Control method of air conditioner, air conditioner, and storage medium

Abstract

The application discloses a control method of an air conditioner, the air conditioner and a storage medium. The air conditioner comprises a refrigerant circulation system and an energy storage device. A refrigerant pipeline between a first heat exchanger and a throttling device in the refrigerant circulation system is connected in heat exchange with a refrigerant branch. A return gas pipeline between a second heat exchanger and a return gas port of a compressor is connected in parallel with the refrigerant branch. A refrigerant adjusting module is used for adjusting the refrigerant flow in the return gas pipeline and the refrigerant branch. The method comprises the following steps: controlling the refrigerant circulation system to perform refrigeration operation, and acquiring a state parameter; when the state parameter reaches a preset condition that too much liquid refrigerant enters the compressor, the refrigerant adjusting module is controlled to operate to increase the amount of refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant branch into the return gas port of the second heat exchanger. The application aims to reduce the liquid refrigerant flowing back to the compressor during the energy storage of the air conditioner, reduce the damage risk of the compressor, and prolong the service life of the compressor.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] Energy storage air conditioners have technological advantages such as energy saving, consumption reduction, and good economic benefits, and their application in daily life and production is becoming increasingly widespread. In energy storage mode, energy storage air conditioners can store the heat or cooling generated by the refrigerant circulation loop. In energy release mode, the stored heat or cooling can be absorbed by the refrigerant circulation loop and then transferred to the room for heat exchange, thereby regulating the indoor environment.

[0003] Currently, in energy storage air conditioners, the compressor's operating frequency is generally controlled according to the temperature of the condenser or evaporator in the refrigerant circulation loop during the cold storage process. In extreme environments, the compressor's return gas pressure and return gas temperature in the refrigerant circulation loop may be too low, and there may be too much liquid refrigerant in the return gas pipe, which can easily damage the compressor and affect its service life. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The main objective of this invention is to provide a control method for an air conditioner, an air conditioner, and a storage medium, which aims to reduce the amount of liquid refrigerant flowing back to the compressor during the air conditioner's cold storage process, thereby reducing the risk of compressor damage and increasing the compressor's service life.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a control method for an air conditioner. The air conditioner includes a refrigerant circulation system and an energy storage device. The refrigerant circulation system includes a compressor, a first heat exchanger, a throttling device, and a second heat exchanger connected by pipelines. The second heat exchanger is disposed within the energy storage device, which stores the energy released by the second heat exchanger. The refrigerant circulation system further includes a refrigerant branch and a refrigerant regulating module. The refrigerant pipeline between the first heat exchanger and the throttling device is heat-exchange connected to the refrigerant branch. The return pipe between the second heat exchanger and the compressor's return port is connected in parallel to the refrigerant branch. The refrigerant regulating module is used to regulate the refrigerant flow rate in the return pipe and the refrigerant branch. The control method for the air conditioner includes the following steps:

[0006] The refrigerant circulation system is controlled to operate in a cooling manner, and state parameters are obtained. The state parameters represent the amount of liquid refrigerant flowing into the return port. When the refrigerant circulation system is operating in a cooling manner, the first heat exchanger is in a condensing state and the second heat exchanger is in an evaporating state.

[0007] When the state parameters reach the preset conditions, the refrigerant regulation module is controlled to operate to increase the amount of refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant branch into the return gas port of the second heat exchanger;

[0008] The preset condition is the target condition that the state parameter needs to reach when the amount of liquid refrigerant flowing into the return air port is greater than a preset threshold.

[0009] Optionally, the refrigerant regulation module includes a three-way valve, and the inlet of the return pipe, the refrigerant outlet of the second heat exchanger, and the refrigerant inlet of the refrigerant branch are all connected to the three-way valve. The step of controlling the refrigeration operation of the refrigerant circulation system and obtaining status parameters includes:

[0010] Control the refrigerant circulation system to operate in refrigeration mode, control the three-way valve to operate in the first valve position and acquire status parameters;

[0011] The step of controlling the refrigerant regulation module to increase the amount of refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant branch into the return port when the state parameter reaches the preset condition includes:

[0012] When the state parameter reaches the preset condition, control the three-way valve to switch to the second valve position;

[0013] When the three-way valve is in the first position, the inlet of the return gas pipe is blocked from the refrigerant outlet of the second heat exchanger, and the refrigerant inlet of the refrigerant branch is connected to the refrigerant outlet of the second heat exchanger. When the three-way valve is in the second position, the inlet of the return gas pipe is connected to the refrigerant outlet of the second heat exchanger, and the refrigerant inlet of the refrigerant branch is blocked from the refrigerant outlet of the second heat exchanger.

[0014] Optionally, the refrigerant regulation module further includes a flow control valve located in the refrigerant branch. After the step of controlling the three-way valve to switch to the second valve position when the state parameter reaches the preset condition, the module further includes:

[0015] The target opening degree of the flow control valve is determined based on the third temperature of the first heat exchanger and the fourth temperature in the energy storage device.

[0016] The flow control valve is controlled to open at the target opening degree.

[0017] Optionally, the step of determining the target opening degree of the flow control valve based on the third temperature and the fourth temperature includes:

[0018] Determine the temperature difference between the third temperature and the fourth temperature;

[0019] The target opening degree is determined based on the temperature difference value, and the target opening degree is positively correlated with the temperature difference value.

[0020] Optionally, the step of obtaining the state parameters includes:

[0021] The first temperature of the first heat exchanger is detected, and the second temperature inside the energy storage device is detected. The state parameters include the first temperature and the second temperature.

[0022] Optionally, after the steps of detecting the first temperature of the first heat exchanger and detecting the second temperature inside the energy storage device, the method further includes:

[0023] When the first temperature is greater than or equal to the first preset temperature and the second temperature is less than the second preset temperature, it is determined that the state parameter has reached the preset condition, and the first preset temperature is greater than the second preset temperature.

[0024] Optionally, before the step of determining that the state parameter has reached the preset condition when the first temperature is greater than or equal to the first preset temperature and the second temperature is less than the second preset temperature, the method further includes:

[0025] Obtain the first ambient temperature of the environment where the first heat exchanger is located;

[0026] The first preset temperature is determined based on the first ambient temperature;

[0027] And / or, obtain the second ambient temperature of the environment where the energy storage device is located;

[0028] The second preset temperature is determined based on the second ambient temperature.

[0029] Optionally, after the step of controlling the refrigerant regulation module to operate to increase the amount of refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant branch into the return port when the state parameter reaches the preset condition, the method further includes:

[0030] The compressor is controlled to operate at a reduced frequency at preset intervals.

[0031] Furthermore, in order to achieve the above objectives, this application also proposes an air conditioner, the air conditioner comprising:

[0032] Energy storage device;

[0033] A refrigerant circulation system includes a compressor, a first heat exchanger, a throttling device, and a second heat exchanger connected by pipelines. The refrigerant circulation system also includes a refrigerant branch and a refrigerant regulation module. The second heat exchanger is located inside an energy storage device, which stores the energy released by the second heat exchanger. The refrigerant pipeline between the first heat exchanger and the throttling device is heat-exchange connected to the refrigerant branch. The return gas pipe between the second heat exchanger and the return gas port of the compressor is connected in parallel with the refrigerant branch. The refrigerant regulation module is used to regulate the refrigerant flow rate in the return gas pipe and the refrigerant branch.

[0034] The control device includes a refrigerant regulating module, a throttling device, and a compressor, all connected to the control device. The control device includes a memory, a processor, and an air conditioner control program stored in the memory and executable on the processor. When the air conditioner control program is executed by the processor, it implements the steps of the air conditioner control method as described above.

[0035] In addition, to achieve the above objectives, this application also proposes a storage medium storing a control program for an air conditioner, which, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the control method for the air conditioner as described in any of the preceding claims.

[0036] This invention proposes a control method for an air conditioner, based on an air conditioner equipped with a refrigerant circulation system and an energy storage device. The refrigerant circulation system includes a refrigerant branch connected in parallel with the compressor's return pipe and a refrigerant regulation module for adjusting the refrigerant flow rate in the return pipe and the refrigerant branch. During the cooling operation of the refrigerant circulation system, when storing cold energy in the energy storage device, this method acquires state parameters representing the amount of liquid refrigerant flowing into the return port of the refrigerant circulation system. When these state parameters reach a preset condition indicating excessive liquid refrigerant flowing into the return port, the refrigerant regulation module adjusts the flow rate to increase the amount of refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant branch from the second heat exchanger. This allows more refrigerant to exchange heat with the higher-temperature refrigerant flowing out of the first heat exchanger before flowing into the compressor, enabling the liquid refrigerant to absorb heat, vaporize, and then flow back into the compressor. This effectively reduces the amount of liquid refrigerant flowing back to the compressor during the air conditioner's cold storage process, lowering the risk of compressor damage and extending the compressor's lifespan. In addition, the heat exchange between the low-temperature refrigerant in the refrigerant branch and the refrigerant flowing out of the first heat exchanger helps to reduce the temperature of the refrigerant entering the second heat exchanger, thereby increasing the amount of cold released by the second heat exchanger and effectively improving the cold storage efficiency of the air conditioner. Attached Figure Description

[0037] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the system structure of an embodiment of the air conditioner of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the hardware structure involved in the operation of an embodiment of the air conditioner of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of the control method for an air conditioner according to the present invention;

[0040] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating another embodiment of the control method for an air conditioner according to the present invention;

[0041] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating another embodiment of the control method for an air conditioner according to the present invention;

[0042] Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating another embodiment of the control method for the air conditioner of the present invention.

[0043] 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

[0044] It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the invention and are not intended to limit the invention.

[0045] The main solution of this invention is: a control method based on an air conditioner, the air conditioner including a refrigerant circulation system and an energy storage device. The refrigerant circulation system includes a compressor, a first heat exchanger, a throttling device, and a second heat exchanger connected by pipelines. The second heat exchanger is located in the energy storage device, which stores the energy released by the second heat exchanger. The refrigerant circulation system also includes a refrigerant branch and a refrigerant regulation module. The refrigerant pipeline between the first heat exchanger and the throttling device is heat-exchange connected to the refrigerant branch. The return pipe between the second heat exchanger and the return port of the compressor is connected in parallel with the refrigerant branch. The refrigerant regulation module is used to regulate the refrigerant flow rate in the return pipe and the refrigerant branch. The method includes: controlling the refrigerant circulation system to operate in a cooling state and acquiring state parameters; the state parameters characterize the amount of liquid refrigerant flowing into the return port, wherein during the cooling operation of the refrigerant circulation system, the first heat exchanger is in a condensing state and the second heat exchanger is in an evaporating state; when the state parameters reach a preset condition, controlling the refrigerant adjustment module to operate to increase the amount of refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant branch into the return port from the second heat exchanger; wherein the preset condition is the target condition that the state parameters need to reach when the amount of liquid refrigerant flowing into the return port is greater than a preset threshold.

[0046] In existing technologies, the operating frequency of the compressor in energy storage air conditioners is generally controlled according to the temperature of the condenser or evaporator in the refrigerant circulation loop during the cold storage process. Under extreme conditions, the return gas pressure and return gas temperature of the compressor in the refrigerant circulation loop may be too low, and there may be too much liquid refrigerant in the return gas pipe, which can easily damage the compressor and affect its service life.

[0047] The present invention provides the above-mentioned solution, which aims to reduce the amount of liquid refrigerant flowing back to the compressor during the cold storage process of the air conditioner, reduce the risk of compressor damage, and improve the service life of the compressor.

[0048] This invention provides an air conditioner. The air conditioner can be a split-type air conditioner or an integrated air conditioner; it can be a portable air conditioner or a fixedly installed air conditioner, etc. In this embodiment, the air conditioner is a cold storage air conditioner; in other embodiments, the air conditioner can also be an air conditioner with switching between heat storage and cold storage functions; or, the air conditioner can also be a heat storage air conditioner.

[0049] In this embodiment, refer to Figures 1 to 2 The air conditioner includes an energy storage device 1, a refrigerant circulation system, and a control device 100. The refrigerant circulation system is connected to the control device 100.

[0050] Specifically, the refrigerant circulation system includes a compressor 2, a first heat exchanger 3, a throttling device 4, and a second heat exchanger 5 connected by pipelines. The second heat exchanger 5 is located within an energy storage device 1, which stores the energy (cold or hot) released by the second heat exchanger 5. In addition to the above components, the refrigerant circulation system also includes a refrigerant branch 91 and a refrigerant regulating module 6. The refrigerant pipeline between the first heat exchanger 3 and the throttling device 4 is heat-exchange connected to the refrigerant branch 91. The return pipe 92 between the second heat exchanger 5 and the return port of the compressor 2 is connected in parallel to the refrigerant branch 91. The refrigerant regulating module 6 is used to regulate the refrigerant flow rate in the return pipe 92 and the refrigerant branch 91. The refrigerant regulating module 6, the throttling device 4, and the compressor 2 are all connected to the control device 100.

[0051] In the cold storage mode of the air conditioner, the refrigerant circulation system operates in a cooling mode. The refrigerant flowing out of the compressor 2 flows through the first heat exchanger 3, the throttling device 4 and the second heat exchanger 5 in sequence and then flows back to the compressor 2. The first heat exchanger 3 is in a condensing state, and the second heat exchanger 5 is in an evaporating state. The cold energy released by the second heat exchanger 5 is stored in the energy storage device 1.

[0052] In the heat storage mode of the air conditioner, the refrigerant circulation system operates for heating. The refrigerant flowing out of the compressor 2 flows through the second heat exchanger 5, the throttling device 4 and the first heat exchanger 3 in sequence before flowing back to the compressor 2. The first heat exchanger 3 is in the evaporation state, and the second heat exchanger 5 is in the condensation state. The heat released by the second heat exchanger 5 is stored in the energy storage device 1.

[0053] The refrigerant regulation module 6 can be a single unit or it can include multiple sub-modules located in different positions.

[0054] In this embodiment, the refrigerant regulating module 6 includes a three-way valve 61. The inlet of the return pipe 92, the refrigerant outlet of the second heat exchanger 5, and the refrigerant inlet of the refrigerant branch 91 are all connected to the three-way valve 61. The three-way valve 61 has a first valve position and a second valve position. When the three-way valve 61 is in the first valve position, the refrigerant branch 91 is disconnected and the return pipe 92 is opened, and all the refrigerant flowing out of the refrigerant outlet of the second heat exchanger 5 flows through the return pipe 92 into the return port of the compressor 2. When the three-way valve 61 is in the second valve position, the refrigerant branch 91 is opened and the return pipe 92 is disconnected, and all the refrigerant flowing out of the refrigerant outlet of the second heat exchanger 5 flows through the refrigerant branch 91 into the return port of the compressor 2.

[0055] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the refrigerant regulating module 6 may also include a flow control valve 62 disposed in the refrigerant branch 91, and the flow control valve 62 is connected to the control device 100. The flow control valve 62 is used to regulate the flow rate of the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant branch 91. The flow control valve 62 may be a throttle valve, an electronic expansion valve, etc.

[0056] In addition to the three-way valve 61, in other embodiments, the refrigerant regulating module 6 may also include a first control valve located on the return pipe 92 and a second control valve located on the refrigerant branch 91. Both the first and second control valves are connected to the control device 100. The first and second control valves may be electronic expansion valves and / or solenoid valves, etc. When the first control valve is open and the second control valve is closed, the refrigerant branch 91 is disconnected, and all the refrigerant flowing out of the refrigerant outlet of the second heat exchanger 5 flows through the return pipe 92 into the return port of the compressor 2. When the first control valve is closed and the second control valve is open, the return pipe 92 is disconnected, and all the refrigerant flowing out of the refrigerant outlet of the second heat exchanger 5 flows through the refrigerant branch 91 into the return port of the compressor 2. Alternatively, both the first and second control valves may be open, and part of the refrigerant flowing out of the refrigerant outlet of the second heat exchanger 5 flows through the refrigerant branch 91 into the return port of the compressor 2, while the other part flows through the return pipe 92 into the return port of the compressor 2.

[0057] Furthermore, in this embodiment, in addition to the refrigerant circulation system, refer to Figure 1 The air conditioner also includes an energy release system, within which the aforementioned energy storage device 1 is located. The energy release system utilizes the energy stored in the energy storage device 1 to exchange heat for the indoor environment. In this embodiment, the energy release system is a refrigerant circulation system, which includes a connected indoor heat exchanger 8, a circulation pump 7, and the energy storage device 1. In this embodiment, the refrigerant in the refrigerant circulation system is water, and the energy storage device 1 can be a water tank. In other embodiments, the refrigerant in the refrigerant circulation system can be other types of refrigerants besides water, such as ethylene glycol solution.

[0058] In the air conditioner's energy release mode, the circulation pump 7 is turned on. Driven by the circulation pump 7, the refrigerant circulates between the energy storage device 1 and the indoor heat exchanger 8. When the refrigerant flows to the energy storage device 1, it absorbs the energy (cooling or heating) stored in the energy storage device 1. The refrigerant carrying energy flows to the indoor heat exchanger 8 and exchanges heat with the indoor air, releasing the energy into the indoor air.

[0059] Furthermore, refer to Figure 2 The air conditioner may also include a first temperature sensor 01, which is connected to the control device 100. The first temperature sensor 01 is used to detect the first temperature of the first heat exchanger 3. The first temperature sensor 01 may be installed on the coil of the first heat exchanger 3.

[0060] Furthermore, refer to Figure 2 The air conditioner may also include a second temperature sensor 02, which is connected to the control device 100. The second temperature sensor 02 is used to detect a second temperature of the energy storage device 1. The second temperature sensor 02 may be located inside the energy storage device 1, such as inside a water tank.

[0061] Furthermore, refer to Figure 2 The air conditioner may also include an environmental detection module 03, which is connected to the control device 100. The environmental detection module 03 is used to detect the ambient temperature of the environment where the first heat exchanger 3 and / or the energy storage device 1 are located. In this embodiment, the first heat exchanger 3 is located outdoors and the energy storage device 1 is located indoors; therefore, the environmental detection module 03 may include an outdoor temperature sensor located outdoors and an indoor temperature sensor located indoors. In other embodiments, both the first heat exchanger 3 and the energy storage device 1 are located outdoors; therefore, the environmental detection module 03 may include an outdoor temperature sensor located outdoors. In other embodiments, both the first heat exchanger 3 and the energy storage device 1 are located indoors; therefore, the environmental detection module 03 may include an indoor temperature sensor located indoors.

[0062] In this embodiment of the invention, reference is made to Figure 2 The control device 100 of the air conditioner includes a processor 1001 (e.g., CPU), a memory 1002, a timer 1003, etc. The components in the control device 100 are connected via a communication bus. The memory 1002 can be a high-speed RAM or a stable, non-volatile memory, such as a disk drive. Optionally, the memory 1002 can also be a storage device independent of the aforementioned processor 1001.

[0063] Those skilled in the art will understand that Figure 2 The device structure shown does not constitute a limitation on the device and may include more or fewer components than shown, or combine certain components, or have different component arrangements.

[0064] like Figure 2 As shown, the memory 1002, which serves as a storage medium, may include a control program for an air conditioner. Figure 2 In the device shown, the processor 1001 can be used to call the control program of the air conditioner stored in the memory 1002 and execute the relevant steps of the control method of the air conditioner in the following embodiments.

[0065] This invention also provides a control method for an air conditioner, applied to the aforementioned air conditioner.

[0066] Reference Figure 3 This application proposes an embodiment of a control method for an air conditioner. In this embodiment, the control method for the air conditioner includes:

[0067] Step S10: Control the refrigerant circulation system to operate in a cooling state and obtain state parameters; the state parameters represent the amount of liquid refrigerant flowing into the return port; when the refrigerant circulation system is operating in a cooling state, the first heat exchanger is in a condensing state and the second heat exchanger is in an evaporating state.

[0068] When the refrigerant circulation system is running in refrigeration mode, the refrigerant flowing out of the compressor flows sequentially through the first heat exchanger, the throttling device, and the second heat exchanger before returning to the compressor. The cooling capacity released by the second heat exchanger is stored in the energy storage device. Specifically, when the energy storage device is a water tank, the cooling capacity released by the second heat exchanger is caused by the water in the tank freezing on the surface of the second heat exchanger and gradually thickening, with the cooling capacity stored in the ice within the water tank.

[0069] The status parameters can specifically include operating status parameters detected at one or more locations on the refrigerant circulation system, environmental parameters detected in the environment where the refrigerant circulation system is located, and / or energy storage status parameters detected in the energy storage device, etc., any parameters related to the amount of liquid refrigerant at the compressor return port in the refrigerant circulation system. Specifically, status parameters may include compressor frequency, compressor return gas temperature, compressor return gas pressure, compressor discharge pressure, temperature of the first heat exchanger, opening degree of the throttling device, temperature of the second heat exchanger, temperature of the energy storage device, ambient temperature of the environment where the energy storage device is located, and / or ambient temperature of the environment where the compressor is located, etc.

[0070] Status parameters can be detected in real time after the refrigerant circulation system starts refrigeration operation, or when the duration of refrigeration operation of the refrigerant circulation system is greater than or equal to the preset duration.

[0071] It should be noted that during the refrigeration operation of the refrigerant circulation system, the circulation pump in the energy release system is in a closed state.

[0072] Step S20: When the state parameter reaches the preset condition, control the refrigerant adjustment module to operate to increase the amount of refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant branch into the return gas port of the second heat exchanger; wherein, the preset condition is the target condition that the state parameter needs to reach when the amount of liquid refrigerant flowing into the return gas port is greater than a preset threshold.

[0073] The preset threshold here is specifically a flow rate threshold used to distinguish whether there is too much liquid refrigerant flowing into the return air port (i.e., whether there is a risk of damaging the compressor).

[0074] The preset conditions can be the parameter range that the state parameter needs to reach, or the target size relationship or target quantity relationship between more than one sub-parameter value included in the state parameter.

[0075] When the state parameters reach the preset conditions, it indicates that the proportion of liquid refrigerant flowing out of the second heat exchanger is too high, and direct flow into the compressor may damage the compressor; when the state parameters do not reach the preset conditions, it indicates that the proportion of liquid refrigerant flowing out of the second heat exchanger is low, and direct flow into the compressor will not damage the compressor.

[0076] Specifically, the refrigerant regulation module can be controlled to operate according to preset target operating parameters, or it can be controlled to operate according to target operating parameters determined based on the actual operating conditions of the air conditioner. If refrigerant is currently flowing through the refrigerant branch into the compressor return port, the target operating parameters are used to increase the flow rate based on the current refrigerant flow rate in the refrigerant branch; if no refrigerant is currently flowing through the refrigerant branch into the compressor return port (i.e., the refrigerant branch is closed and all refrigerant flows through the return pipe into the compressor), the target operating parameters can be used to open the refrigerant branch.

[0077] Different types of refrigerant regulation modules or their locations in the refrigerant circulation system can have different operating parameters. It is only necessary to ensure that the amount of refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant branch increases compared to the current state.

[0078] The increased amount of refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant branch reduces the amount of refrigerant that flows directly into the compressor through the return pipe after exiting the second heat exchanger. More refrigerant exchanges heat with the high-temperature refrigerant exiting the first heat exchanger in the refrigerant branch, allowing the liquid refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant branch to absorb heat from the refrigerant exiting the first heat exchanger and vaporize, thereby reducing the amount of liquid refrigerant returning to the compressor.

[0079] This invention proposes a control method for an air conditioner, based on an air conditioner equipped with a refrigerant circulation system and an energy storage device. The refrigerant circulation system includes a refrigerant branch connected in parallel with the compressor's return pipe and a refrigerant regulation module for adjusting the refrigerant flow rate in the return pipe and the refrigerant branch. During the cooling operation of the refrigerant circulation system, when storing cold energy in the energy storage device, this method acquires a state parameter representing the amount of liquid refrigerant flowing into the return port of the refrigerant circulation system. When this state parameter reaches a preset condition indicating excessive liquid refrigerant flowing into the return port, the refrigerant regulation module adjusts the flow rate to increase the amount of refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant branch from the second heat exchanger. This allows more refrigerant to exchange heat with the higher-temperature refrigerant flowing out of the first heat exchanger before flowing into the compressor, enabling the liquid refrigerant to absorb heat, vaporize, and then flow back into the compressor. This effectively reduces the amount of liquid refrigerant flowing back to the compressor during the air conditioner's cold storage process, lowering the risk of compressor damage and extending the compressor's lifespan. In addition, the heat exchange between the low-temperature refrigerant in the refrigerant branch and the refrigerant flowing out of the first heat exchanger helps to reduce the temperature of the refrigerant entering the second heat exchanger, thereby increasing the amount of cold released by the second heat exchanger and effectively improving the cold storage efficiency of the air conditioner.

[0080] Furthermore, based on the above embodiments, another embodiment of the control method for the air conditioner of this application is proposed. In this embodiment, the refrigerant regulating module includes a three-way valve, and the inlet of the return pipe, the refrigerant outlet of the second heat exchanger, and the refrigerant inlet of the refrigerant branch are all connected to the three-way valve, as described above. Figure 4 Step S10 includes:

[0081] Step S11: Control the refrigerant circulation system to operate in a cooling manner, control the three-way valve to operate in the first valve position and acquire status parameters;

[0082] Step S20 includes:

[0083] Step S21: When the state parameter reaches the preset condition, control the three-way valve to switch to the second valve position; when the three-way valve is in the first valve position, the inlet of the return gas pipe is blocked from the refrigerant outlet of the second heat exchanger, and the refrigerant inlet of the refrigerant branch is connected to the refrigerant outlet of the second heat exchanger; when the three-way valve is in the second valve position, the inlet of the return gas pipe is connected to the refrigerant outlet of the second heat exchanger, and the refrigerant inlet of the refrigerant branch is blocked from the refrigerant outlet of the second heat exchanger.

[0084] It should be noted that in this embodiment, during step S10, the three-way valve operates in the first valve position. That is, during the cold storage process of the air conditioner, the three-way valve first operates in the first valve position, and then switches from the first valve position to the second valve position when the state parameters reach the preset conditions. The first valve position can be the default valve position for the air conditioner's refrigerant circulation system to start refrigeration operation.

[0085] When the three-way valve is in the first position, the refrigerant branch is disconnected and the return pipe is open. All the refrigerant flowing out of the refrigerant outlet of the second heat exchanger flows through the return pipe and enters the return port of the compressor. When the three-way valve is in the second position, the refrigerant branch is open and the return pipe is disconnected. All the refrigerant flowing out of the refrigerant outlet of the second heat exchanger flows through the refrigerant branch and enters the return port of the compressor.

[0086] In this embodiment, during the initial stage of the refrigerant circulation system's cooling operation in the air conditioner's cold storage process, the second heat exchanger provides sufficient heat exchange, and the amount of liquid refrigerant in the compressor's return gas is generally low. At this time, the three-way valve operates in the first position, effectively preventing excessively high return gas temperature and pressure from causing reliability issues in the compressor. This further protects the compressor and extends its service life. However, when excessive liquid refrigerant is detected in the return gas, the three-way valve is switched to the first position to prevent liquid slugging damage to the compressor. Therefore, it is beneficial to ensure that the compressor's return gas pressure and temperature remain within a reliable operating range during both the early and later stages of the air conditioner's cold storage process, further extending the compressor's service life.

[0087] In other embodiments, the refrigerant regulation module may also include the aforementioned first control valve and second control valve. In one implementation, step S10 may include: controlling the refrigerant circulation system to operate in a cooling manner, controlling the first control valve to open and the second control valve to close, and acquiring status parameters; step S20 may include: when the status parameters reach a preset condition, controlling the first control valve to close and controlling the second control valve to open. In another implementation, step S10 may also include: controlling the refrigerant circulation system to operate in a cooling manner, controlling the first control valve to open at a first opening degree and controlling the second control valve to open at a second opening degree, and acquiring status parameters, wherein the first opening degree is greater than the second opening degree; step S20 may include: when the status parameters reach a preset condition, controlling the first control valve to open at the second opening degree and controlling the second control valve to open at the first opening degree, etc.

[0088] Furthermore, based on the above embodiments, another embodiment of the control method for the air conditioner of this application is proposed. In this embodiment, the refrigerant regulation module further includes a flow control valve disposed in the refrigerant branch. It should be noted that the portion of the refrigerant branch that is heat-connected to the refrigerant pipeline flowing out of the first heat exchanger is defined as the heat exchange section. The refrigerant flowing into the refrigerant branch flows sequentially through the flow control valve and the heat exchange section. (Refer to...) Figure 5 After step S21, the method further includes:

[0089] Step S30: Determine the target opening degree of the flow control valve based on the third temperature of the first heat exchanger and the fourth temperature in the energy storage device;

[0090] The third and fourth temperatures can be detected after step S21 or before step S22. The third temperature is detected by the aforementioned third temperature sensor, and the fourth temperature is specifically detected by the aforementioned fourth temperature sensor. When the refrigerant circulation system is a water circulation system, and the energy storage state is a water tank, the fourth temperature here can specifically be the water temperature.

[0091] Different third and fourth temperatures correspond to different target opening degrees. In this embodiment, the target opening degree is negatively correlated with the fourth temperature and positively correlated with the third temperature. The correspondence between the third and fourth temperatures and the target opening degree can be pre-established, and the correspondence can take the form of a calculation relationship, a mapping relationship, etc. Based on this correspondence, the target opening degree corresponding to the current third and fourth temperatures can be determined.

[0092] In this embodiment, the temperature difference between the third temperature and the fourth temperature is determined; the target opening degree is determined based on the temperature difference value, and the target opening degree is positively correlated with the temperature difference value. Specifically, the temperature difference value is the result calculated by subtracting the fourth temperature from the third temperature. In this embodiment, a correspondence between the temperature difference value and the target opening degree can be established in advance, and the target opening degree corresponding to the temperature difference value can be directly determined based on this correspondence. In other embodiments, an opening adjustment value can also be determined based on the temperature difference value, and the target opening degree is obtained by adjusting the current opening degree of the flow control valve according to the opening adjustment value.

[0093] In other embodiments, the ratio between the third temperature and the fourth temperature can be determined, and the target opening degree can be determined based on the ratio. Alternatively, a pre-set temperature-opening degree mapping table can be queried using the third temperature and the fourth temperature, and the opening degree value matched in the mapping table can be used as the target opening degree.

[0094] Step S40: Control the flow control valve to open at the target opening degree.

[0095] In this embodiment, the third and fourth temperatures can accurately reflect the proportion of liquid refrigerant flowing out of the second heat exchanger. In particular, the temperature difference between the third and fourth temperatures further improves the accuracy of characterizing the proportion of liquid refrigerant flowing out of the second heat exchanger. Based on this, the target opening of the flow control valve on the refrigerant branch is determined by combining the third and fourth temperatures. This is beneficial because, with the throttling effect of the flow control valve and the heat exchange effect of the refrigerant flowing out of the first heat exchanger, the proportion of liquid refrigerant flowing into the compressor can be accurately reduced to a value range that will not damage the compressor, thereby further improving the reliability of compressor operation and extending the service life of the compressor.

[0096] In other embodiments, the flow control valve may also be opened at a fixed opening degree, or at an opening degree determined by the compressor's return gas pressure or return gas temperature.

[0097] Furthermore, based on any of the above embodiments, another embodiment of the control method for the air conditioner of this application is proposed. In this embodiment, reference is made to... Figure 6 The steps for obtaining the state parameters include:

[0098] Step S101: Detect the first temperature of the first heat exchanger and the second temperature inside the energy storage device. The state parameters include the first temperature and the second temperature.

[0099] It should be noted that the first and second temperatures mentioned here refer to the same concepts as the third and second temperatures mentioned in the above embodiments. When step S10 includes step S101, the third and fourth temperatures in step S30 can directly use the values ​​detected in step S101. Alternatively, after step S21, the temperature of the first heat exchanger can be re-detected for a preset time as the third temperature, and the temperature inside the energy storage device can be re-detected as the fourth temperature.

[0100] After step S101, the following is also included:

[0101] Step S102: When the first temperature is greater than or equal to the first preset temperature and the second temperature is less than the second preset temperature, it is determined that the state parameter has reached the preset condition, and the first preset temperature is greater than the second preset temperature.

[0102] In the refrigerant circulation system, the second temperature is lower than the first temperature during refrigeration operation.

[0103] The first and second preset temperatures can be fixed values ​​set in advance, or values ​​determined according to the actual operating conditions of the air conditioner.

[0104] When the second temperature is lower than the second preset temperature, it indicates that there is a large amount of cold energy stored in the energy storage device and the evaporation efficiency of the second heat exchanger is low. On this basis, when the first temperature is greater than or equal to the first preset temperature, it indicates that there is a large amount of liquid refrigerant entering the second heat exchanger. Therefore, when the second temperature is lower than the second preset temperature and the first temperature is greater than or equal to the first preset temperature, it can accurately characterize that the proportion of liquid refrigerant flowing out of the second heat exchanger is too high. Directly flowing into the return port will pose a risk of liquid slugging to the compressor. Therefore, when the state parameters are determined to meet the preset conditions, the amount of refrigerant in the refrigerant branch that exchanges heat with the refrigerant flowing out of the first heat exchanger is increased in time. This helps to reduce the amount of liquid refrigerant entering the return port more promptly and further improve the service life of the compressor.

[0105] In other embodiments, one of the first temperature and the second temperature may be used as the state parameter; or in other embodiments, the state parameter may be determined to have reached the preset condition when the temperature difference or ratio between the first temperature and the second temperature is greater than a preset value.

[0106] Furthermore, in this embodiment, before the step of determining that the state parameter has reached the preset condition when the first temperature is greater than or equal to the first preset temperature and the second temperature is less than the second preset temperature, the method further includes:

[0107] Obtain the first ambient temperature of the environment where the first heat exchanger is located;

[0108] The first preset temperature is determined based on the first ambient temperature;

[0109] And / or, obtain the second ambient temperature of the environment where the energy storage device is located;

[0110] The second preset temperature is determined based on the second ambient temperature.

[0111] Different first ambient temperatures correspond to different first preset temperatures, and different second ambient temperatures correspond to different second preset temperatures. Specifically, the first preset temperature is negatively correlated with the first ambient temperature, and the second preset temperature is negatively correlated with the second ambient temperature.

[0112] Based on this, it is beneficial to improve the accuracy of the first preset temperature and the second preset temperature, and to ensure that the state of excessive liquid refrigerant returning to the compressor can be more accurately identified based on the first preset temperature and the second preset temperature, so as to further prevent compressor damage and extend the service life of the compressor.

[0113] Based on any of the above embodiments, in this embodiment of the invention, after step S20, the method further includes: controlling the compressor to operate at a reduced frequency at intervals of a preset time. Specifically, when the three-way valve operates in the second valve position for a preset time, the compressor is controlled to operate at a reduced frequency. The magnitude of the compressor frequency reduction can be a preset fixed magnitude, or it can be determined based on the temperature difference between the first temperature and the second temperature, etc. Here, the increased flow rate of the refrigerant branch can increase the amount of cooling carried by the refrigerant flowing into the second heat exchanger. At this time, the compressor operating at a reduced frequency is beneficial to further improving the reliability of compressor operation, and on the other hand, it can enable the compressor to use a lower frequency while releasing the same amount of cooling from the second heat exchanger, thereby reducing the compressor's operating power consumption.

[0114] Furthermore, this embodiment of the invention also proposes a storage medium storing a control program for an air conditioner. When the control program for the air conditioner is executed by a processor, it implements the relevant steps of any embodiment of the control method for the air conditioner described above.

[0115] 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.

[0116] 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.

[0117] 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 ROM / RAM, magnetic disk, optical disk) as described above, and includes several instructions to cause a terminal device (which may be a mobile phone, computer, server, air conditioner, or network device, etc.) to execute the methods described in the various embodiments of the present invention.

[0118] 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. A control method for an air conditioner, characterized in that, The air conditioner includes a refrigerant circulation system and an energy storage device. The refrigerant circulation system includes a compressor, a first heat exchanger, a throttling device, and a second heat exchanger connected by pipelines. The second heat exchanger is located within the energy storage device, which stores the energy released by the second heat exchanger. The refrigerant circulation system also includes a refrigerant branch and a refrigerant regulation module. The refrigerant pipeline between the first heat exchanger and the throttling device is heat-exchange connected to the refrigerant branch. The return pipe between the second heat exchanger and the compressor's return port is connected in parallel to the refrigerant branch. The refrigerant regulation module is used to regulate the refrigerant flow rate in the return pipe and the refrigerant branch. The control method of the air conditioner includes the following steps: The refrigerant circulation system is controlled to operate in a cooling manner, and state parameters are obtained. The state parameters represent the amount of liquid refrigerant flowing into the return port. When the refrigerant circulation system is operating in a cooling manner, the first heat exchanger is in a condensing state and the second heat exchanger is in an evaporating state. When the state parameters reach the preset conditions, the refrigerant regulation module is controlled to operate to increase the amount of refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant branch into the return gas port of the second heat exchanger; The preset condition is the target condition that the state parameter needs to reach when the amount of liquid refrigerant flowing into the return air port is greater than a preset threshold.

2. The control method for an air conditioner as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The refrigerant regulation module includes a three-way valve, and the inlet of the return pipe, the refrigerant outlet of the second heat exchanger, and the refrigerant inlet of the refrigerant branch are all connected to the three-way valve. The steps of controlling the refrigeration operation of the refrigerant circulation system and obtaining status parameters include: Control the refrigerant circulation system to operate in refrigeration mode, control the three-way valve to operate in the first valve position and acquire status parameters; The step of controlling the refrigerant regulation module to increase the amount of refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant branch into the return port when the state parameter reaches the preset condition includes: When the state parameter reaches the preset condition, control the three-way valve to switch to the second valve position; When the three-way valve is in the first position, the inlet of the return gas pipe is blocked from the refrigerant outlet of the second heat exchanger, and the refrigerant inlet of the refrigerant branch is connected to the refrigerant outlet of the second heat exchanger. When the three-way valve is in the second position, the inlet of the return gas pipe is connected to the refrigerant outlet of the second heat exchanger, and the refrigerant inlet of the refrigerant branch is blocked from the refrigerant outlet of the second heat exchanger.

3. The control method for an air conditioner as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The refrigerant regulation module further includes a flow control valve located in the refrigerant branch. After the step of controlling the three-way valve to switch to the second valve position when the state parameter reaches the preset condition, the module further includes: The target opening degree of the flow control valve is determined based on the third temperature of the first heat exchanger and the fourth temperature in the energy storage device. The flow control valve is controlled to open at the target opening degree.

4. The control method for an air conditioner as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The step of determining the target opening degree of the flow control valve based on the third temperature and the fourth temperature includes: Determine the temperature difference between the third temperature and the fourth temperature; The target opening degree is determined based on the temperature difference value, and the target opening degree is positively correlated with the temperature difference value.

5. The control method for an air conditioner as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The steps for obtaining the state parameters include: The first temperature of the first heat exchanger is detected, and the second temperature inside the energy storage device is detected. The state parameters include the first temperature and the second temperature.

6. The control method for an air conditioner as described in claim 5, characterized in that, After the steps of detecting the first temperature of the first heat exchanger and detecting the second temperature inside the energy storage device, the method further includes: When the first temperature is greater than or equal to the first preset temperature and the second temperature is less than the second preset temperature, it is determined that the state parameter has reached the preset condition, and the first preset temperature is greater than the second preset temperature.

7. The control method for an air conditioner as described in claim 6, characterized in that, Before the step of determining that the state parameter has reached the preset condition when the first temperature is greater than or equal to the first preset temperature and the second temperature is less than the second preset temperature, the method further includes: Obtain the first ambient temperature of the environment where the first heat exchanger is located; The first preset temperature is determined based on the first ambient temperature; And / or, obtain the second ambient temperature of the environment where the energy storage device is located; The second preset temperature is determined based on the second ambient temperature.

8. The control method for an air conditioner as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, After the step of controlling the refrigerant regulation module to operate to increase the amount of refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant branch into the return port when the state parameter reaches the preset condition, the method further includes: The compressor is controlled to operate at a reduced frequency at preset intervals.

9. An air conditioner, characterized in that, The air conditioner includes: Energy storage device; A refrigerant circulation system includes a compressor, a first heat exchanger, a throttling device, and a second heat exchanger connected by pipelines. The refrigerant circulation system also includes a refrigerant branch and a refrigerant regulation module. The second heat exchanger is located inside an energy storage device, which stores the energy released by the second heat exchanger. The refrigerant pipeline between the first heat exchanger and the throttling device is heat-exchange connected to the refrigerant branch. The return gas pipe between the second heat exchanger and the return gas port of the compressor is connected in parallel with the refrigerant branch. The refrigerant regulation module is used to regulate the refrigerant flow rate in the return gas pipe and the refrigerant branch. The control device includes a refrigerant regulating module, a throttling device, and a compressor, all connected to the control device. The control device includes a memory, a processor, and an air conditioner control program stored in the memory and executable on the processor. When the air conditioner control program is executed by the processor, it implements the steps of the air conditioner control method as described in any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. A storage medium, characterized in that, The storage medium stores a control program for an air conditioner, which, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the control method for an air conditioner as described in any one of claims 1 to 8.

Images