Control method and apparatus for heat pump unit, heat pump unit, and storage medium

Abstract

A control method and apparatus for a heat pump unit (100), a heat pump unit (100), and a storage medium. The method comprises: when an operation mode of a heat pump unit (100) is determined to be a domestic hot water mode, determining whether the heat pump unit has a startup requirement; if the heat pump unit (100) is determined to have a startup requirement, acquiring a hot water intake temperature and an ambient temperature in the heat pump unit (100), and, on the basis of the hot water intake temperature and the ambient temperature, determining a target output frequency of a compressor (101) in the heat pump unit (100); and controlling the compressor (101) to operate according to the target output frequency. When operating in the domestic hot water mode, the target output frequency of the compressor (101) in the heat pump unit (100) is adjusted and controlled on the basis of the hot water intake temperature and the ambient temperature in the heat pump unit (100), ensuring that refrigerant heat outputted by the compressor (101) can be fully absorbed in the domestic hot water mode, thereby improving the energy efficiency of the heat pump unit (100). By means of controlling the heat pump unit (100), the operating efficiency and energy efficiency of the heat pump unit (100) are effectively improved.

Description

Heat pump unit control method, device, heat pump unit and storage medium

[0001] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the China Patent Office on November 8, 2023, with application number 202311491287.8, and invention name “Control method, device, heat pump unit and storage medium for heat pump unit”, all contents of which are incorporated by reference in this application. Technical Field

[0002] The present application relates to the field of heat pump technology, and in particular to a control method and device for a heat pump unit, a heat pump unit, and a storage medium. Background Art

[0003] Driven by energy demand, environmental protection, energy efficiency improvement, and technological progress, heat pump technology, as a clean energy utilization method, absorbs heat from low-temperature renewable energy and raises it to a higher temperature to achieve heating, cooling, or domestic hot water. Due to its advantages in energy utilization efficiency and energy conservation and emission reduction, heat pump technology has been widely used. A heat pump unit that implements heat pump technology is usually composed of a compressor, an evaporator, a condenser, a throttling device (for example, an expansion valve), and a refrigerant pipeline. The heat pump unit realizes the transfer and utilization of heat energy through a cyclic working principle.

[0004] When the heat pump unit operates in domestic hot water mode (providing domestic hot water by absorbing heat from low-temperature renewable energy), the usual approach is to directly control the heat pump to operate at a higher frequency to achieve the purpose of quickly preparing domestic hot water. However, this approach has the problem of low energy efficiency of the heat pump unit.

[0005] Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of this, the present application provides a control method and device for a heat pump unit, a heat pump unit and a storage medium to solve the problem of low energy efficiency in the control method of related heat pump units.

[0007] A first aspect of an embodiment of the present application provides a control method for a heat pump unit, the control method for the heat pump unit comprising: when it is determined that the operating mode of the heat pump unit is the domestic hot water mode, determining whether the heat pump unit has a need to start up; if it is determined that the heat pump unit has a need to start up, obtaining the hot water inlet temperature and the ambient temperature in the heat pump unit, and determining the target output frequency of the compressor in the heat pump unit based on the hot water inlet temperature and the ambient temperature; and controlling the compressor to operate according to the target output frequency.

[0008] In some embodiments, determining whether the heat pump unit has a need to be started includes: obtaining the hot water temperature and the hot water inlet temperature of the heat pump unit; if it is determined that the hot water temperature and the hot water inlet temperature both meet preset conditions, determining that the heat pump unit has a need to be started.

[0009] In some embodiments, determining that both the hot water temperature and the hot water inlet temperature meet preset conditions includes: if it is determined that the hot water temperature is lower than a first temperature threshold, the hot water inlet temperature is lower than a second temperature threshold, and the hot water inlet temperature is lower than the difference between the maximum heating outlet water temperature of the heat pump and a preset temperature parameter, determining that both the hot water temperature and the hot water inlet temperature meet the preset conditions.

[0010] In some embodiments, determining the target output frequency of the compressor in the heat pump unit based on the hot water inlet temperature and the ambient temperature includes: matching the target temperature range corresponding to the hot water inlet temperature from a preset compressor frequency mapping table, and determining the target ambient temperature range corresponding to the ambient temperature; based on the target temperature range and the target ambient temperature range, matching the target output frequency corresponding to the target temperature range and the target ambient temperature range from the preset compressor frequency mapping table.

[0011] In some embodiments, after controlling the compressor to operate according to the target output frequency, the control method further includes: determining whether the heat pump unit meets the domestic hot water mode demand; if it is determined that the heat pump unit meets the domestic hot water mode demand, controlling the heat pump to stop operating.

[0012] In some embodiments, determining whether the heat pump unit meets the domestic hot water mode requirement includes: if any of the following conditions is met, determining that the heat pump unit meets the domestic hot water mode requirement: within a first time period, the hot water outlet temperature of the heat pump unit is higher than the maximum heating outlet water temperature of the heat pump; within a second time period, the hot water inlet temperature of the heat pump unit is higher than the difference between the maximum heating outlet water temperature and a first temperature parameter; within a third time period, the high pressure corresponding saturation temperature of the heat pump unit is higher than the sum of the maximum heating outlet water temperature and the second temperature parameter.

[0013] In some embodiments, the control method further includes: if it is determined that the hot water temperature of the heat pump unit is lower than a third temperature threshold, controlling the heat pump unit to enable an electric heating mode, until the hot water temperature is higher than or equal to the maximum heating water outlet temperature of the heat pump unit, and then turning off the electric heating mode.

[0014] A second aspect of an embodiment of the present application provides a control device for a heat pump unit, the control device for the heat pump unit comprising: a judgment module for determining whether there is a need to start the heat pump unit when it is determined that the operating mode of the heat pump unit is the domestic hot water mode; a determination module for obtaining the hot water inlet temperature and the ambient temperature in the heat pump unit if it is determined that there is a need to start the heat pump unit, and determining the target output frequency of the compressor in the heat pump unit based on the hot water inlet temperature and the ambient temperature; and a control module for controlling the compressor to operate according to the target output frequency.

[0015] A third aspect of an embodiment of the present application provides a heat pump unit, comprising a memory, a processor, and computer-readable instructions stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the processor implements the control method of the heat pump unit when executing the computer-readable instructions.

[0016] A fourth aspect of an embodiment of the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium, wherein the computer-readable storage medium stores computer-readable instructions, and when the computer-readable instructions are executed by a processor, the control method of the heat pump unit is implemented.

[0017] In a control method for a heat pump unit provided in an embodiment of the present application, when the heat pump unit determines that the operating mode is the domestic hot water mode, before controlling the heat pump unit to prepare domestic hot water, first, it is determined whether there is a need to start the heat pump unit, that is, whether the heat pump unit needs to be started to meet the domestic hot water demand. When it is determined that there is a need to start the heat pump unit, the heat pump unit is controlled to start and operate to prepare domestic hot water. Secondly, when operating in the domestic hot water mode, the target output frequency of the compressor in the heat pump unit is adjusted and controlled based on the hot water inlet temperature and the ambient temperature in the heat pump unit. This ensures that the refrigerant heat output by the compressor in the domestic hot water mode is fully absorbed, thereby improving the energy efficiency of the heat pump unit. The embodiment of the present application effectively improves the working efficiency and energy efficiency of the heat pump unit by controlling the heat pump unit. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without any creative work.

[0019] FIG1 is an example diagram of refrigerant operation corresponding to the domestic hot water mode provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0020] FIG2 is a flow chart of an implementation method of a heat pump unit control method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0021] FIG3 is an exemplary diagram of the implementation principle of the control method for a heat pump unit provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0022] FIG4 is a schematic structural diagram of a control device for a heat pump unit provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0023] FIG5 is a schematic structural diagram of a heat pump unit provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0024] Explanation of the main component symbols: heat pump unit-100; compressor-101; domestic hot water heat exchanger-102; enthalpy increase module-103; first throttling element-1031; economizer-1032; second throttling element-1033; outdoor heat exchanger-104; air-conditioning side heat exchanger-105; domestic hot water tank-10; liquid storage tank-20; gas-liquid separator-30; first three-way valve-40; first interface 401 of the first three-way valve; second interface 402 of the first three-way valve; third interface 403 of the first three-way valve; second three-way valve-41; first interface 411 of the second three-way valve; second interface 412 of the second three-way valve; third interface 413 of the second three-way valve; four-way valve-50; first temperature sensor-60; second temperature sensor-61; third temperature sensor-62; fourth temperature sensor-63; one-way valves-70~75; water pump-80. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] It should be noted that the terms "first" and "second" in the description, claims and drawings of this application are used to distinguish similar objects, rather than to describe a specific order or sequence.

[0026] It should also be noted that the method disclosed in the embodiments of the present application or the method shown in the flowchart includes one or more steps for implementing the method. Without departing from the scope of the claims, the execution order of multiple steps can be interchanged with each other, and some steps can also be deleted.

[0027] The following will describe some embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the absence of conflict, the following embodiments and features therein may be combined with each other.

[0028] In some embodiments, a heat pump system comprises a heat pump unit and a terminal water system. The heat pump unit is the core component of the heat pump system, responsible for heat energy transfer and conversion. A heat pump unit typically includes components such as a compressor, evaporator, condenser, throttling device (e.g., expansion valve), refrigerant piping, liquid storage tank, gas-liquid separator, and domestic hot water tank.

[0029] In the embodiment provided in the present application, the operating mode of the heat pump unit is the domestic hot water mode. When the heat pump unit operates in the domestic hot water mode, the heat pump unit can absorb heat from low-temperature renewable energy and raise it to a higher temperature for preparing domestic hot water.

[0030] In some embodiments, the heat pump unit may further include a control device, through which the heat pump unit can control the operating mode, the output frequency of the compressor, temperature detection, etc.

[0031] Please refer to Figure 1, which is an example diagram of the refrigerant operation corresponding to the domestic hot water mode in the heat pump unit provided in the embodiment of the present application. Figure 1 shows an example diagram of a partial structure of the heat pump unit. As shown in Figure 1, the heat pump unit 100 includes core equipment such as a compressor 101, a domestic hot water heat exchanger 102, an enthalpy increase module 103, an outdoor heat exchanger 104 (i.e., an evaporator), and an air-conditioning side heat exchanger 105 (i.e., a condenser). In addition, the heat pump unit 100 also includes auxiliary equipment such as a domestic hot water tank 10, a liquid storage tank 20, a gas-liquid separator 30, a water pump 80, a first temperature sensor 60, a second temperature sensor 61, a third temperature sensor 62, and a fourth temperature sensor 63, as well as components such as a first three-way valve 40, a second three-way valve 41, a four-way valve 50, and several one-way valves 70 to 75. Among them, the air-conditioning side heat exchanger 105 can be connected to the terminal water system (such as an air-conditioning water tank, etc.).

[0032] In some embodiments, the various devices and components in the heat pump unit 100 can be connected by pipes. For example, the compressor 101 is connected to the domestic hot water heat exchanger 102 via a refrigerant pipe, and the domestic hot water heat exchanger 102 is connected to the domestic hot water tank 10 via a hot water pipe.

[0033] In some embodiments, the compressor 101 is used to compress low-temperature, low-pressure gaseous refrigerant into high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant. The domestic hot water heat exchanger 102 is used to perform heat exchange with the domestic hot water tank 10, heating the water in the domestic hot water tank 10 to produce domestic hot water. The enthalpy increase module 103 may, for example, include an economizer 1032, a first throttling element 1031, and a second throttling element 1033. The economizer 1032, the first throttling element 1031, and the second throttling element 1033 work together to achieve an enthalpy increase effect. The economizer 1032, the first throttling element 1031, and the second throttling element 1033 together can realize the functions of the enthalpy increase module 103. The outdoor heat exchanger 104 can absorb heat from external renewable energy, causing the refrigerant flowing into the outdoor heat exchanger 104 to evaporate into low-temperature gaseous refrigerant. The low-temperature gaseous refrigerant is drawn into the compressor 101, which outputs high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant. The air conditioner-side heat exchanger 105 can be a condenser. High-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant flowing through the air conditioner-side heat exchanger 105 can exchange heat with the air conditioner water tank, etc. The liquid storage tank 20 can be used to store liquid refrigerant and balance the pressure of the heat pump unit 100. The gas-liquid separator 30 can store some of the refrigerant in the system to prevent compressor liquid shock and excessive refrigerant dilution of the compressor oil.

[0034] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG1 , a first temperature sensor 60 is used to detect the hot water temperature, a second temperature sensor 61 is used to detect the hot water inlet temperature, a third temperature sensor 62 is used to detect the hot water outlet temperature, and a fourth temperature sensor 63 is used to detect the ambient temperature. The first three-way valve 40 is provided with a first port 401, a second port 402, and a third port 403 of the first three-way valve, and the second three-way valve 41 is provided with a first port 411, a second port 412, and a third port 413 of the second three-way valve. The second port 402 of the first three-way valve 40 and the third port 403 of the first three-way valve 40 connect the refrigerant pipeline between the domestic hot water heat exchanger 102 and the exhaust port of the compressor 101. The first port 401 of the first three-way valve 40 and the third port 403 of the first three-way valve 40 connect the refrigerant pipeline between the four-way valve 60 and the exhaust port of the compressor 101. The first port 411 of the second three-way valve 41 and the third port 413 of the second three-way valve 41 connect the refrigerant pipeline between the domestic hot water heat exchanger 102 and the four-way valve 60. The third port 413 of the second three-way valve 41 and the second port 412 of the second three-way valve 41 connect the refrigerant pipeline between the air conditioning side heat exchanger 105 and the domestic hot water heat exchanger 102. In addition, the multiple one-way valves 70-75 in the heat pump unit 100 can be used to control the forward and reverse flow of the refrigerant, so that the refrigerant can only flow in a specified direction. The water pump 80 between the domestic hot water heat exchanger 102 and the domestic hot water tank 10 can be used to circulate water between the domestic hot water heat exchanger 102 and the domestic hot water tank 10 to achieve heat transfer.

[0035] In some embodiments, when the heat pump unit operates in domestic hot water mode, it is used only to produce domestic hot water. In this case, the second port 402 and the third port 403 of the first three-way valve 40 are open, and the first port 401 of the first three-way valve 40 is closed. The second port 412 and the third port 413 of the second three-way valve 41 are open, and the first port 411 of the second three-way valve 41 is closed. Referring to FIG. 1 , the refrigerant flow direction when the heat pump unit operates in domestic hot water mode is as follows: the high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant discharged from the compressor 101 flows through the second port 402 and the third port 403 of the first three-way valve 40 into the domestic hot water heat exchanger 102, which is then connected to the domestic hot water tank 10. The high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant flowing into the domestic hot water heat exchanger 102 exchanges heat with the domestic hot water tank 10, thereby producing domestic hot water. After heat exchange with the domestic hot water tank 10, the medium-temperature, high-pressure liquid refrigerant flows out of the domestic hot water heat exchanger 102, passes through the second port 412 and the third port 413 of the second three-way valve 41, flows into the liquid storage tank 20, and then flows into the enthalpy increase module 103. The medium-temperature, high-pressure liquid refrigerant passes through the enthalpy increase module 103 to become a low-temperature liquid refrigerant. The low-temperature liquid refrigerant flows into the outdoor heat exchanger 104, where it absorbs heat. The outdoor heat exchanger 104 absorbs external heat and evaporates the low-temperature liquid refrigerant into a low-temperature gaseous refrigerant. The low-temperature gaseous refrigerant passes through the four-way valve 50 and is sucked into the compressor 101. The compressor 101 compresses the low-temperature gaseous refrigerant into a high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant, thus completing the cycle of preparing domestic hot water.

[0036] In some embodiments, the heat pump unit 100 may further include components such as a filter, a high-pressure sensor, a high-pressure protection switch, and a low-pressure sensor. The filter can be used to filter and remove impurities, contaminants, and solid particles from the refrigerant. The high-pressure sensor can be used to measure the high pressure of the heat pump unit. The high-pressure protection switch can be used to monitor the high pressure of the heat pump unit. When the high pressure exceeds a set safety range, the high-pressure protection switch automatically disconnects the circuit to prevent a possible dangerous situation. The low-pressure sensor can be used to measure the low pressure of the heat pump unit.

[0037] Please refer to Figure 2, which is a flow chart of the implementation of the control method of the heat pump unit provided in the embodiment of the present application. The embodiment of the present application takes the application of this method to the heat pump unit in Figure 1 as an example to illustrate, and includes the following steps.

[0038] S11: When it is determined that the operation mode of the heat pump unit is the domestic hot water mode, it is determined whether there is a need to start the heat pump unit.

[0039] In some embodiments, the user can input the operating mode of the heat pump unit by operating the central control panel. The operating modes of the heat pump unit include domestic hot water mode, cooling mode, or heating mode. The central control panel can send operating mode information to the heat pump of the heat pump unit. In some embodiments, the operating mode information is domestic hot water mode information.

[0040] In some embodiments, it is determined whether there is a need to start the heat pump unit, that is, whether the heat pump unit needs to be started to prepare domestic hot water to meet the user's demand for domestic hot water.

[0041] In some embodiments, when the heat pump unit determines that the operating mode is the domestic hot water mode, it may first determine whether the water in the domestic hot water tank currently meets the user's needs. For example, it may determine whether the temperature of the water in the domestic hot water tank currently meets the user's required domestic hot water temperature. If the water in the domestic hot water tank currently meets the user's required domestic hot water temperature (for example, the temperature of the water in the domestic hot water tank meets the user's required domestic hot water temperature), continuing to activate the heat pump unit to heat the water in the domestic hot water tank through the domestic hot water heat exchanger may result in unnecessary energy waste and operating costs, and may even cause damage to the heat pump unit. Therefore, before activating the heat pump unit to operate in the domestic hot water mode to produce domestic hot water, the heat pump unit needs to determine whether there is a need to start the heat pump unit, that is, whether it is necessary to start the heat pump unit to produce domestic hot water to meet the user's domestic hot water demand. If it is determined that the water in the domestic hot water tank currently does not meet the user's needs, then it is determined that there is a need to start the heat pump unit, and the heat pump unit can be controlled to start operating in the domestic hot water mode to produce domestic hot water.

[0042] In some embodiments of the present application, determining whether there is a need to start up a heat pump unit includes: obtaining the hot water temperature and the hot water inlet temperature of the heat pump unit; if it is determined that the hot water temperature and the hot water inlet temperature both meet preset conditions, determining that there is a need to start up the heat pump unit.

[0043] In some embodiments, as shown in the refrigerant operation example diagram of the domestic hot water mode in FIG1 , the heat pump unit can detect the hot water temperature through a first temperature sensor; and detect the hot water inlet temperature through a second temperature sensor.

[0044] In some embodiments, in the process of determining whether there is a need to start the heat pump unit, the heat pump unit can obtain the hot water temperature and the hot water inlet temperature of the heat pump unit, and determine whether there is a need to start the heat pump unit by determining whether the hot water temperature and the hot water inlet temperature meet the preset conditions.

[0045] In some embodiments, when the heat pump unit determines that the hot water temperature meets the preset conditions, it is determined that there is a need to start the heat pump unit, that is, the heat pump unit needs to be started to prepare domestic hot water; when it is determined that the hot water temperature or the hot water inlet temperature of the heat pump unit does not meet the preset conditions, it is determined that there is no need to start the heat pump unit, that is, the temperature of the water in the current domestic hot water tank can meet the user's demand for domestic hot water, and there is no need to start the heat pump unit to prepare domestic hot water.

[0046] In some embodiments of the present application, it is determined that both the hot water temperature and the hot water inlet temperature meet the preset conditions, including: if it is determined that the hot water temperature is lower than the first temperature threshold, the hot water inlet temperature is lower than the second temperature threshold, and the hot water inlet temperature is lower than the difference between the maximum heating outlet water temperature of the heat pump unit and the preset temperature parameter, it is determined that both the hot water temperature and the hot water inlet temperature meet the preset conditions.

[0047] In some embodiments, the first temperature threshold, the second temperature threshold, and the preset temperature parameter can all be customized. For example, the first temperature threshold can be set to 53°C, the second temperature threshold can be set to 48°C, and the preset temperature parameter can be set to 13°C. The maximum heating water outlet temperature can be obtained by querying the relevant parameters provided in the product specifications and technical documentation of the heat pump unit.

[0048] In some embodiments, the heat pump unit determines whether the hot water temperature meets preset conditions, including determining whether the hot water temperature is less than a first temperature threshold, whether the hot water inlet temperature is less than a second temperature threshold, and whether the hot water inlet temperature is less than the difference between the maximum heating outlet water temperature of the heat pump unit and a preset temperature parameter. When it is determined that the hot water temperature is less than the first temperature threshold, the hot water inlet temperature is less than the second temperature threshold, and the hot water inlet temperature is less than the difference between the maximum heating outlet water temperature of the heat pump unit and the preset temperature parameter, it is determined that the hot water temperature meets the preset conditions, thereby determining that there is a need to start the heat pump unit, and the heat pump unit needs to be started to prepare domestic hot water to meet the user's demand for domestic hot water.

[0049] In some embodiments of the present application, if any one or more of the following situations occurs, it is determined that there is no need to start the heat pump unit: the hot water temperature is higher than or equal to the first temperature threshold; the hot water inlet temperature is higher than or equal to the second temperature threshold; the hot water inlet temperature is higher than or equal to the difference between the maximum heating outlet water temperature of the heat pump unit and the preset temperature parameter.

[0050] S12: If it is determined that the heat pump unit needs to be started, the hot water inlet temperature and the ambient temperature in the heat pump unit are obtained, and the target output frequency of the compressor in the heat pump unit is determined based on the hot water inlet temperature and the ambient temperature.

[0051] In some embodiments, when it is determined that the heat pump needs to be started and the heat pump unit needs to be started to operate in domestic hot water mode, the compressor in the heat pump unit can be started according to the initial output frequency. The initial output frequency can be the initial output frequency set by the compressor at the factory or a custom setting, for example, the initial output frequency can be 38Hz, 40Hz, etc.

[0052] In some embodiments, the target output frequency represents the target output frequency of the compressor during the current operating cycle. The ambient temperature may be the ambient temperature of an outdoor heat exchanger (e.g., the outdoor heat exchanger in FIG. 1 ). As shown in FIG. 1 , the heat pump unit may detect the ambient temperature using a fourth temperature sensor and detect the hot water inlet temperature using a second temperature sensor.

[0053] In some embodiments, when it is determined that there is a need to start the heat pump unit and the heat pump unit is in a shutdown mode, the heat pump unit can be controlled to start and run according to the initial output frequency.

[0054] As the heat pump unit operates, the hot water inlet temperature and ambient temperature of the heat pump unit change. In order to fully absorb the refrigerant heat output by the compressor in the heat pump unit and improve the energy efficiency of the heat pump unit, when controlling the heat pump unit to operate in domestic hot water mode, the heat pump unit can further adjust and control the output frequency of the compressor in the heat pump unit based on the hot water inlet temperature and the ambient temperature.

[0055] The compressor operating frequency is determined by the ambient temperature and the hot water inlet temperature. When the ambient temperature is relatively low, increasing the compressor output frequency is beneficial for heating; when the hot water inlet temperature is relatively high, reducing the compressor output frequency is beneficial for reducing energy consumption. Therefore, considering these two factors, the ambient temperature and the hot water inlet temperature can determine an appropriate compressor output frequency while maintaining heating and energy saving.

[0056] In some embodiments, in the process of determining the target output frequency of the compressor in the heat pump unit based on the hot water inlet temperature and the ambient temperature, the heat pump unit can establish a compressor frequency mapping table (shown in Table 1 below) in advance through testing, etc., which includes a mapping relationship between the hot water inlet temperature range, the ambient temperature range, and the compressor output frequency. When it is determined that the heat pump unit has a need to start up, the hot water inlet temperature and the ambient temperature in the heat pump unit can be obtained, and then the target temperature range corresponding to the hot water inlet temperature and the target ambient temperature range corresponding to the ambient temperature can be matched from the preset compressor frequency mapping table. Based on the mapping relationship between the hot water inlet temperature range, the ambient temperature range, and the compressor output frequency stored in the preset compressor frequency mapping table, the compressor output frequency corresponding to the target temperature range and the target ambient temperature range can be determined as the target output frequency of the compressor's current operating cycle.

[0057] As an example, as shown in Table 1, AI1 represents the hot water inlet temperature, and AI2 represents the ambient temperature. a1 to a8, b1 to b20 in Table 1 are all greater than or equal to 0, and the specific values ​​of a1 to a8, b1 to b20 can be obtained through testing. For example, when the heat pump unit is operating in domestic hot water mode, when it is determined that the target temperature range corresponding to the hot water inlet temperature in the heat pump unit is a1℃<AI1≤a2℃, and the target ambient temperature range corresponding to the ambient temperature is AI2>a4℃, based on the mapping relationship between the hot water inlet temperature range, the ambient temperature range, and the compressor output frequency shown in Table 1, it can be determined that the target output frequency of the compressor in the current operating cycle is b6.

[0058] Table 1

[0059] S13: Control the compressor to operate according to the target output frequency.

[0060] In some embodiments, after determining a target output frequency for the compressor, the heat pump unit can control the compressor to operate at the target output frequency. The target output frequency of the compressor in the heat pump unit may vary during different operating cycles. By determining the compressor output frequency based on the heat pump unit's hot water inlet temperature and the ambient temperature, and controlling and adjusting the compressor output frequency, the performance of the heat pump unit can be improved, ensuring stable operation of the heat pump unit.

[0061] In some embodiments, to prevent the heat pump unit from continuing to operate and causing overload, after controlling the compressor to operate at a target output frequency, the heat pump unit can further determine whether the domestic hot water provided by the heat pump unit meets the domestic hot water demand. If it is determined that the domestic hot water provided by the heat pump unit meets the domestic hot water demand, the heat pump unit can be controlled to stop operating to avoid overload and unnecessary energy consumption.

[0062] In some embodiments of the present application, after controlling the compressor to operate according to the target output frequency, the heat pump unit may continue to monitor the hot water inlet temperature, hot water outlet temperature, high-pressure corresponding saturation temperature, etc. in the heat pump unit to determine whether the domestic hot water produced by the heat pump unit meets the domestic hot water mode requirements. Specifically, the domestic hot water produced by the heat pump unit is determined to meet the domestic hot water mode requirements when any of the following conditions is met: within a first time period, the hot water outlet temperature of the heat pump unit is higher than the maximum heating outlet water temperature of the heat pump unit; within a second time period, the hot water inlet temperature is higher than the difference between the maximum heating outlet water temperature and the first temperature parameter; within a third time period, the high-pressure corresponding saturation temperature of the heat pump unit is higher than the sum of the maximum heating outlet water temperature and the second temperature parameter.

[0063] In some embodiments, as shown in the refrigerant operation example diagram for domestic hot water mode in Figure 1, the heat pump unit can detect the hot water inlet temperature of the heat pump unit via a second temperature sensor; and detect the hot water outlet temperature of the heat pump unit via a third temperature sensor. In some embodiments, the first temperature parameter, the second temperature parameter, the first duration, the second duration, and the third duration can all be customized. For example, the first temperature parameter can be 3°C, the second temperature parameter can be 2.5°C, the first duration can be 3 seconds, the second duration can be 10 seconds, and the third duration can be 3 seconds.

[0064] In some embodiments, when determining whether the domestic hot water prepared by the heat pump unit meets the domestic hot water mode requirements, the heat pump unit can stop running to avoid unnecessary energy consumption, save operating costs, and extend the service life of the heat pump unit.

[0065] In some embodiments, if the heat pump unit does not meet the above conditions, it indicates that the domestic hot water prepared during the operation of the heat pump unit cannot meet the needs of users and it is necessary to continue to operate the domestic hot water mode.

[0066] In some embodiments of the present application, if it is determined that the hot water temperature of the heat pump unit is lower than the third temperature threshold, the heat pump unit is controlled to enable the electric heating mode until the hot water temperature is greater than or equal to the maximum heating water outlet temperature of the heat pump unit, and then the heat pump unit can be controlled to turn off the electric heating mode.

[0067] It should be noted that the electric heating mode mainly refers to the installation of an electric auxiliary heater in the domestic hot water tank to help speed up the production of domestic hot water. The electric auxiliary heater can be a PTC electric heating rod or a nanotube heating rod. The domestic hot water heat exchanger plus the electric auxiliary heater can quickly replenish the thermal energy in the domestic hot water tank to achieve a continuous supply of hot water.

[0068] In some embodiments, as shown in the example diagram of refrigerant operation in domestic hot water mode in Figure 1, the heat pump unit can detect the hot water temperature of the heat pump unit via a first temperature sensor. The third temperature threshold can be customized, for example, the third temperature threshold can be set to 45°C. The maximum heating water outlet temperature can be set to 60°C.

[0069] As an example, please refer to FIG3 , which illustrates an implementation principle diagram of a control method for a heat pump unit provided in an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG3 , the maximum heating water outlet temperature can be set to 60°C, and the third temperature threshold can be set to 45°C. When the heat pump unit controls the domestic hot water mode to prepare domestic hot water, when the hot water temperature reaches 60°C, it indicates that the domestic hot water prepared by the heat pump unit can meet the domestic hot water mode demand. At this point, the heat pump unit can be controlled to stop operation. When the hot water temperature is below 48°C and there is still demand for domestic hot water mode, the heat pump unit can be controlled to operate in domestic hot water mode until the hot water temperature reaches 60°C, meeting the domestic hot water mode demand. At this point, the heat pump unit can be controlled to stop operation. When the hot water temperature is less than 45°C, it indicates that the hot water temperature is too low. To quickly replenish the heat energy in the domestic hot water tank, the heat pump unit can activate the electric heating mode, using the electric auxiliary heater to prepare domestic hot water until the hot water temperature reaches 60°C, meeting the domestic hot water mode demand. At this point, the heat pump unit can be controlled to stop operation.

[0070] In other embodiments, the heat pump unit may enable the electric heating mode during the process of controlling the heat pump unit to enable the domestic hot water mode to prepare domestic hot water, so as to improve the efficiency of preparing domestic hot water.

[0071] In a control method for a heat pump unit provided in an embodiment of the present application, when the heat pump unit determines that the operating mode is the domestic hot water mode, before controlling the heat pump unit to prepare domestic hot water, first, it is determined whether there is a need to start the heat pump unit, that is, whether the heat pump unit needs to be started to meet the domestic hot water demand. When it is determined that there is a need to start the heat pump unit, the heat pump unit is controlled to start and operate to prepare domestic hot water. Secondly, when operating in the domestic hot water mode, the target output frequency of the compressor in the heat pump unit is adjusted and controlled based on the hot water inlet temperature and the ambient temperature in the heat pump unit. This ensures that the refrigerant heat output by the compressor in the domestic hot water mode is fully absorbed, thereby improving the energy efficiency of the heat pump unit. The embodiment of the present application effectively improves the working efficiency and energy efficiency of the heat pump unit by controlling the heat pump unit.

[0072] It should be understood that the size of the serial numbers of the steps in the above embodiments does not mean the order of execution. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of this application.

[0073] In one embodiment of the present application, a control device 200 for a heat pump unit is provided. The functions that can be implemented by the control device 200 of the heat pump unit correspond one-to-one to the control method of the heat pump unit in the above embodiment. The detailed description of each functional module is as follows: As shown in Figure 4, the control device 200 of the heat pump unit includes a judgment module 201, which is used to determine whether there is a need to start the heat pump unit when it is determined that the operating mode of the heat pump unit is the domestic hot water mode; a determination module 202, which is used to obtain the hot water inlet temperature and the ambient temperature in the heat pump unit if it is determined that there is a need to start the heat pump unit, and determine the target output frequency of the compressor in the heat pump unit based on the hot water inlet temperature and the ambient temperature; and a control module 203, which is used to control the compressor to operate according to the target output frequency.

[0074] The specific definitions of the heat pump unit control device 200 can be found in the definitions of the heat pump unit control method above and will not be repeated here. Each module in the heat pump unit control device 200 can be implemented in whole or in part through software, hardware, or a combination thereof. Each of the modules can be embedded in or independent of a processor in the heat pump unit in hardware form, or stored in a memory in the heat pump unit in software form, so that the processor can call and execute the corresponding operations of each module.

[0075] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a heat pump unit according to an embodiment of the present application. The heat pump unit 100 includes, but is not limited to, any one of air conditioning and heating equipment. The network in which the heat pump unit 100 resides includes, but is not limited to, the Internet, a wide area network, a metropolitan area network, a local area network, a virtual private network (VPN), etc.

[0076] As shown in Figure 5, the heat pump unit 100 includes a communication module 101, a memory 102, a processor 103, an input / output (I / O) interface 104, and a bus 105. The processor 103 is coupled to the communication module 101, the memory 102, and the I / O interface 104 via the bus 105.

[0077] The communication module 101 can be a wireless communication module or a mobile communication module. The wireless communication module can provide wireless communication solutions for the heat pump unit 100, including wireless local area networks (WLAN) (e.g., wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) networks), Bluetooth (BT), global navigation satellite system (GNSS), frequency modulation (FM), near field communication (NFC), infrared technology (IR), etc. The mobile communication module can provide wireless communication solutions for the heat pump unit 100, including 2G / 3G / 4G / 5G.

[0078] The memory 102 may include one or more random access memories (RAMs) and one or more non-volatile memories (NVMs). The RAM can be directly read and written by the processor 103 and can be used to store executable programs (such as machine instructions) of the operating system or other running programs, as well as user and application data. The RAM may include static random-access memory (SRAM), dynamic random-access memory (DRAM), synchronous dynamic random-access memory (SDRAM), double data rate synchronous dynamic random-access memory (DDR SDRAM, such as the fifth generation DDR SDRAM generally referred to as DDR5 SDRAM), etc.

[0079] The non-volatile memory can also store executable programs and user and application data, etc., which can be pre-loaded into the random access memory for direct reading and writing by the processor 103. The non-volatile memory can include disk storage devices and flash memory.

[0080] The memory 102 is used to store one or more computer programs. The one or more computer programs are configured to be executed by the processor 103. The one or more computer programs include multiple instructions. When the multiple instructions are executed by the processor 103, the heat pump unit control method executed on the heat pump unit 100 can be implemented.

[0081] In other embodiments, the heat pump unit 100 further includes an external memory interface for connecting to an external memory to expand the storage capacity of the heat pump unit 100 .

[0082] The processor 103 may include one or more processing units. For example, the processor 103 may include an application processor (AP), a modem processor, a graphics processing unit (GPU), an image signal processor (ISP), a controller, a video codec, a digital signal processor (DSP), a baseband processor, and / or a neural-network processing unit (NPU). The different processing units may be independent devices or integrated into one or more processors.

[0083] The processor 103 provides computing and control capabilities. For example, the processor 103 is used to execute a computer program stored in the memory 102 to implement the above-mentioned control method of the heat pump unit.

[0084] The I / O interface 104 is used to provide a channel for user input or output. For example, the I / O interface 104 can be used to connect various input and output devices, such as a mouse, keyboard, touch device, display screen, etc., so that the user can enter information or visualize information.

[0085] The bus 105 is at least used to provide a channel for mutual communication among the communication module 101 , the memory 102 , the processor 103 , and the I / O interface 104 in the heat pump unit 100 .

[0086] It should be understood that the structure illustrated in the embodiments of the present application does not constitute a specific limitation on the heat pump unit 100. In other embodiments of the present application, the heat pump unit 100 may include more or fewer components than illustrated, or may combine or separate certain components, or have different component arrangements. The illustrated components may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of software and hardware.

[0087] An embodiment of the present application further provides a computer-readable storage medium, on which a computer program is stored. The computer program includes program instructions. The method implemented when the program instructions are executed can refer to the control method of the heat pump unit in the above-mentioned embodiments of the present application.

[0088] The computer-readable storage medium may be the internal memory of the heat pump unit described in the above embodiment, such as the hard disk or memory of the heat pump unit. The computer-readable storage medium may also be an external storage device of the heat pump unit, such as a plug-in hard disk, a smart media card (SMC), a secure digital (SD) card, a flash card, etc. equipped on the heat pump unit.

[0089] Furthermore, the computer-readable storage medium may mainly include a program storage area and a data storage area, wherein the program storage area may store an operating system, an application required for at least one function, etc.; the data storage area may store data created according to the use of the heat pump unit, etc.

[0090] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application and are not intended to limit the present application. Although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that the technical solutions of the present application may be modified or replaced by equivalents without departing from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the present application.

Claims

1. A control method for a heat pump unit, characterized in that: The control method comprises: When it is determined that the operation mode of the heat pump unit is the domestic hot water mode, determining whether there is a need to start the heat pump unit; If it is determined that the heat pump unit has a startup demand, obtaining the hot water inlet temperature and the ambient temperature in the heat pump unit, and determining the target output frequency of the compressor in the heat pump unit based on the hot water inlet temperature and the ambient temperature; The compressor is controlled to operate according to the target output frequency.

2. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that: Determining whether the heat pump unit has a startup demand includes: Obtaining the hot water temperature of the heat pump unit and the hot water inlet temperature; If it is determined that both the hot water temperature and the hot water inlet temperature meet the preset conditions, it is determined that there is a need to start the heat pump unit.

3. The control method according to claim 2, characterized in that: The determining that both the hot water temperature and the hot water inlet temperature meet a preset condition includes: If it is determined that the hot water temperature is lower than the first temperature threshold, the hot water inlet temperature is lower than the second temperature threshold, and the hot water inlet temperature is lower than the difference between the maximum heating outlet water temperature of the heat pump and the preset temperature parameter, it is determined that the hot water temperature and the hot water inlet temperature both meet the preset conditions.

4. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The step of determining the target output frequency of the compressor in the heat pump unit based on the hot water inlet temperature and the ambient temperature includes: Matching the target temperature interval corresponding to the hot water inlet temperature from a preset compressor frequency mapping table, and determining the target ambient temperature interval corresponding to the ambient temperature; Based on the target temperature interval and the target ambient temperature interval, the target output frequency corresponding to the target temperature interval and the target ambient temperature interval is matched from the preset compressor frequency mapping table.

5. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that: After controlling the compressor to operate according to the target output frequency, the control method further includes: Determining whether the heat pump unit meets the domestic hot water mode demand; If it is determined that the heat pump unit meets the demand of the domestic hot water mode, the heat pump is controlled to stop running.

6. The control method according to claim 5, characterized in that: The determining whether the heat pump unit meets the domestic hot water mode requirement includes: If any of the following conditions is met, it is determined that the heat pump unit meets the domestic hot water mode demand: During the first time period, the hot water outlet temperature of the heat pump unit is higher than the maximum heating water outlet temperature of the heat pump; During the second time period, the hot water inlet temperature of the heat pump unit is higher than the difference between the maximum heating water outlet temperature and the first temperature parameter; During the third time period, the high pressure corresponding saturation temperature of the heat pump unit is higher than the sum of the maximum heating water outlet temperature and the second temperature parameter.

7. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The control method further comprises: If it is determined that the hot water temperature of the heat pump unit is lower than the third temperature threshold, the heat pump unit is controlled to enable the electric heating mode until the hot water temperature is higher than or equal to the maximum heating water outlet temperature of the heat pump unit, and then the electric heating mode is turned off.

8. A control device for a heat pump unit, characterized in that: The control device comprises: A judgment module, for determining whether there is a need to start the heat pump unit when it is determined that the operation mode of the heat pump unit is the domestic hot water mode; a determination module, for obtaining the hot water inlet temperature and the ambient temperature of the heat pump unit if it is determined that the heat pump unit has a startup demand, and determining the target output frequency of the compressor in the heat pump unit based on the hot water inlet temperature and the ambient temperature; The control module is used to control the compressor to operate according to the target output frequency.

9. A heat pump unit, comprising a memory, a processor, and computer-readable instructions stored in the memory and executable on the processor, characterized in that: When the computer-readable instructions are executed by a processor, the control method of the heat pump unit as described in any one of claims 1 to 7 is implemented.

10. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that: The computer-readable storage medium stores computer-readable instructions, and when the computer-readable instructions are executed by a processor, the control method of the heat pump unit according to any one of claims 1 to 7 is implemented.

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