Method for controlling start-up operation of air conditioner

Abstract

A method for controlling a start-up operation of an air conditioner having a compressor and an indoor and an outdoor fan includes the steps of: (a) calculating indoor cooling/heating load; (b) calculating a reference operating frequency of the compressor; (c) driving the indoor and the outdoor fan during a first time period to thereby adjust pressure equilibrium between an indoor and an outdoor pressure; (d) driving the compressor during a preset time period while increasing an operating frequency of the; and (e) setting the operating frequency of the compressor to the reference operating frequency and driving the compressor. The operating frequency of the compressor is increased in a stepwise manner during the preset time period and kept to be lower than the reference operation frequency throughout the preset time period.

1 . A method for controlling a start-up operation of an air conditioner having a compressor and an indoor and an outdoor fan, the method comprising the steps of:
 (a) calculating indoor cooling/heating load based on an indoor temperature, an outdoor temperature and a difference between the indoor temperature and a target temperature;   (b) calculating a reference operating frequency of the compressor by using the calculated indoor cooling/heating load;   (c) driving the indoor and the outdoor fan during a first time period to thereby adjust pressure equilibrium between an indoor and an outdoor pressure, when an operation start signal of the air conditioner is inputted;   (d) driving the compressor during a preset time period while increasing in a stepwise manner an operating frequency of the compressor, wherein the operating frequency of the compressor is kept to be lower than the reference operation frequency throughout the preset time period; and   (e) setting the operating frequency of the compressor to the reference operating frequency and driving the compressor.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step (a) includes:
 (a1) measuring the indoor and the outdoor temperature and calculating the difference between the measured indoor temperature and the target temperature;   (a2) determining calibration coefficients for the indoor temperature, for the outdoor temperature and for the temperature difference, respectively, based on preset calibration coefficients; and   (a3) calculating the indoor cooling/heating load by using a preset cooling capacity, a preset heating capacity, and the determined calibration coefficients.   
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the operating frequency of the compressor is set to 0 Hz before driving the indoor and the outdoor fan in step (c). 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step (d) includes:
 (d1) setting the operating frequency of the compressor to a first frequency less than the reference operating frequency and driving the compressor during a second time period;   (d2) setting the operating frequency of the compressor to a second frequency in a range between the reference operating frequency and the first frequency and driving the compressor during a third time period; and   (d3) setting the operating frequency of the compressor to a third frequency in a range between the reference operating frequency and the second frequency and driving the compressor during a fourth time period.   
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the second frequency is a median between the reference operating frequency and the first frequency. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the third frequency is a median between the reference operating frequency and the second frequency. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein each of the first to fourth time period has an identical time duration. 
   
   
       8 . A method for controlling a start-up operation of an air conditioner having a compressor and an indoor and an outdoor fan, the method comprising the steps of:
 (a) calculating indoor cooling/heating load based on an indoor temperature, an outdoor temperature and a difference between the indoor temperature and a target temperature;   (b) calculating a reference operating frequency of the compressor by using the calculated indoor cooling/heating load;   (c) driving the indoor and the outdoor fan during a first time period to thereby adjust pressure equilibrium between an indoor and an outdoor pressure, when an operation start signal of the air conditioner is inputted;   (d) setting an operating frequency of the compressor to an initial operating frequency less than the reference operating frequency and driving the compressor during a second time period;   (e) setting the operating frequency of the compressor to a median between the reference operating frequency and the current operating frequency and driving the compressor during a third time period;   (f) repeating the step (e) by N times where N is a preset value and an integer greater than 1; and   (g) setting the operating frequency of the compressor to the reference operating frequency and driving the compressor.   
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the step (a) includes:
 (a1) measuring the indoor and the outdoor temperature and calculating the difference between the measured indoor temperature and the target temperature;   (a2) determining calibration coefficients for the indoor temperature, for the outdoor temperature and for the temperature difference, respectively, based on preset calibration coefficients; and   (a3) calculating the indoor cooling/heating load by using a preset cooling capacity, a preset heating capacity, and the determined calibration coefficients.   
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the operating frequency of the compressor is set to 0 Hz before driving the indoor and the outdoor fan in step (c). 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein each of the first to third time period has an identical time duration.