Air conditioner and control method thereof

Abstract

The invention discloses an air conditioner and a control method thereof.The air conditioner comprises a machine shell, an indoor fan, an indoor motor, a drainage pump, an indoor return air temperature sensor, an indoor return air humidity sensor, an indoor outlet air temperature sensor, an indoor outlet air humidity sensor, an indoor outlet air speed sensor and a controller; the controller is configured to obtain the return air temperature and the return air humidity of the indoor air inlet and the outlet air temperature, the outlet air humidity and the outlet air speed of the indoor air outlet when the air conditioner runs for refrigeration or dehumidification; the dehumidification amount of the air conditioner is determined according to the return air temperature and the return air humidity of the indoor air inlet and the outlet air temperature, the outlet air humidity and the outlet air speed of the indoor air outlet; determining the on-off ratio of the drainage pump according to the dehumidification amount; the running state of the drainage pump is controlled according to the on-off ratio, so that the drainage pump is stopped when drainage is not needed, the overall energy efficiency of the air conditioner is improved, noise generated by non-stop running of the drainage pump is reduced, and the service life of the drainage pump is prolonged.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] At present, most of the air conditioners on the market use drainage pumps to discharge the cooling condensate produced by the indoor unit. However, in cooling mode, the drainage pump will always run regardless of whether there is condensate in the water tray of the air conditioner to prevent the air conditioner from leaking or the cooling effect from deteriorating due to excessive condensate in the water tray. This method has many disadvantages. First, it wastes electricity and reduces the overall energy efficiency of the air conditioner. Second, the drainage pump will cause a certain amount of noise if it runs continuously. Third, it will reduce the service life of the drainage pump. Summary of the invention

[0003] The present invention aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, the purpose of the present invention is to provide an air conditioner and a control method thereof.

[0004] An air conditioner proposed by the present invention comprises: a casing; a refrigerant circulation loop, which is arranged in the casing, so that the refrigerant circulates in a loop composed of a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, an evaporator, a four-way valve and a pressure reducer, wherein one of the condenser and the evaporator is an outdoor heat exchanger, and the other is an indoor heat exchanger; an indoor fan, which is arranged in the casing, and is used to drive indoor air to pass through the indoor heat exchanger so that the refrigerant and the indoor air can exchange heat; an indoor motor, which is arranged in the casing, and is used to drive the indoor fan; a drainage pump, which is arranged in the casing, and is used to discharge condensed water generated by the indoor unit; an indoor return air temperature sensor, which is used to detect the return air temperature of the indoor air inlet; an indoor return air humidity sensor, which is used to detect the return air humidity of the indoor air inlet; Wind humidity; an indoor air outlet temperature sensor for detecting the outlet air temperature of the indoor air outlet; an indoor air outlet humidity sensor for detecting the outlet air humidity of the indoor air outlet; an indoor air outlet wind speed sensor for detecting the outlet air speed of the indoor air outlet; a controller, the controller being configured to: when the air conditioner is in cooling or dehumidification operation, obtain the return air temperature and return air humidity of the indoor air inlet, as well as the outlet air temperature, outlet air humidity and outlet air speed of the indoor air outlet; determine the dehumidification amount of the air conditioner according to the return air temperature and return air humidity of the indoor air inlet, as well as the outlet air temperature, outlet air humidity and outlet air speed of the indoor air outlet; determine the on / off ratio of the drainage pump according to the dehumidification amount; and control the operating state of the drainage pump according to the on / off ratio.

[0005] In addition, the air conditioner according to the embodiment of the present invention may also have the following additional technical features:

[0006] Furthermore, when determining the dehumidification capacity of the air conditioner based on the return air temperature and return air humidity of the indoor air inlet, and the outlet air temperature, outlet air humidity and outlet air speed of the indoor air outlet, the controller is specifically configured as follows: determining a first air humidity content at the indoor air inlet based on the return air temperature and return air humidity of the indoor air inlet; determining a second air humidity content at the indoor air outlet based on the outlet air temperature and outlet air humidity of the indoor air outlet; determining the dehumidification capacity of the air conditioner based on the first air humidity content, the second air humidity content and the outlet air speed of the indoor air outlet.

[0007] Furthermore, when determining the first air humidity content of the indoor air inlet according to the return air temperature and return air humidity of the indoor air inlet, the controller is specifically configured to: determine the first saturated water vapor partial pressure of the indoor air inlet according to the return air temperature of the indoor air inlet; determine the first air humidity content according to the first saturated water vapor partial pressure and the return air humidity of the indoor air inlet.

[0008] Furthermore, when determining the second air humidity content of the indoor air outlet according to the outlet temperature and outlet humidity of the indoor air outlet, the controller is specifically configured to: determine the second saturated water vapor partial pressure of the indoor air outlet according to the outlet temperature of the indoor air outlet; determine the second air humidity content according to the second saturated water vapor partial pressure and the outlet humidity of the indoor air outlet.

[0009] Furthermore, when determining the dehumidification capacity of the air conditioner according to the first air humidity content, the second air humidity content and the outlet wind speed of the indoor air outlet, the controller is specifically configured to: determine the air density of the indoor air outlet according to the outlet air temperature of the indoor air outlet and the second saturated water vapor partial pressure; determine the air mass flow rate according to the air density, outlet wind speed and outlet area of ​​the indoor air outlet; determine the dehumidification capacity of the air conditioner according to the air mass flow rate, the first air humidity content and the second air humidity content.

[0010] Further, when determining the air mass flow rate according to the air density, the air outlet velocity and the air outlet area of ​​the indoor air outlet, the controller is configured to execute the following formula:

[0011] Q = S × V × ρ;

[0012] Wherein, Q is the air mass flow rate, ρ is the air density of the indoor air outlet, V is the air outlet speed, and S is the air outlet area.

[0013] Further, when determining the dehumidification amount of the air conditioner according to the air mass flow rate, the first air humidity content and the second air humidity content, the controller is configured to execute the following formula:

[0014] W = Q × (d1-d2) / 3600;

[0015] Wherein, W is the dehumidification capacity of the air conditioner, Q is the air mass flow rate, d1 is the first air humidity content, and d2 is the second air humidity content.

[0016] Further, when determining the on / off ratio of the drainage pump according to the dehumidification amount, the controller is configured to execute the following formula:

[0017]

[0018] Wherein, K is the on-off ratio of the drainage pump, W is the dehumidification amount, and N is the drainage amount of the drainage pump per hour.

[0019] Furthermore, before determining the on / off ratio of the drainage pump according to the dehumidification amount, the controller is further configured to: correct the dehumidification amount according to a preset correction coefficient.

[0020] According to an air conditioner of an embodiment of the present invention, the air conditioner includes: a casing, a refrigerant circulation loop, an indoor fan, an indoor motor, a drainage pump, an indoor return air temperature sensor, an indoor return air humidity sensor, an indoor outlet air temperature sensor, an indoor outlet air humidity sensor, an indoor outlet air speed sensor and a controller. Among them, the refrigerant circulation loop is arranged in the casing, so that the refrigerant circulates in a loop composed of a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, an evaporator, a four-way valve and a pressure reducer, and one of the condenser and the evaporator is an outdoor heat exchanger and the other is an indoor heat exchanger; the indoor fan is arranged in the casing, and is used to drive the indoor air to pass through the indoor heat exchanger so that the refrigerant and the indoor air can exchange heat; the indoor motor is arranged in the casing, and is used to drive the indoor fan; the drainage pump is arranged in the casing, and is used to discharge the condensed water generated by the indoor unit; the indoor return air temperature sensor is used to detect the return air temperature of the indoor air inlet; the indoor return air humidity sensor is used to detect the return air humidity of the indoor air inlet; the indoor outlet air temperature sensor is used to detect the outlet air temperature of the indoor air outlet; the indoor outlet air humidity sensor is used to detect the outlet air temperature of the indoor air outlet The sensor is used to detect the outlet humidity of the indoor air outlet; the indoor outlet wind speed sensor is used to detect the outlet wind speed of the indoor air outlet; the controller is configured to: when the air conditioner is in cooling or dehumidification operation, obtain the return air temperature and return air humidity of the indoor air inlet, as well as the outlet air temperature, outlet air humidity and outlet wind speed of the indoor air outlet; determine the dehumidification amount of the air conditioner according to the return air temperature and return air humidity of the indoor air inlet, as well as the outlet air temperature, outlet air humidity and outlet wind speed of the indoor air outlet; determine the start-stop ratio of the drainage pump according to the dehumidification amount; control the operating state of the drainage pump according to the start-stop ratio, so that the drainage pump is shut down when drainage is not needed, thereby improving the overall energy efficiency of the air conditioner, reducing the noise generated by the non-stop operation of the drainage pump, and increasing the service life of the drainage pump.

[0021] In response to the above-mentioned problems, the present invention also proposes a control method for an air conditioner, which is used for an air conditioner as described in any of the above-mentioned embodiments, and the method includes the following steps: when the air conditioner is in cooling or dehumidification operation, obtaining the return air temperature and return air humidity of the indoor air inlet, and the outlet air temperature, outlet air humidity and outlet air speed of the indoor air outlet; determining the dehumidification amount of the air conditioner according to the return air temperature and return air humidity of the indoor air inlet, and the outlet air temperature, outlet air humidity and outlet air speed of the indoor air outlet; determining the on-off ratio of the drainage pump according to the dehumidification amount; and controlling the operating state of the drainage pump according to the on-off ratio.

[0022] According to the control method of the air conditioner of the embodiment of the present invention, when the air conditioner is in cooling or dehumidification operation, the return air temperature and return air humidity of the indoor air inlet, and the outlet air temperature, outlet air humidity and outlet air speed of the indoor air outlet are obtained, and the dehumidification amount of the air conditioner is determined according to the return air temperature and return air humidity of the indoor air inlet, and the outlet air temperature, outlet air humidity and outlet air speed of the indoor air outlet. The on-off ratio of the drainage pump is determined according to the dehumidification amount, and the operating state of the drainage pump is controlled according to the on-off ratio, so that the drainage pump is stopped when drainage is not needed, thereby improving the overall energy efficiency of the air conditioner, reducing the noise generated by the non-stop operation of the drainage pump, and increasing the service life of the drainage pump.

[0023] Additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will be given in part in the following description and in part will be obvious from the following description, or will be learned through practice of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and easily understood from the description of the embodiments in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

[0025] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the hardware structure of a controller according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 2 is a structural schematic diagram of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 3 is a flow chart for determining the dehumidification capacity of the air conditioner according to the return air temperature and return air humidity of the indoor air inlet, and the outlet air temperature, outlet air humidity and outlet air speed of the indoor air outlet according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a refrigeration or dehumidification cycle according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 5is a flow chart of determining the first air humidity content of the indoor air inlet according to the return air temperature and return air humidity of the indoor air inlet according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 6 is a flow chart of determining the second air humidity content of the indoor air outlet according to the air outlet temperature and air outlet humidity of the indoor air outlet according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 7 is a flow chart of determining the dehumidification capacity of the air conditioner according to the first air humidity content, the second air humidity content and the air outlet speed of the indoor air outlet according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 8 is a flow chart of a method for controlling an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0034] In the description of the present invention, 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 drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying 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 the present invention.

[0035] The terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of the present invention, unless otherwise specified, "plurality" means two or more.

[0036] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection, or it can be indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, or it can be the internal communication of two components. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0037] The air conditioner in the embodiment of the present application includes a refrigeration system for exchanging heat with indoor air to meet cooling or heating needs.

[0038] The refrigeration system includes a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve and an evaporator. 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, and supplies refrigerant to the air that has been conditioned and heat exchanged.

[0039] The compressor compresses the refrigerant gas at high temperature and high pressure and discharges the compressed refrigerant gas. The discharged refrigerant gas flows into the condenser. The condenser condenses the compressed refrigerant into liquid phase, and the heat is released to the surrounding environment through the condensation process.

[0040] The expansion valve expands the high-temperature and high-pressure liquid refrigerant condensed in the condenser into a low-pressure liquid refrigerant. The evaporator evaporates the refrigerant expanded in the expansion valve and returns the low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant gas to the compressor.

[0041] The evaporator can achieve the refrigeration effect by utilizing the latent heat of evaporation of the refrigerant to exchange heat with the material to be cooled. In the whole cycle, the air conditioner can adjust the temperature of the indoor space.

[0042] The outdoor unit of the air conditioner refers to a part 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.

[0043] 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 a heating mode, and when the indoor heat exchanger functions as an evaporator, the air conditioner functions as a cooler in a cooling mode.

[0044] The air conditioner in this application includes an indoor unit and an outdoor unit, and the indoor unit and the outdoor unit can be set as an integrated unit or a split unit. The indoor unit can be set as a wall-mounted unit, a ceiling unit, a duct unit, etc., and the indoor unit is installed at the top or top of the indoor room.

[0045] Taking the indoor wall-mounted unit as an example, the indoor wall-mounted unit is usually installed in indoor wall and other locations. For another example, the indoor cabinet unit is also a form of indoor unit.

[0046] Taking a split unit as an example, the air conditioner includes an indoor unit and an outdoor unit, wherein the outdoor unit is usually installed outdoors and is used for heat exchange in the indoor environment.

[0047] In addition, the air conditioner is equipped with a controller to control the operation of various components in the air conditioner so that the various components of the air conditioner can operate to realize various predetermined functions of the air conditioner. Among them, the air conditioner is also equipped with a control device. For example, the control device is specifically configured as a remote controller, which has the function of communicating with the controller using infrared or other communication methods. The remote controller is used for users to control the air conditioner in various ways and realize the interaction between the user and the air conditioner.

[0048] The indoor unit of the air conditioner in the embodiment of the present application is arranged at the top or upper part of the room. Generally speaking, the installation height of the indoor unit is higher than the user activity area. The indoor unit includes a return air inlet and an air outlet connected to the room. The indoor air enters the indoor unit through the return air inlet and flows back to the room through the air outlet.

[0049] The refrigerant circulation loop in the present application circulates the refrigerant in a loop consisting of a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator. One of the condenser and the evaporator is an outdoor heat exchanger, and the other is an indoor heat exchanger. The indoor heat exchanger is used to exchange heat with the air in the indoor unit, and the outdoor heat exchanger is used to exchange heat with the air in the outdoor unit, thereby achieving the cooling or heating needs of the air conditioner.

[0050] The indoor unit also includes an indoor fan, which is arranged near the return air port or the air outlet of the indoor heat exchanger and is used to deliver the heat-exchanged air to the room. The indoor fan includes multiple gears for changing the air outlet speed of the air flow at the air outlet.

[0051] An air guide plate is provided at the position of the air outlet. The air guide plate adjusts the outflow direction of the air flowing through the air outlet by changing the relative rotation angle between the air guide plate and the air outlet, thereby affecting the indoor air temperature stratification.

[0052] In the embodiment shown in the present application, the air conditioner further includes a controller, which refers to a device that can generate an operation control signal according to the instruction operation code and the timing signal to instruct the air conditioner to execute the control instruction. For example, in response to receiving a power-on or power-off instruction issued by a user, the controller can execute an operation related to the object selected by the power-on or power-off instruction.

[0053] The present application also provides a hardware structure diagram of a controller, such as Figure 1As shown, the controller 71 includes a processor 83, and optionally, further includes a memory 82 and a communication interface 84 connected to the processor 83. The processor 83, the memory 82 and the communication interface 84 are connected via a bus 81.

[0054] The processor 83 may be a central processing unit 83 (CPU), a general processor 83, a network processor 83 (NP), a digital signal processor 83 (DSP), a microprocessor 83, a microcontroller 718, a programmable logic device (PLD), or any combination thereof. The processor 83 may also be any other device having a processing function, such as a circuit, a device, or a software module. The processor 83 may also include multiple CPUs, and the processor 83 may be a single-CPU processor 83 or a multi-CPU processor 83. The processor 83 here may refer to one or more devices, circuits, or processing cores for processing data (such as computer program instructions).

[0055] The memory 82 may be a read-only memory 82 (ROM) or other types of static storage devices that can store static information and instructions, a random access memory 82 (RAM) or other types of dynamic storage devices that can store information and instructions, or an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory 82 (EEPROM), a compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) or other optical disc storage, optical disc storage (including compressed optical disc, laser disc, optical disc, digital versatile disc, Blu-ray disc, etc.), a magnetic disk storage medium or other magnetic storage device, or any other medium that can be used to carry or store the desired program code in the form of an instruction or data structure and can be accessed by a computer, and the embodiment of the present application does not impose any restrictions on this. The memory 82 may exist independently or be integrated with the processor 83. Among them, the memory 82 may contain a computer program code. The processor 83 is used to execute the computer program code stored in the memory 82, thereby realizing the control method of the air conditioner provided in the embodiment of the present application.

[0056] The communication interface 84 can be used to communicate with other devices or communication networks (such as Ethernet, radio access network (RAN), wireless local area networks (WLAN), etc. The communication interface 84 can be a module, a circuit, a transceiver or any device that can achieve communication.

[0057] The bus 81 may be a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) bus 81 or an extended industry standard architecture (EISA) bus 81, etc. The bus 81 may be divided into an address bus 81, a data bus 81, a control bus 81, etc. For ease of representation, only one thick line is used in the figure, but it does not mean that there is only one bus 81 or one type of bus 81.

[0058] Reference below Figure 2-Figure 8 An air conditioner and a control method thereof according to an embodiment of the present invention are described.

[0059] Figure 2 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2As shown, an air conditioner 10 includes: a casing 11, a refrigerant circulation loop 12, an indoor fan 13, an indoor motor 14, a drainage pump 15, an indoor return air temperature sensor 16, an indoor return air humidity sensor 17, an indoor outlet air temperature sensor 18, an indoor outlet air humidity sensor 19, an indoor outlet air speed sensor 20 and a controller 71. Among them, the refrigerant circulation loop 12 is arranged in the casing 11, so that the refrigerant circulates in the loop composed of the compressor, condenser, expansion valve, evaporator, four-way valve and pressure reducer. One of the condenser and the evaporator is an outdoor heat exchanger, and the other is an indoor heat exchanger; the indoor fan 13 is arranged in the casing 11, and is used to drive the indoor air to pass through the indoor heat exchanger so that the refrigerant and the indoor air can exchange heat; the indoor motor 14 is arranged in the casing 11, and is used to drive the indoor fan 13; the drainage pump 15 is arranged in the casing 11, and is used to discharge the condensed water generated by the indoor unit; the indoor return air temperature sensor 16 is used to detect the return air temperature of the indoor air inlet; the indoor return air humidity sensor 17 is used to detect the return air humidity of the indoor air inlet; The indoor air outlet temperature sensor 18 is used to detect the outlet air temperature of the indoor air outlet; the indoor air outlet humidity sensor 19 is used to detect the outlet air humidity of the indoor air outlet; the indoor air outlet wind speed sensor 20 is used to detect the outlet air speed of the indoor air outlet; the controller 71 is configured as follows: when the air conditioner 10 is in cooling or dehumidification operation, the return air temperature and return air humidity of the indoor air inlet, as well as the outlet air temperature, outlet air humidity and outlet air speed of the indoor air outlet are obtained; the dehumidification amount of the air conditioner 10 is determined according to the return air temperature and return air humidity of the indoor air inlet, as well as the outlet air temperature, outlet air humidity and outlet air speed of the indoor air outlet; the on-off ratio of the drainage pump 15 is determined according to the dehumidification amount; and the operating state of the drainage pump 15 is controlled according to the on-off ratio.

[0060] Specifically, the on-off ratio of the drain pump 15 is the ratio of the on-time of the drain pump 15 to the off-time of the drain pump 15. When the air conditioner 10 is in cooling or dehumidification mode, since the air conditioner 10 is not always in steady-state operation during the process of cooling condensed water or dehumidifying and draining water, it is necessary to control the operating state of the drain pump 15 to improve the energy efficiency of the drain pump 15. The embodiment of the present invention obtains the return air temperature and return air humidity of the indoor air inlet, and the outlet air temperature, outlet air humidity and outlet air speed of the indoor air outlet, and calculates the dehumidification amount of the air conditioner 10 per unit time according to the return air temperature and return air humidity of the indoor air inlet, and the outlet air temperature, outlet air humidity and outlet air speed of the indoor air outlet, so as to control the drain pump 15 according to the dehumidification amount. Specifically, if the dehumidification amount is not greater than zero, it indicates that the current air conditioner 10 is not dehumidifying because the indoor air humidity is low and the evaporator temperature is high. At this time, the drain pump 15 is controlled to be closed. If the dehumidification amount is greater than zero, it is necessary to determine the on-off ratio of the drain pump 15 according to the current dehumidification amount of the air conditioner 10 per unit time, and control the operating state of the drain pump 15 according to the on-off ratio. In this way, the drain pump 15 is shut down when drainage is not needed, thereby improving the overall energy efficiency of the air conditioner 10, reducing the noise generated by the non-stop operation of the drain pump 15, and increasing the service life of the drain pump 15.

[0061] In a specific embodiment, when the air conditioner 10 is in cooling or dehumidification mode, the controller 71 obtains the return air temperature and return air humidity of the indoor air inlet, as well as the outlet air temperature, outlet air humidity and outlet air speed of the indoor air outlet through the indoor return air temperature sensor 16, the indoor return air humidity sensor 17, the indoor outlet air temperature sensor 18, the indoor outlet air humidity sensor 19 and the indoor outlet air speed sensor 20, and determines the dehumidification amount of the air conditioner 10 according to the return air temperature and return air humidity of the indoor air inlet, as well as the outlet air temperature, outlet air humidity and outlet air speed of the indoor air outlet, so as to determine the on-off ratio of the drainage pump 15 according to the dehumidification amount, for example, 0.5. At this time, the on-time of the drainage pump 15 is, for example, 1 minute. Then, according to the on-off ratio, after the drainage pump 15 is turned on for 1 minute, the drainage pump 15 is controlled to be shut down for 2 minutes.

[0062] It is understandable that, in practical applications, the embodiment of the present invention can periodically obtain the return air temperature and return air humidity of the indoor air inlet, as well as the outlet air temperature, outlet air humidity and outlet air speed of the indoor air outlet, and determine the dehumidification amount of the air conditioner 10 according to the return air temperature and return air humidity of the indoor air inlet, as well as the outlet air temperature, outlet air humidity and outlet air speed of the indoor air outlet, so as to periodically adjust the operation state of the drainage pump 15 according to the dehumidification amount, so as to avoid the drainage pump 15 still running at a high start-stop ratio and wasting electricity after the indoor air humidity decreases due to the long-term operation of the drainage pump 15. In a specific embodiment, the return air temperature and return air humidity of the indoor air inlet, as well as the outlet air temperature, outlet air humidity and outlet air speed of the indoor air outlet can be obtained every 5 minutes, and the dehumidification amount of the air conditioner 10 can be determined according to the return air temperature and return air humidity of the indoor air inlet, as well as the outlet air temperature, outlet air humidity and outlet air speed of the indoor air outlet.

[0063] In one embodiment of the present invention, Figure 3 As shown, when the dehumidification amount of the air conditioner is determined according to the return air temperature and return air humidity of the indoor air inlet, and the outlet air temperature, outlet air humidity and outlet air speed of the indoor air outlet, the controller is specifically configured as follows: determining the first air humidity content of the indoor air inlet according to the return air temperature and return air humidity of the indoor air inlet; determining the second air humidity content of the indoor air outlet according to the outlet air temperature and outlet air humidity of the indoor air outlet; determining the dehumidification amount of the air conditioner according to the first air humidity content, the second air humidity content and the outlet air speed of the indoor air outlet.

[0064] Specifically, if Figure 4 As shown, when the air conditioner is in cooling or dehumidification operation, the air is first sucked into the indoor air inlet, the air sucked into the indoor air inlet enters the indoor unit, and is blown out from the indoor air outlet after being cooled. In this process, condensed water will be generated in the indoor unit, the temperature and humidity of the indoor air will decrease, and the greater the outlet wind speed of the indoor air outlet, the greater the dehumidification capacity of the air conditioner. Therefore, the first air humidity content of the indoor air inlet can be determined according to the return air temperature and return air humidity of the indoor air inlet, and the second air humidity content of the indoor air outlet can be determined according to the outlet air temperature and outlet humidity of the indoor air outlet, so as to determine the dehumidification capacity of the air conditioner according to the first air humidity content, the second air humidity content and the outlet wind speed of the indoor air outlet, so as to adjust the operating state of the drainage pump in real time according to the dehumidification capacity, improve the overall energy efficiency of the air conditioner, reduce the noise generated by the non-stop operation of the drainage pump, and increase the service life of the drainage pump.

[0065] In one embodiment of the present invention, Figure 5As shown, when the first air humidity content of the indoor air inlet is determined according to the return air temperature and the return air humidity of the indoor air inlet, the controller is specifically configured to: determine the first saturated water vapor partial pressure of the indoor air inlet according to the return air temperature of the indoor air inlet; determine the first air humidity content according to the first saturated water vapor partial pressure and the return air humidity of the indoor air inlet.

[0066] Specifically, the first air humidity is the air humidity at the indoor air inlet, and the first saturated water vapor pressure is the partial pressure of water vapor when the liquid water and water vapor at the indoor air inlet are in a dynamic equilibrium state. The calculation formula for the first air humidity is:

[0067]

[0068] Where d1 is the first air humidity, Φ1 is the return air humidity at the indoor air inlet, P S1 is the first saturated water vapor partial pressure, and P0 is the atmospheric pressure. Specifically, the calculation formula for the first saturated water vapor partial pressure is:

[0069]

[0070] Among them, P S1 is the first saturated water vapor partial pressure, and T1 is the return air temperature at the indoor air inlet.

[0071] Therefore, after determining the first saturated water vapor partial pressure of the indoor air inlet according to the return air temperature of the indoor air inlet, the first air humidity content of the indoor air inlet can be obtained according to the first saturated water vapor partial pressure and the return air humidity according to the calculation formula of the first air humidity content.

[0072] In one embodiment of the present invention, Figure 6 As shown, when determining the second air humidity content of the indoor air outlet according to the outlet temperature and outlet humidity of the indoor air outlet, the controller is specifically configured to: determine the second saturated water vapor partial pressure of the indoor air outlet according to the outlet temperature of the indoor air outlet; determine the second air humidity content according to the second saturated water vapor partial pressure and the outlet humidity of the indoor air outlet.

[0073] Specifically, the second air humidity is the air humidity at the indoor air outlet, and the second saturated water vapor pressure is the partial pressure of water vapor when the liquid water and water vapor at the indoor air outlet are in a dynamic equilibrium state. The calculation formula for the second air humidity is:

[0074]

[0075] Where d2 is the second air humidity, Φ2 is the air humidity at the indoor air outlet, P S2is the second saturated water vapor partial pressure, and P0 is the atmospheric pressure. Specifically, the calculation formula for the second saturated water vapor partial pressure is:

[0076]

[0077] Among them, P S2 is the second saturated water vapor partial pressure, and T2 is the air outlet temperature of the indoor air outlet.

[0078] Therefore, after determining the second saturated water vapor partial pressure of the indoor air outlet according to the outlet air temperature of the indoor air outlet, the second air humidity content of the indoor air outlet can be obtained according to the second saturated water vapor partial pressure and the outlet air humidity according to the calculation formula of the second air humidity content.

[0079] In one embodiment of the present invention, Figure 7 As shown, when the dehumidification capacity of the air conditioner is determined according to the first air humidity content, the second air humidity content and the air outlet speed of the indoor air outlet, the controller is specifically configured as follows: determining the air density of the indoor air outlet according to the air outlet temperature of the indoor air outlet and the second saturated water vapor partial pressure; determining the air mass flow rate according to the air density, the air outlet speed and the air outlet area of ​​the indoor air outlet; determining the dehumidification capacity of the air conditioner according to the air mass flow rate, the first air humidity content and the second air humidity content.

[0080] Specifically, when determining the dehumidification capacity of the air conditioner according to the first air humidity content, the second air humidity content and the outlet wind speed of the indoor air outlet, the dehumidification capacity can be calculated by the preset dehumidification capacity calculation formula from the air mass flow rate at the indoor air outlet, the first air humidity content and the second air humidity content; the air mass flow rate at the indoor air outlet can be calculated by the preset air mass flow calculation formula from the air density, outlet wind speed and outlet area at the indoor air outlet; the air density at the indoor air outlet can be calculated by the preset air density calculation formula from the outlet air temperature and the second saturated water vapor partial pressure at the indoor air outlet. Specifically, the calculation formula for determining the dehumidification capacity of the air conditioner according to the air mass flow rate, the first air humidity content and the second air humidity content is:

[0081] W = Q × (d1-d2) / 3600;

[0082] Wherein, W is the dehumidification capacity of the air conditioner, Q is the air mass flow rate, d1 is the first air humidity content, and d2 is the second air humidity content. It can be understood that W is the dehumidification capacity of the air conditioner per hour.

[0083] The calculation formula for determining the air mass flow rate based on the air density, wind speed and outlet area of ​​the indoor air outlet is:

[0084] Q = S × V × ρ;

[0085] Among them, Q is the air mass flow rate, ρ is the air density at the indoor air outlet, V is the outlet wind speed, and S is the outlet area.

[0086] The calculation formula for determining the air density at the indoor air outlet based on the air outlet temperature and the second saturated water vapor partial pressure is:

[0087]

[0088] Where ρ is the air density at the indoor air outlet, P0 is the atmospheric pressure, P S2 is the second saturated water vapor partial pressure, and T2 is the air outlet temperature of the indoor air outlet.

[0089] It is understandable that the air outlet area and atmospheric pressure of the indoor unit are preset values ​​and can be pre-stored in the controller.

[0090] In one embodiment of the present invention, when determining the on / off ratio of the drainage pump according to the dehumidification amount, the controller is configured to execute the following formula:

[0091]

[0092] Among them, K is the on-off ratio of the drainage pump, W is the dehumidification capacity, and N is the drainage capacity of the drainage pump per hour.

[0093] Specifically, the on-off ratio of the drain pump is the ratio of the on-time of the drain pump to the off-time of the drain pump. Since the drainage efficiency of the drain pump is constant, the embodiment of the present invention equates the difference between the drainage volume of the drain pump per hour and the dehumidification volume of the air conditioner to the drainable volume of the drain pump during the off-time. In this way, the ratio of the dehumidification volume of the air conditioner to the drainable volume of the drain pump during the off-time is the on-off ratio of the drain pump. The on-off ratio of the drain pump can be obtained through the dehumidification volume of the air conditioner, so that the operating state of the drain pump can be controlled through the on-off ratio of the drain pump.

[0094] In one embodiment of the present invention, before determining the on / off ratio of the drainage pump according to the dehumidification amount, the controller is further configured to: correct the dehumidification amount according to a preset correction coefficient.

[0095] Specifically, when the return air temperature and return air humidity of the indoor air inlet, as well as the outlet air temperature, outlet air humidity and outlet air speed of the indoor air outlet are collected through sensors, errors will occur, resulting in errors in the calculated dehumidification amount. Therefore, it is necessary to correct the calculated dehumidification amount to increase a portion of the margin and improve the fault tolerance. The embodiment of the present invention corrects the dehumidification amount by a preset correction coefficient. It can be understood that the preset correction coefficient is pre-stored in the controller. When the dehumidification amount is corrected according to the preset correction coefficient, it includes but is not limited to multiplying the dehumidification amount by the preset correction coefficient to complete the correction of the dehumidification amount.

[0096] In a specific embodiment, the preset correction coefficient is, for example, m, and the value range of m is, for example, 1.1 to 1.3. Then, before determining the on / off ratio of the drainage pump according to the dehumidification amount, the dehumidification amount W is corrected. For example, the corrected dehumidification amount can be 1.1W.

[0097] According to an air conditioner of an embodiment of the present invention, the air conditioner includes: a casing, a refrigerant circulation loop, an indoor fan, an indoor motor, a drainage pump, an indoor return air temperature sensor, an indoor return air humidity sensor, an indoor outlet air temperature sensor, an indoor outlet air humidity sensor, an indoor outlet air speed sensor and a controller. Among them, the refrigerant circulation loop is arranged in the casing, so that the refrigerant circulates in a loop composed of a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, an evaporator, a four-way valve and a pressure reducer, and one of the condenser and the evaporator is an outdoor heat exchanger and the other is an indoor heat exchanger; the indoor fan is arranged in the casing, and is used to drive the indoor air to pass through the indoor heat exchanger so that the refrigerant and the indoor air can exchange heat; the indoor motor is arranged in the casing, and is used to drive the indoor fan; the drainage pump is arranged in the casing, and is used to discharge the condensed water generated by the indoor unit; the indoor return air temperature sensor is used to detect the return air temperature of the indoor air inlet; the indoor return air humidity sensor is used to detect the return air humidity of the indoor air inlet; the indoor outlet air temperature sensor is used to detect the outlet air temperature of the indoor air outlet; the indoor outlet air humidity sensor is used to detect the outlet air temperature of the indoor air outlet The sensor is used to detect the outlet humidity of the indoor air outlet; the indoor outlet wind speed sensor is used to detect the outlet wind speed of the indoor air outlet; the controller is configured to: when the air conditioner is in cooling or dehumidification operation, obtain the return air temperature and return air humidity of the indoor air inlet, as well as the outlet air temperature, outlet air humidity and outlet wind speed of the indoor air outlet; determine the dehumidification amount of the air conditioner according to the return air temperature and return air humidity of the indoor air inlet, as well as the outlet air temperature, outlet air humidity and outlet wind speed of the indoor air outlet; determine the start-stop ratio of the drainage pump according to the dehumidification amount; control the operating state of the drainage pump according to the start-stop ratio, so that the drainage pump is shut down when drainage is not needed, thereby improving the overall energy efficiency of the air conditioner, reducing the noise generated by the non-stop operation of the drainage pump, and increasing the service life of the drainage pump.

[0098] A further embodiment of the present invention also discloses a method for controlling an air conditioner, such as Figure 8 As shown, the method comprises the following steps:

[0099] Step S1: When the air conditioner is in cooling or dehumidification operation, the return air temperature and return air humidity of the indoor air inlet, and the outlet air temperature, outlet air humidity and outlet air speed of the indoor air outlet are obtained.

[0100] Step S2: Determine the dehumidification capacity of the air conditioner according to the return air temperature and return air humidity of the indoor air inlet, and the outlet air temperature, outlet air humidity and outlet air speed of the indoor air outlet.

[0101] Step S3: Determine the on / off ratio of the drainage pump according to the dehumidification amount.

[0102] Step S4: Control the operating state of the drainage pump according to the on-off ratio.

[0103] In one embodiment of the present invention, the dehumidification capacity of the air conditioner is determined based on the return air temperature and return air humidity of the indoor air inlet, and the outlet air temperature, outlet air humidity and outlet air speed of the indoor air outlet, including: determining the first air humidity content of the indoor air inlet based on the return air temperature and return air humidity of the indoor air inlet; determining the second air humidity content of the indoor air outlet based on the outlet air temperature and outlet air humidity of the indoor air outlet; determining the dehumidification capacity of the air conditioner based on the first air humidity content, the second air humidity content and the outlet air speed of the indoor air outlet.

[0104] In one embodiment of the present invention, a first air humidity content at an indoor air inlet is determined based on the return air temperature and the return air humidity at the indoor air inlet, including: determining a first saturated water vapor partial pressure at the indoor air inlet based on the return air temperature at the indoor air inlet; determining the first air humidity content based on the first saturated water vapor partial pressure and the return air humidity at the indoor air inlet.

[0105] In one embodiment of the present invention, a second air humidity content at an indoor air outlet is determined based on the outlet temperature and outlet humidity of the indoor air outlet, including: determining a second saturated water vapor partial pressure at the indoor air outlet based on the outlet temperature of the indoor air outlet; determining a second air humidity content based on the second saturated water vapor partial pressure and the outlet humidity of the indoor air outlet.

[0106] In one embodiment of the present invention, the dehumidification capacity of the air conditioner is determined according to the first air humidity content, the second air humidity content and the outlet wind speed of the indoor air outlet, including: determining the air density of the indoor air outlet according to the outlet air temperature of the indoor air outlet and the second saturated water vapor partial pressure; determining the air mass flow rate according to the air density, outlet wind speed and outlet area of ​​the indoor air outlet; determining the dehumidification capacity of the air conditioner according to the air mass flow rate, the first air humidity content and the second air humidity content.

[0107] In one embodiment of the present invention, the air mass flow rate is determined according to the air density, the air velocity and the air outlet area of ​​the indoor air outlet, including executing the following formula:

[0108] Q = S × V × ρ;

[0109] Among them, Q is the air mass flow rate, ρ is the air density at the indoor air outlet, V is the outlet wind speed, and S is the outlet area.

[0110] In one embodiment of the present invention, determining the dehumidification amount of the air conditioner according to the air mass flow rate, the first air humidity content and the second air humidity content includes executing the following formula:

[0111] W = Q × (d1-d2) / 3600;

[0112] Wherein, W is the dehumidification capacity of the air conditioner, Q is the air mass flow rate, d1 is the first air humidity content, and d2 is the second air humidity content.

[0113] In one embodiment of the present invention, determining the on / off ratio of the drainage pump according to the dehumidification amount includes executing the following formula:

[0114]

[0115] Among them, K is the on-off ratio of the drainage pump, W is the dehumidification capacity, and N is the drainage capacity of the drainage pump per hour.

[0116] In one embodiment of the present invention, before determining the on / off ratio of the drainage pump according to the dehumidification amount, the method further includes: correcting the dehumidification amount according to a preset correction coefficient.

[0117] It should be noted that when controlling the air conditioner, the control method of the air conditioner in the embodiment of the present invention is implemented in a specific manner similar to the specific implementation manner of the air conditioner in the embodiment of the present invention. Please refer to the description of the system part for details. In order to reduce redundancy, it will not be repeated here.

[0118] According to the control method of the air conditioner of the embodiment of the present invention, when the air conditioner is in cooling or dehumidification operation, the return air temperature and return air humidity of the indoor air inlet, and the outlet air temperature, outlet air humidity and outlet air speed of the indoor air outlet are obtained, and the dehumidification amount of the air conditioner is determined according to the return air temperature and return air humidity of the indoor air inlet, and the outlet air temperature, outlet air humidity and outlet air speed of the indoor air outlet. The on-off ratio of the drainage pump is determined according to the dehumidification amount, and the operating state of the drainage pump is controlled according to the on-off ratio, so that the drainage pump is stopped when drainage is not needed, thereby improving the overall energy efficiency of the air conditioner, reducing the noise generated by the non-stop operation of the drainage pump, and increasing the service life of the drainage pump.

[0119] In the description of this specification, the description with reference to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "illustrative embodiments", "examples", "specific examples", or "some examples" means that the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the schematic representation of the above terms does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example.

[0120] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and variations may be made to the embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, and that the scope of the present invention is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An air conditioner, characterized in that: include: chassis; A refrigerant circulation loop is arranged in the casing, so that the refrigerant circulates in a loop composed of a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, an evaporator, a four-way valve and a pressure reducer, wherein one of the condenser and the evaporator is an outdoor heat exchanger and the other is an indoor heat exchanger; an indoor fan, disposed in the housing, for driving indoor air to pass through the indoor heat exchanger so as to exchange heat between the refrigerant and the indoor air; An indoor motor, disposed in the housing, for driving the indoor fan; A drainage pump, disposed in the housing, for discharging condensed water generated by the indoor unit; Indoor return air temperature sensor, used to detect the return air temperature at the indoor air inlet; Indoor return air humidity sensor, used to detect the return air humidity at the indoor air inlet; Indoor air outlet temperature sensor, used to detect the air outlet temperature of the indoor air outlet; Indoor air outlet humidity sensor, used to detect the air outlet humidity of the indoor air outlet; Indoor air outlet wind speed sensor, used to detect the air outlet wind speed of the indoor air outlet; A controller, wherein the controller is configured to: when the air conditioner is in cooling or dehumidification operation, obtain the return air temperature and return air humidity of the indoor air inlet, and the outlet air temperature, outlet air humidity and outlet air speed of the indoor air outlet; Determining the dehumidification capacity of the air conditioner according to the return air temperature and return air humidity of the indoor air inlet, and the outlet air temperature, outlet air humidity and outlet air speed of the indoor air outlet; determining the on / off ratio of the drainage pump according to the dehumidification amount; The operating state of the drainage pump is controlled according to the on-off ratio.

2. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that: When determining the dehumidification amount of the air conditioner according to the return air temperature and return air humidity of the indoor air inlet, and the outlet air temperature, outlet air humidity and outlet air speed of the indoor air outlet, the controller is specifically configured as follows: Determine a first air humidity content at the indoor air inlet according to the return air temperature and return air humidity at the indoor air inlet; Determine the second air humidity of the indoor air outlet according to the air outlet temperature and air outlet humidity of the indoor air outlet; The dehumidification capacity of the air conditioner is determined according to the first air humidity content, the second air humidity content and the air outlet speed of the indoor air outlet.

3. The air conditioner according to claim 2, characterized in that: When determining the first air humidity content of the indoor air inlet according to the return air temperature and return air humidity of the indoor air inlet, the controller is specifically configured as follows: Determining a first saturated water vapor partial pressure at the indoor air inlet according to the return air temperature at the indoor air inlet; The first air humidity content is determined according to the first saturated water vapor partial pressure and the return air humidity of the indoor air inlet.

4. The air conditioner according to claim 2, characterized in that: When determining the second air humidity content of the indoor air outlet according to the air outlet temperature and air outlet humidity of the indoor air outlet, the controller is specifically configured as follows: determining a second saturated water vapor partial pressure at the indoor air outlet according to the air outlet temperature of the indoor air outlet; The second air humidity content is determined according to the second saturated water vapor partial pressure and the air outlet humidity of the indoor air outlet.

5. The air conditioner according to claim 4, characterized in that: When determining the dehumidification amount of the air conditioner according to the first air humidity content, the second air humidity content and the air outlet speed of the indoor air outlet, the controller is specifically configured as follows: determining the air density at the indoor air outlet according to the air outlet temperature of the indoor air outlet and the second saturated water vapor partial pressure; Determine the air mass flow rate according to the air density, air outlet velocity and air outlet area of ​​the indoor air outlet; A dehumidification amount of the air conditioner is determined according to the air mass flow rate, the first air humidity content, and the second air humidity content.

6. The air conditioner according to claim 9, characterized in that: When determining the air mass flow rate according to the air density, the air outlet velocity and the air outlet area of ​​the indoor air outlet, the controller is configured to execute the following formula: Q = S × V × ρ; Wherein, Q is the air mass flow rate, ρ is the air density of the indoor air outlet, V is the air outlet speed, and S is the air outlet area.

7. The air conditioner according to claim 6, characterized in that: When determining the dehumidification amount of the air conditioner according to the air mass flow rate, the first air humidity content and the second air humidity content, the controller is configured to execute the following formula: W = Q × (d1-d2) / 3600; Wherein, W is the dehumidification capacity of the air conditioner, Q is the air mass flow rate, d1 is the first air humidity content, and d2 is the second air humidity content.

8. The air conditioner according to claim 7, characterized in that: When determining the on / off ratio of the drainage pump according to the dehumidification amount, the controller is configured to execute the following formula: Wherein, K is the on-off ratio of the drainage pump, W is the dehumidification amount, and N is the drainage amount of the drainage pump per hour.

9. The air conditioner according to claim 8, characterized in that: Before determining the on / off ratio of the drainage pump according to the dehumidification amount, the controller is further configured to: The dehumidification amount is corrected according to a preset correction coefficient.

10. A method for controlling an air conditioner, characterized in that: For the air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 9, the method comprises the following steps: When the air conditioner is in cooling or dehumidification operation, the return air temperature and return air humidity of the indoor air inlet, as well as the outlet air temperature, outlet air humidity and outlet air speed of the indoor air outlet are obtained; Determining the dehumidification capacity of the air conditioner according to the return air temperature and return air humidity of the indoor air inlet, and the outlet air temperature, outlet air humidity and outlet air speed of the indoor air outlet; determining an on / off ratio of the drainage pump according to the dehumidification amount; The operating state of the drainage pump is controlled according to the on-off ratio.

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