Control method of modular unit equipment, main control device and storage medium

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a control method of a modular unit equipment, a main control device, a modular unit equipment and a storage medium, the modular unit equipment comprises a plurality of units and a main control device, the control method is applied to the main control device, and comprises: counting cumulative running time of the units; and adjusting a temperature control tolerance of the units according to the cumulative running time, so as to balance the cumulative running time of the units. According to the present disclosure, the temperature control tolerance of the units is adjusted according to the cumulative running time of the units, so that the cumulative running time of the units is balanced, the unit operation is balanced, the modular control is more stable, the energy consumption of the modular unit equipment is reduced, the service life of the modular unit equipment is improved, the intelligence of the modular unit equipment is improved, and the compatibility of the units is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of air conditioning technology, and in particular to a control method, main control device, modular unit equipment, and storage medium for modular unit equipment. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, modular unit equipment, such as modular hot water units, is used in various commercial and residential applications. A modular unit consists of a main control unit and multiple units. The main control unit automates the control of these units, offering high efficiency, energy saving, and balanced control. The main control unit determines the number of units operating based on the target control temperature and the capabilities of each unit participating in the modular control, and then manages each unit systematically according to control logic. However, using existing control methods often results in uneven unit operation, where some units run for longer periods while others run for shorter periods. This uneven operation can lead to varying lifespans for the units, affecting the energy consumption and lifespan of the modular unit and ultimately reducing the user experience. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of this, one technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a control method, main control device, modular unit equipment and storage medium for modular unit equipment, which can adjust the temperature control tolerance of the unit according to the cumulative operating time of the unit so as to make the cumulative operating time of the unit more even.

[0004] According to a first aspect of this disclosure, a control method for a modular generator set is provided, wherein the modular generator set includes: multiple generator sets and a main control device; the control method is applied to the main control device and includes: calculating the cumulative operating time of the generator sets; and adjusting the temperature control tolerance of the generator sets based on the cumulative operating time to balance the cumulative operating time of the generator sets.

[0005] Optionally, the step of adjusting the temperature control tolerance of the unit based on the cumulative operating time includes: determining whether temperature control tolerance adjustment is needed based on the cumulative operating time; if so, determining the target unit based on the cumulative operating time, and adjusting the temperature control tolerance of the target unit to adjust the unit operating temperature threshold of the target unit.

[0006] Optionally, determining whether temperature control tolerance adjustment is needed based on the cumulative operating time includes: obtaining the maximum and minimum values ​​of the cumulative operating time among all the units; and determining that temperature control tolerance adjustment is needed if the difference between the maximum and minimum values ​​of the cumulative operating time is greater than a difference threshold.

[0007] Optionally, the unit operating temperature threshold is determined based on the temperature control tolerance and the target control temperature.

[0008] Optionally, the unit operating temperature threshold includes at least one of the following: a first start-up temperature threshold in heating mode, a second start-up temperature threshold in cooling mode, a first standby temperature threshold in heating mode, and a second standby temperature threshold in cooling mode.

[0009] Optionally, determining the target unit based on the cumulative operating time includes: determining at least one of the units with the longest cumulative operating time as the target unit.

[0010] Optionally, when there is only one target unit, the adjustment of the unit operating temperature threshold of the target unit includes at least one of the following: lowering the first start-up temperature threshold of the target unit, lowering the first standby temperature threshold of the target unit, increasing the second start-up temperature threshold of the target unit, and increasing the second standby temperature threshold of the target unit.

[0011] Optionally, there are multiple target units, and adjusting the temperature control tolerance of the target units includes: redistributing the temperature control tolerances of the multiple target units.

[0012] Optionally, when there are multiple target units, the adjustment of the unit operating temperature thresholds of the multiple target units includes at least one of the following: reversing the sorting of the multiple target units from high to low according to the first start-up temperature threshold from a reference sorting; reversing the sorting of the multiple target units from high to low according to the first standby temperature threshold from a reference sorting; reversing the sorting of the multiple target units from high to low according to the second start-up temperature threshold from a reference sorting; and reversing the sorting of the multiple target units from high to low according to the second standby temperature threshold from a reference sorting; wherein the reference sorting is the sorting of the multiple target units from high to low according to the cumulative operating time.

[0013] Optionally, determining the target units based on the cumulative operating time includes: determining the two units with the longest and shortest cumulative operating times as the two target units.

[0014] Optionally, adjusting the temperature control tolerance of the target unit includes: swapping the temperature control tolerances of the two target units.

[0015] Optionally, the adjustment of the unit operating temperature thresholds of the two target units includes at least one of the following: swapping the first start-up temperature thresholds of the two target units, swapping the first standby temperature thresholds of the two target units, swapping the second start-up temperature thresholds of the two target units, and swapping the second standby temperature thresholds of the two target units.

[0016] Optionally, the temperature control tolerance includes at least one of the following: a first start-up temperature control tolerance in heating mode, a second start-up temperature control tolerance in cooling mode, a first standby temperature control tolerance in heating mode, and a second standby temperature control tolerance in cooling mode.

[0017] Optionally, the unit includes a unit control device; the method further includes sending an adjusted temperature control tolerance or a unit operating temperature threshold to the unit control device of the target unit, so that the unit control device of the target unit controls the operation of the target unit based on the adjusted temperature control tolerance or the unit operating temperature threshold.

[0018] Optionally, the main control device and the unit control device are connected via a communication line; wherein the communication line includes: a bus and a communication network line.

[0019] Optionally, when the modular unit equipment is powered on, a power-on command is sent sequentially to the multiple units according to their address information and at preset time intervals.

[0020] Optionally, when the modular unit equipment is shut down, a shutdown command is sent to the multiple units simultaneously.

[0021] According to a second aspect of this disclosure, a main control device is provided, wherein the modular unit equipment includes: multiple units and the main control device; the main control device includes: a statistics module for calculating the cumulative operating time of the units; and an adjustment module for adjusting the temperature control tolerance of the units based on the cumulative operating time, so as to balance the cumulative operating time of the units.

[0022] According to a third aspect of this disclosure, a main control device is provided, comprising: a memory; and a processor coupled to the memory, the processor being configured to perform the method described above based on instructions stored in the memory.

[0023] According to a fourth aspect of this disclosure, a modular unit equipment is provided, comprising: a plurality of units and a main control device as described above.

[0024] According to a fifth aspect of this disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium is provided that stores computer instructions which, when executed by a processor, perform the method described above.

[0025] The control method, main control device, modular unit equipment, and storage medium disclosed herein adjust the temperature control tolerance of the unit based on the unit's cumulative operating time. This can balance the cumulative operating time of the units, making the cumulative operating time of each unit tend to be the same, ensuring balanced unit operation, making modular control more stable, reducing the energy consumption of the modular unit equipment, increasing the service life of the modular unit equipment, and enhancing the intelligence of the modular unit equipment. Attached Figure Description

[0026] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this disclosure or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this disclosure. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0027] Figure 1 This is a schematic flowchart of an embodiment of the control method for modular unit equipment according to the present disclosure;

[0028] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the process of determining whether to adjust the temperature control tolerance in one embodiment of the control method for modular unit equipment according to the present disclosure.

[0029] Figure 3 This is an application diagram of an embodiment of the control method for modular unit equipment according to the present disclosure;

[0030] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the process for determining a target unit in one embodiment of the control method for modular unit equipment according to the present disclosure;

[0031] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a module of one embodiment of the main control device according to the present disclosure;

[0032] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of an adjustment module in one embodiment of the main control device according to the present disclosure;

[0033] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a module according to another embodiment of the main control device of this disclosure;

[0034] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of a module according to yet another embodiment of the main control device of this disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0035] Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. For clarity and brevity, not all features of the embodiments are described in the specification. However, it should be understood that many implementation-specific settings must be made in carrying out the embodiments to achieve the developer's specific goals, such as complying with constraints related to the device and business, and these constraints may vary depending on the implementation. Furthermore, it should be understood that while development work can be very complex and time-consuming, such development work is merely a routine task for those skilled in the art who benefit from the present disclosure.

[0036] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangement, numerical expressions, and values ​​of the components and steps set forth in these embodiments do not limit the scope of this disclosure.

[0037] Those skilled in the art will understand that the terms "first," "second," etc., in the embodiments of this disclosure are only used to distinguish different steps, devices, or modules, and do not represent any specific technical meaning, nor do they indicate a necessary logical order between them.

[0038] It should also be understood that in the embodiments disclosed herein, "multiple" can refer to two or more, and "at least one" can refer to one, two or more.

[0039] It should also be understood that any component, data or structure mentioned in the embodiments of this disclosure can generally be understood as one or more unless expressly defined or given to the contrary in the context.

[0040] Furthermore, the term "and / or" in this disclosure is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, or B existing alone. Additionally, the character " / " in this disclosure generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0041] It should also be understood that the description of the various embodiments in this disclosure emphasizes the differences between the various embodiments, and the similarities or similarities can be referred to each other. For the sake of brevity, they will not be described in detail.

[0042] At the same time, it should be understood that, for ease of description, the dimensions of the various parts shown in the accompanying drawings are not drawn according to actual scale.

[0043] The following description of at least one exemplary embodiment is merely illustrative and is in no way intended to limit this disclosure or its application or use.

[0044] Techniques, methods, and equipment known to those skilled in the art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, such techniques, methods, and equipment should be considered part of the specification.

[0045] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items; therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be discussed further in subsequent figures.

[0046] Furthermore, to avoid obscuring this disclosure with unnecessary detail, only processing steps and / or apparatus structures closely related to at least the solutions according to this disclosure are shown in the accompanying drawings, while other details less relevant to this disclosure are omitted. It should also be noted that similar reference numerals and letters in the drawings indicate similar items, and therefore once an item is defined in one drawing, it need not be discussed again in subsequent drawings.

[0047] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of the control method for modular generator set equipment according to the present disclosure. The modular generator set equipment includes multiple generator sets and a main control device. The control method of the present disclosure is applied to the main control device, such as... Figure 1 As shown:

[0048] Step 101: Calculate the cumulative operating time of the unit.

[0049] In one embodiment, the main control device can be of various types, such as a centralized controller, a display panel with control functions, etc. The number of units can be two, three, etc., and there can be various types of units, such as air conditioning chiller units, air conditioning hot water units, and other air conditioning units. Each unit includes loads such as compressors, and the cumulative operating time of the unit can be the cumulative operating time of the compressors, referring to the cumulative time the compressors of the unit remain operational.

[0050] For example, if a new unit has a cumulative operating time of 0 hours, and the compressor remains running for 5 hours after startup, then the unit's cumulative operating time is 5 hours. Each unit can send the operating status of its compressors, etc., to the main control unit. The main control unit determines the time when the compressor enters on-state, standby, etc., based on the compressor's operating status, and calculates the compressor's cumulative operating time. Each unit can also calculate its own compressor's cumulative operating time and send it to the main control unit at regular intervals. The main control unit then calculates the cumulative operating time of the compressors for each unit.

[0051] Step 102: Adjust the temperature control tolerance of the unit based on the cumulative operating time to balance the cumulative operating time of the unit.

[0052] Temperature control tolerance is configurable, typically ranging from 0.1 to 5.0℃. The initial temperature control tolerance can be configured by the user through the main control unit or the display panel of each unit, or by the main control unit based on a configuration strategy. The unit can determine its operating temperature threshold based on the target control temperature and the temperature control tolerance, and then control the compressor to start or standby mode based on this threshold.

[0053] Based on the aforementioned control method for modular generator sets, adjusting the temperature control tolerance of the units can balance the cumulative operating time of each unit, ensuring that the cumulative operating time of each unit is similar. This guarantees balanced unit operation, avoids frequent start-ups and shutdowns of some units, makes modular control more stable, and ensures that all units operate in optimal condition. This reduces energy consumption, extends the service life of modular generator sets, and enhances their intelligence. The control method for modular generator sets disclosed herein can also control multiple units simultaneously, enabling modular control, enhancing compatibility, and improving the user experience.

[0054] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the process of determining whether to adjust the temperature control tolerance in one embodiment of the control method for modular unit equipment according to this disclosure. Figure 2 As shown:

[0055] Step 201: Based on the cumulative running time, determine whether temperature control tolerance adjustment is required. The main control device can periodically execute step 201 at intervals of 24 hours, 48 ​​hours, etc.

[0056] Step 202: If yes, determine the target unit based on the cumulative operating time and adjust the temperature control tolerance of the target unit to adjust the unit's operating temperature threshold. If no, do not adjust the temperature control tolerance.

[0057] The target unit is a unit that requires adjustment of temperature control tolerance. By adjusting the temperature control tolerance of the target unit, the operating temperature threshold of the target unit can be adjusted. Based on the adjusted operating temperature threshold, the target unit controls the compressor to start or standby, avoiding frequent start-stop of the target unit, thereby balancing the operation of each unit, reducing the energy consumption of the modular unit equipment, and improving the service life of the modular unit equipment.

[0058] In one embodiment, various methods can be used to determine whether temperature control tolerance adjustment is required. For example, the maximum and minimum cumulative operating times of all units can be obtained; if the difference between the maximum and minimum cumulative operating times is greater than a difference threshold, it is determined that temperature control tolerance adjustment is required.

[0059] The greater the difference in the cumulative operating time of the units, the more uneven the operation of the units, and the more likely the units will start and stop frequently. A threshold for this difference can be set, such as 50 hours or 100 hours. When the difference between the maximum and minimum cumulative operating time exceeds the threshold, it is determined that temperature control tolerance adjustment is necessary. This avoids excessive adjustments and allows for timely adjustment of the unit's temperature control tolerance, ensuring balanced unit operation, making modular control more stable, reducing energy consumption, and extending service life.

[0060] In one embodiment, the unit operating temperature threshold is determined by the temperature control tolerance and the target control temperature. The target control temperature can be the control target temperature for water temperature, room temperature, air outlet temperature, etc., of the modular unit equipment, and can be set by the user; the temperature control tolerance can be the temperature control tolerance for the control targets such as water temperature, room temperature, and air outlet temperature.

[0061] Temperature control tolerances can be of various types. For example, temperature control tolerances include one or more of the following: first start-up temperature control tolerance in heating mode, second start-up temperature control tolerance in cooling mode, first standby temperature control tolerance in heating mode, and second standby temperature control tolerance in cooling mode.

[0062] The values ​​of each temperature control tolerance can be completely different, partially the same, or completely different. Temperature control tolerance adjustment operations can adjust one or more values ​​of the first start-up temperature control tolerance, the second start-up temperature control tolerance, the first standby temperature control tolerance, and the second standby temperature control tolerance; multiple adjustment strategies are provided to ensure balanced unit operation, improve the intelligence of modular control, and reduce the energy consumption of modular unit equipment.

[0063] The unit's operating temperature thresholds include one or more of the following: a first start-up temperature threshold in heating mode, a second start-up temperature threshold in cooling mode, a first standby temperature threshold in heating mode, and a second standby temperature threshold in cooling mode. By adjusting the temperature control tolerance, one or more of the first start-up temperature threshold, second start-up temperature threshold, first standby temperature threshold, and second standby temperature threshold can be adjusted; this provides multiple adjustment strategies to ensure balanced unit operation, improve the intelligence of modular control, and reduce the energy consumption of modular unit equipment.

[0064] In one embodiment, for each unit in the modular unit equipment, the target control temperature can be the same in both heating and cooling modes. In heating mode, the first start-up temperature threshold can be the target control temperature minus the first start-up temperature control tolerance, and the first standby temperature threshold is the target control temperature plus the first standby temperature control tolerance. In cooling mode, the second start-up temperature threshold can be the target control temperature plus the second start-up temperature control tolerance, and the second standby temperature threshold is the target control temperature minus the second standby temperature control tolerance.

[0065] The unit control device can generate start-up conditions and standby conditions in heating mode based on the first start-up temperature control tolerance and the first standby temperature threshold; the unit control device can generate start-up conditions and standby conditions in heating mode based on the second start-up temperature control tolerance and the second standby temperature threshold.

[0066] The unit control device obtains the actual control temperature, which is the actual water temperature, room temperature, and air outlet temperature detected by temperature sensors and other detection devices. In heating mode, if the actual control temperature is lower than the first start-up temperature threshold when the unit is in standby or off state, the start-up conditions are met, and the compressor is controlled to operate. If the actual control temperature is higher than the first standby temperature threshold when the unit is running, the standby conditions are met, and the compressor is controlled to wait for startup.

[0067] In cooling mode, if the actual controlled temperature is greater than the second start-up temperature threshold when the unit is in standby or off state, the start-up condition is met, and the compressor is controlled to run. When the unit is running, if the actual controlled temperature is less than the second standby temperature threshold, the standby condition is met, and the compressor is controlled to wait for start-up.

[0068] In practical applications, if no temperature control tolerance is set, the unit control device can only control the compressor and other components to start or standby based on the target control temperature. If the actual control temperature fluctuates, the unit will frequently switch between standby and start-up states, which will affect the unit's performance and lifespan and cause energy waste.

[0069] By configuring temperature control tolerance and determining the unit's operating temperature threshold based on the temperature control tolerance and the target control temperature, the frequent switching between standby and start-up states of the unit can be avoided, ensuring stable operation, improving the unit's performance and lifespan, and enabling effective energy utilization.

[0070] For example, if the unit is an air conditioning hot water unit, in heating mode, the target control temperature for all units is 45℃, meaning the target control temperature for the outlet water of the modular unit equipment is 45℃. For unit A, the first start-up temperature control tolerance is set to 2℃, and the first standby temperature control tolerance is set to 3℃. In heating mode, the first start-up temperature threshold is the target control temperature of 45℃ minus the first start-up temperature control tolerance of 2℃ = 43℃, and the first standby temperature threshold is the target control temperature of 45℃ plus the first standby temperature control tolerance of 3℃ = 48℃.

[0071] In heating mode, if the actual outlet water temperature (actual control temperature) is less than the first start-up temperature threshold of 43℃ when the unit is in standby or off state, the start-up condition is met, and the compressor is controlled to run. When the unit is running, if the actual outlet water temperature is greater than the first standby temperature threshold of 48℃, the standby condition is met, and the compressor is controlled to wait. The unit maintains its start-up state within the temperature range of 43.0℃ to 48.0℃, which can reduce the oscillation of the unit operation.

[0072] For Unit B, the first start-up temperature control tolerance is set to 3℃, and the first standby temperature control tolerance is set to 3℃. In heating mode, the first start-up temperature threshold is the target control temperature of 45℃ minus the first start-up temperature control tolerance of 3℃ = 42℃, and the first standby temperature threshold is the target control temperature of 45℃ plus the first standby temperature control tolerance of 3℃ = 48℃.

[0073] If both Unit A and Unit B are in standby or off state, and the actual outlet water temperature (actual control temperature) is 42.5℃, then Unit A is determined to meet the start-up conditions, and the compressor and other components are controlled to operate, while Unit B does not meet the start-up conditions. It is possible that after 3 hours, when the actual outlet water temperature (actual control temperature) is less than 42℃, Unit B is determined to meet the start-up conditions, and the compressor and other components are controlled to operate. That is, Unit A has been running for 3 hours longer than Unit B.

[0074] To extend the service life of modular unit equipment, all units should be operated as evenly as possible. In heating mode, the cumulative operating time of the units can be reduced by lowering the first start-up temperature threshold and / or lowering the first standby temperature threshold; in cooling mode, the cumulative operating time of the units can be reduced by increasing the second start-up temperature threshold and / or increasing the second standby temperature threshold.

[0075] In one embodiment, the unit includes a unit control device. The main control device can send the adjusted temperature control tolerance or the unit operating temperature threshold to the unit control device of the corresponding target unit. The unit control device of the target unit controls the operation of the compressor, etc., based on the adjusted temperature control tolerance or the unit operating temperature threshold. The main control device and the unit control device can be connected via a communication line, which includes a bus, a communication network line, etc. The bus can be RS485, CAN bus, etc. The communication network line includes lines of networks such as industrial Ethernet.

[0076] For example, when the unit control device of the target unit receives the temperature control tolerance, it can determine the unit operating temperature threshold based on the temperature control tolerance and the target control temperature. Based on the unit operating temperature threshold, it can generate start-up and standby conditions to control the operation of compressors, etc.

[0077] The main control unit can connect multiple independent units via communication to transmit data and perform relevant calculations based on the operating status of each unit, thereby realizing modular control functions. It can combine different types of units into a whole for modular control, which not only ensures that each unit is in optimal operating condition and automatically balances the usage time of each unit, improving the intelligence of modular equipment, but also allows for the simultaneous control of different series of models, enhancing compatibility.

[0078] In one embodiment, such as Figure 3 As shown, the modular unit equipment includes a main control device 310; the control method of the modular unit equipment disclosed herein is applied to the main control device 310. The modular unit equipment also includes unit 301, unit 302, unit 303 and unit 304, and unit 301, unit 302, unit 303 and unit 304 can all be air conditioning hot water units.

[0079] Units 301, 302, 303, and 304 are respectively equipped with display panels 305, 306, 307, and 308. Each unit in units 301, 302, 303, and 304 includes a unit control device, a compressor, etc. Each unit in units 301, 302, 303, and 304 includes an outlet water temperature sensor 341 and an inlet water temperature sensor 342. The outlet water temperature sensor 341 is used to detect the water temperature output from the unit to the fan coil unit (FCU) 331 of the fan coil unit 330; the inlet water temperature sensor 342 is used to detect the water temperature input from the water tank 320 to the unit. The outlets of each unit are connected to the same water line; therefore, the actual water temperature collected by each unit can be considered the same.

[0080] The main control device 310 can be a centralized controller or a display panel with control functions. The main control device 310 can be connected to the unit control devices in units 301, 302, 303, and 304 via communication lines. The main control device 310 can also be connected to display panels 305, 306, 307, and 308 via communication lines. Display panels 305, 306, 307, and 308 can be connected to the unit control devices in units 301, 302, 303, and 304 respectively via communication lines; the communication lines can be RS485, CAN, or other bus types.

[0081] The unit control devices in units 301, 302, 303, and 304 can be distinguished by DIP switches or IP address settings. The actual water temperature is detected and identified by the unit's built-in temperature sensor. Target water temperature, temperature control tolerance, etc., can be set. Display panels 305, 306, 307, and 308 can be used to set the same mode, target control temperature, and temperature control tolerance parameters for the unit control devices in units 301, 302, 303, and 304 respectively. The temperature control tolerances for each unit can be the same or different. The set temperature control tolerance is one or more of the following: first start-up temperature control tolerance in heating mode, second start-up temperature control tolerance in cooling mode, first standby temperature control tolerance in heating mode, and second standby temperature control tolerance in cooling mode.

[0082] The unit control devices in units 301, 302, 303 and 304 can generate start-up conditions and standby conditions in heating mode based on a first standby temperature control tolerance and a first standby temperature threshold, and / or the unit control devices in units 301, 302, 303 and 304 can generate start-up conditions and standby conditions in cooling mode based on a second start-up temperature control tolerance and a second standby temperature control tolerance.

[0083] The unit control devices in units 301, 302, 303, and 304 obtain the actual control temperature (actual water temperature). In heating mode, when units 301, 302, 303, and 304 are in standby or off state, if the actual control temperature is less than the first start-up temperature threshold, the start-up condition is met, and the unit control devices in units 301, 302, 303, and 304 control the compressors to operate. When units 301, 302, 303, and 304 are in operation, if the actual control temperature is greater than the first standby temperature threshold, the standby condition is met, and the unit control devices in units 301, 302, 303, and 304 control the compressors to standby.

[0084] The unit control devices in units 301, 302, 303, and 304 can send the compressor's operating status to the main control device 310. The main control device 310 determines the time when the compressor enters its on / off state based on the compressor's operating status and calculates the cumulative operating time of each unit. The unit control devices in units 301, 302, 303, and 304 can also send their respective calculated cumulative compressor operating times to the main control device 310.

[0085] Based on the cumulative operating time, if it is determined that temperature control tolerance adjustment is required, the main control device 310 will identify the target unit among units 301, 302, 303, and 304, and adjust the temperature control tolerance of the target unit to adjust the unit's operating temperature threshold. This will make the cumulative operating time of units 301, 302, 303, and 304 more similar, avoid frequent start-ups and shutdowns of the target unit, reduce the energy consumption of the modular unit equipment, and improve the service life of the modular unit equipment.

[0086] For example, if units 301 and 302 are the target units, the main control device 310 can send the adjusted temperature control tolerance or the unit operating temperature threshold to the unit control devices of units 301 and 302. When the unit control devices of units 301 and 302 receive the adjusted temperature control tolerance, they can redetermine the unit operating temperature threshold based on the adjusted temperature control tolerance and the target control temperature, respectively, and generate start-up and standby conditions based on the unit operating temperature threshold to control the operation of compressors, etc. When the unit control devices of units 301 and 302 receive the adjusted unit operating temperature threshold, they generate start-up and standby conditions based on this unit operating temperature threshold to control the operation of compressors, etc.

[0087] The main control device 310 connects multiple independent units via communication for data transmission, performs relevant calculations based on the operating status of each unit, and realizes modular control functions. It can combine different types of units into a whole for modular control. The main control device executes the control method of this disclosure, which not only ensures that each unit is in the optimal state during operation and automatically balances the usage time of each unit to improve the intelligence of modularization, but also controls different series of models at the same time, thus enhancing compatibility.

[0088] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the process for determining a target unit in one embodiment of the control method for modular unit equipment according to the present disclosure, as shown below. Figure 4 As shown:

[0089] Step 401: Sort the cumulative operating time of all units.

[0090] Step 402: Select at least one unit with the longest cumulative running time based on the sorting results as the target unit.

[0091] By sorting the cumulative operating time, one or more units with the longest cumulative operating time are identified based on the sorting results and their temperature control tolerance is adjusted. This allows for adjusting the operating time of the unit with the longest operating time, ensuring balanced unit operation more quickly and effectively, making modular control more stable, and reducing the energy consumption of modular unit equipment.

[0092] In one embodiment, when there is only one target unit, i.e., the target unit is the one with the longest cumulative operating time, the adjustment to the unit's operating temperature threshold can be one or more of the following: lowering the target unit's first start-up temperature threshold, lowering the target unit's first standby temperature threshold, increasing the target unit's second start-up temperature threshold, and increasing the target unit's second standby temperature threshold. During the adjustment, the temperature threshold can be increased or decreased by a preset adjustment value.

[0093] For example, in heating mode, the target control temperature is 45℃, the first start-up temperature control tolerance of the target unit is 2℃, and the first standby temperature control tolerance is 3℃. The adjustment to the operating temperature threshold of the unit with the longest cumulative operating time can be: the adjusted first start-up temperature control tolerance is 3℃, and the adjusted first standby temperature control tolerance is 2℃; therefore, the adjustment to the unit's operating temperature threshold for this target unit can be: reducing the first start-up temperature threshold from 43℃ to 42℃, and reducing the first standby temperature threshold from 48℃ to 47℃.

[0094] By adjusting the temperature control tolerance of the unit with the longest cumulative operating time, frequent start-ups and shutdowns of this unit can be avoided, ensuring balanced unit operation quickly and effectively, making modular control more stable, and reducing the energy consumption of modular unit equipment.

[0095] In one embodiment, there are multiple target units, specifically the units with the longest cumulative operating time. Adjusting the temperature control tolerance of the target units can be achieved by redistributing the temperature control tolerances of the multiple target units. The reference sorting is a descending order of the multiple target units based on their cumulative operating time. Adjusting the unit operating temperature thresholds of the multiple target units can be achieved by: reversing the descending order of the multiple target units based on a first start-up temperature threshold from the reference sorting; reversing the descending order of the multiple target units based on a first standby temperature threshold from the reference sorting; reversing the descending order of the multiple target units based on a second start-up temperature threshold from the reference sorting; and reversing the descending order of the multiple target units based on a second standby temperature threshold from the reference sorting, with at least one or more of these adjustments.

[0096] For example, the target units are the four units with the longest cumulative operating time, namely Unit A, Unit B, Unit C, and Unit D. The main control unit sorts the cumulative operating time of the compressors of Unit A, Unit B, Unit C, and Unit D from largest to smallest, resulting in the sorting "Unit A, Unit B, Unit C, and Unit D". This sorting is for reference only.

[0097] In heating mode, the first start-up temperature control tolerances for units A, B, C, and D are 1.0℃, 1.5℃, 2.0℃, and 2.5℃, respectively, and the target control temperature is 45℃. Therefore, the existing first start-up temperature thresholds for units A, B, C, and D are 44℃, 43.5℃, 43℃, and 42.5℃, respectively.

[0098] The first start-up temperature control tolerances of units A, B, C, and D are redistributed. After redistribution, the first start-up temperature control tolerances of units A, B, C, and D are 2.5℃, 2.0℃, 1.5℃, and 1.0℃, respectively. That is, the adjusted first start-up temperature thresholds of units A, B, C, and D are 42.5℃, 43℃, 43.5℃, and 44℃, respectively. The first start-up temperature thresholds of units A, B, C, and D are sorted from high to low, and the sorting result is "unit D, unit C, unit B, unit A", which is the reverse of the reference order.

[0099] By redistributing the temperature control tolerance of multiple units with the longest cumulative operating time and adjusting the temperature control thresholds of multiple units, it is possible to quickly and effectively ensure balanced operation of the units, make modular control more stable, and reduce the energy consumption of modular unit equipment.

[0100] In one embodiment, the two units with the longest and shortest cumulative operating times are identified as two target units. The temperature control tolerances of the two target units can be interchanged. Adjustments to the unit operating temperature thresholds of the two target units can be made by: interchanged first start-up temperature thresholds, interchanged first standby temperature thresholds, interchanged second start-up temperature thresholds, or interchanged second standby temperature thresholds.

[0101] For example, units A and B, with the longest and shortest cumulative operating times, are identified as two target units. The first start-up temperature control tolerances of units A and B can be interchanged; that is, the adjustment to the unit operating temperature thresholds of units A and B is to interchange the first start-up temperature thresholds of the two target units. If the target control temperatures are the same, the adjustment to the unit operating temperature thresholds of units A and B can be one or more of the following: interchange the first start-up temperature thresholds of units A and B, interchange the first standby temperature thresholds of units A and B, interchange the second start-up temperature thresholds of units A and B, and interchange the second standby temperature thresholds of units A and B.

[0102] By adjusting the temperature control tolerance of the units with the longest and shortest cumulative operating time, the temperature control thresholds of the units can be interchanged, which can quickly and effectively ensure the balanced operation of the units, make the modular control more stable, and reduce the energy consumption of the modular unit equipment.

[0103] In one embodiment, when the modular unit equipment is powered on, power-on commands are sent sequentially to multiple units based on their address information and at preset time intervals. The address information can be DIP switch information or IP address information, etc.

[0104] The system can send start-up commands to the control devices of multiple units sequentially, either in ascending or descending order of their addresses, at preset intervals. These preset intervals can be adjusted based on the actual conditions of each unit. Units meeting the start-up conditions will start up sequentially, while those not meeting the conditions will remain in standby mode. After startup, each unit's control device will automatically control itself based on its own startup and standby conditions, operating independently. If some units do not support temperature control tolerance adjustment, the main control device can refrain from sending a start-up command to a unit if its cumulative operating time exceeds a time threshold (e.g., 1000 hours).

[0105] For example, the addresses of the four units are 01, 02, 03, and 04, respectively. The unit addresses can be set through the corresponding display panel or through the DIP switches on the unit's main control board. When the user selects to power on, the user presses the power button. After receiving the user's power-on command, the main control unit first sends the power-on command to the unit control device of unit with address 01, powering on this unit while keeping the other units powered off. After a preset interval, the main control unit sends the power-on command to the unit control device of unit with address 02, and so on, until the power-on command is sent to the unit control device of the last unit.

[0106] When the modular unit equipment is started, start-up commands are sent to multiple units sequentially at preset intervals. This can prevent excessive instantaneous current when multiple units are started at the same time, ensure the safety of unit operation, make modular control more stable, and improve the user experience.

[0107] When the modular unit equipment is turned on, or when it is turned off, a shutdown command is sent to multiple units simultaneously, so that all units can be shut down directly, which can reduce the energy consumption of the modular unit equipment.

[0108] Based on the control method of this invention, the temperature control tolerance of the units is adjusted according to the cumulative operating time of the units to make the cumulative operating time of the units more even, thus ensuring balanced operation and keeping the units in optimal condition during operation. This reduces the energy consumption of modular unit equipment, extends its service life, and enhances its intelligence. Furthermore, it can simultaneously control different types of units, enabling modular control, which enhances compatibility and improves the user experience.

[0109] In one embodiment, such as Figure 5As shown, this disclosure provides a main control device 50, including a statistics module 501 and an adjustment module 502. The statistics module 501 counts the cumulative operating time of the unit. The adjustment module 502 adjusts the temperature control tolerance of the unit based on the cumulative operating time to balance the cumulative operating time of the unit.

[0110] In one embodiment, such as Figure 6 As shown, the adjustment module 502 includes an adjustment judgment unit 511, a target determination unit 512, and an adjustment processing unit 513. The adjustment judgment unit 511 determines whether temperature control tolerance adjustment is needed based on the cumulative operating time. For example, the adjustment judgment unit 511 obtains the maximum and minimum cumulative operating times from the cumulative operating times of all units; if the difference between the maximum and minimum cumulative operating times is greater than a difference threshold, the adjustment judgment unit 511 determines that temperature control tolerance adjustment is needed.

[0111] The target determination unit 512 determines the target unit based on the cumulative operating time, and the adjustment processing unit 513 adjusts the temperature control tolerance of the target unit to adjust the unit operating temperature threshold of the target unit.

[0112] For example, the target determination unit 512 determines at least one unit with the longest cumulative operating time as the target unit. When there is only one target unit, the adjustment of the unit operating temperature threshold of the target unit includes one or more of the following: lowering the first start-up temperature threshold of the target unit, lowering the first standby temperature threshold of the target unit, increasing the second start-up temperature threshold of the target unit, and increasing the second standby temperature threshold of the target unit.

[0113] When there are multiple target units, the adjustment processing unit 513 redistributes the temperature control tolerances of the multiple target units. The reference sorting is a ranking of the multiple target units based on their cumulative operating time from highest to lowest. The adjustments to the unit operating temperature thresholds of the multiple target units include: reversing the ranking of the multiple target units according to a first start-up temperature threshold from highest to lowest compared to the reference sorting; reversing the ranking of the multiple target units according to a first standby temperature threshold from highest to lowest compared to the reference sorting; reversing the ranking of the multiple target units according to a second start-up temperature threshold from highest to lowest compared to the reference sorting; and reversing the ranking of the multiple target units according to a second standby temperature threshold from highest to lowest compared to the reference sorting, one or more of these adjustments.

[0114] In one embodiment, the target determination unit 512 determines the two units with the longest and shortest cumulative operating times as two target units. The adjustment processing unit 513 swaps the temperature control tolerances of the two target units. The adjustment of the unit operating temperature thresholds of the two target units includes one or more of the following: swapping the first start-up temperature thresholds of the two target units, swapping the first standby temperature thresholds of the two target units, swapping the second start-up temperature thresholds of the two target units, and swapping the second standby temperature thresholds of the two target units.

[0115] In one embodiment, such as Figure 7 As shown, the main control device 50 also includes an information sending module 503 and a command sending module 504. The information sending module 503 sends the adjusted temperature control tolerance or unit operating temperature threshold to the unit control device of the target unit, so that the unit control device of the target unit controls the operation of the target unit based on the adjusted temperature control tolerance or unit operating temperature threshold.

[0116] When the modular unit equipment is powered on, the command sending module 504 sends power-on commands sequentially to multiple units based on their address information and at preset time intervals. When the modular unit equipment is powered off, the command sending module 504 sends power-off commands to multiple units simultaneously.

[0117] In one embodiment, such as Figure 8 As shown, the main control device may include a memory 801, a processor 802, a communication interface 803, and a bus 804. The memory 801 is used to store instructions, and the processor 802 is coupled to the memory 801. The processor 802 is configured to execute the control method of the modular unit equipment described above based on the instructions stored in the memory 801.

[0118] The memory 801 can be a high-speed RAM, non-volatile memory, or a memory array. The memory 801 may also be divided into blocks, and these blocks can be combined into virtual volumes according to certain rules. The processor 802 can be a central processing unit (CPU), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or one or more integrated circuits configured to implement the control methods of the modular unit equipment disclosed herein.

[0119] In one embodiment, this disclosure provides a computer-readable storage medium storing computer instructions that, when executed by a processor, implement the method as described in any of the above embodiments.

[0120] The control method, main control device, modular unit equipment, and storage medium of the modular unit equipment in the above embodiments can balance the cumulative operating time of the units by adjusting the temperature control tolerance of the units, making the cumulative operating time of each unit tend to be the same, ensuring balanced unit operation, making modular control more stable, reducing the energy consumption of the modular unit equipment, increasing the service life of the modular unit equipment, and improving the intelligence of the modular unit equipment; moreover, it can simultaneously perform modular control on different types of units, enhancing compatibility and improving the user experience.

[0121] The methods and systems of this disclosure can be implemented in many ways. For example, they can be implemented by software, hardware, firmware, or any combination of software, hardware, and firmware. The above-described order of steps for the methods is for illustrative purposes only, and the steps of the methods of this disclosure are not limited to the order specifically described above, unless otherwise specifically stated. Furthermore, in some embodiments, this disclosure may also be implemented as a program recorded on a recording medium, the program including machine-readable instructions for implementing the methods according to this disclosure. Thus, this disclosure also covers recording media storing programs for performing the methods according to this disclosure.

[0122] The description in this disclosure is provided for illustrative and descriptive purposes only and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to its forms. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to better illustrate the principles and practical application of this disclosure and to enable those skilled in the art to understand this disclosure and to design various embodiments with various modifications suitable for a particular purpose.

Claims

1. A control method for modular generator set equipment, wherein, Modular generator unit equipment includes: multiple generator units and a main control unit; the control method is applied to the main control unit and includes: The cumulative operating time of the aforementioned units is calculated. Based on the cumulative operating time, the temperature control tolerance of the unit is adjusted to balance the cumulative operating time of the unit. Specifically, among the cumulative operating times of all the units, the maximum and minimum cumulative operating times are obtained; if the difference between the maximum and minimum cumulative operating times is greater than a difference threshold, it is determined that temperature control tolerance adjustment is required. The target unit is determined based on the cumulative operating time, and the temperature control tolerance of the target unit is adjusted to adjust the unit operating temperature threshold of the target unit. The step of determining the target unit based on the cumulative operating time includes: determining at least one of the units with the longest cumulative operating time as the target unit; The unit operating temperature threshold includes at least one of a first start-up temperature threshold in heating mode, a second start-up temperature threshold in cooling mode, a first standby temperature threshold in heating mode, and a second standby temperature threshold in cooling mode; adjustments to the unit operating temperature thresholds for multiple target units include: The system may adjust the sorting of the target units according to the first startup temperature threshold from high to low to the opposite of the reference sorting; or the sorting of the target units according to the first standby temperature threshold from high to low to the opposite of the reference sorting; or the sorting of the target units according to the second startup temperature threshold from high to low to the same as the reference sorting; or the sorting of the target units according to the second standby temperature threshold from high to low to the same as the reference sorting; wherein the reference sorting is the sorting of the target units according to the cumulative running time from high to low.

2. The method as described in claim 1, wherein, The unit operating temperature threshold is determined based on the temperature control tolerance and the target control temperature.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein, When there is only one target unit, the adjustment of the unit operating temperature threshold for the target unit includes: The adjustment includes at least one of the following: lowering the first start-up temperature threshold of the target unit, lowering the first standby temperature threshold of the target unit, increasing the second start-up temperature threshold of the target unit, and increasing the second standby temperature threshold of the target unit.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the target unit based on the cumulative operating time comprises: The two units with the longest and shortest cumulative operating time are identified as the two target units.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein, The adjustment of the temperature control tolerance of the target unit includes: The temperature control tolerances of the two target units are interchanged.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein, The adjustments to the unit operating temperature thresholds for the two target units include: Adjust at least one of the following: swapping the first start-up temperature thresholds of the two target units, swapping the first standby temperature thresholds of the two target units, swapping the second start-up temperature thresholds of the two target units, and swapping the second standby temperature thresholds of the two target units.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein, The temperature control tolerance includes at least one of the following: a first start-up temperature control tolerance in heating mode, a second start-up temperature control tolerance in cooling mode, a first standby temperature control tolerance in heating mode, and a second standby temperature control tolerance in cooling mode.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein, The unit includes: a unit control device; the method further includes: The adjusted temperature control tolerance or unit operating temperature threshold is sent to the unit control device of the target unit so that the unit control device of the target unit controls the operation of the target unit based on the adjusted temperature control tolerance or unit operating temperature threshold.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein, The main control device and the unit control device are connected via a communication line; The communication lines include: bus and communication network lines.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising: When the modular unit equipment is powered on, a power-on command is sent sequentially to the multiple units according to their address information and at preset time intervals.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising: When the modular unit equipment is shut down, a shutdown command is sent to the multiple units simultaneously.

12. A master control device, wherein, The modular unit equipment includes: multiple units and the main control device; the main control device includes: The statistics module is used to calculate the cumulative operating time of the unit. The adjustment module is used to adjust the temperature control tolerance of the unit according to the cumulative operating time, so as to balance the cumulative operating time of the unit. The adjustment module includes: The adjustment judgment unit is used to obtain the maximum and minimum values ​​of the cumulative operating time among all the units; if the difference between the maximum and minimum values ​​of the cumulative operating time is greater than the difference threshold, it is determined that temperature control tolerance adjustment is required. The target determination unit is used to determine the target unit based on the cumulative operating time, and adjust the temperature control tolerance of the target unit to adjust the unit operating temperature threshold of the target unit; The step of determining the target unit based on the cumulative operating time includes: Identify at least one of the units with the longest cumulative operating time as the target unit; The unit operating temperature thresholds include at least one of the following: a first start-up temperature threshold in heating mode, a second start-up temperature threshold in cooling mode, a first standby temperature threshold in heating mode, and a second standby temperature threshold in cooling mode; adjustments to the unit operating temperature thresholds for multiple target units include: The system may adjust the sorting of the target units according to the first startup temperature threshold from high to low to the opposite of the reference sorting; or the sorting of the target units according to the first standby temperature threshold from high to low to the opposite of the reference sorting; or the sorting of the target units according to the second startup temperature threshold from high to low to the same as the reference sorting; or the sorting of the target units according to the second standby temperature threshold from high to low to the same as the reference sorting; wherein the reference sorting is the sorting of the target units according to the cumulative running time from high to low.

13. A main control device, comprising: Memory; And a processor coupled to the memory, the processor being configured to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 11 based on instructions stored in the memory.

14. A modular unit equipment, comprising: Multiple units and the main control device as described in claim 12 or 13.

15. A computer-readable storage medium storing computer instructions that are executed by a processor according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

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