Heat pump system for vehicle

Abstract

The present application provides a heat pump system for a vehicle capable of effectively adjusting a battery temperature using a cooler in which a refrigerant and a coolant exchange heat. In addition, the heat pump system for the vehicle may effectively recover ambient air heat and waste heat of electrical components for heating the interior of the vehicle.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0173188 filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on December 4, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates to a heat pump system for a vehicle. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a heat pump system for a vehicle that can effectively regulate the temperature of a battery module and recover ambient air heat and waste heat of electrical components for heating the interior of the vehicle. Background Art

[0004] Generally speaking, an air conditioning system of a vehicle includes an air conditioning unit that circulates a refrigerant to heat or cool the interior of the vehicle.

[0005] The air conditioning unit for maintaining the interior of the vehicle at an appropriate temperature regardless of changes in the outside temperature is configured to heat or cool the interior of the vehicle. This is achieved by heat exchange using a condenser and an evaporator in a process in which the refrigerant discharged by the compressor circulates back to the compressor through the condenser, the receiver-drier, the expansion valve, and the evaporator.

[0006] In other words, the air conditioning unit reduces the temperature and humidity inside the vehicle by: condensing the high-temperature and high-pressure gas-phase refrigerant compressed by the compressor through the condenser; passing the refrigerant through the receiver-drier and the expansion valve; and then evaporating the refrigerant in the evaporator in the cooling mode.

[0007] Environmental protection technology is the core technology of the future automotive industry, and leading vehicle manufacturers are focusing on developing environmentally friendly vehicles to meet environmental protection and fuel efficiency regulations.

[0008] In other words, as the concern for energy efficiency and environmental pollution continues to increase, people hope to develop environmentally friendly vehicles that can basically replace internal combustion engine vehicles. Environmentally friendly vehicles are divided into electric vehicles driven by fuel cells or electricity as a power source and hybrid vehicles driven by an engine and a battery.

[0009] The air conditioning equipment used in such environmentally friendly vehicles is generally called a heat pump system.

[0010] Electric vehicles driven by a fuel cell power source generate driving force by converting the energy of a chemical reaction between oxygen and hydrogen into electrical energy. In this process, heat energy is generated by the chemical reaction in the fuel cell. Therefore, it is desirable to ensure the performance of the fuel cell by effectively removing the generated heat.

[0011] In addition, hybrid vehicles generate driving force by simultaneously driving a motor using electric energy supplied by the above-mentioned fuel cell or battery and an engine operated by general fuel. Therefore, the heat generated by the fuel cell or battery and the motor should be effectively removed to ensure the performance of the motor.

[0012] Therefore, in a hybrid vehicle or an electric vehicle according to the related art, a cooling device, a heat pump system, and a battery cooling system should be respectively configured as independent closed loops to prevent heat generation of motors, electric components, and batteries including fuel cells.

[0013] Therefore, the cooling module provided at the front of the vehicle increases in size and weight, and the layout of connection pipes that supply refrigerant and coolant to each of the heat pump system, the cooling device, and the battery cooling system in the engine compartment also becomes complicated.

[0014] In addition, since a battery cooling system for heating or cooling the battery according to the state of the vehicle is separately provided in order to obtain the best performance of the battery, a plurality of valves for selectively interconnecting the connection pipes are adopted. Therefore, noise and vibration generated by frequent opening and closing operations of the valves may be transmitted to the interior of the vehicle, thereby reducing riding comfort.

[0015] Furthermore, when heating the interior of the vehicle, heating performance may be deteriorated due to lack of a heat source; power consumption may increase due to use of an electric heater; and power consumption of a compressor may increase.

[0016] The above information disclosed in this background section is only used to enhance the understanding of the background of the present disclosure. Therefore, this background section may contain information that does not constitute prior art known to a person of ordinary skill in the art. Summary of the invention

[0017] The present disclosure provides a heat pump system for a vehicle, which can effectively adjust the temperature of a battery module by using a chiller, wherein a refrigerant and a coolant exchange heat in the chiller. The present disclosure also provides a heat pump system for a vehicle, which can effectively recover ambient air heat and waste heat of electrical components for heating the interior of the vehicle.

[0018] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, a heat pump system for a vehicle may include an air conditioning unit, the air conditioning unit including a compressor connected via a refrigerant line through which a refrigerant flows, an internal condenser, a heat exchanger, a first expansion valve, an evaporator, and a accumulator. The heat pump system may also include a cooler, which is arranged on a first connecting line connected to the refrigerant line and is configured to adjust the temperature of the coolant by exchanging heat between the refrigerant and the coolant, wherein the refrigerant is a refrigerant supplied from the air conditioning unit via the refrigerant line. In addition, the heat pump system may include a second expansion valve, which is arranged on the first connecting line at the upstream end of the cooler. The air conditioning unit may also include: an internal heat exchanger, which is arranged in the accumulator and is configured to exchange heat between the refrigerant selectively supplied from the internal condenser or the heat exchanger and the refrigerant selectively supplied from the evaporator or the cooler. The internal heat exchanger may also be configured to supply the liquid refrigerant in the heat-exchanged refrigerant to the first expansion valve or the second expansion valve. The air conditioning unit may further include a second connecting line having a first end connected to a refrigerant line between the interior condenser and the heat exchanger and a second end connected to a refrigerant line between the evaporator and the accumulator. The flow of the refrigerant may be controlled according to at least one mode for temperature regulation of the vehicle interior or for temperature regulation of the battery module.

[0019] A valve for selectively opening and closing the second connecting line may be provided on the second connecting line.

[0020] The heat pump system for a vehicle may further include: a third expansion valve, which is arranged on the refrigerant pipeline between the internal condenser and the heat exchanger; and a third connecting pipeline, which has: a first end connected to the third expansion valve; and a second end connected to the refrigerant pipeline between the heat exchanger and the internal heat exchanger.

[0021] The at least one mode may include: a first mode for cooling the battery module while cooling the vehicle interior; a second mode for heating the vehicle interior; and a third mode for heating the vehicle interior and dehumidifying the vehicle interior.

[0022] In the first mode, the refrigerant pipeline connecting the internal condenser and the heat exchanger can be opened by operation of the third expansion valve. The first connecting pipeline can be opened by operation of the second expansion valve. The second connecting pipeline can be closed; and the third connecting pipeline can be closed by operation of the third expansion valve.

[0023] In addition, in the first mode, the first expansion valve may be configured to expand the refrigerant introduced via the refrigerant line so that the expanded refrigerant is supplied to the evaporator. The second expansion valve may be configured to expand the refrigerant introduced into the first connecting line and may flow the expanded refrigerant into the cooler to cool the battery module by using the coolant that heat-exchanges with the refrigerant at the cooler. The third expansion valve may be configured to flow the refrigerant introduced from the internal condenser into the heat exchanger without expansion.

[0024] In addition, in the first mode, the refrigerant discharged from the heat exchanger may be supplied to the internal heat exchanger along the refrigerant line. The refrigerant discharged from the cooler and the refrigerant discharged from the evaporator may pass through the accumulator along the refrigerant line and then be supplied to the compressor. The internal heat exchanger may exchange heat between the refrigerant supplied from the heat exchanger and the refrigerant supplied from the evaporator and the cooler.

[0025] In the second mode, part of the refrigerant pipeline connecting the internal condenser and the second end of the second connecting pipeline may be closed by operation of the third expansion valve. Part of the refrigerant pipeline connected from the first end of the first connecting pipeline to the evaporator may be closed by operation of the first expansion valve. The refrigerant pipeline connected from the evaporator to the second end of the first connecting pipeline may be closed. The first connecting pipeline may be opened by operation of the second expansion valve. The second connecting pipeline may be opened, and the third connecting pipeline may be opened by operation of the third expansion valve.

[0026] In addition, in the second mode, the first expansion valve may stop working. The second expansion valve may supply the refrigerant introduced through the first connecting pipe to the cooler without expansion. The third expansion valve may expand the refrigerant so that the expanded refrigerant can be supplied to both the heat exchanger and the cooler.

[0027] In addition, in the second mode, part of the refrigerant introduced into the third connecting line from the internal condenser may be introduced into the heat exchanger. The remaining refrigerant introduced into the third connecting line from the internal condenser may be introduced into the internal heat exchanger. The refrigerant flowing out of the heat exchanger via the second connecting line and the refrigerant discharged from the cooler may pass through the accumulator along the refrigerant line and then be supplied to the compressor.

[0028] In the third mode, a portion of the refrigerant pipeline connected from the third expansion valve to the second end of the third connecting pipeline may be closed by operation of the third expansion valve. A refrigerant pipeline connecting the evaporator and the internal heat exchanger and a refrigerant pipeline connecting the evaporator and the accumulator may be opened by operation of the first expansion valve. The first connecting pipeline may be closed by operation of the second expansion valve. The second connecting pipeline may be closed; and the third connecting pipeline may be opened by operation of the third expansion valve.

[0029] In addition, in the third mode, the first expansion valve may expand the refrigerant introduced through the refrigerant line so that the expanded refrigerant may be supplied to the evaporator, the second expansion valve may stop operating, and the third expansion valve may flow the introduced refrigerant to the third connecting line without expansion.

[0030] Furthermore, in the third mode, the refrigerant introduced from the interior condenser to the third connecting line may be introduced to the interior heat exchanger along the refrigerant line. The interior heat exchanger may exchange heat between the refrigerant supplied from the interior condenser and the refrigerant supplied from the evaporator.

[0031] The second expansion valve and the third expansion valve may be electronic expansion valves configured to selectively expand the refrigerant while controlling the flow of the refrigerant.

[0032] The heat exchanger may be configured to condense or evaporate refrigerant introduced inside.

[0033] The cooler may be connected to the electric component via a first pipe through which the coolant circulates, and connected to the battery module via a second pipe through which the coolant circulates.

[0034] The first end of the first connecting line may be connected to the refrigerant line between the internal heat exchanger and the first expansion valve. The second end of the first connecting line may be connected to the refrigerant line between the evaporator and the accumulator.

[0035] As described above, according to the heat pump system for a vehicle according to one embodiment, by effectively adjusting the temperature of the battery module according to the mode of the vehicle using a chiller in which a coolant and a refrigerant exchange heat, it is possible to achieve system streamlining.

[0036] In addition, according to the embodiment, by effectively regulating the temperature of the battery module, the optimal performance of the battery module can be achieved. Therefore, due to the effective management of the battery module, the overall driving distance of the vehicle can be increased.

[0037] In addition, according to the present disclosure, in order to heat the interior of the vehicle, the flow of the refrigerant can be easily controlled by expanding the refrigerant and dividing the expanded refrigerant to supply it to the heat exchanger and the internal heat exchanger. In addition, the ambient air heat and the waste heat of the electrical components can be smoothly recovered, thereby improving the heating performance and efficiency.

[0038] Furthermore, according to the embodiments, manufacturing cost and weight may be reduced by simplifying the entire system, thereby improving space utilization. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0039] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0040] Figure 1is a block diagram of a heat pump system for a vehicle according to an embodiment.

[0041] Figure 2 is an operation diagram of a first mode of a heat pump system for a vehicle according to an embodiment.

[0042] Figure 3 is an operation diagram of a second mode of a heat pump system for a vehicle according to an embodiment.

[0043] Figure 4 is an operation diagram of a third mode of the heat pump system for a vehicle according to an embodiment.

[0044] Explanation of symbols:

[0045] 2, 4: First pipeline and second pipeline

[0046] 3: Electrical components

[0047] 5: Battery module

[0048] 10: Compressor

[0049] 11: Refrigerant pipeline

[0050] 12: HVAC module

[0051] 13: Internal condenser

[0052] 14: Heat exchanger

[0053] 15: First expansion valve

[0054] 16: Evaporator

[0055] 17: Liquid reservoir

[0056] 18: Internal heat exchanger

[0057] 20: Cooler

[0058] 21: First connecting pipeline

[0059] 23: Second expansion valve

[0060] 31: Second connecting pipeline

[0061] 33: Valve

[0062] 40: The third expansion valve

[0063] 41: The third connecting pipeline DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0064] The embodiments are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0065] The embodiments disclosed in this specification and the configurations described in the accompanying drawings are merely exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure and do not cover the entire scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, it should be understood that various equivalent forms and variations may exist when applying this specification.

[0066] In order to make the present disclosure easy to understand, parts not related to the description are omitted. In addition, the same reference numerals are used throughout the specification to represent the same elements or equivalents.

[0067] In addition, the size and thickness of each element are arbitrarily shown in the drawings, but the present disclosure is not necessarily limited thereto. In addition, in the drawings, the thickness of layers, films, panels, regions, etc. may be exaggerated for clarity.

[0068] In addition, unless explicitly described to the contrary, the term “comprise” and variations such as “comprises” or “comprising”, will be understood to imply the inclusion of stated elements but not the exclusion of any other elements.

[0069] In addition, terms described in the specification, such as “unit,” “means,” “portion,” “component,” and “member,” refer to a unit of a comprehensive element that performs at least one function or operation.

[0070] When a component, device, element, etc. of the present disclosure is described as having a purpose or performing an operation, function, etc., the component, device or element should be considered herein as being “configured to” satisfy the purpose or perform the operation or function.

[0071] Figure 1 is a block diagram of a heat pump system for a vehicle according to an embodiment.

[0072] According to the heat pump system for a vehicle according to the embodiment, the temperature of the battery module 5 is effectively adjusted by using the cooler 20 in which the refrigerant and the coolant exchange heat, and the ambient air heat and the waste heat of the electric components 3 can be effectively recovered for heating the vehicle interior.

[0073] To this end, the heat pump system according to the embodiment may include an air conditioning unit and a chiller 20 .

[0074] refer to Figure 1 The air conditioning unit may include a compressor 10, an internal condenser 13, a heat exchanger 14, a first expansion valve 15, an evaporator 16, a liquid reservoir 17, an internal heat exchanger 18, and a second connecting line 31. The second connecting line 31 is connected via the refrigerant line 11 to circulate the refrigerant via the refrigerant line 11.

[0075] First, the compressor 10 may compress introduced refrigerant and make the compressed refrigerant flow toward the refrigerant pipe 11 so that the refrigerant may flow along the refrigerant pipe 11 .

[0076] The interior condenser 13 may be connected to the compressor 10 via the refrigerant line 11. The interior condenser 13 may exchange heat between the refrigerant supplied from the compressor 10 via the refrigerant line 11 and the air.

[0077] In the present embodiment, the heat exchanger 14 may be connected to the interior condenser 13 via the refrigerant pipe 11. The cooling fan 7 may be provided at the rear of the heat exchanger 14.

[0078] The heat exchanger 14 configured in this way may condense or evaporate the introduced refrigerant by the operation of the cooling fan 7 and by exchanging heat with the ambient air.

[0079] In more detail, the heat exchanger 14 may evaporate the refrigerant when expanded refrigerant is introduced, and may condense the refrigerant when unexpanded refrigerant is introduced.

[0080] In other words, the interior condenser 13 and the heat exchanger 14 may be air-cooling type heat exchangers that exchange heat between the refrigerant introduced inside and the air.

[0081] The first expansion valve 15 may be connected to the heat exchanger 14 via the refrigerant pipe 11. The first expansion valve 15 may expand the refrigerant introduced via the refrigerant pipe 11.

[0082] In the present embodiment, the evaporator 16 may be connected to the first expansion valve 15 via the refrigerant pipe 11. When the expanded refrigerant is introduced from the first expansion valve 15, the evaporator 16 may evaporate the refrigerant through heat exchange with the air.

[0083] An interior condenser 13 and an evaporator 16 may be disposed inside a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) module 12 .

[0084] Therefore, the interior condenser 13 may condense the refrigerant by exchanging heat with the air introduced into the HVAC module 12. In addition, the evaporator 16 may evaporate the refrigerant by exchanging heat with the air introduced into the HVAC module 12.

[0085] The opening and closing door 12 a is configured to adjust the air passing through the evaporator 16 to selectively flow into the interior condenser 13 according to the cooling or heating conditions of the vehicle interior, and the opening and closing door 12 a may also be disposed inside the HVAC module 12 .

[0086] In other words, when heating the vehicle interior, the opening and closing door 12 a may be opened so that the ambient air that has passed through the evaporator 16 may be introduced into the interior condenser 13 .

[0087] On the contrary, when cooling the vehicle interior, the shutter door 12a can be closed so that the ambient air cooled while passing through the evaporator 16 is directly introduced into the vehicle interior. Since the shutter door 12a is closed, the ambient air cannot flow into the interior condenser 13.

[0088] The accumulator 17 may be disposed on the refrigerant line 11 between the evaporator 16 and the compressor 10 .

[0089] The accumulator 17 may supply only gaseous refrigerant to the compressor 10 , thereby improving efficiency and durability of the compressor 10 .

[0090] In addition, the internal heat exchanger 18 may be provided in the accumulator 17. The internal heat exchanger 18 may exchange heat between the refrigerant selectively supplied from the internal condenser 13 or the heat exchanger 14 and the refrigerant selectively supplied from the evaporator 16 or the cooler 20. The internal heat exchanger 18 may supply liquid refrigerant in the heat exchange refrigerant to the first expansion valve 15 or the second expansion valve 23.

[0091] In other words, the internal heat exchanger 18 may exchange heat between the refrigerant condensed from the internal condenser 13 or the heat exchanger 14 and the low-temperature refrigerant discharged from the evaporator 16. Also, the internal heat exchanger 18 may supply the heat-exchanged refrigerant to the compressor 10 and the evaporator 16, respectively.

[0092] In the present embodiment, the cooler 20 may be provided on the first connection pipe 21 connected to the refrigerant pipe 11 .

[0093] The cooler 20 may be connected to the electric component 3 via the first pipe 2 in which the coolant circulates. Therefore, the coolant selectively supplied via the first pipe 2 may circulate in the cooler 20.

[0094] The electrical component 3 may include a power conversion device such as an electric power control unit (EPCU), a motor, an inverter, an on-board charger (OBC), or an autonomous driving controller.

[0095] The electrical component 3 configured in this way can be connected to the first pipeline 2 and can be cooled by water cooling.

[0096] In addition, the cooler 20 may be connected to the battery module 5 via the second pipe 4 through which the coolant circulates. Therefore, the coolant selectively supplied via the second pipe 4 may circulate in the cooler 20.

[0097] In other words, the cooler 20 may adjust the temperature of the coolant through heat exchange between the coolant selectively introduced through the first line 2 or the second line 4 and the refrigerant selectively supplied from the air-conditioning unit.

[0098] The coolant having exchanged heat with the refrigerant at the cooler 20 may circulate through the electric component 3 via the first pipe 2. In addition, the coolant having exchanged heat with the refrigerant at the cooler 20 may circulate through the battery module 5 via the second pipe 4.

[0099] A water pump (not shown) may be provided on the first pipe 2 and the second pipe 4. In other words, the coolant may circulate through the first pipe 2 and the second pipe 4 according to the operation of the corresponding water pump (not shown).

[0100] Therefore, the coolant having exchanged heat with the refrigerant at the cooler 20 may be selectively supplied to the electric components 3 and the battery modules 5 to adjust the temperatures of the electric components 3 and the battery modules 5 .

[0101] When the above operation is repeatedly performed, the cooler 20 can adjust the temperature of the electric component 3 by using the coolant that has exchanged heat with the refrigerant, and can recover the waste heat of the electric component 3. In addition, the cooler 20 can also adjust the temperature of the battery module 5 by using the coolant that has exchanged heat with the refrigerant.

[0102] In other words, the cooler 20 may exchange heat between the refrigerant supplied from the air conditioning unit via the first connecting line 21 and the coolant. Therefore, the cooler 20 may adjust the temperature of the coolant. The cooler 20 may be a water-cooled heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the refrigerant and the coolant introduced inside.

[0103] A first end of the first connection line 21 may be connected to the refrigerant line 11 between the internal heat exchanger 18 and the first expansion valve 15. In addition, a second end of the first connection line 21 may be connected to the refrigerant line 11 between the evaporator 16 and the accumulator 17.

[0104] In the present embodiment, the second expansion valve 23 may be disposed on the first connecting line 21 at the upstream end of the cooler 20 .

[0105] When cooling or heating the vehicle interior, the second expansion valve 23 may selectively expand the refrigerant introduced into the first connecting line 21 and allow the selectively expanded refrigerant to flow into the cooler 20 .

[0106] In addition, the second expansion valve 23 may supply the refrigerant introduced into the first connecting line 21 to the cooler 20 without expansion, or may close the first connecting line 21 so that the refrigerant is not supplied to the cooler 20 .

[0107] In more detail, in order to cool the battery module 5 in the cooler 20 by using the coolant that performs heat exchange with the refrigerant, the second expansion valve 23 may open the first connection line 21. At the same time, the second expansion valve 23 may expand the refrigerant introduced into the first connection line 21 and allow the expanded refrigerant to flow into the cooler 20.

[0108] In other words, the second expansion valve 23 may expand the refrigerant discharged from the internal heat exchanger 18 to reduce the temperature, and allow the expanded refrigerant to flow toward the cooler 20. Therefore, this configuration also reduces the temperature of the coolant passing through the inside of the cooler 20.

[0109] Therefore, the coolant whose temperature is reduced while passing through the cooler 20 can be introduced into the battery module 5 , thereby achieving more efficient cooling.

[0110] The second expansion valve 23 may be a two-way electronic expansion valve configured to selectively expand the refrigerant while controlling the flow of the refrigerant.

[0111] An upstream end of the cooler 20 and a downstream end of the cooler 20 may be set according to a flow direction of the refrigerant.

[0112] In other words, based on the direction of the refrigerant flowing along the first connection line 21, the position where the refrigerant flows into the cooler 20 may be defined as the upstream end of the cooler 20. In addition, the position where the refrigerant is discharged from the cooler 20 may be defined as the downstream end of the cooler 20.

[0113] In addition, a first end of the second connection line 31 may be connected to the refrigerant line 11 between the interior condenser 13 and the heat exchanger 14. A second end of the second connection line 31 may be connected to the refrigerant line 11 between the evaporator 16 and the accumulator 17.

[0114] A valve 33 for selectively opening and closing the second connecting line 31 may be provided on the second connecting line 31 .

[0115] In other words, when heating the vehicle interior, the valve 33 may open the second connecting line 31. Conversely, when cooling the vehicle interior or heating the vehicle interior and dehumidifying the vehicle interior, the valve 33 may close the second connecting line 31.

[0116] The air conditioning unit may further include a third expansion valve 40 and a third connecting pipe 41 .

[0117] First, the third expansion valve 40 may be disposed on the refrigerant line 11 between the interior condenser 13 and the heat exchanger 14 .

[0118] In addition, a first end of the third connection line 41 may be connected to the third expansion valve 40. A second end of the third connection line 41 may be connected to the refrigerant line 11 between the heat exchanger 14 and the internal heat exchanger 18.

[0119] The third expansion valve 40 may selectively open and close the third connection line 41 , and may selectively expand the refrigerant supplied from the interior condenser 13 .

[0120] In more detail, when cooling the vehicle interior, the third expansion valve 40 may close the third connecting pipe 41. On the other hand, when heating the vehicle interior, the third expansion valve 40 may open the third connecting pipe 41, expand the refrigerant, and allow the expanded refrigerant to flow to the third connecting pipe 41.

[0121] In addition, when heating and dehumidifying the vehicle interior, the third expansion valve 40 may open the third connecting line 41 and may allow the refrigerant supplied from the interior condenser 13 to flow to the third connecting line 41 without expansion.

[0122] The third expansion valve 40 may be a three-way electronic expansion valve configured to selectively expand the refrigerant while controlling the flow of the refrigerant. The third expansion valve 40 may have one inlet and two outlets.

[0123] The heat pump system thus configured can control the flow of the refrigerant according to at least one mode for temperature regulation of the vehicle interior or for temperature regulation of the battery module 5 .

[0124] The at least one mode may include first to third modes.

[0125] First, in the first mode, the vehicle interior can be cooled, and the battery module 5 can be cooled.

[0126] In the second mode, the vehicle interior may be heated.

[0127] Furthermore, in the third mode, the vehicle interior may be heated and the vehicle interior may be dehumidified.

[0128] Below, reference Figure 2-4 The operation and effect of the heat pump system for a vehicle according to the embodiment configured as described above will be described in detail.

[0129] First, refer to Figure 2 Operation in a first mode of the heat pump system for a vehicle according to one embodiment, which is for cooling the battery module 5 while cooling the interior of the vehicle, is described in detail.

[0130] Figure 2 is an operation diagram of a first mode of a heat pump system for a vehicle according to one embodiment.

[0131] refer to Figure 2 , the first pipeline 2 can be closed, and the coolant can be circulated through the second pipeline 4 by operating a water pump (not shown).

[0132] Therefore, the coolant passing through the battery module 5 may be supplied to the cooler 20 along the second line 4 .

[0133] In the air conditioning unit, the corresponding components may operate to cool the interior of the vehicle. Therefore, the refrigerant may circulate along the refrigerant line 11 .

[0134] The refrigerant line 11 connecting the interior condenser 13 and the heat exchanger 14 may be opened by operation of the third expansion valve 40 .

[0135] The first connection line 21 may be opened by operation of the second expansion valve 23 so that the refrigerant may be supplied to the cooler 20 .

[0136] Therefore, the coolant passing through the battery module 5 may be supplied to the cooler 20 along the second line 4 .

[0137] The second expansion valve 23 may expand the refrigerant introduced into the first connection line 21 and flow the expanded refrigerant into the cooler 20 to cool the battery module 5 by using the coolant that is heat-exchanged with the refrigerant at the cooler 20 .

[0138] Therefore, the coolant passing through the cooler 20 may be cooled by heat exchange with the expanded refrigerant supplied to the cooler 20 .

[0139] In other words, the coolant passing through the cooler 20 may be cooled by heat exchange with the expanded refrigerant supplied to the cooler 20. The coolant cooled at the cooler 20 is supplied to the battery module 5 along the second line 4.

[0140] Therefore, the battery module 5 can be effectively cooled by the coolant cooled at the cooler 20 .

[0141] The second connecting line 31 may be closed by the operation of the valve 33. In addition, the third connecting line 41 may be closed by the operation of the third expansion valve 40.

[0142] Therefore, the refrigerant compressed at the compressor 10 may be introduced into the interior condenser 13 along the refrigerant line 11. The refrigerant discharged from the interior condenser 13 may be introduced into the heat exchanger 14 along the refrigerant line 11.

[0143] The third expansion valve 40 may allow the refrigerant introduced from the interior condenser 13 to flow into the heat exchanger 14 without expansion.

[0144] The heat exchanger 14 may condense the introduced refrigerant through heat exchange with ambient air. The refrigerant condensed at the heat exchanger 14 may be introduced to the internal heat exchanger 18 along the refrigerant line 11.

[0145] At this time, the internal heat exchanger 18 may further condense the refrigerant supplied from the heat exchanger 14 by exchanging heat with the refrigerants supplied from the evaporator 16 and the cooler 20, respectively.

[0146] Part of the refrigerant discharged from the internal heat exchanger 18 may be introduced into the cooler 20 along the first connecting line 21 .

[0147] The refrigerant introduced into the cooler 20 may exchange heat with the coolant supplied through the second line 4 , may pass through the accumulator 17 through the refrigerant line 11 connected to the first connecting line 21 , and then flow into the compressor 10 .

[0148] In addition, the remaining refrigerant among the refrigerant discharged from the interior heat exchanger 18 may be introduced into the first expansion valve 15 along the refrigerant line 11 to cool the vehicle interior.

[0149] The first expansion valve 15 may expand the refrigerant introduced through the refrigerant line 11 so that the expanded refrigerant is supplied to the evaporator 16. Therefore, the expanded refrigerant may be introduced into the evaporator 16.

[0150] The refrigerant passing through the evaporator 16 may sequentially pass through the accumulator 17 and the compressor 10 along the refrigerant line 11 .

[0151] In other words, the refrigerant discharged from the cooler 20 and the refrigerant discharged from the evaporator 16 may pass through the accumulator 17 along the refrigerant line 11 and then be supplied to the compressor 10 .

[0152] The air introduced into the HVAC module 12 may be cooled by the low-temperature refrigerant introduced into the evaporator 16 while passing through the evaporator 16 .

[0153] At this time, the opening and closing door 12a may be closed so that the cooled ambient air cannot pass through the interior condenser 13. Therefore, the cooled ambient air can cool the vehicle interior by being directly introduced into the vehicle interior.

[0154] While the refrigerant passes through the heat exchanger 14 and the internal heat exchanger 18 in sequence, the condensation level of the refrigerant increases, and the refrigerant is expanded and supplied to the evaporator 16, so that the refrigerant can be evaporated to a lower temperature.

[0155] In other words, in the present embodiment, the heat exchanger 14 may cool the refrigerant by heat exchange with ambient air, and the internal heat exchanger 18 may further condense the refrigerant by heat exchange with low-temperature refrigerant.

[0156] Through such operation, the heat pump system can more efficiently condense the refrigerant, thereby advantageously forming subcooling of the refrigerant.

[0157] Furthermore, since the subcooled refrigerant can be evaporated to a temperature lower than that in the evaporator 16 , the temperature of the air passing through the evaporator 16 can also be lowered, thereby improving cooling performance and efficiency.

[0158] While the above-described process is repeatedly performed, in a cooling mode of the vehicle interior, the refrigerant may cool the vehicle interior, and at the same time, the coolant may be cooled by heat exchange while passing through the cooler 20 .

[0159] The low-temperature coolant cooled at the cooler 20 may be introduced to the battery module 5 via the second pipe 4. Therefore, the battery module 5 may be effectively cooled by the supplied low-temperature coolant.

[0160] Although in the present embodiment, cooling the vehicle interior in the first mode is described, it is not limited thereto. When dehumidification is required when cooling the vehicle interior, the opening and closing door 12 a may be opened toward the side of the interior condenser 13 .

[0161] Therefore, the air introduced into the HVAC module 12 may be cooled by the low-temperature refrigerant introduced into the evaporator 16. Thereafter, the cooled ambient air may be dehumidified while passing through the interior condenser 13 and introduced into the vehicle interior, thereby smoothly cooling and dehumidifying the vehicle interior.

[0162] refer to Figure 3 Operation in a second mode of a heat pump system for a vehicle according to one embodiment, which mode is for heating the interior of the vehicle, is described in detail.

[0163] Figure 3 is an operation diagram of a second mode of a heat pump system for a vehicle according to an embodiment.

[0164] refer to Figure 3 , the coolant can circulate through the first pipeline 2 by the operation of a water pump (not shown). At the same time, the second pipeline 4 can be closed.

[0165] Therefore, the coolant passing through the electric component 3 may be supplied to the cooler 20 along the first pipe 2 .

[0166] In the air conditioning unit, the corresponding components may operate to heat the interior of the vehicle. Therefore, the refrigerant may circulate along the refrigerant line 11 .

[0167] A portion of the refrigerant line 11 connecting the interior condenser 13 and the second end of the second connection line 31 may be closed by operation of the third expansion valve 40 .

[0168] In addition, part of the refrigerant line 11 connecting the first end of the first connecting line 21 to the evaporator 16 may be closed by operation of the first expansion valve 15. At the same time, the refrigerant line 11 connecting the evaporator 16 to the second end of the first connecting line 21 may be closed.

[0169] Therefore, the first expansion valve 15 may stop operating.

[0170] Meanwhile, the first connection line 21 may be opened by operation of the second expansion valve 23. The second expansion valve 23 may supply the refrigerant introduced through the first connection line 21 to the cooler 20 without expansion.

[0171] The second connecting line 31 can be opened by operating the valve 33 .

[0172] In addition, the third connection line 41 may be opened by operation of the third expansion valve 40. The third expansion valve 40 may expand the refrigerant so that the expanded refrigerant may be supplied to the heat exchanger 14, the internal heat exchanger 18, and the cooler 20.

[0173] Therefore, part of the refrigerant introduced into the third connecting line 41 from the interior condenser 13 may be introduced into the heat exchanger 14 .

[0174] The heat exchanger 14 may evaporate the expanded refrigerant by exchanging heat with ambient air introduced from the outside. At this time, the heat exchanger 14 may recover the heat of the ambient air when evaporating the expanded refrigerant through heat exchange with the ambient air.

[0175] The remaining refrigerant of the refrigerant introduced into the third connecting line 41 from the interior condenser 13 may be introduced into the interior heat exchanger 18 .

[0176] The refrigerant passing through the internal heat exchanger 18 may be introduced to the cooler 20 along the opened first connecting line 21 .

[0177] The cooler 20 may evaporate the refrigerant expanded at the third expansion valve 40 and passing through the internal heat exchanger 18 by exchanging heat with the coolant supplied through the first line 2. The cooler 20 may recover waste heat of the electric component 3 from the coolant, and the temperature of the coolant is increased by recovering the waste heat from the electric component 3.

[0178] The refrigerant flowing through the heat exchanger 14 via the second connecting line 31 and the refrigerant discharged from the cooler 20 may pass through the accumulator 17 along the refrigerant line 11 and may then be supplied to the compressor 10 .

[0179] In this state, the refrigerant supplied from the compressor 10 may be introduced to the interior condenser 13 along the refrigerant line 11. The refrigerant passing through the interior condenser 13 may flow along the third connection line 41 connected to the refrigerant line 11.

[0180] The interior condenser 13 may exchange heat between the refrigerant and ambient air introduced into the interior of the HVAC module 12 to condense the refrigerant.

[0181] The refrigerant condensed at the interior condenser 13 may be expanded at the third expansion valve 40. Thereafter, the refrigerant flowing along the third connection line 41 may be introduced into the heat exchanger 14 and the cooler 20, respectively.

[0182] In other words, when the refrigerant passing through the interior condenser 13 is supplied to the heat exchanger 14 in an expanded state by operation of the third expansion valve 40 , the heat exchanger 14 may evaporate the refrigerant through heat exchange with ambient air.

[0183] In addition, when the refrigerant passing through the interior condenser 13 is supplied to the cooler 20 in an expanded state by operation of the third expansion valve 40 , the cooler 20 may evaporate the supplied refrigerant through heat exchange with the coolant.

[0184] Therefore, the heat exchanger 14 can evaporate the supplied refrigerant by heat exchange with the ambient air, and at the same time, the cooler 20 can cool the supplied refrigerant by heat exchange with the coolant. By repeatedly performing these operations, the heat exchanger 14 and the cooler 20 can recover the ambient air heat and the waste heat of the electrical components 3.

[0185] In other words, since the heat pump system can increase the temperature of the refrigerant using the recovered ambient air heat and the waste heat of the electric components 3, the power consumption of the compressor 10 can be reduced, and the heating efficiency can be improved.

[0186] The refrigerant passing through the accumulator 17 may be supplied to the compressor 10 .

[0187] In addition, the refrigerant compressed to a high-temperature and high-pressure state by the compressor 10 may be guided back to the interior condenser 13 along the refrigerant line 11 .

[0188] The shutter door 12 a is opened so that ambient air introduced into the HVAC module 12 and passed through the evaporator 16 can pass through the interior condenser 13 .

[0189] Therefore, when passing through the evaporator 16 not supplied with refrigerant, the ambient air introduced from the outside can be introduced at room temperature and has not been cooled. The introduced ambient air can be converted to a high temperature state when passing through the interior condenser 13 and then introduced into the vehicle interior, thereby achieving heating of the vehicle interior.

[0190] Therefore, the heat pump system according to one embodiment can recover ambient air heat at the heat exchanger 14 when driving the vehicle, and smoothly recover waste heat of the coolant whose temperature is increased at the cooler 20 when passing through the electric component 3, thereby improving overall heating performance and efficiency.

[0191] Furthermore, according to the present disclosure, heating efficiency and performance may be improved while minimizing the use of a separate electric heater.

[0192] Although the present embodiment describes that the waste heat of the electric component 3 is recovered together with the ambient air heat, it is not limited thereto. At least one of the ambient air heat, the waste heat of the electric component 3 and the waste heat of the battery module 5 may be selectively recovered.

[0193] In addition, reference Figure 4 Operation in the third mode of one embodiment, which is for heating and dehumidifying the vehicle interior, is described in detail.

[0194] Figure 4 is an operation diagram related to a third mode in a heat pump system for a vehicle according to one embodiment.

[0195] refer to Figure 4 , the first pipeline 2 and the second pipeline 4 may be closed. Therefore, the coolant may not be supplied to the cooler 20.

[0196] In the air conditioning unit, corresponding components may operate so as to heat and dehumidify the vehicle interior. Thus, the refrigerant may circulate along the refrigerant line 11.

[0197] A portion of the refrigerant line 11 connected from the third expansion valve 40 to the second end of the third connection line 41 may be closed by the operation of the third expansion valve 40 .

[0198] In addition, the refrigerant line 11 connecting the evaporator 16 and the internal heat exchanger 18 and the refrigerant line 11 connecting the evaporator 16 and the accumulator 17 may be opened by the operation of the first expansion valve 15 .

[0199] The first expansion valve 15 may expand the refrigerant introduced through the refrigerant line 11 so that the expanded refrigerant may be supplied to the evaporator 16 .

[0200] At the same time, the first connecting line 21 may be closed by the operation of the second expansion valve 23 .

[0201] In addition, the second connecting line 31 may be closed by the operation of the valve 33. In addition, the third connecting line 41 may be opened by the operation of the third expansion valve 40.

[0202] The third expansion valve 40 allows the introduced refrigerant to flow to the third connecting pipe 41 without expansion.

[0203] Therefore, the interior condenser 13 may condense the introduced refrigerant by using the ambient air introduced into the HVAC module 12 .

[0204] The refrigerant condensed at the interior condenser 13 may be introduced from the interior condenser 13 to the third expansion valve 40. Then, the refrigerant may flow from the third expansion valve 40 along the third connection line 41.

[0205] The refrigerant introduced into the third connecting line 41 may be introduced into the internal heat exchanger 18 .

[0206] At this time, the interior heat exchanger 18 may further condense the refrigerant supplied from the interior condenser 13 by exchanging heat with the refrigerant supplied from the evaporator 16 .

[0207] Refrigerant discharged from the internal heat exchanger 18 may be introduced into the first expansion valve 15 along the refrigerant line 11 .

[0208] The first expansion valve 15 may expand the refrigerant introduced through the refrigerant line 11 so that the expanded refrigerant may be supplied to the evaporator 16. Therefore, the expanded refrigerant may be introduced to the evaporator 16.

[0209] The refrigerant passing through the evaporator 16 may sequentially pass through the accumulator 17 and the compressor 10 along the refrigerant line 11 .

[0210] In other words, the refrigerant discharged from the evaporator 16 may pass through the accumulator 17 along the refrigerant line 11 and then may be supplied to the compressor 10 .

[0211] In addition, the refrigerant compressed to a high-temperature and high-pressure state by the compressor 10 may be guided back to the interior condenser 13 along the refrigerant line 11 .

[0212] The shutter door 12 a is opened so that ambient air introduced into the HVAC module 12 and passed through the evaporator 16 can pass through the interior condenser 13 .

[0213] In other words, the ambient air introduced into the HVAC module 12 may be dehumidified by the low-temperature refrigerant introduced into the evaporator 16 while passing through the evaporator 16. Thereafter, the ambient air may smoothly heat the vehicle interior and dehumidify the vehicle interior by being converted into a high-temperature state while passing through the interior condenser 13 and then being introduced into the vehicle interior.

[0214] Although it is described in the present embodiment that the first connecting pipe 21 is closed, it is not limited thereto.

[0215] In other words, in the third mode, when the waste heat of the electrical components 3 or the battery module 5 is recovered by the cooler 20, or when the battery module 5 needs to be temperature-regulated, the first connecting line 21 can be opened by operating the second expansion valve 23 so that the refrigerant can be introduced into the cooler 20.

[0216] In this case, at least one of the first pipe 2 or the second pipe 4 may circulate the coolant by operation of a water pump (not shown). Therefore, the coolant passing through the electric component 3 or the battery module 5 may be supplied to the cooler 20 along the first pipe 2 or the second pipe 4.

[0217] Therefore, the cooler 20 may exchange heat between the selectively introduced coolant and the refrigerant introduced into the first connecting line 21 to recover waste heat of the electric component 3 and the battery module 5 , or adjust the temperature of the battery module 5 .

[0218] Therefore, as described above, when the heat pump system for a vehicle according to the present embodiment is applied, the temperature of the battery module 5 can be effectively adjusted by using the cooler 20 in which the coolant and the refrigerant exchange heat according to the selected mode of the vehicle. As a result, the system can be streamlined.

[0219] Furthermore, according to one embodiment, by effectively regulating the temperature of the battery module 5, optimal performance of the battery module 5 may be achieved. Therefore, due to the effective management of the battery module 5, the overall driving distance of the vehicle may be increased.

[0220] Furthermore, according to the present disclosure, when heating the interior of the vehicle, the flow control of the refrigerant can be facilitated by expanding the refrigerant and dividing the expanded refrigerant to supply to the heat exchanger 14 and the internal heat exchanger 18. Furthermore, the ambient air heat and the waste heat of the electric components 3 can be smoothly recovered, thereby improving the heating performance and efficiency.

[0221] Furthermore, according to one embodiment, manufacturing cost and weight may be reduced by simplifying the entire system, thereby improving space utilization.

[0222] While the present disclosure has been described in conjunction with what are presently considered to be practical embodiments, it should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Rather, the present disclosure is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A heat pump system for a vehicle, in, include: An air conditioning unit comprising: a compressor, an internal condenser, a heat exchanger, a first expansion valve, an evaporator, and a liquid receiver, these components being connected via a refrigerant pipeline through which a refrigerant flows; a cooler provided on a first connecting line connected to the refrigerant line and configured to adjust a temperature of a coolant by exchanging heat between the refrigerant and a coolant, wherein the refrigerant is a refrigerant supplied from the air conditioning unit via the refrigerant line; and A second expansion valve is disposed on the first connecting pipeline at the upstream end of the cooler, wherein the air conditioning unit further comprises: an internal heat exchanger disposed in the accumulator and configured to exchange heat between the refrigerant selectively supplied from the internal condenser or the heat exchanger and the refrigerant selectively supplied from the evaporator or the cooler, wherein the internal heat exchanger is configured to supply liquid refrigerant in the heat-exchanged refrigerant to the first expansion valve or the second expansion valve, and a second connecting pipeline, comprising: a first end connected to the refrigerant pipeline between the internal condenser and the heat exchanger; and a second end connected to the refrigerant pipeline between the evaporator and the accumulator, and The flow of the refrigerant is controlled according to at least one mode for temperature regulation of the interior of the vehicle or for temperature regulation of the battery module.

2. The heat pump system according to claim 1, wherein: A valve configured to selectively open or close the second connecting line is provided on the second connecting line.

3. The heat pump system according to claim 1, wherein: Also includes: a third expansion valve disposed on the refrigerant pipeline between the internal condenser and the heat exchanger; and The third connecting pipeline includes: a first end connected to the third expansion valve; and a second end connected to the refrigerant pipeline between the heat exchanger and the internal heat exchanger.

4. The heat pump system according to claim 3, wherein: The at least one mode comprises: a first mode for cooling the battery module while cooling the interior of the vehicle; a second mode for heating the vehicle interior; and The third mode is for heating the vehicle interior and dehumidifying the vehicle interior.

5. The heat pump system according to claim 4, wherein: In the first mode: opening the refrigerant pipeline connecting the internal condenser and the heat exchanger by operating the third expansion valve; opening the first connecting pipeline by operating the second expansion valve; Close the second connecting line; and The third connecting pipeline is closed by operating the third expansion valve.

6. The heat pump system according to claim 5, wherein: The first expansion valve is configured to expand the refrigerant introduced through the refrigerant line so that the expanded refrigerant is supplied to the evaporator; the second expansion valve being configured to expand the refrigerant introduced into the first connection line and to flow the expanded refrigerant into the cooler to cool the battery module by using the coolant heat-exchanging with the refrigerant at the cooler; and The third expansion valve is configured to allow the refrigerant introduced from the interior condenser to flow into the heat exchanger without expansion.

7. The heat pump system according to claim 5, wherein: The refrigerant discharged from the heat exchanger is supplied to the internal heat exchanger along the refrigerant pipeline; The refrigerant discharged from the cooler and the refrigerant discharged from the evaporator pass through the accumulator along the refrigerant line and are then supplied to the compressor; and The internal heat exchanger exchanges heat between the refrigerant supplied from the heat exchanger and the refrigerant supplied from the evaporator and the cooler.

8. The heat pump system according to claim 4, wherein: In the second mode: closing a portion of the refrigerant pipeline connecting the internal condenser and the second end of the second connecting pipeline by operating the third expansion valve; closing a portion of the refrigerant pipeline connecting the evaporator and the first end of the first connecting pipeline by operating the first expansion valve; closing the refrigerant line connected from the evaporator to the second end of the first connecting line; opening the first connecting pipeline by operating the second expansion valve; opening the second connecting line; and The third connecting pipeline is opened by operating the third expansion valve.

9. The heat pump system according to claim 8, wherein: The first expansion valve stops working; The second expansion valve supplies the refrigerant introduced through the first connecting pipe to the cooler without expansion; and The third expansion valve expands the refrigerant so that the expanded refrigerant is supplied to the heat exchanger and the cooler.

10. The heat pump system according to claim 8, wherein: introducing a portion of the refrigerant introduced from the internal condenser into the third connecting line into the heat exchanger; introducing the remaining refrigerant of the refrigerant introduced from the interior condenser into the third connecting line into the interior heat exchanger; and The refrigerant flowing out of the heat exchanger through the second connecting line and the refrigerant discharged from the cooler are passed through the accumulator along the refrigerant line and are then supplied to the compressor.

11. The heat pump system according to claim 4, wherein: In the third mode: closing, by operation of the third expansion valve, a portion of the refrigerant pipeline connecting the third expansion valve to the second end of the third connecting pipeline; opening the refrigerant pipeline connecting the evaporator and the internal heat exchanger and the refrigerant pipeline connecting the evaporator and the accumulator through the operation of the first expansion valve; Closing the first connecting pipeline by operating the second expansion valve; closing the second connecting pipeline; and The third connecting pipeline is opened by operating the third expansion valve.

12. The heat pump system according to claim 11, wherein: The first expansion valve expands the refrigerant introduced through the refrigerant line so that the expanded refrigerant is supplied to the evaporator; The second expansion valve stops working; and The third expansion valve is configured to allow the introduced refrigerant to flow toward the third connecting line without expansion.

13. The heat pump system according to claim 11, wherein: the refrigerant introduced from the interior condenser to the third connecting line is introduced to the interior heat exchanger along the refrigerant line; and The interior heat exchanger exchanges heat between the refrigerant supplied from the interior condenser and the refrigerant supplied from the evaporator.

14. The heat pump system according to claim 3, wherein: The second expansion valve and the third expansion valve are electronic expansion valves configured to selectively expand the refrigerant while controlling a flow of the refrigerant.

15. The heat pump system according to claim 1, wherein: The heat exchanger is configured to condense or evaporate the refrigerant.

16. The heat pump system according to claim 1, wherein: The cooler is connected to the electric component via a first pipe through which the coolant circulates, and is connected to the battery module via a second pipe through which the coolant circulates.

17. The heat pump system according to claim 1, wherein: A first end of the first connecting line is connected to the refrigerant line between the internal heat exchanger and the first expansion valve; and The second end of the first connecting line is connected to the refrigerant line between the evaporator and the accumulator.

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