Vehicles equipped with air conditioning

Abstract

This prevents the formation of high-concentration areas of hydrocarbon refrigerants within enclosed spaces such as garages when a vehicle is parked in such a space. [Solution] The vehicle 10 is equipped with an air conditioning system 12 which includes a refrigerant circuit R through which hydrocarbon-based refrigerant circulates, a first coolant circuit C1 having a radiator 34 through which coolant heated by the refrigerant circuit R circulates, and a second coolant circuit C2 having a cooler core 72 through which coolant cooled by the refrigerant circuit R circulates to cool the air conditioning air. The vehicle 10 also includes an outside air intake device 60 that draws in air from outside the vehicle to be used by the radiator 34, an exhaust port 64 that discharges the air drawn in by the outside air intake device 60 to the outside of the vehicle, a gas sensor 80 that detects hydrocarbon-based refrigerant outside the refrigerant circuit R, and a controller 50 that operates the outside air intake device 60 when hydrocarbon-based refrigerant is detected by the gas sensor 80.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This specification relates to a vehicle equipped with an air conditioner, and particularly discloses a vehicle equipped with an air conditioner using a hydrocarbon refrigerant.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, as a refrigerant for air conditioners, the use of hydrocarbon refrigerants (HC refrigerants) such as propane with a low global warming potential has been considered. Since HC refrigerants are flammable, configurations for preventing refrigerant leakage and configurations for ensuring safety in case of refrigerant leakage have been considered.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a vehicle air conditioner in which a heat exchanger through which a flammable refrigerant flows is disposed inside a casing that sends conditioned air into the vehicle interior. In this air conditioner, the amount of flammable refrigerant leaked into the casing is detected. When the leakage is small, the amount of outside air introduced into the casing is increased, and when the leakage is large, the air-conditioning air outlet of the casing and the inlet for inside air of the casing are closed to ensure safety.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] When a vehicle equipped with an air conditioner using a hydrocarbon refrigerant is parked in an enclosed space such as a garage or an underground parking lot, if the hydrocarbon refrigerant leaks from the air conditioner, there is a risk that the refrigerant will accumulate in the enclosed space. In this case, there is a risk that a high-concentration area where the refrigerant concentration exceeds a predetermined concentration will occur in the enclosed space.

[0006] This specification discloses a configuration for a vehicle equipped with an air conditioning system using a hydrocarbon refrigerant, which can prevent the formation of high-concentration areas of hydrocarbon refrigerants within a closed space when the vehicle is parked in such a space. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The vehicle equipped with an air conditioning system disclosed herein includes a refrigerant circuit through which a hydrocarbon refrigerant circulates, having a compressor, a condenser for heat dissipation, an expansion valve, and an evaporator for heat absorption; a first coolant circuit having a radiator through which a coolant heated by the condenser of the refrigerant circuit circulates; and a second coolant circuit having a cooler core for cooling the conditioned air through which a coolant cooled by the evaporator of the refrigerant circuit circulates. The vehicle is equipped with an air conditioning system that includes an outside air intake device for drawing in air from outside the vehicle to be used in the radiator; an exhaust port for discharging the air drawn in by the outside air intake device to the outside of the vehicle; a gas sensor for detecting the refrigerant outside the refrigerant circuit; and a controller for operating the outside air intake device when the refrigerant is detected by the gas sensor.

[0008] With this configuration, when a vehicle is parked in a closed space, if there is a leak of hydrocarbon refrigerant from the refrigerant circuit, the gas sensor will detect the leak. When the gas sensor detects the refrigerant, the outside air intake device is activated, allowing outside air to be discharged to the outside of the vehicle through the exhaust port. This circulates the air in the closed space and prevents the formation of high-concentration areas of hydrocarbon refrigerant within the closed space.

[0009] In the air conditioning system-equipped vehicle of this disclosure, the outside air intake device may be positioned in front of the refrigerant circuit to supply the air to the area below the refrigerant circuit.

[0010] Since hydrocarbon refrigerants are generally heavier than air, any refrigerant leaking from the refrigerant circuit flows downwards. With the above configuration, the outside air intake device supplies air to the lower region of the refrigerant circuit, which can agitate the leaked refrigerant and prevent the formation of areas with high concentrations of refrigerant.

[0011] In the air conditioning system-equipped vehicle of this disclosure, the outside air intake device may be located within the engine compartment of the vehicle, and the exhaust port may be located further rearward than the outside air intake device and provided in the under cover of the engine compartment.

[0012] This configuration allows outside air to be expelled from the bottom of the engine compartment to the outside of the vehicle.

[0013] In the air conditioning system-equipped vehicle of the present disclosure, the outside air intake device may be located within the engine compartment of the vehicle, and the exhaust port may be located further rearward than the outside air intake device and provided in the wall of the engine compartment that forms the wheel well.

[0014] This configuration allows outside air to be expelled from the wall portion forming the wheel well to the outside of the vehicle.

[0015] In the vehicle equipped with the air conditioning system of this disclosure, a guide member may be further provided to guide the air drawn in by the outside air intake device to the exhaust port.

[0016] This configuration allows the air drawn in by the outside air intake device to be smoothly guided to the exhaust port.

[0017] In the vehicle equipped with the air conditioning system of this disclosure, the hydrocarbon refrigerant may be propane or a refrigerant mainly composed of propane. [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] According to the technology disclosed in this specification, when a vehicle is parked in a closed space, it is possible to prevent a high-concentration area of a hydrocarbon refrigerant from occurring in the closed space.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0019] [Figure 1] It is a schematic configuration diagram of a vehicle equipped with an air conditioner and a garage. [Figure 2] It is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an air conditioner [Figure 3] It is a perspective view showing an example of a refrigerant module. [Figure 4] It is a flowchart showing the control of a radiator fan during parking. [Figure 5] It is a schematic plan view showing the front part of another vehicle equipped with an air conditioner.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0020] [[ID=二十七]] <Preface> Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. The same reference numerals are assigned to equivalent elements in all the drawings, and redundant descriptions are omitted. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the terms indicating directions and orientations such as front, rear, left, right, up, and down represent the directions and orientations related to the vehicle. In each figure, the direction of arrow FR represents the front, the direction of arrow UP represents the up, and the direction of arrow LH represents the left.

[0021] The air conditioner is mounted on a vehicle such as an automobile. In the embodiments described below, the type of vehicle on which the air conditioner is mounted is not limited. For example, the vehicle may be an engine vehicle powered by an engine, an electric vehicle powered by a motor, a hybrid electric vehicle or a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle equipped with both an engine and a motor, a fuel cell vehicle equipped with a fuel cell, or a battery electric vehicle that runs on electric power stored in a battery.

[0022] The air conditioning system is equipped with a refrigerant circuit through which a hydrocarbon refrigerant (referred to as an HC refrigerant) circulates. HC refrigerants are flammable. Examples of HC refrigerants include propane, butane, isobutane, ethane, ethylene, and propylene. In the refrigerant circuit, one of these HC refrigerants, or a mixture of two or more of these HC refrigerants, may be used. Alternatively, a mixed refrigerant may be used in the refrigerant circuit, which mainly consists of one or more HC refrigerants, along with other refrigerants and various additives. For example, in the refrigerant circuit, propane, or a refrigerant mainly consisting of propane, along with at least one of other refrigerants and additives (a refrigerant mainly composed of propane), may be used. An example of an HC refrigerant may be R290. In this specification, a hydrocarbon refrigerant means a pure hydrocarbon refrigerant or a refrigerant mainly composed of a hydrocarbon refrigerant.

[0023] The refrigerant circuit serves as the heat source for the air conditioning system. The refrigerant circuit comprises, in order along the direction of refrigerant flow, a compressor, a condenser for heat dissipation, an expansion valve, and an evaporator for heat absorption. A receiver may be provided between the condenser and the expansion valve. An accumulator may also be provided between the evaporator and the compressor.

[0024] An air conditioning system may include a high-temperature coolant circuit through which a coolant heated by a condenser in the refrigerant circuit circulates, and a low-temperature coolant circuit through which a coolant cooled by an evaporator in the refrigerant circuit circulates. The coolant is a heat transfer medium, and the high-temperature coolant circuit and the low-temperature coolant circuit are heat transfer medium circuits, respectively.

[0025] In the embodiments described below, as shown in Figure 2, the air conditioning system 12 includes a first coolant circuit C1 as a high-temperature coolant circuit and a second coolant circuit C2 as a low-temperature coolant circuit. The coolant in the first and second coolant circuits C1 and C2 may be cooling water. That is, the coolant may be water without additives, water mixed with additives such as antifreeze or preservatives, or coolant liquid. Furthermore, the coolant may be a liquid heat transfer medium such as oil, and is not limited to that.

[0026] In the embodiments described below, the refrigerant circuit is located under the vehicle's front hood. Hereafter, regardless of the presence or type of power source (engine, motor, etc.) under the front hood, the area under the front hood will be referred to as the "engine compartment" or "engine compartment."

[0027] <Embodiment> Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the air conditioning system-equipped vehicle 10 and garage 200 according to an embodiment. The vehicle equipped with an air conditioning system (hereinafter simply referred to as "vehicle") 10 is parked in the garage 200. The refrigerant circuit R of the air conditioning system 12 and other components are located in the engine compartment 14 at the front of the vehicle 10.

[0028] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the air conditioning system 12. The air conditioning system 12 provides air conditioning to the interior of the vehicle 10. The air conditioning system 12 comprises a refrigerant circuit R which serves as a heat source, a first coolant circuit C1, a second coolant circuit C2, and an air conditioning unit 70. The first coolant circuit C1 circulates a first coolant heated by the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit R. The second coolant circuit C2 circulates a second coolant cooled by the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit R. The air conditioning unit 70 supplies air cooled by the second coolant circulating in the second coolant circuit C2 into the vehicle interior.

[0029] The refrigerant circuit R is a closed circuit that circulates a hydrocarbon refrigerant (hereinafter also simply referred to as refrigerant) by sequentially connecting a compressor 20, a condenser 22, a receiver 28, an expansion valve 24, and an evaporator 26 via refrigerant piping (refrigerant flow path).

[0030] The air conditioning unit 12 includes a heat exchanger 30. The heat exchanger 30 is integrated with the condenser 22 of the refrigerant circuit R and exchanges heat between the refrigerant of the refrigerant circuit R and the first coolant of the first coolant circuit C1. The heat exchanger 30 is a water-cooled condenser. The heat exchanger 30 may be, for example, a plate heat exchanger.

[0031] The first coolant circuit C1 is a closed circuit that circulates the first coolant, consisting of a water pump 32, a heat exchanger 30, and a radiator 34 connected sequentially by coolant piping. The radiator 34 is a heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the first coolant and the vehicle's airflow Wtr. In the first coolant circuit C1, the first coolant, pressurized by the water pump 32, becomes hot due to heat dissipation from the refrigerant in the condenser 22 of the refrigerant circuit R as it passes through the heat exchanger 30. The hot first coolant is then sent to the radiator 34, where it is cooled by the vehicle's airflow Wtr.

[0032] The air conditioning unit 12 includes a radiator fan 60 as an outside air intake device. The radiator fan 60 is positioned behind the radiator 34 and draws air into the air conditioning unit from outside the vehicle. The radiator fan 60 cools the first coolant in the radiator 34 by passing outside air from the front to the rear of the radiator 34.

[0033] Furthermore, the air conditioning unit 12 includes a heat exchanger 40. The heat exchanger 40 is integrated with the evaporator 26 of the refrigerant circuit R and exchanges heat between the refrigerant of the refrigerant circuit R and the second coolant of the second coolant circuit C2. The heat exchanger 40 may be, for example, a plate heat exchanger.

[0034] The second coolant circuit C2 is a closed circuit that circulates the second coolant, with the water pump 42, heat exchanger 40, and cooler core 72 sequentially connected by coolant piping. The cooler core 72 is a heat exchanger located in the air passage 75 of the air conditioning unit 70, which exchanges heat between the second coolant and the conditioned air (Wac). In the second coolant circuit C2, the second coolant, pressurized by the water pump 42, becomes cold due to the heat absorption of the refrigerant in the evaporator 26 of the refrigerant circuit R as it passes through the heat exchanger 40. The cold second coolant is then sent to the cooler core 72, where it cools the conditioned air (Wac).

[0035] In the refrigerant circuit R, the refrigerant circulates as follows: The compressor 20 discharges high-pressure gaseous refrigerant, which dissipates heat and liquefies and condenses in the condenser 22 by exchanging heat with the first coolant of the first coolant circuit C1, which passes through the heat exchanger 30, becoming high-pressure liquid refrigerant. The high-pressure liquid refrigerant flowing out of the condenser 22 is depressurized and expanded by the expansion valve 24 via the receiver 28, becoming low-pressure refrigerant, and flows into the evaporator 26. The low-pressure refrigerant flowing into the evaporator 26 evaporates by exchanging heat with the second coolant of the second coolant circuit C2, which passes through the heat exchanger 40, becoming gaseous refrigerant, flowing out of the evaporator 26, and returning to the compressor 20.

[0036] The air conditioning unit 70 comprises a blower 76 and an air passage 75 formed by a case (not shown). Inside the air passage 75, the blower 76, a cooler core 72, and a heater core 74 are arranged in order from the direction of airflow. The heater core 74 is a heat exchanger to which, for example, engine coolant or coolant heated by a PTC heater for water heating is supplied. The heater core 74 may also be configured to be supplied with coolant heated by the heat exchanger 30.

[0037] The blower 76 introduces air into the air passage 75 from an air intake (not shown) and blows this air through the cooler core 72 and heater core 74, thereby supplying temperature-controlled air to the passenger compartment. An air mix door 78 is provided inside the air passage 75, and the air mix door 78 adjusts the ratio of air that has passed through the cooler core 72 to that which flows to the heater core 74. The air conditioning unit 70 may employ conventional HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) technology.

[0038] The air conditioning unit 12 includes a gas sensor 80, a controller 50, a speaker 58, and a release button 59. The gas sensor 80 detects refrigerant outside the refrigerant circuit R. For example, the gas sensor 80 detects refrigerant leaking from the refrigerant circuit R at a concentration exceeding a predetermined level.

[0039] The controller 50 may include a microcomputer, for example, an ECU (Electronic Control Unit). The controller 50 includes a processor 52 and a storage device 54. The processor 52 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), which performs various calculations and controls by operating according to the programs and control data stored in the storage device 54. The storage device 54 may include ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), flash memory, etc.

[0040] The controller 50 receives detection signals from the gas sensor 80 and operation signals indicating whether the release button 59 has been pressed. The controller 50 controls the radiator fan 60 and the speaker 58. The vehicle 10 is also equipped with hazard lights 56 (emergency flashing indicator lights). The controller 50 may control the hazard lights 56 directly or via another controller.

[0041] Figure 3 is a perspective view showing an example of a refrigerant module RM. The refrigerant circuit R is integrated to constitute the refrigerant module RM. Specifically, the refrigerant module RM is a unit that integrates the equipment and flow path within the dashed line in Figure 2 of the air conditioning system 12.

[0042] As shown in Figure 3, the refrigerant module RM includes a plate 100. The plate 100 is a fixed member to which multiple pieces of equipment are fixed. The plate 100 has a rectangular shape when viewed from above and has a certain thickness. The material of the plate 100 may be, for example, aluminum. The heat exchanger 30, expansion valve 24, and heat exchanger 40 are fixed to the upper surface 102 of the plate 100. The compressor 20 and receiver 28 are fixed to the lower surface 104 of the plate 100.

[0043] The plate 100 has a flow path (not shown) in the form of a tunnel. Specifically, the plate 100 has a refrigerant flow path for the refrigerant circuit R, a coolant flow path for a part of the first coolant circuit C1 (a first coolant flow path communicating with the heat exchanger 30), and a coolant flow path for a part of the second coolant circuit C2 (a second coolant flow path communicating with the heat exchanger 40). In addition to the flow paths inside the plate 100, or instead, the refrigerant module RM may be provided with piping and components for at least one of the refrigerant flow path and the coolant flow path on the outside of the plate 100.

[0044] As shown in Figure 3, the refrigerant module RM is equipped with ports P1 to P4. Ports P1 to P4 are located on the underside of one longitudinal end of the plate 100. Ports P1 and P2 communicate with the first coolant flow path inside the plate 100, and the piping of the first coolant circuit C1 is connected to them. Ports P3 and P4 communicate with the second coolant flow path inside the plate 100, and the piping of the second coolant circuit C2 is connected to them.

[0045] The refrigerant module RM is located inside the enclosure 14, as shown in Figure 1. The gas sensor 80 is located inside the enclosure 14, below the refrigerant module RM. The enclosure 14 and the passenger compartment 90 are separated by a dashboard 94. An instrument panel (not shown) is provided on the passenger compartment 90 side of the dashboard 94. The air conditioning unit 70 is located between the instrument panel and the dashboard 94. A floor panel 96, which forms the floor of the passenger compartment 90, is connected to the lower end of the dashboard 94.

[0046] The first coolant circuit C1 is located within the condenser 14 and is positioned in front of the refrigerant module RM. The radiator 34 is located in the front region of the condenser 14. The radiator fan 60 is located immediately behind the radiator 34. The radiator fan 60 is positioned in front of the refrigerant circuit R (refrigerant module RM) to supply air to the region 18 below the refrigerant circuit R.

[0047] The vehicle 10 is equipped with an under cover 16 which is at least part of the bottom wall of the engine compartment 14. The under cover has one or more exhaust ports 64. The exhaust ports 64 are located behind the radiator fan 60. The exhaust ports 64 may be located below the refrigerant circuit R.

[0048] The vehicle 10 is also equipped with an air guide plate 68 that directs the air drawn in by the radiator fan 60 to the exhaust port 64. The air guide plate 68 is an example of an air guide member. The air guide plate 68 is located in the enclosure 14, behind the radiator fan 60. The air guide plate 68 has an inclined portion that slopes downward from front to rear. The air drawn in by the radiator fan 60 is directed downward by the inclined portion of the air guide plate 68, as shown by the dashed line (air flow) in Figure 1, and is guided to the exhaust port 64 of the under cover 16. It is preferable that the air guide plate 68 directs the air so as not to interfere with the detection of refrigerant by the gas sensor 80, that is, so that air does not blow into the detection area of ​​the gas sensor 80, as shown in Figure 1.

[0049] Vehicle 10 is parked inside garage 200. Garage 200 forms a sealed space exclusively for the vehicle. A garage door 210 for vehicle 10 to enter and exit is provided at the front of garage 200. An exhaust opening 230 is provided in the rear lower side wall of garage 200. The exhaust opening 230 is an opening for exhausting the air inside garage 200 to the outside of garage 200.

[0050] Figure 4 is a flowchart showing the control of the radiator fan 60 when the vehicle 10 is parked. The control shown in Figure 4 is executed repeatedly at a predetermined cycle.

[0051] In step S10, the controller 50 checks whether the gas sensor 80 has detected refrigerant. If the gas sensor 80 does not detect refrigerant (step S10: No), the controller 50 does not operate the radiator fan 60 (step S18).

[0052] On the other hand, if the gas sensor 80 detects refrigerant (step S10: Yes), the controller 50 operates the radiator fan 60 (step S12). The controller 50 also outputs an alarm sound from the speaker 58 (step S14). In addition to outputting an alarm sound, or instead, the controller 50 may illuminate the hazard lights 56 of the vehicle 10.

[0053] In step S16, the controller 50 checks whether the release button 59 has been pressed by the user (or service technician, hereafter the same). If the release button 59 is not pressed (step S16: No), the controller 50 continues to operate the radiator fan 60 (step S12) and output an alarm sound (step S14).

[0054] On the other hand, if the user presses the release button 59 (step S16: Yes), the controller 50 stops the operation of the radiator fan 60 (step S18). At this time, the controller 50 also stops the output of the alarm sound from the speaker 58. In addition, if the hazard lamp 56 was turned on in step S14, the controller 50 turns off the hazard lamp 56.

[0055] In this embodiment, the operation of the radiator fan 60 is stopped when the release button 59 is pressed. However, the controller 50 may continue the operation of the radiator fan 60 as long as the refrigerant is detected by the gas sensor 80.

[0056] According to the embodiment described above, as shown in Figure 1, when a vehicle 10 is parked in a garage 200, which is an example of a closed space, if there is a leak of hydrocarbon refrigerant from the refrigerant circuit R, the gas sensor 80 can detect the refrigerant leak. When the gas sensor 80 detects the refrigerant, the radiator fan 60 is activated to introduce outside air into the refrigerant coolant box 14, and that outside air can be discharged to the outside of the vehicle through the exhaust port 64.

[0057] As a result, as shown by the dashed arrow in Figure 1, an airflow is created in the air below the vehicle toward the rear of the vehicle, allowing the air above the floor 220 in the garage 200 to be agitated. Since hydrocarbon refrigerants are generally heavier than air, any refrigerant leaking from the refrigerant circuit R is likely to flow downward and accumulate on the floor 220 of the garage 200. According to the embodiment described above, since the air containing the hydrocarbon refrigerant above the floor 220 can be agitated, it is possible to prevent the formation of areas with high concentrations of hydrocarbon refrigerant. The hydrocarbon refrigerant can be diluted so that the refrigerant concentration does not reach the lower limit of combustion.

[0058] Furthermore, according to the embodiment described above, the radiator fan 60 supplies air to the region 18 below the refrigerant circuit R, that is, the region 18 from which leaked refrigerant flows from the refrigerant circuit R, thereby agitating the refrigerant. Also, since the exhaust port 64 is provided in the under cover 16 of the condenser 14, outside air can be discharged to the outside of the vehicle from the bottom of the condenser 14. In addition, since the air guide plate 68 is provided, the air drawn in by the radiator fan 60 can be smoothly guided to the exhaust port 64.

[0059] Furthermore, according to the embodiment described above, since the garage 200 is provided with an exhaust opening 230, the leaked refrigerant can be discharged to the outside of the garage 200 from the exhaust opening 230.

[0060] <Another embodiment> Figure 5 is a schematic plan view showing the front of another air-conditioned vehicle 10a. This vehicle 10a differs from the vehicle 10 described above in that the exhaust port 65 and the air guide plate 69 are modified. In the vehicle 10a of Figure 5, one or more exhaust ports 65 are provided in the wall portion 88 of the enclosure 14 that forms the wheelhouse 86, behind the radiator fan 60. The wheelhouse 86 is the space between the tire 84 and the body. The vehicle structure shown in Figure 5 has a symmetrical shape. One or more exhaust ports 65 are provided in the wall portion 88 of each of the left and right wheelhouses 86.

[0061] The air guide plates 69 are provided on the rear right and rear left sides of the radiator fan 60. The two air guide plates 69 are air guide members that direct the air drawn in by the radiator fan 60 to the exhaust ports 65 on both the left and right sides.

[0062] In this vehicle 10a as well, when a refrigerant leak is detected by the gas sensor, the radiator fan 60 is activated to introduce outside air into the refrigerant chamber 14, and this outside air can be discharged to the outside of the vehicle through the exhaust port 65 in the wall portion 88 of the wheelhouse 86. This creates airflow in the area below the vehicle, allowing the air in the enclosed space to be agitated. As a result, it is possible to prevent the formation of areas with high concentrations of hydrocarbon refrigerants.

[0063] In the embodiments described above, the radiator fan 60 was used for the radiator 34 of the air conditioning unit 12. However, the radiator fan 60 may be used for other radiators, either in place of or in addition to the radiator 34 of the air conditioning unit 12. Furthermore, the outside air intake device is not limited to the radiator fan 60, but can be any device capable of directing air toward the exhaust port. Also, the exhaust port can be, for example, an opening that connects the exhaust port 14 to the outside of the vehicle, and the location of the exhaust port is not limited. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0064] 10,10a Vehicle, 12 Air conditioning unit, 14 Engine compartment, 16 Under cover, 18 Area, 20 Compressor, 22 Condenser, 24 Expansion valve, 26 Evaporator, 28 Receiver, 30 Heat exchanger, 32 Water pump, 34 Radiator, 40 Heat exchanger, 42 Water pump, 50 Controller, 52 Processor, 54 Memory device, 56 Hazard lights, 58 Speaker, 59 Release button, 60 Radiator fan (outside air intake device), 64,65 Exhaust port, 68,69 Air guide plate (air guide component), 70 Air conditioning unit, 72 Cooler core, 74 Heater core, 75 Air passage, 76 Blower, 78 Air mix door, 80 Gas sensor, 84 Tire, 86 Wheelhouse, 88 Wall section, 90 94 Car compartment, 96 Dashboard, 96 Floor panel, 100 Plate, 102 Top, 104 Bottom, 200 Garage, 210 Garage door, 220 Floor, 230 Exhaust vent, P1~P4 Ports, R Refrigerant circuit, RM Refrigerant module, C1 First coolant circuit, C2 Second coolant circuit, Wtr Driving airflow, Wac Air conditioning airflow.

Claims

1. A refrigerant circuit through which a hydrocarbon refrigerant circulates has a compressor, a condenser for heat dissipation, an expansion valve, and an evaporator for heat absorption, The coolant heated by the condenser of the refrigerant circuit circulates to a first coolant circuit having a radiator, A vehicle equipped with an air conditioning system that includes a second coolant circuit having a cooler core in which a coolant cooled by an evaporator in the refrigerant circuit circulates to cool the conditioned air, An outside air intake device that draws in air from outside the vehicle to be used in the radiator, An exhaust port for discharging the air drawn in by the aforementioned outside air intake device to the outside of the vehicle, A gas sensor located outside the refrigerant circuit for detecting the refrigerant, The system includes a controller that operates the outside air intake device when the refrigerant is detected by the gas sensor. Vehicles equipped with air conditioning.

2. A vehicle equipped with an air conditioning system according to claim 1, The outside air intake device is positioned in front of the refrigerant circuit to supply the air to the region below the refrigerant circuit. Vehicles equipped with air conditioning.

3. A vehicle equipped with an air conditioning system according to claim 1 or 2, The aforementioned outside air intake device is located within the engine compartment of the vehicle. The exhaust port is located behind the outside air intake device in the vehicle and is provided in the under cover of the engine compartment. Vehicles equipped with air conditioning.

4. A vehicle equipped with an air conditioning system according to claim 1 or 2, The aforementioned outside air intake device is located within the engine compartment of the vehicle. The exhaust port is located rearward of the vehicle from the outside air intake device and is provided in the wall of the engine compartment that forms the wheel well. Vehicles equipped with air conditioning.

5. A vehicle equipped with an air conditioning system according to claim 1 or 2, The system further includes an air guide member that guides the air drawn in by the outside air intake device to the exhaust port. Vehicles equipped with air conditioning.

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