Air conditioner and control method thereof

Abstract

An air conditioner controls supply of refrigerant so that the refrigerant is first supplied to one or more indoor units in operation from an outdoor unit, and is then supplied to a hot water generator, thereby sufficiently supplying refrigerant to the indoor units in heating operation even when the hot water generator is operated.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A control method of an air conditioner, wherein the air conditioner comprises an outdoor unit, one or more indoor units to heat an indoor space by refrigerant supplied from the outdoor unit, and a hot water generator to heat water by the refrigerant supplied from the outdoor unit, the control method comprising:
 controlling supply of the refrigerant so that the refrigerant is first supplied to one or more indoor units in operation from the outdoor unit, and is then supplied to the hot water generator.   
     
     
         2 . The control method of the air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein the controlling supply of the refrigerant is executed by controlling an opening degree of a hot water expansion valve provided at the hot water generator. 
     
     
         3 . The control method of the air conditioner according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 identifying whether there is not any one indoor unit in operation among the indoor units; and   if there is no indoor unit in operation, opening the hot water expansion valve of the hot water generator to the maximum opening degree thereof.   
     
     
         4 . The control method of the air conditioner according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 identifying whether there is not any one indoor unit in operation among the indoor units;   if there is any one indoor unit in operation, identifying whether a pressure at a discharge side of a compressor in the outdoor unit is less than a reference pressure; and   if the pressure at the discharge side of the compressor is less than the reference pressure, opening the hot water expansion valve to the minimum opening degree thereof.   
     
     
         5 . The control method of the air conditioner according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 identifying whether there is not any one indoor unit in operation among the indoor units;   if there is any one indoor unit in operation, identifying a temperature of water which is discharged from the hot water generator; and   if the temperature of the discharge water is less than a reference temperature, opening the hot water expansion valve to the minimum opening degree thereof.   
     
     
         6 . The control method of the air conditioner according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 identifying whether there are one or more indoor units in operation among the indoor units;   identifying the amount of refrigerant used being used in one or more indoor units in operation among the indoor units;   summing all the amount of refrigerant used in one or more indoor units in operation to calculate the total amount of refrigerant used; and   opening the hot water expansion valve to the opening degree thereof corresponding to the total amount of refrigerant used.   
     
     
         7 . The control method of the air conditioner according to  claim 6 , wherein:
 when the total amount of refrigerant used in one or more indoor units is relatively great, the hot water expansion valve is opened to the relatively small opening degree thereof; and   when the total amount of refrigerant used in one or more indoor units is relatively less, the hot water expansion valve is opened to the relatively great opening degree thereof.   
     
     
         8 . The control method of the air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 each of the maximum total amount of refrigerant used in one or more indoor units and the maximum amount of refrigerant used in the hot water generator is equal to the amount of refrigerant supplied from the outdoor unit; and   the sum of the total amount of refrigerant used in one or more indoor units in operation among the indoor units and the amount of refrigerant used in the hot water generator in operation is equal to or lesser than the amount of refrigerant supplied from the outdoor unit.   
     
     
         9 . An air conditioner comprising:
 an outdoor unit;   one or more indoor units to heat an indoor space by refrigerant supplied from the outdoor unit;   a hot water generator to heat water by refrigerant supplied from the outdoor unit;   a hot water expansion valve arranged at the hot water generator to control the amount of refrigerant which is supplied to the hot water generator, the hot water expansion valve being formed as a flow regulating valve capable of controlling an opening degree thereof; and   a control unit to allow the hot water expansion valve to be opened to an opening degree thereof corresponding to the total amount of refrigerant used being used in the one or more indoor units.   
     
     
         10 . The air conditioner according to  claim 9 , wherein the control unit identifies whether there is not any one indoor unit in operation, and then opens the hot water expansion valve to the maximum opening degree thereof when there is no indoor unit in operation. 
     
     
         11 . The air conditioner according to  claim 9 , wherein:
 the outdoor unit comprises a compressor to compress refrigerant, and a pressure sensing sensor to sense a pressure at a discharge side of the compressor; and   the control unit identifies the pressure at the discharge side of the compressor, and then opens the hot water expansion valve to the minimum opening degree thereof when the pressure at the discharge side of the compressor is equal to or lesser than a reference pressure.   
     
     
         12 . The air conditioner according to  claim 9 , wherein:
 the hot water generator comprises a heating tank to heat water by refrigerant, and a discharge water temperature sensing sensor to sense a temperature of water which is discharged from the heating tank; and   the control unit identifies the temperature of the water which is discharged from the heating tank, and then opens the hot water expansion valve to the minimum opening degree thereof when the temperature of the discharge water is equal to or lesser than a reference temperature.   
     
     
         13 . An air conditioner comprising:
 an outdoor unit arranged at an outdoor space to exchange heat with outdoor air;   one or more indoor units indoor units to exchange heat with indoor air so as to heat and cool indoor spaces by refrigerant supplied from the outdoor unit, each indoor unit including an indoor heat exchanger and an air conditioning expansion valve; and   a hot water generator to heat water by refrigerant supplied from the outdoor unit, the hot water generator including a heating tank to heat water by refrigerant, a discharge water temperature sensing sensor to sense a temperature of water which is discharged from the heating tank and a hot water expansion valve,   wherein the outdoor unit includes a compressor to compress refrigerant, an outdoor heat exchanger to allow the refrigerant to exchange heat with outdoor air, a valve to selectively supply the refrigerant compressed by the compressor to any one of the outdoor heat exchanger and each indoor unit, and a pressure sensing sensor to sense pressure of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor.   
     
     
         14 . The air conditioner according to  claim 13 , further comprising a control unit to control overall operation of the air conditioner, the control unit including a valve drive unit to control the air conditioning expansion valve and the hot water expansion valve, and a compressor drive unit to control the compressor,
 wherein the control unit controls the air conditioning expansion valve, the hot water expansion valve, and the compressor by the valve drive unit and the compressor drive unit, based on pressure and temperature information transferred from the pressure sensing sensor and discharge water temperature sensing sensor.   
     
     
         15 . The air conditioner according to  claim 14 , wherein the control units controls the hot water expansion valve to be opened to an opening degree thereof corresponding to the total amount of refrigerant used being used in the one or more indoor units. 
     
     
         16 . The air conditioner according to  claim 14 , wherein the control unit identifies whether there is not any one indoor unit in operation, and then opens the hot water expansion valve to the maximum opening degree thereof when there is no indoor unit in operation. 
     
     
         17 . The air conditioner according to  claim 14 , wherein the control unit identifies the pressure at the discharge side of the compressor, and then opens the hot water expansion valve to the minimum opening degree thereof when the pressure at the discharge side of the compressor is equal to or lesser than a reference pressure. 
     
     
         18 . The air conditioner according to  claim 14 , wherein the control unit identifies the temperature of the water which is discharged from the heating tank, and then opens the hot water expansion valve to the minimum opening degree thereof when the temperature of the discharge water is equal to or lesser than a reference temperature.