A heating and cooling heat pump system equipped with a dehumidification unit in the indoor unit and its control method.

Abstract

To provide a heat pump system and its control method.SOLUTION: A heat pump system comprises a cooling line 100 and a dehumidifying line 200. The system is configured upon switching of a control unit 400 into: a cooling mode, a dehumidifying valve 230 is closed and a cooling / heating valve 60 is opened; a dehumidifying mode, the dehumidifying valve 230 is opened and the cooling / heating valve 60 is closed; and a cooling and dehumidifying mode, the dehumidifying valve 230 is opened and the cooling / heating valve 60 is also opened. The system is further configured such that a refrigerant discharged from a compressor 10 is distributedly supplied to the cooling line 100 and the dehumidifying line 200 at a preset ratio, is caused to flow alternately from the cooling line and the dehumidifying line into a liquid receiver separator 80 provided at the front end of the compressor to be circulated to the compressor 10.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a heating and cooling heat pump system provided with a dehumidifying unit in an indoor unit and a control method thereof, which has a system for performing dehumidification separately or simultaneously during cooling operation and heating operation, and a heating and cooling heat pump system provided with a dehumidifying heat exchanger in the indoor unit separately from the normal refrigerant cycle operation and a control method thereof.

Background Art

[0002] Generally, a heat pump is a heating and cooling device that transfers a low-temperature heat source to a high temperature or a high-temperature heat source to a low temperature by using the heat generation or condensation heat of a refrigerant, and is classified into an electric type and an engine type according to the drive method. Currently, most of them are configured to perform both cooling and heating.

[0003] Such a heat pump type heating and cooling device is composed of a cooling cycle including a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator, and uses a four-way valve or an electronic valve to operate in reverse with the condenser as the evaporator and the evaporator as the condenser to perform heating and cooling.

[0004] These heating and cooling devices using a heat pump are used not only for heating and cooling various facilities, but also for appropriately controlling the cultivation temperature in crop cultivation facilities such as fruits, vegetables, and special crops, and for optimizing the cultivation conditions.

[0005] However, conventional heating and cooling devices using a heat pump have a weak humidity control function, so when applied to crop cultivation facilities that are sensitive not only to temperature control but also to humidity control, there is a problem that a separate dehumidifying device must be installed.

[0006] In addition, these conventional dehumidifying and heating devices have low heating, cooling, and dehumidifying efficiency due to refrigerant shortage caused by the refrigerant condensation phenomenon in cold winters and refrigerant saturation in hot summers. Therefore, additional operation of an air conditioner is required in summer, and separate operation of an electric heater and a warm air blower is required in winter, which is inconvenient and the equipment installation cost is also high.

[0007] Furthermore, in the summer, the chilled water supplied from the heating and cooling load pumps cools and dehumidifies the air ventilated into the greenhouse by the chilled and hot water heat exchanger. However, in the case of a typical cultivation greenhouse, the humidity load is much higher than in a typical air-conditioned space, requiring a large amount of dehumidification. However, when a large amount of dehumidification is performed, not only the temperature but also the humidity decreases in the chilled and hot water heat exchanger, resulting in a phenomenon where the temperature of the air supplied to the greenhouse becomes excessively low.

[0008] Supplying air that is excessively lower than the average temperature inside the greenhouse can lead to undesirable results such as poor crop growth and poor flowering.

[0009] However, to prevent such poor growth and poor flowering, reducing the temperature difference between ventilation and supply air would require circulating a very large volume of air to handle the greenhouse's cooling load, resulting in larger air conditioner fans and increased fan power. Furthermore, if the air rotation speed is too fast, a large amount of air bypasses the chilled / hot water heat exchanger, shortening the time for condensation on the coils, which has the disadvantage of not being able to dehumidify properly. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0010] [Patent Document 1] Korean Registered Patent Publication No. 10-133646 [Patent Document 2] Korean Registered Patent Publication No. 10-2021525 [Patent Document 3] Korean Registered Patent Publication No. 10-2050694 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0011] The present invention was devised to solve the aforementioned problems, and its purpose is to provide a system that increases the efficiency of dehumidification operation and increases the amount of dehumidification by performing heating and cooling operation and dehumidification operation separately or simultaneously, thereby providing a heating and cooling system and a control method thereof that does not require a separate dehumidifier. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] The present invention provides a means to solve the above-mentioned problems, and the present invention provides a heat pump system and a control method thereof, wherein a high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the discharge side of the compressor passes in order through a four-way valve, an outdoor unit, and a first expansion valve to become a low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant, flows into the four-way valve via an indoor heat exchanger installed in the indoor unit, and is circulated again to the suction side of the compressor in a cooling line, and the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the discharge side of the compressor is discharged into a dehumidification line formed between the discharge side and the four-way valve, and the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant that passes through the upper refrigerant line of a dehumidifying heat exchanger installed parallel to and spaced apart from the lower part of the indoor heat exchanger of the indoor unit passes through a second expansion valve to become a low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant, flows again into the lower refrigerant line of the dehumidifying heat exchanger, and the refrigerant that has passed through passes through the suction side of the compressor The present invention relates to a heating and cooling heat pump system and a control method thereof, which includes a dehumidification unit in an indoor unit, comprising a dehumidification line that circulates to a compressor, wherein when the control unit switches to cooling mode, a dehumidification valve formed in the dehumidification line on the discharge side of the compressor closes and a heating / cooling valve opens, when the control unit switches to dehumidification mode, a dehumidification valve formed in the dehumidification line on the discharge side of the compressor opens and a heating / cooling valve closes, when the control unit switches to cooling dehumidification mode, a dehumidification valve formed in the dehumidification line on the discharge side of the compressor opens and a heating / cooling valve opens, and the refrigerant discharged from the compressor is distributed and supplied to the cooling line and dehumidification line in a preset ratio, flows into a liquid receiving separator provided at the front end of the compressor, and is circulated to the compressor. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] As described above, the present invention has the effect of making it easier to control heating and cooling operations and dehumidification operations, and improving the efficiency of dehumidification operations, by performing heating and cooling operations and dehumidification operations separately or simultaneously.

[0014] Furthermore, it provides an operating system with a high dehumidification capacity, eliminating the need for a separate dehumidifier.

[0015] Furthermore, in order to prevent a sharp decline in heating efficiency due to the decrease in efficiency and heat output caused by evaporator defrosting of the outdoor heat exchanger during winter, reheat tubes are used to supply heat to the reheat tubes in multiple stages according to the degree of defrosting and the degree of decrease in heating operation efficiency, thereby enabling normal operation. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0016] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram showing a cooling heat pump system equipped with a dehumidification unit inside the indoor unit according to the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a schematic diagram showing a heating heat pump system equipped with a dehumidification unit inside the indoor unit according to the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a schematic diagram showing the reheat tube of a heating and cooling heat pump system equipped with a dehumidification unit inside the indoor unit according to the present invention. [Figure 4] Figures A and B are schematic diagrams showing the refrigerant paths of the outdoor heat exchanger of a cooling and heating heat pump system equipped with a dehumidification unit inside the indoor unit according to the present invention. [Figure 5] This flowchart shows heating, cooling, dehumidification, and defrosting control using a heat pump control method that includes a dehumidification unit in the indoor unit according to the present invention. [Figure 6] This is a schematic diagram illustrating a control method for a heat pump equipped with a dehumidification unit inside the indoor unit according to the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0017] Before explaining some embodiments of the present invention in detail, it should be understood that the details of the configurations and arrangements of the components described in the following detailed description or shown in the drawings are not intended to limit its application. The present invention can be embodied and implemented by other embodiments and can be carried out in various ways. Also, regarding terms such as device or element directions (e.g., "front", "back", "up", "down", "top", "bottom", "left", "right", "lateral"), the expressions and predicates used in this specification are used only for simplifying the description of the present invention, and it should be understood that they do not indicate or imply that the related device or element should have a specific direction. Furthermore, terms such as "first", "second", etc. are used in this specification and the appended claims only for the purpose of explanation and are not intended to indicate or imply relative importance or meaning.

[0018] To achieve the above object, the present invention has the following features.

[0019] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Before that, the terms and words used in this specification and the claims should not be construed as being limited to their ordinary or dictionary meanings. Based on the principle that the inventor can appropriately define the concept of terms in order to explain his invention in the best way, they should be construed as meanings and concepts that conform to the technical idea of the present invention.

[0020] Therefore, the embodiments described in this specification and the configurations shown in the drawings are only the most preferred embodiment of the present invention and do not represent all of the technical ideas of the present invention. It should be understood that there may be various equivalents and modifications that can replace them at the time of this application.

[0021] Considering the embodiments according to the present invention, In a heat pump system, The high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the discharge side 11 of the compressor 10 passes through the four-way valve 20, the outdoor unit 30, and the first expansion valve 40 in sequence to become a low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant, which then flows back into the four-way valve 20 via the indoor heat exchanger 51 installed in the indoor unit 50, and is circulated again to the suction side 12 of the compressor 10 in the cooling line 100. The high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the discharge side 11 of the compressor 10 is discharged into a dehumidification line 200 formed between the discharge side 11 and the four-way valve 20. The high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant that passes through the upper refrigerant line 210a of the dehumidifying heat exchanger 210, which is installed parallel to and spaced apart from the lower part of the indoor heat exchanger 51 of the indoor unit 50, passes through the second expansion valve 220 to become a low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant, and flows again into the lower refrigerant line 210b of the dehumidifying heat exchanger 210. The refrigerant that has passed through this line is circulated back to the compressor 10 via the suction side 12 of the compressor 10. The indoor air flowing into the front of the indoor unit 50 is cooled and dehumidified as it passes through the heat exchanger of the lower refrigerant line 210b of the dehumidifying heat exchanger 210. The cooled and dehumidified air then passes through the heat exchanger of the upper refrigerant line 210a, where its temperature rises. After that, it passes through the indoor heat exchanger 51, where it is cooled and dehumidified again before being supplied to the room. When the control unit 400 switches to cooling mode, the dehumidifying valve 230 formed in the dehumidifying line 200 on the discharge side 11 of the compressor 10 is closed, and the heating / cooling valve 60 is opened. When switching to dehumidification mode, the dehumidification valve 230 formed in the dehumidification line 200 on the discharge side 11 of the compressor 10 opens, and the heating / cooling valve 60 closes. When the system switches to cooling dehumidification mode, the dehumidification valve 230 formed in the dehumidification line 200 on the discharge side 11 of the compressor 10 opens, and the heating / cooling valve 60 also opens. The present invention relates to a heating and cooling heat pump system equipped with a dehumidification unit in the indoor unit, wherein the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 10 is distributed and supplied to the cooling line 100 and the dehumidification line 200 in a predetermined ratio, flows into a liquid receiving separator 80 provided at the front end of the compressor 10, and is circulated back to the compressor 10.

[0022] Furthermore, as another embodiment of the present invention, The high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the discharge side 11 of the compressor 10 passes sequentially through the four-way valve 20, the indoor heat exchanger 51 installed in the indoor unit 50, and the first expansion valve 40 to become a low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant, which then passes sequentially through the outdoor unit 30 and the four-way valve 20 to circulate again to the suction side 12 of the compressor 10, further comprising a heating line 300. Multiple reheat pipes 70 equipped with electric heater rods 71 ​​are formed on the inflow side of the outdoor unit 30 of the heating line 300. The control unit 400 measures the surface temperature of the outdoor heat exchanger 31 of the outdoor unit 30 and the humidity temperature of the incoming air into the outdoor unit 30, and decides whether or not to perform defrosting. If the defrosting conditions are met, the electric heater rods 71 ​​are activated, and multiple rods are configured to operate selectively and simultaneously. When the control unit 400 switches to heating mode, the dehumidifying valve 230 formed in the dehumidifying line 200 on the discharge side 11 of the compressor 10 is closed, and the heating / cooling valve 60 is opened. When switching to dehumidification mode, the dehumidification valve 230 formed in the dehumidification line 200 on the discharge side 11 of the compressor 10 opens, and the heating / cooling valve 60 closes. When the system switches to heating and dehumidifying mode, the dehumidifying valve 230 formed in the dehumidifying line 200 on the discharge side 11 of the compressor 10 opens, and the heating and cooling valve 60 also opens. The refrigerant discharged from the compressor 10 is distributed and supplied to the heating line 300 and the dehumidification line 200 in a predetermined ratio, flows into a liquid receiving separator 80 located at the front end of the compressor 10, and is configured to circulate back into the compressor 10.

[0023] Furthermore, as another embodiment of the present invention, The heat capacity of the dehumidifying heat exchanger 210 is less than that of the indoor heat exchanger 51.

[0024] Furthermore, as another embodiment of the present invention, The number of refrigerant pipes forming the upper refrigerant line 210a, which performs the condenser function of the dehumidifying heat exchanger 210, is greater than the number of refrigerant pipes forming the lower refrigerant line 210b, which performs the evaporator function.

[0025] Furthermore, as another embodiment of the present invention, The multiple refrigerant branch paths of the outdoor heat exchanger 35 of the outdoor unit 30 consist of an upper path section 35a, a middle path section 35b, and a lower path section 35c. The upper passage section 35a allows refrigerant to flow in from above, forming a pre-set refrigerant flow path, and the refrigerant flows out from above into the outdoor refrigerant liquid recovery section 38 located at the lower outer side of the outdoor heat exchanger 35. The aforementioned central passage section 35b allows refrigerant to flow in from the central section, forming a pre-set refrigerant flow path, and the refrigerant to flow out from the central section and into the outdoor refrigerant liquid recovery section 38. The lower passage section 35c allows refrigerant to flow in from below, forming a pre-set refrigerant flow path, and the refrigerant flows out from below and into the outdoor refrigerant liquid recovery section 38. The refrigerant mixed in the outdoor refrigerant liquid recovery unit 38 flows back into the outdoor heat exchanger 35, undergoes heat exchange, and then flows out of the outdoor heat exchanger 35 again.

[0026] Furthermore, as another embodiment of the present invention, In a heat pump control method, The indoor unit 50 is separately equipped with an indoor heat exchanger 51 and a dehumidifying heat exchanger 210 which is mounted below and spaced apart from it. The outdoor heat exchanger 31 of the outdoor unit 30 is connected, and the indoor heat exchanger 51 and the outdoor heat exchanger 31 are mutually connected to form a cooling line 100 and a heating line 300, In addition to the cooling line 100 and heating line 300, a control unit 400 for the heating and cooling heat pump is formed, consisting of a dehumidification line 200 comprising an upper refrigerant line 210a that performs a condenser function and a lower refrigerant line 210b that performs an evaporator function in the dehumidifying heat exchanger 210. The high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the discharge side 11 of the compressor 10 is discharged into a dehumidification line 200 formed between the discharge side 11 and the four-way valve 20. The high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant that passes through the upper refrigerant line 210a of the dehumidifying heat exchanger 210, which is installed parallel to and spaced apart from the lower part of the indoor heat exchanger 51 of the indoor unit 50, passes through the second expansion valve 220 to become a low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant, and flows again into the lower refrigerant line 210b of the dehumidifying heat exchanger 210. The refrigerant that has passed through this line is circulated back to the compressor 10 via the suction side 12 of the compressor 10. The indoor air flowing into the front of the indoor unit 50 is cooled and dehumidified as it passes through the heat exchanger of the lower refrigerant line 210b of the dehumidifying heat exchanger 210. The cooled and dehumidified air then passes through the heat exchanger of the upper refrigerant line 210a, where its temperature rises. After that, it passes through the indoor heat exchanger 51, where it is cooled and dehumidified again before being supplied to the room. The control unit 400 is configured to receive temperature and humidity measured in real time at the indoor supply location, the surface temperature of the outdoor heat exchanger 31, and the humidity flowing into the outdoor heat exchanger 31, and to control them to preset values. In cooling operation mode, the dehumidification line 200 is turned OFF, the indoor heat exchanger 51 is switched to evaporator function, and refrigerant is supplied to control the pre-set temperature and humidity of the indoor supply destination. This is a control method for the cooling line 100. In dehumidification mode, the cooling line 100 and heating line 300 are turned OFF, and refrigerant is supplied to the dehumidification heat exchanger 210 to control the pre-set temperature and humidity of the indoor supply destination. In heating operation mode, the dehumidification line 200 is turned OFF, the indoor heat exchanger 51 is switched to condenser function, and refrigerant is supplied to control the pre-set temperature and humidity of the indoor supply destination. This is a control method for the heating line 300. In the simultaneous cooling and dehumidification mode, the cooling line 100 and the dehumidification line 200 are controlled to operate simultaneously. In the simultaneous heating and dehumidification mode, the heating line 300 and the dehumidification line 200 are controlled to operate simultaneously. The discharge side 11 of one compressor 10 constituting the heat pump is branched into two refrigerant supplies: one is controlled to supply high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant to the cooling line 100 and the heating line 300, and the other is configured so that the valves of each supply are controlled to open and close to supply high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant to the dehumidification line 200. The control unit 400 is, The surface temperature of the outdoor heat exchanger 31 and the humidity temperature of the incoming air are measured to determine whether defrosting is necessary. If the defrosting conditions are met, multiple reheat pipes 70 equipped with electric heater rods 71 ​​installed on the inflow side of the outdoor unit 30 are configured to operate simultaneously and selectively. The control unit 400 is, In the simultaneous operation modes of cooling and dehumidification, and heating and dehumidification, The present invention relates to a control method for a heating and cooling heat pump equipped with a dehumidification unit in the indoor unit, which is configured to control and adjust the amount of refrigerant supplied to each branch off from the discharge side 11 of the compressor 10 so as to reach a preset temperature and humidity based on the real-time temperature and humidity of the indoor supply destination.

[0027] A preferred embodiment of the present invention, a heating and cooling heat pump system equipped with a dehumidification unit in the indoor unit, and its control method will be described in detail below with reference to Figures 1 to 6.

[0028] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing a cooling heat pump system equipped with a dehumidification unit inside the indoor unit according to the present invention, and in the heat pump system, The high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the discharge side 11 of the compressor 10 passes through the four-way valve 20, the outdoor unit 30, and the first expansion valve 40 in sequence to become a low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant. This refrigerant then flows back into the four-way valve 20 via the indoor heat exchanger 51 installed in the indoor unit 50, and is circulated again to the suction side 12 of the compressor 10. This is the cooling line 100, in which indoor air that has passed through the indoor heat exchanger 51 is cooled and dehumidified and supplied to the room, thus cooling and dehumidifying the high-temperature, high-humidity indoor air.

[0029] Another technical feature of the present invention is the formation of a refrigerant system separate from the cooling line 100.

[0030] This system consists of a dehumidification line 200 through which high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the discharge side 11 of the compressor 10 is discharged into a dehumidification line 200 formed between the discharge side 11 and the four-way valve 20. The high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant passes through the upper refrigerant line 210a of the dehumidifying heat exchanger 210, which is installed parallel to and spaced apart from the lower part of the indoor heat exchanger 51 of the indoor unit 50, then passes through the second expansion valve 220 to become a low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant, which flows back into the lower refrigerant line 210b of the dehumidifying heat exchanger 210. The refrigerant that has passed through this line is then circulated back to the compressor 10 via the suction side 12 of the compressor 10.

[0031] This configuration ensures that indoor air flowing into the front of the indoor unit 50 is cooled and dehumidified as it passes through the heat exchanger of the lower refrigerant line 210b of the dehumidifying heat exchanger 210, the cooled and dehumidified air's temperature rises as it passes through the heat exchanger of the upper refrigerant line 210a, and then it is cooled and dehumidified again as it passes through the indoor heat exchanger 51 before being supplied to the room.

[0032] Furthermore, if the indoor air temperature is sufficiently cooled but the humidity is high, the cooling line 100 will stop operating and only the dehumidifying line 200 will operate. To this end, a separate dehumidifying heat exchanger 210 is provided inside the indoor unit 50, and the dehumidifying heat exchanger 210 is characterized in that a high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant line and a low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant line passing through the second expansion valve 220 are integrated into one unit.

[0033] for that, In this invention, when the control unit 400 switches to cooling mode, the dehumidifying valve 230 formed in the dehumidifying line 200 on the discharge side 11 of the compressor 10 is closed, and the heating / cooling valve 60 is opened, and cooling operation is performed independently. When the system switches to dehumidification mode, the dehumidification valve 230 formed in the dehumidification line 200 on the discharge side 11 of the compressor 10 is opened, and the heating / cooling valve 60 is closed, resulting in independent dehumidification operation.

[0034] Furthermore, the present invention enables simultaneous cooling and dehumidifying operations. When the system switches to cooling and dehumidifying mode, the dehumidifying valve 230 formed in the dehumidifying line 200 on the discharge side 11 of the compressor 10 opens, and the heating and cooling valve 60 also opens. The refrigerant discharged from the compressor 10 is then distributed and supplied to the cooling line 100 and the dehumidifying line 200 in a preset ratio, and flows into the liquid receiving separator 80 located at the front end of the compressor 10, and is circulated back into the compressor 10.

[0035] The indoor air passing through the dehumidifying heat exchanger 210 of the dehumidification line 200 has its temperature rise and is then cooled and dehumidified as it passes through the upper indoor heat exchanger 51.

[0036] This is characterized by operating at a supply destination that precisely controls temperature and humidity simultaneously, such as a semiconductor device that precisely controls the temperature and humidity of indoor air.

[0037] Furthermore, to achieve this, the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 10 is distributed to the cooling line 100 and the dehumidifying line 200 in a preset ratio, and supplied to the cooling line 100 and the dehumidifying line 200 respectively. The amount of refrigerant distributed is automatically controlled by measuring the temperature and humidity of the indoor air in real time, and by controlling the opening and closing of the heating / cooling valve 60 and the dehumidifying valve 230 to achieve a preset temperature and humidity.

[0038] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing a heating heat pump system equipped with a dehumidification unit inside the indoor unit according to the present invention, The present invention further includes a heating line 300 in which the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the discharge side 11 of the compressor 10 passes in order through a four-way valve 20, an indoor heat exchanger 51 installed in the indoor unit 50, and a first expansion valve 40 to become a low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant, which then passes in order through the outdoor unit 30 and the four-way valve 20 to circulate again to the suction side 12 of the compressor 10, and this is formed in the opposite direction of refrigerant circulation to the cooling line 100.

[0039] When the control unit 400 of the present invention switches to heating mode, the dehumidifying valve 230 formed in the dehumidifying line 200 on the discharge side 11 of the compressor 10 is closed and the heating / cooling valve 60 is opened. As a result, the temperature of the indoor air passing through the indoor heat exchanger 51 installed in the indoor unit 50 rises, providing the indoor air set as the indoor supply destination.

[0040] A key technical feature of the present invention is that when the system switches to dehumidification mode, a dehumidification valve 230 formed in the dehumidification line 200 on the discharge side 11 of the compressor 10 opens, while the heating and cooling valve 60 closes. This is suitable for use in low-temperature, high-humidity supply locations where moisture is present even in winter, and is a necessary operating mode for indoor supply locations such as greenhouses where low temperature and high humidity are required for plant cultivation.

[0041] Furthermore, a technical feature of the present invention is that when the system switches to heating and dehumidifying mode, the dehumidifying valve 230 formed in the dehumidifying line 200 on the discharge side 11 of the compressor 10 opens, and the heating and cooling valve 60 also opens. The refrigerant discharged from the compressor 10 is distributed and supplied to the heating line 300 and the dehumidification line 200 in a predetermined ratio, flows into a liquid receiving separator 80 provided at the front end of the compressor 10, and is circulated back to the compressor 10.

[0042] For a low-temperature, high-humidity indoor environment, the indoor air passing through the dehumidifying heat exchanger 210 of the dehumidification line 200 has its temperature rise and is then cooled and dehumidified as it passes through the upper indoor heat exchanger 51. This system is characterized by operating at a supply destination that precisely controls both temperature and humidity simultaneously, such as a semiconductor device that precisely controls the temperature and humidity of the indoor air.

[0043] Furthermore, to achieve this, the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 10 is distributed to the cooling line 100 and the dehumidifying line 200 in a preset ratio, and supplied to the cooling line 100 and the dehumidifying line 200 respectively. The amount of refrigerant distributed is automatically controlled by measuring the temperature and humidity of the indoor air in real time, and by controlling the opening and closing of the heating / cooling valve 60 and the dehumidifying valve 230 to achieve a preset temperature and humidity.

[0044] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing a reheat pipe 70 of a heating and cooling heat pump system equipped with a dehumidification unit in the indoor unit according to the present invention. This system relates to defrosting or superheating control of the outdoor unit 30. Multiple reheat pipes 70 equipped with electric heater rods 71 ​​are formed on the inflow side of the heating line 300 to the outdoor unit 30. The control unit 400 measures the surface temperature of the outdoor heat exchanger 31 of the outdoor unit 30 and the temperature and humidity of the incoming air flowing into the outdoor unit 30, and decides whether or not to perform defrosting. When the defrosting conditions are met, the electric heater rods 71 ​​are activated, and multiple rods are selectively activated simultaneously for rapid defrosting.

[0045] This includes a defrosting operation of the outdoor unit 30, measuring the surface temperature of the outdoor heat exchanger 31, and if the temperature of the refrigerant flowing out of the outdoor unit 30 is lower than a preset refrigerant temperature, it is determined to be uncondensed refrigerant gas, and the electric heater rod 71 is activated to bring it within a preset superheat range.

[0046] Furthermore, as another embodiment of the present invention, As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the dehumidifying heat exchanger 210 is formed to be smaller in size than the indoor heat exchanger 51. This indicates that the heat capacity exchanged from the indoor heat exchanger 51 in the indoor air is relatively less than the heat capacity from the dehumidifying heat exchanger 210.

[0047] Furthermore, in an embodiment where cooling and dehumidification or heating and dehumidification are operated together, if the size of the dehumidifying heat exchanger 210 is smaller than that of the indoor heat exchanger 51, the first indoor air escaping from outside the dehumidifying heat exchanger 210 flows into the indoor heat exchanger 51, undergoes heat exchange, and passes through the indoor heat exchanger 51. The indoor air passing through the dehumidifying heat exchanger 210 has its temperature risen, and the second indoor air passing through the indoor heat exchanger 51, which is spaced apart on the upper side, is mixed with the first indoor air and supplied to the indoor supply destination.

[0048] In another embodiment, if the size of the dehumidifying heat exchanger 210 and the size of the indoor heat exchanger 51 are the same, then all of the indoor air that has passed through the dehumidifying heat exchanger 210 and whose temperature has risen will pass through the indoor heat exchanger 51 and be supplied to the indoor supply destination.

[0049] Other technical features of the present invention are: The dehumidifying heat exchanger 210 of the dehumidifying line 200, which performs the dehumidifying function, is characterized in that the upper part functions as a condenser and the lower part functions as an evaporator. For dehumidification efficiency, the condenser configuration is formed to have a larger heat capacity than the evaporator configuration, which typically has a relative heat difference in the range of 1.3 to 1.4 times.

[0050] Therefore, the number of refrigerant pipes forming the upper refrigerant line 210a, which performs the condenser function, is greater than the number of refrigerant pipes forming the lower refrigerant line 210b, which performs the evaporator function. In this embodiment, the upper refrigerant line 210a is formed in two rows, and the lower refrigerant line 210b is formed in one row.

[0051] Figures 4A and 4B are schematic diagrams showing the refrigerant path of the outdoor heat exchanger of a cooling and heating heat pump system equipped with a dehumidification unit inside the indoor unit according to the present invention. This configuration is designed to improve the efficiency of the outdoor heat exchanger 35. The refrigerant pipes flowing into the outdoor heat exchanger 35 are formed with multiple refrigerant flow paths. After heat exchange occurs internally, the refrigerant flows out of the outdoor heat exchanger 35, is mixed and stored, and then flows back into the outdoor heat exchanger 35 for further heat exchange. This ensures that all of the refrigerant that can be mixed with the refrigerant liquid is converted into refrigerant gas through heat exchange.

[0052] Therefore, the present invention The multiple refrigerant branch paths of the outdoor heat exchanger 35 of the outdoor unit 30 consist of an upper path section 35a, a middle path section 35b, and a lower path section 35c. In the upper path section 35a, refrigerant flows in from the top to form a pre-set refrigerant flow path, and flows out from the top to the outdoor refrigerant liquid recovery section 38 located at the lower outside of the outdoor heat exchanger 35. The aforementioned central passage section 35b allows refrigerant to flow in from the central section, forming a pre-set refrigerant flow path, and the refrigerant to flow out from the central section and into the outdoor refrigerant liquid recovery section 38. The lower passage section 35c allows refrigerant to flow in from below, forming a pre-set refrigerant flow path, and the refrigerant flows out from below and into the outdoor refrigerant liquid recovery section 38. The refrigerant mixed in the outdoor refrigerant liquid recovery unit 38 flows back into the outdoor heat exchanger 35, undergoes heat exchange, and then flows out of the outdoor heat exchanger 35 again.

[0053] Figure 5 is a flowchart showing heating, cooling, dehumidification, and defrosting control using a heat pump control method equipped with a dehumidification unit in the indoor unit according to the present invention, and Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing a heat pump control method equipped with a dehumidification unit in the indoor unit according to the present invention. Figures 1 to 4 are schematic diagrams relating to the refrigerant system and main components for the control method of the present invention. In a method for controlling a heat pump, the present invention relates to a method for controlling a heat pump. The indoor unit 50 is separately equipped with an indoor heat exchanger 51 and a dehumidifying heat exchanger 210 which is mounted below and spaced apart from it. The outdoor heat exchanger 31 of the outdoor unit 30 is connected, and the indoor heat exchanger 51 and the outdoor heat exchanger 31 are mutually connected to form a cooling line 100 and a heating line 300, The control unit 400 for the heating and cooling heat pump is formed separately from the cooling line 100 and heating line 300, and consists of a dehumidification line 200 comprising an upper refrigerant line 210a that performs a condenser function and a lower refrigerant line 210b that performs an evaporator function in the dehumidification heat exchanger 210.

[0054] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the refrigerant system diagram for cooling and dehumidification according to the control method of a heat pump equipped with a dehumidification unit in the indoor unit according to the present invention. In a heat pump system, The high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the discharge side 11 of the compressor 10 passes through the four-way valve 20, the outdoor unit 30, and the first expansion valve 40 in sequence to become a low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant. This refrigerant then flows back into the four-way valve 20 via the indoor heat exchanger 51 installed in the indoor unit 50, and is circulated again to the suction side 12 of the compressor 10. This is the cooling line 100, in which indoor air that has passed through the indoor heat exchanger 51 is cooled and dehumidified and supplied to the room, thus cooling and dehumidifying the high-temperature, high-humidity indoor air.

[0055] Another technical feature of the present invention is the formation of a refrigerant system separate from the cooling line 100.

[0056] This system consists of a dehumidification line 200 through which high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the discharge side 11 of the compressor 10 is discharged into a dehumidification line 200 formed between the discharge side 11 and the four-way valve 20. The high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant passes through the upper refrigerant line 210a of the dehumidifying heat exchanger 210, which is installed parallel to and spaced apart from the lower part of the indoor heat exchanger 51 of the indoor unit 50, then passes through the second expansion valve 220 to become a low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant, which flows back into the lower refrigerant line 210b of the dehumidifying heat exchanger 210. The refrigerant that has passed through this line is then circulated back to the compressor 10 via the suction side 12 of the compressor 10.

[0057] This configuration ensures that indoor air flowing into the front of the indoor unit 50 is cooled and dehumidified as it passes through the heat exchanger of the lower refrigerant line 210b of the dehumidifying heat exchanger 210, the cooled and dehumidified air's temperature rises as it passes through the heat exchanger of the upper refrigerant line 210a, and then it is cooled and dehumidified again as it passes through the indoor heat exchanger 51 before being supplied to the room.

[0058] Furthermore, if the indoor air temperature is sufficiently cooled but the humidity is high, The cooling line 100 is shut down, and only the dehumidifying line 200 is operated. To this end, a separate dehumidifying heat exchanger 210 is provided inside the indoor unit 50, and the dehumidifying heat exchanger 210 is characterized in that a high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant line and a low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant line passing through the second expansion valve 220 are integrated into one unit.

[0059] for that, In this invention, when the control unit 400 switches to cooling mode, the dehumidifying valve 230 formed in the dehumidifying line 200 on the discharge side 11 of the compressor 10 is closed, and the heating / cooling valve 60 is opened, and cooling operation is performed independently. When the system switches to dehumidification mode, the dehumidification valve 230 formed in the dehumidification line 200 on the discharge side 11 of the compressor 10 is opened, and the heating / cooling valve 60 is closed, resulting in independent dehumidification operation.

[0060] Furthermore, the present invention enables simultaneous cooling and dehumidifying operations. When the system switches to cooling dehumidification mode, the dehumidification valve 230 formed in the dehumidification line 200 on the discharge side 11 of the compressor 10 opens, and the heating / cooling valve 60 also opens. The refrigerant discharged from the compressor 10 is distributed and supplied to the cooling line 100 and the dehumidification line 200 in a predetermined ratio, flows into a liquid receiving separator 80 located at the front end of the compressor 10, and is configured to circulate back to the compressor 10.

[0061] Indoor air passing through the dehumidifying heat exchanger 210 of the dehumidification line 200 has its temperature rise and is then cooled and dehumidified as it passes through the upper indoor heat exchanger 51. This is characterized by operating at a supply destination that precisely controls both temperature and humidity simultaneously, such as a semiconductor device that precisely controls the temperature and humidity of indoor air.

[0062] Furthermore, the control unit 400 of the present invention is configured to control and adjust the amount of refrigerant supplied from the discharge side 11 of the compressor 10 so that it reaches a preset temperature and humidity, based on the real-time temperature and humidity of the indoor supply destination, in the simultaneous cooling and dehumidification operation mode and the simultaneous heating and dehumidification operation mode. To this end, the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 10 is distributed to the heating and cooling lines 100, 300 and the dehumidification line 200 in a preset ratio, and the amount of refrigerant distributed is automatically controlled by measuring the temperature and humidity of the indoor air in real time, and by controlling the opening and closing of the heating and cooling valve 60 and the dehumidification valve 230 so that the temperature and humidity are set to preset levels.

[0063] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing the refrigerant system diagram for heating and dehumidification according to the control method of a heat pump equipped with a dehumidification unit in the indoor unit according to the present invention. The present invention further includes a heating line 300 in which the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the discharge side 11 of the compressor 10 passes in order through a four-way valve 20, an indoor heat exchanger 51 installed in the indoor unit 50, and a first expansion valve 40 to become a low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant, which then passes in order through the outdoor unit 30 and the four-way valve 20 to circulate again to the suction side 12 of the compressor 10, and this is formed in the opposite direction of refrigerant circulation to the cooling line 100.

[0064] When the control unit 400 of the present invention switches to heating mode, the dehumidifying valve 230 formed in the dehumidifying line 200 on the discharge side 11 of the compressor 10 is closed and the heating / cooling valve 60 is opened. As a result, the temperature of the indoor air passing through the indoor heat exchanger 51 installed in the indoor unit 50 rises, providing the indoor air set as the indoor supply destination.

[0065] A key technical feature of the present invention is that when the system switches to dehumidification mode, a dehumidification valve 230 formed in the dehumidification line 200 on the discharge side 11 of the compressor 10 opens, while the heating and cooling valve 60 closes. This is suitable for use in low-temperature, high-humidity supply locations where moisture is present even in winter, and is a necessary operating mode for indoor supply locations such as greenhouses where low temperature and high humidity are required for plant cultivation.

[0066] Furthermore, a technical feature of the present invention is that when the system switches to heating and dehumidifying mode, the dehumidifying valve 230 formed in the dehumidifying line 200 on the discharge side 11 of the compressor 10 opens, and the heating and cooling valve 60 also opens. The refrigerant discharged from the compressor 10 is distributed and supplied to the heating line 300 and the dehumidification line 200 in a predetermined ratio, flows into a liquid receiving separator 80 provided at the front end of the compressor 10, and is circulated back into the compressor 10.

[0067] For a low-temperature, high-humidity indoor environment, the indoor air passing through the dehumidifying heat exchanger 210 of the dehumidification line 200 has its temperature rise and is then cooled and dehumidified as it passes through the upper indoor heat exchanger 51. This system is characterized by operating at a supply destination that precisely controls both temperature and humidity simultaneously, such as a semiconductor device that precisely controls the temperature and humidity of the indoor air.

[0068] Furthermore, to achieve this, the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 10 is distributed to the cooling line 100 and the dehumidifying line 200 in a preset ratio, and supplied to the cooling line 100 and the dehumidifying line 200 respectively. The amount of refrigerant distributed is automatically controlled by measuring the temperature and humidity of the indoor air in real time, and by controlling the opening and closing of the heating / cooling valve 60 and the dehumidifying valve 230 to achieve a preset temperature and humidity.

[0069] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to limited embodiments and drawings, the present invention is not limited thereto, and it goes without saying that any person with ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains can make various modifications and changes within the equivalent scope of the technical concept of the present invention and the appended claims. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0070] 10 Compressor 11 Discharge side 12 Inhalation side 20 Four-way valve 30 Outdoor Units 35 Outdoor heat exchanger 35a Upper road section 35b Chubu Road Section 35c Lower road section 38 Outdoor refrigerant liquid recovery unit 40 First expansion valve 50 Indoor Units 51 Indoor heat exchanger 60 Heating and cooling valve 70 Reheat tube 71 Electric heater rod 80 Receiving liquid separator 100 Air conditioning line 200 dehumidification lines 210 Dehumidification heat exchanger 210a Upper refrigerant line 210b Lower refrigerant line 220 Second expansion valve 230 Dehumidifying valve 300 heating lines 400 Control Unit

Claims

[Claim 1] In a heat pump control method, The indoor unit (50) is separately equipped with an indoor heat exchanger (51) and a dehumidifying heat exchanger (210) that is spaced apart from and mounted below it. The outdoor heat exchanger (31) of the outdoor unit (30) is connected, and the indoor heat exchanger (51) and the outdoor heat exchanger (31) are connected to each other to form a cooling line (100) and a heating line (300), In addition to the cooling line (100) and heating line (300), a control unit (400) for the heating and cooling heat pump is formed, which consists of a dehumidifying line (200) comprising an upper refrigerant line (210a) that performs a condenser function and a lower refrigerant line (210b) that performs an evaporator function in a dehumidifying heat exchanger (210). The high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the discharge side (11) of the compressor (10) is discharged into a dehumidification line (200) formed between the discharge side (11) and the four-way valve (20). The high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant that has passed through the upper refrigerant line (210a) of the dehumidifying heat exchanger (210), which is installed parallel to and spaced apart from the lower part of the indoor heat exchanger (51) of the indoor unit (50), passes through a second expansion valve (220) to become a low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant, and flows again into the lower refrigerant line (210b) of the dehumidifying heat exchanger (210). The refrigerant that has passed through this line is circulated back to the compressor (10) via the suction side (12) of the compressor (10) through the dehumidification line (200). The indoor air flowing into the front of the indoor unit (50) is cooled and dehumidified as it passes through the heat exchanger of the lower refrigerant line (210b) of the dehumidifying heat exchanger (210), the cooled and dehumidified air's temperature rises as it passes through the heat exchanger of the upper refrigerant line (210a), and then it is cooled and dehumidified again as it passes through the indoor heat exchanger (51) before being supplied to the room. The control unit (400) is configured to receive temperature and humidity measured in real time at the indoor supply location, the surface temperature of the outdoor heat exchanger (31), and the humidity flowing into the outdoor heat exchanger (31), and to control them to preset values. In cooling operation mode, the dehumidification line (200) is turned OFF, the indoor heat exchanger (51) is switched to evaporator function, and refrigerant is supplied to control the pre-set temperature and humidity of the indoor supply destination. This is a control method for the cooling line (100). In dehumidification mode, the cooling line (100) and heating line (300) are turned OFF, and refrigerant is supplied to the dehumidifying heat exchanger (210) to control the pre-set temperature and humidity of the indoor supply destination. In heating operation mode, the dehumidification line (200) is turned OFF, the indoor heat exchanger (51) is switched to condenser function, and refrigerant is supplied to control the preset temperature and humidity of the indoor supply destination. This is a control method for the heating line (300). In the simultaneous cooling and dehumidification mode, the cooling line (100) and the dehumidification line (200) are controlled to operate simultaneously. In the simultaneous heating and dehumidification mode, the heating line (300) and the dehumidification line (200) are controlled to operate simultaneously. The discharge side (11) of one compressor (10) constituting the heat pump is branched into two refrigerant supplies, one of which is controlled to supply high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant to the cooling line (100) and the heating line (300), and the other is controlled to supply high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant to the dehumidification line (200) by a four-way valve (20) formed on the discharge side (11) of the compressor (10) and a first expansion valve (40) and a second expansion valve (220) formed on the cooling line (100) or the heating line (300). The control unit (400) is, The surface temperature of the outdoor heat exchanger (31) and the humidity temperature of the incoming air are measured to determine whether defrosting is necessary, and if the defrosting conditions are met, Multiple reheat tubes (70) equipped with electric heater rods (71) installed on the inlet side of the outdoor unit (30) are configured to operate selectively and simultaneously. The control unit (400) is In the simultaneous operation modes of cooling and dehumidification, and heating and dehumidification, A control method for a heating and cooling heat pump equipped with a dehumidification unit in the indoor unit, characterized by controlling and adjusting the amount of refrigerant supplied to each branch off from the discharge side (11) of the compressor (10) so as to reach a preset temperature and humidity, based on the real-time temperature and humidity of the indoor supply destination.

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