Air conditioner, heating method, controller, and readable storage medium

Abstract

The application discloses an air conditioner, a heating method, a controller and a readable storage medium, wherein the air conditioner comprises a heating device, a pipeline valve and a controller, the heating device comprises a heat absorption end and a heat release end, the heat absorption end is arranged close to a compressor, and the heat release end is arranged close to an indoor fan; the pipeline valve is connected with a suction port of the compressor and the indoor fan; the controller is used for starting the heating device when receiving a heating instruction, controlling the indoor fan to operate at a preset rotating speed, opening the pipeline valve and closing an expansion valve, and used for closing the pipeline valve and entering a normal heating mode when the exhaust temperature of the compressor is higher than an exhaust temperature threshold value. In the initial stage of starting the heating of the air conditioner, the heating device can absorb the heat emitted when the compressor operates, the absorbed heat is delivered to the indoor fan to be emitted, and the exhaust temperature of the compressor is rapidly raised through the cooperation of the pipeline valve and the expansion valve, so that the user experience is greatly improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of air conditioner technology, and more particularly to an air conditioner, a heating method, a controller, and a readable storage medium. Background Technology

[0002] In current residential air conditioning systems, to prevent cold air from being blown out immediately upon starting heating, the indoor fan is typically kept off while the compressor runs at high frequency. The indoor fan only starts running again after the compressor's exhaust temperature reaches the set value. This period is essentially the time required to prevent cold air from being blown out. The lower the outdoor temperature, the longer it takes for the compressor's exhaust temperature to reach the set value, and the longer the time required to prevent cold air from being blown out, thus reducing the user experience.

[0003] While some air conditioners can store heat through a heat storage unit to increase the heating speed at startup, the heat exchange efficiency between the heat storage unit and the refrigerant is low, resulting in poor efficiency in blowing out hot air. Moreover, the stored heat often cannot wait until the compressor's exhaust temperature rises to the set value, leading to poor heating performance. Furthermore, a heat storage unit with good insulation capabilities also increases the material cost of the air conditioner. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The following is an overview of the subject matter described in detail herein. This overview is not intended to limit the scope of the claims.

[0005] This invention provides an air conditioner, a heating method, a controller, and a readable storage medium. It can utilize the waste heat of the compressor casing to provide heat during the initial heating stage, and simultaneously rapidly increase the compressor's exhaust temperature through the cooperation of pipe valves and expansion valves, thereby achieving rapid heating and improving the user experience.

[0006] An embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention provides an air conditioner, comprising:

[0007] A heating device includes a heat-absorbing end and a heat-releasing end, wherein the heat-absorbing end and the heat-releasing end form a circulation loop, the heat-absorbing end is located near the compressor to absorb the waste heat of the compressor, and the heat-releasing end is located near the indoor fan to dissipate the absorbed waste heat.

[0008] A pipeline valve, one end of which is connected to the refrigerant pipeline between the indoor fan and the expansion valve, and the other end of which is connected to the suction port of the compressor;

[0009] The controller is used to start the heating device, control the indoor fan to run at a preset speed, open the pipeline valve and close the expansion valve when a heating command is received, and is also used to close the pipeline valve when the exhaust temperature of the compressor is higher than the exhaust temperature threshold, and control the speed of the indoor fan and the opening degree of the expansion valve according to the heating command.

[0010] According to the first aspect of the present invention, the air conditioner has at least the following beneficial effects: In the initial stage of the air conditioner's heating operation, the heating device can absorb the heat emitted by the compressor during operation and transfer the absorbed heat to the indoor fan for dissipation. At the same time, through the cooperation of the pipe valve and the expansion valve, the exhaust temperature of the compressor is quickly increased, thereby enabling the air conditioner to enter the normal heating mode as soon as possible. At this time, the compressor operates at high frequency, and the heating device absorbs a large amount of waste heat. The two complement each other. Under the premise of prioritizing the provision of warm air to the room in the initial stage, the exhaust temperature of the compressor can be quickly established, which greatly improves the user experience. It also utilizes the waste heat of the compressor to improve the heating efficiency ratio of the air conditioner.

[0011] In some embodiments, the heating device further includes a control valve disposed in the circulation loop.

[0012] In some embodiments, the heating device further includes a refrigerant pump disposed in the circulation loop.

[0013] In some embodiments, the heat-absorbing end is enclosed by a sealed housing of the compressor housing, and the cavity between the sealed housing and the compressor housing is filled with refrigerant.

[0014] In some embodiments, the heat-dissipating end is provided in the form of a coil on the air supply side of the indoor fan.

[0015] In some embodiments, the heating device further includes an electric heating component connected to the heat absorption end to access the circulation loop; the controller is also configured to, in heating mode, control the electric heating component to heat the refrigerant in the circulation loop when the temperature of the heat absorption end is less than or equal to a preset heating threshold.

[0016] In some embodiments, the system further includes a four-way valve, the four ports of which are respectively connected to the exhaust port of the compressor, the intake port of the compressor, the indoor heat exchanger, and the outdoor heat exchanger; the controller is also used to control the four-way valve to switch the circuit according to a cooling command or a heating command.

[0017] In some embodiments, the controller is further configured to, in heating mode, when the difference between the coil temperature of the outdoor heat exchanger and the ambient temperature is greater than a preset temperature difference, maintain the current state of the four-way valve, start the heating device, and enter the following defrosting mode:

[0018] When the exhaust temperature of the compressor is greater than the preset target temperature, the pipeline valve is closed, and the opening degree of the expansion valve is controlled to the maximum.

[0019] When the exhaust temperature of the compressor is less than or equal to the preset target temperature, the pipeline valve is opened and the expansion valve is closed.

[0020] In some embodiments, the controller is further configured to exit the defrosting mode, close the pipeline valve, and control the speed of the indoor fan and the opening degree of the expansion valve according to the heating command when the difference between the coil temperature of the outdoor heat exchanger and the ambient temperature is less than or equal to the preset temperature difference.

[0021] A second aspect of the present invention provides a heating method for an air conditioner, the air conditioner comprising:

[0022] A heating device includes a heat-absorbing end and a heat-releasing end, wherein the heat-absorbing end and the heat-releasing end form a circulation loop, the heat-absorbing end is located near the compressor to absorb the waste heat of the compressor, and the heat-releasing end is located near the indoor fan to dissipate the absorbed waste heat.

[0023] A pipeline valve, one end of which is connected to the refrigerant pipeline between the indoor fan and the expansion valve, and the other end of which is connected to the suction port of the compressor;

[0024] The heating method includes:

[0025] Upon receiving a heating command, the heating device is started, the indoor fan is controlled to run at a preset speed, and the pipe valve is opened and the expansion valve is closed;

[0026] When the exhaust temperature of the compressor is higher than the exhaust temperature threshold, the pipeline valve is closed, and the speed of the indoor fan and the opening of the expansion valve are controlled according to the heating command.

[0027] In some embodiments, starting the heating device, controlling the indoor fan to run at a preset speed, and opening the pipe valve and closing the expansion valve include:

[0028] Start the compressor and the heating device so that the heat absorption end absorbs the waste heat of the compressor and transports the waste heat to the heat release end through the circulation loop;

[0029] The indoor fan is controlled to run at a preset speed, blowing hot air through the heat dissipation end into the room. The preset speed is not greater than the speed set by the heating command.

[0030] Open the pipeline valve, close the expansion valve, and control the compressor to operate at a high frequency to increase the compressor's exhaust temperature.

[0031] In some embodiments, the preset rotation speed is a fixed value or is determined based on the exhaust temperature of the compressor.

[0032] In some embodiments, the heating device includes an electric heating component connected to the heat-absorbing end to access the circulation loop;

[0033] Starting the heating device includes:

[0034] When the temperature of the heat-absorbing end is less than or equal to the preset heating temperature, the electric heating component is controlled to heat the refrigerant in the circulation loop.

[0035] In some embodiments, controlling the speed of the indoor fan and the opening degree of the expansion valve according to the heating command includes:

[0036] The target rotation speed and target opening degree are determined according to the heating command;

[0037] The opening degree of the expansion valve is controlled to gradually increase from 0 to the target opening degree;

[0038] The speed of the indoor fan is controlled to gradually increase from the preset speed to the target speed.

[0039] In some embodiments, the air conditioner further includes a four-way valve, the four ports of which are respectively connected to the exhaust port of the compressor, the intake port of the compressor, the indoor heat exchanger, and the outdoor heat exchanger;

[0040] The heating method further includes:

[0041] When the heating command is received, the four-way valve is controlled to switch to the path corresponding to the heating mode.

[0042] In some embodiments, it also includes:

[0043] In heating mode, when the temperature difference between the coil of the outdoor heat exchanger and the ambient temperature is greater than a preset temperature difference, the current state of the four-way valve is maintained, the heating device is started, and the following defrosting mode is entered:

[0044] When the exhaust temperature of the compressor is greater than the preset target temperature, the pipeline valve is closed, and the opening degree of the expansion valve is controlled to the maximum.

[0045] When the exhaust temperature of the compressor is less than or equal to the preset target temperature, the pipeline valve is opened and the expansion valve is closed.

[0046] In some embodiments, while starting the heating device, the speed of the indoor fan is reduced and the outdoor fan is stopped.

[0047] In some embodiments, it also includes:

[0048] When the difference between the coil temperature of the outdoor heat exchanger and the ambient temperature is less than or equal to the preset temperature difference, the defrosting mode is exited and the pipeline valve is closed.

[0049] The indoor fan speed and the opening degree of the expansion valve are controlled according to the heating command.

[0050] A third aspect of the present invention provides a controller including a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the processor executes the computer program to implement the heating method as described in the second aspect.

[0051] A fourth aspect of the present invention provides a computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions for performing the heating method as described in the second aspect.

[0052] Other features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and will be apparent in part from the description, or may be learned by practicing the invention. The objects and other advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the structures particularly pointed out in the description, claims, and drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0053] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an air conditioner without a refrigerant pump provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0054] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the four-way valve switching to cooling mode in an air conditioner provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0055] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the four-way valve switching to heating mode in the air conditioner provided in the embodiment of the present invention;

[0056] Figure 4 This is an overall flowchart of the heating method of the air conditioner provided in the embodiments of the present invention;

[0057] Figure 5 This is a flowchart provided in an embodiment of the present invention to indicate the start-up based on a heating command;

[0058] Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the electric heating assembly provided in this embodiment of the invention;

[0059] Figure 7This is a flowchart of the speed control of the expansion valve and indoor fan provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0060] Figure 8 This is a flowchart of the switching four-way valve provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0061] Figure 9 This is a flowchart of entering defrost mode provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0062] Figure 10 This is a flowchart of exiting the defrost mode provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0063] Figure 11 This is a module connection diagram of the controller provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0064] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the invention and are not intended to limit the invention. Furthermore, the features, operations, or characteristics described in the specification can be combined in any suitable manner to form various implementations. Simultaneously, the steps or actions in the method description can be rearranged or adjusted in a manner readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the various orders in the specification and drawings are merely for the clear description of a particular embodiment and do not imply a mandatory order, unless otherwise stated that a particular order must be followed.

[0065] In the description of this invention, "several" means one or more, "more than" means two or more, "greater than," "less than," and "exceeding" are understood to exclude the stated number, while "above," "below," and "within" are understood to include the stated number. The use of "first" and "second" in the description is merely for distinguishing technical features and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance, or implicitly indicating the number of indicated technical features, or implicitly indicating the order of the indicated technical features.

[0066] The serial numbers assigned to components in this document, such as "first" and "second," are used only to distinguish the described objects and have no sequential or technical meaning. The terms "connection" and "linkage" used in this application, unless otherwise specified, include both direct and indirect connections (linkages).

[0067] In the description of this invention, unless otherwise explicitly defined, terms such as "set up," "install," and "connect" should be interpreted broadly, and those skilled in the art can reasonably determine the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention in conjunction with the specific content of the technical solution.

[0068] In current residential air conditioning systems, to prevent cold air from being blown out during heating, the common practice is to keep the indoor fan off after receiving the heating start command, while the compressor runs at high frequency. The indoor fan only starts running again after the compressor exhaust temperature reaches the set value; this period is recorded as the cold air prevention time. The lower the outdoor ambient temperature, the longer the cold air prevention time, increasing the user's waiting time and thus reducing the user experience. On the other hand, during air conditioning heating, the lower the outdoor ambient temperature, the lower the evaporation temperature, the larger the suction specific volume, and the lower the unit volume capacity, resulting in a decrease in heating capacity. When the air conditioning system operates at an evaporation temperature below 0°C, the outdoor heat exchanger will gradually frost over. As the frost accumulates, the four-way valve needs to be switched to cooling mode for periodic defrosting. During defrosting, the indoor fan stops running, ceasing the output of hot air into the room, while the outdoor heat exchanger defrosts. This is equivalent to the air conditioning system operating the refrigerant in cooling mode, and the higher the outdoor humidity, the more frequent the defrosting operation. Frequent defrosting inevitably causes a significant drop in indoor temperature, leading to poor human comfort.

[0069] Based on this, embodiments of the present invention provide an air conditioner, a heating method, a controller, and a readable storage medium. The heating device absorbs heat from the compressor casing and delivers the heat to the indoor unit for blowing out. A pipe valve is also provided between the output end of the expansion valve and the suction port of the compressor. When heating is started, the pipe valve is opened and the expansion valve is closed to quickly raise the exhaust temperature of the compressor and provide higher heat to the heating device, thereby enabling the air conditioner to quickly enter the normal heating mode.

[0070] The following explanation is based on the accompanying drawings:

[0071] Reference Figure 1 An air conditioner provided in this embodiment of the invention includes:

[0072] The heating device 1 includes a heat-absorbing end 11 and a heat-releasing end 12, which form a circulation loop. The heat-absorbing end 11 is located near the compressor to absorb the waste heat of the compressor, and the heat-releasing end 12 is located near the indoor fan 5 to dissipate the absorbed waste heat.

[0073] Pipe valve 2, one end of which is connected to the refrigerant pipe between indoor fan 5 and expansion valve 8, and the other end is connected to the compressor suction port;

[0074] The controller is used to start the heating device 1, control the indoor fan 5 to run at a preset speed, and open the pipeline valve 2 and close the expansion valve 8 when a heating command is received. It is also used to close the pipeline valve 2 when the exhaust temperature of the compressor is higher than the exhaust temperature threshold, and control the speed of the indoor fan 5 and the opening degree of the expansion valve 8 according to the heating command.

[0075] The heat absorption end 11 and heat release end 12 of the heating device 1 can be connected by a refrigerant pipe to form a circulation loop, with refrigerant filling the pipe. When the compressor is working (whether cooling or heating), the refrigerant in the circulation loop can absorb the waste heat from the compressor casing from the heat absorption end 11 and, according to the controller's control logic, transfer the absorbed waste heat to the heat release end 12. The heat release end 12 is located in the indoor unit, and the indoor unit uses the indoor fan 5 or natural heat dissipation to transfer heat from the heat release end 12 into the room. It is understood that the circulation loop can refer to the structural setup of conventional refrigerant pipes between the outdoor and indoor heat exchangers in an air conditioning system to achieve good heat absorption and release effects. For example, the heat-releasing end 12 is arranged in the form of a coil on the air supply side of the indoor fan 5. The coil can increase the contact area between the refrigerant and the environment in the circulation loop, making it easier for the heat-releasing end 12 to exchange heat with the indoor air. The compressor casing can be wrapped with a sealed shell to construct the heat-absorbing end 11. A cavity is formed between the sealed shell and the compressor casing, and the cavity is filled with refrigerant. The circulation loop is connected to the sealed shell through pipes (for example, the sealed shell leads out a refrigerant inlet and a refrigerant outlet, both of which are connected to the circulation loop). The refrigerant in the cavity directly contacts the compressor casing, making the heat absorption process of the heat-absorbing end 11 more direct and the waste heat utilization more efficient. Of course, the heat-absorbing end 11 and the heat-releasing end 12 can also be other types of structures, as long as they can achieve the functions of heat absorption and heat release, which will not be listed here.

[0076] Pipe valve 2 is attached to the conventional refrigerant piping of the air conditioning system. One end of pipe valve 2 is connected between the indoor fan 5 and the expansion valve 8, and the other end is connected to the compressor's exhaust port. When a heating command is received, the controller controls pipe valve 2 to open, forming a passage between the indoor fan 5 and the expansion valve 8 and the compressor's exhaust port. Simultaneously, the controller controls expansion valve 8 to close. At this time, the refrigerant piping bypasses the outdoor heat exchanger, and the compressor circulates and compresses the refrigerant in this piping, which can quickly raise the compressor's exhaust temperature. When the exhaust temperature rises to a certain set temperature value, the air conditioning system can enter the normal heating mode. Because circulating compression can quickly raise the compressor's exhaust temperature, compared with conventional air conditioning systems, this application requires less time to enter the normal heating mode after receiving a heating command.

[0077] In the initial stage of heating, the indoor fan 5 operates at a preset speed. Since the heating device 1 can not provide much heat in the initial stage of heating, the preset speed can be a low speed. That is, the indoor fan 5 starts at a low speed and slowly sends hot air into the room, so that the user can feel the hot air blowing out from the beginning. As the heat in the circulation loop of the heating device 1 increases, the indoor fan 5 can maintain the current speed or increase the speed to send out more hot air until the air conditioner enters the normal heating mode. Then, the indoor fan 5 is controlled to operate at the speed corresponding to the heating command (such as the speed set by the user).

[0078] By employing the above methods, the heating experience of the air conditioner is improved in two ways. Firstly, at the initial stage of heating, the heating device 1 immediately provides heat to the room, eliminating the need for users to wait for a long time for hot air to be blown out. Secondly, the compressor circulates and compresses, thereby quickly raising the exhaust temperature and shortening the time required for the air conditioner to enter the normal heating mode. These two aspects complement each other. The high-frequency operation of the compressor can provide more waste heat, and the heating device 1 utilizes more waste heat to provide initial warm air to the room, avoiding user waiting while shortening the normal heating process and providing users with a good heating experience.

[0079] It is understandable that the pipeline valve 2 can be an electronically controlled valve, such as a solenoid valve or a motor-driven on / off valve; the expansion valve 8 can be an electronically controlled expansion valve, such as a conventional electronic expansion valve, or an expansion valve that automatically controls the opening size based on the refrigerant flow rate.

[0080] To facilitate control of the refrigerant in the heating device 1, the heating device 1 also includes a control valve 13, which is located in the circulation loop. In cooling mode, when heating is not required to release heat into the room, the controller can close the control valve 13, disconnecting the circulation loop and preventing the refrigerant from circulating within the heating device 1. Upon receiving a heating command, the controller will open the control valve 13, forming a circulation loop within the heating device 1 to achieve the aforementioned heating process.

[0081] Reference Figure 2 and Figure 3 When the outdoor unit is installed at a higher position than the indoor unit, the heat absorption end 11 is higher than the heat release end 12. To promote refrigerant circulation in the loop, a refrigerant pump 3 is installed in the loop. The refrigerant pump 3 can transport the refrigerant from the heat release end 12 (located at a lower position) to the heat absorption end 11 (located at a higher position) to reabsorb heat, forming a cycle. The refrigerant pump 3 can be a pump specifically designed for refrigerant transport, such as a refrigerant pump. It is worth noting that when the outdoor unit is lower than the indoor unit, the heat absorption end 11 is lower than the heat release end 12. Due to the temperature difference between the two ends and gravity, a self-circulation can be formed in the loop. In this case, the refrigerant pump 3 does not need to be installed. That is, the refrigerant at the heat release end 12 (located at a higher position) is lower in temperature and has a higher density, so it falls to the heat absorption end 11 (located at a lower position) due to gravity, thereby pushing the refrigerant at the heat absorption end 11 (located at a lower position) towards the heat release end 12 (located at a higher position).

[0082] In the initial heating phase of an air conditioning system, the compressor casing temperature may not be significantly higher than the ambient temperature (e.g., during a cold start). In this case, relying solely on the residual heat of the compressor casing to deliver hot air into the room is insufficient. Therefore, the heating device 1 in this embodiment may further include an electric heating component 4, which is connected to the heat absorption end 11 to access the circulation loop. For example, when the heat absorption end 11 is coiled, the electric heating component 4 can be inserted into the circulation loop pipe, directly contacting the refrigerant, or attached to the outer wall of the circulation loop to indirectly heat the refrigerant. When the heat absorption end 11 forms a cavity with the compressor casing through a sealed housing, the electric heating component 4 can be placed inside the cavity, again directly contacting the refrigerant, or attached to the outside of the sealed housing to indirectly heat the refrigerant. In summary, to ensure sufficient heat supply from the heating device 1 during the initial heating phase, when the temperature of the heat absorption end 11 is less than or equal to a preset heating threshold, the controller can activate the electric heating component 4 to actively heat the refrigerant in the circulation loop.

[0083] Of course, in addition to heating at the initial stage of heating, the electric heating component 4 can also assist in the transfer of heat during the heating process, thereby reducing the heating energy consumption of the air conditioner, making full use of the waste heat of the compressor casing, and improving the energy efficiency ratio of the air conditioner.

[0084] In some embodiments, the air conditioner further includes a four-way valve 7, the four ports of which are respectively connected to the compressor's discharge port, the compressor's inlet port, the indoor heat exchanger, and the outdoor heat exchanger; the controller is also used to control the four-way valve 7 to switch its path according to a cooling command or a heating command. (Refer to...) Figure 2 and Figure 3 , Figure 2 In the cooling mode, the refrigerant flows from the compressor's exhaust port through the four-way valve 7 to the outdoor heat exchanger, then through the expansion valve 8 to the indoor heat exchanger, and finally back to the compressor's intake port through the four-way valve 7. Figure 3 This refers to the flow state of the four-way valve 7 in heating mode. The refrigerant travels from the outdoor heat exchanger through the four-way valve 7 to the compressor's inlet, then from the compressor's outlet through the four-way valve 7 to the indoor heat exchanger, and finally returns to the outdoor heat exchanger through the expansion valve 8 to absorb heat.

[0085] In heating mode, the outdoor heat exchanger absorbs heat from the outside, which may cause frost to form on its surface. Traditional defrosting methods require the four-way valve 7 to switch to the cooling mode's corresponding path, resulting in a significant drop in indoor heating capacity and a poor user experience. This embodiment of the invention uses defrosting without switching the four-way valve 7, i.e., maintaining the heating mode while defrosting the outdoor heat exchanger. Specifically, when the temperature difference between the outdoor heat exchanger's coil and the ambient temperature exceeds a preset temperature difference, the current state of the four-way valve 7 is maintained, the heating device 1 is activated, and the following defrosting mode is entered:

[0086] ①When the compressor's exhaust temperature is higher than the preset target temperature, close pipeline valve 2 and control the opening of expansion valve 8 to the maximum.

[0087] ②When the compressor's exhaust temperature is less than or equal to the preset target temperature, open pipeline valve 2 and close expansion valve 8.

[0088] The defrost mode is determined by judging the difference between the coil temperature of the outdoor heat exchanger and the ambient temperature. The defrost mode is a periodic defrost, using a preset target temperature as a boundary: if the compressor's exhaust temperature is higher than the preset target temperature, it indicates that the current heating capacity is within a suitable range; pipe valve 2 is closed, expansion valve 8 is fully open, and the heating capacity decreases, achieving a certain defrosting effect. Because the heating capacity decreases, if the compressor's exhaust temperature is lower than or equal to the preset target temperature, it indicates that the current heating capacity may affect indoor users; pipe valve 2 is opened, expansion valve 8 is closed, and the heating capacity increases until the exhaust temperature rises back to the preset target temperature. Then, expansion valve 8 is fully opened and pipe valve 2 is closed, and so on. These two control methods (① and ②) are executed alternately until the difference between the coil temperature of the outdoor heat exchanger and the ambient temperature is less than or equal to the preset temperature difference. At this point, the defrost mode is exited, pipe valve 2 is closed, and the system continues to operate according to the user's heating command. Since the air conditioner in this embodiment does not require switching the four-way valve 7 during defrost, and defrost is performed in heating mode, combined with the periodic switching of control methods ① and ②, the temperature fluctuation during the defrost process can be significantly reduced, minimizing the impact on indoor users.

[0089] This invention also provides a heating method for an air conditioner, applicable to an air conditioner having the following structure:

[0090] The heating device 1 includes a heat-absorbing end 11 and a heat-releasing end 12, which form a circulation loop. The heat-absorbing end 11 is located near the compressor to absorb the waste heat of the compressor, and the heat-releasing end 12 is located near the indoor fan 5 to dissipate the absorbed waste heat.

[0091] Pipe valve 2, one end of which is connected to the refrigerant pipe between indoor fan 5 and expansion valve 8, and the other end is connected to the compressor suction port;

[0092] Reference Figure 4 The air conditioner also includes controls for performing the following heating methods:

[0093] Step S110: When a heating command is received, start the heating device 1, control the indoor fan 5 to run at a preset speed, and open the pipe valve 2 and close the expansion valve 8.

[0094] In step S120, when the compressor's exhaust temperature is higher than the exhaust temperature threshold, the pipeline valve 2 is closed, and the speed of the indoor fan 5 and the opening of the expansion valve 8 are controlled according to the heating command.

[0095] A circulation loop is formed between the heat absorption end 11 and the heat release end 12 of the heating device 1. After receiving the heating command, the air conditioner starts the heating device 1 so that the heat absorption end 11 absorbs heat from the compressor casing and releases the absorbed heat at the heat release end 12 to deliver warm air to the room. The speed of the indoor fan 5 can be fixed or can vary from small to large as the heat provided by the heating device 1 increases. For example, if the heating device 1 cannot provide much heat at the beginning of the heating start-up, the indoor fan 5 can start at a low speed and slowly deliver hot air. When the heat in the circulation loop of the heating device 1 increases or the exhaust temperature of the compressor increases, the speed of the indoor fan 5 can be increased. In addition to starting the heating device 1 and indoor fan 5 to immediately deliver hot air to the user, the heating device 1 does not heat up fast enough. Therefore, the heating method of this embodiment of the invention also opens the pipe valve 2 and closes the expansion valve 8, adjusts the refrigerant pipe of the air conditioner, so that the compressor performs cyclic compression in the early stage of heating start-up, and quickly raises the exhaust temperature of the compressor. When the exhaust temperature reaches the exhaust temperature threshold, the air conditioner is controlled to enter the normal heating mode. At this time, the pipe valve 2 is closed, and the speed of the indoor fan 5 and the opening degree of the expansion valve 8 are controlled according to the content of the heating command.

[0096] Specifically, when the exhaust temperature reaches the exhaust temperature threshold, pipeline valve 2 is closed, and expansion valve 8 is controlled to switch from the closed state to the open state. The switching process can be designed according to actual needs. The heating command corresponds to a target opening degree of expansion valve 8. The opening degree in the closed state is 0. When the exhaust temperature reaches the exhaust temperature threshold, the opening degree of expansion valve 8 can be controlled to switch directly from 0 to the target opening degree, or the opening degree of expansion valve 8 can be controlled to gradually increase from 0 until it reaches the target opening degree.

[0097] By employing the above methods, the heating experience of the air conditioner is improved in two ways. Firstly, at the initial stage of heating, the heating device 1 immediately provides heat to the room, eliminating the need for users to wait for a long time for hot air to be blown out. Secondly, the compressor circulates and compresses, thereby quickly raising the exhaust temperature and shortening the time required for the air conditioner to enter the normal heating mode. These two aspects complement each other. The high-frequency operation of the compressor can provide more waste heat, and the heating device 1 utilizes more waste heat to provide initial warm air to the room, avoiding user waiting while shortening the normal heating process and providing users with a good heating experience.

[0098] Specifically, refer to Figure 5 The above step S110 may include the following steps:

[0099] Step S111: Start the compressor and heating device 1 so that the heat absorption end 11 absorbs the waste heat of the compressor and transfers the waste heat to the heat release end 12 through the circulation loop.

[0100] Step S112: Control the indoor fan 5 to run at a preset speed, blow hot air through the heat dissipation end 12 and send it into the room. The preset speed is not greater than the speed set by the heating command.

[0101] Step S113: Open pipeline valve 2, close expansion valve 8, and control the compressor to run at a high frequency to increase the compressor's exhaust temperature.

[0102] It is important to note that when the compressor is running continuously, if the air conditioner receives a heating command, the heating device 1 can immediately provide a considerable amount of heat to the room. This is because the compressor casing has been continuously heating up and has been fully absorbed by the refrigerant in the circulation loop. The heat in the circulation loop is sufficient to deliver a large amount of hot air into the room. In this case, the preset speed of the indoor fan 5 can be set to a relatively high value (but still not greater than the speed set by the heating command). If the air conditioner is cold-starting after receiving a heating command, and the compressor starts working from a standstill, the circulation loop will not absorb enough heat in the initial stage of heating. In this case, the preset speed of the indoor fan 5 can be set to a relatively low value. As the heat in the circulation loop gradually increases or the compressor's exhaust temperature rises, the speed of the indoor fan 5 can be gradually increased accordingly.

[0103] It is worth noting that when starting the heating device 1, in addition to using a lower indoor fan speed 5, the outdoor fan speed 6 can also be set to 0. Since the pipeline valve 2 is opened and the expansion valve 8 is closed when the heating device 1 is started, the refrigerant does not pass through the outdoor heat exchanger when the compressor is circulating and compressing, so there is no need to turn on the outdoor fan 6, thereby saving the operating energy consumption of the air conditioner.

[0104] To address the issue of insufficient heat from the heating device 1 during the initial heating phase, the heating device 1 includes an electric heating component 4, which is connected to the heat absorption end 11 to enter the circulation loop; then referring to... Figure 6 The above step S110, starting the heating device 1, may include the following steps:

[0105] Step S114: When the temperature of the heat absorption end 11 is less than or equal to the preset heating temperature, the electric heating component 4 is controlled to heat the refrigerant in the circulation loop.

[0106] Using a preset heating temperature as a boundary, when the temperature of the heat absorption end 11 is detected to be lower than the preset heating temperature, the electric heating component 4 is activated to actively provide heat to the circulation loop. The above process can be carried out throughout the various stages from startup to operation. For example, in the initial stage of heating startup, if the heat provided by the compressor is insufficient, it can be supplemented by the electric heating component 4. Or, during the defrosting process in heating mode, the temperature of the heat absorption end 11 drops due to the decrease in the compressor's heating capacity, and the electric heating component 4 can supplement the heat at this time.

[0107] Reference Figure 7In some embodiments, controlling the speed of the indoor fan 5 and the opening degree of the expansion valve 8 in step S120 may specifically include the following steps:

[0108] Step S121: Determine the target rotation speed and target opening degree according to the heating command;

[0109] Step S122: Control the opening degree of expansion valve 8 to gradually increase from 0 to the target opening degree;

[0110] Step S123: Control the speed of the indoor fan 5 to gradually increase from the preset speed to the target speed.

[0111] As explained earlier, when the compressor's exhaust temperature rises to the exhaust temperature threshold, the air conditioner enters the normal heating mode. At this time, the speed of the indoor fan 5 and the opening of the expansion valve 8 need to be adjusted. Since the heating command received by the air conditioner has already set a target speed and target opening (the target speed and target opening can be set by the user), the speed of the indoor fan 5 can gradually increase from a lower speed to the target speed, and the opening of the expansion valve 8 can also gradually increase from 0 to the target opening. The process of changing the speed and opening is set according to actual needs. For example, based on the compressor's exhaust temperature, as the exhaust temperature gradually rises, the speed of the indoor fan 5 and the opening of the expansion valve 8 also gradually increase accordingly.

[0112] The air conditioner also includes a four-way valve 7, whose four ports are connected to the compressor's exhaust port, the compressor's intake port, the indoor heat exchanger, and the outdoor heat exchanger, respectively.

[0113] Reference Figure 8 Heating methods also include:

[0114] Step S130: When a heating command is received, control the four-way valve 7 to switch to the passage corresponding to the heating mode.

[0115] Reference Figure 9 Based on the switching of the four-way valve 7, the heating method of this embodiment can achieve defrosting in heating mode, specifically including the following steps:

[0116] Step S140: In heating mode, when the temperature difference between the coil of the outdoor heat exchanger and the ambient temperature is greater than the preset temperature difference, maintain the current state of the four-way valve 7, start the heating device 1, and enter the following defrosting mode:

[0117] ①When the compressor's exhaust temperature is higher than the preset target temperature, close pipeline valve 2 and control the opening of expansion valve 8 to the maximum.

[0118] ②When the compressor's exhaust temperature is less than or equal to the preset target temperature, open pipeline valve 2 and close expansion valve 8.

[0119] The controller determines whether to enter defrost mode by judging the difference between the coil temperature of the outdoor heat exchanger and the ambient temperature. Defrost mode is a periodic defrost process, using a preset target temperature as a boundary: if the compressor's exhaust temperature is higher than the preset target temperature, it indicates that the current heating capacity is within a suitable range; pipe valve 2 is closed, expansion valve 8 is fully open, and the heating capacity decreases, achieving a certain defrosting effect. Because the heating capacity decreases, if the compressor's exhaust temperature is lower than or equal to the preset target temperature, it indicates that the current heating capacity may affect indoor users; pipe valve 2 is opened, expansion valve 8 is closed, and the heating capacity increases until the exhaust temperature rises back to the preset target temperature. Then, expansion valve 8 is fully opened and pipe valve 2 is closed again, and so on. These two control methods (① and ②) are executed alternately until the difference between the outdoor heat exchanger's coil temperature and the ambient temperature is less than or equal to the preset temperature difference; then, defrost mode is exited, pipe valve 2 is closed, and the system continues to operate according to the user's heating command. Since the air conditioner in this embodiment of the invention does not need to switch the four-way valve 7 during defrosting, and defrosting is performed in heating mode, the combination of the two control methods of cycle switching ① and ② can significantly reduce temperature fluctuations during the defrosting process and reduce the impact on indoor users.

[0120] Therefore, it can be concluded that, by reference Figure 10 The defrosting process also includes the step of exiting defrosting mode:

[0121] Step S150: When the difference between the coil temperature of the outdoor heat exchanger and the ambient temperature is less than or equal to the preset temperature difference, exit the defrosting mode and close the pipeline valve 2.

[0122] Step S160: Control the speed of the indoor fan 5 and the opening degree of the expansion valve 8 according to the heating command.

[0123] Through the heating method described above, the heating device 1 absorbs the heat emitted by the compressor during operation and transfers the absorbed heat to the indoor fan 5 for dissipation. At the same time, through the cooperation of the pipe valve 2 and the expansion valve 8, the exhaust temperature of the compressor is quickly increased, allowing the air conditioner to enter the normal heating mode as soon as possible. At this time, the compressor operates at high frequency, and the heating device 1 absorbs a large amount of waste heat. The two complement each other. Under the premise of prioritizing the initial supply of warm air to the room, the exhaust temperature of the compressor can be quickly established, which greatly improves the user experience. It also utilizes the waste heat of the compressor to improve the heating efficiency ratio of the air conditioner.

[0124] In addition, the air conditioner in this embodiment of the invention can also achieve conventional cooling or dehumidification mode according to the opening and closing of the valve. When a cooling command or dehumidification command is received, the controller controls the pipe valve 2 to close (if there is a control valve 13, then control valve 13 will be closed). At this time, a conventional refrigerant pipe is formed inside the air conditioner, the heating device 1 does not work, and it can work according to the conventional cooling or dehumidification mode, which will not be described in detail here.

[0125] Furthermore, embodiments of the present invention also provide a controller, including a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the processor executes the computer program to implement the heating method as described above.

[0126] Reference Figure 11 For example, the control processor 1001 and memory 1002 in controller 1000 can be connected via a bus. Memory 1002, as a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, can be used to store non-transitory software programs and non-transitory computer-executable programs. Furthermore, memory 1002 may include high-speed random access memory, and may also include non-transitory memory, such as at least one disk storage device, flash memory device, or other non-transitory solid-state storage device. In some embodiments, memory 1002 may optionally include memory remotely located relative to control processor 1001, and these remote memories can be connected to controller 1000 via a network. Examples of such networks include, but are not limited to, the Internet, corporate intranets, local area networks, mobile communication networks, and combinations thereof.

[0127] Those skilled in the art will understand that Figure 11 The device structure shown does not constitute a limitation on the controller 1000 and may include more or fewer components than shown, or combine certain components, or have different component arrangements.

[0128] Furthermore, embodiments of the present invention also provide a computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions for performing the aforementioned heating method, for example, being... Figure 11 One of the processors 1001 executes, causing the one or more processors to execute the air conditioner in the above method embodiment, for example, to execute the above-described... Figure 4 Method steps S110 to S120 Figure 5 Method steps S111 to S113 in the above method Figure 6 Method steps S114 Figure 7 Method steps S121 to S123, Figure 8 Method steps S130, Figure 9 Method steps S140 and Figure 10 Method steps S150 to S160.

[0129] The device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network nodes. Some or all of the modules can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0130] Those skilled in the art will understand that all or some of the steps and systems in the methods disclosed above can be implemented as software, firmware, hardware, and suitable combinations thereof. Some or all of the physical components can be implemented as software executed by a processor, such as a central processing unit, digital signal processor, or microprocessor, or as hardware, or as an integrated circuit, such as an application-specific integrated circuit. Such software can be distributed on a computer-readable medium, which can include computer-readable storage media (or non-transitory media) and communication media (or transient media). As is known to those skilled in the art, the term computer-readable storage media includes volatile and non-volatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storing information (such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data). Computer-readable storage media include, but are not limited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technologies, CD-ROM, digital versatile disc (DVD) or other optical disc storage, magnetic cartridges, magnetic tape, disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to store desired information and is accessible to a computer. Furthermore, as is known to those skilled in the art, communication media typically contain computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data in modulated data signals such as carrier waves or other transmission mechanisms, and may include any information delivery medium.

[0131] The above is a detailed description of the preferred embodiments of this application. However, this application is not limited to the above embodiments. Those skilled in the art can make various equivalent modifications or substitutions without departing from the spirit of this application. All such equivalent modifications or substitutions are included within the scope defined by the claims of this application.

Claims

1. An air conditioner, characterized in that, include: A heating device includes a heat-absorbing end and a heat-releasing end, wherein the heat-absorbing end and the heat-releasing end form a circulation loop, the heat-absorbing end is located near the compressor to absorb the waste heat of the compressor, and the heat-releasing end is located near the indoor fan to dissipate the absorbed waste heat. A pipeline valve, one end of which is connected to the refrigerant pipeline between the indoor fan and the expansion valve, and the other end of which is connected to the suction port of the compressor; The controller is used to start the heating device, control the indoor fan to run at a preset speed, open the pipeline valve and close the expansion valve when a heating command is received, and is also used to close the pipeline valve when the exhaust temperature of the compressor is higher than the exhaust temperature threshold, and control the speed of the indoor fan and the opening degree of the expansion valve according to the heating command.

2. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heating device also includes a control valve, which is located in the circulation loop.

3. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heating device also includes a refrigerant pump, which is installed in the circulation loop.

4. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heat-absorbing end is enclosed by a sealed housing of the compressor housing, and the cavity between the sealed housing and the compressor housing is filled with refrigerant.

5. The air conditioner according to claim 4, characterized in that, The heat-dissipating end is arranged in the form of a coil on the air supply side of the indoor fan.

6. The air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The heating device further includes an electric heating component, which is connected to the heat absorption end to access the circulation loop; the controller is also used to control the electric heating component to heat the refrigerant in the circulation loop when the temperature of the heat absorption end is less than or equal to a preset heating threshold in the heating mode.

7. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a four-way valve, whose four ports are respectively connected to the compressor's exhaust port, the compressor's inlet port, the indoor heat exchanger, and the outdoor heat exchanger; the controller is also used to control the four-way valve to switch the circuit according to the cooling command or the heating command.

8. The air conditioner according to claim 7, characterized in that, The controller is also configured to, in heating mode, when the difference between the coil temperature of the outdoor heat exchanger and the ambient temperature is greater than a preset temperature difference, maintain the current state of the four-way valve, start the heating device, and enter the following defrosting mode: When the exhaust temperature of the compressor is greater than the preset target temperature, the pipeline valve is closed, and the opening degree of the expansion valve is controlled to the maximum. When the exhaust temperature of the compressor is less than or equal to the preset target temperature, the pipeline valve is opened and the expansion valve is closed.

9. The air conditioner according to claim 8, characterized in that, The controller is also used to exit the defrosting mode, close the pipeline valve, and control the speed of the indoor fan and the opening degree of the expansion valve according to the heating command when the difference between the coil temperature of the outdoor heat exchanger and the ambient temperature is less than or equal to the preset temperature difference.

10. A heating method for an air conditioner, characterized in that, The air conditioner includes: A heating device includes a heat-absorbing end and a heat-releasing end, wherein the heat-absorbing end and the heat-releasing end form a circulation loop, the heat-absorbing end is located near the compressor to absorb the waste heat of the compressor, and the heat-releasing end is located near the indoor fan to dissipate the absorbed waste heat. A pipeline valve, one end of which is connected to the refrigerant pipeline between the indoor fan and the expansion valve, and the other end of which is connected to the suction port of the compressor; The heating method includes: Upon receiving a heating command, the heating device is started, the indoor fan is controlled to run at a preset speed, and the pipe valve is opened and the expansion valve is closed; When the exhaust temperature of the compressor is higher than the exhaust temperature threshold, the pipeline valve is closed, and the speed of the indoor fan and the opening of the expansion valve are controlled according to the heating command.

11. The heating method according to claim 10, characterized in that, The steps of starting the heating device, controlling the indoor fan to run at a preset speed, and opening the pipeline valve and closing the expansion valve include: Start the compressor and the heating device so that the heat absorption end absorbs the waste heat of the compressor and transports the waste heat to the heat release end through the circulation loop; The indoor fan is controlled to run at a preset speed, blowing hot air through the heat dissipation end into the room. The preset speed is not greater than the speed set by the heating command. Open the pipeline valve, close the expansion valve, and control the compressor to operate at a high frequency to increase the compressor's exhaust temperature.

12. The heating method according to claim 11, characterized in that, The preset rotation speed is a fixed value or determined based on the exhaust temperature of the compressor.

13. The heating method according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that, The heating device includes an electric heating component, which is connected to the heat absorption end to access the circulation loop; Starting the heating device includes: When the temperature of the heat-absorbing end is less than or equal to the preset heating temperature, the electric heating component is controlled to heat the refrigerant in the circulation loop.

14. The heating method according to claim 10, characterized in that, The step of controlling the speed of the indoor fan and the opening degree of the expansion valve according to the heating command includes: The target rotation speed and target opening degree are determined according to the heating command; The opening degree of the expansion valve is controlled to gradually increase from 0 to the target opening degree; The speed of the indoor fan is controlled to gradually increase from the preset speed to the target speed.

15. The heating method according to claim 10, characterized in that, The air conditioner also includes a four-way valve, the four ports of which are respectively connected to the exhaust port of the compressor, the air inlet of the compressor, the indoor heat exchanger, and the outdoor heat exchanger. The heating method further includes: When the heating command is received, the four-way valve is controlled to switch to the path corresponding to the heating mode.

16. The heating method according to claim 15, characterized in that, Also includes: In heating mode, when the temperature difference between the coil of the outdoor heat exchanger and the ambient temperature is greater than a preset temperature difference, the current state of the four-way valve is maintained, the heating device is started, and the following defrosting mode is entered: When the exhaust temperature of the compressor is greater than the preset target temperature, the pipeline valve is closed, and the opening degree of the expansion valve is controlled to the maximum. When the exhaust temperature of the compressor is less than or equal to the preset target temperature, the pipeline valve is opened and the expansion valve is closed.

17. The heating method according to claim 16, characterized in that, While starting the heating device, reduce the speed of the indoor fan and stop the outdoor fan.

18. The heating method according to claim 16, characterized in that, Also includes: When the difference between the coil temperature of the outdoor heat exchanger and the ambient temperature is less than or equal to the preset temperature difference, the defrosting mode is exited and the pipeline valve is closed. The indoor fan speed and the opening degree of the expansion valve are controlled according to the heating command.

19. A controller, characterized in that, It includes a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the processor, when executing the computer program, implements the heating method as described in any one of claims 10 to 18.

20. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The device stores computer-executable instructions for performing the heating method as described in any one of claims 10 to 18.

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