Air conditioner, control method thereof, and computer storage medium

Abstract

The application discloses a control method of an air conditioner, the air conditioner and a computer storage medium, wherein the control method comprises the following steps: controlling a compressor to reduce a running frequency according to an energy consumption reduction instruction; acquiring a pressure ratio of the compressor; executing a preset control instruction according to the pressure ratio being less than or equal to a lower limit value of the pressure ratio; and the preset control instruction comprises at least one of the following: reducing an opening degree of a throttling device, reducing a wind deflector of an outdoor unit fan and reducing a wind deflector of an indoor unit fan. According to the control method, the problem that the pressure ratio exceeds a low pressure ratio limit value of the compressor due to the excessively low frequency of the compressor when the power of the air conditioner is limited is solved, and the operation of the air conditioner is more stable.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of household appliance technology, and in particular to an air conditioner and its control method, as well as a computer storage medium. Background Technology

[0002] This section provides only background information relevant to this disclosure and is not necessarily prior art.

[0003] When an air conditioner is operating, it may be limited by external environmental conditions, such as high grid load, high electricity prices, or when the air conditioner is integrated into a smart building management system and receives an instruction to reduce total power to save energy. In this case, the air conditioner often needs to reduce the operating frequency of the compressor to reduce energy consumption. However, reducing the compressor frequency will lead to a decrease in the compressor's pressure ratio, or even cause the pressure ratio to fall below the minimum limit, which can damage the compressor. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The objective of this invention is to at least solve the problem of compressor frequency reduction causing the pressure ratio to fall below a minimum limit. This objective is achieved through the following technical solution:

[0005] The first aspect of the present invention provides a control method for an air conditioner, the control method comprising: controlling the compressor to reduce its operating frequency according to an energy consumption reduction instruction; obtaining the pressure ratio of the compressor; and executing at least one of the following control instructions according to the pressure ratio being less than or equal to a lower limit value of the pressure ratio: reducing the opening of the throttling device, reducing the fan speed of the outdoor unit fan, and reducing the fan speed of the indoor unit fan.

[0006] According to the control method of the present invention, when reducing the operating frequency of the compressor causes the compressor pressure ratio to fall below the lower limit of the pressure ratio, at least one of the following steps is performed: reducing the opening of the throttling device, reducing the fan speed of the outdoor unit fan, and reducing the fan speed of the indoor unit fan, so as to increase the pressure ratio and ensure that the pressure ratio can be kept within the range above the lower limit of the pressure ratio, thereby making the operation of the air conditioner more stable.

[0007] In addition, the control method for the air conditioner according to the present invention may also have the following additional technical features:

[0008] In some embodiments of the present invention, before the step of controlling the compressor to reduce its operating frequency according to the energy consumption reduction command, the method further includes: obtaining the operating mode of the air conditioner; and turning off the electric auxiliary heating device according to the fact that the air conditioner is in heating mode.

[0009] In some embodiments of the present invention, the step of controlling the compressor to reduce its operating frequency includes: obtaining the operating frequency of the compressor; determining whether the operating frequency is greater than the lower frequency limit; controlling the compressor to reduce a first frequency value based on the operating frequency being greater than the lower frequency limit; and stopping the reduction of the operating frequency based on the operating frequency being less than or equal to the lower frequency limit.

[0010] In some embodiments of the present invention, before the step of controlling the compressor to reduce its operating frequency according to the energy consumption reduction command, the method further includes: obtaining the total power of the air conditioner; determining whether the total power is less than or equal to an indicated power value; ending the control process if the total power is less than or equal to the indicated power value; and executing the step of controlling the compressor to reduce its operating frequency if the total power is greater than the indicated power value.

[0011] In some embodiments of the present invention, after the step of executing a preset control command according to the pressure ratio being less than or equal to the lower limit value of the pressure ratio, the method further includes: determining whether the pressure ratio is less than or equal to the lower limit value of the pressure ratio; executing the step of determining whether the total power is less than or equal to the indicated power value according to the pressure ratio being greater than the lower limit value of the pressure ratio; and ending the control process according to the pressure ratio being less than or equal to the lower limit value of the pressure ratio.

[0012] In some embodiments of the present invention, after the step of obtaining the pressure ratio of the compressor, the method further includes: performing the step of determining whether the total power is less than or equal to the indicated power value based on the pressure ratio being greater than the lower limit value of the pressure ratio.

[0013] In some embodiments of the present invention, the step of executing a preset control command based on the pressure ratio being less than or equal to a lower limit value of the pressure ratio includes: controlling the opening of the throttling device to decrease by a first opening value; determining whether the pressure ratio is less than or equal to the lower limit value of the pressure ratio; ending the control process based on the pressure ratio being greater than the lower limit value of the pressure ratio; obtaining the first discharge pressure of the compressor before the opening of the throttling device decreases by the first opening value, and obtaining the second discharge pressure of the compressor after the opening of the throttling device decreases by the first opening value, based on the pressure ratio being less than or equal to the lower limit value of the pressure ratio; controlling the opening of the throttling device to decrease by a second opening value based on the first discharge pressure being less than the second discharge pressure, and determining whether the pressure ratio is less than or equal to the lower limit value of the pressure ratio; stopping the downward adjustment of the opening of the throttling device based on the first discharge pressure being greater than or equal to the second discharge pressure.

[0014] In some embodiments of the present invention, the first opening value is equal to the second opening value; or, the absolute value of the difference between the first exhaust pressure and the second exhaust pressure is negatively correlated with the absolute value of the difference between the first opening value and the second opening value.

[0015] In some embodiments of the present invention, the step of executing a preset control command based on the pressure ratio being less than or equal to a lower limit value includes: controlling the opening of the throttling device to decrease by a first opening value; determining whether the pressure ratio is less than or equal to the lower limit value; ending the control process based on the pressure ratio being greater than the lower limit value; obtaining the exhaust superheat of the compressor based on the pressure ratio being less than or equal to the lower limit value; determining whether the exhaust superheat is greater than or equal to an upper limit value; controlling the opening of the throttling device to decrease by a second opening value based on the exhaust superheat being less than the upper limit value; determining whether the pressure ratio is less than or equal to the lower limit value; and stopping the downward adjustment of the opening of the throttling device based on the exhaust superheat being greater than or equal to the upper limit value.

[0016] In some embodiments of the present invention, the first opening value is equal to the second opening value; or, the absolute value of the difference between the first opening value and the second opening value is negatively correlated with the exhaust superheat.

[0017] In some embodiments of the present invention, the step of executing a preset control command according to the pressure ratio being less than or equal to the lower limit of the pressure ratio includes: according to the air conditioner being in cooling mode, first controlling the indoor unit fan to reduce the fan speed until the indoor unit fan speed is reduced to the lowest level, and then controlling the outdoor unit fan to reduce the fan speed; or, according to the air conditioner being in heating mode, first controlling the outdoor unit fan to reduce the fan speed until the outdoor unit fan speed is reduced to the lowest level, and then controlling the indoor unit fan to reduce the fan speed.

[0018] According to a second aspect of the present invention, an air conditioner is also provided, the air conditioner comprising: a compressor, an indoor unit fan, an outdoor unit fan, a throttling device, an electric auxiliary heating device, a first pressure sensor, a second pressure sensor, and a control device; the first pressure sensor is disposed in the exhaust pipe of the compressor and is used to detect the exhaust pressure of the compressor; the second pressure sensor is disposed in the return pipe of the compressor and is used to detect the return pressure of the compressor; the control device is electrically connected to the compressor, the indoor unit fan, the outdoor unit fan, the throttling device, the electric auxiliary heating device, the first pressure sensor, and the second pressure sensor; the control device is used to calculate the pressure ratio based on the exhaust pressure and the return pressure, and to control the operation of the air conditioner according to the control method of the air conditioner in the first aspect of the technical solution.

[0019] According to a third aspect of the invention, a computer storage medium is also provided, on which computer-readable instructions are stored, which, when executed by one or more processors, cause one or more processors to perform the control method of an air conditioner as described in any one of the first aspects. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description of preferred embodiments. The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the invention. Furthermore, the same reference numerals denote the same parts throughout the drawings. In the drawings:

[0021] Figure 1 A schematic flowchart of a control method for an air conditioner according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0022] Figure 2 A schematic flowchart of a control method for an air conditioner according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0023] Figure 3 A schematic flowchart of a control method for an air conditioner according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0024] Figure 4 A schematic flowchart of a control method for an air conditioner according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0025] Figure 5 A schematic flowchart of a control method for an air conditioner according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0026] Figure 6 A schematic flowchart of a control method for an air conditioner according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0027] Figure 7 A schematic flowchart of a control method for an air conditioner according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0028] Figure 8 A schematic flowchart illustrating a control method for an air conditioner in cooling mode according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0029] Figure 9 A schematic flowchart illustrating a control method for an air conditioner in heating mode according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0030] Figure 10 A schematic flowchart illustrating a control method for an air conditioner in heating mode according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0031] Figure 11 A schematic block diagram of the structure of an air conditioner according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0032] The attached figures are labeled as follows:

[0033] 10. Compressor; 20. Indoor unit fan; 30. Outdoor unit fan; 40. Electric auxiliary heating device; 50. Throttling device; 60. Control device; 61. Memory; 62. Processor; 70. First pressure sensor; 80. Second pressure sensor. Detailed Implementation

[0034] Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the present disclosure may be implemented in various forms and should not be limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art.

[0035] It should be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular exemplary embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “described” as used herein may also include the plural forms. The terms “comprising,” “including,” “containing,” and “having” are inclusive and therefore indicate the presence of the stated features, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or combinations thereof. The method steps, processes, and operations described herein are not construed as requiring them to be performed in a particular order described or illustrated unless the order of performance is explicitly indicated. It should also be understood that additional or alternative steps may be used.

[0036] Although terms such as first, second, third, etc., may be used in this document to describe multiple elements, components, regions, layers, and / or segments, these elements, components, regions, layers, and / or segments should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be used only to distinguish one element, component, region, layer, or segment from another. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, terms such as "first," "second," and other numerical terms used herein do not imply order or sequence. Therefore, the first element, component, region, layer, or segment discussed below may be referred to as the second element, component, region, layer, or segment without departing from the teachings of the exemplary embodiments.

[0037] For ease of description, spatial relative terms may be used in the text to describe the relationship of one element or feature relative to another element or feature, as shown in the figure. These relative terms include, for example, "inside," "outside," "middle," "outer," "below," "below," "above," "over," etc. Such spatial relative terms are intended to include different orientations of the device in use or operation, other than those depicted in the figure. For example, if the device in the figure is flipped, an element described as "below other elements or features" or "below other elements or features" would subsequently be oriented as "above other elements or features" or "above other elements or features." Therefore, the example term "below" can include both upper and lower orientations. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or in other directions), and the spatial relative descriptors used in the text will be interpreted accordingly.

[0038] like Figure 1 As shown, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a control method for an air conditioner is proposed, the control method comprising the following steps:

[0039] Step S101: Control the compressor to reduce its operating frequency according to the energy consumption reduction command;

[0040] Step S102: Obtain the pressure ratio of the compressor;

[0041] Step S103: Execute a preset control command based on the pressure ratio being less than or equal to the lower limit of the pressure ratio.

[0042] Energy consumption reduction instructions refer to instructions that reduce the total operating power of an air conditioner. These instructions can be proactively issued by the processor in the air conditioner based on external conditions. For example, intelligent air conditioners can proactively reduce the total operating power of the air conditioner and reduce power consumption when the electricity price is at its peak, based on the grid's electricity price information.

[0043] Alternatively, energy consumption reduction instructions can also be instructions issued by external devices to air conditioners. For example, when an air conditioner is connected to a smart grid system, the smart grid system has high-performance power control equipment with built-in digital computers that are interconnected through a network from power generation equipment to terminal power equipment (such as air conditioners). When the power grid load is high during peak electricity consumption periods, the power control equipment issues instructions to high-energy-consuming equipment such as air conditioners to reduce energy consumption in order to improve the balance between power supply and demand in the power grid, optimize power distribution, prevent power outages, and reduce costs.

[0044] Alternatively, in the air conditioner of the intelligent building system, the air conditioner receives power dispatch from the intelligent building system. When the electricity price is at its peak or the power supply load in the intelligent building is large, the intelligent building system sends an energy consumption reduction command to the air conditioner.

[0045] In step S101, since the compressor is a core component of air conditioning heating, and the energy consumption of the compressor accounts for most of the total energy consumption of the air conditioner, reducing the operating frequency of the compressor can rapidly reduce the total operating power of the air conditioner.

[0046] In steps S102 and S103, the pressure ratio of the compressor is a value obtained by dividing the absolute pressure on the high-pressure side of the compressor by the absolute pressure on the low-pressure side. The absolute pressure on the high-pressure side is the discharge pressure of the compressor, and the absolute pressure on the low-pressure side is the suction pressure of the compressor. Generally, the pressure ratio of the compressor is in a reasonable range, and both too high and too low pressure ratios will affect the operation of the air conditioner. Wherein, when the operating frequency of the compressor decreases, the pressure ratio of the compressor also decreases accordingly. If the pressure ratio decreases to be lower than or equal to the lower limit of pressure ratio, the compressor will be damaged and the operating stability of the air conditioner will be affected.

[0047] Wherein, the value range of the lower limit of pressure ratio K can be 1<K<4, for example, 1.2, 1.5, 1.6, 1.8, 2, etc. It should be noted that the lower limit of pressure ratio has different values according to different compressor models, and the lower limit of pressure ratio can also be set to other parameters matching the compressor model, which is not specifically limited herein.

[0048] The preset control instructions include at least one of reducing the opening degree of the throttling device, reducing the wind gear of the outdoor unit fan, and reducing the wind gear of the indoor unit fan. By controlling the air conditioner to execute the preset control instructions, the pressure ratio of the compressor can be increased, so that the pressure ratio of the compressor is greater than the lower limit of pressure ratio, thereby better ensuring the operational reliability of the air conditioner after reducing the operating frequency, and avoiding damage to the compressor caused by too low pressure ratio when the compressor operates under the working condition of low operating frequency.

[0049] In this embodiment, according to the embodiment of the present invention, before the step of controlling the compressor to reduce the operating frequency, the method further includes the steps of: acquiring the operating mode of the air conditioner; judging whether the auxiliary electric heating device is turned on according to the air conditioner being in the heating mode, turning off the auxiliary electric heating device if it is turned on, and executing the step of controlling the compressor to reduce the operating frequency if the auxiliary electric heating device is not turned on. Understandably, when the compressor is in the heating mode, if the external ambient temperature is too low and only turning on the compressor cannot meet the heating demand, the auxiliary electric heating device also needs to be turned on to increase the heat output of the air conditioner. However, the auxiliary electric heating device converts electric energy into heat energy for heating, and the inside of the auxiliary electric heating device is a resistance wire that converts electric energy into heat energy and transmits it into the room after being energized, which consumes a large amount of power. Therefore, when the air conditioner receives an energy consumption reduction instruction, the auxiliary electric heating device is turned off preferentially. Understandably, the auxiliary electric heating device will not be turned on when the air conditioner is in the cooling mode, so the factor of the auxiliary electric heating device is not considered in the control steps in the cooling mode.

[0050] As Figure 2As shown, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the step of controlling the compressor to reduce its operating frequency includes:

[0051] Step S201: Obtain the operating frequency of the compressor;

[0052] Step S202: Determine whether the operating frequency is greater than the lower limit of the frequency. If yes, proceed to step S203; otherwise, proceed to step S204.

[0053] Step S203: Control the compressor to reduce the first frequency value based on the operating frequency;

[0054] Step S204: Stop reducing the operating frequency.

[0055] It should be noted that the compressor in the air conditioner of this invention refers to a variable frequency compressor. Compared to a compressor with a constant speed, a variable frequency compressor can continuously adjust its speed within a certain range, thereby continuously changing its output energy. Different models of compressors have different frequency ranges while ensuring stable operation. For example, some models of compressors operate in a frequency range of 20Hz to 120Hz, with a lower frequency limit of 20Hz; other models operate in a frequency range of 25Hz to 130Hz, with a lower frequency limit of 205Hz; and still others operate in a frequency range of 30Hz to 130Hz, with a lower frequency limit of 30Hz. Therefore, the lower frequency limit varies depending on the model of the compressor, and no specific limitation is made here.

[0056] When the compressor's operating frequency is greater than the lower frequency limit, it indicates that the compressor is operating normally and there is still room to reduce its operating frequency. Therefore, the compressor's operating frequency is controlled to decrease by a first frequency value to further reduce the overall power consumption of the air conditioner. When the compressor's operating frequency is less than or equal to the lower frequency limit, it indicates that there is no room to lower the compressor's operating frequency. If the compressor's operating frequency is further reduced, it will cause abnormal operation of the compressor, resulting in unstable operation of the air conditioner or damage to the compressor. Therefore, further reduction of the operating frequency is stopped.

[0057] In some implementations, if the compressor's operating frequency is lower than the lower frequency limit, the compressor's operating frequency is increased to the lower frequency limit to ensure that the compressor can operate normally.

[0058] In some implementations, the first frequency value is set to a fixed value, and the range of the first frequency value can be 1Hz to 20Hz or 0.1Hz to 10Hz. For example, the first frequency value can be set to 1Hz, 2Hz, 3Hz, 5Hz, 6Hz, 7Hz, 8Hz, 9Hz, 10Hz, 12Hz, 14Hz, 15Hz, 18Hz, 20Hz, etc.

[0059] In other embodiments, the first frequency value can be adjusted based on the difference between the compressor's current operating frequency and the lower frequency limit. For example, the first frequency value is set to be positively correlated with the difference between the operating frequency and the lower frequency limit; the larger the difference, the larger the first frequency value. During multiple compressor adjustments, as the difference between the compressor's operating frequency and the lower frequency limit decreases, the first frequency value also decreases. During multiple compressor adjustments, the first frequency value is largest when the compressor's operating frequency is reduced for the first time. After the first reduction in the compressor's operating frequency, the first frequency value gradually decreases to achieve precise adjustment of the compressor's frequency reduction. Furthermore, during each adjustment, the first frequency value is less than the difference between the compressor's current operating frequency and the lower frequency limit, preventing the compressor's operating frequency from falling below the lower frequency limit and improving the stability of the compressor's operation.

[0060] In other implementations, the first frequency value can be adjusted based on the difference between the current total power of the air conditioner and the specified power corresponding to the energy consumption reduction command. The first frequency value is set to be positively correlated with the difference between the current total power of the air conditioner and the specified power corresponding to the energy consumption reduction command. The larger the difference, the larger the first frequency value. During the process of adjusting the compressor multiple times, as the difference between the compressor's operating frequency and the lower frequency limit decreases, the first frequency value also decreases, so as to quickly reduce the total power of the air conditioner and enable the air conditioner to respond quickly to the energy consumption reduction command.

[0061] It is important to emphasize that during each adjustment process, the first frequency value should be less than the difference between the compressor's current operating frequency and the lower frequency limit. This prevents the compressor's operating frequency from dropping below the lower frequency limit and improves the stability of the compressor's operation.

[0062] like Figure 3 As shown, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the control method for an air conditioner includes the following steps:

[0063] Step S301: Obtain the power consumption reduction instruction;

[0064] Step S302: Obtain the total power consumption of the air conditioner during operation;

[0065] Step S303: Determine whether the total power P is less than or equal to the indicated power value P1. If yes, end the control process; otherwise, proceed to step S304.

[0066] Step S304: Control the compressor to reduce its operating frequency according to the energy consumption reduction command;

[0067] Step S305: Obtain the pressure ratio of the compressor;

[0068] Step S306: Execute a preset control command based on the pressure ratio being less than or equal to the lower limit of the pressure ratio.

[0069] In this embodiment, step S301 is the same as step S101, and steps S304 to S306 are the same as steps S101 to S103, and will not be described again here.

[0070] In step S301, obtaining the energy consumption reduction instruction means that the control device in the air conditioner obtains the energy consumption reduction instruction issued to the air conditioner by the smart grid system or smart building system.

[0071] In steps S302 and S303, after obtaining the energy consumption reduction command, it is first determined whether the total power of the air conditioner currently in operation meets the indicated power value corresponding to the energy consumption reduction command. If the total power is less than or equal to the indicated power value, it means that the power consumption of the air conditioner in the current operating state meets the requirements, so the air conditioner remains in the current operating state. If the total power is greater than the indicated power value, the compressor is controlled to reduce the operating frequency.

[0072] like Figure 4 As shown, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the control method for an air conditioner includes the following steps:

[0073] Step S401: Obtain the power consumption reduction instruction;

[0074] Step S402: Obtain the total power consumption of the air conditioner during operation;

[0075] Step S403: Determine whether the total power P is less than or equal to the indicated power value P1. If yes, end the control process; otherwise, proceed to step S404.

[0076] Step S404: Control the compressor to reduce its operating frequency according to the energy consumption reduction command;

[0077] Step S405: Obtain the pressure ratio of the compressor;

[0078] Step S406: Execute a preset control command based on the pressure ratio being less than or equal to the lower limit of the pressure ratio;

[0079] Step S407: Determine whether the pressure ratio is less than the lower limit of the pressure ratio. If yes, end the control process; otherwise, proceed to step S403.

[0080] In this embodiment, steps S401 to S406 are the same as steps S301 to S306, and will not be described again here.

[0081] In step S407, after the air conditioner executes the preset control command, if the compressor's pressure ratio is still less than or equal to the lower limit of the pressure ratio, it indicates that the compressor's operating frequency is too low in the current operating environment and cannot guarantee the stable operation of the compressor. Therefore, the current control process ends and the compressor stops further reducing its frequency.

[0082] Understandably, in some implementations, to ensure stable operation of the air conditioner, if the compressor's pressure ratio is still less than or equal to the lower limit after the air conditioner executes all preset control commands, the compressor's operating frequency is increased to ensure that the pressure ratio is greater than the lower limit, so that the compressor can operate stably.

[0083] If the compressor's pressure ratio is greater than or equal to the pressure ratio, return to step S403 to determine whether the current total power of the air conditioner is less than or equal to the indicated power value. If the total power value is still greater than the indicated power value, the compressor frequency will continue to decrease until the compressor has been reduced to the lower frequency limit.

[0084] It should be noted that in this embodiment, from step S401 to step S406, one control step of compressor frequency reduction is completed. When returning from step S407 to step S403, the next control cycle of compressor frequency reduction is entered. In each control cycle, the compressor operating frequency is reduced by a first frequency value based on the total power of the air conditioner being greater than the indicated power value.

[0085] like Figure 5 As shown, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the control method for an air conditioner includes the following steps:

[0086] Step S501: Obtain the energy consumption reduction instruction;

[0087] Step S502: Obtain the total power consumption of the air conditioner during operation;

[0088] Step S503: Determine whether the total power P is less than or equal to the indicated power value P1. If yes, end the control process; otherwise, proceed to step S504.

[0089] Step S504: Control the compressor to reduce its operating frequency according to the energy consumption reduction command;

[0090] Step S505: Obtain the pressure ratio of the compressor;

[0091] Step S506: Execute a preset control command based on the pressure ratio being less than or equal to the lower limit of the pressure ratio;

[0092] Step S507: Execute step S503 if the pressure ratio is greater than the lower limit of the pressure ratio.

[0093] In this embodiment, steps S501 to S506 are the same as steps S401 to S406, and will not be described again here.

[0094] In step S507, if the compressor pressure ratio is greater than the lower limit after the air conditioner performs the step of reducing the compressor operating frequency, it means that the compressor's stable operation has not been affected after the operating frequency is reduced. Under the premise of maintaining stable operation of the compressor, the compressor's operating frequency still has room for reduction to further reduce the total power of the air conditioner. Therefore, return to step S503 to determine whether the total power after the compressor's operating frequency is reduced is less than or equal to the indicated power. If not, continue to reduce the compressor's operating frequency. If yes, it means that the current operating state of the air conditioner can meet the requirements of the energy consumption reduction command and can also maintain stable operation, and then the control step ends.

[0095] like Figure 6 As shown, in some embodiments of the present invention, the step of executing a preset control command based on a pressure ratio less than or equal to a lower limit value of the pressure ratio includes:

[0096] Step S601: Control the opening degree of the throttling device to decrease the first opening degree value;

[0097] Step S602: Determine whether the pressure ratio is less than or equal to the lower limit of the pressure ratio. If yes, proceed to step S603; otherwise, end the control process.

[0098] Step S603: Obtain the first discharge pressure of the compressor before the opening of the throttling device is reduced by the first opening value and the second discharge pressure of the compressor after the opening of the throttling device is reduced by the first opening value;

[0099] Step S604: Determine whether the first exhaust pressure Pc1 is less than the second exhaust pressure Pc2. If yes, proceed to step S605; otherwise, proceed to step S606.

[0100] Step S605: Control the opening degree of the throttling device to decrease the second opening degree value, and execute step S602;

[0101] Step S606: Stop the opening of the lower regulating flow device.

[0102] In this embodiment, in step S601, the throttling device is installed in the refrigerant pipeline of the air conditioner. When the opening of the throttling device decreases, the discharge side pressure Pc of the compressor can be increased and the return side pressure Pe of the compressor can be decreased, thereby increasing the compressor's pressure ratio Pc / Pe.

[0103] In step S602, after reducing the opening of the throttling device by a first value, the relationship between the compressor's pressure ratio and the lower limit of the pressure ratio is determined. If the pressure ratio is greater than the lower limit of the pressure ratio, it means that the pressure ratio has been effectively increased by adjusting the opening of the throttling device, enabling the compressor to operate stably. In this case, there is no need to continue adjusting the opening of the throttling device. If the pressure ratio is still less than or equal to the lower limit of the pressure ratio, it means that the opening of the throttling device needs to be further reduced.

[0104] In step S603, under normal circumstances, reducing the opening degree of the throttling device will increase the compressor's discharge pressure. Therefore, under normal circumstances, after the throttling device opening degree is reduced by a first value, the second discharge pressure is greater than the first discharge pressure. Specifically, the first discharge pressure is the compressor's discharge pressure before the throttling device opening degree is reduced by the first value, and the second discharge pressure is the compressor's discharge pressure after the throttling device opening degree is reduced by the first value. However, if the throttling device opening degree is too small or close to the closed state, it will result in insufficient gas on the compressor's suction side, leading to a decrease in the discharge volume on the compressor's discharge side, thereby making the first discharge pressure greater than or equal to the second discharge pressure.

[0105] Therefore, in steps S604 to S606, when the first exhaust pressure is less than the second exhaust pressure, it indicates that the opening of the current throttling device is within the normal range, and the opening of the throttling device can still be further reduced. Therefore, the opening of the throttling device is controlled to continue to decrease the second opening value. When the first exhaust pressure is greater than or equal to the second exhaust pressure, it indicates that the opening of the current throttling device is too small, so the opening of the throttling device is stopped from being further reduced.

[0106] In some implementations, if the first discharge pressure is greater than or equal to the second discharge pressure, the opening of the throttling device can be increased to a third opening value, wherein the third opening value is less than the first opening value, so as to increase the discharge pressure of the compressor.

[0107] In some implementations, the first opening value is equal to the second opening value, and the opening value of the throttling device is equal each time it is adjusted. During the process of adjusting the throttling device multiple times, the opening of the throttling device decreases at a constant speed, which helps to make the discharge pressure of the compressor change more evenly and make the overall operation of the air conditioner more stable.

[0108] In some implementations, the first opening value and the second opening value are not equal. Each adjustment of the throttling device opening is determined by referring to the difference between the second discharge pressure and the first discharge pressure. The opening of the throttling device is adjusted by the change in compressor discharge pressure (i.e., the absolute value of the difference between the second and first discharge pressures) caused by each adjustment, thus providing an intelligent feedback mechanism to improve the throttling device's response speed and control accuracy. Specifically, the absolute value of the difference between the first and second discharge pressures is negatively correlated with the absolute value of the difference between the first and second opening values. Understandably, after reducing the throttling device opening by the first opening value, the larger the change in compressor discharge pressure, the smaller the change in the second opening value relative to the first opening value (i.e., the absolute value of the difference between the second and first opening values); conversely, the smaller the change in compressor discharge pressure, the larger the change in the second opening value relative to the first opening value (i.e., the absolute value of the difference between the second and first opening values).

[0109] like Figure 7 As shown, in some embodiments of the present invention, the step of executing a preset control command based on a pressure ratio less than or equal to a lower limit value of the pressure ratio includes:

[0110] Step S701: Control the opening degree of the throttling device to decrease the first opening degree value;

[0111] Step S702: Determine whether the pressure ratio is less than or equal to the lower limit of the pressure ratio. If yes, proceed to step S703; otherwise, end the control process.

[0112] Step S703: Obtain the compressor's discharge superheat.

[0113] Step S704: Determine whether the exhaust superheat HDSH is greater than or equal to the upper limit of superheat B. If yes, proceed to step S706; otherwise, proceed to step S705.

[0114] Step S705: Control the opening degree of the throttling device to decrease the second opening degree value, and execute step S702;

[0115] Step S706: Stop the opening of the lower regulating flow device.

[0116] In this embodiment, in step S701, a throttling device is installed in the refrigerant pipeline of the air conditioner. When the opening of the throttling device is reduced, the exhaust superheat of the compressor can be increased.

[0117] In step S702, after reducing the opening of the throttling device by a first value, the relationship between the compressor's pressure ratio and the lower limit of the pressure ratio is determined. If the pressure ratio is greater than the lower limit of the pressure ratio, it means that the pressure ratio has been effectively increased by adjusting the opening of the throttling device, enabling the compressor to operate stably. In this case, there is no need to continue adjusting the opening of the throttling device. If the pressure ratio is still less than or equal to the lower limit of the pressure ratio, it means that the opening of the throttling device needs to be further reduced.

[0118] In step S703, under normal circumstances, the superheat of the compressor's exhaust before the opening of the throttling device is reduced by the first opening value is less than the superheat of the compressor's exhaust after the opening of the throttling device is reduced by the first opening value. That is, after the throttling device reduces its opening, the superheat of the compressor's exhaust will increase. However, if the exhaust superheat is too large, it will affect the normal operation of the air conditioner and may even cause damage.

[0119] In steps S704 to S706, when the exhaust superheat is less than the upper limit of superheat, it means that the opening of the current throttling device is within the normal range, and the opening of the throttling device can still be further reduced. Therefore, the opening of the throttling device is controlled to continue to decrease the second opening value. When the exhaust superheat is greater than or equal to the upper limit of superheat, it means that the opening of the current throttling device is too small, so the opening of the throttling device is stopped from being further reduced.

[0120] In some implementations, if the exhaust superheat is greater than or equal to the upper limit of superheat, the opening of the throttling device can be increased by a third opening value, wherein the third opening value is less than the first opening value, in order to reduce the exhaust superheat of the compressor.

[0121] In some implementations, the first opening value is equal to the second opening value, and the opening value of the throttling device is equal each time it is adjusted. During the process of adjusting the throttling device multiple times, the opening of the throttling device decreases at a constant speed, which helps to make the superheat of the compressor's exhaust more uniform and makes the overall operation of the air conditioner more stable.

[0122] In some implementations, the first opening value and the second opening value are not equal. Each adjustment of the throttling device's opening is determined with reference to the exhaust superheat value, giving the throttling device an intelligent feedback mechanism to improve its response speed and control accuracy. Specifically, the exhaust superheat and the absolute value of the difference between the first and second opening values ​​are negatively correlated. Understandably, after reducing the throttling device's opening by the first opening value, the larger the compressor's exhaust superheat value, the smaller the change in the second opening value relative to the first opening value (i.e., the absolute value of the difference between the second and first opening values); conversely, the smaller the compressor's exhaust superheat value, the larger the change in the second opening value relative to the first opening value (i.e., the absolute value of the difference between the second and first opening values).

[0123] like Figure 8 As shown, according to some specific embodiments of the present invention, a control method for an air conditioner is proposed. In cooling mode, the control method for the air conditioner specifically includes the following steps:

[0124] Step S801: Obtain the power consumption reduction instruction;

[0125] Step S802: Obtain the total power consumption of the air conditioner during operation;

[0126] Step S803: Determine whether the total power P is less than or equal to the indicated power value P1. If yes, end the control process; otherwise, proceed to step S804.

[0127] Step S804: Obtain the compressor's operating frequency;

[0128] Step S805: Determine whether the operating frequency f is greater than the lower frequency limit f1. If yes, proceed to step S806; otherwise, end the control process.

[0129] Step S806: Control the compressor to reduce the first frequency value based on the operating frequency;

[0130] Step S807: Obtain the pressure ratio of the compressor;

[0131] Step S808: Determine whether the pressure ratio is less than or equal to the lower limit of the pressure ratio. If yes, proceed to step S809; otherwise, proceed to step S803.

[0132] Step S809: Control the opening degree of the throttling device to decrease the first opening degree value;

[0133] Step S810: Determine whether the pressure ratio is less than or equal to the lower limit of the pressure ratio. If yes, proceed to step S811; otherwise, proceed to step S803.

[0134] Step S811: Obtain the compressor's discharge superheat, obtain the compressor's first discharge pressure before the throttling device's opening is reduced by the first opening value, and the compressor's second discharge pressure after the throttling device's opening is reduced by the first opening value;

[0135] Step S812: Determine whether the first exhaust pressure Pc1 is less than the second exhaust pressure Pc2. If yes, proceed to step S813; otherwise, proceed to step S814. Alternatively, determine whether the exhaust superheat HDSH is less than the superheat upper limit B. If yes, proceed to step S813; otherwise, proceed to step S814.

[0136] Step S813: Control the opening degree of the throttling device to decrease the second opening degree value;

[0137] Step S814: Determine whether the pressure ratio is less than or equal to the lower limit of the pressure ratio. If yes, proceed to step S815; otherwise, proceed to step S803.

[0138] Step S815: Determine whether the fan speed of the indoor unit is at the lowest setting. If yes, proceed to step S817; otherwise, control the fan speed of the indoor unit to decrease by 1 level.

[0139] Step S816: Determine whether the pressure ratio is less than or equal to the lower limit of the pressure ratio. If yes, proceed to step S815; otherwise, proceed to step S803.

[0140] Step S817: Determine whether the fan speed of the outdoor unit is at the lowest setting. If yes, end the control process; otherwise, control the fan speed of the outdoor unit to decrease by 1 level.

[0141] Step S818: Determine whether the pressure ratio is less than or equal to the lower limit of the pressure ratio. If yes, proceed to step S817; otherwise, proceed to step S803.

[0142] In this embodiment, after the air conditioner receives the energy consumption reduction command, the preset control commands executed by the air conditioner sequentially include reducing the opening of the throttling device, reducing the fan speed of the indoor unit fan, and reducing the fan speed of the outdoor unit fan.

[0143] It should be noted that in cooling mode, the heat exchanger in the indoor unit of the air conditioner acts as an evaporator, and the heat exchanger in the outdoor unit acts as a condenser. Therefore, prioritizing the reduction of the indoor unit fan speed can reduce the compressor's return gas pressure Pe, thereby increasing the pressure ratio Pc / Pe. When the indoor unit fan speed is reduced to the lowest setting, the outdoor unit fan speed is then reduced to increase the compressor's exhaust pressure Pc, thereby increasing the pressure ratio (Pc / Pe) value.

[0144] like Figure 9 As shown, according to some specific embodiments of the present invention, a control method for an air conditioner is proposed. In heating mode, the control method for the air conditioner specifically includes the following steps:

[0145] Step S901: Obtain an energy consumption reduction command and shut down the electric auxiliary heating device;

[0146] Step S902: Obtain the total power consumption of the air conditioner during operation;

[0147] Step S903: Determine whether the total power P is less than or equal to the indicated power value P1. If yes, end the control process; otherwise, proceed to step S904.

[0148] Step S904: Obtain the operating frequency of the compressor;

[0149] Step S905: Determine whether the operating frequency is greater than the lower limit of the frequency. If yes, proceed to step S906; otherwise, end the control process.

[0150] Step S906: Control the compressor to reduce the first frequency value based on the operating frequency;

[0151] Step S907: Obtain the pressure ratio of the compressor;

[0152] Step S908: Determine whether the pressure ratio is less than or equal to the lower limit of the pressure ratio. If yes, proceed to step S909; otherwise, proceed to step S903.

[0153] Step S909: Control the opening degree of the throttling device to decrease the first opening degree value;

[0154] Step S910: Determine whether the pressure ratio is less than or equal to the lower limit of the pressure ratio. If yes, proceed to step S911; otherwise, proceed to step S903.

[0155] Step S911: Obtain the compressor's discharge superheat, obtain the compressor's first discharge pressure before the throttling device's opening is reduced by the first opening value, and the compressor's second discharge pressure after the throttling device's opening is reduced by the first opening value;

[0156] Step S912: Determine whether the first exhaust pressure Pc1 is less than the second exhaust pressure Pc2. If yes, proceed to step S913; otherwise, proceed to step S914. Alternatively, determine whether the exhaust superheat HDSH is less than the superheat upper limit B. If yes, proceed to step S913; otherwise, proceed to step S914.

[0157] Step S913: Control the opening degree of the throttling device to decrease the second opening degree value;

[0158] Step S914: Determine whether the pressure ratio is less than or equal to the lower limit of the pressure ratio. If yes, proceed to step S915; otherwise, proceed to step S903.

[0159] Step S915: Determine whether the fan speed of the outdoor unit is at the lowest setting. If yes, proceed to step S917; otherwise, control the fan speed of the outdoor unit to decrease by 1 level.

[0160] Step S916: Determine whether the pressure ratio is less than or equal to the lower limit of the pressure ratio. If yes, proceed to step S915; otherwise, proceed to step S903.

[0161] Step S917: Determine whether the indoor unit fan speed is at the lowest setting. If yes, end the control process; otherwise, control the indoor unit fan speed to decrease by 1 level.

[0162] Step S918: Determine whether the pressure ratio is less than or equal to the lower limit of the pressure ratio. If yes, proceed to step S917; otherwise, proceed to step S903.

[0163] In this embodiment, after the air conditioner receives the energy consumption reduction command, the preset control commands executed by the air conditioner sequentially include reducing the opening of the throttling device, reducing the fan speed of the indoor unit fan, and reducing the fan speed of the outdoor unit fan.

[0164] It should be noted that in heating mode, the heat exchanger in the indoor unit of the air conditioner acts as a condenser, and the heat exchanger in the outdoor unit acts as an evaporator. Therefore, prioritizing the reduction of the outdoor unit fan speed can reduce the compressor's return gas pressure Pe, thereby increasing the pressure ratio Pc / Pe. When the outdoor unit fan speed is reduced to the lowest setting, the indoor unit fan speed is then reduced to increase the compressor's exhaust pressure Pc, thereby increasing the pressure ratio (Pc / Pe) value.

[0165] like Figure 10 As shown, according to some specific embodiments of the present invention, a control method for an air conditioner is proposed. In heating mode, the control method for the air conditioner specifically includes the following steps:

[0166] Step S1001: Obtain an energy consumption reduction command and turn off the electric auxiliary heating device;

[0167] Step S1002: Obtain the total power consumption of the air conditioner during operation;

[0168] Step S1003: Determine whether the total power P is less than or equal to the indicated power value P1. If yes, end the control process; otherwise, proceed to step S1004.

[0169] Step S1004: Obtain the operating frequency of the compressor;

[0170] Step S1005: Determine whether the operating frequency is greater than the lower limit of the frequency. If yes, proceed to step S1006; otherwise, end the control process.

[0171] Step S1006: Control the compressor to reduce the first frequency value based on the operating frequency;

[0172] Step S1007: Obtain the pressure ratio of the compressor;

[0173] Step S1008: Determine whether the pressure ratio is less than or equal to the lower limit of the pressure ratio. If yes, proceed to step S1009; otherwise, proceed to step S1003.

[0174] Step S1009: Determine whether the fan speed of the outdoor unit is at the lowest setting. If yes, proceed to step S1011; otherwise, control the fan speed of the outdoor unit to decrease by 1 level.

[0175] Step S1010: Determine whether the pressure ratio is less than or equal to the lower limit of the pressure ratio. If yes, proceed to step S1011; otherwise, proceed to step S1003.

[0176] Step S1011: Determine whether the fan speed of the indoor unit is at the lowest setting. If yes, proceed to step S1013; otherwise, control the fan speed of the indoor unit to decrease by 1 level.

[0177] Step S1012: Determine whether the pressure ratio is less than or equal to the lower limit of the pressure ratio. If yes, proceed to step S1013; otherwise, proceed to step S1003.

[0178] Step S1013: Control the opening degree of the throttling device to decrease the first opening degree value;

[0179] Step S1014: Determine whether the pressure ratio is less than or equal to the lower limit of the pressure ratio. If yes, proceed to step S1015; otherwise, proceed to step S1003.

[0180] Step S1015: Obtain the compressor's discharge superheat, obtain the compressor's first discharge pressure before the throttling device's opening is reduced by the first opening value, and the compressor's second discharge pressure after the throttling device's opening is reduced by the first opening value;

[0181] Step S1016: Determine whether the first exhaust pressure Pc1 is less than the second exhaust pressure Pc2. If yes, proceed to step S1017; otherwise, end the control process. Alternatively, determine whether the exhaust superheat HDSH is less than the superheat upper limit value B. If yes, proceed to step S1017; otherwise, end the control process.

[0182] Step S1017: Control the opening degree of the throttling device to decrease the second opening degree value;

[0183] Step S1018: Determine whether the pressure ratio is less than or equal to the lower limit of the pressure ratio. If yes, proceed to step S1015; otherwise, proceed to step S1003.

[0184] In this embodiment, during the process of reducing the opening of the throttling device and reducing the fan speed of the outdoor unit fan and the indoor unit fan, the step of adjusting the opening of the throttling device is placed after the step of adjusting the outdoor unit fan and the indoor unit fan. This is beneficial to improve the cooling or heating output of the air conditioner while ensuring low energy consumption.

[0185] In detail, when the fan speeds of the outdoor and indoor units are reduced, their power also decreases. Therefore, prioritizing the reduction of the fan speeds of the outdoor and indoor units can reduce the total operating power of the air conditioner. When the total power meets the standard and the pressure ratio is greater than the lower limit of the pressure ratio, the throttling device can be kept at a larger opening, thereby making the refrigerant flow in the air conditioner smoother and increasing the cooling or heating capacity of the air conditioner.

[0186] It should be noted that, in addition to the Pc / Pe method proposed in this invention, other methods for determining whether the refrigerant system of the controller has exceeded the low-pressure operating range, such as calculating the pressure ratio based on physical property parameters such as saturation temperature and then applying the algorithm of this patent, also fall within the scope of protection.

[0187] It should also be emphasized that, in this application, after the air conditioner executes and completes all preset control commands, if the compressor's pressure ratio is still less than or equal to the lower limit of the pressure ratio, the control device controls the air conditioner to exit the low-energy-consumption frequency-limiting mode to ensure the reliability of the air conditioner system. Exiting the low-energy-consumption frequency-limiting mode means controlling the air conditioner to exit the step of executing preset control commands and controlling the compressor's operating frequency to increase, so as to achieve stable operation of the air conditioner system.

[0188] According to some specific embodiments of the present invention, a control method for an air conditioner is proposed. In heating mode, the control method for the air conditioner specifically includes the following steps:

[0189] In some implementations, the control method for air conditioners without a throttling device follows these steps:

[0190] Step S1101: Obtain an energy consumption reduction command and turn off the electric auxiliary heating device;

[0191] Step S1102: Obtain the total power of the air conditioner during operation.

[0192] Step S1103: Determine whether the total power P is less than or equal to the indicated power value P1. If yes, end the control process; otherwise, proceed to step S1104.

[0193] Step S1104: Obtain the operating frequency of the compressor;

[0194] Step S1105: Determine whether the operating frequency is greater than the lower limit of the frequency. If yes, proceed to step S1106; otherwise, end the control process.

[0195] Step S1106: Control the compressor to reduce the first frequency value based on the operating frequency;

[0196] Step S1107: Obtain the pressure ratio of the compressor;

[0197] Step S1108: Determine whether the pressure ratio is less than or equal to the lower limit of the pressure ratio. If yes, proceed to step S1109; otherwise, proceed to step S1103.

[0198] Step S1109: Determine whether the indoor unit fan speed is at the lowest setting. If yes, proceed to step S1111; otherwise, control the outdoor unit fan speed to decrease by 1 level.

[0199] Step S1110: Determine whether the pressure ratio is less than or equal to the lower limit of the pressure ratio. If yes, proceed to step S1109; otherwise, proceed to step S1103.

[0200] Step S1111: Determine whether the fan speed of the outdoor unit is at the lowest setting. If yes, proceed to step S1112; otherwise, control the fan speed of the indoor unit to be reduced by 1 level.

[0201] Step S1112: Determine whether the pressure ratio is less than or equal to the lower limit of the pressure ratio. If yes, end the control process; otherwise, proceed to step S1103.

[0202] According to an embodiment of the present invention, an air conditioner is also provided, such as... Figure 11 As shown, the air conditioner includes a refrigerant circulation pipeline, and a compressor 10, an indoor unit, a throttling device 50, and an outdoor unit connected in series in the refrigerant circulation pipeline. The indoor unit includes an indoor heat exchanger and an indoor fan 20 corresponding to the indoor heat exchanger. The outdoor unit includes an outdoor heat exchanger and an outdoor fan 30 corresponding to the outdoor heat exchanger. An electric auxiliary heating device 40 is also installed in the indoor unit. A first pressure sensor 70 is installed in the exhaust pipe of the refrigerant circulation pipeline on the exhaust side of the compressor 10, and a second sensor is installed in the return pipe of the refrigerant circulation pipeline on the return side of the compressor 10. The first pressure sensor 70 can detect the discharge pressure Pc of the compressor 10, and the second pressure sensor 80 can detect the return pressure Pe of the compressor 10. The control device 60 is electrically connected to the compressor 10, the indoor unit fan 20, the outdoor unit fan 30, the throttling device 50, the electric auxiliary heating device 40, the first pressure sensor 70, and the second pressure sensor 80. The control device 60 can acquire the return pressure Pe and the discharge pressure Pc, and calculate the pressure ratio of the compressor 10 based on the return pressure Pe and the discharge pressure Pc. The control device 60 can also control the operation of the air conditioner based on the control method of the air conditioner proposed in this invention.

[0203] The control device 60 includes a memory 61 and at least one processor 62. The memory 61 stores a program or instructions that can be executed on the processor 62. When the processor 62 executes the program or instructions, it implements the steps of the air conditioner control method of this application.

[0204] The control method for air conditioners proposed in this invention solves the problem that when the power of the air conditioner is limited, the compressor frequency is too low, causing the pressure ratio to exceed the compressor's low pressure ratio limit.

[0205] According to embodiments of the present invention, a computer storage medium is also provided, on which computer-readable instructions are stored. When executed by one or more processors, the computer-readable instructions cause the one or more processors to perform the air conditioner control method of any embodiment of the present invention. The processor involved in the present invention can be, for example, an air conditioning system, including but not limited to window air conditioners, split-type wall-mounted air conditioners, split-type floor-standing air conditioners, ceiling-mounted air conditioners, embedded air conditioners, and central air conditioning systems. The air conditioner control method may include, but is not limited to, at least one of the following steps: obtaining an energy consumption reduction instruction; controlling the compressor to reduce its operating frequency according to the energy consumption reduction instruction; obtaining the compressor's pressure ratio; and executing a preset control instruction if the pressure ratio is less than or equal to a lower limit value.

[0206] The logic and / or steps represented in the flowchart or otherwise described herein, for example, can be considered as a sequenced list of executable instructions for implementing logical functions, and can be embodied in any computer-readable storage medium for use by, or in conjunction with, an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device (such as a computer-based system, a processor-included system, or other system that can fetch and execute instructions from, an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device). For the purposes of this specification, "computer-readable storage medium" can be any means that can contain, store, communicate, propagate, or transmit programs for use by, or in conjunction with, an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of computer-readable storage media include: electrical connections (electronic devices) having one or more wires, portable computer disks (magnetic devices), random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM, or flash memory), fiber optic devices, and compact disc read-only memory (CDROM). Furthermore, computer-readable storage media can even be paper or other suitable media on which the program can be printed, since the program can be obtained electronically, for example, by optically scanning the paper or other medium, followed by editing, interpreting, or otherwise processing as necessary, and then stored in computer memory.

[0207] It should be understood that various parts of the present invention can be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof. In the above embodiments, multiple steps or methods can be implemented in software or firmware stored in memory and executed by a suitable instruction execution system. For example, if implemented in hardware, as in another embodiment, it can be implemented using any one or a combination of the following techniques known in the art: discrete logic circuits having logic gates for implementing logical functions on data signals, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) having suitable combinational logic gates, programmable gate arrays (PGAs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), etc.

[0208] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A control method for an air conditioner, characterized in that, The control method for the air conditioner includes: The compressor is controlled to reduce its operating frequency according to the energy consumption reduction command; Obtain the pressure ratio of the compressor; Execute a preset control command if the pressure ratio is less than or equal to the lower limit value of the pressure ratio. The preset control commands include at least one of the following: reducing the opening of the throttling device, reducing the fan speed of the outdoor unit, and reducing the fan speed of the indoor unit. Before the step of controlling the compressor to reduce its operating frequency according to the energy consumption reduction command, the method further includes: Obtain the operating mode of the air conditioner; The electric auxiliary heating device is turned off when the air conditioner is in heating mode. The step of executing a preset control command based on the pressure ratio being less than or equal to the lower limit value of the pressure ratio includes: Since the air conditioner is in cooling mode, the indoor unit fan is first controlled to reduce the fan speed until the indoor unit fan speed is reduced to the lowest level, and then the outdoor unit fan speed is controlled to reduce the fan speed. Alternatively, depending on the air conditioner being in heating mode, first control the outdoor unit fan to lower the fan speed until the outdoor unit fan speed is at the lowest setting, then control the indoor unit fan to lower the fan speed. The step of executing a preset control command based on the pressure ratio being less than or equal to the lower limit value of the pressure ratio includes: The opening degree of the throttling device is controlled to decrease by a first opening value; Determine whether the pressure ratio is less than or equal to the lower limit value of the pressure ratio; The control process ends when the pressure ratio is greater than the lower limit value of the pressure ratio. Based on the pressure ratio being less than or equal to the lower limit of the pressure ratio, the first discharge pressure of the compressor before the opening of the throttling device is reduced by a first opening value is obtained, and the second discharge pressure of the compressor after the opening of the throttling device is reduced by the first opening value is obtained; Based on the fact that the first exhaust pressure is less than the second exhaust pressure, the opening of the throttling device is controlled to decrease by the second opening value, and it is determined whether the pressure ratio is less than or equal to the lower limit value of the pressure ratio; The opening of the throttling device is stopped when the first exhaust pressure is greater than or equal to the second exhaust pressure. The first opening value is equal to the second opening value; Alternatively, the absolute value of the difference between the first exhaust pressure and the second exhaust pressure is negatively correlated with the absolute value of the difference between the first opening value and the second opening value.

2. The control method for an air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, The steps for controlling the compressor to reduce its operating frequency include: Obtain the compressor's operating frequency; Determine whether the operating frequency is greater than the lower frequency limit; Based on the fact that the operating frequency is greater than the lower frequency limit, the compressor is controlled to reduce the first frequency value based on the operating frequency. The operating frequency will stop decreasing if it is less than or equal to the lower frequency limit.

3. The control method for an air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, Before the step of controlling the compressor to reduce its operating frequency according to the energy consumption reduction command, the method further includes: obtaining the total power of the air conditioner during operation; Determine whether the total power is less than or equal to the indicated power value; The control process ends when the total power is less than or equal to the indicated power value. If the total power is greater than the indicated power value, the step of controlling the compressor to reduce its operating frequency is executed.

4. The control method for an air conditioner according to claim 3, characterized in that, Following the step of executing a preset control command based on the pressure ratio being less than or equal to the lower limit of the pressure ratio, the method further includes: Determine whether the pressure ratio is less than or equal to the lower limit value of the pressure ratio; The step of determining whether the total power is less than or equal to the indicated power value is performed if the pressure ratio is greater than the lower limit of the pressure ratio. The control process ends when the pressure ratio is less than or equal to the lower limit value of the pressure ratio.

5. The control method for an air conditioner according to claim 3, characterized in that, The step of obtaining the pressure ratio of the compressor further includes: The step of determining whether the total power is less than or equal to the indicated power value is performed based on the pressure ratio being greater than the lower limit of the pressure ratio.

6. The control method for an air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of executing a preset control command based on the pressure ratio being less than or equal to the lower limit value of the pressure ratio includes: The opening degree of the throttling device is controlled to decrease by a first opening value; Determine whether the pressure ratio is less than or equal to the lower limit value of the pressure ratio; The control process ends when the pressure ratio is greater than the lower limit value of the pressure ratio. The discharge superheat of the compressor is obtained based on the pressure ratio being less than or equal to the lower limit of the pressure ratio. Determine whether the exhaust superheat is greater than or equal to the upper limit of superheat; The opening of the throttling device is reduced by a second value based on the exhaust superheat being less than the upper limit of superheat, and it is determined whether the pressure ratio is less than or equal to the lower limit of the pressure ratio; the opening of the throttling device is stopped from being reduced based on the exhaust superheat being greater than or equal to the upper limit of superheat.

7. The control method for an air conditioner according to claim 6, characterized in that, The first opening value is equal to the second opening value; Alternatively, the absolute value of the difference between the first opening value and the second opening value is negatively correlated with the exhaust superheat.

8. An air conditioner, characterized in that, The air conditioner includes: Compressor, indoor unit fan, outdoor unit fan, throttling device, electric auxiliary heating device, first pressure sensor, second pressure sensor and control device; The first pressure sensor is located in the exhaust pipe of the compressor and is used to detect the exhaust pressure of the compressor. The second pressure sensor is located in the return pipe of the compressor and is used to detect the return pressure of the compressor. The control device is electrically connected to the compressor, the indoor unit fan, the outdoor unit fan, the throttling device, the electric auxiliary heating device, the first pressure sensor, and the second pressure sensor. The control device is used to calculate the pressure ratio based on the exhaust pressure and the return pressure, and to control the operation of the air conditioner according to the control method of the air conditioner as described in any one of claims 1-7.

9. A computer storage medium, characterized in that, The computer storage medium stores computer-readable instructions that, when read by one or more processors, cause one or more processors to execute the control method of the air conditioner as described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

Images