Power supply method and device for refrigerant leak detection unit

Abstract

This application discloses a power supply method and apparatus for a refrigerant leak detection unit. The power supply method for the refrigerant leak detection unit includes: determining the power consumption of the refrigerant leak detection unit when an environmental energy harvesting unit supplies power to it; and adjusting the energy emission intensity of an energy emission unit based on the power consumption, so that the power generation obtained by the environmental energy harvesting unit based on the energy emitted by the energy emission unit is greater than or equal to the power consumption of the refrigerant leak detection unit in its current operating mode. Thus, regardless of whether the refrigeration equipment is powered off, as long as the energy emission unit can emit energy, the refrigerant leak detection unit can operate normally.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of refrigerant leak detection technology, and in particular to a power supply method and device for a refrigerant leak detection unit. Background Technology

[0002] Refrigerant leaks can easily lead to safety accidents. To effectively reduce safety hazards, it is essential to equip the unit with a refrigerant leak detection unit. After installation, refrigerant detection needs to be performed in real time, regardless of whether the refrigeration equipment is running. However, during temporary power outages, especially when the user does not use the refrigeration equipment for an extended period and the power supply is cut off, the refrigerant leak detection unit built into the refrigeration equipment will not receive mains power for a long time (6 months or even longer). Even with energy storage units, the power consumption of commonly used refrigerant detection sensors, such as semiconductor, catalytic combustion, photoelectric, photoacoustic, and thermal conductivity gas sensors, is relatively high (tens to hundreds of milliwatts), requiring very large battery packs, which is environmentally unfriendly. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This application provides a power supply method and device for a refrigerant leak detection unit. Regardless of whether the refrigeration equipment is powered off or not, as long as the energy transmitting unit can transmit energy, the refrigerant leak detection unit can be guaranteed to work normally.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, this application provides a power supply method for a refrigerant leak detection unit, the power supply method comprising:

[0005] When the environmental energy harvesting unit supplies power to the refrigerant leak detection unit, determine the power consumption of the refrigerant leak detection unit;

[0006] The energy intensity of the energy emission unit is adjusted based on power consumption, so that the power generation obtained by the environmental energy harvesting unit based on the energy emitted by the energy emission unit is greater than or equal to the power consumption of the refrigerant leak detection unit in its current operating mode.

[0007] Among them, the energy intensity of the energy transmission unit is adjusted based on power consumption, including:

[0008] The energy intensity of the energy transmission unit is controlled based on power consumption, total electrical energy required to charge the energy storage unit, and energy-to-electrical energy conversion efficiency.

[0009] Among them, when the environmental energy harvesting unit supplies power to the refrigerant leak detection unit, the power consumption of the refrigerant leak detection unit is determined, including:

[0010] The refrigerant leak detection unit is controlled to operate in the highest power consumption mode to detect refrigerant leaks, and the power consumption of the refrigerant leak detection unit is determined.

[0011] Among them, the power supply method is applied to refrigeration equipment, and the power supply method also includes:

[0012] With the energy emission unit powered on, the power consumption of the refrigerant leak detection unit is determined.

[0013] When the energy emission unit is in a power-off state, determine the power generation status of the environmental energy harvesting unit; adjust the working mode of the refrigerant leak detection unit based on the power generation status so that the power generation status can meet the power consumption requirements of the refrigerant leak detection unit after adjusting the working mode.

[0014] The method further includes: when the refrigeration equipment is powered on, controlling the power supply of the refrigeration equipment to power the refrigerant leak detection unit;

[0015] With the energy transmitting unit powered on, the power consumption of the refrigerant leak detection unit is determined, including:

[0016] When the refrigeration equipment is powered off and the energy emission unit is powered on, the power consumption of the refrigerant leak detection unit is determined.

[0017] The operating mode of the refrigerant leak detection unit, which is adjusted based on power generation conditions, includes:

[0018] Adjust the operating mode of the refrigerant leak detection unit to the preset operating mode;

[0019] The preset working mode is the working mode with the highest power consumption among all working modes that can operate normally under power generation conditions.

[0020] Among these steps, when the environmental energy harvesting unit supplies power to the refrigerant leak detection unit, the power generation status of the environmental energy harvesting unit is determined, followed by:

[0021] When the power generation cannot meet the power consumption requirements of the refrigerant leak detection unit in its minimum power consumption mode, the refrigerant leak detection unit is controlled to use the minimum power consumption mode for refrigerant leak detection, and the environmental energy harvesting unit and energy storage unit are controlled to supply power to the refrigerant leak detection unit.

[0022] When the power generation is sufficient to meet the power consumption requirements of the refrigerant leak detection unit's minimum power consumption operating mode, the operating mode of the refrigerant leak detection unit is adjusted based on the power generation situation.

[0023] The environmental energy harvesting unit is used to collect solar energy, wind energy, ultrasonic energy and / or radio frequency energy and convert the collected energy into electrical energy.

[0024] To achieve the above objectives, this application also provides a refrigeration device, which includes a processor and a refrigerant leak detection unit. The processor is electrically connected to an ambient energy harvesting unit and the refrigerant leak detection unit, and the processor is used to execute a computer program to implement the above-described power supply method.

[0025] To achieve the above objectives, this application also provides a refrigeration device, which includes a processor; the processor is used to execute instructions to implement the above method.

[0026] To achieve the above objectives, this application also provides a computer-readable storage medium for storing instruction / program data that can be executed to implement the above methods.

[0027] This application first determines the power consumption of the refrigerant leak detection unit, and then adjusts the energy transmission intensity of the energy transmission unit based on the power consumption so that the power generation obtained by the environmental energy collection unit based on the energy transmitted by the energy transmission unit is greater than or equal to the power consumption of the refrigerant leak detection unit in its current operating mode. In this way, the power consumption required by the refrigerant leak detection unit can be met by the energy transmission unit and the environmental energy collection unit working together to generate electricity. Thus, regardless of whether the refrigeration equipment is powered off, as long as the energy transmission unit can transmit energy, the refrigerant leak detection unit can be guaranteed to work normally. Moreover, the energy transmitted by the energy transmission unit is not affected by the environment, the energy is stable and can be transmitted wirelessly, requiring no wiring and facilitating control. Attached Figure Description

[0028] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of this application and form part of this application, illustrate exemplary embodiments and are used to explain this application, but do not constitute an undue limitation of this application. In the drawings:

[0029] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating one embodiment of the power supply method for the refrigerant leak detection unit of this application;

[0030] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of the refrigeration equipment of this application;

[0031] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of the computer-readable storage medium of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0032] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application. In addition, unless otherwise specified (e.g., "or additionally" or "or in alternatives"), the term "or" as used herein refers to a non-exclusive "or" (i.e., "and / or"). Furthermore, the various embodiments described herein are not necessarily mutually exclusive, as some embodiments can be combined with one or more other embodiments to form new embodiments.

[0033] Specifically, such as Figure 1 As shown, the power supply method for the refrigerant leak detection unit in this embodiment includes the following steps. This power supply method for the refrigerant leak detection unit can be applied to refrigeration equipment such as air conditioners or refrigerators. The installation location of the refrigerant leak detection unit is not limited. However, it is more preferred that the refrigerant leak detection unit be placed at a refrigerant leak point in the refrigeration equipment to improve the sensitivity of refrigerant leak detection. It should be noted that the step numbers are for simplification only and are not intended to limit the execution order of the steps. The execution order of the steps in this embodiment can be arbitrarily changed without departing from the technical concept of this application.

[0034] S101: When the environmental energy harvesting unit supplies power to the refrigerant leak detection unit, determine the power consumption of the refrigerant leak detection unit.

[0035] The power consumption of the refrigerant leak detection unit can be determined first, so that the energy emission intensity of the energy emission unit can be adjusted based on the power consumption. This ensures that the power generated by the environmental energy harvesting unit based on the energy emitted by the energy emission unit is greater than or equal to the power consumption of the refrigerant leak detection unit in its current operating mode. In this way, the power consumption of the refrigerant leak detection unit can be met by the energy emission unit and the environmental energy harvesting unit working together to generate power. Thus, regardless of whether the refrigeration equipment is powered off, as long as the energy emission unit can emit energy, the refrigerant leak detection unit can operate normally. Furthermore, the energy emitted by the energy emission unit is not affected by the environment, the energy is stable, and it can be transmitted wirelessly without the need for wiring, making it easy to control.

[0036] The refrigerant leak detection unit may include at least one operating mode. In step S101, the refrigerant leak detection unit performs detection in a predetermined operating mode. At this time, the power consumption of the refrigerant leak detection unit is the power consumption of the predetermined operating mode.

[0037] The preset operating mode can be set according to the actual situation, and there is no limitation here. For example, it can be the highest power consumption mode or the lowest power consumption mode.

[0038] Optionally, the refrigerant leak detection unit may include multiple operating modes. For example, the refrigerant leak detection unit may have multiple operating modes, including a maximum power consumption mode, at least one intermediate operating mode, and a minimum power consumption mode. Of course, in other embodiments, the refrigerant leak detection unit may have two operating modes: a maximum power consumption mode and a minimum power consumption mode.

[0039] In one implementation, the duty cycle of the refrigerant leak detection unit varies depending on the operating mode. The operating time and sleep time in each mode can be adjusted based on the sensor type, function, and power consumption. For example, assuming the refrigerant leak detection unit is a photoelectric sensor, the duty cycle of the highest power mode is 100%, meaning the refrigerant leak detection unit continuously detects refrigerant leaks in this mode; the duty cycle of the lowest power mode is 2 / 14%, meaning the refrigerant leak detection unit operates for 20 seconds and sleeps for 120 seconds in this mode; the duty cycle of the first intermediate power mode is 2 / 5%, meaning the refrigerant leak detection unit operates for 20 seconds and sleeps for 30 seconds in this mode; the duty cycle of the second intermediate power mode is 2 / 8%, meaning the refrigerant leak detection unit operates for 20 seconds and sleeps for 60 seconds in this mode; and the duty cycle of the third intermediate power mode is 2 / 11%, meaning the refrigerant leak detection unit operates for 20 seconds and sleeps for 90 seconds in this mode. For example, assuming the refrigerant leak detection unit is a semiconductor sensor (MEMS type), the duty cycle of the highest power mode is 100%, meaning that in the highest power mode, the refrigerant leak detection unit continuously detects refrigerant leaks; the duty cycle of the lowest power mode is 1 / 601%, meaning that in the lowest power mode, the refrigerant leak detection unit works for 0.1s and then sleeps for 60s; the duty cycle of the first intermediate power mode is 1 / 101%, meaning that in the first intermediate working mode, the refrigerant leak detection unit works for 0.1s and then sleeps for 10s; the duty cycle of the second intermediate power mode is 1 / 201%, meaning that in the second intermediate working mode, the refrigerant leak detection unit works for 0.1s and then sleeps for 20s; and the duty cycle of the third intermediate power mode is 1 / 301%, meaning that in the third intermediate working mode, the refrigerant leak detection unit works for 0.1s and then sleeps for 30s.

[0040] In another implementation, the refrigerant leak detection unit includes multiple leak detection sensors, and the leak detection sensors operating in the refrigerant leak detection unit differ depending on the operating mode. For example, the refrigerant leak detection unit may include more traditional types of sensors such as semiconductor, catalytic combustion, photoelectric, photoacoustic, and thermal conductivity sensors, as well as novel ultra-low power sensors such as room temperature quantum dot gas sensors, room temperature field-effect transistor gas sensors, and gas sensors based on two-dimensional materials. In the highest power consumption mode, the leak detection sensor operating in the refrigerant leak detection unit may be a catalytic combustion sensor; in the intermediate operating mode, the leak detection sensor operating in the refrigerant leak detection unit may be a semiconductor sensor; and in the lowest power consumption mode, the leak detection sensor operating in the refrigerant leak detection unit may be a room temperature quantum dot gas sensor.

[0041] S102: The emission energy intensity of the energy emission unit is controlled based on power consumption.

[0042] After determining the power consumption of the refrigerant leak detection unit in step S101, the energy emission intensity of the energy emission unit can be adjusted based on the power consumption of the refrigerant leak detection unit. This allows the energy emission unit to emit energy of a corresponding intensity, so that the environmental energy collection unit located near the energy emission unit can collect the energy emitted by the energy emission unit and convert it into electrical energy. Thus, the environmental energy collection unit can convert enough electrical energy to power the refrigerant leak detection unit. In this application scenario, by adjusting the energy emission intensity of the energy emission unit based on the power consumption, the power generation obtained by the environmental energy collection unit based on the energy emitted by the energy emission unit can be greater than or equal to the power consumption of the refrigerant leak detection unit in its current operating mode. Thus, the power generation of the refrigerant leak detection unit is met by the energy emission unit and the environmental energy collection unit working together to generate electricity.

[0043] The environmental energy harvesting unit can be used to collect environmental energy such as light energy, wind energy, ultrasonic energy and / or radio frequency energy and convert the collected energy into electrical energy. Thus, the environmental energy harvesting unit can be used as a power source for the refrigerant leak detection unit.

[0044] An energy emitting unit is a device used to emit energy collected by an environmental energy harvesting unit. For example, if the environmental energy harvesting unit is a photovoltaic unit, the corresponding energy emitting unit can be an infrared lamp; if the environmental energy harvesting unit is a radio frequency collector, the corresponding energy emitting unit can be a radio frequency emitting unit; if the environmental energy harvesting unit is an ultrasonic collector, the corresponding energy emitting unit can be an ultrasonic transmitter.

[0045] In one implementation, the energy emission intensity that meets the power consumption requirements of the refrigerant leak detection unit can be determined based on the power consumption and energy-to-electricity conversion efficiency of the refrigerant leak detection unit. For example, if the energy-to-environmental energy collection unit has an energy-to-electricity conversion efficiency of 1:0.7, and the power consumption of the refrigerant leak detection unit is 0.3 kWh, then to ensure that the power generation obtained by the environmental energy collection unit based on the energy emitted by the energy emission unit is greater than or equal to the power consumption of the refrigerant leak detection unit in its current operating mode, the energy emitted by the energy emission unit can be greater than or equal to 0.428 kWh.

[0046] In another implementation, besides controlling the environmental energy harvesting unit to power the refrigerant leak detection unit with the electricity generated from the energy emitted by the energy transmitting unit, the environmental energy harvesting unit can also be controlled to charge the energy storage unit with the remaining electricity generated from the energy emitted by the energy transmitting unit. Thus, in step S102, the energy intensity emitted by the energy transmitting unit can be adjusted based on the power consumption, the total electrical energy required to charge the energy storage unit, and the energy-to-electricity conversion efficiency, so that the electricity generated by the environmental energy harvesting unit based on the energy emitted by the energy transmitting unit can meet the power consumption of the refrigerant leak detection unit and the charging requirements of the energy storage unit. More preferably, the energy intensity emitted by the energy transmitting unit can be remotely controlled so that the electricity generated by the environmental energy harvesting unit based on the energy emitted by the energy transmitting unit precisely meets the total energy consumption demand (i.e., the power consumption demand of the refrigerant leak detection unit and the charging demand of the energy storage unit). This closed-loop adjustment based on the total energy consumption demand can avoid energy waste.

[0047] In this embodiment, the power consumption of the refrigerant leak detection unit is first determined. Then, the energy intensity of the energy transmission unit is adjusted based on the power consumption so that the power generation obtained by the environmental energy harvesting unit based on the energy transmitted by the energy transmission unit is greater than or equal to the power consumption of the refrigerant leak detection unit in its current operating mode. In this way, the power consumption required by the refrigerant leak detection unit can be met by the energy transmission unit and the environmental energy harvesting unit working together to generate electricity. Thus, regardless of whether the refrigeration equipment is powered off, as long as the energy transmission unit can transmit energy, the refrigerant leak detection unit can be guaranteed to work normally. Moreover, the energy transmitted by the energy transmission unit is not affected by the environment, the energy is stable, and it can be transmitted wirelessly without wiring, making it easy to control.

[0048] Furthermore, in a specific application scenario, regardless of whether the refrigeration equipment is powered on, as long as the radio frequency transmitting unit is powered on, the power supply method described above can be used to power the refrigerant leak detection unit through the cooperation of the energy transmitting unit and the environmental energy harvesting unit; if the radio frequency transmitting unit is powered off, the power generation status of the environmental energy harvesting unit is determined; the operating mode of the refrigerant leak detection unit is adjusted based on the power generation status so that the power generation status can meet the power consumption requirements of the refrigerant leak detection unit after the operating mode is adjusted.

[0049] In another specific application scenario, when the refrigeration equipment is powered on, the power supply of the refrigeration equipment powers the refrigerant leak detection unit. When the refrigeration equipment is powered off, but the radio frequency transmitting unit is powered on, the power supply method described above can be used to power the refrigerant leak detection unit through the cooperation of the energy transmitting unit and the environmental energy harvesting unit. When the refrigeration equipment is powered off, and the radio frequency transmitting unit is powered off, the power generation status of the environmental energy harvesting unit is determined. Based on the power generation status, the operating mode of the refrigerant leak detection unit is adjusted so that the power generation meets the power consumption requirements of the refrigerant leak detection unit after the operating mode is adjusted. Furthermore, in this application scenario, the operating mode of the refrigerant leak detection unit can be dynamically adjusted according to the amount of energy harvested, ensuring the normal operation of the refrigerant leak detection unit.

[0050] In both application scenarios described above, before adjusting the operating mode of the refrigerant leak detection unit based on power generation, it's essential to first confirm whether the power generation of the ambient energy harvesting unit meets the power consumption requirements of the refrigerant leak detection unit's minimum power consumption operating mode. If it does, proceed with adjusting the operating mode of the refrigerant leak detection unit based on power generation. If not, control the refrigerant leak detection unit to operate in the minimum power consumption mode for refrigerant leak detection, and control the ambient energy harvesting unit and energy storage unit to supply power to the refrigerant leak detection unit. Thus, in this application scenario, the energy storage unit is only used in emergencies after the user's mains power is completely cut off; its standard capacity is sufficient, eliminating the need for a large-capacity energy storage unit.

[0051] Adjusting the operating mode of the refrigerant leak detection unit based on power generation includes: adjusting the operating mode of the refrigerant leak detection unit to a preset operating mode; the preset operating mode is the operating mode with the highest power consumption among all operating modes that can operate normally under power generation conditions of the environmental energy harvesting unit. That is, if the current operating mode of the refrigerant leak detection unit is the preset operating mode corresponding to the power generation conditions, then the operating mode of the refrigerant leak detection unit does not need to be adjusted; otherwise, the operating mode of the refrigerant leak detection unit can be adjusted to the preset operating mode. Of course, in other embodiments, the operating mode of the refrigerant leak detection unit can also be adjusted to any operating mode that can operate normally under power generation conditions.

[0052] In one implementation, the power generation status of the environmental energy harvesting unit can refer to its current power generation. Correspondingly, the power consumption requirement of the refrigerant leak detection unit can be its power consumption. Thus, the aforementioned preset operating mode can be the operating mode with the highest power consumption among all operating modes where the power consumption is less than or equal to the current power generation of the environmental energy harvesting unit. The power generation of the environmental energy harvesting unit can be determined using existing measurement methods, which will not be elaborated upon here. For example, the power generation of the environmental energy harvesting unit can be measured by a power detection and management unit connected to it.

[0053] In another implementation, since the current power generation of the environmental energy harvesting unit is positively correlated with the current energy intensity at its location, the current power generation of the environmental energy harvesting unit can be represented by the current energy intensity corresponding to the unit in the surrounding environment. For example, if the environmental energy harvesting unit is a photovoltaic unit, its power generation can be represented by the light intensity at its location. Correspondingly, each operating mode of the refrigerant leak detection unit corresponds to an energy intensity range. Thus, in the step of adjusting the operating mode of the refrigerant leak detection unit based on the power generation situation, the refrigerant leak detection unit can be adjusted to the operating mode corresponding to the energy intensity range into which the current energy intensity falls.

[0054] If the environmental energy harvesting unit has surplus power after supplying power to the refrigerant leak detection unit, it can be controlled to use the surplus power to charge the energy storage unit until it is fully charged, thereby increasing the energy storage capacity of the energy storage unit.

[0055] In another specific application scenario, regardless of whether the refrigeration equipment is powered on, as long as the radio frequency transmitting unit is powered on, the power supply method described above can be used to power the refrigerant leak detection unit through the cooperation of the energy transmitting unit and the environmental energy collection unit. If the radio frequency transmitting unit is powered off, the remaining power of the energy storage unit is determined, the energy storage unit is controlled to power the refrigerant leak detection unit, and the working mode of the refrigerant leak detection unit is dynamically adjusted based on the remaining power of the energy storage unit.

[0056] In another specific application scenario, when the refrigeration equipment is powered on, the power supply of the refrigeration equipment is controlled to power the refrigerant leak detection unit. At this time, the radio frequency transmission unit can be powered off to save energy. When the refrigeration equipment is powered off and the radio frequency transmission unit is powered on, the power supply method described above can be used to power the refrigerant leak detection unit through the cooperation of the energy transmission unit and the environmental energy harvesting unit. When the refrigeration equipment is powered off and the radio frequency transmission unit is powered off, the remaining power of the energy storage unit is determined, the energy storage unit is controlled to power the refrigerant leak detection unit, and the working mode of the refrigerant leak detection unit is dynamically adjusted based on the remaining power of the energy storage unit.

[0057] When the energy storage unit supplies power to the refrigerant leak detection unit, the current remaining power of the energy storage unit can be determined. Then, it is determined whether the current remaining power of the energy storage unit is less than the lower limit of the remaining power range corresponding to the current working mode of the refrigerant leak detection unit. If the current remaining power of the energy storage unit is less than the lower limit of the remaining power range corresponding to the current working mode of the refrigerant leak detection unit, the current working mode of the refrigerant leak detection unit is switched to the next working mode, wherein the power consumption of the next working mode is less than the power consumption of the current working mode. Otherwise, the refrigerant leak detection unit performs refrigerant leak detection in the current working mode. In this way, by dynamically adjusting the working mode of the refrigerant leak detection unit based on the power consumption of the energy storage unit, the normal working time of the refrigerant leak detection unit after the power is cut off can be extended as much as possible.

[0058] In the aforementioned application scenarios, if the remaining power of the energy storage unit drops to a preset value (e.g., the upper limit corresponding to the lowest power consumption mode or a preset percentage of full power), a power-on requirement reminder can be generated to prompt the user to connect the power supply to maintain the normal operation of the refrigerant leak detection unit as much as possible. Furthermore, once the RF transmitting unit and / or the refrigeration equipment are powered back on, the refrigerant leak detection unit will be powered using the corresponding power supply method in the aforementioned application scenarios.

[0059] Furthermore, in the aforementioned application scenarios, when the power supply of the refrigeration equipment powers the refrigerant leak detection unit, the unit can be controlled to operate in the mode with the best detection effect, or in the mode with the highest power consumption. Here, the operating mode with the best detection effect can refer to the mode with the highest detection accuracy / efficiency, or the mode with the largest percentage of operating time. For example, when the duty cycle of the refrigerant leak detection unit differs under different operating modes, the operating mode with the best detection effect is the mode with the largest duty cycle—the highest power consumption mode.

[0060] In addition to the above steps of "controlling the power supply of the refrigeration equipment to power the refrigerant leak detection unit", the power supply of the refrigeration equipment can also be controlled to charge the energy storage unit until it is fully charged.

[0061] To better illustrate the power supply method of the refrigerant leak detection unit of this application, the following specific power supply embodiments are provided as examples:

[0062] Example 1

[0063] When the mains power is connected to the refrigeration equipment, the radio frequency transmitting unit is turned off, and the power supply of the refrigeration equipment powers the refrigerant leak detection unit. The refrigerant leak detection unit continuously detects in real time and continuously charges the energy storage unit until it is fully charged.

[0064] When the air conditioner is powered off and the mains power is connected, the radio frequency transmitting unit is turned on, the refrigerant leak detection unit continuously monitors in real time, and the power management unit adjusts the radio frequency energy transmission intensity according to the total power required for charging the refrigerant leak detection unit and the energy storage unit, as well as the radio frequency-to-power conversion efficiency, so as to just meet the total energy consumption requirements. The environmental energy harvesting unit (i.e., the radio frequency receiving device) supplies power to the refrigerant leak detection unit.

[0065] When the user's mains power is cut off, the RF transmitting unit is in a power-off state. The ambient energy harvesting unit (i.e., the RF receiving device) can only harvest ambient RF energy. At this time, the refrigerant leak detection unit can only obtain power through the RF and / or energy storage unit. The power management unit detects the current RF power Q. p And the remaining power Q of the energy storage unit, the control unit based on Q and Q p Control the operation of the refrigerant leak detection unit:

[0066] When Q p ≥Q s0 At this time, the radio frequency receiving device supplies power to the refrigerant leak detection unit, which uses the highest power consumption mode for real-time detection. The remaining power of the radio frequency device charges the energy storage unit until it is fully charged.

[0067] When Qs0 Q p ≥Q s1 At this time, the radio frequency receiving device supplies power to the refrigerant leak detection unit, which uses the first intermediate working mode for detection, and the remaining power of the radio frequency device charges the energy storage unit until it is fully charged.

[0068] When Q s1 Q p ≥Q s2 At this time, the radio frequency receiving device supplies power to the refrigerant leak detection unit, which uses the second intermediate working mode for detection. The remaining power of the radio frequency device charges the energy storage unit until it is fully charged.

[0069] When Q s2 Q p ≥Q s3 At this time, the radio frequency receiving device supplies power to the refrigerant leak detection unit, which uses the third intermediate working mode for detection. The remaining power of the radio frequency device charges the energy storage unit until it is fully charged.

[0070] When Q s3 Q p ≥Q s4 At this time, the radio frequency receiving device supplies power to the refrigerant leak detection unit, which uses the lowest power consumption mode for detection. The remaining power of the radio frequency device charges the energy storage unit until it is fully charged.

[0071] When Q s4 Q p At this time, the refrigerant leak detection unit uses the lowest power consumption mode for detection, and is powered by the energy storage unit and the radio frequency receiver.

[0072] When the remaining power Q of the energy storage unit is detected to be less than 1 / 8*Q0 (or other proportional power), the server and the user's smart terminal are immediately notified that the power is low and the mains power needs to be connected.

[0073] During the process of powering the refrigerant leak detection unit through the environmental energy harvesting unit, once the mains power is connected, the refrigerant leak detection unit immediately enters the highest power consumption mode to continuously detect refrigerant leaks and charge the energy storage unit.

[0074] Example 2

[0075] When the air conditioner is connected to the mains power, the ultrasonic transmitter is turned off, and the power supply of the refrigeration equipment powers the refrigerant leak detection unit. The refrigerant leak detection unit continuously detects in real time in the highest power consumption mode and continuously charges the energy storage unit until it is fully charged.

[0076] When the air conditioner is powered off and the mains power is connected, the refrigerant leakage detection unit continuously detects in the highest power consumption mode in real time. The ultrasonic transmitter is turned on, and the power management unit adjusts the ultrasonic intensity according to the total power required for the refrigerant leakage detection unit and the energy storage unit to charge, as well as the ultrasonic-electricity conversion efficiency, so as to exactly meet the total energy consumption demand. The ultrasonic receiver powers the refrigerant leakage detection unit;

[0077] When the mains power is cut off, the ultrasonic transmitter is in the off state. At this time, the refrigerant leakage detection unit can only rely on the energy storage unit for power supply, and the refrigerant leakage detection unit enters the first intermediate working mode;

[0078] When the电量Q of the energy storage unit is greater than 3 / 4 of the full电量Q0, the refrigerant leakage detection unit maintains the first intermediate working mode;

[0079] When the电量Q of the energy storage unit continues to decrease to 3 / 4*Q0 and satisfies: 1 / 2*Q0 < Q ≤ 3 / 4*Q0, the refrigerant leakage detection unit enters the second intermediate working mode;

[0080] When the电量Q of the energy storage unit continues to decrease to 1 / 2*Q0 and satisfies: 1 / 4*Q0 < Q ≤ 1 / 2*Q0, the refrigerant leakage detection unit enters the third intermediate working mode;

[0081] When the电量Q of the energy storage unit continues to decrease to 1 / 4*Q0 and satisfies: 1 / 8*Q0 < Q ≤ 1 / 4*Q0, the refrigerant leakage detection unit enters the fourth intermediate working mode;

[0082] When the电量Q of the energy storage unit continues to decrease to 1 / 8*Q0, the refrigerant leakage detection unit enters the lowest power consumption mode and immediately prompts the server and the user's smart terminal that the power is low and the power supply needs to be connected;

[0083] During the above process of powering the refrigerant leakage detection unit by the energy storage unit, once the mains power is restored, the refrigerant leakage detection unit immediately enters the continuous working mode and charges the energy storage unit;

[0084] Among them, the power consumption of the highest power consumption mode, the first intermediate working mode, the second intermediate working mode, the third intermediate working mode, the fourth intermediate working mode, and the lowest power consumption mode gradually decreases.

[0085] In addition, when the refrigerant leakage detection unit is working, if the refrigerant leakage detection unit detects that the refrigerant leaks, a refrigerant leakage prompt can be generated to remind the user of the refrigerant leakage so that the user can handle it in time and avoid safety problems caused by refrigerant leakage.

[0086] It should be noted that there seems to be an error in the original text where "电量Q" is used instead of a more appropriate variable name. Here, it is translated as "电量Q" for the sake of maintaining consistency with the original text. You may need to correct this in the original content for better understanding.The notification method is unrestricted; for example, it can be done by sending a notification to the user terminal and / or server, or by using an alarm device to issue an alarm notification.

[0087] Furthermore, the alert method can be adjusted according to the refrigerant leakage situation. For example, if the detected refrigerant leakage concentration is not less than a first concentration and not greater than a second concentration, a refrigerant leakage alert is sent to the user's smart terminal and the server. If the detected refrigerant concentration is greater than or equal to the second concentration, the alarm device is activated, triggering an audible and visual alarm. The second concentration is not less than the first concentration, and the values ​​of the first and second concentrations can be between 1% and 25% LFL. LFL refers to the lower ignition limit concentration of the refrigerant.

[0088] Additionally, if the refrigerant leakage concentration is determined to be greater than the preset concentration, the refrigeration equipment / its solenoid valve can be shut off to prevent further refrigerant leakage. Alternatively, it can interact with the fresh air system to activate it and reduce the refrigerant concentration in the environment until the concentration drops to a certain level, at which point the fresh air system shuts off. For example, the fresh air system could be shut off after the refrigerant concentration in the environment drops to 0 and a certain period of time has elapsed. The preset concentration can be set according to actual conditions and is not limited here; for example, it could be a first concentration or a second concentration.

[0089] Please see Figure 2 , Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of the refrigeration device 20 of this application. The refrigeration device 20 of this application includes a processor 22, which is used to execute instructions to implement the methods provided by any of the above embodiments of this application and any non-conflicting combinations thereof.

[0090] The refrigeration equipment 20 may also include a refrigerant leak detection unit. The processor 22 may be electrically connected to the environmental energy harvesting unit and the refrigerant leak detection unit, so that the processor 22 can cooperate with the environmental energy harvesting unit and the refrigerant leak detection unit to realize the above-mentioned power supply method.

[0091] The aforementioned environmental energy harvesting unit can be integrated into the refrigeration equipment or can be separate from the refrigeration equipment.

[0092] Processor 22 can also be referred to as CPU (Central Processing Unit). Processor 22 may be an integrated circuit chip with signal processing capabilities. Processor 22 can also be a general-purpose processor, digital signal processor (DSP), application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic device, or discrete hardware component. A general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor, or processor 22 can be any conventional processor, etc.

[0093] The cooling device 20 may further include a memory 21 for storing instructions and data required for the processor 22 to run.

[0094] Please see Figure 3 , Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a computer-readable storage medium in an embodiment of this application. The computer-readable storage medium 30 in this embodiment stores instruction / program data 31. When executed, this instruction / program data 31 implements the methods provided in any embodiment of the above-described method of this application, as well as any non-conflicting combination thereof. The instruction / program data 31 can be formed into a program file and stored in the storage medium 30 in the form of a software product, so that a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) or processor can execute all or part of the steps of the methods in various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned storage medium 30 includes various media capable of storing program code, such as a USB flash drive, portable hard drive, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disk, or optical disk, or devices such as computers, servers, mobile phones, and tablets.

[0095] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, apparatuses, and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces, or indirect coupling or communication connection between apparatuses or units, and may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0096] Furthermore, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit. The integrated unit can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional unit.

[0097] It should also be noted that the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. Unless otherwise specified, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes that element.

[0098] The above are merely embodiments of this application and do not limit the scope of this patent application. Any equivalent structural or procedural changes made using the content of this application's specification and drawings, or direct or indirect applications in other related technical fields, are similarly included within the scope of patent protection of this application.

Claims

1. A method of supplying power to a refrigerant leak detection unit, characterized by, The power supply method comprises: When the environmental energy collection unit supplies power to the refrigerant leakage detection unit, determining the power consumption of the refrigerant leakage detection unit; Based on the power consumption, the emission energy intensity of the energy emission unit is regulated, so that the power generation amount obtained by the environmental energy collection unit based on the energy emitted by the energy emission unit is greater than or equal to the power consumption of the current working mode of the refrigerant leakage detection unit; The refrigerant leakage detection unit comprises a plurality of working modes, including a highest power consumption mode, at least one intermediate working mode, and a lowest power consumption mode; The refrigerant leakage detection unit comprises a plurality of leakage detection sensors, and the leakage detection sensors in working state in the refrigerant leakage detection unit are different in different working modes; The duty cycle of the working time of the refrigerant leakage detection unit in different working modes is different; the working time and the sleep time in each working mode of the refrigerant leakage detection unit are adjusted according to the sensor type, function and energy consumption relationship.

2. The power supply method according to claim 1, wherein The regulation of the emission energy intensity of the energy emission unit based on the power consumption comprises: Based on the power consumption, the total energy required for charging the energy storage unit, and the energy-energy conversion efficiency, the emission energy intensity of the energy emission unit is regulated.

3. The power supply method according to claim 1, wherein When the environmental energy collection unit supplies power to the refrigerant leakage detection unit, determining the power consumption of the refrigerant leakage detection unit comprises: Controlling the refrigerant leakage detection unit to adopt the working mode with the highest power consumption for refrigerant leakage detection to determine the power consumption of the refrigerant leakage detection unit.

4. The power supply method according to claim 1, wherein The power supply method is applied to a refrigeration equipment, and the power supply method further comprises: When the energy emission unit is in a powered-on state, the determination of the power consumption of the refrigerant leakage detection unit is performed; When the energy emission unit is in a powered-off state, the power generation condition of the environmental energy collection unit is determined; based on the power generation condition, the working mode of the refrigerant leakage detection unit is adjusted so that the power generation condition can meet the power consumption requirement of the refrigerant leakage detection unit after the adjustment of the working mode.

5. The power supply method according to claim 4, wherein The method further comprises: when the refrigeration equipment is in a powered-on state, controlling the power supply of the refrigeration equipment to supply power to the refrigerant leakage detection unit; When the energy emission unit is in a powered-on state, the determination of the power consumption of the refrigerant leakage detection unit is performed; When the refrigeration equipment is in a powered-off state and the energy emission unit is in a powered-on state, the determination of the power consumption of the refrigerant leakage detection unit is performed.

6. The power supply method according to claim 4, wherein The adjustment of the working mode of the refrigerant leakage detection unit based on the power generation condition comprises: The working mode of the refrigerant leakage detection unit is adjusted to a preset working mode; The preset working mode is the working mode with the highest power consumption among all the working modes that can normally operate under the power generation condition.

7. The power supply method according to claim 4, wherein When the environmental energy collection unit supplies power to the refrigerant leakage detection unit, determining the power generation condition of the environmental energy collection unit, and then comprises: When the power generation condition cannot meet the power consumption requirement of the minimum power consumption mode of the refrigerant leakage detection unit, the refrigerant leakage detection unit is controlled to perform refrigerant leakage detection in the minimum power consumption mode, and the environmental energy collection unit and the energy storage unit are controlled to supply power to the refrigerant leakage detection unit; When the power generation condition can meet the power consumption requirement of the minimum power consumption mode of the refrigerant leakage detection unit, the adjustment of the working mode of the refrigerant leakage detection unit based on the power generation condition is performed.

8. The power supply method according to claim 1, wherein The environmental energy collection unit is used to collect light energy, wind energy, ultrasonic energy and / or radio frequency energy and convert the collected energy into electrical energy.

9. A refrigeration appliance characterized in that, The refrigeration equipment comprises a processor and a refrigerant leakage detection unit, the processor is electrically connected to an environmental energy collection unit and the refrigerant leakage detection unit, and the processor is used to execute a computer program to realize the power supply method in any one of claims 1-8.

10. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer readable storage medium stores instructions / program data for being executed to realize the method in any one of claims 1-8.

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