Method and device for controlling air conditioner, air conditioner, and storage medium

Abstract

The present application relates to the field of smart home appliance technology and discloses a method for controlling an air conditioner, comprising: obtaining the refrigerant concentration outside an indoor heat exchanger; when the refrigerant concentration exceeds a preset value, controlling the on-off status of a first stop valve and a second stop valve according to the operating mode of the air conditioner, so that the remaining refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger is discharged into the outdoor heat exchanger. The air conditioner of the present application, when the refrigerant concentration exceeds a preset value, determines that a refrigerant leak has occurred, and controls the on-off status of the first stop valve and the second stop valve according to the operating mode of the air conditioner, so that the refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger is discharged into the outdoor heat exchanger as soon as possible, and prevents the refrigerant in the outdoor heat exchanger from flowing into the indoor heat exchanger. In this way, the refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger can be prevented from continuously flowing into the room, eliminating indoor safety risks. The present application also discloses a device for controlling an air conditioner, an air conditioner, and a storage medium.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of smart home appliances, for example, to a method and device for controlling an air conditioner, an air conditioner, and a storage medium. Background Art

[0002] The refrigerant in air conditioners is a crucial component of their ability to control ambient temperature. With the continuous advancement of air conditioning technology, the types of refrigerants are also constantly evolving. The search for environmentally friendly, efficient, and energy-saving refrigerants for air conditioners is ongoing. Due to the high GWP (Global Warming Potential) of R410a, it is expected to be phased out in the face of the growing global warming effect and the increasing attention paid to addressing global climate change. Currently, virtually pollution-free refrigerants such as R161 and R290 are a hot topic of research. However, some of these refrigerants are flammable and explosive, placing high safety requirements on systems using them.

[0003] The refrigerant leakage detection method includes: obtaining a first concentration detected by the refrigerant sensor of the air conditioner when the indoor fan of the air conditioner is running; when the first concentration is less than a preset concentration, performing a preset operation to slow down the air flow in the space where the refrigerant sensor is located; after performing the preset operation, obtaining a second concentration detected by the refrigerant sensor; and determining whether there is a refrigerant leakage based on the second concentration.

[0004] In the process of implementing the embodiments of the present disclosure, it was found that there are at least the following problems in the related art: after determining that a refrigerant leak has occurred in the indoor unit, if no protective measures are taken subsequently, the flammable and explosive refrigerant will continue to flow into the room, which is very likely to cause a safety accident. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosed embodiments, a brief summary is given below. The summary is not an extensive review, nor is it intended to identify key / critical elements or delineate the scope of protection of these embodiments, but rather serves as a prelude to the detailed description that follows.

[0006] The embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method and apparatus for controlling an air conditioner, an air conditioner, and a storage medium to prevent refrigerant from continuously flowing into a room and eliminate safety risks.

[0007] An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a method for controlling an air conditioner, wherein a refrigerant inlet pipe of an indoor heat exchanger of the air conditioner is provided with a first stop valve, a refrigerant outlet pipe is provided with a second stop valve, a liquid storage tank is provided on the refrigerant pipeline between the second stop valve and the indoor heat exchanger, and an exhaust pipe is provided at the bottom of the liquid storage tank. The method includes:

[0008] Obtain the refrigerant concentration outside the indoor heat exchanger;

[0009] When the refrigerant concentration exceeds a preset value, the first stop valve and the second stop valve are controlled to be on and off according to the operation mode of the air conditioner so that the remaining refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger is discharged into the outdoor heat exchanger.

[0010] In some embodiments, controlling the opening and closing of the first stop valve and the second stop valve according to the operating mode of the air conditioner includes:

[0011] The air conditioner operates in cooling mode, controls the first stop valve to be disconnected, and controls the second stop valve to be open;

[0012] The air conditioner operates in heating mode, controls the passage of the first stop valve, and controls the circuit breaker of the second stop valve.

[0013] In some embodiments, when the refrigerant concentration exceeds a preset value, the method further includes:

[0014] controlling the compressor to operate at a first operating frequency, wherein the first operating frequency is greater than the initial operating frequency;

[0015] Obtaining a first volume of refrigerant in the liquid storage tank;

[0016] When the first volume reaches a maximum value, the inlet stop valve and the outlet stop valve of the liquid storage tank are controlled to be closed, and the third stop valve on the exhaust pipe of the liquid storage tank is controlled to be opened.

[0017] In some embodiments, when the first volume reaches a maximum value, the further step includes:

[0018] The compressor is controlled to operate at a second operating frequency, where the second operating frequency is less than the first operating frequency and greater than or equal to the initial operating frequency.

[0019] In some embodiments, after controlling the opening of the third stop valve on the exhaust pipe of the liquid storage tank, the method further includes:

[0020] Obtaining a second volume of refrigerant in the liquid storage tank;

[0021] When the second volume reaches the minimum value, the inlet stop valve and the outlet stop valve of the liquid storage tank are controlled to open.

[0022] In some embodiments, when the second volume reaches a minimum value, the further comprising:

[0023] The compressor is controlled to operate at a third operating frequency, where the third operating frequency is greater than the second operating frequency.

[0024] In some embodiments, when the refrigerant concentration exceeds a preset value, after controlling the on / off status of the first stop valve and the second stop valve according to the operation mode of the air conditioner, the method further includes:

[0025] Obtain the evaporation temperature of the indoor heat exchanger and the indoor ambient temperature;

[0026] When the difference between the evaporation temperature and the indoor ambient temperature is smaller than a predetermined value, it is determined that the refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger is exhausted.

[0027] An embodiment of the present disclosure also provides a device for controlling an air conditioner, comprising a processor and a memory storing program instructions, wherein the processor is configured to execute a method for controlling an air conditioner as provided in any of the aforementioned embodiments when running the program instructions.

[0028] An embodiment of the present disclosure further provides an air conditioner, comprising the device for controlling the air conditioner provided in the above embodiment.

[0029] An embodiment of the present disclosure further provides a storage medium storing program instructions, which, when executed, executes the method for controlling an air conditioner provided in any of the aforementioned embodiments.

[0030] The method and device for controlling an air conditioner, the air conditioner, and the storage medium provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure can achieve the following technical effects: The air conditioner of the present application can control the entry and outflow of the refrigerant by setting a stop valve on the refrigerant inlet pipe and the refrigerant outlet pipe of the indoor heat exchanger. When the refrigerant concentration exceeds a preset value, the air conditioner considers that a refrigerant leak has occurred, and controls the opening and closing of the first stop valve and the second stop valve according to the operating mode of the air conditioner, so that the refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger is discharged into the outdoor heat exchanger as soon as possible, and prevents the refrigerant in the outdoor heat exchanger from flowing into the indoor heat exchanger. In this way, the refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger can be prevented from continuously flowing into the room, eliminating indoor safety risks.

[0031] The above general description and the following description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not intended to limit the present application. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] One or more embodiments are exemplarily described by corresponding drawings. These exemplary descriptions and drawings do not limit the embodiments. Elements with the same reference numerals in the drawings are shown as similar elements. The drawings do not constitute a scale limitation. In addition,

[0033] Figure 1 is a system schematic diagram of an air conditioner provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0034] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a method for controlling an air conditioner provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0035] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of another method for controlling an air conditioner provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0036] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of another method for controlling an air conditioner provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0037] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of another method for controlling an air conditioner provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0038] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of another method for controlling an air conditioner provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0039] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of another method for controlling an air conditioner provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0040] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of another method for controlling an air conditioner provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0041] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of another method for controlling an air conditioner provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0042] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of another method for controlling an air conditioner provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0043] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of a device for controlling an air conditioner provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0044] Figure 12 2 is a schematic diagram of another device for controlling an air conditioner provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] In order to be able to understand the features and technical content of the embodiments of the present disclosure in more detail, the implementation of the embodiments of the present disclosure is described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings are for reference only and are not used to limit the embodiments of the present disclosure. In the following technical description, for the sake of convenience of explanation, a full understanding of the disclosed embodiments is provided through multiple details. However, one or more embodiments can still be implemented without these details. In other cases, to simplify the drawings, well-known structures and devices can be simplified for display.

[0046] In the description and claims of the embodiments of the present disclosure, as well as in the accompanying drawings, the terms "first," "second," and the like are used to distinguish similar items and are not necessarily used to describe a particular order or precedence. It should be understood that the terms used in this manner are interchangeable where appropriate to describe the embodiments of the present disclosure herein. In addition, the terms "including," "having," and any variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions.

[0047] Unless otherwise stated, the term "plurality" means two or more.

[0048] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the character " / " indicates that the preceding and following objects are in an "or" relationship. For example, A / B means: A or B.

[0049] The term "and / or" describes an association between objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B means: A or B, or A and B.

[0050] The term "correspondence" may refer to an association relationship or a binding relationship. The correspondence between A and B means that there is an association relationship or a binding relationship between A and B.

[0051] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the air conditioner system provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure. The system includes: an indoor heat exchanger 310, an outdoor heat exchanger 320, an outdoor fan 330, a refrigerant pipeline 340, a compressor 350, a liquid storage tank 360, a refrigerant detection device, and a control device. The indoor heat exchanger 310, the outdoor heat exchanger 320, the compressor 350, and the liquid storage tank 360 are connected via the refrigerant pipeline 340. The refrigerant pipeline 340 is provided with a four-way valve 341, a throttling device 342, a shut-off valve, and a one-way valve 343. The refrigerant flows in the refrigerant pipeline 340, completing heat exchange with the indoor environment when flowing to the indoor heat exchanger 310, and completing heat exchange with the outdoor environment when flowing to the outdoor heat exchanger 320. The shut-off valve can be provided to control the flow of the refrigerant, so that the refrigerant flow can be connected, interrupted, increased, or decreased.

[0052] The refrigerant detection device is used to detect the concentration of refrigerant leaking from the indoor heat exchanger. The refrigerant detection device can be a gas concentration sensor. The refrigerant detection device can be installed outside the indoor heat exchanger to promptly detect any refrigerant leaks from the indoor heat exchanger's piping.

[0053] Optionally, the refrigerant detection device is arranged at the bend portion at the left and / or right end of the indoor heat exchanger. In this way, it is convenient to set up the refrigerant detection device and leaked refrigerant can be detected. Optionally, the outer cover of the bend portion at the left and / or right end of the indoor heat exchanger is provided with a sealing box, and the refrigerant detection device is provided at the bottom of the sealing box. Since there is no air duct structure at the position of the bend portion at the left and right ends of the indoor heat exchanger and it is surrounded by a sealing box, other sprays in the room will not flow into this space, and the detection accuracy of the refrigerant can be guaranteed. Optionally, the refrigerant detection device is a sensor for detecting refrigerant leakage.

[0054] The control device can be connected to the refrigerant detection device to obtain the refrigerant concentration outside the indoor heat exchanger.

[0055] Combine Figure 1As shown, the refrigerant inlet pipe of the indoor heat exchanger of the air conditioner is equipped with a first shut-off valve 344, and the refrigerant outlet pipe is equipped with a second shut-off valve 345. A liquid storage tank 360 is installed on the refrigerant pipeline 340 between the second shut-off valve 345 and the indoor heat exchanger 310, and an exhaust pipe 361 is installed at the bottom of the liquid storage tank 360. The control device can control the flow of refrigerant into and out of the indoor heat exchanger 310 by controlling the opening and closing of the first shut-off valve 344 and the second shut-off valve 345. The liquid storage tank 360 can store refrigerant, and the control device can release the gaseous refrigerant into the outdoor environment by controlling the third shut-off valve 346 on the exhaust pipe 361. Figure 1 The middle arrow indicates the flow direction of the refrigerant in the cooling mode of the air conditioner. Figure 1 The middle dotted line divides the air conditioner into an outdoor unit and an indoor unit. The outdoor unit is on the left side of the dotted line, and the indoor unit is on the right side of the dotted line.

[0056] The refrigerant inlet pipe of the indoor heat exchanger refers to the pipe through which the refrigerant enters the indoor heat exchanger when the air conditioner is in cooling mode, and the refrigerant storage tank refers to the pipe through which the refrigerant flows out of the indoor heat exchanger when the air conditioner is in cooling mode.

[0057] Figure 2 This is a flow chart of a method for controlling an air conditioner provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure. The method for controlling an air conditioner is applied to Figure 1 In the environment shown, Figure 1 The air conditioner shown is executed, and can also be executed in the control device of the air conditioner, such as a remote control or an operation panel on the wall of the room. In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the control device is used as the execution subject to illustrate the solution.

[0058] Combine Figure 2 As shown, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a method for controlling an air conditioner, comprising:

[0059] S01: The control device obtains the refrigerant concentration outside the indoor heat exchanger.

[0060] S02, when the refrigerant concentration exceeds a preset value, the control device controls the on-off status of the first stop valve and the second stop valve according to the operation mode of the air conditioner, so that the remaining refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger is discharged into the outdoor heat exchanger.

[0061] In step S01, the refrigerant concentration outside the indoor heat exchanger can be obtained by a refrigerant detection device that communicates with the control device, such as a refrigerant concentration sensor. The acquisition of the refrigerant concentration in the disclosed embodiment can be continuous, so that the air conditioner can respond promptly to changes in the above parameters; or it can be periodic, for example, obtaining the refrigerant concentration outside the indoor heat exchanger every 5 minutes, so as to reduce the amount of data processing while maintaining dynamic control. The above description of the acquisition of the refrigerant concentration outside the indoor heat exchanger does not constitute a specific limitation, and those skilled in the art can determine the appropriate acquisition frequency based on actual conditions.

[0062] The refrigerant concentration outside the indoor heat exchanger can be the refrigerant concentration outside the left and / or right bends of the indoor heat exchanger. If the refrigerant concentration detected at the left or right bend exceeds a preset value, a refrigerant leak is considered to have occurred.

[0063] In step S02, when the refrigerant concentration exceeds a preset value, it is considered that the refrigerant has leaked. When a gas concentration sensor is used, when the refrigerant concentration exceeds a preset value of the gas concentration sensor, the gas concentration sensor can detect a refrigerant leak.

[0064] Optionally, the air conditioner's operating modes include a cooling mode and a heating mode. The refrigerant's flow direction is opposite in the cooling mode and the heating mode. Therefore, the control device controls the opening and closing of the first stop valve and the second stop valve according to the air conditioner's operating mode, thereby enabling the discharge of excess refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger regardless of the air conditioner's operating mode.

[0065] The on-off conditions of the first stop valve and the second stop valve include the first stop valve being on and the second stop valve being off, and the first stop valve being off or the second stop valve being on.

[0066] The remaining refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger refers to the refrigerant remaining in the indoor heat exchanger after the first stop valve or the second stop valve is closed.

[0067] The method for controlling an air conditioner provided by the disclosed embodiment controls the flow of refrigerant by installing shutoff valves on the refrigerant inlet and outlet pipes of an indoor heat exchanger. When the refrigerant concentration exceeds a preset value, the air conditioner deems a refrigerant leak to have occurred. The air conditioner then controls the opening and closing of the first shutoff valve and the second shutoff valve according to the air conditioner's operating mode, thereby discharging the refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger into the outdoor heat exchanger as quickly as possible and preventing the refrigerant in the outdoor unit from flowing into the indoor heat exchanger. This prevents the refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger from continuously flowing into the indoor space, eliminating indoor safety risks.

[0068] Optionally, the control device controls the opening and closing of the first stop valve and the second stop valve according to the operating mode of the air conditioner, including:

[0069] The air conditioner operates in cooling mode, and the control device controls the first stop valve to be disconnected and controls the second stop valve to be open.

[0070] The air conditioner operates in a heating mode, and the control device controls the passage of the first stop valve and controls the second stop valve to be disconnected.

[0071] In the air conditioner provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure, in cooling mode, the control device controls the first shut-off valve to be disconnected, thereby preventing the refrigerant flowing out of the outdoor heat exchanger from flowing indoors; the control device controls the second shut-off valve passage, and allows a portion of the remaining refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger to flow into the compressor, and the remaining portion to flow into the outdoor heat exchanger; in heating mode, the control device controls the first shut-off valve passage, thereby allowing the remaining refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger to pass through the throttling mechanism and flow into the outdoor heat exchanger; the control device controls the second shut-off valve to be disconnected, thereby preventing the refrigerant flowing out of the outdoor heat exchanger from flowing indoors. Through this embodiment, if a refrigerant leak occurs in either cooling mode or heating mode, the refrigerant can be exhausted from the indoor heat exchanger, and the refrigerant in the outdoor heat exchanger can be prevented from continuing to flow indoors, thereby preventing the refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger from continuously flowing into the room.

[0072] Combine Figure 3 As shown, the embodiment of the present disclosure provides another method for controlling an air conditioner, comprising:

[0073] S01: The control device obtains the refrigerant concentration outside the indoor heat exchanger.

[0074] S03, when the refrigerant concentration exceeds a preset value, the control device obtains the operating mode of the air conditioner. If the air conditioner operates in cooling mode, step S11 is executed; if the air conditioner operates in heating mode, step S12 is executed.

[0075] S11, the air conditioner operates in cooling mode, and the control device controls the first stop valve to be disconnected and controls the second stop valve to be open.

[0076] S12, the air conditioner operates in heating mode, and the control device controls the first stop valve to open and the second stop valve to disconnect.

[0077] The method for controlling an air conditioner provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure can perform targeted control on the on-off status of the first stop valve and the second stop valve according to the operating mode of the air conditioner, so that the refrigerant can be discharged from the indoor heat exchanger as soon as possible, avoiding leakage of the refrigerant into the indoor environment, and ensuring the safety of the indoor environment.

[0078] Combine Figure 4 As shown, the embodiment of the present disclosure provides another method for controlling an air conditioner, comprising:

[0079] S01: The control device obtains the refrigerant concentration outside the indoor heat exchanger.

[0080] S04, when the refrigerant concentration exceeds the preset value, the control device obtains the operating mode of the air conditioner. If the air conditioner operates in the cooling mode, step S13 is executed; if the air conditioner operates in the heating mode, step S12 is executed.

[0081] S13, the air conditioner operates in cooling mode, the control device controls the first stop valve to be disconnected, controls the second stop valve to be open, and controls the outdoor fan and compressor to continue to run for a first preset time and then stop running, and controls the indoor fan to reduce the wind speed and run for a first preset time and then stop running.

[0082] S12, the air conditioner operates in heating mode, and the control device controls the first stop valve to open and the second stop valve to disconnect.

[0083] In the cooling mode of the disclosed embodiment, after the control device controls the first stop valve to be disconnected and the second stop valve to be open, it also controls the outdoor fan and compressor to continue running for a first preset time and then stop running, so that the refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger can be exhausted and the energy consumption of the air conditioner can be reduced as much as possible. This is because after the refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger leaks, the compressor needs to continue running to promote the outflow of the refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger, and the outdoor fan needs to continue to dissipate heat to the outdoor heat exchanger. Since the indoor heat exchanger is no longer needed to continue to perform the heat exchange function, the indoor fan speed can be reduced to save energy. The indoor fan speed is reduced to ensure that the refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger can absorb heat and turn into a gaseous state, which facilitates the discharge of the refrigerant to the outdoor side.

[0084] Optionally, the first preset time may be 30s, 1min, 2min, 3min, 4min, 5min, etc.

[0085] Combine Figure 5 As shown, the embodiment of the present disclosure provides another method for controlling an air conditioner, comprising:

[0086] S01: The control device obtains the refrigerant concentration outside the indoor heat exchanger.

[0087] S05, when the refrigerant concentration exceeds the preset value, the control device obtains the operating mode of the air conditioner. If the air conditioner operates in the cooling mode, step S13 is executed; if the air conditioner operates in the heating mode, step S14 is executed.

[0088] S13, the air conditioner operates in cooling mode, the control device controls the first stop valve to be disconnected, controls the second stop valve to be open, and controls the outdoor fan and compressor to continue to run for a first preset time and then stop running, and controls the indoor fan to reduce the wind speed and run for a first preset time and then stop running.

[0089] S14, the air conditioner operates in heating mode, the control device controls the first stop valve passage, controls the second stop valve to be disconnected, controls the outdoor fan to stop running and controls the indoor fan to reduce the wind speed, and controls the compressor and the indoor fan to stop running after a second preset time.

[0090] The method for controlling an air conditioner provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure is as follows: in cooling mode, after the control device controls the first stop valve to be disconnected and the second stop valve to be opened, the control device also controls the outdoor fan and the compressor to continue to run for a first preset time and then stop running, so that the refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger can be discharged and the energy consumption of the air conditioner can be reduced as much as possible; in heating mode, after the control device controls the first stop valve to be opened and the second stop valve to be disconnected, the control device controls the outdoor fan to stop running directly, and controls the indoor fan to reduce the wind speed and run for a second preset time, and then controls the compressor and the indoor fan to stop running, so as to prompt the refrigerant to be discharged from the indoor heat exchanger and reduce the energy consumption compared to the case where the outdoor fan and the indoor fan run at the original wind speed.

[0091] Combine Figure 6 As shown, the embodiment of the present disclosure provides another method for controlling an air conditioner, comprising:

[0092] S01: The control device obtains the refrigerant concentration outside the indoor heat exchanger.

[0093] S31, when the refrigerant concentration exceeds a preset value, the control device controls the on-off status of the first stop valve and the second stop valve according to the operating mode of the air conditioner, and the control device controls the compressor to operate at a first operating frequency, which is greater than the initial operating frequency.

[0094] S32: The control device obtains a first volume of the refrigerant in the liquid storage tank.

[0095] S33, when the first volume reaches a maximum value, the control device controls the inlet stop valve and the outlet stop valve of the liquid storage tank to close, and controls the third stop valve on the exhaust pipe of the liquid storage tank to open.

[0096] An inlet pipe and an outlet pipe are provided on the upper part of the liquid storage tank of the embodiment of the present disclosure, an inlet stop valve is provided on the inlet pipe, an outflow stop valve is provided on the outflow pipe, an exhaust pipe is provided at the bottom of the liquid storage tank, and a third stop valve is provided on the exhaust pipe.

[0097] In step S31, when refrigerant leakage occurs in the indoor heat exchanger, the control device controls the compressor to operate at a first operating frequency greater than the initial operating frequency, which can prompt the refrigerant to flow quickly and enter the liquid storage tank for storage, so as to discharge the refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger as soon as possible.

[0098] The initial operating frequency refers to the operating frequency of the compressor when the refrigerant concentration does not exceed a preset value. Optionally, the first operating frequency is 70 Hz to 90 Hz.

[0099] In step S32 , the first volume of the refrigerant in the liquid storage tank can be obtained by a sensor communicating with the control device, such as a gas concentration detection sensor, and the liquid storage tank is determined to be full when the concentration reaches a threshold.

[0100] In step S33, when the first volume reaches its maximum value, indicating that the refrigerant in the storage tank is full, the control device controls the storage tank's inlet and outlet shut-off valves to close, preventing the tank from receiving any more refrigerant. It also controls the third shut-off valve on the tank's exhaust pipe to open, allowing the refrigerant in the tank to be discharged. The storage tank is typically located within an air conditioner's outdoor unit and can discharge leaked refrigerant to the outside environment, preventing it from entering the room.

[0101] The method for controlling an air conditioner provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure enables a liquid storage tank to store a certain amount of refrigerant in order to quickly discharge the remaining refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger, share the amount of refrigerant received by the outdoor heat exchanger and the compressor, and discharge the refrigerant when the refrigerant is full, thereby improving the indoor safety environment.

[0102] Combine Figure 7 As shown, the embodiment of the present disclosure provides another method for controlling an air conditioner, comprising:

[0103] S01: The control device obtains the refrigerant concentration outside the indoor heat exchanger.

[0104] S31, when the refrigerant concentration exceeds a preset value, the control device controls the on-off status of the first stop valve and the second stop valve according to the operating mode of the air conditioner, and the control device controls the compressor to operate at a first operating frequency, which is greater than the initial operating frequency.

[0105] S32: The control device obtains a first volume of the refrigerant in the liquid storage tank.

[0106] S34, when the first volume reaches the maximum value, the control device controls the inlet stop valve and the outlet stop valve of the liquid storage tank to close, and controls the third stop valve on the exhaust pipe of the liquid storage tank to open; controls the compressor to operate at a second operating frequency, which is less than the first operating frequency and greater than or equal to the initial operating frequency.

[0107] In step S34, when the first volume reaches its maximum value, indicating that the refrigerant in the liquid storage tank is full, the control device controls the inlet shut-off valve and the outlet shut-off valve of the liquid storage tank to close, thereby no longer receiving refrigerant, and controls the third shut-off valve on the exhaust pipe of the liquid storage tank to open, thereby discharging the refrigerant in the liquid storage tank. The liquid storage tank is usually located in the outdoor unit of the air conditioner, and can discharge leaked refrigerant into the external environment to prevent it from flowing into the room. At the same time, the control device also controls the compressor to operate at a second operating frequency, which is less than the first operating frequency and greater than or equal to the initial operating frequency. In this way, the flow rate of the refrigerant can be relatively slowed down, and when the inlet shut-off valve and the outlet shut-off valve of the liquid storage tank are closed, the refrigerant maintains an appropriate flow rate.

[0108] Optionally, the second operating frequency is 30 Hz to 50 Hz.

[0109] The disclosed embodiment can utilize the liquid storage tank to quickly discharge the remaining refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger, thereby improving the indoor safety environment.

[0110] Combine Figure 8 As shown, the embodiment of the present disclosure provides another method for controlling an air conditioner, comprising:

[0111] S01: The control device obtains the refrigerant concentration outside the indoor heat exchanger.

[0112] S31, when the refrigerant concentration exceeds a preset value, the control device controls the on-off status of the first stop valve and the second stop valve according to the operating mode of the air conditioner, and the control device controls the compressor to operate at a first operating frequency, which is greater than the initial operating frequency.

[0113] S32: The control device obtains a first volume of the refrigerant in the liquid storage tank.

[0114] S33, when the first volume reaches a maximum value, the control device controls the inlet stop valve and the outlet stop valve of the liquid storage tank to close, and controls the third stop valve on the exhaust pipe of the liquid storage tank to open.

[0115] S35: The control device obtains the second volume of the refrigerant in the liquid storage tank.

[0116] S36, when the second volume reaches the minimum value, the control device controls the inlet stop valve and the outlet stop valve of the liquid storage tank to open.

[0117] In step S33, when the first volume reaches the maximum value, it indicates that the refrigerant in the liquid storage tank is full. The control device controls the inlet stop valve and the outlet stop valve of the liquid storage tank to close, and no longer receives refrigerant. It also controls the third stop valve on the exhaust pipe of the liquid storage tank to open, and discharge the refrigerant in the liquid storage tank.

[0118] In step S35 , the second volume of the refrigerant in the liquid storage tank may be obtained by a sensor communicating with the control device, such as a gas concentration detection sensor.

[0119] In step S36, when the second volume reaches the minimum value, it is considered that the refrigerant in the liquid storage tank has been emptied. At this time, the control device controls the inlet stop valve and the outlet stop valve of the liquid storage tank to open, collects the refrigerant from the indoor heat exchanger again, and quickly processes the refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger to improve the indoor safety environment.

[0120] The disclosed embodiment can discharge the refrigerant when the storage tank is filled with refrigerant, and collect the refrigerant again after the refrigerant is emptied, so as to quickly discharge the remaining refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger and improve the indoor safety environment.

[0121] Combine Figure 9 As shown, the embodiment of the present disclosure provides another method for controlling an air conditioner, comprising:

[0122] S01: The control device obtains the refrigerant concentration outside the indoor heat exchanger.

[0123] S31, when the refrigerant concentration exceeds a preset value, the control device controls the on-off status of the first stop valve and the second stop valve according to the operating mode of the air conditioner, and the control device controls the compressor to operate at a first operating frequency, which is greater than the initial operating frequency.

[0124] S32: The control device obtains a first volume of the refrigerant in the liquid storage tank.

[0125] S34, when the first volume reaches the maximum value, the control device controls the inlet stop valve and the outlet stop valve of the liquid storage tank to close, and controls the third stop valve on the exhaust pipe of the liquid storage tank to open; controls the compressor to operate at a second operating frequency, which is less than the first operating frequency.

[0126] S35: The control device obtains the second volume of the refrigerant in the liquid storage tank.

[0127] S37, when the second volume reaches the minimum value, the control device controls the inlet stop valve and the outlet stop valve of the liquid storage tank to open; and controls the compressor to operate at a third operating frequency, which is greater than the second operating frequency.

[0128] In step S37, when the second volume reaches the minimum value, it is considered that the refrigerant in the liquid storage tank has been emptied. At this time, the control device controls the inlet stop valve and the outlet stop valve of the liquid storage tank to be opened to collect the refrigerant from the indoor heat exchanger again; and the control device controls the compressor to operate at a third operating frequency, which is greater than the second operating frequency, that is, the frequency of the compressor is controlled to increase compared with the previous frequency, so as to prompt the refrigerant to flow into the liquid storage tank quickly, thereby improving the collection rate of the refrigerant by the liquid storage tank.

[0129] Optionally, the third operating frequency is less than or equal to the first operating frequency. Optionally, the third operating frequency is less than the first operating frequency. When the refrigerant storage tank is emptied and refrigerant is collected again, it is considered that the remaining refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger has decreased compared to the last time the refrigerant storage tank was collected. In this case, the operating frequency of the compressor does not need to be increased to the same level as the first operating frequency, thereby reducing energy consumption.

[0130] The disclosed embodiment can discharge the refrigerant when the storage tank is filled with refrigerant, and collect the refrigerant again after the refrigerant is emptied. At the same time, the operating frequency of the compressor is adjusted to reduce energy consumption when the remaining refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger is quickly discharged.

[0131] Combine Figure 10 As shown, the embodiment of the present disclosure provides another method for controlling an air conditioner, comprising:

[0132] S01: The control device obtains the refrigerant concentration outside the indoor heat exchanger.

[0133] S02, when the refrigerant concentration exceeds a preset value, the control device controls the on-off status of the first stop valve and the second stop valve according to the operation mode of the air conditioner, so that the remaining refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger is discharged into the outdoor heat exchanger.

[0134] S06: The control device obtains the evaporation temperature of the indoor heat exchanger and the indoor ambient temperature.

[0135] S07: When the difference between the evaporating temperature and the indoor ambient temperature is less than a predetermined value, the control device determines that the refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger is exhausted.

[0136] In step S06 , the evaporation temperature of the indoor heat exchanger and the indoor ambient temperature may be acquired through a temperature sensor communicating with the control device.

[0137] In step S07, when the difference between the evaporating temperature and the indoor ambient temperature is less than a predetermined value, it indicates that the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger is close to the indoor ambient temperature and the refrigerant has been exhausted from the indoor heat exchanger. At this time, the control device determines that the refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger is exhausted.

[0138] When the refrigerant is completely discharged from the indoor heat exchanger, the evaporation temperature approaches the indoor ambient temperature, with the evaporation temperature trending rapidly upward or downward before slowly and steadily decreasing. If the refrigerant concentration exceeds a preset value, the refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger is considered completely discharged when the evaporation temperature of the indoor heat exchanger approaches the indoor ambient temperature and the outdoor fan, compressor, and indoor fan have been operating for a first preset time in cooling mode, or when the indoor fan and compressor have been operating for a first preset time in heating mode.

[0139] An embodiment of the present disclosure also provides a device for controlling an air conditioner, comprising a processor and a memory storing program instructions, wherein the processor is configured to execute a method for controlling an air conditioner as provided in any of the aforementioned embodiments when running the program instructions.

[0140] An embodiment of the present disclosure further provides an air conditioner, comprising the device for controlling the air conditioner provided in the above embodiment.

[0141] Through this device, the air conditioner can quickly discharge the refrigerant inside the indoor heat exchanger to the outdoor heat exchanger and compressor when a refrigerant leak occurs, and prevent the refrigerant in the outdoor heat exchanger from continuing to flow into the indoor heat exchanger, thereby preventing the refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger from flowing into the room and eliminating indoor safety risks.

[0142] An embodiment of the present disclosure further provides a storage medium storing program instructions, which, when executed, executes any of the aforementioned methods for controlling an air conditioner.

[0143] Combine Figure 11 As shown, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a device for controlling an air conditioner. The refrigerant inlet pipe of the indoor heat exchanger of the air conditioner is provided with a first stop valve, the refrigerant outlet pipe is provided with a second stop valve, a liquid storage tank is provided on the refrigerant pipeline between the second stop valve and the indoor heat exchanger, and an exhaust pipe is provided at the bottom of the liquid storage tank. The device includes an acquisition module 210 and a control module 220. The acquisition module 210 is configured to obtain the refrigerant concentration outside the indoor heat exchanger; the control module 220 is configured to control the opening and closing of the first stop valve and the second stop valve according to the operating mode of the air conditioner when the refrigerant concentration exceeds a preset value, so that the remaining refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger is discharged to the outdoor heat exchanger.

[0144] The device for controlling an air conditioner provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure can intelligently control the air conditioner, so that when a refrigerant leak occurs, the indoor heat exchanger can quickly discharge the refrigerant inside it to the outdoor heat exchanger and compressor, and prevent the refrigerant in the outdoor heat exchanger from continuing to flow into the indoor heat exchanger, thereby avoiding the refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger from flowing into the room and eliminating indoor safety risks.

[0145] Combine Figure 12As shown, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a device for controlling an air conditioner, including a processor 100 and a memory 101. Optionally, the device may further include a communication interface 102 and a bus 103. The processor 100, the communication interface 102, and the memory 101 may communicate with each other via the bus 103. The communication interface 102 may be used for information transmission. The processor 100 may call the logic instructions in the memory 101 to execute the method for controlling the air conditioner of the above embodiment.

[0146] In addition, the logic instructions in the memory 101 can be implemented in the form of software functional units and can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium when sold or used as an independent product.

[0147] The memory 101 is a computer-readable storage medium that can be used to store software programs and computer-executable programs, such as program instructions / modules corresponding to the methods in the embodiments of the present disclosure. The processor 100 executes the program instructions / modules stored in the memory 101 to execute functional applications and data processing, thereby implementing the method for controlling the air conditioner in the above-mentioned embodiments.

[0148] The memory 101 may include a program storage area and a data storage area. The program storage area may store an operating system and at least one application required for a function; the data storage area may store data generated based on the use of the terminal device. Furthermore, the memory 101 may include high-speed random access memory and non-volatile memory.

[0149] The embodiments of the present disclosure provide a product (eg, a computer, a mobile phone, etc.) comprising the above-mentioned device for controlling an air conditioner.

[0150] The aforementioned storage medium may be a transient computer-readable storage medium or a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium.

[0151] The technical solution of the embodiments of the present disclosure may be embodied in the form of a software product, which is stored in a storage medium and includes one or more instructions for causing a computer device (which may be a personal computer, a server, or a network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the method described in the embodiments of the present disclosure. The aforementioned storage medium may be a non-transitory storage medium, including: a USB flash drive, a mobile hard disk, a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a magnetic disk or an optical disk, and other media that can store program code, or a transient storage medium.

[0152] The above description and the accompanying drawings fully illustrate the embodiments of the present disclosure so that those skilled in the art can practice them. Other embodiments may include structural, logical, electrical, process and other changes. The embodiments represent only possible variations. Unless explicitly required, individual components and functions are optional, and the order of operations may vary. Parts and features of some embodiments may be included in or replace parts and features of other embodiments. Moreover, the words used in this application are only used to describe the embodiments and are not used to limit the claims. As used in the description of the embodiments and claims, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" are intended to also include plural forms. Similarly, the term "and / or" as used in this application refers to any and all possible combinations of one or more associated listings. In addition, when used in this application, the term "comprise" and its variations "comprises" and / or comprising refer to the presence of stated features, wholes, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, wholes, steps, operations, elements, components and / or groups of these. In the absence of further restrictions, an element defined by the sentence "comprising a..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method or device that includes the element. In this article, each embodiment may focus on the differences from other embodiments, and the same and similar parts between the various embodiments can be referenced to each other. For the methods, products, etc. disclosed in the embodiments, if they correspond to the method part disclosed in the embodiments, then the relevant parts can be found in the description of the method part.

[0153] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the units and algorithm steps of each example described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are performed in hardware or software may depend on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. The technicians may use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered to be beyond the scope of the embodiments of the present disclosure. The technicians will clearly understand that, for the convenience and brevity of description, the specific working processes of the systems, devices and units described above can refer to the corresponding processes in the aforementioned method embodiments and will not be repeated here.

[0154] In the embodiments disclosed herein, the disclosed methods and products (including but not limited to devices, equipment, etc.) can be implemented in other ways. For example, the device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. For example, the division of the units can be merely a logical functional division. In actual implementation, there may be other division methods, such as multiple units or components can be combined or integrated into another system, or some features can be ignored or not executed. In addition, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection between each other shown or discussed can be through some interfaces, indirect coupling or communication connection of devices or units, and can be electrical, mechanical or other forms. The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separated, and the components shown as units may or may not be physical units, that is, they may be located in one place, or they may be distributed on multiple network units. Some or all of the units may be selected to implement this embodiment according to actual needs. In addition, the functional units in the embodiments of the present disclosure may be integrated into a processing unit, or each unit may exist physically separately, or two or more units may be integrated into one unit.

[0155] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings show the possible implementation architectures, functions and operations of the systems, methods and computer program products according to the embodiments of the present disclosure. In this regard, each box in the flowchart or block diagram can represent a module, program segment or part of the code, and the module, program segment or part of the code contains one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical functions. In some alternative implementations, the functions marked in the box can also occur in an order different from that marked in the accompanying drawings. For example, two consecutive boxes can actually be executed substantially in parallel, or they can sometimes be executed in the opposite order, which can depend on the functions involved. In the descriptions corresponding to the flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings, the operations or steps corresponding to different boxes can also occur in an order different from that disclosed in the description, and sometimes there is no specific order between different operations or steps. For example, two consecutive operations or steps can actually be executed substantially in parallel, or they can sometimes be executed in the opposite order, which can depend on the functions involved. Each block in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, may be implemented by a dedicated hardware-based system that performs the specified function or action, or may be implemented by a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

Claims

1. A method for controlling an air conditioner, characterized in that: The refrigerant inlet pipe of the indoor heat exchanger of the air conditioner is provided with a first stop valve, the refrigerant outlet pipe is provided with a second stop valve, a liquid storage tank is provided on the refrigerant pipeline between the second stop valve and the indoor heat exchanger, and an exhaust pipe is provided at the bottom of the liquid storage tank. The method includes: Obtaining a refrigerant concentration outside the indoor heat exchanger; When the refrigerant concentration exceeds a preset value, the on-off status of the first stop valve and the second stop valve are controlled according to the operating mode of the air conditioner to discharge the remaining refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger into the outdoor heat exchanger; the compressor is controlled to operate at a first operating frequency, which is greater than the initial operating frequency; the first volume of the refrigerant in the liquid storage tank is obtained; when the first volume reaches a maximum value, the inlet stop valve and the outlet stop valve of the liquid storage tank are controlled to be closed, the third stop valve on the exhaust pipe of the liquid storage tank is controlled to be opened, and the compressor is controlled to operate at a second operating frequency, which is less than the first operating frequency and greater than or equal to the initial operating frequency; the second volume of the refrigerant in the liquid storage tank is obtained; when the second volume reaches a minimum value, the inlet stop valve and the outlet stop valve of the liquid storage tank are controlled to be opened; the compressor is controlled to operate at a third operating frequency, which is greater than the second operating frequency; the third operating frequency is less than or equal to the first operating frequency; Wherein, controlling the on-off status of the first stop valve and the second stop valve according to the operating mode of the air conditioner includes: when the air conditioner operates in cooling mode, controlling the first stop valve to be disconnected, and controlling the passage of the second stop valve.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The controlling of the on-off status of the first stop valve and the second stop valve according to the operating mode of the air conditioner further includes: The air conditioner operates in a heating mode, controls the passage of the first stop valve, and controls the circuit breaking of the second stop valve.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that When the refrigerant concentration exceeds a preset value, after controlling the on / off status of the first stop valve and the second stop valve according to the operation mode of the air conditioner, the method further includes: Obtaining the evaporation temperature of the indoor heat exchanger and the indoor ambient temperature; When the difference between the evaporation temperature and the indoor ambient temperature is smaller than a predetermined value, it is determined that the refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger is exhausted.

4. A device for controlling an air conditioner, comprising a processor and a memory storing program instructions, characterized in that: The processor is configured to execute the method for controlling an air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 3 when running the program instructions.

5. An air conditioner, characterized in that: The device for controlling an air conditioner as claimed in claim 4 is included.

6. A storage medium storing program instructions, characterized in that: When the program instructions are executed, the method for controlling an air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 3 is executed.

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