Air conditioning unit with sensor modules and adjustable air filter, and motor vehicle with such an air conditioning unit

Abstract

An air conditioning unit (10) for a motor vehicle (200) is described, comprising an outside air duct (12); a recirculation duct (14); at least one air filter device (18a, 18b); at least one sensor device (124a, 124b) configured to detect at least one concentration of an air component, in particular an air pollutant; at least one heat exchanger element (20) configured to cool or heat supplied outside air (AL) and / or supplied recirculation air (UL); and a control unit (30).The air conditioning unit (10) is provided to have several module receptacles (22) in which a respective sensor module (24a, 24b) can be inserted or is inserted, each sensor module having at least one sensor device (124a, 124b), wherein the control unit (30) is connected to the sensor module (24a, 24b) and is configured to process the detected concentration of the relevant air component and to adjust the filter performance of the at least one air filter device (18a, 18b) depending on the detected concentration of the air component. Furthermore, a motor vehicle (200) with such an air conditioning unit (10) is described.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an air conditioning unit for a motor vehicle, comprising an outside air duct; a recirculation duct; at least one air filter device; at least one sensor device configured to detect at least one concentration of an air component, in particular an air pollutant; at least one heat exchanger element configured to cool or heat supplied outside air and / or supplied recirculation air; and a control unit. Furthermore, the invention relates to a motor vehicle having such an air conditioning unit.

[0002] EP 3 312 031 A1 discloses a vehicle ventilation system with an adjustable filter device. DE 10 2016 008 366 A1 describes a vehicle ventilation system with a filter that can be variably adjusted to a predefined, variable effective cross-section depending on a measured pollutant concentration. DE 40 150 26 A1 discloses a vehicle ventilation system with a filter with a variable effective cross-section.

[0003] There is currently a growing need for better understanding of the quality and pollutants in the air supplied to a vehicle interior, especially the air we breathe. It has been shown that analyzing air quality and pollutant levels in the difference between outside and inside air is currently complex, because decentralized individual components with separate piping are available for the inside and outside air, respectively.

[0004] The object underlying the invention is to provide an air conditioning unit with which the above disadvantages can be avoided and, in particular, an improved configuration and filter performance of the air conditioning unit with regard to air quality is made possible.

[0005] This problem is solved by an air conditioning unit and a motor vehicle having the features of the respective independent patent claim. Advantageous embodiments with useful further developments are specified in the dependent patent claims.

[0006] The invention therefore proposes an air conditioning unit for a motor vehicle comprising an outside air duct; a recirculation air duct; at least one air filter device; at least one sensor device configured to detect at least one concentration of an air component, in particular an air pollutant; at least one heat exchanger element configured to cool or heat supplied outside air and / or supplied recirculation air; and a control unit.It is provided that the air conditioning unit has a plurality of module receptacles in which a respective sensor module can be inserted or is inserted, which has at least one sensor device, wherein the control unit is connected to the sensor module and is configured to process the detected concentration of the air component in question and to adapt a filter performance of the at least one air filter device depending on the detected concentration of the air component.

[0007] Using such an air conditioning unit, it is possible to determine the air quality of both the outside air and the recirculated air using a simplified, particularly modular design. Furthermore, it is possible to variably adjust the filter performance to achieve a desired air quality. Furthermore, various sensor modules can be attached to the air conditioning unit as required, particularly taking customer requests into account, so that air conditioning units can be equipped with one or more sensor modules as needed. It is possible for a sensor module to be provided with a respective adjustable air filter device that can be activated or adjusted as needed.

[0008] In the air conditioning unit, the module receptacles can be arranged on the air conditioning unit in such a way that an inserted sensor module is in fluid communication with the outside air duct and with the recirculating air duct, in such a way that an air component in the outside air and in the recirculating air can be detected by means of the sensor device.

[0009] In the air conditioning unit, the at least one air filter device can be an adjustable electrostatic precipitator.

[0010] The control unit can be configured to adjust an electrical voltage applied to the electrostatic precipitator as a function of a detected concentration of the air component that can be reduced by means of the electrostatic precipitator in the outside air and / or the recirculating air.

[0011] The control unit can be connected to a display unit of the motor vehicle and configured to display a graphic representation of a detected concentration on the display unit. This allows a vehicle occupant, in particular a driver of the motor vehicle, to be visually informed about the air quality or at least the concentration of an air constituent.

[0012] The control unit can further be configured to display, in particular simultaneously, a concentration of an air component in the outside air and a concentration of the same air component in the recirculated air on the display unit. This makes it possible to display the air quality of the outside air and the recirculated air in a comparative manner, or to have a vehicle occupant perceive this comparatively in order to make a manual adjustment to the air conditioning unit if necessary.

[0013] In the air conditioning unit, the at least one sensor module can have at least one sensor device which is configured to detect the concentration of one or more of the following air components: carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur oxides (SOx), ozone (O3), volatile organic compounds (HC), particulate matter.

[0014] In the air conditioning unit, several sensor devices for detecting the concentration of different air constituents can be combined in one sensor module. For example, sensors for carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) can be provided in a common sensor module, although other combinations of sensor devices in one sensor module are also possible.

[0015] The air conditioning unit may comprise at least two sensor modules, wherein one of the sensor modules comprises a sensor device for particulate matter.

[0016] A motor vehicle may be designed or equipped with an air conditioning unit as described above.

[0017] Further advantages and details of the invention will become apparent from the following description of embodiments with reference to the figures. Fig. 1 a simplified and schematic representation of an air conditioning unit in a schematically illustrated motor vehicle.

[0018] In Fig. 1 shows a simplified and schematic view of an air conditioning unit 10 for a motor vehicle 200, illustrated here only as a dash-dotted rectangle.

[0019] The air conditioning unit 10 comprises an outside air duct 12, which serves in particular to convey or allow ambient air AL or from outside the motor vehicle 200 to flow into the air conditioning unit 10.

[0020] Furthermore, a recirculation duct 14 of the air conditioning unit 10 is illustrated by three touching contour arrows. The recirculation duct 14 begins in the region of a vehicle interior 16, shown here as a trapezoid, where interior air flows in as recirculation air UL from the motor vehicle 200.

[0021] The air conditioning unit 10 comprises at least one air filter device 18a, 18b. In the example shown, one air filter device 18a is assigned to the outside air duct 14. The air filter device 18b is assigned to the recirculation air duct 14. It should be noted that the number and arrangement of the air filter devices 18a, 18b shown here are purely exemplary, and more or fewer air filter devices may also be provided.

[0022] The air conditioning unit 10 further comprises at least one heat exchanger element 20, for example, an evaporator or a condenser of a refrigeration system or an electric heating element or the like, which is configured to cool or heat supplied outside air and / or supplied recirculated air. The air tempered or conditioned in this way is then directed into the interior 16 of the motor vehicle 200, which is illustrated by the four contour arrows IL.

[0023] The air conditioning unit 10 has a plurality of module receptacles 22 into which a respective sensor module 24a, 24b can be inserted or is inserted. Each sensor module 24a, 24b has at least one sensor device 124a, 124b configured to detect at least one concentration of an air constituent, in particular an air pollutant.

[0024] The module receptacles 22 are arranged on the air conditioning unit 10 in such a way that an inserted sensor module 24a, 24b is in fluid communication with the outside air duct 12 and with the recirculating air duct 14, such that an air component in the outside air and in the recirculating air can be detected by means of the sensor device 124a, 124b.

[0025] In the air conditioning unit 10, an unoccupied module receptacle 22 can be sealed fluid-tight by means of a cover element 26, illustrated here as a dotted area. This makes it possible to provide an identical air conditioning unit 10 with multiple module receptacles 22, whereby unused module receptacles 22 in which no sensor module 24a, 24b is inserted have no influence on the basic functioning of the air conditioning unit 10.

[0026] In the example shown, the air conditioning unit 10 has four module receptacles 22, the first two of which are occupied by a respective sensor module 24a, 24b. The two remaining module receptacles 22 are closed by a cover element 26. It is conceivable that a cover element could also be subsequently removed to insert an additional sensor module (not shown here).

[0027] The air conditioning unit 10 can have a control unit 30 connected to the respective sensor modules 24a, 24b, as illustrated by the dashed connecting lines. The control unit 30 is configured to process the detected concentration of the respective air component. Such a control unit can also be part of a higher-level vehicle control device (not shown in detail here), for example, as a type of subsystem or the like.

[0028] The control unit 30 is further configured to process the detected concentration of the air component in question and to adapt a filter performance of the at least one air filter device 18a, 18b depending on the detected concentration of the air component.

[0029] The air filter device 18a, 18b can, for example, be an adjustable electrostatic precipitator. The control unit 30 can be configured to adjust an electrical voltage applied to the electrostatic precipitator 18a, 18b depending on a detected concentration of the air component that can be reduced by the electrostatic precipitator 18a, 18b in the outside air AL and / or the recirculated air UL.

[0030] The adjustability of the air filter device 18a, 18b is also illustrated by the dashed connecting line to the control unit 30.

[0031] The control unit 30 can be connected to a display unit 32, for example, a display in a dashboard, of the motor vehicle 200. The control unit 30 is also configured to display a graphic representation 34 of a detected concentration on the display unit 32.

[0032] Purely by way of example and with the same hatching style, two bars 34a, 34b are shown, which show a graphic representation 34 of a concentration of an air component in the outside air and the recirculated air, which has been detected by the (similarly hatched) sensor module 24b. This allows a vehicle occupant, in particular a driver of the motor vehicle, to be visually informed about the air quality or at least a concentration of an air component.

[0033] In other words, the control unit 30 can be configured to display a concentration of an air component in the outside air and a concentration of the same air component in the recirculating air on the display unit 32, in particular simultaneously, as illustrated by the two bars 34a, 34b. This makes it possible to display the air quality of the outside air and the recirculating air in a comparative manner.

[0034] In the air conditioning unit 10, the at least one sensor module 24a, 24b can have at least one sensor device 124a, 124b which is configured to detect the concentration of one or more of the following air components: carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur oxides (SOx), ozone (O3), volatile organic compounds (HC), particulate matter.

[0035] In the air conditioning unit 10, several sensor devices 124a, 124b for detecting the concentration of different air components can be combined in a sensor module 24a, 24b. For example, sensor devices 124a, 124b for carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) can be provided in a common sensor module 24a, 24b, although other combinations of sensor devices in a sensor module 24a, 24b are also possible.

[0036] In the Fig. 1, the air conditioning unit 10 comprises, for example, at least two sensor modules 24a, 24b. For example, the sensor module 24a comprises a sensor device 124a for particulate matter, and the sensor module 24b is configured to detect a chemical air component, such as carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur oxides (SOx), ozone (O3), and volatile organic compounds (HC), using sensor devices 124b.

[0037] It is pointed out that the Fig. 1 shows a purely schematic representation of an air conditioning unit 10 in a motor vehicle 200. The air conditioning unit 10 generally also has at least one fan device for conveying outside air or recirculated air. QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] EP 3 312 031 A1

[0002] DE 10 2016 008 366 A1

[0002] DE 40 150 26 A1

[0002]

Claims

[1] Air conditioning unit (10) for a motor vehicle (200) with an outside air duct (12); a recirculation duct (14); at least one air filter device (18a, 18b); at least one sensor device (124a, 124b) which is designed to detect at least one concentration of an air component, in particular an air pollutant; at least one heat exchanger element (20) which is designed to cool or heat supplied outside air (AL) and / or supplied circulating air (UL); a control unit (30); characterized by , that the air conditioning unit (10) has a plurality of module receptacles (22) in which a respective sensor module (24a, 24b) can be inserted or is inserted, which has at least one sensor device (124a, 124b), wherein the control unit (30) is connected to the sensor module (24a, 24b) and is designed to process the detected concentration of the air component in question and to adapt a filter performance of the at least one air filter device (18a, 18b) depending on the detected concentration of the air component. [2] Air conditioning unit (10) according to claim 1, characterized by that the module receptacles (22) are arranged on the air conditioning unit (10) in such a way that an inserted sensor module (24a, 24b) is in fluid communication with the outside air duct (12) and with the recirculating air duct (14), in such a way that an air component in the outside air (AL) and in the recirculating air (UL) can be detected by means of the sensor device (124a, 124b). [3] Air conditioning unit (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that the at least one air filter device (18a, 18b) is an adjustable electrostatic filter. [4] Air conditioning unit (10) according to claim 3, characterized by in that the control unit (30) is designed to adjust an electrical voltage applied to the electrostatic filter (18a, 18b) as a function of a detected concentration of the air component which can be reduced in the outside air (AL) and / or the recirculating air (UL) by means of the electrostatic filter (18a, 18b). [5] Air conditioning unit (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the control unit (30) is connected to a display unit (32) of the motor vehicle (200) and is configured to display a graphic representation (34) of a detected concentration on the display unit (32). [6] Air conditioning unit (10) according to claim 5, characterized bythat the control unit (30) is designed to display a concentration (34a) of an air component in the outside air (AL) and a concentration (34b) of the same air component in the circulating air (UL) on the display unit (32), in particular to display them simultaneously. [7] Air conditioning unit (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the at least one sensor module (24a, 24b) has at least one sensor device (124a, 124b) which is designed to detect the concentration of one or more of the following air components: Carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur oxides (SOx), ozone (O3), volatile organic compounds (HC), particulate matter. [8] Air conditioning unit (10) according to claim 7, characterized by that several sensor devices (124a, 124b) for detecting the concentration of different air components are combined in one sensor module (24a, 24b). [9] Air conditioning unit (10) according to claim 7 or 8, characterized by that it has at least two sensor modules (24a, 24b), wherein one of the sensor modules (24a) has a sensor device (124a) for fine dust [10] Motor vehicle (200) with an air conditioning unit (10) according to one of the preceding claims.

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