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

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of smart home appliances, and discloses a method for controlling an air conditioner, wherein the air conditioner comprises: an outdoor variable shunt heat exchanger; a control valve is provided on at least one heat exchange branch of the outdoor variable shunt heat exchanger; the method comprises: determining an operation mode of the air conditioner; determining a target opening of the control valve according to the operation mode; and controlling the control valve to open to the target opening. In the case where the outdoor heat exchanger has a variable shunt function, the target opening of the control valve is determined based on the operation mode of the air conditioner so that the target opening matches the operation mode. If the target opening of the control valve is different, the amount of refrigerant flowing into the heat exchange branch will be different. In this way, by controlling the flow rate of refrigerant flowing into the outdoor heat exchanger, the heat exchange performance of the outdoor heat exchanger is matched with the operation mode of the air conditioner, so that the operation of the air conditioner reaches a better state. 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, device, air conditioner and storage medium for controlling an air conditioner. Background Art

[0002] Currently, when the air conditioner is running in different modes, such as cooling mode and heating mode, the flow path is the same, and the performance requirements of the heat exchanger in different working modes cannot be guaranteed.

[0003] A heat exchanger is disclosed in the related art, comprising: an air collecting pipe; a first heat exchange passage, a first end of which is connected to the first pipe opening of the air collecting pipe, and a second end of which is connected to the first diverter element; a second heat exchange passage, a first end of which is connected to the second pipe opening of the air collecting pipe, and a second end of which is connected to the first diverter element; a third heat exchange passage, a first end of which is connected to the second diverter element, and a second end of which is connected to the first diverter element; a fourth heat exchange passage, a first end of which is connected to the second diverter element, and a second end of which is connected to the third diverter element; a first bypass pipeline connecting the first diverter element and the third diverter element; a second bypass pipeline connecting the second diverter element and the air collecting pipe; a first one-way valve, which is arranged in the first bypass pipeline, and a conducting direction of the first one-way valve is limited to flowing from the third diverter element to the first diverter element; a second one-way valve, which is arranged in the second bypass pipeline, and a conducting direction of the second one-way valve is limited to flowing from the second diverter element to the air collecting pipe; and a first control valve, which is arranged in the connecting pipeline between the fourth heat exchange passage and the third diverter element.

[0004] The above heat exchanger has a variable flow splitting function, so that the refrigerant flow direction in the heat exchanger can be changed in different operating modes to match the refrigerant flow direction with the operating mode. However, it can only control the refrigerant flow direction to match the operating mode, and cannot make the air conditioner operate in the best state. 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 components 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, an apparatus, an air conditioner and a storage medium for controlling an air conditioner, so as to enable the air conditioner to operate in an optimal state.

[0007] In some embodiments, the air conditioner includes: an outdoor variable split heat exchanger; a control valve is provided on at least one heat exchange branch of the outdoor variable split heat exchanger; the method includes: determining an operating mode of the air conditioner; determining a target opening of the control valve according to the operating mode; and controlling the control valve to open to the target opening.

[0008] In some embodiments, the device includes: a processor and a memory storing program instructions, and the processor is configured to execute the aforementioned method for controlling an air conditioner when running the program instructions.

[0009] In some embodiments, the air conditioner includes: an outdoor variable split heat exchanger, at least one heat exchange branch of the outdoor variable split heat exchanger is provided with a control valve; and also includes: a device for controlling the air conditioner as described above.

[0010] In some embodiments, the storage medium stores program instructions, and when the program instructions are run, the aforementioned method for controlling an air conditioner is executed.

[0011] The method, device, air conditioner and storage medium for controlling an air conditioner provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure can achieve the following technical effects:

[0012] In the case where the outdoor heat exchanger has a variable flow splitting function, the target opening of the control valve is determined based on the operation mode of the air conditioner so that the target opening matches the operation mode. Different target openings of the control valve will result in different amounts of refrigerant flowing into the heat exchange branch. In this way, by controlling the refrigerant flow rate flowing into the outdoor heat exchanger, the heat exchange performance of the outdoor heat exchanger matches the operation mode of the air conditioner, thereby achieving an optimal operation of the air conditioner.

[0013] 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

[0014] One or more embodiments are exemplarily described by corresponding drawings, which do not limit the embodiments. Elements with the same reference numerals in the drawings are shown as similar elements, and the drawings do not constitute a scale limitation, and wherein:

[0015] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an air-conditioning refrigerant circulation loop provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0016] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a compressor torque and exhaust pressure / return air pressure curve provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0017] Figure 3 is another compressor torque and exhaust pressure / return air pressure curve schematic diagram provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0018] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a method for controlling an air conditioner provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0019] Figure 5is a schematic diagram of another method for controlling an air conditioner provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0020] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of another method for controlling an air conditioner provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0021] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of a device for controlling an air conditioner provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0022] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of another device for controlling an air conditioner provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0023] Reference numerals:

[0024] 10. Compressor; 20. Indoor heat exchanger; 30. Outdoor variable split heat exchanger; 31. First liquid distributor; 32. Second liquid distributor; 33. Third liquid distributor; 34. Fourth liquid distributor; 35. First heat exchange branch; 36. Second heat exchange branch; 37. Third heat exchange branch; 38. First bypass pipeline; 381. First non-return valve; 39. Second bypass pipeline; 391. Second non-return valve; 40. Four-way valve; 50. First main pipe; 51. First electronic expansion valve; 60. Second main pipe; 70. Control valve. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] In order to be able to understand the features and technical contents 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 attached drawings are for reference only and are not used to limit the embodiments of the present disclosure. In the following technical description, for the 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.

[0026] The terms "first", "second", etc. in the specification and claims of the embodiments of the present disclosure and the above-mentioned drawings are used to distinguish similar objects, and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that the terms used in this way can be interchanged where appropriate, so that the embodiments of the embodiments of the present disclosure described herein. In addition, the terms "including" and "having" and any variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions.

[0027] Unless otherwise stated, the term "plurality" means two or more.

[0028] 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 indicates: A or B.

[0029] The term "and / or" is a description of the association relationship between objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B means: A or B, or, A and B.

[0030] 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.

[0031] Combination Figure 1 As shown, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides an air conditioner. The air conditioner includes: a compressor 10, an indoor heat exchanger 20, an outdoor variable flow split heat exchanger 30 and a four-way valve 40. The compressor 10, the indoor heat exchanger 20, the outdoor variable flow split heat exchanger 30 and the four-way valve 40 are connected to form a refrigerant circulation loop.

[0032] The outdoor variable flow split heat exchanger 30 (hereinafter referred to as “outdoor heat exchanger”) includes a first liquid distributor 31 , a second liquid distributor 32 , a third liquid distributor 33 , a fourth liquid distributor 34 and a heat exchange pipeline.

[0033] The heat exchange pipeline includes: a first heat exchange branch 35 , a second heat exchange branch 36 and a third heat exchange branch 37 .

[0034] The liquid collecting end of the first liquid distributor 31 is connected to the indoor heat exchanger 20 through the first main pipe 50. The first main pipe 50 is provided with a first electronic expansion valve 51.

[0035] The liquid separation end of the first liquid separator 31 is connected to the first end of the first heat exchange branch 35. The liquid separation end of the first liquid separator 31 is also connected to the liquid collection end of the second liquid separator 32 through the first bypass pipeline 38. The first bypass pipeline 38 is provided with a first one-way valve 381, which is used to limit the refrigerant in the first bypass pipeline 38 to flow only from the first liquid separator 31 to the second liquid separator 32.

[0036] The liquid separation end of the second liquid separator 32 is connected to the first end of the second heat exchange branch 36. The liquid separation end of the second liquid separator 32 is also connected to the first end of the third heat exchange branch 37.

[0037] The second end of the first heat exchange branch 35 is connected to the liquid separation end of the third liquid separator 33. The second end of the second heat exchange branch 36 is connected to the liquid separation end of the third liquid separator 33. The liquid collecting end of the third liquid separator 33 is connected to the liquid separation end of the fourth liquid separator 34 through the second bypass pipeline 39. The second bypass pipeline 39 is provided with a second one-way valve 391, which is used to limit the refrigerant in the second bypass pipeline 39 to flow only from the third liquid separator 33 to the fourth liquid separator 34.

[0038] The second end of the third heat exchange branch 37 is connected to the liquid separation end of the fourth liquid distributor 34. The liquid collection end of the fourth liquid distributor 34 is connected to the four-way valve 40 through the second main pipe 60.

[0039] When the air conditioner is in heating mode, the refrigerant flows in from the first main pipe 50. Under the liquid separation effect of the first liquid distributor 31 and the second liquid distributor 32, the refrigerant flows into the first heat exchange branch 35, the second heat exchange branch 36 and the third heat exchange branch 37 respectively. Then, the refrigerant converges in the second main pipe 60 and flows into the four-way valve 40. In this way, the heat exchange branches are connected in parallel.

[0040] When the air conditioner is in cooling mode, the refrigerant flows in from the second main pipe 60. Under the blocking effect of the first one-way valve 381 and the second one-way valve 391, the refrigerant flows into the third heat exchange branch 37, the second heat exchange branch 36 and the first heat exchange branch 35 in sequence. Finally, the refrigerant flows into the indoor heat exchanger 20 through the first main pipe 50. In this way, the heat exchange branches are connected in series.

[0041] It should be noted that the heat exchange pipeline may include more heat exchange branches and liquid distributors, and the specific connection method can be referred to the previous text to achieve more heat exchange branches in parallel in the heating mode and more heat exchange branches in series in the cooling mode.

[0042] Existing defrosting methods for outdoor units include shutdown defrosting and non-stop defrosting.

[0043] Stopping and defrosting means: first stop the compressor and fan motor. Then switch the flow direction of the refrigerant through the four-way valve. That is, make the air conditioner work in the cooling state (but the outdoor and indoor fan motors do not rotate), so that the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor enters the outdoor heat exchanger, and melts the frost on the surface of the outdoor heat exchanger by gasification and heat dissipation, thus achieving the purpose of defrosting. Most cooling and heating air conditioners use this defrosting method.

[0044] Non-stop defrosting means that when the air conditioner is in heating mode, part of the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor flows into the outdoor heat exchanger through the bypass solenoid valve to complete the defrosting. Only a small number of cooling and heating air conditioners use this defrosting method.

[0045] When the outdoor variable split heat exchanger 30 provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure is defrosted without stopping, the first electronic expansion valve 51 does not play a throttling role. This is because: the front and rear pipes of the conventional electronic expansion valve will be connected by a capillary tube, while the structure of the first electronic expansion valve 51 in this embodiment has been changed (the structure of the first electronic expansion valve 51 in this embodiment is not the focus of this embodiment and will not be repeated here), and the capillary tube needs to be removed. And when the opening of the first electronic expansion valve 51 is adjusted to the maximum, the refrigerant flow is the largest, so the first electronic expansion valve 51 does not play a throttling role. Therefore, the system has no evaporator during the defrosting process without stopping. When running without stopping to defrost, the exhaust temperature decreases and the return air temperature increases. Figure 2As shown, the horizontal axis of the coordinate system represents the torque of the compressor 10, and the vertical axis represents the exhaust pressure / return air pressure. If the torque of the compressor 10 before defrosting is not stopped is the torque corresponding to point A, then the torque may become the torque corresponding to point B after the bypass solenoid valve is opened. Then the exhaust temperature remains basically unchanged or even rises slightly. As the return air temperature rises, the torque will become the torque corresponding to point C. After closing the bypass solenoid valve, it will return to the torque corresponding to point A. After point B, the torque is greater than the torque corresponding to point A. The power of the compressor increases. If the duration is long, the exhaust pressure and the return air pressure will become higher, which will lead to the damage of the reliability of the compressor 10.

[0046] After the control valve 70 is added to the heat exchange branch, the heat exchange branch provided with the control valve 70 acts as an evaporator. Therefore, the outlet temperature of the outdoor heat exchanger can be reduced, that is, the return air temperature can be reduced. Figure 3 As shown, the torque of the compressor 10 changes to the torque corresponding to A→D→E, which is lower than the original torque corresponding to A→B→C. The power of the compressor is reduced, and the reliability is also improved.

[0047] Optionally, a control valve 70 is provided on at least one heat exchange branch.

[0048] If the air conditioner is running in heating mode, the refrigerant inflow side of the outdoor heat exchanger is Figure 1 If the air conditioner is running in cooling mode, the refrigerant inflow side of the outdoor heat exchanger is Figure 1 The left side of the outdoor heat exchanger.

[0049] If only one heat exchange branch is provided with a control valve 70, then the heat exchange branch is the branch located at the top. Figure 1 Taking the outdoor heat exchanger provided as an example, the control valve 70 is set on the third heat exchange branch 37. This is because if the control valve 70 is set in the middle or lower heat exchange branch, it will cause the upper frost layer to melt and flow to the un-defrosted part. The un-defrosted part has a low temperature, which may cause the defrosted water to freeze, affecting subsequent heating and defrosting. When the control valve 70 is set in the uppermost heat exchange branch, after the defrosting below is completed, the control valve 70 is controlled to open. After the frost melts, the defrosted water can quickly flow down and leave the outdoor heat exchanger.

[0050] Optionally, when operating in the hot mode, a control valve 70 is provided on each heat exchange branch on the refrigerant inflow side of the outdoor heat exchanger.

[0051] Optionally, the control valve 70 is a second electronic expansion valve.

[0052] Combination Figure 4 As shown, the embodiment of the present disclosure provides a method for controlling an air conditioner, comprising:

[0053] S401, the air conditioner determines its operating mode.

[0054] S402: The air conditioner determines a target opening of a control valve according to an operation mode.

[0055] S403, the air conditioning control valve is opened to a target opening.

[0056] When the air conditioner is running, the operating mode of the air conditioner is determined, for example, whether the air conditioner is running in a non-stop defrosting mode, a cooling mode, or a heating mode. Specifically, when the air conditioner processor receives an instruction, it parses the instruction to obtain relevant control content. The processor determines the current operating mode based on the content obtained by the previous analysis. Different operating modes correspond to different target openings of the control valve. After determining the target opening, the control valve is controlled to open to the target opening.

[0057] In the disclosed embodiment, when the outdoor heat exchanger has a variable flow diversion function, the target opening of the control valve is determined based on the operation mode of the air conditioner so that the target opening matches the operation mode. If the target opening of the control valve is different, the amount of refrigerant flowing into the heat exchange branch will be different. In this way, by controlling the refrigerant flow rate flowing into the outdoor heat exchanger, the heat exchange performance of the outdoor heat exchanger is matched with the operation mode of the air conditioner, so that the operation of the air conditioner reaches a better state.

[0058] Combination Figure 5 As shown, the embodiment of the present disclosure provides another method for controlling an air conditioner, comprising:

[0059] S401, the air conditioner determines its operating mode.

[0060] S412, after the air conditioner executes S401, when the operation mode is a non-stop defrosting mode or a heating mode, the operation frequency of the compressor is determined.

[0061] S422: After the air conditioner executes S412, the target opening of the control valve is determined according to the operating frequency.

[0062] S432: After the air conditioner executes S401, when the operation mode is the cooling mode or the dehumidification mode, the maximum opening of the control valve is determined to be the target opening.

[0063] S403, the air conditioning control valve is opened to a target opening.

[0064] If it is determined that the operation mode of the air conditioner is the non-stop defrosting mode or the heating mode, the operating frequency of the compressor is further determined. Then, the target opening of the control valve is determined according to the operating frequency of the compressor. This is because: when the air conditioner is operating in the heating mode, the outdoor ambient temperature is generally low. At this time, the outdoor heat exchanger is prone to frost when operating for cooling. Therefore, the target opening of the control valve is determined based on the operating frequency of the compressor so that the refrigerant flowing into the outdoor heat exchanger matches the operating frequency of the compressor. Avoid excessive refrigerant flowing in, which increases the risk of frost on the outdoor heat exchanger, thereby ensuring the normal operation of the air conditioner.

[0065] When the air conditioner is running in non-stop defrosting mode, the outdoor unit is running for heating, and the indoor unit is also running for heating at the same time. As mentioned above, after the bypass solenoid valve is opened, the exhaust temperature and return air pressure of the compressor will become higher, which will affect the reliability of the compressor. Therefore, the opening of the control valve is matched with the operating frequency of the compressor, that is, the amount of refrigerant used for defrosting is controlled to match the operating frequency of the compressor, so as to reduce the exhaust temperature and return air temperature and ensure the reliability of the compressor.

[0066] If the air conditioner is operating in cooling mode or dehumidification mode, it means that the outdoor ambient temperature is relatively high. At this time, there is no risk of frost on the outdoor heat exchanger. Therefore, the maximum opening of the control valve is determined as the target opening to allow as much refrigerant as possible to flow into the outdoor heat exchanger. In this way, the indoor cooling / dehumidification effect is guaranteed to be optimal.

[0067] Optionally, in step S422, when the operation mode of the air conditioner is the heating mode, determining the target opening of the control valve according to the operation frequency includes:

[0068] S=a*F+b (1)

[0069] Among them, S is the target opening of the control valve, F is the operating frequency of the compressor, and a and b are constants.

[0070] When the air conditioner is running in heating mode, the first electronic expansion valve has already throttled the refrigerant once. Therefore, the control valve only plays a role in fine-tuning the refrigerant flow. The specific function is to increase the amount of refrigerant in the branch where the regulating control valve is located so that the refrigerant is evenly distributed. The higher the operating frequency of the compressor, the stronger the heating capacity of the air conditioner, and the faster the indoor temperature reaches the set temperature. Therefore, it is necessary to control the opening of the control valve to increase accordingly. Specifically, the target opening of the control valve is calculated according to the above formula (1). Optionally, a=1.2~1.8, b=200~300.

[0071] Optionally, in step S422, when the operation mode of the air conditioner is a non-stop defrosting mode, determining a target opening of the control valve according to the operation frequency includes:

[0072] The air conditioner determines the initial target opening of the control valve according to the operating frequency.

[0073] The air conditioner determines the maximum opening of the control valve as the final target opening when the control valve maintains the initial target opening for a first preset time period.

[0074] In the above-mentioned refrigerant circulation loop, when the first electronic expansion valve is fully opened, the control valve is the only throttling component.

[0075] If the operation mode of the air conditioner is the non-stop defrosting mode, the initial target opening of the control valve is first determined according to the operation frequency of the air conditioner. The greater the operation frequency, the greater the initial target opening. Specifically, the initial target opening is calculated according to formula (2).

[0076] S=F+c (2)

[0077] Wherein, S is the initial target opening of the control valve, F is the operating frequency of the compressor, and c is a constant. Optionally, c=100-150.

[0078] In this way, the target opening of the control valve is different, and the amount of refrigerant flowing into the heat exchange branch will be different. The amount of refrigerant will affect the heat exchange performance of the outdoor heat exchanger, and then affect the exhaust temperature and return air temperature of the compressor. In this way, as the operating frequency of the compressor increases / decreases, the opening of the control valve is adaptively increased / decreased. After the control valve is opened to the initial target opening, the uppermost heat exchange branch still acts as an evaporator to reduce the outlet temperature of the outdoor heat exchanger, that is, to reduce the return air temperature. This reduces the overall power of the compressor and improves the reliability of the compressor.

[0079] After the first preset time, the maximum opening of the control valve is determined as the final target opening of the control valve. At this time, the control valve is fully opened to remove the frost on the uppermost heat exchange branch. Optionally, the first preset time is 1 to 2 minutes.

[0080] Optionally, after the control valve is opened to the initial target opening, the outdoor heat exchanger outlet temperature Ta can also be detected. If Ta ≥ T, and lasts for the first preset time, the final target opening of the control valve is determined to be the maximum opening of the control valve. Among them, T is the temperature threshold, which can be 3 to 5°C. In this way, on the basis that the opening of the control valve is the initial target opening and maintains the first preset time, it is further combined with the outdoor heat exchanger outlet temperature to determine whether the control valve needs to be fully opened. When Ta ≥ T, it means that the refrigerant temperature in the outdoor heat exchanger is high. At this time, the control valve is fully opened to allow more refrigerant to flow into the outdoor heat exchanger. On the one hand, the outlet temperature of the outdoor heat exchanger can be reduced, thereby ensuring the reliability of the compressor. On the other hand, the outdoor heat exchanger can be defrosted using a refrigerant with a higher temperature.

[0081] Combination Figure 6As shown, the embodiment of the present disclosure provides another method for controlling an air conditioner, comprising:

[0082] S601, the air conditioner determines its operating mode.

[0083] S602: When the air conditioner is in a heating mode, determine the operating frequency of the compressor.

[0084] S603: The air conditioner determines a target opening of the control valve according to the operating frequency.

[0085] S604, the air conditioning control valve is opened to a target opening.

[0086] S605: The air conditioner obtains the outlet temperature difference between the uppermost heat exchange branch and the adjacent lower heat exchange branch.

[0087] S606: The air conditioner corrects the target opening degree according to the outlet temperature difference.

[0088] S607, the air conditioning control valve is opened to the corrected target opening.

[0089] When the air conditioner is running in heating mode and only the uppermost heat exchange branch on the refrigerant input side is provided with a control valve, the outlet temperature difference ΔT between the heat exchange branch and the adjacent lower heat exchange branch is obtained. The target opening is corrected according to the outlet temperature difference. The processor of the air conditioner pre-stores the association relationship between the outlet temperature difference and the opening correction value. The association relationship includes one or more corresponding relationships between the outlet temperature difference and the opening correction value. The larger the outlet temperature difference, the larger the correction value for the target opening.

[0090] Optionally, when the outlet temperature difference is in the first temperature interval, the opening correction value is the first correction value. When the outlet temperature difference is in the second temperature interval, the opening correction value is the second correction value. When the temperature difference is in the third temperature interval, the opening correction value is the third correction value. When the temperature difference is in the fourth temperature interval, the opening correction value is the fourth correction value. When the temperature difference is in the fifth temperature interval, the opening correction value is the fifth correction value. Among them, from the first temperature interval to the fifth temperature interval, the lower limit value of the previous temperature interval is greater than the upper limit value of the next temperature interval. The first correction value to the fifth correction value decrease successively. Optionally, the first correction value and the second correction value are positive values. The fourth correction value and the fifth correction value are negative values. Specifically, the correlation between the outlet temperature difference and the opening correction value can be seen in Table 1.

[0091] Table 1 Correlation between outlet temperature difference and opening correction value

[0092] Outlet temperature difference ΔT(℃) Opening correction value (step) ΔT>3℃ 6 1℃<ΔT≤3℃ 2 -1℃<ΔT≤1℃ 0 -3℃<ΔT≤-1℃ -2 ΔT≤-3℃ -6

[0093] For example, if the outlet temperature difference is 2°C, the opening correction value is 2, and the corrected target opening of the control valve increases by 2 steps. If the outlet temperature difference is 0.5°C, the opening correction value is 0, and the target opening of the control valve remains unchanged. If the outlet temperature is -2°C, the opening correction value is -2, and the corrected target opening of the control valve decreases by 2 steps.

[0094] It should be noted that the corresponding relationship in Table 1 can be adaptively adjusted according to actual needs.

[0095] Optionally, the current outlet temperature difference is obtained after a second preset time interval. According to the current outlet temperature difference, the target opening of the control valve is corrected again. For example, if the outlet temperature difference is 2°C, the opening correction value is 2, and the opening of the control valve is controlled to increase by 2 steps. After the second preset time interval, the outlet temperature difference is obtained again. If the outlet temperature difference is still 2°C, the opening of the control valve is controlled to increase by another 2 steps. Optionally, the second preset time interval is 15 to 30 seconds.

[0096] Optionally, if control valves are provided on multiple heat exchange branches, when the air conditioner operates in heating mode, control valves are provided on the top heat exchange branch and the middle heat exchange branch on the refrigerant inlet side of the outdoor heat exchanger; or, control valves are provided on the top heat exchange branch and the bottom heat exchange branch; or, control valves are provided on the top heat exchange branch, the middle heat exchange branch and the bottom heat exchange branch.

[0097] When each control valve is controlled to be fully opened, each control valve is controlled to be fully opened at a fixed time interval in order from bottom to top. That is, the control valve located at the bottom is fully opened first, and the control valve located at the top is fully opened later. This is because if the upper control valve is opened first, the upper heat exchange branch will defrost first. The defrosted water generated after defrosting flows to the undefrosted part and freezes. Therefore, this method can avoid the occurrence of freezing to ensure the subsequent heating and defrosting effects.

[0098] Combination Figure 7 As shown, the embodiment of the present disclosure provides another device for controlling an air conditioner, comprising: a first determination module 71, a second determination module 72 and a control module 73. The first determination module 71 is configured to determine the operation mode of the air conditioner. The second determination module 72 is configured to determine the target opening of the control valve according to the operation mode. The control module 73 is configured to control the control valve to open to the target opening.

[0099] The device for controlling an air conditioner provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure is advantageous in that when the outdoor heat exchanger has a variable diversion function, the target opening of the control valve is determined based on the operation mode of the air conditioner so that the target opening matches the operation mode. If the target opening of the control valve is different, the amount of refrigerant flowing into the heat exchange branch will be different. In this way, by controlling the refrigerant flow rate flowing into the outdoor heat exchanger, the heat exchange performance of the outdoor heat exchanger is matched with the operation mode of the air conditioner, so that the operation of the air conditioner reaches a better state.

[0100] Combination Figure 8 As shown, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a device for controlling an air conditioner, including a processor 80 and a memory 81. Optionally, the device may also include a communication interface 82 and a bus 83. The processor 80, the communication interface 82, and the memory 81 may communicate with each other through the bus 83. The communication interface 82 may be used for information transmission. The processor 80 may call the logic instructions in the memory 81 to execute the method for controlling the air conditioner of the above embodiment.

[0101] In addition, the logic instructions in the above-mentioned memory 81 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.

[0102] The memory 81 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 method in the embodiment of the present disclosure. The processor 80 executes the function application and data processing by running the program instructions / modules stored in the memory 81, that is, the method for controlling the air conditioner in the above embodiment is implemented.

[0103] The memory 81 may include a program storage area and a data storage area, wherein the program storage area may store an operating system and an application required for at least one function; the data storage area may store data created according to the use of the terminal device, etc. In addition, the memory 81 may include a high-speed random access memory and may also include a non-volatile memory.

[0104] An embodiment of the present disclosure provides an air conditioner, comprising the above-mentioned device for controlling an air conditioner.

[0105] An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a storage medium storing computer executable instructions, wherein the computer executable instructions are configured to execute the above method for controlling an air conditioner.

[0106] The above-mentioned storage medium may be a transient computer-readable storage medium or a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium.

[0107] 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 changes. Unless explicitly required, separate components and functions are optional, and the order of operation may vary. The parts and features of some embodiments may be included in or replace the 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 the claims, unless the context clearly indicates, the singular forms of "a", "an" and "the" are intended to include plural forms as well. Similarly, the term "and / or" as used in this application refers to any and all possible combinations of listings containing one or more associated ones. In addition, when used in the present application, the term "comprise" and its variants "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 thereof. In the absence of further restrictions, the elements defined by the sentence "comprising a ..." do not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method or device comprising the elements. In this article, each embodiment may focus on the differences from other embodiments, and the same and similar parts between the various embodiments may refer 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 refer to the description of the method part.

[0108] 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 for each specific application to implement the described functions, but such implementations should not be considered to exceed the scope of the embodiments of the present disclosure. The technicians may clearly understand that, for the convenience and simplicity of description, the specific working processes of the systems, devices and units described above may refer to the corresponding processes in the aforementioned method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0109] 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 only schematic. For example, the division of the units can be only a logical function division. There may be other division methods in actual implementation, 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, which can be electrical, mechanical or other forms. The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separated, and the components displayed 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 according to actual needs to implement this embodiment. In addition, each functional unit in the embodiment of the present disclosure may be integrated in a processing unit, or each unit may exist physically alone, or two or more units may be integrated in one unit.

[0110] The flowchart and block diagram in the accompanying drawings show the possible architecture, function and operation of the system, method and computer program product according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. In this regard, each box in the flowchart or block diagram can represent a module, a program segment or a part of the code, and the module, the program segment or a part of the code contains one or more executable instructions for realizing the specified logical function. In some alternative implementations, the functions marked in the box can also occur in a different order from the order marked in the accompanying drawings. For example, two consecutive boxes can actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they can sometimes be executed in the opposite order, which can depend on the functions involved. In the description corresponding to the flowchart and the block diagram in the accompanying drawings, the operations or steps corresponding to different boxes can also occur in a different order from the order 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, and 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 functions or actions, or may be implemented by a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

Claims

1. A method for controlling an air conditioner, the air conditioner comprising: Outdoor variable split heat exchanger; A control valve is provided on at least one heat exchange branch of the outdoor variable flow split heat exchanger; the outdoor variable flow split heat exchanger is characterized in that it comprises: a first main pipe, a heat exchange pipeline, a first bypass pipeline and a second bypass pipeline; The first main pipe is used to communicate with the indoor heat exchanger, and a first electronic expansion valve is arranged on the first main pipe; when the outdoor variable flow split heat exchanger is defrosted without stopping, the first electronic expansion valve does not play a throttling role; The heat exchange pipeline includes: a first heat exchange branch, a second heat exchange branch and a third heat exchange branch; the first main pipe is connected to the second bypass pipe through the first heat exchange branch, the first main pipe is also connected to the second heat exchange branch through the first bypass pipe, and the first main pipe is also connected to the third heat exchange branch through the first bypass pipe; the second bypass pipe and the third heat exchange branch are used to be connected to the four-way valve; the first bypass pipe is provided with a first check valve, and the second bypass pipe is provided with a second check valve; wherein, the heat exchange branch located below and adjacent to the top heat exchange branch is the adjacent lower heat exchange branch, and when the air conditioner is running in heating mode, a control valve is provided on the top heat exchange branch located on the refrigerant input side; When the air conditioner is running for heating, the refrigerant flows into the first heat exchange branch, the second heat exchange branch and the third heat exchange branch respectively, and the heat exchange branches are connected in parallel; when the air conditioner is running for cooling, the refrigerant flows into the third heat exchange branch, the second heat exchange branch and the first heat exchange branch in sequence under the blocking effect of the first one-way valve and the second one-way valve, and the heat exchange branches are connected in series; when the outdoor variable split heat exchanger is defrosting without stopping, the heat exchange branch where the control valve is located acts as an evaporator to reduce the return air temperature of the compressor, thereby improving the reliability of the compressor and reducing the overall power of the compressor; The method comprises: determining an operating mode of the air conditioner; Determining a target opening of the control valve according to an operation mode; Controlling the control valve to open to a target opening; Wherein, when the operation mode is heating without stopping for defrosting, the target opening of the control valve is determined according to the operation mode, including: determining the operation frequency of the compressor; determining the initial target opening of the control valve according to the operation frequency; when the control valve maintains the initial target opening for a first preset time, determining the maximum opening of the control valve as the final target opening; When the operation mode is the heating mode, the target opening of the control valve is determined according to the operation mode, including: determining the operation frequency of the compressor; determining the target opening of the control valve according to the operation frequency; obtaining the outlet temperature difference between the uppermost heat exchange branch and the adjacent lower heat exchange branch; correcting the target opening according to the outlet temperature difference; and controlling the control valve to open to the corrected target opening; Among them, when the outlet temperature difference is in the first temperature interval, the opening correction value is the first correction value; when the outlet temperature difference is in the second temperature interval, the opening correction value is the second correction value; when the outlet temperature difference is in the third temperature interval, the opening correction value is the third correction value; when the outlet temperature difference is in the fourth temperature interval, the opening correction value is the fourth correction value; when the outlet temperature difference is in the fifth temperature interval, the opening correction value is the fifth correction value; among them, from the first temperature interval to the fifth temperature interval, the lower limit value of the previous temperature interval is greater than the upper limit value of the next temperature interval; the first correction value to the fifth correction value decrease successively; the first correction value and the second correction value are positive values; the fourth correction value and the fifth correction value are negative values.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The operation mode is a heating mode; and determining the target opening of the control valve according to the operation mode includes: Determine the operating frequency of the compressor; The target opening of the control valve is determined according to the operating frequency.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that Determining the initial target opening of the control valve according to the operating frequency includes: The greater the operating frequency, the greater the initial target opening of the control valve.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that: If ΔT>3℃, the opening correction value is 6 steps; if 1℃<ΔT≤3℃, the opening correction value is 2 steps; if -1℃<ΔT≤1℃, the opening correction value is 0; if -3℃<ΔT≤-1℃, the opening correction value is -2 steps; if ΔT≤-3℃, the opening correction value is -6 steps; where ΔT is the outlet temperature difference.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that If control valves are provided on multiple heat exchange branches, then when the air conditioner is in heating mode, on the refrigerant inflow side of the outdoor heat exchanger, control valves are provided on both the top heat exchange branch and the middle heat exchange branch; or, control valves are provided on both the top heat exchange branch and the bottom heat exchange branch; or, control valves are provided on the top heat exchange branch, the middle heat exchange branch and the bottom heat exchange branch; When each control valve is controlled to be fully opened, each control valve is controlled to be fully opened at fixed time intervals in sequence from bottom to top.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that The operation mode is a cooling mode or a dehumidification mode; and determining the target opening of the control valve according to the operation mode includes: The maximum opening of the control valve is determined as the target opening.

7. 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 6 when running the program instructions.

8. An air conditioner, comprising: An outdoor variable flow split heat exchanger, wherein at least one heat exchange branch of the outdoor variable flow split heat exchanger is provided with a control valve; It is characterized by further comprising: The device for controlling an air conditioner as claimed in claim 7.

9. 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 6 is executed.

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