KR20240097099A - Air Conditioner and Contorlling Method for The Air Conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides an air conditioner that can save energy and improve indoor air quality. In one embodiment, the air conditioner includes an evaporator through which a refrigerant circulates, an expansion valve, a compressor, and a condenser, where the condenser is disposed. outdoor unit; an indoor unit where the evaporator is disposed; and a control unit connected to the indoor unit and the outdoor unit, wherein the outdoor unit includes a branch part through which air entering the outdoor unit branches off into the condenser and the indoor unit, and a sensor that measures the condition of the air supplied to the indoor unit. The indoor unit includes a duct through which air branched from the branch flows into the duct and a damper that controls the supply of air flowing into the duct, and the control unit is connected to the sensor and the damper to control the air supply to the indoor unit. An air conditioner is provided that adjusts the opening degree of the damper based on the measured value of the sensor.

Description

Air conditioner and control method for the air conditioner {Air Conditioner and Controlling Method for The Air Conditioner}

The present invention relates to an air conditioner and a control method of the air conditioner, and specifically to an air conditioner capable of ventilation and cooling and a control method thereof.

An air conditioner is a device that maintains a comfortable indoor environment by controlling indoor temperature and humidity or ventilating or purifying indoor air according to user needs.

However, there is no device that can actually control indoor temperature and humidity, ventilate indoor air, and purify indoor air. When a plurality of devices capable of performing the above functions are configured, the plurality of devices A huge machine room is required to store all of the above functions, and high power consumption is consumed to perform all of the above functions, resulting in reduced space and energy efficiency.

On the other hand, when temperature control and ventilation are performed, outdoor air with high humidity may be introduced, which may cause dissatisfaction to users. In addition, when lowering the temperature of outdoor air with high humidity, condensation is generated, which reduces the durability of the device. There is a problem that it is getting worse.

The present invention is intended to solve the above problems, and its purpose is to provide an air conditioner capable of cooling and ventilation that can save energy and improve indoor air quality, and a method of controlling the same.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides the following air conditioner and its control method.

In one embodiment, the present invention is an air conditioner including an evaporator in which a refrigerant circulates, an expansion valve, a compressor, and a condenser, including an outdoor unit in which the condenser is disposed; an indoor unit where the evaporator is disposed; and a control unit connected to the indoor unit and the outdoor unit, wherein the outdoor unit includes a branch part through which air entering the outdoor unit branches off into the condenser and the indoor unit, and a sensor that measures the condition of the air supplied to the indoor unit. The indoor unit includes a duct through which air branched from the branch flows into the duct and a damper that controls the supply of air flowing into the duct, and the control unit is connected to the sensor and the damper to control the air supply to the indoor unit. An air conditioner is provided that adjusts the opening degree of the damper based on the measured value of the sensor.

In one embodiment, the present invention includes an evaporator, an expansion valve, a compressor, and a condenser through which a refrigerant circulates; an indoor unit in which the evaporator is disposed and includes a damper that regulates the inflow of air supplied from the outdoor unit; an outdoor unit in which the condenser is disposed, a branch part through which air entering the outdoor unit branches off into the condenser and the indoor unit, and a sensor that measures the relative humidity of the air supplied to the indoor unit; A method of controlling an air conditioner including a control unit connected to the indoor unit and the outdoor unit, the method comprising: opening the damper when a mode in which air from the outdoor unit is supplied to the indoor unit is selected; measuring the relative humidity of air supplied to the indoor unit; and adjusting the opening degree of the damper when the measured relative humidity exceeds a preset first value.

Through the above configuration, the present invention can provide an air conditioner capable of cooling and ventilation, which can save energy and improve indoor air quality, and a control method thereof.

1 is a schematic diagram of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the indoor unit of the air conditioner of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the air flow in the indoor unit of FIG. 2.
Figure 4 is a flowchart of a control method for an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram when cooling and dehumidifying modes are performed in the air conditioner of FIG. 1.
Figure 6 is a wet air diagram showing the air condition of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram when a clean mode is performed in the air conditioner of FIG. 1.

Hereinafter, with reference to the attached drawings, preferred embodiments will be described in detail so that those skilled in the art can easily practice the present invention. However, when describing preferred embodiments of the present invention in detail, if it is determined that detailed descriptions of related known functions or configurations may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention, the detailed descriptions will be omitted. In addition, the same symbols are used throughout the drawings for parts that perform similar functions and actions. In addition, in this specification, terms such as 'top', 'top', 'upper surface', 'bottom', 'bottom', 'bottom', 'side', etc. are based on the drawings and are actually elements or components. It may vary depending on the direction in which it is placed.

Additionally, throughout the specification, when a part is said to be 'connected' to another part, this does not only mean 'directly connected', but also 'indirectly connected' with another element in between. Includes. In addition, 'including' a certain component does not mean excluding other components, but may further include other components, unless specifically stated to the contrary.

Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of an air conditioner 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In the schematic diagram of FIG. 1, fans and dampers for movement of air and water and selective blocking/opening of flow paths may be omitted or only partially shown. The formation of a flow of air or water includes a means for forming the flow, and the location is not limited to a specific location as long as the flow can be formed.

The air conditioner 100 includes a refrigerant cycle (R1) in which the refrigerant circulates, and the refrigerant cycle (R1) includes an evaporative condenser 110 that condenses the refrigerant in the condenser, an expansion valve 120, and a refrigerant evaporates. The air passes through the evaporator 130 and compressor 140 to cool it. Since the expansion valve 120, evaporator 130, and compressor 140 of this refrigerant cycle (R1) may be the same as those of a typical air conditioner, detailed description will be omitted.

The evaporative condenser 110 is a structure that helps cool the refrigerant as the water evaporates by spraying water on the surface of the condenser. The evaporative condenser 110 includes a cooling passage through which the refrigerant passes; It includes a condenser water injection module that provides water to the cooling passage and a blowing module that forms an air flow passing through the cooling passage. Here, the blowing module is not included in the evaporative condenser 110 and can be replaced with another fan disposed on the flow path passing through the evaporative condenser 110. The evaporative condenser 110 is disclosed in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1 or Korean Patent Publication 10-2019-0006781, and even if it does not have this structure, other evaporative condensers can be applied as long as they have a condenser structure that utilizes evaporation of water. . The condenser water injection module of the evaporative condenser 110 is connected to a water source (WS) and a flow path (W2), and a first control valve (V1) is disposed in the flow path (W2) to supply water to the condenser from the water source (WS). It is possible to adjust the amount of water supplied to the module.

In the present invention, the evaporative condenser 110 is not essential, and a typical air-cooled condenser that does not use water may be applied. In this case, the flow path (W2) may not be provided.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the first control valve (V1) is sufficient to operate on/off without flow control, and is an electronic valve such as a solenoid valve that is connected to the control unit and can be opened or closed according to a signal from the control unit. It could be a valve.

In the refrigerant cycle (R1), the compressor 140, the evaporative condenser 110, and the expansion valve 120 may be placed in the outdoor unit 101, and the evaporator 130 may be placed in the indoor unit 150, and the evaporative condenser 110 ), except that it may be placed in the indoor unit 150 or may be placed in another air conditioning space. For example, the expansion valve 120 may be placed immediately before the evaporator 130 of the indoor unit.

In one embodiment, the air conditioner 100 includes an indoor unit 150 and an outdoor unit 101 disposed indoors, and the indoor unit 150 and the outdoor unit 101 provide a refrigerant flow path, an air flow path, a control signal, and power. A wire for transmission may be connected. However, in the case of control signals, they can be transmitted wirelessly rather than wired.

The outdoor unit 101 is disposed on the inflow passages A1 and A3 through which outdoor air flows, and includes a dry channel, a wet channel, and a cooler water injection module that sprays water into the wet channel, and air passing through the dry channel An evaporative cooler (170) for cooling; a dehumidifying rotor 180 disposed before the evaporative cooler 170 on the inlet flow path A1 and dehumidifying incoming air; It includes a heating unit 185 that is disposed before the dehumidifying rotor 180 and heats the air in the regeneration passage A12 through which air for regenerating the dehumidifying rotor 180 passes.

The evaporative cooler 170 includes a dry channel through which air requiring cooling passes and a wet channel adjacent to the dry channel through which water from the water supply module of the cooler is supplied and evaporation occurs to exchange heat with the dry channel. Typically, the evaporative cooler 170 includes: Dry channels and wet channels are arranged alternately, and a water injection module is placed at the top of the wet channel to provide water to the wet channel, and a blowing module is provided at the top or bottom to generate flow. Air from the inlet flow path (A3) passes through the dry channel, and external air flow path (A2) passes through the wet channel. An exhaust fan (F3) is disposed in the outdoor air passage (A2). External air is supplied to the outdoor air passage A2, but indoor air can pass through the ventilation passage A7 if necessary.

Similar to the evaporative condenser 110, the blowing module of the evaporative cooler 170 is not included in the evaporative cooler 170, but is a dehumidifying fan disposed on the flow path A3 passing through the evaporative cooler 110. It can be replaced with (F2).

The cooler water module of the evaporative cooler 170 is connected to the water source (WS) and the flow path (W3). Of course, other structures can be applied to the evaporative cooler 170 if evaporation can be utilized.

The dehumidifying rotor 180 is disposed across the regeneration flow path A12 and the inlet flow path A1. The dehumidifying rotor 180 absorbs moisture from the inlet flow path A1 through a rotating rotor and absorbs moisture from the regeneration flow path A1. (A12) operates by discharging the absorbed moisture. A regeneration fan F1 is disposed in the regeneration passage A12 to form an air flow in the regeneration passage A12. The position of the regeneration fan (F1) may be anywhere before or after the dehumidification rotor 130 as long as it can form an air flow passing through the dehumidification rotor 130.

The inlet flow path (A1) may be connected to a ventilation flow path (A14) connected to the indoor ventilation (RA) at the confluence point (P2) before passing through the dehumidifying rotor 180, which is used for ventilation when circulating indoor air. Indoor air can be dehumidified/cleaned by introducing indoor air through the flow path A14, passing it through the dehumidifying rotor 180, and then supplying it back to the indoor air.

The inlet flow paths (A1, A3) pass through the evaporative cooler 170, that is, the indoor supply flow path (A5) connected to the room at the branch point (P3) on the dry channel outlet side of the evaporative cooler 170, It branches into a condenser supply flow path (A4) connected to the evaporative condenser 110, and a first humidity sensor (S1) is disposed on the indoor supply flow path (A5). The first humidity sensor (S1) measures the humidity of the air supplied indoors, and can be placed at the branch point (P3) or between the branch point (P3) and the evaporative cooler 170.

The indoor supply passage A5 is connected to the indoor unit 150, and a damper unit 200 is disposed in the indoor unit 150 to regulate the supply of air supplied through the indoor supply passage A5. The indoor supply flow path (A5) may join the indoor circulation flow path (A10) at a confluence point (P7), and therefore, air into the indoor supply flow path (A5) joins the indoor circulation flow path (A10) and then flows into the indoor circulation flow path (A10). Passes through the evaporator 130.

Outdoor air flows into the outdoor air flow path A2 that passes through the wet channel of the evaporative cooler 170, and if necessary, some or all of the indoor air can be supplied through the confluence point P6.

Meanwhile, the air conditioner 100 may include a ventilation passage A11 that discharges indoor air to the outside in an amount corresponding to the amount of air supplied into the room, and this ventilation passage A11 is an evaporative type at the branch point P5. It may be divided into a ventilation passage (A7) that joins the outside air passage (A2) supplied to the wet channel of the cooler 170, and a ventilation passage (A8) that merges with the inflow passage (A1). The ventilation flow path A7 joins the outside air flow path A2 passing through the wet channel of the evaporative cooler 170 at a confluence point P6.

The water supply flow path (W1) connected to the water supply source (WS) is the water supply flow path (W2) heading from the branch point (P1) to the evaporative condenser (110) and the water supply flow path (W3) heading to the evaporative cooler (170). ), which provides latent heat for condensing the refrigerant passing through the evaporative condenser 110 through the water supply channels (W2, W3) and cools the air passing through the evaporative cooler 170. Water is supplied to provide latent heat for the The water that has passed through the evaporative cooler 170 and the water that has passed through the evaporative condenser 110 are drained to the outside. If necessary, the water that has passed through the evaporative condenser 110 may be recovered and reused without being drained.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the air conditioner 100 includes a control unit 300, where the control unit includes an input means (control panel), an output means (display), an operation means (compressor, fan), and a control means (flow path switching). It is connected to valves, dampers) and measuring means (sensors), and can operate in multiple operation modes by receiving instructions from the user or by self-judgment.

Meanwhile, Figures 2 and 3 show a schematic cross-sectional view of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention and the air flow in the cross-sectional view.

The indoor unit 150 of the air conditioner 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention is installed on the ceiling of the room, and includes a main body 151 into which a duct 156 is inserted at one end, and the duct of the main body 151. (156) It includes a damper part 200 disposed on the inside and a lower case 158 coupled to the lower part of the main body 151. At this time, the main body 151 may have a box shape, and an evaporator 130 that exchanges heat between the sucked indoor air and the refrigerant and a blowing fan 152 that forcefully flows air may be installed inside.

The main body 151 is connected to a duct 156 at a portion embedded in the ceiling, and is provided with an outlet 154 through which air is discharged on the opposite side of the lower case 158 to which the duct 156 is connected, and a damper unit. A suction part 153 through which indoor air is sucked is disposed at the bottom of (200).

A damper unit 200 is disposed inside the duct 156. The damper unit 200 includes a damper frame 210 and a damper 220 that is disposed inside the damper frame 210 and rotated by a driving unit (not shown). Specifically, the damper 220 is arranged to operate between a closed position, which blocks air flow by blocking the inner surface 211 of the damper frame 210, and an open position, which allows air flow away from the inner surface 211, and the damper 220 ) and the driving unit (not shown) are connected to the rotation axis 221, which is positioned eccentrically downward. That is, the upper part is configured to be opened larger by the rotation of the damper 220. Accordingly, when the damper 220 is partially opened, an air flow is formed in the upper part of the evaporator 130, which is a heat exchanger, so that the air can contact the evaporator 130 for a long time, and the overall heat exchange efficiency can be improved.

Additionally, the damper 220 is disposed perpendicular to the inner surface 211 of the damper frame 210 in the closed position, and the damper 220 is disposed inclined with respect to the vertical direction in the closed position. Accordingly, the inner surface 511 is configured to be equally inclined with respect to the horizontal direction.

Accordingly, the air passing through the damper unit 500 is discharged at a downward angle, and an indoor inlet flow path A5 is formed toward the center of the evaporator 130 disposed inside the main body 151, and the evaporator 130 is formed. Before passing, it merges with the indoor circulation flow path A10 introduced from the suction part 153. Since the indoor inlet flow path (A5) joins the indoor circulation flow path (A10) before passing through the evaporator 130, when air with high relative humidity is supplied from the indoor inlet flow path (A5), the evaporator 130 As it passes, condensation may occur, which may affect the durability of the product, and humid air may be supplied indoors.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the control unit 300 is connected to the first humidity sensor (S1), and the control unit 300 controls the air temperature based on the relative humidity value measured by the first humidity sensor (S1). It is possible to control the conditioner 100. Specifically, when the relative humidity in the indoor supply flow path A5 exceeds a preset value, the opening degree of the damper unit 200 is adjusted to reduce the amount of air supplied indoors, and instead to the evaporative condenser 110. By increasing the amount of supplied air, it is possible to improve product protection and indoor air quality while reducing energy consumed for cooling.

In the air conditioner 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, the air passing through the evaporative cooler 170 is branched into the indoor supply flow path A5 and the condenser supply flow path A4. When the opening degree of the damper part 200 in the indoor supply flow path A5 is reduced, the flow resistance of the indoor supply flow path A5 increases, which means that the air passing through the evaporative cooler 170 flows into the indoor supply flow path A5. This means that it is difficult to flow. Accordingly, a larger amount of air passing through the evaporative cooler 170 flows into the condenser supply passage A4 than before adjusting the opening degree of the damper unit 200. That is, due to adjustment of the opening degree of the damper unit 200, the ratio of the amount of air divided into the indoor supply flow path A5 and the condenser supply flow path A4 at the branch point P3 changes.

When the same amount of air is supplied, the amount of air passing through the condenser 110 increases, making it easier to condense the refrigerant in the condenser 110. Alternatively, in order to satisfy the amount of air required in the condenser 110, the evaporative cooler 170 as a whole is used. ), it is possible to reduce the amount of air supplied (reduce the air volume of the dehumidifying fan (F2)), so the energy consumption used by the air conditioner (100) can be reduced.

When the air volume of the dehumidifying fan (F2) is reduced, the dehumidifying amount of the dehumidifying rotor 180 is reduced, so the amount of air required to regenerate the dehumidifying rotor 180, i.e. The air volume of the regeneration fan (F1) can also be reduced, and since the cooling amount of the incoming air in the evaporative cooler 170 is also reduced, the air volume of the exhaust fan (F3) can also be reduced.

Therefore, when adjusting the opening degree of the damper unit 200, the air volume of the dehumidifying fan (F2), regeneration fan (F1), and exhaust fan (F3) can be reduced while maintaining the cooling load, thereby improving the overall air conditioner (100). can increase energy efficiency.

Since FIG. 4 shows a flowchart of the control method of the air conditioner 100 of the present invention, the operation of the control unit 300 will be described with reference to FIG. 4.

The control method includes a setting step (S10) in which the user sets the mode, a step (S20) in which the control unit 300 determines the user-specified mode according to the user's mode setting, and an indoor supply flow path ( A step of determining whether the damper part 200 of A5) is closed (S30), a step of opening the damper part 200 if the damper part 200 is closed (S40), and if the damper part 200 is opened, the first A step of measuring the relative humidity of the air in the indoor supply passage A5 through the humidity sensor S1 (S50), a first determination step of determining whether the measured relative humidity is greater than or equal to a preset first reference value (S60), A second determination step (S80) of determining whether the measured relative humidity is greater than or equal to a second reference value less than the first reference value, and determining whether the measured relative humidity is greater than or equal to a third reference value less than the second reference value. A third judgment step (S100), a fourth judgment step (S120) of determining whether the measured relative humidity is greater than or equal to a fourth reference value that is smaller than the third reference value, when the measured relative humidity is greater than the first reference value. A step (S70) of closing the damper unit 200 and returning to the step (S2) of determining a user-specified mode is performed when the measured relative humidity is between the first reference value and the second reference value, The opening degree of the damper 220 of the damper unit 200 is opened at a first angle, and the airflow rate of at least the dehumidifying fan (F2) among the dehumidifying fan (F2), regenerative fan (F1), and exhaust fan (F3) is adjusted to a first rate. The reducing step (S90) is performed when the measured relative humidity is between the second reference value and the third reference value, and the opening degree of the damper 220 of the damper unit 200 is set to a second angle greater than the first angle. Step (S110) of opening at an angle and reducing the blowing volume of at least the dehumidifying fan (F2) among the dehumidifying fan (F2), regeneration fan (F1), and exhaust fan (F3) to a second ratio smaller than the first ratio (S110) and the measurement This is performed when the relative humidity is between the third reference value and the fourth reference value, the opening degree of the damper 220 of the damper unit 200 is opened to a third angle greater than the second angle, and the dehumidifying fan F2 is opened. , and reducing the blowing volume of at least the dehumidifying fan (F2) among the regeneration fan (F1) and the extract fan (F3) to a third ratio that is smaller than the second ratio (S130).

The setting step (S10) in which the user sets the mode and the step (S20) in which the control unit 300 determines the user-specified mode according to the user's mode setting are the steps in which the user provides input to the control unit through an input means and the control unit 300 accordingly. (300) relates to the step of controlling the configuration in response to the input. In the present invention, the air humidity in the indoor supply passage A5 is measured and the damper unit 200 of the indoor unit 150 is controlled through it. If there is no air flow through the indoor supply passage A5, the corresponding control is not necessary. , will not be taken into consideration, and the explanation will focus on the case where there is air supply through the indoor supply flow path (A5). The step of setting the mode by the user is to set the mode for supplying air to the indoor supply flow path (A5). Assume that it was done.

Steps S30 to S40 determine whether the damper 220 of the damper unit 200 is closed (S30) in a situation where air supply is required to the indoor supply passage (A5), and if closed, open the damper 220 (S40). It's a step.

In this state in which the damper 220 of the damper unit 200 is opened, the air condition in the indoor supply passage A5, that is, the relative humidity, is measured through the first humidity sensor S1 in the humidity measurement step S50. The humidity measurement step (S50) includes not only a case where the first humidity sensor (S1) directly measures the relative humidity, but also an indirect measurement case where the relative humidity is calculated from other factors such as temperature and absolute humidity.

When the relative humidity is measured, the control unit 300 determines the opening degree of the damper 220 of the damper unit 200 and the dehumidifying fan (F2) according to the relative humidity range through a plurality of decision steps (S60, S80, S100, and S120). , adjust the blowing volume of the regeneration fan (F1), and exhaust fan (F3).

In the first judgment step (S60), when the relative humidity is greater than the first reference value (the first reference value is greater than other reference values), it is determined that it is inappropriate to supply air to the indoor unit 150 through the indoor supply passage A5, The damper 220 of the damper unit 200 is closed and the mode is determined again.

In the second to fourth determination steps (S80, S100, S120), the range to which the relative humidity falls is determined through the second to fourth reference values set for each size, and the damper 220 of the damper unit 200 is appropriate in that range. Set the opening degree, and reduce the blowing volume of the dehumidifying fan (F2), regeneration fan (F1), and exhaust fan (F3) according to the corresponding opening degree according to the ratio. The first reference value, the second reference value, the third reference value, and the fourth reference value satisfy the relationship: first reference value > second reference value > third reference value > fourth reference value. The dehumidifying fan (F2), which blows air directly into the indoor supply passage (A5), can be adjusted preferentially, and the rest can be adjusted according to the dehumidifying fan (F2).

For example, the first reference value may be 80%, the second reference value may be 70%, the third reference value may be 60%, and the fourth reference value may be 50%. If the measured relative humidity is lower than the fourth reference value, the damper (220) ) is performed without adjusting the opening degree, and when the measured relative humidity is greater than the first reference value, the indoor supply flow path (A5) is closed and the air that has passed through the outdoor unit (101) flows into the room. It doesn't work.

In addition, between the first reference value and the second reference value, that is, when the relative humidity is 70% or more and less than 80%, the opening degree may be opened at a first angle, for example, 25°. In this case, the dehumidifying fan (F2) may be opened at a first angle, for example, 25°. It can be reduced by 1 percentage, for example 74%. In the case of the regeneration fan (F1) and the exhaust fan (F3), it may be reduced in proportion to the reduction ratio of the dehumidification fan (F2), but it does not have to be the same value, and the reduction of the regeneration fan (F1) and dehumidification fan (F2) The ratio may be the same, and the reduction ratio of the additional fan (F3) may be relatively larger.

The first angle of the opening degree may be 25°, the second angle may be 60°, and the third angle may be 78°. However, the first to third angles are not limited to the above values and may be changed, but are greater than the first angle. The second angle is large, and the third angle is larger than the second angle.

Similarly, in controlling the blowing volume, the first ratio may be 74%, the second ratio may be 43%, and the third ratio may be 25%, but are not limited thereto. In addition, as mentioned before, the air blowing volume control ratio of the regeneration fan (F1) can be set to be the same as the air blowing volume control rate of the dehumidifying fan (F2), and in the case of the exhaust fan (F3), the air blowing volume control ratio is set to the same as the blowing volume control rate of the dehumidifying fan (F2). However, it may be larger than the playback fan (F1). For example, when the damper 220 is opened at a first angle of 25°, the blowing volume of the dehumidifying fan (F2) can be reduced by 74%, the blowing volume of the regeneration fan (F1) can be reduced by 74%, and the blowing volume of the regenerative fan (F1) can be reduced by 74%, and the blowing volume of the regenerative fan (F1) can be reduced by 74%. The blowing volume of F3) can be reduced by 80%. Therefore, the higher the relative humidity, the lower the amount of air supplied to the indoor unit 150 through the outdoor unit 101, thereby reducing the energy consumed in the outdoor unit 101, improving indoor air quality and reducing the energy used. You can do it.

The fan whose air volume is controlled can be changed for each mode. For example, in a mode that does not use an evaporative cooler, the exhaust fan (F3) is not used, so adjusting the ventilation volume of the exhaust fan (F3) is unnecessary, and the dehumidifying rotor ( When 180) is not used, the regeneration fan (F1) is not used, so there is no need to adjust the airflow volume of the regeneration fan (F1).

An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 7. Figure 5 shows a schematic diagram when the cooling/dehumidifying and ventilation modes are performed in the air conditioner of Figure 1, and Figure 6 shows indoor air before and after control of the air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. A psychrometric diagram showing the state is shown, and FIG. 7 shows a schematic diagram when the clean mode is performed in the air conditioner of FIG. 1.

As shown in FIG. 5, in the cooling/dehumidifying and ventilation mode, the refrigerant cycle operates, the ventilation passage A11 is opened, and the inflow of outside air into the outside air passage A2 is blocked. The air flowing into the outdoor unit 101 through the inlet flow path A1 has its humidity lowered as it passes through the dehumidifying rotor 180, and then its temperature decreases as it passes through the dry channel of the evaporative cooler 170. Some of the outdoor air whose temperature/humidity has been lowered is supplied to the indoor unit 150, and the remainder is supplied to the evaporative condenser 110, where the refrigerant is condensed. Meanwhile, indoor air is supplied to the wet channel of the evaporative cooler 170 through the ventilation flow path A11 and the outdoor air flow path A2, and the air passing through the wet channel is exhausted to the outside. Additionally, in order to regenerate the dehumidification rotor 180, outdoor air is supplied through the regeneration passage A12, is heated in the heating unit 185, regenerates the dehumidification rotor 180, and is discharged to the outside.

As shown in Figure 6, when indoor air is at point A and outdoor air is at point B, when the opening degree of the damper 220 is fully opened, the air state at the confluence point (P7) becomes point C, and this air As it passes through the evaporator, the relative humidity becomes higher. However, when adjusting the opening degree of the damper 220, the mixing amount of outdoor air becomes smaller, so the air state moves from point C to point C', and accordingly, the relative humidity of the supplied air is lowered. You can. Therefore, discomfort may not be caused to the user, and energy may also be saved. Furthermore, convection currents occur as two airs with different temperatures/humidities mix at the confluence point (P7). As a result, there is a risk of moisture building up inside the indoor unit 150 and damaging the product, but the opening degree of the damper 220 is adjusted. By doing so, the possibility of such product damage can be reduced.

Figure 7 shows the clean mode. In clean mode, the refrigerant cycle does not operate, outside air does not flow into the outdoor unit 101, the dehumidifying rotor 180, evaporative cooler 170, and evaporative condenser 110 do not operate, and the ventilation flow path (A11, Indoor air is supplied to the inlet flow path (A3) through A14). After passing through the dehumidifying rotor 180 and the evaporative cooler 170 that are not operating in the inlet flow path A3, it is supplied back to the indoor supply flow path A5, and is placed in the indoor supply flow path A5 and passes through a filter to provide clean air. The depleted air is supplied indoors. At this time, if the humidity in the indoor supply passage A5 is high, the energy consumed can be reduced by reducing the air circulating through the outdoor unit 101 and the indoor unit 150.

The scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments illustrated above, and many other modifications based on the present invention will be possible to those skilled in the art within the above technical scope.

100: Air conditioner 101: Outdoor unit
110: condenser 120: expansion valve
130: Evaporator 140: Compressor
150: indoor unit 170: evaporative cooler
180: dehumidifying rotor 185: heating unit
200: Damper unit 210: Damper frame
220: Damper 300: Control unit
WS: Water supply source F1: Regenerative fan
F2: Dehumidifying fan F3: Suction fan

Claims (12)

An air conditioner that includes an evaporator, expansion valve, compressor, and condenser through which refrigerant circulates,
an outdoor unit where the condenser is disposed;
an indoor unit where the evaporator is disposed; and
It includes a control unit connected to the indoor unit and the outdoor unit,
The outdoor unit includes a branch part through which air entering the outdoor unit branches off into the condenser and the indoor unit, and a sensor that measures the condition of the air supplied to the indoor unit,
The indoor unit includes a damper unit including a duct through which air branched from the branch unit flows in, a damper that regulates the supply of air flowing into the duct, and a drive unit that rotates the damper,
The control unit is connected to the sensor and the damper unit, and adjusts the opening degree of the damper based on the measured value of the sensor when supplying air to the indoor unit. According to claim 1,
The sensor is an air conditioner that is a humidity sensor that measures the relative humidity of the air supplied to the indoor unit. According to claim 2,
The outdoor unit further includes an evaporative cooler including a wet channel and a dry channel,
An air conditioner in which the air passing through the gun channel branches off at the branch. According to claim 3,
The control unit is an air conditioner that controls the opening degree of the damper to decrease as the relative humidity increases. According to claim 4,
The control unit blocks air supply to the indoor unit when the relative humidity exceeds a preset relative humidity value. According to claim 4,
The outdoor unit includes a dehumidifying rotor, a regeneration fan installed on a regeneration passage that regenerates the dehumidifying rotor with outdoor air to form an air flow through which the outdoor air is supplied to the dehumidifying rotor, and ventilation or outdoor air passing through the dehumidifying rotor to form the evaporative type. It further includes a dehumidifying fan that forms an air flow supplied to the dry channel of the cooler, and an exhaust fan that forms an air flow that passes through the wet channel of the evaporative cooler,
The control unit is connected to the extraction fan, the dehumidification fan, and the regeneration fan, and reduces the blowing volume of at least the dehumidification fan among the extraction fan, the dehumidification fan, and the regeneration fan when the opening degree of the damper is adjusted to be small. Evaporator, expansion valve, compressor and condenser through which refrigerant circulates; an indoor unit in which the evaporator is disposed and includes a damper that regulates the inflow of air supplied from the outdoor unit; an outdoor unit in which the condenser is disposed, a branch part through which air entering the outdoor unit branches off into the condenser and the indoor unit, and a sensor that measures the relative humidity of the air supplied to the indoor unit; A control method of an air conditioner including a control unit connected to the indoor unit and the outdoor unit,
opening the damper when a mode in which air from the outdoor unit is supplied to the indoor unit is selected;
measuring the relative humidity of air supplied to the indoor unit; and
A method of controlling an air conditioner including the step of adjusting the opening degree of the damper when the measured relative humidity exceeds a preset first value. According to claim 7,
The outdoor unit includes an evaporative cooler including a wet channel and a dry channel, a dehumidifying rotor, a regeneration fan installed on a regeneration passage that regenerates the dehumidifying rotor with outdoor air to form an air flow through which outdoor air is supplied to the dehumidifying rotor, a ventilation device, or It further includes a dehumidifying fan that forms an air flow that is supplied to outside air through the dehumidifying rotor and a dry channel of the evaporative cooler, and an extraction fan that forms an air flow that passes through a wet channel of the evaporative cooler,
A control method of an air conditioner that reduces the blowing volume of at least one of the dehumidifying fan, the regeneration fan, and the extract fan after adjusting the opening degree of the damper. According to claim 8,
The mode is a dehumidifying cooling mode in which outdoor air is supplied to the indoor unit after passing through the dehumidifying rotor and the dry channel of the evaporative cooler, and the refrigerant is circulated,
A control method of an air conditioner that reduces the blowing volume of the dehumidifying fan, the regenerative fan, and the exhaust fan after adjusting the opening degree of the damper. According to claim 8,
The mode is a ventilation mode in which outdoor air is supplied to the indoor unit after passing through the dry channel of the evaporative cooler,
A control method of an air conditioner that reduces the blowing volume of the dehumidifying fan and the exhaust fan after adjusting the opening degree of the damper. According to claim 8,
The mode is a blue point mode in which outdoor air is supplied indoors after passing indoor air through the outdoor unit and the indoor unit,
A control method of an air conditioner that reduces the blowing volume of the dehumidifying fan after adjusting the opening degree of the damper. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 11,
A method of controlling an air conditioner in which the opening degree of the damper is changed to a set value according to the range of the relative humidity, and the set value is changed in steps.

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