Ventilation system, integrated air conditioning system and control method thereof

Abstract

An integrated air conditioning system includes a ventilation device comprising a first temperature sensor, a first humidity sensor, and a heat exchanger installed on the inlet flow path. An indoor unit configured to discharge heat-exchanged air into an indoor space. An outdoor unit configured to supply a refrigerant to the ventilation device and the indoor unit. A controller connected to the ventilation device, the indoor unit, and the outdoor unit. The controller configured to obtain an indoor temperature from the first temperature or the second temperature sensor. The controller configured to obtain indoor humidity from the first humidity sensor or the second humidity sensor and configured to control at least one of the ventilation device and the indoor unit based on the indoor temperature and the indoor humidity.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An integrated air conditioning system comprising:
 an outdoor unit;   a refrigerant distributor configured to distribute a refrigerant supplied from the outdoor unit to an indoor unit and a ventilation device;   the ventilator including:
 a humidity sensor to detect an indoor humidity, 
 a first blower to flow outdoor air along an inlet flow path, the inlet flow path configured to guide the outdoor air to an indoor space, 
 a second blower to flow indoor air along an outlet flow path, the outlet flow path configured to guide the indoor air to an outdoor space, 
 a first heat exchanger in the inlet flow path and connected to the outdoor unit, and 
 a second heat exchanger in the inlet flow path and connected to the first heat exchanger; 
   the indoor unit including:
 a temperature sensor to detect an indoor temperature, and 
 an indoor heat exchanger, the indoor unit configured to discharge heat-exchanged air into the indoor space; and 
   a controller is configured to:
 control the refrigerant distributor to supply the refrigerant to the indoor unit based on the detect indoor temperature, and 
 control the refrigerant distributor to supply the refrigerant to the ventilator based on the detect indoor temperature and the detected indoor humidity. 
   
     
     
         2 . The integrated air conditioning system of  claim 1 , wherein
 the controller is further configured to:
 control the ventilator to operate in a first dehumidification mode, a second dehumidification mode or a ventilation mode based on the detect indoor temperature and the detected indoor humidity, and 
   the ventilator is configured to:
 cool and dehumidify the outdoor air by exchanging heat with at least the first heat exchanger in the first dehumidifying mode, 
 cool and dehumidify the outdoor air by exchanging heat with the second heat exchanger, and heat the air passing through the second heat exchanger by exchanging heat with the first heat exchanger in the second dehumidifying mode, and 
 block heat exchange between the outdoor air and the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger in the ventilation mode. 
   
     
     
         3 . The integrated air conditioning system of  claim 1 , wherein
 the controller is further configured to:
 operate the indoor unit based on the obtained indoor temperature being greater than or equal to a predetermined reference temperature, and 
 operate the ventilator based on the obtained indoor humidity being greater than or equal to a predetermined reference humidity. 
   
     
     
         4 . The integrated air conditioning system of  claim 2 , wherein
 the controller is further configured to:
 operate the ventilator in the first dehumidification mode to reduce both the indoor temperature and the indoor humidity, based on the detected indoor temperature being greater than a target temperature, and the detected indoor humidity being greater than a target humidity, and 
 operate the ventilator in the second dehumidification mode to maintain the indoor temperature and to reduce the indoor humidity, based on the detected indoor temperature being less than or equal to the target temperature, and the detected indoor humidity being greater than the target humidity. 
   
     
     
         5 . The integrated air conditioning system of  claim 2 , wherein
 the controller is further configured to:
 operate the ventilator in the ventilation mode to maintain both of the indoor temperature and the indoor humidity, based on the detected indoor temperature being less than or equal to a target temperature, and the detected indoor humidity being less than or equal to a target humidity. 
   
     
     
         6 . The integrated air conditioning system of  claim 1 , wherein
 the controller is further configured to:
 control an expansion valve provided inside the indoor unit to block a flow of the refrigerant from the outdoor unit to the indoor unit, based on the detected indoor temperature reaching a stop temperature less than a target temperature. 
   
     
     
         7 . The integrated air conditioning system of  claim 1 , wherein
 the humidity sensor of the ventilation device is a first humidity sensor, and the temperature sensor of the indoor unit is a first temperature sensor,   the ventilation device further includes a second temperature sensor,   the indoor unit further includes a second humidity sensor, and   the controller is further configured to:
 when the indoor unit is being operated, obtain the indoor temperature from the first temperature sensor and obtain the indoor humidity from the second humidity sensor, and 
 when operation of the indoor unit is stopped, obtain the indoor temperature from the second temperature sensor and obtain the indoor humidity from the first humidity sensor. 
   
     
     
         8 . The integrated air conditioning system of  claim 1 , wherein
 the ventilator further includes:
 a total heat exchanger at a point where the inlet flow path and the outlet flow path intersect and configured so that heat is exchanged between air flowing through the inlet flow path and air flowing through the outlet flow path, 
 a first expansion valve in a first refrigerant pipe connecting the first heat exchanger to the outdoor unit, and 
 a second expansion valve in a second refrigerant pipe connecting the second heat exchanger to the first heat exchanger. 
   
     
     
         9 . The integrated air conditioning system of  claim 8 , wherein
 the controller is further configured to:
 control the first expansion valve to expand the refrigerant flowing from the outdoor unit to the first heat exchanger, based on the obtained indoor temperature being greater than a target temperature, and the obtained indoor humidity being greater than a target humidity. 
   
     
     
         10 . The integrated air conditioning system of  claim 8 , wherein
 the controller is further configured to:
 control the second expansion valve to expand the refrigerant flowing from the first heat exchanger to the second heat exchanger, based on the obtained indoor temperature being less than or equal to a target temperature, and the obtained indoor humidity being greater than a target humidity. 
   
     
     
         11 . The integrated air conditioning system of  claim 8 , wherein
 the controller is further configured to:
 control the first expansion valve to block a flow of the refrigerant from the outdoor unit to the first heat exchanger, based on the obtained indoor temperature being less than or equal to a target temperature, and the obtained indoor humidity being less than or equal to a target humidity. 
   
     
     
         12 . The integrated air conditioning system of  claim 1 , wherein
 the controller further includes:
 a display to display operation information of the integrated air conditioning system, 
 an inputter configured to obtain a user input, and 
 a processor electrically connected to the display and the inputter, and configured to provide a control signal for each operation of the ventilator, the indoor unit, and the outdoor unit. 
   
     
     
         13 . A control method of an integrated air conditioning system comprising an outdoor unit, a refrigerant distributor configured to distribute a refrigerant supplied from the outdoor unit to an indoor unit and a ventilation device, the ventilator including a humidity sensor to detect an indoor humidity, a first blower to flow outdoor air along an inlet flow path, the inlet flow path configured to guide the outdoor air to an indoor space, a second blower to flow indoor air along an outlet flow path, the outlet flow path configured to guide the indoor air to an outdoor space, a first heat exchanger in the inlet flow path and connected to the outdoor unit, a second heat exchanger in the inlet flow path and connected to the first heat exchanger; the indoor unit including: a temperature sensor to detect the indoor temperature and an indoor heat exchanger, the indoor unit configured to discharge heat-exchanged air into the indoor space; and a controller, the control method comprising:
 obtaining the indoor temperature from the temperature sensor of the indoor unit;   obtaining the indoor humidity from the humidity sensor of the ventilator;   controlling the refrigerant distributor to supply the refrigerant to the indoor unit based on the detect indoor temperature; and   controlling the refrigerant distributor to supply the refrigerant to the ventilator based on the detect indoor temperature and the detected indoor humidity.   
     
     
         14 . The control method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 controlling the ventilator to operate in a first dehumidification mode, a second dehumidification mode or a ventilation mode based on the detect indoor temperature and the detected indoor humidity;   wherein the controlling of the ventilator includes:
 operating the ventilator in the first dehumidifying mode to cool and dehumidify the outdoor air by exchanging heat with at least the first heat exchanger, 
 operating the ventilator in the second dehumidifying mode to cool and dehumidify the outdoor air by exchanging heat with the second heat exchanger, and heat the air passing through the second heat exchanger by exchanging heat with the first heat exchanger, and 
 operating the ventilator in the ventilation mode to block heat exchange between the outdoor air and the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger. 
   
     
     
         15 . The control method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 controlling the indoor unit includes operating the indoor unit based on the obtained indoor temperature being greater than or equal to a predetermined reference temperature; and   controlling the ventilator includes operating the ventilator based on the obtained indoor humidity being greater than or equal to a predetermined reference humidity.   
     
     
         16 . The control method of  claim 14 , wherein
 the operating of the ventilator includes:
 operating the ventilator in the first dehumidification mode to reduce both the indoor temperature and the indoor humidity, based on the obtained indoor temperature being greater than a target temperature, and the obtained indoor humidity being greater than a target humidity, and 
 operating the ventilator in the second dehumidification mode to maintain the indoor temperature and to reduce the indoor humidity, based on the obtained indoor temperature being less than or equal to the target temperature, and the obtained indoor humidity being greater than the target humidity. 
   
     
     
         17 . The control method of  claim 14 , wherein
 the operating of the ventilator includes:
 operating the ventilator in the ventilation mode to maintain both of the indoor temperature and the indoor humidity, based on the obtained indoor temperature being less than or equal to a target temperature, and the obtained indoor humidity being less than or equal to a target humidity. 
   
     
     
         18 . The control method of  claim 17 , wherein
 the operating the ventilator in the ventilation mode includes:
 blocking a flow of refrigerant to the ventilator so that no refrigerant is supplied to either the first heat exchanger or the second heat exchanger. 
   
     
     
         19 . The control method of  claim 13 , wherein
 the humidity sensor of the ventilation device is a first humidity sensor,   the temperature sensor of the indoor unit is a first temperature sensor,   the ventilation device further includes a second temperature sensor,   the indoor unit further includes a second humidity sensor, and   the control method further includes:
 when the indoor unit is being operated, obtaining the indoor temperature from the first temperature sensor and obtain the indoor humidity from the second humidity sensor, and 
 when operation of the indoor unit is stopped, obtaining the indoor temperature from the second temperature sensor and obtain the indoor humidity from the first humidity sensor.