Air Conditioner Units Having Dehumidification Features

Abstract

Air conditioner units and methods for operating the same are provided. An air conditioner unit includes an outdoor heat exchanger and an indoor heat exchanger. The indoor heat exchanger includes a coil assembly, the coil assembly including a plurality of coil branches. The indoor heat exchanger further includes a valve in operable communication with one of the plurality of coil branches, the valve movable between an open position wherein refrigerant is flowable from the one of the plurality of coil branches through the valve and a closed position wherein refrigerant is prevented from flowing from the one of the plurality of coil branches through the valve. The air conditioner unit further includes a compressor in fluid communication with the outdoor heat exchanger and the indoor heat exchanger, and a controller in communication with the compressor and the valve, the controller configured to selectively open and close the valve.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An air conditioner unit, comprising:
 an outdoor heat exchanger disposed in an outdoor portion;   an indoor heat exchanger disposed in an indoor portion, the indoor heat exchanger comprising a coil assembly, the coil assembly comprising a plurality of coil branches, the indoor heat exchanger further comprising a valve in operable communication with one of the plurality of coil branches, the valve movable between an open position wherein refrigerant is flowable from the one of the plurality of coil branches through the valve and a closed position wherein refrigerant is prevented from flowing from the one of the plurality of coil branches through the valve;   a compressor in fluid communication with the outdoor heat exchanger and the indoor heat exchanger;   a bulkhead disposed between the outdoor heat exchanger and the indoor heat exchanger along a transverse direction, the bulkhead defining the indoor portion and the outdoor portion; and   a controller in communication with the compressor and the valve, the controller configured to selectively open and close the valve.   
     
     
         2 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 1 , further comprising a humidity sensor disposed within one of the indoor portion or outdoor portion, the controller further in communication with the humidity sensor. 
     
     
         3 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to close the valve when the compressor is active and a humidity level sensed by the humidity sensor is above a predetermined humidity threshold, and wherein the controller is configured to open the valve when the compressor is active and the humidity level is below the predetermined humidity threshold. 
     
     
         4 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 3 , wherein the predetermined humidity threshold is greater than or equal to 40% relative humidity. 
     
     
         5 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to close the valve and open the valve when the air conditioner unit is in a cooling mode. 
     
     
         6 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 1 , wherein the coil assembly comprises an inlet coil and a first plurality of coil branches, each of the first plurality of coil branches in fluid communication with the inlet coil. 
     
     
         7 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 6 , wherein the coil assembly further comprises a second plurality of coil branches, each of the second plurality of coil branches in fluid communication with one of the first plurality of coil branches. 
     
     
         8 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 7 , wherein the valve is in operable communication with one of the second plurality of coil branches. 
     
     
         9 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 8 , wherein the valve is a plurality of valves, each of the plurality of valves in operable communication with one of the second plurality of coil branches. 
     
     
         10 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 1 , wherein the coil assembly further comprises a manifold coil downstream of the plurality of coil branches. 
     
     
         11 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 1 , wherein the valve is a solenoid valve. 
     
     
         12 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 1 , wherein the valve is a plurality of valves. 
     
     
         13 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 1 , further comprising a vent aperture defined in the bulkhead. 
     
     
         14 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 13 , further comprising a fan disposed in the outdoor portion and in communication with the controller, the fan operable to actively flow air through the vent aperture. 
     
     
         15 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 14 , wherein the fan is constantly active when the air conditioner unit is operational. 
     
     
         16 . A method for operating an air conditioner unit, the method comprising:
 activating a compressor of the air conditioner unit, the compressor in communication with an indoor heat exchanger and an outdoor heat exchanger;   determining whether a humidity level is above a predetermined humidity threshold;   closing a valve when the humidity level is above a predetermined humidity threshold; and   opening the valve when the humidity level is below the predetermined humidity threshold,   wherein the valve is in operable communication with one of a plurality of coil branches of a coil assembly of the indoor heat exchanger.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the closing and opening steps occur when the air conditioner unit is in a cooling mode. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising activating a fan to flow air through a vent aperture defined in a bulkhead, the bulkhead disposed between the outdoor heat exchanger and the indoor heat exchanger along a transverse direction. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the humidity level is an outdoor humidity level. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the predetermined humidity threshold is greater than or equal to 40% relative humidity.