Air conditioner and control method thereof

Abstract

The present invention discloses an air conditioner and a control method thereof. The present invention takes a compressor as a monitoring object, starts with real-time monitoring of its operating voltage, abandons the tedious monitoring or prejudgment of multiple operating parameters, and dynamically adjusts the operating parameters of an indoor fan. When the actual operating voltage is at a critical value within an allowable operating voltage range, the compressor and the fan motor are protected in advance and in time through dynamic adjustment of indoor parameters. The present invention has a strong ability to combine with the actual use scenarios of users, prolongs the service life of important electrical components, and further prolongs the service life of the entire machine, and reduces the risk of safety problems such as leakage and fire caused by aging of electrical equipment due to large-scale voltage fluctuations.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of air conditioning, and in particular to an air conditioner and a control method thereof. Background Art

[0002] In the existing air conditioning technology, in order to ensure the stable operation of the air conditioner when the user voltage fluctuates, a certain tolerance must be specified for its operating voltage during product design. For example, the rated voltage of a North American mobile air conditioner is 115V / 60Hz. Within a certain temperature range, it must be ensured that it operates stably within 103.5V / 60Hz~126.5V / 60Hz (that is, the operating voltage is allowed to fluctuate by ±10%). If it exceeds this range, it may shut down for protection. Although the stable operation of the air conditioner can be guaranteed within the above-mentioned ±10% voltage fluctuation range, if it is operated continuously or frequently in this abnormal working state for a long time, due to the high refrigerant pressure in the refrigeration system and the high coil temperature of the electrical components, the internal structure or internal circuit of the important electrical components in the air conditioner will likely be destructively impacted, reducing its service life, thereby reducing the service life of the entire air conditioner. In particular, for fixed-speed air conditioners, because the compressor cannot automatically adjust the frequency according to the operating parameters, its important electrical components are more seriously damaged.

[0003] In addition, various air-conditioning companies have also done a lot of research on how to maintain the safe and stable operation of air conditioners within the effective service life, and on air-conditioning maintenance and fault prediction. However, existing air conditioners mainly monitor relevant parameters during the actual operation of the air conditioner, such as exhaust temperature, current, pressure, evaporation temperature, condensation temperature, etc., to perform fault prediction analysis and issue early warnings to users so that the air conditioner can be maintained in a timely manner, or by setting permissions for different air conditioners, the functions and parameters that the air conditioner can operate can be reasonably planned. However, the above process of controlling the operation of the compressor according to the operating parameters involves many parameters, the monitoring logic is complicated, and the risk of failure is relatively high. Summary of the invention

[0004] The purpose of the embodiment of the present invention is to provide an air conditioner and a control method thereof, which starts with real-time monitoring of the operating voltage of the air conditioner, abandons the cumbersome monitoring or prediction of multiple operating parameters, and dynamically adjusts the operating parameters of the air conditioner fan, thereby reducing the risk of safety problems such as leakage and fire caused by aging of electrical equipment and extending the service life of the air conditioner.

[0005] To achieve the above object, an embodiment of the present invention provides an air conditioner, comprising:

[0006] A refrigerant circuit, wherein the refrigerant is circulated sequentially through a compressor, a four-way valve, a condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator; one of the condenser and the evaporator is an outdoor heat exchanger, and the other is an indoor heat exchanger;

[0007] An indoor unit, used for exchanging heat with indoor air, wherein the indoor heat exchanger is arranged in the indoor unit, and an indoor fan is arranged in the indoor unit;

[0008] An outdoor unit, used for exchanging heat with outdoor air, wherein the compressor and the outdoor heat exchanger are arranged in the outdoor unit, and an outdoor fan is arranged in the outdoor unit;

[0009] A voltage monitoring element, provided in the outdoor unit, for monitoring the actual operating voltage of the compressor;

[0010] The controller is configured as:

[0011] Acquiring the actual operating voltage of the compressor detected by the voltage monitoring element;

[0012] When the actual operating voltage is within the preset low voltage setting range or high voltage setting range for the first continuous time, if the fan is in a non-low speed operation mode, the fan is controlled to switch from the non-low speed operation mode to the low speed operation mode; wherein, when the air conditioner is in a cooling mode, the fan is an indoor fan, and when the air conditioner is in a heating mode, the fan is an outdoor fan;

[0013] After the fan switches to the low-speed operation mode, the operating time of the fan after the speed is reduced, the actual operating voltage and the preset fan control conditions are compared to control the fan to cyclically switch between the non-low-speed operation mode and the low-speed operation mode according to the comparison result.

[0014] As an improvement of the above solution, the controller is further configured as follows:

[0015] When the actual operating voltage is within the preset low voltage setting range or high voltage setting range for a first continuous period of time, if the fan is in a low speed operation mode, the fan is controlled to maintain the low speed operation mode unchanged;

[0016] Starting from the current moment, the operating time of the fan, the actual operating low pressure of the compressor and the preset fan control conditions are compared to control the fan to cyclically switch between the non-low speed operating mode and the low speed operating mode according to the comparison results.

[0017] As an improvement of the above solution, the fan control condition includes a first condition and a second condition, the first condition is: the running time of the fan after the speed is reduced reaches the fan running time threshold, and the second condition is: the actual operating voltage is within a preset medium voltage setting range within a second continuous time; then, the controller is further configured as:

[0018] When the fan meets the first condition and the actual operating voltage does not meet the second condition, the fan is controlled to switch to a non-low speed operation mode; when the operation time of the fan after the speed is increased reaches a first continuous time, the fan is controlled to switch to a low speed operation mode, thereby cyclically switching between the non-low speed operation mode and the low speed operation mode;

[0019] When the fan meets or does not meet the first condition, and the actual operating voltage meets the second condition, the fan is controlled to switch to a non-low speed operating mode. After the fan increases its speed, when the actual operating voltage is within a preset low voltage setting range or a high voltage setting range for a first continuous period of time, the fan is controlled to switch to a low speed operating mode, thereby cyclically switching between the non-low speed operating mode and the low speed operating mode.

[0020] As an improvement of the above solution, the controller is further configured as follows:

[0021] When the actual operating voltage is within the preset medium voltage setting range for a first continuous period of time, the rotation speed of the fan is controlled to remain unchanged.

[0022] As an improvement of the above solution, the controller is further configured as follows:

[0023] When the actual operating voltage is less than or equal to the low voltage threshold of the low voltage setting range within a first continuous time period, or when the actual operating voltage is greater than or equal to the high voltage threshold of the high voltage setting range within a first continuous time period, the air conditioner is controlled to enter a standby state and an early warning prompt message is issued;

[0024] After the air conditioner enters the standby state, the air conditioner is started until it is detected that the actual operating voltage is greater than the low voltage threshold of the low voltage setting range and less than the high voltage threshold of the high voltage setting range for a first continuous period of time.

[0025] As an improvement of the above solution, the low voltage setting range and the high voltage setting range are set according to the allowable operating voltage range of the air conditioner; wherein,

[0026] The low voltage setting range is composed of a low voltage threshold and a first voltage threshold, the low voltage threshold is the minimum operating voltage in the allowable operating voltage range, and the first voltage threshold is the sum of the low voltage threshold and a preset voltage margin;

[0027] The high voltage setting range is composed of a high voltage threshold and a second voltage threshold, wherein the high voltage threshold is the maximum operating voltage in the allowable operating voltage range, and the second voltage threshold is the difference between the high voltage threshold and a preset voltage margin; wherein the first voltage threshold is less than the second voltage threshold;

[0028] The medium voltage setting range consists of the first voltage threshold and the second voltage threshold.

[0029] To achieve the above object, an embodiment of the present invention further provides an air conditioner control method, comprising:

[0030] Acquire the actual operating voltage of the compressor in the air conditioner detected by the voltage monitoring element; wherein the voltage monitoring element is arranged in the outdoor unit of the air conditioner;

[0031] When the actual operating voltage is within a preset low voltage setting range or a preset high voltage setting range for a first continuous time period, the fan of the air conditioner is controlled to switch from a non-low speed operation mode to a low speed operation mode; wherein, when the air conditioner is in a cooling mode, the fan is an indoor fan, and when the air conditioner is in a heating mode, the fan is an outdoor fan;

[0032] After the fan switches to the low-speed operation mode, the operating time of the fan after the speed is reduced, the actual operating voltage and the preset fan control conditions are compared to control the fan to cyclically switch between the non-low-speed operation mode and the low-speed operation mode according to the comparison result.

[0033] As an improvement of the above solution, when the actual operating voltage is within a preset low voltage setting range or a preset high voltage setting range for a first continuous period of time, the method further includes:

[0034] If the fan is in a low speed operation mode, controlling the fan to maintain the low speed operation mode unchanged;

[0035] Starting from the current moment, the operating time of the fan, the actual operating low pressure of the compressor and the preset fan control conditions are compared to control the fan to cyclically switch between the non-low speed operating mode and the low speed operating mode according to the comparison results.

[0036] As an improvement of the above scheme, the fan control condition includes a first condition and a second condition, the first condition is: the running time of the fan after the speed is reduced reaches the fan running time threshold, and the second condition is: the actual operating voltage is within a preset medium voltage setting range within a second continuous time; then, controlling the fan to cyclically switch between the non-low speed operation mode and the low speed operation mode according to the comparison result includes:

[0037] When the fan meets the first condition and the actual operating voltage does not meet the second condition, the fan is controlled to switch to a non-low speed operation mode; when the operation time of the fan after the speed is increased reaches a first continuous time, the fan is controlled to switch to a low speed operation mode, thereby cyclically switching between the non-low speed operation mode and the low speed operation mode;

[0038] When the fan meets or does not meet the first condition, and the actual operating voltage meets the second condition, the fan is controlled to switch to a non-low speed operating mode. After the fan increases its speed, when the actual operating voltage is within a preset low voltage setting range or a high voltage setting range for a first continuous period of time, the fan is controlled to switch to a low speed operating mode, thereby cyclically switching between the non-low speed operating mode and the low speed operating mode.

[0039] As an improvement of the above solution, the method further includes:

[0040] When the actual operating voltage is within the preset medium voltage setting range for a first continuous period of time, the rotation speed of the fan is controlled to remain unchanged.

[0041] Compared with the prior art, the present invention takes the compressor as the monitoring object, starts with real-time monitoring of its operating voltage, abandons the cumbersome monitoring or prediction of multiple operating parameters, and dynamically adjusts the operating parameters of the indoor fan. When the actual operating voltage is at the critical value of the allowable operating voltage range, the compressor and fan motor are protected in advance and in time through the dynamic adjustment of indoor parameters. It has a strong ability to combine with the user's actual usage scenarios, extends the service life of important electrical components, and then extends the service life of the entire machine, reducing the risk of aging of electrical equipment due to large-scale voltage fluctuations, causing safety problems such as leakage and fire.

[0042] In addition, the traditional solution relies on the protection mechanism of the compressor itself or the protection mechanism of the motor itself. The air conditioner will not stop until the current value or voltage value triggers its protection value. Therefore, in the traditional solution, even if the operating voltage exceeds the "allowable voltage fluctuation range", as long as the protection value is not triggered, the whole machine will not shut down, and the compressor and motor will continue to run. At this time, there is a high risk of destructive impact on the internal structure. In the present application, as long as the actual operating voltage of the compressor exceeds the "allowable voltage fluctuation range", the air conditioner will be directly shut down and enter standby mode, and a warning signal will be sent to the user, which not only protects important electrical components but also ensures safety. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0043] Figure 1 is a structural schematic diagram of an air conditioner provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0044] Figure 2is a schematic diagram of the flow direction of the refrigerant when the air conditioner provided by an embodiment of the present invention operates in a cooling mode;

[0045] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the flow direction of the refrigerant when the air conditioner provided by an embodiment of the present invention operates in a heating mode;

[0046] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of an indoor unit of an air conditioner provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0047] Figure 5 is a first working flow diagram of a controller in an air conditioner provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0048] Figure 6 is a second working flow chart of the controller in the air conditioner provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0049] Figure 7 is a third working flow diagram of the controller in the air conditioner provided by the embodiment of the present invention;

[0050] Figure 8 is a fourth working flow diagram of a controller in an air conditioner provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0051] Fig. 9 is a fifth working flow chart of the controller in the air conditioner provided by the embodiment of the present invention;

[0052] Fig.10 The present invention provides a flowchart of an air conditioner control method.

[0053] Among them, 100, indoor unit; 200, outdoor unit; 11, compressor; 12, four-way valve; 13, outdoor heat exchanger; 14, expansion valve; 15, indoor heat exchanger; 16, indoor fan; 17, outdoor fan; 18, outdoor coil temperature sensor; 19, voltage monitoring element; 20, indoor coil temperature sensor; 111, horizontal air guide plate; 112, vertical air guide plate; 10A, air outlet; 10B, air intake; 101, shell; 1031, coil; 1032, heat sink. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0054] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0055] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships, are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the referred device or element must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation on the present application.

[0056] The terms "first", "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of this application, unless otherwise specified, "plurality" means two or more.

[0057] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection, or it can be an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or it can be the internal communication of two components. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0058] See also Figure 1 , Figure 1 1 is a structural schematic diagram of an air conditioner provided in an embodiment of the present invention, and the air conditioner in the embodiment of the present invention comprises an indoor unit 100 and an outdoor unit 200. The indoor unit 100 is used to adjust the temperature and humidity of indoor air, the outdoor unit 200 is connected to the indoor unit 100 through a connection pipe, the outdoor unit 200 is installed outdoors, and the indoor unit 100 is installed indoors.

[0059] See also Figure 2The air conditioner includes a compressor 11, a four-way valve 12, an outdoor heat exchanger 13, a throttling device 14, an indoor heat exchanger 15, an indoor fan 16, an outdoor fan 17, an outdoor coil temperature sensor 18, a voltage monitoring element 19, and an indoor coil temperature sensor 20. The indoor heat exchanger 15, the indoor fan 16, and the indoor coil temperature sensor 20 are arranged on the indoor unit 100, and the compressor 11, the four-way valve 12, the outdoor heat exchanger 13, the throttling device 14, the outdoor fan 17, the outdoor coil temperature sensor 18, and the voltage monitoring element 19 are arranged on the outdoor unit. The outdoor coil temperature sensor 18 is used to detect the coil temperature of the outdoor heat exchanger 13, the voltage monitoring element 19 is used to monitor the actual operating voltage of the compressor, and the indoor coil temperature sensor 20 is used to detect the coil temperature of the indoor heat exchanger 15.

[0060] The air conditioner described in the embodiment of the present invention includes cooling and heating conditions. When cooling or heating, the refrigerant flows in different directions. When cooling, it first flows through the outdoor unit heat exchanger. At this time, the outdoor unit is a condenser and the indoor unit is an evaporator. When heating, the refrigerant first flows through the indoor unit heat exchanger. At this time, the indoor unit is a condenser and the outdoor unit is an evaporator. When cooling or heating is different, the air conditioner will change the flow direction of the refrigerant through a four-way valve. If there is no four-way valve, the air conditioner can only achieve single cooling or heating, and cannot switch between cooling and heating.

[0061] See also Figure 2 When the air conditioner is cooling, the refrigerant first passes through the compressor 11 to become a high-pressure gas, and then passes through the outdoor heat exchanger 13 (condenser) to condense and release heat to become a high-pressure liquid. The high-pressure liquid passes through the throttling device 14 and becomes a low-temperature and low-pressure liquid. It evaporates and absorbs heat through the indoor heat exchanger 15 (evaporator) to become a low-temperature and low-pressure gas, and finally returns to the compressor 11.

[0062] See also Figure 3 When the air conditioner is heating, the refrigerant first passes through the compressor 11 to become a high-pressure gas, and then passes through the indoor heat exchanger 15 (condenser) to condense and release heat to become a high-pressure liquid. The high-pressure liquid passes through the expansion valve and becomes a low-temperature and low-pressure liquid. The low-temperature and low-pressure liquid passes through the outdoor heat exchanger 13 (evaporator) to evaporate and absorb heat to become a low-temperature and low-pressure gas, and finally returns to the compressor 11.

[0063] See also Figure 4 , Figure 4 1 is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of an indoor unit 100 provided in an embodiment of the present invention. The indoor unit 100 includes a housing 101 , an indoor fan 16 and an indoor heat exchanger 15 .

[0064] The housing 101 is in the shape of a box that extends slenderly in the length direction (hereinafter also referred to as the left-right direction) and has a plurality of openings. A plurality of air inlets 10B are provided on the top surface of the housing 101, and the indoor air near the air inlet 10B is sucked into the interior of the housing 101 from the air inlet 10B by the drive of the indoor fan 16. The indoor air sucked from the air inlet 10B is transported to the indoor fan 16 through the indoor heat exchanger 15. An air outlet 10A is formed on the bottom surface of the housing 101, and the air outlet 10A is connected to the interior of the housing 101 through a vortex flow path continuous from the indoor fan 16. After the indoor air sucked from the air inlet 10B undergoes heat exchange by the indoor heat exchanger 15, it is blown out from the air outlet 10A to the room through the vortex flow path.

[0065] The indoor heat exchanger 15 is composed of a plurality of heat sinks and a coil 1032 penetrating the plurality of heat sinks 1031. The indoor heat exchanger 15 functions as an evaporator or a radiator according to the operating state of the indoor unit 100, so that heat is exchanged between the refrigerant flowing in the coil and the air passing through the indoor heat exchanger 15.

[0066] The indoor fan 16 is located at a substantially central portion of the housing 101. The indoor fan 16 is a cross-flow fan that is elongated in a substantially cylindrical shape in the length direction (left-right direction) of the indoor unit 100. By rotating the indoor fan 16, indoor air is sucked in from the air inlet 10B, passes through the air filter, and then passes through the indoor heat exchanger 15 to generate conditioned air that is blown out into the room from the air outlet 10A. The greater the rotation speed of the indoor fan 16, the greater the air volume of the conditioned air blown out from the air outlet 10A.

[0067] This application takes important electrical components (compressors) as the object, starts with real-time monitoring of their operating voltage, abandons the cumbersome monitoring or prediction of multiple operating parameters, and dynamically adjusts the fan operating parameters of the air conditioner to reduce the risk of safety problems such as leakage and fire caused by aging of electrical equipment.

[0068] In an embodiment of the present invention, the controller of the air conditioner is used to: obtain the actual operating voltage of the compressor detected by the voltage monitoring element; when the actual operating voltage is within a preset low-voltage setting range or a preset high-voltage setting range within a first continuous time period, if the fan is in a non-low-speed operating mode, control the fan to switch from the non-low-speed operating mode to the low-speed operating mode; wherein, when the air conditioner is in a cooling mode, the fan is an indoor fan, and when the air conditioner is in a heating mode, the fan is an outdoor fan; after the fan switches to the low-speed operating mode, compare the operating time of the fan after the speed is reduced, the actual operating voltage and the preset fan control conditions, so as to control the fan to cyclically switch between the non-low-speed operating mode and the low-speed operating mode according to the comparison result.

[0069] For example, see Figure 5 , Figure 5 is a first working flow chart of a controller in an air conditioner provided by an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the controller is configured to execute steps S11 to S17:

[0070] S11, determine whether the compressor is in operation, if so, execute step S12, if not, continue to execute step S11.

[0071] S12. When the compressor is running, the voltage monitoring element is controlled to operate so that the voltage monitoring element monitors the actual operating voltage of the compressor in real time, and then enters step S13.

[0072] S13, determine whether the actual operating voltage value U0 satisfies Umin<U0<U1 or U2<U0<Umax within the continuous time t1, if so, proceed to step S14, if not, execute the remaining control logic, such as the following steps S21-S22 or the following steps S31-S34.

[0073] S14. When the actual operating voltage value U0 satisfies Umin<U0<U1 or U2<U0<Umax within the continuous time t1, determine whether the fan is in a non-low speed operation mode, if so, execute step S15, otherwise execute the remaining control logic.

[0074] Exemplarily, the speed of the fan can be preset to have several gears, such as high gear, medium gear, low gear, etc. The low gear corresponding to the lowest speed is the low speed operation mode, and the rest are non-low speed operation modes.

[0075] S15. When the fan is in a non-low speed operation mode, control the fan to switch from the non-low speed operation mode to the low speed operation mode, and then enter step S16.

[0076] S16. After the fan is switched to the low speed operation mode, the operation time of the fan after the speed is reduced and the actual operation voltage are compared with the preset fan control conditions, and then the process proceeds to step S17.

[0077] S17, controlling the fan to cyclically switch between the non-low-speed operation mode and the low-speed operation mode according to the comparison result.

[0078] Furthermore, the controller is also configured as follows: when the actual operating voltage is within a preset low-voltage setting range or a high-voltage setting range for a first continuous period of time, if the fan is in a low-speed operating mode, the fan is controlled to maintain the low-speed operating mode unchanged; starting from the current moment, the fan operating time, the actual operating low pressure of the compressor and the preset fan control conditions are compared to control the fan to cyclically switch between the non-low-speed operating mode and the low-speed operating mode according to the comparison result.

[0079] For example, see Figure 6 , Figure 6 is a second working flow chart of the controller in the air conditioner provided by the embodiment of the present invention. At this time, after executing step S14, it is also used to execute steps S141 to S142:

[0080] S141. If the fan is in a low speed operation mode, control the fan to maintain the low speed operation mode unchanged, and then enter step S142.

[0081] S142, starting from the current moment, compare the running time of the fan, the actual running low pressure of the compressor with the preset fan control conditions, and then enter step S17.

[0082] Exemplarily, when the compressor is running, the voltage monitoring element is activated, and the user sets the fan to run at a non-low speed. If the actual operating voltage value U0 is monitored to be Umin<U0<U1 or U2<U0<Umax within the continuous time t1, that is, the actual operating voltage value U0 is within the voltage fluctuation range allowed by the whole machine and within the voltage range with a margin proposed by the present invention, and the fan is directly switched from non-low speed operation to low speed operation to reduce the refrigerant pressure of the refrigeration system, thereby reducing the operating temperature inside the compressor and the motor, reducing the damage caused by voltage fluctuations, and playing a protective role. If the user sets the fan to run at a low speed, at this time, if the actual operating voltage value U0 is monitored to be Umin<U0<U1 or U2<U0<Umax within the continuous time t1, the fan maintains the low speed state unchanged.

[0083] Furthermore, the low voltage setting range and the high voltage setting range are set according to the allowable operating voltage range of the air conditioner; wherein,

[0084] The low voltage setting range is composed of a low voltage threshold and a first voltage threshold, the low voltage threshold is the minimum operating voltage in the allowable operating voltage range, and the first voltage threshold is the sum of the low voltage threshold and a preset voltage margin;

[0085] The high voltage setting range is composed of a high voltage threshold and a second voltage threshold, wherein the high voltage threshold is the maximum operating voltage in the allowable operating voltage range, and the second voltage threshold is the difference between the high voltage threshold and a preset voltage margin; wherein the first voltage threshold is less than the second voltage threshold;

[0086] The medium voltage setting range consists of the first voltage threshold and the second voltage threshold.

[0087] Exemplarily, the low voltage setting range is Umin<U0<U1, the high voltage setting range is U2<U0<Umax, and the medium voltage setting range is U1≤U0≤U2. Umin is the low voltage threshold, Umax is the high voltage threshold, U1 is the first voltage threshold, and U2 is the second voltage threshold.

[0088] The first voltage threshold U1 and the second voltage threshold U2 are preset and set according to the voltage specification parameters of the compressor and the fan motor (reason: the compressor and the fan motor are important electrical components of the air conditioner system. Their aging degree will directly determine the service life of the air conditioner. If one or more of them are aging or faulty, it is very likely to cause safety accidents such as leakage and fire. It is very important to ensure their safe operation). Taking North American air conditioners as an example, the rated voltage of the air conditioner is 115V / 60Hz, and the allowable operating voltage range is 103.5V / 60Hz~126.5V / 60Hz. In order to meet the operating needs of the whole machine, the operating voltage of the compressor is generally also specified as: rated voltage 115V / 60Hz, allowable operating voltage 103.5V / 60Hz~126.5V / 60Hz, the operating voltage of the fan motor is generally also specified as rated voltage 115V / 60Hz, allowable operating voltage 103.5V / 60Hz~126.5V / 60Hz. If the voltage exceeds the above range or the compressor is operated continuously or frequently under the condition of large voltage fluctuation for a long time, the internal structure or internal circuit of the compressor and motor will be likely to be subjected to destructive impact, resulting in operation failure and potential safety hazards. Therefore, U1=108.5V, U2=121.5V can be set to provide voltage margin (here the low voltage margin ΔU1=108.5-103.5=5V, the high voltage margin ΔU2=126.5-12 1.5=5V), by monitoring the actual operating voltage value U0, within the voltage range with margin, the fan operating parameters are adjusted in advance and in time to reduce the operating pressure and temperature distribution of the refrigeration system, thereby protecting the compressor and motor; therefore, U1 and U2 are determined by setting the voltage margin ΔU1 and ΔU2 based on the voltage specification parameters of the compressor and fan motor (the low voltage margin ΔU1 and the high voltage margin ΔU2 can be equal or different). If the voltage specifications of the compressor and fan motor are If the parameters are inconsistent, the more stringent of the two parameters shall prevail. For example, the allowable operating voltage of the compressor is 103.5V / 60Hz~127.5V / 60Hz, and the allowable operating voltage of the fan motor is 102.5V / 60Hz~126.5V / 60Hz, then U1-ΔU1=103.5V=Umin, U2+ΔU2=126.5V=Umax, that is, "the low voltage is not too low, and the high voltage is not too high". The closer the voltage is to the rated voltage, the more friendly the protection is to the compressor and fan motor.

[0089] Specifically, the fan control condition includes a first condition and a second condition, the first condition being that the running time of the fan after the speed is reduced reaches a fan running time threshold, and the second condition being that the actual operating voltage is within a preset medium voltage setting range within a second continuous time; then, the controller is further configured to:

[0090] When the fan meets the first condition and the actual operating voltage does not meet the second condition, the fan is controlled to switch to a non-low speed operation mode; when the operation time of the fan after the speed is increased reaches a first continuous time, the fan is controlled to switch to a low speed operation mode, thereby cyclically switching between the non-low speed operation mode and the low speed operation mode;

[0091] When the fan meets or does not meet the first condition, and the actual operating voltage meets the second condition, the fan is controlled to switch to a non-low speed operating mode. After the fan increases its speed, when the actual operating voltage is within a preset low voltage setting range or a high voltage setting range for a first continuous period of time, the fan is controlled to switch to a low speed operating mode, thereby cyclically switching between the non-low speed operating mode and the low speed operating mode.

[0092] For example, see Figure 7 , Figure 7 It is the third working flow diagram of the controller in the air conditioner provided by the embodiment of the present invention, and the step S17 specifically includes steps S170 to S180. After obtaining the running time of the fan after reducing the speed and monitoring the actual running voltage, when the fan meets the first condition and the actual running voltage does not meet the second condition, steps S171 to S175 are executed; when the fan meets or does not meet the first condition and the actual running voltage meets the second condition, steps S176 to S180 are executed.

[0093] Exemplarily, in order to take into account the user experience, if only the first condition is met, the fan switches from low-speed operation back to the original non-low-speed operation state. When it continues to run for t1 time, the fan switches from non-low-speed operation directly to low-speed operation again, and repeats this cycle to play a protective role; if only the second condition is met, the fan switches from low-speed operation back to the original non-low-speed operation state until it is monitored again that Umin<U0<U1 or U2<U0<Umax within the continuous time t1, and the fan switches from non-low-speed operation directly to low-speed operation again, and enters the corresponding logic; if the first condition and the second condition are met at the same time, the action is performed according to "only the second condition is met".

[0094] Specifically, the controller is further configured to: when the actual operating voltage is within a preset medium voltage setting range for a first continuous period of time, control the rotation speed of the fan to remain unchanged.

[0095] For example, see Figure 8 , Figure 8 4 is a fourth working flow chart of the controller in the air conditioner provided by the embodiment of the present invention. After executing step S12, the controller is further used to execute steps S21 to S22:

[0096] S21, determine whether the actual operating voltage value U0 satisfies U1≤U0≤U2 within the continuous time t1. If so, proceed to step S22. If not, execute the remaining control logic, such as the above steps S13 to S17 or the following steps S31 to S34.

[0097] S22. When the actual operating voltage value U0 satisfies U1≤U0≤U2 for a continuous period of time t1, the speed of the fan is controlled to remain unchanged.

[0098] For example, when the compressor is running, the voltage monitoring element is activated. If the actual operating voltage value U0 is monitored to be U1≤U0≤U2 within the continuous time t1, the voltage fluctuation range is reduced at this time, and the internal structure or internal circuit of the compressor or fan motor is less destructive. Considering the user's experience, the fan maintains its original operating state at this time.

[0099] Specifically, the controller is also configured to: when the actual operating voltage is less than or equal to the low voltage threshold of the low voltage setting range for a first continuous time, or when the actual operating voltage is greater than or equal to the high voltage threshold of the high voltage setting range for a first continuous time, control the air conditioner to enter the standby state and issue a warning prompt message; after the air conditioner enters the standby state, start the air conditioner until it is detected that the actual operating voltage is greater than the low voltage threshold of the low voltage setting range for a first continuous time, and less than the high voltage threshold of the high voltage setting range.

[0100] For example, see Fig. 9 , Fig. 9 is a fifth working flow chart of the controller in the air conditioner provided by an embodiment of the present invention. After executing step S12, the controller is further used to execute steps S31 to S34:

[0101] S31, determine whether the actual operating voltage value U0 satisfies U0≤Umin or Umax≤U0 within the continuous time t1, if so, proceed to step S32, if not, execute the remaining control logic, such as the above steps S13 to S17 or the above steps S21 to S22.

[0102] S32. When the actual operating voltage value U0 satisfies U0≤Umin or Umax≤U0 for a continuous period of time t1, the air conditioner is controlled to enter a standby state, and an early warning message is issued, and then the process proceeds to step S33.

[0103] S33, determine whether the actual operating voltage U0 satisfies the following conditions within t1: Umin<U0<Umax, if yes, proceed to step S34, if no, return to step S33.

[0104] S34. When the actual operating voltage U0 satisfies the following condition: Umin<U0<Umax within t1, start the air conditioner.

[0105] For example, when the compressor is running, the voltage monitoring element is activated. If the actual operating voltage value U0 is monitored to be U0≤Umin or Umax≤U0 within the continuous time t1, that is, the actual operating voltage value U0 exceeds the allowable voltage fluctuation range of the whole machine, then the internal structure or internal circuit of the compressor or motor will likely be subjected to destructive impact, reducing the service life. If this continues, there is a hidden danger of operating failure within the safe use period. Therefore, the control method sends a signal to directly shut down the air conditioner and enter the standby state (timely protect the electrical components from the voltage outside the "allowable voltage fluctuation range"); this is also different from the traditional solution. The traditional solution relies on the protection mechanism of the compressor itself or the protection mechanism of the motor itself. Only when the current value or voltage value triggers its protection value will it trip and stop. Therefore, in the traditional solution, even if the operating voltage exceeds the "allowable voltage fluctuation range", the air conditioner will not be turned off. Fluctuation range", there is "as long as the protection value is not triggered, the whole machine will not shut down, the compressor and the motor will still keep running, and the internal structure will face a high risk of destructive impact". After the air conditioner enters the standby state, a warning signal is sent to the user to remind the user to check the circuit, etc. Until the actual operating voltage value U0 is monitored to satisfy Umin<U0<Umax within the continuous time t1, the air conditioner starts, and enters the corresponding logic control according to the relationship between the U0 value and the preset operating voltage value (U1 or U2). It should be made clear that when U0≤Umin or Umax≤U0, the continuous operation time has not reached t1, and the whole machine will first stop under the control logic of the traditional solution. At this time, the protection effect has been played, and this control logic will not act. In other words, when U0≤Umin or Umax≤U0, this control logic can prevent the failure of the control logic of the traditional solution.

[0106] It is worth noting that the above method is not limited to "constant speed, indoor AC motor air conditioner", "constant speed, indoor DC motor air conditioner" is also applicable.

[0107] Compared with the prior art, the air conditioner disclosed in the present invention takes the compressor as the monitoring object, starts with real-time monitoring of its operating voltage, abandons the cumbersome monitoring or prediction of multiple operating parameters, and dynamically adjusts the operating parameters of the indoor fan. When the actual operating voltage is at the critical value of the allowable operating voltage range, the compressor and the fan motor are protected in advance and in time through the dynamic adjustment of the indoor parameters. It has a strong ability to combine with the user's actual usage scenarios, prolongs the service life of important electrical components, and then extends the service life of the entire machine, reducing the risk of aging of electrical equipment due to large-scale voltage fluctuations, causing safety problems such as leakage and fire.

[0108] Fig.101 is a flow chart of an air conditioner control method provided by an embodiment of the present invention. The air conditioner control method according to the embodiment of the present invention is implemented by a controller in the air conditioner. The air conditioner control method includes:

[0109] S1. Obtaining the actual operating voltage of the compressor in the air conditioner detected by a voltage monitoring element; wherein the voltage monitoring element is arranged in the outdoor unit of the air conditioner;

[0110] S2. When the actual operating voltage is within a preset low voltage setting range or a preset high voltage setting range for a first continuous time period, the fan of the air conditioner is controlled to switch from a non-low speed operation mode to a low speed operation mode; wherein, when the air conditioner is in a cooling mode, the fan is an indoor fan, and when the air conditioner is in a heating mode, the fan is an outdoor fan;

[0111] S3. After the fan switches to the low-speed operation mode, the operating time of the fan after the speed is reduced and the actual operating voltage are compared with the preset fan control conditions, so as to control the fan to cyclically switch between the non-low-speed operation mode and the low-speed operation mode according to the comparison result.

[0112] Specifically, when the actual operating voltage is within a preset low voltage setting range or a preset high voltage setting range within a first continuous time period, the method further includes:

[0113] If the fan is in a low speed operation mode, controlling the fan to maintain the low speed operation mode unchanged;

[0114] Starting from the current moment, the operating time of the fan, the actual operating low pressure of the compressor and the preset fan control conditions are compared to control the fan to cyclically switch between the non-low speed operating mode and the low speed operating mode according to the comparison results.

[0115] Specifically, the fan control condition includes a first condition and a second condition, the first condition being that the running time of the fan after the speed is reduced reaches a fan running time threshold, and the second condition being that the actual operating voltage is within a preset medium voltage setting range within a second continuous time; then, controlling the fan to cyclically switch between the non-low speed operation mode and the low speed operation mode according to the comparison result includes:

[0116] When the fan meets the first condition and the actual operating voltage does not meet the second condition, the fan is controlled to switch to a non-low speed operation mode; when the operation time of the fan after the speed is increased reaches a first continuous time, the fan is controlled to switch to a low speed operation mode, thereby cyclically switching between the non-low speed operation mode and the low speed operation mode;

[0117] When the fan meets or does not meet the first condition, and the actual operating voltage meets the second condition, the fan is controlled to switch to a non-low speed operating mode. After the fan increases its speed, when the actual operating voltage is within a preset low voltage setting range or a high voltage setting range for a first continuous period of time, the fan is controlled to switch to a low speed operating mode, thereby cyclically switching between the non-low speed operating mode and the low speed operating mode.

[0118] Specifically, the method further includes:

[0119] When the actual operating voltage is within the preset medium voltage setting range for a first continuous period of time, the rotation speed of the fan is controlled to remain unchanged.

[0120] Specifically, the method further includes:

[0121] When the actual operating voltage is less than or equal to the low voltage threshold of the low voltage setting range within a first continuous time period, or when the actual operating voltage is greater than or equal to the high voltage threshold of the high voltage setting range within a first continuous time period, the air conditioner is controlled to enter a standby state and an early warning prompt message is issued;

[0122] After the air conditioner enters the standby state, the air conditioner is started until it is detected that the actual operating voltage is greater than the low voltage threshold of the low voltage setting range and less than the high voltage threshold of the high voltage setting range for a first continuous period of time.

[0123] Specifically, the low voltage setting range and the high voltage setting range are set according to the allowable operating voltage range of the air conditioner; wherein,

[0124] The low voltage setting range is composed of a low voltage threshold and a first voltage threshold, the low voltage threshold is the minimum operating voltage in the allowable operating voltage range, and the first voltage threshold is the sum of the low voltage threshold and a preset voltage margin;

[0125] The high voltage setting range is composed of a high voltage threshold and a second voltage threshold, wherein the high voltage threshold is the maximum operating voltage in the allowable operating voltage range, and the second voltage threshold is the difference between the high voltage threshold and a preset voltage margin; wherein the first voltage threshold is less than the second voltage threshold;

[0126] The medium voltage setting range consists of the first voltage threshold and the second voltage threshold.

[0127] It is worth noting that the specific working process of the air conditioner control method described in the embodiment of the present invention can refer to the working process of the controller in the above-mentioned air conditioner, which will not be repeated here.

[0128] Compared with the prior art, the air conditioner control method disclosed in the present invention takes the compressor as the monitoring object, starts with real-time monitoring of its operating voltage, abandons the cumbersome monitoring or prediction of multiple operating parameters, and dynamically adjusts the operating parameters of the indoor fan. When the actual operating voltage is at the critical value of the allowable operating voltage range, the compressor and the fan motor are protected in advance and in time through the dynamic adjustment of the indoor parameters. It has a strong ability to combine with the user's actual usage scenarios, prolongs the service life of important electrical components, and then prolongs the service life of the entire machine, reducing the risk of safety problems such as leakage and fire caused by aging of electrical equipment due to large-scale voltage fluctuations.

[0129] The above is a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be pointed out that a person skilled in the art can make several improvements and modifications without departing from the principle of the present invention. These improvements and modifications are also considered to be within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. An air conditioner, characterized in that: include: A refrigerant circuit, wherein the refrigerant is circulated sequentially through a compressor, a four-way valve, a condenser, an expansion valve and an evaporator; One of the condenser and the evaporator is an outdoor heat exchanger, and the other is an indoor heat exchanger; An indoor unit, used for exchanging heat with indoor air, wherein the indoor heat exchanger is arranged in the indoor unit, and an indoor fan is arranged in the indoor unit; An outdoor unit, used for exchanging heat with outdoor air, wherein the compressor and the outdoor heat exchanger are arranged in the outdoor unit, and an outdoor fan is arranged in the outdoor unit; A voltage monitoring element, provided in the outdoor unit, for monitoring the actual operating voltage of the compressor; The controller is configured as: Acquiring the actual operating voltage of the compressor detected by the voltage monitoring element; When the actual operating voltage is within the preset low voltage setting range or high voltage setting range for the first continuous time, if the fan is in a non-low speed operation mode, the fan is controlled to switch from the non-low speed operation mode to the low speed operation mode; wherein, when the air conditioner is in a cooling mode, the fan is an indoor fan, and when the air conditioner is in a heating mode, the fan is an outdoor fan; After the fan switches to the low-speed operation mode, the operating time of the fan after the speed is reduced, the actual operating voltage and the preset fan control conditions are compared to control the fan to cyclically switch between the non-low-speed operation mode and the low-speed operation mode according to the comparison result.

2. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that: The controller is also configured to: When the actual operating voltage is within the preset low voltage setting range or high voltage setting range for a first continuous period of time, if the fan is in a low speed operation mode, the fan is controlled to maintain the low speed operation mode unchanged; Starting from the current moment, the operating time of the fan, the actual operating low pressure of the compressor and the preset fan control conditions are compared to control the fan to cyclically switch between the non-low speed operating mode and the low speed operating mode according to the comparison results.

3. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that: The fan control condition includes a first condition and a second condition, the first condition being that the running time of the fan after the speed is reduced reaches a fan running time threshold, and the second condition being that the actual operating voltage is within a preset medium voltage setting range within a second continuous time; then, the controller is further configured to: When the fan meets the first condition and the actual operating voltage does not meet the second condition, the fan is controlled to switch to a non-low speed operation mode; when the operation time of the fan after the speed is increased reaches a first continuous time, the fan is controlled to switch to a low speed operation mode, thereby cyclically switching between the non-low speed operation mode and the low speed operation mode; When the fan meets or does not meet the first condition, and the actual operating voltage meets the second condition, the fan is controlled to switch to a non-low speed operating mode. After the fan increases its speed, when the actual operating voltage is within a preset low voltage setting range or a high voltage setting range for a first continuous period of time, the fan is controlled to switch to a low speed operating mode, thereby cyclically switching between the non-low speed operating mode and the low speed operating mode.

4. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that: The controller is also configured to: When the actual operating voltage is within the preset medium voltage setting range for a first continuous period of time, the rotation speed of the fan is controlled to remain unchanged.

5. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that: The controller is also configured to: When the actual operating voltage is less than or equal to the low voltage threshold of the low voltage setting range within a first continuous time period, or when the actual operating voltage is greater than or equal to the high voltage threshold of the high voltage setting range within a first continuous time period, the air conditioner is controlled to enter a standby state and an early warning prompt message is issued; After the air conditioner enters the standby state, the air conditioner is started until it is detected that the actual operating voltage is greater than the low voltage threshold of the low voltage setting range and less than the high voltage threshold of the high voltage setting range for a first continuous period of time.

6. The air conditioner according to claim 3, characterized in that: The low voltage setting range and the high voltage setting range are set according to the allowable operating voltage range of the air conditioner; wherein, The low voltage setting range is composed of a low voltage threshold and a first voltage threshold, the low voltage threshold is the minimum operating voltage in the allowable operating voltage range, and the first voltage threshold is the sum of the low voltage threshold and a preset voltage margin; The high voltage setting range is composed of a high voltage threshold and a second voltage threshold, wherein the high voltage threshold is the maximum operating voltage in the allowable operating voltage range, and the second voltage threshold is the difference between the high voltage threshold and a preset voltage margin; wherein the first voltage threshold is less than the second voltage threshold; The medium voltage setting range consists of the first voltage threshold and the second voltage threshold.

7. An air conditioner control method, characterized in that: include: Acquiring the actual operating voltage of the compressor in the air conditioner detected by a voltage monitoring element; wherein the voltage monitoring element is arranged in the outdoor unit of the air conditioner; When the actual operating voltage is within a preset low voltage setting range or a preset high voltage setting range for a first continuous time period, the fan of the air conditioner is controlled to switch from a non-low speed operation mode to a low speed operation mode; wherein, when the air conditioner is in a cooling mode, the fan is an indoor fan, and when the air conditioner is in a heating mode, the fan is an outdoor fan; After the fan switches to the low-speed operation mode, the operating time of the fan after the speed is reduced, the actual operating voltage and the preset fan control conditions are compared to control the fan to cyclically switch between the non-low-speed operation mode and the low-speed operation mode according to the comparison result.

8. The air conditioner control method according to claim 7, characterized in that: When the actual operating voltage is within a preset low voltage setting range or a preset high voltage setting range for a first continuous time period, the method further includes: If the fan is in a low speed operation mode, controlling the fan to maintain the low speed operation mode unchanged; Starting from the current moment, the operating time of the fan, the actual operating low pressure of the compressor and the preset fan control conditions are compared to control the fan to cyclically switch between the non-low speed operating mode and the low speed operating mode according to the comparison results.

9. The air conditioner control method according to claim 7, characterized in that: The fan control condition includes a first condition and a second condition, the first condition being that the running time of the fan after the speed is reduced reaches a fan running time threshold, and the second condition being that the actual running voltage is within a preset medium voltage setting range for a second continuous time; then, controlling the fan to cyclically switch between the non-low speed running mode and the low speed running mode according to the comparison result includes: When the fan meets the first condition and the actual operating voltage does not meet the second condition, the fan is controlled to switch to a non-low speed operation mode; when the operation time of the fan after the speed is increased reaches a first continuous time, the fan is controlled to switch to a low speed operation mode, thereby cyclically switching between the non-low speed operation mode and the low speed operation mode; When the fan meets or does not meet the first condition, and the actual operating voltage meets the second condition, the fan is controlled to switch to a non-low speed operating mode. After the fan increases its speed, when the actual operating voltage is within a preset low voltage setting range or a high voltage setting range for a first continuous period of time, the fan is controlled to switch to a low speed operating mode, thereby cyclically switching between the non-low speed operating mode and the low speed operating mode.

10. The air conditioner control method according to claim 7, characterized in that: The method further comprises: When the actual operating voltage is within the preset medium voltage setting range for a first continuous period of time, the rotation speed of the fan is controlled to remain unchanged.

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