Vehicle air conditioner

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016137032-A1
Application number	US-201414904083-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 23, 2014
Priority date	Jul 26, 2013
Publication date	May 19, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

This vehicle air conditioner includes a first water-refrigerant heat exchanger, a second water-refrigerant heat exchanger, a heater core, a distributing unit which distributes the coolant, fed from a heat generating component of a vehicle, to a plurality of cooling path, and a junction unit which causes the coolant guided from a plurality of cooling paths to join, and feeds the coolant to the heat generating component. The first water-refrigerant heat exchanger inputs the coolant distributed by the distributing unit, through a first cooling path, and feeds the coolant to be guided to the junction unit, to a second cooling path. The second water-refrigerant heat exchanger inputs the coolant distributed by the distributing unit, through a third cooling path, and feeds the coolant to the heater core. The heater core inputs the coolant fed by the second water-refrigerant heat exchanger, and feeds the coolant to be guided to the junction unit, to a fourth cooling path.

First claim

1 . A vehicle air conditioner comprising:
a first water-refrigerant heat exchanger which performs a heat exchange between a low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant and a coolant for heat transportation, and vaporizes the refrigerant; a second water-refrigerant heat exchanger which performs a heat exchange between a high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant and the coolant, and condenses the refrigerant; a heater core which heats an interior of a vehicle by using heat of the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant discharged by a compressor; a distributing unit which distributes the coolant, fed from a heat generating component of the vehicle, to a plurality of cooling paths; and a junction unit which joins the coolant guided from the plurality of cooling paths, and feeds the coolant to the heat generating component, wherein the first water-refrigerant heat exchanger inputs the coolant distributed by the distributing unit, through a first cooling path of the plurality of cooling paths, feeds the coolant to be guided to the junction unit, to a second cooling path of the plurality of cooling paths, and feeds the refrigerant to the compressor, the second water-refrigerant heat exchanger inputs the coolant distributed by the distributing unit, through a third cooling path of the plurality of cooling paths, feeds the coolant to the heater core, and inputs the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant from the compressor, and the heater core inputs the coolant fed by the second water-refrigerant heat exchanger, and feeds the coolant to be guided to the junction unit, to a fourth cooling path of the plurality of cooling paths.

2 . The vehicle air conditioner according to claim 1 , wherein a pipe diameter of the first cooling path and a pipe diameter of the third cooling path are different.

3 . The vehicle air conditioner according to claim 1 , further comprising a three-way valve disposed on the third cooling path, wherein the three-way valve feeds the refrigerant distributed by the distributing unit to one of an inlet of the coolant of the second water-refrigerant heat exchanger and a path of the coolant fed by the second water-refrigerant heat exchanger.

4 . The vehicle air conditioner according to claim 1 , wherein an ON-OFF unit which adjusts a flow rate of the coolant is disposed on at least one of the first cooling path and the third cooling path.

5 . The vehicle air conditioner according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a first switch which can switch between a state where the refrigerant fed from the second water-refrigerant heat exchanger is fed to an evaporator which cools an air blast to the interior of the vehicle by using the refrigerant, and a state where the refrigerant is not fed to the evaporator; and a second switch which can switch between a state where the refrigerant fed from the second water-refrigerant heat exchanger is fed to the first water-refrigerant heat exchanger, and a state where the refrigerant is not fed to the first water refrigerant exchanger.

6 . The vehicle air conditioner according to claim 5 , further comprising a condenser which releases heat from the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant to outside air, and condenses the refrigerant,
wherein the first switch and the second switch can switch at least between a state of a cooling mode where the refrigerant flows to a circulation route including the second water-refrigerant heat exchanger, the condenser, the evaporator, and the compressor, and yet the refrigerant does not flow to the first water-refrigerant heat exchanger, and a state of a heat pump heating mode where the refrigerant flows to a circulation route including the second water-refrigerant heat exchanger, the first water-refrigerant heat exchanger, and the compressor.

7 . The vehicle air conditioner according to claim 5 , further comprising a check valve disposed on a path in which the refrigerant flows from the evaporator to the compressor.

8 . The vehicle air conditioner according to claim 5 , further comprising:
a first expander which expands the refrigerant fed from the second water-refrigerant heat exchanger and feeds the expanded refrigerant to the first water-refrigerant heat exchanger; and a second expander which expands the refrigerant condensed by the condenser to the low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant, and discharges the expanded refrigerant to the evaporator.

9 . The vehicle air conditioner according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an evaporator which performs a heat exchange between the low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant and suction air fed to the interior of the vehicle; a condenser which releases heat from the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant to outside air and condenses the refrigerant; and a third switch which can switch between a state where the refrigerant flows to a refrigerant circuit including the compressor, the second water-refrigerant heat exchanger, and the first water-refrigerant heat exchanger, and a state where the refrigerant flows to a refrigerant circuit including the compressor, the condenser, and the evaporator, wherein a refrigerant path from the second water-refrigerant heat exchanger to the first water-refrigerant heat exchanger is different from a refrigerant path from the condenser to the evaporator.

10 . The vehicle air conditioner according to claim 9 , wherein:
in a heat pump heating mode, the third switch switches to a state where the refrigerant flows to the refrigerant circuit including the compressor, the second water-refrigerant heat exchanger, and the first water-refrigerant heat exchanger, and in a cooling mode, the third switch switches to a state where the refrigerant flows to the refrigerant circuit including the compressor, the condenser, and the evaporator.

11 . The vehicle air conditioner according to claim 9 , further comprising a check valve disposed on a path in which the refrigerant flows from the evaporator to the compressor.

12 . The vehicle air conditioner according to claim 9 , further comprising:
a third expander which expands the refrigerant fed from the second water-refrigerant heat exchanger and feeds the expanded refrigerant to the first water-refrigerant heat exchanger; and a second expander which expands the refrigerant condensed by the condenser to the low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant, and discharges the expanded refrigerant to the evaporator.

Assignees

• Panasonic Ip Man Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kuroda Kentaro
• Noda Yoshitoshi
• Taniguchi Katsuji

Classifications

• F25B25/005

  using primary and secondary systems · CPC title

• B60H2001/00928

  comprising a secondary circuit · CPC title

• F25B2339/047

  Water-cooled condensers · 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

• B60K11/02

  with liquid cooling · CPC title