Air conditioning control methods, control devices and air conditioners

Abstract

This invention provides a control method, control device, and air conditioner for air conditioning. A float switch is provided within a gas-liquid separator. The control method includes: acquiring the magnetic field strength of the float switch within the gas-liquid separator; determining that the magnetic field strength meets a first preset condition, then controlling and adjusting the refrigerant flow rate entering the gas-liquid separator according to the range of the magnetic field strength, and acquiring the flow pattern of the refrigerant flowing out of the gas-liquid separator; and controlling and adjusting the operating state of the compressor according to the refrigerant flow pattern meeting a second preset condition. This invention provides a control method, control device, and air conditioner for air conditioning to overcome the deficiencies in the prior art, achieving the following technical effects: avoiding the risk of liquid refrigerant flowing into the compressor due to excessively high liquid refrigerant levels, further reducing or even avoiding the occurrence of liquid slugging in the compressor, and achieving precise and targeted adjustment.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] During the defrost mode operation of an air conditioner, a large amount of liquid refrigerant enters the gas separator. After the defrost operation is completed, the air conditioner runs in heating mode. If there is still a lot of liquid refrigerant in the gas separator, the compressor may experience liquid slugging, causing irreparable damage to the compressor. This can lead to the air conditioner becoming unusable and requiring the compressor to be replaced, resulting in high repair costs. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This invention provides an air conditioner control method, control device, and air conditioner to overcome the deficiencies in the prior art and achieve the following technical effects: avoiding the risk of liquid refrigerant flowing into the compressor due to excessively high liquid refrigerant level, further reducing or even avoiding the occurrence of compressor liquid slugging, and achieving precise and targeted adjustment.

[0004] According to a first aspect of the present invention, an air conditioner control method is provided in which a float switch is provided in the gas-liquid separator of the air conditioner, the control method comprising:

[0005] Obtain the magnetic field strength of the float switch inside the gas-liquid separator;

[0006] If the magnetic field strength is determined to meet the first set condition, the flow rate of the refrigerant entering the gas-liquid separator is controlled and adjusted according to the range of the magnetic field strength, and the flow pattern of the refrigerant flowing out of the gas-liquid separator is obtained;

[0007] The operating state of the compressor is controlled and adjusted according to the refrigerant flow pattern meeting the second set condition.

[0008] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the steps of determining that the magnetic field strength meets a first preset condition, then controlling and adjusting the refrigerant flow rate entering the gas-liquid separator according to the range of the magnetic field strength, and obtaining the flow pattern of the refrigerant flowing out of the gas-liquid separator, specifically include:

[0009] If the magnetic field strength is determined to be greater than the normal magnetic field strength, the opening of the electronic expansion valve is adjusted according to the range of the magnetic field strength, and the flow pattern of the refrigerant flowing out of the gas-liquid separator is obtained. The electronic expansion valve is located on the inlet pipe of the gas-liquid separator.

[0010] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the step of adjusting the opening of the electronic expansion valve according to the range of the magnetic field strength specifically includes:

[0011] If the magnetic field strength is greater than the normal magnetic field strength and less than or equal to the warning magnetic field strength, then the electronic expansion valve is controlled to reduce its opening to a first set opening based on its original opening.

[0012] If the magnetic field strength is greater than the warning magnetic field strength but less than the maximum magnetic field strength, then the electronic expansion valve is controlled to reduce its opening to a second set opening based on its original opening.

[0013] If the magnetic field strength is greater than or equal to the maximum magnetic field strength, then the electronic expansion valve is controlled to be fully closed;

[0014] Wherein, the first set opening degree is greater than the second set opening degree, and the second set opening degree is greater than zero.

[0015] According to one embodiment of the present invention, after the step of obtaining the magnetic field strength of the float switch inside the gas-liquid separator, the air conditioning control method further includes:

[0016] If the magnetic field strength is determined to be less than or equal to the normal magnetic field strength, the opening of the electronic expansion valve is controlled to be fully open.

[0017] According to an embodiment of the present invention, in the step of controlling and adjusting the operating state of the compressor based on the refrigerant flow pattern satisfying a second preset condition:

[0018] The second setting condition is: in the refrigerant flowing out of the gas-liquid separator, the proportion of liquid refrigerant in the total refrigerant exceeds the first setting proportion.

[0019] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the step of controlling and adjusting the operating state of the compressor based on the refrigerant flow pattern satisfying a second preset condition specifically includes:

[0020] If the proportion of the liquid refrigerant in the total refrigerant is determined to be greater than the first set proportion and less than one, then the compressor is controlled to perform a frequency reduction operation.

[0021] If the proportion of the liquid refrigerant in the total refrigerant is determined to be equal to one, then the compressor is controlled to stop.

[0022] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the step of obtaining the flow pattern of the refrigerant flowing out of the gas-liquid separator specifically includes:

[0023] Obtain the temperature of the refrigerant flowing out of the gas-liquid separator;

[0024] The proportion of liquid refrigerant in the total refrigerant is obtained based on the refrigerant temperature and the magnetic field strength.

[0025] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the air conditioner control method further includes:

[0026] Obtain the operating status of the compressor;

[0027] If it is determined that the compressor is performing a frequency reduction operation, the speed of the indoor fan and / or outdoor fan of the air conditioner is increased by a set speed change amount, and the set speed change amount is determined based on the frequency reduction amount of the compressor.

[0028] If the compressor is determined to be shut down, then the indoor fan and the outdoor fan are turned off.

[0029] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the compressor is further provided with a waste heat collection device;

[0030] The control method further includes:

[0031] Once it is determined that the magnetic field strength is greater than the normal magnetic field strength, the waste heat collection device is controlled to heat the gas-liquid separator until the magnetic field strength is less than or equal to the normal magnetic field strength.

[0032] According to a second aspect of the present invention, an air conditioner control device is provided in which a float switch is provided in the gas-liquid separator, and the control device includes:

[0033] The acquisition module is used to acquire the magnetic field strength of the float switch inside the gas-liquid separator;

[0034] The first execution module is used to determine that the magnetic field strength meets the first set condition, and then control and adjust the flow rate of the refrigerant entering the gas-liquid separator according to the range of the magnetic field strength, and obtain the flow pattern of the refrigerant flowing out of the gas-liquid separator.

[0035] The second execution module is used to control and adjust the working state of the compressor according to the flow pattern of the refrigerant meeting the second set conditions.

[0036] An air conditioner according to a third aspect embodiment of the present invention includes a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the processor executes the program to implement the air conditioner execution method as described in the first aspect embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] This invention provides a control method for an air conditioner. This method determines the liquid refrigerant level in the gas-liquid separator by acquiring the magnetic field strength of the float switch within the separator. When the liquid refrigerant level is abnormal, the flow rate of refrigerant flowing into the separator is adjusted, thereby controlling the liquid refrigerant level at a reasonable height. This avoids the risk of liquid refrigerant flowing into the compressor due to an excessively high level, further reducing or even eliminating the occurrence of liquid slugging in the compressor. Furthermore, this method further assesses the refrigerant flow status to accurately determine the specific risk of liquid refrigerant entering the compressor, and adjusts the compressor's operating state according to the risk level, further reducing the risk of liquid slugging and achieving precise and targeted regulation. 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 a flowchart illustrating the air conditioner control method provided by the present invention;

[0040] Figure 2 This is a structural schematic diagram of the air conditioner provided by the present invention;

[0041] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the gas-liquid separator provided by the present invention;

[0042] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the air conditioner control device provided by the present invention;

[0043] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the electronic device provided by the present invention.

[0044] Figure label:

[0045] 1. Compressor; 2. High-pressure sensor; 3. Four-way valve; 4. Outdoor heat exchanger assembly; 5. Liquid pipe shut-off valve; 6. Indoor heat exchanger assembly; 7. Gas pipe shut-off valve; 8. Gas-liquid separator; 9. Low-pressure sensor; 10. Gas outlet pipe; 11. Exhaust port; 12. Inlet port; 13. Liquid pipe; 14. Gas pipe; 15. Inlet pipe; 16. Temperature sensor; 17. Electronic expansion valve; 18. Float switch. Detailed Implementation

[0046] 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.

[0047] The air conditioner control method, control device, and air conditioner proposed in this invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Before providing a detailed description of the embodiments of this invention, the overall application scenario is first described. The air conditioner control method, control device, electronic device, and computer-readable storage medium of this invention can be applied locally to the air conditioner, to cloud platforms in the Internet field, or to other types of cloud platforms in the Internet field, or to third-party devices. These third-party devices may include various types such as mobile phones, tablets, laptops, in-vehicle computers, and other smart terminals.

[0048] The following description uses only the control method applicable to air conditioners as an example. It should be understood that the control method of this embodiment can also be applied to cloud platforms and third-party devices.

[0049] It should also be noted that the air conditioning control method proposed in this invention is universal, that is, this method is applicable to air conditioning in both low-temperature and high-temperature environments for functions such as cooling, heating, defrosting or humidification.

[0050] Before introducing the air conditioner control method according to the first aspect of the present invention, the structural basis of the air conditioner on which the method is based will be briefly described first: as follows Figure 2 As shown, the air conditioner includes a compressor 1, an indoor heat exchanger assembly 6, an outdoor heat exchanger assembly 4, a gas-liquid separator 8, and a four-way valve 3. The four ports of the four-way valve 3 are respectively connected to the exhaust port 11 of the compressor 1, the indoor heat exchanger assembly 6, the outdoor heat exchanger assembly 4, and the gas-liquid separator 8. The inlet and outlet of the gas-liquid separator 8 are respectively connected to an inlet pipe 15 and an outlet pipe 10. The outlet pipe 10 is connected to the suction port 12 of the compressor 1. A float switch 18 is provided inside the gas-liquid separator 8.

[0051] like Figure 1 As shown, an air conditioning control method according to a first aspect embodiment of the present invention includes:

[0052] Step S1: Obtain the magnetic field strength of the float switch 18 inside the gas-liquid separator 8;

[0053] Step S2: If the magnetic field strength meets the first set condition, then control and adjust the flow rate of the refrigerant entering the gas-liquid separator 8 according to the range of the magnetic field strength, and obtain the flow pattern of the refrigerant flowing out of the gas-liquid separator 8.

[0054] Step S3: Control and adjust the working state of compressor 1 according to the second set condition that the refrigerant flow pattern meets the condition.

[0055] According to the air conditioner control method of the present invention, the specific working process is as follows: When the air conditioner is started and the compressor 1 is running, the air conditioner executes various working modes according to demand, including heating, defrosting, and humidification. During the operation of the air conditioner, as the refrigerant continuously circulates in the refrigeration system pipeline, the liquid level of the liquid refrigerant in the gas-liquid separator 8 will also change. At this time, the position of the float switch 18 located in the gas-liquid separator 8 will also change, and correspondingly, the magnetic field strength of the float switch 18 will also change. It can be understood that the magnitude of the magnetic field strength of the float switch 18 is positively correlated with the liquid level of the liquid refrigerant, that is, the higher the liquid level of the liquid refrigerant, the greater the magnetic field strength of the float switch 18. Specifically, when the gas-liquid pressure is large, it indicates that the total amount of liquid refrigerant in the gas-liquid separator 88 is large, that is, the liquid level is high. At this time, the risk of liquid refrigerant entering the suction port 12 of the compressor 11 through the gas outlet pipe 10 is greater.

[0056] Therefore, by acquiring the magnetic field strength of the float switch 18, the controller can determine the position height of the float switch 18, that is, determine the liquid level of the liquid refrigerant in the gas-liquid separator 8. After acquiring the magnetic field strength, the controller analyzes and judges the magnetic field strength. When it is determined that the magnetic field strength meets the first set condition, it proves that the liquid level of the liquid refrigerant in the gas-liquid separator 8 is too high. At this time, the excessively high liquid level may cause the liquid refrigerant to enter the compressor 1 through the outlet pipe 10, thereby causing the liquid slugging phenomenon of the compressor 1. Therefore, the controller will regulate the refrigerant flow rate entering the gas-liquid separator 8 so that the liquid level of the liquid refrigerant in the gas-liquid separator 8 is maintained at a reasonable height, thereby preventing the liquid refrigerant from entering the outlet pipe 10 and thus avoiding the liquid slugging phenomenon of the compressor 1.

[0057] For example, in step S2, the first setting condition can be that the magnetic field strength exceeds the preset normal magnetic field strength. When the first setting condition is met, the controller will control the refrigerant flow rate into the gas-liquid separator 8 to decrease, or directly close the path of the refrigerant into the gas-liquid separator 8, so as to avoid the risk of increasing the liquid slugging of the compressor 1 due to the continuous flow of liquid refrigerant into the gas-liquid separator 8, and ensure the safe use of the compressor 11.

[0058] Furthermore, after determining that the magnetic field strength meets the first set condition, the controller will obtain the flow pattern of the refrigerant flowing out of the gas-liquid separator 8. It can be understood that the refrigerant flowing out of the gas-liquid separator 8 will directly enter the suction port 12 of the compressor 1. If the refrigerant flowing out of the gas-liquid separator 8 contains too much liquid refrigerant, the risk of liquid slugging in the compressor 1 will be greatly increased. Therefore, this method will further adjust and control the working state of the compressor 1 after the flow pattern of the refrigerant meets the second set condition. If necessary, the compressor 1 will be frequency reduced or shut down to further reduce the risk of liquid slugging in the compressor 1 and ensure the service life of the compressor 1.

[0059] For example, the second setting condition can be that the refrigerant is in a liquid or gas-liquid mixed state. When the above second setting condition is met, the controller controls the compressor 1 to perform a frequency reduction operation, or controls the compressor 1 to stop, thereby reducing the risk of liquid refrigerant entering the compressor 1 and causing liquid slugging.

[0060] In related technologies, a large amount of liquid refrigerant enters the gas-liquid separator during the defrosting or oil return process of an air conditioner. After the defrosting process is completed, the air conditioner runs in heating mode. If there is a lot of liquid refrigerant in the gas-liquid separator, the compressor may cause liquid slugging, which can cause irreparable damage to the compressor. This can lead to the air conditioner becoming inoperable and requiring the compressor to be replaced, resulting in high repair costs.

[0061] In summary, to address the technical deficiencies in related technologies, this invention provides an air conditioning control method. This method determines the liquid refrigerant level in the gas-liquid separator 8 by acquiring the magnetic field strength of the float switch 18 within the gas-liquid separator 8. When the liquid refrigerant level in the gas-liquid separator 8 is abnormal, the flow rate of refrigerant flowing into the gas-liquid separator 8 is adjusted, thereby controlling the liquid refrigerant level in the gas-liquid separator 8 to a reasonable height. This avoids increasing the risk of liquid refrigerant flowing into the compressor 1 due to an excessively high liquid refrigerant level, further reducing or even eliminating the occurrence of liquid slugging in the compressor 1. Furthermore, this method further judges the refrigerant flow state to accurately determine the specific magnitude of the risk of liquid refrigerant entering the compressor 1, and adjusts the operating state of the compressor 1 according to the risk magnitude, further reducing the risk of liquid slugging in the compressor 1 and achieving precise and targeted adjustment.

[0062] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the steps of determining that the magnetic field strength meets a first preset condition, then controlling and adjusting the refrigerant flow rate entering the gas-liquid separator 8 according to the range of the magnetic field strength, and obtaining the flow pattern of the refrigerant flowing out of the gas-liquid separator 8, specifically include:

[0063] If the magnetic field strength is determined to be greater than the normal magnetic field strength, the opening of the electronic expansion valve 17 is adjusted according to the range of the magnetic field strength, and the flow pattern of the refrigerant flowing out of the gas-liquid separator 8 is obtained. The electronic expansion valve 17 is located on the inlet pipe 15 of the gas-liquid separator 8.

[0064] It is understandable that when the magnetic field strength is greater than the normal magnetic field strength, it proves that the liquid level in the gas-liquid separator 8 has exceeded the normal liquid level. At this time, there is a possibility that the liquid refrigerant may enter the compressor 1, that is, there is a possibility that the compressor 1 may experience liquid slugging. Therefore, the controller will control the opening of the electronic expansion valve 17 to reduce the liquid level of the liquid refrigerant in the gas-liquid separator 8, thereby reducing the risk of the liquid refrigerant entering the outlet pipe 10, and thus reducing or even avoiding the risk of liquid slugging in the compressor 1.

[0065] Furthermore, the steps for adjusting the opening of the electronic expansion valve 17 according to the range of magnetic field strength specifically include:

[0066] If the magnetic field strength is greater than the normal magnetic field strength but less than or equal to the warning magnetic field strength, the electronic expansion valve 17 is controlled to reduce its opening to the first set opening based on its original opening.

[0067] If the magnetic field strength is greater than the warning magnetic field strength but less than the maximum magnetic field strength, the electronic expansion valve 17 is controlled to reduce its opening to the second set opening based on the original opening.

[0068] If the magnetic field strength is greater than or equal to the maximum magnetic field strength, then control the electronic expansion valve 17 to be fully closed.

[0069] Wherein, the first set opening degree is greater than the second set opening degree, and the second set opening degree is greater than zero.

[0070] Furthermore, after the step of obtaining the magnetic field strength of the float switch 18 inside the gas-liquid separator 8, the control method further includes:

[0071] Once the magnetic field strength is determined to be less than or equal to the normal magnetic field strength, the opening of the electronic expansion valve 17 is fully opened.

[0072] It should be noted that the air conditioning system has pre-stored normal magnetic field strength, warning magnetic field strength and maximum magnetic field strength. The above three set magnetic field strengths can be selected according to different needs, usage scenarios, air conditioning structure and other characteristics. The present invention does not make any special limitation on the specific magnitude of the above three set magnetic field strengths.

[0073] It can be understood that the above-mentioned normal magnetic field strength, warning magnetic field strength and maximum magnetic field strength correspond to the normal liquid level, warning liquid level and maximum liquid level in the gas-liquid separator 8, respectively. That is, when the liquid level in the gas-liquid separator 8 is at the normal liquid level, the current magnetic field strength of the float switch 18 is the normal magnetic field strength; when it is at the warning liquid level, the current magnetic field strength of the float switch 18 is the warning magnetic field strength; when it is at the maximum liquid level, the current magnetic field strength of the float switch 18 is the maximum magnetic field strength.

[0074] The normal magnetic field strength is less than the warning gas-liquid pressure, and the warning magnetic field strength is less than the maximum magnetic field strength. Correspondingly, the normal liquid level is less than the warning liquid level, and the warning liquid level is less than the maximum liquid level. Under these three different magnetic field strengths, the opening degree achieved by the controller controlling the electronic expansion valve 17 is also different, thereby enabling reasonable control of the liquid refrigerant level in the gas-liquid separator 8.

[0075] For example, when the magnetic field strength of the float switch 18 is the normal magnetic field strength, it indicates that the amount of liquid refrigerant in the gas-liquid separator 8 is at the normal level. At the same time, the system does not judge the flow status of the refrigerant flowing out of the gas-liquid separator 8. The air conditioner operates in the current air conditioner operation mode and works normally. At this time, the opening of the electronic expansion valve 17 is adjusted to 100%.

[0076] When the magnetic field strength of the float switch 18 is the warning magnetic field strength, it indicates that the amount of liquid refrigerant in the gas-liquid separator 8 is at the warning level. At this time, the opening of the electronic expansion valve 17 gradually closes to 60%.

[0077] When the magnetic field strength of the float switch 18 is at its maximum, it indicates that the amount of liquid refrigerant in the gas-liquid separator 8 is at its highest level. At this time, the opening of the electronic expansion valve 17 gradually closes to 0%, so that the refrigerant that was originally returned to the gas-liquid separator 8 is stored in the condenser and system pipeline.

[0078] Furthermore, in one specific embodiment, when the magnetic field strength is greater than the normal magnetic field strength and less than or equal to the warning magnetic field strength, the opening of the electronic expansion valve 17 varies between fully open and 60%. Specifically, the closer the magnetic field strength is to the warning magnetic field strength, the closer the opening of the electronic expansion valve 17 is to 60%.

[0079] In another specific embodiment, when the magnetic field strength is greater than the warning magnetic field strength and less than or equal to the maximum magnetic field strength, the opening degree of the electronic expansion valve 17 varies between 60% and fully closed. Specifically, the closer the magnetic field strength is to the maximum magnetic field strength, the closer the opening degree of the electronic expansion valve 17 is to 0.

[0080] According to some embodiments of the present invention, in the step of controlling and adjusting the operating state of compressor 1 based on the refrigerant flow pattern satisfying a second preset condition:

[0081] The second setting condition is: in the refrigerant flowing out of the gas-liquid separator 8, the proportion of liquid refrigerant in the total refrigerant exceeds the first setting proportion.

[0082] It is understandable that when the proportion of liquid refrigerant in the total refrigerant is too large, the risk of liquid slugging in compressor 1 after the refrigerant enters compressor 1 is also greater. Therefore, when the proportion of liquid refrigerant exceeds the first set proportion, the controller will control the working state of compressor 1 to reduce or even avoid the occurrence of liquid slugging.

[0083] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the step of controlling and adjusting the operating state of compressor 1 based on the refrigerant flow pattern satisfying a second preset condition specifically includes:

[0084] If the proportion of liquid refrigerant in the total refrigerant is determined to be greater than the first set proportion and less than one, then the compressor 1 is controlled to perform a frequency reduction operation.

[0085] If the proportion of liquid refrigerant in the total refrigerant is determined to be equal to 1, then compressor 1 will be shut down.

[0086] In this embodiment, when the proportion of liquid refrigerant in the total refrigerant is greater than the first set proportion but less than one, it proves that the refrigerant is in a gas-liquid mixed state. At this time, the risk of liquid slugging in compressor 1 can be reduced by performing frequency reduction operation. When the proportion of liquid refrigerant in the total refrigerant is equal to one, it proves that the refrigerant is in a completely liquid state. At this time, liquid slugging cannot be avoided by frequency reduction alone. Therefore, the controller will directly control compressor 1 to stop.

[0087] Furthermore, the steps for controlling compressor 1 to perform frequency reduction operation, specifically, include: (1) Determining that the proportion of liquid refrigerant in the total refrigerant volume is greater than a first set proportion and less than one.

[0088] The frequency reduction of compressor 1 is determined based on the proportion of liquid refrigerant, and the frequency reduction operation of compressor 1 is performed according to the frequency reduction amount. The proportion of liquid refrigerant is positively correlated with the frequency reduction amount.

[0089] In this way, by obtaining the proportion of liquid refrigerant in the total refrigerant volume, the frequency reduction of compressor 1 can be precisely controlled, thereby reducing the risk of liquid slugging while ensuring the cooling or heating effect of the air conditioner and avoiding insufficient cooling or heating of the air conditioner due to excessive frequency reduction of compressor 1.

[0090] For example, after determining that the refrigerant is in a gas-liquid mixture state, the specific proportion of liquid refrigerant is determined. When the proportion of liquid refrigerant is in a first proportion range, the frequency reduction of compressor 1 is determined as the first frequency reduction; when the proportion of liquid refrigerant is in a second proportion range, the frequency reduction of compressor 1 is determined as the second frequency reduction. If the first proportion range is greater than the second proportion range, then the first frequency reduction is greater than the second frequency reduction.

[0091] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the step of obtaining the flow pattern of the refrigerant flowing out of the gas-liquid separator 8 specifically includes:

[0092] Obtain the refrigerant temperature flowing out of the gas-liquid separator 8;

[0093] The proportion of liquid refrigerant in the total refrigerant is obtained based on the refrigerant temperature and magnetic field strength.

[0094] In this embodiment, the temperature of the refrigerant in the outlet pipe 10 of the gas-liquid separator 8 can be detected by the temperature sensor 16, and the liquid level of the liquid refrigerant can be obtained by combining the magnetic field strength of the float switch 18. Thus, by combining the refrigerant temperature and the refrigerant level, the proportion of liquid refrigerant in the total amount of refrigerant can be analyzed.

[0095] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the air conditioning control method further includes:

[0096] Obtain the operating status of compressor 1;

[0097] If it is determined that compressor 1 is performing frequency reduction operation, the speed of the indoor fan and / or outdoor fan of the air conditioner is increased by the set speed change amount, and the set speed change amount is determined according to the frequency reduction amount of compressor 1.

[0098] If compressor 1 is confirmed to be shut down, then the indoor and outdoor fans will be turned off.

[0099] In this embodiment, if compressor 1 performs frequency reduction operation, the refrigerant temperature will be affected, which in turn will affect the cooling or heating effect of the air conditioner. Therefore, in order to maintain the original cooling or heating effect after compressor 1 reduces its frequency, this embodiment will control the speed of the indoor fan and / or the outdoor fan to increase, thereby accelerating the heat exchange effect of the indoor heat exchanger and the outdoor heat exchanger, and ensuring the cooling or heating effect of the air conditioner.

[0100] In addition, in this step, the controller will determine the set speed change based on the frequency reduction of compressor 1, thereby achieving precise control of the fan speed change, realizing targeted fan control, and avoiding ineffective operation.

[0101] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a waste heat collection device (not shown in the figure) is further provided at compressor 1, then the control method further includes:

[0102] Once the magnetic field strength is determined to be greater than the normal magnetic field strength, the waste heat collection device is controlled to heat the gas-liquid separator 8 until the magnetic field strength is less than or equal to the normal magnetic field strength.

[0103] In this embodiment, the waste heat collection device can heat the gas-liquid separator 8, thereby vaporizing the excess liquid refrigerant in the gas-liquid separator 8 into gaseous refrigerant. This reduces the total amount of liquid refrigerant in the gas-liquid separator 8, thereby reducing or even eliminating the risk of liquid refrigerant entering the compressor 1 through the outlet pipe 10, and further preventing liquid slugging in the compressor 1. Furthermore, the waste heat of the compressor 1 can be effectively utilized, achieving energy recycling of waste heat, which is more environmentally friendly.

[0104] The following describes a specific embodiment of the air conditioner control method of the present invention.

[0105] During air conditioner operation, especially in defrosting or oil return mode, the float switch 18 in the gas-liquid separator 8 monitors the amount of liquid refrigerant inside in real time. The amount of liquid refrigerant is divided into three situations: normal liquid level (the magnetic field strength of the float switch 18 is E1, and the air conditioner is working normally), warning liquid level (the magnetic field strength of the float switch 18 is E2, and the opening of the electronic expansion valve 17 gradually closes to 60%), and maximum liquid level (the magnetic field strength of the float switch 18 is E3, and the electronic expansion valve 17 is closed).

[0106] (1) When the magnetic field strength of the float switch 18 is E1 (that is, the normal magnetic field strength), it means that the amount of liquid refrigerant in the gas-liquid separator 8 is at the normal level. At the same time, the system does not judge the state of the refrigerant in the suction pipe at this time. The air conditioner operates in the current air conditioning mode and works normally. At this time, the opening of the electronic expansion valve 17 is 100%.

[0107] (2) When the magnetic field strength of the float switch 18 is E2 (i.e., the warning magnetic field strength), it indicates that the amount of liquid refrigerant in the gas-liquid separator 8 is at the warning level. At the same time, the system determines the state of the refrigerant in the outlet pipe 10 based on the signals fed back from the low-pressure sensor 9 and the temperature sensor 16. If it is determined to be gaseous, the air conditioner continues to operate in the current mode until the current mode operation ends; if it is determined to be liquid or a gas-liquid mixture, the air conditioner compressor 1 stops running and issues a fault warning. At this time, the opening of the electronic expansion valve 17 gradually closes to 60%.

[0108] (3) When the magnetic field strength of the float switch 18 is E3 (i.e., the maximum magnetic field strength), it indicates that the amount of liquid refrigerant in the gas-liquid separator 8 is at its highest level; the opening of the electronic expansion valve 17 gradually closes to 0%, so that the refrigerant that was originally returning to the gas-liquid separator 8 is stored in the condenser and system piping. At the same time, the system determines the state of the refrigerant in the outlet pipe 10 of the gas-liquid separator 8 based on the signals fed back by the low-pressure sensor 9 and the temperature sensor 16. If it is determined to be gaseous, the air conditioner continues to operate in the current mode until the current mode operation ends; if it is determined to be liquid or gas-liquid mixed state, the air conditioner compressor 1 stops running and issues a fault warning.

[0109] (4) When the air conditioner switches to another operating mode, the system continues to monitor the amount of liquid refrigerant in the gas-liquid separator 8. When the amount of liquid refrigerant is at the normal level, the electronic expansion valve 17 is fully open, and the air conditioner continues to operate normally; when it is at the warning level, the opening of the electronic expansion valve 17 gradually increases from 0% to 60%, and the system continues to monitor the amount of liquid refrigerant in the gas separator. When the amount of liquid refrigerant in the gas-liquid separator 8 is at the normal level, the electronic expansion valve 17 is fully open, and the air conditioner continues to operate in the current mode; when it is at the warning level, the opening of the electronic expansion valve 17 is 0%, and the air conditioner starts to operate.

[0110] It should be explained that when the liquid refrigerant level in the gas separator is at the normal, warning, or maximum level, the refrigerant in the outlet pipe 10 is normally in a gaseous state. The system determines the state of the refrigerant in the outlet pipe 10 at this time, thus detecting the refrigerant state at the suction port 12 of compressor 1 and protecting compressor 1. It should also be noted that if multiple outdoor units are connected in parallel, each outdoor unit performs the above control independently.

[0111] The control device for an air conditioner provided by the present invention will be described below. The control device for an air conditioner described below can be referred to in correspondence with the control method for an air conditioner described above.

[0112] like Figure 4 As shown, in the air conditioner control device according to a second aspect embodiment of the present invention, a float switch 18 is provided in the gas-liquid separator 8, and the control device includes:

[0113] The acquisition module 110 is used to acquire the magnetic field strength of the float switch 18 inside the gas-liquid separator 8;

[0114] The first execution module 120 is used to determine that the magnetic field strength meets the first set condition, and then control and adjust the flow rate of the refrigerant entering the gas-liquid separator 8 according to the range of the magnetic field strength, and obtain the flow pattern of the refrigerant flowing out of the gas-liquid separator 8.

[0115] The second execution module 130 is used to control and adjust the working state of the compressor 1 according to the refrigerant flow pattern meeting the second set conditions.

[0116] An air conditioner according to a third aspect embodiment of the present invention includes a control device for an air conditioner as described in a second aspect embodiment of the present invention.

[0117] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the air conditioner also includes a gas-liquid separator 8, which is connected to an inlet pipe 15 and an outlet pipe 10. The inlet pipe 15 is equipped with an adjustable flow valve, and the outlet pipe 10 is connected to the compressor 1. A float switch 18 is installed inside the gas-liquid separator 8.

[0118] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, according to some embodiments of the present invention, the air conditioner includes a compressor 1, an indoor heat exchanger assembly 6, an outdoor heat exchanger assembly 4, a gas-liquid separator 8, and a four-way valve 3. The four ports of the four-way valve 3 are respectively connected to the exhaust port 11 of the compressor 1, the indoor heat exchanger assembly 6, the outdoor heat exchanger assembly 4, and the gas-liquid separator 8. The inlet and outlet of the gas-liquid separator 8 are respectively connected to an inlet pipe 15 and an outlet pipe 10. The inlet pipe 15 is provided with an electronic expansion valve 17 with adjustable opening. The outlet pipe 10 is connected to the suction port 12 of the compressor 1.

[0119] A liquid pipe 13 is connected between the indoor heat exchanger group 6 and the outdoor heat exchanger group 4. A liquid pipe shut-off valve 5 is installed on the liquid pipe 13. A gas pipe 14 is connected between the indoor heat exchanger group 6 and the four-way valve 3. A gas pipe shut-off valve 7 is installed on the gas pipe 14. A temperature sensor 16 is also installed on the gas outlet pipe 10 of the gas-liquid separator 8. A low-pressure sensor 9 is installed at the suction port 12 of the compressor 1, and a high-pressure sensor 2 is installed at the discharge port 11 of the compressor 1.

[0120] Figure 5 An example is a schematic diagram of the physical structure of an electronic device, such as... Figure 5 As shown, the electronic device may include a processor 810, a communication interface 820, a memory 830, and a communication bus 840. The processor 810, communication interface 820, and memory 830 communicate with each other via the communication bus 840. The processor 810 can call logic instructions in the memory 830 to execute an air conditioner control method. This method includes: acquiring the magnetic field strength of the float switch 18 inside the gas-liquid separator 8; determining that the magnetic field strength meets a first preset condition, then controlling and adjusting the refrigerant flow rate entering the gas-liquid separator 8 according to the range of the magnetic field strength, and acquiring the flow pattern of the refrigerant flowing out of the gas-liquid separator 8; and controlling and adjusting the operating state of the compressor 1 according to the refrigerant flow pattern meeting a second preset condition.

[0121] Furthermore, the logical instructions in the aforementioned memory 830 can be implemented as software functional units and, when sold or used as independent products, can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of the present invention, in essence, 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 of 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.

[0122] 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 a control method for an air conditioner. The method includes: acquiring the magnetic field strength of the float switch 18 inside the gas-liquid separator 8; determining that the magnetic field strength meets a first set condition, then controlling and adjusting the flow rate of refrigerant entering the gas-liquid separator 8 according to the range of the magnetic field strength, and acquiring the flow pattern of the refrigerant flowing out of the gas-liquid separator 8; and controlling and adjusting the working state of the compressor 1 according to the flow pattern of the refrigerant meeting a second set condition.

[0123] 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 an air conditioner, the method comprising: acquiring the magnetic field strength of a float switch 18 inside a gas-liquid separator 8; determining that the magnetic field strength meets a first preset condition, then controlling and adjusting the flow rate of refrigerant entering the gas-liquid separator 8 according to the range of the magnetic field strength, and acquiring the flow pattern of the refrigerant flowing out of the gas-liquid separator 8; and controlling and adjusting the working state of the compressor 1 according to the flow pattern of the refrigerant meeting a second preset condition.

[0124] The device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate, and 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.

[0125] 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., including several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute the methods of various embodiments or some parts of embodiments.

[0126] 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 method for controlling an air conditioner, characterized in that, The air conditioner's gas-liquid separator is equipped with a float switch, and the control method includes: Obtain the magnetic field strength of the float switch inside the gas-liquid separator; If the magnetic field strength is determined to meet the first set condition, the flow rate of the refrigerant entering the gas-liquid separator is controlled and adjusted according to the range of the magnetic field strength, and the flow pattern of the refrigerant flowing out of the gas-liquid separator is obtained; The compressor's operating state is controlled and adjusted according to the refrigerant's flow pattern meeting the second preset condition. The first setting condition is that the magnetic field strength is greater than the normal magnetic field strength; In the step of controlling and adjusting the operating state of the compressor according to the second preset condition based on the flow pattern of the refrigerant: The second setting condition is: in the refrigerant flowing out of the gas-liquid separator, the proportion of liquid refrigerant in the total refrigerant exceeds the first setting proportion; The step of obtaining the flow pattern of the refrigerant flowing out of the gas-liquid separator specifically includes: Obtain the temperature of the refrigerant flowing out of the gas-liquid separator; The proportion of liquid refrigerant in the total refrigerant is obtained based on the refrigerant temperature and the magnetic field strength.

2. The air conditioning control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The steps of determining that the magnetic field strength meets a first preset condition, then controlling and adjusting the refrigerant flow rate entering the gas-liquid separator according to the range of the magnetic field strength, and obtaining the flow pattern of the refrigerant flowing out of the gas-liquid separator, specifically include: If the magnetic field strength is determined to be greater than the normal magnetic field strength, the opening of the electronic expansion valve is adjusted according to the range of the magnetic field strength, and the flow pattern of the refrigerant flowing out of the gas-liquid separator is obtained. The electronic expansion valve is located on the inlet pipe of the gas-liquid separator.

3. The air conditioning control method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The step of adjusting the opening of the electronic expansion valve according to the range of the magnetic field strength specifically includes: If the magnetic field strength is greater than the normal magnetic field strength and less than or equal to the warning magnetic field strength, then the electronic expansion valve is controlled to reduce its opening to a first set opening based on its original opening. If the magnetic field strength is greater than the warning magnetic field strength but less than the maximum magnetic field strength, then the electronic expansion valve is controlled to reduce its opening to a second set opening based on its original opening. If the magnetic field strength is greater than or equal to the maximum magnetic field strength, then the electronic expansion valve is controlled to be fully closed; Wherein, the first set opening degree is greater than the second set opening degree, and the second set opening degree is greater than zero.

4. The air conditioning control method according to claim 2, characterized in that, After the step of obtaining the magnetic field strength of the float switch inside the gas-liquid separator, the method further includes: If the magnetic field strength is determined to be less than or equal to the normal magnetic field strength, the opening of the electronic expansion valve is controlled to be fully open.

5. The air conditioning control method according to claim 4, characterized in that, The step of controlling and adjusting the operating state of the compressor based on the refrigerant flow pattern meeting the second preset condition specifically includes: If the proportion of the liquid refrigerant in the total refrigerant is determined to be greater than the first set proportion and less than one, then the compressor is controlled to perform a frequency reduction operation. If the proportion of the liquid refrigerant in the total refrigerant is determined to be equal to one, then the compressor is controlled to stop.

6. The air conditioning control method according to claim 5, characterized in that, Also includes: Obtain the operating status of the compressor; If it is determined that the compressor is performing a frequency reduction operation, the speed of the indoor fan and / or outdoor fan of the air conditioner is increased by a set speed change amount, and the set speed change amount is determined based on the frequency reduction amount of the compressor. If the compressor is determined to be shut down, then the indoor fan and the outdoor fan are turned off.

7. The air conditioning control method according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The compressor is also equipped with a waste heat collection device; The control method further includes: Once it is determined that the magnetic field strength is greater than the normal magnetic field strength, the waste heat collection device is controlled to heat the gas-liquid separator until the magnetic field strength is less than or equal to the normal magnetic field strength.

8. A control device for an air conditioner, characterized in that, The gas-liquid separator is equipped with a float switch, and the control device includes: The acquisition module is used to acquire the magnetic field strength of the float switch inside the gas-liquid separator; The first execution module is used to determine that the magnetic field strength meets the first set condition, and then control and adjust the flow rate of the refrigerant entering the gas-liquid separator according to the range of the magnetic field strength, and obtain the flow pattern of the refrigerant flowing out of the gas-liquid separator. The second execution module is used to control and adjust the working state of the compressor according to the flow pattern of the refrigerant satisfying the second set condition. The first setting condition is that the magnetic field strength is greater than the normal magnetic field strength; In the step of controlling and adjusting the operating state of the compressor according to the second preset condition based on the flow pattern of the refrigerant: The second setting condition is: in the refrigerant flowing out of the gas-liquid separator, the proportion of liquid refrigerant in the total refrigerant exceeds the first setting proportion; The step of obtaining the flow pattern of the refrigerant flowing out of the gas-liquid separator specifically includes: Obtain the temperature of the refrigerant flowing out of the gas-liquid separator; The proportion of liquid refrigerant in the total refrigerant is obtained based on the refrigerant temperature and the magnetic field strength.

9. An air conditioner, comprising a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, characterized in that, When the processor executes the program, it implements the air conditioner execution method as described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

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