Air conditioner and controlling method thereof

Abstract

An air conditioner may include: a compressor, an indoor heat exchanger; an indoor temperature sensor configured to detect an indoor temperature; an outdoor temperature sensor configured to detect an outdoor temperature; an indoor humidity sensor configured to detect an indoor humidity; a heat exchanger temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the indoor heat exchanger; and a controller, comprising circuitry, configured to determine a dew point temperature based on the detected indoor temperature and the detected indoor humidity, determine a temperature of discharge air based on the determined dew point temperature, the detected temperature of the indoor heat exchanger, and the outdoor temperature, and determine whether to perform an anti-dew protection operation based on the determined dew point temperature and the temperature of the discharge air.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An air conditioner, comprising:
 a compressor;   an indoor heat exchanger;   an indoor temperature sensor configured to detect an indoor temperature;   an outdoor temperature sensor configured to detect an outdoor temperature;   an indoor humidity sensor configured to detect an indoor humidity;   a heat exchanger temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the indoor heat exchanger; and   a controller, comprising circuitry, configured to:   determine a dew point temperature based on the detected indoor temperature and the detected indoor humidity,   determine a temperature of discharge air based on the determined dew point temperature, the detected temperature of the indoor heat exchanger, and the outdoor temperature, and   determine whether to perform an anti-dew protection operation based on the determined dew point temperature and the temperature of the discharge air.   
     
     
         2 . The air conditioner of  claim 1 , wherein the anti-dew protection operation includes raising the temperature of the discharge air above the dew point temperature. 
     
     
         3 . The air conditioner of  claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to perform the anti-dew protection operation, based on an operation time of a wind-free operation mode being equal to or greater than a first time and a value obtained by subtracting the determined dew point temperature from the determined temperature of the discharge air being less than a reference value. 
     
     
         4 . The air conditioner of  claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to perform a first mode in which an operating frequency of the compressor is reduced to a first frequency lower than a reference frequency for the anti-dew protection. 
     
     
         5 . The air conditioner of  claim 4 , wherein the controller is configured to end the anti-dew protection operation, based on the value obtained by subtracting the determined dew point temperature from the determined temperature of the discharge air being equal to or greater than the reference value after performing the first mode. 
     
     
         6 . The air conditioner of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a blade; and   an indoor fan,   wherein the controller is configured to perform a second mode in which the blade is opened, a rotation speed of the indoor fan is increased from a reference speed by a specified speed, and the operating frequency of the compressor is increased to the reference frequency for the anti-dew protection, based on the first mode being maintained for a second time or more.   
     
     
         7 . The air conditioner of  claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to end the anti-dew protection operation, based on the value obtained by subtracting the determined dew point temperature from the determined temperature of the discharge air being equal to or greater than the reference value after performing the second mode. 
     
     
         8 . The air conditioner of  claim 6 , wherein the specified speed is set based on an input. 
     
     
         9 . The air conditioner of  claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to perform the first mode, based on the detected indoor temperature being equal to or less than a specified temperature after performing the second mode. 
     
     
         10 . A method for controlling an air conditioner comprising a compressor, an indoor heat exchanger, an indoor temperature sensor configured to detect an indoor temperature, an outdoor temperature sensor configured to detect an outdoor temperature, an indoor humidity sensor configured to detect an indoor humidity, and a heat exchanger temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the indoor heat exchanger, the method comprising:
 determining a dew point temperature based on the detected indoor temperature and the detected indoor humidity;   determining a temperature of discharge air based on the determined dew point temperature, the detected temperature of the indoor heat exchanger, and the outdoor temperature; and   determining whether to perform an anti-dew protection operation based on the determined dew point temperature and the temperature of the discharge air.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the anti-dew protection operation includes raising the temperature of the discharge air above the dew point temperature. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the determining of whether to perform the anti-dew protection operation comprises performing the anti-dew protection operation, based on an operation time of a wind-free operation mode being equal to or greater than a first time and a value obtained by subtracting the determined dew point temperature from the determined temperature of the discharge air being less than a reference value. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the performing of the anti-dew protection operation comprises performing a first mode in which an operating frequency of the compressor is reduced to a first frequency lower than a reference frequency for the anti-dew protection. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the determining of whether to perform the anti-dew protection operation comprises ending the anti-dew protection operation, based on the value obtained by subtracting the determined dew point temperature from the determined temperature of the discharge air being equal to or greater than the reference value after performing the first mode. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the air conditioner further comprises:
 a blade; and   an indoor fan,   wherein the performing of the anti-dew protection operation comprises performing a second mode in which the blade is opened, a rotation speed of the indoor fan is increased from a reference speed by a specified speed, and the operating frequency of the compressor is increased to the reference frequency for the anti-dew protection, based on the first mode being maintained for a second time or more.