Air conditioners and their control methods

Abstract

This invention discloses an air conditioner and its control method. The air conditioner includes: a refrigerant circulation loop, a refrigeration system, an outdoor heat exchanger, an indoor heat exchanger, an electronic expansion valve, a first shut-off valve, a second shut-off valve, a pressure sensor, and a controller. The controller is configured to: determine when the air conditioner is first powered on; acquire the current operating mode of the air conditioner, the operating status of the compressor, and the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve; determine whether the air conditioner has malfunctioned based on the current operating mode, the operating status of the compressor, and the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve; when the air conditioner is determined to have malfunctioned, control the compressor not to start or stop running; when the air conditioner is determined not to have malfunctioned, control the compressor to start or continue running, thereby preventing damage to the compressor and ensuring the personal safety of the air conditioner commissioning personnel during the overall commissioning of the unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of air conditioner technology, and in particular to an air conditioner and its control method. Background Technology

[0002] Air conditioners need to be connected as a whole during installation, but there are situations where air conditioner installation and overall unit debugging are separate. If the shut-off valve is not opened after the air conditioner is installed, and the debugging personnel do not check whether the shut-off valve is open during the overall unit debugging, if the air conditioner is running with the shut-off valve closed, compressor damage or even pipe bursts may occur in a short period of time, seriously endangering the personal safety of relevant personnel.

[0003] Currently, determining whether an air conditioner's shut-off valve has been left open requires monitoring the compressor's current and analyzing parameters such as the indoor coil temperature, indoor ambient temperature, outdoor ambient temperature, and outdoor coil temperature. This process relies on the indoor and outdoor units being able to communicate, and is susceptible to interference and misjudgment under varying operating conditions. For North American replacement units, the indoor and outdoor units lack separate communication lines, preventing communication. Furthermore, the indoor unit lacks indoor coil temperature sensors and indoor ambient temperature sensors, making it impossible to monitor these operating parameters. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide an air conditioner and a control method thereof.

[0005] This invention proposes an air conditioner comprising: a refrigerant circulation loop, in which refrigerant circulates within a loop consisting of a compressor, a condenser, an electronic expansion valve, an evaporator, and a four-way valve; a refrigeration system, which performs heat exchange between the refrigerant and indoor air in a compression refrigeration cycle within the refrigerant circulation loop, the refrigeration system including the compressor, which compresses low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant gas into high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant gas and discharges it to the condenser; an outdoor heat exchanger and an indoor heat exchanger, one of which functions as the condenser and the other as the evaporator; an electronic expansion valve located between the condenser and the evaporator, the electronic expansion valve increasing the flow resistance of the refrigerant when its opening decreases and decreasing the flow resistance when its opening increases; and a first shut-off valve located between the indoor heat exchanger and the four-way valve, used for controlling... The refrigerant is supplied between the indoor heat exchanger and the four-way valve; a second shut-off valve, located between the electronic expansion valve and the indoor heat exchanger, is used to control the supply of refrigerant between the outdoor heat exchanger and the indoor heat exchanger; a pressure sensor, located between the first shut-off valve and the four-way valve, is used to detect the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve; the controller is configured to: determine when the air conditioner is first powered on; acquire the current operating mode of the air conditioner, the operating status of the compressor, and the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve; determine whether the air conditioner has malfunctioned based on the current operating mode, the operating status of the compressor, and the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve; when the air conditioner is determined to have malfunctioned, control the compressor not to start or stop running; when the air conditioner is determined not to have malfunctioned, control the compressor to start or continue running.

[0006] In addition, the air conditioner according to embodiments of the present invention may also have the following additional technical features:

[0007] Furthermore, when determining whether the air conditioner has malfunctioned based on the current operating mode, the operating status of the compressor, and the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve, the controller is specifically configured to: when it is determined that the air conditioner is currently in cooling operation, before the compressor starts, determine whether the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve exceeds a first preset pressure; when it is determined that the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve exceeds the first preset pressure, determine that the air conditioner has not malfunctioned and control the compressor to start; when it is determined that the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve does not exceed the first preset pressure, determine that the air conditioner has malfunctioned and control the compressor not to start.

[0008] Furthermore, after controlling the compressor to start, the controller is also configured to: after the compressor has started running for a first preset time, determine whether the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve exceeds the first preset pressure; when it is determined that the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve exceeds the first preset pressure, determine that the air conditioner has not malfunctioned, and control the compressor to continue running; when it is determined that the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve does not exceed the first preset pressure, determine whether the air conditioner has malfunctioned based on a first duration during which the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve does not exceed the first preset pressure.

[0009] Furthermore, when determining whether the air conditioner has malfunctioned based on a first duration during which the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve does not exceed the first preset pressure, the controller is specifically configured to: determine that the air conditioner has malfunctioned and control the compressor to stop running when the first duration during which the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve does not exceed the first preset pressure exceeds a second preset time; and determine that the air conditioner has not malfunctioned and control the compressor to continue running when the first duration during which the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve does not exceed the first preset pressure exceeds the second preset time.

[0010] Furthermore, when determining whether the air conditioner has malfunctioned based on the current operating mode, the operating status of the compressor, and the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve, the controller is specifically configured to: when it is determined that the air conditioner is currently in heating mode, before the compressor starts, determine whether the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve exceeds a second preset pressure; when it is determined that the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve exceeds the second preset pressure, determine that the air conditioner has not malfunctioned and control the compressor to start; when it is determined that the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve does not exceed the second preset pressure, determine that the air conditioner has malfunctioned and control the compressor not to start.

[0011] Furthermore, after controlling the compressor to start, the controller is also configured to: after the compressor has started running for a first preset time, determine whether the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve exceeds a second preset pressure; when it is determined that the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve does not exceed the second preset pressure, determine that the air conditioner has not malfunctioned, and control the compressor to continue running; when it is determined that the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve exceeds the second preset pressure, determine whether the air conditioner has malfunctioned based on a second duration during which the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve exceeds the second preset pressure.

[0012] Furthermore, when determining whether the air conditioner has malfunctioned based on a second duration during which the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve exceeds the second preset pressure, the controller is specifically configured to: determine that the air conditioner has malfunctioned and control the compressor to stop running when the second duration during which the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve exceeds the second preset pressure exceeds a third preset time; and determine that the air conditioner has not malfunctioned and control the compressor to continue running when the second duration during which the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve exceeds the second preset pressure does not exceed the third preset time.

[0013] Furthermore, after determining that the air conditioner has malfunctioned, the controller is also configured to issue a first fault warning message.

[0014] Furthermore, after determining that the air conditioner has malfunctioned, the controller is also configured to issue a second fault warning message.

[0015] According to an embodiment of the present invention, after the air conditioner is first powered on, the current operating mode of the air conditioner, the operating status of the compressor, and the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve are obtained; the air conditioner is judged to have malfunctioned based on the current operating mode, the operating status of the compressor, and the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve; when the air conditioner is judged to have malfunctioned, the compressor is controlled not to start or to stop running; when the air conditioner is judged not to have malfunctioned, the compressor is controlled to start or continue running, thereby preventing damage to the compressor and ensuring the personal safety of the air conditioner commissioning personnel during the whole machine commissioning.

[0016] To address the aforementioned problems, this invention also proposes a control method for an air conditioner, used in any of the above embodiments. The method includes the following steps: determining that the air conditioner is powered on for the first time; acquiring the current operating mode of the air conditioner, the operating status of the compressor, and the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve; determining whether the air conditioner has malfunctioned based on the current operating mode, the operating status of the compressor, and the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve; when it is determined that the air conditioner has malfunctioned, controlling the compressor not to start or to stop operating; when it is determined that the air conditioner has not malfunctioned, controlling the compressor to start or continue operating.

[0017] According to the air conditioner control method of the present invention, after determining that the air conditioner is powered on for the first time, the current operating mode of the air conditioner, the operating status of the compressor, and the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve are obtained; the air conditioner is judged to have malfunctioned based on the current operating mode, the operating status of the compressor, and the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve; when the air conditioner is judged to have malfunctioned, the compressor is controlled not to start or to stop running; when the air conditioner is judged not to have malfunctioned, the compressor is controlled to start or continue running, thereby preventing damage to the compressor and ensuring the personal safety of the air conditioner commissioning personnel during the whole machine commissioning.

[0018] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0019] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and readily understood from the description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for determining whether an air conditioner has malfunctioned based on the current operating mode, the operating status of the compressor, and the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating how to determine whether an air conditioner malfunctions after the compressor is started, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a process for determining whether an air conditioner has malfunctioned based on a first duration during which the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve does not exceed a first preset pressure.

[0024] Figure 5 This is a flowchart of another embodiment of the present invention for determining whether an air conditioner has malfunctioned based on the current operating mode, the operating status of the compressor, and the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve;

[0025] Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating the process of determining whether an air conditioner malfunctions after the compressor is started, according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 7 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for determining whether an air conditioner has malfunctioned based on a second duration during which the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve exceeds a second preset pressure, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 8 This is a flowchart of a control method for an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0028] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0029] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0030] The terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0031] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0032] In this invention, the air conditioner performs a refrigeration cycle by using a compressor, a condenser, an electronic expansion valve, and an evaporator. The refrigeration cycle includes a series of processes involving compression, condensation, expansion, and evaporation, and supplies refrigerant to the conditioned and heat-exchanged air.

[0033] The compressor compresses refrigerant gas under high temperature and pressure and discharges the compressed refrigerant gas. The discharged refrigerant gas flows into the condenser. The condenser condenses the compressed refrigerant into a liquid phase, and the heat is released to the surrounding environment through the condensation process.

[0034] The electronic expansion valve expands the high-temperature, high-pressure liquid refrigerant condensed in the condenser into a low-pressure liquid refrigerant. The evaporator evaporates the expanded refrigerant in the electronic expansion valve and returns the low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant gas to the compressor. The evaporator achieves its cooling effect by utilizing the latent heat of refrigerant evaporation to exchange heat with the material being cooled. Throughout the cycle, the air conditioner regulates the temperature of the indoor space.

[0035] The outdoor unit of an air conditioner refers to the part of the refrigeration cycle that includes the compressor and the outdoor heat exchanger. The indoor unit of an air conditioner includes the indoor heat exchanger, and an electronic expansion valve can be provided in either the indoor or outdoor unit.

[0036] The indoor and outdoor heat exchangers function as either condensers or evaporators. When the indoor heat exchanger is used as a condenser, the air conditioner functions as a heater in heating mode; when the indoor heat exchanger is used as an evaporator, the air conditioner functions as a cooler in cooling mode.

[0037] The following is for reference. Figures 1-8 An air conditioner and its control method according to embodiments of the present invention are described.

[0038] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1As shown, an air conditioner includes: a refrigerant circulation loop 10, a refrigeration system 20, an outdoor heat exchanger 30, an indoor heat exchanger 40, an electronic expansion valve 50, a first shut-off valve 60, a second shut-off valve 70, a pressure sensor 80, and a controller 90. The refrigerant circulation loop 10 circulates the refrigerant within a loop consisting of a compressor, condenser, electronic expansion valve 50, evaporator, and four-way valve. The refrigeration system 20 performs heat exchange between the refrigerant and indoor air within the compression refrigeration cycle of the refrigerant circulation loop 10. The refrigeration system 20 includes a compressor that compresses low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant gas into high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant gas and discharges it to the condenser. One of the outdoor heat exchanger 30 and the indoor heat exchanger 40 functions as a condenser, and the other as an evaporator. The electronic expansion valve 50 is located between the condenser and the evaporator. When its opening decreases, the flow resistance of the refrigerant through the electronic expansion valve 50 increases; when its opening increases, the flow resistance decreases. A first shut-off valve 60 is located between the indoor heat exchanger 40 and the four-way valve. The controller 90 is configured to: control the refrigerant flow between the indoor heat exchanger 40 and the four-way valve; the second shut-off valve 70 is located between the electronic expansion valve 50 and the indoor heat exchanger 40, and is used to control the refrigerant flow between the outdoor heat exchanger 30 and the indoor heat exchanger 40; the pressure sensor 80 is located between the first shut-off valve 60 and the four-way valve, and is used to detect the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve 60; the controller 90 is configured to: determine when the air conditioner is first powered on; acquire the current operating mode of the air conditioner, the operating status of the compressor, and the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve 60; determine whether the air conditioner has malfunctioned based on the current operating mode, the operating status of the compressor, and the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve 60; when the air conditioner is determined to have malfunctioned, control the compressor not to start or stop running; when the air conditioner is determined not to have malfunctioned, control the compressor to start or continue running.

[0039] Specifically, when the air conditioner is first powered on, if there is insufficient refrigerant in the outdoor unit before the compressor starts, or if at least one of the first shut-off valve 60 and the second shut-off valve 70 is closed after the compressor starts normally, the compressor will be damaged in a short time if it continues to run. In this embodiment of the invention, the indoor unit of the air conditioner cannot communicate directly with the outdoor unit and there is no indoor coil. Therefore, it is impossible to detect whether the air conditioner is malfunctioning through the indoor coil temperature sensor and the indoor ambient temperature sensor. Thus, without changing the existing components of the air conditioner, this embodiment of the invention determines whether the air conditioner is malfunctioning by obtaining the pressure detected by the pressure sensor 80 between the first shut-off valve 60 and the four-way valve, as well as the operating mode of the air conditioner and the operating status of the compressor. After the air conditioner malfunctions, it promptly controls the compressor not to start or stops running, thereby preventing compressor damage and ensuring the personal safety of the air conditioner commissioning personnel during the whole machine commissioning. It is understood that the air conditioner in this embodiment of the invention only determines whether the air conditioner has malfunctioned during the first power-on operation based on the current operating mode, the operating status of the compressor, and the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve 60, in order to determine whether the shut-off valve is leaking. If there is no problem with the shut-off valve being leaking, it will not affect the normal use of the unit in the future. At the same time, when a problem with the shut-off valve being leaking is detected, corresponding protection control is performed to protect the compressor to the greatest extent. When the air conditioner is not powered on for the first time, the compressor is controlled at a normal frequency to achieve a rapid cooling effect.

[0040] In a specific embodiment, the current operating mode of the air conditioner can be set by the user via a remote control, an air conditioner app on a mobile terminal, or the control panel on the air conditioner itself, as well as via voice, gestures, or other operation methods; no restrictions are placed here. It is understood that a flag storage module can be set in the air conditioner to store the air conditioner's initial power-on flag information. The control module is used to modify the information stored in the flag storage module to non-initial power-on flag information after the air conditioner is first powered on. Thus, by setting the flag storage module, it is possible to accurately determine whether the air conditioner is being powered on for the first time. Upon initial power-on, the system determines whether the air conditioner has malfunctioned based on the current operating mode, the compressor's operating status, and the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve 60. If a malfunction is detected, the compressor is controlled not to start or to stop running; if no malfunction is detected, the compressor is controlled to start or continue running.

[0041] In one embodiment of the present invention, such as Figure 2As shown, when determining whether the air conditioner has malfunctioned based on the current operating mode, the compressor's operating status, and the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve 60, the controller 90 is specifically configured as follows: when it is determined that the air conditioner is currently in cooling operation, before the compressor starts, it determines whether the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve 60 exceeds a first preset pressure; when it is determined that the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve 60 exceeds the first preset pressure, it determines that the air conditioner has not malfunctioned and controls the compressor to start; when it is determined that the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve 60 does not exceed the first preset pressure, it determines that the air conditioner has malfunctioned and controls the compressor not to start.

[0042] Specifically, the first preset pressure is related to the ambient temperature and type of refrigerant. In practical applications, the refrigerant pressure corresponding to different ambient temperatures and different types of refrigerant can be preset and stored, which will not be elaborated here. When it is determined that the air conditioner is currently in cooling operation, if the compressor has not yet started, and the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve 60 exceeds the first preset pressure, it indicates that there is refrigerant in the outdoor unit, and the compressor can be controlled to start normally. When it is determined that the air conditioner is currently in cooling operation, if the compressor has not yet started, and the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve 60 does not exceed the first preset pressure, it indicates that there is insufficient refrigerant in the outdoor unit, and the compressor is controlled not to start to prevent damage to the compressor. It should be noted that before the compressor starts, the indoor fan, outdoor fan, electronic expansion valve 50, and four-way valve have started according to the preset program. In this embodiment of the invention, when determining whether the air conditioner has malfunctioned, it refers to a malfunction caused by insufficient refrigerant in the outdoor unit; when it is determined that the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve 60 exceeds the first preset pressure, it is determined that the air conditioner has not malfunctioned; when it is determined that the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve 60 does not exceed the first preset pressure, it is determined that the air conditioner has malfunctioned.

[0043] In one embodiment of the present invention, such as Figure 3 As shown, after the compressor is started, the controller 90 is further configured to: determine whether the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve 60 exceeds the first preset pressure after the compressor has been running for a first preset time; when the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve 60 exceeds the first preset pressure, determine that the air conditioner has not malfunctioned and control the compressor to continue running; when the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve does not exceed the first preset pressure, determine whether the air conditioner has malfunctioned based on the first duration during which the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve 60 does not exceed the first preset pressure.

[0044] Specifically, when it is determined that the air conditioner is currently in cooling operation, after the compressor starts running for a first preset time, the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve 60 is on the high-pressure side, and the refrigerant pressure will increase. Therefore, when the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve 60 exceeds the first preset pressure, it is determined that the air conditioner has not malfunctioned, and the compressor is controlled to continue running. During the normal operation of the compressor, if the electronic expansion valve 50 closes excessively, the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve 60 may temporarily not exceed the first preset pressure. Therefore, when it is determined that the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve does not exceed the first preset pressure, it is necessary to determine whether the air conditioner has malfunctioned based on the first duration for which the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve 60 does not exceed the first preset pressure. In a specific embodiment, the first preset time is 4 to 5 minutes.

[0045] In one embodiment of the present invention, such as Figure 4 As shown, when determining whether the air conditioner has malfunctioned based on the first duration during which the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve 60 does not exceed the first preset pressure, the controller 90 is specifically configured to: determine that the air conditioner has malfunctioned and control the compressor to stop running when the first duration during which the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve 60 does not exceed the first preset pressure exceeds the second preset time; and determine that the air conditioner has not malfunctioned and control the compressor to continue running when the first duration during which the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve 60 does not exceed the first preset pressure exceeds the second preset time.

[0046] Specifically, when it is determined that the air conditioner is currently running in cooling mode, if, after the compressor has been running for a first preset time, the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve 60 does not exceed the first preset pressure for a first duration exceeding the second preset time, it indicates that the air conditioner has malfunctioned, and the compressor is controlled to stop running to prevent damage to the compressor. In this embodiment of the invention, the malfunction is determined to be caused by at least one of the first shut-off valve 60 and the second shut-off valve 70 being in a closed state; when the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve 60 does not exceed the first preset pressure for a first duration exceeding the second preset time, it is determined that the air conditioner has malfunctioned; when the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve 60 does not exceed the first preset pressure for a first duration exceeding the second preset time, it is determined that the air conditioner has not malfunctioned.

[0047] In one embodiment of the present invention, such as Figure 5As shown, when determining whether the air conditioner has malfunctioned based on the current operating mode, the compressor's operating status, and the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve 60, the controller 90 is specifically configured as follows: when it is determined that the air conditioner is currently in heating mode, before the compressor starts, it determines whether the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve 60 exceeds a second preset pressure; when it is determined that the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve 60 exceeds the second preset pressure, it determines that the air conditioner has not malfunctioned and controls the compressor to start; when it is determined that the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve 60 does not exceed the second preset pressure, it determines that the air conditioner has malfunctioned and controls the compressor not to start.

[0048] Specifically, the second preset pressure is related to the ambient temperature and type of refrigerant. In practical applications, different ambient temperatures and different refrigerant types can be preset and stored, which will not be elaborated here. When it is determined that the air conditioner is currently in heating mode, if the compressor has not yet started, and the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve 60 exceeds the second preset pressure, it indicates that there is refrigerant in the outdoor unit, and the compressor can be controlled to start normally. When it is determined that the air conditioner is currently in heating mode, if the compressor has not yet started, and the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve 60 does not exceed the second preset pressure, it indicates that there is insufficient refrigerant in the outdoor unit, and the compressor is controlled not to start to prevent damage to the compressor. It should be noted that before the compressor starts, the indoor fan, outdoor fan, electronic expansion valve 50, and four-way valve have already started according to the preset program. In this embodiment of the invention, when determining whether the air conditioner has malfunctioned, the malfunction is caused by insufficient refrigerant in the outdoor unit; when it is determined that the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve 60 exceeds the second preset pressure, it is determined that the air conditioner has not malfunctioned; when it is determined that the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve 60 does not exceed the second preset pressure, it is determined that the air conditioner has malfunctioned.

[0049] In one embodiment of the present invention, such as Figure 6 As shown, after the compressor is started, the controller 90 is further configured to: determine whether the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve 60 exceeds a second preset pressure after the compressor has been running for a first preset time; when the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve 60 does not exceed the second preset pressure, determine that the air conditioner has not malfunctioned and control the compressor to continue running; when the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve exceeds the second preset pressure, determine whether the air conditioner has malfunctioned based on a second duration during which the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve 60 exceeds the second preset pressure.

[0050] Specifically, when it is determined that the air conditioner is currently in heating mode, after the compressor starts running for a first preset time, refrigerant is drawn from the outdoor heat exchanger 30 to the compressor suction port and continuously discharged from the compressor. Therefore, when the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve 60 does not exceed the second preset pressure, it is determined that the air conditioner has not malfunctioned, and the compressor continues to run. During normal compressor operation, if the electronic expansion valve 50 closes excessively, the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve 60 may exceed the second preset pressure for a short period of time. Therefore, when it is determined that the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve 60 exceeds the second preset pressure, it is necessary to determine whether the air conditioner has malfunctioned based on the second duration of the refrigerant pressure exceeding the second preset pressure. In a specific embodiment, the first preset time is 4-5 minutes.

[0051] In one embodiment of the present invention, such as Figure 7 As shown, when determining whether the air conditioner has malfunctioned based on the second duration during which the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve 60 exceeds the second preset pressure, the controller 90 is specifically configured to: determine that the air conditioner has malfunctioned and control the compressor to stop running when the second duration during which the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve 60 exceeds the second preset pressure exceeds the third preset time; and determine that the air conditioner has not malfunctioned and control the compressor to continue running when the second duration during which the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve 60 exceeds the second preset pressure does not exceed the third preset time.

[0052] Specifically, when the air conditioner is currently in heating mode, if, after the compressor has been running for a first preset time, the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve 60 exceeds the second preset pressure for a second duration exceeding the third preset time, it indicates that the air conditioner has malfunctioned, and the compressor is controlled to stop running to prevent damage. In this embodiment of the invention, the malfunction is determined to be caused by at least one of the first shut-off valve 60 and the second shut-off valve 70 being in a closed state; when the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve 60 exceeds the second preset pressure for a second duration exceeding the third preset time, it is determined that the air conditioner has malfunctioned; when the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve 60 exceeds the second preset pressure for a second duration not exceeding the third preset time, it is determined that the air conditioner has not malfunctioned.

[0053] In one embodiment of the present invention, after determining that the air conditioner has malfunctioned, the controller 90 is further configured to issue a first fault warning message.

[0054] Specifically, when it is determined that the air conditioner is currently in cooling mode, before the compressor starts, if it is determined that the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve 60 does not exceed the first preset pressure, or when it is determined that the air conditioner is currently in heating mode, before the compressor starts, if it is determined that the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve 60 does not exceed the second preset pressure, a first fault warning message is issued to indicate that the air conditioner has a refrigerant shortage fault.

[0055] In one embodiment of the present invention, after determining that the air conditioner has malfunctioned, the controller 90 is further configured to issue a second fault warning message.

[0056] Specifically, when it is determined that the air conditioner is currently in cooling mode, after the compressor has been running for a first preset time, if it is determined that the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve 60 does not exceed the first preset pressure, and the first duration for which the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve 60 does not exceed the first preset pressure exceeds a second preset time; or, when it is determined that the air conditioner is currently in heating mode, after the compressor has been running for a first preset time, if it is determined that the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve 60 exceeds the second preset pressure, and the second duration for which the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve 60 exceeds the second preset pressure exceeds a third preset time, a second fault warning message is issued to indicate that at least one of the first shut-off valve 60 and the second shut-off valve 70 in the outdoor unit of the air conditioner is in a closed state.

[0057] According to an embodiment of the present invention, after the air conditioner is first powered on, the current operating mode of the air conditioner, the operating status of the compressor, and the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve 60 are obtained; the air conditioner is judged to have malfunctioned based on the current operating mode, the operating status of the compressor, and the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve 60; when the air conditioner is judged to have malfunctioned, the compressor is controlled not to start or to stop running; when the air conditioner is judged not to have malfunctioned, the compressor is controlled to start or continue running, thereby preventing damage to the compressor and ensuring the personal safety of the air conditioner commissioning personnel during the whole machine commissioning.

[0058] Further embodiments of the present invention disclose a control method for an air conditioner, used in any of the above embodiments, such as... Figure 8 As shown, the method includes the following steps:

[0059] Step S1: Confirm that the air conditioner is powered on for the first time.

[0060] In a specific embodiment, a flag storage module can be set in the air conditioner to store the first power-on flag information of the air conditioner. The control module is used to modify the information stored in the flag storage module to non-first power-on flag information after the air conditioner is powered on for the first time. Thus, by setting the flag storage module, it is possible to accurately determine whether the air conditioner is powered on for the first time.

[0061] Step S2: Obtain the current operating mode of the air conditioner, the operating status of the compressor, and the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve.

[0062] Step S3: Determine whether the air conditioner has malfunctioned based on the current operating mode, the compressor's operating status, and the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve.

[0063] Specifically, when the air conditioner is first powered on, if there is insufficient refrigerant in the outdoor unit before the compressor starts, or if at least one of the first and second shut-off valves is closed after the compressor starts normally, the compressor will be damaged in a short time if it continues to run. In this embodiment of the invention, the indoor unit of the air conditioner cannot communicate directly with the outdoor unit and there is no indoor coil. Therefore, it is impossible to detect whether the air conditioner is malfunctioning through the indoor coil temperature sensor and the indoor ambient temperature sensor. Thus, this embodiment of the invention determines whether the air conditioner is malfunctioning by obtaining the pressure detected by the pressure sensor between the first shut-off valve and the four-way valve, as well as the operating mode of the air conditioner and the operating status of the compressor, without changing the existing components of the air conditioner.

[0064] Step S4: When it is determined that the air conditioner has malfunctioned, control the compressor not to start or stop running to prevent damage to the compressor and ensure the personal safety of the air conditioner commissioning personnel during the whole machine commissioning.

[0065] Step S5: If it is determined that the air conditioner has not malfunctioned, control the compressor to start or continue running.

[0066] In one embodiment of the present invention, determining whether the air conditioner has malfunctioned based on the current operating mode, the operating status of the compressor, and the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve includes: when it is determined that the air conditioner is currently in cooling operation, before the compressor starts, determining whether the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve exceeds a first preset pressure; when it is determined that the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve exceeds the first preset pressure, determining that the air conditioner has not malfunctioned, and controlling the compressor to start; when it is determined that the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve does not exceed the first preset pressure, determining that the air conditioner has malfunctioned, and controlling the compressor not to start.

[0067] Specifically, the first preset pressure is related to the ambient temperature and type of refrigerant. In practical applications, refrigerant pressures corresponding to different ambient temperatures and different refrigerant types can be preset and stored, which will not be elaborated here. When it is determined that the air conditioner is currently in cooling operation, if the compressor has not yet started, and the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve exceeds the first preset pressure, it indicates that there is refrigerant in the outdoor unit, and the compressor can be controlled to start normally. When it is determined that the air conditioner is currently in cooling operation, if the compressor has not yet started, and the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve does not exceed the first preset pressure, it indicates that there is insufficient refrigerant in the outdoor unit, and the compressor is controlled not to start to prevent damage to the compressor. It should be noted that before the compressor starts, the indoor fan, outdoor fan, electronic expansion valve, and four-way valve have started according to the preset program. In this embodiment of the invention, when determining whether the air conditioner has malfunctioned, it refers to a malfunction caused by insufficient refrigerant in the outdoor unit; when it is determined that the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve exceeds the first preset pressure, it is determined that the air conditioner has not malfunctioned; when it is determined that the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve does not exceed the first preset pressure, it is determined that the air conditioner has malfunctioned.

[0068] In one embodiment of the present invention, after controlling the compressor to start, the method further includes: after the compressor has been running for a first preset time, determining whether the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve exceeds a first preset pressure; when it is determined that the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve exceeds the first preset pressure, determining that the air conditioner has not malfunctioned, and controlling the compressor to continue running; when it is determined that the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve does not exceed the first preset pressure, determining whether the air conditioner has malfunctioned based on a first duration during which the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve does not exceed the first preset pressure.

[0069] Specifically, when it is determined that the air conditioner is currently in cooling operation, after the compressor starts running for a first preset time, the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve is on the high-pressure side, and the refrigerant pressure will increase. Therefore, when the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve exceeds the first preset pressure, it is determined that the air conditioner has not malfunctioned, and the compressor continues to run. During normal compressor operation, if the electronic expansion valve closes excessively, the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve may temporarily not exceed the first preset pressure. Therefore, when it is determined that the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve does not exceed the first preset pressure, it is necessary to determine whether the air conditioner has malfunctioned based on the first duration for which the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve does not exceed the first preset pressure. In a specific embodiment, the first preset time is 4 to 5 minutes.

[0070] In one embodiment of the present invention, determining whether the air conditioner has malfunctioned based on a first duration during which the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve does not exceed a first preset pressure includes: when the first duration during which the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve does not exceed the first preset pressure exceeds a second preset time, determining that the air conditioner has malfunctioned and controlling the compressor to stop running; when the first duration during which the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve does not exceed the first preset pressure does not exceed the second preset time, determining that the air conditioner has not malfunctioned and controlling the compressor to continue running.

[0071] Specifically, when it is determined that the air conditioner is currently running in cooling mode, if, after the compressor has been running for a first preset time, the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve does not exceed the first preset pressure for a first duration exceeding a second preset time, it indicates that the air conditioner has malfunctioned, and the compressor is controlled to stop running to prevent damage to the compressor. In this embodiment of the invention, the malfunction is determined to be caused by at least one of the first and second shut-off valves being in a closed state; when the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve does not exceed the first preset pressure for a first duration exceeding the second preset time, it is determined that the air conditioner has malfunctioned; when the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve does not exceed the first preset pressure for a first duration exceeding the second preset time, it is determined that the air conditioner has not malfunctioned.

[0072] In one embodiment of the present invention, determining whether the air conditioner has malfunctioned based on the current operating mode, the operating status of the compressor, and the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve includes: when it is determined that the air conditioner is currently in heating mode, before the compressor starts, determining whether the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve exceeds a second preset pressure; when it is determined that the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve exceeds the second preset pressure, determining that the air conditioner has not malfunctioned, and controlling the compressor to start; when it is determined that the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve does not exceed the second preset pressure, determining that the air conditioner has malfunctioned, and controlling the compressor not to start.

[0073] Specifically, the second preset pressure is related to the ambient temperature and type of refrigerant. In practical applications, refrigerant pressures corresponding to different ambient temperatures and different refrigerant types can be preset and stored, which will not be elaborated here. When it is determined that the air conditioner is currently in heating mode, if the compressor has not yet started, and the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve exceeds the second preset pressure, it indicates that there is refrigerant in the outdoor unit, and the compressor can be controlled to start normally. When it is determined that the air conditioner is currently in heating mode, if the compressor has not yet started, and the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve does not exceed the second preset pressure, it indicates that there is insufficient refrigerant in the outdoor unit, and the compressor is controlled not to start to prevent damage to the compressor. It should be noted that before the compressor starts, the indoor fan, outdoor fan, electronic expansion valve, and four-way valve have started according to the preset program. In this embodiment of the invention, when determining whether the air conditioner has malfunctioned, the malfunction is caused by insufficient refrigerant in the outdoor unit; when it is determined that the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve exceeds the second preset pressure, it is determined that the air conditioner has not malfunctioned; when it is determined that the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve does not exceed the second preset pressure, it is determined that the air conditioner has malfunctioned.

[0074] In one embodiment of the present invention, after controlling the compressor to start, the method further includes: after the compressor has been running for a first preset time, determining whether the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve exceeds a second preset pressure; when it is determined that the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve does not exceed the second preset pressure, determining that the air conditioner has not malfunctioned, and controlling the compressor to continue running; when it is determined that the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve exceeds the second preset pressure, determining whether the air conditioner has malfunctioned based on a second duration during which the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve exceeds the second preset pressure.

[0075] Specifically, when it is determined that the air conditioner is currently in heating mode, after the compressor starts running for a first preset time, refrigerant is drawn from the outdoor heat exchanger to the compressor's suction port and continuously discharged from the compressor. Therefore, when the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve does not exceed the second preset pressure, it is determined that the air conditioner has not malfunctioned, and the compressor continues to run. During normal compressor operation, if the electronic expansion valve closes excessively, the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve may temporarily exceed the second preset pressure. Therefore, when it is determined that the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve exceeds the second preset pressure, it is necessary to determine whether the air conditioner has malfunctioned based on the second duration of the refrigerant pressure exceeding the second preset pressure. In a specific embodiment, the first preset time is 4-5 minutes.

[0076] In one embodiment of the present invention, determining whether the air conditioner has malfunctioned based on a second duration during which the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve exceeds a second preset pressure includes: determining that the air conditioner has malfunctioned and controlling the compressor to stop running when the second duration during which the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve exceeds the second preset pressure exceeds a third preset time; and determining that the air conditioner has not malfunctioned and controlling the compressor to continue running when the second duration during which the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve exceeds the second preset pressure does not exceed the third preset time.

[0077] Specifically, when the air conditioner is currently in heating mode, if, after the compressor has been running for a first preset time, the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve exceeds the second preset pressure for a second duration exceeding the third preset time, it indicates that the air conditioner has malfunctioned, and the compressor is controlled to stop running to prevent damage. In this embodiment of the invention, the malfunction is determined to be caused by at least one of the first and second shut-off valves being in a closed state; when the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve exceeds the second preset pressure for a second duration exceeding the third preset time, the air conditioner is determined to have malfunctioned; when the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve exceeds the second preset pressure for a second duration not exceeding the third preset time, the air conditioner is determined not to have malfunctioned.

[0078] In one embodiment of the present invention, after determining that the air conditioner has malfunctioned, the method further includes: issuing a first fault warning message.

[0079] Specifically, when it is determined that the air conditioner is currently in cooling mode, before the compressor starts, if it is determined that the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve does not exceed the first preset pressure, or when it is determined that the air conditioner is currently in heating mode, before the compressor starts, if it is determined that the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve does not exceed the second preset pressure, a first fault warning message is issued to indicate that the air conditioner has a refrigerant shortage fault.

[0080] In one embodiment of the present invention, after determining that the air conditioner has malfunctioned, the method further includes: issuing a second fault warning message.

[0081] Specifically, when it is determined that the air conditioner is currently in cooling mode, after the compressor has been running for a first preset time, if it is determined that the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve does not exceed the first preset pressure, and the first duration for which the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve does not exceed the first preset pressure exceeds a second preset time, or, when it is determined that the air conditioner is currently in heating mode, after the compressor has been running for a first preset time, if it is determined that the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve exceeds the second preset pressure, and the second duration for which the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve exceeds the second preset pressure exceeds a third preset time, a second fault warning message is issued to indicate that at least one of the first shut-off valve and the second shut-off valve in the outdoor unit of the air conditioner is in a closed state.

[0082] According to the air conditioner control method of the present invention, after determining that the air conditioner is powered on for the first time, the current operating mode of the air conditioner, the operating status of the compressor, and the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve are obtained; the air conditioner is judged to have malfunctioned based on the current operating mode, the operating status of the compressor, and the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve; when the air conditioner is judged to have malfunctioned, the compressor is controlled not to start or to stop running; when the air conditioner is judged not to have malfunctioned, the compressor is controlled to start or continue running, thereby preventing damage to the compressor and ensuring the personal safety of the air conditioner commissioning personnel during the whole machine commissioning.

[0083] In the description of this specification, references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiment," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., refer to specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with that embodiment or example, which are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example.

[0084] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An air conditioner, characterized in that, include: The refrigerant circulation loop allows the refrigerant to circulate within a circuit consisting of the compressor, condenser, electronic expansion valve, evaporator, and four-way valve. A refrigeration system that performs heat exchange between refrigerant and indoor air in a compression refrigeration cycle of the refrigerant circulation loop, the refrigeration system including the compressor, the compressor being used to compress low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant gas into high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant gas and discharge it to the condenser; An outdoor heat exchanger and an indoor heat exchanger, wherein one functions as the condenser and the other functions as the evaporator; An electronic expansion valve is disposed between the condenser and the evaporator. The electronic expansion valve is used to increase the flow resistance of the refrigerant through the electronic expansion valve when its opening degree decreases, and to decrease the flow resistance of the refrigerant through the electronic expansion valve when its opening degree increases. A first shut-off valve is located between the indoor heat exchanger and the four-way valve, and is used to control the delivery of the refrigerant between the indoor heat exchanger and the four-way valve; The second shut-off valve is located between the electronic expansion valve and the indoor heat exchanger, and is used to control the delivery of the refrigerant between the outdoor heat exchanger and the indoor heat exchanger. A pressure sensor is located between the first shut-off valve and the four-way valve to detect the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve. The controller is configured to: determine when the air conditioner is powered on for the first time; The current operating mode of the air conditioner, the operating status of the compressor, and the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve are obtained. The air conditioner is determined to be malfunctioning based on the current operating mode, the operating status of the compressor, and the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve. When a malfunction is detected in the air conditioner, the compressor is controlled to either not start or stop operating. When it is determined that the air conditioner is not malfunctioning, the compressor is controlled to start or continue running. When it is determined that the air conditioner is currently in cooling operation, after the compressor has been running for a first preset time, it is determined whether the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve exceeds the first preset pressure. When it is determined that the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve exceeds the first preset pressure, it is determined that the air conditioner has not malfunctioned, and the compressor is controlled to continue running; When it is determined that the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve does not exceed the first preset pressure, the air conditioner is judged to have malfunctioned based on the first duration during which the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve does not exceed the first preset pressure. When the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve does not exceed the first preset pressure for a first duration exceeding a second preset time, it is determined that the air conditioner has malfunctioned. The malfunction is that at least one of the first shut-off valve and the second shut-off valve is in a closed state, and the compressor is controlled to stop running. When the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve does not exceed the first preset pressure for a first duration that does not exceed the second preset time, it is determined that the air conditioner has not malfunctioned, and the compressor is controlled to continue operating.

2. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, When determining whether the air conditioner has malfunctioned based on the current operating mode, the compressor's operating status, and the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve, the controller is specifically configured as follows: When it is determined that the air conditioner is currently in cooling operation, before the compressor starts, it is determined whether the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve exceeds a first preset pressure; When it is determined that the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve exceeds the first preset pressure, it is determined that the air conditioner has not malfunctioned, and the compressor is controlled to start. When it is determined that the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve does not exceed the first preset pressure, the air conditioner is identified as malfunctioning, and the compressor is prevented from starting.

3. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, When determining whether the air conditioner has malfunctioned based on the current operating mode, the compressor's operating status, and the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve, the controller is specifically configured as follows: When it is determined that the air conditioner is currently in heating mode, before the compressor starts, it is determined whether the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve exceeds the second preset pressure; When it is determined that the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve exceeds the second preset pressure, it is determined that the air conditioner has not malfunctioned, and the compressor is controlled to start. When it is determined that the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve does not exceed the second preset pressure, the air conditioner is identified as malfunctioning, and the compressor is controlled not to start.

4. The air conditioner according to claim 3, characterized in that, After controlling the compressor to start, the controller is further configured to: After the compressor has been running for a first preset time, it is determined whether the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve exceeds the second preset pressure. When it is determined that the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve does not exceed the second preset pressure, it is determined that the air conditioner has not malfunctioned, and the compressor is controlled to continue running; When it is determined that the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve exceeds the second preset pressure, the air conditioner is judged to have malfunctioned based on the second duration of the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve exceeding the second preset pressure.

5. The air conditioner according to claim 4, characterized in that, When determining whether the air conditioner has malfunctioned based on a second duration during which the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve exceeds the second preset pressure, the controller is specifically configured as follows: When the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve exceeds the second preset pressure for a second duration that exceeds the third preset time, it is determined that the air conditioner has malfunctioned, and the compressor is controlled to stop running; When the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve exceeds the second preset pressure for a second duration that does not exceed the third preset time, it is determined that the air conditioner has not malfunctioned, and the compressor is controlled to continue operating.

6. The air conditioner according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, After determining that the air conditioner has malfunctioned, the controller is further configured to: Issue the first fault warning message.

7. The air conditioner according to claim 1 or 5, characterized in that, After determining that the air conditioner has malfunctioned, the controller is further configured to: A second fault message was issued.

8. A control method for an air conditioner, characterized in that, For use in an air conditioner as described in any one of claims 1-7, the method comprises the following steps: Confirm that the air conditioner is powered on for the first time; The current operating mode of the air conditioner, the operating status of the compressor, and the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve are obtained. The air conditioner is determined to be malfunctioning based on the current operating mode, the operating status of the compressor, and the refrigerant pressure between the compressor and the first shut-off valve. When a malfunction is detected in the air conditioner, the compressor is controlled to either not start or stop operating. When it is determined that the air conditioner is not malfunctioning, the compressor is controlled to start or continue running.

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