Apparatus for controlling operation of air conditioner

Abstract

An apparatus for controlling operation of an air conditioner having a compressor for compressing refrigerant and a heat exchanger for heat-exchanging refrigerant with ambient air, includes a temperature sensor installed on a passage through which refrigerant passes, for detecting a temperature of refrigerant; and a control unit connected to the temperature sensor, for controlling the operation of the compressor in response to the temperature detected by the temperature sensor. Accordingly, an overload of the compressor is determined on the basis of a temperature of refrigerant, which is detected by the temperature sensor, so that an effective compressor overload response can be made.

1 . An apparatus for controlling operation of an air conditioner having a compressor for compressing refrigerant and a heat exchanger for heat-exchanging refrigerant with ambient air, comprising: 
 a temperature sensor installed on a passage through which refrigerant passes, for detecting a temperature of refrigerant; and    a control unit connected to the temperature sensor, for controlling the operation of the compressor in response to the temperature detected by the temperature sensor.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature sensor is installed in the heat exchanger.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the heat exchanger includes a heat transfer pipe guiding refrigerant and a plurality of heat transfer fins disposed around the heat transfer pipe and expanding a heat transfer area, and the temperature sensor is installed at the heat transfer pipe.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the heat transfer pipe includes a plurality of straight pipes and a plurality of curved pipes alternately connecting the straight pipes, and the temperature sensor is installed at the curved pipe.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein a sensor housing where the temperature sensor is separably installed is mounted at the heat exchanger.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the sensor housing is formed as a cylindrical shape, and is coupled to a heat transfer pipe through which refrigerant passes in the heat exchanger.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature sensor is installed at a discharge pipe through which refrigerant is discharged from the compressor.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein a sensor housing where the temperature sensor is separably installed is mounted at the discharge pipe.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the sensor housing is formed as a plate shape bent so as to provide a space in which the temperature sensor is inserted, and both sides of the sensor housing is coupled to the discharge pipe.  
   
   
       10 . An apparatus for controlling operation of an air conditioner having a compressor for compressing refrigerant and a heat exchanger for heat-exchanging refrigerant with ambient air, comprising: 
 a first temperature sensor installed in the heat exchanger, for detecting a temperature of refrigerant passing through the heat exchanger;    a second temperature sensor installed at a discharge pipe through which refrigerant is discharged from the compressor, for detecting a temperature of refrigerant passing through the discharge pipe; and    a control unit connected to the first and second temperature sensors, for controlling operation of the compressor in response to the temperatures detected by the first and second temperature sensors.    
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein first and second sensor housings in which the first and second temperature sensors are respectively and separably installed are mounted at the heat exchanger and the discharge pipe, respectively.  
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the first and second sensor housings are respectively formed as a cylindrical shape, and are respectively coupled to a heat transfer pipe for passing refrigerant in the heat exchanger and to the discharge pipe.  
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the first and second sensor housings are respectively formed as a plate shape bent so as to provide spaces in which the temperature sensors are inserted respectively, and are coupled to a heat transfer pipe for passing refrigerant in the heat exchanger and to the discharge pipe, respectively.  
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein a plurality of compressors are connected in parallel to each other, and at least one of the compressors is a variable speed compressor.