Apparatus and method for controlling refrigerant distribution in multi-type air conditioner

Abstract

An operation of a multi-type air conditioner, which includes a refrigerant distributor provided between one outdoor unit and a plurality of indoor units is controlled. A refrigerant supply controller determines indoor temperatures of a plurality of indoor units, decides to operate a compressor on the basis of the determined indoor temperatures, and transmits the determined operation of the compressor to an outdoor unit controller. The refrigerant supply controller determines the temperature of a refrigerant supplied to a plurality of operational indoor units and the temperature of a returned refrigerant, and adjusts the degree of opening/closing of a plurality of electronic expansion valves according to a difference between the determined temperatures of the supplied refrigerant and the returned refrigerant such that the amount of the refrigerant supplied to a plurality of indoor units are adjusted.

1 . An apparatus for controlling a refrigerant distributor in a multi-type air conditioner having a plurality of supply and return pipes, said apparatus comprising: 
 a plurality of electronic expansion valves that supply a refrigerant introduced from an outdoor unit to a plurality of indoor units;    a plurality of supply-pipe temperature detectors that detect the temperature of the refrigerant supplied from the electronic expansion valves to the indoor units;    a plurality of returnreturn-pipe temperature detectors that detect the temperature of the refrigerant returned from the indoor units to the outdoor unit; and    a refrigerant supply controller that adjusts a degree of opening/closing of the electronic expansion valves according to the temperature of the refrigerant detected by the supply-pipe temperature detectors and the temperature of the refrigerant detected by the returnreturn-pipe temperature detectors.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a plurality of indoor temperature detectors, having sensors provided in the indoor units, that detect temperature; and    an outdoor unit controller, provided in the outdoor unit, that controls an operation of the outdoor unit,    wherein the refrigerant supply controller decides to operate the outdoor unit according to an indoor temperature detected by each of the indoor temperature detectors, and    wherein the outdoor unit controller controls the outdoor unit such that the outdoor unit is operated in accordance to a decided operation of the outdoor unit.    
   
   
       3 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the operation of the outdoor unit comprises an operation of at least one compressor provided in the outdoor unit.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a plurality of electronic expansion valve drivers that control the degrees of opening/closing of the electronic expansion valves controlled by the refrigerant supply controller, the electronic expansion valve drivers being provided between the refrigerant supply controller and the electronic expansion valves, respectively.    
   
   
       5 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a calculator that calculates a temperature difference between the temperature of the refrigerant detected by the supply-pipe temperature detectors and the temperature of the refrigerant detected by the return-pipe temperature detectors.    
   
   
       6 . The apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the calculator is provided in the refrigerant supply controller, and compares the calculated temperature difference with a preset temperature difference, and 
 wherein the degree of opening/closing of the electronic expansion valve is adjusted according to a result of the comparison.    
   
   
       7 . The apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the at least one compressor comprises a plurality of compressors having different compression capacities.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the at least one compressor comprises a plurality of compressors having the same compression capacity.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein, when the plurality of indoor units comprises at least one expansion device-less indoor unit lacking an expansion device, and at least one expansion device-having indoor unit that is provided with an expansion device; and 
 the amount and expansion of the refrigerant in the at least one indoor unit lacking an expansion device is adjusted by a corresponding electronic expansion valve provided in the refrigerant distributor, and wherein an electronic expansion valve in the refrigerant distributor corresponding to the indoor unit having an expansion device is fully opened such that the expansion device, provided in the indoor unit, adjusts the amount and expansion of the refrigerant.    
   
   
       10 . A method for controlling a refrigerant distributor in a multi-type air conditioner, comprising: 
 providing a refrigerant supply controller that determines a first temperature of a refrigerant supplied to at least one indoor unit in operation, and a second temperature of a refrigerant that is returned to an outdoor unit; and    calculating a supply/return temperature difference between the determined first and second temperatures, and adjusting a degree of opening/closing of an electronic expansion valve, through which the refrigerant is supplied to a corresponding indoor unit, on the basis of the calculated supply/return temperature difference.    
   
   
       11 . The method as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein adjusting the degree of opening/closing of the electronic expansion valve comprises: 
 comparing the supply/return temperature difference with a preset temperature difference; and    increasing the degree of opening of the electronic expansion valve when the supply/return temperature difference is larger than the preset temperature difference, and reducing the degree of opening of the electronic expansion valve when the supply/return temperature difference is smaller than the preset temperature difference.    
   
   
       12 . The method as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein, in increasing the degree of opening of the electronic expansion valve, a maximum opening state is maintained when the degree of opening of the electronic expansion valve is at a maximum value.  
   
   
       13 . The method as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein, in reducing the degree of opening of the electronic expansion valve, a minimum opening state is maintained when the degree of opening of the electronic expansion valve is at a minimum value.  
   
   
       14 . The method as claimed in  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 maintaining a current degree of opening/closing of the electronic expansion valve when the supply/return temperature difference is identical to the preset temperature difference.    
   
   
       15 . The method as claimed in  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 determining, by the refrigerant supply controller, an operation to operate the outdoor unit; and    operating the outdoor unit according to the determined operation.    
   
   
       16 . The method as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein determining an operation to operate the outdoor unit comprises: 
 determining, by the refrigerant supply controller, the temperature of a room in which at least one indoor unit, which is in an operation mode, is installed; and    deciding to operate the outdoor unit on the basis of a determined indoor temperature.    
   
   
       17 . The method as claimed in  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 blocking the refrigerant supplied to the corresponding indoor unit by closing the corresponding electronic expansion valve if the temperature of the supplied refrigerant is below a preset temperature; and    after blocking the refrigerant, supplying the refrigerant to the corresponding indoor unit by opening the corresponding electronic expansion valve if a predetermined period of time has elapsed.    
   
   
       18 . The method as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein, after the refrigerant is supplied through the electronic expansion valve and the predetermined period of time has elapsed, closing of the electronic expansion valve is performed when the temperature of a supplying pipe is below a preset temperature.  
   
   
       19 . The method according to  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 transmitting, by the supply controller, a determined operation status of an outdoor unit to an outdoor unit controller, such that the outdoor unit controller selectively operates either one of a first compressor, a second compressor, or both the first and second compressors.    
   
   
       20 . The method according to  claim 19 , further comprising: 
 providing the first and second compressors to have different compression capacities.    
   
   
       21 . The method according to  claim 19 , further comprising: 
 providing the first and second compressors to have the same compression capacity.    
   
   
       22 . The method according to  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 providing the plurality of indoor units with at least one expansion device-less indoor unit that lacks an expansion device, and at least one expansion device-having indoor unit that is provided with an expansion device;    adjusting the amount and expansion of the refrigerant in the at least one indoor unit that lacks an expansion device, by operating a corresponding electronic expansion valve provided in the refrigerant distributor; and    fully opening an electronic expansion valve, corresponding to the indoor unit having an expansion device, such that the expansion device provided in the expansion device-having indoor unit adjusts the amount and expansion of the refrigerant.