Heat pump system for vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11325443-B2
Application number	US-201916675665-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 6, 2019
Priority date	Aug 7, 2019
Publication date	May 10, 2022
Grant date	May 10, 2022

Abstract

A heat pump system for a vehicle utilizes one chiller in which a coolant and a refrigerant are heat-exchanged to adjust a temperature of a battery module, and utilizes a sub-centralized energy module with waste heat of an electrical component in a heating mode of the vehicle to improve heating efficiency.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A heat pump system for a vehicle, the system including:
an air conditioning device connected by a first refrigerant line circulated with a first refrigerant wherein the air conditioning device includes a first condenser, a first expansion valve, a first evaporator, and a first compressor;
a refrigerant connection line including a first portion connected to the first refrigerant line between the first condenser and the first evaporator and a second portion connected to the first refrigerant line between the first evaporator and the first compressor;
a chiller provided in the refrigerant connection line, the refrigerant connection line being connected to an electric device and a battery module through a first coolant line connecting the chiller to the electric device and the battery module, wherein the chiller heat-exchanges a coolant in the first coolant line with the first refrigerant;
a sub-centralized energy (CE) module connected to the air conditioning device through the first refrigerant line, wherein the sub-CE module includes a second refrigerant line and selectively heat-exchanges thermal energy generated when condensing and evaporating a second refrigerant along the second refrigerant line, with the first refrigerant to adjust a temperature of the first refrigerant, wherein the first refrigerant line and the second refrigerant line are thermally connected by a second evaporator and a second condenser; and
a gas injection unit mounted in the air conditioning device and bypassing a part of the first refrigerant passing through the first condenser in a heating mode or a low temperature dehumidification mode of the vehicle to the first compressor to increase a flow rate of the first refrigerant circulating through the first refrigerant line,
wherein the sub-CE module includes:
a second compressor compressing the second refrigerant;
the second condenser connected to the second compressor through the second refrigerant line, wherein the second condenser heat-exchanges the compressed second refrigerant supplied from the second compressor with the first refrigerant to be condensed;
a second expansion valve connected to the second condenser through the second refrigerant line, wherein the second expansion valve is configured for expanding the second refrigerant; and
the second evaporator connected to the second expansion valve through the second refrigerant line, wherein the second evaporator is connected to the first refrigerant line, and wherein the second evaporator is configured to evaporate the second refrigerant supplied from the second expansion valve through heat exchange with the first refrigerant inflowed through the first refrigerant line and to supply the evaporated second refrigerant to the second compressor,

wherein the air conditioning device further includes a heat exchanger mounted on the first refrigerant line between the first condenser and the first expansion valve, and
wherein a third expansion valve configured of controlling a movement flow of the first refrigerant inflowed to the chiller and selectively expanding the first refrigerant is mounted on the refrigerant connection line, and
wherein a fourth expansion valve is mounted on the first refrigerant line between the second evaporator and the heat exchanger.

2. The heat pump system for the vehicle of claim 1 ,
wherein the second condenser is mounted on the first refrigerant line between the first condenser and the first expansion valve, and
wherein the second evaporator is mounted on the first refrigerant line between the first condenser and the first expansion valve so that the first refrigerant passing through the second condenser is flown into the second evaporator.

3. The heat pump system for the vehicle of claim 1 ,
wherein the third expansion valve is configured to expand the first refrigerant inflowed to the refrigerant connection line when cooling the battery module by use of the coolant inflowed to the chiller and heat-exchanged with the first refrigerant.

4. The heat pump system for the vehicle of claim 1 ,
wherein the heat exchanger further condenses or evaporates the first refrigerant condensed in the first condenser through heat exchange with outdoor air according to a selective operation of the fourth expansion valve.

5. The heat pump system for the vehicle of claim 1 ,
wherein the first, third, and fourth expansion valve are each an electric expansion valve configured of selectively expanding the first refrigerant while controlling a movement flow of the refrigerant.

6. The heat pump system for the vehicle of claim 1 ,
wherein the second compressor is formed with a capacity smaller than a capacity of the first compressor.

7. The heat pump system for the vehicle of claim 1 ,
wherein the gas injection unit is simultaneously operated with the sub-CE module in the heating mode or the low temperature dehumidification mode of the vehicle.

8. The heat pump system for the vehicle of claim 1 ,
wherein the first condenser is respectively connected to a radiator and a heater through a second coolant line, and the first condenser heat-exchanges a coolant inflowed in the first condenser with the first refrigerant of the first refrigerant line to condense the first refrigerant.

9. The heat pump system for the vehicle of claim 8 ,
wherein the first condenser supplies the coolant in the first condenser in which temperature of the coolant in the first condenser is increased while condensing the first refrigerant in the heating mode, the low temperature dehumidification mode, and a high temperature dehumidification mode of the vehicle to the heater through the second coolant line.

10. The heat pump system for the vehicle of claim 1 ,
wherein the chiller is respectively connected to the electric device and the battery module through the first coolant line, and the chiller absorbs waste heat of the electric device while heat-exchanging the coolant of the first coolant line with the first refrigerant or supplies the coolant of the first coolant line at a temperature lower than a predetermined value such that the first coolant line undergoes heat transfer with the first refrigerant to exchange heat with the battery module.

11. The heat pump system for the vehicle of claim 1 ,
wherein the air conditioning device further includes an accumulator mounted on the first refrigerant line between the first evaporator and the first compressor, and
wherein the refrigerant connection line connects the first refrigerant line and the accumulator between the first condenser and the first expansion valve so that the first refrigerant passing through the chiller inflows to the first compressor through the accumulator.

12. The heat pump system for the vehicle of claim 1 ,
wherein the first refrigerant and the second refrigerant consist of different refrigerants.

13. A heat pump system for a vehicle, the system including:
an air conditioning device connected by a first refrigerant line circulated with a first refrigerant wherein the air conditioning device includes a first condenser, a first expansion valve, a first evaporator, and a first compressor;
a refrigerant connection line including a first portion connected to the first refrigerant line between the first condenser and the first evaporator and a second portion connected to the first refrigerant line between the first evaporator and the first compressor;
a chiller provided in the refrigerant connection line, the refrigerant connection line being connected to an electric device and a battery module through a first coolant line connecting the chiller to the electric device and the battery modul

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Motors Corp

Inventors

• Kim Jae Yeon
• Hwang Yunho

Classifications

• B60L58/26

  by cooling · CPC title

• B60H1/00885

  Controlling the flow of heating or cooling liquid, e.g. valves or pumps (B60H1/00899 takes precedence; constructions of valves B60H1/00485) · CPC title

• B60H1/3223

  characterised by the arrangement or type of the compressor (B60H1/3222 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60H1/00899 Primary

  Controlling the flow of liquid in a heat pump system (controlling the properties of the refrigerant liquid, e.g. pressure or temperature, B60H1/3204) · CPC title

• B60H1/3204

  using compression (B60H1/3233 takes precedence) · CPC title