Method and apparatus for injecting water to an outdoor heat exchanger of an air conditioner

1 . An air conditioner comprising:

an outdoor unit comprising:

an outdoor heat exchanger; and

an injection device configured to inject water to the outdoor unit, the injection device including:

a water tank configured to store water,

a nozzle configured to inject the water stored in the water tank to the outdoor heat exchanger,

a communication interface,

a memory storing at least one instruction, and

at least one processor configured to execute the at least one instruction to:

obtain, through the communication interface, state information transmitted by the outdoor unit, wherein the obtained state information includes compressor operating frequency of the outdoor unit, and

control a water injection operation of the nozzle to inject water stored in the water tank to the outdoor heat exchanger, in accordance with the compressor operating frequency of the outdoor unit included in the obtained state information, such that

as the compressor operating frequency of the outdoor unit increases, the injection device increases a water injection time period or decreases a water injection cycle to increase an amount of water injection, and,

as the compressor operating frequency of the outdoor unit decreases, the injection device decreases the water injection time period or increases the water injection cycle to decrease the amount of water injection.

2 . The air conditioner of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the at least one instruction to:

obtain state information of an indoor unit of the air conditioner through the communication interface, and

control the water injection operation of the nozzle in accordance with the obtained state information of the outdoor unit and the obtained state information of the indoor unit.

3 . The air conditioner of claim 2 , further comprising:

a water-level sensor configured to measure a water level of water stored in the water tank, wherein

the obtained state information of the indoor unit includes at least one of indoor temperature information, target temperature information, or an amount of indoor dehumidification, and

the at least one processor is further configured to execute the at least one instruction to:

predict, in accordance with the at least one of the indoor temperature information, the target temperature information, or the amount of indoor dehumidification included in the obtained state information of the indoor unit, an amount of a condensate water supply per hour,

predict, in accordance with the measured water level of the water stored in the water tank and the predicted amount of the condensate water supply per hour, a change in the water level of the water stored in the water tank, and

control, in accordance with the predicted change in the water level of the water stored in the water tank, the water injection operation of the nozzle.

4 . The air conditioner of claim 3 , wherein

the at least one processor is further configured to execute the at least one instruction to:

in a case that the indoor unit is provided as a plurality of indoor units, predict, with respect to each indoor unit of the plurality of indoor units, an individual amount of a condensate water supply per hour, in accordance with the at least one of the indoor temperature information, the target temperature information, or the amount of indoor dehumidification included in the obtained state information of the indoor unit, and

identify the amount of the condensate water supply per hour by adding the predicted individual amount of the condensate water supply per hour with respect to each indoor unit of the plurality of indoor units.

5 . The air conditioner of claim 1 , wherein

the injection device further includes a water-level sensor configured to measure a water level of water stored in the water tank, and

the at least one processor is further configured to execute the at least one instruction to control the water injection operation of the nozzle in accordance with the measured water level of water stored in the water tank.

6 . The air conditioner of claim 1 , wherein the water tank includes a water receiver through which condensate water of an indoor unit of the air conditioner is received.

7 . The air conditioner of claim 1 , wherein

the obtained state information of the outdoor unit further includes at least one of outdoor temperature information or outdoor unit size information, and

the at least one processor is further configured to execute the at least one instruction to control the water injection operation of the nozzle in accordance with the at least one of the outdoor temperature information or the outdoor unit size information included in the obtained state information of the outdoor unit.

8 . The air conditioner of claim 1 , wherein

the injection device further includes a step motor configured to rotate the nozzle, and

the at least one processor is further configured to execute the at least one instruction to:

obtain size information of the outdoor unit,

determine a rotation angle of the nozzle in accordance with the obtained size information of the outdoor unit, and

control the step motor to rotate the nozzle in accordance with the determined rotation angle of the nozzle.

9 . The air conditioner of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the at least one instruction to:

obtain information about whether or not a compressor of the outdoor unit is in operation, and,

when the obtained information indicates that the compressor of the outdoor unit is in operation, perform the water injection operation.

10 . The air conditioner of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the at least one instruction to transmit, through the communication interface, to an indoor unit of the air conditioner, operation information of the outdoor unit.

11 . The air conditioner of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the at least one instruction to:

calculate a predicted amount of energy consumption reduction in accordance with the water injection operation, and

transmit, through the communication interface, to an indoor unit of the air conditioner, information about the predicted amount of energy consumption reduction.

12 . The air conditioner of claim 11 , wherein

the state information transmitted by the outdoor unit includes the compressor operating frequency and fan revolution per minute (RPM) of the outdoor unit, and

the at least one processor is further configured to execute the at least one instruction to:

obtain, in accordance with the compressor operating frequency and the fan RPM of the outdoor unit, the information about the predicted amount of energy consumption reduction, from a stored look-up table.

13 . The air conditioner of claim 1 , wherein

the injection device further includes a water-level sensor configured to measure a water level of water stored in the water tank, and

the at least one processor is further configured to execute the at least one instruction to:

operate in an indoor unit supply mode in which condensate water of an indoor unit of the air conditioner is supplied to the water tank or a water supply mode in which the water tank is connected to a water supply via a water supply valve to receive water from the water supply,

when the at least one processor operates in the indoor unit supply mode,

obtain indoor unit state information from the indoor unit through the communication interface,

predict, in accordance with the obtained indoor unit state information, the water level of the water stored in the water tank, and

control, in accordance with the predicted water level of the water stored in the water tank and the water level of water stored in the water tank measured by the water-level sensor, the water injection operation of the nozzle, and

when the at least one processor operates in the water supply mode,

control, in accordance with the water level of water stored in the water tank measured by the water-level sensor, opening and closing of the water supply valve to control water supplied to the water tank, and

control, in accordance with the water level of water stored in the water tank measured by the water-level sensor, the water injection operation of the nozzle.

14 . The air conditioner of claim 1 , wherein the injection device is outside of the outdoor unit.

15 . The air conditioner of claim 1 , wherein the injection device is in the outdoor unit.

16 . A controlling method of an air conditioner including an outdoor unit, the controlling method comprising:

obtaining state information transmitted by the outdoor unit, wherein the state information includes at least one of compressor operating frequency of the outdoor unit; and

controlling, in accordance with the compressor operating frequency of the outdoor unit included in the obtained state information, a water injection operation, performed by a nozzle of the outdoor unit, of injecting water stored in a water tank of the outdoor unit to an outdoor heat exchanger of the outdoor unit,

wherein the controlling the water injection operation comprises:

as the compressor operating frequency of the outdoor unit increases, increasing a water injection time period or decreasing a water injection cycle to increase an amount of water injection, and,

as the compressor operating frequency of the outdoor unit decreases, decreasing the water injection time period or increasing the water injection cycle to decrease the amount of water injection.

17 . The controlling method of claim 16 , further comprising:

obtaining state information of an indoor unit of the air conditioner; and

controlling the water injection operation of the nozzle based on the obtained state information of the indoor unit.

18 . The controlling method of claim 16 , further comprising:

transmitting, by the outdoor unit, operation information of the outdoor unit to an electronic device;

wherein the electronic device performs:

obtaining the operation information transmitted by the outdoor unit;

obtaining state information of the outdoor unit;

calculating, based on the obtained operation information and the obtained state information of the outdoor unit, information about an amount of energy consumption reduction according to the outdoor unit;

displaying the obtained operation information; and

displaying the calculated information about the amount of energy consumption reduction according to the outdoor unit.

19 . The controlling method of claim 18 , wherein

the obtained operation information includes at least one of information about whether or not the outdoor unit is in operation or information about a water level of water stored in the water tank of the outdoor unit,

the obtained state information of the outdoor unit includes the compressor operating frequency and fan revolution per minute (RPM) of the outdoor unit, and

the calculating of the information about the amount of energy consumption reduction includes:

obtaining, in accordance with the compressor operating frequency and the fan RPM of the outdoor unit included in the obtained state information of the outdoor unit, information about an amount of energy consumption reduction per hour, by using a look-up table, and

calculating the information about the amount of energy consumption reduction in accordance with an operation time period of the outdoor unit and the obtained information about the amount of energy consumption reduction per hour.