Outdoor unit of air conditioner, air conditioner and control method and control device of air conditioner

Abstract

The invention provides an outdoor unit of an air conditioner, the air conditioner and a control method and device of the air conditioner. The outdoor unit comprises a compressor, a four-way valve, an oil separator and a gas-liquid separator; an inlet of the oil separator is communicated with an exhaust port of the compressor, a refrigerant outlet of the oil separator is communicated to the four-way valve, and an oil outlet of the oil separator is connected with a first oil return branch and a second oil return branch; wherein the first oil return branch is directly communicated to an air suction port of the compressor, and the second oil return branch flows through a liquid storage area of the gas-liquid separator and is communicated to the air suction port of the compressor; the first oil return branch is provided with a first electromagnetic valve, and the second oil return branch is provided with a second electromagnetic valve. According to the outdoor unit of the air conditioner, the air conditioner and the control method and device of the air conditioner, the second oil return branch passing through the liquid storage area of the gas-liquid separator is arranged, so that the oil return temperature of the air suction port of the compressor is reduced, and the problems that the gas-liquid separator is frosted and the liquid level is too high can be solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of electrical appliances, and particularly to an outdoor unit of an air conditioner, an air conditioner, and a control method and a control device thereof. Background Art

[0002] In related technologies, scroll or rotary compressors are currently mostly used in commercial multi-connected air conditioners. Such compressors require lubricating oil to operate stably, and the compressor lubricating oil will enter the air-conditioning pipeline together with the refrigerant. Also, because the installation pipes of the multi-connected air conditioner are relatively long, the lubricating oil entering the pipeline is affected by factors such as the refrigerant flow rate and the refrigerant state and cannot return to the compressor in time.

[0003] To solve the oil return problem, an oil separator is adopted in multi-connected air conditioners, so that the lubricating oil can be directly separated from the refrigerant on the exhaust side and directly enter the suction side of the compressor through the oil return capillary tube, ensuring that the lubricating oil returns to the compressor along the shortest path and ensuring the stable operation of the compressor. This oil return method is simple and reliable, but has certain disadvantages: the oil separated by the oil separator has the same temperature as the refrigerant on the exhaust side, and directly entering the suction side of the compressor will result in a relatively high suction temperature, and a high suction temperature will in turn affect a relatively high exhaust temperature.

[0004] In related technologies, to address the problem of high exhaust temperature, the air-conditioning system always adopts a jet valve pipeline to discharge the cooled refrigerant into the suction side. When the jet valve is opened, a part of the refrigerant will be bypassed, and a certain amount of refrigeration / heat will be lost. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention provides an outdoor unit of an air conditioner, an air conditioner, and a control method and a control device thereof, which are used to solve the defects existing in the prior art and achieve the following technical effects: by providing a second oil return branch passing through the liquid storage area of the gas-liquid separator, the oil return temperature at the suction port of the compressor is reduced, and the problems of frosting and excessive liquid level of the gas-liquid separator can be avoided.

[0006] An outdoor unit of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention includes a compressor, a four-way valve, an oil separator, and a gas-liquid separator; The inlet of the oil separator is communicated with the exhaust port of the compressor, the refrigerant outlet of the oil separator is communicated to the four-way valve, and the oil outlet of the oil separator is respectively connected with a first oil return branch and a second oil return branch; Wherein, the first oil return branch is directly communicated to the suction port of the compressor, and the second oil return branch flows through the liquid storage area of the gas-liquid separator and is communicated to the suction port of the compressor; a first solenoid valve is provided on the first oil return branch, and a second solenoid valve is provided on the second oil return branch.

[0007] According to an embodiment of the present invention, it further includes an outdoor heat exchanger and a bypass pipe. One end of the bypass pipe is connected to the suction port of the compressor through a gas-liquid separator, and the other end of the bypass pipe is connected to the refrigerant pipe between the outdoor heat exchanger and the indoor unit. A jet valve is provided on the bypass pipe.

[0008] In this way, on the one hand, when the exhaust temperature of the compressor is too high, the liquid storage area of the gas-liquid separator may not provide sufficient cooling effect for oil return. The use of the jet valve can be used as a supplementary means to help reduce the oil return temperature, so as to ensure that the lubricating oil can return to the compressor at an appropriate temperature. On the other hand, in some cases, such as when the ambient temperature is very high in the cooling mode or the exhaust temperature of the compressor abnormally rises in the heating mode, the opening of the jet valve can be used as an emergency measure to ensure the stable operation of the system and avoid equipment failures caused by overheating.

[0009] The air conditioner according to the second aspect embodiment of the present invention includes: The outdoor unit of the air conditioner as described in the first aspect embodiment of the present invention; An indoor unit, which is connected to the outdoor unit through a refrigerant pipe.

[0010] The control method of the air conditioner based on the second aspect embodiment of the present invention according to the third aspect embodiment of the present invention includes: Obtain the exhaust parameters of the compressor; Control and adjust the opening degrees of the first solenoid valve and / or the second solenoid valve according to the exhaust parameters of the compressor.

[0011] The control method of the present invention intelligently adjusts the opening degrees of the first solenoid valve and the second solenoid valve by monitoring the exhaust parameters of the compressor, so as to effectively control the exhaust temperature of the compressor. This method can not only improve the working efficiency of the compressor, but also reduce energy waste and improve the overall performance of the air conditioning system.

[0012] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the exhaust parameters include exhaust temperature and / or exhaust pressure. These parameters are used to monitor the working state of the compressor and determine how to control the opening degrees of the first solenoid valve and the second solenoid valve accordingly.

[0013] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the step of controlling and adjusting the opening degrees of the first solenoid valve and / or the second solenoid valve according to the exhaust parameters of the compressor specifically includes: When the exhaust temperature of the compressor is greater than the first exhaust temperature, and / or, when the exhaust pressure of the compressor is greater than the first exhaust pressure, control the first solenoid valve to close and control the second solenoid valve to open.

[0014] In this way, through the above-mentioned method, the present invention can effectively manage the exhaust temperature and exhaust pressure of the compressor, improving the overall efficiency and stability of the air-conditioning system.

[0015] According to an embodiment of the present invention, when a bypass pipeline and an injection valve are provided in the outdoor unit, after the step of obtaining the exhaust parameters of the compressor, the method further includes: When the exhaust pressure of the compressor is greater than a second exhaust pressure and / or when the exhaust temperature of the compressor is greater than a second exhaust temperature, controlling the injection valve to open; Wherein, the second exhaust pressure is greater than the first exhaust pressure, and the second exhaust temperature is greater than the first exhaust temperature.

[0016] According to an embodiment of the present invention, after the step of controlling the first solenoid valve to close and controlling the second solenoid valve to open, the method further includes: When the exhaust pressure of the compressor is less than a third exhaust pressure and / or when the exhaust temperature of the compressor is less than a third exhaust temperature, controlling the first solenoid valve to open and controlling the second solenoid valve to close.

[0017] In this way, the above control logic helps to ensure that the system can operate efficiently and stably under different working conditions, and dynamically adjusts the oil return path according to the actual working state of the compressor.

[0018] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the control method of the air conditioner further includes: Obtaining the working mode of the air conditioner and the liquid storage temperature in the liquid storage area of the gas-liquid separator; When the air conditioner is in the heating mode and the liquid storage temperature is less than the set liquid storage temperature, controlling the second solenoid valve to open.

[0019] In this way, by monitoring the liquid storage temperature in the liquid storage area of the gas-liquid separator and controlling the opening and closing of the second solenoid valve according to the relationship between the liquid storage temperature and the preset liquid storage temperature threshold in the heating mode, the heat of the lubricating oil can be effectively utilized to increase the temperature of the liquid storage area, which helps to defrost and maintain a relatively high temperature in the liquid storage area, avoiding liquid slugging of the compressor, thereby improving the stability and efficiency of the air-conditioning system.

[0020] According to an embodiment of the fourth aspect of the present invention, the control device of the air conditioner according to the second aspect of the present invention includes: An acquisition module, configured to acquire the exhaust parameters of the compressor; A control module, configured to control and adjust the opening degree of the first solenoid valve and / or the second solenoid valve according to the exhaust parameters of the compressor.

[0021] The present invention provides an outdoor unit of an air conditioner. By providing a second oil return branch passing through the liquid storage area of the gas-liquid separator, the oil return temperature at the suction port of the compressor is reduced, and the problems of frosting and excessive liquid level in the gas-liquid separator can be avoided. Specifically, compared with the related art, the present invention has at least the following advantages.

[0022] (1) Reducing the compressor discharge temperature: By guiding the high-temperature lubricating oil to the bottom of the gas-liquid separator and using the refrigerant inside the gas-liquid separator to absorb the heat of the lubricating oil, the temperature of the lubricating oil is reduced. In this way, when the lubricating oil enters the suction side of the compressor again, the discharge temperature of the compressor can be reduced.

[0023] At the same time, the reduction of the discharge temperature means that the opening times and opening time of the injection valve can be reduced, thereby reducing the bypass of the refrigerant and avoiding the loss of refrigeration / heat.

[0024] (2) Improving the system efficiency: Since the opening of the injection valve is reduced, the capacity loss can be minimized, and the energy efficiency ratio of the entire air-conditioning system is improved.

[0025] (3) Avoiding compressor liquid slugging: In the heating mode, by using the heat of the lubricating oil to increase the temperature inside the gas-liquid separator, the liquid level of the refrigerant inside the gas-liquid separator can be reduced. This can ensure that the gas-phase refrigerant is sucked into the suction side of the compressor, avoiding the possibility of compressor liquid slugging.

[0026] It can be understood that since compressor liquid slugging may cause damage to the compressor, this improvement enhances the stability and lifespan of the compressor.

[0027] (4) Optimizing the defrosting performance: Under low-temperature and high-humidity conditions, the heat of the lubricating oil can be used to melt the frost at the bottom of the gas-liquid separator, improving the defrosting efficiency. Maintaining a relatively high temperature at the bottom of the gas-liquid separator also helps prevent the formation of frost, thereby reducing the defrosting frequency and time and improving the overall operating efficiency of the system.

[0028] (5) Flexibility: This solution provides the ability to choose whether to let the oil return pipeline pass through the gas-liquid separator according to different working conditions. For example, when it is not necessary to reduce the oil return temperature, unnecessary heat exchange processes can be avoided by controlling the opening and closing of the solenoid valve.

[0029] (6) Precise control: The alternative solution mentioned provides the ability to achieve more precise control by setting temperature sensors and liquid level sensors. This means that the system can be dynamically adjusted according to the actual operating conditions to achieve the best performance.

[0030] In summary, by improving the oil return process, the solution of the present invention not only improves the operating efficiency of the air conditioning system, but also enhances the stability and durability of the system. At the same time, it reduces energy consumption and improves the comfort of users. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] 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.

[0032] Figure 1 It is a schematic structural diagram of an outdoor unit of an air conditioner provided by the present invention.

[0033] Figure 2 It is a schematic flow chart of a control method of an air conditioner provided by the present invention.

[0034] Figure 3 It is a schematic structural diagram of a control device of an air conditioner provided by the present invention.

[0035] Figure 4 It is a schematic structural diagram of an electronic device provided by the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 1. Compressor; 2. Exhaust temperature sensor; 3. High-pressure pressure sensor; 4. Oil separator; 5. Check valve; 6. Four-way valve; 7. Gas pipe stop valve; 8. Outdoor heat exchanger; 9. Outdoor fan; 10. Defrosting temperature sensor; 11. Electronic expansion valve; 12. Injection valve; 13. Oil return capillary; 14. Gas-liquid separator; 15. Liquid pipe stop valve; 16. First solenoid valve; 17. Second solenoid valve; 18. Low-pressure pressure sensor; 19. First oil return branch; 20. Second oil return branch; 21. Bypass pipeline. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0037] To make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the present invention clearer, the following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings in the present invention. Obviously, 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 without creative efforts based on the embodiments in the present invention belong to the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0038] In the description of this specification, the description referring to terms such as "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "example", "specific example", or "some examples" means 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 expressions 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 contradiction, 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.

[0039] The following describes an outdoor unit of an air conditioner, an air conditioner, and a control method of the air conditioner according to the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0040] As Figure 1 shown, the outdoor unit of the air conditioner according to the embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention includes a compressor 1, a four-way valve 6, an oil separator 4, and a gas-liquid separator 14, and further includes an outdoor heat exchanger 8. Among them, the outdoor heat exchanger 8, the compressor 1, the four-way valve 6, the oil separator 4, and the gas-liquid separator 14 are all connected through refrigerant pipelines, and the four interfaces of the four-way valve 6 are respectively connected to the refrigerant outlet of the oil separator 4, the indoor unit, the inlet of the gas-liquid separator 14, and the outdoor heat exchanger 8.

[0041] The inlet of the oil separator 4 is communicated with the exhaust port of the compressor 1, the refrigerant outlet of the oil separator 4 is communicated with the four-way valve 6, and the oil outlet of the oil separator 4 is respectively connected with a first oil return branch 19 and a second oil return branch 20.

[0042] Among them, the first oil return branch 19 is directly communicated to the suction port of the compressor 1, and the second oil return branch 20 flows through the liquid storage area of the gas-liquid separator 14 and is communicated to the suction port of the compressor 1; a first solenoid valve 16 is provided on the first oil return branch 19, and a second solenoid valve 17 is provided on the second oil return branch 20.

[0043] It can be understood that for the outdoor unit of the air conditioner of the present invention, since the oil outlet of the oil separator 4 is respectively connected with the first oil return branch 19 and the second oil return branch 20, the high-temperature hot oil flowing out of the oil separator 4 has two optional flow directions, and the flow directions are introduced as follows.

[0044] (1) One flow direction of the hot oil is to enter the first oil return branch 19 through the first solenoid valve 16 and directly enter the suction port of the compressor 1 along the first oil return branch 19.

[0045] (2) Another flow direction of the hot oil is to enter the second oil return branch 20 through the second solenoid valve 17, and along the second oil return branch 20, it first flows through the liquid storage area of the gas-liquid separator 14. At this time, on the one hand, the low-temperature liquid refrigerant in the liquid storage area will cool the high-temperature hot oil in the second oil return branch 20, reducing the temperature of the oil in the second oil return branch 20. Subsequently, the cooled oil continues to flow along the second oil return branch 20 into the suction port of the compressor 1, thereby reducing the exhaust temperature of the compressor 1. On the other hand, the high-temperature hot oil in the second oil return branch 20 can also provide heat to and heat the low-temperature liquid refrigerant in the liquid storage area. In this way, not only the defrosting and defrosting prevention of the liquid storage area of the gas-liquid separator 14 are realized, but also the temperature of the liquid storage area can be kept relatively high, so that the liquid level of the liquid refrigerant inside the gas-liquid separator 14 is reduced, and the compressor 1 sucks in gaseous refrigerant on the suction side, avoiding the possibility of liquid slugging of the compressor 1.

[0046] During the actual use process, the system can judge whether to open the second solenoid valve 17 according to the specific magnitude of the exhaust parameters of the compressor 1, so as to cool the oil return of the compressor 1, thereby achieving the purpose of reducing the exhaust temperature of the compressor 1. In addition, the system can also judge whether to open the second solenoid valve 17 according to the temperature level of the liquid storage area of the gas-liquid separator 14, so as to heat the liquid refrigerant in the gas-liquid separator 14, thereby achieving the purpose of defrosting or reducing the liquid level of the liquid refrigerant.

[0047] The outdoor unit of the air conditioner according to the embodiment of the present invention has the following specific working process.

[0048] Scenario 1: When the air conditioner is in the cooling mode, especially when the ambient temperature is relatively high, the second solenoid valve 17 needs to be opened and the first solenoid valve 16 needs to be closed at this time, so that the high-temperature lubricating oil enters the second oil return branch 20 through the second solenoid valve 17. The hot oil in the second oil return branch 20 continues to flow through the liquid storage area of the gas-liquid separator 14, so that the liquid refrigerant in the gas-liquid separator 14 absorbs the heat of the high-temperature lubricating oil, thereby reducing the temperature of the oil return in the second oil return branch 20. After the lubricating oil temperature is reduced, it enters the suction port of the compressor 1 again, thereby achieving the purpose of reducing the exhaust of the compressor 1, and without occupying the original refrigerant capacity in the system, avoiding the influence on the refrigeration / heating capacity of the system.

[0049] Scenario 2: When the air conditioner is turned on in the heating mode, when the outdoor ambient temperature is low and the humidity is high, the liquid storage area of the gas-liquid separator 14 is prone to frosting. At this time, the system needs to open the second solenoid valve 17 and close the first solenoid valve 16, so that the high-temperature lubricating oil enters the second oil return branch 20 through the second solenoid valve 17. The hot oil in the second oil return branch 20 continues to flow through the liquid storage area of the gas-liquid separator 14, so that the high-temperature lubricating oil heats the liquid storage area of the gas-liquid separator 14, thereby achieving the purpose of defrosting the liquid storage area. Moreover, since the system has been returning oil through the second oil return branch 20 when the second solenoid valve 17 is open, the temperature of the liquid storage area of the gas-liquid separator 14 can be kept relatively high, and then the liquid level of the liquid refrigerant in the liquid storage area is reduced, ensuring that the compressor 1 continuously sucks in gaseous refrigerant on the suction side and avoiding the possibility of liquid slugging of the compressor 1.

[0050] In the related art, scroll or rotary compressors are currently mostly used in commercial multi-connected air conditioners. Such compressors require lubricating oil to operate stably, and the compressor lubricating oil will enter the air-conditioning pipeline together with the refrigerant. Also, because the installation piping of multi-connected units is relatively long, the lubricating oil entering the pipeline is affected by factors such as refrigerant flow rate and refrigerant state and cannot return to the compressor in time.

[0051] To solve the oil return problem, a kind of oil separator is adopted in multi-connected air conditioners, so that the lubricating oil can be directly separated from the refrigerant on the exhaust side and directly enter the compressor suction side through the oil return capillary, ensuring that the lubricating oil returns to the compressor along the shortest path (schematically shown by the red line in the following figure), and ensuring the stable operation of the compressor. This oil return method is simple and reliable, but has certain disadvantages: the oil separated by the oil separator has the same temperature as the refrigerant on the exhaust side, and directly entering the compressor suction side will result in a relatively high suction temperature, and a high suction temperature will in turn affect a relatively high exhaust temperature.

[0052] In the related art, in order to deal with the problem of high exhaust temperature, the air-conditioning system always adopts a jet valve pipeline to discharge the cooled refrigerant into the suction side. When the jet valve is opened, a part of the refrigerant will be bypassed, and a certain amount of refrigeration / heat will be lost.

[0053] Therefore, in order to solve the technical defects existing in the above-mentioned related art, the present invention provides an outdoor unit of an air conditioner. By setting a second oil return branch 20 passing through the liquid storage area of the gas-liquid separator 14, the oil return temperature at the suction port of the compressor 1 is reduced, and the frosting and too high liquid level problems of the gas-liquid separator 14 can be avoided. Specifically, the present invention has at least the following advantages compared with the related art.

[0054] (1)Lower the exhaust temperature of the compressor 1: By guiding the high-temperature lubricating oil to the bottom of the gas-liquid separator 14, the refrigerant inside the gas-liquid separator 14 is utilized to absorb the heat of the lubricating oil, thereby reducing the temperature of the lubricating oil. In this way, when the lubricating oil re-enters the suction side of the compressor 1, the exhaust temperature of the compressor 1 can be lowered.

[0055] At the same time, the reduction of the exhaust temperature means that the opening times and opening duration of the injection valve 12 can be reduced, thereby reducing the bypass of the refrigerant and avoiding the loss of refrigeration / heat.

[0056] (2)Improve the system efficiency: Since the opening of the injection valve 12 is reduced, the capacity loss can be minimized, and the energy efficiency ratio of the entire air-conditioning system is improved.

[0057] (3)Avoid liquid slugging of the compressor 1: In the heating mode, by utilizing the heat of the lubricating oil to increase the temperature inside the gas-liquid separator 14, the liquid level of the refrigerant inside the gas-liquid separator 14 can be lowered. This can ensure that the gas-phase refrigerant is sucked into the suction side of the compressor 1, avoiding the possibility of liquid slugging of the compressor 1.

[0058] It can be understood that since liquid slugging of the compressor 1 may cause damage to the compressor 1, this improvement enhances the stability and service life of the compressor 1.

[0059] (4)Optimize the defrosting performance: Under low-temperature and high-humidity conditions, the heat of the lubricating oil can be used to melt the frost at the bottom of the gas-liquid separator 14, improving the defrosting efficiency. Maintaining a relatively high temperature at the bottom of the gas-liquid separator 14 also helps prevent the formation of frost, thereby reducing the defrosting frequency and time, and improving the overall operating efficiency of the system.

[0060] (5)Flexibility: This solution provides the ability to choose whether to let the oil return pipeline pass through the gas-liquid separator 14 according to different working conditions. For example, in the case where it is not necessary to lower the oil return temperature, unnecessary heat exchange processes can be avoided by controlling the opening and closing of the solenoid valve.

[0061] (6)Precise control: The alternative solution mentioned provides the ability to achieve more precise control by setting temperature sensors and liquid level sensors. This means that the system can be dynamically adjusted according to the actual operating conditions to achieve the best performance.

[0062] In summary, the solution of the present invention not only improves the operating efficiency of the air-conditioning system, enhances the stability and durability of the system, but also reduces energy consumption and improves the comfort of users by improving the oil return process.

[0063] Such as Figure 1As shown, according to some embodiments of the present invention, the outdoor unit of the air conditioner further includes an outdoor heat exchanger 8 and a bypass pipe 21. One end of the bypass pipe 21 is connected to the suction port of the compressor 1 through a gas-liquid separator 14, and the other end of the bypass pipe 21 is connected to the refrigerant pipe between the outdoor heat exchanger 8 and the indoor unit. A jet valve 12 is provided on the bypass pipe 21.

[0064] It can be understood that when the exhaust temperature of the compressor 1 is too high, the liquid storage area of the gas-liquid separator 14 cannot provide sufficient cooling capacity for the high-temperature lubricating oil in the second oil return branch 20 at this time. In this way, the oil return temperature of the compressor 1 is still relatively high, which may cause the suction temperature of the compressor 1 to be still relatively high. Therefore, in order to further reduce the oil return temperature of the compressor 1, the system can choose to open the jet valve 12, so as to discharge the cooled refrigerant into the suction port of the compressor 1, thereby further reducing the suction temperature of the compressor 1 and avoiding the reduction of the efficiency of the compressor 1 due to too high suction temperature, and ensuring the working efficiency of the compressor 1.

[0065] In this way, on the one hand, when the exhaust temperature of the compressor 1 is too high, the liquid storage area of the gas-liquid separator 14 may not be able to provide sufficient cooling effect for oil return. The use of the jet valve 12 can be used as a supplementary means to help reduce the oil return temperature, so as to ensure that the lubricating oil can return to the compressor 1 at an appropriate temperature. On the other hand, in some cases, such as when the ambient temperature is very high in the cooling mode or the exhaust temperature of the compressor 1 abnormally rises in the heating mode, the opening of the jet valve 12 can be used as an emergency measure to ensure the stable operation of the system and avoid equipment failures caused by overheating.

[0066] It should be noted that although a part of the refrigerant will be bypassed when the jet valve 12 is opened, causing a certain amount of refrigeration / heat loss, enabling the jet valve 12 when necessary can minimize this loss because it avoids greater losses caused by too high exhaust temperature of the compressor 1.

[0067] The following gives a specific embodiment of the outdoor unit of the present invention: As Figure 1 shown, the outdoor unit includes a compressor 1, an exhaust temperature sensor 2, a high-pressure pressure sensor 3, an oil separator 4, a check valve 5, a four-way valve 6, a gas pipe stop valve 7, an outdoor heat exchanger 8, an outdoor fan 9, a defrosting temperature sensor 10, an electronic expansion valve 11, a jet valve 12, an oil return capillary 13, a gas-liquid separator 14, a liquid pipe stop valve 15, a first solenoid valve 16, a second solenoid valve 17, a low-pressure pressure sensor 18, a first oil return branch 19, a second oil return branch 20, and a bypass pipe 21.

[0068] Among them, the outdoor unit is respectively connected to the indoor unit through the gas pipe stop valve 7 and the liquid pipe stop valve 15. A check valve 5 is provided between the four-way valve 6 and the oil separator 4. An exhaust temperature sensor 2 is provided at the exhaust port of the compressor 1, and a high-pressure pressure sensor 3 is provided at the exhaust port of the compressor 1. A low-pressure pressure sensor 18 is provided between the gas-liquid separator 14 and the four-way valve 6. An outdoor fan 9 is provided outside the outdoor heat exchanger 8, and an electronic expansion valve 11 and a defrosting temperature sensor 10 are further provided upstream of the outdoor heat exchanger 8. And, an oil return capillary 13 is provided on the second oil return branch 20.

[0069] Furthermore, the present invention can also monitor the oil return temperature and the refrigerant liquid level in real time by setting temperature sensors at both ends of the oil return capillary 13 and a liquid level sensor inside the gas-liquid separator 14, and then implement precise control.

[0070] The air conditioner according to the second aspect embodiment of the present invention includes the outdoor unit of the air conditioner described in the first aspect embodiment of the present invention, and further includes an indoor unit, and the indoor unit is connected to the outdoor unit through a refrigerant pipeline.

[0071] The specific structural details and technical effects of the air conditioner according to the embodiment of the present invention are similar to those of the outdoor unit described in the first aspect of the present invention, and will not be elaborated herein.

[0072] The control method and control device of the air conditioner 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 control method, control device, electronic device, and computer-readable storage medium of the air conditioner according to the embodiments of the present invention can be applied not only to the local air conditioner 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, tablet computers, laptops, in-vehicle computers, and other intelligent terminals.

[0073] Only the control method applicable to the air conditioner will be described below as an example. It should be understood that the control method of the embodiment of the present invention can also be applicable to the cloud platform and third-party devices. It should be noted that the control method of the air conditioner of the present invention needs to take the air conditioner described in the second aspect embodiment of the present invention as its structural basis for implementation.

[0074] As Figure 2 shown, the control method of the air conditioner according to the third aspect embodiment of the present invention includes: Step S1, obtaining the exhaust parameters of the compressor 1. This usually involves monitoring parameters such as the exhaust temperature and / or exhaust pressure of the compressor 1.

[0075] Step S2, control and adjust the opening degrees of the first solenoid valve 16 and / or the second solenoid valve 17 according to the exhaust parameters of the compressor 1.

[0076] It should be noted that the exhaust temperature and the exhaust pressure are important indicators reflecting the working state of the compressor 1. Excessive or too low exhaust parameters may affect the stability and efficiency of the compressor 1. The control strategies of the first solenoid valve 16 and the second solenoid valve 17 are dynamically adjusted according to the exhaust parameters of the compressor 1, aiming to ensure that the exhaust temperature of the compressor 1 is maintained within an ideal range and at the same time minimize the loss of refrigeration / heat.

[0077] According to the control method of the air conditioner according to the embodiment of the present invention, its specific working process is as follows. The system uses sensors (such as the exhaust temperature sensor 2 and the high-pressure pressure sensor 3) to monitor the exhaust temperature and pressure of the compressor 1. These data will be sent to the controller for the next decision-making. Under different exhaust parameters, the system will automatically adjust the working states of the first solenoid valve 16 and the second solenoid valve 17 to adapt to the current working conditions.

[0078] For example, when it is detected that the exhaust temperature or pressure is lower than the set value, the first solenoid valve 16 is opened and the second solenoid valve 17 is closed. This means that the lubricating oil will directly enter the suction port of the compressor 1 through the first oil return branch 19 without passing through the liquid storage area of the gas-liquid separator 14 for cooling.

[0079] When it is detected that the exhaust temperature or pressure is higher than the set value, the second solenoid valve 17 is opened and the first solenoid valve 16 is closed. This means that the lubricating oil will first flow through the liquid storage area of the gas-liquid separator 14 through the second oil return branch 20, be cooled by the low-temperature liquid refrigerant in the liquid storage area, and then enter the suction port of the compressor 1.

[0080] In summary, the control method of the present invention intelligently adjusts the opening degrees of the first solenoid valve 16 and the second solenoid valve 17 by monitoring the exhaust parameters of the compressor 1, thereby achieving effective control of the exhaust temperature of the compressor 1. This method can not only improve the working efficiency of the compressor 1, but also reduce energy waste and improve the overall performance of the air-conditioning system.

[0081] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the exhaust parameters include the exhaust temperature and / or the exhaust pressure. These parameters are used to monitor the working state of the compressor 1 and accordingly determine how to control the opening degrees of the first solenoid valve 16 and the second solenoid valve 17. For example, the system can monitor the exhaust temperature of the compressor 1 through the exhaust temperature sensor 2 and monitor the exhaust pressure of the compressor 1 through the high-pressure pressure sensor 3.

[0082] In some specific embodiments of the present invention, the step of controlling and adjusting the opening degrees of the first solenoid valve 16 and / or the second solenoid valve 17 according to the exhaust parameters of the compressor 1 specifically includes: When the exhaust temperature of the compressor 1 is greater than the first exhaust temperature, and / or when the exhaust pressure of the compressor 1 is greater than the first exhaust pressure, control the first solenoid valve 16 to close and control the second solenoid valve 17 to open.

[0083] It can be understood that when the exhaust temperature of the compressor 1 is too high, the exhaust pressure usually increases accordingly. This is because during the process of the compressor 1 compressing the refrigerant, as the compression ratio increases, both the temperature and pressure of the refrigerant will rise.

[0084] By opening the second solenoid valve 17 (oil return valve 16), the lubricating oil will first flow through the liquid storage area of the gas-liquid separator 14, and the low-temperature liquid refrigerant in the liquid storage area is used to cool the lubricating oil. After the temperature of the cooled lubricating oil decreases, it enters the suction port of the compressor 1 again, which helps to reduce the suction temperature of the compressor 1, and thus reduces the exhaust temperature of the compressor 1. Reducing the exhaust temperature helps to reduce the working burden of the compressor 1 and helps to reduce the exhaust pressure.

[0085] For example, assume that the air-conditioning system is operating in the cooling mode and the ambient temperature is relatively high. At this time, assume that the monitored exhaust temperature is 90°C, while the preset first exhaust temperature threshold is 85°C. Assume that the monitored exhaust pressure is 2.5 MPa, while the preset first exhaust pressure threshold is 2.2 MPa.

[0086] Since both the monitored exhaust temperature and exhaust pressure exceed the preset thresholds, the control system will perform the following actions: First, close the first solenoid valve 16 to prevent the lubricating oil from directly entering the suction port of the compressor 1 through the first oil return branch 19; Second, open the second solenoid valve 17 to allow the lubricating oil to flow through the second oil return branch 20 and through the liquid storage area of the gas-liquid separator 14 for cooling, and then enter the suction port of the compressor 1.

[0087] In this way, through the above method, the present invention can effectively manage the exhaust temperature and exhaust pressure of the compressor 1, and improve the overall efficiency and stability of the air-conditioning system.

[0088] Furthermore, the step of controlling the first solenoid valve 16 to close and controlling the second solenoid valve 17 to open specifically includes: According to the temperature difference between the exhaust temperature of the compressor 1 and the first exhaust temperature, and / or according to the pressure difference between the exhaust pressure of the compressor 1 and the first exhaust pressure, control and adjust the initial opening degree and the real-time opening degree of the second solenoid valve 17.

[0089] In this embodiment, adjusting the opening degree of the second solenoid valve 17 according to the temperature difference and / or the pressure difference can more precisely control the cooling process of the lubricating oil.

[0090] If the temperature difference or pressure difference is large, it indicates that the exhaust temperature or pressure of the compressor 1 is much higher than the preset threshold, and it is necessary to increase the opening degree of the second solenoid valve 17 to enhance the cooling effect of the lubricating oil.

[0091] If the temperature difference or pressure difference is small, it indicates that the exhaust temperature or pressure of the compressor 1 is close to the preset threshold, and the opening degree of the second solenoid valve 17 can be appropriately reduced to decrease the flow rate of the lubricating oil and avoid excessive cooling.

[0092] For example, assume that the air-conditioning system is operating in the cooling mode and the ambient temperature is high. At this time, if both the monitored exhaust temperature and exhaust pressure exceed the preset thresholds, the control system will perform the following actions: close the first solenoid valve 16, open the second solenoid valve 17, and dynamically adjust the opening degree of the second solenoid valve 17.

[0093] Initially, assume that the opening degree of the second solenoid valve 17 is set to 50% to ensure preliminary cooling of the lubricating oil. If the monitored exhaust temperature and pressure are still much higher than the preset thresholds, the opening degree of the second solenoid valve 17 can be gradually increased, for example, adjusted to 70%. If the monitored exhaust temperature and pressure are close to the preset thresholds, the opening degree of the second solenoid valve 17 can be gradually decreased, for example, adjusted to 30%.

[0094] In this way, by dynamically adjusting the opening degree of the second solenoid valve 17, the cooling process of the lubricating oil can be precisely controlled according to the actual operating state of the compressor 1, thereby effectively reducing the exhaust temperature of the compressor 1, improving the energy efficiency ratio of the system, and reducing the loss of refrigeration / heat. This control strategy can ensure that the system operates efficiently and stably under various working conditions.

[0095] According to some embodiments of the present invention, when there is a bypass pipeline 21 and an injection valve 12 in the outdoor unit, after the step of obtaining the exhaust parameters of the compressor 1, the control method further includes: When the exhaust pressure of the compressor 1 is greater than the second exhaust pressure, and / or when the exhaust temperature of the compressor 1 is greater than the second exhaust temperature, control the injection valve 12 to open.

[0096] Wherein, the second exhaust pressure is greater than the first exhaust pressure, and the second exhaust temperature is greater than the first exhaust temperature. It should be noted that the first exhaust temperature and the first exhaust pressure are preset thresholds of the system, used to determine when to open the second solenoid valve 17 (oil return valve 16) to start cooling the lubricating oil through the second oil return branch 20. The second exhaust temperature and the second exhaust pressure are higher-level thresholds, used to determine when to open the injection valve 12 to further reduce the exhaust temperature and pressure of the compressor 1.

[0097] Specifically, when the exhaust temperature or pressure of the compressor 1 exceeds the first exhaust temperature or the first exhaust pressure, the second solenoid valve 17 is opened to increase the cooling effect of the lubricating oil and reduce the exhaust temperature and pressure of the compressor 1. This control method is applicable to the situation where the exhaust temperature and pressure slightly exceed the normal operating range.

[0098] When the exhaust temperature or pressure of the compressor 1 further increases and exceeds the second exhaust temperature or the second exhaust pressure, the injection valve 12 is opened to further reduce the exhaust temperature and pressure of the compressor 1. This control method is applicable to the situation where the exhaust temperature and pressure seriously exceed the normal operating range and more radical measures are required to protect the compressor 1.

[0099] For example, assume that the air conditioning system is operating in the cooling mode and the ambient temperature is high. At this time, assume that the first exhaust temperature is 85°C, the first exhaust pressure is 2.2 Mpa, the second exhaust temperature is 95°C, and the second exhaust pressure is 2.5 MPa.

[0100] Assume that the monitored exhaust temperature is 90°C and the exhaust pressure is 2.3 MPa. Since both the exhaust temperature and pressure exceed the first exhaust temperature and the first exhaust pressure but do not exceed the second exhaust temperature and the second exhaust pressure, the control system will close the first solenoid valve 16, open the second solenoid valve 17, and the injection valve 12 will also be closed at this time.

[0101] Assume that the exhaust temperature continues to rise to 96°C and the exhaust pressure rises to 2.6 MPa. Since both the exhaust temperature and pressure exceed the second exhaust temperature and the second exhaust pressure, the control system will further open the injection valve 12.

[0102] Furthermore, after the step of controlling the first solenoid valve 16 to close and the second solenoid valve 17 to open, it further includes: When the exhaust pressure of the compressor 1 is less than the third exhaust pressure, and / or when the exhaust temperature of the compressor 1 is less than the third exhaust temperature, control the first solenoid valve 16 to open and control the second solenoid valve 17 to close.

[0103] It can be understood that when the exhaust temperature and / or exhaust pressure of the compressor 1 is lower than the third exhaust temperature and the third exhaust pressure, it means that the exhaust temperature and pressure of the compressor 1 have returned to a safe level and additional cooling through the second oil return branch 20 is no longer required. At this time, by closing the second solenoid valve 17 and opening the first solenoid valve 16, the lubricating oil can directly enter the suction port of the compressor 1, which can reduce the energy consumption of the system and improve the efficiency of the system.

[0104] In this way, the above control logic helps to ensure that the system can operate efficiently and stably under different working conditions and dynamically adjust the oil return path according to the actual working state of the compressor 1.

[0105] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the control method of the air conditioner further includes: Obtaining the operating mode of the air conditioner and the liquid storage temperature in the liquid storage area of the gas-liquid separator 14; When the air conditioner is in the heating mode and the liquid storage temperature is lower than the set liquid storage temperature, controlling the second solenoid valve 17 to open.

[0106] In this embodiment, the specific working process of the above steps is introduced as follows.

[0107] By monitoring the operating mode (cooling or heating) of the air conditioner and the liquid storage temperature in the liquid storage area of the gas-liquid separator 14, the system can determine the operating state of the current gas-liquid separator 14. Among them, the information of the operating mode is usually obtained by the controller of the air conditioner, and the liquid storage temperature is obtained by the temperature sensor installed near the liquid storage area of the gas-liquid separator 14.

[0108] When the air conditioner is in the heating mode, the system checks whether the liquid storage temperature in the liquid storage area of the gas-liquid separator 14 is lower than the preset liquid storage temperature threshold. If the liquid storage temperature is indeed lower than the set liquid storage temperature, it means that the temperature in the liquid storage area of the current gas-liquid separator 14 is relatively low, and frosting has occurred or there is a risk of frosting. Then the control system will open the second solenoid valve 17.

[0109] In the heating mode, opening the second solenoid valve 17 allows the lubricating oil to flow through the liquid storage area of the gas-liquid separator 14 through the second oil return branch 20. Using the heat of the lubricating oil can increase the temperature of the liquid storage area of the gas-liquid separator 14, which helps to remove the frost at the bottom of the liquid storage area, prevent the formation of frost, and keep the temperature of the liquid storage area relatively high. Keeping the temperature of the liquid storage area relatively high helps to reduce the refrigerant liquid level in the liquid storage area, ensure that the compressor 1 sucks in gaseous refrigerant at the suction side, and avoid liquid slugging of the compressor 1.

[0110] For example, assume that the air conditioner system is operating in the heating mode, the outdoor ambient temperature is relatively low and the humidity is relatively high. At this time, assume that the monitored liquid storage temperature is 5°C, and the preset liquid storage temperature threshold is 10°C.

[0111] Since the monitored liquid storage temperature is lower than the preset liquid storage temperature threshold, the control system will open the second solenoid valve 17, thereby allowing the lubricating oil to flow through the liquid storage area of the gas-liquid separator 14 through the second oil return branch 20 for heating, and then enter the suction port of the compressor 1.

[0112] In this way, by monitoring the liquid storage temperature in the liquid storage area of the gas-liquid separator 14 and controlling the opening and closing of the second solenoid valve 17 according to the relationship between the liquid storage temperature and the preset liquid storage temperature threshold in the heating mode, the heat of the lubricating oil can be effectively used to increase the temperature of the liquid storage area, which helps to remove frost and keep the temperature of the liquid storage area relatively high, avoid liquid slugging of the compressor 1, and thus improve the stability and efficiency of the air conditioner system.

[0113] As Figure 3 shown, the control device of an air conditioner according to the embodiment of the fourth aspect of the present invention includes: An acquisition module 110, configured to acquire the exhaust parameters of the compressor 1; A control module 120, configured to control and adjust the opening degrees of the first solenoid valve 16 and / or the second solenoid valve 17 according to the exhaust parameters of the compressor 1.

[0114] Figure 4 Illustrated is a schematic physical structure diagram of an electronic device. As Figure 4 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 complete mutual communication through the communication bus 840. The processor 810 may call the logical instructions in the memory 830 to execute the control method of the air conditioner, including: acquiring the exhaust parameters of the compressor 1; controlling and adjusting the opening degrees of the first solenoid valve 16 and / or the second solenoid valve 17 according to the exhaust parameters of the compressor 1.

[0115] In addition, when the logical instructions in the above-mentioned memory 830 are implemented in the form of a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, they may 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 this technical solution, may 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 according to the various embodiments of the present invention. The foregoing storage medium includes: various media such as a USB flash drive, a mobile hard disk, a read-only memory (ROM, Read-Only Memory), a random access memory (RAM, Random Access Memory), a magnetic disk, or an optical disc that can store program codes.

[0116] 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 control method of the air conditioner provided by the above-mentioned various methods, including: acquiring the exhaust parameters of the compressor 1; controlling and adjusting the opening degrees of the first solenoid valve 16 and / or the second solenoid valve 17 according to the exhaust parameters of the compressor 1.

[0117] 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 implements a control method for an air conditioner provided by the above various methods, including: obtaining the exhaust parameters of the compressor 1; controlling and adjusting the opening degrees of the first solenoid valve 16 and / or the second solenoid valve 17 according to the exhaust parameters of the compressor 1.

[0118] 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 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. Those of ordinary skill in the art can understand and implement it without creative efforts.

[0119] 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 above technical solution, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art can be embodied in the form of a software product. The 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 for causing a computer device (which can be a personal computer, a server, or a network device, etc.) to execute the methods of each embodiment or some parts of the embodiments.

[0120] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and are not intended 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 make the essence of the corresponding technical solutions deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. An outdoor unit of an air conditioner, characterized in that, It includes a compressor, a four-way valve, an oil separator and a gas-liquid separator; The inlet of the oil separator is communicated with the exhaust port of the compressor, the refrigerant outlet of the oil separator is communicated to the four-way valve, and the oil outlet of the oil separator is respectively connected with a first oil return branch and a second oil return branch; Wherein, the first oil return branch is directly communicated to the suction port of the compressor, and the second oil return branch flows through the liquid storage area of the gas-liquid separator and is communicated to the suction port of the compressor; a first solenoid valve is provided on the first oil return branch, and a second solenoid valve is provided on the second oil return branch.

2. The outdoor unit of the air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, It further includes an outdoor heat exchanger and a bypass pipeline. One end of the bypass pipeline is communicated to the suction port of the compressor through the gas-liquid separator, the other end of the bypass pipeline is connected to the refrigerant pipeline between the outdoor heat exchanger and the indoor unit, and a jet valve is provided on the bypass pipeline.

3. An air conditioner, characterized in that, It includes: The outdoor unit of the air conditioner according to claim 1 or 2; An indoor unit, which is connected to the outdoor unit through a refrigerant pipeline.

4. A control method for an air conditioner according to claim 3, characterized in that, It includes: Obtain the exhaust parameters of the compressor; Control and adjust the opening degrees of the first solenoid valve and / or the second solenoid valve according to the exhaust parameters of the compressor.

5. The control method of the air conditioner according to claim 4, characterized in that, The exhaust parameters include exhaust temperature and / or exhaust pressure.

6. The control method of an air conditioner according to claim 5, characterized in that, The step of controlling and adjusting the opening degrees of the first solenoid valve and / or the second solenoid valve according to the exhaust parameters of the compressor specifically includes: When the exhaust temperature of the compressor is greater than the first exhaust temperature, and / or, when the exhaust pressure of the compressor is greater than the first exhaust pressure, control the first solenoid valve to close and control the second solenoid valve to open.

7. The control method of the air conditioner according to claim 6, wherein, When a bypass pipeline and a jet valve are provided in the outdoor unit, after the step of obtaining the exhaust parameters of the compressor, it further includes: When the exhaust pressure of the compressor is greater than the second exhaust pressure, and / or, when the exhaust temperature of the compressor is greater than the second exhaust temperature, control the jet valve to open; Wherein, the second exhaust pressure is greater than the first exhaust pressure, and the second exhaust temperature is greater than the first exhaust temperature.

8. The control method of the air conditioner according to claim 6, characterized in that, After the step of controlling the first solenoid valve to close and controlling the second solenoid valve to open, it further includes: When the exhaust pressure of the compressor is less than the third exhaust pressure, and / or, when the exhaust temperature of the compressor is less than the third exhaust temperature, control the first solenoid valve to open and control the second solenoid valve to close.

9. The control method of an air conditioner according to any one of claims 4 to 8, characterized in that It further includes: Obtain the working mode of the air conditioner and the liquid storage temperature of the liquid storage area of the gas-liquid separator; When the air conditioner is in the heating mode and the liquid storage temperature is less than the set liquid storage temperature, control the second solenoid valve to open.

10. A control device for an air conditioner according to claim 3, characterized in that, It includes: An acquisition module, which is used to acquire the exhaust parameters of the compressor; A control module, which is used to control and adjust the opening degrees of the first solenoid valve and / or the second solenoid valve according to the exhaust parameters of the compressor.

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