Air conditioner with multiple fans and related control method
An air conditioner includes an outdoor unit, and a plurality of indoor units connected with a refrigerant pipe through which a refrigerant sent from the outdoor unit flows. Each indoor unit includes a refrigerant circuit in which at least an indoor heat exchanger is connected to the refrigerant pipe, an operation controller configured to control the refrigerant circuit according to an operating state, a sensor configured to measure an indoor environment, and a plurality of indoor fans configured to blow air to the indoor heat exchanger. Further, during a dehumidifying operation, the operation controller is configured to control the plurality of indoor fans respectively at different rotation speeds based on a result of the measurement by the sensor.
1 . An air conditioner comprising:
a humidity sensor configured to measure an indoor humidity;
one outdoor unit;
at least two indoor units connected with a refrigerant pipe through which a refrigerant sent from the one outdoor unit flows; and
a temperature sensor configured to measure an indoor temperature,
wherein each of the at least two indoor units comprises:
a refrigerant circuit in which at least an evaporator is connected to the refrigerant pipe;
an operation controller configured to control the refrigerant circuit according to an operating state; and
at least two indoor fans configured to blow air to the evaporator,
wherein each of the operation controllers is configured to
determine whether the indoor humidity measured by the humidity sensor is equal to or lower than a first preset humidity threshold,
determine whether the indoor humidity measured by the humidity sensor is equal to or lower than a second preset humidity threshold lower than the first preset humidity threshold,
during a dehumidifying operation, when the indoor humidity measured by the humidity sensor is equal to or lower than the second preset humidity threshold, perform a first controlling operation to control at least one indoor fan among a corresponding at least two indoor fans to not rotate, and
during the dehumidifying operation, when the indoor humidity measured by the humidity sensor is equal to or lower than the first preset humidity threshold and higher than the second preset humidity threshold, perform a second controlling operation to control at least one indoor fan among the corresponding at least two indoor fans to not rotate,
during the dehumidifying operation, when the indoor humidity measured by the humidity sensor is higher than the first preset humidity threshold, perform a third controlling operation to control the corresponding at least two indoor fans to rotate, and
wherein each of the operation controllers is configured to
determine whether the indoor temperature measured by the temperature sensor is equal to or lower than a second preset temperature threshold,
perform the first, second, and third controlling operations only when the indoor temperature is equal to or lower than the second preset temperature threshold.
2 . The air conditioner according to claim 1 , wherein
a first preset temperature threshold higher in temperature than the second preset temperature threshold is preset, and
the corresponding at least two indoor fans are divided into a first group of indoor fans and a second group of indoor fans, the first group of indoor fans including at least one first indoor fan from the corresponding at least two indoor fans, and second group of indoor fans including at least one second indoor fan from the corresponding at least two indoor fans, and
each of the operation controllers is configured to
when the indoor temperature measured by the temperature sensor is higher than the first preset temperature threshold, perform a fourth controlling operation to control each of the corresponding at least two indoor fans to rotate at a first rotation speed, and
when the indoor temperature measured by the temperature sensor is equal to or lower than the first preset temperature threshold and higher than the second preset temperature threshold, perform a fifth controlling operation to control the first group of indoor fans to rotate at the first rotation speed, and the second group of indoor fans to rotate at a second rotation speed lower than the first rotation speed.
3 . The air conditioner according to claim 1 , wherein
each of the operation controllers is configured to, after a predetermined period of time has elapsed, switch between an indoor fan controlled to rotate and an indoor fan controlled to stop rotating.
4 . The air conditioner according to claim 1 , wherein
at least one of the temperature sensor and the humidity sensor is provided in a place other than the at least two indoor units.
5 . The air conditioner according to claim 4 , further comprising:
one or more remote controllers each configured to operate a respective one of the at least two indoor units,
wherein the at least one of the temperature sensor and the humidity sensor is provided in the one or more remote controllers.
6 . The air conditioner according to claim 1 , wherein
each of the at least two indoor units comprises at least one of the temperature sensor and the humidity sensor.
7 . The air conditioner according to claim 1 , wherein
among the at least two indoor units connected to the one outdoor unit, at least a first indoor unit performs a cooling operation, and at least a second indoor unit performs the dehumidifying operation.
8 . The air conditioner according to claim 1 , wherein
the operation controller is configured to, after a predetermined period of time has elapsed, switch between an indoor fan controlled to rotate and an indoor fan controlled to stop rotating.
9 . A control method for an air conditioner comprising one outdoor unit and at least two indoor units, each of the at least two indoor units comprising at least two indoor fans, the control method comprising:
determining using an operation controller of one of the at least two indoor units, whether an indoor humidity is equal to or lower than a first preset humidity threshold,
determining, using the operation controller whether the indoor humidity is equal to or lower than a second preset humidity threshold lower than the first preset humidity threshold,
performing a first controlling operation to control at least one indoor fan among a corresponding at least two indoor fans in one of the at least two indoor units to not rotate in response to the operation controller determining that the indoor humidity is equal to or lower than the second preset humidity threshold during a dehumidifying operation,
wherein
a first preset temperature threshold and a second preset temperature threshold lower than the first preset temperature threshold are preset,
the corresponding at least two indoor fans are divided into a first group of indoor fans and a second group of indoor fans, the first group of indoor fans including at least one first indoor fan from the corresponding at least two indoor fans, and second group of indoor fans including at least one second indoor fan from the corresponding at least two indoor fans,
the first controlling operation is performed only when an indoor temperature is equal to or lower than the second preset temperature threshold, and
the control method further comprises:
performing a fourth controlling operation to control each of the corresponding at least two indoor fans to rotate at a first rotation speed in response to the indoor temperature being higher than the first preset temperature threshold.
10 . The control method according to claim 9 , further comprising:
after a predetermined period of time has elapsed, switching between an indoor fan controlled to rotate and an indoor fan controlled to stop rotating.
11 . The control method according to claim 9 , further comprising:
measuring the indoor humidity by a humidity sensor; and
measuring the indoor temperature by a temperature sensor,
wherein at least one of the humidity sensor and the temperature sensor is provided in a place other than the at least two indoor units.
12 . The control method according to claim 11 , further comprising:
the at least one of the humidity sensor and the temperature sensor is provided in one or more remote controllers each configured to operate a respective one of the at least two indoor units.
13 . The control method according to claim 9 , further comprising:
measuring the indoor humidity by a humidity sensor; and
measuring the indoor temperature by a temperature sensor,
wherein at least one of the humidity sensor and the temperature sensor is included in each of the at least two indoor units.
14 . The control method according to claim 9 , further comprising:
performing a cooling operation by at least a first indoor unit among the at least two indoor units connected to the one outdoor unit; and
performing the dehumidifying operation by at least a second indoor unit among the at least two indoor units.
15 . The control method according to claim 9 , further comprising:
after a predetermined period of time has elapsed, switching between an indoor fan controlled to rotate and an indoor fan controlled to stop rotating.
16 . The control method according to claim 9 , further comprising:
performing a second controlling operation to control at least one indoor fan among the corresponding at least two indoor fans to not rotate in response to the operation controller determining that the indoor humidity is equal to or lower than the first preset humidity threshold and higher than the second preset humidity threshold during the dehumidifying operation.
17 . The control method according to claim 9 , further comprising:
performing a third controlling operation to control the corresponding at least two indoor fans to rotate in response to the operation controller determining that the indoor humidity is higher than the first preset humidity threshold during the dehumidifying operation.
18 . The control method according to claim 9 , further comprising:
performing a fifth controlling operation to control the first group of indoor fans to rotate at the first rotation speed, and the second group of indoor fans to rotate at a second rotation speed lower than the first rotation speed in response to the indoor temperature being equal to or lower than the first preset temperature threshold and higher than the second preset temperature threshold.