Vehicles used to transport people

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle for transporting people, comprising an air conditioning system, the air conditioning system comprising a refrigeration circuit (1) operated with a refrigerant, wherein the refrigeration circuit (1) comprises a condenser (3) and an evaporator (6) for controlling the temperature of supply air supplied by a blower (11) into a passenger compartment of the vehicle, the condenser having an associated condenser fan (4) for supplying cooling air (20), and the evaporator belonging to an air handling unit part (8) of the air conditioning system, wherein in the air conditioning system, a flow channel (18) for cooling air and a flow channel (19) for supply air (21) are separated from each other in terms of flow technology by a common partition wall (17), the partition wall (17) having a closable An exhaust device (14; 22; 23) which can be switched between a closed state for normal operation of an air conditioning system and an open state for emergency operation of the air conditioning system, in which the exhaust device (14; 22; 23) directly connects a flow channel (18) for cooling air and a flow channel (19) for supply air to one another in terms of flow technology, and a detector (24) for refrigerant is provided in the area of ​​the vehicle to which the supply air is applied, the detector being connected to the exhaust device (14; 22; 23) in terms of signal technology, so that when the refrigerant is detected, the detector triggers the operation of the exhaust device (14; 22; 23) in order to occupy the open state of the exhaust device.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a vehicle for transporting people.

[0002] Thus, a vehicle for transporting people is known, which has an air-conditioning system, which includes a refrigeration circuit operated with a refrigerant, wherein the refrigeration circuit has a condenser and an evaporator for temperature-controlling the supply air that is supplied by a blower into the passenger compartment of the vehicle, the condenser having an associated condenser fan for supplying cooling air, and the evaporator belonging to the air handling part of the air-conditioning system.

[0003] During operation of such vehicles, leaks may occur in the refrigeration circuit of the air conditioning system, so that refrigerant may escape. In particular, if a leak occurs in the immediate vicinity of the evaporator, the escaping refrigerant can mix with the supply air present there and continue into the passenger compartment of the vehicle. This is easily acceptable for refrigerants that are not harmful to health.

[0004] However, there is a need to be able to use alternative refrigerants with increased risks to human health, such as R290 (propane), in air conditioning systems for vehicles for transporting people, in particular rail vehicles and buses. For example, it is also known to use refrigerants that are associated with considerable risks of explosion or suffocation. Against this background, measures must be taken to protect passengers against leaks in the refrigeration cycle.

[0005] Based on this, the technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to improve a vehicle of the aforementioned type in such a way that refrigerants that pose a health risk can also be used in the refrigeration cycle.

[0006] The technical problem is solved in the aforementioned vehicle by the following features.

[0007] The vehicle is characterized in that, in the air-conditioning device, a flow channel for cooling air and a flow channel for supply air are separated from each other in terms of flow technology by a common partition wall, the partition wall has a closable exhaust device, the exhaust device can be switched between a closed state for normal operation of the air-conditioning device and an open state for emergency operation of the air-conditioning device, in which the exhaust device directly connects the flow channel for cooling air and the flow channel for supply air to each other in terms of flow technology, and a detector for refrigerant is provided in an area of ​​the vehicle to which supply air is applied, the detector being connected to the exhaust device in terms of signal technology so that when the refrigerant is detected, the detector triggers operation of the exhaust device in order to occupy the open state of the exhaust device.

[0008] Therefore, during emergency operation of the air conditioning system, a flow connection is established between the flow channel for cooling air and the flow channel for supply air by means of the control device provided. It should be taken into account that the condenser fan for cooling air is usually larger than the blower fan, so that the volume flow of cooling air is usually greater than the volume flow of supply air. This causes the Bernoulli effect to occur in the area of ​​the exhaust air, which causes the supply air located in the supply air duct to be sucked in, which supply air is subjected to refrigerant in the event of a leak.

[0009] The condenser fan guides the cooling air past the condenser and then discharges the cooling air into the environment, so the condenser fan also draws in the supply air that flows into the cooling air flow channel through the opened exhaust device. As a result, the supply air charged with refrigerant is discharged into the environment by means of the condenser fan.

[0010] The suction process is assisted by influencing the operating mode of the blower. If this is sufficient, the blower is only limited. However, it is preferred that the detector is connected to the blower in terms of signal technology so that when refrigerant is detected, the detector triggers the shutdown of the blower.

[0011] It should be taken into account here that the opening process of the exhaust gas device and the closing process of the blower can take place close to one another in time or simultaneously.

[0012] Various variants are conceivable for implementing the flow-technical connection between the detector on the one hand and the exhaust device and the blower on the other hand. For example, the signal-technical connection can be implemented by fixed wiring, so that the detection of the refrigerant by the detector generates, for example, a binary signal, which directly or indirectly opens the exhaust device and closes the blower. Alternatively, it is also conceivable to input the output signal generated by the detector when the refrigerant in the air is detected to a central vehicle control device, which in turn evaluates the input signal and converts it into an actuation of the exhaust device to adopt its open state and a closing of the blower.

[0013] Advantageously, the detector is arranged downstream of the evaporator of the refrigeration circuit in the flow direction of the feed air. The detector can be located in particular in an air conditioning system. Alternatively, the detector can be arranged in the passenger compartment or on the path to the passenger compartment, to which the feed air is applied. The detector can be arranged in particular directly behind an air distribution device for the feed air, i.e. at a position where the feed air from the main channel is distributed to the downstream channel branches. In this way, leaks in the refrigeration cycle can be reliably determined.

[0014] The exhaust device is also arranged in the partition wall downstream of the evaporator of the refrigeration circuit in the flow direction of the feed air. The size of the free opening cross section of the exhaust device can be determined in a simple manner by a person skilled in the art.

[0015] The exhaust device is preferably designed as an exhaust flap. The exhaust flap can be shaped into a circle or a rectangle.

[0016] Preferably, propane can be used as a refrigerant. Other examples of refrigerants that can be used are refrigerants that can be used and combustible for suitable detectors, such as butane, R600A, R-281, etc.

[0017] The embodiments of the present invention are described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings:

[0018] Figure 1 A schematic diagram showing an air conditioning system for a rail vehicle;

[0019] Figure 2 Shown in Figure 1 A perspective view of a first embodiment of an exhaust valve used in an air conditioning device; and

[0020] Figure 3 Shown in Figure 1 A perspective view of a second embodiment of an exhaust valve used in an air conditioning device.

[0021] from Figure 1 It can be seen that an air conditioning system used in a rail vehicle for transporting people has a refrigeration circuit 1 with a compressor 2, a condenser 3 with an associated condenser fan 4, an expansion valve 5 and an evaporator 6. The air conditioning system is divided into a condenser part 7 and an air processing part 8. In the condenser part 7, the condenser fan 4, which in the embodiment shown comprises two separate fans, draws in cooling air from the vehicle surroundings, which is guided past the condenser 3, absorbs heat from the condenser and then leaves the air conditioning system again in the direction of the surroundings.

[0022] In addition to the evaporator 6, the air handling section 8 also comprises an air filter 9 and a supplementary heating device 10. A blower 11 conveys the air to be conditioned through the air filter 9, along the evaporator 6 and through the supplementary heating device 10, so that downstream of the supplementary heating device 10 there is supply air with the desired conditioning for the passenger compartment of the vehicle.

[0023] exist Figure 1In the figure, arrow P1 represents the volume flow of cooling air sucked in by the condenser fan 4 before reaching the condenser (for example 14000 cubic meters / hour), arrow P2 represents the volume flow of cooling air discharged to the environment, arrow P3 represents the air sucked in by the blower (if necessary with the exhaust air mixed with fresh air, for example 3000 cubic meters / hour), and arrow P4 represents the volume flow of supply air input in the direction of the passenger compartment through a suitable flow channel system.

[0024] In the present exemplary embodiment, the refrigeration circuit 1 is operated with propane, which in the event of a leak in the refrigeration circuit 1 represents an increased health risk for the people in the passenger compartment. A detector 24 for propane is provided downstream of the evaporator 6 relative to the supply air in order to detect leaks in the refrigeration circuit 1, in particular in the region of the air handling section 8. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the detector 24 is connected to the vehicle control device 12 in terms of signal technology, more precisely via a signal line 13. The detector 24 sends a signal to the control device 12, which indicates that propane has been detected in the supply air for the passenger compartment. The control device 12 evaluates the signal and controls both the blower 11 and the exhaust flap 14, more precisely via signal lines 15, 16.

[0025] During normal operation of the air conditioning system, the exhaust flap 14 , which is also arranged downstream of the evaporator, is closed, whereas it is opened during emergency operation of the air conditioning system in which the detector 24 has detected a leak in the refrigeration circuit 1 .

[0026] In the open state, the exhaust flap 14 enables a passage in the partition wall 17, which separates the flow channel 18 for cooling air from the flow channel 19 for the supply air. The respective flow channels 18, 19 for cooling air and supply air are completed by further panels 20 (cooling air) and panels 21 (supply air). Thus, the partition wall 17 together with the panel 20 forms the flow channel 18 for cooling air, while the panel 21 together with the partition wall 17 defines the flow channel 19 for the supply air and carries the detector 24.

[0027] In the emergency operation of the air conditioning system, the control device 12 controls the blower 11 so that the blower is fully restricted or completely closed, and the exhaust valve 14 is placed in its open position. As a result, there is a channel for the incoming air in the partition wall 17 at this time, which is contaminated by the refrigerant escaping due to leakage. In this operating state, the condenser fan 4, which can be operated at maximum power in the emergency operation, not only conveys cooling air, but also utilizes the Bernoulli effect to convey the incoming air applied with refrigerant from the flow channel 19. The incoming air is guided by the condenser fan 4 to pass by the condenser 3 and is discharged into the environment. Thus, the flow channel 19 can be emptied by means of the condenser fan 4 and therefore all the flow channels adjacent to it that guide the incoming air. In this way, it is possible to achieve the safe discharge of the incoming air applied with refrigerant into the environment, thereby effectively reducing the danger to the personnel in the passenger compartment.

[0028] With regard to providing the passenger compartment with fresh air, fresh air may be provided to the passenger compartment via vehicle leakage caused by the structure, such as doors, bellows, and the like.

[0029] Figure 2 The exhaust flap 22 is shown as an angular, electronically controllable exhaust flap 22. Figure 3 A circular exhaust flap 23 is shown. Both embodiments have in common that they can be switched by means of a control device 12 between a closed position (normal operation of the air conditioning system) and an open position (emergency operation of the air conditioning system).

Claims

1. A vehicle for transporting people, comprising an air-conditioning system, the air-conditioning system comprising a refrigeration circuit (1) operated with a refrigerant, wherein: The refrigeration circuit (1) comprises a condenser (3) and an evaporator (6) for temperature-controlling the supply air supplied to the passenger compartment of the vehicle via a blower (11), the condenser having an associated condenser fan (4) for supplying cooling air (20), and the evaporator belonging to the air handling unit part (8) of the air conditioning system, characterized in that: - in the air conditioning system, a first flow channel (18) for cooling air and a second flow channel (19) for supply air (21) are separated from one another in terms of flow by a common partition wall (17), - the partition wall (17) has a closable exhaust device (14; 22; 23) which can be switched between a closed state for normal operation of the air conditioning system and an open state for emergency operation of the air conditioning system, in which the exhaust device (14; 22; 23) connects a first flow channel (18) for cooling air and a second flow channel (19) for supply air directly to one another in terms of flow technology, and - A detector (24) for refrigerant is provided in the area of ​​the vehicle to which the supply air is applied, the detector being connected to the exhaust device (14; 22; 23) in terms of signal technology so that when refrigerant is detected the detector triggers the operation of the exhaust device (14; 22; 23) in order to put the exhaust device into an open state.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that: The detector (24) is connected to the blower (11) in terms of signaling, so that when refrigerant is detected, the detector triggers the shut-down of the blower (11).

3. The vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The detector (24) is arranged downstream of the evaporator (6) of the refrigeration circuit (1) along the flow direction of the incoming air (21).

4. The vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that: The detector (24) is arranged in the passenger compartment.

5. The vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that: The exhaust device (14; 22; 23) is arranged in the partition wall (17) downstream of the evaporator (6) of the refrigeration circuit (1) in the flow direction of the feed air.

6. The vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that: The exhaust device (14; 22; 23) is designed as an exhaust valve.

7. The vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that: The refrigerant is propane.

8. The vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that: A control unit is provided, which is connected to the detector (24) and / or the blower (11) in terms of signal technology and actuates the exhaust device (14; 22; 23) when refrigerant is detected by the detector (24).

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