Vehicle air conditioning system

Abstract

This invention provides a vehicle air conditioning system that recovers heat from the air discharged from the vehicle interior as ventilation using a heat transfer medium, thereby improving the efficiency of the vehicle's air conditioning system, and enabling miniaturization of the entire system and reduction of costs. [Solution] The vehicle air conditioning system 1 comprises an air conditioning case 38 through which air supplied to the vehicle interior 6 circulates, an interior blower 59 that circulates air within the air conditioning case 38, and a heat transfer medium circuit 2 having a cooler core 18 and a heater core 19. The air conditioning case 38 has a ventilation passage 62 located upwind of the cooler core 18 and the heater core 19 that discharges air from the vehicle interior 6 to the outside 7. The heat transfer medium circuit 2 has a ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger 27 provided in the ventilation passage 62 that recovers heat from the air discharged to the outside 7.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle air conditioner that air - conditions the vehicle interior using a heat - medium circuit.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in this type of vehicle air conditioner, a cooler core (first evaporator) and a heater core (second condenser) are arranged in an air - conditioning case called HVAC, and air is circulated in the air - conditioning case by a blower, cooled by the cooler core, or heated by the heater core to cool or heat the vehicle interior (for example, see Patent Document 1).

[0003] Also, in the above - mentioned patent document, an exhaust heat exchanger is arranged in an exhaust case provided at the rear of the vehicle. A heat medium is circulated through this exhaust heat exchanger, and air (inside air) exhausted from the vehicle interior to the vehicle exterior as ventilation by a blower (exhaust blower) is passed through the exhaust heat exchanger. Heat is recovered from the air by the heat medium, and this heat is used for air - conditioning in the vehicle interior to improve air - conditioning efficiency.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, in such a conventional vehicle air conditioner, it is necessary to circulate a heat medium through an exhaust heat exchanger at the rear of the vehicle, which is far from the air - conditioning case. As a result, the entire device becomes larger, and the amount of heat medium used also increases. In addition, a blower is required to pass the air (inside air) exhausted to the vehicle exterior as ventilation through the exhaust heat exchanger, resulting in an increase in cost.

[0006] This invention was made to solve the aforementioned conventional technical problems, and aims to provide a vehicle air conditioning system that can reduce the overall size and cost of the system when improving the efficiency of vehicle interior air conditioning by recovering heat from the air discharged from the vehicle interior as ventilation using a heat transfer medium. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To solve the above problems, the vehicle air conditioning system of the present invention provides air conditioning for the vehicle interior, comprising an air conditioning case through which air supplied to the vehicle interior flows, a blower for circulating air within the air conditioning case, a heat transfer medium circuit having a cooler core for cooling air and a heater core for heating air provided within the air conditioning case, and a control device for controlling the heat transfer medium circuit, wherein the air conditioning case has a ventilation passage located upwind of the cooler core and heater core for discharging air from the vehicle interior to the outside, and the heat transfer medium circuit has a ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger provided within the ventilation passage for recovering heat from the air discharged to the outside.

[0008] The second invention of a vehicle air conditioning system is characterized in that, in the above invention, the ventilation outlet of the ventilation passage is located on the outside of the vehicle interior of the firewall provided in the vehicle.

[0009] The third invention of a vehicle air conditioning system is characterized in that, in the present invention, the air conditioning case comprises a partition plate that divides the interior into two flow paths, an outside air inlet provided in one flow path, and an inside air inlet provided in the other flow path, and the ventilation passage is provided in the other flow path.

[0010] The fourth invention is a vehicle air conditioning system that includes a ventilation damper for controlling the amount of air discharged from a ventilation passage, and the control device controls the ventilation damper based on the amount of outside air introduced from an outside air inlet so that the amount of air discharged from the ventilation passage matches the amount of outside air introduced.

[0011] The fifth invention provides a vehicle air conditioning system comprising a refrigerant circuit having a compressor for compressing a refrigerant, a heat exchanger for dissipating heat from the high-temperature refrigerant discharged from the compressor, a pressure reducing device for reducing the pressure of the refrigerant that has been reduced by the heat exchanger, and a heat absorber for absorbing heat from the refrigerant that has been reduced by the pressure reducing device, wherein the heat transfer medium circuit comprises a heating unit for heat exchange between the heat exchanger and the heat transfer medium, a radiator for heat exchange between the outside air and the heat transfer medium, a cooling unit for heat exchange between the heat absorber and the heat transfer medium, and a valve device for switching the circulation path of the heat transfer medium.

[0012] The sixth invention relates to a vehicle air conditioning system, characterized in that the control device controls a valve device to circulate a heat transfer medium from the heating unit to the heater core, to flow the heat transfer medium from the cooling unit to the radiator, and to flow the heat transfer medium from the radiator to a heat exchanger for ventilation and heat recovery, thereby executing a heating mode.

[0013] The seventh invention is a vehicle air conditioning system characterized in that, in the fifth or sixth invention described above, the control device controls a valve device to circulate a heat transfer medium from the cooling unit to the cooler core, to flow the heat transfer medium from the heating unit to the radiator, and to flow the heat transfer medium that has exited the radiator to a heat exchanger for ventilation and heat recovery, thereby executing a cooling mode.

[0014] The eighth invention is a vehicle air conditioning system that includes an air mix damper for controlling the flow of air to the heater core, and the control device is characterized in that, in cooling mode, it flows a heat transfer medium from the heating unit to the heater core, and the heat transfer medium that exits the heater core flows to the radiator, and also controls the air mix damper to block or restrict the flow of air to the heater core. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the present invention, the air conditioning case of a vehicle air conditioning system is provided with a ventilation passage located on the windward side of the cooler core and heater core to discharge air from the vehicle interior to the outside, and the heat transfer medium circuit is provided with a ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger that recovers heat from the air discharged to the outside of the vehicle through the ventilation passage. As a result, the heat in the air discharged to the outside of the vehicle is recovered by the heat transfer medium using this ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger, thereby improving the efficiency of the vehicle interior air conditioning.

[0016] In particular, by providing the ventilation passages in the air conditioning case, it is possible to miniaturize the entire device. Furthermore, by providing the ventilation passages on the windward side of the cooler core and heater core, it becomes possible to discharge air outside the vehicle compartment through the ventilation passages without the need for a separate ventilation fan, thereby reducing the number of parts and lowering costs.

[0017] In this case, as in the second invention, by positioning the ventilation outlet of the ventilation passage on the outside of the vehicle's firewall, it becomes possible to discharge air from the ventilation passage in the air conditioning case to the outside of the vehicle's interior without obstruction.

[0018] Furthermore, as in the third invention, the air conditioning case is provided with a partition plate that divides the interior into two flow paths, with an outside air inlet in one flow path and an inside air inlet in the other flow path, and a ventilation passage is provided in the other flow path. This allows outside air to be actively taken in from the outside air inlet, while the air inside the vehicle, i.e., the inside air, is smoothly discharged to the outside of the vehicle through the ventilation passage as ventilation, and at the same time, heat in the air (inside air) can be smoothly recovered by a heat exchanger for ventilation heat recovery.

[0019] In that case, a ventilation damper is provided to control the amount of air discharged from the ventilation passage, as in the fourth invention. The control device controls the ventilation damper based on the amount of outside air introduced from the outside air inlet so that the amount of air discharged from the ventilation passage matches the amount of outside air introduced. This suppresses the increase in air pressure inside the vehicle cabin and prevents air (internal air) from leaking out from places other than the ventilation passage, and allows for efficient heat recovery by the heat exchanger for ventilation heat recovery in the ventilation passage.

[0020] Here, as a heat source for cooling the heat medium circulated through the cooler core of the heat medium circuit and heating the heat medium circulated through the heater core, a refrigerant circuit such as the fifth invention is adopted.

[0021] And, as in the sixth invention, the control device controls the valve device of the heat medium circuit to circulate the heat medium from the heating portion that heat-exchanges the radiator of the refrigerant circuit with the heat medium to the heater core, and to flow the heat medium from the cooling portion that heat-exchanges the absorber of the refrigerant circuit with the heat medium to the radiator, and to execute a heating mode in which the heat medium flowing out from this radiator is made to flow into the ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger.

[0022] For example, in winter when this heating mode is executed, if the heated heat medium whose temperature has risen after leaving the ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger is made to flow into the radiator, the difference between the heat medium and the temperature outside the vehicle (outside air temperature) becomes small, and the heat exchange amount decreases. However, by making the heat medium flowing out from the radiator flow into the ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger as in the sixth invention, such a problem is solved, and the heat in the air (inside air) higher than the outside air temperature discharged from the ventilation passage can be efficiently recovered to warm the heat medium, and the vehicle interior can be heated.

[0023] Furthermore, as in the seventh invention, the control device controls the valve device to circulate the heat medium from the cooling portion to the cooler core, to flow the heat medium from the heating portion to the radiator, and to execute a cooling mode in which the heat medium flowing out from this radiator is made to flow into the ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger.

[0024] For example, in summer when this cooling mode is executed, if the cooled heat medium whose temperature has dropped after leaving the ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger is made to flow into the radiator, the difference between the heat medium and the temperature outside the vehicle (outside air temperature) becomes small, and the heat exchange amount decreases. However, by making the heat medium flowing out from the radiator flow into the ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger as in the seventh invention, such a problem is solved, and the condensation of the refrigerant in the radiator is promoted by the heat medium at a lower temperature that has recovered cold heat lower than the outside air temperature, and the vehicle interior can be efficiently cooled.

[0025] Furthermore, when the control device flows the heat medium from the heating unit to the heater core and then flows the heat medium exiting the heater core to the radiator in the cooling mode, as in the eighth invention, the control device controls the air mix damper to block or limit the air flow to the heater core, thereby eliminating the inconvenience that the air blown into the vehicle interior is heated by the heater core or heated more than necessary.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0026] [Figure 1] It is a diagram for explaining a heat medium circuit, a refrigerant circuit, and an air conditioning case of an embodiment of the vehicle air conditioner of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a functional block diagram for explaining a configuration of an embodiment related to control of the vehicle air conditioner in FIG. 1. [Figure 3] It is a diagram for explaining a heat medium circuit, a refrigerant circuit, and an air conditioning case in the cooling mode of the vehicle air conditioner in FIG. 1. [Figure 4] It is a diagram for explaining a heat medium circuit, a refrigerant circuit, and an air conditioning case in the heating mode of the vehicle air conditioner in FIG. 1.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0027] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail based on the drawings. (1) Configuration of Vehicle Air Conditioner 1 FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a heat medium circuit 2, a refrigerant circuit 3, and an air conditioning case 38 of a vehicle air conditioner 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 shows an example of a functional block related to control of the vehicle air conditioner 1 in FIG. 1. The vehicle air conditioner 1 according to the embodiment air - conditions the interior of an electric vehicle EV such as an electric car or a hybrid car, and also cools a battery (Battery) 4 and a driving motor 8 mounted on the electric vehicle EV. It is configured to include a heat medium circuit 2, a refrigerant circuit 3, an air conditioning case 38, and a control device 9.

[0028] Therefore, in this embodiment, the battery 4, the passenger compartment 6 of the electric vehicle (EV), and the driving motor 8 of the electric vehicle (EV) are the targets of temperature control. In addition, other targets for temperature control include the inverter (not shown) that drives the driving motor 8, and the power control unit 10 (PCU in Figure 2) of the electric vehicle (EV). Furthermore, the concept of battery 4 includes fuel cells.

[0029] (1-1) Configuration of the heat transfer circuit 2 First, with reference to Figure 1, the heat transfer medium circuit 2 of the vehicle air conditioning system 1 of this embodiment will be described. The heat transfer medium circuit 2 consists of pumps 11, 12, and 13, a heating unit 16 (heat exchanger), a cooling unit 17 (heat exchanger), a cooler core 18 (indoor heat exchanger), a heater core 19 (indoor heat exchanger), a radiator 22 (outdoor heat exchanger), and an integrated valve 23, three-way valves 24, 25, and four-way valve 26 as valve devices in this invention. These are connected to the battery 4, the driving motor 8, and the electric heater (ECH) 33 as an auxiliary heating device by heat transfer medium piping 34 as shown in Figure 1.

[0030] In this case, the battery 4 and the drive motor 8 are surrounded by a jacket structure, and a heat transfer medium (water in this embodiment) flows through this jacket, allowing the battery 4 and the drive motor 8 to exchange heat with the heat transfer medium. The radiator 22 is located in the front compartment (hereinafter referred to as the exterior 7) of the electric vehicle EV, where components such as the drive motor 8 and inverter are arranged, and is ventilated by an exterior fan 36.

[0031] Furthermore, the electric vehicle (EV) is equipped with a firewall 30, which separates the exterior 7 (front compartment) from the interior 6 of the vehicle. The cooler core 18 and heater core 19 are located within the airflow passage 39 of the air conditioning case 38 (HVAC) that supplies conditioned air to the interior 6 of the electric vehicle (EV). The configuration of this air conditioning case 38 will be described in detail later.

[0032] The four-way valve 26 has four ports, I, J, K, and L, and its internal valve body is driven by a motor or solenoid to switch between switching mode 1 and switching mode 2. In switching mode 1, the heat transfer medium flowing in from port L flows to port I, and the heat transfer medium flowing in from port K flows to port J (Figure 3). In switching mode 2, the heat transfer medium flowing in from port K flows to port I, and the heat transfer medium flowing in from port L flows to port J (Figure 4).

[0033] The integrated valve 23 has eight ports, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and H, and its internal valve body is rotationally driven by a motor (servo motor). Depending on the rotational position of the valve body, it can be switched between multiple switching modes. In this embodiment, switching modes 1 and 2 are used.

[0034] In this case, in switching mode 1, ports D and E are connected, ports A and H are connected, ports C and F are connected, and ports B and G are connected (Figure 3). In switching mode 2, ports D and F are connected, ports A and H are connected, ports B and E are connected, and ports C and G are connected (Figure 4).

[0035] The three-way valve 24 has one inlet port and two outlet ports, and distributes the heat transfer medium flowing in from the inlet port to one outlet port and the other outlet port. Furthermore, the distribution amount can be adjusted within the range of 0 to 100% for one outlet port and 100% to 0 for the other outlet port.

[0036] Furthermore, the outlet of the cooling unit 17 is connected to the inlet port of the three-way valve 24, one outlet port of the three-way valve 24 is connected to the inlet of the cooler core 18, the outlet of the cooler core 18 is connected to the suction side of the pump 11, and the discharge side of the pump 11 is connected to the inlet of the cooling unit 17, all by heat transfer fluid piping 34.

[0037] The other outlet port of the three-way valve 24 is connected to port B of the integrated valve 23, port G of the integrated valve 23 is connected to the suction side of the pump 13, the discharge side of the pump 13 is connected to the inlet of the electric heater 33, the outlet of the electric heater 33 is connected to the inlet of the battery 4, the outlet of the battery 4 is connected to port C of the integrated valve 23, and port F of the integrated valve 23 is connected to the inlet port of the three-way valve 25, all by heat transfer fluid piping 34.

[0038] This three-way valve 25 has one inlet port and two outlet ports, and the inlet port and one of the outlet ports are switched to communicate. One outlet port of the three-way valve 25 is connected to the discharge side of the pump 11 and the inlet of the cooling unit 17 by a heat transfer medium pipe 34. The other outlet port of the three-way valve 25 is connected to the outlet of the cooler core 18 and the suction side of the pump 11 by a heat transfer medium pipe 34.

[0039] Meanwhile, the outlet of the heating unit 16 is connected to the inlet of the heater core 19, the outlet of the heater core 19 is connected to port L of the four-way valve 26, port I of the four-way valve 26 is connected to the inlet of the radiator 22, the outlet of the radiator 22 is connected to the inlet of the ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger 27, the outlet of the ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger 27 is connected to port A of the integrated valve 23, port H of the integrated valve 23 is connected to the inlet of the drive motor 8, the outlet of the drive motor 8 is connected to port D of the integrated valve 23, port E of the integrated valve 23 is connected to port K of the four-way valve 26, port J of the four-way valve 26 is connected to the suction side of the pump 12, and the discharge side of the pump 12 is connected to the inlet of the heating unit 16, all of which are connected by heat transfer fluid piping 34.

[0040] In the diagram, 35A to 35C are expansion tanks. Also, 40 is a grill shutter that controls the flow of outside air (airflow while driving) to the radiator 22.

[0041] (1-2) Configuration of refrigerant circuit 3 Furthermore, the refrigerant circuit 3 in Figure 1 is a heat pump circuit in which a compressor 44 for compressing the refrigerant (a refrigerant such as R290 in this embodiment), a heat exchanger 46 for dissipating heat from the refrigerant (high-temperature refrigerant) discharged from the compressor 44, an expansion valve 47 as a pressure reducing device for reducing the pressure of the refrigerant that has been reduced by the heat exchanger 46, a heat absorber 48 for evaporating and absorbing heat from the refrigerant that has been reduced by the expansion valve 47, and an accumulator 49 are sequentially connected in a ring shape by refrigerant piping.The heat exchanger 46 of the refrigerant circuit 3 and the heating section 16 of the heat transfer medium circuit 2 are arranged in a heat exchange relationship, and the heat absorber 48 of the refrigerant circuit 3 and the cooling section 17 of the heat transfer medium circuit 2 are also arranged in a heat exchange relationship.

[0042] (1-3) Configuration of the air conditioning case 38 Next, the air conditioning case 38 (HVAC) of the vehicle air conditioning system 1 of the embodiment will be described. On the air upstream side of the air passage 39 configured within the air conditioning case 38, there is an outside air inlet 51 for introducing outside air into the air passage 39 and an inside air inlet 52 for drawing in air from inside the vehicle, i.e., inside air, into the air passage 39. The outside air inlet 51 is provided with an outside air damper 53 to control the amount of outside air introduced by adjusting the degree of opening of the outside air inlet 51, and the inside air inlet 52 is provided with an inside air damper 54 to control the amount of inside air drawn in by adjusting the degree of opening of the inside air inlet 52.

[0043] In the figure, 56 is a partition plate provided in the air passage 39. This partition plate 56 divides the air passage 39 of the air conditioning case 38 into two layers, a first flow path 57 and a second flow path 58. The outside air inlet 51 is provided in the first flow path 57, and the inside air inlet 52 is provided in the second flow path 58.

[0044] In the figure, 59 is an indoor blower (blower in this invention) for circulating air within the air passage 39 of the air conditioning case 38. It is located upstream of the air passage 39 and circulates air to the cooler core 18 and heater core 19 downstream of it. The indoor blower 59 is installed across the first passage 57 and the second passage 58, but its interior is divided into the first passage 57 side and the second passage 58 side. As a result, when the indoor blower 59 is operated, outside air is introduced into the first passage 57 from the outside air inlet 51, and air from the vehicle interior 6, i.e., inside air, is drawn into the second passage 58 from the inside air inlet 52.

[0045] In the figure, 61 is an all-outside air damper installed at the boundary between the first flow path 57 and the second flow path 58 on the air upstream side of the indoor blower 59. When the indoor air inlet 52 is closed by the indoor air damper 54 and only outside air is introduced without drawing in indoor air, this all-outside air damper 61 is opened, connecting the first flow path 57 and the second flow path 58 so that outside air is introduced into both of them.

[0046] In the figure, 62 is a ventilation passage integrally formed with the air conditioning case 38, and this ventilation passage 62 is provided in the second flow path 58. The ventilation passage 62 is located on the windward side of the cooler core 18 and the heater core 19, that is, between the cooler core 18 and the indoor blower 59, and the ventilation outlet 63 of the ventilation passage 62 opens on the outside side 7 of the firewall 30. The aforementioned ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger 27 is provided within this ventilation passage 62. In the figure, 64 is a ventilation damper provided at the inlet of the ventilation passage 62, and this ventilation damper 64 adjusts the amount of air discharged from the ventilation passage 62.

[0047] The aforementioned cooler core 18 is provided in the airflow passage 39 located downstream (downwind) of the ventilation passage 62. This cooler core 18 extends from the first flow path 57 to the second flow path 58 and is located in almost the entire area of ​​the cross-section of the air conditioning case 38 perpendicular to the airflow of the airflow passage 39.

[0048] Furthermore, the aforementioned heater core 19 is provided within the airflow passage 39 on the air downstream side of the cooler core 18. On the windward side of the heater core 19, there is a partition plate 66 that further divides the first flow path 57 into two layers, and another partition plate 67 that further divides the second flow path 58 into two layers, and the heater core 18 is provided across these partition plates 66 and 67.

[0049] The partition plate 66 extends from the heater core 19 to the cooler core 18, and an air mix damper 68 is provided at its end on the cooler core 18 side. Similarly, the partition plate 67 also extends from the heater core 19 to the cooler core 18, and an air mix damper 69 is provided at its end on the cooler core 18 side.

[0050] Then, when each air mix damper 68, 69 closes the flow path between the partition plate 66 and the air conditioning case 38, and closes the flow path between the partition plate 67 and the air conditioning case 38, as shown in Figure 4, all the air that has passed through the cooler core 18 flows to the heater core 19. Also, when each air mix damper 68, 69 closes the upstream side of the heater core 19, as shown in Figure 3, the flow of air to the heater core 19 is blocked. Furthermore, each air mix damper 68, 69 can also limit the amount of air flowing to the heater core 19 without blocking the flow of air. This adjusts the amount of air that flows from the cooler core 18 to the heater core 19.

[0051] Furthermore, the air conditioning case 38 on the downstream side (leeward side) of the heater core 19 has outlets formed therein: a foot outlet 71, a vent outlet 72, and a differential outlet 73. The foot outlet 71 is for blowing air to the feet of the passengers in the passenger compartment 6 and is located at the lowest position. The vent outlet 72 is for blowing air to the chest and face area of ​​the passengers in the passenger compartment 6 and is located above the foot outlet 71. The differential outlet 73 is for blowing air to the inner surface of the window glass (windshield) of the electric vehicle EV and is located above the other outlets 71 and 72, and is located at the highest position in the air conditioning case 38.

[0052] Furthermore, the foot outlet 71, vent outlet 72, and defrost outlet 73 are each provided with a foot outlet damper 76, a vent outlet damper 77, and a defrost outlet damper 78, respectively, to control the amount of air blown out. In this case, the defrost outlet damper 78 is configured to block the air going towards the foot outlet 71 and vent outlet 72, allowing air to be blown out only from the defrost outlet 73.

[0053] (1-4) Configuration of the control device 9 Next, the configuration of the control device 9 will be explained in Figure 2. The control device 9 is composed of a microcomputer equipped with a processor, memory, and input / output interfaces, and as shown in Figure 2, its functions include an operating mode determination unit 81, a control target value calculation unit 82, an operating mode switching control unit 83, and a control target value control unit 84.

[0054] The control device 9 of this embodiment receives detection data from sensors (represented by reference numeral 86 in Figure 2) that detect the temperature of the heat transfer medium flowing into the cooler core 18, the temperature of the heat transfer medium flowing into the battery 4, and the temperature of the air inside the cabin of the electric vehicle (EV), the temperature and pressure of each part of the refrigerant circuit 3, and the amount of solar radiation into the cabin.

[0055] Furthermore, the control device 9 is connected to the aforementioned integrated valve 23, three-way valves 24 and 25, four-way valve 26, pumps 11 to 13 (represented by reference numeral 87 in Figure 2), as well as the aforementioned compressor 44, expansion valve 47, outdoor fan 36, indoor fan 59, outside air damper 53, internal air damper 54, total outside air damper 61, ventilation damper 64, air mix dampers 68 and 69, foot outlet damper 76, vent outlet damper 77, defrost outlet damper 78, electric heater (ECH) 33 (represented by reference numeral 88 in Figure 2), and these are controlled by the control device 9.

[0056] Furthermore, the control device 9 is configured to transmit and receive data (operational information such as temperature data) with the battery management system (BMS) 91, which controls the charging and discharging of the battery 4 via the CAN 89 of the electric vehicle (EV), and with the aforementioned power control unit (PCU) 10. The temperature of each battery cell of the battery 4 is transmitted from the battery management system 91 to the control device 9. The control device 9 also obtains necessary data (operational information such as vehicle speed) from the vehicle control unit (VCU) 90 of the electric vehicle (EV) via the CAN 89.

[0057] The operating mode determination unit 81 of the control device 9 determines the operating modes for the heat transfer medium circuit 2 and refrigerant circuit 3, which are used for air conditioning in the vehicle cabin, such as cooling and heating, based on the detection data from the aforementioned sensor 86. The control target value calculation unit 82 calculates the control target values ​​for the operating modes determined by the operating mode determination unit 81. The operating mode switching control unit 83 controls the integrated valve 23, three-way valves 24, 25, four-way valves 26, and pumps 11-13 of the heat transfer medium circuit 2 based on the operating modes determined by the operating mode determination unit 81. The control target value control unit 84 controls the compressor 44, expansion valve 47, blowers 36, 59, electric heater (ECH) 33, and dampers 53, 54, 61, 64, 68, 69, 76, 77, and 78 of the refrigerant circuit 3 based on the control target values ​​calculated by the control target value calculation unit 82.

[0058] (2) Operating mode of control device 9 and operation of vehicle air conditioning system 1 Next, the operation of the vehicle air conditioning system 1 will be described while explaining the operating modes performed by the control device 9 of the embodiment with reference to Figures 3 and 4. The control device 9 has multiple operating modes such as cooling mode, battery cooling mode, heating mode, and dehumidifying heating mode, but here only the cooling mode and heating mode relevant to the present invention will be described.

[0059] (2-1) Cooling mode First, Figure 3 shows the flow of the heat transfer medium in the cooling mode controlled by the control device 9. In this cooling mode, the control device 9 operates the compressor 44, the outdoor fan 36, the indoor fan 59, and the pumps 11-13. The four-way valve 26 and the integrated valve 23 are set to the aforementioned switching mode 1. The three-way valve 24 is set to connect the inlet port with both outlet ports, and the three-way valve 25 is set to connect the inlet port with only one outlet port.

[0060] Furthermore, the control device 9 closes the upstream side of the heater core 19 with each air mix damper 68, 69, blocking the flow of air to the heater core 19 (Figure 3). If reheating of the heater core 19 is necessary, the air mix dampers 68, 69 are used to allow air to flow to the heater core 19, while limiting the amount.

[0061] When the indoor fan 59 is operated, outside air is introduced into the first flow path 57 of the air passage 39 from the outside air inlet 51, and inside air is drawn into the second flow path 58 from the inside air inlet 52. These then circulate to the cooler core 18, and after bypassing the heater core 19, they are blown into the vehicle interior 6, but a portion of the inside air is discharged outside the vehicle interior 7 as ventilation through the ventilation passage 62.

[0062] At this time, the control device 9 is aware of the amount of outside air introduced from the outside air inlet 51 by the outside air damper 53, and controls the ventilation damper 64 based on this amount of outside air introduced so that the amount of air discharged from the ventilation passage 62 matches the amount of outside air introduced.

[0063] The high-temperature refrigerant discharged from the compressor 44 of the refrigerant circuit 3 dissipates heat from the heat exchanger 46 to the heat transfer medium flowing through the heating section 16, while the refrigerant, depressurized by the expansion valve 47, evaporates in the heat absorber 48 and absorbs heat from the heat transfer medium flowing through the cooling section 17. The refrigerant that exits the heat absorber 48 is separated into gas and liquid form by the accumulator 49 and then drawn back into the compressor 44.

[0064] The heat transfer medium discharged from the pump 12 of the heat transfer circuit 2 reaches the heating section 16, where it is heated by the refrigerant (the refrigerant releases heat). The heat transfer medium heated in the heating section 16 flows into the heater core 19. The heat transfer medium that leaves the heater core 19 flows into port L of the four-way valve 26, flows out from port I, and flows into the radiator 22. Here, the heat transfer medium releases heat to the outside air, and its temperature decreases.

[0065] The heat transfer fluid exiting the radiator 22 flows into the ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger 27. In the cooling mode, which is mainly used in the summer, the air inside the vehicle interior 6 is colder than the outside temperature 7, so the heat transfer fluid recovers cool energy from the colder indoor air that is discharged as ventilation to the outside 7 through the ventilation passage 62 in the ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger 27, and its temperature becomes even lower.

[0066] The heat transfer fluid exiting the ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger 27 then flows into port A of the integrated valve 23, flows out from port H, and enters the drive motor 8. The heat transfer fluid cools the drive motor 8 here. The heat transfer fluid exiting the drive motor 8 flows into port D of the integrated valve 23, flows out from port E, and enters port K of the four-way valve 26. The heat transfer fluid that enters port K of the four-way valve 26 exits from port J and returns to the pump 12, repeating this circulation (indicated by the arrow next to the heat transfer fluid piping 34 in Figure 3).

[0067] Meanwhile, the heat transfer medium discharged from the pump 11 of the heat transfer circuit 2 reaches the cooling unit 17, where it is cooled by the refrigerant (the refrigerant absorbs heat). The heat transfer medium cooled in the cooling unit 17 flows into the inlet port of the three-way valve 24, where it is divided into one outlet port and the other outlet port. The heat transfer medium exiting from one outlet port of the three-way valve 24 flows into the cooler core 18, where it cools the air circulating in the air passage 39, causing its temperature to rise. The heat transfer medium exiting the cooler core 18 then returns to the pump 11.

[0068] The heat transfer fluid exiting from the other outlet port of the three-way valve 24 flows into port B of the integrated valve 23, exits from port G, and is drawn into the pump 13. The heat transfer fluid discharged from the pump 13 flows into the battery 4 via the electric heater 33 (which does not generate heat here). The heat transfer fluid cools the battery 4 here. The heat transfer fluid exiting the battery 4 flows into port C of the integrated valve 23, exits from port F, reaches the inlet port of the three-way valve 25, exits from one of its outlet ports, merges with the heat transfer fluid discharged from the pump 11, and then flows into the cooling unit 17, repeating this circulation (indicated by the arrow next to the heat transfer fluid piping 34 in Figure 3).

[0069] In this cooling mode, the heat transfer medium absorbs heat in the cooler core 18. Since the air blown into the passenger compartment 6 circulates through the cooler core 18, the air cooled by the cooler core 18 is blown into the passenger compartment, thereby cooling the passenger compartment 6. In addition, the heat transfer medium cooled in the cooling unit 17 is also circulated to the battery 4, so the battery 4 is also cooled.

[0070] In this case, the present invention provides a ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger 27 in the heat transfer medium circuit 2, and this ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger 27 is placed in the ventilation passage 62. As a result, the ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger 27 recovers heat (cold heat in the case of cooling mode) from the air (indoor air) discharged to the outside of the vehicle 7 using the heat transfer medium, thereby improving the efficiency of air conditioning inside the vehicle.

[0071] In particular, since the ventilation passage 62 is provided in the air conditioning case 38, it is possible to miniaturize the entire device. Also, since the ventilation passage 62 is provided on the windward side of the cooler core 18 and the heater core 19, a portion of the air blown out from the indoor fan 59 (indoor air) can be discharged to the outside of the vehicle 7 through the ventilation passage 62 without the need for a separate ventilation fan, which reduces the number of parts and lowers costs.

[0072] In this case, since the ventilation outlet 63 of the ventilation passage 62 is located on the outside 7 side of the firewall 30 provided in the electric vehicle EV, it is possible to discharge air from the ventilation passage 62 provided in the air conditioning case 38 to the outside 7 without obstruction.

[0073] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the air conditioning case 38 is provided with a partition plate 56 that divides the internal air passage 39 into two flow paths. An outside air inlet 51 is provided in the partitioned first flow path 57, and an inside air inlet 52 is provided in the second flow path 58. In addition, a ventilation passage 62 is provided in the second flow path 58. This allows outside air to be actively taken in from the outside air inlet 51, while the air inside the vehicle, i.e., the inside air, is smoothly discharged to the outside of the vehicle 7 through the ventilation passage 62 as ventilation. At the same time, the heat (cold) in the air (inside air) can be smoothly recovered by the ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger 27.

[0074] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a ventilation damper 64 is provided to control the discharge of air (internal air) from the ventilation passage 62. The control device 9 controls the ventilation damper 64 based on the amount of outside air introduced from the outside air inlet 51 so that the discharge of air from the ventilation passage 62 matches the amount of outside air introduced. This suppresses the leakage of air (internal air) from sources other than the ventilation passage 62 due to an increase in air pressure inside the vehicle cabin 6, and enables efficient heat recovery by the heat exchanger 27 for ventilation heat recovery in the ventilation passage 62.

[0075] Furthermore, if the heat transfer medium exiting the ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger 27 is flowed to the radiator 22 during the summer when the cooling mode described here is in operation, the difference between the heat transfer medium and the ambient temperature outside the vehicle (outside air temperature) will decrease, resulting in a reduction in the amount of heat exchanged. However, in the heat transfer medium circuit 2 of this embodiment, the heat transfer medium exiting the radiator 22 is flowed to the ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger 27, thus resolving this problem. The recovered cold energy, which is lower than the ambient temperature, is then used to promote condensation of the refrigerant in the radiator 46, enabling efficient cooling of the vehicle interior 6.

[0076] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the control device 9 controls the air mix dampers 68 and 69 in cooling mode to block or restrict the flow of air to the heater core 19, thereby eliminating the problem of the air blown into the passenger compartment being heated by the heater core 19, or being heated more than necessary.

[0077] (2-2) Heating mode Next, Figure 4 shows the flow of the heat transfer medium in heating mode controlled by the control device 9. In this heating mode, the compressor 44, outdoor fan 36, indoor fan 59, and pumps 11-13 are also operated by the control device 9. Meanwhile, the four-way valve 26 and the integrated valve 23 are set to the aforementioned switching mode 2. In addition, the three-way valve 24 is set to connect only the inlet port to the other outlet port, and the three-way valve 25 is also set to connect only the inlet port to the other outlet port.

[0078] Furthermore, the control device 9 uses the air mix dampers 68 and 69 to close the airflow path between the partition plate 66 and the air conditioning case 38, and to close the airflow path between the partition plate 67 and the air conditioning case 38, thereby ensuring that all the air that has passed through the cooler core 18 flows to the heater core 19 (Figure 4).

[0079] When the indoor fan 59 is operated, outside air is introduced into the first flow path 57 of the air passage 39 from the outside air inlet 51, and inside air is drawn into the second flow path 58 from the inside air inlet 52. These then circulate to the cooler core 18, and after circulating to the heater core 19, they are blown into the vehicle interior 6, but a portion of the inside air is discharged outside the vehicle interior 7 as ventilation through the ventilation passage 62.

[0080] In this case as well, the control device 9 controls the ventilation damper 64 based on the amount of outside air introduced from the outside air inlet 51 by the outside air damper 53, so that the amount of air discharged from the ventilation passage 62 matches the amount of outside air introduced.

[0081] Similarly, the high-temperature refrigerant discharged from the compressor 44 of the refrigerant circuit 3 dissipates heat in the heat exchanger 46 to the heat transfer medium flowing through the heating section 16, while in the heat absorber 48, the refrigerant, which has been depressurized by the expansion valve 47, evaporates and absorbs heat from the heat transfer medium flowing through the cooling section 17. The refrigerant that exits the heat absorber 48 is separated into gas and liquid by the accumulator 49 and then drawn back into the compressor 44.

[0082] The heat transfer medium discharged from the pump 12 of the heat transfer circuit 2 reaches the heating section 16, where it is heated by the refrigerant (the refrigerant releases heat). The heat transfer medium heated in the heating section 16 flows into the heater core 19. The heat transfer medium that leaves the heater core 19 flows into port L of the four-way valve 26, flows out from port J, and is drawn back into the pump 12, repeating this cycle (indicated by the arrows next to the heat transfer medium piping 34 in Figure 4).

[0083] Meanwhile, the heat transfer medium discharged from the pump 11 of the heat transfer circuit 2 reaches the cooling unit 17, where it is cooled by the refrigerant (the refrigerant absorbs heat). The heat transfer medium cooled in the cooling unit 17 flows into the inlet port of the three-way valve 24, exits through the other outlet port, flows into port B of the integrated valve 23, flows out through port E, flows into port K of the four-way valve 26, flows out through port I, and flows to the radiator 22.

[0084] The heat transfer fluid exiting the radiator 22 flows into the ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger 27. In the heating mode, which is mainly used in winter, the air inside the vehicle cabin 6 is warmer than the outside temperature 7, so the heat transfer fluid recovers heat from the warmer indoor air that is discharged as ventilation to the outside 7 through the ventilation passage 62 in the ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger 27, causing its temperature to rise even further.

[0085] The heat transfer fluid exiting the ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger 27 then flows into port A of the integrated valve 23, exits through port H, and flows into the drive motor 8. Here, the heat transfer fluid cools the drive motor 8, drawing up heat, and its temperature rises. The heat transfer fluid exiting the drive motor 8 flows into port D of the integrated valve 23, exits through port F, and flows into the inlet port of the three-way valve 25. Then, it exits through the other outlet port of the three-way valve 25 and returns to the pump 11, repeating this circulation (indicated by the arrow next to the heat transfer fluid piping 34 in Figure 4).

[0086] On the other hand, the heat transfer fluid discharged from the pump 13 flows sequentially through the electric heater 33 and the battery 4 into port C of the integrated valve 23, flows out from port G, and is drawn back into the pump 13, repeating this circulation (indicated by the arrows next to the heat transfer fluid piping 34 in Figure 4). This circulation of the heat transfer fluid heats the battery 4.

[0087] In this heating mode, the heat transfer medium is released by the heater core 19. Air that is blown into the passenger compartment 6 is circulated through the heater core 19, so the air heated by the heater core 19 is blown into the passenger compartment, thereby heating the passenger compartment 6.

[0088] Furthermore, in this invention, a ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger 27 is provided in the heat transfer medium circuit 2, and this ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger 27 is placed in the ventilation passage 62. As a result, the ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger 27 recovers heat from the air (indoor air) discharged to the outside of the vehicle 7 using the heat transfer medium, thereby improving the efficiency of heating the vehicle interior.

[0089] Furthermore, even in this heating mode, outside air is actively taken in through the outside air inlet 51, while the air inside the vehicle, i.e., the interior air, is smoothly discharged to the outside of the vehicle 7 through the ventilation passage 62 as ventilation, and at the same time, the heat in the air (interior air) can be smoothly recovered by the ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger 27. Moreover, even in this heating mode, the air pressure inside the vehicle 6 rises, suppressing air (interior air) leakage from places other than the ventilation passage 62, and enabling efficient heat recovery by the ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger 27 in the ventilation passage 62.

[0090] In winter, when the heating mode is in operation, if the heat transfer medium exiting the ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger 27 is flowed to the radiator 22, the difference between the heat transfer medium and the ambient temperature outside the vehicle (outside air temperature) becomes smaller, reducing the amount of heat exchanged. However, in the heat transfer medium circuit 2 of this embodiment, the heat transfer medium exiting the radiator 22 is flowed to the ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger 27, thus resolving this problem and efficiently recovering heat from the air (inside air) that is warmer than the outside air temperature discharged from the ventilation passage 62 to warm the heat transfer medium. This heat from the heat transfer medium is then pumped up into the refrigerant evaporated in the heat absorber 48 in the cooling unit 17 and transported to the heat radiator 46, enabling efficient heating of the vehicle interior 6.

[0091] Furthermore, the specific configuration of the heat transfer medium circuit 2 shown in the embodiment is not limited thereto and can be modified without departing from the spirit of the present invention. In addition, although the refrigerant circuit 3 was used as a heat source for cooling / heating the heat transfer medium of the heat transfer medium circuit 2 in the embodiment, an electric heater or the like may be used instead of the radiator 46 as a heat source for heating the heat transfer medium in heating mode.

[0092] Furthermore, in this embodiment, only the ventilation outlet 63 is located on the exterior side 7 of the firewall 30, but the ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger 27, ventilation damper 63, and indoor blower 59 may also be located on the exterior side 7 of the firewall 30. In addition, the air conditioning case 38 may also be located on the exterior side 7 of the firewall 30. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0093] EV (Electric Vehicle) 1. Vehicle air conditioning system 2 Heat medium circuit 3. Refrigerant Circuit 4 batteries 6 Inside the vehicle 7 Outside the vehicle 9 Control device 11, 12, 13 Pumps 16 Heating section 17 Cooling section 18 Cooler Core 19 Heater core 23. Integrated valve (valve device) 24, 25 Three-way valve (valve device) 27 Heat exchanger for ventilation and heat recovery 34 Heat medium piping 38 Air-conditioned cases 39 Airflow passage 44 Compressor 46 Heatsink 47. Expansion valve (pressure reducing device) 48 Heat absorber 51 Outside air inlet 52 Inlet 56 Partition Plates 57 First channel 58 Second channel 59 Indoor fan (blower) 62 Ventilation passage 63 Ventilation outlet 64 Ventilation damper 68, 69 Air Mix Damper

Claims

1. An air conditioning case through which air supplied to the vehicle interior circulates, A blower for circulating air inside the air conditioning case, A heat transfer medium circuit having a cooler core provided within the air conditioning case for cooling air, and a heater core provided within the air conditioning case for heating air, A control device for controlling the heat transfer medium circuit, In a vehicle air conditioning system that provides air conditioning for the interior of a vehicle, The air conditioning case has a ventilation passage located on the windward side of the cooler core and the heater core, which discharges air from inside the vehicle to outside the vehicle. The vehicle air conditioning system is characterized in that the heat transfer medium circuit has a ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger installed in the ventilation passage that recovers heat from the air discharged outside the vehicle compartment.

2. The vehicle air conditioning system according to claim 1, characterized in that the ventilation outlet of the ventilation passage is located on the outside of the vehicle compartment of the firewall provided in the vehicle.

3. The aforementioned air conditioning case is A partition plate divides the interior into two layers of flow paths, An outside air inlet is provided in one of the aforementioned flow paths, The other flow path is provided with an internal air inlet, The vehicle air conditioning system according to claim 1, characterized in that the ventilation passage is provided in the other flow path.

4. The system includes a ventilation damper that controls the amount of air discharged from the aforementioned ventilation passage. The vehicle air conditioning system according to claim 3, characterized in that the control device controls the ventilation damper based on the amount of outside air introduced from the outside air inlet so that the amount of air discharged from the ventilation passage matches the amount of outside air introduced.

5. The refrigerant circuit comprises a compressor for compressing the refrigerant, a heat sink for dissipating heat from the high-temperature refrigerant discharged from the compressor, a pressure reducing device for reducing the pressure of the refrigerant that has been heated by the heat sink, and a heat absorber for absorbing heat from the refrigerant that has been reduced in pressure by the pressure reducing device. The vehicle air conditioning system according to claim 1, characterized in that the heat transfer medium circuit includes a heating unit that exchanges heat between the heat exchanger and the heat transfer medium, a radiator that exchanges heat between the outside air and the heat transfer medium, a cooling unit that exchanges heat between the heat absorber and the heat transfer medium, and a valve device that switches the circulation path of the heat transfer medium.

6. The control device is The vehicle air conditioning system according to claim 5, characterized in that the valve device is controlled to circulate a heat transfer medium from the heating unit to the heater core, to flow the heat transfer medium from the cooling unit to the radiator, and to flow the heat transfer medium discharged from the radiator to the ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger, thereby executing a heating mode.

7. The control device is The vehicle air conditioning system according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the valve device is controlled to circulate a heat transfer medium from the cooling unit to the cooler core, to flow a heat transfer medium from the heating unit to the radiator, and to flow the heat transfer medium that has exited the radiator to the ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger, thereby executing a cooling mode.

8. The system includes an air mix damper that controls the flow of air to the heater core, In the cooling mode, the control device flows a heat transfer medium from the heating unit to the heater core, and flows the heat transfer medium that has exited the heater core to the radiator, The vehicle air conditioning system according to claim 7, characterized in that the air mix damper is controlled to block or restrict the flow of air to the heater core.

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