Refrigerator and stall detection method, device and storage medium for electric valve thereof

Abstract

The application provides a refrigerator, a method and device for detecting stuck detection of an electric valve of the refrigerator and a storage medium. The refrigerator further comprises a thermal imager configured to collect thermal images of the electric valve. The detection method comprises: acquiring a plurality of first thermal images; determining, according to the plurality of first thermal images, an inlet collection point, a valve-in collection point and an outlet collection point corresponding to an inlet, a valve-in and an outlet of the electric valve, respectively; controlling the electric valve to switch from a first state to a second state; acquiring first, second and third temperature values of the inlet collection point, the valve-in collection point and the outlet collection point; and judging whether the electric valve has a stuck fault according to the first, second and third temperature values.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of refrigerator fault detection technology, specifically to a refrigerator and its electric valve stall detection method, device and storage medium. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of refrigerators, some refrigerators have adopted electric valves to regulate refrigerant flow to meet market demands and match refrigerator functions. However, electric valves operate for extended periods in a high-pressure, low-temperature refrigerant environment; the high temperature and low pressure of the refrigerant can easily cause increased resistance in the electric valve, leading to stalling and resulting in unreliable or even non-existent cooling performance. Therefore, stall testing of the electric valve is necessary. However, current technology requires disassembling the refrigerator to perform stall testing, resulting in low testing efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This application provides a refrigerator and a method, apparatus and storage medium for detecting the stall of its electric valve, aiming to solve the technical problem of low detection efficiency of electric valve stall in the prior art.

[0004] In a first aspect, this application proposes a method for detecting the stall of an electric valve in a refrigerator, wherein the refrigerator further includes a thermal imager configured to acquire thermal images of the electric valve; the detection method includes:

[0005] Acquire multiple first thermal images;

[0006] Based on the multiple first thermal images, the inlet sampling point, the valve interior sampling point, and the outlet sampling point corresponding to the electric valve are determined respectively.

[0007] Control the electric valve to switch from the first state to the second state;

[0008] Acquire the first temperature value, the second temperature value, and the third temperature value of the inlet sampling point, the valve internal sampling point, and the outlet sampling point;

[0009] Based on the first temperature value, the second temperature value, and the third temperature value, determine whether the electric valve is experiencing a stall fault.

[0010] Optionally, the plurality of first thermal images include first thermal images of the plurality of electric valves when they are open and first thermal images of the plurality of electric valves when they are closed;

[0011] The step of determining the inlet sampling point, valve interior sampling point, and outlet sampling point corresponding to the electric valve based on the plurality of first thermal images includes:

[0012] The acquisition point corresponding to the electric valve is determined based on one of the first thermal images of the plurality of electric valves when they are opened;

[0013] Based on the acquisition points corresponding to the electric valves and the first thermal images of the multiple electric valves when they are closed, determine multiple inlet points corresponding to the inlet, multiple valve points corresponding to the valve, and multiple outlet points corresponding to the outlet.

[0014] Based on the first thermal images of the plurality of electric valves when closed, the average temperature at the inlet, the average temperature inside the valve, and the average temperature at the outlet of the electric valve are determined respectively.

[0015] Based on the average temperature at the inlet of the electric valve, the average temperature inside the valve, and the average temperature at the outlet, as well as the multiple inlet points, the multiple points inside the valve, and the multiple outlet points, the inlet sampling point, the internal sampling point, and the outlet sampling point are determined.

[0016] Optionally, determining the inlet sampling point, valve internal sampling point, and outlet sampling point based on the average temperature at the inlet of the electric valve, the average temperature inside the valve, the average temperature at the outlet, and the plurality of inlet points, the plurality of valve internal points, and the plurality of outlet points includes:

[0017] The inlet sampling point is determined as the one among the plurality of inlet points whose average temperature is closest to that of the inlet.

[0018] The valve sampling point is determined as the valve sampling point among the plurality of valve inlet points that is closest to the average temperature inside the valve.

[0019] The outlet sampling point is determined as the one among the plurality of outlet points whose average temperature is closest to that of the outlet.

[0020] Optionally, determining the average temperature at the inlet, the average temperature inside the valve, and the average temperature at the outlet of the electric valve based on the plurality of first thermal images further includes:

[0021] Acquire second thermal images of the multiple electric valves when they are closed;

[0022] Based on the first thermal image and the second thermal image of the plurality of electric valves when they are closed, update the average temperature at the inlet, the average temperature inside the valve, and the average temperature at the outlet of the electric valve, respectively.

[0023] Based on the average temperature at the inlet of the electric valve, the average temperature inside the valve, and the average temperature at the outlet, as well as the multiple inlet points, the multiple points inside the valve, and the multiple outlet points, the inlet sampling point, the valve sampling point, and the outlet sampling point are determined as follows:

[0024] Based on the updated average temperature at the inlet of the electric valve, the average temperature inside the valve, and the average temperature at the outlet, as well as the multiple inlet points, the multiple points inside the valve, and the multiple outlet points, the inlet sampling point, the internal sampling point, and the outlet sampling point are determined.

[0025] Optionally, controlling the electric valve to switch from the first state to the second state includes:

[0026] Control the electric valve to switch from the open state to the closed state;

[0027] Obtaining the first temperature value, the second temperature value, and the third temperature value of the inlet sampling point, the valve sampling point, and the outlet sampling point includes:

[0028] Acquire multiple first temperature values, multiple second temperature values, and multiple third temperature values ​​from the inlet sampling point, the valve sampling point, and the outlet sampling point;

[0029] The step of determining whether the electric valve is stuck based on the first temperature value, the second temperature value, and the third temperature value includes:

[0030] The electric valve is considered to have a stall fault if any of the following conditions occur:

[0031] The second temperature value during the first preset duration of operation is higher than the second temperature value when the electric valve just switches from the open state to the closed state, and the first temperature value during the first preset duration of operation and the third temperature value during the first preset duration of operation are the same.

[0032] The first, second, and third temperature values ​​are the same when running for a second preset duration; wherein the first preset duration is less than the second preset duration.

[0033] Optionally, controlling the electric valve to switch from the first state to the second state includes:

[0034] Control the electric valve to switch from the closed state to the open state;

[0035] The acquisition of the first temperature value, second temperature value, and third temperature value of the inlet sampling point, the valve sampling point, and the outlet sampling point includes:

[0036] Acquire multiple first temperature values, multiple second temperature values, and multiple third temperature values ​​from the inlet sampling point, the valve sampling point, and the outlet sampling point;

[0037] The step of determining whether the electric valve is experiencing a stall fault based on the first temperature value, the second temperature value, and the third temperature value includes:

[0038] The electric valve is considered to have a stall fault if any of the following conditions occur:

[0039] The first temperature value during the third preset duration of operation is lower than the third temperature value during the third preset duration of operation;

[0040] The second temperature value during the fourth preset duration is higher than the second temperature value when the electric valve just switches from the closed state to the open state, and is higher than the first temperature value during the fourth preset duration; wherein the third preset duration is greater than or equal to the fourth preset duration.

[0041] Optionally, before acquiring multiple first thermal images and acquiring the second thermal image, the stall detection method further includes:

[0042] Control the start of the refrigerator's compressor.

[0043] Secondly, embodiments of this application also propose a device for detecting the stall of an electric valve in a refrigerator, wherein the refrigerator further includes a thermal imager configured to acquire thermal images of the electric valve; the detection device includes:

[0044] The acquisition module is used to acquire multiple first thermal images; the first thermal images are acquired when the electric valve is not stalled;

[0045] The determination module is used to determine, based on the plurality of first thermal images, the inlet acquisition point, the valve interior acquisition point, and the outlet acquisition point corresponding to the electric valve, respectively.

[0046] The control module is used to control the electric valve to switch from a first state to a second state; and the acquisition module is also used to acquire the first temperature value, the second temperature value, and the third temperature value of the inlet acquisition point, the valve inside acquisition point, and the outlet acquisition point.

[0047] The judgment module is also used to determine whether the electric valve has a stall fault based on the first temperature value, the second temperature value and the third temperature value.

[0048] Thirdly, this application also proposes a refrigerator, including an electric valve, a thermal imager, and a controller; the thermal imager is configured to acquire thermal images of the electric valve; the controller is signal-connected to the electric valve and the thermal imager respectively, and the controller is configured to execute the electric valve stall detection method as described above.

[0049] Fourthly, this application also proposes a computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, the computer program being loaded by a processor to perform the steps of the electric valve stall detection method as described above.

[0050] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, a thermal imager is installed inside the refrigerator to collect thermal images of the electric valve. By acquiring multiple first thermal images of the electric valve, the inlet, valve interior, and outlet acquisition points of the electric valve are determined. This allows for the direct acquisition of the first, second, and third temperature values ​​of the inlet, valve interior, and outlet acquisition points during the testing of the electric valve. Furthermore, the first, second, and third temperature values ​​are used to determine whether the electric valve is experiencing a stall fault. This allows for timely detection of electric valve stall faults without disassembling the refrigerator, improving the detection efficiency of stall faults. Attached Figure Description

[0051] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0052] Figure 1 This is a schematic flowchart of the electric valve stall detection method provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0053] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the sub-steps in step S300;

[0054] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the sub-steps in step S340;

[0055] Figure 4 This is a schematic flowchart of the electric valve stall detection method provided in this application embodiment, which detects stall when the electric valve is closed.

[0056] Figure 5 This is a schematic flowchart of the electric valve stall detection method provided in this application embodiment for detecting stall when the electric valve is open;

[0057] Figure 6 This is another schematic flowchart of the electric valve stall detection method provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0058] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the electric valve stall detection device provided in the embodiments of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0059] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0060] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating orientation or positional relationships based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, are only for the convenience of describing the invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the invention. Furthermore, 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 indicated technical features. Thus, features defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the stated features. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0061] In this application, the term "exemplary" is used to mean "serving as an example, illustration, or description." Any embodiment described as "exemplary" in this application is not necessarily to be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments. The following description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention. Details are set forth in the following description for purposes of explanation. It should be understood that those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be made without using these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and processes will not be described in detail to avoid obscuring the description of the invention with unnecessary detail. Therefore, the invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown, but is consistent with the broadest scope of the principles and features disclosed in this application.

[0062] This application provides a refrigerator and its electric valve stall detection method, device, server, and storage medium, which will be described in detail below.

[0063] The refrigerator includes a refrigeration system. The refrigeration system includes a compressor, a condenser, a throttling device, and an evaporator connected in sequence. Under the action of the compressor, the refrigerant passes through the condenser, the throttling device, and the evaporator in sequence before returning to the compressor, completing one refrigeration cycle. An electric valve is located between the condenser and the throttling device to regulate the refrigerant flow. The refrigerator also includes a thermal imager for acquiring thermal images of the electric valve. This application provides a method for detecting the stall of the electric valve, executed by a controller located inside the refrigerator. Specifically, the controller is signal-connected to the electric valve, such as through a signal line connection.

[0064] like Figure 1 The diagram shown is a flowchart of an embodiment of the electric valve stall detection method in this application. The electric valve stall detection method includes:

[0065] S200, acquire multiple first thermal images;

[0066] S300, based on the plurality of first thermal images, determine the inlet sampling point, valve interior sampling point, and outlet sampling point corresponding to the electric valve's inlet, valve interior, and outlet, respectively;

[0067] S400, control the electric valve to switch from the first state to the second state;

[0068] S500, acquire the first temperature value, the second temperature value, and the third temperature value of the inlet sampling point, the valve sampling point, and the outlet sampling point;

[0069] S600, based on the first temperature value, the second temperature value and the third temperature value, determine whether the electric valve has a stall fault.

[0070] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, a thermal imager is installed inside the refrigerator to collect thermal images of the electric valve. By acquiring multiple first thermal images of the electric valve, the inlet, valve interior, and outlet acquisition points of the electric valve are determined. This allows for the direct acquisition of the first, second, and third temperature values ​​of the inlet, valve interior, and outlet acquisition points during the testing of the electric valve. Furthermore, the first, second, and third temperature values ​​are used to determine whether the electric valve is experiencing a stall fault. This allows for timely detection of electric valve stall faults without disassembling the refrigerator, improving the detection efficiency of stall faults.

[0071] In this embodiment, due to some deviations in the installation position of the thermal imager and the presence of multiple points for generating thermal images, the technical solution of this application acquires the first thermal image multiple times to determine the inlet / outlet acquisition point, valve interior acquisition point, and outlet acquisition point from the points in the thermal image, so as to accurately reflect the temperature information of the electric valve; and then, during stall detection, the first temperature value, second temperature value, and third temperature value corresponding to the inlet / outlet acquisition point, valve interior acquisition point, and outlet acquisition point are directly acquired.

[0072] It should be noted that the thermal imager uses an infrared detector and an optical imaging lens to receive the infrared radiation energy of the electric valve under test, and reflects the energy distribution pattern onto the photosensitive element of the infrared detector to obtain a thermal image. This thermal image corresponds to the heat distribution field of the object's surface. The measurement surface of the thermal imager includes multiple points (e.g., 100), which include points for collecting the temperature at the inlet, inside the valve, and at the outlet, while some points also collect the ambient temperature. In some embodiments, the thermal imager has a measurement accuracy of 0.5°C, a temperature range of -50°C to 50°C, no display screen, RS485 communication, and a standard Modbus-RTU protocol. Furthermore, the thermal imager is installed near the electric valve, for example, 5 cm in front of the electric valve, with no obstructions between them.

[0073] In the above embodiments, the first state can be either the closed state or the open state, and the second state can be either the closed state or the open state.

[0074] In the above embodiments, steps S200 and S300 can be understood as the point location and calibration steps for the acquisition points at the inlet, valve interior, and outlet. Typically, steps S200 and S300 are performed after the thermal imager is installed in the refrigerator, starting the point location and calibration steps for the acquisition points at the inlet, valve interior, and outlet. The point location and calibration steps can be completed automatically by the system or by the user through controls on the control panel or an app. Steps S400-S600 are steps performed when detection is required, such as when the refrigerator performs a self-check at regular intervals, or when the user triggers detection or maintenance.

[0075] Before acquiring multiple first thermal images, the detection method also includes a control step for acquiring the first thermal images:

[0076] After the electric valve is opened and the operation lasts for the fifth preset time, the thermal imager is controlled to acquire the first thermal image.

[0077] The electric valve is closed, and after running for the sixth preset time, the thermal imager is controlled to collect the first thermal image again.

[0078] The control steps for acquiring the first thermal image are executed repeatedly until a preset number of first thermal images are acquired, at which point the execution of the control steps for acquiring the first thermal image is stopped.

[0079] The fifth and sixth preset durations are both designed to ensure that the temperature inside the electric valve reaches a stable state.

[0080] As an optional implementation of the above embodiments, the plurality of first thermal images include a plurality of first thermal images of the electric valves when they are open and a plurality of first thermal images of the electric valves when they are closed;

[0081] like Figure 2 As shown, determining the inlet sampling point, valve interior sampling point, and outlet sampling point corresponding to the electric valve's inlet, valve interior, and outlet based on the plurality of first thermal images includes:

[0082] S310, determine the sampling point corresponding to the electric valve based on one of the first thermal images of the plurality of electric valves when they are open;

[0083] S320, based on the acquisition points corresponding to the electric valves and the first thermal images of the multiple electric valves when they are closed, determine multiple inlet points corresponding to the inlet, multiple valve points corresponding to the valve, and multiple outlet points corresponding to the outlet.

[0084] S330, based on the plurality of first thermal images, determine the average temperature at the inlet of the electric valve, the average temperature inside the valve, and the average temperature at the outlet, respectively;

[0085] S340, based on the average temperature at the inlet of the electric valve, the average temperature inside the valve, the average temperature at the outlet, and the multiple inlet points, the multiple valve inside points, and the multiple outlet points, determine the inlet sampling point, the valve inside sampling point, and the outlet sampling point.

[0086] In this embodiment, the thermal image is an image formed by a thermal imager based on the thermal radiation of the electric valve. Therefore, based on the temperature distribution in the thermal image, the corresponding acquisition point of the electric valve is determined (in the environment where the electric valve is located, the electric valve is at a low temperature, while the environment is at a high temperature, thus determining the acquisition point of the electric valve). Then, based on the acquisition point and the first thermal image of the plurality of electric valves when closed (after closing, the temperatures at the inlet, inside the valve, and the outlet are different, thus the acquisition point can be divided into inlet point, inside valve point, and outlet point), multiple inlet points, multiple inside valve points, and multiple outlet points are correspondingly determined. Based on the first thermal image of the plurality of electric valves when closed, the average temperature at the inlet, the average temperature inside the valve, and the average temperature at the outlet of the electric valve are determined respectively. Accordingly, based on the average temperature at the inlet, the average temperature inside the valve, and the average temperature at the outlet of the electric valve, as well as the inlet point, the inside valve point, and the outlet point, the inlet acquisition point, the inside valve acquisition point, and the outlet acquisition point are determined.

[0087] In this embodiment, each electric valve, in its first thermal image when closed, contains multiple inlet points, valve interior points, and outlet points. Based on this, the average temperature of each inlet point, valve interior point, and outlet point can be calculated separately. Then, the average temperatures of the inlet points, valve interior points, and outlet points corresponding to the first thermal images of the multiple electric valves when closed are averaged to obtain the average inlet temperature, valve interior temperature, and outlet temperature of the electric valve. In this embodiment, each electric valve, in its first thermal image when closed, contains multiple inlet points, valve interior points, and outlet points. Based on this, the average temperatures of the corresponding inlet points, valve interior points, and outlet points in the multiple first thermal images can be averaged to obtain the average inlet temperature, valve interior temperature, and outlet temperature of the electric valve.

[0088] As an optional implementation of the above embodiments, such as Figure 3 As shown, determining the inlet sampling point, valve internal sampling point, and outlet sampling point based on the average temperature at the inlet of the electric valve, the average temperature inside the valve, the average temperature at the outlet, and the multiple inlet points, the multiple valve internal points, and the multiple outlet points includes:

[0089] S341, determine the inlet sampling point as the one among the plurality of inlet points whose average temperature is closest to that of the inlet;

[0090] S342, determine the valve sampling point as the one among the plurality of valve in-valve points whose average temperature is closest to that inside the valve.

[0091] S343, determine the outlet sampling point as the one among the plurality of outlet points whose average temperature is closest to that of the outlet.

[0092] In this embodiment, the inlet whose temperature, among multiple inlet points, is closest to the average inlet temperature is designated as the inlet sampling point. The first temperature value collected at this inlet sampling point more accurately reflects the temperature at the inlet. Similarly, the valve-inside sampling point, among multiple valve-inside sampling points, whose temperature, among multiple valve-inside sampling points, is closest to the average valve-inside temperature is designated as the valve-inside sampling point. The first temperature value collected at this valve-inside sampling point more accurately reflects the temperature inside the valve. Likewise, the outlet-inside sampling point, among multiple outlet points, whose temperature, among multiple outlet points, is closest to the average outlet temperature is designated as the outlet sampling point. The first temperature value collected at this outlet sampling point more accurately reflects the temperature at the outlet.

[0093] As an optional implementation of the above embodiments, the step of determining the average temperature at the inlet, the average temperature inside the valve, and the average temperature at the outlet of the electric valve based on the plurality of first thermal images further includes:

[0094] Acquire second thermal images of the multiple electric valves when they are closed;

[0095] Based on the first thermal image and the second thermal image of the plurality of electric valves when they are closed, the average temperature at the inlet of the electric valve, the average temperature inside the valve, and the average temperature at the outlet of the electric valve are updated respectively.

[0096] Based on the average temperature at the inlet of the electric valve, the average temperature inside the valve, and the average temperature at the outlet, as well as the multiple inlet points, the multiple points inside the valve, and the multiple outlet points, the inlet sampling point, the valve sampling point, and the outlet sampling point are determined as follows:

[0097] Based on the updated average temperature at the inlet of the electric valve, the average temperature inside the valve, and the average temperature at the outlet, as well as the multiple inlet points, the multiple points inside the valve, and the multiple outlet points, the inlet sampling point, the internal sampling point, and the outlet sampling point are determined.

[0098] In other words, in this embodiment, to improve the accuracy of detection, the point-finding step can be performed in real time. That is, each time a second thermal image is acquired, the inlet sampling point, the valve internal sampling point, and the outlet sampling point are re-determined according to the above steps S330-S340, so that when detecting stall, the location can be quickly and accurately determined, improving detection accuracy and efficiency.

[0099] In this embodiment, the first and second thermal images are thermal images acquired when the electric valve is not blocked. That is, the temperature distribution of the thermal images used for point location is highly consistent, avoiding calibration errors due to singularities. In this embodiment, the first thermal image may be acquired before or immediately after the refrigerator is used; while the second thermal image may be acquired during the refrigerator's self-test process, if it is determined that the electric valve is not blocked.

[0100] In some embodiments, both the first thermal image and the second thermal image are images obtained after the refrigerator has been running for a period of time when it switches from the closed state to the open state, which can effectively distinguish the electric valve from the environment.

[0101] As an optional implementation of the above embodiments, such as Figure 4 As shown, controlling the electric valve to switch from the first state to the second state includes:

[0102] S410, control the electric valve to switch from the open state to the closed state;

[0103] Obtaining the first, second, and third temperature values ​​of the inlet sampling point, the valve internal sampling point, and the outlet sampling point includes:

[0104] S510, acquire multiple first temperature values, multiple second temperature values, and multiple third temperature values ​​of the inlet sampling point, the valve sampling point, and the outlet sampling point;

[0105] The step of determining whether the electric valve is experiencing a stall fault based on the first temperature value, the second temperature value, and the third temperature value includes:

[0106] The electric valve is considered to have a stall fault if any of the following conditions occur:

[0107] The second temperature value during the first preset duration of operation is higher than the second temperature value when the electric valve just switches from the open state to the closed state, and the first temperature value during the first preset duration of operation and the third temperature value during the first preset duration of operation are the same.

[0108] The first, second, and third temperature values ​​are the same when running for a second preset duration; wherein the first preset duration is less than the second preset duration.

[0109] This embodiment determines whether the electric valve stalls when it is closed. Only then can the electric valve switch from the open state to the closed state. Temperature is collected at the inlet sampling point, the valve internal sampling point, and the outlet sampling point, or at a preset frequency, to obtain multiple first temperature values, multiple second temperature values, and multiple third temperature values ​​at the inlet sampling point, the valve internal sampling point, and the outlet sampling point.

[0110] When the second temperature value during the first preset duration of operation is higher than the second temperature value when the electric valve has just switched from the open state to the closed state, and the first temperature value and the third temperature value during the first preset duration of operation are the same, it is determined that the electric valve is blocked. Because the electric valve is blocked, its mechanical energy is converted into heat energy, causing the valve's internal temperature to rise for a period of time. Furthermore, since the electric valve's inlet and outlet are connected, their temperatures are the same, thus indicating that the electric valve is blocked. In this embodiment, at least the first temperature value, the second temperature value, and the third temperature value are collected during the first preset duration after the electric valve is switched from the open state to the closed state.

[0111] Alternatively, if the first, second, and third temperature values ​​are the same after running for a second preset time, the mechanical energy of the electric valve is converted into heat energy due to the electric valve being blocked, causing the temperature inside the valve to rise for a period of time. However, after continuing to run for the second preset time, after heat dissipation, if the first, second, and third temperature values ​​are the same after running for the second preset time, it indicates that the electric valve is connected and not closed, thus determining that the electric valve is blocked. In some embodiments, when the electric valve is blocked, the second temperature value will rise by about 1.5 degrees Celsius within the second preset time.

[0112] If the first temperature value during the second preset running time is less than the second temperature value and less than the third temperature value, it indicates that the electric valve is in the closed state after performing the closing action, and it is determined that the electric valve is not blocked.

[0113] In the above embodiments, the thermal imager will acquire thermal images of the electric valve at least three times: during state switching, during the first preset duration, and during the second preset duration. The first and second preset durations are system-set parameters, for example, the first preset duration is 20 seconds and the second preset duration is 1 minute. No specific limitation is made here, and the specific parameters are set according to different refrigerator functions.

[0114] As an optional implementation of the above embodiments, such as Figure 5 As shown, controlling the electric valve to switch from the first state to the second state includes:

[0115] S420, control the electric valve to switch from the closed state to the open state;

[0116] The acquisition of the first temperature value, second temperature value, and third temperature value of the inlet sampling point, the valve sampling point, and the outlet sampling point includes:

[0117] S520, acquire multiple first temperature values, multiple second temperature values, and multiple third temperature values ​​of the inlet sampling point, valve sampling point, and outlet sampling point;

[0118] The step of determining whether the electric valve is experiencing a stall fault based on the first temperature value, the second temperature value, and the third temperature value includes:

[0119] The electric valve is considered to have a stall fault if any of the following conditions occur:

[0120] The first temperature value during the third preset duration of operation is lower than the third temperature value during the third preset duration of operation;

[0121] The second temperature value during the fourth preset duration is higher than the second temperature value when the electric valve just switches from the closed state to the open state, and is higher than the first temperature value during the fourth preset duration; wherein the third preset duration is greater than or equal to the fourth preset duration.

[0122] This embodiment determines whether the electric valve stalls when it is opened. Only then can the electric valve switch from the open state to the closed state. Temperature is collected at the inlet, valve interior, and outlet sampling points, or at a preset frequency, to obtain multiple first temperature values, multiple second temperature values, and multiple third temperature values ​​at the inlet, valve interior, and outlet sampling points.

[0123] When the first temperature value during the third preset running time is less than the third temperature value during the third preset running time, it indicates that the refrigerant is not flowing in the valve, that is, the electric valve is not conducting when executing the opening command, and the electric valve is blocked.

[0124] The second temperature value during the fourth preset duration is higher than the second temperature value when the electric valve just switched from the closed state to the open state, and higher than the first temperature value during the fourth preset duration; wherein the third preset duration is greater than or equal to the fourth preset duration. That is, during a fourth preset duration less than or equal to the third preset duration after the electric valve has opened, mechanical energy is converted into heat energy, the temperature inside the valve rises, and it is higher than the first temperature value at the inlet at this moment, indicating that the electric valve did not conduct when executing the opening command, and the electric valve is blocked. In some embodiments, when the electric valve is blocked, the second temperature value will rise by about 2 degrees Celsius within the fourth preset duration.

[0125] In the above embodiments, the thermal imager will acquire thermal images of the electric valve at least three times: during state switching, at the third preset duration, and at the fourth preset duration. The third and fourth preset durations are system-set parameters, for example, the fourth preset duration is 10 seconds and the third preset duration is 1 minute. No specific limitation is made here, and the specific parameters are set according to different refrigerator functions.

[0126] As an optional implementation of the above embodiments, such as Figure 6 As shown, before acquiring multiple first thermal images and acquiring the second thermal image, the stall detection method further includes: S100, controlling the refrigerator compressor to start. In the technical solution of this application embodiment, during stall detection, the refrigerator compressor is in the starting state, causing the refrigerant to flow in the refrigerator's refrigeration cycle pipes. When the thermal imager acquires the thermal image of the electric valve, the refrigerant is in a flowable state.

[0127] This invention utilizes thermal imaging to achieve non-invasive detection of refrigerator electric valve malfunctions, eliminating the need to disassemble refrigerator components and reducing detection costs and repair difficulty. Simultaneously, it can quickly and accurately diagnose electric valve faults, helping to improve the compressor's cooling efficiency and lifespan.

[0128] To better implement the electric valve stall detection method in the embodiments of this application, based on the electric valve stall detection method, the embodiments of this application also provide an electric valve stall detection device for a refrigerator, such as... Figure 7 As shown, the electric valve stall detection device includes:

[0129] The acquisition module 10 is used to acquire multiple first thermal images; the first thermal images are acquired when the electric valve is not stalled;

[0130] The determination module 20 is used to determine, based on the plurality of first thermal images, the inlet acquisition point, the valve interior acquisition point, and the outlet acquisition point corresponding to the electric valve, respectively.

[0131] The control module 30 is used to control the electric valve to switch from the first state to the second state; and the acquisition module is also used to acquire the first temperature value, the second temperature value and the third temperature value of the inlet acquisition point, the valve inside acquisition point and the outlet acquisition point.

[0132] The judgment module 40 is also used to determine whether the electric valve has a stall fault based on the first temperature value, the second temperature value and the third temperature value.

[0133] This application also proposes an electric valve stall detection and control system, including: one or more processors; a memory; and one or more application programs, wherein the one or more application programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the processor to implement the electric valve stall detection method as described above.

[0134] Typically, the control system for detecting electric valve stall includes: at least one processor, at least one memory, and a control program for the control system for detecting electric valve stall stored in the memory and executable on the processor. The control program for the control system for detecting electric valve stall is configured to implement the steps of the electric valve stall detection method described above.

[0135] The processor may include one or more processing cores, such as a quad-core processor or an octa-core processor. The processor can be implemented using at least one hardware form of DSP (Digital Signal Processing), FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), or PLA (Programmable Logic Array). The processor may also include a main processor and coprocessors. The main processor, also known as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), is used to process data in the wake-up state; the coprocessor is a low-power processor used to process data in the standby state. In some embodiments, the processor may integrate a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), which is responsible for rendering and drawing the content required to be displayed on the screen. The processor may also include an AI (Artificial Intelligence) processor, which handles the control method operations related to the electric valve stall detection control system, enabling the detection method model of the electric valve stall detection control system to learn autonomously, improving efficiency and accuracy.

[0136] The memory may include one or more computer-readable storage media, which may be non-transitory. The memory may also include high-speed random access memory and non-volatile memory, such as one or more disk storage devices or flash memory devices. In some embodiments, the non-transitory computer-readable storage media in the memory is used to store at least one instruction, which is executed by a processor to implement the electric valve stall detection method of the control system for electric valve stall detection provided in the method embodiments of this application.

[0137] Acquire multiple first thermal images;

[0138] Based on the multiple first thermal images, the inlet sampling point, the valve interior sampling point, and the outlet sampling point corresponding to the electric valve are determined respectively.

[0139] Control the electric valve to switch from the first state to the second state;

[0140] Acquire the first temperature value, the second temperature value, and the third temperature value of the inlet sampling point, the valve internal sampling point, and the outlet sampling point;

[0141] Based on the first temperature value, the second temperature value, and the third temperature value, determine whether the electric valve is experiencing a stall fault.

[0142] Optionally, the plurality of first thermal images include first thermal images of the plurality of electric valves when they are open and first thermal images of the plurality of electric valves when they are closed;

[0143] The step of determining the inlet sampling point, valve interior sampling point, and outlet sampling point corresponding to the electric valve based on the plurality of first thermal images includes:

[0144] The acquisition point corresponding to the electric valve is determined based on one of the first thermal images of the plurality of electric valves when they are opened;

[0145] Based on the acquisition points corresponding to the electric valves and the first thermal images of the multiple electric valves when they are closed, determine multiple inlet points corresponding to the inlet, multiple valve points corresponding to the valve, and multiple outlet points corresponding to the outlet.

[0146] Based on the first thermal images of the plurality of electric valves when closed, the average temperature at the inlet, the average temperature inside the valve, and the average temperature at the outlet of the electric valve are determined respectively.

[0147] Based on the average temperature at the inlet of the electric valve, the average temperature inside the valve, and the average temperature at the outlet, as well as the multiple inlet points, the multiple points inside the valve, and the multiple outlet points, the inlet sampling point, the internal sampling point, and the outlet sampling point are determined.

[0148] Optionally, determining the inlet sampling point, valve internal sampling point, and outlet sampling point based on the average temperature at the inlet of the electric valve, the average temperature inside the valve, the average temperature at the outlet, and the plurality of inlet points, the plurality of valve internal points, and the plurality of outlet points includes:

[0149] The inlet sampling point is determined as the one among the plurality of inlet points whose average temperature is closest to that of the inlet.

[0150] The valve sampling point is determined as the valve sampling point among the plurality of valve inlet points that is closest to the average temperature inside the valve.

[0151] The outlet sampling point is determined as the one among the plurality of outlet points whose average temperature is closest to that of the outlet.

[0152] Optionally, determining the average temperature at the inlet, the average temperature inside the valve, and the average temperature at the outlet of the electric valve based on the plurality of first thermal images further includes:

[0153] Acquire second thermal images of the multiple electric valves when they are closed;

[0154] Based on the first thermal image and the second thermal image of the plurality of electric valves when they are closed, update the average temperature at the inlet, the average temperature inside the valve, and the average temperature at the outlet of the electric valve, respectively.

[0155] Based on the average temperature at the inlet of the electric valve, the average temperature inside the valve, and the average temperature at the outlet, as well as the multiple inlet points, the multiple points inside the valve, and the multiple outlet points, the inlet sampling point, the valve sampling point, and the outlet sampling point are determined as follows:

[0156] Based on the updated average temperature at the inlet of the electric valve, the average temperature inside the valve, and the average temperature at the outlet, as well as the multiple inlet points, the multiple points inside the valve, and the multiple outlet points, the inlet sampling point, the internal sampling point, and the outlet sampling point are determined.

[0157] Optionally, controlling the electric valve to switch from the first state to the second state includes:

[0158] Control the electric valve to switch from the open state to the closed state;

[0159] Obtaining the first temperature value, the second temperature value, and the third temperature value of the inlet sampling point, the valve sampling point, and the outlet sampling point includes:

[0160] Acquire multiple first temperature values, multiple second temperature values, and multiple third temperature values ​​from the inlet sampling point, the valve sampling point, and the outlet sampling point;

[0161] The step of determining whether the electric valve is experiencing a stall fault based on the first temperature value, the second temperature value, and the third temperature value includes:

[0162] The electric valve is considered to have a stall fault if any of the following conditions occur:

[0163] The second temperature value during the first preset duration of operation is higher than the second temperature value when the electric valve just switches from the open state to the closed state, and the first temperature value during the first preset duration of operation and the third temperature value during the first preset duration of operation are the same.

[0164] The first, second, and third temperature values ​​are the same when running for a second preset duration; wherein the first preset duration is less than the second preset duration.

[0165] Optionally, controlling the electric valve to switch from the first state to the second state includes:

[0166] Control the electric valve to switch from the closed state to the open state;

[0167] The acquisition of the first temperature value, second temperature value, and third temperature value of the inlet sampling point, the valve sampling point, and the outlet sampling point includes:

[0168] Acquire multiple first temperature values, multiple second temperature values, and multiple third temperature values ​​from the inlet sampling point, the valve sampling point, and the outlet sampling point;

[0169] The step of determining whether the electric valve is experiencing a stall fault based on the first temperature value, the second temperature value, and the third temperature value includes:

[0170] The electric valve is considered to have a stall fault if any of the following conditions occur:

[0171] The first temperature value during the third preset duration of operation is lower than the third temperature value during the third preset duration of operation;

[0172] The second temperature value during the fourth preset duration is higher than the second temperature value when the electric valve just switches from the closed state to the open state, and is higher than the first temperature value during the fourth preset duration; wherein the third preset duration is greater than or equal to the fourth preset duration.

[0173] Optionally, before acquiring multiple first thermal images and acquiring the second thermal image, the stall detection method further includes:

[0174] Control the start of the refrigerator's compressor.

[0175] The above provides a detailed description of a refrigerator and its electric valve stall detection method, device, and computer-readable storage medium provided in the embodiments of this application. Specific examples have been used to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of the present invention. The description of the above embodiments is only for the purpose of helping to understand the method and core ideas of the present invention. At the same time, for those skilled in the art, there will be changes in the specific implementation methods and application scope based on the ideas of the present invention. Therefore, the content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for detecting stall in the electric valve of a refrigerator, characterized in that, The refrigerator also includes a thermal imager configured to acquire thermal images of the electric valve; the detection method includes: Acquire multiple first thermal images; Based on the multiple first thermal images, the inlet sampling point, the valve interior sampling point, and the outlet sampling point corresponding to the electric valve are determined respectively. Control the electric valve to switch from the first state to the second state; Acquire the first temperature value, the second temperature value, and the third temperature value of the inlet sampling point, the valve internal sampling point, and the outlet sampling point; Based on the first temperature value, the second temperature value, and the third temperature value, determine whether the electric valve is experiencing a stall fault; The plurality of first thermal images include first thermal images of the plurality of electric valves when they are open and first thermal images of the plurality of electric valves when they are closed; The step of determining the inlet sampling point, valve interior sampling point, and outlet sampling point corresponding to the electric valve based on the plurality of first thermal images includes: The sampling point corresponding to the electric valve is determined based on one of the first thermal images of the plurality of electric valves when they are opened; Based on the acquisition points corresponding to the electric valves and the first thermal images of the multiple electric valves when they are closed, determine multiple inlet points corresponding to the inlet, multiple valve points corresponding to the valve, and multiple outlet points corresponding to the outlet. Based on the first thermal images of the plurality of electric valves when closed, the average temperature at the inlet, the average temperature inside the valve, and the average temperature at the outlet of the electric valve are determined respectively. Based on the average temperature at the inlet of the electric valve, the average temperature inside the valve, and the average temperature at the outlet, as well as the multiple inlet points, the multiple points inside the valve, and the multiple outlet points, the inlet sampling point, the internal sampling point, and the outlet sampling point are determined.

2. The method for detecting stall in an electric valve as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The step of determining the inlet sampling point, valve internal sampling point, and outlet sampling point based on the average temperature at the inlet of the electric valve, the average temperature inside the valve, the average temperature at the outlet, and the multiple inlet points, the multiple valve internal points, and the multiple outlet points includes: The inlet sampling point is determined as the one among the plurality of inlet points whose average temperature is closest to that of the inlet. The valve sampling point is determined as the valve sampling point among the plurality of valve inlet points that is closest to the average temperature inside the valve. The outlet sampling point is determined as the one among the plurality of outlet points whose average temperature is closest to that of the outlet.

3. The electric valve stall detection method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The step of determining the average temperature at the inlet, the average temperature inside the valve, and the average temperature at the outlet of the electric valve based on the plurality of first thermal images further includes: Acquire second thermal images of the multiple electric valves when they are closed; Based on the first thermal image and the second thermal image of the plurality of electric valves when they are closed, update the average temperature at the inlet, the average temperature inside the valve, and the average temperature at the outlet of the electric valves, respectively. Based on the average temperature at the inlet of the electric valve, the average temperature inside the valve, and the average temperature at the outlet, as well as the multiple inlet points, the multiple points inside the valve, and the multiple outlet points, the inlet sampling point, the valve sampling point, and the outlet sampling point are determined as follows: Based on the updated average temperature at the inlet of the electric valve, the average temperature inside the valve, and the average temperature at the outlet, as well as the multiple inlet points, the multiple points inside the valve, and the multiple outlet points, the inlet sampling point, the internal sampling point, and the outlet sampling point are determined.

4. The method for detecting stall in an electric valve as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The control of switching the electric valve from the first state to the second state includes: Control the electric valve to switch from the open state to the closed state; Obtaining the first temperature value, the second temperature value, and the third temperature value of the inlet sampling point, the valve sampling point, and the outlet sampling point includes: Acquire multiple first temperature values, multiple second temperature values, and multiple third temperature values ​​from the inlet sampling point, the valve sampling point, and the outlet sampling point; The step of determining whether the electric valve is stuck based on the first temperature value, the second temperature value, and the third temperature value includes: The electric valve is considered to have a stall fault if any of the following conditions occur: The second temperature value during the first preset duration of operation is higher than the second temperature value when the electric valve just switches from the open state to the closed state, and the first temperature value during the first preset duration of operation and the third temperature value during the first preset duration of operation are the same. The first, second, and third temperature values ​​are the same when running for a second preset duration; wherein the first preset duration is less than the second preset duration.

5. The method for detecting stall in an electric valve as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The control of switching the electric valve from the first state to the second state includes: Control the electric valve to switch from the closed state to the open state; The acquisition of the first temperature value, second temperature value, and third temperature value of the inlet sampling point, the valve sampling point, and the outlet sampling point includes: Acquire multiple first temperature values, multiple second temperature values, and multiple third temperature values ​​from the inlet sampling point, the valve sampling point, and the outlet sampling point; The step of determining whether the electric valve is stuck based on the first temperature value, the second temperature value, and the third temperature value includes: The electric valve is considered to have a stall fault if any of the following conditions occur: The first temperature value during the third preset duration of operation is lower than the third temperature value during the third preset duration of operation; The second temperature value during the fourth preset duration is higher than the second temperature value when the electric valve just switches from the closed state to the open state, and is higher than the first temperature value during the fourth preset duration; wherein the third preset duration is greater than or equal to the fourth preset duration.

6. The method for detecting stall in an electric valve as described in claim 3, characterized in that, Before acquiring multiple first thermal images and acquiring the second thermal image, the stall detection method further includes: Control the start of the refrigerator's compressor.

7. A device for detecting stall in the electric valve of a refrigerator, characterized in that, The refrigerator also includes a thermal imager configured to acquire thermal images of the electric valve; The detection device includes: The acquisition module is used to acquire multiple first thermal images; the first thermal images are acquired when the electric valve is not stalled; The determination module is used to determine, based on the plurality of first thermal images, the inlet acquisition point, the valve interior acquisition point, and the outlet acquisition point corresponding to the electric valve, respectively. The control module is used to control the electric valve to switch from a first state to a second state; and the acquisition module is also used to acquire the first temperature value, the second temperature value, and the third temperature value of the inlet acquisition point, the valve inside acquisition point, and the outlet acquisition point. The judgment module is also used to determine whether the electric valve has a stall fault based on the first temperature value, the second temperature value and the third temperature value; The step of determining the inlet sampling point, valve interior sampling point, and outlet sampling point corresponding to the electric valve based on the plurality of first thermal images includes: The sampling point corresponding to the electric valve is determined based on one of the first thermal images of the plurality of electric valves when they are opened; Based on the acquisition points corresponding to the electric valves and the first thermal images of the multiple electric valves when they are closed, determine multiple inlet points corresponding to the inlet, multiple valve points corresponding to the valve, and multiple outlet points corresponding to the outlet. Based on the first thermal images of the plurality of electric valves when closed, the average temperature at the inlet, the average temperature inside the valve, and the average temperature at the outlet of the electric valve are determined respectively. Based on the average temperature at the inlet of the electric valve, the average temperature inside the valve, and the average temperature at the outlet, as well as the multiple inlet points, the multiple points inside the valve, and the multiple outlet points, the inlet sampling point, the internal sampling point, and the outlet sampling point are determined.

8. A refrigerator, characterized in that, The device includes an electric valve, a thermal imager, and a controller; the thermal imager is configured to acquire thermal images of the electric valve; the controller is signal-connected to both the electric valve and the thermal imager, and is configured to execute the electric valve stall detection method according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

9. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, It stores a computer program, which is loaded by a processor to execute the steps of the electric valve stall detection method according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

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