Heating and cooling system

Abstract

A system includes a refrigerant compressor, the refrigerant compressor including an electric motor; a single printed circuit board (PCB); a driver disposed on the single printed circuit board and including a switch controlling application of power from the battery to the electric motor; one or more processors disposed on the single printed circuit board, the one or more processors configured to: determine a speed command for the refrigerant compressor based on the one or more operating parameters; and actuating a switch of the driver based on the speed command.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. patent application No. 17 / 737,584, filed on May 5, 2022, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates to vehicles, and more particularly to air conditioning and refrigeration systems, such as those in vehicles, containers, and other types of refrigerated spaces. Background Art

[0004] The background description provided here is for the purpose of generally introducing the context of the present disclosure. To the extent described in this background section, the work of the presently identified inventors and aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing are neither explicitly nor implicitly admitted as prior art to the present disclosure.

[0005] Compressors can be used in a variety of industrial, commercial, and residential applications to circulate refrigerants to provide the desired heating or cooling effect. For example, compressors can be used to provide heating and / or cooling in refrigeration systems, heat pump systems, heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC / R) systems, or chiller systems. These types of systems can be fixed, such as located at a building or residence, or mobile, such as located in a vehicle or as part of a vehicle. Vehicles include land vehicles (e.g., trucks, cars, trains, etc.), water vehicles (e.g., ships, shipping containers), air vehicles (e.g., airplanes), and vehicles that operate on a combination of more than one of land, water, and air.

[0006] Vehicles typically include an HVAC / R system that heats or cools a driving area of ​​the vehicle where the driver sits. Some vehicles, such as semi-trucks, also include a living area where the driver can sit, sleep, rest, etc. Some vehicles may include a partition (e.g., a curtain or wall) that can be opened to join the driving area and the living area. The partition may also be closed to separate the driving area from the living area, such as for sleeping. Vehicles or containers used for refrigeration typically include a dedicated compartment where products are stored and maintained at a specific controlled temperature.

[0007] The compressor of the HVAC / R system of vehicles and containers can be engine driven, towed or hauled, where a separate engine provides / generates electricity to power the compressor. Thus, the engine is turned on to provide cooling. Thus, in addition to running during vehicle motion or stationary applications, the engine of the vehicle or system also remains running to provide cooling when used in HVAC applications while the driver is sleeping and at other times when the vehicle is not in motion, and in refrigeration applications to maintain a specific controlled temperature of the product. Summary of the invention

[0008] In one feature, a system includes: a refrigerant compressor, the refrigerant compressor including an electric motor; a single printed circuit board (PCB); a driver, the driver is disposed on the single PCB and includes a switch that controls the application of power from a battery to the electric motor; and one or more processors disposed on the single PCB, the one or more processors being configured to: determine a speed command for the refrigerant compressor based on one or more operating parameters; and actuate the switch of the driver based on the speed command.

[0009] In other features, the interface is disposed on a single PCB and is configured to receive power from a battery.

[0010] In other features, the interface is configured to connect to a network bus.

[0011] In other features, the one or more processors are further configured to communicate via the network bus using the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) J1939 communication standard.

[0012] In other features, the one or more processors are configured to receive the one or more operating parameters via the network bus.

[0013] In other features, the one or more operating parameters include at least one of (a) a temperature of the system measured by a temperature sensor and (b) a pressure of the system measured by a pressure sensor.

[0014] In other features, the one or more processors are further configured to actuate actuators of the system via the network bus.

[0015] In other features, the control module is not disposed on a single PCB, is configured to communicate via a network bus, and is configured to actuate the actuator in response to receiving a signal from one or more processors via the network bus.

[0016] In other features, the actuator is one of a solenoid, a switch, a damper, a blower, an electronic expansion valve, and a fan.

[0017] In other features, the one or more processors and the driver do not communicate using the MODBUS communication protocol.

[0018] In other features, the system is configured to cool a passenger compartment of a vehicle.

[0019] In other features: the second single PCB is separated from the single PCB; the second interface is set on the second single PCB; and the control module is set on the single PCB, and the control module is configured to: receive input from one or more input devices via the second interface; control one or more output devices via the second interface; and connect to the network bus via the second interface.

[0020] In other features, the control module and the one or more processors are configured to communicate via a network bus.

[0021] In other features, the control module and the one or more processors are configured to communicate via the network bus using the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) J1939 communication standard.

[0022] In one feature, a single printed circuit board includes: a driver disposed on the single PCB and including a switch configured to control the application of power from a battery to an electric motor of a refrigerant compressor of a cooling system; one or more processors disposed on the single PCB, the one or more processors configured to: determine a speed command for the refrigerant compressor based on one or more operating parameters; and actuate the switch of the driver based on the speed command.

[0023] In one feature, a method includes determining, by one or more processors disposed on a single printed circuit board (PCB), a speed command for a refrigerant compressor based on one or more operating parameters; and actuating, by the one or more processors, a switch of a driver based on the speed command, wherein the driver is disposed on the single PCB and includes a switch, wherein the switch is configured to control application of power from a battery to an electric motor of a refrigerant compressor of a cooling system.

[0024] In other features, the method further includes receiving power from a battery via an interface disposed on the single PCB.

[0025] In other features, the method further comprises communicating, via the one or more processors, via the interface, via the network bus.

[0026] In other features, communicating includes communicating via a network bus using the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) J1939 communication standard by the one or more processors.

[0027] In other features, the method further comprises receiving, by the one or more processors via the network bus, one or more operating parameters.

[0028] Further areas of applicability of the present disclosure will become apparent from the detailed description, the claims and the accompanying drawings.The detailed description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] The present disclosure will be more fully understood through the detailed description and accompanying drawings, in which:

[0030] Figure 1A and Figure 1B is a functional block diagram of an example vehicle system;

[0031] Figure 2 An exemplary illustration of an example vehicle including components of an air conditioning system is included;

[0032] Figure 3 A functional block diagram of an example implementation of an air conditioning system is included;

[0033] Figure 4 includes a functional block diagram of an example system including a control module, various sensors of a vehicle, and various actuators of the vehicle;

[0034] Figure 5 including a functional block diagram of an example implementation of a vehicle control system; and

[0035] Figure 6 is a functional block diagram of an example implementation of a control system.

[0036] In the drawings, reference numerals may be repeated to identify similar and / or identical elements. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] Some vehicles, such as semi-trucks, have a passenger compartment having two sections: a first section where the driver drives the vehicle and a second section where the driver can, for example, sleep. Some vehicles include heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems having ducts that allow both the first section and the second section to be heated and cooled.

[0038] A vehicle including an HVAC system may include an electric refrigerant compressor (for cooling) that is not driven by the engine. An inverter driver supplies power to the electric refrigerant compressor from a battery pack based on a (e.g., variable) compressor speed command. A control module selectively varies the compressor speed command, for example, based on different locations and / or cooling requirements for different components (e.g., a battery pack).

[0039] A dedicated, separately implemented and expensive control module may be used with a separately implemented drive. As an example, a PLC or a parameter controller may be used with the drive.

[0040] The present application relates to integrating an inverter driver with a control module on a single printed circuit board (PCB). More specifically, the functions of the separately implemented driver are performed by one or more processors of the driver. This reduces the cost and complexity of the HVAC system and improves efficiency (e.g., power consumption).

[0041] Although examples of HVAC systems are provided, the present application is also applicable to refrigeration systems, freezing systems, and other types of cooling systems that cool one or more enclosed spaces, such as a passenger compartment of a vehicle, a storage space of a vehicle (e.g., a refrigerator and / or freezer of a vehicle), the interior of a container, etc. In addition, although examples of cooling systems are provided, the present application is also applicable to using a compressor for heating, such as in a heat pump system that includes a reversing valve that can be actuated so that the compressor is used to provide heating in some cases and cooling in other cases.

[0042] Figure 1A and Figure 1B 1 is a functional block diagram of an example system of a vehicle 100. The vehicle 100 includes an internal combustion engine 104 that combusts air and fuel in a cylinder to produce a propulsion torque for the vehicle 100. The engine 104 may combust, for example, gasoline, diesel, natural gas, and / or one or more other types of fuel. The engine 104 outputs torque to a drive train 108. The drive train 108 transmits torque to two or more wheels of the vehicle. Although an example of a semi-truck is provided, the present application is also applicable to other types of land vehicles (e.g., trucks, cars, trains, buses, recreational vehicles (RVs), caravans, etc.), water vehicles (e.g., boats), air vehicles (e.g., airplanes), and vehicles that operate on a combination of more than one of land, water, and air. In addition, although an example of a wheeled vehicle is provided, the present application is not limited to vehicles with wheels.

[0043] The power source 112 is driven by the engine 104 and converts the mechanical energy of the engine 104 into electrical energy to charge the battery 116. The power source 112 may include an alternator, a generator, and / or another type of device that converts the mechanical energy of the engine 104 into electrical energy. Although an example of a single power source is provided, multiple or zero power sources driven by the engine 104 may also be included. The power source 112 may be, for example, a 12 volt (V) alternator (e.g., at Figure 1A ) and / or a 48V alternator (e.g. Figure 1BIn addition, although an example including the engine 104 is provided, the present application is also applicable to a pure electric vehicle that does not include an engine.

[0044] The vehicle 100 also includes a battery pack 120. By way of example only, the battery pack 120 may be a 48V direct current (DC) battery pack, but another suitable battery pack may also be used. The battery pack 120 may include two or more individual batteries connected together, or may include one battery. For example, in the case of a 48V battery pack, the battery pack 120 may include four 12V batteries connected in series. The batteries may be connected so that a lower voltage, such as 12V, 24V, and / or 36V, may be obtained from one, two, or three of the batteries. In the example of an electric vehicle, the vehicle 100 also includes one or more additional batteries (or battery packs) for propulsion.

[0045] In various implementations, the battery pack 120 may include four individual 12V batteries connected in series. The batteries may be arranged in two rows (A and B), each row having two individual 12V batteries (batteries 1 and 2) connected in series to provide two 24V reference potentials.

[0046] The battery pack 120 supplies power to an HVAC system including an air conditioning system 124. The air conditioning system 124 selectively cools a cooling space 128. The cooling space 128 is a space within the vehicle 100 that can be cooled based on a set point temperature. The driver of the vehicle drives the vehicle while being located in the cooling space 128 (e.g., sitting in the driver's seat). In various implementations, the cooling space 128 can be (e.g., physically) divided into a plurality of cooling spaces that can be cooled based on respective set point temperatures. For example, a driving portion 129 of the cooling space 128 can be cooled based on a first set point temperature, and a living portion 131 of the cooling space 128 can be cooled based on a second set point temperature. The living portion 131 can be located behind the driving portion 129 relative to the forward direction of travel of the vehicle. The first set point temperature and the second set point temperature can be set according to user input (e.g., initiated by the driver or another user) for the first set point temperature and the second set point temperature, respectively.

[0047] The user can change the first set point temperature via one or more user input devices, such as one or more user input devices located in the drive portion 129 of the cooling space 128. The user can change the second set point temperature via one or more user input devices, such as one or more user input devices located in the living portion 131 of the cooling space 128. The vehicle 100 can be, for example, but not limited to, a semi-truck that can be used to tow a trailer (e.g., a tractor trailer). The present application is more generally applicable to vehicles with two evaporator heat exchangers. As further discussed below, the control module can control the air conditioning system 124 based on the temperature within the cooling space, the set point temperature, and other parameters.

[0048] The vehicle 100 may include one or more doors, such as door 132, that provide access to the cooling space 128 (eg, drive section 129), for example, for entering and exiting the vehicle. Although an example of only one door is shown, the vehicle 100 may include more than one door.

[0049] like Figure 1A As shown in the example of , the vehicle 100 may include one or more voltage converters 150 that convert the output of the power source 112 into one or more outputs for charging the battery pack 120. In the example of the power source 112 that generates a 12V DC output, the one or more voltage converters 150 can boost (e.g., increase) the output of the power source 112 to, for example, one or more other voltages (e.g., 24V DC, 48V DC) and charge the battery pack 120 via the boosted output. Since the power source 112 is driven by the rotation of the engine 104, the power source 112 can be used to charge the battery pack 120 when the engine 104 is running. In the example of an electric vehicle, the power source 112 can be an electric machine (e.g., an electric motor) used as a generator.

[0050] In the example of a power supply 112 that produces a 48V DC output, Figure 1B As shown in , the output of the power source 112 can charge the battery pack 120. However, the vehicle 100 may include a voltage converter 152 that converts the output of the power source 112 into an output for charging the battery 116, for example, the voltage converter 152 can step down (i.e., reduce) the output of the power source 112 to, for example, a lower voltage (e.g., 12V DC) and charge the battery pack 120 via the stepped-down output. In various implementations, the vehicle 100 may also include a battery charger that selectively charges the battery 116 using received power (e.g., power from the power source 112 or the voltage converter).

[0051] The vehicle 100 may also include one or more battery chargers that selectively charge the battery pack 120 using the received power (e.g., power from the power source 112 or a voltage converter). For example, the vehicle 100 may include four models of SEC-2440 battery chargers manufactured by Samlex America Inc. of Burnaby, BC, Canada. The battery charger may be, for example, arranged to be connected to provide two sets of two 24V, 40A battery chargers for 48V, 80A outputs for battery charging. Although an example of a battery charger with a 24V, 40A output is provided, a battery charger with another output, such as a 12V charger connected to each battery, may also be used. The battery charger may also monitor the individual batteries of the battery pack 120 and control the power supply to the individual batteries to prevent overcharging. In various implementations, the driver (discussed further below) may charge the battery pack 120, and a separate battery charger may be omitted.

[0052] Although power source 112 is shown as providing power for charging both battery 116 and battery pack 120, a second power source may be used to convert power from engine 104 into power for charging battery pack 120. In this case, battery 116 may be charged using power source 112, and battery pack 120 may be charged using the second power source.

[0053] In various embodiments, the battery pack 120 can be charged via one or more other power sources. For example, the battery pack 120 can be charged using power from a utility received via a socket of the vehicle. The socket can be configured to receive AC or DC power. For example, the socket can receive AC power from a utility via a power cord (e.g., an extension cord) connected between the socket and a wall socket or a charger of a building. The socket can be, for example, a single-phase 110 / 120 or 208 / 240V AC socket or a three-phase 208 / 240V AC socket. In various implementations, the vehicle 100 may include both a 110 / 120V AC socket and a 208 / 240V AC socket. Although an example of a socket receiving AC power is provided, the socket may alternatively receive DC power via a power cord. The power received from a utility via a socket is called shore power. In this example, the vehicle 100 may include one or more battery chargers that charge the battery pack 120 using shore power. These one or more battery chargers may be the same or different from the battery chargers mentioned above.

[0054] The vehicle 100 may optionally include a solar panel 172 . The solar panel 172 converts solar energy into electrical energy. Although one example of a solar panel is provided, multiple or zero solar panels may be included. The voltage converter 176 converts the power output by the solar panel 172 and charges the battery pack 120 .

[0055] As discussed further below, the air conditioning system 124 includes an electric variable speed compressor that is not mechanically driven by any rotating component of the vehicle 100, such as the engine 104 or a component of the drive train 108. The variable speed compressor is instead driven via power applied to an electric motor of the variable speed compressor. The control module controls the operation of the variable speed compressor to maximize comfort within the cooling space 128, maximize efficiency of the air conditioning system 124, minimize discharge of the battery pack 120, and maximize the life of the components of the air conditioning system 124.

[0056] Figure 2 An example illustration of an example truck including components of an air conditioning system 124 is included. Figure 3 A functional block diagram of an example implementation of the air conditioning system 124 is included. Figure 3 In the example of FIG. 1 , the dashed lines represent refrigerant flow, and the solid lines represent electrical and physical connections.

[0057] Now refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 , the compressor 204 receives the refrigerant vapor via a suction line of the compressor 204. In various implementations, the compressor 204 can receive the refrigerant vapor from a collector that collects liquid refrigerant to minimize the flow of liquid refrigerant to the compressor 204.

[0058] The compressor 204 compresses the refrigerant and provides the pressurized refrigerant in the form of vapor to the condenser heat exchanger (HEX) 212. The compressor 204 includes an electric motor 216, which drives a pump to compress the refrigerant. By way of example only, the compressor 204 may include a scroll compressor, a reciprocating compressor, or another type of refrigerant compressor. The electric motor 216 may include, for example, an induction motor, a permanent magnet motor (brushless or brushless), or another suitable type of electric motor. In various implementations, the electric motor 216 may be a brushless permanent magnet (BPM) motor. The BPM motor may be more efficient than other types of motors. The compressor 204 is a variable speed compressor.

[0059] All or part of the pressurized refrigerant is converted to liquid form within the condenser HEX 212. The condenser HEX 212 transfers heat from the refrigerant, thereby cooling the refrigerant. When the refrigerant vapor is cooled to a temperature less than the saturation temperature of the refrigerant, the refrigerant is converted to liquid (or liquefied) form.

[0060] One or more condenser fans 220 may be implemented to increase airflow over, around, and / or through the condenser HEX 212 and increase the rate of heat transfer away from the refrigerant. Figure 2 As shown in , the condenser HEX 212 may be implemented near the front of the vehicle 100 so that when the vehicle 100 travels in a forward direction, air flows through the condenser HEX 212. However, the condenser HEX 212 may be in another suitable location.

[0061] Refrigerant from condenser HEX 212 may be delivered to receiver 224. Receiver 224 may be implemented to store excess refrigerant. In various implementations, receiver 224 may be omitted. A filter drier may be implemented to remove moisture and debris from the refrigerant. In various implementations, the filter drier may be omitted.

[0062] In various implementations, the air conditioning system 124 may include an enhanced vapor injection (EVI) system. The EVI system may expand a portion of the refrigerant from the receiver 224 into a vapor form, superheat the vapor refrigerant, and provide the superheated vapor refrigerant to the compressor 204, for example, at a midpoint within the compression chamber of the compressor 204. EVI may be performed, for example, to increase the capacity of the air conditioning system 124 and to increase efficiency.

[0063] Refrigerant from the receiver 224 flows to the first evaporator control valve 244 and the second evaporator control valve 248. The first evaporator control valve 244 may be, for example, a solenoid valve or another suitable type of valve. The second evaporator control valve 248 may be, for example, a solenoid valve or another suitable type of valve.

[0064] The refrigerant may flow through the driver HEX before flowing to the first evaporator control valve 244 and the second evaporator control valve 248. The driver HEX draws heat from the driver 256 (e.g., an inverter driver) and transfers the heat to the refrigerant flowing through the driver HEX. Although an example of the driver 256 being cooled by a liquid (refrigerant) is provided, liquid cooling may be omitted and the driver 256 may be air cooled. The air cooling may be active (e.g., via one or more devices) and / or passive (e.g., by conduction and convection). Examples of active cooling of the driver 256 are discussed further below.

[0065] The driver 256 controls the application of power from the battery pack 120 to the electric motor 216. For example, the driver 256 can control the application of power to the electric motor 216 based on the compressor speed command from the control module 260. Based on the compressor speed command, the driver 256 can generate three-phase AC power (e.g., 208 / 240V AC) from the power output of the battery pack 120 and apply the three-phase AC power to the electric motor 216. The driver 256 can set one or more characteristics of the three-phase AC power based on the compressor speed command, such as frequency, voltage and / or current. For example only, the driver 256 can be a variable frequency drive (VFD). The driver 256 can, for example, determine a pulse width modulation (PWM) duty cycle to apply the pulse width modulation duty cycle to the switch of the driver 256 to generate AC power with these characteristics. In various implementations, one or more electromagnetic interference (EMI) filters can be implemented between the battery pack 120 and the driver 256.

[0066] Control module 260 may set the compressor speed command to a plurality of different possible speeds based on one or more operating parameters for variable speed operation of electric motor 216 and compressor 204. As discussed further below, control module 260 and driver 256 are integrated on a single PCB.

[0067] When the pressure of the refrigerant output by the compressor 204 becomes greater than a predetermined pressure, a high pressure cut-off (HPCO) 262 may be implemented to disconnect the driver 256 from the power and deactivate the electric motor 216. The control module 260 may also control the operation of the compressor 204 based on a pressure comparison of the refrigerant output by the compressor 204. For example, the control module 260 may shut down or reduce the speed of the compressor 204 when the pressure of the refrigerant output by the compressor 204 is less than a second predetermined pressure, which is less than or equal to a predetermined pressure used by the HPCO 262.

[0068] When the first evaporator control valve 244 is opened, the refrigerant may be expanded into a vapor form through the first expansion valve 264 and provided to the first evaporator HEX 268. The first expansion valve 264 may include a TXV (thermostatic expansion valve) or may be an EXV (electronic expansion valve).

[0069] The first evaporator HEX 268 will provide cooling air to the drive portion 129 of the cooling space 128. More specifically, the vapor refrigerant within the first evaporator HEX 268 transfers heat away (i.e., absorbs heat) from the air passing through the first evaporator HEX 268. The cooling air flows from the first evaporator HEX 268 to the drive portion 129 of the vehicle 100 via the first HVAC duct 270. The first HVAC duct 270 includes at least one duct for cooling air to flow to the passenger side of the vehicle and at least one duct for cooling air to flow to the driver side of the vehicle.

[0070] When the second evaporator control valve 248 is opened, the refrigerant can be expanded into a vapor form through the second expansion valve 272 and provided to the second evaporator HEX 276. The second expansion valve 272 may include a TXV or may be an EXV. The second evaporator HEX 276 provides cooling air to the living portion 131 of the cooling space 128. More specifically, the vapor refrigerant in the second evaporator HEX 276 transfers heat from the air passing through the second evaporator HEX 276 (i.e., absorbs heat). The cooling air flows from the second evaporator HEX 276 to the living portion 131 of the vehicle 100 via the second HVAC duct 278. The second HVAC duct 278 includes at least one duct for cooling air to flow to the passenger side of the vehicle 100 and at least one duct for cooling air to flow to the driver side of the vehicle 100.

[0071] The first blower 280 draws air from the cooling space 128 and / or from outside the vehicle 100. When turned on, the first blower 280 increases the air flow over, around, and / or through the first evaporator HEX 268 to increase the efficiency of heat transfer (i.e., cooling) of the air leaving the cooling space 128 flowing through the first evaporator HEX 268.

[0072] The second blower 282 draws air from the cooling space 128 and / or from outside the vehicle 100. When turned on, the second blower 282 increases the airflow over, around, and / or through the second evaporator HEX 276 to increase the efficiency of heat transfer (i.e., cooling) of the air leaving the cooling space 128 flowing through the second evaporator HEX 276. The refrigerant from the first evaporator HEX 268 and the second evaporator HEX 276 flows back to the compressor 204 for the next cycle.

[0073] The control module 260 can control the speed of the first blower 280 and the speed of the second blower 282, as discussed further below. For example, the control module 260 can control the application of power from the battery pack 120 to the electric motors of the first blower 280 and the second blower 282 based on the respective speed commands. Based on the respective speed commands, the control module 260 can generate AC power (e.g., single phase or three phase) from the power output of the battery pack 120 and apply the AC power to the electric motor 216. The control module 260 can set one or more characteristics of the AC power based on the respective speed commands, such as frequency, voltage, and / or current. The control module 260 can, for example, determine a PWM duty cycle to apply the PWM duty cycle to the switches of the driver 256 to generate AC power with these characteristics.

[0074] The control module 260 can set the speed command for the blower to a plurality of different possible speeds based on one or more operating parameters to cause the first blower 280 and the second blower 282 to operate at variable speeds. Although an example of a control module 260 that supplies power to the first blower 280 and the second blower 282 is provided, another module or driver 256 can also apply power to the first blower 280 and the second blower 282.

[0075] With regard to active cooling of the driver 256, a damper door 284 may be implemented to allow or block air flow from the second blower 282 to the housing housing the driver 256. For example, when the damper door 284 is open, cooling air from the second evaporator HEX 276 or cooling air from the second HVAC duct 278 may travel to the cooling space 128 and into the housing of the driver 256 to cool the driver 256. When the damper door 284 is closed, the damper door 284 may block air flow to the housing (and therefore to the driver 256). Although an example of a damper door 284 is provided, another suitable actuator may also be used to allow / block air flow to the driver 256. Figure 3 The curve in is a schematic diagram of the air flow.

[0076] The air conditioning system 124 may also include a compressor pressure regulator (CPR) valve that regulates the pressure of the refrigerant input to the compressor 204 via the suction line. For example, the CPR valve may be closed to limit the pressure entering the compressor 204 during startup of the compressor 204. The CPR valve may be an electronically controlled valve (e.g., a stepper motor or solenoid valve), a mechanical valve, or another suitable type of valve. In various implementations, the CPR valve may be omitted.

[0077] Figure 4Included is a functional block diagram of an example system including a control module 260, various sensors of the vehicle 100, and various actuators of the vehicle 100. The control module 260 receives various measurement parameters and indications from the sensors of the vehicle 100. The control module 260 controls the actuators of the air conditioning system 124 of the vehicle 100.

[0078] The ignition sensor 304 indicates whether the ignition system of the vehicle 100 is on or off. The driver can turn on the ignition system of the vehicle 100 and start the engine 104, for example, by actuating an ignition key, button, or switch. The ignition system being on means that the engine 104 is on and is burning air and fuel. The driver can turn off the ignition system of the vehicle 100 and shut down the engine 104, for example, by actuating an ignition key, button, or switch. The ignition system being off means that the engine 104 is off and is not burning air and fuel.

[0079] A discharge line temperature (DLT) sensor 308 measures the temperature of the refrigerant output by the compressor 204 (e.g., in the discharge line). The temperature of the refrigerant output by the compressor 204 may be referred to as the discharge line temperature or DLT. The discharge line temperature may be provided directly to the control module 260. Alternatively, the discharge line temperature may be provided to the driver 256, and the driver 256 may communicate the discharge line temperature to the control module 260.

[0080] The liquid line temperature sensor 312 measures the temperature of the liquid refrigerant output from the condenser HEX 212 (eg, in the liquid line). The temperature of the refrigerant output by the condenser HEX 212 may be referred to as the liquid line temperature. Figure 3 , however, the liquid line temperature sensor 312 may also be located at another location where liquid refrigerant exists in the refrigerant path from the condenser HEX 212 to the second evaporator HEX 276 and the first evaporator HEX 268.

[0081] The liquid line pressure sensor 316 measures the pressure of the liquid refrigerant output from the condenser HEX 212 (eg, in the liquid line). The pressure of the refrigerant output by the condenser HEX 212 may be referred to as the liquid line pressure. Figure 3 An exemplary location of the liquid line pressure sensor 316 is shown in FIG. 2 , however, the liquid line pressure sensor 316 may also be located at another location where liquid refrigerant exists in the refrigerant path from the condenser HEX 212 to the second evaporator HEX 276 and the first evaporator HEX 268.

[0082] The suction pressure sensor 320 measures the pressure of the refrigerant input to the compressor 204 (eg, in a suction line). The pressure of the refrigerant input to the compressor 204 may be referred to as a suction pressure.

[0083] The suction temperature sensor 324 measures the temperature of the refrigerant input to the compressor 204 (eg, in a suction line). The temperature of the refrigerant input to the compressor 204 may be referred to as the suction temperature.

[0084] The first air temperature sensor 328 measures the air temperature in the driving portion 129 of the cooling space 128. For example, the first air temperature sensor 328 may measure the temperature of the air input to the first evaporator HEX 268. The temperature of the air in the driving portion 129 may be referred to as a driving portion temperature or a first space temperature (space 1temp).

[0085] The second air temperature sensor 332 measures the air temperature in the living part 131 of the cooling space 128. For example, the second air temperature sensor 332 may measure the temperature of the air input to the second evaporator HEX 276. The temperature of the air in the living part 131 may be referred to as the living part temperature or the second space temperature (space 2temp).

[0086] The first evaporator temperature sensor 336 measures the temperature of the first evaporator HEX 268. For example, the first evaporator temperature sensor 336 may measure the temperature of the first evaporator HEX 268 at or near a midpoint where the refrigerant flows through the first evaporator HEX 268. The temperature of the first evaporator HEX 268 may be referred to as a first evaporator temperature.

[0087] The second evaporator temperature sensor 340 measures the temperature of the second evaporator HEX 276. For example, the second evaporator temperature sensor 340 may measure the temperature of the second evaporator HEX 276 at or near a midpoint of the refrigerant flow flowing through the second evaporator HEX 276. The temperature of the second evaporator HEX 276 may be referred to as a second evaporator temperature.

[0088] The first blower speed input 344 adjusts the first blower speed command for the first blower 280 based on a user's interaction with one or more user input devices (e.g., actuation, touch, etc.). For example, the first blower speed input 344 can increase and decrease the first blower speed command for the first blower 280 based on a user's input using one or more user input devices. The second blower speed input 348 adjusts the second blower speed command for the second blower 282 based on a user's interaction with one or more user input devices (e.g., actuation, touch, etc.). For example, the second blower speed input 348 can increase and decrease the second blower speed command for the second blower 282 based on a user's input using one or more user input devices. Examples of user input devices include one or more buttons, switches, and / or a touch screen display.

[0089] The HVAC mode sensor 352 indicates the HVAC mode requested by the cooling space 128. The HVAC mode can be, for example, heat, A / C, maximum A / C, or off. The HVAC mode sensor 352 can indicate the HVAC mode based on user interaction (e.g., actuation, touch, etc.) with one or more input devices, such as one or more buttons, switches, and / or a touch screen display. In various implementations, the HVAC mode can be provided by another control module of the vehicle 100.

[0090] The battery sensor 356 measures characteristics of the batteries of the battery pack 120, such as voltage, current, temperature, and / or state of charge. In various implementations, a voltage sensor, a current sensor, and / or a temperature sensor may be provided with each battery of the battery pack 120. The battery sensor 356 may determine the state of charge (SOC) of the battery pack 120 based on one or more of the measured parameters.

[0091] One or more power sensors 360 measure power parameters of the driver 256. For example, a voltage sensor can measure a voltage input to the driver 256. A current sensor can measure a current flowing to the driver 256. A power sensor can measure the power consumption of the driver 256. In various implementations, the current sensor and the power sensor can be omitted, and the driver 256 can determine one or more currents and / or power consumptions. In various implementations, the driver 256 can transmit the power consumption to the control module 260. The driver 256 or another module can determine the power consumption of the driver 256 based on one or more measured parameters (e.g., a voltage input to the driver 256 and a current flowing to the driver 256) and / or one or more other parameters (e.g., a current flowing to the driver 256 and a resistance of the driver 256).

[0092] The driver temperature sensor 364 measures the temperature at a location on the driver 256. The temperature of the driver 256 may be referred to as the driver temperature. In various implementations, the driver temperature sensor 364 may be implemented in the driver 256, and the driver 256 may transmit the driver temperature to the control module 260. In various implementations, multiple driver temperature sensors may measure the temperature at different locations on the driver 256. In the example of multiple driver temperature sensors, the highest (maximum / hottest) temperature among the measured temperatures may be used as the driver temperature.

[0093] The sensors described herein may be analog sensors or digital sensors. In the case of analog sensors, the analog signals generated by the sensors may be sampled and digitized (e.g., by the control module 260, the driver 256, or another control module) to generate digital values ​​corresponding to the measured values ​​of the sensors, respectively. In various implementations, the vehicle 100 may include a combination of analog sensors and digital sensors. For example, the ignition sensor 304 and the HVAC mode sensor 352 may be digital sensors. The liquid line pressure sensor 316, the suction pressure sensor 320, the liquid line temperature sensor 312, the suction temperature sensor 324, the first evaporator temperature sensor 336, the second evaporator temperature sensor 340, the first air temperature sensor 328, the second air temperature sensor 332, and the first blower speed input 344 and the second blower speed input 348 may be analog sensors / devices.

[0094] As discussed further below, the control module 260 controls actuators of the air conditioning system 124 based on various measured parameters, indications, set points, and other parameters.

[0095] For example, the control module 260 can control the speed of the electric motor 216 of the compressor 204 via the driver 256. The control module 260 can also control the condenser fan 220. For example, one or more relays (R) 222 can be connected between the battery pack 120 and the condenser fan. Although the example of a relay is provided, another suitable type of switching device can also be used. The control module 260 can control the switching of the relay 222 to control the speed of the condenser fan 220. For example, the control module 260 can control the speed of the condenser fan using a pulse width modulation (PWM) or analog (e.g., 0 to 10 or 0 to 5 volts DC) control of a relay or an integrated fan control module. Increasing the opening time of the PWM signal or analog voltage applied to the integrated fan control module or relay will increase the speed of the condenser fan. Conversely, reducing the opening time of the PWM signal or analog voltage applied to the integrated fan control module or relay will reduce the speed of the condenser fan.

[0096] One or more of the condenser fans 220 may be variable speed, and / or one or more of the condenser fans 220 may be fixed speed. For example, the condenser fans 220 may include a fixed speed fan and a variable speed fan. For a fixed speed condenser fan, when the fan is turned on, the control module 260 turns off the associated relay and keeps the relay closed. For a variable speed fan, the control module 260 may determine a speed command and apply a PWM signal or an analog voltage to an associated relay or an integrated fan control module based on the speed command. The control module 260 may determine the on time of the PWM signal or the analog voltage to be applied, for example, using a lookup table and one of the equations that associate the speed command with the on time of the PWM signal or the analog voltage.

[0097] The control module 260 may also control the first evaporator control valve 244. For example, the control module 260 may control the first evaporator control valve 244 to be open to allow the refrigerant to flow through the first evaporator HEX 268 or control the first evaporator control valve 244 to be closed to prohibit the refrigerant from flowing through the first evaporator HEX 268. In an example where the first expansion valve 264 is an EXV, the control module 260 may control the opening of the first expansion valve 264.

[0098] The control module 260 may also control the second evaporator control valve 248. For example, the control module 260 may control the second evaporator control valve 248 to be open to allow the refrigerant to flow through the second evaporator HEX 276 or control the second evaporator control valve 248 to be closed to prohibit the refrigerant fluid from flowing through the second evaporator HEX 276. In an example where the second expansion valve 272 is an EXV, the control module 260 may control the opening of the second expansion valve 272.

[0099] The control module 260 may receive a signal indicating whether the HPCO 262 has been tripped (open circuit). The control module 260 may take one or more remedial actions when the HPCO 262 is tripped, such as closing one, more than one, or all of the above-mentioned valves and / or closing one, more than one, or all of the above-mentioned fans. The control module 260 may generate an output signal indicating that the HPCO 262 has been tripped when the discharge pressure of the compressor 204 is greater than a predetermined pressure. The control module 260 may enable operation of the air conditioning system 124 in response to the discharge pressure dropping below a predetermined pressure after the HPCO 262 is turned off. In various implementations, the control module 260 may also require that one or more operating conditions be satisfied before enabling operation of the air conditioning system 124 after the HPCO 262 is turned off.

[0100] The control module 260 can control the speed of the first blower 280 and the second blower 282. The first blower 280 and the second blower 282 are variable speed blowers, and the control module 260 can determine a first speed command and a second speed command for the first blower 280 and the second blower 280 and control the application of power to the first blower 280 and the second blower 282 based on the first speed command and the second speed command, respectively.

[0101] Figure 5 504-1, 504-2, ..., 504-N (collectively referred to as vehicle control module 504). Vehicle control module 504 has corresponding inputs and outputs 508-1, 508-2, ..., 508-N (collectively referred to as input and output 508). Examples of inputs (devices) include sensors (e.g., pressure, temperature, voltage, current, power, etc.), input devices (e.g., knobs, switches, etc.), and other types of devices configured to input signals. Examples of outputs (devices) include contactors, solenoids, baffles, fans, displays, indicators (e.g., lights), actuators, and other types of devices configured to receive output signals. Vehicle control module 508 communicates via a network bus, such as a vehicle area network bus or an automobile area network (CAN) bus using a communication protocol, such as the Society of Automotive Engineers J1939 communication protocol or another suitable communication protocol.

[0102] The driver 256 and the control module 260 are implemented together on a single printed circuit board (PCB) 512. The functions of the control module 260 can be performed by one or more processors 516 on the PCB 512. As an example, the processor 516 can include an ARM STM32F processor or another suitable type of processor. The driver 256 includes a switch that controls the application of power to the motor 216. The driver 256 and the control module 260 communicate directly and do not use the Modbus communication protocol.

[0103] An input / output interface 520 having a plurality of input pins and output pins (e.g., 35 I / O pins) is provided on the PCB 512. The processor 516, the driver 256, or both are connected to the interface 520 to receive input from the network bus (from other vehicle control modules) and / or output data to the network bus (e.g., for other vehicle control modules). In this way, the control module 260 and the driver 256 act as another node on the network bus (similar to the vehicle control module 504).

[0104] Examples of inputs to the interface 520 include, for example, high voltage (HV) DC power from a battery pack, low voltage (LV) DC power from a battery pack, and an output (key) indicating whether the ignition system of the vehicle 100 is on or off from the ignition sensor 304. Other inputs may also be connected to the interface 520. The interface 520 may be a male interface or a female interface. A portion of the processor 516 of the driver 256 may be used to implement the functionality of the control module 260 without requiring a separate control module. The processor 516 controls the switching of the switch of the driver 256, such as a signal applied to the gate of the switch of the driver 256. If the control module 260 is implemented separately, the control module 260 will transmit a speed command (e.g., via Modbus communication) to the processor 516, and the processor 516 will control the switching based on the speed command. As implemented, the processor 516 (via the functionality of the control module 260) determines the speed command and controls the switching of the switch of the driver 256.

[0105] Including the control module 260 and the driver 256 on a single PCB 512 allows for easier and less expensive implementation than if the control module 260 were implemented separately on separate PCBs. Unification with other vehicle control modules 504 is also achieved. In addition, a separately implemented control module may result in a lower efficiency of the HVAC system than the control module 260 executed by the processor 516. The response time of controlling the motor 216 is also reduced (improved) relative to a separately implemented control module. The above-mentioned inputs (e.g., Figure 4 ) can be received from other vehicle control modules 504 via the network bus. In addition, the control module 260 can control the HVAC system (e.g., Figure 4 ) to control other devices. In various implementations, a graphical user interface (GUI) module 540 may be included and communicate via a network bus. The GUI module 540 may include a display, such as a touch screen display, which may be used to display one or more parameters. Input may also be received via a touch screen display and one or more other types of user input devices. Control of one or more functions may be adjusted based on one or more of the user inputs.

[0106] Figure 6 604 can be connected to the network bus. An input / output interface 608 having a plurality of input pins and output pins (e.g., 35 I / O pins) is provided on the PCB 512. The expansion board 604 can be implemented, for example, when the vehicle control module 504 is omitted, such as for a shipping container implementation.

[0107] The control module 612 is disposed on the expansion board 604. The control module 612 communicates with various input and output (I / O) devices 616. For example, examples of input devices include pressure sensors and temperature sensors of the system configured to measure pressure and temperature at various locations, respectively. Other examples of input devices include switches (e.g., control panel safety switches, high pressure and / or low pressure cut-off switches, etc.) and other types of input devices. Examples of output devices include one or more fans of the system, one or more contactors of the system, one or more valves of the system (e.g., expansion valves), and other types of output devices. The control module 620 can control the operation and actuation of the output device, such as the speed of the fan, the opening / closing of the contactor, and the actuation of the valve. The control module 612 transmits the received parameters and output parameters (e.g., states) to other modules (e.g., control module 260) via a network bus.

[0108] The foregoing description is essentially only illustrative, and is by no means intended to limit the present disclosure, the application or use of the present disclosure. The broad teachings of the present disclosure can be implemented in a variety of forms. Therefore, although the present disclosure includes specific examples, the true scope of the present disclosure should not be so limited, because after studying the drawings, the specification and the appended claims, other modifications will become apparent. It should be understood that, without changing the principles of the present disclosure, one or more steps in the method can be performed in different orders (or simultaneously). In addition, although each embodiment in the embodiment is described as having certain features above, any one or more of those features described relative to any embodiment of the present disclosure can be implemented with the features of any other embodiment and / or combined with the features of any other embodiment, even if the combination is not clearly described. In other words, the described embodiments are not mutually exclusive, and the replacement of one or more embodiments with each other is still within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0109] Various terms are used to describe the spatial and functional relationships between elements (e.g., between modules, between circuit elements, between semiconductor layers, etc.), including "connected," "engaged," "coupled," "adjacent," "near," "on top of," "above," "below," and "disposed." Unless explicitly described as "directly," when the relationship between a first element and a second element is described in the above disclosure, the relationship can be a direct relationship in which there are no other intervening elements between the first element and the second element, but can also be an indirect relationship in which there are one or more intervening elements (spatially or functionally) between the first element and the second element. As used herein, the phrase at least one of A, B, and C should be interpreted as meaning a logical (A or B or C) using a non-exclusive logical "or," and should not be interpreted as meaning "at least one of A, at least one of B, and at least one of C."

[0110] In a diagram, the direction of the arrow, as indicated by the arrow, generally indicates the flow of information (such as data or instructions) that the diagram is concerned with. For example, when component A and component B exchange various information but the information transmitted from component A to component B is relevant to the diagram, the arrow may point from component A to component B. This unidirectional arrow does not imply that no other information is transmitted from component B to component A. In addition, for information sent from component A to component B, component B may send a request or receipt confirmation of the information to component A.

[0111] In this application, including the following definitions, the term "module" or the term "controller" may be replaced with the term "circuit". The term "module" may refer to a portion of or include an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC); a digital, analog, or mixed analog / digital discrete circuit; a digital, analog, or mixed analog / digital integrated circuit; a combinational logic circuit; a field programmable gate array (FPGA); a processor circuit (shared, dedicated, or group) that executes code; a memory circuit (shared, dedicated, or group) that stores code executed by the processor circuit; other suitable hardware components that provide the above functions; or a combination of some or all of the above items, such as in a system on a chip.

[0112] The module may include one or more interface circuits. In some examples, the interface circuit may include a wired or wireless interface connected to a local area network (LAN), the Internet, a wide area network (WAN), or a combination thereof. The functions of any given module of the present disclosure may be distributed in multiple modules connected via the interface circuit. For example, multiple modules may allow load balancing. In another example, a server (also referred to as a remote or cloud) module may perform some functions on behalf of a client module.

[0113] The term code as used above may include software, firmware and / or microcode, and may refer to a program, a routine, a function, a class, a data structure and / or an object. The term "shared processor circuit" includes a single processor circuit that executes some or all of the code from multiple modules. The term "group processor circuit" includes a processor circuit that is combined with another processor circuit to execute some or all of the code from one or more modules. References to multiple processor circuits include multiple processor circuits on discrete dies, multiple processor circuits on a single die, multiple cores of a single processor circuit, multiple threads of a single processor circuit, or a combination of the above. The term "shared memory circuit" includes a single memory circuit that stores some or all of the code from multiple modules. The term "group memory circuit" includes a memory circuit that is combined with another memory to store some or all of the code from one or more modules.

[0114] The term memory circuit is a subset of the term computer-readable medium. The term "computer-readable medium" as used herein does not include transient electrical or electromagnetic signals propagating through a medium (such as on a carrier wave); therefore, the term "computer-readable medium" may be considered to be both tangible and non-transient. Non-limiting examples of non-transient tangible computer-readable media are non-volatile memory circuits (such as flash memory circuits, erasable programmable read-only memory circuits, or mask read-only memory circuits), volatile memory circuits (such as static random access memory circuits or dynamic random access memory circuits), magnetic storage media (such as analog or digital tapes or hard drives), and optical storage media (such as CDs, DVDs, or Blu-ray discs).

[0115] The apparatus and methods described in this application can be partially or completely implemented by a special-purpose computer created by configuring a general-purpose computer to perform one or more specific functions embodied in a computer program. The above-mentioned function blocks, flow chart components and other elements serve as software specifications that can be translated into computer programs by routine work of technicians or programmers.

[0116] The computer program includes processor executable instructions stored on at least one non-transitory tangible computer readable medium. The computer program may also include or rely on stored data. The computer program may include a basic input / output system (BIOS) that interacts with the hardware of the special-purpose computer, device drivers that interact with specific devices of the special-purpose computer, one or more operating systems, user applications, background services, background applications, etc.

[0117] A computer program may include: (i) descriptive text to be parsed, such as HTML (Hypertext Markup Language), XML (Extensible Markup Language), or JSON (JavaScript Object Notation); (ii) assembly code; (iii) object code generated by a compiler from source code; (iv) source code executed by an interpreter; (v) source code compiled and executed by a just-in-time compiler, etc. By way of example only, source code may be written using the syntax of languages ​​including: C, C++, C#, Objective C, Swift, Haskell, Go, SQL, R, Lisp, Fortran, Perl, Pascal, Curl, OCaml, HTML5 (Hypertext Markup Language Version 5), Ada, ASP (Active Server Pages), PHP (PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor), Scala, Eiffel, Smalltalk, Erlang, Ruby, Lua, MATLAB, SIMULINK, and

Claims

1. A system, comprising: a refrigerant compressor, the refrigerant compressor comprising an electric motor; A single printed circuit board (PCB); a driver disposed on the single printed circuit board and including a switch that controls application of power from a battery to the electric motor; as well as One or more processors disposed on the single printed circuit board, the one or more processors being configured to: determining a speed command for the refrigerant compressor based on one or more operating parameters; and The switch of the drive is actuated based on the speed command. 2 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising an interface disposed on the single printed circuit board and configured to receive power from the battery.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein: The interface is configured to connect to a network bus.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein: The one or more processors are also configured to communicate via the network bus using the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) J1939 communication standard.

5. The system according to claim 3, wherein: The one or more processors are configured to receive the one or more operating parameters via the network bus.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein: The one or more operating parameters include at least one of (a) a temperature of the system measured by a temperature sensor and (b) a pressure of the system measured by a pressure sensor.

7. The system according to claim 3, wherein: The one or more processors are also configured to actuate actuators of the system via the network bus.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising a control module that is not disposed on the single printed circuit board, the control module being configured to communicate via the network bus, and the control module being configured to actuate the actuator in response to receiving a signal from the one or more processors via the network bus.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein: The actuator is one of a solenoid, a switch, a damper, a blower, an electronic expansion valve, and a fan.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The one or more processors and the driver do not communicate using the MODBUS communication protocol.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The system is configured to cool a passenger compartment of a vehicle.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising: a second single printed circuit board separated from the single printed circuit board; a second interface disposed on the second single printed circuit board; as well as A control module is provided on the single printed circuit board, wherein the control module is configured to: receiving input from one or more input devices via the second interface; controlling one or more output devices via the second interface; and The second interface is connected to a network bus.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein: The control module and the one or more processors are configured to communicate via the network bus.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein: The control module and the one or more processors are configured to communicate via the network bus using a Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) J1939 communication standard.

15. A single printed circuit board comprising: a driver disposed on the single printed circuit board and including a switch configured to control application of power from the battery to an electric motor of a refrigerant compressor of a cooling system; One or more processors disposed on the single printed circuit board, the one or more processors being configured to: determining a speed command for the refrigerant compressor based on one or more operating parameters; and The switch of the drive is actuated based on the speed command.

16. A method comprising: determining, by one or more processors disposed on a single printed circuit board (PCB), a speed command for a refrigerant compressor based on one or more operating parameters; as well as actuating, by the one or more processors, a switch of a drive based on the speed command, Wherein the driver is disposed on the single printed circuit board and includes the switch, wherein the switch is configured to control the application of power from a battery to an electric motor of the refrigerant compressor of a cooling system.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising receiving power from the battery through an interface disposed on the single printed circuit board.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising communicating, by the one or more processors via the interface, via a network bus.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein: The communicating includes communicating via the network bus using a Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) J1939 communication standard by the one or more processors.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising receiving, by the one or more processors, the one or more operating parameters via the network bus.

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