Air conditioning system and control method therefor

Abstract

An air conditioning system and a control method therefor, which relate to the technical field of machine room refrigeration systems, and aim to solve the problems of the energy consumption of the air conditioning system being too high in a transition season, the refrigeration efficiency being low, and the overall energy efficiency and the electric energy utilization efficiency of a machine room from a year-round dimension being severely affected. The air conditioning system comprises a gas supercharger (101), a condenser (102) and an evaporator (103), wherein an outlet of the gas supercharger (101) is connected to an inlet of the evaporator (103) by means of the condenser (102), and an outlet of the evaporator (103) is connected to an inlet of the gas supercharger (101). The air conditioning system and the control method therefor are used for refrigerating a space.

Description

Air conditioning system and control method thereof

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This disclosure is based on and claims the priority of Chinese patent application with application number 202311443652.8 and application date November 1, 2023. The entire content of the Chinese patent application is hereby incorporated into this disclosure by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates to the technical field of computer room refrigeration systems, and in particular to an air-conditioning system and a control method thereof. Background Art

[0004] With the advancement of cooling technology, refrigerant systems, with their simple design, short heat transfer paths, and low water consumption, have once again become the preferred technology for data center air conditioning systems. While air conditioning systems with refrigerant pumps are an effective solution for reducing energy consumption in computer rooms, existing systems still have their limitations.

[0005] The existing system operates in hybrid mode, running both the compressor and refrigerant pump during the transitional season, when the outdoor temperature ranges from 5°C to 25°C. This results in excessive energy consumption and low cooling efficiency, severely impacting the overall energy efficiency and power utilization of the computer room throughout the year.

[0006] Summary of the Invention

[0007] The purpose of the present disclosure is to provide an air-conditioning system and a control method thereof, which are used to improve the cooling efficiency of the air-conditioning system during transition seasons, reduce the boost power consumption of the air-conditioning system, and improve the overall energy efficiency and power utilization efficiency of the computer room throughout the year.

[0008] In order to achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the present disclosure provides an air-conditioning system, comprising: an air-conditioning system, comprising: a gas booster, a condenser and an evaporator, wherein the outlet of the gas booster is connected to the inlet of the evaporator through the condenser, and the outlet of the evaporator is connected to the inlet of the gas booster.

[0009] Compared with the prior art, the air-conditioning system provided by the present invention includes a gas booster, a condenser, and an evaporator, wherein the outlet of the gas booster is connected to the inlet of the evaporator through the condenser, and the outlet of the evaporator is connected to the inlet of the gas booster. The coolant increases the condensing pressure under the action of the gas booster and enters the condenser from the outlet of the gas booster for heat exchange. Then, the coolant enters the inlet of the evaporator to absorb heat from the air. In this process, the condensing pressure in the condenser is higher than the evaporating pressure in the evaporator, and the condensing temperature is higher than the evaporating temperature, which reduces the probability of the condensing temperature being lower than the evaporating temperature due to the use of a compressor in the prior art solution, thereby improving the cooling efficiency of the air-conditioning system. After testing, it was found that by using this air-conditioning system, the condensing pressure in the condenser is higher than the evaporating pressure in the evaporator, thereby increasing the temperature corresponding to the use of the outdoor natural cold source by at least 5°C, reducing the probability of the temperature corresponding to the use of the outdoor natural cold source being too low, and increasing the length of time the outdoor natural cold source is used throughout the year by more than 10%.

[0010] Furthermore, existing hybrid models utilize at least a compressor, while gas boosters have a low operating pressure differential. Therefore, replacing compressors with gas boosters significantly reduces the air conditioning system's boosting power consumption, improving the overall energy efficiency and power utilization efficiency of the data center year-round. Furthermore, during transitional seasons, the air conditioning system can utilize a circuit consisting of at least a gas booster, condenser, and evaporator for cooling, eliminating the need to select models for extreme high temperatures. This addresses the issues of excessive air conditioning capacity, excessive quantity, and high cost, as well as low air conditioning load rates and high power utilization efficiency in the initial stages of data center delivery.

[0011] The present disclosure also provides an air-conditioning system control method, which applies the above-mentioned air-conditioning system. The method includes: determining an excess cooling demand index of the refrigerated space based on the actual temperature of the indoor space at a target position and a preset temperature; determining a target operating mode of the air-conditioning system based on the excess cooling demand index of the refrigerated space and the actual temperature difference between the inside and outside of the refrigerated space; and controlling the air-conditioning system to cool the refrigerated space in the target operating mode.

[0012] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the air-conditioning system control method provided by the present disclosure are the same as the beneficial effects of the above-mentioned air-conditioning system, which will not be described in detail here. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] The drawings described herein are used to provide a further understanding of the present disclosure and constitute a part of the present disclosure. The exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure and their descriptions are used to explain the present disclosure and do not constitute an improper limitation of the present disclosure. In the drawings:

[0014] FIG1 shows a schematic structural diagram of an air-conditioning system provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0015] FIG2 shows a flow chart of an air conditioning system control method provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0016] FIG3 a shows a schematic diagram of a refrigerant pump driving mode provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0017] FIG3 b shows a schematic diagram of a first overclocking mode provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0018] FIG3 c shows a schematic diagram of a hybrid driving mode provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0019] FIG3 d shows a schematic diagram of a second overclocking mode provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0020] FIG3e shows a schematic diagram of a gas booster driving mode provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0021] FIG3 f shows a schematic diagram of a compressor driving mode provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0022] FIG3 g shows a schematic diagram of a third overclocking mode provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] In order to make the technical problems, technical solutions and beneficial effects to be solved by the present disclosure more clearly understood, the present disclosure is further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present disclosure and are not intended to limit the present disclosure.

[0024] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of this disclosure, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined. "Several" means one or more, unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0025] In the description of the present disclosure, it should be understood that the terms "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", etc., indicating directions or positional relationships, are based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present disclosure and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific direction, be constructed and operated in a specific direction, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation on the present disclosure.

[0026] It should be noted that in this disclosure, words such as "exemplary" or "for example" are used to indicate examples, illustrations, or descriptions. Any embodiment or design described in this disclosure as "exemplary" or "for example" should not be construed as being preferred or advantageous over other embodiments or designs. Rather, the use of words such as "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a concrete manner.

[0027] In the present disclosure, "at least one" means one or more, and "more" means two or more. "And / or" describes the association relationship of associated objects, indicating that three relationships may exist. For example, A and / or B can mean: the existence of A alone, the existence of A and B at the same time, and the existence of B alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally indicates that the previous and next associated objects are in an "or" relationship. "At least one of the following items" or similar expressions refers to any combination of these items, including any combination of single items or plural items. For example, at least one of a, b or c can mean: a, b, c, the combination of a and b, the combination of a and c, the combination of b and c, or the combination of a, b and c, where a, b, c can be single or multiple.

[0028] During the transition season, when the outdoor temperature ranges from 5°C to 25°C, the existing system operates both the compressor and the refrigerant pump simultaneously, a process known as hybrid mode. While the compressor still primarily performs cooling, the refrigerant pump increases circulation pressure, indirectly reducing compressor energy consumption. However, this reduction is very limited. Furthermore, due to the varying operating characteristics of the compressor, operating in hybrid mode under certain conditions may result in increased energy consumption rather than energy savings. This results in overly complex control strategies for the air conditioning system in hybrid mode, ultimately leading to poor energy savings. Furthermore, since the transition season accounts for at least 40% of the year, the power consumption and energy efficiency of the air conditioning during this period significantly impact the annual energy efficiency, power utilization efficiency, and power consumption of the data center air conditioning system. The energy savings achieved by the current hybrid mode during the transition season are very limited, making it difficult to meet increasingly stringent energy efficiency requirements.

[0029] Not only that, selecting air conditioners based on extreme high temperatures will lead to problems such as excessive capacity, excessive quantity, high cost, too low air conditioning load rate in the initial stage of data center delivery, and too high electricity utilization efficiency.

[0030] In response to the above problems, the present disclosure provides an air-conditioning system for improving the cooling efficiency of the air-conditioning system during transition seasons, reducing the boost power consumption of the air-conditioning system, and improving the overall energy efficiency and power utilization efficiency of the computer room in the whole year. Figure 1 shows a structural schematic diagram of the air-conditioning system provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 1, the air-conditioning system 100 includes: a gas booster 101, a condenser 102 and an evaporator 103, the outlet of the gas booster 101 is connected to the inlet of the evaporator 103 through the condenser 102, and the outlet of the evaporator 103 is connected to the inlet of the gas booster 101. It should be understood that in order to adjust the circulation amount of the refrigerant, the liquid reservoir 104 can also be used to connect the inlet of the evaporator 103 and the outlet of the condenser 102.

[0031] In actual application, the outlet of the gas booster 101 is connected to the inlet of the evaporator 103 through the condenser 102, and the outlet of the evaporator 103 is connected to the inlet of the gas booster 101. Under the action of the gas booster 101, the coolant increases the condensing pressure and enters the condenser 102 from the outlet of the gas booster 101 for heat exchange. Then, the coolant enters the inlet of the evaporator 103 to absorb heat from the air. In this process, the condensing pressure in the condenser 102 is higher than the evaporating pressure in the evaporator 103, and the condensing temperature is higher than the evaporating temperature. This reduces the probability of the condensing temperature being lower than the evaporating temperature due to the use of a compressor in the existing technical solution, and improves the cooling efficiency of the air-conditioning system. After testing, it was found that by using this air-conditioning system, the temperature corresponding to the use of the outdoor natural cooling source can be increased by at least 5°C, reducing the probability of the temperature corresponding to the use of the outdoor natural cooling source being too low, and increasing the length of time the outdoor natural cooling source is used throughout the year by more than 10%.

[0032] In addition, the hybrid mode of the prior art uses at least a compressor, and the gas booster 101 has the characteristic of a low operating pressure difference. Therefore, after replacing the compressor with the gas booster 101, the boosting power consumption of the air-conditioning system 100 can be significantly reduced, thereby improving the overall energy efficiency and power utilization efficiency of the computer room throughout the year. On this basis, during the transition season, the air-conditioning system 100 can use a circulation loop consisting of at least the gas booster 101, the condenser 102, the liquid reservoir 104, and the evaporator 103 for cooling, without the need to select models based on extreme high temperatures, thereby solving problems such as excessive air-conditioning capacity, excessive quantity, excessive cost, too low air-conditioning load rate in the initial stage of data center delivery, and excessive power utilization efficiency.

[0033] While a refrigerant pump is used in the hybrid mode of the prior art, the present invention can achieve cooling during transition seasons by driving the air-conditioning system through a gas booster, thereby reducing the operating time of the refrigerant pump in the system, reducing the probability of cavitation of the refrigerant pump, and at the same time slowing down the wear rate of the refrigerant pump, thereby extending the service life of the refrigerant pump.

[0034] As shown in FIG1 , the air conditioning system 100 further includes a compressor 105 connected in parallel with the gas booster 101 . The outlet of the compressor 105 is connected to the inlet of the evaporator 103 through the condenser 102 , and the outlet of the evaporator 103 is connected to the inlet of the compressor 105 .

[0035] For example, when the outdoor temperature is above 25°C, another circulation loop can be formed by the compressor 105, the condenser 102, the liquid reservoir 104, and the evaporator 103. For example, when the outdoor temperature is 26°C, the coolant increases the condensing pressure under the action of the compressor 105, and then flows from the outlet of the compressor 105 into the condenser 102 for heat exchange. The coolant then flows into the inlet of the evaporator 103 to absorb heat from the air, thereby achieving the cooling purpose of the air conditioning system 100.

[0036] In actual applications, when the outdoor temperature is extremely high, such as 40°C, the pressure difference between the condensing pressure and the evaporating pressure in the air-conditioning system 100 is too large. The compressor 105 is affected by the excessive pressure difference and enters an over-compression state, causing the flow rate of the compressor 105 to drop significantly, resulting in a decrease in the cooling capacity of the air-conditioning system. The cooling capacity of the air-conditioning system will also be significantly reduced, which will lead to insufficient cooling capacity in the data center and the risk of high-temperature shutdown of information and communication technology equipment. In order to reduce the probability of the above phenomenon, the air-conditioning system 100 provided by the present disclosure also includes a gas booster 101 connected in parallel with the compressor 105. The outlet of the gas booster 101 is connected to the inlet of the evaporator 103 through the condenser 102, and the outlet of the evaporator 103 is connected to the inlet of the gas booster 101. In the above-mentioned circulation loop composed of the compressor 105, the gas booster 101, the condenser 102, the liquid reservoir 104 and the evaporator 103, the gas booster 101 and the compressor 105 work together, wherein the gas booster 101 can disperse the pressure difference of the compressor 105 in the air-conditioning system, reducing the probability of the compressor 105 entering an over-compression state due to the influence of an excessive pressure difference, thereby increasing the cooling capacity of the air-conditioning system and solving the problem of the risk of high-temperature downtime caused by insufficient cooling capacity of the air-conditioning in the data center after high outdoor temperatures or failure of multiple air conditioners. In addition, by working together with the gas booster 101 and the compressor 105, the condensing pressure of the coolant can be significantly increased, so that the condensing pressure in the condenser 102 is higher than the evaporating pressure in the evaporator 103, and the condensing temperature is higher than the evaporating temperature, reducing the probability of the condensing temperature being lower than the evaporating temperature during the operation of the compressor 105, and improving the cooling efficiency of the air-conditioning system 100. After testing, it was found that by using this air-conditioning system, the temperature corresponding to the use of outdoor natural cooling sources can be increased by at least 5°C, reducing the probability of the temperature corresponding to the use of outdoor natural cooling sources being too low, and increasing the time of using outdoor natural cooling sources throughout the year by more than 10%.

[0037] In practical applications, the circuit to be used can be selected according to actual needs, thus solving the problems of excessive capacity, excessive quantity, high cost, low air conditioning load rate in the initial stage of data center delivery, and excessive energy utilization efficiency caused by selecting air conditioners based on extreme high temperatures.

[0038] As shown in FIG1 , the air conditioning system 100 provided in this embodiment further includes a first valve 106 and a second valve 107. The inlet of the compressor 105 is connected to the outlet of the evaporator 103 via the first valve 106, and the inlet of the gas booster 101 is connected to the outlet of the evaporator 103 via the second valve 107. When the compressor 105 is in operation, the first valve 106 is open, and when the gas booster 101 is in operation, the second valve 107 is open.

[0039] When air conditioning system 100 is in compressor-driven mode (as shown in Figure 3f below), first valve 106 is opened, causing compressor 105 to operate, and second valve 107 is closed, causing gas booster 101 to be inactive. Driven by compressor 105, the refrigerant enters condenser 102, liquid storage tank 104, and evaporator 103 in sequence, completing a cycle. When the cycle is complete, the refrigerant exits evaporator 103 through first valve 106 and enters compressor 105 for the next cycle. At this point, air conditioning system 100 only requires compressor 105 to operate to achieve cooling.

[0040] When the air conditioning system 100 is in overclocking mode, the first valve 106 and the second valve 107 are open, so that the compressor 105 and the gas booster 101 are both in operation. At this time, the refrigerant flows through the compressor 105 and the gas booster 101 simultaneously, and under their combined action, enters the condenser 102, the liquid storage tank 104, and the evaporator 103 in sequence, completing a cycle. When the cycle is completed, the refrigerant flows from the outlet of the evaporator 103 along the first valve 106 and the second valve 107, and enters the compressor 105 and the gas booster 101 simultaneously to start the next cycle. When the air conditioning system 100 is in overclocking mode, the outdoor temperature is extremely high, and the pressure difference between the condensing pressure and the evaporating pressure within the air conditioning system 100 is too large. The compressor 105, affected by this excessive pressure difference, enters an over-compression state, causing a significant drop in the flow rate of the compressor 105 and a reduction in the cooling capacity of the air conditioning system. Therefore, the air conditioning system is configured to operate the compressor 105 and the gas booster 101 simultaneously to reduce the pressure difference between the condensing pressure and the evaporating pressure within the air conditioning system 100, thereby increasing the cooling capacity and cooling capacity of the air conditioning system 100. Testing has shown that when the air conditioning system 100 is in overclocking mode, the cooling capacity under extremely high temperature conditions is increased by over 20%, avoiding the significant cooling capacity reduction caused by high outdoor temperatures, reducing the specifications and number of air conditioners configured in the data center, and lowering the initial investment cost of the data center air conditioning system.

[0041] As shown in FIG1 , the air conditioning system 100 provided in this embodiment further includes a refrigerant pump 108 and a first bypass valve 109. The outlet of the condenser 102 is connected to the inlet of the evaporator 103 via the refrigerant pump 108, and the inlet of the refrigerant pump 108 is connected to the outlet of the refrigerant pump 108 via the first bypass valve 109. When the air conditioning system is in the refrigerant pump drive mode (as shown in FIG3 a below), the first bypass valve 109 is open. In actual applications, the air conditioning system 100 provided in this embodiment further includes an expansion valve 110, which is located at the inlet of the evaporator 103 and is used to control the superheat of the gaseous refrigerant at the outlet of the evaporator 103, thereby controlling the refrigerant flow rate entering the evaporator 103.

[0042] When the outdoor temperature is 35°C, the air conditioning system 100 is in the refrigerant pump drive mode, and a circulation loop can be formed by the refrigerant pump 108, the evaporator 103, the first bypass valve 111, the condenser 102, and the liquid reservoir 104. For example, when the outdoor temperature is above 25°C, the coolant enters the condenser 102 and the liquid reservoir 104, and driven by the refrigerant pump 108, flows through the evaporator 103 and the open first bypass valve 111, thereby achieving the cooling purpose of the air conditioning system 100.

[0043] When the outdoor temperature is between 5°C and 25°C, the air conditioning system 100 operates in a hybrid drive mode (as shown in FIG. 3c below). A circulation loop can be formed by the refrigerant pump 108, evaporator 103, gas booster 101, condenser 102, and liquid accumulator 104. For example, when the outdoor temperature is 25°C, the first valve 106 is closed, the second valve 107 is opened, and the first bypass valve 109 is closed, rendering the compressor 105 inactive while the gas booster 101 and refrigerant pump 108 are in operation. Driven by the gas booster 101, the coolant sequentially enters the condenser 102 and liquid accumulator 104. Driven by the refrigerant pump 108, the coolant then flows through the evaporator 103 and back into the inlet of the gas booster 101, thereby achieving the cooling purpose of the air conditioning system 100. In the hybrid drive mode, the boosting effect of the gas booster 101 causes the condensing pressure in the condenser 102 to be higher than the evaporating pressure in the evaporator 103, and the condensing temperature to be higher than the evaporating temperature. This avoids the problem in the prior art where the condensing temperature is lower than the evaporating temperature and the temperature corresponding to the outdoor natural cooling source is too low. The temperature corresponding to the outdoor natural cooling source can be increased by at least 5°C, and the duration of the outdoor natural cooling source being used throughout the year can be increased by more than 10%. At the same time, because the efficiency of the refrigerant pump 108 is higher than that of the gas booster 101 when overcoming the same pressure drop, and the power consumption is lower than that of the gas booster 101, turning on the refrigerant pump 108 in this mode can overcome part of the system pressure drop, further reducing the operating pressure difference of the gas booster 101, reducing the overall power consumption of the air-conditioning system, and improving the system energy efficiency. Compared with the hybrid mode in the prior art, this hybrid drive mode can improve the energy efficiency of the air-conditioning system by more than 40%.

[0044] When the outdoor temperature is 20° C. to 35° C., the air-conditioning system 100 is in the compressor driving mode, and the first bypass valve 109 is closed. At this time, the air-conditioning system 100 can achieve cooling by only running the compressor 105 .

[0045] As shown in Figure 1, air conditioning system 100 also includes a second bypass valve 111. The outlet of evaporator 103 is connected to the inlet of condenser 102 via second bypass valve 111. Second bypass valve 111 is connected in parallel with compressor 105 and gas booster 101, respectively. Second bypass valve 111 is open when the air conditioning system is in overclocking mode. At this time, compressor 105 and gas booster 101 are simultaneously in operation, reducing the pressure difference between the condensing pressure and the evaporating pressure within air conditioning system 100, thereby improving the cooling capacity and cooling capacity of air conditioning system 100. Testing has shown that when air conditioning system 100 is in overclocking mode, the cooling capacity under extreme high temperature conditions is increased by over 20%, avoiding the significant cooling capacity reduction caused by high outdoor temperatures, reducing the specifications and number of air conditioners configured in the data center, and lowering the initial investment cost of the data center air conditioning system.

[0046] The present disclosure also provides an air conditioning system control method for controlling the above-mentioned air conditioning system, wherein the air conditioning system also includes a compressor and a refrigerant pump, which can improve the cooling efficiency of the air conditioning system during transitional seasons, meet the cooling needs of historical extreme high temperatures with low probability and short duration, and improve the overall energy efficiency and power utilization efficiency of the computer room throughout the year. Figure 2 shows a flow chart of the air conditioning system control method provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 2, the air conditioning system control method includes:

[0047] Step 201: Determine an excess cooling demand indicator of the refrigerated space based on the actual temperature of the indoor space at the target location and a preset temperature.

[0048] Exemplarily, according to different indoor and outdoor working conditions, the air conditioning system operates in a compressor driving mode, a gas booster driving mode, a hybrid driving mode, a refrigerant pump driving mode and an overclocking mode.

[0049] Specifically, based on the actual temperature of the indoor space at the target location and the preset temperature, the cooling deviation of the air-conditioning system is determined; based on the cooling deviation of the air-conditioning system and the allowable cooling temperature fluctuation range of the air-conditioning system, the excess cooling demand index of the refrigerated space is determined.

[0050] The excess cooling demand indicator CFC of the refrigerated space is (Tc-Ts) / TP, where Tc is the actual temperature of the indoor space at the target location, such as the supply air temperature, return air temperature, cold aisle temperature, etc. The specific location can be adjusted according to actual needs and is not limited here; Ts is the preset temperature of the indoor space at the target location; TP is the allowable temperature fluctuation range.

[0051] Among them, if the excess cooling demand index of the refrigerated space is greater than the preset index, the target operating mode is determined to be the overclocking drive mode; if the excess cooling demand index of the refrigerated space is less than or equal to the preset index, the target operating mode of the air-conditioning system is determined based on the actual temperature difference between the inside and outside of the refrigerated space and the drive mode screening conditions.

[0052] Step 202: Determine a target operating mode of the air-conditioning system based on the excess cooling demand indicator of the refrigerated space and the actual temperature difference between the inside and outside of the refrigerated space.

[0053] For example, the actual temperature difference between the inside and outside of the refrigerated space, Temd, equals Tin - Tout, where Tin is the return air dry-bulb temperature of the indoor air conditioning system and Tout is the outdoor air dry-bulb temperature. Td is a preset threshold value, which can be a first preset threshold value Td1, a second preset threshold value Td2, or a third preset threshold value Td3, corresponding to different operating modes.

[0054] Table 1 shows the determination conditions of the target operation mode of the air-conditioning system provided in this embodiment.

[0055] Table 1

[0056] As can be seen from the above, when the air conditioning system includes a refrigerant pump, the driving mode screening condition includes at least one of the following:

[0057] When the actual temperature difference between the inside and outside of the refrigerated space of the air-conditioning system is less than the first preset threshold value Td1, the target operating mode is the refrigerant pump driving mode. If the excess cooling demand index of the refrigerated space is greater than the preset index, the target operating mode is the first overclocking mode.

[0058] When the actual temperature difference between the inside and outside of the refrigerated space of the air-conditioning system is greater than the first preset threshold value Td1 and less than the second preset threshold value Td2, the target operating mode is the hybrid drive mode. If the excess cooling demand index of the refrigerated space is greater than the preset index, the target operating mode is the second overclocking mode.

[0059] When the actual temperature difference between the inside and outside of the refrigerated space of the air-conditioning system is greater than the second preset threshold value Td2 and less than the third preset threshold value Td3, if the excess cooling demand index of the refrigerated space is less than or equal to the preset index, the target operating mode is the gas booster drive mode; if the excess cooling demand index of the refrigerated space is greater than the preset index, the target operating mode is the second overclocking mode.

[0060] When the actual temperature difference between the inside and outside of the refrigerated space of the air-conditioning system is greater than the third preset threshold value Td3, the target operating mode is the compressor driving mode. If the excess cooling demand index of the refrigerated space is greater than the preset index, the target operating mode is the third overclocking mode.

[0061] Exemplarily, the value range of Td1, Td2, and Td3 is 0℃~30℃, and the overclocking mode provided in this embodiment includes a first overclocking mode, a second overclocking mode, and a third overclocking mode. The overclocking mode operated will be different depending on the actual temperature difference between the inside and outside of the refrigeration space of the air-conditioning system.

[0062] For example, if the first preset threshold value Td1 is set to 0°C, the second preset threshold value Td2 is set to 20°C, and the third preset threshold value Td3 is set to 30°C, if the actual temperature difference between the inside and outside of the refrigerated space is less than 0°C, the target operating mode is the refrigerant pump driving mode. If the excess cooling demand indicator CFC of the refrigerated space is greater than the preset indicator, the target operating mode is the first overclocking mode.

[0063] When the actual temperature difference between the inside and outside of the cooling space of the air conditioning system is greater than 0°C and less than 20°C, the target operating mode is the hybrid drive mode. If the excess cooling demand index CFC of the cooling space is greater than the preset index, the target operating mode is the second overclocking mode.

[0064] When the actual temperature difference between the inside and outside of the cooling space of the air-conditioning system is greater than 30°C, the target operating mode is the compressor drive mode. If the excess cooling demand index CFC of the cooling space is greater than the preset index, the target operating mode is the third overclocking mode.

[0065] It should be understood that the preset index of CFC can be set according to actual conditions, for example, 100%, 75%, and is not limited here.

[0066] When the outdoor temperature is too high, causing the air conditioning cooling capacity to decrease significantly or the number of air conditioning failures is too high, it will result in insufficient cooling capacity in the data center, excessively high indoor temperatures, and CFC greater than the preset index. Therefore, this condition can be used to determine whether the air conditioning system's target operating mode is overclocking mode.

[0067] Step 203: Control the air-conditioning system to cool the refrigerated space in the target operation mode.

[0068] Exemplarily, if the actual temperature difference between the inside and outside of the refrigerated space is less than a first preset threshold value, and the excess cooling demand index is less than or equal to the preset index, the air-conditioning system operates in the refrigerant pump drive mode. Figure 3a shows a schematic diagram of the refrigerant pump drive mode provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 3a, when the air-conditioning system 100 operates in the refrigerant pump drive mode, the refrigerant flows through the condenser 102, the liquid reservoir 104, the refrigerant pump 108, the expansion valve 110 and the evaporator 103 to form a cycle. In this refrigerant pump drive mode, the first valve 106, the second valve 107 and the second bypass valve 111 are closed, and the first bypass valve 109 is turned on, wherein the expansion valve 110 can be opened to its maximum opening.

[0069] Exemplarily, if the actual temperature difference between the inside and outside of the refrigerated space is less than a first preset threshold value, and the excess cooling demand index is greater than the preset index, the air-conditioning system operates in a first overclocking mode. Figure 3b shows a schematic diagram of the first overclocking mode provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 3b, when the air-conditioning system operates in the first overclocking mode, the refrigerant flows through the compressor 105 and the gas booster 101 at the same time and then enters the condenser 102, the liquid reservoir 104, the second bypass valve 111, the expansion valve 110, and the evaporator 103 to form a cycle. In this first overclocking mode, the first valve 106, the second valve 107, and the second bypass valve 111 are turned on, and the first bypass valve 109 is turned off, wherein the expansion valve 110 can control its opening according to the superheat of the evaporator. In the first overclocking mode, the compressor and the gas booster work simultaneously. In this first overclocking mode, the outdoor temperature is low, the refrigerant flow in the air-conditioning system will increase significantly, and the cooling capacity of the air-conditioning system will increase by at least 40% to 50%. This excess cooling capacity can make up for the insufficient cooling capacity of the computer room, avoiding the problem of high-temperature shutdown of information and communication technology equipment.

[0070] Exemplarily, if the difference in actual temperature between the inside and outside of the refrigerated space of the air-conditioning system is greater than a first preset threshold value and less than a second preset threshold value, and the excess cooling demand index is less than or equal to the preset index, the air-conditioning system operates in a hybrid drive mode. Figure 3c shows a schematic diagram of a hybrid drive mode provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 3c, when the air-conditioning system operates in a hybrid drive mode, the refrigerant passes through the gas booster 101 and enters the condenser 102, the liquid reservoir 104, the refrigerant pump 108, the expansion valve 110, and the evaporator 103 to form a cycle. In this hybrid drive mode, the second valve 107 is turned on, and the first valve 106 and the second bypass valve 111 are turned off. This hybrid drive mode replaces the hybrid mode of the existing technical solution, and utilizes the low working pressure difference characteristics of the gas booster to significantly reduce the system boosting power consumption compared to the compressor; the corresponding temperature of the outdoor natural cooling source is increased by at least 5°C, and the duration of utilizing the outdoor natural cooling source throughout the year is increased by more than 10%; at the same time, because the efficiency of the refrigerant pump is higher than that of the gas booster and the power consumption is lower than that of the gas booster when overcoming the same pressure drop, turning on the refrigerant pump in this mode to overcome part of the system pressure drop can further reduce the working pressure difference of the gas booster, reduce the overall power consumption of the refrigeration system, and improve the system energy efficiency ratio. It can increase the annual energy efficiency ratio of the air-conditioning unit by more than 20%, and the energy saving and emission reduction benefits are very significant.

[0071] Exemplarily, when the actual temperature difference between the inside and outside of the refrigerated space of the air-conditioning system is greater than the first preset threshold and less than the second preset threshold, or when the actual temperature difference between the inside and outside of the refrigerated space of the air-conditioning system is greater than the second preset threshold and less than the third preset threshold, the corresponding excess cooling demand index is greater than the preset index, and the air-conditioning system operates in the second overclocking mode. Figure 3d shows a schematic diagram of the second overclocking mode provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 3d, when the air-conditioning system operates in the second overclocking mode, the refrigerant flows through the compressor 105 and the gas booster 101 at the same time and then enters the condenser 102, the liquid reservoir 104, the second bypass valve 111, the expansion valve 110, and the evaporator 103 to form a cycle. In this second overclocking mode, the first valve 106, the second valve 107, and the second bypass valve 111 are turned on, and the first bypass valve 109 is turned off. In this mode, the compressor and gas booster work simultaneously. Compared with the pressure-driven overclocking mode (also known as the third overclocking mode), the outdoor temperature is lower in this mode, and the refrigerant flow in the air-conditioning system will be significantly larger. The cooling capacity of the air-conditioning system will increase by at least 30% to 40%. This excess cooling capacity can supplement the insufficient cooling capacity of the computer room, avoiding the problem of high-temperature shutdown of information and communication technology equipment.

[0072] For example, if the difference in actual indoor and outdoor temperatures of the air conditioning system's refrigerated space is greater than a second preset threshold and less than a third preset threshold, and the excess cooling demand index of the refrigerated space is less than or equal to a preset index, the air conditioning system operates in gas booster drive mode. Figure 3e shows a schematic diagram of the gas booster drive mode provided in this embodiment. As shown in Figure 3e, when the air conditioning system operates in gas booster drive mode, refrigerant passes through gas booster 101 and enters condenser 102, accumulator 104, second bypass valve 111, expansion valve 110, and evaporator 103, forming a cycle. In this mode, second valve 107 and second bypass valve 111 are open, while first valve 106 and first bypass valve 109 are closed. This mode operates during transitional seasons when outdoor temperatures are relatively high. By utilizing the low operating pressure differential of the gas booster, this significantly reduces system boosting power consumption compared to a compressor, saving over 20% of energy compared to the hybrid mode used in existing solutions.

[0073] Exemplarily, if the actual temperature difference between the inside and outside of the refrigerated space of the air-conditioning system is greater than a third preset threshold value, and the excess cooling demand index is less than or equal to the preset index, the air-conditioning system operates in the compressor drive mode. Figure 3f shows a schematic diagram of the compressor drive mode provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 3f, when the air-conditioning system operates in the compressor drive mode, the refrigerant enters the condenser 102, the liquid reservoir 104, the second bypass valve 111, the expansion valve 110 and the evaporator 103 after passing through the compressor 105 to complete a cycle. In this mode, the first valve 106 and the second bypass valve 111 are turned on, and the first bypass valve 109 and the second valve 107 are turned off, and the compressor 105 performs cooling. In this mode, the air-conditioning system can achieve air-conditioning cooling without running other devices.

[0074] For example, if the difference in actual temperature between the inside and outside of the refrigerated space of the air conditioning system is greater than a third preset threshold, and the excess cooling demand index is greater than a preset index, the air conditioning system operates in a third overclocking mode. Figure 3g shows a schematic diagram of the third overclocking mode provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 3g, when the air conditioning system operates in the third overclocking mode, refrigerant flows through the compressor 105 and the gas booster 101 simultaneously before entering the condenser 102, the liquid reservoir 104, the second bypass valve 111, the expansion valve 110, and the evaporator 103, forming a cycle. In this third overclocking mode, the first valve 106, the second valve 107, and the second bypass valve 111 are opened, and the first bypass valve 109 is closed. In this mode, the compressor and gas booster operate simultaneously, significantly increasing the refrigerant flow rate within the air conditioning system and increasing the cooling capacity of the air conditioning system by at least 20% to 30%. This excess cooling capacity can supplement the insufficient cooling capacity of the computer room, preventing high-temperature shutdowns of information and communication technology equipment.

[0075] The above description is only a specific embodiment of the present disclosure. Obviously, various modifications and combinations can be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Accordingly, this specification and the drawings are merely exemplary illustrations of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims, and are deemed to have covered any and all modifications, variations, combinations or equivalents within the scope of the present disclosure. Obviously, those skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications to the present disclosure without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Thus, if these modifications and variations of the present disclosure fall within the scope of the claims of the present disclosure and their equivalents, the present disclosure is intended to include these changes and variations. Any person skilled in the art who can easily think of changes or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in the present disclosure should be included within the scope of protection of the present disclosure. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present disclosure should be based on the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. An air conditioning system, comprising: A gas booster, a condenser and an evaporator, wherein the outlet of the gas booster is connected to the inlet of the evaporator through the condenser, and the outlet of the evaporator is connected to the inlet of the gas booster.

2. The air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein: The air conditioning system further comprises a compressor connected in parallel with the gas supercharger, wherein the outlet of the compressor is connected to the inlet of the evaporator through the condenser, and the outlet of the evaporator is also connected to the inlet of the compressor.

3. The air conditioning system according to claim 2, wherein: When the compressor is in an operating state and the gas booster is in a non-operating state, the air conditioning system is in a compressor driving mode; When the compressor and the gas booster are both in operation, the air conditioning system is in an overclocking driving mode.

4. The air conditioning system according to claim 2, wherein: The air conditioning system also includes a refrigerant pump and a first bypass valve; The outlet of the condenser is connected to the inlet of the evaporator through the refrigerant pump, and the inlet of the refrigerant pump is indirectly connected to the outlet of the refrigerant pump through the first bypass valve. When the air-conditioning system is in the refrigerant pump driving mode, the refrigerant pump is in working state and the first bypass valve is turned on.

5. The air conditioning system according to claim 4, wherein: When the air conditioning system is in the gas booster driving mode, the compressor is in a non-operating state, the gas booster is in an operating state, and the first bypass valve is closed.

6. The air conditioning system according to claim 4, wherein: When the air conditioning system is in the hybrid driving mode, the compressor is in a non-operating state, the gas booster and the refrigerant pump are in an operating state, and the first bypass valve is closed.

7. The air conditioning system according to claim 4, wherein: When the air conditioning system is in a compressor driving mode, the first bypass valve is closed.

8. The air conditioning system according to claim 7, wherein: The air conditioning system also includes a second bypass valve, the outlet of the evaporator is connected to the inlet of the condenser through the second bypass valve, the second bypass valve is connected in parallel with the compressor and the gas booster respectively, and the second bypass valve is opened when the air conditioning system is in an overclocking driving mode.

9. The air conditioning system according to any one of claims 2 to 8, wherein: The air conditioning system further comprises a first valve and a second valve, wherein the inlet of the compressor is connected to the outlet of the evaporator through the first valve; and the inlet of the gas booster is connected to the outlet of the evaporator through the second valve; When the compressor is in operation, the first valve is turned on, and when the gas booster is in operation, the second valve is turned on.

10. An air conditioning system control method, used to control the air conditioning system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein: The air conditioning system further comprises a compressor and a refrigerant pump, and the method comprises: Determining an excess cooling demand indicator of the refrigerated space based on an actual temperature of the indoor space at a target location and a preset temperature; Determining a target operation mode of the air conditioning system based on an excess cooling demand index of the refrigeration space and an actual temperature difference between the inside and outside of the refrigeration space; The air conditioning system is controlled to cool the refrigeration space in the target operation mode.

11. The air conditioning system control method according to claim 10, further comprising: determining a cooling deviation of the air conditioning system based on an actual temperature of the indoor space at a target location and a preset temperature; An excess refrigeration demand index of the refrigeration space is determined based on the refrigeration deviation of the air-conditioning system and the allowable refrigeration temperature fluctuation range of the air-conditioning system.

12. The air conditioning system control method according to claim 10, wherein: The determining of the target operation mode of the air conditioning system based on the excess refrigeration demand index of the refrigeration space and the actual temperature difference between the inside and outside of the refrigeration space includes: If the excess refrigeration demand index of the refrigeration space is greater than a preset index, determining that the target operation mode is an overclocking drive mode; If the excess cooling demand index of the refrigeration space is less than or equal to a preset index, a target operation mode of the air-conditioning system is determined based on the actual temperature difference between the inside and outside of the refrigeration space.

13. The air conditioning system control method according to claim 10, wherein: When the air conditioning system includes: a refrigerant pump, determining the target operation mode of the air conditioning system includes: When the actual temperature difference between the inside and outside of the refrigeration space of the air-conditioning system is less than a first preset threshold, determining that the target operation mode is a refrigerant pump driving mode, in which the refrigerant pump is in a working state, and the compressor and the gas booster are both in a non-working state; When the actual temperature difference between the inside and outside of the refrigeration space of the air-conditioning system is greater than a first preset threshold value and less than a second preset threshold value, determining that the target operation mode is a hybrid driving mode, in which the refrigerant pump and the gas booster are both in a working state, and the compressor is in a non-working state; When the actual temperature difference between the inside and outside of the refrigeration space of the air-conditioning system is greater than a second preset threshold value and less than a third preset threshold value, if the excess refrigeration demand index of the refrigeration space is less than or equal to a preset index, the target operation mode is determined to be the gas booster driving mode, In the gas booster driving mode, the gas booster is in a working state, and the refrigerant and the compressor are both in a non-working state; When the actual temperature difference between the inside and outside of the refrigeration space of the air-conditioning system is greater than a third preset threshold, the target operating mode is determined to be a compressor driving mode. In the compressor driving mode, the compressor is in a working state, and the refrigerant and the gas booster are both in a non-working state.

Images