External circulation air inlet system, air conditioner and automobile

Abstract

The invention relates to an external circulation air inlet system, an air conditioner and an automobile, the external circulation air inlet system comprises an air duct assembly, the air duct assembly is arranged in a cabin, the air duct assembly comprises a first air duct and a second air duct, the first air duct extends along the cabin, and the air inlet end and the air outlet end of the second air duct are located on the same side of the cabin; the first air duct is longer than the second air duct; the first air duct and the second air duct are both communicated with an external circulation air inlet duct of the air conditioner. When the first air duct is adopted for achieving air inlet outside the vehicle, waste heat in the engine room can be fully utilized for heating air in the first air duct; when air enters through the second air duct, the influence of engine room waste heat on the air inlet temperature is small, cold air inlet can be achieved, and through the outer circulation double-air-duct design, the first air duct and / or the second air duct can be selected according to the actual situation to achieve air inlet outside a vehicle; the external circulation air inlet system can meet the requirements for rapid temperature rise of the air conditioner in winter and rapid temperature reduction of the air conditioner in summer at the same time.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the technical field of automotive air conditioners, and particularly to an external circulation air intake system, an air conditioner, and an automobile. Background Art

[0002] The external circulation air intake of an automotive air conditioner means that during vehicle driving, air enters the vehicle from outside through the air intake port, thereby realizing the air exchange between the inside and outside of the vehicle.

[0003] When the automotive air conditioning system is in the external circulation mode, outside air enters the air conditioning system through the air filter, and then is cooled or heated by the air conditioning system, and cools or warms the passenger compartment through the air outlet of the passenger compartment air conditioner. The external circulation mode can provide fresh air inside the vehicle to better provide a comfortable riding environment for passengers.

[0004] When the outside air temperature is relatively low (such as when driving in winter or in frigid regions), the air conditioning system heats the passenger compartment in the external circulation mode. Due to the low intake air temperature, the air conditioning system will consume a large amount of energy when heating the air flow temperature to the preset target temperature, resulting in an increase in the overall vehicle energy consumption. Summary of the Invention

[0005] One of the purposes of this application is to provide an external circulation air intake system to solve the technical problem of large energy consumption when the existing air conditioning system uses the external circulation mode for heating under the condition of low outside air temperature; the second purpose is to provide an air conditioner; the third purpose is to provide an automobile.

[0006] To achieve the above purposes, the technical solutions adopted in this application are as follows:

[0007] An external circulation air intake system includes a duct assembly disposed inside the engine compartment. The duct assembly includes a first duct and a second duct. The first duct extends along the engine compartment. The inlet end and the outlet end of the second duct are on the same side of the engine compartment, and the length of the first duct is greater than the length of the second duct; both the first duct and the second duct are communicated with the external circulation intake air duct of the air conditioner.

[0008] According to the above technical means, the first air duct extends along the engine compartment. When using the first air duct to achieve outside air intake, during the process of the air entering from outside flowing in the first air duct, it can exchange heat with the hot air with residual heat in the engine compartment, making full use of the residual heat in the engine compartment to heat the air in the first air duct, so that the air in the first air duct is preheated before entering the air conditioner, and an external circulation hot air intake route can be formed. The air inlet end and the air outlet end of the second air duct are located on the same side of the engine compartment, which can reduce the length of the second air duct in the engine compartment and reduce the influence of the residual heat in the engine compartment on the air temperature in the second air duct. By using the second air duct to achieve outside air intake, an external circulation cold air intake route can be formed.

[0009] Further, a heat conduction structure is provided on the outer surface of the first air duct.

[0010] According to the above technical means, the heat conduction structure is used to enhance the heat exchange effect of the first air duct inside the engine compartment, enabling the residual heat in the engine compartment to be transferred to the inside of the first air duct at a faster efficiency, thereby achieving efficient heating of the air inside the first air duct.

[0011] Further, the air duct assembly further includes a third air duct, and the first air duct and the second air duct are communicated with the external circulation intake air duct of the air conditioner through the third air duct;

[0012] The inside of the third air duct is provided with a first sub-air duct and a second sub-air duct. The first sub-air duct and the second sub-air duct are respectively communicated with the first air duct and the second air duct, and a first spacer is provided between the first sub-air duct and the second sub-air duct.

[0013] According to the above technical means, the transfer between the first air duct, the second air duct and the external circulation intake air duct can be achieved through the third air duct; a first spacer is provided between the first sub-air duct and the second sub-air duct to prevent the hot air output from the first air duct and the cold air output from the second air duct from mixing in the third air duct, and also prevent the hot air output through the first air duct from flowing back into the second air duct and the cold air output through the second air duct from flowing back into the first air duct, avoiding adverse effects on the intake air temperature and intake air effect.

[0014] Further, the first spacer includes a first heat insulation structure.

[0015] According to the above technical means, the setting of the first heat insulation structure can prevent the air in the first sub-air duct from exchanging heat with the air in the second sub-air duct through the first spacer, thereby affecting the external circulation hot air intake temperature or the external circulation cold air intake temperature.

[0016] Further, the external circulation air intake system further includes a front cover decorative part, and a water trough structure and a grille structure are provided on the front cover decorative part;

[0017] The water chute structure is recessed. The water chute structure includes a communicating water storage cavity and a gas storage cavity. The grille structure is arranged in a dislocation manner with the gas storage cavity. The gas storage cavity is communicated with the air inlet end of the first air duct and / or the air inlet end of the second air duct; the grille structure is communicated with the water storage cavity, and a drainage part is provided on the water storage cavity.

[0018] According to the above technical means, the front cover decorative part with a self - contained water chute structure replaces the traditional HVAC pressure chamber plate, which can reduce the cost and weight of the whole vehicle; the water chute structure includes a communicating water storage cavity and a gas storage cavity, which can be used to realize water - gas separation so that the external air entering through the grille structure can flow between the water storage cavity and the gas storage cavity; the grille structure is arranged in a dislocation manner with the gas storage cavity, which can prevent water droplets from directly falling into the gas storage cavity through the grille structure, and avoid water droplets from directly entering the air conditioner through the first air duct and / or the second air duct, causing mildew or damage to components such as the air filter inside the air conditioner, and can solve the water - inlet problem of the air - conditioning system from the source; the grille structure is communicated with the water storage cavity, and the water storage cavity is provided with a drainage part. After the water droplets enter the water chute structure through the grille structure, they can directly fall into the water storage cavity and be discharged through the drainage part, which can prevent the liquid in the water storage cavity from spreading to the gas storage cavity.

[0019] Furthermore, the projection of the grille structure in the vertical direction is located inside the water storage cavity.

[0020] According to the above technical means, when water droplets drip from the opening of the grille structure, they can directly fall into the water storage cavity under the action of gravity. The gas storage cavity is located on one side of the water storage cavity and is arranged in a dislocation manner with the grille structure, and water - gas separation can be realized through the left - right separation design of the water storage cavity and the gas storage cavity.

[0021] Furthermore, the bottom of the water storage cavity is recessed with respect to the gas storage cavity, and the volume of the water storage cavity is larger than the volume of the gas storage cavity.

[0022] According to the above technical means, the gas storage cavity is located above the water storage cavity. When air mixed with water droplets enters through the grille structure, water - gas separation can be realized through the different densities of water droplets and air. The air above the water storage cavity can flow horizontally into the gas storage cavity, thus realizing the intake of outside air. And the volume of the water storage cavity is larger than the volume of the gas storage cavity, which can increase the capacity of the water storage cavity. When the amount of water droplets is large, it can store a large amount of liquid and prevent the liquid from overflowing from the water storage cavity.

[0023] Furthermore, the water storage cavity includes a water - blocking part that is transitionally connected to the gas storage cavity. The drainage part is arranged opposite to the water - blocking part and extends to the bottom of the water storage cavity.

[0024] According to the above technical means, the resistance of outside air flowing from the water storage cavity into the air storage cavity can be reduced, and the liquid inside the water storage cavity can be discharged from the side facing away from the air storage cavity (i.e., the side provided with the drainage part), so that the air and water droplets in the water chute structure flow in opposite directions to achieve separation. The drainage part extends to the bottom of the water storage cavity, which can completely empty the liquid inside the water storage cavity. While improving the drainage efficiency, it can avoid a small amount of liquid accumulating at the bottom of the water storage cavity for a long time, which may cause the growth of microorganisms.

[0025] Furthermore, first and second water chute structures are respectively provided at both ends of the front cover decorative member, and the first and second water chute structures are respectively communicated with the first air duct and the second air duct.

[0026] According to the above technical means, the first air duct can intake air through the first water chute structure and is part of the external circulation hot air flow path; the second air duct can intake air through the second water chute structure and is part of the external circulation cold air flow path; thus, two independent air intake paths are formed. While matching the layout of the air duct assembly, the dual water chute structure can achieve simultaneous or time-sharing air intake of two independent air ducts, meeting the different requirements under different functional modes. In addition, it can reduce the burden on a single air duct, improve the system redundancy, and avoid the overall function failure caused by the failure of a single air duct.

[0027] Furthermore, the water storage cavity communicated with the first air duct is the first water storage cavity, and the water storage cavity communicated with the second air duct is the second water storage cavity, and a one-way valve is provided at the drainage part of the second water storage cavity.

[0028] According to the above technical means, the liquid in the second water storage cavity can be discharged from the second water storage cavity through the second drainage part and the one-way valve, but the hot air in the engine compartment outside the second water storage cavity will be blocked by the one-way valve and cannot enter the second water storage cavity through the second drainage part, which will not affect the cold air intake temperature of the second air duct.

[0029] Furthermore, first and second grille structures are respectively provided at both ends of the front cover decorative member, and the first and second grille structures are respectively arranged corresponding to the first and second water chute structures.

[0030] According to the above technical means, the outside air intake can enter the first and second air ducts more directly, which can shorten the flow path of the outside air intake on the front cover decorative member, reduce the flow-around and energy loss of the air flow on the surface of the front cover decorative member. By precisely matching the positions of the grille structure and the water chute structure, the retention and turbulence of the air flow in the complex structure are avoided, the intake resistance in the front cover decorative member is reduced, the air intake speed and flow rate are increased, and the air intake efficiency of the first and second air ducts is improved.

[0031] An air conditioner includes the above-mentioned external circulation air intake system and also includes a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) assembly. The HVAC assembly includes an external circulation air intake duct, which includes a first air inlet and a second air inlet. The first air inlet and the second air inlet are respectively communicated with the first duct and the second duct, and an openable and closable damper assembly is provided at each of the first air inlet and the second air inlet.

[0032] According to the above technical means, the HVAC assembly can adjust the air flow distribution in the duct according to different air conditioner operation modes. By opening different damper assemblies and adjusting the opening degree of the damper assemblies, the air intake and the air intake volume of the first duct and / or the second duct can be adjusted.

[0033] Furthermore, a second spacer is provided between the first air inlet and the second air inlet, and the second spacer includes a second heat insulation structure.

[0034] According to the above technical means, it is possible to avoid the mixing of the hot air output from the first sub-duct and the cold air output from the second sub-duct in the external circulation air intake duct, and the mutual heat conduction and heat convection effects of the cold and hot air in the external circulation air intake duct can be reduced.

[0035] A vehicle includes the above-mentioned external circulation air intake system.

[0036] Alternatively, it includes the above-mentioned air conditioner.

[0037] According to the above technical means, in different seasons or when the outside temperature of the vehicle is different, different external circulation air ducts (such as the first duct and the second duct) can be used to achieve outside air intake, which can improve the heating / cooling speed of the air conditioner, improve the comfort of the occupants, and reduce the energy consumption of the whole vehicle.

[0038] Advantages of the present application:

[0039] (1) Through the design of the external circulation dual air ducts in the present application, the first duct and / or the second duct can be selected according to the actual situation to achieve outside air intake, so that the external circulation air intake system of the present application can simultaneously meet the requirements of rapid heating of the air conditioner in winter and rapid cooling of the air conditioner in summer, which helps to reduce the energy consumption of the vehicle (especially new energy vehicles) during driving in winter.

[0040] (2) By connecting the front cover decorative part with the air duct assembly in the present application, two independent external circulation hot air intake routes and external circulation cold air intake routes can be formed, and the external circulation air intake temperature selection in multiple modes such as single external circulation cold air, single external circulation hot air, and external circulation mixed air can be realized through dual air duct switching. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0041] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of a partial structure of a vehicle provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0042] Figure 2 Structural schematic diagram of the air conditioner provided by the embodiment of the present application;

[0043] Figure 3 Provided by the embodiment of the present application Figure 2 Top view;

[0044] Figure 4 Provided by the embodiment of the present application along Figure 3 Cross-sectional view taken along A-A in;

[0045] Figure 5 Structural schematic diagram of the first air duct provided by the embodiment of the present application;

[0046] Figure 6 Connection schematic diagram of the first air duct and the third air duct provided by the embodiment of the present application;

[0047] Figure 7 Provided by the embodiment of the present application Figure 6 Top view;

[0048] Figure 8 Provided by the embodiment of the present application along Figure 7 Cross-sectional view taken along B-B in;

[0049] Figure 9 Structural schematic diagram of the front cover decorative part provided by the embodiment of the present application;

[0050] Figure 10 Partial cross-section of the front cover decorative part provided by the embodiment of the present application Figure 1 ;

[0051] Figure 11 Partial cross-section of the front cover decorative part provided by the embodiment of the present application Figure 2 ;

[0052] Figure 12 Structural schematic diagram of the HVAC assembly provided by the embodiment of the present application;

[0053] Figure 13 Front view of the HVAC assembly provided by the embodiment of the present application;

[0054] Figure 14 Provided by the embodiment of the present application along Figure 13 Cross-sectional view taken along C-C in;

[0055] Figure 15 Provided by the embodiment of the present application Figure 2 Front view;

[0056] Figure 16 Provided by the embodiment of the present application along Figure 15 Cross-sectional view taken along D-D in;

[0057] Figure 17 is the cross-sectional view along E-E provided for the embodiment of the present application; Figure 15 in the figure;

[0058] Figure 18 is the bottom view provided for the embodiment of the present application Figure 2 of.

[0059] Wherein, 1 - air duct assembly; 11 - first air duct; 111 - first air inlet end; 112 - first air outlet end; 113 - heat conduction structure; 12 - second air duct; 121 - second air inlet end; 122 - second air outlet end; 13 - third air duct; 131 - first sub-air duct; 132 - second sub-air duct; 133 - first spacer;

[0060] 2 - front cover decorative part; 21 - first water flow channel structure; 211 - first water storage cavity; 2111 - first drainage part; 2112 - first water retaining part; 212 - first air storage cavity; 213 - first seal; 214 - first air outlet; 22 - second water flow channel structure; 221 - second water storage cavity; 2211 - second drainage part; 2212 - second water retaining part; 222 - second air storage cavity; 223 - second seal; 23 - first grille structure; 24 - second grille structure;

[0061] 3 - HVAC assembly; 31 - external circulation intake air duct; 311 - first air inlet; 312 - second air inlet; 313 - second spacer; 32 - first damper assembly; 33 - second damper assembly; 34 - sealing connection assembly; 35 - internal circulation intake air assembly;

[0062] 4 - engine compartment;

[0063] 5 - vehicle body. Detailed implementation manners

[0064] The following will describe the implementation manners of the present application with reference to the accompanying drawings and preferred embodiments. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present application from the content disclosed in this specification. The present application can also be implemented or applied through other different specific implementation manners. Various details in this specification can also be modified or changed based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of the present application. It should be understood that the preferred embodiments are only for explaining the present application, rather than for limiting the protection scope of the present application.

[0065] It should be noted that the illustrations provided in the following embodiments only schematically illustrate the basic concept of the present application. Therefore, only the components related to the present application are shown in the drawings, rather than being drawn according to the number, shape, and size of the components in actual implementation. The type, quantity, and proportion of each component in actual implementation can be arbitrarily changed, and the component layout type may also be more complex.

[0066] Please refer to Figures 1 to 18 , in the first aspect of the embodiment of the present application, an external circulation air intake system is proposed, including a duct assembly 1. The duct assembly 1 is arranged inside the engine compartment 4. Due to the operation of components such as a drive motor (for new energy vehicles) or an engine (for traditional fuel vehicles) in the engine compartment 4, a large amount of heat will accumulate in the engine compartment 4.

[0067] Please refer to Figure 1 、 Figure 2 、 Figure 3 、 Figure 4 and Figure 5 , the duct assembly 1 includes a first duct 11 and a second duct 12. The first duct 11 extends along the engine compartment 4. When the first duct 11 is used to achieve air intake from outside the vehicle, during the process of the air entering from outside the vehicle flowing in the first duct 11, it can exchange heat with the hot air with residual heat in the engine compartment 4, and make full use of the residual heat in the engine compartment 4 to heat the air in the first duct 11, so that the air in the first duct 11 is preheated before entering the air conditioner, and an external circulation hot air intake route indicated by the solid arrows in Figure 4 can be formed.

[0068] The air inlet end and the air outlet end of the second duct 12 are located on the same side of the engine compartment 4, which can reduce the length of the second duct 12 in the engine compartment 4 and reduce the influence of the residual heat in the engine compartment 4 on the air in the second duct 12. When the outside temperature is suitable, there is no need to heat the air entering from outside the vehicle through the residual heat in the engine compartment 4. At this time, the second duct 12 can be used to achieve air intake from outside the vehicle, and an external circulation cold air intake route indicated by the dashed arrows in Figure 4 can be formed.

[0069] The length of the first duct 11 is greater than the length of the second duct 12. By designing the duct length, the heat exchange time between the first duct 11 and the engine compartment 4 can be extended, and the heat exchange time between the second duct 12 and the engine compartment 4 can be reduced, so as to adjust the intake air temperature by different duct air intakes.

[0070] The first air duct 11 and the second air duct 12 are both connected to the external circulation intake air duct 31 of the air conditioner, enabling the air conditioner to select different air ducts according to different seasons or the outside temperature conditions of the vehicle to achieve outside air intake. For example, in winter or when the outside air temperature is relatively low, air intake is through the first air duct 11. During the air intake process, the waste heat of the engine compartment 4 can be effectively utilized to heat the external circulation intake air, which can significantly reduce the energy consumption of the air conditioner and the entire vehicle. In summer or when the outside air temperature is appropriate, air intake is through the second air duct 12, avoiding the adverse impact of the waste heat of the engine compartment 4 on the intake air temperature, so that the air conditioner can take into account the external circulation air intake problems in both winter and summer (or when the outside temperature is different).

[0071] It should be noted that through the design of the dual air ducts in the external circulation of the present application, the first air duct 11 and / or the second air duct 12 can be selected according to the actual situation to achieve outside air intake. Among them, the design of the first air duct 11 needs to make full use of the waste heat recovery of the engine compartment 4 and the leakage path of intermediate heat leakage, and maximize the intake air temperature, so that the intake air temperature of the external circulation hot air intake route can be increased as much as possible, and the heating speed of the air conditioner in winter can be accelerated. The design of the second air duct 12 follows the principle of the shortest path design, reducing the heat exchange between the second air duct 12 and the engine compartment 4 and reducing the leakage path of intermediate heat leakage, so that the intake air temperature of the external circulation cold air intake route can be reduced as much as possible, and the cooling speed of the air conditioner in summer can be accelerated. Thus, the external circulation air intake system of the present application can meet the requirements of rapid heating of the air conditioner in winter and rapid cooling of the air conditioner in summer at the same time.

[0072] In the above embodiment, when designing the air duct assembly 1, the air intake end and the air outlet end of the first air duct 11 can be located on both sides or the same side of the engine compartment 4. The first air duct 11 can be a straight air duct, or a curved air duct (such as U-shaped, S-shaped, etc.), or a folded air duct. It can be designed around the engine (or drive motor). The key is to design the best heat exchange pipeline according to the flow field and temperature field of the engine compartment 4, and finally evaluate the engineering optimal method in combination with the vehicle cost. As long as the air in the first air duct 11 can extend in the engine compartment 4 to achieve the effect of heat exchange between the air inside the first air duct 11 and the hot air with waste heat in the engine compartment 4, the purpose of the present application can be achieved.

[0073] In some preferred embodiments of the present application, in order to facilitate the layout of the air duct assembly 1 in the engine compartment 4 while reducing the interference to the layout of other components, it is preferred to set the first air duct 11 as a straight air duct. The first air intake end 111 and the first air outlet end 112 of the first air duct 11 are respectively located on both sides of the engine compartment 4, and the length direction of the first air duct 11 is parallel to the width direction of the vehicle body 5, as Figure 1 shown.

[0074] In some embodiments of the present application, please refer to Figure 5A heat-conducting structure 113 is provided on the outer surface of the first air duct 11, which is used to enhance the heat exchange effect of the first air duct 11 inside the cabin 4, so that the waste heat in the cabin 4 is transferred to the inside of the first air duct 11 with faster efficiency, thereby achieving efficient heating of the air inside the first air duct 11.

[0075] It should be noted that the heat-conducting structure 113 can be designed according to actual conditions, and the purpose of the present application can be achieved as long as the heat exchange efficiency between the air inside the first air duct 11 and the cabin 4 can be improved.

[0076] In some embodiments of this application, please refer to Figure 5 The heat-conducting structure 113 may include a duct wall of the first duct 11 made of a heat-conducting material (such as aluminum, aluminum alloy, and stainless steel, etc.), and improves the heat exchange effect between the first duct 11 and the cabin 4 by improving the convective heat transfer coefficient of the first duct 11 itself.

[0077] In some embodiments of the present application, the heat-conducting structure 113 may also include heat-conducting fins (not shown in the figure) arranged on the outer surface of the first air duct 11, so as to improve the heat exchange effect between the first air duct 11 and the cabin 4 by increasing the heat conduction area between the first air duct 11 and the cabin 4.

[0078] In some embodiments of the present application, the heat-conducting structure 113 may also include heat-conducting holes opened on the outer wall of the middle section of the first air duct 11, so that part of the hot air in the cabin 4 enters the first air duct 11, thereby further enhancing the heat exchange effect without affecting the overall quality of the air in the passenger compartment.

[0079] In some embodiments of the present application, the second air duct 12 is made of heat-insulating material, which can prevent the hot air inside the cabin 4 from exchanging heat with the cold air in the second air duct 12, thereby reducing the impact of the waste heat of the cabin 4 on the temperature of the external circulating cold air inlet route.

[0080] In some embodiments of this application, please refer to Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 6 The air duct assembly 1 also includes a third air duct 13, and the first air duct 11 and the second air duct 12 are connected to the external circulation air intake duct 31 of the air conditioner through the third air duct 13; it is used to realize the switching between the first air duct 11, the second air duct 12 and the external circulation air intake duct 31 through the third air duct 13.

[0081] Inside the third air duct 13, there are a first sub-air duct 131 and a second sub-air duct 132. The first sub-air duct 131 and the second sub-air duct 132 are respectively communicated with the first air duct 11 and the second air duct 12 to achieve corresponding communication between the first air duct 11 and the first sub-air duct 131 and between the second air duct 12 and the second sub-air duct 132. A first spacer 133 is provided between the first sub-air duct 131 and the second sub-air duct 132 to prevent the hot air output from the first air duct 11 and the cold air output from the second air duct 12 from mixing in the third air duct 13, and also prevent the air output through the first air duct 11 from flowing back into the second air duct 12 and the air output through the second air duct 12 from flowing back into the first air duct 11, thereby avoiding adverse effects on the inlet air temperature and the inlet air effect.

[0082] In some embodiments of the present application, please refer to Figure 4 , Figure 6 , Figure 7 and Figure 8 , the third air duct 13 serves as a transfer station for the external circulation of hot and cold air, accommodating both cold air and hot air at the same time. To prevent heat exchange between the hot and cold air, the first spacer 133 includes a first heat insulation structure to prevent the air in the first sub-air duct 131 from exchanging heat with the air in the second sub-air duct 132 through the first spacer 133, thereby affecting the inlet air temperature of the external circulation hot air or the inlet air temperature of the external circulation cold air.

[0083] It should be noted that the first heat insulation structure can be a heat insulation film, a heat insulation pad, a heat insulation cotton or a heat insulation coating attached to the first spacer 133, or the first spacer 133 can be directly prepared from a heat insulation material or a plate body with a heat insulation layer (the heat insulation layer can be an air layer, etc.) (i.e., integrating the first spacer 133 and the first heat insulation structure into one component). As long as it can prevent heat exchange between the first sub-air duct 131 and the second sub-air duct 132, the purpose of the present application can be achieved.

[0084] In some preferred embodiments of the present application, the first heat insulation structure is only provided on the side of the first spacer 133 close to the second sub-air duct 132, which can reduce the cost of setting the first heat insulation structure while avoiding affecting the inlet air temperature of the cold air.

[0085] In the above embodiments, on the premise that the space layout permits, the first air inlet end 111 of the first air duct 11 can be designed on the fender side of the vehicle body 5 or on the front end frame side of the vehicle body 5. As long as the intake air quality meets the requirements of the passenger compartment, the first air inlet end 111 can be designed at any position. As long as it can increase the inlet air temperature of the external circulation and meet the requirements of later assembly, the purpose of the present application can be achieved.

[0086] In some embodiments of the present application, a partial soft connection may be designed between the first air inlet end 111 and the first air outlet end 112 of the first air duct 11 to improve the convenience of installing the first air duct 11 in the actual vehicle assembly of the cabin 4.

[0087] In some embodiments of the present application, the first air outlet end 112 of the first air duct 11 , the second air outlet end 122 of the second air duct 12 , and the third air duct 13 may be fixedly connected by welding, clamping, or the like.

[0088] In some embodiments of this application, please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 The external circulation air intake system also includes a front cover decoration 2, which is provided with a water flow trough structure and a grille structure; in rainy and snowy weather, air mixed with rainwater or melted snow water enters the water flow trough structure from the grille structure, and the water flow trough structure can guide the water flow to be discharged along the designed path to prevent the water flow from entering the cabin 4 or the gap of the vehicle body, thereby protecting the vehicle electronic components and metal parts from corrosion. The front cover decoration 2 has a built-in water flow trough structure that replaces the traditional HVAC pressure chamber plate, which can reduce the cost and weight of the whole vehicle.

[0089] See also Figure 9 , Figure 10 and Figure 11 The water flow trough structure is recessed. When water drops fall on the front windshield, they can flow along the glass from the grille structure into the water flow trough structure. The water flow trough structure includes a connected water storage chamber and an air storage chamber, which can be used to achieve water and gas separation, so that the external air entering through the grille structure can flow between the water storage chamber and the air storage chamber.

[0090] Specifically, the grille structure and the air storage chamber are staggered, and the air storage chamber is connected to the air inlet end of the first air duct 11 (i.e., the first air inlet end 111) and / or the air inlet end of the second air duct 12 (recorded as the second air inlet end 121). This can prevent water droplets from directly passing through the grille structure and falling into the air storage chamber, and prevent water droplets from directly entering the air conditioner through the first air duct 11 and / or the second air duct 12 and causing the air filter element inside the air conditioner to become moldy or damaged. This can solve the problem of water inflow into the air conditioning system from the source.

[0091] The grid structure is connected to the water storage chamber, and the water storage chamber is provided with a drainage portion. After water droplets enter the water flow trough structure through the grid structure, they can directly fall into the water storage chamber and be discharged through the drainage portion, thereby preventing the liquid in the water storage chamber from spreading to the air storage chamber.

[0092] In some embodiments of this application, please refer to Figure 10 and Figure 11, the projection of the grille structure in the vertical direction is located inside the water storage cavity. When water droplets drip from the openings of the grille structure, they can directly fall into the water storage cavity under the action of gravity. The air storage cavity is located on one side of the water storage cavity and is arranged in a staggered manner with the grille structure. The separation design of the water storage cavity and the air storage cavity in the left-right direction can achieve water-air separation. As Figure 10 shown, where the solid arrows represent the flow paths of water droplets, and the dashed arrows represent the flow paths of the outside air of the vehicle.

[0093] In some embodiments of the present application, please refer to Figure 10 and Figure 11 , the bottom of the water storage cavity is recessed with respect to the air storage cavity, so that the air storage cavity is located above the water storage cavity. When air mixed with water droplets enters from the grille structure, water-air separation can be achieved through the different densities of water droplets and air. The air above the water storage cavity can flow horizontally into the air storage cavity, thereby realizing the intake of outside air of the vehicle. And the volume of the water storage cavity is larger than the volume of the air storage cavity, which can increase the capacity of the water storage cavity. When the amount of water droplets is large, a large-capacity liquid storage can be realized, and the liquid can be prevented from overflowing from the water storage cavity.

[0094] In some preferred embodiments of the present application, please refer to Figure 10 and Figure 11 , the volume of the water storage cavity is more than twice the volume of the air storage cavity. The large-volume water storage cavity can provide sufficient buffer space to prevent the liquid from flowing back into the air storage cavity and the interior of the air-conditioning system when the drainage part is blocked or the drainage is not smooth, ensuring the safety of the air-conditioning system.

[0095] In some embodiments of the present application, the water storage cavity includes a water retaining part that is transitionally connected to the air storage cavity, which can reduce the resistance of the outside air flowing from the water storage cavity into the air storage cavity. The drainage part is arranged opposite to the water retaining part. Compared with the water retaining part, the drainage part generates less resistance to the liquid flow, so that the liquid inside the water storage cavity can be discharged from the side facing away from the air storage cavity (i.e., the side provided with the drainage part), so that the air and water droplets in the water trough structure flow in opposite directions to achieve separation.

[0096] And the drainage part extends to the bottom of the water storage cavity, which can completely empty the liquid inside the water storage cavity, and can avoid a small amount of liquid accumulating at the bottom of the water storage cavity for a long time, resulting in the growth of microorganisms while improving the drainage efficiency.

[0097] In the above embodiments, the number of the water trough structure and the grille structure can each be one or more. The opening area of the grille structure on the front cover trim 2 is restricted to the non-air storage cavity area (i.e., the grille structure is arranged in a dislocation manner with the air storage cavity), so as to prevent water droplets from directly entering the air storage cavity through the grille structure. When designing the grille structure, the specific vehicle model space layout can be combined to the greatest extent to increase the intake grille area of the front cover trim 2, thereby increasing the air intake volume. At the same time, in order to prevent water droplets from indirectly entering the air storage cavity, it is also necessary to design a sufficiently large water storage cavity volume through CAE simulation analysis, so that even on rainy days, the liquid entering the water storage cavity of the front cover trim 2 will not spread into the air storage cavity.

[0098] In some embodiments of the present application, please refer to Figure 2 , Figure 4 , Figure 9 , Figure 10 and Figure 11 , both ends of the front cover trim 2 are respectively provided with a first water trough structure 21 and a second water trough structure 22. The first water trough structure 21 and the second water trough structure 22 are respectively communicated with the first air duct 11 and the second air duct 12. Through the first water trough structure 21, the first air duct 11 can intake air, which is a part of the external circulation hot air flow path; through the second water trough structure 22, the second air duct 12 can intake air, which is a part of the external circulation cold air flow path; thus forming two independent air intake paths. While matching the layout of the air duct assembly 1, two independent air ducts can intake air simultaneously or at different times through the double water trough structure, meeting the differentiated requirements under different functional modes. In addition, the burden on a single air duct can be reduced, the system redundancy can be improved, and the overall function failure caused by the failure of a single air duct can be avoided.

[0099] In some embodiments of the present application, please refer to Figure 4 , Figure 9 and Figure 10 , the first water trough structure 21 includes a first water storage cavity 211 and a first air storage cavity 212. The first water storage cavity 211 is provided with a first drainage part 2111 and a first water blocking part 2112; the air outlet of the first air storage cavity 212 (denoted as the first air outlet 214) is communicated with the first air intake end 111 of the first air duct 11, and the air intake of the vehicle outside of the first air duct 11 can be realized. A first seal 213 is used for sealing connection between the first air outlet 214 and the first air intake end 111 to ensure the air intake volume in the first air duct 11.

[0100] The second water tank structure 22 includes a second water storage cavity 221 and a second air storage cavity 222. The second water storage cavity 221 is provided with a second drainage part 2211 and a second water retaining part 2212. The air outlet of the second air storage cavity 222 (denoted as the second air outlet) is communicated with the second air inlet end 121 of the second air duct 12, enabling the intake of outdoor air into the second air duct 12. A second seal 223 is used to seal the connection between the second air outlet and the second air inlet end 121 to ensure the air intake volume in the second air duct 12.

[0101] In some preferred embodiments of the present application, the air outlet pipeline of the second air storage cavity 222 is directly configured as the second air duct 12, and the second air outlet of the second air storage cavity 222 is directly and sealedly connected to the second sub-air duct 132 of the third air duct 13. While shortening the second air duct 12, the connection structure between the second air duct 12 and the second water tank structure 22 can be simplified, as Figure 4 and Figure 11 shown.

[0102] In the above embodiments, the first seal 213 and the second seal 223 can be any components that can ensure the airtightness of the connection, such as foam sealing strips, rubber sealing strips, and sealants. As long as the sealed connection between the air duct and the air outlet can be achieved, the purpose of the present application can be realized.

[0103] In some embodiments of the present application, please refer to Figure 9 、 Figure 10 and Figure 11 . The water storage cavity communicated with the first air duct 11 is the first water storage cavity 211. The first drainage part 2111 on the first water storage cavity 211 can be designed as a hollow structure with a relatively large drainage area, such as a drainage port. While draining water through the first drainage part 2111, the hot air in the engine compartment 4 can enter the first water storage cavity 211 from the first drainage part 2111, and then flow into the first air storage cavity 212 and the first air duct 11 through the first water storage cavity 211, which helps to heat the external circulation hot air in the first air duct 11. Therefore, the larger the size of the drainage port of the first drainage part 2111, the better, which is beneficial to increasing heat exchange.

[0104] The water storage cavity communicated with the second air duct 12 is the second water storage cavity 221. A one-way valve is provided at the drainage part (i.e., the second drainage part 2211) of the second water storage cavity 221. The liquid in the second water storage cavity 221 can be discharged from the second water storage cavity 221 through the second drainage part 2211 and the one-way valve, but the hot air in the engine compartment 4 outside the second water storage cavity 221 will be blocked by the one-way valve and cannot enter the second water storage cavity 221 through the second drainage part 2211, which will not affect the cold air intake temperature of the second air duct 12. On the premise of meeting the drainage volume requirement, the smaller the size of the drainage port at the second drainage part 2211, the better.

[0105] In some embodiments of the present application, please refer to Figure 9 , Figure 10 and Figure 11 . The drainage part is arranged on the vertical side wall of the water storage cavity. When a check valve is arranged on the second drainage part 2211 of the second water storage cavity 221, the check valve can be naturally closely attached to the wall surface by gravity to prevent the hot air in the engine compartment 4 from entering the second water storage cavity 221 and the second gas storage cavity 222.

[0106] As a specific embodiment of the present application, the check valve can be a duckbill valve. The tail end of the duckbill valve is made of a flexible material. In the non-drainage state, it can be naturally closely attached to the wall surface by gravity. When the liquid in the second water storage cavity 221 is discharged, the tail end of the duckbill valve can be opened by the gravity of the flowing liquid to achieve drainage. After the drainage is completed, the tail end of the duckbill valve will return to the fitting and sealing state to prevent the hot air in the engine compartment 4 from flowing back into the second water storage cavity 221.

[0107] In some embodiments of the present application, please refer to Figure 4 , Figure 10 and Figure 11 . Both ends of the front cover decorative part 2 are respectively provided with a first grille structure 23 and a second grille structure 24. The first grille structure 23 and the second grille structure 24 are respectively arranged corresponding to the first water trough structure 21 and the second water trough structure 22, so that the outside air intake can enter the first air duct 11 and the second air duct 12 more directly, which can shorten the flow path of the outside air intake on the front cover decorative part 2 and reduce the flow-around of the air flow on the surface of the front cover decorative part 2 (that is, flowing along a complex path in the front cover decorative part 2) and energy loss. By precisely matching the positions of the grille structure and the water trough structure, the retention and turbulence of the air flow in the complex structure are avoided, the intake resistance in the front cover decorative part 2 is reduced, the intake air speed and flow rate are increased, and the intake efficiency of the first air duct 11 and the second air duct 12 is improved.

[0108] Please refer to Figures 1 to 18 . In the second aspect of the embodiments of the present application, an air conditioner is provided, which includes the external circulation air intake system described in the above embodiments, and further includes a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) assembly 3. As shown in Figure 3 , Figure 15 and Figure 18 , after introducing fresh air through the external circulation air intake system, the air is then adjusted to a comfortable temperature range by the HVAC assembly 3, thereby improving the comfort of the vehicle occupants.

[0109] The HVAC assembly 3 includes an external circulation air intake duct 31, and the external circulation air intake duct 31 includes a first air inlet 311 and a second air inlet 312. The first air inlet 311 and the second air inlet 312 are respectively connected to the first air duct 11 and the second air duct 12. The first air inlet 311 and the second air inlet 312 are both provided with openable and closable damper components. The HVAC assembly 3 can adjust the duct airflow distribution according to different air-conditioning operation modes, and the air intake and air intake volume of the first air duct 11 and / or the second air duct 12 can be adjusted by opening different damper components and adjusting the opening degree of the damper components.

[0110] In some embodiments of this application, please refer to Figure 15 , Figure 16 and Figure 17 The first air duct 11 and the second air duct 12 are connected to the external circulation air intake duct 31 through the third air duct 13. When the first damper assembly 32 at the first air inlet 311 is opened, the hot air in the first air duct 11 flows into the first air inlet 311 through the first sub-air duct 131, then enters the blower from the first damper assembly 32 and is temperature-regulated through the HVAC assembly 3 and the heat exchanger. When the second damper assembly 33 at the second air inlet 312 is opened, the cold air in the second air duct 12 flows into the second air inlet 312 through the second sub-air duct 132, then enters the blower from the second damper assembly 33 and is temperature-regulated through the HVAC assembly 3 and the heat exchanger.

[0111] In the above embodiment, dual air duct switching can be achieved through the first air door assembly 32 and the second air door assembly 33, thereby realizing the external circulation air intake temperature selection in multiple modes such as single external circulation cold air (air intake through the second air duct 12), single external circulation hot air (air intake through the first air duct 11), and external circulation mixed air (air intake from the first air duct 11 and the second air duct 12 at the same time).

[0112] In some embodiments of this application, please refer to Figure 12 , Figure 13 , Figure 14 and Figure 17 A sealing connection component 34 is provided at one end of the external circulation air inlet duct 31 facing the third air duct 13 to achieve a sealed connection between the third air duct 13 and the external circulation air inlet duct 31. The sealing connection component 34 may include sealing components such as a foam sealing strip, a rubber sealing strip, and a sealant, and its shape matches the layout shape of the first air inlet 311 and the second air inlet 312.

[0113] In some embodiments of this application, please refer to Figure 13 , Figure 14 and Figure 17, a second spacer 313 is provided between the first air inlet 311 and the second air inlet 312 to prevent the hot air output from the first sub-air duct 131 and the cold air output from the second sub-air duct 132 from mixing in the outer circulation intake air duct 31. The second spacer 313 includes a second heat insulation structure, which can reduce the mutual heat conduction and heat convection effects of the cold and hot air in the outer circulation intake air duct 31.

[0114] It should be noted that the second heat insulation structure can be a heat insulation film, a heat insulation pad, a heat insulation cotton or a heat insulation coating attached to the second spacer 313, or the second spacer 313 can be directly prepared from a heat insulation material or a plate body with a heat insulation layer (the heat insulation layer can be an air layer, etc.) (that is, the second spacer 313 and the second heat insulation structure are integrally provided as one component). As long as the heat exchange between the first air inlet 311 and the second air inlet 312 can be avoided, the purpose of the present application can be achieved.

[0115] In some preferred embodiments of the present application, the second heat insulation structure is only provided on the side of the second spacer 313 close to the second air inlet 312, which can avoid affecting the cold air inlet temperature and reduce the cost of setting the second heat insulation structure.

[0116] In some embodiments of the present application, please refer to Figure 12 , the HVAC assembly 3 further includes an internal circulation air inlet assembly 35, so that the air inside the vehicle can enter the blower of the HVAC assembly 3 through the internal circulation air inlet assembly 35.

[0117] In some embodiments of the present application, the HVAC assembly 3 is installed inside the vehicle instrument panel. After the third air duct 13 is hermetically connected to the outer circulation intake air duct 31, the first air duct 11 and the second air duct 12, it can be fixed to the front wall panel sheet metal by means of bolts or the like.

[0118] Please refer to Figures 1 to 18 , a third aspect of the embodiment of the present application provides a vehicle, including the outer circulation air inlet system described in the above embodiments; or, including the air conditioner described in the above embodiments. In different seasons or when the outside temperature of the vehicle is different, different outer circulation air ducts (such as the first air duct 11 and the second air duct 12) can be used to achieve outside air intake, which can improve the heating / cooling speed of the air conditioner, improve the comfort of the occupants, and reduce the energy consumption of the whole vehicle.

[0119] In some embodiments of the present application, the vehicle body 5 is provided with mounting holes for mounting the air duct assembly 1, the front hood trim 2 and the HVAC assembly 3, and the air duct assembly 1, the front hood trim 2 and the HVAC assembly 3 can be mounted on the vehicle body 5 by means of bolts or clamping parts.

[0120] Please refer to Figures 1 to 18, in some embodiments of the present application, the process of the external circulation air intake system to achieve water-vapor separation and hot air intake is as follows:

[0121] The outside air intake is achieved through the first grille structure 23. The water droplets mixed in the air vertically fall into the first water storage cavity 211 through the first grille structure 23 and are discharged through the first drainage part 2111; the air in the first water flow channel structure 21 flows through the first water storage cavity 211 and the first air storage cavity 212 in sequence, and enters the first air duct 11; during the process of flowing inside the first air duct 11, the air inside the first air duct 11 exchanges heat with the hot air in the engine compartment 4, so that the temperature of the air output by the first air duct 11 is increased, and then it enters the HVAC assembly 3 through the first sub-air duct 131 and the first air inlet 311 in sequence.

[0122] Please refer to Figures 1 to 18 , in some embodiments of the present application, the process of the external circulation air intake system to achieve water-vapor separation and cold air intake is as follows:

[0123] The outside air intake is achieved through the second grille structure 24. The water droplets mixed in the air vertically fall into the second water storage cavity 221 through the second grille structure 24 and are discharged through the second drainage part 2211 and the one-way valve; the air in the second water flow channel structure 22 flows through the second water storage cavity 221 and the second air storage cavity 222 in sequence, enters the second air duct 12, and then enters the HVAC assembly 3 through the second sub-air duct 132 and the second air inlet 312 in sequence.

[0124] Through the above double-air-duct design, it is possible to select the external circulation air intake temperature in multiple modes, such as single external circulation cold air (intaking air through the second air duct 12), single external circulation hot air (intaking air through the first air duct 11), and external circulation mixed air (the first air duct 11 and the second air duct 12 intake air simultaneously). When the outside air temperature is relatively low, the waste heat of the engine compartment 4 can be fully utilized to heat the outside air intake, which is beneficial to reducing the energy consumption of the air conditioner and the whole vehicle.

[0125] The above embodiments are only preferred embodiments cited to fully illustrate the present application, and the protection scope of the present application is not limited thereto. Equivalent substitutions or transformations made by those skilled in the art on the basis of the present application are all within the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. An external circulation air intake system, characterized in that, Including: An air duct assembly (1), the air duct assembly (1) is arranged inside the engine nacelle (4), the air duct assembly (1) includes a first air duct (11) and a second air duct (12), the first air duct (11) extends along the engine nacelle (4), the inlet end and the outlet end of the second air duct (12) are on the same side of the engine nacelle (4), and the length of the first air duct (11) is greater than the length of the second air duct (12); both the first air duct (11) and the second air duct (12) are communicated with the external circulation intake air duct (31) of the air conditioner.

2. The external circulation air intake system according to claim 1, wherein, A heat conduction structure (113) is arranged on the outer surface of the first air duct (11).

3. The external circulation air intake system according to claim 1, characterized in that The air duct assembly (1) further includes a third air duct (13), and the first air duct (11) and the second air duct (12) are communicated with the external circulation intake air duct (31) of the air conditioner through the third air duct (13); A first sub-air duct (131) and a second sub-air duct (132) are arranged inside the third air duct (13), the first sub-air duct (131) and the second sub-air duct (132) are respectively communicated with the first air duct (11) and the second air duct (12), and a first spacer (133) is arranged between the first sub-air duct (131) and the second sub-air duct (132).

4. The external circulation air intake system according to claim 3, characterized in that The first spacer (133) includes a first heat insulation structure.

5. The external circulation air intake system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that It further includes a front cover decorative part (2), and a water flow groove structure and a grille structure are arranged on the front cover decorative part (2); The water flow groove structure is recessed, the water flow groove structure includes a communicated water storage cavity and an air storage cavity, the grille structure is arranged in a dislocation manner with the air storage cavity, and the air storage cavity is communicated with the inlet end of the first air duct (11) and / or the inlet end of the second air duct (12); the grille structure is communicated with the water storage cavity, and a drainage part is arranged on the water storage cavity.

6. The external circulation air intake system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The projection of the grille structure in the vertical direction is located inside the water storage cavity.

7. The external circulation air intake system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The bottom of the water storage cavity is recessed with respect to the air storage cavity, and the volume of the water storage cavity is greater than the volume of the air storage cavity.

8. The external circulation air inlet system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The water storage cavity includes a water retaining part that is transitionally connected to the air storage cavity, the drainage part is arranged opposite to the water retaining part, and the drainage part extends to the bottom of the water storage cavity.

9. The external circulation air intake system according to claim 5, characterized in that, Both ends of the front cover decorative part (2) are respectively provided with a first water flow groove structure (21) and a second water flow groove structure (22), and the first water flow groove structure (21) and the second water flow groove structure (22) are respectively communicated with the first air duct (11) and the second air duct (12).

10. The external circulation air intake system according to claim 9, characterized in that, The water storage cavity communicated with the first air duct (11) is a first water storage cavity (211), the water storage cavity communicated with the second air duct (12) is a second water storage cavity (221), and a one-way valve is arranged at the drainage part of the second water storage cavity (221).

11. The external circulation air inlet system according to claim 9, wherein, Both ends of the front cover decorative part (2) are respectively provided with a first grille structure (23) and a second grille structure (24), and the first grille structure (23) and the second grille structure (24) are respectively arranged corresponding to the first water flow groove structure (21) and the second water flow groove structure (22).

12. An air conditioner, characterized in that, Comprising the external circulation air intake system according to any one of claims 1-11, further comprising a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) assembly (3), the HVAC assembly (3) comprising an external circulation air intake duct (31), the external circulation air intake duct (31) comprising a first air inlet (311) and a second air inlet (312), the first air inlet (311) and the second air inlet (312) being in communication with the first duct (11) and the second duct (12) respectively, and an openable and closable damper assembly being provided at each of the first air inlet (311) and the second air inlet (312).

13. The air conditioner according to claim 12, characterized in that, A second spacer (313) is provided between the first air inlet (311) and the second air inlet (312), and the second spacer (313) comprises a second heat insulation structure.

14. An automobile, characterized in that, Comprising the external circulation air intake system according to any one of claims 1-11; Or, comprising the air conditioner according to claim 12 or 13.

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