Control methods, heat pump units and air conditioners

Abstract

This disclosure provides a control method, a heat pump unit, and an air conditioner. When the heat pump unit is in heating mode, the evaporative cooling condenser still participates in the refrigerant circulation during heating. When the heat pump unit is in heating mode, and the evaporation temperature of the heat pump unit is lower than the evaporative cooling activation threshold, the airflow outside the duct first enters the second sub-duct, then the first sub-duct, and finally exits to the outside of the duct. The evaporative cooling condenser can raise the temperature of the gas passing through the second sub-duct. The heated gas then enters the first sub-duct corresponding to the air-cooled condenser through an intermediate air valve. The heated gas can raise the heat exchange environment temperature of the air-cooled condenser, promoting more complete heat absorption by the refrigerant flowing through the air-cooled condenser. This effectively avoids low-pressure protection triggering due to excessively low evaporation temperature, not only preventing new frost formation but also accelerating the melting of existing frost, thus better ensuring the stability and reliability of the heat pump unit's heating operation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of air conditioner technology, and more particularly to a control method, a heat pump unit, and an air conditioner. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, the combination of evaporative condensation technology and air source heat pump technology has become a new direction in heat pump product research, resulting in a series of new evaporative heat pump units.

[0003] In some heat pump units, the refrigerant flow paths of the evaporative condenser and the air-cooled condenser are connected in series, but their respective air ducts are independently configured. When cooling is required, both the evaporative condenser and the air-cooled condenser participate in heat exchange simultaneously to improve the cooling effect. However, when heating is required, the evaporative condenser is generally bypassed and no longer participates in the refrigerant circulation. In this case, the air-cooled condenser is on the heat absorption side. If the evaporation temperature of the heat pump unit is too low, the air-cooled condenser will frost over, further deteriorating the heat exchange and easily triggering low-pressure protection, thus reducing reliability. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, in order to solve the technical problem in the prior art that when the evaporation temperature of a heat pump unit is too low in the heating mode, it is easy for the air-cooled condenser to frost, which will further deteriorate the heat exchange and even cause low pressure protection, this disclosure provides a control method, a heat pump unit and an air conditioner.

[0005] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a control method is provided, the control method being applied to a heat pump unit, the heat pump unit including an evaporative condenser, an air-cooled condenser, an evaporator, a compressor, and a four-way valve, wherein the refrigerant outlet of the compressor is connected to a first refrigerant port of the evaporative condenser, the second refrigerant port of the evaporative condenser is connected to a first valve port of the four-way valve, the second valve port of the four-way valve is connected to a first refrigerant port of the air-cooled condenser, the second refrigerant port of the air-cooled condenser is connected to a first refrigerant port of the evaporator, the second refrigerant port of the evaporator is connected to a third valve port of the four-way valve, and the fourth valve port of the four-way valve is connected to a refrigerant inlet of the compressor;

[0006] The heat pump unit includes an air duct, which includes a first sub-air duct and a second sub-air duct. The first sub-air duct includes a first air inlet valve and a first air outlet valve, and the second sub-air duct includes a second air inlet valve. The first sub-air duct is used to provide airflow to the air-cooled condenser, and the second sub-air duct is used to provide airflow to the evaporative condenser. The first sub-air duct and the second sub-air duct are connected through an intermediate air valve.

[0007] The control method includes:

[0008] When the heat pump unit is in heating mode, the first and third valve ports of the four-way valve are connected, and the second and fourth valve ports of the four-way valve are also connected.

[0009] When the heat pump unit is in heating mode and the evaporation temperature of the heat pump unit is less than the evaporation cooling threshold, the first intake air valve is controlled to be closed, and the second intake air valve, the first outlet air valve, and the intermediate air valve are controlled to be open; wherein, the evaporation temperature of the heat pump unit is the refrigerant saturation temperature corresponding to the refrigerant pressure at the refrigerant inlet of the compressor.

[0010] In one alternative implementation,

[0011] The control method includes:

[0012] When the heat pump unit is in heating mode and the evaporation temperature of the heat pump unit is greater than or equal to the evaporation cold start threshold, the second air inlet valve and the intermediate air valve are controlled to be closed, and the first air inlet valve and the first air outlet valve are controlled to be open.

[0013] In one alternative implementation,

[0014] The evaporative condenser includes a spray device, and the control method includes:

[0015] When the heat pump unit is in heating mode and the evaporation temperature of the heat pump unit is less than the evaporation cold start threshold, if the ambient temperature of the environment where the heat pump unit is located is greater than the spray start threshold, the spray device is controlled to be in operation.

[0016] In one alternative implementation,

[0017] The control method includes:

[0018] If the evaporation temperature of the heat pump unit is less than the evaporation cold start threshold, and the ambient temperature of the environment where the heat pump unit is located is less than or equal to the spray start threshold, then the spray device is controlled to be in the closed state.

[0019] In one alternative implementation,

[0020] The control method includes:

[0021] When the heat pump unit is in heating mode, if the evaporation temperature of the heat pump unit is greater than the target evaporation temperature, the operating frequency of the heat pump unit's fan is reduced.

[0022] In one alternative implementation,

[0023] The control method includes:

[0024] When the heat pump unit is in heating mode, if the evaporation temperature of the heat pump unit is lower than the target evaporation temperature, the operating frequency of the fan is increased.

[0025] In one alternative implementation,

[0026] The control method includes:

[0027] When the heat pump unit is in heating mode, if the evaporation temperature of the heat pump unit is equal to the target evaporation temperature, the operating frequency of the fan is controlled to remain unchanged.

[0028] In one alternative implementation,

[0029] The control method includes:

[0030] When the heat pump unit is in heating mode, if the outlet water temperature of the evaporator is higher than the target outlet water temperature, the operating frequency of the compressor is reduced.

[0031] In one alternative implementation,

[0032] The control method includes:

[0033] When the heat pump unit is in heating mode, if the outlet water temperature of the evaporator is lower than the target outlet water temperature, the operating frequency of the compressor is increased.

[0034] In one alternative implementation,

[0035] The control method includes:

[0036] When the heat pump unit is in heating mode, if the outlet water temperature of the evaporator is equal to the target outlet water temperature, the operating frequency of the compressor is controlled to remain unchanged.

[0037] In one alternative implementation,

[0038] The second sub-duct includes a second outlet air valve, and the control method includes:

[0039] When the heat pump unit is in cooling mode, the first and second valve ports of the four-way valve are connected, and the third and fourth valve ports of the four-way valve are also connected. The states of the first intake air valve, the second intake air valve, the first outlet air valve, the second outlet air valve, and the intermediate air valve are controlled according to the relative humidity of the environment in which the heat pump unit is located. The condensing temperature of the heat pump unit is the refrigerant saturation temperature corresponding to the refrigerant pressure at the refrigerant outlet of the compressor.

[0040] In one alternative implementation,

[0041] The control method includes:

[0042] When the heat pump unit is in heating mode, the second air outlet valve is controlled to be closed.

[0043] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a heat pump unit is provided, the heat pump unit being used to implement the control method as described in any of the first aspects, the heat pump unit including an evaporative condenser, an air-cooled condenser, an evaporator, a compressor, and a four-way valve, wherein the refrigerant outlet of the compressor is connected to a first refrigerant port of the evaporative condenser, the second refrigerant port of the evaporative condenser is connected to a first valve port of the four-way valve, the second valve port of the four-way valve is connected to a first refrigerant port of the air-cooled condenser, the second refrigerant port of the air-cooled condenser is connected to a first refrigerant port of the evaporator, the second refrigerant port of the evaporator is connected to a third valve port of the four-way valve, and the fourth valve port of the four-way valve is connected to a refrigerant inlet of the compressor;

[0044] The heat pump unit includes an air duct, which includes a first sub-air duct and a second sub-air duct. The first sub-air duct includes a first air inlet valve and a first air outlet valve, and the second sub-air duct includes a second air inlet valve. The first sub-air duct is used to provide airflow to the air-cooled condenser, and the second sub-air duct is used to provide airflow to the evaporative condenser. The first sub-air duct and the second sub-air duct are connected through an intermediate air valve.

[0045] In one alternative implementation,

[0046] The heat pump unit includes a composite condenser, which includes a housing, a fan, an evaporative condenser, and an air-cooled condenser. The housing forms the air duct, and the fan drives the flow of gas in the air duct. A partition plate is provided inside the housing to divide the air duct into a first sub-air duct and a second sub-air duct. The air-cooled condenser is located in the first sub-air duct, and the evaporative condenser is located in the second sub-air duct. An intermediate air valve is provided on the partition plate, and the first air inlet valve, the second air inlet valve, and the first air outlet valve are all provided on the housing.

[0047] In one alternative implementation,

[0048] The second sub-duct includes a second air outlet valve, which is disposed on the housing.

[0049] According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, an air conditioner is provided, the air conditioner including a heat pump unit as described in any of the second aspects.

[0050] The technical solutions provided by the embodiments of this disclosure may include the following beneficial effects: In the heat pump unit of this disclosure, the refrigerant outlet of the compressor is connected to the first refrigerant port of the evaporator-condenser, the second refrigerant port of the evaporator-condenser is connected to the first valve port of the four-way valve, the second valve port of the four-way valve is connected to the first refrigerant port of the air-cooled condenser, the second refrigerant port of the air-cooled condenser is connected to the first refrigerant port of the evaporator, the second refrigerant port of the evaporator is connected to the third valve port of the four-way valve, and the fourth valve port of the four-way valve is connected to the refrigerant inlet of the compressor. Based on this, when the heat pump unit is in heating mode, the first and third valve ports of the four-way valve can be controlled to be connected, and the second and fourth valve ports of the four-way valve can be controlled to be connected, so that the refrigerant circulation path in the heating mode is the refrigerant outlet of the compressor - evaporator-condenser - the first and third valve ports of the four-way valve - evaporator - air-cooled condenser - the second and fourth valve ports of the four-way valve - the refrigerant inlet of the compressor, thereby realizing that the evaporator-condenser still participates in the refrigerant circulation in the heating mode. In addition, the heat pump unit has a first sub-air duct and a second sub-air duct. The first sub-air duct is used to provide airflow to the air-cooled condenser, and the second sub-air duct is used to provide airflow to the evaporative condenser. The first sub-air duct and the second sub-air duct are connected by an intermediate air valve. Based on this, when the heat pump unit is in heating mode, when the evaporation temperature of the heat pump unit is less than the evaporative condenser opening threshold, the first air inlet valve of the first sub-air duct can be controlled to be closed, and the intermediate air valve, the second air inlet valve of the second sub-air duct, and the first air outlet valve of the first sub-air duct can all be controlled to be open. This allows the airflow outside the duct to first enter the second sub-air duct, then enter the first sub-air duct, and finally be discharged outside the duct. It should be noted that in heating mode, the evaporative condenser is the heat dissipation side. If the ambient gas first passes through the second sub-duct corresponding to the evaporative condenser, the evaporative condenser can raise the temperature of the gas passing through the second sub-duct. The heated gas then enters the first sub-duct corresponding to the air-cooled condenser through the intermediate air valve. The heated gas can raise the heat exchange environment temperature of the air-cooled condenser, promoting more complete heat absorption by the refrigerant flowing through the air-cooled condenser, thereby increasing the refrigerant pressure at the compressor inlet. Since the evaporation temperature is directly related to this pressure (as the pressure increases, the saturation temperature, i.e., the evaporation temperature, also increases), it can effectively prevent low-pressure protection triggering due to excessively low evaporation temperature, ensuring the continuous and stable operation of the heat pump unit. Moreover, the heated gas, after entering the first sub-duct, can directly act on the surface of the air-cooled condenser that may frost over. Combined with the increase in evaporation temperature, this not only prevents new frost from forming but also accelerates the melting of existing frost, ensuring the stability of the refrigerant's heat absorption capacity in heating mode, reducing performance fluctuations caused by heat exchange deterioration in the heat pump unit, and better guaranteeing the stability and reliability of the heat pump unit's heating operation.

[0051] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not intended to limit this disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0052] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

[0053] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, for those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0054] One or more embodiments are illustrated by way of example with reference numerals in the accompanying drawings. These illustrations do not constitute a limitation on the embodiments. Elements with the same reference numerals in the drawings are denoted as similar elements. Unless otherwise stated, the figures in the drawings are not to be limited by scale.

[0055] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a heat pump unit according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0056] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a composite condenser according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0057] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating a control method (heating mode) according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0058] Figure 4 This is another schematic diagram of a control method (cooling mode) according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0059] in:

[0060] 1. Composite condenser; 11. Evaporative condenser; 111. Spray device; 1111. Water pump; 12. Air-cooled condenser; 13. Shell; 14. Fan; 2. Compressor; 3. Evaporator; 4. Four-way valve; 5. Electronic expansion valve;

[0061] 10. First air intake valve; 20. First air outlet valve; 30. Second air intake valve; 40. Second air outlet valve; 50. Intermediate air valve;

[0062] 100. Wind duct; 101. First sub-wind duct; 102. Second sub-wind duct. Detailed Implementation

[0063] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this application clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0064] The following disclosure provides numerous different embodiments or examples for implementing various aspects of the invention. To simplify the disclosure, specific examples of components and arrangements are described below. These are merely examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Furthermore, reference numerals and / or letters may be repeated in different examples. Such repetition is for simplification and clarity and does not in itself indicate a relationship between the various embodiments and / or arrangements discussed.

[0065] For ease of description, spatial relative terms may be used in the text to describe the relative position or movement of one element or feature relative to another element or feature, as shown in the figure. These relative terms include, for example, "inside," "outside," "middle," "outer," "below," "below," "above," "front," "back," etc. Such spatial relative terms are intended to include different orientations of the device in use or operation, other than those depicted in the figure. For example, if the device in the figure undergoes a positional flip, orientation change, or change of motion, these directional indications will change accordingly. For instance, an element described as "below other elements or features" or "below other elements or features" will subsequently be oriented "above other elements or features" or "above other elements or features." Therefore, the example term "below" can include both upper and lower orientations. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or in other directions), and the spatial relative descriptors used in the text will be interpreted accordingly.

[0066] It should be noted that the illustrations provided in the following embodiments are only schematic representations of the basic concept of this application. Therefore, the drawings only show the components related to this application and are not drawn according to the actual number, shape and size of the components in the actual implementation. In the actual implementation, the form, quantity and proportion of each component can be arbitrarily changed, and the layout of the components may also be more complex.

[0067] The embodiments of this application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and preferred embodiments. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of this application from the content disclosed in this specification. This application can also be implemented or applied through other different specific embodiments, and various details in this specification can also be modified or changed based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of this application. It should be understood that the preferred embodiments are only for illustrating this application and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application.

[0068] In order to solve the technical problem that in the prior art, when the evaporation temperature of a heat pump unit is too low in heating mode, it is easy for the air-cooled condenser to frost, which will further deteriorate the heat exchange and even cause low-pressure protection, the present disclosure provides a control method, a heat pump unit and an air conditioner.

[0069] In the heat pump unit disclosed herein, the refrigerant outlet of the compressor is connected to the first refrigerant port of the evaporator-condenser, the second refrigerant port of the evaporator-condenser is connected to the first valve port of the four-way valve, the second valve port of the four-way valve is connected to the first refrigerant port of the air-cooled condenser, the second refrigerant port of the air-cooled condenser is connected to the first refrigerant port of the evaporator, the second refrigerant port of the evaporator is connected to the third valve port of the four-way valve, and the fourth valve port of the four-way valve is connected to the refrigerant inlet of the compressor. Based on this, when the heat pump unit is in heating mode, the first and third valve ports of the four-way valve can be controlled to be open, and the second and fourth valve ports of the four-way valve can also be controlled to be open, so that the refrigerant circulation path in heating mode is: refrigerant outlet of the compressor - evaporator-condenser - first and third valve ports of the four-way valve - evaporator - air-cooled condenser - second and fourth valve ports of the four-way valve - refrigerant inlet of the compressor, thereby realizing that the evaporator-condenser still participates in the refrigerant circulation in heating mode. In addition, the air duct of the heat pump unit is divided into a first sub-air duct and a second sub-air duct. The first sub-air duct is used to provide airflow to the air-cooled condenser, and the second sub-air duct is used to provide airflow to the evaporative condenser. The first sub-air duct and the second sub-air duct are connected through an intermediate air valve. Based on this, when the heat pump unit is in heating mode, when the evaporation temperature of the heat pump unit is less than the evaporative condenser opening threshold, the first air inlet air valve of the first sub-air duct can be controlled to be closed, and the intermediate air valve, the second air inlet air valve of the second sub-air duct, and the first air outlet air valve of the first sub-air duct can all be controlled to be open. This allows the airflow outside the duct to first enter the second sub-air duct, then enter the first sub-air duct, and finally be discharged to the outside of the duct. It should be noted that in heating mode, the evaporative condenser is the heat dissipation side. If the ambient gas first passes through the second sub-duct corresponding to the evaporative condenser, the evaporative condenser can raise the temperature of the gas passing through the second sub-duct. The heated gas then enters the first sub-duct corresponding to the air-cooled condenser through the intermediate air valve. The heated gas can raise the heat exchange environment temperature of the air-cooled condenser, promoting more complete heat absorption by the refrigerant flowing through the air-cooled condenser, thereby increasing the refrigerant pressure at the compressor inlet. Since the evaporation temperature is directly related to this pressure (as the pressure increases, the saturation temperature, i.e., the evaporation temperature, also increases), it can effectively prevent low-pressure protection triggering due to excessively low evaporation temperature, ensuring the continuous and stable operation of the heat pump unit. Moreover, the heated gas, after entering the first sub-duct, can directly act on the surface of the air-cooled condenser that may frost over. Combined with the increase in evaporation temperature, this not only prevents new frost from forming but also accelerates the melting of existing frost, ensuring the stability of the refrigerant's heat absorption capacity in heating mode, reducing performance fluctuations caused by heat exchange deterioration in the heat pump unit, and better guaranteeing the stability and reliability of the heat pump unit's heating operation.

[0070] In one exemplary embodiment, reference Figure 1 ,as well as Figure 3 and Figure 4As shown, a heat pump unit is provided, as well as an air conditioner including the aforementioned heat pump unit, and a control method applied to the heat pump unit, i.e., the heat pump unit is used to implement the aforementioned control method. In this embodiment, the heat pump unit includes an evaporative condenser 11, an air-cooled condenser 12, an evaporator 3, a compressor 2, and a four-way valve 4. The refrigerant outlet of the compressor 2 is connected to the first refrigerant port of the evaporative condenser 11, the second refrigerant port of the evaporative condenser 11 is connected to the first valve port of the four-way valve 4, the second valve port of the four-way valve 4 is connected to the first refrigerant port of the air-cooled condenser 12, the second refrigerant port of the air-cooled condenser 12 is connected to the first refrigerant port of the evaporator 3, the second refrigerant port of the evaporator 3 is connected to the third valve port of the four-way valve 4, and the fourth valve port of the four-way valve 4 is connected to the refrigerant inlet of the compressor 2.

[0071] In the cooling mode, the first and second ports of the four-way valve 4 can be connected, and the third and fourth ports of the four-way valve 4 can also be connected. At this time, the refrigerant circulation path is: refrigerant outlet of compressor 2 - evaporator-condenser 11 - first and second ports of the four-way valve 4 - air-cooled condenser 12 - evaporator 3 - third and fourth ports of the four-way valve 4 - refrigerant inlet of compressor 2. This allows the evaporator-condenser 11 and the air-cooled condenser 12, which are connected in series, to participate in the refrigerant circulation in the cooling mode to ensure cooling efficiency.

[0072] When the heat pump unit is in heating mode, the first and third valve ports of the four-way valve 4 can be connected, and the second and fourth valve ports of the four-way valve 4 can also be connected, so that the refrigerant circulation path in heating mode is: refrigerant outlet of compressor 2 - evaporator-condenser 11 - first and third valve ports of four-way valve 4 - evaporator 3 - air-cooled condenser 12 - second and fourth valve ports of four-way valve 4 - refrigerant inlet of compressor 2, thereby ensuring that the evaporator-condenser 11 still participates in the refrigerant circulation in heating mode.

[0073] The heat pump unit includes an air duct 100, which includes a first sub-air duct 101 and a second sub-air duct 102. The first sub-air duct 101 includes a first air inlet valve 10 and a first air outlet valve 20, and the second sub-air duct 102 includes a second air inlet valve 30. The first sub-air duct 101 is used to provide airflow to the air-cooled condenser 12, and the second sub-air duct 102 is used to provide airflow to the evaporative condenser 11. The first sub-air duct 101 and the second sub-air duct 102 are connected by an intermediate air valve 50.

[0074] When the heat pump unit is in heating mode, the states of the first intake air valve 10, the second intake air valve 30, the first outlet air valve 20, and the intermediate air valve 50 can be controlled based on the evaporation temperature of the heat pump unit. It should be noted that the evaporation temperature of the heat pump unit is the refrigerant saturation temperature corresponding to the refrigerant pressure at the refrigerant inlet of the compressor 2.

[0075] When the heat pump unit is in heating mode and the evaporation temperature of the heat pump unit is less than the evaporation cold start threshold, the first air inlet valve 10 can be controlled to be closed, and the second air inlet valve 30, the first air outlet valve 20 and the intermediate air valve 50 can be controlled to be open, so that the airflow outside the air duct 100 first enters the second sub-air duct 102, then enters the first sub-air duct 101, and finally is discharged to the outside of the air duct 100.

[0076] It should be noted that in heating mode, the evaporative condenser 11 is the heat dissipation side. If the ambient gas first passes through the second sub-duct 102 corresponding to the evaporative condenser 11, the evaporative condenser 11 can raise the temperature of the gas passing through the second sub-duct 102. The heated gas then enters the first sub-duct 101 corresponding to the air-cooled condenser 12 through the intermediate air valve 50. The heated gas can raise the heat exchange ambient temperature of the air-cooled condenser 12, promoting more complete heat absorption by the refrigerant flowing through the air-cooled condenser 12, thereby increasing the refrigerant pressure at the refrigerant inlet of the compressor 2. Since the evaporation temperature is directly related to this pressure (the saturation temperature, i.e., the evaporation temperature, rises with increasing pressure), it can effectively avoid the triggering of low-pressure protection due to excessively low evaporation temperature, ensuring the continuous and stable operation of the heat pump unit. Moreover, after the heated gas enters the first sub-air duct 101, it can directly act on the surface of the air-cooled condenser 12 that may be frosted. Combined with the increase in evaporation temperature, it can not only prevent the formation of new frost, but also accelerate the melting of existing frost layers, ensuring the stability of the heat absorption capacity of the refrigerant in the heating mode, reducing the performance fluctuations of the heat pump unit caused by heat exchange deterioration, and better ensuring the stability and reliability of the heat pump unit's heating.

[0077] In addition, to better adapt the air duct 100 of this embodiment to the cooling mode, the second sub-air duct 102 may also include a second outlet air valve 40. When the heat pump unit is in the cooling mode, the first valve port and the second valve port of the four-way valve 4 are controlled to be connected, and the third valve port and the fourth valve port of the four-way valve 4 are controlled to be connected. The states of the first inlet air valve 10, the second inlet air valve 30, the first outlet air valve 20, the second outlet air valve 40, and the intermediate air valve 50 can be controlled according to the relative humidity of the environment in which the heat pump unit is located, so that the gas transmission path in the air duct 100 is better adapted to the relative humidity of the environment, and the cooling efficiency and power consumption of the entire heat pump unit are better balanced.

[0078] For example, when the heat pump unit is in cooling mode, and the relative humidity of the environment is very low, the heat exchange of the air-cooled condenser 12 is relatively small, while the heat exchange of the evaporative condenser 11 is relatively large. At this time, the second air inlet valve 30 and the second air outlet valve 40 can be controlled to be in the open state, and the first air inlet valve 10, the first air outlet valve 20 and the intermediate air valve 50 can be controlled to be in the closed state. At this time, the outside gas only passes through the second sub-air duct 102 to better improve the heat exchange effect of the evaporative condenser 11, thereby improving the cooling efficiency of the entire heat pump unit.

[0079] For example, when the relative humidity of the environment is very high, the heat exchange of the air-cooled condenser 12 is large, while the heat exchange of the evaporative condenser 11 is small. At this time, the second air inlet valve 30, the second air outlet valve 40 and the intermediate air valve 50 can be controlled to be closed, and the first air inlet valve 10 and the first air outlet valve 20 can be controlled to be closed. At this time, the outside air only passes through the first sub-air duct 101 to better improve the heat exchange effect of the air-cooled condenser 12, thereby improving the cooling efficiency of the entire heat pump unit.

[0080] For example, when the relative humidity of the environment is moderate, the heat exchange capacity of the air-cooled condenser 12 and the evaporative condenser 11 is not much different. At this time, the intermediate air valve 50 can be controlled to be closed, and the first air inlet valve 10, the second air inlet valve 30, the first air outlet valve 20 and the second air outlet valve 40 can all be controlled to be open. At this time, the outside air can pass through the first sub-air duct 101 and the second sub-air duct 102 respectively. This is equivalent to the air-cooled condenser 12 and the evaporative condenser 11 being equipped with independent air ducts 100, so as to better ensure the cooling efficiency of the heat pump unit.

[0081] Of course, in addition to controlling the state of the air valves through the above methods, the state of each air valve can also be controlled through other methods, and there are no limitations on this.

[0082] In addition, in this embodiment, when the heat pump unit is in heating mode and the evaporation temperature of the heat pump unit is less than the evaporation cold start threshold, the second outlet air valve 40 can be controlled to be closed to better ensure that all the gas entering the second sub-duct 102 can enter the first sub-duct 101 through the intermediate air valve 50, thereby better ensuring the reliability and stability of the heat pump unit's heating.

[0083] When the heat pump unit is in heating mode and the evaporation temperature of the heat pump unit is greater than or equal to the evaporation cooling threshold, the second air inlet valve 30 and the intermediate air valve 50 can be controlled to be closed, and the first air inlet valve 10 and the first air outlet valve 20 can be controlled to be open. At this time, the outside air directly enters the first sub-air duct 101 and is discharged after passing through the first sub-air duct 101. This can avoid the increase in resistance and path extension that the air may cause by detouring through the second sub-air duct 102, reduce the extra energy consumption of the fan 14, improve the ventilation efficiency of the air duct 100, and ensure that the air-cooled condenser 12 can efficiently exchange heat under suitable airflow conditions.

[0084] It should be noted that when the heat pump unit is in heating mode and the evaporation temperature of the heat pump unit is greater than or equal to the evaporation cold start threshold, since there is no airflow through the second sub-air duct 102, the second air outlet valve 40 can be in a closed state or an open state, and there is no limitation on this.

[0085] In this embodiment, when the heat pump unit is in heating mode and the evaporation temperature of the heat pump unit is less than the evaporative cooling start threshold, by involving the evaporative cooling condenser 11 in the refrigerant heating cycle, and by having the ambient gas first pass through the second sub-duct 102 corresponding to the evaporative cooling condenser 11, and then the gas, after its temperature rises, enters the first sub-duct 101 corresponding to the air-cooled condenser 12 through the intermediate air valve 50, the refrigerant flowing through the air-cooled condenser 12 can absorb heat more fully, thereby avoiding excessively low evaporation temperatures and effectively preventing low-pressure protection triggering due to excessively low evaporation temperatures. This ensures the continuous and stable operation of the heat pump unit. Moreover, it not only prevents the formation of new frost but also accelerates the melting of existing frost, ensuring the stability of the refrigerant's heat absorption capacity in heating mode, reducing performance fluctuations caused by heat exchange deterioration of the heat pump unit, and better guaranteeing the stability and reliability of the heat pump unit's heating operation. When the heat pump unit is in heating mode and its evaporation temperature is greater than or equal to the evaporative cooling threshold, by directly introducing outside gas into the first sub-duct 101 and then discharging it after passing through it, the increased resistance and longer path that might result from the gas bypassing the second sub-duct 102 can be avoided. This reduces the additional energy consumption of the fan 14, improves the ventilation efficiency of the duct 100, and ensures efficient heat exchange of the air-cooled condenser 12 under suitable airflow conditions. In other words, this embodiment can better ensure the heating stability and reliability of the heat pump unit while ensuring lower energy consumption.

[0086] In one exemplary embodiment, reference Figures 1 to 4As shown, a heat pump unit is provided, as well as an air conditioner including the aforementioned heat pump unit, and a control method applied to the heat pump unit, i.e., the heat pump unit is used to implement the aforementioned control method. In this embodiment, the heat pump unit may include a composite condenser 1, which includes a housing 13, a fan 14, and the evaporative condenser 11 and the air-cooled condenser 12. That is, in this embodiment, the evaporative condenser 11 and the air-cooled condenser 12 may share the same fan 14 to reduce the number of fans 14.

[0087] The housing 13 forms a heat pump unit air duct 100, and a fan 14 drives the flow of gas in the air duct 100. A partition plate is provided inside the housing 13 to divide the air duct 100 into a first sub-air duct 101 and a second sub-air duct 102. The air-cooled condenser 12 is located in the first sub-air duct 101, and the evaporative condenser 11 is located in the second sub-air duct 102 to better improve heat exchange efficiency.

[0088] The intermediate air valve 50 is disposed on the partition plate, and the first air intake valve 10, the second air intake valve 30, and the first air outlet valve 20 are all disposed on the housing 13. The first air intake valve 10 and the first air outlet valve 20 are located in the portion of the housing 13 that forms the first sub-air duct 101. The second air intake valve 30 is located in the portion of the housing 13 that forms the second sub-air duct 102. When the second sub-air duct 102 includes the second air outlet valve 40, the second air outlet valve 40 may also be located in the portion of the housing 13 that forms the second sub-air duct 102.

[0089] The composite condenser 1 in this embodiment can reduce the space occupied by the condenser, the arrangement of the air duct 100, and the number of fans 14, improving the compactness of the entire heat pump unit and making it easier to install. Furthermore, since the first sub-air duct 101 and the second sub-air duct 102 are formed directly from the housing 13 and the partition plate, the flow path of gas within the air duct 100 can be reduced, thereby reducing the energy consumption of the fans 14. In addition, this embodiment reduces the number of connecting parts in the air duct 100 through the integrated housing 13 and integrated design, lowering the risk of leakage and assembly complexity. The centralized arrangement of all air valves in the housing 13 also facilitates unified control and maintenance, improving the reliability and maintenance efficiency of the heat pump unit.

[0090] In one exemplary embodiment, reference Figures 1 to 4 As shown, a heat pump unit is provided, as well as an air conditioner including the heat pump unit, and a control method applied to the heat pump unit, i.e., the heat pump unit is used to implement the control method. In this embodiment, the evaporative condenser 11 may include a spray device 111, which may include spray pipes and a water pump 1111.

[0091] In this embodiment, when the heat pump unit is in heating mode and its evaporation temperature is below the evaporative cooling activation threshold, the evaporative cooling condenser 11 needs to participate in the heat exchange of the heating cycle. However, considering that the ambient temperature in heating mode is generally low, if the ambient temperature is too low, the spray water may freeze. Therefore, in this embodiment, the ambient temperature of the environment where the heat pump unit is located can be detected first using a temperature detection device, and then the relationship between the ambient temperature and the spray activation threshold can be determined.

[0092] The spray activation threshold refers to the highest temperature at which the spray device 111 is not allowed to be turned on. In other words, when the ambient temperature is less than or equal to the spray activation threshold, the spray device 111 can be controlled to be in the off state, and the water pump 1111 can also be controlled to be in the off state to avoid dangers such as pipe freezing or damage to the water pump 1111. When the ambient temperature is greater than the spray activation threshold, the spray device can be controlled to be in the operating state, that is, the water pump 1111 can be controlled to be in the on state to enhance the heat exchange effect of the evaporative condenser 11.

[0093] It should be noted that the sprinkler activation threshold can be set according to actual conditions, and its specific value is not limited. For example, the sprinkler activation threshold can be greater than or equal to 0℃.

[0094] In addition, in this embodiment, when the heat pump unit is in heating mode, the operating frequency of the fan 14 can be controlled according to the evaporation temperature of the heat pump unit so that the airflow in the duct 100 is more compatible with the heating demand.

[0095] If the evaporation temperature of the heat pump unit is higher than the target evaporation temperature, it means that the heating capacity of the heat pump unit has exceeded the demand. In this case, the operating frequency of the fan 14 can be reduced (frequency reduction) to avoid overheating and wasting resources. If the evaporation temperature of the heat pump unit is lower than the target evaporation temperature, it means that the heating capacity of the heat pump unit has not met the demand. In this case, the operating frequency of the fan 14 can be increased (frequency increase) to better meet the demand. If the evaporation temperature of the heat pump unit is equal to the target evaporation temperature, it means that the heating capacity of the heat pump unit is comparable to the demand. In this case, the operating frequency of the fan 14 can be kept unchanged to maintain the current heating efficiency.

[0096] It should be noted that the target evaporation temperature can be a temperature value set by relevant personnel (such as users or manufacturers), and can be set according to specific needs. For example, the target evaporation temperature could be 15℃. Furthermore, due to errors caused by temperature detection or software control, the statement in this embodiment that "the evaporation temperature of the heat pump unit is equal to the target evaporation temperature" can be approximately equal. For example, as long as the difference between the evaporation temperature of the heat pump unit and the target evaporation temperature is within a certain range (e.g., 3℃), it is considered that they are equal.

[0097] For example, the target evaporation temperature could be 15℃. If the evaporation temperature of the heat pump unit is between 12℃ and 18℃, then the two are considered equal. If it is below 12℃, then the evaporation temperature of the heat pump unit is considered to be less than the target evaporation temperature; if it is above 18℃, then the evaporation temperature of the heat pump unit is considered to be greater than the target evaporation temperature.

[0098] It should be noted that the operating frequency of compressor 2 also affects the overall heat exchange efficiency of the heat pump unit. Therefore, in this embodiment, when the heat pump unit is in heating mode, the operating frequency of compressor 2 can be controlled according to the outlet water temperature of evaporator 3.

[0099] If the outlet water temperature of evaporator 3 is higher than the target outlet water temperature, it indicates that the heating capacity of the heat pump unit has exceeded the demand. In this case, the operating frequency of compressor 2 can be reduced (frequency reduction) to avoid resource waste and reduce energy consumption. If the outlet water temperature of evaporator 3 is lower than the target outlet water temperature, it indicates that the heating capacity of the heat pump unit is insufficient and cannot meet the demand. In this case, the operating frequency of compressor 2 can be increased (frequency increase) to improve the heating efficiency of the heat pump unit and better meet user needs. If the outlet water temperature of evaporator 3 is equal to the target outlet water temperature, it indicates that the heating capacity of the heat pump unit is comparable to the demand. In this case, the operating frequency of compressor 2 can be kept constant.

[0100] It should be noted that the target outlet water temperature can be a temperature value set by the user according to their needs. Furthermore, due to errors caused by temperature detection or software control, the statement in this embodiment that "the outlet water temperature of evaporator 3 is equal to the target outlet water temperature" can be approximately equal. For example, as long as the difference between the outlet water temperature of evaporator 3 and the target outlet water temperature is within a certain range (e.g., 3°C), it is considered that they are equal.

[0101] In this embodiment, the control logic of the spray device 111, fan 14, and compressor 2 is independent yet coordinated, thereby improving the performance of the heat pump unit. Specifically, the spray device 111 is controlled to start and stop based on the ambient temperature; it is shut off at low temperatures to prevent freezing and protect the equipment; and activated at high temperatures to enhance heat exchange. The frequency of fan 14 is dynamically adjusted based on the evaporation temperature, adjusting the fan speed as needed to match heating demands. The frequency optimization of compressor 2 is precisely controlled based on the outlet water temperature of evaporator 3, balancing heating capacity and energy consumption. Each component performs its specific function, contributing to equipment safety, airflow efficiency, and core power output, respectively. While independent of each other, they work together to ensure stable operation in complex environments, improve heating efficiency, reduce energy consumption, and achieve multi-dimensional performance optimization.

[0102] In one exemplary embodiment, reference Figures 1 to 4As shown, a heat pump unit is provided, as well as an air conditioner including the aforementioned heat pump unit, and a control method applied to the heat pump unit, i.e., the heat pump unit is used to implement the aforementioned control method. In this embodiment, the heat pump unit includes a composite condenser 1, an evaporator 3, a compressor 2, a four-way valve 4, and an electronic expansion valve 5, etc.

[0103] The composite condenser 1 includes a housing 13, a fan 14, an evaporative condenser 11, and an air-cooled condenser 12. The evaporative condenser 11 may include a spray device 111. The housing 13 forms an air duct 100 for the composite condenser 1, and the fan 14 drives the flow of gas in the air duct 100. A partition plate is provided inside the housing 13 to divide the air duct 100 into a first sub-air duct 101 and a second sub-air duct 102. The air-cooled condenser 12 is located in the first sub-air duct 101, and the evaporative condenser 11 is located in the second sub-air duct 102.

[0104] The composite condenser 1 includes a first outlet air valve 20, a second outlet air valve 40, a first inlet air valve 10, a second inlet air valve 30, and an intermediate air valve 50. The first outlet air valve 20, the second outlet air valve 40, the first inlet air valve 10, and the second inlet air valve 30 are all mounted on the housing 13. The intermediate air valve 50 is mounted on a partition plate. The first inlet air valve 10 is the inlet air valve for the first sub-duct 101, the first outlet air valve 20 is the outlet air valve for the first sub-duct 101, the second inlet air valve 30 is the inlet air valve for the second sub-duct 102, the second outlet air valve 40 is the outlet air valve for the second sub-duct 102, and the intermediate air valve 50 is the connecting air valve between the first sub-duct 101 and the second sub-duct 102.

[0105] In this embodiment, the user can switch between the cooling and heating modes of the heat pump unit as needed. Specifically, when the target outlet water temperature set by the user is greater than the return water temperature of the evaporator 3, the control device of the heat pump unit can determine that the heat pump unit is in heating mode; otherwise (i.e., when the target outlet water temperature is less than or equal to the return water temperature of the evaporator 3), the control device determines that the heat pump unit is in cooling mode.

[0106] When the heat pump unit is in cooling mode, the first and second valve ports of the four-way valve 4 can be controlled to be open, and the third and fourth valve ports of the four-way valve 4 can also be controlled to be open. At this time, the refrigerant circulation path is: refrigerant outlet of compressor 2 - evaporator-condenser 11 - first and second valve ports of four-way valve 4 - air-cooled condenser 12 - evaporator 3 - third and fourth valve ports of four-way valve 4 - refrigerant inlet of compressor 2. This allows the evaporator-condenser 11 and the air-cooled condenser 12, which are connected in series, to participate in the refrigerant circulation in cooling mode to ensure cooling efficiency.

[0107] When the heat pump unit is in heating mode, the first and third valve ports of the four-way valve 4 can be connected, and the second and fourth valve ports of the four-way valve 4 can also be connected, so that the refrigerant circulation path in heating mode is: refrigerant outlet of compressor 2 - evaporator-condenser 11 - first and third valve ports of four-way valve 4 - evaporator 3 - air-cooled condenser 12 - second and fourth valve ports of four-way valve 4 - refrigerant inlet of compressor 2, thereby ensuring that the evaporator-condenser 11 still participates in the refrigerant circulation in heating mode.

[0108] When the heat pump unit is in cooling mode, it can take advantage of the fact that the heat dissipation of the two condensers accounts for different proportions of the total heat dissipation when the relative humidity of the air in the environment where the heat pump unit is located is different, and automatically adjust the state of each air valve to achieve automatic distribution of heat dissipation between the two condensers.

[0109] When 0 ≤ relative humidity < 20%, the heat exchange ratio of the evaporative condenser 11 is large, while the heat exchange ratio of the air-cooled condenser 12 is small. At this time, the second air inlet valve 30 and the second air outlet valve 40 can be controlled to be in the open state, and the first air inlet valve 10, the first air outlet valve 20 and the intermediate air valve 50 can be controlled to be in the closed state. The water pump 1111 of the spray device 111 is controlled to be in the running state. The external air enters the second sub-air duct 102 through the second air inlet valve 30. The air in the air duct 100 only passes through the evaporative condenser 11, and then is discharged to the outside of the air duct 100 through the second air outlet valve 40 to improve the cooling effect.

[0110] When the relative humidity is between 20% and 40%, the heat exchange of the evaporative condenser 11 accounts for a relatively large proportion. Furthermore, the dry-bulb temperature of the gas exiting the second sub-duct 102 where the evaporative condenser 11 is located is lower than the ambient temperature. If this gas is introduced into the first sub-duct 101 where the air-cooled condenser 12 is located, the heat exchange effect can be further improved. Based on this, in this situation, the second inlet air valve 30, the intermediate air valve 50, and the second outlet air valve 40 can all be controlled to be open, while the first inlet air valve 10 and the second outlet air valve 40 can be controlled to be closed. The water pump 1111 is also controlled to be running. External gas enters the second sub-duct 102 through the second inlet air valve 30, first participating in the heat exchange of the evaporative condenser 11, then enters the first sub-duct 101 through the intermediate air valve 50 to participate in the heat exchange of the air-cooled condenser 12, and finally exits to the outside of the duct 100 through the first outlet air valve 20, ensuring the heat exchange efficiency in this situation.

[0111] When the relative humidity is between 40% and 60%, the heat exchange capacity of the evaporative condenser 11 is comparable to that of the air-cooled condenser 12. At this time, the first air inlet valve 10, the second air inlet valve 30, the first air outlet valve 20, and the second air outlet valve 40 can all be controlled to be in the open state, while the intermediate air valve 50 is controlled to be in the closed state, and the water pump 1111 is controlled to be in the running state. Under these conditions, external gas enters the air duct 100 through the first air inlet valve 10 and the second air inlet valve 30, respectively. Among them, the gas passing through the first air inlet valve 10 enters the first sub-air duct 101 and is then discharged to the outside of the air duct 100 through the first air outlet valve 20. The gas passing through the second air inlet valve 30 enters the second sub-air duct 102 and is then discharged to the outside of the air duct 100 through the second air outlet valve 40, so as to ensure the heat exchange efficiency under these conditions.

[0112] When the relative humidity is between 60% and 80%, the heat exchange capacity of the air-cooled condenser 12 is relatively large. Furthermore, after the gas exits the first sub-duct 101 where the air-cooled condenser 12 is located, its dry-bulb temperature rises, and the relative humidity is lower than the ambient humidity. If this gas is introduced into the second sub-duct 102 where the evaporative condenser 11 is located, its heat exchange efficiency can be improved. Based on this, in this situation, the first inlet air valve 10, the intermediate air valve 50, and the second outlet air valve 40 can all be controlled to be open, while the second inlet air valve 30 and the first outlet air valve 20 can be controlled to be closed. The water pump 1111 is also controlled to be running. The external gas first passes through the first sub-duct 101 where the air-cooled condenser 12 is located, then enters the second sub-duct 102 where the evaporative condenser 11 is located through the intermediate air valve 50, and finally exits to the outside of the duct 100 through the second outlet air valve 40, thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency.

[0113] When the relative humidity is 80% or less, the heat exchange ratio of the air-cooled condenser 12 is large, while the heat exchange ratio of the evaporative condenser 11 is small. At this time, the first air inlet valve 10 and the first air outlet valve 20 can be controlled to be in the open state, and the second air inlet valve 30, the second air outlet valve 40 and the intermediate air valve 50 can be controlled to be in the closed state. The water pump 1111 can be controlled to be in the closed state. The external gas can be discharged to the outside of the air duct 100 after passing through the first sub-air duct 101 where the air-cooled condenser 12 is located, so as to ensure the heat exchange efficiency at this time.

[0114] In addition, in this embodiment, when the heat pump unit is in cooling mode, after determining the status of each of the aforementioned air valves, the operating frequency of the fan 14 can be adjusted according to the condensing temperature of the heat pump unit to achieve optimal overall energy efficiency. The condenser temperature refers to the refrigerant saturation temperature corresponding to the refrigerant pressure at the refrigerant outlet of the compressor 2.

[0115] Among them, it is determined whether the condensation temperature is equal to the target condensation temperature, where the target condensation temperature = wet-bulb temperature + 15. Wet-bulb temperature refers to the ambient wet-bulb temperature at the air inlet, and unit load refers to the load on the heat pump unit.

[0116] If the condensing temperature of the heat pump unit equals the target condensing temperature, it indicates that the heat exchange efficiency of the composite condenser 1 meets the demand, and the operating frequency of the fan 14 can be kept constant. If the condensing temperature of the heat pump unit does not equal the target condenser temperature, it is determined whether the condensing temperature is greater than the target condensing temperature. If the condensing temperature of the heat pump unit is greater than the target condensing temperature, it indicates that the heat exchange of the composite condenser 1 is insufficient, and the operating frequency of the fan 14 can be increased (frequency increase) to ensure that the heat exchange efficiency of the composite condenser 1 meets the demand; if the condensing temperature of the heat pump unit is less than the target condensing temperature, it indicates that the heat exchange capacity of the composite condenser 1 is too high, and the operating frequency of the fan 14 can be reduced (frequency decrease) to reduce energy consumption.

[0117] It should be noted that due to errors caused by temperature detection or software control, the "condensing temperature of the heat pump unit is equal to the target condensing temperature" in this embodiment can be approximately equal. For example, as long as the difference between the condensing temperature of the heat pump unit and the target condensing temperature is within a certain range (e.g., 3°C), it is considered that the two are equal.

[0118] In this embodiment, the operating frequency of compressor 2 can be adjusted based on the outlet water temperature deviation to achieve capacity matching. It is determined whether the outlet water temperature of evaporator 3 is equal to the target outlet water temperature (set by the user). If the outlet water temperature of evaporator 3 is equal to the target outlet water temperature, the operating frequency of compressor 2 is kept constant. If the outlet water temperature of evaporator 3 is not equal to the target outlet water temperature, it is determined whether the outlet water temperature of evaporator 3 is greater than the target outlet water temperature. If the outlet water temperature of evaporator 3 is greater than the target outlet water temperature, it indicates insufficient cooling capacity, and the operating frequency of compressor 2 can be increased (frequency increase). If the outlet water temperature of evaporator 3 is less than the target outlet water temperature, it indicates excessive cooling capacity, and the operating frequency of compressor 2 is decreased (frequency decrease) to reduce energy consumption.

[0119] In addition, in this embodiment, when the heat pump unit is in heating mode, the states of the first intake air valve 10, the second intake air valve 30, the first outlet air valve 20, and the intermediate air valve 50 can be controlled based on the evaporation temperature of the heat pump unit. It should be noted that the evaporation temperature of the heat pump unit is the refrigerant saturation temperature corresponding to the refrigerant pressure at the refrigerant inlet of the compressor 2.

[0120] When the heat pump unit is in heating mode and the evaporation temperature of the heat pump unit is less than the evaporation cold start threshold, the first air inlet valve 10 and the second air outlet valve 40 can be controlled to be closed, and the second air inlet valve 30, the first air outlet valve 20 and the intermediate air valve 50 can be controlled to be open, so that the airflow outside the air duct 100 first enters the second sub-air duct 102, then enters the first sub-air duct 101, and finally exits to the outside of the air duct 100.

[0121] In heating mode, the evaporative condenser 11 is the heat dissipation side. If the ambient gas first passes through the second sub-duct 102 corresponding to the evaporative condenser 11, the evaporative condenser 11 can raise the temperature of the gas passing through the second sub-duct 102. The heated gas then enters the first sub-duct 101 corresponding to the air-cooled condenser 12 through the intermediate air valve 50. The heated gas can raise the heat exchange ambient temperature of the air-cooled condenser 12, promoting more complete heat absorption by the refrigerant flowing through the air-cooled condenser 12, thereby increasing the refrigerant pressure at the refrigerant inlet of the compressor 2. Since the evaporation temperature is directly related to this pressure (the saturation temperature, i.e., the evaporation temperature, rises with increasing pressure), it can effectively avoid the triggering of low-pressure protection due to excessively low evaporation temperature, ensuring the continuous and stable operation of the heat pump unit. Moreover, after the heated gas enters the first sub-air duct 101, it can directly act on the surface of the air-cooled condenser 12 that may be frosted. Combined with the increase in evaporation temperature, it can not only prevent the formation of new frost, but also accelerate the melting of existing frost layers, ensuring the stability of the heat absorption capacity of the refrigerant in the heating mode, reducing the performance fluctuations of the heat pump unit caused by heat exchange deterioration, and better ensuring the stability and reliability of the heat pump unit's heating.

[0122] When the heat pump unit is in heating mode and the evaporation temperature of the heat pump unit is greater than or equal to the evaporation cooling threshold, the second air inlet valve 30, the second air outlet valve 40, and the intermediate air valve 50 can be controlled to be closed, and the first air inlet valve 10 and the first air outlet valve 20 can be controlled to be open. At this time, the outside air directly enters the first sub-duct 101 and is discharged after passing through the first sub-duct 101. This can avoid the increase in resistance and path extension that the air may cause by detouring through the second sub-duct 102, reduce the extra energy consumption of the fan 14, improve the ventilation efficiency of the duct 100, and ensure that the air-cooled condenser 12 can exchange heat efficiently under suitable airflow conditions.

[0123] In this embodiment, if it is determined that the evaporative condenser 11 needs to be turned on in heating mode (i.e., if the evaporation temperature of the heat pump unit is less than the evaporative condenser activation threshold), it is necessary to further determine whether the water pump 1111 should be turned on. In this embodiment, the ambient temperature of the environment where the heat pump unit is located can be detected first using a temperature detection device, and then the difference between the ambient temperature and the spray activation threshold can be determined. When the ambient temperature is less than or equal to the spray activation threshold, the spray device 111 can be controlled to be in a closed state. At this time, the water pump 1111 can also be controlled to be in a closed state to avoid dangers such as pipe freezing or damage to the water pump 1111. When the ambient temperature is greater than the spray activation threshold, the spray device can be controlled to be in an operating state, i.e., the water pump 1111 can be controlled to be in a turned-on state to enhance the heat exchange effect of the evaporative condenser 11.

[0124] After determining whether the evaporative condenser 11 needs to be turned on, the operating frequency of the fan 14 can be controlled according to the evaporation temperature of the heat pump unit so that the airflow in the duct 100 is more compatible with the heating demand.

[0125] If the evaporation temperature of the heat pump unit is higher than the target evaporation temperature (e.g., a user-set temperature value), it indicates that the heating capacity of the heat pump unit has exceeded the demand. In this case, the operating frequency of the fan 14 can be reduced (frequency reduction) to avoid overheating and resource waste. If the evaporation temperature of the heat pump unit is lower than the target evaporation temperature, it indicates that the heating capacity of the heat pump unit has not met the demand. In this case, the operating frequency of the fan 14 can be increased (frequency increase) to better meet the demand. If the evaporation temperature of the heat pump unit is equal to the target evaporation temperature, it indicates that the heating capacity of the heat pump unit is comparable to the demand. In this case, the operating frequency of the fan 14 can be kept constant to maintain the current heating efficiency.

[0126] It should be noted that in this embodiment, "the evaporation temperature of the heat pump unit is equal to the target evaporation temperature" can be approximately equal. For example, as long as the difference between the evaporation temperature of the heat pump unit and the target evaporation temperature is within a certain range (e.g., 3°C), it means that the two are equal.

[0127] After controlling the operating frequency of fan 14, the operating frequency of compressor 2 can also be controlled based on the outlet water temperature of evaporator 3. Specifically, if the outlet water temperature of evaporator 3 is higher than the target outlet water temperature, it indicates that the heating capacity of the heat pump unit exceeds the demand, and the operating frequency of compressor 2 can be reduced (frequency reduction) to avoid resource waste and reduce energy consumption. If the outlet water temperature of evaporator 3 is lower than the target outlet water temperature, it indicates that the heating capacity of the heat pump unit is insufficient and cannot meet the demand, and the operating frequency of compressor 2 can be increased (frequency increase) to improve the heating efficiency of the heat pump unit and better meet user needs. If the outlet water temperature of evaporator 3 is equal to the target outlet water temperature, it indicates that the heating capacity of the heat pump unit is comparable to the demand, and the operating frequency of compressor 2 can be kept constant.

[0128] It should be noted that the target outlet water temperature can be a temperature value set by the user according to their needs; the specific setting can be based on those needs. The target outlet water temperature in heating mode can be the same as or different from the target outlet water temperature in cooling mode; there is no limitation on this. In addition, due to errors caused by temperature detection or software control, the statement "the outlet water temperature of evaporator 3 is equal to the target outlet water temperature" in this embodiment can be approximately equal.

[0129] In this embodiment, the evaporative condenser 11 and the air-cooled condenser 12 are integrated into the same housing 13, sharing a fan 14 and forming an independent sub-air duct 100 through a partition plate. This reduces the space occupied by the equipment and the number of fans 14, and allows for on-demand switching of airflow paths through precise air valve control. In cooling mode, the heat exchange ratio of the two is automatically allocated according to the relative humidity of the environment (e.g., evaporative cooling is prioritized in low humidity and air cooling is prioritized in high humidity), maximizing the utilization of air heat exchange potential. In heating mode, the airflow path design, which first heats the air through the evaporative condenser before entering the air-cooled condenser, improves heat exchange efficiency in low-temperature environments, better achieving a balance between energy consumption and efficiency.

[0130] In addition, in this embodiment, the state of the air valve is controlled according to humidity zones during cooling, and the airflow path is switched according to the evaporation temperature during heating. Furthermore, the spray device 111 only opens when the ambient temperature is above a threshold to prevent freezing, which better ensures stable operation of the unit under various operating conditions and improves the user experience. Moreover, in the refrigerant flow path design, in heating mode, the refrigerant first passes through the evaporator-condenser 11 before entering the four-way valve 4, shortening the suction pipe length, reducing pressure drop loss, and directly improving the suction efficiency and heating performance of the compressor 2. Simultaneously, the frequency of the fan 14 is adjusted by the condensing temperature, and the frequency of the compressor 2 is adjusted by the outlet water temperature, ensuring precise matching between the core equipment output and load demand (e.g., increasing the frequency to enhance heat exchange when the condensing temperature is too high, and reducing the frequency to save energy when there is excess cooling capacity), thus reducing energy consumption while ensuring heating / cooling effects.

[0131] Those skilled in the art will further recognize that the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, computer software, or a combination of both. To clearly illustrate the interchangeability of hardware and software, the components and steps of the various examples have been generally described in terms of functionality in the foregoing description. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0132] It should be noted that the terms "one implementation," "embodiment," "exemplary embodiment," and "some embodiments" used in the specification indicate that the described embodiment may include a specific feature, structure, or characteristic, but not every embodiment necessarily includes that specific feature, structure, or characteristic. Furthermore, such phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Moreover, when a specific feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, implementing such a feature, structure, or characteristic in conjunction with other embodiments, whether explicitly described or not, is within the knowledge scope of those skilled in the art.

[0133] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used merely to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or air conditioning apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or air conditioning apparatus. Unless otherwise specified, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or air conditioning apparatus that includes said element.

[0134] The above embodiments are merely preferred embodiments provided to fully illustrate this application, and the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Equivalent substitutions or modifications made by those skilled in the art based on this application are all within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A control method, characterized in that, The control method is applied to a heat pump unit, which includes an evaporative condenser, an air-cooled condenser, an evaporator, a compressor, and a four-way valve. The refrigerant outlet of the compressor is connected to the first refrigerant port of the evaporative condenser, the second refrigerant port of the evaporative condenser is connected to the first valve port of the four-way valve, the second valve port of the four-way valve is connected to the first refrigerant port of the air-cooled condenser, the second refrigerant port of the air-cooled condenser is connected to the first refrigerant port of the evaporator, the second refrigerant port of the evaporator is connected to the third valve port of the four-way valve, and the fourth valve port of the four-way valve is connected to the refrigerant inlet of the compressor. The heat pump unit includes an air duct, which includes a first sub-air duct and a second sub-air duct. The first sub-air duct includes a first air inlet valve and a first air outlet valve, and the second sub-air duct includes a second air inlet valve. The first sub-air duct is used to provide airflow to the air-cooled condenser, and the second sub-air duct is used to provide airflow to the evaporative condenser. The first sub-air duct and the second sub-air duct are connected through an intermediate air valve. The control method includes: When the heat pump unit is in heating mode, the first and third valve ports of the four-way valve are connected, and the second and fourth valve ports of the four-way valve are also connected. When the heat pump unit is in heating mode and the evaporation temperature of the heat pump unit is less than the evaporation cooling threshold, the first intake air valve is controlled to be closed, and the second intake air valve, the first outlet air valve, and the intermediate air valve are controlled to be open; wherein, the evaporation temperature of the heat pump unit is the refrigerant saturation temperature corresponding to the refrigerant pressure at the refrigerant inlet of the compressor.

2. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control method includes: When the heat pump unit is in heating mode and the evaporation temperature of the heat pump unit is greater than or equal to the evaporation cold start threshold, the second air inlet valve and the intermediate air valve are controlled to be closed, and the first air inlet valve and the first air outlet valve are controlled to be open.

3. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The evaporative condenser includes a spray device, and the control method includes: When the heat pump unit is in heating mode and the evaporation temperature of the heat pump unit is less than the evaporation cold start threshold, if the ambient temperature of the environment where the heat pump unit is located is greater than the spray start threshold, the spray device is controlled to be in operation.

4. The control method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The control method includes: If the evaporation temperature of the heat pump unit is less than the evaporation cold start threshold, and the ambient temperature of the environment where the heat pump unit is located is less than or equal to the spray start threshold, then the spray device is controlled to be in the closed state.

5. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control method includes: When the heat pump unit is in heating mode, if the evaporation temperature of the heat pump unit is greater than the target evaporation temperature, the operating frequency of the heat pump unit's fan is reduced.

6. The control method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The control method includes: When the heat pump unit is in heating mode, if the evaporation temperature of the heat pump unit is lower than the target evaporation temperature, the operating frequency of the fan is increased.

7. The control method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The control method includes: When the heat pump unit is in heating mode, if the evaporation temperature of the heat pump unit is equal to the target evaporation temperature, the operating frequency of the fan is controlled to remain unchanged.

8. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control method includes: When the heat pump unit is in heating mode, if the outlet water temperature of the evaporator is higher than the target outlet water temperature, the operating frequency of the compressor is reduced.

9. The control method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The control method includes: When the heat pump unit is in heating mode, if the outlet water temperature of the evaporator is lower than the target outlet water temperature, the operating frequency of the compressor is increased.

10. The control method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The control method includes: When the heat pump unit is in heating mode, if the outlet water temperature of the evaporator is equal to the target outlet water temperature, the operating frequency of the compressor is controlled to remain unchanged.

11. The control method according to any one of claims 1-10, characterized in that, The second sub-duct includes a second outlet air valve, and the control method includes: When the heat pump unit is in cooling mode, the first and second valve ports of the four-way valve are connected, and the third and fourth valve ports of the four-way valve are also connected. The states of the first intake air valve, the second intake air valve, the first outlet air valve, the second outlet air valve, and the intermediate air valve are controlled according to the relative humidity of the environment in which the heat pump unit is located. The condensing temperature of the heat pump unit is the refrigerant saturation temperature corresponding to the refrigerant pressure at the refrigerant outlet of the compressor.

12. The control method according to claim 11, characterized in that, The control method includes: When the heat pump unit is in heating mode, the second air outlet valve is controlled to be closed.

13. A heat pump unit, characterized in that, The heat pump unit is used to implement the control method as described in any one of claims 1-12. The heat pump unit includes an evaporative condenser, an air-cooled condenser, an evaporator, a compressor, and a four-way valve. The refrigerant outlet of the compressor is connected to the first refrigerant port of the evaporative condenser. The second refrigerant port of the evaporative condenser is connected to the first valve port of the four-way valve. The second valve port of the four-way valve is connected to the first refrigerant port of the air-cooled condenser. The second refrigerant port of the air-cooled condenser is connected to the first refrigerant port of the evaporator. The second refrigerant port of the evaporator is connected to the third valve port of the four-way valve. The fourth valve port of the four-way valve is connected to the refrigerant inlet of the compressor. The heat pump unit includes an air duct, which includes a first sub-air duct and a second sub-air duct. The first sub-air duct includes a first air inlet valve and a first air outlet valve, and the second sub-air duct includes a second air inlet valve. The first sub-air duct is used to provide airflow to the air-cooled condenser, and the second sub-air duct is used to provide airflow to the evaporative condenser. The first sub-air duct and the second sub-air duct are connected through an intermediate air valve.

14. The heat pump unit according to claim 13, characterized in that, The heat pump unit includes a composite condenser, which includes a housing, a fan, an evaporative condenser, and an air-cooled condenser. The housing forms the air duct, and the fan drives the flow of gas in the air duct. A partition plate is provided inside the housing to divide the air duct into a first sub-air duct and a second sub-air duct. The air-cooled condenser is located in the first sub-air duct, and the evaporative condenser is located in the second sub-air duct. An intermediate air valve is provided on the partition plate, and the first air inlet valve, the second air inlet valve, and the first air outlet valve are all provided on the housing.

15. The heat pump unit according to claim 14, characterized in that, The second sub-duct includes a second air outlet valve, which is disposed on the housing.

16. An air conditioner, characterized in that, The air conditioner includes a heat pump unit as described in any one of claims 13-15.

Images