An air conditioner

Abstract

The application discloses an air conditioner, and a heat exchange system comprises a compressor, a reversing valve, an outdoor heat exchanger, an indoor heat exchanger and a throttling device. A liquid accumulator is arranged between the indoor heat exchanger and the outdoor heat exchanger, and the liquid accumulator comprises a shell and an expansion pipeline. The shell is internally formed with a containing cavity for containing refrigerant. An air inlet is arranged at the bottom of the shell, and an air outlet is arranged at the top of the shell. The air inlet is connected with the indoor heat exchanger. The expansion pipeline is arranged in the air outlet. One end of the expansion pipeline is communicated with the containing cavity, and the other end of the expansion pipeline is connected with the outdoor heat exchanger. The expansion pipeline moves up and down along the air outlet, so as to adjust the length of the expansion pipeline extending into the containing cavity, to adjust the amount of refrigerant participating in the heating cycle, to realize the adjustment of the amount of circulating refrigerant, to meet the demand of the system on the refrigerant under different states, to improve the system performance and reliability, and to improve the user experience.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of refrigeration equipment, and in particular to an air conditioner. Background Art

[0002] An air conditioner performs its refrigeration cycle by using a compressor, condenser, expansion valve, and evaporator. The refrigeration cycle involves a series of processes involving compression, condensation, expansion, and evaporation to cool or heat the indoor space.

[0003] Due to the volume differences between the indoor and outdoor heat exchangers in air conditioners, the optimal refrigerant dosage required for cooling and heating differs. Typically, the total refrigerant required for heating is less than that for cooling. During product development, to balance the refrigerant dosage differences between cooling and heating, a liquid accumulator is often added to the air conditioning system to store a portion of the refrigerant during operation. However, this only achieves optimal balance under specific operating conditions and cannot dynamically adjust the circulation volume under other operating conditions.

[0004] The above information disclosed in this background technology is only used to increase the understanding of the background technology of this application. Therefore, it may contain information that does not constitute the prior art known to ordinary technicians in this field. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In response to the problems pointed out in the background technology, the present invention proposes an air conditioner that adjusts the amount of circulating refrigerant by controlling the retractable pipeline of the liquid storage tank to meet the system's demand for refrigerant in different states, improve system performance and reliability, and enhance user experience.

[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

[0007] In some embodiments of the present application, an air conditioner is provided, comprising:

[0008] A heat exchange system comprising a compressor, a reversing valve, an outdoor heat exchanger, an indoor heat exchanger, and a throttling device;

[0009] A liquid reservoir, disposed between the indoor heat exchanger and the outdoor heat exchanger, comprising:

[0010] A shell having a housing for containing refrigerant, an air inlet at the bottom and an air outlet at the top, wherein the air inlet is connected to the indoor heat exchanger;

[0011] A telescopic pipe is arranged in the air outlet, one end of the telescopic pipe is connected to the accommodating cavity, and the other end is connected to the outdoor heat exchanger. The telescopic pipe moves up and down along the air outlet to adjust the length of the telescopic pipe extending into the accommodating cavity, so as to adjust the amount of refrigerant participating in the heating cycle.

[0012] By controlling the retractable pipe inside the liquid storage tank, the amount of circulating refrigerant can be adjusted to meet the system's demand for refrigerant in different states, improve system performance and reliability, and enhance user experience.

[0013] In some embodiments, the liquid reservoir is disposed in a vertical position between the indoor heat exchanger and the outdoor heat exchanger.

[0014] In some embodiments, further comprising a telescoping control unit and an analysis control module;

[0015] The analysis and control module is used to collect the operating parameters of the air conditioner, determine the operating load of the heat exchange system, and determine the refrigerant demand of the heat exchange system under different operating loads;

[0016] The telescopic control unit controls the telescopic pipe to move upward or downward along the air outlet according to the demand for refrigerant, so as to adjust the amount of refrigerant participating in the heating cycle.

[0017] In some embodiments, the exhaust superheat of the compressor is Tdsh and the exhaust pressure is Pd;

[0018] When the air conditioner is in heating mode, the analysis and control module first enters the first detection item to determine whether Pd < a1 and Tdsh > b1 for a duration of t1. If so, the telescopic control unit controls the telescopic pipe to extend downward along the air outlet; if not, the analysis and control module enters the second detection item.

[0019] Under the second detection item, the analysis and control module determines whether Pd>a3 and Tdsh<b3 and the duration is t2. If so, the telescopic control unit controls the telescopic pipe to move upward along the air outlet; if not, the telescopic pipe does not move.

[0020] When the telescopic control unit controls the telescopic pipe to extend downward, the analysis and control module enters the third detection item to determine whether Pd>a2 or Tdsh<b2 or the telescopic pipe has moved downward to the limit position. If so, the telescopic pipe stops moving downward; if not, the telescopic pipe continues to move downward.

[0021] When the telescopic control unit controls the telescopic pipe to contract upward, the analysis and control module enters the fourth detection item;

[0022] Under the fourth detection item, the analysis and control module determines whether Pd<a4 or Tdsh>b4 or the telescopic pipe moves upward to the limit position. If so, the telescopic pipe stops moving upward; if not, the telescopic pipe continues to move upward.

[0023] In some embodiments, when the air conditioner is heating, ΔTe is the temperature change of the refrigerant flowing into the outdoor heat exchanger during time t3, and ΔPs is the suction pressure change of the compressor during time t4;

[0024] The analysis and control module first enters the fifth detection item to determine whether ΔTe < c1 or ΔPs < d1. If so, the telescopic control unit controls the telescopic pipe to extend downward; if not, the telescopic pipe does not move.

[0025] When the telescopic control unit controls the telescopic pipe to move downward, the analysis and control module enters the sixth detection item to determine whether ΔTe>c2 or ΔPs>d2 or the telescopic pipe moves downward to the limit position. If so, the telescopic pipe stops moving; if not, the telescopic pipe continues to move downward.

[0026] In some embodiments, when the air conditioner is cooling, the telescopic control unit controls the telescopic pipe to contract upward to an extreme position.

[0027] In some embodiments, when the air conditioner is started or switched to cooling mode, it is first determined whether the telescopic pipe is in the contraction limit position. If so, the telescopic pipe maintains this position; if not, the telescopic pipe contracts upward to the limit position.

[0028] In some embodiments, the indoor heat exchanger is a coil fin heat exchanger or a water heat exchanger.

[0029] In some embodiments, the telescopic pipe is sealed with the air outlet, and the telescopic pipe is a sleeve structure.

[0030] The present invention also provides an air conditioner, comprising:

[0031] A heat exchange system comprising a compressor, a reversing valve, an outdoor heat exchanger, an indoor heat exchanger, a throttling device, and a liquid reservoir, wherein the liquid reservoir is provided between the indoor heat exchanger and the outdoor heat exchanger;

[0032] A telescopic pipe is provided in the top air outlet of the liquid reservoir, one end of the telescopic pipe is connected to the inner cavity of the liquid reservoir, and the other end is connected to the outdoor heat exchanger. The telescopic pipe moves up and down along the air outlet to adjust the amount of refrigerant stored in the liquid reservoir when the air conditioner is heating.

[0033] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent after reading the detailed description of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following is a brief introduction to the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative labor.

[0035] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the principle of the heat exchange system of the air conditioner according to the first embodiment;

[0036] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the refrigerant flow path in the heat exchange system of the air conditioner during cooling according to the first embodiment;

[0037] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the refrigerant flow path in the heat exchange system of the air conditioner during heating according to the first embodiment;

[0038] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the principle of the heat exchange system of the air conditioner according to the second embodiment;

[0039] Figure 5 is a structural schematic diagram of a liquid reservoir according to an embodiment;

[0040] Figure 6 is a schematic structural diagram of the telescopic pipe of the liquid reservoir according to the embodiment when it is retracted upward;

[0041] Figure 7 is a schematic structural diagram of a telescopic pipe of a liquid reservoir according to an embodiment when it is extended downward;

[0042] Figure 8 is a control flow chart of the liquid accumulator during heating of the air conditioner according to an embodiment;

[0043] Figure 9 is a control flow chart of a liquid accumulator during heating of an air conditioner according to another embodiment;

[0044] Figure 10 is a control flow chart of the liquid accumulator during cooling of the air conditioner according to an embodiment;

[0045] Reference numerals:

[0046] 1. Compressor; 2. Reversing valve; 3. Outdoor heat exchanger; 4. Indoor heat exchanger; 5. Liquid reservoir; 51. Shell; 52. Air inlet; 53. Air outlet; 54. Telescopic pipe; 55. Telescopic control unit; 6. Analysis and control module; 71. External ring temperature sensor; 72. Internal ring temperature sensor; 73. Refrigerant temperature sensor; 74. Exhaust temperature sensor; 75. Exhaust pressure sensor; 76. Intake temperature sensor; 77. Water temperature sensor. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0047] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of this application to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application. Obviously, the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of this application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0048] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", etc., indicating the orientation or position relationship, are based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on this application.

[0049] The terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of the technical features being referred to. Thus, a feature specified as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of such features. Throughout this application, unless otherwise specified, "plurality" means two or more.

[0050] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "mounted," "connected," and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; mechanical connections or electrical connections; direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and internal connections between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0051] In the present invention, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, a first feature being "above" or "below" a second feature may include the first and second features being in direct contact, or may include the first and second features being in contact not directly but through another feature between them. Furthermore, a first feature being "above," "above," and "above" a second feature may include the first feature being directly above or obliquely above the second feature, or may simply mean that the first feature is higher in level than the second feature. A first feature being "below," "below," and "below" a second feature may include the first feature being directly below or obliquely below the second feature, or may simply mean that the first feature is lower in level than the second feature.

[0052] The disclosure below provides many different embodiments or examples for realizing different structures of the present invention. In order to simplify the disclosure of the present invention, the components and settings of specific examples are described below. Of course, they are merely examples and are not intended to limit the present invention. In addition, the present invention may repeat reference numbers and / or reference letters in different examples. Such repetition is for the purpose of simplicity and clarity and does not in itself indicate the relationship between the various embodiments and / or settings discussed. In addition, the present invention provides examples of various specific processes and materials, but those skilled in the art will recognize the application of other processes and / or the use of other materials.

[0053] In this application, the air conditioner performs a refrigeration cycle of the air conditioner by using a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve and an evaporator. The refrigeration cycle includes a series of processes involving compression, condensation, expansion and evaporation to cool or heat the indoor space.

[0054] Low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant enters the compressor, which compresses it into high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant gas and discharges the compressed refrigerant gas. The discharged refrigerant gas flows into the condenser. The condenser condenses the compressed refrigerant into a liquid phase, releasing heat into the surrounding environment through the condensation process.

[0055] The expansion valve expands the high-temperature, high-pressure liquid refrigerant condensed in the condenser to a lower-pressure liquid. The evaporator evaporates the refrigerant expanded in the expansion valve and returns the low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant gas to the compressor. The evaporator achieves cooling by utilizing the latent heat of evaporation to exchange heat with the material being cooled. Throughout this cycle, the air conditioner regulates the temperature of the indoor space.

[0056] The outdoor unit of the air conditioner refers to a portion of a refrigeration cycle including a compressor and an outdoor heat exchanger, the indoor unit of the air conditioner includes an indoor heat exchanger, and an expansion valve may be provided in the indoor unit or the outdoor unit.

[0057] The indoor heat exchanger and the outdoor heat exchanger function as a condenser or an evaporator. When the indoor heat exchanger functions as a condenser, the air conditioner functions as a heater in heating mode, and when the indoor heat exchanger functions as an evaporator, the air conditioner functions as a cooler in cooling mode.

[0058] Reference Figure 1 The system consisting of the compressor 1, reversing valve 2, outdoor heat exchanger 3, indoor heat exchanger 4, throttling device, and accumulator 5 is referred to as a heat exchange system. In other words, the air conditioner in this embodiment includes accumulator 5, which is disposed between the indoor heat exchanger 4 and the outdoor heat exchanger 3.

[0059] The heat exchange system incorporates accumulator 5 because, due to the volume differences between the indoor heat exchanger 4 and the outdoor heat exchanger 3, the optimal refrigerant quantity required for cooling and heating differs. Typically, the total refrigerant required for heating is less than that for cooling. During product development, accumulator 5 was added to the heat exchange system to balance the refrigerant quantity differences between cooling and heating. This accumulator is used to store a portion of the refrigerant during heating operation.

[0060] In other words, the liquid accumulator 5 is used to store liquid refrigerant. For the same heat exchange cycle system, more refrigerant is required for cooling than for heating. For an air conditioner with a liquid accumulator 5, the refrigerant is usually filled when cooling is optimal. When the air conditioner is heating, the excess refrigerant is stored in the liquid accumulator 5. When the air conditioner is heating, the liquid accumulator 5 does not need to store refrigerant.

[0061] The liquid storage device 5 in the prior art can only meet the optimal balance effect under a specific working condition, and cannot dynamically adjust the circulation volume under other working conditions.

[0062] In order to solve this problem, this embodiment improves the structure of the liquid reservoir 5 and further optimizes the control method of the liquid reservoir 5.

[0063] Specifically, the structure of the liquid reservoir 5 is as follows Figures 5 to 7 As shown, the liquid accumulator 5 includes a shell 51, and a receiving cavity for containing refrigerant is formed in the shell 51. An air inlet 52 is provided at the bottom of the shell 51, and an air outlet 53 is provided at the top.

[0064] This embodiment does not limit the structural appearance of the housing 51 . Figure 5 The middle shell 51 is an elongated structure with tapered ends at the top and bottom. The air inlet 52 and the air outlet 53 are located on the tapered structure. The tapered structure at the air inlet 52 and the air outlet 53 guides the flow of the refrigerant.

[0065] A telescopic pipe 54 is provided in the top air outlet 53 of the liquid reservoir 5. The telescopic pipe 54 can move up and down along the air outlet 53. By moving the telescopic pipe 54 up and down along the air outlet 53, the length of the telescopic pipe 54 extending into the accommodating cavity can be adjusted, thereby adjusting the amount of refrigerant participating in the heating cycle.

[0066] Refer again Figure 1 or Figure 3 The liquid reservoir 5 is arranged between the indoor heat exchanger 4 and the outdoor heat exchanger 3. The bottom air inlet 52 of the liquid reservoir 5 is connected to the indoor heat exchanger 4. The telescopic pipe 54 serves as the top outlet of the liquid reservoir 5. One end of the telescopic pipe 54 is connected to the internal accommodating cavity of the liquid reservoir 5, and the other end is connected to the outdoor heat exchanger 3.

[0067] The indoor heat exchanger 4 can exchange heat for air ( Figure 1 ), can also be used for water heat exchange ( Figure 4 ), if it is air heat exchange, it is a coil fin type heat exchanger (the heat exchange medium is air); if it is water heat exchange, it is a plate heat exchanger or other type of heat exchanger (the heat exchange medium is water).

[0068] Taking the indoor heat exchanger 4 as an example for air heat exchange, the refrigeration cycle is as follows Figure 2 As shown, the reversing valve 2 connects the exhaust pipe of the compressor 1 to the outdoor heat exchanger 3 and the suction pipe to the indoor heat exchanger 4. Figure 2 The direction of the middle arrow is the flow direction of the refrigerant. The refrigerant is discharged from the compressor 1, passes through the reversing valve 2, the outdoor heat exchanger 3, the liquid receiver 5, the indoor heat exchanger 4, the reversing valve 2, and returns to the compressor 1.

[0069] Heating cycle Figure 3 As shown, the reversing valve 2 connects the exhaust pipe of the compressor 1 to the indoor heat exchanger 4, and connects the suction pipe to the outdoor heat exchanger 3. Figure 3 The direction of the middle arrow is the direction of the refrigerant. The refrigerant is discharged from the compressor 1, passes through the reversing valve 2, the indoor heat exchanger 4, the liquid receiver 5, the outdoor heat exchanger 3, the reversing valve 2, and returns to the compressor 1.

[0070] The following combination Figure 6 and Figure 7 , the process of regulating the refrigerant in the liquid storage device 5 is described.

[0071] The accumulator 5 is installed vertically between the indoor heat exchanger 4 and the outdoor heat exchanger 3. Specifically, the accumulator 5's housing 51 is mounted vertically, with the telescopic pipe 54 located at the top. During cooling, gravity forces the entire refrigerant into circulation. During heating, the liquid refrigerant first fills the effective volume of the accumulator 5 before exiting the accumulator 5 and recirculating. This ensures that the effective volume of the accumulator 5 is fully stocked during heating, balancing the refrigerant levels during both cooling and heating.

[0072] The effective volume of the liquid reservoir 5 refers to the volume between the bottom port of the telescopic pipe 54 and the bottom of the liquid reservoir 5 .

[0073] The operating mode of the liquid reservoir 5 is adjusted only during heating. The effective volume of the liquid reservoir 5 is adjusted by adjusting the telescopic position of the telescopic pipe 54. By extending or contracting the telescopic pipe 54, the distance between the bottom port of the telescopic pipe 54 and the bottom air inlet 52 of the liquid reservoir 5 is adjusted, thereby adjusting the effective volume of the liquid reservoir 5.

[0074] Specifically, when the telescopic pipe 54 moves upward along the air outlet 53, Figure 6 The bottom port of the telescopic pipe 54 moves toward the air outlet 53, and the telescopic pipe 54 contracts upward. At this time, the distance between the bottom port of the telescopic pipe 54 and the air inlet 52 increases, thereby increasing the effective volume of the liquid reservoir 5.

[0075] Figure 6 In the figure, the bottom port of the telescopic pipe 54 moves upward and contracts into the air outlet 53. During heating, the effective volume of the liquid reservoir 5 is the internal volume of the entire liquid reservoir 5. At this time, the effective volume of the liquid reservoir 5 reaches the maximum. When the system is stable, the liquid refrigerant (shaded part) will fill the entire liquid reservoir 5.

[0076] When the telescopic pipe 54 moves downward along the air outlet 53, Figure 7 The bottom port of the telescopic pipe 54 moves in the direction away from the air outlet 53, and the telescopic pipe 54 extends downward. At this time, the distance between the bottom port of the telescopic pipe 54 and the air inlet 52 is reduced, thereby achieving the effect of reducing the effective volume of the liquid reservoir 5.

[0077] Figure 7 In the figure, the bottom port of the telescopic pipe 54 moves downward and extends to the middle position of the liquid reservoir 5. During heating, the effective volume of the liquid reservoir 5 becomes half of the internal volume of the liquid reservoir 5. When the system is stable, the liquid refrigerant (shaded part) only fills half of the liquid reservoir 5. The part above the bottom port of the telescopic pipe 54 is a cavity and is not filled with refrigerant.

[0078] The amount of extension or contraction of the telescopic pipe 54 depends on the amount of refrigerant required by the heat exchange system when the air conditioner is heating.

[0079] The extension or contraction movement of the telescopic pipe 54 is controlled by the telescopic control unit 55, so as to realize the automatic contraction control movement of the telescopic pipe 54 and realize the automatic adjustment of the refrigerant amount.

[0080] The telescopic control unit 55 can be integrated outside the shell 51 of the liquid reservoir 5 to facilitate communication and control with the telescopic pipeline 54.

[0081] In some embodiments, the accumulator 5 is vertically positioned between the indoor heat exchanger 4 and the outdoor heat exchanger 3, with the air inlet 52 facing downward and the air outlet 53 facing upward. This allows the refrigerant to fully participate in the refrigeration cycle under the influence of gravity during cooling, with no refrigerant remaining in the accumulator 5. During heating, the length of the telescopic pipe 54 extending into the accommodating chamber can be adjusted by adjusting its vertical movement along the air outlet 53, thereby adjusting the amount of refrigerant participating in the heating cycle.

[0082] The vertical installation posture of the liquid reservoir 5 is more effective in adjusting the amount of refrigerant, ensuring that the refrigerant in the liquid reservoir 5 can all flow out of the liquid reservoir 5 under the action of gravity during cooling and participate in the refrigeration cycle; during heating, when the telescopic pipe 54 moves up and down along the air outlet 53, the effective volume adjustment of the liquid reservoir 5 is more direct and effective.

[0083] In some embodiments, the air conditioner further includes a telescopic control unit 55 and an analysis control module 6 .

[0084] The analysis and control module 6 is used to collect the operating parameters of the air conditioner, determine the operating load of the heat exchange system, and determine the refrigerant demand of the heat exchange system under different operating loads.

[0085] The telescopic control unit 55 controls the telescopic pipe 54 to move upward or downward along the air outlet 53 according to the demand for refrigerant, controls the telescopic movement of the telescopic pipe 54 to adjust the amount of refrigerant participating in the heating cycle, so that the optimal refrigerant amount is obtained in the circulation system under various load conditions, thereby achieving the purpose of adjustable refrigerant and improving the reliability of the unit.

[0086] The analysis and control module 6 detects and collects the operating parameters of the air conditioner through various sensors.

[0087] The sensors include but are not limited to the outer ring temperature sensor 71 (Tao), the inner ring temperature sensor 72 (Tai), the refrigerant temperature sensor 73 (Te), the exhaust temperature sensor 74 (Td), the exhaust pressure sensor 75 (Pd), the intake temperature sensor 76 (Ps), and the water temperature sensor 77 (Tw).

[0088] The external temperature sensor 71 is located around the outdoor unit and is used to detect the ambient temperature Tao of the outdoor unit when the unit is running.

[0089] The internal ambient temperature sensor 72 is located around the indoor unit and is used to detect the ambient temperature Tai around the indoor unit when the unit is running.

[0090] The refrigerant temperature sensor 73 is located on the air inlet pipe of the outdoor heat exchanger 33 and is used to detect the temperature Te of the refrigerant flowing into the outdoor heat exchanger 33 when the unit is in heating operation.

[0091] The exhaust gas temperature sensor 74 is located on the exhaust pipe of the compressor 11 and is used to detect the exhaust gas temperature Td of the compressor 1 and calculate the exhaust gas superheat Tdsh.

[0092] The exhaust pressure sensor 75 is used to detect the exhaust pressure Pd of the compressor 1 .

[0093] The suction pressure sensor 76 is used to detect the suction pressure Ps of the compressor 1 .

[0094] If the indoor heat exchanger 44 is a water heat exchanger, a water temperature sensor 77 needs to be installed on the water side water inlet or outlet pipe to detect the water temperature Tw of the exchanged water.

[0095] This application provides two control methods for regulating the refrigerant during heating of the unit.

[0096] The first embodiment of refrigerant regulation during heating is as follows: Figure 8 As shown, the exhaust superheat of compressor 1 is Tdsh and the exhaust pressure is Pd.

[0097] When the air conditioner is heating, the analysis and control module 6 collects the operating parameters of each component of the unit, makes a system load judgment, and enters the first detection item first;

[0098] In the first detection item, it is determined whether Pd < a1 and Tdsh > b1 and the duration is t1. If so, it is determined that the system circulating refrigerant is low, and the telescopic control unit 55 controls the telescopic pipe 54 to extend downward along the air outlet 53, and the telescopic pipe 54 extends. If not, the analysis control module 6 enters the second detection item;

[0099] Extension control, specifically, the analysis and control module 6 sends an extension control signal to the extension control unit 55, which drives the extension pipe 54 to extend. In the unit, the extension pipe 54 moves downward along the air outlet 53. The control method can be gear control, step control, or other control methods. After the extension control, the third detection item is entered;

[0100] Under the second detection item, the analysis and control module 6 determines whether Pd>a3 and Tdsh<b3 for a duration of t2. If so, it is determined that the system has a large amount of circulating refrigerant, and the telescopic control unit 55 controls the telescopic pipe 54 to move upward along the air outlet 53 to contract. If not, the telescopic pipe 54 does not move.

[0101] Contraction control, specifically, the analysis and control module 6 sends a contraction control signal to the telescopic control unit 55, which drives the telescopic pipe 54 to contract. In the unit, the telescopic pipe 54 moves upward along the air outlet 53. The control method can be gear control, step control, or other control methods. After the contraction control, the fourth detection item is entered;

[0102] When the telescopic control unit 55 controls the telescopic pipe 54 to extend downward, the analysis control module 6 enters the third detection item to determine whether Pd>a2 or Tdsh<b2 or the telescopic pipe 54 has moved downward to the limit position. If so, the telescopic pipe 54 stops moving downward; if not, the telescopic pipe 54 continues to move downward.

[0103] When the telescopic control unit 55 controls the telescopic pipe 54 to retract upward, the analysis and control module 6 enters the fourth detection item;

[0104] In the fourth detection item, the analysis and control module 6 determines whether Pd<a4 or Tdsh>b4 or the telescopic pipe 54 moves upward to the limit position. If so, the telescopic pipe 54 stops moving upward; if not, the telescopic pipe 54 continues to move upward.

[0105] Among them, a1, a2, a3, a4, b1, b2, b3, and b4 are all values ​​related to the unit operating parameters. If the indoor heat exchanger 44 is for air heat exchange, then they are related to the outer loop temperature Tao and the inner loop temperature Tai. If the indoor heat exchanger 44 is for water heat exchange, then they are related to the outer loop temperature Tao and the water temperature Tw.

[0106] The second embodiment of refrigerant regulation during heating is as follows: Figure 9 As shown, ΔTe is the temperature change of the refrigerant flowing into the outdoor heat exchanger 3 during time t3, and ΔPs is the suction pressure change of the compressor 1 during time t4.

[0107] When the air conditioner is in heating mode, the analysis and control module 6 collects the operating parameters of each unit component and determines the system load. It first enters the fifth detection item to determine whether ΔTe < c1 or ΔPs < d1. If so, the telescopic control unit 55 controls the telescopic pipe 54 to extend downward; if not, the telescopic pipe 54 does not operate.

[0108] Extension control, specifically, the analysis and control module 6 sends an extension control signal to the extension control unit 55, which drives the extension pipe 54 to extend. In the unit, the extension pipe 54 moves downward along the air outlet 53. The control method can be gear control, step control, or other control methods. After the extension control, the sixth detection item is entered;

[0109] When the telescopic control unit 55 controls the telescopic pipe 54 to move downward, the analysis control module 6 enters the sixth detection item to determine whether ΔTe>c2 or ΔPs>d2 or the telescopic pipe 54 has moved downward to the limit position. If so, the telescopic pipe 54 stops moving; if not, the telescopic pipe 54 continues to move downward.

[0110] Among them, △Te=Te1-Te2, Te1 is the refrigerant temperature at the current time, Te2 is the refrigerant temperature before t3 time, that is, △Te represents the change in refrigerant temperature within t3 time;

[0111] △Ps=Ps1-Ps2, Ps1 is the suction pressure at the current time, Ps2 is the suction pressure before t4, that is, △Ps represents the change in suction pressure within t4;

[0112] c1, c2, d1, and d2 are all values ​​related to the unit's operating parameters. If the indoor heat exchanger 44 is for air heat exchange, they are related to the outer loop temperature Tao and the inner loop temperature Tai. If the indoor heat exchanger 44 is for water heat exchange, they are related to the outer loop temperature Tao and the water temperature Tw.

[0113] In some embodiments, since the amount of refrigerant does not need to be adjusted during cooling, a cooling control method can be added, such as Figure 10 As shown, when the unit starts cooling or switches to cooling mode, it is first determined whether the telescopic pipe 54 is in the contraction limit position. If so, the telescopic pipe 54 maintains this position and the control ends; if not, the telescopic pipe 54 contracts upward to the limit position.

[0114] In some embodiments, when the air conditioner is cooling, the telescopic control unit 55 controls the telescopic pipe 54 to contract upward to the limit position.

[0115] In some embodiments, the indoor heat exchanger 4 is a coil fin type heat exchanger or a water heat exchanger.

[0116] In some embodiments, the telescopic pipe 54 is inserted into the air outlet 53 and is sealed with the air outlet 53. It can perform reciprocating telescopic motion in the vertical direction of the air outlet 53 under the control of the telescopic control unit 55. The driving mode of the telescopic motion is mechanical drive, hydraulic drive, electric drive or other forms of drive.

[0117] In some embodiments, the telescopic pipeline 54 is a sleeve structure, and the telescopic control unit 55 controls the telescopic structure to achieve telescopic control of the telescopic pipeline 54.

[0118] In some embodiments, a position sensor (not shown) for detecting the position of the telescopic pipe 54 is provided in the shell 51. The position sensor detects the position of the bottom port of the telescopic pipe 54 in the liquid reservoir 5. During heating, the telescopic control unit 55 controls the telescopic pipe 54 to extend or contract by a corresponding amount according to the amount of refrigerant required by the system. The position sensor detects the movement of the telescopic pipe 54 in real time, and then controls the telescopic control unit 55 to stop the telescopic pipe 54 when the telescopic pipe 54 moves to the right position.

[0119] In some embodiments, an air conditioner is provided, wherein the heat exchange system of the air conditioner is composed of a compressor 1, a reversing valve 2, an outdoor heat exchanger 3, an indoor heat exchanger 4, a throttling device, and a liquid reservoir 5, etc. The liquid reservoir 5 is arranged between the indoor heat exchanger 4 and the outdoor heat exchanger 3.

[0120] A telescopic pipe 54 is provided in the top air outlet 53 of the liquid reservoir 5. One end of the telescopic pipe 54 is connected to the inner cavity of the liquid reservoir 5 and the other end is connected to the outdoor heat exchanger 3. The telescopic pipe 54 moves up and down along the air outlet 53 to adjust the amount of refrigerant stored in the liquid reservoir 5 when the air conditioner is heating.

[0121] That is to say, by moving the telescopic pipe 54 up and down along the air outlet 53, the effective volume of the liquid reservoir 5 is adjusted, thereby adjusting the amount of refrigerant stored in the liquid reservoir 5 when the air conditioner is heating, that is, adjusting the amount of circulating refrigerant when the system is heating.

[0122] In the description of the above embodiments, specific features, structures, materials or characteristics may be combined in an appropriate manner in any one or more embodiments or examples.

[0123] The above are only specific embodiments of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily conceived by a person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this invention should be included in the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be based on the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. An air conditioner, comprising: A heat exchange system comprising a compressor, a reversing valve, an outdoor heat exchanger, an indoor heat exchanger, and a throttling device; Characterized in that the heat exchange system further comprises: A liquid reservoir, disposed between the indoor heat exchanger and the outdoor heat exchanger, comprising: A shell having a housing for containing refrigerant, an air inlet at the bottom and an air outlet at the top, wherein the air inlet is connected to the indoor heat exchanger; a telescopic pipe disposed in the air outlet, one end of the telescopic pipe being in communication with the accommodating chamber and the other end being connected to the outdoor heat exchanger, the telescopic pipe being movable up and down along the air outlet to adjust the length of the telescopic pipe extending into the accommodating chamber, thereby adjusting the amount of refrigerant involved in the heating cycle; The liquid reservoir is arranged in a vertical position between the indoor heat exchanger and the outdoor heat exchanger; It also includes a telescopic control unit and an analysis control module; The analysis and control module is used to collect the operating parameters of the air conditioner, determine the operating load of the heat exchange system, and determine the refrigerant demand of the heat exchange system under different operating loads; The telescopic control unit controls the telescopic pipe to move upward or downward along the air outlet according to the demand for refrigerant, so as to adjust the amount of refrigerant participating in the heating cycle; The exhaust superheat of the compressor is Tdsh and the exhaust pressure is Pd; When the air conditioner is in heating mode, the analysis and control module first enters the first detection item to determine whether Pd < a1 and Tdsh > b1 for a duration of t1. If so, the telescopic control unit controls the telescopic pipe to extend downward along the air outlet; if not, the analysis and control module enters the second detection item. Under the second detection item, the analysis and control module determines whether Pd>a3 and Tdsh<b3 and the duration is t2. If so, the telescopic control unit controls the telescopic pipe to move upward along the air outlet; if not, the telescopic pipe does not move. When the telescopic control unit controls the telescopic pipe to extend downward, the analysis and control module enters the third detection item to determine whether Pd>a2 or Tdsh<b2 or the telescopic pipe has moved downward to the limit position. If so, the telescopic pipe stops moving downward; if not, the telescopic pipe continues to move downward. When the telescopic control unit controls the telescopic pipe to contract upward, the analysis and control module enters the fourth detection item; Under the fourth detection item, the analysis and control module determines whether Pd<a4 or Tdsh>b4 or the telescopic pipe moves upward to the limit position. If so, the telescopic pipe stops moving upward; if not, the telescopic pipe continues to move upward.

2. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that When the air conditioner is heating, ΔTe is the temperature change of the refrigerant flowing into the outdoor heat exchanger during time t3, and ΔPs is the suction pressure change of the compressor during time t4; The analysis and control module first enters the fifth detection item to determine whether ΔTe < c1 or ΔPs < d1. If so, the telescopic control unit controls the telescopic pipe to extend downward; if not, the telescopic pipe does not move. When the telescopic control unit controls the telescopic pipe to move downward, the analysis and control module enters the sixth detection item to determine whether ΔTe>c2 or ΔPs>d2 or the telescopic pipe moves downward to the limit position. If so, the telescopic pipe stops moving; if not, the telescopic pipe continues to move downward.

3. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that When the air conditioner is cooling, the telescopic control unit controls the telescopic pipe to contract upward to a limit position.

4. The air conditioner according to claim 3, characterized in that When the air conditioner is started or switched to cooling mode, it is first determined whether the telescopic pipe is in the contraction limit position. If so, the telescopic pipe maintains this position; if not, the telescopic pipe contracts upward to the limit position.

5. The air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The indoor heat exchanger is a coil fin type heat exchanger or a water heat exchanger.

6. The air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The telescopic pipeline is sealed and connected to the air outlet, and the telescopic pipeline is a sleeve structure.

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