Air Conditioner and Control Method Thereof

Abstract

Provided are an air conditioner and a control method thereof. The control method includes following steps: controlling a compressor of an air conditioner to be in an operating state or a shutdown state according to a superheat degree of injected vapor of the compressor and a continuous duration of the superheat degree; controlling the compressor to be in a shutdown state for maintenance according to a number of shutdown times of the compressor, so as to maintain a gas supply pipeline of the compressor. By adopting such a configuration, an operating condition of the compressor can be accurately and effectively determined, which enables the compressor to be maintained timely, thereby preventing the compressor from being damaged as a result of operating in a severe condition, and enhancing operation reliability of the compressor and the air conditioner.

1 . A control method of an air conditioner, comprising:
 controlling a compressor of an air conditioner to be in an operating state or a shutdown state according to a superheat degree of injected vapor of the compressor and a continuous duration of the superheat degree of the injected vapor; and   controlling the compressor to be in a shutdown state for maintenance according to a number of shutdown times of the compressor, wherein a gas supply pipeline of the compressor is maintained.   
     
     
         2 . The control method according to  claim 1 , wherein, the control method comprises:
 controlling the compressor to be in the operating state continuously when the number of the shutdown times of the compressor is less than or equal to a first preset value; and controlling the compressor to be in the shutdown state for maintenance when the number of the shutdown times of the compressor is greater than the first preset value.   
     
     
         3 . The control method according to  claim 1 , wherein, the continuous duration of the superheat degree further comprises a negative value continuous duration; when the negative value continuous duration of the superheat degree of the injected vapor reaches a second preset value, and during the negative value continuous duration, an exhaust temperature of the compressor remains less than a critical value of the exhaust temperature of the compressor, and the compressor is restored automatically to the operating state after being shut down. 
     
     
         4 . The control method according to  claim 3 , wherein, the continuous duration of the superheat degree further comprises an offset value continuous duration; if the offset value continuous duration, in which the superheat degree of the injected vapor is greater than the offset value of the superheat degree continuously, is less than or equal to a third preset value, the offset value continuous duration is included into the negative value continuous duration. 
     
     
         5 . The control method according to  claim 4 , wherein, the third preset value is t, wherein, 0<t≤60 s. 
     
     
         6 . The control method according to  claim 2 , wherein, the first preset value is N, wherein, 0<N≤2. 
     
     
         7 . The control method according to  claim 1 , wherein, in a heating mode and/or in a cooling mode of the air conditioner, the continuous duration of the superheat degree is tc, wherein,
 tc=t1−t0, wherein, t1>to, and t0 is a time instant when the superheat degree of the injected vapor begins to be less than an offset value of the superheat degree; or   tc=t1−t0+t, wherein, t1 is a time instant when the superheat degree of the vapor injection begins to be greater than the offset value of the superheat degree after t0; t is a time period, in which the superheat degree of the vapor injection is greater than the offset value of the superheat degree; if t is greater than a fourth preset value, tc is reset to zero and counted again from a next time instant when the superheat degree of the vapor injection begins to be less than the offset value of the superheat degree.   
     
     
         8 . The control method according to  claim 7 , wherein, in a cooling mode, when the air conditioner performs the defrost mode, the continuous duration is reset to zero; and the reset continuous duration is counted from a time instant when the superheat degree of the injected vapor begins to be less than or equal to the offset value of the superheat degree. 
     
     
         9 . The control method according to  claim 1 , wherein, when the compressor is in a shutdown protection state, maintenance on an electronic expansion valve disposed in the gas supply pipeline of the compressor is performed. 
     
     
         10 . An air conditioner, wherein, the air conditioner is controlled by the control method of  claim 1 , and the air conditioner comprises:
 a compressor, a first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger, a gas supply device, which are in communication with each other;   and a gas supply pipeline, wherein: a first end of the gas supply pipeline is in communication with an outlet end of the first heat exchanger; a second end of the gas supply pipeline is in communication with a gas supply port of the compressor; and   at least part of the gas supply pipeline performs heat exchange with the gas supply device, to increase temperature of a refrigerant in the gas supply pipeline.   
     
     
         11 . The air conditioner according to  claim 10 , wherein, the gas supply pipeline is provided with at least one of an electronic expansion valve, a pressure sensor and a first temperature sensor. 
     
     
         12 . The air conditioner according to  claim 10 , wherein, a second temperature sensor is arranged in a discharge pipeline of the compressor. 
     
     
         13 . The air conditioner according to  claim 10 , wherein, a third temperature sensor is arranged in the gas supply pipeline; and the third temperature sensor is disposed between an electronic expansion valve and the gas supply device. 
     
     
         14 . The air conditioner according to  claim 10 , wherein, the control method comprises:
 controlling the compressor to be in the operating state continuously when the number of the shutdown times of the compressor is less than or equal to a first preset value; and controlling the compressor to be in the shutdown state for maintenance when the number of the shutdown times of the compressor is greater than the first preset value.   
     
     
         15 . The air conditioner according to  claim 10 , wherein, the continuous duration of the superheat degree further comprises a negative value continuous duration; when the negative value continuous duration of the superheat degree of the injected vapor reaches a second preset value, and during the negative value continuous duration, an exhaust temperature of the compressor remains less than a critical value of the exhaust temperature of the compressor, and the compressor is restored automatically to the operating state after being shut down. 
     
     
         16 . The air conditioner according to  claim 15 , wherein, the continuous duration of the superheat degree further comprises an offset value continuous duration; if the offset value continuous duration, in which the superheat degree of the injected vapor is greater than the offset value of the superheat degree continuously, is less than or equal to a third preset value, the offset value continuous duration is included into the negative value continuous duration. 
     
     
         17 . The air conditioner according to  claim 16 , wherein, the third preset value is t, wherein, 0<t≤60 s. 
     
     
         18 . The air conditioner according to  claim 14 , wherein, the first preset value is N, wherein, 0<N≤2. 
     
     
         19 . The air conditioner according to  claim 10 , wherein, in a heating mode and/or in a cooling mode of the air conditioner, the continuous duration of the superheat degree is tc, wherein,
 tc=t1−t0, wherein, t1>to, and t0 is a time instant when the superheat degree of the injected vapor begins to be less than an offset value of the superheat degree; or   tc=t1−t0+t), wherein, t1 is a time instant when the superheat degree of the vapor injection begins to be greater than the offset value of the superheat degree after t0; t is a time period, in which the superheat degree of the vapor injection is greater than the offset value of the superheat degree; if t is greater than a fourth preset value, tc is reset to zero and counted again from a next time instant when the superheat degree of the vapor injection begins to be less than the offset value of the superheat degree.   
     
     
         20 . The air conditioner according to  claim 19 , wherein, wherein, in a heating mode, when the air conditioner performs the defrost mode, the continuous duration is reset to zero; and the reset continuous duration is counted from a time instant when the superheat degree of the injected vapor begins to be less than or equal to the offset value of the superheat degree.