EP4137751A1

EP4137751A1 - Control method, control device, air conditioning system and computer-readable storage medium

Info

Publication number: EP4137751A1
Application number: EP21820958.3A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Yahao SHANG; Jinpeng ZHEN
Original assignee: GD Midea Air Conditioning Equipment Co Ltd
Current assignee: GD Midea Air Conditioning Equipment Co Ltd
Priority date: 2020-06-08
Filing date: 2021-04-25
Publication date: 2023-02-22
Also published as: EP4137751A4; CN111692705B; CN111692705A; WO2021249047A1

Abstract

A control method, a control device (200), an air conditioning system (100/300) and a computer-readable storage medium, the control method comprising: (S1 10) when a defrosting signal is obtained, detecting the on/off state of a heating device (13); (S130) when the heating device (13) is in the on state, controlling a first valve (17) to open to enable a pipeline between the heating device (13) and an external heat exchanger (15) to communicate, and so that the heating device (13) participates in a defrosting operation; (S150) when the heating device (13) is in the off state, controlling the first valve (17) to close, so that the pipeline between the heating device (13) and the external heat exchanger (15) is disconnected, and the heating device (13) does not participate in the defrosting operation; and (S170) when the heating device (13) participates in the defrosting operation and the temperature of the heating device (13) meets a preset condition, controlling the first valve (17) to close, or ending the defrosting operation.

Description

PRIORITY INFORMATION

This application claims priority to and benefits of Chinese Patent Application No. 202010512642.5 filed on June 18, 2020 to China National Intellectual Property Administration, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to the technical field of air conditioners, and more particularly, to a control method, a control device, an air conditioning system, and a computer-readable storage medium.

BACKGROUND

In the related art, air conditioning equipment includes a hydraulic device for heating. When the air conditioning equipment performs defrosting, the hydraulic device is often in a low-temperature environment due to participating in the defrosting. Therefore, a pipe in the hydraulic device is easily frozen, which may affect normal use of the hydraulic device.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a control method, a control device, an air conditioning system, and a computer-readable storage medium.
According to embodiments of the present disclosure, there is provided a control method applied in an air conditioning system including an outdoor unit and a heating device. The outdoor unit includes an external heat exchanger and a first valve. The heating device is in a pipe connection with the external heat exchanger by the first valve. The control method includes: detecting, in response to obtaining a defrosting signal, an on/off state of the heating device; controlling, in response to the heating device being in the on state, the first valve to open to turn on the pipe connection between the heating device and the external heat exchanger and allow the heating device to participate in a defrosting operation; controlling, in response to the heating device is in the off state, the first valve to close to disconnect the pipe connection between the heating device and the external heat exchanger and allow the heating device not to participate in the defrosting operation; and in response to the heating device participating in the defrosting operation and a temperature of the heating device satisfying a predetermined condition, controlling the first valve to close, or ending the defrosting operation.
In the above control method, the heating device is capable of participating in the defrosting operation in the on state, and cannot participate in the defrosting operation in the off state. When the heating device participates in the defrosting operation and the temperature of the heating device satisfies the predetermined condition, the heating device cannot participate in the defrosting operation. Therefore, the heating device may be fully utilized for defrosting without being frozen, enabling the air conditioning system to operate normally.
In some embodiments, the air conditioning system further includes an indoor unit. The outdoor unit includes a second valve connecting the indoor unit with the external heat exchanger. The control method further includes: detecting, in response to obtaining the defrosting signal, a current operating mode of the indoor unit; in response to the heating device being in the off state or a mode confliction existing between the heating device and the indoor unit, controlling the first valve to close to disconnect the pipe connection between the heating device and the external heat exchanger and allow the heating device not to participate in the defrosting operation, and controlling the second valve to open to turn on a pipe connection between the corresponding indoor unit and the external heat exchanger and allow the indoor unit to participate in the defrosting operation; controlling, in response to the heating device being in the on state and no mode confliction existing between the heating device and the indoor unit, the first valve to open to turn on the pipe connection between the heating device and the external heat exchanger and allow the heating device to participate in the defrosting operation; and in response to the heating device participating in the defrosting operation and the temperature of the heating device satisfying the predetermined condition, controlling the first valve to close, and controlling the second valve to open to turn on the pipe connection between the corresponding indoor unit and the external heat exchanger and allow the indoor unit to participate in the defrosting operation.
In some embodiments, the control method further includes: controlling, in response to the heating device being in the on state and no mode confliction existing between the heating device and the indoor unit, the second valve to open to turn on the pipe connection between the corresponding indoor unit and the external heat exchanger and allow the indoor unit to participate in the defrosting operation.
In some embodiments, the temperature of the heating device includes a water inlet temperature and a water outlet temperature, and the predetermined condition includes a defrosting temperature threshold. The control method includes: determining, in response to a smaller one of the water inlet temperature and the water outlet temperature being less than or equal to the defrosting temperature threshold, that the temperature of the heating device satisfies the predetermined condition.
In some embodiments, the defrosting temperature threshold ranges from 0°C to 10°C.
According to embodiments of the present disclosure, there is provided a control device for an air conditioning system. The air conditioning system includes an outdoor unit and a heating device. The outdoor unit includes an external heat exchanger and a first valve. The heating device is in a pipe connection with the external heat exchanger by the first valve. The control device includes: an obtaining module configured to obtain a defrosting signal; a detection module configured to detect an on/off state of the heating device; and a control module configured to: control, in response to the heating device being in the on state, the first valve to open to turn on the pipe connection between the heating device and the external heat exchanger and allow the heating device to participate in a defrosting operation; in response to the heating device is in the off state, control the first valve to close to disconnect the pipe connection between the heating device and the external heat exchanger and allow the heating device not to participate in the defrosting operation; and in response to the heating device participating in the defrosting operation and a temperature of the heating device satisfying a predetermined condition, control the first valve to close, or end the defrosting operation.
In the above control device, the heating device is capable of participating in the defrosting operation in the on state, and cannot participate in the defrosting operation in the off state. When the heating device participates in the defrosting operation and the temperature of the heating device satisfies the predetermined condition, the heating device cannot participate in the defrosting operation. Therefore, the heating device may be fully utilized for defrosting without being frozen, enabling the air conditioning system to operate normally.
In some embodiments, the air conditioning system further includes an indoor unit. The outdoor unit includes a second valve connecting the indoor unit with the external heat exchanger. The detection module is configured to detect, in response to obtaining the defrosting signal, a current operating mode of the indoor unit. The control module is further configured to: in response to the heating device being in the off state or a mode confliction existing between the heating device and the indoor unit, control the first valve to close to disconnect the pipe connection between the heating device and the external heat exchanger and allow the heating device not to participate in the defrosting operation, and control the second valve to open to turn on a pipe connection between the corresponding indoor unit and the external heat exchanger and allow the indoor unit to participate in the defrosting operation; control, in response to the heating device being in the on state and no mode confliction existing between the heating device and the indoor unit, the first valve to open to turn on the pipe connection between the heating device and the external heat exchanger and allow the heating device to participate in the defrosting operation; and in response to the heating device participating in the defrosting operation and the temperature of the heating device satisfying the predetermined condition, control the first valve to close, and control the second valve to open to turn on the pipe connection between the corresponding indoor unit and the external heat exchanger and allow the indoor unit to participate in the defrosting operation.
In some embodiments, the control module is configured to: control, in response to the heating device being in the on state and no mode confliction existing between the heating device and the indoor unit, the second valve to open to turn on the pipe connection between the corresponding indoor unit and the external heat exchanger and allow the indoor unit to participate in the defrosting operation.
In some embodiments, the temperature of the heating device includes a water inlet temperature and a water outlet temperature, and the predetermined condition includes a defrosting temperature threshold. The control module is configured to: determine, in response to a smaller one of the water inlet temperature and the water outlet temperature being less than or equal to the defrosting temperature threshold, that the temperature of the heating device satisfies the predetermined condition.
In some embodiments, the defrosting temperature threshold ranges from 0°C to 10°C.
According to embodiments of the present disclosure, there is provided an air conditioning system including the control device according to any one of the above embodiments.
In the above air conditioning system, the heating device is capable of participating in the defrosting operation in the on state, and cannot participate in the defrosting operation in the off state. When the heating device participates in the defrosting operation and the temperature of the heating device satisfies the predetermined condition, the heating device cannot participate in the defrosting operation. Therefore, the heating device may be fully utilized for defrosting without being frozen, enabling the air conditioning system to operate normally.
According to embodiments of the present disclosure, there is provided an air conditioning system. The air conditioning system includes a memory, a processor, and computer-executable instructions stored in the memory and executable on the processor. The processor is configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to implement steps of the control method according to any one of the above embodiments.
In the above air conditioning system, the heating device is capable of participating in the defrosting operation in the on state, and cannot participate in the defrosting operation in the off state. When the heating device participates in the defrosting operation and the temperature of the heating device satisfies the predetermined condition, the heating device cannot participate in the defrosting operation. Therefore, the heating device may be fully utilized for defrosting without being frozen, enabling the air conditioning system to operate normally.
According to embodiments of the present disclosure, there is provided a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium including computer-executable instructions. The computer-executable instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the processor to perform steps of the control method according to any one of the above embodiments.
Additional aspects and advantages of the present disclosure will be provided at least in part in the following description, or will become apparent at least in part from the following description, or can be learned from practicing of the present disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and/or additional aspects and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent and more understandable from the description of embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a control method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 2 is a schematic partial structural view of an air conditioning system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a control device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 4 is another schematic partial structural view of an air conditioning system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 5 is yet another schematic partial structural view of an air conditioning system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 6 is another flowchart of a control method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 7 is yet another flowchart of a control method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 8 is still another flowchart of a control method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 9 is a block diagram of an air conditioning system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Reference numerals:

air conditioning system 100, control device 200, air conditioning system 300;
outdoor unit 11, heating device 13, water inlet 131, water outlet 133, external heat exchanger 15, first valve 17;
compressor 21, four-way valve 23, first heat exchanger 25, indoor unit 27, second valve 29;
electric heating member 31, heating coil 33, water tank 35;
obtaining module 110, detection module 130, control module 150;
memory 210, processor 230.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to examples thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, throughout which same or similar elements, or elements having same or similar functions, are denoted by same or similar reference numerals. The embodiments described below with reference to the drawings are illustrative only, and are intended to explain, rather than limiting, the present disclosure.
In the description of the present disclosure, the terms "first" and "second" are only used for descriptive purposes, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of indicated technical features. Therefore, the features associated with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of the features. In the description of the present disclosure, "plurality" means at least two, unless otherwise specifically defined.
In the description of the present disclosure, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, terms such as "installed", "connected", and "coupled" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it may be a fixed connection or a detachable connection or an integral connection; mechanical connection or electrical connection; direct connection or indirect connection through an intermediate; internal communication of two components or the interaction relationship between two components. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the present disclosure can be understood according to specific circumstances.
Various embodiments or examples for implementing different structures of the present disclosure are provided in the present disclosure. In order to simplify the description of the present disclosure, components and arrangements of specific examples will be described below. Of course, these specific examples are merely for the purpose of illustration, and they are not intended to limit the present disclosure. Further, the same reference numerals and/or reference letters may appear in different examples of the present disclosure for the purpose of simplicity and clarity, rather than indicating a relationship between different embodiments and/or arrangements as discussed. In addition, the present disclosure provides examples of various specific processes and materials. However, applications of other processes and/or the use of other materials are conceivable for those of ordinary skill in the art.
Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, according to embodiments of the present disclosure, there is provided a control method applied in an air conditioning system 100. The air conditioning system 100 includes an outdoor unit 11 and a heating device 13. The outdoor unit 11 includes an external heat exchanger 15 and a first valve 17. The heating device 13 is in a pipe connection with the external heat exchanger 15 by the first valve 17.
The control method includes steps as follows.
At step S110, an on/off state of the heating device 13 is detected in response to obtaining a defrosting signal.
At step S130, in response to the heating device 13 being in the on state, the first valve 17 is controlled to open to turn on the pipe connection between the heating device 13 and the external heat exchanger 15 and allow the heating device 13 to participate in a defrosting operation.
At step S150, in response to the heating device 13 being in the off state, the first valve 17 is controlled to close to disconnect the pipe connection between the heating device 13 and the external heat exchanger 15 and allow the heating device 13 not to participate in the defrosting operation.
At step S170, in response to the heating device 13 participating in the defrosting operation and a temperature of the heating device 13 satisfying a predetermined temperature, the first valve 17 is controlled to close, or the defrosting operation is ended.
The control method according to the embodiments of the present disclosure can be implemented by a control device 200 according to embodiments of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 3, the control device 200 includes an obtaining module 110, a detection module 130, and a control module 150. The obtaining module 110 is configured to obtain a defrosting signal. The detection module 130 is configured to detect an on/off state of the heating device 13. The control module 150 is configured to: in response to the heating device 13 being in the on state, control the first valve 17 to open to turn on the pipe connection between the heating device 13 and the external heat exchanger 15 and allow the heating device 13 to participate in a defrosting operation; in response to the heating device 13 being in the off state, control the first valve 17 to close to disconnect the pipe connection between the heating device 13 and the external heat exchanger 15 and allow the heating device 13 not to participate in the defrosting operation; and in response to the heating device 13 participating in the defrosting operation and a temperature of the heating device 13 satisfying a predetermined temperature, control the first valve 17 to close, or end the defrosting operation.
In the above control method and the control device 200, the heating device 13 is capable of participating in the defrosting operation in the on state, and cannot participate in the defrosting operation in the off state. When the heating device 13 participates in the defrosting operation and the temperature of the heating device 13 satisfies the predetermined temperature, the heating device 13 cannot participate in the defrosting. In this way, the heating device 13 may be fully utilized for defrosting without being frozen, enabling the air conditioning system 100 to operate normally.
In some embodiments, in the air conditioning system 100 according to the embodiments illustrated in FIG. 2, the outdoor unit 11 includes a compressor 21 and a four-way valve 23. The heating device 13 includes a first heat exchanger 25. The compressor 21 is a power source of the air conditioning system 100. In the air conditioning system 100, the compressor 21 is configured to compress a low-temperature refrigerant into a high-temperature refrigerant. Finally, the refrigerant will exchange heat with other media in the external heat exchanger 15. The compressor 21 may be a volumetric compressor, a speed compressor, or the like. The four-way valve 23 is configured to allow the high-temperature refrigerant compressed by the compressor 21 to flow through different pipes by switching different channels, to enable the air conditioning system 100 switch between a refrigeration function and a heating function. In the illustrated embodiment, the four-way valve 23 is configured to communicate a D port with an E port, and communicate a C port with an S port, to implement the heating function of the air conditioning system 100.
In addition, the first heat exchanger 25 is configured to allow the high-temperature refrigerant to exchange heat in the heating device 13 to realize the heating function of the heating device 13. The first heat exchanger 25 includes, but is not limited to, a floating head type heat exchanger, a fixed tube plate type heat exchanger, a U-shaped tube plate type heat exchanger, a plate type heat exchanger, or the like. In one embodiment, the first heat exchanger 25 is the plate type heat exchanger.
Referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, in other embodiments, a temperature sensing element (not shown) may be disposed on the external heat exchanger 15. The obtaining module 110 may obtain a temperature of the external heat exchanger 15 by the temperature sensing element. The temperature of the external heat exchanger 15 may be a temperature inside the external heat exchanger 15, or may be an ambient temperature around the external heat exchanger 15.
In an embodiment, the temperature sensing element may be an ambient thermal bulb for detecting the ambient temperature around the external heat exchanger 15. In response to the ambient temperature around the external heat exchanger 15 being less than or equal to a predetermined temperature, the ambient thermal bulb performs corresponding feedback to allow the obtaining module 110 to obtain the defrosting signal. In other embodiments, the temperature sensing element may be a temperature sensor or an infrared sensor.
In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, the defrosting signal is transmitted to the detection module 130. The detection module 130 detects the on/off state of the heating device 13 based on the defrosting signal. It should be understood that, in other embodiments, the defrosting signal may be transmitted to the control module 150 to allow the control module 150 to control the detection module 130 to detect the on/off state of the heating device 13.
In addition, the defrosting signal may be transmitted to a terminal in wireless communication with the air conditioning system 100. The terminal includes, but is not limited to, a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a personal computer, a wearable device, other air conditioning systems 100, or the like. The wireless communication may be implemented in a manner such as Bluetooth, WiFi, infrared, mobile network communication (for example, 4G, 5G, etc.). In other embodiments, the defrosting signal may also be generated by a remote controller of the air conditioning system 100 or the above terminal, and transmitted to the control device 200.
Referring to FIG. 3, in response to the control device 200 receiving the defrosting signal, the detection module 130 detects the on/off state of the heating device 13, and transmits on/off state information of the heating device 13 to the control module 150 to allow the control module 150 to perform a corresponding operation.
In a further embodiment, in response to the heating device 13 being in the on state, the control module 150 controls the first valve 17 to open to turn on the pipe connection between the heating device 13 and the external heat exchanger 15. In this case, referring to FIG. 2 again, the high-temperature refrigerant generated in the compressor 21 sequentially passes through the D port and the E port into the first heat exchanger 25 in the heating device 13, and finally flows to the external heat exchanger 15, to realize the defrosting of the external heat exchanger 15 by the heating device 13.
In response to the heating device 13 being in the off state, the control module 150 controls the first valve 17 to close to disconnect the pipe connection between the heating device 13 and the external heat exchanger 15. In this case, it is possible to avoid an internal pipe of the heating device 13 from being frozen when the heating device 13 participates in the defrosting operation, which may affect a subsequent normal operation of the heating device 13.
In response to the heating device 13 participating in the defrosting operation and the temperature of the heating device 13 satisfying the predetermined condition, it can be confirmed that the heating device 13 is no longer suitable for participating in the defrosting operation, allowing the heating device 13 not to participate in the defrosting operation of the external heat exchanger 15 to prevent the internal pipe of the heating device 13 from being frozen. The predetermined condition can prevent the heating device 13 from being damaged due to too low temperature. The predetermined condition may be understood as an anti-low temperature condition or an anti-freezing condition.
The temperature of the heating device 13 may be a temperature of any of the pipes in the heating device 13, or may be a temperature of other elements in the heating device 13. In an embodiment, the predetermined condition includes a defrosting temperature threshold. The heating device 13 is provided with a temperature sensing element. In response to the temperature sensing element detecting that the temperature of the heating device 13 is less than or equal to the defrosting temperature threshold, the control module 150 may control the first valve 17 to close, or control the outdoor unit 11 to stop defrosting, to end the defrosting operation, which can prevent the temperature of the heating device 13 from being further reduced. The temperature sensing element includes, but is not limited to, a thermal bulb, a temperature sensor, an infrared sensor, etc. In other embodiments, the predetermined condition may also be a temperature variation of the detected temperature of the heating device 13 within a predetermined duration, and the description thereof in detail will be omitted herein.
It should be understood that, when the heating device 13 is in the on state, the heating device 13 may be heated to a higher temperature. In this case, the pipe in the heating device 13 is not easily frozen. Thus, it is possible for the heating device 13 to participate in the defrosting operation. When the heating device 13 is in the off state, the heating device 13 has a lower temperature. In this case, the heating device 13 cannot participate in the defrosting operation. Therefore, the pipe in the heating device 13 is not easily frozen to protect the heating device 13 from being affected.
In addition, the first valve 17 includes, but is not limited to, valves having different power sources, such as a solenoid valve, a hydraulic valve, a pneumatic valve, a backpressure valve, and valves having different opening and closing modes, such as a gate valve, a stop valve, a plug valve, a ball valve, a butterfly valve, a diaphragm valve, a check valve, a throttle valve, a pressure relief valve, and the like. In one embodiment, the first valve 17 is an electronic expansion valve.
In addition, in other embodiments, the first valve 17 has an opening degree. A flow velocity or a flow rate of the high-temperature refrigerant in the heating device 13 can be controlled by adjusting the opening degree of the first valve 17. Thus, control precision can be improved. In one embodiment, the first valve 17 has a maximum opening degree of 480.
In addition, the heating device 13 may be used for heating and generating domestic hot water. Referring to FIG. 2, FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the heating device 13 includes an electric heating member 31. In some embodiments, the heating device 13 may deliver the high-temperature refrigerant to the first heat exchanger 25 through the compressor 21 to realize the heating function, and may also generate the domestic hot water by delivering the high-temperature refrigerant and the heating by the electric heating member 31. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5, the air conditioning system 100 includes a heating coil 33. The heating coil 33 may be mounted indoors. The heating device 13 may allow the heating coil 33 to generate heat through heating. The air conditioning system 100 further includes a water tank 35. The heating device 13 can deliver the domestic hot water to the water tank 35 to meet requirement of a user for generating hot water by the heating device 13. In some embodiments, in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, the heating device 13 includes a water inlet 131 and a water outlet 133. The water inlet 131 is configured to input cold water. The water outlet 133 is configured to output hot water. In one example, the electric heating member 31 is an electric heating tank.
Since the heating device 13 is in a high-temperature environment for a long time, in the case where the heating device 13 participates in the defrosting operation, when the pipe in the heating device 13 is frozen, the pipe in the heating device 13 may be deformed due to long-term thermal expansion and cold contraction, or even be damaged and broken, which would affect normal use of the heating device 13 and damage life safety of the user.
It should be noted that, in some embodiments, in response to the heating device 13 participates in the defrosting operation, referring to FIG. 3, the control module 150 may transmit a signal to the heating device 13 to allow the heating device 13 to send an indication on participating in the defrosting operation. In some embodiments, the air conditioning system 100 includes an indicator (not shown) in one embodiment. The indicator includes, but is not limited to, a buzzer, an LED lamp, a display screen, a loudspeaker, etc. The heating device 13 may send indication information on the heating device participating in the defrosting operation to the user through at least one of alarm prompt tone, lighting with a specific change pattern, texts on a display screen, voice, or the like.
Referring to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, in some embodiments, the air conditioning system 100 includes an indoor unit 27. The outdoor unit 11 includes a second valve 29 connecting the indoor unit 27 with the external heat exchanger 15. Referring to FIG. 6, the control method includes the following steps.
At step S210, in response to obtaining the defrosting signal, a current operating mode of the indoor unit 27 is detected.
At step S230, in response to the heating device 13 being in the off state or a mode confliction existing between the heating device 13 and the indoor unit 27, the first valve 17 is controlled to close to disconnect the pipe connection between the heating device 13 and the external heat exchanger 15 and allow the heating device 13 not to participate in the defrosting operation, and the second valve 29 is controlled to open to turn on the pipe connection between the indoor unit 27 and the external heat exchanger 15 and allow the indoor unit 27 to participate in the defrosting operation.
At step S250, in response to the heating device 13 being in the on state and no mode confliction existing between the heating device 13 and the indoor unit 27, the first valve 17 is controlled to open to turn on the pipe connection between the heating device 13 and the external heat exchanger 15 and allow the heating device 13 to participate in the defrosting operation.
At step S270, in response to the heating device 13 participating in the defrosting operation and the temperature of the heating device 13 satisfying the predetermined condition, the first valve 17 is controlled to close, and the second valve 29 is controlled to open to turn on the pipe connection between the corresponding indoor unit 27 and the external heat exchanger 15 and allow the indoor unit 27 to participate in the defrosting operation.
The control method according to the embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented by the control device 200 according to the embodiments of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 3, the detection module 130 is configured to detect the current operating mode of the indoor unit 27 in response to obtaining the defrosting signal. The control module 150 is configured to: in response to the heating device 13 being in the off state or a mode confliction existing between the heating device 13 and the indoor unit 27, control the first valve 17 to close to disconnect the pipe connection between the heating device 13 and the external heat exchanger 15 and allow the heating device 13 not to participate in the defrosting operation, and control the second valve 29 to open to turn on the pipe connection between the indoor unit 27 and the external heat exchanger 15 and allow the indoor unit 27 to participate in the defrosting operation; in response to the heating device 13 being in the on state and no mode confliction existing between the heating device 13 and the indoor unit 27, control the first valve 17 to open to turn on the pipe connection between the heating device 13 and the external heat exchanger 15 and allow the heating device 13 to participate in the defrosting operation; and in response to the heating device 13 participating in the defrosting operation and the temperature of the heating device 13 satisfying the predetermined condition, control the first valve 17 to close, and control the second valve 29 to open to turn on the pipe connection between the corresponding indoor unit 27 and the external heat exchanger 15 and allow the indoor unit 27 to participate in the defrosting operation. In this way, the heating device 13 and the indoor unit 27 may participate in the defrosting operation in cooperation with each other.
In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, in the illustrated embodiments, the air conditioning system 100 has two indoor units 27 and two second valves 29. Each indoor unit 27 is in communication with the compressor 21 and the external heat exchanger 15 to form respective independent pipe loops. Each pipe loop is provided with one second valve 29. The second valve 29 is configured to turn on or disconnect the pipe loop. It should be understood that, by changing the port, to be communicated, of the four-way valve 23, the indoor unit 27 may be switched among several modes. In other embodiments, one or more indoor units 27 may also be provided. For example, one, or more than two (for example, three or more) indoor units 27 may be provided. The number of the indoor units 27 may be selected as desired, and a specific principle is similar to that of the above embodiments, and thus the description thereof in detail will be omitted herein.
Referring to FIG. 3, in response to obtaining the defrosting signal by the obtaining module 110, the control module 150 may detect the operating mode of the indoor unit 27 by the detection module 130. In some embodiments, the detection module 130 may receive operating mode information of the indoor units 27 in a wired or wireless communication manner. The control module 150 may determine the current operating mode of the indoor unit 27 based on the operating mode information of the corresponding indoor unit 27. The operating mode of the indoor unit 27 may include a refrigeration mode, a heating mode, a dehumidification mode, a fresh air mode (or an air supply mode), etc.
In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, in response to the heating device 13 being in the off state or a mode confliction existing between the heating device 13 and the indoor unit 27, the control module 150 may determine that the heating device 13 cannot participate in the defrosting operation (that is, the heating device 13 cannot be continuously heated). Thus, the control module 150 controls the first valve 17 to close and control the second valve 29 to open, to allow the heating device 13 not to participate in the defrosting operation and allow the indoor unit 27 to participate in the defrosting operation. In this way, the defrosting operation may be achieved by the indoor unit 27 without the heating device 13 being frozen. The indoor unit 27 participating in the defrosting operation means that the control module 150 controls the second valve 29 to open to turn on the pipe loop where the corresponding indoor unit 27 is located and allow the high-temperature refrigerant to flow into the external heat exchanger 15 through the indoor unit 27.
In response to the heating device 13 being in the on state and no mode confliction existing between the heating device 13 and the indoor unit 27, the control module 150 may determine that the heating device 13 can participate in the defrosting operation (that is, the heating device 13 is in a relatively high-temperature state due to heating). Thus, the control module 150 controls the first valve 17 to open to allow the heating device 13 to participate in the defrosting operation.
In response to the heating device 13 participating in the defrosting operation and the temperature of the heating device 13 satisfying the predetermined condition, it can be determined that an interior of the heating device 13 has a lower temperature. In this case, referring to FIG. 3, the control module 150 controls the first valve 17 to close, and control the second valve 29 to open, allowing the heating device 13 not to participate in the defrosting operation of the external heat exchanger 15, and allowing the outdoor unit 11 to participate in the defrosting operation. Therefore, the external heat exchanger 15 can be continuously defrosted without the internal pipe of the heating device 13 being frozen.
In addition, the air conditioning system 100 may detect current operating modes of the heating device 13 and the indoor unit 27 for mode processing. In some embodiments, in response to the control module 150 determining that the indoor unit 27 is in the on state and a confliction existing between a mode of the heating device 13 and a mode the indoor unit 27, it can be confirmed that there is a mode confliction between the heating device 13 and the outdoor unit 11. In this case, the heating device 13 may be in a standby state or not operated or turned off, which may enable the heating device 13 not to turn on. The mode confliction may be determined as appropriate. In one embodiment, in response to the indoor unit 27 being in the on state and the heating device 13 being in the off state, the heating device 13 is turned on, which may generate the mode confliction for the heating device 13 and bring the heating device in the standby state. For example, in response to the indoor unit 27 operating in a cooling mode, the heating device 13 is turned on. In this case, the heating device 13 is heated, while the indoor unit 27 is cooled. Therefore, the mode confliction is generated.
It should be understood that, in response to no confliction existing between the mode of the heating device 13 and the mode of the indoor unit 27, it can be confirmed that there is no mode confliction between the heating device 13 and the outdoor unit 11.
In addition, the second valve 29 includes, but is not limited to, valves with different power sources such as a solenoid valve, a hydraulic valve, a pneumatic valve, a backpressure valve, and valves with different opening and closing modes such as a gate valve, a stop valve, a plug valve, a ball valve, a butterfly valve, a diaphragm valve, a check valve, a throttle valve, a pressure relief valve. In one example, the second valve 29 is an electronic expansion valve.
In addition, in other embodiments, the second valve 29 has an opening degree. A flow velocity or a flow rate of the high-temperature refrigerant in the indoor unit 27 may be controlled by adjusting the opening degree of the second valve 29. Thus, control precision can be improved. In one embodiment, the second valve 29 has a maximum opening degree of 480.
It should be noted that, in some embodiments, in response to the indoor unit 27 participating in the defrosting operation, the control module 150 may transmit a signal to the indoor unit 27 to allow the indoor unit 27 to send an indication on participating in the defrosting operation. In some embodiments, the indoor unit 27 has an indicator (not shown). The indicator includes, but is not limited to, a buzzer, an LED lamp, a display screen, a loudspeaker, etc. The indoor unit 27 may send indication information on the indoor unit 27 participating in the defrosting operation to the user through at least one of alarm prompt tone, lighting with a specific change pattern, texts on a display screen, voice, or the like.
In other embodiments, the indoor unit 27 may be omitted in the air conditioning system 100. In such an embodiment, in the heating device 13 illustrated in FIG. 2, the water inlet 131 is connected to the F port in FIG. 5, and the water outlet 133 is connected to the E port in FIG. 5. In addition, the water inlet 131 may also be in communication with a water supply pipe to supply water to the heating device 13.
Referring to FIG. 4, FIG. 5 and FIG. 7, in some embodiments, the control method includes the following step.
At step S310, in response to the heating device 13 being in the on state and no mode confliction existing between the heating device 13 and the indoor unit 27, the second valve 29 is controlled to open to turn on the pipe connection between the corresponding indoor unit 27 and the external heat exchanger 15 and allow the indoor unit 27 to participate in the defrosting operation.
The control method according to the embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented by the control device 200 according to the embodiments of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 3, the control module 150 is configured to: in response to the heating device 13 being in the on state and no mode confliction existing between the heating device 13 and the indoor unit 27, control the second valve 29 to open to turn on the pipe connection between the corresponding indoor unit 27 and the external heat exchanger 15 and allow the indoor unit 27 to participate in the defrosting operation. In this way, the defrosting of the air conditioning system 100 can be performed at an increased speed.
In some embodiments, in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, in response to the control module 150 confirming that no mode confliction exists between the heating device 13 and the indoor unit 27, the first valve 17 and the second valve 29 may be controlled to open to allow the heating device 13 and the indoor unit 27 to perform the defrosting operation. Thus, it is possible to accelerate the defrosting speed of the external heat exchanger 15.
Referring to FIG. 8, in some embodiments, the temperature of the heating device 13 includes a water inlet temperature and a water outlet temperature. The predetermined condition includes a defrosting temperature threshold. The control method includes the following step.
At step S510, in response to a smaller one of the water inlet temperature and the water outlet temperature being less than or equal to the defrosting temperature threshold, it is determined that the temperature of the heating device 13 satisfies the predetermined condition.
The control method according to the embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented by the control device 200 according to the embodiments of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 3, the control module 150 is configured to: in response to the smaller one of the water inlet temperature and the water outlet temperature being less than or equal to the defrosting temperature threshold, determine that the temperature of the heating device 13 satisfies the predetermined condition. In this way, it is possible to accurately determine whether the current heating device 13 is capable of participating in the defrosting operation.
Referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 4, in some embodiments, the heating device 13 has a water inlet 131 and a water outlet 133. The water inlet temperature corresponds to a temperature at the water inlet 131, and the outlet water temperature corresponds to a temperature at the water outlet 133. The heating device 13 is provide with temperature sensing elements (not shown) at the water inlet 131 and the water outlet 133, respectively, and thus the water inlet temperature and the water outlet temperature can be detected by the temperature sensing elements. It should be understood that a smaller one of the water inlet temperature and the water outlet temperature can be obtained by comparing the water inlet temperature with the water outlet temperature.
In response to the heating device 13 participating in the defrosting operation, and the smaller one of the temperature at the water inlet 131and the temperature at the water inlet 131 is less than or equal to the defrosting temperature threshold, the control module 150 can determine that the pipe in the heating device 13 is at a lower temperature and is easily frozen. It should be understood that, in this case, the predetermined condition is that the smaller one of the temperature at the water inlet 131and the temperature at the water inlet 131 is less than or equal to the defrosting temperature threshold, and the control module 150 controls the first valve 17 to close to allow the heating device 13 not to participate in the defrosting operation.
In some embodiments, the defrosting temperature threshold ranges from 0°C to 10°C. In some embodiments, the defrosting temperature threshold may be adjusted as appropriate, or may be calibrated by testing. In one example, the defrosting temperature threshold is 5°C.
Referring to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, an air conditioning system 100 according to embodiments of the present disclosure includes the control device 200 according to any one of the above embodiments.
In the above air conditioning system 100, the heating device 13 is configured to participate in the defrosting operation in the on state, and not to participate in the defrosting operation in the off state. When the heating device 13 participates in the defrosting operation and the temperature of the heating device 13 satisfies the predetermined condition, the heating device 13 cannot participate in the defrosting operation. In this way, the heating device 13 may be fully utilized for defrosting without being frozen, enabling the air conditioning system 100 to operate normally.
It should be noted that the above description of the implementation and beneficial effects of the control method and the control device 200 of the air conditioning system 100 are also applicable to the air conditioning system 100 of this embodiment, and the description thereof will be omitted herein in order to avoid redundancy.
Referring to FIG. 9, an air conditioning system 300 according to embodiments of the present disclosure includes a memory 210, a processor 230, and computer-executable instructions stored in the memory 210 and executable on the processor 230. The processor 230 is configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to implement steps of the control method according to any one of the above embodiments.
In the above air conditioning system 300, the heating device 13 is configured to participate in the defrosting operation in the on state, and not to participate in the defrosting operation in the on state. When the heating device 13 participates in the defrosting operation and the temperature of the heating device 13 satisfies the predetermined condition, the heating device 13 cannot participate in the defrosting operation. Therefore, the heating device 13 may be fully utilized for defrosting without being frozen, enabling the air conditioning system 100 to operate normally.
For example, the processor 230 is configured to: in response to the heating device 13 being in the on state, control the first valve 17 to open to turn on the pipe connection between the heating device 13 and the external heat exchanger 15 and allow the heating device 13 to participate in the defrosting operation; in response to the heating device 13 being in the off state, control the first valve 17 to close to disconnect the pipe connection between the heating device 13 and the external heat exchanger 15 and allow the heating device 13 not to participate in the defrosting operation; and in response to the heating device 13 participating in the defrosting operation and the temperature of the heating device 13 satisfying the predetermined condition, control the first valve 17 to close or end the defrosting operation.
In some embodiments, the memory 210 and the processor 230 may be integrated in a controller, or on a control board, in a control box or the like. The processor 230 may be a Central Processing Unit (CPU), or may be another general-purpose processor, a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), a Field- Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) or another programmable logic device, a discrete gate or a transistor logic device, a discrete hardware component, etc.
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium including computer-executable instructions. The computer-executable instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the processor to implement steps of the control method according to any one of the above embodiments.
For example, the program, when executed by the processor, implements the following steps of the control method.
At step S 110, in response to obtaining a defrosting signal, an on/off state of the heating device 13 is detected.
At step S 130, in response to the heating device 13 being in the on state, the first valve 17 is controlled to open to turn on a pipe connection between the heating device 13 and the external heat exchanger 15 and allow the heating device 13 to participate in a defrosting operation.
At step S150, in response to the heating device 13 being in the off state, the first valve 17 is controlled to close to disconnect the pipe connection between the heating device 13 and the external heat exchanger 15 and allow the heating device 13 not to participate in the defrosting operation.
At step S 170, in response to the heating device 13 participating in the defrosting operation and a temperature of the heating device 13 satisfying a predetermined condition, the first valve 17 is controlled to close, or the defrosting operation is ended.
The computer-readable storage medium may be disposed in the air conditioning system 300, or may be disposed at a terminal such as a server. The air conditioning system 300 can be communication with the terminal to obtain a corresponding program.
It should be understood that the computer-readable medium may include any entity or apparatus capable of carrying the computer program codes, a recording medium, a USB disk, a mobile hard disk, a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a computer memory, a Read-Only Memory (ROM), a Random Access Memory (RAM), a software distribution medium, etc. The computer program may include computer program codes. The computer program codes may be in a form of source codes, object codes, an executable file, or some intermediate forms, etc. The computer-readable medium may include any entity or apparatus capable of carrying the computer program codes, the recording medium, the USB disk, the mobile hard disk, the magnetic disk, the optical disk, the computer memory, the Read-Only Memory (ROM), the Random Access Memory (RAM), the software distribution medium, etc.
In some embodiments of the present disclosure, a controller is a single-chip microcomputer chip, on which a processor, a memory, a communication module, and the like are integrated. The processor may refer to a processor included in the controller. The processor may be a Central Processing Unit (CPU), and may also be another general-purpose processor, a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), a Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) or other programmable logic devices, a discrete gate or a transistor logic device, a discrete hardware component, and the like.
Any procedure or method described in the flowcharts or described in any other way herein may be understood to include one or more modules, segments or parts of codes of executable instructions that implement actions of particular logic functions or procedures. Moreover, advantageous embodiments of the present disclosure include other implementations in which functions are executed in the order different from which is depicted or discussed, including in a substantially simultaneous manner or in an opposite order according to the related functions, which should be understood by those skilled in the art.
The logic and/or step described in other manners herein or shown in the flowchart, for example, a particular sequence table of executable instructions for realizing the logical function, may be specifically implemented in any computer readable medium to be used by the instruction execution system, device or equipment (such as the system based on computers, systems including processors, or other systems capable of obtaining the instructions from the instruction execution system, device and equipment and executing the instructions), or to be used in combination with the instruction execution system, device and equipment.
It should be understood that each part of the present disclosure may be implemented by the hardware, software, firmware, or combination thereof. In the above embodiments, a plurality of steps or methods may be implemented by the software or firmware stored in the memory and executed by the appropriate instruction execution system. For example, if it is implemented by the hardware, likewise in another embodiment, the steps or methods may be implemented by one or a combination of the following techniques known in the art: a discrete logic circuit having a logic gate circuit for realizing a logic function of a data signal, an application-specific integrated circuit having an appropriate combination logic gate circuit, a programmable gate array (PGA), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), etc.
In the description of this specification, descriptions with reference to the terms "an embodiment", "some embodiments", "some embodiments", "illustrative embodiments", "examples", "specific examples", or "some examples" etc., mean that specific features, structure, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present disclosure. In this specification, the schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the described specific features, structures, materials or characteristics may be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner.
Although embodiments of the present disclosure have been illustrated and described, it is conceivable for those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes, modifications, replacements, and variations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present disclosure. The scope of the present disclosure shall be defined by the claims as appended and their equivalent.

Claims

A control method, applied in an air conditioning system comprising an outdoor unit and a heating device, the outdoor unit comprising an external heat exchanger and a first valve, the heating device being in a pipe connection with the external heat exchanger by the first valve, the control method comprising:
detecting, in response to obtaining a defrosting signal, an on/off state of the heating device;

controlling, in response to the heating device being in the on state, the first valve to open to turn on the pipe connection between the heating device and the external heat exchanger and allow the heating device to participate in a defrosting operation;

controlling, in response to the heating device is in the off state, the first valve to close to disconnect the pipe connection between the heating device and the external heat exchanger and allow the heating device not to participate in the defrosting operation; and

in response to the heating device participating in the defrosting operation and a temperature of the heating device satisfying a predetermined condition, controlling the first valve to close, or ending the defrosting operation.
The control method according to claim 1, wherein the air conditioning system further comprises an indoor unit, the outdoor unit comprising a second valve connecting the indoor unit with the external heat exchanger, the control method further comprising:
detecting, in response to obtaining the defrosting signal, a current operating mode of the indoor unit;

in response to the heating device being in the off state or a mode confliction existing between the heating device and the indoor unit, controlling the first valve to close to disconnect the pipe connection between the heating device and the external heat exchanger and allow the heating device not to participate in the defrosting operation, and controlling the second valve to open to turn on a pipe connection between the corresponding indoor unit and the external heat exchanger and allow the indoor unit to participate in the defrosting operation;

controlling, in response to the heating device being in the on state and no mode confliction existing between the heating device and the indoor unit, the first valve to open to turn on the pipe connection between the heating device and the external heat exchanger and allow the heating device to participate in the defrosting operation; and

in response to the heating device participating in the defrosting operation and the temperature of the heating device satisfying the predetermined condition, controlling the first valve to close, and controlling the second valve to open to turn on the pipe connection between the corresponding indoor unit and the external heat exchanger and allow the indoor unit to participate in the defrosting operation.
The control method according to claim 2, further comprising:
controlling, in response to the heating device being in the on state and no mode confliction existing between the heating device and the indoor unit, the second valve to open to turn on the pipe connection between the corresponding indoor unit and the external heat exchanger and allow the indoor unit to participate in the defrosting operation.
The control method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the temperature of the heating device comprises a water inlet temperature and a water outlet temperature, and the predetermined condition comprises a defrosting temperature threshold, the control method comprising:
determining, in response to a smaller one of the water inlet temperature and the water outlet temperature being less than or equal to the defrosting temperature threshold, that the temperature of the heating device satisfies the predetermined condition.
The control method according to claim 4, wherein the defrosting temperature threshold ranges from 0°C to 10°C.
The control method according to claim 1, further comprising:
controlling, in response to the heating device participating in the defrosting operation, the heating device to send an indication on participating in the defrosting operation.
A control device for an air conditioning system, wherein the air conditioning system comprises an outdoor unit and a heating device, the outdoor unit comprising an external heat exchanger and a first valve, the heating device being in a pipe connection with the external heat exchanger by the first valve, the control device comprising:
an obtaining module configured to obtain a defrosting signal;

a detection module configured to detect an on/off state of the heating device; and

a control module configured to:
control, in response to the heating device being in the on state, the first valve to open to turn on the pipe connection between the heating device and the external heat exchanger and allow the heating device to participate in a defrosting operation;

in response to the heating device is in the off state, control the first valve to close to disconnect the pipe connection between the heating device and the external heat exchanger and allow the heating device not to participate in the defrosting operation; and

in response to the heating device participating in the defrosting operation and a temperature of the heating device satisfying a predetermined condition, control the first valve to close, or end the defrosting operation.
The control device according to claim 7, wherein:
the air conditioning system further comprises an indoor unit, the outdoor unit comprising a second valve connecting the indoor unit with the external heat exchanger, and

the detection module is configured to detect, in response to obtaining the defrosting signal, a current operating mode of the indoor unit,

the control module is further configured to:
in response to the heating device being in the off state or a mode confliction existing between the heating device and the indoor unit, control the first valve to close to disconnect the pipe connection between the heating device and the external heat exchanger and allow the heating device not to participate in the defrosting operation, and control the second valve to open to turn on a pipe connection between the corresponding indoor unit and the external heat exchanger and allow the indoor unit to participate in the defrosting operation;

control, in response to the heating device being in the on state and no mode confliction existing between the heating device and the indoor unit, the first valve to open to turn on the pipe connection between the heating device and the external heat exchanger and allow the heating device to participate in the defrosting operation; and

in response to the heating device participating in the defrosting operation and the temperature of the heating device satisfying the predetermined condition, control the first valve to close, and control the second valve to open to turn on the pipe connection between the corresponding indoor unit and the external heat exchanger and allow the indoor unit to participate in the defrosting operation.
The control device according to claim 8, wherein the control module is configured to: control, in response to the heating device being in the on state and no mode confliction existing between the heating device and the indoor unit, the second valve to open to turn on the pipe connection between the corresponding indoor unit and the external heat exchanger and allow the indoor unit to participate in the defrosting operation.
The control device according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein:
the temperature of the heating device comprises a water inlet temperature and a water outlet temperature,

the predetermined condition comprises a defrosting temperature threshold, and

the control module is configured to: determine, in response to a smaller one of the water inlet temperature and the water outlet temperature being less than or equal to the defrosting temperature threshold, that the temperature of the heating device satisfies the predetermined condition.
The control device according to claim 10, wherein the defrosting temperature threshold ranges from 0°C to 10°C.
The control device according to claim 7, wherein the control module is further configured to transmit a signal to the heating device to allow the heating device to send an indication on participating in the defrosting operation.
An air conditioning system, comprising the control device according to any one of claims 7 to 12.
The air conditioning system according to claim 13, further comprising an indicator, the indicator comprising a buzzer, an LED lamp, a display screen, or a loudspeaker,
wherein the heating device is configured to send indication information on the heating device participating in the defrosting operation through at least one of alarm promote tone, lighting with a specific change pattern, texts on a display screen, voice, and the like.
An air conditioning system, comprising:
a memory;

a processor; and

computer-executable instructions stored in the memory and executable on the processor,

wherein the processor is configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to implement steps of the control method according to any one of claims 1 to 6.
A non-volatile computer-readable storage medium, comprising computer-executable instructions, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the processor to perform steps of the control method according to any one of claims 1 to 6.