An air conditioner and a refrigerant leakage protection and control method

Abstract

This invention provides an air conditioner and a refrigerant leak protection and control method, relating to the field of air conditioning technology. The air conditioner includes a refrigerant circulation system and a container for holding a non-flammable gas. The container is connected to the refrigerant circulation system and is used to inject the non-flammable gas into the system upon detection of a refrigerant leak. This allows the non-flammable gas to mix with the refrigerant, reducing flammability and thus lowering the risk of fire. During the execution of the refrigerant leak protection and control method of this invention, if a refrigerant leak is detected, the air conditioner injects a non-flammable gas into the refrigerant circulation loop to reduce flammability and further lower the risk of fire. The air conditioner and refrigerant leak protection and control method provided by this invention can reduce the risk of fire in existing air conditioners using flammable refrigerants when a refrigerant leak occurs.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of air conditioning technology, and more specifically, to an air conditioner and a method for protecting and controlling refrigerant leakage. Background Technology

[0002] From an environmental perspective, air conditioners should ideally use refrigerants with a low Global Warming Potential (GWP). For example, Europe recommends banning the use of fluorinated gases with a GWP higher than 750 in air conditioners with a power rating greater than 12 kW. Currently, difluoromethane (R-32, GWP=675) is often used for fluorinated gases, while propane (R-290, GWP=3) is used for natural refrigerants, which have a lower GWP. However, refrigerants with lower GWPs are often flammable, and R-32 and R-290, mentioned earlier, are also flammable.

[0003] The concentration of these flammable refrigerants in combustible air is regulated. Generally, the lower limit is considered to be LFL (Lower Flammable Limit), and the upper limit is UFL (Upper Flammable Limit). When refrigerant leaks in an air-conditioned space, the refrigerant concentration gradually increases. If the refrigerant concentration exceeds LFL, there is a possibility of fire; LFL is very important. In air conditioners using heavier-than-air refrigerants such as R-290 and R-32, if a refrigerant leak occurs in the indoor unit, depending on the rate of leakage, room size, whether the room is ventilated, and the degree of air exchange, the flammable refrigerant can stagnate near the floor, reaching above LFL, thus posing a fire risk. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The problem addressed by this invention is how to reduce the risk of fire when air conditioners using flammable refrigerants in the prior art experience refrigerant leaks.

[0005] To address the above problems, the present invention provides an air conditioner, comprising:

[0006] A refrigerant circulation loop, wherein a compressor is provided in the refrigerant circulation loop;

[0007] A first container is used to hold a non-flammable gas; the first container is connected to the suction port of the compressor; and,

[0008] A control device, electrically connected to the first container, is configured to open the first container to inject a non-flammable gas into the refrigerant circulation loop in the event of a detected refrigerant leak.

[0009] The advantages of the air conditioner provided by this invention compared to the prior art include:

[0010] In this air conditioner, by adding a first container to the refrigerant circulation loop, in the event of a refrigerant leak, a non-flammable gas from the first container can be introduced into the refrigerant circulation loop. This allows the non-flammable gas to mix with the refrigerant, resulting in a mixture with lower flammability. Compared to the refrigerant, this mixture has reduced flammability, thus lowering the risk of fire at the leak point even if a leak occurs. Based on this, the air conditioner can reduce the fire risk in existing air conditioners using flammable refrigerants when a refrigerant leak occurs.

[0011] Optionally, the first container is connected in parallel with a portion of the pipeline in the refrigerant circulation loop near the suction port.

[0012] By connecting the first container in parallel with the compressor inlet section, the refrigerant circulation flow can be maintained without affecting the introduction of non-flammable gas into the refrigerant circulation loop, ensuring stable compressor operation and effectively mixing the refrigerant and non-flammable gas.

[0013] Optionally, the first container is connected to the refrigerant circulation loop through two first inlet pipes, each of which is equipped with a first switching valve, and the first switching valve is electrically connected to the control device.

[0014] The control device can control the opening and closing of the first container by controlling the first switching valve. When the first switching valve is open, the first container can introduce non-flammable gas into the refrigerant circulation loop; when both first switching valves are closed, the first container is closed.

[0015] Optionally, the refrigerant circulation loop is further provided with an indoor heat exchanger; the air conditioner also includes a second container for holding non-flammable gas, and the second container is connected in parallel with the indoor heat exchanger.

[0016] By connecting a second container in parallel with the indoor heat exchanger, a loop can be formed between the second container and the indoor heat exchanger in the event of a leak. This allows non-flammable gas to be directly injected into the indoor heat exchanger, enabling the non-flammable gas to quickly mix with the leaked refrigerant. This reduces the flammability of the leaked gas, thereby reducing the risk of fire and improving safety.

[0017] Optionally, the second container is connected to the refrigerant circulation loop via two second inlet pipes, each of which is equipped with a second switching valve.

[0018] The control device can control the opening and closing of the second switching valve to realize the opening and closing of the second container. When the second switching valve is open, the second container can inject non-flammable gas into the indoor heat exchanger; when both second switching valves are closed, the second container is closed.

[0019] A refrigerant leakage protection and control method, applied to the aforementioned air conditioner, the refrigerant leakage protection and control method comprising:

[0020] In the event of a detected refrigerant leak, determine whether the compressor is in operation;

[0021] If the compressor is running, then the first container is controlled to open;

[0022] If the compressor is not in operation, then control the compressor to start before controlling the first container to start.

[0023] If a refrigerant leak is detected during the execution of this refrigerant leak protection method, the air conditioner can directly control the opening of the first container. The first container injects non-flammable gas from the compressor's suction port, allowing the refrigerant and non-flammable gas to mix rapidly. The mixture is then discharged by the compressor and delivered to various locations in the refrigerant circulation loop, thereby reducing the flammability of the leaked mixture and lowering the risk of fire.

[0024] Optionally, after controlling the opening of the first container, the refrigerant leakage protection control method further includes:

[0025] Determine whether the running time of the first container has reached the preset time;

[0026] If the preset time is reached, the compressor and the first container are controlled to shut down.

[0027] After the first container has been running for a preset time, indicating that the flammability of the mixture has been reduced to a low risk of fire due to the mixing of non-flammable gases, the compressor can be shut off.

[0028] A refrigerant leakage protection and control method, applied to the aforementioned air conditioner, the refrigerant leakage protection and control method comprising:

[0029] If a refrigerant leak is detected, determine whether the leak is located indoors;

[0030] If the leak is located indoors, determine whether the compressor is in operation;

[0031] If the compressor is running, then turn off the compressor and then open the second container;

[0032] If the compressor is not in operation, then open the second container;

[0033] If the leak is located outdoors, determine whether the compressor is in operation;

[0034] If the compressor is running, then the first container is opened;

[0035] If the compressor is not running, then turn on the compressor and then open the first container.

[0036] During the implementation of this refrigerant leakage protection and control method, corresponding actions can be performed for different refrigerant leakage locations to quickly deliver non-flammable gas to the leakage point, thereby rapidly reducing the flammability of the leaked gas and improving safety.

[0037] An air conditioner, comprising:

[0038] A refrigerant circulation loop, wherein an indoor heat exchanger is provided in the refrigerant circulation loop;

[0039] A second container is used to hold a non-flammable gas; the second container is connected in parallel with the indoor heat exchanger, and the second container is connected to the refrigerant circulation loop through two second inlet pipes; and...

[0040] A control device, electrically connected to the second container, is configured to open the second container to inject a non-flammable gas into the indoor heat exchanger upon detection of a refrigerant leak.

[0041] In this air conditioner, by installing a second container in parallel with the indoor heat exchanger, a loop can be directly formed between the second container and the indoor heat exchanger in the event of a leak indoors. This allows non-flammable gas to be directly injected into the indoor heat exchanger, enabling the non-flammable gas to quickly mix with the leaked refrigerant, reducing the flammability of the leaked gas and thus lowering the risk of fire and improving safety.

[0042] A refrigerant leakage protection and control method, applied to the aforementioned air conditioner, the refrigerant leakage protection and control method comprising:

[0043] If a refrigerant leak is detected indoors, determine whether the compressor is running;

[0044] If the compressor is running, then control the compressor to shut down and then control the second container to open;

[0045] If the compressor is not in operation, the second container is controlled to open.

[0046] If a refrigerant leak is detected indoors, the compressor can be shut down and the second container opened to form a circuit between the second container and the indoor heat exchanger. The non-flammable gas in the second container can then be injected into the indoor heat exchanger, reducing the flammability of the mixture and thus lowering the flammability of the leaked gas indoors, thereby reducing the risk of fire and improving safety. Attached Figure Description

[0047] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the air conditioner provided in the first embodiment of this application;

[0048] Figure 2 This is a partial flowchart of the refrigerant leakage protection and control method provided in the first embodiment of this application;

[0049] Figure 3 This is another part of the flowchart of the refrigerant leakage protection and control method provided in the first embodiment of this application;

[0050] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the air conditioner provided in the second embodiment of this application;

[0051] Figure 5 This is a flowchart of the refrigerant leakage protection and control method provided in the second embodiment of this application;

[0052] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the air conditioner provided in the third embodiment of this application;

[0053] Figure 7 This is a flowchart of the refrigerant leakage protection and control method provided in the third embodiment of this application.

[0054] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0055] 10-Air conditioner; 100-Refrigerant circulation loop; 110-Indoor heat exchanger; 120-Outdoor heat exchanger; 130-Expansion valve; 140-Compressor; 141-Suction port; 200-First container; 210-First inlet pipe; 220-First switching valve; 300-Second container; 310-Second inlet pipe; 320-Second switching valve. Detailed Implementation

[0056] To make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0057] First Embodiment

[0058] Please see Figure 1This embodiment provides an air conditioner 10, which is used to provide air conditioning to a designated area to improve the comfort level of that area. It is worth noting that the air conditioner 10 generally includes an indoor unit and an outdoor unit. The indoor unit is installed in the designated area to provide air conditioning; the outdoor unit is installed in an area outside the designated area, and the outdoor and indoor units are connected for refrigerant circulation. Typically, the indoor unit includes an indoor heat exchanger 110; the outdoor unit includes an outdoor heat exchanger 120, a compressor 140, and an expansion valve 130. During cooling mode operation, the refrigerant flows sequentially through the compressor 140, the outdoor heat exchanger 120, the expansion valve 130, and the indoor heat exchanger 110, then returns to the compressor 140 to form a cycle. During heating mode operation, the refrigerant flows sequentially through the compressor 140, the indoor heat exchanger 110, the expansion valve 130, and the outdoor heat exchanger 120, then returns to the compressor 140 to form a cycle. It is worth noting that... Figure 1 , Figure 4 and Figure 6 The dashed box A in the diagram indicates the indoor area, and the dashed box B indicates the outdoor area.

[0059] In this embodiment, the air conditioner 10 can reduce the risk of fire when a flammable refrigerant leaks in existing air conditioners.

[0060] In this embodiment, the air conditioner 10 includes a refrigerant circulation loop 100, a first container 200, and a control device. The refrigerant circulation loop 100 includes a compressor 140, an indoor heat exchanger 110, an outdoor heat exchanger 120, and an expansion valve 130 for refrigerant circulation. The first container 200 is connected to the suction port 141 of the compressor 140 and is used to hold a non-flammable gas. The control device is electrically connected to the first container 200 and is used to open the first container 200 in the event of a detected refrigerant leak to inject a non-flammable gas into the refrigerant circulation loop 100.

[0061] It should be noted that non-flammable gases refer to substances that are not inherently combustible, such as condensable gases like R-744 (CO2), R-1224yd (Z), R-1233zd (E), R-1336mzz (E), R-1336mzz (Z), and R-13I1 (CFI). These examples of non-flammable gases not only possess non-flammability but also have low global warming coefficients, also known as global warming potential (GWP). It is worth noting that R-13I1 (CFI) also possesses fire-extinguishing properties; it can deactivate free radicals generated during combustion, inhibit the combustion reaction, and even reduce the risk of fire.

[0062] Additionally, it is worth noting that the amount of non-flammable gas in the first container 200 can be determined based on the RCL (Refrigerant Concentration Limit), which is determined by the smaller of the ODL (Oxygen Deprivation Limit) and ATEL (Acute Toxicity Exposure Limit). For example, R-13I1 (CFI) can be determined according to the relevant regulations of ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers). Since RCL = 2000 ppm (16 g / m²), in a floor area of ​​20 m²... 2 The maximum amount of non-flammable gas R-13I1 (CFI) in an air conditioner installed in a room with a height of 2.2m is 0.70kg.

[0063] For the materials used to manufacture the first container 200, copper, aluminum, iron, stainless steel, and other materials can be selected. Materials that are not likely to cause corrosion from contact between different types of metals can be chosen.

[0064] In addition, in some embodiments of this application, the non-flammable gas can be contained in the first container 200 in a gas-liquid two-phase manner, which can reduce the volume of the first container 200.

[0065] The control device can be an integrated circuit chip with signal processing capabilities. The aforementioned control device can be a general-purpose processor, including a central processing unit (CPU), or a microcontroller, microcontroller unit (MCU), complex programmable logic device (CPLD), field-programmable gate array (FPGA), application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), embedded ARM, etc. The control device can implement or execute the methods, steps, and logic block diagrams disclosed in the embodiments of this invention.

[0066] In one feasible implementation, the air conditioner 10 may further include a memory for storing program instructions executable by a control device. The memory may be a separate external memory, including but not limited to Random Access Memory (RAM), Read Only Memory (ROM), Programmable Read-Only Memory (PROM), Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EPROM), and Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM). The memory may also be integrated with the control device; for example, the memory may be integrated with the control device within the same chip.

[0067] In addition, in this embodiment, the first container 200 is connected in parallel with a portion of the pipeline in the refrigerant circulation loop 100 near the suction port 141 of the compressor 140. By connecting the first container 200 in parallel with the portion at the inlet of the compressor 140, the circulation flow of the refrigerant can be maintained without affecting the introduction of non-flammable gas into the refrigerant circulation loop 100, ensuring stable operation of the compressor 140 and effectively mixing the refrigerant and non-flammable gas.

[0068] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first container 200 is connected to the refrigerant circulation loop 100 via two first inlet pipes 210. Each of the two first inlet pipes 210 is equipped with a first switching valve 220, which is electrically connected to a control device. The control device is used to control the opening and closing of the first switching valves 220. The control device can control the opening and closing of the first container 200 by controlling the first switching valves 220. When the first switching valve 220 is open, the first container 200 can introduce non-flammable gas into the refrigerant circulation loop 100; when both first switching valves 220 are closed, the first container 200 is closed.

[0069] Based on the air conditioner 10 provided above, this embodiment also provides a refrigerant leakage protection control method, which is applied to the air conditioner 10 described above. In the air conditioner 10 provided in this embodiment, the control device can execute the refrigerant leakage protection control method to reduce the risk of fire when refrigerant leaks.

[0070] Please refer to Figure 2 The refrigerant leakage protection method includes:

[0071] S11. If a refrigerant leak is detected, determine whether the compressor 140 is in operation.

[0072] It is worth noting that the method for detecting refrigerant leakage can be the same as that in the prior art. However, how to detect refrigerant leakage is not the focus of this application and will not be elaborated here.

[0073] S12. If the compressor 140 is in operation, control the first container 200 to open.

[0074] The control device can open the first container 200 by controlling the first switching valve 220 to open. After the first container 200 is opened, non-flammable gas can be injected into the suction port 141 of the compressor 140, so that the non-flammable gas mixes with the refrigerant. Step S12 can be regarded as the judgment result in step S11 being yes.

[0075] S13. If the compressor 140 is not in operation, control the compressor 140 to start and then control the first container 200 to start.

[0076] Step S13 can be seen as the judgment structure in step S11 being no.

[0077] In steps S12 and S13, it can be seen that in the event of refrigerant leakage, the compressor 140 needs to be switched or kept running so that the non-flammable gas can be mixed with the refrigerant and the mixture can be transported to various locations in the refrigerant circulation loop 100. This ensures that the refrigerant at the leak point is replaced by the mixture, so that what leaks at the leak point is the mixture, thereby reducing the flammability of the leaked gas and achieving the purpose of reducing the risk of fire.

[0078] Further, please refer to Figure 3 After the first container 200 is opened, the refrigerant leakage protection control method further includes:

[0079] S14. Determine whether the running time of the first container 200 has reached the preset time.

[0080] S15. If the preset time is reached, control the compressor 140 and the first container 200 to shut down.

[0081] In this process, after the compressor 140 has been running for a preset time, the refrigerant and non-flammable gas are thoroughly mixed, thereby reducing the flammability of the mixture. In other words, sufficient time is provided to the compressor 140 to mix the refrigerant and non-flammable gas to effectively reduce the risk of fire. The preset time can be determined based on factors such as the type of non-flammable gas, the operating power of the compressor 140, and the total circulation volume of the refrigerant circulation loop 100. This preset time can be obtained through testing before the air conditioner 10 leaves the factory. Step S15 can be considered as the judgment result in step S14 being "yes".

[0082] It is worth noting that if the judgment result in step S14 is negative, the compressor 140 and the first container 200 will continue to be kept open.

[0083] In summary, the air conditioner 10 and refrigerant leakage protection control method provided in this embodiment can introduce a first container 200 into the refrigerant circulation loop 100. Upon detecting a refrigerant leak, the non-flammable gas in the first container 200 can be introduced into the refrigerant circulation loop 100, allowing the non-flammable gas to mix with the refrigerant, resulting in a mixture with lower flammability. Compared to the refrigerant, this mixture has reduced flammability, thus lowering the risk of fire at the leak point even if a leak occurs. Based on this, the air conditioner 10 can reduce the risk of fire in existing air conditioners using flammable refrigerants when a refrigerant leak occurs.

[0084] Second Embodiment

[0085] Please see Figure 4 This embodiment provides an air conditioner 10, which can also reduce the fire risk of existing air conditioners using flammable refrigerants in the event of refrigerant leakage. The difference between this air conditioner 10 and the one in the first embodiment is that the air conditioner 10 provided in this embodiment also includes a second container 300, which is also used to hold non-flammable gas. Any parts not mentioned in this embodiment can be referred to in the first embodiment.

[0086] In this embodiment, the second container 300 is connected in parallel with the indoor heat exchanger 110. By connecting the second container 300 in parallel with the indoor heat exchanger 110, in the event of a leak indoors, the second container 300 and the indoor heat exchanger 110 can be directly connected to form a circuit. Non-flammable gas can be directly injected into the indoor heat exchanger 110, allowing the non-flammable gas to quickly mix with the leaked refrigerant, reducing the flammability of the leaked gas and thus reducing the risk of fire and improving safety.

[0087] Furthermore, the second container 300 is connected to the refrigerant circulation loop 100 through two second inlet pipes 310, and each of the two second inlet pipes 310 is provided with a second switching valve 320; the second switching valve 320 is electrically connected to the control device, and the control device can be used to control the opening and closing of the second switching valve 320.

[0088] Based on the air conditioner 10 provided in this embodiment, this embodiment also provides a refrigerant leakage protection control method. In the air conditioner 10 provided in this embodiment, the control device can execute the refrigerant leakage protection control method to reduce the risk of fire at the leakage point.

[0089] Please refer to Figure 5 The refrigerant leakage protection and control method includes:

[0090] S21. If a refrigerant leak is detected, determine whether the leak is located indoors.

[0091] It is worth noting that the methods for detecting refrigerant leaks and determining the location of leaks are existing technologies, and since they are not the focus of this application, they will not be elaborated here.

[0092] S22. If the leak is located indoors, determine whether the compressor 140 is running.

[0093] In other words, if the judgment result in step S21 is yes, then the judgment step of determining whether the compressor 140 is in the running state is executed.

[0094] S23. If compressor 140 is running, then turn off compressor 140 and then open the second container 300.

[0095] Step S23 can be seen as the judgment result in step S22 being yes.

[0096] S24. If the compressor 140 is not in operation, open the second container 300.

[0097] Step S24 can be seen as the judgment result in step S22 being negative.

[0098] In other words, if the refrigerant leak is located indoors, the compressor 140 can be directly controlled to remain in or switch to the off state. Then, the second container 300 can be opened. Through the circuit formed by the second container 300 and the indoor heat exchanger 110, non-flammable gas can be quickly introduced into the indoor heat exchanger 110, and the non-flammable gas and indoor refrigerant can be quickly mixed. This will quickly reduce the flammability of the mixture at the leak point, reduce the risk of fire, and improve safety.

[0099] S25. If the leak is located outdoors, determine whether the compressor 140 is in operation.

[0100] In other words, if the judgment result in step S21 is negative, the step of judging whether the compressor is in operation is executed.

[0101] S26. If the compressor 140 is running, then the first container 200 is opened.

[0102] Step S26 can be seen as the judgment result of step S25 being yes.

[0103] S27. If the compressor 140 is not in operation, turn on the compressor 140 and then open the first container 200.

[0104] Step S27 can be considered as a negative result of step S25.

[0105] If the leak is determined to be outdoors, the compressor 140 can be switched on or kept running, and the first container 200 can be opened to inject non-flammable gas into the compressor 140 through the first container 200. This can quickly reduce the flammability of the mixture at the leak point and reduce the risk of fire.

[0106] In other words, during the execution of the refrigerant leakage protection and control method, the air conditioner 10 provided in this embodiment can perform corresponding actions for different refrigerant leakage locations to quickly deliver non-flammable gas to the leakage point, thereby rapidly reducing the flammability of the leaked gas, reducing the risk of fire, and improving safety.

[0107] It is worth noting that in this embodiment, after the compressor 140 and the first container 200 are turned on, if the compressor 140 runs for a preset time, the compressor 140 is turned off.

[0108] Third Embodiment

[0109] Please see Figure 6 This embodiment provides an air conditioner 10, which can also reduce the risk of fire in existing air conditioners using flammable refrigerants when refrigerant leaks. The air conditioner 10 provided in this embodiment differs from the air conditioner 10 provided in the second embodiment in that the first container 200 is omitted. That is, compared to the air conditioner 10 provided in the second embodiment, the air conditioner 10 provided in this embodiment only retains the second container 300.

[0110] Based on the air conditioner 10 provided in this embodiment, this embodiment also provides a refrigerant leakage protection control method. In the air conditioner 10 of this embodiment, the control device can execute the refrigerant leakage protection control method to reduce the risk of fire at the leakage point.

[0111] In this embodiment, please refer to Figure 7 Refrigerant leakage protection and control methods include:

[0112] S31. If a refrigerant leak is detected indoors, determine whether compressor 140 is in operation.

[0113] The method for detecting whether there is a leak in the chamber is existing technology and is not the focus of this application, so it will not be described in detail here.

[0114] S32. If the compressor 140 is running, control the compressor 140 to shut down and then control the second container 300 to open.

[0115] Step S32 can be seen as the judgment result in step S31 being yes.

[0116] S33. If the compressor 140 is not in operation, control the second container 300 to open.

[0117] Step S33 can be seen as the judgment result of step S31 being no.

[0118] The control device controls the opening of the second container 300 by controlling the opening of the second switch valve 320. Similarly, the control device controls the closing of the second container 300 by controlling the closing of the second switch valve 320.

[0119] It is worth noting that if a refrigerant leak occurs indoors, the compressor 140 should be shut down to prevent refrigerant from continuously flowing into the indoor heat exchanger 110, thus reducing the amount of refrigerant leaked. Simultaneously, the second container 300 should be opened to inject the non-flammable gas within it into the indoor heat exchanger 110. The resulting mixture will have reduced flammability, thereby lowering the risk of fire from the leak. Specifically, injecting non-flammable gas directly into the indoor heat exchanger 110 through the second container 300 quickly fills the indoor portion of the refrigerant circulation loop 100 with non-flammable gas, rapidly reducing the flammability of the gas at the leak point and lowering the risk of fire at that point.

[0120] In addition, in the event of a leak indoors, the second container 300 can be opened by first opening the second inlet pipe 310 connected to the inlet end of the indoor heat exchanger 110 to quickly introduce non-flammable gas into the indoor heat exchanger 110, thereby accelerating the rate at which the non-flammability of the mixture is reduced and quickly reducing the risk of fire at the leak point.

[0121] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed apparatus and methods can also be implemented in other ways. The apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for example, the flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of apparatus, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, segment, or portion of code containing one or more executable instructions for implementing a specified logical function. It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions marked in the blocks may occur in a different order than those marked in the drawings. For example, two consecutive blocks may actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they may sometimes be executed in reverse order, depending on the functions involved. It should also be noted that each block in a block diagram and / or flowchart, and combinations of blocks in block diagrams and / or flowcharts, can be implemented using a dedicated hardware-based system that performs the specified function or action, or using a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0122] In addition, the functional modules in the various embodiments of the present invention can be integrated together to form an independent part, or each module can exist independently, or two or more modules can be integrated to form an independent part.

[0123] If the aforementioned functions are implemented as software functional modules and sold or used as independent products, they can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this invention, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or a portion of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this invention. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0124] While the present invention has been disclosed above, it is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can make various modifications and alterations without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention; therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the scope defined in the claims.

Claims

1. An air conditioner, characterized in that, include: A refrigerant circulation loop (100) is provided with a compressor (140). A first container (200) is used to hold a non-flammable gas; the first container (200) is connected to the suction port (141) of the compressor (140); and, A control device, electrically connected to the first container (200), is configured to open the first container (200) in the event of a detected refrigerant leak to inject a non-flammable gas into the refrigerant circulation loop (100).

2. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first container (200) is connected in parallel with a portion of the pipeline in the refrigerant circulation loop (100) near the suction port (141).

3. The air conditioner according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first container (200) is connected to the refrigerant circulation loop (100) through two first inlet pipes (210). Each of the two first inlet pipes (210) is provided with a first switch valve (220), and the first switch valve (220) is electrically connected to the control device.

4. The air conditioner according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The refrigerant circulation loop (100) is also provided with an indoor heat exchanger (110); the air conditioner (10) also includes a second container (300), which is used to hold non-flammable gas, and the second container (300) is connected in parallel with the indoor heat exchanger (110).

5. The air conditioner according to claim 4, characterized in that, The second container (300) is connected to the refrigerant circulation loop (100) through two second inlet pipes (310), and each of the two second inlet pipes (310) is provided with a second switch valve (320).

6. A method for protecting and controlling refrigerant leakage, characterized in that, The refrigerant leakage protection control method, applied to the air conditioner (10) according to any one of claims 1-5, comprises: If a refrigerant leak is detected, determine whether the compressor (140) is in operation; If the compressor (140) is in operation, the first container (200) is controlled to open; If the compressor (140) is not in operation, the compressor (140) is turned on before the first container (200) is turned on.

7. The refrigerant leakage protection and control method according to claim 6, characterized in that, After the first container (200) is opened, the refrigerant leakage protection control method further includes: Determine whether the running time of the first container (200) has reached the preset time; If the preset time is reached, the compressor (140) and the first container (200) are controlled to shut down.

8. A method for protecting and controlling refrigerant leakage, characterized in that, Applied to the air conditioner (10) as described in claim 4 or 5, the refrigerant leakage protection control method includes: If a refrigerant leak is detected, determine whether the leak is located indoors; If the leak is located indoors, determine whether the compressor (140) is in operation; If the compressor (140) is running, then turn off the compressor (140) and then open the second container (300). If the compressor (140) is not in operation, the second container (300) is opened. If the leak is located outdoors, determine whether the compressor (140) is in operation; If the compressor (140) is in operation, the first container (200) is opened. If the compressor (140) is not in operation, then turn on the compressor (140) and then open the first container (200).

9. An air conditioner, characterized in that, include: A refrigerant circulation loop (100) is provided in which an indoor heat exchanger (110) is installed. A second container (300) is used to hold a non-flammable gas; the second container (300) is connected in parallel with the indoor heat exchanger (110), and the second container (300) is connected to the refrigerant circulation loop (100) through two second inlet pipes (310); and, A control device, electrically connected to the second container (300), is configured to open the second container (300) to inject a non-flammable gas into the indoor heat exchanger (110) in the event of a detected refrigerant leak.

10. A method for protecting and controlling refrigerant leakage, characterized in that, The refrigerant leakage protection control method, applied to the air conditioner (10) as described in claim 9, includes: If a refrigerant leak is detected indoors, determine whether the compressor (140) is running; If the compressor (140) is in operation, then control the compressor (140) to shut down and then control the second container (300) to open; If the compressor (140) is not in operation, the second container (300) is controlled to open.

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