control unit controlling the valve driving unit in response to the start signal and outputting a diagnosis result through the output unit in response to a determination result of the diagnosis unit.
The method of claim 5,

The diagnosis unit determines that the frequency component of the natural attenuation vibration generated during the operation of the motor among the frequency components of the digital signal is a normal valve, and fails if there is no frequency component of the natural attenuation vibration. Diagnosis apparatus for an air conditioner, characterized in that determined by the valve.
The method of claim 5,

The diagnostic unit performs an FFT (Fast Fourier transform) on the digital signal to calculate the frequency component for the output waveform of the motor.
The method of claim 1,

The connecting unit is connected to the communication line and the power line connected to the air conditioner unit connection unit; And

It includes a valve connecting portion is connected to the valve,

The connecting unit is a diagnostic device of the air conditioner, characterized in that for receiving the operating power of 5V from the air conditioner through the unit connection.
The method of claim 1,

The input unit includes at least one start button, corresponding to the operation method of the start button, and inputs the start signal for the gear valve and the start signal for the direct-acting valve,

The control unit is configured to determine the type of the valve in response to the start signal, the diagnostic device for the air conditioner, characterized in that for performing the diagnosis for the gear valve and the direct-acting valve differently.
The method of claim 1,

The valve is a diagnostic device of the air conditioner, characterized in that the solenoid valve or the electronic expansion valve.
Connecting the valve of the air conditioner to be inspected and starting a failure diagnosis when a start signal is input;

Transmitting a control signal for driving the motor of the valve to the valve;

When the motor is operated by the control signal, receiving an output waveform of the motor through a connection part connected to the valve;

Converting the received output waveform of the motor;

Diagnosing a failure of the valve by analyzing a frequency component of the converted output waveform; And

Operating method of the diagnostic device of the air conditioner comprising the step of outputting the diagnostic result.
The method of claim 11,

The diagnosing of the failure of the valve may include determining that the valve is a normal valve when a frequency component of inherent attenuation vibrations generated while the motor is operating is present among the frequency components of the converted output waveform. Method for operating the diagnostic device of the air conditioner, characterized in that it is determined as a failure valve when the frequency component for the natural damping vibration does not exist.
The method of claim 11,

The diagnosing of the failure of the valve may include converting the converted output waveform into a digital signal, sampling the digital signal, performing an FFT, and analyzing the frequency component with respect to the output waveform in the frequency domain. Method of operation of the diagnostic device of the air conditioner, characterized in that.
The method of claim 11,

Converting the output waveform of the motor,

Shifting a voltage level of the output waveform; And

And detecting an rising edge of the control signal to generate an interrupt so as to process a signal in a section in which an output signal is generated among the output waveforms of the motor.
The method of claim 11,

The diagnosing of the failure of the valve may include generating the control signal differently according to the valve type in response to the start signal, and differently performing the diagnosis of the gear valve and the diagnosis of the direct acting valve. Operation method of the diagnostic apparatus of the air conditioner.
An air conditioner including a plurality of valves;

It is connected to the air conditioner, and includes a diagnostic device for performing a troubleshooting for the valve,

The diagnostic device,

A connection part connected to the air conditioner and the valve;

An input unit to which a start signal for fault diagnosis is input;

A valve driver for outputting a control signal for driving the motor of the valve to the connection part;

A signal processor converting an output waveform of the motor received through the connection unit;

A controller for diagnosing a failure of the valve by analyzing a frequency component of the output waveform converted by the signal processor; And

And an output unit for outputting a diagnosis result.

The air conditioner is in an operation stop state, and the valve is operated independently according to the control signal.
The method of claim 16,

The controller analyzes the frequency component of the output waveform,

Of the frequency components of the output waveform, if there is a frequency component for the natural damping vibration generated during the operation of the motor is determined as a normal valve, if the frequency component for the natural damping vibration does not exist as a fault valve Air conditioner system, characterized in that judging.
The method of claim 16,

The signal processor may include: a voltage level shifter configured to shift a voltage level between 0V and 5V of the output waveform of the motor having a maximum of 12V so as to be processed by the controller; And

And an interrupt generator for generating an interrupt by detecting a rising edge of the control signal to process a signal in a section in which an output signal is generated among the output waveforms of the motor.
The method of claim 16,

The valve driving unit boosts the voltage of 5V to 12V to operate the motor, and generates the control signal in a 1-2 phase excitation method or a 2-phase excitation method,

And the control signal is generated in a two-phase excitation method when the valve is in direct operation in response to the start signal.
The method of claim 16,

Further comprising a terminal connected via the connection,

The terminal receives the diagnostic result and the data on the diagnostic result from the control unit and outputs a diagnostic result for the failure diagnosis of the valve.