Air management system for vehicle and vehicle having the same

Abstract

The present invention discloses an air management system for a vehicle and a vehicle equipped with the same, comprising an air compressor; a dryer; an unloading control valve; a regeneration control valve; an air pressure sensor; and a controller. If the engine speed is greater than a preset speed and enters an air supply mode, the total air supply of the air compressor and the system operating air pressure are obtained, and the amount of air to be regenerated is calculated. If the system operating air pressure is not less than a first preset air pressure and the amount of air to be regenerated is less than the first preset air volume, the unloading control valve is opened and the air supply mode is exited. If the system operating air pressure is not less than the first preset air pressure and the amount of air to be regenerated is not less than the first preset air volume, the air supply mode is exited and the regeneration mode is entered. If the system operating air pressure is less than the first preset air pressure and the amount of air to be regenerated is not less than the second preset air volume, the regeneration mode is entered. The air management system for a vehicle of the present invention can intelligently supply air, intelligently regenerate, and forcibly regenerate the dryer, and has the advantages of saving energy and preventing excessive water accumulation in the dryer.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of vehicles, and in particular to an air management system for a vehicle and a vehicle having the same. Background Art

[0002] Vehicle air management systems in related art are typically used to provide dry compressed air to the vehicle's air system to prevent moisture from entering the system. Furthermore, after drying a certain amount of air, the dryer needs to be regenerated and backflushed to remove accumulated moisture within the dryer, preventing excessive moisture from causing icing or component corrosion. However, because the regeneration air volume in traditional air management systems is fixed and unadjustable, the dryer may not dry enough air to reach the predetermined volume during regeneration backflushing, resulting in wasted regeneration air and hindering energy conservation. Furthermore, backflushing may not be performed even after the dried air volume exceeds the predetermined volume, leading to excessive moisture accumulation. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The present invention aims to address the technical problems existing in the aforementioned prior art. To this end, one objective of the present invention is to provide an air management system for a vehicle that can intelligently supply air, intelligently regenerate, and perform intermediate forced regeneration of the dryer, thereby saving energy and preventing excessive water accumulation in the dryer.

[0004] The present invention also provides a vehicle having the above-mentioned air management system for a vehicle.

[0005] In order to achieve the above-mentioned purpose, according to a first aspect of the present invention, an air management system for a vehicle is proposed, comprising: an air compressor for compressing and pumping out air and being suitable for supplying air to the vehicle's air system; a dryer connected to the air outlet of the air compressor and used to dry the compressed gas discharged from the air outlet of the air compressor; an unloading control valve connected to the air compressor, and when the unloading control valve is closed, the air compressor is controlled to supply air, and when the unloading control valve is opened, the air compressor is controlled to stop supplying air; a regeneration control valve integrated with the dryer, and used to use the air returned from the dryer to back-blow and regenerate the desiccant in the dryer to restore the drying performance of the desiccant, and when the regeneration control valve is opened, the dryer is controlled to enter a regeneration mode, and when the regeneration control valve is closed, the dryer is controlled to exit the regeneration mode; an air pressure sensor for detecting the system working air pressure of the vehicle's air system; a controller respectively connected to the air compressor, the dryer, and the unloading control valve. The valve, the regeneration control valve and the air pressure sensor are connected; the controller is configured to obtain the engine speed, and if the engine speed is greater than the preset speed, determine whether to enter the air supply mode, and if so, control the unloading control valve to close to enter the air supply mode, and obtain the total air supply of the air compressor and the system working air pressure, and calculate the amount of air to be regenerated based on the total air supply. If the system working air pressure is not less than the first preset air pressure and the amount of air to be regenerated is less than the first preset air pressure, control the unloading control valve to open and exit the air supply mode. If the system working air pressure is not less than the first preset air pressure and the amount of air to be regenerated is not less than the first preset air pressure, exit the air supply mode and enter the regeneration mode. If the system working air pressure is less than the first preset air pressure but greater than the second preset air pressure and the amount of air to be regenerated is not less than the second preset air pressure, enter the regeneration mode but do not exit the air supply mode; wherein, the first preset air volume is less than the second preset air volume, and the second preset air pressure is less than the first preset air pressure.

[0006] The air management system for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention can perform intelligent and forced regeneration of the dryer, thereby having the advantages of saving energy and preventing excessive water accumulation in the dryer.

[0007] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the calculation of the amount of gas to be regenerated based on the total amount of gas supply includes: calculating the total amount of gas supply of the air compressor based on the sum of the single gas supply amounts each time the air compressor turns on the air supply mode; calculating the amount of gas to be regenerated based on the product of the total amount of gas supply and a preset coefficient, and the current amount of gas to be regenerated is the sum of the remaining amount of gas to be regenerated in the previous cycle and the product of the total amount of gas supply this time and the preset coefficient.

[0008] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the controller is further configured to, after entering the regeneration mode, obtain the current regeneration gas volume, and determine whether to close the regeneration control valve based on the current regeneration gas volume, the state of the gas supply mode and the system working air pressure.

[0009] According to some embodiments of the present invention, determining whether to close the regeneration control valve based on the current regeneration gas volume, the state of the unloading control valve and the system working air pressure includes: if the current regeneration gas volume is not less than the gas volume to be regenerated, closing the regeneration control valve to exit the gas supply mode; if the current regeneration gas volume is less than the gas volume to be regenerated and not less than the first preset gas volume, determining whether to close the regeneration control valve based on the state of the gas supply mode; if the current regeneration gas volume is less than the gas volume to be regenerated and less than the first preset gas volume, determining whether to close the regeneration control valve based on the system working air pressure.

[0010] According to some embodiments of the present invention, determining whether to close the regeneration control valve based on the status of the air supply mode includes: if in the air supply mode, closing the regeneration control valve, and closing the unloading control valve after closing the regeneration control valve to control the air supply of the air compressor; if not in the air supply mode, determining whether to close the regeneration control valve based on the system working air pressure.

[0011] According to some embodiments of the present invention, determining whether to close the regeneration control valve according to the system working air pressure includes: closing the regeneration control valve if the system working air pressure is not greater than a second preset air pressure.

[0012] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the controller is further configured to control the regeneration control valve to open if the vehicle switches from a non-power-off state to a power-off state and the regeneration control valve is not opened after the unloading control valve was last closed.

[0013] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the controller is further configured to determine whether to open the unloading control valve based on the system working air pressure if the vehicle is in a powered-on state and the ignition is being started.

[0014] According to some embodiments of the present invention, determining whether to open the unloading control valve based on the system working air pressure includes: if the system working air pressure is greater than a second preset air pressure, controlling the unloading control valve to open until the vehicle completes ignition.

[0015] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the controller is further configured to determine whether to close the unloading control valve based on the state of the unloading control valve, the state of the regeneration control valve and the system working air pressure if the vehicle is in a powered-on state and the engine speed is greater than the preset speed.

[0016] According to some embodiments of the present invention, determining whether to close the unloading control valve based on the state of the unloading control valve, the state of the regeneration control valve and the system working air pressure includes: if the unloading control valve is open, the regeneration control valve is closed and the system working air pressure is not greater than a third preset air pressure, closing the unloading control valve.

[0017] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a vehicle is proposed, comprising an air duct system for a vehicle according to the first aspect of the present invention; and a vehicle controller connected to a controller of the air management system, wherein the controller obtains the engine speed through the vehicle controller.

[0018] The vehicle according to the second embodiment of the present invention can perform intelligent and forced regeneration of the dryer by utilizing the air duct system for the vehicle according to the first embodiment of the present invention, thereby having the advantages of saving energy and avoiding excessive water accumulation in the dryer.

[0019] Additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description which follows, or may be learned by practice of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and readily understood from the following description of the embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0021] Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a flow chart of steps for entering an air supply mode of an air management system for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 2 The figure is a flowchart of the steps for calculating the total amount of supplied air and the amount of air to be regenerated for an air management system for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 3 FIG. 1 is a flowchart of steps for entering a regeneration mode of an air management system for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 4 The present invention is a flowchart of the steps for evacuating the pipeline after the vehicle is powered off in an air management system for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 5The present invention is a flowchart of steps of assisting engine start-up during vehicle ignition for an air management system for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 6 FIG. 1 is a flowchart of steps after vehicle startup of an air management system for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 7 FIG. 4 is a flow chart of an air management system for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 8 FIG. 4 is another flow chart of an air management system for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 9 FIG. 4 is another flow chart of an air management system for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] The following describes embodiments of the present invention in detail. Examples of the embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are intended only to explain the present invention and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0031] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" and the like to indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as limiting the present invention.

[0032] In the description of the present invention, "first feature" or "second feature" may include one or more of the features.

[0033] In the description of the present invention, “a plurality of” means two or more, and “a number of” means one or more.

[0034] In the description of the present invention, a first feature being “on” or “under” a second feature may include the first and second features being in direct contact with each other, or the first and second features being in contact with each other not directly but via another feature therebetween.

[0035] In the description of the present invention, “on”, “above” and “above” a first feature of a second feature include the first feature being directly above and obliquely above the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is horizontally higher than the second feature.

[0036] An air management system for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0037] like Figures 1-9 As shown, an air management system for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an air compressor, a dryer, an unloading control valve, a regeneration control valve, an air pressure sensor, and a controller.

[0038] The air compressor is used to compress and pump out air and is suitable for supplying air to the vehicle's air system. The dryer is connected to the air outlet of the air compressor and is used to dry the compressed gas discharged from the air outlet of the air compressor. The unloading control valve is connected to the air compressor. When the unloading control valve is closed, the air compressor is controlled to supply air. When the unloading control valve is opened, the air compressor is controlled to stop supplying air. The regeneration control valve is integrated with the dryer and is used to use the air returned after drying by the dryer to back-blow and regenerate the desiccant in the dryer to restore the drying performance of the desiccant. When the regeneration control valve is opened, the dryer is controlled to enter the regeneration mode. When the regeneration control valve is closed, the dryer is controlled to exit the regeneration mode. The air pressure sensor is used to detect the system working air pressure of the vehicle's air system. The controller is respectively connected to the air compressor, dryer, unloading control valve, regeneration control valve and air pressure sensor.

[0039] like Figure 1 As shown, the controller is configured to obtain the engine speed. If the engine speed is greater than the preset speed, it determines whether to enter the air supply mode. If so, it controls the unloading control valve to close, and obtains the total air supply of the air compressor and the system working air pressure, and calculates the amount of air to be regenerated based on the total air supply.

[0040] If the system working pressure is not less than the first preset pressure and the amount of gas to be regenerated is less than the first preset amount, the unloading control valve is controlled to open and exit the gas supply mode;

[0041] If the system working pressure is not less than the first preset pressure and the amount of gas to be regenerated is not less than the first preset amount, then exit the gas supply mode and enter the regeneration mode;

[0042] If the system operating pressure is less than the first preset pressure but greater than the second preset pressure and the amount of gas to be regenerated is not less than the second preset amount, the system enters the regeneration mode but does not exit the gas supply mode. The first preset amount is less than the second preset amount, and the second preset pressure is less than the first preset pressure.

[0043] The air management system has an air supply mode and a regeneration mode. When in the air supply mode, the air compressor compresses air to supply the air-consuming system. When in the regeneration mode, the air management system back-flushes the dryer to remove accumulated moisture in the dryer. The air compressor air supply and the dryer regeneration back-flushing are not performed simultaneously. In addition, it should be noted that when the unloading control valve is closed, the air management system will enter the air supply mode and the air compressor will begin to supply air. When the air management system exits the air supply mode, the unloading control valve will also be closed. However, when the unloading control valve is opened, the air management system can still be in the air supply mode, but at this time the air management system is only in the air supply mode and the air compressor is not supplying air.

[0044] The unloading control valve and the regeneration control valve can both be solenoid valves. Furthermore, the dryer, unloading control valve, regeneration control valve, air pressure sensor, and controller in the embodiment of the present invention can be integrated into one. For example, the dryer, unloading control valve, regeneration control valve, air pressure sensor, and controller can be integrated into an air handling unit, and the air handling unit is electrically or pneumatically connected to the air compressor. The air handling unit can control the unloading control valve to close or open through the controller, thereby controlling the air compressor to start or stop working, and can control the regeneration control valve to close or open, thereby controlling the dryer to stop regeneration and start regeneration.

[0045] Among them, the total air supply of the air compressor is the sum of the total air supply before this air supply and the current air supply, the gas volume to be regenerated is the sum of the gas volume to be regenerated before this air supply and the gas volume to be regenerated corresponding to the current air supply, and in the regeneration mode, the gas volume to be regenerated is the difference between the total gas volume to be regenerated and the regeneration gas volume that has been regenerated and back-flushed.

[0046] The air compressor in the embodiment of the present invention may be a pressure feedback energy-saving air compressor.

[0047] For example, the air system of a vehicle may be a braking system and a suspension system, but is not limited to the braking system and the suspension system. The air compressor may supply air to the brake air chamber of the braking system and to the airbag of the suspension system.

[0048] According to an air management system for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention, an air compressor is used to compress and pump out air and supply air to the vehicle's air system. A dryer is connected to the air outlet of the air compressor to dry the compressed gas discharged from the air outlet of the air compressor. In this way, the air compressor can supply air to air systems such as the braking system and the suspension system. In the process of the compressed air flowing to the air system, the compressed air can flow through the dryer, and then the dryer is used to dry the compressed air to prevent moisture in the air from entering the air system, thereby effectively protecting the air system and preventing water from entering the air system and causing component failure.

[0049] In addition, the unloading control valve is connected to the air compressor. When the unloading control valve is closed, the air compressor is controlled to supply air. When the unloading control valve is opened, the air compressor is controlled to stop supplying air. The air pressure sensor is used to detect the system operating air pressure of the vehicle's air system. The controller is respectively connected to the air compressor, dryer, unloading control valve, and air pressure sensor. Among them, the regeneration mode of the dryer refers to the use of the air backflow after drying in the dryer to back-blow the desiccant in the dryer to regenerate it. That is, dry air is blown back into the dryer to discharge the moisture accumulated in the dryer with the back-blown dry air out of the dryer, thereby restoring the drying performance of the desiccant and allowing the dryer to dry the compressed air of the compressor again. Therefore, the controller can control the air supply and stop of the air compressor by controlling the opening and closing of the unloading control valve.

[0050] In addition, the controller is configured to obtain the engine speed. If the engine speed is greater than the preset speed, it is determined whether to enter the air supply mode. If so, the unloading control valve is controlled to be closed, and the total air supply of the air compressor and the system working air pressure are obtained, and the amount of air to be regenerated is calculated based on the total air supply. If the system working air pressure is not less than the first preset air pressure and the amount of air to be regenerated is less than the first preset air volume, the unloading control valve is controlled to open and exit the air supply mode. If the system working air pressure is not less than the first preset air pressure and the amount of air to be regenerated is not less than the first preset air volume, the air supply mode is exited and the regeneration mode is entered. If the system working air pressure is less than the first preset air pressure but not greater than the second preset air pressure and the amount of air to be regenerated is not less than the second preset air volume, the regeneration mode is entered but the air supply mode is not exited.

[0051] The first preset gas volume is smaller than the second preset gas volume. The first preset air pressure may be the upper limit of the air pressure when the gas system is in normal working condition. The first preset gas volume may be the lower limit of the dryer's gas volume to be regenerated. That is, when the gas volume to be regenerated does not reach the first preset gas volume, it indicates that the moisture content in the dryer has not reached the set range, and the dryer may continue to introduce compressed gas and perform drying. The second preset gas volume may be the upper limit of the dryer's gas volume to be regenerated. That is, when the gas volume to be regenerated reaches the second preset gas volume, it indicates that the moisture content in the dryer is about to exceed the set range, and the dryer may no longer be able to introduce compressed gas and perform drying.

[0052] Generally speaking, after the air in the natural environment is compressed by the air compressor, the water content of the compressed air is 100%, that is, the water content of the compressed air per unit volume is a constant value. When the air compressor passes a certain amount of compressed air into the dryer, the amount of water brought into the dryer is also a constant value. Therefore, the amount of gas to be regenerated can be reversely calculated by the amount of water that needs to be removed, that is, the amount of gas to be regenerated can be calculated by the total air supply of the air compressor.

[0053] Therefore, if the system working air pressure is not less than the first preset air pressure and the amount of gas to be regenerated is less than the first preset air volume, the unloading control valve is controlled to open and exit the air supply mode. In this way, when the system working air pressure is about to exceed the normal working air pressure of the gas-using system and the moisture in the dryer has not reached the set range, the moisture in the dryer is less. At this time, only the unloading control valve can be opened to prevent the air compressor from continuing to work, so that the system working air pressure will not continue to rise, and the gas-using system can work normally. At this time, the dryer does not need to be regenerated and back-blown, and then does not need to enter the regeneration mode. This will not cause waste of regenerated gas, so that the air management system can realize intelligent back-blowing, minimize the waste of regenerated gas as much as possible, and help save energy loss. It can also keep the system working air pressure high so that pressure can be quickly built up when the air compressor is used to pump air again.

[0054] If the system working air pressure is not less than the first preset air pressure and the amount of air to be regenerated is not less than the first preset air volume, the air supply mode is exited and the regeneration mode is entered. In this way, when the system working air pressure is about to exceed the normal working air pressure of the gas-using system and the moisture in the dryer reaches the set range, there is more moisture in the dryer. At this time, the unloading control valve can be opened to exit the air supply mode, and the air compressor will no longer continue to work, so that the system working air pressure will not continue to rise. At the same time, the regeneration mode is entered, and the dryer performs regeneration backwashing, which ensures that the gas-using system can work normally and removes the accumulated moisture in the dryer. The regeneration backwashing can be used to further reduce the system working air pressure, which more effectively avoids the system working air pressure exceeding the upper limit of the gas-using system in normal working state, so that the gas-using system can work normally.

[0055] If the system operating pressure is less than the first preset pressure but greater than the second preset pressure, and the amount of gas to be regenerated is not less than the second preset amount, the system enters regeneration mode but does not exit supply mode. Thus, when the system operating pressure is about to exceed the normal operating pressure of the gas-consuming system and is not too low, but the moisture content in the dryer is about to exceed the set range, indicating that there is a large amount of moisture in the dryer, even if the system operating pressure is not too high, the system can be forced into regeneration mode, thereby forcing the dryer to regenerate and backflush to ensure that the accumulated moisture in the dryer is not excessive. This more effectively ensures that the dryer can normally dry the compressed air pumped by the air compressor and prevents moisture in the air from entering the gas-consuming system. Furthermore, although the air management system enters regeneration mode, it does not exit supply mode. In other words, the unloading control valve is opened but the air supply mode is not exited. The regeneration mode is then opened, meaning that the air management system is forced to regenerate in supply mode. Once the drying performance of the desiccant in the dryer has been restored through regeneration backflush, the unloading control valve can be quickly closed to allow the air compressor to continue supplying air, ensuring sufficient system operating pressure.

[0056] In this way, the air management system for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention can perform intelligent and forced regeneration of the dryer, which has the advantages of saving energy and avoiding excessive water accumulation in the dryer.

[0057] In some specific embodiments of the present invention, Figure 2 As shown in the figure, the amount of gas to be regenerated is calculated based on the total amount of gas supplied, including:

[0058] The total air supply volume of the air compressor is calculated based on the sum of the single air supply volumes each time the air compressor is turned on in air supply mode. The amount of air to be regenerated is then calculated based on the product of the total air supply volume and a preset coefficient. The current amount of air to be regenerated is the sum of the remaining air to be regenerated from the previous cycle, the total air supply volume for this cycle, and the product of the preset coefficient. The total air supply volume refers to the volume after compression by the air compressor.

[0059] In other words, the total gas supply is the sum of the gas supply volumes introduced when the gas supply mode is activated multiple times, and the regeneration mode is not activated between the multiple gas supply modes. In addition, if the regeneration mode is activated in the previous cycle and the actual regeneration gas volume does not reach the gas volume to be regenerated, the current gas volume to be regenerated is the sum of the difference between the gas volume to be regenerated in the previous cycle and the actual regeneration gas volume in the previous cycle, multiplied by the total gas supply in this cycle and the preset coefficient. In other words, the remaining unregenerated gas volume to be regenerated in the previous cycle will also be accumulated in the gas volume to be regenerated in the next cycle.

[0060] The preset coefficient is a set value. For example, when the compressor pumps out a total unit volume of air supply and passes it into the dryer, a volume of to-be-regenerated air corresponding to the total unit volume of air supply is required to remove moisture from the dryer. In an embodiment of the present invention, the preset coefficient may be greater than the actual proportional coefficient, so that the calculated volume of to-be-regenerated air will be greater than the actually required volume of to-be-regenerated air, thereby ensuring that the volume of to-be-regenerated air passing into the dryer is sufficient. The volume of to-be-regenerated air can be utilized to fully and thoroughly remove the accumulated moisture in the dryer, more effectively restoring the drying capacity of the dryer so that it can continue to dry the compressed air.

[0061] In some specific embodiments of the present invention, Figure 3As shown, the regeneration control valve is connected to the dryer. When the regeneration control valve is opened, the dryer is controlled to exit the regeneration mode, and when the regeneration control valve is closed, the dryer is controlled to enter the regeneration mode. The controller is also configured to obtain the current regeneration gas volume after entering the regeneration mode, and determine whether to close the regeneration control valve based on the current regeneration gas volume, the state of the gas supply mode, and the system working pressure. The current regeneration gas volume refers to the amount of gas that has been regenerated and backwashed in the regeneration mode. With this configuration, the controller can control the dryer to enter and exit the regeneration mode by controlling the regeneration control valve, and the controller can close the regeneration control valve in a timely manner to avoid excessive regeneration gas, thereby ensuring that the air compressor can supply gas normally and preventing the system working pressure from being too low, so that the gas system can operate normally.

[0062] Furthermore, if Figure 3 As shown, whether to close the regeneration control valve is determined based on the current regeneration gas volume, the state of the gas supply mode and the system working pressure, including:

[0063] If the current regeneration gas volume is not less than the volume of gas to be regenerated, the regeneration control valve is closed.

[0064] If the current regeneration gas volume is less than the to-be-regenerated gas volume and not less than the first preset gas volume, the regeneration control valve is determined to be closed according to the state of the gas supply mode.

[0065] If the current regeneration gas volume is less than the to-be-regenerated gas volume and less than the first preset gas volume, whether to close the regeneration control valve is determined based on the system working gas pressure.

[0066] Among them, the first preset gas volume is less than the gas volume to be regenerated. When the current regeneration gas volume reaches the gas volume to be regenerated, it proves that the regeneration gas volume introduced into the dryer is able to remove the moisture in the dryer. When the current regeneration gas volume reaches the first preset gas volume but does not reach the gas volume to be regenerated, the moisture in the dryer has been removed to below the set range. Although it has not been completely removed, it will not affect the normal operation of the dryer.

[0067] Therefore, when the current regeneration gas volume is not less than the volume of gas to be regenerated, it means that the actual regeneration gas volume introduced into the dryer after the regeneration mode is turned on has reached the volume of gas to be regenerated, the regeneration backflushing of the dryer has been completed, and the accumulated moisture in the dryer has theoretically been cleared. At this time, the regeneration control valve can be closed to control the stop of the regeneration mode to avoid excessive regeneration backflushing gas, which ensures the effective removal of the accumulated moisture in the dryer and avoids gas waste, which is beneficial to saving energy.

[0068] When the current regeneration gas volume is less than the gas volume to be regenerated and not less than the first preset gas volume, the actual regeneration gas volume entering the dryer has reached the first preset gas volume, and the accumulated moisture in the dryer has been cleared to below the set range. At this time, the gas supply mode status is combined to determine whether to continue the regeneration mode, which can ensure the normal operation of the gas system and better clear the accumulated moisture in the dryer.

[0069] If the current regeneration gas volume is less than the gas volume to be regenerated and less than the first preset gas volume, it means that the regeneration gas volume introduced into the dryer after the regeneration mode is turned on has not been able to effectively remove the accumulated moisture in the dryer. At this time, by combining the system working air pressure to determine whether to continue the regeneration mode, the system air pressure can be prevented from being too low to ensure that the gas system can work normally. For example, ensuring that the air pressure in the brake air chamber is sufficient, the vehicle's braking system can work normally, which is beneficial to improving the vehicle's driving safety.

[0070] In some specific embodiments of the present invention, Figure 3 As shown, judging whether to close the regeneration control valve according to the state of the gas supply mode includes:

[0071] If it is in the air supply mode, the regeneration control valve is closed, and after closing the regeneration control valve, the unloading control valve is closed to control the air supply of the air compressor. That is to say, when there is a lot of moisture accumulated in the dryer, but the system working air pressure does not exceed the first preset air pressure, the air management system is forced to open the regeneration mode. At this time, the air compressor is in the air supply mode, but due to the forced opening of the regeneration mode, the controller will control the opening of the unloading control valve to stop the air compressor from supplying air. However, at this time, the air management system is still in the air supply mode, but it is not supplying air to avoid interference between the air supply and backblowing of the air compressor. Therefore, at this time, it is only necessary to increase the current regeneration gas volume to the first preset gas volume and clear the moisture in the dryer to below the set range to ensure that the dryer can continue to dry the gas normally. The regeneration mode can be turned off, and the unloading control valve is closed after closing the regeneration control valve to control the air supply of the air compressor so that the air compressor can start supplying air again to ensure that the air compressor can supply air to the air-consuming system normally.

[0072] If it is not in the air supply mode, the system working air pressure is used to determine whether to close the regeneration control valve. That is to say, when the dryer is in the regeneration mode, the air compressor stops supplying air. At this time, after the current regeneration air volume has reached the first preset air volume, the system working air pressure is combined to determine whether to continue the regeneration mode. This ensures that the system working air pressure is sufficient, the air system can work normally, and the dryer can be regenerated and backflushed more effectively.

[0073] In some specific embodiments of the present invention, Figure 3 As shown, whether to close the regeneration control valve is determined based on the system working air pressure, including:

[0074] If the system operating air pressure is not greater than the second preset air pressure, the regeneration control valve is closed.

[0075] The first preset air pressure is greater than the second preset air pressure. The first preset air pressure may be the upper limit of the air pressure when the gas system is in normal working condition, and the second preset air pressure may be the lower limit of the air pressure when the gas system is in normal working condition.

[0076] That is to say, if the system working air pressure is not greater than the second preset air pressure, that is, when the system working air pressure is already lower than the lower limit of the air pressure when the gas system is in normal working condition, the regeneration mode is immediately turned off to prevent the system working air pressure from continuing to drop, so that the gas system can work normally.

[0077] If the system working air pressure is greater than the second preset air pressure, that is, when the system working air pressure is not lower than the lower limit of the air pressure when the gas system is in normal working condition, the regeneration mode can be turned on, so that the dryer can continue to be regenerated and backflushed, so that the amount of regenerated gas introduced can reach the amount of gas to be regenerated, thereby more thoroughly removing the moisture accumulated in the dryer.

[0078] In some specific embodiments of the present invention, Figure 4 As shown, the controller is further configured to control the regeneration control valve to open if the vehicle is switched from a powered-on state to a powered-off state and the regeneration control valve is not opened after the unloading control valve is most recently closed.

[0079] That is to say, when the vehicle is powered off, if the air management system does not enter the regeneration mode of the dryer after the last air supply from the air compressor is completed, the air management system can control the opening of the regeneration control valve to perform a regeneration backflush on the dryer to empty the compressed air between the air compressor and the dryer, that is, to discharge the moisture carried by the compressed air out of the dryer, and at the same time remove the moisture accumulated in the dryer through regeneration backflush, thereby ensuring the dryness of the pipeline between the air compressor and the dryer and the dryness inside the dryer.

[0080] In some specific embodiments of the present invention, Figure 5 As shown, the controller is also configured to determine whether to open the unloading control valve based on the system working air pressure if the vehicle is in the power-on state and the ignition is in progress. In this way, when the vehicle is ignited, the air management system controls the unloading control valve to open or remain closed based on the system working air pressure, and then controls the air compressor to stop working or maintain air supply to ensure sufficient system working air pressure.

[0081] Furthermore, if Figure 5 As shown, whether to open the unloading control valve is determined according to the system working air pressure, including:

[0082] If the system operating air pressure is greater than the second preset air pressure, the unloading control valve is controlled to open until the vehicle is ignited. In other words, when the system operating air pressure is not lower than the lower pressure limit of the gas system in normal working condition, the system operating pressure is sufficient. At this time, the unloading control valve can be opened to stop the air supply from the air compressor, and the air compressor is disabled, so that all the energy of the starter is used to start the engine, ensuring that the engine can start normally, realizing the engine starting assistance function, and thus allowing the vehicle to start normally in an environment with low ambient temperature. After the engine ignition is completed, the unloading control valve is closed to allow the air compressor to supply air to the gas system again, so that the system operating air pressure of the gas system is sufficient.

[0083] If the system working air pressure is not greater than the second preset air pressure, that is, when the system air pressure is lower than the lower limit of the air pressure when the air system is in normal working condition, even if the vehicle is ignited, the unloading control valve can remain closed, so that the air compressor can continue to supply air to the air system to ensure that the system working air pressure of the air system is sufficient.

[0084] In some specific embodiments of the present invention, Figure 6 As shown, the controller is further configured to determine whether to close the unloading control valve based on the status of the unloading control valve, the status of the regeneration control valve, and the system operating pressure if the vehicle is powered on and the engine speed is greater than a preset speed. Thus, when the engine speed is greater than the preset speed, indicating that the engine and vehicle are in the starting state, the system operating pressure can be used to determine whether to close the unloading control valve, i.e., whether to activate the air supply mode. This can ensure that the system operating pressure requirements of the air system are met and avoid oversupply, thus saving energy and preventing excessive system operating pressure.

[0085] In some specific embodiments of the present invention, Figure 6 As shown, whether to close the unloading control valve is determined according to the state of the unloading control valve, the state of the regeneration control valve and the system working air pressure, including:

[0086] If the unloading control valve is closed and / or the regeneration control valve is open, in other words, if the air compressor is supplying air or the dryer is in regeneration mode, there is no need to adjust the state of the unloading control valve and the state of the regeneration control valve. This allows the air compressor to supply air normally or the dryer to regenerate normally, avoiding mode conflicts and making the logical operation more reasonable.

[0087] In addition, if the unloading control valve is open, the regeneration control valve is closed and the system working air pressure is not greater than the third preset air pressure, the unloading control valve is closed. It should be noted that in the embodiment of the present invention, the unloading control valve needs to be opened and the regeneration control valve needs to be closed, that is, the air compressor stops supplying air and the dryer is not in regeneration mode, and the air management system may also have other modes. Under this control logic, all modes should be closed, and then the unloading control valve should be closed based on the system air pressure. This can more effectively avoid operational interference between multiple components.

[0088] Therefore, when the system working air pressure is not greater than the third preset air pressure, it means that the system working air pressure is low. At this time, the unloading control valve can be closed so that the air compressor can supply air to the air system to increase the system working air pressure so that the air system can operate normally.

[0089] If the unloading control valve is open, the regeneration control valve is closed and the system working air pressure is greater than the third preset air pressure, then when the system working air pressure is normal, the unloading control valve can be kept open, that is, the air compressor does not need to supply air to the air-consuming system, which can save energy consumption of the air compressor while ensuring the normal operation of the air-consuming system.

[0090] An embodiment of the present invention is further described below by taking an example:

[0091] like Figure 7 As shown, the air management system according to the embodiment of the present invention may include the following operating steps:

[0092] When the air management system is powered on, it will perform a self-check. If the air management system is in normal condition, it will follow the control process. Figure 7 Make logical judgments;

[0093] A01: When the controller of the air management system detects that the vehicle switches from the power-on state to the power-off state, the air management system enters A02, otherwise it enters A05;

[0094] A02: The controller of the air management system detects whether the regeneration mode has been performed since the last air supply from the air compressor. If the regeneration mode has been performed, it returns to A01, otherwise it enters A03;

[0095] A03: The controller of the air management system enters the regeneration mode, and then the air management system enters A04;

[0096] A04: The controller of the air management system detects whether the regeneration mode has been exited. If so, it returns to A01; otherwise, it returns to A03 to continue the regeneration mode.

[0097] A05: The controller of the air management system detects whether the vehicle is ignited. If the vehicle is ignited, it enters A06, otherwise it enters A10;

[0098] A06: The controller of the air management system checks whether the system working pressure is greater than the second preset pressure. If the system working pressure is greater than the second preset pressure, it enters A07, otherwise it returns to A01;

[0099] A07: The controller of the air management system controls the unloading control valve to open, and then enters A08;

[0100] A08: The controller of the air management system detects whether the vehicle is ignited. If the vehicle is ignited, it returns to A07 to continue to keep the unloading control valve open so that the compressor remains in the state of stopping air supply. Otherwise, it enters A09;

[0101] A09: The controller of the air management system controls the unloading control valve to close, and then returns to A01;

[0102] A10: The controller of the air management system detects whether the engine speed is greater than the preset speed. If the engine speed is greater than the preset speed, it enters A11, otherwise it returns to A01;

[0103] A11: The controller of the air management system detects whether it has entered the air supply mode and the regeneration mode. If so, it enters A12, otherwise it returns to A01;

[0104] A12: The controller of the air management system detects whether the system operating pressure is greater than the third preset pressure. If so, the process returns to A01; otherwise, the process proceeds to A13.

[0105] A13: The air management system enters the air supply mode and then returns to A01.

[0106] Reference below Figure 8 Another embodiment of the present invention is further described:

[0107] B01: If the controller of the air management system detects that the engine speed is not greater than the preset speed, it enters B02, otherwise it enters B03;

[0108] B02: The air management system controls not to enter the regeneration mode and then returns to B01;

[0109] B03: The air management system detects whether it has entered the air supply mode. If so, it enters B04, otherwise it returns to B01;

[0110] B04: The air management system disconnects the unloading control valve, the air compressor starts to supply air, and then enters B05;

[0111] B05: The air management system monitors whether the system working pressure is less than the first preset pressure. If so, it goes to B09; otherwise, it goes to B06.

[0112] B06: The air management system monitors whether the amount of gas to be regenerated is not less than the first preset amount. If so, the system proceeds to B08; otherwise, the system proceeds to B07.

[0113] B07: The air management system opens the unloading control valve, exits the air supply mode, and then returns to B01;

[0114] B08: The air management system exits the air supply mode and then enters B10;

[0115] B09: The air management system monitors whether the amount of gas to be regenerated is not less than the second preset amount. If so, the process proceeds to B10, otherwise, the process returns to B01.

[0116] B10: The air management system enters regeneration mode and then enters B11;

[0117] B11: The air management system determines whether the regeneration mode has been exited. If so, it returns to B01; otherwise, it returns to B10.

[0118] Reference below Figure 9 Another embodiment of the present invention is further described:

[0119] C01: The air management system monitors whether it has entered the regeneration mode. If so, it enters C02, otherwise it returns to the start position;

[0120] C02: The air management system opens the unloading control valve, the air compressor stops supplying air, and then enters C03;

[0121] C03: The air management system opens the regeneration control valve, starts the regeneration mode, and then enters C04;

[0122] C04: The air management system monitors whether the regeneration gas volume reaches the gas volume to be regenerated. If so, it enters C05, otherwise it enters C06;

[0123] C05: The air management system closes the regeneration control valve, exits the regeneration mode, and then returns to C01;

[0124] C06: The air management system monitors whether the regeneration gas volume reaches the first preset gas volume. If so, it enters C07, otherwise it enters C08;

[0125] C07: The air management system monitors whether it is in air supply mode. If so, it enters C05, otherwise it enters C08;

[0126] C08: The air management system monitors whether the system working pressure is greater than the preset pressure. If so, it returns to C01, otherwise it enters C05.

[0127] The following describes a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. The vehicle includes an air pipe system for the vehicle and a vehicle controller according to the above-mentioned embodiment of the present invention. The vehicle controller is connected to a controller of the air management system, and the controller obtains the engine speed through the vehicle controller.

[0128] According to the vehicle of the embodiment of the present invention, by utilizing the air duct system for the vehicle according to the above embodiment of the present invention, the dryer can be intelligently regenerated and forcedly regenerated, which has the advantages of saving energy and avoiding excessive water accumulation in the dryer.

[0129] Other configurations and operations of the air management system for a vehicle and a vehicle having the same according to an embodiment of the present invention are well known to those skilled in the art and will not be described in detail herein.

[0130] In this specification, reference to terms such as "specific embodiment" and "specific example" means that the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example.

[0131] While embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions, and variations may be made to the embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, and that the scope of the invention is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An air management system for a vehicle, characterized in that: include: Air compressors for compressing and pumping air suitable for supplying air to the vehicle's gas system; a dryer connected to the air outlet of the air compressor and used to dry the compressed gas discharged from the air outlet of the air compressor; an unloading control valve connected to the air compressor, wherein when the unloading control valve is closed, the air compressor is controlled to supply air, and when the unloading control valve is opened, the air compressor is controlled to stop supplying air; a regeneration control valve integrated with the dryer, for back-flushing and regenerating the desiccant in the dryer by utilizing the return air after drying in the dryer, so as to restore the drying performance of the desiccant; and when the regeneration control valve is opened, the dryer is controlled to enter a regeneration mode, and when the regeneration control valve is closed, the dryer is controlled to exit the regeneration mode; An air pressure sensor, used to detect the system working air pressure of the vehicle's air system; a controller connected to the air compressor, the dryer, the unloading control valve, the regeneration control valve and the air pressure sensor respectively; The controller is configured to obtain the engine speed, and if the engine speed is greater than a preset speed, determine whether to enter the air supply mode, and if so, control the unloading control valve to close to enter the air supply mode, and obtain the total air supply of the air compressor and the system working air pressure, and calculate the amount of air to be regenerated based on the total air supply; If the system working pressure is not less than the first preset pressure and the amount of gas to be regenerated is less than the first preset amount, controlling the unloading control valve to open and exiting the gas supply mode; If the system working pressure is not less than the first preset pressure and the amount of gas to be regenerated is not less than the first preset amount, exit the gas supply mode and enter the regeneration mode; If the system working pressure is less than the first preset pressure but greater than the second preset pressure and the amount of gas to be regenerated is not less than the second preset amount, then the system enters the regeneration mode but does not exit the gas supply mode. Wherein, the first preset gas volume is smaller than the second preset gas volume, and the second preset gas pressure is smaller than the first preset gas pressure; The calculating of the amount of gas to be regenerated based on the total amount of gas supplied includes: Calculating the total air supply volume of the air compressor according to the sum of the single air supply volumes when the air compressor starts the air supply mode each time; The amount of gas to be regenerated is calculated based on the product of the total gas supply amount and the preset coefficient, and the current amount of gas to be regenerated is the sum of the remaining amount of gas to be regenerated in the previous cycle and the product of the total gas supply amount and the preset coefficient.

2. The air management system for a vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that The controller is further configured to, after entering the regeneration mode, obtain a current regeneration gas volume, and determine whether to close the regeneration control valve based on the current regeneration gas volume, the state of the gas supply mode, and the system working air pressure.

3. The air management system for a vehicle according to claim 2, characterized in that The determining whether to close the regeneration control valve according to the current regeneration gas volume, the state of the gas supply mode, and the system working gas pressure includes: If the current regeneration gas volume is not less than the to-be-regenerated gas volume, closing the regeneration control valve to exit the gas supply mode; If the current regeneration gas volume is less than the to-be-regenerated gas volume and not less than the first preset gas volume, determining whether to close the regeneration control valve according to the state of the gas supply mode; If the current regeneration gas volume is less than the to-be-regenerated gas volume and less than the first preset gas volume, whether to close the regeneration control valve is determined according to the system working gas pressure.

4. The air management system for a vehicle according to claim 3, characterized in that The determining whether to close the regeneration control valve according to the state of the air supply mode includes: If in the air supply mode, the regeneration control valve is closed, and after closing the regeneration control valve, the unloading control valve is closed to control the air supply of the air compressor; If the system is not in the air supply mode, whether to close the regeneration control valve is determined based on the system working air pressure.

5. The air management system for a vehicle according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that: Determining whether to close the regeneration control valve according to the system working air pressure includes: If the system operating air pressure is not greater than the second preset air pressure, the regeneration control valve is closed.

6. The air management system for a vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that The controller is further configured to control the regeneration control valve to open if the vehicle is switched from a non-power-off state to a power-off state and the regeneration control valve has not been opened since the unloading control valve was most recently closed.

7. The air management system for a vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that The controller is further configured to determine whether to open the unloading control valve according to the system working air pressure if the vehicle is in a powered-on state and the ignition is on.

8. The air management system for a vehicle according to claim 7, characterized in that The determining whether to open the unloading control valve according to the system working air pressure includes: If the system working pressure is greater than a second preset pressure, the unloading control valve is controlled to open until the vehicle is ignited.

9. The air management system for a vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that The controller is further configured to determine whether to close the unloading control valve according to the state of the unloading control valve, the state of the regeneration control valve and the system working air pressure if the vehicle is in a powered-on state and the engine speed is greater than the preset speed.

10. The air management system for a vehicle according to claim 9, characterized in that The determining whether to close the unloading control valve according to the state of the unloading control valve, the state of the regeneration control valve and the system working air pressure includes: If the unloading control valve is open, the regeneration control valve is closed, and the system working air pressure is not greater than the third preset air pressure, the unloading control valve is closed.

11. A vehicle, characterized in that: include: An air management system for a vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 10; A vehicle controller is connected to the controller of the air management system, and the controller obtains the engine speed through the vehicle controller.

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