KR100857598B1 - Method for sensing leakage of refrigerant in airconditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a refrigerant leakage detection method of an air conditioner that can more accurately detect the leakage of refrigerant.

To this end, the present invention receives a measurement temperature from the first temperature sensor installed in the indoor heat exchanger and the second temperature sensor installed in the indoor unit to compare the temperature difference of the measured temperature with the first predetermined data, wherein the temperature difference is the first step; A second step of confirming the opening degree of the electromagnetic expansion valve when smaller than one predetermined data; and a third step of determining that the refrigerant is leaked according to a comparison result by comparing the opening degree and the second predetermined data received in the second step. It is made, including.

Description

Method for sensing leakage of refrigerant in air conditioner

1 is a view showing a refrigeration cycle of an air conditioner according to the present invention.

2 is a control block diagram of an air conditioner according to the present invention.

3 is an operation flowchart of a refrigerant leakage detecting method of an air conditioner according to the present invention.

* Description of symbols on the main parts of the drawings *

10: outdoor unit 11: compressor

13 outdoor heat exchanger 15 electronic expansion valve

20: indoor unit 21: indoor heat exchanger

25: first temperature sensor 32: second temperature sensor

33: third temperature sensor 34: fourth temperature sensor

40: control unit 42: display unit

The present invention relates to an air conditioner, and more particularly, to a refrigerant leakage detecting method of an air conditioner capable of accurately detecting whether a refrigerant leaks.

In general, an air conditioner is a device used for cooling or heating a room, and a normal refrigeration cycle in which a refrigerant is circulated is applied to absorb ambient heat when the refrigerant in a liquid state evaporates. The room temperature is controlled by supplying cold or warm air by the characteristics of emitting.

The refrigerant circulating in the air conditioner may leak from the pipe due to an error in installation or carelessness of the user when the air conditioner is driven for a long time. Such leakage of the refrigerant not only causes deterioration of heating or cooling performance of the air conditioner, but also has a problem of damaging the compressor during the driving process.

Therefore, a method of detecting leakage of refrigerant in an air conditioner is proposed. Korean Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-2006-81484 discloses a difference between a temperature measured at one part of an intake air and an indoor heat exchanger. It discloses a refrigerant leakage detection method of the air conditioner that can detect whether the refrigerant leaks through.

Refrigerant leakage detection method of the air conditioner disclosed in the publication is a first step of determining whether a predetermined time has elapsed when the air conditioner is driven, and a heat exchanger installed in the indoor heat exchanger when a predetermined time has elapsed after the air conditioner is driven A temperature measurement step of receiving a measurement temperature from a temperature sensor and an intake air temperature sensor installed in the indoor unit, a comparison step of comparing the temperature difference between the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger and the intake air received in the temperature measurement step with data stored in the controller; If the temperature difference in the comparison step is smaller than the data comprises a refrigerant leakage determination step of determining that the refrigerant leaked.

However, the refrigerant leakage detection method detects refrigerant leakage by using a temperature difference measured by an indoor heat exchanger temperature sensor and a suction air temperature sensor installed in the indoor unit. It is difficult to accurately determine the degree of leakage. In other words, the conventional technology using only the indoor temperature due to the characteristics of the refrigeration cycle that is sensitive to the outdoor temperature has a problem that the accuracy of the refrigerant leakage detection is inferior.

In addition, there is a problem that it is difficult to detect the refrigerant leakage when the indoor heat exchanger temperature sensor is defective.

The present invention is to solve such a problem, an object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerant leakage detection method of the air conditioner that can more accurately detect the leakage of the refrigerant.

In order to achieve the above object, an air conditioner according to the present invention receives a measurement temperature from a first temperature sensor installed in an indoor heat exchanger and a second temperature sensor installed in an indoor unit, and compares the temperature difference of the measured temperature with first predetermined data. A first step and a second step of checking the opening degree of the electromagnetic expansion valve when the temperature difference is smaller than the first predetermined data, and comparing the opening degree and the second predetermined data received in the second step with the refrigerant according to a comparison result. It characterized in that it comprises a third step of determining that the leaked.

In addition, the third step is characterized in that it is determined that the refrigerant leaked when the opening degree is larger than the second predetermined data.

In the third step, when the opening degree is greater than the second predetermined data, the measurement temperature is received from a third temperature sensor installed at the suction side of the compressor and a fourth temperature sensor installed at the outdoor unit, and the temperature difference of the measured temperature is determined by the third. And a fourth step of comparing the predetermined data with a fifth step of determining that the refrigerant has leaked when the temperature difference of the fourth step is equal to the third predetermined data.

When the temperature difference is not the same as the third predetermined data as a result of the comparison in the fourth step, the measured temperature is received from the first temperature sensor and the third temperature sensor, and the temperature difference between the measured temperature and the fourth predetermined data is determined. And a sixth step of comparing the sixth step with a sixth step of determining that the refrigerant is leaked when the temperature difference is smaller than the fourth predetermined data.

In addition, if it is determined that the refrigerant of the air conditioner is leaked, characterized in that it further comprises a confirmation step of confirming whether the measured temperature is correct.

The checking step may include a compressor stop step of stopping the compressor, a restart operation of restarting the compressor after a predetermined time after the compressor is stopped, and the measurement temperature again from the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor. It characterized in that it comprises a temperature measuring step of receiving.

In addition, the refrigerant leakage detection method of the air conditioner is characterized in that it is performed a plurality of times.

In addition, if it is determined that the refrigerant leaked, the refrigerant shortage display step of indicating a lack of refrigerant in the indoor unit, and the air conditioner operation step of stopping the operation of the air conditioner further comprises.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a view showing a refrigeration cycle of an air conditioner according to the present invention, the present invention can perform the cooling or heating in accordance with the flow direction of the refrigerant, in an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the cooling cycle .

As shown in FIG. 1, the air conditioner of the present invention includes an outdoor unit 10 forming a normal refrigerant cycle and an indoor unit 20 connected to the outdoor unit 10.

The outdoor unit 10 includes a compressor 11 for compressing a refrigerant into a gaseous state of high temperature and high pressure, and a four-way valve for adjusting a flow direction of the high temperature and high pressure gas refrigerant compressed by the compressor 11 according to an operation mode (cooling or heating). 12) and the outdoor heat exchanger 13 which receives the high temperature and high pressure gas refrigerant compressed by the compressor 11 and exchanges heat with the outdoor air, and the outdoor fan motor 14a to perform heat exchange in the outdoor heat exchanger 13. It includes an outdoor fan (14) for forcibly blowing outdoor air by the air, and an electromagnetic expansion valve (15) for decompressively expanding the heat exchanged refrigerant while adjusting the flow rate of the refrigerant.

The electronic expansion valve 15 (EEV: Electronic Expansion Valve) adjusts the superheat degree and the supercooling degree of the refrigerant according to its opening degree.

An accumulator 16 is installed at the suction side of the compressor 11 to convert the refrigerant flowing into the compressor 11 into gas in a completely gaseous state, and a third temperature for sensing the temperature of the refrigerant sucked at the suction side of the compressor 11. The sensor 33 is installed, the third temperature sensor 33 may be installed at any position capable of detecting the refrigerant temperature of the suction side of the compressor (11).

The outdoor unit 10 is provided with a fourth temperature sensor 34 for measuring the outdoor temperature sucked by the outdoor heat exchanger 13, and the fourth temperature sensor 34 is a suction port (not shown) side of the outdoor unit 10. In addition, it may be installed at any position that can sense the temperature of the outdoor air sucked into the outdoor heat exchanger (13).

The indoor unit 20 includes an indoor heat exchanger 21 which receives refrigerant and exchanges heat with the indoor air, and an indoor fan which forcibly blows indoor air by the indoor fan motor 22a so that heat exchange occurs in the indoor heat exchanger 21 ( 22).

In addition, the inlet pipe of the indoor heat exchanger 21 that detects the inlet pipe temperature of the indoor heat exchanger 21 is installed in the inlet pipe in which the refrigerant is sucked during the cooling operation among the pipes connected to the indoor heat exchanger 21.

In the piping connected to the indoor heat exchanger 21, the outlet side pipe where the refrigerant is discharged during the cooling operation has a refrigerant control valve 24 for controlling the flow of the refrigerant, and an indoor heat exchange sensing the outlet pipe temperature of the indoor heat exchanger 21. The outlet temperature sensor 25 is installed.

The first temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger 21 may use any one of the outlet temperature sensor 25 and the inlet temperature sensor 23, but in this embodiment, the outlet temperature sensor 25 is used as the first temperature sensor. Explain it as a temperature sensor.

The indoor unit 20 is provided with a second temperature sensor 32 for measuring the indoor temperature by using the temperature of the air sucked into the indoor heat exchanger 21, the second temperature sensor 32 is the suction port side of the indoor unit. Rather, it may be installed at any position capable of sensing the temperature of indoor air sucked into the indoor heat exchanger 21.

2 is a control configuration diagram of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention, including first, second, third and fourth temperature sensors 25, 32, 33, and 34, an electromagnetic expansion valve 15, and a controller. 40, the compressor drive part 41, and the display part 42 are comprised.

In the present invention, the controller 40 is integrally described as an example, but the controller may be separately configured to the outdoor unit and the indoor unit according to the specifications or design conditions of the system.

The first temperature sensor 25 is provided at the outlet side of the indoor heat exchanger 21 to sense the temperature of the refrigerant of the indoor heat exchanger 21, and the second temperature sensor 32 is an inlet (not shown) of the indoor unit 20. It is provided at the) side to sense the temperature of the indoor air flowing into the indoor unit 20 to send a signal to the control unit 40.

In addition, the third temperature sensor 33 is provided on the suction side of the compressor 11 to sense the temperature of the cold air sucked into the compressor 11, the fourth temperature sensor 34 is the suction port (not shown) of the outdoor unit 10 It is provided on the side to sense the temperature of the outdoor air flowing into the outdoor unit 10 to send a signal to the control unit 40.

The electromagnetic expansion valve 15 adjusts the degree of superheat and supercooling of the refrigerant according to the opening degree, and the electromagnetic expansion valve 15 of the air conditioner is controlled to maintain the optimum opening degree according to the operating load.

The controller 40 controls the operation of the air conditioner using the temperatures received from the first, second, third and fourth temperature sensors 25, 32, 33 and 34 and the opening degree received from the electromagnetic expansion valve 15. As a microcomputer, the compressor 11 is turned on / off by comparing the temperature difference and the opening degree of the received temperature with predetermined data, and the operation of the air conditioner is stopped when it is determined that the amount of refrigerant is insufficient.

The compressor driver 41 controls the on / off driving of the compressor 11 according to the control signal of the controller 40.

The display unit 42 displays an operating state of the air conditioner and a lack of refrigerant amount when the amount of refrigerant is insufficient in accordance with a display control signal of the controller 40.

3 is an operation flowchart of a refrigerant leak detection method of an air conditioner according to the present invention.

As shown in Figure 3, the refrigerant leakage detection method of the air conditioner according to the present invention determines whether a predetermined time has elapsed when the air conditioner is driven (S100), the predetermined time has passed after the operation of the air conditioner In order to count the operation, N = 0 is set (S110) and N = N + 1 is counted (S120), and the first temperature sensor 25 installed in the indoor heat exchanger 21 and the indoor unit 20 are installed. The measurement temperature is received from the second temperature sensor 32 (S130).

The temperature difference between the temperature Te of the indoor heat exchanger 21 and the temperature Ti of the indoor suction air received above is compared with the first predetermined data previously stored in the controller 40 (S140), and the comparison result of the temperature If the difference Ti-Te is smaller than previously stored first predetermined data, the controller 40 checks the opening degree of the electromagnetic expansion valve 15 (S150).

At this time, when the opening degree is larger than the second predetermined data, it may be determined that the refrigerant is leaked, and compares whether the result of the opening degree is larger than the second predetermined data stored in the control unit 40 for more accurate refrigerant leakage detection. (S160), when the opening degree confirmed as a result of the comparison is greater than the second predetermined data stored in the compressor 11, the suction temperature of the third temperature sensor 33 and the fourth temperature sensor 34 installed in the outdoor unit 10 are measured. (S170)

The temperature difference To-Ts between the compressor 11 suction side temperature Ts and the outdoor suction air temperature To received is compared with the third predetermined data previously stored in the controller 40 (S180). As a result, when the temperature difference To-Ts is substantially the same as the pre-stored third predetermined data, the controller 40 stops the compressor 11 to check whether the refrigerant leaks (S190) and stops the compressor 11. After comparing whether the time is greater than the predetermined time (S200), if the stop time of the compressor 11 is greater than the predetermined time, the compressor 11 is restarted (S210), it is determined whether N = 3 (S220), and N = If not 3, the process returns to step S120 to count N = N + 1, and performs a confirmation step of receiving a temperature from the first temperature sensor 25 and the second temperature sensor 32.

In addition, the result of comparing the temperature difference To-Ts between the compressor 11 suction side temperature Ts and the outdoor suction air temperature To with the third predetermined data previously stored in the controller 40 is the temperature difference To-Ts. ) Is substantially different from the pre-stored third predetermined data to receive the temperature (Te, Ts) from the first temperature sensor 25 and the third temperature sensor 33 to more accurately detect whether the refrigerant leaked, The temperature difference Ts-Te measured from the sensors 25 and 33 is compared with the fourth predetermined data. When the temperature difference Ts-Te is larger than the fourth predetermined data, S190 to check whether the refrigerant leaks. Step S210 is performed.

After that, a series of processes such as receiving a temperature from the first temperature sensor 25 and the second temperature sensor 32 are repeated again, and again determining whether N = 3 (S220), and if not N = 3, Returning to step S120 again, N = N + 1 is counted, and the above series of processes are repeated again. If N = 3, it is determined that the refrigerant is leaked (S230), and the display unit 42 installed in the indoor unit 100 is returned. After indicating that the refrigerant amount is insufficient (S240), the operation of the air conditioner is stopped (S250).

In this case, N = 3 is repeated three times by repeatedly checking whether the temperature measured by the first, second, third and fourth temperature sensors 25, 32, 33, and 34 is accurately measured to more accurately determine the leakage of the refrigerant. As the confirmation step, N may be at least 1, and such confirmation step may be omitted.

However, when the amount of the refrigerant flowing into the indoor heat exchanger 21 is unevenly distributed during the operation of the air conditioner, the indoor heat exchanger 21 temporarily lacks the amount of refrigerant, so the temperature may change. It is preferable to stop the air conditioner after checking.

In addition, the temperature difference of the temperature measured by the first, second, third and fourth temperature sensors 25, 32, 33, and 34 is compared with the first, second, and fourth predetermined data using an absolute value.

Although not shown, predetermined data previously stored in the control unit 40 is a value set in advance in the control unit by obtaining a temperature difference graph according to the filling amount of the refrigerant, and the first predetermined time is the compressor 11 when the air conditioner is initially driven. Refrigerant stored in the) is adequately distributed to the entire pipe of the air conditioner to achieve a normal operation cycle.

In addition, the drive time of the compressor restart (S210) is preferably about 3 minutes.

In addition, when the temperature difference Ti-Te is greater than or equal to the pre-stored first predetermined data in step S140, when the opening degree Es of the electromagnetic expansion valve is less than or equal to the second predetermined data in step S160, the temperature difference in step S181. If (Ts-Te) is smaller than or equal to the fourth predetermined data, it is determined that there is no refrigerant leakage, and the air conditioner is driven for a predetermined time (S260). Receiving the temperature measured by the first temperature sensor 25 and the second temperature sensor 32 performs a series of refrigerant detection operation.

As described above, the refrigerant leakage detection method of the air conditioner detects the leakage of the refrigerant in multiple stages by using the temperature sensor at various positions, thereby more accurately detecting the leakage of the refrigerant.

As described above, the air conditioner according to the present invention checks the refrigerant temperature of the indoor heat exchanger, the temperature of the suction air of the indoor unit, the temperature of the compressor suction side, the temperature of the outdoor unit suction air, and the opening degree of the electronic expansion valve to store the data previously stored in the controller. Compared with, it is possible to more accurately detect whether the refrigerant leaks.

Claims (8)

Receiving a measurement temperature from a first temperature sensor installed in the indoor heat exchanger and a second temperature sensor installed in the indoor unit, and comparing the temperature difference between the measured temperatures with the first predetermined data; A second step of checking the opening degree of the electromagnetic expansion valve when the temperature difference is smaller than the first predetermined data; And a third step of determining that the refrigerant is leaked when the opening degree is greater than the second predetermined data compared to the opening degree and the second predetermined data identified in the second step. Leak detection method. delete The third temperature sensor of claim 1, wherein when the opening degree is greater than the second predetermined data in the third step, a measurement temperature is received from a third temperature sensor installed at a suction side of a compressor and a fourth temperature sensor installed at an outdoor unit. A fourth step of comparing the temperature difference between the temperature measured at and the temperature measured by the fourth temperature sensor with the third predetermined data; And a fifth step of determining that the coolant is leaked when the temperature difference of the fourth step is equal to the third predetermined data. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein when the temperature difference is not the same as the third predetermined data, the measured temperature is received by the first temperature sensor and the third temperature sensor and measured by the first temperature sensor. A sixth step of comparing the temperature difference between the temperature and the temperature measured by the third temperature sensor with the fourth predetermined data; And a seventh step of determining that the refrigerant is leaked when the temperature difference is smaller than the fourth predetermined data as a result of the comparison in the sixth step. The method of claim 1, further comprising a checking step of confirming whether the measured temperature is correct when it is determined that the refrigerant of the air conditioner is leaked. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the checking step comprises: a compressor stopping step of stopping the compressor, a restarting step of restarting the compressor after a predetermined time after the compressor is stopped, and from the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor. Refrigerant leakage detection method of the air conditioner, characterized in that it comprises a temperature measuring step of receiving the measurement temperature again. The method of claim 4, wherein the refrigerant leakage detection method of the air conditioner is performed a plurality of times. The method of claim 1, further comprising: a refrigerant shortage display step of indicating a lack of refrigerant in the indoor unit when it is determined that the refrigerant is leaked, and an air conditioner stop step of stopping driving of the air conditioner. Refrigerant leakage detection method of the air conditioner characterized in that.

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