Air conditioner

Abstract

The application discloses an air conditioner, and relates to the technical field of energy-saving control of air conditioner operation, which comprises an indoor heat exchanger, an outdoor heat exchanger, a compressor, a temperature sensor and a controller. The indoor heat exchanger is used for heat exchange with indoor air. The outdoor heat exchanger is used for heat exchange with outdoor air. The compressor, the indoor heat exchanger and the outdoor heat exchanger jointly form a refrigerant circulation loop, the refrigerant circulation loop flows with refrigerant, the compressor is used for compressing low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant gas into high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant gas and driving the refrigerant to flow in the refrigerant circulation loop. The temperature sensor is used for detecting the indoor environment temperature. A storage module pre-stores a plurality of initial frequencies of the compressor operation. The initial frequency of the compressor is correspondingly set according to the set temperature of the air conditioner and the initial temperature of the indoor environment. The controller is connected with the compressor, the temperature sensor and the storage module. The air conditioner provided by the application optimizes the operation frequency of the compressor according to the operation time of the compressor and the heat exchange amount of the indoor heat exchanger when the indoor environment temperature reaches the set temperature during the first operation of the air conditioner, obtains the energy-saving frequency of the compressor under the first operation condition of the air conditioner, and makes the compressor operate at the optimized frequency during the second operation of the air conditioner, so that the air conditioner can operate in an energy-saving mode, and the energy-saving control effect of the air conditioner is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the technical field of energy-saving control of air conditioning operation, and more particularly to an air conditioner. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, air conditioners are broadly categorized into inverter air conditioners and fixed-frequency air conditioners based on whether their compressors operate at a fixed frequency. Fixed-frequency air conditioners operate with a compressor at a constant frequency (usually 50Hz or 3000 RPM), maintaining the same speed regardless of ambient temperature changes. Once the set temperature is reached, the compressor stops working, requiring manual adjustment or waiting for the indoor temperature to change before restarting. In contrast, inverter air conditioners operate with a variable compressor frequency. They typically automatically adjust the compressor's frequency based on the set temperature, achieving stepless speed regulation. When the indoor temperature reaches the set point, the air conditioner operates at a lower frequency, intelligently maintaining a constant temperature.

[0003] The cooling or heating capacity required for an air conditioner to reach the same set temperature varies depending on the operating environment. For example, the cooling area and the sealing of the operating environment can affect the cooling effect. However, the actual operating environment of an air conditioner is unknown and abstract during its design and production. It's impossible to control the compressor's operating frequency for energy saving based on factors such as the actual cooling area and the sealing of the operating environment. Energy saving control can only be based on the relatively specific parameter of the set temperature. This easily leads to different energy-saving effects for the same model of air conditioner under different operating environments. Therefore, current inverter air conditioners still cannot adequately meet users' energy-saving requirements. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of the shortcomings of the related technologies, this application provides an air conditioner that performs dynamic energy-saving control based on the specific working environment of the air conditioner after installation, so as to improve the energy-saving effect of the air conditioner.

[0005] This application provides an air conditioner, including:

[0006] Indoor heat exchanger, used for exchanging heat with indoor air;

[0007] An outdoor heat exchanger is used to exchange heat with outdoor air.

[0008] The compressor, together with the indoor heat exchanger and the outdoor heat exchanger, forms a refrigerant circulation loop. Refrigerant flows in the refrigerant circulation loop. The compressor is used to compress the low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant gas into a high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant gas and drive the refrigerant to flow in the refrigerant circulation loop.

[0009] Temperature sensor used to detect indoor ambient temperature;

[0010] The storage module pre-stores several initial operating frequencies of the compressors; the initial frequencies of the compressors are set in correspondence with the set temperature of the air conditioner and the initial temperature of the indoor environment.

[0011] The controller is connected to the compressor, temperature sensor, and storage module respectively; the controller is configured as follows:

[0012] When the air conditioner is first started, the initial frequency of the compressor is selected from the storage module based on the set temperature and the initial temperature of the indoor environment, and the compressor is controlled to run at the selected initial frequency; the running time T1 of the compressor when the indoor temperature reaches the set temperature and the heat exchange of the indoor heat exchanger Q1 are obtained; the running frequency of the compressor is optimized based on the running time T1 of the compressor and the heat exchange of the indoor heat exchanger Q1 to obtain the optimized frequency of the compressor.

[0013] When the air conditioner is running again, the compressor is controlled to operate at an optimized frequency.

[0014] This technical solution enables the air conditioner to operate at an initial frequency selected based on the initial indoor temperature and the set temperature during the first run of the air conditioner, thus achieving more energy-efficient operation. The compressor's operating frequency is then optimized based on the compressor's running time when the indoor temperature reaches the set temperature and the heat exchanger's heat exchange capacity during the first run, obtaining the energy-saving frequency for the compressor under the initial operating conditions. During subsequent runs, the compressor operates at this optimized frequency, further enhancing the air conditioner's energy-saving performance and improving its energy-saving control effect.

[0015] In some embodiments, the controller is further configured to: when the air conditioner is running again and the required heat exchange in the indoor environment changes, obtain the compressor's running time T2 and the heat exchange of the indoor heat exchanger Q2 when the indoor ambient temperature reaches the set temperature under the current operating state of the air conditioner; optimize the compressor's operating frequency again based on the compressor's running time T2 and the heat exchange of the indoor heat exchanger Q2; and control the compressor to run at the re-optimized operating frequency the next time the air conditioner is running.

[0016] In some embodiments, when the air conditioner is running again, if the indoor ambient temperature has not reached the set temperature after the compressor has been running at the optimized frequency for a time T1, the initial frequency of the compressor is reselected from the storage module based on the current indoor ambient temperature detected by the temperature sensor and the set temperature of the air conditioner, and the compressor is controlled to continue running at the reselected initial frequency until the indoor ambient temperature reaches the set temperature.

[0017] In some embodiments, the controller is further configured to: when the air conditioner operates again, after the compressor operates at the optimized frequency for a time period T3, the indoor environment temperature reaches the set temperature, wherein T3 < T1, then record the operating time T3 of the compressor when the indoor environment temperature reaches the set temperature and the heat exchange amount Q3 of the indoor heat exchanger; optimize the operating frequency of the compressor again according to the operating time T3 and the heat exchange amount Q3; and control the compressor to operate at the re-optimized frequency when the air conditioner operates next time.

[0018] In some embodiments, when a second heat exchange amount required by the indoor environment when the air conditioner operates again is greater than a first heat exchange amount required by the indoor environment when the air conditioner operates for the first time, within the range of the first heat exchange amount, the compressor is controlled to operate at the optimized frequency; and within the range exceeding the first heat exchange amount, the compressor is controlled to operate at an initial frequency reselected by a storage module according to a current indoor environment temperature and the set temperature.

[0019] In some embodiments, the controller is configured to: when the heat exchange amount required by the indoor environment when the air conditioner operates again is greater than the heat exchange amount required by the indoor environment when the air conditioner operates for the first time, control the compressor to operate at the optimized frequency until the indoor environment temperature reaches the set temperature.

[0020] In some embodiments, the optimized frequency of the compressor F2={F(0), F(1), F(2)......≥F(i)}, wherein F(0), F(1), F(2)......F(i) are arranged sequentially in order, and F(0)≥F(1)≥F(2)≥......≥F(i).

[0021] In some embodiments, the controller is further configured to: when the indoor environment temperature reaches the set temperature, control the compressor to continuously operate at the last frequency value F(i) in the optimized frequencies.

[0022] In some embodiments, the controller is configured to: store the optimized operating frequency of the compressor in a storage module; when the optimized frequency of the compressor changes, the optimization result stored later replaces the previously stored optimization result; and when the air conditioner operates again, control the compressor to operate at the optimized frequency stored in the storage module.

[0023] In addition, the present application further provides an air conditioner, comprising:[ ]

[0024] an indoor heat exchanger configured to exchange heat with indoor air;

[0025] an outdoor heat exchanger configured to exchange heat with outdoor air;

[0026] The compressor, together with the indoor heat exchanger and the outdoor heat exchanger, forms a refrigerant circulation loop. Refrigerant flows in the refrigerant circulation loop. The compressor is used to compress the low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant gas into a high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant gas and drive the refrigerant to flow in the refrigerant circulation loop.

[0027] Temperature sensor used to detect indoor ambient temperature;

[0028] The storage module pre-stores several initial operating frequencies of the compressors; the initial frequencies of the compressors are set in correspondence with the set temperature of the air conditioner and the initial temperature of the indoor environment.

[0029] The controller is connected to the compressor, temperature sensor, and storage module respectively; the controller is configured as follows:

[0030] When the air conditioner is first started, the initial frequency of the compressor is selected from the storage module based on the set temperature and the initial temperature of the indoor environment, and the compressor is controlled to run at the selected initial frequency; the running time of the compressor when the indoor environment reaches the set temperature and the heat exchange of the indoor heat exchanger are obtained; the running frequency of the compressor is optimized based on the running time of the compressor and the heat exchange of the indoor heat exchanger, and the optimization results are stored in the storage module.

[0031] When the air conditioner runs again, the compressor is controlled to run at the optimized frequency stored in the storage module. If the required heat exchange for the indoor environment changes when the air conditioner runs again, the compressor's running time and the heat exchange of the indoor heat exchanger are obtained when the indoor temperature reaches the set temperature under the current operating state of the air conditioner. Based on the compressor's running time and the heat exchange of the indoor heat exchanger, the compressor's running frequency is optimized again, and the optimized result replaces the previously stored optimization result in the storage module. When the air conditioner runs again, the compressor is controlled to run at the optimized running frequency stored in the storage module.

[0032] In the above embodiments, an air conditioner operates at an initial frequency selected based on the initial indoor temperature and the set temperature during its first run, enabling the air conditioner to operate more energy-efficiently. The operating frequency of the compressor is optimized based on the compressor's running time when the indoor temperature reaches the set temperature during the first run and the heat exchange of the indoor heat exchanger, obtaining the energy-saving frequency of the compressor under the first run conditions. During subsequent runs, the compressor operates at the optimized frequency, thereby enabling the air conditioner to operate at energy efficiency and increasing the energy-saving control effect of the air conditioner.

[0033] The aforementioned air conditioner is designed for specific working environments and implements dynamic energy-saving control. Under the condition of reaching the set temperature in the same amount of time, it has low cumulative power consumption, good energy-saving effect, and low power consumption. Attached Figure Description

[0034] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of refrigerant flow is shown when an air conditioner is in cooling mode according to some embodiments;

[0035] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of refrigerant flow is shown when an air conditioner is in heating mode according to some embodiments;

[0036] Figure 3 A timing diagram showing the compressor operating frequency when the air conditioner is in cooling mode according to some embodiments is shown;

[0037] Figure 4 A schematic diagram showing the relationship between the compressor operating frequency and cooling capacity per unit time when an air conditioner is in cooling mode, according to some embodiments, is provided.

[0038] Figure 5 An exemplary diagram illustrates the relationship between the compressor operating frequency and cooling capacity per unit time when an air conditioner is in heating mode, according to some embodiments.

[0039] Figure 6 An exemplary flowchart is shown during the initial operation of an air conditioner according to some embodiments.

[0040] Figure 7 An exemplary flowchart of the operation of an air conditioner running again according to some embodiments is shown.

[0041] Figure 8 An exemplary flowchart of the operation of an air conditioner according to some embodiments is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0042] To make the objectives and implementation methods of this application clearer, the exemplary implementation methods of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the exemplary embodiments of this application. Obviously, the exemplary embodiments described are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments.

[0043] It should be noted that the brief descriptions of terms in this application are only for the convenience of understanding the embodiments described below, and are not intended to limit the embodiments of this application. Unless otherwise stated, these terms should be understood in their ordinary and common meaning.

[0044] The terms "first," "second," "third," etc., used in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this application are used to distinguish similar or related objects or entities, and do not necessarily imply a specific order or sequence, unless otherwise specified. It should be understood that such terms are interchangeable where appropriate.

[0045] The terms “include” and “have”, and any variations thereof, are intended to cover but not exclusively include, for example, a product or device that includes a range of components is not necessarily limited to all of the components that are clearly listed, but may include other components that are not clearly listed or that are inherent to such product or device.

[0046] The air conditioner provided in this application is an inverter air conditioner. Inverter air conditioners can have various implementation forms, such as wall-mounted units, floor-standing units, ceiling-mounted units, etc.

[0047] An air conditioner includes an indoor heat exchanger, which is located indoors and used to exchange heat with indoor air, thereby heating or cooling the indoor environment.

[0048] An air conditioner includes an outdoor heat exchanger, which is located outdoors and used to exchange heat with outdoor air.

[0049] An air conditioner includes a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, and an indoor heat exchanger, which together form a refrigerant circulation loop. The compressor is used to compress the refrigerant from a low-temperature, low-pressure state to a high-temperature, high-pressure state, and drive the refrigerant to circulate within the refrigerant circulation loop so that the indoor heat exchanger can cool or heat the indoor air.

[0050] like Figure 1 As shown, when an air conditioner cools the indoor environment, the outdoor heat exchanger acts as a condenser, and the indoor heat exchanger acts as an evaporator. The refrigerant, after being compressed by the compressor, flows into the outdoor heat exchanger to release heat, then flows into the indoor heat exchanger to absorb heat, and finally flows back into the compressor.

[0051] like Figure 2 As shown, when the air conditioner heats the indoor environment, the outdoor heat exchanger acts as the evaporator, and the indoor heat exchanger acts as the condenser. The refrigerant, after being compressed by the compressor, flows into the indoor heat exchanger to release heat, then flows into the outdoor heat exchanger to absorb heat, and finally flows back into the compressor.

[0052] An air conditioner includes an expansion valve located in the refrigerant circulation loop. The expansion valve causes the high-temperature, high-pressure liquid refrigerant condensed in the condenser to expand into a low-pressure liquid refrigerant.

[0053] Air conditioners execute a refrigeration or heating cycle using a compressor, condenser, expansion valve, and evaporator. The refrigeration or heating cycle involves a series of processes including compression, condensation, expansion, and evaporation, supplying refrigerant to the conditioned and heat-exchanged air.

[0054] The air conditioner includes a temperature sensor, which is located indoors and used to detect the indoor ambient temperature.

[0055] An air conditioner includes a controller, which is connected to the compressor and is used to control the operation of the compressor.

[0056] The controller is connected to a temperature sensor and is used to receive the detection information from the temperature sensor. The controller is configured to control the compressor to work based on the detection information from the temperature sensor.

[0057] Compressor speed refers to the number of times the compressor output shaft rotates per minute, usually expressed in revolutions per minute (RPM).

[0058] Compressor frequency refers to the number of revolutions a compressor makes per second, usually expressed in Hertz (Hz).

[0059] Under certain operating conditions, the cooling or heating capacity of an air conditioner is directly proportional to the refrigerant mass flow rate. This means that as the refrigerant mass flow rate increases, the cooling capacity will also increase accordingly. Furthermore, the refrigerant mass flow rate is directly proportional to the compressor speed. In other words, the faster the compressor speed, the greater the refrigerant mass flow rate, and thus the greater the cooling capacity. It should be noted that, for ease of description, this application refers to cooling capacity or heating capacity as heat exchange capacity.

[0060] In this application, the operating frequency of the compressor in the air conditioner changes continuously during operation to achieve energy-saving operation. Taking the air conditioner for cooling as an example, when the indoor temperature is higher than the set temperature, the air conditioner will automatically increase the operating frequency of the compressor to increase the cooling capacity and cause the indoor temperature to drop rapidly; when the indoor temperature approaches or reaches the set temperature, the air conditioner will reduce the operating frequency of the compressor to reduce the cooling capacity in order to maintain a constant indoor temperature.

[0061] like Figure 3 As shown, the indoor ambient temperature T_indoor is 30℃, and the user sets the cooling mode and the set temperature T_set to 26℃. The controller will adjust the compressor's operating frequency to gradually lower the indoor temperature until the indoor ambient temperature T_indoor reaches 26℃. During the process of the indoor ambient temperature dropping from 30℃ to 26℃, the compressor's operating frequency is constantly changing. The compressor's operation process can actually be regarded as a combination of a series of frequencies F(i) and corresponding frequency durations Δt(i), that is, the compressor runs at frequency F(0) for Δt(0) time, then at frequency F(1) for Δt(1) time, ..., and then at frequency F(i) for Δt(i) time. Wherein, F(i): compressor frequency at a certain moment, in Hz; Δt(i): compressor frequency corresponding to a certain moment, in seconds; Δt(0) + Δt(1) + ... + Δt(i) is the compressor's operating time T1 when the indoor ambient temperature T_indoor reaches the set temperature T_set.

[0062] Since the operating frequency of a compressor varies, it is not a single, specific value, but rather a combination of multiple values ​​and time intervals. In other words, the compressor's operating frequency can be considered a combination of frequency F(i) and duration Δt(i). Given a fixed amount of heat exchange, there can be multiple combinations of frequency F(i) and duration Δt(i).

[0063] Generally speaking, the higher the compressor's operating frequency, the greater its power consumption. This is because an increase in frequency leads to a higher compressor motor speed, which in turn increases the motor's input power and the compressor's mechanical power consumption. However, as the compressor's operating frequency increases, the air conditioner's heat exchange capacity also increases accordingly. Therefore, although there are various combinations of compressor operating frequencies that can meet the heat exchange requirements of an air conditioner, the power consumption of these combinations differs.

[0064] like Figure 4 As shown, assuming a room takes 30 minutes to cool from its initial temperature to a set temperature, the required cooling capacity is ∑Q. ∑Q is the sum of the cooling capacity output per unit time (taken as 60s) Q(i) / 60s * the corresponding duration Δt(i) for each compressor frequency F(i). That is, the sum of the unit cooling capacity output Q(i) / 60s * the corresponding duration Δt(i) for all operating frequencies between 0 and 30 minutes. Where Q(i) / 60s: cooling capacity output per unit time at a certain moment; P(i): power at a certain moment.

[0065] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, each frequency F(i) corresponds to a power P(i), and the sum of power P(i)*Δt(i) is the total power consumption ∑W. Since the unit cooling capacity Q(i) / 60s and power consumption P(i) output by different frequencies F(i) are different, although the compressor can have multiple combinations of frequency F(i) and duration Δt(i) to make the cooling capacity of the indoor heat exchanger ∑Q, the power consumption ∑W of the air conditioner is different in these multiple combinations.

[0066] Given a fixed cooling capacity ∑Q required for the indoor environment, among various combinations of frequency F(i) and duration Δt(i), at least one combination results in the lowest power consumption ∑W of the air conditioner. The combination of frequency F(i) and duration Δt(i) at which the air conditioner's power consumption ∑W is lowest can be considered the compressor's energy-saving frequency. When the compressor operates at its energy-saving frequency, the air conditioner exhibits better energy-saving performance.

[0067] It should be noted that, in this application, the energy-saving frequency refers to the operating frequency of the compressor when the air conditioner has a better energy-saving effect.

[0068] By indirectly optimizing the combination of frequency F(i) and duration Δt(i), the operating frequency of the compressor when the overall power consumption is minimized can be found, thereby improving the energy-saving operation of the air conditioner and reducing its power consumption.

[0069] Besides temperature factors such as the air conditioner's set temperature and / or the initial indoor temperature, which affect air conditioner performance, factors such as the actual cooling area and the airtightness of the air conditioner's operating environment also influence its operation and performance. When the air conditioner's heat exchange area changes and / or the airtightness of its operating environment changes, the amount of heat exchange required to reach the same set temperature varies. When the heat exchange increases, the compressor may operate at the energy-saving frequency calculated based on the air conditioner's set temperature and / or the initial indoor temperature, potentially increasing the compressor's operating time and thus increasing the overall energy consumption of the air conditioner. Conversely, when the heat exchange decreases, the compressor may operate at the energy-saving frequency calculated considering temperature factors, resulting in a shorter operating time, but the higher power consumption during operation may also lead to an increase in the overall energy consumption of the air conditioner.

[0070] If we disregard factors such as the actual heat exchange area of ​​the air conditioner during operation and the sealing of the actual working environment, the energy-saving frequency of the compressor of the same model of air conditioner will be the same when the initial indoor temperature and the set temperature are the same. However, the actual cooling area of ​​the air conditioner and the sealing of the air conditioner's working environment will also affect the air conditioner's operating effect and performance. Therefore, if we consider the influence of factors such as the actual cooling area of ​​the air conditioner and the sealing of the air conditioner's working environment, the energy-saving frequency of the compressor of the same model of air conditioner will still be different even when the initial indoor temperature and the set temperature are the same.

[0071] When designing and manufacturing air conditioners, the actual operating environment is unknown. Given this unknown environment, designing the compressor's energy-saving frequency by considering factors such as the actual heat exchange area and the sealing of the operating environment is quite challenging. Current technologies typically optimize compressor operating frequencies by primarily considering the air conditioner's set temperature and / or the initial indoor temperature, without taking into account abstract factors such as the actual cooling area and the sealing of the operating environment.

[0072] It should be noted that, for ease of description, in this embodiment, temperature-related factors such as the set temperature of the air conditioner and / or the initial temperature of the indoor environment are referred to as temperature factors; while factors such as the actual cooling area of ​​the air conditioner and the sealing of the air conditioner's working environment are referred to as abstract factors.

[0073] In this application, when the air conditioner is first started, the compressor is made to operate at an energy-saving frequency that takes into account temperature factors such as the initial indoor temperature and the air conditioner's set temperature. This ensures that the air conditioner can complete the cooling or heating work smoothly, reliably, and relatively energy-efficiently. Furthermore, relevant information about the actual working environment of the air conditioner is obtained, and the compressor's operating frequency is optimized for the specific working environment of the air conditioner to obtain an energy-saving frequency that takes into account abstract factors such as the working environment of the air conditioner. When the air conditioner is started again, the compressor is made to operate at the optimized frequency obtained from the optimization solution, thereby increasing the energy-saving effect of the air conditioner.

[0074] It should be noted that the initial indoor temperature and the set temperature of the air conditioner remain constant each time the air conditioner is run. This is to find the most energy-efficient operating frequency for the compressor when the initial indoor temperature and the set temperature of the air conditioner are the same, so that the air conditioner can operate in a more energy-efficient manner.

[0075] Specifically, the air conditioner includes a storage module, which is connected to the controller. The storage module pre-stores the initial frequency of the compressor, and the initial frequency of the compressor is set in accordance with the set temperature of the air conditioner and the initial temperature of the indoor environment. The initial frequency of the compressor is the same for air conditioners of the same model.

[0076] It should be noted that the initial frequency stored in the storage module is the energy-saving frequency of the compressor, obtained by taking into account temperature factors such as the initial indoor temperature and the air conditioner's set temperature. The initial frequency stored in the storage module is a parameter related to both the initial and set indoor temperatures; different initial and set indoor temperatures will result in different initial compressor frequencies. In some embodiments, the compressor's initial frequency is also related to the air conditioner's operating mode. That is, even if the initial and set indoor temperatures are the same, the compressor's initial frequency may differ under different operating modes. This is prior art and will not be elaborated further.

[0077] In this embodiment, the initial temperature of the indoor environment when the air conditioner is running is set to s0, and the set temperature when the air conditioner is running is set to s1.

[0078] like Figure 6 As shown, when the air conditioner starts operating for the first time, the controller controls the compressor to run at a first initial frequency F1; it acquires the compressor's running time T1 when the indoor ambient temperature reaches the set temperature s1, and the heat exchanged Q1 provided by the indoor heat exchanger. It should be noted that the first initial frequency F1 is the energy-saving frequency of the compressor under the operating environment of an initial indoor temperature of s0 and a set temperature of s1. The first initial frequency does not consider the influence of abstract factors such as the sealing of the operating environment and the heat exchange area of ​​the air conditioner. The first initial frequency F1 is pre-stored in the storage module.

[0079] The operating frequency of the compressor is optimized according to the operating time T1 of the compressor and the heat exchange amount Q1 of the indoor heat exchanger to obtain the optimized frequency F2 of the compressor, and the optimization result of the optimized frequency F2 is stored in a storage module. It should be noted that the optimized frequency F2 is an energy-saving frequency of the compressor obtained by considering temperature factors and abstract factors of the first operation of the air conditioner, that is, the optimized frequency F2 not only considers temperature factors such as the initial temperature s0 and the set temperature s1 of the indoor environment, but also considers abstract factors such as the actual heat exchange area and the tightness of the working environment when the air conditioner operates for the first time.

[0080] When the air conditioner operates again, the compressor is controlled to operate at the optimized frequency F2.

[0081] The actual working environment of an air conditioner after installation is usually relatively fixed. Therefore, in the present application, it is defaulted that the actual working environment of the air conditioner does not change when the air conditioner operates again, that is, it is defaulted that factors such as the heat exchange area of the air conditioner and the tightness of the working environment do not change.

[0082] If the working environment does not change when the air conditioner operates again, after the compressor operates at the optimized frequency F2 for time T1, the indoor environment temperature will usually reach the set temperature s1. It should be noted that if the working environment of the air conditioner does not change, the energy-saving frequency of the compressor does not change either, and there is no need to perform optimization calculation on the operating frequency of the compressor at this time. When the air conditioner operates next time, the compressor still operates at the optimized frequency F2.

[0083] If the actual working environment of the air conditioner changes (for example, the window was not opened when the air conditioner operated for the first time, but the window was opened when the air conditioner operated again; for another example, the air conditioner only exchanged heat for the living room when it operated for the first time, and exchanged heat for both the living room and the bedroom when it operated again), then the optimized frequency F2 calculated according to the relevant information of the first operation of the air conditioner is not the energy-saving frequency of the air conditioner under the current working environment.

[0084] When the air conditioner operates again, the user may clearly know that the working environment of the air conditioner has changed, or the user may not know that the working environment of the air conditioner has changed.

[0085] When the air conditioner operates again, after the compressor is controlled to operate at the optimized frequency F2 for time T1, the indoor environment temperature still does not reach the set temperature s1, which indicates that the heat exchange amount required by the indoor environment increases when the air conditioner operates again.

[0086] When the air conditioner operates again, after the compressor operates at the optimized frequency F2 for time T3, the indoor environment temperature reaches the set temperature, where T3<T1, which indicates that the heat exchange amount required by the indoor environment decreases when the air conditioner operates again.

[0087] When the air conditioner runs again, the compressor is controlled to run at an optimized frequency F2 for a time T1, after which the indoor temperature reaches the set temperature s1. This indicates that the heat exchange required for the indoor environment when the air conditioner runs again is the same as the heat exchange required for the indoor environment when the air conditioner runs for the first time.

[0088] When the required heat exchange for the indoor environment changes after the air conditioner is turned on again, the operating frequency of the compressor needs to be re-optimized under the current working environment.

[0089] The controller is further configured to: when the air conditioner is running again and the required heat exchange in the indoor environment changes, obtain the compressor's running time T2 and the heat exchange of the indoor heat exchanger Q2 when the indoor ambient temperature reaches the set temperature under the current operating state of the air conditioner; optimize the compressor's operating frequency based on the obtained compressor running time T2 and indoor heat exchanger heat exchanger Q2, and replace the operating frequency already stored in the storage module with the optimized operating frequency.

[0090] It should be noted that when the heat exchange required by the indoor environment changes when the air conditioner is running again, it is necessary to first ensure that the air conditioner can operate reliably. On the premise that the air conditioner can complete its work smoothly and reliably, the energy-saving frequency of the air conditioner under the current working environment should be recalculated.

[0091] When the air conditioner is running for the first time, the required heat exchange for the indoor environment is Q1. When the air conditioner is running again, the required heat exchange for the indoor environment is Q2.

[0092] like Figure 7 As shown, when Q2 > Q1, the controller is further configured to: control the compressor to run at the optimized frequency F2 for a time T1, and then control the compressor to continue running at the second initial frequency until the indoor ambient temperature reaches the set temperature. It should be noted that after the compressor has run at the optimized frequency F2 for a time T1, the temperature sensor detects the indoor ambient temperature as s0′, and the air conditioner's set temperature as s1. The second frequency is the energy-saving operating frequency of the compressor calculated based on the indoor ambient temperature s0′ and the air conditioner's set temperature s1, without considering factors related to the air conditioner's operating environment.

[0093] In other words, if Q2 > Q1, the controller controls the compressor to operate at an optimized frequency F2 within the first heat exchange range Q1; and if the heat exchange range exceeds the first heat exchange range Q1, the controller controls the compressor to operate at a second initial frequency to ensure that the air conditioner can work reliably.

[0094] When Q2>Q1, the controller is further configured to: record the total operating time T2 of the compressor and the total heat exchange quantity Q2 of the indoor heat exchanger when the indoor ambient temperature reaches the set temperature; re-optimize the operating frequency of the compressor according to the operating time T2 and the heat exchange quantity Q2; and control the compressor to operate at the re-optimized operating frequency when the air conditioner operates next time.

[0095] If Q2<Q1, the controller is further configured to: control the compressor to operate at the optimized frequency F2 until the indoor ambient temperature reaches the set temperature.

[0096] When Q2<Q1, the controller is further configured to: record the operating time T3 of the compressor and the heat exchange quantity Q3 of the indoor heat exchanger when the indoor ambient temperature reaches the set temperature; re-optimize the operating frequency of the compressor according to the operating time T3 and the heat exchange quantity Q3; and control the compressor to operate at the re-optimized frequency when the air conditioner operates next time.

[0097] It should be noted that when Q2<Q1, when the air conditioner operates again, the operating time of the compressor when the indoor ambient temperature reaches the set temperature is shorter than that when the air conditioner operates for the first time. The air conditioner calculates the energy-saving frequency of the compressor according to the operating time of the compressor and the heat exchange quantity. Therefore, when the air conditioner operates for the third time, when the indoor ambient temperature reaches the set temperature, the operating time of the compressor is the same as that when the air conditioner operates for the second time. Compared with the first operation of the air conditioner, when the air conditioner operates for the third time, the operating time of the compressor is shortened when the indoor ambient temperature reaches the set temperature, the energy-saving effect of the air conditioner is improved, and the power consumption of the air conditioner is reduced.

[0098] After the operating frequency of the compressor is optimized and solved, the optimization result is stored in the storage module, and when the air conditioner operates again, the compressor operates at the optimized frequency corresponding to the set temperature stored in the storage module.

[0099] Specifically, the controller is configured to: store the optimized frequency of the compressor in the storage module; and control the compressor to operate at the optimized frequency corresponding to the set temperature stored in the storage module when the air conditioner operates again.

[0100] When the optimized frequency corresponding to the set temperature changes, the storage module updates the optimized frequency corresponding to the set temperature, so as to ensure the operating reliability of the air conditioner and avoid operating errors of the air conditioner caused by excessive stored optimized frequencies.

[0101] Specifically, the controller is further configured to: when the optimized frequency of the compressor under the same set temperature changes, the later stored optimization result replaces the previously stored optimization result.

[0102] The optimized operating frequency of the compressor is a set of multiple values ​​arranged in order, that is, the optimized frequency of the compressor F2={F(0), F(1), F(2)......≥F(i)}, where F(0), F(1), F(2)......F(i) are arranged in order, and F(0)≥F(1)≥F(2)≥......≥F(i).

[0103] The optimized operating frequency of the compressor, i.e. the optimized frequency F2 of the compressor, and the heat exchange capacity Q of the indoor heat exchanger satisfy the following relationship: F(0)Δt(0)+F(1)Δt(1)+F(2)Δt(2)+F(3)Δt(3)+......+F(i)Δt(i)=Q / C, where C is a coefficient or a certain constant.

[0104] Before the indoor ambient temperature reaches the set temperature, the compressor's operating frequency gradually decreases. When the indoor ambient temperature reaches the set temperature, the compressor continues to run at the last frequency F(i) in the optimized frequency.

[0105] like Figure 8 As shown, the initial indoor temperature is set to s0 when the air conditioner is running, and the set temperature is set to s1 when the air conditioner is running. The first initial frequency is the energy-saving frequency of the compressor corresponding to "initial indoor temperature s0, set temperature s1"; the second initial frequency is the energy-saving frequency of the compressor corresponding to "initial indoor temperature s0′, set temperature s1". The calculation of the first and second initial frequencies does not consider the influence of factors such as the heat exchange area of ​​the air conditioner and the sealing of the working environment. The control process of the air conditioner is described in detail below.

[0106] When the air conditioner is first started, the controller selects the first initial frequency corresponding to "the initial temperature of the indoor environment s0 and the set temperature of the air conditioner during operation is s1" from the storage module, and controls the compressor to run at the first initial frequency. When the indoor environment temperature reaches s1, the controller records the compressor's running time T1 and the total cooling capacity Q1 of the indoor heat exchanger.

[0107] The controller optimizes the compressor's operating frequency based on the compressor's running time T1 and the total cooling capacity Q1 of the indoor heat exchanger, and then stores the optimized frequency in the storage module.

[0108] When the air conditioner is running again, the controller controls the compressor to operate at the optimized frequency stored in the storage module.

[0109] If after the compressor has operated for a running time T1, the indoor ambient temperature reaches the set temperature s1, the controller controls the compressor to continuously operate at a low frequency with the last frequency value in the optimized frequencies, so as to maintain the indoor ambient temperature at the set temperature s1.

[0110] If after the compressor has operated for a running time T1, the indoor ambient temperature still does not reach the set temperature s1, and the indoor ambient temperature detected by the temperature sensor at this time is s0', the controller acquires the detection information from the temperature sensor, selects a second initial frequency corresponding to "initial indoor ambient temperature s0' and set temperature s1" from the storage module, controls the compressor to continue operating at the second initial frequency. After the compressor has operated at the second initial frequency for a running time T1', the indoor ambient temperature reaches the set temperature s1, and then the compressor is controlled to operate at a low frequency.

[0111] It should be noted that during the process when the compressor operates at the second initial frequency for the running time T1', the heat exchange capacity of the indoor heat exchanger is Q1', therefore, it can be known that in the current operation of the air conditioner, when the indoor ambient temperature reaches the set temperature s1, the total running time of the compressor T2 = T1 + T1', and the total heat exchange capacity of the indoor heat exchanger Q2 = Q1 + Q1'.

[0112] The controller records the total running time T2 of the compressor and the total heat exchange capacity Q2 of the indoor heat exchanger, re-optimizes the operating frequency of the compressor according to the running time T2 and the total heat exchange capacity Q2, updates the optimization result stored in the storage module, and replaces the optimized frequencies stored in the storage module with the re-optimized optimized frequencies. When the air conditioner operates next time, the controller controls the compressor to operate according to the optimized frequencies stored in the storage module.

[0113] If when the compressor has operated at the optimized frequency for a running time T3, the indoor ambient temperature has already reached the set temperature, where T3 < T1, the controller controls the compressor to operate at a low frequency, and records the running time T3 of the compressor and the heat exchange capacity Q3 of the indoor heat exchanger when the indoor ambient temperature reaches the set temperature in the current operation of the air conditioner; re-optimizes the operating frequency of the compressor according to the running time T3 and the heat exchange capacity Q3, updates the optimization result stored in the storage module, and replaces the optimized frequencies stored in the storage module with the re-optimized optimized frequencies. When the air conditioner operates next time, the controller controls the compressor to operate according to the optimized frequencies stored in the storage module.

[0114] It should be noted that when the indoor ambient temperature reaches the set temperature, the controller controls the compressor to operate at a low frequency to maintain the indoor ambient temperature at the set temperature, which is prior art in the art and will not be repeated herein. When the heat exchange required for the indoor environment during the next operation of the air conditioner changes compared with that required during the first operation of the air conditioner, the operating frequency of the compressor during low-frequency operation can be obtained according to existing calculation methods, which will not be repeated herein.

[0115] The following example illustrates the control process of an air conditioner when cooling an indoor environment at a temperature of 30°C and a set temperature of 26°C.

[0116] After the initial startup, the controller controls the compressor to run at the initial frequency stored in the storage module. When the indoor ambient temperature reaches 26℃, the compressor runs for 30 minutes, and the total cooling capacity of the indoor heat exchanger is ∑Q.

[0117] After the user restarts the unit, the indoor ambient temperature remains 30℃, and the air conditioner's set temperature remains 26℃. The controller readjusts the combination of F(i) and Δt(i) based on the compressor's running time of 30 minutes during the last operation and the total cooling capacity ∑Q of the indoor heat exchanger, minimizing the compressor's power consumption ∑W, thus obtaining the optimized compressor operating frequency. The air conditioner operates at this optimized frequency, where F(i) decreases sequentially in descending order: F(0) ≥ F(1) ≥ F(2) ... ≥ F(i).

[0118] If the indoor ambient temperature only drops to 27℃ after the compressor runs for 30 minutes, then the period from 27℃ to 26℃ will switch to the original traditional algorithm (equivalent to the original algorithm, when the user's room temperature T_indoor = 27℃ and the user's set T_set = 26℃ on the first start-up). Adding this period of temperature control operation, the total duration becomes ∑t′, and the total cooling capacity becomes ∑Q′.

[0119] If the indoor ambient temperature drops to 26℃ after the compressor has been running for 25 minutes, then record the compressor's running time ∑t′ and the cooling capacity of the indoor heat exchanger ∑Q′. When the air conditioner runs again, use ∑Q′ and ∑t′ as reference values ​​to calculate the compressor's operating frequency.

[0120] Each time new ∑Q′ and ∑t′ are obtained, they are stored in the storage module. ∑Q′ and ∑t′ can still be saved after the air conditioner is turned off.

[0121] As long as the air conditioner is turned on, the controller can read ∑Q and ∑t from the storage module when the air conditioner was last running. Then the controller will run according to a set of operating modes that minimize ∑W based on ∑Q and ∑t.

[0122] The aforementioned air conditioner optimizes the compressor's operating frequency based on the cooling or heating capacity required by the air conditioner's current actual working environment. This allows the compressor to operate at a more energy-efficient frequency when the air conditioner operates under the same conditions, thereby increasing the air conditioner's energy-saving effect. The air conditioner can perform energy-saving control based on its specific working environment, and can achieve the lowest power consumption while maintaining the same time required for the indoor temperature to reach the set temperature, thus further enhancing the air conditioner's energy-saving effect.

[0123] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and are not intended to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application.

[0124] For ease of explanation, the above description has been provided in conjunction with specific embodiments. However, the above exemplary discussion is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the specific forms disclosed above. Various modifications and variations can be obtained based on the above teachings. The selection and description of the above embodiments are for the purpose of better explaining the principles and practical applications, thereby enabling those skilled in the art to better utilize the described embodiments and various different variations of embodiments suitable for specific use considerations.

Claims

1. An air conditioner, characterized in that, include: Indoor heat exchanger, used for exchanging heat with indoor air; An outdoor heat exchanger is used to exchange heat with outdoor air. The compressor, together with the indoor heat exchanger and the outdoor heat exchanger, forms a refrigerant circulation loop. Refrigerant flows in the refrigerant circulation loop. The compressor is used to compress low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant gas into high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant gas and drive the refrigerant to flow in the refrigerant circulation loop. Temperature sensor used to detect indoor ambient temperature; The storage module pre-stores several initial operating frequencies of the compressors; the initial frequencies of the compressors are set in correspondence with the set temperature of the air conditioner and the initial temperature of the indoor environment. The controller is connected to the compressor, the temperature sensor, and the storage module respectively; the controller is configured to: When the air conditioner is first started, the initial frequency of the compressor is selected from the storage module according to the set temperature and the initial temperature of the indoor environment, and the compressor is controlled to run at the selected initial frequency. The compressor's operating time T1 and the heat exchange capacity Q1 of the indoor heat exchanger are obtained when the indoor ambient temperature reaches the set temperature. The operating frequency of the compressor is optimized based on the compressor's running time T1 and the heat exchange capacity Q1 of the indoor heat exchanger to obtain the optimized frequency of the compressor. The optimized frequency is the energy-saving frequency of the compressor, which takes into account the initial temperature of the indoor environment, the set temperature, the actual heat exchange area of ​​the air conditioner during its first run, and the sealing factor of the working environment. When the air conditioner is running again, the compressor is controlled to run at an optimized frequency. If the indoor ambient temperature still does not reach the set temperature after the compressor has been running at the optimized frequency for a time T1, the initial frequency of the compressor is reselected from the storage module based on the current indoor ambient temperature detected by the temperature sensor and the set temperature of the air conditioner, and the compressor is controlled to continue running at the reselected initial frequency until the indoor ambient temperature reaches the set temperature. If the indoor ambient temperature reaches the set temperature after the compressor has been running at the optimized frequency for a time T3, where T3 < T1, then the compressor's running time T3 and the heat exchange capacity Q3 of the indoor heat exchanger when the indoor ambient temperature reaches the set temperature are recorded; the compressor's operating frequency is optimized again based on the running time T3 and the heat exchange capacity Q3; and the compressor is controlled to run at the optimized frequency the next time the air conditioner is run.

2. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, The controller is further configured to: when the air conditioner is running again and the required heat exchange in the indoor environment changes, obtain the running time T2 of the compressor and the heat exchange Q2 of the indoor heat exchanger when the indoor temperature reaches the set temperature under the current operating state of the air conditioner; optimize the operating frequency of the compressor again based on the running time T2 of the compressor and the heat exchange Q2 of the indoor heat exchanger; and control the compressor to run at the optimized operating frequency the next time the air conditioner is running.

3. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, The controller is configured to: when the second heat exchange required for the indoor environment to run again is greater than the first heat exchange required for the indoor environment to run for the first time, within the first heat exchange range, control the compressor to run at an optimized frequency; outside the first heat exchange range, control the compressor to run at an initial frequency reselected from the storage module based on the current indoor ambient temperature and the set temperature.

4. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, The controller is configured to control the compressor to operate at an optimized frequency until the indoor temperature reaches the set temperature when the air conditioner is running again and the required heat exchange for the indoor environment is less than the required heat exchange for the indoor environment when the air conditioner is running for the first time.

5. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, The optimized frequency of the compressor is F2={F(0), F(1), F(2)……≥F(i)}, where F(0), F(1), F(2)……F(i) are arranged in order, and F(0)≥F(1)≥F(2)≥……≥F(i).

6. The air conditioner according to claim 5, characterized in that, The controller is further configured to control the compressor to run continuously at the last frequency value F(i) in the optimized frequency range when the indoor ambient temperature reaches the set temperature.

7. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, The controller is configured to: store the optimized operating frequency of the compressor in the storage module; when the optimized frequency of the compressor changes, the later-stored optimization result replaces the previously stored optimization result; when the air conditioner runs again, control the compressor to run at the optimized frequency stored in the storage module.

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