Air conditioner and control method of exhaust superheat degree of air conditioner

Abstract

The application discloses an air conditioner and a control method for exhaust overheating degree of the air conditioner. The air conditioner comprises a stepping motor and a guide air deflection vane. The stepping motor is used for driving the guide air deflection vane to rotate to adjust an air outlet angle. A controller is used for obtaining the guide air deflection vane angle, determining a target air outlet area where the guide air deflection vane angle is located from a plurality of preset air outlet areas. Different air outlet areas correspond to different angle ranges of the guide air deflection vane, and different air outlet areas correspond to different target exhaust overheating degree adjustment rules. The target exhaust overheating degree corresponding to the guide air deflection vane angle is determined according to the target exhaust overheating degree adjustment rule corresponding to the target air outlet area. The actual exhaust overheating degree of the air conditioner is controlled according to the determined target exhaust overheating degree. The target exhaust overheating degree and the guide air deflection vane angle are linked and controlled, so that the operation energy efficiency of the air conditioner can be greatly improved, and the stability and reliability of the air conditioner operation are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of air conditioning technology, and in particular to an air conditioner and a method for controlling the superheat of the air conditioner's exhaust. Background Technology

[0002] In residential and light commercial air conditioning products, many companies in the industry use exhaust superheat to control the operation of air conditioning units. When a variable frequency air conditioning unit is running, it first determines the operating frequency of the unit based on conditions such as indoor and outdoor temperatures, and then determines the exhaust superheat based on the outdoor temperature and operating frequency. The existing control logic is generally as follows: under the same conditions, the air conditioning unit sets only one target exhaust superheat (i.e., exhaust temperature - condensing temperature) regardless of the angle of the air guide vanes. When the unit is running, it will adjust according to the actual exhaust superheat to make the actual exhaust superheat approach the target exhaust superheat and stabilize it near the target exhaust superheat.

[0003] However, different guide vane angles at the same fan speed of the indoor fan have a significant impact on the air volume of the air conditioning unit. Furthermore, in heating mode, a smaller air volume at the same operating frequency leads to an increase in condensing temperature (i.e., the coil temperature of the indoor heat exchanger). At higher operating frequencies, the increase in condensing temperature caused by a very small guide vane angle may be more than ten degrees Celsius higher than the increase caused by a large guide vane angle. After the condensing temperature rises, since the guide vane angle remains constant regardless of its position, the target exhaust superheat also rises accordingly. In this case, the refrigerant flow through the electronic expansion valve needs to be reduced, i.e., the opening of the electronic expansion valve needs to be reduced. However, this reduction will cause a significant increase in the unit's operating power, while the output heating capacity remains unchanged or only increases slightly. This leads to a significant decrease in the operating efficiency of the air conditioning unit, and may even result in an excessively high target exhaust temperature, causing frequent frequency increases and decreases in the unit, resulting in unstable and unreliable operation. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide an air conditioner and a method for controlling the exhaust superheat of the air conditioner. By linking the target exhaust superheat with the angle of the air guide vanes, the target exhaust superheat can be adjusted according to different air guide vane angles, thereby significantly improving the operating energy efficiency of the air conditioner and enhancing the stability and reliability of its operation.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, embodiments of the present invention provide an air conditioner, comprising:

[0006] The refrigerant circuit circulates the refrigerant in a loop consisting of a compressor, a condenser, an electronic expansion valve, and an evaporator. One of the condenser and the evaporator is an outdoor heat exchanger, and the other is an indoor heat exchanger.

[0007] A stepper motor and an air guide vane, wherein the stepper motor is used to drive the air guide vane to rotate in order to adjust the air outlet angle;

[0008] Controller, used for:

[0009] Obtain the angle of the air guide vanes;

[0010] The target air outlet area where the air guide vane angle is located is determined from several preset air outlet areas; wherein, different air outlet areas correspond to different angle ranges of the air guide vane, and different air outlet areas correspond to different target exhaust superheat adjustment rules;

[0011] Based on the target exhaust superheat adjustment rule corresponding to the target air outlet area, determine the target exhaust superheat corresponding to the guide vane angle;

[0012] The actual exhaust superheat of the air conditioner is controlled based on the determined target exhaust superheat.

[0013] Furthermore, the controller is also used for:

[0014] Based on the angle range limit of the air guide vanes and the air volume, the angle range limit is divided into several air outlet areas in advance, and a corresponding target exhaust superheat adjustment rule is set for each air outlet area; wherein, different air outlet areas correspond to different air volume sizes.

[0015] Furthermore, the target exhaust superheat adjustment rule is: DSH i =K i *DSH0; where DSH0 represents the preset initial value of the target exhaust superheat, K i DSH represents the adjustment coefficient corresponding to the i-th air outlet area among the plurality of air outlet areas. i K represents the adjusted target exhaust superheat corresponding to the i-th air outlet area. The larger the air volume corresponding to the i-th air outlet area, the higher K becomes. i The larger, 0 < K i ≤100%, where i is a positive integer.

[0016] Furthermore, the controller is also used for:

[0017] When the air guide vane is in automatic swing mode, a middle air outlet area is determined from the plurality of air outlet areas;

[0018] The target exhaust superheat corresponding to the automatic swing mode is determined according to the target exhaust superheat adjustment rule corresponding to the intermediate air outlet area.

[0019] The actual exhaust superheat of the air conditioner is controlled based on the determined target exhaust superheat.

[0020] Furthermore, the controller determines an intermediate air outlet area from the plurality of air outlet areas, specifically including:

[0021] Determine whether the total number of the aforementioned air outlet areas is odd or even.

[0022] If the number is odd, the air outlet area with the air volume in the middle position among the several air outlet areas is determined as the middle air outlet area;

[0023] If the number is even, the air outlet area with the air volume in the middle to larger position among the several air outlet areas is determined as the middle air outlet area.

[0024] To achieve the above objectives, embodiments of the present invention also provide a method for controlling the exhaust superheat of an air conditioner, comprising:

[0025] Obtain the angle of the air guide vanes of the air conditioner;

[0026] The target air outlet area where the air guide vane angle is located is determined from several preset air outlet areas; wherein, different air outlet areas correspond to different angle ranges of the air guide vane, and different air outlet areas correspond to different target exhaust superheat adjustment rules;

[0027] Based on the target exhaust superheat adjustment rule corresponding to the target air outlet area, determine the target exhaust superheat corresponding to the guide vane angle;

[0028] The actual exhaust superheat of the air conditioner is controlled based on the determined target exhaust superheat.

[0029] Furthermore, the method also includes:

[0030] Based on the angle range limit of the air guide vanes and the air volume, the angle range limit is divided into several air outlet areas in advance, and a corresponding target exhaust superheat adjustment rule is set for each air outlet area; wherein, different air outlet areas correspond to different air volume sizes.

[0031] Furthermore, the target exhaust superheat adjustment rule is: DSH i =K i *DSH0; where DSH0 represents the preset initial value of the target exhaust superheat, K i DSH represents the adjustment coefficient corresponding to the i-th air outlet area among the plurality of air outlet areas.i K represents the adjusted target exhaust superheat corresponding to the i-th air outlet area. The larger the air volume corresponding to the i-th air outlet area, the higher K becomes. i The larger, 0 < K i ≤100%, where i is a positive integer.

[0032] Furthermore, the method also includes:

[0033] When the air guide vane is in automatic swing mode, a middle air outlet area is determined from the plurality of air outlet areas;

[0034] The target exhaust superheat corresponding to the automatic swing mode is determined according to the target exhaust superheat adjustment rule corresponding to the intermediate air outlet area.

[0035] The actual exhaust superheat of the air conditioner is controlled based on the determined target exhaust superheat.

[0036] Furthermore, determining an intermediate air outlet area from the plurality of air outlet areas specifically includes:

[0037] Determine whether the total number of the aforementioned air outlet areas is odd or even.

[0038] If the number is odd, the air outlet area with the air volume in the middle position among the several air outlet areas is determined as the middle air outlet area;

[0039] If the number is even, the air outlet area with the air volume in the middle to larger position among the several air outlet areas is determined as the middle air outlet area.

[0040] Compared with the prior art, the present invention provides an air conditioner and a method for controlling the exhaust superheat of the air conditioner. The air conditioner includes: a refrigerant circuit, in which the refrigerant circulates in a circuit composed of a compressor, a condenser, an electronic expansion valve, and an evaporator, wherein one of the condenser and the evaporator is an outdoor heat exchanger and the other is an indoor heat exchanger; a stepper motor and a guide vane, wherein the stepper motor is used to drive the guide vane to rotate to adjust the air outlet angle; and a controller for: acquiring the angle of the guide vane; determining the target air outlet area where the guide vane angle is located from a number of preset air outlet areas, wherein different air outlet areas correspond to different angle ranges of the guide vane, and different air outlet areas correspond to different target exhaust superheat adjustment rules; determining the target exhaust superheat corresponding to the guide vane angle according to the target exhaust superheat adjustment rule corresponding to the target air outlet area; and controlling the actual exhaust superheat of the air conditioner according to the determined target exhaust superheat. This invention, through the linkage control of the target exhaust superheat and the angle of the air guide vanes, can adjust the target exhaust superheat according to different air guide vane angles, thereby significantly improving the operating energy efficiency of the air conditioner and enhancing its operational stability and reliability. Attached Figure Description

[0041] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the external structure of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0043] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating the operation of an air conditioner controller according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0044] Figure 4 This is a flowchart of the operation of an air conditioner controller according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0045] Figure 5 This is a front view of the minimum angle of the air guide vanes of an air conditioner provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0046] Figure 6 This is a side view of the minimum angle of the air guide vanes of an air conditioner provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0047] Figure 7 This is a front view of the maximum angle of the air guide vanes of an air conditioner provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0048] Figure 8 This is a side view of the maximum angle of the air guide vanes of an air conditioner provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0049] Figure 9This is a flowchart of the operation of an air conditioner controller according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0050] Figure 10 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling exhaust superheat of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0051] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0052] See Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, where, Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the external structure of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention; as shown. Figure 1 As shown, the external structure of the air conditioner includes an indoor unit 100 and an outdoor unit 200. The indoor unit 100 is used to regulate the temperature and humidity of the indoor air. The outdoor unit 200 is connected to the indoor unit 100 through a connecting pipe. The indoor unit 100 is generally installed indoors, and the outdoor unit 200 is generally installed outdoors.

[0053] like Figure 2 As shown, the indoor unit 100 of the air conditioner mainly includes an indoor heat exchanger, an indoor fan, and an indoor blower. The indoor heat exchanger achieves a cooling effect by utilizing the latent heat of refrigerant evaporation to exchange heat with the indoor air. The indoor fan is driven by the indoor blower and can generate airflow through the indoor heat exchanger to promote heat exchange between the refrigerant flowing in the heat transfer tube and the indoor air. The outdoor unit 200 of the air conditioner mainly includes a compressor, a four-way valve, an outdoor heat exchanger, an electronic expansion valve, an outdoor fan, and an outdoor blower. The compressor compresses low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant gas into high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant gas. The four-way valve controls the flow direction of the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit, allowing the outdoor and indoor heat exchangers to switch between condenser and evaporator functions. The outdoor heat exchanger facilitates heat exchange between the internally flowing refrigerant and the outdoor air. The electronic expansion valve controls the flow rate of the refrigerant. The outdoor fan, driven by the outdoor blower, generates airflow through the outdoor heat exchanger, promoting heat exchange between the refrigerant flowing in the heat transfer tubes and the outdoor air.

[0054] Combination Figure 2As shown, in this embodiment of the invention, the air conditioner further includes a refrigerant circuit, which allows the refrigerant to circulate in a circuit consisting of a compressor, a condenser, an electronic expansion valve, and an evaporator. One of the condenser and the evaporator is an outdoor heat exchanger, and the other is an indoor heat exchanger.

[0055] In this embodiment of the invention, the indoor unit 100 of the air conditioner (e.g., wall-mounted unit, ceiling-mounted unit, etc.) further includes a stepper motor and a guide vane, wherein the stepper motor is used to drive the guide vane to rotate to adjust the air outlet angle.

[0056] In this embodiment of the invention, the air conditioner further includes a controller, which can control the stepper motor to drive the air guide vanes to rotate, thereby adjusting the angle of the air guide vanes and thus adjusting the air outlet angle.

[0057] It is understood that the controller is used to control the operation of various components in the air conditioner, so that the various components of the air conditioner can operate to realize the various functions of the air conditioner, and to use the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of the present invention to control the air conditioner accordingly, so as to solve the technical problems to be solved in the embodiments of the present invention and achieve the technical effects that the embodiments of the present invention can achieve.

[0058] As one optional embodiment, the controller is used for:

[0059] Obtain the angle of the air guide vanes;

[0060] The target air outlet area where the air guide vane angle is located is determined from several preset air outlet areas; wherein, different air outlet areas correspond to different angle ranges of the air guide vane, and different air outlet areas correspond to different target exhaust superheat adjustment rules;

[0061] Based on the target exhaust superheat adjustment rule corresponding to the target air outlet area, determine the target exhaust superheat corresponding to the guide vane angle;

[0062] The actual exhaust superheat of the air conditioner is controlled based on the determined target exhaust superheat.

[0063] Combination Figure 3 The diagram shown is a flowchart of the operation of an air conditioner controller according to an embodiment of the present invention. In a specific implementation of this embodiment, the controller's operation is as follows: In heating mode, the current angle of the air guide vanes is first obtained (…). Figure 3 Step S11 shown); Next, determine the air outlet area where the current air guide vane angle is located among several preset air outlet areas, and take the determined air outlet area as the target air outlet area. Figure 3Step S12 shown); then, according to the target exhaust superheat adjustment rule corresponding to the determined target air outlet area, determine the target exhaust superheat corresponding to the current guide vane angle (that is, the target exhaust superheat adjusted based on the target exhaust superheat adjustment rule corresponding to the target air outlet area). Figure 3 Step S13 is shown); finally, the actual exhaust superheat of the air conditioner compressor is controlled according to the target exhaust superheat corresponding to the determined current guide vane angle. Figure 3 Step S14) is shown to make the actual exhaust superheat of the compressor reach the target exhaust superheat corresponding to the current guide vane angle.

[0064] The air outlet area is divided based on the angle range limit of the air guide vanes. Different air outlet areas correspond to different angle ranges of the air guide vanes. By comparing the current air guide vane angle with the angle range of the air guide vanes corresponding to each air outlet area, it can be determined which air outlet area the current air guide vane angle falls within, thus determining the target air outlet area where the current air guide vane angle is located. Different air outlet areas are set with different target exhaust superheat adjustment rules. According to the target exhaust superheat adjustment rules, the adjusted target exhaust superheat can be obtained accordingly.

[0065] It should be noted that the angle of the air guide vanes is mainly generated by the stepper motor driving the air guide vanes to rotate. The real-time angle of the stepper motor is recorded in the relevant program of the indoor unit, and the angle of the air guide vanes can be obtained by using the angle of the stepper motor.

[0066] Understandably, since the angle of the air guide vane corresponds to the angle of the stepper motor, the embodiments of the present invention can also divide different air outlet areas based on the angle range limit of the stepper motor. Similarly, different air outlet areas correspond to different angle ranges of the stepper motor. By comparing the current stepper motor angle with the angle range of the stepper motor corresponding to each air outlet area, it can be known which air outlet area the current air guide vane angle is in.

[0067] An air conditioner provided in this invention includes: a refrigerant circuit, in which refrigerant circulates within a circuit consisting of a compressor, a condenser, an electronic expansion valve, and an evaporator, wherein one of the condenser and the evaporator is an outdoor heat exchanger and the other is an indoor heat exchanger; a stepper motor and a guide vane, the stepper motor driving the guide vane to rotate to adjust the air outlet angle; and a controller for: acquiring the guide vane angle; determining a target air outlet area from a preset number of air outlet areas, wherein different air outlet areas correspond to different angle ranges of the guide vane, and different air outlet areas correspond to different target exhaust superheat adjustment rules; determining the target exhaust superheat corresponding to the guide vane angle according to the target exhaust superheat adjustment rule corresponding to the target air outlet area; and controlling the actual exhaust superheat of the air conditioner according to the determined target exhaust superheat. This invention, through the linkage control of the target exhaust superheat and the angle of the air guide vanes, can adjust the target exhaust superheat according to different air guide vane angles, thereby significantly improving the operating energy efficiency of the air conditioner, saving users a lot of electricity when using the air conditioner, and improving the stability and reliability of the air conditioner's operation.

[0068] For example, based on existing control logic: In heating mode, when the angle of the air guide vanes decreases, causing the condensing temperature to rise by 15°C, the target exhaust superheat remains unchanged, resulting in a 15°C increase in the target exhaust temperature. In this case, the flow rate through the electronic expansion valve needs to be reduced, i.e., the opening of the electronic expansion valve needs to be reduced. However, as described in the background art, this will lead to a significant reduction in the energy efficiency of the air conditioning unit, and may even result in the target exhaust temperature of the unit being too high, causing frequent frequency increases and decreases, and instability and unreliability in operation. The embodiments of the present invention, by linking the target exhaust superheat with the air guide vanes, adjust the target exhaust superheat accordingly after the angle of the air guide vanes decreases, which can reduce the relatively ideal exhaust superheat of the air conditioning unit by approximately 15°C, thereby keeping the target exhaust temperature unchanged and improving the energy efficiency, stability, and reliability of the air conditioning unit.

[0069] As one optional embodiment, the controller is further configured to:

[0070] Based on the angle range limit of the air guide vanes and the air volume, the angle range limit is divided into several air outlet areas in advance, and a corresponding target exhaust superheat adjustment rule is set for each air outlet area; wherein, different air outlet areas correspond to different air volume sizes.

[0071] Combination Figure 4The diagram shown is a flowchart of the controller for an air conditioner according to another embodiment of the present invention. Based on the above embodiment, in specific implementation, the controller pre-divides the entire angle range limit of the air guide vanes into several air outlet zones according to the angle range limit of the air guide vanes and the air volume corresponding to different air guide vane angles, and sets a corresponding target exhaust superheat adjustment rule for each air outlet zone. Figure 4 Step S10 is shown; where different air outlet areas correspond to different air outlet volumes; after that, the process can be executed. Figure 4 Steps S11 to S14 show the control of the actual exhaust superheat of the air conditioner (the specific working process of the controller is as described in the above embodiment, and will not be repeated here).

[0072] It should be noted that when actually dividing different air outlet areas, the angle range limit of the air guide vanes can be combined with the air volume to divide them into groups of x° (x>0), so that different air outlet areas correspond to different angle ranges of the air guide vanes and different air volume sizes. The total number of air outlet areas (at least two) can be set according to actual needs, and this embodiment of the invention does not impose specific limitations.

[0073] For example, suppose the angle range of the guide vanes is limited to between 0° and 70° due to structural limitations, i.e., the angle range is limited to [0°, 70°]. See [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, Figure 5 This is a front view of the minimum angle of the air guide vanes of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6 This is a side view of the minimum angle of the air guide vanes of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. The air guide vanes are perpendicular to the ground, and at this time, the angle of the air guide vanes is at its minimum angle (i.e., 0°); see also Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, Figure 7 This is a front view of the maximum angle of the air guide vanes of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 8 This is a side view of the maximum angle of the air guide vanes of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 8 As a reference, the air guide vane is rotated 70° counterclockwise, at which point the air guide vane angle is at its maximum (i.e., 70°).

[0074] Furthermore, assuming that within the angle range limit [0°, 70°], the guide vane angle corresponding to the maximum airflow is 37°, and the airflow decreases towards both sides, and the range is divided into groups of 15°, then [0°, 70°] can be divided into three angle ranges: [30°, 45°], [15°, 29°] and [46°, 60°], and [0°, 14°] and [61°, 70°], corresponding to three airflow ranges. The air outlet areas are categorized as follows: [30°, 45°] corresponds to a large air volume outlet area, which can be called a high-volume outlet area; [15°, 29°] and [46°, 60°] correspond to medium air volume outlet areas, which can be called medium-volume outlet areas; and [0°, 14°] and [61°, 70°] correspond to small air volume outlet areas, which can be called low-volume outlet areas.

[0075] Alternatively, assuming that within the angle range limit [0°, 70°], the guide vane angle corresponding to the maximum airflow is 37°, and the airflow decreases towards both sides, and the range is divided into groups of 10°, then [0°, 70°] can be divided into 5 angle ranges: [33°, 42°], [23°, 32°] and [43°, 52°], [13°, 22°] and [53°, 62°], [3°, 12°] and [63°, 70°], and [0°, 2°]. These correspond to 5 airflow zones. The air outlet area corresponding to [33°, 42°] is called Zone I; the air outlet areas corresponding to [23°, 32°] and [43°, 52°] are called Zone II; the air outlet areas corresponding to [13°, 22°] and [53°, 62°] are called Zone III; the air outlet areas corresponding to [3°, 12°] and [63°, 70°] are called Zone IV; and the air outlet area corresponding to [0°, 2°] is called Zone V. It can be understood that the air outlet volume of each air outlet area is related as follows: Zone I > Zone II > Zone III > Zone IV > Zone V.

[0076] As one optional embodiment, the target exhaust superheat adjustment rule is: DSH i =K i *DSH0; where DSH0 represents the preset initial value of the target exhaust superheat, K i DSH represents the adjustment coefficient corresponding to the i-th air outlet area among the plurality of air outlet areas. i K represents the adjusted target exhaust superheat corresponding to the i-th air outlet area. The larger the air volume corresponding to the i-th air outlet area, the higher K becomes. i The larger, 0 < K i ≤100%, where i is a positive integer.

[0077] Specifically, in conjunction with the above embodiments, the principle of the target exhaust superheat adjustment rule corresponding to each air outlet area is similar. Taking the i-th air outlet area among several air outlet areas as an example, the target exhaust superheat adjustment rule corresponding to the i-th air outlet area is specifically as follows: DSH i =K i *DSH0; where DSH0 represents the pre-set initial value of the target exhaust superheat (a fixed value), K i DSH represents the adjustment coefficient corresponding to the i-th air outlet area among several air outlet areas. i K represents the adjusted target exhaust superheat corresponding to the i-th air outlet zone, and the larger the air volume corresponding to the i-th air outlet zone, the higher K becomes. i The larger, 0 < K i ≤100%, where i is a positive integer.

[0078] It should be noted that K i The value can be set according to actual needs, and the embodiments of the present invention do not impose specific limitations.

[0079] For example, suppose the angle [0°, 70°] is divided into three sets of angles: [30°, 45°], [15°, 29°] and [46°, 60°], and [0°, 14°] and [61°, 70°]. These correspond to three air outlet zones. The air outlet zone corresponding to [30°, 45°] is the high-volume air outlet zone, the air outlet zones corresponding to [15°, 29°] and [46°, 60°] are the medium-volume air outlet zones, and the air outlet zones corresponding to [0°, 14°] and [61°, 70°] are the low-volume air outlet zones. The air outlet areas corresponding to 61° and 70° are small air volume outlet areas. The specific adjustment rules for the target exhaust superheat corresponding to the large air volume outlet area are: DSH1 = K1 * DSH0, the specific adjustment rules for the target exhaust superheat corresponding to the medium air volume outlet area are: DSH2 = K2 * DSH0, and the specific adjustment rules for the target exhaust superheat corresponding to the small air volume outlet area are: DSH3 = K3 * DSH0, where 100% ≥ K1 > K2 > K3 > 0.

[0080] Preferably, since different air outlet structures and fan motor speeds of different air conditioning units are different, the following settings can be made: K1 = 100%, 70% < K2 ≤ 90%, 50% < K3 ≤ 70%.

[0081] For example, suppose the angle [0°, 70°] is divided into five groups: [33°, 42°], [23°, 32°] and [43°, 52°], [13°, 22°] and [53°, 62°], [3°, 12°] and [63°, 70°], and [0°, 2°]. These groups correspond to five air outlet zones. The air outlet zone corresponding to [33°, 42°] is called Zone I; the air outlet zones corresponding to [23°, 32°] and [43°, 52°] are called Zone II; the air outlet zones corresponding to [13°, 22°] and [53°, 62°] are called Zone III; the air outlet zones corresponding to [3°, 12°] and [63°, 70°] are called Zone IV; and the air outlet zones corresponding to [0°, 2°] are called Zone VI. The air outlet area corresponding to [I] is called Zone V, and the air outlet volume of each air outlet area is related as follows: Zone I > Zone II > Zone III > Zone IV > Zone V. Then, the target exhaust superheat adjustment rule for Zone I is: DSH1 = K1 * DSH0, the target exhaust superheat adjustment rule for Zone II is: DSH2 = K2 * DSH0, the target exhaust superheat adjustment rule for Zone III is: DSH3 = K3 * DSH0, the target exhaust superheat adjustment rule for Zone IV is: DSH4 = K4 * DSH0, and the target exhaust superheat adjustment rule for Zone V is: DSH5 = K5 * DSH0, where 100% ≥ K1 > K2 > K3 > K4 > K5 > 0.

[0082] As one optional embodiment, the controller is further configured to:

[0083] When the air guide vane is in automatic swing mode, a middle air outlet area is determined from the plurality of air outlet areas;

[0084] The target exhaust superheat corresponding to the automatic swing mode is determined according to the target exhaust superheat adjustment rule corresponding to the intermediate air outlet area.

[0085] The actual exhaust superheat of the air conditioner is controlled based on the determined target exhaust superheat.

[0086] Combination Figure 9 The diagram shown is a flowchart of the operation of an air conditioner controller according to another embodiment of the present invention. Based on the above embodiments, in specific implementation of this embodiment, the controller executes... Figure 9 Before steps S11 to S14, it can be determined whether the air guide vane is currently in automatic swing mode. Figure 9(See step S20) If the air guide vane is not currently in automatic swing mode, steps S11 to S14 can be executed accordingly to control the actual exhaust superheat of the air conditioner (the specific working process of the controller is as described in the above embodiment, and will not be repeated here); if the air guide vane is currently in automatic swing mode, an air outlet area with a suitable air volume can be determined from several air outlet areas as the intermediate air outlet area. Figure 9 As shown in step S21), the target exhaust superheat corresponding to the automatic swing mode is determined according to the target exhaust superheat adjustment rule corresponding to the determined intermediate air outlet area (that is, the target exhaust superheat adjusted based on the target exhaust superheat adjustment rule corresponding to the intermediate air outlet area). Figure 9 After step S22 (as shown), the actual exhaust superheat of the air conditioner compressor can be controlled according to the target exhaust superheat corresponding to the determined automatic swing mode. Figure 9 Step S14) is shown to make the actual exhaust superheat of the compressor reach the target exhaust superheat corresponding to the current guide vane angle.

[0087] It should be noted that the automatic swing mode specifically refers to the "automatic up-and-down swing mode of the air guide vanes". In the automatic swing mode, the air guide vanes are constantly swinging back and forth up and down. When the air guide vanes are set to the "automatic up-and-down swing mode of the air guide vanes" via the air conditioner remote control, the indoor unit receiver will receive the setting signal and record it in the program. Based on the recorded content in the program, it can be determined whether the air guide vanes are in the automatic swing mode.

[0088] It should be noted that when the air guide vanes are in automatic swing mode, the average air volume of most air conditioning units is within the air volume range corresponding to the medium air volume air volume air volume area. Therefore, an air volume area with a moderate air volume can be selected as the intermediate air volume area from several air volume areas, and the target exhaust superheat can be adjusted based on the target exhaust superheat adjustment rules corresponding to the intermediate air volume area.

[0089] As one optional embodiment, the controller determines an intermediate air outlet area from the plurality of air outlet areas, specifically including:

[0090] Determine whether the total number of the aforementioned air outlet areas is odd or even.

[0091] If the number is odd, the air outlet area with the air volume in the middle position among the several air outlet areas is determined as the middle air outlet area;

[0092] If the number is even, the air outlet area with the air volume in the middle to larger position among the several air outlet areas is determined as the middle air outlet area.

[0093] Specifically, in conjunction with the above embodiments, when the controller determines the intermediate air outlet area with a suitable air volume from several air outlet areas, it can first determine whether the total number of air outlet areas is odd or even. If the total number of air outlet areas is odd, the air outlet areas can be arranged in descending (or ascending) order of air volume, and the air outlet area in the middle position (i.e., the air volume is in the middle position) can be determined as the intermediate air outlet area. If the total number of air outlet areas is even, the air outlet areas can be arranged in descending (or ascending) order of air volume, and the air outlet area with the larger air volume among the two air outlet areas in the middle position can be determined as the intermediate air outlet area.

[0094] For example, suppose the [0°, 70°] is divided into three angle ranges: [30°, 45°], [15°, 29°] and [46°, 60°], and [0°, 14°] and [61°, 70°], corresponding to three air outlet areas. The air outlet area corresponding to [30°, 45°] is the high-volume air outlet area, the air outlet areas corresponding to [15°, 29°] and [46°, 60°] are the medium-volume air outlet areas, and the air outlet areas corresponding to [0°, 14°] and [61°, 70°] are the low-volume air outlet areas. Then, when the air guide vanes are in automatic swing mode, the medium-volume air outlet area can be determined as the middle air outlet area.

[0095] For example, suppose the [0°, 70°] angle is divided into five groups: [33°, 42°], [23°, 32°] and [43°, 52°], [13°, 22°] and [53°, 62°], [3°, 12°] and [63°, 70°], and [0°, 2°]. These groups correspond to five air outlet zones. The air outlet zone corresponding to [33°, 42°] is called Zone I, and the air outlet zones corresponding to [23°, 32°] and [43°, 52°] are called Zone II. The corresponding air outlet area is called Zone II, the air outlet areas corresponding to [13°, 22°] and [53°, 62°] are called Zone III, the air outlet areas corresponding to [3°, 12°] and [63°, 70°] are called Zone IV, and the air outlet area corresponding to [0°, 2°] is called Zone V. The air volume of each air outlet area is related as follows: Zone I > Zone II > Zone III > Zone IV > Zone V. Therefore, when the air guide vanes are in automatic swing mode, Zone III can be determined as the middle air outlet area.

[0096] For example, suppose the angle range limit of the air guide vane is divided into 4 air outlet areas, and these 4 air outlet areas are arranged in descending order of air volume, with the corresponding order being Zone I > Zone II > Zone III > Zone IV. Then, when the air guide vane is in automatic swing mode, Zone II can be determined as the middle air outlet area.

[0097] For example, assuming the air conditioning unit operates at a compressor frequency of 80Hz under certain conditions, and the initial target exhaust superheat value is DSH0 = 30℃, further assuming the guide vane angle is limited to between 0° and 70° due to structural limitations, the range [0°, 70°] is divided into three angle ranges: [30°, 45°], [15°, 29°] and [46°, 60°], and [0°, 14°] and [61°, 70°]. These correspond to three air outlet zones, where the air outlet zone corresponding to [30°, 45°] is the high-volume air outlet zone. The air outlet areas corresponding to [15°, 29°] and [46°, 60°] are medium airflow outlet areas, and the air outlet areas corresponding to [0°, 14°] and [61°, 70°] are low airflow outlet areas. The target exhaust superheat adjustment rules are set as follows: DSH1 = 100% * DSH0 for the high airflow outlet area, DSH2 = 80% * DSH0 for the medium airflow outlet area, and DSH3 = 60% * DSH0 for the low airflow outlet area. Therefore:

[0098] When the guide vane angle is within the range of [30°, 45°], the target exhaust superheat of the unit during operation is: DSH1 = 100% * DSH0 = 100% * 30℃ = 30℃;

[0099] When the guide vane angle is within the range of [15°, 29°] or [46°, 60°], the target exhaust superheat of the unit during operation is: DSH2 = 80% * DSH0 = 80% * 30℃ = 24℃;

[0100] When the guide vane angle is within the range of [0°, 14°] or [61°, 70°], the target exhaust superheat of the unit during operation is: DSH3 = 60% * DSH0 = 60% * 30℃ = 18℃;

[0101] When the air guide vanes are in automatic swing mode, the target exhaust superheat of the unit during operation is: DSH2 = 80% * DSH0 = 80% * 30℃ = 24℃.

[0102] This invention also provides a method for controlling the exhaust superheat of an air conditioner, applicable to the air conditioner described in any of the above embodiments. See [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 10 The diagram shown is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling exhaust superheat in an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. The method is executed by the controller and includes steps S101 to S104:

[0103] Step S101: Obtain the angle of the air guide vanes of the air conditioner;

[0104] Step S102: Determine the target air outlet area where the angle of the air guide vane is located from a number of preset air outlet areas; wherein, different air outlet areas correspond to different angle ranges of the air guide vane, and different air outlet areas correspond to different target exhaust superheat adjustment rules.

[0105] Step S103: Determine the target exhaust superheat corresponding to the guide vane angle according to the target exhaust superheat adjustment rule corresponding to the target air outlet area;

[0106] Step S104: Control the actual exhaust superheat of the air conditioner according to the determined target exhaust superheat.

[0107] In some embodiments, the method further includes:

[0108] Based on the angle range limit of the air guide vanes and the air volume, the angle range limit is divided into several air outlet areas in advance, and a corresponding target exhaust superheat adjustment rule is set for each air outlet area; wherein, different air outlet areas correspond to different air volume sizes.

[0109] In some embodiments, the target exhaust superheat adjustment rule is: DSH i =K i *DSH0; where DSH0 represents the preset initial value of the target exhaust superheat, K i DSH represents the adjustment coefficient corresponding to the i-th air outlet area among the plurality of air outlet areas. i K represents the adjusted target exhaust superheat corresponding to the i-th air outlet area. The larger the air volume corresponding to the i-th air outlet area, the higher K becomes. i The larger, 0 < K i ≤100%, where i is a positive integer.

[0110] In some embodiments, the method further includes:

[0111] When the air guide vane is in automatic swing mode, a middle air outlet area is determined from the plurality of air outlet areas;

[0112] The target exhaust superheat corresponding to the automatic swing mode is determined according to the target exhaust superheat adjustment rule corresponding to the intermediate air outlet area.

[0113] The actual exhaust superheat of the air conditioner is controlled based on the determined target exhaust superheat.

[0114] In some embodiments, determining an intermediate air outlet area from the plurality of air outlet areas specifically includes:

[0115] Determine whether the total number of the aforementioned air outlet areas is odd or even.

[0116] If the number is odd, the air outlet area with the air volume in the middle position among the several air outlet areas is determined as the middle air outlet area;

[0117] If the number is even, the air outlet area with the air volume in the middle to larger position among the several air outlet areas is determined as the middle air outlet area.

[0118] It should be noted that the method for controlling the exhaust superheat of an air conditioner provided in this embodiment of the invention can realize all the working processes of the air conditioner described in any of the above embodiments. The specific implementation schemes and technical effects of the method are the same as those of the specific implementation schemes and technical effects of the air conditioner described in the above embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0119] In summary, the air conditioner and its exhaust superheat control method provided by this invention include a controller comprising: a refrigerant circuit, wherein the refrigerant circulates in a circuit consisting of a compressor, a condenser, an electronic expansion valve, and an evaporator, wherein one of the condenser and the evaporator is an outdoor heat exchanger and the other is an indoor heat exchanger; a stepper motor and a guide vane, wherein the stepper motor drives the guide vane to rotate to adjust the air outlet angle; and a controller configured to: acquire the guide vane angle; determine the target air outlet area where the guide vane angle is located from a number of preset air outlet areas, wherein different air outlet areas correspond to different angle ranges of the guide vane, and different air outlet areas correspond to different target exhaust superheat adjustment rules; determine the target exhaust superheat corresponding to the guide vane angle according to the target exhaust superheat adjustment rules corresponding to the target air outlet area; and control the actual exhaust superheat of the air conditioner according to the determined target exhaust superheat. This invention, through the linkage control of the target exhaust superheat and the angle of the air guide vanes, can adjust the target exhaust superheat according to different air guide vane angles, thereby significantly improving the operating energy efficiency of the air conditioner, saving users a lot of electricity when using the air conditioner, and improving the stability and reliability of the air conditioner's operation.

[0120] The above description is only some embodiments of the present invention. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the technical principles of the present invention, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. An air conditioner, characterized in that, include: The refrigerant circuit circulates the refrigerant in a loop consisting of a compressor, a condenser, an electronic expansion valve, and an evaporator. One of the condenser and the evaporator is an outdoor heat exchanger, and the other is an indoor heat exchanger. A stepper motor and an air guide vane, wherein the stepper motor is used to drive the air guide vane to rotate in order to adjust the air outlet angle, and the air guide vane is the air guide vane of the indoor unit; Controller, used for: Obtain the angle of the air guide vanes; The target air outlet area where the air guide vane angle is located is determined from several preset air outlet areas; wherein, different air outlet areas correspond to different angle ranges of the air guide vane, and different air outlet areas correspond to different target exhaust superheat adjustment rules; Based on the target exhaust superheat adjustment rule corresponding to the target air outlet area, determine the target exhaust superheat corresponding to the guide vane angle; The actual exhaust superheat of the air conditioner is controlled based on the determined target exhaust superheat.

2. The air conditioner as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The controller is also used for: Based on the angle range limit of the air guide vanes and the air volume, the angle range limit is divided into several air outlet areas in advance, and a corresponding target exhaust superheat adjustment rule is set for each air outlet area; wherein, different air outlet areas correspond to different air volume sizes.

3. The air conditioner as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The target exhaust superheat adjustment rule is: DSH i =K i DSH0; where DSH0 represents the preset initial value of the target exhaust superheat, K i DSH represents the adjustment coefficient corresponding to the i-th air outlet area among the plurality of air outlet areas. i K represents the adjusted target exhaust superheat corresponding to the i-th air outlet area. The larger the air volume corresponding to the i-th air outlet area, the higher K becomes. i The larger, 0 < K i ≤100%, where i is a positive integer.

4. The air conditioner as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The controller is also used for: When the air guide vane is in automatic swing mode, a middle air outlet area is determined from the plurality of air outlet areas; The target exhaust superheat corresponding to the automatic swing mode is determined according to the target exhaust superheat adjustment rule corresponding to the intermediate air outlet area. The actual exhaust superheat of the air conditioner is controlled based on the determined target exhaust superheat.

5. The air conditioner as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The controller determines an intermediate air outlet area from the plurality of air outlet areas, specifically including: Determine whether the total number of the aforementioned air outlet areas is odd or even. If the number is odd, the air outlet area with the air volume in the middle position among the several air outlet areas is determined as the middle air outlet area; If the number is even, the air outlet area with the air volume in the middle to larger position among the several air outlet areas is determined as the middle air outlet area.

6. A method for controlling exhaust superheat in an air conditioner, characterized in that, include: Obtain the angle of the air guide vanes of the indoor unit of the air conditioner; The target air outlet area where the air guide vane angle is located is determined from several preset air outlet areas; wherein, different air outlet areas correspond to different angle ranges of the air guide vane, and different air outlet areas correspond to different target exhaust superheat adjustment rules; Based on the target exhaust superheat adjustment rule corresponding to the target air outlet area, determine the target exhaust superheat corresponding to the guide vane angle; The actual exhaust superheat of the air conditioner is controlled based on the determined target exhaust superheat.

7. The method for controlling exhaust superheat of an air conditioner as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The method further includes: Based on the angle range limit of the air guide vanes and the air volume, the angle range limit is divided into several air outlet areas in advance, and a corresponding target exhaust superheat adjustment rule is set for each air outlet area; wherein, different air outlet areas correspond to different air volume sizes.

8. The method for controlling exhaust superheat of an air conditioner as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The target exhaust superheat adjustment rule is: DSH i =K i DSH0; where DSH0 represents the preset initial value of the target exhaust superheat, K i DSH represents the adjustment coefficient corresponding to the i-th air outlet area among the plurality of air outlet areas. i K represents the adjusted target exhaust superheat corresponding to the i-th air outlet area. The larger the air volume corresponding to the i-th air outlet area, the higher K becomes. i The larger, 0 < K i ≤100%, where i is a positive integer.

9. The method for controlling exhaust superheat of an air conditioner as described in any one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that, The method further includes: When the air guide vane is in automatic swing mode, a middle air outlet area is determined from the plurality of air outlet areas; The target exhaust superheat corresponding to the automatic swing mode is determined according to the target exhaust superheat adjustment rule corresponding to the intermediate air outlet area. The actual exhaust superheat of the air conditioner is controlled based on the determined target exhaust superheat.

10. The method for controlling exhaust superheat of an air conditioner as described in claim 9, characterized in that, The step of determining an intermediate air outlet area from the plurality of air outlet areas specifically includes: Determine whether the total number of the aforementioned air outlet areas is odd or even. If the number is odd, the air outlet area with the air volume in the middle position among the several air outlet areas is determined as the middle air outlet area; If the number is even, the air outlet area with the air volume in the middle to larger position among the several air outlet areas is determined as the middle air outlet area.

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