Vehicle and leaked refrigerant discharge control method thereof

Abstract

The invention discloses a vehicle and a leaked refrigerant discharge control method thereof. Belongs to the technical field of vehicles, the vehicle comprises a sealing box, an air conditioner and a refrigerant leakage sensor, the sealing box is installed in a front cabin of the vehicle, the air conditioner is arranged in a sealing cavity of the sealing box, the refrigerant leakage sensor is used for detecting the refrigerant concentration in the sealing cavity, and when the refrigerant concentration in the sealing cavity is larger than a preset threshold value, the refrigerant leakage sensor is started. The controller of the vehicle can control the air inlet of the sealing cavity to be communicated with the air outlet of the front-end module and control the air outlet of the sealing cavity to be communicated with the atmosphere outside the front cabin, so that air exhausted from the air outlet of the front-end module blows a refrigerant leaked into the sealing cavity from the air conditioner to the outside of the vehicle from the air outlet of the sealing cavity. Therefore, the safety of the vehicle is improved, and the safety of passengers is guaranteed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of vehicles, and in particular to a vehicle and a method for controlling the discharge of leaked refrigerant therefrom. Background Art

[0002] At present, the world pays more and more attention to environmental protection and sustainable development, which prompts all walks of life to continuously explore more environmentally friendly and efficient ways of energy utilization. In the field of refrigeration and air-conditioning, traditional refrigerants such as Freon (CFCs) and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are gradually being restricted or eliminated due to their high global warming potential (GWP) and ozone depletion potential (ODP). In this context, finding and promoting environmentally friendly refrigerants has become an inevitable trend in the development of the industry. R290 (propane), as a natural working fluid, has gradually become one of the preferred refrigerant switching for vehicle air-conditioning systems due to its excellent environmental protection characteristics and energy efficiency performance. However, R290 is flammable. If R290 in the air-conditioning system leaks and is not discharged in time, the risk of R290 combustion is relatively high, reducing the safety of the vehicle. Summary of the invention

[0003] The present invention aims to solve at least one of the above technical problems in the prior art to a certain extent. To this end, the first object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle leak refrigerant discharge control method, which can discharge the leaked refrigerant in time, which is conducive to improving the safety of the vehicle.

[0004] A second object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle.

[0005] A third object of the present invention is to provide another vehicle.

[0006] According to a method for controlling the discharge of leaked refrigerant of a vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention, the vehicle comprises: a sealed box, an air conditioner and a refrigerant leakage sensor, the sealed box being installed in a front cabin of the vehicle, the sealed box having a sealed cavity and an air inlet and an air outlet connected to the sealed cavity, the air inlet being selectively connected to an air outlet of a front-end module of the vehicle, the air outlet being selectively connected to the atmosphere outside the front cabin, the air conditioner being arranged in the sealed cavity, and the refrigerant leakage sensor being used for detecting the refrigerant concentration in the sealed cavity; the method for controlling the discharge of leaked refrigerant of the vehicle comprising: obtaining the refrigerant concentration in the sealed cavity; if the refrigerant concentration is greater than or equal to a preset threshold value, controlling the air inlet to be connected to the air outlet of the front-end module, and controlling the air outlet to be connected to the atmosphere outside the front cabin.

[0007] According to the refrigerant leakage and discharge control method of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention, when the refrigerant concentration in the sealed cavity is greater than a preset threshold value, the controller of the vehicle can control the air inlet of the sealed cavity to be connected with the air outlet of the front-end module, and control the air outlet of the sealed cavity to be connected with the atmosphere outside the front cabin, so that the wind discharged through the air outlet of the front-end module can blow the refrigerant leaked from the air conditioner into the sealed cavity to the outside of the vehicle through the air outlet of the sealed cavity, thereby helping to improve the safety of the vehicle to ensure the safety of the occupants.

[0008] According to some embodiments of the present invention, if the refrigerant concentration is greater than or equal to a preset threshold, the vehicle leakage refrigerant discharge control method further includes: controlling the fan of the front-end module to run at a maximum speed.

[0009] According to some embodiments of the present invention, if the refrigerant concentration is greater than or equal to a preset threshold, the vehicle leakage refrigerant discharge control method further includes: controlling the air conditioner to shut down.

[0010] According to some embodiments of the present invention, if the refrigerant concentration is greater than or equal to a preset threshold, the vehicle leakage refrigerant discharge control method further includes: controlling the vehicle to close all windows.

[0011] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the vehicle further includes: an air inlet duct and a first driver, the air inlet duct having a first pipe opening and a second pipe opening, the first pipe opening being connected to the air inlet, and the first driver being used to drive the second pipe opening to move to a windproof position and a windward position; when in the windproof position, the second pipe opening is staggered with the air outlet of the front-end module so that the air inlet is disconnected from the air outlet of the front-end module; when in the windward position, the second pipe opening is docked with the air outlet of the front-end module so that the air inlet is connected to the air outlet of the front-end module through the air inlet duct; controlling the air inlet to be connected to the air outlet of the front-end module comprises: controlling the first driver to drive the second pipe opening to move from the windproof position to the windward position.

[0012] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the vehicle further includes: a blocking cover and a second driver, the second driver being used to drive the blocking cover to move to a closed position and an open position; when in the closed position, the exhaust vent is disconnected from the atmosphere outside the front cabin; when in the open position, the exhaust vent is connected to the atmosphere outside the front cabin; controlling the exhaust vent to be connected to the atmosphere outside the front cabin includes: controlling the second driver to drive the blocking cover to move from the closed position to the open position.

[0013] According to the second aspect of the present invention, the vehicle comprises a memory, a processor and a vehicle leakage refrigerant discharge control program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, and when the processor executes the vehicle leakage refrigerant discharge control program, the above-mentioned vehicle leakage refrigerant discharge control method is implemented.

[0014] According to the vehicle of the embodiment of the present invention, when the refrigerant concentration in the sealed cavity is greater than a preset threshold value, the controller of the vehicle can control the air inlet of the sealed cavity to be connected with the air outlet of the front-end module, and control the air outlet of the sealed cavity to be connected with the atmosphere outside the front cabin, so that the wind discharged through the air outlet of the front-end module can blow the refrigerant leaked from the air conditioner into the sealed cavity to the outside of the vehicle through the air outlet of the sealed cavity, thereby helping to improve the safety of the vehicle to ensure the safety of the occupants.

[0015] According to a third aspect of the present invention, the vehicle comprises: a sealed box, an air conditioner, a refrigerant leakage sensor and a controller, wherein the sealed box is installed in a front cabin of the vehicle, the sealed box having a sealed cavity and an air inlet and an air outlet connected to the sealed cavity, the air inlet being selectively connected to an air outlet of a front-end module of the vehicle, and the air outlet being selectively connected to the atmosphere outside the front cabin; the air conditioner being arranged in the sealed cavity; the refrigerant leakage sensor being used for detecting the refrigerant concentration in the sealed cavity; the controller being used for obtaining the refrigerant concentration in the sealed cavity through the refrigerant leakage sensor, and controlling the air inlet to be connected to the air outlet of the front-end module, and controlling the air outlet to be connected to the atmosphere outside the front cabin when the refrigerant concentration is greater than or equal to a preset threshold value.

[0016] According to the vehicle of the embodiment of the present invention, when the refrigerant concentration in the sealed cavity is greater than a preset threshold value, the controller of the vehicle can control the air inlet of the sealed cavity to be connected with the air outlet of the front-end module, and control the air outlet of the sealed cavity to be connected with the atmosphere outside the front cabin, so that the wind discharged through the air outlet of the front-end module can blow the refrigerant leaked from the air conditioner into the sealed cavity to the outside of the vehicle through the air outlet of the sealed cavity, thereby helping to improve the safety of the vehicle to ensure the safety of the occupants.

[0017] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the air conditioner includes: a compressor, an expansion valve, a condenser and an evaporator, the condenser and the evaporator are both plug-connected to the compressor, and the expansion valve is plug-connected between the condenser and the evaporator.

[0018] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the air inlet is located above the air outlet.

[0019] Additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will be given in part in the following description and in part will be obvious from the following description, or will be learned through practice of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] Figure 1 is a flow chart of a method for controlling the discharge of leaked refrigerant of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a sealed box, an air conditioner, a front cabin, a front module, an air inlet duct and an air exhaust duct according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 3 is a perspective view of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 4 is an exploded view of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 5 is a flow chart of a method for controlling the discharge of leaked refrigerant of a vehicle according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 6 Schematic diagram of a sealed box, an air conditioner, an air inlet duct and an air exhaust duct according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Reference numerals:

[0027] Sealed box 1; sealed chamber 11; air inlet 111; air outlet 112;

[0028] Air conditioner 2; compressor 21; expansion valve 22; condenser 23; evaporator 24;

[0029] Front cabin 3;

[0030] Front end module 4; air outlet 41;

[0031] Air inlet pipe 5; first pipe opening 51; second pipe opening 52;

[0032] Exhaust duct 6; third pipe opening 62; fourth pipe opening 63. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, examples of which 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 to be used to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0034] In the description of the present invention, it is necessary to understand that the directions or positional relationships indicated by the terms "upper", "lower", "front", "back", "left", "right", "inside", "outside", etc. are based on the directions 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 direction, be constructed and operated in a specific direction, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the present invention.

[0035] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Therefore, the features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of the present invention, the meaning of "plurality" is at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0036] In the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", "connected", "fixed" and the like should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or can communicate with each other; it can be a direct connection, or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0037] Combine the following Figure 1-Figure 6 A vehicle and a method for controlling the discharge of leaked refrigerant thereof according to an embodiment of the present invention are described in detail.

[0038] Reference Figure 1-Figure 4 As shown, according to the leakage refrigerant discharge control method of a vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention, the vehicle comprises: a sealed box 1, an air conditioner 2 and a refrigerant leakage sensor, the sealed box 1 is installed in the front cabin 3 of the vehicle, the sealed box 1 has a sealed cavity 11 and an air inlet 111 and an air outlet 112 connected to the sealed cavity 11, the air inlet 111 is selectively connected to the air outlet 41 of the front end module 4 of the vehicle, the air outlet 112 is selectively connected to the atmosphere outside the front cabin 3, the air conditioner 2 is arranged in the sealed cavity 11, and the refrigerant leakage sensor is used to detect the refrigerant concentration in the sealed cavity 11.

[0039] Among them, the refrigerant leakage sensor can be a high-precision gas sensitive element with fast response speed and high sensitivity. The refrigerant leakage sensor can detect the refrigerant concentration in the sealed cavity 11 based on semiconductor or electrochemical principles. The front-end module 4 may include a radiator and a fan. The fan is suitable for dissipating heat to the radiator. The wind exhausted by the fan can be discharged from the air outlet 41 of the front-end module 4. The air conditioner 2 may include a compressor 21, a condenser 23, an expansion valve 22 and an evaporator 24. The refrigerant used by the air conditioner 2 may be R290 (propane). The compressor The machine 21 is suitable for compressing the low-pressure and low-temperature gaseous refrigerant flowing out of the evaporator 24 into a high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous refrigerant. The high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous refrigerant can flow to the condenser 23 and be cooled into a low-temperature and high-pressure liquid refrigerant in the condenser 23. The low-temperature and high-pressure liquid refrigerant can flow to the expansion valve 22 and be converted into a low-temperature and low-pressure liquid refrigerant through the expansion valve 22 and flow to the evaporator 24. The low-temperature and low-pressure liquid refrigerant can indirectly absorb the heat of the air in the vehicle in the evaporator 24 and evaporate into a gas, thereby reducing the temperature in the vehicle and realizing the cooling of the passenger compartment.

[0040] Specifically, the condenser 23 may have a first heat exchange chamber and a second heat exchange chamber that can exchange heat with each other. The first heat exchange chamber can be connected to the radiator outside the sealed box 1 through a pipeline passing through the sealed box 1, and the second heat exchange chamber can be connected to the compressor 21 and the expansion valve 22. The high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous refrigerant flowing out of the compressor 21 can flow to the second heat exchange chamber. The first cooling medium after the heat is dissipated by the radiator can flow into the first heat exchange chamber and exchange heat with the high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous refrigerant in the second heat exchange chamber in the first heat exchange chamber, so that the high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous refrigerant is cooled into a low-temperature and high-pressure liquid refrigerant and flows to the expansion valve 22.

[0041] The air conditioning system of the vehicle may further include a blower and a heat dissipation core. The evaporator 24 may have a third heat exchange chamber and a fourth heat exchange chamber. The third heat exchange chamber may be connected to the expansion valve 22 and the compressor 21. The low-temperature and low-pressure liquid refrigerant flowing out of the expansion valve 22 may flow into the third heat exchange chamber. The fourth heat exchange chamber may be connected to the heat dissipation core outside the sealed box 1 through a pipeline passing through the sealed box 1. The second cooling medium in the heat dissipation core may flow into the fourth heat exchange chamber and may be cooled by the low-temperature and low-pressure liquid refrigerant in the third heat exchange chamber in the fourth heat exchange chamber. After cooling down, The second cooling medium can flow back into the heat dissipation core, the blower can inhale air and blow it out to the heat dissipation core, the low-temperature second cooling medium in the heat dissipation core can absorb the heat of the air to cool the air, and the cooled air can flow into the passenger compartment to reduce the temperature inside the vehicle and realize the cooling of the passenger compartment. The low-temperature and low-pressure liquid refrigerant in the third heat exchange cavity absorbs the heat of the second cooling medium in the fourth heat exchange cavity and evaporates into a gaseous state, and flows to the compressor 21, thereby realizing the circulation of the refrigerant, wherein the first cooling medium and the second cooling medium can both be coolants.

[0042] Reference Figure 1As shown, the vehicle leakage refrigerant discharge control method includes:

[0043] Step S1: Obtain the refrigerant concentration in the sealed chamber.

[0044] The refrigerant leakage sensor may be communicatively connected with a controller of the vehicle, and the controller may obtain the refrigerant concentration in the sealed cavity 11 through the refrigerant leakage sensor.

[0045] Step S2: If the refrigerant concentration is greater than or equal to a preset threshold, the air inlet is controlled to be connected to the air outlet of the front-end module, and the air outlet is controlled to be connected to the atmosphere outside the front cabin.

[0046] Among them, the refrigerant can be R290 (propane). R290 has low global warming potential (GWP) and ozone depletion potential (ODP), and has excellent environmental protection properties. Compared with traditional refrigerants, R290 can achieve a higher energy efficiency ratio under the same cooling capacity, which is beneficial to energy conservation and emission reduction of vehicles.

[0047] The preset threshold value can be 2.1%. When the refrigerant concentration in the sealed cavity 11 is greater than or equal to the preset threshold value, the risk of refrigerant combustion is relatively high. The controller can control the air inlet 111 to be connected with the air outlet 41 of the front-end module 4, and control the exhaust port 112 to be connected with the atmosphere outside the front engine compartment 3. The wind exhausted by the fan of the front-end module 4 through the air outlet 41 can enter the sealed cavity 11 through the air inlet 111 of the sealed box 1, and the refrigerant leaked from the air conditioner 2 into the sealed cavity 11 can be blown out of the atmosphere through the exhaust port 112 of the sealed cavity 11 to discharge the leaked refrigerant out of the vehicle, which can effectively reduce the risk of fire, thereby helping to ensure the safety of the vehicle and the occupants. By utilizing the existing fan of the vehicle as a power source for discharging the refrigerant, the refrigerant can be discharged to ensure the safety of the vehicle while maximizing the application of vehicle components.

[0048] According to the leakage refrigerant discharge control method of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention, when the refrigerant concentration in the sealed cavity 11 is greater than a preset threshold value, the controller of the vehicle can control the air inlet 111 of the sealed cavity 11 to be connected with the air outlet 41 of the front-end module 4, and control the air outlet 112 of the sealed cavity 11 to be connected with the atmosphere outside the front engine compartment 3, so that the wind discharged through the air outlet 41 of the front-end module 4 can blow the refrigerant leaked from the air conditioner 2 into the sealed cavity 11 to the outside of the vehicle through the air outlet 112 of the sealed cavity 11, thereby helping to improve the safety of the vehicle to ensure the safety of the occupants.

[0049] In some embodiments of the present invention, if the refrigerant concentration is greater than or equal to a preset threshold value, the vehicle's leakage refrigerant discharge control method also includes: controlling the fan of the front-end module 4 to run at a maximum speed to increase the fan's air volume, thereby increasing the air volume discharged from the air outlet 41 of the front-end module 4 to the sealed cavity 11, so that the refrigerant leaked from the air conditioner 2 into the sealed cavity 11 can be quickly blown out of the vehicle through a large amount of wind.

[0050] It should be noted that the fan power of the front-end module 4 of a pure electric vehicle is usually 400w~600w, and the fan power of the front-end module 4 of a hybrid vehicle is usually 600w~1000w. The fan power of the front-end modules 4 of both are relatively large. When the fan is turned on at full speed, the refrigerant leaked from the air conditioner 2 into the sealed cavity 11 can be quickly blown out of the vehicle within 10s, effectively reducing the potential flammability risk of the refrigerant, which is beneficial to ensuring the safety of the vehicle and passengers.

[0051] In some embodiments of the present invention, if the refrigerant concentration is greater than or equal to a preset threshold, the vehicle leakage refrigerant discharge control method also includes: controlling the air conditioner 2 to shut down to prevent the refrigerant in the air conditioner 2 from continuing to flow, thereby helping to reduce the risk of continued refrigerant leakage.

[0052] In some embodiments of the present invention, if the refrigerant concentration is greater than or equal to a preset threshold, the vehicle's leakage refrigerant discharge control method also includes: controlling the vehicle to close all windows to prevent the refrigerant discharged outside the vehicle from entering the passenger compartment, ensuring the air quality inside the vehicle, thereby helping to improve the comfort of the passengers, and preventing the refrigerant from harming the passengers in the passenger compartment to protect the health of the passengers.

[0053] In some embodiments of the present invention, reference Figure 2 As shown, the vehicle also includes: an air inlet duct 5 and a first driver, the air inlet duct 5 has a first pipe opening 51 and a second pipe opening 52, the first pipe opening 51 is connected to the air inlet 111, the first driver is used to drive the second pipe opening 52 to move to a windproof position and a windward position, when in the windproof position, the second pipe opening 52 is staggered with the air outlet 41 of the front-end module 4, so that the air inlet 111 is disconnected from the air outlet 41 of the front-end module 4, when in the windward position, the second pipe opening 52 is docked with the air outlet 41 of the front-end module 4, so that the air inlet 111 is connected to the air outlet 41 of the front-end module 4 through the air inlet duct 5, and controlling the air inlet 111 to be connected to the air outlet 41 of the front-end module 4 includes: controlling the first driver to drive the second pipe opening 52 to move from the windproof position to the windward position.

[0054] It can be understood that when the refrigerant concentration in the sealed cavity 11 is less than the preset threshold value, the refrigerant concentration in the sealed cavity 11 is small, and the risk of refrigerant combustion is small. The first driver drives the second pipe mouth 52 to move to a windproof position, and the second pipe mouth 52 is staggered with the air outlet 41 of the front-end module 4 to disconnect the air inlet 111 from the air outlet 41 of the front-end module 4, thereby preventing the hot air from the front-end module 4 from continuously entering the sealed cavity 11 to exchange heat with the air conditioner 2, so as to ensure the cooling effect of the air conditioner 2.

[0055] When the refrigerant concentration in the sealed cavity 11 is greater than or equal to a preset threshold value, the refrigerant concentration in the sealed cavity 11 is relatively large, and the risk of refrigerant combustion is relatively large. The first driver drives the second pipe opening 52 of the air inlet pipe 5 to move to a windward position, and the second pipe opening 52 is connected to the air outlet 41 of the front-end module 4, so that the air inlet 111 is connected to the air outlet 41 of the front-end module 4 through the air inlet pipe 5. The wind blown out by the front-end module 4 can enter the sealed cavity 11 to blow the refrigerant leaked from the air conditioner 2 into the sealed cavity 11 out of the vehicle, thereby helping to improve the safety of the vehicle.

[0056] The air inlet pipe 5 may be a plastic hose, the first driver may be installed in the front cabin 3 of the vehicle, and the first driver may be a drive motor, which may be moved in the Y direction ( Figure 2 The air inlet 111 of the air inlet pipe 5 is driven to move in the left and right directions. Figure 2 As shown, the driving motor drives the air inlet 111 to move rightward so that the air inlet 111 moves to a windward position, and the driving motor drives the air inlet 111 to move leftward so that the air inlet 111 moves to a windproof position.

[0057] In some embodiments of the present invention, the vehicle also includes: a blocking cover and a second driver, the second driver is used to drive the blocking cover to move to a closed position and an open position, when in the closed position, the exhaust port 112 is disconnected from the atmosphere outside the front engine compartment 3, and when in the open position, the exhaust port 112 is connected to the atmosphere outside the front engine compartment 3, and controlling the exhaust port 112 to be connected to the atmosphere outside the front engine compartment 3 includes: controlling the second driver to drive the blocking cover to move from the closed position to the open position.

[0058] It can be understood that when the refrigerant leakage sensor detects that the refrigerant concentration in the sealed chamber 11 is less than a preset threshold value, it determines that the refrigerant in the air conditioner 1 has not leaked, and the second driver drives the plugging cover to move to the closed position to disconnect the exhaust port 112 of the sealed chamber 11 from the atmosphere. When the refrigerant in the air conditioner 1 leaks into the sealed chamber 11, the refrigerant concentration can increase rapidly, so that the refrigerant leakage sensor can quickly detect the refrigerant, and avoid the refrigerant in the air conditioner 1 from being directly discharged into the atmosphere through the exhaust port 112 of the sealed chamber 11 when the refrigerant leaks, and prevent the refrigerant leakage sensor from misjudging that the refrigerant in the air conditioner 1 has not leaked because the refrigerant concentration is lower than the detection lower limit of the refrigerant leakage sensor, thereby helping to improve the accuracy of the refrigerant leakage sensor detection. In addition, the movement of the plugging cover to the closed position can also prevent impurities such as rainwater and dust from entering the sealed box 1.

[0059] When the refrigerant concentration in the sealed chamber 11 is greater than or equal to a preset threshold, the second driver drives the plug cover to move to an open position to connect the exhaust port 112 of the sealed chamber 11 to the atmosphere, so as to discharge the leaked refrigerant in the sealed chamber 11 to the atmosphere, thereby preventing the refrigerant leaked from the air conditioner 2 into the sealed chamber 11 from accumulating to a dangerous concentration, thereby effectively reducing the risk of fire.

[0060] Among them, the second driver can be an electric telescopic rod, which can drive the plugging cover to the open position by extending the electric telescopic rod, and can drive the plugging cover to the closed position by retracting the electric telescopic rod. The second driver can also be a compression spring. When the concentration in the sealed chamber 11 is less than the preset threshold value, the controller controls the first driver to drive the second pipe mouth 52 to be staggered with the air outlet 41 of the front-end module 4, and the air inlet 111 is disconnected from the air outlet 41 of the front-end module 4. The elastic force of the spring pulls the plugging cover to the closed position. When the concentration in the sealed chamber 11 is greater than the preset threshold value, the controller controls the first driver to drive the second pipe mouth 52 to dock with the air outlet 41 of the front-end module 4, and the air inlet 111 is connected to the air outlet 41 of the front-end module 4. The wind from the front-end module 4 entering the sealed chamber 11 can exert pressure on the plugging cover. When the pressure is greater than the elastic force of the spring, the plugging cover can be pushed to the open position, thereby blowing the refrigerant in the sealed chamber 11 to outside the vehicle.

[0061] Reference Figure 2As shown, the vehicle also includes an exhaust duct 6, which has a third pipe opening 62 and a fourth pipe opening 63, the third pipe opening 62 is connected to the exhaust port 112, and a blocking cover can be arranged on the side of the vehicle body, when the blocking cover is in the open position, the blocking cover opens the fourth pipe opening 63, and the fourth pipe opening 63 is connected to the atmosphere outside the front engine compartment 3, so that the exhaust port 112 can be connected to the atmosphere through the exhaust duct 6, when the blocking cover is in the closed position, the blocking cover blocks the fourth pipe opening 63 to disconnect the fourth pipe opening 63 from the atmosphere outside the front engine compartment 3, the blocking cover can also be arranged at the exhaust port 112 of the sealing box 1, when the blocking cover is in the open position, the blocking cover opens the exhaust port 112 to connect the exhaust port 112 to the atmosphere outside the front engine compartment 3, and when the blocking cover is in the closed position, the blocking cover blocks the exhaust port 112 to disconnect the exhaust port 112 from the atmosphere outside the front engine compartment 3.

[0062] In some embodiments of the present invention, a refrigerant leakage sensor may be installed and fixed to the sealed box 1, a detection end of the refrigerant leakage sensor is located in the sealed cavity 11 to detect the refrigerant concentration in the sealed cavity 11, and a wiring harness end of the refrigerant leakage sensor is installed in the sealed box 1 and is connected to the vehicle controller. There may be multiple refrigerant leakage sensors, and multiple refrigerant leakage sensors may be respectively installed at locations of the air conditioner 2 where the risk of leakage is greater, for example, at the connection locations of various components of the air conditioner 2 and near valves.

[0063] In some embodiments of the present invention, the material of the sealed box 1 may be PA66 (polyhexamethylene adipamide), which has good structural strength, corrosion resistance and flame retardancy, and is conducive to ensuring that the sealed box 1 has good sealing performance and durability. The sealed box 1 can isolate the air conditioner 2 from the entire cabin, and can play an absolutely safe role. Even if the refrigerant in the air conditioner 2 leaks, it can be isolated in the sealed box 1 to prevent the refrigerant from being directly discharged into the atmosphere and entering the passenger compartment through the windows that are not closed in time, thereby helping to ensure the safety of the occupants in the passenger compartment.

[0064] Reference Figure 5 As shown, a method for controlling the discharge of leaked refrigerant of a vehicle according to another embodiment of the present invention includes the following steps:

[0065] Step S11: obtaining the refrigerant concentration in the sealed cavity.

[0066] The controller may obtain the refrigerant concentration in the sealed cavity 11 in real time through the refrigerant leakage sensor.

[0067] Step S12: Determine whether V is greater than or equal to V0. If V≥V0, execute steps S13, S15 and S16 simultaneously. If V<V0, return to step S11.

[0068] Wherein, V is the refrigerant concentration in the sealed cavity 11, V0 is a preset threshold value, and V0 may be 2.1%.

[0069] Step S13: The controller alarms.

[0070] The controller can control the vehicle's audio equipment to sound an alarm to remind passengers that the air conditioner 2 has a refrigerant leak, so as to facilitate subsequent maintenance of the air conditioner 2.

[0071] Step S14: Control the vehicle to close all windows.

[0072] Step S15: Control the air conditioner to stop.

[0073] The controller can shut down the air conditioner 2 by closing the expansion valve 22 and the compressor 21 .

[0074] Step S16: Control the air inlet to communicate with the air outlet of the front-end module.

[0075] Among them, the controller can control the first driver to drive the second pipe opening 52 of the air inlet pipe 5 to move to the windward position, so that the second pipe opening 52 is docked with the air outlet 41 of the front-end module 4, so that the air outlet 41 of the front-end module 4 can be connected with the air inlet 111 through the second pipe opening 52 and the first pipe opening 51 of the air inlet pipe 5 in sequence.

[0076] Step S17: Control the blocking cover to open.

[0077] The controller may control the second driver to drive the blocking cover to move to the open position so that the air outlet 112 is connected to the atmosphere outside the front engine compartment 3 .

[0078] Step S18: Control the fan to run at the maximum speed.

[0079] The refrigerant in the sealed cavity 11 is quickly discharged by increasing the air output of the fan.

[0080] Step S19: The refrigerant leakage sensor intelligently monitors and provides real-time feedback.

[0081] The refrigerant leakage sensor sends the refrigerant concentration in the sealed cavity 11 to the controller, and the controller can control the speed of the fan according to the refrigerant concentration in the sealed cavity 11. For example, when the refrigerant concentration in the sealed cavity 11 gradually decreases, the controller can control the fan to gradually reduce the speed, which can save the energy consumption of the vehicle while ensuring that the refrigerant concentration in the sealed cavity 11 is low. In addition, through the real-time feedback of the refrigerant leakage sensor, when the refrigerant concentration in the sealed cavity 11 is greater than or equal to the preset threshold, the controller can keep the fan running so as to discharge the refrigerant in the sealed cavity 11 to the right place.

[0082] Step S20: Control the fan to run at a normal speed.

[0083] Among them, when the controller obtains that the refrigerant concentration in the sealed cavity 11 is lower than the preset threshold value, it determines that the refrigerant in the sealed cavity 11 is discharged in place, and the controller controls the fan to run at a normal speed. At the same time, it can also control the air inlet 111 to be disconnected from the air outlet 41 of the front-end module 4, control the blocking cover to be closed, and control the air conditioner 2 to start, so as to achieve automatic reset. In addition, the event is recorded in the vehicle's fault diagnosis system for reference in later maintenance.

[0084] That is to say, the working process of the vehicle leakage refrigerant discharge control method of this embodiment is normal detection, leakage detection, fan start-up, gas discharge, reset and recording. Specifically, after the vehicle is started, the refrigerant leakage sensor continuously monitors the refrigerant concentration in the sealed cavity 11. Once an abnormal increase in concentration is detected, the alarm mechanism is immediately triggered. After receiving the alarm signal, the controller immediately starts the fan and closes the windows of the entire vehicle. The strong wind generated by the fan enters the sealed cavity 11 through the air inlet pipe 5, and the leaked refrigerant gas is quickly discharged out of the vehicle. After the leaked gas is emptied, the vehicle automatically resets, and the event is recorded in the vehicle's fault diagnosis system for later maintenance reference.

[0085] According to an embodiment of the second aspect of the present invention, the vehicle includes a memory, a processor, and a vehicle leakage refrigerant discharge control program stored in the memory and executable on the processor. When the processor executes the vehicle leakage refrigerant discharge control program, the vehicle leakage refrigerant discharge control method of the above embodiment is implemented.

[0086] According to the vehicle of the embodiment of the present invention, when the refrigerant concentration in the sealed cavity 11 is greater than a preset threshold value, the controller of the vehicle can control the air inlet 111 of the sealed cavity 11 to be connected with the air outlet 41 of the front-end module 4, and control the air outlet 112 of the sealed cavity 11 to be connected with the atmosphere outside the front engine compartment 3, so that the wind discharged through the air outlet 41 of the front-end module 4 can blow the refrigerant leaked from the air conditioner 2 into the sealed cavity 11 to the outside of the vehicle through the air outlet 112 of the sealed cavity 11, thereby helping to improve the safety of the vehicle to ensure the safety of the occupants.

[0087] Reference Figure 2As shown, a vehicle according to an embodiment of the third aspect of the present invention comprises: a sealed box 1, an air conditioner 2, a refrigerant leakage sensor and a controller, wherein the sealed box 1 is installed in a front cabin 3 of the vehicle, the sealed box 1 has a sealed cavity 11 and an air inlet 111 and an air outlet 112 connected to the sealed cavity 11, the air inlet 111 is selectively connected to an air outlet 41 of a front end module 4 of the vehicle, the air outlet 112 is selectively connected to the atmosphere outside the front cabin 3, the air conditioner 2 is arranged in the sealed cavity 11, and the refrigerant leakage sensor is used to detect the refrigerant leakage. The controller is used to obtain the refrigerant concentration in the sealed cavity 11 through the refrigerant leakage sensor, and when the refrigerant concentration is greater than or equal to a preset threshold, control the air inlet 111 to be connected with the air outlet 41 of the front-end module 4, and control the air outlet 112 to be connected with the atmosphere outside the front engine compartment 3. The wind discharged through the air outlet 41 of the front-end module 4 can blow the refrigerant leaked from the air conditioner 2 into the sealed cavity 11 to the atmosphere through the air outlet 112, which is beneficial to improve the safety of the vehicle to ensure the safety of the occupants.

[0088] According to the vehicle of the embodiment of the present invention, when the refrigerant concentration in the sealed cavity 11 is greater than a preset threshold value, the controller of the vehicle can control the air inlet 111 of the sealed cavity 11 to be connected with the air outlet 41 of the front-end module 4, and control the air outlet 112 of the sealed cavity 11 to be connected with the atmosphere outside the front engine compartment 3, so that the wind discharged through the air outlet 41 of the front-end module 4 can blow the refrigerant leaked from the air conditioner 2 into the sealed cavity 11 to the outside of the vehicle through the air outlet 112 of the sealed cavity 11, thereby helping to improve the safety of the vehicle to ensure the safety of the occupants.

[0089] In some embodiments of the present invention, reference Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the air conditioner 2 includes: a compressor 21, an expansion valve 22, a condenser 23 and an evaporator 24. The condenser 23 and the evaporator 24 are both plugged and connected to the compressor 21. The expansion valve 22 is plugged between the condenser 23 and the evaporator 24. The compressor 21, the expansion valve 22, the condenser 23 and the evaporator 24 can be integrated into an assembly. The air conditioner 2 can be installed as a whole, which is conducive to simplifying the installation process. When a component fails, the entire assembly can be quickly disassembled for maintenance. The air conditioner 2 is highly integrated, easy to repair and disassemble, and friendly to after-sales. The compressor 21, the expansion valve 22, the condenser 23 and the evaporator 24 do not need to be connected using pipelines. The amount of refrigerant filled in the air conditioner 2 can be reduced while meeting the refrigeration performance of the air conditioner 2. When the refrigerant leaks, it is conducive to reducing the leakage of the refrigerant, thereby improving the safety of the vehicle, and reducing the volume of the air conditioner 2, reducing the space occupied by the air conditioner 2, facilitating the arrangement of the air conditioner 2 in the vehicle, and at the same time, it is also conducive to saving costs and reducing the weight of the vehicle.

[0090] Among them, the compressor 21 is suitable for compressing the low-pressure and low-temperature gaseous refrigerant flowing out of the evaporator 24 into a high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous refrigerant. The high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous refrigerant can flow to the condenser 23 and be cooled into a low-temperature and high-pressure liquid refrigerant in the condenser 23. The low-temperature and high-pressure liquid refrigerant can flow to the expansion valve 22 and be converted into a low-temperature and low-pressure liquid refrigerant through the expansion valve 22 and flow to the evaporator 24. The low-temperature and low-pressure liquid refrigerant can indirectly absorb the heat of the air in the vehicle in the evaporator 24 and evaporate into a gas, thereby reducing the temperature in the vehicle and realizing cooling of the passenger compartment.

[0091] Specifically, the condenser 23 may have a first heat exchange chamber and a second heat exchange chamber that can exchange heat with each other. The first heat exchange chamber can be connected to the radiator outside the sealed box 1 through a pipeline passing through the sealed box 1, and the second heat exchange chamber can be connected to the compressor 21 and the expansion valve 22. The high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous refrigerant flowing out of the compressor 21 can flow to the second heat exchange chamber. The first cooling medium after the heat is dissipated by the radiator can flow into the first heat exchange chamber and exchange heat with the high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous refrigerant in the second heat exchange chamber in the first heat exchange chamber, so that the high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous refrigerant is cooled into a low-temperature and high-pressure liquid refrigerant and flows to the expansion valve 22.

[0092] The air conditioning system of the vehicle may further include a blower and a heat dissipation core. The evaporator 24 may have a third heat exchange chamber and a fourth heat exchange chamber. The third heat exchange chamber may be connected to the expansion valve 22 and the compressor 21. The low-temperature and low-pressure liquid refrigerant flowing out of the expansion valve 22 may flow into the third heat exchange chamber. The fourth heat exchange chamber may be connected to the heat dissipation core outside the sealed box 1 through a pipeline passing through the sealed box 1. The second cooling medium in the heat dissipation core may flow into the fourth heat exchange chamber and may be cooled by the low-temperature and low-pressure liquid refrigerant in the third heat exchange chamber in the fourth heat exchange chamber. After cooling down, The second cooling medium can flow back into the heat dissipation core, the blower can inhale air and blow it out to the heat dissipation core, the low-temperature second cooling medium in the heat dissipation core can absorb the heat of the air to cool the air, and the cooled air can flow into the passenger compartment to reduce the temperature inside the vehicle and realize the cooling of the passenger compartment. The low-temperature and low-pressure liquid refrigerant in the third heat exchange cavity absorbs the heat of the second cooling medium in the fourth heat exchange cavity and evaporates into a gaseous state, and flows to the compressor 21, thereby realizing the circulation of the refrigerant, wherein the first cooling medium and the second cooling medium can both be coolants.

[0093] In some embodiments of the present invention, the air inlet 111 is located above the air outlet 112 , so that the refrigerant leaking from the air conditioner 2 into the sealed cavity 11 can be discharged through the air outlet 112 .

[0094] It is understood that the refrigerant can be R290 (propane), the density of R290 is 1.83kg / m 3 , the air density is 1.29kg / m 3The density of R290 is greater than that of air, and R290 can settle below the air. By arranging the air inlet 111 above the air outlet 112, the R290 gas can be quickly discharged by utilizing the gas density difference.

[0095] Reference Figure 6 As shown, in the up and down direction (Z direction), the air inlet pipe 5 is arranged at the upper part of the sealed box 1, and the exhaust pipe 6 is arranged at the lower part of the sealed box 1. The height of the air inlet pipe 5 is higher than the exhaust pipe 6, so that the refrigerant leaked from the air conditioner 2 into the sealed cavity 11 can be discharged from the exhaust port 112 by utilizing the gas density difference.

[0096] According to the vehicle of the embodiment of the present invention, the air conditioner 2 uses R290 as the refrigerant. R290 is suitable for various types of compressors 21, including rotary and scroll types. R290 has a small molecular weight and good flow properties, which can improve the efficiency of the air conditioner 2. At the same time, for a newly designed automobile platform, the air-conditioning system can be directly customized according to the requirements of R290, avoiding the complexity of modifying the old system. The vehicle can effectively prevent R290 from accumulating to a dangerous concentration through instant refrigerant leakage detection and active exhaust mechanism, greatly reducing the risk of fire. Before discharging the refrigerant to the atmosphere, the vehicle windows can be closed first to prevent the refrigerant discharged to the atmosphere from entering the vehicle, ensuring the air quality in the vehicle and protecting the occupants from harmful gases, which is beneficial to improving the riding comfort and safety of the occupants. At the same time, the system design focuses on energy efficiency. Through the intelligent monitoring and real-time feedback of the refrigerant leakage sensor, the overall energy consumption of the vehicle can be reduced. The air conditioner 2 is highly integrated, easy to repair and disassemble, and friendly to after-sales service. This implementation method can promote the innovation of automobile air-conditioning systems, help automobile manufacturers meet increasingly stringent environmental protection regulations, and promote sustainable development.

[0097] In the description of this specification, the description with reference to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "example", "specific example" or "some examples" etc. 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. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described may be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner. In addition, those skilled in the art may combine and combine different embodiments or examples described in this specification.

[0098] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described above, it is to be understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and are not to be construed as limitations of the present invention. A person skilled in the art may change, modify, replace and vary the above embodiments within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for controlling the discharge of leaked refrigerant from a vehicle, characterized in that: The vehicle comprises: a sealed box, an air conditioner and a refrigerant leakage sensor, the sealed box is installed in the front cabin of the vehicle, the sealed box has a sealed cavity and an air inlet and an air outlet communicated with the sealed cavity, the air inlet is selectively communicated with the air outlet of the front end module of the vehicle, the air outlet is selectively communicated with the atmosphere outside the front cabin, the air conditioner is arranged in the sealed cavity, and the refrigerant leakage sensor is used to detect the refrigerant concentration in the sealed cavity; The vehicle leakage refrigerant discharge control method comprises: Obtaining the refrigerant concentration in the sealed cavity; If the refrigerant concentration is greater than or equal to a preset threshold, the air inlet is controlled to be connected to the air outlet of the front-end module, and the air outlet is controlled to be connected to the atmosphere outside the front cabin.

2. The method for controlling the discharge of leaked refrigerant of a vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that: If the refrigerant concentration is greater than or equal to a preset threshold, the vehicle leakage refrigerant discharge control method further includes: controlling the fan of the front-end module to run at a maximum speed.

3. The method for controlling the discharge of leaked refrigerant of a vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that: If the refrigerant concentration is greater than or equal to a preset threshold, the vehicle leakage refrigerant discharge control method further includes: controlling the air conditioner to shut down.

4. The method for controlling the discharge of leaked refrigerant in a vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that: If the refrigerant concentration is greater than or equal to a preset threshold, the vehicle leakage refrigerant discharge control method further includes: controlling the vehicle to close all windows.

5. The method for controlling the discharge of leaked refrigerant in a vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The vehicle further comprises: an air inlet pipe and a first driver, the air inlet pipe having a first pipe opening and a second pipe opening, the first pipe opening being in communication with the air inlet, and the first driver being used for driving the second pipe opening to move to a windproof position and a windward position; When in the windproof position, the second pipe opening is staggered with the air outlet of the front-end module, so that the air inlet is disconnected from the air outlet of the front-end module; When in the windward position, the second pipe opening is connected to the air outlet of the front-end module, so that the air inlet is connected to the air outlet of the front-end module through the air inlet pipe; Controlling the air inlet to communicate with the air outlet of the front-end module includes: controlling the first driver to drive the second pipe opening to move from the wind-shielding position to the windward position.

6. The method for controlling the discharge of leaked refrigerant in a vehicle according to claim 5, characterized in that: The vehicle further comprises: a blocking cover and a second driver, the second driver being used to drive the blocking cover to move to a closed position and an open position; When in the closed position, the exhaust port is disconnected from the atmosphere outside the front cabin; When in the open position, the exhaust port is in communication with the atmosphere outside the front cabin; Controlling the exhaust port to communicate with the atmosphere outside the front cabin includes: The second driver is controlled to drive the blocking cover to move from the closed position to the open position.

7. A vehicle, characterized in that: The invention comprises a memory, a processor and a vehicle leakage refrigerant discharge control program stored in the memory and executable on the processor. When the processor executes the vehicle leakage refrigerant discharge control program, the vehicle leakage refrigerant discharge control method as described in any one of claims 1 to 6 is implemented.

8. A vehicle, characterized in that: include: A sealed box, the sealed box is installed in the front cabin of the vehicle, the sealed box has a sealed cavity and an air inlet and an air outlet communicated with the sealed cavity, the air inlet is selectively communicated with the air outlet of the front end module of the vehicle, and the air outlet is selectively communicated with the atmosphere outside the front cabin; An air conditioner, the air conditioner being arranged in the sealed cavity; A refrigerant leakage sensor, the refrigerant leakage sensor is used to detect the refrigerant concentration in the sealed cavity; A controller, the controller is used to obtain the refrigerant concentration in the sealed cavity through the refrigerant leakage sensor, and when the refrigerant concentration is greater than or equal to a preset threshold, control the air inlet to be connected with the air outlet of the front-end module, and control the air outlet to be connected with the atmosphere outside the front cabin.

9. The vehicle according to claim 8, characterized in that The air conditioner comprises: a compressor, an expansion valve, a condenser and an evaporator. The condenser and the evaporator are both plug-connected to the compressor, and the expansion valve is plug-connected between the condenser and the evaporator.

10. The vehicle according to claim 8, characterized in that The air inlet is located above the air outlet.

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