Control method and device of multi-connected air conditioner and multi-connected air conditioner

Abstract

The embodiment of the application relates to the air conditioning technical field, discloses a kind of control method, device and multi-connected air conditioner of multi-connected air conditioner, the multi-connected air conditioner includes at least one outdoor unit and multiple indoor units, the control method includes: from the multiple indoor units, determine the target indoor unit needing anti-condensation;According to the equipment parameter of the target indoor unit, determine the anti-condensation index of the multi-connected air conditioner;According to the comparison result between the anti-condensation index and its corresponding index threshold value, generate control instruction for compressor or the target indoor unit;Based on the control instruction, the operating frequency of the compressor or the electronic expansion valve opening of the target indoor unit is regulated.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of air conditioning technology, and more specifically, to a control method, apparatus, and multi-split air conditioner. Background Technology

[0002] Multi-split air conditioners are a popular and well-received product in the market, and their anti-condensation function deserves special attention from R&D personnel. The condensation prevented by the anti-condensation function, also known as condensate, is the water that forms on the surface of the evaporator in the indoor unit during cooling mode, especially noticeable under high temperature and humidity conditions. Because condensation can have many negative impacts, it is generally necessary to prevent or minimize its formation.

[0003] Currently, multi-split air conditioners face issues such as the matching of capacity supply between the outdoor unit platform and the capacity demand of the indoor unit platform, as well as the capacity allocation among different indoor unit platforms. This makes it difficult for existing anti-condensation strategies to simultaneously ensure the stability of both the outdoor unit operation and the indoor unit temperature control. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a control method, device, and multi-split air conditioner to solve the problem in the prior art that the anti-condensation method for multi-split air conditioners is difficult to balance the stability of outdoor unit operation and the stability of indoor unit temperature control.

[0005] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a control method for a multi-split air conditioner, the multi-split air conditioner including at least one outdoor unit and multiple indoor units, the control method including: From the plurality of indoor units, identify the target indoor unit that requires anti-condensation measures; Based on the equipment parameters of the target indoor unit, determine the anti-condensation index of the multi-split air conditioner; Based on the comparison result between the anti-condensation index and its corresponding index threshold, control commands are generated for the compressor or the target indoor unit. Based on the control command, the operating frequency of the compressor or the opening degree of the electronic expansion valve of the target indoor unit is adjusted.

[0006] In some embodiments, determining the target indoor unit requiring anti-condensation from the plurality of indoor units includes: In response to one or more indoor units being in cooling or dehumidifying mode, a target indoor unit that meets the anti-condensation activation conditions is identified from the plurality of indoor units. The conditions for the anti-condensation to take effect include: The indoor unit is currently in a non-debugging mode, non-diagnostic mode, non-fault state, or non-power-off state. The indoor unit is currently operating in either cooling or dehumidification mode. The indoor ambient temperature detected by the current indoor unit is less than or equal to the critical indoor temperature for preventing condensation. The indoor unit currently detects indoor humidity that is greater than or equal to the critical indoor humidity for preventing condensation.

[0007] In the above embodiments, cooling mode or dehumidification mode is used as a prerequisite for screening target indoor units, and specific screening conditions are set, so as to accurately identify indoor units that need to be protected against condensation.

[0008] In some embodiments, determining the target indoor unit requiring anti-condensation from the plurality of indoor units includes: When one or more indoor units are in cooling or dehumidification mode, the anti-condensation function is activated. Under the anti-condensation function, a target indoor unit that meets the preset anti-condensation activation conditions is selected from the plurality of indoor units.

[0009] In the above embodiments, using cooling mode or dehumidification mode as a prerequisite for activating the anti-condensation function ensures that the anti-condensation function is activated only when condensation may occur, thus avoiding unnecessary operation and resource consumption in modes without the risk of condensation, such as heating.

[0010] In some embodiments, the device parameters include: cooling capacity; and based on the device parameters of the target indoor unit, determining the anti-condensation index of the multi-split air conditioner includes: The anti-condensation index is obtained by calculating the ratio of the sum of the cooling capacities of the target indoor units to the cooling capacity of the outdoor unit.

[0011] In the above embodiments, by calculating the ratio of the sum of the cooling capacity of the target indoor units to the cooling capacity of the outdoor units as an anti-condensation index, the risk of condensation can be mitigated by stably adjusting the compressor frequency when the demand for condensation risk is high, thus avoiding the oscillation problem caused by frequent independent adjustments of multiple indoor units; when the demand is low, the anti-condensation problem of the indoor units can be quickly solved through precise local control, reducing the impact on other indoor units.

[0012] In some embodiments, based on the comparison result between the anti-condensation index and its corresponding index threshold, control commands are generated for the compressor or the target indoor unit, including: In response to the anti-condensation index being greater than a first index threshold, a compressor control command is generated; the compressor control command instructs the compressor of the outdoor unit to perform frequency increase, frequency decrease, or frequency lock operation; In response to the anti-condensation index being less than or equal to the second index threshold, an electronic expansion valve control command is generated; the electronic expansion valve control command instructs the electronic expansion valve of the target indoor unit to perform valve opening, valve closing, or maintain the current opening degree operation.

[0013] In the above embodiments, by setting clear first and second indicator thresholds, the continuous quantity of the anti-condensation indicator is transformed into multiple decision intervals. Different processing methods are then used in different decision intervals to achieve anti-condensation. This approach reduces interference with the air conditioner as a whole and other indoor units that are not at risk of condensation, ensuring the stability of indoor temperature control. Furthermore, this decision zoning makes the decision logic simple and clear, reducing the probability of errors.

[0014] In some embodiments, the operating frequency of the compressor is regulated based on the compressor control commands, including one or more of the following: In response to the fact that the average temperature of the middle pipe is greater than the sum of the critical average temperature of the inner pipe and the first correction temperature, and less than or equal to the sum of the critical average temperature of the inner pipe and the second correction temperature, the compressor is controlled to perform frequency ramping operation according to the target frequency ramping rate. In response to the fact that the average temperature of the middle pipe is greater than the sum of the critical average temperature of the inner pipe and the third correction temperature, and less than or equal to the sum of the critical average temperature of the inner pipe and the first correction temperature, the compressor is controlled to maintain the current operating frequency and perform a frequency locking operation for a first target duration. In response to the average temperature of the middle pipe being less than or equal to the sum of the critical average temperature of the inner pipe and the second corrected temperature, the compressor is controlled to perform a frequency reduction operation according to the target frequency reduction rate; The average central pipe temperature includes the average central pipe temperature of the evaporator of the indoor unit in cooling mode and the indoor unit in dehumidification mode; the average critical internal pipe temperature includes the average critical internal pipe temperature for condensation prevention of the indoor unit in cooling mode and the indoor unit in dehumidification mode.

[0015] In the above embodiments, indoor units that do not meet the conditions for effective anti-condensation but may still experience condensation are taken into account. From the perspective of the multi-split air conditioner as a whole, the compressor frequency is controlled to further ensure the stability of outdoor unit operation and indoor unit temperature control.

[0016] In some embodiments, the control method further includes: Before determining the target indoor unit requiring anti-condensation from the plurality of indoor units, the multi-split air conditioner is controlled to be in anti-condensation mode; In response to the anti-condensation index being greater than the first index threshold, and the average temperature of the middle pipe being greater than the sum of the average critical inner pipe temperature and the second correction temperature, the multi-split air conditioner is controlled to not be in the anti-condensation mode.

[0017] In the above embodiments, when the anti-condensation index is greater than the first index threshold, a special case where anti-condensation is not required is set so that the multi-split air conditioner can exit the anti-condensation mode under such special circumstances.

[0018] In some embodiments, the opening degree of the electronic expansion valve of the target indoor unit is adjusted based on the electronic expansion valve control command, including one or more of the following: In response to the fact that the evaporator middle pipe temperature of the target indoor unit is lower than the corresponding anti-condensation critical inner pipe temperature, the electronic expansion valve is controlled to perform valve opening operation according to the target valve opening rate; In response to the fact that the evaporator middle pipe temperature of the target indoor unit is greater than the corresponding anti-condensation critical inner pipe temperature, and less than or equal to the sum of the corresponding anti-condensation critical inner pipe temperature and the fourth correction temperature, the electronic expansion valve is controlled to maintain the current opening parameter. In response to the fact that the evaporator middle pipe temperature of the target indoor unit is greater than the sum of the corresponding anti-condensation critical inner pipe temperature and the fourth correction temperature, the electronic expansion valve is controlled to perform a valve closing operation according to the target valve closing rate.

[0019] In the above embodiments, during the process of adjusting the target indoor unit to achieve anti-condensation, the entire adjustment process is completed independently based on the state of each indoor unit. This avoids interference with the total load and compressor operation of the multi-split air conditioner, thereby ensuring the original stability of the outdoor unit and other indoor units while solving the condensation problem of a specific indoor unit.

[0020] In some embodiments, the control method further includes: The system acquires the outdoor unit's operating parameters and the indoor unit's operating parameters in cooling or dehumidification mode; wherein the outdoor unit's operating parameters include: compressor frequency, exhaust superheat, outdoor ambient temperature, and outdoor fan operating speed; the indoor unit's operating parameters include: indoor ambient temperature, indoor ambient humidity, evaporator superheat, and indoor fan operating speed. The critical internal pipe temperature for preventing condensation is calculated based on the operating parameters of the outdoor unit and the indoor unit.

[0021] In the above embodiments, by acquiring multi-dimensional outdoor unit operating parameters and indoor unit operating parameters in real time, the critical internal pipe temperature for preventing condensation is dynamically calculated for each indoor unit in cooling or dehumidification mode. This not only improves flexibility but also avoids excessive deviation in the critical internal pipe temperature for preventing condensation, ensuring the accuracy and stability of control.

[0022] In some embodiments, the indoor ambient temperature includes the average dry-bulb temperature of the indoor air detected by the indoor unit in cooling mode or dehumidification mode; the indoor ambient humidity includes the average relative humidity of the indoor air detected by the indoor unit in cooling mode or dehumidification mode.

[0023] In the above embodiments, when determining the indoor ambient temperature and indoor relative humidity, all indoor units in cooling mode or dehumidification mode are considered comprehensively, and the average value is used as the detection value, thereby further improving the accuracy of the critical inner pipe temperature for preventing condensation.

[0024] In some embodiments, after determining the anti-condensation index of the multi-split air conditioner based on the equipment parameters of the target indoor unit, the control method further includes: In response to the anti-condensation index being less than or equal to the first index threshold and greater than the second index threshold, multiple indoor units are controlled not to enter the anti-condensation mode, and the compressor calculation frequency of the outdoor unit is calculated. The compressor target frequency is calculated using the compressor's calculated frequency and the anti-condensation index.

[0025] In the above embodiments, the introduction of another parameter range enhances the continuity and smoothness of the overall control. This mechanism allows the compressor's frequency setpoint to be continuously and smoothly adjusted according to changes in the intensity of anti-condensation demand; it also ensures both the stability of the outdoor unit's operation and the stability of the indoor unit's temperature control during the transition zone of anti-condensation demand.

[0026] In some embodiments, before adjusting the operating frequency of the compressor or the opening degree of the electronic expansion valve of the target indoor unit based on the control command, the control method further includes: In response to the outdoor unit's exhaust superheat being less than or equal to the exhaust protection lower limit and greater than the sum of the exhaust protection lower limit and the exhaust correction value, the compressor of the outdoor unit is controlled to lock the current operating frequency and maintain it for a second target duration; wherein the exhaust correction value is a negative value; In response to the outdoor unit's exhaust superheat being less than the sum of the exhaust protection lower limit and the exhaust correction value, the compressor of the outdoor unit is controlled to perform a frequency increase operation.

[0027] In the above embodiments, setting up a protection logic for exhaust superheat as a safety mechanism before performing anti-condensation control can improve the safety of the anti-condensation process.

[0028] In some embodiments, after generating control commands for the compressor based on a comparison between the anti-condensation index and its corresponding index threshold, the control method further includes: Obtain the current continuous operating time of the compressor; If the continuous working time is outside the preset range, the control command shall not be responded to.

[0029] In the above embodiments, before controlling the compressor to respond to the control command, the compressor can be controlled to run for a certain period of time in advance, which can improve the operating stability of the compressor.

[0030] Secondly, embodiments of this application also provide a control device for a multi-split air conditioner, the multi-split air conditioner including at least one outdoor unit and multiple indoor units, the control device including: The determination module is used to determine the target indoor unit that needs to be protected against condensation from the plurality of indoor units; The indicator module is used to determine the anti-condensation index of the multi-split air conditioner based on the equipment parameters of the target indoor unit. The control command module is used to generate control commands for the compressor or the target indoor unit based on the comparison result between the anti-condensation index and its corresponding index threshold. The instruction execution module is used to regulate the operating frequency of the compressor or the opening degree of the electronic expansion valve of the target indoor unit based on the control instructions.

[0031] In some embodiments, the determining module includes: The first determining unit is configured to, in response to one or more indoor units being in cooling mode or dehumidification mode, determine from the plurality of indoor units a target indoor unit that meets the anti-condensation activation conditions. The conditions for the anti-condensation to take effect include: The indoor unit is currently in a non-debugging mode, non-diagnostic mode, non-fault state, or non-power-off state. The indoor unit is currently operating in either cooling or dehumidification mode. The indoor ambient temperature detected by the current indoor unit is less than or equal to the critical indoor temperature for preventing condensation. The indoor unit currently detects indoor humidity that is greater than or equal to the critical indoor humidity for preventing condensation.

[0032] In the above embodiments, cooling mode or dehumidification mode is used as a prerequisite for screening target indoor units, and specific screening conditions are set, so as to accurately identify indoor units that need to be protected against condensation.

[0033] In some embodiments, the determining module includes: The starting unit is used to activate the anti-condensation function in response to one or more indoor units being in cooling or dehumidification mode. The second determining unit is used to determine, under the anti-condensation function, a target indoor unit that meets the preset anti-condensation activation conditions from among the plurality of indoor units.

[0034] In the above embodiments, the cooling mode or dehumidification mode is used as a prerequisite for activating the anti-condensation function, ensuring that the anti-condensation function is activated only when condensation may occur, thus avoiding unnecessary operation and resource consumption in modes without the risk of condensation, such as heating.

[0035] In some embodiments, the device parameters include: cooling capacity. The index module is specifically used to calculate the ratio of the sum of the cooling capacities of the target indoor units to the cooling capacity of the outdoor unit to obtain the anti-condensation index.

[0036] In the above embodiments, by calculating the ratio of the sum of the cooling capacity of the target indoor units to the cooling capacity of the outdoor units as an anti-condensation index, the risk of condensation can be mitigated by stably adjusting the compressor frequency when the demand for condensation risk is high, thus avoiding the oscillation problem caused by frequent independent adjustments of multiple indoor units; when the demand is low, the anti-condensation problem of the indoor units can be quickly solved through precise local control, reducing the impact on other indoor units.

[0037] In some embodiments, the control command module includes: The first instruction unit is used to generate a compressor control instruction in response to the anti-condensation index being greater than a first index threshold; the compressor control instruction instructs the compressor of the outdoor unit to perform frequency increase, frequency decrease, or frequency lock-in operation; The second instruction unit is used to generate an electronic expansion valve control instruction in response to the anti-condensation index being less than or equal to the second index threshold; the electronic expansion valve control instruction instructs the electronic expansion valve of the target indoor unit to perform valve opening, valve closing, or maintain the current opening degree operation.

[0038] In the above embodiments, by setting clear first and second indicator thresholds, the continuous quantity of the anti-condensation indicator is transformed into multiple decision intervals. Different processing methods are then used in different decision intervals to achieve anti-condensation. This approach reduces interference with the air conditioner as a whole and other indoor units that are not at risk of condensation, ensuring the stability of indoor temperature control. Furthermore, this decision zoning makes the decision logic simple and clear, reducing the probability of errors.

[0039] In some embodiments, the instruction execution module is specifically configured to perform one or more of the following: In response to the fact that the average temperature of the middle pipe is greater than the sum of the critical average temperature of the inner pipe and the first correction temperature, and less than or equal to the sum of the critical average temperature of the inner pipe and the second correction temperature, the compressor is controlled to perform frequency ramping operation according to the target frequency ramping rate. In response to the fact that the average temperature of the middle pipe is greater than the sum of the critical average temperature of the inner pipe and the third correction temperature, and less than or equal to the sum of the critical average temperature of the inner pipe and the first correction temperature, the compressor is controlled to maintain the current operating frequency and perform a frequency locking operation for a first target duration. In response to the average temperature of the middle pipe being less than or equal to the sum of the critical average temperature of the inner pipe and the second corrected temperature, the compressor is controlled to perform a frequency reduction operation according to the target frequency reduction rate; The average central pipe temperature includes the average central pipe temperature of the evaporator of the indoor unit in cooling mode and the indoor unit in dehumidification mode; the average critical internal pipe temperature includes the average critical internal pipe temperature for condensation prevention of the indoor unit in cooling mode and the indoor unit in dehumidification mode.

[0040] In the above embodiments, indoor units that do not meet the conditions for effective anti-condensation but may still experience condensation are taken into account. From the perspective of the multi-split air conditioner as a whole, the compressor frequency is controlled to further ensure the stability of outdoor unit operation and indoor unit temperature control.

[0041] In some embodiments, the instruction execution module is specifically configured to perform one or more of the following: In response to the fact that the evaporator middle pipe temperature of the target indoor unit is lower than the corresponding anti-condensation critical inner pipe temperature, the electronic expansion valve is controlled to perform valve opening operation according to the target valve opening rate; In response to the fact that the evaporator middle pipe temperature of the target indoor unit is greater than the corresponding anti-condensation critical inner pipe temperature, and less than or equal to the sum of the corresponding anti-condensation critical inner pipe temperature and the fourth correction temperature, the electronic expansion valve is controlled to maintain the current opening parameter. In response to the fact that the evaporator middle pipe temperature of the target indoor unit is greater than the sum of the corresponding anti-condensation critical inner pipe temperature and the fourth correction temperature, the electronic expansion valve is controlled to perform a valve closing operation according to the target valve closing rate.

[0042] In the above embodiments, during the process of adjusting the target indoor unit to achieve anti-condensation, the entire adjustment process is completed independently based on the state of each indoor unit. This avoids interference with the total load and compressor operation of the multi-split air conditioner, thereby ensuring the original stability of the outdoor unit and other indoor units while solving the condensation problem of a specific indoor unit.

[0043] In some embodiments, the control device further includes: The data acquisition module is used to acquire the outdoor unit's operating parameters and the indoor unit's operating parameters in cooling or dehumidification mode; wherein, the outdoor unit's operating parameters include: compressor frequency, exhaust superheat, outdoor ambient temperature, and outdoor fan operating speed; the indoor unit's operating parameters include: indoor ambient temperature, indoor ambient humidity, evaporator superheat, and indoor fan operating speed. The anti-condensation critical internal pipe temperature module is used to calculate the anti-condensation critical internal pipe temperature based on the outdoor unit operating parameters and the indoor unit operating parameters.

[0044] In the above embodiments, by acquiring multi-dimensional outdoor unit operating parameters and indoor unit operating parameters in real time, the critical internal pipe temperature for preventing condensation is dynamically calculated for each indoor unit in cooling or dehumidification mode. This not only improves flexibility but also avoids excessive deviation in the critical internal pipe temperature for preventing condensation, ensuring the accuracy and stability of control.

[0045] In some embodiments, the control device further includes a transition interval processing module, specifically used for: In response to the anti-condensation index being less than or equal to the first index threshold and greater than the second index threshold, multiple indoor units are controlled not to enter the anti-condensation mode, and the compressor calculation frequency of the outdoor unit is calculated. The compressor target frequency is calculated using the compressor's calculated frequency and the anti-condensation index.

[0046] In the above embodiments, the introduction of another parameter range enhances the continuity and smoothness of the overall control. This mechanism allows the compressor's frequency setpoint to be continuously and smoothly adjusted according to changes in the intensity of anti-condensation demand; it also ensures both the stability of the outdoor unit's operation and the stability of the indoor unit's temperature control during the transition zone of anti-condensation demand.

[0047] In some embodiments, the control device further includes a protection module, used for: In response to the outdoor unit's exhaust superheat being less than or equal to the exhaust protection lower limit and greater than the sum of the exhaust protection lower limit and the exhaust correction value, the compressor of the outdoor unit is controlled to lock the current operating frequency and maintain it for a second target duration; wherein the exhaust correction value is a negative value; In response to the outdoor unit's exhaust superheat being less than the sum of the exhaust protection lower limit and the exhaust correction value, the compressor of the outdoor unit is controlled to perform a frequency increase operation.

[0048] In the above embodiments, setting up protection logic for exhaust superheat as a safety mechanism before performing anti-condensation control can improve the safety of the anti-condensation process. Thirdly, this application also provides a multi-split air conditioner, including a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor. When the processor executes the program, it implements one or more of the methods described in the embodiments of this application.

[0049] Fourthly, embodiments of this application also provide a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements one or more of the methods described in embodiments of this application.

[0050] Fifthly, embodiments of this application also provide a computer program product, including a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements one or more of the methods described in embodiments of this application.

[0051] The beneficial effects of the technical solutions provided in this application are: In this embodiment, by identifying the target indoor unit requiring anti-condensation measures, the specific indoor unit currently in operation that is prone to condensation risk can be accurately located. Then, its equipment parameters are used to determine the anti-condensation index of the multi-split air conditioner, which is used to indicate subsequent anti-condensation strategies. By comparing the anti-condensation index with the index threshold, control commands are generated for the compressor or the target indoor unit. Furthermore, in scenarios where there are many specific indoor units or the total capacity of the indoor units requiring anti-condensation is large, starting from the multi-split air conditioner as a whole, the compressor frequency is adjusted to achieve anti-condensation for multiple specific indoor units. Since there are no large frequency fluctuations, there are no large fluctuations in indoor temperature. In scenarios where there are few specific indoor units or the total capacity of the indoor units requiring anti-condensation is small, the pipe temperature of a specific indoor unit is controlled by its electronic expansion valve, resulting in more stable pipe temperature control. Throughout the process, the compressor operating frequency control is very stable, and the pipe temperature control of the indoor unit is also very stable, taking into account both the stability of the outdoor unit operation and the stability of the indoor unit temperature control.

[0052] Additional aspects and advantages of the embodiments of this application will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and will become apparent from the description or may be learned by practice of the application. Attached Figure Description

[0053] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of this application will become apparent and readily understood from the following description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 One of the flowcharts for a control method of a multi-split air conditioner provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the application architecture of the control method for a multi-split air conditioner provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the open-loop and closed-loop stages in this application; Figure 4 A second flowchart illustrating the control method for a multi-split air conditioner provided in this application embodiment; Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the structure of the control device for a multi-split air conditioner provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a multi-split air conditioner provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0054] The embodiments of this application are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary descriptions for explaining the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and do not constitute a limitation on the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application.

[0055] Those skilled in the art will understand that, unless otherwise stated, the singular forms “a,” “an,” “the,” and “the” used herein may also include the plural forms. It should be further understood that the terms “comprising” and “including” as used in the embodiments of this application mean that the corresponding feature can be implemented as the presented feature, information, data, step, operation, element, and / or component, but do not exclude implementation as other features, information, data, step, operation, element, component, and / or combinations thereof supported by the art. It should be understood that when we say that an element is “connected” or “coupled” to another element, the one element can be directly connected or coupled to the other element, or it can mean that the one element and the other element establish a connection relationship through an intermediate element. Furthermore, “connected” or “coupled” as used herein can include wireless connection or wireless coupling. The term “multiple” refers to two or more; therefore, in the embodiments of this application, “multiple” can also be understood as “at least two.” The term "and / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A alone, A and B simultaneously, or B alone. Additionally, the character " / ", unless otherwise specified, generally indicates that the related objects before and after it are in an "or" relationship.

[0056] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the embodiments of this application will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0057] As described in the background section, the system configuration and actuator modules of multi-split air conditioners differ significantly from those of conventional wall-mounted air conditioners. Therefore, the anti-condensation control strategies for multi-split air conditioners cannot directly borrow from those of conventional wall-mounted air conditioners. Furthermore, designing anti-condensation control strategies for multi-split air conditioners requires, on the one hand, maximizing cooling efficiency while maintaining anti-condensation effectiveness; this necessitates stable control of the indoor unit's pipe temperature. On the other hand, the reliability and safety of the outdoor unit system must be considered during anti-condensation operations; that is, both the anti-condensation effect of the indoor unit and the operational reliability of the outdoor unit system must be ensured. Therefore, anti-condensation control of multi-split air conditioners presents a complex technical challenge.

[0058] While existing technologies offer some solutions, these solutions also have significant drawbacks. For example, some solutions determine whether the operating load of a multi-split air conditioner meets preset anti-condensation conditions when the operating load is less than the preset load during cooling, and then implement anti-condensation measures accordingly. However, under high temperature and humidity conditions, multi-split air conditioners often need to output more capacity to maintain cooling performance. The actual operating load is often higher under such conditions, thus limiting the adaptability and accuracy of this approach.

[0059] Therefore, this application provides a control method for a multi-split air conditioner. Optionally, the multi-split air conditioner, also known as a multi-split air conditioning unit, includes at least one outdoor unit and multiple indoor units.

[0060] like Figure 1 As shown, the method may include the following steps: Step 101: Identify the target indoor unit that needs to be protected against condensation from multiple indoor units.

[0061] In this step, the multiple indoor units can refer to all indoor units of a multi-split air conditioner. For example, the operating status of all indoor units can be monitored in real-time or periodically, and the presence of a target indoor unit can be determined based on the monitored operating status. Alternatively, a trigger condition can be preset; when this trigger condition is met, monitoring of the operating status of all indoor units begins, and the presence of a target indoor unit is determined based on the monitored operating status. This trigger condition can be any condition required for the multi-split air conditioner to prevent condensation. For example, being in dehumidification mode or cooling mode.

[0062] In some embodiments, during the process of determining whether any indoor unit is a target indoor unit requiring anti-condensation measures, relevant conditions can be preset. When any indoor unit meets or satisfies these preset conditions, that indoor unit is identified as the target indoor unit. These preset conditions can be set according to business needs or the experience of business personnel, and are not limited here. For example, multiple conditions that a multi-split air conditioner needs to meet for anti-condensation measures can be selected as preset conditions, but this is not a limitation.

[0063] Step 102: Determine the anti-condensation index of the multi-split air conditioner based on the equipment parameters of the target indoor unit.

[0064] In this step, the equipment parameters of the target indoor unit can be parameters that do not change with the operating status of the target indoor unit. For example, the equipment parameters can be the number of target indoor units, rated operating power, cooling capacity, etc. in a multi-split air conditioner.

[0065] In some embodiments, the anti-condensation index can be a numerical value used to quantify the overall anti-condensation demand intensity of the current multi-split air conditioner. For example, the anti-condensation index can be the sum of the rated cooling capacities of all target indoor units. Alternatively, the anti-condensation index can be the proportion of the target indoor unit among all indoor units in the multi-split air conditioner. The cooling capacity of an indoor unit can refer to its ability to transfer heat from a low-temperature object to a high-temperature object, expressed as heat transferred per unit time, in J / h or watts (W). For example, indoor units can be classified by their horsepower as a measure of cooling capacity.

[0066] It is understandable that there can be multiple target indoor units, but only one anti-condensation index, meaning that the anti-condensation index is determined for the entire multi-split air conditioner.

[0067] Step 103: Based on the comparison result between the anti-condensation index and its corresponding index threshold, generate control commands for the compressor or target indoor unit.

[0068] In this step, at least one indicator threshold can be preset, and the subsequent anti-condensation control strategy can be determined by the numerical relationship between the anti-condensation indicator and the indicator threshold.

[0069] In some embodiments, a higher anti-condensation index indicates a more urgent or important need for anti-condensation control in the multi-split air conditioner. Conversely, a lower anti-condensation index indicates a more urgent or important need for temperature control in the multi-split air conditioner. Based on this, multiple index thresholds can be set to define the dividing line between urgent and important anti-condensation needs, thereby differentiating different situations. Different control commands can then be pre-configured for different situations to meet the anti-condensation requirements under varying circumstances.

[0070] For example, when the anti-condensation index ranges from 0 to 1, the threshold value can be 0.5. This threshold of 0.5 divides the system into two scenarios: if the anti-condensation index exceeds 0.5, the anti-condensation requirement is considered more important; if the index is below 0.5, temperature control is considered more important. The more threshold values ​​there are, the more scenarios can be defined, allowing for different control commands to be set for different situations to achieve anti-condensation measures under varying conditions.

[0071] Step 104: Based on control commands, adjust the operating frequency of the compressor or the opening degree of the electronic expansion valve of the target indoor unit.

[0072] In this step, for control commands targeting the compressor, the operating frequency of the outdoor unit's compressor will be adjusted based on these commands. For control commands targeting the target indoor unit, the opening degree of the target indoor unit's electronic expansion valve will be adjusted based on these commands.

[0073] The operating frequency of the compressor is called the compressor frequency. In some embodiments, regulating the operating frequency of the compressor includes: increasing the frequency, decreasing the frequency, or locking the frequency of the compressor.

[0074] The opening degree of the electronic expansion valve refers to the opening degree of the electronic expansion valve of the indoor unit. In some embodiments, regulating the opening degree of the electronic expansion valve of the target indoor unit includes performing an opening operation, a closing operation, or an operation to maintain the current opening parameter of the electronic expansion valve.

[0075] In some embodiments, by adjusting the operating frequency of the compressor, the anti-condensation effect of all target indoor units can be affected simultaneously, that is, anti-condensation can be achieved for all target indoor units.

[0076] In some embodiments, by adjusting the opening degree of the electronic expansion valve of the target indoor unit, the anti-condensation effect of each target indoor unit can be affected separately, that is, anti-condensation can be achieved for each target indoor unit separately.

[0077] In this embodiment, by identifying the target indoor unit requiring anti-condensation measures, the specific indoor unit currently in operation that is prone to condensation risk can be accurately located. Then, its equipment parameters are used to determine the anti-condensation index of the multi-split air conditioner, which is used to indicate subsequent anti-condensation strategies. By comparing the anti-condensation index with the index threshold, control commands are generated for the compressor or target indoor unit. Furthermore, in scenarios with many specific indoor units or a large total capacity of indoor units requiring anti-condensation measures, starting from the multi-split air conditioner as a whole, the compressor frequency is adjusted to achieve anti-condensation for multiple specific indoor units. Since there are no significant frequency fluctuations, there are no significant fluctuations in indoor temperature. In scenarios with fewer specific indoor units or a smaller total capacity of indoor units requiring anti-condensation measures, the pipe temperature of a specific indoor unit is controlled individually using its electronic expansion valve, resulting in more stable pipe temperature control. Throughout the process, the compressor operating frequency control is very stable, and the pipe temperature control of the indoor unit is also very stable, taking into account both the stability of the outdoor unit operation and the stability of the indoor unit temperature control.

[0078] In some embodiments of this application, the target indoor unit requiring anti-condensation is determined from a plurality of indoor units, including: In response to one or more indoor units being in cooling or dehumidifying mode, a target indoor unit that meets the anti-condensation activation conditions is identified from among the multiple indoor units. The anti-condensation activation conditions include: The indoor unit is currently in a non-debugging mode, non-diagnostic mode, non-fault state, or not powered off state; The indoor unit is currently operating in cooling or dehumidification mode; The indoor ambient temperature detected by the current indoor unit is less than or equal to the critical indoor temperature for preventing condensation. The current indoor unit detects that the indoor ambient humidity is greater than or equal to the critical indoor humidity for preventing condensation.

[0079] It should be noted that the operating mode of each indoor unit in a multi-split air conditioner is usually determined by the user based on their own needs. Therefore, the operating modes of each indoor unit are usually flexible. However, there is often a risk of condensation in indoor units operating in cooling or dehumidification mode. Therefore, trigger conditions can be set accordingly. When the trigger conditions are met, the screening of the target indoor unit can be activated. The trigger conditions can be: the presence of an indoor unit in cooling or dehumidification mode.

[0080] In some embodiments, the outdoor ambient temperature can be considered when determining the target indoor unit. For example, if the current outdoor ambient temperature is less than or equal to the critical outdoor temperature for anti-condensation, and an indoor unit meets the anti-condensation activation conditions, then that indoor unit is determined as the target indoor unit. If the current outdoor ambient temperature is greater than the critical outdoor temperature for anti-condensation, even if an indoor unit meets the anti-condensation activation conditions, it cannot be determined as the target indoor unit.

[0081] In some embodiments, meeting the anti-condensation effective conditions can refer to meeting all the conditions in the anti-condensation effective conditions.

[0082] like Figure 2 As shown, an anti-condensation main control program, a compressor anti-condensation main control module, and an indoor unit anti-condensation main control module can be set. These three components work together to execute the control method provided in this embodiment. When the user turns on the multi-split air conditioner and sets the operating mode to cooling / dehumidification mode, the anti-condensation main control program is activated. The anti-condensation main control program then receives data reports from the compressor anti-condensation main control module and the indoor unit anti-condensation main control module, and then issues commands to achieve anti-condensation through the compressor anti-condensation main control module and the indoor unit anti-condensation main control module.

[0083] In some embodiments, the indoor ambient temperature detected by the indoor unit is the current indoor ambient temperature, which can refer to the real-time dry-bulb temperature of the room collected by the multi-split air conditioner. The current outdoor ambient temperature can refer to the real-time outdoor dry-bulb temperature collected by the multi-split air conditioner. The indoor ambient humidity detected by the indoor unit is the current indoor ambient humidity, which can refer to the real-time relative humidity of the room collected by the multi-split air conditioner.

[0084] The critical outdoor temperature for preventing condensation can be a preset temperature parameter. For example, the range of the critical outdoor temperature for preventing condensation can be 30℃ ~ 40℃.

[0085] The critical indoor temperature for preventing condensation can be a preset temperature parameter. For example, the range of the critical indoor temperature for preventing condensation can be 20℃ ~ 30℃.

[0086] The critical indoor humidity for preventing condensation can be a preset humidity parameter. For example, the range of the critical indoor humidity for preventing condensation can be 50% to 80%.

[0087] In some embodiments, when the multi-split air conditioner cannot detect the indoor ambient humidity, a default indoor ambient humidity value is applied. This default humidity value can range from 60% to 75%.

[0088] In this embodiment, cooling mode or dehumidification mode is used as a prerequisite for screening target indoor units, and specific screening conditions are set so as to accurately identify indoor units that need to be protected against condensation.

[0089] In some embodiments of this application, determining the target indoor unit requiring anti-condensation from the plurality of indoor units includes: When one or more indoor units are in cooling or dehumidification mode, the anti-condensation function is activated. Under the anti-condensation function, a target indoor unit that meets the preset anti-condensation activation conditions is selected from the plurality of indoor units.

[0090] It should be noted that the operating mode of each indoor unit of a multi-split air conditioner is usually determined by the user based on their own needs. Therefore, the operating modes of each indoor unit are usually flexible. However, there is often a risk of condensation in indoor units operating in cooling or dehumidification mode. Therefore, trigger conditions can be set accordingly. When the trigger conditions are met, the anti-condensation function is activated. The trigger conditions can be: the presence of an indoor unit in cooling or dehumidification mode. The anti-condensation function can be understood as the anti-condensation function achieved by executing steps 101 to 104 above. In some embodiments, steps 101 to 104 are prohibited from being executed if the anti-condensation function is not activated.

[0091] The preset anti-condensation activation conditions can be the same as those mentioned above, and will not be repeated here.

[0092] In this embodiment, the cooling mode or dehumidification mode is used as a prerequisite for activating the anti-condensation function, ensuring that the anti-condensation function is activated only when condensation may occur, thus avoiding unnecessary operation and resource consumption in modes without the risk of condensation, such as heating.

[0093] In some embodiments of this application, after generating control commands for the compressor or target indoor unit based on the comparison result between the anti-condensation index and its corresponding index threshold, the control method further includes: If a target indoor unit is detected that meets the anti-condensation failure criteria, control commands will be prohibited from being executed on the target indoor unit that meets the anti-condensation failure criteria; wherein the anti-condensation failure criteria include any of the following: Currently in debug mode, diagnostic mode, fault status, or shutdown status; Currently operating in cooling or dehumidification mode; The current outdoor ambient temperature is higher than the critical outdoor temperature for preventing condensation. The current indoor temperature is higher than the critical indoor temperature for preventing condensation. The current indoor humidity is below the critical indoor humidity level for preventing condensation.

[0094] It should be noted that the anti-condensation failure conditions correspond to the anti-condensation activation conditions. When any one of the anti-condensation failure conditions is met, the corresponding target indoor unit is prohibited from executing control commands. For example, if the first control command needs to be executed on target indoor unit A, and it is determined that target indoor unit A meets the anti-condensation failure conditions, then the execution of the first control command is prohibited. For other target indoor units that do not meet the anti-condensation failure conditions, the original control commands will continue to be executed.

[0095] For information on outdoor ambient temperature, indoor ambient temperature, indoor ambient humidity, critical outdoor temperature for condensation prevention, critical indoor temperature for condensation prevention, and critical indoor humidity for condensation prevention, please refer to the relevant content in the section on the effective conditions for condensation prevention; it will not be repeated here.

[0096] In some embodiments, when the multi-split air conditioner cannot detect the current indoor humidity, the condition that "the current indoor humidity is less than the critical indoor humidity for preventing condensation" will not be used as a condition for failure of the anti-condensation function.

[0097] In this embodiment, an anti-condensation failure condition is set, adding dynamic exit logic to the entire anti-condensation control process and realizing closed-loop management of the control process. Furthermore, it can prevent multi-split air conditioners from executing invalid or dangerous control commands when the equipment is in an abnormal state (debugging, diagnosis, fault). In some embodiments of this application, the equipment parameters include: cooling capacity; and the anti-condensation index of the multi-split air conditioner is determined based on the equipment parameters of the target indoor unit, including: The anti-condensation index is obtained by calculating the ratio of the sum of the cooling capacities of the target indoor units to the cooling capacity of the outdoor unit.

[0098] It should be noted that the description of the cooling capacity in the above embodiments is consistent with the parameters and will not be repeated here.

[0099] In some embodiments, the cooling capacity can be the rated cooling capacity. For multi-split air conditioners, the number of indoor units is no less than two, and indoor units with different rated cooling capacities can be arbitrarily combined. Optionally, the sum of the rated cooling capacities of all indoor units is greater than or equal to 0.2 times the rated cooling capacity of the outdoor unit, and less than or equal to 1.3 times the rated cooling capacity of the outdoor unit.

[0100] In some embodiments, the cooling capacity of each target indoor unit and outdoor unit can be obtained through querying. The rated cooling capacity of the indoor and outdoor units meets the capacity output values ​​under relevant regulations. For example, the rated cooling capacity information of the indoor unit can be shown in Table 1, and the rated cooling capacity information of the outdoor unit can be shown in Table 2.

[0101]

[0102] Table 1

[0103] Table 2 In this embodiment, the ratio of the sum of the cooling capacity of the target indoor units to the cooling capacity of the outdoor units is used as an anti-condensation index. When the demand for condensation risk is high, the risk can be mitigated by stabilizing the compressor frequency, avoiding the oscillation problem caused by frequent independent adjustments of multiple indoor units. When the demand is low, the anti-condensation problem of the indoor units can be quickly solved through precise local control, reducing the impact on other indoor units.

[0104] In some embodiments of this application, control commands for the compressor or target indoor unit are generated based on a comparison between the anti-condensation index and its corresponding index threshold, including: In response to the anti-condensation index exceeding the first index threshold, a compressor control command is generated; the compressor control command instructs the outdoor unit's compressor to perform frequency increase, frequency decrease, or frequency lock operation. In response to the anti-condensation index being less than or equal to the second index threshold, an electronic expansion valve control command is generated; the electronic expansion valve control command instructs the electronic expansion valve of the target indoor unit to perform valve opening, valve closing, or maintain the current opening degree operation.

[0105] It should be noted that the first and second threshold values ​​can divide the range of values ​​for the anti-condensation index into at least two intervals. The first and second threshold values ​​can be the same or different.

[0106] When the anti-condensation index exceeds the first threshold value, it indicates that the anti-condensation requirement for the multi-split air conditioner is more urgent or important, or that the anti-condensation requirement takes precedence over the temperature control requirement. In this case, a compressor control command will be generated and executed to simultaneously meet the anti-condensation requirements of the target indoor unit. During the execution of this compressor control command, the outdoor unit's compressor will undergo frequency increase, frequency decrease, or frequency lock-in operation. Frequency increase refers to increasing the operating frequency, frequency decrease refers to decreasing the operating frequency, and frequency lock-in refers to locking the operating frequency.

[0107] When the anti-condensation index is less than or equal to the smaller threshold value of the second index, it indicates that the temperature control requirement of the multi-split air conditioner is more urgent or important, or that the temperature control requirement takes precedence over the anti-condensation requirement. In this case, an electronic expansion valve control command will be generated, and by executing this command, each target indoor unit will be adjusted to meet the anti-condensation requirement. During the execution of this command, the electronic expansion valves of each target indoor unit will be opened, closed, or have their current opening maintained. Opening the valve can refer to increasing the opening degree of the electronic expansion valve, while closing it can refer to decreasing it.

[0108] In some embodiments, when the anti-condensation index is equal to the ratio of the sum of the cooling capacities of the target indoor units to the cooling capacity of the outdoor unit, the first index threshold can be 0.5, and the second index threshold can be 0.3, but is not limited to these values. For example, the two index thresholds can be flexibly adjusted based on experience, such as the first index threshold being 0.6 and the second index threshold being 0.4.

[0109] In this embodiment, by setting clearly defined first and second indicator thresholds, the continuous quantity of the anti-condensation indicator is transformed into multiple decision intervals. Different processing methods are then employed in different decision intervals to achieve anti-condensation. This approach reduces interference with the air conditioner as a whole and other indoor units that are not at risk of condensation, ensuring the stability of indoor temperature control. Furthermore, this decision zoning makes the decision logic simple and clear, reducing the probability of errors.

[0110] In some embodiments of this application, the operating frequency of the compressor is regulated based on compressor control commands, including one or more of the following: In response to the fact that the average temperature of the middle pipe is greater than the sum of the critical average temperature of the inner pipe and the first correction temperature, and less than or equal to the sum of the critical average temperature of the inner pipe and the second correction temperature, the compressor is controlled to perform frequency increase operation according to the target frequency increase rate. In response to the fact that the average temperature of the middle pipe is greater than the sum of the critical average temperature of the inner pipe and the third correction temperature, and less than or equal to the sum of the critical average temperature of the inner pipe and the first correction temperature, the compressor is controlled to maintain the current operating frequency and perform frequency locking operation for the first target duration. In response to the average temperature of the middle pipe being less than or equal to the sum of the critical average temperature of the inner pipe and the second correction temperature, the compressor is controlled to perform frequency reduction operation according to the target frequency reduction rate; The average central pipe temperature includes the average central pipe temperature of the evaporator of the indoor unit in cooling mode and the indoor unit in dehumidification mode; the average critical internal pipe temperature includes the average critical internal pipe temperature for anti-condensation of the indoor unit in cooling mode and the indoor unit in dehumidification mode.

[0111] It should be noted that while indoor units are more likely to produce condensation when in cooling or dehumidifying mode, not all indoor units in these modes meet the anti-condensation requirements. Furthermore, adjustments to the compressor frequency will affect both indoor units in cooling and dehumidifying modes.

[0112] Therefore, when preventing condensation by adjusting the compressor's operating frequency, the indoor units in cooling mode and dehumidifying mode can be used as the targets for condensation prevention. The appropriate operation (frequency increase, frequency decrease, or frequency lock) is determined based on the relevant operating parameters of the target unit.

[0113] In addition, to improve the fault tolerance rate, multiple correction parameters can be preset, namely the first correction temperature, the second correction temperature, and the third correction temperature.

[0114] In some embodiments, the compressor can be controlled according to compressor control commands via a compressor anti-condensation main control module. This compressor anti-condensation main control module can be a functional module pre-set in a multi-split air conditioner.

[0115] In some embodiments, the following three inequalities can be preset, and if any one of the inequalities is true, the corresponding operation will be performed.

[0116] Inequality 1: ; in, This indicates the average temperature of the central pipe. This represents the average critical inner tube temperature. Indicates the first correction temperature. This indicates the second correction temperature; the operation corresponding to inequality one includes: performing a frequency upsampling operation according to the target upsampling rate.

[0117] In some embodiments, the first correction temperature can be in the range of 1°C to 2°C; the second correction temperature can be in the range of 3°C to 5°C; the target upsampling rate includes: α Hz / β seconds, wherein the value of α can be in the range of 1 to 10, and the value of β can be in the range of 10 to 300.

[0118] Inequality 2: ; in, This indicates the average temperature of the central pipe. This represents the average critical inner tube temperature. Indicates the first correction temperature. The third correction temperature is indicated; the operations corresponding to inequality two include: maintaining the current operating frequency and performing a frequency locking operation for the first target duration.

[0119] In some embodiments, the first correction temperature can be in the range of 1℃ to 2℃; the third correction temperature can be in the range of -2℃ to 0℃; and the first target duration can be in the range of 180 seconds to 900 seconds.

[0120] Inequality 3: ; in, This indicates the average temperature of the central pipe. This represents the average critical inner tube temperature. The third correction temperature is indicated; the operation corresponding to inequality three includes: performing frequency reduction operation according to the target frequency reduction rate.

[0121] In some embodiments, the third correction temperature can be in the range of -2℃ to 0℃; the target frequency reduction rate includes: δHz / εs, where δ can be in the range of 1 to 15 and ε can be in the range of 10 to 300.

[0122] The average temperature of the middle pipe in the above inequality can be calculated using the following formula.

[0123] Formula 1: ; in, This represents the average temperature of the central pipe; n represents the sum of the number of indoor units in cooling mode and the number of indoor units in dehumidification mode. This indicates the evaporator temperature in the middle of the evaporator of the nth indoor unit in cooling or dehumidification mode. It's understood that temperature sensors are located near the evaporator inlet, outlet, and in the middle section; the evaporator temperature in the middle is the measurement value from the sensor located in the middle.

[0124] The average critical inner tube temperature in the above inequality can be calculated using the following formula 2.

[0125] Formula 2: ; in, This represents the average critical internal pipe temperature; n represents the sum of the number of indoor units in cooling mode and the number of indoor units in dehumidification mode. This represents the critical internal pipe temperature for preventing condensation in the nth indoor unit that is in cooling or dehumidification mode.

[0126] In some embodiments, an anti-condensation mode can be set in the multi-split air conditioner. Before determining the target indoor unit requiring anti-condensation from among multiple indoor units, the multi-split air conditioner is controlled in anti-condensation mode. Then, even if the anti-condensation index exceeds a first threshold, there may be scenarios where anti-condensation is unnecessary. For example, if the average temperature of the central pipe is high, condensation usually will not occur. Accordingly, the anti-condensation mode can be exited in this case, meaning no further operation is performed on the multi-split air conditioner with anti-condensation as the target.

[0127] Specifically, the control method also includes: before determining the target indoor unit that needs to be protected against condensation, controlling the multi-split air conditioner to be in anti-condensation mode; in response to the anti-condensation index being greater than the first index threshold and the average temperature of the middle pipe being greater than the sum of the average temperature of the critical inner pipe and the second correction temperature, controlling the multi-split air conditioner not to be in anti-condensation mode.

[0128] Continue to express this using inequalities. For example, there is an inequality four. When inequality four is satisfied, the anti-condensation mode is exited.

[0129] Inequality 4: ; in, This indicates the average temperature of the central pipe. This represents the average critical inner tube temperature. This indicates the second corrected temperature; the operation corresponding to inequality four includes: exiting the anti-condensation mode.

[0130] In this embodiment, indoor units that do not meet the conditions for effective anti-condensation but may still experience condensation are taken into consideration. Starting from the overall multi-split air conditioner, the compressor frequency is controlled to further ensure the stability of outdoor unit operation and indoor unit temperature control.

[0131] In some embodiments of this application, the opening degree of the electronic expansion valve of the target indoor unit is adjusted based on electronic expansion valve control commands, including one or more of the following: In response to the target indoor unit's evaporator middle pipe temperature being lower than the corresponding anti-condensation critical inner pipe temperature, the electronic expansion valve is controlled to perform valve opening operation according to the target valve opening rate. In response to the target indoor unit's evaporator middle pipe temperature being greater than the corresponding anti-condensation critical inner pipe temperature, and less than or equal to the sum of the corresponding anti-condensation critical inner pipe temperature and the fourth correction temperature, the electronic expansion valve is controlled to maintain the current opening parameters. In response to the target indoor unit's evaporator middle pipe temperature being greater than the sum of the corresponding anti-condensation critical inner pipe temperature and the fourth correction temperature, the electronic expansion valve is controlled to perform a valve closing operation according to the target valve closing rate.

[0132] It should be noted that when performing relevant operations on each target indoor unit to achieve anti-condensation, each target indoor unit operates independently, determining its specific operation based on its own operating parameters. Furthermore, to improve fault tolerance, a correction parameter, namely a fourth correction temperature, can be preset.

[0133] In some embodiments, the indoor unit anti-condensation main control module can control the electronic expansion valve according to the electronic expansion valve control command. This indoor unit anti-condensation main control module can be a functional module pre-set in the multi-split air conditioner.

[0134] To avoid repetition, the following explanation focuses on the process of achieving anti-condensation for only one target indoor unit.

[0135] The following three inequalities can be preset, and the corresponding operation can be performed if any of the inequalities is true.

[0136] Inequality 5: ; in, This represents the temperature of the middle pipe of the evaporator of the nth target indoor unit. This represents the critical internal pipe temperature for preventing condensation in the nth target indoor unit; the operation corresponding to inequality five includes: controlling the electronic expansion valve to perform the valve opening operation according to the target valve opening rate.

[0137] In some embodiments, the target valve opening rate includes: η steps / λ seconds, where η can range from 5 to 30 and λ can range from 30 to 300.

[0138] Inequality 6: ; in, This represents the temperature of the middle pipe of the evaporator of the nth target indoor unit. This represents the critical internal pipe temperature for preventing condensation in the nth target indoor unit; This indicates the fourth corrected temperature; the operation corresponding to inequality six includes: controlling the electronic expansion valve to maintain the current opening parameters.

[0139] In some embodiments, the fourth correction temperature can be in the range of 1°C to 5°C.

[0140] Inequality 7: ; in, This represents the temperature of the middle pipe of the evaporator of the nth target indoor unit. This represents the critical internal pipe temperature for preventing condensation in the nth target indoor unit; The fourth correction temperature is indicated; the operation corresponding to inequality seven includes: controlling the electronic expansion valve to perform the valve closing operation according to the target valve closing rate.

[0141] In some embodiments, the fourth correction temperature can range from 1°C to 5°C; the target valve closing rate includes ρ steps / σ seconds, where ρ can range from 1 to 2; and σ can range from 10 to 600.

[0142] In this embodiment of the application, during the process of adjusting the target indoor unit to achieve anti-condensation, the entire adjustment process is completed independently based on the state of each indoor unit. This avoids interference with the total load and compressor operation of the multi-split air conditioner, thereby ensuring the original stability of the outdoor unit and other indoor units while solving the condensation problem of a specific indoor unit.

[0143] In some embodiments of this application, the control method further includes: Obtain the outdoor unit's operating parameters and the indoor unit's operating parameters in cooling or dehumidification mode; the outdoor unit's operating parameters include: compressor frequency, exhaust superheat, outdoor ambient temperature, and outdoor fan speed; the indoor unit's operating parameters include: indoor ambient temperature, indoor ambient humidity, evaporator superheat, and indoor fan speed. Based on the operating parameters of the outdoor unit and the indoor unit, the critical internal pipe temperature for preventing condensation was calculated.

[0144] It should be noted that the critical internal pipe temperature for preventing condensation in the indoor unit can be understood as a critical temperature. When the internal pipe temperature of the evaporator in the indoor unit is equal to or lower than this critical temperature, the risk of condensation increases significantly. In some embodiments, the critical internal pipe temperature for preventing condensation in each indoor unit can be predetermined based on experience or testing, and then the multi-split air conditioner can be set accordingly. This reduces the need to calculate the critical internal pipe temperature for preventing condensation during actual use of the multi-split air conditioner.

[0145] In some embodiments, the critical internal pipe temperature for anti-condensation can be calculated in real time during the anti-condensation operation of the multi-split air conditioner. This embodiment will provide a method for calculating the critical internal pipe temperature for anti-condensation in real time.

[0146] In some embodiments, the critical internal pipe temperature for preventing condensation can be calculated by selecting all or some of the outdoor unit operating parameters and all or some of the indoor unit operating parameters. For example, the indoor units in the above-mentioned cooling mode or dehumidification mode may include: all indoor units in cooling mode and all indoor units in dehumidification mode.

[0147] It is understood that this embodiment calculates the critical internal pipe temperature for preventing condensation for each indoor unit with a risk of condensation. For example, indoor units operating in cooling mode and indoor units operating in dehumidification mode can be identified as indoor units with a risk of condensation. Since the process of calculating the critical internal pipe temperature for preventing condensation is the same for each indoor unit, as an example, the critical internal pipe temperature for preventing condensation is calculated for only one indoor unit here.

[0148] For example, the critical internal pipe temperature for preventing condensation of the nth indoor unit (the first indoor unit) that meets the operating conditions can be calculated using the following formula three.

[0149] Formula 3:

[0150] in, This indicates the critical internal pipe temperature for preventing condensation in the first indoor unit; This indicates the current operating frequency of the outdoor unit's compressor. This represents the difference between the compressor's discharge temperature and the temperature of the middle pipe of the condenser. This indicates the outdoor temperature where the outdoor unit is located, such as the outdoor dry-bulb temperature. This indicates the temperature of the room where the first indoor unit is located; for example, it could be the dry-bulb temperature of the indoor air. This indicates the relative humidity of the air in the room where the first indoor unit is located. For example, it can be the real-time air humidity in the room detected by the first indoor unit. This represents the difference between the evaporator outlet pipe temperature of the first indoor unit and the target minimum temperature, which is the minimum of the evaporator inlet pipe temperature and the pipe temperature in the middle of the evaporator of the first indoor unit. Indicates the operating speed of the internal fan; This indicates the operating wind speed setting of the external fan.

[0151] in, It can be The composite function formed by the two; It can be a correction factor, for example, a correction factor that can be combined with the actual installation scenario of the indoor unit and the correction factor when paired with different air supply / return air devices, for example. The value can range from 0.7 to 1.3.

[0152] In some embodiments, the above composite function can be: ; in, , , , , , , These are predetermined correction coefficients.

[0153] In some embodiments, the aforementioned indoor ambient temperature includes the average dry-bulb temperature of the indoor air detected by the indoor unit in cooling or dehumidification mode. For example, the indoor ambient temperature can be calculated using Formula 4.

[0154] Formula 4: ; in, The indoor ambient temperature is represented by n, which represents the sum of the number of indoor units in cooling mode and the number of indoor units in dehumidification mode. This represents the indoor air dry-bulb temperature detected by the nth indoor unit in cooling or dehumidification mode.

[0155] In some embodiments, the aforementioned indoor ambient humidity includes the average value of the indoor air relative humidity detected by the indoor unit in cooling or dehumidification mode. For example, the indoor ambient humidity can be calculated using Formula 5.

[0156] Formula 4: ; in, This indicates the indoor humidity, and n represents the sum of the number of indoor units in cooling mode and the number of indoor units in dehumidification mode. This represents the relative humidity of the indoor air detected by the nth indoor unit in cooling or dehumidification mode.

[0157] In this embodiment, by acquiring multi-dimensional outdoor and indoor unit operating parameters in real time, the critical internal pipe temperature for preventing condensation is dynamically calculated for each indoor unit in cooling or dehumidification mode. This not only improves flexibility but also avoids excessive deviation in the critical internal pipe temperature for preventing condensation, ensuring the accuracy and stability of control.

[0158] In some embodiments of this application, after determining the anti-condensation index of the multi-split air conditioner based on the equipment parameters of the target indoor unit, the method further includes: In response to the anti-condensation index being less than or equal to the first index threshold and greater than the second index threshold, multiple indoor units are controlled not to enter the anti-condensation mode, and the compressor calculation frequency of the outdoor unit is calculated. The compressor target frequency is calculated using the compressor's calculated frequency and anti-condensation index.

[0159] It should be noted that after calculating the compressor target frequency, the calculated value is used to update the corresponding parameters (compressor target frequency) of the compressor in the multi-split air conditioner.

[0160] In some embodiments, calculating the compressor target frequency using the compressor calculated frequency and the anti-condensation index includes: updating the compressor target frequency using the product of the compressor calculated frequency and the target difference; wherein the target difference is equal to 1 minus 0.75 times the index difference, and the index difference is equal to the anti-condensation index minus 0.3.

[0161] In some embodiments, when obtaining the compressor calculation frequency, this value can be directly calculated based on various equipment parameters of the multi-split air conditioner, without requiring the multi-split air conditioner to be deactivated from anti-condensation mode. That is, the compressor calculation frequency includes the compressor frequency when multiple indoor units are not under anti-condensation control.

[0162] When the anti-condensation index is between the first and second threshold values, as an intermediate transitional state, the compressor's output target can shift from prioritizing anti-condensation requirements to prioritizing temperature control requirements. At this time, the compressor's operating frequency can still be adjusted.

[0163] For example, Formula 5 can be used to correct the target frequency of the compressor.

[0164] Formula 5: ; in, This indicates the target operating frequency of the compressor. For example, this parameter can be the target frequency parameter issued to the air conditioner compressor for execution. This represents the calculated compressor operating frequency. For example, assuming the entire air conditioning unit is operating under the same conditions, and the indoor unit does not implement anti-condensation control, the calculated frequency parameter that the compressor module needs to execute to meet the temperature control requirements of the indoor unit platform is obtained. ,Right now This indicates the rated cooling capacity of the outdoor unit; ,Right now This indicates the rated cooling capacity of the target indoor unit.

[0165] In this embodiment, the introduction of another parameter range enhances the continuity and smoothness of the overall control. This mechanism allows the compressor's frequency setpoint to be adjusted continuously and smoothly as the intensity of anti-condensation demand changes; it also ensures both the stability of the outdoor unit's operation and the stability of the indoor unit's temperature control during the transition zone of anti-condensation demand.

[0166] In some embodiments of this application, before adjusting the operating frequency of the compressor or the opening degree of the electronic expansion valve of the target indoor unit based on control commands, the control method further includes: In response to the outdoor unit's exhaust superheat being less than or equal to the exhaust protection lower limit, and greater than the sum of the exhaust protection lower limit and the exhaust correction value, the compressor of the outdoor unit is controlled to lock the current operating frequency and maintain it for the second target duration; wherein, the exhaust correction value is a negative value; In response to the outdoor unit's exhaust superheat being less than the sum of the exhaust protection lower limit and the exhaust correction value, the outdoor unit's compressor is controlled to perform a frequency increase operation.

[0167] It should be noted that the exhaust superheat of the outdoor unit can be found in the above description. The relevant descriptions will not be repeated here. The exhaust protection lower limit value is a preset parameter value, for example, the value range can be: 13℃ ~ 18℃; similarly, the exhaust correction value is a preset parameter value, for example, the value range can be: -5℃ ~ -1℃.

[0168] In some embodiments, the duration of the second target can range from 300 seconds to 1200 seconds.

[0169] In some embodiments, when performing a frequency upsampling operation, the frequency can be upsampling at a preset upsampling rate. For example, the preset upsampling rate can be υ Hz / ξ seconds, where the value of υ can be in the range of 3 to 10, and the value of ξ can be in the range of 10 to 120.

[0170] In this embodiment of the application, a safety mechanism is set up to protect the exhaust superheat before anti-condensation control, which can improve the safety of the anti-condensation process.

[0171] In some embodiments of this application, after generating control commands for the compressor based on the comparison result between the anti-condensation index and its corresponding index threshold, the control method further includes: Get the current continuous operating time of the compressor; If the continuous working time is outside the preset range, the control command shall not be responded to.

[0172] It should be noted that, to further ensure the reliable operation of the compressor, it can be run for a certain period of time before the compressor executes relevant control commands. During the initial startup phase, a fixed frequency of control commands is reserved for the compressor, and it does not respond to anti-condensation control commands.

[0173] In some embodiments, the compressor's operation can be divided into an open-loop stage and a closed-loop stage. After startup, the compressor first enters the open-loop stage, with the startup time recorded as t0, until the cumulative operating time reaches t1, at which point it enters the closed-loop stage. For example, t1 can range from 10 minutes to 45 minutes. Figure 3As shown, the compressor frequency, exhaust superheat, and evaporator middle tube temperature change over time during the open-loop and closed-loop stages of the compressor.

[0174] In this embodiment of the application, before controlling the compressor to respond to the control command, the compressor can be controlled to run for a certain period of time in advance, which can improve the operating stability of the compressor.

[0175] To facilitate understanding of the control method provided in this application, a specific example is given below. For example... Figure 4 As shown, multiple functional modules are pre-installed in the multi-split air conditioner. These multiple functional modules include: anti-condensation main control program 401, anti-condensation data acquisition module 402, anti-condensation critical internal pipe temperature calculation module 403, anti-condensation execution main control module 404, protection module 405, compressor anti-condensation main control module 406, and indoor unit anti-condensation main control module 407.

[0176] First, upon detecting that a user has started the multi-split air conditioner and set the indoor unit to cooling or dehumidifying mode, the anti-condensation main control program 401 is activated. After activation, the anti-condensation main control program 401 determines the triggering conditions for the anti-condensation program. These triggering conditions include anti-condensation activation conditions and anti-condensation deactivation conditions, which are equivalent to the anti-condensation activation and deactivation conditions in the above embodiments and will not be repeated here.

[0177] The anti-condensation data acquisition module 402 will collect all the data required by the anti-condensation main control program 401. This data includes, but is not limited to, the rated cooling capacity of the indoor unit, the rated cooling capacity of the outdoor unit, the outdoor unit's operating parameters, and the indoor unit's operating parameters, as described in the above embodiments. The anti-condensation data acquisition module 402 sends the collected data to the anti-condensation critical internal pipe temperature calculation module 403. The anti-condensation critical internal pipe temperature calculation module 403 calculates the anti-condensation critical internal pipe temperature for each indoor unit in cooling or dehumidification mode and sends the calculation result to the anti-condensation execution main control module 404. The calculation process can be found in the above embodiments for calculating the anti-condensation critical internal pipe temperature, and will not be repeated here.

[0178] The anti-condensation execution main control module 404 determines the target anti-condensation control logic based on relevant parameters, and sends the target anti-condensation control logic to the compressor anti-condensation main control module 406 and the indoor unit anti-condensation main control module 407 via the protection module 405 to execute the corresponding anti-condensation control commands. The process of determining the target anti-condensation control logic is the same as the process of generating compressor control commands and electronic expansion valve control commands in the above embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0179] The protection module 405, upon receiving the anti-condensation control command, performs a judgment. Specifically, when... + < ≤ When the protection module 405 requests the compressor anti-condensation main control module 406 to control the compressor to lock the current frequency and maintain the frequency lock for ω seconds; when < + At this time, the protection module requires the compressor's anti-condensation main control module to forcibly execute a frequency increase command of υ Hz / ξ seconds. The relevant parameters can be found in the above embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0180] After judging the anti-condensation control command, the protection module 405 sends the anti-condensation control command to the compressor anti-condensation main control module 406 and the indoor unit anti-condensation main control module 407 respectively.

[0181] The compressor anti-condensation main control module 406 and the indoor unit anti-condensation main control module 407 perform anti-condensation based on the received anti-condensation control commands. Specifically, this process can be described as controlling the compressor to perform frequency increase, frequency decrease, or frequency lock operation as described in the above embodiments, and controlling the electronic expansion valve to perform valve opening, valve closing, or maintain the current opening degree operation.

[0182] Based on the same principle as the method provided in the embodiments of this application, the embodiments of this application also provide a control device for a multi-split air conditioner, applied to a multi-split air conditioner, wherein the multi-split air conditioner includes at least one outdoor unit and multiple indoor units, such as... Figure 5 As shown, the control device includes: The determination module 501 is used to determine the target indoor unit that needs to be protected against condensation from multiple indoor units; The indicator module 502 is used to determine the anti-condensation index of the multi-split air conditioner based on the equipment parameters of the target indoor unit. The control command module 503 is used to generate control commands for the compressor or target indoor unit based on the comparison result between the anti-condensation index and its corresponding index threshold. The instruction execution module 504 is used to regulate the operating frequency of the compressor or the opening degree of the electronic expansion valve of the target indoor unit based on control instructions.

[0183] In some embodiments of this application, the determining module 501 includes: The first determining unit is configured to, in response to one or more indoor units being in cooling mode or dehumidification mode, determine from the plurality of indoor units a target indoor unit that meets the anti-condensation activation conditions. The conditions for the anti-condensation to take effect include: The indoor unit is currently in a non-debugging mode, non-diagnostic mode, non-fault state, or non-power-off state. The indoor unit is currently operating in either cooling or dehumidification mode. The indoor ambient temperature detected by the current indoor unit is less than or equal to the critical indoor temperature for preventing condensation. The indoor unit currently detects indoor humidity that is greater than or equal to the critical indoor humidity for preventing condensation.

[0184] In some embodiments of this application, the determining module 501 includes: The starting unit is used to activate the anti-condensation function in response to one or more indoor units being in cooling or dehumidification mode. The second determining unit is used to determine, under the anti-condensation function, a target indoor unit that meets the preset anti-condensation activation conditions from among the plurality of indoor units.

[0185] In some embodiments of this application, the device parameters include: cooling capacity, and the index module 502 is specifically used to calculate the ratio of the sum of the cooling capacities of the target indoor units to the cooling capacity of the outdoor unit to obtain the anti-condensation index.

[0186] In some embodiments of this application, the control instruction module 503 includes: The first instruction unit is used to generate a compressor control instruction in response to the anti-condensation index being greater than the first index threshold; the compressor control instruction instructs the compressor of the outdoor unit to perform frequency increase, frequency decrease, or frequency lock-in operation; The second instruction unit is used to generate an electronic expansion valve control instruction in response to the anti-condensation index being less than or equal to the second index threshold. The electronic expansion valve control instruction instructs the electronic expansion valve of the target indoor unit to perform valve opening, valve closing, or maintain the current opening degree operation.

[0187] In some embodiments of this application, the instruction execution module 504 is specifically configured to execute one or more of the following: In response to the fact that the average temperature of the middle pipe is greater than the sum of the critical average temperature of the inner pipe and the first correction temperature, and less than or equal to the sum of the critical average temperature of the inner pipe and the second correction temperature, the compressor is controlled to perform frequency increase operation according to the target frequency increase rate. In response to the fact that the average temperature of the middle pipe is greater than the sum of the critical average temperature of the inner pipe and the third correction temperature, and less than or equal to the sum of the critical average temperature of the inner pipe and the first correction temperature, the compressor is controlled to maintain the current operating frequency and perform frequency locking operation for the first target duration. In response to the average temperature of the middle pipe being less than or equal to the sum of the critical average temperature of the inner pipe and the second correction temperature, the compressor is controlled to perform frequency reduction operation according to the target frequency reduction rate; The average central pipe temperature includes the average central pipe temperature of the evaporator of the indoor unit in cooling mode and the indoor unit in dehumidification mode; the average critical internal pipe temperature includes the average critical internal pipe temperature for anti-condensation of the indoor unit in cooling mode and the indoor unit in dehumidification mode.

[0188] In some embodiments of this application, the control device further includes: The mode entry module is used to control the multi-split air conditioner to enter anti-condensation mode before determining the target indoor unit that needs to be prevented from condensing from among multiple indoor units. The mode exit module is used to control the multi-split air conditioner to exit the anti-condensation mode in response to the anti-condensation index being greater than the first index threshold and the average temperature of the middle pipe being greater than the sum of the average temperature of the critical inner pipe and the second correction temperature.

[0189] In some embodiments of this application, the instruction execution module 504 is specifically configured to execute one or more of the following: In response to the target indoor unit's evaporator middle pipe temperature being lower than the corresponding anti-condensation critical inner pipe temperature, the electronic expansion valve is controlled to perform valve opening operation according to the target valve opening rate. In response to the target indoor unit's evaporator middle pipe temperature being greater than the corresponding anti-condensation critical inner pipe temperature, and less than or equal to the sum of the corresponding anti-condensation critical inner pipe temperature and the fourth correction temperature, the electronic expansion valve is controlled to maintain the current opening parameters. In response to the target indoor unit's evaporator middle pipe temperature being greater than the sum of the corresponding anti-condensation critical inner pipe temperature and the fourth correction temperature, the electronic expansion valve is controlled to perform a valve closing operation according to the target valve closing rate.

[0190] In some embodiments of this application, the control device further includes: The data acquisition module is used to acquire the outdoor unit's operating parameters and the indoor unit's operating parameters in cooling or dehumidification mode. The outdoor unit's operating parameters include: compressor frequency, exhaust superheat, outdoor ambient temperature, and outdoor fan speed. The indoor unit's operating parameters include: indoor ambient temperature, indoor ambient humidity, evaporator superheat, and indoor fan speed. The anti-condensation critical internal pipe temperature module is used to calculate the anti-condensation critical internal pipe temperature based on the operating parameters of the outdoor unit and the indoor unit.

[0191] In some embodiments of this application, the indoor ambient temperature includes the average value of the indoor air dry-bulb temperature detected by the indoor unit in cooling mode or dehumidification mode; the indoor ambient humidity includes the average value of the indoor air relative humidity detected by the indoor unit in cooling mode or dehumidification mode.

[0192] In some embodiments of this application, the control device further includes a transition interval processing module, specifically used for: In response to the anti-condensation index being less than or equal to the first index threshold and greater than the second index threshold, multiple indoor units are controlled not to enter the anti-condensation mode, and the compressor calculation frequency of the outdoor unit is calculated. The compressor target frequency is calculated using the compressor's calculated frequency and anti-condensation index.

[0193] In some embodiments of this application, the control device further includes: a protection module, used for: In response to the outdoor unit's exhaust superheat being less than or equal to the exhaust protection lower limit, and greater than the sum of the exhaust protection lower limit and the exhaust correction value, the compressor of the outdoor unit is controlled to lock the current operating frequency and maintain it for the second target duration; wherein, the exhaust correction value is a negative value; In response to the outdoor unit's exhaust superheat being less than the sum of the exhaust protection lower limit and the exhaust correction value, the outdoor unit's compressor is controlled to perform a frequency increase operation.

[0194] In some embodiments of this application, the control device further includes: The duration acquisition module is used to obtain the current continuous operating duration of the compressor; The instruction disable module is used to disable the response to control instructions when the continuous working time is outside the preset time range.

[0195] The control device provided in this application embodiment can achieve... Figures 1 to 4 The various processes implemented in the method embodiments are not described in detail here to avoid repetition.

[0196] The control device provided in this application can accurately locate specific indoor units that are prone to condensation during operation by identifying the target indoor unit requiring anti-condensation measures. Then, it uses the device parameters to determine the anti-condensation index of the multi-split air conditioner, which is used to indicate subsequent anti-condensation strategies. By comparing the anti-condensation index with the index threshold, control commands are generated for the compressor or the target indoor unit. Furthermore, in scenarios with many specific indoor units or a large total capacity of the indoor units requiring anti-condensation, the device controls the compressor frequency to prevent condensation in multiple specific indoor units, starting from the overall multi-split air conditioner. Since there are no large frequency fluctuations, there are no large fluctuations in indoor temperature. In scenarios with fewer specific indoor units or a small total capacity of the indoor units requiring anti-condensation, the device controls the pipe temperature of a specific indoor unit individually using its electronic expansion valve, achieving more stable pipe temperature control. Throughout the process, the compressor operating frequency control and the indoor unit pipe temperature control are very stable, balancing the stability of the outdoor unit operation and the stability of the indoor unit temperature control.

[0197] The control device in this application embodiment can execute the control method provided in this application embodiment. The implementation principle is similar. The actions performed by each module and unit in the control device in each embodiment of this application are corresponding to the steps in the control method in each embodiment of this application. For detailed functional descriptions of each module of the control device, please refer to the descriptions in the corresponding control methods shown above. They will not be repeated here.

[0198] Based on the same principles as the methods shown in the embodiments of this application, this application also provides a multi-split air conditioner, which may include, but is not limited to, a processor and a memory; the memory is used to store computer programs; the processor is used to execute the control method shown in any optional embodiment of this application by calling the computer program. Compared with the prior art, the multi-split air conditioner provided by this application can accurately locate specific indoor units that are prone to condensation risk during current operation by identifying the target indoor unit that needs anti-condensation; then, it uses its equipment parameters to determine the anti-condensation index of the multi-split air conditioner, which is used to indicate subsequent anti-condensation strategies. By comparing the anti-condensation index with the index threshold, control commands are generated for the compressor or the target indoor unit; then, in scenarios where there are many specific indoor units or the total capacity of indoor units that need anti-condensation is large, starting from the multi-split air conditioner as a whole, the anti-condensation of multiple specific indoor units is achieved by adjusting the compressor frequency. Since there will be no large frequency fluctuations, there will be no large fluctuations in indoor temperature. In scenarios where there are few specific indoor units or the total capacity of indoor units requiring anti-condensation is relatively small, controlling the pipe temperature of a specific indoor unit individually using its electronic expansion valve can achieve more stable pipe temperature control. Throughout the process, the compressor operating frequency is controlled very stably, and the pipe temperature control of the indoor unit is also very stable, taking into account both the stability of the outdoor unit's operation and the stability of the indoor unit's temperature control.

[0199] In an alternative embodiment, a multi-split air conditioner is also provided, such as Figure 6 As shown, Figure 6 The multi-split air conditioner 6000 shown includes a processor 6001 and a memory 6003. The processor 6001 and the memory 6003 are connected, for example, via a bus 6002. Optionally, the multi-split air conditioner 6000 may also include a transceiver 6004, which can be used for data interaction between the multi-split air conditioner and other electronic devices, such as sending and / or receiving data. It should be noted that in practical applications, the transceiver 6004 is not limited to one type, and the structure of this multi-split air conditioner 6000 does not constitute a limitation on the embodiments of this application.

[0200] Processor 6001 may be a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a general-purpose processor, a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), or other programmable logic devices, transistor logic devices, hardware components, or any combination thereof. It can implement or execute the various exemplary logic blocks, modules, and circuits described in conjunction with the disclosure of this application. Processor 6001 may also be a combination that implements computational functions, such as including one or more microprocessor combinations, a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, etc.

[0201] Bus 6002 may include a pathway for transmitting information between the aforementioned components. Bus 6002 may be a PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) bus or an EISA (Extended Industry Standard Architecture) bus, etc. Bus 6002 can be divided into address bus, data bus, control bus, etc. For ease of representation, Figure 6 The bus is represented by a single thick line, but this does not mean that there is only one bus or one type of bus.

[0202] The memory 6003 may be ROM (Read Only Memory) or other types of static storage devices capable of storing static information and instructions, RAM (Random Access Memory) or other types of dynamic storage devices capable of storing information and instructions, or EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read Only Memory) or other optical disc storage, optical disc storage (including compressed optical discs, laser discs, optical discs, digital universal optical discs, Blu-ray discs, etc.), magnetic disk storage media, other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium capable of carrying or storing computer programs and capable of being read by a computer, without limitation herein.

[0203] The memory 6003 stores computer programs that execute embodiments of this application, and its execution is controlled by the processor 6001. The processor 6001 executes the computer programs stored in the memory 6003 to implement the steps shown in the foregoing method embodiments.

[0204] Among them, electronic devices include, but are not limited to: mobile terminals such as mobile phones, laptops, digital radio receivers, PDAs (personal digital assistants), PADs (tablet computers), PMPs (portable multimedia players), and in-vehicle terminals (such as in-vehicle navigation terminals), as well as fixed terminals such as digital TVs and desktop computers. Figure 6 The electronic device shown is merely an example and should not impose any limitation on the functionality and scope of use of the embodiments of this application.

[0205] This application provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program. When the computer program is executed by a processor, it can implement the steps and corresponding content of the aforementioned method embodiments.

[0206] This application also provides a computer program product, including a computer program that, when executed by a processor, can implement the steps and corresponding content of the aforementioned method embodiments.

[0207] The terms "first," "second," "third," "fourth," "1," "2," etc. (if present) in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate so that the embodiments of this application described herein can be implemented in a sequence other than that shown in the illustrations or text descriptions.

[0208] It should be understood that although arrows indicate various operation steps in the flowcharts of this application's embodiments, the order in which these steps are implemented is not limited to the order indicated by the arrows. Unless explicitly stated herein, in some implementation scenarios of this application's embodiments, the implementation steps in each flowchart can be executed in other orders as required. Furthermore, some or all steps in each flowchart, based on the actual implementation scenario, may include multiple sub-steps or multiple stages. Some or all of these sub-steps or stages can be executed at the same time, and each sub-step or stage can also be executed at different times. In scenarios where execution times differ, the execution order of these sub-steps or stages can be flexibly configured according to requirements, and this application's embodiments do not limit this.

[0209] The above description is only an optional implementation method for some implementation scenarios of this application. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, other similar implementation methods based on the technical concept of this application without departing from the technical concept of this application also fall within the protection scope of the embodiments of this application.

Claims

1. A control method for a multi-split air conditioner, characterized in that, The multi-split air conditioner includes at least one outdoor unit and multiple indoor units, and the control method includes: From the plurality of indoor units, identify the target indoor unit that requires anti-condensation measures; Based on the equipment parameters of the target indoor unit, determine the anti-condensation index of the multi-split air conditioner; Based on the comparison result between the anti-condensation index and its corresponding index threshold, control commands are generated for the compressor or the target indoor unit. Based on the control command, the operating frequency of the compressor or the opening degree of the electronic expansion valve of the target indoor unit is adjusted. The equipment parameters include: cooling capacity. Based on the equipment parameters of the target indoor unit, the anti-condensation index of the multi-split air conditioner is determined, including: The anti-condensation index is obtained by calculating the ratio of the sum of the cooling capacities of the target indoor units to the cooling capacity of the outdoor unit.

2. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, From the plurality of indoor units, the target indoor unit requiring anti-condensation measures is determined, including: In response to one or more indoor units being in cooling or dehumidifying mode, a target indoor unit that meets the anti-condensation activation conditions is identified from the plurality of indoor units. The conditions for the anti-condensation to take effect include: The indoor unit is currently in a non-debugging mode, non-diagnostic mode, non-fault state, or non-power-off state. The indoor unit is currently operating in either cooling or dehumidification mode. The indoor ambient temperature detected by the current indoor unit is less than or equal to the critical indoor temperature for preventing condensation. The indoor unit currently detects indoor humidity that is greater than or equal to the critical indoor humidity for preventing condensation.

3. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, From the plurality of indoor units, the target indoor unit requiring anti-condensation measures is determined, including: When one or more indoor units are in cooling or dehumidification mode, the anti-condensation function is activated. Under the anti-condensation function, a target indoor unit that meets the preset anti-condensation activation conditions is selected from the plurality of indoor units.

4. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Based on the comparison result between the anti-condensation index and its corresponding index threshold, control commands are generated for the compressor or the target indoor unit, including: In response to the anti-condensation index being greater than a first index threshold, a compressor control command is generated; the compressor control command instructs the compressor of the outdoor unit to perform frequency increase, frequency decrease, or frequency lock operation; In response to the anti-condensation index being less than or equal to the second index threshold, an electronic expansion valve control command is generated; the electronic expansion valve control command instructs the electronic expansion valve of the target indoor unit to perform valve opening, valve closing, or maintain the current opening degree operation.

5. The control method according to claim 4, characterized in that, Based on the compressor control commands, the operating frequency of the compressor is regulated, including one or more of the following: In response to the fact that the average temperature of the middle pipe is greater than the sum of the critical average temperature of the inner pipe and the first correction temperature, and less than or equal to the sum of the critical average temperature of the inner pipe and the second correction temperature, the compressor is controlled to perform frequency ramping operation according to the target frequency ramping rate. In response to the fact that the average temperature of the middle pipe is greater than the sum of the critical average temperature of the inner pipe and the third correction temperature, and less than or equal to the sum of the critical average temperature of the inner pipe and the first correction temperature, the compressor is controlled to maintain the current operating frequency and perform a frequency locking operation for a first target duration. In response to the average temperature of the middle pipe being less than or equal to the sum of the critical average temperature of the inner pipe and the second corrected temperature, the compressor is controlled to perform a frequency reduction operation according to the target frequency reduction rate; The average central pipe temperature includes the average central pipe temperature of the evaporator of the indoor unit in cooling mode and the indoor unit in dehumidification mode; the average critical internal pipe temperature includes the average critical internal pipe temperature for condensation prevention of the indoor unit in cooling mode and the indoor unit in dehumidification mode.

6. The control method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The control method further includes: Before determining the target indoor unit requiring anti-condensation from the plurality of indoor units, the multi-split air conditioner is controlled to be in anti-condensation mode; In response to the anti-condensation index being greater than the first index threshold, and the average temperature of the middle pipe being greater than the sum of the average critical inner pipe temperature and the second correction temperature, the multi-split air conditioner is controlled to not be in the anti-condensation mode.

7. The control method according to claim 4, characterized in that, Based on the electronic expansion valve control command, the opening degree of the electronic expansion valve of the target indoor unit is adjusted, including one or more of the following: In response to the fact that the evaporator middle pipe temperature of the target indoor unit is lower than the corresponding anti-condensation critical inner pipe temperature, the electronic expansion valve is controlled to perform valve opening operation according to the target valve opening rate; In response to the fact that the evaporator middle pipe temperature of the target indoor unit is greater than the corresponding anti-condensation critical inner pipe temperature, and less than or equal to the sum of the corresponding anti-condensation critical inner pipe temperature and the fourth correction temperature, the electronic expansion valve is controlled to maintain the current opening parameter. In response to the fact that the evaporator middle pipe temperature of the target indoor unit is greater than the sum of the corresponding anti-condensation critical inner pipe temperature and the fourth correction temperature, the electronic expansion valve is controlled to perform a valve closing operation according to the target valve closing rate.

8. The control method according to any one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that, The control method further includes: The system acquires the outdoor unit's operating parameters and the indoor unit's operating parameters in cooling or dehumidification mode; wherein the outdoor unit's operating parameters include: compressor frequency, exhaust superheat, outdoor ambient temperature, and outdoor fan operating speed; the indoor unit's operating parameters include: indoor ambient temperature, indoor ambient humidity, evaporator superheat, and indoor fan operating speed. The critical internal pipe temperature for preventing condensation is calculated based on the operating parameters of the outdoor unit and the indoor unit.

9. The control method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The indoor ambient temperature includes the average dry-bulb temperature of the indoor air detected by the indoor unit in cooling mode or dehumidification mode; the indoor ambient humidity includes the average relative humidity of the indoor air detected by the indoor unit in cooling mode or dehumidification mode.

10. The control method according to claim 4, characterized in that, After determining the anti-condensation index of the multi-split air conditioner based on the equipment parameters of the target indoor unit, the control method further includes: In response to the anti-condensation index being less than or equal to the first index threshold and greater than the second index threshold, multiple indoor units are controlled not to enter the anti-condensation mode, and the compressor calculation frequency of the outdoor unit is calculated. The compressor target frequency is calculated using the compressor's calculated frequency and the anti-condensation index.

11. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Before adjusting the operating frequency of the compressor or the opening degree of the electronic expansion valve of the target indoor unit based on the control command, the control method further includes: In response to the outdoor unit's exhaust superheat being less than or equal to the exhaust protection lower limit and greater than the sum of the exhaust protection lower limit and the exhaust correction value, the compressor of the outdoor unit is controlled to lock the current operating frequency and maintain it for a second target duration; wherein the exhaust correction value is a negative value; In response to the outdoor unit's exhaust superheat being less than the sum of the exhaust protection lower limit and the exhaust correction value, the compressor of the outdoor unit is controlled to perform a frequency increase operation.

12. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, After generating control commands for the compressor based on the comparison result between the anti-condensation index and its corresponding index threshold, the control method further includes: Obtain the current continuous operating time of the compressor; If the continuous working time is outside the preset range, the control command shall not be responded to.

13. A control device for a multi-split air conditioner, characterized in that, The multi-split air conditioner includes at least one outdoor unit and multiple indoor units, and the control device includes: The determination module is used to determine the target indoor unit that needs to be protected against condensation from the plurality of indoor units; The indicator module is used to determine the anti-condensation index of the multi-split air conditioner based on the equipment parameters of the target indoor unit. The control command module is used to generate control commands for the compressor or the target indoor unit based on the comparison result between the anti-condensation index and its corresponding index threshold. The instruction execution module is used to adjust the operating frequency of the compressor or the opening degree of the electronic expansion valve of the target indoor unit based on the control instruction. The equipment parameters include: cooling capacity. The index module is specifically used to calculate the ratio of the sum of the cooling capacities of the target indoor units to the cooling capacity of the outdoor unit, thereby obtaining the anti-condensation index.

14. The control device according to claim 13, characterized in that, The module to be determined includes: The first determining unit is configured to, in response to one or more indoor units being in cooling mode or dehumidification mode, determine from the plurality of indoor units a target indoor unit that meets the anti-condensation activation conditions. The conditions for the anti-condensation to take effect include: The indoor unit is currently in a non-debugging mode, non-diagnostic mode, non-fault state, or non-power-off state. The indoor unit is currently operating in either cooling or dehumidification mode. The indoor ambient temperature detected by the current indoor unit is less than or equal to the critical indoor temperature for preventing condensation. The indoor unit currently detects indoor humidity that is greater than or equal to the critical indoor humidity for preventing condensation.

15. The control device according to claim 13, characterized in that, The module to be determined includes: The starting unit is used to activate the anti-condensation function in response to one or more indoor units being in cooling or dehumidification mode. The second determining unit is used to determine, under the anti-condensation function, a target indoor unit that meets the preset anti-condensation activation conditions from among the plurality of indoor units.

16. The control device according to claim 13, characterized in that, The control command module includes: The first instruction unit is used to generate a compressor control instruction in response to the anti-condensation index being greater than a first index threshold; the compressor control instruction instructs the compressor of the outdoor unit to perform frequency increase, frequency decrease, or frequency lock-in operation; The second instruction unit is used to generate an electronic expansion valve control instruction in response to the anti-condensation index being less than or equal to the second index threshold; the electronic expansion valve control instruction instructs the electronic expansion valve of the target indoor unit to perform valve opening, valve closing, or maintain the current opening degree operation.

17. The control device according to claim 16, characterized in that, The instruction execution module is specifically used to execute one or more of the following: In response to the fact that the average temperature of the middle pipe is greater than the sum of the critical average temperature of the inner pipe and the first correction temperature, and less than or equal to the sum of the critical average temperature of the inner pipe and the second correction temperature, the compressor is controlled to perform frequency ramping operation according to the target frequency ramping rate. In response to the fact that the average temperature of the middle pipe is greater than the sum of the critical average temperature of the inner pipe and the third correction temperature, and less than or equal to the sum of the critical average temperature of the inner pipe and the first correction temperature, the compressor is controlled to maintain the current operating frequency and perform a frequency locking operation for a first target duration. In response to the average temperature of the middle pipe being less than or equal to the sum of the critical average temperature of the inner pipe and the second corrected temperature, the compressor is controlled to perform a frequency reduction operation according to the target frequency reduction rate; The average central pipe temperature includes the average central pipe temperature of the evaporator of the indoor unit in cooling mode and the indoor unit in dehumidification mode; the average critical internal pipe temperature includes the average critical internal pipe temperature for condensation prevention of the indoor unit in cooling mode and the indoor unit in dehumidification mode.

18. The control device according to claim 16, characterized in that, The instruction execution module is specifically used to execute one or more of the following: In response to the fact that the evaporator middle pipe temperature of the target indoor unit is lower than the corresponding anti-condensation critical inner pipe temperature, the electronic expansion valve is controlled to perform valve opening operation according to the target valve opening rate; In response to the fact that the evaporator middle pipe temperature of the target indoor unit is greater than the corresponding anti-condensation critical inner pipe temperature, and less than or equal to the sum of the corresponding anti-condensation critical inner pipe temperature and the fourth correction temperature, the electronic expansion valve is controlled to maintain the current opening parameter. In response to the fact that the evaporator middle pipe temperature of the target indoor unit is greater than the sum of the corresponding anti-condensation critical inner pipe temperature and the fourth correction temperature, the electronic expansion valve is controlled to perform a valve closing operation according to the target valve closing rate.

19. The control device according to any one of claims 16 to 18, characterized in that, The control device further includes: The data acquisition module is used to acquire the outdoor unit's operating parameters and the indoor unit's operating parameters in cooling or dehumidification mode; wherein, the outdoor unit's operating parameters include: compressor frequency, exhaust superheat, outdoor ambient temperature, and outdoor fan operating speed; the indoor unit's operating parameters include: indoor ambient temperature, indoor ambient humidity, evaporator superheat, and indoor fan operating speed. The anti-condensation critical internal pipe temperature module is used to calculate the anti-condensation critical internal pipe temperature based on the outdoor unit operating parameters and the indoor unit operating parameters.

20. The control device according to claim 16, characterized in that, The control device further includes a transition interval processing module, specifically used for: In response to the anti-condensation index being less than or equal to the first index threshold and greater than the second index threshold, multiple indoor units are controlled not to enter the anti-condensation mode, and the compressor calculation frequency of the outdoor unit is calculated. The compressor target frequency is calculated using the compressor's calculated frequency and the anti-condensation index.

21. The control device according to claim 13, characterized in that, The control device further includes: a protection module, used for: In response to the outdoor unit's exhaust superheat being less than or equal to the exhaust protection lower limit and greater than the sum of the exhaust protection lower limit and the exhaust correction value, the compressor of the outdoor unit is controlled to lock the current operating frequency and maintain it for a second target duration; wherein the exhaust correction value is a negative value; In response to the outdoor unit's exhaust superheat being less than the sum of the exhaust protection lower limit and the exhaust correction value, the compressor of the outdoor unit is controlled to perform a frequency increase operation.

22. A multi-split air conditioner, characterized in that, The system includes a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the processor, when executing the program, implements the control method for the multi-split air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

23. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium stores a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the control method for the multi-split air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

24. A computer program product, comprising a computer program, characterized in that, When the computer program is executed by the processor, it implements the control method for the multi-split air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

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