1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to air conditioners, and more particularly, to device and method for controlling air cleaning operation of an air conditioner, in which a flow rate of air passing through an air cleaner in the air conditioner and a time period thereof are varied, for removing polluted air.
2. Background of the Related Art
The air conditioner maintains room air in a condition most suitable to use and purpose of the air by using a property of refrigerant in which the refrigerant discharges/absorbs heat to/from an environment when a phase of the refrigerant changes. For an example, the room is conditioned in a cool state in summer, and in a warm state in winter.
In the meantime, recently as interest in environmental pollution becomes higher, there have been many researches not only on air pollution, but also on pollution of room air in which people have activity for a long time. In causes of the room air pollution, there can be pollution coming from pollution around the building, and coming from pollutant produced in the room. The air pollution is mostly caused by smoke, fuel gases for heating, and waste gases from factories, power plants, and the like. On the other hand, the causes of production of pollutant in the room are carbon dioxide, water vapor, and smell from people active in the room, pollution from smoking, dust from different works done in the room, and combustion gas or water vapor from different combustion devices.
Other than above causes, the yellow sand frequently occurred in dry seasons, and the enormous pollen flying in spring also pollute air, which cause allergy to a human body, directly.
In the meantime, by the researches, it is known that the polluted air, bad smell, and cigarette smoke in an enclose space, a car, or a building, not only harm human body, but also drop working efficiency and productivity, to cause direct or indirect social cost. Therefore, it becomes very important that comfortable and fresh is supplied to the room for improving working efficiency and preventing accident caused by negligence of safety.
According to this, it is required to provide an air cleaner to the room for supplying cleaned air. However, a related art air conditioner is not provided with the air cleaner, it is required to provide the air cleaner, additionally. Moreover, since a related art air cleaner deals with various pollution sources that pollute the room air uniformly, effective cleaning of room air polluted with different pollution sources has not been possible, and energy is wasted more than necessary.