Vehicle structure

Abstract

To provide a vehicle structure that is able to extend the life of a heater core and an electric compressor.SOLUTION: A vehicle structure includes: a heater-type heating device having an electric heater; a heat pump-type heating circuit having an electric compressor that compresses a heat medium; and a control unit that controls the heater-type heating device and the heat pump-type heating circuit to perform air conditioning; wherein the control unit monitors respective total amounts of operations of the electric heater and the electric compressor when performing cooperative control in which both the electric heater and the electric compressor are operated; and when the total amount of operation of at least one of the electric heater and the electric compressor exceeds a threshold value, the control unit performs life extension control to reduce an output of a device whose total amount of operation exceeds the threshold value.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle structure. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an air conditioner for a vehicle having a battery. This air conditioner includes a heater-type heating circuit having an auxiliary heater (hereinafter, electric heater) that heats conditioned air. The air conditioner further includes a heat pump circuit through which a heat medium is circulated. The heat pump circuit includes a heat pump-type cooling circuit and a heat pump-type heating circuit that are configured to be switchable. The heat pump-type heating circuit includes a compressor (hereinafter, electric compressor) that increases the temperature of the heat medium by compressing the heat medium flowing through the heat pump-type heating circuit.

[0003] In the above air conditioner, when an integrated value of an index capable of determining the operating limit of the electric compressor exceeds a predetermined upper limit, the electric compressor of the heat pump heating circuit is stopped and the conditioned air is heated by an electric heater. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-168967 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the technology of Patent Document 1, only the operating limit of the electric compressor is monitored, and the load on the electric heater is large after the electric compressor is stopped. In such a configuration, there is a risk that the electric heater will also reach its operating limit early.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle structure capable of extending the lifespan of both an electric compressor and an electric heater. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The vehicle structure according to the embodiment of the present invention includes: A heater type heater having an electric heater; a heat pump type heating circuit having an electric compressor that compresses a heat medium; A control unit that controls the heater and the heat pump heating circuit to perform air conditioning, The control unit is When performing cooperative control in which both the electric heater and the electric compressor are operated, a total operation amount of the electric heater and the electric compressor is monitored; When the total operation amount of at least one of the electric heater and the electric compressor exceeds a threshold, life extension control is implemented to reduce the output of the device whose total operation amount has exceeded the threshold. Effect of the Invention

[0008] In the above vehicle structure, the total operating time of the electric heater and the electric compressor is constantly monitored, and when the total operating amount of either the electric heater or the electric compressor exceeds a threshold, the output of the device whose total operating amount exceeds the threshold is reduced, and the output of the device whose total operating amount does not exceed the threshold is increased. As a result, the effectiveness of the heating can be maintained while the life of the device whose total operating amount exceeds the threshold is extended. In addition, when the total operating amount of both the electric heater and the electric compressor exceeds the threshold, the output of both the electric heater and the electric compressor is reduced, thereby minimizing the decrease in the effectiveness of the heating and extending the life of the electric heater and the electric compressor. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which cooling is performed by the vehicle structure described in the first embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which heating is performed by the vehicle structure described in the first embodiment. [Diagram 3]FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure for carrying out life extension control by the vehicle structure described in the first embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] An example of an embodiment of a vehicle structure according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The sizes of the members shown in each drawing are expressed for the purpose of clarifying the description and do not necessarily represent the actual dimensions. Note that the present invention is not limited to the following examples, but is indicated by the claims, and includes all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims.

[0011] <Embodiment 1> 1 and 2 show an example of a vehicle structure 1 provided on a vehicle 100 of this example. The vehicle 100 of this example is an electric vehicle driven by a battery 7. Electric vehicles include BEVs (Battery Electric Vehicles) and FCEVs (Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles). An FCEV is a hydrogen vehicle equipped with a fuel cell that generates electricity from hydrogen. Electric vehicles may also include hybrid vehicles. As shown in a third embodiment described later, the vehicle 100 may be an engine vehicle. The engine vehicle is also equipped with a battery 7.

[0012] The vehicle structure 1 of this example includes a heat pump circuit 2 that cools and warms the air inside the vehicle, a heater type heater 3, and a control unit 4 that controls the heat pump circuit 2 and the heater type heater 3 to condition the air. The heater type heater 3 of this example is a heater type heating circuit in which a first heat medium 9 (Fig. 2) is circulated. In the heat pump circuit 2, a second heat medium 8 (Figs. 1 and 2) is circulated independently of the first heat medium 9. The heat pump circuit 2 includes a heat pump type cooling circuit 5 and a heat pump type heating circuit 6. A part of the heat pump type cooling circuit 5 and a part of the heat pump type heating circuit 6 are shared. Each component of the vehicle structure 1 of this example will be described in detail below.

[0013] <Cooling circuit in a heat pump circuit> FIG. 1 will be referred to for the explanation of the heat pump cooling circuit 5. In FIG. 1, the flow direction of the second heat medium 8 flowing in the heat pump cooling circuit 5 is indicated by arrows. The open arrows indicate the flow of the high-temperature second heat medium 8, the hatched arrows indicate the flow of the medium-temperature second heat medium 8 (e.g., 30° C. or higher and 50° C. or lower), and the solid arrows indicate the flow of the low-temperature second heat medium 8. The second heat medium 8 is, for example, a heat medium such as hydrofluorocarbon. The second heat medium 8 in the heat pump cooling circuit 5 functions as a refrigerant.

[0014] The heat pump cooling circuit 5 includes an external condenser 20 that exchanges heat with outside air. The heat pump cooling circuit 5 includes, in order from the external condenser 20 along the flow direction of the second heat medium 8, an expansion valve 26, an evaporator 27, an electric compressor 22, and an internal condenser 23. Each component will be described along the flow direction of the second heat medium 8.

[0015] More precisely, the external condenser 20 is a member that promotes heat exchange between the outside air and the second heat medium 8. During cooling, the heat of the second heat medium 8 flowing inside the external condenser 20 is released to the outside air. The external condenser 20 has a plurality of fins for increasing the contact area with the outside air. The external condenser 20 has a flow path for the second heat medium 8 inside. The high-temperature second heat medium 8 flowing into the external condenser 20 releases heat to the outside air in the external condenser 20. As a result, the temperature of the second heat medium 8 discharged from the external condenser 20 becomes lower than the temperature of the second heat medium 8 flowing into the external condenser 20. A temperature sensor 41 that measures the temperature of the second heat medium 8 discharged from the external condenser 20 is disposed downstream of the external condenser 20. Information from the temperature sensor 41 is output to the control unit 4 described later and is used to control the heat pump type cooling circuit 5.

[0016] The external condenser 20 is disposed on the back of the radiator 10. The radiator 10 is a heat exchanger that dissipates heat from a motor (not shown) and the like to the outside of the vehicle. The cooling circuit including the radiator 10 is not shown. The radiator 10 is disposed on the back of the grille shutter 12. By opening the grille shutter 12, the radiator 10 can be exposed to the wind generated by the vehicle. The wind generated by the vehicle passing through the radiator 10 hits the external condenser 20, where heat exchange of the second heat medium 8 is performed. Furthermore, a fan 11 is disposed on the back of the external condenser 20. By rotating the fan 11, the outside air can be applied to the radiator 10 and the external condenser 20 even when the vehicle 100 is running at a low speed or is stopped. In this example, the fan 11 is also considered to be a part of the heat pump circuit 2.

[0017] Downstream of the temperature sensor 41, the flow path of the second heat medium 8 branches. At the branch point, the flow path toward the lower side of the paper surface heads toward the expansion valve 26. A solenoid valve 21 is disposed in the flow path toward the right side of the paper surface at the branch point. During cooling, the solenoid valve 21 is closed, and the second heat medium 8 discharged from the external condenser 20 heads toward the expansion valve 26.

[0018] The expansion valve 26 diffuses and expands the second heat medium 8. The expansion valve 26 in this example is an electromagnetic valve with an adjustable throttle opening. The temperature of the diffused and expanded second heat medium 8 drops rapidly. The temperature of the diffused and expanded second heat medium 8 can be changed by adjusting the throttle amount of the expansion valve 26. A temperature sensor 42 is disposed downstream of the expansion valve 26. Information from the temperature sensor 42 is output to the control unit 4 and used to control the heat pump cooling circuit 5.

[0019] The second heat medium 8 that has been diffused and expanded flows into the evaporator 27. The evaporator 27 is a heat exchanger arranged inside a casing 2A of an HVAC (Heating Ventilation & Air Conditioning) unit. The evaporator 27 vaporizes the second heat medium 8 that has been atomized by expansion due to reduced pressure. The structure of the evaporator 27 is almost the same as that of the external condenser 20 in that it has a flow passage and multiple fins. The HVAC unit is a member that integrates air conditioning functions, and a heater core 32 (described later) is also arranged inside the casing 2A. The casing 2A has an inlet 2B that takes in outside air or inside air, and an outlet 2C that connects to a duct for air-conditioning air inside the vehicle.

[0020] An air mix door 28 and a blower 29 are disposed inside the casing 2A. The air mix door 28 is disposed so as to be able to swing or slide freely, and adjusts the mixing ratio of the cold air from the evaporator 27 and the hot air from the heater core 32 described later. During cooling, the surface of the heater core 32 facing the evaporator 27 is shielded by the air mix door 28, so that the cold air that has passed through the evaporator 27 is prevented from passing through the heater core 32. In this case, the cold air is introduced into the vehicle from the outlet 2C without being heated by the heater core 32 at all. The blower 29 is disposed between the inlet 2B and the evaporator 27, and draws in outside air or inside air from the inlet 2B.

[0021] The medium-temperature second heat medium 8 discharged from the evaporator 27 flows toward the solenoid valve 21. Since the solenoid valve 21 is closed during cooling, the second heat medium 8 flows toward the electric compressor 22. A temperature sensor 43 is disposed downstream of the evaporator 27. Information from the temperature sensor 43 is output to the control unit 4 and used to control the heat pump cooling circuit 5.

[0022] An accumulator 25 is disposed upstream of the electric compressor 22. The accumulator 25 is a device that separates the liquid second heat medium 8 and the gaseous second heat medium 8 in the heat pump circuit 2. The accumulator 25 suppresses damage to the electric compressor 22.

[0023] The electric compressor 22 is a device that consumes power from the battery 7 to compress the second heat medium 8. The temperature of the second heat medium 8 compressed by the electric compressor 22 increases. The second heat medium 8 discharged from the electric compressor 22 flows into the internal condenser 23. A temperature sensor 44 is disposed between the electric compressor 22 and the internal condenser 23. Information from the temperature sensor 44 is output to the control unit 4 and used to control the heat pump cooling circuit 5.

[0024] The internal condenser 23 is a heat exchanger that heats the conditioned air with the heat of the second heat medium 8. The structure of the internal condenser 23 is almost the same as that of the external condenser 20. In this example, the internal condenser 23 is provided so as to be in contact with the second internal condenser 30 of the heater-type heater 3 described later. Therefore, the heat of the internal condenser 23 is transferred to the second internal condenser 30. During cooling, the circulation of the first heat medium 9 of the heater-type heater 3 is stopped, so the heat of the second internal condenser 30 does not actively heat the heater core 32 in the HVAC. The temperature of the second heat medium 8 discharged from the internal condenser 23 drops.

[0025] The second heat medium 8 discharged from the internal condenser 23 flows toward the external condenser 20. A temperature sensor 45, a pressure sensor 47, and an expansion valve 24 are arranged in this order in the flow direction of the second heat medium 8 in the piping connecting the internal condenser 23 to the external condenser 20. Information from the temperature sensor 45 and the pressure sensor 47 is output to the control unit 4 and used for controlling the heat pump cooling circuit 5.

[0026] The expansion valve 24 in this example is an electromagnetic valve with an adjustable throttle opening. During cooling, the expansion valve 24 is in a maximum open state. That is, the second heat medium 8 hardly or not at all diffuses and expands in the expansion valve 24. Therefore, the high-temperature second heat medium 8 flows into the external condenser 20 while remaining at a high temperature. The greater the difference between the outside air temperature and the temperature of the second heat medium 8 in the external condenser 20, the more efficiently the heat of the second heat medium 8 is released to the outside air.

[0027] Unlike this example, the heat pump circuit 2 may include a bypass path connecting the upstream and downstream of the expansion valve 24, and a valve capable of switching between the bypass path and a flow path toward the expansion valve 24. In this case, by operating the valve, the second heat medium 8 can be diverted to the bypass path during cooling and not flow to the expansion valve 24. In such a configuration, the expansion valve 24 may be a non-electromagnetic valve with a fixed opening.

[0028] <Heating circuit in a heat pump circuit> The heat pump heating circuit 6 will be described with reference to Fig. 2. In Fig. 2, arrows indicate the flow direction of the second heat medium 8 flowing in the heat pump heating circuit 6. The arrows are interpreted in the same way as in Fig. 1.

[0029] The heat pump heating circuit 6 comprises an external condenser 20, a fan 11, an electric compressor 22, an internal condenser 23, and an expansion valve 24. The external condenser 20, the fan 11, and the electric compressor 22 are components shared with the heat pump cooling circuit 5. The second heat medium 8 of the heat pump heating circuit 6 is also shared with the heat pump cooling circuit 5. Below, each component will be described along the flow direction of the second heat medium 8 during heating.

[0030] During heating, the solenoid valve 21 is opened and the expansion valve 26 is closed. Therefore, the medium-temperature second heat medium 8 discharged from the external condenser 20 flows toward the electric compressor 22. A part of the heat of the second heat medium 8, which has been heated to a high temperature by the electric compressor 22, is transferred to the second internal condenser 30 in the internal condenser 23, and the first heat medium 9 flowing to the heater-type heater 3 via the second internal condenser 30 is heated. This first heat medium 9 increases the temperature of the heater core 32 of the heater-type heater 3, thereby heating the conditioned air. The mechanism by which the conditioned air is heated will be explained in the section on the heater-type heater 3.

[0031] The second heat medium 8 discharged from the internal condenser 23 diffuses and expands in the expansion valve 24. The temperature of the second heat medium 8 drops rapidly due to the diffuse expansion. The temperature of the low-temperature second heat medium 8 that flows into the external condenser 20 through the expansion valve 24 rises as the external condenser 20 absorbs heat from the outside air. Here, in order to absorb heat from the outside air, the temperature of the second heat medium 8 in the external condenser 20 needs to be lower than the outside air temperature. The temperature of the second heat medium 8 flowing into the external condenser 20 can be adjusted by the opening of the expansion valve 24. The opening is determined based on information from a temperature sensor 45 and a pressure sensor 47 in the heat pump heating circuit 6.

[0032] <Heater-type heater> 2, arrows indicate the flow direction of the first heat medium 9 flowing in the heater 3. The arrows are viewed in the same way as in FIG.

[0033] The heater-type space heater 3 includes a second internal condenser 30, an electric heater 31, a heater core 32, a reserve tank 33, and a pump 34. The first heat medium 9 flowing through the heater-type space heater 3 is independent of the second heat medium 8 in the heat pump circuit 2. In this example, the first heat medium 9 is water or antifreeze liquid. In FIG. 2, the flow direction of the first heat medium 9 is also indicated by an arrow, similar to the flow direction of the second heat medium 8. Each component will be described along the flow direction of the first heat medium 9.

[0034] The second internal condenser 30 is a heat exchanger that receives heat from the internal condenser 23 and uses the heat to heat the first heat medium 9. The high-temperature first heat medium 9 discharged from the second internal condenser 30 flows into the heater core 32 through the electric heater 31. The electric heater 31 is a device that consumes power from the battery 7 to further heat the first heat medium 9. The electric heater 31 is controlled based on information from a temperature sensor 46 that is arranged between the electric heater 31 and the heater core 32. When the temperature of the first heat medium 9 acquired by the temperature sensor 46 is sufficient to maintain the heating set temperature, the electric heater 31 may be turned off.

[0035] The heater core 32 is a heat exchanger disposed inside the HVAC casing 2A. The structure of the heater core 32 is substantially the same as that of the external condenser 20. During heating, at least a part of the air mix door 28 retreats between the evaporator 27 and the heater core 32. In this case, the conditioned air introduced from the inlet 2B by the blower 29 can pass through the heater core 32. The conditioned air heated by passing through the heater core 32 is introduced into the vehicle through the outlet 2C.

[0036] The first heat medium 9 that has released heat in the heater core 32 flows into the second internal condenser 30 through the reserve tank 33 and the pump 34. The reserve tank 33 removes air bubbles generated in the heater-type heater 3 by cavitation. The reserve tank 33 is also used to replenish the first heat medium 9. The pump 34 pressure-feeds the first heat medium 9 to the second internal condenser 30, thereby circulating the first heat medium 9 inside the heater-type heater 3.

[0037] <Control Unit> The control unit 4 controls the operation of each component of the heat pump circuit 2 and the heater type space heater 3 based on information from the temperature sensors 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46 and the pressure sensor 47. The control unit 4 in this example is further configured to be able to acquire information from an outside air temperature sensor 49. The outside air temperature sensor 49 is disposed, for example, on the back side of the front bumper.

[0038] Each process by the control unit 4 is realized by a processing circuit including at least one processor. The processing circuit may be composed of an integrated circuit in which at least one memory, various analog circuits, and various digital circuits are combined in addition to the at least one processor. The at least one memory stores a program (instruction) that causes the at least one processor to execute each of the above processes. The at least one processor may execute each of the above processes according to the program read from the at least one memory, or may execute each of the above processes according to a logic circuit designed in advance to execute each of the above processes. The processor may be, for example, a CPU or a GPU, or any of various other processors suitable for computer control. Note that the physically separated processors may cooperate with each other to execute each of the above processes.

[0039] During heating, the control unit 4 adjusts the output of the heat pump heating circuit 6 and the heater type heater 3 according to the outside air temperature. The heating here includes not only heating during driving, but also heating during stopping and remote heating performed before the passenger gets in. The heat pump heating circuit 6 can obtain the same heating effect with less power consumption compared to the heater type heater 3. When the outside air temperature is relatively high, it is easy to take in heat from the outside air into the heat pump heating circuit 6, so the control unit 4 operates only the heat pump heating circuit 6. On the other hand, when the outside air temperature is very low, it is difficult to take in heat from the outside air into the heat pump circuit 2, so the control unit 4 operates only the heater type heater 3. When the outside air temperature is not too low or too high, for example, when the outside air temperature is between -10°C and 10°C, the control unit 4 performs heating by operating both the heat pump heating circuit 6 and the heater type heater 3. Control to operate both the heat pump heating circuit 6 and the heater type heater 3 is called cooperative control in this specification. In the collaborative control, the heat pump type heating circuit 6 and the heater type heater 3 are controlled at a predetermined operating rate according to the outside air temperature, the set temperature of the air conditioner, etc. In the collaborative control, the opening degree of the air mix door 28 and the output of the pump 34 are also controlled at a predetermined operating rate.

[0040] <Life extension control of electric compressor and electric heater during heating> When the above-mentioned cooperative control is performed, the control unit 4 of the vehicle structure 1 of this embodiment performs life extension control to extend the lifespans of the electric compressor 22 and the electric heater 31 based on the total operation amounts of the electric compressor 22 and the electric heater 31. Hereinafter, a determination as to whether or not to perform the life extension control of this embodiment and a procedure for the life extension control will be explained based on the flowchart of Fig. 3. Fig. 2 will be referred to as necessary in explaining the control.

[0041] In this example, the cooperative control when the outside air temperature is -10°C will be described. At this outside air temperature, the total amount of heat W required to heat the conditioned air is 4.0 kW. In the cooperative control of this example, the amount of heat imparted to the conditioned air by the electric compressor 22 is 2.7 kW, and the amount of heat imparted to the conditioned air by the electric heater 31 is 1.3 kW. The outputs of the electric compressor 22 and the electric heater 31 are controlled so that the above amounts of heat can be imparted to the conditioned air.

[0042] The control unit 4 calculates the total operation amount Tc of the electric compressor 22 (step S1). The total operation amount Tc is, for example, the total operation time of the electric compressor 22. The total operation time is an integrated value of the operation time of the electric compressor 22 from the manufacture of the vehicle 100 to the present. In other words, it is a sum of the integrated value of the past operation time and the real-time operation time during the cooperative control. The operation time may be the actual operation time multiplied by a weighting coefficient. The coefficient is determined based on, for example, the output of the electric compressor 22 during operation and the frequency of ON / OFF of the electric compressor 22. If the output of the electric compressor 22 during operation is high, the load on the electric compressor 22 is large. In addition, the load on the electric compressor 22 is also large when the electric compressor 22 repeatedly starts and stops in a short period of time. If the load on the electric compressor 22 is large, the life of the electric compressor 22 is likely to be shortened. For example, if the actual operating time under heavy load is 10 minutes, the operating time is multiplied by a coefficient corresponding to the load, and any time longer than 10 minutes is counted as operating time and added to the total operating time.

[0043] The control unit 4 calculates the total operation amount Th of the electric heater 31 (step S2). The total operation amount Th is, for example, the total operation time of the electric heater 31. This total operation time is an integrated value of the operation time of the electric heater 31 from the manufacture of the vehicle 100 to the present. The operation time may be the actual operation time multiplied by a weighting coefficient. The coefficient is determined, for example, based on the output of the electric heater 31 during operation and the frequency of ON / OFF of the electric heater 31 in a given time.

[0044] The control unit 4 determines whether the total operating amount Tc exceeds a threshold value Tc1 (step S3). The threshold value Tc1 is a value smaller than the operating limit amount Tc0 of the electric compressor 22. The operating limit amount Tc0 is a value determined in advance at the time of manufacture according to the specifications of the electric compressor 22. The threshold value Tc1 is, for example, 80% of the operating limit amount Tc0 of the electric compressor 22. If the determination in step S3 is "Yes," the control unit 4 can determine that the life of the electric compressor 22 is approaching the end of its life. In this case, the control unit 4 proceeds to the process of step S4.

[0045] If the determination in step S3 is "No", the control unit 4 determines whether the total operation amount Th exceeds the threshold value Th1 (step S8). The threshold value Th1 is a value smaller than the operation limit amount Th0 of the electric heater 31. The operation limit amount Th0 is a value determined in advance at the time of manufacture according to the specifications of the electric heater 31. The threshold value Th1 is, for example, 80% of the operation limit amount Th0 of the electric heater 31. If the determination in step S8 is "Yes", the control unit 4 can determine that the life of the electric heater 31 is approaching. In that case, the control unit 4 proceeds to the process of step S9.

[0046] If the determinations in both steps S3 and S8 are "No," the control unit 4 determines that both the electric compressor 22 and the electric heater 31 still have some time left before their lives end. The control unit 4 proceeds to step S13 without changing the cooperative control. In step S13, the current control is maintained for a predetermined time. The predetermined time is, for example, 300 seconds. After the predetermined time has elapsed, the control unit 4 returns to the determination in step S1.

[0047] If the determination in step S3 is "No" and the determination in step S8 is "Yes," the control unit 4 can determine that the electric compressor 22 still has some life left, but that the electric heater 31 is nearing the end of its life. Therefore, the control unit 4 performs life extension control of the electric heater 31 (step S9). For example, the output of the electric heater 31 is reduced, and the amount of heat that the electric heater 31 applies to the conditioned air is reduced from 1.3 kW to 0.8 kW.

[0048] After step S9, the control unit 4 performs additional control to compensate for the insufficient heating of the air-conditioning air caused by the reduction in the output of the electric heater 31 (step S10). Specifically, the control unit 4 compensates for the reduction in the amount of heat of 0.5 kW caused by the reduction in the output of the electric heater 31 in step S9. The insufficient heating of the air-conditioning air may be compensated for by increasing the output of the electric compressor 22, by an air-conditioning-related device other than the electric heater 31 and the electric compressor 22, or by cooperation between the electric compressor 22 and the air-conditioning-related device. The air-conditioning-related device is, for example, the air mix door 28 or the pump 34. The temperature of the air-conditioning air can be maintained by adjusting the opening degree of the air mix door 28 and increasing the amount of the air-conditioning air that hits the heater core 32. In addition, the temperature of the air-conditioning air can be maintained by increasing the output of the pump 34 and increasing the amount of the second heat medium 8 supplied to the heater core 32. After step S10, the control unit 4 proceeds to the process of step S13.

[0049] If the determination in step S3 is "Yes" and the determination in step S4 is "No," the control unit 4 can determine that the life of the electric compressor 22 is nearing the end of its life, but that the life of the electric heater 31 still has some margin of error. Therefore, the control unit 4 executes life extension control for the electric compressor 22 (step S11). For example, the output of the electric compressor 22 is reduced, and the amount of heat that the electric compressor 22 imparts to the conditioned air is reduced from 2.7 kW to 2.3 kW. The electric compressor 22 of the heat pump circuit 2, which is used both during heating and cooling, is used more frequently than the electric heater 31. To preserve the life of the electric compressor 22, the electric compressor 22 may be stopped.

[0050] After step S11, the control unit 4 performs additional control to compensate for the insufficient heating of the conditioned air caused by the reduction in the output of the electric compressor 22 (step S12). Specifically, the control unit 4 compensates for the reduction in the amount of heat of 0.4 kW caused by the reduction in the output of the electric compressor 22 in step S11. The insufficient heating of the conditioned air may be compensated for by increasing the output of the electric heater 31, by the above-mentioned air conditioning related equipment, or by cooperation between the electric heater 31 and the air conditioning related equipment. By adjusting the air conditioning related equipment, the amount of heat of the heater core 32 can be increased as in step S10, thereby maintaining the temperature of the conditioned air. After step S12, the control unit 4 proceeds to the process of step S13.

[0051] If the determinations in both steps S3 and S4 are "Yes," the control unit 4 can determine that the lives of both the electric compressor 22 and the electric heater 31 are approaching the end of their lives. Therefore, the control unit 4 determines whether the life of the electric compressor 22 is shorter than the life of the electric heater 31 (step S5). For example, it determines whether the value obtained by subtracting the total operation amount Tc from the operation limit amount Tc0 of the electric compressor 22 is smaller than the value obtained by subtracting the total operation amount Th from the operation limit amount Th0 of the electric heater 31.

[0052] If the determination in step S5 is 'Yes', the control unit 4 performs life extension control that prioritizes the life extension of the electric compressor 22 (step S6). In this life extension control, the output of the electric compressor 22 and the output of the electric heater 31 are decreased, and the rate of decrease in the output of the electric compressor 22 is made larger than the rate of decrease in the output of the electric heater 31. More specifically, first, the calorific value Wd that can be supplemented by devices other than the electric heater 31 and the electric compressor 22 is calculated. The outputs of the electric compressor 22 and the electric heater 31 can be decreased by the amount of the calorific value Wd. For example, the output of the electric compressor 22 is decreased so that the amount of heat given to the air-conditioning air by the electric compressor 22 decreases by A×Wd, and the output of the electric heater 31 is decreased so that the amount of heat given to the air-conditioning air by the electric heater 31 decreases by B×Wd. Here, A and B are sharing ratios, A + B = 1, and A > B. For example, A and B are 0.8 and 0.2 respectively. A and B may be appropriately changed according to the lifetimes of the electric compressor 22 and the electric heater 31. After step S5, the control unit 4 proceeds to the process of step S13.

[0053] If the determination in step S5 is 'No', the control unit 4 performs life extension control that prioritizes the life extension of the electric heater 31 (step S7). In this life extension control, the output of the electric compressor 22 and the output of the electric heater 31 are decreased, and the rate of decrease in the output of the electric heater 31 is made larger than the rate of decrease in the output of the electric compressor 22. More specifically, the calorific value Wd is calculated in the same manner as in step S6 above. The outputs of the electric compressor 22 and the electric heater 31 can be decreased by the amount of the calorific value Wd. Then, the output of the electric compressor 22 is decreased so that the amount of heat given to the air-conditioning air by the electric compressor 22 decreases by C×Wd, and the output of the electric heater 31 is decreased so that the amount of heat given to the air-conditioning air by the electric heater 31 decreases by D×Wd. Here, C and D are sharing ratios, C + D = 1, and C < D. For example, C and D are 0.2 and 0.8 respectively. C and D may be appropriately changed according to the lifetimes of the electric compressor 22 and the electric heater 31. After step S7, the control unit 4 proceeds to the process of step S13.

[0054] As described above, in this example, while heating is being performed, the total operation amounts of the electric compressor 22 and the electric heater 31 are constantly monitored, and the operation states of the electric compressor 22 and the electric heater 31 are appropriately adjusted. Therefore, the life spans of both the electric compressor 22 and the electric heater 31 can be effectively extended.

[0055] In this example, after the life of the electric compressor 22 is determined in step S4, the life of the electric heater 31 is determined in step S4 or step S8. In other words, the life of the electric compressor 22 is determined before the life of the electric heater 31. Unlike this example, the life of the electric heater 31 may be determined before the life of the electric compressor 22.

[0056] <Other> The vehicle structure 1 may notify the user of the vehicle 100 that the electric compressor 22 and the electric heater 31 are nearing the end of their lives. The timing for notifying that the electric compressor 22 is nearing the end of its life is, for example, when the determination in step S3 is "Yes." The timing for notifying that the electric heater 31 is nearing the end of its life is, for example, when the determination in step S4 or step S8 is "Yes." The user may be notified that the electric compressor 22 and the electric heater 31 are nearing the end of their lives when both the electric compressor 22 and the electric heater 31 are nearing the end of their lives, that is, when the determination in step S4 is "Yes."

[0057] <Embodiment 2> The control shown in FIG. 3 may be performed in dehumidifying heating. In dehumidifying heating, the heat pump type cooling circuit 5 shown in FIG. 1 is operated, and the second heat medium 8, which has been diffusively expanded by the expansion valve 26 and cooled, is sent to the evaporator 27. The evaporator 27 is cooled, so that the saturated vapor pressure in the casing 2A decreases, and moisture is removed from the air-conditioning air. The second heat medium 8 that has passed through the evaporator 27 passes through the electric compressor 22 and the internal condenser 23 and reaches the external condenser 20. The expansion valve 24 does not perform diffusive expansion. If the expansion valve 24 does not perform diffusive expansion of the second heat medium 8, the heat pump circuit 2 does not substantially function as a heater. In other words, in dehumidifying heating, the output of the electric heater 31 is increased to maintain the temperature of the first heat medium 9 of the heater type heater 3, and the temperature of the air-conditioning air is kept at the set temperature. In this dehumidifying heating, the life of the electric compressor 22 and the electric heater 31 can be extended by performing the control shown in FIG. 3.

[0058] <Embodiment 3> The vehicle 100 may be provided with a heater-type heater 3 equipped with an electric heater 31 that directly heats the air-conditioning air, such as a Peltier element, instead of a heater-type heating circuit. In this case, the electric heater 31 is disposed in the middle of the air-conditioning air flow path, for example, inside the casing 2A, or in the middle of a duct extending from the casing 2A toward the passenger compartment. This heater-type heater 3 is not a circulation circuit including a pipe for circulating the first heat medium 9, but is composed of an electric circuit including the electric heater 31 and a configuration for supplying power to the electric heater 31. That is, the heater-type heater 3 of this example does not have the second internal condenser 30, the heater core 32, the reserve tank 33, and the pump 34. Instead of the heater-type heater 3 not having the heater core 32, the internal condenser 23 of the heat pump circuit 2 is disposed in the casing 2A as a heater core. In this heat pump circuit 2, the internal condenser 23 heated by the second heat medium 8 heats the air in the casing 2A, independently of the heating of the air by the heater-type space heater 3. The electric heater 31 may be located anywhere in the casing 2A, but as long as it is located downstream of the internal condenser 23 functioning as a heater core, it does not interfere with the operation of the air mix door 28. Even in this configuration, the lifespan of the electric compressor 22 and the electric heater 31 can be extended by implementing the control shown in FIG.

[0059] The heater-type heater 3 configured by the electric circuit described above may be provided in the vehicle structure 1 in addition to the heater-type heater 3 configured by the distribution circuit shown in the first embodiment.

[0060] <Embodiment 4> Although not shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the first heat medium 9 may be used to raise the temperature of the battery 7. In that case, for example, the heater-type heater 3 may be configured so that the battery 7 is arranged in the middle of the circulation path of the first heat medium 9, or the heater-type heater 3 may be configured so that the battery 7 is arranged in the middle of the circulation path of another heat medium that can be heat-exchanged with the circulation path of the second heat medium 8. The other heat medium may be a heat medium different from the first heat medium 9, or may be a heat medium mixed with the first heat medium 9. In such a configuration, for example, when the vehicle 100 is started, a cooperative control is performed to operate the heat pump type heating circuit 6 and the heater-type heater 3, and the temperature of the battery 7 is raised. In this cooperative control, the life extension control shown in the flowchart of FIG. 3 may be performed. Note that the temperature raising and heating of the battery 7 may be performed simultaneously, and in that case, the life extension control shown in the flowchart of FIG. 3 may also be performed. [Explanation of symbols]

[0061] 1 Vehicle structure 10 radiator, 11 fan, 12 grill shutter 2 Heat pump circuit 2A Casing, 2B Inlet, 2C Outlet 20 external capacitor, 21 solenoid valve, 22 electric compressor, 23 internal capacitor 24,26 Expansion valve, 25 Accumulator 27 Evaporator, 28 Air mix door, 29 Blower 3 Heater type heater 30 second internal capacitor, 31 electric heater, 32 heater core 33 Reserve tank, 34 Pump 4. Control section 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46 Temperature sensor, 47 Pressure sensor 49 Outside Air Temperature Sensor 5. Heat pump cooling circuit 6 Heat pump heating circuit 7 Battery 8 Second heat medium 9 First heat medium 100 vehicles

Claims

[Claim 1] A heater type heater having an electric heater; a heat pump type heating circuit having an electric compressor that compresses a heat medium; A control unit that controls the heater and the heat pump heating circuit to perform air conditioning, The control unit is When performing cooperative control in which both the electric heater and the electric compressor are operated, a total operation amount of the electric heater and the electric compressor is monitored; When the total operation amount of at least one of the electric heater and the electric compressor exceeds a threshold, a life extension control is performed to reduce an output of the device whose total operation amount has exceeded the threshold. Vehicle structure.

Images