Abstract: According to the multi-type air conditioner for simultaneous heating and cooling use and the method for withdrawing refrigerant therefrom, the refrigerant withdrawing device is provided between the plural outdoor units, refrigerant in the malfunctioning outdoor unit is withdrawn to the other outdoor units and the other outdoor units are normally operated while the compressor unit of the malfunctioning outdoor unit among the plural outdoor units is replaced. Thus, the compressor unit is replaced and/or the outdoor unit is repaired without cessation of heating and/or cooling.

Abstract: A heat pump air conditioner includes an outdoor unit for heating use only for supplementing heating capacity when additional heating capacity must be provided to the heating capacity of an outdoor unit for heating and cooling in a heating mode. Since the outdoor unit for heating use only is installed independent from the outdoor units for heating and cooling use, such that the outdoor unit for heating use only can supplement the heating capacity only when the additional heating capacity is required in addition to the heating capacity of the outdoor units for heating and cooling use in the heating mode, in order to correspond to the heating load in cold climes, there is no need to install an outdoor unit having larger heating capacity than the required heating capacity. Thus, costs for installation and management are reduced.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a supercooling apparatus of a simultaneous cooling and heating type multiple air conditioner. The supercooling apparatus comprises a liquid pipe header connected to an outdoor heat exchanger, a plurality of branch liquid pipes branched from the liquid pipe header and connected to a plurality of indoor heat exchangers, respectively, and a supercooling mechanism mounted at at least one of the branch liquid pipes for cooling refrigerant flowing to the indoor heat exchangers. The liquid refrigerant discharged from the heating-side indoor heat exchangers is supercooled by supercooling heat exchangers, and is then introduced into the cooling-side indoor heat exchangers. Consequently, noise generated from the cooling-side heat exchangers during the simultaneous cooling and heating operation is reduced, and cooling capacity of the multi air conditioner is improved.

Abstract: An apparatus for summing capacities of outdoor units in a multiple air conditioner comprises self-capacity storage devices mounted in outdoor units, respectively, for storing self-capacities of the outdoor units and outputting the self-capacities of the outdoor units when necessary, an outdoor unit capacity summing part mounted in one outdoor unit of the outdoor units for receiving the capacities of the outdoor units outputted from the respective self-capacity storage devices to calculate the total capacity of all the outdoor units, and a control device for receiving the result of the calculation performed by the outdoor unit capacity summing part to control the operation of the multiple air conditioner. The possibility of incorrect input of the capacities of the outdoor units is eliminated, and therefore, more accurate control of the multiple air conditioner is accomplished.

Abstract: A multi-unit air conditioner and a method for controlling the same are disclosed which are capable of preventing continuous introduction of a refrigerant into indoor units in an OFF state where the indoor units can be independently powered on or off, thereby preventing a degradation in the cooling and heating efficiencies. The air conditioner includes a plurality of indoor units each including a power controller adapted to independently power on or off an associated one of the indoor units, an outdoor unit connected with the indoor units, the outdoor unit including a microcomputer for controlling an operation of the outdoor unit, and enabling the outdoor unit to communicate with the indoor units, and a controller for determining whether each of the indoor units is in a normal operation state or in a non-operation state, and controlling an operation of a distributor in accordance with the result of the determination.

Abstract: A refrigerant bypassing and filtering apparatus of an air conditioner is disclosed which is capable of effectively removing foreign matter such as slag produced in a refrigerant line, not only when the air conditioner is initially operated, but also during normal operation of the air conditioner. The apparatus includes at least one bypass line adapted to guide a refrigerant to bypass a main line through which the refrigerant flows between an outdoor unit and an indoor unit, a strainer arranged at the bypass line, a first valve arranged at the main line between opposite ends of the bypass line connected to the main line, and second valves arranged at the bypass line.

Abstract: A compressor oil recovering apparatus is disclosed which is capable of smoothly re-supplying, to a compressor, oil separated in an oil separator after emerging from the compressor, thereby achieving an enhancement in the reliability of the compressor, and thus, an enhancement in the performance of an air conditioner using the compressor oil recovering apparatus. A multi-unit air conditioner using the compressor oil recovering apparatus is also disclosed. The compressor oil recovering apparatus includes an oil separator adapted to separate oil from a refrigerant discharged from a compressor, an oil recovering port provided at the compressor, and an oil recovering tube having one end connected to the oil separator, and the other end connected to the oil recovering port.