JPH07117283B2 - Drain pump control method for air conditioner - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a drain pump control method for an air conditioner that reliably drains drain water stored during cooling operation.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, in an air conditioner, when performing a cooling operation, indoor air is cooled by an indoor heat exchanger in the indoor unit and blown into the room as low temperature air, but the indoor air is cooled. The water contained in the room air is liquefied during the operation, is stored in the indoor unit as drain water, and is drained to the outside from the drain pipe.

As a drainage drainage mechanism for such an air conditioner, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2-247447 has a water level detecting device for detecting the amount of drainage water in a drain pan, and it is disclosed that the amount of drainage water reaches a predetermined value. When the water level detection device detects, the drainage device such as a drain pump is driven for a certain time by the detection signal, and if the detection signal of the water level detection device is not released after a certain time elapses, or the drain water amount reaches a predetermined value within a certain time It is described that the operation of the air conditioner is stopped when the detection signal indicating the arrival is output twice or more.

Further, in JP-A-62-175544, by providing two timer means, the drain pump is turned on when the compressor of the air conditioner is started, and thereafter the drain pump is operated during the operation of the compressor. The pump is turned on and off periodically,
Further, it is described that the compressor is turned on at least once when the compressor is stopped so that it is controlled by a time program and a water level detection device is not required.

[0005]

However, the above-mentioned conventional drainage mechanism of the air conditioner provided with the water level detecting device has a poor connection of the connector of the water level detecting sensor, contamination of the detecting electrode as the water level detecting sensor, and the like. When the water level detection device malfunctions or malfunctions due to, the drain pump does not drive because the detection signal that the drain water amount has reached the predetermined value is not output, drain water is not discharged, and drain water overflows from the drain pan. There is a problem, and the one controlled by the time program will drive the drain pump even when the drain water is not stored in the drain pan, operate the drain pump unnecessarily and operate the drain pump idly. There was a problem that there was something to do.

An object of the present invention is to ensure that drain water can be discharged even when the drain water level detecting device malfunctions, and the drain of the air conditioner does not operate the drain pump unnecessarily. A pump control method is provided.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, a method of controlling a drain pump of an air conditioner according to the present invention is a drain pan for storing drain water condensed in a heat exchanger during a cooling operation, and a drain pan. In an air conditioner equipped with a drain pump that discharges the drain water inside, the water level detection device detects the water level of the drain water inside the drain pan, and the drain pump is activated based on the detection signal at the time when the specified discharge water level is reached. The drain water is discharged by driving and the operating time of the compressor in the cooling circuit is integrated while the water level detector does not detect the discharged water level.When the integrated value of the operating time exceeds the specified value, the drain is discharged. The drain pump is driven regardless of whether or not there is a water discharge level detection signal, and drain water can be reliably discharged even if malfunction occurs in the water level detection device. It is intended not to perform the operation of unnecessary drain pump.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An example of an air conditioner to which the present invention is applied will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. An air conditioner body with an air shower 1 comprises an air conditioning outlet 3 having an intake port 2 and a louver 4. It has a movable air shower nozzle 5 that is stored in the storage recess 6 when unnecessary.

In the main body 1 of the air conditioner with an air shower, an air conditioner A having an intake port 2 and an air conditioning outlet 3 on the lower surface is formed by a partition wall 14 having a spot ventilation port 15, and an air shower having a nozzle 5 on the lower surface. The air conditioner A is provided with a filter 21 and a room temperature thermistor 22 inside the air inlet 2, and a refrigerant reciprocating pipeline 71 is provided in a flow path from the air inlet 2 to the air conditioning outlet 3. An indoor heat exchanger 7 for cooling, which is connected to an outdoor unit (not shown), and a hot water regulating valve on the hot water supply pipe.
An indoor heat exchanger 8 for heating, which is connected to a hot water heat source device (not shown) through a hot water reciprocating pipe 81 having 80, and an indoor fan 13 are arranged in order, and the indoor heat exchanger 7 for cooling and the indoor heat exchanger 7 for heating are arranged. The heat exchanger temperature detection thermistor 9 is provided in contact with the indoor heat exchanger 8, and the louver 4 arranged at the air conditioning outlet 3 is provided.
Is connected to the auto louver motor 41 via an arm 42.

A drain pan 10 is disposed below the indoor heat exchanger 7 for cooling and the indoor heat exchanger 8 for heating.
The drain reservoir 101 is continuously provided on the side of the drain reservoir 101, and a detection electrode (water level detection device) 11 for detecting the liquid level of the drain stored in the drain reservoir 101 and a drain pump 12 are provided. The drain pipe 121 connected to the discharge side of the air conditioner is led out of the air conditioner body 1.

During the air-conditioning operation, indoor air is taken in through the intake port 2 (arrow F ₁ ) and cooled by the indoor heat exchanger 7 for cooling (when cooling) or heated by the indoor heat exchanger 8 for heating. The warm air (when heated) is blown from the air conditioning outlet 3 to the sanitary space by the indoor fan 13 (arrow F ₂ ).
It is a thing.

The air shower D is provided with an air shower spot fan 17 having a filter 18 at the intake port at one end, and has a ceramic heater 19 for hot air and a thermal fuse 19 inside.
The air shower case 16 provided with 0 and the heat prevention switch 191 is installed, and the nozzle 5 is rotatably connected to the other end of the air shower case 16 so that the angle with respect to the air shower case 16 can be adjusted. Spot vent 15
From which air on the downstream side of the indoor heat exchanger 7 for cooling and the indoor heat exchanger 8 for heating is sucked and blown from the nozzle 5.
While the indoor air may be sucked from the air-conditioning outlet 3 during the operation of the air shower D, the indoor air can be suppressed from being sucked by setting the indoor fan 13 to the slight air operation at this time.

A connecting end of the nozzle 5 to the air shower case 16 is supported by a rotating shaft 50 and rotated by a motor 51.
The angle of the nozzle 5 with respect to the air shower case 16 is adjusted, and a nozzle position detection device 52 for detecting the angle with respect to the air shower case 16 is arranged.

The air shower D is capable of blowing hot air or cold air as needed, and during operation of blowing hot air, the angle of the nozzle 5 with respect to the air shower case 16 is adjusted to make the nozzle 5 a sanitary space. to protrude, which are driving the spot fan 17 performs spot blower (arrow F _3), when in need of hot air to heat the air blown from the spot fan 17 by energizing the ceramic heater 19 hot air However, the hot water regulating valve 80 is turned on to operate the indoor heat exchanger 8 for heating of the air conditioner A when necessary according to the strength of the operation mode and the intake air temperature. The temperature is raised to sufficiently raise the temperature of the warm air blown out from the nozzle 5 (backup operation).

On the other hand, when cold air is required, the cold air obtained by operating the indoor heat exchanger 7 for cooling of the air conditioner A is sucked into the air shower D from the spot ventilation port 15 and from the nozzle 5 by the spot fan 17. It is what blows air.

A drain pump control method will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5. A water level detecting electrode (water level detecting device) is provided to a controller (not shown) for controlling the drain pump.
When 11 does not detect the drain water drainage level, the operating time t of the compressor of the cooling circuit for cooling is integrated to calculate the integrated operating time T, and when the drain pump 12 is turned on, the integrated operation of the compressor is performed. An integrating timer is provided for canceling the time and resetting it to zero.

First, when the detection electrode 11 for detecting the liquid level of the drain stored in the drain sump 101 detects a predetermined water level at which the drainage operation should be started, the drain pump 12 is started and the detection electrode 11 causes the drainage water level to start. Is not detected, the drain water is discharged from the drain pipe 121 by further driving for a predetermined time (for example, 1 minute) (FIG. 3). At this time, the cumulative operating time T of the compressor is canceled by the cumulative timer to zero. Will be reset.

In a state in which the water level detection electrode (water level detection device) 11 does not detect the drainage water level of the drain water, cooling for cooling when the operation is repeated n times (n is a natural number) each operating time of the compressor in the circuit t _1, t _2, ···, integrates the t _n, the operating time t ₁ of the compressor, t _2, ···, integrated operating time is the sum of t _n T (T = t ₁ + t ₂ + ... + t _n ) is compared with a predetermined time T _m (for example, 15 minutes), and the cumulative operating time T is less than or equal to the predetermined time T _m (15 minutes). Time (T ≦
The operation is continued at T _m , that is, T ≦ 15 minutes.

Next, the cumulative operating time T is a predetermined time T _m (15
Minutes) (T> T _m , that is, T> 15 minutes),
Regardless of whether or not there is a drain water level detection signal from the water level detection electrode (water level detection device) 11, the drain pump 12 is driven for a predetermined time (for example, 1 minute) to discharge the drain water from the drain pipe 121 (Fig. 4). ).

As described above, the integrated operating time T which is the sum of the operating times t ₁ , t ₂ , ..., T _n of the compressor of the cooling circuit is calculated, and the integrated operating time T is the predetermined time T.
_{When m} (15 minutes) is exceeded (T> T _m , that is, T> 15 minutes)
The drain pump regardless of the drain water level detection signal from the water level detection electrode (water level detection device) 11.
By driving 12 for a predetermined time (1 minute), even if some malfunction occurs in the water level detection electrode 11 and it is in a malfunctioning state, the drain water does not overflow from the drain reservoir 101.

[0021]

As described above, the present invention calculates the cumulative operating time, which is the total of the operating times of the compressors in the cooling circuit, and when the cumulative operating time exceeds a predetermined time, drains from the water level detecting device. By driving the drain pump for a certain period of time regardless of the presence or absence of a water drainage level detection signal, drain water can be reliably discharged even if something is wrong with the water level detection electrode and it is in a malfunction condition. There is no risk that drain water will overflow from the drain reservoir, and unnecessary drain pump operation will not occur.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view of an air conditioner with an air shower to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of an air conditioner with an air shower to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 3 is a time chart showing an operation based on the water level detection device.

FIG. 4 is a time chart showing the operation based on the cumulative operating time of the compressor.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of control operation.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Air conditioner main body 2 Air inlet 3 Air conditioning outlet 5 Air shower nozzle 7 Indoor heat exchanger for cooling 8 Indoor heat exchanger for heating 13 Indoor fan 17 Spot fan for air shower 19 Ceramic heater (warm air heater) 52 Nozzle Position detector

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Toyohiko Egami 32 No. Akashi-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe-shi, Hyogo Within Noritsu Co., Ltd. (56) References JP-A-63-302241 (JP, A) JP-A-62- 166247 (JP, A)

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In an air conditioner equipped with a drain pan for storing drain water condensed in a heat exchanger and a drain pump for discharging drain water, a water level detecting device detects the water level of the drain water in the drain pan, While driving the drain pump based on the detection signal at the time of reaching the predetermined discharge water level to discharge the drain water, the operating time of the compressor when the water level detection device does not detect the discharge water level is integrated, A drain pump control method for an air conditioner, comprising: driving a drain pump regardless of the presence or absence of a drain water discharge level detection signal when an integrated value of operating time exceeds a predetermined value.