Control method of air conditioner, medium and equipment

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of household appliances, particularly provides a control method of an air conditioner, a medium and equipment, and aims to solve the technical problems that the refrigeration / heating efficiency of the air conditioner is reduced and the energy consumption is increased in extreme weather to a certain extent. In order to achieve the purpose, the control method of the air conditioner comprises the steps that the outdoor temperature is obtained; a first time point is determined according to the change trend of the outdoor temperature along with time; the operation mode of the air conditioner is determined according to the first time point, and the step of determining the operation mode of the air conditioner according to the first time point comprises the substeps that if the air conditioner is in a conventional mode at the first time point, the air conditioner is switched to an energy release mode from the first time point.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of household appliances, and specifically provides a control method, medium and equipment for an air conditioner. Background Art

[0002] In extremely high or low temperature environments, the cooling and heating efficiency of the air conditioner compressor will decrease or even fail to work properly, and the power consumption will increase significantly. Therefore, a new air conditioner with cold storage / heat storage function is proposed. Taking the cold storage function as an example, the energy storage module can store part of the cold energy of the heat exchange medium when the cold demand is low (for example, when the outdoor temperature is low), and use the stored cold energy for cooling when the cold demand is high (for example, when the outdoor temperature is high).

[0003] In the prior art, whether to enter the energy release mode is usually determined based on a preset temperature value or a preset time period. However, the outdoor temperature range changes every day, and the time period when extreme temperatures occur is not fixed. The above method is difficult to ensure that the air conditioner enters the energy release mode during the period when extreme weather occurs, and thus cannot effectively solve the technical problem of reduced cooling / heating efficiency and increased energy consumption of the air conditioner in extreme weather.

[0004] Accordingly, the art needs to provide a new technical solution to solve the above problems. Summary of the invention

[0005] In order to at least partially overcome the above-mentioned defects, the present invention is proposed. Specifically, the present invention provides a control method, medium and device for an air conditioner that can at least partially solve the technical problem of reduced cooling / heating efficiency and increased energy consumption of the air conditioner in extreme weather.

[0006] A first aspect of the present invention provides a control method for an air conditioner, wherein the air conditioner includes a heat exchange module, a compressor and an energy storage module, and the operating modes of the air conditioner include a normal mode and an energy release mode. When the air conditioner is in the normal mode, a heat exchange medium circulates between the compressor and the heat exchange module, and when the air conditioner is in the energy release mode, the heat exchange medium circulates between the energy storage module and the heat exchange module. The method includes: obtaining the outdoor temperature; determining a first time point according to a trend of the outdoor temperature changing over time; determining the operating mode of the air conditioner according to the first time point; wherein, the "determining the operating mode of the air conditioner according to the first time point" includes: if the air conditioner is in the normal mode at the first time point, switching the air conditioner to the energy release mode from the first time point.

[0007] In this embodiment, the time point for entering the energy release mode is determined according to the changing trend of the outdoor temperature over time, that is, the time point is determined by comprehensively considering the changes in temperature in various time periods. As a result, the cold or heat stored in the energy storage module can be used relatively accurately during the coldest or hottest period of the day, effectively solving the technical problems of reduced cooling / heating efficiency and increased energy consumption of the air conditioner in extreme weather, and obtaining better cooling and heating effects.

[0008] In a technical solution of the above method, the "determining the operating mode of the air conditioner according to the first time point" includes: if the air conditioner is in an off state at the first time point and receives an instruction to turn on the air conditioner within a set time from the first time point, then the air conditioner is turned on and enters the energy release mode at the same time or after receiving the instruction.

[0009] With such a configuration, if the user turns on the air conditioner within a period of time after the first time point, the air conditioner will also enter the energy release mode, thereby bringing a better user experience.

[0010] In a technical solution of the above method, the method includes: in the step of "if the air conditioner is in the normal mode at the first time point, then switching the air conditioner to the energy discharge mode from the first time point", after switching the air conditioner to the energy discharge mode, the method includes: obtaining the temperature of the heat exchange medium entering and flowing out of the energy storage module; when the difference in the temperature of the heat exchange medium entering and flowing out of the energy storage module is less than the set difference, switching the air conditioner to the normal mode.

[0011] Through such a structure, the energy storage module can automatically exit the energy release mode when the cold or heat stored in the energy storage module is exhausted, thereby ensuring the user experience.

[0012] In a technical solution of the above method, the "obtaining outdoor temperature" includes: obtaining the outdoor temperatures of multiple recorded historical time nodes.

[0013] Through such a configuration, an optional way of obtaining the outdoor temperature is provided.

[0014] In a technical solution of the above method, the operating mode of the air conditioner includes an energy storage mode, and the energy storage mode includes a first energy storage mode. When the air conditioner is in the first energy storage mode, a part of the heat exchange medium flowing out of the compressor flows to the heat exchange module, and the other part flows to the energy storage module. The method also includes: when the storage amount of the energy storage module is less than a first set value, determining a second time point according to a trend of outdoor temperature changes over time; determining the operating mode of the air conditioner according to the second time point; wherein, the "determining the operating mode of the air conditioner according to the second time point" includes: if the air conditioner is in the normal mode at the second time point, switching the air conditioner to the first energy storage mode from the second time point.

[0015] In this embodiment, the second time point for entering the energy storage mode is determined according to the trend of the outdoor temperature changing over time, thereby avoiding indoor temperature fluctuations during energy storage that affect user experience.

[0016] In a technical solution of the above method, the energy storage mode includes a second energy storage mode. When the air conditioner is in the second energy storage mode, all the heat exchange medium flowing out of the compressor flows to the energy storage module. The "determining the operating mode of the air conditioner according to the second time point" includes: if the air conditioner is in a turned-off state at the second time point, then the air conditioner is turned on from the second time point and enters the second energy storage mode.

[0017] With such a configuration, even when the user is not using the air conditioner, energy can be automatically stored for subsequent use.

[0018] In a technical solution of the above method, the method includes: in the step of "if the air conditioner is in the normal mode at the second time point, then the air conditioner is switched to the first energy storage mode from the second time point", after the air conditioner is switched to the first energy storage mode, the method includes: obtaining the current storage amount of the energy storage module; when the current storage amount reaches a second set value, the air conditioner exits the first energy storage mode.

[0019] With such a configuration, energy storage can be automatically terminated after the energy storage module is fully charged with cold or heat, thereby avoiding energy waste.

[0020] In a technical solution of the above method, the method includes: when the air conditioner is in the first energy storage mode, determining a third time point according to the changing trend of the outdoor temperature over time; determining the operating mode of the air conditioner according to the third time point; wherein, the "determining the operating mode of the air conditioner according to the third time point" means that if the air conditioner is still in the first energy storage mode at the third time point, then even if the storage amount of the energy storage module has not reached the second set value, the air conditioner is still switched to the normal mode from the third time point.

[0021] This structure can avoid indoor temperature fluctuations caused by energy storage and affect user experience.

[0022] A second aspect of an embodiment of the present invention provides a computer-readable storage medium, which is suitable for storing multiple program codes, and the program codes are suitable for being loaded and run by a processor to execute the control method of the air conditioner as described in any of the above technical solutions.

[0023] A third aspect of an embodiment of the present invention provides a computer device, comprising a memory and a processor, wherein the memory is suitable for storing a plurality of program codes, and when the program codes are executed by the processor, the air conditioner control method as described in any of the above technical solutions can be implemented.

[0024] It can be understood that the computer-readable storage medium and the computer device have all the technical effects of the method described in any of the above items, which will not be repeated here. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] The disclosure of the present invention will become more easily understood with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is easy for those skilled in the art to understand that these drawings are only for illustrative purposes and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. In addition, similar numbers in the figures are used to represent similar components, among which:

[0026] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the working principle of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 2 is a flow chart of a method for controlling an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] Some 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 protection scope of the present invention.

[0029] The embodiment of the present invention first provides a control method for an air conditioner. The method is directed to a type of air conditioner with cold / heat storage functions. The working principle of this type of air conditioner will be described below.

[0030] Reference Figure 1 The air conditioner includes a heat exchange module 1, a compressor 2 and an energy storage module 3.

[0031] The heat exchange module 1 is usually configured in the indoor unit of the air conditioner, which usually includes an evaporator. The heat exchange medium can flow in the evaporator and exchange heat with the indoor air, thereby achieving cooling or heating.

[0032] The compressor 2 is usually arranged in the outdoor unit of the air conditioner, which can be connected to the heat exchange module 1. Taking refrigeration as an example, the compressor can compress the gaseous heat exchange medium into a high-temperature and high-pressure gas, and send it to the condenser for cooling. After cooling, it becomes a medium-temperature and high-pressure liquid heat exchange medium. After the medium-temperature liquid heat exchange medium is throttled and reduced in pressure by the expansion valve, it becomes a low-temperature and low-pressure gas-liquid mixture, and is sent to the heat exchange module 1 to exchange heat with the air. During the heat exchange, it absorbs heat in the air and vaporizes, and becomes a gas, and then returns to the compressor 2 for compression.

[0033] The energy storage module 3 may include a container 31 storing an energy storage medium and a heat exchange pipeline 32 arranged in the container. The energy storage medium used for cold storage and heat storage is different. For example, the energy storage medium used for cold storage may be water storage or ethanol solution, and the energy storage medium used for heat storage may be an aqueous solution with a freezing point of 40-60 degrees Celsius, such as sodium acetate aqueous solution. Therefore, an opening 33 may be provided on the container 31, so that the user can use the opening 33 to replace the energy storage medium according to actual use needs, for example, in summer, the energy storage medium is replaced with a medium for cold storage, and in winter, the energy storage medium is replaced with a medium for heat storage. Furthermore, the wall surface of the container 31 may be provided with a thermal insulation layer 34, so that the loss of cold and heat stored in the energy storage medium can be reduced.

[0034] The heat exchange pipeline 32 can be connected in parallel to the circulation path between the heat exchange module 1 and the compressor 2, so that the heat exchange medium can exchange heat with the energy storage medium through the heat exchange pipeline 32. The heat exchange pipeline 32 can extend in a serpentine shape inside the container 31, thereby increasing the heat exchange area between the heat exchange medium in the heat exchange pipeline 32 and the energy storage medium.

[0035] The circulation passage between the energy storage module 3 and the heat exchange module 1 may be provided with a first stop valve 41 and a second stop valve 42, and the circulation passage between the heat exchange module 1 and the compressor 2 may be provided with a third stop valve 43 and a fourth stop valve 44. A three-way valve 45 may be provided at the parallel connection of the two passages, and the three openings of the three-way valve 45 correspond to the heat exchange module 1, the compressor 2 and the energy storage module 3 respectively. At the same time, a pump 46 may be provided on the circulation passage where the energy storage module 3 is located.

[0036] The operation mode of the air conditioner in this embodiment mainly involves three modes, namely, normal mode, energy release mode, and energy storage mode. Among them, the energy storage mode can include a first energy storage mode and a second energy storage mode. The operation of the air conditioner in the above operation modes will be described below by taking cold storage as an example.

[0037] When the air conditioner is in the energy discharging mode, the heat exchange module 1 performs cooling with the help of the cold stored in the energy storage module 3. In this case, the first stop valve 41, the second stop valve 42, the pump 46 and the two openings corresponding to the heat exchange module 1 and the energy storage module 2 in the three-way valve 45 are in an open state, and the compressor 2, the third stop valve 43, the fourth stop valve 44 and the opening corresponding to the compressor 2 in the three-way valve 45 are in a closed state. The heat exchange medium will circulate between the energy storage module 3 and the heat exchange module 1 under the drive of the pump 46. The heat exchange medium flowing to the energy storage module 3 will exchange heat with the energy storage medium and be cooled, and then flow to the heat exchange module 1 to exchange heat with the air to achieve cooling.

[0038] When the air conditioner is in the first energy storage mode, the four stop valves, the three openings of the three-way valve 45 and the pump 46 are all in the open state. At this time, a part of the heat exchange medium flowing out of the compressor 2 will flow to the heat exchange module 1 to exchange heat with the air and then return to the compressor 2, and the other part will flow to the energy storage module 3 to exchange heat with the energy storage medium and then return to the compressor 2, thereby achieving cooling / heating and energy storage at the same time.

[0039] When the air conditioner is in the second energy storage mode, the heat exchange module 1 is in a closed state, the compressor 2 is in a running state, the four stop valves, the three-way valve 25 corresponding to the openings of the compressor 2 and the energy storage module 3 and the pump 46 are in an open state, and the three-way valve 25 corresponding to the opening of the heat exchange module 1 is closed. At this time, all the heat exchange medium flowing out of the compressor 2 will flow to the energy storage module 3 to exchange heat with the energy storage medium, and then return to the compressor 2, thereby realizing energy storage alone.

[0040] When the air conditioner is in normal mode, the air conditioner only uses the compressor 2 for cooling, and does not need to store cold energy, nor does it need to use the cold energy stored in the energy storage module 3 for cooling. At this time, the heat exchange module 1 and the compressor 2 are both in operation, the first stop valve 31, the second stop valve 42 and the pump 46 are in a closed state, and the third stop valve 43 and the fourth stop valve 44 are in an open state. In this case, the heat exchange medium will only circulate between the compressor 2 and the heat exchange module 1.

[0041] The working principle of the air conditioner with the energy storage module is described above by taking the cold storage function as an example. The principle of heat storage is the same as that of cold storage, and will not be repeated here. It can be understood that the structure described above is only an exemplary description, and those skilled in the art can also set the above modules into any other suitable structural form according to actual use requirements. At the same time, the specific structure of other parts of the air conditioner can refer to the air conditioner provided in the relevant technology in the field, and there is no limitation on this.

[0042] The following is a description of the method provided by the embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 , the control method of the air conditioner provided by the embodiment of the present invention includes:

[0043] Step S201: Obtain outdoor temperature.

[0044] Step S202: Determine a first time point according to a trend of outdoor temperature changes over time.

[0045] Step S203: Determine the operating mode of the air conditioner according to the first time point. Specifically, in this step, determining the operating mode of the air conditioner according to the first time point may include: if the air conditioner is in the normal mode at the first time point, switching the air conditioner to the energy release mode from the first time point.

[0046] It is understandable that the amount of cold or heat stored in the energy storage module is limited, and it can only meet the cooling and heating needs for a short period of time. Therefore, we should try to use the cold or heat stored in the energy storage module for cooling and heating during the coldest or hottest time of the day to fully utilize its advantages and obtain better cooling and heating effects.

[0047] As described above, the prior art usually chooses to enter the energy release mode when the outdoor temperature reaches a certain set value or during a specific period of time. However, the outdoor temperature varies in different ranges every day, and the coldest or hottest period of the day is not fixed. This results in that both of the above two methods cannot accurately enter the energy release mode during the coldest or hottest period of the day, and thus cannot effectively solve the technical problem of reduced cooling / heating efficiency and increased energy consumption of the air conditioner in extreme weather.

[0048] In the present embodiment, the time point for entering the energy release mode is determined according to the changing trend of the outdoor temperature over time, that is, the time point is determined by comprehensively considering the changes in temperature in various time periods. Thus, the energy release mode can be entered relatively accurately during the coldest or hottest period of the day, effectively solving the technical problem of reduced cooling / heating efficiency and increased energy consumption of the air conditioner in extreme weather, and obtaining better cooling and heating effects.

[0049] The specific implementation of the above steps will be described below.

[0050] In step S201, the outdoor temperature needs to be obtained. Here, the outdoor temperature of the historical time nodes recorded by the air conditioner can be obtained by communicating with the outdoor temperature sensor configured by the air conditioner, or the outdoor temperature of the future time nodes predicted in the weather forecast can be obtained with the help of the Internet, or both can be obtained.

[0051] Further, since it is necessary to determine the first time point based on the changing trend of the outdoor temperature over time in step S202, the outdoor temperature obtained in step S201 should include the outdoor temperatures at multiple time nodes, such as the outdoor temperatures at multiple historical time nodes and / or the outdoor temperatures at multiple future time nodes.

[0052] Since the first time point is a time point in the future, in order to accurately determine the first time point, the change trend of the outdoor temperature over time should be as close as possible to the change trend of the outdoor temperature at the future time node. Therefore, when obtaining the outdoor temperature of multiple historical time nodes, the multiple historical time nodes should be limited to a shorter time range from the current time node forward, for example, limited to the past 24 hours, or limited to the past two days, three days, etc. Similarly, when obtaining the outdoor temperature of multiple future time nodes, in order to ensure its accuracy, the multiple future time nodes should also be limited to a shorter time range from the current time node backward, for example, limited to the future 24 hours.

[0053] Furthermore, the durations between multiple historical time nodes and / or multiple future time nodes may be the same, such as obtaining the outdoor temperature at every hour in the past 24 hours. Obviously, the durations between multiple historical time nodes and / or multiple future time nodes may also be different.

[0054] After obtaining the outdoor temperature, the changing trend of the outdoor temperature over time can be further obtained. Specifically, the obtained outdoor temperatures can be sorted in time sequence to obtain the changing trend of the outdoor temperature over time. Obviously, technical personnel in this field can also use any other suitable method to perform data analysis on the obtained outdoor temperature to determine the changing trend of the outdoor temperature over time.

[0055] Next, the first time point can be determined according to the changing trend of the outdoor temperature over time. The first time point here is used as the time point for entering the energy release mode in step S203. As an example, the first time point can be the starting time point of a time period of the highest or lowest outdoor temperature determined according to the above-mentioned changing trend. The duration of the time period can be determined according to the approximate duration of the cold or heat stored in the energy storage module 3 to support the use of the heat exchange module 1. Taking cold storage as an example, assuming that the cold stored in the energy storage module 3 can be used for about two hours under ideal conditions, the two hours with the highest temperature in a day can be determined according to the changing trend of the outdoor temperature over time. Assuming that it is determined to be 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm, the first time point can be determined as 1:30 pm.

[0056] Obviously, the method for determining the first time point is not limited to this. For example, the first time point may also be a time point near the outdoor temperature extreme value indicated by the trend of change of the outdoor temperature over time. Assuming that the trend of change indicates that the highest temperature occurs at half past one, the first time point may be determined as half past twelve, one point, one fifteen, etc. Those skilled in the art may specifically determine the determination rule of the first time point according to actual conditions. It is only necessary to ensure as much as possible that the time period from the first time point to the exhaustion of the cold or heat stored in the energy storage module 3 is the time period with the highest (in the case of cold storage) or lowest (in the case of heat storage) outdoor temperature in a day.

[0057] After the first time point is determined, in step S203, the operation mode of the air conditioner can be determined according to the first time point. Specifically, if the air conditioner is in the normal mode at the first time point, that is, the user is using the air conditioner for cooling / heating, in this case, the air conditioner can enter the energy release mode from the first time point, so as to perform cooling / heating with the help of the cold / heat stored in the energy storage module 3. It should be noted that the energy release mode obviously needs to be entered under the premise that there is stored energy in the energy storage module 3. If there is no stored energy in the energy storage module 3, the energy release mode should obviously not be entered.

[0058] It is understandable that, since the weather changes every day, the above-mentioned change trend and the first time point are both time-sensitive, and the above-mentioned steps S201 and S202 should be performed regularly or irregularly to update the above-mentioned change trend, and update the first time point according to the change trend. Preferably, in the seasons when the energy storage module 3 needs to be used, such as winter or summer, it can be updated in a 24-hour cycle, for example, the above-mentioned steps S201 and S202 are performed once at 8 o'clock every morning. Obviously, those skilled in the art can use other update cycles and update frequencies to update the above-mentioned change trend and the first time point according to actual use requirements, and there is no limitation to this.

[0059] Further, it can be understood that the energy storage module 3 is mainly used to solve the problems of performance degradation and increased energy consumption of the compressor 2 in extreme weather. Therefore, after obtaining the change trend of the outdoor temperature over time in step S201, it can be determined whether there is a need to enter the energy release mode according to the extreme value of the outdoor temperature in the change trend. If there is a need to enter the energy release mode, step S202 is executed. If there is no need to enter the energy release mode, step S202 may not be executed. Obviously, those skilled in the art can also choose to perform the above steps S201 and S202 in summer and winter, without limitation.

[0060] In one possible usage scenario, taking cold storage as an example, the user may not use the air conditioner at a first point in time, but starts using the air conditioner at a point in time after the first point in time. At this time, the outdoor temperature may still be high, that is, there may still be a need for cooling with the help of the cold energy stored in the energy storage module 3.

[0061] To this end, in a possible implementation, determining the operating mode of the air conditioner according to the first time point in step S203 may include: if the air conditioner is in an off state at the first time point, but receives an instruction to turn on the air conditioner within a set time from the first time point, the air conditioner may be turned on and enter the energy release mode at the same time or after receiving the instruction (depending on the reaction speed of the processor). The set time may be determined according to the trend of temperature change over time. For example, if the trend of temperature change over time indicates that high temperature will continue to appear within two hours from the first time point, and the temperature drops to normal temperature after two hours, the set time may be determined to be two hours. The set time may also be a fixed value, and those skilled in the art may determine it specifically according to actual conditions.

[0062] Obviously, those skilled in the art may also choose other ways to determine whether the air conditioner needs to enter the energy release mode after being turned on, for example, according to the outdoor temperature after receiving the instruction, the temperature difference between indoor and outdoor, etc. Alternatively, those skilled in the art may also choose to directly enter the normal mode in this case instead of entering the energy release mode.

[0063] In a possible implementation, after the air conditioner is switched to the energy release mode in step S203, the temperature difference of the heat exchange medium entering and flowing out of the energy storage module can be obtained. When the temperature difference is less than the set difference, the air conditioner can be switched to the normal mode.

[0064] The set difference here can be determined by those skilled in the art according to actual needs, such as 2°C, etc. When the temperature difference is less than the set difference, it indicates that the cold and heat stored in the energy storage module 3 have been exhausted, so the energy storage module 3 can be stopped. Obviously, in addition to this method, those skilled in the art can also use other appropriate methods to determine the appropriate stop using the energy storage module 3, for example, the energy storage module 3 can be turned off after being turned on for a certain period of time.

[0065] Furthermore, still taking cold storage as an example, the outdoor temperature may drop to normal temperature but the cold energy in the energy storage module 3 has not been exhausted. In this case, you can choose to continue to use up the cold energy in the energy storage module 3, or you can choose not to use the cold energy in the energy storage module 3, but keep it for use when the energy release mode is turned on next time. Technical personnel in this field can make a choice based on actual needs.

[0066] In a possible implementation, the method may further include: when the storage energy of the energy storage module is less than the first set value, determining a second time point according to a trend of outdoor temperature changes over time, and determining an operating mode of the air conditioner according to the second time point.

[0067] Specifically, determining the operating mode of the air conditioner according to the second time point may include: if the air conditioner is in the normal mode at the second time point, switching the air conditioner to the first energy storage mode from the second time point. The stored energy here can be obtained by a sensor disposed inside the energy storage module 3, such as the temperature and phase state of the energy storage medium inside the energy storage module 3 can be obtained by means of the sensor, and then the stored energy of the energy storage module 3 can be determined. The first set value here can be the maximum value of the stored energy of the energy storage module 3, or it can be a value determined according to the maximum value, such as 90%, 80%, 70% of the maximum value, etc., and those skilled in the art can make a choice according to actual needs.

[0068] In this embodiment, the second time point for entering the energy storage mode is determined according to the trend of the outdoor temperature changing over time, thereby avoiding indoor temperature fluctuations during energy storage that affect user experience.

[0069] Taking cold storage as an example, the second time point here may be the starting point of a relatively low temperature period indicated by the above-mentioned change trend, during which the operating load of the heat exchange module 1 is relatively low. Therefore, entering the first energy storage mode from the second time point will not affect the normal use of the heat exchange module 1, and thus will not cause fluctuations in the indoor temperature. The specific method for determining the second time point may refer to the method for determining the first time point, which will not be described in detail here.

[0070] It can be understood that, unlike the energy release mode, the energy storage mode has lower requirements on the accuracy of the start time point. The energy storage mode can be turned on as long as the energy storage does not affect the normal use of the user. Therefore, those skilled in the art may not determine the second time point, but adopt other methods to determine when to turn on the energy storage mode. For example, the energy storage mode can be turned on in a fixed period of time, such as at night in summer, or at noon or afternoon in winter.

[0071] It is understandable that, in the above energy storage mode, part of the heat exchange medium flowing out of the compressor 2 is used for cooling or heating, and the other part of the heat exchange medium is used for energy storage. If the amount of heat exchange medium used for energy storage is too much, it may cause large fluctuations in indoor temperature, affecting the user's experience. To this end, in some embodiments, the flow rate of the heat exchange medium used for energy storage in the first energy storage mode (i.e., the flow rate of the heat exchange medium circulating between the compressor 2 and the energy storage module 3) can be determined according to the operating load of the heat exchange module 1. If the operating load is large, the flow rate can be appropriately reduced. If the operating load is small, the flow rate can be appropriately increased, thereby avoiding fluctuations in indoor temperature during energy storage.

[0072] Further, it is understandable that one possible situation is that there is a demand for energy storage, but the user does not use the air conditioner during the time period in which energy storage is possible (a period of time from the above-mentioned second time point), which will result in insufficient energy storage in the energy storage module 3 and inability to enter the energy release mode when extreme weather occurs later. To this end, in a possible implementation, determining the operating mode of the air conditioner according to the second time point may include: if the air conditioner is in an off state at the second time point, the air conditioner can be turned on from the second time point and enter the second energy storage mode, that is, the compressor 2 is turned on alone to store energy for the energy storage module 3, thereby avoiding the above situation.

[0073] Obviously, in the above case, those skilled in the art may also choose to perform energy storage after the user turns on the air conditioner. For example, if the user turns on the air conditioner after the second time point, the indoor and outdoor temperature difference may be detected, and if the temperature difference is less than a certain set difference, the first energy storage mode may be entered. Alternatively, if the user turns on the air conditioner within a set period of time after the second time point, the first energy storage mode may be directly entered.

[0074] Furthermore, another possible situation is that the air conditioner receives a command to turn off the air conditioner when it is in the first energy storage mode. In this case, you can choose to turn off the air conditioner directly, or you can choose to switch the air conditioner from the first energy storage mode to the second energy storage mode until the energy storage is completed. Similarly, if the air conditioner receives a command to turn on the air conditioner when it is in the second energy storage mode, you can switch the air conditioner to the first energy storage mode or to the normal mode.

[0075] Further, in a possible implementation, after the air conditioner switches to the first energy storage mode or enters the second energy storage mode, the current energy storage of the energy storage module can be obtained, and when the current energy storage of the energy storage module reaches the second set value, the air conditioner can exit the first energy storage mode or the second energy storage mode, thereby avoiding waste of resources. The second set value here can be the maximum energy storage of the energy storage module, or it can be a value determined based on the maximum energy storage, such as 95%, 90%, etc. of the maximum energy storage.

[0076] Obviously, in addition to the amount of stored energy, those skilled in the art may also choose other ways to determine when to end energy storage, such as automatically ending energy storage after the first energy storage mode or the second energy storage mode is executed for a period of time.

[0077] Further, in the above embodiment, when the air conditioner is in the first energy storage mode, the third time point can be determined according to the change trend of the outdoor temperature over time, and the operation mode of the air conditioner can be determined according to the third time point. Specifically, determining the operation mode of the air conditioner according to the third time point can include: if the air conditioner is still in the first energy storage mode at the third time point, even if the storage amount of the energy storage module has not reached the second set value, the air conditioner is still switched to the normal mode from the third time point.

[0078] It is understandable that when the operating load of the heat exchange module 1 increases to a certain extent, continuing to store energy may cause fluctuations in the indoor temperature, thereby affecting the user experience. To this end, in this embodiment, the third time point is further determined by using the trend of the outdoor temperature over time. If the air conditioner is in the first operating mode at the third time point, it means that the energy storage has not been completed and the user has the need to use the air conditioner. In this case, even if the energy storage has not been completed (the storage amount has not reached the maximum value), the energy storage should be terminated and the normal mode should be entered to ensure the user experience. If the air conditioner is in the second energy storage mode, it means that the user does not need to use the air conditioner at this time, so the second energy storage mode can be maintained until the energy storage is completed.

[0079] Taking cold storage as an example, the third time point may be the time point when the outdoor temperature rises to a relatively high temperature (at this temperature and higher, the operating load of the heat exchange module 1 increases, and continued cold storage may cause the indoor temperature to fluctuate). Technical personnel in this field comprehensively consider the actual cooling / heating needs and the cooling / heating capacity of the compressor, and specifically formulate the method for determining the third time point based on the criterion of not affecting the indoor temperature, and there is no restriction on this.

[0080] Obviously, in some other embodiments, those skilled in the art may also determine whether it is necessary to exit the energy storage mode based on the real-time detected operating load of the heat exchange module 1, or pre-set a time point for exiting the first energy storage mode for both cold storage and heat storage.

[0081] An embodiment of the present invention further provides a computer-readable storage medium, which is suitable for storing a plurality of program codes, and the program codes are suitable for being loaded and run by a processor to execute the control method of the air conditioner as described in any of the above embodiments.

[0082] It is understood by those skilled in the art that all or part of the processes in the implementation method of the present invention can be completed by instructing the relevant hardware through a computer program, and the computer program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. When the computer program is executed by the processor, the steps of the above-mentioned various method embodiments can be implemented. Among them, the computer program includes computer program code, and it can be understood that the program code includes but is not limited to the program code for executing the above-mentioned method. For the convenience of explanation, only the part related to the present invention is shown. The computer program code can be in source code form, object code form, executable file or some intermediate form. The computer-readable storage medium may include: any entity or device, medium, U disk, mobile hard disk, disk, optical disk, computer memory, read-only memory, random access memory, electric carrier signal, telecommunication signal and software distribution medium that can carry the computer program code. It should be noted that the content contained in the computer-readable storage medium can be appropriately increased or decreased according to the requirements of legislation and patent practice in the jurisdiction. For example, in some jurisdictions, according to legislation and patent practice, the computer-readable storage medium does not include electric carrier signals and telecommunication signals.

[0083] An embodiment of the present invention further provides a computer device, which may include a memory and a processor, wherein the memory is suitable for storing a plurality of program codes, and when the program codes are executed by the processor, the air conditioner control method described in any of the above embodiments can be implemented.

[0084] 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. A method for controlling an air conditioner, characterized in that: The air conditioner comprises a heat exchange module, a compressor and an energy storage module. The operation mode of the air conditioner comprises a normal mode and an energy discharging mode. When the air conditioner is in the normal mode, a heat exchange medium circulates between the compressor and the heat exchange module. When the air conditioner is in the energy discharging mode, a heat exchange medium circulates between the energy storage module and the heat exchange module. The method comprises: Get the outdoor temperature; Determine the first time point according to the changing trend of the outdoor temperature over time; determining an operating mode of the air conditioner according to the first time point; Wherein, the “determining the operating mode of the air conditioner according to the first time point” includes: If the air conditioner is in the normal mode at the first time point, the air conditioner is switched to the energy release mode from the first time point.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The “determining the operating mode of the air conditioner according to the first time point” includes: If the air conditioner is in an off state at the first time point and receives an instruction to turn on the air conditioner within a set time from the first time point, the air conditioner is turned on and enters the energy release mode simultaneously or after receiving the instruction.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The method comprises: In the step of "if the air conditioner is in the normal mode at the first time point, switching the air conditioner to the energy release mode from the first time point onwards", after switching the air conditioner to the energy release mode, the method includes: Acquiring the temperature of the heat exchange medium entering and flowing out of the energy storage module; When the temperature difference between the heat exchange medium entering and flowing out of the energy storage module is less than a set difference, the air conditioner is switched to the normal mode.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The "obtaining outdoor temperature" includes: Get the outdoor temperature at multiple historical time points.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The operation mode of the air conditioner includes an energy storage mode, and the energy storage mode includes a first energy storage mode. When the air conditioner is in the first energy storage mode, a part of the heat exchange medium flowing out of the compressor flows to the heat exchange module, and another part flows to the energy storage module. The method further comprises: When the amount of energy stored in the energy storage module is less than the first set value, determining the second time point according to the change trend of the outdoor temperature over time; determining an operating mode of the air conditioner according to the second time point; Wherein, the “determining the operating mode of the air conditioner according to the second time point” includes: If the air conditioner is in the normal mode at the second time point, the air conditioner is switched to the first energy storage mode from the second time point.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that The energy storage mode includes a second energy storage mode. When the air conditioner is in the second energy storage mode, all the heat exchange medium flowing out of the compressor flows to the energy storage module. The “determining the operating mode of the air conditioner according to the second time point” includes: If the air conditioner is in the off state at the second time point, the air conditioner is turned on from the second time point and enters the second energy storage mode.

7. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that The method comprises: In the step of "if the air conditioner is in the normal mode at the second time point, switching the air conditioner to the first energy storage mode from the second time point onwards", after switching the air conditioner to the first energy storage mode, the method includes: Acquire the current storage energy of the energy storage module; When the current stored energy reaches a second set value, the air conditioner is caused to exit the first energy storage mode.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that The method comprises: When the air conditioner is in the first energy storage mode, determining a third time point according to a trend of outdoor temperature change over time; determining an operating mode of the air conditioner according to the third time point; Among them, the "determining the operating mode of the air conditioner according to the third time point" refers to the step of "determining the operating mode of the air conditioner according to the third time point"; if the air conditioner is still in the first energy storage mode at the third time point, then even if the storage amount of the energy storage module has not reached the second set value, the air conditioner is still switched to the normal mode from the third time point.

9. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that: The computer-readable storage medium is suitable for storing a plurality of program codes, and the program codes are suitable for being loaded and run by a processor to execute the control method of the air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. A computer device, characterized in that: The computer device comprises a memory and a processor, wherein the memory is suitable for storing a plurality of program codes, and when the program codes are executed by the processor, the control method of the air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 8 can be implemented.

Images