Patent Application
20250146690
The present disclosure relates to the field of air-conditioning technologies, and more particularly, to a circulating water control method, a computer-readable storage medium, a circulating water control system, and an air conditioner.
In the related art, a circulating water control system of an air conditioner includes two indoor drainage pumps, a spray pump and two outdoor drainage pumps. The circulating water control system recycles and discharges condensate water by using the five water pumps. In this technical scheme, many water pumps are used, resulting in an excessive number of electric-control board interfaces and complex control logic. In addition, the water pump and the control circuit have a high failure rate, further reducing stability of the circulating water control system. Further, the circulating water control system occupies a large space.
The present disclosure aims to solve at least one of the technical problems in the related art to some extent. To this end, a first object of the present disclosure is to provide a circulating water control method in which a first water delivery assembly and a second water delivery assembly are controlled based on an operating mode of an air conditioner and water level information of an indoor drain pan and an outdoor drain pan, realizing circulation of condensate water and ensuring reliability of a water circulation system.
A second object of the present disclosure is to provide a computer-readable storage medium.
A third object of the present disclosure is to provide a circulating water control system.
A fourth object of the present disclosure is to provide an air conditioner.
To achieve the above objects, in a first aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a circulating water control method applied to an air conditioner. The air conditioner includes: an indoor unit component, an outdoor unit component, and a water delivery device. The indoor unit component includes an indoor heat exchanger and an indoor drain pan disposed below the indoor heat exchanger. The outdoor unit component includes an outdoor heat exchanger, an outdoor drain pan, and a spray device. The outdoor drain pan is disposed below the outdoor heat exchanger. The water delivery device includes a first water delivery assembly and a second water delivery assembly. The first water delivery assembly is in communication with the indoor drain pan and the spray device. The second water delivery assembly is in communication with the outdoor drain pan and a space where the indoor heat exchanger is located. The circulating water control method includes: determining an operating mode of the air conditioner and obtaining water level information of the indoor drain pan and water level information of the outdoor drain pan; and controlling the first water delivery assembly and the second water delivery assembly based on the operating mode, the water level information of the indoor drain pan, and the water level information of the outdoor drain pan, to circulate condensate water generated by the air conditioner between the indoor unit component and the outdoor unit component.
With the circulating water control method applied to the air conditioner according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the air conditioner includes the indoor unit component, the outdoor unit component, and the water delivery device. The indoor unit component includes the indoor heat exchanger and the indoor drain pan disposed below the indoor heat exchanger. The outdoor unit component includes the outdoor heat exchanger, the outdoor drain pan, and the spray device. The outdoor drain pan is disposed below the outdoor heat exchanger. The water delivery device includes the first water delivery assembly and the second water delivery assembly. The first water delivery assembly is in communication with the indoor drain pan and the spray device. The second water delivery assembly is in communication with the outdoor drain pan and the space where the indoor heat exchanger is located. The circulating water control method includes: determining the operating mode of the air conditioner and obtaining the water level information of the indoor drain pan and the water level information of the outdoor drain pan; and controlling the first water delivery assembly and the second water delivery assembly based on the operating mode, the water level information of the indoor drain pan, and the water level information of the outdoor drain pan, to circulate the condensate water generated by the air conditioner between the indoor unit component and the outdoor unit component. With the method, the first water delivery assembly and the second water delivery assembly are controlled based on the operating mode of the air conditioner, the water level information of the indoor drain pan, and the water level information of the outdoor drain pan, to realize circulation of the condensate water and ensure reliability of a water circulation system.
In addition, the circulating water control method according to the above embodiment of the present disclosure further includes the following additional technical features.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the controlling the first water delivery assembly and the second water delivery assembly based on the operating mode, the water level information of the indoor drain pan, and the water level information of the outdoor drain pan includes: controlling, in response to the operating mode being a cooling mode and when a water level of the indoor drain pan is determined to reach a first predetermined water level based on the water level information of the indoor drain pan, the first water delivery assembly to deliver water in the indoor drain pan towards the spray device; and controlling, in response to the operating mode being a heating mode and when the water level of the indoor drain pan is determined not to reach the first predetermined water level based on the water level information of the indoor drain pan, the second water delivery assembly to deliver water in the outdoor drain pan towards the indoor heat exchanger when a water level of the outdoor drain pan is determined to reach a second predetermined water level based on the water level information of the outdoor drain pan.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the method further includes, in response to the operating mode being the heating mode and when the water level of the indoor drain pan is determined to reach the first predetermined water level based on the water level information of the indoor drain pan: obtaining an outdoor ambient temperature; and controlling the first water delivery assembly to deliver the water in the indoor drain pan towards the spray device when the outdoor ambient temperature is greater than or equal to a predetermined temperature.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the water delivery device further includes a third water delivery assembly in communication with the indoor drain pan. The method further includes: controlling the third water delivery assembly to deliver the water in the indoor drain pan towards the indoor heat exchanger, when the outdoor ambient temperature is smaller than the predetermined temperature.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the method further includes, prior to said obtaining the outdoor ambient temperature: controlling, when the water level of the indoor drain pan is determined to reach the first predetermined water level based on the water level information of the indoor drain pan, a water pump in the second water delivery assembly to be turned off when the water pump in the second water delivery assembly is turned on.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the method further includes, in response to the operating mode being the heating mode, and when the water level of the indoor drain pan is determined not to reach the first predetermined water level based on the water level information of the indoor drain pan: controlling a water pump in the second water delivery assembly to be turned off when the water level in the outdoor drain pan is determined not to reach the second predetermined water level based on the water level information of the outdoor drain pan.
To achieve the above objects, in a second aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a computer-readable storage medium having a circulating water control program stored thereon. The circulating water control program is configured to, when executed by a processor, implement the above circulating water control method.
With the computer-readable storage medium according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, based on the above circulating water control method, the first water delivery assembly and the second water delivery assembly are controlled based on the operating mode of the air conditioner, the water level information of the indoor drain pan, and the water level information of the outdoor drain pan, to realize the circulation of the condensate water and ensure the reliability of the water circulation system.
To achieve the above objects, in a third aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a circulating water control system, including a memory, a processor, and a circulating water control program stored on the memory and executable on the processor. The processor is configured to, when executing the circulating water control program, implement the above circulating water control method.
With the circulating water control system according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, based on the above circulating water control method, the first water delivery assembly and the second water delivery assembly are controlled based on the operating mode of the air conditioner, the water level information of the indoor drain pan, and the water level information of the outdoor drain pan, to realize the circulation of the condensate water and ensure the reliability of the water circulation system.
To achieve the above objects, in a fourth aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides an air conditioner. The air conditioner includes: an indoor unit component, an outdoor unit component, and a water delivery device. The indoor unit component includes an indoor heat exchanger and an indoor drain pan disposed below the indoor heat exchanger. The outdoor unit component including an outdoor heat exchanger, an outdoor drain pan, and a spray device. The outdoor drain pan is disposed below the outdoor heat exchanger. The water delivery device including a first water delivery assembly and a second water delivery assembly. The first water delivery assembly is in communication with the indoor drain pan and the spray device, and the second water delivery assembly is in communication with the outdoor drain pan and a space where the indoor heat exchanger is located. The air conditioner further includes a controller configured to determine an operating mode of the air conditioner, obtain water level information of the indoor drain pan and water level information of the outdoor drain pan, and control the first water delivery assembly and the second water delivery assembly based on the operating mode, the water level information of the indoor drain pan, and the water level information of the outdoor drain pan, to circulate condensate water generated by the air conditioner between the indoor unit component and the outdoor unit component.
With the air conditioner according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the indoor unit component includes the indoor heat exchanger and the indoor drain pan disposed below the indoor heat exchanger. The outdoor unit component includes the outdoor heat exchanger, the outdoor drain pan, and the spray device. The outdoor drain pan is disposed below the outdoor heat exchanger. The water delivery device includes the first water delivery assembly and the second water delivery assembly. The first water delivery assembly is in communication with the indoor drain pan and the spray device. The second water delivery assembly is in communication with the outdoor drain pan and the space where the indoor heat exchanger is located. The controller determines the operating mode of the air conditioner, obtains the water level information of the indoor drain pan and the water level information of the outdoor drain pan, and controls the first water delivery assembly and the second water delivery assembly based on the operating mode, the water level information of the indoor drain pan, and the water level information of the outdoor drain pan, to circulate the condensate water generated by the air conditioner between the indoor unit component and the outdoor unit component. In the air conditioner, the first water delivery assembly and the second water delivery assembly are controlled based on the operating mode of the air conditioner, the water level information of the indoor drain pan, and the water level information of the outdoor drain pan, to realize the circulation of the condensate water and ensure the reliability of the water circulation system.
In addition, the air conditioner according to the above embodiments of the present disclosure further includes the following additional technical features.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the operating mode includes a cooling mode and a heating mode. The controller is further configured to: control, in response to the operating mode being the cooling mode and when a water level of the indoor drain pan is determined to reach a first predetermined water level based on the water level information of the indoor drain pan, the first water delivery assembly to deliver water in the indoor drain pan towards the spray device; and control, in response to the operating mode being the heating mode and when the water level of the indoor drain pan is determined not to reach the first predetermined water level based on the water level information of the indoor drain pan, the second water delivery assembly to deliver water in the outdoor drain pan towards the indoor heat exchanger when a water level of the outdoor drain pan is determined to reach a second predetermined water level based on the water level information of the outdoor drain pan.
According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the controller is further configured to: obtain, in response to the operating mode being the heating mode and when the water level of the indoor drain pan is determined to reach the first predetermined water level based on the water level information of the indoor drain pan, an outdoor ambient temperature; and control the first water delivery assembly to deliver the water in the indoor drain pan towards the spray device when the outdoor ambient temperature is greater than or equal to a predetermined temperature.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the water delivery device further includes a third water delivery assembly in communication with the indoor drain pan. The controller is further configured to: control the third water delivery assembly to deliver the water in the indoor drain pan towards the indoor heat exchanger, when the outdoor ambient temperature is smaller than the predetermined temperature.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the controller is further configured to: prior to obtaining the outdoor ambient temperature, control, when the water level of the indoor drain pan is determined to reach the first predetermined water level based on the water level information of the indoor drain pan, a water pump in the second water delivery assembly to be turned off when the water pump in the second water delivery assembly is turned on.
According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the controller is further configured to, in response to the operating mode being the heating mode and when the water level of the indoor drain pan is determined not to reach the first predetermined water level based on the water level information of the indoor drain pan: control a water pump in the second water delivery assembly to be turned off when the water level in the outdoor drain pan is determined not to reach the second predetermined water level based on the water level information of the outdoor drain pan.
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.
The above and/or additional aspects and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent and more understandable from the following description of embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
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, and are intended to explain rather than limiting the present disclosure.
A circulating water control method, a computer-readable storage medium, a circulating water control system, and an air conditioner according to the embodiments of the present disclosure are described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
As illustrated in
The air conditioner 100 according to the embodiments of the present disclosure is described below with reference to
As illustrated in
Further, the air conditioner 100 further includes the water delivery device. The water delivery device includes the first water delivery assembly and the second water delivery assembly. The first water delivery assembly is adapted to be in communication with the indoor drain pan 12 and the spray device 70 located outdoors. The second water delivery assembly is in communication with the outdoor drain pan 22 and the space where the indoor heat exchanger 11 is located. The water delivery device is configured to, in a heating mode, deliver water in the outdoor drain pan 22 towards the indoor heat exchanger 11 by using the second water delivery assembly, and deliver water in the indoor drain pan 12 towards the spray device 70 by using the first water delivery assembly.
In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, when the air conditioner 100 operates in the heating mode, water generated by the outdoor heat exchanger 21 falls into the outdoor drain pan 22, and the second water delivery assembly may be controlled to deliver the water in the outdoor drain pan 22 towards the indoor heat exchanger 11, and then the first water delivery assembly may be controlled to deliver the water in the indoor drain pan 12 towards the spray device 70, to discharge the water in the outdoor drain pan 22 to an outdoor environment in a mist form.
In an embodiment, the first water delivery assembly and the second water delivery assembly may operate simultaneously.
With the air conditioner 100 according to the embodiments of the present disclosure, by disposing the spray device 70 and the water delivery device, in the heating mode, the water in the outdoor drain pan 22 can be delivered to the indoor heat exchanger 11 by the second water delivery assembly, and the water in the indoor drain pan 12 can be delivered to the spray device 70 by the first water delivery assembly and discharged in the mist form, without disposing an external drainage pipe, which makes the air conditioner more aesthetically favorable after mounting. In addition, during mounting of the air conditioner, there is no need to consider a height of a sewer pipe, reducing mounting difficulty and a mounting cost.
As illustrated in
In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, when the air conditioner 100 is in the cooling mode, the water generated by the indoor heat exchanger 11 falls into the indoor drain pan 12. The first water delivery assembly may deliver the water in the indoor drain pan 12 to the spray device 70, to discharge the water to the outdoor environment in the mist form, without disposing the external drainage pipe, which makes the air conditioner more aesthetically favorable after mounting. In addition, during mounting of the air conditioner, there is no need to consider the height of the sewer pipe, reducing the mounting difficulty and the mounting cost.
As illustrated in
In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, when the air conditioner 100 is in the cooling mode, the water generated by the indoor heat exchanger 11 falls to the indoor drain pan 12. The first water delivery member 32 may deliver the water in the indoor drain pan 12 to the spray device 70 along the first water delivery pipe 31, to discharge the water to the outdoor environment in the mist form. When the air conditioner 100 is in the heating mode, water generated by the outdoor heat exchanger 21 falls to the outdoor drain pan 22, the second water delivery assembly may be first control to operate, to deliver the water in the outdoor drain pan 22 towards the indoor heat exchanger 11, and then the first water delivery member 32 may be controlled to deliver the water falling into the indoor drain pan 12 to the spray device 70 along the first water delivery pipe 31, to discharge the water to the outdoor environment in the mist form.
Since a structure of the first water delivery assembly is simple, no matter which operation mode the first water delivery assembly is in, there is no need to connect the external drainage pipe, which makes the air conditioner more aesthetically favorable after mounting. In addition, during mounting of the unit, there is no need to consider the height of the sewer pipe, reducing the mounting difficulty and the mounting cost.
In a water flow direction, a filtering device 33 is provided upstream of the first water delivery member 32. For example, the first water delivery pipe 31 has an end in communication with the spray device 70, and another end in communication with the filtering device 33. The first water delivery member 32 is disposed at the first water delivery pipe 31, and is located between the filtering device 33 and the spray device 70. With the filtering device 33, the first water delivery pipe 31 and the first water delivery member 32 can be prevented from being blocked by debris in the indoor drain pan 12, which is beneficial to prolong a service life of the first water delivery member 32.
To ensure a water atomization effect, in some embodiments, the first water delivery member 32 is a high-pressure spray pump. When the high-pressure spray pump is started, the water can be pressurized and delivered to the spray device 70 and be formed into water mist by the spray device 70. In other embodiments, the first water delivery member 32 may be a self-priming booster pump or a water pump with a pressure-boosting structure (for example, a Venturi structure).
As illustrated in
When the air conditioner 100 operates in the heating mode, the water generated by the outdoor heat exchanger 21 falls into the outdoor drain pan 22 the second water delivery member 42 may be first controlled to operate to drive the water in the outdoor drain pan 22 to be delivered towards the indoor heat exchanger 11 along the second water delivery pipe 41. In this way, at least part of water falls into the indoor drain pan 12. Then, the first water delivery member 32 is controlled to operate to drive the water in the indoor drain pan 12 to be delivered towards the spray device 70 along the first water delivery pipe 31, to discharge the water to the outdoor environment in the mist form.
In this operation mode, there is no need for the external drainage pipe, which makes the air conditioner more aesthetically favorable after mounting. In addition, during mounting of the air conditioner, there is no need to consider the height of the sewer pipe, reducing the mounting difficulty and the mounting cost.
In some embodiments, the other end of the second water delivery pipe 41 is in communication with the indoor drain pan 12. That is, the second water delivery pipe 41 is in direct communication with the indoor drain pan 12. The water in the outdoor drain pan 22 is directly delivered into the indoor drain pan 12 using the second water delivery member 42 and the second water delivery pipe 41, which makes a simple structure and is easy to control.
In other embodiments, an indoor water pan (not illustrated) is disposed above the indoor heat exchanger 11. The indoor water pan is in communication with the other end of the second water delivery pipe 41. The second water delivery member 42 may deliver the water in the outdoor drain pan 22 to the indoor water pan, and then the water falls downward to the indoor heat exchanger 11. A part of the water is evaporated, and another part of the water finally falls into the indoor drain pan 12.
The indoor water pan has a plurality of indoor water outlet holes through which the water in the indoor water pan can flow out to guide water towards the indoor heat exchanger 11. Since a temperature of the indoor heat exchanger 11 is high in the heating mode, water on the indoor heat exchanger 11 can be evaporated.
Therefore, by disposing the indoor water pan, the water generated by the outdoor heat exchanger 21 can be stored, in such a manner that this part of water can fall to different parts of the indoor heat exchanger 11 in a wider range. In this way, a contact area between the water and the indoor heat exchanger 11 can be increased. Heat generated by the indoor heat exchanger 11 can be fully utilized to allow the water to be evaporated by the indoor heat exchanger 11 as much as possible.
At least part of the plurality of indoor water outlet holes are arranged in an extension direction of the indoor heat exchanger 11.
In some embodiments, the other end of the second water delivery pipe 41 extends directly towards the indoor heat exchanger 11 to allow the water in the outdoor drain pan 22 to be directly sprayed onto the indoor heat exchanger 11. A part of the water on the indoor heat exchanger 11 can be evaporated by the indoor heat exchanger 11, and the rest of the water falls into the indoor drain pan 12.
As illustrated in
In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, when the air conditioner 100 is in the heating mode, the water generated by the outdoor heat exchanger 21 falls to the outdoor drain pan 22. The second water delivery assembly may be first controlled to operate to drive the water in the outdoor drain pan 22 to be delivered towards the indoor heat exchanger 11. Part of the water falls into the indoor drain pan 12. Then, the first water delivery assembly may be controlled to operate to drive the water in the indoor drain pan 12 to be delivered to the spray device 70. Finally, the water can be discharged to the outdoor environment in the mist form.
Since an increase in an indoor temperature may lead to a decrease in indoor humidity, when it is necessary to increase the indoor humidity, the third water delivery assembly may be controlled to operate to spray the water in the indoor drain pan 12 onto the indoor heat exchanger 11 having a higher temperature to form water vapor, which can not only consume a part of water, but also increase humidity of an indoor air and thus enhance user experience.
In some embodiments, the third water delivery assembly includes a third water delivery pipe 51 and a third water delivery member 52. The third water delivery pipe 51 has an end in communication with the indoor drain pan 12, and another end extending towards the indoor heat exchanger 11. The third water delivery member 52 is connected to the third water delivery pipe 51. The third water delivery member 52 may drive the water in the indoor drain pan 12 to flow along the third water delivery pipe 51.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the other end of the third water delivery pipe 51 may directly extend to the indoor heat exchanger 11. When the third water delivery member 52 operates, the water in the indoor drain pan 12 may be driven to flow along the third water delivery pipe 51 towards the indoor heat exchanger 11. The indoor heat exchanger 11 can evaporate the water on the indoor heat exchanger 11 to increase the humidity of the indoor air.
In some embodiments, the indoor water pan is disposed above the indoor heat exchanger 11. The other end of the third water delivery pipe 51 is in communication with the indoor water pan. In this way, the third water delivery member 52 can deliver the water in the indoor drain pan 12 to the indoor water pan. The water in the indoor water pan can flow out from the plurality of indoor water outlet holes to guide the water towards the indoor heat exchanger 11. Since a temperature of the indoor heat exchanger 11 is relatively high in this case, the indoor heat exchanger 11 can evaporate the water on the indoor heat exchanger 11, increasing the humidity of the indoor air.
In some embodiments, the second water delivery member 42 and the third water delivery member 52 are both water pumps, which are simple in structure, convenient in control, and low in cost.
As illustrated in
According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the air conditioner 100 further includes a housing 80 defining an indoor cavity 81 and an outdoor cavity 82 spaced apart from the indoor cavity 81. The indoor unit component 10 is disposed in the indoor cavity 81. The outdoor unit component 20 is disposed in the outdoor cavity 82.
The indoor unit component 10 further includes an indoor fan 13 arranged close to the indoor heat exchanger 11 to supply air to the room.
Further, the spray device 70 is disposed in the outdoor cavity 82. The housing 80 further defines an accommodation cavity 83 in communication with the indoor cavity 81 and the outdoor cavity 82. The first water delivery assembly and the second delivery assembly are arranged across the accommodation cavity 83, hiding partial structure of the first water delivery assembly and the second delivery assembly in the accommodation cavity 83 without affecting an appearance of the air conditioner 100.
As illustrated in
At block S1, an operating mode of the air conditioner is determined and water level information of the indoor drain pan and water level information of the outdoor drain pan are obtained.
At block S2, the first water delivery assembly and the second water delivery assembly are controlled based on the operating mode, the water level information of the indoor drain pan, and the water level information of the outdoor drain pan, to circulate condensate water generated by the air conditioner between the indoor unit component and the outdoor unit component.
In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, based on a control instruction issued by a user, whether the current operating mode of the air conditioner is the cooling mode or the heating mode is determined. When the air conditioner is in the cooling mode, the condensate water generated at the indoor heat exchanger falls into the indoor drain pan. When the air conditioner is in the heating mode, the condensate water generated at the outdoor heat exchanger falls into the outdoor drain pan. Different circulating water control strategies are determined based on different generation positions of the condensate water in different operating modes. Then, current water level information of the indoor drain pan and current water level information of the outdoor drain pan are obtained by a water level sensor. The first water delivery assembly and the second water delivery assembly are controlled to operate based on the operating mode of the air conditioner, the current water level information of the indoor drain pan, and the current water level information of the outdoor drain pan, controlling the condensate water to circulate between the indoor unit component and the outdoor unit component to achieve condensate water circulation control. Therefore, with the method, the first water delivery assembly and the second water delivery assembly are controlled based on the operating mode of the air conditioner, the water level information of the indoor drain pan, and the water level information of the outdoor drain pan, to realize circulation of the condensate water and ensure reliability of the water circulation system.
It should be noted that, in practical applications, each of the first water delivery assembly and the second water delivery assembly may be provided with a water pump. In an embodiment, the first water delivery assembly is a spray pump such as a direct-flow spray pump mounted indoors, and may discharge the condensate water in the indoor drain pan to the outdoor environment in a form of spray by the spray device. The second water delivery assembly is a drainage pump such as an Alternating Current water pump disposed outdoors, and may discharge outdoor condensate water indoors. Therefore, the circulating water control method can realize the circulation of the condensate water only by controlling two water pumps, greatly reducing a quantity of water pumps, reducing a quantity of electric control board interfaces, simplifying control logic, and also reducing influence of the water pump or a control circuit failure on stability of circulating water control, which ensures the stability of circulating water control.
In addition, it should be noted that the above water level information may include a water level height, a condensate water temperature, condensate water quality, and the like. For example, it is possible to determine whether or not the current indoor drain pan or the current outdoor drain pan needs to be drained based on the water level height, whether or not there is a risk of pipe clogging based on the condensate water quality, or determine a cooling effect or a heating effect of the current air conditioner based on the condensate water temperature, and the like, which can be specifically set as desired.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the controlling the first water delivery assembly and the second water delivery assembly based on the operating mode, the water level information of the indoor drain pan, and the water level information of the outdoor drain pan includes: controlling, in response to the operating mode being a cooling mode and when a water level Za of the indoor drain pan is determined to reach a first predetermined water level Z1 based on the water level information of the indoor drain pan, the first water delivery assembly to deliver water in the indoor drain pan towards the spray device; and controlling, in response to the operating mode being a heating mode and when the water level Za of the indoor drain pan is determined not to reach the first predetermined water level Z1 based on the water level information of the indoor drain pan, the second water delivery assembly to deliver water in the outdoor drain pan towards the indoor heat exchanger when a water level Zb of the outdoor drain pan is determined to reach a second predetermined water level Z2 based on the water level information of the outdoor drain pan. The first predetermined water level Z1 and the second predetermined water level Z2 may be set as desired.
In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, when the air conditioner is in the cooling mode, the condensate water generated at the indoor heat exchanger falls to the indoor drain pan. When the water level Za of the indoor drain pan is determined to be greater than or equal to the first predetermined water level Z1, the indoor drain pan is determined to be full of water and there is a risk of overflow. In this case, the first water delivery assembly is controlled to operate, to discharge indoor condensate water received in the indoor drain pan to the outdoor in a spray form by the first water delivery assembly, to avoid accumulation and overflow of the condensate water. When the water level Za of the indoor drain pan is determined not to reach the first predetermined water level Z1, the current indoor drain pan is considered not to be filled with water. The first water delivery assembly is controlled to be turned off, and the indoor condensate water in the indoor drain pan is not discharged.
When the air conditioner is in the heating mode, the condensate water generated at the outdoor heat exchanger falls to the outdoor drain pan. When the water level Za of the indoor drain pan does not reach the first predetermined water level Z1, the water level Zb of the outdoor drain pan is determined. When the water level Zb of the outdoor drain pan reaches the second predetermined water level Z2, the second water delivery assembly is controlled to operate, to discharge the condensate water in the outdoor drain pan to the indoor heat exchanger. When the air conditioner is in the heating mode, the indoor heat exchanger acts as an evaporator. The indoor heat exchanger has a relatively high temperature. Part of condensate water discharged by the second water delivery assembly is evaporated by the indoor heat exchanger, and another part of condensate water discharged by the second water delivery assembly falls into the indoor drain pan. Evaporation of the condensate water can simultaneously provide indoor humidification.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the method further includes, in response to the operating mode being the heating mode and when the water level Za of the indoor drain pan is determined to reach the first predetermined water level Z1 based on the water level information of the indoor drain pan: obtaining an outdoor ambient temperature t; and controlling the first water delivery assembly to deliver the water in the indoor drain pan towards the spray device when the outdoor ambient temperature t is greater than or equal to a predetermined temperature T. The predetermined temperature T may be set as desired.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the water delivery device further includes a third water delivery assembly in communication with the indoor drain pan. The method further includes: controlling the third water delivery assembly to deliver the water in the indoor drain pan onto the indoor heat exchanger, when the outdoor ambient temperature t is smaller than the predetermined temperature T.
In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, when the air conditioner operates in the heating mode, the condensate water generated by the outdoor heat exchanger falls to the outdoor drain pan. The second water delivery assembly may be controlled to operate to drive the water in the outdoor drain pan to be delivered towards the indoor heat exchanger. Part of the water falls into the indoor drain pan. The water level of the indoor drain pan gradually increases with operation of the second water delivery assembly. When the water level Za of the indoor drain pan is determined to reach the first predetermined water level Z1, to prevent the condensate water from overflowing from the indoor drain pan, it is necessary to decrease the water level in the indoor drain pan. In this case, the current outdoor ambient temperature t is obtained. When the outdoor ambient temperature t is greater than or equal to the predetermined temperature T, it is determined that a nozzle of the current spray pump is not frozen. A spray pump at an indoor side is turned on, the first water delivery assembly is controlled to operate, to discharge the condensate water in the indoor drain pan is into an outdoor air in the form of spray. When the current outdoor ambient temperature t is less than the predetermined temperature T, it is determined that the current outdoor ambient temperature is too low and the nozzle of the spray pump is frozen. In this case, the spray pump at the indoor side is controlled to be turned off. That is, the first water delivery assembly stops operating. The third water delivery assembly is controlled to operate, to spray the condensate water in the indoor drain pan onto the indoor heat exchanger by using the third water delivery assembly. In the heating mode, part of the condensate water flows back into the indoor drain pan along the indoor heat exchanger, while another part of the condensate water evaporates due to a high temperature of the indoor heat exchanger, which consumes the indoor condensate water, and simultaneously provides indoor humidification through the evaporation of the condensate water.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the method further includes, prior to the obtaining the outdoor ambient temperature: controlling, when the water level Za of the indoor drain pan is determined to reach the first predetermined water level Z1 based on the water level information of the indoor drain pan, a water pump in the second water delivery assembly to be turned off when the water pump in the second water delivery assembly is turned on.
That is, when the air conditioner is in the heating mode, and the water level Za of the indoor drain pan reaches the first predetermined water level Z1, if the condensate water in the outdoor drain pan is still being delivered to the indoor heat exchanger by the second water delivery assembly, the second water delivery assembly is controlled to be turned off, delivery the condensate water in the outdoor drain pan to the indoor heat exchanger is stopped, and the condensate water in the indoor drain pan is consumed by the first water delivery assembly or the third water delivery assembly.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the method further includes, when the operating mode is the heating mode, and the water level Za of the indoor drain pan is determined not to reach the first predetermined water level Z1 based on the water level information of the indoor drain pan: controlling a water pump in the second water delivery assembly to be turned off when the water level Zb in the outdoor drain pan is determined not to reach the second predetermined water level Z2 based on the water level information of the outdoor drain pan.
In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, when the air conditioner is in the heating mode, the water level Za of the indoor drain pan does not reach the first predetermined water level Z1, and the water level Zb of the outdoor drain pan does not reach the second predetermined water level Z2, the second water delivery assembly is turned off, to stop delivery of the outdoor condensate water to the indoor heat exchanger. The second water delivery assembly is controlled to restart when the water level Zb of the outdoor drain pan reaches the second predetermined water level Z2.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, as illustrated in
At block S101, the operating mode of the air conditioner is obtained.
At block S102, it is determined whether the operating mode of the air conditioner is the cooling mode. If the operating mode of the air conditioner is the cooling mode, the operation at block S103 is performed. If the operating mode of the air conditioner is not the cooling mode, the operation at block S106 is performed.
At block S103, it is determined whether the water level Za of the indoor drain pan reaches the first predetermined water level Z1. If the water level Za of the indoor drain pan reaches the first predetermined water level Z1, the operation at block S104 is performed. If the water level Za of the indoor drain pan does not reach the first predetermined water level Z1, the operation at block S105 is performed.
At block S104, the first water delivery assembly is controlled to deliver the water in the indoor drain pan towards the spray device.
At block S105, the first water delivery assembly is turned off.
At block S106, it is determined whether the operation mode of the air conditioner is the heating mode. If the operation mode of the air conditioner is the heating mode, the operation at block S107 is performed. If the operation mode of the air conditioner is not the heating mode, the operation at block S102 is performed.
At block S107, it is determined whether the water level of the indoor drain pan reaches the first predetermined water level Z1. If the water level of the indoor drain pan reaches the first predetermined water level Z1, the operation at block S108 is performed. If the water level of the indoor drain pan does not reach the first predetermined water level Z1, the operation at block S114 is performed.
At block S108, it is determined whether the water pump in the second water delivery assembly is turned on. If the water pump in the second water delivery assembly is turned on, the operation at block S109 is performed. If the water pump in the second water delivery assembly is not turned on, the operation at block S110 is performed.
At block S109, the water pump in the second water delivery assembly is controlled to be turned off.
At block S110, the outdoor ambient temperature t is obtained.
At block S111, it is determined whether the outdoor ambient temperature t is greater than or equal to the predetermined temperature T. If the outdoor ambient temperature t is greater than or equal to the predetermined temperature T, the operation at block S112 is performed. If the outdoor ambient temperature t is less than the predetermined temperature T, the operation at block S113 is performed.
At block S112, the first water delivery assembly is controlled to deliver the water in the indoor drain pan towards the spray device.
At block S113, the third water delivery assembly is controlled to deliver the water in the indoor drain pan towards the indoor heat exchanger.
At block S114, it is determined whether the water level Zb of the outdoor drain pan reaches the second predetermined water level Z2. If the water level Zb of the outdoor drain pan reaches the second predetermined water level Z2, the operation at block S115 is performed. If the water level Zb of the outdoor drain pan does not reach the second predetermined water level Z2, the operation at block S116 is performed.
At block S115, the second water delivery assembly is controlled to deliver the water in the outdoor drain pan towards the indoor heat exchanger.
At block S116, the water pump in the second water delivery assembly is controlled to be turned off.
In summary, the circulating water control method applied to the air conditioner is provided according to the embodiments of the present disclosure, the air conditioner includes the indoor unit component, the outdoor unit component, and the water delivery device. The indoor unit component includes the indoor heat exchanger and the indoor drain pan disposed below the indoor heat exchanger. The outdoor unit component includes the outdoor heat exchanger, the outdoor drain pan, and the spray device. The outdoor drain pan is disposed below the outdoor heat exchanger. The water delivery device includes the first water delivery assembly and the second water delivery assembly. The first water delivery assembly is in communication with the indoor drain pan and the spray device. The second water delivery assembly is in communication with the outdoor drain pan and the space where the indoor heat exchanger is located. The circulating water control method includes: determining the operating mode of the air conditioner and obtaining the water level information of the indoor drain pan and the water level information of the outdoor drain pan; and controlling the first water delivery assembly and the second water delivery assembly based on the operating mode, the water level information of the indoor drain pan, and the water level information of the outdoor drain pan, to circulate the condensate water generated by the air conditioner between the indoor unit component and the outdoor unit component. With the method, the first water delivery assembly and the second water delivery assembly are controlled based on the operating mode, the water level information of the indoor drain pan, and the water level information of the outdoor drain pan, to realize the circulation of the condensate water and ensure the reliability of a water circulation system.
Corresponding to the above embodiments, the present disclosure further provides a computer-readable storage medium.
The computer-readable storage medium according to the embodiments of the present disclosure has a circulating water control program stored thereon. The circulating water control program is configured to, when executed by a processor, implement the above circulating water control method.
With the computer-readable storage medium according to the embodiments of the present disclosure, based on the above circulating water control method, the first water delivery assembly and the second water delivery assembly are controlled based on the operating mode of the air conditioner, the water level information of the indoor drain pan, and the water level information of the outdoor drain pan, to realize the circulation of the condensate water and ensure the reliability of the water circulation system.
Corresponding to the above embodiments, the present disclosure further provides a circulating water control system.
As illustrated in
With the circulating water control system according to the embodiments of the present disclosure, based on the above circulating water control method, the first water delivery assembly and the second water delivery assembly are controlled based on the operating mode of the air conditioner, the water level information of the indoor drain pan, and the water level information of the outdoor drain pan, to realize the circulation of the condensate water and ensure the reliability of the water circulation system.
Corresponding to the above embodiments, the present disclosure further provides an air conditioner.
As illustrated in
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the operating mode includes a cooling mode and a heating mode. The controller is further configured to: control, in response to the operating mode being the cooling mode, the first water delivery assembly to deliver water in the indoor drain pan 12 towards the spray device when a water level of the indoor drain pan 12 is determined to reach a first predetermined water level based on the water level information of the indoor drain pan 12; and control, in response to the operating mode being the heating mode, the second water delivery assembly to deliver water in the outdoor drain pan 22 towards the indoor heat exchanger 11 when the water level of the indoor drain pan 12 is determined not to reach the first predetermined water level based on the water level information of the indoor drain pan 12, and a water level of the outdoor drain pan 22 is determined to reach a second predetermined water level based on the water level information of the outdoor drain pan 22.
According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the controller is further configured to: in response to the operating mode being the heating mode and when the water level of the indoor drain pan 12 is determined to reach the first predetermined water level based on the water level information of the indoor drain pan 12, obtain an outdoor ambient temperature; and control the first water delivery assembly to deliver the water in the indoor drain pan 12 towards the spray device 70 when the outdoor ambient temperature is greater than or equal to a predetermined temperature.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the water delivery device further includes a third water delivery assembly in communication with the indoor drain pan 12. The controller is further configured to: control the third water delivery assembly to deliver the water in the indoor drain pan 12 towards the indoor heat exchanger 11, when the outdoor ambient temperature is smaller than the predetermined temperature.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the controller is further configured to: prior to obtaining the outdoor ambient temperature, control, when the water level of the indoor drain pan 12 is determined to reach the first predetermined water level based on the water level information of the indoor drain pan 12, a water pump in the second water delivery assembly to be turned off when the water pump in the second water delivery assembly is turned on.
According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the controller is further configured to, when the operating mode is the heating mode and the water level of the indoor drain pan 12 is determined not to reach the first predetermined water level based on the water level information of the indoor drain pan 12: control a water pump in the second water delivery assembly to be turned off when the water level in the outdoor drain pan 22 is determined not to reach the second predetermined water level based on the water level information of the outdoor drain pan 22.
It should be noted that for details not disclosed in the air conditioner according to the embodiments of the present disclosure, reference can be made to the details disclosed in the circulating water control method according to the above embodiments of the present disclosure, which is not repeated here.
With the air conditioner according to the embodiments of the present disclosure, the indoor unit component includes the indoor heat exchanger and the indoor drain pan disposed below the indoor heat exchanger. The outdoor unit component includes the outdoor heat exchanger, the outdoor drain pan, and the spray device. The outdoor drain pan is disposed below the outdoor heat exchanger. The water delivery device includes the first water delivery assembly and the second water delivery assembly. The first water delivery assembly is in communication with the indoor drain pan and the spray device. The second water delivery assembly is in communication with the outdoor drain pan and the space where the indoor heat exchanger is located. The controller determines the operating mode of the air conditioner, obtains the water level information of the indoor drain pan and the water level information of the outdoor drain pan, and controls the first water delivery assembly and the second water delivery assembly based on the operating mode, the water level information of the indoor drain pan, and the water level information of the outdoor drain pan, to circulate the condensate water generated by the air conditioner between the indoor unit component and the outdoor unit component. The air conditioner controls the first water delivery assembly and the second water delivery assembly based on the operating mode of the air conditioner, the water level information of the indoor drain pan and the water level information of the outdoor drain pan, to realize the circulation of the condensate water and ensure the reliability of the water circulation system.
It should be noted that, the logical and/or steps described in the flowchart or otherwise depicted herein, for example, may be considered as a fixed sequence list of executable instructions for implementing logical functions, and may be specifically implemented in any computer-readable medium for use for, or in conjunction with, an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device, such as a computer-based system, a system including a processor, or other systems that may fetch and execute instructions from the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. For purposes of this disclosure, the “computer-readable medium” may be any apparatus that can include, store, communicate, propagate, or transport the program for use for or in conjunction with the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer-readable medium include: an electrical connection portion having one or more of wires, a portable computer disk cartridge (a magnetic device), a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), an optical apparatus, and a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM). In addition, the computer-readable mediums may even be paper or other suitable mediums on which the program may be printed, since the program may be obtained electronically by, for example, optical scanning of the paper or other mediums followed by editing, interpretation or other suitable processing if necessary, and then stored in a computer memory.
It should be understood that each part of the present disclosure can be implemented in hardware, software, firmware or any combination thereof. In the above embodiments, multiple steps or methods can be implemented using software or firmware stored in a memory and executed by a suitable instruction execution system. For example, when implemented in hardware, as in another embodiment, it can be implemented by any one or combination of the following technologies known in the art: a discrete logic circuit having logic gate circuits for implementing logic functions on data signals, an application-specific integrated circuit with suitable combined logic gates, a Programmable Gate Array (PGA), a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), etc.
In the present disclosure, the description with reference to the terms “one embodiment,” “some embodiments,” “an example,” “a specific example,” or “some examples,” etc., means that specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment(s) or example(s) are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present disclosure. The appearances of the above phrases in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment or example. Further, the particular features, structures, materials, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.
In addition, the terms such as “first” “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 present disclosure, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, terms, such as “mounting,” “connect,” “connect to,” “fixed to,” or the like, should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it may be a fixed connection or a detachable connection or connection as one piece; 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, unless otherwise clearly limited. For those skilled in the art, specific meanings of the above-mentioned terms in the present disclosure can be understood according to specific circumstances.
Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been shown and described above, it should be understood that the above-mentioned embodiments are exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art can make changes, modifications, substitutions, and alternations to the above-mentioned embodiments within the scope of the present disclosure.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 202211193454.6 | Sep 2022 | CN | national |
This application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/CN2023/082582 filed on Mar. 20, 2023, which claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202211193454.6, entitled “CIRCULATING WATER CONTROL METHOD AND SYSTEM, COMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM, AND AIR CONDITIONER” and filed on Sep. 28, 2022, the entire contents of each of which are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. No new matter has been introduced.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | PCT/CN2023/082582 | Mar 2023 | WO |
| Child | 19015078 | US |
