Air conditioner
An air conditioner is provided that includes an evaporator, an expansion valve, a compressor, and an evaporative condenser through which refrigerant circulates. The air conditioner further includes an outdoor unit in which the evaporative condenser is disposed; an indoor unit in which the evaporator is disposed; and a control unit connected to the indoor unit and the outdoor unit; wherein the evaporative condenser includes a cooling flow path through which a refrigerant passes and a condenser injection water module providing water to the cooling flow path, the outdoor unit includes a first control valve for controlling water supplied to the condenser injection water module, and the control unit is connected to the first control valve and the evaporative condenser, and changes the amount of water supplied through the first control valve according to operating conditions.
1 . An air conditioner including an evaporator, an expansion valve, a compressor, and an evaporative condenser through which refrigerant circulates, the air conditioner comprising:
an outdoor unit in which the evaporative condenser is disposed;
an indoor unit in which the evaporator is disposed; and
a controller connected to the indoor unit and the outdoor unit;
wherein the evaporative condenser includes a cooling flow path through which the refrigerant passes and a condenser water injector, water supplied to the condenser water injector being sprayed onto the cooling flow path to cool the refrigerant,
wherein the outdoor unit includes a first control valve for controlling water supplied to the condenser water injector,
wherein the controller is connected to the first control valve and changes an amount of water supplied through the first control valve according to operating conditions,
wherein the controller controls opening and closing of the first control valve according to an opening and closing pattern in which the first control valve is opened for a certain period of time and closed for a certain period of time to change the amount of water supplied through the first control valve, the opening and closing pattern is such that, when the amount of water supplied is N % of the maximum cooling load, an opening time t 1 of the first control valve is set to N*0.1 seconds, and a closing time t 2 of the first control valve is set to 10-t 1 seconds, thereby periodically changing the opening time t 1 and the closing time t 2 of the first control valve,
wherein the outdoor unit includes a first temperature and humidity sensor that measures temperature and humidity of the evaporative condenser, the first temperature and humidity sensor being connected to the controller, and
wherein the controller further adjusts the opening and closing pattern based on the measured value of the first temperature and humidity sensor,
wherein the controller controls the first control valve only to open or close, and the first control valve is fully open when opened.
2 . The air conditioner of claim 1 , wherein the outdoor unit includes an evaporative cooler having a dry channel, a wet channel disposed to exchange heat with the dry channel, and a cooler water injector, a first inlet flow path through which outside air flows into the dry channel, a second inlet flow path through which outside air flows into the dry channel, and a second control valve that controls the water supplied to the cooler water injector, water supplied to the cooler water injector being sprayed onto the wet channel,
wherein the controller is connected to the first and second control valves and controls opening and closing of at least one of the first and second control valves to change the amount of water supplied through the at least one of the first and second control valves according to operating conditions.
3 . The air conditioner of claim 2 , wherein the controller controls opening and closing of the at least one of the first and second control valves according to an opening and closing pattern in which the at least one of the first and second control valves is opened for a predetermined time and then closed for a predetermined time to change the amount of water supplied through the at least one of the first and second control valves,
the opening and closing pattern is such that, when the amount of water supplied is N % of the maximum cooling load, the opening time t 1 of the first and second control valves is set to N*0.1 seconds, and the closing time t 2 of the first and second control valves is set to 10-t 1 seconds, thereby periodically changing the opening time t 1 and the closing time t 2 of the first and second control valves.
4 . The air conditioner of claim 3 , wherein the outdoor unit further comprises a dehumidifying rotor disposed before the evaporative cooler on the second inlet flow path, and dehumidifying incoming air; and
a heater placed before the dehumidifying rotor on a regeneration flow path through which the air for regenerating the dehumidifying rotor passes to heat the air;
wherein the dehumidification rotor is disposed over the regeneration flow path and the second inlet flow path, and the second inlet flow path passes through the evaporative cooler and then branches into an indoor supply flow path connected to the indoor unit and a condenser supply flow path connected to the evaporative condenser.
5 . The air conditioner of claim 3 , wherein the controller controls opening and closing of the at least one of the first and second control valves only by opening or closing the at least one of the first and second control valves.
6 . The air conditioner of claim 4 , wherein the outdoor unit includes a first temperature and humidity sensor that measures temperature and humidity of the first inlet flow path of the evaporative cooler and a second temperature and humidity sensor that measures temperature and humidity of an outlet of the dry channel of the evaporative cooler, the first and second temperature and humidity sensors are connected to the controller, and wherein the controller further adjusts the opening and closing pattern based on the measured value of at least one of the first and second temperature and humidity sensors.
7 . The air conditioner of claim 4 , wherein the controller operates in a plurality of operation modes,
wherein the operation modes include a cooling mode and a cooling ventilation mode,
wherein in the cooling mode, the controller controls outside air to pass through the evaporative condenser, the evaporative cooler, and the dehumidification rotor, and
wherein in the cooling ventilation mode, the controller controls supply of indoor air to the wet channel of the evaporative cooler and part of the air passing through the dry channel of the evaporative cooler to the indoor unit.
8 . The air conditioner of claim 6 , wherein the controller changes the opening and closing pattern to a predetermined pattern based on whether the measured value of at least one of the first temperature and humidity sensor and the second temperature and humidity sensor exceeds a threshold value.
9 . The air conditioner of claim 8 , wherein the controller controls opening and closing of the first and second control valves based on, respectively, the amount of water required by the evaporative cooler for the measured value of the first temperature and humidity sensor relative to the amount provided by the cooler water injector, and the amount of water required by the evaporative condenser for the measured value of the second temperature and humidity sensor relative to the amount of water provided by the condenser water injector.
10 . An air conditioner including an evaporator, an expansion valve, a compressor, and an evaporative condenser through which refrigerant circulates, the air conditioner comprising:
an outdoor unit in which the evaporative condenser is disposed;
an indoor unit in which the evaporator is disposed; and
a controller connected to the indoor unit and the outdoor unit,
wherein the evaporative condenser includes a cooling flow path through which the refrigerant passes and a condenser water injector, water supplied to the condenser water injector being sprayed onto the cooling flow path to cool the refrigerant,
wherein the outdoor unit includes a first control valve for controlling water supplied to the condenser water injector;
an evaporative cooler including a dry channel, a wet channel arranged to heat exchange with the dry channel, a cooler water injector, and an inlet flow path through which outside air flows into the dry channel is connected, water supplied to the cooler water injector being sprayed onto the wet channel; and a first temperature and humidity sensor that measures the temperature and humidity at an inlet of the evaporative cooler or a second temperature and humidity sensor that measures an outlet side of the dry channel of the evaporative cooler,
wherein the controller is connected to the first control valve, and controls opening and closing of the first control valve to change an amount of water supplied through the first control valve according to operating conditions,
wherein the outdoor unit further includes a second control valve for adjusting the water supplied to the cooler water injector, and
wherein the controller controls opening and closing of the second control valve according to an opening and closing pattern based on the measured value of the first temperature and humidity sensor or the second temperature and humidity sensor,
wherein the controller controls opening and closing of the second control valve according to the opening and closing pattern opening in which the second control valve is opened for a certain period of time and closed for a certain period of time to change the amount of water supplied through the second control valve,
the opening and closing pattern is such that, when the amount of water supplied is N % of the maximum cooling load, an opening time t 1 of the second control valve is set to N*0.1 seconds, and a closing time t 2 of the second control valve is set to 10-t 1 seconds, thereby periodically changing the opening time t 1 and the closing time t 2 of the second control valve, wherein the controller controls the first and second control valves only to open or close, and the first and second control valves are fully open when opened.
11 . An outdoor unit of an air conditioner, comprising:
an evaporative condenser including a cooling flow path through which a refrigerant passes to condense the passing refrigerant and a condenser water injector, water supplied to the condenser water injector being sprayed onto the cooling flow path to cool the refrigerant;
a first control valve that adjusts water supplied to the condenser water injector;
a second temperature and humidity sensor disposed on an inlet side of the evaporative condenser to measure the temperature and humidity of the air supplied to the evaporative condenser; and
a controller connected to the second temperature and humidity sensor and the first control valve, wherein the controller controls opening and closing of the first control valve according to an opening and closing pattern based on the measured value of the second temperature and humidity sensor,
wherein the controller controls the opening and closing of the first control valve according to the opening and closing pattern only by opening or closing the first control valve,
wherein the controller controls opening and closing of the first control valve according to the opening and closing pattern in which the first control valve is opened for a certain period of time and closed for a certain period of time to change the amount of water supplied through the first control valve,
the opening and closing pattern is such that, when the amount of water supplied is N % of the maximum cooling load, an opening time t 1 of the first control valve is set to N*0.1 seconds, and a closing time t 2 of the first control valve is set to 10-t 1 seconds, thereby periodically changing the opening time t 1 and the closing time t 2 of the first control valve,
wherein the controller controls the first control valve to open or close, and the first control valve is fully open when opened.
12 . The outdoor unit of the air conditioner of claim 11 ,
wherein the controller changes the opening and closing pattern to a predetermined pattern based on whether the measured value of the second temperature and humidity sensor exceeds a predetermined value.