Air conditioner and control method thereof

Abstract

Disclosed herein is an air conditioner and a control method thereof. The air conditioner includes: a housing including a base, a first heat exchanger disposed inside the housing and configured to exchange heat with outdoor air, a second heat exchanger disposed inside the housing and configured to exchange heat with indoor air, a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant for a heat exchange operation performed by the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger, a first fan disposed inside the housing and configured to move air along a flow path passing through the first heat exchanger, a drainage device configured to move condensed water condensed on the second heat exchanger inside the housing and collected in the base to the first heat exchanger, and a controller including at least one processor, comprising processing circuitry, individually and/or collectively, configured to, based on the stop of the operation of the compressor, control the drainage device to move the condensed water collected in the base to the first heat exchanger during a drainage time determined based on an operation time of the compressor, and to control the first fan to move air during the drainage time.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . An air conditioner comprising:
 a housing comprising a base;   a first heat exchanger disposed at least partially inside the housing and configured to exchange heat with outdoor air;   a second heat exchanger disposed at least partially inside the housing and configured to exchange heat with indoor air;   a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant for a heat exchange operation to be performed by the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger;   a first fan disposed at least partially inside the housing and configured to move air along a flow path passing through the first heat exchanger;   a water level sensor configured to detect a water level of condensed water collected in the base;   a scattering wheel configured to be rotatable inside the housing and configured to, based on rotation of the scattering wheel, scatter the condensed water collected in the base toward the first heat exchanger;   a wheel drive motor configured to rotate the scattering wheel; and   a controller, including at least one processor comprising processing circuitry, configured to:
 based on the water level of the condensed water collected in the base being less than a first water level, control the wheel drive motor to allow the scattering wheel to rotate at a first wheel rotation speed; 
 based on the water level of the condensed water collected in the base being greater than or equal to the first water level, control the wheel drive motor to allow the scattering wheel to rotate at a second wheel rotation speed greater than the first wheel rotation speed; and 
 control the first fan to move air. 
   
     
     
         22 . The air conditioner of  claim 21 , wherein
 based on the water level of the condensed water collected in the base being greater than or equal to a second water level that is greater than the first water level, at least one processor of the controller, individually or collectively, is configured to control the wheel drive motor to stop the scattering wheel.   
     
     
         23 . The air conditioner of  claim 21 , wherein
 at least one processor of the controller, individually or collectively, is configured to:   based on the water level of the condensed water collected in the base being less than the first water level, control the first fan to rotate at a first fan rotation speed; and   based on the water level of the condensed water collected in the base being greater than or equal to the first water level, control the first fan to rotate at a second fan rotation speed greater than the first fan rotation speed.   
     
     
         24 . The air conditioner of  claim 21 , wherein
 based on the water level of the condensed water collected in the base being greater than or equal to a second water level that is greater than the first water level, at least one processor of the controller, individually or collectively, is configured to control the first fan to stop.   
     
     
         25 . A method of controlling an air conditioner comprising a first heat exchanger configured to exchange heat with outdoor air; a second heat exchanger configured to exchange heat with indoor air; a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant; and a housing provided to accommodate the first heat exchanger, the second heat exchanger and the compressor, the method comprising:
 detecting a level of condensed water collected in the housing using the water level sensor disposed inside the housing;   based on the water level of the condensed water collected in the base being less than a first water level, rotating a scattering wheel at a first wheel rotation speed;   based on the water level of the condensed water collected in the base being greater than or equal to the first water level, rotating the scattering wheel to rotate at a second wheel rotation speed greater than the first wheel rotation speed; and   rotating a first fan to move air along a flow path passing through the first heat exchanger.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein further comprising:
 wherein the rotating the first fan to move air along the flow path passing through the first heat exchanger include:   based on the water level of the condensed water collected in the housing being less than the first water level, rotating the first fan at the first fan rotation speed, and   based on the water level of the condensed water collected in the housing being greater than or equal to the first water level, rotating the first fan at the second fan rotation speed greater than the first fan rotation speed.