Vehicle and method, system and storage medium for drying vehicle air conditioner evaporator

Abstract

The present invention relates to the field of vehicle technology, and specifically provides a vehicle and a method, system, and storage medium for drying a vehicle air-conditioning evaporator, aiming to solve the problem of low efficiency and poor effect of existing methods for drying a vehicle air-conditioning evaporator. In the method for drying a vehicle air-conditioning evaporator provided by the present invention, the vehicle air-conditioner includes an evaporator core, and an air duct for air circulation is constructed in the air-conditioning box, and a fan, an evaporator core, and a heating core are arranged in the air duct. The method includes: closing the air duct after stopping the refrigeration of the vehicle air-conditioner; operating the heating core and the fan so as to form hot air that can circulate in the air duct with the help of the heating core and the fan, and the hot air carries away the condensed water precipitated on the surface of the evaporator core during the circulation process and converts it into humid hot air; and discharging the humid hot air directly from the air duct to the environment outside the vehicle so that the evaporator core is dried. The method provided by the present invention can achieve the drying of the evaporator in a highly efficient and low-energy manner.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of vehicle technology, and specifically provides a vehicle and a method, system, and storage medium for drying a vehicle air-conditioning evaporator. Background Art

[0002] Car air conditioning is an important device that can improve the comfort of the car environment, especially in the hot summer. Using car air conditioning can maintain the air quality in the cabin at a better level.

[0003] During the cooling process, the evaporator inside the air conditioning unit produces a large amount of condensed water, which is discharged to the outside environment through the condensate outlet located below the evaporator. When the air conditioning unit stops cooling, some of the condensed water adheres to the surface of the evaporator core, forming a film that attracts dust and bacteria in the air duct. Furthermore, the high temperatures and humidity in summer encourage the growth of mold, which in turn produces odor. When the air conditioning unit is turned on again, the odor in the air duct enters the vehicle cabin with the air flow, reducing the air quality inside the cabin, causing discomfort and affecting the user's health.

[0004] Therefore, how to avoid the generation of odor has become an urgent problem that existing automobile manufacturers need to solve. As an improvement, patent application with publication number CN111873748A provides a method for keeping the evaporator of an automobile air conditioner dry. Specifically, after the car is turned off, the mixing damper driver is set to the highest heat level, the air conditioner turns on the internal circulation mode, and the air outlet mode is adjusted to the foot blowing mode. In this way, by driving the mixing damper to the hottest position, setting the air conditioner to the internal circulation mode, and setting the air outlet mode to the foot blowing mode, the residual heat of the heating core is quickly returned to the evaporator, thereby accelerating the evaporation rate of the water on the evaporator surface and achieving the drying of the evaporator. Although this solution can promote the drying of the evaporator, since the air outlet mode needs to be set to the foot blowing mode during the drying process and hot air is discharged into the vehicle cabin during the air circulation process, it will not only quickly increase the temperature in the vehicle cabin, reduce the air quality, and cause discomfort to the user, but also make the user doubt whether they have successfully turned off the air conditioner, resulting in a poor user experience.

[0005] Patent application publication number CN107521303A provides a method for preventing mold and mildew odors in vehicles. Specifically, when the vehicle cabin is unoccupied, the blower motor in the duct is reversed to exhaust air flowing through the evaporator and out of the passenger cabin. A heater is then used to heat the air flowing through the evaporator, thereby helping to dry the evaporator and prevent mold growth. However, this solution is only applicable when there are no passengers or drivers in the cabin. Furthermore, the evaporator's drying efficiency is low, resulting in a poor user experience. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The present invention aims to solve or at least alleviate the above technical problem, that is, to solve or alleviate the problem that the existing method for drying the evaporator of a vehicle air conditioner is low in efficiency and poor in effect.

[0007] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a method for drying an evaporator of a vehicle air conditioner, wherein the vehicle air conditioner includes an air conditioning box, the evaporator includes an evaporator core, an air duct for air circulation is configured in the air conditioning box, and a fan, the evaporator core, and a heating core are provided in the air duct. The method comprises:

[0008] After stopping the cooling of the vehicle air conditioner, the air duct is closed;

[0009] The heating core and the fan are operated so as to form hot air that can circulate in the air duct by means of the heating core and the fan, and the hot air carries away condensed water precipitated on the surface of the evaporator core during circulation and converts it into hot and humid air;

[0010] The hot and humid air is directly discharged from the air duct to the environment outside the vehicle, so that the evaporator core is dried.

[0011] The present invention provides a method for drying a vehicle air conditioner evaporator. After stopping the vehicle air conditioner's cooling function, the air duct is closed, and then the fan and heater core are operated. The fan is used to circulate the air in the air duct, and the heater core is used to heat the circulating air. In this way, the circulating hot air is continuously blown toward the evaporator core, accelerating the evaporation of moisture remaining on the surface of the evaporator core. During this process, due to the closed air duct, the heat generated by the heater core can be fully utilized, causing the air temperature in the air duct to continue to rise, accelerating the evaporation of moisture, achieving rapid drying of the evaporator core, and improving the drying efficiency of the evaporator. In addition, during the drying process, due to the closed air duct, the generated hot air will not enter the vehicle interior environment, avoiding any impact on the vehicle interior environment, maintaining the comfort of the vehicle interior environment, and not causing any trouble to the user. When the moisture on the surface of the evaporator core is dried, the hot and humid air is discharged directly from the air duct to the outside environment. Since the amount of hot and humid air in the air duct is limited, the discharge efficiency of the hot and humid air is very high. In this way, high efficiency can be achieved in both the drying stage and the dehumidification stage of the drying process, thereby improving the efficiency of the entire drying process of the evaporator. At the same time, it can make full use of the generated heat energy, reduce the system energy consumption, and achieve the drying of the evaporator in an efficient and low-energy manner.

[0012] It is understood that the air duct can be an additional duct dedicated to drying the evaporator, or it can be a reuse of the existing cold air / warm air duct. When the existing cold air / warm air duct is reused as a drying duct, the duct can be closed and opened by controlling the original dampers of the cold air / warm air duct.

[0013] In addition, discharging the hot and humid air in the air duct can mean discharging all the hot and humid air. This process requires the complete replacement of the hot and humid air with the air in the outside environment of the vehicle, and the replacement process can be promoted by the operation of the fan. It can also mean discharging most of the hot and humid air. This process does not require the power required for air replacement. Most of the hot and humid air can be discharged only by relying on the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the air duct. Although a small amount of hot and humid air will remain in the air duct after the internal and external pressure difference is balanced, the impact on the environment in the air duct is negligible because the amount of this part of hot and humid air is very small. Compared with the complete replacement solution, the solution with the pressure difference is more energy-efficient.

[0014] It should be noted that "direct discharge" in the present invention means that the hot and humid air directly enters the outside environment of the vehicle from the air duct without passing through the inside environment of the vehicle. However, the discharge process of the hot and humid air can be directly discharged by opening the damper or directly discharged through the original pipes such as the condensation water pipe.

[0015] For the above-mentioned method for drying the vehicle air-conditioning evaporator, in some feasible embodiments, the air duct is provided with a ventilation part, and the ventilation part includes a first ventilation part and a second ventilation part. The first ventilation part can be communicated with the interior environment of the vehicle, and the second ventilation part can be communicated with the exterior environment of the vehicle. The "closing the air duct after stopping the vehicle air-conditioning refrigeration" includes: closing the first ventilation part and the second ventilation part after stopping the vehicle air-conditioning refrigeration.

[0016] This provides a way to reuse existing cold / warm air ducts as drying ducts. This solution, by sealing off the first and second ventilation areas to keep the evaporator core in a closed environment, is more cost-effective and easier to control than configuring a dedicated drying duct for the evaporator core.

[0017] Generally speaking, car air conditioners can achieve two modes: internal circulation and external circulation. Internal circulation means that the air in the cabin is self-circulated. During internal circulation, the air duct must at least ensure that the first ventilation part is connected to the interior environment of the car; external circulation means that the air in the cabin is replaced by the air outside the cabin. During external circulation, the air duct must simultaneously ensure that the first ventilation part is connected to the interior environment of the car and the second ventilation part is connected to the outside environment.

[0018] Regarding the above-mentioned method for drying a vehicle air-conditioning evaporator, in some feasible implementations, the first ventilation portion includes a return air inlet and an air outlet.

[0019] Regarding the above-mentioned method for drying a vehicle air-conditioning evaporator, in some feasible implementations, the second ventilation portion includes a fresh air inlet and a condensed water outlet.

[0020] It is understandable that the return air inlet is the air inlet of the air duct during the internal circulation process, and the air outlet is the air outlet of the air duct. Conventional air conditioning boxes do not have a damper at the return air inlet, the purpose of which is to save costs and reduce odor in the air duct.

[0021] For the above-mentioned method for drying a vehicle air-conditioning evaporator, in some feasible embodiments, the "discharging the hot and humid air directly from the air duct to the outside environment of the vehicle" includes: discharging the hot and humid air directly from the air duct to the outside environment of the vehicle by opening the second ventilation part.

[0022] By opening the second ventilation part to discharge the hot and humid air directly from the air duct to the environment outside the vehicle, the hot and humid air can be prevented from affecting the environment inside the vehicle, thereby avoiding reducing the air quality inside the vehicle.

[0023] It is understood that opening the second ventilation position can be achieved by opening the fresh air inlet, directly discharging the hot and humid air through the fresh air inlet, and this discharge process can utilize the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the air duct; it can also be discharged through the condensate outlet, and this discharge process can also utilize the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the air duct; or it can be discharged through the fresh air inlet and the condensate outlet simultaneously to improve the discharge efficiency of the hot and humid air. All of the above solutions do not require significant modifications to the existing vehicle air conditioner structure.

[0024] Regarding the above-mentioned method for drying a vehicle air-conditioning evaporator, in some feasible implementations, the method further includes: before opening the second ventilation portion, stopping the operation of the heating core and the fan.

[0025] When the humidity of the evaporator core drops to a preset humidity threshold, the second ventilation part can be opened to discharge the hot and humid air in the air duct. Before opening the second ventilation part, the heating core and the fan are stopped. Only the pressure difference inside and outside the air duct and the inertia of the fan after stopping can cause the hot and humid air in the air duct to be discharged, thus avoiding unnecessary energy consumption.

[0026] It is understandable that the heating core and the fan can be stopped at the same time as or after the second ventilation position is opened.

[0027] In addition, stopping the operation of the heating core may be stopping the operation of both the heating core and the fan at the same time, or stopping the operation of the heating core before stopping the operation of the fan.

[0028] Regarding the above-mentioned method for drying a vehicle air-conditioning evaporator, in some feasible implementations, the heating core is stopped before the fan.

[0029] By stopping the heating core before the fan, that is, after the heating core stops continuously generating heat, the fan can be used to accelerate the dissipation of residual heat, which is beneficial to extending the life of the heating core.

[0030] Regarding the above-mentioned method for drying a vehicle air-conditioning evaporator, in some feasible implementations, the heating core is a PTC heating core and / or a warm air core.

[0031] It is understood that vehicles without a PTC heating core, such as ordinary fuel vehicles, can use the heater core to raise the air temperature. Vehicles without a heater core, such as electric vehicles, can use the PTC heating core to raise the air temperature. Vehicles equipped with both a PTC heating core and a heater core for efficient heating can also use both the PTC heating core and the heater core to raise the air temperature. In addition, the heating core can also be composed of ordinary electric heating tubes.

[0032] In a second aspect, the present invention further provides a system for drying an evaporator of a vehicle air conditioner, wherein the vehicle air conditioner includes an air conditioning box, the evaporator includes an evaporator core, an air duct for air circulation is constructed in the air conditioning box, and a fan, the evaporator core, and a heating core are provided in the air duct. The system includes:

[0033] A sealing module is configured to seal the air duct after stopping the cooling of the vehicle air conditioner; a drying module is configured to operate the heating core and the fan so as to: form hot air that can circulate in the air duct with the help of the heating core and the fan, and the hot air carries away the condensed water precipitated on the surface of the evaporator core during the circulation process and converts it into humid hot air; a dehumidification module is configured to discharge the humid hot air directly from the air duct to the environment outside the vehicle so that the evaporator core is dried.

[0034] For the above-mentioned system for drying the vehicle air-conditioning evaporator, in some feasible embodiments, the air duct is provided with a ventilation part, and the ventilation part includes a first ventilation part and a second ventilation part. The first ventilation part can be communicated with the interior environment of the vehicle, and the second ventilation part can be communicated with the exterior environment of the vehicle. The closing module is further configured to close the first ventilation part and the second ventilation part after stopping the cooling of the vehicle air-conditioning.

[0035] For the above-mentioned system for drying a vehicle air-conditioning evaporator, in some feasible implementations, the first ventilation portion includes a return air inlet and an air outlet.

[0036] For the above-mentioned system for drying a vehicle air-conditioning evaporator, in some feasible implementations, the second ventilation portion includes a fresh air inlet and a condensed water outlet.

[0037] For the above-mentioned system for drying a vehicle air-conditioning evaporator, in some feasible embodiments, the dehumidification module is further configured to: discharge the hot and humid air directly from the air duct to the outside environment by opening the second ventilation portion.

[0038] For the above-mentioned system for drying a vehicle air-conditioning evaporator, in some feasible embodiments, the system further includes an intermediate module, and the intermediate module is configured to stop the operation of the heating core and the fan before opening the second ventilation portion.

[0039] Regarding the above-mentioned system for drying a vehicle air-conditioning evaporator, in some feasible implementations, the intermediate module is further configured to: stop the operation of the heating core before stopping the operation of the fan.

[0040] For the above-mentioned system for drying a vehicle air-conditioning evaporator, in some feasible implementations, the heating core is a PTC heating core and / or a warm air core.

[0041] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that, since the above-mentioned system for drying a vehicle air-conditioning evaporator can execute the above-mentioned method for drying a vehicle air-conditioning evaporator, it has all the technical effects of the above-mentioned method and will not be described in detail here.

[0042] In a third aspect, the present invention also provides a vehicle comprising a memory and a processor, wherein the memory is suitable for storing a plurality of program codes, and the program codes are suitable for being loaded and run by the processor to execute the method for drying a vehicle air conditioner evaporator as described in any of the aforementioned technical solutions.

[0043] In a fourth aspect, the present invention also provides a computer-readable storage medium, which is suitable for storing multiple program codes, and the program codes are suitable for being loaded and run by a processor to execute the method for drying a vehicle air-conditioning evaporator described in any of the aforementioned technical solutions.

[0044] It will be understood by those skilled in the art that since the above-mentioned vehicle and computer-readable storage medium can execute the method for drying a vehicle air-conditioning evaporator described in any of the above-mentioned technical solutions, they have all the technical effects that can be obtained by the above-mentioned methods and will not be repeated here.

[0045] Solution 1. A method for drying a vehicle air conditioner evaporator, characterized in that the vehicle air conditioner includes an air conditioning box, the evaporator includes an evaporator core, an air duct for air circulation is constructed in the air conditioning box, a fan, the evaporator core and a heating core are arranged in the air duct, and the method includes: closing the air duct after stopping the cooling of the vehicle air conditioner; operating the heating core and the fan so as to: form hot air that can circulate in the air duct with the help of the heating core and the fan, and the hot air takes away the condensed water precipitated on the surface of the evaporator core during the circulation process and converts it into humid hot air; and discharge the humid hot air directly from the air duct to the environment outside the vehicle so that the evaporator core is dried.

[0046] Option 2. The method for drying a vehicle air-conditioning evaporator according to Option 1 is characterized in that the air duct is provided with a ventilation portion, and the ventilation portion includes a first ventilation portion and a second ventilation portion, the first ventilation portion can be communicated with the vehicle interior environment, and the second ventilation portion can be communicated with the vehicle exterior environment, and the "closing the air duct after stopping the vehicle air-conditioning cooling" includes: closing the first ventilation portion and the second ventilation portion after stopping the vehicle air-conditioning cooling.

[0047] Option 3. The method for drying a vehicle air-conditioning evaporator according to Option 2 is characterized in that the first ventilation portion includes a return air inlet and an air outlet.

[0048] Option 4. The method for drying a vehicle air-conditioning evaporator according to Option 2 or 3 is characterized in that the second ventilation portion includes a fresh air inlet and a condensed water outlet.

[0049] Option 5. The method for drying a vehicle air-conditioning evaporator according to Option 2 is characterized in that "discharging the hot and humid air directly from the air duct to the environment outside the vehicle" includes: discharging the hot and humid air directly from the air duct to the environment outside the vehicle by opening the second ventilation part.

[0050] Option 6. The method for drying a vehicle air-conditioning evaporator according to Option 5 is characterized in that the method further includes: stopping the operation of the heating core and the fan before opening the second ventilation portion.

[0051] Solution 7. The method for drying a vehicle air-conditioning evaporator according to Solution 6 is characterized in that the heating core is stopped before the fan.

[0052] Option 8. The method for drying a vehicle air-conditioning evaporator according to Option 7 is characterized in that the heating core is a PTC heating core and / or a warm air core.

[0053] Solution 9. A system for drying a vehicle air-conditioning evaporator, characterized in that the vehicle air-conditioning includes an air-conditioning box, the evaporator includes an evaporator core, an air duct for air circulation is constructed in the air-conditioning box, a fan, the evaporator core and a heating core are provided in the air duct, and the system includes: a closing module, which is configured to close the air duct after stopping the cooling of the vehicle air-conditioning; a drying module, which is configured to operate the heating core and the fan so as to: form hot air that can circulate in the air duct with the help of the heating core and the fan, and the hot air carries away the condensed water precipitated on the surface of the evaporator core during the circulation process and converts it into humid hot air; a dehumidification module, which is configured to discharge the humid hot air directly from the air duct to the environment outside the vehicle so that the evaporator core is dried.

[0054] Option 10. The system for drying a vehicle air-conditioning evaporator according to Option 9 is characterized in that the air duct is provided with a ventilation part, and the ventilation part includes a first ventilation part and a second ventilation part, the first ventilation part can be communicated with the vehicle interior environment, and the second ventilation part can be communicated with the vehicle exterior environment, and the closing module is further configured to close the first ventilation part and the second ventilation part after stopping the vehicle air-conditioning cooling.

[0055] Option 11. The system for drying a vehicle air-conditioning evaporator according to Option 10 is characterized in that the first ventilation portion includes a return air inlet and an air outlet.

[0056] Option 12. The system for drying a vehicle air-conditioning evaporator according to Option 10 or 11 is characterized in that the second ventilation portion includes a fresh air inlet and a condensed water outlet.

[0057] Option 13. The system for drying a vehicle air-conditioning evaporator according to Option 10 is characterized in that the dehumidification module is further configured to: discharge the hot and humid air directly from the air duct to the outside environment of the vehicle by opening the second ventilation part.

[0058] Option 14. The system for drying a vehicle air-conditioning evaporator according to Option 13 is characterized in that the system also includes an intermediate module, which is configured to stop the operation of the heating core and the fan before opening the second ventilation part.

[0059] Solution 15. The system for drying a vehicle air-conditioning evaporator according to Solution 14 is characterized in that the intermediate module is further configured to: stop the heating core before stopping the fan.

[0060] Option 16. The system for drying a vehicle air-conditioning evaporator according to Option 15 is characterized in that the heating core is a PTC heating core and / or a warm air core.

[0061] Solution 17. A vehicle, characterized in that the vehicle includes a memory and a processor, the memory is suitable for storing a plurality of program codes, and the program codes are suitable for being loaded and run by the processor to execute the method for drying a vehicle air conditioner evaporator according to any one of Solutions 1 to 7.

[0062] Solution 18. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that the computer-readable storage medium is suitable for storing multiple program codes, and the program codes are suitable for being loaded and run by a processor to execute the method for drying a vehicle air conditioner evaporator according to any one of Solutions 1 to 7. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0063] The disclosure of the present invention will become more easily understood with reference to the accompanying drawings. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that these drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Furthermore, similar numbers in the drawings represent similar components.

[0064] Figure 1 A schematic cross-sectional view of an air conditioning box according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing the air flow in the air duct in the internal circulation cooling mode;

[0065] Figure 2 A schematic cross-sectional view of an air conditioning box according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing the air flow state in the air duct when drying the evaporator core;

[0066] Figure 3 A flowchart of a method provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0067] List of reference numerals:

[0068] 1. Air conditioning box; 10. Box body; 100. Air duct; 1000. Fresh air inlet; 1001. Return air inlet; 1002. Defrost outlet; 1003. Face outlet; 1004. Foot outlet; 1005. Condensate outlet; 101. Fresh air damper; 102. Drying damper; 103. Defrost damper; 104. Face damper; 105. Foot damper; 11. Air filter; 12. Fan; 13. Evaporator core; 14. Warm air core; 15. PTC heating core. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0069] The preferred embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that these embodiments are only used to explain the technical principles of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0070] In addition, in order to better illustrate the present invention, numerous specific details are given in the following detailed description. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention can also be implemented without certain specific details.

[0071] It should be noted that the terms "first" and "second" used in this article are only used for descriptive purposes and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0072] The vehicle air conditioner provided in an embodiment of the present invention includes a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, an evaporator, and a pipeline connecting these components in sequence to form a refrigerant circulation system. The evaporator is placed inside the air conditioner box, while the condenser, compressor, and expansion valve are placed outside the air conditioner box.

[0073] Figure 1 This is a schematic cross-sectional structural diagram of an air-conditioning box provided in an embodiment of the present invention, which shows the air circulation state in the air duct in the internal circulation cooling mode.

[0074] Reference Figure 1 As shown, the air duct 100 is constructed within the housing 10 of the air conditioning unit 1. Viewed clockwise, the air duct 100 of the air conditioning unit 1 is sequentially provided with an air filter 11, a fan 12, an evaporator core 13, a heater core 14, and a PTC heater core 15. The air filter 11 is used to filter impurities from the air flowing through the air duct 100, thereby purifying the air. The fan 12 is used to promote air circulation within the air duct 100. The evaporator core 13 is used to provide cooling to the air flowing through the air duct 100 during cooling mode. The PTC heater core 15 and the heater core 14 are used to provide heat to the air flowing through the air duct 100 during heating mode. The PTC heating core 15 is composed of several ceramic monolithic pieces connected in parallel and bonded to corrugated aluminum strips at high temperatures. It offers low thermal resistance, high heat exchange efficiency, and minimal power loss over long periods of use. Furthermore, compared to electric heating, it offers the added benefit of enhanced safety. When the fan 12 stops, the PTC heating core's power automatically drops sharply due to insufficient heat dissipation, maintaining the surface temperature at the set point without the "reddening" effect typically seen in electric heating tubes. The PTC heating core 15 is used for auxiliary heating in gasoline-powered vehicles.

[0075] Continue to refer to Figure 1 As shown, the air duct 100 is provided with a first ventilation portion capable of communicating with the vehicle interior environment and a second ventilation portion capable of communicating with the vehicle exterior environment.

[0076] Specifically, the first ventilation location includes a return air inlet 1001 and air outlets, wherein the air outlets include a defrost outlet 1002, a face outlet 1003, and a foot outlet 1004. The air from the defrost outlet 1002 is directed toward the front windshield and the door windows on both sides, the air from the face outlet 1003 is directed toward the occupant's body, and the air from the foot outlet 1004 is directed toward the occupant's feet. The face outlet 1003 is typically also provided with an air guide member, which can be used to adjust the air outlet direction and air volume of the face outlet 1003. In addition, a defrost damper 103, a face damper 104, and a foot damper 105 are respectively provided in the air duct 100 to control the opening and closing of the defrost outlet 1002, the face outlet 1003, and the foot outlet 1004, respectively.

[0077] In this embodiment, the second ventilation location includes a fresh air inlet 1000 and a condensate outlet 1005. A fresh air damper 101 is provided at the fresh air inlet 1000, which controls its opening and closing. The condensate outlet 1005 is located below the evaporator core 13 and is connected to a condensate pipe, which is opened and closed by a valve.

[0078] The aforementioned automotive air conditioner can operate in two circulation modes: internal and external. The user typically determines which circulation mode to use based on the air quality outside the vehicle (e.g., PM2.5, temperature, humidity, etc.) and their own needs. Regardless of the circulation mode, at least one of the air outlets connected to the vehicle's interior must be open.

[0079] When the car air conditioner is in internal circulation mode, the return air inlet 1001 is open and the fresh air inlet 1000 is closed. Specifically, taking the internal circulation cooling mode in summer as an example, when the car air conditioner is in cooling operation, the drying damper 102 is open, the fresh air damper 101 and the defrost damper 103 are closed, and the condensed water pipe is connected. When cooling, the face damper 104 is usually opened first and the foot damper 105 is closed. This can make the body feel more comfortable and is beneficial to energy saving. The air circulation path is as follows: Figure 1 As shown in . When the compressor and fan 12 are started, fan 12 forces the air in duct 100 to circulate in a clockwise direction, creating negative pressure at the return air inlet 1001, forcing cabin air into duct 100. The air in duct 100 is filtered by air filter 11 and then passes through evaporator core 13, exchanging heat with the low-temperature refrigerant in evaporator core 13 and transforming into cold air. This cold air is then transported through the duct section 100 at the lower portion of the air conditioning unit 1 and enters the cabin through the blower outlet 1003, completing internal air circulation.

[0080] When the vehicle air conditioner is in external circulation mode, the fresh air inlet 1000 is in an open state, and the return air inlet 1001 can be in a closed state or in an open state. This is because the fresh air inlet 1000 and the return air inlet 1001 are far apart, and the fresh air inlet 1000 is adjacent to the fan 12. When the fresh air inlet 1000 is in an open state, the fan 12 has little effect on the pressure at the return air inlet 1001, and there is no need to further close the return air inlet 1001. Therefore, existing vehicle air conditioners usually do not configure a damper for the return air inlet 1001.

[0081] Taking the external circulation heating mode in winter as an example, the fresh air damper 101 is open, the drying damper 102 is closed, and the condensate line is connected. During heating, the foot damper 105 is typically opened first, while the face damper 104 is closed. When the fan 12 is activated, it forces air from the air duct 100 to circulate in a clockwise direction, creating a negative pressure at the fresh air inlet 1000. As the fan 12 activates, air from outside the cabin enters the air duct 100 through the fresh air inlet 1000. The air in the air duct 100 is filtered by the air filter 11 and then passes through the heater core 14 and / or the PTC heater core 15. The heater core 14 and / or the PTC heater core 15 release heat, heating the air in the air duct 100. This heat is then converted into warm air, which is then blown out of the foot outlet 1004. When the windows need to be defrosted, the defrost outlet 1002 can be opened simultaneously, with some of the hot air blown out of the defrost outlet 1002.

[0082] It is understandable that although the internal circulation mode can make the air temperature in the cabin reach the target temperature quickly, long-term internal circulation will reduce the oxygen concentration in the cabin and increase the carbon dioxide concentration. Therefore, whether it is summer or winter, the car air conditioner needs to switch between the internal circulation mode and the external circulation mode when running to ensure the freshness of the air in the car.

[0083] After the vehicle air conditioner has finished cooling, moisture will remain on the surface of the evaporator core 13. Based on the above vehicle air conditioner structure, the present invention provides a method for drying a vehicle air conditioner evaporator, which can achieve rapid drying of the evaporator with low energy consumption during the drying process.

[0084] Example 1

[0085] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the method for drying a vehicle air conditioner evaporator provided by an embodiment of the present invention includes:

[0086] S10: After stopping the cooling of the vehicle air conditioner, the air duct is closed.

[0087] Specifically, taking the internal circulation refrigeration as an example, when the car air conditioner is cooling, the drying damper and the face damper are in the open state, the fresh air damper, the defrost damper and the foot damper are in the closed state, and the condensate pipe is in the connected state. The air in the air duct is converted into cold air under the action of the evaporator and enters the cabin, thereby lowering the temperature inside the cabin.

[0088] In the method provided in an embodiment of the present invention, after stopping the cooling function of the vehicle air conditioner, the air duct is sealed, thereby creating a closed environment for the drying process. Specifically, the drying damper, fresh air damper, face damper, foot damper, and defrost damper are all controlled to be closed, and the condensate outlet is also blocked. During the process of closing each damper, open / close state determination logic can be incorporated into the control of each damper. If the damper is determined to be closed, the damper remains in its original state; if it is determined to be open, the damper is controlled to close.

[0089] S20: The heating core and the fan are operated so as to form hot air that can circulate in the air duct with the help of the heating core and the fan. During the circulation process, the hot air takes away the condensed water precipitated on the surface of the evaporator core and converts it into hot and humid air.

[0090] Specifically, after controlling each damper to close the air duct, the heating core and the fan can be operated at the same time, or the fan can be operated before the heating core. In this embodiment, the heating core is a PTC heating core, and the fan is operated before the PTC heating core. After the fan and PTC heating core are operated, the PTC heating core continuously transfers heat to the air in the air duct, and the air temperature rises rapidly and becomes circulating hot air. The air circulation state is as follows: Figure 2 As shown in the figure, the high-temperature air flow circulates over the surface of the evaporator core, accelerating the volatilization of water and creating a steamer-like environment for the evaporator, evaporating the water on the surface of the evaporator core. During this process, the hot air carries away the condensed water on the surface of the evaporator core and converts it into hot and humid air.

[0091] During the drying process, since the air duct is closed, the heat loss emitted by the PTC heating core is small, and most of the heat is used to increase the air temperature. Compared with the existing solution in which the air duct is open during the drying process, the heat energy utilization rate of the solution of the present invention is greatly improved.

[0092] S30: The hot and humid air is discharged directly from the air duct to the environment outside the vehicle so that the evaporator core is dried.

[0093] When the humidity on the evaporator core surface reaches a preset humidity threshold, the drying phase of the evaporator core is complete, and the dehumidification phase is required to expel the generated hot and humid air. Because the air duct is closed during the drying phase, the internal air will increase its pressure as it transforms into hot and humid air. Consequently, a pressure differential exists between the inside and outside of the duct after the drying phase is complete. This embodiment utilizes this pressure differential to automatically discharge the hot and humid air, further reducing energy consumption during the drying process.

[0094] Specifically, perform the following steps:

[0095] S300: Stop the heating core and the fan.

[0096] Shutting down the heater core after the moisture has evaporated can reduce system energy consumption. Because the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the duct can be used to facilitate the discharge of hot and humid air, shutting down the fan can further reduce system energy consumption. To protect the PTC heater core, shut it down before shutting down the fan.

[0097] S301. Open the second ventilation part to allow the hot and humid air to be directly discharged from the air duct to the environment outside the vehicle.

[0098] In the present invention, the second ventilation portion includes a plurality of ventilation holes, and as long as one of the ventilation holes is in an open state, the second ventilation portion is in an open state.

[0099] Specifically, in this embodiment, the process of directly discharging the hot and humid air in the air duct by opening the second ventilation part is to open the condensation water outlet after stopping the fan, and utilize the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the air duct. The hot and humid air on the high-pressure side will spontaneously pass through the condensation water outlet and the condensation water pipe connected to the condensation water outlet to be discharged to the outside environment of the vehicle on the low-pressure side, thereby discharging the hot and humid air from the condensation water outlet.

[0100] Thus, the rapid drying of the evaporator core is achieved, and the drying process is short in time, low in energy consumption and high in efficiency.

[0101] It should be noted that the fan stops running when the power to the motor driving the fan is cut off. After the motor is powered off, the fan may continue to rotate due to inertia. Therefore, the fan may still be in a rotating state after the fan stops running. Therefore, the inertial rotation of the fan can also be used to accelerate the discharge speed of the hot and humid air.

[0102] Example 2

[0103] This embodiment is described by taking a vehicle air conditioner performing external circulation cooling as an example.

[0104] The method for drying a vehicle air conditioner evaporator provided in this embodiment includes:

[0105] T10. Close the air duct after stopping the vehicle air conditioner cooling.

[0106] Specifically, when the vehicle air conditioner is in cooling mode, the fresh air damper, drying damper, and face damper are open, the defrost damper and foot damper are closed, and the condensate water line is connected. After the vehicle air conditioner stops cooling, the drying damper, fresh air damper, face damper, foot damper, and defrost damper are all closed, and the condensate water outlet is sealed. Similar to step S10, opening and closing logic can be used to ensure that all dampers are closed.

[0107] T20. Operate the heating core and the fan to form hot air that can circulate in the air duct with the help of the heating core and the fan. During the circulation process, the hot air carries away the condensed water precipitated on the surface of the evaporator core and converts it into hot and humid air.

[0108] Specifically, this step refers to step S20 in Example 1.

[0109] T30: Allow the hot and humid air to be discharged directly from the air duct to the outside environment so that the evaporator core can be dried.

[0110] Similar to step S30 in Example 1, this embodiment also utilizes the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the air duct to exhaust the hot and humid air. The difference from Example 1 is that this embodiment exhausts the hot and humid air through the fresh air inlet.

[0111] Specifically, perform the following steps:

[0112] T300, stop the heating core and fan.

[0113] This step refers to step S300 in embodiment 1.

[0114] T301. Open the second ventilation part to allow the hot and humid air to be discharged directly from the air duct to the outside environment of the vehicle.

[0115] Specifically, in this embodiment, the process of discharging the hot and humid air in the air duct by opening the second ventilation part is to open the fresh air damper after stopping the fan, and utilize the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the air duct. The hot and humid air on the high-pressure side will spontaneously be discharged directly to the outside environment of the vehicle on the low-pressure side through the fresh air inlet, thereby achieving the smooth discharge of the hot and humid air.

[0116] It is understandable that the fresh air damper and the condensate outlet can also be opened at the same time to accelerate the discharge of hot and humid air.

[0117] After the hot and humid air is discharged, the fresh air damper and the condensed water outlet are restored to the closed state, and the drying damper is restored to the open state.

[0118] It should be noted that the method of the present invention is applicable to both electric vehicles and fuel vehicles.

[0119] In addition, an embodiment of the present invention further provides a system for drying a vehicle air conditioner evaporator, which corresponds to the method in the aforementioned embodiment and includes a sealing module, a drying module, and a dehumidification module.

[0120] Specifically, the closing module is configured to close the air duct after the vehicle air conditioner stops cooling. The air duct is provided with ventilation parts, which include a first ventilation part and a second ventilation part. The first ventilation part can communicate with the vehicle interior environment, and the second ventilation part can communicate with the vehicle exterior environment. The first ventilation part includes a return air inlet and an air outlet, wherein the air outlet includes a face-blowing outlet, a foot-blowing outlet, and a defrost outlet; the second ventilation part includes a fresh air inlet and a condensed water outlet. The closing module is further configured to close the first ventilation part and the second ventilation part after the vehicle air conditioner stops cooling, that is, after the vehicle air conditioner ends cooling, the return air inlet, the face-blowing outlet, the foot-blowing outlet, the defrost outlet, the fresh air inlet, and the condensed water outlet are all closed. The specific closing judgment logic refers to the above embodiment.

[0121] The drying module is configured to operate the heating core and fan, thereby forming a circulating flow of hot air within the air duct. During circulation, the hot air removes condensed water from the surface of the evaporator core and transforms it into hot and humid air. The heating core can be a PTC heating core and / or a warm air core. It is understood that it is preferred that the fan be operated before the heating core.

[0122] The dehumidification module is configured to discharge the hot and humid air directly from the air duct to the vehicle exterior environment so that the evaporator core is dried. Specifically, the dehumidification module is further configured to discharge the hot and humid air directly from the air duct to the vehicle exterior environment by opening the second ventilation part.

[0123] In order to further reduce system energy consumption, the system is further configured with an intermediate module, which is configured to stop the heating core and the fan before opening the second ventilation part. More specifically, the intermediate module is configured to stop the heating core before the fan.

[0124] The sealing module, drying module, and dehumidification module coordinate their actions under the control of a controller, allowing the evaporator core to be dried quickly. Furthermore, an embodiment of the present invention provides a vehicle comprising a memory and a processor. The memory is adapted to store multiple program codes, which are adapted to be loaded and executed by the processor to execute the method for drying a vehicle air conditioner evaporator according to the aforementioned embodiment.

[0125] An embodiment of the present invention further provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program. The computer program is executed by a processor to implement the method for drying a vehicle air conditioner evaporator in the aforementioned embodiment.

[0126] In the description of the present invention, "module" and "processor" may include hardware, software or a combination of the two. A module may include hardware circuits, various suitable sensors, communication ports, and memories, and may also include software components, such as program code, or a combination of software and hardware. The processor may be a central processing unit, a microprocessor, an image processor, a digital signal processor, or any other suitable processor. The processor has data and / or signal processing functions. The processor may be implemented in software, hardware, or a combination of the two. Non-transitory computer-readable storage media include any suitable media that can store program code, such as magnetic disks, hard disks, optical disks, flash memory, read-only memory, random access memory, and the like.

[0127] It will be understood by those skilled in the art that all or part of the processes in the methods for implementing the above embodiments of the present invention may also be accomplished by hardware related to computer program instructions. The computer program may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. When the computer program is executed by a processor, the steps of each of the above method embodiments may be implemented. The computer program includes computer program code, which may be in source code form, object code form, executable file, or some intermediate form. The computer-readable medium may include: any entity or device, medium, USB flash drive, mobile hard disk, magnetic disk, optical disk, computer memory, read-only memory, random access memory, electric carrier signal, telecommunication signal, and software distribution medium capable of carrying the computer program code. It should be noted that the content contained in the computer-readable storage medium may be appropriately increased or decreased according to the requirements of legislation and patent practice in the jurisdiction. For example, in some jurisdictions, according to legislation and patent practice, computer-readable storage media do not include electric carrier signals and telecommunication signals.

[0128] Furthermore, it should be understood that since the module configuration is merely for the purpose of illustrating the functional units of the system of the present invention, the physical device corresponding to the module may be the processor itself, or a portion of the software in the processor, a portion of the hardware, or a combination of software and hardware. Therefore, the number of modules can be configured as needed.

[0129] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the modules can be adaptively split. The specific splitting of the modules will not cause the technical solutions to deviate from the principles of the present invention. Therefore, the technical solutions after the splitting will fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0130] Thus far, the technical solutions of the present invention have been described in conjunction with the preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. However, it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the scope of protection of the present invention is obviously not limited to these specific embodiments. Without departing from the principles of the present invention, those skilled in the art may make equivalent changes or substitutions to the relevant technical features, and the technical solutions after such changes or substitutions will fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for drying a vehicle air conditioner evaporator, characterized in that: The vehicle air conditioner includes an air conditioning box, the evaporator includes an evaporator core, an air duct for air circulation is constructed in the air conditioning box, a fan, the evaporator core and a heating core are arranged in the air duct, the air duct is provided with a ventilation part, the ventilation part includes a first ventilation part and a second ventilation part, the first ventilation part can be communicated with the vehicle interior environment, and the second ventilation part can be communicated with the vehicle exterior environment, the method includes: After the vehicle air conditioner stops cooling, the air duct is closed, specifically including closing the first ventilation part and the second ventilation part after the vehicle air conditioner stops cooling; The heating core and the fan are operated to: Hot air that can circulate in the air duct is formed by means of the heating core and the fan. During the circulation process, the hot air carries away the condensed water precipitated on the surface of the evaporator core and transforms into hot and humid air. by opening the second ventilation portion to allow the hot and humid air to be directly discharged from the air duct to the environment outside the vehicle, so that the evaporator core is dried; The method further includes: before opening the second ventilation part, stopping the heating core and the fan.

2. The method for drying a vehicle air conditioner evaporator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first ventilation part includes a return air inlet and an air outlet.

3. The method for drying a vehicle air conditioner evaporator according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The second ventilation part includes a fresh air inlet and a condensed water outlet.

4. The method for drying a vehicle air conditioner evaporator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The heating core is stopped before the fan.

5. The method for drying a vehicle air conditioner evaporator according to claim 4, characterized in that: The heating core is a PTC heating core and / or a warm air core.

6. A system for drying a vehicle air conditioner evaporator, characterized in that: The vehicle air conditioner includes an air conditioning box, the evaporator includes an evaporator core, an air duct for air circulation is constructed in the air conditioning box, a fan, the evaporator core and a heating core are arranged in the air duct, and the system includes: a closing module configured to close the air duct after stopping the cooling of the vehicle air conditioner; A drying module is configured to operate the heating core and the blower to: Hot air that can circulate in the air duct is formed by means of the heating core and the fan. During the circulation process, the hot air carries away the condensed water precipitated on the surface of the evaporator core and transforms into hot and humid air. a dehumidification module configured to discharge the hot and humid air directly from the air duct to the environment outside the vehicle so that the evaporator core is dried; The air duct is provided with a ventilation portion, the ventilation portion including a first ventilation portion and a second ventilation portion, the first ventilation portion being communicable with the vehicle interior environment, the second ventilation portion being communicable with the vehicle exterior environment, the second ventilation portion including a fresh air inlet and a condensed water outlet, the sealing module being further configured to seal the first ventilation portion and the second ventilation portion after stopping cooling of the vehicle air conditioner; The dehumidification module is further configured to: discharge the hot and humid air directly from the air duct to the outside environment by opening the fresh air inlet and / or the condensed water outlet; The system further includes an intermediate module configured to stop the heating core and the fan before opening the second ventilation portion.

7. The system for drying a vehicle air conditioner evaporator according to claim 6, characterized in that: The first ventilation part includes a return air inlet and an air outlet.

8. The system for drying a vehicle air conditioner evaporator according to claim 6, characterized in that: The intermediate module is further configured as follows: The heating core is stopped before the fan.

9. The system for drying a vehicle air conditioner evaporator according to claim 8, characterized in that: The heating core is a PTC heating core and / or a warm air core.

10. A vehicle, characterized in that: The vehicle includes a memory and a processor, the memory is suitable for storing a plurality of program codes, and the program codes are suitable for being loaded and run by the processor to execute the method for drying a vehicle air conditioner evaporator according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

11. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that The computer-readable storage medium is suitable for storing a plurality of program codes, and the program codes are suitable for being loaded and run by a processor to execute the method for drying a vehicle air conditioner evaporator according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

Images