Air conditioner and method of controlling water supply module used therein

Abstract

An air conditioner including an evaporator through which a refrigerant circulates, an expansion valve, a compressor, an evaporative condenser, and a water supply module configured to spray water into the evaporative condenser is provided, wherein the water supply module includes a supply line connected to a water supply source and including a supply valve configured to open and close a passage through which water is supplied from the water supply source; a discharge unit connected to one end of the supply line and including a water nozzle configured to supply water to the evaporative condenser; a drainage line connected to the supply line and including a drainage valve configured to open and close a passage through which water in the discharge unit is discharged; and a control unit connected to the supply valve and the drainage valve, wherein, when the compressor stops driving, the control unit closes the supply valve and opens the drainage valve after a first time period.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An air conditioner including an evaporator through which a refrigerant circulates, an expansion valve, a compressor, an evaporative condenser, and a water supply module configured to spray water into the evaporative condenser,
 wherein the water supply module includes:   a supply line connected to a water supply source and including a supply valve configured to open and close a passage through which water is supplied from the water supply source;   a discharge unit connected to one end of the supply line and including a water nozzle configured to supply water to the evaporative condenser;   a drainage line connected to the supply line and including a drainage valve configured to open and close a passage through which water in the discharge unit is discharged; and   a control unit connected to the supply valve and the drainage valve,   wherein, when the compressor stops driving, the control unit closes the supply valve and opens the drainage valve after a first time period.   
     
     
         2 . The air conditioner of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the water supply module includes a supply line disposed between the supply valve and the discharge unit in the supply line, and   wherein, when the compressor starts driving, the control unit opens the supply valve, closes the supply valve after a second time period, and opens the supply valve again after a third time period.   
     
     
         3 . The air conditioner of  claim 2 , wherein the supply line includes a granular resin filter in which a plurality of granular filter media are accommodated therein. 
     
     
         4 . The air conditioner of  claim 1 , wherein, when the compressor stops driving, the control unit maintains the supply valve to be in an opened state for a fourth time period shorter than the first time period and closes the supply valve. 
     
     
         5 . The air conditioner of  claim 1 , wherein the water supply module includes a pressure reducing valve disposed between the supply valve and the discharge unit in the supply line. 
     
     
         6 . The air conditioner of  claim 5 ,
 wherein the water supply module provides an air check valve disposed between the supply valve and the pressure reducing valve in the supply line, and the air check valve provides atmospheric pressure into the supply line, and   wherein, when the compressor stops driving, and the control unit opens the drainage valve while the supply valve is closed after the first time period, the control unit opens the air check valve.   
     
     
         7 . The air conditioner of  claim 5 ,
 wherein the discharge unit includes at least one water supply pipe connected to one end of the supply line and including a plurality of the water nozzles disposed therein,   wherein the water supply module includes a first air check valve disposed between the supply valve and the pressure reducing valve in the supply line and a second air check valve disposed on an end of the water supply pipe, and   wherein, when the compressor ends driving, and the control unit opens the drainage valve while the supply valve is closed after the first time period, the control unit opens the first air check valve and the second air check valve.   
     
     
         8 . A method of controlling a water supply module, the method comprising:
 a driving start operation of starting driving of a compressor;   a water supply operation of spraying water through a water nozzle of a water supply module to a heat exchanger;   a driving end operation of ending driving of the compressor; and   a drainage operation of draining water in the water supply module after a first time period after the driving end operation.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the method further includes an initial driving operation of temporarily supplying water to a supply line of the water supply module in which a granular resin filter medium is accommodated, and cutting water off after the driving start operation and before the water supply operation. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein, in the initial driving operation, water is supplied to the supply line after the driving start operation, is cut off after a second time period, and flows into the water supply operation after a third time period. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the method further includes a cooling operation of maintaining the water supply operation for a fourth time period shorter than the first time period and being terminated after the driving end operation ends.