air conditioner

Abstract

This application discloses an air conditioner, which includes a refrigerant circulation loop, an indoor fan, an outdoor fan, an air guide plate, and a controller. Upon receiving a shutdown command for the air conditioner, the controller acquires the current coil temperature and current dew point temperature of the indoor heat exchanger. Based on the current coil temperature and current dew point temperature, the controller controls the indoor fan and air guide plate to operate according to a target odor removal mode, which may be a first mode, a second mode, or a third mode. The air conditioner disclosed in this application can fundamentally destroy the mold growth environment during the shutdown phase, preventing odors. When the air conditioner is turned on again, it can directly provide fresh air, thereby improving user comfort. Furthermore, it achieves more refined and efficient control of the odor removal function, improving the odor removal effect.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of air conditioning technology, and to, but is not limited to, an air conditioner. Background Technology

[0002] During long-term use of air conditioners, dust and microorganisms (such as bacteria and mold) easily accumulate on the surface of the evaporator. Especially in humid environments, the evaporator surface is more likely to become a source of odor (such as musty smell), thus producing an unpleasant odor. When the air conditioner is turned on, the odor produced will be blown into the room with the airflow, seriously reducing the user's comfort. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of this, the present application provides an air conditioner that can destroy the growth environment of mold at the source during the shutdown stage, avoid the generation of odors, and directly obtain fresh air when the air conditioner is turned on again, thereby improving user comfort. Moreover, it achieves more refined and efficient control of odor removal function, improving odor removal effect.

[0004] This application provides an air conditioner, including: The refrigerant circulation loop is used to circulate the refrigerant in a loop consisting of the compressor, outdoor heat exchanger, expansion valve, and indoor heat exchanger. An indoor fan is used to rotate and drive indoor air to flow through the indoor heat exchanger for heat exchange and then transfer it into the room; An outdoor fan is used to rotate and drive outdoor air to flow through the outdoor heat exchanger for heat exchange and then transmit it to the outside. An air guide plate is disposed at the air outlet of the air conditioner, and the air guide plate is used to adjust the air outlet direction; The controller is configured as follows: Upon receiving a shutdown command for the air conditioner, the current coil temperature and current dew point temperature of the indoor heat exchanger are obtained; Based on the current coil temperature and the current dew point temperature, control the indoor fan and the air guide plate to operate according to the target odor removal mode, which is a first mode, a second mode, or a third mode. In the first mode, the indoor fan operates at a first preset speed and the air guide plate operates at a first preset angle; in the second mode, the indoor fan operates at a second preset speed and the air guide plate operates at a second preset angle; and in the third mode, the indoor fan operates at a third preset speed and the air guide plate operates at a third preset angle. The first preset rotational speed, the second preset rotational speed, and the third preset rotational speed increase sequentially, as do the first preset angle, the second preset angle, and the third preset angle.

[0005] In the above technical solution, upon receiving a shutdown command, the controller controls the indoor fan and air guide vane to operate according to the target odor removal mode. Specifically, during the shutdown phase, the controller actively removes residual moisture from the surface of the indoor heat exchanger by controlling the directional airflow formed by the indoor fan and air guide vane, ensuring the surface of the indoor heat exchanger is in a relatively dry state. This fundamentally destroys the mold growth environment during shutdown, preventing odors. When the air conditioner is turned on again, it can directly provide fresh air, improving user comfort. Simultaneously, based on the current coil temperature and dew point temperature, the controller controls the indoor fan and air guide vane to operate at different preset speeds and angles in different modes, providing a more suitable target odor removal mode. This adaptive control method not only enriches the control modes of the odor removal function but also improves the flexibility of switching between different odor removal modes, achieving more refined and efficient control of the odor removal function, thereby improving the odor removal effect.

[0006] In some embodiments, the controller is configured to control the indoor fan and the air guide vane to operate according to a target odor removal mode based on the current coil temperature and the current dew point temperature, including: When the current coil temperature is lower than the current dew point temperature, and the difference between the current coil temperature and the current dew point temperature is greater than a preset difference, the indoor fan and the air guide plate are controlled to operate in the first mode.

[0007] In the above technical solution, if the current coil temperature is lower than the current dew point temperature, and the difference between the current coil temperature and the current dew point temperature is greater than the preset difference, it means that the current coil temperature is much lower than the current dew point temperature, i.e., the indoor heat exchanger is in a low-temperature condensation state. In this case, a lot of condensate is condensed on the surface of the indoor heat exchanger. The controller then controls the indoor fan and air guide plate to operate in the first mode, i.e., the indoor fan operates at a lower first preset speed, and the air guide plate operates at a smaller first preset angle. This can remove the condensate on the surface of the indoor heat exchanger while preventing the condensate from being blown into the room quickly and in large quantities, effectively balancing the odor removal effect and user comfort.

[0008] In some embodiments, the controller is configured to control the indoor fan and the air guide vane to operate according to a target odor removal mode based on the current coil temperature and the current dew point temperature, including: If the difference between the current coil temperature and the current dew point temperature is less than or equal to a preset difference, the indoor fan and the air guide plate are controlled to operate in the second mode.

[0009] In the above technical solution, if the difference between the current coil temperature and the current dew point temperature is less than or equal to a preset difference, it indicates that the current coil temperature is close to the current dew point temperature, meaning the indoor heat exchanger is in a critical condensation state. In this case, condensate forms on the surface of the indoor heat exchanger. The controller then controls the indoor fan and air guide to operate in the second mode, i.e., the indoor fan operates at a second preset speed greater than the first preset speed, and the air guide operates at a second preset angle greater than the first preset angle. Since the directional airflow formed by the indoor fan and air guide in the second mode is stronger than that in the first mode, the efficiency of discharging condensate from the surface of the indoor heat exchanger in the second mode is higher than that in the first mode. This improves the condensate discharge efficiency compared to the first mode, which can more effectively destroy the growth environment of mold and avoid the generation of odors.

[0010] In some embodiments, the controller is configured to control the indoor fan and the air guide vane to operate according to a target odor removal mode based on the current coil temperature and the current dew point temperature, including: When the current coil temperature is greater than the current dew point temperature, and the difference between the current coil temperature and the current dew point temperature is greater than a preset difference, the indoor fan and the air guide plate are controlled to operate in the third mode.

[0011] In the above technical solution, when the current coil temperature is greater than the current dew point temperature, and the difference between the current coil temperature and the current dew point temperature is greater than a preset difference, it indicates that the current coil temperature is much greater than the current dew point temperature, meaning that the indoor heat exchanger is in a high-temperature and dry state. In this case, there is no condensation on the surface of the indoor heat exchanger, and the controller controls the indoor fan and air guide plate to operate in the third mode. That is, the indoor fan operates at a third preset speed greater than the second preset speed, and the air guide plate operates at a third preset angle greater than the second preset angle. Since the directional airflow formed by the indoor fan and air guide plate in the third mode is stronger than that in the second mode, it can more efficiently remove the residual moisture on the surface of the indoor heat exchanger, thereby destroying the growth environment of mold and avoiding the generation of odors.

[0012] In some embodiments, the operating time of the indoor fan in the target odor removal mode is a target operating time, which is a preset operating time or the time difference between the time when the shutdown command for the air conditioner is received and the time when the indoor humidity is less than the preset indoor humidity.

[0013] In the above technical solution, the running time of the indoor fan can be a preset running time or the time difference between the time of receiving the shutdown command and the time when the indoor humidity is lower than the preset indoor humidity, thereby improving the flexibility of controlling the running time of the indoor fan. In addition, if the running time of the indoor fan is the time difference between the time of receiving the shutdown command and the time when the indoor humidity is lower than the preset indoor humidity, it means that when the indoor humidity is low, the controller will promptly control the indoor fan to stop running, reducing the energy consumption of the air conditioner.

[0014] In some embodiments, the controller is further configured to: When the indoor fan and the air guide plate are operating in the target odor removal mode, if the compressor is in a frequency reduction state, the opening of the expansion valve is adjusted according to the target odor removal mode, and the opening of the expansion valve after adjustment is less than the opening before receiving the shutdown command.

[0015] In the above technical solution, when the compressor is in a frequency reduction state, the controller can also control the opening of the expansion valve to reduce the flow of liquid refrigerant into the indoor heat exchanger according to the target odor removal mode. This can effectively prevent the coil temperature of the indoor heat exchanger from rising rapidly due to excessive refrigerant, and cause a certain amount of condensate to form on the surface of the indoor heat exchanger to adsorb odor molecules. Thus, when the target odor removal mode is executed, the odor molecules can also be discharged simultaneously, improving the odor removal effect.

[0016] In some embodiments, the controller is further configured to adjust the opening of the expansion valve according to the target odor removal mode, including: When the target odor removal mode is the first mode, the opening degree of the expansion valve is adjusted to a first preset opening degree; or, When the target odor removal mode is the second mode, the opening degree of the expansion valve is adjusted to the second preset opening degree; or, When the target odor removal mode is the third mode, the opening degree of the expansion valve is adjusted to the third preset opening degree; The first preset opening, the second preset opening, and the third preset opening increase sequentially.

[0017] In the above technical solution, the opening degree of the expansion valve varies depending on the target odor removal mode of the air conditioner. The first preset opening degree, the second preset opening degree, and the third preset opening degree increase sequentially, indicating that the less condensate water on the surface of the indoor heat exchanger, the higher the opening degree of the expansion valve. In other words, the drier the surface of the indoor heat exchanger, the higher the flow rate of liquid refrigerant flowing into the indoor heat exchanger compared to a relatively humid state. This allows the surface of the indoor heat exchanger to form a certain amount of condensate water to adsorb odor molecules even when it is dry, making the control of the expansion valve opening degree more flexible and adaptable to different odor removal modes, thereby improving the odor removal effect. At the same time, since the cooling intensity increases with the speed of the indoor fan, the controller can adjust the opening degree of the expansion valve to increase sequentially in different modes (first mode, second mode, and third mode) to adapt to the gradually increasing indoor fan speed in different modes, thereby balancing the cooling effect of the air conditioner.

[0018] In some embodiments, the controller is further configured to: Upon receiving a shutdown command for the air conditioner, the current operating frequency of the compressor is obtained; When the current operating frequency is greater than the preset operating frequency, the operating frequency of the compressor is controlled to be reduced according to a first preset time interval and a first preset frequency difference, so that the compressor is in a frequency reduction state; or, When the current operating frequency is less than or equal to the preset operating frequency, the operating frequency of the compressor is reduced according to the second preset time interval and the second preset frequency difference, so that the compressor is in a frequency reduction state. The first preset time interval is greater than the second preset time interval, and the first preset frequency difference is greater than the second preset frequency difference.

[0019] In the above technical solution, upon receiving a shutdown command for the air conditioner, the controller can also control the compressor's operating frequency to decrease in a stepwise manner based on a first preset time interval and a first preset frequency difference (or, a second preset time interval and a second preset frequency difference). Compared to directly shutting down the compressor and closing the refrigeration cycle, this avoids excessively rapid fluctuations in the indoor heat exchanger coil temperature, improving the stability and reliability of the air conditioner's operation. Furthermore, it can adaptively adopt different methods to stepwise reduce the frequency based on the compressor's current operating frequency, improving the flexibility and rationality of controlling the compressor's frequency reduction. Moreover, it can also avoid high-frequency operation of the compressor, reducing high-frequency noise interference from the compressor, extending the compressor's lifespan, and effectively reducing the air conditioner's power consumption.

[0020] In some embodiments, the controller is further configured to: When the target odor removal mode is the first mode, control the outdoor fan to run for a first preset remaining running time; or, When the target odor removal mode is the second mode, control the outdoor fan to run for the second preset remaining running time; or, When the target odor removal mode is the third mode, the outdoor fan is controlled to run for the third preset remaining running time; The first preset remaining runtime, the second preset remaining runtime, and the third preset remaining runtime increase sequentially.

[0021] In the above technical solution, the controller can also control the remaining running time of the outdoor fan according to the target odor removal mode. The first preset remaining running time, the second preset remaining running time, and the third preset remaining running time increase in sequence, indicating that as the speed of the indoor fan increases in sequence, the remaining running time of the outdoor fan also increases in sequence. This ensures that the outdoor heat exchanger can dissipate heat fully, effectively balances the heat exchange effect between the indoor and outdoor heat exchangers, improves the stability and reliability of the air conditioner operation, and helps to improve the odor removal effect.

[0022] In some embodiments, the air conditioner further includes: The first temperature sensor is used to detect the coil temperature of the indoor heat exchanger; The second temperature sensor is used to detect the indoor temperature; The controller is configured to acquire the current coil temperature and current dew point temperature of the indoor heat exchanger, including: The current coil temperature is obtained through the first temperature sensor, and the current indoor temperature is obtained through the second temperature sensor; The current dew point temperature is obtained based on the current indoor temperature and the target indoor humidity.

[0023] In the above technical solution, the controller obtains the current coil temperature of the indoor heat exchanger through the first temperature sensor, which improves the efficiency of obtaining the surface temperature of the indoor heat exchanger; the controller can also obtain the current dew point temperature based on the current indoor temperature and target indoor humidity obtained by the second temperature sensor, so as to quickly and accurately determine whether the indoor heat exchanger has the conditions to generate condensate, thereby improving the intelligence level of the air conditioner. Attached Figure Description

[0024] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0025] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an air conditioner disclosed in an embodiment of this application; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of another air conditioner disclosed in the embodiments of this application; Figure 3 This is a control flowchart of a controller disclosed in an embodiment of this application; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of an air guide plate angle disclosed in an embodiment of this application; Figure 5 This is a control flowchart of another controller disclosed in an embodiment of this application; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of another air conditioner disclosed in the embodiments of this application; Figure 7 This is a control flowchart for obtaining coil temperature and dew point temperature disclosed in an embodiment of this application; Figure 8 This is a control flowchart of another controller disclosed in an embodiment of this application; Figure 9 This is a control flowchart disclosed in an embodiment of the present application for controlling a compressor to be in a frequency reduction state; Figure 10 This is a control flowchart of another controller disclosed in the embodiments of this application; Figure 11 This is a general control flowchart of a controller disclosed in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0026] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this application clearer, the specific technical solutions of this application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of this application. The following embodiments are used to illustrate this application, but are not intended to limit the scope of this application.

[0027] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing embodiments of this application only and is not intended to limit this application.

[0028] In the following description, references are made to “some embodiments,” which describe a subset of all possible embodiments. However, it is understood that “some embodiments” may be the same subset or different subsets of all possible embodiments and may be combined with each other without conflict.

[0029] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," and "third" used in the embodiments of this application are used to distinguish similar or different objects and do not represent a specific order of objects. It is understood that "first," "second," and "third" can be interchanged in a specific order or sequence where permitted, so that the embodiments of this application described herein can be implemented in an order other than that illustrated or described herein. For example, without departing from the scope of this application, the first mode can be referred to as the second mode.

[0030] During prolonged use of air conditioners, dust and microorganisms (such as bacteria and mold) easily accumulate on the surface of the evaporator. When the air conditioner is turned off, the surface temperature of the evaporator gradually rises, causing the residual moisture on the evaporator surface to evaporate in the high-temperature environment. The resulting water vapor adheres to the evaporator surface, and in this enclosed and humid environment, the evaporator surface is more likely to become a source of odor (such as musty smell), thus producing an unpleasant odor. When the air conditioner is turned on, these odors are blown into the room with the airflow, severely reducing the user's comfort.

[0031] However, in practice, it has been found that the current mainstream solution for removing odors is to control the air conditioner compressor to run at the highest operating frequency during the start-up phase, so that the refrigerant flows into the evaporator quickly; at the same time, the indoor fan of the air conditioner is set to the lowest speed to slow down the rate at which the surface temperature of the evaporator rises, thereby controlling the evaporator temperature below the dew point temperature to form a condensate film, which is then used to physically adsorb odor molecules.

[0032] However, this method requires adjusting the indoor fan and compressor frequencies based on the calculated evaporator temperature to keep the evaporator temperature consistently below the dew point. This method relies on the accuracy of the humidity sensor; if the humidity sensor malfunctions, the data it detects will be inaccurate, leading to deviations in the calculated dew point temperature, resulting in over-dehumidification or odor residue. Therefore, this complex coordinated control increases the difficulty of odor removal and results in poor odor removal performance. Furthermore, this method heavily relies on high-frequency compressor operation, reducing the energy efficiency ratio. High-frequency compressor operation also generates significant noise, disturbing users' rest, and frequent high-frequency start-stop cycles accelerate compressor wear and reduce its lifespan. Therefore, existing odor removal methods suffer from drawbacks such as poor odor removal performance, high energy consumption, and poor comfort.

[0033] In view of this, this application provides an air conditioner including a refrigerant circulation loop, an indoor fan, an outdoor fan, an air guide plate, and a controller. Upon receiving a shutdown command for the air conditioner, the controller acquires the current coil temperature and current dew point temperature of the indoor heat exchanger. Based on the current coil temperature and current dew point temperature, the controller controls the indoor fan and air guide plate to operate according to a target odor removal mode, which may be a first mode, a second mode, or a third mode. The air conditioner provided in this application can fundamentally destroy the mold growth environment during the shutdown phase, preventing odors. When the air conditioner is turned on again, it can directly provide fresh air, thereby improving user comfort. Furthermore, it achieves more refined and efficient control of the odor removal function, improving the odor removal effect.

[0034] To make the purpose and technical solution of this application clearer and more intuitive, the air conditioner disclosed in this application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0035] Please see Figure 1 , Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an air conditioner disclosed in an embodiment of this application. Figure 1 The air conditioner 100 shown includes an indoor unit 110 and an outdoor unit 120. The indoor unit 110 is usually installed indoors, while the outdoor unit 120 is usually installed outdoors and is used for heat exchange between the indoor and outdoor environments. The indoor unit 110 and the outdoor unit 120 are connected by gas pipes and liquid pipes.

[0036] Optionally, the indoor unit 110 can take various forms, such as wall-mounted units for wall-mounted air conditioners or cabinet units for floor-standing air conditioners.

[0037] Optionally, the outdoor unit 120 can take many forms, such as the outdoor unit of a wall-mounted air conditioner or the outdoor unit of a cabinet air conditioner.

[0038] In some embodiments, the indoor unit 110 and the outdoor unit 120 are provided with a variety of components to realize a variety of functions of the air conditioner, such as cooling, heating, dehumidification, and odor removal.

[0039] Please see Figure 2 , Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of another air conditioner disclosed in an embodiment of this application. Figure 2 The indoor unit 110 of the air conditioner 100 shown includes an indoor heat exchanger 111, an indoor fan 112, and an air guide plate 113.

[0040] Indoor heat exchanger 121 is used for heat exchange with indoor air.

[0041] The indoor fan 112 is used to rotate to drive indoor air to flow through the indoor heat exchanger 111 for heat exchange and then transfer it into the room.

[0042] The air guide plate 113 is installed at the air outlet of the air conditioner 100 and is used to adjust the air outlet direction.

[0043] like Figure 2 The outdoor unit 120 of the air conditioner 100 shown includes an outdoor heat exchanger 121, a compressor 122, an expansion valve 123, and an outdoor fan 124.

[0044] Outdoor heat exchanger 121 is used for heat exchange with outdoor air.

[0045] The compressor 122 is used to compress the refrigerant from a low-pressure state to a high-pressure state and drive the refrigerant to circulate in the refrigerant circulation loop 131.

[0046] Expansion valve 123 is used to regulate the flow rate of refrigerant in refrigerant circulation loop 131.

[0047] Outdoor fan 124 is used to rotate to drive outdoor air to flow through outdoor heat exchanger 121 for heat exchange and then transfer it to the outside. The refrigerant circulation loop 131 is used to circulate the refrigerant in the circulation loop composed of the indoor heat exchanger 111, the outdoor heat exchanger 121, the compressor 122 and the expansion valve 123, so as to realize the cooling and heating functions of the air conditioner 100.

[0048] In one implementation, such as Figure 2 As shown, when the outdoor heat exchanger 121 of the air conditioner 100 cools the indoor environment, the outdoor heat exchanger 121 works as a condenser, releasing heat; the indoor heat exchanger 111 works as an evaporator, absorbing heat. The refrigerant is compressed by the compressor 122 into a high-temperature, high-pressure gas; it flows into the outdoor heat exchanger 121 to release heat and condense into a liquid (or gas, or a gas-liquid mixture); then it flows into the indoor heat exchanger 111 to absorb heat and evaporate into a gas; finally, it flows back into the compressor 122, completing a complete refrigerant circulation loop 131, thereby achieving indoor cooling.

[0049] like Figure 2 The air conditioner 100 shown also includes a controller 132, which is the control center of the air conditioner 100 and connects the various components of the air conditioner through various interfaces and lines.

[0050] Optionally, the controller 132 may include one or more processing units; the controller 132 may integrate an application processor and a modem processor, wherein the application processor mainly handles the operating system, user interface, and applications, and the modem processor mainly handles wireless communication. It is understood that the modem processor may also not be integrated into the controller 132.

[0051] It should be noted that, Figures 1 to 2 The components of the air conditioner 100 illustrated herein do not constitute a specific limitation on the air conditioner 100. The air conditioner 100 may include more or fewer components than illustrated, or combine some components, or split some components, or have different component arrangements. The illustrated components may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of software and hardware. That is, the air conditioner disclosed in the embodiments of this application may also include… Figures 1 to 2 Other components not shown.

[0052] Figures 1 to 2 The schematic diagram of the air conditioner 100 shown provides a convenient understanding of the internal structure of the air conditioner disclosed in this application embodiment, as well as the functions of each component constituting the air conditioner. Based on this, the air conditioner disclosed in this application embodiment can operate an odor removal function during shutdown. The odor removal function proposed in this application embodiment can be controlled and implemented by the controller 132. For ease of description, the descriptions of the various components of the air conditioner below will not include... Figures 1 to 2 The labels of the components shown are exemplary; for example, controller 132 is described by the controller.

[0053] Please see Figure 3 , Figure 3 This is a control flowchart of a controller disclosed in an embodiment of this application. Figure 3 The control flow diagram shown includes the following steps: Step 310: Upon receiving a shutdown command for the air conditioner, the controller obtains the current coil temperature and current dew point temperature of the indoor heat exchanger.

[0054] In some implementations, the shutdown command for the air conditioner can be triggered by the user. In response to the operation of triggering the shutdown of the air conditioner, a shutdown command is generated and sent to the controller so that the controller receives the shutdown command for the air conditioner. For example, the user can generate the shutdown command for the air conditioner by clicking the shutdown button set on the touch panel or remote control of the air conditioner.

[0055] In some implementations, the shutdown command for the air conditioner can also be generated based on a preset timed shutdown time. When the air conditioner's running time reaches the preset timed shutdown time, a timed shutdown signal is generated and sent to the controller so that the controller receives the shutdown command for the air conditioner. For example, if the preset timed shutdown time is 1 hour of cooling, the shutdown command for the air conditioner is generated after the air conditioner's running time in cooling mode reaches 1 hour.

[0056] It should be noted that any of the above methods can be used to generate the shutdown command for the air conditioner, and this application does not limit this method.

[0057] When the controller receives a shutdown command for the air conditioner, the surface temperature of the indoor heat exchanger gradually rises. To prevent the surface temperature of the indoor heat exchanger from rising rapidly and causing the condensate to evaporate, which can release odors during evaporation and thus create an unpleasant smell in the indoor airflow, reducing user comfort, this embodiment of the application shifts the odor removal process from the traditional start-up phase to the shutdown phase, thereby preventing the air conditioner from producing odors the next time it is turned on.

[0058] In this embodiment, during the air conditioner's shutdown phase, i.e., when the controller receives a shutdown command for the air conditioner, it activates the odor removal function and operates according to the target odor removal mode. Because the surface temperature of the indoor heat exchanger gradually increases during the shutdown phase, and different physical phenomena occur on the indoor heat exchanger surface depending on the relative magnitudes of the surface temperature and dew point temperature.

[0059] For example, if the surface temperature Te of the indoor heat exchanger is much lower than the dew point temperature Td, the indoor heat exchanger is in a low-temperature condensation state, and a large amount of condensate will condense on its surface. When the surface temperature Te of the indoor heat exchanger is close to the dew point temperature Td, the indoor heat exchanger is in a critical condensation state, and less condensate will condense on its surface compared to the previous case. When the surface temperature Te of the indoor heat exchanger is much higher than the current dew point temperature Td, the indoor heat exchanger is in a high-temperature dry state, and no condensate will condense on its surface.

[0060] The condensate content on the surface of the indoor heat exchanger varies in the different physical phenomena mentioned above. Different condensate contents require different foreign matter removal modes. In order to remove odors more effectively, the controller can determine the target odor removal mode based on the surface temperature and dew point temperature of the indoor heat exchanger.

[0061] In this embodiment, when the controller receives a shutdown command for the air conditioner, the surface temperature of the indoor heat exchanger can be obtained by acquiring the current coil temperature of the indoor heat exchanger, and the dew point temperature can be obtained by acquiring the current dew point temperature of the indoor heat exchanger. It should be noted that the dew point temperature refers to the critical temperature at which air, under constant air pressure and moisture content, is cooled to the point where water vapor reaches saturation and begins to condense into liquid water. The dew point temperature can be used to measure the absolute humidity of the air; a higher dew point temperature indicates a higher water vapor content.

[0062] Step 320: The controller controls the indoor fan and air guide plate to operate according to the target odor removal mode based on the current coil temperature and the current dew point temperature. The target odor removal mode is the first mode, the second mode, or the third mode.

[0063] In this embodiment, the odor removal function of the air conditioner includes multiple odor removal modes consisting of a first mode, a second mode, and a third mode. The controller can determine the target odor removal mode based on the current coil temperature and the current dew point temperature of the indoor heat exchanger, and control the indoor fan and air guide plate to operate according to the target odor removal mode. It should be noted that the first mode, the second mode, and the third mode are merely examples of this application and are not intended to limit the scope. Those skilled in the art can design multiple odor removal modes according to actual needs to achieve more refined odor removal control.

[0064] In this embodiment of the application, during the process of controlling the indoor fan and the air guide plate to operate according to the target odor removal mode, the controller controls the indoor fan to operate at a target speed and controls the air guide plate to operate at a target angle, wherein the target speed is less than the speed before receiving the shutdown command and the target angle is less than the angle before receiving the shutdown command.

[0065] Optionally, the target angle is used to indicate the angle between the upward direction of the air guide vane and the vertical direction of the ground. For example, see [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 4 , Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of an air guide plate angle disclosed in an embodiment of this application, as shown below. Figure 4 The angle α between the upward direction A of the air guide plate 113 shown and the vertical direction B of the ground is the target angle of the air guide plate.

[0066] It is understandable that the controller controls the indoor fan to run at low speed and simultaneously adjusts the air guide plate to the upward air delivery angle, using the directional airflow formed by the indoor fan and the air guide plate to actively disperse odor molecules on the surface of the indoor heat exchanger.

[0067] The following section further describes the implementation method of the controller determining the target odor removal mode based on the current coil temperature and the current dew point temperature.

[0068] In this embodiment, in the first mode, the indoor fan operates at a first preset speed and the air guide plate operates at a first preset angle. It can be understood that during the process of the controller controlling the indoor fan and air guide plate to operate in the first mode, the target speed of the indoor fan is the first preset speed, and the target angle of the air guide plate is the first preset angle.

[0069] In this embodiment, in the second mode, the indoor fan operates at a second preset speed and the air guide plate operates at a second preset angle. It can be understood that during the process of the controller controlling the indoor fan and air guide plate to operate in the second mode, the target speed of the indoor fan is the second preset speed, and the target angle of the air guide plate is the second preset angle.

[0070] In this embodiment, in the third mode, the indoor fan operates at a third preset speed and the air guide plate operates at a third preset angle. It can be understood that during the process of the controller controlling the indoor fan and air guide plate to operate in the third mode, the target speed of the indoor fan is the third preset speed, and the target angle of the air guide plate is the third preset angle.

[0071] The first preset rotational speed, the second preset rotational speed, and the third preset rotational speed increase sequentially, as do the first preset angle, the second preset angle, and the third preset angle. For example, the first preset rotational speed can be 800 rpm (rpm is the number of rotations per minute), the second preset rotational speed can be 1000 rpm, and the third preset rotational speed can be 1200 rpm; the first preset angle can be 45°, the second preset angle can be 60°, and the third preset angle can be 75°.

[0072] In other words, in the first mode, the indoor fan operates at a lower preset speed, and the air guide plate operates at a smaller preset angle, guiding the hot and humid airflow vertically upwards. This removes condensate from the surface of the indoor heat exchanger while preventing a large amount of condensate from being blown into the room quickly. In the second mode, the directional airflow formed by the indoor fan and air guide plate is stronger than in the first mode. This means that the efficiency of removing condensate from the surface of the indoor heat exchanger is higher in the second mode than in the first mode, thus improving the condensate removal efficiency compared to the first mode. In the third mode, the indoor fan operates at a higher preset speed than the second preset speed, and the air guide plate operates at a higher preset angle than the second preset angle. This means that the directional airflow formed by the indoor fan and air guide plate is stronger than in the second mode, generating high-speed airflow to achieve forced convection. This allows for more efficient removal of residual moisture from the surface of the indoor heat exchanger and more quickly destroys the environment for mold growth compared to the second mode.

[0073] In some implementations, the controller controls the air guide vane to operate within a target angle range and a target operating cycle, where the target angle range is smaller than the angle range before receiving the shutdown command. For example, the air guide vane performs periodic oscillating sweeping within a target angle range (e.g., 45° to 75°), with a target operating cycle of 8 seconds per cycle.

[0074] In some implementations, after the controller has finished controlling the indoor fan and air deflector to operate according to the target odor removal mode, the controller responds to the shutdown command and controls the air conditioner to shut down.

[0075] As can be seen, by implementing the above embodiments, when the controller receives a shutdown command, it controls the indoor fan and air guide to operate according to the target odor removal mode. That is, during the shutdown phase, the controller actively removes residual moisture from the surface of the indoor heat exchanger by controlling the directional airflow formed by the indoor fan and air guide, so that the surface of the indoor heat exchanger is in a relatively dry state. This destroys the mold growth environment at the source during the shutdown phase, preventing the generation of odors. When the air conditioner is turned on again, it can directly obtain fresh air, improving user comfort. At the same time, based on the current coil temperature and the current dew point temperature, the controller controls the indoor fan and air guide to operate at different preset speeds and preset angles in different modes, providing a more suitable target odor removal mode. This adaptive control method not only enriches the control modes of the odor removal function, but also improves the flexibility of switching between different odor removal modes, realizing more refined and efficient control of the odor removal function, thereby improving the odor removal effect.

[0076] In some embodiments, the controller controls the indoor fan and air guide vane to operate according to a target odor removal mode based on the current coil temperature and the current dew point temperature. This includes: when the current coil temperature is lower than the current dew point temperature, and the difference between the current coil temperature and the current dew point temperature is greater than a preset difference, the controller controls the indoor fan and air guide vane to operate in a first mode. It can be understood that when the current coil temperature is lower than the current dew point temperature, and the difference between the current coil temperature and the current dew point temperature is greater than a preset difference, it indicates that the current coil temperature is much lower than the current dew point temperature, meaning the indoor heat exchanger is in a low-temperature condensation state. In this case, a large amount of condensate is condensed on the surface of the indoor heat exchanger. The controller then controls the indoor fan and air guide vane to operate in the first mode, that is, the indoor fan operates at a lower first preset speed, and the air guide vane operates at a smaller first preset angle. This removes the condensate from the surface of the indoor heat exchanger while preventing a large amount of condensate from being rapidly blown into the room, effectively balancing the odor removal effect and user comfort.

[0077] In some embodiments, the controller controls the indoor fan and air guide vane to operate according to a target odor removal mode based on the current coil temperature and the current dew point temperature. This includes: when the difference between the current coil temperature and the current dew point temperature is less than or equal to a preset difference, the controller controls the indoor fan and air guide vane to operate in a second mode. It is understood that when the difference between the current coil temperature and the current dew point temperature is less than or equal to the preset difference, it indicates that the current coil temperature is close to the current dew point temperature, meaning the indoor heat exchanger is in a critical condensation state. In this case, condensate forms on the surface of the indoor heat exchanger. The controller then controls the indoor fan and air guide vane to operate in the second mode, i.e., the indoor fan operates at a second preset speed greater than the first preset speed, and the air guide vane operates at a second preset angle greater than the first preset angle. Since the directional airflow formed by the indoor fan and air guide vane in the second mode is stronger than in the first mode, the efficiency of discharging condensate from the surface of the indoor heat exchanger is higher in the second mode than in the first mode. This improves the condensate discharge efficiency compared to the first mode, more effectively destroying the mold growth environment and preventing odors.

[0078] In some embodiments, the controller controls the indoor fan and air guide vane to operate according to a target odor removal mode based on the current coil temperature and the current dew point temperature. This includes: when the current coil temperature is greater than the current dew point temperature, and the difference between the current coil temperature and the current dew point temperature is greater than a preset difference, the controller controls the indoor fan and air guide vane to operate in a third mode. It can be understood that when the current coil temperature is greater than the current dew point temperature, and the difference between the current coil temperature and the current dew point temperature is greater than a preset difference, it indicates that the current coil temperature is significantly higher than the current dew point temperature, meaning the indoor heat exchanger is in a high-temperature, dry state. In this case, there is no condensation on the surface of the indoor heat exchanger, and the controller controls the indoor fan and air guide vane to operate in the third mode. That is, the indoor fan operates at a third preset speed greater than the second preset speed, and the air guide vane operates at a third preset angle greater than the second preset angle. Because the directional airflow formed by the indoor fan and air guide vane in the third mode is stronger than in the second mode, it can more efficiently remove residual moisture from the surface of the indoor heat exchanger, thereby disrupting the growth environment for mold and preventing odors.

[0079] In some embodiments, to improve the odor removal effect, the controller can also adjust the opening of the expansion valve, which will be discussed below. Figure 5 This embodiment will be described. Please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 5 , Figure 5 This is a control flowchart of another controller disclosed in an embodiment of this application. Figure 5 The control flow diagram shown includes the following steps: Step 510: Upon receiving a shutdown command for the air conditioner, the controller obtains the current coil temperature and current dew point temperature of the indoor heat exchanger.

[0080] In some embodiments, the air conditioner further includes a first temperature sensor and a second temperature sensor. See also Figure 6 , Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of another type of air conditioner disclosed in the embodiments of this application, as shown below. Figure 6 The air conditioner 100 shown also includes a first temperature sensor 114 and a second temperature sensor 115. The first temperature sensor 114 is used to detect the coil temperature of the indoor heat exchanger, and the second temperature sensor 115 is used to detect the indoor temperature.

[0081] Optionally, the indoor heat exchanger is composed of U-shaped copper tubes, and a first temperature sensor can be installed on the U-shaped copper tubes to detect the coil temperature of the indoor heat exchanger.

[0082] It should be noted that the embodiments of this application do not limit the installation location of the second temperature sensor on the air conditioner; it can be located at any position on the air conditioner. It can be understood that the indoor temperature detected by the second temperature sensor is the indoor temperature of the environment where the indoor unit of the air conditioner is located.

[0083] In some embodiments, the implementation of step 510, which involves obtaining the current coil temperature and current dew point temperature of the indoor heat exchanger, can be found in [reference needed]. Figure 7 Steps 511 to 512 are shown. Please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 7 , Figure 7 This is a control flowchart disclosed in an embodiment of this application for obtaining coil temperature and dew point temperature. Figure 7 The control flow diagram shown includes the following steps: Step 511: The controller obtains the current coil temperature through the first temperature sensor and the current indoor temperature through the second temperature sensor.

[0084] Step 512: The controller obtains the current dew point temperature based on the current indoor temperature and the target indoor humidity.

[0085] In some implementations, the controller can obtain the current dew point temperature based on a first preset formula, the current indoor temperature, and the target indoor humidity. The first preset formula is constructed based on the indoor temperature, indoor humidity, and dew point temperature. For example, the first preset formula is Td=F(Ti,Rh), and the dew point temperature Td can be calculated from the indoor temperature Ti and the indoor humidity Rh.

[0086] By adopting the above-described steps 511 to 512, the controller obtains the current coil temperature of the indoor heat exchanger through the first temperature sensor, which improves the efficiency of obtaining the surface temperature of the indoor heat exchanger; the controller can also obtain the current dew point temperature based on the current indoor temperature and target indoor humidity obtained by the second temperature sensor, so as to quickly and accurately determine whether the indoor heat exchanger has the conditions to generate condensate, thereby improving the intelligence level of the air conditioner.

[0087] In some embodiments, the air conditioner further includes a humidity sensor for detecting indoor humidity. The indoor humidity collected by the humidity sensor can be determined as the target indoor humidity, which effectively improves the efficiency of obtaining the target indoor humidity.

[0088] It should be noted that the embodiments of this application do not limit the installation location of the humidity sensor on the air conditioner; it can be located at any position on the air conditioner. It can be understood that the indoor humidity detected by the humidity sensor is the indoor humidity of the environment where the indoor unit of the air conditioner is located.

[0089] In some implementations, humidity sensors may malfunction during use due to factors such as usage time and sensor aging, leading to a decrease in the accuracy of indoor humidity detection. Simultaneously, the temperature rise rate of the indoor heat exchanger surface during shutdown is strongly correlated with its surface moisture content. For example, in a high-humidity environment, the heat exchanger surface retains more moisture, resulting in a stronger heat absorption effect during evaporation and a slower temperature rise rate. Conversely, in a low-humidity environment, the heat exchanger surface is drier, leading to a weaker or nonexistent heat absorption effect during evaporation and a faster temperature rise rate. Therefore, a mapping relationship between the temperature change rate of the indoor heat exchanger surface and indoor humidity can be established beforehand.

[0090] Optionally, the mapping relationship includes the relationship between multiple preset rates of change of the coil temperature of the indoor heat exchanger, dTe / dt, and multiple preset indoor humidity ranges, Rh. For example, the mapping relationship can be found in Table 1.

[0091] Table 1: Mapping Relationships

[0092] Wherein, dT1 and dT2 are the preset rates of change of the coil temperature of the indoor heat exchanger. The mapping relationship between multiple preset rates of change dTe / dt and multiple preset indoor humidity ranges Rh can be reasonably set by those skilled in the art according to the actual situation, and is not limited here. For example, dT1 = 0.25℃ / s, dT2 = 0.6℃ / s.

[0093] In some implementations, when the air conditioner is equipped with a humidity sensor, the controller may acquire the target indoor humidity by: acquiring the target rate of change of the coil temperature of the indoor heat exchanger and acquiring the current indoor humidity through the humidity sensor; determining the target indoor humidity range corresponding to the target rate of change of the coil temperature according to a mapping relationship, wherein the mapping relationship includes the relationship between multiple preset rates of change of the coil temperature and multiple preset indoor humidity ranges; and determining the target indoor humidity based on the current indoor humidity and the target indoor humidity range.

[0094] Optionally, the controller obtains the target rate of change of the indoor heat exchanger coil temperature by: upon receiving a shutdown command for the air conditioner, acquiring multiple coil temperatures of the indoor heat exchanger according to a preset sampling period; and determining the target rate of change of the indoor heat exchanger coil temperature based on the multiple coil temperatures and a preset sampling interval. For example, assuming a preset sampling period of 1 second and a preset sampling interval of ts = 5 seconds, the target rate of change of the coil temperature is dTe / dt = (T(t) - T(t - ts)) / ts.

[0095] By employing the above-described implementation method, even in the event of a malfunction in the humidity sensor, a target indoor humidity with high accuracy can still be obtained, thereby improving the accuracy of the current dew point temperature obtained based on the current indoor temperature and the target indoor humidity.

[0096] In some implementations, the controller determines the target indoor humidity based on the current indoor humidity and the target indoor humidity range by: if the current indoor humidity is within the target indoor humidity range, the controller determines the current indoor humidity obtained by the humidity sensor as the target indoor humidity. It can be understood that if the current indoor humidity detected by the humidity sensor is within the target indoor humidity range, it indicates that the accuracy of the current indoor humidity detected by the humidity sensor is high, and therefore the current indoor humidity detected by the humidity sensor is directly used as the target indoor humidity.

[0097] In this embodiment, after the controller determines the target indoor humidity range corresponding to the target rate of change of coil temperature according to the mapping relationship, it can determine the target indoor humidity based on the target indoor humidity range and the current indoor humidity obtained by the humidity sensor. That is, it determines whether the target indoor humidity range corresponding to the target rate of change of coil temperature of indoor heat exchanger dTe / dt matches the current indoor humidity detected by the humidity sensor.

[0098] For example, referring to Table 1 above, assuming dT1 = 0.25℃ / s, if the target rate of change of the coil temperature of the indoor heat exchanger is dTe / dt = 0.2℃ / s, that is, dTe / dt < dT1, the corresponding target indoor humidity range is Rh > 70%, which belongs to a high humidity environment; if the current indoor humidity detected by the humidity sensor is 75%, it means that the two match, and the current indoor humidity detected by the humidity sensor can be used as the target indoor humidity to calculate the current dew point temperature.

[0099] In other embodiments, the controller determines the target indoor humidity based on the current indoor humidity and the target indoor humidity range by further including: if the current indoor humidity is not within the target indoor humidity range, the controller determines the upper or lower limit of the target indoor humidity range as the target indoor humidity. It can be understood that if the current indoor humidity detected by the humidity sensor is not within the target indoor humidity range, it indicates that the accuracy of the current indoor humidity detected by the humidity sensor is low; therefore, the upper or lower limit of the target indoor humidity range is used as the target indoor humidity.

[0100] Optionally, the controller determines the target indoor humidity as the upper or lower limit of the target indoor humidity range by: the controller determining the value closest to the current indoor humidity among the upper and lower limits corresponding to the target indoor humidity range. It can be understood that the upper limit of the target indoor humidity range is the upper boundary value of the target indoor humidity range, and the lower limit of the target indoor humidity range is the lower boundary value of the target indoor humidity range.

[0101] For example, referring to Table 1 above, assuming dT1 = 0.25℃ / s, if the target rate of change of the coil temperature of the indoor heat exchanger is dTe / dt = 0.2℃ / s, that is, dTe / dt < dT1, the corresponding target indoor humidity range is Rh > 70%, which is a high humidity environment; if the humidity sensor detects that the current indoor humidity is 40%, it means that the two do not match. The lower limit of the target indoor humidity range, Rh = 70%, can be used as the target indoor humidity to calculate the current dew point temperature.

[0102] In some embodiments, if the air conditioner is not equipped with a humidity sensor, the controller obtains the target indoor humidity by: obtaining the target rate of change of the coil temperature of the indoor heat exchanger; and determining the target indoor humidity based on the target rate of change of the coil temperature, the current speed of the indoor fan, the current indoor temperature, and the current operating frequency of the compressor.

[0103] Optionally, the controller can obtain the target indoor humidity based on a second preset formula, the target rate of change of the coil temperature, the current speed of the indoor fan, the current indoor temperature, and the current operating frequency of the compressor. For example, the second preset formula is Rh=F(dTe / dt, f, Ti, P), where Rh is the target indoor humidity, dTe / dt is the target rate of change of the coil temperature, f is the current speed of the indoor fan, Ti is the current indoor temperature, and P is the current operating frequency of the compressor. The target indoor humidity is calculated using the functional relationship constructed by the second preset formula.

[0104] Other implementations of step 510 can be found in step 310 above, and will not be repeated here.

[0105] Step 520: The controller controls the indoor fan and air guide plate to operate according to the target odor removal mode based on the current coil temperature and the current dew point temperature. The target odor removal mode is the first mode, the second mode, or the third mode.

[0106] In some embodiments, in order to balance the odor removal effect and the energy consumption of the air conditioner, the operating time of the indoor fan can be more precisely controlled when the indoor fan and the air guide plate are running in the target odor removal mode.

[0107] Optionally, the running time of the indoor fan in the target odor removal mode is the target running time, which is a preset running time. It should be noted that the preset running time can be any preset duration, such as 180s, 200s, etc. When the indoor fan is controlled to run in the target odor removal mode, it can be continuously controlled to run at the target speed for the preset running time of 180s and then stop running.

[0108] Optionally, the operating time of the indoor fan in the target odor removal mode is the target operating time, which is the time difference between the time when the shutdown command for the air conditioner is received and the time when the indoor humidity is lower than the preset indoor humidity. Indoor humidity lower than the preset indoor humidity indicates a low humidity environment. For example, as shown in Table 1 above, indoor humidity lower than the preset indoor humidity can be set to indoor humidity Rh < preset indoor humidity 40%. When the indoor humidity is lower than the preset indoor humidity, it indicates that the current environment is a low humidity environment.

[0109] Optionally, the controller determines that the indoor humidity is less than the preset indoor humidity by: the controller judging whether it is in a low humidity environment based on the target rate of change of the indoor heat exchanger coil temperature; and determining that the indoor humidity is less than the preset indoor humidity when the target rate of change of the indoor heat exchanger coil temperature is greater than the preset rate of change. It can be understood that indoor humidity being less than the preset indoor humidity can be determined by the target rate of change of the indoor heat exchanger coil temperature reaching the preset rate of change. For example, according to Table 1 above, when the target rate of change of the indoor heat exchanger coil temperature dTe / dt > the preset rate of change dT2, it indicates that the indoor humidity is less than the preset indoor humidity, and at this time, the indoor fan can be controlled to stop operating.

[0110] For example, if the indoor fan is controlled to run at a target speed of 800 rpm, the indoor fan will stop running when the indoor fan has been running at the target speed of 800 rpm for a preset running time of 180 s; or, the indoor fan will stop running when the target rate of change of the coil temperature of the indoor heat exchanger is greater than the preset rate of change dTe / dt.

[0111] Optionally, the controller can determine whether the indoor humidity is lower than the preset indoor humidity by: the controller determining whether the humidity is low based on the detection value of the humidity sensor, and determining that the indoor humidity is lower than the preset indoor humidity when the humidity value detected by the humidity sensor is lower than the preset indoor humidity.

[0112] Optionally, the controller determines that the indoor humidity is lower than the preset indoor humidity by: determining the target indoor humidity based on the target rate of change of the indoor heat exchanger coil temperature, the current speed of the indoor fan, the current indoor temperature, and the current operating frequency of the compressor; and determining that the indoor humidity is lower than the preset indoor humidity when the target indoor humidity is lower than the preset indoor humidity. It can be understood that the controller can determine whether the environment is low based on the target indoor humidity obtained from a preset formula.

[0113] Using the above implementation method, the running time of the indoor fan can be a preset running time or the time difference between the time of receiving the shutdown command and the time when the indoor humidity is lower than the preset indoor humidity, thereby improving the flexibility of controlling the running time of the indoor fan. In addition, if the running time of the indoor fan is the time difference between the time of receiving the shutdown command and the time when the indoor humidity is lower than the preset indoor humidity, it means that when the indoor humidity is low, the controller will promptly control the indoor fan to stop running, reducing the energy consumption of the air conditioner.

[0114] Other implementations of step 520 can be found in step 320 above, and will not be repeated here.

[0115] Step 530: If the compressor is in a frequency reduction state, the controller adjusts the opening of the expansion valve according to the target odor removal mode. The adjusted opening of the expansion valve is less than the opening before receiving the shutdown command.

[0116] In this embodiment of the application, when the indoor fan and the air guide plate are operating in the target odor removal mode, if the compressor is in a reduced frequency state, the controller can adjust the opening of the expansion valve.

[0117] In some implementations, when the target odor removal mode is the first mode, the controller adjusts the opening of the expansion valve to a first preset opening; when the target odor removal mode is the second mode, the controller adjusts the opening of the expansion valve to a second preset opening; and when the target odor removal mode is the third mode, the controller adjusts the opening of the expansion valve to a third preset opening.

[0118] The first, second, and third preset opening degrees increase sequentially, meaning the reduction in the expansion valve opening becomes smaller and smaller. In all three modes, the expansion valve opening is less than the opening before receiving the shutdown command. For example, the first preset opening degree can be 20% of the opening before receiving the shutdown command to ensure slow refrigerant flow; the second preset opening degree can be 30% of the opening before receiving the shutdown command to maintain refrigerant circulation pressure balance; and the third preset opening degree can be 50% of the opening before receiving the shutdown command, appropriately increasing the refrigerant flow rate compared to the first and second modes.

[0119] Using the above implementation method, the opening degree of the expansion valve varies depending on the target odor removal mode of the air conditioner. The sequential increase of the first preset opening degree, the second preset opening degree, and the third preset opening degree indicates that the less condensate water on the surface of the indoor heat exchanger, the higher the opening degree of the expansion valve. In other words, the flow rate of liquid refrigerant into the indoor heat exchanger increases relative to the humid state when the surface of the indoor heat exchanger is drier. This allows the surface of the indoor heat exchanger to form a certain amount of condensate water to adsorb odor molecules even when it is dry. This makes the control of the expansion valve opening degree more flexible and adaptable to different odor removal modes, thereby improving the odor removal effect. At the same time, since the cooling intensity increases with the speed of the indoor fan, the controller can adjust the opening degree of the expansion valve to gradually increase in different modes (first mode, second mode, and third mode) to adapt to the gradually increasing indoor fan speed in different modes, thereby balancing the cooling effect of the air conditioner.

[0120] As can be seen, by implementing the above embodiments, the air conditioner can fundamentally destroy the mold growth environment during the shutdown phase, preventing odors. When the air conditioner is turned on again, it can directly provide fresh air, thereby improving user comfort. Furthermore, it achieves more refined and efficient control of the odor removal function, improving the odor removal effect. When the compressor is in throttling mode, the controller can also control the opening of the expansion valve to reduce the flow of liquid refrigerant into the indoor heat exchanger according to the target odor removal mode. This effectively prevents the coil temperature of the indoor heat exchanger from rising rapidly due to excessive refrigerant, causing condensation to form on the surface of the indoor heat exchanger and adsorbing odor molecules. Therefore, when the target odor removal mode is executed, the odor molecules can also be simultaneously discharged, improving the odor removal effect.

[0121] In some embodiments, to improve the odor removal effect, the controller can also reduce the compressor's operating frequency upon receiving a shutdown command for the air conditioner. This will be discussed in conjunction with... Figure 8 This embodiment will be described. Please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 8 , Figure 8 This is a control flowchart of another controller disclosed in an embodiment of this application. Figure 8 The control flow diagram shown includes the following steps: Step 810: Upon receiving a shutdown command for the air conditioner, the controller controls the compressor to reduce its operating frequency so that the compressor is in a reduced-frequency state.

[0122] In this embodiment of the application, after receiving a shutdown command for the air conditioner, the controller controls the reduction of the compressor's operating frequency to put the compressor in a reduced-frequency state until the compressor shuts down.

[0123] In some embodiments, the implementation of step 810 may refer to Figure 9 Steps 811 to 814 are shown. Please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 9 , Figure 9 This is a control flowchart disclosed in an embodiment of this application for controlling a compressor to be in a frequency reduction state. For example... Figure 9 The control flow diagram shown includes the following steps: Step 811: Upon receiving a shutdown command for the air conditioner, the controller obtains the current operating frequency of the compressor.

[0124] It is understandable that the compressor's current operating frequency is the operating frequency when it receives the command to shut down the air conditioner.

[0125] Step 812: The controller determines whether the current operating frequency is greater than the preset operating frequency. If yes, proceed to step 813; otherwise, proceed to step 814.

[0126] Step 813: The controller controls the compressor to reduce its operating frequency according to the first preset time interval and the first preset frequency difference, so that the compressor is in a frequency reduction state.

[0127] It is understandable that when the current operating frequency is greater than the preset operating frequency, the compressor's operating frequency is reduced according to the first preset time interval and the first preset frequency difference, so that the compressor is in a frequency reduction state until the compressor stops running.

[0128] For example, if the current operating frequency of the compressor is higher than the preset operating frequency (e.g., 80Hz), the operating frequency of the compressor is gradually reduced by a first preset time interval (e.g., 10 seconds) and a first preset frequency difference (e.g., 20Hz).

[0129] Step 814: The controller controls the compressor to reduce its operating frequency according to the second preset time interval and the second preset frequency difference, so that the compressor is in a frequency reduction state.

[0130] It is understandable that when the current operating frequency is less than or equal to the preset operating frequency, the compressor's operating frequency is reduced according to the second preset time interval and the second preset frequency difference, so that the compressor is in a frequency reduction state until the compressor stops running.

[0131] For example, if the current operating frequency of the compressor is less than or equal to a preset operating frequency (e.g., 80Hz), the operating frequency of the compressor is gradually reduced by a second preset time interval (e.g., 5 seconds) and a second preset frequency difference (e.g., 10Hz).

[0132] It should be noted that the first preset time interval is greater than the second preset time interval, and the first preset frequency difference is greater than the second preset frequency difference. In other words, upon receiving a shutdown command for the air conditioner, if the compressor's current operating frequency is greater than the preset operating frequency, the compressor can be controlled to enter a frequency reduction state, and its operating frequency will be rapidly reduced until the compressor stops operating. Conversely, if the compressor's current operating frequency is less than or equal to the preset operating frequency, the compressor can be controlled to enter a frequency reduction state, and its operating frequency will be slowly reduced until the compressor stops operating.

[0133] By adopting the implementation methods of steps 811 to 814 above, when a shutdown command for the air conditioner is received, the controller can also control the operating frequency of the compressor to be reduced in a stepwise manner according to the first preset time interval and the first preset frequency difference (or, the second preset time interval and the second preset frequency difference). Compared with directly shutting down the compressor and shutting down the refrigeration cycle, this can avoid the temperature fluctuation of the indoor heat exchanger coil too quickly, improve the stability and reliability of the air conditioner operation, and can adaptively adopt different methods to reduce the frequency in a stepwise manner according to the current operating frequency of the compressor, thereby improving the flexibility and rationality of controlling the compressor frequency reduction.

[0134] Step 820: The controller obtains the current coil temperature and current dew point temperature of the indoor heat exchanger.

[0135] In some embodiments, the controller may acquire the current coil temperature and current dew point temperature of the indoor heat exchanger after the compressor is in a reduced-frequency state and before the compressor stops running; or, the controller may acquire the current coil temperature and current dew point temperature of the indoor heat exchanger after the compressor is in a reduced-frequency state and the compressor stops running.

[0136] It should be noted that before the compressor stops running, the controller acquires the current coil temperature and dew point temperature of the indoor heat exchanger. This indicates that while reducing the compressor's operating frequency, the controller also controls the indoor fan and air guide vanes to operate in the target foreign object removal mode. After the compressor stops running, the controller acquires the current coil temperature and dew point temperature of the indoor heat exchanger. This indicates that after reducing the compressor's operating frequency until it stops running, the controller then controls the indoor fan and air guide vanes to operate in the target foreign object removal mode.

[0137] In some embodiments, if the controller controls the indoor fan and air guide plate to operate in the target foreign object removal mode while controlling the reduction of the compressor's operating frequency, the controller can adjust the opening of the expansion valve according to the target odor removal mode. The adjusted opening of the expansion valve is less than the opening before receiving the shutdown command.

[0138] In some embodiments, if the controller controls the indoor fan and air guide to operate in the target foreign object removal mode after controlling the compressor to reduce its operating frequency until the compressor stops running, the controller will control the expansion valve to close after the compressor stops running.

[0139] Other implementations of step 820 can be found in steps 310 and 510 above, and will not be repeated here.

[0140] Step 830: The controller controls the indoor fan and air guide plate to operate according to the target odor removal mode based on the current coil temperature and the current dew point temperature. The target odor removal mode is the first mode, the second mode, or the third mode.

[0141] The implementation method of step 830 can be referred to the content of steps 320 and 520 above, and will not be repeated here.

[0142] As can be seen, by implementing the above embodiments, upon receiving a shutdown command for the air conditioner, the controller can also reduce the operating frequency of the compressor to avoid high-frequency operation. This reduces high-frequency noise interference from the compressor, extends its lifespan, and effectively reduces the power consumption of the air conditioner. The air conditioner can eliminate the mold growth environment at its source during the shutdown phase, preventing odors. When the air conditioner is turned on again, it can directly provide fresh air, thereby improving user comfort. Furthermore, it achieves more refined and efficient control of the odor removal function, improving the odor removal effect.

[0143] In some embodiments, to improve the odor removal effect, the controller can also control the operating time of the outdoor fan, which will be discussed below. Figure 10 This embodiment will be described. Please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 10 , Figure 10 This is a control flowchart of another controller disclosed in an embodiment of this application. Figure 10 The control flow diagram shown includes the following steps: Step 1010: Upon receiving a shutdown command for the air conditioner, the controller obtains the current coil temperature and current dew point temperature of the indoor heat exchanger.

[0144] Step 1020: The controller controls the indoor fan and air guide plate to operate according to the target odor removal mode based on the current coil temperature and the current dew point temperature. The target odor removal mode is the first mode, the second mode, or the third mode.

[0145] The implementation methods for steps 1010 to 1020 can be referred to the contents of steps 310 to 320 and steps 510 to 520 mentioned above, and will not be repeated here.

[0146] Step 1030: The controller controls the remaining runtime of the outdoor fan according to the target odor removal mode.

[0147] In this embodiment of the application, when the indoor fan and the air guide plate are operating in the target odor removal mode, the controller can also adjust the remaining running time of the outdoor fan based on the target odor removal mode.

[0148] In some implementations, when the target odor removal mode is the first mode, the controller controls the outdoor fan to run for a first preset remaining runtime; when the target odor removal mode is the second mode, the controller controls the outdoor fan to run for a second preset remaining runtime; when the target odor removal mode is the third mode, the controller controls the outdoor fan to run for a third preset remaining runtime.

[0149] The first preset remaining runtime, the second preset remaining runtime, and the third preset remaining runtime increase sequentially. For example, the first preset remaining runtime can be 90 seconds to appropriately accelerate heat dissipation; the second preset remaining runtime can be 100 seconds to further appropriately accelerate heat dissipation; and the third preset remaining runtime can be 120 seconds, which appropriately extends the runtime of the outdoor fan compared to the first and second modes, thereby improving the heat dissipation effect.

[0150] Using the above implementation method, the controller can also control the remaining running time of the outdoor fan according to the target odor removal mode. The first preset remaining running time, the second preset remaining running time, and the third preset remaining running time increase in sequence, indicating that as the speed of the indoor fan increases in sequence, the remaining running time of the outdoor fan also increases in sequence. This ensures that the outdoor heat exchanger can dissipate heat fully, effectively balances the heat exchange effect between the indoor and outdoor heat exchangers, improves the stability and reliability of the air conditioner operation, and helps to improve the odor removal effect.

[0151] In some embodiments, if the controller controls the indoor fan and air guide vane to operate according to the target odor removal mode while reducing the compressor's operating frequency, the controller can adjust the opening of the expansion valve and control the remaining runtime of the outdoor fan according to the target odor removal mode. The adjusted opening of the expansion valve is less than the opening before receiving the shutdown command. That is, while the controller is controlling the indoor fan and air guide vane to operate according to the target odor removal mode, the compressor does not stop running. To improve the odor removal effect, the controller can control the indoor fan speed, the air guide vane angle, the expansion valve opening, and the remaining runtime of the outdoor fan.

[0152] In some embodiments, if the controller reduces the compressor's operating frequency until the compressor stops operating, and then controls the indoor fan and air guide vane to operate according to the target odor removal mode, the controller will control the expansion valve to close and control the remaining operating time of the outdoor fan according to the target odor removal mode after the compressor stops operating. That is, before the controller controls the indoor fan and air guide vane to operate according to the target odor removal mode, the compressor has already stopped operating. To improve the odor removal effect, the controller can control the indoor fan speed, the air guide vane angle, and the remaining operating time of the outdoor fan.

[0153] As can be seen, by implementing the above embodiments, the air conditioner can fundamentally destroy the growth environment of mold during the shutdown phase, preventing the generation of odors. When the air conditioner is turned on again, it can directly provide fresh air, thereby improving user comfort. Furthermore, it achieves more precise and efficient control of the odor removal function, improving the odor removal effect. The controller can also control the remaining runtime of the outdoor fan according to the target odor removal mode, effectively balancing the heat exchange effects of the indoor and outdoor heat exchangers, improving the stability and reliability of the air conditioner's operation, and further enhancing the odor removal effect.

[0154] Based on the foregoing embodiments, the air conditioner disclosed in this application can operate in a target odor removal mode after the compressor stops running or before the compressor stops running. Furthermore, the method of obtaining the current dew point temperature varies depending on the configuration of the humidity sensor in different air conditioners. Below, in conjunction with... Figure 11 The illustrated procedure describes how to implement the target odor removal mode after the compressor has stopped running. Please refer to [link / reference needed]. Figure 11 , Figure 11 This is a general control flowchart of a controller disclosed in an embodiment of this application. For example... Figure 11 The control flow diagram shown includes the following steps: Step 1110: Upon receiving a shutdown command for the air conditioner, the controller controls the compressor to reduce its operating frequency so that the compressor is in a reduced-frequency state.

[0155] In this embodiment, when the controller receives a command to shut down the air conditioner, it controls the compressor to reduce its operating frequency so that the compressor is in a reduced-frequency state until the compressor stops running.

[0156] Step 1120: After the compressor stops running, the controller obtains the current coil temperature and the current indoor temperature.

[0157] In this embodiment, after the controller stops the compressor, it then performs the steps of obtaining the current coil temperature and the current indoor temperature.

[0158] Step 1130: The controller determines whether a humidity sensor is set. If yes, proceed to step 1141; otherwise, proceed to step 1151.

[0159] Step 1141: The controller acquires the target rate of change of the coil temperature of the indoor heat exchanger and the current indoor humidity through the humidity sensor.

[0160] In this embodiment, if the air conditioner is equipped with a humidity sensor, the steps of obtaining the target rate of change of the coil temperature of the indoor heat exchanger and obtaining the current indoor humidity through the humidity sensor are performed.

[0161] Step 1142: The controller determines the target indoor humidity range corresponding to the target rate of change of coil temperature based on the mapping relationship.

[0162] Step 1143: The controller determines whether the current indoor humidity is within the target indoor humidity range. If yes, proceed to step 1144; otherwise, proceed to step 1145.

[0163] Step 1144: The controller determines the current indoor humidity obtained by the humidity sensor as the target indoor humidity.

[0164] In this embodiment, if the current indoor humidity obtained by the humidity sensor is within the target indoor humidity range, it indicates that the detection result of the humidity sensor is highly accurate, and the current indoor humidity obtained by the humidity sensor is determined as the target indoor humidity.

[0165] Step 1145: The controller determines the upper or lower limit of the target indoor humidity range as the target indoor humidity.

[0166] In this embodiment, if the current indoor humidity obtained by the humidity sensor is not within the target indoor humidity range, it indicates that the detection result of the humidity sensor is less accurate. In this case, the upper or lower limit of the target indoor humidity range is determined as the target indoor humidity.

[0167] Step 1151: The controller acquires the target rate of change of the coil temperature of the indoor heat exchanger.

[0168] In this embodiment, if the air conditioner is not equipped with a humidity sensor, the step of obtaining the target rate of change of the coil temperature of the indoor heat exchanger is performed.

[0169] Step 1152: The controller determines the target indoor humidity based on the target rate of change of the coil temperature, the current speed of the indoor fan, the current indoor temperature, and the current operating frequency of the compressor.

[0170] Step 1160: The controller obtains the current dew point temperature based on the current indoor temperature and the target indoor humidity.

[0171] In this embodiment, after determining the target indoor humidity, the controller performs the step of obtaining the current dew point temperature based on the current indoor temperature and the target indoor humidity. Then, it compares the current coil temperature with the current dew point temperature to determine the target odor removal mode, and controls the indoor fan and air guide plate to operate according to the target odor removal mode.

[0172] Step 1171: When the current coil temperature is lower than the current dew point temperature and the difference between the current coil temperature and the current dew point temperature is greater than a preset difference, the controller controls the indoor fan and the air guide plate to operate in the first mode.

[0173] Step 1172: When the difference between the current coil temperature and the current dew point temperature is less than or equal to a preset difference, the controller controls the indoor fan and air guide plate to operate in the second mode.

[0174] Step 1173: When the current coil temperature is greater than the current dew point temperature, and the difference between the current coil temperature and the current dew point temperature is greater than the preset difference, the controller controls the indoor fan and the air guide plate to operate in the third mode.

[0175] Step 1180: The controller responds to the shutdown command and controls the air conditioner to shut down.

[0176] In this embodiment, after the target odor removal mode is completed, the controller controls the air conditioner to turn off.

[0177] It should be noted that the implementation methods for steps 1110 to 1180 have been described in detail in the foregoing embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0178] As can be seen, by implementing the above embodiments, the air conditioner can destroy the growth environment of mold at the source during the shutdown stage, avoid the generation of odors, and directly obtain fresh air when the air conditioner is turned on again, thereby improving user comfort. Moreover, it achieves more refined and efficient control of the odor removal function, improving the odor removal effect.

[0179] It should be understood that although the steps in the flowcharts above are shown sequentially as indicated by the arrows, these steps are not necessarily executed in the order indicated by the arrows. Unless otherwise explicitly stated in this document, there is no strict order requirement for the execution of these steps, and they can be executed in other orders.

[0180] In this document, the term "and / or" is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, object A and / or object B can represent: object A existing alone, object A and object B existing simultaneously, or object B existing alone. It should be noted that the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.

[0181] If the aforementioned function is implemented as a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium.

[0182] The above description is merely an embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An air conditioner, characterized in that, include: The refrigerant circulation loop is used to circulate the refrigerant in a loop consisting of the compressor, outdoor heat exchanger, expansion valve, and indoor heat exchanger. An indoor fan is used to rotate and drive indoor air to flow through the indoor heat exchanger for heat exchange and then transfer it into the room; An outdoor fan is used to rotate and drive outdoor air to flow through the outdoor heat exchanger for heat exchange and then transmit it to the outside. An air guide plate is disposed at the air outlet of the air conditioner, and the air guide plate is used to adjust the air outlet direction; The controller is configured as follows: Upon receiving a shutdown command for the air conditioner, the current coil temperature and current dew point temperature of the indoor heat exchanger are obtained; Based on the current coil temperature and the current dew point temperature, control the indoor fan and the air guide plate to operate according to the target odor removal mode, which is a first mode, a second mode, or a third mode. Specifically, when the current coil temperature is lower than the current dew point temperature, and the difference between the current coil temperature and the current dew point temperature is greater than a preset difference, the indoor fan and the air guide plate are controlled to operate in the first mode; when the difference between the current coil temperature and the current dew point temperature is less than or equal to the preset difference, the indoor fan and the air guide plate are controlled to operate in the second mode; when the current coil temperature is higher than the current dew point temperature, and the difference between the current coil temperature and the current dew point temperature is greater than a preset difference, the indoor fan and the air guide plate are controlled to operate in the third mode. In the first mode, the indoor fan operates at a first preset speed and the air guide plate operates at a first preset angle; in the second mode, the indoor fan operates at a second preset speed and the air guide plate operates at a second preset angle; in the third mode, the indoor fan operates at a third preset speed and the air guide plate operates at a third preset angle. The first preset rotational speed, the second preset rotational speed, and the third preset rotational speed increase sequentially, as do the first preset angle, the second preset angle, and the third preset angle.

2. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the target odor removal mode, the operating time of the indoor fan is the target operating time, which is either a preset operating time or the time difference between the time when the shutdown command for the air conditioner is received and the time when the indoor humidity is less than the preset indoor humidity.

3. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, The controller is also configured to: When the indoor fan and the air guide plate are operating in the target odor removal mode, if the compressor is in a frequency reduction state, the opening of the expansion valve is adjusted according to the target odor removal mode, and the opening of the expansion valve after adjustment is less than the opening before receiving the shutdown command.

4. The air conditioner according to claim 3, characterized in that, The controller is also configured to adjust the opening of the expansion valve according to the target odor removal mode, including: When the target odor removal mode is the first mode, the opening degree of the expansion valve is adjusted to a first preset opening degree; or, When the target odor removal mode is the second mode, the opening degree of the expansion valve is adjusted to the second preset opening degree; or, When the target odor removal mode is the third mode, the opening degree of the expansion valve is adjusted to the third preset opening degree; The first preset opening, the second preset opening, and the third preset opening increase sequentially.

5. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, The controller is also configured to: Upon receiving a shutdown command for the air conditioner, the current operating frequency of the compressor is obtained; When the current operating frequency is greater than the preset operating frequency, the operating frequency of the compressor is reduced according to the first preset time interval and the first preset frequency difference, so that the compressor is in a frequency reduction state. or, When the current operating frequency is less than or equal to the preset operating frequency, the operating frequency of the compressor is reduced according to the second preset time interval and the second preset frequency difference, so that the compressor is in a frequency reduction state. The first preset time interval is greater than the second preset time interval, and the first preset frequency difference is greater than the second preset frequency difference.

6. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, The controller is also configured to: When the target odor removal mode is the first mode, control the outdoor fan to run for a first preset remaining running time; or, When the target odor removal mode is the second mode, the outdoor fan is controlled to run for the second preset remaining running time; or, When the target odor removal mode is the third mode, the outdoor fan is controlled to run for the third preset remaining running time; The first preset remaining runtime, the second preset remaining runtime, and the third preset remaining runtime increase sequentially.

7. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, The air conditioner also includes: The first temperature sensor is used to detect the coil temperature of the indoor heat exchanger; The second temperature sensor is used to detect the indoor temperature; The controller is configured to acquire the current coil temperature and current dew point temperature of the indoor heat exchanger, including: The current coil temperature is obtained through the first temperature sensor, and the current indoor temperature is obtained through the second temperature sensor; The current dew point temperature is obtained based on the current indoor temperature and the target indoor humidity.

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