Lg Electronics Inc.

Eunjun Cho

Jihyeong Ryu

Minsoo Kim

Youngmin Lee

Yejin Kim

Pilhyun Yoon

Hojin Seo

Jungmin Park

Kiwoong Park

Hyungyul Yum

Seongho Hong

Yongcheol Sa

Junseong Park

Jiyoung Jang

Sungheon Ryu

Chiwoo Song

Ilyoong Shin

Dongkeun Yang

Beomsoo Seo

Cheolmin Kim

Daehyoung Kim

Ahrae Jo

Woojoo Choi

Eungsu Kim

Jusang Kim

An air conditioner, including a first compressor that compresses refrigerant; a second compressor that compresses the refrigerant; an indoor heat exchanger that performs heat exchange between the refrigerant and air; a first four-way valve connected to the first compressor; a first outdoor heat exchanger connected to the first four-way valve; a first valve connected to the first four-way valve; a second four-way valve connected to the second compressor; a second outdoor heat exchanger connected to the second four-way valve; a second valve connected to the second four-way valve; a first valve pipe that connects the first four-way valve and the second four-way valve; a second valve pipe that connects the first valve and the second valve; and a third four-way valve connected to the first valve pipe, the second valve pipe, the first compressor and the second compressor, and the indoor heat exchanger.

Air conditioner

A heat pump is provided that includes a first pipe in which a first refrigerant flows; a second pipe disposed at a side of the first pipe and in which a second refrigerant flows; a first heat exchanger connected with the first pipe and the second pipe and in which the first refrigerant exchanges heat with the second refrigerant; a boiler connected with the first pipe and in which the first refrigerant flows; a compressor connected with the second pipe and that compresses the second refrigerant; a second heat exchanger connected with the second pipe and in which the second refrigerant exchanges heat with outdoor air; a bypass pipe branched from first pipe and configured to exchange heat with the second heat exchanger; and a three-way valve that directs the first refrigerant to pass through the bypass pipe. When the outdoor heat exchanger operates as an evaporator, frost formation thereon may be prevented.

Heat pump

An air conditioner and a method for controlling an air conditioner. The method may include detecting an outlet temperature of a compressor; detecting a change in temperature of a hot water supply pipe; determining a system error based on the outlet temperature of the compressor; and determining an abnormality in an adjustment valve based on the temperature of the hot water supply pipe when a system error is determined.

An air conditioner is provided that includes a compressor that compresses a refrigerant; an accumulator that supplies the refrigerant to the compressor; a condenser that condenses the refrigerant discharged from the compressor; an expansion valve that expands the refrigerant having passed through the condenser; an evaporator that includes a heat exchange pipe through which the refrigerant having passed through the expansion valve flows, and that evaporates the refrigerant flowing through the heat exchange pipe; a gas-liquid separation pipe that connects a first point and a second point located between a first end and a second end of the heat exchange pipe; and a bypass pipe a first end of which is connected to the gas-liquid separation pipe and a second end of which is connected to the accumulator. The gas-liquid separation pipe includes a first portion a first end of which is connected to the first point and a second end of which is connected to one end of the bypass pipe; and a second portion that extends from the first point between the first end and the second end of the first portion, and is connected to the second point.

A heat pump and a control method thereof are provided. The heat pump includes an outdoor unit includes a compressor that compresses a first refrigerant, a first outdoor heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the first refrigerant and outdoor air, an expansion mechanism that expands the first refrigerant, and a second outdoor heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the first refrigerant and a second refrigerant; a first refrigerant pipe that connects the compressor, the first outdoor heat exchanger, and the expansion mechanism, and through which the first refrigerant flows; a pressure sensor disposed in the first refrigerant pipe; a second refrigerant pipe connected to the second outdoor heat exchanger, and through which the second refrigerant flows; an indoor heat exchanger that is disposed in the second refrigerant pipe, and exchanges heat between indoor air and the second refrigerant; and a controller that determines a supply of the second refrigerant by determining a flow rate of the second refrigerant based on surging occurring in a pressure of the first refrigerant measured by the pressure sensor, so that the flow rate of the second refrigerant flowing through the second refrigerant pipe is determined only by the pressure value of the first refrigerant measured by the pressure sensor disposed in the first pipe, thereby determining the flow rate of the second refrigerant without a separate flow sensor.

Heat pump and control method therefor

An air conditioner may include a case through which outdoor air flows into an indoor space is formed; a first heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the air and refrigerant; a second heat exchanger disposed downstream of the first heat exchanger, through which the refrigerant selectively flows, and that exchanges heat between the air and the refrigerant; a liquid pipe connected to each of the first and second heat exchangers; a high-pressure gas pipe connected to each of the first and second heat exchangers; a low-pressure gas pipe through which the gaseous refrigerant discharged from the first and second heat exchangers flows; a high-pressure gas pipe valve; a low-pressure gas pipe valve; an expansion valve installed in the liquid pipe; and a controller configured to control an opening degree of the low-pressure gas pipe valve, based on a temperature of the refrigerant flowing through the first heat exchanger.

A heat pump including a housing configured to be disposed outdoors; a compressor that compresses a refrigerant; a fluid refrigerant heat exchanger configured to perform heat exchange between the refrigerant and a fluid; an outdoor heat exchanger configured to perform heat exchange between the refrigerant and outdoor air; a pressure sensor configured to detect a pressure of the refrigerant flowing between the compressor and the fluid refrigerant heat exchanger; a first shut-off valve disposed in a pipe connected to a discharge of the compressor; a second shut-off valve disposed between the outdoor heat exchanger and the compressor; and a controller configured to: determine whether the refrigerant leaks, control the first shut-off valve to be closed, when the refrigerant leaks, and control the second shutoff valve to be closed, when the pressure sensed by the pressure sensor is less than a predetermined reference pressure.

Heat pump and method for operating a heat pump

A device is provided that may include a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant, a condenser configured to condense the compressed refrigerant, an expander configured to expand the refrigerant condensed by the condenser, an evaporator configured to evaporate the refrigerant expanded by the expander, a separation mechanism connected to an outlet pipe of the evaporator to separate liquid refrigerant and gaseous refrigerant discharged from the evaporator, a bypass pipe to guide the gaseous refrigerant separated from the liquid refrigerant to the compressor, a first pipe connected to the separation mechanism and through which the liquid refrigerant discharged from the separation mechanism flows, an accumulator connected to the first pipe to separate the gaseous refrigerant, which is not separated from the liquid refrigerant by the separation mechanism, from the liquid refrigerant and discharge the separated gaseous refrigerant, and a second pipe configured to guide the gaseous refrigerant discharged from the accumulator to the compressor.

Device having refrigerant cycle

A hybrid multi-air conditioning system with no receiver is provided for optimal valve control. The hybrid multi-air conditioning system includes: a hot-water unit for exchanging heat between refrigerant and water; at least one indoor unit installed indoors and comprising an indoor heat exchanger and an indoor unit expansion valve; and an outdoor unit connected to the indoor unit and the hot-water unit via a refrigerant pipeline and comprising an outdoor heat exchanger, a compressor, and an outdoor unit expansion valve, wherein, when an abnormal refrigerant enters either the at least one indoor unit or the outdoor unit according to an operation mode, the abnormal refrigerant is shut off from the hot-water unit and the at least one indoor unit or the outdoor unit which operates as a condenser. Accordingly, the hybrid multi-air conditioning system improves heat exchange efficiency via direct heat transfer between refrigerant and water by having a coil wound on the water tank to transfer heat between refrigerant and water.

Hybrid multi-air conditioning system

A heat pump may include a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant, a first temperature sensor configured to detect an outdoor temperature, a second temperature sensor provided in heating pipes connected to a heating device, and a controller. Based on a first sensing value of the first temperature sensor, the controller may be configured to control a compressor, control power to a boiler, and/or calculate an expected efficiency of the heat pump. Based on the expected efficiency and/or a second sensing value of a second temperature sensor, the controller may be configured to control power to the boiler.

Heat pump and method of operating heat pump to control power to boiler based on expected efficiency of heat pump

An air conditioner may include a compressor that compresses refrigerant; a condenser that condenses the refrigerant; at least one expansion valve that expands the refrigerant; a gas-liquid separator that separates and discharges the refrigerant into gas refrigerant and liquid refrigerant; an evaporator that evaporates the liquid refrigerant discharged from the gas-liquid separator; a refrigerant inflow pipe that connects the expansion valve and the gas-liquid separator; a bypass pipe that connects the gas-liquid separator and the compressor; and a refrigerant discharge pipe that connects the gas-liquid separator and the evaporator. The gas-liquid separator may include a housing in which a portion of the refrigerant inflow pipe, the bypass pipe, and the refrigerant discharge pipe may be disposed, and first and second partition walls disposed in the housing.

Provided is a gas-liquid separator, including a connection pipe connected to a refrigerant pipe in the evaporator, the refrigerant pipe in which a two-phase refrigerant flows, a header connected to the connection pipe, wherein a gas refrigerant separated from the two-phase refrigerant flows inside the header, a bypass pipe connected to the header to guide a flow of the gas refrigerant to a compressor, a flow rate control valve installed at the bypass pipe, and a controller configured to control opening and closing of the flow rate control valve based on whether a preset condition is satisfied.

Gas-liquid separator and air conditioner having the same

An air conditioner may include a compressor that compresses a refrigerant; a condenser that condenses the refrigerant discharged from the compressor; at least one expansion valve that expands the refrigerant passed through the condenser; at least one gas-liquid separation pipe through which the refrigerant passed through the at least one expansion valve flows; a gas-liquid separator, into which the refrigerant passed through the at least one gas-liquid separation pipe is introduced, that separates and discharges the refrigerant introduced into the gas-liquid separator into gas refrigerant and liquid refrigerant; and an evaporator that evaporates the liquid refrigerant discharged from the gas-liquid separator. The gas refrigerant discharged from the gas-liquid separator and the refrigerant passed through the evaporator may be provided to the compressor.

A heat pump boiler is disclosed. The heat pump boiler includes a compressor. The heat pump boiler further includes an exterior heat exchanger that is configured to transfer heat between refrigerant and exterior air. The heat pump boiler further includes an interior heat exchanger that is configured to transfer heat between refrigerant and water. The heat pump boiler further includes a channel change valve that is configured to provide refrigerant compressed by the compressor to the exterior heat exchanger or the interior heat exchanger. The heat pump boiler further includes a first boiler heat exchanger that is configured to heat water that has passed through the interior heat exchanger from heat generated through combustion. The heat pump boiler further includes a second boiler heat exchanger that is configured to transfer heat between refrigerant and gas discharged from the first boiler heat exchanger.

Heat pump boiler

A heat pump may include a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant, a first temperature sensor configured to detect an outdoor temperature, a second temperature sensor provided in heating pipes connected to a heating device that performs indoor heating and configured to detect a temperature of fluid flowing through the heating pipes, an outdoor heat exchanger configured to perform heat exchange between outdoor air and a refrigerant, a third temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the outdoor heat exchanger, and a controller. The controller may be configured to: control power to a boiler and/or to the compressor based on sensing values of the first, second, and third temperature sensors, calculate an expected efficiency of the heat pump based on the sensing value of the first temperature sensor and an initial target temperature, and control power to the boiler based on the expected efficiency.

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Seoul, South Korea

Eunjun Cho