Methods, apparatus, outdoor units and storage media for air conditioner defrosting

Abstract

This application relates to the field of smart home appliance technology, and discloses a method for defrosting an air conditioner, comprising: acquiring the temperatures of multiple sets of coils symmetrically arranged about the transverse midline of the side of an outdoor heat exchanger; determining defrosting requirements based on the temperatures of the multiple sets of coils; determining a target defrosting strategy based on the temperatures of the multiple sets of coils when the defrosting requirements indicate that defrosting is necessary; and controlling the outdoor unit to operate according to the target defrosting strategy. Thus, determining the defrosting requirements and strategy based on the temperatures of the symmetrical multiple sets of coils can address the problem of meltwater easily refreezing during the flow of water after defrosting on the side of the outdoor heat exchanger, thereby improving the defrosting effect. This application also discloses an apparatus for defrosting an air conditioner, an outdoor unit of the air conditioner, and a storage medium.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of smart home appliance technology, such as a method, apparatus, outdoor unit, and storage medium for defrosting an air conditioner. Background Technology

[0002] With the widespread use of air conditioning, it has also found applications in some cold regions. Cold environments are prone to rain and snow, which can cause ice to form on the heat exchanger of the air conditioner's outdoor unit. If de-icing is not thorough, it will affect the operation of the air conditioner.

[0003] The related technology discloses a method for de-icing the chassis of an air conditioner outdoor unit, comprising: dividing the chassis of the air conditioner outdoor unit into several temperature measuring zones, and setting multiple heating devices on the chassis corresponding to each of the temperature measuring zones; acquiring the temperature corresponding to each of the temperature measuring zones of the air conditioner outdoor unit chassis and the ambient temperature; calculating the temperature difference between the temperature corresponding to each of the temperature measuring zones and the ambient temperature; determining a de-icing zone based on the temperature difference between each of the temperature measuring zones and the ambient temperature, wherein the de-icing zone includes at least one of the temperature measuring zones; and controlling the heating device corresponding to the de-icing zone to start to de-ic the chassis of the air conditioner outdoor unit.

[0004] In the process of implementing the embodiments of this disclosure, at least the following problems were found in the related art:

[0005] The de-icing methods described above primarily target the chassis of the outdoor unit. However, ice can also form on the sides of the outdoor unit. Therefore, the methods described above are not very effective for de-icing the sides of the outdoor unit.

[0006] It should be noted that the information disclosed in the background section above is only used to enhance the understanding of the background of this application, and therefore may include information that does not constitute prior art known to those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0007] To provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosed embodiments, a brief summary is given below. This summary is not intended as a general commentary, nor is it intended to identify key / important components or describe the scope of protection of these embodiments, but rather as a prelude to the detailed description that follows.

[0008] This disclosure provides a method, apparatus, outdoor unit, and storage medium for air conditioner de-icing, to improve the de-icing effect of the outdoor unit.

[0009] In some embodiments, the method for defrosting an air conditioner includes: acquiring the temperatures of multiple sets of coils symmetrical about a transverse midline on the side of an outdoor heat exchanger; determining defrosting requirements based on the temperatures of the multiple sets of coils; determining a target defrosting strategy based on the temperatures of the multiple sets of coils when the defrosting requirements indicate that defrosting is required; and controlling the outdoor unit to operate according to the target defrosting strategy.

[0010] In some embodiments, the apparatus for de-icing an air conditioner includes a processor and a memory storing program instructions, the processor being configured to execute the aforementioned method for de-icing an air conditioner when the program instructions are executed.

[0011] In some embodiments, the outdoor unit of the air conditioner includes: an outdoor unit body; and a device for defrosting the air conditioner as described above, which is installed on the outdoor unit body.

[0012] In some embodiments, the storage medium stores program instructions that, when executed, perform the aforementioned method for de-icing an air conditioner.

[0013] The method, apparatus, outdoor unit, and storage medium for air conditioner defrosting provided in this disclosure can achieve the following technical effects:

[0014] The temperatures of multiple coils symmetrically positioned along the transverse midline of the outdoor heat exchanger's side are obtained. These temperatures characterize the icing situation at symmetrical locations above and below the midline, thus determining whether de-icing is necessary. If de-icing is required, a suitable target de-icing strategy is determined based on the temperatures of the multiple coils, and the de-icing operation is performed. This method of determining de-icing needs and strategies based on the temperatures of symmetrical multiple coils addresses the issue of re-icing of meltwater during the flow of de-iced water on the outdoor heat exchanger's side, thereby improving the de-icing effect.

[0015] The above general description and the description below are exemplary and illustrative only and are not intended to limit this application. Attached Figure Description

[0016] One or more embodiments are illustrated by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings. These illustrations and drawings do not constitute a limitation on the embodiments. Elements having the same reference numerals in the drawings are shown as similar elements. The drawings are not to be scaled. And wherein:

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the outdoor unit of the air conditioner provided in the embodiments of this disclosure;

[0018] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a method for defrosting an air conditioner provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0019] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of another method for defrosting an air conditioner provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0020] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of another method for defrosting an air conditioner provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0021] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram showing the ice located below the horizontal midline according to an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0022] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram showing the ice located above the horizontal midline, as provided in this embodiment of the disclosure;

[0023] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of an air conditioner de-icing device provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0024] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of another device for de-icing an air conditioner provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0025] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of an outdoor unit of an air conditioner provided in an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0026] Figure label:

[0027] 1. Housing; 2. Outdoor heat exchanger; 3. Electric auxiliary heating device; 4. Temperature sensor. Detailed Implementation

[0028] To provide a more detailed understanding of the features and technical content of the embodiments of this disclosure, the implementation of the embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the embodiments of this disclosure. In the following technical description, for ease of explanation, several details are used to provide a full understanding of the disclosed embodiments. However, one or more embodiments may still be implemented without these details. In other cases, well-known structures and devices may be simplified in their depiction to simplify the drawings.

[0029] The terms "first," "second," etc., used in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this disclosure are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate for the embodiments of this disclosure described herein. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion.

[0030] Unless otherwise stated, the term "multiple" means two or more.

[0031] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the character " / " indicates that the objects before and after it are in an "or" relationship. For example, A / B means: A or B.

[0032] The term "and / or" describes an association between objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B means: A or B, or A and B.

[0033] The term "correspondence" can refer to an association or binding relationship. The correspondence between A and B means that there is an association or binding relationship between A and B.

[0034] Combination Figure 1 As shown, this embodiment of the present disclosure provides an outdoor unit of an air conditioner. The outdoor unit includes: a housing 1, an outdoor heat exchanger 2, and an electric auxiliary heating device 3. Both the outdoor heat exchanger 2 and the electric auxiliary heating device 3 are disposed within the housing 1. The electric auxiliary heating device 3 is disposed at the bottom of the outdoor heat exchanger 2.

[0035] The outdoor heat exchanger 2 has multiple coils on both sides of the horizontal center line Z on its side, and these coils are symmetrical about the horizontal center line in pairs. For example, the upper first coil Y1 and the lower first coil-Y1 form a symmetrical group of coils, the upper second coil Y2 and the lower second coil-Y2 form a symmetrical group of coils, and the upper third coil Y3 and the lower third coil-Y3 form a symmetrical group of coils. Here, "upper" and "lower" are relative to the horizontal center line.

[0036] Each coil is equipped with a temperature sensor 4 to obtain the temperature of the corresponding coil.

[0037] The outdoor unit also includes a processor that communicates with temperature sensor 4 to obtain the temperature value detected by temperature sensor 4.

[0038] Combination Figure 2 As shown in the embodiments of this disclosure, a method for defrosting an air conditioner is provided, comprising:

[0039] S201, the processor obtains the temperature of multiple sets of coils symmetrical about the transverse dividing line on the side of the outdoor heat exchanger.

[0040] S202, the processor determines the de-icing requirement based on the temperature of multiple coils.

[0041] S203, when the de-icing demand indicates that de-icing is required, the processor determines the target de-icing strategy based on the temperature of multiple coils.

[0042] S204, the processor controls the outdoor unit to operate according to the target de-icing strategy.

[0043] The processor communicates with various temperature sensors to obtain the temperature of each coil, and thus obtains the temperature of multiple coils.

[0044] Here, each coil can be equipped with a temperature sensor, and the temperature value detected by this single sensor is taken as the temperature of the corresponding coil. Alternatively, multiple temperature sensors can be installed on each coil, and the average of the temperature values ​​detected by these sensors is taken as the temperature of the corresponding coil. These coils are symmetrical about the horizontal center line. Each group of coil temperatures includes the temperatures of the two coils symmetrical about the horizontal center line. Based on the temperatures of multiple groups of coils, the defrosting requirement is determined, i.e., whether defrosting is necessary.

[0045] When de-icing the sides of the outdoor heat exchanger, the water from the melting ice flows downwards along the surface of the heat exchanger due to gravity. As the water flows downwards, it refreezes due to the low temperature. This causes re-icing on the sides of the outdoor heat exchanger, resulting in a thinner layer at the top and a thicker layer at the bottom; that is, the closer to the bottom of the outdoor heat exchanger, the greater the ice thickness H, thus making de-icing more difficult. However, the temperature of each coil includes the temperatures of the two coils symmetrical about the center line. Therefore, the temperatures of multiple coils can reflect whether the temperature difference between the symmetrical coils above and below the center line is too large, thus determining whether de-icing is necessary.

[0046] If de-icing demand indicates the need for de-icing, the target de-icing strategy is determined based on the temperatures of multiple coils. Selecting an appropriate de-icing strategy and controlling the outdoor unit's operation improves de-icing efficiency while avoiding energy waste.

[0047] The air conditioning defrosting method provided in this disclosure acquires the temperatures of multiple sets of coils symmetrically positioned about the transverse midline of the outdoor heat exchanger side. These coil temperatures characterize the icing situation at symmetrical locations above and below the midline, thereby determining whether defrosting is necessary. If defrosting is required, a suitable target defrosting strategy is determined based on the coil temperatures, and defrosting is performed. This method of determining defrosting needs and strategies based on the temperatures of symmetrical coils addresses the issue of refreezing of meltwater after defrosting on the outdoor heat exchanger side, thereby improving defrosting effectiveness.

[0048] Combination Figure 3 As shown in the embodiments of this disclosure, another method for defrosting an air conditioner is provided, comprising:

[0049] S201, the processor obtains the temperature of multiple sets of coils symmetrical about the transverse dividing line on the side of the outdoor heat exchanger.

[0050] S212, the processor calculates the temperature difference between the two coils in each group to obtain multiple groups of temperature difference values.

[0051] S222, the processor determines the de-icing requirement based on multiple sets of temperature differences.

[0052] S203, when the de-icing demand indicates that de-icing is required, the processor determines the target de-icing strategy based on the temperature of multiple coils.

[0053] S204, the processor controls the outdoor unit to operate according to the target de-icing strategy.

[0054] After obtaining the temperatures of multiple coil sets, calculate the temperature difference ΔTYn between the two coil sets in each set. For example:

[0055] ΔTY1=T(Y1)-T(-Y1), where T(Y1) is the temperature of the upper first coil Y1, and T(-Y1) is the temperature of the lower first coil -Y1.

[0056] ΔTY2=T(Y2)-T(-Y2), where T(Y2) is the temperature of the upper second coil Y2, and T(-Y2) is the temperature of the lower second coil -Y2.

[0057] ΔTY3=T(Y3)-T(-Y3), where T(Y3) is the temperature of the upper third coil Y3, and T(-Y3) is the temperature of the lower third coil -Y3.

[0058] In this way, multiple sets of temperature difference values ​​can be obtained, such as the first set of temperature difference values ​​ΔTY1, the second set of temperature difference values ​​ΔTY2, and the third set of temperature difference values ​​ΔTY3.

[0059] Multiple temperature difference values ​​can reflect whether the temperature difference between the symmetrical coils above and below the splitter is too large. If it is too large, de-icing is required. Therefore, multiple temperature difference values ​​can be used to determine whether the outdoor heat exchanger needs de-icing.

[0060] Optionally, in step S122, the processor determines the de-icing requirement based on multiple sets of temperature differences, including:

[0061] If the absolute value of the temperature difference in all groups is less than or equal to the temperature difference threshold, the processor determines that no de-icing is required.

[0062] If the absolute value of one or more temperature differences exceeds a temperature difference threshold, the processor determines that de-icing is required.

[0063] A temperature difference threshold ΔT' is set and pre-stored in the processor. Optionally, ΔT' is 0. The absolute value of the temperature difference |ΔTYn| for all groups is compared with ΔT'. If all |ΔTYn| ≤ ΔT', it indicates that the two symmetrical coils above and below the split line have no temperature difference, or the temperature difference is very small, and the temperature above and below the split line in the outdoor heat exchanger is basically the same. This further indicates that there is no ice or only a little ice at the symmetrical positions above and below the split line in the outdoor heat exchanger, but it does not affect the use. Therefore, in this case, the de-icing requirement is determined to be no need for de-icing. If there are one or more groups |ΔTYn| > ΔT', it indicates that there is ice in the coils corresponding to these groups |ΔTYn|. Therefore, in this case, the de-icing requirement is determined to be necessary. In this way, by comparing the absolute value of the temperature difference for each group with the temperature difference threshold, it is determined whether the temperature difference between the two symmetrical coils is too large, thereby determining whether de-icing of the outdoor heat exchanger is necessary.

[0064] Combination Figure 4 As shown in the embodiments of this disclosure, another method for defrosting an air conditioner is provided, comprising:

[0065] S201, the processor obtains the temperature of multiple sets of coils symmetrical about the transverse dividing line on the side of the outdoor heat exchanger.

[0066] S202, the processor determines the de-icing requirement based on the temperature of multiple coils.

[0067] S213, when the de-icing demand characterization indicates that de-icing is required, the processor calculates the temperature difference between the coils located at preset symmetrical positions to obtain the pre-selected temperature difference.

[0068] S223, the processor determines the target de-icing strategy based on the pre-selected temperature difference.

[0069] S204, the processor controls the outdoor unit to operate according to the target de-icing strategy.

[0070] In each symmetrical group of coils, coils located at two different preset symmetrical positions are pre-selected, i.e., two groups of coils are pre-selected. If de-icing is determined to be required, the temperature difference between these two pre-selected groups of coils is selected from the above calculation results, thus obtaining two sets of pre-selected temperature difference values: the first set of temperature difference ΔT1 and the second set of temperature difference ΔT2. This embodiment utilizes the heat radiated by the electric auxiliary heating device during operation for de-icing; therefore, the target de-icing strategy may include: the target operating power and / or target operating time of the electric auxiliary heating device. The target operating power and / or target operating time are determined using these two sets of temperature difference values.

[0071] Optionally, in step S223, the processor determines the target de-icing strategy based on the pre-selected temperature difference, including:

[0072] The processor determines the target operating power of the electric auxiliary heating device based on the first set of temperature differences; and / or,

[0073] The processor determines the target operating time of the electric auxiliary heating device based on the second set of temperature differences.

[0074] The first set of temperature differences, ΔT1, is used to characterize whether there is ice near the horizontal center line. If ice is present near the horizontal center line, it means there is more ice buildup on the side of the outdoor heat exchanger; conversely, it means there is less ice buildup. The operating power of the electric auxiliary heating system plays a crucial role in achieving rapid de-icing. Therefore, the target operating power of the electric auxiliary heating device is determined based on the first set of temperature differences. Optionally, the first set of temperature differences is the temperature difference between the two symmetrical coils closest to the center line, such as the temperature difference between the upper first coil Y1 and the lower first coil -Y1. In this way, using the horizontal center line as a reference, the temperature difference between the two symmetrical coils closest to the horizontal center line is used to determine whether there is a lot of ice buildup on the side of the outdoor heat exchanger.

[0075] The second set of temperature differences, ΔT2, is used to characterize the location of icing, specifically whether the icing is located high up. The higher the icing location, the more icing occurs. With a fixed operating power for the electric auxiliary heating device, a longer operating time results in better de-icing. Therefore, the target operating time of the electric auxiliary heating device is determined based on the second set of temperature differences. Optionally, the second set of temperature differences can be the temperature difference between the two symmetrical coils furthest from the horizontal center line, for example, the temperature difference between the upper third coil Y3 and the lower third coil -Y3. In this way, using the horizontal center line as a reference, the temperature difference between the two symmetrical coils furthest from the horizontal center line is used to determine the icing location on the side of the outdoor heat exchanger.

[0076] In this way, the target operating power of the electric auxiliary heating device is determined based on the first set of temperature differences, and / or the target operating time of the electric auxiliary heating device is determined based on the second set of temperature differences, thereby determining a better de-icing strategy to improve the de-icing effect of the outdoor unit.

[0077] Optionally, the processor determines the target operating power of the electric auxiliary heating device based on the first set of temperature differences, including:

[0078] If the absolute value of the first set of temperature differences is less than or equal to the temperature difference threshold, the processor determines the target operating power of the electric auxiliary heating device as the first power.

[0079] If the absolute value of the temperature difference in the first group is greater than the temperature difference threshold, the processor determines the target operating power of the electric auxiliary heating device as the second power.

[0080] The first power is less than the second power.

[0081] Compare the absolute value of the first set of temperature differences, |ΔT1|, with the temperature difference threshold ΔT'. If |ΔT1| ≤ ΔT', then... Figure 5As shown, this indicates that there is no ice near the horizontal center line, and the ice is mainly concentrated below the horizontal center line. At this time, the outdoor unit has less ice buildup, and the electric auxiliary heating device can be controlled to operate at low power; that is, the target operating power of the electric auxiliary heating device is determined as the first power. If |ΔT1|>ΔT', as... Figure 6 As shown, there is ice along and above the horizontal center line. At this time, the outdoor unit has a significant amount of ice buildup. The electric auxiliary heating device can be controlled to operate at high power, meaning the target operating power of the electric auxiliary heating device is determined as the second power. The first power is less than the second power. Thus, based on a comparison of the absolute value of the first set of temperature differences with the temperature difference threshold, it is determined whether the outdoor unit has excessive ice buildup, thereby determining the target operating power of the electric auxiliary heating device to improve the de-icing effect.

[0082] Optionally, when the processor controls the electric auxiliary heating device to operate at the target operating power, it corrects the target operating power based on the rate of change of the absolute value of the first set of temperature differences.

[0083] The processor determines that the electric auxiliary heating device is operating at the corrected target operating power.

[0084] After determining the target operating power, the auxiliary electric heating device is activated and operates at the target power. At this time, the heat radiated by the auxiliary electric heating device melts the ice. As the ice melts, the absolute value of the first set of temperature differences changes. The rate of change of the absolute value of the first set of temperature differences within a first preset time period is calculated, and a power correction value is determined based on the rate of change. Optionally, the larger the rate of change, the smaller the power correction value. Specifically, the processor stores the correlation between the rate of change and the power correction value. Based on this correlation, the target power correction value corresponding to the current rate of change can be determined. See Table 1 for the specific correlation.

[0085] Table 1. Relationship between the rate of change of the absolute value of the temperature difference in the first group and the power correction value.

[0086]

[0087] In Table 1, ΔV11 is the first rate of change threshold, ΔV12 is the second rate of change threshold, and ΔV13 is the third rate of change threshold. ΔP1 is the first power correction value, ΔP2 is the second power correction value, ΔP3 is the third power correction value, and ΔP4 is the fourth power correction value, where ΔP1>ΔP2>ΔP3>ΔP4, and ΔP3 is 0. It should be noted that the correspondences in Table 1 can be changed according to actual needs, and this embodiment does not impose any limitations on them.

[0088] The sum of the current target operating power and the target power correction value is taken as the new target operating power. The electric auxiliary heating unit is then determined to operate at the new target operating power.

[0089] In this way, based on the change rate of the absolute value of the first temperature difference, the target power is corrected in a timely manner, so as to increase the heating power in a timely manner when the change is slow, accelerating de-icing; and reducing the heating power in a timely manner when the change is fast, so as to avoid energy waste caused by power overshoot.

[0090] Optionally, the processor determines the target operation duration of the electric auxiliary heating device according to the second set of temperature differences, including:

[0091] The processor determines the target operation duration corresponding to the absolute value of the current second set of temperature differences according to the correlation between the absolute value of the second set of temperature differences and the operation duration.

[0092] The correlation between the absolute value of the second set of temperature differences |ΔT2| and the operation duration is pre-stored in the processor. This correlation includes one or more corresponding relationships between the absolute value of the second set of temperature differences and the operation duration. The larger the absolute value of the second set of temperature differences, the higher the ice is, that is, the more ice there is, and the longer the operation duration. According to this correlation, the target operation duration corresponding to the absolute value of the current second set of temperature differences is determined. The specific correlation can be seen in Table 2.

[0093] Table 2 Correlation between the absolute value of the second set of temperature differences and the operation duration

[0094]

[0095] In Table 2, ΔT21 is the first preset temperature difference, ΔT22 is the second preset temperature difference, and ΔT23 is the third preset temperature difference. t1 is the first operation duration, t2 is the second operation duration, t3 is the third operation duration, t4 is the fourth operation duration, and t1 < t2 < t3 < t4. It should be noted that the corresponding relationships in Table 2 can be changed according to actual needs, and this embodiment does not limit it in any way.

[0096] Optionally, when the processor controls the electric auxiliary heating device to operate according to the target operation duration, it corrects the target operation duration according to the change rate of the absolute value of the second set of temperature differences.

[0097] The processor determines that the electric auxiliary heating device operates according to the corrected target operation duration.

[0098] After the electric auxiliary heating device is controlled to be turned on, it can operate at a fixed power or at a power determined according to the previous logic. At the same time, calculate the change rate of the absolute value of the second set of temperature differences within the second preset duration, and determine the duration correction value according to the change rate. Optionally, the greater the change rate, the smaller the duration correction value. Specifically, the correlation between the change rate and the duration correction value is stored in the processor. According to this correlation, the target duration correction value corresponding to the current change rate can be determined. The specific correlation can be seen in Table 3.

[0099] Table 3 shows the correlation between the rate of change of the absolute value of the temperature difference in the second group and the time correction value.

[0100]

[0101] In Table 3, ΔV21, ΔV22, and ΔV23 represent the first preset rate of change. Δt1 is the first duration correction value, Δt2 is the second duration correction value, Δt3 is the third duration correction value, and Δt4 is the fourth duration correction value, with Δt1>Δt2>Δt3>Δt4, where Δt3 is 0. It should be noted that the correspondences in Table 3 can be changed according to actual needs, and this embodiment does not impose any limitations on them.

[0102] The sum of the current target runtime and the target runtime correction value is taken as the new target runtime. The electric auxiliary heating unit is then determined to operate at the new target runtime.

[0103] In this way, the target duration is adjusted in a timely manner based on the rate of change of the absolute value of the second temperature difference, so as to increase the heating duration in time when the change is slow and speed up the de-icing process; and to reduce the heating duration in time when the change is fast to avoid energy waste caused by duration overshoot.

[0104] The above method can be used for one-time defrosting. It can also be used to check the completeness of defrosting after the initial process. Specifically, after a third preset time interval following defrosting, for example, after 5 minutes, the system re-determines whether defrosting is still needed based on the temperatures of multiple coils. If so, it indicates that defrosting is incomplete and residual ice remains. In this case, the electric auxiliary heating device will continue to operate according to the above logic to remove the residual ice. If not, it indicates that defrosting is complete, and there is no need to control the electric auxiliary heating device further.

[0105] Combination Figure 7 As shown, this embodiment of the disclosure provides an apparatus 70 for air conditioner defrosting, including: an acquisition module 71, a first determination module 72, a second determination module 73, and a control module 74. The acquisition module 71 is configured to acquire the temperatures of multiple sets of coils symmetrically arranged about a transverse midline on the side of an outdoor heat exchanger. The first determination module 72 is configured to determine defrosting requirements based on the temperatures of the multiple sets of coils. The second determination module 73 is configured to determine a target defrosting strategy based on the temperatures of the multiple sets of coils when the defrosting requirement indicates that defrosting is necessary. The control module 74 is configured to control the outdoor unit to operate according to the target defrosting strategy.

[0106] The air conditioning defrosting apparatus provided in this disclosure acquires the temperatures of multiple sets of coils symmetrically positioned about the transverse midline of the outdoor heat exchanger side. The temperatures of these coils characterize the icing situation at symmetrical locations above and below the midline on the outdoor heat exchanger side, thereby determining whether defrosting is necessary. If defrosting is required, a suitable target defrosting strategy is determined based on the temperatures of the multiple coils, and the defrosting operation is performed. In this way, determining the defrosting requirement and strategy based on the temperatures of the symmetrical multiple coils addresses the problem of meltwater easily refreezing during the flow of water after defrosting on the outdoor heat exchanger side, thereby improving the defrosting effect.

[0107] Combination Figure 8 As shown, this embodiment of the disclosure provides an apparatus 80 for air conditioner de-icing, including a processor 81 and a memory 82. Optionally, the apparatus may further include a communication interface 83 and a bus 84. The processor 81, communication interface 83, and memory 82 can communicate with each other via the bus 84. The communication interface 83 can be used for information transmission. The processor 81 can call logical instructions in the memory 82 to execute the air conditioner de-icing method described in the above embodiment.

[0108] Furthermore, the logic instructions in the aforementioned memory 82 can be implemented as software functional units and, when sold or used as independent products, can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium.

[0109] The memory 82, as a computer-readable storage medium, can be used to store software programs and computer-executable programs, such as program instructions / modules corresponding to the methods in the embodiments of this disclosure. The processor 81 executes functional applications and data processing by running the program instructions / modules stored in the memory 82, thereby implementing the method for air conditioner de-icing in the above embodiments.

[0110] The memory 82 may include a program storage area and a data storage area. The program storage area may store the operating system and application programs required for at least one function; the data storage area may store data created based on the use of the terminal device. Furthermore, the memory 82 may include high-speed random access memory and may also include non-volatile memory.

[0111] Combination Figure 9As shown, this disclosure provides an outdoor unit 90 for an air conditioner, including: an outdoor unit body, and the aforementioned device 70 (80) for defrosting the air conditioner. The device 70 (80) for defrosting the air conditioner is installed on the outdoor unit body. The installation relationship described herein is not limited to placement inside the product, but also includes installation connections with other components of the product, including but not limited to physical connections, electrical connections, or signal transmission connections. Those skilled in the art will understand that the device 70 (80) for defrosting the air conditioner can be adapted to feasible product bodies to achieve other feasible embodiments.

[0112] This disclosure provides a computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions configured to perform the above-described method for de-icing an air conditioner.

[0113] The aforementioned computer-readable storage medium may be a transient computer-readable storage medium or a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium.

[0114] The technical solutions of this disclosure can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes one or more instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the method described in this disclosure. The aforementioned storage medium can be a non-transitory storage medium, including: a USB flash drive, a portable hard drive, a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a magnetic disk, or an optical disk, and other media capable of storing program code; it can also be a transient storage medium.

[0115] The foregoing description and accompanying drawings fully illustrate embodiments of this disclosure to enable those skilled in the art to practice them. Other embodiments may include structural, logical, electrical, procedural, and other changes. The embodiments represent only possible variations. Individual components and functions are optional unless explicitly required, and the order of operation may vary. Parts and features of some embodiments may be included in or replace parts and features of other embodiments. Moreover, the terminology used in this application is for describing embodiments only and is not intended to limit the claims. As used in the description of embodiments and claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to equally include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Similarly, the term “and / or” as used in this application means including one or more of the associated listed items and all possible combinations thereof. Additionally, when used in this application, the term "comprise" and its variations "comprises" and / or "comprising" refer to the presence of stated features, integrals, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integrals, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprises a..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, or apparatus that includes said element. In this document, each embodiment may focus on the differences from other embodiments, and similar or identical parts between embodiments can be referred to mutually. For methods, products, etc., disclosed in the embodiments, if they correspond to the method section disclosed in the embodiments, the relevant parts can be referred to the description of the method section.

[0116] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of the embodiments of this disclosure. Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working processes of the systems, devices, and units described above can be referred to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0117] The methods and products (including but not limited to devices and equipment) disclosed in the embodiments herein can be implemented in other ways. For example, the device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. For instance, the division of units may be merely a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. In addition, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection between the shown or discussed units may be through some interfaces, and the indirect coupling or communication connection between devices or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms. The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units, that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units may be selected to implement this embodiment according to actual needs. Furthermore, the functional units in the embodiments of this disclosure may be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit may exist physically separately, or two or more units may be integrated into one unit.

[0118] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to embodiments of this disclosure. In this regard, each block in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, segment, or portion of code containing one or more executable instructions for implementing a specified logical function. In some alternative implementations, the functions marked in the blocks may occur in a different order than that shown in the drawings. For example, two consecutive blocks may actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they may sometimes be executed in reverse order, depending on the functions involved. In the descriptions corresponding to the flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings, the operations or steps corresponding to different blocks may also occur in a different order than disclosed in the description, and sometimes there is no specific order between different operations or steps. For example, two consecutive operations or steps may actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they may sometimes be executed in reverse order, depending on the functions involved. Each block in a block diagram and / or flowchart, and combinations of blocks in a block diagram and / or flowchart, can be implemented using a dedicated hardware-based system that performs the specified function or action, or using a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

Claims

1. A method for de-icing of an air conditioner, characterized by, The method comprises: obtaining temperatures of a plurality of groups of coils symmetric to a transverse center line of a side of an outdoor heat exchanger; determining an ice removal requirement according to the temperatures of the plurality of groups of coils, comprising: calculating a temperature difference between two coils in each group to obtain a plurality of temperature difference values; determining the ice removal requirement according to the plurality of temperature difference values, comprising: in a case where the absolute values of the temperature difference values of all groups are less than or equal to a temperature difference threshold, determining that the ice removal requirement is no ice removal; and in a case where the absolute values of the temperature difference values of one or more groups are greater than the temperature difference threshold, determining that the ice removal requirement is ice removal; in a case where the ice removal requirement represents ice removal, determining a target ice removal strategy according to the temperatures of the plurality of groups of coils, comprising: calculating a temperature difference between coils located at a preset symmetric position to obtain a preselected temperature difference value; and determining the target ice removal strategy according to the preselected temperature difference value; controlling the outdoor unit to operate according to the target ice removal strategy; the outdoor unit comprises an outdoor heat exchanger and an electric auxiliary heating device, the electric auxiliary heating device is arranged at the bottom of the outdoor heat exchanger; the preselected temperature difference value comprises a first group temperature difference value and a second group temperature difference value; the determining the target ice removal strategy according to the preselected temperature difference value comprises: determining a target operating power of the electric auxiliary heating device according to the first group temperature difference value; and / or determining a target operating time length of the electric auxiliary heating device according to the second group temperature difference value; the determining the target operating power of the electric auxiliary heating device according to the first group temperature difference value comprises: in a case where the absolute value of the first group temperature difference value is less than or equal to the temperature difference threshold, determining that the target operating power of the electric auxiliary heating device is a first power; and in a case where the absolute value of the first group temperature difference value is greater than the temperature difference threshold, determining that the target operating power of the electric auxiliary heating device is a second power; wherein the first power is less than the second power.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, The method further comprises: in a case where the electric auxiliary heating device is controlled to operate according to the target operating power, correcting the target operating power according to a change rate of the absolute value of the first group temperature difference value; determining that the electric auxiliary heating device operates according to the corrected target operating power.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein, the determining the target operating time length of the electric auxiliary heating device according to the second group temperature difference value comprises: determining a target operating time length corresponding to the absolute value of the current second group temperature difference value according to an association between the absolute value of the second group temperature difference value and the operating time length.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein, The method further comprises: in a case where the electric auxiliary heating device is controlled to operate according to the target operating time length, correcting the target operating time length according to a change rate of the absolute value of the second group temperature difference value; determining that the electric auxiliary heating device operates according to the corrected target operating time length.

5. An apparatus for de-icing of an air conditioner, comprising a processor and a memory having stored therein program instructions, wherein, The processor is configured to execute the method for ice removal of an air conditioner as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 when the program instructions are executed.

6. An outdoor unit of an air conditioner, characterized by comprising: The device for ice removal of an air conditioner as claimed in claim 5 is installed in the outdoor unit body. The program instructions execute the method for ice removal of an air conditioner as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 when executed. ​ ​ 7. A storage medium storing program instructions, characterized in that, ​

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