Apparatus and method for preventing an evaporating for an air conditioning system form freezing

• US 6,055,819 A
• Filed: 06/08/1998
• Issued: 05/02/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dongbu Daewoo Electronics Corporation (Dayou Holdings Co.,Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Daewoo Electronics Company Limited (Dayou Holdings Co.,Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kang, Hoon
• Primary Examiner(s): Bennett, Henry
• Assistant Examiner(s): NORMAN, MARC E
• Application Number:
  US09/092,911
• Time in Patent Office: 694 Days
• Field of Search: 62/183, 62/184, 62/181, 62/156, 62/DIG. 17
• US Class Current: 62/184
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/41 Defrosting; Preventing freezing
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/43 of indoor units
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 47/006 for preventing frost
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 62/17 Condenser pressure control

Abstract

A method for preventing an evaporator of an air conditioner from freezing comprises the steps of (1) detecting an outdoor temperature, (2) determining whether or not the outdoor temperature is 20° C., (3) determining whether or not the outdoor temperature is in a first temperature range, (4) determining whether or not the outdoor temperature is in a second temperature range, (5) varying an R.P.M. of the motor assembly based on the outdoor temperature detected in steps (3) and (4), (6) detecting a surface temperature of a condenser and determining whether or not the surface temperature of the condenser is in a third temperature range, (7) repeating steps (1) through (6) if the surface temperature of the condenser is higher than the third temperature range, and (8) rotating the motor assembly at a low speed if the surface temperature of the condensor is lower than the third temperature range. The apparatus is the advantageous in that the apparatus constantly maintains the internal pressure of the evaporator by varing the R.P.M. of the motor assembly according to the outdoor temperature and surface temperature of the condenser so that the internal pressure of the evaporator is constantly maintained, thereby preventing the evaporator of the air-conditioning system from freezing.

Claims

1. An apparatus for preventing an evaporator of an air conditioner from freezing, the apparatus comprising:

a fan disposed at a front of a condenser for blowing an air toward the condenser;

a first temperature sensor which detects an outdoor temperature and generates a first signal;

a second temperature sensor which detects a surface temperature of the condenser and generates a second signal;

a control section which receives the first and second signals from the first and second temperature sensors and generates a control signal based on the first and second signals for varying an R.P.M. of a motor assembly, the motor assembly connected to the fan for rotating the fan; and

an inverter which receives the control signal from the control section and modulates a frequency supplied thereto from a power source based on the control signal, thereby applying a modulated frequency to the motor assembly, wherein the control section generates a first control signal for rotating the fan at a high speed when the outdoor temperature is higher than a first predetermined temperature, a second control signal for rotating the fan at a middle speed when the outdoor temperature is lower than or equal to the first predetermined temperature, and a third control signal for rotating the fan at a low speed when the surface temperature of the condenser is lower than a second predetermined temperature, thereby constantly maintaining an internal pressure of the condenser.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein when the outdoor temperature is higher than the first predetermined temperature, the control section determines whether or not the outdoor temperature is in a predetermined temperature range, the control section rotating the fan at a normal speed when the outdoor temperature is in the predetermined temperature range and the control section rotating the fan at the high speed when the outdoor temperature is higher than the predetermined temperature range.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the predetermined temperature range is higher than 20°

C. and lower than or equal to 40°

C.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first predetermined temperature is 20°

C. and the second predetermined temperature is 50°

C.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein when the outdoor temperature is lower than the first predetermined temperature, the control section determines whether or not the outdoor temperature is in a predetermined temperature range, the control section rotating the fan at the middle speed when the outdoor temperature is in the predetermined temperature range and the control section rotating the fan at the low speed when the outdoor temperature is lower than the predetermined temperature range.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the predetermined temperature range is 15-20°

C.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control section generates the third control signal when the surface temperature of the condenser is lower than 50°

C. and generates a fourth signal for rotating the fan at a normal speed when the surface temperature of the condenser is 50°

C. or higher than 50°

C.

8. A method for preventing an evaporator of an air conditioner from freezing, the method comprising the steps of:

(1) detecting an outdoor temperature by a first temperature sensor while driving a motor assembly at a normal speed;

(2) determining whether or not the outdoor temperature is a first predetermined temperature;

(3) determining whether or not the outdoor temperature is in a first temperature range if the outdoor temperature detected in step (2) is higher than the first predetermined temperature;

(4) determining whether or not the outdoor temperature is in a second temperature range if the outdoor temperature detected in step (2) is the first predetermined temperature or lower than the first predetermined temperature;

(5) varying in R.P.M. of the motor assembly based on the outdoor temperature detected in steps (3) and (4);

(6) detecting a surface temperature of a condenser and comparing it with a second predetermined temperature;

(7) repeating steps (1) through (6) if the surface temperature of the condenser is higher than or equal to the second predetermined temperature; and

(8) rotating the motor assembly at a low speed if the surface temperature of the condenser is lower than the second predetermined temperature.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein step (3) comprises the substeps of rotating the motor assembly at a high speed if the outdoor temperature is higher than the first temperature range, and returning to step (1) if the outdoor temperature is within the first temperature range.

10. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein, in step (4), the motor assembly is rotated at a middle speed if the outdoor temperature is within the second temperature range.

11. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein, in step (4), the motor assembly is rotated at the low speed if the outdoor temperature is lower than the second temperature range.

12. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the first temperature range is higher than 20°

C. and lower than or equal to 40°

C., the second temperature range is 15-20°

C.

13. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the first predetermined temperature is 20°

C. and the second predetermined temperature is 50°

C.