Outdoor unit and control method and apparatus therefor, heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, electronic device, and computer-readable storage medium

Abstract

Disclosed in the present application are an outdoor unit and a control method and apparatus therefor, a heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, an electronic device, and a computer-readable storage medium. The outdoor unit comprises: a first pipeline, a first controllable throttling assembly being provided between a first end and a second end of the first pipeline, the first end being configured for connection to a first end of a heat-exchange module in a first-type indoor unit or a first end of a heat-exchange module in a second-type indoor unit, and the degree of opening of the first controllable throttling assembly being adjusted according to the type of the indoor unit connected to the first pipeline and the operating state of the outdoor unit; a second pipeline, a first end of the second pipeline being configured for connection to the first end of the heat-exchange module in the second-type indoor unit; and a first-type communication interface and a second-type communication interface respectively adapted to the first-type indoor unit and the second-type indoor unit, wherein the operating state is determined according to a communication signal transmitted by the first-type communication interface and / or the second-type communication interface. The present application enables the outdoor unit and the indoor units in heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems of different solutions to adapt to each other and cooperate with each other.

Description

Outdoor unit and its control method and apparatus, HVAC system, electronic equipment, computer-readable storage medium

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202411448436.7, filed on October 16, 2024, entitled "Outdoor unit and control method and apparatus thereof, HVAC system, electronic device, computer-readable storage medium", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the field of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) technology, and in particular to an outdoor unit and its control method and apparatus, HVAC systems, electronic devices, and computer-readable storage media. Background Technology

[0003] Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems are a collective term for systems that regulate and control air quality, temperature, and humidity within buildings. Different HVAC solutions exist, and the indoor and outdoor units of these different solutions are often incompatible. Examples include multi-split air conditioning systems and air handling unit (AHU) systems. These different solutions typically cannot be integrated. For instance, in a multi-split air conditioning system, the outdoor and indoor units can communicate, allowing the outdoor unit to control the indoor units. Unlike multi-split systems, in an AHU system, the indoor and outdoor units typically do not communicate directly; instead, they are connected to a wired controller. The controller sends the same communication signals to both the indoor and outdoor units, which then self-control based on their respective operating states and algorithmic logic. Therefore, enabling the outdoor and indoor units of different HVAC solutions to adapt to each other and work collaboratively is a pressing issue that needs to be addressed in related technologies. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides an outdoor unit and its control method and device, a heating and ventilation system, an electronic device, and a computer-readable storage medium, aiming to solve the technical problem of how to enable outdoor and indoor units in different HVAC systems to adapt to each other and work together.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, one aspect of this application proposes an outdoor unit, comprising:

[0006] A first pipeline is used to transport refrigerant; a first controllable throttling component is provided between a first end and a second end of the first pipeline; the first end of the first pipeline is used to connect to the first end of the heat exchange module in a first type of indoor unit or the first end of the heat exchange module in a second type of indoor unit; the opening degree of the first controllable throttling component is adjusted according to the type of indoor unit connected to the first pipeline and the operating status of the outdoor unit.

[0007] The second pipe is used to transport refrigerant; the first end of the second pipe is used to connect to the first end of the heat exchange module in the second type of indoor unit; the second end of the first pipe is connected to the second end of the second pipe.

[0008] The first type of communication interface is adapted to the communication interface of the first type of indoor unit;

[0009] The second type of communication interface is adapted to the communication interface of the second type of indoor unit;

[0010] The operating status is determined based on the communication signals transmitted by the first type of communication interface and / or the second type of communication interface.

[0011] It is understood that in some technical solutions of this application embodiment, a second controllable throttling component is provided between the first end of the second pipeline and the second end of the second pipeline. The first end of the second pipeline is used to connect to the first end of the heat exchange module in the first type of indoor unit or the first end of the heat exchange module in the second type of indoor unit. The opening degree of the second controllable throttling component is adjusted according to the type of indoor unit connected to the second pipeline and the operating status of the outdoor unit.

[0012] It is understood that in some technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the first type of communication interface is also adapted to the communication interface of the controller, and the controller is used to control the first type of indoor unit and the outdoor unit through communication signals.

[0013] It is understood that in some technical solutions of this application embodiment, the first type of communication interface includes:

[0014] The first terminal is used to transmit a first sub-signal, which indicates whether the outdoor unit is requested to start working by whether the voltage exceeds a first voltage threshold.

[0015] The second terminal is used to transmit a second sub-signal, which indicates whether the requested operating state is cooling mode or heating mode by whether it exceeds a second voltage threshold.

[0016] The communication signals transmitted by the first type of communication interface include the first sub-signal and the second sub-signal.

[0017] It is understood that in some technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the first type of communication interface further includes:

[0018] The third terminal is used to transmit a third sub-signal, which indicates whether to request the activation of the auxiliary heating function by whether a third voltage threshold is exceeded; the communication signals transmitted by the first type of communication interface also include the third sub-signal.

[0019] It is understood that in some technical solutions of this application embodiment, the outdoor unit further includes:

[0020] A step-down module is used to reduce the voltage transmitted at each terminal in the first type of communication interface and output a stepped-down signal;

[0021] The instruction recognition module is used to identify the instruction information corresponding to the step-down signal.

[0022] It is understood that in some technical solutions of this application embodiment, the outdoor unit further includes:

[0023] The housing is provided with a first type of communication interface and a second type of communication interface, and the first pipeline and the second pipeline are disposed inside the housing.

[0024] It is understood that in some technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the housing is further provided with a first shut-off valve located at the first end of the first pipeline and a second shut-off valve located at the first end of the second pipeline.

[0025] It is understood that in some technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the housing also includes the heat exchange module, four-way valve and compressor module of the outdoor unit;

[0026] The second end of the first pipeline is connected to the first end of the heat exchange module in the outdoor unit, the second end of the heat exchange module in the outdoor unit is connected to the four-way valve, the four-way valve is connected to the first end of the compressor module, and the second end of the compressor module is connected to the second end of the heat exchange module in each indoor unit.

[0027] It is understood that in some technical solutions of this application embodiment, the first pipeline and the second pipeline are used to transport liquid refrigerant, and the outdoor unit further includes:

[0028] The third pipeline is used to transport gaseous refrigerant; the third pipeline is used to connect to the second end of the heat exchange module in each indoor unit.

[0029] On the other hand, this application also provides a method for controlling an outdoor unit, wherein the outdoor unit is the outdoor unit described in any technical solution of this application, and the method includes:

[0030] Determine the type of indoor unit connected to the first conduit;

[0031] Determine the operating status of the outdoor unit;

[0032] The opening degree of the first controllable throttling component is controlled according to the type of indoor unit connected to the first pipeline and the operating status of the outdoor unit.

[0033] It is understood that in some technical solutions of this application embodiment, controlling the opening degree of the first controllable throttling component according to the type of indoor unit connected to the first pipeline and the operating status of the outdoor unit includes:

[0034] It is determined that the type of indoor unit connected to the first pipeline is the first type of indoor unit, and the outdoor unit is in heating mode.

[0035] Adjust the opening degree of the first controllable throttling component based on the refrigerant parameters monitored at the first end of the first pipeline;

[0036] If the type of indoor unit connected to the first pipe is not the first type of indoor unit, or if the type of indoor unit connected to the first pipe is the first type of indoor unit and the outdoor unit is not in heating mode, the opening degree of the first controllable throttling component is controlled to remain at the maximum opening degree.

[0037] It is understood that in some technical solutions of this application embodiment, determining the operating status of the outdoor unit includes:

[0038] Based on the first communication signal transmitted through the first type of communication interface and / or the second communication signal transmitted through the second type of communication interface, determine the requested operating status of each indoor unit connected to the outdoor unit;

[0039] The operating status of the outdoor unit is determined based on the operating status requests from each indoor unit.

[0040] It is understood that in some technical solutions of this application embodiment, the outdoor unit includes a second pipe, a second controllable throttling component is provided between the first end and the second end of the second pipe, and the first end of the second pipe is used to connect to the first end of the heat exchange module in the first type of indoor unit or the first end of the heat exchange module in the second type of indoor unit; the method further includes:

[0041] Determine the type of indoor unit connected to the second conduit;

[0042] The opening degree of the second controllable throttling component is controlled according to the type of indoor unit connected to the second pipeline and the operating status of the outdoor unit.

[0043] On the other hand, embodiments of this application also provide a control device for an outdoor unit, which is configured to perform the method provided by any technical solution of the embodiments of this application.

[0044] On the other hand, embodiments of this application also provide an electronic device, including:

[0045] At least one processor; and

[0046] A memory communicatively connected to the at least one processor; wherein,

[0047] The memory stores instructions that can be executed by the at least one processor, which, when executed by the at least one processor, enables the at least one processor to perform the method provided by any of the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application.

[0048] On the other hand, this application embodiment also provides an outdoor unit, which includes the control device or electronic device provided in this application embodiment.

[0049] On the other hand, embodiments of this application also provide a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, the HVAC system comprising:

[0050] The outdoor unit provided by any technical solution in the embodiments of this application;

[0051] At least one indoor unit connected to the first pipe and / or the second pipe of the outdoor unit.

[0052] It is understood that in some technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the at least one indoor unit includes a first type of indoor unit, the first type of indoor unit is a first type of indoor unit, the first end of the heat exchange module in the first type of indoor unit is connected to the first end of the first pipeline, and the HVAC system further includes:

[0053] The controller, whose communication interface, the communication interface of the first type of indoor unit, and the first type of communication interface of the outdoor unit are connected through multiple control lines. Each of the multiple control lines is connected to a corresponding terminal of the first type of communication interface. Different control lines are used to control different operation contents. Whether the voltage transmitted by each control line exceeds a threshold is used to indicate the switching of the corresponding operation content. The controller is used to transmit communication signals through the multiple control lines to control the first type of indoor unit and / or the outdoor unit.

[0054] On the other hand, embodiments of this application also provide a computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, the program being executed by a processor to implement the method provided by any technical solution of the embodiments of this application.

[0055] In one or more technical solutions provided in the above embodiments of this application, the outdoor unit is equipped with a communication interface adapted to different types of indoor units to determine its own operating status based on the communication signals received by each communication interface. The pipes connecting the outdoor units include at least two pipes, at least one of which is equipped with a first controllable throttling component. The opening degree of the first controllable throttling component is determined and adjusted according to the operating status of the outdoor unit and the type of indoor unit connected to the first pipe, enabling the first pipe to connect to a first type of indoor unit. Thus, when the first type of indoor unit cannot self-regulate the refrigerant flow, the first controllable throttling component on the first pipe of the outdoor unit can regulate the refrigerant flow through the first type of indoor unit, thereby helping the first type of indoor unit to regulate the refrigerant flow when it cannot self-regulate. This can be applied to more usage scenarios, enabling outdoor and indoor units in different HVAC systems to adapt to each other and work collaboratively, improving the cooling and heating effects of the HVAC system.

[0056] The above overview is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to be limiting in any way. In addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments, and features described above, further aspects, embodiments, and features of this application will become readily apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description. Attached Figure Description

[0057] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0058] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an outdoor unit provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0059] Figure 2 is a structural schematic diagram of a first type of indoor unit;

[0060] Figure 3 is a structural schematic diagram of a second type of indoor unit;

[0061] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an outdoor unit provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0062] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a heating, ventilation and air conditioning system including an outdoor unit provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0063] Figure 6 is a second schematic diagram of the structure of a heating, ventilation and air conditioning system including an outdoor unit provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0064] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the casing structure of an outdoor unit provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0065] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the communication connection method of the outdoor unit provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0066] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the communication connection method of the outdoor unit provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0067] Figure 10 is a flowchart illustrating the control method for an outdoor unit provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0068] The realization of the purpose, functional features and advantages of this application will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0069] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0070] Other embodiments of this application will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of the application disclosed herein. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of this application that follow the general principles of this application and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein. The specification and embodiments are to be considered exemplary only, and the application concept is indicated by the claims.

[0071] The terminology used in this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the application. The singular forms “a,” “the,” and “the” used in this application and the appended claims are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the term “and / or” as used herein refers to and includes any or all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. Depending on the context, the word “if,” as used herein, can be interpreted as “when,” “in response to a determination,” or “when…”.

[0072] It should also be noted that the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, product, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, product, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, product, or apparatus that includes said element.

[0073] Furthermore, the use of terms such as "first," "second," etc., in this application is for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0074] Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments of this application can be combined with each other, but only if they are based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be considered that such combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by this application.

[0075] One embodiment of this application provides an outdoor unit. Referring to FIG1, the outdoor unit 100 includes: a first pipe 101, a second pipe 102, a first type of communication interface 103, and a second type of communication interface 104. The first pipe 101 is used to transport refrigerant. A first controllable throttling component 1011 is disposed between a first end and a second end of the first pipe 101. The first end of the first pipe 101 is used to connect to the first end of the heat exchange module 2011 in the first type of indoor unit 201 or the first end of the heat exchange module 2021 in the second type of indoor unit 202 (FIG. 1 shows the case where the first end of the heat exchange module 2011 in the first type of indoor unit 201 is connected). The second pipe 102 is used to transport refrigerant. The first end of the second pipe 102 is used to connect to the first end of the heat exchange module 2021 in the second type of indoor unit 202. The second end of the first pipe 101 is connected to the second end of the second pipe 102. The first type of communication interface 103 is adapted to the communication interface of the first type of indoor unit 201, and the second type of communication interface 104 is adapted to the communication interface of the second type of indoor unit 202.

[0076] In some application scenarios, the first-class indoor unit 201 lacks the ability to adjust refrigerant flow under certain operating conditions (such as operating in a certain working mode, or when a certain monitoring parameter reaches a preset condition). For example, the first-class indoor unit 201 can be an air handling unit indoor unit (AHU IDU), also known as an American-style ducted air conditioner. An air handling unit indoor unit consists of a thermal expansion valve (TEV), a heat exchanger, and a fan. When the refrigerant flows in the forward direction, the opening of the thermal expansion valve automatically adjusts according to the superheat of the refrigerant to maintain stable system operation; however, when the refrigerant flows in the reverse direction, the opening of the thermal expansion valve is fixed to adapt to different operating conditions. For example, referring to Figure 2, the first type of indoor unit 201 is an air handling unit indoor unit equipped with a thermal expansion valve 2012. In cooling mode, this type of indoor unit can control the valve opening according to the superheat, thereby adjusting the refrigerant flow through the indoor unit. However, in heating mode, the thermal expansion valve 2012 is fully open. Therefore, if the valve opening of other indoor units connected to the outdoor unit 100 in the HVAC system is small, most or all of the refrigerant will flow to the air handling unit with the valve fully open, resulting in less or no refrigerant flowing through other indoor units, affecting the heating effect of other indoor units, and thus reducing the energy efficiency of the entire HVAC system.

[0077] The second type of indoor unit 202 described in this embodiment does not require the outdoor unit 100 to help regulate the refrigerant flow through it. Therefore, the second pipe 102 does not need to be equipped with a controllable throttling component. Of course, in some technical solutions, the second pipe 102 can also be equipped with a controllable throttling component to expand the types of indoor units that can be connected to it. In some technical solutions, the second type of indoor unit 202 can communicate with the outdoor unit 100 via the second type of communication interface 104. For example, in some application scenarios, the second type of indoor unit 202 can be an indoor unit in a multi-split air conditioning system. Since the multi-split indoor unit can communicate with the outdoor unit 100 via the second type of communication interface 104, it can obtain information about the operating status monitored by the outdoor unit 100, and then self-control and regulate the refrigerant flow through it based on the operating status of the outdoor unit 100. The second type of indoor unit 202 can be a multi-split indoor unit (Variable Refrigerant Flow Indoor Unit, abbreviated as VRFIDU). A multi-split indoor unit mainly consists of an electronic expansion valve, a heat exchanger, and a fan. The flow rate of the electronic expansion valve can be freely adjusted, allowing for precise control according to the actual needs of the system. Referring to Figure 3, an example multi-split indoor unit is equipped with an electronic expansion valve 2022 (EEV). The electronic expansion valve 2022 can adjust the refrigerant flow through it according to the control of the multi-split indoor unit. Any controllable throttling component in the embodiments of this application can be a flow regulating valve, specifically an electronic expansion valve, an electric ball valve, or other flow regulating devices with similar functions.

[0078] The outdoor unit 100 provided in this application embodiment is equipped with a first pipe 101 that can connect to a first type of indoor unit 201. By configuring a first controllable throttling component 1011 on the first pipe 101, the opening degree of the first controllable throttling component 1011 can be adjusted according to the type of indoor unit connected to the first pipe 101 and the operating status of the outdoor unit 100, thereby adjusting the refrigerant flow through the indoor unit connected to the first pipe 101.

[0079] Specifically, if the indoor unit connected to the first pipe 101 is a type 1 indoor unit 201, it can be determined whether the type 1 indoor unit 201 can adjust the refrigerant flow rate itself based on the operating status of the outdoor unit 100. If not, the refrigerant flow rate in the type 1 indoor unit 201 can be adjusted by adjusting the opening of the first controllable throttling component 1011. For example, if the type 1 indoor unit 201 is specifically an air handling unit, and the outdoor unit 100 is determined to be in cooling mode, the refrigerant flow rate in the type 1 indoor unit 201 can be adjusted based on the subcooling information monitored at the first end of the first pipe 101 during the outdoor unit 100's operating status.

[0080] It is understandable that when the indoor unit type connected to the first pipe 101 is the second type indoor unit 202, since the second type indoor unit 202 can self-adjust the refrigerant flow through itself, the first controllable throttling component 1011 can remain unchanged and keep at the same opening degree to avoid the change of opening degree affecting the refrigerant flow self-adjustment capability of the second type indoor unit 202. For example, it can be kept at the maximum opening degree.

[0081] Therefore, the first pipe 101 equipped with the first controllable throttling component 1011 ensures that at least one pipe in the outdoor unit 100 is capable of connecting to the first type of indoor unit 201. When the first type of indoor unit 201 cannot adjust the refrigerant flow rate, the first controllable throttling component 1011 adjusts the refrigerant flow rate passing through it.

[0082] In some technical solutions, the method for specifically controlling the first controllable throttling component 1011 can be executed by the outdoor unit 100 itself. For example, the outdoor unit 100 may include the control device for the outdoor unit provided in the embodiments of this application, which executes the above-mentioned specific control method. Alternatively, in other technical solutions, the method for specifically controlling the first controllable throttling component 1011 can also be executed by other devices / equipment outside the outdoor unit 100. This device / equipment can directly communicate with the first controllable throttling component 1011 to achieve control over the first controllable throttling component 1011. In still other technical solutions, the method for specifically controlling the first controllable throttling component 1011 can also be jointly executed by the outdoor unit 100 and other devices / equipment outside the outdoor unit 100. For example, other devices / equipment outside the outdoor unit 100 determine the adjustment information for the first controllable throttling component 1011 and send it to the outdoor unit 100, which then adjusts the opening degree of the first controllable throttling component 1011 according to the adjustment information.

[0083] Accordingly, the first type of communication interface 103 can be used to transmit communication signals between the outdoor unit 100 and the connected indoor unit. The first type of communication interface 103 is a communication interface adapted to the first type of indoor unit 201. Similarly, the second type of communication interface 104 is adapted to the communication interface of the second type of indoor unit 202. The first type of communication interface 103 and the second type of communication interface 104 are different communication interfaces that transmit communication signals based on different communication protocols.

[0084] In some application scenarios, the aforementioned first-type indoor unit 201 does not have the ability to output signals. Instead, it is connected to a controller adapted to the first-type communication interface 103. The controller sends communication signals through a communication line. After receiving the communication signals from the controller, the first-type indoor unit 201 and the outdoor unit 100 connected to the controller can achieve self-control according to their preset control logic. In some technical solutions, the controller can be controlled by the user of the first-type indoor unit 201 through an operation panel. For example, in one application scenario, the controller can be an air conditioner switch panel installed on the interior wall of a building.

[0085] The operating status of the outdoor unit 100 can be determined based on the communication signals transmitted through the first type of communication interface 103 and / or the second type of communication interface 104. The types of information that the communication signals can carry include, but are not limited to: monitored parameters (such as refrigerant temperature, refrigerant pressure, ambient temperature, etc.), control commands, requests, etc. For example, an indoor unit connected to the outdoor unit 100 can send a request for its operating mode through the corresponding connected communication interface, requesting to operate in heating or cooling mode. The outdoor unit 100 can determine its own operating mode based on the request signal received from the communication interface. As another example, the outdoor unit 100 can transmit information to the second type of indoor unit 202 through the second type of communication interface 104, informing it of some monitored parameters, such as the refrigerant temperature / pressure at the compressor discharge port, the refrigerant temperature monitored at the inlet and outlet of the outdoor unit 100's heat exchange module, etc., or it can send control commands to the second type of indoor unit 202. The second type of indoor unit 202 can control its own operating status and adjust the refrigerant flow through it based on the received information. For example, the outdoor unit 100 can also receive the communication signals sent by the second type of indoor unit 202 to receive the monitoring parameters obtained by the second type of indoor unit 202, such as the refrigerant temperature monitored at different locations such as the inlet, outlet, and semi-circular pipe of the heat exchange module of the second type of indoor unit 202, so as to adjust its own working status.

[0086] It is understood that the outdoor unit 100 provided in this application embodiment includes at least two pipes, at least one of which (the first pipe 101) has the ability to connect to the first type of indoor unit 201, and both of the above-mentioned at least two pipes have the ability to connect to the second type of indoor unit 201, thereby adapting to the connection of different types of indoor units in terms of refrigerant pipe connection. Furthermore, the outdoor unit 100 provided in this application embodiment is provided with a first type of communication interface 103 and a second type of communication interface 104 respectively adapted to the first type of indoor unit 201 and the second type of indoor unit 202. The outdoor unit 100 is compatible with the communication protocol used by the first type of indoor unit 201 and the communication protocol used by the second type of indoor unit 202. Based on the communication signals received by each communication interface, the information represented therein is parsed, and corresponding decisions are made according to the information, thereby executing corresponding operations.

[0087] In one or more technical solutions provided in the above embodiments of this application, the outdoor unit is equipped with a communication interface adapted to different types of indoor units to determine its own operating status based on the communication signals received by each communication interface. The pipes connecting the outdoor units include at least two pipes, at least one of which is equipped with a first controllable throttling component. The opening degree of the first controllable throttling component is determined and adjusted according to the operating status of the outdoor unit and the type of indoor unit connected to the first pipe, enabling the first pipe to connect to a first type of indoor unit. Thus, when the first type of indoor unit cannot self-regulate the refrigerant flow, the first controllable throttling component on the first pipe of the outdoor unit can regulate the refrigerant flow through the first type of indoor unit, thereby helping the first type of indoor unit to regulate the refrigerant flow when it cannot self-regulate its own refrigerant flow. This allows for wider applicability and improves the cooling and heating effects of the HVAC system.

[0088] In some technical solutions of this application embodiment, a controllable throttling component is also provided on the second pipe 102. Specifically, a second controllable throttling component 1021 is provided between the first end of the second pipe 102 and the second end of the second pipe 102. The first end of the second pipe 102 is used to connect to the first end of the heat exchange module 2011 in the first type of indoor unit 201 or the first end of the heat exchange module 2021 in the second type of indoor unit 202. Similar to the first controllable throttling component 1021, the opening degree of the second controllable throttling component 1021 is adjusted according to the type of indoor unit connected to the second pipe 102 and the operating status of the outdoor unit 100. That is, both the first pipe 101 and the second pipe 102 are provided with controllable throttling components so that each pipe has the ability to connect to the first type of indoor unit 201. During installation, the type of indoor unit does not need to be considered, and any pipe can be connected, which improves the convenience of installing the HVAC system and avoids the situation of connecting the wrong pipe during installation.

[0089] It is understood that in some technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the first type of communication interface 103 is also adapted to the communication interface of the controller, which is used to control the first type of indoor unit 201 and outdoor unit 100 through communication signals. The first type of communication interface 103 can connect the controller and the first type of indoor unit 201 at the same time. Specifically, the first type of communication interface 103 of the outdoor unit 100, the communication interface of the controller and the communication interface of the first type of indoor unit 201 can be connected in series through a communication cable. In this way, the communication signal sent by the controller can be sent to the first type of indoor unit 201 and outdoor unit 100 at the same time. After receiving the communication signal sent by the controller, the first type of indoor unit 201 and outdoor unit 100 can perform corresponding operations according to the instructions of the received communication signal. In some technical solutions, the operating status of the outdoor unit 100 can be determined based on communication signals sent by the controller. For example, when a user selects the power-on or cooling mode on the control panel located indoors, the control panel transmits the user's command through the communication cable connected to the outdoor unit 100 and the first-type indoor unit 201. This simply means that both the outdoor unit 100 and the first-type indoor unit 201 are turned on and operating in cooling mode. Thus, this technical solution can be applied to application scenarios where the first-type indoor unit 201 and the outdoor unit 100 do not communicate, allowing the outdoor unit 100 to be used to connect to more types of indoor units.

[0090] It is understood that in some technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the first type of communication interface 103 may include multiple terminals, each terminal being used to transmit communication signals representing different control contents, indicating the opening or closing of the corresponding operation content based on whether the corresponding voltage threshold is exceeded. Specifically, the first type of communication interface 103 may include:

[0091] The first terminal is used to transmit a first sub-signal, which indicates whether to request the outdoor unit 100 to start working by whether the first voltage threshold is exceeded.

[0092] The second terminal is used to transmit a second sub-signal, which indicates whether the requested operating state is cooling mode or heating mode by whether it exceeds a second voltage threshold.

[0093] The communication signals transmitted by the first type of communication interface 103 include a first sub-signal and a second sub-signal.

[0094] In some technical solutions, the first type of communication interface 103 may also include:

[0095] The third terminal is used to transmit a third sub-signal, which indicates whether the auxiliary heating function is requested to be activated by whether the third voltage threshold is exceeded; the communication signals transmitted by the first type of communication interface 103 also include the third sub-signal.

[0096] In this way, each terminal indicates the corresponding command by the voltage level. This communication method is relatively simple, does not require a complex modulation and demodulation process, and is suitable for simple switching control.

[0097] The first type of communication interface 103 may also include a grounding terminal for grounding to receive voltage from other terminals.

[0098] In some application scenarios, the voltage received by the first type of communication interface 103 may be high, exceeding the operating voltage of the circuit board of the outdoor unit 100. This application provides several technical solutions, including setting a step-down module and an instruction recognition module in the outdoor unit 100. The step-down module reduces the voltage transmitted at each terminal of the first type of communication interface 103, outputting a stepped-down signal (i.e., the signal obtained after voltage reduction). The instruction recognition module identifies the instruction information corresponding to the stepped-down signal. By stepping down the voltage at each terminal through the step-down module, damage or breakdown of the circuit board of the outdoor unit 100 due to high voltage can be avoided, allowing the outdoor unit 100 to be adapted to connect to the first type of indoor unit 201 with a higher communication voltage.

[0099] It is understood that in some technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the outdoor unit 100 may also include a housing, on which the first type of communication interface 103 and the second type of communication interface 104 are provided, and the first pipe 101 and the second pipe 102 are disposed inside the housing.

[0100] It is understood that in some technical solutions of this application embodiment, the housing is further provided with a first shut-off valve located at the first end of the first pipe 101 and a second shut-off valve located at the first end of the second pipe 102. The first shut-off valve and the second shut-off valve are used to shut off or open the corresponding pipes to connect or disconnect the refrigerant flow between the outdoor unit 100 and the indoor unit connected to the corresponding pipe. In installation, maintenance, testing and other scenarios, the first shut-off valve and the second shut-off valve provided on the housing facilitate operation by the operator.

[0101] In some technical solutions of this application embodiment, the housing also includes a heat exchange module, a four-way valve, and a compressor module for the outdoor unit 100; the second end of the first pipeline 101 is connected to the first end of the heat exchange module in the outdoor unit 100, the second end of the heat exchange module in the outdoor unit 100 is connected to the four-way valve, the four-way valve is connected to the first end of the compressor module, and the second end of the compressor module is connected to the second end of the heat exchange module in each indoor unit. Through the above connection method, the outdoor unit 100 can switch its operating mode between heating and cooling modes by switching the four-way valve.

[0102] It is understood that in some technical solutions of this application embodiment, the outdoor unit 100 may also include more pipes, for example, it may also include a third pipe for transporting gaseous refrigerant, and the third pipe is used to connect to the second end of the heat exchange module in each indoor unit. In some application scenarios, the first and second pipes are liquid pipes for transporting liquid refrigerant, and the third pipe is a gas pipe for transporting gaseous refrigerant. By transporting liquid and gaseous refrigerant through different pipes respectively, the phase change process of the refrigerant can be more effectively adapted, thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency of the entire HVAC system.

[0103] In one application scenario, the outdoor unit provided by some technical solutions in the embodiments of this application can be a multi-split outdoor unit, which can connect to multiple indoor units, and the multiple indoor units include indoor units of different types. Based on the outdoor unit provided by some technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, its structure can be adapted to be connected to an air handling unit indoor unit, or simultaneously connected to an air handling unit indoor unit and a multi-split indoor unit.

[0104] An air handling unit (ALU) system is a common residential air conditioning system in North America, typically consisting of one outdoor unit and one or two indoor units. Unlike common multi-split air conditioning systems, in an ALU system, the indoor and outdoor units do not communicate with each other. Instead, they are connected via a single wired controller that sends the same mode commands to both units. The indoor and outdoor units then self-regulate based on their respective states and logic. The indoor unit of an ALU usually uses a thermostatic expansion valve to control the refrigerant flow. During cooling, the valve's opening is controlled by superheat; during heating, it is essentially fully open. The outdoor unit's throttling device controls the flow rate and achieves throttling.

[0105] Currently, most air handling unit (ALU) systems on the market are single-to-single systems, with a few being single-to-two systems. In single-to-two systems, all indoor ALU units must be turned on and off simultaneously, making it impossible to achieve "zonal control" of the ambient temperature in different indoor areas. Furthermore, in multi-split systems, the refrigerant and gas pipes are typically in multi-group configurations, meaning one outdoor unit connects to multiple indoor units, each with its own separate gas and refrigerant pipes. Moreover, multi-split systems require communication between the indoor and outdoor units, making it difficult for the outdoor unit to control the indoor ALU units. To achieve applications where the outdoor unit of a multi-split system can directly connect to the indoor ALU units, or simultaneously connect both indoor ALU units and multi-split indoor units, the outdoor unit provided in this application's embodiments can be used. This outdoor unit can solve the communication issues between itself and the indoor ALU units and can control the refrigerant flow of the indoor ALU units.

[0106] Referring to Figure 4, an example outdoor unit 100 provided in this application embodiment is shown. In Figure 4, the valve core position of the four-way valve 402 is switched to cooling mode. The third controllable throttling component 404 is used to regulate the refrigerant flow through the heat exchange module 403 of the outdoor unit 100. The outdoor unit 100 also includes a compressor 405, an oil separator 406, a one-way valve 408, and a gas-liquid separator 407. Unlike traditional heat pump type multi-split outdoor units that include one liquid pipe and one gas pipe, and also unlike traditional multi-pipe air conditioners with multiple pairs of gas / liquid pipes, the outdoor unit 100 provided in this example has multiple liquid pipes and one gas pipe. The multiple liquid pipes include a first pipe 101 and a second pipe 102, and the gas pipe is a third pipe 401. A shut-off valve 1012, a liquid shut-off valve, is installed at the first end of the first pipe 101. A shut-off valve 1022, a liquid shut-off valve, is installed at the first end of the second pipe 102. A shut-off valve 4011, a gas shut-off valve, is installed at the first end of the third pipe 401. These shut-off valves can be installed on the housing of the outdoor unit 100. Optionally, all the liquid pipes can be connected to the indoor unit of the air handling unit, or all can be connected to the indoor unit of a multi-split system, or one liquid pipe can be connected to the indoor unit of the air handling unit and the other to the indoor unit of the multi-split system, depending on the specific application scenario to build the HVAC system.

[0107] It is understandable that each liquid pipe can connect to one indoor unit or multiple indoor units. However, each liquid pipe can only connect to one type of indoor unit. That is, if multiple indoor units are connected to one liquid pipe at the same time, the multiple indoor units must be of the same type. If different types of indoor units are connected to the same liquid pipe, the controllable throttling component installed on the liquid pipe will adjust the opening, resulting in different cooling / heating effects for different types of indoor units, which will affect the overall energy efficiency of the HVAC system.

[0108] Referring to Figure 5, the outdoor unit 100 is connected to only the indoor unit of the air handling unit. Compared to the outdoor unit shown in Figure 4, the outdoor unit 100 in Figure 5 also includes filter modules 503 and 504 for filtering air. The valve core position of the four-way valve 402 in Figure 5 is switched to heating mode. The HVAC system 11 includes the outdoor unit 100, the indoor unit 501 (first type indoor unit 201), and the indoor unit 502 (first type indoor unit 201). The indoor unit 501 includes a thermal expansion valve 5011 and a heat exchange module 5012, and the indoor unit 502 includes a thermal expansion valve 5021 and a heat exchange module 5022. The first pipe 101 is connected to the indoor unit 501 of the air handling unit, and the refrigerant flow through the indoor unit 501 is adjusted by the first controllable throttling component 1011. The second pipe 102 is connected to the indoor unit 502 of the air handling unit, and the refrigerant flow through the indoor unit 502 is adjusted by the second controllable throttling component 1021.

[0109] Based on some technical solutions of the outdoor unit control method provided in the embodiments of this application, each controllable throttling component in the outdoor unit 100 is controlled:

[0110] When the HVAC system 11 is running in cooling mode, if the indoor unit 501 of the air handling unit is on, the first controllable throttling component 1011 remains at its maximum opening; if the indoor unit 501 of the air handling unit is in standby or off state, the first controllable throttling component 1011 remains closed; the control method of the second controllable throttling component 1021 connected to the indoor unit 502 of the air handling unit is similar and will not be described in detail.

[0111] When the HVAC system 11 is operating in heating mode, if the indoor unit 501 of the air handling unit is on, a first subcooling degree is calculated based on the temperature value monitored by the first temperature sensing module T1, and the first controllable throttling component 1011 adjusts the refrigerant flow rate according to the first subcooling degree; if the indoor unit 501 of the air handling unit is in standby or off state, the first controllable throttling component 1011 maintains a small opening to prevent liquid accumulation; similarly, if the indoor unit 502 of the air handling unit is on, a second subcooling degree is calculated based on the temperature value monitored by the second temperature sensing module T2, and the second controllable throttling component 1021 adjusts the refrigerant flow rate according to the second subcooling degree; if the indoor unit 502 of the air handling unit is in standby or off state, the second controllable throttling component 1021 maintains a small opening to prevent liquid accumulation.

[0112] Referring to Figure 6, the outdoor unit 100 is connected to both the air handling unit indoor unit and the multi-split indoor unit. In Figure 6, the valve core of the four-way valve 402 is switched to cooling mode. The HVAC system 12 includes the outdoor unit 100, the air handling unit indoor unit 501 (first-type indoor unit 201), and the multi-split indoor unit 601 (second-type indoor unit 202). The multi-split indoor unit 601 includes an electronic expansion valve 6011 and a heat exchange module 6012. The first pipe 101 is connected to the air handling unit indoor unit 501, and the refrigerant flow through the air handling unit indoor unit 501 is adjusted by the first controllable throttling component 1011. The second pipe 102 is connected to the multi-split indoor unit 601, and the second controllable throttling component 1021 is always maintained at the same opening degree; specifically, it can be maintained at the maximum opening degree, with the multi-split indoor unit itself adjusting the refrigerant flow.

[0113] When the HVAC system 12 is running in cooling mode, if the indoor unit 501 of the air handling unit is on, the first controllable throttling component 1011 remains at its maximum opening; if the indoor unit 501 of the air handling unit is in standby or off state, the first controllable throttling component 1011 remains closed.

[0114] When the HVAC system 12 is running in heating mode, if the indoor unit 501 of the air handling unit is on, the first subcooling degree is calculated based on the temperature value monitored by the first temperature sensing module T1, and the first controllable throttling component 1011 adjusts the refrigerant flow rate according to the first subcooling degree; if the indoor unit 501 of the air handling unit is in standby or off state, the first controllable throttling component 1011 maintains a small opening to prevent liquid accumulation.

[0115] The above describes the refrigerant piping connection between the outdoor unit 100 and the indoor unit. For the communication interface of the outdoor unit 100 and the communication connection between the outdoor unit 100 and the indoor unit, please refer to Figures 7 to 9.

[0116] The communication method of an air handling unit (ALU) differs from that of a multi-split air conditioner. Communication between the indoor and outdoor units is only via a 24V voltage signal; no information (such as temperature or pressure parameters) is transmitted. Therefore, traditional multi-split outdoor units cannot be directly connected to the indoor unit of an ALU. Some embodiments of this application provide outdoor units that integrate both the communication interface of the multi-split system (specifically, a 485 communication interface) and the 24V communication interface of the indoor unit on the main control board of the multi-split outdoor unit. Referring to Figure 7, which is a schematic diagram of the housing of an outdoor unit 100 provided in an embodiment of this application, the housing has a first type of communication interface 1031 (first type of communication interface 103), a first type of communication interface 1032 (first type of communication interface 103), and a second type of communication interface 104. In some technical solutions, the first type of communication interface 103 includes four terminals: C, B, Y, and W, used for grounding, controlling the compressor on / off of the outdoor unit 100, switching the outdoor unit 100 to heating or cooling mode, and turning the auxiliary heating function on or off, respectively. Each terminal represents different control content through high and low voltage.

[0117] As shown in Figure 5, the outdoor unit 100 is connected to two indoor air handling units simultaneously. The communication connection between the outdoor unit 100, the indoor air handling unit 501, and the indoor air handling unit 502 is shown in Figure 8. The communication interface and the first type of communication interface 1031 (first type of communication interface 103) of the indoor air handling unit 501 are connected in series with the controller 801. The communication interface and the first type of communication interface 1032 (first type of communication interface 103) of the indoor air handling unit 502 are connected in series with the controller 802.

[0118] Controller 801 controls the operating status of the indoor unit 501 of the air handling unit, and controller 802 controls the operating status of the indoor unit 502 of the air handling unit. When the indoor unit 501 of the air handling unit is turned on, the first type of communication interface 1031 on the outdoor unit 100 receives a 24V voltage signal transmitted through the communication cable connected to controller 801, thereby determining whether the indoor unit 501 of the air handling unit requests a cooling mode or a heating mode, and then controlling the opening degree of the first controllable throttling component 1011. When the indoor unit 502 of the air handling unit is turned on, the first type of communication interface 1032 on the outdoor unit 100 receives a 24V voltage signal transmitted through the communication cable connected to controller 802, thereby determining whether the indoor unit 502 of the air handling unit requests a cooling mode or a heating mode, and then controlling the opening degree of the second controllable throttling component 1021.

[0119] In the connection method shown in Figure 6, the outdoor unit 100 is connected to both the indoor unit of the air handling unit and the indoor unit of the multi-split system. The communication connection method of the outdoor unit 100, the indoor unit of the air handling unit 501, and the indoor unit of the multi-split system 601 is shown in Figure 9. The communication interface of the indoor unit of the air handling unit 501 and the first type of communication interface 1031 (first type of communication interface 103) are connected in series with the controller 801. The communication interface of the indoor unit of the multi-split system 601 is connected to the second type of communication interface 104. The controller 901 of the indoor unit of the multi-split system 601 can communicate with the indoor unit of the multi-split system 601 through wired or wireless communication to control the indoor unit of the multi-split system 601. The controller 901 of the indoor unit of the multi-split system 601 usually does not directly control the outdoor unit of the multi-split system. This is because the indoor unit of the multi-split system 601 can transmit more complex communication signals through the serial 485 communication interface to send the instructions of the controller 901 to the outdoor unit 100.

[0120] On the other hand, embodiments of this application also provide a method for controlling an outdoor unit, wherein the outdoor unit controlled by this method is the outdoor unit of any technical solution in the embodiments of this application. For parts of the outdoor unit control method provided in the embodiments of this application that are not described in detail, please refer to the relevant description of the outdoor unit provided in the embodiments of this application. Referring to FIG10, the method includes:

[0121] Step 1001: Determine the type of indoor unit connected to the first pipeline;

[0122] Step 1002: Determine the operating status of the outdoor unit;

[0123] Step 1003: Control the opening degree of the first controllable throttling component according to the type of indoor unit connected to the first pipeline and the operating status of the outdoor unit.

[0124] In one or more technical solutions provided in the above embodiments of this application, the outdoor unit is equipped with a communication interface adapted to different types of indoor units to determine its own operating status based on the communication signals received by each communication interface. The pipes connecting the outdoor units include at least two pipes, at least one of which is equipped with a first controllable throttling component. The opening degree of the first controllable throttling component is determined and adjusted according to the operating status of the outdoor unit and the type of indoor unit connected to the first pipe, enabling the first pipe to connect to a first type of indoor unit. Thus, when the first type of indoor unit cannot self-regulate the refrigerant flow, the first controllable throttling component on the first pipe of the outdoor unit can regulate the refrigerant flow through the first type of indoor unit, thereby helping the first type of indoor unit to regulate the refrigerant flow when it cannot self-regulate its own refrigerant flow. This allows for wider applicability and improves the cooling and heating effects of the HVAC system.

[0125] If the indoor unit connected to the first pipe is a type 1 indoor unit, then when the outdoor unit is running in heating mode, the opening degree of the first controllable throttling component is adjusted according to the subcooling degree at the location of the first pipe in the outdoor unit's operating status information. In other cases, the opening degree of the first controllable throttling component is maintained at the same value, specifically, at its maximum opening degree.

[0126] It is understood that in some technical solutions of this application embodiment, step 1003 above controls the opening degree of the first controllable throttling component according to the type of indoor unit connected to the first pipeline and the operating state of the outdoor unit. Specifically, it may include performing the following steps: determining that the type of indoor unit connected to the first pipeline is a first-class indoor unit and the outdoor unit is in heating mode; adjusting the opening degree of the first controllable throttling component according to the refrigerant parameters monitored at the first end of the first pipeline; determining that the type of indoor unit connected to the first pipeline is not a first-class indoor unit, or, if the type of indoor unit connected to the first pipeline is a first-class indoor unit and the outdoor unit is not in heating mode, controlling the opening degree of the first controllable throttling component to remain at the maximum opening degree. By precisely controlling the opening degree of the throttling component, the system can adjust the refrigerant flow rate according to actual needs, thereby optimizing energy use. This solution allows the system to flexibly adjust according to the type of connected indoor unit and the operating state of the outdoor unit, improving the adaptability and flexibility of the system. When the indoor unit is not a Class I indoor unit, or the outdoor unit is not in heating mode, the opening of the throttling component is kept at its maximum. This ensures that the system can maintain efficient and stable operation under different operating conditions and meet the needs of different types of indoor units.

[0127] In some technical solutions of this application's embodiments, step 1002, which determines the operating status of the outdoor unit, may specifically include the following steps: determining the type of operating mode requested by each indoor unit connected to the outdoor unit based on the first communication signal transmitted through the first type of communication interface and / or the second communication signal transmitted through the second type of communication interface; and determining the operating status of the outdoor unit based on the type of operating mode requested by each indoor unit. Through the communication signals transmitted through the first and second type of communication interfaces, the HVAC system can receive operating mode requests from various indoor units connected to the outdoor unit in real time. This real-time communication mechanism enables the outdoor unit to quickly respond to changes in the indoor unit's operating mode, thereby improving the response speed and operational accuracy of the entire HVAC system.

[0128] In some technical solutions of this application embodiment, a second controllable throttling component is provided between the first end of the second pipe and the second end of the second pipe in the outdoor unit. The first end of the second pipe is used to connect to the first end of the heat exchange module in the first type of indoor unit or the first end of the heat exchange module in the second type of indoor unit. Accordingly, the method may further include the following steps: determining the type of indoor unit connected to the second pipe; and controlling the opening degree of the second controllable throttling component according to the type of indoor unit connected to the second pipe and the operating status of the outdoor unit. By controlling the opening degree of the second controllable throttling component, the second pipe can be connected to the first type of indoor unit, thus enriching the application scenarios of the outdoor unit.

[0129] On the other hand, embodiments of this application also provide a control device for an outdoor unit, which is configured to perform the method provided by any technical solution of the embodiments of this application.

[0130] On the other hand, embodiments of this application also provide an electronic device, including:

[0131] At least one processor; and

[0132] A memory that is communicatively connected to at least one processor; wherein,

[0133] The memory stores instructions that can be executed by at least one processor, which enables the at least one processor to perform the outdoor unit control method provided in any of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application.

[0134] On the other hand, this application embodiment also provides an outdoor unit, which includes the control device or electronic device provided in this application embodiment.

[0135] On the other hand, embodiments of this application also provide a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, which includes:

[0136] The outdoor unit provided by any technical solution in the embodiments of this application;

[0137] At least one indoor unit connected to the first pipe and / or second pipe of the outdoor unit.

[0138] It is understood that in some technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, at least one indoor unit includes a first type of indoor unit, wherein the first end of the heat exchange module in the first type of indoor unit is connected to the first end of the first pipe, and the HVAC system further includes:

[0139] The controller, its communication interface, the communication interface of the first type of indoor unit, and the first type of communication interface of the outdoor unit are connected through multiple control lines. The multiple control lines are connected one-to-one with multiple terminals of the first type of communication interface. Different control lines are used to control different operation contents. Whether the voltage transmitted by each control line exceeds the threshold is used to indicate the switching of the corresponding operation content. The controller is used to transmit communication signals through the multiple control lines to control the first type of indoor unit and / or outdoor unit.

[0140] By receiving communication signals from the controller through the first type of communication interface, the operating status of the first type of indoor unit can be known without having to modify the first type of indoor unit to have the function of sending communication signals to the outdoor unit, thus reducing system modifications and saving costs.

[0141] The HVAC system provided in this application embodiment can be referenced to the HVAC system examples shown in Figures 5 and 8, or the HVAC system examples shown in Figures 6 and 9.

[0142] On the other hand, embodiments of this application also provide a computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, the program being executed by a processor to implement the method provided by any technical solution of the embodiments of this application.

[0143] The specific implementation methods and technical effects of the outdoor unit control method and device, HVAC system, electronic equipment, and computer-readable storage medium provided in the embodiments of this application can be referred to the relevant descriptions of the outdoor unit provided in the embodiments of this application, and will not be repeated here.

[0144] The above description is merely an optional embodiment of this application and does not limit the patent scope of this application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made under the concept of this application and using the content of this application specification and drawings, or directly / indirectly applied to other related technical fields, should be included within the patent protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. An outdoor unit, wherein, The outdoor unit includes: A first pipeline is used to transport refrigerant; a first controllable throttling component is provided between a first end and a second end of the first pipeline; the first end of the first pipeline is used to connect to the first end of the heat exchange module in a first type of indoor unit or the first end of the heat exchange module in a second type of indoor unit; the opening degree of the first controllable throttling component is adjusted according to the type of indoor unit connected to the first pipeline and the operating status of the outdoor unit. The second pipe is used to transport refrigerant; the first end of the second pipe is used to connect to the first end of the heat exchange module in the second type of indoor unit; the second end of the first pipe is connected to the second end of the second pipe. The first type of communication interface is adapted to the communication interface of the first type of indoor unit; The second type of communication interface is adapted to the communication interface of the second type of indoor unit; The operating status is determined based on the communication signals transmitted by the first type of communication interface and / or the second type of communication interface.

2. The outdoor unit as described in claim 1, wherein, A second controllable throttling component is provided between the first end of the second pipeline and the second end of the second pipeline. The first end of the second pipeline is used to connect to the first end of the heat exchange module in the first type of indoor unit or the first end of the heat exchange module in the second type of indoor unit. The opening degree of the second controllable throttling component is adjusted according to the type of indoor unit connected to the second pipeline and the operating status of the outdoor unit.

3. The outdoor unit as described in claim 1, wherein, The first type of communication interface is also adapted to the communication interface of the controller, which is used to control the first type of indoor unit and the outdoor unit through communication signals.

4. The outdoor unit as described in claim 1, wherein, The first type of communication interface includes: The first terminal is used to transmit a first sub-signal, which indicates whether the outdoor unit is requested to start working by whether the voltage exceeds a first voltage threshold. The second terminal is used to transmit a second sub-signal, which indicates whether the requested operating state is cooling mode or heating mode by whether it exceeds a second voltage threshold. The communication signals transmitted by the first type of communication interface include the first sub-signal and the second sub-signal.

5. The outdoor unit as described in claim 4, wherein, The first type of communication interface also includes: The third terminal is used to transmit a third sub-signal, which indicates whether to request the activation of the auxiliary heating function by whether the third voltage threshold is exceeded; the communication signals transmitted by the first type of communication interface also include the third sub-signal.

6. The outdoor unit as described in claim 4 or 5, wherein, The outdoor unit also includes: A step-down module is used to reduce the voltage transmitted at each terminal in the first type of communication interface and output a stepped-down signal; The instruction recognition module is used to identify the instruction information corresponding to the step-down signal.

7. The outdoor unit as described in claim 1, wherein, The outdoor unit also includes: The housing is provided with a first type of communication interface and a second type of communication interface, and the first pipeline and the second pipeline are disposed inside the housing.

8. The outdoor unit as described in claim 7, wherein, The housing is also provided with a first shut-off valve located at the first end of the first pipeline and a second shut-off valve located at the first end of the second pipeline.

9. The outdoor unit as described in claim 7, wherein, The housing also includes the outdoor unit's heat exchange module, four-way valve, and compressor module; The second end of the first pipeline is connected to the first end of the heat exchange module in the outdoor unit, the second end of the heat exchange module in the outdoor unit is connected to the four-way valve, the four-way valve is connected to the first end of the compressor module, and the second end of the compressor module is connected to the second end of the heat exchange module in each indoor unit.

10. The outdoor unit as described in claim 1, wherein, The first and second pipes are used to transport liquid refrigerant, and the outdoor unit further includes: The third pipeline is used to transport gaseous refrigerant; the third pipeline is used to connect to the second end of the heat exchange module in each indoor unit.

11. A control method for an outdoor unit, wherein, The outdoor unit is the outdoor unit according to any one of claims 1-10, and the method includes: Determine the type of indoor unit connected to the first conduit; Determine the operating status of the outdoor unit; The opening degree of the first controllable throttling component is controlled according to the type of indoor unit connected to the first pipeline and the operating status of the outdoor unit.

12. The control method as described in claim 11, wherein, The step of controlling the opening degree of the first controllable throttling component based on the type of indoor unit connected to the first pipeline and the operating status of the outdoor unit includes: It is determined that the type of indoor unit connected to the first pipeline is the first type of indoor unit, and the outdoor unit is in heating mode. Adjust the opening degree of the first controllable throttling component based on the refrigerant parameters monitored at the first end of the first pipeline; If the type of indoor unit connected to the first pipe is not the first type of indoor unit, or if the type of indoor unit connected to the first pipe is the first type of indoor unit and the outdoor unit is not in heating mode, the opening degree of the first controllable throttling component is controlled to remain at the maximum opening degree.

13. The control method as described in claim 11, wherein, Determining the operating status of the outdoor unit includes: Based on the first communication signal transmitted through the first type of communication interface and / or the second communication signal transmitted through the second type of communication interface, determine the type of working mode requested by each indoor unit connected to the outdoor unit; The operating status of the outdoor unit is determined based on the type of operating mode requested by each indoor unit.

14. The control method as described in claim 11, wherein, The outdoor unit includes a second pipe, and a second controllable throttling component is disposed between a first end and a second end of the second pipe. The first end of the second pipe is used to connect to a first end of a heat exchange module in the first type of indoor unit or a first end of a heat exchange module in the second type of indoor unit; the method further includes: Determine the type of indoor unit connected to the second conduit; The opening degree of the second controllable throttling component is controlled according to the type of indoor unit connected to the second pipeline and the operating status of the outdoor unit.

15. A control device for an outdoor unit, wherein, The control device of the outdoor unit is configured to perform the method as described in any one of claims 11-14.

16. An electronic device, wherein, include: At least one processor; as well as A memory communicatively connected to the at least one processor; wherein, The memory stores instructions executable by the at least one processor to enable the at least one processor to perform the method of any one of claims 11-14.

17. An outdoor unit, wherein, The outdoor unit includes the control device as described in claim 15 or the electronic device as described in claim 16.

18. A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system, wherein, The HVAC system includes: The outdoor unit according to any one of claims 1-10 or 17; At least one indoor unit connected to the first pipe and / or the second pipe of the outdoor unit.

19. The HVAC system of claim 18, wherein, The at least one indoor unit includes a first type of indoor unit, wherein the first end of the heat exchange module in the first type of indoor unit is connected to the first end of the first pipe, and the HVAC system further includes: The controller, whose communication interface, the communication interface of the first type of indoor unit, and the first type of communication interface of the outdoor unit are connected through multiple control lines. Each of the multiple control lines is connected to a corresponding terminal of the first type of communication interface. Different control lines are used to control different operation contents. Whether the voltage transmitted by each control line exceeds a threshold is used to indicate the switching of the corresponding operation content. The controller is used to transmit communication signals through the multiple control lines to control the first type of indoor unit and / or the outdoor unit.

20. A computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, wherein, The program is executed by a processor to implement the method as described in any one of claims 11-14.

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