Air conditioner

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an air conditioner. An air conditioner including a plurality of indoor units according to an embodiment of the present disclosure comprises: a compressor for compressing a refrigerant; indoor heat exchangers provided at the plurality of indoor units, respectively, to exchange heat between indoor air and the refrigerant; and a control part, wherein the control part can perform an emergency operation for reducing an operation frequency of the compressor on the basis of occurrence of an error related to the compressor and can perform compensation for reduction in the operation frequency on the basis of pipe temperature of the indoor heat exchanger. Various other embodiments are possible.

Description

air conditioner

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an air conditioner, and more particularly, to an air conditioner that controls operation according to the occurrence of an error related to a compressor.

[0002] Air conditioners are installed to create a more pleasant indoor environment by discharging hot and cold air into the room, regulating the indoor temperature and purifying the indoor air. Typically, air conditioners include an indoor unit, which is equipped with a heat exchanger and installed indoors, and an outdoor unit, which includes a compressor and heat exchanger and supplies refrigerant to the indoor unit.

[0003] Air conditioners operate in either cooling or heating mode depending on the flow of refrigerant. During cooling mode, high-temperature, high-pressure liquid refrigerant is supplied to the indoor unit from the outdoor unit's compressor through the outdoor unit's heat exchanger. As the refrigerant expands and vaporizes in the indoor unit's heat exchanger, the temperature of the surrounding air drops, and as the indoor unit fan rotates, cool air is discharged into the room. During heating mode, high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant is supplied to the indoor unit from the outdoor unit's compressor. As the high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant liquefies in the indoor unit's heat exchanger, the released energy warms the air, and as the indoor unit fan rotates, cool air is discharged into the room.

[0004] Meanwhile, when an air conditioner is equipped with multiple indoor units, it can supply heat-exchanged air to each of multiple areas of an indoor space using the multiple indoor units. The operating frequency of the compressor may increase due to an increase in the number of operating indoor units among the multiple indoor units equipped in the air conditioner, an increase in the cooling and heating load, etc. At this time, when the operating frequency of the compressor exceeds a certain level, the possibility of compressor-related errors may increase. For example, a compressor-related error may occur due to an overcurrent flowing in a component for driving the compressor, such as an inverter or an IPM (Intelligent Power Module).

[0005] Traditionally, when a compressor-related error occurred, the air conditioner would typically stop operating. This resulted in frequent interruptions for the same reason each time the compressor frequency increased, preventing indoor heating and cooling from reaching the desired level. Furthermore, if the air conditioner is preset to stop operating until the compressor is repaired when a compressor-related error occurs, indoor heating and cooling would be impossible.

[0006] The present disclosure aims to solve the above-mentioned and other problems.

[0007] Another purpose is to provide an air conditioner that can continue to provide heating and cooling by performing emergency operation in the event of a compressor-related error.

[0008] Another purpose is to provide an air conditioner capable of minimizing the reduction in cooling and heating performance during emergency operation.

[0009] Another objective is to provide an air conditioner that can minimize the loss of user confidence in the product due to performing emergency operations.

[0010] In order to achieve the above object, an air conditioner including a plurality of indoor units includes: a compressor for compressing a refrigerant; an indoor heat exchanger provided in each of the plurality of indoor units for heat-exchanging indoor air and the refrigerant; and a control unit, wherein the control unit can perform an emergency operation for reducing an operating frequency of the compressor based on the occurrence of an error related to the compressor, and compensate for the reduction in the operating frequency based on a piping temperature of the indoor heat exchanger.

[0011] The effects of the air conditioner according to the present disclosure are described as follows.

[0012] According to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, when a compressor-related error occurs, emergency operation can be performed to continue heating and cooling.

[0013] Additionally, according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, a reduction in heating and cooling performance during emergency operation can be minimized.

[0014] Additionally, according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, it is possible to minimize a decrease in user confidence in the product due to performing emergency driving.

[0015] Further scope of the applicability of the present disclosure will become apparent from the detailed description below. However, since various modifications and variations within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, such as preferred embodiments of the present disclosure, are given by way of example only.

[0016] FIG. 1 is a drawing for reference in the description of an air conditioner having a plurality of indoor units according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0017] FIG. 2 is a drawing illustrating the configuration of an air conditioner according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0018] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an air conditioner according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0019] FIGS. 4 and 5 are flowcharts of an operating method of an air conditioner according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0020] FIG. 6 is a drawing for reference in a description of the operation of an air conditioner according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0021] Hereinafter, the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, portions irrelevant to the description are omitted to clearly and concisely describe the present disclosure, and the same reference numerals are used for identical or extremely similar portions throughout the specification.

[0022] The suffixes "module" and "part" used in the following description are given solely for the convenience of writing this specification and do not impart any particularly significant meaning or role to the components themselves. Therefore, the terms "module" and "part" may be used interchangeably.

[0023] In this application, terms such as “include” or “have” are intended to specify the presence of a feature, number, step, operation, component, part, or combination thereof described in the specification, but should be understood not to preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0024] Additionally, while terms such as "first" and "second" may be used in this specification to describe various elements, these elements are not limited by these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one element from another.

[0025] FIG. 1 is a drawing for reference in the description of an air conditioner having a plurality of indoor units according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0026] Referring to FIG. 1, an air conditioner (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention may include an outdoor unit (21) and a plurality of indoor units (31). A plurality of indoor units (31) may be connected to the outdoor unit (21), and the number is not limited to the drawing.

[0027] The indoor unit (31) may include at least one of a stand-type indoor unit (31a), a wall-mounted indoor unit (31b), and a ceiling-type indoor unit (31c).

[0028] Meanwhile, the air conditioner (100) may further include at least one of a ventilation device, an air purifier, a humidifier, and a heater, and may operate in conjunction with the operation of the indoor unit (31) and the outdoor unit (21).

[0029] The outdoor unit (21) may include a compressor (not shown) that receives and compresses refrigerant, an outdoor heat exchanger (not shown) that exchanges heat between the refrigerant and outdoor air, an accumulator (not shown) that extracts gaseous refrigerant from the supplied refrigerant and supplies it to the compressor, and a four-way valve (not shown) that selects a refrigerant flow path according to heating operation. In addition, the outdoor unit (21) may further include a number of sensors, valves, and an oil recovery device.

[0030] The outdoor unit (21) can operate the provided compressor and outdoor heat exchanger to compress or heat exchange the refrigerant according to the settings and supply the refrigerant to the indoor unit (31).

[0031] The indoor unit (31) can receive refrigerant from the outdoor unit (21) and discharge hot and cold air into the room. The indoor unit (31) can include an indoor heat exchanger (not shown), an indoor fan (not shown), an expansion valve (not shown) for expanding the supplied refrigerant, and a number of sensors (not shown).

[0032] The outdoor unit (21) and the indoor unit (31) are connected by a communication line and can transmit and receive data to each other.

[0033] The remote control (41) can communicate with the indoor unit (31). The remote control (41) can transmit a user's control command to the indoor unit (31). The remote control (41) can receive and display status information of the indoor unit (31). At this time, the remote control (41) can communicate with the indoor unit (31) by wire or wirelessly, depending on the connection type.

[0034] Meanwhile, the air conditioner (100) may further include at least one sensor (not shown) capable of detecting the condition of indoor air. For example, the air conditioner (100) may further include a temperature sensor for detecting indoor temperature, a humidity sensor for detecting indoor humidity, a pressure sensor for detecting indoor air pressure, a sensor for measuring the amount of dust in the indoor air, etc., and may also include a sensor capable of collecting various data such as temperature, humidity, air pressure, and the amount of dust in the air together.

[0035] FIG. 2 is a drawing illustrating the configuration of an air conditioner according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0036] Referring to FIG. 2, an air conditioner (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention can be broadly divided into an outdoor unit (21) and an indoor unit (31). The air conditioner (100) can include a plurality of indoor units (31a to 31c).

[0037] The outdoor unit (21) may include a compressor (102) that compresses refrigerant, a compressor motor (not shown) that drives the compressor (102), an outdoor heat exchanger (104) that dissipates heat from the compressed refrigerant, an accumulator (103) that temporarily stores the vaporized refrigerant to remove moisture and foreign substances and then supplies the refrigerant at a certain pressure to the compressor, a cooling / heating switching valve (110) that changes the flow path of the compressed refrigerant, an oil separator (not shown), an outdoor blower (105) that is arranged on one side of the outdoor heat exchanger (120) and includes an outdoor fan that promotes heat dissipation from the refrigerant and an outdoor fan motor that rotates the outdoor fan, and at least one expansion valve (106) (e.g., electronic expansion valves (EEV)) that expands the condensed refrigerant.

[0038] The outdoor unit (21) may include a liquid pipe service valve (121 to 123) to which a liquid pipe is connected and a gas pipe service valve (131 to 133) to which a gas pipe is connected. The liquid pipe service valve (121 to 123) and the gas pipe service valve (131 to 133) may be connected to the indoor unit (31) via a refrigerant pipe and may circulate the refrigerant of the outdoor unit (21).

[0039] At least one of an inverter compressor and a constant-speed compressor can be used as the compressor (102).

[0040] The outdoor heat exchanger (104) can exchange heat between outdoor air and refrigerant, and may be configured in multiple configurations depending on the embodiment. The outdoor heat exchanger (104) can operate as a condenser during cooling operation and as an evaporator during heating operation.

[0041] The outdoor unit (21) may further include an outdoor heat exchanger temperature sensor (111) that detects the temperature of the outdoor heat exchanger (104), an outdoor temperature sensor (112) that detects the outdoor temperature, a strainer (113) that removes foreign substances contained in the refrigerant, etc.

[0042] The outdoor unit (21) may further include a receiver (not shown) arranged in the liquid pipe. The receiver may store liquid refrigerant to control the amount of circulated refrigerant. The receiver may store liquid refrigerant separately from the liquid refrigerant stored in the accumulator (30). For example, the receiver may supply refrigerant to the accumulator (103) when the amount of circulated refrigerant is insufficient, and may recover and store the refrigerant when the amount of circulated refrigerant is large. The receiver may include a receiver tank (not shown) for storing refrigerant, and a receiver valve (not shown) for controlling the flow of refrigerant.

[0043] The indoor unit (31a to 31c) may include an indoor heat exchanger (108a to 108c) that is placed indoors and performs a cooling / heating function, an indoor blower (109a to 109c) that is placed on one side of the indoor heat exchanger (108a to 108c) and is composed of an indoor fan that promotes heat dissipation of a refrigerant and an indoor fan motor that rotates the indoor fan, and an indoor heat exchanger temperature sensor (140a to 140c) that detects the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger (108a to 108c). At least one indoor heat exchanger (108a to 108c) may be installed in each of the indoor units (31a to 31c).

[0044] The air conditioner (100) may be configured as an air conditioner that cools a room, or may be configured as a heat pump that cools or heats a room.

[0045] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an air conditioner according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0046] Referring to FIG. 3, the air conditioner may include a communication unit (310), a sensor unit (320), a memory (330), a compressor driving unit (340) that drives a compressor (102), a fan driving unit (350) that drives a fan (351), an output unit (360), and / or a control unit (370).

[0047] The communication unit (310) may include at least one communication module. The communication unit (310) may be provided in each of the outdoor unit (21) and the indoor unit (31), and the outdoor unit (21) and the indoor unit (31) may transmit and receive data between each other. For example, the communication method between the outdoor unit (21) and the indoor unit (31) may be a communication method using a power line, a serial communication method (e.g., RS-485 communication), a wired communication method through a refrigerant pipe, or a wireless communication method such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Beacon, or Zigbee.

[0048] Meanwhile, the communication unit (310) can transmit and receive data with external devices. For example, the communication unit (310) can establish a wireless communication channel with an external device (e.g., a mobile terminal) and, through the established wireless communication channel, can transmit and receive data regarding the status of each component equipped in the air conditioner (100), whether an error has occurred, etc. The communication unit (310) can also transmit and receive data by connecting to a server connected to an external network.

[0049] The communication unit (310) may include at least one communication module. For example, the communication unit (310) may be provided in each of the outdoor unit (21) and the indoor unit (31), and the outdoor unit (21) and the indoor unit (31) may transmit and receive data between each other.

[0050] The communication method between the outdoor unit (21) and the indoor unit (31) may be, for example, a communication method using a power line, a serial communication method (e.g., RS-485 communication), a wired communication method through a refrigerant pipe, or a wireless communication method such as Wi-fi, Bluetooth, Beacon, or Zigbee.

[0051] The communication unit (310) can transmit and receive data with external devices. For example, the communication unit (310) can connect to a server connected to an external network and transmit and receive data.

[0052] The sensor unit (320) may be equipped with at least one sensor and may transmit data on a detection value detected through the sensor to the control unit (360).

[0053] The sensor unit (320) may include a heat exchanger temperature sensor (not shown). For example, the heat exchanger temperature sensor may be placed inside the indoor heat exchanger (108) and detect the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger (108).

[0054] The sensor unit (320) may be equipped with a pipe temperature sensor (not shown). The pipe temperature sensor can detect the temperature of the refrigerant flowing through each pipe of the air conditioner (100). For example, the pipe temperature sensor may be disposed in an inlet pipe of the indoor unit (31) and / or an outlet pipe of the indoor unit (31), and detect the temperature of the refrigerant flowing through the pipe. For example, the pipe temperature sensor may be disposed in a pipe connected to the compressor (102), and detect the temperature of the refrigerant flowing into the compressor (102) (hereinafter, referred to as suction temperature) and / or the temperature of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor (102) (hereinafter, referred to as discharge temperature).

[0055] The sensor unit (310) may be equipped with a pressure sensor (not shown). The pressure sensor (not shown) may detect the pressure of the gaseous refrigerant flowing through each pipe of the air conditioner (100). For example, the pressure sensor may be placed in a pipe connected to the compressor (102) and may detect the pressure of the refrigerant flowing into the compressor (102) (hereinafter, suction pressure) and / or the pressure of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor (102) (hereinafter, discharge pressure).

[0056] The sensor unit (320) may be equipped with an indoor temperature sensor (not shown) that detects indoor temperature and / or an outdoor temperature sensor (not shown) that detects outdoor temperature.

[0057] The sensor unit (320) may be equipped with an indoor humidity sensor (not shown) that detects indoor humidity and / or an outdoor humidity sensor (not shown) that detects outdoor humidity.

[0058] The storage unit (330) can store data on reference values ​​related to the operation of each component provided in the air conditioner (100).

[0059] The storage unit (330) can store programs for signal processing and control within the control unit (370), and can store processed data and data to be processed. For example, the storage unit (330) can store application programs designed for the purpose of performing various tasks that can be processed by the control unit (370), and can selectively provide some of the stored application programs upon request from the control unit (370).

[0060] The storage unit (330) may include, for example, at least one of volatile memory (e.g., DRAM, SRAM, SDRAM, etc.) or non-volatile memory (e.g., flash memory, hard disk drive (HDD), solid-state drive (SSD), etc.).

[0061] The compressor driving unit (340) can drive the compressor (102). The compressor driving unit (340) may include a rectifier (not shown) that rectifies AC power into DC power and outputs it, a dc capacitor (not shown) that stores a pulsating voltage from the rectifier, an inverter (not shown) that has a plurality of switching elements and converts and outputs smoothed DC power into three-phase AC power of a predetermined frequency, and / or a compressor motor (not shown) that drives the compressor (102) according to the three-phase AC power output from the inverter.

[0062] The fan driving unit (350) can drive a fan (351) provided in the air conditioner (100). For example, the fan (351) may include an outdoor fan (105) and / or an indoor fan (109).

[0063] The fan driving unit (350) may include a rectifier (not shown) that rectifies AC power into DC power and outputs it, a dc capacitor (not shown) that stores a pulsating voltage from the rectifier, an inverter (not shown) that has a plurality of switching elements and converts and outputs smoothed DC power into three-phase AC power of a predetermined frequency, and / or at least one motor that drives a fan (351) according to three-phase AC power output from the inverter.

[0064] Meanwhile, the fan driving unit (350) may be provided with separate configurations for driving the outdoor fan (105) and the indoor fan (109). For example, the air conditioner (100) may include a first fan driving unit for driving the outdoor fan (105) and a second fan driving unit for driving the indoor fan (109).

[0065] The output unit (360) may be equipped with a display device such as a display (not shown) or a light emitting diode (LED), and may display an operating status related to the operation status, error occurrence, etc. of the air conditioner (100) through the display device.

[0066] The output unit (360) may be equipped with an audio device such as a speaker or buzzer, and may output sound effects regarding the operating status of the air conditioner (100) through the audio device, and may output a predetermined warning sound when an error occurs.

[0067] The control unit (370) can be connected to each component provided in the air conditioner (100) and control the overall operation of each component. The control unit (370) can transmit and receive data between each component provided in the air conditioner (100). The control unit (370) can be provided not only in the outdoor unit (21) but also in the indoor unit (31). For example, the outdoor unit (21) and the indoor unit (31) can each include a control unit (370) that controls the operation.

[0068] The control unit (370) may include at least one processor. Here, the processor may be a general processor such as a central processing unit (CPU). Of course, the processor may be a dedicated device such as an ASIC or another hardware-based processor.

[0069] Figures 4 and 5 are flowcharts illustrating an operating method of an air conditioner according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. In this disclosure, the operating method of the air conditioner (100) will be described based on cooling operation.

[0070] Referring to FIG. 4, the air conditioner (100) can monitor an error related to the compressor (102) in operation S410. For example, the air conditioner (100) can detect a current flowing in an inverter included in the compressor drive unit (340). At this time, if the current flowing in the inverter corresponds to an overcurrent, the air conditioner (100) can determine that an error related to the compressor (102) has occurred. For example, the air conditioner (100) can detect a voltage applied to a dc capacitor included in the compressor drive unit (340). At this time, if the voltage applied to the dc capacitor corresponds to an overvoltage, the air conditioner (100) can determine that an error related to the compressor (102) has occurred.

[0071] The air conditioner (100) can determine, in operation S420, whether an error related to the compressor (102) has occurred.

[0072] Referring to FIG. 6, the operating range of the compressor (102) according to the evaporation temperature (Te) and the condensation temperature (Tc) may vary depending on the operating frequency of the compressor (102). When comparing the case where the operating frequency of the compressor (102) is less than the first frequency (e.g., 20 Hz) (610), the case where the operating frequency is equal to or greater than the first frequency (e.g., 20 Hz) and less than the second frequency (e.g., 30 Hz) (620), and the case where the operating frequency is equal to or greater than the second frequency (e.g., 30 Hz) (630), as the operating frequency of the compressor (102) increases, the operating range of the compressor (102) may increase.

[0073] Meanwhile, looking at the history (600) in which the occurrence of an error (600) related to the compressor (102) is detected, in most cases, an error related to the compressor (102) may occur when the operating frequency of the compressor (102) is at a high speed higher than the second frequency (e.g., 30 Hz). For example, as the number of indoor units (31) in operation among the plurality of indoor units (31) connected to the outdoor unit (21) increases and the operating load for the space in which the indoor units (31) are placed increases, the operating frequency of the compressor (102) may increase. At this time, the possibility of an error related to the compressor (102) occurring may increase.

[0074] Referring again to FIG. 4, in operation S430, when an error related to the compressor (102) occurs, the air conditioner (100) can determine whether the occurrence of an error related to the compressor (102) has been detected a predetermined number of times or more during a preset first period of time. For example, the air conditioner (100) can determine whether an error related to the compressor (102) has been detected 10 or more times during the previous hour.

[0075] The air conditioner (100) may perform emergency operation when, in operation S440, an error related to the compressor (102) is detected less than a predetermined number of times during a first period of time. Here, emergency operation may mean operation in which the operating frequency of the compressor (102) is reduced or the operating frequency is maintained in a reduced state according to the occurrence of an error related to the compressor (102).

[0076] Meanwhile, the air conditioner (100) can compensate for a decrease in the operating frequency of the compressor (102) during emergency operation. For example, the air conditioner (100) can compensate for a decrease in the operating frequency of the compressor (102) by controlling the operation of at least one of the expansion valve (106), the outdoor fan (105), and the indoor fan (109).

[0077] With regard to emergency driving, please refer to Figure 5 for explanation.

[0078] Referring to FIG. 5, the air conditioner (100) may reduce the operating frequency of the compressor (102) based on the occurrence of an error related to the compressor (102) in operation S510. The air conditioner (100) may reduce the operating frequency of the compressor (102) by a predetermined frequency (e.g., 3 Hz). For example, if the current operating frequency of the compressor (102) is 70 Hz, the air conditioner (100) may change the operating frequency of the compressor (102) to 67 Hz, which is reduced by 3 Hz from the predetermined frequency.

[0079] The air conditioner (100), in operation S520, can determine whether the pipe temperature (Tind) of the indoor heat exchanger (108) corresponding to the evaporation temperature is higher than or equal to a preset third temperature (T3) in response to a decrease in the operating frequency of the compressor (102). For example, the air conditioner (100) can detect the pipe temperature (Tind) of the indoor heat exchanger (108) based on the indoor heat exchanger temperature sensor (140). For example, the air conditioner (100) can detect the pipe temperature (Tind) of the indoor heat exchanger (108) based on the pipe temperature sensor arranged in the outlet-side pipe of the indoor unit (31).

[0080] According to one embodiment, the air conditioner (100) can calculate the pipe temperature (Tind) of the indoor heat exchanger (108) based on the capacity of each of the plurality of indoor units (31a to 31c). The air conditioner (100) can detect the eleventh pipe temperature (Tind1) of the first indoor heat exchanger (108a) of the first indoor unit (31a), the second pipe temperature (Tind2) of the second indoor heat exchanger (108b) of the second indoor unit (31b), and the third pipe temperature (Tind3) of the third indoor heat exchanger (108c) of the third indoor unit (31c). At this time, the air conditioner (100) can calculate a weighted average of the first pipe temperature (Tind1), the second pipe temperature (Tind2), and the third pipe temperature (Tind3) based on the capacity of each of the plurality of indoor units (31a to 31c). For example, if the capacity of the first indoor unit (31a) and the capacity of the second indoor unit (31b) are the same, and the capacity of the third indoor unit (31c) is 1.5 times that of the first indoor unit (31a) and the second indoor unit (31b), the air conditioner (100) can determine the sum of the values ​​obtained by multiplying the first pipe temperature (Tind1), the second pipe temperature (Tind2), and the third pipe temperature (Tind3) by 1.5, and then dividing the result by 3.5, as the pipe temperature (Tind) of the indoor heat exchanger (108).

[0081] The air conditioner (100) can reduce the rotation speed of the indoor fan (109) included in the indoor unit (31) when the pipe temperature (Tind) of the indoor heat exchanger (108) is equal to or higher than a preset third temperature (T3) in operation S530. At this time, the higher the pipe temperature (Tind) of the indoor heat exchanger (108), the greater the degree of reduction in the rotation speed of the indoor fan (109). For example, the air conditioner (100) can reduce the rotation speed of the indoor fan (109) by 50 rpm when the pipe temperature (Tind) of the indoor heat exchanger (108) is equal to or higher than 16°C and less than 17°C, which is the third temperature (T3). For example, the air conditioner (100) can reduce the rotation speed of the indoor fan (109) by 100 rpm when the piping temperature (Tind) of the indoor heat exchanger (108) is 17°C or higher.

[0082] The air conditioner (100) can determine, in operation S540, whether the piping temperature (Tind) of the indoor heat exchanger (108) is equal to or higher than a preset second temperature (T2) and lower than a third temperature (T3).

[0083] The air conditioner (100) can increase the rotation speed of the outdoor fan (105) included in the outdoor unit (21) when the pipe temperature (Tind) of the indoor heat exchanger (108) is equal to or higher than the second temperature (T2) and less than the third temperature (T3) in the S550 operation. At this time, the higher the pipe temperature (Tind) of the indoor heat exchanger (108), the greater the increase in the rotation speed of the outdoor fan (105). For example, the air conditioner (100) can increase the rotation speed of the outdoor fan (105) by 50 rpm when the pipe temperature (Tind) of the indoor heat exchanger (108) is equal to or higher than 14°C and less than 15°C, which is the second temperature (T2). For example, the air conditioner (100) can increase the rotation speed of the outdoor fan (105) by 100 rpm when the piping temperature (Tind) of the indoor heat exchanger (108) is 15°C or higher and less than 16°C, which is the third temperature (T3).

[0084] Meanwhile, the air conditioner (100) can increase the rotation speed of the outdoor fan (105) included in the outdoor unit (21) even when the pipe temperature (Tind) of the indoor heat exchanger (108) is higher than or equal to the third temperature (T3). At this time, the air conditioner (100) can increase the rotation speed of the outdoor fan (105) by the maximum amount by which the rotation speed of the outdoor fan (105) increases when the pipe temperature (Tind) of the indoor heat exchanger (108) is higher than or equal to the second temperature (T2) and lower than the third temperature (T3). For example, the air conditioner (100) can increase the rotation speed of the outdoor fan (105) by 100 rpm when the pipe temperature (Tind) of the indoor heat exchanger (108) is higher than or equal to the third temperature (T3).

[0085] The air conditioner (100) can determine, in operation S560, whether the piping temperature (Tind) of the indoor heat exchanger (108) is equal to or greater than a preset first temperature (T1) and less than a preset second temperature (T2).

[0086] The air conditioner (100), in operation S570, can increase the opening degree of the expansion valve (106), which is an electronic expansion valve (EEV), when the pipe temperature (Tind) of the indoor heat exchanger (108) is equal to or higher than the first temperature (T1) and lower than the second temperature (T2). At this time, the higher the pipe temperature (Tind) of the indoor heat exchanger (108), the greater the degree of increase in the opening degree of the expansion valve (106). For example, the air conditioner (100), when the pipe temperature (Tind) of the indoor heat exchanger (108) is equal to or higher than the first temperature (T1) of 12°C and lower than 13°C, can increase the opening degree of the expansion valve (106) by 10 pulses. For example, the air conditioner (100) can increase the opening of the expansion valve (106) by 20 pulses when the piping temperature (Tind) of the indoor heat exchanger (108) is 13°C or higher and less than 14°C, which is the second temperature (T2).

[0087] Meanwhile, the air conditioner (100) can increase the opening degree of the expansion valve (106) even when the pipe temperature (Tind) of the indoor heat exchanger (108) is equal to or higher than the second temperature (T2). At this time, the air conditioner (100) can increase the opening degree of the expansion valve (106) by the maximum amount by which the opening degree of the expansion valve (106) increases when the pipe temperature (Tind) of the indoor heat exchanger (108) is equal to or higher than the first temperature (T1) and lower than the second temperature (T2). For example, the air conditioner (100) can increase the opening degree of the expansion valve (106) by 20 pulses when the pipe temperature (Tind) of the indoor heat exchanger (108) is equal to or higher than the second temperature (T2).

[0088] Through this, despite the decrease in cooling performance due to the decrease in the operating frequency of the compressor (102), i.e., the increase in the discharge temperature of the indoor unit (31), the cooling performance can be compensated for by adjusting the rotation speed of the indoor fan (109), the rotation speed of the outdoor fan (105), and / or the opening degree of the expansion valve (106).

[0089] In addition, by sequentially controlling the expansion valve (106), the outdoor fan (105), and the indoor fan (109) according to the pipe temperature (Tind) of the indoor heat exchanger (108), it is possible to minimize the decline in the user's trust in the air conditioner (100) due to performing an emergency operation. That is, considering that the increase in refrigerant noise due to the adjustment of the opening of the expansion valve (106) has a smaller impact on the user than the increase in noise due to the increase in the rotation speed of the outdoor fan (105), the opening of the expansion valve (106) can be controlled with priority over the rotation speed of the outdoor fan (105). In addition, considering that the increase in noise due to the increase in the rotation speed of the outdoor fan (105) has a smaller impact on the user than the decrease in the air volume due to the decrease in the rotation speed of the indoor fan (109), the rotation speed of the outdoor fan (105) can be controlled with priority over the rotation speed of the indoor fan (109).

[0090] Meanwhile, the air conditioner (100) may omit compensation for a decrease in the operating frequency of the compressor (102) when the piping temperature (Tind) of the indoor heat exchanger (108) is lower than the first temperature (T1). For example, the air conditioner (100) may maintain the opening of the expansion valve (106), the rotation speed of the outdoor fan (105), and the rotation speed of the indoor fan (109) when the piping temperature (Tind) of the indoor heat exchanger (108) is lower than the first temperature (T1).

[0091] Referring again to FIG. 4, the air conditioner (100) may stop operation of the air conditioner (100) if, in operation S450, an error related to the compressor (102) is detected a predetermined number of times or more during the first time period. At this time, the air conditioner (100) may stop operation of the air conditioner (100) until repairs to the compressor (102) are completed.

[0092] The air conditioner (100) can check whether it is in emergency operation if, in operation S460, no error related to the compressor (102) is detected.

[0093] The air conditioner (100), in operation S470, when in emergency operation, can determine whether an error related to the compressor (102) has not been detected for a preset second period of time. For example, the air conditioner (100) can determine whether an error related to the compressor (102) has not been detected for the preceding hour.

[0094] The air conditioner (100), when in emergency operation, can continue to perform emergency operation while monitoring errors related to the compressor (102) if the time during which no error related to the compressor (102) is detected is less than the second time. At this time, the air conditioner (100), when no error related to the compressor (102) is detected during emergency operation, can maintain the operating frequency of the compressor (102).

[0095] Meanwhile, the air conditioner (100), in operation S480, can stop performing emergency operation and perform normal operation if it is not in emergency operation or if no error related to the compressor (102) is detected for more than 2 hours while in emergency operation.

[0096] As described above, according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, when an error related to the compressor (102) occurs, emergency operation can be performed to continue heating and cooling.

[0097] Additionally, according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, a reduction in heating and cooling performance during emergency operation can be minimized.

[0098] Additionally, according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, it is possible to minimize a decrease in user confidence in the product due to performing emergency driving.

[0099] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 6, an air conditioner (100) including a plurality of indoor units (31) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a compressor (102) for compressing a refrigerant; an indoor heat exchanger (108) provided in each of the plurality of indoor units (31) for heat-exchanging indoor air and the refrigerant; and a control unit (370). The control unit (370) may perform an emergency operation to reduce an operating frequency of the compressor (102) based on the occurrence of an error related to the compressor (102), and compensate for the reduction in the operating frequency based on a piping temperature of the indoor heat exchanger (108).

[0100] In addition, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, when the error occurs, the control unit (370) determines whether the error is detected a first number of times or more during a preset first time period, and when the error is detected less than the first number of times, the control unit (370) can reduce the operating frequency of the compressor (102), and when the error is detected more than the first number of times, the control unit (370) can stop the operation of the air conditioner (100).

[0101] Additionally, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, when the occurrence of the error is detected, the control unit (370) can reduce the operating frequency of the compressor (102) by a predetermined frequency.

[0102] In addition, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the control unit (370) may reduce the operating frequency of the compressor (102) when the occurrence of the error is detected during the emergency operation, maintain the operating frequency of the compressor (102) when the occurrence of the error is not detected during the emergency operation, and stop the emergency operation when the error does not occur for a preset second time during the emergency operation.

[0103] Additionally, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the piping temperature of the indoor heat exchanger (108) can correspond to the evaporation temperature.

[0104] In addition, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the control unit (370) can calculate a plurality of pipe temperatures corresponding to each of the plurality of indoor units (31), and determine a weighted average of the plurality of pipe temperatures as the pipe temperature of the indoor heat exchanger (108).

[0105] Additionally, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the control unit (370) can calculate the weighted average based on the capacity of each of the plurality of indoor units (31).

[0106] In addition, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the system further includes an expansion valve (106) for expanding refrigerant; an outdoor fan (105) provided in the outdoor unit (21); and an indoor fan (109) provided in each of the plurality of indoor units (31), and the control unit (370) can perform the compensation by controlling the operation of at least one of the expansion valve (106), the outdoor fan (105), and the indoor fan (109).

[0107] Additionally, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the control unit (370) can increase the opening degree of the expansion valve (106) when the pipe temperature is equal to or higher than a preset first temperature.

[0108] Additionally, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the higher the pipe temperature, the more the degree of increase in the opening of the expansion valve (106) may increase.

[0109] In addition, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the control unit (370) may increase the opening degree of the expansion valve (106) when the pipe temperature is equal to or higher than the first temperature and less than the preset second temperature, and may increase the opening degree of the expansion valve (106) and increase the rotation speed of the outdoor fan (105) when the pipe temperature is equal to or higher than the second temperature.

[0110] Additionally, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the higher the pipe temperature, the more the rotation speed of the outdoor fan (105) increases.

[0111] In addition, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, when the pipe temperature is equal to or higher than the second temperature and less than the preset third temperature, the control unit (370) may increase the opening degree of the expansion valve (106) and increase the rotation speed of the outdoor fan (105), and when the pipe temperature is equal to or higher than the third temperature, the control unit (370) may increase the opening degree of the expansion valve (106), increase the rotation speed of the outdoor fan (105), and decrease the rotation speed of the indoor fan (109).

[0112] Additionally, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the higher the pipe temperature, the more the rotation speed of the indoor fan (109) may decrease.

[0113] In addition, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the control unit (370) can maintain the opening of the expansion valve (106), the rotation speed of the outdoor fan (105), and the rotation speed of the indoor fan (109) when the pipe temperature is lower than the first temperature.

[0114] The attached drawings are only intended to facilitate understanding of the embodiments disclosed in this specification, and the technical ideas disclosed in this specification are not limited by the attached drawings, and should be understood to include all modifications, equivalents, or substitutes included in the spirit and technical scope of the present disclosure.

[0115] Meanwhile, the operating method of the present disclosure can be implemented as processor-readable code on a processor-readable recording medium. A processor-readable recording medium includes all types of recording devices that store data that can be read by a processor. Examples of processor-readable recording media include ROM, RAM, CD-ROM, magnetic tape, floppy disk, optical data storage devices, etc., and also include those implemented in the form of a carrier wave, such as transmission via the Internet. Furthermore, the processor-readable recording medium can be distributed across network-connected computer systems, so that the processor-readable code can be stored and executed in a distributed manner.

[0116] In addition, although the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure have been illustrated and described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, and various modifications may be made by a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains without departing from the gist of the present disclosure as claimed in the claims, and such modifications should not be understood individually from the technical idea or prospect of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. In an air conditioner including multiple indoor units, A compressor that compresses refrigerant; An indoor heat exchanger provided in each of the above plurality of indoor units to exchange heat between indoor air and the refrigerant; and Including a control unit, The above control unit, Based on the occurrence of an error related to the above compressor, an emergency operation is performed to reduce the operating frequency of the compressor, An air conditioner characterized in that compensation for a decrease in the operating frequency is performed based on the piping temperature of the indoor heat exchanger.

2. In paragraph 1, The above control unit, If the above error occurs, it is determined whether the above error is detected more than the first number of times during the preset first time period, If the above error is detected less than the first number of times, the operating frequency of the compressor is reduced, An air conditioner characterized in that when the above error is detected more than the first number of times, operation of the air conditioner is stopped.

3. In paragraph 1, The above control unit, An air conditioner characterized in that when the occurrence of the above error is detected, the operating frequency of the compressor is reduced by a predetermined frequency.

4. In paragraph 1, The above control unit, If the occurrence of the above error is detected during the above emergency operation, the operating frequency of the compressor is reduced, If the occurrence of the above error is not detected during the above emergency operation, the operating frequency of the compressor is maintained, An air conditioner characterized in that the emergency operation is stopped if the error does not occur for a preset second time during the emergency operation.

5. In paragraph 1, An air conditioner, characterized in that the piping temperature of the above indoor heat exchanger corresponds to the evaporation temperature.

6. In paragraph 1, The above control unit, Calculate the plurality of pipe temperatures corresponding to each of the plurality of indoor units, An air conditioner characterized in that the weighted average of the above plurality of pipe temperatures is determined as the pipe temperature of the indoor heat exchanger.

7. In paragraph 6, The above control unit, An air conditioner characterized in that the weighted average is calculated based on the capacity of each of the plurality of indoor units.

8. In paragraph 1, Expansion valve that expands the refrigerant; Outdoor fan provided in the outdoor unit; and Further comprising an indoor fan provided in each of the above multiple indoor units, The above control unit, An air conditioner characterized in that the compensation is performed by controlling the operation of at least one of the expansion valve, the outdoor fan, and the indoor fan.

9. In paragraph 8, The above control unit, An air conditioner characterized in that the opening degree of the expansion valve is increased when the pipe temperature is higher than a preset first temperature.

10. In paragraph 9, An air conditioner characterized in that the higher the pipe temperature, the more the degree of opening of the expansion valve increases.

11. In paragraph 9, The above control unit, When the above pipe temperature is higher than the first temperature and lower than the preset second temperature, the opening of the expansion valve is increased, An air conditioner characterized in that when the pipe temperature is higher than the second temperature, the opening degree of the expansion valve is increased and the rotation speed of the outdoor fan is increased.

12. In paragraph 11, An air conditioner characterized in that the higher the pipe temperature, the more the rotation speed of the outdoor fan increases.

13. In paragraph 11, The above control unit, When the above pipe temperature is higher than the second temperature and lower than the preset third temperature, the opening of the expansion valve is increased and the rotation speed of the outdoor fan is increased. An air conditioner characterized in that when the pipe temperature is higher than the third temperature, the opening degree of the expansion valve is increased, the rotation speed of the outdoor fan is increased, and the rotation speed of the indoor fan is decreased.

14. In paragraph 13, An air conditioner characterized in that the higher the pipe temperature, the greater the decrease in the rotation speed of the indoor fan.

15. In paragraph 9, The above control unit, An air conditioner characterized in that the opening of the expansion valve, the rotation speed of the outdoor fan, and the rotation speed of the indoor fan are maintained when the pipe temperature is lower than the first temperature.

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