Air conditioning system and control method thereof

Abstract

The application provides an air conditioning system and a control method thereof, relates to the technical field of household appliances, and is used for improving the oil deviation problem of the air conditioning system and improving the stability of system operation. The air conditioning system comprises a plurality of outdoor unit groups and a controller, each unit group comprises a compressor and an electromagnetic valve, the controller is configured to: acquire a plurality of first oil level relative height differences between any two compressors in the plurality of compressors and a first target electromagnetic valve in the plurality of electromagnetic valves; in the case that any one of the plurality of first oil level relative height differences is greater than or equal to a first preset height difference, the first target electromagnetic valve is opened; after the first target electromagnetic valve is opened, in the case that each of a plurality of second oil level relative height differences is less than a second preset height difference, the first target electromagnetic valve is closed; and the second preset height difference is less than the first preset height difference.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of household appliance technology, and in particular to an air conditioning system and its control method. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of air conditioning systems, the installation methods for outdoor units have become more diverse. These units are no longer limited to a single horizontal plane but can also be installed vertically. When multiple outdoor units are stacked vertically, gravity can cause uneven oil distribution in the compressors of even identical units. Under such conditions, prolonged operation of the outdoor units may lead to excessive lubricating oil accumulation in the lower sections, resulting in oil imbalance in the compressors. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This application provides an air conditioning system and its control method, which maintains the oil balance of the compressors among the units by opening or closing the corresponding solenoid valves, thereby improving the problem of oil imbalance in the compressors and enhancing the stability of the air conditioning system operation.

[0004] In a first aspect, this application provides an air conditioning system, the system comprising:

[0005] Multiple outdoor unit units, each outdoor unit unit includes a compressor and a solenoid valve;

[0006] The controller, electrically connected to each solenoid valve, is configured as follows:

[0007] Obtain the current relative height difference of multiple first oil levels between any two compressors among multiple compressors, and the first target solenoid valve among multiple solenoid valves; the first target solenoid valve is the solenoid valve corresponding to the compressor with the largest current oil level height value among multiple compressors;

[0008] If any one of the multiple relative height differences of the first oil level is greater than or equal to the first preset height difference, the first target solenoid valve is opened.

[0009] After opening the first target solenoid valve, continue to acquire the current relative height difference of multiple second oil levels between any two compressors among multiple compressors;

[0010] If each of the multiple relative height differences of the second oil level is less than the second preset height difference, the first target solenoid valve is closed; the second preset height difference is less than the first preset height difference.

[0011] The technical solution provided in this application brings at least the following beneficial effects: The air conditioning system, based on the multiple relative height differences of oil levels between any two compressors among multiple compressors, and when any one of the relative height differences of oil levels between compressors is greater than or equal to a first preset height difference, opens the solenoid valve corresponding to the compressor with the highest oil level among the compressors, causing the oil level of that compressor to decrease. And when all the relative height differences of oil levels between compressors are less than a second preset height difference, the opened solenoid valve is closed, thereby effectively reducing the oil level of the compressor with the highest oil level, improving the oil imbalance problem of the compressor, and thus improving the stability of the air conditioning system operation.

[0012] In some embodiments, the controller of the air conditioning system is configured to acquire multiple current relative height differences of first oil levels between any two compressors and a first target solenoid valve among multiple solenoid valves. This includes: acquiring the current oil level of each compressor; acquiring multiple current relative height differences of first oil levels between any two compressors based on the current oil level of each compressor; acquiring the compressor with the largest current oil level value among the compressors based on the current oil level of each compressor; and designating the solenoid valve corresponding to the compressor with the largest current oil level value as the first target solenoid valve. In this embodiment, by acquiring the oil level of each compressor, the controller can accurately acquire the relative height differences of oil levels between any two compressors and the target solenoid valve based on the compressor's oil level, thereby further improving the compressor oil misalignment problem more accurately.

[0013] In some embodiments, the controller of the air conditioning system is further configured to obtain multiple current relative oil level differences between any two compressors based on the current oil level of each compressor, including: obtaining a correction coefficient for each compressor; the correction coefficient of the compressor corresponds to the compressor model; obtaining the relative oil level of each compressor based on the current oil level of each compressor and the correction coefficient; and obtaining multiple current relative oil level differences between any two compressors based on the relative oil level of each compressor. In this embodiment, when the compressors of the outdoor unit units are of different models, the air conditioning system can obtain the relative oil level of the compressors based on the oil level of each compressor and the correction coefficient, and then obtain the relative oil level differences between any two compressors of different models based on the relative oil level, thereby ensuring the accuracy of the obtained relative oil level differences and further accurately improving the compressor oil misalignment problem.

[0014] In some embodiments, the controller of the air conditioning system is configured to, after opening the first target solenoid valve, continue to acquire the current relative height differences of multiple second oil levels between any two compressors among a plurality of compressors, including: after opening the first target solenoid valve, continuing to acquire the current oil level height of each compressor among the plurality of compressors; and acquiring the current relative height differences of multiple second oil levels between any two compressors based on the current oil level height of the compressors. In this embodiment, the oil level height of each compressor may change after opening the first target solenoid valve. Therefore, by continuing to acquire the compressor oil level after opening the first target solenoid valve, the controller of the air conditioning system can promptly acquire the oil level height differences between the compressors, and then adjust the compressor solenoid valves in a timely manner based on the oil level height differences between the compressors, thereby effectively improving the oil misalignment problem of the compressors.

[0015] In some embodiments, the controller of the air conditioning system is further configured to, based on the current oil level of each compressor, identify the compressor with the highest current oil level among a plurality of compressors, and designate the solenoid valve corresponding to the compressor with the highest current oil level as a second target solenoid valve; and to open the second target solenoid valve if any of the plurality of second relative oil level differences is greater than or equal to a second preset height difference. In this embodiment, if any of the second relative oil level differences is greater than or equal to the second preset height difference, the controller of the air conditioning system opens the solenoid valve corresponding to the compressor with the highest oil level in the current unit, causing the oil level of that compressor to decrease, thereby effectively improving the oil imbalance problem of the compressor.

[0016] In some embodiments, the controller of the air conditioning system is further configured to, after opening the second target solenoid valve, continue to acquire the current relative height differences of multiple third oil levels between any two compressors; and close the first and second target solenoid valves when each of the multiple relative height differences of third oil levels is less than a second preset height difference. In this embodiment, after opening the second target solenoid valve, the oil level of each compressor may change. Therefore, by acquiring the current relative height differences of third oil levels between any two compressors, the controller of the air conditioning system can promptly obtain information on changes in the compressor oil level. When each of the multiple relative height differences of third oil levels is less than the second preset height difference, the controller of the air conditioning system closes the first and second target solenoid valves, thereby maintaining a balance of compressor oil volume among the units, improving the oil imbalance problem of the outdoor unit of the air conditioning system, and enhancing the reliability and stability of the air conditioning system operation.

[0017] In some embodiments, the controller of the air conditioning system is further configured to obtain multiple relative oil level differences between any two compressors based on the current oil level of the compressors. This includes: obtaining a correction coefficient for each compressor; obtaining a relative oil level for each compressor based on its current oil level and the correction coefficient; and obtaining multiple relative oil level differences between any two compressors based on their relative oil level. In this embodiment, when the compressors of the outdoor unit units are of different models, the air conditioning system can obtain the relative oil level of the compressors based on their oil level and the correction coefficient, and then obtain the relative oil level difference between any two different compressor models based on the relative oil level. This ensures the accuracy of the obtained relative oil level differences and further improves the compressor oil misalignment problem.

[0018] In some embodiments, the controller of the air conditioning system is further configured to open a second target solenoid valve, including: if the second target solenoid valve is the first target solenoid valve, keeping the first target solenoid valve open. In this embodiment, when the second target solenoid valve is the first target solenoid valve, it means that the compressor corresponding to the first target solenoid valve is still the compressor with the highest oil level among the current compressors. Therefore, keeping the first target solenoid valve open will continue to reduce the oil level of the compressor and improve the oil imbalance problem of the compressor.

[0019] Secondly, this application provides a control method for an air conditioning system, which is applied to the air conditioning system of the first aspect. The method includes: acquiring multiple current relative height differences of first oil levels between any two compressors among a plurality of compressors, and a first target solenoid valve among a plurality of solenoid valves; the first target solenoid valve is the solenoid valve corresponding to the compressor with the largest current oil level among the plurality of compressors; opening the first target solenoid valve when any one of the multiple relative height differences of first oil levels is greater than or equal to a first preset height difference; after opening the first target solenoid valve, continuing to acquire multiple current relative height differences of second oil levels between any two compressors among the plurality of compressors; closing the first target solenoid valve when each of the multiple relative height differences of second oil levels is less than a second preset height difference; the second preset height difference is less than the first preset height difference.

[0020] In some embodiments, the method further includes: obtaining the current oil level height of each of the plurality of compressors; obtaining the current relative height difference of multiple first oil levels between any two compressors based on the current oil level height of each compressor; obtaining the compressor with the largest current oil level height value among the plurality of compressors based on the current oil level height of each compressor; and using the solenoid valve corresponding to the compressor with the largest current oil level height value as the first target solenoid valve.

[0021] Thirdly, this application provides a controller, comprising: one or more processors; one or more memories; wherein the one or more memories are used to store computer program code, the computer program code including computer instructions, and when the one or more processors execute the computer instructions, the controller executes the control method of the air conditioning system provided in the second aspect and possible implementations.

[0022] Fourthly, this application provides a computer-readable storage medium including computer instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform the control method of the air conditioning system provided in the second aspect and possible implementations.

[0023] Fifthly, embodiments of the present invention provide a computer program product that can be directly loaded into a memory and contains software code. After being loaded and executed by a computer, the computer program product can implement the control method of the air conditioning system provided in the second aspect and possible implementations.

[0024] It should be noted that the aforementioned computer instructions may be stored, in whole or in part, on a computer-readable storage medium. This computer-readable storage medium may be packaged together with the controller's processor, or it may be packaged separately from the controller's processor; this application does not impose any limitations on this.

[0025] The beneficial effects described in aspects two through five of this application can be referred to the analysis of the beneficial effects of aspect one, and will not be repeated here. Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the stacked installation of an outdoor unit of an air conditioning system provided in this application embodiment;

[0027] Figure 2 A circulation system diagram of an air conditioning system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0028] Figure 3 A partial circulation system diagram of an air conditioning system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0029] Figure 4 A hardware configuration diagram of an air conditioning system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0030] Figure 5 A flowchart illustrating a control method for an air conditioning system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0031] Figure 6 A flowchart illustrating another control method for an air conditioning system provided in this application embodiment;

[0032] Figure 7 A flowchart illustrating another control method for an air conditioning system provided in this application embodiment;

[0033] Figure 8 A flowchart illustrating another control method for an air conditioning system provided in this application embodiment;

[0034] Figure 9 A flowchart illustrating another control method for an air conditioning system provided in this application embodiment;

[0035] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the hardware structure of a controller provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0036] 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 some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0037] The terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0038] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "connected" and "linked" should be interpreted broadly, for example, as a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances. Furthermore, when describing pipelines, the terms "connected" and "linked" as used in this application have the meaning of establishing electrical connection. The specific meaning needs to be understood in conjunction with the context.

[0039] In the embodiments of this application, the terms "exemplary" or "for example" are used to indicate that something is an example, illustration, or description. Any embodiment or design that is described as "exemplary" or "for example" in the embodiments of this application should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or design. Specifically, the use of the terms "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a specific manner.

[0040] With the development of air conditioning systems, the installation methods for outdoor units have become more diverse. These units are no longer limited to a single horizontal plane but can also be installed vertically. When multiple units are stacked vertically, gravity can cause uneven oil distribution in the compressors of even identical units. Under such conditions, long-term operation may lead to excessive oil accumulation in the lower sections of the unit, causing oil imbalance in the compressor. This oil imbalance can damage the compressor and consequently affect the stability of the entire air conditioning system.

[0041] In related technologies, the problem of oil imbalance in the compressor of the outdoor unit of the air conditioning system can be improved by turning the compressor on or off or changing the compressor frequency. However, frequent starting and stopping of the compressor or changing the compressor frequency will reduce the stability of the air conditioning system.

[0042] This application provides an air conditioning system and its control method. By adding connecting pipes and solenoid valves between the compressor exhaust port and the oil separator outlet of the outdoor unit of the air conditioning system, the air conditioning system can open or close the corresponding solenoid valves according to the relative height difference of the oil level of the compressors in the outdoor units to ensure the oil quantity in the compressors of each unit is balanced, thereby improving the problem of compressor oil imbalance and improving the reliability and stability of the air conditioning system.

[0043] Furthermore, this solution can also be applied to water source heat pump systems, improving the flexibility of unit combination and installation, as well as the reliability and stability of system operation. The air conditioning system can also include a water source heat pump system, which comprises outdoor unit units.

[0044] In some embodiments, each outdoor unit includes a compressor and a solenoid valve.

[0045] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the stacked installation of the outdoor unit of the air conditioning system 11 provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 1 As shown, the outdoor unit of the air conditioning system 11 includes: outdoor unit 1, outdoor unit 2, and outdoor unit 3. Outdoor unit 1, outdoor unit 2, and outdoor unit 3 are installed in a vertically stacked arrangement in sequence. In some other embodiments, outdoor unit 1, outdoor unit 2, and outdoor unit 3 may not be installed in a completely vertically stacked arrangement. This embodiment does not impose any specific restrictions.

[0046] Figure 2This is a circulation system diagram of the air conditioning system 11 provided in this embodiment. The circulation system includes a compressor 101, a plate heat exchanger 102, an oil separator 103, a gas-liquid separator 104, a filter 105, a first electronic expansion valve 106, a second electronic expansion valve 107, a third electronic expansion valve 108, a capillary tube 109, a one-way valve 110, a high-pressure liquid receiver 111, a first solenoid valve 112, a second solenoid valve 113, a third solenoid valve 114, a subcooler 115, a refrigerant radiator 116, and a fourth solenoid valve 117.

[0047] In some embodiments, compressor 101 is used to compress low-temperature, low-pressure gaseous refrigerant and then output high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant. Here, refrigerant is an intermediate substance in the air conditioning system's refrigeration process. It first receives the cooling energy of the refrigerant to cool down, and then cools other substances being cooled. Refrigerant can also be called a refrigerant coolant.

[0048] In some embodiments, the oil separator 103 is used to separate the lubricating oil mixed in with the gaseous refrigerant.

[0049] In some embodiments, the fourth solenoid valve 117 may be an SVN solenoid valve. When the fourth solenoid valve 117 is open, it allows a portion of the unseparated mixture of refrigerant and lubricating oil in the compressor 101 to enter the oil separator 103 for separation, thereby achieving dynamic balance of lubricating oil in the compressors of different units.

[0050] Figure 3 This is a partial circulation system diagram of the air conditioning system 11 provided in the embodiment of this application. A connecting pipe is provided between the exhaust port of the compressor 101 and the exhaust port of the oil separator 103. The fourth solenoid valve 117 is located on the connecting pipe. The air conditioning system 11 controls the amount of refrigerant output from the compressor 101 to the oil separator 103 by controlling the opening and closing of the fourth solenoid valve 117.

[0051] like Figure 4 As shown, the air conditioning system 11 also includes: a controller 118, an oil level detection module 119, and a power supply 120. The oil level detection module 119 and the power supply 120 are both connected to the controller 118.

[0052] In some embodiments, the controller 118 is configured to generate an operation control signal based on an instruction opcode and a timing signal, instructing the air conditioning system to execute control commands. For example, the controller 118 issues control commands to obtain the current relative height difference of multiple first oil levels between any two compressors among the multiple compressors of the air conditioning system 11; the controller 118 can obtain the oil level height of compressor 101; the controller 118 can obtain the correction coefficient of compressor 101.

[0053] In some embodiments, the oil level detection module 119 is located inside the compressor 101, and the oil level detection module 119 is used to detect the oil level of the compressor 101. The oil level refers to the height of the unseparated mixture of refrigerant and lubricating oil inside the compressor.

[0054] In some embodiments, the power supply 120 is used to provide operating power support to the electrical components of the air conditioning system 11 under the control of the controller 118. The power supply 120 may include a battery and related control circuitry.

[0055] Based on the above air conditioning system, such as Figure 5 As shown in the figure, this application provides a control method for an air conditioning system, which may include the following steps:

[0056] S101, The air conditioning system obtains the current relative height difference of multiple first oil levels between any two compressors among multiple compressors, and the first target solenoid valve among multiple solenoid valves.

[0057] Among them, the first target solenoid valve is the solenoid valve corresponding to the compressor with the highest current oil level among multiple compressors, and this solenoid valve is located in the same unit as the corresponding compressor.

[0058] In some embodiments, each outdoor unit includes a compressor and a solenoid valve. The first relative oil level height difference is the height difference between the two compressors corresponding to any two outdoor units, which can also be referred to as the absolute value of the height difference. For example, the outdoor units include unit A, unit B, and unit C. Unit A includes compressor A, unit B includes compressor B, and unit C includes compressor C. Then, the current first relative oil level height difference between compressor A and compressor B is M1, the current first relative oil level height difference between compressor A and compressor C is M2, and the current first relative oil level height difference between compressor B and compressor C is M3. M1, M2, and M3 are all non-negative numbers, thus representing absolute values.

[0059] In some embodiments, such as Figure 6 As shown, when the compressors of each outdoor unit are of the same model, the air conditioning system can also perform the following steps during the process of obtaining the first oil level relative height difference and the first target solenoid valve:

[0060] S1011 The air conditioning system obtains the current oil level of each compressor, and based on the current oil level of each compressor, obtains the current relative height difference of multiple first oil levels between any two compressors, as well as the first target solenoid valve.

[0061] Among them, the first target solenoid valve is the solenoid valve corresponding to the compressor with the highest current oil level.

[0062] For example, if the air conditioning system obtains the current oil level of compressor A as h1, compressor B as h2, and compressor C as h3, then the relative height difference of the first oil level between compressor A and compressor B is M1 = |h1-h2|, the relative height difference of the first oil level between compressor A and compressor C is M2 = |h1-h3|, and the relative height difference of the first oil level between compressor B and compressor C is M3 = |h2-h3|. If h1 > h2 > h3, then the solenoid valve A corresponding to compressor A can be determined as the first target solenoid valve.

[0063] In the above embodiments, the air conditioning system obtains the oil level of each compressor, and then accurately selects the solenoid valve corresponding to the compressor with the largest relative oil level difference between any two compressors and the current oil level value as the target solenoid valve. Then, based on the size of the relative oil level difference, the target solenoid valve is opened or closed to maintain the balance of compressor oil volume between units, thereby improving the compressor oil imbalance problem of the unit.

[0064] In other embodiments, such as Figure 7 As shown, when the compressor models of the outdoor unit are different, the air conditioning system can also perform the following steps during the process of obtaining the first oil level relative height difference and the first target solenoid valve:

[0065] S1012 The air conditioning system obtains the correction coefficient for each compressor and obtains the relative oil level of each compressor based on the current oil level and the correction coefficient.

[0066] The correction factor is the compressor oil level correction factor, which the air conditioning system obtains based on the compressor model.

[0067] For example, compressors A, B, and C have different models. Therefore, the oil level correction factors for compressors A, B, and C obtained by the air conditioning system can be ε1, ε2, and ε3, respectively. Their relative oil level heights are expressed as L1 = h1 × ε1, L2 = h2 × ε2, and L3 = h3 × ε3, respectively. Here, L1 represents the relative oil level height of compressor A, L2 represents the relative oil level height of compressor B, and L3 represents the relative oil level height of compressor C.

[0068] S1013. The air conditioning system obtains multiple current relative oil level differences between any two compressors and a first target solenoid valve based on the relative oil level height of each compressor.

[0069] For example, if the air conditioning system obtains the relative oil level heights of compressors A, B, and C as L1 = h1 × ε1, L2 = h2 × ε2, and L3 = h3 × ε3, then the current relative oil level height difference between compressors A and B is M1 = |L1 - L2|, between compressors A and C is M2 = |L1 - L3|, and between compressors B and C is M3 = |L2 - L3|. If L1 > L2 > L3, then it can be determined that solenoid valve A corresponding to compressor A is the first target solenoid valve.

[0070] In the above embodiments, when the compressors of the outdoor units are of different models, the air conditioning system can obtain the relative oil level of the compressor based on the compressor oil level height and correction coefficient, and then obtain the relative oil level difference between any two different compressor models based on the relative oil level height, thereby ensuring the accuracy of the obtained relative oil level difference. Then, based on the size of the relative oil level difference, the target solenoid valve can be opened or closed to maintain the balance of compressor oil volume between units, thereby improving the compressor oil imbalance problem of the unit.

[0071] S102. When any one of the relative height differences of the first oil level is greater than or equal to the first preset height difference, the air conditioning system opens the first target solenoid valve.

[0072] In some embodiments, the first preset height difference is a preset height difference S set by the outdoor unit before it leaves the factory. For example, the outdoor units are unit A, unit B, and unit C. Unit A includes compressor A and solenoid valve A, unit B includes compressor B and solenoid valve B, and unit C includes compressor C and solenoid valve C. The air conditioning system obtains the first relative height differences of oil level M1, M2, and M3. Solenoid valve A corresponding to compressor A is used as the first target solenoid valve. When M1>S, M2>S, or M3>S, the air conditioning system opens solenoid valve A.

[0073] S103. After opening the first target solenoid valve, the air conditioning system continues to acquire the current relative height difference of multiple second oil levels between any two compressors among multiple compressors.

[0074] After the first target solenoid valve is opened, the oil level of the compressor in each unit will change. Therefore, the air conditioning system needs to continue to obtain the current relative height difference of multiple second oil levels between any two compressors. Then, based on whether the relative height difference of multiple second oil levels is less than the second preset height difference, it can be determined whether the compressor oil imbalance problem has been improved.

[0075] In some embodiments, when the compressors of each outdoor unit are of the same model, the air conditioning system can, after opening the first target solenoid valve, obtain the current oil level of each compressor and, based on the current oil level of each compressor, obtain the current relative oil level difference between any two compressors. In this embodiment, by obtaining the oil level of each compressor, the air conditioning system can accurately determine the solenoid valve corresponding to the compressor with the largest relative oil level difference and current oil level value between any two compressors as the target solenoid valve. Therefore, based on the magnitude of the relative oil level difference, the target solenoid valve can be opened or closed to ensure balanced oil levels in the compressors of each unit, thereby improving the problem of uneven oil distribution in the compressors.

[0076] In other embodiments, when the compressors of the outdoor unit units are of different models, the air conditioning system can obtain the correction coefficient for each compressor, calculate the relative oil level of each compressor based on its current oil level and the correction coefficient, and then calculate the relative oil level difference between any two compressors based on their relative oil level. In this embodiment, when the compressors of the outdoor unit units are of different models, the air conditioning system can obtain the relative oil level of the compressors based on their oil level and the correction coefficient, and then calculate the relative oil level difference between any two different compressor models based on their relative oil level. This ensures the accuracy of the obtained relative oil level difference, and the system can then open or close the target solenoid valve based on the magnitude of the relative oil level difference to ensure a balanced oil level in the compressors of each unit, thereby improving the problem of uneven oil level distribution in the compressors.

[0077] S104. When each of the multiple relative height differences of the second oil level is less than the second preset height difference, the air conditioning system closes the first target solenoid valve.

[0078] The second preset height difference is less than the first preset height difference. Each of the multiple second oil level relative height differences is less than the second preset height difference, indicating that the compressor oil volume among the units has reached equilibrium. Therefore, the opened solenoid valve can be closed to maintain the oil volume balance among the compressors.

[0079] In some embodiments, the second preset height difference is the preset height difference T set before the outdoor unit is shipped from the factory. Exemplarily, when the target solenoid valve to be opened is solenoid valve A, the air-conditioning system obtains the relative height differences M4, M5, and M6 of the second oil level. When M4 < T, M5 < T, and M6 < T, the air-conditioning system closes solenoid valve A. Here, M4 represents the current relative height difference of the second oil level between compressor A and compressor B, M5 represents the current relative height difference of the second oil level between compressor A and compressor C, and M6 represents the current relative height difference of the second oil level between compressor B and compressor C.

[0080] The above embodiments at least include the following beneficial effects: The air-conditioning system determines, according to the relative height differences of the oil levels between any two compressors, and when any one of the relative height differences of the oil levels between the compressors in the units is greater than or equal to the first preset height difference, opens the solenoid valve corresponding to the compressor with the highest oil level height value between the units, so that the oil level of this compressor decreases. And when the relative height differences of the oil levels between the compressors in the units are all less than the second preset height difference, closes the opened solenoid valve, thereby effectively reducing the oil level of the compressor with the highest oil level height value, improving the problem of uneven oil distribution of the compressor, and further enhancing the operating stability of the air-conditioning system.

[0081] In some embodiments, as Figure 8 shown, after opening the first target solenoid valve, the air-conditioning system can further perform the following steps:

[0082] S201. The air-conditioning system obtains, according to the current oil level height of each compressor, the compressor with the highest current oil level height value among the multiple compressors, and takes the solenoid valve corresponding to the compressor with the highest current oil level height value as the second target solenoid valve.

[0083] Exemplarily, the units of the outdoor unit are unit A, unit B, and unit C. Unit A includes compressor A and solenoid valve A, unit B includes compressor B and solenoid valve B, and unit C includes compressor C and solenoid valve C. The air-conditioning system obtains that the current oil level of compressor A is h4, the current oil level of compressor B is h5, and the current oil level of compressor C is h6. If h6 > h5 > h4, it is determined that solenoid valve C corresponding to compressor C is the second target solenoid valve.

[0084] S202. When any one of the multiple relative height differences of the second oil level is greater than or equal to the second preset height difference, the air-conditioning system opens the second target solenoid valve.

[0085] Exemplarily, the air-conditioning system determines that solenoid valve C is the second target solenoid valve, obtains the relative height differences M4, M5, and M6 of the second oil level among the multiple compressors. When M4 > S or M5 > S or M6 > S, the air-conditioning system opens solenoid valve C.

[0086] S203. After opening the second target solenoid valve, the air conditioning system continues to obtain the current relative height differences of the third oil levels between any two of the multiple compressors.

[0087] Among them, after opening the second target solenoid valve, the oil level height of each compressor may change. Therefore, by the controller of the air conditioning system obtaining the relative height differences of the third oil levels between any two compressors currently, the change situation of the compressor oil level height can be obtained in a timely manner.

[0088] Exemplarily, after the air conditioning system opens the target solenoid valve A and the target solenoid valve C, if the current oil level of compressor A is h7, the current oil level of compressor B is h8, and the current oil level of compressor C is h9, then the current relative height difference of the third oil level between compressor A and compressor B is M7 = │h4 - h5│, the current relative height difference of the third oil level between compressor A and compressor C is M8 = │h4 - h6│, and the current relative height difference of the third oil level between compressor B and compressor C is M9 = │h5 - h6│.

[0089] S204. When each of the relative height differences of the third oil levels is less than the second preset height difference, the air conditioning system closes the first target solenoid valve and the second target solenoid valve.

[0090] Among them, when each of the relative height differences of the third oil levels is less than the second preset height difference, it indicates that the compressor oil amounts between the units have reached equilibrium, and the opened solenoid valves can be closed.

[0091] Exemplarily, after the air conditioning system opens the target solenoid valve A and the target solenoid valve C, it obtains the relative height differences M7, M8, and M9 of the third oil levels. When M7 < T, M8 < T, and M9 < T are satisfied, the air conditioning system closes the target solenoid valve A and the target solenoid valve C to maintain the equilibrium of the compressor oil amounts between the units. The above embodiments at least include the following beneficial effects: When any one of the relative height differences of the second oil levels is greater than or equal to the second preset height difference, the air conditioning system adjusts the solenoid valve corresponding to the compressor with the maximum current oil level height value among the compressors, so that the oil level of this compressor decreases, and continues to obtain the relative height differences of the third oil levels between any two compressors currently, thereby obtaining the change situation of the oil level height between the compressors in a timely manner. And according to the change situation of the oil level height, the solenoid valves of the corresponding outdoor unit are adjusted, so as to maintain the equilibrium of the compressor oil amounts between the units, further improve the oil deviation problem of the outdoor units of the air conditioning system, and improve the reliability and stability of the operation of the air conditioning system.

[0092] In some embodiments, as Figure 9 shown, when the air conditioning system improves the oil deviation problem, the following steps can also be performed:

[0093] S301, The air conditioning system obtains the oil level of the compressor in the outdoor unit;

[0094] S302. The air conditioning system obtains the relative oil level difference between the compressors of the outdoor units;

[0095] S303. The air conditioning system determines whether any of the relative height differences in oil levels between the compressors of the units are greater than or equal to the preset height difference S.

[0096] S304. If the relative oil level difference between the compressors of any two units is greater than or equal to the preset oil level difference S, the air conditioning system opens the solenoid valve of the unit with the highest oil level and executes step S306.

[0097] S305. If the relative height difference of the oil level of the compressor between any two units is less than the preset height difference S, then execute step S301.

[0098] S306. The air conditioning system obtains the current oil level of the compressor in the outdoor unit.

[0099] S307. The air conditioning system obtains the current relative oil level difference of the compressor in the outdoor unit.

[0100] S308. The air conditioning system determines whether the relative height difference of the current oil level of the compressors in all units is less than the preset height difference T.

[0101] S309. If the relative height difference of the oil level of the compressor between any two units is greater than or equal to the preset height difference T, proceed to step S304.

[0102] S310. When the relative height difference of oil level in the compressors of all units is less than the preset height difference T, close all open solenoid valves.

[0103] The above embodiments include at least the following beneficial effects: By constantly monitoring the oil level of the compressor in each outdoor unit, the air conditioning system can obtain the relative oil level difference between any two units. Furthermore, the air conditioning system can adjust the solenoid valves of the outdoor units in a timely manner based on the magnitude of the relative oil level difference, thereby maintaining a balanced oil level in the compressors between units, improving the problem of uneven oil distribution in the outdoor units, reducing the occurrence of compressor damage due to uneven oil distribution, and ultimately improving the reliability and stability of the air conditioning system.

[0104] As can be seen, the above mainly describes the solutions provided by the embodiments of this application from a methodological perspective. To achieve the above functions, the embodiments of this application provide corresponding hardware structures and / or software modules for executing each function. Those skilled in the art should readily recognize that, in conjunction with the modules and algorithm steps of the various examples described in the embodiments disclosed herein, the embodiments of this application can be implemented in hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software. Whether a function is executed by hardware or by computer software driving hardware depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this invention.

[0105] This application embodiment can divide the controller into functional modules according to the above method example. For example, each function can be divided into a separate functional module, or two or more functions can be integrated into one processing module. The integrated module can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional module. Optionally, the module division in this application embodiment is illustrative and only represents one logical functional division; other division methods may be used in actual implementation.

[0106] This application also provides a hardware structure diagram of a controller, such as... Figure 10 As shown, the controller 118 includes a processor 121, and optionally, a memory 122 and a communication interface 123 connected to the processor 121. The processor 121, memory 122, and communication interface 123 are connected via a bus 124.

[0107] Processor 121 may be a central processing unit (CPU), a general-purpose processor, a network processor (NP), a digital signal processor (DSP), a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a programmable logic device (PLD), or any combination thereof. Processor 121 may also be any other device with processing capabilities, such as a circuit, device, or software module. Processor 121 may also include multiple CPUs, and processor 121 may be a single-core processor or a multi-core processor. Here, "processor" can refer to one or more devices, circuits, or processing cores used to process data (e.g., computer program instructions).

[0108] The memory 122 may be a read-only memory (ROM) or other type of static storage device capable of storing static information and instructions, random access memory (RAM) or other type of dynamic storage device capable of storing information and instructions, or it may be an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) or other optical disc storage, optical disc storage (including compressed optical discs, laser discs, optical discs, digital universal optical discs, Blu-ray discs, etc.), magnetic disk storage media or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium capable of carrying or storing desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and accessible by a computer. This application embodiment does not impose any limitations on this. The memory 122 may exist independently or may be integrated with the processor 121. The memory 122 may contain computer program code. The processor 121 is used to execute the computer program code stored in the memory 122, thereby implementing the control method provided in this application embodiment.

[0109] The communication interface 123 can be used to communicate with other devices or communication networks (such as Ethernet, radio access network (RAN), wireless local area network (WLAN), etc.). The communication interface 123 can be a module, circuit, transceiver, or any device capable of communication.

[0110] Bus 124 can be a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus or an Extended Industry Standard Architecture (EISA) bus, etc. Bus 124 can be divided into address bus, data bus, control bus, etc. For ease of representation, Figure 10 The bus is represented by a single thick line, but this does not mean that there is only one bus or one type of bus.

[0111] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium including computer-executable instructions that, when run on a computer, cause the computer to perform any of the control methods provided in the above embodiments.

[0112] This application also provides a computer program product containing computer execution instructions, which, when run on a computer, causes the computer to execute any of the control methods provided in the above embodiments.

[0113] In the above embodiments, implementation can be achieved, in whole or in part, through software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented using software programs, implementation can be, in whole or in part, in the form of a computer program product. This computer program product includes one or more computer-executable instructions. When these computer-executable instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, all or part of the flow or function according to the embodiments of this application is generated. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, or other programmable device. The computer-executable instructions can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another. For example, computer-executable instructions can be transmitted from one website, computer, server, or data center to another via wired (e.g., coaxial cable, fiber optic, digital subscriber line (DSL)) or wireless (e.g., infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.) means. The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium accessible to a computer or a data storage device containing one or more servers, data centers, etc., that can be integrated with the medium. The available media can be magnetic media (e.g., floppy disks, hard disks, magnetic tapes), optical media (e.g., DVDs), or semiconductor media (e.g., solid-state disks, SSDs).

[0114] Although this application has been described herein in conjunction with various embodiments, those skilled in the art, by reviewing the accompanying drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims, will understand and implement other variations of the disclosed embodiments in carrying out the claimed application. In the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other components or steps, and "a" or "an" does not exclude multiple instances. A single processor or other unit can implement several functions listed in the claims. While different dependent claims may recite certain measures, this does not mean that these measures cannot be combined to produce good results.

[0115] Although this application has been described in conjunction with specific features and embodiments, it is obvious that various modifications and combinations can be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of this application. Accordingly, this specification and drawings are merely exemplary illustrations of this application as defined by the appended claims, and are considered to cover any and all modifications, variations, combinations, or equivalents within the scope of this application. Clearly, those skilled in the art can make various alterations and modifications to this application without departing from the spirit and scope of this application. Thus, if such modifications and modifications of this application fall within the scope of the claims of this application and their equivalents, this application is also intended to include such modifications and modifications.

[0116] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An air conditioning system, characterized in that, include: Multiple outdoor unit units, each of which includes a compressor and a solenoid valve; A controller, electrically connected to each of the solenoid valves, is configured to: Obtain the current oil level of each of the multiple compressors; Based on the current oil level of each compressor, obtain the current relative height difference of multiple first oil levels between any two compressors; Based on the current oil level of each compressor, the compressor with the highest current oil level value among the plurality of compressors is selected, and the solenoid valve corresponding to the compressor with the highest current oil level value is the first target solenoid valve; the first target solenoid valve is the solenoid valve corresponding to the compressor with the highest current oil level value among the plurality of compressors. If any one of the plurality of relative height differences of the first oil level is greater than or equal to the first preset height difference, the first target solenoid valve is opened; After opening the first target solenoid valve, continue to acquire the current relative height difference of multiple second oil levels between any two compressors among the multiple compressors; If each of the plurality of relative height differences of the second oil level is less than the second preset height difference, the first target solenoid valve is closed. The second preset height difference is less than the first preset height difference.

2. The air conditioning system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The controller is further configured to obtain, based on the current oil level of each compressor, a plurality of current relative oil level differences between any two compressors, including: Obtain the correction factor for each compressor; the correction factor for each compressor corresponds to the compressor model. The relative oil level of each compressor is obtained based on the current oil level of each compressor and the correction factor; The current relative oil level difference between any two compressors is obtained based on the relative oil level height of each compressor.

3. The air conditioning system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The controller is further configured to, after opening the first target solenoid valve, continue to acquire the current relative height differences of multiple second oil levels between any two compressors among the plurality of compressors, including: After opening the first target solenoid valve, continue to obtain the current oil level of each of the plurality of compressors; Based on the current oil level of the compressor, obtain the current relative height difference of multiple second oil levels between any two compressors.

4. The air conditioning system according to claim 3, characterized in that, The controller is also configured to: Based on the current oil level of each compressor, the compressor with the largest current oil level value among the plurality of compressors is selected, and the solenoid valve corresponding to the compressor with the largest current oil level value is the second target solenoid valve. If any one of the relative height differences of the plurality of second oil levels is greater than or equal to the second preset height difference, the second target solenoid valve is opened.

5. The air conditioning system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The controller is also configured as follows: After opening the second target solenoid valve, continue to acquire the current relative height difference of multiple third oil levels between any two compressors among the plurality of compressors; If each of the plurality of relative height differences of the third oil level is less than the second preset height difference, the first target solenoid valve and the second target solenoid valve shall be closed.

6. The air conditioning system according to claim 3, characterized in that, The controller is also configured to obtain, based on the current oil level of the compressor, a plurality of current relative height differences of second oil levels between any two compressors, including: Obtain the correction factor for each compressor; the correction factor for each compressor corresponds to the compressor model. The relative oil level of each compressor is obtained based on the current oil level of each compressor and the correction factor; The relative oil level difference between any two compressors is obtained based on the relative oil level height of each compressor.

7. The air conditioning system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The controller is also configured to open the second target solenoid valve, including: When the second target solenoid valve is the first target solenoid valve, the first target solenoid valve remains open.

8. A control method for an air conditioning system, characterized in that, include: Obtain the current oil level of each of the multiple compressors; Based on the current oil level of each compressor, obtain the current relative height difference of multiple first oil levels between any two compressors; Based on the current oil level of each compressor, the compressor with the highest current oil level value among the plurality of compressors is selected, and the solenoid valve corresponding to the compressor with the highest current oil level value is the first target solenoid valve; the first target solenoid valve is the solenoid valve corresponding to the compressor with the highest current oil level value among the plurality of compressors. If any one of the plurality of relative height differences of the first oil level is greater than or equal to the first preset height difference, the first target solenoid valve is opened; After opening the first target solenoid valve, continue to acquire the current relative height difference of multiple second oil levels between any two compressors among the multiple compressors; If each of the plurality of relative height differences of the second oil level is less than the second preset height difference, the first target solenoid valve is closed. The second preset height difference is less than the first preset height difference.

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