Method for operating a heat exchanger and system comprising a heat exchanger

A method for operating a heat exchanger the method including the following steps:

• operating a heat exchanger;
• monitoring of the heat exchanger by at least one monitoring device, such as a sensor, a device for imaging;
• detecting a degree of icing and/or a degree of soiling of the heat exchanger and determining a defrosting time and/or a cleaning time of the heat exchanger by evaluating data from the at least one monitoring device;
• wherein the evaluation of the data is AI-based,
• wherein an AI-based classifier has two or more classes defining a degree of icing and/or a degree of soiling, and
• wherein the AI-based classifier assigns the data of the at least one monitoring device to one of the classes,
• wherein
• the classes define an increasing degree of icing and/or degree of soiling in ascending order of numbering and/or define an increasing defrosting and/or cleaning requirement, wherein a class is defined as a threshold for the heat exchanger, upon reaching or exceeding which a defrosting time and/or a cleaning time is defined, and/or
• the classes are assigned to groups, wherein a first group contains classes for whose degree of icing and/or degree of soiling there is a defrosting and/or cleaning requirement and wherein the second group contains classes for whose degree of icing and/or degree of soiling there is no defrosting and/or cleaning requirement.