AIR CONDITIONER AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING SUCH

摘要

The object of this invention is to provide an air conditioner with a variable capacity compressor ( 2 ) parallely connected to a fixed capacity compressor ( 4 ), and a method of controlling the operation of such an air conditioner. When it is required to start the fixed capacity compressor ( 4 ) in addition to an operation of the variable capacity compressor ( 2 ) due to an increase in the sum of the required cooling capacities of indoor units ( 9 ), an outdoor control unit ( 13 ) starts the fixed capacity compressor ( 4 ) during an unloading mode operation of the variable capacity compressor ( 2 ) where the pressure difference between the outlet side and inlet side of the variable capacity compressor is minimized. The fixed capacity compressor ( 4 ) is thus smoothly started without causing an induction of excessive starting current, and improves the operational reliability of the air conditioner.