Patent ID: 6779356
Filing Date: 2004-08-24
Classification: F25B

Abstract:
An apparatus for controlling an operation of an air conditioner having a plurality of compressors simultaneously or selectively operated according to a cooling/heating load for compressing a refrigerant so that the total refrigerant compression capacity of the operating compressors are variably changed, a condenser for condensing the refrigerant compressed by the compressors by heat-exchanging the refrigerant with air, an electronic expansion valve for expanding the refrigerant condensed by the condenser by decompressing the refrigerant, an evaporator for evaporating the refrigerant expanded by the electronic expansion valve by heat-exchanging the refrigerant with air, and a refrigerant pipe for connecting the compressors, the condenser, the electronic expansion valve, and the evaporator, comprising:a first temperature sensor, installed at the refrigerant pipe connected to the condenser, for measuring the temperature of the refrigerant; a second temperature sensor, installed at the refrigerant pipe connected to the evaporator, for measuring the temperature of the refrigerant; a third temperature sensor, installed at the refrigerant pipe connected to the compressors, for measuring the temperature of the refrigerant sucked into or discharged from the compressors; and a control unit for calculating the cooling/heating load according to the temperatures of the refrigerant measured by the first, second and third temperature sensors and a desirable target temperature set by a user, controlling the operation of the plural compressors according to the cooling/heating load, calculating minimum and maximum values of an opening degree of the electronic expansion valve according to the total refrigerant compression capacity of operating compressors selected from the plural compressors, and controlling the opening degree of the electronic expansion valve between the minimum and maximum values.