Air conditioner and flow regulation method, device and storage medium for parallel flow heat exchanger

Abstract

The present application relates to the air conditioning technical field, specifically provide a kind of air conditioner and parallel flow heat exchanger's flow regulation method, equipment, storage medium, to solve the existing parallel flow heat exchanger when low-grade operation heat exchange performance problem.The flow regulation method provided by the present application includes: obtaining the temperature of refrigerant inlet, refrigerant outlet, the outlet of each sub-flow passage;Calculate the temperature difference between refrigerant outlet and refrigerant inlet to obtain the first temperature difference, calculate the temperature difference between adjacent sub-flow passages to obtain the second temperature difference;The first temperature difference is compared with the first preset temperature difference threshold to obtain the first comparison result, the second temperature difference is compared with the second preset temperature difference threshold to obtain the second comparison result;Based on the first comparison result and the second comparison result, the opening of electronic regulating valve is adjusted.The method provided by the present application can effectively solve the problem of heat exchanger heat exchange performance decline when middle, low-grade operating condition.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of air conditioning technology, specifically providing a method, device, and storage medium for regulating the flow rate of an air conditioner and a parallel flow heat exchanger. Background Technology

[0002] Air conditioners are household or commercial appliances that can efficiently regulate indoor temperature and are widely used.

[0003] Taking window air conditioners as an example, window air conditioners are small air conditioners that can be installed in windows. They have advantages such as simple structure, low price, easy installation, and reliable operation, and still maintain a high market share. Window air conditioners come in three types: cooling type, electric heating type, and heat pump type. Taking the cooling type as an example, it includes a compressor, indoor heat exchanger, throttling device, and outdoor heat exchanger. When the outdoor heat exchanger uses a parallel flow heat exchanger, it helps improve the energy efficiency of the air conditioning system. A parallel flow heat exchanger is a heat exchanger based on the microchannel principle. It includes manifolds and flat tubes connecting the manifolds. Depending on whether the manifolds are segmented by baffles, parallel flow heat exchangers can be further divided into single-unit parallel flow and multi-unit parallel flow types. In a single-unit heat exchanger, there are no baffles in the manifolds, and the refrigerant flows in the same direction in each flat tube. In a multi-unit heat exchanger, the manifolds are interrupted by baffles to change and lengthen the refrigerant flow path.

[0004] When a window air conditioner is running in cooling mode, it typically has three cooling settings: high, medium, and low. The amount of refrigerant and the refrigerant flow path corresponding to different settings do not change with the setting. The initial flow distribution is often determined based on the high setting. Therefore, when the air conditioner is running at medium or low settings, the reduced airflow can cause a mismatch between the original refrigerant distribution method and the airflow. This may result in refrigerant accumulation in one branch and insufficient refrigerant in other branches. This will lead to a decrease in the heat exchange performance of the parallel flow heat exchanger, thereby reducing the energy efficiency of the air conditioner. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention aims to solve the above-mentioned technical problems, namely, to solve the problem of poor heat exchange performance of existing parallel flow heat exchangers when operating at low speeds.

[0006] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a flow rate regulation method for a parallel flow heat exchanger, the parallel flow heat exchanger comprising a manifold section and a flat tube section, the manifold section comprising a first manifold and a second manifold spaced apart, the flat tube section comprising a plurality of flat tubes connected between the first manifold and the second manifold, the first manifold, the second manifold, and the plurality of flat tubes together forming a refrigerant flow channel, a portion of the flat tubes in the flat tube section constituting a first heat exchange unit of the parallel flow heat exchanger, a refrigerant outlet being provided on a first section of the first manifold corresponding to the first heat exchange unit, and a refrigerant inlet being provided on either the first manifold or the second manifold, the parallel flow heat exchanger further comprising an electronic regulating valve disposed on a second section of the second manifold corresponding to the first heat exchange unit, the second section comprising a plurality of interconnected sub-chambers, the plurality of sub-chambers dividing the plurality of flat tubes in the first heat exchange unit into a plurality of sub-flow channels in a number equal to the number of sub-chambers, the electronic regulating valve being configured to distribute the refrigerant flow rate in adjacent sub-flow channels.

[0007] The flow regulation method includes:

[0008] The system acquires the temperatures at the refrigerant inlet, the refrigerant outlet, and the outlets of each sub-channel; calculates the temperature difference between the refrigerant outlet and the refrigerant inlet to obtain a first temperature difference, and calculates the temperature difference between adjacent sub-channels to obtain a second temperature difference; compares the first temperature difference with a first preset temperature difference threshold to obtain a first comparison result, and compares the second temperature difference with a second preset temperature difference threshold to obtain a second comparison result; and adjusts the opening of the electronic regulating valve based on the first comparison result and the second comparison result.

[0009] This invention improves the structure of a parallel flow heat exchanger. Specifically, multiple interconnected sub-chambers are constructed within the second section, causing the flat tubes corresponding to the second section to be divided into multiple parallel sub-channels along with each sub-chamber. An electronic regulating valve is installed to distribute the refrigerant in adjacent sub-channels. Based on the improved structure of the parallel flow heat exchanger, the flow regulation method provided by this invention calculates a first temperature difference by acquiring the temperatures of the refrigerant outlet and refrigerant inlet, and calculates a second temperature difference between adjacent sub-channels by acquiring the temperatures at the outlets of each sub-channel. Then, the opening of the electronic regulating valve is adjusted based on the comparison results of the first temperature difference, the second temperature difference, and the corresponding preset temperature difference threshold. This allows for the redistribution of the refrigerant flow in each sub-channel, enabling the refrigerant flow in the parallel flow heat exchanger to be adaptively adjusted according to changes in operating conditions. This avoids the problem of refrigerant accumulation in one branch and insufficient refrigerant in another branch during medium and low-speed operation, thus effectively solving the problem of decreased heat exchange performance of the heat exchanger during low-speed operation.

[0010] Understandably, there are at least two sub-chambers, and the number of sub-chambers corresponds one-to-one with the number of sub-channels. Each sub-channel contains at least one flat tube, and typically, each sub-channel contains multiple flat tubes. Furthermore, the number of electronic control valves is configured according to the number of sub-chambers. These electronic control valves are located at the boundary between two adjacent sub-chambers, allowing the two adjacent sub-chambers to connect when the electronic control valve is not fully closed.

[0011] In some feasible implementations of the above-mentioned flow rate regulation method for parallel flow heat exchangers, the step of "adjusting the opening degree of the electronic regulating valve based on the first comparison result and the second comparison result" includes: determining the regulation mode of the electronic regulating valve based on the first comparison result; and determining the number of adjustment steps of the electronic regulating valve based on the second comparison result, wherein the number of adjustment steps of the electronic regulating valve has a preset mapping relationship with the first comparison result and the second comparison result.

[0012] In some feasible implementations of the above-mentioned flow regulation method for parallel flow heat exchangers, the step of "determining the regulation mode of the electronic regulating valve based on the first comparison result" includes:

[0013] If the first temperature difference is greater than the first preset temperature difference threshold, then the opening degree of the electronic regulating valve is increased; or

[0014] If the first temperature difference is less than the first preset temperature difference threshold, the opening degree of the electronic regulating valve is reduced.

[0015] Those skilled in the art will understand that when all the refrigerant in the heat exchanger has undergone sufficient heat exchange and the degree of heat exchange is comparable, the temperature difference between the refrigerant outlet and the refrigerant inlet will approach a certain specific temperature value (i.e., the first preset temperature difference threshold). At this point, the heat exchanger's heat exchange performance is optimal. When there is too much refrigerant in the heat exchanger, some of the refrigerant will not undergo sufficient heat exchange and will not reach the desired temperature after heat exchange. This will cause the temperature difference between the refrigerant outlet and the refrigerant inlet to decrease, and this temperature difference will be less than the first preset temperature difference threshold. At this time, by reducing the opening of the electronic regulating valve, that is, by reducing the refrigerant flow rate in the refrigerant flow path, the heat exchange between the refrigerant and the air can be made more sufficient, effectively improving the degree of heat exchange of the refrigerant in the flow path, thereby ensuring that the heat exchanger's heat exchange performance is maintained at a high level.

[0016] Similarly, when there is insufficient refrigerant in the heat exchanger, the refrigerant in the flow path undergoes excessive heat exchange, resulting in an increased temperature difference between the refrigerant outlet and the refrigerant inlet, which may exceed the first preset temperature difference threshold. This indicates that the heat exchanger's heat exchange capacity is insufficient. By increasing the opening of the electronic regulating valve, the refrigerant flow rate in the flow path can be increased, thus avoiding excessive heat exchange of the refrigerant and effectively improving the heat exchanger's heat exchange performance.

[0017] It is understandable that the adjustment method (i.e., direction of action) of the regulating valve can be initially determined based on the first temperature difference and the first preset temperature difference threshold. However, to further determine the number of adjustment steps of the regulating valve so as to enable the parallel flow heat exchanger to have a high heat exchange capacity as quickly as possible, it is necessary to further determine based on the comparison results of the second temperature difference and the second preset temperature difference threshold.

[0018] In some feasible implementations of the above-described flow rate regulation method for parallel flow heat exchangers, the first preset temperature difference threshold is 0.8-1.2℃; and / or

[0019] The second preset temperature difference threshold is 0.2-0.5℃.

[0020] Experiments have shown that when the first preset temperature difference threshold is within the range of 0.8-1.2℃ and the second preset temperature difference threshold is within the range of 0.2-0.5℃, the heat exchanger's heat exchange capacity can be maintained at a relatively good level.

[0021] In some feasible implementations of the above-described flow regulation method for a parallel flow heat exchanger, the parallel flow heat exchanger is equipped with multiple temperature sensors. One of the flat tubes corresponding to each of the sub-flow channels is provided with a temperature sensor at the end near its outlet. The temperature at the outlet of each sub-flow channel is measured by the temperature sensor.

[0022] It is understandable that each subchannel includes at least one flat tube. In order to detect the temperature on the outlet side of each subchannel, a temperature sensor can be set in any flat tube contained in each subchannel. The temperature sensor is usually set in the flat tube near the manifold, which is the manifold where the refrigerant outlet is located.

[0023] In some feasible embodiments of the above-mentioned flow regulation method for parallel flow heat exchangers, at least one first baffle is provided in the second section, and multiple interconnected sub-chambers are constructed in the second section through the first baffle, and the electronic regulating valve is provided on the first baffle.

[0024] By setting a first baffle, the configuration of the electronic control valve can be made simpler and more convenient.

[0025] It is understandable that, in order to install the first baffle and the electronic regulating valve, the second section of the second manifold can be set as a segmented structure, and the complete second manifold with the internal electronic regulating valve can be constructed by assembling the segments.

[0026] In some feasible embodiments of the above-mentioned flow regulation method for parallel flow heat exchangers, a plurality of second baffles are further provided in the first manifold and the second manifold, and the second baffles are configured to make the refrigerant flow channel have a serpentine structure in the parallel flow heat exchanger.

[0027] By setting a second baffle, the refrigerant flow channel can be made into a serpentine structure within the parallel flow heat exchanger, increasing the heat exchange area, extending the refrigerant flow path, and making heat exchange more complete, thereby improving the heat exchange effect of the heat exchanger.

[0028] It should be noted that the second partition includes perforated partitions and non-perforated partitions. The chambers separated by the perforated partitions are interconnected, while the chambers separated by the non-perforated partitions are not interconnected. The arrangement and position of the perforated and non-perforated partitions need to ensure that the refrigerant flow path has a serpentine structure within the heat exchanger.

[0029] In a second aspect, the present invention also provides a computer device including a memory and a processor, the memory being adapted to store a plurality of program codes, the program codes being adapted to be loaded and run by the processor to perform the flow regulation method of the parallel flow heat exchanger described in any of the foregoing technical solutions.

[0030] In a third aspect, the present invention also provides a computer-readable storage medium adapted to store a plurality of program codes adapted to be loaded and run by a processor to perform the flow regulation method of the parallel flow heat exchanger described in any of the foregoing technical solutions.

[0031] In a fourth aspect, the present invention also provides an air conditioner that includes the aforementioned computer equipment.

[0032] Those skilled in the art will understand that, since the aforementioned air conditioner, computer equipment, and computer-readable storage medium are equipped with related software and hardware capable of executing the aforementioned flow regulation method, they possess all the technical effects that the aforementioned flow regulation method can achieve, and will not be elaborated further here. Attached Figure Description

[0033] The preferred embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0034] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a parallel flow heat exchanger provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 2 A block diagram of a flow rate regulation method for a parallel flow heat exchanger provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] List of reference numerals in the attached diagram:

[0037] 1. Flat tube section; 11. Flat tube; 12. Fin; 2. Manifold section; 21. First manifold; 211. First section; 22. Second manifold; 221. Second section; 23. Non-perforated baffle; 24. Perforated baffle; 25. Refrigerant inlet; 26. Refrigerant outlet; 27. Connecting bracket; 3. Regulating valve section; 31. First electronic regulating valve; 32. Second electronic regulating valve. Detailed Implementation

[0038] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Those skilled in the art should understand that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the technical principles of the invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the invention. Those skilled in the art can make adjustments as needed to adapt to specific applications. For example, although the description is given in conjunction with a window air conditioner, this is not limiting; the parallel flow heat exchanger of the present invention can also be applied to other types of air conditioners, such as cabinet air conditioners, wall-mounted air conditioners, automotive air conditioners, etc.

[0039] To better illustrate the invention, numerous specific details are set forth in the following detailed description. Those skilled in the art will understand that the invention can be practiced without certain specific details.

[0040] In the description of this invention, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0041] Furthermore, it should be noted that, in the description of this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation" and "connection" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0042] In the following embodiments, "not shown" means that the corresponding structure is illustrated in the drawings but not labeled, and "not illustrated" means that the corresponding structure is not illustrated in the drawings.

[0043] The embodiments of the present invention are illustrated using a window air conditioner equipped with a multi-element parallel flow heat exchanger as an example.

[0044] A window air conditioner includes a compressor, an indoor heat exchanger, a throttling device, and an outdoor heat exchanger, all connected sequentially to form a circulation loop. The throttling device can be a capillary tube or an expansion valve, and the outdoor heat exchanger uses the parallel flow heat exchanger described in this invention. After the compressor starts running, the refrigerant circulates within the pipes, achieving the air conditioning cooling cycle. When the window air conditioner is equipped with a four-way reversing valve, a heating cycle can also be achieved. This embodiment mainly uses air conditioning cooling as an example for explanation.

[0045] The parallel flow heat exchanger provided in this embodiment of the invention includes a manifold section 2, a flat tube section 1, and a regulating valve section 3. The parallel flow heat exchanger is constructed by assembling the various parts.

[0046] Specifically, such as Figure 1 As shown in the figure, the manifold portion 2 in this embodiment of the invention includes a first manifold 21 and a second manifold 22 spaced apart, and a plurality of connecting brackets 27 disposed on the first manifold 21 and the second manifold 22 for fixing the heat exchanger. The first manifold 21 and the second manifold 22 are both hollow tubular structures with their two ends closed, thereby constructing relatively closed hollow cavities in the first manifold 21 and the second manifold 22 respectively.

[0047] The flat tube section 1 includes a plurality of flat tubes 11 and fins 12 connected to the flat tubes 11. The plurality of flat tubes 11 are connected parallel to each other between a first manifold 21 and a second manifold 22, and channels are formed inside the flat tubes 11. Figure 1 Taking the orientation as an example, each flat tube 11 extends horizontally and is arranged at intervals in the vertical direction. The left end of each parallel flat tube 11 is inserted into the first manifold 21 and communicates with its cavity, and the right end is inserted into the second manifold 22 and communicates with its cavity. The fins 12 are connected between adjacent flat tubes 11. In this way, the hollow cavities of the first manifold 21 and the second manifold 22 are connected to each other through the flat tube part 1, so that the first manifold 21, the second manifold 22 and the multiple flat tubes 11 can jointly construct a continuous refrigerant flow channel for refrigerant circulation. During the refrigerant circulation process, heat exchange can be carried out with the air outside the heat exchanger.

[0048] In this embodiment, both the refrigerant outlet 26 and the refrigerant inlet 25 of the heat exchanger are located on the first manifold 21, such as Figure 1 As shown, the refrigerant outlet 26 is located at the upper part of the first manifold 21, and the refrigerant inlet 25 is located at the lower part of the first manifold 21.

[0049] A second partition is provided in the first manifold 21 and the second manifold 22, wherein a first partition is also provided in the second manifold 22. The first partition and the second partition are used to divide the hollow cavities of the first manifold 21 and the second manifold 22 into multiple chambers that are connected and not connected.

[0050] Specifically, such as Figure 1 As shown, the second partition includes a non-perforated partition 23 and a perforated partition 24. The first manifold 21 contains two non-perforated partitions 23, which, without considering the connecting effect of the flat tube 11, divide the hollow cavity of the first manifold 21 into three non-communicating chambers. The second manifold 22 contains one non-perforated partition 23 and one perforated partition 24. The non-perforated partition 23 is located at a lower position within the second manifold 22, while the perforated partition 24 is located at a higher position. The height of the perforated partition 24 in the second manifold 22 is the same as the height of the upper non-perforated partition 23 in the first manifold 21. The height of the non-perforated partition 23 in the second manifold 22 is between the heights of the upper and lower non-perforated partitions 23 in the first manifold 21. This allows the refrigerant flow path to be constructed as a serpentine flow path using the second partition, thus extending the refrigerant flow path and improving the heat exchanger's heat exchange performance. Refrigerant circulation path such as Figure 1 As indicated by the gray arrow.

[0051] In this embodiment of the invention, the heat exchanger can be divided into multiple heat exchange units from top to bottom or bottom to top, and the refrigerant flow direction within the flat tube 11 of each heat exchange unit is consistent. For example... Figure 1 As shown in the diagram, in this embodiment, the heat exchanger is divided into a first heat exchange unit, a second heat exchange unit, a third heat exchange unit, and a fourth heat exchange unit from top to bottom. The refrigerant flow direction is the same in the first and third heat exchange units, and the same in the second and fourth heat exchange units. The outlets of each flat tube 11 in the first heat exchange unit are directly connected to the refrigerant outlet 26 on the first manifold 21, and the inlets of each flat tube 11 in the fourth heat exchange unit are directly connected to the refrigerant inlet 25 on the first manifold 21. Correspondingly, the portion of the first manifold 21 corresponding to the first heat exchange unit is defined as the first section 211, and the portion of the second manifold 22 corresponding to the first heat exchange unit is defined as the second section 221. The first section 211 is demarcated by the non-perforated baffle 23 located at the top of the first manifold 21, and the second section 221 is demarcated by the perforated baffle 24 located at the top of the second manifold 22.

[0052] Furthermore, a first baffle (not shown) is also provided in the second section 221 of the second manifold 22. The first baffle is used to divide the chamber in the second section 221 into multiple interconnected sub-chambers. The multiple sub-chambers divide the multiple flat tubes 11 in the first heat exchange unit into multiple sub-channels with the same number as the sub-chambers. The regulating valve part 3 of the heat exchanger includes at least one electronic regulating valve, which is disposed in the chamber of the second section 221 and is configured to distribute the refrigerant flow rate in adjacent sub-channels. Figure 1As shown in the figure, in the second section 221 of the second manifold 22 in this embodiment of the invention, two first partitions are provided. The two first partitions divide the chamber in the second section 221 into three sub-chambers. Each first partition is provided with an electronic regulating valve, wherein the electronic regulating valve located at the lower position is the first electronic regulating valve 31, and the electronic regulating valve located at the upper position is the second electronic regulating valve 32. By adjusting the opening degree of the first electronic regulating valve 31 and the second electronic regulating valve 32, the refrigerant in each sub-channel can be reasonably distributed.

[0053] It should be noted that this embodiment uses the example of both the refrigerant inlet 25 and the refrigerant outlet 26 being located on the first manifold 21. It is understood that the refrigerant inlet 25 and the refrigerant outlet 26 can also be located on different manifolds. For example, with the refrigerant outlet 26 located on the first manifold 21, the refrigerant inlet 25 can also be located on the second manifold 22. In this case, the number and position of the second baffles also need to be adjusted accordingly to ensure smooth refrigerant flow within the flow channel. Furthermore, the refrigerant inlet 25 can be located on the first manifold 21, and the refrigerant outlet 26 can be located on the second manifold 22, and so on. In other words, by changing the relative positions of the refrigerant inlet 25 and the refrigerant outlet 26, and by increasing or decreasing the number of baffles or changing the position of the baffles, the layout of the refrigerant flow channel within the parallel flow heat exchanger can be altered.

[0054] The parallel flow heat exchanger in this embodiment of the invention is also equipped with multiple temperature sensors. In addition to the temperature sensors installed on the liquid inlet pipe and the gas outlet pipe for detecting the temperature of the refrigerant inlet 25 and the refrigerant outlet 26, temperature sensors are also installed on each sub-channel. These temperature sensors are used to detect the temperature at the outlet of each sub-channel. Specifically, as shown... Figure 1 As shown in the figure, the first heat exchange unit in this embodiment of the invention is divided into three parallel sub-channels, which are schematically separated by short dashed lines. Each sub-channel includes multiple flat tubes 11. Temperature sensors are arbitrarily selected from each sub-channel and installed at the end of the selected flat tube 11 closest to the first section 211.

[0055] It should be noted that the number of flat tubes 11, the number of sub-channels, and the number of heat exchange units in the above embodiments are merely exemplary, and those skilled in the art can adjust them according to actual needs. For example, the number of first baffles can be 1, 2, 3, or other suitable numbers, and the number of flat tubes 11 in each sub-channel can be 1, 2, 3, or other suitable numbers. By reducing the number of second baffles and combining this with the rearrangement of the refrigerant inlet 25 and refrigerant outlet 26, the number of heat exchange units and the direction of refrigerant flow can be changed.

[0056] Based on the structure of the parallel flow heat exchanger described above, this embodiment of the invention also provides a method for regulating the flow rate of the parallel flow heat exchanger, such as... Figure 2 As shown, the flow regulation method includes:

[0057] S10, Obtain the temperature at the outlet of each sub-channel: refrigerant inlet 25, refrigerant outlet 26.

[0058] Specifically, the temperature of the refrigerant inlet 25 is obtained by a temperature sensor installed in the liquid inlet pipe, and this temperature is defined as the inlet temperature. The liquid inlet pipe is a pipe connected to the refrigerant inlet 25. The temperature of the refrigerant outlet 26 is obtained by a temperature sensor installed in the vent pipe, and this temperature is defined as the outlet temperature. The vent pipe is a pipe connected to the refrigerant outlet 26. The temperature at the outlet of each sub-channel is obtained by a temperature sensor installed on the flat tube 11 of each sub-channel. In this embodiment, since there are three sub-channels, three temperature sensors are required, one for each of the three sub-channels, for temperature detection. (Refer to...) Figure 1 The positions of the channels, from bottom to top, are the first sub-channel, the second sub-channel, and the third sub-channel, with corresponding temperatures of the first temperature, the second temperature, and the third temperature, respectively.

[0059] S20. Calculate the temperature difference between the refrigerant inlet 25 and the refrigerant outlet 26 to obtain the first temperature difference, and calculate the temperature difference between adjacent sub-channels to obtain the second temperature difference.

[0060] Specifically, the first temperature difference is the difference between the outlet temperature and the inlet temperature, and the second temperature difference includes the temperature difference ΔT1 between the second temperature and the first temperature, and the temperature difference ΔT2 between the third temperature and the second temperature.

[0061] Those skilled in the art will understand that during the refrigerant circulation process, due to factors such as gravity and air pressure, in the absence of an electronic regulating valve or when the opening of the electronic regulating valve is adjusted to the same degree, the amount of refrigerant in the lower flat tube 11 of the first heat exchange unit is often greater than the amount of refrigerant in the upper flat tube 11.

[0062] S30. The first temperature difference is compared with the first preset temperature difference threshold to obtain a first comparison result, and the second temperature difference is compared with the second preset temperature difference threshold to obtain a second comparison result.

[0063] Specifically, experimental verification shows that the heat exchange performance of the parallel flow heat exchanger reaches its optimal state when the first preset temperature difference threshold is within the range of 0.8-1.2℃ and the second preset temperature difference threshold is within the range of 0.2-0.5℃. It should be noted that compared with other types of heat exchangers, the parallel flow heat exchanger has a larger amount of refrigerant flowing in its pipes, which can meet the heat exchange requirements. Therefore, during the heat exchange process, the temperature difference between the refrigerant inlet 25 and the refrigerant outlet 26 is smaller. In this embodiment, the first preset temperature difference threshold is set to 1℃, and the second preset temperature difference threshold is set to 0.5℃.

[0064] S40. Based on the first comparison result and the second comparison result, adjust the opening degree of the electronic control valve. Specifically, determine the adjustment mode of the electronic control valve based on the first comparison result, and determine the adjustment step of the electronic control valve based on the second comparison result.

[0065] If the first temperature difference is greater than the first preset temperature difference threshold, the opening of the electronic regulating valve will be increased.

[0066] If the first temperature difference is less than the first preset temperature difference threshold, the opening of the electronic regulating valve will be reduced.

[0067] For example, if the calculated first temperature difference is 2℃, which is greater than the first preset temperature difference threshold of 1℃, it is determined that the opening value of the regulating valve needs to be increased; if the calculated first temperature difference is 0.5℃, which is less than the first preset temperature difference threshold of 1℃, it is determined that the opening value of the regulating valve needs to be decreased.

[0068] Furthermore, the number of adjustment steps of the electronic control valve is determined based on the second comparison result, wherein the number of adjustment steps of the electronic control valve has a preset mapping relationship with the first comparison result and the second comparison result.

[0069] Specifically, the initial opening of the electronic control valve is set to half-open. When the first temperature difference is greater than the first preset temperature difference threshold, ΔT1 is greater than the second preset temperature difference threshold, and ΔT2 is greater than the second preset temperature difference threshold. At this time, the adjustment step of the first electronic control valve 31 is determined based on the comparison result of ΔT1 and the second preset temperature difference threshold. Then, the adjustment step of the second electronic control valve 32 is further determined based on the comparison result of ΔT2 and the second preset temperature difference threshold.

[0070] For example, if the first temperature difference is 2℃, which is greater than the first preset temperature difference threshold, it is determined that the opening degree of the first electronic regulating valve 31 and the second electronic regulating valve 32 needs to be increased. If ΔT1 is 0.7℃ and ΔT2 is 0.7℃, then it is determined that the adjustment step of the first electronic regulating valve 31 is increased by 30 degrees and the adjustment step of the second electronic regulating valve 32 is increased by 40 degrees. After this adjustment, the refrigerant flow rate in the second and third sub-channels will increase, and the refrigerant flow rate in the first sub-channel will decrease. After a certain period of time, the above detection, calculation, comparison, and adjustment steps are repeated. For example, if after adjustment in the above manner, the first temperature difference decreases to 1.5℃, ΔT1 decreases to 0.6℃, and ΔT2 decreases to 0.6℃, then it is determined that the adjustment step of the first electronic regulating valve 31 is increased by 30 degrees and the adjustment step of the second electronic regulating valve 32 is increased by 30 degrees. After another certain period of time, the above detection, calculation, comparison, and adjustment steps are repeated. For example, after readjustment, the first temperature difference decreases to 1℃, ΔT1 decreases to 0.5℃, and ΔT2 decreases to 0.5℃. At this point, the optimal refrigerant distribution state is achieved, and there is no need to continue adjusting the opening of the first electronic regulating valve 31 and the second electronic regulating valve 32. It can be seen that after adjusting the opening of the first electronic regulating valve 31 and the second electronic regulating valve 32, the flow rates in the first, second, and third sub-channels are redistributed. The heat exchanger, after the flow rate redistribution, adapts to the changes in the external airflow, and the temperature difference at the outlet of each sub-channel decreases. This effectively avoids the problems of refrigerant accumulation in some flat tubes 11 and insufficient refrigerant in others, thereby ensuring the heat exchanger's heat exchange performance.

[0071] The same applies when running in heating mode. In heating mode, the outlet temperature is lower than the inlet temperature, and both ΔT1 and ΔT2 are negative.

[0072] It should be noted that the temperatures and adjustment steps in the above examples are exemplary and are only for the purpose of understanding the main idea of ​​the present invention. The preset mapping relationship between the adjustment steps of the electronic control valve and the first and second comparison results means that the adjustment steps of the electronic control valve are preset based on the first and second comparison results, and the specific adjustment steps can be obtained by looking up a table during program operation. When the difference between the first temperature difference and the first preset temperature difference threshold is relatively large, the number of adjustment steps per operation of the electronic control valve will also adaptively increase.

[0073] Furthermore, embodiments of the present invention also provide a computer device, which includes a memory and a processor. The memory is adapted to store multiple program codes, which are adapted to be loaded and run by the processor to perform the flow regulation method of the parallel flow heat exchanger described in the above embodiments.

[0074] This invention also provides a computer-readable storage medium suitable for storing multiple lines of program code, which are adapted to be loaded and executed by a processor for the flow regulation method of the parallel flow heat exchanger described in the above embodiments.

[0075] This invention also provides an air conditioner that includes the computer equipment described in the above embodiments.

[0076] In some possible implementations, the computer device may include multiple memories and multiple processors, and the program executing the methods of the above method embodiments may be divided into multiple subroutines. Each subroutine may be loaded and run by a processor to perform different steps of the methods of the above method embodiments. Specifically, each subroutine may be stored in a different memory, and each processor may be configured to execute programs in one or more memories to jointly implement the methods of the above embodiments, that is, each processor executes different steps of the above method embodiments to jointly implement the above methods.

[0077] The aforementioned multiple processors can be processors deployed on the same device. For example, the aforementioned computer device can be a high-performance device composed of multiple processors, and the aforementioned multiple processors can be processors configured on that high-performance device. Alternatively, the aforementioned multiple processors can also be processors deployed on different devices. For example, the aforementioned computer device can be a server cluster, and the aforementioned multiple processors can be processors on different servers within the server cluster.

[0078] In the description of this invention, "processor" can include hardware, software, or a combination of both. A processor can be a central processing unit, microprocessor, image processor, digital signal processor, or any other suitable processor. A processor has data and / or signal processing capabilities. A processor can be implemented in software, in hardware, or a combination of both. Non-transitory computer-readable storage media includes any suitable medium capable of storing program code, such as magnetic disks, hard disks, optical disks, flash memory, read-only memory, random access memory, etc.

[0079] Those skilled in the art will understand that all or part of the processes in the methods of the above embodiments of the present invention can also be implemented by hardware related to computer program instructions. The computer program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, and when the computer program is executed by a processor, it can implement the steps of the various method embodiments described above. The computer program includes computer program code, which can be in the form of source code, object code, executable file, or some intermediate form. The computer-readable storage medium can include any entity or device capable of carrying the computer program code, a medium, a USB flash drive, a portable hard drive, a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a computer memory, a read-only memory, a random access memory, an electrical carrier signal, a telecommunication signal, and a software distribution medium, etc.

[0080] The technical solution of the present invention has been described above with reference to the preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. However, it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the scope of protection of the present invention is obviously not limited to these specific embodiments. Without departing from the principles of the present invention, those skilled in the art can make equivalent changes or substitutions to the relevant technical features, and the technical solutions after such changes or substitutions will all fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for regulating the flow rate of a parallel flow heat exchanger, characterized in that, The parallel flow heat exchanger includes a manifold section and a flat tube section. The manifold section includes a first manifold and a second manifold spaced apart. The flat tube section includes multiple flat tubes connected between the first manifold and the second manifold. The first manifold, the second manifold, and the multiple flat tubes together form a refrigerant flow channel. A portion of the flat tubes in the flat tube section constitutes a first heat exchange unit of the parallel flow heat exchanger. A refrigerant outlet is provided on a first section of the first manifold corresponding to the first heat exchange unit. A refrigerant inlet is also provided on either the first manifold or the second manifold. The parallel flow heat exchanger further includes an electronic regulating valve disposed on a second section of the second manifold corresponding to the first heat exchange unit. The second section contains multiple interconnected sub-chambers that divide the multiple flat tubes in the first heat exchange unit into multiple sub-channels, the number of which is the same as the number of sub-chambers. The electronic regulating valve is configured to distribute the refrigerant flow rate within adjacent sub-channels. The flow regulation method includes: The temperatures at the refrigerant inlet, the refrigerant outlet, and the outlets of each sub-channel are obtained. The temperature difference between the refrigerant outlet and the refrigerant inlet is calculated to obtain a first temperature difference, and the temperature difference between adjacent sub-channels is calculated to obtain a second temperature difference; The first temperature difference is compared with a first preset temperature difference threshold to obtain a first comparison result, and the second temperature difference is compared with a second preset temperature difference threshold to obtain a second comparison result; Based on the first comparison result and the second comparison result, the opening degree of the electronic regulating valve is adjusted.

2. The flow rate regulation method for a parallel flow heat exchanger according to claim 1, characterized in that, The phrase "adjusting the opening degree of the electronic regulating valve based on the first comparison result and the second comparison result" includes: The adjustment mode of the electronic control valve is determined based on the first comparison result; The adjustment steps of the electronic control valve are determined based on the second comparison result. The number of adjustment steps of the electronic regulating valve has a preset mapping relationship with the first comparison result and the second comparison result.

3. The flow rate regulation method for a parallel flow heat exchanger according to claim 2, characterized in that, The phrase "determining the adjustment mode of the electronic control valve based on the first comparison result" includes: If the first temperature difference is greater than the first preset temperature difference threshold, then the opening degree of the electronic regulating valve is increased; or If the first temperature difference is less than the first preset temperature difference threshold, the opening degree of the electronic regulating valve is reduced.

4. The flow rate regulation method for a parallel flow heat exchanger according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first preset temperature difference threshold is 0.8-1.2℃; and / or The second preset temperature difference threshold is 0.2-0.5℃.

5. The flow rate regulation method for a parallel flow heat exchanger according to claim 1, characterized in that, The parallel flow heat exchanger is equipped with multiple temperature sensors. Each of the flat tubes corresponding to each sub-flow channel has a temperature sensor installed at its end near the outlet. The temperature at the outlet of each sub-flow channel is measured by the temperature sensor.

6. The flow rate regulation method for a parallel flow heat exchanger according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second section is provided with at least one first partition, through which multiple interconnected sub-chambers are constructed within the second section, and the electronic regulating valve is disposed on the first partition.

7. The flow rate regulation method for a parallel flow heat exchanger according to claim 6, characterized in that, The first manifold and the second manifold are also provided with a plurality of second baffles, which are configured to make the refrigerant flow channel have a serpentine structure in the parallel flow heat exchanger.

8. A computer device, characterized in that, The computer device includes a memory and a processor, the memory being adapted to store a plurality of program codes, the program codes being adapted to be loaded and run by the processor to perform the flow regulation method of the parallel flow heat exchanger according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium is adapted to store a plurality of program codes, which are adapted to be loaded and run by a processor to perform the flow regulation method of the parallel flow heat exchanger according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

10. An air conditioner, characterized in that, Includes the computer device as described in claim 8.

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