Air conditioner and method of controlling water supply module used therein

Abstract

An air conditioner includes 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 control unit connected to the supply valve, wherein, when the compressor stops driving, the control unit opens the supply valve in every first determination time period and supplies water to the water nozzle for a predetermined period of time.

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 control unit connected to the supply valve,   wherein, when the compressor stops driving, the control unit opens the supply valve in every first determination time period and supplies water to the water nozzle for a predetermined period of time.   
     
     
         2 . The air conditioner of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the water supply module includes a water filter unit 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 determination time period, and opens the supply valve again after a third determination time period.   
     
     
         3 . The air conditioner of  claim 2 , wherein the water filter unit includes a granular resin filter including a plurality of granular resin filter media accommodated therein. 
     
     
         4 . The air conditioner of  claim 2 , wherein the water supply module includes:
 a pressure reducing valve disposed between the supply valve and the discharge unit in the supply line; and   a drainage line connected between the water filter unit and the pressure reducing valve in the supply line, and including a drainage valve configured to open and close a passage for draining water in the discharge unit externally.   
     
     
         5 . The air conditioner of  claim 4 ,
 wherein the water supply module includes 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 drainage valve is opened while the supply valve is closed during drainage through the drainage line, the control unit opens the air check valve.   
     
     
         6 . The air conditioner of  claim 4 ,
 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 discharge unit, and   wherein, when the drainage valve is opened while the supply valve is closed during drainage through the drainage line, the control unit opens the first air check valve and the second air check valve.   
     
     
         7 . The air conditioner of  claim 1 , wherein, when driving of the compressor ends, the control unit maintains the supply valve to be in an open state for a fourth determination time period shorter than the first determination time period, and closes the supply 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 to a heat exchanger through a water nozzle of a water supply module;   a driving end operation of ending driving of the compressor; and   a supply operation of supplying water to the water nozzle for a predetermined period of time every first determination time period after the driving end operation.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the water supply operation is performed when the compressor is restarted for less than the first determination time period after the driving end operation. 
     
     
         10 . 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 water filter unit including a granular resin filter medium accommodated therein is disposed, and cutting water off after the driving start operation and the water supply operation. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein, in the initial driving operation, water is supplied to the supply line after the driving start operation, water is cut off after a second determination time period, and the water supply operation is performed after a third determination time period. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the method further includes a cooling operation of maintaining the water supply operation for a fourth determination time period shorter than the first time period.