Refrigerant heating medium heat exchanger and vehicular air conditioning system using the same

Abstract

To provide a refrigerant heating medium heat exchanger capable of simultaneously forming liquid heating media having different temperatures and changing the temperature of the liquid heating medium to be caused to flow out by using the heat exchanger, and a vehicular air conditioning system using the refrigerant heating medium heat exchanger.SOLUTION: A refrigerant heating medium heat exchanger 1 for exchanging heat between a refrigerant and a liquid heating medium includes: a refrigerant inflow port 11 through which a refrigerant flows in; a refrigerant outflow port 12 through which the refrigerant flows out; a refrigerant flow passage 13 that connects the refrigerant inflow port 11 and the refrigerant outflow port 12; a heating medium inflow port 21 through which a liquid heating medium can flow in; a heating medium outflow port 22 through which the liquid heating medium can flow out; a heating medium flow passage 23 that connects the heating medium inflow port 21 and the heating medium outflow port 22 and is provided along the refrigerant flow passage 13; and an intermediate heating medium outflow port 24 that communicates with the heating medium flow passage 23 and is provided between the heating medium inflow port 21 and the heating medium outflow port 22 viewed along a flow of the liquid heating medium and through which the liquid heating medium can flow out. An intermediate heating medium inflow port 25 through which the liquid heating medium can flow in may be provided between the heating medium inflow port 21 and the heating medium outflow port 22.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a refrigerant / heat medium heat exchanger that exchanges heat between a refrigerant and a liquid heat medium, and a vehicle air conditioning system using the same. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, a stacked heat exchanger that exchanges heat between a refrigerant and cooling water is known (see Patent Document 1). This heat exchanger is configured by stacking a large number of heat transfer plates, and refrigerant flow paths through which a refrigerant flows and cooling water flow paths through which cooling water flows, which are formed between two heat transfer plates adjacent to each other in the stacking direction, are arranged alternately in the stacking direction. For this reason, the cooling water flow paths are branched into multiple rows within the stack, and the refrigerant flow paths are also branched into multiple rows within the stack.

[0003] In addition, the heat transfer plate arranged at one end in the stacking direction is provided with a refrigerant inlet, which allows refrigerant to flow into the refrigerant flow path from the outside, a refrigerant outlet, which allows refrigerant to flow out from the refrigerant flow path to the outside, a cooling water inlet, which allows cooling water to flow into the cooling water flow path from the outside, and a cooling water outlet, which allows cooling water to flow out from the cooling water flow path to the outside.

[0004] Therefore, the refrigerant flowing in through the refrigerant inlet passes through the refrigerant flow paths branched within the laminate before flowing out through the refrigerant outlet, and the cooling water flowing in through the cooling water inlet passes through the cooling water flow paths branched within the laminate before flowing out through the cooling water outlet, and the refrigerant and cooling water exchange heat as they pass through their respective branched passages (the refrigerant flow path and the cooling water flow path). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2017-15278 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, in conventional heat exchangers, the cooling water inlet is connected to the starting position of the cooling water passage and the cooling water outlet is connected to the terminal position of the cooling water passage, and the refrigerant and cooling water are heat exchanged using the entire stack before the cooling water is supplied to the heater core in the hot water cycle. Therefore, it is not possible to simultaneously produce multiple cooling waters (liquid heat medium) with different temperatures. Also, since the heat exchange length between the refrigerant and the cooling water is fixed, the temperature of the outflowing cooling water (liquid heat medium) cannot be changed by the heat exchanger, so the uses are limited.

[0007] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and has as its main objective to provide a refrigerant-heat medium heat exchanger that is capable of simultaneously forming a plurality of liquid heat media with different temperatures and that is capable of changing the temperature of the liquid heat medium that flows out by the heat exchanger, and a vehicle air conditioning system using the same. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, a refrigerant-heat medium heat exchanger according to the present invention is a refrigerant-heat medium heat exchanger (1) that exchanges heat between a refrigerant and a liquid heat medium, and is characterized in comprising: a refrigerant inlet (11) through which a refrigerant flows in, a refrigerant outlet (12) through which the refrigerant flows out, a refrigerant flow path (13) connecting the refrigerant inlet (11) and the refrigerant outlet (12), a heat medium inlet (21) through which the liquid heat medium can flow in, a heat medium outlet (22) through which the liquid heat medium can flow out, a heat medium flow path (23) connecting the heat medium inlet (21) and the heat medium outlet (22) and provided along the refrigerant flow path (13), and an intermediate heat medium outlet (24) that is connected to the heat medium flow path (23), is provided between the heat medium inlet (21) and the heat medium outlet (22) when viewed along the flow of the liquid heat medium, and allows the liquid heat medium to flow out.

[0009] Therefore, the liquid heat medium flowing in from the heat medium inlet flows through the heat medium flow path while exchanging heat with the refrigerant flowing in the refrigerant flow path, and flows out from the heat medium outlet or the intermediate heat medium outlet. At this time, since the intermediate heat medium outlet is provided upstream of the heat medium outlet, the liquid heat medium flowing out from the intermediate heat medium outlet exchanges less heat with the refrigerant than the liquid heat medium flowing out from the heat medium outlet.

[0010] That is, the liquid heat medium having a relatively small amount of heat exchange with the refrigerant can be discharged from the intermediate heat medium outlet, and the liquid heat medium having a relatively large amount of heat exchange with the refrigerant can be discharged from the heat medium outlet, so that liquid heat mediums of different temperatures can be discharged simultaneously, which makes it possible to simultaneously cool multiple heat generating bodies with different amounts of heat to be cooled, or to simultaneously heat multiple objects with different required amounts of heat.

[0011] In the above-described configuration, an intermediate heat medium inlet (25) may be provided, which is connected to the heat medium flow path (23) and is located between the heat medium inlet (21) and the heat medium outlet (22) when viewed along the flow of the liquid heat medium, and through which the liquid heat medium can flow.

[0012] In such a configuration, multiple liquid heat medium inlets are provided in the flow direction of the liquid heat medium, so that the temperature of the liquid heat medium flowing out from the heat medium outlet can be adjusted based on the heat amount of the heating element and the required heat amount of the object to be heated by adjusting the inflow ratio of the liquid heat medium flowing in from the heat medium inlet and the liquid heat medium flowing in from the intermediate heat medium inlet.

[0013] Here, the intermediate heat medium outlet (24) and the intermediate heat medium inlet (25) may be configured by a same communication port that communicates with the heat medium flow path (23), and this communication port may be selectively used as the intermediate heat medium outlet (24) or the intermediate heat medium inlet (25).

[0014] With this configuration, it is possible to selectively use the same refrigerant / heat medium heat exchanger to provide a multiple heat medium supply mode in which multiple liquid heat media of different temperatures are supplied to cool multiple heating elements with different cooling heat amounts or to heat multiple objects with different heating requirements, and a multiple heat medium receiving mode in which multiple liquid heat media of different temperatures are received to accommodate changes in the heat generated by the heating elements or changes in the heating requirements of the objects.

[0015] In other words, by using the same refrigerant heat medium heat exchanger, it is possible to change the purpose of the refrigerant heat medium heat exchanger by changing whether the piping connected to the communication port is the refrigerant inlet side piping or the refrigerant outlet side piping, so the refrigerant heat medium heat exchanger can be made with a simple structure.

[0016] The intermediate heat medium inlet (25) may be provided between the heat medium inlet (21) and the intermediate heat medium outlet (24) when viewed along the flow of the liquid heat medium.

[0017] According to this configuration, the intermediate heat medium inlet and the intermediate heat medium outlet are provided separately, so that it is possible to simultaneously accommodate a multiple heat medium supply mode in which multiple liquid heat media of different temperatures are supplied to cool multiple heat generating elements with different cooling heat amounts or to heat multiple objects with different required heating amounts, and a multiple heat medium receiving mode in which multiple liquid heat media of different temperatures are received to accommodate changes in the heat generated by the heating elements or changes in the required heating amount of the objects.

[0018] The above-described refrigerant-heat medium heat exchanger may be configured as a heat exchanger having a laminated structure, in which refrigerant flow layers (16) communicating with the refrigerant inlet (11) and the refrigerant outlet (12) and heat medium flow layers (26) communicating with the heat medium inlet (21), the heat medium outlet (22), and the intermediate heat medium outlet (24) are alternately laminated, and the refrigerant flow path (13) is configured from each of the refrigerant flow layers (16), and the heat medium flow path (23) is configured from each of the heat medium flow layers (26).

[0019] In such a configuration, the refrigerant flow layers and the heat transfer medium flow layers are alternately stacked, so that it is possible to secure a large area for heat exchange between the refrigerant and the liquid heat transfer medium, thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency.

[0020] The above-described refrigerant / heat medium heat exchanger can be used in a wide variety of vehicle air conditioning systems, and the vehicle air conditioning systems may have the following configurations.

[0021] That is, as a vehicle air conditioning system using a refrigerant-heat medium heat exchanger having an intermediate heat medium outlet between a heat medium inlet and a heat medium outlet when viewed along the flow of the liquid heat medium, an outlet of an expansion valve (46) which reduces the pressure and expands the refrigerant is connected to a refrigerant inlet (11), the refrigerant reduced in pressure and expanded by the expansion valve (46) can flow through a refrigerant flow path (13), and a first heat element heat absorber (53) which absorbs heat from a first heat element (52), and a bypass junction (J1) are provided in this order on a path (51) of a heat medium cycle (50) extending from the heat medium outlet (22) to the heat medium inlet (21). The heat medium outlet bypass flow path (54) may be provided from the intermediate heat medium outlet (24) to the bypass junction (J1), and a second heating element heat absorber (56) that absorbs heat from the second heating element (55) may be provided in the heat medium outlet bypass flow path (54) extending from the intermediate heat medium outlet (24) to the bypass junction (J1). The heat medium outlet bypass flow path (54) may be provided with at least one of an integrated pump (58) that supplies a liquid heat medium and is provided in a path (51b) from the bypass junction (J1) to the heat medium inlet (21), and individual flow pumps (58a, 58b) that supply a liquid heat medium and are provided in each of the path (51a) from the heat medium outlet (22) to the bypass junction (J1) and the heat medium outlet bypass flow path (54).

[0022] In addition, as a vehicle air conditioning system using a refrigerant heat medium heat exchanger having an intermediate heat medium inlet between a heat medium inlet and a heat medium outlet when viewed along the flow of the liquid heat medium, an expansion valve (46) for reducing the pressure and expanding the refrigerant is connected to the refrigerant inlet (11), and the refrigerant reduced in pressure and expanded by the expansion valve (46) can flow through a refrigerant flow path (13). A third heating element heat absorber (62) for absorbing heat from a third heating element (61) and a third heating element heat absorber (62) for absorbing heat from a third heating element (61) are connected to the heat medium outlet (22). The heat medium inlet (21) and the intermediate heat medium inlet (25) may be connected via a branch section (D1) provided on an outlet side of the heat medium outlet (22) and branch flow paths (63a, 63b) branched at the branch section (D1), and the heat medium inlet (21) and the intermediate heat medium inlet (25) may be provided with at least one of an integrated pump (65) for supplying a liquid heat medium provided in a path (64) from the heat medium outlet (22) to the branch section (D1) and individual flow pumps (65a, 65b) provided in each of the branch flow paths (63a, 63b).

[0023] As another example of a vehicle air conditioning system using a refrigerant heat medium heat exchanger having an intermediate heat medium outlet between a heat medium inlet and a heat medium outlet, a compressor (71) is connected to the refrigerant inlet (11), a refrigerant compressed by the compressor (71) can flow through a refrigerant flow path (13), and a path (81) of a heat medium cycle (80) extending from the heat medium outlet (22) to the heat medium inlet (21) is provided with an interior radiator (36) arranged in a ventilation space (34) of the air conditioning unit (30) for heating air flowing through the ventilation space (34), and a bypass junction (J2), in this order. The heat medium outlet bypass flow path (82) extending from the intermediate heat medium outlet (24) to the bypass junction (J2) is provided with a fourth heating element radiator (84) which radiates heat to a fourth heating element (83). The heat medium outlet bypass flow path (82) may include at least one of an integrated pump (88) which is provided in a path (81b) from the bypass junction (J2) to the heat medium inlet (21) and which supplies a liquid heat medium, and individual flow pumps (88a, 88b) which are provided in the path (81a) from the heat medium outlet (22) to the bypass junction (J2) and the heat medium outlet bypass flow path (82) and which supply the liquid heat medium.

[0024] As another example of a refrigerant-heat medium heat exchanger having an intermediate heat medium inlet between a heat medium inlet and a heat medium outlet, a refrigerant inlet (11) is connected to a compressor (71), a refrigerant compressed by the compressor (71) can flow through a refrigerant flow path (13), and a heat medium outlet (22) is connected to a passenger compartment radiator (36) disposed in a ventilation space (34) of an air conditioning unit (30) on the outflow side of the passenger compartment radiator (36). The heat medium inlet (21) and the intermediate heat medium inlet (25) are connected via a branch section (D2) provided in the heat medium inlet (21) and branch flow paths (91a, 91b) branched at the branch section (D2), and the heat medium inlet (21) and the intermediate heat medium inlet (25) may be connected via the branch section (D2) provided in the heat medium outlet (22) and the branch section (D2). The heat medium inlet (21) and the intermediate heat medium inlet (25) may be connected via the branch section (D2) and the intermediate heat medium inlet (25) may be connected via the branch flow paths (91a, 91b). The heat medium inlet (21) and the intermediate heat medium inlet (25) may be connected via the branch section (D2) and the intermediate heat medium inlet (25) and may include at least one of an integrated pump (93) for supplying a liquid heat medium provided in a path (92) from the heat medium outlet (22) to the branch section (D2) and individual flow pumps (93a, 93b) provided in the branch flow paths (91a, 91b), respectively.

[0025] Furthermore, as another example of a vehicle air conditioning system using a refrigerant heat medium heat exchanger having an intermediate heat medium outlet between a heat medium inlet and a heat medium outlet, an outlet of an expansion valve (115) for reducing the pressure and expanding the refrigerant is connected to the refrigerant inlet (11), and the refrigerant reduced in pressure and expanded by the expansion valve (115) can flow through the refrigerant flow path (13), and a path (121) of a heat medium cycle (120) from the heat medium outlet (22) to the heat medium inlet (21) includes an passenger compartment heat sink (35) arranged in a ventilation space (34) of the air conditioning unit (30) for cooling the air flowing through the ventilation space (34), and a bypass junction (J3). the heat medium outlet bypass flow path (122) from the intermediate heat medium outlet (24) to the bypass junction (J3) is provided with a fifth heating element heat absorber (124) that absorbs heat from the fifth heating element (123), and the heat medium outlet bypass flow path (122) may include at least one of an integrated pump (128) that is provided in the path (121b) from the bypass junction (J3) to the heat medium inlet (21) and that supplies a liquid heat medium, and individual flow pumps (128a, 128b) that are provided in each of the path (121a) from the heat medium outlet (22) to the bypass junction (J3) and the heat medium outlet bypass flow path (122) and that supply a liquid heat medium.

[0026] As another example of a vehicle air conditioning system using a refrigerant heat medium heat exchanger having an intermediate heat medium inlet between a heat medium inlet and a heat medium outlet, an expansion valve (115) for reducing the pressure and expanding the refrigerant is connected to the refrigerant inlet (11), and the refrigerant reduced in pressure and expanded by the expansion valve (115) can flow through the refrigerant flow path (13). The heat medium outlet (22) is connected to a passenger compartment heat absorber (35) disposed in the ventilation space (34) of the air conditioning unit (30) and an outlet of the passenger compartment heat absorber (35). The heat medium inlet (21) and the intermediate heat medium inlet (25) are connected via a branch section (D3) provided on the upstream side of the heat medium outlet (22) and branch flow paths (131a, 131b) branched at the branch section (D3), and the heat medium inlet (21) and the intermediate heat medium inlet (25) are connected via the branch section (D3), and the heat medium inlet (21) and the intermediate heat medium inlet (25) may include at least one of an integrated pump (133) for feeding a liquid heat medium provided in a path (132) from the heat medium outlet (22) to the branch section (D3) and individual flow pumps (133a, 133b) provided in the branch flow paths (131a, 131b), respectively. Effect of the Invention

[0027] As described above, according to the present invention, at least one of an intermediate heat medium outlet through which the liquid heat medium can flow and an intermediate heat medium inlet through which the liquid heat medium can flow is provided between the heat medium inlet and the heat medium outlet when viewed along the flow of the liquid heat medium, so that liquid heat medium of different temperatures can be simultaneously discharged, making it possible, for example, to simultaneously cool multiple heat generating bodies with different amounts of cooling heat, or to simultaneously heat multiple objects with different amounts of heating. Also, it becomes possible to vary the temperature of the liquid heat medium to be supplied based on the amount of heat generated by the heat generating body or the amount of heat required for the object to be heated. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0028] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a first embodiment of a refrigerant-heat medium heat exchanger according to the present invention, in which (a) is a perspective view of a heat exchanger showing the flows of a refrigerant and a liquid heat medium at the same time, (b) is a diagram showing only the flow of a refrigerant in the heat exchanger of (a) for convenience, and (c) is a diagram showing only the flow of a liquid heat medium in the heat exchanger of (a) for convenience. [Diagram 2]FIG. 1 shows heat transfer plates used when the refrigerant / heat medium heat exchanger according to the present invention is configured as a stacked type heat exchanger, where (a) is a plan view of a refrigerant heat transfer plate together with its cross sections along lines AA, BB, and CC, and (b) is a plan view of a heat medium heat transfer plate together with its cross sections along lines AA, BB, and CC. [Diagram 3] 3A and 3B are diagrams showing a part of a cutaway view of a refrigerant / heat medium heat exchanger in which the refrigerant heat transfer plates and the heat medium heat transfer plates of FIG. 2 are alternately stacked, where (a) is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in FIG. 2, (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 2, and (c) is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a modified example of the first embodiment of the refrigerant / heat medium heat exchanger according to the present invention, in which (a) shows only the flow of the refrigerant for convenience, and (b) shows only the flow of the liquid heat medium for convenience. [Diagram 5] 5A and 5B are diagrams showing a part of the refrigerant / heat medium heat exchanger shown in FIG. 4 when a stacked type heat exchanger is configured using heat transfer plates (refrigerant heat transfer plates, heat medium heat transfer plates) similar to those in FIG. 2, where (a) is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in FIG. 2, (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 2, and (c) is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC in FIG. 2. [Figure 6] 5A and 5B are diagrams showing a second embodiment of a refrigerant-heat medium heat exchanger according to the present invention, in which (a) is a perspective view of a heat exchanger showing the flows of a refrigerant and a liquid heat medium at the same time, (b) is a diagram showing only the flow of a refrigerant in the heat exchanger of (a) for convenience, and (c) is a diagram showing only the flow of a liquid heat medium in the heat exchanger of (a) for convenience. [Figure 7] 5A and 5B are diagrams showing a third embodiment of a refrigerant-heat medium heat exchanger according to the present invention, in which (a) is a perspective view of a heat exchanger showing the flows of a refrigerant and a liquid heat medium at the same time, (b) is a diagram showing only the flow of a refrigerant in the heat exchanger of (a) for convenience, and (c) is a diagram showing only the flow of a liquid heat medium in the heat exchanger of (a) for convenience. [Figure 8]8A and 8B are diagrams showing heat transfer plates used when the refrigerant / heat medium heat exchanger shown in FIG. 7 is configured as a stacked type heat exchanger, where FIG. 8A is a plan view of a refrigerant heat transfer plate together with its cross sections along lines AA, BB, and CC, and FIG. 8B is a plan view of a heat medium heat transfer plate together with its cross sections along lines AA, BB, and CC. [Figure 9] 1 is a diagram showing a first embodiment of a vehicle air conditioning system according to the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a modified example of the first embodiment of the vehicle air conditioning system. [Figure 11] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing another modified example of the vehicle air conditioning system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 12] 5A and 5B are diagrams showing a second embodiment of a vehicle air conditioning system according to the present invention, in which (a) shows an example in which an integrated pump and a flow control valve are used in a heat medium cycle, (b) shows an example in which an integrated pump and a three-way flow control valve are used in a heat medium cycle, and (c) shows an example in which a respective flow pump is used in a heat medium cycle. [Figure 13] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a third embodiment of a vehicle air conditioning system according to the present invention. [Figure 14] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a modified example of the third embodiment of the vehicle air conditioning system. [Figure 15] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing another modified example of the vehicle air conditioning system according to the third embodiment. [Figure 16] 4A and 4B are diagrams showing a fourth embodiment of a vehicle air conditioning system according to the present invention, in which (a) shows an example in which an integrated pump and a flow control valve are used in a heat medium cycle, (b) shows an example in which an integrated pump and a three-way flow control valve are used in a heat medium cycle, and (c) shows an example in which a respective flow pump is used in a heat medium cycle. [Figure 17] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a fifth embodiment of a vehicle air conditioning system according to the present invention. [Figure 18] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a modified example of the fifth embodiment of the vehicle air conditioning system. [Figure 19] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing another modified example of the vehicle air conditioning system according to the fifth embodiment. [Figure 20]6A and 6B are diagrams showing a sixth embodiment of a vehicle air conditioning system according to the present invention, in which (a) shows an example in which an integrated pump and a flow control valve are used in a heat medium cycle, (b) shows an example in which an integrated pump and a three-way flow control valve are used in a heat medium cycle, and (c) shows an example in which a respective flow pump is used in a heat medium cycle. [Figure 21] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a seventh embodiment of a vehicle air conditioning system according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0029] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. (First embodiment of refrigerant / heat medium heat exchanger) 1 to 3 show a first embodiment of a refrigerant / heat medium heat exchanger 1 according to the present invention.

[0030] The refrigerant heat medium heat exchanger 1 is a heat exchanger that exchanges heat between a refrigerant and a liquid heat medium, and as shown in FIG. 1 , is provided with a refrigerant inlet 11 through which the refrigerant flows in, a refrigerant outlet 12 through which the refrigerant flows out, and a refrigerant flow path 13 connecting the refrigerant inlet 11 and the refrigerant outlet 12, as well as a heat medium inlet 21 through which the liquid heat medium can flow in, a heat medium outlet 22 through which the liquid heat medium can flow out, and a heat medium flow path 23 that connects the heat medium inlet 21 and the heat medium outlet 22 and is provided along the refrigerant flow path 13.

[0031] In this embodiment, an intermediate heat medium outlet 24 is provided which is connected to the heat medium flow path 23 and is provided between the heat medium inlet 21 and the heat medium outlet 22 when viewed along the flow of the liquid heat medium, allowing the liquid heat medium to flow out.

[0032] The refrigerant / heat medium heat exchanger 1 may be of any type as long as it is configured to exchange heat between the refrigerant and the liquid heat medium. In order to efficiently exchange heat between the refrigerant and the liquid heat medium, however, it is preferable to use a stacked plate type in which a large number of heat transfer plates 5 are stacked and the refrigerant and the liquid heat medium flow alternately. That is, the refrigerant / heat medium heat exchanger 1 is configured by alternately stacking refrigerant heat transfer plates 100 and heat medium heat transfer plates 200 shown in FIG.

[0033] 2(a), the refrigerant heat transfer plate 100 has a joint 101 formed on the periphery of a rectangular metal plate for joining heat transfer plates 5 adjacent in the stacking direction, and the inside of the joint 101 is recessed to form a refrigerant flow path recess 102. The refrigerant flow path recess 102 has a protrusion 103 extending in the longitudinal direction from one end to the vicinity of the other end, shifted from the center in the short direction to one side. Therefore, the refrigerant flow path recess 102 is formed so that the relatively narrow refrigerant outward path recess 102a and the relatively wide refrigerant return path recess 102b extending in the longitudinal direction communicate with each other at the other end side in the longitudinal direction.

[0034] The refrigerant outward path recess 102a has a refrigerant inlet hole 104 for the inflow of the refrigerant near one end in the longitudinal direction, near a corner portion of the joint margin 101. The refrigerant return path recess 102b has a refrigerant outlet hole 105 for the outflow of the refrigerant near one end in the longitudinal direction, near a corner portion of the joint margin 101.

[0035] Furthermore, the refrigerant heat transfer plate 100 is provided with a heat medium inlet hole 106 and a heat medium outlet hole 107 near the other longitudinal end and near the corner portion of the joint margin 101, and an intermediate heat medium outlet hole 108 for allowing the heat medium to flow out is formed near one longitudinal end between the refrigerant outlet hole 105 and the protrusion 103. The heat medium inlet hole 106, the heat medium outlet hole 107, and the intermediate heat medium outlet hole 108 are formed in raised portions 106a, 107a, and 108a raised from the refrigerant flow path recess 102, respectively.

[0036] The protrusions 103 and the respective raised portions 106a, 107a, 108a of the refrigerant heat transfer plate 100 are capable of being brazed to the back surfaces of adjacent heat transfer plates 5 (heat transfer plates 200 for heat transfer plates) in a state in which the adjacent heat transfer plates 5 are assembled in the stacking direction. In the brazed state, the heat medium inlet hole 106, the heat medium outlet hole 107, and the intermediate heat medium outlet hole 108 are not connected to the refrigerant flow path recess 102.

[0037] In contrast, as shown in FIG. 2(b), a heat transfer plate 200 for a heat medium has a joint 201 formed on the periphery of a rectangular metal plate to join adjacent heat transfer plates 5 in the stacking direction, and the inside of the joint 201 is recessed to form a recess 202 for a heat transfer medium flow path.

[0038] A protrusion 203 extending in the longitudinal direction from the other end to the vicinity of one end is formed in the heat medium flow path recess 202, shifted from the center in the short direction to the other side in the short direction. Therefore, the heat medium flow path recess 202 is formed such that a relatively wide heat medium outward path recess 202a and a relatively narrow heat medium return path recess 202b extending in the longitudinal direction communicate with each other at one end in the longitudinal direction.

[0039] The heat medium outward path recess 202a has a heat medium inlet hole 206 for the inflow of the liquid heat medium, which is provided near the other end in the longitudinal direction and near the corner portion of the joint margin 201. The heat medium return path recess 202b has a heat medium outlet hole 207 for the outflow of the liquid heat medium, which is provided near the other end in the longitudinal direction and near the corner portion of the joint margin 201.

[0040] Furthermore, the heat medium heat transfer plate 200 has a refrigerant inlet hole 204 and a refrigerant outlet hole 205 formed near one end in the longitudinal direction and near a corner portion of the joint margin 201. An intermediate heat medium outlet hole 208 for allowing the heat medium to flow out is provided near one end in the longitudinal direction, between the refrigerant inlet hole 204 and the refrigerant outlet hole 205, and on an extension line of the protrusion 203, so as to communicate with the heat medium flow path recess 202. The refrigerant inlet hole 204 and the refrigerant outlet hole 205 are formed in raised portions 204a and 205a raised from the heat medium flow path recess 202.

[0041] The protrusions 203 and the respective raised portions 204a, 205a of the heat transfer plate 200 for the heat medium are capable of being brazed to the back surface of the heat transfer plate 5 (heat transfer plate 100 for the refrigerant) adjacent in the stacking direction when the heat transfer plate 5 is assembled. In the brazed state, the refrigerant inlet hole 204 and the refrigerant outlet hole 205 are not connected to the recess 202 for the heat transfer medium flow path.

[0042] 3, the heat transfer plate 5 arranged at one end in the stacking direction (e.g., the heat transfer plate 200 arranged at the top end) is provided with a refrigerant inlet 11 through which a refrigerant flows in from the outside, a refrigerant outlet 12 through which the refrigerant flows out to the outside, a heat medium inlet 21 through which a liquid heat medium flows in from the outside, and a heat medium outlet 22 through which the liquid heat medium flows out to the outside. In addition, the heat transfer plate 5 is provided with an intermediate heat medium outlet 24 arranged between the refrigerant inlet 11 and the refrigerant outlet 12 near one end in the longitudinal direction.

[0043] The above-mentioned refrigerant heat transfer plates 100 and heat medium heat transfer plates 200 are alternately stacked to form a positional relationship as shown in FIG. (i) The refrigerant inlet holes 104 of each refrigerant heat transfer plate 100 are aligned with the refrigerant inlet holes 204 of the heat medium heat transfer plate 200 and communicate with the refrigerant inlet port 11 . (ii) The refrigerant outlet holes 105 of the refrigerant heat transfer plate 100 are aligned with the refrigerant outlet holes 205 of the heat medium heat transfer plate 200 and communicate with the refrigerant outlet port 12 . (iii) The intermediate heat medium outlet holes 108 of the refrigerant heat transfer plate 100 are positioned to align with the intermediate heat medium outlet holes 208 of the heat medium heat transfer plate 200 and communicate with the intermediate heat medium outlet port 24 .

[0044] In addition, the positional relationship is as shown in FIG. (iv) The heat medium inlet holes 106 of the refrigerant heat transfer plate 100 are positioned to align with the heat medium inlet holes 206 of the heat medium heat transfer plate 200 and communicate with the heat medium inlet port 21 . (v) The heat medium outlet holes 107 of the refrigerant heat transfer plate 100 are positioned to align with the heat medium outlet holes 207 of the heat medium heat transfer plate 200 and communicate with the heat medium outlet port 22 .

[0045] Therefore, when the refrigerant heat transfer plate 100 and the heat medium heat transfer plate 200 are alternately stacked with their joints 101, 201 butted against each other, a refrigerant flow layer 16 is formed between the refrigerant flow path recess 102 of the refrigerant heat transfer plate 100 and the back surface of the heat medium heat transfer plate 200, folding back from the refrigerant inlet hole 104 to the refrigerant outlet hole 105, as shown in Fig. 3. Since each refrigerant flow layer 16 does not communicate with the heat medium inlet hole 106, the heat medium outlet hole 107, and the intermediate heat medium outlet hole 108, the refrigerant that flows in from the refrigerant inlet hole 104 passes through a relatively narrow forward path, makes a U-turn, passes through a relatively wide return path, and then flows out from the refrigerant outlet hole 105.

[0046] Furthermore, a heat medium flow layer 26 is formed between the heat medium flow path recess 202 of the heat medium heat transfer plate 200 and the back surface of the refrigerant heat transfer plate 100, the heat medium flow layer 26 being folded back from the heat medium inlet hole 206 to the heat medium outlet hole 207. Since each heat medium flow layer 26 does not communicate with the refrigerant inlet hole 204 and the refrigerant outlet hole 205, the refrigerant that flows in from the heat medium inlet hole 206 passes through a relatively wide forward path, then makes a U-turn, passes through a relatively narrow return path, and then flows out from the heat medium outlet hole 207, and also flows out from an intermediate heat medium outlet hole 208 provided in the folded back portion transitioning from the forward path to the return path.

[0047] Since the refrigerant heat transfer plates 100 and the heat medium heat transfer plates 200 are alternately stacked, a plurality of refrigerant flow layers 16 are formed in parallel between the refrigerant inlet 11 and the refrigerant outlet 12, and a plurality of heat medium flow layers 26 are formed in parallel between the heat medium inlet 21, the heat medium outlet 22, and the intermediate heat medium outlet 24. Thus, each refrigerant flow layer 16 forms a refrigerant flow path 13 connecting the refrigerant inlet 11 and the refrigerant outlet 12, and the refrigerant flowing in from the refrigerant inlet 11 branches and flows into each refrigerant flow layer 16, then merges and flows out from the refrigerant outlet 12. Also, each heat medium flow layer 26 forms a heat medium flow path 23 connecting the heat medium inlet 21 and the heat medium outlet 22, and the heat medium flowing in from the heat medium inlet 21 branches and flows into each heat medium flow layer 26, then some of the flows merge and flow out from the intermediate heat medium outlet 24, and the rest of the flows merge and flow out from the heat medium outlet 22.

[0048] Therefore, in the refrigerant-heat medium heat exchanger 1, the refrigerant and the liquid heat medium exchange heat between adjacent layers via the heat transfer plates 5, and the flow of the refrigerant in the refrigerant flow layer 16 and the flow of the liquid heat medium in the heat medium flow layer 26 are countercurrent to each other, so that efficient heat exchange between the refrigerant and the liquid heat medium is possible.

[0049] The positions of the protrusions 103 of the refrigerant heat transfer plate 100 and the protrusions 203 of the heat medium heat transfer plate 200 are offset to opposite sides from the center in the short direction of the heat transfer plate 5, so that the tops of the protrusions of each heat transfer plate abut against the back surface of the adjacent heat transfer plate and are securely brazed. This makes it possible to increase the strength of the heat exchanger and also to reliably prevent short circuits in the flow of the refrigerant and liquid heat transfer medium.

[0050] In the above-mentioned refrigerant / heat medium heat exchanger 1, the intermediate heat medium outlet holes 108, 208 are formed in the refrigerant heat transfer plate 100 and the heat medium heat transfer plate 200, respectively. The intermediate heat medium outlet 24 is connected to each heat medium flow layer 26 via each intermediate heat medium outlet hole 108, 208. Therefore, the liquid heat medium flowing through each heat medium flow layer 26 can flow out not only from the heat medium outlet 22 but also from the intermediate heat medium outlet 24.

[0051] Since the intermediate heat medium outlet 24 is connected to the folded portion (position on the extension line of the protrusion 203) of each heat medium flow layer 26, in each heat medium flow layer 26, the passage length (heat exchange length) from the heat medium inlet 206 to the intermediate heat medium outlet 208 is approximately half of the passage length (heat exchange length) from the heat medium inlet 206 to the heat medium outlet 207. When the liquid heat medium is cooled by the refrigerant, the temperature difference of the liquid heat medium between the heat medium inlet 21 and the intermediate heat medium outlet 24 is approximately half of the temperature difference of the liquid heat medium between the heat medium inlet 21 and the heat medium outlet 22. Also, when the liquid heat medium is heated by the refrigerant, the temperature difference of the liquid heat medium between the intermediate heat medium outlet 24 and the heat medium inlet 21 is approximately half of the temperature difference of the liquid heat medium between the heat medium outlet 22 and the heat medium inlet 21.

[0052] In the above example, the intermediate heat medium outlet 24 is provided at a position approximately half the distance from the heat medium inlet 21 to the heat medium outlet 22, but the position of the intermediate heat medium outlet 24 is not limited to this, and the formation position may be appropriately adjusted according to the required intermediate temperature.

[0053] (Modification of the first embodiment of the refrigerant / heat medium heat exchanger) In the above configuration, an example has been shown in which the refrigerant inlet 11, the refrigerant outlet 12, the heat medium inlet 21, the heat medium outlet 22, and the intermediate heat medium outlet 24 are provided on the heat transfer plate arranged at one end of the refrigerant heat medium heat exchanger 1 in the stacking direction. However, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the same effects can be obtained even if the refrigerant inlet 11 and the refrigerant outlet 12 are provided on the heat transfer plate arranged at one end of the refrigerant heat medium heat exchanger 1 in the stacking direction and the heat medium inlet 21, the heat medium outlet 22, and the intermediate heat medium outlet 24 are provided on the heat transfer plate arranged at the other end of the stacking direction.

[0054] (Second embodiment of refrigerant / heat medium heat exchanger) The above refrigerant heat medium heat exchanger 1 has been described as an example in which the intermediate heat medium outlet 24, through which the liquid heat medium can flow, is provided between the heat medium inlet 21 and the heat medium outlet 22 when viewed along the flow of the liquid heat medium. However, as shown in FIG. 6 , the refrigerant heat medium heat exchanger 2 may have an intermediate heat medium inlet 25, through which the liquid heat medium can flow, provided between the heat medium inlet 21 and the heat medium outlet 22 when viewed along the flow of the liquid heat medium.

[0055] In such a configuration, in the refrigerant heat transfer plate 100 and the heat medium heat transfer plate 200 shown in FIG. 2 , intermediate heat medium inlet holes 109, 209 are formed instead of the intermediate heat medium outlet holes 108, 208. Therefore, the intermediate heat medium inlet 25 is communicated with each heat medium flow layer 26 via each intermediate heat medium inlet hole 109, 209, and the liquid heat medium flowing into each heat medium flow layer 26 can flow in from at least one of the heat medium inlet 21 and the intermediate heat medium inlet 25.

[0056] Other configurations are similar to those of the refrigerant / heat medium heat exchanger 1 of the first embodiment, so the same components are given the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0057] Since the intermediate heat medium inlet 25 communicates with the folded-back portions (positions on the extension lines of the protrusions) of each heat medium flow layer 26 via the intermediate heat medium inlet holes 109 and 209, in each heat medium flow layer 26, the passage length (heat exchange length) from the intermediate heat medium inlet hole 209 to the heat medium outlet hole 207 is approximately half the passage length (heat exchange length) from the heat medium inlet hole 206 to the heat medium outlet hole 207. Therefore, when the liquid heat medium is cooled by the refrigerant, the temperature difference of the liquid heat medium between the intermediate heat medium inlet 25 and the heat medium outlet 22 is approximately half the temperature difference of the liquid heat medium between the heat medium inlet 21 and the heat medium outlet 22. Also, when the liquid heat medium is heated by the refrigerant, the temperature difference of the liquid heat medium between the heat medium outlet 22 and the intermediate heat medium inlet 25 is approximately half the temperature difference of the liquid heat medium between the heat medium outlet 22 and the heat medium inlet 21.

[0058] (Third embodiment of refrigerant / heat medium heat exchanger) In the above examples of the refrigerant heat medium heat exchangers 1 and 2, an example has been shown in which the intermediate heat medium outlet 24 is connected to an approximately central position of the heat medium flow path 23 (heat medium flow layer 26) and an example has been shown in which the intermediate heat medium inlet 25 is connected to the heat medium flow path 23 (heat medium flow layer 26), i.e., an example has been shown in which the intermediate heat medium outlet 24 and the intermediate heat medium inlet 25 are selectively provided at approximately the central position of the heat medium flow path 23 (heat medium flow layer 26). However, as shown in FIG. 7 , a refrigerant heat medium heat exchanger 1 may be configured in which an intermediate heat medium outlet 24 is provided between the heat medium inlet 21 and the heat medium outlet 22 to allow the liquid heat medium to flow out when viewed along the flow of the liquid heat medium, and an intermediate heat medium inlet 25 is further provided between the heat medium inlet 21 and the intermediate heat medium outlet 24 to allow the liquid heat medium to flow in.

[0059] In this example, as shown in Fig. 8(a), the refrigerant heat transfer plate 100 has a joint 101 formed on the periphery of a rectangular metal plate for joining adjacent heat transfer plates 5 in the stacking direction, and the inside of the joint 101 is recessed to form a refrigerant flow path recess 102. In the refrigerant flow path recess 102, ridges 103, refrigerant inlet holes 104, refrigerant outlet holes 105, heat medium inlet holes 106, and heat medium outlet holes 107 are formed, similarly to Fig. 2(a).

[0060] In addition, in the refrigerant return path recess 102b, an intermediate heat medium outlet hole 108, through which the liquid heat medium flows out to the outside, is formed near the joint 101 extending in the longitudinal direction, between the refrigerant outlet hole 105 and the heat medium outlet hole 107, and in the refrigerant forward path recess 102a, an intermediate heat medium inlet hole 109, through which the liquid heat medium flows in from the outside, is formed near the joint 101 extending in the longitudinal direction, between the refrigerant inlet hole 104 and the heat medium inlet hole 106.

[0061] The intermediate heat medium outlet hole 108 and the intermediate heat medium inlet hole 109 are formed in raised portions 108a, 109a raised from the refrigerant passage recess 102. When the heat transfer plates 5 (heat transfer plate 200 for heat medium) adjacent in the stacking direction are assembled, the raised portions 108a, 109a are capable of being brazed to the back surfaces of the adjacent heat transfer plates 5. When brazed, the intermediate heat medium outlet hole 108 and the intermediate heat medium inlet hole 109 are not in communication with the refrigerant passage recess 102. The other parts of the refrigerant heat transfer plate 100 are the same as those in FIG. 2(a), so the same parts are given the same reference numerals and the description thereof is omitted.

[0062] In contrast, as shown in Fig. 8(b), the heat medium heat transfer plate 200 has a joint 201 formed on the periphery of a rectangular metal plate for joining adjacent heat transfer plates 5 in the stacking direction, and the inside of the joint 201 is recessed to form a heat medium passage recess 202. In the heat medium passage recess 202, ridges 203, refrigerant inlet holes 204, refrigerant outlet holes 205, heat medium inlet holes 206, and heat medium outlet holes 207 are formed, similar to Fig. 2(b).

[0063] In the heat medium return path recess 202b of the heat medium flow path recess 202, an intermediate heat medium outlet hole 208 for causing the liquid heat medium to flow out to the outside is formed near the longitudinally extending joint 201 and between the refrigerant outlet hole 205 and the heat medium outlet hole 207. In the heat medium outward path recess 202a, an intermediate heat medium inlet hole 209 for causing the liquid heat medium to flow in from the outside is formed near the longitudinally extending joint 201 and between the refrigerant inlet hole 204 and the heat medium inlet hole 206. The intermediate heat medium outlet hole 208 and the intermediate heat medium inlet hole 209 are formed to communicate with the heat medium inlet hole 206 and the heat medium outlet hole 207 via the heat medium flow path recess 202. The other parts of the heat medium heat transfer plate 200 are the same as those in FIG. 2(b), so the same parts are given the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0064] When such a refrigerant heat transfer plate 100 and a heat medium heat transfer plate 200 are stacked, in addition to the above-mentioned positional relationships (i) to (v), the following positional relationships are also obtained. That is, (vi) The intermediate heat medium outlet holes 108 of each refrigerant heat transfer plate 100 are aligned with the intermediate heat medium outlet holes 208 of the heat medium heat transfer plate 200 and communicate with the intermediate heat medium outlet port 24 . (vii) The intermediate heat medium inlet holes 109 of each refrigerant heat transfer plate 100 are aligned with the intermediate heat medium inlet holes 209 of the heat medium heat transfer plate 200 and communicate with the intermediate heat medium inlet port 25 .

[0065] Therefore, when the refrigerant heat transfer plate 100 and the heat medium heat transfer plate 200 are alternately stacked with their joints 101, 201 butted against each other, a refrigerant flow layer 16 is formed between the refrigerant flow path recess 102 of the refrigerant heat transfer plate 100 and the back surface of the heat medium heat transfer plate 200, folding back from the refrigerant inlet hole 104 to the refrigerant outlet hole 105. Since each refrigerant flow layer 16 does not communicate with the heat medium inlet hole 106, the heat medium outlet hole 107, the intermediate heat medium outlet hole 108, and the intermediate heat medium inlet hole 109, the refrigerant that flows in from the refrigerant inlet hole 104 passes through a relatively narrow forward path, makes a U-turn, passes through a relatively wide return path, and then flows out from the refrigerant outlet hole 105.

[0066] On the other hand, a heat medium flowing layer 26 is formed between the heat medium flow path recess 202 of the heat medium heat transfer plate 200 and the back surface of the refrigerant heat transfer plate 100, the heat medium flowing layer 26 being folded back from the heat medium inlet hole 206 to the heat medium outlet hole 207. Since each heat medium flowing layer 26 does not communicate with the refrigerant inlet hole 204 and the refrigerant outlet hole 205, the liquid heat medium that flows in from the heat medium inlet hole 206 passes through a relatively wide outward path, then makes a U-turn, passes through a relatively narrow return path, and then flows out from the heat medium outlet hole 207. In addition, each heat medium flow layer 26 is also connected to the intermediate heat medium outlet hole 208 and the intermediate heat medium inlet hole 209, so that a part of the liquid heat medium flowing in from the heat medium inlet hole 206 can also flow out from the intermediate heat medium outlet hole 208, and the refrigerant flowing in from the intermediate heat medium inlet hole 209 joins with the liquid heat medium flowing in from the heat medium inlet hole 206 and can flow out from the heat medium outlet hole 207 or the intermediate heat medium outlet hole 208.

[0067] In such a configuration, two liquid heat transfer medium outlets and two liquid heat transfer medium inlets are provided, so that it is possible to form a multiple heat transfer medium supply mode in which multiple liquid heat transfer media of different temperatures are supplied to cool multiple heat generating elements with different amounts of cooling heat, or to heat multiple objects with different amounts of heating, while simultaneously forming a multiple heat transfer medium supply and demand mode in which multiple liquid heat transfer media of different temperatures are accepted to deal with changes in the amount of heat generated by the heating elements or changes in the amount of heat required by the objects.

[0068] Next, a vehicle air conditioning system using the above-mentioned refrigerant / heat medium thermal effector will be described.

[0069] (First embodiment of vehicle air conditioning system) FIG. 9 shows a first embodiment of a vehicle air conditioning system S that uses the refrigerant heat medium heat exchanger 1 shown in FIG. 1 (a heat exchanger including a refrigerant inlet 11, a refrigerant outlet 12, a heat medium inlet 21, a heat medium outlet 22, and an intermediate heat medium outlet 24).

[0070] In this example, the vehicle air conditioning system S includes a refrigerant cycle 40, which is a heat pump cycle that adjusts the temperature of air in a ventilation space 34 inside an air conditioning unit 30 mounted on a vehicle, and a heat medium cycle 50 for cooling two heat generating elements.

[0071] First, the air conditioning unit 30 will be described. An inside / outside air switching device 31 is provided on the most upstream side of the air conditioning unit 30. The inside / outside air switching device 31 has an inside air inlet 31a and an outside air inlet 31b that are selectively opened by an intake door 32. The inside air or the outside air selectively introduced into the air conditioning unit 30 is sucked in by the rotation of a blower 33 and sent to a passenger compartment heat absorber 35 and a passenger compartment radiator 36 disposed in a ventilation space 34, where the air is heat exchanged and supplied into the vehicle cabin from desired outlets 37a to 37c. The passenger compartment heat absorber 35 is also called an evaporator, and the passenger compartment radiator 36 is also called a heater core.

[0072] The passenger compartment radiator 36 is disposed downstream of the passenger compartment heat absorber 35 in the air flow direction inside the air conditioning unit 30, and a damper 38 is provided upstream of the passenger compartment radiator 36 in the air flow direction. The damper 38 can be adjusted from a position where the amount of air passing through the passenger compartment radiator 36 is maximum (heating position: opening degree 100%) to a position where it is minimum (cooling position: opening degree 0%), and by adjusting the opening degree, the ratio of air passing through the passenger compartment radiator 36 and bypass air can be adjusted.

[0073] The damper 38 is also called an air mix door. In addition, an electric heating device (PTC) (not shown) may be disposed downstream of the passenger compartment radiator 36 in the air conditioning unit 30.

[0074] The refrigerant cycle 40 of the vehicle air conditioning system S includes a compressor 41 through which refrigerant circulates and which pumps out the refrigerant, a passenger compartment radiator 36 into which the refrigerant pumped out from the compressor 41 flows, a first expansion valve 42 through which the refrigerant that has flowed out of the passenger compartment radiator 36 can pass, an exterior heat exchanger 43 into which the refrigerant that has passed through the first expansion valve 42 flows, a second expansion valve 44 which reduces pressure and expands the refrigerant that has passed through the exterior heat exchanger 43, a passenger compartment heat absorber 35 which absorbs heat from the refrigerant reduced pressure and expanded by the second expansion valve 44, and an accumulator 45 which separates the gas-liquid mixed refrigerant that has passed through the passenger compartment heat absorber 35 into gas and liquid, and draws only the gas-phase refrigerant into the compressor 41.

[0075] The refrigerant cycle 40 also has an expansion valve (third expansion valve) 46 which reduces the pressure and expands the refrigerant that has passed through the outdoor heat exchanger 43, and a refrigerant heat medium heat exchanger 1 which causes the refrigerant reduced in pressure and expanded by this third expansion valve 46 to flow into a refrigerant flow path 13 via a refrigerant inlet 11 and exchange heat with a liquid heat medium in a heat medium cycle 50. The refrigerant flowing out from this refrigerant heat medium heat exchanger 1 via a refrigerant outlet 12 is sent to an accumulator 45.

[0076] The refrigerant is not particularly limited as long as it is a component that exhibits its function, but examples of the refrigerant that can be used include fluorocarbon-based media (HFC-134a, R-1234yf), carbon dioxide (CO2), and propane (C3H8).

[0077] Therefore, the refrigerant compressed by the compressor 41 is supplied to the passenger compartment radiator 36, heats the air in the ventilation space 34 in the air conditioning unit 30 as necessary, and is then supplied to the exterior heat exchanger 43 via the first expansion valve 42. The refrigerant is then decompressed and expanded by the second expansion valve 44 and supplied to the passenger compartment heat absorber 35, where it exchanges heat with the air in the ventilation space 34 to absorb heat, and is then returned to the compressor 41 via the accumulator 45. The refrigerant is decompressed and expanded by the third expansion valve 46 and supplied to the refrigerant flow path 13 of the refrigerant heat medium heat exchanger 1, where it exchanges heat with the liquid heat medium of the heat medium cycle 50 to absorb heat, and is then returned to the compressor 41 via the accumulator 45.

[0078] The heat medium cycle 50 has a liquid heat medium circulating therein, and includes a first heat medium heat absorber 53 that absorbs heat from a first heat medium (e.g., a vehicle battery) 52 and a bypass junction J1, which are provided in this order in a path 51 from the heat medium outlet 22 of the refrigerant-heat medium heat exchanger 1 to the heat medium inlet 21. A heat medium outlet bypass flow path 54 that causes the liquid heat medium flowing out from the intermediate heat medium outlet 24 to flow toward the bypass junction J1 is provided between the intermediate heat medium outlet 24 and the bypass junction J1, and a second heat medium heat absorber 56 that absorbs heat from a second heat medium (e.g., an inverter) 55 is provided in this heat medium outlet bypass flow path 54.

[0079] Flow control valves 57a, 57b for adjusting the flow rate of the liquid heat medium are provided in the path 51a from the heat medium outlet 22 to the bypass junction J1 and in the heat medium outflow bypass flow path 54, respectively. An integrated pump 58 for delivering the liquid heat medium is provided in the path 51b from the bypass junction J1 to the heat medium inlet 21.

[0080] Therefore, the refrigerant expanded by the third expansion valve 46 flows into the refrigerant flow passage 13 of the refrigerant heat medium heat exchanger 1 through the refrigerant inlet 11, and the liquid heat medium pumped from the integrated pump 58 flows into the heat medium flow passage 23 through the heat medium inlet 21. Therefore, the refrigerant flowing in from the refrigerant inlet 11 and the liquid heat medium flowing in from the heat medium inlet 21 exchange heat when moving through the refrigerant heat medium heat exchanger 1. The liquid heat medium flowing out from the intermediate heat medium outlet 24 is heat exchanged only on the forward path of each heat medium flow layer 26 in the heat exchanger before being discharged as a liquid heat medium with the second cooling temperature. The liquid heat medium flowing out from the heat medium outlet 22 is heat exchanged on the forward path and the return path of each heat medium flow layer 26 in the heat exchanger before being discharged as a liquid heat medium with the first cooling temperature which is lower than the second cooling temperature.

[0081] For this reason, a sufficiently cooled liquid heat medium (liquid heat medium at a first cooling temperature) flowing out from the heat medium outlet 22 is supplied to the first heat element heat absorber 53, which cools the first heat element (vehicle battery) 52, which has a large amount of heat generation, and a liquid heat medium at a second cooling temperature higher than the first cooling temperature flowing out from the intermediate heat medium outlet 24 is supplied to the second heat element heat absorber 56, which cools the second heat element (inverter) 55, which has a relatively smaller amount of heat generation than the first heat element 52.

[0082] Then, the liquid heat medium flowing out from the first heating element heat absorber 53 (liquid heat medium that has absorbed heat from the first heating element 52) ​​and the liquid heat medium flowing out from the second heating element heat absorber 56 (liquid heat medium that has absorbed heat from the second heating element 55) are merged at the bypass junction J1 and then flow into the integrated pump 58.

[0083] The liquid heat medium supplied to the first heat source heat absorber 53 and the liquid heat medium supplied to the second heat source heat absorber 56 are formed at different temperatures by making the outlets of the refrigerant heat medium heat exchanger 1 different, but the refrigerant heat medium heat exchanger 1 alone cannot adjust the heat medium flow rate to each heat source heat absorber according to the heat generation amount of each heat source. However, in this embodiment, the refrigerant flow rate flowing through the path 51a from the heat medium outlet 22 to the bypass junction J1 and the heat medium outflow bypass flow path 54 can be adjusted by the flow rate adjustment valves 57a and 57b, so that the cooling capacity of each heat source heat absorber (first heat source heat absorber 53, second heat source heat absorber 56) can be adjusted according to the heat generation amount of each heat source.

[0084] Therefore, according to the above-mentioned configuration, it is possible to use one refrigerant heat medium heat exchanger 1 to appropriately cool two heating elements (first heating element 52, second heating element 55) having different heat values ​​by a liquid heat medium whose temperature and flow rate are adjusted.

[0085] The refrigerant / heat medium heat exchanger 1 shown in this embodiment, which provides a low-temperature liquid heat medium by exchanging heat between a refrigerant and a liquid heat medium, is sometimes called a chiller.

[0086] (Modification of the first embodiment of the vehicle air conditioning system) A system equivalent to the above-mentioned vehicle air conditioning system S may be configured, for example, by the system shown in Fig. 10. That is, the flow control valves 57a, 57b provided in the path 51a from the heat medium outlet 22 to the bypass junction J1 and the heat medium outlet bypass flow path 54, respectively, may be eliminated, and an integrated pump 58 for feeding the liquid heat medium provided in the path 51b from the bypass junction J1 to the heat medium inlet 21 and a three-way flow control valve 59 provided in the bypass junction J1 may be provided.

[0087] Even with this configuration, the flow rate ratio of the liquid heat transfer medium flowing through the first heating element heat absorber 53 and the liquid heat transfer medium flowing through the second heating element heat absorber 56 can be adjusted by the three-way flow control valve 59, making it possible to obtain the same effect as the configuration shown in Figure 9.

[0088] (Another Modification of the First Embodiment of the Vehicle Air Conditioning System) Also, as shown in FIG. 11 , the integrated pump and the three-way flow control valve may be eliminated, and flow pumps 58 a, 58 b capable of adjusting the flow rate may be provided in the path 51 a from the heat medium outlet 22 to the bypass junction J1 and in the heat medium outflow bypass flow path 54, respectively.

[0089] Even in such a configuration, the flow rate of the liquid heat medium flowing through the first heating element heat absorber 53 and the flow rate of the liquid heat medium flowing through the second heating element heat absorber 56 can be adjusted by each flow pump 58a, 58b, making it possible to obtain the same effect as the configuration shown in Figure 9.

[0090] (Second embodiment of vehicle air conditioning system) In the above configuration, an example of a vehicle air-conditioning system S using a refrigerant heat medium heat exchanger 1 having an intermediate heat medium outlet 24 between the heat medium inlet 21 and the heat medium outlet 22 has been shown. However, in the case of using a refrigerant heat medium heat exchanger 2 having an intermediate heat medium inlet 25 between the heat medium inlet 21 and the heat medium outlet 22, a vehicle air-conditioning system S as shown in FIG. 12 may be used.

[0091] That is, the refrigerant cycle 40 of the vehicle air conditioning system S is the same as that shown in Figure 9, and a third expansion valve 46 for reducing the pressure and expanding the refrigerant is connected to the refrigerant inlet 11 of the refrigerant heat medium heat exchanger 2, and the refrigerant reduced in pressure and expanded by the third expansion valve 46 can flow through the refrigerant flow path 13.

[0092] In contrast, the heat medium cycle 60 has a third heating element heat absorber 62 that absorbs heat from a third heating element 61 at the heat medium outlet 22 of the refrigerant heat medium heat exchanger 2, and a branch portion D1 provided on the outlet side of the third heating element heat absorber 62, and this branch portion D1 is connected to the heat medium inlet 21 and the intermediate heat medium inlet 25 via branch flow paths 63a, 63b.

[0093] The heat transfer medium cycle 60 further includes at least one of an integrated pump 65 provided in a path 64 from the heat transfer medium outlet 22 to the branching portion D1 for supplying the liquid heat transfer medium, and individual flow pumps 65a, 65b provided in each of the branching flow paths 63a, 63b for supplying the liquid heat transfer medium.

[0094] In the example shown in FIG. 12(a), an integrated pump 65 is provided to send liquid heat transfer medium to a path 64 from the heat transfer medium outlet 22 to the branch point D1, and flow control valves 66a, 66b are provided in each of the branch flow paths 63a, 63b to adjust the amount of liquid heat transfer medium flowing through each of the branch flow paths 63a, 63b.

[0095] Other configurations are similar to those of the vehicle air conditioning system shown in FIG. 9, so the same reference numbers are used for the same locations and the description will be omitted.

[0096] In this configuration, the temperature of the liquid heat medium flowing out from the heat medium outlet 22 can be adjusted by changing the flow rate ratio of the liquid heat medium by the flow rate adjustment valves 66a and 66b, so that the cooling capacity required for the third heat medium 61 can be provided to the third heat medium heat absorber 62 by adjusting the flow rate of the liquid heat medium flowing through each branch flow path according to the heat generation amount of the third heat medium 61. For example, when the heat generation amount of the third heat medium 61 increases, the flow rate ratio of the flow rate adjustment valve 66a provided between the branch part D1 and the heat medium inlet 21 is increased, and at the same time, the flow rate ratio of the flow rate adjustment valve 66b provided between the branch part D1 and the intermediate heat medium inlet 25 is decreased. This makes it possible to increase the ratio of the heat medium flowing from the heat medium inlet 21 to the heat medium outlet 22 in the refrigerant heat medium heat exchanger 2, and to increase the cooling capacity of the liquid heat medium by the refrigerant heat medium heat exchanger 2. Then, the heat absorption amount of the third heat medium heat absorber 62 can be increased.

[0097] (Modification of the second embodiment of the vehicle air conditioning system) The configuration of Fig. 12(a) can also be realized by an equivalent configuration of a heat medium cycle 60. For example, as shown in Fig. 12(b), an integrated pump 65 for sending a liquid heat medium to a path 64 from the heat medium outlet 22 to the branching part D1 may be provided, and a three-way flow control valve 67 may be provided at the branching part D1 instead of the flow control valves provided at the branching passages 63a and 63b.

[0098] According to this configuration, by adjusting the ratio between the inflow rate of liquid heat medium flowing in from the heat medium inlet 21 and the inflow rate of liquid heat medium flowing in from the intermediate heat medium inlet 25 using the three-way flow control valve 67 provided at the branch section D1, it is possible to adjust the cooling capacity of the third heating element heat absorber 62 to match the amount of heat generated in the third heating element 61 (making it possible to adjust the amount of heat recovered from the third heating element 61).

[0099] (Another Modification of the Second Embodiment of the Vehicle Air Conditioning System) As shown in FIG. 12(c), instead of providing a pump in the path 64 from the heat medium outlet 22 to the branch portion D1, pumps 65a, 65b may be provided in the branch flow paths 63a, 63b, respectively.

[0100] With this configuration, by adjusting the output rate of each flow pump 65a, 65b, it is possible to adjust the cooling capacity of the third heating element heat sink 62 to match the amount of heat generated in the third heating element 61 (making it possible to adjust the amount of heat recovered from the third heating element 61).

[0101] (Third embodiment of vehicle air conditioning system) FIG. 13 shows a third embodiment of a vehicle air conditioning system S that uses the refrigerant heat medium heat exchanger 1 shown in FIG. 1 (a heat exchanger including a refrigerant inlet 11, a refrigerant outlet 12, a heat medium inlet 21, a heat medium outlet 22, and an intermediate heat medium outlet 24).

[0102] In this example, the vehicle air conditioning system S includes a refrigerant cycle 70 that circulates a refrigerant through the passenger compartment heat absorber 35 in the air conditioning unit 30, and a heat medium cycle 80 that heats a plurality of heating targets.

[0103] The refrigerant cycle 70 includes a compressor 71 through which a refrigerant circulates and which sends out the refrigerant, a refrigerant heat medium heat exchanger 1 through which the refrigerant compressed by the compressor 71 flows into a refrigerant flow path 13 via a refrigerant inlet 11 and exchanges heat with a liquid heat medium of a heat medium cycle 80, a first expansion valve 72 through which the refrigerant that has exchanged heat with the liquid heat medium in the refrigerant heat medium heat exchanger 1 can pass, an exterior heat exchanger 73 into which the refrigerant that has passed through the first expansion valve 72 flows, a second expansion valve 74 that reduces pressure and expands the refrigerant that has passed through the exterior heat exchanger 73, a passenger compartment heat absorber 35 that absorbs heat from the refrigerant reduced pressure and expanded by the second expansion valve 74, and a gas-liquid separator 75 that separates the gas-liquid mixed refrigerant that has passed through the passenger compartment heat absorber 35 into gas and liquid, and draws only the gas-phase refrigerant into the compressor 71.

[0104] In contrast, the heat medium cycle 80 has a liquid heat medium circulating therein, and is provided, in a path 81 from the heat medium outlet 22 of the refrigerant heat medium heat exchanger 1 to the heat medium inlet 21, with the passenger compartment radiator 36, which is disposed in the ventilation space 34 of the air conditioning unit 30 and is capable of heating the air flowing through the ventilation space 34, and the bypass junction J2, in this order.

[0105] A heat medium outflow bypass passage 82 is provided between the intermediate heat medium outlet 24 and the bypass junction J2 to allow the liquid heat medium flowing out from the intermediate heat medium outlet 24 to flow toward the bypass junction J2, and a fourth heating element radiator 84 is provided in this heat medium outflow bypass passage 82 to radiate heat to a fourth heating element 83 such as an in-vehicle battery. Note that the fourth heating element 83 may generate heat due to rapid charging and require cooling, or may require heating to obtain stable discharge performance in a low-temperature environment.

[0106] Flow control valves 87a, 87b are provided in the path 81a from the heat medium outlet 22 to the bypass junction J2 and in the heat medium outflow bypass flow path 82, respectively. An integrated pump 88 for supplying the liquid heat medium is provided in the path 81b from the bypass junction J2 to the heat medium inlet 21.

[0107] Therefore, the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor 71 flows into the refrigerant flow passage 13 of the refrigerant heat medium heat exchanger 1 through the refrigerant inlet 11, and the liquid heat medium pumped from the integrated pump 88 flows into the heat medium flow passage 23 through the heat medium inlet 21, so that the refrigerant flowing in from the refrigerant inlet 11 and the liquid heat medium flowing in from the heat medium inlet 21 exchange heat while moving through the refrigerant heat medium heat exchanger 1. The liquid heat medium flowing out from the intermediate heat medium outlet 24 flows out after exchanging heat with the refrigerant only on the forward path of each heat medium flow layer 26 in the heat exchanger, so that it flows out as a liquid heat medium with a second heating temperature, and the liquid heat medium flowing out from the heat medium outlet 22 flows out after exchanging heat with the refrigerant on the forward path and return path of each heat medium flow layer 26 in the heat exchanger, so that it flows out as a liquid heat medium with a first heating temperature higher than the second heating temperature.

[0108] Therefore, for the passenger compartment radiator 36 which requires a large amount of heating, a sufficiently warmed liquid heat medium (liquid heat medium at a first heating temperature) flowing out from the heat medium outlet 22 is supplied to the passenger compartment radiator 36, and for the fourth heating element radiator 84 which only requires an amount of heating sufficient to warm up the fourth heating element 83, which is an overly cooled on-board battery, to an appropriate temperature, a liquid heat medium at a second heating temperature lower than the first heating temperature flowing out from the intermediate heat medium outlet 24 is supplied.

[0109] Then, the liquid heat medium flowing out from the passenger compartment radiator 36 (liquid heat medium that has radiated heat to the air in the ventilation space 34) and the liquid heat medium flowing out from the fourth heating element radiator 84 (liquid heat medium that has radiated heat to the fourth heating element 83) are merged at the bypass junction J2 and then flow into the integrated pump 88.

[0110] The liquid heat medium supplied to the passenger compartment radiator 36 and the liquid heat medium supplied to the fourth heating element radiator 84 are formed at different temperatures by making the outlets of the refrigerant heat medium heat exchanger 1 different, but the refrigerant heat medium heat exchanger 1 alone cannot adjust the heat medium flow rate according to the required heat radiation amount. However, in this embodiment, the refrigerant flow rates flowing through the path 81a from the heat medium outlet 22 to the bypass junction J2 and the heat medium outflow bypass flow path 82 can be adjusted by the flow control valves 87a, 87b, so that the heat radiation capacity of each heat exchanger (passenger compartment radiator 36, fourth heating element radiator 84) can be adjusted according to the required heat radiation amount.

[0111] Therefore, according to the above-mentioned configuration, it is possible to use one refrigerant / heat medium heat exchanger 1 to supply the required amount of heat to different objects to be heated.

[0112] The refrigerant / heat medium heat exchanger 1 shown in this embodiment, which exchanges heat between a refrigerant and a liquid heat medium to provide a high-temperature liquid heat medium, is sometimes called a water condenser.

[0113] (Modification of the third embodiment of the vehicle air conditioning system) The vehicle air conditioning system S shown in FIG. 13 can also be realized by an equivalent system.

[0114] That is, as shown in FIG. 14 , the flow control valves 87a, 87b provided in the path 81a from the heat medium outlet 22 to the bypass junction J2 and the heat medium outflow bypass flow path 82, respectively, may be eliminated, and an integrated pump 88 for feeding the liquid heat medium provided in the path 81b from the bypass junction J2 to the heat medium inlet 21, and a three-way flow control valve 89 provided at the bypass junction J2 may be provided.

[0115] Even with this configuration, the flow rate ratio of the liquid heat medium flowing through the passenger compartment radiator 36 and the liquid heat medium flowing through the fourth heating element radiator 84 can be adjusted by the three-way flow control valve 89, making it possible to obtain the same effects as the configuration shown in Figure 13.

[0116] (Another Modification of the Third Embodiment of the Vehicle Air Conditioning System) Also, as shown in FIG. 15 , the integrated pump 88 and the three-way flow control valve 89 may be eliminated, and a flow pump 88a, 88b capable of adjusting the flow rate may be provided in each of the path 81a from the heat medium outlet 22 to the bypass junction J2 and the heat medium outflow bypass flow path 82.

[0117] Even in such a configuration, the flow rate of the liquid heat medium flowing through the passenger compartment radiator 36 and the flow rate of the liquid heat medium flowing through the fourth heating element radiator 84 can be adjusted by each of the respective flow pumps 88a, 88b, making it possible to obtain the same effect as the configuration shown in Figure 13.

[0118] (Fourth embodiment of vehicle air conditioning system) In the above configuration, an example of a vehicle air-conditioning system S using a refrigerant heat medium heat exchanger 1 having an intermediate heat medium outlet 24 between the heat medium inlet 21 and the heat medium outlet 22 has been shown. However, in the case of using a refrigerant heat medium heat exchanger 2 having an intermediate heat medium inlet 25 between the heat medium inlet 21 and the heat medium outlet 22, a vehicle air-conditioning system S as shown in FIG. 16 may be used.

[0119] That is, the refrigerant cycle 40 of the vehicle air conditioning system S is similar to that shown in FIG. 13, and the discharge side of a compressor 71 that sends out a refrigerant is connected to the refrigerant inlet 11 of the refrigerant heat medium heat exchanger 2, and high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant compressed by the compressor 71 can flow through the refrigerant flow path 13.

[0120] In contrast to this, in the heat medium cycle 90, the passenger compartment radiator 36 that heats the air in the ventilation space 34 of the air conditioning unit 30 and the branch part D2 provided on the outlet side of the passenger compartment radiator 36 are connected in this order to the heat medium outlet 22 of the refrigerant heat medium heat exchanger 2, and this branch part D2 is connected to the heat medium inlet 21 and the intermediate heat medium inlet 25 via branch flow paths 91a, 91b.

[0121] The heat transfer medium cycle 90 further includes at least one of an integrated pump 93 provided in a path 92 from the heat transfer medium outlet 22 to the branching portion D2 for supplying the liquid heat transfer medium, and individual flow pumps 93a, 93b provided in each of the branching flow paths 91a, 91b for supplying the liquid heat transfer medium.

[0122] In the example shown in FIG. 16(a), an integrated pump 93 is provided to send a liquid heat transfer medium to a path 92 from the heat transfer medium outlet 22 to a branch point D2, and flow control valves 94a, 94b are provided in each of the branch flow paths 91a, 91b to adjust the amount of liquid heat transfer medium flowing through each of the branch flow paths 91a, 91b.

[0123] Other configurations are similar to those of the vehicle air conditioning system S shown in FIG. 13, so the same reference numbers are used for the same locations and the description will be omitted.

[0124] In this configuration, the temperature of the liquid heat medium flowing out from the heat medium outlet 22 can be adjusted by changing the flow rate ratio of the liquid heat medium by the respective flow rate adjustment valves 94a, 94b, so that the flow rate of the liquid heat medium flowing through each branch flow path can be adjusted according to the amount of heat (required heating capacity) required by the passenger compartment radiator 36. For example, when the amount of heat radiation required by the passenger compartment radiator 36 increases, the flow rate ratio of the flow rate adjustment valve 94a provided between the branch part D2 and the heat medium inlet 21 is increased, and at the same time, the flow rate ratio of the flow rate adjustment valve 94b provided between the branch part D2 and the intermediate heat medium inlet 25 is decreased. This makes it possible to increase the ratio of the heat medium flowing from the heat medium inlet 21 to the heat medium outlet 22 in the refrigerant heat medium heat exchanger 2, and to increase the heating capacity of the liquid heat medium by the refrigerant heat medium heat exchanger 2. Then, the amount of heat radiation from the passenger compartment radiator 36 can be increased.

[0125] (Modification of the fourth embodiment of the vehicle air conditioning system) 16(a) can also be realized by an equivalent configuration of the heat medium cycle 60. For example, as shown in Fig. 16(b), an integrated pump 93 that sends the liquid heat medium to a path 92 from the heat medium outlet 22 to the branching section D2 may be provided, and a three-way flow control valve 95 may be provided at the branching section D2 instead of the flow control valves provided at the branching sections 91a and 91b, to adjust the flow rate of the liquid heat medium flowing through the branching sections 91a and 91b.

[0126] According to this configuration, by adjusting the three-way flow control valve 95 provided at the branching section D2, the temperature of the liquid heat transfer medium flowing out from the heat transfer medium outlet 22 can be adjusted, and the required heating capacity (heat dissipation amount of the passenger compartment radiator 36) can be obtained.

[0127] (Another Modification of the Fourth Embodiment of the Vehicle Air Conditioning System) Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 16(c), a pump may not be provided in the path 92 from the heat medium outlet 22 to the branching portion D2, and a three-way flow control valve may not be provided in the branching portion D2, and individual flow pumps 93a, 93b may be provided in each of the branching flow paths 91a, 91b, respectively.

[0128] According to this configuration, it is possible to obtain a required heating capacity by adjusting the delivery rate of each of the flow pumps 93a, 93b.

[0129] (Fifth embodiment of vehicle air conditioning system) FIG. 17 shows another example of a vehicle air conditioning system S that uses the refrigerant heat medium heat exchanger 1 shown in FIG. 1 (a heat exchanger including a refrigerant inlet 11, a refrigerant outlet 12, a heat medium inlet 21, a heat medium outlet 22, and an intermediate heat medium outlet 24).

[0130] In this example, the vehicle air conditioning system S includes a refrigerant cycle 110 that circulates a refrigerant through the passenger compartment radiator 36 in the air conditioning unit 30, and a heat medium cycle 120 for cooling the air in the ventilation space 34 in the air conditioning unit 30 and a heating element (fifth heating element 123) arranged outside the air conditioning unit 30.

[0131] The refrigerant cycle 110 includes a compressor 111 through which a refrigerant circulates and which pumps out the refrigerant, a passenger compartment radiator 36 to which the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant compressed by the compressor 111 is supplied, a first expansion valve 112 through which the refrigerant flowing out from the passenger compartment radiator 36 can pass, an outdoor heat exchanger 113 into which the refrigerant that has passed through the first expansion valve 112 flows, a liquid tank 114 that separates the refrigerant that has passed through the outdoor heat exchanger 113 into gas and liquid, a second expansion valve 115 that reduces pressure and expands the liquid-phase refrigerant from which the gas-phase refrigerant has been separated in the liquid tank 114, and a refrigerant / heat medium heat exchanger 1 that exchanges heat between the refrigerant reduced pressure and expanded by the second expansion valve 115 and a liquid heat medium of the heat medium cycle 120.

[0132] The refrigerant / heat medium heat exchanger 1 shown in this example is sometimes called a chiller.

[0133] On the other hand, the heat medium cycle 120 has a liquid heat medium circulating therein, and a path 121 from the heat medium outlet 22 of the refrigerant heat medium heat exchanger 1 to the heat medium inlet 21 is provided with, in this order, a passenger compartment heat sink 35 that is disposed in the ventilation space 34 of the air conditioning unit 30 and is capable of cooling the air flowing through the ventilation space 34, and a bypass junction J3.

[0134] The intermediate heat medium outlet 24 and the bypass junction J3 are connected by a heat medium outlet bypass flow path 122, and this heat medium outlet bypass flow path 122 is provided with a fifth heating element heat absorber 124 that absorbs heat from a fifth heating element 123.

[0135] Flow control valves 126a, 126b are provided in the path 121a from the heat medium outlet 22 to the bypass junction J3 and in the heat medium outflow bypass flow path 122, respectively, and an integrated pump 128 for supplying the liquid heat medium is provided in the path 121b from the bypass junction J3 to the heat medium inlet 21.

[0136] Therefore, the refrigerant expanded by the expansion valve 115 flows into the refrigerant flow passage 13 of the refrigerant heat medium heat exchanger 1 through the refrigerant inlet 11, and the liquid heat medium pumped from the integrated pump 128 flows into the heat medium flow passage 23 through the heat medium inlet 21. Therefore, the refrigerant flowing in from the refrigerant inlet 11 and the liquid heat medium flowing in from the heat medium inlet 21 exchange heat while moving through the refrigerant heat medium heat exchanger 1. The liquid heat medium flowing out from the intermediate heat medium outlet 24 is heat exchanged only on the forward path of each heat medium flow layer 26 in the heat exchanger before being discharged as a liquid heat medium with a fifth cooling temperature. The liquid heat medium flowing out from the heat medium outlet 22 is heat exchanged on the forward path and return path of each heat medium flow layer 26 in the heat exchanger before being discharged as a liquid heat medium with a fourth cooling temperature which is lower than the fifth cooling temperature.

[0137] For this reason, the passenger compartment heat absorber 35, which requires sufficient cooling capacity, is supplied with a sufficiently cooled liquid heat medium (liquid heat medium at the fourth cooling temperature) flowing out from the heat medium outlet 22, and the fifth heat element heat absorber 124, which requires a cooling capacity relatively smaller than that of the passenger compartment heat absorber 35, is supplied with a liquid heat medium at a fifth cooling temperature, which is higher than the fourth cooling temperature, flowing out from the intermediate heat medium outlet 24.

[0138] Then, the liquid heat medium flowing out from the passenger compartment heat absorber 35 (liquid heat medium that has absorbed heat from the air in the ventilation space 34) and the liquid heat medium flowing out from the fifth heating element heat absorber 124 (liquid heat medium that has absorbed heat from the fifth heating element 123) are merged at the bypass junction J3 and then flow into the integrated pump 128.

[0139] The liquid heat medium supplied to the fifth heat-generating element heat absorber 124 and the liquid heat medium supplied to the passenger compartment heat absorber 35 are formed at different temperatures by making the outlets from the refrigerant heat medium heat exchanger 1 different, but it is not possible to adjust the heat medium flow rate according to the amount of heat absorption required for each. However, in this embodiment, the refrigerant flow rates flowing through the path 121a from the heat medium outlet 22 to the bypass junction J3 and the heat medium outflow bypass flow path 122 can be adjusted by the flow rate adjustment valves 126a, 126b, so that it is possible to adjust the cooling capacity of each heat exchanger according to the amount of heat absorption required.

[0140] Therefore, according to the above-mentioned configuration, it is possible to obtain the required cooling capacity for two different objects to be cooled by using one refrigerant / heat medium heat exchanger 1.

[0141] (Modification of the fifth embodiment of the vehicle air conditioning system) The vehicle air conditioning system S shown in FIG. 17 can also be realized by an equivalent system.

[0142] That is, as shown in FIG. 18 , the flow control valves 126a, 126b provided in the path 121a from the heat medium outlet 22 to the bypass junction J3 and the heat medium outflow bypass flow path 122, respectively, may be eliminated, and an integrated pump 128 for feeding the liquid heat medium provided in the path 121b from the bypass junction J3 to the heat medium inlet 21, and a three-way flow control valve 127 provided at the bypass junction J3 may be provided.

[0143] Even in such a configuration, the three-way flow control valve 127 makes it possible to adjust the flow rate of the liquid heat medium flowing through the passenger compartment heat absorber 35 and the flow rate of the liquid heat medium flowing through the fifth heating element heat absorber 124, making it possible to obtain the same effect as the configuration shown in Figure 17.

[0144] (Another Modification of the Fifth Embodiment of the Vehicle Air Conditioning System) Also, as shown in FIG. 19, the integrated pump 128 and the three-way flow control valve 127 may be eliminated, and individual flow pumps 128a, 128b capable of adjusting the flow rate may be provided in the path 121a from the heat medium outlet 22 to the bypass junction J3 and in the heat medium outflow bypass flow path 122, respectively.

[0145] Even in such a configuration, the flow rate of the liquid heat medium flowing through the passenger compartment heat absorber 35 and the flow rate of the liquid heat medium flowing through the fifth heating element heat absorber 124 can be adjusted by each of the respective flow pumps 128a, 128b, so that it is possible to obtain the same effect as the configuration shown in FIG. 17.

[0146] (Sixth embodiment of vehicle air conditioning system) In the above configuration, an example of a vehicle air-conditioning system S using a refrigerant heat medium heat exchanger 1 having an intermediate heat medium outlet 24 between the heat medium inlet 21 and the heat medium outlet 22 has been shown. However, when using a refrigerant heat medium heat exchanger 2 having an intermediate heat medium inlet 25 between the heat medium inlet 21 and the heat medium outlet 22, a vehicle air-conditioning system S as shown in FIG. 20 may be used.

[0147] That is, the refrigerant cycle 110 of the vehicle air conditioning system S is the same as that shown in Figure 17, and an expansion valve 115 for reducing the pressure and expanding the refrigerant is connected to the refrigerant inlet 11 of the refrigerant heat medium heat exchanger 2, and the refrigerant reduced in pressure and expanded by the expansion valve 115 can flow through the refrigerant flow path 13.

[0148] In contrast to this, in the heat medium cycle 130, a passenger compartment heat absorber 35 that cools the air flowing through the ventilation space 34 of the air conditioning unit 30 and a branch part D3 provided on the outlet side of the passenger compartment heat absorber 35 are connected in this order to the heat medium outlet 22 of the refrigerant heat medium heat exchanger 2, and this branch part D3 is connected to the heat medium inlet 21 and the intermediate heat medium inlet 25 via branch flow paths 131a, 131b.

[0149] The heat medium cycle 130 further includes at least one of an integrated pump 133 provided in a path 132 from the heat medium outlet 22 to the branch point D3 for supplying the liquid heat medium, and individual flow pumps 133a, 133b provided in each of the branch flow paths 131a, 131b for supplying the liquid heat medium.

[0150] In the example shown in FIG. 20(a), an integrated pump 133 is provided to send liquid heat transfer medium to a path 132 from the heat transfer medium outlet 22 to a branch point D3, and flow control valves 135a, 135b are provided in each of the branch flow paths 131a, 131b to adjust the amount of liquid heat transfer medium flowing through each of the branch flow paths 131a, 131b.

[0151] In this configuration, the temperature of the liquid heat medium flowing out from the heat medium outlet 22 can be adjusted by changing the flow rate ratio of the liquid heat medium by the flow rate adjustment valves 135a, 135b, so that the flow rate of the liquid heat medium flowing through each branch flow path 131a, 131b can be adjusted by the flow rate adjustment valves 135a, 135b to obtain the required cooling capacity (the amount of heat recovered by the passenger compartment heat absorber 35 can be adjusted). For example, when the amount of heat absorption required by the passenger compartment heat absorber 35 increases, the flow rate ratio of the flow rate adjustment valve 135a provided between the branch part D3 and the heat medium inlet 21 is increased, and at the same time, the flow rate ratio of the flow rate adjustment valve 135b provided between the branch part D3 and the intermediate heat medium inlet 25 is decreased. This makes it possible to increase the ratio of the heat medium flowing from the heat medium inlet 21 to the heat medium outlet 22 in the refrigerant heat medium heat exchanger 2, and to increase the cooling capacity of the liquid heat medium by the refrigerant heat medium heat exchanger 2. As a result, the amount of heat absorbed by the passenger compartment heat absorber 35 can be increased.

[0152] (Modification of the sixth embodiment of the vehicle air conditioning system) 20(a) can also be realized by an equivalent configuration of the heat medium cycle 60. For example, as shown in Fig. 20(b), an integrated pump 133 that sends a liquid heat medium to a path 132 from the heat medium outlet 22 to the branching point D3 may be provided, and a three-way flow control valve 136 may be provided at the branching point D3 instead of the flow control valves provided at the branching passages 131a and 131b.

[0153] According to this configuration, the required cooling capacity (the amount of heat absorbed by the passenger compartment heat absorber 35) can be adjusted by adjusting the three-way flow rate adjustment valve 136 provided at the branch portion D3.

[0154] (Another Modification of the Sixth Embodiment of the Vehicle Air Conditioning System) Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 20(c), a pump may not be provided in the path 132 from the heat medium outlet 22 to the branch point D3, and the three-way flow control valve 136 may not be provided in the branch point D3, and instead, pumps 133a, 133b may be provided in each of the branch flow paths 131a, 131b, respectively.

[0155] According to such a configuration, by adjusting the delivery amount of each of the respective flow pumps 133a, 133b, it becomes possible to adjust the cooling capacity (it becomes possible to adjust the amount of heat recovered by the passenger compartment heat absorber 35).

[0156] (Seventh embodiment of vehicle air conditioning system) In the above examples, the intermediate heat medium outlet 24 or the intermediate heat medium inlet 25 is provided between the heat medium inlet 21 and the heat medium outlet 22 of the refrigerant heat medium heat exchanger 1, more specifically, the intermediate heat medium outlet 24 and the intermediate heat medium inlet 25 are configured by the same communication port that communicates with the heat medium flow path 23, and this communication port is selectively configured as the intermediate heat medium outlet 24 or the intermediate heat medium inlet 25. However, the vehicle air conditioning system S may also be constructed using the refrigerant heat medium heat exchanger 3 shown in FIG. 7 in which the intermediate heat medium inlet 25 is provided between the heat medium inlet 21 and the intermediate heat medium outlet 24 when viewed along the flow of the liquid heat medium.

[0157] For example, in the case where the refrigerant / heat medium heat exchanger 3 shown in Fig. 7 is used in the configuration shown in Fig. 9, as shown in Fig. 21, the heat medium cycle 140 of the vehicle air conditioning system S may be further branched at the outflow side of the integrated pump 58, one re-branched flow path 141a may be connected to the heat medium inlet 21, and the other re-branched flow path 141b may be connected to the intermediate heat medium inlet 25, and flow control valves 142a, 142b may be disposed in the re-branched flow paths 141a, 141b, to adjust the amount of heat exchange between the heat refrigerant discharged from the integrated pump 58 and the refrigerant of the refrigerant cycle 40. Note that other parts in Fig. 21 are the same as those in Fig. 9, and therefore illustration and description are omitted.

[0158] In such a configuration, it is possible to simultaneously accommodate a multiple heat medium supply mode in which multiple liquid heat media of different temperatures are supplied to cool multiple heat generating elements with different amounts of cooling heat, or to heat multiple objects with different amounts of heating, and a multiple heat medium receiving mode in which multiple liquid heat media of different temperatures are received to accommodate changes in the amount of heat generated by the heat generating elements.

[0159] In the above embodiments, an example has been shown in which a plate-type heat exchanger having heat transfer plates 5 stacked is used as the refrigerant / heat medium heat exchanger 1. However, the refrigerant / heat medium heat exchanger 1 is not limited to this, and any other type of heat exchanger may be used as long as it is capable of exchanging heat between the refrigerant and the liquid heat medium, such as a shell-and-tube type or a finned tube type. [Industrial Applicability]

[0160] The refrigerant / heat medium heat exchangers 1, 2, and 3 of the present invention and the vehicle air conditioning system S using the same are suitable for use mounted in a passenger vehicle. [Explanation of symbols]

[0161] 1,2,3 Refrigerant heat medium heat exchanger 11 Refrigerant inlet 12 Refrigerant outlet 13 Coolant flow path 16 Refrigerant flow layer 21 Heat medium inlet 22 Heat medium outlet 23 Heat transfer medium flow path 24 Intermediate heat medium outlet 25 Intermediate heat medium inlet 26 Heat medium distribution layer 34 Ventilation space 35 Passenger compartment heat sink 36 Passenger compartment radiator 40 Refrigerant Cycle 46 Third expansion valve 50 Heat Transfer Cycle 52 First heating element 53 First heating element heat sink 54 Heat transfer medium outflow bypass passage 55 Second heating element 56 Second heating element heat sink 58 Integrated Pump 58a, 58b Each flow pump 60 Heat Transfer Cycle 70 Refrigerant Cycle 71 Compressor 80 Heat Transfer Cycle 82 Heat transfer medium outflow bypass passage 83 4th heating element 84 4th heating element radiator 88 Integrated Pump 88a, 88b Various flow pumps 90 Heat Transfer Cycle 110 Refrigerant Cycle 115 Expansion valve 120 Heat Transfer Cycle 122 Heat medium outflow bypass passage 123 5th heating element 124 5th heating element heat sink 125 Routes 128 Integrated Pump 128a, 128b Various flow pumps 130 Heat Transfer Cycle 140 Heat Transfer Cycle S Vehicle air conditioning system J1, J2, J3 Bypass Junction

Claims

1. A refrigerant / heat medium heat exchanger that exchanges heat between a refrigerant and a liquid heat medium, a refrigerant inlet (11) through which a refrigerant flows, a refrigerant outlet (12) through which the refrigerant flows, and a refrigerant flow path (13) connecting the refrigerant inlet (11) and the refrigerant outlet (12); a heat medium inlet (21) through which a liquid heat medium can flow, a heat medium outlet (22) through which the liquid heat medium can flow, and a heat medium flow path (23) that connects the heat medium inlet (21) and the heat medium outlet (22) and is provided along the refrigerant flow path (13); an intermediate heat medium outlet (24) that is connected to the heat medium flow path (23) and is provided between the heat medium inlet (21) and the heat medium outlet (22) when viewed along the flow of the liquid heat medium, and through which the liquid heat medium can flow out; A refrigerant / heat medium heat exchanger comprising:

2. 2. The refrigerant-heat medium heat exchanger according to claim 1, further comprising an intermediate heat medium inlet (25) that is connected to the heat medium flow path (23), is located between the heat medium inlet (21) and the heat medium outlet (22) when viewed along the flow of the liquid heat medium, and allows the liquid heat medium to flow in.

3. 3. The refrigerant-heat medium heat exchanger according to claim 2, wherein the intermediate heat medium outlet (24) and the intermediate heat medium inlet (25) are constituted by a same communication port that communicates with a heat medium flow path (23), and this communication port is selectively used as the intermediate heat medium outlet (24) or the intermediate heat medium inlet (25).

4. 3. The refrigerant-heat medium heat exchanger according to claim 2, wherein the intermediate heat medium inlet (25) is provided between the heat medium inlet (21) and the intermediate heat medium outlet (24) when viewed along the flow of the liquid heat medium.

5. a refrigerant flow layer (16) communicating with the refrigerant inlet (11) and the refrigerant outlet (12); a heat medium flow layer (26) communicating with the heat medium inlet (21), the heat medium outlet (22), and the intermediate heat medium outlet (24); It is composed of alternating layers, The refrigerant flow path (13) is constituted by each of the refrigerant flow layers (16), The heat transfer medium flow path (23) is constituted by each of the heat transfer medium flow layers (26).

2. The refrigerant / heat medium heat exchanger according to claim 1.

6. A vehicle air conditioning system using the refrigerant / heat medium heat exchanger according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The refrigerant inlet (11) is connected to an outlet of an expansion valve (46) that reduces the pressure of the refrigerant and expands it. The refrigerant flow path (13) is capable of circulating a refrigerant that has been decompressed and expanded by the expansion valve (46), a first heat source heat sink (53) for absorbing heat from a first heat source (52) and a bypass junction (J1) are provided in this order in a path (51) of the heat medium cycle (50) extending from the heat medium outlet (22) to the heat medium inlet (21); a second heat generating element heat sink (56) that absorbs heat from a second heat generating element (55) is provided in a heat medium outlet bypass flow path (54) extending from the intermediate heat medium outlet (24) to the bypass junction (J1); The heat transfer system includes at least one of an integrated pump (58) for supplying a liquid heat transfer medium provided in a path (51b) from the bypass junction (J1) to the heat transfer medium inlet (21), and individual flow pumps (58a, 58b) for supplying a liquid heat transfer medium provided in each of a path (51a) from the heat transfer medium outlet (22) to the bypass junction (J1) and the heat transfer medium outlet bypass flow path (54), 1. A vehicle air conditioning system comprising:

7. A vehicle air conditioning system using the refrigerant / heat medium heat exchanger according to any one of claims 1 to 5, A compressor (71) is connected to the refrigerant inlet (11), A refrigerant compressed by the compressor (71) can flow through the refrigerant flow path (13), a passenger compartment radiator (36) arranged in a ventilation space (34) of an air conditioning unit (30) for heating air flowing through the ventilation space (34) and a bypass junction (J2) are provided in this order on a path (81) of a heat medium cycle (80) extending from the heat medium outlet (22) to the heat medium inlet (21); a fourth heating element radiator (84) that radiates heat to a fourth heating element (83) is provided in a heat medium outlet bypass flow path (82) extending from the intermediate heat medium outlet (24) to the bypass junction (J2); The heat transfer system includes at least one of an integrated pump (88) for supplying a liquid heat transfer medium provided in a path (81b) from the bypass junction (J2) to the heat transfer medium inlet (21), and individual flow pumps (88a, 88b) for supplying a liquid heat transfer medium provided in each of a path (81a) from the heat transfer medium outlet (22) to the bypass junction (J2) and the heat transfer medium outlet bypass flow path (82), 1. A vehicle air conditioning system comprising:

8. A vehicle air conditioning system using the refrigerant / heat medium heat exchanger according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The refrigerant inlet (11) is connected to an outlet of an expansion valve (115) that reduces the pressure of the refrigerant and expands it. The refrigerant flow path (13) is capable of circulating a refrigerant that has been decompressed and expanded by the expansion valve (115), a passenger compartment heat sink (35) arranged in a ventilation space (34) of an air conditioning unit (30) for cooling air flowing through the ventilation space (34) and a bypass junction (J3) are provided in this order on a path (121) of a heat medium cycle (120) extending from the heat medium outlet (22) to the heat medium inlet (21); a fifth heating element heat sink (124) that absorbs heat from a fifth heating element (123) is provided in a heat medium outlet bypass flow path (122) extending from the intermediate heat medium outlet (24) to the bypass junction (J3); The system includes at least one of an integrated pump (128) for supplying a liquid heat medium provided in a path (121b) from the bypass junction (J3) to the heat medium inlet (21), and individual flow pumps (128a, 128b) for supplying a liquid heat medium provided in each of a path (121a) from the heat medium outlet (22) to the bypass junction (J3) and the heat medium outlet bypass flow path (122), 1. A vehicle air conditioning system comprising:

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