Electric vehicles

Abstract

To remove frost of a passenger compartment exterior heat exchanger without stopping heating and increasing electric power consumption during heating operation in an air conditioner using a heat pump system.SOLUTION: Heat generated by a battery 11 is stored and the stored heat is used as an endothermic source of a heat exchanger 12 for a battery (the heat exchanger 12 for the battery is used as an evaporator) to cause a passenger compartment interior heat exchanger 5 and a passenger compartment exterior heat exchanger 7 to be operated as condensers, maintain a heat pump system, and warm up a passenger compartment and remove frost (defrosting) of the passenger compartment exterior heat exchanger 7.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an electric vehicle equipped with an air conditioner having a heat pump cycle.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, with the energy conservation and environmental issues of vehicles, electric vehicles such as hybrid electric vehicles (HV, PHV, PHEV) that run using both an engine and an electric motor, and battery electric vehicles (BEV) that run only on an electric motor have been put into practical use. As an air conditioner for electric vehicles, since the waste heat of the engine cannot be sufficiently utilized, an air conditioner using a heat pump cycle has been proposed (Patent Document 1).

[0003] The heat pump cycle in an electric vehicle includes, for example, an outdoor heat exchanger, an indoor heat exchanger, and an evaporator for the passenger compartment, and by circulating a refrigerant with adjusted pressure, the outdoor heat exchanger and the indoor heat exchanger are operated as condensers or evaporators.

[0004] When performing heating operation by the heat pump cycle, the indoor heat exchanger is operated as a condenser, and the outdoor heat exchanger is operated as an evaporator to absorb heat from the atmosphere to construct the heat pump cycle. Therefore, if the heating operation is continuously performed, frost will adhere to the outdoor heat exchanger. When frost adheres to the outdoor heat exchanger, the heat absorption ability from the atmosphere cannot be maintained, so it is necessary to remove (defrost) the frost on the outdoor heat exchanger.

[0005] Therefore, in an air conditioner using a heat pump cycle in an electric vehicle, during heating operation, the heat absorption by the outdoor heat exchanger is periodically stopped (heating is stopped), and a heater or the like is used to remove the frost to maintain the heat absorption ability from the atmosphere.

[0006] Therefore, when operating the heating system, energy is required to remove frost, and the electricity stored in the battery serves as the energy source. As a result, the power consumption required to maintain heating operation is high, and in particular, this could affect the driving range of electric vehicles (BEVs) that run solely on electric motors. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2015-101180 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and aims to provide an electric vehicle that can remove frost from the outdoor heat exchanger without stopping the heating and without increasing power consumption during heating operation in an air conditioning system using a heat pump system. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In electric vehicles, the battery generates heat due to repeated charging and discharging. This invention stores this generated heat and uses it as a heat absorption source to construct a heat pump system in which the in-vehicle heat exchanger and the out-of-vehicle heat exchanger operate as condensers, enabling heating of the vehicle interior and defrosting of the out-of-vehicle heat exchanger.

[0010] In other words, when the heating mode is activated, defrosting of the outdoor heat exchanger can be performed while the heating operation continues (without stopping the heating), and the interior of the vehicle can be heated while the outdoor heat exchanger is being defrosted.

[0011] To achieve the above objective, the electric vehicle of the present invention according to claim 1 is: A heat pump cycle comprising an in-vehicle heat exchanger, an out-of-vehicle heat exchanger, and an in-vehicle evaporator, wherein a refrigerant brought to a desired state is circulated via a compression means, a path switching means, and an expansion means, A control means that controls the operation of the route switching means based on the information of the driving mode instruction, In an electric vehicle equipped with a battery that stores electricity to power the vehicle, It is positioned in close proximity to the battery, and the refrigerant is circulated within it. Battery cooling method Battery heat exchanger and, The vehicle compartment evaporator is equipped with a cooling source reflecting means that reflects the condensed water generated when the evaporator is operating as an evaporator to the battery cooling means as a cooling source, The aforementioned The cooling source reflection means is arranged in the battery heat exchanger and has a polymer adsorbent that holds the condensed water from the vehicle compartment evaporator, and reflects the condensed water held in the polymer adsorbent back to the battery heat exchanger as the cooling source. The control means includes at least the following operating modes: The vehicle interior heating and defrosting mode is implemented such that the heat from the battery is recovered by the battery heat exchanger and used as a heat absorption source, and the vehicle interior heat exchanger and the vehicle exterior heat exchanger operate as condensers. It is characterized by the following:

[0012] In the present invention according to claim 1, the heat from the battery is recovered by a heat exchanger for the battery and used as a heat absorption source. This is done so (the battery heat exchanger is used as an evaporator), as well as the interior heat exchanger and the car The outdoor heat exchanger is operated to act as a condenser, and the air conditioning system uses a heat pump system. During heating operation, frost on the outdoor heat exchanger is removed without stopping the heating. Furthermore, the condensed water produced when the cabin evaporator operates as an evaporator is reflected to the battery cooling means by the cooling source reflection means, and the drain water, a by-product of air conditioning, is used as a cooling source. This makes it possible to effectively utilize the by-products obtained from the heat pump system to manage (cool) the battery temperature, and to cool the battery without using (consuming) the battery's power.

[0013] Therefore, when using a heat pump system for air conditioning, it becomes possible to remove frost from the outdoor heat exchanger without stopping the heating and without increasing power consumption.

[0014] As mentioned aboveIn an electric vehicle, the vehicle's interior heat exchanger and the vehicle's interior evaporator are arranged inside the vehicle's interior, the vehicle's exterior heat exchanger, the battery, and the battery heat exchanger are arranged outside the vehicle's interior, a path for supplying the medium compressed by the compression means is connected to one side of the vehicle's interior heat exchanger's medium path, the path switching means is connected to the other side of the vehicle's interior heat exchanger's medium path, the path switching means is connected to the other side of the vehicle's exterior heat exchanger's medium path, and the other side of the vehicle's interior evaporator's medium path is connected to one side of the vehicle's exterior heat exchanger's medium path via a first expansion valve. Furthermore, one side of the medium path of the exterior heat exchanger is connected to the other side of the medium path of the battery heat exchanger via a second expansion valve, one side of the medium path of the interior evaporator is connected to the path switching means via a third expansion valve, and one side of the medium path of the battery heat exchanger is also connected to the path switching means, the medium compressed by the compression means is sent to the path switching means, and the control means controls the operation of the path switching means, the first expansion valve, the second expansion valve, and the third expansion valve based on the information of the interior heating / defrosting mode instruction. It is preferable.

[0015] As a result, A heat pump system can be constructed consisting of an in-vehicle heat exchanger, an out-of-vehicle heat exchanger, an evaporator for the vehicle interior, and a heat exchanger for the battery.

[0016] Also, As mentioned aboveIn an electric vehicle, in the vehicle interior heating / defrosting mode, the compressed medium is sent to the vehicle interior heat exchanger so that the vehicle interior heat exchanger serves as a condenser, and the compressed medium is sent to the vehicle exterior heat exchanger so that the vehicle exterior heat exchanger serves as a condenser. The expanded medium is sent to the battery heat exchanger so that the battery heat exchanger serves as an evaporator, and the heat of the battery is recovered by the battery heat exchanger to serve as a heat absorption source. When the vehicle interior heating / defrosting mode is selected, the control means sends the medium compressed by the compression means to the vehicle interior heat exchanger, the vehicle exterior heat exchanger, the second expansion valve, and the battery heat exchanger in this order, operates the path switching means so as to circulate it through the compression means, operates the second expansion valve in a throttled state, operates the first expansion valve and the third expansion valve in a closed state, forms a heat pump cycle with the battery heat exchanger serving as an evaporator with the heat of the battery as a heat absorption source, and removes the frost on the vehicle exterior heat exchanger that has become a condenser. It is preferable.

[0017] As a result, [[ID=⑥]]The vehicle interior heat exchanger and the vehicle exterior heat exchanger serve as condensers that perform an evaporation operation, the battery heat exchanger serves as an evaporator that uses the heat of the battery as a heat absorption source, a heat pump cycle is constructed, heating is performed by the vehicle interior heat exchanger that has become a condenser, and the frost on the vehicle exterior heat exchanger that has become a condenser is removed.

[0018] And, Claim 2 The electric vehicle according to the present invention Claim 1 In the electric vehicle described above, a temperature detection means is provided in the battery, the detection information of the temperature detection means is input to the control means, and the control means controls the temperature of the battery so as to maintain the heat storage temperature of the battery within a predetermined temperature range.

[0019] Claim 2In the present invention relating to this invention, the battery temperature is controlled based on detection information from a temperature detection means, and the temperature of the battery's heat storage is maintained within a predetermined temperature range (for example, between 20°C and 40°C). Therefore, heat storage of the battery can be performed while maintaining the battery temperature within an appropriate temperature range. [Effects of the Invention]

[0022] The electric vehicle of the present invention makes it possible to remove frost from the outdoor heat exchanger without stopping the heating and without increasing power consumption during heating operation of the air conditioning system using a heat pump system. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0023] [Figure 1] This is an overall configuration diagram of an air conditioning system in an electric vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a schematic diagram of the air conditioning system in cooling / battery cooling mode. [Figure 3] This is a schematic diagram of the air conditioning system in cooling mode. [Figure 4] This is a schematic diagram of an air conditioning system in a battery-cooled mode that does not use a refrigerant. [Figure 5] This is a schematic diagram of an air conditioning system in a battery-cooled mode using a refrigerant. [Figure 6] This is a schematic diagram of the air conditioning system in heating / battery heating mode. [Figure 7] This is a schematic diagram of the air conditioning system in dehumidification, anti-fogging, and heating mode. [Figure 8] This is a schematic diagram of the air conditioning system in heating and defrosting mode. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0024] An electric vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described based on Figure 1. Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram illustrating the overall air conditioning system in an electric vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] As shown in Figure 1, the air conditioning system 1 in this embodiment of the electric vehicle is a heat pump cycle system in which an air conditioning fluid is blown from the device case 2 to the passenger compartment 3. Specifically, inside the device case 2 (inside the passenger compartment), there is a passenger compartment heat exchanger 5 through which a medium flows via heat transfer tubes, and a passenger compartment evaporator 6. Outside the device case 2, there is an outdoor heat exchanger 7 that adjusts the temperature of the medium by exchanging heat with the outside air.

[0026] On the other hand, electric vehicles are equipped with a battery 11 that provides (all or part) of the power for driving, and a battery heat exchanger 12 is placed adjacent to the battery 11 as a means of cooling the battery. On the outside of the medium path (heat transfer tube) of the battery heat exchanger 12, a polymer adsorbent 13 is provided as a means of retaining condensed water to adsorb moisture.

[0027] Condensed water is sent to the polymer adsorbent 13 located outside the medium path (heat transfer tubes) of the battery heat exchanger 12, thereby maintaining the condensed water in a state where it can come into contact with the outside air. In other words, when the vehicle cabin evaporator 6 operates as an evaporator, the condensed water from the evaporator is sent to the polymer adsorbent 13 (the condensed water is reflected to the battery cooling means by the cooling source reflection means).

[0028] Furthermore, as a means of cooling the battery, a heat exchanger with an adsorbent placed on the outside of the medium path (heat transfer tube) can be applied, or a configuration can be applied in which condensed water is stored in a storage means such as a tank and the stored condensed water is circulated to the case of the battery 11.

[0029] Near the battery 11, a battery fan 14 is provided as a means of supplying outside air to the battery 11 through a battery heat exchanger 12 equipped with a polymer adsorbent 13. When the battery fan 14 is driven, outside air is sent to the battery 11 through the battery heat exchanger 12 which has a polymer adsorbent 13 that holds condensed water. In the battery heat exchanger 12, the outside air is cooled by the heat of evaporation of the condensed water, and the cooled outside air is sent to the battery 11 to cool the battery 11.

[0030] In other words, the outside air can be cooled by utilizing the by-product (condensed water) produced when the vehicle interior evaporator 6 operates as an evaporator, and the battery 11 can be cooled without using electricity (excluding the power for the battery fan 14).

[0031] On the other hand, a compression means 16 is provided for compressing the medium. The medium compressed by the compression means 16 (compressed medium) is sent to the in-vehicle heat exchanger 5, and then, via a path switching means 17, is switched to supply either the out-of-vehicle heat exchanger 7 or the in-vehicle evaporator 6 (battery heat exchanger 12).

[0032] In other words, one side of the medium path of the in-vehicle heat exchanger 5 (upper side in the figure) is connected to a path through which the medium compressed by the compression means 16 is sent, and the other side of the medium path of the in-vehicle heat exchanger 5 (lower side in the figure) is connected to a path switching means 17.

[0033] A path switching means 17 is connected to the other side (upper side in the figure) of the media path of the outdoor heat exchanger 7, and the other side (lower side in the figure) of the media path of the indoor evaporator 6 is connected to one side (lower side in the figure) of the media path of the outdoor heat exchanger 7 via the first expansion valve 21. In addition, the other side (lower side in the figure) of the media path of the battery heat exchanger 12 is connected to one side (lower side in the figure) of the media path of the outdoor heat exchanger 7 via the second expansion valve 22.

[0034] Furthermore, a path switching means 17 is connected to one side (upper side in the figure) of the medium path of the vehicle compartment evaporator 6 via the third expansion valve 23, and a path switching means 17 is also connected to one side (upper side in the figure) of the medium path of the battery heat exchanger 12.

[0035] The route switching means 17 includes a port 17a connected to the other side (lower side in the figure) of the in-cabin heat exchanger 5 (connected to the outlet side of the compression means 16), a port 17b connected to the inlet side of the compression means 16, a port 17c connected to the other side (upper side in the figure) of the out-cabin heat exchanger 7, and a port 17d connected to one side (upper side in the figure) of the in-cabin evaporator 6 (battery heat exchanger 12).

[0036] The medium compressed by the compression means 16 is sent to the path switching means 17, and the operation of the path switching means 17, the first expansion valve 21, the second expansion valve 22, and the third expansion valve 23 is controlled based on the operating mode instruction information from the control means 25. In addition, the outdoor fan 26 and the indoor fan 27 are rotated by instructions from the control means 25, and the position of the damper 28 is moved to position A and position B (in position A, a flow path that does not flow through the vehicle interior heat exchanger 5 is opened, and in position B, a flow path that flows through the vehicle interior heat exchanger 5 is opened).

[0037] With the above configuration, a heat pump system is constructed consisting of an in-vehicle heat exchanger 5, an out-of-vehicle heat exchanger 7, an in-vehicle evaporator 6, and a battery heat exchanger 12.

[0038] The present invention is configured to implement the heating and defrosting mode shown in Figure 8. Specifically, the heat generated by the battery 11 is stored, and the stored heat is used as a heat absorption source for the battery heat exchanger 12 (making the battery heat exchanger 12 an evaporator), thereby operating the in-cabin heat exchanger 5 and the out-of-cabin heat exchanger 7 as condensers, maintaining the heat pump system so that the interior of the vehicle is heated and the out-of-cabin heat exchanger 7 is defrosted.

[0039] In other words, when the heating mode is activated, defrosting of the outdoor heat exchanger 7 can be performed while continuing the heating operation (without stopping the heating), and the interior of the vehicle can be heated while the outdoor heat exchanger 7 is being defrosted.

[0040] Based on Figures 2 to 7, the main specific examples of the operating modes of the air conditioning system 1 with the above configuration (operating modes other than the vehicle interior heating / defrosting mode of the present invention) will be explained.

[0041] Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram of the air conditioning system in cooling / battery cooling mode, Figure 3 shows a schematic diagram of the air conditioning system in cooling mode, Figure 4 shows a schematic diagram of the air conditioning system in battery cooling mode without refrigerant, Figure 5 shows a schematic diagram of the air conditioning system in battery cooling mode with refrigerant, Figure 6 shows a schematic diagram of the air conditioning system in heating / battery heating mode, Figure 7 shows a schematic diagram of the air conditioning system in dehumidification / anti-fogging / heating mode, and Figure 8 shows a schematic diagram of the air conditioning system in heating / defrosting mode.

[0042] The air conditioning / battery cooling mode will be explained based on Figure 2. The air conditioning / battery cooling mode is envisioned as a mode that allows for continuous high-power driving over long distances to cool the passenger compartment 3.

[0043] When the cooling / battery cooling mode is activated, the control means 25 controls the operation of the path switching means 17 so that port 17a and port 17c are connected and port 17b and port 17d are connected. The first expansion valve 21 is operated to the throttled state, the second expansion valve 22 is operated to the fully closed state, and the third expansion valve 23 is operated to the fully open state, while the battery fan 14, outdoor fan 26, and indoor fan 27 are rotated and the damper 28 is operated to position A.

[0044] The medium compressed by the compression means 16 passes through the in-cabin heat exchanger 5 and is sent from the path switching means 17 to the out-of-cabin heat exchanger 7, the first expansion valve 21, the in-cabin evaporator 6, the third expansion valve 23, and the path switching means 17 in that order, and is circulated back to the compression means 16. As a result, the out-of-cabin heat exchanger 7 acts as a condenser and the in-cabin evaporator 6 acts as an evaporator.

[0045] The interior fan 27 drives the return air RA in the passenger compartment 3, which is cooled by the passenger compartment evaporator 6 and supplied to the passenger compartment 3 as air SAc. The condensed water in the passenger compartment evaporator 6 is adsorbed and held by the polymer adsorbent 13 in the battery heat exchanger 12. The battery fan 14 drives the outside air OA to the battery 11 through the battery heat exchanger 12, which has the polymer adsorbent 13 holding the condensed water. In the battery heat exchanger 12, the outside air is cooled by the heat of evaporation of the condensed water, and the cooled outside air SAb is sent to the battery 11 to cool the battery 11, which is then exhausted (EA).

[0046] This allows the outside air to be cooled using the by-product (condensed water) produced when the cabin evaporator 6 operates as an evaporator, and the battery 11 can be cooled by the cooled outside air SAb without using electricity (excluding the power for the battery fan 14).

[0047] Therefore, it becomes possible to effectively utilize the by-product (condensed water) obtained from the heat pump system (heat pump cycle) to manage (cool) the temperature of the battery 11. As a result, it becomes possible to cool the battery 11 without using its power (without consuming the power of the battery 11), thereby suppressing the reduction in the driving range of the electric vehicle.

[0048] The cooling mode will be explained based on Figure 3. The cooling mode is intended for use during short-distance driving (when there is no need to cool the battery 11) and provides cooling to the passenger compartment 3.

[0049] When the cooling mode is activated, the control means 25 controls the operation of the path switching means 17 so that port 17a and port 17c are connected and port 17b and port 17d are connected. The first expansion valve 21 is operated to the throttled state, the second expansion valve 22 is operated to the fully closed state, and the third expansion valve 23 is operated to the fully open state, while the battery fan 14 is stopped, the outdoor fan 26 and indoor fan 27 are rotated, and the damper 28 is operated to position A.

[0050] The medium compressed by the compression means 16 passes through the in-cabin heat exchanger 5 and is sent from the path switching means 17 to the out-of-cabin heat exchanger 7, the first expansion valve 21, the in-cabin evaporator 6, the third expansion valve 23, and the path switching means 17 in that order, and is circulated back to the compression means 16. As a result, the out-of-cabin heat exchanger 7 acts as a condenser and the in-cabin evaporator 6 acts as an evaporator.

[0051] The indoor fan 27 drives the return air RA in the passenger compartment 3, which is cooled by the passenger compartment evaporator 6 and supplied as air SAc to the passenger compartment 3. The condensed water in the passenger compartment evaporator 6 is adsorbed onto the polymer adsorbent 13 of the battery heat exchanger 12, retained, and stored. In this case, it is possible to store water three to four times the weight of the polymer.

[0052] This allows the passenger compartment 3 to be cooled while the passenger compartment evaporator 6, operating as an evaporator, collects by-products (condensed water) during driving when there is little need to cool the battery 11.

[0053] The battery cooling mode using condensed water will be explained based on Figure 4. The battery cooling mode using condensed water is assumed to be used when condensed water is accumulated, and the air conditioning of the vehicle compartment 3 is not required, such as for rapid charging, and only the battery 11 is cooled when the temperature of the battery 11 exceeds the upper limit (for example, from 40°C to 50°C).

[0054] When the battery cooling mode using condensed water is implemented, the operation of the compression means 16, the path switching means 17, the first expansion valve 21, the second expansion valve 22, and the third expansion valve 23 is stopped, the rotation of the outdoor fan 26 and the indoor fan 27 is stopped, only the battery fan 14 rotates, and the damper 28 is moved to position A.

[0055] Driven by the battery fan 14, outside air OA is sent to the battery 11 through a battery heat exchanger 12 having a polymer adsorbent 13 that holds condensed water. In the battery heat exchanger 12, the outside air is cooled by the heat of evaporation of the condensed water, and the cooled outside air SAb is sent to the battery 11 to cool the battery 11, and then exhausted (EA).

[0056] This allows the condensed water accumulated in the polymer adsorbent 13 to cool the outside air OA, and the cooled outside air SAb to cool the battery 11 without using electricity (excluding the power for the battery fan 14).

[0057] The refrigerant-based battery cooling mode is explained based on Figure 5 (the battery heat exchanger 12 operates as an evaporator). The refrigerant-based battery cooling mode is assumed to be used when no condensate has accumulated, when air conditioning of the vehicle compartment 3 is not required (such as for rapid charging), and when the temperature of the battery 11 exceeds the upper limit (for example, from 40°C to 50°C) and only the battery 11 needs to be cooled.

[0058] When the refrigerant-based battery cooling mode is implemented, the control means 25 controls the operation of the path switching means 17 so that port 17a and port 17c are connected and port 17b and port 17d are connected. The first expansion valve 21 is operated to the fully closed position, the second expansion valve 22 is operated to the throttled position, and the third expansion valve 23 is operated to the fully closed position, while the battery fan 14 and the outdoor fan 26 are rotated, the indoor fan 27 is stopped, and the damper 28 is operated to position A.

[0059] The medium compressed by the compression means 16 passes through the in-cabin heat exchanger 5 and is sent from the path switching means 17 to the out-of-cabin heat exchanger 7, the second expansion valve 22, the battery heat exchanger 12, and back to the path switching means 17, before being circulated back to the compression means 16. As a result, the out-of-cabin heat exchanger 7 acts as a condenser and the battery heat exchanger 12 acts as an evaporator.

[0060] Driven by the battery fan 14, the outside air OA is cooled by the battery heat exchanger 12, which acts as an evaporator, and the cooled outside air SAb is sent to the battery 11 to cool the battery 11, and then exhausted (EA).

[0061] As a result, when no condensed water is accumulated in the polymer adsorbent 13, the outside air OA is cooled by the battery heat exchanger 12, and the battery 11 can be cooled by the cooled outside air SAb.

[0062] The heating and battery heating mode will be explained based on Figure 6. The heating and battery heating mode is intended for situations such as when driving in winter or starting up in low temperatures, where the cabin 3 is heated or the battery 11 is heated.

[0063] When the heating / battery heating mode is activated, the control means 25 controls the operation of the path switching means 17 so that port 17a and port 17d are connected and port 17c and port 17b are connected. The first expansion valve 21 is operated to the fully closed position, the second expansion valve 22 is operated to the throttled position, and the third expansion valve 23 is operated to the fully closed position, while the battery fan 14, outdoor fan 26, and indoor fan 27 are rotated and the damper 28 is operated to position B.

[0064] The medium compressed by the compression means 16 passes through the in-cabin heat exchanger 5, is sent from the path switching means 17 to the battery heat exchanger 12, the second expansion valve 22, the out-of-cabin heat exchanger 7, and back to the path switching means 17, and is circulated back to the compression means 16. As a result, the in-cabin heat exchanger 5 and the battery heat exchanger 12 act as condensers, and the out-of-cabin heat exchanger 7 acts as an evaporator.

[0065] Driven by the interior fan 27, the return air RA in the passenger compartment 3 passes through the passenger compartment evaporator 6 and is heated by the passenger compartment heat exchanger 5, becoming the air SAc supplied to the passenger compartment 3. Driven by the battery fan 14, the outside air OA is heated by the battery heat exchanger 12, and the high-temperature outside air SAb is sent to the battery 11, where the battery 11 is heated and then exhausted (EA).

[0066] Furthermore, by stopping the interior fan 27 or the battery fan 14, the battery 11 can be heated, or the passenger compartment 3 can be heated independently.

[0067] The dehumidification, anti-fog, and heating mode is explained based on Figure 7. The dehumidification, anti-fog, and heating mode is intended for use when driving in low-temperature, high-humidity outdoor conditions, where dehumidification, anti-fog, and heating are performed.

[0068] When the dehumidifying, anti-fog, and heating mode is activated, the control means 25 controls the operation of the path switching means 17 so that port 17a and port 17d are connected and port 17c and port 17b are connected. The first expansion valve 21 is operated to the throttled state, the second expansion valve 22 is operated to the fully closed state, and the third expansion valve 23 is operated to the throttled state, while the battery fan 14 is stopped, the outdoor fan 26 and indoor fan 27 are rotated, and the damper 28 is operated to position B.

[0069] The medium compressed by the compression means 16 passes through the in-cabin heat exchanger 5 and is sent from the path switching means 17 in the order of third expansion valve 23, in-cabin evaporator 6, first expansion valve 21, out-of-cabin heat exchanger 7, and path switching means 17, before being circulated back to the compression means 16. As a result, the in-cabin heat exchanger 5 acts as a condenser, and the in-cabin evaporator 6 and out-of-cabin heat exchanger 7 act as evaporators.

[0070] The indoor fan 27 drives the return air RA in the passenger compartment 3, which is dehumidified by the passenger compartment evaporator 6, heated by the passenger compartment heat exchanger 5, and then supplied to the passenger compartment 3 as heated and dehumidified air SAc (heated and dehumidified air SAc). As the air is heated and dehumidified, the passenger compartment 3 is heated, and the dehumidified air prevents fogging of the windshield and windows.

[0071] Based on Figure 8, an embodiment of the present invention, a heating and defrosting mode using battery heat storage, will be explained.

[0072] When the heating mode is implemented using the heat pump system (when the in-cabin heat exchanger 5 operates as a condenser), the outdoor heat exchanger 7 must operate as an evaporator to absorb heat from the atmosphere (a heat absorption source is required). Therefore, if the heating mode is continuously implemented, frost will accumulate on the outdoor heat exchanger 7. In order to maintain the heat absorption capacity from the atmosphere, it is necessary to remove the frost (defrost).

[0073] The battery 11 generates heat due to repeated charging and discharging. This generated heat is stored within a predetermined range (for example, 20°C to 40°C), and when the heating mode is implemented, the heat from the battery 11 is used as a heat absorption source (the battery heat exchanger 12 is operated as an evaporator), and the in-cabin heat exchanger 5 and the out-of-cabin heat exchanger 7 are operated as condensers to heat the cabin 3 and defrost the out-of-cabin heat exchanger 7.

[0074] When the heating mode is activated, defrosting of the outdoor heat exchanger 7 is performed while continuing to heat the passenger compartment 3 (without stopping the heating). Therefore, while maintaining the heat pump system in heating mode, the outdoor heat exchanger 7 can be operated as a condenser, making it possible to heat the passenger compartment 3 while defrosting the outdoor heat exchanger 7.

[0075] When the heating / defrosting mode using battery heat storage is implemented, the control means 25 controls the operation of the path switching means 17 so that port 17a and port 17c are connected and port 17d and port 17b are connected. The first expansion valve 21 is operated to the fully closed position, the second expansion valve 22 is operated to the throttled position, and the third expansion valve 23 is operated to the fully closed position, while the battery fan 14 rotates in the reverse direction, the outdoor fan 26 stops, the indoor fan 27 rotates, and the damper 28 is operated to position B.

[0076] The medium compressed by the compression means 16 passes through the in-cabin heat exchanger 5, is sent from the path switching means 17 to the out-of-cabin heat exchanger 7, the second expansion valve 22, the battery heat exchanger 12, and the path switching means 17 in that order, and is circulated back to the compression means 16. As a result, the in-cabin heat exchanger 5 and the out-of-cabin heat exchanger 7 act as condensers, and the battery heat exchanger 12 acts as an evaporator.

[0077] The indoor fan 27 drives the return air RA in the passenger compartment 3, which passes through the passenger compartment evaporator 6 and is heated by the passenger compartment heat exchanger 5. This is then used as the air SAc supplied to the passenger compartment 3, heating the compartment. This also removes the frost that has accumulated on the outdoor heat exchanger 7, which acts as a condenser. Meanwhile, the battery fan 14 rotates in the reverse direction, heating the outside air OA with the heat from the battery 11. To maintain the heat pump cycle, the heated outside air OA is allowed to dissipate heat through the battery heat exchanger 12, which acts as an evaporator, thereby evaporating the refrigerant in the battery heat exchanger 12. The dissipated outside air OA is then exhausted (EA).

[0078] Therefore, it is possible to continue heating the passenger compartment 3 while defrosting the outdoor heat exchanger 7. Specifically, the indoor heat exchanger 5 and the outdoor heat exchanger 7 are used as condensers, and the battery heat exchanger 12 is used as an evaporator with heat from the battery 11 as the heat absorption source, thus constructing a heat pump cycle. Heating is performed in the indoor heat exchanger 5, which is used as a condenser, and frost adhering to the outdoor heat exchanger 7, which is also used as a condenser, is removed.

[0079] Furthermore, in order to maintain the temperature of the heat stored in the battery 11 within a predetermined temperature range, a temperature detection means can be provided, and it is possible to store heat while cooling the generated heat to keep it within a predetermined range (for example, 20°C to 40°C). That is, in order to maintain the heat generated in the battery 11 within a predetermined range (for example, 20°C to 40°C), the battery 11 is provided with a temperature detection means (not shown), the detection information from the temperature detection means is input to the control means 25, and the control means 25 can control the temperature of the heat stored in the battery 11 so that it is maintained within a predetermined temperature range. For example, if the temperature of the battery 11 becomes too high, the temperature state of the battery 11 can be controlled by forcibly cooling it.

[0080] The aforementioned air conditioning system 1 of the electric vehicle cools the outside air using the by-product (condensed water) produced when the passenger compartment evaporator 6 operates as an evaporator, and can cool the battery 11 with the cooled outside air SAb without using electricity (excluding the power for the battery fan 14).

[0081] Then, the heat generated by the battery 11 is stored, and the stored heat is used as a heat absorption source for the battery heat exchanger 12 (the battery heat exchanger 12 acts as an evaporator), and the in-cabin heat exchanger 5 and the out-of-cabin heat exchanger 7 act as condensers to construct a heat pump system. As a result, when the heating mode is implemented, defrosting of the out-of-cabin heat exchanger 7 can be performed while continuing heating operation (without stopping the heating), and the interior of the vehicle can be heated while defrosting the out-of-cabin heat exchanger 7 is being performed.

[0082] Therefore, when using a heat pump system for air conditioning, it becomes possible to remove frost from the outdoor heat exchanger without stopping the heating and without increasing power consumption. [Industrial applicability]

[0083] This invention can be used in the industrial field of electric vehicles equipped with air conditioning systems using a heat pump cycle. [Explanation of symbols]

[0084] 1 Air conditioner 2. Device case 3 Cabin 5 Vehicle interior heat exchanger 6. Evaporator for vehicle interior 7 Vehicle outdoor heat exchanger 11 batteries 12. Heat exchanger for batteries 13 Polymer Adsorbents 14 Battery Fan 16 Compression means 17 Route switching means 21. First expansion valve 22. Second expansion valve 23. Third expansion valve 25 Control means 26 Outdoor fan 27 Indoor fan 28 dampers

Claims

1. A heat pump cycle comprising an in-vehicle heat exchanger, an out-of-vehicle heat exchanger, and an in-vehicle evaporator, wherein a refrigerant brought to a desired state is circulated via a compression means, a path switching means, and an expansion means, A control means that controls the operation of the route switching means based on the information of the driving mode instruction, In an electric vehicle equipped with a battery that stores electricity to power the vehicle, A battery heat exchanger, which is a battery cooling means located in close proximity to the battery and through which the refrigerant is circulated, The vehicle compartment evaporator is equipped with a cooling source reflecting means that reflects the condensed water generated when the evaporator is operating as an evaporator to the battery cooling means as a cooling source, The cooling source reflection means is arranged in the battery heat exchanger and has a polymer adsorbent that holds the condensed water from the vehicle compartment evaporator, and reflects the condensed water held in the polymer adsorbent to the battery heat exchanger as the cooling source. The control means includes at least the following operating modes: The vehicle interior heating and defrosting mode is implemented such that the heat from the battery is recovered by the battery heat exchanger and used as a heat absorption source, and the vehicle interior heat exchanger and the vehicle exterior heat exchanger operate as condensers. An electric vehicle characterized by the following features.

2. In the electric vehicle according to Claim 1, The battery is provided with a temperature detection means, and the detection information from the temperature detection means is input to the control means. The control means is Control the temperature of the battery so that the heat storage temperature of the battery is maintained within a predetermined temperature range. An electric vehicle characterized by the following features.

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