Methods for monitoring the condition of electric heaters in heat pump units, heat pump units and storage media

Abstract

This application discloses a method for monitoring the status of an electric heater in a heat pump unit, a heat pump unit, and a storage medium. The monitoring method includes the following steps: after the electric heater is started, the changes in the temperature difference between the inlet and outlet water of the electric heater are monitored to determine the effectiveness of the operating condition. When it is determined that the electric heater is heating stably, the basic actual power of the electric heater is calculated; then, the effective power of the electric heater is calculated by correcting the actual input voltage and the rated voltage; finally, the health status of the electric heater is calculated by comparing the effective power with the standard rated power. The technical solution of this application realizes the automatic monitoring of the health status of the electric heater, allowing users to know in a timely manner whether the electric heater is abnormal, which is conducive to maintaining the normal operation of the heat pump unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of heat pump technology, and in particular to a method for monitoring the status of an electric heater in a heat pump unit, a heat pump unit, and a storage medium. Background Technology

[0002] Air source heat pumps are currently the most widely used type of heat pump. Their core structure includes key components such as a compressor, evaporator, condenser, and expansion valve. Many air source heat pump units now have electric heaters installed on the outlet pipe of the heat exchanger in the water circuit. These electric heaters provide auxiliary heating when the heating capacity is insufficient. To prevent prolonged dry burning, the electric heaters usually have built-in thermostats. However, these thermostats are generally mechanical and do not participate in the overall electrical control of the heat pump unit. Users cannot accurately know whether the thermostat has disconnected or reset it in time, which may lead to insufficient heating capacity and antifreeze failure. Furthermore, since the electric heater is located in the water circuit, the water flow during use causes scale buildup inside the heater. With increased use and time, this scale buildup worsens, leading to a decrease in the actual heating power. Users cannot promptly ascertain the actual heating power, resulting in delayed heater replacement, higher energy consumption, and poor heating performance. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Based on this, the purpose of this application is to provide a method for monitoring the status of an electric heater in a heat pump unit, a heat pump unit, and a storage medium, so as to realize automatic monitoring of the health status of the electric heater.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, in a first aspect, this application provides a technical solution: a method for monitoring the status of an electric heater in a heat pump unit. A first water temperature sensor is installed before the inlet of the electric heater, and a second water temperature sensor is installed after the outlet of the electric heater. The monitoring method includes the following steps:

[0005] After the heat pump unit has been running for a preset time, it begins to acquire the corrected water temperature T1' from the first water temperature sensor, the water temperature T2 from the second water temperature sensor, the real-time water flow rate Qr of the electric heater, and the actual input voltage U of the electric heater. RE ; After the electric heater is started, the temperature difference ΔT = T2 - T1' is monitored to determine the effectiveness of the working condition: if the temperature difference ΔT remains unchanged or decreases and continues for a set time, the electric heater is determined to be malfunctioning; if the rate of change of the temperature difference ΔT is not less than the set threshold, the electric heater is determined to be started normally. Subsequently, if the rate of change of the temperature difference ΔT tends to 0 and is maintained for a set time, the health assessment step is entered. In the health assessment step, the actual power P of the electric heater base is first calculated. BA =c ΔT ρ(T2) Q, where c is the specific heat capacity of water, ρ(T2) is the water density at the corresponding water temperature T2, and Q is the average water flow rate calculated from the real-time water flow rate Qr over the first N seconds; then the effective power P is calculated. A =P BA (U RE / U RA ) 2 U RA The rated voltage of the electric heater; calculate the health status of the electric heater HS=P A / P D 100%, of which P D This is the standard rated power of the electric heating element.

[0006] In a feasible implementation, the monitoring method further includes: during standby or self-test, calibrating the water temperature T1 of the first water temperature sensor and the water temperature T2 of the second water temperature sensor, calculating δ=T1-T2, and the corrected water temperature T1' of the first water temperature sensor=T1-δ.

[0007] In a feasible implementation, the monitoring method further includes: when the heat pump unit is started but the electric heater is not started, the absolute value of the temperature difference |ΔT|=|T2-T1'|, when the absolute value of the temperature difference |ΔT|≤0.5℃, the sensor data is determined to be normal; when the absolute value of the temperature difference |ΔT|>0.5℃ and the duration exceeds the preset time, it is determined that at least one of the first water temperature sensor and the second water temperature sensor is abnormal.

[0008] In a feasible implementation, the monitoring method further includes: determining the health status of the electric heater based on the health HS value of the electric heater. If HS ≥ 70%, the electric heater is considered to be in normal condition. If 70% > HS ≥ 50%, then the electric heater is determined to be in a normal state. If HS < 50%, the electric heater is considered to be in an abnormal state.

[0009] In a feasible implementation, the health assessment step further includes: comparing the health status HS with the historical average health status HS. HI For comparison, if the decrease in health level HS is greater than the preset value, and the recorded voltage U... RE If the fluctuation amplitude is less than the threshold, it is determined that the electric heater has a structural abnormality.

[0010] In feasible implementations, the historical health average HS HI This represents the average health level over the past 24 hours.

[0011] The monitoring method of this application determines that the electric heater is in effective heating condition, then calculates the basic actual power of the electric heater, and then obtains the effective power by correcting the actual input voltage. The health value of the electric heater is obtained by comparing the effective power with the standard rated power. This realizes the automatic monitoring of the health status of the electric heater, which allows users to know in time whether the electric heater is abnormal, which is conducive to keeping the heat pump unit working normally.

[0012] Secondly, this application also provides a heat pump unit, which includes a main control board for implementing the electric heater status monitoring method of the above technical solutions.

[0013] In a feasible implementation, the heat pump unit also includes a main water pump and a plate heat exchanger. The pipe connecting the outlet of the plate heat exchanger to the inlet of the electric heater is equipped with a first water temperature sensor. The pipe connecting the outlet of the electric heater is equipped with a flow meter and a second water temperature sensor. The main control board is electrically connected to the electric heater, the first water temperature sensor, the second water temperature sensor and the flow meter respectively. The pipe connecting the inlet of the plate heat exchanger to the main water pump is equipped with an inlet water temperature sensor.

[0014] In a feasible implementation, the heat pump unit further includes a compressor, a four-way valve, a gas-liquid separator, a finned heat exchanger, and an electronic expansion valve. The first refrigerant port of the plate heat exchanger is connected to the C port of the four-way valve, the second refrigerant port of the plate heat exchanger is connected to the E port of the four-way valve through the electronic expansion valve and the finned heat exchanger connected in series, the outlet of the compressor is connected to the D port of the four-way valve, and the inlet of the compressor is connected to the S port of the four-way valve through the gas-liquid separator.

[0015] Thirdly, this application also provides a storage medium storing an executable program, which, when executed by a processor, implements the electric heater status monitoring method described above.

[0016] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of this application. In order to better understand the technical means of this application, it can be implemented according to the contents of the specification. In order to make the above and other objects, features and advantages of this application more obvious and understandable, some embodiments are listed below for detailed description. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 A flowchart of a monitoring method for at least one embodiment.

[0018] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the piping connection of a heat pump unit according to at least one embodiment.

[0019] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the main control board for at least one embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0020] Exemplary embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, these exemplary embodiments can be implemented in many forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this application will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the concept of the exemplary embodiments to those skilled in the art. The same reference numerals in the drawings denote the same or similar parts, and therefore repeated descriptions of them will be omitted.

[0021] In this document, the term "embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this application. The appearance of this phrase in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a separate or alternative embodiment mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

[0022] Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics can be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. Numerous specific details are provided in the following description to give a thorough understanding of embodiments of this application. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that the technical solutions of this application can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or other methods, components, materials, apparatuses, steps, etc., can be employed. In other instances, well-known structures, methods, apparatuses, implementations, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring various aspects of this application.

[0023] The block diagrams shown in the accompanying drawings are merely functional entities and do not necessarily correspond to physically independent entities. That is, these functional entities can be implemented in software, or in one or more software-hardened modules, or in different network and / or processor devices and / or microcontroller devices.

[0024] A heat pump is an energy-saving device that transfers heat from a lower-grade heat source to a higher-grade heat source. In some situations, the heating capacity of a heat pump may decrease, such as when the ambient temperature is too low. When the heat pump's heating capacity is insufficient, some heat pumps require an additional electric heater to circulate heat in the water circuit to compensate for the insufficient heating. Electric heaters typically use mechanical thermostats, which are not involved in the electrical control of the heat pump unit. Users cannot accurately know whether the electric heater's thermostat has disconnected, nor can they reset it in time. Therefore, the inventors researched using a non-mechanical thermostat, incorporating the thermostat's status into the heat pump unit's electrical control. However, they found that this solution was costly to implement and detrimental to overall cost control of the heat pump unit. The lifespan of an electric heater is generally not directly known. The inventors researched estimating the remaining lifespan of the electric heater based on usage time. They found that estimating lifespan based on time easily overlooks the impact of water quality, especially in urban water systems where scale buildup is common. This can lead to an estimated lifespan that is longer than the actual lifespan of the electric heater.

[0025] The inventors continued their research by using power calculations to assess the lifespan of electric heaters. Temperatures were measured before and after the heater, and the heating power was calculated using the temperature difference and a formula. The ratio of the heating power to the rated power accurately reflects the heater's current heating capacity and lifespan. Whether the heater surface is covered in scale affecting heating, the thermostat is disconnected preventing heating, or structural damage affects heating, all these factors are reflected in the calculated power ratio.

[0026] Therefore, one or more embodiments of this application provide a method for monitoring the status of an electric heater in a heat pump unit. The electric heater of the heat pump unit is installed in the circulating water circuit. The inlet of the electric heater is connected to the outlet of the heat exchanger (indoor heat exchanger) of the heat pump unit. A first water temperature sensor is installed before the inlet of the electric heater, and a second water temperature sensor is installed after the outlet of the electric heater. These sensors monitor the inlet and outlet water temperatures of the electric heater, respectively. These two temperature parameters are the basis for subsequently estimating the service life / health of the electric heater.

[0027] like Figure 1As shown, the monitoring method includes the following steps: calibration step S1, start-up acquisition step S2, non-heating condition determination step S3, heating condition determination step S4, and health assessment step S5. The monitoring method first zeroes and calibrates the first and second water temperature sensors through calibration step S1 to avoid errors in readings causing inaccurate subsequent judgments. The monitoring method then continuously acquires various relevant parameters and determines whether the two sensors are functioning correctly when the electric heater is not operating. When the electric heater starts heating, after determining that the heating condition is effective, the basic actual power of the electric heater is calculated, and then corrected by the actual input voltage to obtain the effective power. The health value of the electric heater is obtained by comparing the effective power with the standard rated power. Through these steps, the monitoring method achieves automatic monitoring of the electric heater's health status, allowing users to promptly know whether the electric heater is malfunctioning, which helps ensure the heat pump unit maintains normal operation.

[0028] The first and second water temperature sensors may have slightly different readings under the same conditions. In calibration step S1, when the heat pump unit is in standby or self-test mode, the water temperature T1 of the first water temperature sensor and the water temperature T2 of the second water temperature sensor are calibrated: first, δ = T1 - T2 is calculated, and the corrected water temperature T1' of the first water temperature sensor is T1 - δ. Subsequent readings of the first water temperature sensor are all based on water temperature T1', thus avoiding the impact of the difference in readings between the two sensors on the accuracy of the judgment.

[0029] In step S2, after the heat pump unit has been running for a preset time (e.g., 5 minutes), the circulating water circuit has stabilized, and the collected parameters will be more accurate. At this point, the corrected water temperature T1' from the first water temperature sensor, the water temperature T2 from the second water temperature sensor, the real-time water flow rate Qr from the electric heater, and the actual input voltage U of the electric heater are acquired. RE The real-time water flow rate Qr of the electric heater can be measured by a flow meter connected to the outlet of the electric heater. The actual input voltage U of the electric heater... RE This can be obtained by measuring the actual voltage of the wires connected to the electric heater.

[0030] The non-heating condition determination step S3 is used to monitor whether the first and second water temperature sensors are abnormal when the electric heater is not heating. Specifically, in the non-heating condition determination step S3, after the heat pump unit starts but the electric heater is not started, the absolute value of the temperature difference |ΔT|=|T2-T1'| is calculated. The internal pipe of the electric heater is not long, so when the electric heater is not heating, the temperature change of the water flowing through the electric heater is small, generally less than 0.5℃. When the absolute value of the temperature difference |ΔT|≤0.5℃, the data of the first and second water temperature sensors are determined to be normal. At this time, the heat pump unit can continue to operate normally without any prompts. When the absolute value of the temperature difference |ΔT|>0.5℃ and the duration exceeds a preset time (e.g., 3 minutes), it indicates that the reading difference has exceeded the normal range. At this time, it is determined that at least one of the first and second water temperature sensors is abnormal. In this case, a warning message needs to be issued on the online control display or remote control terminal, indicating that the internal sensor of the heat pump unit is abnormal through text or error codes, reminding the user to perform timely maintenance.

[0031] When the electric heating start-up conditions are met (e.g., outdoor ambient temperature below -15℃ or user manually turns on the electric heater), the electric heater starts to provide auxiliary heating. At this time, it is also necessary to determine whether the electric heater is heating normally. In heating condition determination step S4, after the electric heater starts, the validity of the operating condition is determined by monitoring the change in temperature difference ΔT = T2 - T1'. If the temperature difference ΔT remains unchanged or decreases and continues for more than the set time, the electric heater is determined to be malfunctioning, indicating that the electric heater cannot heat. This may be due to the thermostat being disconnected or not reset, or the electric heater itself malfunctioning. In this case, a warning message needs to be issued on the online control display or remote control terminal, indicating that the electric heater is not working properly through text or error codes, reminding the user to have it repaired promptly.

[0032] In heating condition determination step S4, if the rate of change of temperature difference ΔT is not less than a set threshold (e.g., 0.5℃ / s), meaning the temperature difference ΔT shows an increasing trend, the electric heater is determined to be starting normally and in the initial heating stage. Subsequently, if the rate of change of temperature difference ΔT is monitored to approach 0 and maintained for a set time (e.g., 3 minutes), the electric heater is in a stable heating stage, suitable for estimating the maximum heating power of the electric heater, and therefore proceeds to health assessment step S5. If the rate of change of temperature difference ΔT is less than the set threshold and continues to exceed the set time, it indicates that the heating capacity of the electric heater has decreased below the lower limit, the electric heater is malfunctioning, and the user must be reminded to repair or replace it.

[0033] In step S5 of the health assessment, the actual power P of the electric heater base is first calculated. BA =c ΔT ρ(T2) Q is the average water flow rate, calculated by averaging the real-time water flow rate Qr over the previous N seconds (e.g., the previous ten seconds). ρ(T2) can be obtained accurately by looking up a table, which helps improve the accuracy of power calculations. The average water flow rate Q is obtained by smoothing the flow data to avoid inaccurate readings caused by sudden changes / fluctuations in flow rate due to turbulence or bubbles.

[0034] In health assessment step S5, to simultaneously consider the heat loss and voltage fluctuations of the electric heating element itself, the actual input voltage U is used. RE Perform power correction. Specifically, calculate the effective power P of the electric heater. A =P BA (U RE / U RA ) 2 U RA The rated voltage of the electric heater. The actual input voltage U of the electric heater. RE With rated voltage U RA The square of the ratio corrects the heating power of the electric heater, so that the estimated power value reflects a more accurate reflection of the actual heating capacity of the electric heater.

[0035] In health assessment step S5, the effective power P was calculated. A Next, calculate the health status of the electric heater HS=P A / P D 100%, of which P D This refers to the standard rated power of the electric heating element. Then, the health status of the electric heater is determined based on the HS value. If HS ≥ 70%, the electric heater is considered to be in normal condition. If 70% > HS ≥ 50%, the electric heater is considered to be in a normal state. At this time, the heating capacity of the electric heater has begun to decline, and users need to be reminded to pay attention to the health status of the electric heater in a timely manner. If HS < 50%, the electric heater is considered to be in an abnormal state. At this time, the heating capacity of the electric heater has been greatly reduced, and the user should be advised to clean or replace the electric heater to ensure the normal operation of the heat pump unit.

[0036] The degradation of an electric heater typically occurs gradually and slowly. If a sudden degradation occurs within a short period, it may indicate a structural problem with the heater. In this case, even if the estimated health level is normal or average, timely maintenance is necessary to ensure the equipment's proper functioning. Therefore, health assessment step S5 also includes: after obtaining the heater's health level HS, comparing HS with the historical average health level HS... HI For comparison, if the decrease in health HS is greater than a preset value (e.g., 20%), and the recorded actual input voltage U... RE If the fluctuation range is less than the threshold (indicating that the voltage does not fluctuate significantly), it is determined that the electric heater has a structural abnormality (such as sudden severe scaling or local damage on the surface of the electric heating element), resulting in a sudden and significant decrease in heating capacity. At this time, a high-level maintenance alarm is triggered. This alarm information cannot be cleared manually by the user and requires professional inspection or replacement to be cleared.

[0037] During implementation, the historical average health status (HS) HI The average health value is calculated by averaging the health values ​​recorded over the most recent 24 hours. If the electric heater has not been used for heating recently, the average health value is calculated based on the health values ​​recorded in the heat pump unit during the last 24 hours of electric heater use. However, if this is the first time the electric heater has been used in the heat pump unit, and there is no prior record of electric heater use, then it is not necessary to compare the health value HS with the historical average health value HS. HI Make a comparison.

[0038] The following examples illustrate the status monitoring method for electric heaters in heat pump units.

[0039] Example 1 When the heat pump unit is in standby or self-test mode, calibrate the water temperature T1 of the first water temperature sensor and the water temperature T2 of the second water temperature sensor: First calculate δ=T1-T2. The water temperature T1 of the first water temperature sensor is 10.5℃, and the water temperature T2 of the second water temperature sensor is 10.3℃. Therefore, δ=0.2. The corrected water temperature T1' of the first water temperature sensor is T1-0.2.

[0040] Five minutes after the heat pump unit starts running, it begins acquiring the corrected water temperature T1' from the first water temperature sensor, the water temperature T2 from the second water temperature sensor, the real-time water flow rate Qr of the electric heater, and the actual input voltage U of the electric heater. RE .

[0041] When the electric heater is not started, the water temperature T2 of the second water temperature sensor is 35℃, and the corrected water temperature T1' of the first water temperature sensor is 35.3℃. The absolute value of the temperature difference, |ΔT|=|T2-T1'|=0.3℃, is not greater than 0.5℃, indicating that both sensors are working normally.

[0042] If the temperature difference ΔT = T2 - T1' = -0.3℃ after the electric heater is started and remains so for more than 3 minutes, it is determined that the electric heater is not heating. The electric heater may not be powered on properly, or the temperature controller of the electric heater may not have been reset.

[0043] Example 2 When the heat pump unit is in standby or self-test mode, the water temperature T1 of the first water temperature sensor and the water temperature T2 of the second water temperature sensor are calibrated: First, calculate δ=T1-T2. The water temperature T1 of the first water temperature sensor is 10.5℃, and the water temperature T2 of the second water temperature sensor is 10.5℃. Therefore, δ=0, and the corrected water temperature T1' of the first water temperature sensor is T1=T1.

[0044] Five minutes after the heat pump unit starts running, it begins acquiring the corrected water temperature T1' from the first water temperature sensor, the water temperature T2 from the second water temperature sensor, the real-time water flow rate Qr of the electric heater, and the actual input voltage U of the electric heater. RE .

[0045] When the electric heater is not started, the water temperature T2 of the second water temperature sensor is 37℃, and the corrected water temperature T1' of the first water temperature sensor is 38℃. The absolute value of the temperature difference |ΔT|=|T2-T1'|=1℃, which is greater than 0.5℃. If the absolute value of the temperature difference |ΔT| is maintained for more than 3 minutes, it indicates that the first or second water temperature sensor is abnormal and the user needs to be reminded to carry out maintenance in time.

[0046] Example 3 When the heat pump unit is in standby or self-test mode, calibrate the water temperature T1 of the first water temperature sensor and the water temperature T2 of the second water temperature sensor: First calculate δ=T1-T2. The water temperature T1 of the first water temperature sensor is 10.5℃, and the water temperature T2 of the second water temperature sensor is 10.3℃. Therefore, δ=0.2. The corrected water temperature T1' of the first water temperature sensor is T1-0.2.

[0047] Five minutes after the heat pump unit starts running, it begins acquiring the corrected water temperature T1' from the first water temperature sensor, the water temperature T2 from the second water temperature sensor, the real-time water flow rate Qr of the electric heater, and the actual input voltage U of the electric heater. RE .

[0048] When the electric heater is not started, the water temperature T2 of the second water temperature sensor is 35℃, and the corrected water temperature T1' of the first water temperature sensor is 35.3℃. The absolute value of the temperature difference, |ΔT|=|T2-T1'|=0.3℃, is not greater than 0.5℃, indicating that both sensors are working normally.

[0049] After the electric heater starts, the rate of change of the temperature difference ΔT = T2 - T1' is 0.6℃ / s, which is greater than 0.5℃ / s, indicating that the electric heater is starting up normally. After 1 minute, the temperature difference ΔT remains basically constant, and the rate of change approaches zero. Then, the actual basic power P of the electric heater is calculated. BA =c ΔT ρ(T2) Q, where c = 4200 J / (kg·℃), ρ(T2) = 983.31 kg / m³, average water flow rate Q = 56.52 m³ / h, ΔT = 15.5℃. Converting these to kilowatt-hours yields the actual power P of the foundation. BA =1005.01W.

[0050] Actual input voltage U RA =212V, calculate the effective power P of the electric heater. A =1005.01W (212 / 220) 2 =933.25W. The rated power of the electric heater is 1100W. Calculate the health HS of the electric heater: HS = 933.25 / 1100 100% = 84.84%, the electric heater's estimated health status is normal. Compare the health status HS = 84.84% with the historical average health status HS of the previous 24 hours. HI Compared to 85%, the health level dropped very little in a short period of time, indicating that the electric heater does not require maintenance.

[0051] At least one embodiment of this application is a heat pump unit, such as Figure 2 As shown, the heat pump unit includes a main control board 90, which is used to implement the electric heater status monitoring method of one or more embodiments above. The heat pump unit also includes a main water pump 15 and a plate heat exchanger 14. A first water temperature sensor 11 is installed on the pipe connecting the outlet of the plate heat exchanger 14 to the inlet of the electric heater 10. A flow meter 13 and a second water temperature sensor 12 are installed on the pipe connecting the outlet of the electric heater 10. The main control board 90 is electrically connected to the electric heater 10, the first water temperature sensor 11, the second water temperature sensor 12, and the flow meter 13. An inlet water temperature sensor 16 is installed on the pipe connecting the inlet of the plate heat exchanger 14 to the main water pump 15. The inlet water temperature sensor 16 is also electrically connected to the main control board 90.

[0052] like Figure 2As shown, the heat pump unit also includes a compressor 21, a four-way valve 22, a gas-liquid separator 23, a finned heat exchanger 24, and an electronic expansion valve 25. These components, together with the plate heat exchanger 14, form a refrigerant circulation loop. The first refrigerant port of the plate heat exchanger 14 is connected to port C of the four-way valve 22. The second refrigerant port of the plate heat exchanger 14 is connected to port E of the four-way valve 22 via the electronic expansion valve 25 and the finned heat exchanger 24 connected in series. The outlet of the compressor 21 is connected to port D of the four-way valve 22, and the inlet of the compressor 21 is connected to port S of the four-way valve 22 via the gas-liquid separator 23. The refrigerant circulation method of the heat pump unit is consistent with conventional technology and will not be described in detail here.

[0053] In the embodiments of this application, such as Figure 3 As shown, the main control board 90 includes a processor 91, a memory 92, and a computer program 93 stored in the memory 92 and executable on the processor. When the processor 91 executes the computer program 93, it implements the electric heater status monitoring method of one or more embodiments described above. By deploying the above-described electric heater status monitoring method on the main control board 90, the automated and efficient execution of the electric heater status monitoring method of this application is achieved.

[0054] The main control board 90 refers to an electronic device capable of executing instructions, processing data, and storing information. It can be a general-purpose computer system, such as a personal computer, server, or workstation, or an embedded system or dedicated computing platform customized for a specific application. This device provides the necessary hardware foundation and operating environment for complex computing tasks.

[0055] Processor 91 is the core computing unit of a computer device, responsible for interpreting and executing instructions in computer programs, performing arithmetic and logical operations, and data processing. Processor 91 can be a central processing unit (CPU) for general computing and control tasks; it can also be a graphics processing unit (GPU), which excels at parallel computing, especially suitable for training and inference of deep learning models; or it can be a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) or application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) for implementing highly optimized specific algorithms.

[0056] Memory 92 is a hardware component used to store data and computer programs 93. Memory 92 may include random access memory (RAM) for temporary storage of running programs and data for fast access by the processor; it may also include read-only memory (ROM) or non-volatile memory (such as solid-state drives (SSDs), hard disk drives (HDDs), or flash memory) for long-term storage of the operating system, applications, and large amounts of data.

[0057] The computer program 93, stored in memory 92 and executable on the processor, is a collection of instructions stored in memory 92 in a form that can be understood and executed by processor 91. When processor 91 loads and executes these instructions, it operates according to a predetermined logical flow. This program can be an executable file compiled from a high-level language, interpreted code written in a scripting language, or low-level instructions existing in firmware form. When processor 91 runs according to the instructions of computer program 93 stored in memory 92, it executes the steps and operations defined by the program one by one. Processor 91 is responsible for coordinating data flow, performing computational tasks, and managing storage resources, thereby fully realizing all aspects of the electric heater status monitoring method.

[0058] The main control board 90 can also communicate with one or more external devices (e.g., keyboards, pointing devices, Bluetooth devices, wired terminals, etc.), one or more devices that enable users to interact with the main control board 90, and / or any device that enables the main control board 90 to communicate with one or more other computing devices (e.g., routers, modems, etc.). This communication can be performed via input / output (I / O) interfaces. Furthermore, the main control board 90 can also communicate with one or more networks (e.g., local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), and / or public networks, such as the Internet) via a network adapter. The network adapter communicates with other modules of the main control board 90 via a bus. It should be understood that other hardware and / or software modules can be used in conjunction with the main control board 90, including but not limited to: microcode, device drivers, redundant processing units, external disk drive arrays, RAID systems, tape drives, and data backup storage systems.

[0059] Through the description of the above embodiments, those skilled in the art will readily understand that the exemplary embodiments described herein can be implemented by software or by combining software with necessary hardware. Therefore, the technical solutions according to the embodiments of this application can be embodied in the form of a software product, which can be stored in a non-volatile storage medium (such as a CD-ROM, USB flash drive, external hard drive, etc.) or on a network, and includes several instructions to cause an electronic device to execute the method according to the embodiments of this application.

[0060] At least one embodiment of this application is a storage medium storing an executable program. When the executable program is executed by a processor, it implements the electric heater status monitoring method of the above embodiments. When the executable program is run, the program code causes the processor to perform the steps described in this specification according to the various exemplary embodiments of this application.

[0061] Storage media are physical media capable of storing digital data or instructions that can be read and executed by a computer system. This media can be non-volatile, such as hard disk drives (HDDs), solid-state drives (SSDs), flash memory, or optical discs (CD-ROMs, DVD-ROMs), used for long-term storage of executable programs. Alternatively, it can be volatile, such as random access memory (RAM), used for temporary storage of instructions and data during program execution.

[0062] An executable program is a collection of instructions that, after being compiled or interpreted, can be directly executed by a computer's processor to perform the various tasks of the electric heater status monitoring method. This program can be written in a high-level programming language such as Python, C++, or MATLAB.

[0063] A processor is the core component of a computer system, responsible for reading and executing instructions from computer programs to perform arithmetic, logical, and control operations. This processor can be a central processing unit (CPU), providing general-purpose computing power; it can be a graphics processing unit (GPU), particularly suitable for massively parallel computing tasks in deep learning to accelerate the training and inference processes of neural networks; or it can be an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), optimized for specific computing tasks.

[0064] It should be understood that other embodiments of this application will readily conceive of by those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of the application disclosed herein. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of this application that follow the general principles of this application and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein. This application is not limited to the methods / structures described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from its scope. The specification and embodiments are to be considered exemplary only, and the scope of this application is defined only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring the status of electric heaters in heat pump units, characterized in that, A first water temperature sensor is installed before the inlet of the electric heater, and a second water temperature sensor is installed after the outlet of the electric heater. The monitoring method includes the following steps: After the heat pump unit is started and runs for a preset time, the corrected water temperature T1' of the first water temperature sensor, the water temperature T2 of the second water temperature sensor, the real-time water flow Qr of the electric heater, and the actual input voltage U of the electric heater are acquired RE ; After the electric heater is started, the temperature difference ΔT = T2 - T1' is monitored to determine the effectiveness of the working condition: if the temperature difference ΔT remains unchanged or decreases and continues for a set time, the electric heater is determined to be malfunctioning; if the rate of change of the temperature difference ΔT is not less than the set threshold, the electric heater is determined to be started normally. Subsequently, if the rate of change of the temperature difference ΔT tends to 0 and is maintained for a set time, the health assessment step is entered. In the health assessment step, the actual power P of the electric heater base is first calculated. BA =c ΔT ρ(T2) Q, where c is the specific heat capacity of water, ρ(T2) is the water density at the corresponding water temperature T2, and Q is the average water flow rate calculated from the real-time water flow rate Qr over the first N seconds; then the effective power P is calculated. A =P BA (U RE / U RA ) 2 U RA The rated voltage of the electric heater; calculate the health status of the electric heater HS=P A / P D 100%, of which P D This is the standard rated power of the electric heating element.

2. The method for monitoring the status of the electric heater of a heat pump unit as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: During standby or self-test, the water temperature T1 of the first water temperature sensor and the water temperature T2 of the second water temperature sensor are calibrated, and δ=T1-T2 is calculated. The corrected water temperature T1' of the first water temperature sensor is T1-δ.

3. The method for monitoring the status of the electric heater of a heat pump unit as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: When the heat pump unit starts but the electric heater does not start, the absolute value of the temperature difference |ΔT|=|T2-T1'|. When the absolute value of the temperature difference |ΔT|≤0.5℃, the sensor data is considered normal; when the absolute value of the temperature difference |ΔT|>0.5℃ and the duration exceeds the preset time, it is determined that at least one of the first water temperature sensor and the second water temperature sensor is abnormal.

4. The method for monitoring the status of the electric heater of a heat pump unit as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: The health status of the electric heater is determined based on the HS value. If HS ≥ 70%, the electric heater is considered to be in normal condition. If 70% > HS ≥ 50%, then the electric heater is determined to be in a normal state. If HS < 50%, the electric heater is considered to be in an abnormal state.

5. The method for monitoring the status of the electric heater of a heat pump unit as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The health assessment step further comprises: comparing the health HS with a historical health average value HS HI In comparison, if the decrease of the health HS is greater than a preset value, and the recorded voltage U RE The structural abnormality of the electric heater is determined if the fluctuation amplitude is less than a threshold value.

6. The method for monitoring the status of the electric heater of a heat pump unit as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The historical average health status HS HI This represents the average health status over the past 24 hours.

7. A heat pump unit, characterized in that, The heat pump unit includes a main control board, which is used to implement the electric heater status monitoring method according to any one of claims 1-6.

8. The heat pump unit as described in claim 7, characterized in that, It also includes a main water pump and a plate heat exchanger. The pipe connecting the outlet of the plate heat exchanger to the inlet of the electric heater is equipped with the first water temperature sensor. The pipe connecting the outlet of the electric heater is equipped with a flow meter and the second water temperature sensor. The main control board is electrically connected to the electric heater, the first water temperature sensor, the second water temperature sensor and the flow meter respectively. The pipe connecting the inlet of the plate heat exchanger to the main water pump is equipped with an inlet water temperature sensor.

9. The heat pump unit as described in claim 7, characterized in that, It also includes a compressor, a four-way valve, a gas-liquid separator, a finned heat exchanger, and an electronic expansion valve. The first refrigerant port of the plate heat exchanger is connected to the C port of the four-way valve. The second refrigerant port of the plate heat exchanger is connected to the E port of the four-way valve through the electronic expansion valve and the finned heat exchanger connected in series. The outlet of the compressor is connected to the D port of the four-way valve. The inlet of the compressor is connected to the S port of the four-way valve through the gas-liquid separator.

10. A storage medium, characterized in that, The storage medium stores an executable program, which, when executed by a processor, implements the electric heater status monitoring method as described in any one of claims 1 to 6.

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