WO2024048970A1

WO2024048970A1 - Air conditioner and controlling method therefor

Info

Publication number: WO2024048970A1
Application number: PCT/KR2023/009634
Authority: WO
Inventors: 손이규; 김영진; 문효주; 서범석; 유승천; 인성진; 임진호; 장석현; 조일용
Original assignee: 삼성전자주식회사
Priority date: 2022-09-02
Filing date: 2023-07-07
Publication date: 2024-03-07
Also published as: KR20240032579A

Abstract

The disclosed air conditioner comprises: an indoor unit comprising an indoor heat exchanger; an outdoor unit comprising a compressor for supplying a refrigerant to the indoor heat exchanger; an indoor heat exchanger temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger; an indoor humidity sensor for detecting indoor humidity; an indoor temperature sensor for detecting the indoor temperature; and a control unit which determines, on the basis of the indoor humidity and temperature during a dehumidification operation, whether to perform a comfortable operation for maintaining the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger to at most a dew point temperature, and which controls the frequency of the compressor on the basis of the dew point temperature and the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger during the comfortable operation.

Description

Air conditioner and its control method

The disclosed invention relates to an air conditioner capable of maintaining constant indoor humidity and indoor temperature during dehumidifying operation and a method of controlling the same.

An air conditioner is a device that cools or heats air using the movement of heat generated from evaporation and condensation of a refrigerant, and discharges the cooled or heated air to condition the air in an indoor space. During cooling or heating operation, the air conditioner circulates refrigerant through a compressor, an indoor heat exchanger, and an outdoor heat exchanger, and discharges heat-exchanged air from the indoor heat exchanger into the indoor space, thereby cooling or heating the indoor space.

Generally, the dehumidifying operation of an air conditioner is performed to lower indoor humidity by removing moisture contained in indoor air. Just as indoor air is cooled during cooling operation, indoor air can also be cooled during dehumidification operation. In general dehumidification operation, the compressor is controlled to repeatedly turn on or off depending on changes in indoor temperature. However, as the compressor is repeatedly turned on or off, the fluctuation range of indoor temperature increases and the fluctuation range of indoor humidity increases. This may cause the user to feel uncomfortable.

The disclosed invention provides an air conditioner and its control method that can reduce fluctuations in indoor temperature and indoor humidity by performing comfortable operation by appropriately adjusting the frequency of the compressor without on-off control of the compressor during dehumidifying operation.

An air conditioner according to an embodiment includes an indoor unit including an indoor heat exchanger; an outdoor unit including a compressor that supplies refrigerant to the indoor heat exchanger; an indoor heat exchanger temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger; an indoor humidity sensor that detects indoor humidity; an indoor temperature sensor that detects indoor temperature; During the dehumidifying operation, it is determined whether to perform a comfortable operation to maintain the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger below the dew point temperature based on the indoor humidity and the indoor humidity, and during the comfortable operation, the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger and the dew point temperature are determined. It includes a control unit that adjusts the frequency of the compressor based on.

The controller maintains the indoor temperature below the predetermined first threshold temperature and the desired temperature set by the user for a predetermined first time in the dehumidification operation, and the indoor humidity is maintained below the predetermined threshold humidity. , you can enter the comfortable driving mode.

The control unit controls the comfortable operation based on the indoor temperature being maintained above a second threshold temperature higher than the first threshold temperature or the indoor humidity being maintained above the threshold humidity for a predetermined second time in the comfortable operation. You can stop driving.

The control unit calculates the dew point temperature from the indoor humidity and the indoor temperature during the comfortable operation, and operates the compressor based on the difference value between the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger and the dew point temperature and the temperature change value of the indoor heat exchanger. It may be decided to increase the frequency or decrease the frequency of the compressor.

The control unit determines the difference value between the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger and the dew point temperature and the increase in frequency of the compressor or the frequency of the compressor corresponding to the temperature change value of the indoor heat exchanger from a fuzzy table stored in the memory. The reduction value of can be determined.

The control unit increases the rotational speed of the outdoor fan included in the outdoor unit in response to an increase in the frequency of the compressor, increases the opening degree of the expansion valve included in the indoor unit, or responds to a decrease in the frequency of the compressor. The rotational speed of the outdoor fan can be reduced and the opening degree of the expansion valve can be reduced.

The control unit adjusts the first rotational speed of the compressor in the comfortable operation to be slower than the second rotational speed of the compressor in the dehumidifying operation, and adjusts the third rotational speed of the outdoor fan included in the outdoor unit in the comfortable operation to the dehumidifying operation. During operation, the rotation speed can be adjusted to be slower than the fourth rotation speed of the outdoor fan.

A method of controlling an air conditioner according to an embodiment includes detecting indoor humidity using an indoor humidity sensor included in the indoor unit during a dehumidifying operation; detecting the indoor temperature using an indoor temperature sensor included in the indoor unit during the dehumidifying operation; During the dehumidifying operation, determine whether to perform a comfortable operation to maintain the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger below the dew point temperature based on the indoor humidity and the indoor humidity; and adjusting the frequency of the compressor based on the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger and the dew point temperature during the comfortable operation.

The comfortable operation may be performed by maintaining the indoor temperature below a predetermined first threshold temperature and a desired temperature set by a user for a predetermined first time in the dehumidifying operation, and maintaining the indoor humidity below a predetermined threshold humidity. It can be performed based on

The control method of the air conditioner is such that the indoor temperature is maintained above a second critical temperature higher than the first critical temperature or the indoor humidity is maintained above the critical humidity for a predetermined second time in the comfortable operation. Based on this, it may further include stopping the comfortable driving.

Adjusting the frequency of the compressor includes calculating the dew point temperature from the indoor humidity and the indoor humidity; It may include determining an increase in the frequency of the compressor or a decrease in the frequency of the compressor based on a difference value between the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger and the dew point temperature and a temperature change value of the indoor heat exchanger.

Adjusting the frequency of the compressor includes increasing the frequency of the compressor corresponding to the difference value between the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger and the dew point temperature and the temperature change value of the indoor heat exchanger from a fuzzy table stored in memory. It may include; determining a value or a reduction value of the frequency of the compressor.

The method of controlling the air conditioner includes: increasing the rotational speed of the outdoor fan included in the outdoor unit in response to an increase in the frequency of the compressor, and increasing the opening degree of the expansion valve included in the indoor unit; Alternatively, the method may further include reducing the rotational speed of the outdoor fan and reducing the opening degree of the expansion valve in response to a decrease in the frequency of the compressor.

In the comfortable operation, the first rotational speed of the compressor is adjusted to be slower than the second rotational speed of the compressor in the dehumidifying operation, and in the comfortable operation, the third rotational speed of the outdoor fan included in the outdoor unit is adjusted to the above in the dehumidifying operation. It can be adjusted to be slower than the fourth rotation speed of the outdoor fan.

The disclosed air conditioner and its control method can reduce fluctuations in indoor temperature and indoor humidity by performing comfortable operation by appropriately adjusting the frequency of the compressor without on-off control of the compressor based on predetermined conditions during dehumidification operation. . As fluctuations in indoor temperature and indoor humidity are reduced, power consumption efficiency can be improved and a more comfortable indoor environment can be provided to users.

1 is an external view of an air conditioner according to an embodiment.

Figure 2 shows the flow of refrigerant when an air conditioner performs a heating operation or cooling operation according to an embodiment.

Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the control configuration of an outdoor unit according to an embodiment.

Figure 4 is a block diagram showing a control configuration of an indoor unit according to an embodiment.

Figure 5 is a flowchart explaining a control method of an air conditioner according to an embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart explaining in more detail the control method of the air conditioner described in FIG. 5.

Figure 7 shows a fuzzy table according to one embodiment.

Figure 8 is a graph showing changes in indoor humidity, changes in indoor temperature, and changes in compressor frequency during general dehumidification operation.

Figure 9 is a graph showing the change in indoor humidity, change in indoor temperature, and change in frequency of the compressor when comfortable operation is performed during dehumidification operation.

The embodiments described in this specification and the configurations shown in the drawings are only preferred examples of the disclosed invention, and at the time of filing this application, there may be various modifications that can replace the embodiments and drawings in this specification.

Throughout this specification, when a part is said to be “connected” to another part, this includes not only direct connection but also indirect connection, and indirect connection refers to connection through a wireless communication network. Includes.

Additionally, the terms used herein are used to describe embodiments and are not intended to limit and/or limit the disclosed invention. Singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In this specification, terms such as “comprise” or “have” are intended to indicate the presence of features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification, but are not intended to indicate the presence of one or more other features. The existence or addition of numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof is not excluded in advance.

In addition, terms including ordinal numbers such as “first”, “second”, etc. used in this specification may be used to describe various components, but the components are not limited by the terms, and the terms It is used only for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another. For example, a first component may be named a second component, and similarly, the second component may also be named a first component without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Additionally, terms such as "~unit", "~unit", "~block", "~member", and "~module" may refer to a unit that processes at least one function or operation. For example, the terms may refer to at least one hardware such as a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) / application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), at least one software stored in memory, or at least one process processed by a processor. there is.

The codes attached to each step are used to identify each step, and these codes do not indicate the order of each step. Each step is performed differently from the specified order unless a specific order is clearly stated in the context. It can be.

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

1 is an external view of an air conditioner according to an embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 1, the air conditioner 1 includes an outdoor unit 1a provided in an outdoor space to perform heat exchange between outdoor air and a refrigerant, and an indoor unit 1b provided in an indoor space to perform heat exchange between indoor air and a refrigerant. ) includes. The outdoor unit 1a may be located outside the air conditioning space, and the indoor unit 1b may be located within the air conditioning space. The air conditioned space refers to a space that is cooled or heated by the air conditioner (1). For example, the outdoor unit 1a may be placed outside a building, and the indoor unit 1b may be placed in a space separated from the outside by a wall, such as a living room or office.

The outdoor unit 1a and the indoor unit 1b are connected through external pipes P1 and P2. The refrigerant can circulate through the outdoor unit (1a), external pipes (P1, P2), and indoor unit (1b). One end of the external pipes P1 and P2 may be connected to a pipe valve provided on one side of the outdoor unit 1a. Additionally, the external pipes P1 and P2 may be connected to refrigerant pipes provided inside the outdoor unit 1a and the indoor unit 1b.

An outdoor fan 150 may be provided within the housing of the outdoor unit 1a. When the outdoor fan 150 operates, air may be discharged to the outside of the outdoor unit 1a through the discharge port of the housing. A fan guard 22 may be provided at the discharge port to protect the outdoor fan 150. The fan guard 22 may cover the discharge port and may have a grill or mesh shape.

The indoor unit 1b may include a body case 201 and a front panel 202. Additionally, the indoor unit 1b may include at least one outlet 205 of the front panel 202 and at least one door 204 that can open and close the outlet 205. For example, the door 204 may include a first door 204a, a second door 204b, and a third door 204c. The outlet 205 may include a first outlet 205a, a second outlet 205b, and a third outlet 205c. The discharge port 205 and the door 204 may be provided in the upper area of the front panel 202.

The front panel 202 may include a plurality of holes 202h that are distinct from the discharge port 205. A plurality of holes 202h may be provided in an area of the front panel 202 where the discharge port 205 is not formed. The size of each of the plurality of holes 202h is smaller than the size of the discharge port 205.

The discharge port 205 is provided so that air heat-exchanged by the indoor heat exchanger 230 can be directly discharged to the outside. That is, the discharge port 205 may be provided to be exposed to the outside of the indoor unit 1b. The door 204 can open or close the discharge port 205. When the outlet 205 is opened by moving the door 204, heat-exchanged air may be discharged through the outlet 205.

For example, the first door 204a opens the first outlet 205a, the second door 204b opens the second outlet 205b, and the third door 204c opens the third outlet 205c. ) can be closed. In this case, heat-exchanged air may be discharged through the first outlet 205a and the second outlet 205b, and heat-exchanged air may not be discharged from the third outlet 205c.

The doors 204 and the discharge ports 205 may be provided in equal numbers and arranged in one-to-one correspondence. The door 204 may have a shape corresponding to the shape of the discharge port 205. For example, the discharge port 205 and the door 204 may be circular. The door 204 can move between an open position that opens the discharge port 205 and a closed position that closes the discharge port 205 . The door 204 can move between the open and closed positions in the forward and backward directions. The door 204 can be moved by a door actuator (not shown).

The indoor fan 250 provided inside the indoor unit 1b may be disposed inside the body case 201 to correspond to the discharge port 205. The number of indoor fans 250 may correspond to the number of discharge ports 205. The indoor fan 250 includes a fan motor and can rotate using power generated by the fan motor. When there are a plurality of indoor fans 250, each indoor fan 250 may be controlled to operate at the same rotation speed or different rotation speeds.

An air inlet 203 may be provided at the rear of the body case 201. The air flowing into the air inlet 203 is heat-exchanged in the indoor heat exchanger 230, and the heat-exchanged air may be discharged to the outside of the indoor unit 1b (i.e., the indoor space) through the discharge port 205. Additionally, the heat-exchanged air may be discharged to the outside (indoor) of the indoor unit 1b through the plurality of holes 202h of the front panel 202.

When the door 204 opens the outlet 205, heat-exchanged air may be discharged into the indoor space through the outlet 205 and the plurality of holes 202h of the front panel 202. When the door 204 closes the outlet 205, the heat-exchanged air may be discharged to the outside of the indoor unit 1b through the plurality of holes 202h of the front panel 202.

When the discharge port 205 is closed by the door 204, the rotation speed of the indoor fan 250 can be controlled to be relatively low. The flow rate of air discharged through the plurality of holes 202h when the discharge port 205 is closed may be slower than the flow rate of air discharged through the open discharge port 205. In this way, the indoor unit 1b can control the door 204 to open or close the discharge port 205 and change the discharge path of the air flowing into the air inlet 203.

Although the air conditioner 1 has been described as including one outdoor unit 1a and one indoor unit 1b, it may also include a plurality of outdoor units 1a and a plurality of indoor units 1b. For example, a plurality of indoor units 1b may be connected to one outdoor unit 1a. Additionally, the shape of the indoor unit 1b is not limited to that described. As long as the indoor unit 1b is installed in an indoor space and can cool or heat the indoor space, any type of indoor unit 1b can be applied.

Referring to FIG. 2, the air conditioner 1 includes a refrigerant flow path for circulating refrigerant between the indoor unit 1b and the outdoor unit 1a. The refrigerant circulates between the indoor unit (1b) and the outdoor unit (1a) along the refrigerant flow path, and can absorb or release heat through a change in state (e.g., change of state from gas to liquid, change of state from liquid to gas). You can.

The air conditioner (1) may include a liquid pipe (P1) that connects the outdoor unit (1a) and the indoor unit (1b) and serves as a passage through which the liquid refrigerant flows, and a gas pipe (P2) as a passage through which the gaseous refrigerant flows. there is. The liquid pipe (P1) and the gas pipe (P2) may extend inside the outdoor unit (1a) and the indoor unit (1b).

During cooling operation, the refrigerant may emit heat from the outdoor heat exchanger 130 and absorb heat from the indoor heat exchanger 230. During cooling operation, the refrigerant compressed in the compressor 110 may first be supplied to the outdoor heat exchanger 130 through the four-way valve 120 and then to the indoor heat exchanger 230 through the expansion valve 220. During cooling operation, the outdoor heat exchanger 130 operates as a condenser that condenses the refrigerant, and the indoor heat exchanger 230 operates as an evaporator that evaporates the refrigerant.

During cooling or dehumidifying operation, the high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant discharged from the compressor 110 moves to the outdoor heat exchanger 130. The liquid or near-liquid refrigerant condensed in the outdoor heat exchanger 130 is expanded and depressurized in the expansion valve 220. Two-phase refrigerant that has passed through the expansion valve 220 moves to the indoor heat exchanger 230. The refrigerant flowing into the indoor heat exchanger 230 exchanges heat with the surrounding air and is evaporated. Accordingly, the temperature of the air passing through the indoor heat exchanger 230 decreases, and the cooled air is discharged to the outside of the indoor unit 1b. Additionally, since the moisture contained in the air passing through the indoor heat exchanger 230 is condensed, the air from which the moisture has been removed may be discharged into the indoor space.

During dehumidifying operation, the frequency of the compressor 110 is controlled to be relatively low. Therefore, the temperature of the air discharged from the indoor unit 1b during the dehumidifying operation may be higher than the temperature of the air discharged during the cooling operation.

During heating operation, the refrigerant may emit heat from the indoor heat exchanger 230 and absorb heat from the outdoor heat exchanger 130. That is, during the heating operation, the refrigerant compressed in the compressor 110 may be first supplied to the indoor heat exchanger 230 through the four-way valve 120 and then to the outdoor heat exchanger 130. In this case, the indoor heat exchanger 230 operates as a condenser that condenses the refrigerant, and the outdoor heat exchanger 130 operates as an evaporator that evaporates the refrigerant.

During the heating operation, the high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant discharged from the compressor 110 moves to the indoor heat exchanger 230. The high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant passing through the indoor heat exchanger 230 exchanges heat with low-temperature dry air. The refrigerant condenses into a liquid or near-liquid refrigerant and releases heat, and as the air absorbs the heat, warmth is discharged to the outside of the indoor unit 1b.

The outdoor unit 1a is a compressor 110 that compresses the refrigerant, an outdoor heat exchanger 130 that performs heat exchange between outdoor air and the refrigerant, and compressed by the compressor 110 based on cooling operation, dehumidification operation, or heating operation. A four-way valve (120) that guides the refrigerant to the outdoor heat exchanger (130) or the indoor heat exchanger (230), and an accumulator (160) that prevents liquid refrigerant that has not evaporated from flowing into the compressor (110). ) includes.

The compressor 110 may operate by receiving electrical energy from an external power source. The compressor 110 includes a compressor motor (not shown) and compresses low-pressure gaseous refrigerant to high pressure using the rotational force of the compressor motor. The frequency of the compressor 110 may be changed to correspond to the capability required by the indoor unit 1b. The compressor 110 may be an inverter air compressor, a positive displacement compressor, or a dynamic compressor, and various types of compressors that the designer can consider may be used.

The four-way valve 120 can change the flow direction of the high-temperature, high-pressure gas refrigerant discharged from the compressor 110. The four-way valve 120 is controlled to guide the refrigerant compressed in the compressor 110 to the outdoor heat exchanger 130 during cooling or dehumidifying operation. The four-way valve 120 is controlled to guide the refrigerant compressed in the compressor 110 to the indoor unit 1b during heating operation.

The outdoor heat exchanger 130 functions as a condenser that condenses the refrigerant compressed in the compressor 110 during cooling or dehumidifying operation. The outdoor heat exchanger 130 functions as an evaporator that evaporates the refrigerant depressurized in the indoor unit 1b during heating operation. The outdoor heat exchanger 130 may include an outdoor heat exchanger refrigerant pipe (not shown) through which the refrigerant passes, and outdoor heat exchanger cooling fins (not shown) to increase the surface area in contact with outdoor air. If the surface area in contact between the outdoor heat exchanger refrigerant pipe (not shown) and outdoor air is increased, the heat exchange efficiency between the refrigerant and outdoor air can be improved.

The outdoor fan 150 is provided around the outdoor heat exchanger 130 to flow outdoor air into the outdoor heat exchanger 130. The outdoor fan 150 can blow outdoor air before heat exchange to the outdoor heat exchanger 130 and simultaneously blow the heat-exchanged air outdoors. The outdoor fan 150 can disperse the heat emitted by the liquefaction of the refrigerant in the outdoor heat exchanger 130 by discharging air around the outdoor heat exchanger 130 to the outside.

The accumulator 160 may store liquid refrigerant and vaporize the stored liquid refrigerant. The accumulator 160 can prevent liquid refrigerant from flowing into the compressor 110. However, if the circulating amount of refrigerant is excessive, vaporization of the liquid refrigerant by the accumulator 160 may not be properly performed. In this case, liquid refrigerant may flow into the compressor 110, and damage to the compressor 110 may occur.

The outdoor unit 1a may include an outdoor temperature sensor 171 to detect the outdoor temperature. An outdoor heat exchanger temperature sensor 172 may be provided on at least one side of the outdoor heat exchanger 130 to detect the temperature of the outdoor heat exchanger 130. The outdoor temperature sensor 171 and the outdoor heat exchanger temperature sensor 172 may be implemented as at least one of a bimetal thermometer, a thermistor thermometer, or an infrared thermometer.

Based on a cooling operation or dehumidification operation in which refrigerant flows from the compressor 110 to the outdoor heat exchanger 130, the outdoor heat exchanger temperature sensor 172 will be placed on the outlet side of the outdoor heat exchanger 130 from which the refrigerant comes out. You can. Therefore, the outdoor heat exchanger temperature sensor 172 may be referred to as an ‘outdoor heat exchanger outlet temperature sensor’. Although not shown, a temperature sensor (not shown) may also be provided on the inlet side of the outdoor heat exchanger 130, and may be referred to as an 'outdoor heat exchanger inlet temperature sensor'. In other words, temperature sensors may be provided at each of the inlet and outlet of the outdoor heat exchanger 130. The outdoor heat exchanger temperature sensor 172 may be installed around the inlet and/or outlet of the outdoor heat exchanger 130, or may be installed in contact with a refrigerant pipe connected to the inlet and/or outlet of the outdoor heat exchanger 130. .

In the heating operation, the circulation direction of the refrigerant is reversed, so the inlet of the outdoor heat exchanger 130, where the refrigerant enters, and the outlet of the outdoor heat exchanger 130, where the refrigerant comes out, may be defined as opposite. However, for convenience of explanation, the inlet and outlet of the outdoor heat exchanger 130 may be described based on the time of cooling operation.

A compressor outlet temperature sensor 173 may be provided at the outlet of the compressor 110. The compressor outlet temperature sensor 173 can detect the discharge temperature of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 110. The discharge temperature of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 110 may be referred to as compressor discharge temperature or compressor outlet temperature.

The indoor unit 1b may include an expansion valve 220, an indoor heat exchanger 230, and an indoor fan 250. The indoor heat exchanger 230 performs heat exchange between indoor air and refrigerant. The indoor fan 250 may flow indoor air into the indoor heat exchanger 230. A plurality of indoor fans 250 may be provided.

The expansion valve 220 can expand a high-temperature, high-pressure liquid refrigerant and discharge a low-temperature, low-pressure gas and liquid refrigerant mixture. The expansion valve 220 may control the amount of refrigerant provided to the indoor heat exchanger 230. The expansion valve 220 depressurizes the refrigerant using a throttling action. The throttling action means that when the refrigerant passes through a narrow passage, the pressure decreases without heat exchange with the outside.

The expansion valve 220 may be an electronic expansion valve (EEV) whose opening is adjustable. The expansion valve 220 includes, for example, a thermoelectric electromagnetic expansion valve using deformation of a bimetal, a thermoelectric electromagnetic expansion valve using volume expansion by heating the encapsulating wax, and a pulse width modulation valve that opens and closes a solenoid valve by a pulse signal. It may be an electronic expansion valve or a stem motor-type electronic expansion valve that opens and closes the valve using a motor.

Although the expansion valve 220 is illustrated as being included in the indoor unit 1b, the expansion valve 220 may also be included in the outdoor unit 1a. Additionally, expansion valves 220 may be provided in both the outdoor unit 1a and the indoor unit 1b. That is, the expansion valve 220 may be provided in the liquid pipe P1, which is a pipe that forms a refrigerant flow path between the outdoor heat exchanger 130 and the indoor heat exchanger 230.

The indoor heat exchanger 230 functions as an evaporator that evaporates low-pressure liquid refrigerant during cooling or dehumidifying operation. The indoor heat exchanger 230 functions as a condenser that condenses high-pressure gaseous refrigerant during heating operation. The indoor heat exchanger 230, like the outdoor heat exchanger 130 of the outdoor unit 1a, cools the indoor heat exchanger to improve the heat exchange efficiency between the indoor heat exchanger refrigerant pipe (not shown) through which the refrigerant passes and the refrigerant and indoor air. Includes pins (not shown).

The indoor fan 250 is provided around the indoor heat exchanger 230 to blow indoor air into the indoor heat exchanger 230. The indoor heat exchanger 230 can perform heat exchange with indoor air. The indoor fan 250 can blow indoor air before heat exchange to the indoor heat exchanger 230 and simultaneously blow the heat-exchanged air into the indoor space.

The indoor heat exchanger 230 may be provided with an indoor heat exchanger temperature sensor 211 to detect the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger 230. The indoor heat exchanger temperature sensor 211 may be disposed on the outer surface of the indoor heat exchanger 230 and/or at a location adjacent to the indoor heat exchanger 230. The temperature of the indoor heat exchanger 230 may represent the temperature of air that exchanges heat with the indoor heat exchanger 230.

Additionally, an indoor temperature sensor 213 may be provided inside the indoor unit 1b to detect the indoor temperature. The indoor temperature sensor 213 can detect the temperature of indoor air sucked through the air inlet 203 located at the rear of the body case 201 of the indoor unit 1b. The indoor heat exchanger temperature sensor 211 and the indoor temperature sensor 213 may be implemented as at least one of a bimetal thermometer, a thermistor thermometer, or an infrared thermometer. In addition, the air conditioner 1 may include various temperature sensors.

The indoor humidity sensor 212 can detect indoor humidity. Indoor humidity can be expressed as relative humidity. The humidity of indoor air sucked through the air inlet 203 located at the rear of the body case 201 of the indoor unit 1b can be detected. The indoor humidity sensor 212 may transmit an electrical signal corresponding to the detected indoor humidity to the second control unit 270 of the indoor unit 1b.

The indoor temperature sensor 213 and the indoor humidity sensor 212 may be placed inside the body case 201, but are not limited thereto. The indoor temperature sensor 213 and the indoor humidity sensor 212 may be placed outside the body case 201.

Referring to FIG. 3, the outdoor unit 1a of the air conditioner 1 includes a compressor 110, a four-way valve 120, an outdoor fan 150, an outdoor temperature sensor 171, and an outdoor heat exchanger temperature sensor 172. , may include a compressor outlet temperature sensor 173, a first communication interface 180, and a first control unit 190. The first control unit 190 may include a first memory 192 and a first processor 191.

The first control unit 190 may be electrically connected to the components of the outdoor unit 1a and control the operation of each component. For example, the first control unit 190 can adjust the frequency of the compressor 110 and control the four-way valve 120 to change the circulation direction of the refrigerant. The first control unit 190 can adjust the rotation speed of the outdoor fan 150. The rotation speed of the outdoor fan 150 may be adjusted according to the outdoor temperature. Additionally, the first control unit 190 may generate a control signal to adjust the opening degree of the expansion valve 220 of the indoor unit 1b.

Under the control of the first control unit 190, the refrigerant flows along the refrigerant circulation circuit including the compressor 110, the four-way valve 120, the outdoor heat exchanger 130, the expansion valve 220, and the indoor heat exchanger 230. It can circulate. The compressor 110 may compress gaseous refrigerant and discharge high-temperature/high-pressure gaseous refrigerant. Additionally, the compressor 110 may not operate in a blowing operation that does not require cooling or heating.

The four-way valve 120 can change the circulation direction of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 110 under the control of the first control unit 190. The four-way valve 120 guides the refrigerant compressed in the compressor 110 to the outdoor heat exchanger 130 during cooling operation, and guides the refrigerant compressed in the compressor 110 to the indoor heat exchanger 230 during heating operation. Guide.

The outdoor temperature sensor 171 may transmit an electrical signal corresponding to the detected outdoor temperature to the first control unit 190. The outdoor heat exchanger temperature sensor 172 may transmit an electrical signal corresponding to the detected inlet temperature and/or outlet temperature of the outdoor heat exchanger to the first control unit 190. The compressor outlet temperature sensor 173 may transmit an electrical signal corresponding to the compressor discharge temperature to the first control unit 190.

The first communication interface 180 may perform communication with the indoor unit 1b. The first communication interface 180 of the outdoor unit 1a transmits the control signal transmitted from the first control unit 190 to the indoor unit 1b, or transmits the control signal transmitted from the indoor unit 1b to the first control unit 190. It can be delivered. In other words, the outdoor unit 1a and the indoor unit 1b can perform two-way communication. The outdoor unit 1a and the indoor unit 1b can transmit and receive various signals during operation.

The first memory 192 can memorize/store various information necessary for the operation of the air conditioner 1. The first memory 192 may store instructions, applications, data, and/or programs necessary for the operation of the air conditioner 1. For example, the first memory 192 may store programs for cooling, heating, and defrosting operations of the air conditioner 1.

The first memory 192 may include volatile memory such as Static Random Access Memory (S-RAM) or Dynamic Random Access Memory (D-RAM) for temporarily storing data. In addition, the first memory 192 is a non-volatile memory such as Read Only Memory (ROM), Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (EPROM), or Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (EEPROM) for long-term storage of data. May contain memory.

The first processor 191 may generate a control signal for controlling the operation of the air conditioner 1 based on instructions, applications, data, and/or programs stored in the first memory 192. The first processor 191 is hardware and may include a logic circuit and an operation circuit. The first processor 191 may process data according to programs and/or instructions provided from the first memory 192 and generate control signals according to the processing results. The first memory 192 and the first processor 191 may be implemented as one control circuit or as a plurality of circuits.

Some of the components of the illustrated outdoor unit 1a may be omitted, or other components may be added in addition to the illustrated components of the outdoor unit 1a. For example, the outdoor unit 1a may further include a control panel. The control panel may be provided in the cabinet 10 of the outdoor unit 1a. The control panel can obtain user input related to the operation of the air conditioner 1 and output information about the operation of the air conditioner 1. The control panel may transmit an electrical signal (voltage or current) corresponding to the user input to the first control unit 190. The first control unit 190 may control the operation of the air conditioner 1 based on an electrical signal transmitted from the control panel. The control panel may include buttons and displays.

Referring to FIG. 4, the indoor unit 1b of the air conditioner 1 includes an expansion valve 220, an indoor fan 250, an indoor heat exchanger temperature sensor 211, an indoor humidity sensor 212, and an indoor temperature sensor ( 213), a second communication interface 260, and a second control unit 270. Additionally, the indoor unit 1b may include a user interface 280.

The second control unit 270 may include a second memory 272 and a second processor 271. The second control unit 270 of the indoor unit 1b may be electrically connected to the components of the indoor unit 1b and may control the operation of each component.

The indoor heat exchanger temperature sensor 211 may transmit an electrical signal corresponding to the detected temperature of the indoor heat exchanger 230 to the second processor 271. The indoor humidity sensor 212 may transmit an electrical signal corresponding to the detected indoor humidity to the second processor 271. The indoor temperature sensor 213 may transmit an electrical signal corresponding to the detected indoor temperature to the second processor 271.

The expansion valve 220 can depressurize the refrigerant. Additionally, the expansion valve 220 may adjust the amount of refrigerant supplied to ensure sufficient heat exchange in the outdoor heat exchanger 130 or the indoor heat exchanger 230. The expansion valve 220 depressurizes the refrigerant by using the throttling action of the refrigerant, in which the pressure decreases as the refrigerant passes through a narrow passage.

The second communication interface 260 can communicate with the outdoor unit 1a. The second communication interface 260 of the indoor unit 1b transmits the control signal transmitted from the second control unit 270 to the outdoor unit 1a, or transmits the control signal transmitted from the outdoor unit 200 to the second control unit 270. It can be delivered. For example, a control signal for adjusting the opening degree of the expansion valve 220 may be transmitted from the outdoor unit 1a to the indoor unit 1b. The second control unit 270 may adjust the opening degree of the expansion valve 220 based on a signal transmitted from the first control unit 190 of the outdoor unit 1a.

Additionally, the second communication interface 260 can communicate with an access point (AP) (not shown) provided separately in the air conditioning space, and can be connected to a network through the access point. The second communication interface 260 may communicate with a user terminal device (eg, a smartphone) through an access point. The second communication interface 260 can receive information on the user terminal device connected to the access point and transmit the information on the user terminal device to the second control unit 270. Through this, the user can remotely control the air conditioner (1).

The second memory 272 can memorize/store various information necessary for the operation of the air conditioner 1. The second memory 272 may store instructions, applications, data, and/or programs necessary for the operation of the air conditioner 1. For example, the second memory 272 may store programs for cooling, heating, and defrosting operations of the air conditioner 1. Like the first memory 192, the second memory 272 may include volatile memory and/or non-volatile memory.

The second processor 271 may generate a control signal for controlling the operation of the air conditioner 1 based on instructions, applications, data, and/or programs stored in the second memory 272. The second processor 271 is hardware and may include a logic circuit and an operation circuit. The second processor 271 may process data according to programs and/or instructions provided from the second memory 272 and generate a control signal according to the processing results. The second memory 272 and the second processor 271 may be implemented as one control circuit or as a plurality of circuits.

The user interface 280 may be provided on at least one of the body case 201 or the door 204 of the indoor unit 1b. The user interface 280 can obtain user input related to the operation of the air conditioner 1 and output information about the operation of the air conditioner 1. The user interface 280 may transmit an electrical signal (voltage or current) corresponding to the user input to the second control unit 270. The second control unit 270 may control the operation of the air conditioner 1 based on the electrical signal transmitted from the user interface 280.

The user interface 280 may include a plurality of buttons. For example, the plurality of buttons include an operation mode button for selecting operation modes such as cooling operation, heating operation, blowing operation, defrosting operation, and dehumidification operation, and a temperature button for setting the target temperature of the indoor space (air-conditioning space). , it may include a wind direction button to set the wind direction and/or a wind volume button to set the wind strength (rotation speed of the indoor fan).

Additionally, user interface 280 may include a display. The display can display information input by the user or information provided to the user on various screens. For example, information such as the selected driving mode, wind direction, wind volume, and temperature may be displayed as at least one of an image or text.

Some of the components of the illustrated indoor unit 1b may be omitted, or other components may be added in addition to the components of the illustrated indoor unit 1b. For example, the indoor unit 1b may further include a control panel. The control panel can obtain user input related to the operation of the air conditioner 1 and output information about the operation of the air conditioner 1.

As described in FIGS. 3 and 4, the air conditioner 1 may include at least one

control unit

190 or 270. Although it has been described that control units are provided separately for the outdoor unit 1a and the indoor unit 1b, an integrated control unit capable of controlling both the outdoor unit 1a and the indoor unit 1b may be provided. Hereinafter, it will be explained that control of the air conditioner 1 is performed by the first control unit 190 of the outdoor unit 1a.

The disclosed air conditioner 1 can perform a dehumidifying operation. Dehumidification operation can be performed according to the selection of an operation mode input through the user interface 280 of the indoor unit 1b. Generally, dehumidification operation is performed to lower indoor humidity by removing moisture contained in indoor air. Indoor air can also be cooled by dehumidifying operation.

Since the main purpose of the dehumidifying operation is not cooling, the frequency of the compressor 110 in the dehumidifying operation may be controlled to be relatively lower than the frequency of the compressor 110 in the cooling operation. Additionally, the rotation speed of the compressor 110 in the dehumidifying operation may be adjusted to be slower than the rotation speed of the compressor 110 in the cooling operation. As the frequency of the compressor 110 decreases, the rotation speed of the compressor 110 may also slow down. The rotation speed of the outdoor fan 150 in the dehumidifying operation may also be adjusted to be slower than the rotation speed of the outdoor fan 150 in the cooling operation.

In general dehumidification operation, the compressor 110 may be controlled to repeatedly turn on or off. This is to maintain the indoor temperature and humidity within a certain range. However, when the compressor 110 is turned on or off, the fluctuation range of indoor temperature increases and the fluctuation range of indoor humidity increases. For example, when the indoor temperature is lower than the desired temperature set by the user by a predetermined offset value (ex. 2℃), the compressor 110 is turned off, and the indoor temperature is lowered by the offset value (ex. 2℃) than the desired temperature. When it rises, the compressor 110 turns on. That is, the indoor temperature fluctuates within a temperature range from the desired temperature - the offset value to the desired temperature + the offset value. When the compressor 110 is repeatedly turned on and off, power consumption efficiency decreases, and users may feel uncomfortable due to inconsistent indoor temperature and indoor humidity.

The first control unit 190 of the disclosed air conditioner 1 can perform comfortable operation by appropriately adjusting the frequency of the compressor 110 without on-off control of the compressor 110 during dehumidifying operation. During comfortable operation, the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger 230 may be maintained below the dew point temperature. Through comfortable driving, fluctuations in indoor temperature and indoor humidity can be reduced. Ideally, indoor temperature and indoor humidity can be maintained constant through comfortable driving. As fluctuations in indoor temperature and indoor humidity are reduced, power consumption efficiency can be improved and a more comfortable indoor environment can be provided to users.

Hereinafter, a control method of the air conditioner 1 for performing comfortable operation during dehumidifying operation will be described.

Figure 5 is a flowchart explaining a control method of an air conditioner according to an embodiment. FIG. 6 is a flowchart explaining in more detail the control method of the air conditioner described in FIG. 5.

Referring to FIG. 5, the first control unit 190 of the air conditioner 1 detects indoor humidity by controlling the indoor humidity sensor 212 during dehumidification operation, and controls the indoor temperature sensor 213 to set the indoor temperature. Can be detected (501). The first control unit 190 may generate control signals for controlling the indoor humidity sensor 212 and the indoor temperature sensor 213. The second control unit 270 controls the indoor humidity sensor 212 and the indoor temperature sensor 213 according to control signals transmitted from the first control unit 190, and generates signals corresponding to the detected indoor humidity and the detected indoor temperature. Detection signals may be transmitted to the first control unit 190. The detection cycle of indoor humidity and indoor temperature can be determined in various ways depending on the design.

The first control unit 190 may determine whether the conditions for comfortable driving are satisfied based on the indoor humidity and indoor temperature (502). For example, referring to FIG. 6, when the indoor temperature is below the predetermined first threshold temperature and the desired temperature set by the user (601) and the indoor humidity is below the predetermined threshold humidity (602), comfortable driving This can begin (603).

Specifically, the first control unit 190 of the air conditioner 1 sets the indoor temperature to a predetermined first critical temperature (e.g., 5 minutes) during the dehumidifying operation. 23°C) and is maintained below the desired temperature set by the user, and the indoor humidity is maintained below a predetermined critical humidity (e.g., 60%), comfortable driving can be entered. The first time may be set to various values within the range of 0 seconds to 10 minutes.

As another example, comfortable operation may be performed even when the indoor temperature is maintained lower than the desired temperature for a longer time (eg, 10 minutes) than the first time in the dehumidification operation.

In response to entering comfortable driving, the first control unit 190 may adjust the frequency of the compressor 110 to maintain the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger 230 below the dew point temperature (503). Specifically, the first control unit 190 can calculate the dew point temperature from the indoor humidity and indoor temperature during comfortable driving (604). A dew point temperature table including a plurality of indoor humidity values and a plurality of dew point temperature values corresponding to the plurality of indoor temperature values may be stored in advance in the memory 192. The first control unit 190 may obtain the dew point temperature corresponding to the current indoor humidity and current indoor temperature from the dew point temperature table.

The first control unit 190 may obtain a difference value between the temperature and dew point temperature of the indoor heat exchanger 230 and a temperature change value of the indoor heat exchanger 230 (605). The temperature change value of the indoor heat exchanger 230 is the difference between the previous temperature of the indoor heat exchanger 230 detected at the previous detection time (N-1 cycle) and the indoor heat exchanger 230 detected at the current detection time (N cycle). It refers to the difference between the current temperatures.

The first control unit 190 increases the frequency of the compressor 110 or decreases the frequency of the compressor 110 based on the difference value between the temperature and the dew point temperature of the indoor heat exchanger 230 and the temperature change value of the indoor heat exchanger 230. can be determined (606). The first control unit 190 corresponds to the difference value between the temperature and dew point temperature of the indoor heat exchanger 230 and the temperature change value of the indoor heat exchanger 230 from the fuzzy table 700 stored in the memory 192. The increase in frequency of the compressor 110 or the decrease in frequency of the compressor 110 can be determined. By adjusting the compressor frequency, the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger 230 can follow the dew point temperature.

Frequency control of the compressor 110 using the fuzzy table 700 is explained in detail in FIG. 7.

During comfortable driving, the first control unit 190 may determine whether the condition for stopping comfortable driving is satisfied (504). The air conditioner 1 may return to dehumidifying operation when comfortable operation is stopped (505). For example, the first control unit 190 sets the indoor temperature to a second threshold temperature higher than the first threshold temperature (e.g., 23° C.) for a predetermined second time (e.g., 5 minutes) in comfortable driving. If the temperature is maintained above (for example, 26℃), comfortable driving may cease. The first control unit 190 may stop comfortable driving when the indoor humidity is maintained above the critical humidity (eg, 60%) for a second predetermined time (eg, 5 minutes) in comfortable driving. .

As another example, the first control unit 190 may stop comfortable driving even when an error in the indoor humidity sensor 212 is detected. The first control unit 190 may determine that an error in the indoor humidity sensor 212 has occurred when a detection signal related to indoor humidity is not received from the indoor unit 1b or when a change in indoor humidity is identified as abnormal. .

Additionally, the first control unit 190 of the air conditioner 1 may adjust the rotational speed of the outdoor fan 150 and the opening degree of the expansion valve 220 based on changes in compressor frequency. A control data table including the rotational speed of the outdoor fan 150 and the opening degree of the expansion valve 220 corresponding to the compressor frequency may be stored in advance in the first memory 192. For example, in response to an increase in the frequency of the compressor 110, the first control unit 190 increases the rotation speed of the outdoor fan 150 included in the outdoor unit 1a and expands the outdoor fan 150 included in the indoor unit 1b. The opening degree of the valve 220 can be increased. On the contrary, the first control unit 190 reduces the rotation speed of the outdoor fan 150 included in the outdoor unit 1a in response to a decrease in the frequency of the compressor 110, and the expansion valve included in the indoor unit 1b ( 220) can be reduced.

In the comfort operation performed during the dehumidification operation, the frequency of the compressor 110 may be controlled to be relatively lower than the frequency of the compressor 110 in the dehumidification operation. Additionally, the first rotation speed of the compressor 110 in comfortable operation may be adjusted to be slower than the second rotation speed of the compressor 110 in dehumidification operation. As the frequency of the compressor 110 decreases, the rotation speed of the compressor 110 may also slow down. The third rotation speed of the outdoor fan 150 in comfortable operation may also be adjusted to be slower than the fourth rotation speed of the outdoor fan 150 in dehumidification operation.

In addition, as described above, the frequency of the compressor 110 in the dehumidifying operation is adjusted to be lower than the frequency of the compressor 110 in the cooling operation, and the rotation speed of the compressor 110 and the rotation speed of the outdoor fan 150 in the dehumidification operation is adjusted to be slower than the rotation speed of the compressor 110 and the rotation speed of the outdoor fan 150 in cooling operation.

Therefore, the frequency of the compressor 110 in comfortable operation is adjusted to be lower than the frequency of the compressor 110 in cooling operation, and the rotational speed of the compressor 110 and the rotational speed of the outdoor fan 150 in comfortable operation are adjusted to the compressor (110) in cooling operation. 110) and may be adjusted to be slower than the rotation speed of the outdoor fan 150.

The disclosed air conditioner 1 can reduce the variability of compressor frequency by performing comfortable operation to maintain the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger 230 below the dew point temperature without on-off control of the compressor 110. Additionally, the variability of the rotation speed of the outdoor fan 150 may be reduced.

Figure 7 shows a fuzzy table according to one embodiment.

Referring to the fuzzy table 700 of FIG. 7, the first control unit 190 of the air conditioner 1 uses the fuzzy table 700 previously stored in the memory 192 to determine the increase in compressor frequency. Alternatively, the reduction value can be determined. In the fuzzy table 700, Δfa is a control value of the compressor frequency and represents an increase or decrease in the compressor frequency.

Specifically, the air conditioner 1 displays the difference value (Td(N)) between the temperature and dew point temperature of the indoor heat exchanger 230 and the temperature change value of the indoor heat exchanger 230 ( ΔTd) can be calculated. The temperature change value of the indoor heat exchanger 230 is the previous temperature (Td(N-1)) of the indoor heat exchanger 230 detected at the previous detection time (N-1 cycle) and the current detection time (N cycle). It means the difference between the current temperature (Td(N)) of the indoor heat exchanger 230. That is, the temperature change value (ΔTd) of the indoor heat exchanger 230 can be obtained by subtracting the previous temperature (Td(N-1)) from the current temperature (Td(N)).

The first control unit 190 of the air conditioner 1 determines the difference value (Td(N)) between the temperature and dew point temperature of the indoor heat exchanger 230 and the temperature change of the indoor heat exchanger 230 from the purge table 700. The adjustment value (increase or decrease) of the compressor frequency corresponding to the value (ΔTd) can be determined.

For example, in the purge table 700 of FIG. 7, the difference value (Td(N)) between the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger 230 and the dew point temperature is E1, and the temperature change value (ΔTd) of the indoor heat exchanger 230 is E1. ) is calculated as -dE2, the adjustment value (Δfa) of the compressor frequency can be determined as -df1. The first control unit 190 may adjust the frequency of the compressor 110 by adding the adjustment value Δfa to the current frequency of the compressor 110. That is, the frequency of the compressor 110 may be reduced by df1. The unit of compressor frequency may be hertz (Hz), and -df6 to df2 illustrated in FIG. 7 may be set to various values.

Referring to FIG. 8, when the dehumidifying operation of the air conditioner 1 starts, the compressor 110 operates at the maximum frequency f1 to quickly lower the indoor temperature and indoor humidity. The compressor 110 operates at the maximum frequency (f1) until the indoor temperature reaches the first predetermined temperature (c1), and at time t1 when the indoor temperature reaches the first temperature (c1), the compressor 110 operates. It turns off. The first temperature c1 may be a temperature lower than the set desired temperature by an offset value. As the indoor temperature decreases, indoor humidity may also decrease. The indoor humidity may decrease after the start of the dehumidification operation and reach the first humidity (h1) at time t1. The first humidity (h1) may mean the above-described critical humidity.

When the compressor 110 is turned off at time t1, the indoor temperature and indoor humidity increase again. At time t2 when the indoor temperature reaches the second temperature c2, the compressor 110 turns on again and operates at the maximum frequency f1. The second temperature c2 is a temperature higher than the set desired temperature by an offset value. As the compressor 110 is driven, the indoor temperature and indoor humidity decrease again. Afterwards, the compressor 110 is turned off again at time t3 when the indoor temperature decreases and reaches the first temperature c1 again.

As shown in FIG. 8, it can be seen that in a general dehumidification operation in which the compressor 110 is repeatedly turned on and off, the range of fluctuations in indoor temperature and indoor humidity are relatively large.

Referring to FIG. 9, the disclosed air conditioner 1 operates the compressor 110 at the maximum frequency f1 to quickly lower the indoor temperature and indoor humidity during dehumidification operation. However, unlike the general dehumidifying operation described in FIG. 8, the disclosed air conditioner 1 operates for a predetermined first time after the indoor temperature reaches the third temperature c3 and the indoor humidity reaches the third humidity h3. From this time point t1, comfortable operation can be performed by appropriately adjusting the frequency of the compressor 110 without on-off control of the compressor 110.

The third temperature c3 may be lower than or equal to the desired temperature set by the user. Additionally, the third temperature c3 may be lower than or equal to the first predetermined critical temperature. The third humidity (h3) may be lower than or equal to a predetermined threshold humidity.

During comfortable operation, the frequency of the compressor 110 may be adjusted so that the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger 230 is maintained below the dew point temperature. During comfortable operation, the frequency of the compressor 110 may be adjusted based on the difference between the temperature and dew point temperature of the indoor heat exchanger 230 and the temperature change value of the indoor heat exchanger 230. The fluctuation range of the compressor frequency during comfortable operation is smaller than the fluctuation range of the compressor frequency during general dehumidification operation. After time t1, the air conditioner 1 can adjust the frequency of the compressor 110 using the purge table 700. Because of this, the frequency of the compressor 110 can follow the optimal frequency (f2), which is lower than the maximum frequency (f1). Accordingly, the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger 230 can follow the dew point temperature.

That is, as shown in FIG. 9, the frequency of the compressor 110 in the comfort operation performed during the dehumidification operation may be controlled to be relatively lower than the frequency of the compressor 110 in the dehumidification operation. Additionally, the first rotation speed of the compressor 110 in comfortable operation may be adjusted to be slower than the second rotation speed of the compressor 110 in dehumidification operation. As the frequency of the compressor 110 decreases, the rotation speed of the compressor 110 may also slow down. The third rotation speed of the outdoor fan 150 in comfortable operation may also be adjusted to be slower than the fourth rotation speed of the outdoor fan 150 in dehumidification operation.

Since the frequency of the compressor 110 is lowered after time t1, the indoor temperature may slightly increase and the indoor humidity may also slightly increase. However, fluctuations in indoor temperature and indoor humidity are reduced, and ideally, indoor temperature and indoor humidity can be maintained constant.

As such, the disclosed air conditioner and its control method perform comfortable operation by appropriately adjusting the frequency of the compressor without on-off control of the compressor based on predetermined conditions during dehumidification operation, thereby reducing fluctuations in indoor temperature and indoor humidity. It can be reduced. As fluctuations in indoor temperature and indoor humidity are reduced, power consumption efficiency can be improved and a more comfortable indoor environment can be provided to users.

Meanwhile, the disclosed embodiments may be implemented in the form of a storage medium that stores instructions executable by a computer. Instructions may be stored in the form of program code, and when executed by a processor, may create program modules to perform operations of the disclosed embodiments.

A storage medium that can be read by a device may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Here, 'non-transitory storage medium' simply means that it is a tangible device and does not contain signals (e.g. electromagnetic waves). This term refers to cases where data is semi-permanently stored in a storage medium and temporary storage media. It does not distinguish between cases where it is stored as . For example, a 'non-transitory storage medium' may include a buffer where data is temporarily stored.

Methods according to various embodiments disclosed in this document may be provided and included in a computer program product. Computer program products are commodities and can be traded between sellers and buyers. The computer program product may be distributed in the form of a machine-readable storage medium (e.g. compact disc read only memory (CD-ROM)) or through an application store (e.g. Play StoreTM) or on two user devices (e.g. It can be distributed (e.g. downloaded or uploaded) directly between smartphones) or online. In the case of online distribution, at least a portion of the computer program product (e.g., a downloadable app) is stored on a machine-readable storage medium, such as the memory of a manufacturer's server, an application store's server, or a relay server. It can be temporarily stored or created temporarily.

As described above, the disclosed embodiments have been described with reference to the attached drawings. A person skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains will understand that the present invention can be practiced in forms different from the disclosed embodiments without changing the technical idea or essential features of the present invention. The disclosed embodiments are illustrative and should not be construed as limiting.

Claims

an indoor unit including an indoor heat exchanger;

an outdoor unit including a compressor that supplies refrigerant to the indoor heat exchanger;

an indoor heat exchanger temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger;

an indoor humidity sensor that detects indoor humidity;

an indoor temperature sensor that detects indoor temperature;

During the dehumidifying operation, it is determined whether to perform a comfortable operation to maintain the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger below the dew point temperature based on the indoor humidity and the indoor humidity, and during the comfortable operation, the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger and the dew point temperature are determined. An air conditioner comprising a control unit that adjusts the frequency of the compressor based on.
According to paragraph 1,

The control unit

During the first predetermined time in the dehumidifying operation, based on the indoor temperature being maintained below the predetermined first threshold temperature and the desired temperature set by the user, and the indoor humidity being maintained below the predetermined threshold humidity, the comfortable Air conditioner entering the drive.
According to paragraph 2,

The control unit

During a predetermined second period of time in the comfortable driving, stopping the comfortable driving based on the indoor temperature being maintained above a second threshold temperature that is higher than the first threshold temperature, or the indoor humidity being maintained above the threshold humidity. air conditioner.
According to paragraph 1,

The control unit

Calculating the dew point temperature from the indoor humidity and the indoor temperature during the comfortable driving,

An air conditioner that determines whether to increase the frequency of the compressor or to decrease the frequency of the compressor based on the difference between the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger and the dew point temperature and the temperature change value of the indoor heat exchanger.
According to paragraph 4,

The control unit

From a fuzzy table stored in memory, the difference between the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger and the dew point temperature and the increase in frequency of the compressor or the decrease in frequency of the compressor corresponding to the temperature change value of the indoor heat exchanger air conditioner to determine.
According to paragraph 4,

The control unit

In response to an increase in the frequency of the compressor, the rotation speed of the outdoor fan included in the outdoor unit is increased, and the opening degree of the expansion valve included in the indoor unit is increased,

An air conditioner that reduces the rotational speed of the outdoor fan and the opening degree of the expansion valve in response to a decrease in the frequency of the compressor.
According to paragraph 1,

The control unit

Adjusting the first rotational speed of the compressor in the comfortable operation to be slower than the second rotational speed of the compressor in the dehumidification operation,

An air conditioner that adjusts the third rotation speed of the outdoor fan included in the outdoor unit in the comfort operation to be slower than the fourth rotation speed of the outdoor fan in the dehumidification operation.
A method of controlling an air conditioner including an indoor unit including an indoor heat exchanger and an outdoor unit including a compressor that supplies refrigerant to the indoor heat exchanger,

Detecting indoor humidity using an indoor humidity sensor included in the indoor unit during dehumidification operation;

detecting the indoor temperature using an indoor temperature sensor included in the indoor unit during the dehumidifying operation;

During the dehumidifying operation, determine whether to perform a comfortable operation to maintain the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger below the dew point temperature based on the indoor humidity and the indoor humidity; and

A method of controlling an air conditioner comprising: adjusting the frequency of the compressor based on the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger and the dew point temperature during the comfortable operation.
According to clause 8,

The comfortable driving is,

The dehumidification operation is performed on the basis that the indoor temperature is maintained below the predetermined first critical temperature and the desired temperature set by the user for a predetermined first time, and the indoor humidity is maintained below the predetermined critical humidity. Harmonizer.
According to clause 9,

During a predetermined second period of time in the comfortable driving, stopping the comfortable driving based on the indoor temperature being maintained above a second threshold temperature that is higher than the first threshold temperature, or the indoor humidity being maintained above the threshold humidity. An air conditioner further comprising:
According to clause 8,

Adjusting the frequency of the compressor is,

calculate the dew point temperature from the indoor humidity and the indoor humidity;

determining an increase in the frequency of the compressor or a decrease in the frequency of the compressor based on the difference between the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger and the dew point temperature and the temperature change value of the indoor heat exchanger. Control method.
According to clause 11,

Adjusting the frequency of the compressor is,

From a fuzzy table stored in memory, the difference between the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger and the dew point temperature and the increase in frequency of the compressor or the decrease in frequency of the compressor corresponding to the temperature change value of the indoor heat exchanger A control method of an air conditioner comprising: determining.
According to clause 11,

In response to an increase in the frequency of the compressor, increasing the rotational speed of the outdoor fan included in the outdoor unit and increasing the opening degree of the expansion valve included in the indoor unit; or

Reducing the rotational speed of the outdoor fan and reducing the opening degree of the expansion valve in response to a decrease in the frequency of the compressor.
According to clause 8,

In the comfortable operation, the first rotational speed of the compressor is adjusted to be slower than the second rotational speed of the compressor in the dehumidification operation,

A method of controlling an air conditioner wherein the third rotation speed of the outdoor fan included in the outdoor unit in the comfortable operation is adjusted to be slower than the fourth rotation speed of the outdoor fan in the dehumidification operation.