Air conditioner and method for controlling the same

Abstract

An air conditioner and a method for controlling the same are disclosed herein. The air conditioner has a capillary tube equipped to a connecting tube which connects a suction pipe and a discharge pipe of a compressor and has an opening/closing valve equipped therein, thereby allowing pressure equilibrium between the suction pipe and the discharge pipe of a compressor to be maintained when the compressor stops operating, and allowing a discharge flux of the compressor to be appropriately controlled when a load is lower than a capacity of the controller under operation. As a result, the air conditioner does not require a separate bypass unit, thereby simplifying the construction of the air conditioner while minimizing the installation space thereof through omission of a separate bypass unit, leading to reduction in costs.

1 . An air conditioner, comprising: 
 at least one compressor for compressing a refrigerant;    an outdoor heat exchanger connected to a discharge pipe of the compressor for heat exchanging the refrigerant discharged from the discharge pipe with outdoor air;    an expansion mechanism for expanding the refrigerant discharged from the outdoor heat exchanger;    an indoor heat exchanger for heat exchanging the refrigerant having passed through the expansion mechanism with indoor air;    a pressure equilibrating member for connecting a suction pipe and the discharge pipe of the compressor and maintaining pressure equilibrium between the suction pipe and the discharge pipe of the compressor when the compressor stops operating; and    a pressure reducing member equipped to the pressure equilibrating member for reducing a pressure of the refrigerant flowing from the discharge pipe to the suction pipe.    
   
   
       2 . The air conditioner as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the pressure equilibrating member comprises a connecting tube for connecting the suction pipe and the discharge pipe of the compressor, and an opening/closing valve equipped to the connecting tube for opening/closing the connecting tube.  
   
   
       3 . The air conditioner as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the pressure reducing member comprises a capillary tube equipped to the connecting tube for reducing a pressure of the refrigerant discharged in a state of high temperature and high pressure gas from the compressor.  
   
   
       4 . The air conditioner as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the discharge pipe of the compressor is mounted with a backflow preventing member for preventing backflow of the discharged refrigerant.  
   
   
       5 . The air conditioner as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein the backflow preventing member comprises a check valve.  
   
   
       6 . The air conditioner as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein the at least one compressor comprises a plurality of compressors.  
   
   
       7 . The air conditioner as set forth in  claim 6 , further comprising: 
 a common accumulator for connecting the plurality of compressors.    
   
   
       8 . The air conditioner as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein suction pipes of the plurality of compressors are connected to a discharge part of the common accumulator.  
   
   
       9 . The air conditioner as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of compressors are constant speed compressors.  
   
   
       10 . An air conditioner, comprising: 
 at least one compressor for compressing a refrigerant;    an outdoor heat exchanger connected to a discharge pipe of the compressor for heat exchanging the refrigerant discharged from the discharge pipe with outdoor air;    an expansion mechanism for expanding the refrigerant discharged from the outdoor heat exchanger;    an indoor heat exchanger for heat exchanging the refrigerant having passed through the expansion mechanism with indoor air;    a connecting tube for connecting the suction pipe and the discharge pipe of the compressor;    an opening/closing valve equipped to the connecting tube for opening/closing the connecting tube; and    a capillary tube equipped to the connecting tube for reducing a pressure of the refrigerant discharged in a state of high temperature and high pressure gas from the compressor.    
   
   
       11 . The air conditioner as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the capillary tube is located ahead of the opening/closing valve within the connecting tube.  
   
   
       12 . The air conditioner as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein the discharge pipe of the compressor is mounted with a backflow preventing member for preventing the discharged refrigerant from flowing in reverse.  
   
   
       13 . The air conditioner as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein the backflow preventing member comprises a check valve.  
   
   
       14 . The air conditioner as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein the at least one compressor comprises a plurality of compressors.  
   
   
       15 . The air conditioner as set forth in  claim 14 , further comprising: 
 a common accumulator for connecting the plurality of compressors.    
   
   
       16 . The air conditioner as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein suction pipes of the plurality of compressors are connected to a discharge part of the common accumulator.  
   
   
       17 . The air conditioner as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of compressors are constant speed compressors.  
   
   
       18 . A method for controlling an air conditioner, comprising the steps of: 
 controlling a flux of a refrigerant in such a manner of periodically opening an opening/closing valve equipped to a connecting tube for connecting a suction pipe and a discharge pipe of a compressor, so as to reduce the flux of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor when a load is lower than a capacity of the compressor under operation; and    equilibrating pressure between the suction pipe and the discharge pipe of the compressor in such a manner of opening the opening/closing valve of the compressor so as to maintain pressure equilibrium therebetween when the compressor stops operating.    
   
   
       19 . The method as set forth in  claim 18 , wherein if a load is equal to or larger than a capacity of the compressor under operation, the opening/closing valve is closed.