Air conditioning unit and control method thereof

Abstract

The present invention discloses an air conditioning unit and a control method thereof. The air conditioning unit comprises: a refrigerant pipe assembly (3), which serves as a second refrigerant pipe and is connected in parallel with a first refrigerant pipe and is arranged at a water receiving tray (10). The refrigerant pipe assembly (3) is used to dry the water receiving tray (10) by using the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant pipe assembly (3) when the refrigerant in the first refrigerant pipe flows through the refrigerant pipe assembly (3); and a refrigerant control assembly is arranged in the pipe where the refrigerant pipe assembly (3) is located and is used to control whether the refrigerant in the first refrigerant pipe flows through the refrigerant pipe assembly (3), and to control the flow rate of the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant pipe assembly (3) when the refrigerant in the first refrigerant pipe flows through the refrigerant pipe assembly (3). This solution uses an external refrigerant pipe to connect the water receiving tray for temperature control, thereby preventing the water receiving tray from being in a humid environment for a long time, which is conducive to improving the user experience.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of air conditioning, and specifically relates to an air conditioning unit and a control method thereof, and more particularly to an air conditioning unit and a control method thereof that uses parallel refrigerant pipes in combination with a one-way valve and an electronic expansion valve to dry a water receiving pan. Background Art

[0002] During air conditioning operation, the cold surface of the condenser in the indoor unit is prone to condensation on the fins. This condensed water flows along the fins into the drain pan below the condenser, where microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi in the air accumulate. Over time, these microorganisms can grow into flocculent matter that accumulates near the drain pipe in the drain pan, clogging it and preventing the condensate from draining. This can cause condensate to leak out of the indoor unit. This problem is common in air conditioning units and can cause significant user discomfort. Once it occurs, it can easily lead to condensate leaking out, causing losses for users.

[0003] The above content is only used to assist in understanding the technical solution of the present invention and does not constitute an admission that the above content is prior art. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to provide an air-conditioning unit and a control method thereof, so as to solve the problem that the water receiving pan below the condenser of the indoor unit of the air conditioner is easily accumulated with microorganisms in a humid environment for a long time, causing the drain pipe of the water receiving pan to be blocked, thus affecting the user experience. By connecting an external refrigerant pipe in parallel to the water receiving pan, the temperature of the water pan is controlled by the external refrigerant pipe, so as to avoid the water receiving pan being in a humid environment for a long time, thereby avoiding the accumulation of microorganisms in the water receiving pan and causing the drain pipe of the water receiving pan to be blocked, which is beneficial to improving the user experience.

[0005] The present invention provides an air-conditioning unit, comprising: an air-conditioning unit body and a water-collecting pan drying assembly; the air-conditioning unit body has a first refrigerant pipeline and a water-collecting pan; the water-collecting pan drying assembly comprises: a refrigerant pipeline assembly and a refrigerant control assembly; wherein, the refrigerant pipeline assembly, as a second refrigerant pipeline, is connected in parallel with part of the refrigerant pipelines in the first refrigerant pipeline, and is arranged at the water-collecting pan, and is used to dry the water-collecting pan using the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant pipeline assembly when the refrigerant in the first refrigerant pipeline flows through the refrigerant pipeline assembly; the refrigerant control assembly is arranged in the pipeline where the refrigerant pipeline assembly is located, and is used to control whether the refrigerant in the first refrigerant pipeline flows through the refrigerant pipeline assembly.

[0006] In some embodiments, the refrigerant control assembly is further configured to control the flow rate of the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant pipeline assembly when the refrigerant in the first refrigerant pipeline flows through the refrigerant pipeline assembly.

[0007] In some embodiments, the air-conditioning unit body includes: a compressor, a four-way valve, an outdoor heat exchanger, an indoor heat exchanger and a first throttling device; the valve ports of the four-way valve are D port, E port, S port and C port; wherein, the exhaust port of the compressor is connected to the D port of the four-way valve; the E port of the four-way valve is connected to the first port of the indoor heat exchanger; the second port of the indoor heat exchanger is connected to the C port of the four-way valve after passing through the first throttling device and the outdoor heat exchanger; the S port of the four-way valve returns to the suction port of the compressor; the refrigerant pipeline assembly has a refrigerant pipe body, a first refrigerant inlet and outlet and a second refrigerant inlet and outlet; the refrigerant pipe body is used to set the distribution The first refrigerant inlet and outlet are arranged at the first port of the refrigerant pipe body, and are connected to the pipeline between the E port of the four-way valve and the first port of the indoor heat exchanger, and the connection point is recorded as the first connection point; the second refrigerant inlet and outlet are arranged at the second port of the refrigerant pipe body, and are connected to the pipeline where the second port of the indoor heat exchanger is located after passing through the first throttling device, and the connection point between the second refrigerant inlet and outlet and the first throttling device is recorded as the second connection point; so far, the refrigerant pipeline assembly is connected in parallel with the part of the refrigerant pipeline in the first refrigerant pipeline between the first connection point and the second connection point.

[0008] In some embodiments, the refrigerant control component includes: a one-way valve device; the one-way valve device is arranged on the pipeline between the first refrigerant inlet and outlet and the first connecting point; wherein the one-way valve device has an inlet and an outlet; the first refrigerant inlet and outlet is connected to the inlet of the one-way valve device; the outlet of the one-way valve device is connected to the pipeline between the E port of the four-way valve and the first port of the indoor heat exchanger.

[0009] In some embodiments, the refrigerant control component further includes: a second throttling device; the second throttling device is arranged on the pipeline between the second refrigerant inlet and outlet and the second connecting point.

[0010] In some embodiments, the air-conditioning unit body further includes at least one of the following: the air-conditioning unit body further includes a liquid storage tank; the S port of the four-way valve returns to the suction port of the compressor after passing through the liquid storage tank; the air-conditioning unit body further includes a fresh air motor and an air filter; the fresh air motor is arranged on the air inlet side of the indoor heat exchanger; the air filter is arranged between the fresh air motor and the indoor heat exchanger; the air-conditioning unit body further includes an outdoor fan; the outdoor fan is arranged on the air inlet side of the outdoor heat exchanger.

[0011] Matching the above-mentioned air-conditioning unit, the present invention provides a control method for an air-conditioning unit on another aspect, comprising: determining a current operating mode of the air-conditioning unit; the current operating mode is any one of a cooling mode, a heating mode and a drying mode; in the current operating mode, controlling the air-conditioning unit body and the refrigerant control component so that the air-conditioning unit operates in the current operating mode; wherein, when the current operating mode is the cooling mode or the drying mode, controlling the air-conditioning unit body and the refrigerant control component so that the refrigerant of the first refrigerant pipeline flows through the refrigerant pipeline component, so that when the refrigerant of the first refrigerant pipeline flows through the refrigerant pipeline component, the water receiving pan is dried by using the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant pipeline component.

[0012] In some embodiments, when the current operating mode is the cooling mode, the air-conditioning unit body and the refrigerant control component are controlled to make the air-conditioning unit operate in the current operating mode, including: after controlling the air-conditioning unit body to operate in the cooling mode, determining whether the air outlet temperature of the air-conditioning unit is lower than the set temperature; if the air outlet temperature of the air-conditioning unit is lower than the set temperature, controlling the refrigerant control component to make the refrigerant of the first refrigerant pipeline flow through the refrigerant pipeline component, and controlling the second throttling device to start and run for a preset time when the refrigerant control component includes a second throttling device; if the air outlet temperature of the air-conditioning unit is greater than or equal to the set temperature, controlling the refrigerant control component to make the refrigerant of the first refrigerant pipeline flow through the refrigerant pipeline component, and controlling the second throttling device to close when the refrigerant control component includes a second throttling device.

[0013] In some embodiments, when the current operating mode is the heating mode, controlling the air-conditioning unit body and the refrigerant control component so that the air-conditioning unit operates in the current operating mode also includes: controlling the air-conditioning unit body to operate in the heating mode, controlling the refrigerant control component so that the refrigerant in the first refrigerant pipeline cannot flow through the refrigerant pipeline component, and controlling the second throttling device to close when the refrigerant control component includes a second throttling device.

[0014] In some embodiments, when the current operating mode is the drying mode, the air-conditioning unit body and the refrigerant control component are controlled to make the air-conditioning unit operate in the current operating mode, including: after controlling the air-conditioning unit body to operate in the drying mode, determining whether the internal humidity of the water receiving pan is greater than or equal to the set humidity; if the internal humidity of the water receiving pan is greater than or equal to the set humidity, controlling the refrigerant control component to make the refrigerant of the first refrigerant pipeline flow through the refrigerant pipeline component, and controlling the second throttling device to start when the refrigerant control component includes a second throttling device, and increasing the opening of the second throttling device for a preset operation time; if the internal humidity of the water receiving pan is less than the set humidity, controlling the refrigerant control component to make the refrigerant of the first refrigerant pipeline flow through the refrigerant pipeline component, and controlling the second throttling device to start when the refrigerant control component includes a second throttling device, and reducing the opening of the second throttling device for a preset operation time.

[0015] Therefore, the solution of the present invention is to set up an external refrigerant pipe, which is connected in parallel with the refrigerant pipe between the indoor and outdoor units of the air conditioner, and set the external refrigerant pipe at the water receiving tray, so as to utilize the heat exchange energy of the external refrigerant pipe to control the temperature of the water receiving tray, so that the water in the water receiving tray can be evaporated to avoid the water receiving tray being in a humid environment for a long time. Therefore, by connecting the external refrigerant pipe in parallel at the water receiving tray, the temperature of the water receiving tray can be controlled by utilizing the external refrigerant pipe, so as to avoid the water receiving tray being in a humid environment for a long time, thereby avoiding the accumulation of microorganisms in the water receiving tray and causing the drain pipe of the water receiving tray to be blocked, which is beneficial to improving the user experience.

[0016] Other features and advantages of the present invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the present invention.

[0017] The technical solution of the present invention is further described in detail below through the accompanying drawings and embodiments. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of an embodiment of an air-conditioning unit of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of an embodiment of an air-conditioning unit of the present invention that uses parallel refrigerant pipes combined with a one-way valve and an electronic expansion valve to dry a water receiving tray;

[0020] Figure 3 This is a structural schematic diagram of an embodiment of a water tray drying assembly in an air-conditioning unit of the present invention, which uses parallel refrigerant pipes combined with a one-way valve and an electronic expansion valve to dry the water tray;

[0021] Figure 4 A control flow diagram of an embodiment of a control method for an air-conditioning unit using parallel refrigerant pipes combined with a one-way valve and an electronic expansion valve for drying a water receiving tray according to the present invention;

[0022] Figure 5 A flow chart of an embodiment of a control method of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 6 1. It is a flow chart of an embodiment of the method of the present invention for controlling the refrigerant control component in the cooling mode;

[0024] Figure 7 1 is a flow chart of an embodiment of the method of the present invention for controlling the refrigerant control component in the drying mode.

[0025] In conjunction with the accompanying drawings, the reference numerals in the embodiments of the present invention are as follows:

[0026] 1- Compressor; 2- Liquid storage tank; 3- Refrigerant pipeline assembly; 4- One-way valve; 5- Four-way valve; 6- Outdoor fan; 7- Outdoor heat exchanger; 8, 9- Electronic expansion valves; 10- Water collection tray; 11- Indoor heat exchanger; 12- Fresh air motor; 13- Temperature and humidity sensor; 14- Air filter. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the present invention more clear, the technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with specific embodiments of the present invention and corresponding drawings. Obviously, the embodiments described are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0028] According to an embodiment of the present invention, an air conditioning unit is provided. Figure 1 The following is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of the device of the present invention. The air conditioning unit may include: an air conditioning unit body and a water tray drying assembly; the air conditioning unit body has a first refrigerant pipeline and a water tray 10. The water tray drying assembly includes: a refrigerant pipeline assembly 3 and a refrigerant control assembly.

[0029] Among them, the refrigerant pipeline assembly 3, as the second refrigerant pipeline, is connected in parallel with part of the refrigerant pipeline in the first refrigerant pipeline, and is arranged at the water receiving pan 10, and is used to dry the water receiving pan 10 using the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant pipeline assembly 3 when the refrigerant of the first refrigerant pipeline flows through the refrigerant pipeline assembly 3.

[0030] The refrigerant control component is disposed in the pipeline where the refrigerant pipeline assembly 3 is located, and is used to control whether the refrigerant in the first refrigerant pipeline flows through the refrigerant pipeline assembly 3. Preferably, the refrigerant control component is further used to control the flow rate of the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant pipeline assembly 3 when the refrigerant in the first refrigerant pipeline flows through the refrigerant pipeline assembly 3.

[0031] The present invention proposes an air conditioning unit that uses parallel refrigerant pipes in conjunction with a one-way valve and an electronic expansion valve to dry the water pan. The unit connects the water pan 10 to the parallel external refrigerant pipe for temperature control, achieving optimal control of the temperature of the water pan 10. In this way, the bottom of the water pan 10 is heated and dried through the parallel pipes (i.e., the refrigerant pipes where the parallel external refrigerant pipes are located). After the air conditioning unit turns off the cooling mode, it automatically enters the drying mode, heating the humid environment inside the water pan 10. This reduces the environment that breeds bacteria, mold, and other fungi, thereby reducing the risk of microbial growth leading to water pan clogging. This solves the problem of the water pan accumulating bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms during long-term operation, which can lead to microbial growth and subsequent clogging of the water pan 10's drain pipe.

[0032] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of an embodiment of an air conditioning unit that uses parallel refrigerant pipes combined with a one-way valve and an electronic expansion valve to dry the water tray. Figure 2 As shown, in the solution of the present invention, an air conditioning unit that uses parallel refrigerant pipes combined with a check valve and an electronic expansion valve to dry the water tray primarily consists of an air conditioning system, a control system, a water tray temperature control system, and a water tray drying assembly. The air conditioning system comprises a compressor, a condenser, a throttling device, and an evaporator. The water tray temperature control system comprises a temperature control system and a control strategy. The water tray drying assembly comprises the water tray and refrigerant piping assembly. The control system comprises a controller, a control program, and a linkage control strategy.

[0033] Some solutions rely on electromagnetic three-way valves to switch the connecting pipelines, which will cause the refrigerant to accumulate in the idle pipe section after switching, resulting in a reduction in the unit's capacity. Some other solutions use parallel pipelines (i.e., the refrigerant pipelines where the parallel external refrigerant pipes are located) to connect to the water tray for temperature treatment, but there are also mode switching that will cause the refrigerant to accumulate in the idle pipelines, resulting in a reduction in the unit's capacity. The solution of the present invention can effectively switch the working mode of the parallel pipelines at the bottom of the water tray (i.e., the refrigerant pipelines where the parallel external refrigerant pipes are located) through a reversing valve (such as a four-way valve), and uniformly dispatch the unit's energy through a unified integrated control system to achieve efficient and stable operation of the unit under multiple working conditions, and also enable the refrigerant cooling system set at the water tray to avoid the situation where the refrigerant is enriched in the pipeline and causes a reduction in system energy efficiency.

[0034] In some embodiments, the air conditioning unit includes a compressor 1, a four-way valve 5, an outdoor heat exchanger 7, an indoor heat exchanger 11, and a first throttling device. The first throttling device may be an electronic expansion valve 8. The valve ports of the four-way valve 5 are port D, port E, port S, and port C.

[0035] The exhaust port of the compressor 1 is connected to port D of the four-way valve 5. Port E of the four-way valve 5 is connected to the first port of the indoor heat exchanger 11. The second port of the indoor heat exchanger 11 is connected to port C of the four-way valve 5 after passing through the first throttling device and the outdoor heat exchanger 7. Port S of the four-way valve 5 returns to the intake port of the compressor 1.

[0036] The refrigerant pipe assembly 3 includes a refrigerant pipe body, a first refrigerant inlet and outlet, and a second refrigerant inlet and outlet. The refrigerant pipe body is distributed on the drying surface of the water receiving tray 10 in a predetermined distribution pattern. The drying surface of the water receiving tray 10 is preferably the bottom surface of the water receiving tray 10, that is, the bottom of the water receiving tray 10 or the back of the water receiving tray 10. The back of the water receiving tray 10 mentioned here is relative to the front of the water receiving tray 10. The front of the water receiving tray 10 is the side of the water receiving tray 10 used to receive condensed water.

[0037] The first refrigerant inlet and outlet is set at the first port of the refrigerant pipe body and is connected to the pipeline between the E port of the four-way valve 5 and the first port of the indoor heat exchanger 11. This connection point is recorded as the first connection point. The second refrigerant inlet and outlet is set at the second port of the refrigerant pipe body and is connected to the pipeline where the second port of the indoor heat exchanger 11 is located after passing through the first throttling device. The connection point between the second refrigerant inlet and outlet and the first throttling device is recorded as the second connection point. At this point, the refrigerant pipeline assembly 3 is connected in parallel with the portion of the refrigerant pipeline between the first connection point and the second connection point in the first refrigerant pipeline.

[0038] Figure 3 This is a structural diagram of an embodiment of a water tray drying assembly in an air conditioning unit that uses a parallel refrigerant pipe combined with a one-way valve and an electronic expansion valve to dry the water tray. Figure 3 In the example shown, a water tray drying assembly for an air conditioning unit using parallel refrigerant pipes combined with a one-way valve and an electronic expansion valve for drying a water tray, as described in the present invention, includes indoor and outdoor units. The outdoor unit comprises a compressor 1, a liquid storage tank 2, a four-way valve 5, an outdoor fan 6, an outdoor heat exchanger 7, an electronic expansion valve 8, and electronic control components. The indoor unit comprises an indoor heat exchanger 11, a fresh air motor 12, a temperature and humidity sensor 13, an air filter 14, and electronic control components. The water tray drying assembly includes a refrigerant piping assembly 3.

[0039] The solution of the present invention can manually open or close the water receiving tray drying assembly. The water receiving tray 10 is dried through the refrigerant pipeline (such as the refrigerant pipeline assembly 3), so that the moisture inside the water receiving tray 10 is effectively volatilized and consumed, thereby reducing the problem of rapid growth of microorganisms in the humid environment of the water receiving tray 10, which easily causes the drainage pipe of the water receiving tray 10 to be blocked.

[0040] In some embodiments, the refrigerant control assembly includes a one-way valve device, such as the one-way valve 4. The one-way valve device is provided on the pipeline between the first refrigerant inlet and outlet and the first connection point.

[0041] The one-way valve device has an inlet and an outlet. The first refrigerant inlet and outlet are connected to the inlet of the one-way valve device. The outlet of the one-way valve device is connected to the pipeline between port E of the four-way valve 5 and the first port of the indoor heat exchanger 11.

[0042] See also Figure 3 In the example shown, the water tray drying assembly consists of a refrigerant pipeline assembly 3, a one-way valve 4, an electronic expansion valve 9, a water tray 10, and an electronic control component. In the solution of the present invention, a one-way valve 4 is installed at the end of the water tray drying assembly. Under cooling conditions, the DC of the four-way valve 5 is connected, and the refrigerant can flow back to the compressor 1 through the one-way valve 4. Under heating conditions, the DE of the four-way valve 5 is connected, and the refrigerant cannot flow back to the compressor 1 through the one-way valve 4. This mechanism effectively realizes that under cooling conditions, the refrigerant flowing through the water tray drying assembly plays the role of preheating the outlet air, drying the water tray, and increasing the heat exchange efficiency of the refrigerant. Under heating conditions, it effectively avoids the ineffective cooling of the refrigerant flowing through the water tray drying assembly, and improves the overall energy efficiency of the air-conditioning unit to a certain extent.

[0043] Thus, by installing a one-way valve on the external refrigerant pipe, during heating operation, the one-way valve effectively prevents ineffective cooling of the parallel pipe (i.e., the refrigerant pipe containing the parallel external refrigerant pipe) from the water pan. During cooling operation, the one-way valve ensures sufficient heat exchange between the refrigerant pipe and the condensed water, thus avoiding the problem of insufficient refrigerant heat exchange that would reduce the energy efficiency of the air conditioning system, avoiding energy waste in the air conditioning system, and improving the energy efficiency of the air conditioning system.

[0044] In some embodiments, the refrigerant control assembly further includes: a second throttling device, such as an electronic expansion valve 9. The second throttling device is provided on the pipeline between the second refrigerant inlet and outlet and the second connecting point.

[0045] See also Figure 3 In the example shown, the water tray drying assembly consists of a refrigerant pipeline assembly 3, a one-way valve 4, an electronic expansion valve 9, a water tray 10, and an electronic control component. Among them, the electronic expansion valve 9 is used to control the refrigerant flow entering the water tray drying assembly, thereby adjusting the temperature of the water tray. The electronic expansion valve 8 and the electronic expansion valve 9 are controlled in coordination to adjust the refrigerant flow entering the indoor heat exchanger 11, thereby adjusting the supply air temperature of the indoor fresh air. In addition, by heating the water tray 10, the humidity of the indoor dry air is increased after the air-conditioning unit is turned on, and the air outlet is supplemented with heating, thereby improving the comfort of the air outlet. By combining the two, through a linkage control strategy, the air-conditioning unit adjusts the indoor temperature while the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant pipeline in the water tray drying assembly is heat-exchanged by condensed water, thereby improving the overall energy efficiency of the air-conditioning system in which the air-conditioning unit is located.

[0046] See also Figure 3 In the example shown, the water tray drying assembly in the solution of the present invention has a refrigerant pipeline assembly 3, a one-way valve 4 provided at one inlet and outlet of the refrigerant pipeline assembly 3, and an electronic expansion valve 9 provided at another inlet and outlet of the refrigerant pipeline assembly 3. Since the parallel pipelines (i.e., the refrigerant pipelines where the parallel external refrigerant pipes are located) will heat the solar panels unnecessarily under heating conditions, the provision of a one-way valve 4 at one inlet and outlet of the refrigerant pipeline assembly 3 can effectively avoid unnecessarily heating the solar panels under winter heating conditions, and the energy of the air-conditioning unit can be uniformly dispatched through a unified integrated control system, thereby achieving efficient and stable operation of the air-conditioning unit under various weather conditions.

[0047] Considering the spatial proximity of the air conditioner outlet and the water tray 10, which can result in low air temperature and humidity in the summer, leading to poor comfort, the present invention incorporates an electronic expansion valve on the external refrigerant pipe. This valve regulates the temperature of the water tray 10, thereby achieving a softer and more comfortable air temperature through thermal radiation from the tray 10. It also effectively utilizes condensed water for humidification, comprehensively improving air comfort.

[0048] In some embodiments, the air conditioning unit body further includes at least one of the following: a liquid storage tank 2 , a fresh air motor 12 and an air filter 14 , and an outdoor fan 6 .

[0049] The air conditioning unit body further includes a liquid storage tank 2. The S port of the four-way valve 5 passes through the liquid storage tank 2 and then returns to the suction port of the compressor 1.

[0050] The air conditioning unit body further includes a fresh air motor 12 and an air filter 14. The fresh air motor 12 is arranged on the air inlet side of the indoor heat exchanger 11. The air filter 14 is arranged between the fresh air motor 12 and the indoor heat exchanger 11.

[0051] The air conditioning unit body further includes an outdoor fan 6. The outdoor fan 6 is arranged on the air inlet side of the outdoor heat exchanger 7.

[0052] See also Figure 3 In the example shown, the valve ports of the four-way valve 5 are D, E, S, and C. The exhaust port of the compressor 1 is connected to the D port of the four-way valve 5. The E port of the four-way valve 5 is connected to the pipeline containing the outlet of the one-way valve 4 and the pipeline containing the first port of the indoor heat exchanger 11. The S port of the four-way valve 5 is connected to the intake port of the compressor 1 through the liquid storage tank 2. The C port of the four-way valve 5 is connected to the first refrigerant inlet and outlet of the refrigerant pipeline assembly 3 through the outdoor heat exchanger 7 and the electronic expansion valve 8, and is connected to the pipeline containing the second port of the indoor heat exchanger 11 through the electronic expansion valve 9. The fresh air motor 12 is located near the indoor heat exchanger 11, and the air filter 14 is located between the indoor heat exchanger 11 and the fresh air motor 12. The temperature and humidity sensor 13 is located near the air outlet of the indoor unit.

[0053] The technical solution of the present invention is adopted, by setting an external refrigerant pipe, which is connected in parallel with the refrigerant pipe between the indoor and outdoor units of the air conditioner, and setting the external refrigerant pipe at the water receiving tray, so as to utilize the heat exchange energy of the external refrigerant pipe to control the temperature of the water receiving tray, so that the water in the water receiving tray can be evaporated and the water receiving tray can be prevented from being in a humid environment for a long time. Therefore, by connecting the external refrigerant pipe in parallel at the water receiving tray, the temperature of the water receiving tray can be controlled by utilizing the external refrigerant pipe, so as to avoid the water receiving tray being in a humid environment for a long time, thereby avoiding the accumulation of microorganisms in the water receiving tray and causing the drain pipe of the water receiving tray to be blocked, which is beneficial to improving the user experience.

[0054] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a control method for an air conditioning unit corresponding to the air conditioning unit is also provided. Figure 5 FIG2 is a flow chart of an embodiment of the method of the present invention. The control method of the air-conditioning unit may include: steps S110 to S120.

[0055] In step S110, the current operating mode of the air conditioning unit is determined, wherein the current operating mode is any one of a cooling mode, a heating mode, and a drying mode.

[0056] In step S120, in the current operation mode, the air conditioning unit body and the refrigerant control component are controlled to enable the air conditioning unit to operate in the current operation mode.

[0057] Among them, when the current operating mode is the cooling mode or the drying mode, the air-conditioning unit body and the refrigerant control component are controlled so that the refrigerant of the first refrigerant pipeline flows through the refrigerant pipeline component 3, so that when the refrigerant of the first refrigerant pipeline flows through the refrigerant pipeline component 3, the water receiving pan 10 is dried by using the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant pipeline component 3.

[0058] The present invention proposes a control method for an air conditioning unit that uses parallel refrigerant pipes in conjunction with a one-way valve and an electronic expansion valve to dry the water pan. The method uses a parallel external refrigerant pipe to connect the water pan 10 for temperature control, achieving optimal control of the temperature of the water pan 10. In this way, the bottom of the water pan 10 is heated and dried through the parallel pipes (i.e., the refrigerant pipes where the parallel external refrigerant pipes are located). After the air conditioning unit turns off the cooling mode, it automatically enters the drying mode, heating the humid environment inside the water pan 10. This reduces the environment that breeds bacteria, mold, and other fungi, thereby reducing the risk of microbial growth leading to water pan clogging. This solves the problem of the water pan accumulating bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms during long-term operation, which can cause microbial growth and subsequently clog the drain pipe of the water pan 10.

[0059] In some embodiments, in step S120, when the current operating mode is the cooling mode, the air-conditioning unit body and the refrigerant control component are controlled to enable the air-conditioning unit to operate in the current operating mode. For a specific process, see the following exemplary description.

[0060] The following combination Figure 6 The flowchart of an embodiment of the method of the present invention for controlling the refrigerant control component in the cooling mode further illustrates the specific process of controlling the refrigerant control component in the cooling mode in step S120, including steps S210 to S230.

[0061] Step S210 , after controlling the air conditioning unit body to operate in the cooling mode, determining whether the air outlet temperature of the air conditioning unit is lower than a set temperature.

[0062] Step S220: If the air outlet temperature of the air-conditioning unit is lower than the set temperature, the refrigerant control component is controlled to make the refrigerant of the first refrigerant pipeline flow through the refrigerant pipeline component 3, and when the refrigerant control component includes a second throttling device, the second throttling device is controlled to start and run for a preset time.

[0063] Step S230: If the air outlet temperature of the air-conditioning unit is greater than or equal to the set temperature, the refrigerant control component is controlled to make the refrigerant in the first refrigerant pipeline flow through the refrigerant pipeline component 3, and if the refrigerant control component includes a second throttling device, the second throttling device is controlled to be closed.

[0064] Figure 4 This is a control flow diagram of an embodiment of a control method for an air conditioning unit that uses parallel refrigerant pipes combined with a one-way valve and an electronic expansion valve to dry a water tray. Figure 4 As shown, the present invention provides a control method for an air conditioning unit that uses parallel refrigerant pipes combined with a one-way valve and an electronic expansion valve to dry a water receiving pan, comprising:

[0065] Step 1: After the user turns on the air conditioner, the controller in the air conditioner's electronic control unit reads the user-set mode and then executes step 2, step 3, or step 4. The user-set mode can be cooling mode, heating mode, or drying mode. In other words, the air conditioner can operate in cooling mode, heating mode, or drying mode.

[0066] Step 2: If the mode set by the user is cooling mode, then in cooling mode, the DC of the four-way valve 5 is connected, the opening of the electronic expansion valve 8 is opened and adjusted, the outlet air temperature of the air conditioning unit is adjusted and the outlet air temperature T is detected.

[0067] If the air outlet temperature T of the air conditioner is less than the set temperature T0, the auxiliary heating function of the water receiving tray is started, that is, the water receiving tray drying component is controlled to be turned on. Specifically, the electronic expansion valve 9 is controlled to be turned on and run for the preset time t 预设 Then enter the cooling mode closing confirmation process.

[0068] If the air outlet temperature T of the air conditioner unit is greater than or equal to the set temperature T0, the auxiliary heating function of the water receiving tray is turned off, that is, the water receiving tray drying component is controlled to be turned off. Specifically, the electronic expansion valve 9 is controlled to be closed and the operation time is set to t 预设 Then enter the cooling mode closing confirmation process.

[0069] Among them, in the cooling mode closing confirmation process, if it is determined to close the cooling mode, the drying mode can be entered after closing the cooling mode. If it is determined not to close the cooling mode, return to step 2 and continue to operate in the cooling mode.

[0070] In some embodiments, in step S120, when the current operating mode is the heating mode, the air-conditioning unit body and the refrigerant control component are controlled to make the air-conditioning unit operate in the current operating mode, and further includes: controlling the air-conditioning unit body to operate in the heating mode, controlling the refrigerant control component so that the refrigerant in the first refrigerant pipeline cannot flow through the refrigerant pipeline component 3, and controlling the second throttling device to close when the refrigerant control component includes a second throttling device.

[0071] like Figure 4 As shown, the control method of the air-conditioning unit of the present invention for drying the water receiving pan by combining parallel refrigerant pipes with a one-way valve and an electronic expansion valve also includes:

[0072] Step 3: If the mode set by the user is heating mode, then in heating mode, control the DE of the four-way valve 5 to be connected, control the electronic expansion valve 8 to be opened, and control the electronic expansion valve 9 to be closed, and run for the preset time t 预设 Then enter the shutdown confirmation process.

[0073] Among them, in the shutdown confirmation process, if it is determined to shut down, it will be shut down directly. If it is determined not to shut down, it will return to step 3 and continue to operate in heating mode.

[0074] In some embodiments, in step S120, when the current operating mode is the drying mode, the air-conditioning unit body and the refrigerant control component are controlled to enable the air-conditioning unit to operate in the current operating mode. For the specific process, see the following exemplary description.

[0075] The following combination Figure 7The flowchart of an embodiment of the method of the present invention for controlling the refrigerant control component in the drying mode further illustrates the specific process of controlling the refrigerant control component in the drying mode in step S120, including steps S310 to S330.

[0076] Step S310: After the air conditioner is controlled to operate in the drying mode, it is determined whether the humidity inside the water receiving tray 10 is greater than or equal to the set humidity. The control method for controlling the air conditioner to operate in the drying mode is the same as the control method for controlling the air conditioner to operate in the cooling mode.

[0077] Step S320: If the internal humidity of the water receiving tray 10 is greater than or equal to the set humidity, the refrigerant control component is controlled to make the refrigerant of the first refrigerant pipeline flow through the refrigerant pipeline component 3. When the refrigerant control component includes a second throttling device, the second throttling device is controlled to start, and the opening of the second throttling device is increased for a preset operation time.

[0078] Step S330: If the internal humidity of the water receiving tray 10 is lower than the set humidity, the refrigerant control component is controlled to make the refrigerant of the first refrigerant pipeline flow through the refrigerant pipeline component 3. When the refrigerant control component includes a second throttling device, the second throttling device is controlled to start, and the opening of the second throttling device is reduced for a preset operation time.

[0079] like Figure 4 As shown, the control method of the air-conditioning unit of the present invention for drying the water receiving pan by combining parallel refrigerant pipes with a one-way valve and an electronic expansion valve also includes:

[0080] Step 4: If the user-set mode is drying mode, then in drying mode, the DC of four-way valve 5 is connected, electronic expansion valve 8 is closed, and electronic expansion valve 9 is opened to detect the humidity D inside the water receiving pan 10. After turning off the cooling mode, the drying mode is run once. The drying mode is only run once to prevent the water receiving pan 10 from drying out.

[0081] If the humidity D inside the water tray 10 is greater than or equal to the set humidity d, the opening of the electronic expansion valve 9 is increased and the operation is continued for the preset time t 预设 Then enter the shutdown process.

[0082] If the humidity D inside the water tray 10 is less than the set humidity d, the opening of the electronic expansion valve 9 is reduced and the operation is performed for the preset time t 预设 Then enter the shutdown process.

[0083] In the solution of the present invention, a small number of parallel pipelines (i.e., the refrigerant pipelines containing parallel external refrigerant pipes) are integrated below the water receiving pan 10. An electronic expansion valve 9 and a one-way valve 4 are added at both ends of the pipe section. By adding the one-way valve 4 and the electronic expansion valve 9, the two work together to effectively control the flow of refrigerant in the water receiving pan drying assembly under cooling conditions and adjust the heating and drying capacity. Under heating conditions, the electronic expansion valve 9 is closed, but this will cause refrigerant to accumulate in the cooling assembly pipeline section. Long-term operation can lead to reduced efficiency and damage to equipment. However, the addition of the one-way valve 4 effectively prevents this problem and has no impact on cooling conditions. The specific principle is: under cooling conditions, by adjusting the opening of the two electronic expansion valves to achieve the actual situation of low suction pressure, the refrigerant in the water receiving pan drying assembly is discharged from the assembly based on the one-way flow properties of the one-way valve 4 and the pressure difference on both sides of the pipe section. The one-way valve 4 also effectively prevents refrigerant from flowing back into the water receiving pan drying assembly, ensuring the stability of the refrigerant volume in the refrigerant system.

[0084] Since the processing and functions implemented by the method of this embodiment basically correspond to the embodiments, principles and examples of the aforementioned air-conditioning unit, for any details not fully described in this embodiment, please refer to the relevant descriptions in the aforementioned embodiments and will not be repeated here.

[0085] The technical solution of this embodiment is adopted, by setting up an external refrigerant pipe, which is connected in parallel with the refrigerant pipe between the indoor and outdoor units of the air conditioner, and setting the external refrigerant pipe at the water receiving tray, so as to utilize the heat exchange energy of the external refrigerant pipe to control the temperature of the water receiving tray, so that the water in the water receiving tray evaporates and avoids the water receiving tray being in a humid environment for a long time, reducing the environment for breeding bacteria, mold, etc., and further reducing the situation where the water receiving tray is blocked due to microbial growth, so that users can use it more conveniently and comfortably.

[0086] In summary, it is easy for those skilled in the art to understand that, under the premise of no conflict, the above-mentioned advantageous methods can be freely combined and superimposed.

[0087] The foregoing description is merely an embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that various modifications and variations of the present invention are possible. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, or improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention are intended to be within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An air conditioning unit, characterized in that: include: Air conditioning unit body and water tray drying assembly; the air conditioning unit body has a first refrigerant pipeline and a water tray (10); the water tray drying assembly includes: a refrigerant pipeline assembly (3) and a refrigerant control assembly; wherein, The refrigerant pipeline assembly (3) serves as a second refrigerant pipeline, is connected in parallel with a portion of the refrigerant pipelines in the first refrigerant pipeline, and is arranged at the water receiving pan (10), and is used to dry the water receiving pan (10) using the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant pipeline assembly (3) when the refrigerant of the first refrigerant pipeline flows through the refrigerant pipeline assembly (3); The refrigerant control component is arranged in the pipeline where the refrigerant pipeline component (3) is located, and is used to control whether the refrigerant of the first refrigerant pipeline flows through the refrigerant pipeline component (3); By connecting an external refrigerant pipe in parallel to the water receiving pan (10), the temperature of the water receiving pan is controlled by using the external refrigerant pipe; the external refrigerant pipe is connected in parallel to the refrigerant pipe between the indoor and outdoor units of the air conditioner.

2. The air conditioning unit according to claim 1, characterized in that: The refrigerant control component is further used to control the flow rate of the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant pipeline component (3) when the refrigerant of the first refrigerant pipeline flows through the refrigerant pipeline component (3).

3. The air conditioning unit according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The air conditioning unit body comprises: a compressor (1), a four-way valve (5), an outdoor heat exchanger (7), an indoor heat exchanger (11) and a first throttling device; the valve ports of the four-way valve (5) are port D, port E, port S and port C; wherein, The exhaust port of the compressor (1) is connected to the D port of the four-way valve (5); the E port of the four-way valve (5) is connected to the first port of the indoor heat exchanger (11); the second port of the indoor heat exchanger (11) is connected to the C port of the four-way valve (5) after passing through the first throttling device and the outdoor heat exchanger (7); the S port of the four-way valve (5) returns to the suction port of the compressor (1); The refrigerant pipe assembly (3) comprises a refrigerant pipe body, a first refrigerant inlet and outlet, and a second refrigerant inlet and outlet; the refrigerant pipe body is distributed on the drying surface of the water receiving tray (10) in a set distribution form; The first refrigerant inlet and outlet is provided at the first port of the refrigerant pipe body and is connected to the pipeline between the E port of the four-way valve (5) and the first port of the indoor heat exchanger (11), and the connection point is recorded as the first connection point; the second refrigerant inlet and outlet is provided at the second port of the refrigerant pipe body and is connected to the pipeline where the second port of the indoor heat exchanger (11) is located after passing through the first throttling device, and the connection point between the second refrigerant inlet and outlet and the first throttling device is recorded as the second connection point; at this point, the refrigerant pipeline assembly (3) is connected in parallel with the part of the refrigerant pipeline between the first connection point and the second connection point in the first refrigerant pipeline; The refrigerant control assembly includes: a one-way valve device; The one-way valve device is provided on the pipeline between the first refrigerant inlet and outlet and the first connection point; The one-way valve device has an inlet and an outlet; the first refrigerant inlet and outlet are connected to the inlet of the one-way valve device; the outlet of the one-way valve device is connected to the pipeline between the E port of the four-way valve (5) and the first port of the indoor heat exchanger (11).

4. The air conditioning unit according to claim 3, characterized in that: The refrigerant control assembly further includes: a second throttling device; The second throttling device is arranged on the pipeline between the second refrigerant inlet and outlet and the second connecting point.

5. The air conditioning unit according to claim 3, characterized in that: The air conditioning unit body further includes at least one of the following: The air conditioning unit body further includes a liquid storage tank (2); the S port of the four-way valve (5) passes through the liquid storage tank (2) and returns to the air intake port of the compressor (1); The air conditioning unit body further comprises a fresh air motor (12) and an air filter (14); the fresh air motor (12) is arranged on the air inlet side of the indoor heat exchanger (11); the air filter (14) is arranged between the fresh air motor (12) and the indoor heat exchanger (11); The air conditioning unit body further comprises an outdoor fan (6); the outdoor fan (6) is arranged on the air inlet side of the outdoor heat exchanger (7).

6. The air conditioning unit according to claim 4, characterized in that: The air conditioning unit body further includes at least one of the following: The air conditioning unit body further includes a liquid storage tank (2); the S port of the four-way valve (5) passes through the liquid storage tank (2) and returns to the air intake port of the compressor (1); The air conditioning unit body further comprises a fresh air motor (12) and an air filter (14); the fresh air motor (12) is arranged on the air inlet side of the indoor heat exchanger (11); the air filter (14) is arranged between the fresh air motor (12) and the indoor heat exchanger (11); The air conditioning unit body further comprises an outdoor fan (6); the outdoor fan (6) is arranged on the air inlet side of the outdoor heat exchanger (7).

7. A control method for an air conditioning unit according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: include: Determining a current operating mode of the air conditioning unit; the current operating mode is any one of a cooling mode, a heating mode, and a drying mode; In the current operation mode, controlling the air conditioning unit body and the refrigerant control component to enable the air conditioning unit to operate in the current operation mode; Wherein, when the current operating mode is the cooling mode or the drying mode, the air-conditioning unit body and the refrigerant control component are controlled so that the refrigerant of the first refrigerant pipeline flows through the refrigerant pipeline component (3), so that when the refrigerant of the first refrigerant pipeline flows through the refrigerant pipeline component (3), the water receiving pan (10) is dried by using the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant pipeline component (3).

8. The control method of the air conditioning unit according to claim 7, characterized in that: When the current operating mode is the cooling mode, controlling the air conditioning unit body and the refrigerant control component to enable the air conditioning unit to operate in the current operating mode includes: After controlling the air conditioning unit body to operate in the cooling mode, determining whether the air outlet temperature of the air conditioning unit is lower than a set temperature; If the air outlet temperature of the air conditioning unit is lower than the set temperature, the refrigerant control component is controlled to make the refrigerant of the first refrigerant pipeline flow through the refrigerant pipeline component (3), and if the refrigerant control component includes a second throttling device, the second throttling device is controlled to start and run for a preset time; If the air outlet temperature of the air conditioning unit is greater than or equal to the set temperature, the refrigerant control component is controlled to allow the refrigerant of the first refrigerant pipeline to flow through the refrigerant pipeline component (3), and when the refrigerant control component includes a second throttling device, the second throttling device is controlled to be closed.

9. The control method of the air conditioning unit according to claim 7, characterized in that: When the current operating mode is the heating mode, controlling the air conditioning unit body and the refrigerant control component to enable the air conditioning unit to operate in the current operating mode further includes: The air-conditioning unit body is controlled to operate in the heating mode, the refrigerant control component is controlled so that the refrigerant in the first refrigerant pipeline cannot flow through the refrigerant pipeline component (3), and when the refrigerant control component includes a second throttling device, the second throttling device is controlled to be closed.

10. The control method of the air conditioning unit according to claim 7, characterized in that: When the current operating mode is the drying mode, controlling the air conditioning unit body and the refrigerant control component to enable the air conditioning unit to operate in the current operating mode includes: After controlling the air conditioning unit body to operate in the drying mode, determining whether the internal humidity of the water receiving tray (10) is greater than or equal to a set humidity; If the internal humidity of the water receiving pan (10) is greater than or equal to the set humidity, the refrigerant control component is controlled to make the refrigerant of the first refrigerant pipeline flow through the refrigerant pipeline component (3), and if the refrigerant control component includes a second throttling device, the second throttling device is controlled to start, and the opening of the second throttling device is increased to operate for a preset time; If the internal humidity of the water receiving tray (10) is lower than the set humidity, the refrigerant control component is controlled to allow the refrigerant of the first refrigerant pipeline to flow through the refrigerant pipeline component (3), and if the refrigerant control component includes a second throttling device, the second throttling device is controlled to start, and the opening of the second throttling device is reduced for a preset operation time.

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