Heat exchange unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10913332-B2
Application number	US-201716088889-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 2, 2017
Priority date	Mar 31, 2016
Publication date	Feb 9, 2021
Grant date	Feb 9, 2021

Abstract

In a heat exchange unit, a shutter device is disposed on a vehicle front side with respect to a coolant heat exchanger to open and close a passage for traveling air directed toward the coolant heat exchanger. A blower is switchable between a first blowing state in which air flows from the vehicle front side to the vehicle rear side and a second blowing state in which air flows from the vehicle rear side to the vehicle front side. In a case where a switch that makes a vehicle travelable is in an on state, a control unit switches the blower to the second blowing state, while an open degree of the shutter device is set at a closing side from a maximum open degree of the shutter device when a temperature of the engine coolant is equal to or lower than a predetermined temperature determination value.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A heat exchange unit comprising:
a coolant heat exchanger disposed on a vehicle front side in an engine room in which an engine is accommodated, the engine room being capable of taking in traveling air from the vehicle front side, the coolant heat exchanger being configured to exchange heat between an engine coolant flowing through the engine and air;
a shutter device disposed on a vehicle front side with respect to the coolant heat exchanger, the shutter device being configured to be capable of opening and closing a passage for the traveling air that is directed toward the coolant heat exchanger;
a blower disposed on a vehicle rear side with respect to the shutter device in the engine room, the blower being configured to be switchable between a first blowing state in which air flows from the vehicle front side to the vehicle rear side with respect to the coolant heat exchanger and a second blowing state in which air flows from the vehicle rear side to the vehicle front side with respect to the coolant heat exchanger;
an exterior heat exchanger of a refrigerant cycle in which a refrigerant circulates, the exterior heat exchanger being disposed on the vehicle rear side with respect to the shutter device in the engine room and being configured to exchange heat between air caused to flow by the blower and the refrigerant; and
a controller configured to switch the blower in accordance with both a temperature of the engine coolant and a refrigerant pressure in the exterior heat exchanger, wherein the controller causes the blower to set the second blowing state while setting an open degree of the shutter device at a closing side from a maximum open degree of the shutter device, when the temperature of the engine coolant is equal to or lower than a predetermined temperature determination value and when the refrigerant pressure in the exterior heat exchanger is equal to or lower than a predetermined refrigerant pressure determination value, in a case where a switch that makes a vehicle travelable is in an on state.

2. The heat exchange unit according to claim 1 , wherein the exterior heat exchanger is disposed between the shutter device and the coolant heat exchanger, and
the shutter device is attached to the exterior heat exchanger.

3. The heat exchange unit according to claim 1 , wherein
in a case where the switch is in the on state while the refrigerant cycle including the exterior heat exchanger is performing an air-heating operation, the controller switches the blower to the second blowing state while setting the open degree of the shutter device at a closing side from the maximum open degree of the shutter device, (i) when the temperature of the engine coolant is equal to or lower than the predetermined temperature determination value, and (ii) when the refrigerant pressure in the exterior heat exchanger is equal to or lower than the predetermined refrigerant pressure determination value.

4. The heat exchange unit according to claim 1 , wherein
the passage for the traveling air is closed with the shutter device while the open degree of the shutter device is set at a closing side from the maximum open degree of the shutter device.

5. The heat exchange unit according to claim 1 , wherein
the controller decreases the open degree of the shutter device as the vehicle speed becomes higher, when the controller sets the open degree of the shutter device at a closing side from the maximum open degree of the shutter device.

6. The heat exchange unit according to claim 1 , wherein
if the vehicle is stopped in the case where the switch is in the on state, the controller opens the shutter device and switches the blower to the second blowing state when the temperature of the engine coolant is equal to or lower than the predetermined temperature determination value, and when the refrigerant pressure in the exterior heat exchanger is equal to or lower than the predetermined refrigerant pressure determination value.

7. The heat exchange unit according to claim 1 , wherein
a volume of air passing through the shutter device becomes smaller as the open degree of the shutter device decreases.

8. The heat exchange unit according to claim 1 , wherein
the shutter device deflects air passing through the shutter device in a direction intersecting a vehicle front-rear direction.

9. The heat exchange unit according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a shroud provided to cover the passage for the traveling air between the shutter device and the coolant heat exchanger; and
an opening/closing mechanism that opens or closes at least a part of the shroud, wherein
the opening/closing mechanism is attached to the shroud.

10. The heat exchange unit according to claim 1 , wherein the exterior heat exchanger is directly adjacent to the shutter device.

11. The heat exchange unit according to claim 1 , wherein the refrigerant cycle includes:
a compressor configured to compress the refrigerant;
the exterior heat exchanger; and
an interior heat exchanger configured to cool the air.

12. A heat exchange unit comprising:
a coolant heat exchanger disposed on a vehicle front side in an engine room in which an engine is accommodated, the engine room configured to take in traveling air from the vehicle front side, the coolant heat exchanger being configured to exchange heat between an engine coolant flowing through the engine and air;
a shutter device disposed on a vehicle front side with respect to the coolant heat exchanger, the shutter device being configured to open and close a passage for the traveling air directed toward the coolant heat exchanger;
a blower disposed on a vehicle rear side with respect to the shutter device in the engine room, the blower being configured to switch between a first blowing state in which air flows from the vehicle front side to the vehicle rear side and a second blowing state in which air flows from the vehicle rear side to the vehicle front side;
an exterior heat exchanger of a refrigerant cycle in which a refrigerant circulates, the exterior heat exchanger disposed on the vehicle rear side in the engine room and configured to exchange heat between air caused to flow by the blower and the refrigerant; and
a controller configured to switch the blower in accordance with both a temperature of the engine coolant and a refrigerant pressure in the exterior heat exchanger, wherein the controller causes the blower to set the second blowing state while setting an open degree of the shutter device at a closing side from a maximum open degree of the shutter device, in response to the temperature of the engine coolant being equal to or lower than a predetermined temperature determination value and in response to the refrigerant pressure in the exterior heat exchanger being equal to or lower than a predetermined refrigerant pressure determination value, in a case where a switch that makes a vehicle travelable is in an on state.

13. The heat exchange unit according to claim 12 , wherein
the controller decreases the open degree of the shutter device as the vehicle speed becomes higher, when the controller sets the open degree of the shutter device at a closing side from the maximum open degree of the shutter device.

14. The heat exchange unit according to claim 12 , wherein the exterior heat exchanger is disposed between the shutter device and the coolant heat exchanger, and
the shutter device is attached to the exterior heat exchanger.

15. The heat exchange unit according to claim 12 , wherein the exterior heat exchanger is directly adjacent to the shutter device.

16. The

Assignees

• Denso Corp

Inventors

• Sato Go
• Yasuda Takashi
• Harada Koichi
• Muto Ken
• Kawakubo Masaaki
• Kuribayashi Nobukazu
• Sakane Hiroyuki

Classifications

• F01P3/18

  Arrangements or mounting of liquid-to-air heat-exchangers (such arrangements on cylinders or cylinder heads F01P3/04; relative to vehicles B60K11/04) · CPC title

• B60K11/085 Primary

  with adjustable shutters or blinds · CPC title

• B60K11/04

  Arrangement or mounting of radiators, radiator shutters, or radiator blinds · CPC title

• Y02T10/88

  Optimized components or subsystems, e.g. lighting, actively controlled glasses · CPC title

• F01P7/04

  by varying pump speed, e.g. by changing pump-drive gear ratio · CPC title