Air conditioner and control method of air conditioner

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of air conditioners and particularly provides an air conditioner and an air conditioner control method.The air conditioner comprises a compressor, an indoor heat exchanger and an outdoor heat exchanger which are arranged on a refrigerant circulation loop, and the outdoor heat exchanger comprises a first heat exchange area and a second heat exchange area which are separated from each other; the first heat exchange area is arranged on the refrigerant circulation loop; one end of the refrigerant branch is arranged in front of an inlet of the first heat exchange area, the other end of the refrigerant branch is arranged behind an outlet of the first heat exchange area, and the second heat exchange area is arranged on the refrigerant branch; the first throttling valve is arranged in front of an inlet of the first heat exchange area, and the second throttling valve is arranged behind an outlet of the first heat exchange area; the third throttle valve is arranged in front of an inlet of the second heat exchange area, and the fourth throttle valve is arranged behind an outlet of the second heat exchange area; and the fifth throttle valve is arranged between the indoor heat exchanger and the outdoor heat exchanger. In the defrosting process, opening and closing of the throttling valve are controlled, and the outdoor heat exchanger can be defrosted in a partitioned mode while continuous indoor heating is achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of air conditioners, and in particular provides an air conditioner and a control method for the air conditioner. Background Art

[0002] When the air conditioner is heating, the low-temperature refrigerant flows to the outdoor air conditioner, causing frost on the outdoor air conditioner. When the air conditioner is generally defrosted, it is necessary to turn off the compressor, change the flow direction of the four-way valve, and then restart the compressor to remove the frost by transferring the high-temperature refrigerant to the outdoor air conditioner. However, this operation requires starting and stopping the compressor, which consumes a lot of energy during the start and stop process, about five or six times that of normal operation. At the same time, frequent starting and stopping of the compressor will also affect the life of the compressor. Moreover, when the air conditioner is generally defrosted, the indoor unit needs to be stopped, which affects the user experience.

[0003] Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a new air conditioner to solve the problem that the existing air conditioner cannot heat the room during defrosting, resulting in a poor user experience. Summary of the invention

[0004] The present invention aims to solve the above technical problem, that is, to solve the problem that the existing air conditioner cannot heat the room during defrosting, resulting in poor user experience.

[0005] In a first aspect, the present invention provides an air conditioner, comprising: a refrigerant circulation loop, and a compressor, an indoor heat exchanger and an outdoor heat exchanger arranged on the refrigerant circulation loop, wherein the outdoor heat exchanger comprises a first heat exchange area and a second heat exchange area separated from each other, and the first heat exchange area is arranged on the refrigerant circulation loop;

[0006] A refrigerant branch, one end of which is arranged before the inlet of the first heat exchange zone, and the other end of which is arranged after the outlet of the first heat exchange zone, and the second heat exchange zone is arranged on the refrigerant branch;

[0007] a first throttle valve and a second throttle valve, wherein the first throttle valve is arranged before the inlet of the first heat exchange zone, and the second throttle valve is arranged after the outlet of the first heat exchange zone;

[0008] a third throttle valve and a fourth throttle valve, wherein the third throttle valve is arranged before the inlet of the second heat exchange zone, and the fourth throttle valve is arranged after the outlet of the second heat exchange zone;

[0009] A fifth throttle valve is arranged on a pipeline between the indoor heat exchanger and the outdoor heat exchanger.

[0010] In the case of adopting the above technical solution, the air conditioner of the present invention can realize the zoned defrosting of the outdoor heat exchanger on the basis of continuous indoor heating by controlling the opening and closing of the throttle valve during defrosting. Among them, when the air conditioner is running for heating and defrosting, the air conditioner is running for heating, and a part of the high-temperature and high-pressure liquid refrigerant coming out of the indoor heat exchanger enters one of the outdoor heat exchange areas for defrosting, and the other part of the high-temperature and high-pressure liquid refrigerant is throttled into a low-temperature and low-pressure gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant, and then enters another outdoor heat exchange area to exchange heat with the outside world, which plays the role of an evaporator. Since the single defrosting area is reduced, the defrosting effect of the outdoor unit is better. In addition, the compressor can maintain continuous heating, reduce the frequency of start and stop, thereby ensuring the normal service life of the compressor and improving the user experience during defrosting.

[0011] In an optional technical solution of the above air conditioner, the first heat exchange area is arranged above the second heat exchange area.

[0012] In the case of adopting the above technical solution, in order to prevent the frost water from dripping to the lower heat exchange area after defrosting the upper heat exchange area, causing the frost water to freeze again in the lower heat exchange area, the present invention can also first defrost the upper first heat exchange area and then defrost the lower second heat exchange area. After the frost layer in the first heat exchange area melts, even if the frost water flows to the second heat exchange area, it can be removed together when the second heat exchange area is defrosted.

[0013] The present invention also provides a method for controlling an air conditioner, wherein the air conditioner is the air conditioner described in any of the above technical solutions;

[0014] The control method comprises:

[0015] The air conditioner enters a heating and defrosting mode;

[0016] The first throttle valve, the fourth throttle valve and the fifth throttle valve are all opened, the second throttle valve is closed, and the third throttle valve is throttled to defrost the first heat exchange area and perform normal heat exchange in the second heat exchange area.

[0017] In the case of adopting the above technical solution, when the first heat exchange zone is defrosted, the first throttle valve, the fourth throttle valve and the fifth throttle valve are all opened without throttling, the second throttle valve is closed, and the third throttle valve is partially opened to keep the throttling effect. A part of the high-temperature and high-pressure liquid refrigerant at the outlet of the indoor heat exchanger defrosts the outdoor heat exchanger in the upper half, and the other part is throttled by the third throttle valve to become a low-temperature and low-pressure gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant and enters the outdoor heat exchanger in the lower half. The outdoor heat exchanger in the lower half acts as an evaporator to continue to absorb heat, and operates together with the indoor unit to ensure continuous indoor heating.

[0018] In the optional technical solution of the control method of the air conditioner, after the step of "the first throttle valve, the fourth throttle valve and the fifth throttle valve are all opened, the second throttle valve is closed, and the third throttle valve is throttled to defrost the first heat exchange area and perform normal heat exchange in the second heat exchange area", the control method further includes:

[0019] The second throttle valve, the third throttle valve and the fifth throttle valve are controlled to be all opened, the fourth throttle valve is closed, and the first throttle valve is throttled, so as to defrost the second heat exchange area and perform normal heat exchange in the first heat exchange area.

[0020] When the above technical solution is adopted, when the second heat exchange zone is defrosted, the second throttle valve, the third throttle valve and the fifth throttle valve are controlled to be fully opened, the fourth throttle valve is closed, and the first throttle valve is partially opened for throttling. The high-temperature and high-pressure liquid refrigerant defrosts the second heat exchange zone, and the first heat exchange zone exchanges heat with the outside to maintain indoor heating.

[0021] In the optional technical solution of the control method of the air conditioner, after the step of "the first throttle valve, the fourth throttle valve and the fifth throttle valve are all opened, the second throttle valve is closed, and the third throttle valve is throttled to defrost the first heat exchange area and perform normal heat exchange in the second heat exchange area", the control method further includes:

[0022] Obtaining the temperature of the first heat exchange zone;

[0023] When the temperature of the first heat exchange zone is greater than the first preset temperature, the second throttle valve, the third throttle valve and the fifth throttle valve are controlled to be all opened, the fourth throttle valve is closed, and the first throttle valve is throttled to defrost the second heat exchange zone and perform conventional heat exchange in the first heat exchange zone.

[0024] When the above technical solution is adopted, the temperature of the first heat exchange zone is detected when the first heat exchange zone is defrosted. When the temperature of the first heat exchange zone is greater than the first preset temperature, it indicates that the frost layer of the first heat exchange zone has melted and the defrosting is completed. Then, the throttle valve is switched on and off to defrost the second heat exchange zone.

[0025] In the optional technical solution of the control method of the air conditioner, after the step of "controlling the second throttle valve, the third throttle valve and the fifth throttle valve to be all opened, the fourth throttle valve to be closed, and the first throttle valve to be throttled, so as to defrost the second heat exchange area and use the first heat exchange area for normal heat exchange", the control method further includes:

[0026] Obtaining the temperature of the second heat exchange zone;

[0027] When the temperature of the second heat exchange area is greater than the first preset temperature, the air conditioner is controlled to operate in a conventional heating mode.

[0028] When the above technical solution is adopted, when the temperature of the second heat exchange zone is greater than the first preset temperature, it indicates that the defrosting of the second heat exchange zone is completed.

[0029] In an optional technical solution of the above-mentioned air conditioner control method, the control method further includes:

[0030] The air conditioner enters a conventional heating mode;

[0031] The first throttle valve, the second throttle valve, the third throttle valve and the fourth throttle valve are controlled to be all opened, and the fifth throttle valve is throttled, so that the first heat exchange zone and the second heat exchange zone all perform normal heat exchange.

[0032] When the above technical solution is adopted, the fifth throttle valve is partially opened for throttling, and the other throttle valves are fully opened and have no throttling effect. The first heat exchange zone and the second heat exchange zone all act as evaporators and cooperate with the indoor unit to heat the indoor room.

[0033] In the optional technical solution of the control method of the air conditioner, after the step of "the air conditioner enters a heating and defrosting mode", the control method includes:

[0034] The compressor is controlled to increase the operating frequency.

[0035] When the above technical solution is adopted, after the air conditioner enters the heating and defrosting mode, the frequency of the compressor is increased, thereby improving the defrosting efficiency and ensuring the stability of the indoor temperature.

[0036] In an optional technical solution of the above-mentioned air conditioner control method, after the step of "the air conditioner enters a heating and defrosting mode", the control method further includes:

[0037] Obtaining the accumulated running time of the heating and defrosting mode;

[0038] When the operating time exceeds a preset time, it is determined that defrosting of the first heat exchange area or the second heat exchange area is completed.

[0039] When the above technical solution is adopted, whether the defrosting is completed is determined by obtaining the accumulated running time of the defrosting mode.

[0040] The present invention also provides a method for controlling an air conditioner, wherein the air conditioner comprises the air conditioner described in any one of the above technical solutions;

[0041] The control method comprises:

[0042] The air conditioner enters a heating and defrosting mode;

[0043] The first throttle valve, the fourth throttle valve and the fifth throttle valve are all opened, the second throttle valve is closed, and the third throttle valve is throttled to defrost the first heat exchange area and perform normal heat exchange in the second heat exchange area.

[0044] It can be understood by those skilled in the art that the air conditioner of the present invention includes a refrigerant circulation loop, and a compressor, an indoor heat exchanger and an outdoor heat exchanger arranged on the refrigerant circulation loop, wherein the outdoor heat exchanger includes a first heat exchange zone and a second heat exchange zone separated from each other, and the first heat exchange zone is arranged on the refrigerant circulation loop; it also includes a refrigerant branch, one end of the refrigerant branch is arranged before the inlet of the first heat exchange zone, and the other end is arranged after the outlet of the first heat exchange zone, and the second heat exchange zone is arranged on the refrigerant branch; it also includes a first throttle valve and a second throttle valve, the first throttle valve is arranged before the inlet of the first heat exchange zone, and the second throttle valve is arranged after the outlet of the first heat exchange zone; it also includes a third throttle valve and a fourth throttle valve, the third throttle valve is arranged before the inlet of the second heat exchange zone, and the fourth throttle valve is arranged after the outlet of the second heat exchange zone; it also includes a fifth throttle valve, and the fifth throttle valve is arranged on the pipeline between the indoor heat exchanger and the outdoor heat exchanger.

[0045] In the case of adopting the above technical solution, the air conditioner of the present invention can realize the zoned defrosting of the outdoor heat exchanger on the basis of continuous indoor heating by controlling the opening and closing of the throttle valve during defrosting. Among them, when the air conditioner is running for heating and defrosting, the air conditioner is running for heating, and a part of the high-temperature and high-pressure liquid refrigerant coming out of the indoor heat exchanger enters one of the outdoor heat exchange areas for defrosting, and the other part of the high-temperature and high-pressure liquid refrigerant is throttled into a low-temperature and low-pressure gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant, and then enters another outdoor heat exchange area to exchange heat with the outside world, which plays the role of an evaporator. Since the single defrosting area is reduced, the defrosting effect of the outdoor unit is better. In addition, the compressor can maintain continuous heating, reduce the frequency of start and stop, thereby ensuring the normal service life of the compressor and improving the user experience during defrosting. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0046] The preferred embodiments of the present invention are described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0047] Figure 1 is a structural schematic diagram of an air conditioner of the present invention;

[0048] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of an outdoor heat exchanger of the present invention;

[0049] Figure 3 It is a flow chart of the main steps of the control method of the air conditioner of the present invention;

[0050] Figure 4 It is a flow chart of the specific steps of the control method of the air conditioner of the present invention.

[0051] List of reference numerals:

[0052] 1. compressor; 2. four-way valve; 3. indoor heat exchanger; 41. first heat exchange zone; 42. second heat exchange zone;

[0053] 5. Refrigerant circulation circuit;

[0054] 6. Refrigerant branch;

[0055] 71. First throttle valve; 72. Second throttle valve; 73. Third throttle valve; 74. Fourth throttle valve; 75. Fifth throttle valve. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0056] The preferred embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that these embodiments are only used to explain the technical principles of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make adjustments to them as needed to adapt to specific application scenarios.

[0057] It should be noted that in the description of the present invention, the terms "upper", "lower", "left", "right" and the like indicating directions or positional relationships are based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the drawings, which are only for the convenience of description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the present invention. In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0058] In addition, it should be noted that in the description of the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installation" and "connection" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection; it can be a direct connection, or it can be indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, or it can be the internal communication of two components. For those skilled in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0059] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2, in order to solve the problem that the existing air conditioner cannot heat the indoor environment during defrosting, resulting in a poor user experience. The present invention provides an air conditioner including an indoor unit and an outdoor unit and a refrigerant circulation loop 5 arranged between the indoor unit and the outdoor unit, wherein the indoor unit includes an indoor heat exchanger 3, and the outdoor unit includes an outdoor heat exchanger, a four-way valve 2, a fan and a compressor 1. The compressor 1, the four-way valve 2, the indoor heat exchanger 3 and the outdoor heat exchanger are all arranged on the refrigerant circulation loop 5, and the refrigerant circulates between the indoor and outdoor through the refrigerant circulation loop 5 to exchange heat with the indoor environment through the indoor unit, thereby meeting the user's heat exchange needs, and the fan is used for heat dissipation of the outdoor unit and accelerating air flow. During use, the user can control the operation of the air conditioner by setting the temperature.

[0060] The outdoor heat exchanger includes a first heat exchange area 41 and a second heat exchange area 42 separated from each other, the first heat exchange area 41 is arranged on the refrigerant circulation loop 5, and the first heat exchange area 41 is located above the second heat exchange area 42. Specifically, the first heat exchange area 41 includes a first heat exchange tube group, and the second heat exchange area 42 includes a second heat exchange tube group. The first heat exchange tube group and the second heat exchange tube group are not connected.

[0061] Continue to refer to Figure 1 The air conditioner also includes a refrigerant branch 6, one end of which is arranged on the pipeline before the inlet of the first heat exchange area 41, and the other end is arranged on the pipeline after the outlet of the first heat exchange area 41, and the second heat exchange area 42 is arranged on the refrigerant branch 6.

[0062] The air conditioner further includes a first throttle valve 71 and a second throttle valve 72 disposed on the refrigerant circulation loop 5, wherein the first throttle valve 71 is disposed before the inlet of the first heat exchange area 41, and the second throttle valve 72 is disposed after the outlet of the first heat exchange area 41;

[0063] The air conditioner further includes a third throttle valve 73 and a fourth throttle valve 74 disposed on the refrigerant branch 6, the third throttle valve 73 being disposed before the inlet of the second heat exchange area 42, and the fourth throttle valve 74 being disposed after the outlet of the second heat exchange area 42;

[0064] The air conditioner further includes a fifth throttle valve 75, which is disposed on the pipeline between the indoor heat exchanger 3 and the outdoor heat exchanger.

[0065] The refrigerant circulation loop 5 is a process in which the air conditioner compresses the low-temperature and low-pressure gaseous refrigerant into a high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous refrigerant during conventional heating. The high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous refrigerant releases heat in the indoor heat exchanger 3 (condenser) and condenses into a high-temperature and high-pressure liquid refrigerant. The refrigerant is throttled by a throttle valve to become a low-temperature and low-pressure gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant, which enters the outdoor heat exchanger (evaporator) to absorb heat and then evaporates into a low-temperature and low-pressure gaseous refrigerant. The gaseous refrigerant is then sucked into the compressor 1 and compressed to enter the next cycle. During the whole process, the refrigerant releases heat in the indoor heat exchanger 3 and absorbs heat in the outdoor heat exchanger to achieve the purpose of heating.

[0066] The air conditioner of the present invention can realize the zoned defrosting of the outdoor heat exchanger on the basis of continuous indoor heating by controlling the opening and closing of the throttle valve during defrosting. Among them, when the air conditioner is running for heating and defrosting, the air conditioner is running for heating, and a part of the high-temperature and high-pressure liquid refrigerant coming out of the indoor heat exchanger 3 enters one of the outdoor heat exchange areas for defrosting, and the other part of the high-temperature and high-pressure liquid refrigerant is throttled into a low-temperature and low-pressure gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant, and then enters another outdoor heat exchange area to exchange heat with the outside world, which plays the role of an evaporator. Since the single defrosting area is reduced, the defrosting effect of the outdoor unit is better. In addition, the compressor can maintain continuous heating, reduce the frequency of start and stop, thereby ensuring the normal service life of the compressor 1 and improving the user experience during defrosting.

[0067] In addition, in order to prevent the frost water from dripping to the lower heat exchange area after defrosting the upper heat exchange area, causing the frost water to freeze again in the lower heat exchange area, the present invention can also first defrost the upper first heat exchange area 41 and then defrost the lower second heat exchange area 42. After the frost layer of the first heat exchange area 41 melts, even if the frost water flows to the second heat exchange area 42, it can be removed together when the second heat exchange area 42 is defrosted.

[0068] Furthermore, the air conditioner further includes a temperature sensor and a controller. The temperature sensor can detect the temperature of the outdoor heat exchanger, and there is no restriction on the detection position of the outdoor heat exchanger. Those skilled in the art can set it by themselves according to their needs. The controller can obtain the temperature of the outdoor heat exchanger, and the controller can also control the operating state of the air conditioner, for example, control the start and stop of the outdoor unit and control the frequency of the compressor 1. Those skilled in the art can understand that the present invention does not impose any restrictions on the specific structure and model of the controller, and the technicians can set the structure and model of the controller by themselves according to actual use requirements.

[0069] The present invention also provides a method for controlling an air conditioner. In a possible implementation manner, referring to Figure 3 , the control method mainly includes the following steps:

[0070] Step S10: the air conditioner enters a heating and defrosting mode;

[0071] Step S20: the first throttle valve, the fourth throttle valve and the fifth throttle valve are all opened, the second throttle valve is closed, and the third throttle valve is throttled, so as to defrost the first heat exchange area and perform normal heat exchange in the second heat exchange area.

[0072] When using the air conditioner, the user sends a command to run the defrost mode to the air conditioner through a button or a remote control, and the air conditioner enters the defrost mode after receiving the command to run the defrost mode. The present invention performs defrosting operation while heating. Specifically, when defrosting the first heat exchange area 41, the first throttle valve 71, the fourth throttle valve 74 and the fifth throttle valve 75 are all opened without throttling, the second throttle valve 72 is closed, and the third throttle valve 73 is partially opened to keep the throttling effect. A part of the high-temperature and high-pressure liquid refrigerant at the outlet of the indoor heat exchanger 3 defrosts the outdoor heat exchanger in the upper half, and the other part is throttled by the third throttle valve 73 to become a low-temperature and low-pressure gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant and enters the outdoor heat exchanger in the lower half. The outdoor heat exchanger in the lower half acts as an evaporator to continue to absorb heat, and operates together with the indoor unit to ensure continuous indoor heating.

[0073] Reference Figure 4 In a possible implementation manner, the specific steps of the control method are as follows:

[0074] Step S31: the air conditioner enters a heating and defrosting mode;

[0075] Step S32: the first throttle valve, the fourth throttle valve and the fifth throttle valve are all opened, the second throttle valve is closed, and the third throttle valve is throttled, so as to defrost the first heat exchange area and perform normal heat exchange in the second heat exchange area;

[0076] Step S33: obtaining the temperature of the first heat exchange zone;

[0077] Step S34: when the temperature of the first heat exchange zone is greater than the first preset temperature, the second throttle valve, the third throttle valve and the fifth throttle valve are all controlled to be opened, the fourth throttle valve is closed, and the first throttle valve is throttled, so as to defrost the second heat exchange zone and perform normal heat exchange in the first heat exchange zone;

[0078] Step S35: obtaining the temperature of the second heat exchange zone;

[0079] Step S36: when the temperature of the second heat exchange area is greater than the first preset temperature, the air conditioner is controlled to operate in a conventional heating mode;

[0080] Step S37: Control the first throttle valve, the second throttle valve, the third throttle valve, and the fourth throttle valve to all be opened, and the fifth throttle valve to be throttled, so that the first heat exchange zone and the second heat exchange zone can all perform normal heat exchange.

[0081] Steps S33 to S37, when the first heat exchange zone 41 is defrosted, the temperature of the first heat exchange zone 41 is detected. When the temperature of the first heat exchange zone 41 is greater than the first preset temperature, it indicates that the frost layer of the first heat exchange zone 41 has melted and the defrosting is completed, and the throttle valve is switched on and off to defrost the second heat exchange zone 42. When the second heat exchange zone 42 is defrosted, the second throttle valve 72, the third throttle valve 73 and the fifth throttle valve 75 are controlled to be fully opened, the fourth throttle valve 74 is closed, and the first throttle valve 71 is partially opened for throttling, and the high-temperature and high-pressure liquid refrigerant defrosts the second heat exchange zone 42, and the first heat exchange zone 41 exchanges heat with the outside. Similarly, when the temperature of the second heat exchange zone 42 is greater than the first preset temperature, it indicates that the defrosting of the second heat exchange zone 42 is completed. The throttle valve is switched on and off, and the air conditioner operates in conventional heating mode to provide heat to the room, wherein the fifth throttle valve 75 is partially opened for throttling, and the first heat exchange area 41 and the second heat exchange area 42 both act as evaporators and cooperate with the indoor unit to heat the room.

[0082] Of course, in addition to judging whether defrosting is completed by detecting the temperatures of the first heat exchange area 41 and the second heat exchange area 42, those skilled in the art can also judge whether defrosting is completed by obtaining the accumulated running time of the defrost mode. The specific steps include:

[0083] Steps: Obtain the cumulative running time of the heating and defrosting mode;

[0084] Step: When the operating time exceeds the preset time, it is determined that the defrosting of the first heat exchange area or the second heat exchange area is completed.

[0085] After the air conditioner enters the heating and defrosting mode, the frequency of the compressor 1 is increased, thereby improving the defrosting efficiency and ensuring a stable indoor temperature.

[0086] It should also be noted that, although for better defrosting effect, the present invention first defrosts the upper outdoor heat exchanger part and then defrosts the lower outdoor heat exchanger part to prevent the defrosted water from falling on the lower outdoor heat exchanger and freezing. However, this is not intended to limit the order of defrosting the upper and lower parts. Those skilled in the art can also defrost the lower part first and then the upper part according to actual needs. The present invention does not impose any restrictions on this, and all fall within the scope of protection of the present invention. In addition, although the present invention is described with the first heat exchange zone 41 and the second heat exchange zone 42 arranged up and down, those skilled in the art will know that the first heat exchange zone 41 and the second heat exchange zone 42 can also be arranged left and right, and all fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0087] In summary, the air conditioner of the present invention can achieve zoned defrosting of the outdoor heat exchanger while heating, which not only reduces the start and stop frequency of the compressor 1 but also maintains indoor heating during defrosting, thereby ensuring the normal service life of the compressor 1 and improving the user experience.

[0088] As stated in the first paragraph of this section, the above implementation mode is only used to illustrate the principles of the present invention and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Without departing from the principles of the present invention, those skilled in the art can adjust the above structure so that the present invention can be applied to more specific application scenarios.

[0089] In addition, the air conditioner of the present invention further comprises a memory and a processor, wherein the memory is suitable for storing a plurality of program codes, and the program codes are suitable for being loaded and run by the processor to execute the control method of the air conditioner described in any of the above-mentioned embodiments.

[0090] Those skilled in the art can understand that the above-mentioned air conditioner also includes some other well-known structures, the memory includes but is not limited to random access memory, flash memory, read-only memory, programmable read-only memory, volatile memory, non-volatile memory, serial memory, parallel memory or register, etc., and the processor includes but is not limited to CPLD / FPGA, DSP, ARM processor, MIPS processor, etc. In order to unnecessarily obscure the embodiments of the present disclosure, these well-known structures are not shown in the drawings.

[0091] Although the various steps in the above embodiment are described in the above order, those skilled in the art can understand that in order to achieve the effect of the present embodiment, different steps do not have to be executed in such an order, and they can be executed simultaneously (in parallel) or in a reverse order. For example, those skilled in the art can set the order of the steps as needed, and all of them fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0092] So far, the technical solutions of the present invention have been described in conjunction with the preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. However, it is easy for those skilled in the art to understand that the protection scope of the present invention is obviously not limited to these specific embodiments. Without departing from the principle of the present invention, those skilled in the art can make equivalent changes or substitutions to the relevant technical features, and the technical solutions after these changes or substitutions will fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An air conditioner, characterized in that: The air conditioner comprises: A refrigerant circulation loop, and a compressor, an indoor heat exchanger and an outdoor heat exchanger arranged on the refrigerant circulation loop, wherein the outdoor heat exchanger comprises a first heat exchange area and a second heat exchange area separated from each other, and the first heat exchange area is arranged on the refrigerant circulation loop; A refrigerant branch, one end of which is arranged before the inlet of the first heat exchange zone, and the other end of which is arranged after the outlet of the first heat exchange zone, and the second heat exchange zone is arranged on the refrigerant branch; a first throttle valve and a second throttle valve, wherein the first throttle valve is arranged before the inlet of the first heat exchange zone, and the second throttle valve is arranged after the outlet of the first heat exchange zone; a third throttle valve and a fourth throttle valve, wherein the third throttle valve is arranged before the inlet of the second heat exchange zone, and the fourth throttle valve is arranged after the outlet of the second heat exchange zone; A fifth throttle valve is arranged on a pipeline between the indoor heat exchanger and the outdoor heat exchanger.

2. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first heat exchange zone is arranged above the second heat exchange zone.

3. A method for controlling an air conditioner, characterized in that: The air conditioner is the air conditioner according to claim 1 or 2; The control method comprises: The air conditioner enters a heating and defrosting mode; The first throttle valve, the fourth throttle valve and the fifth throttle valve are all opened, the second throttle valve is closed, and the third throttle valve is throttled to defrost the first heat exchange area and perform normal heat exchange in the second heat exchange area.

4. The control method of the air conditioner according to claim 3, characterized in that: After the step of "the first throttle valve, the fourth throttle valve and the fifth throttle valve are all opened, the second throttle valve is closed, and the third throttle valve is throttled, so as to defrost the first heat exchange area and perform normal heat exchange in the second heat exchange area", the control method further includes: The second throttle valve, the third throttle valve and the fifth throttle valve are controlled to be all opened, the fourth throttle valve is closed, and the first throttle valve is throttled, so as to defrost the second heat exchange area and perform normal heat exchange in the first heat exchange area.

5. The air conditioner control method according to claim 3, characterized in that: After the step of "the first throttle valve, the fourth throttle valve and the fifth throttle valve are all opened, the second throttle valve is closed, and the third throttle valve is throttled, so as to defrost the first heat exchange area and perform normal heat exchange in the second heat exchange area", the control method further includes: Obtaining the temperature of the first heat exchange zone; When the temperature of the first heat exchange zone is greater than the first preset temperature, the second throttle valve, the third throttle valve and the fifth throttle valve are controlled to be all opened, the fourth throttle valve is closed, and the first throttle valve is throttled to defrost the second heat exchange zone and perform conventional heat exchange in the first heat exchange zone.

6. The air conditioner control method according to claim 5, characterized in that: After the step of "controlling the second throttle valve, the third throttle valve and the fifth throttle valve to all be opened, the fourth throttle valve to be closed, and the first throttle valve to be throttled, so as to defrost the second heat exchange area and use the first heat exchange area for conventional heat exchange", the control method further includes: Obtaining the temperature of the second heat exchange zone; When the temperature of the second heat exchange area is greater than the first preset temperature, the air conditioner is controlled to operate in a conventional heating mode.

7. The air conditioner control method according to claim 3, characterized in that: The control method further comprises: The air conditioner enters a conventional heating mode; The first throttle valve, the second throttle valve, the third throttle valve and the fourth throttle valve are controlled to be all opened, and the fifth throttle valve is throttled, so that the first heat exchange zone and the second heat exchange zone all perform normal heat exchange.

8. The air conditioner control method according to claim 3, characterized in that: After the step of "the air conditioner enters the heating and defrosting mode", the control method includes: The compressor is controlled to increase the operating frequency.

9. The air conditioner control method according to claim 3, characterized in that: After the step of "the air conditioner enters the heating and defrosting mode", the control method further includes: Obtaining the accumulated running time of the heating and defrosting mode; When the operating time exceeds a preset time, it is determined that defrosting of the first heat exchange area or the second heat exchange area is completed.

10. A method for controlling an air conditioner, characterized in that: The air conditioner comprises the air conditioner according to claim 1 or 2; The control method comprises: The air conditioner enters a heating and defrosting mode; The first throttle valve, the fourth throttle valve and the fifth throttle valve are all opened, the second throttle valve is closed, and the third throttle valve is throttled to defrost the first heat exchange area and perform normal heat exchange in the second heat exchange area.

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