In-vehicle temperature control system

Abstract

To provide an in-vehicle temperature control system capable of preventing an increase in power consumption caused by erroneous setting of a special mode.SOLUTION: An in-vehicle temperature control system 10 comprises: a temperature control device 20 which cools target in-vehicle equipment 100, which generates heat as a vehicle travels, to control temperature thereof; and a temperature controller 12 which controls driving of the temperature control device 20. The temperature controller 12 is configured such that, when a special mode in which travel performance is prioritized over fuel economy is set, cooling capacity of the temperature control device 20 is made higher than when the special mode is not set. The temperature controller 12 is also configured to permit setting of the special mode only when the vehicle is in a predetermined special area.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present specification discloses an in-vehicle temperature control system that controls the temperature of target in-vehicle devices that generate heat as the vehicle travels. [Background technology]

[0002] Some on-board devices generate heat as the vehicle runs. For example, in the case of an electric vehicle, the traction motor, the battery that supplies power to the traction motor, and the power control unit (hereinafter referred to as "PCU") that controls the power output all generate heat as the vehicle runs. If these on-board devices become excessively hot, the vehicle cannot run properly. Therefore, temperature control systems that control the temperature of these on-board devices have been proposed.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a cooling system for cooling a vehicle battery. In Patent Document 1, when a sports driving mode, which is designed for high-speed driving on a circuit, is selected, the flow path configuration of the refrigeration cycle circuit is switched to actively cool the target in-vehicle equipment. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-111084 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] When a special mode such as a sports driving mode is selected, as in Patent Document 1, various limiters set in the vehicle are released, enabling high-speed driving. The cooling capacity of the temperature control system is also improved. Such a special mode is typically set in special areas (such as racetracks) where high-speed driving is permitted.

[0006] However, with the technology of Patent Document 1, there is a risk that the user may mistakenly set the special mode outside the special area. In this case, the cooling capacity of the temperature control system is improved even when the vehicle is not traveling at high speed, resulting in an increase in power consumption.

[0007] Therefore, this specification discloses an in-vehicle temperature control system that can prevent an increase in power consumption due to an erroneous setting of a special mode. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The in-vehicle temperature control system disclosed in this specification comprises a temperature control device that cools and controls the temperature of target in-vehicle equipment that generates heat as the vehicle runs, and a temperature control controller that controls the operation of the temperature control device, wherein the temperature control controller is configured to increase the cooling capacity of the temperature control device when a special mode that prioritizes running performance over fuel efficiency is set compared to when the special mode is not set, and the temperature control controller is configured to allow the special mode to be set only when the vehicle is in a pre-defined special area.

[0009] This configuration makes it possible to prevent erroneous setting of the special mode, thereby preventing an increase in power consumption due to such erroneous setting.

[0010] In this case, the special mode may be a mode for driving on a circuit course, the special area may be an area including the circuit, and the temperature control controller may be configured to change the control parameters of the temperature control device depending on the course or circuit on which the vehicle is located.

[0011] The temperature control device may also include a compressor, a radiator fan, and a water pump, and the temperature control controller may change the control parameters of the compressor and the water pump in a direction to increase cooling capacity when the course has a long straight section, compared to a course with a short straight section, and may change the control parameters of the compressor, the radiator fan, and the water pump in a direction to increase cooling capacity when the course has many corners, compared to a course with few corners, and may change the control parameters of the compressor, the radiator fan, and the water pump at a smaller rate on rainy days than on sunny days.

[0012] This configuration makes it possible to adjust the temperature according to the characteristics of the circuit or course.

[0013] The temperature controller may also be configured to display map information indicating the special area on an in-vehicle display.

[0014] With this configuration, the user can easily recognize whether or not the special mode can be set.

[0015] The temperature controller may be configured to cancel the special mode when the vehicle moves out of the special area while the special mode is set.

[0016] This configuration prevents the special mode from being erroneously continued, thereby effectively preventing unnecessary power consumption. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] According to the in-vehicle temperature control system disclosed in this specification, erroneous setting of the special mode is effectively prevented, thereby preventing an unnecessary increase in the power required for temperature control. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a temperature adjustment system. [Figure 2] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a display of a special area. [Figure 3] 10 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing by the temperature adjustment system. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the correspondence between the change rate of the temperature control parameter, the characteristics of the course, and the weather. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a map showing the correspondence between the change rate of the temperature control parameter and the location of the vehicle. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] The configuration of an in-vehicle temperature control system 10 will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the temperature control system 10. This temperature control system 10 is mounted on a vehicle and adjusts the temperature of some of the in-vehicle equipment (hereinafter referred to as "target in-vehicle equipment 100"). There are no particular limitations on the type of vehicle in which the temperature control system 10 is mounted. Therefore, the vehicle in which the temperature control system 10 is mounted may be any of a battery electric vehicle, a hybrid electric vehicle, a fuel cell electric vehicle, and an engine vehicle. The following description will be given taking the temperature control system 10 mounted on a battery electric vehicle as an example.

[0020] The temperature control system 10 includes a temperature control device 20 and a temperature control controller 12. The temperature control device 20 is a device that cools and controls the temperature of the target in-vehicle device 100. Here, the target in-vehicle device 100 is a device that generates heat as the vehicle travels. For example, a traction motor 100a, a PCU 100b, and a battery 100c correspond to the target in-vehicle device. Hereinafter, when the traction motor 100a, the PCU 100b, and the battery 100c are not distinguished from one another, they will be collectively referred to as the "target in-vehicle device 100." The traction motor 100a is a motor generator that outputs driving power and generates electricity using braking force. The traction motor 100a is unitized with a transmission (not shown) to form a transaxle 110. The battery 100c is a rechargeable secondary battery. Power is supplied from the battery 100c to the traction motor 100a, and power generated by the traction motor 100a is charged into the battery 100c. The PCU 100b includes an inverter that drives the traction motor 100a, a DC-DC converter that performs voltage conversion, etc. The PCU 100b controls the power supplied to the traction motor 100a.

[0021] The temperature adjustment device 20 cools and adjusts the temperature of the target in-vehicle device 100 as necessary. The temperature adjustment device 20 has a high-temperature cooling circuit 22, a refrigerant circuit 40, and a low-temperature cooling circuit 50. The high-temperature cooling circuit 22 is a circuit that circulates coolant as a heat medium. The high-temperature cooling circuit 22 includes a heater core 28, an electric heater 26, a radiator 24, a water pump 30, and a radiator fan 57. The water pump 30 pressurizes and circulates the coolant. The electric heater 26 heats the coolant. The heated coolant exchanges heat with the surrounding air in the heater core 28. The heated air is blown into the vehicle interior to heat the vehicle interior.

[0022] The radiator 24 air-cools the coolant output from the heater core 28. The radiator 24 is arranged vertically or horizontally next to a radiator 56 of a low-temperature cooling circuit 50, which will be described later. A radiator fan 57 is arranged behind the radiators 24, 56 and draws in outside air so that the outside air flows toward the radiators 24, 56.

[0023] The refrigerant circuit 40 is a circuit that circulates the refrigerant while changing its state. The refrigerant circuit 40 includes a compressor 42, an evaporator 44, and a water-cooled condenser 32. The compressor 42 compresses the refrigerant. The compressed refrigerant condenses in the water-cooled condenser 32. The condensed refrigerant is injected toward the evaporator 44 through an expansion valve (not shown) and expands. At this time, the refrigerant vaporizes, cooling the air around the evaporator 44. The air around the evaporator 44 is blown toward the vehicle interior, thereby cooling the vehicle interior. The water-cooled condenser 32 dissipates heat from the cooling circuit to the coolant in the high-temperature cooling circuit 22.

[0024] The low-temperature cooling circuit 50 is a circuit that circulates coolant as a heat medium. The low-temperature cooling circuit 50 includes a chiller 46, an electric heater 52, a radiator 56, and water pumps 54 and 58. The low-temperature cooling circuit 50 regulates the temperature of the target in-vehicle device 100, i.e., the traction motor 100a, the PCU 100b, and the battery 100c. The electric heater 52 heats the coolant. The electric heater 52 is turned on when heating the target in-vehicle device 100. When cooling the target in-vehicle device 100, the coolant absorbs heat from the target in-vehicle device 100. The heat of the coolant is released to the outside air and the refrigerant circuit 40 via the radiator 56 and the chiller 46. The water pumps 54 and 58 pump and circulate the coolant. Although not shown, the temperature adjustment device 20 further has a sensor that directly or indirectly detects the temperature of the target in-vehicle device 100, and the detected temperature of the target in-vehicle device 100 is transmitted to the temperature adjustment controller 12.

[0025] The temperature controller 12 controls the operation of the temperature adjustment device 20. The temperature controller 12 is physically a computer having a processor 14 and a memory 16. Note that in FIG. 1, the temperature controller 12 is illustrated as a single computer. However, the temperature controller 12 may be configured by combining multiple physically separated computers.

[0026] The temperature controller 12 controls the operation of the temperature adjustment device 20 based on the detected temperature of the target in-vehicle device 100. For example, the higher the detected temperature of the target in-vehicle device 100 and the greater the required cooling amount, the more the temperature controller 12 increases the output of the compressor 42, water pumps 30, 54, 58, and radiator fan 57. This allows the target in-vehicle device 100 to be cooled more quickly. Furthermore, when a special mode, which will be described later, is enabled, the temperature controller 12 changes the control parameters (hereinafter referred to as "temperature adjustment parameters") of the temperature adjustment device 20 so that the cooling capacity of the target in-vehicle device 100 is improved compared to when the special mode is disabled.

[0027] Next, special driving and special modes will be explained. Special driving is a driving style that emphasizes driving performance over fuel economy, comfort, etc. For example, driving on a course on a circuit corresponds to "special driving." The special mode is a mode for performing this special driving.

[0028] When special driving is performed, the load on the target in-vehicle device 100 increases, and the amount of heat generated by the target in-vehicle device 100 increases. Therefore, when the special mode is enabled, the temperature control controller 12 changes the temperature control parameters so that the cooling capacity is improved compared to when the special mode is disabled. The temperature control parameters are, for example, the limit threshold of the output of the temperature control electrical device, and the start or target temperature of cooling.

[0029] A more specific explanation follows. Normally, the temperature control controller 12, taking into consideration fuel economy, quietness, etc., keeps the output limit thresholds of the compressor 42, water pumps 30, 54, 58, and radiator fan 57 (hereinafter collectively referred to as "temperature control electrical equipment") below a predetermined standard limit threshold P1. Specifically, the standard limit threshold P1 is, for example, an upper power limit or an upper rotation speed limit.

[0030] Furthermore, normally, when the detected temperature Td of the target in-vehicle device 100 is higher than the standard temperature control start temperature Ts1, the temperature adjustment controller 12 starts cooling the target in-vehicle device 100. This cooling continues until the detected temperature Td becomes equal to or lower than the standard temperature adjustment target temperature Tt1.

[0031] When the special mode is effective, the temperature control controller 12 changes the output limit threshold of the temperature control electrical equipment to a special limit threshold P2 that is higher than the standard limit threshold P1. As a result, although the fuel consumption and noise deteriorate, the cooling capacity of the temperature control device 20 is improved, so that the target in-vehicle device 100 can be cooled quickly. As a result, even if the heat generation amount of the target in-vehicle device 100 increases with high-speed driving, it is possible to prevent the temperature of the target in-vehicle device 100 from reaching the limit temperature.

[0032] Also, when the special mode is set, the temperature control controller 12 lowers the cooling start temperature and the target temperature compared to when the special mode is invalid. That is, when the special mode is set, the temperature control controller 12 starts cooling when the detected temperature Td is higher than the special temperature control start temperature Ts2 (where Ts2 < Ts1), and ends cooling when the detected temperature Td reaches the special temperature control target temperature Tt2 (where Tt2 < Tt1). As a result, since the target in-vehicle device 100 is cooled early and for a long time, overheating of the target in-vehicle device 100 during high-speed driving is prevented.

[0033] Here, when such a special mode is set, while the target in-vehicle device 100 is cooled more actively, the power consumption increases. When performing high-speed driving, such an increase in power consumption is acceptable. However, when not driving at high speed, if the special mode is accidentally activated, there is a problem that the power consumption increases more than necessary.

[0034] Therefore, the temperature control controller 12 allows the setting of the special mode only when the vehicle is in a predefined special area, preventing the misconfiguration of the special mode. The special area is an area where special driving is permitted. When the special driving is circuit course driving, the special area is, for example, the circuit site. This will be described in detail below.

[0035] As shown in Figure 1, a special mode command and vehicle position information are input to the temperature control controller 12. The special mode command is a command input by the user to the vehicle, and is a command to start the special mode. In principle, this special mode command should be input only under conditions where high-speed driving is permitted, that is, only when the vehicle is located in a special area. However, there are cases where the special mode command is input outside the special area due to user misunderstanding.

[0036] When a special mode command is input, the temperature control controller 12 checks the vehicle's location information. The temperature control controller 12 then permits the setting of the special mode only when the vehicle is located in a predefined special area. Here, the special area is an area where special driving is permitted, as described above, such as the grounds of a racing circuit. The temperature control controller 12 compares the special area with the vehicle's location information. If the result shows that the vehicle is located within the special area, the temperature control controller 12 sets the special mode. This initiates special temperature control that actively cools the target in-vehicle device 100. On the other hand, if the vehicle is located outside the special area, the temperature control controller 12 does not set the special mode. This prevents unnecessary increases in power consumption.

[0037] The number of special areas stored in the temperature control controller 12 is not limited to one, and may be multiple. The special area is not limited to a circuit, and may be any area where special driving is possible. For example, the special area may be an autobahn or a vehicle performance test area. Special areas may be registered at the time of vehicle shipment, or may be added to the vehicle at any time using the vehicle's communication function. Information about special areas may be stored in the temperature control controller 12 or in another system installed in the vehicle. For example, many vehicles are now equipped with navigation systems. These navigation systems register various facility information along with map information. Special areas may be registered as one type of facility information. In this case, the temperature control controller 12 communicates with the navigation system to obtain the positional relationship between the vehicle's current location and the special area.

[0038] The location information of such special areas may be presented to the user via the display 60. The display 60 may be, for example, an in-vehicle display that displays navigation information or audio information. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the display of such special areas. In FIG. 2, a dashed line mark M1 indicates the special area, and a black triangular mark M2 indicates the vehicle's location. In the example of FIG. 2, the location information M1 of the special area is superimposed on a map for navigation. The navigation map also displays the vehicle's location information M2. By viewing this display, the user can easily determine whether or not the special mode can be set. Furthermore, when a special mode command is input by the user outside the special area, the temperature control controller 12 may display a message on the display 60 informing the user that the user is outside the special area.

[0039] Next, the processing flow of the temperature control system 10 will be explained with reference to Figure 3. As shown in Figure 3, when a special mode command is input (Yes in S10), the temperature control controller 12 checks whether the vehicle is in a special area (S12). If the vehicle is outside the special area (No in S12), the temperature control controller 12 waits without setting the special mode.

[0040] On the other hand, if the vehicle is located in a special area (Yes in S12), the temperature controller 12 sets the special mode (S14). In this case, the temperature controller 12 changes the temperature control parameters for the special mode (S16). That is, the temperature controller 12 changes the limit threshold of the temperature control electrical equipment from the standard limit threshold P1 to the special limit threshold P2. The temperature controller 12 also changes the temperature control start temperature from the standard temperature control start temperature Ts1 to the special temperature control start temperature Ts2, and changes the temperature control target temperature from the standard temperature control target temperature Tt1 to the special temperature control target temperature Tt2.

[0041] Thereafter, the temperature controller 12 determines whether or not temperature control is necessary (S18). That is, the temperature controller 12 compares the detected temperature Td of the target in-vehicle device 100 with the special temperature control start temperature Ts2. If the comparison result shows that Td > Ts2, the temperature controller 12 determines that temperature control is necessary and performs temperature control processing (S20). Thereafter, the temperature controller 12 periodically checks the vehicle's location (S22). If the vehicle is located within the special area (No in S22), the temperature controller 12 determines whether or not temperature control should be stopped (S24). Specifically, the temperature controller 12 compares the detected temperature Td with the special temperature control target temperature Tt2. If the comparison result shows that Td > Tt2, the temperature controller 12 determines that temperature control should be continued (No in S24). On the other hand, if Td ≦ Tt2, the temperature controller 12 determines that temperature control should be stopped (Yes in S24). In this case, the temperature controller 12 stops the temperature adjustment process (S26) and returns to step S18.

[0042] Furthermore, if the vehicle is located outside the special area (Yes in S22), the temperature controller 12 cancels the special mode and changes the temperature control parameters to standard values. In this way, when the vehicle leaves the special area, the special mode is automatically canceled, thereby suppressing unnecessary temperature control. As a result, it is possible to prevent more power than necessary from being consumed.

[0043] As is clear from the above description, the technology disclosed in this specification allows the setting of the special mode that actively cools the target in-vehicle device 100 only when the vehicle is located within a special area. Therefore, even if the user erroneously commands the special mode, it is possible to prevent more power than necessary from being consumed.

[0044] As described above, when the special mode is set, the temperature controller 12 changes the temperature control parameters to improve the cooling capacity. The amount of change in the temperature control parameters may always be the same, or may be changed depending on the vehicle's location, weather, etc. For example, there are various courses on a circuit, each with different characteristics. The required cooling capacity differs depending on the characteristics of the course.

[0045] For example, consider a course with a long straight section. In this case, the vehicle can maintain a high speed for a long period of time, so the amount of airflow to the radiators 24, 56 naturally increases. Therefore, the radiators 24, 56 can be sufficiently cooled without increasing the rotation speed of the radiator fan 57. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, when the vehicle is traveling on a course with a long straight section, the temperature adjustment controller 12 may set the rate of change of the limit threshold of the radiator fan 57 to be smaller than the rate of change of the limit thresholds of the compressor 42 and the water pumps 30, 54, 58.

[0046] Furthermore, on a course with many corners, sudden deceleration and sudden acceleration occur more frequently, but the airflow to the radiators 24, 56 does not increase as much. Therefore, in this case, as shown in Fig. 4, the temperature controller 12 may significantly change the limit thresholds of the radiator fan 57, the compressor 42, and the water pumps 30, 54, 58.

[0047] Furthermore, in rainy weather, the radiators 24, 56 become wet and dissipate heat more easily. Furthermore, evaporation of raindrops on the radiators 24, 56 tends to lower the temperature of the entire power unit compartment in which the radiators 24, 56 and the target on-board device 100 are located. As a result, the target on-board device 100 can be appropriately cooled without significantly relaxing the output limitations of the air-conditioning electrical equipment. Therefore, in rainy weather, the temperature control controller 12 may reduce the change rates of the limit thresholds for the radiator fan 57, the compressor 42, and the water pumps 30, 54, 58 compared to when it is sunny. The change rates of the temperature control parameters may be changed under other conditions, not limited to the example shown in FIG. 4 . For example, the change rates of the temperature control parameters may be changed depending on the gradient of the course, the season, the time of day, the presence or absence of snowfall or ice, etc.

[0048] The temperature controller 12 may also store a map of the change rates of the temperature control parameters for each circuit or course. FIG. 5 is a map showing the correspondence between the change rates of the temperature control parameters and the circuits. In the example of FIG. 5, circuit A has a long straight section and a relatively large number of corners. In this case, the change rates of the limit thresholds for the compressor 42 and the water pumps 30, 54, and 58 are set to "medium," while the change rate of the limit threshold for the radiator fan 57 is set to "small." Furthermore, in rainy weather, the change rates of these limit thresholds are reduced by 10%.

[0049] When the special mode is set, the temperature controller 12 identifies the circuit on which the vehicle is located, compares the identified circuit with the map in Figure 5, and determines the rate at which the limit thresholds should be changed. For example, when the special mode is set for circuit B, the temperature controller 12 changes the limit thresholds for the radiator fan 57, the compressor 42, and the water pump 30 according to the second line L2 of the map.

[0050] While FIG. 5 shows a map for each circuit, a more detailed map may be used. For example, the change rate of the limit threshold may be determined for each course, rather than for each circuit. Furthermore, as temperature control parameters, in addition to or instead of the limit threshold, the change rate of the temperature control start temperature or the temperature control target temperature may be changed depending on the vehicle's location. In any case, by changing the change rate of the temperature control parameter depending on the vehicle's location, the temperature of the target in-vehicle device 100 can be controlled more efficiently.

[0051] Furthermore, the configurations described above are merely examples, and other configurations may be modified as appropriate as long as the configuration described in claim 1 is included. For example, the above description has been given using an example of a temperature control system 10 installed in a battery electric vehicle. However, the technology disclosed in this specification is not limited to battery electric vehicles and may be installed in other types of vehicles. Therefore, the temperature control system 10 may be installed in an engine vehicle or a hybrid electric vehicle, etc. In this case, the temperature control device 20 includes a cooling circuit that cools the engine, and the temperature control electrical equipment includes a water pump that circulates engine coolant. [Explanation of symbols]

[0052] 10 Vehicle temperature control system, 12 Temperature control controller, 14 Processor, 16 Memory, 20 Temperature control device, 22 High temperature cooling circuit, 24, 56 Radiator, 26 Electric heater, 28 Heater core, 30, 54, 58 Water pump, 32 Water-cooled condenser, 40 Refrigerant circuit, 42 Compressor, 44 Evaporator, 46 Chiller, 50 Low temperature cooling circuit, 52 Electric heater, 57 Radiator fan, 60 Display, 100 Target vehicle equipment, 100a Drive motor, 100c Battery, 110 Transaxle.

Claims

1. a temperature control device that cools and controls the temperature of target in-vehicle devices that generate heat as the vehicle travels; a temperature control controller for controlling the driving of the temperature control device; and the temperature control controller is configured to increase the cooling capacity of the temperature control device when a special mode that prioritizes driving performance over fuel efficiency is set, compared to when the special mode is not set, The temperature control controller is configured to allow the special mode to be set only when the vehicle is in a predefined special area. An in-vehicle temperature control system.

2. The vehicle temperature control system according to claim 1, The special mode is a mode for driving on a circuit course, the special area is an area including the circuit, The temperature control controller is configured to change a control parameter of the temperature control device depending on the course or the circuit on which the vehicle is located. An in-vehicle temperature control system.

3. The vehicle-mounted temperature control system according to claim 2, the temperature adjustment device includes a compressor, a radiator fan, and a water pump; The temperature controller In the case of a course with a long straight portion, the control parameters of the compressor and the water pump are changed in a direction to increase the cooling capacity compared to a course with a short straight portion; In the case of a course with many corners, the control parameters of the compressor, the radiator fan, and the water pump are changed in a direction that increases the cooling capacity compared to a course with few corners, In rainy weather, the change rates of the control parameters of the compressor, the radiator fan, and the water pump are made smaller than in sunny weather. An in-vehicle temperature control system.

4. The vehicle temperature control system according to claim 1, The vehicle-mounted temperature control system is characterized in that the temperature control controller is configured to display map information indicating the special area on an in-vehicle display.

5. The vehicle temperature control system according to claim 1, The vehicle temperature control system is characterized in that the temperature control controller is configured to cancel the special mode when the vehicle moves outside the special area while the special mode is set.

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