Emergency control method and device for exhaust temperature sensor failure and air conditioner

Abstract

The present invention provides an emergency control method, device, and air conditioner for exhaust temperature sensor failure, relating to the technical field of air conditioning. The method comprises: determining whether a compressor's exhaust temperature sensor has failed; if the exhaust temperature sensor has failed, calculating a virtual exhaust temperature based on a correlated temperature and the outdoor ambient temperature, wherein the correlated temperature is detected by a correlated temperature sensor located downstream of the exhaust temperature sensor in the air conditioner's refrigerant cycle; and controlling the air conditioner using the virtual exhaust temperature as the exhaust temperature. In the event of an exhaust temperature sensor failure, this method can calculate the virtual exhaust temperature using a correlated temperature close to the exhaust temperature and the outdoor ambient temperature, thereby eliminating the need for system shutdown and ensuring normal operation of the air conditioner unit, thus achieving an automatic emergency response function.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of the invention patent application filed on January 3, 2023, with the invention name “Emergency control method, device and air conditioner for exhaust temperature sensor failure” and application number 202310004216.4. Technical Field

[0002] The present invention relates to the technical field of air conditioning, and in particular to an emergency control method and device for exhaust temperature sensor failure, and an air conditioner. Background Art

[0003] To precisely control the operation of air conditioners under varying loads and numbers of indoor units, air conditioners are equipped with numerous sensors, such as pressure and temperature sensors. While these sensors enhance control accuracy and convenience, they also significantly increase the probability of system failure due to device deviations or failures.

[0004] The current common approach is to shut down the entire unit with an alarm when a sensor fails, prompting the user to report a problem. For example, if the compressor's exhaust temperature sensor fails, the air conditioner will shut down with an alarm, rendering it unusable and affecting the user experience. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The problem solved by the present invention is that once the exhaust temperature sensor fails, the air conditioner will alarm and shut down, and cannot be used any further.

[0006] To solve the above problems, embodiments of the present invention provide an emergency control method and device for exhaust temperature sensor failure, and an air conditioner.

[0007] In a first aspect, the present invention provides an emergency control method for exhaust temperature sensor failure, which is applied to an air conditioner. The method comprises:

[0008] Determine whether the compressor's exhaust temperature sensor is faulty;

[0009] If the exhaust temperature sensor fails, a virtual exhaust temperature is calculated based on a correlated temperature and an outdoor ambient temperature, wherein the correlated temperature is detected by a correlated temperature sensor located downstream of the exhaust temperature sensor in a refrigerant cycle of the air conditioner;

[0010] The associated temperature includes oil temperature, the associated temperature sensor includes an oil temperature sensor, and the oil temperature is detected by the oil temperature sensor; the step of calculating the virtual exhaust temperature based on the associated temperature and the outdoor ambient temperature includes:

[0011] When the air conditioner is in heating operation, determining a second corrected temperature value according to the outdoor ambient temperature;

[0012] The step of determining the second corrected temperature value according to the outdoor ambient temperature comprises:

[0013] If the outdoor ambient temperature is lower than a third preset temperature, determining that the second corrected temperature value is equal to the third preset corrected temperature value, and the third preset corrected temperature value has an increasing trend as the temperature interval of the outdoor ambient temperature decreases;

[0014] If the outdoor ambient temperature is greater than or equal to the third preset temperature, determining that the second corrected temperature value is equal to 0° C.;

[0015] Calculating the virtual exhaust temperature to be equal to the oil temperature plus the second corrected temperature value;

[0016] The air conditioner is controlled using the virtual exhaust temperature as the exhaust temperature.

[0017] The emergency control method for exhaust temperature sensor failure provided by an embodiment of the present invention can, in the event of an exhaust temperature sensor failure, calculate a virtual exhaust temperature by correlating the temperature with the outdoor ambient temperature. The exhaust temperature is then controlled based on the virtual exhaust temperature. This eliminates the need for system downtime even in the event of an exhaust temperature sensor failure, ensuring normal operation of the air conditioner unit and achieving an automatic emergency response function. Furthermore, the outdoor ambient temperature is taken into account when calculating the virtual exhaust temperature, thus accounting for its impact on the exhaust temperature. This allows the virtual exhaust temperature to more accurately reflect the exhaust temperature and improves control accuracy.

[0018] Furthermore, in an optional embodiment, the step of determining whether the exhaust gas temperature sensor of the compressor is faulty includes:

[0019] determining whether the exhaust temperature sensor has no detection value;

[0020] If the exhaust temperature sensor has no detection value, it is determined that the exhaust temperature sensor has a detection abnormality, and whether the compressor has a fault;

[0021] If the compressor is not faulty, it is determined that the exhaust temperature sensor is faulty.

[0022] Furthermore, in an optional embodiment, the step of determining whether the compressor fails includes:

[0023] Determining whether the current value of the compressor is within a preset current range;

[0024] If the current value of the compressor is within the preset current range, it is determined that the compressor is not faulty.

[0025] Furthermore, in an optional embodiment, after the step of determining whether the exhaust temperature sensor has a detection abnormality, the method further includes:

[0026] Determining whether the associated temperature sensor has no detection value;

[0027] If the associated temperature sensor has no detection value, an exhaust temperature sensor fault message is sent;

[0028] If the associated temperature sensor has a detection value, the step of calculating the virtual exhaust temperature based on the associated temperature and the outdoor ambient temperature is performed, or the step of determining whether the compressor fails is performed.

[0029] In a second aspect, the present invention provides an emergency control device for exhaust temperature sensor failure, which is applied to an air conditioner and is used to execute the emergency control method for exhaust temperature sensor failure as described in any of the aforementioned embodiments. The device includes:

[0030] A judgment module, used to judge whether the exhaust temperature sensor of the compressor is faulty;

[0031] a calculation module configured to calculate a virtual exhaust temperature based on a correlated temperature and an outdoor ambient temperature if the exhaust temperature sensor fails, wherein the correlated temperature is detected by a correlated temperature sensor located downstream of the exhaust temperature sensor in a refrigerant cycle of the air conditioner;

[0032] A control module is used to control the air conditioner by using the virtual exhaust temperature as the exhaust temperature.

[0033] The technical effects of the emergency control device for exhaust temperature sensor failure provided by the embodiments of the present invention are similar to those of the emergency control method for exhaust temperature sensor failure provided by the embodiments of the present invention. Even if the exhaust temperature sensor fails, there is no need to shut down the air conditioner, ensuring normal operation of the air conditioner unit and achieving an automatic emergency function. Furthermore, the outdoor ambient temperature is taken into account when calculating the virtual exhaust temperature. This allows the outdoor ambient temperature's impact on the exhaust temperature to be considered, allowing the virtual exhaust temperature to more accurately reflect the exhaust temperature and improve control accuracy.

[0034] In a third aspect, the present invention provides an air conditioner, comprising a controller, wherein the controller is configured to execute a computer program to implement the emergency control method for exhaust temperature sensor failure as described in any one of the aforementioned embodiments.

[0035] The technical effects of the air conditioner provided by the embodiments of the present invention are similar to those of the emergency control method for exhaust temperature sensor failure provided by the embodiments of the present invention. Even if the exhaust temperature sensor fails, the air conditioner can be operated normally without shutting down, thus achieving an automatic emergency function. Furthermore, the outdoor ambient temperature is taken into account when calculating the virtual exhaust temperature. This allows the outdoor ambient temperature's impact on the exhaust temperature to be considered, allowing the virtual exhaust temperature to more accurately reflect the exhaust temperature and improve control accuracy. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] Figure 1 A schematic block diagram of the structure of an air conditioner to which the emergency control method for exhaust temperature sensor failure provided by an embodiment of the present invention is applied, wherein the air conditioner is in cooling operation, and the arrows in the figure represent the flow direction of the refrigerant in the refrigeration cycle;

[0037] Figure 2 A schematic block diagram of the structure of an air conditioner to which the emergency control method for exhaust temperature sensor failure provided by an embodiment of the present invention is applied, wherein the air conditioner is in heating operation, and the arrows in the figure indicate the flow direction of the refrigerant in the heating cycle;

[0038] Figure 3 for Figure 1 and Figure 2 A schematic block diagram showing the connection between the temperature sensors and compressor current sensors of the air conditioner and the controller;

[0039] Figure 4 A flow chart of an emergency control method for exhaust temperature sensor failure provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 5 A schematic flow chart of an emergency control method for exhaust temperature sensor failure provided in some optional embodiments of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 6 A flow chart of an emergency control method for exhaust temperature sensor failure provided in some other optional embodiments of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 7 for Figure 5 or Figure 6 Flow chart of the sub-steps of step S230;

[0043] Figure 8 for Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the flow of sub-steps of step S300 in the case of cooling operation of the air conditioner;

[0044] Figure 9 for Figure 8 A schematic flow chart of the sub-steps of sub-step S310;

[0045] Figure 10 for Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the flow of sub-steps of step S300 when the air conditioner is in heating operation;

[0046] Figure 11 for Figure 10 A schematic flow chart of the sub-steps of sub-step S330;

[0047] Figure 12 This is a schematic block diagram of the structure of an emergency control device for exhaust temperature sensor failure provided by an embodiment of the present invention.

[0048] Description of reference numerals:

[0049] 10- Air conditioner;

[0050] 110-outdoor unit; 111-compressor; 112-oil-gas separator; 113-oil return capillary; 114-four-way valve; 115-outdoor heat exchanger; 116-gas-liquid separator; 120-indoor unit; 121-indoor heat exchanger;

[0051] 131 - Exhaust temperature sensor; 132 - Oil temperature sensor; 133 - Outdoor heat exchanger cooling inlet temperature sensor; 134 - Outdoor ambient temperature sensor; 135 - First indoor heat exchanger temperature sensor; 136 - Second indoor heat exchanger temperature sensor; 137 - Compressor current sensor; 140 - Controller

[0052] 200 - Emergency control device for exhaust temperature sensor failure; 210 - Acquisition module; 220 - Judgment module; 230 - Calculation module; 240 - Control module. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0053] In related technologies, if an exhaust temperature sensor in an air conditioner fails, the air conditioner will alarm and shut down, making it unusable, affecting the user experience. Embodiments of the present invention provide an emergency control method and device for exhaust temperature sensor failure, as well as an air conditioner. These methods can ensure normal operation of the air conditioner unit without shutting down the unit when an exhaust temperature sensor fails, thus achieving an automatic emergency response function.

[0054] In order to make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more obvious and easy to understand, specific embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0055] See also Figure 1 and Figure 2An embodiment of the present invention provides an emergency control method and device for an exhaust temperature sensor 131 failure, which is applied to an air conditioner 10. The air conditioner 10 can be a one-to-one air conditioner 10 or a one-to-many multi-connected air conditioner. The air conditioner 10 may include an outdoor unit 110 and an indoor unit 120. The outdoor unit 110 includes a compressor 111, an oil-gas separator 112, an oil return capillary 113, a four-way valve 114, an outdoor heat exchanger 115 and a gas-liquid separator 116. The indoor unit 120 includes an indoor heat exchanger 121, wherein the exhaust port of the compressor 111 is connected to the oil-gas separator 112, the first outlet of the oil-gas separator 112 is connected to the four-way valve 114, and the second outlet of the oil-gas separator 112 is connected to the intake port of the compressor 111 through the oil return capillary 113. The four-way valve 114 is also connected to the outdoor heat exchanger 115, one end of the indoor heat exchanger 121 and the gas-liquid separator 116 through pipelines respectively, the other end of the indoor heat exchanger 121 is connected to the outdoor heat exchanger 115 through a pipeline, and the gas-liquid separator 116 is also connected to the intake port of the compressor 111.

[0056] It should be noted that the structure of the above air conditioner 10 is similar to that of a conventional air conditioner 10. If the air conditioner 10 is a multi-split unit, the number of the above indoor units 120 is multiple. The structures not introduced in the above air conditioner 10 structure can refer to the air conditioner 10 or multi-split structure in the relevant technology, and will not be repeated here.

[0057] See also Figure 1-3 In addition, in order to meet the requirements of precise control of the operation of the air conditioner 10, the air conditioner 10 may include multiple temperature sensors. As an example of multiple temperature sensors, for example, the compressor 111 is provided with an exhaust temperature sensor 131 at the exhaust port, which is used to detect the exhaust temperature of the compressor 111. An oil temperature sensor 132 is provided on the pipeline between the oil return capillary 113 and the air intake of the compressor 111, which is used to detect the oil temperature. The outdoor heat exchanger 115 is provided with an outdoor heat exchanger refrigeration inlet temperature sensor 133 at the inlet of the refrigeration cycle, which is used to detect the outdoor heat exchanger inlet temperature in the refrigeration cycle of the air conditioner 10. An outdoor ambient temperature sensor 134 is provided on the outdoor heat exchanger 115, which is used to detect the outdoor ambient temperature. The indoor heat exchanger 121 is provided with a first indoor heat exchanger temperature sensor 135 and a second indoor heat exchanger temperature sensor 136. The first indoor heat exchanger temperature sensor 135 is used to detect the cooling inlet temperature of the indoor heat exchanger during the cooling cycle of the air conditioner 10 and the heating outlet temperature during the heating cycle. The second indoor heat exchanger temperature sensor 136 is used to detect the cooling outlet temperature of the indoor heat exchanger during the cooling cycle of the air conditioner 10 and the heating inlet temperature during the heating cycle. The air conditioner 10 also includes a compressor current sensor 137 for detecting the current value of the compressor 111.

[0058] The air conditioner 10 may further include a controller 140, which is electrically connected to the exhaust temperature sensor 131, the oil temperature sensor 132, the outdoor heat exchanger cooling inlet temperature sensor 133, the outdoor ambient temperature sensor 134, the first indoor heat exchanger temperature sensor 135, and the second indoor heat exchanger temperature sensor 136. The controller 140 is configured to receive temperature data detected by each of the temperature sensors and to control each temperature sensor accordingly. The controller 140 is also connected to a compressor current sensor 137 to obtain the current value of the compressor 111.

[0059] The controller 140 can be an integrated circuit chip with signal processing capabilities. The controller 140 can be a general-purpose processor, including a central processing unit (CPU), a single-chip microcomputer, a microcontroller unit (MCU), a complex programmable logic device (CPLD), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), an embedded ARM, or other chips. The controller 140 can implement or execute the methods, steps, and logic block diagrams disclosed in the embodiments of the present invention.

[0060] In a feasible embodiment, the air conditioner 10 may further include a memory for storing program instructions that can be executed by the controller 140. For example, the emergency control device 200 for exhaust temperature sensor failure provided in the embodiment of the present application includes at least one that can be stored in the memory in the form of software or firmware. The memory can be an independent external memory, including but not limited to random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), and electrically erasable read-only memory (EEPROM). The memory can also be integrated with the controller 140, for example, the memory can be integrated with the controller 140 and set in the same chip.

[0061] See also Figure 4The emergency control method for the exhaust temperature sensor 131 failure includes the following steps:

[0062] In step S100 , when the air conditioner 10 is in operation, the detection values ​​of the temperature sensors and the current value of the compressor 111 are acquired in real time.

[0063] In step S100, the detection values ​​of multiple temperature sensors in air conditioner 10 are acquired, including the detection values ​​of the exhaust temperature sensor 131, oil temperature sensor 132, outdoor heat exchanger cooling inlet temperature sensor 133, outdoor ambient temperature sensor 134, first indoor heat exchanger temperature sensor 135, and second indoor heat exchanger temperature sensor 136. This is used to monitor the status of each temperature sensor, and the acquired temperature data is used for control in subsequent steps. In addition, the current value of compressor 111, detected by compressor current sensor 137, is acquired in real time to monitor the status of compressor 111. This current value of compressor 111 is used for control in subsequent steps.

[0064] Step S200 , determining whether the exhaust gas temperature sensor 131 of the compressor 111 is faulty.

[0065] In step S200 , it is possible to determine whether the exhaust temperature sensor 131 is faulty by acquiring the detection value of the exhaust temperature sensor 131 in real time.

[0066] See also Figure 5 and Figure 6 , further, step S200 may include the following sub-steps S210 to S240.

[0067] Sub-step S210 , determining whether the exhaust temperature sensor 131 has no detection value.

[0068] It should be noted that, since the detection value of the exhaust temperature sensor 131 is monitored in real time, it is possible to determine whether the exhaust temperature sensor 131 has a detection abnormality based on whether the exhaust temperature sensor 131 has a detection value.

[0069] In sub-step S220 , if the exhaust temperature sensor 131 has no detection value, it is determined that the exhaust temperature sensor 131 has a detection abnormality.

[0070] In sub-step S220, if the exhaust temperature sensor 131 does not detect a value, it can be considered that the exhaust temperature sensor 131 is disconnected or has no detection value, and it is determined that the exhaust temperature sensor 131 has a detection abnormality. It should be noted that the detection abnormality of the exhaust temperature sensor 131 may be due to a malfunction of the exhaust temperature sensor 131 itself, or it may be due to a malfunction of the compressor 111, resulting in an operational abnormality and abnormal exhaust temperature. Therefore, it is necessary to further determine whether the compressor 111 is faulty in order to determine whether the problem lies with the exhaust temperature sensor 131 itself.

[0071] Sub-step S230 , determining whether the compressor 111 fails.

[0072] See also Figure 7 Optionally, whether the compressor 111 fails is determined by the current value of the compressor 111, so sub-step S230 may include sub-steps S231 to S233.

[0073] In sub-step S231 , it is determined whether the current value of the compressor 111 is within a preset current range.

[0074] In sub-step S231, the preset current range of the compressor 111 is the current range preset into the controller 140, which is related to the model, operating speed, and outdoor ambient temperature of the compressor 111 and can be set accordingly according to actual needs.

[0075] In sub-step S232 , if the current value of the compressor 111 is within the preset current range, it is determined that the compressor 111 is not faulty.

[0076] In sub-step S232 , if the current value of the compressor 111 is within the preset current range, the compressor 111 can be considered normal, and it is determined that the compressor 111 has not failed.

[0077] In sub-step S233 , if the current value of the compressor 111 is not within the preset current range, it is determined that the compressor 111 is faulty.

[0078] In sub-step S233, if the current value of the compressor 111 is not within the preset current range, it can be considered that the compressor 111 is not working properly. At this time, it is determined that the compressor 111 has failed, and a compressor 111 failure prompt signal is issued to prompt the user that the compressor 111 has failed.

[0079] Through sub-steps S231 to S233, when the exhaust temperature sensor 131 detects abnormality, it can be accurately determined whether it is caused by a failure of the compressor 111, thereby eliminating the influence of the failure factor of the compressor 111.

[0080] Please continue reading Figure 5and Figure 6 , sub-step S260, if the compressor 111 fails, a compressor 111 failure prompt signal is issued.

[0081] In sub-step S240 , if the compressor 111 is not faulty, it is determined that the exhaust temperature sensor 131 is faulty.

[0082] In sub-step S240 , if the compressor 111 is not faulty, the compressor 111 can be ruled out as the cause, and only the exhaust temperature sensor 131 itself is considered to be the problem. In this case, it is determined that the exhaust temperature sensor 131 is faulty.

[0083] In addition, in an optional embodiment of the present invention, after sub-step S220 determines that the exhaust temperature sensor 131 has a detection abnormality, the associated temperature sensor can be judged to determine whether the associated temperature sensor has a fault, so as to determine whether the detection value of the associated temperature sensor can be used to simulate the exhaust temperature in subsequent steps.

[0084] It should be noted that, in the embodiment of the present invention, the associated temperature sensor represents a temperature sensor located downstream of the exhaust temperature sensor 131 in the refrigerant cycle of the air conditioner 10, and what the associated temperature sensor detects is an associated temperature, wherein the associated temperature is approximately the exhaust temperature of the compressor 111, that is, the associated temperature is close to the exhaust temperature. It should be understood that the associated temperature sensor does not specifically refer to a certain temperature sensor, but as long as the detection value obtained by it can be used to simulate the exhaust temperature. Since the gaseous refrigerant discharged from the compressor 111 continues to flow downstream in the refrigerant cycle after passing through the position of the exhaust temperature sensor 131, and during the flow process, taking into account the influence of the environment and the accuracy of the simulated exhaust temperature, the associated temperature sensor can be selected as a sensor that is relatively closer to the exhaust temperature sensor 131 in the refrigerant cycle, so that the associated temperature will not drop significantly relative to the exhaust temperature, that is, the associated temperature is more similar to the exhaust temperature.

[0085] Optionally, in the refrigeration cycle, the exhaust gas from the compressor 111 passes through the oil-gas separator 112 and the four-way valve 114 to reach the outdoor heat exchanger 115. This section of the pipeline is inside the outdoor unit 110, the process is relatively short, and the exhaust temperature attenuation is relatively small. Therefore, the associated temperature sensor can be the outdoor heat exchanger refrigeration inlet temperature sensor 133, and the associated temperature can be the outdoor heat exchanger inlet temperature; similarly, the exhaust gas passes through the oil-gas separator 112 and the return oil capillary 113 to the position of the oil temperature sensor 132. Therefore, the associated temperature sensor can also be the oil temperature sensor 132, and the associated temperature can be the oil temperature.

[0086] In the heating cycle, the exhaust gas passes through the oil-gas separator 112 and the return oil capillary 113 to the position of the oil temperature sensor 132. Therefore, the associated temperature sensor can be the oil temperature sensor 132, and the associated temperature can be the oil temperature; similarly, the exhaust gas passes through the oil-gas separator 112 and the four-way valve 114 through the pipeline to the indoor heat exchanger 121. Therefore, the associated temperature sensor can also be the second indoor heat exchanger temperature sensor 136, and the associated temperature can be the heating inlet temperature of the indoor heat exchanger.

[0087] The exhaust temperature is virtualized by correcting the associated temperature. If different associated temperatures are used, the correction value can be adjusted accordingly according to actual conditions, which can also achieve the purpose of virtualizing the exhaust temperature.

[0088] See also Figure 5 and Figure 6 The emergency control method for exhaust temperature sensor 131 failure provided by an optional embodiment of the present invention may further include the following steps S251-S252, that is, steps S251-S252 are executed after sub-step S220.

[0089] Step S251: Determine whether the associated temperature sensor has no detection value.

[0090] In step S251, whether the associated temperature sensor has failed can be determined by determining whether the associated temperature sensor has no detection value. Optionally, if the air conditioner 10 is operating in cooling mode, the outdoor heat exchanger cooling inlet temperature sensor 133 and the oil temperature sensor 132 are determined to have no detection values; if the air conditioner 10 is operating in heating mode, the oil temperature sensor 132 and the second indoor heat exchanger temperature sensor 136 are determined to have no detection values.

[0091] Step S252: If the associated temperature sensor has no detection value, the exhaust temperature sensor 131 fault information is sent.

[0092] In step S252, if the associated temperature sensor has no detection value, it can be considered that the associated temperature sensor is disconnected or has no detection value. In this case, it can be considered that the associated temperature sensor has failed, making it difficult to simulate the exhaust temperature using the associated temperature. In this case, exhaust temperature sensor 131 failure information is sent to notify the user that the exhaust temperature sensor 131 is abnormally detecting the exhaust temperature. Optionally, when the air conditioner 10 is in cooling operation, if the outdoor heat exchanger cooling inlet temperature sensor 133 and the oil temperature sensor 132 have no detection values, then the outdoor heat exchanger cooling inlet temperature sensor 133 and the oil temperature sensor 132 are faulty, making it difficult to simulate the exhaust temperature using the associated temperature. When the air conditioner 10 is in heating operation, if the oil temperature sensor 132 and the second indoor heat exchanger temperature sensor 136 have no detection values, then the oil temperature sensor 132 and the second indoor heat exchanger temperature sensor 136 are faulty, making it difficult to simulate the exhaust temperature using the associated temperature.

[0093] If the associated temperature sensor has a detection value, then execute sub-step S230 to determine whether the compressor 111 has failed or execute step S300 below to calculate the virtual exhaust temperature based on the associated temperature and the outdoor ambient temperature. Figure 5 In some embodiments of the present invention, the determination of whether the associated temperature sensor is faulty may be performed after sub-steps S210-S220 and before sub-steps S230-S240. That is, after step S251, if the result of the determination is that the associated temperature sensor has a detection value, sub-step S230 is executed; see Figure 6 In other embodiments of the present invention, the determination of whether the associated temperature sensor is faulty can be performed after sub-steps S210-S240. That is, steps S251-S252 can be performed after sub-steps S210-S240. If, after step S251, the determination result is that the associated temperature sensor has a detection value, step S300 is executed. Both of the above embodiments can perform fault determination of the associated temperature sensor and compressor 111 after detecting an abnormality in the exhaust temperature sensor 131, thereby determining whether the exhaust temperature sensor 131 is faulty and whether the associated temperature can be used for virtual operation.

[0094] Please continue reading Figure 4 In step S300, if the exhaust temperature sensor 131 fails, a virtual exhaust temperature is calculated based on the associated temperature and the outdoor ambient temperature. The associated temperature is detected by an associated temperature sensor located downstream of the exhaust temperature sensor 131 in the refrigerant cycle of the air conditioner 10, and the associated temperature is approximately the exhaust temperature of the compressor 111.

[0095] In step S300, if the exhaust temperature sensor 131 fails, a virtual exhaust temperature can be calculated by using a correlated temperature close to the exhaust temperature and the outdoor ambient temperature, so that control can be performed according to the virtual exhaust temperature in subsequent steps.

[0096] See also Figure 8 For the case where the air conditioner 10 is in cooling operation, in some optional embodiments of the present invention, step S300 includes the following sub-steps S310-S320.

[0097] In sub-step S310 , when the air conditioner 10 is in cooling operation, a first corrected temperature value is determined according to the outdoor ambient temperature.

[0098] Sub-step S320 , calculating a virtual exhaust temperature equal to the outdoor heat exchanger inlet temperature plus a first correction temperature value.

[0099] It should be noted that, when the air conditioner 10 is in cooling operation, the exhaust gas from the compressor 111 passes through the oil-gas separator 112 and the four-way valve 114 to reach the outdoor heat exchanger 115. This section of the pipeline is inside the outdoor unit 110, the process is relatively short, and the exhaust temperature attenuation is relatively small. Therefore, considering that the inlet temperature of the outdoor heat exchanger is closer to the exhaust temperature, in this embodiment, the outdoor heat exchanger cooling inlet temperature sensor 133 is used as the associated temperature sensor during cooling operation, and the outdoor heat exchanger inlet temperature is used as the associated temperature, which can improve the accuracy of the virtual exhaust temperature.

[0100] Furthermore, the first corrected temperature value is represented by a. During cooling operation, the virtual exhaust temperature = the outdoor heat exchanger inlet temperature + a. The outdoor ambient temperature affects the degree of attenuation of the exhaust gas reaching the outdoor heat exchanger 115. Therefore, the first corrected temperature value a can be adjusted accordingly based on the outdoor ambient temperature.

[0101] See also Figure 9 Optionally, sub-step S310 includes the following sub-steps S311-S313.

[0102] Sub-step S311 : if the outdoor ambient temperature is lower than the first preset temperature, determining the first corrected temperature value to be equal to 0° C.

[0103] In sub-step S311, the first preset temperature is a set value, for example, it can be selected as 0°C, that is, when the outdoor ambient temperature is less than 0°C, it can be considered that the exhaust gas reaches the outdoor heat exchanger 115 with almost no attenuation, and the outdoor heat exchanger inlet temperature can be directly used instead of the exhaust temperature, so the first corrected temperature value is equal to 0°C.

[0104] In sub-step S312, if the outdoor ambient temperature is greater than or equal to the first preset temperature and less than the second preset temperature, the first corrected temperature value is determined to be equal to the first preset corrected temperature value, and the first preset corrected temperature value has a decreasing trend as the temperature range of the outdoor ambient temperature increases.

[0105] In sub-step S312, the second preset temperature is a set value, for example, 30°C. The first preset correction temperature is a set value. Within the temperature range greater than or equal to the first preset temperature and less than the second preset temperature, i.e., within 0°C to 30°C, it can be further divided into multiple sub-temperature ranges. As the temperature range of the outdoor ambient temperature increases, the first preset correction temperature tends to decrease. For example, the temperature range of 0°C to 30°C can be further divided into 0°C to 10°C, 10°C to 20°C, and 20°C to 30°C. These temperature ranges are all equal at the lower limit of the range. When the outdoor ambient temperature is within the above three temperature ranges, the first preset correction temperature value decreases in sequence, thereby improving the accuracy of the virtual exhaust temperature. Optionally, the first preset correction temperature values ​​corresponding to the outdoor ambient temperature ranges of 0°C to 10°C, 10°C to 20°C, and 20°C to 30°C can be 6°C, 5°C, and 4°C, respectively.

[0106] Sub-step S313 : if the outdoor ambient temperature is greater than or equal to the second preset temperature, determining that the first corrected temperature value is equal to the second preset corrected temperature value, wherein the second preset corrected temperature value is less than the first preset corrected temperature value.

[0107] In sub-step S313, the second preset correction temperature value is a set value, for example, 3°C. If the outdoor ambient temperature is greater than or equal to the second preset temperature, for example, greater than or equal to 30°C, the second preset correction temperature value does not continue to decrease as the temperature range of the outdoor ambient temperature increases, and is always set to 3°C.

[0108] See also Figure 10 For the case where the air conditioner 10 is in heating operation, in some optional embodiments of the present invention, step S300 includes the following sub-steps S330-S340.

[0109] In sub-step S330 , when the air conditioner 10 is in heating operation, a second corrected temperature value is determined according to the outdoor ambient temperature.

[0110] Sub-step S340 , calculating a virtual exhaust temperature equal to the oil temperature plus a second corrected temperature value.

[0111] It should be noted that, in this embodiment, since the oil-gas separator 112, the return oil capillary 113 and the oil temperature sensor 132 are all in the outdoor unit 110, the pipeline is relatively short. Therefore, in the heating cycle, considering that the oil temperature is closer to the exhaust temperature, in this embodiment, the oil temperature sensor 132 is used as the associated temperature sensor during the heating operation. The oil temperature is used as the associated temperature, which can improve the accuracy of the virtual exhaust temperature.

[0112] Furthermore, the second corrected temperature value is represented by b. During heating operation, the virtual exhaust temperature = oil temperature + b. It should be noted that as the exhaust passes through oil-gas separator 112 and oil return capillary tube 113 to the oil temperature sensor 132, given a fixed unit system and a fixed length of oil return capillary tube 113 (defined as the throttling state), the oil temperature and exhaust gas have a fixed correlation. Furthermore, considering ambient heat loss, there is also a certain relationship with the outdoor ambient temperature. Therefore, overall, the oil temperature, exhaust gas, and outdoor ambient temperature have a corresponding correlation. The lower the outdoor ambient temperature, the greater the heat dissipation, and the greater the difference between the oil temperature and exhaust gas temperature. Therefore, the second corrected temperature value b can be adjusted accordingly based on the outdoor ambient temperature.

[0113] See also Figure 11 Optionally, sub-step S330 includes the following sub-steps S331-S332.

[0114] In sub-step S331 , if the outdoor ambient temperature is lower than the third preset temperature, the second corrected temperature value is determined to be equal to the third preset corrected temperature value, and the third preset corrected temperature value has an increasing trend as the temperature range of the outdoor ambient temperature decreases.

[0115] In sub-step S331, the third preset temperature is a set value, for example, 30°C, i.e., the third preset corrected temperature value is the set value. Within a temperature range less than the third preset temperature, i.e., less than 30°C, the temperature range can be further divided into multiple sub-temperature ranges. As the temperature range of the outdoor ambient temperature decreases, the third preset corrected temperature value tends to increase. For example, the temperature range less than 30°C can be further divided into <-7°C, -7°C to 10°C, 10°C to 20°C, and 20°C to 30°C. The above temperature ranges are all equal at the lower limit of the range. When the outdoor ambient temperature is within the above four temperature ranges and as the temperature range decreases, the third preset corrected temperature value increases in sequence, thereby improving the accuracy of the virtual exhaust temperature. Optionally, for the temperature ranges of the outdoor ambient temperature less than -7°C, -7°C to 10°C, 10°C to 20°C, and 20°C to 30°C, the corresponding third preset corrected temperature values ​​can be 30°C, 25°C, 20°C, and 15°C, respectively.

[0116] Sub-step S332: if the outdoor ambient temperature is greater than or equal to the third preset temperature, determine that the second corrected temperature value is equal to 0°C.

[0117] In sub-step S332, if the outdoor ambient temperature is greater than or equal to the third preset temperature, for example, the outdoor ambient temperature is greater than or equal to 30°C, the oil temperature can be directly used instead of the exhaust temperature, so the second corrected temperature value b is equal to 0°C.

[0118] The first and second corrected temperature values ​​a and b vary with the outdoor ambient temperature, thereby improving the accuracy of the virtual exhaust temperature. As an example, the following table shows the first and second corrected temperature values ​​a and b set accordingly for different temperature ranges of the outdoor ambient temperature.

[0119]

[0120] Please continue reading Figure 4 In step S400 , the air conditioner 10 is controlled using the virtual exhaust temperature as the exhaust temperature.

[0121] In step S400, the exhaust temperature is controlled according to the virtual exhaust temperature. This allows the air conditioner 10 to operate normally even if the exhaust temperature sensor 131 fails, without requiring shutdown. This ensures automatic emergency response. Furthermore, the outdoor ambient temperature is taken into account when calculating the virtual exhaust temperature. This allows the effect of the outdoor ambient temperature on the exhaust temperature to be considered, allowing the virtual exhaust temperature to more accurately reflect the exhaust temperature and improve control accuracy.

[0122] See also Figure 12 In order to execute the possible steps of the emergency control method for exhaust temperature sensor 131 failure provided in the above embodiments, an embodiment of the present invention provides an emergency control device 200 for exhaust temperature sensor failure, which is applied to the air conditioner 10 and is used to execute the above emergency control method for exhaust temperature sensor 131 failure. It should be noted that the basic principle and technical effects of the emergency control device 200 for exhaust temperature sensor failure provided in the embodiment of the present invention are basically the same as those of the above embodiments. For the sake of brief description, for parts not mentioned in this embodiment, reference can be made to the corresponding content in the above embodiments.

[0123] The emergency control device 200 for exhaust temperature sensor failure includes: an acquisition module 210 , a judgment module 220 , a calculation module 230 and a control module 240 .

[0124] The acquisition module 210 is used to acquire the detection values ​​of each temperature sensor and the current value of the compressor 111 in real time when the air conditioner 10 is in operation.

[0125] In this embodiment, the acquisition module 210 is used to execute step S100 in the above method to achieve corresponding technical effects.

[0126] The judgment module 220 is used to judge whether the exhaust gas temperature sensor 131 of the compressor 111 is faulty.

[0127] In this embodiment, the judgment module 220 is used to execute step S200 and its sub-steps in the above method to achieve corresponding technical effects.

[0128] The calculation module 230 is used to calculate the virtual exhaust temperature based on the associated temperature and the outdoor ambient temperature if the exhaust temperature sensor 131 fails, where the associated temperature is detected by the associated temperature sensor located downstream of the exhaust temperature sensor 131 in the refrigerant cycle of the air conditioner 10, and the associated temperature is approximately the exhaust temperature of the compressor 111.

[0129] In this embodiment, the calculation module 230 is used to execute step S300 and its sub-steps in the above method to achieve corresponding technical effects.

[0130] The control module 240 is configured to control the air conditioner 10 by using the virtual exhaust temperature as the exhaust temperature.

[0131] In this embodiment, the control module 240 is used to execute step S400 in the above method to achieve corresponding technical effects.

[0132] In summary, the emergency control method, device and air conditioner 10 for the failure of the exhaust temperature sensor 131 provided in the embodiment of the present invention can, when the exhaust temperature sensor 131 fails, calculate the virtual exhaust temperature by using the associated temperature close to the exhaust temperature and the outdoor ambient temperature, and the exhaust temperature is controlled according to the virtual exhaust temperature. In this way, even if the exhaust temperature sensor 131 fails, there is no need to shut down the unit, and the normal operation of the air conditioner 10 unit can be guaranteed, realizing the function of automatic emergency. In addition, the outdoor ambient temperature is taken into account when calculating the virtual exhaust temperature, so that the influence of the outdoor ambient temperature on the exhaust temperature can be considered, so that the virtual exhaust temperature can more realistically reflect the exhaust temperature and improve the accuracy of control. Furthermore, when the exhaust temperature sensor 131 detects an abnormality, it can automatically determine whether it is a fault of the exhaust temperature sensor 131 itself or a fault of the compressor 111, and in the case of a fault of the exhaust temperature sensor 131 itself, the virtual exhaust temperature is calculated using the associated temperature virtual method to ensure the normal operation of the unit.

[0133] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed devices and methods can also be implemented in other ways. The device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. For example, the flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings show the possible architectures, functions and operations of the devices, methods and computer program products according to multiple embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each box in the flowchart or block diagram can represent a module, a program segment or a portion of code, and the module, program segment or a portion of code contains one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function. It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions marked in the box can also occur in an order different from that marked in the accompanying drawings. For example, two consecutive boxes can actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they can sometimes be executed in the opposite order, depending on the functions involved. It should also be noted that each box in the block diagram and / or flowchart, and the combination of boxes in the block diagram and / or flowchart, can be implemented using a dedicated hardware-based system that performs the specified function or action, or can be implemented using a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0134] In addition, the functional modules in the various embodiments of the present invention may be integrated together to form an independent part, or each module may exist independently, or two or more modules may be integrated to form an independent part.

[0135] If the functions are implemented in the form of software function modules and sold or used as independent products, they can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of the present invention, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or the part of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. The computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions for enabling a computer device (which can be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the method described in each embodiment of the present invention. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media that can store program codes, such as a USB flash drive, a mobile hard disk, a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a magnetic disk, or an optical disk.

[0136] Although the present invention is disclosed as above, the present invention is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be based on the scope defined by the claims.

Claims

1. An emergency control method for exhaust temperature sensor failure, applied to an air conditioner (10), characterized in that: The method comprises: determining whether an exhaust gas temperature sensor (131) of the compressor (111) is faulty; If the exhaust temperature sensor (131) fails, a virtual exhaust temperature is calculated based on a correlation temperature and an outdoor ambient temperature, wherein the correlation temperature is detected by a correlation temperature sensor located downstream of the exhaust temperature sensor (131) in a refrigerant cycle of the air conditioner (10); The associated temperature includes oil temperature, the associated temperature sensor includes an oil temperature sensor (132), and the oil temperature is detected by the oil temperature sensor (132); the step of calculating the virtual exhaust temperature based on the associated temperature and the outdoor ambient temperature includes: When the air conditioner (10) is in heating operation, determining a second corrected temperature value according to the outdoor ambient temperature; The step of determining the second corrected temperature value according to the outdoor ambient temperature comprises: If the outdoor ambient temperature is lower than a third preset temperature, determining that the second corrected temperature value is equal to the third preset corrected temperature value, and the third preset corrected temperature value has an increasing trend as the temperature interval of the outdoor ambient temperature decreases; If the outdoor ambient temperature is greater than or equal to the third preset temperature, determining that the second corrected temperature value is equal to 0° C.; Calculating the virtual exhaust temperature to be equal to the oil temperature plus the second corrected temperature value; The air conditioner (10) is controlled using the virtual exhaust temperature as the exhaust temperature.

2. The emergency control method for exhaust temperature sensor failure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The step of determining whether the exhaust gas temperature sensor (131) of the compressor (111) is faulty comprises: Determining whether the exhaust temperature sensor (131) has no detection value; If the exhaust temperature sensor (131) has no detection value, it is determined that the exhaust temperature sensor (131) has a detection abnormality, and it is determined whether the compressor (111) has a fault; If the compressor (111) is not faulty, it is determined that the exhaust temperature sensor (131) is faulty.

3. The emergency control method for exhaust temperature sensor failure according to claim 2, characterized in that: The step of determining whether the compressor (111) fails comprises: Determining whether the current value of the compressor (111) is within a preset current range; If the current value of the compressor (111) is within the preset current range, it is determined that the compressor (111) has not failed.

4. The emergency control method for exhaust temperature sensor failure according to claim 2, characterized in that: After the step of determining whether the exhaust temperature sensor (131) has a detection abnormality, the method further includes: Determining whether the associated temperature sensor has no detection value; If the associated temperature sensor has no detection value, an exhaust temperature sensor fault message is sent; If the associated temperature sensor has a detection value, the step of calculating the virtual exhaust temperature based on the associated temperature and the outdoor ambient temperature is performed, or the step of determining whether the compressor (111) has a fault is performed.

5. An emergency control device for exhaust temperature sensor failure, applied to an air conditioner (10), characterized in that: The device is used to execute the emergency control method for exhaust temperature sensor failure according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising: A judgment module (220) is used to judge whether the exhaust gas temperature sensor (131) of the compressor (111) has failed; a calculation module (230) for calculating a virtual exhaust temperature based on a correlated temperature and an outdoor ambient temperature if the exhaust temperature sensor (131) fails, wherein the correlated temperature is detected by a correlated temperature sensor located downstream of the exhaust temperature sensor (131) in a refrigerant cycle of the air conditioner (10); The control module (240) is used to control the air conditioner (10) by using the virtual exhaust temperature as the exhaust temperature.

6. An air conditioner, characterized in that: The invention comprises a controller (140), wherein the controller (140) is used for executing a computer program to implement the emergency control method for exhaust temperature sensor (131) failure according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

Images