AIR CONDITIONER AND CONTROL METHOD OF THE SAME

摘要

PURPOSE: An air conditioner and a control method of the same are provided to rapidly cut off supply of refrigerant and collect supplied refrigerant to an outdoor unit if leakage of refrigerant is detected in a refrigerant tube connected to an indoor unit. CONSTITUTION: An outdoor unit(116) and an indoor unit(118) of an air conditioner(100) are connected by a refrigerant tube to form a closed circuit. The refrigerant tube is divided into a high pressure area and a low pressure area. A refrigerant leakage detecting unit is installed to the indoor unit to detect leakage of refrigerant. A high pressure tube cut-off valve(154) is installed to the high pressure area of the refrigerant tube to cut off flow of refrigerant between the outdoor unit and the indoor unit if leakage of refrigerant is detected. A low pressure tube cut-off valve(156) is installed to the low pressure area of the refrigerant tube to cut off flow of refrigerant between the outdoor unit and the indoor unit if leakage of refrigerant is detected. The high pressure tube cut-off valve is closed and the low pressure tube cut-off valve is opened to collect refrigerant in the indoor unit to the outdoor unit if leakage of refrigerant is detected.