Air conditioner control method

Abstract

The present invention relates to an air conditioner control method, which is for an air conditioner comprising an indoor unit, an outdoor unit, at least one heat exchanger provided in the outdoor unit, a tank wherein the condensate is collected, and a control unit wherein the level of condensate collected in the tank, the parameters related to the cooling and heating modes of the air conditioner, and the contamination on the heat exchanger are evaluated, the method comprising the steps of when contamination is detected on the heat exchanger (101) checking the condensate level (102), operating the air conditioner in the heating mode if the condensate level is at the level determined by the manufacturer (103), directing the condensate in the tank onto the heat exchanger (104), subsequently operating the air conditioner in the cooling mode (105), and if the contamination on the heat exchanger is below the threshold value determined by the manufacturer (106) completing the heat exchanger cleaning function (107).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to an air conditioner and a control method wherein the outdoor unit heat exchanger is effectively cleaned.

[0002] Due to external environmental conditions, dust and dirt accumulate on the outdoor unit heat exchanger. This reduces the efficiency of the heat exchanger and gradually leads to a loss in the performance of the air conditioner.

[0003] In the state of the art, there are various applications related to the cleaning of the outdoor unit heat exchanger. One of these is the frost / defrost method. However, in this method, the air conditioner consumes excessive energy during the frosting process, the process takes a long time, and the air conditioner cannot operate in the cooling mode during this period.

[0004] In the state of the art Chinese Patent Application No. CN106594976, the frost is formed on the heat exchanger, and after the target level of frost is reached, it is melted, and dust and dirt trapped in the boundary layer of the frost on the surface of the heat exchanger are removed along with the melting frost. In this application, the air conditioner must be operated in the heating mode to ensure the frost formation on the surface of the heat exchanger. In this case, the air conditioner cannot be operated in the cooling mode, and especially in hot regions, excessive energy must be consumed to freeze the moisture in the air on the surface of the heat exchanger, and this process also takes a long time.

[0005] In the state of the art Chinese Utility Model Application No. CN204006595, the heat exchanger is cleaned by pouring the condensate onto the heat exchanger. Due to the low flow rate of the condensate, the entire surface of the heat exchanger cannot be cleaned.

[0006] In the state of the art Chinese Utility Model Document Application No. CN209341926, the heat exchanger is cleaned by means of an ultrasonic vibrator.

[0007] The aim of the present invention is the realization of an air conditioner control method wherein the outdoor unit heat exchanger is effectively cleaned.

[0008] The air conditioner control method realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention, explicated in the first claim and the respective claims thereof, is for an air conditioner comprising an indoor unit, an outdoor unit, at least one heat exchanger provided in the outdoor unit, a tank wherein the condensate is collected, and a control unit wherein the level of condensate collected in the tank, the parameters related to the cooling and heating modes of the air conditioner, and the contamination on the heat exchanger are evaluated, the method comprising the steps of when contamination is detected on the heat exchanger checking the condensate level, operating the air conditioner in the heating mode if the condensate level is at the level determined by the manufacturer, directing the condensate in the tank onto the heat exchanger, subsequently operating the air conditioner in the cooling mode, and if the contamination on the heat exchanger is below the threshold value determined by the manufacturer completing the heat exchanger cleaning function.

[0009] By means of the present invention, an application wherein the heat exchanger is cleaned with the condensate is realized together with a frost / defrost process in an effective and fast manner.

[0010] In the embodiment of the present invention, the air conditioner comprises a sensor which measures the temperature of the heat exchanger.

[0011] In the embodiment of the present invention, the contamination on the heat exchanger is detected. When contamination is detected on the surface of the heat exchanger, the condensate level in the tank is checked, and when the level reaches the value determined by the manufacturer, the air conditioner is operated in the heating mode. Afterwards, the temperature of the heat exchanger is measured, and when the temperature of the heat exchanger falls below the value determined by the manufacturer, the condensate in the tank is directed onto the heat exchanger. Thus, the condensate, which emerges as latent heat while the air conditioner is operating in the cooling mode, is utilized, and a frost boundary layer is formed on the surface of the heat exchanger with less energy consumption. Moreover, the formation of the frost boundary layer is enabled to be achieved faster and with lower energy consumption.

[0012] In the embodiment of the present invention, after the frosting process on the surface of the heat exchanger is completed, the air conditioner is operated in the cooling mode so as to ensure that the surface of the heat exchanger is heated and the frost accumulated thereon, along with the dust and dirt trapped in the boundary layer, is melted and be discharged from the surface of the heat exchanger. Thus, the dust and dirt trapped in the frost boundary layer on the surface of the heat exchanger are discharged with the melting water from the surface of the heat exchanger. Consequently, the heat exchanger cleaning function is completed faster and with lower energy consumption.

[0013] A cooling device realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention is illustrated in the attached figure, where: Figure 1 - is the flow chart of an air conditioner control method.

[0014] The air conditioner control method is for an air conditioner comprising an indoor unit, an outdoor unit, at least one heat exchanger provided in the outdoor unit, a tank wherein the condensate is collected, and a control unit wherein the level of condensate collected in the tank, the parameters related to the cooling and heating modes of the air conditioner, and the contamination on the heat exchanger are evaluated, the method comprising the steps of when contamination is detected on the heat exchanger (101) checking the condensate level (102), operating the air conditioner in the heating mode if the condensate level is at the level determined by the manufacturer (103), directing the condensate in the tank onto the heat exchanger (104), subsequently operating the air conditioner in the cooling mode (105), and if the contamination on the heat exchanger is below the threshold value determined by the manufacturer (106) completing the heat exchanger cleaning function (107). If the contamination on the heat exchanger is not below the value determined by the manufacturer (106), the process returns to the second step (Figure 1).

[0015] By means of the present invention, the cleaning of the heat exchanger with the condensate is enabled to be performed in an effective and rapid manner together with the frost / defrost process.

[0016] In the embodiment of the present invention, the air conditioner comprises a sensor which measures the temperature of the heat exchanger.

[0017] In another embodiment of the present invention, the contamination on the heat exchanger is detected. When contamination is detected on the surface of the heat exchanger (101), the condensate level in the tank is checked (102), and when the level reaches the value determined by the manufacturer, the air conditioner is operated in the heating mode (103). Afterwards, the temperature of the heat exchanger is measured, and when the temperature of the heat exchanger falls below the value determined by the manufacturer, the condensate in the tank is directed onto the heat exchanger (104). Thus, the condensate, which emerges as latent heat while the air conditioner is operating in the cooling mode, is utilized, and a frost boundary layer is formed on the surface of the heat exchanger with less energy consumption. Moreover, the formation of the frost boundary layer is enabled to be achieved faster and with lower energy consumption.

[0018] In an embodiment of the present invention, as a result of the formation of a frost layer on the heat exchanger by the water directed onto the heat exchanger, the dust, dirt, and similar particles accumulated on the surface of the heat exchanger adhere to the surface thanks to the frost. Afterwards, after the frosting process on the surface of the heat exchanger is completed, the air conditioner is operated in the cooling mode (105) so as to ensure that the surface of the heat exchanger is heated and the frost accumulated thereon, along with the dust and dirt trapped in the boundary layer, is melted and be discharged from the surface of the heat exchanger. In this case, if the contamination of the heat exchanger, which is detected, is below the value determined by the manufacturer (106), the cleaning function of the heat exchanger is completed (107), and if not, the process returns to the second step. Thus, the dust and dirt trapped in the frost boundary layer on the surface of the heat exchanger are discharged with the melting water from the surface of the heat exchanger. Consequently, the heat exchanger cleaning function is completed faster and with lower energy consumption.

[0019] By means of the present invention, the dust, dirt, and similar particles accumulated on the heat exchanger are cleaned more quickly and with lower energy consumption. Thus, the efficiency of the heat exchanger, and consequently of the air conditioner, is increased, and the performance losses of the air conditioner over time are prevented. Moreover, by means of the present invention, the problems in the state of the art, such as additional energy consumption caused by the frosting / icing process, the long duration of the frosting process, and the inability to operate the air conditioner in the cooling mode during this period, are eliminated.

Claims

1. An air conditioner control method, which is for an air conditioner comprising an indoor unit, an outdoor unit, at least one heat exchanger provided in the outdoor unit, a tank wherein the condensate is collected, and a control unit wherein the level of condensate collected in the tank, the parameters related to the cooling and heating modes of the air conditioner, and the contamination on the heat exchanger are evaluated, characterized by the steps of when contamination is detected on the heat exchanger (101) checking the condensate level (102), operating the air conditioner in the heating mode if the condensate level is at the level determined by the manufacturer (103), directing the condensate in the tank onto the heat exchanger (104), subsequently operating the air conditioner in the cooling mode (105), and if the contamination on the heat exchanger is below the threshold value determined by the manufacturer (106) completing the heat exchanger cleaning function (107).

2. An air conditioner control method as in Claim 1, characterized in that when contamination is detected on the surface of the heat exchanger (101), the condensate level in the tank is checked (102), and when the level reaches the value determined by the manufacturer, the air conditioner is operated in the heating mode (103).

3. An air conditioner control method as in Claim 2, which is for an air conditioner comprising a sensor measuring the temperature of the heat exchanger, characterized in that the temperature of the heat exchanger is measured, and when the temperature of the heat exchanger falls below the value determined by the manufacturer, the condensate in the tank is directed onto the heat exchanger (104).

4. An air conditioner control method as in Claim 1, characterized in that after the frosting process on the surface of the heat exchanger is completed, the air conditioner is operated in the cooling mode (105).

5. An air conditioner control method as in any one of the above claims, characterized in that if the contamination of the heat exchanger, which is detected, is below the value determined by the manufacturer (106), the cleaning function of the heat exchanger is completed (107), and if not, the process returns to the second step.

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