Air conditioning system and associated method of operation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12078376-B2
Application number	US-202217903766-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 6, 2022
Priority date	Sep 6, 2021
Publication date	Sep 3, 2024
Grant date	Sep 3, 2024

Abstract

A method for operating an air-conditioning system that carries out an air quality testing cycle is disclosed. The air quality testing cycle includes: Step A: testing if the current pollutant concentration is below a predetermined first pollutant limit value; Step B: in the event that it is determined in the Step A that the current pollutant concentration is below the first pollutant limit value, testing if the bypass device is completely open or if the current flow rate of the blower device corresponds to a current air volume demand of the air-conditioning system; Step D: in the event that it is determined in the Step B that the bypass device is not completely opened or that the current flow rate does not correspond to the current air volume demand, testing current pollutant concentration is below a predetermined second pollutant limit value that is smaller than the first pollutant limit value.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for operating an air-conditioning system of a motor vehicle having a vehicle interior,
wherein the air-conditioning system serves for air-conditioning an air stream provided for being introduced into the vehicle interior with at least one of circulating air and fresh air, comprises a flap device that is adjustable in multiple stages with respect to the circulating air content in the air stream, a blower device that is adjustable in multiple stages with respect to its flow rate for driving the air stream in a flow direction, a main filter device for filtering the air stream, an additional filter device for filtering the air stream, a bypasser that is adjustable in multiple stages for opening and closing for bypassing the additional filter device and an air quality sensor device for detecting a current pollutant concentration in the air stream,
wherein the air-conditioning systems carries out an air quality testing cycle that comprises the following steps:
Step A: measuring the current pollutant concentration relative to a predetermined first pollutant limit value,
Step B: in response to determining that the current pollutant concentration is below the first pollutant limit value in the Step A, testing the bypasser for a completely open position or the current flow rate of the blower device for correspondence to a current air volume demand of the air-conditioning system,
Step D: in response to determining that the bypasser is not completely opened or that the current flow rate does not correspond to the current air volume demand in the Step B, measuring the current pollutant concentration relative to a predetermined second pollutant limit value that is smaller than the first pollutant limit value,
Step E: in response to determining that the current pollutant concentration is not below the second pollutant limit value, continuing the current air quality testing cycle according to Step O,
Step O: terminating the current air quality testing cycle.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the air quality testing cycle further comprises the following step:
Step C: in response to determining in the Step B that the bypasser is completely open or that the current flow rate corresponds to the current air volume demand, continuing the current air quality testing cycle according to Step O.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the air quality testing cycle is carried out in a comfort mode where the Steps B and D are changed to Steps B1 and D1 as follows:
Step B1: in response to determining in the Step A that the current pollutant concentration is below the first pollutant limit value, testing if the bypasser is completely open,
Step D1: in response to determining in the Step B1 that the bypasser is not completely open, testing if the current pollutant concentration is below the second pollutant limit value.

4. The method according to the claim 3 , wherein the comfort mode further includes Step C1 as follows:
Step C1: in response to determining in the Step B1 that the bypasser is completely open, continuing the current air quality testing cycle according to Step O.

5. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the air quality testing cycle in the comfort mode additionally includes the following steps:
Step F1: in in response to determining in the Step D1 that the current pollutant concentration is below the second pollutant limit value, actuating the bypasser for opening by one step,
Step G1: after the opening of the bypasser by one step, resetting the current air quality testing cycle to Step A.

6. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the air quality testing cycle in the comfort mode additionally includes the following steps:
Step H1: in response to determining in the Step A that the current pollutant concentration is not below the first pollutant limit value, testing if the bypasser is completely closed,
Step I1: in response to determining in the Step H1 that the bypasser is completely closed, testing if on the blower device a maximum flow rate is adjusted,
Step J1: in response to determining in the Step I1 that on the blower device the maximum flow rate is adjusted, continuing the current air quality testing cycle according to Step O.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the air quality testing cycle in the comfort mode additionally includes the following steps:
Step K1: in response to determining in the Step I1 that on the blower device the maximum flow rate is not adjusted, actuating the flap device for increasing the circulating air content by one step,
Step L1: after the amendment of the flow rate by one step, resetting the current air quality testing cycle to Step A.

8. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the air quality testing cycle in the comfort mode additionally includes the following steps:
Step M1: in response to determining in the Step H1 that the bypasser is not completely closed, actuating the bypasser for closing by one step,
Step N1: after the closing of the bypasser by one step, resetting the current air quality testing cycle to Step A.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the air quality testing cycle is carried out in a service life mode where the Steps B and D are changed to the Steps B2 and D2 as follows:
Step B2: in response to determining in the Step A that the current pollutant concentration is below the first pollutant limit value, testing if the current flow rate of the blower device corresponds to a current air volume demand of the air-conditioning system,
Step D2: in response to determining in the Step B2 that the current flow rate does not correspond to the current air volume demand, testing if the current pollutant concentration is below the second pollutant limit value.

10. The method according to the claim 9 , wherein the service life mode includes Step C2 as follows:
Step C2: in response to determining in the Step B1 that the bypasser is completely open, continuing the current air quality testing cycle according to Step O.

11. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the air quality testing cycle in the service life mode additionally includes the following steps:
Step F2: in response to determining in the Step D2 that the current pollutant concentration is below the second pollutant limit value, actuating the flap device for reducing the circulating air content in the air stream by one step,
Step G2: after reducing the circulating air content in the air stream by one step, resetting the current air quality testing cycle to Step A.

12. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the air quality testing cycle in the service life mode additionally includes the following steps:
Step H2: in response to determining in the Step A that the current pollutant concentration is not below the first pollutant limit value, testing if on the blower device a maximum flow rate is adjusted,
Step I2: in response to determining in the Step H2 that on the blower device the maximum flow rate is adjusted, testing if the bypasser is completely closed,
Step J2: in response to determining in the Step I2 that the bypasser is completely closed, continuing the current air quality testing cycle according to Step O.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the air quality testing cycle in the service life mode additionally includes the following steps:
Step K2: in response to determining in the Step I2 that the bypasser is not completely closed, actuating the bypasser for closing by one step,
Step L2: after the closing of the bypasser by one step, resetting the current air quality testing cycle to Step A.

14. The method accord

Assignees

• Mahle Int Gmbh

Inventors

• Fraas Marc
• Klein Florian
• Markus Michael
• Schultze Oliver

Classifications

• F24F2110/50

  Air quality properties · CPC title

• B60H3/0625

  with provisions for by-passing the filter element · CPC title

• B60H1/00849

  for selectively commanding the induction of outside or inside air (B60H1/00842 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F24F11/72 Primary

  for controlling the supply of treated air, e.g. its pressure · CPC title

• B60H1/008 Primary

  the input being air quality · CPC title