Air conditioner control method and device, multi-split air conditioner and storage medium

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of air conditioners, and particularly relates to an air conditioner control method and device, a multi-connected air conditioner and a storage medium, the present application determines the target heat recovery mode of the multi-connected air conditioner by judging the water tank temperature of the hot water tank, the heating energy demand and the total energy demand of each air conditioner indoor unit obtained when the multi-connected air conditioner simultaneously exists refrigeration and heating water demand, and then adjusts the communication state of the reversing device and the throttling element according to the target heat recovery mode, so as to achieve the purpose of simultaneously operating refrigeration and heating water by one heat pump system, and heat the water tank by the waste heat of air conditioner refrigeration, thereby avoiding the technical problem that the heating and heating water in the prior art multi-connected air conditioner are not simultaneously performed, and improving the use experience of the user.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of air conditioner technology, and in particular to an air conditioner control method, device, multi-split air conditioner, and storage medium. Background Technology

[0002] Multi-split water heaters are typically equipped with several indoor air conditioning units and one or more hot water modules. The indoor air conditioning units are used for temperature regulation in each room, while the hot water modules are used to provide domestic hot water. Since the indoor air conditioning units and the hot water modules share a heat pump system, the hot water modules cannot operate simultaneously when the indoor air conditioning units are cooling in the summer due to higher temperatures.

[0003] The above content is only used to help understand the technical solution of the present invention and does not represent an admission that the above content is prior art. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The main objective of this invention is to provide an air conditioner control method, device, multi-split air conditioner, and storage medium, aiming to solve the technical problem that heating and hot water production cannot be carried out simultaneously in existing multi-split air conditioners.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides an air conditioner control method, which is applied to a multi-split air conditioner. The multi-split air conditioner includes: an outdoor unit, multiple indoor units, and a hot water module. The outdoor unit is connected to each indoor unit and the hot water module. A throttling element is provided between the outdoor unit, each indoor unit, and the hot water module. The outdoor unit includes a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, and at least two reversing devices. The indoor units include an indoor heat exchanger. The hot water module includes a hot water tank. Each reversing device is connected to the compressor for controlling the refrigerant flow direction.

[0006] The method includes the following steps:

[0007] When the air conditioner has both cooling and hot water production needs, the water tank temperature of the hot water tank, the heating energy requirement, and the total energy requirement of each indoor air conditioner unit are obtained.

[0008] The target heat recovery mode of the air conditioner is determined based on the water tank temperature, the heating energy requirement, and the total energy requirement of each indoor air conditioner unit.

[0009] Based on the target heat recovery mode, the connection state of each reversing device and the throttling element is adjusted to adjust the refrigerant flow ratio of the hot water tank and the indoor heat exchanger.

[0010] Optionally, the target heat recovery mode includes a partial heat recovery mode, and the water tank temperature includes: the water temperature in the water tank and the temperature at the center of the water tank coil;

[0011] Determining the target heat recovery mode of the air conditioner based on the water tank temperature, the heating energy requirement, and the total energy requirement of each indoor unit includes:

[0012] The system determines whether the water temperature in the water tank, the temperature at the center of the water tank coil, the heating energy requirement, and the total energy requirement of each indoor air conditioner unit meet preset heat recovery conditions. The preset heat recovery conditions include at least one of the following: the water temperature in the water tank is greater than a preset first temperature threshold; the temperature at the center of the water tank coil is greater than or equal to a preset coil temperature; and the target heating energy requirement ratio is greater than or equal to a preset energy requirement ratio, where the target heating energy requirement ratio is the ratio between the total energy requirement of each indoor air conditioner unit and the heating energy requirement.

[0013] If the conditions are met, then the air conditioner is in partial heat recovery mode.

[0014] Optionally, the target heat recovery mode may also include all heat recovery modes;

[0015] The step of determining the target heat recovery mode of the air conditioner based on the water tank temperature, the heating energy requirement, and the total energy requirement of each indoor air conditioning unit further includes:

[0016] When the water temperature in the water tank is lower than the preset second temperature threshold, the temperature in the middle of the water tank coil is lower than the preset coil temperature, and the target heating energy demand ratio is lower than the preset energy demand ratio, the air conditioner operates in full heat recovery mode, and the preset second temperature threshold is lower than the preset first temperature threshold.

[0017] When the water temperature in the tank is less than a preset first temperature threshold and greater than or equal to a preset second temperature threshold, the target heat recovery mode is determined based on the heat recovery mode of the previous operation.

[0018] Optionally, when the outdoor unit of the air conditioner is provided with two reversing devices, the reversing devices include a first reversing device and a second reversing device. The first reversing device is connected to the compressor, the outdoor heat exchanger and the hot water tank respectively, and the second reversing device is connected to the compressor, the indoor heat exchanger and the hot water tank respectively.

[0019] Adjusting the connectivity of each switching device based on the target heat recovery mode includes:

[0020] When the target heat recovery mode is a partial heat recovery mode, the first selection terminal and the second selection terminal in the first reversing device are connected so that the refrigerant output terminal of the compressor and the refrigerant input terminal of the outdoor heat exchanger are connected through the first reversing device.

[0021] Optionally, the air conditioner control method further includes:

[0022] When the target heat recovery mode is the full heat recovery mode, the second and third selection terminals in the first reversing device are connected so that the refrigerant input terminal of the compressor and the refrigerant output terminal of the outdoor heat exchanger are connected through the first reversing device.

[0023] Optionally, when the outdoor unit of the air conditioner is provided with three reversing devices, the reversing devices include a first reversing device, a second reversing device and a third reversing device. The first reversing device is connected to the compressor and the outdoor heat exchanger respectively. The second reversing device is connected to the compressor and the indoor heat exchanger respectively. The third reversing device is connected to the compressor and the hot water tank respectively.

[0024] Adjusting the connectivity of each switching device based on the target heat recovery mode further includes:

[0025] When the target heat recovery mode is a partial heat recovery mode, the first selection terminal and the second selection terminal in the first reversing device are connected so that the refrigerant output terminal of the compressor is connected to the refrigerant input terminal of the outdoor heat exchanger.

[0026] The first and second selector terminals in the third reversing device are connected so that the refrigerant output terminal of the compressor and the refrigerant input terminal of the hot water tank are connected through the third reversing device.

[0027] Optionally, the air conditioner control method further includes:

[0028] When the target heat recovery mode is the full heat recovery mode, the second and third selection terminals in the first reversing device are connected so that the refrigerant input terminal of the compressor and the refrigerant output terminal of the outdoor heat exchanger are connected through the first reversing device.

[0029] The first and second selector terminals in the third reversing device are connected so that the refrigerant output terminal of the compressor and the refrigerant input terminal of the hot water tank are connected through the third reversing device.

[0030] Furthermore, to achieve the above objectives, the present invention also proposes an air conditioner control device, the air conditioner control device comprising:

[0031] The acquisition module is used to acquire the water tank temperature of the hot water tank, the heating energy requirement, and the total energy requirement of each indoor unit of the air conditioner when the air conditioner has both cooling and hot water production needs.

[0032] The judgment module is used to determine the target heat recovery mode of the air conditioner based on the water tank temperature, the heating energy requirement, and the total energy requirement of each indoor air conditioner unit.

[0033] The adjustment module is used to adjust the connection state of each reversing device and throttling element based on the target heat recovery mode, so as to adjust the refrigerant flow ratio of the hot water tank and the indoor heat exchanger.

[0034] Furthermore, to achieve the above objectives, the present invention also proposes a multi-split air conditioner, the multi-split air conditioner comprising: a memory, a processor, and an air conditioner control program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, the air conditioner control program being configured to implement the steps of the air conditioner control method described above.

[0035] In addition, to achieve the above objectives, the present invention also proposes a storage medium storing an air conditioner control program, which, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the air conditioner control method described above.

[0036] This invention determines the target heat recovery mode of a multi-split air conditioner by analyzing the water tank temperature, heating energy requirement, and total energy requirement of each indoor unit when the multi-split air conditioner simultaneously requires cooling and hot water. Based on this target heat recovery mode, the connection status of the commutator and throttling element is adjusted, thereby achieving the goal of simultaneously operating a heat pump system for both cooling and hot water production. The waste heat from the air conditioner's cooling process heats the water tank, avoiding the technical problem of existing multi-split air conditioners where heating and hot water production occur at different times, thus improving the user experience. Attached Figure Description

[0037] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a multi-split air conditioner in the hardware operating environment involved in the embodiments of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating the first embodiment of the air conditioner control method of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 3 This is a structural diagram of a multi-split air conditioner with two commutation devices under a partial heat recovery mode according to an embodiment of the air conditioner control method of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 4 This is a structural diagram of a multi-split air conditioner with two commutation devices under all heat recovery modes according to an embodiment of the air conditioner control method of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the capacity requirement range determination of an embodiment of the air conditioner control method of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating the second embodiment of the air conditioner control method of the present invention;

[0043] Figure 7This is a flowchart illustrating the third embodiment of the air conditioner control method of the present invention;

[0044] Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating the fourth embodiment of the air conditioner control method of the present invention;

[0045] Figure 9 This is a structural diagram of a multi-split air conditioner with a three-commutation device in a partial heat recovery mode according to an embodiment of the air conditioner control method of the present invention.

[0046] Figure 10 This is a structural diagram of a multi-split air conditioner with a three-commutation device in a partial heat recovery mode according to an embodiment of the air conditioner control method of the present invention.

[0047] Figure 11 This is a structural block diagram of the first embodiment of the air conditioner control device of the present invention.

[0048] Explanation of icon numbers:

[0049] label name label name 1 air conditioner outdoor unit LA hydraulic valve 2 air conditioner indoor unit GA air pressure valve 3 hot water module 121 First commutation device 11 compressor 122 Second commutation device 12 Commutation device 123 Third commutation device 13 Outdoor heat exchanger 31 Hot water tank EXV Electronic expansion valve

[0050] The realization of the objective, functional features and advantages of the present invention will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0051] It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

[0052] Reference Figure 1 , Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a multi-split air conditioner in the hardware operating environment involved in the embodiments of the present invention.

[0053] like Figure 1As shown, the multi-split air conditioner may include: a processor 1001, such as a central processing unit (CPU), a communication bus 1002, a user interface 1003, a network interface 1004, and a memory 1005. The communication bus 1002 is used to enable communication between these components. The user interface 1003 may include a display screen and an input unit such as a keyboard; optionally, the user interface 1003 may also include a standard wired interface or a wireless interface. The network interface 1004 may optionally include a standard wired interface or a wireless interface (such as a Wireless-Fidelity (Wi-Fi) interface). The memory 1005 may be high-speed random access memory (RAM) or stable non-volatile memory (NVM), such as a disk storage device. Optionally, the memory 1005 may also be a storage device independent of the aforementioned processor 1001.

[0054] Those skilled in the art will understand that Figure 1 The structure shown does not constitute a limitation on multi-split air conditioners and may include more or fewer components than shown, or combine certain components, or have different component arrangements.

[0055] like Figure 1 As shown, the memory 1005, which serves as a storage medium, may include an operating system, a network communication module, a user interface module, and an air conditioner control program.

[0056] exist Figure 1 In the multi-split air conditioner shown, the network interface 1004 is mainly used for data communication with the network server; the user interface 1003 is mainly used for data interaction with the user; the processor 1001 and the memory 1005 in the multi-split air conditioner of the present invention can be set in the multi-split air conditioner, and the multi-split air conditioner calls the air conditioner control program stored in the memory 1005 through the processor 1001 and executes the air conditioner control method provided in the embodiment of the present invention.

[0057] This invention provides an air conditioner control method, referring to... Figure 2 , Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating the first embodiment of an air conditioner control method according to the present invention.

[0058] In this embodiment, the air conditioner control method includes the following steps:

[0059] Step S10: When the air conditioner has both cooling and hot water production needs, obtain the water tank temperature of the hot water tank, the heating energy requirement, and the total energy requirement of each indoor air conditioner unit.

[0060] It should be noted that the executing entity in this embodiment can be the air conditioner device, which has functions such as data processing, data communication, and program execution. The air conditioner device can be the controller of a multi-split air conditioner. Of course, other devices with similar functions can also be used, and this embodiment does not limit this. For ease of explanation, this embodiment uses the controller of a multi-split air conditioner as an example.

[0061] It is worth noting that the air conditioner in this embodiment refers to a multi-split air conditioner. A multi-split air conditioner is an air conditioner with an outdoor unit connected to multiple indoor units, which can simultaneously adjust parameters such as air temperature, humidity, cleanliness, and air flow rate in multiple rooms, including but not limited to cooling, heating, and fresh air circulation modes.

[0062] It should be noted that the multi-split air conditioner in this embodiment includes an outdoor unit, an indoor unit, and a hot water module. The outdoor unit is connected to each indoor unit and the hot water module. The outdoor unit includes a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, and at least two reversing devices. The indoor unit includes at least one indoor heat exchanger. The hot water module is equipped with a hot water tank at its end. Each reversing device is connected to the compressor and is mainly used to control the refrigerant flow direction in the multi-split air conditioner. The reversing device can be a four-way valve or a three-way valve. This embodiment does not impose specific limitations on this.

[0063] In addition, throttling elements are provided between the outdoor unit of the air conditioner and each indoor unit of the air conditioner and the hot water module. The throttling elements include electronic expansion valves and capillary tubes. In this embodiment, the electronic expansion valve is mainly used as an example for explanation. The throttling elements between the outdoor unit of the air conditioner and each indoor unit of the air conditioner and the hot water module may include a main electronic expansion valve and a corresponding branch electronic expansion valve for each indoor unit of the air conditioner or the hot water module. This embodiment does not impose specific limitations on this.

[0064] It is understood that in the multi-split air conditioner of this embodiment, the structural connection of the multi-split air conditioner of this application varies depending on the number of commutation devices. In this embodiment, two commutation devices are used as an example for explanation. The commutation device includes a first commutation device and a second commutation device. The refrigerant output end of the compressor is connected to the first commutation device and the second commutation device respectively. Depending on the heat recovery mode of the multi-split air conditioner, the flow ratio of refrigerant in the pipeline can be adjusted by connecting the commutation devices.

[0065] It should be understood that, for ease of explanation, a four-way valve is used as an example to illustrate the reversing mechanism. The refrigerant output terminal of the compressor is connected to the selector terminals D of the first and second four-way valves, respectively, and the refrigerant output terminal of the compressor is also directly connected to the hot water tank. (Refer to...) Figure 3 In partial heat recovery mode, the first four-way valve's selector terminals D and C are connected, and selector terminals S and E are connected. The second four-way valve's selector terminals D and C are connected, and selector terminals S and E are connected. This allows the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant to be divided into two paths. One path condenses through the outdoor heat exchanger, then flows through the main electronic expansion valve to the indoor heat exchanger for evaporation, completing the cooling of the indoor unit. The other path flows directly into the hot water tank through a pipeline, exchanges heat with the hot water tank, and produces hot water. Then, it is depressurized through the branch electronic expansion valve corresponding to the hot water module and merges with the refrigerant from the main path. It then flows through the electronic expansion valve corresponding to the indoor unit to the indoor heat exchanger for evaporation, and finally returns to the compressor through the indoor heat exchanger and the second four-way valve, simultaneously completing the cooling of the indoor unit and the hot water production of the hot water tank.

[0066] refer to Figure 4 In full heat recovery mode, the first four-way valve's selector terminals D and E are connected, and selector terminals C and S are connected. The second four-way valve's selector terminals D and C are connected, and selector terminals S and E are connected. This allows the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant to exchange heat entirely through the refrigerant pipe where the water tank is located. After passing through the hot water tank, the refrigerant is divided into two paths by the electronic expansion valve of the corresponding branch of the hot water module. One path flows through the main electronic expansion valve to the outdoor heat exchanger for evaporation and then returns to the compressor through the first four-way valve. The other path flows through the electronic expansion valve of the branch where the indoor unit is located to the indoor heat exchanger for evaporation, achieving the cooling effect of the indoor unit. Then, it returns to the compressor through the second four-way valve, simultaneously completing the cooling of the indoor unit and the hot water production of the hot water tank.

[0067] In practical implementation, since the application scenario of this application is a heat pump system for cooling in summer, in order to produce hot water, the existing technology generally uses electric heating to heat the hot water tank. However, electric heating consumes a lot of energy and cannot recover the waste heat of the air conditioner.

[0068] It is understood that the water temperature of the hot water tank includes, but is not limited to, the water temperature in the tank and the temperature at the middle of the tank coil. The water tank temperature can be the average of the water temperature at the top and bottom of the tank. The temperature at the middle of the tank coil refers to the refrigerant saturation temperature corresponding to the compressor discharge pressure. In this embodiment, the refrigerant saturation temperature is related to factors such as refrigerant type and refrigerant pressure. Its main functions are temperature control, heat exchange, and improving energy efficiency. Considering that there is pressure loss when the refrigerant passes through various heat exchange devices, and that there is basically no pressure loss when the refrigerant is transmitted in the pipeline, this embodiment uses the temperature at the middle of the coil of the hot water tank, which is directly connected to the refrigerant output end of the compressor, as the refrigerant saturation temperature corresponding to the discharge pressure.

[0069] Understandably, the heating energy required for a hot water tank needs to be calculated based on the tank's capacity demand coefficient and its rated capacity. The formula for calculating the required heating energy is as follows:

[0070] Q w =H w *A w

[0071] Among them, Q w This refers to the heating energy required by the hot water tank, A w H refers to the capacity demand coefficient of the hot water tank, which is related to the water temperature and the outdoor ambient temperature. w This refers to the rated capacity of the hot water tank.

[0072] It should be understood that obtaining the heating demand of the hot water tank includes: querying the capacity demand coefficient corresponding to the water temperature in the tank and the outdoor ambient temperature; and calculating the heating energy demand of the hot water tank based on the capacity demand coefficient and the rated capacity of the hot water tank.

[0073] When looking up the capacity requirement coefficients corresponding to the water tank temperature and the outdoor ambient temperature, you can refer to Table 1.

[0074] Table 1

[0075]

[0076] In practice, the rated capacity of the hot water tank is positively correlated with its capacity. The larger the capacity of the hot water tank, the greater the rated capacity. For example, a 150L hot water tank has a rated capacity of 2.8KW, and a 200L hot water tank has a rated capacity of 3.6KW. This embodiment does not impose any specific limitations on this.

[0077] It should be noted that the total energy requirement of each indoor air conditioner unit can be the total energy requirement of all indoor units with energy demand. When obtaining the total energy requirement of each indoor air conditioner unit, it can be calculated according to the following formula:

[0078] ∑Q c =Base value * HP * K_fan

[0079] Among them, the reference value is related to the difference between the indoor ambient temperature and the indoor ambient set temperature, HP refers to the preset correction value corresponding to the type of air conditioner indoor unit, and K_fan refers to the wind speed correction coefficient of each air conditioner indoor unit.

[0080] In specific implementation, obtaining the total energy requirement of each indoor air conditioner unit includes: obtaining the set temperature corresponding to each indoor air conditioner unit and the indoor ambient temperature of the area where the indoor air conditioner unit is located; determining the temperature difference between the indoor ambient temperature and the set temperature; querying the target capacity range corresponding to the temperature difference; determining the corresponding benchmark value based on the target capacity range; determining the corresponding fan speed correction coefficient based on the fan speed of each indoor air conditioner unit; determining the preset correction value based on the model of each indoor air conditioner unit; and calculating the total energy requirement of each indoor air conditioner unit based on the benchmark value, the preset correction value, and the fan speed correction coefficient. The querying of the capacity range corresponding to the temperature difference can be referenced from... Figure 5 Table 2 can be used as a reference to determine the benchmark value based on the capability range.

[0081] Table 2

[0082] Ability Range Area A Area B Area C D area e zone f zone benchmark value 3 2 1.5 1 0.5 0

[0083] In addition, in practical applications, since the fan speed of the indoor unit of the air conditioner may vary, in order to reduce the amount of calculation when calculating the wind speed correction coefficient, the wind speed correction coefficient can be calculated according to the wind speed setting set by the user. Generally speaking, the higher the wind speed setting, the larger the correction coefficient. In the specific calculation process, you can refer to Table 3.

[0084] Table 3

[0085]

[0086]

[0087] Step S20: Determine the target heat recovery mode of the air conditioner based on the water tank temperature, the heating energy requirement, and the total energy requirement of each indoor air conditioner unit.

[0088] It is understood that in this embodiment, the heat recovery mode of the multi-split air conditioner includes a partial heat recovery mode and a full heat recovery mode. The partial heat recovery mode refers to dividing the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant at the compressor refrigerant outlet into two parts: one part passes through the outdoor heat exchanger, and the other part flows through the hot water tank for heating. The full heat recovery mode refers to heating all the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant at the compressor refrigerant outlet through the hot water tank for heat recovery.

[0089] Step S30: Adjust the connection state of each reversing device and the throttling element based on the target heat recovery mode to adjust the refrigerant flow ratio of the hot water tank and the indoor heat exchanger.

[0090] It should be understood that when the evaporation absorption of the indoor unit in a multi-split air conditioner is greater than or equal to the heat on the indoor side, which is greater than the heat required by the hot water tank to heat the water, it means that the waste heat during the operation of the air conditioner can support the heating of the hot water tank. At this time, the multi-split air conditioner operates in partial heat recovery mode, that is, the refrigerant flows from the first four-way valve through the outdoor heat exchanger and directly through the hot water tank for heating.

[0091] When the evaporation absorption of the indoor unit in a multi-split air conditioner is less than the heat absorbed by the indoor unit but greater than the heat required by the hot water tank to heat the water, it indicates that the waste heat generated during the operation of the air conditioner cannot support the heating of the hot water tank. In this case, if the electric auxiliary heating device is not activated, the connection of the four-way valve can be adjusted to allow more high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant to flow directly into the hot water tank for heating, thereby increasing the temperature of the hot water tank.

[0092] In practical implementation, there are significant differences in the refrigerant flow direction between the two heat recovery modes, especially the refrigerant flow direction in the outdoor heat exchanger of the air conditioner's outdoor unit. In order to achieve a precise division of the refrigerant flow direction ratio in different heat recovery modes, this embodiment can adjust the opening of each throttling element to achieve differential pressure diversion of refrigerant in different modes. For example, in partial heat recovery mode, the electronic expansion valve EXV-E on the main line will receive refrigerant pressure from the outdoor heat exchanger and also from the refrigerant pressure at the hot water tank. At this time, it is necessary to adjust the opening of each electronic expansion valve so that the refrigerant from the hot water tank will not flow back to the outdoor heat exchanger. At the same time, the two refrigerant lines can be distributed through the corresponding branch electronic expansion valves of each indoor air conditioner.

[0093] This embodiment determines the target heat recovery mode of the multi-split air conditioner by analyzing the water tank temperature, heating energy requirement, and total energy requirement of each indoor unit when the multi-split air conditioner has both cooling and hot water production needs. Based on this target heat recovery mode, the connection status of the commutator and throttling element is adjusted, thereby achieving the goal of simultaneously operating a heat pump system for both cooling and hot water production. The waste heat from the air conditioner's cooling process heats the water tank, avoiding the technical problem of existing multi-split air conditioners where heating and hot water production occur at different times, thus improving the user experience.

[0094] refer to Figure 6 , Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating a second embodiment of an air conditioner control method according to the present invention.

[0095] Based on the first embodiment described above, in this embodiment, step S20 includes:

[0096] Step S201: Determine whether the water temperature in the water tank, the temperature in the middle of the water tank coil, the heating energy requirement, and the total energy requirement of each indoor air conditioning unit meet the preset heat recovery conditions.

[0097] It should be noted that the preset heat recovery conditions include at least one of the following conditions: the water temperature in the water tank is greater than a preset first temperature threshold; the temperature in the middle of the water tank coil is greater than or equal to a preset coil temperature; the target heating energy demand ratio is greater than or equal to a preset energy demand ratio, wherein the target heating energy demand ratio is the ratio between the total energy demand of each indoor air conditioning unit and the heating energy demand. This embodiment does not impose specific restrictions on this.

[0098] The preset first temperature threshold ranges from 48 to 56°C, for example, 53°C; the preset coil temperature ranges from 57 to 63°C, for example, 60°C; and the preset energy demand ratio ranges from 1 to 2.5, for example, 1.8. This embodiment does not impose specific restrictions on these values.

[0099] Step S202: If satisfied, the air conditioner is in partial heat recovery mode.

[0100] In specific implementation, if the water temperature in the water tank is ≥53℃, or the temperature in the middle of the water tank coil is ≥60℃, or the ratio between the total energy demand of each indoor air conditioner unit and the heating energy demand is ≥1.8, then the air conditioner will operate in partial heat recovery mode.

[0101] Furthermore, when the water temperature in the water tank is lower than the preset second temperature threshold, the temperature in the middle of the water tank coil is lower than the preset coil temperature, and the target heating energy demand ratio is lower than the preset energy demand ratio, the air conditioner operates in full heat recovery mode, and the preset second temperature threshold is lower than the preset first temperature threshold.

[0102] When the water temperature in the tank is less than a preset first temperature threshold and greater than or equal to a preset second temperature threshold, the target heat recovery mode is determined based on the heat recovery mode of the previous operation.

[0103] It is understandable that the preset second temperature threshold range is 38 to 48°C, for example, 45°C.

[0104] In practice, if the water temperature in the water tank is ≤45℃, the temperature in the middle of the water tank coil is <60℃, and the ratio between the total energy demand of each indoor air conditioner unit and the heating energy demand is <1.8, then the air conditioner will operate in full heat recovery mode.

[0105] If the water temperature in the tank is between 45℃ and 53℃, the heat recovery mode of the previous run will be used. If the multi-split air conditioner is powered on for the first time and the water temperature in the tank is between 45℃ and 53℃, it can simultaneously achieve hot water production and indoor cooling in full heat recovery mode.

[0106] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the multi-split air conditioner is switched from partial heat recovery mode to full heat recovery mode, it is necessary to meet the following conditions: the water temperature in the water tank is less than a preset second temperature threshold, the temperature in the middle of the water tank coil is less than a preset coil temperature, and the target heating energy demand ratio is less than a preset energy demand ratio. At the same time, it is also necessary to detect that the highest water temperature in the hot water tank is less than or equal to a preset threshold within a preset time period. This preset threshold is related to the water temperature K at the highest point of the water tank detected in real time after the four-way valve A is powered off. The preset time period can be 5 minutes.

[0107] In practice, when a multi-split air conditioner switches from partial heat recovery mode to full heat recovery mode, it needs to meet the following conditions: water tank temperature ≤ 45℃, water tank coil temperature < 60℃, and the ratio between the total energy demand of each indoor unit and the heating energy demand < 1.8. If the highest water temperature in the water tank is detected to be less than or equal to K-5 for 5 consecutive minutes, the air conditioner will operate in full heat recovery mode.

[0108] In this embodiment, the heat recovery mode of the multi-split air conditioner is determined based on the water temperature in the water tank, the temperature in the middle of the water tank coil, the heating energy requirement, and the total energy requirement of each indoor air conditioner unit, so as to improve the heat recovery efficiency and improve the simultaneous cooling and hot water production effect of the multi-split air conditioner.

[0109] refer to Figure 7 , Figure 7 This is a flowchart illustrating a third embodiment of an air conditioner control method according to the present invention.

[0110] Based on the second embodiment described above, in this embodiment, step S30 includes:

[0111] Step S301: When the target heat recovery mode is a partial heat recovery mode, connect the first selection terminal and the second selection terminal in the first reversing device so that the refrigerant output terminal of the compressor and the refrigerant input terminal of the outdoor heat exchanger are connected through the first reversing device.

[0112] It should be noted that this embodiment is for heat recovery control of a multi-split air conditioner with only two reversing devices. When there are two reversing devices in the outdoor unit of the air conditioner, the reversing devices include a first reversing device and a second reversing device. The first reversing device is connected to the compressor, the outdoor heat exchanger and the hot water tank respectively, and the second reversing device is connected to the compressor, the indoor heat exchanger and the hot water tank respectively.

[0113] It is understood that the first selection end of the first reversing device refers to the selection end D of the first four-way valve, and the second selection end refers to the selection end C of the first four-way valve. In the partial heat recovery mode, connecting the selection ends D and C of the first four-way valve allows the refrigerant output end of the compressor to be connected to the refrigerant input end of the outdoor heat exchanger through the first reversing device, so that a portion of the refrigerant can flow through the first four-way valve to the outdoor heat exchanger for heat exchange.

[0114] At this time, the third and fourth gate terminals in the second reversing device can also be connected so that the refrigerant input terminal of the compressor and the refrigerant output terminal of the indoor heat exchanger are connected through the second reversing device.

[0115] In the second reversing device, the third and fourth selection terminals refer to the selection terminals S and E of the second four-way valve, respectively, so that the refrigerant passing through the indoor heat exchanger, hot water tank, etc. can flow back to the compressor, facilitating the next refrigerant compression.

[0116] Furthermore, when the target heat recovery mode is the full heat recovery mode, the second and third selection terminals in the first reversing device are connected so that the refrigerant input terminal of the compressor and the refrigerant output terminal of the outdoor heat exchanger are connected through the first reversing device.

[0117] It is worth noting that the second and third selection terminals of the first reversing device refer to the selection terminals C and S of the first four-way valve, respectively. In the partial heat recovery mode, connecting the selection terminals C and S of the first four-way valve allows the refrigerant output by the compressor to be heated only through the hot water tank, thereby improving the heating effect of the hot water tank and avoiding the situation where the hot water production capacity is poor due to insufficient heat recovery in the multi-split air conditioner.

[0118] This embodiment limits the connection state of the commutator in different heat recovery modes when there are two commutator devices in a multi-split air conditioner, so as to realize heat recovery in different modes, improve the efficiency of heat recovery, and meet the user's needs in different scenarios.

[0119] refer to Figure 8 , Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating the fourth embodiment of an air conditioner control method according to the present invention.

[0120] Based on the third embodiment described above, in this embodiment, step S30 further includes:

[0121] Step S301: When the target heat recovery mode is partial heat recovery mode, connect the first selection terminal and the second selection terminal in the first reversing device so that the refrigerant output terminal of the compressor is connected to the refrigerant input terminal of the outdoor heat exchanger.

[0122] It should be noted that when a multi-split air conditioner with two reversing devices is operating in partial heat recovery mode, since the refrigerant output of the compressor is directly connected to the hot water tank, regardless of switching the connection devices of each reversing device, high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant will be output to the hot water tank. This results in continuous heating of the water, and the water temperature may be too high to meet the user's needs. In this case, the water temperature in the tank can only be controlled by shutting down the heat pump system of the multi-split air conditioner. Therefore, this embodiment proposes a scheme of setting three reversing devices in the multi-split air conditioner.

[0123] It should be noted that this embodiment is for heat recovery control of a multi-split air conditioner with three commutation devices, referencing... Figure 9 When the outdoor unit of the air conditioner is equipped with three reversing devices, the reversing devices include a first reversing device, a second reversing device and a third reversing device. The first reversing device is connected to the compressor and the outdoor heat exchanger respectively. The second reversing device is connected to the compressor and the indoor heat exchanger respectively. The third reversing device is connected to the compressor and the hot water tank respectively.

[0124] It is understood that the first and second selection terminals of the first reversing device refer to the selection terminals D and C of the first four-way valve, respectively, and the first and second selection terminals of the third reversing device refer to selection terminals D and E, respectively. In the partial heat recovery mode, connecting the selection terminals D and C of the first four-way valve allows the refrigerant output terminal of the compressor to be connected to the refrigerant input terminal of the outdoor heat exchanger through the first reversing device, so that a portion of the refrigerant can flow through the first four-way valve to the outdoor heat exchanger for heat exchange.

[0125] Step S302: Connect the first selector terminal and the second selector terminal in the third reversing device so that the refrigerant output terminal of the compressor and the refrigerant input terminal of the hot water tank are connected through the third reversing device.

[0126] It should be understood that, as described above, in some heat recovery modes, a portion of the refrigerant flows through the outdoor heat exchanger via the first four-way valve to form the first refrigerant flow direction, while the other portion is output to the hot water tank via the first and second switching ends of the third reversing device, i.e., through the switching ends D and E of the third four-way valve, for heat exchange. If you want the water tank to stop heating, you can also adjust the connection device of the third four-way valve to reduce the hot water production capacity and improve the user experience.

[0127] Further, refer to Figure 10If the multi-split air conditioner is running in full heat recovery mode, that is, when the target heat recovery mode is full heat recovery mode, the second and third selection terminals in the first reversing device are connected so that the refrigerant input terminal of the compressor and the refrigerant output terminal of the outdoor heat exchanger are connected through the first reversing device.

[0128] The second and third switching terminals in the third switching device are connected so that the refrigerant output terminal of the compressor and the refrigerant input terminal of the hot water tank are connected through the third switching device.

[0129] It is understandable that both full heat recovery mode and partial heat recovery mode require high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant to flow through the hot water tank. Therefore, there is no need to adjust the connection status of the third reversing device. When the water temperature in the hot water tank is detected to be high or greater than the user's set temperature, the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant can be prevented from entering the hot water tank to produce hot water by connecting the second and third selector terminals of the third reversing device. The second and third selector terminals of the third reversing device refer to the selector terminals E and S of the third four-way valve. It can also be the selector terminals D and C. This embodiment does not impose specific restrictions on this.

[0130] This embodiment limits the connection state of the commutation devices under different heat recovery modes when there are three commutation devices in a multi-split air conditioner, so as to realize heat recovery under different modes, improve the efficiency of heat recovery, meet the user's usage needs in different scenarios, and at the same time avoid the water temperature of the hot water tank being too high, which would affect the user's use.

[0131] Furthermore, this embodiment of the invention also proposes a storage medium storing an air conditioner control program, which, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the air conditioner control method described above.

[0132] Since this storage medium adopts all the technical solutions of all the above embodiments, it has at least all the beneficial effects brought about by the technical solutions of the above embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0133] Reference Figure 11 , Figure 11 This is a structural block diagram of the first embodiment of the air conditioner control device of the present invention.

[0134] like Figure 11 As shown, the air conditioner control device proposed in this embodiment of the invention includes:

[0135] The acquisition module 10 is used to acquire the water tank temperature of the hot water tank, the heating energy requirement, and the total energy requirement of each indoor air conditioner unit when the air conditioner has both cooling and hot water production needs.

[0136] The judgment module 20 is used to determine the target heat recovery mode of the air conditioner based on the water tank temperature, the heating energy requirement, and the total energy requirement of each indoor air conditioner unit.

[0137] The adjustment module 30 is used to adjust the connection state of each reversing device and throttling element based on the target heat recovery mode, so as to adjust the refrigerant flow ratio of the hot water tank and the indoor heat exchanger.

[0138] In one embodiment, the judgment module 20 is further configured to determine whether the water temperature in the water tank, the temperature at the middle of the water tank coil, the heating energy demand, and the total energy demand of each indoor air conditioner unit meet preset heat recovery conditions. The preset heat recovery conditions include at least one of the following conditions: the water temperature in the water tank is greater than a preset first temperature threshold; the temperature at the middle of the water tank coil is greater than or equal to a preset coil temperature; the target heating energy demand ratio is greater than or equal to a preset energy demand ratio, where the target heating energy demand ratio is the ratio between the total energy demand of each indoor air conditioner unit and the heating energy demand. If these conditions are met, the air conditioner is in partial heat recovery mode.

[0139] In one embodiment, the judgment module 20 is further configured to: when the water temperature in the water tank is less than a preset second temperature threshold, the temperature in the middle of the water tank coil is less than a preset coil temperature, and the target heating energy demand ratio is less than a preset energy demand ratio, the air conditioner operates in full heat recovery mode, and the preset second temperature threshold is less than a preset first temperature threshold; when the water temperature in the water tank is less than the preset first temperature threshold and greater than or equal to the preset second temperature threshold, the target heat recovery mode is determined based on the heat recovery mode of the previous operation.

[0140] In one embodiment, the determination module 20 is further configured to connect the first selection terminal and the second selection terminal in the first reversing device when the target heat recovery mode is a partial heat recovery mode, so that the refrigerant output terminal of the compressor and the refrigerant input terminal of the outdoor heat exchanger are connected through the first reversing device.

[0141] In one embodiment, the judgment module 20 is further configured to connect the second selection terminal and the third selection terminal in the first reversing device when the target heat recovery mode is the full heat recovery mode, so that the refrigerant input terminal of the compressor and the refrigerant output terminal of the outdoor heat exchanger are connected through the first reversing device.

[0142] In one embodiment, the judgment module 20 is further configured to, when the target heat recovery mode is a partial heat recovery mode, connect the first selection terminal and the second selection terminal in the first reversing device so that the refrigerant output terminal of the compressor is connected to the refrigerant input terminal of the outdoor heat exchanger; and connect the first selection terminal and the second selection terminal in the third reversing device so that the refrigerant output terminal of the compressor is connected to the refrigerant input terminal of the hot water tank through the third reversing device.

[0143] In one embodiment, the judgment module 20 is further configured to, when the target heat recovery mode is the full heat recovery mode, connect the second selection terminal and the third selection terminal in the first reversing device so that the refrigerant input terminal of the compressor and the refrigerant output terminal of the outdoor heat exchanger are connected through the first reversing device; and connect the first selection terminal and the second selection terminal in the third reversing device so that the refrigerant output terminal of the compressor and the refrigerant input terminal of the hot water tank are connected through the third reversing device.

[0144] This embodiment determines the target heat recovery mode of the multi-split air conditioner by analyzing the water tank temperature, heating energy requirement, and total energy requirement of each indoor unit when the multi-split air conditioner has both cooling and hot water production needs. Based on this target heat recovery mode, the connection status of the commutator and throttling element is adjusted, thereby achieving the goal of simultaneously operating a heat pump system for both cooling and hot water production. The waste heat from the air conditioner's cooling process heats the water tank, avoiding the technical problem of existing multi-split air conditioners where heating and hot water production occur at different times, thus improving the user experience.

[0145] It should be understood that although the steps in the flowcharts of this application's embodiments are shown sequentially according to the arrows, these steps are not necessarily executed in the order indicated by the arrows. Unless explicitly stated herein, there is no strict order restriction on the execution of these steps, and they can be executed in other orders. Moreover, at least some of the steps in the figures may include multiple sub-steps or multiple stages. These sub-steps or stages are not necessarily completed at the same time, but can be executed at different times, and their execution order is not necessarily sequential, but can be performed alternately or in turn with other steps or at least a portion of the sub-steps or stages of other steps.

[0146] It should be understood that the above are merely illustrative examples and do not constitute any limitation on the technical solutions of the present invention. In specific applications, those skilled in the art can make settings as needed, and the present invention does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0147] It should be noted that the workflow described above is merely illustrative and does not limit the scope of protection of this invention. In practical applications, those skilled in the art can select some or all of the workflow to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs, and no restrictions are imposed here.

[0148] In addition, for technical details not described in detail in this embodiment, please refer to the air conditioner control method provided in any embodiment of the present invention, which will not be repeated here.

[0149] Furthermore, it should be noted that, in this document, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or system that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or system. Unless otherwise specified, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or system that includes that element.

[0150] The sequence numbers of the above embodiments of the present invention are for descriptive purposes only and do not represent the superiority or inferiority of the embodiments.

[0151] Through the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that the methods of the above embodiments can be implemented by means of software plus necessary general-purpose hardware platforms. Of course, they can also be implemented by hardware, but in many cases the former is a better implementation method. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of the present invention, or the part that contributes to the prior art, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium (such as read-only memory (ROM) / RAM, magnetic disk, optical disk) and includes several instructions to cause a terminal device (which may be a mobile phone, computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute the methods described in the various embodiments of the present invention.

[0152] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not limit the scope of the patent. Any equivalent structural or procedural transformations made based on the description and drawings of the present invention, or direct or indirect applications in other related technical fields, are similarly included within the scope of patent protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. An air conditioner control method, characterized in that, The air conditioner control method is applied to a multi-split air conditioner, which includes an outdoor unit, multiple indoor units, and a hot water module. The outdoor unit is connected to each indoor unit and the hot water module. A throttling element is provided between the outdoor unit, each indoor unit, and the hot water module. The outdoor unit includes a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, and at least two reversing devices. The indoor units include an indoor heat exchanger. The hot water module includes a hot water tank. Each reversing device is connected to the compressor to control the refrigerant flow direction. The air conditioner control includes: When the air conditioner has both cooling and hot water production needs, the water tank temperature of the hot water tank, the heating energy requirement, and the total energy requirement of each indoor air conditioner unit are obtained. The target heat recovery mode of the air conditioner is determined based on the water tank temperature, the heating energy requirement, and the total energy requirement of each indoor air conditioner unit. The target heat recovery mode includes a partial heat recovery mode and a full heat recovery mode. Based on the target heat recovery mode, adjust the connection state of each switching device and the throttling element to adjust the refrigerant flow ratio of the hot water tank and the indoor heat exchanger; When the outdoor unit of the air conditioner is provided with two reversing devices, the reversing devices include a first reversing device and a second reversing device. The first reversing device is connected to the compressor, the outdoor heat exchanger and the hot water tank respectively, and the second reversing device is connected to the compressor, the indoor heat exchanger and the hot water tank respectively. Adjusting the connectivity of each switching device based on the target heat recovery mode includes: When the target heat recovery mode is a partial heat recovery mode, the first selection terminal and the second selection terminal in the first reversing device are connected so that the refrigerant output terminal of the compressor and the refrigerant input terminal of the outdoor heat exchanger are connected through the first reversing device. When the target heat recovery mode is the full heat recovery mode, the second and third selection terminals in the first reversing device are connected so that the refrigerant input terminal of the compressor and the refrigerant output terminal of the outdoor heat exchanger are connected through the first reversing device. Alternatively, when the outdoor unit of the air conditioner is provided with three reversing devices, the reversing devices include a first reversing device, a second reversing device, and a third reversing device. The first reversing device is connected to the compressor and the outdoor heat exchanger respectively, the second reversing device is connected to the compressor and the indoor heat exchanger respectively, and the third reversing device is connected to the compressor and the hot water tank respectively. Adjusting the connectivity of each commutator based on the target heat recovery mode also includes: When the target heat recovery mode is a partial heat recovery mode, the first selection terminal and the second selection terminal in the first reversing device are connected so that the refrigerant output terminal of the compressor is connected to the refrigerant input terminal of the outdoor heat exchanger. Connect the first and second selector terminals in the third reversing device so that the refrigerant output terminal of the compressor and the refrigerant input terminal of the hot water tank are connected through the third reversing device; When the target heat recovery mode is the full heat recovery mode, the second and third selection terminals in the first reversing device are connected so that the refrigerant input terminal of the compressor and the refrigerant output terminal of the outdoor heat exchanger are connected through the first reversing device. The first and second selector terminals in the third reversing device are connected so that the refrigerant output terminal of the compressor and the refrigerant input terminal of the hot water tank are connected through the third reversing device.

2. The air conditioner control method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The water tank temperature includes: the water temperature in the tank and the temperature at the center of the water tank coil; Determining the target heat recovery mode of the air conditioner based on the water tank temperature, the heating energy requirement, and the total energy requirement of each indoor unit includes: The system determines whether the water temperature in the water tank, the temperature at the center of the water tank coil, the heating energy requirement, and the total energy requirement of each indoor air conditioner unit meet preset heat recovery conditions. The preset heat recovery conditions include at least one of the following: the water temperature in the water tank is greater than a preset first temperature threshold; the temperature at the center of the water tank coil is greater than or equal to a preset coil temperature; and the target heating energy requirement ratio is greater than or equal to a preset energy requirement ratio, where the target heating energy requirement ratio is the ratio between the total energy requirement of each indoor air conditioner unit and the heating energy requirement. If the conditions are met, then the air conditioner is in partial heat recovery mode.

3. The air conditioner control method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The step of determining the target heat recovery mode of the air conditioner based on the water tank temperature, the heating energy requirement, and the total energy requirement of each indoor air conditioning unit further includes: When the water temperature in the water tank is lower than the preset second temperature threshold, the temperature in the middle of the water tank coil is lower than the preset coil temperature, and the target heating energy demand ratio is lower than the preset energy demand ratio, the air conditioner operates in full heat recovery mode, and the preset second temperature threshold is lower than the preset first temperature threshold. When the water temperature in the tank is less than a preset first temperature threshold and greater than or equal to a preset second temperature threshold, the target heat recovery mode is determined based on the heat recovery mode of the previous operation.

4. An air conditioner control device, characterized in that, The air conditioner control device executes the air conditioner control method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, and the air conditioner control device comprises: The acquisition module is used to acquire the water tank temperature of the hot water tank, the heating energy requirement, and the total energy requirement of each indoor unit of the air conditioner when the air conditioner has both cooling and hot water production needs. The judgment module is used to determine the target heat recovery mode of the air conditioner based on the water tank temperature, the heating energy requirement, and the total energy requirement of each indoor air conditioner unit. The adjustment module is used to adjust the connection state of each reversing device and throttling element based on the target heat recovery mode, so as to adjust the refrigerant flow ratio of the hot water tank and the indoor heat exchanger.

5. A multi-split air conditioner, characterized in that, The multi-split air conditioner includes: a memory, a processor, and an air conditioner control program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, the air conditioner control program being configured to implement the air conditioner control method as described in any one of claims 1 to 3.

6. A storage medium, characterized in that, The storage medium stores an air conditioner control program, which, when executed by a processor, implements the air conditioner control method as described in any one of claims 1 to 3.

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