Air conditioner and control method

Abstract

This application provides an air conditioner and a control method, applied in the field of air conditioner control. The method includes: acquiring the operating mode of the air conditioner and the current temperature of the photovoltaic hot plate; acquiring the operating mode of the air conditioner and the current temperature of the photovoltaic hot plate; and executing a corresponding heat dissipation control strategy when the air conditioner is in cooling mode. The heat dissipation control strategy includes: controlling the heat exchange pipeline to open and perform heat exchange, and adjusting the opening of a throttling valve on the first refrigerant pipeline based on the current temperature of the photovoltaic hot plate. The air conditioner and control method provided in this application utilize the refrigerant of the air conditioner to cool the photovoltaic hot plate, improving the photoelectric conversion efficiency of the photovoltaic hot plate, and also improving the heat exchange efficiency of the outdoor heat exchanger.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of air conditioner control, and more particularly to an air conditioner and a control method thereof. Background Technology

[0002] As people's living standards continue to improve and the level of intelligence in home appliances continues to rise, smart home appliances are becoming increasingly popular. Users can use air conditioners to heat in winter to raise the indoor temperature, and they can also use air conditioners to cool in summer to lower the indoor temperature.

[0003] Photovoltaic thermal panels (PVTs) can convert solar energy into both electricity and heat. In related technologies, the electricity generated by PVTs can power air conditioners, reducing their operating costs. However, the photoelectric conversion efficiency of PVTs is negatively correlated with temperature; the higher the temperature, the lower the conversion efficiency.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a device that can control the temperature of a photovoltaic hot plate during operation in order to improve the photoelectric conversion efficiency of the photovoltaic hot plate. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this application is to provide an air conditioner and control method that uses the refrigerant of the air conditioner to cool down the photovoltaic thermal panel, thereby improving the photoelectric conversion efficiency of the photovoltaic thermal panel and also improving the heat exchange efficiency of the outdoor heat exchanger.

[0006] This application provides an air conditioner, including: The system includes a first refrigerant pipe connected in parallel with the refrigerant pipe of the outdoor heat exchanger, a second refrigerant pipe connected in parallel with the refrigerant pipe of the indoor heat exchanger, and a control unit. The first refrigerant pipe is used to dissipate heat and cool the photovoltaic thermal panel. The second refrigerant pipe is used to heat the water in the water tank in heating mode. A photovoltaic thermal panel heat exchanger is installed on the first refrigerant pipe. The photovoltaic thermal panel heat exchanger exchanges heat with the water in the water tank through a heat exchange pipe. The control unit is used to obtain the operating mode of the air conditioner and the current temperature of the photovoltaic thermal panel. The control unit is also used to execute a corresponding heat dissipation control strategy when the air conditioner is in cooling mode. The heat dissipation control strategy includes: controlling the heat exchange pipe to open and perform heat exchange, and adjusting the opening of the throttle valve installed on the first refrigerant pipe based on the current temperature of the photovoltaic thermal panel.

[0007] Optionally, a first throttling valve is provided on the refrigerant pipeline of the outdoor heat exchanger; the control unit is specifically used to control the refrigerant of the air conditioner to flow from the compressor through the four-way valve to the outdoor heat exchanger after flowing out from the compressor when the air conditioner is in the cooling mode, and then flow from the first throttling valve to the outdoor heat exchanger and finally return to the compressor.

[0008] Optionally, a second throttling valve and a fourth throttling valve are also provided on the first refrigerant pipeline; the control unit is specifically used to control the refrigerant of the air conditioner to flow out of the four-way valve, through the fourth throttling valve to the photovoltaic heat exchanger, and then through the second throttling valve to the indoor heat exchanger after flowing out of the photovoltaic heat exchanger, and finally back to the compressor when the air conditioner is in the cooling mode.

[0009] Optionally, the control unit is specifically configured to, when the air conditioner is in cooling mode, calculate the temperature difference between the current temperature of the photovoltaic hot plate and the preset optimal operating temperature, and determine the opening adjustment coefficient based on the temperature difference; the opening adjustment coefficient is positively correlated with the temperature difference; the control unit is further configured to multiply the opening adjustment coefficient by the default opening of the fourth throttle valve to obtain the target opening, and control the opening of the fourth throttle valve according to the target opening.

[0010] Optionally, a hot water heat exchanger is provided on the second refrigerant pipeline, and a third throttling valve and a proportional valve are respectively provided at both ends of the hot water heat exchanger; the control unit is specifically used to control the opening of the third throttling valve to zero and close the proportional valve when the air conditioner is in cooling mode.

[0011] This application provides a control method, including: The system obtains the operating mode of the air conditioner and the current temperature of the photovoltaic hot plate; when the air conditioner is in cooling mode, it executes the corresponding heat dissipation control strategy; wherein, the heat dissipation control strategy includes: controlling the heat exchange pipeline to open and perform heat exchange, and adjusting the opening of the throttle valve set on the first refrigerant pipeline based on the current temperature of the photovoltaic hot plate.

[0012] Optionally, a first throttling valve is provided on the refrigerant pipeline of the outdoor heat exchanger; when the air conditioner is in cooling mode, the corresponding heat dissipation control strategy is executed, including: when the air conditioner is in cooling mode, controlling the refrigerant of the air conditioner to flow from the compressor through the four-way valve through the outdoor heat exchanger, and then from the first throttling valve through the outdoor heat exchanger, and finally back to the compressor.

[0013] Optionally, a second throttling valve and a fourth throttling valve are also provided on the first refrigerant pipeline; when the air conditioner is in cooling mode, the corresponding heat dissipation control strategy is executed, including: when the air conditioner is in cooling mode, controlling the refrigerant of the air conditioner to flow out from the four-way valve, then through the fourth throttling valve through the photovoltaic heat exchanger, and then through the second throttling valve through the indoor heat exchanger, and finally back to the compressor.

[0014] Optionally, adjusting the opening of the throttle valve on the first refrigerant pipeline based on the current temperature of the photovoltaic hot plate includes: when the air conditioner is in cooling mode, calculating the temperature difference between the current temperature of the photovoltaic hot plate and the preset optimal operating temperature, and determining an opening adjustment coefficient based on the temperature difference; the opening adjustment coefficient is positively correlated with the temperature difference; multiplying the opening adjustment coefficient by the default opening of the fourth throttle valve to obtain the target opening, and controlling the opening of the fourth throttle valve according to the target opening.

[0015] Optionally, a hot water heat exchanger is provided on the second refrigerant pipeline, and a third throttling valve and a proportional valve are respectively provided at both ends of the hot water heat exchanger; when the air conditioner is in cooling mode, the corresponding heat dissipation control strategy is executed, including: when the air conditioner is in cooling mode, controlling the opening of the third throttling valve to be adjusted to zero and closing the proportional valve.

[0016] This application also provides a computer program product, including a computer program / instructions that, when executed by a processor, implement the steps of any of the control methods described above.

[0017] This application also provides an electronic device, which may be an air conditioner, comprising a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the processor executes the program to implement the steps of any of the control methods described above.

[0018] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of any of the control methods described above.

[0019] The air conditioner and control method provided in this application include a first refrigerant pipe connected in parallel with the refrigerant pipe of the outdoor heat exchanger, a second refrigerant pipe connected in parallel with the refrigerant pipe of the indoor heat exchanger, and a control unit. The first refrigerant pipe is used to dissipate heat and cool the photovoltaic hot plate; the second refrigerant pipe is used to heat the water in the water tank in heating mode; a photovoltaic hot plate heat exchanger is installed on the first refrigerant pipe; the photovoltaic hot plate heat exchanger exchanges heat with the water in the water tank through a heat exchange pipe; the control unit is used to obtain the operating mode of the air conditioner and the current temperature of the photovoltaic hot plate; the control unit is also used to execute a corresponding heat dissipation control strategy when the operating mode of the air conditioner is cooling mode; wherein, the heat dissipation control strategy includes: controlling the heat exchange pipe to open and perform heat exchange, and adjusting the opening of the throttle valve installed on the first refrigerant pipe based on the current temperature of the photovoltaic hot plate. In this way, the refrigerant of the air conditioner can be used to cool the photovoltaic hot plate, improving the photoelectric conversion efficiency of the photovoltaic hot plate, and also improving the heat exchange efficiency of the outdoor heat exchanger. Attached Figure Description

[0020] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0021] Figure 1 This is one of the structural diagrams of the air conditioner provided in this application; Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating the control method under the heating mode provided in this application; Figure 3 This is the second schematic diagram of the air conditioner structure provided in this application; Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating the control method under the cooling mode provided in this application; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the electronic device provided in this application. Detailed Implementation

[0022] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the technical solutions of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0023] The terms "first," "second," etc., used in the specification and claims of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and not to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such use of data can be interchanged where appropriate so that embodiments of this application can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein, and the objects distinguished by "first," "second," etc., are generally of the same class and the number of objects is not limited; for example, a first object can be one or more. Furthermore, in the specification and claims, "and / or" indicates at least one of the connected objects, and the character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0024] The operating principle of the air conditioner involved in the embodiments of this application is described in detail below: The compressor compresses the refrigerant and delivers it through pipes to the condenser. The high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant releases heat in the condenser, transforming into a medium-temperature, high-pressure liquid refrigerant. This medium-temperature, high-pressure liquid refrigerant then passes through a capillary tube (throttling unit) to reduce its pressure, becoming a low-temperature, low-pressure liquid refrigerant. This low-temperature, low-pressure liquid refrigerant is then transported to the evaporator, where it evaporates into a gas, absorbing a significant amount of heat during the evaporation process. Finally, the low-temperature, low-pressure gaseous refrigerant in the evaporator is returned to the compressor to participate in the next cycle. When the air conditioner is cooling, the outdoor unit's heat exchanger acts as the condenser, and the indoor unit's heat exchanger acts as the evaporator; conversely, when the air conditioner is heating, the outdoor unit's heat exchanger acts as the evaporator, and the indoor unit's heat exchanger acts as the condenser.

[0025] A solar photovoltaic (PVT) thermal panel is a device that combines photovoltaic power generation and solar energy harvesting. It not only converts solar energy into electricity but also converts waste heat into thermal energy, thereby improving energy utilization efficiency. Generally, the power generation efficiency of a solar PVT panel varies with temperature. At lower temperatures, the power generation efficiency of the PVT panel is higher because the cell conductivity is higher. However, as the temperature rises, the cell conductivity decreases, leading to a reduction in power generation efficiency. Therefore, maintaining a suitable temperature is crucial for improving the power generation efficiency of PVT panels.

[0026] In response to the technical problem that photovoltaic thermal panels are easily affected by temperature, resulting in low photoelectric conversion efficiency, this application provides an air conditioner that can use the refrigerant of the air conditioner to cool down the photovoltaic thermal panel, thereby improving the photoelectric conversion efficiency of the photovoltaic thermal panel and also improving the heat exchange efficiency of the outdoor heat exchanger.

[0027] First embodiment: For example, the above-mentioned air conditioner includes: a first refrigerant pipeline connected in parallel with the refrigerant pipeline of the outdoor heat exchanger and a control unit, wherein the first refrigerant pipeline is used to dissipate heat and cool the photovoltaic thermal panel; and a throttling valve is provided on the first refrigerant pipeline.

[0028] For example, the control unit is configured to acquire the operating mode of the air conditioner and the current temperature of the photovoltaic hot plate; the control unit is also configured to, when the operating mode of the air conditioner is heating mode, use the first refrigerant pipeline to dissipate heat from the photovoltaic hot plate, and adjust the opening of the throttle valve set on the first refrigerant pipeline based on the current temperature of the photovoltaic hot plate.

[0029] For example, such as Figure 1 The diagram shown is a schematic diagram of the structure of an air conditioner provided in an embodiment of this application. The air conditioner has a first refrigerant pipe connected in parallel to the refrigerant pipe of the outdoor heat exchanger (the refrigerant pipe is equipped with a throttle valve 1 and the outdoor heat exchanger). The first refrigerant pipe is equipped with a throttle valve 2 (i.e. the aforementioned second throttle valve) and a heat exchanger (i.e. the aforementioned photovoltaic heat exchanger).

[0030] For example, a first throttling valve is provided on the refrigerant pipeline of the outdoor heat exchanger; the control unit is specifically used to control the refrigerant of the air conditioner to flow from the compressor through the four-way valve to the indoor heat exchanger after flowing out of the indoor heat exchanger, and then through the first throttling valve to the outdoor heat exchanger after flowing out of the indoor heat exchanger, and finally back to the compressor when the air conditioner is in heating mode.

[0031] For example, the first refrigerant pipeline is provided with a second throttle valve and a photovoltaic heat exchanger; the control unit is specifically used to control the refrigerant of the air conditioner to flow from the compressor through the four-way valve to the indoor heat exchanger after flowing out of the indoor heat exchanger, and then through the second throttle valve to the photovoltaic heat exchanger after flowing out of the indoor heat exchanger, and finally back to the compressor when the air conditioner is in heating mode.

[0032] For example, such as Figure 1 As shown, when the air conditioner is in heating mode, the refrigerant flows as follows: a) The refrigerant flows out of the compressor, passes through the four-way valve and solenoid valve 3, and then flows into the indoor unit heat exchanger for heat exchange. After that, it flows through the throttle valve 1 (i.e., the first throttle valve mentioned above) into the outdoor heat exchanger for heat exchange, and then flows back to the compressor; b) The refrigerant flows out of the compressor, passes through the four-way valve and solenoid valve 3, and then flows into the indoor unit heat exchanger for heat exchange. After that, it flows through the throttle valve 2 into the photovoltaic heat exchanger for heat exchange, and then flows back to the compressor.

[0033] For example, the air conditioner further includes: a second refrigerant pipeline connected in parallel with the refrigerant pipeline of the indoor heat exchanger; the second refrigerant pipeline is used to heat the water in the water tank; a third throttle valve and a hot water heat exchanger are provided on the second refrigerant pipeline; the control unit is specifically used to control the refrigerant of the air conditioner to flow from the compressor through the hot water heat exchanger and the third throttle valve when the air conditioner is in heating mode, and then flow from the hot water heat exchanger through the first throttle valve through the outdoor heat exchanger, and finally return to the compressor.

[0034] It should be noted that since the first refrigerant line is connected in parallel with the refrigerant line of the outdoor heat exchanger, the refrigerant flowing out of the second refrigerant line can not only return to the compressor through the refrigerant line of the outdoor heat exchanger, but also return to the compressor through the first refrigerant line. Using the first refrigerant line to cool the photovoltaic panels can also effectively increase the heat exchange area of ​​the outdoor heat exchanger, and in low-temperature and high-humidity environments, it can also prevent frost formation on the surface of the outdoor heat exchanger to a certain extent.

[0035] For example, such as Figure 1 As shown, when the air conditioner is in heating mode, the high-temperature refrigerant can also flow to the hot water heat exchanger to heat the water in the water tank. c, that is, the refrigerant flows out of the compressor, passes through the proportional valve, enters the water heater heat exchanger for heat exchange, then passes through throttle valve 3 and throttle valve 2, flows into the solar PVT panel heat exchanger for heat exchange, and then flows back to the compressor; d, the refrigerant flows out of the compressor, passes through the proportional valve, enters the water heater heat exchanger for heat exchange, then passes through throttle valve 3 and throttle valve 1, flows into the outdoor heat exchanger for heat exchange, and then flows back to the compressor.

[0036] It should be noted that in heating mode, refrigerant circulation can be achieved through any combination of the first refrigerant line, the refrigerant line of the outdoor heat exchanger, the second refrigerant line, and the refrigerant line of the indoor heat exchanger. The specific combination can be adjusted according to actual needs.

[0037] The air conditioner provided in this application includes a first refrigerant pipeline connected in parallel with the refrigerant pipeline of an outdoor heat exchanger and a control unit. The first refrigerant pipeline is used to dissipate heat and cool the photovoltaic hot panel. A throttling valve is installed on the first refrigerant pipeline. The control unit is used to acquire the operating mode of the air conditioner and the current temperature of the photovoltaic hot panel. The control unit is also used to, when the air conditioner is in heating mode, utilize the first refrigerant pipeline to dissipate heat from the photovoltaic hot panel and adjust the opening of the throttling valve on the first refrigerant pipeline based on the current temperature of the photovoltaic hot panel. In this way, the refrigerant of the air conditioner can be used to cool the photovoltaic hot panel, improving the photoelectric conversion efficiency of the photovoltaic hot panel, and also improving the heat exchange efficiency of the outdoor heat exchanger.

[0038] The control method provided in this application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, through specific embodiments and application scenarios.

[0039] like Figure 2 As shown in the embodiment of this application, a control method is provided, which may include the following steps 201 and 202: Step 201: Obtain the operating mode of the air conditioner and the current temperature of the photovoltaic heat plate.

[0040] Step 202: When the air conditioner is in heating mode, the first refrigerant pipe is used to dissipate heat from the photovoltaic hot plate, and the opening of the throttle valve on the first refrigerant pipe is adjusted based on the current temperature of the photovoltaic hot plate.

[0041] Specifically, regarding the refrigerant circulation during indoor heating in heating mode, step 202 above may include the following step 202a: Step 202a: When the air conditioner is in heating mode, the refrigerant flows out of the compressor, passes through the four-way valve to the indoor heat exchanger, and then flows out of the indoor heat exchanger to the outdoor heat exchanger through the first throttle valve, and finally flows back to the compressor.

[0042] Specifically, regarding the refrigerant circulation during the cooling of the photovoltaic hot panel in heating mode, step 202 above may include the following step 202b: Step 202b: When the air conditioner is in heating mode, the refrigerant flows out of the compressor, passes through the four-way valve to the indoor heat exchanger, and then flows out of the indoor heat exchanger through the second throttle valve to the photovoltaic heat exchanger, and finally flows back to the compressor.

[0043] Specifically, in step 202b above, the control of the second throttle valve may further include the following steps 202b1 and 202b2: Step 202b1: When the air conditioner is in heating mode, calculate the temperature difference between the current temperature of the photovoltaic panel and the preset optimal operating temperature, and determine the opening adjustment coefficient based on the temperature difference.

[0044] The opening adjustment coefficient is positively correlated with the temperature difference.

[0045] Step 202b2: Multiply the opening adjustment coefficient by the default opening of the second throttle valve to obtain the target opening, and control the opening of the second throttle valve according to the target opening.

[0046] Specifically, regarding the refrigerant circulation process when heating water in the water heater tank in heating mode, step 202 may further include the following step 202c: Step 202c: When the air conditioner is in heating mode, the refrigerant flows from the compressor through the hot water heat exchanger and the third throttle valve, then flows from the hot water heat exchanger through the first throttle valve through the outdoor heat exchanger, and finally returns to the compressor.

[0047] The control method provided in this application embodiment acquires the operating mode of the air conditioner and the current temperature of the photovoltaic hot plate. When the air conditioner is in heating mode, the first refrigerant pipeline is used to dissipate heat from the photovoltaic hot plate, and the opening of the throttle valve on the first refrigerant pipeline is adjusted based on the current temperature of the photovoltaic hot plate. In this way, the refrigerant from the air conditioner can be used to cool the photovoltaic hot plate, improving the photoelectric conversion efficiency of the photovoltaic hot plate, and also improving the heat exchange efficiency of the outdoor heat exchanger.

[0048] Second embodiment: For example, the air conditioner provided in this application embodiment can not only cool the photovoltaic heat panel in heating mode, but also cool the photovoltaic heat panel in cooling mode by exchanging heat with the water tank.

[0049] For example, the air conditioner provided in this application includes: a first refrigerant pipe connected in parallel with the refrigerant pipe of the outdoor heat exchanger, a second refrigerant pipe connected in parallel with the refrigerant pipe of the indoor heat exchanger, and a control unit. The first refrigerant pipe is used to dissipate heat and cool the photovoltaic hot plate; the second refrigerant pipe is used to heat the water in the water tank in the heating mode; a photovoltaic hot plate heat exchanger is provided on the first refrigerant pipe; the photovoltaic hot plate heat exchanger exchanges heat with the water in the water tank through a heat exchange pipe.

[0050] For example, the control unit is configured to acquire the operating mode of the air conditioner and the current temperature of the photovoltaic hot plate; the control unit is also configured to execute a corresponding heat dissipation control strategy when the operating mode of the air conditioner is cooling mode; wherein, the heat dissipation control strategy includes: controlling the heat exchange pipeline to open and perform heat exchange, and adjusting the opening of the throttle valve set on the first refrigerant pipeline based on the current temperature of the photovoltaic hot plate.

[0051] For example, in cooling mode, the heat exchange pipeline between the photovoltaic heat exchanger and the water tank can be opened to transfer the heat absorbed by the photovoltaic heat exchanger to the water in the water tank, thereby achieving temperature control of the photovoltaic heat exchanger.

[0052] For example, a first throttling valve is provided on the refrigerant pipeline of the outdoor heat exchanger; the control unit is specifically used to control the refrigerant of the air conditioner to flow from the compressor through the four-way valve to the outdoor heat exchanger after flowing out from the compressor when the air conditioner is in the cooling mode, and then flow from the first throttling valve to the outdoor heat exchanger and finally return to the compressor.

[0053] For example, such as Figure 3 As shown, when the air conditioner is cooling, the refrigerant output by the compressor first passes through the outdoor heat exchanger, then flows through the indoor heat exchanger through the expansion valve 1, and finally flows out of the indoor heat exchanger and back to the compressor, completing a refrigeration cycle.

[0054] For example, the first refrigerant pipeline is also provided with a second throttling valve and a fourth throttling valve; the control unit is specifically used to control the refrigerant of the air conditioner to flow out of the four-way valve, through the fourth throttling valve to the photovoltaic heat exchanger, and then through the second throttling valve to the indoor heat exchanger after flowing out of the photovoltaic heat exchanger, and finally back to the compressor when the air conditioner is in the cooling mode.

[0055] For example, such as Figure 3 As shown, when the air conditioner is in heating mode, the refrigerant flows out from the compressor, passes through the four-way valve and the throttle valve 4 (i.e., the fourth throttle valve mentioned above), and then flows into the photovoltaic heat exchanger for heat exchange. After that, it flows into the indoor heat exchanger through the throttle valve 2, and finally flows back to the compressor.

[0056] For example, the control unit is specifically configured to calculate the temperature difference between the current temperature of the photovoltaic hot plate and the preset optimal operating temperature when the air conditioner is in cooling mode, and determine the opening adjustment coefficient based on the temperature difference; the opening adjustment coefficient is positively correlated with the temperature difference; the control unit is further configured to multiply the opening adjustment coefficient by the default opening of the fourth throttle valve to obtain the target opening, and control the opening of the fourth throttle valve according to the target opening.

[0057] It should be noted that in cooling mode, the heat exchange pipeline not only removes heat generated by the photovoltaic panels but also cools the high-temperature refrigerant inside the photovoltaic heat exchanger, thus improving the heat exchange efficiency of the outdoor heat exchanger to some extent. Simultaneously, to prevent excessive temperature, the opening of the fourth throttle valve needs to be controlled. The heat exchange principle of this pipeline is as follows: water from the tank is transported to the photovoltaic heat exchanger through the heat exchange pipeline, and then absorbs the heat conducted by the photovoltaic heat exchanger through the capillary tubes covering its surface, thereby achieving heat exchange. The water in the heat exchange pipeline and the refrigerant inside the photovoltaic heat exchanger are in different pipelines.

[0058] For example, a hot water heat exchanger is provided on the second refrigerant pipeline, and a third throttling valve and a proportional valve are respectively provided at both ends of the hot water heat exchanger; the control unit is specifically used to control the opening of the third throttling valve to zero and close the proportional valve when the air conditioner is in cooling mode.

[0059] It should be noted that, in cooling mode, the hot water heat exchanger is connected in parallel with the indoor heat exchanger. Since the hot water heat exchanger acts as an evaporator and absorbs heat, the refrigerant piping connected to it needs to be shut off. In one possible implementation, if the temperature of the photovoltaic panel exceeds a warning value, the third throttle valve and the proportional valve can be opened (while the fourth throttle valve is closed) to lower the temperature of the photovoltaic panel heat exchanger by reducing the temperature of the water in the tank.

[0060] The control method provided in this application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, through specific embodiments and application scenarios.

[0061] like Figure 4 As shown in the embodiment of this application, a control method is provided, which may include the following steps 401 and 402: Step 401: Obtain the operating mode of the air conditioner and the current temperature of the photovoltaic heat plate.

[0062] Step 402: When the air conditioner is in cooling mode, execute the corresponding heat dissipation control strategy.

[0063] The heat dissipation control strategy includes: controlling the heat exchange pipeline to open and perform heat exchange, and adjusting the opening of the throttle valve on the first refrigerant pipeline based on the current temperature of the photovoltaic hot plate.

[0064] Specifically, a first throttling valve is installed on the refrigerant pipeline of the outdoor heat exchanger. For controlling the refrigerant flow direction of the outdoor heat exchanger in cooling mode, the following step 402a may also be included: Step 402a: When the air conditioner is in cooling mode, the refrigerant flows out of the compressor, passes through the four-way valve and then through the outdoor heat exchanger, and finally flows back to the compressor after passing through the first throttle valve and then through the outdoor heat exchanger.

[0065] Specifically, a second throttling valve and a fourth throttling valve are also installed on the first refrigerant pipeline; regarding the flow direction control of the refrigerant in the first refrigerant pipeline, the above step 402 may further include the following step 402b: Step 402b: When the air conditioner is in cooling mode, the refrigerant is controlled to flow out of the four-way valve, then through the fourth throttle valve through the photovoltaic heat exchanger, and then through the second throttle valve through the indoor heat exchanger, and finally back to the compressor.

[0066] Specifically, the control of the fourth throttle valve in step 402b above may further include the following steps 402b1 and 402b2: Step 402b1: When the air conditioner is in cooling mode, calculate the temperature difference between the current temperature of the photovoltaic hot plate and the preset optimal operating temperature, and determine the opening adjustment coefficient based on the temperature difference.

[0067] The opening adjustment coefficient is positively correlated with the temperature difference.

[0068] Step 402b2: Multiply the opening adjustment coefficient by the default opening of the fourth throttle valve to obtain the target opening, and control the opening of the fourth throttle valve according to the target opening.

[0069] For example, a hot water heat exchanger is provided on the second refrigerant pipeline, and a third throttling valve and a proportional valve are respectively provided at both ends of the hot water heat exchanger.

[0070] Specifically, the flow control of refrigerant in the second refrigerant pipeline may further include the following step 402c: Step 402c: When the air conditioner is in cooling mode, adjust the opening of the third throttle valve to zero and close the proportional valve.

[0071] It should be noted that the control method provided in this application embodiment can be executed by the control unit of an air conditioner, or by the control module in the control unit for executing the control method.

[0072] Figure 5 This example illustrates a schematic diagram of the physical structure of an electronic device, which can be the aforementioned air conditioner, such as... Figure 5As shown, the electronic device may include a processor 510, a communication interface 520, a memory 530, and a communication bus 540, wherein the processor 510, the communication interface 520, and the memory 530 communicate with each other via the communication bus 540. The processor 510 can call logical instructions in the memory 530 to execute a control method, which includes: acquiring the operating mode of the air conditioner and the current temperature of the photovoltaic hot plate; and, if the operating mode of the air conditioner is cooling mode, executing a corresponding heat dissipation control strategy; wherein the heat dissipation control strategy includes: controlling the heat exchange pipeline to open and perform heat exchange, and adjusting the opening of the throttle valve set on the first refrigerant pipeline based on the current temperature of the photovoltaic hot plate.

[0073] Furthermore, the logical instructions in the aforementioned memory 530 can be implemented as software functional units and, when sold or used as independent products, can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or a portion of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0074] On the other hand, this application also provides a computer program product, which includes a computer program stored on a computer-readable storage medium. The computer program includes program instructions, and when the program instructions are executed by a computer, the computer can execute the control methods provided by the above methods. The method includes: obtaining the operating mode of the air conditioner and the current temperature of the photovoltaic hot plate; and executing a corresponding heat dissipation control strategy when the operating mode of the air conditioner is cooling mode. The heat dissipation control strategy includes: controlling the heat exchange pipeline to open and perform heat exchange, and adjusting the opening of the throttle valve set on the first refrigerant pipeline based on the current temperature of the photovoltaic hot plate.

[0075] In another aspect, this application also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implements the control methods provided above. The method includes: acquiring the operating mode of the air conditioner and the current temperature of the photovoltaic hot plate; and, when the operating mode of the air conditioner is cooling mode, executing a corresponding heat dissipation control strategy; wherein the heat dissipation control strategy includes: controlling the heat exchange pipeline to open and perform heat exchange, and adjusting the opening of the throttling valve set on the first refrigerant pipeline based on the current temperature of the photovoltaic hot plate.

[0076] The device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the modules can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs. Those skilled in the art can understand and implement this without any creative effort.

[0077] Through the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that each embodiment can be implemented by means of software plus necessary general-purpose hardware platforms, and of course, it can also be implemented by hardware. Based on this understanding, the above technical solutions, in essence or the part that contributes to the prior art, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, such as ROM / RAM, magnetic disk, optical disk, etc., and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute the methods described in the various embodiments or some parts of the embodiments.

[0078] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and are not intended to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application.

Claims

1. An air conditioner, characterized in that, include: The system includes a first refrigerant pipe connected in parallel with the refrigerant pipe of the outdoor heat exchanger, a second refrigerant pipe connected in parallel with the refrigerant pipe of the indoor heat exchanger, and a control unit. The first refrigerant pipe is used to dissipate heat and cool the photovoltaic thermal panel. The second refrigerant pipe is used to heat the water in the water tank in heating mode. A photovoltaic thermal panel heat exchanger is installed on the first refrigerant pipe. The photovoltaic thermal panel heat exchanger exchanges heat with the water in the water tank through a heat exchange pipe. The control unit is used to obtain the operating mode of the air conditioner and the current temperature of the photovoltaic panel; The control unit is also used to execute a corresponding heat dissipation control strategy when the air conditioner is in cooling mode. The heat dissipation control strategy includes: controlling the heat exchange pipeline to open and perform heat exchange, and adjusting the opening of the throttle valve on the first refrigerant pipeline based on the current temperature of the photovoltaic hot plate.

2. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outdoor heat exchanger is equipped with a first throttling valve on its refrigerant pipeline. The control unit is specifically used to control the refrigerant of the air conditioner to flow from the compressor through the four-way valve to the outdoor heat exchanger after flowing out from the compressor, and then flow through the outdoor heat exchanger after flowing out from the first throttle valve, and finally flow back to the compressor when the air conditioner is in the cooling mode.

3. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first refrigerant pipeline is also equipped with a second throttle valve and a fourth throttle valve; The control unit is specifically used to control the refrigerant of the air conditioner to flow out of the four-way valve, through the fourth throttle valve, through the photovoltaic heat exchanger, and then through the second throttle valve through the indoor heat exchanger after flowing out of the photovoltaic heat exchanger, and finally back to the compressor when the air conditioner is in the cooling mode.

4. The air conditioner according to claim 3, characterized in that, The control unit is specifically used to calculate the temperature difference between the current temperature of the photovoltaic hot plate and the preset optimal operating temperature when the air conditioner is in cooling mode, and to determine the opening adjustment coefficient based on the temperature difference; the opening adjustment coefficient is positively correlated with the temperature difference. The control unit is further configured to multiply the opening adjustment coefficient by the default opening of the fourth throttle valve to obtain the target opening, and control the opening of the fourth throttle valve according to the target opening.

5. The air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The second refrigerant pipeline is equipped with a hot water heat exchanger, and a third throttling valve and a proportional valve are respectively installed at both ends of the hot water heat exchanger; The control unit is specifically used to control the opening of the third throttle valve to zero and to close the proportional valve when the air conditioner is in cooling mode.

6. A control method, characterized in that, A control unit for an air conditioner, the air conditioner comprising: a first refrigerant line connected in parallel with the refrigerant line of an outdoor heat exchanger, a second refrigerant line connected in parallel with the refrigerant line of an indoor heat exchanger, and a control unit; the first refrigerant line being used to dissipate heat and cool a photovoltaic thermal panel; the second refrigerant line being used to heat water in a water tank in heating mode; a photovoltaic thermal panel heat exchanger being installed on the first refrigerant line; and the photovoltaic thermal panel heat exchanger exchanging heat with the water in the water tank through a heat exchange pipeline. The method includes: Obtain the operating mode of the air conditioner and the current temperature of the photovoltaic panel; When the air conditioner is in cooling mode, the corresponding heat dissipation control strategy is executed. The heat dissipation control strategy includes: controlling the heat exchange pipeline to open and perform heat exchange, and adjusting the opening of the throttle valve on the first refrigerant pipeline based on the current temperature of the photovoltaic hot plate.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The outdoor heat exchanger is equipped with a first throttling valve on its refrigerant pipeline. When the air conditioner is in cooling mode, the corresponding heat dissipation control strategy is executed, including: When the air conditioner is in cooling mode, the refrigerant flows out of the compressor, passes through the four-way valve and then through the outdoor heat exchanger, and finally flows back to the compressor after passing through the first throttle valve and then through the outdoor heat exchanger.

8. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The first refrigerant pipeline is also equipped with a second throttle valve and a fourth throttle valve; When the air conditioner is in cooling mode, the corresponding heat dissipation control strategy is executed, including: When the air conditioner is in cooling mode, the refrigerant flows out of the four-way valve, then through the fourth throttle valve to the photovoltaic heat exchanger, and then through the second throttle valve to the indoor heat exchanger, finally returning to the compressor.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The adjustment of the throttle valve opening on the first refrigerant pipeline based on the current temperature of the photovoltaic hot plate includes: When the air conditioner is in cooling mode, the temperature difference between the current temperature of the photovoltaic panel and the preset optimal operating temperature is calculated, and the opening adjustment coefficient is determined based on the temperature difference; the opening adjustment coefficient is positively correlated with the temperature difference. The opening adjustment coefficient is multiplied by the default opening of the fourth throttle valve to obtain the target opening, and the opening of the fourth throttle valve is controlled according to the target opening.

10. The method according to any one of claims 6 to 9, characterized in that, A hot water heat exchanger is installed on the second refrigerant pipeline, and a third throttling valve and a proportional valve are respectively installed at both ends of the hot water heat exchanger; When the air conditioner is in cooling mode, the corresponding heat dissipation control strategy is executed, including: When the air conditioner is in cooling mode, the opening of the third throttle valve is adjusted to zero and the proportional valve is closed.

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