Vehicular air conditioning system and method for controlling the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020171917-A1
Application number	US-201816467227-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 13, 2018
Priority date	Aug 21, 2017
Publication date	Jun 4, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A vehicular air conditioning system includes: a heat pump side refrigerant circulation line including a compressor, a water-cooled heat exchanger, a heat pump mode expansion valve, an air-cooled heat exchanger, an air conditioner mode expansion valve and an evaporator, the heat pump side refrigerant circulation line configured to generate cold energy in the evaporator in an air conditioner mode and to generate heat in the water-cooled heat exchanger in a heat pump mode, the air-cooled heat exchanger configured to allow a refrigerant to exchange heat with an ambient air in the air conditioner mode and the heat pump mode; and a heat exchange air switching part configured to switch the type of the air heat-exchanged in the air-cooled heat exchanger depending on the air conditioner mode or the heat pump mode.

First claim

1 . A vehicular air conditioning system, comprising:
a heat pump side refrigerant circulation line including a compressor, a water-cooled heat exchanger, a heat pump mode expansion valve, an air-cooled heat exchanger, an air conditioner mode expansion valve and an evaporator, the heat pump side refrigerant circulation line configured to generate cold energy in the evaporator in an air conditioner mode and to generate heat in the water-cooled heat exchanger in a heat pump mode, the air-cooled heat exchanger configured to allow a refrigerant to exchange heat with an ambient air in the air conditioner mode and the heat pump mode; and a heat exchange air switching part configured to switch the type of the air heat-exchanged in the air-cooled heat exchanger depending on the air conditioner mode or the heat pump mode.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the air-cooled heat exchanger is configured to cause a high-temperature refrigerant introduced into the air conditioner mode expansion valve to exchange heat with an ambient air so as to reduce a temperature of the refrigerant in the air conditioner mode and configured to cause a low-temperature refrigerant discharged from the heat pump mode expansion valve to exchange heat with an ambient air so as to increase a temperature of the refrigerant, and
the heat exchange air switching part is configured to introduce one of different types of air toward the air-cooled heat exchanger depending on the air conditioner mode or the heat pump mode so that the one of different types of air can exchange heat with the air-cooled heat exchanger depending on a mode state.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the heat exchange air switching part is configured to introduce one of air having different temperatures toward the air-cooled heat exchanger depending on the air conditioner mode or the heat pump mode so that the one of air having different temperatures can exchange heat with the air-cooled heat exchanger depending on the mode state.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the heat exchange air switching part is configured to switch the air exchanging heat with the air-cooled heat exchanger to an engine room air or an outdoor air depending on the air conditioner mode or the heat pump mode.

5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the heat exchange air switching part includes: a cooling fan configured to draw an air toward the air-cooled heat exchanger; an engine room air introduction flow path configured to introduce the engine room air toward the air-cooled heat exchanger; an outdoor air introduction flow path configured to introduce the outdoor air toward the air-cooled heat exchanger; a heat exchange air switching door installed between the engine room air introduction flow path and the outdoor air introduction flow path so as to block one of the engine room air introduction flow path and the outdoor air introduction flow path; and a control part configured to control the heat exchange air switching door to a position at which the engine room air introduction flow path is blocked or a position at which the outdoor air introduction flow path is blocked, depending on the air conditioner mode or the heat pump mode.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the control part is configured to, in the air conditioner mode, control the heat exchange air switching door in such a direction as to block the engine room air introduction flow path so that the outdoor air can be introduced toward the air-cooled heat exchanger to exchange heat therewith, and is configured to, in the heat pump mode, control the heat exchange air switching door in such a direction as to block the outdoor air introduction flow path so that the engine room air can be introduced toward the air-cooled heat exchanger to exchange heat therewith.

7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the air-cooled heat exchanger is installed in an engine room near a cowl.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the outdoor air introduction flow path of the heat exchange air switching part is brought into communication with the outside of a passenger compartment through an air intake port formed in the cowl so as to introduce the outdoor air existing near the cowl, and the engine room air introduction flow path is brought into communication with the engine room so as to introduce the engine room air.

9 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the air-cooled heat exchanger is installed on a floor surface of an engine room.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the outdoor air introduction flow path of the heat exchange air switching part is brought into communication with the outside of a passenger compartment through an air intake port formed in an undercover of the engine room so as to introduce the outdoor air existing below the undercover, and the engine room air introduction flow path is brought into communication with the engine room so as to introduce the engine room air.

11 . A method for controlling a vehicular air conditioning system which comprises a heat pump side refrigerant circulation line including a compressor, a water-cooled heat exchanger, a heat pump mode expansion valve, an air-cooled heat exchanger, an air conditioner mode expansion valve and an evaporator, the heat pump side refrigerant circulation line configured to generate cold energy in the evaporator in an air conditioner mode and to generate heat in the water-cooled heat exchanger in a heat pump mode, the method comprising:
(a) allowing the air-cooled heat exchanger to exchange heat with an ambient air in the air conditioner mode and the heat pump mode while switching the type of the air heat-exchanged in the air-cooled heat exchanger depending on the air conditioner mode or the heat pump mode.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein in (a), one of air having different temperatures is introduced toward the air-cooled heat exchanger depending on the air conditioner mode or the heat pump mode so that the one of the air having different temperatures can exchange heat with the air-cooled heat exchanger depending on a mode state.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein in (a), an engine room air or an outdoor air is introduced toward the air-cooled heat exchanger depending on the air conditioner mode or the heat pump mode.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein in (a), the outdoor air is introduced toward the air-cooled heat exchanger in the air conditioner mode so that the air-cooled heat exchanger can exchange heat with the outdoor air, and the engine room air is introduced toward the air-cooled heat exchanger in the heat pump mode so that the air-cooled heat exchanger can exchange heat with the engine room air.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein in (a), the outdoor air existing near a cowl is introduced toward the air-cooled heat exchanger in the air conditioner mode.

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein in (a), the outdoor air existing below an undercover of an engine room is introduced toward the air-cooled heat exchanger in the air conditioner mode.

Assignees

• Hanon Systems

Inventors

• Kim Seong Hun
• Lee Hae Jun
• Lee Sung Je

Classifications

• B60H1/3213

  for increasing the efficiency in a vehicle heat pump · CPC title

• B60H1/00042

  the air passing only one heat exchanger · CPC title

• B60H1/00328

  of the liquid-air type · CPC title

• B60H1/3227

  characterised by the arrangement or the type of heat exchanger, e.g. condenser, evaporator (condensed liquid drainage means B60H1/3233) · 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