AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING OPERATION THEREOF

• US 20110083455A1
• Filed: 10/11/2010
• Published: 04/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: JUNG, Yunchul, LEE, Kibok, LEE, Seungyong
• Granted Patent: US 9,097,448 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/115
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/84 using valves
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2500/06 Damage
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/2513 Expansion valves
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/15 Power, e.g. by voltage or current
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/02 for compression type machines, plants or systems

Abstract

Disclosed are an air conditioning system and a method for controlling an operation thereof, whereby a charging device for charging power to be supplied into the indoor unit is employed, a chargeable control unit is separately employed, or a separate control unit connectable between the indoor unit and an electronic expansion valve is employed, thereby closing the electronic expansion valve even if power supplied into the indoor unit is blocked while controlling opening and closing of the electronic expansion valve, and additionally preventing the electronic expansion valve from being left open, resulting in prevention of an overload of a compressor within an indoor unit.

Claims

1. An air conditioning system comprising:

an outdoor unit having a compressor for distributing a refrigerant;

at least one indoor unit connected to the outdoor unit, the at least one indoor unit configured to perform an air conditioning operation; and

an electronic expansion valve configured to adjust an amount of the refrigerant flowing between the compressor and the at least one indoor unit,

wherein the at least one indoor unit comprises;

a power supply unit connected to an external power source to supply power into the at least one indoor unit;

an indoor unit control unit configured to receive power supplied from the power supply unit and generate a valve driving signal to control opening and closing of the electronic expansion valve; and

an auxiliary control unit configured to generate a valve closing signal to close the electronic expansion valve based upon a state of power supplied to the at least one indoor unit.

2. The air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary control unit comprises:

a control module configured to detect the state of the power supplied to the at least one indoor unit and generate the valve closing signal if the power is detected to be interrupted; and

an auxiliary power supply module configured to supply power to the control module.

3. The air conditioning system according to claim 2, wherein the auxiliary power supply module comprises:

a capacitor connected to the power supply unit, wherein the capacitor is charged if the power is supplied and discharged if the power is interrupted.

4. An air conditioning system comprising:

an outdoor unit having a compressor for distributing a refrigerant;

at least one indoor unit connected to the outdoor unit, the at least one indoor unit configured to perform an air conditioning operation;

an electronic expansion valve configured to adjust an amount of the refrigerant flowing between the compressor and the at least one indoor unit; and

an individual control unit connected between the at least one indoor unit and the electronic expansion valve;

wherein the individual control unit is configured to detect a state of power supplied into the at least one indoor unit to control opening and closing of the electronic expansion valve based upon a detection result.

5. The air conditioning system according to claim 4, wherein the individual control unit comprises:

a control module configured to detect the state of the power supplied to the indoor unit and generate a valve closing signal to close the electronic expansion valve if the detection result indicates the power is interrupted;

a driving module configured to close the electronic expansion valve based upon the valve closing signal; and

an auxiliary power supply module configured to supply power to the control module and the driving module.

6. The air conditioning system according to claim 4, wherein the at least one indoor unit comprises:

a power supply unit connected to an external power source to supply power to the at least one indoor unit;

an indoor unit control unit configured to receive power supplied from the power supply unit and generate a valve driving signal to control opening and closing of the electronic expansion valve; and

an electronic expansion valve driving unit configured to drive the electronic expansion valve based upon the valve driving signal.

7. The air conditioning system according to claim 6, wherein the indoor unit control unit outputs the valve driving signal to the individual control unit if the individual control unit is connected to the at least one indoor unit.

8. The air conditioning system according to claim 6, wherein the individual control unit comprises:

a control module configured to detect the state of power supplied to the at least one indoor unit and generate the valve closing signal to close the electronic expansion valve if the power is detected to be interrupted; and

a driving module configured to drive the electronic expansion module based upon the valve driving signal or the valve closing signal.

9. The air conditioning system according to claim 8, wherein the individual control unit further comprises an auxiliary power supply module configured to supply power to the control module and the driving module.

10. The air conditioning system according to claim 9, wherein the auxiliary power supply module comprises:

a capacitor, connected to the power supply unit, wherein the capacitor is charged if the power is supplied and discharged if the power is interrupted.

11. A method of controlling an operation of an air conditioning system, wherein the air conditioning system comprises an indoor unit comprising a power supply unit connected to an external power source to supply power to the indoor unit, an indoor unit control unit configured to receive power supplied from the power supply unit and generate a valve driving signal to control opening and closing of an electronic expansion valve, and an auxiliary control unit configured to generate a valve closing signal to close the electronic expansion valve based upon a state of power supplied to the indoor unit, the method comprising:

detecting the state of the power supplied to the indoor unit; and

closing the electronic expansion valve according to the valve closing signal generated by the auxiliary control unit if the power supplied to the indoor unit is detected to be interrupted.

12. The method of controlling an operation of an air conditioning system according to claim 11, further comprising, if the power is detected to be supplied to the indoor unit:

controlling opening and closing of the electronic expansion valve according to the valve driving signal generated by the indoor unit control unit; and

charging the auxiliary control unit.

13. A method of controlling an operation of an air conditioning system, wherein the air conditioning system comprises an outdoor unit having a compressor for distributing a refrigerant, at least one indoor unit connected to the outdoor unit and configured to perform an air conditioning operation, an electronic expansion valve configured to adjust an amount of the refrigerant flowing between the compressor and the at least one indoor unit, and an individual control unit connected between the at least one indoor unit and the electronic expansion valve, the method comprising:

detecting a state of power supplied to the at least one indoor unit; and

generating a valve closing signal to close the electronic expansion valve if the power supplied to the indoor unit is detected to be interrupted, wherein the valve closing signal is generated by the individual control unit.

14. The method of controlling an operation of an air conditioning system according to claim 13, further comprising, if the power is detected to be supplied to the at least one indoor unit:

generating a valve driving signal to control opening and closing of the electronic expansion valve;

driving the electronic expansion valve according to the valve driving signal; and

charging the individual control unit.