Air conditioning system and refrigerant leakage control method and device thereof

Abstract

The invention provides an air conditioning system and a refrigerant leakage control method and device thereof. The air conditioning system comprises a detection device used for detecting the concentration of leaked refrigerants in the outdoor unit; the alarm device is used for sending out a refrigerant leakage alarm after receiving the alarm signal; the control device is connected with the alarm device and the detection device, and an obtaining module of the control device obtains the leaked refrigerant concentration sent by the detection device; the first control module is used for sending an alarm signal to the alarm device when the concentration of the leaked refrigerant reaches an alarm condition; and the second control module is used for controlling the air conditioning system to execute leakage remedy operation when determining that the alarm device sends out the refrigerant leakage alarm. The system can monitor the concentration of the refrigerant in the outdoor unit in real time and discover the leakage condition in time, and once it is detected that the concentration of the refrigerant reaches the preset alarm threshold value, the system can rapidly give out a sound-light alarm to remind a user and nearby people in time, and a series of remedial operations are automatically executed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of electrical appliances, and particularly to an air-conditioning system, a refrigerant leakage control method and a control device therefor. Background Art

[0002] In related technologies, the trend of global warming is intensifying, and environmental protection requirements are getting higher and higher. Especially in recent years, under the strict control trend of global carbon emissions, the air-conditioning system has put forward higher requirements for the characteristics of refrigerants. In order to reduce the GWP value to meet the current international and domestic environmental protection requirements, all air-conditioning equipment manufacturers are turning to new environmentally friendly refrigerants. However, this type of refrigerant is often flammable, such as R32, R454B, etc. During the operation of the air-conditioning system, the risk of leakage from the outdoor unit is equally important, especially in relatively enclosed environments such as basements, storage rooms, and equipment rooms.

[0003] The huge safety problems brought by the flammability of the refrigerant need to be fundamentally solved to eliminate potential hazards. However, the existing design schemes of outdoor units in related technologies do not fully consider the risk of leakage of flammable refrigerants, and are usually the same as the design of non-flammable refrigerants, without targeted safety design. Moreover, existing air conditioners lack an effective alarm and emergency response mechanism. That is, when refrigerant leakage is detected, existing technologies may not have automated remedial measures, such as automatically closing the cut-off valve, activating the exhaust system, etc., to quickly respond and control the leakage situation. Therefore, the above-mentioned existing air conditioners do not provide a comprehensive systematic solution to comprehensively handle refrigerant leakage problems, including monitoring, alarming, emergency response, and subsequent processing. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention provides an air-conditioning system, a refrigerant leakage control method and a control device therefor, to solve the defects existing in the prior art and achieve the following technical effects: By installing a refrigerant detector, the system can monitor the refrigerant concentration inside the outdoor unit in real time, timely detect leakage situations, and once the detected refrigerant concentration reaches a preset alarm threshold, the system will quickly issue an audible and visual alarm to timely remind users and nearby personnel. After the alarm, the system will automatically execute a series of remedial operations, such as stopping the operation of the air conditioner, closing the cut-off valve, activating the external fan, etc., to control and reduce the leakage.

[0005] The air-conditioning system according to the first aspect embodiment of the present invention includes: An outdoor unit and an indoor unit, the outdoor unit includes a plurality of outdoor heat exchangers connected in parallel with each other, and the indoor unit includes a plurality of indoor heat exchangers connected in parallel with each other; A detection device for detecting the concentration of leaked refrigerant inside the outdoor unit; An alarm device for issuing a refrigerant leakage alarm after receiving an alarm signal; The control device is respectively connected to the alarm device and the detection device. The control device includes an acquisition module, a first control module, and a second control module; Wherein, the acquisition module acquires the concentration of the leaked refrigerant sent by the detection device; the first control module is used to send an alarm signal to the alarm device when the concentration of the leaked refrigerant reaches the alarm condition; the second control module is used to control the air conditioning system to perform a leakage remedy operation when it is determined that the alarm device issues a refrigerant leakage alarm.

[0006] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the alarm condition includes: the concentration of the leaked refrigerant in the outdoor unit is greater than or equal to the set refrigerant concentration.

[0007] In this way, the present invention can detect refrigerant leakage in a timely manner and respond quickly, thereby improving the safety of the air conditioning system.

[0008] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the second control module is specifically used for: Determine that the alarm device issues a refrigerant leakage alarm, and control the compressor of the outdoor unit to stop; In the case where the compressor stops, control the outdoor unit to perform a first remedy operation and control the indoor unit to perform a second remedy operation.

[0009] In this way, through these remedy operations, the present invention aims to minimize the harm caused by refrigerant leakage, protect personnel safety, and prevent property losses. The automation and systematization of these measures improve the response speed and processing efficiency of the air conditioning system to refrigerant leakage incidents.

[0010] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the first remedy operation includes: Control the outdoor fan of the outdoor unit to continuously operate at a set wind speed; and / or, control the electronic expansion valve in the outdoor unit to close.

[0011] The purpose of these remedy measures is to quickly take measures to control the situation when refrigerant leakage occurs and prevent the leaked refrigerant from causing safety accidents. Among them, the continuous operation of the outdoor fan and the closing of the electronic expansion valve are specific remedy measures for the outdoor unit.

[0012] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the second remedy operation includes: Control the cut-off valve in the valve box of the indoor unit to close and maintain a set closing duration.

[0013] In this way, by closing the cut-off valve, the system can effectively prevent the further flow of the refrigerant and reduce the leakage amount. At the same time, setting the closing duration of the cut-off valve can ensure that the risk of refrigerant leakage is effectively managed within a certain period of time.

[0014] According to an embodiment of the present invention, before performing the second remedial operation, the second control module is further specifically configured to: Obtain the current operating mode of the air-conditioning system; When the air-conditioning system is in the cooling mode, determine that the set shutdown duration is the first shutdown duration; or, when the air-conditioning system is in the heating mode, determine that the set shutdown duration is the second shutdown duration; Wherein, the first shutdown duration is less than the second shutdown duration.

[0015] In this way, through the above design, the present invention can adopt different safety measures according to different operating modes, improving the flexibility and safety of the system. In the cooling mode, since the refrigerant circulation volume is relatively large and the leakage risk is relatively high, a shorter shutdown duration is adopted to quickly control the leakage. While in the heating mode, the refrigerant circulation volume may be small and the leakage risk is low, so a longer shutdown duration can be adopted to reduce the impact on user comfort.

[0016] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the air-conditioning system further includes a third-party exhaust fan, the third-party exhaust fan is signal-connected to the control device, and the third-party exhaust fan communicates with the indoor environment where the outdoor unit is located; After receiving the signal of the compressor shutdown, the second control module is further specifically configured to: When the compressor is shut down, control the third-party exhaust fan to exhaust air from the outdoor unit.

[0017] In this way, the above design allows the air-conditioning system to quickly respond and take comprehensive measures when detecting refrigerant leakage, including shutting down, closing the cut-off valve, activating the built-in or external fan, and linking with the third-party exhaust system, so as to minimize the impact of leakage.

[0018] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the specific operation of the second control module for controlling the third-party exhaust fan is as follows: control and adjust the operating parameters of the third-party exhaust fan according to the current refrigerant leakage concentration of the outdoor unit.

[0019] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the alarm device includes the line controller of the air-conditioning system and / or the lamp panel of the air-conditioning system, then the refrigerant leakage alarm includes: The line controller of the air-conditioning system and / or the lamp panel of the air-conditioning system perform sound alarm and / or light alarm.

[0020] In this way, through this comprehensive sound and light alarm mechanism, the present invention can ensure that when a refrigerant leak occurs, users and relevant personnel can be warned in a timely manner and take necessary safety measures, thereby improving the safety and reliability of the air conditioning system.

[0021] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the alarm device includes the central controller of the air conditioning system, and the refrigerant leak alarm includes: The central controller of the air conditioning system displays and outputs an error code, and / or, the indoor unit and the outdoor unit of the air conditioning system communicate to output an alarm signal.

[0022] Through these comprehensive alarm and communication measures, the present invention can ensure that when a refrigerant leak occurs, the system can notify users and maintenance personnel in a timely manner and take necessary safety measures, thereby improving the safety and reliability of the air conditioning system.

[0023] According to the refrigerant leak control method of the air conditioning system according to the second aspect embodiment of the present invention, the air conditioning system includes an indoor unit and an outdoor unit, and the method includes: Determine that the air conditioning system is turned on, and obtain the concentration of the leaked refrigerant in the outdoor unit; If the concentration of the leaked refrigerant reaches the alarm condition, then control the air conditioning system to issue a refrigerant leak alarm; Determine that the air conditioning system issues a refrigerant leak alarm, and then control the air conditioning system to perform a leak remedy operation.

[0024] According to the control device of the air conditioning system according to the third aspect embodiment of the present invention, the air conditioning system includes an indoor unit and an outdoor unit, and the device includes: An acquisition module, configured to determine that the air conditioning system is turned on and obtain the concentration of the leaked refrigerant in the outdoor unit; A first control module, configured to control the air conditioning system to issue a refrigerant leak alarm if the concentration of the leaked refrigerant reaches the alarm condition; A second control module, configured to control the air conditioning system to perform a leak remedy operation when it is determined that the air conditioning system issues a refrigerant leak alarm.

[0025] The present invention provides an air conditioning system, its refrigerant leak control method and control device, which have at least the following technical advantages compared with the above-mentioned related technologies.

[0026] (1) Targeted design: The present invention is specifically designed for the leakage problem of combustible refrigerants (such as R32), and provides a safer and more effective solution.

[0027] (2) Real-time monitoring and rapid alarm: By installing a refrigerant detector, the system can monitor the refrigerant concentration inside the outdoor unit in real time, promptly detect leakage situations, and once the detected refrigerant concentration reaches the preset alarm threshold, the system will quickly issue an audible and visual alarm to timely alert users and nearby personnel.

[0028] (3) Automatic remedial measures: After the alarm is triggered, the system will automatically execute a series of remedial operations, such as stopping the air conditioner operation, closing the cut-off valve, activating the external fan, etc., to control and reduce leakage.

[0029] (4) Safety logic control: This invention adopts safety logic control to ensure that when refrigerant leakage occurs, the system can take correct measures to prevent dangerous situations such as fire or explosion.

[0030] (5) Adapt to different installation environments: The solution of this invention can adapt to different installation environments, including non-open scenarios such as basements, storage rooms, etc., providing a wider application range.

[0031] (6) Improve user experience: Through timely alarms and effective remedial measures, this invention can, while ensuring safety, reduce the interference with users' daily lives and improve the user experience. Description of the Drawings

[0032] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the present invention or the prior art, the following will briefly introduce the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments or the prior art. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are some embodiments of the present invention. For those of ordinary skill in the art, without creative efforts, other drawings can also be obtained based on these drawings.

[0033] Figure 1 It is a schematic structural diagram of the air conditioning system provided by the present invention.

[0034] Figure 2 It is a schematic flowchart of the refrigerant leakage control method for the outdoor unit of the air conditioner provided by the present invention.

[0035] Figure 3 It is a schematic structural diagram of the refrigerant leakage control device for the outdoor unit of the air conditioner provided by the present invention.

[0036] Figure 4 It is a schematic structural diagram of the electronic device provided by the present invention. Explanation

[0037] 100. Control device; 200. Outdoor unit; 300. Indoor unit; 400. Detection device; 500. Alarm device; 600. Third-party exhaust fan; 110. Acquisition module; 120. First control module; 130. Second control module. Detailed Embodiments

[0038] To make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions in the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in the present invention. Apparently, the described embodiments are some, but not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. All other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments in the present invention without creative efforts shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0039] In the description of this specification, the descriptions referring to terms such as "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "example", "specific example", or "some examples" etc. mean that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in connection with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the embodiments of the present invention. In this specification, the schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described can be combined in a suitable manner in any one or more embodiments or examples. In addition, without conflict, those skilled in the art can combine and combine the different embodiments or examples described in this specification and the features of different embodiments or examples.

[0040] As Figure 1 shown, an air conditioning system according to an embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention includes an outdoor unit 200, an indoor unit 300, a detection device 400, an alarm device 500, and a control device 100.

[0041] The outdoor unit 200 includes a plurality of outdoor heat exchangers connected in parallel with each other, and the indoor unit 300 includes a plurality of indoor heat exchangers connected in parallel with each other; the detection device 400 is used to detect the concentration of leaked refrigerant in the outdoor unit 200; the alarm device 500 is used to issue a refrigerant leakage alarm after receiving an alarm signal; the control device 100 is respectively connected to the alarm device 500 and the detection device 400, and the control device 100 includes an acquisition module 110, a first control module 120, and a second control module 130.

[0042] Among them, the acquisition module 110 acquires the concentration of leaked refrigerant sent by the detection device 400; the first control module 120 is used to send an alarm signal to the alarm device 500 when the concentration of leaked refrigerant reaches the alarm condition; the second control module 130 is used to determine that the alarm device 500 issues a refrigerant leakage alarm, and then controls the air conditioning system to perform a leakage remedy operation.

[0043] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the alarm condition includes: the concentration of leaked refrigerant in the outdoor unit 200 is greater than or equal to the set refrigerant concentration.

[0044] In this way, the present invention can detect refrigerant leakage in a timely manner and respond quickly, thereby improving the safety of the air conditioning system.

[0045] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the second control module 130 is specifically configured to: Determine that the alarm device 500 issues a refrigerant leakage alarm, and control the compressor of the outdoor unit 200 to stop; In the case where the compressor stops, control the outdoor unit 200 to perform a first remedial operation and control the indoor unit 300 to perform a second remedial operation.

[0046] In this way, through these remedial operations, the present invention aims to minimize the harm caused by refrigerant leakage, protect the safety of personnel, and prevent property losses. The automation and systematization of these measures improve the response speed and processing efficiency of the air conditioning system to refrigerant leakage incidents.

[0047] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the first remedial operation includes: Control the outdoor fan of the outdoor unit 200 to continuously operate at a set wind speed; and / or, control the electronic expansion valve in the outdoor unit 200 to close.

[0048] The purpose of these remedial measures is to quickly take measures to control the situation when refrigerant leakage occurs and prevent the leaked refrigerant from causing safety accidents. Among them, the continuous operation of the outdoor fan and the closing of the electronic expansion valve are specific remedial measures for the outdoor unit 200.

[0049] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the second remedial operation includes: Control the cut-off valve in the valve box of the indoor unit 300 to close and maintain a set closing duration.

[0050] In this way, by closing the cut-off valve, the system can effectively prevent the further flow of refrigerant and reduce the leakage amount. At the same time, setting the closing duration of the cut-off valve can ensure that the risk of refrigerant leakage is effectively managed within a certain period of time.

[0051] According to an embodiment of the present invention, before performing the second remedial operation, the second control module 130 is specifically further configured to: Obtain the current working mode of the air conditioning system; In the case where the air conditioning system is in the cooling mode, determine that the set closing duration is the first closing duration; or, in the case where the air conditioning system is in the heating mode, determine that the set closing duration is the second closing duration; Wherein, the first closing duration is less than the second closing duration.

[0052] In this way, through the above design, the present invention can adopt different safety measures according to different working modes, improving the flexibility and safety of the system. In the refrigeration mode, since the refrigerant circulation volume is relatively large and the leakage risk is relatively high, a shorter shutdown duration is adopted to quickly control the leakage. In the heating mode, the refrigerant circulation volume may be small and the leakage risk is low, so a longer shutdown duration can be used to reduce the impact on user comfort.

[0053] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the air conditioning system further includes a third-party exhaust fan 600, which is signal-connected to the control device 100, and the third-party exhaust fan 600 communicates with the indoor environment where the outdoor unit 200 is located; After receiving the signal of the compressor shutdown, the second control module 130 is further specifically configured to: In the case of the compressor shutdown, control the third-party exhaust fan 600 to exhaust air from the outdoor unit 200.

[0054] In this way, the above design allows the air conditioning system to quickly respond and take comprehensive measures when detecting refrigerant leakage, including shutting down, closing the cut-off valve, activating the built-in or external fan, and linking the third-party exhaust system, so as to minimize the impact of the leakage.

[0055] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the specific operation of the second control module 130 to control the third-party exhaust fan 600 is as follows: control and adjust the working parameters of the third-party exhaust fan 600 according to the current leakage refrigerant concentration of the outdoor unit 200.

[0056] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the alarm device 500 includes the wired controller of the air conditioning system and / or the lamp board of the air conditioning system, then the refrigerant leakage alarm includes: The wired controller of the air conditioning system and / or the lamp board of the air conditioning system perform sound alarm and / or light alarm.

[0057] In this way, through this comprehensive sound and light alarm mechanism, the present invention can ensure that users and relevant personnel can be warned in time when refrigerant leakage occurs and take necessary safety measures, thereby improving the safety and reliability of the air conditioning system.

[0058] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the alarm device 500 includes the centralized controller of the air conditioning system, then the refrigerant leakage alarm includes: The centralized controller of the air conditioning system displays and outputs an error code, and / or, the indoor unit 300 and the outdoor unit 200 of the air conditioning system communicate to output an alarm signal.

[0059] Through these comprehensive alarm and communication measures, the present invention can ensure that when a refrigerant leak occurs, the system can promptly notify users and maintenance personnel and take necessary safety measures, thereby improving the safety and reliability of the air-conditioning system.

[0060] The refrigerant leak control method and control device of the air-conditioning system proposed by the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Among them, before elaborating on the embodiments of the present invention in detail, the entire application scenario will be described first. The refrigerant leak control method, control device, electronic device, and computer-readable storage medium of the air-conditioning system in the embodiments of the present invention can be applied not only to the local air-conditioning but also to the cloud platform in the Internet field, or the cloud platform in other types of Internet fields, or can also be applied to third-party devices. Among them, the third-party devices may include various different types such as mobile phones, tablets, laptops, in-vehicle computers, and other intelligent terminals.

[0061] Only the refrigerant leak control method applicable to the air-conditioning system will be described below as an example. It should be understood that the control method in the embodiments of the present invention can also be applicable to the cloud platform and third-party devices.

[0062] As Figure 2 shown, the refrigerant leak control method of the air-conditioning system according to the second aspect embodiment of the present invention includes: Step S1, determine that the air-conditioning system is turned on, and obtain the concentration of the leaked refrigerant in the outdoor unit 200 of the air-conditioning system; Step S2, if the concentration of the leaked refrigerant reaches the alarm condition, then control the air-conditioning system to issue a refrigerant leak alarm; Step S3, determine that the air-conditioning system issues a refrigerant leak alarm, and then control the air-conditioning system to perform a leak remedy operation.

[0063] According to the refrigerant leak control method of the air-conditioning system in the embodiments of the present invention, its specific working process is as follows: When the air-conditioning system starts and runs, the system will continuously monitor the refrigerant concentration inside the outdoor unit 200. This is usually achieved by a refrigerant detector installed inside the outdoor unit 200, and the detector can sense and measure the concentration of the refrigerant.

[0064] Once the detector detects that the refrigerant concentration reaches or exceeds the preset alarm threshold (for example, the alarm value is 10% of the LFL, that is, the lowest flammable concentration), the system will automatically trigger the alarm mechanism. This alarm condition is to ensure that actions are taken before the refrigerant concentration reaches a potentially dangerous level.

[0065] After the alarm goes off, the system will execute a series of remedial measures to deal with the leakage. These measures may include but are not limited to: (1) Acoustic and optical alarm: An acoustic and optical alarm is issued through an external or internal detector to alert users and nearby personnel of the leakage; (2) System shutdown: To reduce further leakage, the entire air-conditioning system will be shut down; (3) High-speed operation of the external fan: The external fan operates at high speed to help dilute the refrigerant concentration leaked into the equipment room and reduce the risk of it reaching the flammable or explosive limit; (4) Closing the cut-off valve: The cut-off valves of all valve boxes are closed to cut off the flow of refrigerant and prevent the leakage from expanding; (5) Closing the electronic expansion valve: The electronic expansion valve of the outdoor heat exchanger is closed to further prevent the flow of refrigerant; (6) Fresh air linkage: A fresh air linkage signal is output. If the user connects a third-party exhaust fan 600, this signal will activate the exhaust fan 600 to increase ventilation and help the refrigerant disperse.

[0066] In summary, the working principle of the whole method is to quickly identify potential leakage problems by real-time monitoring and responding to changes in refrigerant concentration, and take a series of automated safety measures to minimize the risks caused by leakage. The key to this method lies in timely detection, rapid response, and effective remedial measures to ensure the safety of personnel and equipment in case of flammable refrigerant leakage.

[0067] In the related technologies, the current trend of global warming is intensifying, and environmental protection requirements are getting higher and higher. Especially in recent years, under the trend of strict control of carbon emissions globally, the air-conditioning system has put forward higher requirements for the characteristics of refrigerants. In order to reduce the GWP value to meet the current international and domestic environmental protection requirements, all air-conditioning system equipment manufacturers are turning to new environmentally friendly refrigerants. However, this type of refrigerant is often flammable, such as R32, R454B, etc. During the operation of the air-conditioning system, the danger of leakage from the outdoor unit is equally important, especially in relatively enclosed environments such as basements, storage rooms, and equipment rooms.

[0068] The huge safety problem brought by the flammability of the refrigerant is to fundamentally solve and eliminate the hidden dangers. However, the existing outdoor unit design schemes in the related technologies do not fully consider the risk of flammable refrigerant leakage, usually the same as the design for non-flammable refrigerants, without targeted safety design. Moreover, the existing air-conditioning systems lack effective alarm and emergency response mechanisms. That is, when refrigerant leakage is detected, the existing technologies may not have automated remedial measures such as automatically closing the cut-off valve and activating the exhaust system to quickly respond and control the leakage situation. Therefore, the above-mentioned existing air-conditioning systems do not provide a comprehensive systematic solution to comprehensively handle refrigerant leakage problems, including monitoring, alarm, emergency response, and subsequent processing.

[0069] Therefore, to solve the technical defects existing in the above-mentioned related technologies, the present invention provides a method for controlling refrigerant leakage in an air-conditioning system, which has at least the following technical advantages compared with the above-mentioned related technologies.

[0070] (1) Targeted design: The present invention is specifically designed for the leakage problem of combustible refrigerants (such as R32), providing a safer and more effective solution.

[0071] (2) Real-time monitoring and rapid alarm: By installing a refrigerant detector, the system can continuously monitor the refrigerant concentration inside the outdoor unit 200 in real time, promptly detect leakage, and once the detected refrigerant concentration reaches the preset alarm threshold, the system will quickly issue an audible and visual alarm to timely alert users and nearby personnel.

[0072] (3) Automatic remedial measures: After the alarm, the system will automatically perform a series of remedial operations, such as stopping the operation of the air-conditioning system, closing the cut-off valve, activating the external fan, etc., to control and reduce leakage.

[0073] (4) Safety logic control: The present invention adopts safety logic control to ensure that when refrigerant leaks, the system can take correct measures to prevent dangerous situations such as fires or explosions.

[0074] (5) Adapt to different installation environments: The solution of the present invention can adapt to different installation environments, including non-open scenarios such as basements, storage rooms, etc., providing a wider application range.

[0075] (6) Improve user experience: Through timely alarms and effective remedial measures, the present invention can reduce interference with users' daily lives while ensuring safety, improving the user experience.

[0076] In summary, the present invention provides a comprehensive systematic solution, including monitoring, alarming, emergency response, and subsequent processing, forming a closed-loop safety control process.

[0077] According to some embodiments of the present invention, in the step of controlling the air-conditioning system to issue a refrigerant leakage alarm when the concentration of the leaked refrigerant reaches the alarm condition, the alarm condition includes: the concentration of the leaked refrigerant in the outdoor unit 200 is greater than or equal to the set refrigerant concentration.

[0078] In this embodiment, in the outdoor unit 200 of the air-conditioning system, a refrigerant concentration detector is installed, which can continuously monitor and obtain the refrigerant concentration inside the outdoor unit 200 in real time.

[0079] A threshold value of the refrigerant concentration is set within the system. This threshold value is a pre-set safety limit used to evaluate whether the refrigerant leakage has reached a potentially dangerous level. This threshold value may be determined based on the lowest flammable concentration (LFL) of the refrigerant or other safety standards.

[0080] When the refrigerant concentration detected by the refrigerant concentration detector of the outdoor unit 200 is greater than or equal to this pre-set refrigerant concentration threshold value, the system will consider that the alarm condition has been reached. Once the alarm condition is reached, the air conditioning system will automatically trigger the alarm mechanism. This alarm can be a signal in the form of sound, light or a combination of both, aiming to immediately alert the user and potentially affected personnel of the leakage situation.

[0081] In this way, the present invention can detect refrigerant leakage in a timely manner and respond quickly, thereby improving the safety of the air conditioning system.

[0082] According to some embodiments of the present invention, if it is determined that the air conditioning system issues a refrigerant leakage alarm, then the steps of controlling the air conditioning system to perform leakage remedial operations specifically include: Determine that the air conditioning system issues a refrigerant leakage alarm and control the compressor of the air conditioning system to stop; In the case where the compressor of the air conditioning system stops, control the outdoor unit 200 of the air conditioning system to perform a first remedial operation and control the indoor unit 300 of the air conditioning system to perform a second remedial operation.

[0083] In this embodiment, once the refrigerant leakage alarm is triggered, the air conditioning system will first control the compressor to stop immediately. This is to prevent the refrigerant from continuing to flow in the system, thereby reducing the leakage amount, and preventing the leaked refrigerant from reacting with equipment such as the compressor, reducing the risk of fire or explosion.

[0084] While the compressor stops, the outdoor unit 200 will perform a series of remedial measures. These measures may include but are not limited to: the external fan operates at high speed: by operating the external fan at high speed, it helps to dilute the leaked refrigerant, reduce its concentration in the air, and reduce the risk of flammability or explosion; close the electronic expansion valve: prevent the refrigerant from entering the outdoor heat exchanger, further controlling the flow of the refrigerant.

[0085] At the same time, the indoor unit 300 will also perform corresponding remedial operations, which may include: closing the cut-off valve: cutting off the refrigerant flow to prevent further refrigerant leakage; closing the electronic expansion valve of the indoor unit 300: similar to the outdoor unit 200, preventing the refrigerant from entering the indoor heat exchanger; stopping the fan of the indoor unit 300: reducing the air flow to avoid fanning a possible fire or promoting the diffusion of the refrigerant.

[0086] In this way, through these remedial operations, the present invention aims to minimize the hazards caused by refrigerant leakage, protect personnel safety, and prevent property losses. The automation and systematization of these measures improve the response speed and processing efficiency of the air conditioning system to refrigerant leakage incidents.

[0087] For example, in the step of controlling the indoor unit 300 of the air conditioning system to perform the first remedial operation and controlling the outdoor unit 200 of the air conditioning system to perform the second remedial operation when the compressor of the air conditioning system stops, the first remedial operation includes: controlling the outdoor fan of the outdoor unit 200 to continuously operate at a set wind speed; and / or, controlling the electronic expansion valve in the outdoor unit 200 to close.

[0088] It can be understood that the purpose of controlling the operation of the outdoor fan is to increase air flow, help dilute the leaked refrigerant, thereby reducing the concentration of the refrigerant in the air and reducing the risk of fire or explosion. And controlling the electronic expansion valve in the outdoor unit 200 to close to cut off the path of the refrigerant flowing to the outdoor heat exchanger can prevent more refrigerant from leaking into the environment and help control the leakage situation.

[0089] The purpose of these remedial measures is to quickly take measures to control the situation when refrigerant leakage occurs and prevent the leaked refrigerant from causing safety accidents. Among them, the continuous operation of the outdoor fan and the closing of the electronic expansion valve are specific remedial measures for the outdoor unit 200.

[0090] For example, in the step of controlling the indoor unit 300 of the air conditioning system to perform the first remedial operation and controlling the outdoor unit 200 of the air conditioning system to perform the second remedial operation when the compressor of the air conditioning system stops, the second remedial operation includes: Controlling the cut-off valve in the valve box on the indoor unit 300 to close and maintaining a set closing duration.

[0091] In this embodiment, controlling the cut-off valve in the valve box on the indoor unit 300 to close to cut off the path of the refrigerant flowing to the indoor unit 300. This is to prevent more refrigerant from flowing from the outdoor unit 200 to the indoor unit 300, thereby controlling the leakage situation.

[0092] After the cut-off valve is closed, the system will continuously set a closing duration to ensure that the refrigerant leakage is fully controlled. This closing duration may be set according to the severity of the leakage, the design of the system, and safety standards.

[0093] In this way, by closing the cut-off valve, the system can effectively prevent the further flow of the refrigerant and reduce the leakage amount. At the same time, setting the closing duration of the cut-off valve can ensure that the risk of refrigerant leakage is effectively managed within a certain period of time.

[0094] Further, before the step of closing the cut-off valve in the valve box on the indoor unit 300 of the control room and maintaining the set closing duration, the following steps are also included: Obtain the current operating mode of the air conditioning system

[0095] When the air conditioning system is in the cooling mode, determine that the set closing duration is the first closing duration; or, when the air conditioning system is in the heating mode, determine that the set closing duration is the second closing duration.

[0096] Wherein, the first closing duration is less than the second closing duration.

[0097] In this way, through the above design, the present invention can adopt different safety measures according to different operating modes, improving the flexibility and safety of the system. In the cooling mode, since the refrigerant circulation volume is relatively large and the leakage risk is relatively high, a shorter closing duration is adopted to quickly control the leakage. While in the heating mode, the refrigerant circulation volume may be relatively small and the leakage risk is relatively low, so a longer closing duration can be adopted to reduce the impact on user comfort.

[0098] In addition, in some other embodiments, the second remedial operation may further include: closing the electronic expansion valve of the indoor unit 300, and / or, closing the indoor fan.

[0099] It can be understood that closing the electronic expansion valve of the indoor unit 300 is intended to cut off the path of the refrigerant flowing to the indoor heat exchanger, preventing the refrigerant from continuing to enter the indoor unit 300, thereby reducing the amount of refrigerant leakage. The closing of the electronic expansion valve can quickly respond to the leakage situation, prevent the refrigerant from accumulating indoors, and reduce the safety risk.

[0100] Closing the indoor fan can reduce the flow of indoor air, avoiding fanning a possible fire or promoting the diffusion of the refrigerant. After the fan is turned off, the flow of indoor air slows down, which helps to control the distribution of the refrigerant indoors, and at the same time reduces the possibility of the refrigerant mixing with the indoor air, thereby reducing the risk of dangerous events.

[0101] According to some embodiments of the present invention, after the step of determining that the air conditioning system issues a refrigerant leakage alarm and controlling the compressor of the air conditioning system to stop, the following steps are also included: When the compressor stops, connect a third-party exhaust fan 600 to the outdoor unit 200 and control the third-party exhaust fan 600 to exhaust the outdoor unit 200.

[0102] In this embodiment, after the compressor stops, the system will connect a third-party exhaust fan 600 to the outdoor unit 200. This usually involves starting a pre-installed or connected exhaust system, which can be independent and powered and controlled separately from the air conditioning system.

[0103] Once the third - party exhaust fan 600 is connected, the system will control it to exhaust air from the outdoor unit 200. The purpose of this exhaust operation is to help remove the leaked refrigerant that may have accumulated inside the outdoor unit 200, reduce the concentration of refrigerant inside the outdoor unit 200, and thus reduce the risk of fire or explosion.

[0104] Through the exhaust operation of the third - party exhaust fan 600, the environment inside the outdoor unit 200 can be controlled more effectively, the dissipation of the refrigerant can be accelerated, and the safety of dealing with refrigerant leakage can be improved.

[0105] In this way, the above - mentioned design allows the air - conditioning system to respond quickly and take comprehensive measures when detecting refrigerant leakage, including shutting down, closing the cut - off valve, activating the built - in or external fan, and linking with the third - party exhaust system, so as to minimize the impact of the leakage.

[0106] In addition, the design of this remedial measure also takes into account the flexibility and expandability of the air - conditioning system, allowing users to choose whether to connect to the third - party exhaust system according to their needs, and select a suitable exhaust system to adapt to different installation environments and requirements.

[0107] Furthermore, the steps of controlling the third - party exhaust fan 600 to exhaust air from the outdoor unit 200 specifically include: According to the current concentration of the leaked refrigerant in the outdoor unit 200, control and adjust the working parameters of the third - party exhaust fan 600.

[0108] In this embodiment, according to the high or low concentration of the leaked refrigerant, the system automatically adjusts the working parameters of the third - party exhaust fan 600. These parameters may include: (1) Wind speed: Increase or decrease the wind speed of the exhaust fan 600 to more effectively remove the leaked refrigerant; (2) Working time: Adjust the working time of the exhaust fan 600 to adapt to different concentrations of refrigerant leakage; (3) Start / stop mode: According to the urgency of the leakage situation, decide whether the exhaust fan 600 starts immediately, starts with a delay, or works intermittently.

[0109] For example, when the concentration of the leaked refrigerant is low, the system can control the exhaust fan 600 to operate at a low wind speed to reduce energy consumption and avoid excessive ventilation. On the contrary, if the leakage concentration is high, the system will increase the wind speed of the exhaust fan 600 to quickly remove the leaked refrigerant.

[0110] Another example is that in the initial stage of refrigerant leakage, the system may set the exhaust fan 600 to conduct high - intensity exhaust for a short time to quickly reduce the concentration of refrigerant in the leakage area. As the leakage situation is brought under control, the system can extend the exhaust interval or reduce the total working time of the exhaust fan 600.

[0111] In addition, the system can also be set to switch the exhaust fan 600 to an intermittent working mode after the leakage concentration drops to a certain safe level, such as starting once every once in a while, to maintain environmental safety.

[0112] For another example, the system sets multiple safety thresholds. When the leakage concentration reaches or exceeds a certain threshold, the exhaust fan 600 is triggered to work with specific parameters, such as running at full speed or for the maximum working time.

[0113] Furthermore, the system also takes into account outdoor environmental factors, such as temperature, humidity, wind speed, etc., to optimize the working parameters of the exhaust fan 600 and ensure effective control of refrigerant leakage under different environmental conditions.

[0114] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the step of controlling the air-conditioning system to issue a refrigerant leakage alarm according to the leakage refrigerant concentration reaching the alarm condition specifically includes: If the leakage refrigerant concentration of the outdoor unit 200 is greater than or equal to the set refrigerant concentration, then control the line controller of the air-conditioning system and / or the lamp panel of the air-conditioning system to perform sound alarm and / or light alarm.

[0115] In this way, through this comprehensive sound and light alarm mechanism, the present invention can ensure that users and relevant personnel can be warned in time when refrigerant leakage occurs and take necessary safety measures, thereby improving the safety and reliability of the air-conditioning system.

[0116] According to other embodiments of the present invention, the step of controlling the air-conditioning system to issue a refrigerant leakage alarm according to the leakage refrigerant concentration reaching the alarm condition specifically includes: If the leakage refrigerant concentration of the outdoor unit 200 is greater than or equal to the set refrigerant concentration, then control the centralized controller of the air-conditioning system to display and output an error code, and / or control the indoor unit 300 and the outdoor unit 200 of the air-conditioning system to communicate to output an alarm signal.

[0117] In this embodiment, for the centralized controller: the centralized controller of the air-conditioning system will display a preset error code. This error code is used to indicate a specific type of fault, such as refrigerant leakage. Maintenance personnel can quickly identify the problem through the error code and take corresponding repair measures. The centralized controller not only displays the error code but may also output it through sound or light signals to remind users or maintenance personnel in different situations. In this way, the display of the error code helps improve the efficiency of fault diagnosis and makes the maintenance work more direct and fast. And by displaying the error code through the centralized controller, the interaction between the user and the system is enhanced, enabling the user to better understand the system status.

[0118] For the communication between the indoor unit 300 and the outdoor unit 200: Communication occurs between the indoor unit 300 and the outdoor unit 200 of the air conditioning system to coordinate and respond to leakage situations. This communication can be wireless or wired, depending on the design of the air conditioning system. Through the communication between the indoor unit 300 and the outdoor unit 200, the system outputs an alarm signal. This signal may be used to activate the alarm system of the indoor unit 300 or to alert the user to take emergency measures.

[0119] In summary, through these comprehensive alarm and communication measures, the present invention can ensure that when a refrigerant leakage occurs, the system can promptly notify the user and maintenance personnel and take necessary safety measures, thereby improving the safety and reliability of the air conditioning system.

[0120] Of course, the form of issuing the refrigerant leakage alarm in the control method of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and the present invention does not make special limitations here.

[0121] Next, a specific embodiment of the refrigerant leakage control method for the outdoor unit 200 of the air conditioning system of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0122] Specific logical control of the present invention: The installation scenarios of the air conditioning system of the present invention are usually non-open scenarios, such as relatively enclosed environments like basements, storage rooms, and equipment rooms. A fresh air system is configured, and external + internal detectors (the external detector has both detection and alarm functions and is independently powered, which is an optional component) are provided. A valve box is configured between the indoor and outdoor units.

[0123] When the R32 refrigerant in the outdoor unit 200 leaks, the refrigerant detector (external or internal detector) detects that the concentration reaches the alarm value. The alarm value is set to 10% * LFL, and an alarm is issued 2 seconds after the alarm value is exceeded (for example, the alarm is achieved through methods such as communication between the indoor and outdoor units, audible and visual alarms on the wired controller, display of codes on the centralized controller, and audible and visual alarms on the lamp board with double 8 displays on the panel).

[0124] Regarding the refrigerant leakage, the specific operation content is as follows.

[0125] (1) Audible and visual alarm of the external detector.

[0126] (2) The entire system stops running, and the outdoor fan operates at high speed to dilute the concentration of the leaked R32 refrigerant in the equipment room.

[0127] (3) All cut-off valves in all valve boxes of the indoor unit 300 are closed (in the event of a power outage, the backup capacitor discharges to close the cut-off valves).

[0128] (4) The electronic expansion valve of the heat exchanger of the outdoor unit 200 is closed.

[0129] (5) Output a fresh air linkage dry contact signal, enabling the customer to connect a third-party exhaust fan 600 (a relay is required, and the exhaust fan 600 is powered separately from the air conditioning system), causing the exhaust fan 600 to operate.

[0130] The control device 100 of the air conditioning system provided by the present invention will be described below. The control device 100 of the air conditioning system described below can be mutually referred to in correspondence with the refrigerant leakage control method of the air conditioning system described above.

[0131] As Figure 3 shown, the control device of the air conditioning system according to the third aspect embodiment of the present invention includes: An acquisition module 110, configured to determine that the air conditioning system is turned on and acquire the concentration of the leaked refrigerant in the outdoor unit of the air conditioning system; A first control module 120, configured to control the air conditioning system to issue a refrigerant leakage alarm if the concentration of the leaked refrigerant reaches the alarm condition; A second control module 130, configured to control the air conditioning system to perform a leakage remedy operation if it is determined that the air conditioning system issues a refrigerant leakage alarm.

[0132] Figure 4 An example of a schematic physical structure diagram of an electronic device is shown in Figure 4 As shown, the electronic device may include: a processor 810, a communication interface 820, a memory 830, and a communication bus 840. Among them, the processor 810, the communication interface 820, and the memory 830 communicate with each other through the communication bus 840. The processor 810 can call the logical instructions in the memory 830 to execute the refrigerant leakage control method of the air conditioning system, including: determining that the air conditioning system is turned on, acquiring the concentration of the leaked refrigerant in the outdoor unit of the air conditioning system; controlling the air conditioning system to issue a refrigerant leakage alarm if the concentration of the leaked refrigerant reaches the alarm condition; determining that the air conditioning system issues a refrigerant leakage alarm, and controlling the air conditioning system to perform a leakage remedy operation.

[0133] In addition, when the logical instructions in the above-mentioned memory 830 are implemented in the form of software functional units and sold or used as independent products, they can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on such an understanding, the technical solution of the present invention, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or a part of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. The computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions for causing a computer device (which may be a personal computer, a server, or a network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods of the various embodiments of the present invention. The foregoing storage medium includes: various media such as USB flash drives, mobile hard disks, read-only memories (ROM, Read-Only Memory), random access memories (RAM, Random Access Memory), magnetic disks, or optical discs that can store program codes.

[0134] On the other hand, the present invention also provides a computer program product. The computer program product includes a computer program. The computer program can be stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. When the computer program is executed by a processor, the computer can execute the refrigerant leakage control method of the air conditioning system provided by the above-mentioned various methods, including: determining that the air conditioning system is turned on, and obtaining the concentration of the leaked refrigerant in the outdoor unit of the air conditioning system; according to the condition that the concentration of the leaked refrigerant reaches the alarm condition, controlling the air conditioning system to issue a refrigerant leakage alarm; determining that the air conditioning system issues a refrigerant leakage alarm, and controlling the air conditioning system to perform a leakage remedy operation.

[0135] In another aspect, the present invention also provides a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, on which a computer program is stored. When the computer program is executed by a processor, it is implemented to execute the refrigerant leakage control method of the air conditioning system provided by the above-mentioned various methods, including: determining that the air conditioning system is turned on, and obtaining the concentration of the leaked refrigerant in the outdoor unit of the air conditioning system; according to the condition that the concentration of the leaked refrigerant reaches the alarm condition, controlling the air conditioning system to issue a refrigerant leakage alarm; determining that the air conditioning system issues a refrigerant leakage alarm, and controlling the air conditioning system to perform a leakage remedy operation.

[0136] The device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separated, and the components shown as units may or may not be physical units, that is, they may be located in one place, or may be distributed to multiple network units. Some or all of the modules can be selected according to actual needs to achieve the purpose of the solution of this embodiment. A person of ordinary skill in the art can understand and implement it without creative labor.

[0137] Through the description of the above embodiments, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that each embodiment can be implemented by means of software plus a necessary general hardware platform, and of course, it can also be implemented by hardware. Based on such an understanding, the essence of the above technical solution or the part that contributes to the prior art can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, such as ROM / RAM, magnetic disk, optical disk, etc., and includes several instructions to enable a computer device (which can be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute the methods of each embodiment or some parts of the embodiments. Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, rather than to limit them; although the present invention 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 described in the foregoing embodiments, or perform equivalent replacements for some of the technical features; and these modifications or replacements do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of each embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. An air conditioning system, characterized in that, Including: An outdoor unit and an indoor unit, the outdoor unit includes a plurality of outdoor heat exchangers connected in parallel with each other, and the indoor unit includes a plurality of indoor heat exchangers connected in parallel with each other; A detection device for detecting the concentration of leaked refrigerant in the outdoor unit; An alarm device for emitting a refrigerant leakage alarm after receiving an alarm signal; A control device respectively connected to the alarm device and the detection device, the control device includes an acquisition module, a first control module and a second control module; Wherein, the acquisition module acquires the concentration of the leaked refrigerant sent by the detection device; the first control module is used to send an alarm signal to the alarm device according to the leaked refrigerant concentration reaching the alarm condition; the second control module is used to determine that the alarm device emits a refrigerant leakage alarm, and then control the air-conditioning system to perform a leakage remedy operation.

2. The air conditioning system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The alarm condition includes: the concentration of the leaked refrigerant in the outdoor unit is greater than or equal to the set refrigerant concentration.

3. The air conditioning system according to claim 2, wherein The second control module is specifically used for: Determine that the alarm device emits a refrigerant leakage alarm, and control the compressor of the outdoor unit to stop; In the case of the compressor stopping, control the outdoor unit to perform a first remedy operation and control the indoor unit to perform a second remedy operation.

4. The air-conditioning system according to claim 3, wherein, The first remedy operation includes: Controlling the outdoor fan of the outdoor unit to continuously operate at a set wind speed; and / or, controlling the electronic expansion valve in the outdoor unit to close.

5. The air-conditioning system according to claim 3, wherein The second remedy operation includes: Controlling the shut-off valve in the valve box of the indoor unit to close and maintaining a set closing duration.

6. The air conditioning system according to claim 4, wherein Before performing the second remedy operation, the second control module is specifically further used for: Acquiring the current working mode of the air-conditioning system; In the case of the air-conditioning system being in the cooling mode, determining that the set closing duration is a first closing duration; or, in the case of the air-conditioning system being in the heating mode, determining that the set closing duration is a second closing duration; Wherein, the first closing duration is less than the second closing duration.

7. The air conditioning system according to claim 3, characterized in that, The air-conditioning system further includes a third-party exhaust fan, the third-party exhaust fan is signal-connected to the control device, and the third-party exhaust fan communicates with the indoor environment where the outdoor unit is located; After receiving the signal of the compressor stopping, the second control module is specifically further used for: In the case of the compressor stopping, controlling the third-party exhaust fan to exhaust air from the outdoor unit.

8. The air-conditioning system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The specific operation of the second control module for controlling the third-party exhaust fan is as follows: Controlling and adjusting the working parameters of the third-party exhaust fan according to the current concentration of the leaked refrigerant in the outdoor unit.

9. The air conditioning system according to any one of claims 2 to 8, characterized in that, If the alarm device includes the line controller of the air-conditioning system and / or the lamp board of the air-conditioning system, then the refrigerant leakage alarm includes: The line controller of the air-conditioning system and / or the lamp board of the air-conditioning system perform a sound alarm and / or a light alarm.

10. The air-conditioning system according to any one of claims 2 to 8, characterized in that, If the alarm device includes the centralized controller of the air-conditioning system, then the refrigerant leakage alarm includes: The centralized controller of the air-conditioning system displays and outputs an error code, and / or, the indoor unit and the outdoor unit of the air-conditioning system communicate to output an alarm signal.

11. A refrigerant leakage control method for an air-conditioning system, the air-conditioning system comprising an indoor unit and an outdoor unit, characterized in that, The method includes: Determine that the air-conditioning system is turned on, and acquire the concentration of the leaked refrigerant in the outdoor unit; If the concentration of the leaked refrigerant reaches the alarm condition, control the air conditioning system to issue a refrigerant leakage alarm; If it is determined that the air conditioning system issues a refrigerant leakage alarm, control the air conditioning system to perform a leakage remedy operation.

12. A control device for an air conditioning system, the air conditioning system including an indoor unit and an outdoor unit, characterized in that, The device includes: An acquisition module, configured to determine that the air conditioning system is turned on and acquire the concentration of the leaked refrigerant in the outdoor unit; A first control module, configured to control the air conditioning system to issue a refrigerant leakage alarm if the concentration of the leaked refrigerant reaches the alarm condition; A second control module, configured to control the air conditioning system to perform a leakage remedy operation if it is determined that the air conditioning system issues a refrigerant leakage alarm.

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