Thermal management system of air conditioner and thermal management method

Abstract

A thermal management system of an air conditioner, comprising: a main unit system, wherein the main unit system comprises an air conditioner main unit comprising an evaporator; a condensation system, wherein the condensation system comprises a condenser, and one end of the condensation system is communicated with the main unit system by means of a pipeline; and a compression system, wherein the compression system comprises a compressor, and the compression system is communicated with the main unit system and the condensation system by means of pipelines, respectively. When the thermal management system of the air conditioner works, the condensation system does not perform heat exchange, the compressor provides heat for the evaporator, and the evaporator uses the heat to evaporate condensed water in the main unit system into water vapor. The system can be used for solving the problem in the prior art of odor generated due to the use of an air conditioner. Also disclosed is a thermal management method.

Description

Thermal management system and thermal management method for air conditioner

[0001] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the China Patent Office on September 7, 2023, with application number 202311151687.4 and application name “A triangular cycle thermal management system and method for automobile air conditioning”; this application also claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the China Patent Office on September 7, 2023, with application number 202311151664.3 and application name “A triangular cycle thermal management system and method for eliminating odor in vehicle air conditioning”, all contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0002] The present application relates to the technical field of air-conditioning systems, and in particular to a thermal management system and a thermal management method for an air-conditioning system. Background Art

[0003] At present, when the car air conditioner is in cooling mode, the air temperature suddenly drops below the dew point temperature. Condensation water is easily precipitated in the air and adheres to the surface of the evaporator, or drips into the air conditioner box, causing the air conditioner box to be in a humid environment for a long time, which is prone to mold and accompanied by a sour odor. When the refrigerant temperature is around 0℃, the microorganisms in the air will be frozen on the surface of the evaporator. When the control strategy limits the compressor speed, the user actively exits or other factors cause the air conditioning system to shut down, the microorganisms will be thawed and blown out with the air conditioning wind. The sour odor causes discomfort to the user.

[0004] The existing solution is to install an activated carbon filter in front of the evaporator to absorb odors, but this solution can only absorb part of the odor and is very limited in its effect on solving the odor problem.

[0005] Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art described above, the purpose of the embodiments of the present application is to provide a thermal management system and a thermal management method for an air conditioner, which are used to solve the problem of odor generated when the air conditioner is turned on in the prior art. It mainly relates to a thermal management system for an air conditioner, which improves the working stability of the system by effectively increasing the dryness of the main circuit.

[0007] An embodiment of the present application provides a thermal management system for an air conditioner, comprising: a host system, the host system comprising an air conditioner host including an evaporator; a condensing system, the condensing system comprising a condenser, one end of the condensing system being connected to the host system via a pipeline; a compression system, the compression system comprising a compressor, the compression system being connected to the host system and the condensing system via pipelines, respectively; wherein, when the thermal management system of the air conditioner is operating, the condensing system does not perform heat exchange, the compressor provides heat to the evaporator, and the evaporator uses the heat to evaporate the condensed water in the host system into water vapor.

[0008] In one embodiment of the present application, a first electronic expansion valve is provided between the host system and the condensing system, and the compressor provides refrigerant of a preset pressure to the evaporator through the first electronic expansion valve, so that the evaporator evaporates the condensed water in the host system into water vapor.

[0009] In one embodiment of the present application, the pressure value of the refrigerant flowing through the first electronic expansion valve is controlled to reach the preset pressure value by adjusting the opening of the first electronic expansion valve, so that the saturation temperature of the refrigerant at the preset pressure value is higher than the temperature in the host system by a first temperature threshold.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present application, the host system further includes a blower, which is used to fully dry the moisture attached to the outer wall of the evaporator and the inner wall of the air-conditioning host.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present application, a second electronic expansion valve is provided between the host system and the compression system. The pressure value of the refrigerant flowing through the second electronic expansion valve is controlled by adjusting the opening of the second electronic expansion valve, so that the pressure value of the refrigerant is reduced to an intake pressure value that meets the requirements of the compressor.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present application, the two ends of the compression system are connected through a third electronic expansion valve; when the suction superheat of the compressor is higher than the suction superheat threshold, the third electronic expansion valve is closed; or when the suction superheat of the compressor is lower than the suction superheat threshold, the third electronic expansion valve is opened, and the two ends of the compressor system are directly connected.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present application, the compression system further includes an intake superheat detection device, wherein the intake superheat detection device is preset with the intake superheat threshold value, and the intake superheat detection device detects the intake superheat of the compressor.

[0014] In one embodiment of the present application, a gas-liquid separator is provided between the host system and the compression system, and the refrigerant released by the compression system flows through the condensing system, the host system, the gas-liquid separator in sequence through the pipeline, and finally flows back to the compression system.

[0015] In one embodiment of the present application, when the temperature of the pipeline between the compression system and the condensation system is greater than a second temperature threshold, the compressor increases its operating power to increase the compressor suction temperature.

[0016] In one embodiment of the present application, a temperature sensor is provided on the pipeline, and the temperature sensor is used to detect the temperature of the pipeline between the compression system and the condensation system.

[0017] An embodiment of the present application also provides a thermal management method for an air conditioner, which is applied to the thermal management system of the air conditioner, the thermal management system including: a host system, the host system including an air conditioner host including an evaporator; a condensing system, the condensing system including a condenser, one end of the condensing system is connected to the host system through a pipeline; a compression system, the compression system including a compressor, the compression system is connected to the host system and the condensing system through pipelines respectively; the thermal management method includes: turning on the compressor, when the thermal management system of the air conditioner is working, the condensing system does not perform heat exchange, the compressor provides heat to the evaporator, and the evaporator evaporates the condensed water on its surface to form water vapor.

[0018] In one embodiment of the present application, the host system further includes a blower, and the thermal management method further includes: turning on the blower to supply air, wherein the blower is used to fully dry the moisture attached to the outer wall of the evaporator and the inner wall of the air conditioner host.

[0019] In one embodiment of the present application, a first electronic expansion valve is provided between the host system and the condensing system, and the method further includes: adjusting the first electronic expansion valve so that the compressor provides refrigerant of a preset pressure to the evaporator through the first electronic expansion valve, and the evaporator evaporates the condensed water in the host system into water vapor.

[0020] In one embodiment of the present application, adjusting the first electronic expansion valve includes: adjusting the opening of the first electronic expansion valve to control the pressure value of the refrigerant flowing through the first electronic expansion valve to reach the preset pressure value, so that the saturation temperature of the refrigerant at the preset pressure value is higher than the temperature in the host system by a first temperature threshold.

[0021] In one embodiment of the present application, a second electronic expansion valve is provided between the host system and the compression system, and the method further includes: adjusting the opening of the second electronic expansion valve to control the pressure value of the refrigerant flowing through the second electronic expansion valve, so that the pressure value of the refrigerant is reduced to an intake pressure value that meets the requirements of the compressor.

[0022] In one embodiment of the present application, the two ends of the compression system are connected through a third electronic expansion valve; the method also includes: when the suction superheat of the compressor is higher than the suction superheat threshold, controlling the third electronic expansion valve to close; or when the suction superheat of the compressor is lower than the suction superheat threshold, controlling the third electronic expansion valve to open, so that the two ends of the compressor system are directly connected.

[0023] In one embodiment of the present application, the compression system further includes an intake superheat detection device, wherein the intake superheat detection device is preset with the intake superheat threshold value, and the intake superheat detection device detects the intake superheat of the compressor.

[0024] In one embodiment of the present application, a gas-liquid separator is provided between the host system and the compression system, and the method further includes: controlling the refrigerant released by the compression system to flow through the condensing system, the host system, the gas-liquid separator in sequence through the pipeline, and finally flow back to the compression system.

[0025] In one embodiment of the present application, the method further includes: when the temperature of the pipeline between the compression system and the condensation system is greater than a second temperature threshold, the compressor increases the operating power to increase the compressor suction temperature.

[0026] In one embodiment of the present application, a temperature sensor is provided on the pipeline, and the temperature sensor is used to detect the temperature of the pipeline between the compression system and the condensation system.

[0027] The thermal management system of the air conditioner in the present application does not rely on external heat-absorbing elements. When the thermal management system of the air conditioner is working, the condensing system does not perform heat exchange. At the same time, the evaporator is used as a condenser to generate heat itself, thereby evaporating the condensed water attached to the outer wall of the evaporator and the inner wall of the air conditioner main unit into water vapor, thereby effectively suppressing the odor caused by the operation of the air conditioning system. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for describing the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work.

[0029] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of the working principle of a thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0030] FIG2 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0031] FIG3 is a flow chart showing the steps of a thermal management method according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0032] FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing the steps of a thermal management method according to another embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] The following describes the implementation of the embodiments of the present application through specific examples. Those skilled in the art can easily understand the other advantages and functions of the embodiments of the present application from the content disclosed in this specification. The embodiments of the present application can also be implemented or applied through other different specific implementations. The details in this specification can also be modified or changed in various ways based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of the embodiments of the present application.

[0034] It should be noted that, unless there is a conflict, the features in the following examples and embodiments may be combined with each other. It should also be understood that the terms used in the examples of this application are intended to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the examples of this application. The test methods in the following examples that do not specify specific conditions are generally based on conventional conditions or the conditions recommended by the respective manufacturers.

[0035] Please refer to Figures 1 to 3. It should be noted that the structures, proportions, sizes, etc. illustrated in the drawings of this specification are only used to match the contents disclosed in the specification for people familiar with this technology to understand and read, and are not used to limit the limiting conditions that can be implemented in the embodiments of the present application. Therefore, they have no technical significance. Any modification of the structure, change in the proportional relationship, or adjustment of the size should still fall within the scope of the technical content disclosed in the embodiments of the present application without affecting the effects and purposes that can be achieved in the embodiments of the present application. At the same time, the terms such as "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "middle" and "one" cited in this specification are only for the convenience of description and are not used to limit the scope of the implementation of the embodiments of the present application. Changes or adjustments in their relative relationships should also be regarded as the scope of the implementation of the embodiments of the present application without substantially changing the technical content.

[0036] When the air temperature in a car air conditioner drops suddenly below the dew point in cooling mode, condensation easily forms, depositing on the evaporator surface or dripping into the AC unit. This creates a chronically humid environment, which can easily lead to mold and a sour odor. When the refrigerant temperature is around 0°C, airborne microorganisms freeze on the evaporator surface. If the control strategy limits the compressor speed, the user actively exits the system, or other factors cause the air conditioning system to shut down, the microorganisms thaw and are blown out with the air conditioning, creating a sour odor that causes user discomfort. The existing solution involves installing an odor-absorbing activated carbon filter before the evaporator, but this solution only absorbs a portion of the odor and is very ineffective in resolving the odor problem.

[0037] In response to the above problems, an embodiment of the present application provides a thermal management system for an air conditioner, which can be used to solve the problem of odor generated when the air conditioner is turned on in the prior art. Specifically, the thermal management system of the air conditioner in the embodiment of the present application includes a host system, a condensation system and a compression system. The host system includes an air conditioner host including an evaporator, and the evaporator evaporates the condensed water in the host system into water vapor; the condensation system includes a condenser, and one end of the condensation system is connected to the host system through a pipeline; the compression system includes a compressor, and the compression system is connected to the host system and the condensation system through pipelines respectively, and the compressor provides heat to the evaporator; that is, when the thermal management system of the air conditioner is working, the condensation system does not perform heat exchange, and the compressor can provide heat to the evaporator, and the evaporator uses the heat to evaporate the condensed water in the host system into water vapor.

[0038] In some implementations, a first electronic expansion valve is provided between the host system and the condensing system, a second electronic expansion valve is provided between the host system and the compression system, and the two ends of the compression system are connected through a third electronic expansion valve. When the third electronic expansion valve is opened, the two ends of the compression system are directly connected.

[0039] The embodiment of the present application uses refrigerant to heat the surface of the evaporator to dry out the moisture in the evaporator and the air-conditioning box. Furthermore, in order to avoid a humid environment in the air-conditioning box, the embodiment of the present application accelerates the circulation of air in the host system through a blower to improve the drying effect, thereby eliminating the growth of mold and solving the problem of odor generated by turning on the air conditioner. At the same time, it does not rely on external heat-absorbing elements and uses a triangular cycle to ensure stable operation of the system. During the drying process, the operation of 1 to 3 types of thermal management system components can be reduced. For example, there is no need for fans or water pumps to run, avoiding noise, vibration and sound roughness (NVH) problems, and there is no need to absorb heat from the battery to prevent the battery cell temperature from being too low. In this solution, the evaporator is used as a condenser, and its own heat is utilized. Combined with the blower to supply air, it can not only remove moisture from the air duct and shell of the air conditioner, but also remove moisture from the evaporator core and the surrounding sponge seals. The existing solution of using thermistors (positive temperature coefficient, PTC) or internal condensers to dry moisture can only dry part of the air duct of the air conditioner and cannot remove water from the evaporator core. The drying effect of this application is more thorough.

[0040] In some implementations, this case provides a connecting branch pipe at both ends of the compressor, and a third electronic expansion valve is provided on the branch pipe. When the suction superheat is low, the branch pipe can be opened (that is, the third electronic expansion valve is opened) to directly connect the two ends of the compressor, which can effectively increase the dryness of the main pipe and avoid problems such as liquid return in the compressor and incomplete evaporation of the refrigerant.

[0041] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, an air-conditioning triangular cycle thermal management system provided by an embodiment of the present application includes a host system, a condensing system, and a compression system. The host system, the condensing system, and the compression system are connected to each other via pipes. A first electronic expansion valve may be provided on the pipe between the host system and the condensing system; a second electronic expansion valve may be provided on the pipe between the host system and the compression system. The two ends of the compression system are directly connected via pipes to form a branch, and a third electronic expansion valve may be provided on the branch. The first and second electronic expansion valves are in a normally open state, and the third electronic expansion valve is in a normally closed state.

[0042] In some implementations, the first electronic expansion valve and the second electronic expansion valve are in a normally open state, and the pressure of the refrigerant passing therethrough can be adjusted by controlling the opening degrees of the two electronic expansion valves.

[0043] For example, when the refrigerant flows from the condenser to the host system, the opening of the first electronic expansion valve can be adjusted to provide refrigerant of a preset pressure to the evaporator (that is, after the refrigerant is intercepted by the first expansion valve, it reaches the specified pressure value), and the evaporator evaporates the condensed water in the host system into water vapor.

[0044] For example, after the refrigerant passes through the first expansion valve and is shut off, it reaches a specified pressure value. At this pressure value, the corresponding saturation temperature is higher than the temperature in the host system, and the difference between the saturation temperature and the temperature in the host system is greater than a first temperature threshold (i.e., by adjusting the opening of the first electronic expansion valve, the pressure of the refrigerant flowing through the first electronic expansion valve is controlled to reach a preset pressure value, so that at the preset pressure value, the saturation temperature of the refrigerant is higher than the temperature in the host system by a preset temperature difference). The first temperature threshold (also referred to as the preset temperature difference) can be, for example, 10-20°C. Taking the air conditioning system in a vehicle as an example, when the refrigerant flows from the condenser to the host system, it passes through the first expansion valve and reaches a specified pressure value. At this pressure value, the corresponding saturation temperature is 10-20°C higher than the temperature in the host system. Furthermore, the evaporator surface is heated to dry the condensed water, and the blower blows air to accelerate the evaporation efficiency of the evaporator.

[0045] It should be noted that the temperature in the host system in the embodiment of the present application may refer to the air temperature behind the evaporator in the host system. Taking a vehicle air conditioning system as an example, the temperature in the host system may refer to the air temperature in the vehicle cabin behind the evaporator.

[0046] Continuing with Figure 2 , the host system is an air conditioner main unit that includes an evaporator. When the air conditioner's thermal management system is operating, the evaporator dissipates heat, causing condensed water on the inner walls of the air conditioner main unit housing and on the evaporator core to evaporate, forming water vapor. It should be understood that when the air conditioner's thermal management system is operating, the evaporator transforms into a condenser, at which point the evaporator functions as a condenser.

[0047] Continuing with Figure 2 , the air conditioner main unit may also include a blower to accelerate air circulation within the main unit system. It should be understood that while the evaporator utilizes heat from the compressor to evaporate condensed water in the main unit system into water vapor, the blower is also activated to blow this water vapor out of the main unit system. Of course, the blower also serves to fully dry out moisture adhering to the outer wall of the evaporator and the inner wall of the air conditioner main unit.

[0048] Taking the automobile air-conditioning system as an example, when the blower is turned on, it can accelerate the gas circulation speed in the host system and transport the water vapor in the pipe to the vehicle cabin.

[0049] 2 , the condensation system includes a condenser, which provides a condensation effect under refrigeration conditions. In the embodiment of the present application, there is no limitation on the type of the condenser, which can be an air source condenser or a water condenser.

[0050] Continuing with FIG. 2 , the compression system includes a compressor and an intake air superheat detection device. The intake air superheat detection device can be used to detect intake air superheat in the compressor. In some implementations, the intake air superheat detection device is installed in the compressor. In some implementations, an intake air superheat threshold can be preset in the intake air superheat detection device.

[0051] The compressor works on the refrigerant, raising its temperature and heating the evaporator core. This removes moisture from the evaporator's surface, causing condensed water on the inner walls of the air conditioner housing and on the evaporator core to evaporate, forming water vapor. In other words, the compressor provides heat to the evaporator, providing a flow of heat-carrying refrigerant through the refrigerant pipes. Furthermore, combined with the blower's air supply, this achieves a superior drying effect.

[0052] In some implementations, the input and output ends of the compression system are provided with connecting pipelines, which form a thermal management system branch. A third electronic expansion valve is provided on the thermal management system branch, and the third electronic expansion valve is in a normally closed state. Of course, depending on different operating conditions, the third electronic expansion valve can be controlled to be in an open state or a closed state. For example, when the thermal management system is operating, if the suction superheat of the compressor is higher than the suction superheat threshold, the third electronic expansion valve can be controlled to be closed; for another example, if the suction superheat of the compressor is lower than the suction superheat threshold, the third electronic expansion valve can be controlled to be open, and the two ends of the compressor system are directly connected. The suction superheat threshold can be set as needed.

[0053] In some implementations, a suction superheat detector in the compressor can detect the compressor's suction superheat in real time. In other words, the suction superheat detected by the suction superheat detector is the compressor's suction superheat. The suction superheat detector has a preset suction superheat threshold. When the suction superheat is too low, it can cause wet strokes and liquid hammer, as well as low oil temperature and high viscosity, affecting the compressor's lubrication performance. Therefore, in one embodiment of the present application, a branch circuit consisting of a third electronic expansion valve and a pipeline is designed to address the issue of low suction superheat. When the suction superheat detection device detects that the suction superheat is below the preset suction superheat threshold, the third electronic expansion valve switches from a normally closed state to an open state, directly connecting the two ends of the compressor via the refrigerant pipeline. This forms a branch circuit parallel to the main pipeline of the thermal management system. When this branch circuit is connected, the gas flowing through the compressor is diverted, reducing the gas flow in the main system pipeline. This increases the suction superheat and the outlet dryness at the second electronic expansion valve.

[0054] In some implementations, a temperature sensor may be provided on the pipeline between the compression system and the condensation system to detect the temperature of the pipeline.

[0055] In some implementations, when a temperature sensor detects a high pipeline temperature, the compressor suction temperature may be increased. For example, when the temperature of the pipeline between the compression system and the condensing system is high (e.g., the pipeline temperature is greater than a second temperature threshold), the compressor operating power is increased to increase the compressor suction temperature. The second temperature threshold can be set as needed.

[0056] In some implementations, when the temperature of the pipeline between the compression system and the condensing system is high, the third electronic expansion valve can be opened first. After the third electronic expansion valve is opened, if the refrigerant pipeline temperature is still high (the pipeline temperature is greater than the second temperature threshold), the output power of the compressor is increased, and the suction temperature of the compressor is increased, thereby ensuring that the refrigerant at the compressor inlet is fully liquefied and improving the long-term stability of the system.

[0057] It should be understood that when the thermal management system is working, when the suction air dryness is too low, it may cause wet stroke and liquid hammer, and may also cause problems such as low oil temperature and high viscosity, affecting the lubrication performance of the compressor.

[0058] In some implementations, a compression system includes a compressor and an intake air quality detection device, wherein the intake air quality detection device is installed in the compressor. The intake air quality detector in the compressor can be used to detect the intake air quality of the compressor in real time. In some implementations, the intake air quality detector has a preset intake air quality threshold.

[0059] To address the above issues, another embodiment of the present application includes a gas-liquid separator at the compressor intake port. When the intake air quality detection device detects that the intake air quality is below a preset intake air quality threshold, the gas-liquid separator operates until the intake air quality meets the compressor's operating requirements, thereby increasing the outlet quality at the second electronic expansion valve.

[0060] In some implementations, after passing through the host system, the refrigerant is intercepted by a second electronic expansion valve, where its pressure is reduced to the suction pressure required by the compressor by adjusting the opening of the second expansion valve. The refrigerant then enters the gas-liquid separator to increase its dryness before entering the compressor suction port, completing the refrigerant cycle.

[0061] It should be noted that the devices in the dashed box in Figure 2 are optional. For example, the air conditioning system in this application may be equipped with a third electronic expansion valve but not a gas-liquid separator; or, in another example, the air conditioning system in this application may be equipped with a gas-liquid separator instead of a third electronic expansion valve. Of course, the air conditioning system in this application may be equipped with both a third electronic expansion valve and a gas-liquid separator, and this application does not impose any specific restrictions on this.

[0062] In one embodiment of the application, when the evaporator stops cooling, condensate forms on its surface. At this point, the compressor is turned on, and high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant enters the condenser. This condenser can be either air-cooled or water-cooled. For example, in a vehicle's air-cooled condenser, the condenser fan is disabled. Vehicles equipped with an active grille system (AGS) can close the front air intake, preventing heat dissipation from the condenser. In a water-cooled condenser, the condensate pump is turned off. The refrigerant passes solely through the condenser without any heat exchange. It is then intercepted by EXV1 (the first electronic expansion valve), controlling the refrigerant pressure entering the evaporator so that the corresponding saturation temperature is 10-20°C higher than the cabin temperature. This controls the heat release, allowing the evaporator to function as a condenser. The compressor provides heat to the evaporator by pumping refrigerant to the evaporator. The heat output from the evaporator acts on the sidewalls of the air conditioner main unit and the evaporator core, drying the condensate. The condensed water on the surface of the air conditioner host and the evaporator core evaporates under the action of heat to form water vapor, and the water vapor circulates rapidly in the host system under the action of the blower. After passing through the evaporator, the saturated / supercooled refrigerant is intercepted by EXV2 (the second electronic expansion valve) and enters the two-phase region. At the same time, the pressure is reduced to the suction pressure value that meets the requirements of the compressor. It then enters the gas filter to increase the dryness and finally enters the compressor intake port to complete the cycle. Because this process does not contain an evaporation process, it presents a triangular cycle when drawn in the pressure-enthalpy diagram (therefore, the thermal management system of the air conditioner in this application can also be referred to as the triangular cycle thermal management system of the air conditioner). The refrigerant flows from the compressor through the condensing system, the first electronic expansion valve, the host system, the second electronic expansion valve, the gas-liquid separator (or the third electronic expansion valve) in sequence, and finally flows back to the compressor. The refrigerant does not exchange heat when flowing through the condensing system. When flowing through the first electronic expansion valve and the second electronic expansion valve, the pressure value is changed according to demand. When flowing through the host system, heat exchange occurs to provide heat to the evaporator, and the dryness is increased when flowing through the gas-liquid separator (or the third electronic expansion valve).

[0063] In one embodiment of the present application, when the air conditioner's thermal management system is in operation, the compressor is first turned on, providing heat to the evaporator. The heat output by the evaporator acts on the side walls of the air conditioner main unit and the inner core of the evaporator. Condensed water on the surfaces of the air conditioner main unit and the evaporator's inner core evaporates under the action of heat, forming water vapor. A blower accelerates the flow of gas within the main unit system, allowing the water vapor to be transported into the vehicle cabin. When the intake superheat detection device in the compression system detects that the intake superheat is too low, the third electronic expansion valve is opened, directly connecting the two ends of the compressor and diverting the gas flow from the main line.

[0064] The above description of the thermal management system embodiment of the present application is described in detail in conjunction with Figures 1 and 2 . The following description of the thermal management method embodiment of the present application is described in detail in conjunction with Figures 1 and 2 . It should be understood that the description of the thermal management method embodiment corresponds to the description of the thermal management system embodiment. Therefore, for portions not described in detail, reference can be made to the aforementioned thermal management system embodiment.

[0065] The present application also provides a thermal management method for an air conditioner, which is applied to the thermal management system of the air conditioner. The thermal management system includes: a host system, the host system includes an air conditioner host including an evaporator; a condensing system, the condensing system includes a condenser, one end of the condensing system is connected to the host system via a pipeline; and a compression system, the compression system includes a compressor, and the compression system is connected to the host system and the condensing system via pipelines. The thermal management method includes: S11: turning on the compressor, the compressor provides heat to the evaporator, and the evaporator evaporates condensed water on its surface to form water vapor. In other words, when the compressor is turned on and the thermal management system of the air conditioner is operating, the condensing system does not perform heat exchange, and the compressor provides heat to the evaporator, and the evaporator evaporates condensed water on its surface to form water vapor.

[0066] In some implementations, the thermal management method further includes: S12: turning on the blower to supply air, the blower accelerating the gas circulation in the host system; the blower is used to fully dry the moisture attached to the outer wall of the evaporator and the inner wall of the air conditioner host.

[0067] In some implementations, the thermal management method further includes: controlling the third electronic expansion valve to close if the compressor's suction superheat exceeds a suction superheat threshold; or controlling the third electronic expansion valve to open if the compressor's suction superheat falls below the suction superheat threshold, thereby directly connecting the two ends of the compressor system. For example, in step S13, the suction superheat detection device detects the compressor's suction superheat. When the suction superheat falls below the suction superheat threshold, the third electronic expansion valve connecting the two ends of the compressor opens.

[0068] In some implementations, the thermal management method further includes: S14: shutting down the operation of each device to end the triangle cycle thermal management process.

[0069] As shown in Figures 1-3, the evaporator is installed in the air conditioner main unit, which is connected to the compressor and condenser via pipelines. A temperature sensor is also installed in the pipeline between the compression system and the condensing system. In S13, after the third electronic expansion valve is opened, if the temperature sensor detects a high pipeline temperature, the compressor suction temperature is increased. A first electronic expansion valve is installed between the condenser and the air conditioner main unit, and a second electronic expansion valve is installed between the air conditioner main unit and the compression system. Both the first and second electronic expansion valves are normally open.

[0070] In S11, when the thermal management system of the air conditioner is working, the compressor delivers high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant to the condenser. In the embodiment of the present application, there is no restriction on the type of condenser, which can be an air source condenser or a water condenser. Taking the air conditioning system in the vehicle as an example, when the condenser is an air-cooled condenser, the condensing fan is not turned on at this time. Vehicles equipped with AGS can close the front air intake and the condenser has no heat dissipation; if it is a water-cooled condenser, the condensing water pump is turned off. The refrigerant only passes through the condenser without any heat exchange. After that, the refrigerant is intercepted by EXV1 (the first electronic expansion valve) to control the refrigerant pressure entering the evaporator (the opening of the first electronic expansion valve is adjusted to provide the evaporator with a preset pressure of refrigerant, and the evaporator evaporates the condensed water in the host system into water vapor). The saturation temperature corresponding to this pressure is higher than the temperature in the host system (such as the temperature in the vehicle cabin), and the difference between the saturation temperature and the temperature in the host system is greater than the first temperature threshold, which can be, for example, 10 to 20°C. Taking the air-conditioning system in a vehicle as an example, the refrigerant is intercepted through EXV1 to control the refrigerant pressure entering the evaporator so that the saturation temperature corresponding to this pressure is 10 to 20°C higher than the cabin temperature. The system releases heat, and the evaporator acts as a condenser. The compressor provides heat to the evaporator by supplying refrigerant to the evaporator. The heat output by the evaporator acts on the side walls of the air-conditioning main unit and the inner core of the evaporator to dry the condensed water.

[0071] In S12, the condensed water on the surface of the air conditioner main unit and the evaporator core evaporates to form water vapor under the action of heat, and the water vapor circulates rapidly in the main unit system under the action of the blower.

[0072] In S13, the suction superheat of the compressor is detected by an suction superheat detection device. The detection device has an suction superheat threshold. When the detected suction superheat is lower than the preset suction superheat threshold, the third electronic expansion valve connected to both ends of the compressor is opened.

[0073] The embodiment of the present application proposes a thermal management system and a thermal management method for an air conditioner. By adding a branch connecting the two ends of the compressor, the compressor can open the branch when the suction superheat is low, which can effectively increase the dryness of the main circuit and improve the working stability of the system.

[0074] A thermal management system and thermal management method for an air conditioner in an embodiment of the present application dynamically decides whether to open the hot gas bypass valve, i.e., the third electronic expansion valve, based on the feedback of the suction superheat when drying the condensed water on the evaporator surface during the triangular cycle. When it is monitored that the suction superheat of the compressor is insufficient, EXV3 (the third electronic expansion valve) is opened to divert the compressor exhaust mass flow, so that the EXV3 circuit and the main system circuit are in parallel, reducing the flow of part of the main system circuit, and increasing the dryness of the EXV2 outlet. At the same time, after being intercepted by EXV3, the refrigerant temperature is still relatively high, which can increase the suction temperature of the compressor, ensure that the refrigerant at the compressor inlet is fully vaporized, and improve the long-term operation stability of the system.

[0075] The present application also provides a triangular cycle thermal management method for solving the problem of odor when using air conditioning, including: S21: the compressor releases refrigerant, and the refrigerant flows into the condenser; S22: the refrigerant flows from the condenser through the first electronic expansion valve to the evaporator; S23: the refrigerant flows from the host system through the second electronic expansion valve to the gas-liquid separator; S24: the refrigerant flows from the gas-liquid separator to the compressor, and the cycle ends.

[0076] As shown in Figures 2 and 4, the evaporator is installed in the air-conditioning main unit, and the air-conditioning main unit is connected to the compressor and the condenser through pipelines respectively. A temperature sensor is also provided on the pipeline between the compression system and the condensing system. In S22, when the refrigerant flows through the first expansion valve, the pressure value of the refrigerant is adjusted by adjusting the opening of the first expansion valve so that the saturation temperature corresponding to the refrigerant at this pressure value is 10 to 20°C (such as 15°C) higher than the temperature in the main system. Under the action of the refrigerant, the evaporator evaporates the condensed water on the surface of the evaporator. In S23, when the refrigerant flows through the second expansion valve, the pressure value of the refrigerant is adjusted by adjusting the opening of the second expansion valve so that the pressure value of the refrigerant is reduced to the suction pressure value that meets the requirements of the compressor. When the refrigerant enters the gas-liquid separator, the gas-liquid separator increases the dryness of the refrigerant.

[0077] This application proposes a triangular cycle thermal management system and method for eliminating odor in vehicle air conditioning. The refrigerant pressure value can be controlled by two electronic expansion valves to meet the working requirements of the evaporator and compressor. At the same time, a gas-liquid separator is provided at the suction end of the compressor to improve the suction dryness.

[0078] Therefore, the problem of odor in the air conditioner can be solved through the thermal management system and thermal management method of the air conditioner in the embodiment of the present application.

[0079] The above embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and effects of the embodiments of the present application and are not intended to limit the embodiments of the present application. Anyone familiar with the technology may modify or alter the above embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the embodiments of the present application. Therefore, all equivalent modifications or changes made by a person of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and technical ideas disclosed in the embodiments of the present application shall still be covered by the claims of the embodiments of the present application.

Claims

1. A thermal management system for an air conditioner, wherein: include: A host system, the host system comprising an air-conditioning host including an evaporator; A condensation system, wherein the condensation system comprises a condenser, and one end of the condensation system is connected to the host system through a pipeline; A compression system, the compression system comprising a compressor, the compression system being connected to the host system and the condensing system through pipelines respectively; Wherein, when the thermal management system of the air conditioner is working, the condensing system does not perform heat exchange, the compressor provides heat to the evaporator, and the evaporator uses the heat to evaporate the condensed water in the host system into water vapor.

2. The thermal management system according to claim 1, wherein: A first electronic expansion valve is provided between the host system and the condensing system, and the compressor provides refrigerant of preset pressure to the evaporator through the first electronic expansion valve, so that the evaporator evaporates the condensed water in the host system into water vapor.

3. The thermal management system according to claim 2, wherein: The pressure value of the refrigerant flowing through the first electronic expansion valve is controlled to reach the preset pressure value by adjusting the opening of the first electronic expansion valve, so that the saturation temperature of the refrigerant at the preset pressure value is higher than the temperature in the host system by a first temperature threshold.

4. The thermal management system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The host system also includes a blower, which is used to fully dry the moisture attached to the outer wall of the evaporator and the inner wall of the air-conditioning host.

5. The thermal management system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: A second electronic expansion valve is provided between the host system and the compression system. The pressure value of the refrigerant flowing through the second electronic expansion valve is controlled by adjusting the opening of the second electronic expansion valve, so that the pressure value of the refrigerant is reduced to a suction pressure value that meets the requirements of the compressor.

6. The thermal management system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein: A gas-liquid separator is provided between the host system and the compression system. The refrigerant released by the compression system flows through the condensation system, the host system, the gas-liquid separator in sequence through the pipeline, and finally flows back to the compression system.

7. The thermal management system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein: The two ends of the compression system are connected via a third electronic expansion valve; When the suction superheat of the compressor is higher than the suction superheat threshold, the third electronic expansion valve is closed; or When the suction superheat of the compressor is lower than the suction superheat threshold, the third electronic expansion valve opens, and both ends of the compressor system are directly connected.

8. The thermal management system according to claim 7, wherein: The compression system further comprises a suction superheat detection device, wherein the suction superheat detection device is preset with the suction superheat threshold value, and the suction superheat detection device detects the suction superheat of the compressor.

9. The thermal management system according to claim 7 or 8, wherein: After the third electronic expansion valve is opened, when the temperature of the pipeline between the compression system and the condensation system is greater than a second temperature threshold, the compressor increases the operating power to increase the suction temperature of the compressor.

10. The thermal management system according to claim 9, wherein: A temperature sensor is provided on the pipeline, and the temperature sensor is used to detect the temperature of the pipeline between the compression system and the condensation system.

11. A thermal management method for an air conditioner, wherein: A thermal management system applied to an air conditioner, the thermal management system comprising: A host system, the host system comprising an air-conditioning host including an evaporator; A condensation system, wherein the condensation system comprises a condenser, and one end of the condensation system is connected to the host system through a pipeline; A compression system, the compression system comprising a compressor, the compression system being connected to the host system and the condensing system through pipelines respectively; The thermal management method comprises: The compressor is turned on. When the thermal management system of the air conditioner is working, the condensing system does not perform heat exchange. The compressor provides heat to the evaporator, and the evaporator evaporates the condensed water on its surface to form water vapor.

12. The thermal management method according to claim 11, wherein: The host system further includes a blower, and the thermal management method further includes: The blower is turned on to supply air, and the blower is used to fully dry the moisture attached to the outer wall of the evaporator and the inner wall of the air conditioner main unit.

13. The thermal management method according to claim 11 or 12, wherein: A first electronic expansion valve is provided between the host system and the condensing system, and the method further comprises: The first electronic expansion valve is adjusted so that the compressor provides the refrigerant of a preset pressure to the evaporator through the first electronic expansion valve, and the evaporator evaporates the condensed water in the host system into the water vapor.

14. The thermal management method according to claim 13, wherein: The step of adjusting the first electronic expansion valve comprises: The opening of the first electronic expansion valve is adjusted to control the pressure value of the refrigerant flowing through the first electronic expansion valve to reach the preset pressure value, so that the saturation temperature of the refrigerant at the preset pressure value is higher than the temperature in the host system by a first temperature threshold.

15. The thermal management method according to any one of claims 11 to 14, wherein: A second electronic expansion valve is provided between the host system and the compression system, and the method further comprises: The opening of the second electronic expansion valve is adjusted to control the pressure value of the refrigerant flowing through the second electronic expansion valve, so that the pressure value of the refrigerant is reduced to a suction pressure value that meets the requirements of the compressor.

16. The thermal management method according to any one of claims 11 to 15, wherein: A gas-liquid separator is provided between the host system and the compression system, and the method further comprises: The refrigerant released from the compression system is controlled to flow through the condensation system, the host system, the gas-liquid separator in sequence through the pipeline, and finally flows back to the compression system.

17. The thermal management method according to any one of claims 11 to 15, wherein: The two ends of the compression system are connected via a third electronic expansion valve; the method further comprises: When the suction superheat of the compressor is higher than the suction superheat threshold, controlling the third electronic expansion valve to close; or When the suction superheat of the compressor is lower than the suction superheat threshold, the third electronic expansion valve is controlled to open so that both ends of the compressor system are directly connected.

18. The thermal management method according to claim 17, wherein: The compression system further comprises a suction superheat detection device, wherein the suction superheat detection device is preset with the suction superheat threshold value, and the suction superheat detection device detects the suction superheat of the compressor.

19. The thermal management method according to claim 17 or 18, wherein: The method further comprises: After the third electronic expansion valve is opened, when the temperature of the pipeline between the compression system and the condensation system is greater than a second temperature threshold, the compressor increases the operating power to increase the suction temperature of the compressor.

20. The thermal management method according to claim 19, wherein: A temperature sensor is provided on the pipeline, and the temperature sensor is used to detect the temperature of the pipeline between the compression system and the condensation system.

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