Compressor control apparatus and method for vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017284719-A1
Application number	US-201615258580-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 7, 2016
Priority date	Mar 31, 2016
Publication date	Oct 5, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A compressor control apparatus for a vehicle includes: a compressor configured to compress coolant of an air conditioner; a coolant temperature measurement unit configured to measure a coolant temperature; a data detector configured to detect state data for controlling the compressor; and a controller configured to determine an operation rate of the compressor based on the coolant temperature and the state data, and operate the compressor based on the operation rate of the compressor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A compressor control apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:
a compressor configured to compress coolant of an air conditioner; a coolant temperature measurement unit configured to measure a coolant temperature; a data detector configured to detect state data for controlling the compressor; and a controller configured to determine an operation rate of the compressor based on the coolant temperature and the state data, and operate the compressor based on the operation rate of the compressor, wherein when the state data satisfy a worst stress condition, the controller determines whether the coolant temperature is equal to or more than a first reference value, and when the coolant temperature is equal to or more than the first reference value, the controller lowers the operation rate of the compressor.

2 . The compressor control apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the worst stress condition is satisfied when an outdoor temperature is equal to or more than a preset temperature, an air volume level of the air conditioner is equal to or more than a preset level, and a position value of an accelerator pedal is equal to or more than a preset position value.

3 . The compressor control apparatus of claim 1 , wherein when the coolant temperature is equal to or more than the first reference value, the controller determines the operation rate of the compressor using a first control map in which the operation rate of the compressor is set according to the coolant temperature.

4 . The compressor control apparatus of claim 1 , wherein when the state data do not satisfy the worst stress condition, the controller determines whether the coolant temperature is equal to or more than a second reference value, and when the coolant temperature is equal to or more than the second reference value, the controller lowers the operation rate of the compressor, and the second reference value is larger than the first reference value.

5 . The compressor control apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the state data comprise one or more of an outdoor temperature, an air volume level of the air conditioner and a position value of an accelerator pedal.

6 . The compressor control apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the data detector comprises one or more of:
an outdoor temperature sensor configured to measure an outdoor temperature; an accelerator position sensor (APS) configured to measure the position value of an accelerator pedal; and an air volume sensor configured to measure an air volume level of the air conditioner.

7 . A compressor control method for a vehicle, comprising the steps of:
detecting, by a controller, state data when an air conditioner is turned on; determining, by the controller, whether the state data satisfy a worst stress condition; comparing, by the controller, a coolant temperature to a first reference value, when the state data satisfy the worst stress condition; lowering, by the controller, an operation rate of a compressor when the coolant temperature is equal to or more than the first reference value; and operating, by the controller, the compressor based on the operation rate.

8 . The compressor control method of claim 7 , wherein the step of determining whether the state data satisfy the worst stress condition comprises:
determining, by the controller, whether an outdoor temperature is equal to or more than a preset temperature; determining, by the controller, whether an air volume level of the air conditioner is equal to or more than a preset level; and determining, by the controller, whether a position value of an accelerator pedal is equal to or more than a preset position value.

9 . The compressor control method of claim 8 , wherein the worst stress condition is satisfied when the outdoor temperature is equal to or more than the preset temperature, the air volume level of the air conditioner is equal to or more than the preset level, and the position value of the accelerator pedal is equal to or more than the preset position value.

10 . The compressor control method of claim 7 , wherein the step of lowering the compressor operation rate when the coolant temperature is equal to or more than the first reference value comprises:
determining, by the controller, the compressor operation rate using a first control map in which the operation rate is set according to the coolant temperature, when the coolant temperature is equal to or more than the first reference value.

11 . The compressor control method of claim 7 , further comprising the steps of:
comparing, by the controller, the coolant temperature to a second reference value when the state data do not satisfy the worst stress condition; and lowering, by the controller, the operation rate when the coolant temperature is equal to or more than the second reference value.

12 . The compressor control method of claim 11 , wherein the second reference value is larger than the first reference value.

13 . A non-transitory computer readable medium containing program instructions executed by a processor, the computer readable medium comprising:
program instructions that detect state data when an air conditioner is turned on; program instructions that determine whether the state data satisfy a worst stress condition; program instructions that compare a coolant temperature to a first reference value, when the state data satisfy the worst stress condition; program instructions that lower an operation rate of a compressor when the coolant temperature is equal to or more than the first reference value; and program instructions that operate the compressor based on the operation rate.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Motors Corp

Inventors

• Kim Yeong Jun
• Kang Yangbo
• Park Jeongbin

Classifications

• F25B31/02

  of motor-compressor units · CPC title

• B60H1/00807

  the input being a specific way of measuring or calculating an air or coolant temperature · 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

• F25B2700/21

  Temperatures · CPC title

• B60H2001/3266

  related to the operation of the vehicle · CPC title