Intelligent cooperative heating control method and system for multi-heat-source heat pump

Abstract

The invention discloses an intelligent cooperative heating control method and system for a multi-heat-source heat pump, and relates to the technical field of building heat supply and heat pumps, the intelligent cooperative heating control system comprises an air source heat pump unit, an evaporator of the air source heat pump unit adopts a horizontally stacked fin structure, and the evaporator is arranged on the outer side of a main machine to fully receive solar radiation; the solar energy enhancing unit comprises an efficient solar energy absorbing coating coated on the surfaces of the fins, and a first control module for adjusting the running state of the evaporator according to the solar irradiation intensity; in combination with a multi-source cooperative control strategy, the system can intelligently integrate solar energy, air energy and power grid energy, and an optimal energy consumption combination is automatically selected according to different environmental conditions and energy demands. According to the design, the adaptability and operation reliability of the system under different climate conditions are enhanced while the comprehensive utilization efficiency of energy is improved, the overall structure is compact and reasonable, and the installation and maintenance complexity is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of building heating and heat pump technology, specifically to an intelligent collaborative heating control method and system for multi-heat source heat pumps. Background Technology

[0002] Geothermal heat pumps are highly efficient and energy-saving systems that utilize geothermal resources (including soil and groundwater) for heating and cooling. They exchange heat with the earth through underground pipes using a circulating medium. In winter, heat is extracted from the geothermal energy source for building heating, and in summer, heat is released into the ground for cooling. Geothermal heat pumps offer advantages such as stable operation, minimal susceptibility to external temperature changes, and high energy efficiency ratios. However, they also have limitations, including higher initial investment and potential degradation in the heat exchange performance of buried pipes over time.

[0003] Currently, composite heat pump systems employing multiple heat sources (such as solar, air, ground, and electric auxiliary heat sources) have become an important development direction for improving heating reliability and energy efficiency. However, such systems still face several technical challenges in practical applications: First, there is a lack of effective coordination mechanisms among multiple heat sources, often relying on simple switching or manual control, making it difficult to achieve dynamic optimal energy distribution; second, system operation is susceptible to interference from changes in environmental parameters and equipment failures, resulting in insufficient adaptability and robustness; furthermore, traditional control strategies fail to fully integrate predictive information with system models, hindering further improvements in overall system energy efficiency.

[0004] In order to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art, this invention designs a heating control method that can realize intelligent coordination and optimized scheduling of multiple heat sources and has fault tolerance, so as to significantly improve the stability, adaptability and operating efficiency of composite energy systems. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention provides an intelligent collaborative heating control method and system for multi-heat source heat pumps, solving the technical problems mentioned in the background section.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: an intelligent collaborative heating control method for a multi-source heat pump, comprising: an air-source heat pump unit, wherein the evaporator adopts a horizontally stacked fin structure and is located outside the main unit to fully receive solar radiation; a solar energy enhancement unit, comprising a high-efficiency solar absorption coating applied to the surface of the fins, and a first control module for adjusting the operating state of the evaporator according to the solar irradiance intensity; a multi-source collaborative control unit, configured to comprehensively schedule solar energy, air energy, grid power, and photovoltaic direct-drive power, and to execute peak-valley power utilization strategy and intelligent start-stop strategy for electric auxiliary heating; a modular structure unit, comprising an independently designed fin-fan module, the structure of which is configured to enhance the light-receiving area and convective heat transfer efficiency; and a regional configuration unit, used to select and optimize the compressor and auxiliary systems according to the climatic characteristics of the installation area.

[0007] Preferably, the high-efficiency solar absorption coating in the solar enhancement unit is a selective absorption coating with a solar absorptivity of not less than 0.92 and a hemispherical emissivity of not more than 0.10.

[0008] Preferably, the execution logic of the multi-source collaborative control unit includes: monitoring solar irradiance, ambient temperature, grid electricity price periods and system load demand; prioritizing the use of photovoltaic direct-drive power and solar thermal energy, followed by the use of air source heat pumps, and starting electric auxiliary heating for heat storage during off-peak hours; and activating a multi-heat source complementary heating mode when a single heat source is insufficient to meet load demand.

[0009] Preferably, the fin-fan module in the modular structural unit has an L-shaped plate structure in the home model and is equipped with 1 to 4 fans; in the commercial model, it has a U-shaped or U-shaped structure with top fins, and the number of fans and the frequency conversion function are determined based on the maximum heat demand air volume under extreme no-sunlight conditions in winter.

[0010] Preferably, the number of fans configured satisfies the following condition: even under extreme conditions of the coldest winter with no sunshine and zero electric auxiliary heating storage, the air volume can still be provided to meet the rated heating demand through frequency conversion regulation.

[0011] Preferably, the regionalized configuration unit includes: a high-humidity compressor and a large-size evaporator suitable for the high-temperature and high-humidity climate of the south; and a low-temperature enthalpy-increasing compressor and a weather-resistant and corrosion-resistant shell structure suitable for the cold climate of the north.

[0012] Preferred approach: Establish a dynamic system model, including an indoor thermal balance model, a multi-heat source unit characteristic model, a thermal storage device model, and an environmental parameter sensing model; construct a system topology network, abstracting each heat source, thermal storage device, and load as nodes and defining their energy and information interaction relationships; design a distributed collaborative control strategy to achieve solar priority, off-peak electricity thermal storage, and multi-source complementarity; use model predictive control (MPC) rolling optimization to solve for the optimal output sequence of each heat source in future periods; utilize neural networks to dynamically map environmental parameters and optimal operating states to adjust equipment operating points in real time; and stabilize system operating parameters through a multivariable PID controller.

[0013] Preferably, it also includes the access control logic for photovoltaic direct-drive power supply: Real-time monitoring of photovoltaic power generation and system power consumption; Photovoltaic power is prioritized for driving compressors and fans, with surplus power connected to thermal storage devices or grid-connected; when photovoltaic power is insufficient, it automatically and smoothly switches to grid or backup power supply.

[0014] Beneficial effects This invention provides an intelligent collaborative heating control method and system for a multi-source heat pump, offering the following advantages: By externalizing the evaporator fins and adding a light-absorbing coating, it combines the dual functions of traditional air-source heat exchange and high-efficiency solar thermal conversion. Combined with a multi-source collaborative control strategy, the system can intelligently integrate solar, air, and grid energy, automatically selecting the optimal energy consumption combination based on different environmental conditions and energy demands. This design improves overall energy utilization efficiency while enhancing the system's adaptability and operational reliability under varying climatic conditions. The overall structure is compact and rational, reducing installation and maintenance complexity. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of the intelligent collaborative heating control method and system for a multi-heat source heat pump according to the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0016] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0017] Please see Figure 1This invention provides a technical solution: an intelligent collaborative heating control method for a multi-source heat pump, comprising: an air-source heat pump unit, wherein the evaporator adopts a horizontally stacked fin structure and is located outside the main unit to fully receive solar radiation; a solar energy enhancement unit, including a high-efficiency solar absorption coating applied to the surface of the fins, and a first control module for adjusting the operating state of the evaporator according to the solar irradiance intensity; a multi-source collaborative control unit, configured to comprehensively schedule solar energy, air energy, grid power, and photovoltaic direct-drive power, and execute peak-valley power utilization strategy and intelligent start-stop strategy for electric auxiliary heating; a modular structure unit, including an independently designed fin-fan module, the structure of which is configured to enhance the light-receiving area and convective heat transfer efficiency; and a regional configuration unit, used to select and optimize the compressor and auxiliary systems according to the climate characteristics of the installation area.

[0018] In this embodiment, the high-efficiency solar absorption coating in the solar enhancement unit is a selective absorption coating with a solar absorptivity of not less than 0.92 and a hemispherical emissivity of not more than 0.10.

[0019] In this embodiment, the execution logic of the multi-source collaborative control unit includes: monitoring solar irradiance, ambient temperature, grid electricity price periods and system load demand; prioritizing the use of photovoltaic direct-drive power and solar thermal energy, followed by the use of air source heat pumps, and starting electric auxiliary heating for heat storage during off-peak hours; and activating a multi-heat source complementary heating mode when a single heat source is insufficient to meet load demand.

[0020] In this embodiment, the fin-fan module in the modular structural unit is configured as follows: in the home model, it has an L-shaped plate structure and is equipped with 1 to 4 fans; in the commercial model, it has a U-shaped or U-shaped structure with top fins. The number of fans and the frequency conversion function are determined based on the maximum heat demand air volume under extreme no-sunlight conditions in winter.

[0021] This embodiment is further configured such that the number of fans is sufficient to provide the required air volume for rated heating even under extreme conditions such as the coldest winter with no sunshine and zero electric auxiliary heating storage.

[0022] In this embodiment, the regionalized configuration unit is further configured to include: a high-humidity compressor and a large-size evaporator suitable for the high-temperature and high-humidity climate of the south; and a low-temperature enthalpy-increasing compressor and a weather-resistant and corrosion-resistant shell structure suitable for the cold climate of the north.

[0023] This embodiment is further configured as follows: A system dynamic model is established, including an indoor thermal balance model, a multi-heat source unit characteristic model, a thermal storage device model, and an environmental parameter sensing model; a system topology network is constructed, abstracting each heat source, thermal storage device, and load as nodes and defining their energy and information interaction relationships; a distributed collaborative control strategy is designed to achieve solar priority, off-peak electricity thermal storage, and multi-source complementarity; the optimal output sequence of each heat source in future time periods is solved based on model predictive control (MPC) rolling optimization; environmental parameters and optimal operating states are dynamically mapped using neural networks to adjust the equipment operating points in real time; and system operating parameters are stabilized through a multivariable PID controller.

[0024] This embodiment is further configured to include access control logic for photovoltaic direct-drive power supply: Real-time monitoring of photovoltaic power generation and system power consumption; Photovoltaic power is prioritized for driving compressors and fans, with surplus power connected to thermal storage devices or grid-connected; when photovoltaic power is insufficient, it automatically and smoothly switches to grid or backup power supply.

[0025] Its detailed connection method is a well-known technology in this field. The following mainly introduces the working principle and process, and the specific work is as follows.

[0026] Example 1: System Overall Structure and Basic Workflow This embodiment describes in detail a specific implementation of the high-efficiency multi-source coordinated heating system according to claim 1.

[0027] The system hardware mainly includes: Air source heat pump unit: It uses a Rotary brand variable frequency scroll compressor. Its core innovation lies in the design of the evaporator. Its copper tube aluminum fin heat exchanger is no longer the traditional structure that is placed vertically inside the main unit. Instead, it is stacked horizontally and placed on the front and top frame of the main unit chassis, directly exposed to the environment to ensure unobstructed reception of solar radiation.

[0028] Solar thermal enhancement unit: A high-efficiency solar selective absorption coating of TiNOX® or Blue Film series is coated on the fin surface of the external evaporator using a magnetron sputtering process. Laboratory tests show that this coating has a solar absorptivity α ≥ 0.95 and a hemispherical emissivity ε ≤ 0.08, exhibiting excellent photothermal conversion performance.

[0029] Power Supply and Control Unit: The system is equipped with a GoodWe 5kW photovoltaic inverter, whose DC input is connected to the photovoltaic modules and its AC output is connected to the power grid. It also has a DC bus, which can directly provide photovoltaic power to the compressor and DC fan. The control cabinet integrates a multi-source collaborative control unit (based on an STM32F407 microcontroller) and an off-peak electricity timer. This timer is preset with local peak and off-peak electricity price periods (e.g., 10:00 PM to 8:00 AM is the off-peak electricity period).

[0030] Modular Finned Fan Unit: This example is a residential model. Its evaporator fins are designed as an independent "L"-shaped plate module, with the vertical section mounted against the wall and the top section extending horizontally outwards. This module is connected to the main unit via refrigerant piping and can be independently disassembled for maintenance. At the corner of the "L" shape, three German ebm-papst 4200X series DC brushless inverter fans are installed, driving the airflow through the fins.

[0031] Heat storage device: a 500-liter enamel-lined pressure insulated water tank with a built-in coil heat exchanger connected to a heat pump, and equipped with a 9kW armored electric auxiliary heating pipe.

[0032] Workflow: After system startup, the multi-source collaborative control unit continuously monitors various sensor data (irradiance, temperature, photovoltaic power, grid voltage, etc.). On a typical sunny spring or autumn day, with ample sunshine, the control unit executes a "photovoltaic direct drive priority" strategy: photovoltaic power generation is first used to drive the compressor and fan, with excess power fed into the grid. Simultaneously, solar radiation is efficiently absorbed by the coating, heating the fins and raising the evaporation temperature to above 20°C, achieving a system COP (coefficient of performance) of over 4.5. After sunset, the system automatically switches to grid power and continues operating in air-source mode. During off-peak hours at night, the control unit automatically starts the heat pump and may activate the electric auxiliary heater to heat the water tank to a higher temperature (e.g., 60°C) for heat storage, ready for use during the next morning peak.

[0033] Example 2: Commercial Implementation and Extreme Condition Design of Modular Finned Fan Unit This embodiment describes in detail the specific design and configuration logic of the modular fin-fan unit according to claims 3 and 4 in a commercial scenario.

[0034] Take, for example, a heating project for an office building in Jinan, Shandong Province, China. The extreme design conditions in winter are: outdoor dry-bulb temperature of -10℃, no solar radiation, and the hot water storage tank is not storing heat for some reason, so the temperature is at an initial low temperature.

[0035] Structural Design: The finned fan unit is designed as a large, independent "U-shaped channel" structure, placed on the building's roof. Fins are arranged around the three facades of the U-shape, forming a large heat-collecting surface. To further enhance light reception, a horizontal "top-mounted fin block" is added at the top of the U-shaped opening.

[0036] Fan configuration calculation and selection: Calculated heat load: Under this extreme condition, the building requires a heat load of 120kW.

[0037] Calculate the required heat exchange: The selected low-temperature enthalpy-increasing compressor has a heating capacity of approximately 80kW under this operating condition, which means that the evaporator needs to extract at least 80kW of heat from the air at -10℃.

[0038] Calculate the required airflow: Based on the evaporator's heat exchange formula Q=m*Cp*ΔT (where ΔT is the logarithmic mean temperature difference between air and refrigerant), the total airflow required to achieve a heat exchange of 80kW is calculated to be approximately 35000 m³ / h. 3 / h.

[0039] Determine the number and type of fans: Select a rated air volume of 6000 m³ / h for a single fan. 3 / h. Therefore, the required number of fans N = 35000 / 6000 ≈ 5.83, rounded up to 6 units. Thus, in this embodiment, 6 high-power DC inverter fans are configured for the U-shaped module.

[0040] Control Logic: Under this extreme condition, all six fans will start and operate at their maximum speed to force maximum airflow, ensuring that as much heat as possible is extracted from the cold air, bringing the system's heating capacity to 80kW. The remaining 40kW of heat load is supplemented by electric auxiliary heating activated by the control unit. This design ensures that the system can maintain heating even under the most unfavorable conditions, avoiding the high operating costs associated with relying solely on high-power electric auxiliary heating, and achieving a balance between reliability and economy.

[0041] Example 3: Specific Application of Multi-Source Cooperative Control Method A specific application scenario of the control method according to claims 5 and 7 is described in detail.

[0042] Assume the time is 8:00 AM on a certain day in December (after the off-peak electricity period and into the normal electricity period), the weather is sunny, and the outdoor temperature is 0℃.

[0043] Monitoring: The control unit detected a solar irradiance of 800 W / m². 2The ambient temperature is 0℃, the water tank temperature is 35℃, the real-time photovoltaic power generation is 4.2kW, the power grid is in a flat period (electricity price 0.8 yuan / kWh), and the user sets the room temperature to 22℃.

[0044] Decision-making: The control unit makes decisions based on a built-in priority strategy. Energy options: Priority will be given to direct photovoltaic power (4.2kW) and solar thermal (fins are heated to 45°C).

[0045] Equipment control: Microcontroller output signals: ① The compressor operates at medium frequency, requiring exactly 4.2kW ​​of power, achieving 100% utilization of photovoltaic power; ② The electronic expansion valve opening is increased to adapt to higher evaporation temperatures; ③ All fans operate at medium speed to balance heat exchange and energy consumption; ④ The grid connection is disconnected, and the electric auxiliary heating is turned off.

[0046] Optimization: The MPC controller within the control unit calls upon the weather forecast for the next 6 hours (predicting an initial increase followed by a decrease in irradiance) to perform rolling calculations. It determines that, under the current conditions, the target temperature of the water tank should be maintained at 50°C, and heat storage should be completed before the irradiance weakens at 2 PM. Therefore, the system maintains its current highly efficient operating state.

[0047] Adjustment: The multivariable PID controller monitors parameters such as compressor suction superheat and water tank temperature in real time, and fine-tunes the opening of the electronic expansion valve and the speed of the circulating water pump to keep the system stable in the most efficient operating range.

[0048] By 3:00 PM, the radiation had decreased to 300 W / m². 2 The photovoltaic power dropped to 1.5kW. The control unit automatically performed the switch: ① Smoothly connected to the grid to supplement the power required to drive the compressor; ② Based on the new heat balance calculation, slightly reduced the compressor frequency and maintained the fan speed, so that the system smoothly transitioned from the "solar thermal + photovoltaic" dominant mode to the "solar thermal + air source + grid" hybrid mode.

[0049] Example 4: Specific Implementation of Localized Configuration This embodiment describes in detail the application of the localized configuration unit according to claim 6.

[0050] Southern model configuration (taking Guangzhou as an example): Compressor: A Panasonic high-efficiency scroll compressor is selected, with the design focus on high EER (energy efficiency ratio) and long-term operational reliability, rather than ultra-low temperature start-up.

[0051] Evaporator: Hydrophilic aluminum foil fins are used, with the fin spacing increased to over 2.2mm to address condensation issues in high-humidity weather, prevent water bridges from clogging the air ducts, and ensure stable airflow. At the same time, the evaporator area is increased to handle high cooling loads in summer.

[0052] Shell: The ventilation mesh is designed as an insect-proof mesh and uses a coating material that is resistant to high temperature and humidity and salt spray corrosion.

[0053] Configuration of models for northern regions (taking Harbin as an example): Compressor: Gree Lingda's jet enthalpy-increasing inverter compressor is selected, which is specially designed to operate stably and maintain a high heating capacity in low-temperature environments of -25℃ or even -30℃.

[0054] Evaporator: The fin surface is treated with epoxy resin coating to prevent excessively rapid frost and ice formation in cold and humid environments, which would lead to defrosting difficulties. The fin spacing is also appropriately increased to reduce frost blockage.

[0055] Housing and Fan: The main unit's air inlet and outlet are designed with automatically opening and closing windproof and sandproof covers, which close when the equipment is in standby mode to prevent rain, snow, and cold air from flowing back in. The fan is a high static pressure type, ensuring sufficient airflow even when frost accumulates.

[0056] It should be noted that in this paper, relational terms such as first and second are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another entity or operation, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations.

Claims

1. A method for intelligent collaborative heating control of a multi-heat-source heat pump, characterized in that, include: The air source heat pump unit has an evaporator with a horizontally stacked fin structure, and the evaporator is located outside the main unit to fully receive solar radiation. The solar enhancement unit includes a high-efficiency solar absorption coating applied to the surface of the fins, and a first control module for adjusting the operating state of the evaporator according to the solar irradiance. The multi-source collaborative control unit is configured to comprehensively schedule solar energy, air energy, grid power and photovoltaic direct drive power, and execute peak-valley power utilization strategy and electric auxiliary heating intelligent start-stop strategy; Modular structural units, including independently designed fin-fan modules, are configured to enhance light-receiving area and convective heat transfer efficiency. The regional configuration unit is used to select and optimize the parameters of the compressor and auxiliary systems according to the climate characteristics of the installation area.

2. The intelligent collaborative heating control method for a multi-heat source heat pump according to claim 1, characterized in that, The high-efficiency solar absorption coating in the solar enhancement unit is a selective absorption coating with a solar absorptivity of not less than 0.92 and a hemispherical emissivity of not more than 0.

10.

3. The intelligent collaborative heating control method for a multi-heat source heat pump according to claim 1, characterized in that, The execution logic of the multi-source collaborative control unit includes: Monitor solar irradiance, ambient temperature, electricity price during certain periods, and system load demand; Priority is given to using photovoltaic direct-drive electricity and solar thermal energy, followed by air source heat pumps, and electric auxiliary heating is activated during off-peak hours for heat storage. When a single heat source is insufficient to meet the load demand, a multi-heat source complementary heating mode is activated.

4. The intelligent collaborative heating control method for a multi-heat source heat pump according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fin-fan module in the modular structural unit: In home models, it features an L-shaped panel structure and is equipped with 1 to 4 fans; In commercial models, the fan is U-shaped or U-shaped with top fins. The number of fans and the frequency conversion function are determined based on the maximum heat demand under extreme winter conditions with no sunlight.

5. The intelligent collaborative heating control method for a multi-heat source heat pump according to claim 1, characterized in that, The number of fans configured is such that, even under extreme conditions of the coldest winter with no sunshine and zero electric auxiliary heating storage, the air volume required to meet the rated heating demand can still be provided through frequency conversion regulation.

6. The intelligent collaborative heating control method for a multi-heat source heat pump according to claim 1, characterized in that, The localization configuration unit includes: Specialized compressors and large-size evaporators for high-humidity operating conditions in the hot and humid climate of southern China; Low-temperature enthalpy-increasing compressor suitable for cold northern climates and weather-resistant and corrosion-resistant shell structure.

7. A method for intelligent cooperative control of a system as described in any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, include: Establish a system dynamic model, including an indoor heat balance model, a multi-heat source unit characteristic model, a heat storage device model, and an environmental parameter sensing model; Construct a system topology network, abstract each heat source, heat storage device and load as a node and define their energy and information interaction relationships; Design a distributed collaborative control strategy to achieve solar energy priority, off-peak electricity thermal storage, and multi-source complementarity; The optimal output sequence of each heat source in the future time period is solved by rolling optimization based on model predictive control (MPC). By using neural networks to dynamically map environmental parameters with optimal operating states, the operating point of the equipment can be adjusted in real time. The system operating parameters are stabilized by using a multivariable PID controller.

8. The intelligent collaborative control method according to claim 7, characterized in that, It also includes the access control logic for photovoltaic direct-drive power supplies: Real-time monitoring of photovoltaic power generation and system power consumption; Priority should be given to using photovoltaic power to drive compressors and fans, with surplus power connected to thermal storage devices or grid-connected; When photovoltaic power is insufficient, it automatically and smoothly switches to the grid or backup power supply.

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