HVAC system for a vehicle

Abstract

Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system for a vehicle, the HVAC system comprising: a battery cooling line (10) configured to circulate a first coolant through a first radiator (200), a high-voltage battery core (100) and a first valve (810), an electronic component cooling line (20) configured to circulate a second coolant through a second radiator (300), an electronic component core (500) and a second valve (820), a branch line (30) which is arranged to have a first end portion branched off from the first valve (810) and to have a second end portion connected to an upstream point of the high-voltage battery core (100), and which passes through a main heat exchanger (400), an auxiliary line (40) which is arranged to have a first end portion branched from the second valve (820) and a second end portion connected to an upstream position of the electronic component core (500), and which passes through the main heat exchanger (400) to perform heat exchange with the branch line (30), and a control device (870) configured to circulate the first coolant and the second coolant respectively associated in the branch line (30) and in the auxiliary line (40) and to perform the heat exchange in the main heat exchanger (400) by controlling the first valve (810) and the second valve (820) when it is necessary to increase a temperature of the high-voltage battery core (100), wherein the second valve (820) is a three-way valve and has a first port (821) of the electronic component core side, a second port (822) of a first end side of the auxiliary line (40) and a third port (823) of the second radiator side, and wherein the control device is configured to open all ports (821, 822, 823) of the second valve (820) when it is necessary to increase the temperature of the high-voltage battery core (100) and to close the second port (822) of the second valve (820) when it is not necessary to increase the temperature of the high-voltage battery core (100).

Description

Background of the inventionField of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, and more particularly to a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system of a vehicle (e.g., motor vehicle) that can reduce energy consumption of the vehicle and increase cruising range of the vehicle by minimizing movement / conduction of energy by increasing a temperature of a high-voltage battery side using a coolant having an elevated temperature achieved by cooling an electronic component side (e.g., electrical component side) during driving of the vehicle in winter. Description of related technology

[0002] Electric vehicles have recently emerged as a social aspect, implementing environmentally friendly technology and solving problems such as energy waste. Electric vehicles operate using an electric motor that draws electricity from a battery and outputs power. Therefore, since electric vehicles have the advantages of not emitting carbon dioxide, producing little noise, and having a higher energy efficiency than an internal combustion engine, electric vehicles are highlighted as environmentally friendly vehicles.

[0003] A core technology for implementing such an electric vehicle is battery module technology, and research into battery weight reduction, miniaturization, short charging time, and the like has been actively conducted in recent years. The battery module can maintain optimal performance and have a long service life when used in an optimal temperature environment. However, it is difficult to use the battery in the optimal temperature environment due to heat generated during battery operation and external temperature changes.

[0004] Additionally, since the electric vehicle does not have a waste heat source that generates heat during combustion in a separate internal combustion engine, such as a vehicle's propulsion engine, the electric vehicle performs interior heating of the vehicle in winter by using an electric heater. Since the electric vehicle requires a warm-up period to improve the charging and discharging performance of the battery in cold weather, the electric vehicle has and uses a separate heated-coolant electric heater for this purpose. That is, the electric vehicle adopts a technology that operates a cooling and heating system for adjusting the temperature of the battery module to maintain the optimal temperature environment of the battery module, separate from a cooling and heating system for an interior HVAC system of the vehicle.In other words, the electric vehicle has two independent cooling and heating systems, so one is used to perform interior cooling and heating of the vehicle, and the other is used to adjust the temperature of the battery module.

[0005] However, in a case where the electric vehicle is operated by the method described above, since energy is not managed efficiently, a driving distance is short, which prevents long-distance operation, and the cruising range is reduced by 30% at the time of cooling in summer, and by 40% or more at the time of heating in winter, causing a heating problem in winter, which was not a problem in the internal combustion engine.

[0006] In particular, in winter, since the heating amount required by electronic / electrical components is greater than that of a high-voltage battery element, and the high-voltage battery element has a larger contact area with air, cooling rather than heating of the high-voltage battery occurs due to the external air temperature during driving. As a result, a suitable temperature at which the high-voltage battery operates is not met, resulting in a reduction in the output power of the high-voltage battery. Therefore, the temperature of the high-voltage battery should be increased during winter driving to efficiently manage the high-voltage battery temperature.

[0007] The information disclosed in this Background of the Invention section is provided only to facilitate understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be construed as an admission or any form of suggestion that this information constitutes prior art known to those skilled in the art.

[0008] DE 10 2009 033 959 A1 discloses an HVAC and RESS temperature management system and an operating method for a vehicle having a passenger compartment, a power unit, and a battery pack. The system includes a RESS coolant circuit and a power unit coolant circuit. The RESS coolant circuit directs a coolant through the battery pack and includes a pump, a coolant heating line with a coolant / coolant heat exchanger, and a coolant reversing valve that selectively directs the coolant through the coolant heating line.The powerplant coolant circuit includes a heater core train having an HVAC pump, a coolant heater, a heater core arranged in an HVAC module to provide heat to the passenger compartment, and the coolant / coolant heat exchanger, wherein the coolant / coolant heat exchanger provides heat transfer between the coolant in the coolant heater core train and the coolant in the heater core train. Explanation of the invention

[0009] The present invention is based on the object of providing a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system of a vehicle that is arranged / configured to increase the (vehicle) range and to reduce production costs by efficiently managing the energy required to heat an interior / interior of the vehicle and to increase a temperature of a battery.

[0010] To this end, the present invention provides a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system for a vehicle according to claim 1. Further embodiments are defined in the subclaims.

[0011] The methods and apparatus of the present invention have other features and advantages which will become apparent and are set forth in further detail in the accompanying drawings incorporated herein and the following detailed description, which together serve to explain certain principles of the present invention. Brief description of the drawings Fig. 1 is a view showing a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system of a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a view showing a cooling mode of Fig. 1 shows, Fig. 3 is a view showing a mode of recovering a waste heat from Fig. 1 and increasing a temperature of a battery, and Fig. 4 is a view showing a normal cooling mode of Fig. 1 shows.

[0012] It should be understood that the appended drawings are not necessarily to scale and present an at least partially simplified representation of the various features illustrative of the basic principles of the invention. The specific features of the present invention, including, for example, specific dimensions, orientations, positioning, and configurations, will be determined, at least in part, by the particular intended use and environment of use.

[0013] Throughout the figures, the same reference symbols are used for identical or essentially identical features. Detailed description

[0014] Reference will now be made in detail to the various embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described below. While the invention will be described in connection with the exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the present description is not intended to limit the invention to these exemplary embodiments. On the contrary, the invention is intended to include not only the exemplary embodiments, but also various alternatives, modifications, variations, and other embodiments which are within the scope of the appended claims.

[0015] Fig. 1 is a view showing a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system of a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a view showing a cooling mode of Fig. 1 shows, Fig. 3 is a view showing a mode of recovering a waste heat from Fig. 1 and increasing a temperature of a battery, and Fig. 4 is a view showing a normal cooling mode of Fig. 1 shows.

[0016] As in Fig. 1, a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system of a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a battery cooling line 10 configured to circulate a first coolant through a first radiator 200, a high-voltage battery core 100, and a first valve 810; an electronic component cooling line 20 configured to circulate a second coolant through a second radiator 300, an electronic component core 500, and a second valve 820; a branch line 30 configured to have one end portion branched from the first valve 810 and the other end portion connected to an upstream location of the high-voltage battery core 100, and passing through a main heat exchanger 400; an auxiliary line 40 configured toto have one end portion (of which) branched from the second valve 820 and the other end portion (of which) connected to an upstream point of the electronic component core 500, and which passes through the main heat exchanger 400 to perform heat exchange with the branch line 30, and a control device 870 configured to circulate the first coolant in the branch line 30 and the second coolant in the auxiliary line 40 and to perform heat exchange in the main heat exchanger 400 by controlling the first valve 810 and the second valve 820 when it is necessary to increase a temperature of the high-voltage battery core 100.

[0017] The battery cooling line 10 is configured to circulate the coolant through the first radiator 200, the first high-voltage battery core 100, and the first valve 810, and includes a first pump 850 configured to be driven or stopped by the control device 870. The first pump 850 is arranged between the upstream position of the first valve 810 and the second end portion of the branch line 30 of the battery cooling line 10, and is configured to influence a line (in terms of): whether the line in which the first coolant circulates via the first radiator 200 is formed or whether the line in which the first coolant passes through the branch line 30 without passing through the first radiator 200 is formed.

[0018] The first valve 810 is a three-way valve and has a first port 811 on the high-voltage battery core 100 side, a second port 812 on the first-end side of the branch pipe 30, and a third port 813 on the first-radiator 200 side. The control device 870 performs a function in which the battery cooling pipe 10 is connected to the branch pipe 30 and the first coolant cools the high-voltage battery core 100 without passing through the first radiator 200 by closing the third port 813 of the first valve 810 and connecting the first port 811 and the second port 812 to each other when it is necessary to increase the temperature of the high-voltage battery core 100.In addition, the control device 870 performs control such that the battery cooling line 10 is disconnected from the branch line 30 and the first coolant cools the high-voltage battery core 100 after being cooled by the first radiator 200 by closing the second port 812 of the first valve 810 and connecting the first port 811 and the third port 813 to each other when cooling the high-voltage battery core 100 by heat radiation of the first radiator 200 is required.

[0019] Additionally, the auxiliary heat exchanger 600 is provided on a battery cooling line 10, and the auxiliary heat exchanger 600 is arranged between a downstream position of the high-voltage battery core 100 and the upstream position of the first valve 810. The battery cooling line 10 is configured to be capable of performing heat exchange with a refrigerant line 50 for indoor HVAC through the auxiliary heat exchanger 600. The refrigerant line 50 for indoor HVAC may include an air-cooled condenser 900, an evaporator 910, a compressor 800, a third valve 830, a fourth valve 840, and an expansion valve. Therefore, at the time of cooling the high-voltage battery core 100, after the refrigerant of the refrigerant line 50 cooled by the expansion valve of the refrigerant line 50 for indoor HVAC and the first coolant perform / have performed the heat exchange in the auxiliary heat exchanger 600, the high-voltage battery core 100 is cooled.The refrigerant line 50 includes a third valve 830 that supplies or stops / blocks the refrigerant, allowing the refrigerant of the refrigerant line 50 to perform heat exchange with the first coolant of the battery cooling line 10 in the auxiliary heat exchanger 600. A front end portion of the evaporator 910 for indoor HVAC includes the fourth valve 840. The third valve 830 or the fourth valve 840 is operated by the control device 870 to be opened or closed, thereby enabling heat exchange between the refrigerant of the refrigerant line 50 and the first coolant of the battery cooling line 10.

[0020] The branch line 30 has one end portion branched from the first valve 810 and another end portion connected to the upstream of the high-voltage battery core 100, and passes through the main heat exchanger 400. The branch line 30 includes an electric heater 700 configured to increase the temperature of the first coolant, and the electric heater 700 may be disposed between one end portion of the branch line 30 and the upstream of the high-voltage battery core 100.Therefore, at the time of raising the temperature of the high-voltage battery core 100, the first coolant that increases the temperature of the high-voltage battery core 100 may be heated by the electric heater 700 and then perform heat exchange through the main heat exchanger 400, or conversely, may perform heat exchange through the main heat exchanger 400 and then increase the temperature thereof by the electric heater 700. In addition, in a case where a temperature adjusting function of the electric heater fails, the control device 870 may perform a safety function of adjusting the temperature by controlling the first valve 810 to adjust a flow rate.The electronic component cooling line 20 is configured to circulate the second coolant through the second radiator 300, the electronic component core 500, and the second valve 820, and further includes a second pump 860 configured to be driven or stopped by the controller 870. The second pump 860 is arranged between the upstream of the second valve 820 and the other end portion of the auxiliary line 40 on the electronic component cooling line 20, and is configured to influence whether the line in which the second coolant is circulated via the second radiator 300 is formed, or whether the line in which the second coolant circulates via the second radiator 300 together with the auxiliary line 40 is formed.

[0021] The second valve 20 is a three-way valve and has a first port 821 on the electronic component core 500 side, a second port 822 on the one-end side of the auxiliary line 40, and a third port 813 on the second radiator 300 side. The control device 870 is configured to circulate the second coolant through both the electronic component cooling line 20 and the auxiliary line 40 by opening all ports 821, 822, and 823 of the second valve 820 when it is necessary to increase the temperature of the high-voltage battery core 100. In addition, in the case where it is not necessary to increase the temperature of the high-voltage battery core 100, the control device 870 performs control to cool the electronic component core 500 by closing the second port 822 of the second valve 820 and circulating the second coolant in the electronic component cooling line 20.

[0022] In addition, the auxiliary line 40 has one end portion branched from the second valve 820 and another end portion connected to the upstream of the electronic component core 500, and passes through the main heat exchanger 400 while performing heat exchange with the branch line 30. The branch line 30 and the auxiliary line 40 configure the respective independent flow passages, and are configured in which the coolant of the branch line 30 and the coolant of the auxiliary line 40 perform heat exchange with each other around the main heat exchanger 400.

[0023] A flow of the coolant in the respective modes is described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0024] Fig. 2 is a view showing a cooling mode. In the cooling mode, the control device 870 performs control to connect the first port 811 and the second port 812 of the first valve 810 to each other and to close the third port 813, connecting the battery cooling line 10 and the branch line 30 to each other. In this case, the first coolant is not circulated to the first radiator 200 side. Since this case is a situation where the interior of the vehicle also needs to be cooled, the control device 870 controls the third valve 830 and the fourth valve 840, connecting the battery cooling line 10 to the branch line 30 and the refrigerant line 50 for indoor HVAC.Therefore, the first coolant, which has been / is cooled by performing heat exchange with the refrigerant of the refrigerant line 50 through the auxiliary heat exchanger 600, is input (e.g., injected) into the high-voltage battery core 100 via the first pump 850 along the branch line 30, thereby cooling the high-voltage battery core 100.

[0025] In this case, the control device 870 performs control to connect the first port 812 and the second port 822 of the second valve 820 and to close the third port 823, and as a result, in the electronic component cooling line 20, the second coolant is cooled by the second radiator 300 and is then supplied to the electronic component core 500 through the second pump 860 to cool the electronic component core 500. In this case, the electric heater 700 is not operated, and heat exchange is not performed in the main heat exchanger 400.

[0026] Fig. 3 is a view illustrating a mode of recovering waste heat and raising the temperature of the high-voltage battery, and the present mode refers to a battery temperature raising mode. In the case of the battery temperature raising mode, the control device 870 performs control to connect the first port 811 and the second port 812 of the first valve 810 to each other and to close the third port 813, connecting the battery cooling line 10 and the branch line 30 to each other. In the present case, the first coolant is not circulated to the first radiator 200 side. Since the present case is a situation where the interior of the vehicle also needs to be heated, the control device 870 controls the third valve 830 and the fourth valve 840, connecting the battery cooling line 10 to the branch line 30 and the refrigerant line 50 for indoor HVAC.

[0027] Therefore, the first coolant having an elevated temperature obtained by performing heat exchange with the refrigerant of the refrigerant line 50 through the auxiliary heat exchanger 600 increases the temperature thereof through the electric heater 700 and the main heat exchanger 400 of the branch line 30 or the main heat exchanger 400 and the electric heater 700 of the branch line 300, and is then input (e.g., injected) into the high-voltage battery core 100 through the first pump 850, thereby increasing the temperature of the high-voltage battery core 100.

[0028] The reasons why the present situation is possible are that the control device 870 performs control to open each of the first port 821, the second port 822, and the third port 823 of the second valve 820, and as a result, in the electronic component cooling line 20, the second coolant is cooled by the second radiator 300 and is then supplied to the electronic component core 500 through the second pump 860, cooling the electronic component core 500. In the present case, the second coolant having an elevated temperature performs heat exchange with the first coolant in the main heat exchanger 400 along the auxiliary line 40 and is additionally cooled.Therefore, the temperature of the high-voltage battery core 100 is increased by using the waste heat of the second coolant obtained by cooling the electronic component core 500, which makes it possible to efficiently retain energy, increase the cruising range of the vehicle, and reduce production costs.

[0029] Finally, Fig.4 is a view illustrating a normal cooling mode. In the case of the normal cooling mode, the control device 870 performs control to connect the first port 811 and the third port 813 of the first valve 810 to each other and to close the second port 812, disconnecting the battery cooling line 10 and the branch line 30 from each other. In this case, heat exchange with the refrigerant of the refrigerant line 50 for indoor HVAC by the auxiliary heat exchanger 600 is not performed. Therefore, the first coolant is configured to be circulated in the battery cooling line 10, wherein the first coolant is cooled by the first radiator 200, cools the high-voltage battery core 100, and is then supplied back to the first radiator 200.

[0030] Here, the control device 870 performs control to connect the first port 821 and the third port 823 of the second valve 820 to each other and to close the second port 822, thereby separating the electronic component cooling line 20 and the auxiliary line 40 from each other. In the electronic component cooling line 20, the second coolant is cooled by the second radiator 300 and then supplied to the electronic component core 500 by the second pump 860, thereby cooling the electronic component core 500.

[0031] Therefore, according to the vehicle HVAC system described above, the temperature of the high-voltage battery is increased by utilizing the waste heat of the coolant at the elevated temperature obtained by cooling the electronic component side, which enables efficient energy management, increases the vehicle's cruising range, and reduces production costs even in a compact configuration. Furthermore, in the event that the temperature adjustment function of the electric heater fails, the flow rate is controlled by the first valve, enabling the safety function to be performed.

[0032] For ease of explanation and accurate definition in the appended claims, the terms "upper", "lower", "high", "down", "up", "downward", "inner", "outer", "inside", "outside", "inward", "outward", "inside", "outside", "front", "rear", "back", "forward" and "rearward" are used to describe features of the exemplary embodiments with reference to the positions of such features as illustrated in the figures.

Claims

[1] Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system for a vehicle, the HVAC system comprising: a battery cooling line (10) configured to circulate a first coolant through a first radiator (200), a high-voltage battery core (100) and a first valve (810), an electronic component cooling line (20) configured to circulate a second coolant through a second radiator (300), an electronic component core (500) and a second valve (820), a branch line (30) which is arranged to have a first end portion branched off from the first valve (810) and to have a second end portion connected to an upstream point of the high-voltage battery core (100), and which passes through a main heat exchanger (400), an auxiliary line (40) which is arranged to have a first end portion branched from the second valve (820) and a second end portion connected to an upstream position of the electronic component core (500), and which passes through the main heat exchanger (400) to perform heat exchange with the branch line (30), and a control device (870) configured to circulate the first coolant and the second coolant respectively associated in the branch line (30) and in the auxiliary line (40) and to perform the heat exchange in the main heat exchanger (400) by controlling the first valve (810) and the second valve (820) when it is necessary to increase a temperature of the high-voltage battery core (100), wherein the second valve (820) is a three-way valve and has a first port (821) of the electronic component core side, a second port (822) of a first end side of the auxiliary line (40) and a third port (823) of the second radiator side, and wherein the control device is configured to open all ports (821, 822, 823) of the second valve (820) when it is necessary to increase the temperature of the high-voltage battery core (100) and to close the second port (822) of the second valve (820) when it is not necessary to increase the temperature of the high-voltage battery core (100). [2] The HVAC system according to claim 1, wherein the branch line (30) and the auxiliary line (40) respectively configure independent flow passages, and a refrigerant of the branch line (30) and a refrigerant of the auxiliary line (40) perform heat exchange with each other in the main heat exchanger (400). [3] HVAC system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first valve (810) is a three-way valve and has a first port (811) of the high-voltage battery core side, a second port (812) of a first end side of the branch line (30), and a third port (813) of the first radiator side, wherein the control device (870) is configured to close the third port (813) of the first valve (810) when it is necessary to increase the temperature of the high-voltage battery core (100), and wherein the control device (870) is configured to close the second port (812) of the first valve (810) when it is necessary to cool the high-voltage battery core (100) by heat radiation from the first radiator (200). [4] HVAC system according to one of claims 1-3, wherein the battery cooling line (10) comprises a first pump (850), the electronic component cooling line (20) has a second pump (860), and the control device (870) is configured to perform a control to drive or stop the first pump (850) or the second pump (860). [5] The HVAC system of claim 4, wherein the first pump (850) is positioned between an upstream location of the first valve (810) and the second end portion of the branch line (30) on the battery cooling line (10). [6] The HVAC system according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the second pump (860) is positioned between an upstream location of the second valve (820) and the second end portion of the auxiliary line (40) on the electronic component cooling line (20). [7] The HVAC system according to any one of claims 1-6, wherein the battery cooling line (10) has an auxiliary heat exchanger (600) provided thereon, the auxiliary heat exchanger (600) being arranged between a downstream location of the high-voltage battery core (100) and an upstream location of the first valve (810). [8] The HVAC system according to claim 7, wherein the battery cooling line (10) is configured to be capable of performing heat exchange with a refrigerant line (50) for indoor HVAC through the auxiliary heat exchanger (600), wherein the first coolant performing heat exchange with the refrigerant line (50) at the time of cooling the high-voltage battery core (100) cools the high-voltage battery core (100). [9] The HVAC system according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the refrigerant line (50) has a third valve (830) that supplies or blocks a refrigerant, so that heat exchange between the refrigerant of the refrigerant line (50) and the first coolant of the battery cooling line (10) is performed in the auxiliary heat exchanger (600). [10] The HVAC system according to any one of claims 7-9, wherein, in the case of a cooling mode, the control device (870) is configured to connect the battery cooling line (10) and the branch line (30) to each other by controlling the first valve (810), and is configured to perform control such that the first coolant, which is cooled by performing heat exchange with a refrigerant of the refrigerant line (50) through the auxiliary heat exchanger (600), cools the high-voltage battery core (100). [11] The HVAC system according to any one of claims 7-10, wherein, in the case of a battery temperature increase mode, the control device (870) is configured to perform control so that the second coolant that cools the electronic component cooling line (20) and the first coolant perform heat exchange in the main heat exchanger (400) to increase the temperature and then increase the temperature of the high-voltage battery core (100) by controlling the first valve (810) to connect the battery cooling line (10) and the branch line (30) to each other, and fully opening the second valve (820) to connect the electronic component cooling line (20) and the auxiliary line (40) to each other. [12] HVAC system according to one of claims 7-11, wherein, in the case of a normal cooling mode, the control device (870) is configured to perform control to circulate the first coolant in the battery cooling line (10) by controlling the first valve (810), and is configured to perform control so that the first coolant cooled by the first radiator (200) cools the high-voltage battery core (100). [13] HVAC system according to one of claims 1-12, wherein the branch line (30) comprises an electric heater (700) configured to increase a temperature of the first coolant, the electric heater (700) being arranged between an end portion of the branch line (30) and the upstream location of the high-voltage battery core (100).

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