Refrigerant water content detection method and air conditioning system

Abstract

The present invention relates to the field of air conditioning technology, and in particular, to a method for detecting the water content of a refrigerant and an air conditioning system. The air conditioning system includes a refrigerant circulation system, and a bypass pipeline is connected to the refrigerant inlet side of the throttling component in the refrigerant circulation system, and the bypass pipeline is provided with a collection container and a water content analyzer. The detection method includes: according to the operation mode of the air conditioning system, controlling the collection container to collect the refrigerant; judging whether the collection container has completed the collection of the refrigerant, if so, controlling the water content analyzer to analyze the water content of the refrigerant in the collection container; judging whether the water content exceeds a preset water content threshold, if so, controlling the air conditioning system to prompt a fault signal of excessive water content. The method for detecting the water content of the refrigerant and the air conditioning system provided by the present invention can directly sample and detect the refrigerant online, almost without consuming manpower and time, and because there is no need to send it for inspection, the maintenance time is shortened and the user experience is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of air conditioning, and in particular to a method for detecting water content in a refrigerant and an air conditioning system. Background Art

[0002] Before the after-sales installation of the air-conditioning system, moisture may enter the refrigerant due to the high humidity of the environment. If the moisture is not cleaned out, it may cause problems such as copper plating of the compressor coil, deterioration of the lubricating oil, overheating and burning. Some models may have ice blockage in the capillary tube, affecting the operation of the system. Therefore, it is particularly important to detect the water content of the refrigerant.

[0003] At present, the common method of detecting the water content of refrigerants is offline sampling and sending for inspection, which is a complicated, time-consuming and labor-intensive process.

[0004] In summary, how to overcome the above-mentioned defects of the existing refrigerant water content detection method is a technical problem that needs to be solved urgently by those skilled in the art. Summary of the invention

[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide a method for detecting the water content of a refrigerant and an air-conditioning system, so as to alleviate the technical problem of time-consuming and labor-intensive methods for detecting the water content of a refrigerant in the prior art.

[0006] The method for detecting the water content of a refrigerant provided by the present invention is applied to an air conditioning system, wherein the air conditioning system comprises

[0007] A refrigerant circulation system, wherein a throttling assembly is provided in the refrigerant circulation system, a refrigerant inlet side of the throttling assembly is connected with a bypass pipeline, and the bypass pipeline is provided with a collection container and a water content analyzer;

[0008] The detection method comprises:

[0009] According to the operation mode of the air conditioning system, controlling the collection container on the refrigerant inlet side of the throttling component to collect refrigerant;

[0010] Determine whether the collection container has completed the collection of refrigerant, and if so, control the water content analyzer to analyze the water content of the refrigerant in the collection container;

[0011] It is determined whether the water content exceeds a preset water content threshold value, and if so, the air conditioning system is controlled to prompt a fault signal indicating excessive water content.

[0012] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0013] When the air-conditioning system is cooling or heating, the pressure and temperature of the refrigerant on the refrigerant inlet side of the throttling component will increase. Under the pressure difference between the refrigerant inlet side of the throttling component and the collection container, the bypass pipeline connected to the refrigerant inlet side of the throttling component can introduce the refrigerant in the refrigerant circulation system into the collection container to realize the collection of the refrigerant. After completing the refrigerant collection process, the water content of the refrigerant in the collection container is analyzed using a water content analyzer. When the water content of the refrigerant obtained by the analysis exceeds a preset threshold, it is determined to have too much water content. At this time, the air-conditioning system reports a water content excessive fault to remind the user that the water content of the refrigerant in the air-conditioning system is too much and refrigerant needs to be added again.

[0014] Therefore, the detection method of the water content of the refrigerant provided by the present invention can directly sample and detect the refrigerant online without the need for offline sampling and inspection. It is very convenient and requires almost no manpower and time. Moreover, since there is no need to send the refrigerant for inspection, the maintenance time is shortened and the user experience is improved.

[0015] Preferably, as an implementable mode, a solenoid valve is further provided on the bypass pipeline, and the solenoid valve is used to realize the connection and disconnection between the collection container and the refrigerant circulation system;

[0016] The step of controlling the collection container on the refrigerant inlet side of the throttling assembly to collect refrigerant comprises:

[0017] The solenoid valve is controlled to open so that the refrigerant in the refrigerant circulation system flows into the collection container on the refrigerant inlet side of the throttling assembly.

[0018] The beneficial effect is that the collection container can collect the refrigerant through the opening action of the electromagnetic valve.

[0019] Preferably, as an implementable method, the detection method further comprises:

[0020] Acquire a first operating frequency of a compressor of the air conditioning system;

[0021] Determine whether the difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of the first operating frequency within the first preset time interval is less than or equal to the first preset difference; if so, execute the step of controlling the collection container on the refrigerant inlet side of the throttling component to collect refrigerant.

[0022] The beneficial effect is that the refrigerant can flow smoothly to the collection container, thereby ensuring the reliability of the analysis results.

[0023] Preferably, as an implementable mode, a solenoid valve is further provided on the bypass pipeline, and the solenoid valve is used to realize the connection and disconnection between the collection container and the refrigerant circulation system;

[0024] The step of judging whether the collection container has completed the collection of refrigerant comprises:

[0025] The time to obtain the refrigerant collection;

[0026] Determine whether the collection time reaches the preset collection time, and if so, control the solenoid valve to close.

[0027] The beneficial effect is that the collection time can be used to judge whether the collection container has completed the collection of refrigerant, so that the collection container can collect a sufficient amount of refrigerant.

[0028] Preferably, as an implementable method, after the step of controlling the water content analyzer to analyze the water content of the refrigerant in the collection container, the detection method further comprises:

[0029] It is determined whether the water content exceeds the preset water content threshold value. If not, the refrigerant in the collection container is controlled to be returned to the refrigerant circulation system.

[0030] The beneficial effect is that the total amount of refrigerant circulating in the air-conditioning system can be basically restored to the total amount of refrigerant before the detection after the analysis is completed, and the air-conditioning system can operate normally.

[0031] Preferably, as an implementable embodiment, the bypass pipeline is provided with a solenoid valve, and the solenoid valve is used to realize the connection and disconnection between the collection container and the refrigerant circulation system;

[0032] The step of controlling the refrigerant in the collection container to return to the refrigerant circulation system comprises:

[0033] If the current operation mode of the air-conditioning system is the cooling mode, the air-conditioning system is controlled to switch to the heating mode and the solenoid valve is controlled to open, and after the refrigerant is released for a preset time, the solenoid valve is controlled to close;

[0034] If the current operation mode of the air-conditioning system is the heating mode, the air-conditioning system is controlled to switch to the cooling mode and the solenoid valve is controlled to open, and after the refrigerant is returned for a preset time, the solenoid valve is controlled to close.

[0035] The beneficial effect is that the refrigerant can be smoothly returned to the refrigerant circulation system by changing the operating mode of the air-conditioning system in combination with the opening action of the solenoid valve.

[0036] Preferably, as an implementable method, the detection method further comprises:

[0037] After determining whether the water content exceeds a preset water content threshold and a determination result is no, obtaining a second operating frequency of the compressor of the air conditioning system;

[0038] Determine whether the difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of the second operating frequency within the second preset time interval is less than or equal to the second preset difference; if so, execute the step of controlling the refrigerant in the collection container to return to the refrigerant circulation system.

[0039] The beneficial effect is that the refrigerant can flow smoothly from the collection container back to the refrigerant circulation system, and the residual amount in the collection container can be reduced as much as possible.

[0040] Preferably, as an implementable method, the refrigeration detection method further includes:

[0041] After the collection of the refrigerant is completed, the temperature of the refrigerant in the collection container is obtained;

[0042] Determining whether a difference between a maximum value and a minimum value of the refrigerant temperature within a third preset time interval is less than or equal to a third preset difference;

[0043] If the judgment result is yes, the step of controlling the water content analyzer to start analyzing the water content of the refrigerant in the collection container is executed.

[0044] The beneficial effect is that the accuracy of the analysis results is guaranteed.

[0045] Preferably, as an implementable method, the refrigeration detection method further includes:

[0046] Before collecting the refrigerant, obtaining a first temperature value of the exhaust temperature of the air-conditioning system; after completing the collection, obtaining a second temperature value of the exhaust temperature of the air-conditioning system;

[0047] Determine whether the difference between the second temperature value and the first temperature value is less than a preset difference;

[0048] If so, the frequency of the compressor of the air conditioning system is controlled to remain unchanged;

[0049] If not, the frequency of the compressor is controlled to be lowered, and the system exhaust temperature is obtained in real time. When the exhaust temperature of the air-conditioning system drops below the first temperature value, the frequency of the compressor is controlled to stop decreasing, and the frequency of the compressor is prohibited from increasing.

[0050] The beneficial effect is that the user experience is guaranteed without damaging the air-conditioning system.

[0051] Preferably, as an implementable embodiment, the detection method further includes: after obtaining the signal that the air-conditioning system is powered on for the first time, executing the step of controlling the collection container on the refrigerant inlet side of the throttling component to collect refrigerant according to the operating mode of the air-conditioning system.

[0052] The beneficial effect is that it can play a preventive role, thereby reducing the probability of damage to the air-conditioning system due to too high water content in the refrigerant and reducing maintenance costs.

[0053] Preferably, as an implementable method, after the step of controlling the air-conditioning system to report an excessive water content fault, the detection method further comprises: controlling the air-conditioning system to shut down.

[0054] The beneficial effect is that it prevents the user from continuing to operate the air-conditioning system without finding a fault alarm, thereby avoiding further damage to the air-conditioning system and reducing the maintenance cost of the air-conditioning system.

[0055] Preferably, as an implementable embodiment, two bypass pipelines are respectively connected on both sides of the throttling component, namely a first bypass pipeline and a second bypass pipeline. When the air-conditioning system operates in a cooling mode, the first bypass pipeline is located at the refrigerant inlet side of the throttling component; when the air-conditioning system operates in a heating mode, the second bypass pipeline is located at the refrigerant inlet side of the throttling component; the collection container on the first bypass pipeline is a first collection container, and the collection container on the second bypass pipeline is a second collection container;

[0056] The step of controlling the collection container at the refrigerant inlet side of the throttling assembly to collect refrigerant according to the operation mode of the air conditioning system comprises:

[0057] Get the outdoor ambient temperature;

[0058] Determining whether the outdoor ambient temperature is lower than a preset temperature value;

[0059] If the judgment result is no, the air conditioning system is controlled to operate in cooling mode, and the first collection container is controlled to collect refrigerant; if the judgment result is yes, the air conditioning system is controlled to operate in heating mode, and the second collection container is controlled to collect refrigerant.

[0060] The beneficial effect is that the intelligence level is high and the user experience can be improved.

[0061] The present invention also provides an air-conditioning system, which includes a refrigerant circulation system and a controller. A throttling component is arranged in the refrigerant circulation system. The refrigerant inlet side of the throttling component is connected to a bypass pipeline. The bypass pipeline is provided with a collection container and a water content analyzer. The water content analyzer is electrically connected to the controller.

[0062] The controller can control the collection container on the refrigerant inlet side of the throttling component to collect refrigerant; the controller can also control the water content analyzer to analyze the water content of the refrigerant in the collection container after the collection container completes the collection of the refrigerant; the controller can also control the air-conditioning system to prompt a fault signal of excessive water content when the water content exceeds a preset water content threshold.

[0063] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0064] The air-conditioning system provided by the present invention can directly sample and test the refrigerant online without the need for offline sampling and inspection. This is very convenient and requires almost no manpower and time. Moreover, since there is no need to send the refrigerant for inspection, the maintenance time is shortened and the user experience is improved. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0065] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on the provided drawings without paying creative work.

[0066] Figure 1 A first flow chart of a method for detecting water content in a refrigerant provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0067] Figure 2 A second flow chart of the method for detecting water content in a refrigerant provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0068] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of an air conditioning system provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0069] Description of reference numerals:

[0070] 1- compressor; 2- throttling assembly; 3- water content analyzer; 4- first collection container; 5- first solenoid valve; 6- second collection container; 7- second solenoid valve; 8- heat exchanger. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0071] The technical solution of the present invention will be described clearly and completely below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0072] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "connected" and "connection" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection, or it can be an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or it can be the internal communication of two components. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0073] The present invention is further described in detail below through specific implementation examples in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0074] See also Figure 1 and Figure 3 This embodiment provides a method for detecting the water content of a refrigerant, which is applied to an air-conditioning system. The air-conditioning system includes a refrigerant circulation system, in which a throttling component 2 is arranged. The refrigerant inlet side of the throttling component 2 is connected to a bypass pipeline, and the bypass pipeline is provided with a collection container and a water content analyzer 3.

[0075] The detection method comprises:

[0076] S102, according to the operation mode of the air-conditioning system, controlling the collection container on the refrigerant inlet side of the throttling component 2 to collect refrigerant.

[0077] When the air-conditioning system is cooling or heating, the pressure and temperature of the refrigerant on the refrigerant inlet side of the throttling component 2 will increase. Under the pressure difference between the refrigerant inlet side of the throttling component 2 and the collection container, the bypass pipeline connected to the refrigerant inlet side of the throttling component 2 can introduce the refrigerant in the refrigerant circulation system into the collection container, thereby realizing the collection of the refrigerant.

[0078] S104, determining whether the collection container has completed the collection of the refrigerant.

[0079] S106, if yes, control the water content analyzer 3 to analyze the water content of the refrigerant in the collection container.

[0080] After the refrigerant collection process is completed, the water content of the refrigerant in the collection container 6 is analyzed using the water content analyzer 3 .

[0081] S108, determining whether the water content exceeds a preset water content threshold.

[0082] S110: If yes, the air conditioning system is controlled to prompt a fault signal indicating excessive water content.

[0083] When the water content of the refrigerant obtained by analysis exceeds the preset threshold, it is determined that the water content is too much. At this time, the air-conditioning system reports an excessive water content fault to remind the user that the water content of the refrigerant in the air-conditioning system is too much and refrigerant needs to be added.

[0084] Specifically, a solenoid valve may be provided on the bypass line to enable the collection container and the refrigerant circulation system to be turned on and off by means of the solenoid valve. Based on this structure, the step of controlling the collection container on the refrigerant inlet side of the throttling component 2 to collect the refrigerant in the above step S102 may specifically include: controlling the solenoid valve to open so that the refrigerant in the refrigerant circulation system flows into the collection container on the refrigerant inlet side of the throttling component 2 through the solenoid valve under the action of the pressure difference, thereby realizing the collection of the refrigerant by the collection container.

[0085] The detection method provided in this embodiment also includes the following steps:

[0086] S112, obtaining a first operating frequency of the compressor 1 of the air-conditioning system.

[0087] S114, determining whether a difference between a maximum value and a minimum value of the first operating frequency within a first preset time interval is less than or equal to a first preset difference.

[0088] When the difference between the maximum and minimum values ​​of the first operating frequency within the first preset time interval is less than or equal to the first preset difference, it can be determined that the air-conditioning system is operating stably and is suitable for collecting refrigerant; otherwise, it can be determined that the air-conditioning system is operating unstably and is not suitable for collecting refrigerant.

[0089] S116, if yes, then execute the above step S102, at this time, the refrigerant can flow smoothly to the collection container, ensuring the reliability of the analysis result.

[0090] Specifically, the first preset time interval can be set to 3 minutes, and the first preset difference can be set to 1 Hz, that is, the difference between the maximum and minimum values ​​of the first operating frequency of the compressor 1 within 3 minutes is less than or equal to 1 Hz, indicating that the air-conditioning system operates stably.

[0091] The node for obtaining the first operating frequency of the compressor 1 of the air-conditioning system may be determined in the following manner: after the air-conditioning system is turned on, timing is started, and after the timing is over, the first operating frequency of the compressor 1 of the air-conditioning system is obtained.

[0092] It should be noted that the operating frequency of the compressor 1 is unstable for a period of time after it is started. Therefore, obtaining its first operating frequency after it has run for a period of time can reduce the possibility of misjudgment of the stability of the first operating frequency of the compressor 1.

[0093] Based on the structure of the solenoid valve, the step S104 may specifically include the following steps:

[0094] S1041, obtaining the refrigerant collection time.

[0095] S1042, determining whether the acquisition time reaches a preset acquisition time (which can be set to any value within the range of 10-15s).

[0096] S1043: If yes, control the solenoid valve to close.

[0097] By adopting the above steps, the collection time can be used to judge whether the collection container has completed the collection of refrigerant, so that the collection container can collect a sufficient amount of refrigerant.

[0098] After the above step S108, the following steps are also included:

[0099] S109, if the judgment result is no, that is, the water content of the refrigerant does not exceed the preset water content threshold, the refrigerant in the collection container is controlled to be returned to the refrigerant circulation system.

[0100] When the water content of the refrigerant obtained by analysis does not exceed the preset threshold, that is, the water content of the refrigerant in the air-conditioning system meets the requirements, there is no need to add refrigerant again. At this time, the refrigerant in the collection container is put back into the refrigerant circulation system, so that the total amount of refrigerant participating in the circulation in the air-conditioning system can be basically restored to the total amount of refrigerant before the detection after the analysis is completed, and the air-conditioning system can operate normally.

[0101] Based on the structure of the solenoid valve, the step of controlling the refrigerant in the collection container to return to the refrigerant circulation system in S109 may specifically include the following steps:

[0102] S1092, if the current operating mode of the air-conditioning system is cooling mode, the air-conditioning system is controlled to switch to heating mode and the solenoid valve is controlled to open. After the refrigerant is released for a preset time (which can be set to any value in the range of 10-15s), the solenoid valve is controlled to close.

[0103] S1094, if the current operating mode of the air-conditioning system is heating mode, the air-conditioning system is controlled to switch to cooling mode and the solenoid valve is controlled to open. After the refrigerant is released for a preset time (which can be set to any value in the range of 10-15s), the solenoid valve is controlled to close.

[0104] After the air-conditioning system is switched from cooling mode to heating mode, or from heating mode to cooling mode, the refrigerant inlet side of the throttling component 2 will become the refrigerant outlet side, that is, the pipeline of the refrigerant circulation system connected to the above-mentioned collection container containing the refrigerant will change from a high-pressure environment to a low-pressure environment; under this condition, after the solenoid valve is opened again, the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant in the collection container will be sucked into the refrigerant circulation system, completing the refrigerant return process.

[0105] In the above step S109, after the determination result of whether the water content exceeds the preset water content threshold is no, the following steps may be further included:

[0106] S1091, obtaining a second operating frequency of the compressor 1 of the air conditioning system;

[0107] Determine whether the difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of the second operating frequency within the second preset time interval is less than or equal to the second preset difference. If so, execute the above-mentioned step of controlling the refrigerant in the collection container to return to the refrigerant circulation system.

[0108] When the difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of the second operating frequency within the second preset time interval is less than or equal to the second preset difference, it can be determined that the air-conditioning system is operating stably. At this time, returning the refrigerant can allow the refrigerant to flow smoothly from the collection container back to the refrigerant circulation system, thereby minimizing the residual amount in the collection container.

[0109] The second preset time interval can be set to 3 minutes, and the second preset difference can be set to 1 Hz, that is, the difference between the maximum and minimum values ​​of the second operating frequency of the compressor 1 within 3 minutes is less than or equal to 1 Hz, indicating that the air-conditioning system operates stably.

[0110] The node for obtaining the second operating frequency of the compressor 1 of the air-conditioning system can be determined in the following manner: after the air-conditioning system turns on the heating mode, start timing, and after the timing ends, obtain the second operating frequency of the compressor 1 of the air-conditioning system.

[0111] In the above step S106, after the collection of the refrigerant is completed, the refrigerant temperature in the collection container can be obtained, and it is determined whether the difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of the obtained refrigerant temperature within the third preset time interval is less than or equal to the third preset difference. If the judgment result is yes, it indicates that the refrigerant temperature tends to be stable. At this time, the water content analyzer 3 is controlled to start analyzing the water content of the refrigerant in the collection container to ensure the accuracy of the analysis result.

[0112] Specifically, the third preset time interval can be set to 5 minutes, and the third preset difference can be set to 1°C, that is, the difference between the maximum and minimum values ​​of the refrigerant temperature within 5 minutes is less than or equal to 1°C, indicating that the refrigerant temperature tends to be stable.

[0113] Preferably, before collecting the refrigerant, the exhaust temperature of the air-conditioning system is obtained and defined as the first temperature value; after the collection is completed, the exhaust temperature of the air-conditioning system is obtained again and defined as the second temperature value. It is determined whether the difference between the second temperature value and the first temperature value is less than the preset difference (which can be 5°C). If so, it indicates that the collection of refrigerant has no effect on the air-conditioning system. At this time, the frequency of the compressor 1 of the air-conditioning system is controlled to remain unchanged to ensure the user experience; if not, it indicates that the collection of refrigerant has affected the normal operation of the air-conditioning system. At this time, the frequency of the compressor 1 is controlled to start to decrease, and the system exhaust temperature is obtained in real time. When the exhaust temperature of the air-conditioning system drops below the first temperature value, the frequency of the compressor 1 is controlled to stop decreasing, and the frequency of the compressor 1 is prohibited from increasing to protect the air-conditioning system.

[0114] Specifically, the node for obtaining the first temperature value of the exhaust temperature of the air conditioning system can be determined in the following manner: after determining that the air conditioning system is running stably, the exhaust temperature of the air conditioning system is obtained as the first temperature value. On this basis, it can be selected to start timing after the air conditioning system is running stably (the timing time can be selected as 5s), and after the timing ends, the collection container is controlled to collect refrigerant.

[0115] The node for obtaining the second temperature value of the exhaust temperature of the air-conditioning system can be determined in the following manner: after the acquisition is completed, start timing (the timing time can be selected as 2 minutes), and after the timing ends, start obtaining the exhaust temperature of the air-conditioning system and use it as the second temperature value.

[0116] Preferably, after obtaining a signal indicating that the air-conditioning system is powered on for the first time, the above step S102 is performed.

[0117] It should be noted that after the air-conditioning system is installed, the water content of the refrigerant can be automatically detected and analyzed when it is powered on for the first time. If the water content of the refrigerant exceeds the standard, it can be detected before the air-conditioning system is officially used. There is no need to wait until the air-conditioning system fails. This can play a preventive role, thereby reducing the chance of damage to the air-conditioning system due to excessive water content in the refrigerant and reducing maintenance costs.

[0118] In the above step S110, after the air conditioning system reports a fault of excessive water content, the air conditioning system can be directly controlled to shut down to prevent the user from continuing to operate the air conditioning system without finding a fault alarm, thereby avoiding further damage to the air conditioning system and reducing the maintenance cost of the air conditioning system.

[0119] In the above step S109, after the refrigerant in the collection container is put back into the refrigerant circulation system, the air conditioning system can be controlled to shut down or run according to the user's instructions, so that the subsequent normal use of the air conditioning system can be achieved.

[0120] The air conditioning system to which the detection method provided in this embodiment is applied can be connected to two bypass pipelines on both sides of the throttling component 2, and the two bypass pipelines are defined as a first bypass pipeline and a second bypass pipeline, respectively. When the air conditioning system operates in cooling mode, the first bypass pipeline is located at the refrigerant inlet side of the throttling component 2; when the air conditioning system operates in heating mode, the second bypass pipeline is located at the refrigerant inlet side of the throttling component 2. Accordingly, there are two collection containers, the collection container on the first bypass pipeline can be defined as a first collection container 4, and the collection container on the second bypass pipeline can be defined as a second collection container 6.

[0121] Based on the above structure, the above step S102 may specifically include the following steps:

[0122] S1022, obtaining the outdoor ambient temperature.

[0123] S1024, determining whether the outdoor ambient temperature is lower than a preset temperature value.

[0124] By setting the preset temperature value, it is determined whether the current outdoor environment is cold or hot. When the outdoor environment temperature is higher than or equal to the preset temperature value, it is determined that the current outdoor environment is hot and it is suitable to run the cooling mode for cooling; when the outdoor environment temperature is lower than the preset temperature value, it is determined that the current outdoor environment is cold and it is suitable to run the heating mode for warming.

[0125] S1026, if the judgment result is no, then control the air conditioning system to operate in cooling mode, and control the first collection container 4 to collect refrigerant.

[0126] S1028: If the judgment result is yes, the air conditioning system is controlled to operate in a heating mode, and the second collection container 6 is controlled to collect refrigerant.

[0127] It should be noted that, by obtaining and judging the outdoor ambient temperature, the air-conditioning system can automatically choose to operate in cooling mode or heating mode without manual selection, and the degree of intelligence is relatively high. This embodiment realizes the collection and analysis requirements of the refrigerant when the air-conditioning system operates in cooling mode and heating mode by respectively arranging collection containers on both sides of the throttling component 2. Therefore, when the outdoor ambient temperature is low in winter, the refrigerant can be collected and analyzed in the heating mode, thereby not only ensuring that the air-conditioning system can start normally, but also preventing the temperature of the already cold indoor environment from dropping due to winter cooling. Correspondingly, when the outdoor ambient temperature is high in summer, the refrigerant can be collected and analyzed in the cooling mode, thereby not only ensuring that the air-conditioning system can start normally, but also preventing the temperature of the originally hot indoor environment from rising due to summer heating. In this way, the user experience can be improved.

[0128] Specifically, the solenoid valve on the first bypass line is the first solenoid valve 5 , and the solenoid valve on the second bypass line is the second solenoid valve 7 .

[0129] The first collection container 4 and the second collection container 6 can share the water content analyzer 3, thereby reducing costs and saving occupied space.

[0130] See also Figure 2 and Figure 3 In order to further explain the present invention in more detail, a more specific example is now given as follows:

[0131] Step S201, after obtaining the signal that the air conditioning system is powered on for the first time, control the air conditioning system to enter a water content analysis mode;

[0132] Step S202, collecting the outdoor ambient temperature t;

[0133] Step S203, determining whether t is greater than or equal to 24°C;

[0134] Step S204, if the judgment result is yes, control the air conditioning system to start the cooling mode;

[0135] Step S205: if the judgment result is no, the air conditioning system is controlled to start the heating mode.

[0136] The following is an example of how to collect and analyze the water content of the refrigerant in the cooling mode of the air-conditioning system:

[0137] Step S206, after the cooling mode runs for 5 minutes, the first operating frequency F of the compressor 1 of the air-conditioning system is obtained; the difference ΔF between the maximum value and the minimum value of the first operating frequency F within 3 minutes is calculated;

[0138] Step S207, determining whether ΔF is less than or equal to 1 Hz;

[0139] Step S208: if the judgment result is no, return to step S206 to continue to obtain the first operating frequency F;

[0140] Step S209, if the judgment result is yes, then detect the exhaust temperature TP1 of the air conditioning system;

[0141] Step S210: After 5 seconds, the first solenoid valve 5 is controlled to open to collect refrigerant; after 10-15 seconds, the first solenoid valve 5 is controlled to close to complete the collection;

[0142] Step S211, controlling the water content analyzer 3 to start analyzing the water content of the refrigerant in the first collection container 4;

[0143] Step S212, 2 minutes later, detecting the exhaust temperature TP2 of the air conditioning system;

[0144] Step S213, determining whether ΔTP is less than 5°C, wherein ΔTP=TP2-TP1;

[0145] Step S214: if the judgment result is no, the compressor 1 is controlled to reduce the frequency at a speed of 1 Hz / 2s, and the exhaust temperature TP of the air conditioning system is detected in real time;

[0146] Step S215, when TP≤TP1, stop reducing the frequency, and at the same time, control the air conditioning system to prohibit increasing the frequency;

[0147] Step S216, if the judgment result is yes, the frequency of the compressor 1 is controlled to remain unchanged;

[0148] Step S217, determining whether the water content analyzed by the water content analyzer 3 exceeds a threshold value L;

[0149] Step S218, if the judgment result is yes, the air conditioning system is controlled to report an excessive water content fault and the air conditioning system is controlled to shut down;

[0150] Step S219, if the judgment result is no, the air conditioning system is controlled to switch to a heating mode;

[0151] Step S220, after the heating mode runs for 5 minutes, the second operating frequency F' of the compressor 1 of the air-conditioning system is obtained; the difference ΔF' between the maximum value and the minimum value of the second operating frequency F' within 3 minutes is calculated;

[0152] Step S221, determining whether ΔF′ is less than or equal to 1 Hz;

[0153] Step S222: if the judgment result is no, return to step S220;

[0154] Step S223, if the judgment result is yes, the first solenoid valve 5 is controlled to open and the refrigerant is returned;

[0155] Step S224, after 10-15 seconds, the first solenoid valve 5 is controlled to be closed, and the air conditioning system is controlled to be shut down.

[0156] It should be noted that the steps of collecting and analyzing the water content of the refrigerant in the heating mode of the air-conditioning system are the same in principle as the steps of collecting and analyzing the water content of the refrigerant in the cooling mode mentioned above, and will not be repeated here.

[0157] See also Figure 3 This embodiment also provides an air-conditioning system, which includes the above-mentioned refrigerant circulation system and a controller. A throttling component 2 is arranged in the refrigerant circulation system. The refrigerant inlet side of the throttling component 2 is connected to a bypass pipeline. The bypass pipeline is provided with a collection container and a water content analyzer 3. The water content analyzer 3 is electrically connected to the controller.

[0158] The controller can control the collection container on the refrigerant inlet side of the throttling component 2 to collect refrigerant; the controller can also control the water content analyzer 3 to analyze the water content of the refrigerant in the collection container after the collection container completes the collection of the refrigerant; the controller can also control the air-conditioning system to prompt a fault signal of excessive water content when the water content exceeds a preset water content threshold.

[0159] The air-conditioning system provided by the present invention can directly sample and test the refrigerant online without the need for offline sampling and inspection. This is very convenient and requires almost no manpower and time. Moreover, since there is no need to send the refrigerant for inspection, the maintenance time is shortened and the user experience is improved.

[0160] Two heat exchangers 8 are respectively arranged on both sides of the throttling assembly 2 , and the bypass pipeline is located between the heat exchanger 8 and the throttling assembly 2 .

[0161] When the weight of the collected refrigerant Gc is less than f (the range of f value is 0.5-1%) of the total amount of refrigerant Gz, the impact on the air conditioning system is small. Therefore, in order to ensure that the air conditioning system can be used normally during the collection and analysis of the refrigerant to improve the user experience, the content volume of the collection container can be determined according to the following method:

[0162] The pressure P and temperature T of the refrigerant at the refrigerant inlet side of the throttling component 2 are predetermined when the air-conditioning system is in stable operation. Based on the determined pressure P and temperature T and using the refprop refrigerant physical property database, the density of the refrigerant ρ=f(T, P) is calculated, and the content volume V of the collection container can be calculated according to the following formula: V=f×Gz / ρ.

[0163] In summary, the embodiments of the present invention disclose a method for detecting the water content of a refrigerant and an air conditioning system, which overcomes many technical defects of the conventional method for detecting the water content of a refrigerant. The method for detecting the water content of a refrigerant and the air conditioning system provided by the embodiments of the present invention can directly sample and test the refrigerant online without the need for offline sampling and inspection, which is very convenient and requires almost no manpower and time. Moreover, since there is no need to send the refrigerant for inspection, the inspection time is shortened and the user experience is improved.

[0164] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, rather than to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or replace some or all of the technical features therein with equivalents. However, these modifications or replacements do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for detecting water content in a refrigerant, characterized in that: Applied to an air conditioning system, the air conditioning system comprises a refrigerant circulation system, a throttling component (2) is arranged in the refrigerant circulation system, a refrigerant inlet side of the throttling component (2) is connected with a bypass pipeline, the bypass pipeline is provided with a solenoid valve, a collection container and a water content analyzer (3), the solenoid valve is used to realize the connection and disconnection between the collection container and the refrigerant circulation system; The detection method comprises: According to the operation mode of the air conditioning system, controlling the collection container on the refrigerant inlet side of the throttling component (2) to collect refrigerant; Determining whether the collection container has completed the collection of the refrigerant, and if so, controlling the water content analyzer (3) to analyze the water content of the refrigerant in the collection container; Determine whether the water content exceeds a preset water content threshold value, if yes, control the air conditioning system to prompt a fault signal of excessive water content, if no, control the refrigerant in the collection container to return to the refrigerant circulation system; in: The step of controlling the collection container on the refrigerant inlet side of the throttling component (2) to collect refrigerant comprises: controlling the solenoid valve to open so that the refrigerant in the refrigerant circulation system flows into the collection container on the refrigerant inlet side of the throttling component (2); The step of judging whether the collection container has completed the collection of refrigerant includes: obtaining the collection time of the refrigerant; judging whether the collection time reaches a preset collection time, and if so, controlling the solenoid valve to close; The step of controlling the refrigerant in the collection container to return to the refrigerant circulation system includes: if the current operating mode of the air-conditioning system is the cooling mode, controlling the air-conditioning system to switch to the heating mode and controlling the solenoid valve to open, and after the refrigerant is kept back for a preset time, controlling the solenoid valve to close; if the current operating mode of the air-conditioning system is the heating mode, controlling the air-conditioning system to switch to the cooling mode and controlling the solenoid valve to open, and after the refrigerant is kept back for a preset time, controlling the solenoid valve to close.

2. The detection method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The detection method further comprises: Acquiring a first operating frequency of a compressor (1) of the air conditioning system; Determine whether the difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of the first operating frequency within the first preset time interval is less than or equal to the first preset difference; if so, execute the step of controlling the collection container on the refrigerant inlet side of the throttling component (2) to collect refrigerant.

3. The detection method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The detection method further comprises: After determining whether the water content exceeds a preset water content threshold and the result of the determination is no, obtaining a second operating frequency of the compressor (1) of the air conditioning system; Determine whether the difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of the second operating frequency within the second preset time interval is less than or equal to the second preset difference; if so, execute the step of controlling the refrigerant in the collection container to return to the refrigerant circulation system.

4. The detection method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The detection method further comprises: After the collection of the refrigerant is completed, obtaining the refrigerant temperature in the collection container; Determine whether the difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of the refrigerant temperature within a third preset time interval is less than or equal to a third preset difference; If the judgment result is yes, the step of controlling the water content analyzer (3) to analyze the water content of the refrigerant in the collection container is executed.

5. The detection method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The refrigeration detection method further comprises: Before collecting the refrigerant, obtaining a first temperature value of the exhaust temperature of the air-conditioning system; after completing the collection, obtaining a second temperature value of the exhaust temperature of the air-conditioning system; Determine whether the difference between the second temperature value and the first temperature value is less than a preset difference; If so, the frequency of the compressor (1) of the air conditioning system is controlled to remain unchanged; If not, the frequency of the compressor (1) is controlled to be reduced, and the system exhaust temperature is obtained in real time. When the exhaust temperature of the air-conditioning system drops below the first temperature value, the frequency of the compressor (1) is controlled to stop decreasing, and the frequency of the compressor (1) is prohibited from increasing.

6. The detection method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The detection method further comprises: after acquiring a signal that the air-conditioning system is powered on for the first time, executing the step of controlling the collection container on the refrigerant inlet side of the throttling component (2) to collect refrigerant according to the operation mode of the air-conditioning system; And / or, after the step of controlling the air conditioning system to report an excessive water content fault, the detection method further comprises: controlling the air conditioning system to shut down.

7. The detection method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The two sides of the throttling component (2) are respectively connected with two bypass pipelines, namely a first bypass pipeline and a second bypass pipeline. When the air-conditioning system operates in a cooling mode, the first bypass pipeline is located at the refrigerant inlet side of the throttling component (2); when the air-conditioning system operates in a heating mode, the second bypass pipeline is located at the refrigerant inlet side of the throttling component (2); the collection container on the first bypass pipeline is a first collection container (4), and the collection container on the second bypass pipeline is a second collection container (6); The step of controlling the collection container on the refrigerant inlet side of the throttling component (2) to collect refrigerant according to the operating mode of the air conditioning system comprises: Get the outdoor ambient temperature; Determining whether the outdoor ambient temperature is lower than a preset temperature value; If the judgment result is no, the air conditioning system is controlled to operate in cooling mode, and the first collection container (4) is controlled to collect refrigerant; if the judgment result is yes, the air conditioning system is controlled to operate in heating mode, and the second collection container (6) is controlled to collect refrigerant.

8. An air conditioning system, characterized in that: The invention comprises a refrigerant circulation system and a controller, wherein a throttling component (2) is arranged in the refrigerant circulation system, a refrigerant inlet side of the throttling component (2) is connected with a bypass pipeline, the bypass pipeline is provided with a solenoid valve, a collection container and a water content analyzer (3), the water content analyzer (3) is electrically connected to the controller, and the solenoid valve is used to realize the connection and disconnection between the collection container and the refrigerant circulation system; The controller is capable of controlling the collection container on the refrigerant inlet side of the throttling component (2) to collect refrigerant; The controller can also control the water content analyzer (3) to analyze the water content of the refrigerant in the collection container after the collection container completes the collection of the refrigerant; The controller can also control the air conditioning system to prompt a fault signal of excessive water content when the water content exceeds a preset water content threshold, otherwise, control the refrigerant in the collection container to be returned to the refrigerant circulation system.

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