Air conditioning unit, control method and device for air conditioning unit, and computer readable storage medium

Abstract

This application relates to the field of refrigeration system technology, and discloses an air conditioning unit, including: a refrigeration system comprising a compressor, a condenser, an electronic expansion valve, and an evaporator connected via refrigeration circulation piping; a gas-liquid separator, connected in series between the compressor's suction end and the evaporator's outlet; the electronic expansion valve is configured to controllably adjust its opening degree according to the liquid level of the gas-liquid separator and the compressor's suction pressure, thereby regulating the speed at which refrigerant is discharged from the compressor's suction side to the discharge side. The amount of liquid refrigerant within the gas-liquid separator is determined by its liquid level value. When the liquid level exceeds a threshold value, the opening degree of the electronic expansion valve is adjusted to discharge the refrigerant from the compressor's suction side to the discharge side, preventing liquid from being carried into the compressor's suction during the next startup. This application also discloses a control method and apparatus for an air conditioning unit, and a computer-readable storage medium.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of refrigeration system technology, such as an air conditioning unit, a control method and apparatus for an air conditioning unit, and a computer-readable storage medium. Background Technology

[0002] Compressor liquid slugging refers to the phenomenon where a large amount of liquid in the suction pipe of an air conditioning system causes compressor oil compression during operation. Mild liquid slugging will carry away a significant amount of compressor oil, leading to wear on compressor bearings and reducing compressor lifespan. Severe liquid slugging can cause cylinder seizure and even direct compressor damage. Currently, liquid slugging is frequently encountered in direct expansion systems during startup, resulting in compressor oil leakage.

[0003] To prevent liquid from being carried into the compressor during startup, a gas-liquid separator is installed at the compressor's suction end in related technologies. When the unit is shut down, the unevaporated refrigerant is stored in the gas-liquid separator.

[0004] While these technologies can mitigate liquid carryover during suction to some extent, they place high demands on the volume of the gas-liquid separator. The separator must be at least 80% full of refrigerant to ensure that liquid refrigerant does not directly enter the compressor when the unit shuts down. Overcharging will still cause liquid carryover during suction.

[0005] It should be noted that the information disclosed in the background section above is only used to enhance the understanding of the background of this application, and therefore may include information that does not constitute prior art known to those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0006] To provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosed embodiments, a brief summary is given below. This summary is not intended as a general commentary, nor is it intended to identify key / important components or describe the scope of protection of these embodiments, but rather as a prelude to the detailed description that follows.

[0007] This disclosure provides an air conditioning unit, a control method and apparatus for the air conditioning unit, and a computer-readable storage medium to reduce the possibility of liquid carryover during air intake.

[0008] In some embodiments, the air conditioning unit includes: a refrigeration system including a compressor, a condenser, an electronic expansion valve, and an evaporator connected by a refrigeration circulation pipeline; a gas-liquid separator connected in series between the suction end of the compressor and the outlet of the evaporator; the electronic expansion valve is configured to controllably adjust its opening degree according to the liquid level of the gas-liquid separator and the suction pressure of the compressor, so as to regulate the speed at which the refrigerant is discharged from the suction side of the compressor to the discharge side.

[0009] Optionally, the air conditioning unit also includes:

[0010] The refrigerant branch is located between the liquid refrigerant outlet of the gas-liquid separator and the inlet side of the evaporator, and is configured to be controllably open to draw liquid refrigerant from the gas-liquid separator to supply the high-pressure side of the refrigeration system.

[0011] Optionally, the outlet end of the refrigerant branch is located on the pipeline between the electronic expansion valve and the evaporator inlet; or, the outlet end of the refrigerant branch is located on the pipeline between the electronic expansion valve and the condenser outlet.

[0012] In some embodiments, the control method for an air conditioning unit includes: in response to a control command, acquiring the liquid level value of a gas-liquid separator; when the liquid level value of the gas-liquid separator is higher than a liquid level threshold, acquiring the compressor suction pressure; and adjusting the opening of an electronic expansion valve according to the compressor suction pressure to adjust the speed at which refrigerant is discharged from the compressor suction side to the discharge side.

[0013] Optionally, adjusting the opening of the electronic expansion valve according to the compressor's suction pressure includes:

[0014] When the compressor's suction pressure is greater than the suction threshold, the opening of the electronic expansion valve is reduced by the first adjustment value.

[0015] When the compressor's suction pressure is less than or equal to the suction threshold, the opening of the electronic expansion valve is reduced by the second adjustment value.

[0016] The first adjustment value is less than the second adjustment value.

[0017] Optionally, the air conditioning unit further includes a refrigerant branch, which is located between the liquid refrigerant outlet of the gas-liquid separator and the inlet side of the evaporator; when the liquid level of the gas-liquid separator is higher than the liquid level threshold, the control method for the air conditioning unit further includes: turning on the refrigerant branch to extract liquid refrigerant from the gas-liquid separator and supply it to the high-pressure side of the refrigeration system.

[0018] Optionally, the outlet end of the refrigerant branch is located on the pipeline between the electronic expansion valve and the evaporator inlet; the control method for the air conditioning unit further includes: when the control command is a shutdown command, controlling the evaporator fan to start before connecting the refrigerant branch.

[0019] In some embodiments, the control device for the air conditioning unit includes: a liquid level detection module configured to acquire the liquid level value of the gas-liquid separator in response to a control command; a pressure detection module configured to acquire the compressor suction pressure when the liquid level value of the gas-liquid separator is higher than a liquid level threshold; and an opening degree adjustment module configured to adjust the opening degree of the electronic expansion valve according to the compressor suction pressure to adjust the speed at which refrigerant is discharged from the compressor suction side to the discharge side.

[0020] In some embodiments, the control device for an air conditioning unit includes a processor and a memory storing program instructions, the processor being configured to execute the control method for the air conditioning unit described above when the program instructions are executed.

[0021] In some embodiments, the computer-readable storage medium stores program instructions that, when executed, cause a computer to perform the control method for an air conditioning unit as described above.

[0022] The air conditioning unit, control method and apparatus for the air conditioning unit, and computer-readable storage medium provided in this disclosure can achieve the following technical effects:

[0023] By measuring the liquid level in the gas-liquid separator, the amount of liquid refrigerant inside is determined. If the liquid level exceeds the threshold, the opening of the electronic expansion valve is adjusted to discharge the refrigerant from the compressor suction side to the discharge side, preventing liquid from entering the compressor suction during the next startup. Furthermore, based on the compressor suction pressure, the rate at which the refrigerant is discharged from the compressor suction side to the discharge side is adjusted, dynamically regulating the refrigerant flow rate within the system and avoiding liquid carryover issues caused by liquid refrigerant in the gas-liquid separator.

[0024] The above general description and the description below are exemplary and illustrative only and are not intended to limit this application. Attached Figure Description

[0025] One or more embodiments are illustrated by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings. These illustrations and drawings do not constitute a limitation on the embodiments. Elements having the same reference numerals in the drawings are shown as similar elements. The drawings are not to be scaled. And wherein:

[0026] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an air conditioning unit provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0027] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a control method for an air conditioning unit provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0028] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of another control method for an air conditioning unit provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0029] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of another air conditioning unit provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0030] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of another air conditioning unit provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0031] Figure 6This is a schematic diagram of another control method for an air conditioning unit provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0032] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of another control method for an air conditioning unit provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0033] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of another control device for an air conditioning unit provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0034] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of another control device for an air conditioning unit provided in an embodiment of this disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0035] To provide a more detailed understanding of the features and technical content of the embodiments of this disclosure, the implementation of the embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the embodiments of this disclosure. In the following technical description, for ease of explanation, several details are used to provide a full understanding of the disclosed embodiments. However, one or more embodiments may still be implemented without these details. In other cases, well-known structures and devices may be simplified in their depiction to simplify the drawings.

[0036] The terms "first," "second," etc., used in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this disclosure are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate for the embodiments of this disclosure described herein. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion.

[0037] In this disclosure, the terms "upper," "lower," "inner," "middle," "outer," "front," and "rear," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. These terms are primarily for better description of the embodiments of this disclosure and their implementations, and are not intended to limit the indicated devices, elements, or components to having a specific orientation, or to require them to be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Furthermore, some of the aforementioned terms may be used to indicate other meanings besides orientation or positional relationship; for example, the term "upper" may in some cases indicate a dependency or connection relationship. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of these terms in the embodiments of this disclosure according to the specific circumstances.

[0038] Furthermore, the terms "set up," "connect," and "fix" should be interpreted broadly. For example, "connection" can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral structure; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or it can be an internal connection between two devices, components, or parts. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in the embodiments of this disclosure according to the specific circumstances.

[0039] The term "and / or" describes an association between objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B means: A or B, or A and B.

[0040] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in the present disclosure can be combined with each other.

[0041] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an air conditioning unit provided in an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0042] Combination Figure 1 As shown, the air conditioning unit of this embodiment includes a refrigeration system and a gas-liquid separator 11. The refrigeration system includes a compressor 12, a condenser 13, an electronic expansion valve 14, and an evaporator 15, which are connected in sequence via refrigeration circulation piping. The gas-liquid separator 11 is connected in series between the suction end of the compressor 12 and the outlet of the evaporator 15. The electronic expansion valve 14 is configured to controllably adjust its opening degree according to the liquid level in the gas-liquid separator 11 and the suction pressure of the compressor 12, thereby regulating the speed at which the refrigerant is discharged from the suction side of the compressor 12 to the discharge side.

[0043] In this embodiment, the refrigerant circulates in the refrigeration cycle pipeline. The compressor 12, condenser, electronic expansion valve 14, evaporator 15, and gas-liquid separator 11 are connected in series through the refrigeration cycle pipeline. After flowing out of the compressor 12, the refrigerant passes through the condenser and then through the electronic expansion valve 14 into the evaporator 15. After heat exchange, it enters the gas-liquid separator 11, whose suction pipe is connected to the suction end of the compressor 12.

[0044] Furthermore, a level gauge is installed on the gas-liquid separator 11 to detect the refrigerant level inside the gas-liquid separator 11, thereby obtaining the amount of liquid refrigerant inside.

[0045] Furthermore, a pressure sensor is provided on the suction pipe of the gas-liquid separator 11, or on the connecting pipe between the suction pipe of the gas-liquid separator 11 and the suction end of the compressor 12, or on the suction end of the compressor 12, to detect the suction pressure of the compressor 12.

[0046] Thus, by measuring the liquid level in the gas-liquid separator 11, the amount of liquid refrigerant inside is determined. If the liquid level exceeds the threshold, the opening of the electronic expansion valve 14 is adjusted to discharge the refrigerant from the suction side of the compressor 12 to the discharge side, preventing liquid from being carried into the compressor 12 during the next startup. Furthermore, based on the suction pressure of the compressor 12, the speed at which the refrigerant is discharged from the suction side to the discharge side is adjusted, dynamically regulating the refrigerant flow rate within the system and avoiding liquid carryover during suction caused by liquid refrigerant in the gas-liquid separator 11.

[0047] Figure 2 This disclosure provides a control method for an air conditioning unit, used for controlling... Figure 1 The air conditioning unit is shown. The control method for the air conditioning unit can be executed by the air conditioning unit itself; it can also be executed on a server, such as a cloud server communicating with the air conditioning unit; or it can be executed on a terminal device, such as a control terminal. In this embodiment, the control module of the air conditioning unit is used as the execution subject to describe the scheme.

[0048] like Figure 2 As shown, the control method for an air conditioning unit includes:

[0049] Step S201: In response to the control command, obtain the liquid level value of the gas-liquid separator.

[0050] Step S202: When the liquid level in the gas-liquid separator is higher than the liquid level threshold, the compressor suction pressure is obtained.

[0051] Step S203: Adjust the opening of the electronic expansion valve according to the compressor's suction pressure to regulate the speed at which the refrigerant is discharged from the compressor's suction side to the discharge side.

[0052] The liquid level threshold is a liquid level warning value. When the refrigerant level in the gas-liquid separator reaches this value, it is easy to cause liquid slugging during air intake and liquid hammer.

[0053] Thus, upon receiving a control command, the liquid level of the gas-liquid separator is obtained to determine whether there is a need to adjust the opening of the electronic expansion valve. If the liquid level of the gas-liquid separator is higher than the liquid level threshold, the opening of the electronic expansion valve is adjusted according to the suction pressure to discharge the refrigerant on the compressor suction side to the discharge side, preventing the compressor from carrying liquid into the suction when restarting after a shutdown, which would affect normal operation.

[0054] Optionally, the opening degree of the electronic expansion valve is adjusted according to the compressor's suction pressure, including:

[0055] Based on the negative correlation between the compressor's suction pressure and the electronic expansion valve's opening adjustment value, determine the electronic expansion valve's opening adjustment value corresponding to the current compressor suction pressure.

[0056] Based on the current electronic expansion valve opening degree, reduce the electronic expansion valve opening degree adjustment value.

[0057] Furthermore, based on the negative correlation between the compressor's suction pressure and the electronic expansion valve's opening adjustment value, the electronic expansion valve opening adjustment value corresponding to the current compressor suction pressure is determined, including:

[0058] Among multiple preset pressure ranges, determine the current pressure range in which the current compressor suction pressure is located;

[0059] If the current pressure range is the first pressure range, then the first adjustment value will be used as the electronic expansion valve opening adjustment value.

[0060] If the current pressure range is the second pressure range, then the second adjustment value will be used as the electronic expansion valve opening adjustment value.

[0061] The first pressure range and the second pressure range are any two of a plurality of preset pressure ranges, and any pressure value in the first pressure range is greater than any pressure value in the second pressure range, and the first adjustment value is less than the second adjustment value.

[0062] In this way, it is possible to determine whether to initiate a preventative control phase based on the intake pressure, thereby protecting the unit.

[0063] Figure 3 This disclosure provides a control method for an air conditioning unit, used for controlling... Figure 1 The air conditioning unit is shown. In this embodiment, the control module of the air conditioning unit is used as the execution subject to describe the solution.

[0064] like Figure 3 As shown, the control method for an air conditioning unit includes:

[0065] Step S301: In response to the shutdown command, the liquid level value of the gas-liquid separator is obtained. Here, the control command is a shutdown command, thereby determining whether there is a risk of liquid carryover in the compressor suction air during the next startup before shutdown.

[0066] Step S302: When the liquid level in the gas-liquid separator is higher than the liquid level threshold, the compressor suction pressure is obtained.

[0067] Step S303: When the compressor's suction pressure is greater than the suction threshold, control the opening of the electronic expansion valve to decrease the first adjustment value.

[0068] Step S304: When the compressor's suction pressure is less than or equal to the suction threshold, the opening of the electronic expansion valve is reduced by a second adjustment value; the first adjustment value is less than the second adjustment value.

[0069] Here, if the suction pressure is high, the opening of the electronic expansion valve is reduced to a smaller value, so that the refrigerant on the evaporator side is slowly discharged to the condenser side; if the suction pressure is low, the refrigerant needs to be quickly drawn to the exhaust side, so the opening of the electronic expansion valve is reduced to a larger value.

[0070] Thus, by measuring the liquid level in the gas-liquid separator, the amount of liquid refrigerant inside is determined. If the liquid level exceeds the threshold, the opening of the electronic expansion valve is adjusted to discharge the refrigerant from the compressor's suction side to the discharge side, preventing liquid from being carried into the compressor's suction during the next startup. Furthermore, based on the compressor's suction pressure, the speed at which the refrigerant is discharged from the compressor's suction side to the discharge side is adjusted, dynamically regulating the refrigerant flow rate within the system and avoiding liquid carryover issues caused by liquid refrigerant in the gas-liquid separator.

[0071] Figures 4 to 5 This is a schematic diagram of another air conditioning unit provided in an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0072] Combination Figures 4 to 5 As shown, the air conditioning unit of this embodiment includes a refrigeration system, a gas-liquid separator 11, and a refrigerant branch 20. The refrigeration system includes a compressor 12, a condenser 13, an electronic expansion valve 14, and an evaporator 15, which are connected in sequence via refrigeration circulation piping. The gas-liquid separator 11 is connected in series between the suction end of the compressor 12 and the outlet of the evaporator 15. The electronic expansion valve 14 is configured to controllably adjust its opening degree according to the liquid level in the gas-liquid separator 11 and the suction pressure of the compressor 12, thereby regulating the speed at which the refrigerant is discharged from the suction side to the discharge side of the compressor 12. The refrigerant branch 20 is located between the liquid refrigerant outlet of the gas-liquid separator 11 and the inlet side of the evaporator 15, and is configured to controllably open to draw liquid refrigerant from the gas-liquid separator 11 and supply it to the high-pressure side of the refrigeration system.

[0073] Optionally, a refrigerant pump 21 is also provided on the refrigerant branch 20. By turning the refrigerant pump 21 on and off, the refrigerant branch 20 can be opened and closed, thereby realizing the extraction and cessation of liquid refrigerant in the gas-liquid separator 11.

[0074] Furthermore, a one-way valve 22 is also installed on the refrigerant branch 20, located between the outlet of the refrigerant pump 21 and the inlet of the evaporator 15. This prevents backflow of refrigerant under pressure.

[0075] Here, the inlet side of evaporator 15 refers to the connecting pipe between the inlet of evaporator 15 and the outlet of condenser.

[0076] Optionally, the outlet of refrigerant branch 20 is located on the pipeline between electronic expansion valve 14 and evaporator inlet 15; or,

[0077] The outlet of refrigerant branch 20 is located on the pipeline between the electronic expansion valve 14 and the outlet of the condenser 13.

[0078] in, Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of another air conditioning unit provided in this embodiment, wherein the outlet end of the refrigerant branch 20 is located on the pipeline between the electronic expansion valve 14 and the inlet of the evaporator 15.

[0079] After the liquid refrigerant in the gas-liquid separator 11 is extracted through the refrigerant branch 20, the refrigerant can be introduced into the high-pressure side of the refrigeration system. After the low-pressure, low-temperature refrigerant is mixed with the high-pressure, high-temperature refrigerant, it will evaporate and exchange heat. The possibility of liquid carrying during the next start-up is reduced.

[0080] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of another air conditioning unit provided in this embodiment, wherein the outlet end of the refrigerant branch 20 is located on the pipeline between the electronic expansion valve 14 and the outlet of the condenser 13.

[0081] At this time, the liquid refrigerant drawn from the gas-liquid separator 11 through the refrigerant branch 20 is sent to the front of the evaporator 15 to continue to participate in refrigeration; at the same time, in order to avoid the situation of liquid being drawn in during the next start-up, the fan of the evaporator 15 needs to be turned on so that the liquid refrigerant can exchange heat with the outside air of the fins and become gaseous refrigerant, thereby avoiding the situation of liquid being drawn in during the next start-up.

[0082] Thus, by measuring the liquid level in the gas-liquid separator 11, the amount of liquid refrigerant inside is determined. If the liquid level exceeds the threshold, the opening of the electronic expansion valve 14 is adjusted to discharge the refrigerant from the suction side of the compressor 12 to the discharge side, preventing liquid from being carried into the compressor 12 during the next startup. Furthermore, based on the suction pressure of the compressor 12, the speed at which the refrigerant is discharged from the suction side to the discharge side is adjusted, enabling dynamic regulation of the refrigerant flow rate within the system. Simultaneously, the refrigerant branch 20 is controllably opened to extract liquid refrigerant from the gas-liquid separator 11 and supply it to the high-pressure side of the refrigeration system, further regulating excess refrigerant within the gas-liquid separator 11 and preventing liquid carryover during suction caused by liquid refrigerant in the gas-liquid separator 11.

[0083] Figure 6 This disclosure provides a control method for an air conditioning unit, used for controlling... Figure 4 The air conditioning unit is shown. In this embodiment, the control module of the air conditioning unit is used as the execution subject to describe the solution.

[0084] like Figure 6 As shown, the control method for an air conditioning unit includes:

[0085] Step S601: In response to a control command, the liquid level value of the gas-liquid separator is obtained. In this embodiment, the control command may be a shutdown command.

[0086] In step S602, when the liquid level in the gas-liquid separator is higher than the liquid level threshold, the refrigerant branch is opened to extract the liquid refrigerant from the gas-liquid separator and supply it to the high-pressure side of the refrigeration system.

[0087] Step S603: Obtain the compressor suction pressure.

[0088] Step S604: Adjust the opening of the electronic expansion valve according to the compressor's suction pressure to regulate the speed at which the refrigerant is discharged from the compressor's suction side to the discharge side.

[0089] Thus, after receiving the control command, the liquid level of the gas-liquid separator is detected. If the liquid level exceeds the liquid level threshold, the refrigerant branch is controllably opened to extract the liquid refrigerant in the gas-liquid separator. This allows the excess refrigerant to be pumped into the high-pressure side of the system through the refrigerant pump, thereby preventing the occurrence of liquid carryover during compressor intake.

[0090] Figure 7 This disclosure provides a control method for an air conditioning unit, used for controlling... Figure 5 The air conditioning unit is shown. In this embodiment, the control module of the air conditioning unit is used as the execution subject to describe the solution.

[0091] like Figure 7 As shown, the control method for an air conditioning unit includes:

[0092] Step S701: In response to the control command, determine the control intent corresponding to the control command.

[0093] Step S702: Obtain the liquid level value of the gas-liquid separator.

[0094] In step S703, if the control intent is a shutdown command and the liquid level in the gas-liquid separator is higher than a set threshold, the evaporator fan is turned on. This cools the environment before the excess refrigerant in the gas-liquid separator reaches the separator tank, allowing the liquid refrigerant to exchange heat with the outside air through the fins and become gaseous refrigerant.

[0095] Step S704: Connect the refrigerant branch to extract liquid refrigerant from the gas-liquid separator and send it to the separator tank to enter the evaporator.

[0096] Step S705: Obtain the compressor suction pressure.

[0097] In step S706, the opening of the electronic expansion valve is adjusted according to the compressor's suction pressure to regulate the speed at which the refrigerant is discharged from the compressor's suction side to the discharge side. Then, the process returns to step S702 to continue monitoring the liquid level of the gas-liquid separator.

[0098] In step S707, if the control intent is a shutdown command and the liquid level in the gas-liquid separator is lower than or equal to a set threshold, the air conditioning unit executes the control command to enter the shutdown procedure, controls the refrigerant branch to be cut off, and controls the evaporator fan to shut down after a delay. Optionally, in this embodiment, the evaporator fan is controlled to shut down after a 5-minute delay.

[0099] In step S708, if the control intent is not a shutdown command and the liquid level in the gas-liquid separator is higher than the set threshold, the refrigerant branch is activated to extract liquid refrigerant from the gas-liquid separator and send it to the distributor tank before entering the evaporator. Excess refrigerant is pumped through the refrigerant pump to the distributor tank of the evaporator to continue participating in refrigeration. Then, the process returns to step S702 to continue monitoring the liquid level in the gas-liquid separator.

[0100] In step S709, if the control intent is not a shutdown command and the liquid level of the gas-liquid separator is lower than or equal to the set threshold, the refrigerant branch is cut off.

[0101] Thus, after receiving the control command, corresponding control settings are made according to the control intent. By detecting the liquid level status of the gas-liquid separator, if the liquid level exceeds the threshold, the refrigerant branch is controllably opened to extract the liquid refrigerant from the gas-liquid separator. This allows excess refrigerant to be pumped into the high-pressure side of the system via the refrigerant pump, thereby preventing liquid carryover during compressor suction. Conversely, if the control intent is a shutdown command, the evaporator fan is controlled to allow the liquid refrigerant to evaporate and exchange heat or exchange heat with the outside air, preventing liquid carryover during the next startup.

[0102] Combination Figure 8 As shown, this embodiment of the disclosure provides a control device 80 for an air conditioning unit, applied to... Figure 1 , 4 The air conditioning unit shown in any of the following diagrams includes a liquid level detection module 81, a pressure detection module 82, and an opening degree adjustment module 83.

[0103] The liquid level detection module 81 is configured to acquire the liquid level value of the gas-liquid separator in response to a control command;

[0104] The pressure detection module 82 is configured to acquire the compressor suction pressure when the liquid level in the gas-liquid separator is higher than the liquid level threshold.

[0105] The opening adjustment module 83 is configured to adjust the opening of the electronic expansion valve according to the compressor's suction pressure to regulate the speed at which the refrigerant is discharged from the compressor's suction side to the discharge side.

[0106] Combination Figure 9As shown, this disclosure provides a control device 90 for an air conditioning unit, including a processor 900 and a memory 901. Optionally, the device 90 may further include a communication interface 902 and a bus 903. The processor 900, communication interface 902, and memory 901 can communicate with each other via the bus 903. The communication interface 902 can be used for information transmission. The processor 900 can call logical instructions in the memory 901 to execute the control method for the air conditioning unit described in the above embodiment.

[0107] Furthermore, the logic instructions in the aforementioned memory 901 can be implemented as software functional units and, when sold or used as independent products, can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium.

[0108] The memory 901, as a computer-readable storage medium, can be used to store software programs and computer-executable programs, such as program instructions / modules corresponding to the methods in the embodiments of this disclosure. The processor 900 executes functional applications and data processing by running the program instructions / modules stored in the memory 901, thereby implementing the control method for the air conditioning unit in the above embodiments.

[0109] The memory 901 may include a program storage area and a data storage area. The program storage area may store the operating system and application programs required for at least one function; the data storage area may store data created based on the use of the terminal device. Furthermore, the memory 901 may include high-speed random access memory and may also include non-volatile memory.

[0110] This disclosure provides a computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions configured to perform the above-described control method for an air conditioning unit.

[0111] The technical solutions of this disclosure can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes one or more instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the method described in this disclosure. The aforementioned storage medium can be a non-transitory storage medium, such as a USB flash drive, external hard drive, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disk, or optical disk, etc., and other media capable of storing program code.

[0112] The foregoing description and accompanying drawings fully illustrate embodiments of this disclosure to enable those skilled in the art to practice them. Other embodiments may include structural, logical, electrical, procedural, and other changes. The embodiments represent only possible variations. Individual components and functions are optional unless explicitly required, and the order of operation may vary. Parts and features of some embodiments may be included in or replace parts and features of other embodiments. Moreover, the terminology used in this application is for describing embodiments only and is not intended to limit the claims. As used in the description of embodiments and claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to equally include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Similarly, the term “and / or” as used in this application means including one or more of the associated listed items and all possible combinations thereof. Additionally, when used in this application, the term "comprise" and its variations "comprises" and / or "comprising" refer to the presence of stated features, integrals, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integrals, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprises a..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, or apparatus that includes said element. In this document, each embodiment may focus on the differences from other embodiments, and similar or identical parts between embodiments can be referred to mutually. For methods, products, etc., disclosed in the embodiments, if they correspond to the method section disclosed in the embodiments, the relevant parts can be referred to the description of the method section.

[0113] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of the embodiments of this disclosure. Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working processes of the systems, devices, and units described above can be referred to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0114] The methods and products (including but not limited to devices and equipment) disclosed in the embodiments herein can be implemented in other ways. For example, the device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. For instance, the division of units may be merely a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. In addition, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection between the shown or discussed units may be through some interfaces, and the indirect coupling or communication connection between devices or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms. The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units, that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units may be selected to implement this embodiment according to actual needs. Furthermore, the functional units in the embodiments of this disclosure may be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit may exist physically separately, or two or more units may be integrated into one unit.

[0115] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to embodiments of this disclosure. In this regard, each block in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, segment, or portion of code containing one or more executable instructions for implementing a specified logical function. In some alternative implementations, the functions marked in the blocks may occur in a different order than that shown in the drawings. For example, two consecutive blocks may actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they may sometimes be executed in reverse order, depending on the functions involved. In the descriptions corresponding to the flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings, the operations or steps corresponding to different blocks may also occur in a different order than disclosed in the description, and sometimes there is no specific order between different operations or steps. For example, two consecutive operations or steps may actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they may sometimes be executed in reverse order, depending on the functions involved. Each block in a block diagram and / or flowchart, and combinations of blocks in a block diagram and / or flowchart, can be implemented using a dedicated hardware-based system that performs the specified function or action, or using a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

Claims

1. A control method for an air conditioning unit, characterized in that, The air conditioning unit includes a refrigeration system and a gas-liquid separator, wherein the refrigeration system includes a compressor, a condenser, an electronic expansion valve, and an evaporator connected by a refrigeration circulation pipeline; A gas-liquid separator is connected in series between the compressor's suction end and the evaporator outlet; the control method includes: In response to control commands, the liquid level value of the gas-liquid separator is acquired; When the liquid level in the gas-liquid separator is higher than the liquid level threshold, the compressor suction pressure is obtained; The opening of the electronic expansion valve is adjusted according to the compressor's suction pressure to regulate the speed at which refrigerant is discharged from the compressor's suction side to the discharge side.

2. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method of adjusting the opening degree of the electronic expansion valve according to the compressor's suction pressure includes: When the compressor's suction pressure is greater than the suction threshold, the opening of the electronic expansion valve is reduced by the first adjustment value. When the compressor's suction pressure is less than or equal to the suction threshold, the opening of the electronic expansion valve is reduced by the second adjustment value. The first adjustment value is less than the second adjustment value.

3. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The air conditioning unit also includes a refrigerant branch, which is located between the liquid refrigerant outlet of the gas-liquid separator and the inlet side of the evaporator; When the liquid level in the gas-liquid separator is higher than the liquid level threshold, the control method further includes: The refrigerant branch is activated to extract liquid refrigerant from the gas-liquid separator and supply it to the high-pressure side of the refrigeration system.

4. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The air conditioning unit also includes a refrigerant branch, the outlet of which is located on the pipeline between the electronic expansion valve and the evaporator inlet; the control method further includes: When the control command is a shutdown command, the evaporator fan is turned on before the refrigerant branch is connected.

5. An air conditioning unit, comprising the control method for an air conditioning unit as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The air conditioning unit includes: A refrigeration system, including a compressor, condenser, electronic expansion valve, and evaporator connected by refrigeration circulation piping; A gas-liquid separator is connected in series between the suction end of the compressor and the outlet of the evaporator; The electronic expansion valve is configured to controllably adjust its opening based on the liquid level of the gas-liquid separator and the suction pressure of the compressor, thereby regulating the speed at which the refrigerant is discharged from the suction side of the compressor to the discharge side.

6. The air conditioning unit according to claim 5, characterized in that, Also includes: The refrigerant branch is located between the liquid refrigerant outlet of the gas-liquid separator and the inlet side of the evaporator, and is configured to be controllably open to draw liquid refrigerant from the gas-liquid separator to supply the high-pressure side of the refrigeration system.

7. The air conditioning unit according to claim 6, characterized in that, The outlet end of the refrigerant branch is located on the pipeline between the electronic expansion valve and the evaporator inlet; or, The outlet end of the refrigerant branch is located on the pipeline between the electronic expansion valve and the condenser outlet.

8. A control device for an air conditioning unit, characterized in that, The air conditioning unit includes a refrigeration system and a gas-liquid separator, wherein the refrigeration system includes a compressor, a condenser, an electronic expansion valve, and an evaporator connected by a refrigeration circulation pipeline; A gas-liquid separator is connected in series between the compressor's suction end and the evaporator outlet; the control device includes: The liquid level detection module is configured to acquire the liquid level value of the gas-liquid separator in response to control commands; The pressure detection module is configured to acquire the compressor suction pressure when the liquid level in the gas-liquid separator is higher than the liquid level threshold. The opening adjustment module is configured to adjust the opening of the electronic expansion valve according to the compressor's suction pressure, so as to regulate the speed at which the refrigerant is discharged from the compressor's suction side to the discharge side.

9. A control device for an air conditioning unit, comprising a processor and a memory storing program instructions, characterized in that, The processor is configured to execute the control method for an air conditioning unit as described in any one of claims 1 to 4 when running the program instructions.

10. A computer-readable storage medium storing program instructions, characterized in that, When the program instructions are executed, they cause the computer to perform the control method for an air conditioning unit as described in any one of claims 1 to 4.

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