Air conditioner

Abstract

This invention discloses an air conditioner, comprising: a cold storage tank, an ice-making assembly, a cold storage component, and a cold release component. The cold storage tank has a receiving space. The ice-making assembly is used to provide ice to the receiving space. The cold storage component includes a condenser, an evaporator, a throttling element, and a compressor. The evaporator includes a first evaporation section and a second evaporation section. The first evaporation section is located within the ice-making assembly to enable the ice-making assembly to make ice. The second evaporation section is located within the receiving space. The cold release component includes a cold extraction heat exchanger, a cold release heat exchanger, and a first circulation pump. The cold extraction heat exchanger is located within the receiving space, and the first circulation pump is connected between the cold extraction heat exchanger and the cold release heat exchanger. The air conditioner of this embodiment, by providing an evaporator composed of a first evaporation section and a second evaporation section, effectively improves the cold storage efficiency of the air conditioner through the cooperation of the first and second evaporation sections.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] Cold storage air conditioners primarily utilize off-peak electricity hours at night to activate the cold storage components, turning the water in the cold storage tank into ice; during peak electricity hours in the daytime, they activate the cooling components to melt the ice and meet part of the air conditioning load, thereby improving air conditioning quality and reducing user operating costs.

[0003] However, in the existing technology, due to the simple structure of the evaporator, the process of water in the cold storage box turning into ice is relatively long, resulting in low cold storage efficiency of the cold storage air conditioner and reduced user experience. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention aims to at least solve one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, the present invention proposes an air conditioner with high cold storage efficiency, solving the technical problem of low cold storage efficiency in existing air conditioners.

[0005] An air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a cold storage tank having a receiving space; an ice-making assembly for providing ice to the receiving space; a cold storage assembly including a condenser, an evaporator, a throttling element, and a compressor, the evaporator including a first evaporation section and a second evaporation section, the first evaporation section being disposed in the ice-making assembly for making ice, and the second evaporation section being disposed in the receiving space; and a cold release assembly including a cold extraction heat exchanger, a cold release heat exchanger, and a first circulation pump, the cold extraction heat exchanger being disposed in the receiving space, and the first circulation pump being connected between the cold extraction heat exchanger and the cold release heat exchanger.

[0006] According to an embodiment of the present invention, an air conditioner is provided with an evaporator formed by a combination of a first evaporation section and a second evaporation section. During the cold storage process of the air conditioner, the refrigerant in the cold storage component exchanges heat with the ice-making component through the first evaporation section to facilitate the formation of ice blocks on the ice-making component. The ice blocks are then transported to the containment space to reduce the temperature in the containment space. On the other hand, it can exchange heat with the containment space through the second evaporation section to further reduce the temperature in the containment space, thereby improving the cold storage efficiency.

[0007] In some examples, the first evaporation section is connected upstream of the second evaporation section in the flow path from the throttling element to the compressor.

[0008] In some examples, the flow path length of the evaporator is greater than the flow path length of the heat exchanger.

[0009] In some examples, the flow path length of the second evaporation section is equal to the flow path length of the heat exchanger.

[0010] In some examples, the heat exchanger and the second evaporation section are integrated into a single unit to form a heat exchanger assembly. The heat exchanger assembly includes at least one row of heat exchange groups, in which a first refrigerant flow path and a second refrigerant flow path are arranged side by side. There are multiple first refrigerant flow paths and multiple second refrigerant flow paths, which are arranged alternately. The first refrigerant flow path is used for the heat exchanger, and the second refrigerant flow path is used for the second evaporation section.

[0011] In some examples, the heat exchanger assembly includes multiple rows of heat exchange groups, with the first refrigerant flow path and the second refrigerant flow path of adjacent rows of heat exchange groups being staggered.

[0012] In some examples, the ice-making assembly includes an ice-making element, on which the first evaporation section acts to make ice; wherein the ice-making element is located above the receiving space, the top of the receiving space being open to receive liquid and ice falling from the ice-making element.

[0013] In some examples, the first evaporation section is constructed as a coil heat exchanger, which is attached to the ice-making component.

[0014] In some examples, the ice-making assembly further includes: a spray unit for spraying liquid onto the ice-making component; and a second circulation pump, which is in communication with the containment space and the spray unit, for drawing liquid from the containment space and supplying it to the spray unit.

[0015] In some examples, the second circulation pump is located in the lower part of the containment space.

[0016] In some examples, the ice-making assembly further includes: a detector for detecting the degree of ice-making by the ice-making component; and a heating element for heating the ice-making component to melt and remove ice adhering to it.

[0017] In some examples, the ice-making assembly is located outside the cold storage tank, or the cold storage tank also has an installation space located above the containing space, and the ice-making assembly is located within the installation space.

[0018] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description which follows, 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 an air conditioner according to some embodiments of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a heat exchanger assembly according to some embodiments of the present invention.

[0022] Figure label:

[0023] 1000. Air conditioner;

[0024] 100. Cold storage box; 110. Storage space;

[0025] 200. Ice-making assembly; 220. Ice-making component; 230. Spray unit; 240. Second circulation pump;

[0026] 300. Cold storage components;

[0027] 310. Condenser;

[0028] 320. Evaporator; 321. First evaporation section; 322. Second evaporation section;

[0029] 330. Throttling element;

[0030] 340. Compressor;

[0031] 400. Cooling assembly; 410. Cooling heat exchanger; 420. Cooling heat exchanger; 430. First circulation pump;

[0032] 500. Heat exchanger assembly;

[0033] 510. Heat exchanger assembly; 511. First refrigerant flow path; 512. Second refrigerant flow path;

[0034] 520. End connecting pipe; 530. First span fitting; 540. Second span fitting;

[0035] 600. Fan components. Detailed Implementation

[0036] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0037] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "length", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "circumferential", 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 limiting this invention.

[0038] The air conditioner 1000 of the present invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0039] An air conditioner 1000 according to an embodiment of the present invention, such as Figure 1 As shown, it includes: a cold storage box 100, an ice-making assembly 200, a cold storage assembly 300, and a cold release assembly 400.

[0040] Among them, such as Figure 1 As shown, the cold storage box 100 has a housing space 110. The housing space 110 provides space for the installation of the second evaporation section 322 and the heat exchanger 410, ensuring that the second evaporation section 322 and the heat exchanger 410 can be installed in the cold storage box 100.

[0041] The ice-making component 200 is used at least to supply ice to the containing space 110.

[0042] like Figure 1 As shown, the cold storage assembly 300 includes a condenser 310, an evaporator 320, a throttling element 330, and a compressor 340. The evaporator 320 includes a first evaporation section 321 and a second evaporation section 322. The first evaporation section 321 is disposed in the ice-making assembly 200 to enable the ice-making assembly 200 to make ice, and the second evaporation section 322 is disposed in the receiving space 110.

[0043] like Figure 1 As shown, the cooling assembly 400 includes a cooling heat exchanger 410, a cooling heat exchanger 420, and a first circulation pump 430. The cooling heat exchanger 410 is disposed in the receiving space 110, and the first circulation pump 430 is connected between the cooling heat exchanger 410 and the cooling heat exchanger 420.

[0044] As can be seen from the above structure, the air conditioner 1000 of this embodiment of the invention, by setting up a cold storage box 100 and forming a receiving space 110 within the cold storage box 100, provides installation space for the subsequent setting of the second evaporation section 322 and the cold heat exchanger 410, ensuring that the second evaporation section 322, the cold heat exchanger 410 and other structures can be smoothly installed in the cold storage box 100. In this way, during the use of the air conditioner 1000, at night or when the user temporarily uses the air conditioner 1000, the cold storage component 300 and the cold storage box 100 can work together to store cold. After the cold storage is completed, when the user uses the air conditioner 1000 for cooling, the cold release component 400 and the cold storage box 100 can work together to release cold, meeting the user's needs. Moreover, the above-mentioned process of storing cold first and then releasing cold not only improves the quality of the air conditioner 1000 but also greatly reduces the cost of using the air conditioner 1000 for the user.

[0045] By setting up an ice-making component 200 that provides ice to the containing space 110, the ice is delivered into the containing space 110 and used to lower the temperature inside the containing space 110, thus completing part of the cold storage work. In this way, when the air conditioner 1000 releases cold, the cooling effect can be achieved by exchanging heat with the temperature inside the containing space 110 through the heat exchanger 410 of the cold release component 400.

[0046] By setting up a cold storage assembly 300 consisting of a condenser 310, an evaporator 320, a throttling element 330, and a compressor 340, when the air conditioner 1000 is used temporarily at night or when the user temporarily uses the air conditioner 1000, and the air conditioner 1000 is turned on in cold storage mode, the compressor 340 starts to work, so that the refrigerant circulates between the compressor 340, the condenser 310, the throttling element 330, and the evaporator 320. The evaporator 320 continuously cools down the temperature inside the cold storage box 100 to complete the cold storage work.

[0047] It is worth noting that the evaporator 320 of this application consists of two parts: a first evaporation section 321 and a second evaporation section 322. During the cold storage cycle, firstly, the first evaporation section 321 exchanges heat with the ice-making assembly 200 to lower the temperature of the ice-making assembly 200, thus facilitating the formation of ice blocks on the ice-making assembly 200. The ice blocks are then transported into the receiving space 110 to lower the temperature within the receiving space 110. Subsequently, the second evaporation section 322 exchanges heat with the temperature within the receiving space 110 to further lower the temperature within the receiving space 110. In other words, by setting up the first evaporation section 321 and the second evaporation section 322, both sections can work together to lower the temperature within the receiving space 110, thereby improving the cold storage efficiency within the receiving space 110.

[0048] In some examples, a cold storage medium (such as water) is placed on the ice-making component 200 and in the containing space 110. When the first evaporation section 321 exchanges heat with the ice-making component 200, the first evaporation section 321 is used to change the water phase on the ice-making component 200 into ice, so as to make ice on the ice-making component 200. Then the ice is transported to the containing space 110 to achieve the purpose of cold storage in the containing space 110. When the second evaporation section 322 exchanges heat with the temperature in the containing space 110, the second evaporation section 322 is used to change the water phase in the containing space 110 into ice, so as to achieve the purpose of making ice directly in the containing space 110, thereby completing the cold storage work.

[0049] By setting the second evaporation section 322 inside the containment space 110, the evaporation temperature is controlled below the freezing point of water (usually -15℃ to -5℃). As the circulation process continues, the second evaporation section 322 will continuously cool down the cold storage box 100 until the water in the cold storage box 100 is completely frozen.

[0050] As can be seen from the above, in the cold storage mode of this application, the first evaporation section 321 and the second evaporation section 322 exchange heat simultaneously to complete the ice-making work, thereby maximizing the cold storage efficiency and shortening the cold storage time of the air conditioner 1000, thus reducing the operating cost of the air conditioner 1000. In addition, the cooperation between the first evaporation section 321 and the second evaporation section 322 can also improve the cold storage quality. In this way, when using ice for cooling, the cooling quality can be improved and the user experience can be enhanced.

[0051] By setting up a cooling component 400 consisting of a cooling heat exchanger 410, a cooling heat exchanger 420, and a first circulation pump 430, when the user needs the air conditioner 1000 to cool, the air conditioner 1000 turns on the cooling mode. In the cooling mode, the first circulation pump 430 starts working, causing the cooling medium to circulate between the cooling heat exchanger 410 and the cooling heat exchanger 420. When the cooling medium circulates to the cooling heat exchanger 410, since the cooling heat exchanger 410 is located in the receiving space 110, the cooling medium at this time is used to exchange heat with the temperature in the receiving space 110 to reduce the temperature of the cooling medium. Subsequently, under the action of the first circulation pump 430, the cooling medium flows to the cooling heat exchanger 420 and exchanges heat with the outside air, releasing cold energy to achieve a cooling effect.

[0052] The cold storage mode and the cold release mode of this application are independent of each other and alternate continuously in a cycle of "cold storage-cold release-cold storage", which ensures that the air conditioner 1000 can operate safely and stably.

[0053] It is understandable that, compared with the prior art, the air conditioner 1000 of this application utilizes the simultaneous operation of the first evaporation section 321 and the second evaporation section 322 to complete the cold storage work, so as to maximize the cold storage efficiency of the air conditioner 1000.

[0054] Optionally, such as Figure 1 As shown, the inlet of compressor 340 is connected to the outlet of the second evaporation section 322, the outlet of compressor 340 is connected to the inlet of condenser 310, the outlet of condenser 310 is connected to the inlet of throttling element 330, the outlet of throttling element 330 is connected to the inlet of the first evaporation section 321, and the outlet of the first evaporation section 321 is connected to the inlet of the second evaporation section 322, thereby forming a cold storage circulation loop for circulating the refrigerant, which facilitates the purpose of cold storage.

[0055] Optionally, such as Figure 1 As shown, the inlet of the heat exchanger 410 is connected to the outlet of the heat exchanger 420, and the outlet of the heat exchanger 410 is connected to the inlet of the heat exchanger 420. A first circulation pump 430 is connected between the heat exchanger 410 and the heat exchanger 420, thus forming a cooling circulation loop for circulating the cooling medium, facilitating the refrigeration purpose. The cooling medium can be an ethylene glycol solution, which does not freeze below 0°C and has high heat exchange efficiency, thereby improving the refrigeration effect.

[0056] It should be emphasized that by placing part of the structure of the evaporator 320 (the first evaporation section 321) on the ice-making assembly 200 and placing another part of the structure of the evaporator 320 (the second evaporation section 322) in the accommodating space 110, this application achieves ice making on the ice-making assembly 200 to improve cold storage efficiency, while avoiding placing the entire structure of the evaporator 320 in the accommodating space 110. This effectively avoids the phenomenon of local deep cooling in the cold storage box 100, thereby preventing the ethylene glycol solution in the cold release circulation loop from freezing and affecting its use during refrigeration.

[0057] In some examples, the cold storage box 100 is formed with an internally hollow structure in order to form a receiving space 110 inside the cold storage box 100.

[0058] Optionally, such as Figure 1 As shown, the air conditioner 1000 also includes a fan assembly 600, with the fan assembly 600, condenser 310, and heat exchanger 420 facing each other. During the rotation of the fan assembly 600, it can simultaneously drive airflow to exchange heat with the condenser 310 and the heat exchanger 420, reducing the number of fan assemblies 600, thereby lowering the cost of the air conditioner 1000 and simplifying its structure.

[0059] Optionally, the condenser 310 and the cooling heat exchanger 420 are arranged opposite to each other, and the fan assembly 600 is located below the condenser 310 and the cooling heat exchanger 420. When the air conditioner 1000 is in cooling mode, the fan assembly 600 drives the surrounding air to generate airflow, and the airflow indirectly exchanges heat with the cooling heat exchanger 420 to discharge cold air into the indoor space and achieve cooling of the indoor space. When the air conditioner 1000 is in cold storage mode, the fan assembly 600 drives the surrounding air to generate airflow, and the airflow indirectly exchanges heat with the condenser 310 to cool the refrigerant and improve the cold storage stability and cold storage efficiency of the cold storage assembly 300.

[0060] In the description of this invention, features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features, used to distinguish and describe features, without any order or importance.

[0061] In some embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 1 As shown, in the flow path from the throttling element 330 to the compressor 340, the first evaporation section 321 is connected upstream of the second evaporation section 322. Here, "upstream" means that during the flow of the refrigerant, the refrigerant first flows to the first evaporation section 321 to exchange heat with the ice-making assembly 200, and then flows to the second evaporation section 322 to exchange heat with the temperature within the containing space 110. Thus, the refrigerant in the first evaporation section 321 is at a lower temperature than the refrigerant in the second evaporation section 322, thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency of the first evaporation section 321 and ensuring effective ice making on the ice-making assembly 200.

[0062] Furthermore, since the first evaporation section 321 is located on the ice-making assembly 200 and the second evaporation section 322 is located in the containment space 110, the relative positions of the ice-making assembly 200 and the cold storage box 100 can be rationally set by placing the first evaporation section 321 upstream of the second evaporation section 322, ensuring that the ice on the ice-making assembly 200 can be effectively transported to the containment space 110.

[0063] Of course, in some other examples, the first evaporation section 321 can also be connected downstream of the second evaporation section 322. In this case, the ice-making component 200 and the cold storage box 100 can be connected by pipelines to ensure that the ice blocks generated on the ice-making component 200 can be smoothly transported into the containing space 110.

[0064] In some embodiments of the present invention, the flow path length of the evaporator 320 is greater than that of the cooling heat exchanger 410. The longer flow path of the evaporator 320 allows for fuller utilization of the refrigerant and the water in the ice-making assembly 200 or the containment space for heat exchange, thereby improving the cold storage efficiency.

[0065] It should be noted that since the cooling medium in the heat exchanger 410 is an ethylene glycol solution, which has excellent heat exchange efficiency, a heat exchanger 410 of a certain length is sufficient to effectively achieve the heat exchange efficiency between the ethylene glycol solution and the ice. In other words, the length of the heat exchanger 410 does not need to be too long. If the flow path length of the heat exchanger 410 is too long, the heat exchange efficiency between the ethylene glycol solution and the ice will be too high, causing the ice in the cold storage box 100 to be converted into water in a short time, thus affecting the cooling effect. In addition, a longer heat exchanger 410 will also lead to a higher production cost for the air conditioner 1000.

[0066] Optionally, the flow path length of the second evaporation section 322 is equal to the flow path length of the heat exchanger 410. On the one hand, this arrangement effectively controls the flow path length of the second evaporation section 322, preventing the formation of localized deep cooling in the cold storage box 100 due to a long flow path length. On the other hand, it facilitates the integration of the second evaporation section 322 and the heat exchanger 410 into a single unit, thereby improving the cooling efficiency of the heat exchanger 410.

[0067] In some embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 2 As shown, the heat exchanger 410 and the second evaporation section 322 are formed as a single unit to construct a heat exchanger assembly 500. The heat exchanger assembly 500 includes at least one row of heat exchange groups 510. A first refrigerant flow path 511 and a second refrigerant flow path 512 are respectively arranged side by side in each row of heat exchange groups 510. The first refrigerant flow path 511 is used for the heat exchanger 410, and the second refrigerant flow path 512 is used for the second evaporation section 322. This can be understood as follows: the first refrigerant flow path 511 is used for the flow of the cooling medium, and the second refrigerant flow path 512 is used for the flow of the refrigeration medium. Since the heat exchanger 410 and the second evaporation section 322 are generally not used at the same time, when the air conditioner 1000 starts the cold storage mode, the refrigeration medium can exchange heat with water through the second refrigerant flow path 512 to achieve the purpose of cold storage; when the air conditioner 1000 starts the cooling mode, the cooling medium can exchange heat with ice through the first refrigerant flow path 511 to achieve the purpose of cooling, thereby making the heat exchanger 410 and the second evaporation section 322 form an integral unit.

[0068] In a specific example, each heat exchanger group 510 includes multiple heat exchange tubes, end connecting pipes 520, and multiple fins. The multiple heat exchange tubes are interspersed on multiple fins. A flowing cooling medium or refrigerant is provided inside the heat exchange tubes. Some heat exchange tubes are connected through the end connecting pipes 520 to form a connected first refrigerant flow path 511, and another part of the heat exchange tubes are connected through the end connecting pipes 520 to form a connected second refrigerant flow path 512.

[0069] In the description of this invention, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0070] It should be noted that by alternating the first refrigerant flow path 511 and the second refrigerant flow path 512, this application ensures that each row of heat exchange groups 510 can be used for heat exchange when the cooling medium exchanges heat with ice or when the refrigerant exchanges heat with water, thus further avoiding the waste of fin area.

[0071] Optionally, the heat exchange tube can be a straight tube, and the end connecting pipe 520 can be a bent tube. The bent tube can be arc-shaped, and the heat exchange tube can be a copper tube, but the invention is not limited to this. The heat exchange tube can also be a tube that serves the same function as a copper tube, for example, an aluminum tube. The end connecting pipe 520 can be welded to the heat exchange tube to improve the connection strength between the heat exchange tube and the end connecting pipe 520, preventing leakage of the cooling medium or refrigerant during flow.

[0072] It should be noted that by setting the heat exchange tube as a straight tube, the structure of the heat exchange tube can be simplified and the assembly of the heat exchange tube and the fins can be facilitated. In addition, by setting the end connecting pipe 520 as a bent pipe, interference between the first refrigerant flow path 511 and the second refrigerant flow path 512 can be avoided, thereby preventing adjacent end connecting pipes 520 from being damaged, extending the service life of the end connecting pipe 520, and also facilitating the connection between the end connecting pipe 520 and the heat exchange tube.

[0073] In some embodiments of the present invention, the fins of the heat exchanger assembly 500 are preferably made of aluminum foil. In order to prevent the fins from being corroded by long-term immersion in the cold storage medium (e.g., water), an anti-corrosion coating can be provided on the outer surface of the fins, thereby delaying or preventing the corrosion of the fins and extending the service life of the fins.

[0074] Optionally, such as Figure 2 As shown, the heat exchanger assembly 500 includes a multi-row heat exchange group 510. The multi-row heat exchange group 510 can simultaneously exchange heat with the cold storage medium in the cold storage box 100, further improving the heat exchange efficiency of the heat exchanger assembly 500 and improving the quality of cold storage or release.

[0075] Optionally, the first refrigerant flow path 511 and the second refrigerant flow path 512 of two adjacent heat exchanger groups 510 are staggered to avoid interference between the first refrigerant flow path 511 and the second refrigerant flow path 512.

[0076] Optionally, such as Figure 2As shown, the first refrigerant flow path 511 of adjacent rows of heat exchange groups 510 is connected by a first cross pipe fitting 530. Connecting the first refrigerant flow path 511 of adjacent rows of heat exchange groups 510 through the first cross pipe fitting 530 allows each row of heat exchange groups 510 to simultaneously have a cooling medium, thereby enabling the cooling medium to flow in multiple rows of heat exchange groups 510. The cooling medium in multiple rows of heat exchange groups 510 simultaneously exchanges heat with the cold storage medium, improving heat exchange efficiency and thus improving the cooling efficiency of the air conditioner 1000.

[0077] Optionally, such as Figure 2 As shown, the second refrigerant flow paths 512 of adjacent rows of heat exchange groups 510 are connected by a second cross pipe fitting 540. Connecting the second refrigerant flow paths 512 of adjacent rows of heat exchange groups 510 through the second cross pipe fitting 540 allows each row of heat exchange groups 510 to simultaneously contain refrigerant, thereby enabling the refrigerant to flow in multiple rows of heat exchange groups 510. The refrigerant in multiple rows of heat exchange groups 510 simultaneously exchanges heat with the cold storage medium, improving heat exchange efficiency and thus improving the cold storage efficiency of the air conditioner 1000.

[0078] Optionally, the shape of the first span fitting 530 is the same as that of the second span fitting 540. This arrangement simplifies the structure of the first span fitting 530 and the second span fitting 540, facilitates their production, and allows for the production of both span fittings using only one set of molds or a single mold. This reduces the need for mold development and thus lowers the production cost of the first span fittings 530 and the second span fitting 540.

[0079] Optionally, the flow space is defined by spacing between adjacent rows of heat exchanger groups 510. This ensures that the flow space between adjacent rows of heat exchanger groups 510 contains a cold storage medium, thereby increasing the heat exchange area between the heat exchanger assembly 500 and the cold storage medium, making the heat exchange between the cold storage medium and the heat exchanger assembly 500 more uniform, and reducing the temperature difference between different areas of the cold storage medium.

[0080] In some embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 1 As shown, the ice-making assembly 200 includes an ice-making element 220, and the first evaporation section 321 acts on the ice-making element 220 to make ice. In other words, the ice-making work of the ice-making assembly 200 of this application is mainly completed on the ice-making element 220, which facilitates the delivery of ice blocks into the receiving space 110 to achieve a cold storage effect.

[0081] Optionally, the ice-making component 220 is located above the receiving space 110, with the top of the receiving space 110 open to receive liquid and ice falling from the ice-making component 220. With this arrangement, the ice formed on the ice-making component 220 can fall into the receiving space 110 under the influence of gravity, eliminating the need for a transfer device between the ice-making component 220 and the receiving space 110. This simplifies the structure of the air conditioner 1000 and reduces its production cost.

[0082] Optionally, the first evaporation section 321 is constructed as a coil-type heat exchanger, which is attached to the ice-making element 220. The coil-type heat exchanger is used to increase the length of the first evaporation section 321. By connecting the first evaporation section 321 to the ice-making element 220, the contact area between the first evaporation section 321 and the ice-making element 220 can be increased, thereby improving heat exchange efficiency and making it more conducive to the formation of ice on the ice-making element 220.

[0083] It should be noted that the bonding connection mentioned here can be either the first evaporation section 321 being glued to the ice-making component 220, or it can be connected to the ice-making component 220 using external connectors through snap-fit, plug-in, or other connection methods. This application does not limit the specific connection method between the first evaporation section 321 and the ice-making component 220, as long as it ensures that the first evaporation section 321 can be stably connected to the ice-making component 220.

[0084] Optionally, such as Figure 1 As shown, the ice-making assembly 200 also includes a spray unit 230 and a second circulation pump 240. The spray unit 230 is used to spray liquid onto the ice-making component 220. The second circulation pump 240 is connected to the receiving space 110 and the spray unit 230. The second circulation pump 240 is used to extract liquid from the receiving space 110 and supply it to the spray unit 230. That is, the second circulation pump 240 is simultaneously connected to the spray unit 230 and the receiving space 110. The second circulation pump 240 is used to extract liquid from the receiving space 110 and transport the liquid to the spray unit 230. Then, the spray unit 230 sprays the liquid onto the ice-making component 220 to realize the transfer of liquid from the cold storage tank 100 to the ice-making component 220. The liquid mentioned here is the aforementioned cold storage medium (water).

[0085] Optionally, after the spray unit 230 sprays liquid onto the ice-making component 220, the first evaporation section 321 exchanges heat with the ice-making component 220 to turn the liquid on the ice-making component 220 into ice. Then, the ice-making component 220 transports the ice blocks into the cold storage tank 100. The above cycle is repeated to turn the liquid stored in the cold storage tank 100 into ice, thereby completing the cold storage work of the air conditioner 1000.

[0086] In addition, since the ice-making component 220 is located on the upper part of the cold storage box 100 and the top of the cold storage box 100 is open, during the process of the spraying unit 230 spraying liquid toward the ice-making component 220, some liquid can also be sprayed into the cold storage box 100 to accelerate the flow of liquid, reduce the temperature difference inside the cold storage box 100, and increase the cold storage speed.

[0087] It should be noted that when the second circulation pump 240 delivers water from the cold storage tank 100 toward the ice-making component 220, the second evaporation section 322 located in the cold storage tank 100 works synchronously to directly convert some of the water in the cold storage tank 100 into ice. In other words, the water in the cold storage tank 100 of this application can be converted into ice in two ways (the first is that the ice-making component 200 and the first evaporation section 321 work together to make ice, and the second is that ice is made directly through the second evaporation section 322), and the two methods operate synchronously to improve the ice-making efficiency, which in turn improves the cooling efficiency of the air conditioner 1000.

[0088] Optionally, the second circulation pump 240 is connected to the housing space 110 and the second circulation pump 240 is connected to the spray unit 230 through pipelines to facilitate the delivery of the cold storage medium.

[0089] Optionally, such as Figure 1 As shown, the second circulation pump 240 is located in the lower part of the accommodating space 110. Firstly, the second circulation pump 240 can be directly placed inside the cold storage tank 100 without the need for additional connecting pipes, simplifying the structure of the air conditioner 1000. Secondly, the side walls of the cold storage tank 100 protect the second circulation pump 240, extending its service life. Thirdly, the cold storage medium located at the bottom of the accommodating space 110 can also be transported to the ice-making component 220 via the second circulation pump 240, allowing all the water in the cold storage tank 100 to be converted into ice, thereby improving the quality of cold storage.

[0090] Optionally, the ice-making assembly 200 also includes a detector for detecting the degree of ice-making in the ice-making component 220, thereby accurately obtaining the degree of freezing of the liquid on the ice-making component 220.

[0091] Advantageously, the detector is a thickness sensor, which is used to detect the thickness of the ice on the ice-making component 220 in real time. When the thickness of the ice reaches a certain value, the ice-making component 220 is heated by the heating element described below to ensure that the ice on the ice-making component 220 can fall into the cold storage box 100.

[0092] It should be noted that when the ice-making component 220 is thick, the water pumped by the second circulation pump 240 towards the ice-making component 220 will directly spray onto the ice, preventing the water from directly exchanging heat with the first evaporation section 321, thereby reducing the ice-making efficiency of the ice-making component 220. Therefore, this application sets up a detector to monitor the thickness of the ice in real time. When the ice thickness reaches a certain value, the ice falls off, facilitating re-ice making on the ice-making component 220 and improving the ice-making quality.

[0093] Of course, in other examples, the detector can also be a trigger sensor. When the ice block reaches a certain height, the ice block mechanically resists the trigger sensor. After the trigger sensor is triggered, the heating element described below is used to heat the ice-making element 220 to ensure that the ice block on the ice-making element 220 can fall into the cold storage box 100.

[0094] Optionally, the ice-making assembly 200 also includes a heating element for heating the ice-making component 220 to melt and remove the ice adhering to it. Since the ice-making component 220 is located at the top of the cold storage tank 100, after the ice melts, it falls towards the cold storage tank 100 under the influence of gravity, thus conveying ice into the cold storage tank 100.

[0095] It should be noted that the melting of ice on the ice-making component 220 by the heating element means that during the ice-making process of the ice-making component 220, at least one side of the ice is attached to the ice-making component 220. The heating element melts the attached area, and the ice can be discharged into the cold storage box 100 under the action of gravity, causing the ice on the ice-making component 220 to fall off.

[0096] Optionally, the heating element can be an electric heating wire, which is connected to the ice-making component 220. When the detector detects that the thickness of the ice on the ice-making component 220 reaches a certain value, the electric heating wire is energized to heat the ice-making component 220, thereby causing the ice near the side of the ice-making component 220 to melt and fall off.

[0097] Advantageously, the ice-making component 220 is equipped with a vibration motor or an ice-throwing mechanism. When ice removal is required, the vibration motor drives the ice-making component 220 to shake or the ice-throwing mechanism pushes the ice blocks inside the ice-making component 220 to make the ice blocks fall off more easily, thereby improving the efficiency of ice removal and achieving rapid ice removal. This allows the air conditioner 1000 to enter the cooling mode more quickly, improving the user experience.

[0098] Optionally, the air conditioner 1000 also includes a first sensor, which is installed inside the cold storage box 100. The first sensor is used to detect the height of the ice blocks inside the cold storage box 100. This allows for real-time detection of whether cold storage in the cold storage box 100 is complete. In other words, when the user starts the air conditioner 1000 for cooling, the data detected by the first sensor can be used to determine whether the air conditioner 1000 can switch to cooling mode.

[0099] In this system, water in the cold storage tank 100 is supplied to the ice-making component 220, and the resulting ice blocks fall into the cold storage tank 100. After a certain period of time, the liquid level in the cold storage tank 100 will drop, while the accumulation of ice blocks will gradually increase, and the ice blocks will float on the water surface. Therefore, the first sensor can be constructed as a liquid level sensor. By detecting the change in the liquid level in the cold storage tank 100, it can be identified whether the cooling capacity in the cold storage tank 100 meets the requirements for switching to the cooling release mode, and when the requirements are met, the system switches to the cooling release mode. Alternatively, the first sensor can be constructed as a height sensor. By detecting the accumulation height of the ice blocks in the cold storage tank 100, it can be identified whether the cooling capacity in the cold storage tank 100 meets the requirements for switching to the cooling release mode, and when the requirements are met, the system switches to the cooling release mode.

[0100] Advantageously, the first sensor is constructed as a height sensor, which makes the implementation of identifying whether the cooling capacity meets the cooling requirements by detecting the height of the ice accumulation more intuitive. When the first sensor detects that the height of the ice accumulation reaches a preset threshold, the air conditioner 1000 can switch to cooling mode according to the user's needs.

[0101] In some other examples, the air conditioner 1000 also includes a second sensor disposed inside the cold storage box 100, which is used to detect the temperature of the cold storage medium inside the cold storage box 100.

[0102] Alternatively, the second sensor may be configured as a temperature sensor.

[0103] Specifically, the first sensor determines whether to switch the air conditioner 1000 from the cold storage mode to the cold release mode, and the second sensor determines whether to switch the air conditioner 1000 from the cold release mode to the cold storage mode. In the cold release mode, the cooling medium in the cold heat exchanger 410 will exchange heat with the ice, causing the ice to melt. When the temperature of the cold storage medium is higher than the temperature threshold, it indicates that the cold capacity in the cold storage box 100 is insufficient. At this time, it is necessary to switch to the cold storage mode to re-store cold, so as to realize the switching of the air conditioner 1000 between the cold storage mode and the cold release mode.

[0104] In some embodiments, when the temperature signal collected by the temperature sensor is higher than the temperature threshold, the air conditioner 1000 can be directly controlled to switch to the cold storage mode. In other embodiments, when the temperature signal collected by the temperature sensor is higher than the temperature threshold, the air conditioner 1000 issues a warning of insufficient cooling capacity and can switch to the cold storage mode under the user's control.

[0105] Of course, after issuing a warning of insufficient cooling capacity, a timer can be started. If the user controls the system during the timer period, it will directly switch to the cold storage mode or shut down. If the user does not give a reverse control command after the timer period has expired, it will automatically switch to the cold storage mode to improve the user experience of the air conditioner 1000.

[0106] Optionally, the ice-making component 200 is located outside the cold storage box 100. This ensures that the ice-making component 200 does not occupy the internal space of the cold storage box 100, thereby maximizing the storage of cold storage medium within the cold storage box 100 for subsequent use during cooling, improving the cooling quality of the air conditioner 1000 and extending the cooling time of the air conditioner 1000 per cycle, thus enhancing the user experience.

[0107] In other examples, the cold storage tank 100 also has an installation space located above the receiving space 110, within which the ice-making assembly 200 is housed. This ensures that the ice produced by the ice-making assembly 200 falls accurately into the cold storage tank 100, and the outer wall of the cold storage tank 100 also protects the ice-making assembly 200, thereby extending its service life.

[0108] Optionally, when the ice-making component 200 is installed inside the cold storage box 100, a top plate may be provided on the top of the cold storage box 100, that is, the cold storage box 100 is formed into a circumferentially closed structure to prevent external dust, foreign objects, etc. from falling into the containing space 110 and causing contamination to the cold storage medium.

[0109] A specific embodiment of the air conditioner 1000 of the present invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The air conditioner 1000 of this application can be defined as an ice storage air conditioner 1000.

[0110] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the air conditioner 1000 includes: a cold storage box 100, an ice-making assembly 200, a cold storage assembly 300, a cold release assembly 400, a fan assembly 600, a first sensor, and a second sensor.

[0111] The cold storage box 100 has a housing space 110 and the top of the cold storage box 100 is open. The housing space 110 is used to place the cold storage medium (water, ice or water-ice mixture).

[0112] The ice-making assembly 200 includes an ice-making component 220, a spray unit 230, a second circulation pump 240, a detector, and a heating element. The second circulation pump 240 is disposed within the receiving space 110 and located at the lower part of the receiving space 110. The second circulation pump 240 is connected to the ice-making component 220 and is used to draw water from the receiving space 110 and supply it to the spray unit 230. The spray unit 230 is used to spray the received water onto the ice-making component 220. The ice-making component 220 is used to convert a portion of the received water into ice. The detector is used to detect the thickness of the ice on the ice-making component 220. The heating element is disposed on the ice-making component 220 and is used to heat the ice on the ice-making component 220 so that the ice attached to the ice-making component 220 melts and falls off. The ice-making component 220 is located above the cold storage tank 100, and the detached ice falls towards the cold storage tank 100.

[0113] The cold storage assembly 300 includes a condenser 310, an evaporator 320, a throttling element 330, and a compressor 340. The inlet of the compressor 340 is connected to the outlet of the second evaporation section 322, the outlet of the compressor 340 is connected to the inlet of the condenser 310, the outlet of the condenser 310 is connected to the inlet of the throttling element 330, the outlet of the throttling element 330 is connected to the inlet of the first evaporation section 321, and the outlet of the first evaporation section 321 is connected to the inlet of the second evaporation section 322, to form a cold storage circulation loop for circulating the refrigerant. In the circulation path from the throttling element 330 to the compressor 340, the first evaporation section 321 is located upstream of the second evaporation section 322. The first evaporation section 321 is attached to the ice-making component 220 to make ice. The second evaporation section 322 is located in the receiving space 110 to turn the water phase in the receiving space 110 into ice.

[0114] The cooling assembly 400 includes a cooling heat exchanger 410, a cooling heat exchanger 420, and a first circulation pump 430. The inlet of the cooling heat exchanger 410 is connected to the outlet of the cooling heat exchanger 420, and the outlet of the cooling heat exchanger 410 is connected to the inlet of the cooling heat exchanger 420. The first circulation pump 430 is connected between the cooling heat exchanger 410 and the cooling heat exchanger 420, thereby forming a cooling circulation loop for the flow of ethylene glycol solution. The cooling heat exchanger 410 is disposed within the accommodating space 110.

[0115] The fan assembly 600, condenser 310, and heat exchanger 420 are aligned.

[0116] A second sensor (not shown in the figure) is installed inside the cold storage tank 100. The second sensor is used to detect the temperature of the cold storage medium inside the cold storage tank 100. When the second sensor detects that the temperature of the cold storage medium is higher than the temperature threshold, the air conditioner 1000 starts the cold storage mode. Specifically, the second circulation pump 240 and the compressor 340 are started simultaneously. The second circulation pump 240 draws water from the containing space 110 and sprays the water onto the ice-making component 220 through the spray unit 230. The compressor 340 causes the refrigerant to circulate between the compressor 340, condenser 310, throttling element 330, and evaporator 320. When the refrigerant circulates to the first evaporation section 321, the lower-temperature refrigerant reacts with the ice-making component. The water on the ice-making component 220 is heated to turn into ice. Then, the refrigerant continues to circulate to the second evaporation section 322. The refrigerant in the second evaporation section 322 is used to exchange heat with the water in the cold storage tank 100 to directly turn the water in the cold storage tank 100 into ice. At the same time, the second circulation pump 240 continues to draw water from the cold storage tank 100 to make ice. The detector monitors the thickness of the ice on the ice-making component 220 in real time. When the thickness of the ice reaches a certain value, the heating element is activated to melt the ice attached to the ice-making component 220 and fall into the cold storage tank 100. This cycle continues until the first sensor detects that the accumulation height of the ice in the cold storage tank 100 has reached a preset value, and then the cold storage ends.

[0117] After cold storage is completed, when a user turns on the air conditioner 1000 for cooling, the second circulation pump 240 and compressor 340 are turned off and the first circulation pump 430 is started. This causes the ethylene glycol solution to circulate between the cold-receiving heat exchanger 410 and the cold-releasing heat exchanger 420. When the ethylene glycol solution circulates to the cold-receiving heat exchanger 410, it exchanges heat with the ice in the containing space 110 to lower its temperature. Subsequently, under the action of the first circulation pump 430, the ethylene glycol solution flows to the cold-releasing heat exchanger 420 and exchanges heat with the outside air, releasing cold energy to achieve a cooling effect. The air conditioner 1000 restarts the cold storage mode when the second sensor detects that the temperature of the water in the cold storage tank 100 is higher than the temperature threshold, so that the air conditioner 1000 continuously alternates between the "cold storage-cold release-cold storage" cycle.

[0118] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation" and "connection" 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. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0119] Other components of the air conditioner 1000 according to embodiments of the present invention, such as the structure and detection principle of the height sensor and temperature sensor, are known to those skilled in the art and will not be described in detail here.

[0120] In the description of this specification, references to terms such as "embodiment," "example," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. In this specification, illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0121] 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: A cold storage box, wherein the cold storage box has a storage space; An ice-making assembly includes an ice-making component, a spray unit, and a second circulation pump. The second circulation pump is connected to the containment space and the spray unit to draw liquid from the containment space and supply it to the spray unit. The spray unit sprays liquid onto the ice-making component. The ice-making component is located above the containment space, and the top of the containment space is open to receive liquid and ice falling from the ice-making component, so that the ice-making assembly is at least used to supply ice to the containment space. A cold storage assembly includes a condenser, an evaporator, a throttling element, and a compressor. The evaporator includes a first evaporation section and a second evaporation section. The first evaporation section acts on the ice-making element to make ice. The second evaporation section is located in the receiving space and is used to turn the water phase in the receiving space into ice. The cooling assembly includes a cooling heat exchanger, a cooling heat exchanger, and a first circulating pump. The cooling heat exchanger is disposed within the accommodating space, and the first circulating pump is connected between the cooling heat exchanger and the cooling heat exchanger.

2. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the flow path from the throttling element to the compressor, the first evaporation section is connected upstream of the second evaporation section.

3. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flow path length of the evaporator is greater than that of the heat exchanger.

4. The air conditioner according to claim 3, characterized in that, The flow path length of the second evaporation section is equal to the flow path length of the heat exchanger.

5. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heat exchanger and the second evaporation section are integrated into a single unit to form a heat exchanger assembly. The heat exchanger assembly includes at least one row of heat exchange groups. A first refrigerant flow path and a second refrigerant flow path are arranged side by side in each row of heat exchange groups. There are multiple first refrigerant flow paths and multiple second refrigerant flow paths, which are arranged alternately. The first refrigerant flow path is used for the heat exchanger, and the second refrigerant flow path is used for the second evaporation section.

6. The air conditioner according to claim 5, characterized in that, The heat exchanger assembly includes multiple rows of heat exchange groups, with the first refrigerant flow path and the second refrigerant flow path of adjacent rows of heat exchange groups being staggered.

7. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first evaporation section is constructed as a coil heat exchanger, which is attached to the ice-making component.

8. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second circulation pump is located in the lower part of the containment space.

9. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ice-making assembly also includes: A detector for detecting the degree of ice-making by the ice-making component; A heating element is used to heat the ice-making component so that the ice attached to the ice-making component melts and falls off.

10. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ice-making component is disposed outside the cold storage box, or the cold storage box also has an installation space located above the accommodating space, and the ice-making component is disposed within the installation space.

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