WO2015190892A1

WO2015190892A1 - Air conditioner and method for controlling same

Info

Publication number: WO2015190892A1
Application number: PCT/KR2015/005976
Authority: WO
Inventors: 양유정; 황종철; 김진성
Original assignee: 엘지전자 주식회사
Priority date: 2014-06-12
Filing date: 2015-06-12
Publication date: 2015-12-17
Also published as: CN105299824B; CN105299824A; KR101571721B1

Abstract

The present invention relates to an air conditioner and a method for controlling the same. The present invention recognizes an operation mode for a generator power supply and thereby sets a generator mode, and when setting the generator mode, controls the operation frequency of a compressor so that power consumption of an air conditioner, which is computed from the voltage, does not exceed a reference value for the generator mode. Thereby, even if an unstable low-voltage, low-capacity power supply is inputted, the present invention controls the power consumption of the air conditioner and thus maintains operation, resulting in an effect of providing cooling performance and simultaneously enabling long-term continuous operation. In addition, the present invention prevents damage to the compressor and can carry out consistent operation regardless of the power supply being supplied, resulting in great improvement in user convenience.

Description

Air Conditioner and Control Method

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an air conditioner and a control method thereof, and more particularly, to an air conditioner and a method of controlling the same, which are continuously operated with a low capacity, low voltage operating power source.

The air conditioner is installed to provide a more comfortable indoor environment for humans by discharging cold air into the room to adjust the indoor temperature and purifying the indoor air to create a comfortable indoor environment. In general, an air conditioner includes an indoor unit which is configured as a heat exchanger and installed indoors, and an outdoor unit which is configured as a compressor and a heat exchanger and supplies refrigerant to the indoor unit.

The air conditioner is separated and controlled by an indoor unit composed of a heat exchanger and an outdoor unit composed of a compressor and a heat exchanger, and is operated by controlling power supplied to the compressor or the heat exchanger. In addition, the air conditioner may be connected to at least one indoor unit to the outdoor unit, the refrigerant is supplied to the indoor unit according to the requested operating state, the operation is operated in the cooling or heating mode.

The air conditioner is cooled or heated according to the flow of the refrigerant. During the cooling operation, when the liquid refrigerant of high temperature and high pressure is supplied to the indoor unit from the compressor of the outdoor unit to the heat exchanger of the outdoor unit, the refrigerant is expanded and vaporized in the heat exchanger of the indoor unit. When the temperature of the air decreases and the indoor fan is rotated, cold air is discharged into the room. When the high temperature and high pressure gas refrigerant is supplied from the compressor of the outdoor unit to the indoor unit during the heating operation, the high temperature and high pressure gas refrigerant is liquefied by the indoor heat exchanger. The air warmed by the emitted energy is discharged into the room according to the operation of the indoor fan.

In such an air conditioner, the refrigerant is circulated by the driving of the compressor, and the stable driving of the compressor may be an important issue as the cool air is discharged through the heat exchange of the refrigerant.

In the environment where commercial power is not supplied stably, the air conditioner operates continuously even if the compressor is operated when the voltage of the supplied power is low or the power waveform such as a generator is irregular and power is supplied with large voltage fluctuations. There is a difficult problem. Generally used generators are low-capacity generators and the supplied power is also unstable operating power with high voltage fluctuations.

In particular, a high starting current is required to start the compressor, but if the power supplied is low voltage or if the power is supplied from a small capacity generator, even if the compressor starts normally, the capacity of the generator is limited. Therefore, there is a problem that not only continuous operation is impossible but also the heating and cooling efficiency is lowered. In addition, damage to the compressor may occur if the operation and stop are repeated.

Accordingly, there is a demand for an air conditioner capable of stably and continuously operating even in an environment where low capacity and low voltage power are supplied.

An object of the present invention relates to an air conditioner capable of continuously operating while providing a constant cooling performance in an environment in which an unstable power supply of low capacity and low voltage is supplied, and a control method thereof.

An air conditioner according to the present invention includes: a power supply unit connected to a generator to receive a generator power and rectified and smoothed to supply a DC power, a voltage sensing unit measuring a voltage of the DC power supply of the power supply unit, a driving unit controlling the driving of the compressor; And setting a generator mode by recognizing an operation mode for the generator power, and setting the generator mode through the driving unit so that power consumption of an air conditioner calculated from the voltage does not exceed a reference value for the generator mode. It includes a control unit for controlling the operating frequency of the compressor.

The control method of the air conditioner of the present invention recognizes the operation mode for the power input from the generator to set the generator mode, by measuring the voltage of the power source, calculating the power consumption of the air conditioner, the consumption Controlling an operating frequency of the compressor such that power does not exceed a reference value according to the generator mode, and maintaining operation for a predetermined time or more in a low power consumption state not exceeding the reference value according to the generator mode.

The air conditioner and its control method according to the present invention configured as described above can operate continuously for a long time while providing cooling performance by controlling power consumption even when an unstable low capacity, low voltage operating power is input, It is possible to prevent damage to the compressor and to perform a certain operation regardless of the power supply, there is an effect that greatly improves the reliability and user convenience of the product due to the stable operation.

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

2 is a view showing the air conditioner and the power supplied in accordance with the present invention.

3 is a block diagram showing a control configuration of the air conditioner unit according to the present invention.

4 is a block diagram showing the configuration according to the operation control of the air conditioner of the present invention.

5 is a view referred to for explaining the operation frequency control for controlling the power consumption of the air conditioner according to the present invention.

6 is an exemplary view showing a change in power consumption according to the mode setting of the air conditioner according to the present invention.

7 is a graph showing power consumption and operating frequency according to the mode setting of the air conditioner according to the present invention.

8 is a view showing a remote control of the air conditioner according to the present invention.

9 is a flowchart illustrating a control method of an air conditioner according to the present invention.

Advantages and features of the present invention and methods for achieving them will be apparent with reference to the embodiments described below in detail with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, but can be implemented in various different forms, and only the embodiments make the disclosure of the present invention complete, and the general knowledge in the art to which the present invention belongs. It is provided to fully inform the person having the scope of the invention, which is defined only by the scope of the claims. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.

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

1 is a view showing the configuration of an air conditioner according to the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, the air conditioner includes an indoor unit 1 and an outdoor unit 2. In addition, it includes a remote control (3) for inputting a control command to the indoor unit (1).

In addition, in the room where the air conditioner is installed, other home appliances are provided in addition to the air conditioner. For example, in the case of homes, washing machines, lights, refrigerators, televisions. A home appliance such as a fan is provided and operated with power supplied.

In this case, the home appliance and the air conditioner operate by receiving any one of power generated and supplied from the

power plants

21, 22, and 23, that is, power generated and supplied from the commercial power source 20 and the generator 10.

In addition, when a plurality of home appliances are provided and connected to a power source, in particular, when a plurality of home appliances are connected to the generator 10, a switch for selecting a predetermined home appliances to be supplied to some of the home appliances ( 30) may be further provided. At this time, since the capacity of the generator is limited, it is configured to switch the target to supply power because the load connected, that is, the number of household appliances cannot supply power to all the household appliances. In some cases, the switch 30 may select not only a load but also any one of commercial power and generator power to be supplied to the home appliance.

At this time, the generator changes the type or number of home appliances that can be connected according to its capacity. For example, a typical household generator is a small capacity, about 600 to 1Kwh is used. The generator may be overloaded when the air conditioner is connected or a plurality of home appliances are connected and operated at the same time.

Accordingly, the air conditioner reduces the power consumption in response to the voltage of the power supplied from the generator when connected to the generator 10 to reduce the load on the generator. At this time, the air conditioner sets the operation mode to the generator mode, and controls the operation of the air conditioner according to the power consumption calculated. The generator mode may be set automatically by recognizing the generator power from the input power or in response to data input through the remote controller 3 or the input means.

As shown in FIG. 2, the air conditioner includes an indoor unit 1 for discharging air into an indoor unit and an outdoor unit 2 for supplying a refrigerant, and includes a remote controller 3 for transmitting a control command to the indoor unit 1. do. At this time, the indoor unit and the outdoor unit are connected not only by the refrigerant pipe, but also by a communication line, and also by a power line.

The air conditioner may be connected to the commercial power source 20 (A) or to the generator 10 (B). When the switch 30 is provided, the switch 30 may be connected to any one of the commercial power source 20 and the power source of the generator 10 through a switch operation, and the connected power source may be switched. The air conditioner is supplied with power to another unit through a power line connected when either an indoor unit or an outdoor unit is connected to a power source.

In this case, the air conditioner will be described with the example that the indoor unit 1 is connected to the outdoor unit 2 and the indoor unit is a wall-mount type or a frame type. However, the indoor unit may be connected to a plurality of outdoor units. It can be divided into a stand type, wall-hung type, and the like. In addition, the outdoor unit and the indoor unit may be integrally formed to form one body. The illustrated figure is an example of an air conditioner and specifies that it is not limited to the form.

The indoor unit 1 allows an expansion valve (not shown), an indoor heat exchanger (not shown), and indoor air to flow into the indoor heat exchanger to expand the refrigerant supplied from the connected outdoor unit 2, and to expose the heat-exchanged air to the room. An indoor fan (not shown), a plurality of sensors (not shown), and a control means for controlling the operation of the indoor unit (not shown). The indoor unit 1 includes a discharge opening (not shown) for discharging the heat-exchanged air, and the discharge opening is provided with wind direction control means (not shown) for opening and closing the discharge opening and controlling the direction of the discharged air. The indoor unit 1 controls the intake air and the discharged air by controlling the rotation speed of the indoor fan, and adjusts the air volume. In addition, the indoor unit 1 may further include a human body detecting means for detecting a human body existing in the indoor space.

The outdoor unit 2 is operated in the cooling mode or the heating mode according to the request of the connected indoor unit 1 to supply the refrigerant to the indoor unit.

At least one compressor (not shown) for compressing the refrigerant flowing therein to discharge the high-pressure gas refrigerant, and separating the gas refrigerant and the liquid refrigerant from the refrigerant to prevent the unvaporized liquid refrigerant from entering the compressor. Accumulator (not shown), oil separator (not shown) for recovering oil from refrigerant discharged from the compressor, outdoor heat exchanger (not shown) for condensing or evaporating refrigerant by heat exchange with outside air, In order to make the air flow more smoothly, an outdoor fan (not shown) for introducing air to the outdoor heat exchanger and discharging the heat-exchanged air to the outside, a four-way valve (not shown) for changing the refrigerant flow path according to the operation mode of the outdoor unit, and a pressure measurement At least one pressure sensor (not shown), at least one temperature sensor (not shown) for measuring the temperature. The outdoor unit further includes a number of other sensors, valves, subcooling devices, etc., and a description thereof will be omitted below.

The remote controller 3 includes input means such as at least one button, a switch, a touch pad, and transmits data on the operation setting of the air conditioner to the indoor unit 1. In this case, the remote controller 3 transmits data through a wireless communication method. In some cases, it may be wired through a communication line.

As the input means is operated, the remote controller 3 transmits the input data to the indoor unit and displays the operation information set in the indoor unit. In addition, the remote controller 3 may measure and display the room temperature.

As shown in FIG. 3, the air conditioner includes a power supply unit 120, a driving unit 130, a voltage sensing unit 140, a sensing unit 150, a data unit 160, an input unit 170, a display unit 180, And a controller 110 for controlling the overall operation.

The control configuration of the air conditioner can be applied to both the indoor and outdoor units jointly. However, in the outdoor unit, the compressor and the outdoor fan are driven by the driving unit, and the indoor unit is operated by the driving unit. In some cases, the operating power may be supplied to either an outdoor unit or an indoor unit, converted by the power unit, and then supplied through a power line. In addition, the indoor unit may further include a communication unit (not shown) for receiving data from the remote controller 3.

The communication unit receives data on an operation setting from the remote controller 3 and applies the data to the controller 110. In this case, according to the type or communication method of the remote controller 3, the communication unit may not only receive data of the remote controller 3 but also transmit data to the remote controller 3 according to a control command of the controller 110.

The power supply unit 120 rectifies the power supplied to the air conditioner and supplies operating power to each unit. The power supply unit 120 rectifies and smoothes three-phase AC power to convert it into DC power.

The voltage sensing unit 140 measures the voltage supplied from the power supply unit 120 and inputs it to the control unit 110. At this time, the voltage detection unit 140 measures the magnitude of the smoothed DC voltage of the power supply unit 120.

The driving unit 130 reconverts the DC power of the power supply unit 120 and supplies the converted power to the compressor motor or the fan motor to operate the compressor and the fan. The driving unit 130 may be provided with a compressor driving unit and an outdoor fan driving unit in the outdoor unit 1, and an indoor fan driving unit may be provided in the indoor unit 1, respectively.

The sensing unit 150 includes a plurality of sensors installed inside or outside the air conditioner. The sensing unit 150 includes a sensor for measuring temperature, pressure, voltage, current, and rotational speed, and inputs the measured data to the controller 110.

The input unit 170 includes at least one predetermined input means such as a button, a switch, and a touch pad. When the input unit 170 forms a layered structure with the display means of the display unit 180 described later, this may be referred to as a touch screen.

The input unit 170 inputs a predetermined signal to the controller 110 as the input means provided is operated. The controller 110 sets the operation of the air conditioner as the input means is operated, and causes the air conditioner to start or end the operation. In some cases, the input unit 170 may be provided with a driving mode setting key to input data according to the generator mode setting.

The display unit 180 includes display means for outputting numbers, letters, special characters, or images. The display unit 180 outputs an operation setting for the operation mode, temperature, air volume, etc. of the air conditioner, and outputs an operation state of the air conditioner. In addition, the display unit 180 displays the current temperature measured by the sensing unit 150.

In addition, the air conditioner includes a speaker (not shown) or a buzzer (not shown) that outputs a predetermined sound effect or warning sound in addition to the display unit, and includes at least one lamp indicating various state states according to light emission, color, or flashing state. can do.

The data unit 160 stores control data for controlling the operation of the air conditioner, data for setting the air conditioner operation, and stores data measured by the sensing unit 150 during operation. In addition, the data 160 stores not only an operation setting but also data for an operation mode, and stores power consumption data calculated based on a reference value for the power consumption set in the generator mode, a voltage measured, and a voltage.

The controller 110 sets and controls the operation of the air conditioner according to the data input through the remote controller 3 or the input unit 170, and outputs the operation state according to the display unit 180. The control unit 110 controls the transmission and reception of mutual data in the outdoor unit and the indoor period to operate according to the operation setting, and controls the power consumption of the air conditioner not to exceed a predetermined reference value when setting the generator mode according to the operation mode. .

In particular, when the generator mode is set through the remote controller 3 or the input unit 170, the controller 110 sets a reference value of power consumption at about 60% to 80% based on the maximum power consumption value of the air conditioner, The power consumption of the air conditioner is controlled so as not to exceed the set reference value of power consumption. In this case, the reference value may be changed according to the capacity of the air conditioner and the maximum power consumption value.

In addition, the controller 110 may automatically set the generator mode by automatically recognizing the generator power when connected to the generator according to the characteristics of the input power. For example, it is possible to determine whether a generator is connected based on total harmonic distortion (THD, Total Harmonic Distortion) by analyzing the waveform of the electric shock.

Here, the generator mode is a mode in which the air conditioner is set to be operable even with unstable input power when the power supplied to the air conditioner is low voltage or a large voltage fluctuation or the capacity of the generator is low. For example, if the air conditioner is connected to a small capacity generator, it can be set when the power supplied is low voltage.

When the generator mode is set, the controller 110 calculates the amount of power consumed by the air conditioner according to the capacity and load of the air conditioner in response to the voltage value input through the voltage sensing unit 140, and the calculated power amount. Compared with the preset reference value to control the power consumption of the air conditioner does not exceed a predetermined reference value.

When the calculated power consumption increases, the controller 110 controls the driving unit 130 to decrease the operating frequency of the compressor to limit the increase in power consumption. When the power consumption decreases, the cooling performance is increased by increasing the operating frequency of the compressor. To improve.

The controller 110 restricts the compressor from operating above the maximum operating frequency by changing the maximum value of the operating frequency of the compressor, that is, the maximum operable operating frequency. For example, when the maximum operating frequency of the compressor is 100hz, the controller 110 sets 50hz as the maximum operating frequency to prevent the compressor from operating beyond 50hz. At this time, the maximum operating frequency is set in the operating frequency range so that the calculated power consumption does not exceed the reference value.

4 is a block diagram showing the configuration according to the operation control of the air conditioner of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 4, the power supply unit 120 includes a power input unit 121, a rectifier 122, and a DC link unit 123.

The power of the commercial power source 20 or the generator 10 is connected to the air conditioner to supply power to the power input unit 121. The rectifier 122 rectifies the input power, and the DC link unit 123 smoothes the rectified power. Accordingly, the input AC power is converted into DC power.

The driver 130 includes an inverter 131 for driving the compressor 191. In addition, the first and second fan driving unit (not shown) for driving the outdoor fan 192 or the indoor fan 193 is included. At this time, the compressor 191, the outdoor fan 192, the indoor fan 193 acts as a load to the power source.

The inverter 131 converts the rectified and smoothed DC power of the power supply unit 120 into AC power to supply the motor of the compressor 191 to operate the compressor.

In addition, the outdoor fan 192 is connected to the driving unit 130 and rotates as the motor is operated by the first fan driving unit. The outdoor fan 192 discharges air heat exchanged in the outdoor heat exchanger 194 to the outside. In addition, the indoor fan 193 is rotated as the motor is operated by the second fan driver, and the air heat-exchanged by the indoor heat exchanger 195 is discharged to the room.

The voltage sensing unit 140 measures the voltage of the DC link unit 123 and inputs it to the control unit 110 (202).

The controller 110 controls the driver 130 in response to the voltage of the DC link unit 123 since the voltage of the DC link unit 123 is changed according to the load state of the power source.

The controller 110 automatically recognizes the generator power source 201 or sets the generator mode in response to the data 206 received from the remote controller 3.

In addition, when setting the generator mode, the controller 110 controls the compressor 191 by applying a control command to the inverter 131 of the driver 130 in response to the amount of power calculated according to the voltage (203), thereby reducing power consumption. Limit the increase. The driver 130 changes the operating frequency of the compressor 191 in response to the control command of the controller 110 and allows the compressor to operate at the set operating frequency.

In this case, the inverter 131 controls the compressor 191 to operate at the initial operating frequency and increases the operating frequency as the load increases during the operation of the air conditioner. When the generator mode is set, the inverter 131 controls the operating frequency of the compressor 191 not to increase by more than a predetermined size according to a control command of the controller 110 even if the load of the air conditioner increases.

The controller 110 controls to change the operation frequency of the compressor according to the calculated amount of power, and when the amount of power is within a predetermined value range, the controller 110 applies a control command to the driver 130 to maintain the operation frequency of the compressor.

In addition, the controller 110 determines the load state of the

power source

10 or 20 in response to the voltage 202 of the DC link unit 123 while controlling the power consumption so as not to exceed the reference value as described above. The driving frequency of the compressor 191 acting as a load is controlled or the outdoor fan 192 or the indoor fan 193 is controlled (204, 205) to adjust the load.

Referring to FIG. 5, when the generator mode is set, the controller 110 sets a reference value for power consumption based on the maximum power consumption of the air conditioner. For example, in the case of an air conditioner of 1 KW, the controller 110 may set 600 W as the reference value TG1.

The control unit 110 compares the set reference value with the calculated amount of power so as not to exceed the reference value 600W. At this time, the controller 110 separately sets the second reference value TG2 so that the amount of power does not exceed the reference value. When the reference value (hereinafter, referred to as the first reference value TG1) is 600, the second reference value TG2 may be set to about 500W.

When the calculated power consumption is included in the first area A that is less than or equal to the second reference value TG2, the controller 110 may increase the operating frequency of the compressor 191 without any limitation. If the operating frequency of the compressor 191 increases accordingly, the power consumption of the air conditioner also increases (S11).

The controller 110 calculates power consumption corresponding to the measured voltage, and applies a control command to the driver 130 to control the compressor 191 when the calculated power consumption reaches the second reference value TG2. At this time, the driving unit 130 restricts the operation frequency of the compressor from increasing any further according to the control command of the control unit 110.

When the power consumption is included in the second area B between the first reference value TG1 and the second reference value TG2, the driving unit 130 maintains the operating frequency of the compressor 191.

On the other hand, when the power consumption is the first reference value (TG1), the control unit 110 to reduce the operating frequency of the compressor 191 to reduce the amount of power consumed (S12). In this case, the controller 110 controls the power consumption so as not to exceed the first reference value TG1. If the controller 110 exceeds the first reference value TG1, the controller 110 controls the operation frequency of the compressor 191 to decrease.

When the power consumption is reduced by reducing the operating frequency of the compressor 191, the cooling capacity is also reduced, so that the controller 110 may control the operating frequency of the compressor to increase again when the power consumption belongs to the first region A. FIG. Can be.

At this time, the control unit 110 changes the maximum operating frequency of the compressor, that is, the maximum operating frequency of the compressor, corresponding to the power consumption to limit the compressor from operating above the maximum operating frequency. Accordingly, the controller 110 does not exceed the reference value of power consumption of air conditioning.

6 (a) is a view showing a change in power consumption when the air conditioner is connected to the generator when the general operation, Figure 6 (b) is a view showing a change in power consumption when setting the generator mode. .

As shown in (a) of FIG. 6, when the air conditioner connected to the generator starts to operate, the capacity of the generator is limited, so that the protection circuit operates because the generator is overloaded as the power consumption of the air conditioner increases. As a result, the air conditioner stops operating.

The air conditioner starts operation again after waiting for a predetermined time according to the protection circuit logic. Since the capacity of the generator is still limited, it stops after starting and then restarts. This phenomenon may cause anxiety to the user, cause a breakdown of the generator, and damage the air conditioner.

On the other hand, as shown in Figure 6 (b), when the generator mode is set in the air conditioner connected to the generator, the controller 110 controls the operating frequency of the compressor 191 at the start of operation to limit the power consumption Therefore, the power consumption of the air conditioner is maintained at about 60% of the maximum power consumption after increasing the predetermined value according to the set reference value (S2).

In this case, when the air conditioner is connected to a general commercial power source, when the air conditioner starts to operate, the compressor 191 operates according to the operation setting, and power consumption increases as time passes. When the compressor 191 operates at maximum, the air conditioner maintains the maximum power consumption as shown (S1).

The present invention is to operate by limiting the power consumption of the air conditioner to 60 to 80% of the maximum power consumption when the generator mode is set on the basis of the maximum power consumption in the general operation of such an air conditioner.

7 is a graph showing power consumption and operating frequency according to the mode setting of the air conditioner according to the present invention. FIG. 7 illustrates a change in operating frequency and power consumption of the compressor over time when the generator mode is set when the air conditioner is connected to the generator of 1KWVA.

As shown in FIG. 7, when the air conditioner is connected to the generator and starts to operate, the operating frequency S21 of the compressor 191 increases. Accordingly, the power consumption S22 of the air conditioner also increases.

As the generator mode is set, the controller 110 sets a reference value (first reference value) 23 for power consumption. In this case, the reference value may be set within a range of about 60 to 80% based on the maximum power consumption of the air conditioner.

At this time, the controller 110 sets the generator mode in response to the data of the remote controller 3 or the input unit 170. In some cases, the controller 110 may determine whether power supplied to the air conditioner is generator power or commercial power through a separate sensing means. When the generator power is supplied, the controller 110 may automatically set the generator mode in response to the detection signal of the sensing means.

The controller 110 calculates power consumption of the air conditioner in response to the voltage measured during operation, and controls the calculated power consumption so as not to exceed the reference value.

As described above, when the power consumption calculated by setting the second reference value lower than the reference value exceeds the second reference value, the controller 110 controls the operation frequency of the compressor 191 by applying a control command to the driver 130. .

When the power consumption is greater than or equal to the second reference value and less than the reference value S23 (the first reference value), since the power consumption belongs to the second area B in FIG. 5, the driving unit 130 maintains the current operating frequency of the compressor 191. do. However, when it is determined that the power supply is overloaded, the controller 110 controls the operating frequency of the compressor 191 within a range in which the power consumption does not exceed the reference value.

Accordingly, the operating frequency of the compressor is maintained at a constant value, and the power consumption does not exceed the set reference value although some of its value is changed due to a change in input voltage or load. In addition, the overload of the input power source, that is, the generator power source can be eliminated.

Therefore, the air conditioner can be operated for a long time without stopping the operation, it is possible to maintain a constant cooling capacity.

As shown in FIG. 8, the remote controller 3 of the air conditioner includes a plurality of keys 220 and a display unit 210. Data input through the plurality of keys 220 is transmitted from the remote controller 3 to the indoor unit 1, and the indoor unit sets the operation of the air conditioner in response to the received data.

The display unit 210 of the remote controller 3 displays the setting of the current air conditioner and displays data or menus corresponding to key input.

When the generator mode key 221 is selected from among the plurality of keys 220, the indoor unit 1 receives the data accordingly and sets the generator mode, and sets the reference value according to the power consumption as described above. Accordingly, the outdoor unit 2 controls the operation of the compressor.

As shown in FIG. 9, the air conditioner is connected to a power source (S310), and an operation mode of the air conditioner is set (S320). At this time, the air conditioner receives power from the generator.

Operation setting of the air conditioner is input, the mode for the power source connected to the air conditioner, that is, the generator mode is set (S320).

When the generator mode is set, the controller 110 sets a reference value (first reference value) for limiting power consumption (S330). In this case, the reference value is set based on the maximum power consumption of the air conditioner, and may vary according to the capacity of the air conditioner and the capacity of the generator to which the air conditioner is connected.

The controller 110 sets a reference value in the range of 60 to 80% of the maximum power consumption of the air conditioner. For example, when the capacity of the air conditioner is 1KW, the controller 110 may set the reference value to 600W.

The controller 110 sets a second reference value lower than the first reference value to control the power consumption not to exceed the reference value, so that the operation control is performed based on the second reference value. In addition, at this time, the second reference value is set to a value lower than the reference value, thereby forming the second area B of FIG. 5, that is, the second reference value or more and less than the first reference value.

The controller 110 starts operation of the air conditioner according to the input setting (S340). According to a setting, the driving unit 130 of the outdoor unit 2 controls the compressor 191, and as the refrigerant is circulated, the air heat-exchanged in the heat exchanger is discharged to the room.

The voltage detection unit 140 measures the voltage from the power supply unit 120 (S350). In this case, the voltage sensing unit 140 measures the input voltage of the power supply unit 120 or the voltage of the DC link unit 123 and applies it to the control unit 110.

The controller 110 calculates the power consumption of the air conditioner in response to the voltage measured by the voltage detector 140. The controller 110 calculates power by multiplying the measured voltage by a current. The power calculated at this time is the apparent power of the air conditioner. In some cases, the controller 110 may calculate the effective power by multiplying the power factor by the voltage and the current to use the power of the air conditioner.

The controller 110 compares the calculated power consumption with a reference value.

As described above, the controller 110 compares the power consumption with the second reference value that is set lower than the first reference value to form the second area B of FIG. 5 (S370). If the power consumption is less than the second reference value, the controller 110 applies a control command to the driver 130 to control the operation frequency of the compressor to increase (S380).

On the other hand, when the power consumption is greater than or equal to the second reference value, the controller 110 compares the power consumption with the first reference value (S390).

When the power consumption is greater than or equal to the second reference value and less than the first reference value, the controller 110 applies a control command to the driver 130 to maintain the current value of the compressor 191 (S410).

In addition, when the power consumption reaches the first reference value, the controller 110 applies a control command to the driver 130 to reduce the operating frequency of the compressor (S400). In this case, the controller 110 controls the power consumption of the air conditioner not to exceed the first reference value, but in some cases, if the first reference value is exceeded, the control unit 110 immediately reduces the operating frequency of the compressor to reduce the power consumption.

The controller 110 calculates power consumption by periodically receiving a voltage from the voltage sensing unit 140 until an operation stop command is input (S420), and controls the operating frequency of the compressor 191 accordingly (S350 to). S410).

When the driving stop command is input, the controller 110 stops driving (S430).

Accordingly, the air conditioner operates while controlling the power consumption so as not to exceed the set reference value, thereby preventing the connected power supply, that is, the generator from being overloaded, and enabling continuous operation.

Although all elements constituting the embodiments of the present invention are described as being combined into one operation, the present invention is not necessarily limited to these embodiments. Within the scope of the present invention, depending on the embodiment, all the components may operate selectively in combination with one or more.

The above description is merely illustrative of the technical idea of the present invention, and those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains may make various modifications and changes without departing from the essential characteristics of the present invention.

Claims

A power supply unit connected to the generator to receive the generator power and rectify and smooth the power supply to supply the DC power;

A voltage sensing unit measuring a voltage of a DC power source of the power unit;

A driving unit controlling the driving of the compressor; And

Recognize the operation mode for the generator power to set the generator mode,

And a controller configured to control an operation frequency of the compressor through the driving unit so that power consumption of the air conditioner calculated from the voltage does not exceed a reference value for the generator mode when the generator mode is set.
The method of claim 1,

The controller calculates power consumption of the air conditioner from the voltage measured by the voltage sensing unit, and controls the operating frequency of the compressor so that the calculated power consumption does not exceed the reference value. Conditioner.
The method of claim 1,

The control unit is characterized in that for controlling the operation so as not to exceed the maximum operating frequency by changing the maximum operating frequency of the compressor in response to the power consumption.
The method of claim 1,

The control unit calculates the power consumption by multiplying the current and the power factor by the voltage measured by the voltage sensing unit.
The method of claim 1,

The control unit, when setting the generator mode, the air conditioner, characterized in that for setting the reference value corresponding to the maximum power consumption of the air conditioner.
The method of claim 5,

The control unit is characterized in that for setting the reference value in the range of 60 to 80 percent of the maximum power consumption of the air conditioner.
The method of claim 1,

And detecting means for automatically recognizing the generator power according to the total harmonic distortion of the generator power.

And the control unit automatically sets the operation mode to the generator mode in response to a signal from the sensing means.
The method of claim 7, wherein

A communication unit configured to receive the data from a remote controller for inputting data on an operation setting of the air conditioner; And

The control unit recognizes data corresponding to the generator mode key of the remote control through the communication unit, characterized in that for setting the generator mode.
The method of claim 1,

An input unit for inputting an operation setting; More,

And setting the generator mode in response to a key input of the input unit.
The method of claim 2,

The controller may further set a second reference value lower than the reference value when setting the generator mode.

And the operating frequency of the compressor is limited if the power consumption is equal to or greater than the second reference value.
The method of claim 10,

The controller calculates the calculated power consumption,

When the frequency is less than the second reference value, the operating frequency of the compressor is controlled to increase.

And if the second reference value is greater than or equal to the reference value, controlling the operation frequency of the compressor to be maintained.
The method of claim 10,

The controller calculates the calculated power consumption,

And the reference value controls the operation frequency of the compressor to decrease.
The method of claim 1,

The power supply unit includes a power input unit for inputting any one of the generator and commercial power;

Rectifier for rectifying the input power;

It includes a DC link portion for smoothing the rectified power supply,

And the voltage sensing unit measures a voltage of the DC link unit and inputs the voltage to the controller.
Recognizing an operation mode for power input from a generator and setting a generator mode;

Calculating a power consumption of an air conditioner by measuring the voltage of the power source;

Controlling an operating frequency of a compressor such that the power consumption does not exceed a reference value according to the generator mode; And

And maintaining operation for a predetermined time or more while the power consumption does not exceed the reference value.
The method of claim 14,

And controlling the operating frequency of the compressor to increase or decrease in steps by comparing the power consumption with the reference value.
The method of claim 14,

If the power consumption is less than the second reference value, which is set lower than the reference value, increasing the operating frequency of the compressor;

Maintaining an operating frequency of the compressor when the power consumption is greater than or equal to the second reference value and less than the reference value; And

If the power consumption is the reference value, controlling the operation frequency of the compressor further comprising the step of controlling the air conditioner.
The method of claim 14,

Changing the maximum operable operating frequency of the compressor while the power consumption does not exceed the reference value; And

And controlling not to exceed the maximum operating frequency.
The method of claim 14,

And controlling the generator mode in response to data input from a remote controller or an input unit.
The method of claim 14,

Analyzing the waveform of the power input from the generator and detecting that the power input according to the total harmonic distortion is generator power;

The control method of the air conditioner, characterized in that for setting the generator mode by receiving a signal according to the generator power.