Heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning system

Abstract

Title: Heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning device The invention relates to a heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning device (1), in particular for a motor vehicle, comprising: a casing (2) defining an outside air path (8) configured to allow a supply of outside air from outside the casing (2), and a recycled air path (9) configured to allow recirculation of air having been treated in the heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning device (1), an air filter (10) configured to filter air which passes through this filter, an air pre-filter (11) configured to filter air which passes through this pre-filter, this pre-filter being disposed on the outside air path, upstream of the filter, so that when outside air is supplied, this outside air can pass first through the pre-filter (11) and then through the filter (10), a movable bypass flap (15;31) configured to allow, in a bypass position, bypassing of the filter (10) by circulation of outside air and / or recycled air. Figure for the abbreviation: Fig. 1;

Description

Title of the invention: Heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning device

[0001] The present invention relates to a heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning device.

[0002] A motor vehicle is commonly equipped with a heating, ventilation, and / or air conditioning system to regulate the aerothermal parameters of an airflow distributed into the vehicle's passenger compartment. Outside air is used in this type of system. In this case, it is necessary to filter this outside air to prevent pollution in the passenger compartment.

[0003] The present invention aims in particular to further improve a heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning device.

[0004] The invention thus relates to a heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning device, particularly for motor vehicles, comprising: - a unit defining an outside air path configured to allow a supply of outside air from outside the unit, and a recirculated air path configured to allow recirculation of air that has been treated in the heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning system, - an air filter configured to filter air that passes through this filter, - an air pre-filter configured to filter air that passes through this pre-filter, This pre-filter is positioned on the outside air path, upstream of the filter, so that when outside air is supplied, this outside air can first pass through the pre-filter and then through the filter. - a movable bypass flap configured to allow, in a bypass position, bypassing of the filter by circulation of outside air and / or recycled air.

[0005] The present invention offers several advantages. First, the use of a pre-filter upstream of the main filter allows the pre-filter to remove larger particles from the outside air, thus reducing the rate at which the filter downstream becomes saturated. In a way, the pre-filter protects the main filter, thereby extending its lifespan by prioritizing the pre-filter's own performance. This pre-filter can be chosen with a lower filtration quality than the main filter. For example, the pre-filter can be less expensive than the main filter. By protecting the main filter, it is possible to replace it less frequently than the pre-filter. The invention thus results in cost savings, as the main filter needs to be replaced less often than the pre-filter, for example, half as often.

[0006] According to one aspect of the invention, the air filter is a high efficiency air filter, in particular called a HEPA filter in English (for High Efficiency Particulate Air).

[0007] This high-efficiency filter is notably capable of filtering particles with a characteristic size less than or equal to 0.3 microns.

[0008] According to one aspect of the invention, the pre-filter has a lower filtration capacity than the air filter.

[0009] The invention is also advantageous in that the movable bypass flap allows, in certain operating modes of the vehicle, for recycled air or outside air to be circulated by bypassing the filter.

[0010] This is advantageous for not generating pressure loss in the airflow when reducing pressure loss takes priority over air filtration.

[0011] It is also possible to avoid saturating this filter by allowing the air to bypass this filter.

[0012] In general, the invention makes it possible to preserve the high-efficiency air filter, which can be relatively expensive.

[0013] According to one aspect of the invention, the movable bypass flap is placed on the recycled air path and is configured to allow, depending on its position, either recycled air flow through the filter or recycled air flow bypassing the filter, or both at the same time.

[0014] According to one aspect of the invention, the movable bypass flap can take a first position in which the recycled air is sent through the filter (in particular a HEPA filter).

[0015] According to one aspect of the invention, the movable bypass flap can take a second position in which part of the recycled air is sent through the filter and another part continues its circulation by bypassing the filter.

[0016] It is understood that this movable bypass flap allows the proportion of recycled air that must be sent through the filter to be regulated.

[0017] According to one aspect of the invention, the movable bypass flap is a butterfly-type flap or a drum-type flap.

[0018] According to one aspect of the invention, the heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning device includes a movable outside air inlet flap placed on the outside air path, in particular downstream of the pre-filter.

[0019] According to one aspect of the invention, the movable outside air inlet flap is configured to, in an open position, open the outside air path to allow outside air to flow over this outside air path through the pre-filter and then the filter.

[0020] According to one aspect of the invention, the movable flap for the outside air intake can also take a closing position blocking the outside air path.

[0021] According to one aspect of the invention, the movable outside air flap is configured so that, in its position of closing the outside air path, it allows the flow of recycled air through the filter.

[0022] In this open position of the movable flap of outside air intake, only outside air passes through the filter (recycled air cannot pass through the filter).

[0023] According to one aspect of the invention, the movable flap for the outside air intake can be a drum-type flap.

[0024] According to one aspect of the invention, the movable flap for the outside air intake is placed between the pre-filter and the filter.

[0025] According to one aspect of the invention, in a partial recycling mode, the movable bypass flap is in the second position allowing the recycled air to flow directly to the motor-fan unit without passing through the filter and the movable outside air inlet flap is open so that outside air is drawn into the housing by passing through the pre-filter and then the filter.

[0026] In a first embodiment of the invention, the pre-filter is placed exclusively on the outside air path. Thus, the recycled air does not pass through the pre-filter.

[0027] In a second embodiment of the invention, the pre-filter extends both over the outside air path and the recycled air path so that the outside air and the recycled air are systematically filtered by the pre-filter.

[0028] According to one aspect of the invention, the movable bypass flap, in this embodiment, can be placed in a bypass path through which both outside air and recycled air pass by bypassing the filter.

[0029] According to one aspect of the invention, this movable bypass flap is placed for example on one side of the filter.

[0030] According to one aspect of the invention, the filter and the pre-filter can be joined together.

[0031] Alternatively, the filter and the pre-filter are arranged at a distance from each other.

[0032] According to one aspect of the invention, the heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning device comprises a motor-fan unit placed downstream of the pre-filter, and in particular downstream of the movable bypass flap.

[0033] According to one aspect of the invention, the filter and / or pre-filter are placed at the front of an electric motor of the vehicle.

[0034] The invention further relates to a method of controlling a heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning device as described above, comprising the step of controlling a movable outside air inlet flap to pass outside air through a pre-filter and a filter of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning device.

[0035] Other features, details and advantages of the invention will become clearer upon reading the following description on the one hand, and several illustrative and non-limiting examples of embodiments given with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings on the other hand, in which:

[0036] [Fig-1] Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of a heating device, ventilation and / or air conditioning in a first mode of operation, according to an example of an embodiment of the invention;

[0037] [Fig.2] Fig.2 is a schematic representation of the heating device, ventilation and / or air conditioning of the [Fig.l], in a second operating mode;

[0038] [Fig.3] The [Fig.3] is a schematic representation of the heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning system of the [Fig.1], in a third operating mode;

[0039] [Fig.4] Fig.4 is a schematic representation of the heating device, ventilation and / or air conditioning of the [Fig.1], in a fourth operating mode;

[0040] [Fig.5] The [Fig.5] is a perspective representation of a section of the heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning system of the [Fig.1];

[0041] [Fig.6] The [Fig.6] is a schematic representation of a heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning device according to another embodiment of the invention;

[0042] [Fig.7] Fig.7 is a schematic representation of a heating device, ventilation and / or air conditioning according to another embodiment of the invention.

[0043] The features, variants, and different embodiments of the invention can be combined in various ways, provided they are not incompatible or mutually exclusive. In particular, variants of the invention may be conceived comprising only a selection of features, described hereafter in isolation from the other described features, if this selection of features is sufficient to confer a technical advantage and / or to differentiate the invention from the prior art.

[0044] Figures 1 to 4 show a heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning device 1 according to a first example of implementation of the invention, mounted in a vehicle V.

[0045] The heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning device 1 comprises a housing 2 and, in the housing 2, heat treatment components, not shown, among which is, in a manner known per se, an evaporator intended to cool and dehumidify an airflow circulating in the housing 2.

[0046] These heat treatment components also include a radiator for heating a portion of the airflow circulating in the housing 2, and is arranged downstream of the evaporator, relative to the airflow direction. This radiator may optionally be coupled with an additional electric heater for heating the airflow more rapidly, particularly when starting the vehicle.

[0047] As illustrated in Fig. 1, an outside airflow Fext is drawn into the housing 2 through at least one outside air inlet 5 on the housing 2, by means of a motor-fan unit 4 which includes for this purpose a motor and a blade wheel.

[0048] These heat treatment components are not described in further detail as they are well known from the state of the art.

[0049] The housing 2 defines an outside air path 8 configured to allow an outside air supply from outside the housing 2, and a recycled air path 9 configured to allow recirculation of air that has been treated in the heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning device 1.

[0050] The heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning device 1 also includes an air filter 10 configured to filter air passing through this filter 10, and an air pre-filter 11 configured to filter air passing through this pre-filter 11.

[0051] The pre-filter 11 is arranged on the outside air path 8, upstream of the filter 10, so that when outside air is supplied, this outside air can pass first through the pre-filter 11 and then through filter 10.

[0052] The heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning device 1 includes a movable bypass flap 15 configured to allow, in a bypass position, bypassing of the filter 10 by a circulation of recycled air.

[0053] The use of a pre-filter 11 upstream of the filter 10 allows the pre-filter 11 to remove the largest particles from the outside air, thus reducing the rate at which the filter 10 located downstream of the pre-filter 11 becomes saturated. In a way, the pre-filter 11 protects the filter 10, thereby extending the lifespan of the filter 10 by prioritizing the pre-filter 11. This pre-filter 11 can be chosen with a lower filtration quality than the filter 10. For example, the pre-filter 11 can be less expensive than the filter 10. By protecting the filter 10, it is therefore possible to change this filter 10 less frequently than the pre-filter 11. The invention thus provides an economic saving since the filter 10 is changed less often than the pre-filter 11, for example, half as often.

[0054] The air filter 10 is a high efficiency air filter, in particular called a HEPA filter in English (for High Efficiency Particulate Air).

[0055] This high-efficiency filter 10 is notably capable of filtering particles with a characteristic size less than or equal to 0.3 microns.

[0056] The pre-filter 11 has a lower filtration capacity than the air filter 10.

[0057] The movable bypass flap 15 allows, in certain operating modes of the vehicle, for recycled air to circulate by bypassing the filter 10.

[0058] This is advantageous for not generating pressure loss in the airflow when reducing pressure loss takes priority over air filtration.

[0059] It is also possible to avoid saturating this filter 10 by allowing the air to bypass this filter 10.

[0060] In general, the invention makes it possible to preserve the high-efficiency air filter 10, which can be relatively expensive.

[0061] In the described example, the movable bypass flap 15 (shown in isolation in [Fig. 5]) is placed on the recirculated air path 9 and is configured to allow, depending on its position, recirculated air to flow through the filter 10 or recirculated air to flow around the filter 10, or both at the same time.

[0062] The movable bypass flap 15 is a butterfly type flap or a drum type flap, mounted to rotate relative to the housing 2.

[0063] The heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning device 1 also includes a movable outside air inlet flap 16 placed on the outside air path 8, downstream of the pre-filter 11.

[0064] The movable outside air inlet flap 16 is configured so that, in an open position, it opens the outside air path 8 to allow outside air to flow through this outside air path 8, passing through the pre-filter 11 and then the filter 10. In this open position of the movable outside air inlet flap 16, only outside air passes through the filter 10; recycled air cannot pass through the filter 10.

[0065] The movable outside air inlet flap 15 can also take a closing position blocking the outside air path 8.

[0066] The movable outside air flap 8 is configured so that, in its position of blocking the outside air path, it allows the flow of recycled air through the filter 10.

[0067] The movable outside air inlet flap 16 can be a drum-type flap, analogous to the flap 15.

[0068] The movable outside air inlet flap 16 is placed between the pre-filter 11 and the filter 10.

[0069] The movable bypass flap 15 can take a first position in into which the recycled air is sent through filter 10.

[0070] The movable bypass flap 15 can take a second position in which part of the recycled air is sent through the filter 10 and another part continues its circulation by bypassing the filter 10.

[0071] It is understood that this movable bypass flap 15 allows the proportion of recycled air that must be sent through the filter 10 to be regulated.

[0072] In a first mode of operation illustrated in [Fig.1] (called "outside air" mode), the movable outside air inlet flap 16 is in the open position to allow outside air to flow over this outside air path 8 through the pre-filter 11 and then the filter 10. The recycled air path 9 is inactive.

[0073] In a second operating mode illustrated in [Fig.2], the movable outside air inlet flap 16 is in the closed position, blocking the outside air path 8. No outside air is supplied to the housing 2. The movable bypass flap 15 is then in the first position in which the recycled air is sent through the path 9 via the filter 10. This recycled air then passes through the motor-fan unit 4. This mode is referred to as "fully filtered recycled air (by the filter 10)".

[0074] In a third operating mode illustrated in [Fig.3], the movable outside air inlet flap 16 is in the closed position, blocking the outside air path 8. No outside air is supplied to the housing 2. The movable bypass flap 15 is in the second position so that recycled air is sent both through the path 9 through the filter 10 and directly to the motor-fan unit 4 without passing through the filter 10. This mode is said to be "partially filtered recycled air (through the filter 10)".

[0075] It is possible to consider having the flap 15 in a position which forces the recycled air to pass completely around the filter 10.

[0076] In a fourth operating mode illustrated in [Fig. 4], the movable outside air inlet flap 16 is in the open position to allow outside air to flow through this outside air path 8, passing through the pre-filter 11 and then the filter 10. The movable bypass flap 15 is in the second position so that recycled air is sent directly to the motor-fan unit 4 without passing through the filter 10. The recycled air path through the filter 10 is then blocked by the movable outside air inlet flap 16. This mode is called "partially recycled air".

[0077] In the embodiment described above, the pre-filter 11 is placed exclusively on the outside air path 8. Thus the recycled air does not pass through the pre-filter 11.

[0078] In a second embodiment of the invention illustrated in [Fig.6], the pre-filter 11 extends both over the outside air path 8 and the recycled air path 9 so that the outside air and the recycled air are systematically filtered by the pre-filter 11.

[0079] The movable bypass flap 30, in this embodiment example, can be placed in a bypass path 31 through which both outside air and recycled air pass, bypassing the filter 10 (HEPA).

[0080] This movable bypass flap 31 is placed for example on one side of the filter 10.

[0081] A second flap 32 upstream of the pre-filter 11 is provided to selectively open or close the outside air path 8 and the recycled air path 9.

[0082] The shutter 32 and the mobile bypass shutter 30 are configured to allow all possible combinations, namely:

[0083] - the case where outside air from the outside air path 8 is sent through the pre-filter 11, then passes through the high-efficiency filter 10, with the movable bypass flap 30 closed;

[0084] - the case where outside air from the outside air path 8 is sent through the pre-filter 11 then passes through the bypass path 31, without passing through the filter 10, the movable bypass flap 30 being open;

[0085] - the case where the outside air path 8 is blocked by the flap 32 and the air is recycled coming from the recycled air path 9 passes through the pre-filter 11 then through the filter 10, the bypass flap 30 being then closed;

[0086] - the case where recycled air from the recycled air path 9 passes through the pre-filter 11 then is sent into the bypass path 30, without going through filter 10, the bypass movable flap 30 being open.

[0087] The filter 10 and the pre-filter 11 can be placed next to each other, or arranged with a space between them.

[0088] Generally, the filter 10 and / or the pre-filter 11 can be placed at the front of an electric motor of the vehicle.

[0089] Another example of an implementation of the invention has been described with reference to [Fig.7] in which the recycled air path 9 is not placed upstream of the pre-filter 11 but downstream of this pre-filter 11.

[0090] In the example of [Fig.7], the outside air path 8 is upstream of the pre-filter 11 and is equipped with a flap 33 which controls the opening and closing of this external air path 8.

[0091] The recycled air path 9 is provided with a flap 34 allowing this recycled air path 9 to be opened or closed, which arrives downstream of the pre-filter 11 and upstream of the high-efficiency filter 10 and the bypass path 30.

[0092] In this example of [Fig.7], the recycled air from the recycled air path 9 never passes through the pre-filter 11.

Claims

1.

2. Demands Heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning device (1), in particular for motor vehicles, comprising: - a housing (2) defining an outside air path (8) configured to allow an outside air supply from outside the housing (2), and a recycled air path (9) configured to allow recirculation of air that has been treated in the heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning device (1), - an air filter (10) configured to filter air passing through this filter, - an air pre-filter (11) configured to filter air which passes through this pre-filter, this pre-filter being disposed on the outside air path, upstream of the filter, so that when outside air is supplied, this outside air can pass first through the pre-filter (11) and then through filter (10), - a movable bypass flap (15; 31) configured to allow, in a bypass position, bypass of the filter (10) by a circulation of recycled air, in which the movable bypass flap (15) is placed on the recirculated air path and is configured to allow, depending on its position, recirculated air to flow through the filter (10) or recirculated air to flow around the filter (10), or both at the same time, said device comprising a movable outside air inlet flap (16) placed on the outside air path, downstream of the pre-filter (11), and the movable outside air inlet flap (16) is configured to, in an open position, open the outside air path to allow outside air to flow over this outside air path through the pre-filter (11) and then the filter (10), the movable outside air inlet flap (16) also being able to take a closing position closing the outside air path (8). Device according to the preceding claim, wherein the air filter (10) is a high-efficiency air filter, in particular capable of filter particles with a characteristic size less than or equal to 0.3 microns.

3. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the pre-filter (11) has a lower filtration capacity than the air filter (10).

4. Device according to the preceding claim, wherein the movable bypass flap (15) is capable of taking a first position in which the recycled air is sent through the filter (10), and a second position in which part of the recycled air is sent through the filter (10) and another part continues its circulation by bypassing the filter (10).

5. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, in a partial recirculation mode, the movable bypass flap (15) is in a second position allowing the recirculated air to flow directly to a motor-fan unit (4) without passing through the filter (10) and the movable outside air inlet flap (16) is open so that outside air is drawn into the housing by passing through the pre-filter (11) and then the filter (10).

6. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the pre-filter (11) is placed exclusively on the outside air path (8).

7. Method of controlling a heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising the step of controlling a movable outside air inlet flap (16) to pass outside air through a pre-filter (11) and a filter (10) of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning device.

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