Air conditioner

The AC system addresses snow accumulation on outdoor units by using temperature sensing and power output adjustments to detect and melt snow, ensuring efficient operation and preventing damage.

CN120313166APending Publication Date: 2025-07-15HISENSE (SHANDONG) AIR CONDITIONING CO LTD
View PDF 0 Cites 0 Cited by

Patent Information

Application Number
CN202410051032.8
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Applications(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2024-01-12
Publication Date
2025-07-15

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing air-conditioning outdoor units can easily lead to poor heating effect of the heat exchanger or damage to the fan motor when snow is accumulated. Existing snow-proof measures have problems such as wasting resources or inability to accurately determine the location of the snow.

Method used

The outdoor temperature sensor is used to detect the ambient temperature, and combine the output power difference of the outdoor fan at different speeds to determine whether there is snow in the outdoor unit, and use the air conditioner's own components such as the fan, compressor and heater to melt the snow.

Benefits of technology

Accurate judgment and position determination of snow accumulation in outdoor units is achieved, and the fan motor is avoided, and the snow removal effect is good without adding additional devices is simplified, which simplifies the snow judgment process.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

Smart Images

  • Figure CN120313166A_ABST
    Figure CN120313166A_ABST
Patent Text Reader

Abstract

The invention discloses an air conditioner, and belongs to the technical field of air conditioners, the air conditioner comprises an indoor unit and an outdoor unit, the indoor unit at least comprises an indoor heat exchanger, and the indoor heat exchanger is used for exchanging heat with indoor air; the outdoor unit at least comprises an outdoor heat exchanger, a compressor, an outdoor fan, an outdoor temperature sensor and a controller; the compressor, the outdoor heat exchanger and the indoor heat exchanger form a refrigerant circulation loop through a pipeline, so that a refrigerant circulates in the loop formed by the compressor, the outdoor heat exchanger and the indoor heat exchanger; the controller is electrically connected with the compressor, the outdoor fan and the outdoor environment temperature sensor. According to the air conditioner, whether the outdoor unit has accumulated snow or not is judged according to whether the outdoor environment temperature is lower than the first temperature reference value or not; whether accumulated snow exists nearby the outdoor fan and / or the outdoor heat exchanger or not is judged according to the difference of the output power when the outdoor fan operates at the same rotating speed in different scenes, the judgment mode is simple, and configuration of an existing air conditioner does not need to be changed.
Need to check novelty before this filing date? Find Prior Art

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the technical field of air conditioners, and particularly to an air conditioner. Background Art

[0002] An air conditioner generally includes an indoor unit and an outdoor unit. The indoor unit is usually installed indoors, and the outdoor unit is usually installed outdoors. The refrigerant circulates between the indoor unit and the outdoor unit to achieve cooling or heating of the indoor air.

[0003] Since the outdoor unit of the air conditioner is usually installed outdoors, when it snows in winter, especially when the outdoor unit is not working, snowflakes are likely to accumulate on the heat exchanger of the outdoor unit. When the outdoor unit starts to work, due to the snow on the heat exchanger, it is easy to cause poor heating effect of the heat exchanger. In severe cases, it may even cause the liquid refrigerant to flow back during the startup or operation of the compressor, burning out the compressor.

[0004] At present, in some outdoor units of air conditioners, a snow shield is installed outside the heat exchanger to prevent snow from depositing on the heat exchanger. However, installing the snow shield not only increases the installation cost but also increases the wind resistance of the outdoor unit and reduces the heat exchange effect of the heat exchanger. In some other outdoor units of air conditioners, regardless of whether it snows or not, as long as the outdoor ambient temperature reaches the set requirement, the fan motor is started to drive the outdoor fan to rotate to prevent snowflakes from depositing. This way of preventing snow accumulation is likely to cause waste of resources. There are also some outdoor units of air conditioners that judge whether there is snow on the heat exchanger by monitoring the outdoor environmental temperature and pressure. However, this method cannot judge whether there is snow on the outdoor fan. When there is no snow on the heat exchanger but there is snow on the outdoor fan, the normal startup of the outdoor unit of the air conditioner is likely to cause the fan motor to burn out due to the blockage of the outdoor fan by the snow. In the prior art, the snow accumulation determination method and snow removal method of the outdoor unit of the air conditioner still cannot well meet people's needs.

[0005] In view of this, this application is proposed. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide an air conditioner that, when the air conditioner starts up normally, judges whether there is snow on the outdoor unit and determines the snow accumulation position on the outdoor unit. The air conditioner does not need to continuously detect whether there is snow on the outdoor unit, nor does it need to change the configuration of the existing machine.

[0007] To achieve the above object, this application provides an air conditioner, including an indoor unit and an outdoor unit. The indoor unit at least includes an indoor heat exchanger for heat exchange with indoor air. It is characterized in that the outdoor unit at least includes: An outdoor heat exchanger for heat exchange with outdoor air; A compressor for compressing low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant gas into high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant gas; The compressor, outdoor heat exchanger, and indoor heat exchanger form a refrigerant circulation circuit through pipelines, enabling the refrigerant to circulate in the circuit composed of the compressor, outdoor heat exchanger, and indoor heat exchanger; An outdoor fan, used to drive heat exchange between outdoor air and the outdoor heat exchanger; An outdoor temperature sensor, used to detect the outdoor ambient temperature; A controller, which is electrically connected to the compressor, outdoor fan, and outdoor ambient temperature sensor respectively; the controller is configured to: after receiving a startup instruction, obtain the outdoor ambient temperature; If the outdoor ambient temperature is higher than or equal to the first temperature reference value, it is determined that there is no snow accumulation on the outdoor unit, and it enters the normal startup mode; if the outdoor ambient temperature is lower than the first temperature reference value, it is preliminarily determined that there is snow accumulation on the outdoor unit, and it enters the first stage; In the first stage, control the outdoor fan to operate at the first speed, obtain the output power when the outdoor fan operates at the first speed, and calculate the absolute value of the difference between the output power when the outdoor fan operates at the first speed and the first power reference value as the first difference; if the first difference is within the first preset range, it is determined that there is no snow accumulation near the outdoor fan, and it enters the second stage; if the first difference exceeds the first preset range, it is determined that there is snow accumulation near the outdoor fan, and it enters the first snow removal mode; In the second stage, control the outdoor fan to operate at the second speed, obtain the output power when the outdoor fan operates at the second speed, and calculate the absolute value of the difference between the output power when the outdoor fan operates at the second speed and the second power reference value as the second difference; if the second difference is within the second preset range, it is determined that there is no snow accumulation near the outdoor heat exchanger, and it enters the normal startup mode; if the second difference exceeds the second preset range, it is determined that there is snow accumulation near the outdoor heat exchanger, and it enters the second snow removal mode.

[0008] This technical solution determines whether the outdoor environment is in an environment prone to snow accumulation according to whether the outdoor ambient temperature is lower than the first reference temperature, thereby preliminarily determining whether there is snow accumulation on the outdoor unit; if there may be snow accumulation on the outdoor unit initially, it further determines the location where the snow accumulation occurs on the outdoor unit; according to whether the first difference exceeds the first preset range, it further determines whether there is snow accumulation near the outdoor fan, and according to whether the second difference exceeds the second preset range, it further determines whether there is snow accumulation near the outdoor heat exchanger. This technical solution can not only determine whether there is snow accumulation on the outdoor unit, but also determine the location where the snow accumulation occurs.

[0009] In some embodiments, the controller is configured to: when entering the first snow removal mode, control the outdoor fan to operate at a speed with an output power of the first set value, and use the heat generated by the operation of the outdoor fan to melt the snow near the outdoor fan.

[0010] In some of these embodiments, the controller is further configured to: after entering the first snow removal mode, control the outdoor fan to operate at a rotational speed with an output power of a first set value, use the heat generated by the operation of the outdoor fan to melt snow near the outdoor fan, control the compressor to start, make the outdoor heat exchanger a condenser, and the indoor heat exchanger an evaporator, and use the refrigerant to absorb the heat of the indoor air to melt snow near the outdoor heat exchanger.

[0011] In some of these embodiments, the controller is configured to: after entering the second snow removal mode, control the compressor to start, make the outdoor heat exchanger a condenser, and the indoor heat exchanger an evaporator, and use the refrigerant to absorb the heat of the indoor air to melt snow near the outdoor heat exchanger.

[0012] In some of these embodiments, the controller is further configured to: after entering the first snow removal mode or the second snow removal mode, control the compressor to start at a frequency with an output power of a second set value, and use the heat generated by the operation of the compressor to heat the compressor body.

[0013] In some of these embodiments, the outdoor unit further includes a compressor heating belt for heating the compressor body; The controller is configured to: after entering the first snow removal mode or the second snow removal mode, control the compressor heating belt to start.

[0014] In some of these embodiments, the outdoor unit further includes a chassis heater, and the chassis heater is electrically connected to the controller; The controller is configured to: after entering the first snow removal mode or the second snow removal mode, control the chassis heater to start.

[0015] In some of these embodiments, the outdoor unit further includes a current detection component for detecting whether the output current of the outdoor fan abnormally increases; the current detection component is electrically connected to the controller; The controller is further configured to: after entering the first stage, obtain the detection result of the current detection component. If the output current of the outdoor fan abnormally increases and the first difference exceeds the first preset range, it is determined that there is snow accumulation near the outdoor fan; if the output current of the outdoor fan does not abnormally increase and the first difference is within the first preset range, it is determined that there is no snow accumulation near the outdoor fan.

[0016] In some of these embodiments, it further includes a coil temperature sensor for detecting the outdoor coil temperature; the coil temperature sensor is electrically connected to the controller; The controller is configured to: after entering the first snow removal mode or the second snow removal mode, obtain the outdoor coil temperature; When the coil temperature exceeds the second temperature reference value, exit the first snow removal mode or the second snow removal mode, and control the outdoor fan to rotate in the reverse direction to dry the moisture on the surface of the outdoor unit and the snow remaining on the surface of the outdoor unit.

[0017] In addition, the present application further provides an air conditioner, which includes an indoor unit and an outdoor unit. The indoor unit at least includes an indoor heat exchanger, and the indoor heat exchanger is used for heat exchange with indoor air; the outdoor unit at least includes: An outdoor heat exchanger, which is used for heat exchange with outdoor air; A compressor, which is used for compressing low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant gas into high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant gas; The compressor, the outdoor heat exchanger and the indoor heat exchanger form a refrigerant circulation loop through pipelines, so that the refrigerant circulates in the loop composed of the compressor, the outdoor heat exchanger and the indoor heat exchanger; An outdoor fan, which is used for driving outdoor air to exchange heat with the outdoor heat exchanger; An outdoor temperature sensor, which is used for detecting the outdoor ambient temperature; A controller, which is electrically connected to the compressor, the outdoor fan and the outdoor ambient temperature sensor respectively; the controller is configured to: after receiving a startup instruction, obtain the outdoor ambient temperature; If the outdoor ambient temperature is higher than or equal to a first temperature reference value, it is determined that there is no snow accumulation on the outdoor unit. If the outdoor ambient temperature is lower than the first temperature reference value, it is preliminarily determined that there is snow accumulation on the outdoor unit; When it is preliminarily determined that there is snow accumulation on the outdoor unit, control the outdoor fan to operate at a first speed, obtain the output power when the outdoor fan operates at the first speed, and calculate the absolute value of the difference between the output power when the outdoor fan operates at the first speed and a first power reference value as a first difference; if the first difference is within a first preset range, it is determined that there is no snow accumulation near the outdoor fan. If the first difference exceeds the first preset range, it is determined that there is snow accumulation near the outdoor fan; When it is determined that there is no snow accumulation on the outdoor fan, control the outdoor fan to operate at a second speed, obtain the output power when the outdoor fan operates at the second speed, and calculate the absolute value of the difference between the output power when the outdoor fan operates at the second speed and a second power reference value as a second difference; if the second difference is within a second preset range, it is determined that there is no snow accumulation near the outdoor heat exchanger. If the second difference exceeds the second preset range, it is determined that there is snow accumulation near the outdoor heat exchanger.

[0018] In the above embodiments, an outdoor temperature sensor is provided to detect the outdoor temperature. Whether there is snow accumulation on the outdoor unit is determined based on whether the outdoor ambient temperature is lower than the first temperature reference value. If the outdoor ambient temperature is higher than or equal to the first temperature reference value, it is determined that there is no snow accumulation on the outdoor unit. If the outdoor ambient temperature is lower than the first temperature reference value, it is preliminarily determined that there is snow accumulation on the outdoor unit. Whether there is snow accumulation near the outdoor fan and / or near the outdoor heat exchanger is determined by judging the difference in the output power of the outdoor fan operating at the same speed in different scenarios. Whether there is snow accumulation near the outdoor fan is judged first. On the premise that it is determined that there is no snow accumulation near the outdoor fan, whether there is snow accumulation near the outdoor heat exchanger is judged, so as to avoid damage to the outdoor fan caused by using the outdoor fan to judge the snow accumulation position on the outdoor unit.

[0019] The above air conditioner can not only judge whether there is snow accumulation on the outdoor unit, but also judge the snow accumulation position on the outdoor unit. The judgment method is simple and no additional device needs to be added. Moreover, the air conditioner uses its own components for snow melting. The snow melting method is simple, the snow melting effect is good, and no additional device needs to be added. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0020] Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram of an air conditioner provided by an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the refrigerant flow direction in the refrigerant circulation circuit when the air conditioner provided by the embodiment of the present invention is refrigerating; Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the refrigerant flow direction in the refrigerant circulation circuit when the air conditioner provided by the embodiment of the present invention is heating; Figure 4 is a flowchart for preliminarily judging whether there is snow accumulation on the outdoor unit in the air conditioner provided by the embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 is a flowchart for judging whether there is snow accumulation near the outdoor fan in the air conditioner provided by the embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 is a flowchart for judging whether there is snow accumulation near the outdoor heat exchanger in the air conditioner provided by the embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 is the working process of the controller in the air conditioner provided by the embodiment of the present invention Figure 1 ; Figure 8 is the working process of the controller in the air conditioner provided by the embodiment of the present invention Figure 2 ; Figure 9 is a flowchart of the working process of the outdoor fan in the air conditioner provided by the embodiment of the present invention; Figure 10 is the working process of the air conditioner provided by the embodiment of the present invention Figure 1 ; Figure 11 is the working process of an air conditioner provided by an embodiment of the present invention Figure 2 . Specific embodiments

[0021] To make the purpose and implementation manner of this application clearer, the following will clearly and completely describe the exemplary implementation manner of this application in combination with the drawings in the exemplary embodiments of this application. Obviously, the described exemplary embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, rather than all the embodiments.

[0022] It should be noted that the brief description of the terms in this application is only for facilitating the understanding of the following described implementation manner, rather than intending to limit the implementation manner of this application. Unless otherwise specified, these terms should be understood according to their ordinary and common meanings.

[0023] The terms "first", "second", "third", etc. in the specification, claims and the above-mentioned drawings of this application are used to distinguish similar or homogeneous objects or entities, and do not necessarily mean to limit a specific order or sequence, unless otherwise noted. It should be understood that such terms can be interchanged under appropriate circumstances.

[0024] The terms "include" and "have" and any variations thereof are intended to cover but not exclusively include. For example, a product or device including a series of components does not necessarily have to be limited to all the clearly listed components, but may include other components that are not clearly listed or are inherent to these products or devices.

[0025] Figure 1 Shows a schematic structural diagram of an air conditioner. The air conditioner provided by this application includes an indoor unit 100 and an outdoor unit 200. The indoor unit 100 is usually installed indoors, and the outdoor unit 200 is usually installed outdoors. The indoor unit 100 and the outdoor unit 200 cooperate with each other and define a refrigerant circulation circuit, so that the refrigerant circulates between the indoor unit 100 and the outdoor unit 200 through the refrigerant circulation circuit, thereby cooling or heating the indoor environment.

[0026] It should be noted that the indoor unit 100 can be in the form of a wall-mounted air conditioner indoor unit 100, a floor-standing air conditioner indoor unit 100, etc.

[0027] It should also be noted that for the convenience of expression, the air conditioner cooling the indoor environment is called the air conditioner refrigeration, which is also called the refrigeration mode; the air conditioner heating the indoor environment is called the air conditioner heating, which is also called the heating mode. The air conditioner refrigeration and heating refer to the air conditioner cooling or heating the indoor environment.

[0028] The indoor unit 100 includes an indoor heat exchanger, and the refrigerant flows inside the indoor heat exchanger, so that the indoor heat exchanger exchanges heat with the indoor air.

[0029] The outdoor unit 200 includes an outdoor heat exchanger, and the refrigerant flows inside the outdoor heat exchanger to enable heat exchange between the outdoor heat exchanger and the outdoor air.

[0030] When the air conditioner cools or heats the indoor environment, the flow direction of the refrigerant is different. When cooling, the refrigerant first flows through the heat exchanger of the outdoor unit 200. At this time, the outdoor unit 200 is a condenser, and the indoor unit 100 is an evaporator; when heating, the refrigerant first flows through the heat exchanger of the indoor unit 100. At this time, the indoor unit 100 is a condenser, and the outdoor unit 200 is an evaporator.

[0031] The outdoor unit 200 also includes a compressor, which is used to compress the low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant gas into a high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant gas; the compressor, the outdoor heat exchanger, and the indoor heat exchanger form a refrigerant circulation loop through pipelines, enabling the refrigerant to circulate in the loop composed of the compressor, the outdoor heat exchanger, and the indoor heat exchanger.

[0032] The air conditioner also includes an expansion valve, which is arranged in the refrigerant circulation loop and is used to convert the high-pressure liquid flowing through the indoor heat exchanger into a low-pressure liquid and transmit it to the outdoor heat exchanger.

[0033] It should be noted that the expansion valve can be arranged in the indoor unit 100 or in the outdoor unit 200. It should also be noted that the expansion valve is usually an electronic expansion valve.

[0034] The air conditioner also includes a four-way valve, which is arranged in the refrigerant circulation loop and is used to change the flow direction of the refrigerant. Since the flow direction of the refrigerant is different in different cooling and heating states of the air conditioner, without a four-way valve, the air conditioner can only achieve single cooling or heating and cannot switch between cooling and heating. It should be noted that the four-way valve is usually arranged in the outdoor unit 200.

[0035] As Figure 2 shown, when the air conditioner is cooling, the refrigerant first passes through the compressor to become a high-pressure gas, then passes through the outdoor heat exchanger (condenser) to condense and release heat to become a high-pressure liquid. The high-pressure liquid passes through the expansion valve and will become a low-temperature and low-pressure liquid. After passing through the indoor heat exchanger (evaporator) to evaporate and absorb heat, it becomes a low-temperature and low-pressure gas, and finally returns to the compressor.

[0036] As Figure 3 shown, when the air conditioner is heating, the refrigerant first passes through the compressor to become a high-pressure gas, and then will first pass through the indoor heat exchanger (condenser) to condense and release heat to become a high-pressure liquid. The high-pressure liquid passes through the expansion valve and will become a low-temperature and low-pressure liquid. The low-temperature and low-pressure liquid passes through the outdoor heat exchanger (evaporator) to evaporate and absorb heat to become a low-temperature and low-pressure gas, and finally returns to the compressor.

[0037] The air conditioner further includes a controller, which is connected to the compressor. The controller is used to receive the start-up or shutdown instruction and control the start and stop of the compressor according to the start-up or shutdown instruction.

[0038] The controller is also electrically connected to the four-way valve. The controller controls the opening and closing of each port of the four-way valve to change the flow direction of the refrigerant, so as to realize the switching between cooling and heating of the air conditioner. When the controller receives the cooling or heating instruction, the controller is also used to receive the cooling or heating instruction. The controller controls the four-way valve to open the port corresponding to cooling or heating, so that the refrigerant flows in the refrigerant circulation pipeline, thereby realizing the cooling or heating of the air conditioner. This belongs to the well-known common sense technology in the field and will not be elaborated here.

[0039] The outdoor unit 200 further includes an outdoor fan, which is arranged close to the outdoor heat exchanger. By operating the outdoor fan, the heat exchange efficiency between the outdoor air and the outdoor heat exchanger is increased. The outdoor fan is electrically connected to the controller, and the controller controls the start and stop of the indoor fan according to the received start-up or shutdown instruction.

[0040] Similarly, the indoor unit 100 further includes an indoor fan, which is arranged close to the indoor heat exchanger. By operating the indoor fan, the heat exchange efficiency between the indoor air and the indoor heat exchanger is increased.

[0041] The outdoor unit 200 further includes an outdoor unit 200 housing, and the outdoor heat exchanger and the outdoor fan are respectively installed in the outdoor unit 200 housing. In order to enable the outdoor air to exchange heat with the outdoor heat exchanger, the outdoor unit 200 housing is usually an open housing structure. Since the outdoor unit 200 is installed outdoors, especially in northern regions in winter, snowflakes are likely to enter the interior of the outdoor unit 200 housing, resulting in snow accumulation in the outdoor unit 200, which affects the normal operation of the air conditioner. Moreover, the outdoor unit 200 is installed outdoors, making it inconvenient for users to directly observe whether there is snow accumulation in the outdoor unit 200.

[0042] In this embodiment, it is initially determined whether the outdoor unit 200 has snow accumulation by judging whether the outdoor environmental temperature is lower than the first temperature reference value.

[0043] Specifically, the outdoor unit 200 further includes an outdoor temperature sensor, which is used to detect the outdoor environmental temperature, and the outdoor temperature sensor is electrically connected to the controller.

[0044] As Figure 4 shown, the controller is configured to: after receiving the start-up instruction, obtain the outdoor environmental temperature; judge whether the outdoor unit 200 has snow accumulation according to whether the outdoor environmental temperature is lower than the first temperature reference value. If the outdoor environmental temperature is higher than or equal to the first temperature reference value, it is determined that the outdoor unit 200 has no snow accumulation; if the outdoor environmental temperature is lower than the first temperature reference value, it is initially determined that the outdoor unit 200 has snow accumulation.

[0045] When it is determined that there is no snow accumulation on the outdoor unit 200, the air conditioner enters the normal startup mode. After the air conditioner enters the normal startup mode, the controller controls the compressor to start, so that the refrigerant flows in the refrigerant circulation circuit, and controls the outdoor fan to operate to increase the heat exchange between the outdoor air and the outdoor heat exchanger, so that the air conditioner cools or heats the indoor environment.

[0046] When it is preliminarily determined that there may be snow accumulation on the outdoor unit 200, the air conditioner enters the first stage to further determine the snow accumulation position on the outdoor unit 200. On the one hand, it can enable the user to understand the snow accumulation situation of the outdoor unit 200. On the other hand, different snow melting measures are taken for the snow accumulation position of the outdoor unit 200.

[0047] Generally, when there is snow accumulation near the outdoor fan and / or near the outdoor heat exchanger, it has a greater impact on the normal operation of the air conditioner. Therefore, in this embodiment, it is mainly determined whether there is snow accumulation near the outdoor fan and near the outdoor heat exchanger.

[0048] When there is snow accumulation near the outdoor fan, the snow accumulation easily causes the outdoor fan to be blocked. At the same rotational speed, the output power of the outdoor fan when it is blocked is usually greater than the output power of the outdoor fan during normal operation; when there is snow accumulation near the outdoor heat exchanger, the snow accumulation easily causes the intake air volume of the outdoor fan to decrease. At the same rotational speed, the output power of the outdoor fan when the intake air volume decreases is usually less than the output power of the outdoor fan during normal operation.

[0049] In this embodiment, it is determined whether there is snow accumulation near the outdoor fan and / or near the outdoor heat exchanger by judging the difference in the output power of the outdoor fan when it rotates at the same rotational speed in different scenarios.

[0050] Specifically, as Figure 5 shown, the controller is further configured to: after the air conditioner enters the first stage, control the outdoor fan to rotate at the first rotational speed, obtain the output power of the outdoor fan when the outdoor fan rotates at the first rotational speed, and calculate the absolute value of the difference between the output power of the outdoor fan when it rotates at the first rotational speed and the first power reference value as the first difference; further determine whether there is snow accumulation near the outdoor fan according to whether the first difference exceeds the first preset range. If the first difference is within the first preset range, it is determined that there is no snow accumulation near the outdoor fan. If the first difference exceeds the first preset range, it is determined that there is snow accumulation near the outdoor fan.

[0051] It should be noted that the first power reference value is the output power of the outdoor fan when it rotates at the first rotational speed during normal operation.

[0052] It should also be noted that when there is snow accumulation near the outdoor fan, if the outdoor fan operates at the normal working speed, it may burn out the outdoor fan. The first speed is usually the lower speed at which the outdoor fan operates, so as to reduce the possibility of the outdoor fan being burned out due to blockage.

[0053] In some embodiments, the first speed is the lowest speed allowed for the outdoor fan on the premise that the outdoor fan is not damaged.

[0054] In some embodiments, the first speed is 50 - 100 revolutions per minute.

[0055] When it is determined that there is no snow accumulation near the outdoor fan, the air conditioner enters the second stage to determine whether there is snow accumulation on the outdoor heat exchanger.

[0056] As Figure 6 shown, the controller is further configured to: after the air conditioner enters the second stage, control the outdoor fan to operate at the second speed, and obtain the absolute value of the difference between the operating speed of the outdoor fan at the second speed and the second power reference value as the second difference; further determine whether there is snow accumulation near the outdoor heat exchanger according to whether the second difference exceeds the second preset range. If the second difference is within the second preset range, it is determined that there is no snow accumulation near the outdoor heat exchanger. If the second difference exceeds the second preset range, it is determined that there is snow accumulation near the outdoor heat exchanger.

[0057] As Figure 7 shown, when it is determined that there is snow accumulation at the specific position of the outdoor unit 200, the air conditioner takes different measures to melt the snow according to different snow accumulation positions.

[0058] Since when it is not certain whether there is snow accumulation on the outdoor fan, if the outdoor fan is suddenly made to operate at the second speed, it may cause the outdoor fan to be burned out due to blockage. Therefore, in this embodiment, by first determining whether there is snow accumulation near the outdoor fan, and on the premise of determining that there is no snow accumulation near the outdoor fan, then determining whether there is snow accumulation near the outdoor heat exchanger, it is possible to avoid damage to the outdoor fan caused by using the outdoor fan to determine the snow accumulation position of the outdoor unit 200.

[0059] It should be noted that in practice, there is no necessary connection between whether there is snow accumulation near the outdoor fan and whether there is snow accumulation near the outdoor heat exchanger.

[0060] Generally, the greater the speed of the outdoor fan, the greater the air intake of the outdoor fan. When there is snow accumulation near the outdoor heat exchanger, the air intake of the outdoor fan will be reduced, and the greater the speed of the outdoor fan, the greater the loss of the air intake of the outdoor fan. From this, it can be seen that the greater the speed of the outdoor fan, the higher the accuracy of judging whether there is snow accumulation near the outdoor heat exchanger.

[0061] In some embodiments, the second rotational speed is the highest rotational speed allowed for the outdoor fan on the premise that the outdoor fan is not damaged.

[0062] It should be noted that the second power reference value is the output power when the outdoor fan operates at the second rotational speed during normal operation.

[0063] When it is determined that there is snow accumulation near the outdoor fan of the air conditioner, the air conditioner enters the first snow removal mode. When it is determined that there is snow accumulation near the outdoor heat exchanger, the air conditioner enters the second snow removal mode. When it is determined that there is no snow accumulation near the outdoor heat exchanger, the air conditioner enters the normal startup mode.

[0064] Since heat is generated when the outdoor fan operates, in this embodiment, the heat generated by the operation of the outdoor fan is used to automatically melt the snow near the outdoor fan without manual cleaning.

[0065] Specifically, when it is determined that there is snow accumulation near the outdoor fan and the air conditioner enters the first snow removal mode, the controller controls the outdoor fan to perform a snow melting operation, that is, the controller controls the outdoor fan to rotate at a rotational speed with an output power of the first set value to melt the snow near the outdoor fan by using the heat generated by the operation of the outdoor fan.

[0066] In some embodiments, when it is determined that there is snow accumulation near the outdoor fan and the air conditioner enters the first snow removal mode, the controller controls the outdoor fan to rotate at the fourth rotational speed to melt the snow near the outdoor fan by using the heat generated by the operation of the outdoor fan.

[0067] It should be noted that when the outdoor fan rotates at the fourth rotational speed or the output power during the operation of the outdoor fan is the set value, more heat is generated by the outdoor fan; those skilled in the art can obtain the fourth rotational speed or the set value according to the prior art, which will not be elaborated here.

[0068] Since the outdoor heat exchanger transfers heat to the outside when the air conditioner refrigerates, in this embodiment, by making the air conditioner refrigerate, the refrigerant absorbs the heat of the indoor air to melt the snow near the outdoor heat exchanger.

[0069] Specifically, when it is determined that there is snow accumulation near the outdoor heat exchanger and the air conditioner enters the second snow removal mode, the controller controls the compressor to start, making the outdoor heat exchanger the condenser and the indoor heat exchanger the evaporator, and using the refrigerant to absorb the heat of the indoor air to melt the snow near the outdoor heat exchanger.

[0070] Since the determination of whether there is snow accumulation near the outdoor heat exchanger is made after it is determined that there is no snow accumulation near the outdoor fan, it can be seen that when it is determined that there is snow accumulation near the outdoor heat exchanger, there is no snow accumulation near the outdoor fan. At this time, the outdoor fan can operate normally. Therefore, in some embodiments, when it is determined that there is snow accumulation near the outdoor heat exchanger, the air conditioner enters the second snow removal mode, and the controller controls the outdoor fan to operate at the third speed to increase the heat dissipation of the outdoor heat exchanger and increase the snow melting efficiency near the outdoor heat exchanger.

[0071] In some embodiments, the third speed is the normal operating speed of the outdoor fan.

[0072] Since it is easy to damage the outdoor fan when the determination of whether there is snow accumulation near the outdoor heat exchanger is made after it is determined that there is snow accumulation near the outdoor fan, after it is determined that there is snow accumulation near the outdoor fan, the determination of whether there is snow accumulation near the outdoor heat exchanger cannot be made. However, if the determination of whether there is snow accumulation near the outdoor heat exchanger is made after the snow accumulation near the outdoor fan has melted, and if there is snow accumulation near the outdoor heat exchanger, snow melting near the outdoor heat exchanger still needs to be carried out, which will undoubtedly increase the snow accumulation determination time and the snow melting time of the outdoor unit 200.

[0073] Therefore, in this embodiment, snow melting is carried out near the outdoor heat exchanger while snow melting is carried out near the outdoor fan, so as to shorten the determination time of whether there is snow accumulation in the outdoor unit 200 and improve the snow melting efficiency.

[0074] Specifically, the controller is configured to: when it is determined that there is snow accumulation near the outdoor fan and the air conditioner enters the first snow removal mode, control the outdoor fan to operate at a speed with an output power of the first set value, use the heat generated by the operation of the outdoor fan to melt the snow near the outdoor fan, and control the compressor to start, so that the outdoor heat exchanger becomes the condenser and the indoor heat exchanger becomes the evaporator, and use the refrigerant to absorb the heat of the indoor air to melt the snow near the outdoor heat exchanger.

[0075] Since when the air conditioner is refrigerating, the refrigerant first passes through the compressor to become a high-pressure gas, then passes through the outdoor heat exchanger (condenser) to condense and release heat to become a high-pressure liquid, the high-pressure liquid passes through the expansion valve and will become a low-temperature and low-pressure liquid, passes through the indoor heat exchanger (evaporator) to evaporate and absorb heat to become a low-temperature and low-pressure gas, and finally returns to the compressor. It can be seen that the refrigerant is in a gaseous state in the compressor. When there is snow accumulation near the outdoor heat exchanger, the outdoor environment is cold, and part of the refrigerant may become liquid in the compressor, which is likely to cause damage to the compressor.

[0076] In this embodiment, by providing a compressor heating belt to heat the compressor body, the refrigerant that may be in a liquid state in the compressor body is heated to become a gaseous state, which can not only prevent the compressor from being damaged, but also improve the refrigeration efficiency of the air conditioner.

[0077] Specifically, the outdoor unit 200 further includes a compressor heating tape for heating the compressor body; the controller is configured to: when it is determined that there is snow accumulation near the outdoor heat exchanger and / or near the outdoor fan, control the compressor heating tape to start.

[0078] The compressor also generates heat during operation. Therefore, in some embodiments, the heat generated by the compressor during operation is used to heat the compressor body.

[0079] Specifically, the controller is further configured to: when the air conditioner enters the first snow removal mode or the second snow removal mode, control the compressor to start at a frequency with an output power of a second set value, and use the heat generated by the compressor during operation to heat the compressor body.

[0080] It should be noted that when the compressor starts at a frequency with an output power of the second set value, the compressor generates more heat, and at this time, the working efficiency of the compressor is low, and the flow rate of the refrigerant in the refrigerant circulation circuit is relatively low. To a certain extent, this increases the reliability of the refrigerant becoming gaseous when passing through the compressor. This belongs to the well-known common sense technology in the field and will not be elaborated here.

[0081] The outdoor unit 200 further includes a chassis heater, and the chassis heater is electrically connected to the controller; the controller is configured to: when the air conditioner enters the first snow removal mode or the second snow removal mode, control the chassis heater to start until the air conditioner exits the first snow removal mode or the second snow removal mode.

[0082] When melting the snow near the outdoor fan or the outdoor heat exchanger, the melted snow water may freeze when dripping onto the chassis of the outdoor unit 200. By setting the chassis heater to heat the chassis of the outdoor unit 200, it can prevent the snow water from freezing and can also cause the snow water to evaporate; and it can also accelerate the melting of the accumulated snow on the outdoor unit 200.

[0083] The outdoor unit 200 further includes a current detection component for detecting whether the output current of the outdoor fan abnormally increases; the current detection component is electrically connected to the controller.

[0084] The controller is further configured to: when the air conditioner enters the first stage, obtain the detection result of the current detection component. If the output current of the outdoor fan abnormally increases and the first difference exceeds the first preset range, it is determined that there is snow accumulation near the outdoor fan; if the output current of the outdoor fan does not abnormally increase and the first difference is within the first preset range, it is determined that there is no snow accumulation near the outdoor fan.

[0085] By setting up a current detection component to detect the output current of the outdoor fan, the accuracy of the judgment result on whether there is snow accumulation near the outdoor fan is increased. When the outdoor fan is stuck due to snow accumulation, the output current of the outdoor fan will increase abnormally. When there is no snow accumulation near the outdoor fan, the output current of the outdoor fan generally does not change abnormally.

[0086] It should be noted that the specific structure of the current detection component and the detection principle of the current detection component belong to the well-known common sense technology in the field and will not be elaborated here.

[0087] The outdoor unit 200 further includes a coil temperature sensor for detecting the outdoor coil temperature; the coil temperature sensor is electrically connected to the controller; the controller is configured to: after the air conditioner enters the first snow removal mode or the second snow removal mode, obtain the outdoor coil temperature; if the coil temperature exceeds the second temperature reference value, control the outdoor fan and / or the compressor to stop the snow melting operation, and the air conditioner exits the first snow removal mode or the second snow removal mode.

[0088] After the air conditioner exits the second snow removal mode, the controller controls the outdoor fan to rotate in the reverse direction to dry the moisture on the surface of the outdoor unit 200 and the snow remaining on the surface of the outdoor unit 200.

[0089] After the air conditioner exits the first snow removal mode, when the coil temperature exceeds the second temperature reference value, the controller controls the outdoor fan to operate at the first speed and determines whether the first difference exceeds the first preset range. If the first difference is within the first preset range, it indicates that the snow near the outdoor fan has melted, and the controller controls the outdoor fan to rotate in the reverse direction to dry the moisture on the surface of the outdoor unit 200 and the snow remaining on the surface of the outdoor unit 200; if the first difference exceeds the first preset range, it indicates that there is still snow near the outdoor fan, and the controller controls the outdoor fan and the compressor to repeat the snow melting operation, and the air conditioner remains in the first snow removal mode until the first difference is within the first preset range.

[0090] It should be noted that if the snow melting operation of the outdoor fan and the snow melting operation of the compressor are repeated many times and there is still snow near the outdoor fan, in other words, the air conditioner is in the first snow removal mode for a long time, then it is possible that the air conditioner has a fault. By controlling the outdoor fan and the compressor to stop working so that the air conditioner stops running, the controller sends a fault message to the user, and the user manually clears the snow.

[0091] Specifically, the controller is configured to: after the outdoor fan and the compressor repeat the snow melting operation a certain number of times, if the first difference still exceeds the first preset range, control the outdoor fan and the compressor to stop working and send out an air conditioner fault message, and the air conditioner enters the locked mode.

[0092] In some embodiments, the user needs to use a special combination of keys on the air conditioner remote control to cancel the controller's control to stop the outdoor fan and compressor, so as to ensure that the user is aware of the air conditioner failure or to ensure that the user has eliminated the air conditioner failure.

[0093] In some embodiments, after the outdoor fan and the compressor perform the defrosting operation three times repeatedly, the controller controls the outdoor fan and the compressor to stop working and locks the air conditioner.

[0094] The following will introduce in detail whether there is snow accumulation on the outdoor unit 200 and how to defrost after determining that there is snow accumulation in combination with the operation of the air conditioner.

[0095] As Figures 8 - 11 shown, after the controller receives the start-up instruction, it obtains the outdoor ambient temperature Tout detected by the outdoor ambient temperature sensor. If Tout ≥ 5°C, it is determined that there is no snow accumulation on the outdoor unit 200, and the air conditioner enters the normal start-up mode; after the air conditioner enters the normal start-up mode, the controller controls the compressor to start, so that the refrigerant flows in the refrigerant circulation circuit, the outdoor fan rotates at the third speed, so that the outdoor air exchanges heat with the outdoor heat exchanger, and controls the indoor fan to rotate, so that the indoor air exchanges heat with the indoor heat exchanger.

[0096] If Tout < 5°C, it is initially determined that there may be snow accumulation on the outdoor unit 200, and further judgment is required, and the air conditioner enters the first stage.

[0097] When the air conditioner enters the first stage, the controller controls the outdoor fan to run at the lowest allowable speed R1 of the outdoor fan. If there is no abnormal increase in the output current of the outdoor fan after starting, obtain the output power W of the outdoor fan when running at speed R1, and calculate the absolute value of the difference between the output power W of the outdoor fan when running at speed R1 and the first power reference value W' of the normal fan start test of the outdoor fan as the first difference. If the first difference is less than or equal to 120%W', it is determined that there is no snow accumulation near the outdoor fan, and the air conditioner enters the second stage; if the first difference is greater than 120%W', it is determined that there is snow accumulation near the outdoor fan, and the air conditioner enters the first defrosting mode.

[0098] When the air conditioner enters the second stage, control the outdoor fan to increase its speed from R1 to the highest allowable speed R2 of the outdoor fan. After the outdoor fan runs stably, obtain the output power W1 of the outdoor fan when running at speed R2, and calculate the absolute value of the difference between the output power W1 of the outdoor fan when running at speed R2 and the first power reference value W' of the normal fan start test of the outdoor fan as the second difference. If the second difference is less than or equal to 5%W', it is determined that there is no snow accumulation near the outdoor heat exchanger, and after controlling the outdoor fan to stop running for 30s, the air conditioner enters the normal start-up mode.

[0099] If the second difference is greater than 5% W’, it is determined that there is snow accumulation near the outdoor heat exchanger, the outdoor fan is controlled to stop running, and the air conditioner is controlled to enter the second snow removal mode.

[0100] When the air conditioner enters the first snow removal mode, the controller obtains the outdoor coil temperature, and the controller controls the outdoor motor to operate and output a stable power W0’ when the outdoor motor operates, and uses the heat generated by the operation of the outdoor fan to melt the snow near the outdoor fan. The outdoor motor runs for a time t1; the controller controls the chassis heater to start until the coil temperature exceeds 10°C, and the minimum running time of the chassis heater is t1; the controller controls the compressor heating belt to start and uses the compressor heating belt to heat the compressor body; controls the compressor body to start and output a stable power W0 when the compressor body operates, and uses the heat generated when the compressor body operates to heat the compressor body; controls the running time of the compressor heating belt and the compressor to be t2, and then after the compressor runs to the first oil return platform, the compressor is increased to the frequency when the compressor operates normally. The controller controls the four-way valve to open the port corresponding to the air conditioner cooling mode, so that the refrigerant flows in the refrigerant circulation circuit along the flow direction corresponding to the air conditioner cooling mode, making the outdoor heat exchanger a condenser and the indoor heat exchanger an evaporator, and using the refrigerant to absorb the heat of the indoor air to melt the snow near the outdoor heat exchanger; When the coil temperature exceeds 10°C, the controller controls the outdoor fan, the chassis heater, the compressor heating belt, and the compressor to stop running. After 30S, the controller controls the outdoor fan to run at the lowest speed R1 and obtains the output power W of the outdoor fan when running at the speed R1. Calculate the absolute value of the difference between the output power W of the outdoor fan when running at the speed R1 and the first power reference value W’ of the normal fan start test of the outdoor fan as the first difference. If the first difference is less than or equal to 120% W’, it means that the snow accumulation near the outdoor fan has melted, and the air conditioner exits the first snow removal mode. The controller controls the outdoor motor to reverse and run at the maximum speed to dry the residual moisture and the remaining snow around. After running for a time t4, the controller controls the outdoor fan to stop running. After 30s, the air conditioner enters the normal start mode.

[0101] If the first difference is greater than 120% W’, it means that there is still snow accumulation near the outdoor fan, and the air conditioner is still in the first snow removal mode. Repeat the snow removal operation of the first snow removal mode until there is no snow accumulation near the outdoor fan, that is, the first difference is less than or equal to 120% W’, and the air conditioner exits the first snow removal mode.

[0102] To prevent air conditioner failures, the air conditioner repeats the snow removal operation in the first snow removal mode at most three times. After three times, the controller will control the compressor, outdoor fan, chassis heater, and compressor heating belt to stop running and lock the air conditioner so that it cannot be started. The air conditioner enters the locked mode and sends a fault message to the user. The user needs to manually remove the snow, and the user can exit the locked mode only through a special combination of keys on the air conditioner remote control to ensure that the snow is removed by the user before exiting the first snow removal mode.

[0103] When the air conditioner enters the second snow removal mode, the controller obtains the outdoor coil temperature, and the controller controls the chassis heater to start until the coil temperature exceeds 10°C, with the minimum operating time t1 of the chassis heater; the controller controls the compressor heating belt to start and uses the compressor heating belt to heat the compressor body; controls the compressor body to start and make the compressor body output a stable power W0 when operating, and uses the heat generated during the operation of the compressor body to heat the compressor body; controls the operating time t2 of the compressor heating belt and the compressor. Then, after the compressor runs to the first oil return platform, the compressor is increased to the frequency when the compressor is working normally. The controller controls the four-way valve to open the port corresponding to the air conditioner cooling mode, so that the refrigerant flows in the refrigerant circulation circuit along the flow direction corresponding to the air conditioner cooling mode, making the outdoor heat exchanger the condenser and the indoor heat exchanger the evaporator, and using the refrigerant to absorb the heat of the indoor air to melt the snow near the outdoor heat exchanger until the coil temperature exceeds 10°C; When the coil temperature exceeds 10°C, the controller controls the chassis heater, compressor heating belt, compressor, and outdoor fan to stop running, and the air conditioner exits the first snow removal mode. After a period of time when the air conditioner exits the first snow removal mode, the controller controls the outdoor motor to reverse and run at the maximum speed to blow dry the residual moisture and the surrounding residual snow. After running for time t4, the controller controls the outdoor fan to stop running. After 30s, the air conditioner enters the normal start mode.

[0104] It should be noted that although the air conditioner usually operates in heating mode in winter, that is, the outdoor heat exchanger transfers cold to the outdoor environment, when the air conditioner starts, the outdoor fan is always running. Even if it is snowing outdoors at this time, the snowflakes are not easily accumulated on the outdoor unit 200 under the action of the outdoor fan.

[0105] In some embodiments, the indoor unit 100 further includes a display board, which is electrically connected to the controller, and the display board is used to display the mode of the air conditioner.

[0106] It should also be noted that when the air conditioner is in the standby mode or the shutdown state, there is no need to judge whether there is snow accumulation, nor is there an additional snow removal mode.

[0107] Before starting, the above air conditioner determines whether there is snow accumulation on the outdoor unit 200 to prevent the air conditioner from being damaged due to a rash start, protecting the air conditioner and increasing its service life; there is no need to continuously run the anti-snow accumulation mode in the standby state, nor is it necessary to additionally add sensors such as temperature or pressure to determine whether there is snow accumulation on the outdoor unit of the air conditioner. Without changing the configuration of the existing machine, by using the power value at a fixed speed of the outdoor fan of the machine, it is determined whether there is snow accumulation and whether to run the snow removal mode.

[0108] The above air conditioner detects the outdoor temperature by setting an outdoor temperature sensor, and determines whether there is snow accumulation on the outdoor unit 200 according to whether the outdoor ambient temperature is lower than the first temperature reference value. If the outdoor ambient temperature is higher than or equal to the first temperature reference value, it is determined that there is no snow accumulation on the outdoor unit 200. If the outdoor ambient temperature is lower than the first temperature reference value, it is preliminarily determined that there is snow accumulation on the outdoor unit 200; according to the difference in the output power of the outdoor fan when rotating at the same speed in different scenarios, it is determined whether there is snow accumulation near the outdoor fan and / or near the outdoor heat exchanger; by first determining whether there is snow accumulation near the outdoor fan, and on the premise of determining that there is no snow accumulation near the outdoor fan, then determining whether there is snow accumulation near the outdoor heat exchanger, so as to avoid damage to the outdoor fan caused by using the outdoor fan to determine the snow accumulation position of the outdoor unit 200.

[0109] The above air conditioner can not only determine whether there is snow accumulation on the outdoor unit 200, but also determine the snow accumulation position of the outdoor unit 200. The determination method is simple and no additional device needs to be added; and the air conditioner uses its own components to melt the snow, the snow melting method is simple, the snow melting effect is good and no additional device needs to be added.

[0110] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, rather than to limit them; although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those of ordinary skill in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions recorded in the foregoing embodiments, or perform equivalent replacements on some or all of the technical features; and these modifications or replacements do not make the essence of the corresponding technical solutions deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application.

[0111] For the sake of convenience of explanation, the above description has been made in combination with specific implementation manners. However, the above exemplary discussion is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the implementation manners to the specific forms disclosed above. According to the above teachings, various modifications and variations can be obtained. The selection and description of the above implementation manners are for better explaining the principles and practical applications, so that those skilled in the art can better use the implementation manners and various different modified implementation manners suitable for specific use considerations.

Claims

1. An air conditioner, comprising an indoor unit and an outdoor unit, wherein the indoor unit at least includes an indoor heat exchanger for exchanging heat with indoor air; characterized in that, The outdoor unit at least includes: An outdoor heat exchanger for heat exchange with outdoor air; A compressor for compressing low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant gas into high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant gas; The compressor, the outdoor heat exchanger and the indoor heat exchanger form a refrigerant circulation loop through pipelines, so that the refrigerant circulates in the loop composed of the compressor, the outdoor heat exchanger and the indoor heat exchanger; An outdoor fan for driving outdoor air to exchange heat with the outdoor heat exchanger; An outdoor temperature sensor for detecting the outdoor ambient temperature; A controller electrically connected to the compressor, the outdoor fan and the outdoor ambient temperature sensor respectively; the controller is configured to: after receiving a startup instruction, obtain the outdoor ambient temperature; If the outdoor ambient temperature is higher than or equal to the first temperature reference value, it is determined that there is no snow accumulation on the outdoor unit, and it enters the normal startup mode; if the outdoor ambient temperature is lower than the first temperature reference value, it is preliminarily determined that there is snow accumulation on the outdoor unit, and it enters the first stage; In the first stage, control the outdoor fan to operate at the first speed, obtain the output power of the outdoor fan when operating at the first speed, and calculate the absolute value of the difference between the output power of the outdoor fan when operating at the first speed and the first power reference value as the first difference; if the first difference is within the first preset range, it is determined that there is no snow accumulation near the outdoor fan, and it enters the second stage; if the first difference exceeds the first preset range, it is determined that there is snow accumulation near the outdoor fan, and it enters the first snow removal mode; In the second stage, control the outdoor fan to operate at the second speed, obtain the output power of the outdoor fan when operating at the second speed, and calculate the absolute value of the difference between the output power of the outdoor fan when operating at the second speed and the second power reference value as the second difference; if the second difference is within the second preset range, it is determined that there is no snow accumulation near the outdoor heat exchanger, and it enters the normal startup mode; if the second difference exceeds the second preset range, it is determined that there is snow accumulation near the outdoor heat exchanger, and it enters the second snow removal mode.

2. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein The controller is configured to: when entering the first snow removal mode, control the outdoor fan to operate at a speed with an output power of the first set value, and use the heat generated by the operation of the outdoor fan to melt the snow near the outdoor fan.

3. The air conditioner according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The controller is further configured to: when entering the first snow removal mode, control the outdoor fan to operate at a speed with an output power of the first set value, use the heat generated by the operation of the outdoor fan to melt the snow near the outdoor fan, control the compressor to start, make the outdoor heat exchanger a condenser, and the indoor heat exchanger an evaporator, and use the refrigerant to absorb the heat of the indoor air to melt the snow near the outdoor heat exchanger.

4. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, The controller is configured to: when entering the second snow removal mode, control the compressor to start, make the outdoor heat exchanger a condenser, and the indoor heat exchanger an evaporator, and use the refrigerant to absorb the heat of the indoor air to melt the snow near the outdoor heat exchanger.

5. The air conditioner according to claim 2 or 4, characterized in that The controller is further configured to: after entering the first snow removal mode or the second snow removal mode, control the compressor to start at a frequency with an output power of a second set value, and heat the compressor body by using the heat generated by the operation of the compressor.

6. The air conditioner according to claim 2 or 4, characterized in that The outdoor unit further includes a compressor heating belt for heating the compressor body; The controller is configured to: after entering the first snow removal mode or the second snow removal mode, control the compressor heating belt to start.

7. The air conditioner according to claim 1 or 2 or 4, characterized in that, The outdoor unit further includes a chassis heater, and the chassis heater is electrically connected to the controller; The controller is configured to: after entering the first snow removal mode or the second snow removal mode, control the chassis heater to start.

8. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outdoor unit further includes a current detection component for detecting whether the output current of the outdoor fan abnormally increases; the current detection component is electrically connected to the controller; The controller is further configured to: after entering the first stage, obtain the detection result of the current detection component. If the output current of the outdoor fan abnormally increases and the first difference exceeds the first preset range, it is determined that there is snow accumulation near the outdoor fan; If the output current of the outdoor fan does not abnormally increase and the first difference is within the first preset range, it is determined that there is no snow accumulation near the outdoor fan.

9. The air conditioner according to claim 1 or 2 or 4, characterized in that It further includes a coil temperature sensor for detecting the outdoor coil temperature; the coil temperature sensor is electrically connected to the controller; The controller is configured to: after entering the first snow removal mode or the second snow removal mode, obtain the outdoor coil temperature; When the coil temperature exceeds the second temperature reference value, exit the first snow removal mode or the second snow removal mode, and control the outdoor fan to rotate in the reverse direction to dry the moisture on the surface of the outdoor unit and the snow remaining on the surface of the outdoor unit.

10. An air conditioner, comprising an indoor unit and an outdoor unit, wherein the indoor unit at least includes an indoor heat exchanger for heat exchange with indoor air; characterized in that, The outdoor unit at least includes: An outdoor heat exchanger for performing heat exchange with outdoor air; A compressor for compressing low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant gas into high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant gas; The compressor, the outdoor heat exchanger, and the indoor heat exchanger form a refrigerant circulation loop through pipelines, so that the refrigerant circulates in the loop composed of the compressor, the outdoor heat exchanger, and the indoor heat exchanger; An outdoor fan for driving outdoor air to perform heat exchange with the outdoor heat exchanger; An outdoor temperature sensor for detecting the outdoor ambient temperature; A controller, which is electrically connected to the compressor, the outdoor fan, and the outdoor ambient temperature sensor respectively; the controller is configured to: after receiving a startup instruction, obtain the outdoor ambient temperature; If the outdoor ambient temperature is higher than or equal to the first temperature reference value, it is determined that there is no snow accumulation on the outdoor unit. If the outdoor ambient temperature is lower than the first temperature reference value, it is preliminarily determined that there is snow accumulation on the outdoor unit; When it is preliminarily determined that there is snow accumulation on the outdoor unit, control the outdoor fan to operate at the first rotation speed, obtain the output power when the outdoor fan operates at the first rotation speed, and calculate the absolute value of the difference between the output power when the outdoor fan operates at the first rotation speed and the first power reference value as the first difference; if the first difference is within the first preset range, it is determined that there is no snow accumulation near the outdoor fan, and if the first difference exceeds the first preset range, it is determined that there is snow accumulation near the outdoor fan. When it is determined that there is no snow accumulation on the outdoor fan, control the outdoor fan to operate at the second rotation speed, obtain the output power when the outdoor fan operates at the second rotation speed, and calculate the absolute value of the difference between the output power when the outdoor fan operates at the second rotation speed and the second power reference value as the second difference; if the second difference is within the second preset range, it is determined that there is no snow accumulation near the outdoor heat exchanger, and if the second difference exceeds the second preset range, it is determined that there is snow accumulation near the outdoor heat exchanger.