Multi-connected heat recovery air conditioning system and control method and device thereof

Abstract

The application provides a multi-connected heat recovery air conditioning system and a control method and device thereof, which comprises: an air conditioning outdoor unit, an indoor unit group and a main system pipeline connecting the air conditioning outdoor unit and the indoor unit group; the indoor unit group comprises air conditioning indoor units and water heaters arranged in different indoor spaces, and the air conditioning indoor units are provided with radar modules; the main system pipeline comprises at least as many refrigerant transmission channels as the number of devices in the indoor unit group; and the air conditioning outdoor unit is used for controlling the main system pipeline to adjust the opening and closing of each refrigerant transmission channel and the channel flow according to the working mode of each device in the indoor unit group when at least one individual exists in the space where the air conditioning indoor unit is located, which is determined by the radar module. The multi-connected heat recovery air conditioning system and the control method and device thereof can use the energy of the air conditioning outdoor unit for other devices except the air conditioning indoor units, optimize the control performance and user experience of the air conditioning, and save energy.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of air conditioning equipment technology, and in particular to a multi-split heat recovery air conditioning system and its control method and apparatus. Background Technology

[0002] A multi-split air conditioning system with waste heat recovery is a type of multi-split system that adds waste heat recovery functionality to a standard multi-split system. This system typically adds a four-way valve to a standard multi-split system to switch the high-temperature refrigerant to a hot water tank to achieve heat recovery, resulting in greater energy savings. However, current technology, which directly stores waste heat in the tank, cannot meet users' needs for different temperatures of domestic hot water in different scenarios. Furthermore, when some indoor units are not operating, refrigerant will remain in them, reducing the amount of refrigerant circulating in the system and affecting system efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This invention provides a multi-split heat recovery air conditioning system and its control method and apparatus, which solves the problem that the overall operation of the existing multi-split heat recovery air conditioning system is relatively simple.

[0004] This invention provides a multi-split heat recovery air conditioning system, including an outdoor unit, an indoor unit, and a main system pipeline connecting the outdoor unit and the indoor unit;

[0005] The indoor unit includes an air conditioning indoor unit and a water heater located in different indoor spaces, and the air conditioning indoor unit is equipped with a radar module;

[0006] The main system piping includes refrigerant transmission paths in a number at least equal to the number of indoor unit devices;

[0007] The outdoor unit of the air conditioner is used to control the main system pipeline to adjust the switching and flow rate of each refrigerant transmission path according to the working mode of each device in the indoor unit, when the radar module determines that there is at least one individual in the space where the indoor unit of the air conditioner is located.

[0008] The operating modes of the air conditioner indoor unit include cooling mode and heating mode; the operating modes of the water heater include heating mode and heat preservation mode.

[0009] According to the present invention, a multi-split heat recovery air conditioning system is provided, wherein the main system piping includes a refrigerant reversing device;

[0010] The refrigerant reversing device is provided with a first port connected to the refrigerant output pipe of the outdoor unit of the air conditioner, and a second port connected to the refrigerant input pipe of the outdoor unit of the air conditioner.

[0011] The refrigerant reversing device is also provided with a third port connected to the refrigerant output pipe of the water heater, and a fourth port connected to the refrigerant input pipe of the indoor unit of the air conditioner.

[0012] The refrigerant reversing device is also provided with a fifth port that is connected to the refrigerant output pipe of the water heater and the refrigerant input pipe of the indoor unit of the air conditioner.

[0013] According to the present invention, a multi-split heat recovery air conditioning system is provided, wherein the connection path between the indoor unit of the air conditioner and the water heater includes a first branch and a second branch;

[0014] The first branch line is formed by connecting the refrigerant inlet pipe of the water heater and the refrigerant outlet pipe of the indoor unit of the air conditioner;

[0015] The first end of the second branch is connected to the refrigerant output pipe of the indoor unit of the air conditioner, and the second end of the second branch is connected to the fifth port.

[0016] According to a multi-split heat recovery air conditioning system provided by the present invention, the outdoor unit of the air conditioner performs the following steps when controlling the main system piping:

[0017] When the radar module determines that there is at least one individual in the space where the indoor unit of the air conditioner is located, and the indoor unit of the air conditioner is in cooling mode, the outdoor unit of the air conditioner controls the first port and the fourth port to be connected.

[0018] If the outdoor unit of the air conditioner determines that the temperature value of the water heater is less than the preset temperature value, it controls the second port and the third port to be turned on, and controls the fifth port to be turned off, so that the outdoor unit of the air conditioner can provide heat exchange to the indoor unit of the air conditioner and the water heater connected in series.

[0019] If the outdoor unit of the air conditioner determines that the temperature value of the water heater is greater than or equal to the preset temperature value, it controls the second port to connect with the third port and sets the corresponding flow rate to the first flow rate value, and controls the second port to connect with the fifth port and sets the corresponding flow rate to the second flow rate value, so that the indoor unit of the air conditioner can provide different heat exchange quantities to the air conditioner indoor unit and the water heater connected in series.

[0020] The second flow rate value is greater than the first flow rate value.

[0021] According to a multi-split heat recovery air conditioning system provided by the present invention, when the outdoor unit of the air conditioner controls the main system piping, it further performs the following steps:

[0022] When the radar module determines that there is at least one individual in the space where the indoor unit is located, and the indoor unit is in heating mode, the outdoor unit controls the first port and the fourth port to connect, and the second port and the fifth port to connect, and also controls the third port to close, so that the outdoor unit can provide heat exchange to the indoor unit.

[0023] According to a multi-split heat recovery air conditioning system provided by the present invention, when the outdoor unit of the air conditioner controls the main system piping, it further performs the following steps:

[0024] When the radar module determines that there are no individuals in the space where the indoor unit of the air conditioner is located, the outdoor unit of the air conditioner controls the first port and the fifth port to be connected, and controls the second port and the third port to be connected, so that the outdoor unit of the air conditioner can provide heat exchange to the water heater.

[0025] According to a multi-split heat recovery air conditioning system provided by the present invention, the outdoor unit of the air conditioner is further used to stop providing heat exchange to the water heater and control the water heater to start the electric heating module when the outdoor temperature is determined by the sensing module to be less than or equal to the target temperature.

[0026] The target temperature is an outdoor temperature threshold set when the outdoor environment is determined to be cold.

[0027] The present invention also provides a control method based on the multi-split heat recovery air conditioning system as described above, comprising:

[0028] The radar module is used to determine the distribution of human individuals in the space where the indoor unit of the air conditioner is located.

[0029] If, based on the distribution of human individuals, it is determined that there is at least one individual in the space where the indoor unit of the air conditioner is located, the main system pipeline is controlled to adjust the switching on and off of each refrigerant transmission path and the flow rate of each path according to the working mode of each device in the indoor unit.

[0030] The operating modes of the air conditioner indoor unit include cooling mode and heating mode; the operating modes of the water heater include heating mode and heat preservation mode.

[0031] The present invention also provides a control device for a multi-split heat recovery air conditioning system, comprising:

[0032] The radar monitoring module is used to determine the distribution of human individuals in the space where the indoor unit of the air conditioner is located using radar modules.

[0033] The joint control module is used to control the main system pipeline to adjust the switching and flow rate of each refrigerant transmission path according to the working mode of each device in the indoor unit, based on the determination that there is at least one individual in the space where the indoor unit is located, based on the distribution of the human individuals.

[0034] The operating modes of the air conditioner indoor unit include cooling mode and heating mode; the operating modes of the water heater include heating mode and heat preservation mode.

[0035] The present invention also provides a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implements the control method of the multi-split heat recovery air conditioning system as described above.

[0036] The present invention also provides a computer program product, including a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements a control method for a multi-split heat recovery air conditioning system as described above.

[0037] The multi-split heat recovery air conditioning system and its control method and apparatus provided by this invention, when the radar module installed in the indoor unit of the air conditioner detects the presence of at least one individual in the indoor space, determines the refrigerant transmission path in the main system pipeline that matches the operating mode of the indoor unit and the water heater to maintain connectivity, and sets the corresponding path flow rate. It can adjust the refrigerant flow direction and flow rate of the multi-split heat recovery air conditioning system according to the actual operating conditions of the indoor unit after the air conditioner starts, and can use all or part of the energy of the outdoor unit for other equipment besides the indoor unit, improving the overall operational diversity of the multi-split heat recovery air conditioning system, optimizing the control performance and user experience of the air conditioner, and also saving energy. Attached Figure Description

[0038] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in this invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of this invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0039] Figure 1 This is one of the structural schematic diagrams of the multi-unit heat recovery air conditioning system provided by the present invention;

[0040] Figure 2 This is the second structural schematic diagram of the multi-unit heat recovery air conditioning system provided by the present invention;

[0041] Figure 3 This is one of the flowcharts illustrating the control method for the multi-unit heat recovery air conditioning system provided by the present invention;

[0042] Figure 4 This is the second flowchart illustrating the control method for the multi-unit heat recovery air conditioning system provided by the present invention;

[0043] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the control device for the multi-unit heat recovery air conditioning system provided by the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0044] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the technical solutions of this invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this invention without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this invention.

[0045] The terms "first," "second," etc., used in this application are used to distinguish similar objects and not to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate so that embodiments of this application can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein, and the objects distinguished by "first," "second," etc., are generally of the same class and the number of objects is not limited; for example, a first object can be one or more.

[0046] It should be understood that the terminology used in this specification is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the invention. As used herein, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms.

[0047] The terms “comprising” and “including” indicate the presence of the described feature, whole, step, operation, element and / or component, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, wholes, steps, operations, elements, components and / or collections thereof.

[0048] Figure 1 This is one of the structural schematic diagrams of the multi-unit heat recovery air conditioning system provided by the present invention. For example... Figure 1 As shown, the multi-split heat recovery air conditioning system provided in this embodiment of the invention includes an outdoor unit 110, an indoor unit 120, and a main system pipeline 130 connecting the outdoor unit 110 and the indoor unit 120.

[0049] The indoor unit 120 includes an air conditioning indoor unit 121 and a water heater 122 located in different indoor spaces. The air conditioning indoor unit 121 is equipped with a radar module 123.

[0050] The main system piping 130 includes refrigerant transmission paths in a number at least the same as the number of devices in the indoor unit 120.

[0051] The outdoor unit 110 of the air conditioner is used to control the main system pipeline 130 to adjust the switching and flow rate of each refrigerant transmission path according to the working mode of each device in the indoor unit 120 when the radar module 123 determines that there is at least one individual in the space where the indoor unit 121 of the air conditioner is located.

[0052] The air conditioner indoor unit 121 has two operating modes: cooling mode and heating mode. The water heater 122 has two operating modes: heating mode and heat preservation mode.

[0053] The application scenario of the multi-split heat recovery air conditioning system in this embodiment of the invention is that, by using the radar module on the indoor unit of the air conditioner to sense the population density in the space it is in, the main system pipeline is controlled to selectively connect the outdoor unit and the indoor unit side of the air conditioner, so as to adjust the amount of refrigerant required by the indoor unit side in different working modes.

[0054] Specifically, in a multi-split heat recovery air conditioning system, the indoor unit 120 includes at least an air conditioning indoor unit 121 and a water heater 122 installed in different indoor spaces. The outdoor unit 110 is connected to different devices in the indoor unit 120 through multiple refrigerant transmission paths in the main system pipeline 130 to exchange heat, so as to meet the requirements of different rooms needing air conditioning to regulate room temperature and / or water heater to regulate water temperature at the same time.

[0055] The indoor unit 121 of the air conditioner receives and responds to the activation command sent by the user through the transmission medium, and can start the cooling mode or heating mode of the air conditioner accordingly.

[0056] After the water heater 122 is connected to electricity and filled with water, it determines which working mode to activate by real-time monitoring of the temperature of its internal heat exchanger coil to see if it has reached the preset temperature value. That is, if the internal coil temperature of the water heater is lower than the preset temperature value, the heating mode is automatically activated. Conversely, the heat preservation mode is automatically activated to maintain the temperature at the current level, achieving a zero-cold-water function.

[0057] In addition, a radar module 123 needs to be installed on the indoor unit 121 of the air conditioner. When the indoor unit 121 of the air conditioner receives the activation command sent by the user through the transmission medium, the indoor unit 121 of the air conditioner is put into standby mode. The radar module 123 calculates and analyzes the electromagnetic waves reflected by the human body in its monitoring area to sense whether there is a human being in the indoor space where the indoor unit 121 of the air conditioner is located.

[0058] If it is determined that the number of individuals in the space where the indoor unit of the air conditioner is located is greater than or equal to 1, meaning that the individual user in that space has a need to regulate room temperature using the air conditioner, then during the standby process before its operating mode is activated, the outdoor unit 110 first determines the operating mode to be activated for the indoor unit 121, and the operating mode to be executed by the water heater 122 based on the water temperature. Then, by keeping the refrigerant transmission path matching the operating mode of each device in the indoor unit 120 connected in the main system piping, and setting the corresponding flow rate for the connected refrigerant transmission path, the outdoor unit 110 provides the corresponding amount of refrigerant to the indoor unit 121 and / or the water heater 122, enabling them to execute their respective operating modes.

[0059] In this embodiment of the invention, the type and number of radar sensing devices in the radar module are not specifically limited.

[0060] For example, a radar module may include a lidar, an infrared sensor, etc.

[0061] Optionally, millimeter-wave radar has a horizontal detection range of ±75°, a vertical detection range of ±40°, a detection range of up to 8 meters, a distance output accuracy of 0.1 meters, an angle output accuracy of 1°, and does not involve privacy issues, is not affected by light, and has a fast response speed.

[0062] Therefore, the multi-split heat recovery air conditioning system uses millimeter-wave radar to collect real-time individual location information of the corresponding indoor unit in the indoor space, in order to analyze the individual distribution of different indoor spaces.

[0063] For example, the radar module may include multiple sensing elements such as millimeter-wave radar, lidar, and infrared sensors. The multi-split heat recovery air conditioning system integrates the individual location information collected by each sensing element to comprehensively depict the individual distribution of the air conditioner in the indoor space.

[0064] It is understandable that multiple air conditioning indoor units connected in series can exist in the same indoor space, and these multiple air conditioning indoor units share a single refrigerant transmission path to distribute the heat exchange load.

[0065] In this embodiment of the invention, when the radar module installed in the indoor unit of the air conditioner detects the presence of at least one individual in the indoor space, the system determines whether to maintain the connection of the refrigerant transmission path in the main system pipeline that matches the operating mode of the indoor unit and the water heater, and sets the corresponding flow rate for this path. This allows the system to adjust the refrigerant flow direction and flow rate of the multi-split heat recovery air conditioning system according to the actual operating conditions of the indoor unit after the air conditioner starts. It enables all or part of the energy from the outdoor unit to be used for other equipment besides the indoor unit, improving the overall operational diversity of the multi-split heat recovery air conditioning system, optimizing the control performance and user experience of the air conditioner, and saving energy.

[0066] Figure 2 This is a second structural schematic diagram of the multi-unit heat recovery air conditioning system provided by the present invention. Based on any of the above embodiments, such as… Figure 2 As shown, the main system pipeline 130 includes a refrigerant reversing device.

[0067] The refrigerant reversing device is provided with a first port connected to the refrigerant output pipeline of the outdoor unit of the air conditioner, and a second port connected to the refrigerant input pipeline of the outdoor unit of the air conditioner.

[0068] The refrigerant reversing device is also provided with a third port connected to the refrigerant output pipe of the water heater, and a fourth port connected to the refrigerant input pipe of the indoor unit of the air conditioner.

[0069] The refrigerant reversing device is also provided with a fifth port that is connected to the refrigerant output pipe of the water heater and the refrigerant input pipe of the indoor unit of the air conditioner.

[0070] Specifically, in the main system piping 130, the first port (denoted as A) is connected to the refrigerant output pipe of the outdoor unit 110, and the second port (denoted as B) is connected to the refrigerant input pipe of the outdoor unit 110, thus establishing a connection path between the main system piping 130 and the outdoor unit 110. Furthermore, based on connecting the third port (denoted as C) to the refrigerant output pipe of the water heater 122 and the fourth port (denoted as E) to the refrigerant input pipe of the indoor unit 121, the refrigerant input and output pipes of the water heater 122 and the indoor unit 121 share the same fifth port (denoted as D), thus establishing connection paths between the main system piping 130 and both the indoor unit 121 and the water heater 122.

[0071] This invention, through controlling the switching of five ports in the refrigerant reversing device, forms a refrigerant transmission path in the main system pipeline that supports the outdoor unit of the air conditioner to connect with the parallel indoor unit of the air conditioner and the water heater, as well as a refrigerant transmission path that supports the outdoor unit of the air conditioner to connect with the series indoor unit of the air conditioner and the water heater. This allows for the maximum path configuration with minimal pipeline layout, improving the control efficiency of pipeline switching and reducing construction costs.

[0072] Based on any of the above embodiments, the connection path between the air conditioner indoor unit and the water heater includes a first branch and a second branch.

[0073] The first branch line is formed by connecting the refrigerant input pipe of the water heater and the refrigerant output pipe of the indoor unit of the air conditioner.

[0074] The first end of the second branch is connected to the refrigerant output pipe of the indoor unit of the air conditioner, and the second end of the second branch is connected to the fifth port.

[0075] Specifically, in the indoor unit 120, the refrigerant output pipe of the indoor unit 121 and the refrigerant input pipe of the water heater 122 can be connected in series to form the first branch circuit connecting the indoor unit 121 and the water heater 122. When the outdoor unit 110 is connected to the indoor unit 121 and the water heater 122 connected in series, the refrigerant can be supplied from the outdoor unit 110 to the indoor unit 121 and then to the water heater 122.

[0076] In addition, based on the first branch, a second branch needs to be opened to connect the refrigerant output pipeline of the air conditioner indoor unit and the fifth port. When the air conditioner outdoor unit 110 is connected to the parallel air conditioner indoor unit 121 and water heater 122, the refrigerant can flow from the air conditioner outdoor unit 110 to the air conditioner indoor unit 121, then part of it flows back to the air conditioner outdoor unit 110, and part of it continues to be transmitted to the water heater 122 for heat exchange before flowing back to the air conditioner outdoor unit 110.

[0077] In addition to connecting the refrigerant output pipe of the air conditioner indoor unit and the refrigerant input pipe of the water heater in series to form a first branch, this invention also provides a second branch connecting the refrigerant output pipe of the air conditioner indoor unit to the fifth port in the refrigerant reversing device. This allows the air conditioner to be supplied first and then the water heater when the air conditioner outdoor unit is connected to the series-connected air conditioner indoor unit and water heater. It also allows the air conditioner indoor unit and water heater to share the refrigerant transmission path when the air conditioner outdoor unit is connected to the parallel-connected air conditioner indoor unit and water heater, so that the air conditioner and / or water heater can operate simultaneously. This improves the control efficiency of pipe switching, saves energy, and reduces construction costs.

[0078] Based on any of the above embodiments, when the outdoor unit of the air conditioner controls the main system pipeline, it performs the following steps: when the outdoor unit of the air conditioner determines through the radar module that there is at least one individual in the space where the indoor unit of the air conditioner is located, and the working mode of the indoor unit of the air conditioner is cooling mode, it controls the first port and the fourth port to be connected.

[0079] If the outdoor unit of the air conditioner determines that the temperature value of the water heater is less than the preset temperature value, it controls the second port and the third port to be turned on, and controls the fifth port to be turned off, so that the outdoor unit of the air conditioner can provide heat exchange to the indoor unit of the air conditioner and the water heater connected in series.

[0080] If the outdoor unit of the air conditioner determines that the temperature value of the water heater is greater than or equal to the preset temperature value, it controls the second port to connect with the third port and sets the corresponding flow rate to the first flow rate value, and controls the second port to connect with the fifth port and sets the corresponding flow rate to the second flow rate value, so that the indoor unit of the air conditioner can provide different heat exchange quantities to the air conditioner indoor unit and the water heater connected in series.

[0081] The second flow rate value is greater than the first flow rate value.

[0082] Specifically, when the air conditioner indoor unit 110 senses the presence of a human being in the indoor space where the air conditioner indoor unit 121 is located through the radar module 123, and its standby working mode is cooling mode, during the standby process of the air conditioner indoor unit 121, the first port and the fourth port are connected, that is, the AE is connected, so as to transmit refrigerant to the air conditioner indoor unit 121.

[0083] Next, the outdoor unit 110 of the air conditioner compares the temperature value fed back by the water heater 122 to the coil with the preset temperature value corresponding to the operation of the water heater 122:

[0084] If the outdoor unit 110 of the air conditioner determines that the temperature value fed back by the water heater 122 to the coil is less than the preset temperature value corresponding to the operation of the water heater 122, it means that the water heater 122 needs to start the heating mode to raise its temperature value to the preset value. In this case, the second port and the third port need to be connected and the fifth port needs to be closed, that is, BC is connected and D is closed. After the outdoor unit 110 of the air conditioner transfers refrigerant to the indoor unit 121 of the air conditioner, the remaining heat exchange capacity of the air conditioner in the cooling mode is recovered and transferred to the water heater 122 to execute the heating mode to increase the outlet water temperature. Finally, it flows back to the outdoor unit 110 of the air conditioner to complete a cycle of heat exchange capacity provided by the outdoor unit of the air conditioner to the series-connected indoor unit of the air conditioner and the water heater.

[0085] If the outdoor unit 110 of the air conditioner determines that the temperature value fed back by the water heater 122 to the coil is greater than or equal to the preset temperature value corresponding to the operation of the water heater 122, it means that the water heater 122 only needs to maintain the current temperature level in the heat preservation mode. Therefore, it is necessary to connect the second and third ports and set the flow rate of the BC path to a smaller first flow rate value. It is also necessary to connect the second and fifth ports and set the flow rate of the BD path to a larger second flow rate value. After the outdoor unit 110 transfers refrigerant to the indoor unit 121, most of the remaining refrigerant from the air conditioner's cooling mode is returned to the outdoor unit 110 to complete a cooling cycle. Simultaneously, a small portion of the remaining refrigerant from the air conditioner's cooling mode is transferred to the water heater 122 to maintain the current outlet water temperature in the heat preservation mode, and finally returns to the outdoor unit 110 to complete a cycle in which the outdoor unit provides heat exchange to the series-connected indoor units and water heater.

[0086] Wherein, the second flow rate value should be greater than the first flow rate value. In this embodiment of the invention, the values ​​of the first and second flow rates are not specifically limited. For example, the first flow rate value is the flow rate corresponding to when the valve opening at port B is 1 / 4 of the rated value, and the second flow rate value is the flow rate corresponding to when the valve opening at port B is 3 / 4 of the rated value.

[0087] In this embodiment of the invention, when the radar module installed in the indoor unit of the air conditioner detects the presence of at least one individual in the indoor space and determines that the indoor unit is operating in cooling mode, the corresponding port in the refrigerant reversing device is kept connected by the water heater's operating mode decision control, and a corresponding flow path is set for it. This allows the refrigerant flow direction and flow rate of the multi-split heat recovery air conditioning system to be adjusted according to the actual operating conditions of the water heater after the air conditioner starts cooling mode. It also enables the recovery and utilization of the remaining energy from the outdoor unit of the air conditioner after supporting cooling mode to the heating or insulation mode of the water heater, improving the overall operational versatility of the multi-split heat recovery air conditioning system, optimizing the air conditioner's control performance and user experience, and saving energy.

[0088] Based on any of the above embodiments, when the outdoor unit of the air conditioner controls the main system pipeline, it also performs the following steps: when the outdoor unit of the air conditioner determines through the radar module that there is at least one individual in the space where the indoor unit of the air conditioner is located, and the working mode of the indoor unit of the air conditioner is heating mode, it controls the first port and the fourth port to be connected, and the second port and the fifth port to be connected, and also controls the third port to be closed, so that the outdoor unit of the air conditioner can provide heat exchange to the indoor unit of the air conditioner.

[0089] Specifically, when the indoor unit 110 of the air conditioner senses the presence of a human being in the indoor space where the indoor unit 121 of the air conditioner is located through the radar module 123, and when the working mode to be started is the heating mode, the outdoor unit of the air conditioner does not use the outdoor unit of the air conditioner for waste heat recovery. Only during the standby process of the indoor unit 121 of the air conditioner, the first port and the fourth port are connected, the second port and the fifth port are connected, and the third port is closed, that is, AE and BD are connected and C is closed. After the outdoor unit of the air conditioner 110 transmits refrigerant to the indoor unit of the air conditioner 121, the air conditioner is put into the heating mode and then the refrigerant flows back to the outdoor unit of the air conditioner 110 to complete a heating cycle.

[0090] In this embodiment of the invention, when the radar module installed in the indoor unit of the air conditioner detects the presence of at least one individual in the indoor space and determines that the indoor unit is operating in heating mode, it directly decides to maintain communication with the port in the refrigerant reversing device that is only used by the indoor unit. This allows the outdoor unit to supply heat exchange only to the indoor unit by adjusting the refrigerant flow direction of the multi-split heat recovery air conditioning system when the air conditioner is in heating mode. Furthermore, the outdoor unit does not recover energy when outputting cool air, thus improving the overall operational versatility of the multi-split heat recovery air conditioning system, optimizing the air conditioner's control performance and user experience, and saving energy.

[0091] Based on any of the above embodiments, when the outdoor unit of the air conditioner controls the main system pipeline, it also performs the following steps: when the outdoor unit of the air conditioner determines through the radar module that there is no individual in the space where the indoor unit of the air conditioner is located, it controls the first port and the fifth port to be connected, and controls the second port and the third port to be connected, so that the outdoor unit of the air conditioner can provide heat exchange to the water heater.

[0092] Specifically, when the air conditioner indoor unit 110 senses through the radar module 123 that there are no human individuals in the indoor space where the air conditioner indoor unit 121 is located, it does not start the air conditioner, but only uses the outdoor unit's energy for the heater. Therefore, regardless of which working mode the heater starts, the first port and the fifth port, as well as the second port and the third port, are connected, that is, AD and BC are connected. After the air conditioner outdoor unit 110 transfers refrigerant to the water heater 122, it flows back to the air conditioner outdoor unit 110 to complete a cycle of heat exchange from the air conditioner outdoor unit to the water heater.

[0093] In this embodiment of the invention, when the radar module installed in the indoor unit of the air conditioner detects that there are no individuals in the indoor space, it directly decides to control the refrigerant reversing device to maintain communication with the port matched only for water heater operation. This allows the outdoor unit to supply heat exchange only to the water heater by adjusting the refrigerant flow direction of the multi-split heat recovery air conditioning system when the air conditioner is not running. This improves the overall operational versatility of the multi-split heat recovery air conditioning system, optimizes the air conditioner's control performance and user experience, and also saves energy.

[0094] Based on any of the above embodiments, the outdoor unit of the air conditioner is further configured to stop providing heat exchange to the water heater and control the water heater to turn on the electric heating module when the outdoor temperature is determined by the sensing module to be less than or equal to the target temperature.

[0095] The target temperature is an outdoor temperature threshold set when the outdoor environment is determined to be cold.

[0096] It should be noted that the target temperature refers to the threshold corresponding to a relatively cold outdoor environment. The target temperature is used to determine whether the current outdoor temperature will be classified as cold.

[0097] For example, the target temperature can be 0°C, or the temperature at which people feel cold outdoors can be set as the target temperature according to the geographical characteristics of different regions.

[0098] Specifically, the outdoor unit 110 of the air conditioner can also be equipped with a sensing module on the surface of the casing to monitor the outdoor temperature in real time, and intervene in the control logic of the multi-split heat recovery air conditioning system based on the monitored outdoor temperature:

[0099] When the outdoor temperature is less than or equal to the target temperature, indicating that the current outdoor environment is relatively cold, the system will control the outdoor unit of the air conditioner to disconnect the circuit to the water heater, as well as the circuit between the indoor unit and the water heater, stopping the flow of refrigerant to the water heater. Simultaneously, the system will also control the water heater to activate its electric heating module and execute either its own heating mode or heat preservation mode.

[0100] When the outdoor temperature is higher than the target temperature, it means that the current outdoor environment has not reached a cold level, so the outdoor unit of the air conditioner continues to provide heat exchange to the indoor unit of the air conditioner and / or the connected water heater.

[0101] This invention monitors the outdoor temperature using the indoor unit of an air conditioner. When the outdoor environment is cold, it determines whether the outdoor unit should supply refrigerant only to the indoor unit, and controls the water heater to activate its electric heating module to assist in its corresponding operating mode. In harsh outdoor conditions, by adjusting the refrigerant flow of the multi-split heat recovery air conditioning system, the outdoor unit can supply refrigerant only to the indoor unit for heat exchange, allowing the water heater and air conditioner to operate independently. This avoids the problem of insufficient heating capacity caused by the outdoor unit supplying refrigerant to the water heater, thus optimizing the user experience.

[0102] Figure 3 This is one of the flowcharts illustrating the control method for a multi-unit heat recovery air conditioning system provided by the present invention. Based on any of the above embodiments, such as... Figure 3 As shown, the control method of the multi-split heat recovery air conditioning system includes: step 301, determining the distribution of human individuals in the space where the indoor unit of the air conditioner is located through a radar module.

[0103] It should be noted that the execution subject of the control method for the multi-split heat recovery air conditioning system provided in the embodiments of the present invention is the control device of the multi-split heat recovery air conditioning system, which can be installed in the air conditioner.

[0104] It should be noted that before step 301, the user needs to send an activation command through the transmission medium to activate the air conditioner in the desired operating mode corresponding to the user's current indoor space.

[0105] Optionally, the user can transmit activation commands through the control device and the air conditioning system via wireless communication, so that the air conditioning system initializes its working mode and starts the radar module.

[0106] Optionally, the user can issue an activation command via voice interaction. The air conditioning system receives the activation command, performs voice recognition, initializes the working mode, and starts the radar module.

[0107] Specifically, in step 301, the control device of the multi-split heat recovery air conditioning system receives the activation command sent by the user through the transmission medium, first puts the indoor air conditioning unit in the indoor unit into a standby state, and drives the radar module to calculate and analyze the electromagnetic waves reflected by the human body in its monitoring area. The number of people in the indoor space where the indoor air conditioning unit is located and their location can be integrated into the distribution of human individuals and output.

[0108] Step 302: If it is determined from the distribution of human individuals that there is at least one individual in the space where the indoor unit of the air conditioner is located, the main system pipeline is controlled to adjust the switching on and off of each refrigerant transmission path and the flow rate of each path according to the working mode of each device in the indoor unit.

[0109] The air conditioner indoor unit has two operating modes: cooling mode and heating mode. The water heater has two operating modes: heating mode and heat preservation mode.

[0110] Specifically, in step 302, the control device of the multi-split heat recovery air conditioning system determines, based on the distribution of individuals output in step 301, that there are individuals in the space where the indoor unit of the air conditioner is located, meaning that these individuals have a need to regulate room temperature using the air conditioner. During the standby process before the indoor unit starts its operating mode, the outdoor unit first determines the operating mode to be started for the indoor unit, and the operating mode to be executed by the water heater based on the water temperature. Then, by keeping the refrigerant transmission path in the main system piping connected to the operating mode of each device in the indoor unit, and setting the corresponding flow rate for the connected refrigerant transmission path, the outdoor unit provides the corresponding amount of refrigerant to the indoor unit and / or the water heater, enabling each to execute its corresponding operating mode.

[0111] For example, Figure 4 This is the second flowchart illustrating the control method for the multi-unit heat recovery air conditioning system provided by this invention. For example... Figure 4 As shown, in Figure 3 Based on the layout structure shown, this embodiment of the invention provides a specific implementation method for a control method of a multi-split heat recovery air conditioning system:

[0112] (1) During the initialization of the multi-split heat recovery air conditioning system, the indoor unit of the air conditioner is put into standby mode, and the radar installed on the indoor unit is activated in its indoor space (i.e., Figure 3 The marked living room) captures human targets. If there are people in the living room, step (2) is executed; otherwise, step (5) is skipped.

[0113] (2) If there are people in the living room, turn on the air conditioner. If the air conditioner is in cooling mode, proceed to step (3); otherwise, proceed to step (4).

[0114] (3) While the outdoor unit supplies the indoor unit with the cooling cycle, the outdoor unit of the air conditioner is used to recover waste heat. If the water heater reaches the initial set temperature T (usually 42℃) at this time, the refrigerant reversing device is controlled to turn on AE, turn on BC, and turn off D to supply the water heater to perform the heating mode.

[0115] If the water heater has not reached the initial set temperature T (usually 42℃) at this time, the refrigerant reversing device is controlled to turn on AE, and the flow between BC is adjusted to 1 / 4 of the rated value, and the flow between BD is adjusted to 3 / 4 of the rated value, so as to supply the water heater to perform the heat preservation mode.

[0116] (4) To make the outdoor unit supply heat to the indoor unit only, control the refrigerant reversing device to turn on AE, turn on BD, and turn off C.

[0117] (5) When there are people in the living room, the outdoor unit’s energy is used to supply the water heater. Regardless of whether the water heater has reached the initial set temperature T (usually 42°C), the refrigerant reversing device is controlled to turn AD and BC on, so that all the refrigerant is supplied to the water heater to perform heating mode or heat preservation mode.

[0118] In this embodiment of the invention, when the radar module installed in the indoor unit of the air conditioner detects the presence of at least one individual in the indoor space, the system determines whether to maintain the connection of the refrigerant transmission path in the main system pipeline that matches the operating mode of the indoor unit and the water heater, and sets the corresponding flow rate for this path. This allows the system to adjust the refrigerant flow direction and flow rate of the multi-split heat recovery air conditioning system according to the actual operating conditions of the indoor unit after the air conditioner starts. It enables all or part of the energy from the outdoor unit to be used for other equipment besides the indoor unit, improving the overall operational diversity of the multi-split heat recovery air conditioning system, optimizing the control performance and user experience of the air conditioner, and saving energy.

[0119] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the control device for the multi-unit heat recovery air conditioning system provided by the present invention. Based on any of the above embodiments, such as... Figure 5 As shown, the device includes a radar monitoring module 510 and a joint control module 520, wherein:

[0120] The radar monitoring module 510 is used to determine the distribution of human individuals in the space where the indoor unit of the air conditioner is located through the radar module.

[0121] The joint control module 520 is used to control the main system pipeline to adjust the switching and flow rate of each refrigerant transmission path according to the working mode of each device in the indoor unit, based on the determination that there is at least one individual in the space where the indoor unit of the air conditioner is located, based on the distribution of the human individuals.

[0122] The air conditioner indoor unit has two operating modes: cooling mode and heating mode. The water heater has two operating modes: heating mode and heat preservation mode.

[0123] Specifically, the radar monitoring module 510 and the joint control module 520 are electrically connected in sequence.

[0124] The radar monitoring module 510 receives the activation command sent by the user through the transmission medium, first puts the indoor air conditioning unit in the indoor unit into standby mode, and drives the radar module to calculate and analyze the electromagnetic waves reflected by the human body in its monitoring area. It can integrate the number of people in the indoor space where the indoor air conditioning unit is located and their location into the output of the distribution of human individuals.

[0125] The joint control module 520 determines, through the distribution of human individuals output by the radar monitoring module 510, that there are individuals in the space where the air conditioner indoor unit is located, meaning that these individuals have a need to regulate room temperature using the air conditioner. During the standby process before the indoor unit starts its operating mode, the outdoor unit first determines the operating mode to be activated for the indoor unit, and the operating mode to be executed by the water heater based on the water temperature. Then, by maintaining the refrigerant transmission path in the main system piping that matches the operating mode of each device in the indoor unit, and setting the corresponding flow rate for the connected refrigerant transmission path, the outdoor unit provides the corresponding amount of refrigerant to the indoor unit and / or the water heater, enabling each to execute its respective operating mode.

[0126] The control device for the multi-split heat recovery air conditioning system provided in this embodiment of the invention is used to execute the control method of the multi-split heat recovery air conditioning system described above. Its implementation method is consistent with the implementation method of the control method of the multi-split heat recovery air conditioning system provided by this invention, and can achieve the same beneficial effects, which will not be repeated here.

[0127] In this embodiment of the invention, when the radar module installed in the indoor unit of the air conditioner detects the presence of at least one individual in the indoor space, the system determines whether to maintain the connection of the refrigerant transmission path in the main system pipeline that matches the operating mode of the indoor unit and the water heater, and sets the corresponding flow rate for this path. This allows the system to adjust the refrigerant flow direction and flow rate of the multi-split heat recovery air conditioning system according to the actual operating conditions of the indoor unit after the air conditioner starts. It enables all or part of the energy from the outdoor unit to be used for other equipment besides the indoor unit, improving the overall operational diversity of the multi-split heat recovery air conditioning system, optimizing the control performance and user experience of the air conditioner, and saving energy.

[0128] Furthermore, the logical instructions in the aforementioned memory can be implemented as software functional units and sold or used as independent products, and 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 a part of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of the present invention. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0129] On the other hand, the present invention also provides a computer program product, which includes a computer program that can be stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. When the computer program is executed by a processor, the computer can execute the control method for the multi-split heat recovery air conditioning system provided by the above methods. The method includes: determining the distribution of human individuals in the space where the indoor unit of the air conditioner is located through a radar module; and, if it is determined through the distribution of human individuals that at least one individual exists in the space where the indoor unit of the air conditioner is located, controlling the main system pipeline to adjust the switching and flow rate of each refrigerant transmission path according to the working mode of each device in the indoor unit. The working mode of the indoor unit of the air conditioner includes a cooling mode and a heating mode; the working mode of the water heater includes a heating mode and a heat preservation mode.

[0130] In another aspect, the present invention also provides a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implements a control method for a multi-split heat recovery air conditioning system provided by the methods described above. This method includes: determining the distribution of human individuals in the space where the indoor unit of the air conditioner is located using a radar module; and, if the distribution of human individuals determines that at least one individual exists in the space where the indoor unit is located, controlling the main system piping to adjust the switching and flow rate of each refrigerant transmission path according to the operating mode of each device in the indoor unit; wherein the operating mode of the indoor unit includes a cooling mode and a heating mode; and the operating mode of the water heater includes a heating mode and a heat preservation mode.

[0131] The device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the modules can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs. Those skilled in the art can understand and implement this without any creative effort.

[0132] Through the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that each embodiment can be implemented by means of software plus necessary general-purpose hardware platforms, and of course, it can also be implemented by hardware. Based on this understanding, the above technical solutions, in essence or the part that contributes to the prior art, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, such as ROM / RAM, magnetic disk, optical disk, etc., and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute the methods described in the various embodiments or some parts of the embodiments.

[0133] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and not to limit them; although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A multi-split heat recovery air conditioning system, characterized in that, It includes an outdoor air conditioning unit, an indoor unit, and a main system pipeline connecting the outdoor air conditioning unit and the indoor unit; The indoor unit includes an air conditioning indoor unit and a water heater located in different indoor spaces, and the air conditioning indoor unit is equipped with a radar module; The main system piping includes refrigerant transmission paths in a number at least equal to the number of indoor unit devices; The outdoor unit of the air conditioner is used to control the main system pipeline to adjust the switching and flow rate of each refrigerant transmission path according to the working mode of each device in the indoor unit, when the radar module determines that there is at least one individual in the space where the indoor unit of the air conditioner is located. The operating modes of the air conditioner indoor unit include cooling mode and heating mode; the operating modes of the water heater include heating mode and heat preservation mode. The main system piping includes a refrigerant reversing device; The refrigerant reversing device is provided with a first port connected to the refrigerant output pipe of the outdoor unit of the air conditioner, and a second port connected to the refrigerant input pipe of the outdoor unit of the air conditioner. The refrigerant reversing device is also provided with a third port connected to the refrigerant output pipe of the water heater, and a fourth port connected to the refrigerant input pipe of the indoor unit of the air conditioner. The refrigerant reversing device is also provided with a fifth port that is connected to the refrigerant output pipe of the water heater and the refrigerant input pipe of the indoor unit of the air conditioner respectively; When the outdoor unit of the air conditioner controls the main system piping, it performs the following steps: When the radar module determines that there is at least one individual in the space where the indoor unit of the air conditioner is located, and the indoor unit of the air conditioner is in cooling mode, the outdoor unit of the air conditioner controls the first port and the fourth port to be connected. If the outdoor unit of the air conditioner determines that the temperature value of the water heater is less than the preset temperature value, it controls the second port and the third port to be turned on, and controls the fifth port to be turned off, so that the outdoor unit of the air conditioner can provide heat exchange to the indoor unit of the air conditioner and the water heater connected in series. If the outdoor unit of the air conditioner determines that the temperature value of the water heater is greater than or equal to the preset temperature value, it controls the second port to connect with the third port and sets the corresponding flow rate to the first flow rate value, and controls the second port to connect with the fifth port and sets the corresponding flow rate to the second flow rate value; wherein, the second flow rate value is greater than the first flow rate value; after the outdoor unit of the air conditioner transmits refrigerant to the indoor unit of the air conditioner, most of the remaining refrigerant from the air conditioner's cooling mode is returned to the outdoor unit of the air conditioner to complete a cooling cycle; a small portion of the remaining refrigerant from the air conditioner's cooling mode is transmitted to the water heater to perform a heat preservation mode to maintain the current outlet water temperature, and finally returns to the outdoor unit of the air conditioner.

2. The multi-split heat recovery air conditioning system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The connection path between the indoor unit of the air conditioner and the water heater includes a first branch and a second branch; The first branch line is formed by connecting the refrigerant inlet pipe of the water heater and the refrigerant outlet pipe of the indoor unit of the air conditioner; The first end of the second branch is connected to the refrigerant output pipe of the indoor unit of the air conditioner, and the second end of the second branch is connected to the fifth port.

3. The multi-split heat recovery air conditioning system according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the outdoor unit of the air conditioner controls the main system piping, it also performs the following steps: When the radar module determines that there is at least one individual in the space where the indoor unit is located, and the indoor unit is in heating mode, the outdoor unit controls the first port and the fourth port to connect, and the second port and the fifth port to connect, and also controls the third port to close, so that the outdoor unit can provide heat exchange to the indoor unit.

4. The multi-split heat recovery air conditioning system according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the outdoor unit of the air conditioner controls the main system piping, it also performs the following steps: When the radar module determines that there are no individuals in the space where the indoor unit of the air conditioner is located, the outdoor unit of the air conditioner controls the first port and the fifth port to be connected, and controls the second port and the third port to be connected, so that the outdoor unit of the air conditioner can provide heat exchange to the water heater.

5. The multi-split heat recovery air conditioning system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outdoor unit of the air conditioner is also used to stop providing heat exchange to the water heater and control the water heater to turn on the electric heating module when the outdoor temperature is determined by the sensing module to be less than or equal to the target temperature. The target temperature is an outdoor temperature threshold set when the outdoor environment is determined to be cold.

6. A control method for a multi-unit heat recovery air conditioning system according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The method includes: The radar module is used to determine the distribution of human individuals in the space where the indoor unit of the air conditioner is located. If, based on the distribution of human individuals, it is determined that there is at least one individual in the space where the indoor unit of the air conditioner is located, the main system pipeline is controlled to adjust the switching on and off of each refrigerant transmission path and the flow rate of each path according to the working mode of each device in the indoor unit. The operating modes of the air conditioner indoor unit include cooling mode and heating mode; the operating modes of the water heater include heating mode and heat preservation mode.

7. A control device for a multi-split heat recovery air conditioning system, characterized in that, Applied to the multi-split heat recovery air conditioning system as described in any one of claims 1-5, comprising: The radar monitoring module is used to determine the distribution of human individuals in the space where the indoor unit of the air conditioner is located using radar modules. The joint control module is used to control the main system pipeline to adjust the switching and flow rate of each refrigerant transmission path according to the working mode of each device in the indoor unit, based on the determination that there is at least one individual in the space where the indoor unit is located, based on the distribution of the human individuals. The operating modes of the air conditioner indoor unit include cooling mode and heating mode; the operating modes of the water heater include heating mode and heat preservation mode.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, characterized in that, When the computer program is executed by the processor, it implements the control method for the multi-unit heat recovery air conditioning system as described in claim 6.

9. A computer program product, comprising a computer program, characterized in that, When the computer program is executed by the processor, it implements the control method for the multi-unit heat recovery air conditioning system as described in claim 6.

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