Modular air conditioner control method and apparatus, modular air conditioner, and storage medium

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a modular air conditioner control method and apparatus, a modular air conditioner, and a storage medium. The modular air conditioner control method comprises: acquiring a module parameter of each outdoor unit module in a modular air conditioner, wherein the module parameter comprises at least one of an exhaust temperature and a module low pressure; and on the basis of the module parameter, determining whether there is a bias flow in the modular air conditioner, wherein the bias flow is a bias flow of a refrigerant between the outdoor unit modules. The present disclosure can achieve rapid and accurate identification of a bias flow module on the basis of the exhaust temperature and the module low voltage.

Description

Modular air conditioning control method and device, modular air conditioning and storage medium

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application is based on the application with CN application number CN202310950189.X and application date July 28, 2023, and claims its priority. The disclosed content of the CN application is hereby introduced as a whole into this application. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates to the technical field of air conditioning, and in particular to a modular air conditioning control method and device, a modular air conditioner, and a storage medium. Background Art

[0004] During installation, modular air conditioners, such as multi-split units, often have multiple outdoor units installed in parallel. However, due to the large installed capacity and complex installation conditions, refrigerant flow deviation (hereinafter referred to as flow deviation) often occurs in actual use. This phenomenon involves distributing more refrigerant to some air conditioners and less to others. This flow deviation can lead to poor unit performance, increased energy consumption, reduced unit reliability, and even damage. This phenomenon is particularly pronounced in heating mode.

[0005] Summary of the Invention

[0006] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a modular air conditioning control method is provided, comprising:

[0007] Acquire module parameters of each outdoor unit module in the modular air conditioner, wherein the module parameters include at least one of exhaust temperature and module low pressure;

[0008] It is determined whether bias flow exists in the modular air conditioner according to the module parameters, wherein the bias flow is a refrigerant bias flow between the outdoor modules.

[0009] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, determining whether there is a biased flow in the modular air conditioner according to the module parameters includes:

[0010] According to the exhaust temperature of each outdoor unit module, determine the maximum exhaust temperature difference between outdoor unit modules;

[0011] According to the module low voltage of each outdoor unit module, determine the module low voltage difference between the outdoor unit modules;

[0012] Determine whether there is flow bias in the modular air conditioner based on the module low pressure difference between the outdoor unit modules and the maximum exhaust temperature difference between the outdoor unit modules.

[0013] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, determining whether there is a flow bias in the modular air conditioner based on the module low pressure difference between the outdoor modules and the maximum exhaust temperature difference between the outdoor modules includes:

[0014] When the maximum exhaust temperature difference is greater than or equal to the first temperature threshold, it is determined that biased airflow exists in the modular air conditioner.

[0015] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, determining whether there is a flow bias in the modular air conditioner based on the module low pressure difference between the outdoor modules and the maximum exhaust temperature difference between the outdoor modules includes:

[0016] When the maximum exhaust temperature difference is less than a second temperature threshold, it is determined that there is no bias flow in the modular air conditioner, wherein the second temperature threshold is less than the first temperature threshold.

[0017] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, determining whether bias flow exists in the modular air conditioner based on the module low pressure difference between the outdoor modules and the maximum exhaust temperature difference between the outdoor modules includes at least one of the following steps, wherein:

[0018] When the modular air conditioner is in cooling mode and the maximum exhaust temperature difference is less than a first temperature threshold and greater than or equal to a second temperature threshold, determining whether a module low pressure difference between every two outdoor modules is less than a first pressure threshold, wherein the second temperature threshold is less than the first temperature threshold; when the module low pressure difference between at least two outdoor modules is less than the first pressure threshold, determining that bias flow exists in the modular air conditioner;

[0019] When the modular air conditioner is in heating mode and the maximum exhaust temperature difference is less than the first temperature threshold and greater than or equal to the second temperature threshold, determine whether the module low pressure difference between each two outdoor modules is less than the second pressure threshold, wherein the second pressure threshold is less than the first pressure threshold; when the module low pressure difference between at least two outdoor modules is less than the second pressure threshold, it is determined that there is a flow deviation in the modular air conditioner.

[0020] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the modular air conditioning control method further includes:

[0021] When bias flow occurs in the modular air conditioner, specific components of the modular air conditioner are adjusted to achieve bias flow control, wherein the specific components include at least one of a heating electronic expansion valve, a subcooler electronic expansion valve, an outdoor fan, and an oil return solenoid valve.

[0022] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, adjusting specific components of the modular air conditioner includes at least one of the following steps, wherein:

[0023] In a cooling mode, regulating specific components of a first outdoor module of a modular air conditioner, wherein the modular air conditioner includes the first outdoor module and a second outdoor module, and the first outdoor module has more refrigerant than the second outdoor module;

[0024] In a heating mode, specific components of a second outdoor module in a modular air conditioner are adjusted, wherein the modular air conditioner includes a first outdoor module and a second outdoor module, and the refrigerant in the first outdoor module is greater than the refrigerant in the second outdoor module.

[0025] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, when the specific components include a heating electronic expansion valve, the adjustment of the specific components of the first outdoor unit module in the modular air conditioner includes: reducing the opening of the heating electronic expansion valve by a first predetermined opening at every first predetermined time interval, wherein the decrease in the opening is less than or equal to a first predetermined proportion.

[0026] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, when the specific components include a heating electronic expansion valve, the adjustment of the specific components of the second outdoor module in the modular air conditioner includes: increasing the opening of the heating electronic expansion valve by a first predetermined opening at every first predetermined time interval, wherein the increase in the opening is less than or equal to a first predetermined ratio.

[0027] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, when the specific components include a subcooler electronic expansion valve, the adjustment of the specific components of the first outdoor unit module in the modular air conditioner includes: when the current opening of the subcooler electronic expansion valve is greater than the second predetermined opening, maintaining the current opening; when the current opening of the subcooler electronic expansion valve is not greater than the second predetermined opening, adjusting the current opening to a third predetermined opening, wherein the third predetermined opening is greater than the second predetermined opening.

[0028] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, when the specific components include a subcooler electronic expansion valve, the adjustment of the specific components of the second outdoor unit module in the modular air conditioner includes: when the current opening of the subcooler electronic expansion valve is greater than the second predetermined opening, maintaining the current opening; when the current opening of the subcooler electronic expansion valve is not greater than the second predetermined opening, adjusting the current opening to the second predetermined opening.

[0029] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, when the specific components include an outdoor fan, adjusting the specific components of the first outdoor module in the modular air conditioner includes: reducing the current operating frequency of the outdoor fan by a second predetermined proportion.

[0030] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, when the specific components include an outdoor fan, adjusting the specific components of the second outdoor module in the modular air conditioner includes: increasing the current operating frequency of the outdoor fan by a second predetermined proportion.

[0031] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, when the specific component includes an oil return solenoid valve, adjusting the specific component of the first outdoor module in the modular air conditioner includes: opening the oil return solenoid valve.

[0032] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, when the specific components include an oil return solenoid valve, adjusting the specific components of the second outdoor module in the modular air conditioner includes: opening the oil return solenoid valve.

[0033] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the modular air conditioning control method further includes:

[0034] After adjusting specific components of the modular air conditioner for a predetermined period of time, re-determining whether bias flow exists in the modular air conditioner based on the module parameters;

[0035] If the modular air conditioner still has bias flow, determine whether the outdoor unit module is short of refrigerant by judging the refrigerant quantity;

[0036] When at least one external unit module is short of refrigerant, a prompt message is sent to the outside.

[0037] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, determining whether the outdoor module is short of refrigerant by judging the amount of refrigerant includes at least one of the following steps, wherein:

[0038] In the cooling mode, among the indoor units that are powered on, if the number of indoor units whose electronic expansion valves have an opening greater than a fourth predetermined opening is greater than a third predetermined ratio, it is determined that the outdoor unit module is short of refrigerant;

[0039] In the heating mode, if the module high pressure of any outdoor module is less than the third pressure threshold, it is determined that the outdoor module lacks refrigerant.

[0040] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the modular air-conditioning control method is used in at least one of a cooling mode and a heating mode.

[0041] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a modular air conditioning control device, comprising:

[0042] a module parameter acquisition unit configured to acquire module parameters of each outdoor unit module in the modular air conditioner, wherein the module parameters include at least one of exhaust temperature and module low pressure;

[0043] The bias flow identification unit is configured to determine whether there is bias flow in the modular air conditioner according to the module parameters, wherein the bias flow is a refrigerant bias flow between the outdoor modules.

[0044] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a modular air conditioning control device, comprising:

[0045] a memory for storing instructions;

[0046] The processor is configured to execute the instructions so that the modular air-conditioning control device performs operations to implement the modular air-conditioning control method as described in any of the above embodiments.

[0047] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a modular air conditioner is provided, comprising the modular air conditioner control device according to any one of the above embodiments.

[0048] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, wherein the computer-readable storage medium stores computer instructions, and when the instructions are executed by a processor, the modular air-conditioning control method as described in any of the above embodiments is implemented.

[0049] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a computer program product is provided, comprising a computer program, wherein when the computer program is executed by a processor, the modular air-conditioning control method as described in any of the above embodiments is implemented. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0050] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present disclosure or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present disclosure. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without any creative work.

[0051] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of some embodiments of the modular air conditioning control method disclosed herein.

[0052] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of a modular air conditioner in some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0053] FIG3 is a schematic diagram of the refrigerant flow in the cooling mode of the outdoor module.

[0054] FIG4 is a schematic diagram of the refrigerant flow in the outdoor unit module heating mode.

[0055] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of other embodiments of the modular air conditioning control method disclosed herein.

[0056] FIG6 is a schematic diagram of some further embodiments of the modular air conditioning control method disclosed herein.

[0057] FIG7 is a schematic diagram of some embodiments of the modular air conditioning control method in cooling mode disclosed herein.

[0058] FIG8 is a schematic diagram of some embodiments of the modular air conditioning control method in the heating mode disclosed herein.

[0059] FIG9 is a schematic diagram of some embodiments of the modular air conditioning control device disclosed herein.

[0060] FIG10 is a schematic structural diagram of other embodiments of the modular air-conditioning control device disclosed herein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0061] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present disclosure to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present disclosure, rather than all the embodiments. The following description of at least one exemplary embodiment is actually only illustrative and is in no way intended to limit the present disclosure and its application or use. Based on the embodiments in the present disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative work are within the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

[0062] Unless specifically stated otherwise, the relative arrangement of components and steps, the numerical expressions and numerical values ​​set forth in these embodiments do not limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0063] At the same time, it should be understood that for the convenience of description, the sizes of the various parts shown in the drawings are not drawn according to the actual proportional relationship.

[0064] Technologies, methods and equipment known to ordinary technicians in the relevant art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, such technologies, methods and equipment should be considered part of the authorization specification.

[0065] In all examples shown and discussed herein, any specific values ​​should be interpreted as merely exemplary and not limiting. Therefore, other examples of the exemplary embodiments may have different values.

[0066] It should be noted that like reference numerals and letters refer to like items in the following figures, and therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it need not be further discussed in subsequent figures.

[0067] Through research, the inventors found that although the related technologies based on the solution to the bias flow problem have taken into account the influence of the bias flow module and will judge the bias flow module and perform control corrections, the judgment conditions for the bias flow are too simple or not scientific and comprehensive enough, and misjudgments often occur, resulting in inaccurate identification of the bias flow module; other related technologies have simple control when performing control corrections on the bias flow module and cannot achieve the effect of solving the problem.

[0068] In addition, related technologies for solving bias flow mainly target the heating mode, but there are fewer methods for identifying and controlling bias flow in the cooling mode. Even though the impact of cooling bias flow is smaller than that of heating bias flow, it will still have a great impact on the reliability of the unit.

[0069] In view of at least one of the above technical problems, the present disclosure provides a modular air conditioner control method and device, a modular air conditioner, and a storage medium, which can accurately and quickly realize bias flow identification. The present disclosure is described below through specific embodiments.

[0070] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of some embodiments of the modular air conditioning control method disclosed herein. Preferably, the embodiment of FIG1 can be performed by a modular air conditioning control device disclosed herein or a modular air conditioning device disclosed herein. As shown in FIG1 , the method of the embodiment of FIG1 can include at least one of steps 100 to 200, wherein:

[0071] Step 100: Acquire module parameters of each outdoor unit module in the modular air conditioner, wherein the module parameters include at least one of exhaust temperature and module low pressure.

[0072] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the module low pressure is the module refrigerant pressure.

[0073] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the module low pressure is the low-pressure side pressure of the air conditioner, the suction side pressure of the compressor, or the evaporation pressure.

[0074] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the exhaust temperature may be the top shell temperature. The top shell temperature refers to the temperature at the top of the compressor shell, detected by a top shell temperature sensor. Because the exhaust pipe and the compressor shell top have similar temperatures, in practical applications, the exhaust temperature and the top shell temperature are often treated equivalently.

[0075] The present disclosure collects at least one parameter of the exhaust temperature and module low pressure of each outdoor module in the modular air conditioner, thereby realizing accurate identification of the bias flow module in the modular air conditioner.

[0076] Step 200: determining whether there is a flow deviation in the modular air conditioner according to the module parameters, wherein the flow deviation is a refrigerant flow deviation between the outdoor modules.

[0077] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the modular air-conditioning control method is used in at least one of a cooling mode and a heating mode.

[0078] The present disclosure can realize accurate and rapid identification of the bias flow module in the modular air conditioner according to at least one parameter of the exhaust temperature and the module low pressure.

[0079] The present disclosure can realize the bias flow identification of the refrigerant in the heating mode and the cooling mode.

[0080] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a modular air conditioner in some embodiments of the present disclosure. The modular air conditioner in the embodiment of Figure 2 includes a plurality of outdoor modules, and the plurality of outdoor modules are used in parallel. Figure 2 specifically includes two outdoor modules, and the present disclosure may also include more than two outdoor modules. Figures 3 and 4 are schematic diagrams of outdoor modules in some embodiments of the present disclosure. The outdoor modules in Figures 3 and 4 include two compressors and two outdoor heat exchangers. Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the refrigerant flow direction in the cooling mode of the outdoor module. Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the refrigerant flow direction in the heating mode of the outdoor module. The cooling mode and the heating mode are two different modes, with different refrigerant flow directions and different ambient temperatures. In the cooling mode, the refrigerant gas coming out of the compressor first enters the outdoor heat exchanger, and in the heating mode, it first enters the indoor heat exchanger.

[0081] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of other embodiments of the modular air conditioning control method disclosed herein. Preferably, the embodiment of FIG5 can be executed by the modular air conditioning control device disclosed herein or the modular air conditioning disclosed herein. As shown in FIG5 , the method of the embodiment of FIG5 (e.g., step 200 of the embodiment of FIG1 ) can include at least one of steps 210 to 220, wherein:

[0082] Step 210 : determining the maximum exhaust temperature difference between the external modules based on the exhaust temperature of each external module; and determining the module low pressure difference between the external modules based on the module low pressure of each external module.

[0083] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, step 210 may include: performing parameter judgment, calculating the exhaust temperature difference △TP between modules through the exhaust temperatures of different external unit modules in the system; determining the maximum exhaust temperature difference between the external unit modules; and determining the module low pressure difference between every two external unit modules based on the module low pressure of each external unit module.

[0084] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the module low pressure difference between the two external unit modules refers to the absolute value of the module low pressure difference between the two external unit modules.

[0085] The above-mentioned embodiment of the present disclosure can accurately and quickly determine the outdoor unit module that is most likely to have bias flow by calculating the maximum exhaust temperature difference between the outdoor unit modules.

[0086] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the step of calculating the exhaust temperature difference between modules based on the exhaust temperatures of different external modules in the system includes: detecting the exhaust temperature difference ΔTP between modules every 3 minutes.

[0087] The above-mentioned embodiment of the present disclosure detects the exhaust temperature difference between modules at a predetermined time interval, so that bias flow can be quickly detected after it occurs.

[0088] Step 220 : Determine whether there is flow bias in the modular air conditioner based on the module low pressure difference between the outdoor modules and the maximum exhaust temperature difference between the outdoor modules.

[0089] The above embodiment of the present disclosure introduces module low pressure for the first time. Through the module low pressure and the maximum exhaust temperature difference between the outdoor modules, these two parameters jointly identify whether there is bias flow in the modular air conditioner, thereby accurately, quickly and simply identifying bias flow.

[0090] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, step 220 may include at least one of steps 221 to 224, wherein:

[0091] Step 221 : When the maximum exhaust temperature difference is greater than or equal to the first temperature threshold T1 , it is determined that biased air flow exists in the modular air conditioner.

[0092] The present disclosure includes determining whether the maximum exhaust temperature difference is large, and if it is large, directly determining that there is bias flow between modules. Therefore, the present disclosure can accurately determine whether there is bias flow in the modular air conditioner based on the exhaust temperature difference.

[0093] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, step 221 may further include: if the exhaust temperature difference ΔTP between different outdoor modules is larger, the degree of flow deviation between the two outdoor modules is more severe.

[0094] The above-mentioned embodiments of the present disclosure improve the identification effect of the bias flow module and make clear judgments on the severity of the bias flow of the bias flow module, providing a reference basis for subsequent control optimization.

[0095] Step 222 : When the maximum exhaust temperature difference is less than the second temperature threshold T2 , it is determined that there is no bias flow in the modular air conditioner, wherein the second temperature threshold T2 is less than the first temperature threshold T1 .

[0096] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, T1 and T2 are constant temperature judgment values. T1 is generally set to about 15°C, and T2 is generally set to about 5°C.

[0097] The present disclosure also includes determining whether the maximum exhaust temperature difference is small. If it is small, it is directly determined that there is no bias flow between modules. Therefore, the present application can accurately determine whether there is bias flow in the modular air conditioner based on the exhaust temperature difference.

[0098] Step 223: When the modular air conditioner is in cooling mode and the maximum exhaust temperature difference is less than the first temperature threshold T1 and greater than or equal to the second temperature threshold T2, determine whether the module low pressure difference △PL between every two outdoor modules is less than the first pressure threshold P1; when the module low pressure difference △PL between at least two outdoor modules is less than the first pressure threshold P1, determine that there is bias flow in the modular air conditioner; when the module low pressure difference △PL between every two outdoor modules is not less than the first pressure threshold P1, determine that there is no bias flow in the modular air conditioner.

[0099] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the first pressure threshold P1 is a constant pressure judgment value, and is generally set at 0.5 to 0.7 MPa.

[0100] The above embodiment of the present disclosure introduces module low pressure for the first time. When the maximum exhaust temperature difference is less than the first temperature threshold T1 and greater than or equal to the second temperature threshold T2, it is not simply considered whether there is horizontal flow, but further combined with the module low pressure to make a judgment. Therefore, the above embodiment of the present disclosure can achieve a more accurate judgment of bias flow.

[0101] Step 224: When the modular air conditioner is in cooling mode and the maximum exhaust temperature difference is less than the first temperature threshold T1 and greater than or equal to the second temperature threshold T2, determine whether the module low pressure difference △PL between every two outdoor modules is less than the second pressure threshold P2, wherein the second pressure threshold P2 is less than the first pressure threshold P1; when the module low pressure difference △PL between at least two outdoor modules is less than the second pressure threshold P2, determine that there is bias flow in the modular air conditioner; when the module low pressure difference △PL between every two outdoor modules is not less than the second pressure threshold P2, determine that there is no bias flow in the modular air conditioner.

[0102] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the second pressure threshold P2 is a constant pressure judgment value, and is generally set at 0.3 to 0.5 MPa.

[0103] The above embodiment of the present disclosure divides the exhaust temperature judgment part into three judgment parts through the first temperature threshold and the second temperature threshold. The first temperature threshold and the second temperature threshold are obtained based on experimental data and experience, and are determined by the unique physical properties of the refrigerant. They are an objective law and an objective value.

[0104] The present disclosure can simultaneously detect bias flow in both heating and cooling modes. When the maximum exhaust temperature difference is less than a first temperature threshold and greater than or equal to a second temperature threshold, bias flow is detected in the outdoor modules by determining the module low pressure difference between each pair of outdoor modules. Specifically, bias flow is detected in the outdoor modules by determining whether the module low pressure difference between each pair of outdoor modules is less than a predetermined pressure threshold.

[0105] Module low pressure refers to a reflection of the refrigerant characteristics on the low-pressure side. Through research and development, the inventors discovered that module low pressure not only reflects the pressure, but also reflects the amount of (gaseous) refrigerant. A high low pressure value means a high amount of gaseous refrigerant. When the low pressure difference between two outdoor modules is large, it means that the air intake volume of the two outdoor modules is different. The greater the deviation, the greater the deviation of the inhaled refrigerant. Therefore, the above-mentioned embodiment of the present disclosure can accurately determine whether there is a bias flow in the outdoor module by the module low pressure difference between the outdoor modules.

[0106] The core invention of the present disclosure is that it distinguishes between cooling and heating modes for the first time in terms of bias flow identification. The reason why the present disclosure distinguishes between cooling and heating in terms of judgment values ​​is also related to the physical properties of the refrigerant. In the heating mode, the ambient temperature is generally low, the viscosity coefficient of the refrigerant is large, the temperature of the gaseous refrigerant sucked into the compressor is even lower (low pressure and low), and bias flow is more likely to occur between the outdoor modules. In the heating mode, on the contrary, bias flow is not easy to occur, and refrigeration bias flow is mostly caused by reasons such as pipeline design or installation.

[0107] Due to different modes and working conditions, the present disclosure sets different predetermined pressure thresholds for the heating mode and the cooling mode, thereby more accurately realizing bias flow identification in the heating mode and the cooling mode.

[0108] The above-mentioned embodiments of the present disclosure utilize both module low pressure and exhaust temperature to determine the difference in refrigerant flow, which allows for more accurate identification of flow deviation. Compressor exhaust temperature differences are a direct reflection of refrigerant flow deviation, a finding drawn from years of experience by the inventors and a crucial factor in their practical application.

[0109] The above embodiments of the present disclosure do not simply use exhaust judgment, because there are many reasons that cause different exhaust temperatures. In addition to the amount of inhaled refrigerant and the refrigerant temperature, which will affect the exhaust temperature, poor lubrication and high heat generation of the motor can also cause the exhaust temperature to be higher, thereby generating an exhaust temperature difference.

[0110] Therefore, this application uses the exhaust temperature to make the judgment first, and then uses the module low pressure to make the judgment. The reason why the above-mentioned embodiments of the present disclosure use the module low pressure combined with the judgment is that the module low pressure is an indirect reflection of the refrigerant amount. Generally, the higher the module low pressure, the more gaseous refrigerant the compressor inhales, so the auxiliary exhaust judgment is more accurate.

[0111] The above embodiments of the present disclosure do not simply use module low pressure for judgment. The reason is that the simple module low pressure cannot be used alone to judge whether the distribution is uneven. For example, the air-conditioning system itself lacks refrigerant, the evaporation effect is poor, resulting in more liquid refrigerant, etc., which will affect the low pressure judgment.

[0112] Therefore, the above embodiment of the present disclosure adopts auxiliary judgment combining module low pressure and exhaust temperature, which can more accurately identify bias flow.

[0113] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the modular air conditioning control method further includes: when there is no bias flow in the modular air conditioning, the modular air conditioning operates normally, and continues to perform detection and judgment, that is, continues to execute steps 100 and 200 of the embodiment of Figure 1.

[0114] FIG6 is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the modular air conditioning control method disclosed herein. Preferably, the embodiment of FIG6 can be executed by the modular air conditioning control device disclosed herein or the modular air conditioning disclosed herein. As shown in FIG6 , the method of the embodiment of FIG6 can include at least one of steps 100 to 400, wherein:

[0115] Step 100: Acquire module parameters of each outdoor unit module in the modular air conditioner, wherein the module parameters include at least one of exhaust temperature and module low pressure.

[0116] Step 200: determining whether there is a flow deviation in the modular air conditioner according to the module parameters, wherein the flow deviation is a refrigerant flow deviation between the outdoor modules.

[0117] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, step 100 and step 200 of the embodiment of FIG. 6 are the same as or similar to step 100 and step 200 of the embodiment of FIG. 1 .

[0118] Step 300: When there is a bias flow in the modular air conditioner, specific components of the modular air conditioner are adjusted to achieve bias flow control, wherein the specific components include at least one of a heating electronic expansion valve, a subcooler electronic expansion valve, an outdoor fan, and an oil return solenoid valve.

[0119] The present disclosure can control components such as the heating electronic expansion valve, the subcooler electronic expansion valve, the outdoor fan, and the oil return solenoid valve (if not available, no control) based on parameters such as the exhaust temperature and the module refrigerant pressure, thereby improving the bias flow control effect.

[0120] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, in step 300, the step of adjusting specific components of the modular air conditioner may include at least one of step 310 and step 320, wherein step 310 is bias flow control in cooling mode, and step 320 is bias flow control in heating mode, wherein:

[0121] Step 310 , in cooling mode, adjust specific components of a first outdoor module in a modular air conditioner, wherein the modular air conditioner includes a first outdoor module and a second outdoor module, and the refrigerant in the first outdoor module is greater than the refrigerant in the second outdoor module.

[0122] In the cooling mode, the present invention realizes bias flow control of the external unit module by adjusting the module with more refrigerant.

[0123] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, in step 310, the step of adjusting specific components of the first outdoor module in the modular air conditioner may include at least one of steps 311 to 314, wherein:

[0124] Step 311 : When the specific component includes a heating electronic expansion valve, reduce the opening of the heating electronic expansion valve by a first predetermined opening at every first predetermined time interval, wherein the reduction in the opening is less than or equal to a first predetermined ratio.

[0125] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the first predetermined time may be 10 seconds, the first predetermined opening may be 100 pls, where pls is a pulse unit used to represent the opening of the valve, and the first predetermined ratio may be 50%.

[0126] In the above-mentioned embodiments of the present disclosure, in cooling mode, reducing the heating EXV of a module with more refrigerant reduces the refrigerant flow through that unit. Conversely, in heating mode, increasing the heating EXV of a module with less refrigerant reduces the refrigerant flow through that unit. Thus, the above-mentioned embodiments of the present disclosure can more accurately identify flow bias between heating and cooling modes by controlling the heating electronic expansion valve.

[0127] Step 312, when the specific component includes a subcooler electronic expansion valve, when the current opening of the subcooler electronic expansion valve is greater than the second predetermined opening, maintain the current opening; when the current opening of the subcooler electronic expansion valve is not greater than the second predetermined opening, adjust the current opening to a third predetermined opening for a second predetermined time, wherein the third predetermined opening is greater than the second predetermined opening.

[0128] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the second predetermined opening degree may be 80 pls, the third predetermined opening degree may be 120 pls, and the second predetermined time may be 5 minutes.

[0129] The present disclosure can adjust the refrigerant flow rate through the subcooler EXV by bypassing the refrigerant, thereby more accurately realizing the bias flow identification in the heating mode and the cooling mode.

[0130] Step 313: When the specific component includes an outdoor fan, reduce the current operating frequency of the outdoor fan by a second predetermined ratio.

[0131] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the second predetermined ratio may be 20%.

[0132] The present disclosure can adjust the heat exchange efficiency of the heat exchanger by individually taking care of the outdoor fan, thereby regulating the refrigerant pressure and indirectly alleviating the bias flow. Therefore, the present disclosure can more accurately realize the bias flow identification in the heating mode and the cooling mode.

[0133] Step 314 : If the specific component includes an oil return solenoid valve, open the oil return solenoid valve for a second predetermined time.

[0134] The present disclosure can accelerate the pressure balance between the high-pressure side and the low-pressure side by adjusting the oil return solenoid valve, thereby alleviating the bias flow effect.

[0135] Step 320 : In heating mode, adjust specific components of a second outdoor module in the modular air conditioner, wherein the modular air conditioner includes a first outdoor module and a second outdoor module, and the refrigerant in the first outdoor module is greater than the refrigerant in the second outdoor module.

[0136] The present disclosure can simultaneously realize bias flow identification in heating mode and cooling mode. Due to different modes and working conditions, the external unit modules adjusted by the present disclosure in different modes are also completely different. In cooling mode, the module with more refrigerant is adjusted; in heating mode, the module with less refrigerant is adjusted. Therefore, the present disclosure can more accurately realize bias flow identification in heating mode and cooling mode.

[0137] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, in step 320, the step of adjusting specific components of the second outdoor module in the modular air conditioner may include at least one of steps 321 to 324, wherein:

[0138] Step 321 : When the specific component includes a heating electronic expansion valve, increase the opening of the heating electronic expansion valve by a first predetermined opening at intervals of a first predetermined time, wherein the increase in the opening is less than or equal to a first predetermined ratio.

[0139] In the above-mentioned embodiments of the present disclosure, in cooling mode, reducing the heating EXV of a module with more refrigerant reduces the refrigerant flow through that unit. Conversely, in heating mode, increasing the heating EXV of a module with less refrigerant reduces the refrigerant flow through that unit. Thus, the above-mentioned embodiments of the present disclosure can more accurately identify flow bias between heating and cooling modes by controlling the heating electronic expansion valve.

[0140] Step 322, when the specific component includes a subcooler electronic expansion valve, when the current opening of the subcooler electronic expansion valve is greater than the second predetermined opening, maintain the current opening; when the current opening of the subcooler electronic expansion valve is not greater than the second predetermined opening, adjust the current opening to the second predetermined opening and continue for a second predetermined time.

[0141] The present disclosure can adjust the refrigerant flow rate through the subcooler EXV by bypassing the refrigerant, thereby more accurately realizing the bias flow identification in the heating mode and the cooling mode.

[0142] Step 323: When the specific component includes an outdoor fan, increase the current operating frequency of the outdoor fan by a second predetermined ratio.

[0143] The present invention can adjust the heat exchange efficiency of the heat exchanger by adjusting the outdoor fan, thereby regulating the refrigerant pressure and indirectly alleviating the bias flow. Therefore, the present invention can more accurately realize the bias flow identification in the heating mode and the cooling mode.

[0144] Step 324 : If the specific component includes an oil return solenoid valve, open the oil return solenoid valve for a second predetermined time.

[0145] The present disclosure can accelerate the pressure balance between the high-pressure side and the low-pressure side by adjusting the oil return solenoid valve, thereby alleviating the bias flow effect.

[0146] Step 400: After adjusting specific components of the modular air conditioner for a predetermined period of time, determine again whether the modular air conditioner has a bias flow based on the module parameters; if the modular air conditioner still has a bias flow, determine whether the outdoor module is short of refrigerant based on the refrigerant quantity; if at least one outdoor module is short of refrigerant, send a prompt message to the outside.

[0147] After the bias flow is adjusted for a predetermined period of time, the present invention determines whether the bias flow still exists; if the bias flow still exists, a prompt is given to indicate that maintenance is required. Thus, the present invention improves the reliability of the unit.

[0148] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, in step 400, the step of determining whether the outdoor module is short of refrigerant by judging the amount of refrigerant may include at least one of steps 410 and 420, wherein:

[0149] Step 410 : In cooling mode, among the indoor units that are turned on, if the number of indoor units whose electronic expansion valves have an opening greater than a fourth predetermined opening is greater than a third predetermined ratio, it is determined that the outdoor unit module lacks refrigerant.

[0150] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the fourth predetermined opening degree is 60% of the full opening degree (designed maximum opening degree).

[0151] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the third predetermined ratio is 50%.

[0152] Step 420 : In the heating mode, if the module high pressure PH of any outdoor module is less than the third pressure threshold P3 , it is determined that the outdoor module is short of refrigerant.

[0153] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the third pressure threshold P3 is a constant pressure judgment value, and is generally set at 2.5 to 3 MPa.

[0154] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the module high pressure PH is the compressor discharge pressure or the condensing pressure.

[0155] The present disclosure uses different steps in cooling mode and heating mode to determine whether there is a lack of refrigerant. Therefore, the present disclosure can more accurately realize the bias flow identification in heating mode and cooling mode.

[0156] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the refrigerant flow direction and state are different in cooling and heating modes. Therefore, the present disclosure needs to design modular air conditioning control methods for cooling and heating modes respectively.

[0157] The modular air conditioning control method in the cooling mode and the heating mode of the present disclosure will be described below through specific embodiments.

[0158] FIG7 is a schematic diagram of some embodiments of the modular air conditioner control method in cooling mode disclosed herein. Preferably, the embodiment of FIG7 can be executed by the modular air conditioner control device disclosed herein or the modular air conditioner disclosed herein. As shown in FIG7 , the method of the embodiment of FIG7 can include at least one of steps 700 to 716, wherein:

[0159] Step 700: Obtain module parameters of each outdoor module in the modular air conditioner, wherein the module parameters include at least one of exhaust temperature and module low pressure; calculate the exhaust temperature difference ΔTP between modules based on the exhaust temperatures of different outdoor modules in the system; determine the maximum exhaust temperature difference between the outdoor modules; determine the module low pressure difference ΔPL between every two different outdoor modules based on the module low pressure PL of each outdoor module in the system; then execute steps 701-703.

[0160] In step 701 , when the maximum exhaust temperature difference is greater than or equal to the first temperature threshold T1 , it is determined that biased flow exists in the modular air conditioner, and step 706 is executed.

[0161] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the first temperature threshold T1 is generally set to about 15°C.

[0162] Step 702 : When the maximum exhaust temperature difference is less than a second temperature threshold T2 , it is determined that there is no bias flow in the modular air conditioner, wherein the second temperature threshold T2 is less than the first temperature threshold T1 .

[0163] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the second temperature threshold T2 is generally set to about 5°C.

[0164] Step 703 : When the maximum exhaust temperature difference is less than the first temperature threshold T1 and greater than or equal to the second temperature threshold T2 , execute step 704 .

[0165] Step 704 determines whether the module low pressure difference ΔPL between each pair of outdoor unit modules is less than a first pressure threshold P1. If the module low pressure difference ΔPL between at least two outdoor unit modules is less than the first pressure threshold P1, it is determined that the modular air conditioner has a flow bias, and step 706 is executed. Otherwise, if the module low pressure difference ΔPL between each pair of outdoor unit modules is not less than the first pressure threshold P1, it is determined that the modular air conditioner does not have a flow bias, and step 705 is executed.

[0166] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the first pressure threshold P1 is a constant pressure judgment value, and is generally set to 0.5-0.7 MPa.

[0167] Step 705: The modular air conditioner operates normally, and detection and judgment are continued during the operation. That is, at least one of steps 700 to 704 is executed.

[0168] Step 706: Execute cooling bias flow control.

[0169] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, step 706 may include: after the bias flow is determined, the module with higher exhaust temperature or lower low pressure is determined to be a module with less refrigerant, and vice versa; in the cooling mode, specific components of the first outdoor module in the modular air conditioner are adjusted, wherein the modular air conditioner includes a first outdoor module and a second outdoor module, and the refrigerant of the first outdoor module is more than that of the second outdoor module.

[0170] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the less refrigerant, the higher the compression ratio and the higher the exhaust temperature after compression. The lower the low pressure, that is, the lower the compressor suction pressure, the less gaseous refrigerant, and the lower the suction pressure.

[0171] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the first external unit module is a refrigerant-rich module (refrigerant-rich module).

[0172] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, in step 706, the step of adjusting specific components of the first outdoor module in the modular air conditioner may include at least one of steps 707 to 710, wherein:

[0173] Step 707 : When the specific component includes a heating electronic expansion valve, reduce the opening of the heating electronic expansion valve by a first predetermined opening at every first predetermined time interval, wherein the reduction in the opening is less than or equal to a first predetermined ratio.

[0174] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the first predetermined time may be 10 seconds, the first predetermined opening degree may be 100 pls, and the first predetermined ratio may be 50%.

[0175] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, as shown in any of the embodiments of Figures 2-4, if the upper and lower heat exchangers are operating simultaneously, both heating EXV1 and heating EXV2 are controlled. Otherwise, if any one of the upper and lower heat exchangers is operating, the corresponding EXV is adjusted.

[0176] In the above embodiment of the present disclosure, after entering the bias flow control, the heating electronic expansion valve (heating EXV) is adjusted. Since the heating EXV is generally set to fully open in the cooling mode and basically does not participate in the capacity adjustment, the module with more refrigerant is adjusted here to distribute a part of the refrigerant to the module with less refrigerant to determine whether the bias flow situation has improved.

[0177] In the above embodiment of the present disclosure, when the heating EXV is opened small, the refrigerant flow rate flowing through the unit will decrease, and vice versa.

[0178] Step 708, when the specific component includes a subcooler electronic expansion valve, when the current opening of the subcooler electronic expansion valve is greater than the second predetermined opening, maintain the current opening; when the current opening of the subcooler electronic expansion valve is not greater than the second predetermined opening, adjust the current opening to a third predetermined opening for a second predetermined time, wherein the third predetermined opening is greater than the second predetermined opening.

[0179] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the second predetermined opening degree may be 80 pls, the third predetermined opening degree may be 120 pls, and the second predetermined time may be 5 minutes.

[0180] The subcooler EXV of the above embodiment of the present disclosure regulates the refrigerant flow rate by bypassing the refrigerant.

[0181] Step 709: If the specific component includes an oil return solenoid valve, open the oil return solenoid valve for a second predetermined time.

[0182] The oil return solenoid valve of the above embodiment of the present disclosure can accelerate the pressure balance between the high-pressure side and the low-pressure side, thereby alleviating the bias flow.

[0183] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the function of the oil return solenoid valve is to open the oil return solenoid valve to increase the oil return speed when the main oil return solenoid valve cannot supply oil.

[0184] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, some air conditioning units have an oil return solenoid valve, while others do not. For example, the modular air conditioner in any of the embodiments of Figures 2 to 4 does not have an oil return solenoid valve. For modular air conditioners without an oil return solenoid valve, this part of the adjustment is ignored.

[0185] Step 710: When the specific component includes an outdoor fan, reduce the current operating frequency of the outdoor fan by a second predetermined ratio.

[0186] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the second predetermined ratio may be 20%.

[0187] The outdoor fan of the above embodiment of the present disclosure adjusts the heat exchange efficiency of the heat exchanger, plays a role in regulating the refrigerant pressure, and indirectly alleviates the bias flow.

[0188] Step 711, after adjusting specific components of the modular air conditioner for a predetermined period of time, re-determine whether the modular air conditioner has bias flow based on the module parameters; if the modular air conditioner still has bias flow, determine the amount of refrigerant and execute step 712.

[0189] Step 712: Determine whether the outdoor module is short of refrigerant by judging the amount of refrigerant. If at least one outdoor module is short of refrigerant, execute step 713; otherwise, if none of the outdoor modules are short of refrigerant, execute step 714.

[0190] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, as shown in Figure 7, step 712 may include: in the cooling mode, among the indoor units that are turned on and running, if the number of indoor units whose electronic expansion valves have an opening greater than a fourth predetermined opening is greater than a third predetermined ratio, it is determined that the outdoor unit module lacks refrigerant.

[0191] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the fourth predetermined opening degree is 60% of the full opening degree (designed maximum opening degree).

[0192] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the third predetermined ratio is 50%.

[0193] Step 713: Send a prompt message to the outside.

[0194] Step 714, normal operation.

[0195] If the biased flow problem persists after a period of adjustment in the above-mentioned embodiments of the present disclosure, a preliminary refrigerant quantity assessment is performed based on the opening of the indoor unit valves. As the amount of refrigerant decreases, the indoor unit valves must be opened wider to ensure a sufficient supply. Therefore, if more than 50% of the indoor units' electronic expansion valves (EXVs) are open too wide (reaching more than 60% of their full opening), refrigerant shortage is detected, prompting maintenance.

[0196] The bias flow identification and control method of the heating mode disclosed in the present invention is similar to that of the cooling mode, but due to different modes and working conditions, there are some differences in the judgment value and control adjustment method. For details, please refer to the embodiments of Figures 7 and 8.

[0197] FIG8 is a schematic diagram of some embodiments of the modular air conditioner control method in the heating mode of the present disclosure. Preferably, the embodiment of FIG8 can be executed by the modular air conditioner control device of the present disclosure or the modular air conditioner of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG8, the method of the embodiment of FIG8 may include at least one step from step 800 to step 816, wherein:

[0198] Step 800, obtaining module parameters of each outdoor module in the modular air conditioner, wherein the module parameters include at least one of exhaust temperature and module low pressure; calculating the exhaust temperature difference ΔTP between modules based on the exhaust temperatures of different outdoor modules in the system; determining the maximum exhaust temperature difference between the outdoor modules; determining the module low pressure difference ΔPL between every two different outdoor modules based on the module low pressure PL of each outdoor module in the system; and then executing steps 801-803.

[0199] Step 801 : When the maximum exhaust temperature difference is greater than or equal to the first temperature threshold T1 , it is determined that biased air flow exists in the modular air conditioner, and step 806 is executed.

[0200] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the first temperature threshold T1 is generally set to about 15°C.

[0201] Step 802 : When the maximum exhaust temperature difference is less than a second temperature threshold T2 , it is determined that there is no bias flow in the modular air conditioner, wherein the second temperature threshold T2 is less than the first temperature threshold T1 .

[0202] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the second temperature threshold T2 is generally set to about 5°C.

[0203] Step 803 : When the maximum exhaust temperature difference is less than the first temperature threshold T1 and greater than or equal to the second temperature threshold T2 , execute step 804 .

[0204] Step 804 determines whether the module low pressure difference ΔPL between each pair of outdoor unit modules is less than a second pressure threshold P2, where the second pressure threshold P2 is less than the first pressure threshold P1. If the module low pressure difference ΔPL between at least two outdoor unit modules is less than the second pressure threshold P2, it is determined that the modular air conditioner has flow bias, and step 806 is executed. Otherwise, if the module low pressure difference ΔPL between each pair of outdoor unit modules is not less than the second pressure threshold P2, it is determined that the modular air conditioner does not have flow bias, and step 805 is executed.

[0205] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the second pressure threshold P2 is a constant pressure judgment value, and is generally set at 0.3 to 0.5 MPa.

[0206] Step 805: The modular air conditioner operates normally, and detection and judgment are continued during the operation. That is, at least one of steps 800 to 804 is executed.

[0207] Step 806: Execute heating bias flow control.

[0208] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, step 806 may include: after the bias flow is determined, the module with higher exhaust temperature or lower low pressure is determined to be a module with less refrigerant, and vice versa; in heating mode, specific components of the second outdoor module in the modular air conditioner are adjusted, wherein the modular air conditioner includes a first outdoor module and a second outdoor module, and the refrigerant of the first outdoor module is more than that of the second outdoor module.

[0209] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the less refrigerant, the higher the compression ratio and the higher the exhaust temperature after compression. The lower the low pressure, that is, the lower the compressor suction pressure, the less gaseous refrigerant, and the lower the suction pressure.

[0210] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the second external unit module is a refrigerant-less module (refrigerant-less module, low-pressure lower module).

[0211] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, in step 806, the step of adjusting specific components of the second outdoor module in the modular air conditioner may include at least one of steps 807 to 810, wherein:

[0212] Step 807 : When the specific component includes a heating electronic expansion valve, increase the opening of the heating electronic expansion valve by a first predetermined opening at intervals of a first predetermined time, wherein the increase in the opening is less than or equal to a first predetermined ratio.

[0213] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the first predetermined time may be 10 seconds, the first predetermined opening degree may be 100 pls, and the first predetermined ratio may be 50%.

[0214] In the above embodiment of the present disclosure, when the heating EXV is opened small, the refrigerant flow rate flowing through the unit will decrease, and vice versa.

[0215] Step 808, when the specific component includes a subcooler electronic expansion valve, when the current opening of the subcooler electronic expansion valve is greater than the second predetermined opening, maintain the current opening; when the current opening of the subcooler electronic expansion valve is not greater than the second predetermined opening, adjust the current opening to the second predetermined opening and continue for a second predetermined time.

[0216] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the second predetermined opening degree may be 80 pls and the second predetermined time may be 5 minutes.

[0217] The subcooler EXV of the above embodiment of the present disclosure regulates the refrigerant flow rate by bypassing the refrigerant.

[0218] Step 809: When the specific component includes an oil return solenoid valve, open the oil return solenoid valve for a second predetermined time.

[0219] The oil return solenoid valve of the above embodiment of the present disclosure can accelerate the pressure balance between the high-pressure side and the low-pressure side, thereby alleviating the bias flow.

[0220] Step 810: When the specific component includes an outdoor fan, increase the current operating frequency of the outdoor fan by a second predetermined ratio.

[0221] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the second predetermined ratio may be 20%.

[0222] The outdoor fan of the above embodiment of the present disclosure adjusts the heat exchange efficiency of the heat exchanger, plays a role in regulating the refrigerant pressure, and indirectly alleviates the bias flow.

[0223] Step 811, after adjusting specific components of the modular air conditioner for a predetermined period of time, re-determine whether the modular air conditioner has bias flow based on the module parameters; if the modular air conditioner still has bias flow, determine the amount of refrigerant and execute step 812.

[0224] Step 812: Determine whether the outdoor module is short of refrigerant by judging the amount of refrigerant. If at least one outdoor module is short of refrigerant, execute step 813; otherwise, if none of the outdoor modules are short of refrigerant, execute step 814.

[0225] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG8 , step 812 may include: in the heating mode, if the module high pressure PH of any outdoor module is less than a third pressure threshold P3 , determining that the outdoor module lacks refrigerant.

[0226] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the third pressure threshold P3 is a constant pressure judgment value, and is generally set at 2.5 to 3 MPa.

[0227] Step 813: Send a prompt message to the outside.

[0228] Step 814, normal operation.

[0229] In heating mode, high temperature is required to provide sufficient heat. High pressure can indirectly reflect whether sufficient heat can be provided. High pressure is the most important control reference in heating operation. Therefore, this disclosure uses high pressure as the basis for determining whether the compressor needs to continue to increase or decrease frequency.

[0230] In the above-mentioned embodiment of the present disclosure, the method for judging whether the refrigerant is lacking is different in the heating mode and the cooling mode. In the heating mode, the high pressure is used to judge whether the refrigerant is lacking.

[0231] The above embodiments of the present disclosure can achieve accurate bias flow identification in heating mode and cooling mode. The above embodiments of the present disclosure can achieve reasonable bias flow problem control.

[0232] The above-mentioned embodiments of the present disclosure truly solve the problem of bias flow, improve the effect of solving the problem of bias flow, and improve the operating reliability and energy saving of the unit.

[0233] FIG9 is a schematic diagram of some embodiments of the modular air conditioning control device disclosed herein. As shown in FIG4 , the modular air conditioning control device disclosed herein may include a module parameter acquisition unit 91 and a bias flow identification unit 92 , wherein:

[0234] The module parameter acquisition unit 91 is configured to acquire module parameters of each outdoor unit module in the modular air conditioner, wherein the module parameters include at least one of exhaust temperature and module low pressure PL.

[0235] The bias flow identification unit 92 is configured to determine whether there is bias flow in the modular air conditioner according to the module parameters, wherein the bias flow is a refrigerant bias flow between the outdoor modules.

[0236] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the bias flow identification unit 92 is configured to determine the maximum exhaust temperature difference between the outdoor modules based on the exhaust temperature of each outdoor module; determine the module low pressure difference between the outdoor modules based on the module low pressure of each outdoor module; and determine whether there is a bias flow in the modular air conditioner based on the module low pressure difference between the outdoor modules and the maximum exhaust temperature difference between the outdoor modules.

[0237] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the bias flow identification unit 92 is configured to determine that bias flow exists in the modular air conditioner when the maximum exhaust temperature difference is greater than or equal to a first temperature threshold.

[0238] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the bias flow identification unit 92 is further configured to determine that there is no bias flow in the modular air conditioner when the maximum exhaust temperature difference is less than a second temperature threshold, wherein the second temperature threshold is less than the first temperature threshold.

[0239] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the bias flow identification unit 92 is further configured to determine whether the module low pressure difference between each two outdoor modules is less than the first pressure threshold when the modular air conditioner is in cooling mode and the maximum exhaust temperature difference is less than the first temperature threshold and greater than or equal to the second temperature threshold, wherein the second temperature threshold is less than the first temperature threshold; when the module low pressure difference between at least two outdoor modules is less than the first pressure threshold, it is determined that a bias flow exists in the modular air conditioner.

[0240] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the bias flow identification unit 92 is further configured to determine whether the module low pressure difference between each two outdoor modules is less than the second pressure threshold when the modular air conditioner is in heating mode and the maximum exhaust temperature difference is less than the first temperature threshold and greater than or equal to the second temperature threshold, wherein the second pressure threshold is less than the first pressure threshold; when the module low pressure difference between at least two outdoor modules is less than the second pressure threshold, it is determined that bias flow exists in the modular air conditioner.

[0241] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG9 , the modular air conditioning control device of the present disclosure may include a bias flow control unit 93 , wherein:

[0242] The bias flow control unit 93 is configured to adjust specific components of the modular air conditioner to achieve bias flow control when bias flow exists in the modular air conditioner, wherein the specific components include at least one of a heating electronic expansion valve, a subcooler electronic expansion valve, an outdoor fan and an oil return solenoid valve.

[0243] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the bias flow control unit 93 is configured to perform at least one of the following operations while adjusting specific components of the modular air conditioner, wherein: in cooling mode, specific components of the first outdoor module in the modular air conditioner are adjusted, wherein the modular air conditioner includes a first outdoor module and a second outdoor module, and the refrigerant in the first outdoor module is more than the refrigerant in the second outdoor module; in heating mode, specific components of the second outdoor module in the modular air conditioner are adjusted, wherein the modular air conditioner includes a first outdoor module and a second outdoor module, and the refrigerant in the first outdoor module is more than the refrigerant in the second outdoor module.

[0244] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, when the specific components include a heating electronic expansion valve, the bias flow control unit 93 is configured to reduce the opening of the heating electronic expansion valve by a first predetermined opening at every first predetermined time interval when adjusting the specific components of the first outdoor module in the modular air conditioner, wherein the reduction in the opening is less than or equal to a first predetermined proportion.

[0245] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, when the specific components include a heating electronic expansion valve, the bias flow control unit 93 is configured to increase the opening of the heating electronic expansion valve by a first predetermined opening at every first predetermined time interval when adjusting the specific components of the second outdoor module in the modular air conditioner, wherein the increase in the opening is less than or equal to a first predetermined ratio.

[0246] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, when the specific components include a subcooler electronic expansion valve, the bias flow control unit 93 is configured to, when adjusting the specific components of the first outdoor unit module in the modular air conditioner, maintain the current opening of the subcooler electronic expansion valve when the current opening of the subcooler electronic expansion valve is greater than the second predetermined opening; and adjust the current opening to a third predetermined opening when the current opening of the subcooler electronic expansion valve is not greater than the second predetermined opening, wherein the third predetermined opening is greater than the second predetermined opening.

[0247] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, when the specific components include a subcooler electronic expansion valve, the bias flow control unit 93 is configured to, when adjusting the specific components of the second outdoor unit module in the modular air conditioner, maintain the current opening of the subcooler electronic expansion valve when the current opening is greater than the second predetermined opening; and adjust the current opening to the second predetermined opening when the current opening of the subcooler electronic expansion valve is not greater than the second predetermined opening.

[0248] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, when the specific components include an outdoor fan, the bias flow control unit 93 is configured to reduce the current operating frequency of the outdoor fan by a second predetermined proportion when adjusting the specific components of the first outdoor module in the modular air conditioner.

[0249] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, when the specific components include an outdoor fan, the bias flow control unit 93 is configured to increase the current operating frequency of the outdoor fan by a second predetermined proportion when adjusting the specific components of the second outdoor module in the modular air conditioner.

[0250] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, when the specific components include an oil return solenoid valve, the bias flow control unit 93 is configured to open the oil return solenoid valve when adjusting the specific components of the first outdoor module in the modular air conditioner.

[0251] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, when the specific components include an oil return solenoid valve, the bias flow control unit 93 is configured to open the oil return solenoid valve when adjusting the specific components of the second outdoor module in the modular air conditioner.

[0252] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG9 , the modular air conditioning control device of the present disclosure may include a second identification unit 94 , wherein:

[0253] The second identification unit 94 is configured to, after adjusting specific components of the modular air conditioner for a predetermined period of time, re-determine whether there is a flow bias in the modular air conditioner based on the module parameters; if there is still a flow bias in the modular air conditioner, determine whether the outdoor module is short of refrigerant by judging the amount of refrigerant; and send a prompt message to the outside when at least one outdoor module is short of refrigerant.

[0254] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the second identification unit 94 is configured to perform at least one of the following operations when determining whether the outdoor unit module is short of refrigerant through the refrigerant quantity, wherein: in the cooling mode, among the indoor units that are turned on and running, if the number of indoor units with indoor electronic expansion valves whose opening is greater than the fourth predetermined opening is greater than the third predetermined ratio, it is determined that the outdoor unit module is short of refrigerant; in the heating mode, if the module high pressure of any outdoor module is less than the third pressure threshold, it is determined that the outdoor unit module is short of refrigerant.

[0255] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the modular air conditioning control device is used for refrigerant bias flow control in at least one of a cooling mode and a heating mode.

[0256] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the modular air conditioning control device of the present disclosure may be configured to execute the modular air conditioning control method as described in any of the above embodiments of the present disclosure (e.g., any of the embodiments in FIG. 1 and FIG. 5 to FIG. 8 ).

[0257] The present disclosure can realize rapid and accurate identification of bias flow modules based on exhaust temperature and module low pressure.

[0258] FIG10 is a schematic diagram of the structure of another embodiment of the modular air conditioning control device of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG10 , the modular air conditioning control device of the present disclosure includes a memory 51 and a processor 52 .

[0259] The memory 51 is used to store instructions, and the processor 52 is coupled to the memory 51. The processor 52 is configured to execute the modular air-conditioning control method involved in the above embodiments (such as any embodiment in Figures 1, 5 to 8) based on the instructions stored in the memory.

[0260] As shown in FIG10 , the modular air conditioning control device further includes a communication interface 53 for exchanging information with other devices. Furthermore, the modular air conditioning control device further includes a bus 54 through which the processor 52 , the communication interface 53 , and the memory 51 communicate with each other.

[0261] The memory 51 may include high-speed RAM memory or non-volatile memory, such as at least one disk storage device. The memory 51 may also be a memory array. The memory 51 may also be divided into blocks, and the blocks may be combined into virtual volumes according to certain rules.

[0262] Furthermore, the processor 52 may be a central processing unit (CPU), or may be an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or may be configured to implement one or more integrated circuits of the present disclosure.

[0263] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a modular air conditioner is provided, comprising a modular air conditioner control device as described in any of the above embodiments (eg, any of the embodiments in FIG. 1 and FIG. 5 to FIG. 8 ).

[0264] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, wherein the computer-readable storage medium stores computer instructions, and when the instructions are executed by a processor, the modular air-conditioning control method as described in any of the above embodiments (for example, any of the embodiments in Figures 1 and 5 to 8) is implemented.

[0265] The computer-readable storage medium of the present disclosure may be implemented as a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium.

[0266] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that embodiments of the present disclosure may be provided as methods, apparatus, or computer program products. Therefore, the present disclosure may take the form of a complete hardware embodiment, a complete software embodiment, or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects. Furthermore, the present disclosure may take the form of a computer program product implemented on one or more computer-usable non-transient storage media (including but not limited to magnetic disk storage, CD-ROM, optical storage, etc.) containing computer-usable program code.

[0267] The present disclosure is described with reference to the flowcharts and / or block diagrams of the methods, devices (systems) and computer program products according to the embodiments of the present disclosure. It should be understood that each process and / or box in the flowchart and / or block diagram and the combination of the processes and / or boxes in the flowchart and / or block diagram can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions can be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, an embedded processor or other programmable data processing device to produce a machine, so that the instructions executed by the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing device generate a device for implementing the functions specified in one or more processes in the flowchart and / or one or more boxes in the block diagram.

[0268] These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable memory that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing device to operate in a specific manner, so that the instructions stored in the computer-readable memory produce a product including an instruction device that implements the functions specified in one or more processes in the flowchart and / or one or more boxes in the block diagram.

[0269] These computer program instructions can also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing device so that a series of operating steps are executed on the computer or other programmable device to produce a computer-implemented process, so that the instructions executed on the computer or other programmable device provide steps for implementing the functions specified in one or more processes in the flowchart and / or one or more boxes in the block diagram.

[0270] The module parameter acquisition unit, bias current identification unit, bias current control unit and second identification unit described above can be implemented as a general-purpose processor, a programmable logic controller (PLC), a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic device, discrete hardware component or any appropriate combination thereof for performing the functions described in this application.

[0271] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that all or part of the steps of the above-described embodiments of the present disclosure may be accomplished by hardware, and the hardware may be implemented as a general-purpose processor, a programmable logic controller (PLC), a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic device, discrete hardware component, or any appropriate combination thereof for executing the methods described herein.

[0272] The present disclosure has been described in detail so far. To avoid obscuring the concept of the present disclosure, some details known in the art have not been described. Based on the above description, those skilled in the art can fully understand how to implement the technical solutions disclosed herein.

[0273] Those skilled in the art will understand that all or part of the steps to implement the above embodiments may be accomplished by hardware, or may be accomplished by instructing the relevant hardware through a program, and the program may be stored in a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, and the above-mentioned storage medium may be a read-only memory, a disk or an optical disk, etc.

[0274] The description of the present disclosure is provided for purposes of illustration and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the disclosed form. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The embodiments are selected and described in order to better illustrate the principles and practical applications of the present disclosure and to enable those skilled in the art to understand the present disclosure and design various embodiments with various modifications suitable for specific applications.

Claims

1. A modular air conditioning control method, comprising: Acquire module parameters of each outdoor unit module in the modular air conditioner, wherein the module parameters include at least one of exhaust temperature and module low pressure; It is determined whether there is a bias flow in the modular air conditioner according to the module parameters, wherein the bias flow is a refrigerant bias flow between the outdoor modules.

2. The modular air conditioning control method according to claim 1, wherein: Determining whether there is a bias flow in the modular air conditioner according to the module parameters includes: According to the exhaust temperature of each outdoor unit module, determine the maximum exhaust temperature difference between the outdoor unit modules; According to the module low voltage of each external unit module, the module low voltage difference between the external unit modules is determined; Determine whether there is bias flow in the modular air conditioner based on the module low pressure difference between the outdoor unit modules and the maximum exhaust temperature difference between the outdoor unit modules.

3. The modular air conditioning control method according to claim 2, wherein: Determining whether there is a bias flow in the modular air conditioner according to the module low pressure difference between the external unit modules and the maximum exhaust temperature difference between the external unit modules includes: When the maximum exhaust temperature difference is greater than or equal to the first temperature threshold, it is determined that bias flow exists in the modular air conditioner.

4. The modular air conditioning control method according to claim 2 or 3, wherein: Determining whether there is a bias flow in the modular air conditioner according to the module low pressure difference between the external unit modules and the maximum exhaust temperature difference between the external unit modules includes: When the maximum exhaust temperature difference is less than a second temperature threshold, it is determined that there is no bias flow in the modular air conditioner, wherein the second temperature threshold is less than the first temperature threshold.

5. The modular air conditioning control method according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein: Determining whether there is a bias flow in the modular air conditioner according to the module low pressure difference between the outdoor modules and the maximum exhaust temperature difference between the outdoor modules includes at least one of the following steps, wherein: When the modular air conditioner is in cooling mode and the maximum exhaust temperature difference is less than the first temperature threshold and greater than or equal to the second temperature threshold, it is determined whether the module low pressure difference between every two external modules is less than the first pressure threshold, wherein the second temperature threshold is less than the first temperature threshold; when the module low pressure difference between at least two external modules is less than the first pressure threshold, In the case of a force threshold, it is determined that the modular air conditioner has a bias flow; When the modular air conditioner is in heating mode and the maximum exhaust temperature difference is less than the first temperature threshold and greater than or equal to the second temperature threshold, determine whether the module low pressure difference between every two external modules is less than the second pressure threshold, wherein the second pressure threshold is less than the first pressure threshold; when the module low pressure difference between at least two external modules is less than the second pressure threshold, it is determined that there is a bias flow in the modular air conditioner.

6. The modular air conditioning control method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising: When bias flow exists in the modular air conditioner, specific components of the modular air conditioner are adjusted to achieve bias flow control, wherein the specific components include at least one of a heating electronic expansion valve, a subcooler electronic expansion valve, an outdoor fan and an oil return solenoid valve.

7. The modular air conditioner control method according to claim 6, wherein the adjusting of specific components of the modular air conditioner comprises at least one of the following steps, wherein: In a cooling mode, adjusting specific components of a first external unit module in a modular air conditioner, wherein the modular air conditioner includes a first external unit module and a second external unit module, and a refrigerant in the first external unit module is greater than a refrigerant in the second external unit module; In the heating mode, specific components of the second outdoor module in the modular air conditioner are adjusted, wherein the modular air conditioner includes a first outdoor module and a second outdoor module, and the refrigerant of the first outdoor module is more than the refrigerant of the second outdoor module.

8. The modular air conditioning control method according to claim 7, wherein: In the case where the specific components include a heating electronic expansion valve, The adjusting of the specific components of the first external unit module in the modular air conditioner comprises: reducing the opening of the heating electronic expansion valve by a first predetermined opening at a first predetermined time interval, wherein the reduction in the opening is less than or equal to a first predetermined ratio; The adjusting of the specific components of the second outdoor module in the modular air conditioner includes: increasing the opening of the heating electronic expansion valve by a first predetermined opening at every first predetermined time interval, wherein the increase in the opening is less than or equal to a first predetermined ratio.

9. The modular air conditioning control method according to claim 7 or 8, wherein: In the case where the specific components include a subcooler electronic expansion valve, The method of adjusting the specific components of the first external unit module in the modular air conditioner includes: When the current opening of the valve is greater than the second predetermined opening, the current opening is maintained; when the current opening of the subcooler electronic expansion valve is not greater than the second predetermined opening, the current opening is adjusted to a third predetermined opening, wherein the third predetermined opening is greater than the second predetermined opening; The adjustment of specific components of the second outdoor unit module in the modular air conditioner includes: when the current opening of the subcooler electronic expansion valve is greater than the second predetermined opening, maintaining the current opening; when the current opening of the subcooler electronic expansion valve is not greater than the second predetermined opening, adjusting the current opening to the second predetermined opening.

10. The modular air conditioning control method according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein: In the case where the specific components include an outdoor fan, The adjusting of the specific components of the first outdoor module in the modular air conditioner includes: reducing the current operating frequency of the outdoor fan by a second predetermined ratio; The adjusting of the specific components of the second outdoor module in the modular air conditioner includes: increasing the current operating frequency of the outdoor fan by a second predetermined proportion.

11. The modular air conditioning control method according to any one of claims 7 to 10, wherein: In the case where the specific components include an oil return solenoid valve, The adjusting of the specific components of the first external unit module in the modular air conditioner includes: opening the oil return solenoid valve; The adjusting of the specific components of the second outdoor unit module in the modular air conditioner includes: opening the oil return solenoid valve.

12. The modular air conditioning control method according to any one of claims 6 to 11, further comprising: After adjusting the specific components of the modular air conditioner for a predetermined period of time, re-determining whether there is bias flow in the modular air conditioner based on the module parameters; In the case that the modular air conditioner still has bias flow, determine whether the outdoor unit module is short of refrigerant by judging the refrigerant quantity; When at least one external unit module is short of refrigerant, a prompt message is sent out.

13. The modular air conditioning control method according to claim 12, wherein: The step of determining whether the external unit module is short of refrigerant by judging the amount of refrigerant comprises at least one of the following steps, wherein: In the cooling mode, among the indoor units that are turned on and running, if the number of indoor units whose opening degrees of the indoor electronic expansion valves are greater than a fourth predetermined opening degree is greater than a third predetermined ratio, it is determined that the outdoor unit module lacks refrigerant; In the heating mode, if the module high pressure of any one of the outdoor modules is less than the third pressure threshold, it is determined that the outdoor module lacks refrigerant.

14. The modular air conditioning control method according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein: The modular air conditioning control method is used for at least one of a cooling mode and a heating mode.

15. A modular air conditioning control device, comprising: A module parameter acquisition unit is configured to acquire module parameters of each outdoor unit module in the modular air conditioner, wherein the module parameters include at least one of exhaust temperature and module low pressure; The bias flow identification unit is configured to determine whether there is a bias flow in the modular air conditioner according to the module parameters, wherein the bias flow is a refrigerant bias flow between the outdoor modules.

16. A modular air conditioning control device, comprising: A memory for storing instructions; The processor is used to execute the instruction so that the modular air-conditioning control device performs the operation of implementing the modular air-conditioning control method as described in any one of claims 1-14.

17. A modular air conditioner, comprising the modular air conditioner control device according to claim 15 or 16.

18. A computer-readable storage medium, wherein: The computer-readable storage medium stores computer instructions, and when the instructions are executed by a processor, the modular air-conditioning control method according to any one of claims 1 to 14 is implemented.

19. A computer program product comprising a computer program, wherein: When the computer program is executed by a processor, the modular air conditioning control method according to any one of claims 1 to 14 is implemented.

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