Air conditioning system and method for controlling operation thereof

• US 9,097,448 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2010
• Issued: 08/04/2015
• 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, Seungyong, Lee, Kibok
• Primary Examiner(s): Elve, M. Alexandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): CRENSHAW, HENRY T
• Application Number:
  US12/901,869
• Publication Number:
  US 20110083455A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,758 Days
• Field of Search: 622/04, 622/10, 622/11, 622/22, 622/23
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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;

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 electronic expansion valve is located between the outdoor unit and the at least one indoor unit; and

an individual control unit that is located between the at least one indoor unit and the electronic expansion valve and detachably connected to both the at least one indoor unit and the electronic expansion valve;

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 generate a valve driving signal to control opening and closing of the electronic expansion valve based on the presence of power supplied from the power supply unit; and

an electronic expansion valve driving unit configured to drive the electronic expansion valve based upon the valve driving signal when the individual control unit is not in a connected state with the indoor unit,

wherein the individual control unit comprises;

a control module configured to detect a state of power received through the power supply unit of the at least one indoor unit and to generate a valve closing signal to close the electronic expansion valve when power supplied from the power supply unit into the at least one indoor unit is blocked during operation of the electronic expansion valve based upon a detection result;

a driving module configured to drive the electronic expansion valve based upon the received valve driving signal from the indoor unit when power is supplied from the power supply unit into the at least one indoor unit and the individual control unit is in the connected state with the indoor unit, wherein the driving module closes the electronic expansion valve based upon the valve closing signal; and

and auxiliary power supply module configured to supply power to the control module and the driving module when power supplied from the power supply unit into the at least one indoor unit is blocked.

2. The air conditioning system according to claim 1, 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. The air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein:

the individual control unit has an input terminal and an output terminal;

the input terminal is connected to the output terminal; and

the output terminal is connected to the electronic expansion valve.

3. 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, wherein the electronic expansion valve is located between the outdoor unit and the at least one indoor unit, and an individual control unit that is located between the at least one indoor unit and the electronic expansion valve and detachably connected to both the at least one indoor unit and the electronic expansion valve, wherein the at least on 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 generate a valve driving signal to control opening and closing of the electronic expansion valve based on the presence of power supplied from the power supply unit; and

an electronic expansion valve driving unit configured to drive the electronic expansion valve based upon the valve driving signal when the individual control unit is not in a connected state with the indoor unit, and

the individual control unit is configured to receive the valve driving signal from the indoor unit and drive the electronic expansion valve based upon the valve driving signal when power is supplied from power supply unit into the at least one indoor unit and the individual control unit is in the connected state with the indoor unit,

the method comprising;

detecting, by the individual control unit, a state of power received through the power supply unit of the at least one indoor unit; and

generating, by the individual control unit, a valve closing signal to close the electronic expansion valve and closing the electronic expansion valve based upon the valve closing signal when the power supplied from the power supply unit into the at least one indoor unit is detected to be blocked during operation of the electronic expansion valve,

wherein the method further comprises, if the power is detected to be supplied to the at least one indoor unit;

receiving, by the individual control unit, a valve driving signal from the indoor unit 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.