Temperature Control Device

Abstract

To provide a temperature control device with a simple mechanism capable of heating a battery by using an exhaust heat of an engine.SOLUTION: A temperature control device of the present invention controls a first switch valve and a second switch valve so that heat is transmitted in order of an engine, a first heater core, a second heat core, the first switch valve, a first radiator, a second radiator, the second switch valve, a battery, where the first heater core and the second heater core, and the first radiator and the second radiator are each closely arranged in a first cooling water circuit into which the first heater core performing a heat exchange with a first cooling water collecting a heat discharge of the engine is provided, a second cooling water circuit into which the second heater core performing the heat exchange with a second cooling water collecting a heat from a heat source device, the first radiator, and the first switch valve are provided, and a third cooling water circuit into which the second radiator performing the heat exchange with a third cooling water collecting the heat from the battery, and the second switch valve are provided.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a temperature control device. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a technology that includes a heat exchanger between engine coolant and battery coolant, a flow path and a switching valve that supply coolant to the heat exchanger, and supplies exhaust heat from the engine to the battery to warm up the battery. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2001-037009 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1 leaves room for consideration of a simple mechanism for warming the battery using exhaust heat from the engine.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and has an object to provide a temperature control device that can warm a battery using exhaust heat from an engine with a simple mechanism. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the object, a temperature control device according to the present invention is a temperature control device that performs heating control of a battery by using exhaust heat from an engine, and includes a first coolant circuit in which the first coolant circulates and which is provided with a first heater core for heating air-conditioning air by performing heat exchange with a first coolant that recovers exhaust heat from the engine, a second heater core for heating air-conditioning air by performing heat exchange with a second coolant that recovers heat from a heat source device, a first radiator for performing heat exchange with the second coolant, and a first switching valve for switching a flow rate of the second coolant to the first radiator, and a second coolant circuit in which the second coolant circulates and which is provided with the first heater core for heating the air-conditioning air by performing heat exchange with a second coolant that recovers heat from a heat source device, a third coolant circuit in which the third coolant circulates, the third coolant circuit being provided with a second radiator that performs heat exchange with a third coolant that recovers heat from the engine, and a second switching valve that switches the flow rate of the third coolant to the second radiator; the first heater core and the second heater core are arranged in close proximity to each other, the first radiator and the second radiator are arranged in close proximity to each other, and the first switching valve and the second switching valve are controlled so that heat is transferred in the following order: engine, first heater core, second heater core, first switching valve, first radiator, second radiator, second switching valve, and battery. Effect of the Invention

[0007] The temperature control device according to the present invention has an effect of being able to warm a battery using exhaust heat from an engine with a simple mechanism. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a first coolant circuit, a second coolant circuit, a third coolant circuit, and a refrigeration cycle used for battery heating control by a temperature control device according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an indoor air conditioning unit according to the embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the flow of heat when the battery heating control is being performed. [Figure 4]FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of battery heating control performed by the temperature control device. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing another example of the battery heating control performed by the temperature control device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] An embodiment of the temperature control device according to the present invention will be described below. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment. The temperature control device according to the present invention is applied to, for example, a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) that runs using both an engine and an electric motor as a driving power source.

[0010] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a first coolant circuit 1, a second coolant circuit 2, a third coolant circuit 3, and a refrigeration cycle 4 used for battery heating control by a temperature control device 100 according to an embodiment.

[0011] The first coolant circuit 1 is provided with coolant passages 10a, 10b, an engine 11, and a first heater core 12. The first heater core 12 is a heater core for heating using exhaust heat from the engine, and is disposed in a casing 54 of an interior air-conditioning unit 5 described below. The first heater core 12 exchanges heat with the first coolant that has recovered the exhaust heat from the engine 11, to heat the conditioned air (blow air) in the casing 54.

[0012] In the first coolant circuit 1, the engine 11 and a first heater core 12 are connected by coolant passages 10a, 10b so that the first coolant for cooling the engine 11 can be circulated using an electric water pump (not shown) or the like.

[0013] The second coolant circuit 2 includes coolant passages 20a to 20f, a heat source device 21, a second heater core 22, a first heat exchanger 23, a first switching valve 24, and a first radiator 25. The heat source device 21 may be, for example, a heat pump system or an electric heater. The second heater core 22 is a heater core for heating during EV driving, and is disposed in a casing 54 of the interior air conditioning unit 5 described later. The second heater core 22 is disposed in close proximity to the first heater core 12, and heat transfer is possible between the first heater core 12 and the second heater core 22.

[0014] The cooling water passage 20a connects the heat source device 21 and the second heater core 22. The cooling water passage 20b connects the second heater core 22 and the first heat exchanger 23. The cooling water passage 20c connects the first heat exchanger 23 and the first switching valve 24. The cooling water passage 20d connects the first switching valve 24 and the heat source device 21. The cooling water passage 20e connects the first switching valve and the first radiator 25. The cooling water passage 20f connects the first radiator 25 and the first heat exchanger 23.

[0015] In the second coolant circuit 2, the second coolant is circulated by using an electric water pump (not shown) or the like so that the second coolant flows from the heat source device 21 to the second heater core 22, from the second heater core 22 to the first heat exchanger 23, from the first heat exchanger 23 to the first switching valve 24, from the first switching valve 24 to the heat source device 21, from the first switching valve 24 to the first radiator 25, and from the first radiator 25 to the first heat exchanger 23. The first switching valve 24 is a valve that can be switched between a closed state and an open state under the control of the temperature control device 100, and switches the flow rate of the second coolant flowing to each of the heat source device 21 and the first radiator 25. For example, the first switching valve 24 switches the target into which the second coolant flows from the first switching valve 24 between the heat source device 21 and the first radiator 25 by closing one of the coolant passage 20d and the coolant passage 20e and opening the other.

[0016] The third coolant circuit 3 is provided with coolant passages 30a-30g, a battery 31, a second heat exchanger 32, a second switching valve 33, a second radiator 34, and a heating element 35. Examples of the heating element 35 include a drive motor that is a drive source for running the vehicle, and an inverter that converts power between the drive motor and the battery 31. The second radiator 34 is disposed adjacent to the first radiator 25, allowing heat transfer between the first radiator 25 and the second radiator 34.

[0017] The cooling water passage 30a connects the battery 31 and the second heat exchanger 32. The cooling water passage 30b connects the second heat exchanger 32 and the second switching valve 33. The cooling water passage 30c connects the second switching valve 33 and the battery 31. The cooling water passage 30d connects the second switching valve 33 and the second radiator 34. The cooling water passage 30e connects the second radiator 34 and the second heat exchanger 32. The cooling water passage 30f connects the second radiator 34 and the heating element 35. The cooling water passage 30g connects the heating element 35 and the second switching valve 33.

[0018] In the third coolant circuit 3, the third coolant is circulated using an electric water pump (not shown) or the like so that it flows from the battery 31 to the second heat exchanger 32, from the second heat exchanger 32 to the second switching valve 33, from the second switching valve 33 to the battery 31 or the second radiator 34, from the second radiator 34 to the second heat exchanger 32 and the heating element 35, and from the heating element 35 to the second switching valve 33.

[0019] The second switching valve 33 is a valve that can be switched between a closed state and an open state under the control of the temperature control device 100, and switches the flow rate of the third cooling water flowing to the battery 31 and the second radiator 34. For example, the second switching valve 33 switches the target into which the third cooling water flows from the second switching valve 33 between the battery 31 and the second radiator 34 by closing either the cooling water passage 30c or the cooling water passage 30d and opening the other.

[0020] In the refrigeration cycle 4, the second heat exchanger 32 and the compressor 41 are connected by a refrigerant passage 40a, the compressor 41 and the first heat exchanger 23 are connected by a refrigerant passage 40b, and the first heat exchanger 23 and the second heat exchanger 32 are connected by a refrigerant passage 40c.

[0021] In the refrigeration cycle 4, the refrigerant is circulated so as to flow from the compressor 41 to the first heat exchanger 23, from the first heat exchanger 23 to the second heat exchanger 32, and from the second heat exchanger 32 to the compressor 41.

[0022] In the first heat exchanger 23, heat exchange takes place between the second coolant circulating in the second coolant circuit 2 and the refrigerant circulating in the refrigeration cycle 4. In the second heat exchanger 32, heat exchange takes place between the third coolant circulating in the third coolant circuit 3 and the refrigerant circulating in the refrigeration cycle 4.

[0023] As a result, in the third coolant circuit 3, heat of the third coolant received from the battery 31 is transferred to the refrigerant circulating in the refrigeration cycle 4 by the second heat exchanger 32, and is transferred to the second coolant circulating in the second coolant circuit 2 by the first heat exchanger 23. The second coolant flows from the first heat exchanger 23 to the first radiator 25 by the first switching valve 24, and the heat of the second coolant is released from the first radiator 25 to the outside air. Also, in the third coolant circuit 3, an inflow path can be formed through which the third coolant flows from the battery 31 to the second radiator 34 via the second heat exchanger 32 and the second switching valve 33.

[0024] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an indoor air conditioning unit 5 according to the embodiment.

[0025] The interior air conditioning unit 5 is provided to blow out temperature-adjusted conditioned air into the vehicle interior. The interior air conditioning unit 5 is composed of a blower 51, an evaporator 52, an air mix damper 53, a first heater core 12, a second heater core 22, and a casing 54 that houses these. The interior air conditioning unit 5 is provided with, as heating means, the first heater core 12 constituting an engine exhaust heat heating means that starts the engine 11 and uses engine exhaust heat, and the second heater core 22 constituting an EV driving heating means that uses heat from the heat source device 21 during EV driving (when the engine 11 is stopped).

[0026] The casing 54 constitutes a passage for the conditioned air generated by the blower 51. An outside air inlet 55 is formed in the casing 54 at an upstream end in the flow direction of the conditioned air. The outside air inlet 55 is provided to introduce outside air (air outside the vehicle compartment) into the inside of the casing 54. The blower 51 is provided near the outside air inlet 55.

[0027] An evaporator 52 is disposed downstream of the blower 51 in the flow direction of the conditioned air. An air mix damper 53 and a partition wall 56 are provided downstream of the evaporator 52 in the casing 54. The partition wall 56 defines a heating passage 54a and a bypass passage 54b in the casing 54.

[0028] The first heater core 12 and the second heater core 22 are arranged in the heating passage 54a. Therefore, the conditioned air passing through the heating passage 54a is heated when the temperature of the cooling water in the first heater core 12 and the second heater core 22 is higher than the temperature of the conditioned air. The bypass passage 54b is provided so that the conditioned air can bypass the first heater core 12 and the second heater core 22. The air mix damper 53 is configured to adjust the temperature of the conditioned air supplied to the vehicle interior by adjusting the ratio of the air volume passing through the heating passage 54a and the bypass passage 54b. In addition, the casing 54 is formed with an outlet 57 for blowing the conditioned air into the vehicle interior at a downstream end in the flow direction of the conditioned air.

[0029] In the indoor air conditioning unit 5, if the temperature of the second heater core 22 is higher than a predetermined temperature (at least the temperature of the first heater core 12), the first heater core 12 receives heat from the second heater core 22. For example, a configuration can be adopted in which the first heater core 12 and the second heater core 22 are arranged in close proximity with an air gap therebetween, and the first heater core 12 receives heat from the second heater core 22 using air as a medium. Also, a configuration can be adopted in which the first heater core 12 and the second heater core 22 are physically connected. Also, a configuration can be adopted in which the first heater core 12 and the second heater core 22 are connected via a thermally conductive material.

[0030] The temperature control device 100 according to the embodiment controls the flow of the second coolant in the second coolant circuit 2 by switching between an open state and a closed state of the first switching valve 24, and controls the flow of the third coolant in the third coolant circuit 3 by switching between an open state and a closed state of the second switching valve 33. As the temperature control device 100 according to the embodiment, for example, an electronic control unit (ECU) mounted on a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) can be used.

[0031] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the flow of heat when the battery heating control is being performed.

[0032] The temperature control device 100 of the embodiment can perform battery heating control that controls each electric water pump, the first switching valve 24, the second switching valve 33, etc. to realize a heat flow in the following order: engine 11, first heater core 12, second heater core 22, first heat exchanger 23, first switching valve 24, first radiator 25, second radiator 34, second heat exchanger 32, second switching valve 33, and battery 31, as shown by the arrows in Figure 3.

[0033] By performing battery heating control with the temperature control device 100 according to the embodiment, exhaust heat from the engine 11 can be supplied to the battery 31, and the battery 31 can be heated using the exhaust heat from the engine 11. This makes it possible to reduce a shortage of output from the battery 31 (deterioration in vehicle driving performance) and an increase in resistance of the battery 31 (deterioration in power consumption) that may occur due to the low temperature of the battery 31. Furthermore, the temperature control device 100 according to the embodiment can heat the battery 31 using the exhaust heat from the engine 11 with a simple mechanism, without providing additional heat exchangers, radiators, switching valves, etc. dedicated to battery heating control to each existing coolant circuit.

[0034] 4 is a flowchart showing an example of battery heating control performed by the temperature control device 100. The conditions for performing the battery heating control are that the engine is operating and the battery temperature is equal to or lower than a preset threshold value. The battery temperature may be, for example, a result of detection by a temperature sensor provided in the battery 31.

[0035] First, the temperature control device 100 judges whether the engine is operating (step S1). If the temperature control device 100 judges that the engine is not operating (No in step S1), the temperature control device 100 ends the series of controls. On the other hand, if the temperature control device 100 judges that the engine is operating (Yes in step S1), the temperature control device 100 judges whether the relationship of battery temperature<threshold is satisfied (step S2). If the temperature control device 100 judges that the relationship of battery temperature<threshold is not satisfied (No in step S2), the temperature control device 100 ends the series of controls. On the other hand, if the temperature control device 100 judges that the relationship of battery temperature<threshold is satisfied (Yes in step S2), the temperature control device 100 performs battery heating control (step S3). Then, the temperature control device 100 ends the example of control.

[0036] 5 is a flowchart showing another example of the battery heating control performed by the temperature control device 100. The conditions for performing the battery heating control are that the engine is operating, the battery temperature is equal to or lower than a preset threshold, and the air mix damper is operating.

[0037] First, the temperature control device 100 judges whether the engine is operating (step S11). When the temperature control device 100 judges that the engine is not operating (No in step S11), the series of controls is terminated. On the other hand, when the temperature control device 100 judges that the engine is operating (Yes in step S11), the temperature control device 100 judges whether the relationship of battery temperature<threshold is satisfied (step S12). When the temperature control device 100 judges that the relationship of battery temperature<threshold is not satisfied (No in step S12), the series of controls is terminated. On the other hand, when the temperature control device 100 judges that the relationship of battery temperature<threshold is satisfied (Yes in step S12), the temperature control device 100 judges whether the air mix damper is operating (step S13). When the temperature control device 100 judges that the air mix damper is not operating (No in step S13), the series of controls is terminated. On the other hand, when the temperature control device 100 judges that the air mix damper is operating (Yes in step S13), the temperature control device 100 performs battery heating control (step S14). Then, the temperature control device 100 terminates the example of the control.

[0038] As a result, while the air mix damper is operating, the engine heater core is supplied with a sufficient amount of heat required for interior air conditioning, and battery heating can be performed under conditions where battery heating is possible without reducing the heating performance of the vehicle interior. [Explanation of symbols]

[0039] 1 first coolant circuit, 2 second coolant circuit, 3 third coolant circuit, 11 engine, 12 first heater core, 21 heat source device, 22 second heater core, 24 first switching valve, 25 first radiator, 31 battery, 33 second switching valve, 34 second radiator, 100 temperature control device.

Claims

[Claim 1] A temperature control device that performs battery heating control using exhaust heat from an engine, a first coolant circuit in which the first coolant circulates and which is provided with a first heater core for exchanging heat with the first coolant that recovers exhaust heat from the engine to heat air conditioning air; a second coolant circuit in which the second coolant circulates, the second coolant circuit including a second heater core for heating the air conditioning air by performing heat exchange with the second coolant that has recovered heat from a heat source device, a first radiator for performing heat exchange with the second coolant, and a first switching valve for switching a flow rate of the second coolant to the first radiator; a third coolant circuit in which the third coolant circulates, the third coolant circuit including a second radiator that performs heat exchange with the third coolant that has recovered heat from the battery and a second switching valve that switches a flow rate of the third coolant to the second radiator; In The first heater core and the second heater core are disposed adjacent to each other, The first radiator and the second radiator are disposed adjacent to each other, A temperature control device characterized by controlling the first switching valve and the second switching valve so that heat is transferred in the following order: engine, first heater core, second heater core, first switching valve, first radiator, second radiator, second switching valve, and battery.

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