Air conditioner and control method thereof

Abstract

The invention provides an air conditioner and a control method thereof.The air conditioner comprises a refrigerant circulation loop, a refrigerating system, an outdoor heat exchanger, an indoor heat exchanger, an input voltage detection unit and a controller, and the input voltage detection unit is used for detecting input voltage provided for the air conditioner by an external power source; the controller is configured to obtain the input voltage and the operation frequency of the compressor and judge the type of the external power supply according to the input voltage, or judge the type of the external power supply according to the input voltage and the operation frequency of the compressor and control the operation state of the compressor according to the type of the external power supply. The type of the external power supply can be judged according to the input voltage and the operation frequency of the compressor, and external detection equipment does not need to be installed, so that the problems of high cost, complex installation and poor attractiveness caused by the external detection equipment are solved, and the experience feeling of a user is improved.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] Air conditioners are a widely used electrical appliance in our daily lives. They play a vital role in regulating indoor temperature, providing users with a healthy and comfortable indoor environment that meets their normal work, living, and learning needs. Currently, in war-torn, remote, or economically underdeveloped areas, power outages are common due to unstable power supply from the national grid. In these situations, diesel generators have become an important alternative energy source. However, diesel generators have limited power supply capacity, and air conditioners, as large electricity consumers, require capacity limits to limit their maximum operating current to ensure the normal operation of other household electrical components.

[0003] In the existing technology, to detect whether the air conditioner needs to enter the current limiting mode, the usual practice is to install a voltage detection device on the national grid socket. When the national grid is supplying power normally, the voltage detection device detects the voltage and can transmit a signal to the air conditioning unit to make it operate in normal mode. When the power is supplied by diesel generators, since the socket is only connected to the national grid, the voltage detection device does not work. If the air conditioning unit does not receive a signal within a certain period of time, it is determined to be powered by diesel and the air conditioning unit operates in current limiting mode. However, this detection device needs to be placed externally on the air conditioning unit, which is costly and complicated to install, affecting the aesthetics of the user's home. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art.

[0005] To this end, one purpose of the present invention is to propose an air conditioner that can determine the type of external power supply based on the input voltage and the operating frequency of the compressor without the need to install external detection equipment, thereby solving the problems of high cost, complex installation and poor aesthetics brought by external detection equipment, and improving the user experience.

[0006] Therefore, a second object of the present invention is to provide a control method for an air conditioner.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, an embodiment of a first aspect of the present invention provides an air conditioner, comprising: a refrigerant circulation circuit for circulating refrigerant in a circuit consisting of a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, an evaporator, and a four-way valve; a refrigeration system for performing heat exchange between the refrigerant and air in a compression refrigeration cycle of the refrigerant circulation circuit, the refrigeration system comprising the compressor for compressing low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant gas into high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant gas and discharging the gas to the condenser; an outdoor heat exchanger and an indoor heat exchanger, one of which operates as the condenser and the other as the evaporator; an input voltage detection unit for detecting an input voltage provided to the air conditioner by an external power source; and a controller connected to the input voltage detection unit and the compressor, the controller being configured to: obtain the input voltage and the operating frequency of the compressor and determine the type of the external power source based on the input voltage, or determine the type of the external power source based on the input voltage and the operating frequency of the compressor and control the operating state of the compressor based on the type of the external power source.

[0008] According to the air conditioner of the embodiment of the present invention, after the air conditioner is turned on, the current input voltage and the operating frequency of the compressor can be obtained, and then the type of external power supply can be determined, so as to control the operating status of the compressor according to the type of external power supply. There is no need to install external detection equipment, thereby solving the problems of high cost, complex installation and poor aesthetics brought by external detection equipment, and improving the user experience.

[0009] In some embodiments, when controlling the operating state of the air conditioner according to the type of the external power supply, the controller is configured to: when the external power supply is a power grid, control the compressor to operate at a calibrated rated current; when the external power supply is a generator, control the compressor to reduce the frequency for current limiting so that the compressor operates at a current lower than the rated current.

[0010] In some embodiments, when determining the type of the external power source according to the input voltage, the controller is configured to: determine that the external power source is a generator when the input voltage does not reach a first preset voltage.

[0011] In some embodiments, when determining the type of the external power source based on the input voltage and the operating frequency of the compressor, the controller is configured to: when the input voltage is between a first preset voltage and a second preset voltage and the duration exceeds a set time threshold, control the compressor to perform a first frequency adjustment action or a second frequency adjustment action, and determine the type of the external power source based on the change of the input voltage during the execution of the first frequency adjustment action or the execution of the second frequency adjustment action; wherein, the first frequency adjustment action includes: controlling the operating frequency of the compressor to increase to a first operating frequency, and then reducing the frequency from the first operating frequency to a second operating frequency at a preset frequency modulation rate, wherein the first operating frequency is greater than the current operating frequency, the current operating frequency is greater than the second operating frequency, and the first preset voltage is less than the second preset voltage; the second frequency adjustment action includes: controlling the operating frequency of the compressor to decrease to the second operating frequency, and then increasing the frequency from the second operating frequency to the first operating frequency at the preset frequency modulation rate.

[0012] In some embodiments, when determining the type of the external power supply based on the change in the input voltage during the execution of the first frequency adjustment action or the execution of the second frequency adjustment action, the controller is configured as follows: when executing the first frequency adjustment action, if, in the process of reducing the frequency from the first operating frequency to the second operating frequency at a preset frequency modulation rate, it is detected that the increase in the input voltage reaches a first preset value, then determining that the external power supply is a generator; or, when executing the second frequency adjustment action, if, in the process of increasing the frequency from the second operating frequency to the first operating frequency at a preset frequency modulation rate, it is detected that the decrease in the input voltage reaches a second preset value, then determining that the external power supply is a generator, wherein the second preset value is greater than the first preset value.

[0013] In some embodiments, a zero-crossing detection circuit is used to detect the zero-crossing pulse signal of the external power supply and obtain the interval time between adjacent zero-crossing pulse signals; the controller is connected to the zero-crossing detection circuit, and when determining the type of the external power supply based on the input voltage and the operating frequency of the compressor, the controller is configured to: when the input voltage reaches a third preset voltage, obtain the time interval and determine the type of the external power supply based on the time interval.

[0014] In some embodiments, when the controller determines the type of the external power supply based on the time interval, it is configured as follows: when the time interval is between a first preset time and a second preset time, the external power supply is determined to be a grid, and the first preset time is less than the second preset time; when the time interval is less than a third preset time or greater than a fourth preset time, the external power supply is determined to be a generator, wherein the third preset time is less than the first preset time and the fourth preset time is greater than the second preset time.

[0015] In some embodiments, when the controller determines the type of the external power source based on the time interval, the controller is further configured to: determine whether the frequency of the time interval anomalies occurring within a time period reaches a preset frequency; if so, determine that the external power source is a generator; otherwise, control the compressor to perform a first frequency adjustment action or a second frequency adjustment action, the first frequency adjustment action including: controlling the operating frequency of the compressor to rise to a first operating frequency, and then reducing the frequency from the first operating frequency to a second operating frequency at a preset frequency modulation rate, wherein the first operating frequency is greater than the current operating frequency, and the current operating frequency is greater than the second operating frequency; the second frequency adjustment action including: controlling the compressor to rise to a first operating frequency, and then reducing the frequency from the first operating frequency to a second operating frequency at a preset frequency modulation rate, wherein the first operating frequency is greater than the current operating frequency, and the current operating frequency is greater than the second operating frequency; After the operating frequency of the compressor is reduced to the second operating frequency, the frequency is then increased from the second operating frequency to the first operating frequency at the preset frequency modulation rate; when performing the first frequency adjustment action, if it is detected that the increase in the input voltage reaches a first preset value during the process of reducing the frequency from the first operating frequency to the second operating frequency at the preset frequency modulation rate, it is determined that the external power supply is a generator; or, when performing the second frequency adjustment action, if it is detected that the decrease in the input voltage reaches a second preset value during the process of increasing the frequency from the second operating frequency to the first operating frequency at the preset frequency modulation rate, it is determined that the external power supply is a generator, wherein the second preset value is greater than the first preset value.

[0016] In some embodiments, the controller is configured to determine that the time interval is abnormal when it is detected that the time interval is between the third preset time and the first preset time, or the time interval is between the second preset time and the fourth preset time.

[0017] In order to achieve the above-mentioned purpose, an embodiment of the second aspect of the present invention proposes a control method for an air conditioner, which includes the following steps: obtaining the input voltage provided to the air conditioner by an external power supply and the operating frequency of the compressor; determining the type of the external power supply based on the input voltage, or determining the type of the external power supply based on the input voltage and the operating frequency of the compressor; and controlling the operating state of the compressor based on the type of the external power supply.

[0018] According to the control method of the air conditioner according to the embodiment of the present invention, after the air conditioner is turned on, the current input voltage and the operating frequency of the compressor can be obtained, and then the type of external power supply can be determined, so as to control the operating status of the compressor according to the type of external power supply. There is no need to install external detection equipment, thereby solving the problems of high cost, complex installation and poor aesthetics brought by external detection equipment, and improving the user experience.

[0019] Additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description which follows, or may be learned by practice of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and readily understood from the following description of the embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0021] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a refrigeration cycle system of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 2 is a schematic structural diagram of a controller according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 3 is a structural diagram of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 4 is a flow chart of controlling the operating state of an air conditioner according to the type of external power supply according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 5 is a flow chart of determining the type of an external power source based on an input voltage and an operating frequency of a compressor according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of a flow chart for determining the type of an external power source based on a time interval according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of an overall control flow of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 8 is a flowchart of a method for controlling an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0030] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "center", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", etc., indicating the orientation or position relationship, are based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the present invention.

[0031] The terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the quantity of the technical features being referred to. Thus, a feature specified as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of such features. In the description of the present invention, unless otherwise specified, "plurality" means two or more.

[0032] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "mounted," "connected," and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they may refer to fixed, detachable, or integral connections; mechanical or electrical connections; direct or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0033] As shown in FIG1 , the air conditioner 1 of the present invention performs a refrigeration cycle of the air conditioner 1 by using a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, an evaporator, and a four-way valve. The refrigeration cycle includes a series of processes involving compression, condensation, expansion, and evaporation, and supplies refrigerant to the conditioned and heat-exchanged air.

[0034] The compressor compresses the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant gas entering through the return pipe and discharges the compressed refrigerant through the exhaust pipe. The discharged refrigerant gas flows into the condenser through the condenser inlet pipe. The condenser condenses the compressed refrigerant into a liquid phase, releasing heat into the surrounding environment through the condensation process.

[0035] The expansion valve expands the high-temperature, high-pressure liquid refrigerant condensed in the condenser and discharged through the condenser outlet pipe into a low-pressure liquid refrigerant. The evaporator evaporates the refrigerant expanded in the expansion valve and returns the low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant gas to the compressor. The evaporator achieves a cooling effect by utilizing the latent heat of evaporation of the refrigerant to exchange heat with the material to be cooled. Throughout this cycle, the air conditioner 1 can regulate the temperature of the indoor space.

[0036] In the embodiment shown in this application, air conditioner 1 may include a controller 71. Controller 71 is a device that can generate an operation control signal based on an instruction opcode and a timing signal, thereby instructing air conditioner 1 to execute the control instruction. For example, in response to receiving a power-on or power-off instruction from a user, controller 71 can execute an operation related to the object selected by the power-on or power-off instruction.

[0037] The embodiment of the present application also provides a hardware structure diagram of a controller 71, such as Figure 2 As shown, the controller 71 includes a processor 83 and, optionally, a memory 82 and a communication interface 84 connected to the processor 83. The processor 83, the memory 82 and the communication interface 84 are connected via a bus 81.

[0038] The processor 83 may be a central processing unit (CPU), a general-purpose processor (GP), a network processor (NP), a digital signal processor (DSP), a microprocessor (MCU), a microcontroller (MCU), a programmable logic device (PLD), or any combination thereof. The processor 83 may also be any other device having a processing function, such as a circuit, a device, or a software module. The processor 83 may also include multiple CPUs, and the processor 83 may be a single-core (single CPU) processor 83 or a multi-core (multi CPU) processor 83. The processor 83 herein may refer to one or more devices, circuits, or processing cores for processing data (e.g., computer program instructions).

[0039] The memory 82 can be a read-only memory 82 (ROM) or other types of static storage devices that can store static information and instructions, a random access memory 82 (RAM) or other types of dynamic storage devices that can store information and instructions, or an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory 82 (EEPROM), a compact disc read-only memory (CD ROM) or other optical disc storage, optical disc storage (including compressed optical disc, laser disc, optical disc, digital versatile disc, Blu-ray disc, etc.), a magnetic disk storage medium or other magnetic storage device, or any other medium that can be used to carry or store the desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and can be accessed by a computer, and the present embodiment of the application does not impose any restrictions on this. The memory 82 can exist independently or be integrated with the processor 83. Among them, the memory 82 can contain computer program code. The processor 83 is used to execute the computer program code stored in the memory 82, thereby realizing the control method of the air conditioner 1 provided in the embodiment of the present application.

[0040] The communication interface 84 can be used to communicate with other devices or communication networks (such as Ethernet, radio access network (RAN), wireless local area network (WLAN), etc.). The communication interface 84 can be a module, a circuit, a transceiver or any device that can achieve communication.

[0041] The bus 81 may be a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) bus 81 or an extended industry standard architecture (EISA) bus 81. The bus 81 may be divided into an address bus 81, a data bus 81, a control bus 81, and the like.

[0042] The following combination Figure 3-Figure 8 An air conditioner 1 and a control method thereof according to an embodiment of the present invention are described.

[0043] In some embodiments, as Figure 3 As shown, the air conditioner 1 includes a refrigerant circulation circuit 10, which allows the refrigerant to circulate in a circuit composed of a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, an evaporator and a four-way valve.

[0044] In some embodiments, as Figure 3As shown, the air conditioner 1 may include: a refrigeration system 20, which performs heat exchange between the refrigerant and the air in the compression refrigeration cycle of the refrigerant circulation loop 10, and the refrigeration system 20 includes a compressor, which is used to compress the low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant gas into a high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant gas and discharge it to the condenser.

[0045] In some embodiments, as Figure 3 As shown, the air conditioner 1 may include an outdoor heat exchanger 30 and an indoor heat exchanger 40 , wherein one operates as a condenser and the other operates as an evaporator.

[0046] In some embodiments, as Figure 3 As shown, the air conditioner 1 may include: an input voltage detection unit 50 for detecting the input voltage provided to the air conditioner 1 by an external power source.

[0047] In some embodiments, as Figure 3 As shown, the air conditioner 1 may include: a controller 71, connected to the input voltage detection unit 50 and the compressor, and the controller 71 is configured to: obtain the input voltage and the operating frequency of the compressor, and determine the type of external power supply according to the input voltage, or determine the type of external power supply according to the input voltage and the operating frequency of the compressor, and control the operating state of the compressor according to the type of external power supply.

[0048] Specifically, the controller 71 is connected to the input voltage detection unit 50 and the compressor. During the operation of the air conditioner 1, the input voltage of the current external power supply and the operating frequency of the compressor can be obtained in real time through the corresponding sensors. Furthermore, the controller 71 can determine the type of the external power supply based solely on the input voltage information obtained. For example, it can be determined in combination with a preset threshold value. When the input voltage is greater than or less than the preset threshold value, the type of the corresponding external power supply is determined. Alternatively, the type of the external power supply can be determined in combination with the input voltage and the operating frequency of the compressor. For example, when the input voltage fluctuates within a certain range, it can be determined based on the change in the current operating frequency of the compressor and the range in which it is located. After determining the type of the external power supply, a corresponding strategy can be adopted according to the type of the external power supply to adjust the operating state of the compressor, including but not limited to limiting the maximum current or operating frequency of the compressor to adapt to different power supply environments and needs, thereby ensuring that the air conditioner 1 will not affect the operation of other electrical appliances while operating stably.

[0049] According to the air conditioner 1 of the embodiment of the present invention, after the air conditioner 1 is turned on, the current input voltage and the operating frequency of the compressor can be obtained, and then the type of external power supply can be determined, so as to control the operating status of the compressor according to the type of external power supply. There is no need to install external detection equipment, thereby solving the problems of high cost, complex installation and poor aesthetics brought by external detection equipment, and improving the user experience.

[0050] In one embodiment of the present invention, Figure 4 As shown, when the operating state of the air conditioner 1 is controlled according to the type of external power supply, the controller 71 is configured as follows: when the external power supply is a grid, the compressor is controlled to operate at a calibrated rated current; when the external power supply is a generator, the compressor is controlled to reduce the frequency to perform current limiting so that the compressor operates at a current lower than the rated current.

[0051] Specifically, when controlling the operating state of the air conditioner 1 according to the type of external power supply, if the external power supply is a power grid, that is, the current external power supply can provide continuous and stable power support for the air conditioner 1 to ensure the normal operation of the air conditioner 1, then the controller 71 can control the compressor to operate at a calibrated rated current, that is, according to the design specifications of the compressor, to make it operate at the rated current and frequency to achieve the best cooling or heating effect.

[0052] If the external power source is a generator, that is, the current external power source has problems such as large voltage fluctuations and limited capacity, the controller 71 can control the compressor to reduce the operating frequency to limit the current, that is, reduce the power output of the compressor, reduce its current consumption, and make the compressor operate at a state lower than the rated current to avoid causing excessive burden on the generator, resulting in generator overload or even damage.

[0053] In one embodiment of the present invention, when determining the type of the external power source according to the input voltage, the controller 71 is configured to determine that the external power source is a generator when the input voltage does not reach a first preset voltage.

[0054] Specifically, when determining the type of external power source based on input voltage, if the input voltage does not reach a first preset voltage, it indicates that the input voltage provided by the current external power source is low and below the normal input voltage standard, and the external power source can be determined to be a generator. It is understandable that due to the limited power supply capacity of generators and their significant impact on load variations, when connected to air conditioner 1, the generator's output voltage may drop, resulting in the inability to reach the first preset voltage, thereby determining that the external power source is a generator.

[0055] In one embodiment of the present invention, Figure 5As shown, when the type of external power supply is determined based on the input voltage and the operating frequency of the compressor, the controller 71 is configured to: when the input voltage is between the first preset voltage and the second preset voltage, and the duration exceeds the set time threshold, control the compressor to perform the first frequency adjustment action or the second frequency adjustment action, and determine the type of external power supply based on the change of the input voltage during the execution of the first frequency adjustment action or the execution of the second frequency adjustment action.

[0056] Among them, the first frequency adjustment action includes: controlling the operating frequency of the compressor to rise to the first operating frequency, and then reducing the frequency from the first operating frequency to the second operating frequency at a preset frequency modulation rate, wherein the first operating frequency is greater than the current operating frequency, the current operating frequency is greater than the second operating frequency, and the first preset voltage is less than the second preset voltage.

[0057] The second frequency adjustment operation includes: controlling the operating frequency of the compressor to drop to a second operating frequency, and then increasing the frequency from the second operating frequency to the first operating frequency at a preset frequency modulation rate.

[0058] Specifically, when determining the type of external power supply based on the input voltage and the operating frequency of the compressor, when the input voltage is within the normal voltage fluctuation range that may occur when the power grid and the generator are powered, that is, when the input voltage is between the first preset voltage and the second preset voltage, if the duration exceeds the preset time threshold, the operating frequency of the compressor can be further adjusted to observe the response of the input voltage, thereby determining the type of external power supply.

[0059] Specifically, the compressor can be controlled to perform a first frequency adjustment action or a second frequency adjustment action, and the type of external power source can be determined based on changes in the input voltage during the first or second frequency adjustment actions. The first frequency adjustment action involves increasing the compressor's operating frequency to a higher frequency, namely, the first operating frequency, and then gradually decreasing it from the first operating frequency to the second operating frequency at a preset frequency modulation rate. The second frequency adjustment action involves first decreasing the compressor's operating frequency to the second operating frequency and then gradually increasing it back to the first operating frequency at a preset frequency modulation rate.

[0060] In a specific embodiment, the first preset voltage, the second preset voltage, the time threshold, the first operating frequency, the second frequency and the frequency modulation rate can all be pre-set according to actual conditions and experimental data, wherein the first preset voltage can be 200V, the second preset voltage can be 215V, the time threshold can be 100ms, the first operating frequency can be the highest frequency that the compressor can reach, the second operating frequency can be the lowest frequency that the compressor can reach, and the frequency modulation rate can be 2Hz / s.

[0061] In one embodiment of the present invention, Figure 5 As shown, when determining the type of the external power supply based on the change in input voltage during the execution of the first frequency adjustment action or the execution of the second frequency adjustment action, the controller 71 is configured as follows: when executing the first frequency adjustment action, if, during the process of reducing the frequency from the first operating frequency to the second operating frequency at a preset frequency modulation rate, it is detected that the increase in input voltage exceeds a first preset value, then the external power supply is determined to be a generator.

[0062] Alternatively, when executing the second frequency adjustment action, if, during the process of increasing the frequency from the second operating frequency to the first operating frequency at the preset frequency modulation rate, it is detected that the input voltage drops by more than a second preset value, then it is determined that the external power supply is a generator, wherein the second preset value is greater than the first preset value.

[0063] Specifically, when determining the type of external power supply based on the change in input voltage during the execution of the first frequency adjustment action or the execution of the second frequency adjustment action, the determination can be made based on the stability of the grid power supply and the instability of the generator power supply. That is, when the external power supply is a grid, the input voltage should be able to change stably with the adjustment of the compressor frequency without significant fluctuations. When the external power supply is a generator, the input voltage may change significantly with the adjustment of the compressor frequency.

[0064] Specifically, when executing the first frequency adjustment action, if the compressor reduces the frequency from the first operating frequency to the second operating frequency at a preset frequency modulation rate, the controller 71 detects that the increase in the input voltage exceeds the first preset value, indicating that the external power supply has a relatively weak ability to regulate the output voltage when the operating frequency of the compressor is reduced, resulting in abnormal fluctuations in the output voltage. It can be determined that the external power supply is a generator.

[0065] Similarly, during the second frequency adjustment operation, if the controller 71 detects that the input voltage increase exceeds a second preset value while the compressor is increasing from the second operating frequency to the first operating frequency at the preset frequency modulation rate, this indicates that the external power supply's ability to regulate the output voltage is relatively weak as the compressor's operating frequency increases, resulting in abnormal output voltage fluctuations. The external power supply can be determined to be a generator. The second preset value is greater than the first preset value, meaning that the increase in the external power supply's output voltage is more pronounced as the compressor's operating frequency increases.

[0066] In a specific embodiment, the first preset value and the second preset value can be pre-set according to actual conditions and experimental data, wherein the first preset value can be 3V and the second preset value can be 5V.

[0067] In one embodiment of the present invention, the air conditioner 1 may include a zero-crossing detection circuit, which is used to detect the zero-crossing pulse signal of the external power supply and obtain the time interval between adjacent zero-crossing pulse signals; the controller 71 is connected to the zero-crossing detection circuit, and when determining the type of the external power supply based on the input voltage and the operating frequency of the compressor, Figure 6 As shown, the controller 71 is configured to: when the input voltage reaches the third preset voltage, obtain the time interval, and determine the type of the external power source according to the time interval.

[0068] Specifically, the air conditioner 1 includes a zero-crossing detection circuit. When the AC waveform generated by the external power supply switches from the positive half cycle to the negative half cycle or from the negative half cycle to the positive half cycle and passes through the zero position, the zero-crossing detection circuit can detect the generation of the corresponding zero-crossing pulse signal and obtain the time interval between two adjacent zero-crossing pulse signals.

[0069] Furthermore, the controller 71 is connected to the zero-crossing detection circuit and can receive time interval data obtained by the zero-crossing detection circuit in real time, so that when the type of external power supply is determined based on the input voltage and the operating frequency of the compressor, if the input voltage reaches a third preset voltage, the type of external power supply can be determined based on the time interval.

[0070] In one embodiment of the present invention, Figure 6 As shown, when the controller 71 determines the type of the external power source based on the time interval, it is configured as follows: when the time interval is between the first preset time and the second preset time, the external power source is determined to be a grid, and the first preset time is less than the second preset time; when the time interval is less than the third preset time or greater than the fourth preset time, the external power source is determined to be a generator, wherein the third preset time is less than the first preset time and the fourth preset time is greater than the second preset time.

[0071] Specifically, when the controller 71 determines the type of external power supply based on the time interval, if the time interval is between the first preset time and the second preset time, it means that within the current time range, the fluctuation of the external power supply frequency does not exceed the standard grid frequency fluctuation range, such as ±1Hz, that is, the external power supply frequency corresponds to the standard grid frequency, such as 49HZ~51HZ. At this time, it can be determined that the external power supply is a grid.

[0072] If the time interval is less than the third preset time or greater than the fourth preset time, it means that within the current time range, the fluctuation of the external power supply frequency exceeds the standard grid frequency fluctuation range, for example, ±5Hz, that is, the external power supply frequency does not meet the standard grid frequency, for example, the external power supply frequency is less than 45Hz or the external power supply frequency is greater than 55Hz. At this time, it can be determined that the external power supply is a generator.

[0073] In a specific embodiment, the first preset time, the second preset time, the third preset time and the fourth preset time can all be pre-set according to actual conditions and experimental data, among which the first preset time can be 9.8ms, the second preset time can be 10.2ms, the third preset time can be 9.1ms, and the fourth preset time can be 11.1ms.

[0074] In one embodiment of the present invention, Figure 6 As shown, when the controller 71 determines the type of external power supply based on the time interval, it is also configured to: determine whether the frequency of time interval anomalies occurring within a time period exceeds a preset frequency; if so, determine that the external power supply is a generator; otherwise, control the compressor to perform the first frequency adjustment action or the second frequency adjustment action.

[0075] Among them, the first frequency adjustment action includes: controlling the operating frequency of the compressor to rise to the first operating frequency, and then reducing the frequency from the first operating frequency to the second operating frequency at a preset frequency modulation rate, wherein the first operating frequency is greater than the current operating frequency, and the current operating frequency is greater than the second operating frequency.

[0076] The second frequency adjustment action includes: controlling the operating frequency of the compressor to drop to a second operating frequency, and then increasing the frequency from the second operating frequency to the first operating frequency at a preset frequency modulation rate; when executing the first frequency adjustment action, if it is detected that the input voltage increase exceeds a first preset value during the process of decreasing the frequency from the first operating frequency to the second operating frequency at the preset frequency modulation rate, it is determined that the external power supply is a generator.

[0077] Alternatively, when executing the second frequency adjustment action, if, during the process of increasing the frequency from the second operating frequency to the first operating frequency at the preset frequency modulation rate, it is detected that the input voltage drops by more than a second preset value, then it is determined that the external power supply is a generator, wherein the second preset value is greater than the first preset value.

[0078] Specifically, when the controller 71 determines the type of the external power supply based on the time interval, it can determine the type of the external power supply based on the comparison result between the frequency of time interval abnormalities occurring within a time period and the preset frequency. If the frequency of time interval abnormalities occurring within a time period exceeds the preset frequency, it means that the frequency of the external power supply is not stable within the current period, and the external power supply is determined to be a generator.

[0079] If the frequency of time interval anomalies occurring within a time period does not exceed the preset frequency, the controller 71 further observes the changes in the input voltage by controlling the operating frequency of the compressor to make a more precise judgment. Specifically, the compressor can be controlled to perform the first frequency adjustment action or the second frequency adjustment action. When performing the first frequency adjustment action, if the compressor reduces the frequency from the first operating frequency to the second operating frequency at a preset frequency modulation rate, the controller 71 detects that the increase in the input voltage exceeds the first preset value, indicating that the external power supply has a relatively weak ability to regulate the output voltage when the operating frequency of the compressor is reduced, resulting in abnormal fluctuations in the output voltage. It can be determined that the external power supply is a generator.

[0080] Similarly, during the second frequency adjustment operation, if the controller 71 detects that the input voltage increase exceeds a second preset value while the compressor is increasing from the second operating frequency to the first operating frequency at the preset frequency modulation rate, this indicates that the external power supply's ability to regulate the output voltage is relatively weak as the compressor's operating frequency increases, resulting in abnormal output voltage fluctuations. The external power supply can be determined to be a generator. The second preset value is greater than the first preset value, meaning that the increase in the external power supply's output voltage is more pronounced as the compressor's operating frequency increases.

[0081] In one embodiment of the present invention, Figure 6 As shown, when it is detected that the time interval is between the third preset time and the first preset time, or the time interval is between the second preset time and the fourth preset time, it is determined that the time interval is abnormal.

[0082] Specifically, when it is detected that the time interval is between the third preset time and the first preset time, that is, the time interval occurring in the current time period does not conform to the time range of the grid frequency fluctuation, or the time interval is between the second preset time and the fourth preset time, that is, the time interval occurring in the current time period does not conform to the time range of the engine frequency fluctuation, it is determined that the time interval is abnormal.

[0083] As a specific embodiment, the following Figure 7 The overall control process of the air conditioner 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention is described with an example.

[0084] In this embodiment, if Figure 7 As shown, the overall control process of the air conditioner 1 has the following steps:

[0085] After the air conditioner is started, detect the input voltage of the air conditioner.

[0086] It is determined whether the input voltage does not reach the first preset voltage. If so, it is determined that the external power supply is a generator; if not, it is determined whether the input voltage is between the first preset voltage and the second preset voltage.

[0087] If it is determined that the input voltage is between the first preset voltage and the second preset voltage, and the duration exceeds the set time threshold, the operating frequency of the compressor is controlled to increase to the first operating frequency, and then reduce the frequency from the first operating frequency to the second operating frequency at a preset frequency modulation rate, or the operating frequency of the compressor is controlled to decrease to the second operating frequency, and then increase the frequency from the second operating frequency to the first operating frequency at a preset frequency modulation rate.

[0088] When it is detected that an increase in the input voltage reaches a first preset value during a process of reducing the frequency from the first operating frequency to the second operating frequency at a preset frequency modulation rate, or when it is detected that a decrease in the input voltage reaches a second preset value during a process of increasing the frequency from the second operating frequency to the first operating frequency at a preset frequency modulation rate, it is determined that the external power supply is a generator.

[0089] If it is determined that the input voltage is not between the first preset voltage and the second preset voltage, or if it is determined that the input voltage is between the first preset voltage and the second preset voltage but the duration does not exceed the set time threshold, then when the input voltage reaches the third preset voltage, the time interval between adjacent zero-crossing pulse signals is obtained.

[0090] When the time interval is between the third preset time and the first preset time, or the time interval is between the second preset time and the fourth preset time, it is determined that the time interval is abnormal.

[0091] Determine whether the frequency of time interval anomalies occurring within a time period reaches a preset frequency. If so, determine that the external power supply is a generator. If not, control the operating frequency of the compressor to increase to a first operating frequency, and then reduce the frequency from the first operating frequency to a second operating frequency at a preset frequency modulation rate, or control the operating frequency of the compressor to decrease to the second operating frequency, and then increase the frequency from the second operating frequency to the first operating frequency at a preset frequency modulation rate.

[0092] When it is detected that an increase in the input voltage reaches a first preset value during a process of reducing the frequency from the first operating frequency to the second operating frequency at a preset frequency modulation rate, or when it is detected that a decrease in the input voltage reaches a second preset value during a process of increasing the frequency from the second operating frequency to the first operating frequency at a preset frequency modulation rate, it is determined that the external power supply is a generator.

[0093] When the time interval is between the first preset time and the second preset time, it is determined that the external power source is the grid.

[0094] When the time interval is less than the third preset time or greater than the fourth preset time, it is determined that the external power source is a generator.

[0095] According to the air conditioner 1 of the embodiment of the present invention, after the air conditioner 1 is turned on, the current input voltage and the operating frequency of the compressor can be obtained, and then the type of external power supply can be determined, so as to control the operating status of the compressor according to the type of external power supply. There is no need to install external detection equipment, thereby solving the problems of high cost, complex installation and poor aesthetics brought by external detection equipment, and improving the user experience.

[0096] Furthermore, the air conditioner 1 is also provided with a zero-crossing detection circuit, which can detect the zero-crossing pulse signal of the external power supply, obtain the time interval between adjacent zero-crossing pulse signals, and determine the type of the external power supply based on the time interval, thereby facilitating the control of the operating state of the compressor according to the type of the external power supply to ensure that the air conditioner 1 can operate stably when powered by the generator, and at the same time will not cause excessive impact on the operation of other electrical appliances, thereby further improving the reliability of the air conditioner 1.

[0097] Reference below Figure 8 A method for controlling an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention is described.

[0098] like Figure 8 As shown, the air conditioner control method according to the embodiment of the present invention at least includes steps S1 to S3.

[0099] Step S1 : obtaining the input voltage of the air conditioner and the operating frequency of the compressor provided by the external power supply.

[0100] Step S2: determining the type of the external power source according to the input voltage, or determining the type of the external power source according to the input voltage and the operating frequency of the compressor.

[0101] Step S3: controlling the operating state of the compressor according to the type of the external power supply.

[0102] In some embodiments, determining the type of the external power source according to the input voltage specifically includes: when the input voltage does not reach a first preset voltage, determining that the external power source is a grid.

[0103] In some embodiments, when determining the type of external power supply based on the input voltage and the operating frequency of the compressor, it specifically includes: when the input voltage is between a first preset voltage and a second preset voltage, and the duration reaches a set time threshold, controlling the compressor to perform a first frequency adjustment action or a second frequency adjustment action, and determining the type of external power supply based on the change in input voltage during the execution of the first frequency adjustment action or the execution of the second frequency adjustment action; wherein, the first frequency adjustment action includes: controlling the operating frequency of the compressor to rise to the first operating frequency, and then reducing the frequency from the first operating frequency to the second operating frequency at a preset frequency modulation rate, wherein the first operating frequency is greater than the current operating frequency, the current operating frequency is greater than the second operating frequency, and the first preset voltage is less than the second preset voltage; the second frequency adjustment action includes: controlling the operating frequency of the compressor to fall to the second operating frequency, and then increasing the frequency from the second operating frequency to the first operating frequency at a preset frequency modulation rate.

[0104] In some embodiments, when determining the type of the external power supply based on the change in input voltage during the execution of the first frequency adjustment action or the execution of the second frequency adjustment action, it specifically includes: when executing the first frequency adjustment action, if, during the process of reducing the frequency from the first operating frequency to the second operating frequency at a preset frequency modulation rate, it is detected that the increase in input voltage exceeds a first preset value, then determining that the external power supply is a generator; or, when executing the second frequency adjustment action, if, during the process of increasing the frequency from the second operating frequency to the first operating frequency at a preset frequency modulation rate, it is detected that the decrease in input voltage exceeds a second preset value, then determining that the external power supply is a generator, wherein the second preset value is greater than the first preset value.

[0105] In some embodiments, when determining the type of the external power source according to the input voltage and the operating frequency of the compressor, the method specifically includes: acquiring a time interval, and determining the type of the external power source according to the time interval.

[0106] In some embodiments, when determining the type of the external power supply based on the time interval, it specifically includes: when the time interval is between a first preset time and a second preset time, determining that the external power supply is a grid, and the first preset time is less than the second preset time; when the time interval is less than a third preset time or greater than a fourth preset time, determining that the external power supply is a generator, wherein the third preset time is less than the first preset time, and the fourth preset time is greater than the second preset time.

[0107] In some embodiments, when determining the type of the external power source based on the time interval, the method further includes: determining whether the frequency of time interval anomalies occurring within a time period exceeds a preset frequency; if so, determining that the external power source is a generator; otherwise, controlling the compressor to perform a first frequency adjustment action or a second frequency adjustment action, the first frequency adjustment action including: controlling the operating frequency of the compressor to rise to a first operating frequency, and then reducing the frequency from the first operating frequency to a second operating frequency at a preset frequency modulation rate, wherein the first operating frequency is greater than the current operating frequency, the current operating frequency is greater than the second operating frequency, and the first preset voltage is less than the second preset voltage; the second frequency modulation action includes: controlling the operating frequency of the compressor to rise to a first operating frequency, and then reducing the frequency from the first operating frequency to a second operating frequency at a preset frequency modulation rate, wherein the first operating frequency is greater than the current operating frequency, the current operating frequency is greater than the second operating frequency, and the first preset voltage is less than the second preset voltage; The whole action includes: controlling the operating frequency of the compressor to drop to a second operating frequency, and then increasing the frequency from the second operating frequency to the first operating frequency at a preset frequency modulation rate; when executing the first frequency adjustment action, if it is detected that the increase in the input voltage exceeds a first preset value during the process of decreasing the frequency from the first operating frequency to the second operating frequency at the preset frequency modulation rate, it is determined that the external power supply is a generator; or, when executing the second frequency adjustment action, if it is detected that the decrease in the input voltage exceeds a second preset value during the process of increasing the frequency from the second operating frequency to the first operating frequency at the preset frequency modulation rate, it is determined that the external power supply is a generator, wherein the second preset value is greater than the first preset value.

[0108] In some embodiments, the air conditioner control method further includes: determining that the time interval is abnormal when it is detected that the time interval is between the third preset time and the first preset time, or the time interval is between the second preset time and the fourth preset time.

[0109] It should be noted that when controlling the air conditioner, its specific implementation method is similar to the specific implementation method of the air conditioner in any of the above-mentioned embodiments of the present invention. Therefore, for a detailed exemplary description of the control process of the air conditioner, please refer to the aforementioned relevant description part about the air conditioner. In order to reduce redundancy, it will not be repeated here.

[0110] According to the control method of the air conditioner according to the embodiment of the present invention, after the air conditioner is turned on, the current input voltage and the operating frequency of the compressor can be obtained, and then the type of external power supply can be determined, so as to control the operating status of the compressor according to the type of external power supply. There is no need to install external detection equipment, thereby solving the problems of high cost, complex installation and poor aesthetics brought by external detection equipment, and improving the user experience.

[0111] Furthermore, the zero-crossing pulse signal of the external power supply can be detected by a zero detection circuit, the time interval between adjacent zero-crossing pulse signals can be obtained, and the type of the external power supply can be determined based on the time interval, thereby facilitating the control of the operating state of the compressor based on the type of the external power supply to ensure that the air conditioner can operate stably when the generator is supplying power, and at the same time will not cause excessive impact on the operation of other electrical appliances, thereby further improving the reliability of the air conditioner.

[0112] Throughout this specification, reference to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples" means that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in conjunction with the embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example.

[0113] While embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions, and variations may be made to the embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, and that the scope of the invention is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An air conditioner, characterized in that: include: The refrigerant circulation loop allows the refrigerant to circulate in the loop consisting of the compressor, condenser, expansion valve, evaporator and four-way valve; a refrigeration system that performs heat exchange between a refrigerant and air in a compression refrigeration cycle of the refrigerant circulation loop, the refrigeration system comprising the compressor, the compressor being configured to compress low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant gas into high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant gas and discharge the gas to a condenser; an outdoor heat exchanger and an indoor heat exchanger, wherein one operates as the condenser and the other operates as the evaporator; an input voltage detection unit, configured to detect an input voltage provided by an external power source to the air conditioner; A controller is connected to the input voltage detection unit and the compressor, and is configured to: The input voltage and the operating frequency of the compressor are obtained, and the type of the external power supply is determined according to the input voltage, or the type of the external power supply is determined according to the input voltage and the operating frequency of the compressor, and the operating state of the compressor is controlled according to the type of the external power supply.

2. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that When controlling the operating state of the air conditioner according to the type of the external power source, the controller is configured to: When the external power source is a grid, controlling the compressor to operate at a calibrated rated current; When the external power source is a generator, the compressor is controlled to reduce the frequency to perform current limiting, so that the compressor operates at a current lower than the rated current.

3. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein: When determining the type of the external power source according to the input voltage, the controller is configured to: When the input voltage does not reach a first preset voltage, it is determined that the external power source is a generator.

4. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein: When determining the type of the external power source according to the input voltage and the operating frequency of the compressor, the controller is configured to: When the input voltage is between a first preset voltage and a second preset voltage and the duration exceeds a set time threshold, controlling the compressor to perform a first frequency adjustment action or a second frequency adjustment action, and determining the type of the external power supply according to a change in the input voltage during the execution of the first frequency adjustment action or the execution of the second frequency adjustment action; Among them, the first frequency adjustment action includes: controlling the operating frequency of the compressor to rise to a first operating frequency, and then reducing the frequency from the first operating frequency to a second operating frequency at a preset frequency modulation rate, wherein the first operating frequency is greater than the current operating frequency, the current operating frequency is greater than the second operating frequency, and the first preset voltage is less than the second preset voltage; the second frequency adjustment action includes: controlling the operating frequency of the compressor to fall to the second operating frequency, and then increasing the frequency from the second operating frequency to the first operating frequency at the preset frequency modulation rate.

5. The air conditioner according to claim 4, characterized in that When determining the type of the external power source according to a change in the input voltage during the execution of the first frequency adjustment action or the execution of the second frequency adjustment action, the controller is configured to: When performing the first frequency adjustment action, if it is detected that the increase in the input voltage reaches a first preset value during the process of reducing the frequency from the first operating frequency to the second operating frequency at a preset frequency modulation rate, then it is determined that the external power source is a generator; or, When executing the second frequency adjustment action, if it is detected that the drop in the input voltage reaches a second preset value during the process of increasing the frequency from the second operating frequency to the first operating frequency at a preset frequency modulation rate, it is determined that the external power supply is a generator, wherein the second preset value is greater than the first preset value.

6. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that Also includes: A zero-crossing detection circuit, the zero-crossing detection circuit is used to detect the zero-crossing pulse signal of the external power supply and obtain the time interval between adjacent zero-crossing pulse signals; The controller is connected to the zero-crossing detection circuit, and when determining the type of the external power source according to the input voltage and the operating frequency of the compressor, the controller is configured to: When the input voltage reaches a third preset voltage, the time interval is acquired, and the type of the external power source is determined according to the time interval.

7. The air conditioner according to claim 6, characterized in that When determining the type of the external power source according to the time interval, the controller is configured to: When the time interval is between a first preset time and a second preset time, it is determined that the external power source is a power grid, and the first preset time is less than the second preset time; When the time interval is less than a third preset time or greater than a fourth preset time, it is determined that the external power source is a generator, wherein the third preset time is less than the first preset time and the fourth preset time is greater than the second preset time.

8. The air conditioner according to claim 7, characterized in that When determining the type of the external power source according to the time interval, the controller is further configured to: Determine whether the frequency of the time interval anomaly occurring within a time period reaches a preset frequency; If so, the external power source is determined to be a generator; Otherwise, the compressor is controlled to perform a first frequency adjustment action or a second frequency adjustment action, wherein the first frequency adjustment action includes: controlling the operating frequency of the compressor to increase to a first operating frequency, and then reducing the frequency from the first operating frequency to a second operating frequency at a preset frequency modulation rate, wherein the first operating frequency is greater than the current operating frequency, and the current operating frequency is greater than the second operating frequency; the second frequency adjustment action includes: controlling the operating frequency of the compressor to decrease to the second operating frequency, and then increasing the frequency from the second operating frequency to the first operating frequency at the preset frequency modulation rate; When performing the first frequency adjustment action, if it is detected that the input voltage increase reaches a first preset value during the process of reducing the frequency from the first operating frequency to the second operating frequency at a preset frequency modulation rate, then it is determined that the external power source is a generator; or When executing the second frequency adjustment action, if it is detected that the drop in the input voltage reaches a second preset value during the process of increasing the frequency from the second operating frequency to the first operating frequency at a preset frequency modulation rate, it is determined that the external power supply is a generator, wherein the second preset value is greater than the first preset value.

9. The air conditioner according to claim 8, characterized in that The controller is configured to: When it is detected that the time interval is between the third preset time and the first preset time, or the time interval is between the second preset time and the fourth preset time, it is determined that the time interval is abnormal.

10. A method for controlling an air conditioner, characterized in that: For the air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 9, the method comprises the following steps: obtaining an input voltage provided by an external power source to the air conditioner and an operating frequency of the compressor; determining the type of the external power source according to the input voltage, or determining the type of the external power source according to the input voltage and the operating frequency of the compressor; An operating state of the compressor is controlled according to a type of the external power source.

Images