Control method for environmental conditioning system, environmental conditioning system, and storage medium

Abstract

The present application discloses a control method for an environmental conditioning system, an environmental conditioning system, and a storage medium. The method comprises: the environmental conditioning system comprises an indoor end device. The method comprises: acquiring a thermal storage period; and when the current moment is within the thermal storage period and the indoor temperature of an indoor space where the indoor end device is located satisfies a thermal storage condition, controlling the environmental conditioning system to operate in thermal storage.

Description

Control methods for environmental control systems, environmental control systems, and storage media

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese patent application No. 202411517224.X, filed on October 28, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the field of electrical technology, and in particular to control methods for environmental control systems, environmental control systems, and storage media. Background Technology

[0003] Indoor environmental regulation often involves the use of environmental control systems, such as heat pumps, to power indoor terminal devices. These devices then release cooling or heating energy to regulate the indoor environment.

[0004] In related technologies, in order to save energy consumption during system operation, environmental control systems will adopt different controls to suit different electricity price periods. However, existing solutions are prone to causing excessively high indoor temperatures, affecting indoor comfort. Technical issues

[0005] The main objective of this application is to provide a control method for an environmental control system, an environmental control system, and a storage medium, which aims to save system operating energy consumption while improving indoor comfort. Technical solutions

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, this application proposes a control method for an environmental control system, the environmental control system including indoor terminal equipment, the method comprising:

[0007] Obtain the heat storage period;

[0008] When the current time is within the heat storage period and the indoor temperature of the indoor space where the indoor terminal device is located meets the heat storage conditions, the environmental control system is controlled to operate in heat storage mode.

[0009] In some embodiments, the heat storage conditions include at least one of the following:

[0010] The indoor temperature is lower than the first preset temperature;

[0011] The set temperature of the indoor terminal device is lower than the third preset temperature;

[0012] The difference between the indoor temperature and the set temperature of the indoor terminal device is less than a first preset difference.

[0013] In some embodiments, the environmental control system includes more than one indoor terminal device, and the step of controlling the environmental control system to operate in heat storage mode when the current time is within the heat storage period and the indoor temperature of the indoor space where the indoor terminal device is located meets the heat storage conditions includes:

[0014] When the current time is within the heat storage period and the indoor temperature of the indoor space where at least one of the indoor terminal devices is located meets the heat storage conditions, the environmental control system is controlled to operate in heat storage mode.

[0015] In some embodiments, the environmental control system includes a temperature control unit and a refrigerant circulation system connected to the temperature control unit for heat exchange, the refrigerant circulation system including the indoor terminal equipment, and the step of controlling the heat storage operation of the environmental control system includes:

[0016] Increase the set temperature of the indoor terminal equipment and / or increase the target refrigerant temperature of the temperature control unit;

[0017] The environmental control system is operated according to the adjusted target refrigerant temperature and / or the adjusted set temperature.

[0018] In some embodiments, the environmental control system includes more than one indoor terminal device, and the step of increasing the set temperature of the indoor terminal device includes:

[0019] Increase the set temperature of the target indoor terminal equipment;

[0020] The target indoor terminal device is the indoor terminal device whose corresponding indoor temperature meets the heat storage conditions.

[0021] In some embodiments, the step of increasing the target refrigerant temperature of the temperature-regulating unit includes:

[0022] Increase the target refrigerant temperature according to the target temperature adjustment value to obtain a first reference value for the target refrigerant temperature;

[0023] A second reference value for the target refrigerant temperature is determined based on the current set temperature of the indoor terminal device and the indoor temperature.

[0024] The adjusted target refrigerant temperature is determined based on the first reference value and the second reference value.

[0025] In some embodiments, the step of determining the adjusted target refrigerant temperature based on the first reference value and the second reference value includes:

[0026] The maximum temperature between the first reference value and the second reference value is determined as the adjusted target refrigerant temperature.

[0027] In some embodiments, after the step of controlling the thermal storage operation of the environmental conditioning system, the method further includes:

[0028] When the environmental control system meets the conditions for the end of heat storage, the system is controlled to return to its pre-heat storage state.

[0029] The heat storage termination condition includes at least one of the following:

[0030] The current time is not a heat storage period;

[0031] The temperature of the indoor space where the indoor terminal device is located is greater than the second preset temperature;

[0032] The set temperature of the indoor terminal device is greater than the fourth preset temperature;

[0033] The duration of heat storage operation is longer than the preset heat storage duration;

[0034] The difference between the temperature of the indoor space where the indoor terminal device is located and the set temperature of the indoor terminal device is greater than a second preset difference.

[0035] In some embodiments, the step of obtaining the heat storage period includes:

[0036] Obtain electricity price information and / or ambient temperature information;

[0037] The heat storage period is determined based on the electricity price period information and / or ambient temperature information.

[0038] In some embodiments, the step of determining the thermal storage period based on the electricity price period information and / or ambient temperature information includes:

[0039] A reference time is determined based on the electricity price period information, wherein the reference time is the critical time when the electricity price increases;

[0040] The time period within a preset duration before the reference time is determined as the heat storage period.

[0041] In some embodiments, the electricity price period information includes a first electricity price period, a second electricity price period, and a third electricity price period. The first electricity price in the first electricity price period is higher than the second electricity price in the second electricity price period, and the second electricity price is higher than the third electricity price in the third electricity price period. The reference time includes the first time and / or the second time. The first time is the moment when the electricity price changes from the third electricity price to the second electricity price, and the second time is the moment when the electricity price changes from the second electricity price to the first electricity price.

[0042] Alternatively, the electricity price period information includes a fourth electricity price period and a fifth electricity price period, wherein the fourth electricity price in the fourth electricity price period is higher than the fifth electricity price in the fifth electricity price period, and the reference time includes a third time, which is the time when the electricity price changes from the fifth electricity price to the fourth electricity price.

[0043] In some embodiments, the environmental control system further includes a heat pump device that provides heat to the indoor terminal device, the environmental temperature information including outdoor environmental temperatures at different times, and the step of determining the heat storage period based on the electricity price period information and / or the environmental temperature information includes:

[0044] The target time that meets the preset conditions is determined based on the ambient temperature information. The preset conditions include the highest outdoor ambient temperature or the outdoor ambient temperature being higher than the preset ambient temperature.

[0045] The time period in which the target time is located is determined as the heat storage period.

[0046] In some embodiments, the step of determining the time period in which the target time falls as the heat storage period includes:

[0047] The start time is determined to be a time that is a first duration earlier than the target time, and the end time is determined to be a time that is a second duration later than the target time.

[0048] The time period between the start time and the end time is defined as the heat storage period.

[0049] In some embodiments, the environmental control system further includes a heat pump device that provides heat to the indoor terminal device, and the step of determining the heat storage period based on the electricity price period information and / or ambient temperature information includes:

[0050] Based on the electricity price period information, a high electricity price period is determined, wherein the electricity price during the high electricity price period is higher than the electricity price during other periods;

[0051] The target time that meets the preset conditions is determined based on the ambient temperature information. The preset conditions include the highest outdoor ambient temperature or the outdoor ambient temperature being higher than the preset ambient temperature.

[0052] The heat storage period is determined based on the time period in which the high electricity price phase occurs and the time period in which the target time occurs.

[0053] In some embodiments, the step of determining the thermal storage period based on the time period in which the high electricity price phase occurs and the time period in which the target time occurs includes:

[0054] The start and end times of the high electricity price period are determined based on the time period in which the high electricity price phase occurs.

[0055] The target electricity price phase is determined based on the start time of the high electricity price, the first preset time period, the end time of the high electricity price, and the second preset time period.

[0056] The heat storage period is determined based on the intersection of the time period in which the target time falls and the target electricity price period.

[0057] Furthermore, to achieve the above objectives, this application also proposes an environmental control system, which includes a control device comprising: a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, the computer program being configured to implement the steps of the control method for the environmental control system as described above.

[0058] In addition, to achieve the above objectives, this application also proposes a storage medium, which is a computer-readable storage medium, on which a computer program is stored, and when the computer program is executed by a processor, it implements the steps of the control method of the environmental control system as described above. Attached Figure Description

[0059] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this application and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this application.

[0060] 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, for those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0061] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the system structure of an embodiment of the environmental control system of this application;

[0062] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the hardware operating environment of the control method of the environmental regulation system in the embodiments of this application;

[0063] Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of the control method for the environmental control system of this application.

[0064] Figure 4 is a flowchart illustrating another embodiment of the control method for the environmental control system of this application.

[0065] Figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating another embodiment of the control method for the environmental control system of this application.

[0066] The purpose, features, and advantages of this application will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Embodiments of the present invention

[0067] It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the technical solutions of this application and are not intended to limit this application.

[0068] To better understand the technical solution of this application, a detailed description will be provided below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific implementation methods.

[0069] The main solution of this application embodiment is: a control method based on an environmental control system, the environmental control system including indoor terminal equipment, the method including: obtaining a heat storage period; and controlling the environmental control system to operate in heat storage mode when the current time is within the heat storage period and the indoor temperature of the indoor space where the indoor terminal equipment is located meets the heat storage conditions.

[0070] In some embodiments, for ease of description, the following description uses the environmental control system as the implementing entity.

[0071] In existing technologies, in order to save energy consumption during system operation, environmental control systems will adopt different controls to adapt to different electricity price periods. In the current time, during off-peak electricity hours, the environmental control system will directly operate in heat storage mode. When operating in heat storage mode, the system generally delivers a higher amount of heat to the room. However, this method can easily lead to excessively high indoor temperatures, affecting indoor comfort.

[0072] This application provides the aforementioned solution, in which the system does not directly operate during the heat storage period. Instead, the environmental control system only operates during the heat storage period when both the current moment is within the heat storage period and the indoor temperature meets the heat storage requirements. Based on this, it ensures that the heat released by the indoor terminal equipment during the system's heat storage process is precisely matched with the indoor temperature, thereby saving system operating energy consumption and improving indoor comfort. Here, energy saving refers to saving the system's operating energy consumption after the heat storage period ends.

[0073] This application provides an environmental control system (hereinafter referred to as the system).

[0074] In some embodiments, referring to FIG1, the environmental control system includes a temperature control unit 1 and a refrigerant circulation system 2 connected to the temperature control unit 1 for heat exchange, the refrigerant circulation system 2 including an indoor terminal device 21.

[0075] Temperature control unit 1 is used to provide cooling or heating to indoor terminal equipment 21. Temperature control unit 1 includes heat pump systems and / or gas equipment, etc.

[0076] In some embodiments, the temperature control unit 1 is a heat pump device, which includes a refrigerant circulation loop. The refrigerant circulation loop includes a compressor and a first heat exchanger, a throttling device, and a second heat exchanger connected in sequence. The second heat exchanger is heat-exchangingly connected to the refrigerant circulation system 2. When the compressor discharge port, the first heat exchanger, the throttling device, and the second heat exchanger are connected in sequence, when the compressor is turned on, the refrigerant discharged by the compressor flows through the first heat exchanger, the throttling device, and the second heat exchanger in sequence and then flows back to the compressor. The first heat exchanger is in a condensing state, and the second heat exchanger is in an evaporating state. When the compressor discharge port, the second heat exchanger, the throttling device, and the first heat exchanger are connected in sequence, when the compressor is turned on, the refrigerant discharged by the compressor flows through the second heat exchanger, the throttling device, and the first heat exchanger in sequence and then flows back to the compressor. The first heat exchanger is in an evaporating state, and the second heat exchanger is in a condensing state.

[0077] The refrigerant circulation system 2 includes a heat exchange module and an indoor terminal device 21 connected by a circulation loop, the circulation loop being filled with refrigerant. In some embodiments, the refrigerant is water. In other embodiments, the refrigerant may also be other media capable of transferring cold or heat, such as brine, such as an aqueous solution of sodium chloride or calcium chloride, or an aqueous solution of an organic compound such as ethylene glycol or glycerol. A circulation pump may be provided in the refrigerant circulation system 2 to drive the refrigerant to circulate between the heat exchange module and the indoor terminal device 21. When the refrigerant flows through the heat exchange module, it can absorb cold or heat from the temperature control unit 1, and the refrigerant carrying cold or heat can flow into the indoor terminal device 21 and be released into the indoor space where the indoor terminal device 21 is located.

[0078] The indoor terminal device 21 may include a convection terminal device (such as a ducted air conditioner) or a radiant terminal device. In some embodiments, the indoor terminal device 21 is a radiant terminal device, such as a floor heating coil, a radiant panel, a capillary network, a heat sink, etc.

[0079] The number of indoor terminal devices 21 can be one or more, and more than one indoor terminal device 21 can be installed in different indoor spaces. When there is more than one indoor terminal device 21, the refrigerant circulation loop between the heat exchange module and more than one indoor terminal device 21 can be connected through a distribution device 22 (such as a water manifold) to distribute the refrigerant after temperature regulation by the temperature control unit 1 to the corresponding indoor terminal device 21 as needed.

[0080] In other embodiments, the environmental control system is an air conditioner, and the indoor terminal device is the indoor unit of the air conditioner.

[0081] The environmental control system may also include an indoor detection module 01, which may be located in the indoor space where the indoor terminal device 21 is located, to detect indoor temperature status information.

[0082] The environmental control system may also include an outdoor detection module 02, which can be located in the outdoor environment where the environmental control system is located to detect outdoor temperature status information.

[0083] The environmental control system also includes a control device 100, and the aforementioned temperature control unit 1, refrigerant circulation system 2, indoor detection module 01 and outdoor detection module 02 are all connected to the control device 100.

[0084] The control device 100 includes: at least one processor 1001; and a memory 1002 communicatively connected to the at least one processor 1001, and a timer 1003, etc.; wherein the memory 1002 stores instructions that can be executed by the at least one processor 1001, the instructions being executed by the at least one processor 1001 to enable the at least one processor 1001 to execute the control method of the environmental regulation system in the following embodiment.

[0085] Referring now to FIG2, a schematic diagram of a control device 100 suitable for implementing embodiments of this application is shown. The environmental control system in embodiments of this application may include, but is not limited to, mobile terminals such as mobile phones, laptops, digital broadcast receivers, PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants), PADs (Portable Application Description), PMPs (Portable Media Players), in-vehicle terminals (e.g., in-vehicle navigation terminals), and fixed terminals such as digital TVs and desktop computers. The control device 100 shown in FIG2 is merely an example and should not impose any limitations on the functionality and scope of use of embodiments of this application.

[0086] As shown in Figure 2, the control device 100 may include a processor 1001 (e.g., a central processing unit, a graphics processing unit, etc.), which can perform various appropriate actions and processes according to a program stored in memory 1002. The program in memory 1002 may be a program in read-only memory (ROM) or a program loaded from a storage device into random access memory (RAM). The RAM also stores various programs and data required for the operation of the control device 100. The processor 1001 and memory 1002 (ROM and RAM) are interconnected via a bus. Input / output (I / O) interfaces are also connected to the bus. Typically, the following systems can be connected to the I / O interface: input devices including, for example, touchscreens, touchpads, keyboards, mice, image sensors, microphones, accelerometers, gyroscopes, etc.; output devices including, for example, liquid crystal displays (LCDs), speakers, vibrators, etc.; storage devices including, for example, magnetic tapes, hard disks, etc.; and communication devices. The communication device allows the control device 100 to communicate wirelessly or wiredly with other devices to exchange data. Although the control unit 100 with various systems is shown in the figure, it should be understood that it is not required to implement or have all of the systems shown. More or fewer systems may be implemented or have alternatively.

[0087] Specifically, according to the embodiments disclosed in this application, the method flow described in the following embodiments can be implemented as a computer software program. For example, the embodiments disclosed in this application include a computer program product comprising a computer program carried on a computer-readable medium, the computer program containing program code for performing the methods shown in the flowchart. In such an embodiment, the computer program can be downloaded and installed from a network via a communication device, or installed from memory 1002. When the computer program is executed by processor 1001, it performs the functions defined in the control method of the environmental control system of the embodiments disclosed in this application.

[0088] The environmental control system provided in this application, employing the control method of the environmental control system in the following embodiments, can solve the technical problem of how to save system operating energy consumption while improving indoor comfort. Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the environmental control system provided in this application are the same as the beneficial effects of the control method of the environmental control system provided in the following embodiments, and other technical features of this environmental control system are the same as those disclosed in the method of the following embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0089] It should be noted that the executing entity of this application embodiment can be a computing service device with data processing, network communication, and program execution functions, such as a tablet computer, personal computer, or mobile phone, or an electronic device or environmental control system capable of realizing the above functions. The following uses an environmental control system as an example to describe this embodiment and the following embodiments.

[0090] Based on this, the present application provides a control method for an environmental control system. Referring to FIG3, FIG3 is a flowchart of an embodiment of the control method for an environmental control system of the present application.

[0091] In this embodiment of the application, the control method of the environmental control system includes steps S10 to S20:

[0092] Step S10: Obtain the heat storage period;

[0093] The heat storage period is the period during which the environmental control system needs to operate with heat storage.

[0094] The heat storage period can be a period set by the user, or a period determined based on the user status in the indoor space (e.g., whether there are users), or a period determined based on the environmental conditions of the environment where the environmental control system is located, or a period determined based on the electricity price information of the region where the environmental control system is located, etc.

[0095] Step S20: When the current time is within the heat storage period and the indoor temperature of the indoor space where the indoor terminal device is located meets the heat storage conditions, control the environmental control system to operate in heat storage mode.

[0096] If the indoor temperature meets the heat storage conditions, it means that the indoor temperature can meet the user's comfort needs when the environmental control system is running with heat storage; if the indoor temperature does not meet the heat storage conditions, it means that the indoor temperature is too high and does not meet the user's comfort needs when the environmental control system is running with heat storage.

[0097] In some embodiments, the heat storage conditions include at least one of the following: the indoor temperature is less than a first preset temperature; the difference between the indoor temperature and the set temperature of the indoor terminal device is less than a first preset difference; the set temperature of the indoor terminal device is less than a third preset temperature. In some embodiments, the indoor temperature is the temperature currently detected by the indoor detection module in the indoor space where the indoor terminal device is located. The set temperature is the target value that the indoor temperature in the indoor environment where the indoor terminal device is located needs to reach, set by the user or obtained from user status analysis. In some embodiments, when the indoor temperature meets at least one of the above conditions, the temperature control unit and / or the refrigerant circulation system operates in heat storage mode.

[0098] When the environmental control system is in heat storage operation, the total heat released by the environmental control system is greater than the total heat required by the actual indoor space. The extra heat from the environmental control system during heat storage operation is used as a heat reserve for indoor temperature control during non-heat storage periods, thereby reducing the energy consumption required by the system to meet the heating needs of indoor users during non-heat storage periods.

[0099] When the temperature control unit is a heat pump device, the heat storage operation of the temperature control unit may include at least one of the following methods: increasing the compressor frequency, increasing the fan speed corresponding to the first heat exchanger, increasing the target temperature (e.g., the target temperature of the refrigerant flowing out of or from the heat exchange module, and / or the target temperature of the second heat exchanger, etc.), etc.

[0100] When the temperature control unit is a gas-fired device, the gas-fired device can operate in a heat storage manner in at least one of the following ways: increasing the air-fuel ratio, increasing the number of burners, increasing the heating power, etc.

[0101] The heat storage operation of the refrigerant circulation system may include at least one of the following methods: increasing the target temperature (e.g., the set temperature of the indoor terminal equipment), increasing the flow rate of refrigerant flowing into the indoor terminal equipment, etc.

[0102] It should be noted that "increase" or "upgrade" here refers to the adjustment of operating parameters relative to the actual needs of the environmental control system.

[0103] This application provides a control method for an environmental control system. In this method, the system does not directly operate during the heat storage period. Instead, it only operates when both the current moment is within the heat storage period and the indoor temperature meets the heat storage requirements. This ensures that the heat released by the indoor terminal equipment during the heat storage process is precisely matched to the indoor temperature, thereby saving system operating energy and improving indoor comfort. Here, energy saving refers to saving the operating energy of the system after the heat storage period ends.

[0104] In one feasible implementation, the environmental control system includes more than one indoor terminal device, then step S20 includes:

[0105] When the current time is within the heat storage period and the indoor temperature of the indoor space where at least one of the indoor terminal devices is located meets the heat storage conditions, the environmental control system is controlled to operate in heat storage mode.

[0106] In some embodiments, during the operation of the temperature control unit and / or the refrigerant circulation system for heat storage, the heat released by the indoor terminal equipment in both indoor spaces that meet the heat storage conditions and those that do not meet the heat storage conditions is greater than the actual heat required.

[0107] In some embodiments, the above approach helps to ensure that both the overall energy-saving requirements of the system and the comfort requirements of each space are met.

[0108] In other embodiments, when the temperature control unit and / or refrigerant circulation system is operating under heat storage conditions, the heat released by the indoor terminal equipment in the indoor space that meets the heat storage conditions is greater than the actual heat required, while the heat released by the indoor terminal equipment in the indoor space that does not meet the heat storage conditions is the actual heat required.

[0109] In other embodiments, the temperature control unit and / or the refrigerant circulation system are controlled to operate in heat storage mode when the current time is within the heat storage period and the indoor temperature of the environment where all currently powered-on indoor terminal devices are located meets the heat storage conditions.

[0110] In one feasible implementation, the environmental control system includes a temperature control unit and a refrigerant circulation system connected to the temperature control unit for heat exchange. The refrigerant circulation system includes the indoor terminal equipment. The step of controlling the heat storage operation of the environmental control system includes: increasing the set temperature of the indoor terminal equipment and / or increasing the target refrigerant temperature of the temperature control unit; and controlling the operation of the environmental control system according to the adjusted target refrigerant temperature and / or the adjusted set temperature.

[0111] The set temperature is either a user-defined value or a target value that the indoor temperature in the indoor environment where the indoor terminal device is located is required to be determined based on user status analysis.

[0112] In some embodiments, the target refrigerant temperature is the target temperature of the refrigerant flowing out after adjustment by the temperature control unit (e.g., the target temperature of the refrigerant flowing out of the heat exchange module or the target temperature of the refrigerant flowing into the indoor terminal equipment). In other embodiments, the target refrigerant temperature may also be the target temperature of the refrigerant before adjustment by the temperature control unit (e.g., the target temperature of the refrigerant flowing into the heat exchange module or the target temperature of the refrigerant flowing out of the indoor terminal equipment).

[0113] The temperature adjustment value when increasing the set temperature and / or the target refrigerant temperature can be a preset fixed value, or it can be an adjustment value determined according to the actual operation of the environmental control system. For example, the temperature adjustment value can be determined according to the interval between the current time and the end time of the heat storage period and / or the temperature difference between the current indoor temperature and the corresponding set temperature.

[0114] In some embodiments, the step of increasing the target refrigerant temperature of the temperature-regulating unit includes: increasing the target refrigerant temperature according to a target temperature adjustment value to obtain a first reference value for the target refrigerant temperature; determining a second reference value for the target refrigerant temperature according to the current set temperature of the indoor terminal equipment and the indoor temperature; and determining the adjusted target refrigerant temperature according to the first reference value and the second reference value.

[0115] In this context, increasing the target refrigerant temperature includes increasing the set temperature of the indoor terminal equipment; in this case, the current set temperature can be the adjusted set temperature. If the set temperature has not been adjusted before increasing the target refrigerant temperature, the current set temperature is the user-set set temperature.

[0116] In some embodiments, the maximum temperature between the first reference value and the second reference value is determined as the adjusted target refrigerant temperature. In other embodiments, the average of the first reference value and the second reference value may also be determined as the adjusted target refrigerant temperature.

[0117] When the environmental control system includes more than one indoor terminal device, a second reference value can be determined for each indoor terminal device based on the temperature difference between the current set temperature of each indoor terminal device and the corresponding indoor temperature. The adjusted target refrigerant temperature can then be determined based on the more than one second reference value and the first reference value. For example, the maximum temperature among the more than one second reference value and the first reference value can be used as the adjusted target refrigerant temperature.

[0118] In some embodiments, the current set temperature and target refrigerant temperature of the environmental control system can accurately reflect the actual heating capacity required by the environmental control system at present. By increasing the set temperature and / or the target refrigerant temperature, the heating capacity of the system during the heat storage period can be greater than the actual demand, ensuring that the heating capacity of the system can be reduced when meeting the indoor heating demand after the end of the subsequent heat storage period, thereby meeting the indoor comfort requirements while effectively reducing the system energy consumption.

[0119] In one feasible implementation, the environmental control system includes more than one indoor terminal device, and the step of increasing the set temperature of the indoor terminal device includes: increasing the set temperature of the target indoor terminal device; wherein, the target indoor terminal device is the indoor terminal device whose corresponding indoor temperature meets the heat storage condition.

[0120] In some embodiments, the set temperature of other indoor terminal devices besides the target indoor terminal device remains unchanged.

[0121] During the operation of the temperature control unit and / or refrigerant circulation system based on the adjusted set temperature, a new target refrigerant temperature can be determined by the adjusted set temperature of the target indoor terminal equipment, the set temperature of other indoor terminal equipment besides the target indoor terminal equipment, and the adjusted target refrigerant temperature. The operation of the temperature control unit is then controlled based on the new target refrigerant temperature.

[0122] In some embodiments, the above-described approach balances the comfort needs of different indoor spaces with energy conservation in the system.

[0123] Based on any of the above embodiments, in this embodiment of the application, the same or similar content as the above embodiments can be referred to the above description, and will not be repeated hereafter. Based on this, referring to Figure 4, after step S20, step S30 is also included:

[0124] Step S30: When the environmental control system meets the conditions for the end of heat storage, control the environmental control system to resume operation in the state before heat storage.

[0125] The heat storage termination condition includes at least one of the following:

[0126] Condition 1: The current time is a non-heat storage period;

[0127] Condition 2: The temperature of the indoor space where the indoor terminal device is located is greater than the second preset temperature;

[0128] Condition 3: The difference between the temperature of the indoor space where the indoor terminal device is located and the set temperature of the indoor terminal device is greater than the second preset difference.

[0129] Condition 4: The set temperature of the indoor terminal device is greater than the fourth preset temperature;

[0130] Condition 5: The duration of heat storage operation is longer than the preset heat storage duration;

[0131] Condition 1 indicates that the system does not have a heat storage requirement; heat storage operation during non-heat storage periods would increase system energy consumption, and the system enters a non-heat storage period after the heat storage period ends. Conditions 2 and 3 indicate that continued heat storage operation would reduce indoor thermal comfort, with the second preset temperature being greater than or equal to the first preset temperature, and the difference between the second and first preset temperatures being greater than or equal to the first preset temperature. Condition 4 indicates that the system outputs a large amount of heat based on the set temperature; continued heat storage operation would lead to excessively high temperatures and reduced indoor comfort. Condition 5 indicates that the heat storage capacity is sufficient; continued heat storage operation would lead to excessively high temperatures and reduced indoor comfort. The non-heat storage period in this application refers to the period outside the heat storage period.

[0132] The return of the temperature control unit and / or refrigerant circulation system to its pre-heat storage state indicates that the environmental control system has stopped heat storage.

[0133] In some embodiments, when step S20 includes increasing the set temperature and / or increasing the target refrigerant temperature as described above, step S30 includes restoring the set temperature and / or the target refrigerant temperature before adjustment to control the operation of the heat pump equipment and / or the refrigerant circulation system.

[0134] In some embodiments, the above-described approach can effectively balance reducing system energy consumption and improving indoor comfort.

[0135] Based on any of the above embodiments, in this embodiment of the application, the same or similar content as the above embodiments can be referred to the above description, and will not be repeated hereafter. Based on this, referring to Figure 5, the step of obtaining the heat storage period includes steps S11 to S12:

[0136] Step S11: Obtain electricity price time period information and / or ambient temperature information;

[0137] Electricity price time period information includes different preset time periods and the corresponding electricity prices for each preset time period. Electricity price time period information can be obtained through the internet or by obtaining manually entered information.

[0138] The ambient temperature information includes indoor and / or outdoor ambient temperatures for different time periods. Ambient temperature information can be determined using weather forecast temperature data and / or historical temperature data. In some embodiments, the ambient temperature information includes outdoor ambient temperature information; this application can obtain outdoor ambient temperature information for the next day via a network connection and update the ambient temperature information daily.

[0139] Step S12: Determine the heat storage period based on the electricity price period information and / or ambient temperature information.

[0140] In one implementation, a period with a price lower than the target price can be determined as a first reference period based on electricity price period information, and a period with an ambient temperature higher than a preset temperature threshold can be determined as a second reference period based on ambient temperature information. The heat storage period is then determined based on the first reference period and / or the second reference period.

[0141] In another implementation, the electricity price and ambient temperature corresponding to each preset time period can be determined. The reference time period for heat storage is determined based on the electricity price, and the heat storage time period is determined within the reference time period based on the ambient temperature.

[0142] In another implementation method, the electricity price and ambient temperature corresponding to each preset time period can be determined. Based on the comprehensive analysis of the electricity price and ambient temperature, the characteristic value of the heat storage demand for each preset time period is obtained. The characteristic value is negatively correlated with the electricity price and the ambient temperature. That is, the lower the electricity price, the higher the heat storage demand, and the higher the ambient temperature, the lower the heat storage demand. The preset time period with the characteristic value greater than the preset value is taken as the heat storage time period.

[0143] In another implementation, the end time and / or start time of the thermal storage period can be determined based on the electricity price period information, the thermal storage period can be determined based on the preset duration and end time, and the thermal storage period can be determined based on the preset duration and start time.

[0144] It should be noted that the determined heat storage period can be one or more.

[0145] In some embodiments, the electricity price period information can accurately reflect the cost of electricity consumption by the system at different times, and the ambient temperature information can accurately reflect the heating demand of the system at different times. Based on this, the heat storage period can be determined by the electricity price period information and / or ambient temperature information, thereby saving energy and costs and ensuring indoor thermal comfort.

[0146] In one feasible implementation, the step of determining the heat storage period based on the electricity price period information and / or ambient temperature information includes: determining a reference time based on the electricity price period information, wherein the reference time is the critical moment when the electricity price increases; and determining the period within a preset duration before the reference time as the heat storage period.

[0147] Electricity prices before the reference time are lower than those after the reference time. The number of reference times determined based on electricity price period information may be one or more.

[0148] The time before the reference time and between the reference time and the reference time is a preset time interval is the starting time, and the time period between the starting time and the reference time is the heat storage period.

[0149] In one implementation, the electricity price period information includes a first electricity price period, a second electricity price period, and a third electricity price period. The first electricity price in the first electricity price period is higher than the second electricity price in the second electricity price period, and the second electricity price is higher than the third electricity price in the third electricity price period. The reference time includes the first time and / or the second time. The first time is the moment when the electricity price changes from the third electricity price to the second electricity price, and the second time is the moment when the electricity price changes from the second electricity price to the first electricity price. The first electricity price period, the second electricity price period, and the third electricity price period can be sequentially referred to as a peak electricity period, a flat electricity period, and a valley electricity period. The first time is the critical moment between the third electricity price period and the second electricity price period when the third electricity price period follows the second electricity price period, and the second time is the critical moment between the second electricity price period and the first electricity price period when the second electricity price period follows the first electricity price period.

[0150] In another implementation, the electricity price period information includes a fourth electricity price period and a fifth electricity price period, where the fourth electricity price in the fourth electricity price period is higher than the fifth electricity price in the fifth electricity price period. The reference time includes a third time, which is the moment when the electricity price changes from the fifth electricity price to the fourth electricity price. The fourth and fifth electricity price periods are, respectively, peak and off-peak electricity periods. The third time is the critical moment between the fifth and fourth electricity price periods when the fifth electricity price period follows the fourth electricity price period.

[0151] In some embodiments, the above method can ensure that the system can adapt to the indoor temperature conditions for heat storage before the electricity price increases, effectively saving system energy costs and improving indoor comfort.

[0152] In another feasible implementation, the environmental control system further includes a heat pump device that provides heat to the indoor terminal device. The environmental temperature information includes the outdoor environmental temperature corresponding to different times. The step of determining the heat storage period based on the electricity price period information and / or the environmental temperature information includes: determining a target time that meets preset conditions based on the environmental temperature information, the preset conditions including the highest outdoor environmental temperature or the outdoor environmental temperature being greater than a preset environmental temperature; and determining the period in which the target time is located as the heat storage period.

[0153] In some embodiments, a start time is determined to be a time that is a first duration earlier than the target time, and an end time is determined to be a time that is a second duration later than the target time; the time period between the start time and the end time is determined to be the heat storage period.

[0154] In some embodiments, when the outdoor ambient temperature is high, the heating demand is low and the heat storage efficiency is high. Using the high-temperature period as the heat storage period is beneficial to effectively save system energy consumption during periods of high heating demand and improve heat storage efficiency.

[0155] In other embodiments, the starting time may be determined as a time three hours earlier than the target time period, and the time period between the starting time and the target time may be used as the heat storage period.

[0156] In another feasible implementation, the environmental control system further includes a heat pump device that provides heat to the indoor terminal device. The step of determining the heat storage period based on the electricity price time information and / or ambient temperature information includes: determining a high electricity price period based on the electricity price time information, wherein the electricity price in the high electricity price period is greater than the electricity price in other periods; determining a target time that meets preset conditions based on the ambient temperature information, wherein the preset conditions include the highest outdoor ambient temperature or the outdoor ambient temperature being greater than a preset ambient temperature; and determining the heat storage period based on the time period in which the high electricity price period occurs and the time period in which the target time occurs.

[0157] The target time can be determined based on the ambient temperature information during the high electricity price period.

[0158] In some embodiments, the start time and end time of the high electricity price are determined based on the time period in which the high electricity price phase occurs; a target electricity price phase is determined based on the start time of the high electricity price, a first preset time period, the end time of the high electricity price, and a second preset time period; and the heat storage period is determined based on the intersection of the time period in which the target time occurs and the target electricity price phase.

[0159] In some embodiments, the interval between the start time of the target electricity price phase and the start time of the high electricity price phase is greater than or equal to the length of a first preset time period, and the interval between the end time of the target electricity price phase and the end time of the high electricity price phase is greater than or equal to the length of a second preset time period.

[0160] The target time period can be a time span with the target time as the midpoint, start time, or end time and a set duration.

[0161] The intersection of the target time period and the target electricity price period can be used as the heat storage period, or, based on user instructions, a portion of the time period within the intersection of the target time period and the target electricity price period can be selected as the heat storage period.

[0162] The first and second heat storage periods can be determined based on the electricity price period information and ambient temperature information. The first heat storage period is the period within a preset duration before the reference time (which is a forced heat storage period), and the second heat storage period is the intersection of the period where the target time is located and the target electricity price period.

[0163] In some embodiments, determining the heat storage period by combining electricity price time information and ambient temperature information is beneficial for improving heating efficiency and reducing heating energy consumption. Specifically, determining the target electricity price period by combining the start time of high electricity price, a first preset time period, the end time of high electricity price, and a second preset time period can be considered as the period during which the heat stored before the high electricity price phase is used up and the heat demand is high after the high electricity price phase begins. In this case, combining the period of high outdoor temperature with the determination of the heat storage period is beneficial for improving heating efficiency and reducing heating energy consumption.

[0164] In other embodiments, the time period during which the target time falls within the high electricity price phase can be used as the heat storage period.

[0165] It should be noted that the above examples are only for understanding this application and do not constitute a limitation on the control method of the environmental control system of this application. Any simple modifications based on this technical concept are within the protection scope of this application.

[0166] This application provides a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program instructions (i.e., a computer program) stored thereon, the computer-readable program instructions being used to execute the control method of the environmental control system in the above embodiments.

[0167] The computer-readable storage medium provided in this application may be, for example, a USB flash drive, but is not limited to, electrical, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor systems, devices, or any combination thereof. More specific examples of computer-readable storage media may include, but are not limited to: electrical connections having one or more wires, portable computer disks, hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), optical fiber, portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), optical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, or any suitable combination thereof. In some embodiments, the computer-readable storage medium may be any tangible medium containing or storing a program that can be used by or in conjunction with an instruction execution system, system, or device. The program code contained on the computer-readable storage medium may be transmitted using any suitable medium, including but not limited to: wires, optical cables, RF (Radio Frequency), etc., or any suitable combination thereof.

[0168] The aforementioned computer-readable storage medium may be included in the environmental control system; or it may exist independently and not be assembled into the environmental control system.

[0169] The aforementioned computer-readable storage medium carries one or more programs, which, when executed by the environmental control system, cause the environmental control system to perform the following process: obtain a heat storage period; and, if the current time is within the heat storage period and the indoor temperature of the indoor space where the indoor terminal device is located meets the heat storage conditions, control the environmental control system to operate in heat storage mode.

[0170] Computer program code for performing the operations of this application can be written in one or more programming languages ​​or a combination thereof, including object-oriented programming languages ​​such as Java, Smalltalk, and C++, and conventional procedural programming languages ​​such as the "C" language or similar programming languages. The program code can be executed entirely on the user's computer, partially on the user's computer, as a standalone software package, partially on the user's computer and partially on a remote computer, or entirely on a remote computer or server. In cases involving remote computers, the remote computer can be connected to the user's computer via any type of network—including a Local Area Network (LAN) or a Wide Area Network (WAN)—or can be connected to an external computer (e.g., via the Internet using an Internet service provider).

[0171] The readable storage medium provided in this application is a computer-readable storage medium that stores computer-readable program instructions (i.e., a computer program) for executing the control method of the above-described environmental control system, thereby solving the technical problem of how to save system operating energy consumption while improving indoor comfort. Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the computer-readable storage medium provided in this application are the same as the beneficial effects of the control method of the environmental control system provided in the above embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0172] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of this application. In this regard, each block in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, segment, or portion of code containing one or more executable instructions for implementing a specified logical function. It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions indicated in the blocks may occur in a different order than those indicated in the drawings. For example, two consecutively indicated blocks may actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they may sometimes be executed in reverse order, depending on the functions involved. It should also be noted that each block in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, can be implemented using a dedicated hardware-based system that performs the specified function or operation, or using a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0173] It should be understood that the various parts disclosed in this application can be implemented using hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof. Modules described in the embodiments of this application can be implemented in software or hardware. The names of modules do not necessarily limit the specific unit itself. In the description of the above embodiments, specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics can be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0174] The above descriptions are merely some embodiments of this application and do not limit the patent scope of this application. Any equivalent structural transformations made based on the technical concept of this application and the content of this specification and drawings, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the patent protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A control method for an environmental control system, wherein, The environmental control system includes indoor terminal equipment, and the method includes: Obtain the heat storage period; When the current time is within the heat storage period and the indoor temperature of the indoor space where the indoor terminal device is located meets the heat storage conditions, the environmental control system is controlled to operate in heat storage mode.

2. The method as described in claim 1, wherein, The heat storage conditions include at least one of the following: The indoor temperature is lower than the first preset temperature; The set temperature of the indoor terminal device is lower than the third preset temperature; The difference between the indoor temperature and the set temperature of the indoor terminal device is less than a first preset difference.

3. The method as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein, The environmental control system includes more than one indoor terminal device. The steps for controlling the environmental control system to operate in heat storage mode, when the current time is within the heat storage period and the indoor temperature of the indoor space where the indoor terminal device is located meets the heat storage conditions, include: When the current time is within the heat storage period and the indoor temperature of the indoor space where at least one of the indoor terminal devices is located meets the heat storage conditions, the environmental control system is controlled to operate in heat storage mode.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The environmental control system includes a temperature control unit and a refrigerant circulation system connected to the temperature control unit for heat exchange. The refrigerant circulation system includes the indoor terminal equipment. The steps for controlling the heat storage operation of the environmental control system include: Increase the set temperature of the indoor terminal equipment and / or increase the target refrigerant temperature of the temperature control unit; The environmental control system is operated according to the adjusted target refrigerant temperature and / or the adjusted set temperature.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein, The refrigerant circulation system includes more than one indoor terminal device, and the step of increasing the set temperature of the indoor terminal device includes: Increase the set temperature of the target indoor terminal equipment; The target indoor terminal device is the indoor terminal device whose corresponding indoor temperature meets the heat storage conditions.

6. The method as described in claim 4 or 5, wherein, The step of increasing the target refrigerant temperature of the temperature-regulating unit includes: Increase the target refrigerant temperature according to the target temperature adjustment value to obtain a first reference value for the target refrigerant temperature; A second reference value for the target refrigerant temperature is determined based on the current set temperature of the indoor terminal device and the indoor temperature. The adjusted target refrigerant temperature is determined based on the first reference value and the second reference value.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein, The step of determining the adjusted target refrigerant temperature based on the first reference value and the second reference value includes: The maximum temperature between the first reference value and the second reference value is determined as the adjusted target refrigerant temperature.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein, Following the step of controlling the thermal storage operation of the environmental conditioning system, the method further includes: When the environmental control system meets the conditions for the end of heat storage, the system is controlled to return to its pre-heat storage state. The heat storage termination condition includes at least one of the following: The current time is not a heat storage period; The temperature of the indoor space where the indoor terminal device is located is greater than the second preset temperature; The set temperature of the indoor terminal device is greater than the fourth preset temperature; The duration of heat storage operation is longer than the preset heat storage duration; The difference between the temperature of the indoor space where the indoor terminal device is located and the set temperature of the indoor terminal device is greater than a second preset difference.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein, The steps for obtaining the heat storage period include: Obtain electricity price information and / or ambient temperature information; The heat storage period is determined based on the electricity price period information and / or ambient temperature information.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein, The step of determining the thermal storage period based on the electricity price period information and / or ambient temperature information includes: A reference time is determined based on the electricity price period information, wherein the reference time is the critical time when the electricity price increases; The time period within a preset duration before the reference time is determined as the heat storage period.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein, The electricity price period information includes a first electricity price period, a second electricity price period, and a third electricity price period. The first electricity price in the first electricity price period is higher than the second electricity price in the second electricity price period, and the second electricity price is higher than the third electricity price in the third electricity price period. The reference time includes the first time and / or the second time. The first time is the moment when the electricity price changes from the third electricity price to the second electricity price, and the second time is the moment when the electricity price changes from the second electricity price to the first electricity price. Alternatively, the electricity price period information includes a fourth electricity price period and a fifth electricity price period, wherein the fourth electricity price in the fourth electricity price period is higher than the fifth electricity price in the fifth electricity price period, and the reference time includes a third time, which is the time when the electricity price changes from the fifth electricity price to the fourth electricity price.

12. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein, The environmental control system further includes a heat pump device, which provides heat to the indoor terminal device. The environmental temperature information includes the outdoor environmental temperature at different times. The step of determining the heat storage period based on the electricity price period information and / or the environmental temperature information includes: The target time that meets the preset conditions is determined based on the ambient temperature information. The preset conditions include the highest outdoor ambient temperature or the outdoor ambient temperature being higher than the preset ambient temperature. The time period in which the target time is located is determined as the heat storage period.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein, The step of determining the time period in which the target time falls as the heat storage period includes: The start time is determined to be a time that is a first duration earlier than the target time, and the end time is determined to be a time that is a second duration later than the target time. The time period between the start time and the end time is defined as the heat storage period.

14. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 13, wherein, The environmental control system further includes a heat pump device, which provides heat to the indoor terminal device. The step of determining the heat storage period based on the electricity price period information and / or ambient temperature information includes: Based on the electricity price period information, a high electricity price period is determined, wherein the electricity price during the high electricity price period is higher than the electricity price during other periods; The target time that meets the preset conditions is determined based on the ambient temperature information. The preset conditions include the highest outdoor ambient temperature or the outdoor ambient temperature being higher than the preset ambient temperature. The heat storage period is determined based on the time period in which the high electricity price phase occurs and the time period in which the target time occurs.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein, The step of determining the thermal storage period based on the time period of the high electricity price phase and the time period of the target time includes: The start and end times of the high electricity price period are determined based on the time period in which the high electricity price phase occurs. The target electricity price phase is determined based on the start time of the high electricity price, the first preset time period, the end time of the high electricity price, and the second preset time period. The heat storage period is determined based on the intersection of the time period in which the target time falls and the target electricity price period.

16. An environmental control system, wherein, The environmental control system includes a control device, which includes a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, the computer program being configured to implement the steps of the control method for the environmental control system as described in any one of claims 1 to 15.

17. A storage medium, wherein, The storage medium is a computer-readable storage medium, and a computer program is stored on the storage medium. When the computer program is executed by a processor, it implements the steps of the control method of the environmental control system as described in any one of claims 1 to 15.

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