Air conditioner

Abstract

The application discloses an air conditioner and relates to the technical field of refrigeration, and aims at solving the problem of incomplete refrigerant recovery in the pipeline of the air conditioner. The outlet of the indoor heat exchanger in the air conditioner is communicated with the inlet of the compressor through an air pipe, the inlet of the outdoor heat exchanger is communicated with the outlet of the compressor, the outlet of the outdoor heat exchanger is communicated with the inlet of a throttling element, the outlet of the throttling element is communicated with the inlet of the indoor heat exchanger through a liquid pipe, a heating device is connected with the liquid pipe, the liquid refrigerant in the liquid pipe is evaporated into gaseous refrigerant after being heated by the heating device, and the gaseous refrigerant can push the liquid refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger out of the outlet of the indoor heat exchanger after entering the indoor heat exchanger. Meanwhile, the compressor continuously works in the process of recovering the refrigerant, and the compressor continuously drives the liquid refrigerant to flow out of the indoor heat exchanger, so that the recovery of the refrigerant in the pipeline of the air conditioner is realized, the situation that the liquid refrigerant still exists in the pipeline of the air conditioner after the refrigerant is recovered is prevented, and the safety of the air conditioner is improved.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] If refrigerant leaks during air conditioner operation, and since most refrigerants are flammable, the air conditioner will try to recover the refrigerant from the pipes. However, if the refrigerant in the pipes is difficult to evaporate, incomplete recovery can occur, posing a risk of combustion and explosion if it leaks into the air. There is a risk of combustion. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The embodiments of the present invention provide an air conditioner that solves the problem of incomplete refrigerant recovery in the air conditioner piping.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the embodiments of the present invention adopt the following technical solutions:

[0005] An embodiment of the present invention provides an air conditioner, including an indoor unit, an outdoor unit, a liquid pipe, a gas pipe, a heating device, and a controller. The indoor unit includes an indoor heat exchanger, and the outdoor unit includes a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, and a throttling element. The outlet of the compressor is connected to the inlet of the outdoor heat exchanger, and the outlet of the outdoor heat exchanger is connected to the throttling element. The throttling element is connected to the inlet of the indoor heat exchanger through the liquid pipe, and the outlet of the indoor heat exchanger is connected to the inlet of the compressor through the gas pipe. The heating device is connected to the liquid pipe and is used to heat the liquid pipe when the air conditioner recovers refrigerant. The controller is electrically connected to the heating device and is used to control the operation of the heating device when the air conditioner recovers refrigerant.

[0006] The air conditioner provided in this embodiment of the invention has an indoor heat exchanger outlet connected to the compressor inlet via a gas pipe, an outdoor heat exchanger inlet connected to the compressor outlet, an outdoor heat exchanger outlet connected to the throttling element inlet, and a throttling element outlet connected to the indoor heat exchanger inlet via a liquid pipe. A heating device is connected to the liquid pipe. The liquid refrigerant in the liquid pipe is heated by the heating device and evaporates into gaseous refrigerant. After the gaseous refrigerant enters the indoor heat exchanger, it can push the liquid refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger out through the outlet of the indoor heat exchanger. At the same time, the compressor continues to work during the refrigerant recovery process, and the compressor continuously drives the liquid refrigerant to flow out of the indoor heat exchanger, realizing the recovery of refrigerant in the air conditioner pipeline and preventing the presence of liquid refrigerant in the pipeline after the air conditioner recovers the refrigerant, thus increasing the safety of the air conditioner.

[0007] Optionally, the air conditioner also includes a connecting pipe and a first valve. The compressor outlet is connected to the inlet of the outdoor heat exchanger through the connecting pipe, and the first valve is located on the connecting pipe. The heating device includes a heat exchanger and a second valve. The connecting pipe between the first valve and the compressor is connected to the inlet of the heat exchanger of the heating device through the second valve. The connecting pipe between the first valve and the outdoor heat exchanger is connected to the outlet of the heat exchanger of the heating device. The heat exchanger of the heating device is connected to a liquid pipe. Both the first valve and the second valve are electrically connected to the controller. When recovering refrigerant, the controller also controls the first valve to close and the second valve to open.

[0008] With the above settings, the controller controls the first valve to close and the second valve to open, so that the high-temperature gaseous refrigerant discharged from the compressor enters the heat exchanger of the heating device through the second valve, and the heat exchanger of the heating device transfers the heat of the high-temperature gaseous refrigerant to the liquid pipe, thereby heating the liquid refrigerant in the liquid pipe.

[0009] Optionally, the air conditioner also includes a third valve located on the liquid line. The liquid line between the third valve and the throttling element is connected to the heat exchanger of the heating device. Both the throttling element and the third valve are electrically connected to the controller. The controller is also used to control the throttling element to close and the third valve to open when refrigerant is being recovered.

[0010] With the above setup, the liquid pipe between the third valve and the throttling element is connected to the heat exchanger of the heating device. When recovering refrigerant, the controller controls the throttling element to close and controls the third valve to open, so that more liquid refrigerant in the liquid pipe can be heated by the heat exchanger of the heating device and converted into gaseous refrigerant, thereby increasing the amount of refrigerant that the air conditioner can recover.

[0011] Optionally, the air conditioner also includes a timer, which is electrically connected to the controller. After the heat exchanger of the heating device heats the liquid pipe for a predetermined time, the controller is also used to control the third valve to close and control the throttling element to open.

[0012] With the above settings, after the heat exchanger of the heating device heats the liquid pipe for a predetermined time, the liquid refrigerant in the liquid pipe has evaporated into gaseous refrigerant. At this time, the controller controls the third valve to close and controls the throttling element to open, so that the liquid refrigerant in the outdoor heat exchanger can flow into the liquid pipe between the throttling element and the third valve, thereby increasing the amount of liquid refrigerant stored in the air conditioner.

[0013] Optionally, the air conditioner also includes a third valve located on the liquid line. The liquid line between the third valve and the indoor heat exchanger is connected to the heat exchanger of the heating device. The third valve is electrically connected to the controller. The controller is also used to control the third valve to close when refrigerant is being recovered.

[0014] With the above setup, the liquid pipe between the third valve and the indoor heat exchanger is connected to the heat exchanger of the heating device. When recovering refrigerant, the controller controls the third valve to close, which can reduce the amount of refrigerant that the heat exchanger of the heating device needs to heat the liquid refrigerant in the liquid pipe. This allows the liquid refrigerant to be converted into gaseous refrigerant more quickly, thus increasing the speed at which the air conditioner recovers refrigerant.

[0015] Optionally, the air conditioner also includes a first temperature sensor and a second temperature sensor. The first temperature sensor is used to detect the temperature at the inlet of the indoor unit, and the second temperature sensor is used to detect the temperature outside the air conditioner. Both the first and second temperature sensors are electrically connected to the controller. When the temperature detected by the second temperature sensor is lower than the temperature detected by the first temperature sensor, the controller controls the first valve to open and the second valve to close.

[0016] With the above settings, if the temperature detected by the second temperature sensor is lower than the temperature detected by the first temperature sensor, it indicates that the liquid refrigerant in the liquid pipe between the third valve and the indoor heat exchanger has been completely evaporated. At this time, the controller can control the first valve to open and the second valve to close, so that the gaseous refrigerant discharged by the compressor can directly enter the outdoor heat exchanger through the first valve, thereby improving the condensation efficiency of the outdoor heat exchanger and accelerating the efficiency of refrigerant recovery in the air conditioner.

[0017] Optionally, the heating device includes a heating wire connected to a liquid pipe, and a controller electrically connected to the heating wire; when recovering refrigerant, the controller also controls the heating wire to be energized.

[0018] With the above settings, the controller controls the heating wire to generate heat and evaporates the liquid refrigerant in the liquid pipe into gaseous refrigerant. The gaseous refrigerant pushes the liquid refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger out of the indoor heat exchanger. In conjunction with the continuous operation of the compressor, the liquid refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger and the pipes connected to the indoor heat exchanger is recovered to the compressor and the outdoor heat exchanger, thus realizing the recovery of refrigerant in the pipes by the air conditioner.

[0019] Optionally, the air conditioner also includes a fourth valve located on the gas pipe. The fourth valve is electrically connected to the controller, and the controller closes the fourth valve after the refrigerant recovery is complete.

[0020] The above settings prevent liquid refrigerant in the outdoor unit from flowing back into the indoor unit.

[0021] Optionally, the air conditioner also includes a pressure sensor located at the compressor inlet. The pressure sensor is used to detect the suction pressure at the compressor inlet and is electrically connected to the controller. During the refrigerant recovery process of the air conditioner, when the suction pressure is less than the compressor's rated pressure, the controller controls the fourth valve to close.

[0022] With the above settings, if the suction pressure at the compressor inlet is less than the compressor's rated pressure, it means that the gas pipe between the outlet of the indoor heat exchanger and the inlet of the compressor is in a low-pressure state, and the liquid refrigerant in the middle of the gas pipe has been completely recovered. At this time, the controller controls the fourth valve to close to prevent the liquid refrigerant in the outdoor unit from flowing back into the indoor unit.

[0023] Optionally, the air conditioner also includes a concentration sensor, which is located near the indoor heat exchanger and is used to detect the refrigerant concentration in the room. The concentration sensor is electrically connected to the controller, and when the indoor refrigerant concentration is greater than a predetermined value, the controller controls the heating device to work.

[0024] With the above settings, when the refrigerant concentration in the room exceeds the predetermined value, the controller activates the heating device. The liquid refrigerant in the liquid pipe is heated by the heating device and evaporates into gaseous refrigerant. The gaseous refrigerant then pushes the liquid refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger out of the outlet of the indoor heat exchanger. At the same time, the compressor continues to work, constantly driving the liquid refrigerant to flow out of the indoor heat exchanger. This achieves the recovery of refrigerant in the pipes by the air conditioner, ensuring that there is no liquid refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger and the pipes connected to it, thus preventing further leakage of liquid refrigerant and facilitating subsequent maintenance of the indoor unit. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 A connection diagram of an air conditioner provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 ;

[0026] Figure 2 A connection diagram of an air conditioner provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 ;

[0027] Figure 3 A connection diagram of an air conditioner provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 ;

[0028] Figure 4 A connection diagram of an air conditioner provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 ;

[0029] Figure 5 A connection diagram of an air conditioner provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 ;

[0030] Figure 6 A connection diagram of an air conditioner provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6 ;

[0031] Figure 7 A connection diagram of an air conditioner provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 7 ;

[0032] Figure 8A connection diagram of an air conditioner provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 8 ;

[0033] Figure 9 A schematic diagram of the air conditioner control process provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 ;

[0034] Figure 10 A schematic diagram of the air conditioner control process provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 ;

[0035] Figure 11 A schematic diagram of the air conditioner control process provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 ;

[0036] Figure 12 A schematic diagram of the air conditioner control process provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 ;

[0037] Figure 13 A connection diagram of an air conditioner provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 9 ;

[0038] Figure 14 A connection diagram of an air conditioner provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 10 ;

[0039] Figure 15 A connection diagram of an air conditioner provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 10 one;

[0040] Figure 16 A schematic diagram of the air conditioner control process provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 ;

[0041] Figure 17 A connection diagram of an air conditioner provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 10 two;

[0042] Figure 18 A connection diagram of an air conditioner provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 10 three;

[0043] Figure 19 A connection diagram of an air conditioner provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 10 Four;

[0044] Figure 20 A schematic diagram of the air conditioner control process provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6 .

[0045] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached diagram: 1. Air conditioner; 2. Indoor unit; 3. Outdoor unit; 4. Compressor; 5. Outdoor heat exchanger; 6. Throttling element; 7. Indoor heat exchanger; 8. Condenser fan; 9. Evaporator fan; 10. Liquid pipe; 11. Heating device; 12. Third valve; 13. Heat exchanger of the heating device; 14. Connecting pipe; 15. First valve; 16. Second valve; 17. Concentration sensor; 18. Heating wire; 19. Gas-liquid separator; 20. Fourth valve; 21. First temperature sensor; 22. Second temperature sensor; 23. Pressure sensor; 24. Gas pipe. Detailed Implementation

[0046] 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.

[0047] 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.

[0048] 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. Furthermore, when describing pipelines or channels, the terms "connection" and "linking" as used in this invention have the meaning of enabling conduction. The specific meaning needs to be understood in conjunction with the context.

[0049] In embodiments of the present invention, the terms "exemplary" or "for example" are used to indicate that something is an example, illustration, or description. Any embodiment or design described as "exemplary" or "for example" in embodiments of the present invention should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or designs. Specifically, the use of the terms "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a specific manner.

[0050] As used herein, “about,” “approximately,” or “approximately” includes the stated value and the average value within an acceptable range of deviation from the given value, wherein the acceptable range of deviation is determined by a person skilled in the art taking into account the measurement under discussion and the error associated with the measurement of the given quantity (i.e., the limitations of the measurement system).

[0051] The embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0052] Please refer to Figure 1 An embodiment of the present invention provides an air conditioner 1, which includes an indoor unit 2 and an outdoor unit 3. The indoor unit 2 and the outdoor unit 3 are connected so that the refrigerant circulates between the indoor unit 2 and the outdoor unit 3, and the cooling or heating of the indoor space is achieved by the change of the state of the refrigerant.

[0053] Continue to refer to Figure 1 During the operation of air conditioner 1, indoor unit 2 and outdoor unit 3 work together. Outdoor unit 3 may include compressor 4, outdoor heat exchanger 5, and throttling element 6. Indoor unit 2 may include indoor heat exchanger 7. The outlet of compressor 4 is connected to the inlet of outdoor heat exchanger 5, the outlet of outdoor heat exchanger 5 is connected to the inlet of indoor heat exchanger 7, and the outlet of indoor heat exchanger 7 is connected to the inlet of compressor 4. Throttling element 6 is located between the outlet of outdoor heat exchanger 5 and the inlet of indoor heat exchanger 7. Throttling element 6 may include a capillary tube, a throttling short tube, a thermostatic expansion valve, an electronic expansion valve, a float valve, etc.

[0054] Please refer to Figure 2 When the air conditioner 1 is in cooling mode, the outdoor heat exchanger 5 can be a condenser, and the indoor heat exchanger 7 can be an evaporator. During the cooling process of the air conditioner 1, the low-pressure gaseous refrigerant is compressed into a high-pressure gaseous refrigerant in the compressor 4. The high-pressure gaseous refrigerant enters the outdoor heat exchanger 5 through the outlet of the compressor 4 and the inlet of the outdoor heat exchanger 5. The outdoor unit 3 may also include a condenser fan 8, which is located close to the outdoor heat exchanger 5. When the condenser fan 8 is working, it can drive the outside air of the outdoor unit 3 to flow through the outdoor heat exchanger 5, reducing the temperature of the gaseous refrigerant inside the outdoor heat exchanger 5 and causing it to condense into liquid refrigerant. Then, as the liquid refrigerant flows to the indoor heat exchanger 7, it will pass through the throttling element 6. The throttling element 6 can suddenly reduce the pressure on the high-pressure liquid refrigerant, causing it to expand into a low-pressure liquid refrigerant, which then flows into the indoor heat exchanger 7.

[0055] The indoor unit 2 may also include an evaporator fan 9, which is located close to the indoor heat exchanger 7. The liquid refrigerant inside the indoor heat exchanger 7 can evaporate into gaseous refrigerant, which lowers the temperature of the air around the indoor heat exchanger 7. When the evaporator fan 9 is working, it can blow the cold air around the indoor heat exchanger 7 into the indoor space to achieve cooling of the indoor space.

[0056] The air conditioner 1 also includes a gas pipe 24. The outlet of the indoor heat exchanger 7 is connected to the inlet of the compressor 4 through the gas pipe 24. The low-pressure gaseous refrigerant formed by evaporation in the indoor heat exchanger 7 can re-enter the compressor 4 through the gas pipe 24 to continue compression, and so on for cooling.

[0057] Please refer to Figure 3 In this embodiment of the invention, the outdoor unit 3 may further include a liquid pipe 10 and a heating device 11. The two ends of the liquid pipe 10 are respectively connected to a throttling element 6 and an indoor heat exchanger 7. That is, the outlet of the throttling element 6 is connected to the inlet of the indoor heat exchanger 7 through the liquid pipe 10, and the heating device 11 is connected to the liquid pipe 10. The heating device 11 is used to heat the liquid pipe 10 when the air conditioner 1 recovers refrigerant. The heating device 11 may be located in the indoor unit 2, in the outdoor unit 3, or independently of the indoor unit 2 or the outdoor unit 3. When the air conditioner 1 is operating normally, the throttling element 6 delivers liquid refrigerant to the indoor heat exchanger 7 through the liquid pipe 10. When the air conditioner 1 is in refrigerant recovery mode, the heating device 11 heats the liquid refrigerant in the liquid pipe 10, causing it to evaporate into gaseous refrigerant. This increases the volume of the refrigerant, pushing it towards the compressor 4. Simultaneously, the compressor 4 continuously operates, generating suction that also draws the refrigerant from the indoor heat exchanger 7 closer to the compressor 4. This process recovers the refrigerant from the indoor heat exchanger 7 and the pipes before and after it. It is understood that the heating device 11 can be positioned around or close to the liquid pipe 10, as long as the heat generated by the heating device 11 is sufficient to heat the refrigerant in the liquid pipe 10.

[0058] Continue to refer to Figure 3In this embodiment of the invention, the air conditioner 1 also includes a controller (not shown). The heating device 11, the throttling element 6, and the compressor 4 are all electrically connected to the controller. The controller is used to control the operation of the heating device 11 during refrigerant recovery. At this time, the heating device 11 can continuously heat the liquid pipe 10. The liquid refrigerant in the liquid pipe 10 evaporates into gaseous refrigerant after being heated. Since the volume of the liquid refrigerant increases after being converted into gaseous refrigerant, the gaseous refrigerant can push the liquid refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger 7 out of the outlet of the indoor heat exchanger 7 after entering the indoor heat exchanger 7. At the same time, during the refrigerant recovery process, the controller controls the compressor 4 to work. The suction of the compressor 4 continuously drives the liquid refrigerant to flow out of the indoor heat exchanger 7, realizing the recovery of refrigerant in the pipeline by the air conditioner 1. This prevents the air conditioner 1 from still having liquid refrigerant in the pipeline after refrigerant recovery, increasing the safety of the air conditioner 1.

[0059] In the above implementation, the controller can be a device with certain control functions. For example, the controller may include a microcontroller, a programmable logic controller, etc.

[0060] Continue to refer to Figure 3 The air conditioner 1 provided in this embodiment of the invention has an indoor heat exchanger 7 whose outlet is connected to the compressor 4 inlet via a gas pipe 24, an outdoor heat exchanger 5 whose inlet is connected to the compressor 4 outlet, an outdoor heat exchanger 5 whose outlet is connected to the throttling element 6 inlet, and a throttling element 6 whose outlet is connected to the indoor heat exchanger 7 inlet via a liquid pipe 10. A heating device 11 is connected to the liquid pipe 10. The liquid refrigerant in the liquid pipe 10 is heated by the heating device 11 and evaporates into gaseous refrigerant. After the gaseous refrigerant enters the indoor heat exchanger 7, it can push the liquid refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger 7 out of the outlet of the indoor heat exchanger 7. At the same time, during the refrigerant recovery process, the compressor 4 continues to work, and the compressor 4 continuously drives the liquid refrigerant to flow out of the indoor heat exchanger 7, thereby realizing the recovery of refrigerant in the air conditioner 1 pipeline and preventing the air conditioner 1 from still having liquid refrigerant in the pipeline after the refrigerant is recovered, thus increasing the safety of the air conditioner 1.

[0061] Please refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 In the above implementation, the heating device 11 can be the heat exchanger 13 of the heating device. For example, the heating device 11 can be the heat exchanger 13 of the heating device, which can be a plate heat exchanger or a shell-and-tube heat exchanger, etc. If the heat exchanger 13 of the heating device is a plate heat exchanger, the plate heat exchanger is set close to the liquid pipe 10; if the heat exchanger 13 of the heating device is a shell-and-tube heat exchanger, the shell-and-tube heat exchanger is sleeved on the outside of the liquid pipe 10.

[0062] In the embodiment where the heating device 11 is the heat exchanger 13 of the heating device, the air conditioner 1 also includes a connecting pipe 14 and a first valve 15. The outlet of the compressor 4 is connected to the inlet of the outdoor heat exchanger 5 through the connecting pipe 14, and the first valve 15 is disposed on the connecting pipe 14. The heating device 11 may also include a second valve 16. The connecting pipe 14 between the first valve 15 and the compressor 4 is connected to the inlet of the heat exchanger 13 of the heating device through the second valve 16. The connecting pipe 14 between the first valve 15 and the outdoor heat exchanger 5 is connected to the outlet of the heat exchanger 13 of the heating device. The heat exchanger 13 of the heating device is connected to the liquid pipe 10. Both the first valve 15 and the second valve 16 are electrically connected to the controller. When recovering refrigerant, the controller is also used to control the first valve 15 to close and the second valve 16 to open.

[0063] With the above settings, the controller controls the first valve 15 to close and the second valve 16 to open, so that the high-temperature gaseous refrigerant discharged by the compressor 4 enters the heat exchanger 13 of the heating device through the second valve 16, and the heat of the high-temperature gaseous refrigerant is transferred to the liquid pipe 10 through the heat exchanger 13 of the heating device, thereby heating the liquid refrigerant in the liquid pipe 10.

[0064] Meanwhile, the gaseous refrigerant flowing through the heat exchanger 13 of the heating device will be condensed into liquid refrigerant after flowing into the outdoor heat exchanger 5. The liquid refrigerant formed in the outdoor heat exchanger 5 will be stored in the outdoor heat exchanger 5, and the liquid refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger 7 and the pipeline connected to the indoor heat exchanger 7 will be recovered.

[0065] In this embodiment of the invention, the conditions for refrigerant recovery by the air conditioner 1 can include various forms. For example, the air conditioner 1 can actively recover refrigerant, such as performing a refrigerant recovery step before shutting down to ensure that there is no liquid refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger 7 and the pipes connected to the indoor heat exchanger 7, thus avoiding safety hazards caused by liquid refrigerant leakage in the indoor unit 2. The air conditioner 1 can also passively recover refrigerant, such as when the air conditioner 1 detects that liquid refrigerant has leaked, in which case the air conditioner 1 performs a refrigerant recovery step.

[0066] Please refer to Figure 5 In one embodiment of the present invention, the air conditioner 1 may further include a third valve 12, which is located on the liquid pipe 10. The liquid pipe 10 between the third valve 12 and the throttling element 6 is connected to the heat exchanger 13 of the heating device. The throttling element 6 and the third valve 12 are both electrically connected to the controller. The controller is also used to control the throttling element 6 to close and the third valve 12 to open when recovering refrigerant.

[0067] With the above settings, the liquid pipe 10 between the third valve 12 and the throttling element 6 is connected to the heat exchanger 13 of the heating device. When recovering refrigerant, the controller controls the throttling element 6 to close and controls the third valve 12 to open, so that more liquid refrigerant in the liquid pipe 10 can be heated by the heat exchanger 13 of the heating device and converted into gaseous refrigerant, thereby increasing the amount of refrigerant that the air conditioner 1 can recover.

[0068] Please refer to Figure 6 In the passive refrigerant recovery method of air conditioner 1, air conditioner 1 also includes a concentration sensor 17, which is located near indoor heat exchanger 7. The concentration sensor 17 is used to detect the refrigerant concentration in the room. The concentration sensor 17 is electrically connected to the controller. When the indoor refrigerant concentration is greater than a predetermined value, the controller controls the throttling element 6 to close and controls the heating device 11 to work, causing air conditioner 1 to enter the refrigerant recovery step. The predetermined concentration value must be less than or equal to a safety value to ensure the safe use of air conditioner 1.

[0069] With the above settings, when the refrigerant concentration indoors exceeds the predetermined value, the controller controls the throttling element 6 to close, preventing the liquid refrigerant formed in the outdoor heat exchanger 5 from continuing to flow into the liquid pipe 10 through the throttling element 6. The controller also controls the heating device 11 to work, and the liquid refrigerant in the liquid pipe 10 evaporates into gaseous refrigerant after being heated by the heating device 11. The gaseous refrigerant pushes the liquid refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger 7 out of the outlet of the indoor heat exchanger 7. At the same time, the controller controls the compressor 4 to work, and the suction of the compressor 4 continuously drives the liquid refrigerant to flow out of the indoor heat exchanger 7, realizing the recovery of refrigerant in the pipes by the air conditioner 1, ensuring that there is no liquid refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger 7 and the pipes connected to the indoor heat exchanger 7, avoiding further leakage of liquid refrigerant, and facilitating subsequent maintenance of the indoor unit 2.

[0070] Since the concentration sensor 17 is located close to the indoor heat exchanger 7 and is electrically connected to the controller, in the implementation of the heating device 11 as the heat exchanger 13 of the heating device, when the indoor refrigerant concentration is greater than the predetermined concentration value, the controller controls the throttling element 6 to close, controls the first valve 15 to close, and controls the second valve 16 to open, so that the high-temperature gaseous refrigerant discharged from the compressor 4 enters the heat exchanger 13 of the heating device through the second valve 16, and the heat of the high-temperature gaseous refrigerant is transferred to the liquid pipe 10 through the heat exchanger 13 of the heating device, thereby heating the liquid refrigerant in the liquid pipe 10.

[0071] In the above implementation, after the air conditioner 1 is powered on, the concentration sensor 17 detects the indoor refrigerant concentration in real time; the controller determines whether the indoor refrigerant concentration is greater than the predetermined concentration value; if not, it continues to detect the indoor refrigerant concentration; if so, it determines whether the air conditioner 1 is currently in cooling mode; if so, it causes the air conditioner 1 to enter the refrigerant recovery step; if not, it first adjusts the air conditioner 1 to cooling mode, and then causes the air conditioner 1 to enter the refrigerant recovery step; after the air conditioner 1 enters the refrigerant recovery step, it determines whether the air conditioner 1 has met the conditions for ending the recovery; if not, the air conditioner 1 continues to recover refrigerant; if so, the air conditioner 1 stops recovering refrigerant and shuts down with an alarm.

[0072] Please refer to Figure 7 In the above implementation, the air conditioner 1 may further include a first temperature sensor 21 and a second temperature sensor 22. The first temperature sensor 21 is used to detect the temperature at the inlet of the indoor unit 2, that is, the first temperature sensor 21 is used to detect the temperature at the inlet of the indoor heat exchanger 7. The second temperature sensor 22 is used to detect the temperature outside the air conditioner 1, that is, the second temperature sensor 22 is used to detect the temperature of the indoor environment where the indoor unit 2 is located. Both the first temperature sensor 21 and the second temperature sensor 22 are electrically connected to the controller. When the temperature detected by the second temperature sensor 22 is lower than the temperature detected by the first temperature sensor 21, the controller controls the first valve 15 to open and controls the second valve 16 to close.

[0073] In the above implementation, if there is liquid refrigerant at the inlet of the indoor heat exchanger 7, the evaporation of the liquid refrigerant will absorb heat from the surroundings, causing the temperature at the inlet of the indoor heat exchanger 7 to be lower than the temperature of the indoor environment. If the temperature detected by the second temperature sensor 22 is lower than the temperature detected by the first temperature sensor 21, it indicates that the liquid refrigerant in the liquid pipe 10 between the third valve 12 and the indoor heat exchanger 7 has been completely evaporated. At this time, the controller can control the first valve 15 to open and the second valve 16 to close, so that the gaseous refrigerant discharged by the compressor 4 can directly enter the outdoor heat exchanger 5 through the first valve 15, thereby improving the condensation efficiency of the outdoor heat exchanger 5 and accelerating the efficiency of refrigerant recovery in the air conditioner.

[0074] In the above implementation, the temperature detected by the first temperature sensor 21 is set to T1, and the temperature detected by the second temperature sensor 22 is set to T2. If T2-T1>m can be satisfied, where m ranges from -5℃ to 0℃, then the controller can also control the first valve 15 to open and the second valve 16 to close.

[0075] In the case where the heating device 11 is the heat exchanger 13 of the heating device and the air conditioner 1 actively recovers refrigerant, when the controller receives the shutdown signal, the controller controls the first valve 15 to close and the second valve 16 to open, so as to realize the recovery of liquid refrigerant in the liquid pipe 10. Then, when the temperature detected by the second temperature sensor 22 is lower than the temperature detected by the first temperature sensor 21, the controller controls the first valve 15 to open and the second valve 16 to close, and then executes the shutdown step of the air conditioner 1.

[0076] Please refer to Figure 8 The heating device 11 can also be other devices capable of generating heat, such as an electric heating wire 18 or an electric heating tape. In the implementation where the heating device 11 is an electric heating wire 18, the electric heating wire 18 can also be connected to the liquid pipe 10 between the third valve 12 and the throttling element 6. The electric heating wire 18 can be wound around the liquid pipe 10, or the electric heating wire 18 can be arranged around the liquid pipe 10. The electric heating wire 18 can be connected to the power supply of the air conditioner 1. During refrigerant recovery, the controller also controls the electric heating wire 18 to be energized.

[0077] In the implementation of the heating device 11 being an electric heating wire 18 and the air conditioner 1 actively recovering refrigerant, when the controller receives a shutdown signal, it controls the throttling element 6 to close and simultaneously controls the power supply of the air conditioner 1 to supply power to the electric heating wire 18, causing the electric heating wire 18 to generate heat. The heat generated by the electric heating wire 18 evaporates the liquid refrigerant in the liquid pipe 10 into gaseous refrigerant. The gaseous refrigerant pushes the liquid refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger 7 out of the indoor heat exchanger 7. With the continuous operation of the compressor 4, the liquid refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger 7 and the pipes connected to the indoor heat exchanger 7 is recovered to the compressor 4 and the outdoor heat exchanger 5, realizing the recovery of refrigerant in the pipes by the air conditioner 1. Then, when the temperature detected by the second temperature sensor is lower than the temperature detected by the first temperature sensor 21, the controller controls the first valve 15 to open and controls the second valve 16 to close, and then executes the shutdown step of the air conditioner 1.

[0078] In the implementation mode where the heating device 11 is an electric heating wire 18 and the air conditioner 1 passively recovers refrigerant, the concentration sensor 17 is set close to the indoor heat exchanger 7 and is electrically connected to the controller. When the indoor refrigerant concentration is greater than the predetermined concentration value, the controller controls the throttling element 6 to close and controls the compressor 4 to work. At the same time, the controller controls the power supply of the air conditioner 1 to supply power to the electric heating wire 18, so that the electric heating wire 18 generates heat and the air conditioner enters the step of recovering refrigerant.

[0079] In the above implementation, the air conditioner 1 may further include a timer (not shown), which is electrically connected to the controller. After the heat exchanger 13 of the heating device heats the liquid pipe 10 for a predetermined time, the controller is also used to control the third valve 12 to close and the throttling element 6 to open. The predetermined time should be sufficient for the heating device 11 to heat and evaporate the liquid refrigerant in the liquid pipe 10 between the third valve 12 and the throttling element 6 into gaseous refrigerant within the predetermined time.

[0080] For example, in the implementation of the heating device 11 as a heat exchanger 13, the predetermined time can be 0 to 30 seconds, such as 15 seconds, 20 seconds, 30 seconds, etc. In the implementation of the heating device 11 as a heating wire 18, the predetermined time can be 20 to 120 seconds, such as 20 seconds, 60 seconds, 120 seconds, etc.

[0081] With the above settings, after the heat exchanger 13 of the heating device heats the liquid pipe 10 for a predetermined time, the liquid refrigerant in the liquid pipe 10 has evaporated into gaseous refrigerant. At this time, the controller controls the third valve 12 to close and controls the throttling element 6 to open, so that the liquid refrigerant in the outdoor heat exchanger 5 can flow into the liquid pipe 10 between the throttling element 6 and the third valve 12, thereby increasing the storage capacity of the air conditioner 1 for liquid refrigerant.

[0082] In the passive refrigerant recovery method of air conditioner 1, if the heating device 11 is located between the third valve 12 and the throttling element 6, and the heating device 11 is the heat exchanger 13 of the heating device, please refer to... Figure 9 The control steps of the controller are as follows:

[0083] S10: When the concentration sensor detects that the indoor refrigerant concentration is greater than the predetermined value, the concentration sensor sends a signal to the controller;

[0084] S11: The controller controls the throttling element to close, the first valve to close, controls the second valve to open, and controls the timer to start counting;

[0085] S12: When the temperature detected by the second temperature sensor is lower than the temperature detected by the first temperature sensor, the controller controls the first valve to open and the second valve to close.

[0086] S13: After the timer has finished timing the predetermined time, the controller controls the third valve to close and controls the throttling element to open.

[0087] In the implementation of the active refrigerant recovery method of air conditioner 1, if the heating device 11 is located between the third valve 12 and the throttling element 6, and the heating device 11 is the heat exchanger 13 of the heating device, please refer to... Figure 10 The control steps of the controller are as follows:

[0088] S20: The controller has received a shutdown signal;

[0089] S21: The controller controls the throttling element to close, the first valve to close, controls the second valve to open, and controls the timer to start counting;

[0090] S22: When the temperature detected by the second temperature sensor is lower than the temperature detected by the first temperature sensor, the controller controls the first valve to open and the second valve to close.

[0091] S23: After the timer has finished timing the predetermined time, the controller controls the third valve to close and controls the throttling element to open.

[0092] S24: The controller shuts down the air conditioner.

[0093] In the passive refrigerant recovery method of air conditioner 1, if the heating device 11 is located between the third valve 12 and the throttling element 6, and the heating device 11 is a heating wire 18, please refer to... Figure 11 The control steps of the controller are as follows:

[0094] S30: When the concentration sensor detects that the indoor refrigerant concentration is greater than the predetermined value, the concentration sensor sends a signal to the controller;

[0095] S31: The controller controls the throttling element to close, controls the power supply of the air conditioner to the heating element, and controls the timer to start counting;

[0096] S32: When the temperature detected by the second temperature sensor is lower than the temperature detected by the first temperature sensor, the controller controls the first valve to open and the second valve to close.

[0097] S33: After the timer has finished timing the predetermined time, the controller controls the third valve to close and controls the throttling element to open.

[0098] In the method of actively recovering refrigerant in air conditioner 1, if the heating device 11 is located between the third valve 12 and the throttling element 6, and the heating device 11 is a heating wire 18, please refer to... Figure 12 The control steps of the controller are as follows:

[0099] S40: The controller has received a shutdown signal;

[0100] S41: The controller controls the throttling element to close, controls the power supply of the air conditioner to the heating element, and controls the timer to start counting;

[0101] S42: When the temperature detected by the second temperature sensor is lower than the temperature detected by the first temperature sensor, the controller controls the first valve to open and the second valve to close.

[0102] S43: After the timer has finished timing the predetermined time, the controller controls the third valve to close and controls the throttling element to open.

[0103] S44: The controller shuts down the air conditioner.

[0104] Please refer to Figure 13 In another embodiment of the invention, the liquid pipe 10 between the third valve 12 and the indoor unit 2 can be connected to the heating device 11. That is, the heating device 11 is connected to the liquid pipe 10 located between the third valve 12 and the indoor unit 2, which differs from the above embodiment where the heating device 11 is connected to the liquid pipe 10 between the third valve 12 and the throttling element 6. During refrigerant recovery, the controller controls the third valve 12 to close.

[0105] With the above settings, the liquid pipe 10 between the third valve 12 and the indoor unit 2 is connected to the heating device 11. When recovering refrigerant, the controller controls the third valve 12 to close, which can reduce the amount of refrigerant heated by the heating device 11 to the liquid refrigerant in the liquid pipe 10, and can convert the liquid refrigerant into gaseous refrigerant more quickly, thereby increasing the speed of refrigerant recovery in the air conditioner 1.

[0106] In the above implementation, when the concentration sensor 17 detects that the indoor refrigerant concentration is greater than the predetermined value, the controller can directly control the third valve 12 to close and control the compressor 4 to work, so that the air conditioner enters the refrigerant recovery step. It is understood that in the implementation where the heating device 11 is connected to the liquid pipe 10 located between the third valve 12 and the indoor unit 2, regardless of whether the air conditioner 1 actively or passively recovers refrigerant, the controller does not need to control the opening and closing of the throttling element 6, simplifying the control steps of the air conditioner 1.

[0107] Please refer to Figure 14 and Figure 15 In this embodiment of the invention, the heating device 11 may also be the heat exchanger 13 or the heating wire 18 of the heating device described above, and the specific structure will not be described in detail here.

[0108] If the heating device 11 is located between the third valve 12 and the indoor unit 2, please refer to the following during the refrigerant recovery process of the air conditioner 1: Figure 16 The control steps of the controller include:

[0109] S50: The controller closes the third valve and starts the heating device.

[0110] S51: When the temperature detected by the second temperature sensor is lower than the temperature detected by the first temperature sensor, the controller controls the heating device to stop heating.

[0111] Please refer to Figure 17In this embodiment of the invention, the outdoor unit 3 further includes a gas-liquid separator 19. The inlet of the gas-liquid separator 19 is connected to the outlet of the indoor heat exchanger 7, and the outlet of the gas-liquid separator 19 is connected to the inlet of the compressor 4. During the refrigerant recovery process, the compressor 4 operates, driving the liquid refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger 7 towards the compressor 4. Since the gas-liquid separator 19 is located between the compressor 4 and the indoor heat exchanger 7, it can store the liquid refrigerant, preventing it from entering the compressor 4 and affecting its normal operation.

[0112] Please refer to Figure 18 In this embodiment of the invention, the air conditioner 1 may further include a fourth valve 20, which is located on the gas pipe 24. The indoor unit 2 is connected to the compressor 4 through the fourth valve 20. The fourth valve 20 is electrically connected to the controller. After the refrigerant recovery is completed, the controller controls the fourth valve 20 to close.

[0113] The above settings prevent liquid refrigerant in outdoor unit 3 from flowing back into indoor unit 2.

[0114] Please refer to Figure 19 In the implementation of the present invention including the fourth valve 20, the air conditioner 1 also includes a pressure sensor 23, which is located at the inlet of the compressor 4. The pressure sensor 23 is used to detect the suction pressure at the inlet of the compressor 4 and is electrically connected to the controller. When refrigerant is recovered and the suction pressure is less than the rated pressure value of the compressor 4, the controller controls the fourth valve 20 to close.

[0115] In the implementation of the pressure sensor 23 in the embodiments of the present invention, please refer to... Figure 20 The control steps of the controller include:

[0116] S60: When the pressure sensor detects that the compressor's suction pressure is lower than the rated pressure value, the pressure sensor sends a shutdown signal to the controller;

[0117] S61: The controller controls the fourth valve to close based on the shut-off signal from the pressure sensor.

[0118] In the above implementation, since the third valve 12 is closed during the refrigerant recovery process of air conditioner 1, the suction pressure at the inlet of compressor 4 will gradually decrease. If the suction pressure at the inlet of compressor 4 is less than the rated pressure value of compressor 4, it proves that the pipeline between the outlet of indoor heat exchanger 7 and the inlet of compressor 4 is in a low-pressure state, and the liquid refrigerant in the pipeline has been completely sucked into compressor 4. At this time, the controller controls the fourth valve 20 to close, preventing the liquid refrigerant in outdoor unit 3 from flowing back into indoor unit 2.

[0119] Although the invention has been described herein in conjunction with various embodiments, those skilled in the art will understand and implement other variations of the disclosed embodiments by reviewing the accompanying drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims in carrying out the claimed invention. In the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other components or steps, and "a" or "an" does not exclude a plurality. A single processor or other unit can implement several functions listed in the claims. While different dependent claims may recite certain measures, this does not mean that these measures cannot be combined to produce good results.

[0120] Although the invention has been described in conjunction with specific features and embodiments, it is obvious that various modifications and combinations can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, this specification and drawings are merely exemplary descriptions of the invention as defined by the appended claims, and are considered to cover any and all modifications, variations, combinations, or equivalents within the scope of the invention. Clearly, those skilled in the art can make various alterations and modifications to the invention without departing from its spirit and scope. Thus, if such modifications and modifications of the invention fall within the scope of the claims and their equivalents, the invention is also intended to include such modifications and modifications.

[0121] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An air conditioner, characterized in that, include: Indoor unit, the indoor unit including an indoor heat exchanger; The outdoor unit includes a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, and a throttling element. The outlet of the compressor is connected to the inlet of the outdoor heat exchanger, and the outlet of the outdoor heat exchanger is connected to the throttling element. A liquid pipe, through which the throttling element is connected to the inlet of the indoor heat exchanger; The outlet of the indoor heat exchanger is connected to the inlet of the compressor via the air pipe; A heating device is connected to the liquid pipe, and the heating device is used to heat the liquid pipe when the air conditioner recovers refrigerant; as well as A controller, electrically connected to the heating device, is used to control the operation of the heating device when the air conditioner recovers refrigerant; The air conditioner also includes a connecting pipe and a first valve. The outlet of the compressor is connected to the inlet of the outdoor heat exchanger through the connecting pipe, and the first valve is located on the connecting pipe. The heating device includes a heat exchanger and a second valve. The connecting pipe between the first valve and the compressor is connected to the inlet of the heat exchanger of the heating device through the second valve. The connecting pipe between the first valve and the outdoor heat exchanger is connected to the outlet of the heat exchanger of the heating device. The heat exchanger of the heating device is connected to the liquid pipe. Both the first valve and the second valve are electrically connected to the controller. When recovering refrigerant, the controller also controls the first valve to close and the second valve to open.

2. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, The air conditioner also includes a third valve located on the liquid pipe. The liquid pipe between the third valve and the throttling element is connected to the heat exchanger of the heating device. Both the throttling element and the third valve are electrically connected to the controller. The controller is also used to control the throttling element to close and the third valve to open when recovering refrigerant.

3. The air conditioner according to claim 2, characterized in that, The air conditioner also includes a timer, which is electrically connected to the controller. After the heat exchanger of the heating device heats the liquid pipe for a predetermined time, the controller is also used to control the third valve to close and control the throttling element to open.

4. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, The air conditioner also includes a third valve located on the liquid pipe. The liquid pipe between the third valve and the indoor heat exchanger is connected to the heat exchanger of the heating device. The third valve is electrically connected to the controller. The controller is also used to control the third valve to close when recovering refrigerant.

5. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, The air conditioner also includes a first temperature sensor and a second temperature sensor. The first temperature sensor is used to detect the temperature at the inlet of the indoor heat exchanger, and the second temperature sensor is used to detect the temperature outside the air conditioner. Both the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor are electrically connected to the controller. When the temperature detected by the second temperature sensor is lower than the temperature detected by the first temperature sensor, the controller controls the first valve to open and controls the second valve to close.

6. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heating device includes a heating wire connected to the liquid pipe, and the controller is electrically connected to the heating wire; when recovering refrigerant, the controller also controls the heating wire to be energized.

7. The air conditioner according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The air conditioner also includes a fourth valve, which is located on the gas pipe and is electrically connected to the controller. After the refrigerant recovery is completed, the controller controls the fourth valve to close.

8. The air conditioner according to claim 7, characterized in that, The air conditioner also includes a pressure sensor located at the inlet of the compressor. The pressure sensor is used to detect the suction pressure at the compressor inlet and is electrically connected to the controller. During the refrigerant recovery process of the air conditioner, when the suction pressure is less than the rated pressure value of the compressor, the controller controls the fourth valve to close.

9. The air conditioner according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The air conditioner also includes a concentration sensor, which is located near the indoor heat exchanger and is used to detect the refrigerant concentration in the room. The concentration sensor is electrically connected to the controller, and when the indoor refrigerant concentration is greater than a predetermined value, the controller controls the heating device to work.

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