US20250060118A1

US20250060118A1 - Method and system for controlling air conditioner, air conditioner, device, and medium

Info

Publication number: US20250060118A1
Application number: US18/806,044
Authority: US
Inventors: Kongxiang WU; Guozhu ZHONG; Yiyang Mo; Yuqiang Chen; Da Wu
Original assignee: Midea Group Co Ltd; GD Midea Heating and Ventilating Equipment Co Ltd
Current assignee: Midea Group Co Ltd; GD Midea Heating and Ventilating Equipment Co Ltd
Priority date: 2023-08-16
Filing date: 2024-08-15
Publication date: 2025-02-20

Abstract

A control method includes obtaining an operation state of an air conditioner, determining, in response to the operation state of the air conditioner being a power consumption reduction response state, whether a power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is reached by limiting an output of an outdoor unit of the air conditioner, and performing a power consumption reduction control on an indoor unit of the air conditioner in response to determining that the power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is not reached by limiting the output of the outdoor unit.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to Chinese Application No. 202311073425.0 filed on Aug. 23, 2023 and Chinese Application No. 202311035934.4 filed on Aug. 16, 2023, the entire contents of both of which are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to the field of household appliance technologies, and more particularly, to a method and a system for controlling an air conditioner, an air conditioner, a device, and a medium.

BACKGROUND

With an increasing demand of a power grid for off-peak response, an air conditioner is usually required to achieve adequate off-peak power consumption. Currently, a conventional control is to limit the output of an outdoor unit of the air conditioner. However, some practical power consumption reduction processes includes compulsory goals to be reached, such as a power consumption reduction target value that needs to be reached, i.e., an actual power of the air conditioner needs to be reduced to such a degree that causes the overall power consumption of the air conditioner to be reduced to the power consumption reduction target value.
However, in a process of controlling the outdoor unit, there may be a case where the power consumption reduction control of the outdoor unit has approached or even reached its limit, but the effect of the power consumption reduction is still insufficient. Therefore, the power consumption requirement cannot be well met, which affects the competitiveness of the air conditioner.

SUMMARY

A method and a system for controlling an air conditioner, an air conditioner, a device, and a medium are provided, to effectively reduce a real-time power of an air conditioner, allowing the air conditioner to reach or approach a power consumption reduction target as much as possible, and a power consumption response requirement to be better met.
According to a first aspect, a method for controlling an air conditioner is provided. The air conditioner includes an outdoor unit and an indoor unit. The method includes: obtaining an operation state of the air conditioner; determining, when the operation state of the air conditioner is a power consumption reduction response state, whether a power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is reached by limiting an output of the outdoor unit; and performing a power consumption reduction control on the indoor unit when the power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is not reached by limiting the output of the outdoor unit.
Further, the determining whether the power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is reached by limiting the output of the outdoor unit includes: comparing a real-time power of the air conditioner with a first predetermined power, the first predetermined power being determined based on a power consumption reduction target value; and determining that the power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is not reached by limiting the output of the outdoor unit when the real-time power is equal to or greater than the first predetermined power.
Further, the determining whether the power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is reached by limiting the output of the outdoor unit includes: comparing a real-time power of the air conditioner with a second predetermined power, the second predetermined power being determined based on a power consumption reduction target value; determining whether the outdoor unit reaches a power consumption reduction limit based on an operation parameter of the outdoor unit when the real-time power is equal to or greater than the second predetermined power; and determining that the power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is not reached by limiting the output of the outdoor unit when the outdoor unit has reached the power consumption reduction limit.
Further, the method further includes, subsequent to the obtaining the operation state of the air conditioner: determining whether the air conditioner satisfies a condition including at least one of: the operation state of the air conditioner being not in the power consumption reduction response state; and the real-time power of the air conditioner being smaller than a third predetermined power; determining whether the indoor unit is in a power consumption reduction control state when the air conditioner satisfies at least one of the conditions; and restoring the indoor unit to a default control when the indoor unit is in the power consumption reduction control state.
Further, the condition further includes an operation parameter of the outdoor unit being greater than a predetermined parameter value.
Further, the performing the power consumption reduction control on the indoor unit includes: when the air conditioner is in a heating mode, turning off an electric heating output of the indoor unit and determining whether the power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is reached after the electric heating output of the indoor unit is turned off, where when the power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is not reached, a fan level of the indoor unit is adjusted to a lowest fan level; or gradually reducing the electric heating output of the indoor unit until the electric heating output is turned off, and determining whether the power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is reached in a process of gradually reducing the electric heating output of the indoor unit until the electric heating output is turned off, where when the power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is not reached, the fan level of the indoor unit is gradually reduced until the power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is reached or until the fan level of the indoor unit is adjusted to the lowest fan level; and when the air conditioner is not in the heating mode, adjusting the fan level of the indoor unit to the lowest fan level; or gradually reducing the fan level of the indoor unit until the power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is reached or until the fan level of the indoor unit is adjusted to the lowest fan level.
Further, the method further includes, when the operation state of the air conditioner is the power consumption reduction response state: obtaining an indoor temperature; determining, based on the indoor temperature, whether a comfort index is satisfied; and controlling the operation state of the air conditioner to switch from the power consumption reduction response state to a special power consumption reduction response state when the comfort index is not satisfied. In the special power consumption reduction response state, the air conditioner is controlled to operate based on the comfort index until an exit condition of the special power consumption reduction response state is satisfied.
Further, the determining, based on the indoor temperature, whether the comfort index is satisfied includes: obtaining a comfort control index temperature and a hysteresis error control temperature; obtaining a comfort threshold temperature based on a set temperature of the air conditioner and the comfort control index temperature; obtaining an over-comfort temperature based on the set temperature of the air conditioner, the comfort control index temperature, and the hysteresis error control temperature; and determining whether the indoor temperature satisfies the comfort index based on a magnitude relationship between the indoor temperature and each of the comfort threshold temperature and the over-comfort temperature.
Further, when the air conditioner is in a cooling mode, the determining whether the indoor temperature satisfies the comfort index based on the magnitude relationship between the indoor temperature and each of the comfort threshold temperature and the over-comfort temperature includes: when the indoor temperature is lower than the over-comfort temperature, determining that the indoor temperature satisfies the comfort index, where the over-comfort temperature=the set temperature of the air conditioner+the comfort control index temperature−the hysteresis error control temperature; when the indoor temperature is equal to or higher than the over-comfort temperature and the indoor temperature is lower than the comfort threshold temperature, determining that the indoor temperature is close to the comfort index, where the comfort threshold temperature=the set temperature of the air conditioner+the comfort control index temperature; and when the indoor temperature is equal to or higher than the comfort threshold temperature, determining that the indoor temperature fails to satisfy the comfort index.
Further, when the air conditioner is in a heating mode, the determining whether the indoor temperature satisfies the comfort index based on the magnitude relationship between the indoor temperature and each of the comfort threshold temperature and the over-comfort temperature includes: when the indoor temperature is higher than the over-comfort temperature, determining that the indoor temperature satisfies the comfort index, where the over-comfort temperature=the set temperature of the air conditioner−the comfort control index temperature+the hysteresis error control temperature; when the indoor temperature is equal to or lower than the over-comfort temperature and the indoor temperature is higher than the comfort threshold temperature, determining that the indoor temperature is close to the comfort index, where the comfort threshold temperature=the set temperature of the air conditioner−the comfort control index temperature; and when the indoor temperature is equal to or lower than the comfort threshold temperature, determining that the indoor temperature fails to satisfy the comfort index.
Further, when the indoor temperature satisfies the comfort index, the method further includes maintaining the operation state of the air conditioner to be the power consumption reduction response state until an exit condition of the power consumption reduction response state is satisfied. When the indoor temperature is close to the comfort index, the method further includes limiting the power consumption reduction control of the air conditioner until a limiting exit condition is satisfied.
Further, the satisfying the exit condition of the special power consumption reduction response state includes at least one of: receiving a power consumption reduction cancelling command; receiving a peak shaving command other than the power consumption reduction command; a duration of the special power reduction response state reaches a predetermined time length.
According to a second aspect, a system for controlling an air conditioner is provided. The air conditioner includes an outdoor unit and an indoor unit. The system includes: an acquisition module configured to obtain an operation state of the air conditioner; a determination module configured to determine, when the operation state of the air conditioner is a power consumption reduction response state, whether a power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is reached by limiting an output of the outdoor unit; a control module configured to perform a power consumption reduction control on the indoor unit when the power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is not reached by limiting the output of the outdoor unit.
According to a third aspect, an air conditioner is provided. The air conditioner includes the system for controlling an air conditioner according to the second aspect.
According to a fourth aspect, a computer device is provided. The computer device includes a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor. The processor, when executing the computer program, implements steps of the method for controlling an air conditioner according to the first aspect and any one of the embodiments thereof.
According to a fifth aspect, a computer-readable storage medium is provided. The computer-readable has a computer program stored thereon. The computer program, when executed by a processor, implements steps of the method for controlling an air conditioner according to the first aspect and any one of the embodiments thereof.
According to a sixth aspect, a computer program product is provided. The computer program product includes instructions. The instructions, when executed, implement steps of the method for controlling an air conditioner according to the first aspect and any one of the embodiments thereof.
According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, when the operation state of the air conditioner is the power consumption reduction response state, the output of the outdoor unit is limited. In this process, whether the output limitation on the outdoor unit allows the air conditioner to reach the power consumption reduction target is determined based on the real-time power of the air conditioner. When the air conditioner fails to reach the power consumption reduction target, the power consumption reduction control effect is insufficient, and the power consumption reduction control can be performed on the indoor unit to effectively reduce the real-time power of the air conditioner, which allows the air conditioner to reach or approach the power consumption reduction target as much as possible, and the power consumption response requirement to be better met.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features, objects, and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent upon reading a detailed description of non-limiting embodiments with reference to the following drawings.

FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a method for controlling an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a method for controlling an air conditioner according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a method for controlling an air conditioner according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a schematic structural diagram of a system for controlling an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a schematic structural diagram of a computer device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

The present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that, the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present disclosure rather than to limit the present disclosure. In addition, it should also be noted that, for convenience of description, only part but not all related to the present disclosure are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
It should be noted that the embodiments in the present disclosure, i.e., features of the embodiments, may be combined with each other without conflict. Hereinafter, the present disclosure will be described in detail in conjunction with the embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.
A method and a system for controlling an air conditioner, an air conditioner, a device, and a medium according to the embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Before describing the method for controlling an air conditioner according to the embodiments of the present disclosure, the air conditioner is first introduced. An air conditioner system generally includes two parts including an indoor unit and an outdoor unit, or the air conditioner system is an integrated piece of the indoor unit and the outdoor unit, that is, the indoor unit and the outdoor unit are integrated. The air conditioner includes a compressor, an evaporator, a condenser, a throttle member, and the like, which together form a refrigeration system of the air conditioner. The air conditioner in the embodiments of the present disclosure may further refer to a heat pump system capable of both cooling and heating, and the air conditioner generally further includes a four-way valve for controlling a direction of the condenser, allowing the heat pump system to operate for heating and cooling.
FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a method for controlling an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 1 , the method includes the following operations at blocks.
At block S101, an operation state of the air conditioner is obtained.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the operation state of the air conditioner includes a power consumption reduction response state and a non-power consumption reduction response state. The non-power consumption reduction response state refers to an operation state other than the power consumption reduction response state.
The air conditioner is controlled to enter the power consumption reduction response state by receiving an external power consumption response command. For example, based on increasing demand of the power grid for off-peak response, the power consumption response command issued by the power grid is received in a certain time period.
In an embodiment, the air conditioner can include a communication module for external communication, and the air conditioner can receive the power consumption response command issued by the power grid through the communication module. The communication module generally refers to a network interconnection device capable of accessing an internet.
When the air conditioner receives the power consumption response command and enters the power consumption reduction response state, the operation state of the air conditioner being the power consumption reduction response state can be obtained. Otherwise, the air conditioner being in the non-power consumption reduction response state can be obtained.
At block S102, when the operation state of the air conditioner is the power consumption reduction response state, it is determined whether a power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is reached by limiting an output of the outdoor unit.
With the increasing demand of the power grid for the off-peak response, the air conditioner is required to achieve adequate off-peak power consumption. Currently, a conventional control is to directly limit the output of the outdoor unit of the air conditioner. However, some practical power consumption reduction processes include compulsory goals to be reached, such as a power consumption reduction target value that needs to be reached, i.e., an actual power of the air conditioner needs to be reduced to such a degree that causes the overall power consumption of the air conditioner to be reduced to the power consumption reduction target value.
However, in some scenarios, it is difficult to control the outdoor unit to achieve the goal. For example, the user is stricter about an indoor environment, and the indoor unit of the air conditioner consumes more power. Therefore, in an embodiment of the present disclosure, when the operation state of the air conditioner is the power consumption reduction response state, the outdoor unit is already in the power consumption reduction control. In this case, it is necessary to determine whether the requirement of the power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is met by limiting the output of the outdoor unit.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the determining whether the power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is reached by limiting the output of the outdoor unit includes: comparing a real-time power of the air conditioner with a first predetermined power, the first predetermined power being determined based on a power consumption reduction target value; and determining that the power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is not reached by limiting the output of the outdoor unit when the real-time power is equal to or greater than the first predetermined power.
That is, when the operation state of the air conditioner is the power consumption reduction response state, corresponding power consumption reduction control is adopted for the outdoor unit of the air conditioner, including limiting the output of the outdoor unit, to reduce an overall real-time power of the air conditioner. After the overall real-time power of the air conditioner is reduced, it is determined whether the real-time power of the air conditioner at this time is smaller than a predetermined threshold value (i.e., the first predetermined power). When the real-time power at this time is still greater than or equal to the predetermined threshold value, it indicates that the overall real-time power of the air conditioner still fails to meet the power consumption reduction requirement by limiting the output of the outdoor unit. In other words, the real-time power of the whole air conditioner still fails to meet the power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner after the outdoor unit output is limited.
In the above example, the real-time power is denoted as P, and the first predetermined power is denoted as P_A. That is, when the operation state of the air conditioner is the power consumption reduction response state, if P≥P_A, the overall real-time power of the air conditioner fails to meet the power consumption reduction requirement by limiting the outdoor unit output.
The first predetermined power P_A is determined based on the power consumption reduction target value. For example, when the power consumption reduction target value is 40% of a rated power of the whole air conditioner in a current operating condition, P_A may be set to about 40% of the rated power of the whole air conditioner in the current operating condition. Generally, P_A may be set to a value slightly smaller than the power consumption reduction target value.
It should be noted that the power consumption reduction target value is smaller than the rated power of the whole air conditioner in the current operating condition. For example, the power consumption reduction target value is 10% to 99% of the rated power of the whole air conditioner in the current operating condition. Therefore, the first predetermined power P_A may range from 10% to 99% of the rated power of the whole air conditioner in the current operating condition.
In another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, in a process of determining whether the power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is reached by limiting the output of the outdoor unit, other operation parameters of the air conditioner may be introduced to assist in determining whether the output limitation on the outdoor unit has reached the limit, that is, it is determined whether the power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner can be reached when the output limitation on the outdoor unit reaches the limit. In an embodiment, the determining whether the power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is reached by limiting the output of the outdoor unit includes: comparing the real-time power of the air conditioner with a second predetermined power, the second predetermined power being determined based on the power consumption reduction target value; determining whether the outdoor unit reaches a power consumption reduction limit based on an operation parameter of the outdoor unit when the real-time power is equal to or greater than the second predetermined power; and determining that the power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is not reached by limiting the output of the outdoor unit when the outdoor unit has reached the power consumption reduction limit.
In this embodiment, the second predetermined power may be set to be the same as the first predetermined power in the above embodiment. That is, the second predetermined power may be denoted as P_A. In this embodiment, the real-time power of the air conditioner is denoted as P. Therefore, in this embodiment, when the operation state of the air conditioner is the power consumption reduction response state and P≥P_A, the power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is not reached by limiting the output of the outdoor unit, and whether the outdoor unit reaches the power consumption reduction limit is further be determined based on the operation parameter of the outdoor unit. For example, the operation parameter of the outdoor unit is already very small, that is, an operating power of the outdoor unit cannot be further reduced. In this case, the power consumption reduction control of the outdoor unit has reached the power consumption reduction limit. When the power consumption reduction control of the outdoor unit has reached the power consumption reduction limit, whether the air conditioner reaches the power consumption reduction target is determined based on the real-time power.
In the above example, the operation parameter of the outdoor unit includes, but is not limited to, a compressor frequency of the outdoor unit, a fan level of the outdoor unit, an overall output power of the outdoor unit, and the like. For example, after the fan level of the outdoor unit has been adjusted to a lowest fan level, whether the air conditioner reaches the power consumption reduction target is determined based on the real-time power.
In an embodiment, the operation parameter of the outdoor unit is the compressor frequency. When the operating state of the air conditioner is the power consumption reduction response state and P≥P_A, it is determined whether the compressor frequency is lower than or equal to a predetermined frequency. When the compressor frequency is lower than or equal to the predetermined frequency, it is determined that the output limitation on the outdoor unit has reached the limit.
The predetermined frequency is denoted as Hz_A, and the predetermined frequency Hz_A may range from 1% to 99% of an operating frequency of the current compressor. The operation parameter of the outdoor unit, such as the compressor frequency, is configured to control a hysteresis error, i.e., to prevent an influence on a comfort index due to a fan level change of the indoor unit. For example, when the fan level of the indoor unit is forced to decrease, the comfort index changes. In this case, when the compressor frequency of the outdoor unit is already very low, the comfort index may fail to meet a comfort index requirement, which causes the air conditioner to exit the power consumption reduction response state. In this embodiment, by introducing the operation parameter, such as the compressor frequency, of the outdoor unit, influence of the coupling between the fan level change and the frequency of the indoor unit on power consumption of the whole air conditioner can be reduced. That is, when the compressor frequency is very small, for example, the compressor frequency is lower than or equal to Hz_A, even if the fan level of the indoor unit is reduced, the air conditioner will not exit the power consumption reduction response state, thereby avoiding the case where the air conditioner no longer responds to the power consumption response command.
At block S103, a power consumption reduction control is performed on the indoor unit when the power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is not reached by limiting the output of the outdoor unit.
After determining that the power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is not reached by limiting the output of the outdoor unit in operation at block S102, in an embodiment of the present disclosure, the power consumption reduction control is performed on the indoor unit. The power consumption reduction control of the indoor unit includes, but is not limited to, reducing or turning off some auxiliary devices, reducing the fan level of the indoor unit, and the like. The auxiliary devices include, but are not limited to, electric heating. The manner of performing the power consumption reduction control on the indoor unit includes (1) step-by-step control and (2) forced control. The step-by-step control may be gradually reducing the fan level of the indoor unit, and gradually reducing the electric heating, etc. The forced control may be directly adjusting the fan level of the indoor unit to the minimum level, and directly turning off the electric heating, etc.
In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the performing the power consumption reduction control on the indoor unit includes following operations. When the air conditioner is in a heating mode, an electric heating output of the indoor unit is turned off, and it is determined whether the power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is reached in response to turning off the electric heating output of the indoor unit, where a fan level of the indoor unit is adjusted to a lowest fan level when the power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is not reached; or the electric heating output of the indoor unit is gradually reduced until the electric heating output is turned off, and in a process of gradually reducing the electric heating output of the indoor unit until the electric heating output is turned off, it is determined whether the power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is reached, where when the power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is not reached, the fan level of the indoor unit is gradually reduced until the power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is reached, or until the fan level of the indoor unit is adjusted to the lowest fan level. When the air conditioner is not in the heating mode, the fan level of the indoor unit is adjusted to the lowest fan level, or the fan level of the indoor unit is gradually reduced until the power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is reached or until the fan level of the indoor unit is adjusted to the lowest fan level.
Namely, the power consumption reduction control of the indoor unit includes following modes.
Mode (1), step-by-step control: the electric heating output of the indoor unit is reduced until the electric heating output is turned off, and then the fan level of the indoor unit is gradually reduced to the lowest fan level. In this process, it is determined in real-time whether the real-time power of the air conditioner reaches the power consumption reduction target value. When the real-time power of the air conditioner reaches the power consumption reduction target value, the current operation state is maintained. Otherwise, the step-by-step control is performed until all control is completed.
Mode (2), forced control: the electric heating is directly turned off, and then the fan level of the indoor unit is directly limited to the lowest fan level. In this process, it is determined in real-time whether the real-time power of the air conditioner reaches the power consumption reduction target value. When the real-time power of the air conditioner reaches the power consumption reduction target value, the current operation state is maintained.
It should be noted that when the air conditioner does not have electric heating, the control of the electric heating is skipped, and the fan level of the indoor unit is controlled.
According to the method for controlling an air conditioner, when the operation state of the air conditioner is the power consumption reduction response state, the output limitation is performed on the outdoor unit. In this process, whether the output limitation of the outdoor unit allows the air conditioner to reach the power consumption reduction target is determined based on the real-time power of the air conditioner. When the air conditioner fails to reach the power consumption reduction target by limiting the output of the outdoor unit, i.e., the power consumption reduction control effect is insufficient, power consumption reduction control can be performed on the indoor unit to effectively reduce the real-time power of the air conditioner, which allows the air conditioner to reach or approach the power consumption reduction target as much as possible, and the power consumption response requirement to be better met.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the method for controlling an air conditioner further includes, subsequent to obtaining the operation state of the air conditioner: determining whether at least one of flowing conditions is met: the operation state of the air conditioner being not the power consumption reduction response state, and the real-time power of the air conditioner being smaller than a third predetermined power; determining whether the indoor unit is in a power consumption reduction control state when at least one of the conditions is met; and restoring the indoor unit to a default control when the indoor unit is in the power consumption reduction control state.
In an embodiment, when the air conditioner is not in the power consumption reduction response state, or the real-time power P of the air conditioner is smaller than a predetermined threshold (i.e., the third predetermined power), and when the indoor unit is in the power consumption reduction control state, for example, the fan level does not follow a user requirement, but is the lowest fan level, the indoor unit is restored to the default control, for example, a high fan level set by the user. Therefore, the user requirement can be better met, and user experience of the air conditioner is improved. Generally, the predetermined threshold is denoted as P_B, P_B≤P_A, and P_B may range from 1% to 99% of the rated power of the air conditioner in the current operating condition.
On the basis of this embodiment, in another embodiment of the present disclosure, the above condition may further include: an operation parameter of the outdoor unit being greater than a predetermined parameter value. The operating parameter of the outdoor unit is as described in the above embodiments, and is not described in detail herein. Taking the compressor frequency as an example, the condition can include the air conditioner being not in the power consumption reduction response state, or the real-time power P of the air conditioner being smaller than P_B, or the compressor frequency being higher than a predetermined frequency. The predetermined frequency is denoted as Hz_B. Hz_B may range from 1% to 99% of the current operating frequency of the current compressor. In general, Hz_A≤Hz_B. In this way, the air conditioner can better meet use requirements of the user.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a method for controlling an air conditioner according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. Subsequent to the air conditioner entering the power consumption reduction response state, as shown in FIG. 2 , the method further includes operations at blocks.
At block S201, an indoor temperature is obtained.
In an embodiment, when the air conditioner normally operates based on a mode set by the user, in response to receiving the power consumption reduction command, the operation state of the air conditioner is switched to the power consumption reduction response state. Subsequent to the air conditioner being switched to the power consumption reduction response state, the indoor temperature is obtained in real time. The operation state when the air conditioner operates normally based on the mode set by the user may be referred to as a normal operation state. That is, when the air conditioner is in the normal operation state, in response to receiving the power consumption reduction command, the air conditioner switches from the normal operation state to the power consumption reduction response state. The indoor temperature is obtained by detecting the indoor temperature, i.e., an indoor ambient temperature of the indoor unit of the air conditioner, through a built-in temperature sensor of the air conditioner.
In this embodiment, the operation state of the air conditioner includes the power consumption reduction response state and the non-power consumption reduction response state. The non-power consumption reduction response state refers to an operation state other than the power consumption reduction response state, such as the normal operation state.
The air conditioner can enter the power consumption reduction response state by receiving an external power consumption response command. For example, based on increasing demand of the power grid for off-peak response, the power consumption response command issued by the power grid is received in a certain time period.
In an embodiment, the air conditioner can include the communication module for external communication, and the air conditioner can receive the power consumption response command issued by the power grid through the communication module. The communication module generally refers to a network interconnection device that can access an internet.
In the above description, the power consumption reduction response state refers to an operation mode in which the power consumption of the air conditioner is reduced. As the demand of the power grid for off-peak response increases, it is usually necessary to ensure that the air conditioner can achieve sufficient off-peak power consumption. In the power consumption reduction response state, the output of the outdoor unit of the air conditioner can be limited. For example, the compressor frequency of the outdoor unit and a wind speed of the outdoor unit are reduced to allow the overall power consumption of the air conditioner to reach a corresponding goal, such as a power consumption reduction target value. That is, the actual power of the air conditioner needs to be reduced to such an extent that the overall power consumption of the air conditioner can be reduced to the power consumption reduction target value. Of course, in some scenarios, it is difficult to achieve the goal by controlling the outdoor unit. For example, when the user is stricter about the indoor environment, or the indoor unit of the air conditioner consumes more power, power consumption can further be reduced by adjusting the set temperature.
At block S202, it is determined whether a comfort index is satisfied based on the indoor temperature.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the determining, based on the indoor temperature, whether the comfort index is satisfied may include: obtaining a comfort control index temperature and a hysteresis error control temperature; obtaining a comfort threshold temperature based on a set temperature of the air conditioner and the comfort control index temperature; obtaining an over-comfort temperature based on the set temperature of the air conditioner, the comfort control index temperature, and the hysteresis error control temperature; and determining whether the indoor temperature satisfies the comfort index based on a magnitude relationship between the indoor temperature and each of the comfort threshold temperature and the over-comfort temperature.
The comfort control index temperature and the hysteresis error control temperature may be predetermined. The comfort control index temperature refers to a comfort control index, and is usually set to any temperature value from 0° C. to 5° C. The hysteresis error control temperature can effectively prevent a frequent switching between different states of the air conditioner. Under normal circumstances, the hysteresis error control temperature can be set to any temperature value from 0.5° C. to 3° C.
It should be noted that, in a cooling mode and a heating mode of the air conditioner, manners of determining the comfort threshold temperature based on the set temperature of the air conditioner and the comfort control index temperature are different, manners of determining the over-comfort temperature based on the set temperature of the air conditioner, the comfort control index temperature, and the hysteresis error control temperature are different, and manners of determining whether the indoor temperature satisfies the comfort index based on the magnitude relationship between the indoor temperature and each of the comfort threshold temperature and the over-comfort temperature are different. Determining the comfort threshold temperature, the over-comfort temperature, and whether the indoor temperature satisfies the comfort index in the cooling mode and the heating mode of air conditioner are described below, respectively.
Taking the cooling mode as an example, when the air conditioner is in the cooling mode, it is assumed that T1 is the indoor temperature, Ts is the set temperature, i.e., a set indoor temperature, ΔT_DRcool is the comfort control index temperature, and A is the hysteresis error control temperature. Then, the determining whether the indoor temperature satisfies the comfort index based on the magnitude relationship between the indoor temperature T1 and each of the comfort threshold temperature and the over-comfort temperature includes situations as follows.
(1) When the indoor temperature T1 is lower than the over-comfort temperature, it is determined that the indoor temperature satisfies the comfort index. In an embodiment, the over-comfort temperature=the set temperature Ts of the air conditioner+the comfort control index temperature ΔT_DRcool−the hysteresis error control temperature A.
That is, the over-comfort temperature=Ts+ΔT_DRcool−A. When T1<Ts+ΔT_DRcool−A, the indoor temperature is determined to satisfy the comfort index.
(2) When the indoor temperature T1 is higher than or equal to the over-comfort temperature and the indoor temperature T1 is lower than the comfort threshold temperature, it is determined that the indoor temperature is close to the comfort index. In an embodiment, the comfort threshold temperature=the set temperature Ts of the air conditioner+the comfort control index temperature ΔT_DRcool.
That is, when Ts+ΔT_DRcool−A≤T1<Ts+ΔT_DRcool, the indoor temperature is determined to be close to the comfort index.
(3) When the indoor temperature T1 is higher than or equal to the comfort threshold temperature, it is determined that the indoor temperature fails to satisfy the comfort index.
That is, when T1≥Ts+ΔT_DRcool, the indoor temperature is determined to fail to satisfy the comfort index.
In an application, taking the cooling mode as an example, when the indoor temperature T1 is far away from the comfort index, i.e., T1<Ts+ΔT_DRcool−A ° C., it indicates that the current indoor comfort is very high and the comfort index is satisfied. In other words, the cooling can easily reach the temperature set by the user and easily meet the cooling demand of the user. Therefore, in this case, the air conditioner is allowed to operate in the power consumption reduction response state, i.e., the air conditioner is allowed to perform the power consumption reduction control. With a progress of the power consumption reduction control, the cooling is performed in a direction toward failing to meet the cooling demand of the user. That is, the indoor temperature T1 generally increases gradually. When the indoor temperature is close to the comfort index, that is, Ts+ΔT_DRcool−A≤T1<Ts+ΔT_DRcool, it indicates that the indoor temperature is in a state close to the comfort index. At this time, it is necessary to limit the air conditioner to further perform the power consumption reduction control. For example, controls that reduce a cooling output of the air-conditioner are prevented, for example, the compressor frequency of the air conditioner is prevented from being further lowered, and the fan level is prevented from being lowered, etc. When the indoor temperature fails to satisfy the comfort index, i.e. Ts+ΔT_DRcool≤T1, the air conditioner is controlled to enter a special power consumption reduction response state, i.e. normal cooling of the air conditioner is resumed. That is, a comfort control based on the set temperature is prioritized to ensure that the cooling demand can be met.
It should be noted that, when the air conditioner is in the cooling mode, subsequent to the air conditioner entering the special power consumption reduction response state, the air conditioner exits the special power consumption reduction response state only when an exit condition of the special power consumption reduction response state is reached. Otherwise, in the special power consumption reduction response state, the comfort control is preferentially performed based on the set temperature to ensure that the cooling demand can be met, and the air conditioner does not respond to the power consumption reduction command. That is, in this state, even if the power consumption reduction command is received, the air conditioner does not respond to the power consumption reduction command.
In another embodiment, taking the heating mode as an example, the air conditioner is operating in the heating mode, and it is assumed that T1 is the indoor temperature, Ts is the set temperature, i.e., the set indoor temperature, ΔT_DRheat is the comfort control index temperature, and B is the hysteresis error control temperature. Then, the determining whether the indoor temperature satisfies the comfort index based on the magnitude relationship between the indoor temperature T1 and each of the comfort threshold temperature and the over-comfort temperature includes situations as follows.
(1) When the indoor temperature T1 is higher than the over-comfort temperature, it is determined that the indoor temperature T1 satisfies the comfort index. In an embodiment, the over-comfort temperature=the set temperature Ts of the air conditioner−the comfort control index temperature ΔT_DRheat+the hysteresis error control temperature B.
That is, the over-comfort temperature=Ts−ΔT_DRheat+B. When T1>Ts−ΔT_DRheat+B, the indoor temperature T1 is determined to satisfy the comfort index.
(2) When the indoor temperature T1 is lower than or equal to the over-comfort temperature and the indoor temperature T1 is higher than the comfort threshold temperature, it is determined that the indoor temperature is close to the comfort index. In an embodiment, the comfort threshold temperature=the set temperature TS of the air conditioner−the comfort control index temperature ΔT_DRheat.
That is, when Ts−ΔT_DRheat<T1≤Ts−ΔT_DRheat+B, the indoor temperature is determined to be close to the comfort index.
(3) When the indoor temperature T1 is lower than or equal to the comfort threshold temperature, it is determined that the indoor temperature fails to satisfy the comfort index.
That is, when T1≤Ts−ΔT_DRheat, the indoor temperature is determined to fail to satisfy the comfort index.
In an application, taking the heating mode as an example, the indoor temperature T1 is far away from the comfort index, i.e., T1>Ts−ΔT_DRheat+B ° C., it indicates that the current indoor comfort is very high and the comfort index is satisfied. In other words, the heating can easily reach the temperature set by the user and easily meet the heating demand of the user. Therefore, in this case, the air conditioner is allowed to operate in the power consumption reduction response state, i.e., the air conditioner is allowed to perform the power consumption reduction control. With a progress of the power consumption reduction control, the heating is performed in a direction toward failing to meet the heating demand of the user. That is, the indoor temperature T1 generally decreases gradually. When the indoor temperature is close to the comfort index, that is, Ts−ΔT_DRheat<T1≤Ts−ΔT_DRheat+B, which indicates that the indoor temperature is close to the comfort index, it is necessary to limit the air conditioner to further perform the power consumption reduction control. For example, controls that reduce a heating output of the air-conditioner are prevented, for example, the compressor frequency of the air conditioner is prevented from being further lowered, the fan level is prevented from being lowered, and the electric heating is prevented from turning off. When the indoor temperature fails to satisfy the comfort index, i.e. T1≤Ts−ΔT_DRheat, the air conditioner enters the special power consumption reduction response state, i.e. normal heating of the air conditioner is resumed. That is, the comfort control based on the set temperature is prioritized to ensure that the heating demand can be met.
It should be noted that, when the air conditioner is in the heating mode, subsequent to the air conditioner entering the special power consumption reduction response state, the air conditioner exits the special power consumption reduction response state only when an exit condition of the special power consumption reduction response state is reached. Otherwise, in the special power consumption reduction response state, the comfort control is preferentially performed based on the set temperature to ensure that the heating demand can be met, and the air conditioner does not respond to the power consumption reduction command. That is, in this state, even if the power consumption reduction command is received, the air conditioner does not respond to the power consumption reduction command.
At block S203, when the indoor temperature is determined to fail to satisfy the comfort index, the operation state of the air conditioner is controlled to switch from the power consumption reduction response state to a special power consumption reduction response state. Subsequent to the operation state of the air conditioner being switched to the special power consumption reduction response state from the power consumption reduction response state, the air conditioner is preferentially controlled to operate based on the comfort index until an exit condition of the special power consumption reduction response state is satisfied.
That is, after the air conditioner enters the special power consumption reduction response state, the normal cooling mode or the normal heating mode is adopted based on the set temperature to allow the indoor temperature to approach the set temperature and further satisfy the comfort index. For example, cooling or heating is performed normally based on a difference between the set temperature Ts and the current indoor temperature T1 without considering power consumption, such that the current indoor temperature T1 can approach the set temperature Ts, thereby meeting the normal cooling or heating demand of the user. In this state, when the power consumption reduction command is received, the air conditioner does not respond to the power consumption reduction command, and cooling or heating is performed with a priority on satisfying the comfort of the user.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the exit condition of the special power consumption reduction response state includes at least one of the following, i.e., the special power consumption reduction response state is exited when at least one of the following conditions is satisfied:

- (1) receiving a power consumption reduction canceling command;
- (2) receiving a peak shaving command other than the power consumption reduction command;
- (3) a duration of the special power reduction response state reaches a predetermined time length.

That is, subsequent to entering the special power consumption reduction response state, when the power consumption reduction canceling command is received, i.e., it is no longer necessary to perform the power consumption reduction control on the air conditioner, the special power consumption reduction response state can be exited and the normal operation state can be performed. Or, when a peak shaving command other than the power consumption reduction command is received, the air conditioner responds to the peak shaving command, and is controlled to operate based on requirements of the peak shaving command. In addition, when the duration of the special power consumption reduction response state reaches the predetermined time length, the special power consumption reduction response state is automatically exited. The predetermined time length can be any time length ranging from 0.5 hours to 24 hours. For example, the predetermined time length is 4 hours, and the special power consumption reduction response state is automatically exited after 4 hours.
Since in the special power consumption reduction response state, instead of responding to the power consumption reduction command, the air conditioner operation is controlled with a priority on the comfort, the frequent switching of the air conditioner in different operating states can be avoided.
In the related art, when the air conditioner is in the normal operation state, in response to receiving the power consumption reduction response command, the air conditioner enters the power consumption reduction response state to perform the power consumption reduction control on the air conditioner. As the process continues, the indoor temperature is likely to fail to meet the user demand, and the air conditioner is automatically switched to the normal operation state to enable the temperature to better meet the user demand. When the indoor temperature meets the user demand, the air conditioner is switched to the power consumption reduction response state again. The indoor temperature fluctuates in a large range, and the air conditioner frequently switches between the two operation states, which not only affects the comfort of the user, but also causes frequent switching in the operation state, failing to meet the power consumption reduction requirement.
However, by using the method of the embodiments of the present disclosure, when the comfort requirement is not satisfied, the air conditioner is controlled to enter the special power consumption reduction response state. In this state, only when the power consumption reduction canceling command is received, a peak shaving command other than the power consumption reduction command is received, or the duration of the special power consumption reduction response state reaches 4 hours, the air conditioner can be switched to the power consumption reduction response state or the normal operation state. In this way, the air conditioner can continuously operate in one state such as the special power consumption reduction response state, avoiding frequent switching between different operation states caused by a temperature fluctuation. Further, the air conditioner can not only better satisfy the user comfort, but also effectively avoid frequent switching of different operation states which affects the use experience of the air conditioner, such that the use experience of the air conditioner is effectively improved.
According to the method for controlling an air conditioner of the embodiments of the present disclosure, in a process that the air conditioner operates in the power consumption reduction response state, whether the comfort index is satisfied is determined in real time based on the indoor temperature. When the comfort index is not satisfied, the air conditioner is switched to the special power consumption reduction response state, and the air conditioner is continuously operated in the special power consumption reduction response state. Therefore, the air conditioner is controlled with the priority on the comfort. In this way, the air conditioner can operate continuously in the special power consumption reduction response state, avoiding frequent switching between different operation states caused by the temperature fluctuation. Therefore, not only user comfort can be better met, but also frequent switching between different operation states can be effectively avoided, so as to improve the use experience of the air conditioner.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, when the indoor temperature satisfies the comfort index, the method further includes maintaining the operation state of the air conditioner to be the power consumption reduction response state until an exit condition of the power consumption reduction response state is satisfied. When the indoor temperature is close to the comfort index, the method further includes limiting the power consumption reduction control of the air conditioner until a limiting exit condition is satisfied. Taking the cooling mode as an example, when the air conditioner operates in the power consumption reduction response state, the comfort index is satisfied, that is, T1<Ts+ΔT_DRcool−A, in response to not receiving the power consumption reduction canceling command, the air conditioner operates in the current state to achieve the power consumption reduction and meet the off-peak requirement of the power grid. In a process that the air conditioner operates in the power consumption reduction response state, and the comfort index is gradually approached, i.e. Ts+ΔT_DRcool−A≤T1<Ts+ΔT_DRcool, the air conditioner is limited from further performing the power consumption reduction control. For example, controls reducing the cooling output of the air-conditioner are prevented, for example, the compressor frequency of the air conditioner is prevented from being further lowered, and the fan level is prevented from being lowered, etc., to avoid further rise in the indoor temperature which leads to a further decline in the comfort, and to achieve a balance between the power consumption reduction and the user comfort.
The frequent switching between different operation states due to the temperature fluctuation can be avoided through the above operations in steps S201 to S203. An application in introduced in conjunction with FIG. 3 , during the normal operation of the system (i.e. the air conditioner), in response to receiving the power consumption reduction command, the system enters the power consumption reduction response state. During the system operating in this state, whether the current comfort index is satisfied is continuously determined. If the current comfort index is satisfied, the power reduction control is continued until the exit condition of the power reduction response state is reached. If the current comfort index is not reached, for example, the indoor temperature is close to the comfort index, the power consumption reduction control of the air conditioner is limited instead of responding to the power consumption reduction control. In this process, when the indoor temperature does not deteriorate, (i.e. the indoor temperature does not continue to rise in the cooling mode, and the indoor temperature does not continue to drop in the heating mode), the current operation state is maintained. When the indoor temperature continues to deteriorate, that is, the comfort index is not satisfied, the system enters the special power consumption reduction response state to improve the comfort level and the special power consumption reduction response state is maintained for a certain period of time or until the power consumption reduction canceling command is received, i.e. the condition B or the condition C is satisfied. In this way, the system can continuously operate in the special power consumption reduction response state, avoiding frequent switching between different operation states caused by the temperature fluctuation. Furthermore, not only can user comfort be better met, but also frequent switching of different operation states is effectively avoided, so as to improve the use experience of the air conditioner.
When the system enters and operates in the power consumption reduction response state, the system switches back to the normal operation state if the exit condition, such as condition A, is met. Each of condition A and condition B is, but not limited to, receiving the power consumption reduction canceling command, or receiving another peak shaving command, or the system operates in the power consumption reduction response state for a time period, which can generally range from 0.5 hours to 24 hours. Condition C is receiving another peak shaving command or the system operates in the power consumption reduction response state for a time period, which can usually range from 0.5 hours to 24 hours.
FIG. 4 is a schematic structural diagram of a system for controlling an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 4 , the system includes an acquisition module 210, a determination module 220, and a control module 230.
The acquisition module 210 is configured to obtain an operation state of the air conditioner.
The determination module 220 is configured to determine, when the operation state of the air conditioner is in a power consumption reduction response state, whether a power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is reached by limiting an output of the outdoor unit.
The control module 230 is configured to perform a power consumption reduction control on the indoor unit when the power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is not reached by limiting the output of the outdoor unit.
According to the system of the embodiments of the present disclosure, when the operation state of the air conditioner is the power consumption reduction response state, the output of the outdoor unit is limited. In this process, it is determined whether the output limitation on the outdoor unit allows the air conditioner to reach the power consumption reduction target based on the real-time power of the air conditioner. When the air conditioner fails to reach the power consumption reduction target, the power consumption reduction control effect is insufficient, and the power consumption reduction control can be performed on the indoor unit to effectively reduce the real-time power of the air conditioner, which allows the air conditioner to reach or approach the power consumption reduction target as much as possible, and the power consumption response requirement to be better met.
Specific limitations on the system for controlling the air conditioner can be found in the above limitations on the method for controlling an air conditioner and will not be repeated herein. Various modules of the above-described system for controlling the air conditioner may be realized in whole or in part by means of software, hardware, and combinations thereof. Each of the above-described modules may be embedded in or independent from a processor in a computer device in the form of hardware, or may be stored in a memory of the computer device in the form of software, for the processor to invoke and execute the operations corresponding to each of the above-described modules.
In one embodiment, an air conditioner is provided. The air conditioner includes the system for controlling the air conditioner according to any of the above embodiments. The air conditioner can effectively reduce the real-time power to allow the air conditioner to reach or approach the power consumption reduction target as much as possible, such that the power consumption response requirement can be better met.
In addition, other components and functions of the air conditioner according to the embodiments of the present disclosure are known to those skilled in the art, and are not described herein.
Referring now to FIG. 5 , FIG. 5 illustrates a schematic structural diagram of a computer device suitable for implementing the embodiments of the present disclosure.
As shown in FIG. 5 , a computer system includes a Central Processing Unit (CPU) 1001 configured to execute various appropriate actions and processes based on programs stored in a Read Only Memory (ROM) 1002 or programs loaded from a storage portion 1008 into a Random Access Memory (RAM) 1003. The RAM 1003 further stores various programs and data required for operating instructions of the system. The CPU 1001, the ROM 1002, and the RAM 1003 are connected to each other through a bus 1004. An input/output (I/O) interface 1005 is also connected to bus 1004.
The following components are connected to the I/O interface 100. An input portion 1006 includes a keyboard, a mouse, and the like. An output portion 1007 includes a Cathode Ray Tube (CRT), a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), a speaker, and the like. A storage portion 1008 includes a hard disk and the like. A communication portion 1009 includes a network interface card such as a LAN card, a modem, and the like. The communication portion 1009 performs communication processing via a network such as the Internet. A driver 1010 is also connected to the I/O interface 1005 as needed. A removable medium 1011, such as a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a semiconductor memory, or the like, is mounted on the drive 1010 as necessary so that a computer program read therefrom is installed into the storage portion 1008 as necessary.
In particular, according to the embodiments of the present disclosure, the process described above with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. 1 may be implemented as a computer software program. In an embodiment, a computer program product is further provided, which includes a computer program carried on a computer-readable medium. The computer program includes program code for performing the methods illustrated in the flowcharts. In such an embodiment, the computer program includes the program code for performing the method illustrated in the flowchart. In such an embodiment, the computer program may be downloaded and installed from a network through the communication portion 1009 and/or installed from the removable medium 1011. When executed by the CPU 1001, the computer program executes the above-described functions defined in the system of the present disclosure.
It is to be noted that the above computer-readable medium in the present disclosure may be a computer-readable signal medium or a computer-readable storage medium or any combination thereof. The computer-readable storage medium may be, but not limited to, for example, an electrical, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any combination thereof. More specific examples of the computer-readable storage medium may include, but not limited to: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer disk, a hard disk, a Random Access Memory (RAM), a Read Only Memory (ROM), an Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (EPROM) or a flash memory, an optical fiber, a Compact Disc Read-Only Memory (CD-ROM), an optical memory device, a magnetic memory device, or any suitable combination thereof. In the present disclosure, the computer-readable storage medium may be any tangible medium including or storing programs, which may be used by or used with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. However, in the present disclosure, the computer-readable signal medium may include a data signal propagated in a baseband or as a part of a carrier that carries computer-readable program codes. Such propagated data signal may be in various forms, including but not limited to an electromagnetic signal, an optical signal, or any suitable combination thereof. The computer-readable signal medium may be any computer-readable medium other than the computer-readable storage medium, which may transmit, propagate, or transfer programs used by or used with an instruction execution system, apparatus or device. The program codes stored on the computer-readable medium may be transmitted via any appropriate medium, including but not limited to electric cable, optical cable, Radio Frequency (RF), or any suitable combination thereof.
The flowcharts and block diagrams in the figures illustrate architectures, functions, and operations of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. In this regard, each block in the flowcharts or block diagrams may represent a module, a program segment, or a part of codes. The module, program segment, or part of codes may contain one or more executable instructions for implementing a specified logical function. It is also to be noted that, in some alternative implementations, functions shown in blocks may occur in a different order from the order shown in the figures. For example, two blocks illustrated in succession may actually be executed substantially in parallel with each other, or sometimes even in a reverse order, depending on functions involved. It is also to be noted that each block in the block diagrams and/or flowcharts, or any combination of the blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowcharts, may be implemented using a dedicated hardware-based system that is configured to perform specified functions or operations or using a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.
Units involved and described in the embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented in software or hardware. The described units or modules may also be provided in the processor. A name of a unit does not constitute a limitation on the unit itself under certain circumstances.
The embodiments of the present disclosure further provide a computer-readable storage medium storing the computer program, and the processor implements the embodiment of the method for controlling an air conditioner when executing the computer program. The processor implements the following steps of: obtaining an operation state of the air conditioner; determining, when the operation state of the air conditioner is a power consumption reduction response state, whether a power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is reached by limiting an output of the outdoor unit; and performing a power consumption reduction control on the indoor unit when the power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is not reached by limiting the output of the outdoor unit.
The embodiments of the present disclosure provide the computer program product including instructions. The instructions, when executed, allow the method as described in embodiments of the present disclosure to be performed. For example, each step of the method for controlling an air conditioner shown in FIG. 1 may be executed. The method includes the following steps of: obtaining an operation state of the air conditioner; determining, when the operation state of the air conditioner is a power consumption reduction response state, whether a power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is reached by limiting an output of the outdoor unit; and performing a power consumption reduction control on the indoor unit when the power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is not reached by limiting the output of the outdoor unit.
In order to make the description simple, all possible combinations of the technical features in the foregoing embodiments are not described. However, as long as there is no conflict between the technical features in the embodiments, any combination of technical features in the above-described embodiments may be adopted, which should be considered in the scope of this specification.
The above embodiments illustrate merely some implementations of the present disclosure, which are described in detail but are not construed to limit the scope of the present disclosure. It should be pointed out that, for those skilled in the art, without departing from the principle of the present disclosure, various changes and improvements may be made, which are covered by the protection scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the protection scope of the present disclosure should consist with the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A control method comprising:

obtaining an operation state of an air conditioner;

determining, in response to the operation state of the air conditioner being a power consumption reduction response state, whether a power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is reached by limiting an output of an outdoor unit of the air conditioner; and

performing a power consumption reduction control on an indoor unit of the air conditioner in response to determining that the power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is not reached by limiting the output of the outdoor unit.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining whether the power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is reached by limiting the output of the outdoor unit includes:

comparing a real-time power of the air conditioner with a predetermined power, the predetermined power being determined based on a power consumption reduction target value; and

determining that the power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is not reached by limiting the output of the outdoor unit in response to the real-time power being equal to or greater than the predetermined power.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining whether the power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is reached by limiting the output of the outdoor unit includes:

comparing a real-time power of the air conditioner with a predetermined power, the predetermined power being determined based on a power consumption reduction target value;

determining whether the outdoor unit reaches a power consumption reduction limit based on an operation parameter of the outdoor unit in response to the real-time power being equal to or greater than the predetermined power; and

determining that the power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is not reached by limiting the output of the outdoor unit in response to the outdoor unit having reached the power consumption reduction limit.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising, subsequent to obtaining the operation state of the air conditioner:

determining whether the air conditioner satisfies at least one condition including at least one of:

the operation state of the air conditioner being not the power consumption reduction response state; and

a real-time power of the air conditioner being smaller than a predetermined power;

determining whether the indoor unit is in a power consumption reduction control state in response to the air conditioner satisfying the at least one condition; and

restoring the indoor unit to a default control in response to the indoor unit being in the power consumption reduction control state.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the at least one condition further includes an operation parameter of the outdoor unit being greater than a predetermined parameter value.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein performing the power consumption reduction control on the indoor unit includes:

in response to the air conditioner being in a heating mode:

turning off an electric heating output of the indoor unit, determining whether the power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is reached after the electric heating output of the indoor unit is turned off, and, in response to determining that the power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is not reached, adjusting a fan level of the indoor unit to a lowest fan level; or

gradually reducing the electric heating output of the indoor unit until the electric heating output is turned off, determining whether the power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is reached in a process of gradually reducing the electric heating output of the indoor unit until the electric heating output is turned off, and, in response to determining that the power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is not reached, gradually reducing the fan level of the indoor unit until the power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is reached or until the fan level of the indoor unit is adjusted to the lowest fan level; and

in response to the air conditioner not being in the heating mode:

adjusting the fan level of the indoor unit to the lowest fan level; or

gradually reducing the fan level of the indoor unit until the power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is reached or until the fan level of the indoor unit is adjusted to the lowest fan level.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising, in response to the operation state of the air conditioner being the power consumption reduction response state:

obtaining an indoor temperature;

determining, based on the indoor temperature, whether a comfort index is satisfied; and

controlling, in response to the comfort index not being satisfied, the operation state of the air conditioner to switch from the power consumption reduction response state to a special power consumption reduction response state, in which the air conditioner is controlled to operate based on the comfort index until an exit condition of the special power consumption reduction response state is satisfied.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein determining, based on the indoor temperature, whether the comfort index is satisfied includes:

obtaining a comfort control index temperature and a hysteresis error control temperature;

obtaining a comfort threshold temperature based on a set temperature of the air conditioner and the comfort control index temperature;

obtaining an over-comfort temperature based on the set temperature of the air conditioner, the comfort control index temperature, and the hysteresis error control temperature; and

determining whether the indoor temperature satisfies the comfort index based on a magnitude relationship between the indoor temperature and each of the comfort threshold temperature and the over-comfort temperature.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein in response to the air conditioner being in a cooling mode, determining whether the indoor temperature satisfies the comfort index includes:

in response to the indoor temperature being lower than the over-comfort temperature, determining that the indoor temperature satisfies the comfort index, the over-comfort temperature=the set temperature of the air conditioner+the comfort control index temperature−the hysteresis error control temperature;

in response to the indoor temperature being equal to or higher than the over-comfort temperature and being lower than the comfort threshold temperature, determining that the indoor temperature is close to the comfort index, the comfort threshold temperature=the set temperature of the air conditioner+the comfort control index temperature; and

in response to the indoor temperature being equal to or greater than the comfort threshold temperature, determining that the indoor temperature fails to satisfy the comfort index.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein in response to the air conditioner being in a heating mode, determining whether the indoor temperature satisfies the comfort index includes:

in response to the indoor temperature being greater than the over-comfort temperature, determining that the indoor temperature satisfies the comfort index, the over-comfort temperature=the set temperature of the air conditioner−the comfort control index temperature+the hysteresis error control temperature;

in response to the indoor temperature being equal to or lower than the over-comfort temperature and being greater than the comfort threshold temperature, determining that the indoor temperature is close to the comfort index, the comfort threshold temperature=the set temperature of the air conditioner−the comfort control index temperature; and

in response to the indoor temperature being equal to or lower than the comfort threshold temperature, determining that the indoor temperature fails to satisfy the comfort index.

11. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:

in response to the indoor temperature satisfying the comfort index, maintaining the operation state of the air conditioner to be the power consumption reduction response state until an exit condition of the power consumption reduction response state is satisfied; or

in response to the indoor temperature being close to the comfort index, limiting the power consumption reduction control of the air conditioner until a limiting exit condition is satisfied.

12. The method according to claim 7, wherein the exit condition of the special power consumption reduction response state includes at least one of:

receiving a power consumption reduction cancelling command;

receiving a peak shaving command other than the power consumption reduction command; or

a duration of the special power reduction response state reaching a predetermined time length.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform the method according to claim 1.

14. An air conditioner comprising:

an outdoor unit;

an indoor unit;

a memory storing one or more instructions; and

a processor configured to execute the one or more instructions to:

obtain an operation state of the air conditioner;

determine, in response to the operation state of the air conditioner being a power consumption reduction response state, whether a power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is reached by limiting an output of the outdoor unit; and

perform a power consumption reduction control on the indoor unit in response to determining that the power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is not reached by limiting the output of the outdoor unit.

15. The air conditioner according to claim 14, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the one or more instructions to, when determining whether the power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is reached by limiting the output of the outdoor unit:

compare a real-time power of the air conditioner with a predetermined power, the predetermined power being determined based on a power consumption reduction target value; and

determine that the power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is not reached by limiting the output of the outdoor unit in response to the real-time power being equal to or greater than the predetermined power.

16. The air conditioner according to claim 14, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the one or more instructions to, when determining whether the power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is reached by limiting the output of the outdoor unit:

compare a real-time power of the air conditioner with a predetermined power, the predetermined power being determined based on a power consumption reduction target value;

determine whether the outdoor unit reaches a power consumption reduction limit based on an operation parameter of the outdoor unit in response to the real-time power being equal to or greater than the predetermined power; and

determine that the power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is not reached by limiting the output of the outdoor unit in response to the outdoor unit having reached the power consumption reduction limit.

17. The air conditioner according to claim 14, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the one or more instructions to, subsequent to obtaining the operation state of the air conditioner:

determine whether the air conditioner satisfies at least one condition including at least one of:

determine whether the indoor unit is in a power consumption reduction control state in response to the air conditioner satisfying the at least one condition; and

restore the indoor unit to a default control in response to the indoor unit being in the power consumption reduction control state.

18. The air conditioner according to claim 17, wherein the at least one condition further includes an operation parameter of the outdoor unit being greater than a predetermined parameter value.

19. The air conditioner according to claim 14, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the one or more instructions to, when performing the power consumption reduction control on the indoor unit includes:

in response to the air conditioner being in a heating mode:

turn off an electric heating output of the indoor unit, determine whether the power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is reached after the electric heating output of the indoor unit is turned off, and, in response to determining that the power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is not reached, adjust a fan level of the indoor unit to a lowest fan level; or

gradually reduce the electric heating output of the indoor unit until the electric heating output is turned off, determine whether the power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is reached in a process of gradually reducing the electric heating output of the indoor unit until the electric heating output is turned off, and, in response to determining that the power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is not reached, gradually reduce the fan level of the indoor unit until the power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is reached or until the fan level of the indoor unit is adjusted to the lowest fan level; and

in response to the air conditioner not being in the heating mode:

adjust the fan level of the indoor unit to the lowest fan level; or

gradually reduce the fan level of the indoor unit until the power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is reached or until the fan level of the indoor unit is adjusted to the lowest fan level.

20. A computer device comprising:

a memory storing a computer program; and

a processor configured to execute the computer program to:

obtain an operation state of an air conditioner;

determine, in response to the operation state of the air conditioner being a power consumption reduction response state, whether a power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is reached by limiting an output of an outdoor unit of the air conditioner; and

perform a power consumption reduction control on an indoor unit of the air conditioner in response to determining that the power consumption reduction target of the air conditioner is not reached by limiting the output of the outdoor unit.