Refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger, and vehicle air conditioning system employing same

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger with which a plurality of liquid heating mediums having different temperatures can be formed at the same time, and which is capable of varying the temperature of an outflowing liquid heating medium by means of a heat exchanger, and a vehicle air conditioning system employing same. [Solution] A refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger (1) which performs heat exchange between a refrigerant and a liquid heating medium and comprises: a refrigerant inflow port (11) through which a refrigerant flows in; a refrigerant outflow port (12) through which the refrigerant flows out; a refrigerant flow path (13) for connecting the refrigerant inflow port (11) and the refrigerant outflow port (12); a heating medium inflow port (21) enabling a liquid heating medium to flow in; a heating medium outflow port (22) enabling the liquid heating medium to flow out; a heating medium flow path (23) which connects the heating medium inflow port (21) and the heating medium outflow port (22) and is provided so as to run alongside the refrigerant flow path (13); and an intermediate heating medium outflow port (24) which communicates with the heating medium flow path (23), is provided between the heating medium inflow port (21) and the heating medium outflow port (22) as seen along a flow of the liquid heating medium, and enables the liquid heating medium to flow out. An intermediate heating medium inflow port (25) may be provided between the heating medium inflow port (21) and the heating medium outflow port (22) and enable the liquid heating medium to flow in.

Description

[Document Name] Patent Application [File No.] 2023P01252 [Submission Date] 4 October 2023 [To] Commissioner, JPO [IPC] F28D 9 / 00 [Inventor] [Address or Residence] c / o Valeo Japan Co., Ltd., 39 Sendai Aza-Higashihara, Kumagaya-shi, Saitama-ken [Name] Hiroyuki ISHINO [Inventor] [Address or Residence] c / o Valeo Japan Co., Ltd., 39 Sendai Aza-Higashihara, Kumagaya-shi, Saitama-ken [Name] Ryo MIYAKOSHI [Inventor] [Address or Residence] c / o Valeo Japan Co., Ltd., 39 Sendai Aza-Higashihara, Kumagaya-shi, Saitama-ken [Name] Akihiko TAKANO [Patent Applicant] [ID No.] 505113632 [Name or Title] VALEO SYSTEMES THERMIQUES [Agent] [ID No.] 110001254 [Name or Designation] Koyo International Patent Firm [Representative] Hiroshi ARAFUNE [Tel.] 03-5251-5721 [Contact] Responsible officer: Akihito KOTAKE [Indication of Fees] [Deposit Account No.] 435028 [Payment Amount] JPY 14 000 [List of Items Submitted][Name of Item] Specification: 1 [Name of Item] Claims: 1 [Name of Item] Abstract: 1 [Name of Item] Drawings: 1[Document Name] SPECIFICATION [Title of the Invention] Refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger, and vehicle air conditioning system employing same [Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger for performing heat exchange between a refrigerant and a liquid heating medium, and to a vehicle air conditioning system employing same. [Background Art]

[0002] A stacked heat exchanger for performing heat exchange between a refrigerant and cooling water is conventionally known (see Patent Document 1). This heat exchanger is formed by stacking multiple heat transfer plates, with a refrigerant flow path for a flow of a refrigerant and a cooling water flow path for a flow of cooling water, which are formed between two heat transfer plates adjacent in a stacking direction, being alternately arranged in a stacking direction. The cooling water flow path therefore branches into multiple rows within the stack, and the refrigerant flow path also branches into multiple rows within the stack.

[0003] Furthermore, the heat transfer plate arranged at one end in the stacking direction is provided with: a refrigerant inflow port through which the refrigerant flows into the refrigerant flow path from the outside; a refrigerant outflow port through which the refrigerant flows to the outside from the refrigerant flow path; a cooling water inflow port through which the cooling water flows into the cooling water flow path from the outside; and a cooling water outflow port through which the cooling water flows to the outside from the cooling water flow path.

[0004] The refrigerant that has flowed in from the refrigerant inflow port thereforepasses through the refrigerant flow path which branches inside the stack and then flows out from the refrigerant outflow port, while the cooling water that has flowed in from the cooling water inflow port passes through the cooling water flow path which branches inside the stack and then flows out from the cooling water outflow port, and the refrigerant and the cooling water undergo heat exchange as they pass through the respective branched flow paths (refrigerant flow path and cooling water flow path). [Prior Art Documents] [Patent Documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2017-15278 A [Summary of the Invention] [Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

[0006] In the conventional heat exchanger, however, the cooling water inflow port communicates with a starting end position of the cooling water passage, and the cooling water outflow port communicates with a terminal position of the cooling water passage, and the refrigerant and the cooling water undergo heat exchange using the whole interior of the stack, after which the cooling water is supplied to a heater core in a hot water cycle, so a plurality of cooling water (liquid heating medium) having different temperatures cannot be formed at the same time, and a length of heat exchange of the refrigerant and the cooling water is fixed, making it impossible to vary the temperature of the outflowing cooling water (liquid heating medium) by means of the heat exchanger, which thus limits the purposes of use.

[0007] The present invention has been devised in light of this situation, and the main problem addressed thereby lies in providing a refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger with which a plurality of liquid heating mediums having different temperatures can be formed at the same time, and which is capable of varying thetemperature of an outflowing liquid heating medium by means of a heat exchanger, and a vehicle air conditioning system employing same. [Means for Solving the Problems]

[0008] In order to solve the problem above, a refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger according to the present invention constitutes a refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger (1) which performs heat exchange between a refrigerant and a liquid heating medium and is characterized by comprising: a refrigerant inflow port (11) through which a refrigerant flows in; a refrigerant outflow port (12) through which the refrigerant flows out; a refrigerant flow path (13) for connecting the refrigerant inflow port (11) and the refrigerant outflow port (12); a heating medium inflow port (21) enabling a liquid heating medium to flow in; a heating medium outflow port (22) enabling the liquid heating medium to flow out; a heating medium flow path (23) which connects the heating medium inflow port (21) and the heating medium outflow port (22) and is provided so as to run alongside the refrigerant flow path (13); and an intermediate heating medium outflow port (24) which communicates with the heating medium flow path (23), is provided between the heating medium inflow port (21) and the heating medium outflow port (22) as seen along a flow of the liquid heating medium, and enables the liquid heating medium to flow out.

[0009] Therefore, the liquid heating medium that has flowed in from the heating medium inflow port flows through the heating medium flow path while undergoing heat exchange with the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant flow path, and flows out from the heating medium outflow port or the intermediate heating medium outflow port. On such occasion, since the intermediate heating medium outflow port is provided upstream of the heating medium outflow port, the liquid heating medium that flows out from the intermediate heating medium outflow port has a relatively lower amount of heat exchange with the refrigerant than the liquid heating medium flowing out from the heating medium outflow port.

[0010] Namely, the liquid heating medium that has a relatively low amount of heat exchange with the refrigerant can be caused to flow out from the intermediate heating medium outflow port, and the liquid heating medium that has a relatively high amount of heat exchange with the refrigerant can be caused to flow out from the heating medium outflow port, which thus makes it possible to cause liquid heating mediums of different temperatures to flow out at the same time. Due to this, it is possible to cool a plurality of heat-generating elements having different cooling energy amounts at the same time, or to cool a plurality of objects having different required heating amounts at the same time, for example.

[0011] In the aforementioned configuration, an intermediate heating medium inflow port (25), which communicates with the heating medium flow path (23), may be provided between the heating medium inflow port (21) and the heating medium outflow port (22) as seen along a flow of the liquid heating medium, and enables the liquid heating medium to flow in.

[0012] In this configuration, a plurality of inflow ports for the liquid heating medium are provided in the flow direction of the liquid heating medium, and thus it is possible to adjust the temperature of the liquid heating medium flowing out from the heating medium outflow port by adjusting the inflow proportion of the liquid heating medium flowing in from the heating medium inflow port and the liquid heating medium flowing in from the intermediate heating medium inflow port, while taking into account the amount of heat generated by the heat- generating element or the required heating amount of the object to be heated.

[0013] In this case, the intermediate heating medium outflow port (24) and the intermediate heating medium inflow port (25) described above may be formed by the same communication port communicating with the heating medium flow path (23), and this communication port may be selectively used as the intermediate heatingmedium outflow port (24) or the intermediate heating medium inflow port (25).

[0014] With this configuration, it is also possible to use the same refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger to selectively form a multiple heating medium supply mode for supplying a plurality of liquid heating mediums having different temperatures for handling cooling of a plurality of heat-generating elements having different cooling energy amounts or heating of a plurality of objects having different required heating amounts, and a multiple heating medium receiving mode for receiving a plurality of liquid heating mediums having different temperatures for handling changes in the amount of heat generated by a heat-generating element or changes in the required heating amount of an object.

[0015] In other words, it is possible to use the same refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger to change the purpose of the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger depending on whether piping connecting to the communication port is refrigerant inflow-side piping or refrigerant outflow-side piping, which thus makes the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger compatible with a simple structure.

[0016] Note that the intermediate heating medium inflow port (25) may be provided between the heating medium inflow port (21) and the intermediate heating medium outflow port (24) as seen along a flow of the liquid heating medium.

[0017] With this configuration, the intermediate heating medium inflow port and the intermediate heating medium outflow port are provided separately, and thus it is possible to simultaneously handle a multiple heating medium supply mode for supplying a plurality of liquid heating mediums having different temperatures for handling cooling of a plurality of heat-generating elements having different cooling energy amounts or heating of a plurality of objects having different required heating amounts, and a multiple heating medium receiving mode for receiving a plurality of liquid heating mediums having different temperaturesfor handling changes in the amount of heat generated by a heat-generating element or changes in the required heating amount of an object.

[0018] The refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger described above may be constructed by a heat exchanger having a stacked structure, or may be a heat exchanger constructed by alternately stacking refrigerant circulation layers (16) leading to the refrigerant inflow port (11) and the refrigerant outflow port (12), and heating medium circulation layers (26) leading to the heating medium inflow port (21), the heating medium outflow port (22), and the intermediate heating medium outflow port (24); the refrigerant flow path (13) may be formed by the respective refrigerant circulation layers (16), and the heating medium flow path (23) may be formed by the respective heating medium circulation layers (26).

[0019] In this configuration, the refrigerant circulation layers and heating medium circulation layers are alternately stacked, so it is possible to have a large area for heat exchange between the refrigerant and the liquid heating medium, enabling better heat exchange efficiency.

[0020] The refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger can be used in various types of vehicle air conditioning systems, and configurations such as the following are conceivable as a vehicle air conditioning system.

[0021] Namely, a vehicle air conditioning system using a refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger provided with an intermediate heating medium outflow port between a heating medium inflow port and a heating medium outflow port as seen along a flow of a liquid heating medium may be a configuration in which an outflow port of an expansion valve (46) that decompresses and expands the refrigerant is connected to the refrigerant inflow port (11), the refrigerant that has been decompressed and expanded by the expansion valve (46) can circulate to therefrigerant flow path (13), a first heat-generating element heat absorber (53) that absorbs heat from a first heat-generating element (52), and a bypass junction (J1) are provided in this order in a pathway (51) of a heating medium cycle (50) that runs from the heating medium outflow port (22) to the heating medium inflow port (21), a second heat-generating element heat absorber (56) that absorbs heat from a second heat-generating element (55) is provided in a heating medium outflow bypass flow path (54) running from the intermediate heating medium outflow port (24) to the bypass junction (J1), and the vehicle air conditioning system comprises at least one of an integrated pump (58) which is provided in a pathway (51b) from the bypass junction (J1) to the heating medium inflow port (21) and delivers the liquid heating medium, and separate flow pumps (58a, 58b) respectively provided in a pathway (51a) from the heating medium outflow port (22) to the bypass junction (J1) and the heating medium outflow bypass flow path (54).

[0022] Furthermore, as a vehicle air conditioning system using a refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger equipped with an intermediate heating medium inflow port between a heating medium inflow port and a heating medium outflow port as seen along the flow of a liquid heating medium, the vehicle air conditioning system may be configured so that an expansion valve (46) for decompressing and expanding the refrigerant is connected to the refrigerant inflow port (11), the refrigerant which has been decompressed and expanded by the expansion valve (46) is able to circulate in the refrigerant flow path (13), the heating medium outflow port (22) is connected to the heating medium inflow port (21) and the intermediate heating medium inflow port (25) by way of a third heat-generating element heat absorber (62) for absorbing heat of a third heat-generating element (61), a branch portion (D1) provided on an outflow side of the third heat- generating element heat absorber (62), and branch flow paths (63a, 63b) which branch at the branch portion (D1), and the vehicle air conditioning system comprises at least one of: an integrated pump (65) which is provided in apathway (64) from the heating medium outflow port (22) to the branch portion (D1) and delivers the liquid heating medium, and separate flow pumps (65a, 65b) respectively provided in the branch flow paths (63a, 63b).

[0023] Another example of a vehicle air conditioning system using a refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger provided with an intermediate heating medium outflow port between a heating medium inflow port and a heating medium outflow port may be a configuration in which a compressor (71) is connected to the refrigerant inflow port (11), the refrigerant that has been compressed by the compressor (71) can circulate to the refrigerant flow path (13), a passenger compartment-internal radiator (36) that is disposed in an airflow space (34) of an air conditioning unit (30) and heats air flowing through the airflow space (34), and a bypass junction (J2) are provided in this order in a pathway (81) of a heating medium cycle (80) running from the heating medium outflow port (22) to the heating medium inflow port (21), a fourth heat-generating element heat sink (84) that dissipates heat from a fourth heat-generating element (83) is provided in a heating medium outflow bypass flow path (82) running from the intermediate heating medium outflow port (24) to the bypass junction (J2), and the vehicle air conditioning system comprises at least one of an integrated pump (88) which is provided in a pathway (81b) from the bypass junction (J2) to the heating medium inflow port (21) and delivers the liquid heating medium, and separate flow pumps (88a, 88b) respectively provided in a pathway (81a) from the heating medium outflow port (22) to the bypass junction (J2) and the heating medium outflow bypass flow path (82).

[0024] Furthermore, as another example of a vehicle air conditioning system using a refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger equipped with an intermediate heating medium inflow port between a heating medium inflow port and a heating medium outflow port, the vehicle air conditioning system may be configured so that a compressor (71) is connected to the refrigerant inflow port (11), therefrigerant compressed by the compressor (71) is able to circulate in the refrigerant flow path (13), the heating medium outflow port (22) is connected to the heating medium inflow port (21) and the intermediate heating medium inflow port (25) by way of a passenger compartment-internal radiator (36) disposed in an airflow space (34) of an air conditioning unit (30), a branch portion (D2) provided on an outflow side of the passenger compartment-internal radiator (36), and branch flow paths (91a, 91b) which branch at the branch portion (D2), and the vehicle air conditioning system comprises at least one of: an integrated pump (93) which is provided in a pathway (92) from the heating medium outflow port (22) to the branch portion (D2) and delivers the liquid heating medium, and separate flow pumps (93a, 93b) respectively provided in the branch flow paths (91a, 91b).

[0025] Another example of a vehicle air conditioning system using a refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger provided with an intermediate heating medium outflow port between a heating medium inflow port and a heating medium outflow port may be a configuration in which an outflow port of an expansion valve (115) that decompresses and expands the refrigerant is connected to the refrigerant inflow port (11), the refrigerant that has been decompressed and expanded by the expansion valve (115) can circulate to the refrigerant flow path (13), a passenger compartment-internal heat absorber (35) that is disposed in an airflow space (34) of an air conditioning unit (30) and heats air flowing through the airflow space (34), and a bypass junction (J3) are provided in this order in a pathway (121) of a heating medium cycle (120) running from the heating medium outflow port (22) to the heating medium inflow port (21), a fifth heat-generating element heat absorber (124) that absorbs heat from a fifth heat- generating element (123) is provided in a heating medium outflow bypass flow path (122) running from the intermediate heating medium outflow port (24) to the bypass junction (J3), and the vehicle air conditioning system comprises at least one of an integrated pump (128) which is provided in a pathway (121b) from thebypass junction (J3) to the heating medium inflow port (21) and delivers the liquid heating medium, and separate flow pumps (128a, 128b) respectively provided in a pathway (121a) from the heating medium outflow port (22) to the bypass junction (J3) and the heating medium outflow bypass flow path (122).

[0026] Furthermore, as another example of a vehicle air conditioning system using a refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger equipped with an intermediate heating medium inflow port between a heating medium inflow port and a heating medium outflow port, the vehicle air conditioning system may be configured so that an expansion valve (115) for decompressing and expanding the refrigerant is connected to the refrigerant inflow port (11), the refrigerant which has been decompressed and expanded by the expansion valve (115) is able to circulate in the refrigerant flow path (13), the heating medium outflow port (22) is connected to the heating medium inflow port (21) and the intermediate heating medium inflow port (25) by way of a passenger compartment-internal heat absorber (35) disposed in an airflow space (34) of an air conditioning unit (30), a branch portion (D3) provided on an outflow side of the passenger compartment- internal heat absorber (35), and branch flow paths (131a, 131b) which branch at the branch portion (D3), and the vehicle air conditioning system comprises at least one of: an integrated pump (133) which is provided in a pathway (132) from the heating medium outflow port (22) to the branch portion (D3) and delivers the liquid heating medium, and separate flow pumps (133a, 133b) respectively provided in the branch flow paths (131a, 131b). [Effects of the Invention]

[0027] As described above, according to the present invention, at least one of an intermediate heating medium outflow port through which a liquid heating medium can flow out and an intermediate heating medium inflow port through which a liquid heating medium can flow in is provided between a heating medium inflow port and a heating medium outflow port as seen along the flow of a liquidheating medium, which thus makes it possible to cause liquid heating mediums of different temperatures to flow out at the same time; for example, it is possible to cool a plurality of heat-generating elements having different cooling energy amounts at the same time, or it is possible to heat a plurality of objects having different heating amounts at the same time. Furthermore, it is possible to differ the temperature of the liquid heating medium to be supplied, while taking into account the amount of heat generated by the heat-generating element or the required heating amount of the object to be heated. [Brief Description of the Drawings]

[0028] [Fig. 1] shows a first embodiment of the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger according to the present invention, where (a) is an oblique view of the heat exchanger simultaneously showing flows of refrigerant and liquid heating medium, (b) is a diagram showing, for expediency, only the flow of refrigerant through the heat exchanger in (a), and (c) is a diagram showing, for expediency, only the flow of liquid heating medium through the heat exchanger in (a). [Fig. 2] shows heat transfer plates used when the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger according to the present invention is configured by a stacked heat exchanger, where (a) is a plan view of a refrigerant heat transfer plate, also shown together with a cross section along the line A-A, a cross section along the line B-B, and a cross section along the line C-C, and (b) is a plan view of a heating medium heat transfer plate, also shown together with a cross section along the line A-A, a cross section along the line B-B, and a cross section along the line C-C. [Fig. 3] is a partial cutaway view of a refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger in which the refrigerant heat transfer plates and heating medium heat transfer plates in fig. 2 are alternately stacked, where (a) is a view in cross section taken along the line A-A in fig. 2, (b) is a view in cross section taken along the line B-B in fig. 2, and (c) is a view in cross section taken along theline C-C in fig. 2. [Fig. 4] shows a variant example of the first embodiment of the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger according to the present invention, where (a) is a diagram showing, for expediency, only the flow of refrigerant, and (b) is a diagram showing, for expediency, only the flow of liquid heating medium. [Fig. 5] is a partial cutaway view of the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger shown in fig. 4 when a stacked heat exchanger is constructed using the same heat transfer plates (refrigerant heat transfer plates, heating medium heat transfer plates) as in fig. 2, where (a) is a cross section taken along the line A-A in fig. 2, (b) is a cross section taken along the line B-B in fig. 2, and (c) is a cross section taken along the line C-C in fig. 2. [Fig. 6] shows a second embodiment of the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger according to the present invention, where (a) is an oblique view of the heat exchanger simultaneously showing flows of refrigerant and liquid heating medium, (b) is a diagram showing, for expediency, only the flow of refrigerant through the heat exchanger in (a), and (c) is a diagram showing, for expediency, only the flow of liquid heating medium through the heat exchanger in (a). [Fig. 7] shows a third embodiment of the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger according to the present invention, where (a) is an oblique view of the heat exchanger simultaneously showing flows of refrigerant and liquid heating medium, (b) is a diagram showing, for expediency, only the flow of refrigerant through the heat exchanger in (a), and (c) is a diagram showing, for expediency, only the flow of liquid heating medium through the heat exchanger in (a). [Fig. 8] shows heat transfer plates used when the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger shown in fig. 7 is configured by a stacked heat exchanger, where (a) is a plan view of a refrigerant heat transfer plate, also shown together with a cross section along the line A-A, a cross section along the line B-B, anda cross section along the line C-C, and (b) is a plan view of a heating medium heat transfer plate, also shown together with a cross section along the line A-A, a cross section along the line B-B, and a cross section along the line C-C. [Fig. 9] shows a first embodiment of a vehicle air conditioning system according to the present invention. [Fig. 10] shows a variant example of the first embodiment of the vehicle air conditioning system. [Fig. 11] shows another variant example of the first embodiment of the vehicle air conditioning system. [Fig. 12] shows the second embodiment of the vehicle air conditioning system according to the present invention, where (a) is an example using an integrated pump and a flow rate regulating valve for a heating medium cycle, (b) is an example using an integrated pump and a three-way flow rate regulating valve for a heating medium cycle, and (c) is an example using each integrated pump for a heating medium cycle. [Fig. 13] shows a third embodiment of a vehicle air conditioning system according to the present invention. [Fig. 14] shows a variant example of the third embodiment of the vehicle air conditioning system. [Fig. 15] shows another variant example of the third embodiment of the vehicle air conditioning system. [Fig. 16] shows the fourth embodiment of the vehicle air conditioning system according to the present invention, where (a) is an example using an integrated pump and a flow rate regulating valve for a heating medium cycle, (b) is an example using an integrated pump and a three-way flow rate regulating valve for a heating medium cycle, and (c) is an example using each integrated pump for a heating medium cycle. [Fig. 17] shows a fifth embodiment of a vehicle air conditioning system according to the present invention. [Fig. 18] shows a variant example of the fifth embodiment of the vehicle airconditioning system. [Fig. 19] shows another variant example of the fifth embodiment of the vehicle air conditioning system. [Fig. 20] shows the sixth embodiment of the vehicle air conditioning system according to the present invention, where (a) is an example using an integrated pump and a flow rate regulating valve for a heating medium cycle, (b) is an example using an integrated pump and a three-way flow rate regulating valve for a heating medium cycle, and (c) is an example using each integrated pump for a heating medium cycle. [Fig. 21] shows a seventh embodiment of a vehicle air conditioning system according to the present invention. [Embodiments of the Invention]

[0029] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with the aid of the drawings. (First embodiment of refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger) A first embodiment of a refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 1 according to the present invention is illustrated in figs. 1-3.

[0030] The refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 1 is a heat exchanger for performing heat exchange between a refrigerant and a liquid heating medium, and, as shown in fig. 1, comprises: a refrigerant inflow port 11 through which the refrigerant flows in; a refrigerant outflow port 12 through which the refrigerant flows out; a refrigerant flow path 13 for connecting the refrigerant inflow port 11 and the refrigerant outflow port 12, and also comprises: a heating medium inflow port 21 enabling the liquid heating medium to flow in; a heating medium outflow port 22 enabling the liquid heating medium to flow out; and a heating medium flow path 23 which connects the heating medium inflow port 21 and the heating medium outflow port 22 and is provided so as to run alongside the refrigerant flow path 13.

[0031] In this embodiment, the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger furthermore comprises an intermediate heating medium outflow port 24 which communicates with the heating medium flow path 23, is provided between the heating medium inflow port 21 and the heating medium outflow port 22 as seen along a flow of the liquid heating medium, and enables the liquid heating medium to flow out.

[0032] The form of the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 1 does not particularly matter, provided that it is configured to perform heat exchange between a refrigerant and a liquid heating medium, but it is preferably a stacked plate heat exchanger in which multiple heat transfer plates 5 are stacked to allow alternating flows of refrigerant and liquid heating medium, in order to perform efficient heat exchange between the refrigerant and the liquid heating medium. That is to say, the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 1 is constructed by alternately stacking refrigerant heat transfer plates 100 and heating medium heat transfer plates 200 shown in fig. 2.

[0033] As shown in fig. 2(a), in the refrigerant heat transfer plate 100, a bonding margin 101 for bonding the heat transfer plates 5, which are adjacent in a stacking direction, is formed on a peripheral edge of a metal plate formed a rectangular shape, and an area inward therefrom is indented so that a refrigerant flow path recess 102 is formed. A protrusion 103 extending in a longitudinal direction from one longitudinal end to the vicinity of another longitudinal end is formed offset to one side from the centre in a short-side direction of the refrigerant flow path recess 102. Accordingly, the refrigerant flow path recess 102 is formed so that a relatively narrow refrigerant outward path recess 102a and a relatively wide refrigerant return path recess 102b extending longitudinally communicate on said other longitudinal end side.

[0034] A refrigerant inflow hole 104 for allowing an inflow of the refrigerant is provided in the vicinity of said one longitudinal end of the refrigerant outward path recess 102a, close to a corner portion of the bonding margin 101. Furthermore, a refrigerant outflow hole 105 for allowing an outflow of the refrigerant is provided in the vicinity of said one longitudinal end of the refrigerant return path recess 102b, close to a corner portion of the bonding margin 101.

[0035] In addition, a heating medium inflow hole 106 and a heating medium outflow hole 107 are provided in the vicinity of said other longitudinal end of the refrigerant heat transfer plate 100, close to corner portions of the bonding margin 101, and an intermediate heating medium outflow hole 108 for the heating medium to flow out is furthermore formed between the refrigerant outflow hole 105 and the protrusion 103 in the vicinity of said one longitudinal end. The heating medium inflow hole 106, heating medium outflow hole 107, and intermediate heating medium outflow hole 108 are respectively formed on elevated portions 106a, 107a, 108a which are elevated from the refrigerant flow path recess 102.

[0036] In a state in which the heat transfer plates 5 (heating medium heat transfer plates 200) which are adjacent in the stacking direction have been assembled, the protrusion 103 and each of the elevated portions 106a, 107a, 108a on the refrigerant heat transfer plate 100 may be brazed while abutting a back face of the adjacent heat transfer plate 5, and, in the brazed state, the heating medium inflow hole 106, the heating medium outflow hole 107, and the intermediate heating medium outflow hole 108 do not communicate with the refrigerant flow path recess 102.

[0037] Meanwhile, as shown in fig. 2(b), in the heating medium heat transfer plate 200, a bonding margin 201 for bonding the heat transfer plates 5, which areadjacent in the stacking direction, is formed on a peripheral edge of a metal plate formed a rectangular shape, and an area inward therefrom is indented so that a heating medium flow path recess 202 is formed.

[0038] A protrusion 203 extending in the longitudinal direction from said other longitudinal end to the vicinity of said one longitudinal end is formed offset to another side from the centre in a short-side direction of the heating medium flow path recess 202. Accordingly, the heating medium flow path recess 202 is formed so that a relatively wide heating medium outward path recess 202a and a relatively narrow heating medium return path recess 202b extending longitudinally communicate on said one longitudinal end side.

[0039] A heating medium inflow hole 206 for allowing an inflow of liquid heating medium is provided in the vicinity of said other longitudinal end of the heating medium outward path recess 202a, close to a corner portion of the bonding margin 201. Furthermore, a heating medium outflow hole 207 for allowing an outflow of the liquid heating medium is provided in the vicinity of said other longitudinal end of the heating medium return path recess 202b, close to a corner portion of the bonding margin 201.

[0040] In addition, a refrigerant inflow hole 204 and a refrigerant outflow hole 205 are formed in the vicinity of said one longitudinal end of the heating medium heat transfer plate 200, close to a corner portion of the bonding margin 201. Furthermore, an intermediate heating medium outflow hole 208 for the heating medium to flow out is provided in communication with the heating medium flow path recess 202 in the vicinity of said one longitudinal end, on a line of extension of the protrusion 203 between the refrigerant inflow hole 204 and the refrigerant outflow hole 205. The refrigerant inflow hole 204 and the refrigerant outflow hole 205 are formed on elevated portions 204a, 205a which are elevated from the heating medium flow path recess 202.

[0041] In a state in which the heat transfer plates 5 (refrigerant heat transfer plates 100) which are adjacent in the stacking direction have been assembled, the protrusion 203 and each of the elevated portions 204a, 205a on the heating medium heat transfer plate 200 may be brazed while abutting a back face of the adjacent heat transfer plate 5, and, in the brazed state, the refrigerant inflow hole 204 and the refrigerant outflow hole 205 do not communicate with the heating medium flow path recess 202.

[0042] As shown in fig. 3, the heat transfer plate 5 disposed at one end in the stacking direction (the heat transfer plate disposed at the uppermost end, e.g., the heating medium heat transfer plate 200) is provided with: the refrigerant inflow port 11 through which the refrigerant flows in from the outside, the refrigerant outflow port 12 through which the refrigerant flows out, the heating medium inflow port 21 through which the liquid heating medium flows in from the outside, and the heating medium outflow port 22 through which the liquid heating medium flows out. Furthermore, the heat transfer plate 5 is provided with an intermediate heating medium outflow port 24 disposed between the refrigerant inflow port 11 and the refrigerant outflow port 12 in the vicinity of one end in the longitudinal direction.

[0043] A positional relationship such as shown in fig. 3(c) is obtained by alternately stacking the abovementioned refrigerant heat transfer plates 100 and heating medium heat transfer plates 200. Specifically: (i) The refrigerant inflow holes 104 in each of the refrigerant heat transfer plates 100 are at positions aligned with the refrigerant inflow holes 204 in the heating medium heat transfer plates 200, and communicate with the refrigerant inflow port 11. (ii) The refrigerant outflow holes 105 in the refrigerant heat transfer plates 100 are at positions aligned with the refrigerant outflow holes 205 in theheating medium heat transfer plates 200, and communicate with the refrigerant outflow port 12. (iii) The intermediate heating medium outflow holes 108 in the refrigerant heat transfer plates 100 are at positions aligned with the intermediate heating medium outflow holes 208 in the heating medium heat transfer plates 200, and communicate with the intermediate heating medium outflow port 24.

[0044] Furthermore, a positional relationship such as shown in fig. 3(a) is also obtained. Specifically: (iv) The heating medium inflow holes 106 in the refrigerant heat transfer plates 100 are at positions aligned with the heating medium inflow holes 206 in the heating medium heat transfer plates 200, and communicate with the heating medium inflow port 21. (v) The heating medium outflow holes 107 in the refrigerant heat transfer plates 100 are at positions aligned with the heating medium outflow holes 207 in the heating medium heat transfer plates 200, and communicate with the heating medium outflow port 22.

[0045] Accordingly, when the refrigerant heat transfer plates 100 and the heating medium heat transfer plates 200 are used to form an alternating stack while the respective bonding margins 101, 201 thereof are butted together, switchback refrigerant circulation layers 16 are formed from the refrigerant inflow hole 104 to the refrigerant outflow hole 105 between the refrigerant flow path recesses 102 of the refrigerant heat transfer plates 100 and the back faces of the heating medium heat transfer plates 200, as shown in fig. 3. The refrigerant circulation layers 16 do not communicate with the heating medium inflow holes 106, the heating medium outflow holes 107, or the intermediate heating medium outflow holes 108, and therefore the refrigerant that has flowed in from the refrigerant inflow hole 104 passes through the relatively narrow outward path, then makes a U-turn and passes through the relatively wide return path, followedby flowing out from the refrigerant outflow hole 105.

[0046] Furthermore, switchback heating medium circulation layers 26 are formed from the heating medium inflow hole 206 to the heating medium outflow hole 207 between the heating medium flow path recesses 202 of the heating medium heat transfer plates 200 and the back faces of the refrigerant heat transfer plates 100. The heating medium circulation layers 26 do not communicate with the refrigerant inflow holes 204 or the refrigerant outflow holes 205, and therefore the refrigerant that has flowed in from the heating medium inflow hole 206 passes through the relatively wide outward path, then makes a U-turn and passes through the relatively narrow return path, followed by flowing out from the heating medium outflow hole 207, and also flowing out from the intermediate heating medium outflow hole 208 provided to a switchback portion moving from the outward path to the return path.

[0047] The refrigerant heat transfer plates 100 and the heating medium heat transfer plates 200 are alternately stacked, and therefore a plurality of the refrigerant circulation layers 16 are formed in parallel between the refrigerant inflow port 11 and the refrigerant outflow port 12, and a plurality of the heating medium circulation layers 26 are furthermore formed in parallel between the heating medium inflow port 21, the heating medium outflow port 22, and the intermediate heating medium outflow port 24. The refrigerant flow path 13 for connecting the refrigerant inflow port 11 and the refrigerant outflow port 12 is therefore formed by means of the respective refrigerant circulation layers 16, and the refrigerant that has flowed in from the refrigerant inflow port 11 branches into each of the refrigerant circulation layers 16 and then merges to flow out from the refrigerant outflow port 12. The heating medium flow path 23 for connecting the heating medium inflow port 21 and the heating medium outflow port 22 is therefore formed by means of the respective heating medium circulation layers 26, and the heating medium that has flowed in from the heating medium inflow port 21branches into each of the refrigerant circulation layers 26, followed by partially merging and flowing out from the intermediate heating medium outflow port 24, with the remainder merging and flowing out from the heating medium outflow port 22.

[0048] Accordingly, the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 1 performs heat exchange between the refrigerant and the liquid heating medium via the heat transfer plates 5 between the adjacent layers, and the flow of refrigerant in the refrigerant circulation layers 16 and the flow of liquid heating medium in the heating medium circulation layers 26 are moreover counter flows, so it is possible to perform efficient heat exchange between the refrigerant and the liquid heating medium.

[0049] Moreover, the position of the protrusion 103 of the refrigerant heat transfer plate 100 and the position of the protrusion 203 of the heating medium heat transfer plate 200 are offset to opposite sides from the centre in the short- side direction of the heat transfer plates 5, so the top portions of the protrusions of the respective heat transfer plates are securely brazed while abutting the back face of the adjacent heat transfer plate. Consequently, it is possible to enhance the strength of the heat exchanger and it is furthermore possible to reliably avoid short-circuiting the flow of refrigerant or liquid heating medium.

[0050] Furthermore, the intermediate heating medium outflow holes 108, 208 are respectively formed in the refrigerant heat transfer plate 100 and the heating medium heat transfer plate 200 of the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 1 described above, and the intermediate heating medium outflow port 24 is able to communicate with the heating medium circulation layers 26 via the respective intermediate heating medium outflow holes 108, 208, so the liquid heating medium which flows through the heating medium circulation layers 26 can flow out notonly from the heating medium outflow port 22 but also from the intermediate heating medium outflow port 24.

[0051] The intermediate heating medium outflow port 24 communicates with switchback portions (positioned on the line of extension of the protrusions 203) of the heating medium circulation layers 26, and therefore a passage length (heat exchange length) running from the heating medium inflow hole 206 to the intermediate heating medium outflow hole 208 in each heating medium circulation layer 26 is roughly half of the passage length (heat exchange length) running from the heating medium inflow hole 206 to the heating medium outflow hole 207, and when the liquid heating medium is cooled by the refrigerant, a temperature difference between the liquid heating medium at the heating medium inflow port 21 and the liquid heating medium at the intermediate heating medium outflow port 24 is approximately half of the temperature difference between the liquid heating medium at the heating medium inflow port 21 and the liquid heating medium at the heating medium outflow port 22. Furthermore, when the liquid heating medium is heated by the refrigerant, the temperature difference between the liquid heating medium at the intermediate heating medium outflow port 24 and liquid heating medium at the heating medium inflow port 21 is also approximately half of the temperature difference between the liquid heating medium at the heating medium outflow port 22 and the liquid heating medium at the heating medium inflow port 21.

[0052] It should be noted that the example above relates to an example in which the intermediate heating medium outflow port 24 is provided at a position of a distance approximately halfway between the heating medium inflow port 21 and the heating medium outflow port 22, but the position of the intermediate heating medium outflow port 24 is not limited to such a position, and the position at which it is formed should be suitably adjusted according to the required intermediate temperature.

[0053] (Variant example of first embodiment of refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger) The configuration described above relates to an example in which the refrigerant inflow port 11 and refrigerant outflow port 12, and the heating medium inflow port 21 and heating medium outflow port 22, plus the intermediate heating medium outflow port 24 are provided in the heat transfer plate disposed at one end in the stacking direction of the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 1, but as shown in figs. 4 and 5, the same effects are exhibited even if the refrigerant inflow port 11 and the refrigerant outflow port 12 are provided in the heat transfer plate disposed at said one end in the stacking direction of the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 1, and the heating medium inflow port 21 and heating medium outflow port 22, plus the intermediate heating medium outflow port 24 are provided in the heat transfer plate disposed at the other end in the stacking direction.

[0054] (Second embodiment of refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger) In the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 1 described above, an example was shown in which an intermediate heating medium outflow port 24 through which a liquid heating medium can flow out was provided between a heating medium inflow port 21 and a heating medium outflow port 22 as seen along the flow of the liquid heating medium, but as shown in fig. 6, a refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 2 may be configured such that an intermediate heating medium inflow port 25 through which a liquid heating medium can flow in is provided between the heating medium inflow port 21 and the heating medium outflow port 22 as seen along the flow of the liquid heating medium.

[0055] In this configuration, as shown in fig. 2, intermediate heating medium inflow holes 109, 209 are respectively formed in the refrigerant heat transfer plate 100 and the heating medium heat transfer plate 200 instead of the intermediateheating medium outflow holes 108, 208, and the intermediate heating medium inflow port 25 communicates with the heating medium circulation layers 26 via the respective intermediate heating medium inflow holes 109, 209, whereby the liquid heating medium which flows into the heating medium circulation layers 26 can flow in from at least one among the heating medium inflow port 21 and the intermediate heating medium inflow port 25.

[0056] Note that the rest of the configuration is the same as the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 1 of the first embodiment, and thus the same reference characters are affixed to the same places, with explanations thereof being omitted.

[0057] The intermediate heating medium inflow port 25 communicates with switchback portions (positioned on the line of extension of the protrusions) of the heating medium circulation layers 26 via the intermediate heating medium inflow holes 109, 209, and therefore a passage length (heat exchange length) running from the intermediate heating medium inflow hole 209 to the heating medium outflow hole 207 in each heating medium circulation layer 26 is roughly half of the passage length (heat exchange length) running from the heating medium inflow hole 206 to the heating medium outflow hole 207, and thus, when the liquid heating medium is cooled by the refrigerant, a temperature difference between the liquid heating medium at the intermediate heating medium inflow port 25 and the liquid heating medium at the heating medium outflow port 22 is approximately half of the temperature difference between the liquid heating medium at the heating medium inflow port 21 and the liquid heating medium at the heating medium outflow port 22. Furthermore, when the liquid heating medium is heated by the refrigerant, the temperature difference between the liquid heating medium at the heating medium outflow port 22 and liquid heating medium at the intermediate heating medium inflow port 25 is also approximately half of the temperature difference between the liquid heating medium at the heating medium outflow port 22 and theliquid heating medium at the heating medium inflow port 21.

[0058] (Third embodiment of refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger) In the examples of the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchangers 1, 2 described above, examples were shown in which the intermediate heating medium outflow port 24 and the intermediate heating medium inflow port 25 communicated with substantially the intermediate position of the heating medium flow path 23 (heating medium circulation layer 26), or namely, an example in which the intermediate heating medium outflow port 24 and the intermediate heating medium inflow port 25 were selectively provided at substantially the intermediate position of the heating medium flow path 23 (heating medium circulation layer 26); however, as shown in fig. 7, the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 1 may be configured such that the intermediate heating medium outflow port 24 which communicates with the heating medium flow path 23 and through which the liquid heating medium can flow out is provided between the heating medium inflow port 21 and the heating medium outflow port 22 when seen along the flow of the liquid heating medium, and the intermediate heating medium inflow port 25 through which the liquid heating medium can flow in is further provided between the heating medium inflow port 21 and the intermediate heating medium outflow port 24.

[0059] In this example, as shown in fig. 8(a), in the refrigerant heat transfer plate 100, a bonding margin 101 for bonding the heat transfer plates 5, which are adjacent in a stacking direction, is formed on a peripheral edge of a metal plate formed a rectangular shape, and an area inward therefrom is indented so that a refrigerant flow path recess 102 is formed. A protrusion 103, a refrigerant inflow hole 104, a refrigerant outflow hole 105, a heating medium inflow hole 106, and a heating medium outflow hole 107 are formed in this refrigerant flow path recess 102 in a similar manner to fig. 2(a).

[0060] Furthermore, an intermediate heating medium outflow hole 108 through which the liquid heating medium flows out to outside is formed in a refrigerant return path recess 102b between the refrigerant outflow hole 105 and the heating medium outflow hole 107 in the vicinity of a bonding margin 101 extending in the longitudinal direction, and an intermediate heating medium inflow hole 109 through which the liquid heating medium flows in from outside is formed in a refrigerant outward path recess 102a between the refrigerant inflow hole 104 and the heating medium inflow hole 106 in the vicinity of the bonding margin 101 extending in the longitudinal direction.

[0061] The intermediate heating medium outflow hole 108 and the intermediate heating medium inflow hole 109 are formed on elevated portions 108a, 109a which are elevated from the refrigerant flow path recess 102. In a state in which the heat transfer plates 5 (heating medium heat transfer plates 200) which are adjacent in the stacking direction have been assembled, each of the elevated portions 108a, 109a may be brazed while abutting a back face of the adjacent heat transfer plate 5, and, in the brazed state, the intermediate heating medium outflow hole 108 and the intermediate heating medium inflow hole 109 do not communicate with the refrigerant flow path recess 102. Note that the other parts of the refrigerant heat transfer plate 100 are the same as fig. 2(a), and thus the same reference characters are affixed to the same places, with explanations thereof being omitted.

[0062] Meanwhile, as shown in fig. 8(b), in the heating medium heat transfer plate 200, a bonding margin 201 for bonding the heat transfer plates 5, which are adjacent in the stacking direction, is formed on a peripheral edge of a metal plate formed a rectangular shape, and an area inward therefrom is indented so that a heating medium flow path recess 202 is formed. A protrusion 203, a refrigerant inflow hole 204, a refrigerant outflow hole 205, a heating medium inflow hole 206, and a heating medium outflow hole 207 are formed in thisheating medium flow path recess 202 in a similar manner to fig. 2(b).

[0063] Furthermore, an intermediate heating medium outflow hole 208 through which the liquid heating medium flows out to outside is formed in a heating medium return path recess 202b of the heating medium flow path recess 202 between the refrigerant outflow hole 205 and the heating medium outflow hole 207 in the vicinity of a bonding margin 201 extending in the longitudinal direction. Furthermore, an intermediate heating medium inflow hole 209 through which the liquid heating medium flows in from outside is formed in a heating medium outward path recess 202a between the refrigerant inflow hole 204 and the heating medium inflow hole 206 in the vicinity of the bonding margin 201 extending in the longitudinal direction. The intermediate heating medium outflow hole 208 and intermediate heating medium inflow hole 209 are formed so as to communicate with the heating medium inflow hole 206 and the heating medium outflow hole 207 via the heating medium flow path recess 202. Note that the other parts of the heating medium heat transfer plate 200 are the same as fig. 2(b), and thus the same reference characters are affixed to the same places, with explanations thereof being omitted.

[0064] When the refrigerant heat transfer plate 100 and the heating medium heat transfer plate 200 are stacked, there are the following relationships, in addition to (i) to (v) described above. Specifically: (vi) The respective intermediate heating medium outflow holes 108 in the refrigerant heat transfer plates 100 are at positions aligned with the intermediate heating medium outflow holes 208 in the heating medium heat transfer plates 200, and communicate with the intermediate heating medium outflow port 24. (vii) The respective intermediate heating medium inflow holes 109 in the refrigerant heat transfer plates 100 are at positions aligned with the intermediate heating medium inflow holes 209 in the heating medium heat transferplates 200, and communicate with the intermediate heating medium inflow port 25.

[0065] Accordingly, when the refrigerant heat transfer plates 100 and the heating medium heat transfer plates 200 are used to form an alternating stack while the respective bonding margins 101, 201 thereof are butted together, switchback refrigerant circulation layers 16 are formed from the refrigerant inflow hole 104 to the refrigerant outflow hole 105 between the refrigerant flow path recesses 102 of the refrigerant heat transfer plates 100 and the back faces of the heating medium heat transfer plates 200. The refrigerant circulation layers 16 do not communicate with the heating medium inflow holes 106, the heating medium outflow holes 107, the intermediate heating medium outflow holes 108, or the intermediate heating medium inflow holes 109, and therefore the refrigerant that has flowed in from the refrigerant inflow hole 104 passes through the relatively narrow outward path, then makes a U-turn and passes through the relatively wide return path, followed by flowing out from the refrigerant outflow hole 105.

[0066] In contrast, switchback heating medium circulation layers 26 are formed from the heating medium inflow hole 206 to the heating medium outflow hole 207 between the heating medium flow path recesses 202 of the heating medium heat transfer plates 200 and the back faces of the refrigerant heat transfer plates 100. The heating medium circulation layers 26 do not communicate with the refrigerant inflow holes 204 or the refrigerant outflow holes 205, and therefore the liquid heating medium that has flowed in from the heating medium inflow hole 206 passes through the relatively wide outward path, then makes a U-turn and passes through the relatively narrow return path, followed by flowing out from the heating medium outflow hole 207. Furthermore, the heating medium circulation layers 26 also each communicate with the intermediate heating medium outflow holes 208 and the intermediate heating medium inflow holes 209, so a portion of the liquid heating medium that has flowed in from the heating medium inflowholes 206 can also flow out from the intermediate heating medium outflow holes 208, and the refrigerant that has flowed in from the intermediate heating medium inflow holes 209 merges with the liquid heating medium that has flowed out from the heating medium inflow holes 206 and can flow out from the heating medium outflow hole 207 or the intermediate heating medium outflow holes 208.

[0067] In this configuration, two each of the liquid heating medium outflow port and inflow port are provided, and thus, in order to handle cooling of a plurality of heat-generating elements having different cooling energy amounts or heating of a plurality of objects having different heating amounts, it is also possible to form a multiple heating medium supply mode for supplying a plurality of liquid heating mediums having different temperatures, while forming, at the same time, a multiple heating medium receiving mode for receiving a plurality of liquid heating mediums having different temperatures in order to handle changes in the amount of heat generated by a heat-generating element or changes in the required heating amount of an object.

[0068] A vehicle air conditioning system employing the abovementioned refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger will be described next.

[0069] (First embodiment of vehicle air conditioning system) Fig. 9 shows a first embodiment of the vehicle air conditioning system S employing the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 1 (heat exchanger comprising the refrigerant inflow port 11, refrigerant outflow port 12, heating medium inflow port 21, heating medium outflow port 22, and intermediate heating medium outflow port 24) shown in fig. 1.

[0070] In this example, the vehicle air conditioning system S comprises: a refrigerant cycle 40 which is a heat pump cycle for regulating the temperature of air in an airflow space 34 within an air conditioning unit 30 mounted in avehicle; and a heating medium cycle 50 for cooling two heat-generating elements.

[0071] In the air conditioning unit 30 which will be described first, an indoor / outdoor air switching device 31 is provided on the side of the air conditioning unit 30 furthest upstream. The indoor / outdoor air switching device 31 is configured so that an indoor air introduction port 31a and an outdoor air introduction port 31b are selectively opened by means of an intake door 32. The indoor air or outdoor air which is selectively introduced into the air conditioning unit 30 is drawn in by rotation of a blower 33 and delivered to a passenger compartment-internal heat absorber 35 and a passenger compartment- internal radiator 36 disposed in the airflow space 34 where the indoor air or outdoor air undergoes heat exchange and is supplied into a vehicle compartment from a desired blowout port 37a-37c. The passenger compartment-internal heat absorber 35 is also referred to as an evaporator, and the passenger compartment- internal radiator 36 is also referred to as a heater core.

[0072] The passenger compartment-internal radiator 36 is disposed downstream of the passenger compartment-internal heat absorber 35 in a direction of air flow through the air conditioning unit 30, and a damper 38 is provided upstream of the passenger compartment-internal radiator 36 in the direction of air flow. The damper 38 can be displaced from a position of maximum air throughput of the passenger compartment-internal radiator 36 (heating position: 100% degree of opening) to a position of minimum air throughput (cooling position: 0% degree of opening), and the proportions of air passing through and air bypassing the passenger compartment-internal radiator 36 can be adjusted by adjusting the degree of opening.

[0073] It should be noted that the damper 38 is also referred to as an air mix door. Furthermore, an electrical heat-generating type of heating device (PTC) which is not depicted may be disposed downstream of the passenger compartment-internalradiator 36 within the air conditioning unit 30.

[0074] The refrigerant cycle 40 in the vehicle air conditioning system S internally circulates the refrigerant and comprises: a compressor 41 for feeding out the refrigerant; the passenger compartment-internal radiator 36 which receives an inflow of the refrigerant fed out from the compressor 41; a first expansion valve 42 which allows the passage of the refrigerant that has flowed out from the passenger compartment-internal radiator 36; an outdoor heat exchanger 43 which receives an inflow of the refrigerant that has passed through the first expansion valve 42; a second expansion valve 44 for decompressing and expanding the refrigerant that has passed through the outdoor heat exchanger 43; the passenger compartment-internal heat absorber 35 for causing the refrigerant decompressed and expanded by the second expansion valve 44 to absorb heat; and an accumulator 45 for causing gas / liquid separation of a gas / liquid mixed refrigerant that has passed through the passenger compartment-internal heat absorber 35 and drawing only a gas-phase refrigerant into the compressor 41.

[0075] The refrigerant cycle 40 furthermore comprises: an expansion valve (third expansion valve) 46 for decompressing and expanding the refrigerant that has passed through the outdoor heat exchanger 43; and the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 1 in which the refrigerant that has been decompressed and expanded by the third expansion valve 46 flows into the refrigerant flow path 13 through the refrigerant inflow port 11 in order to undergo heat exchange with the liquid heating medium in the heating medium cycle 50, the refrigerant which flows out from the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 1 via the refrigerant outflow port 12 being delivered to the accumulator 45.

[0076] It should be noted that there is no particular limitation to the refrigerant provided that it has components demonstrating a refrigerant function, and examples of refrigerants which may be used include flon-based refrigerants (HFC-134a and R-1234yf), carbon dioxide (CO2) and propane (C3H8).

[0077] The compressed refrigerant is therefore supplied from the compressor 41 to the passenger compartment-internal radiator 36 and heats the air in the air flow space 34 within the air conditioning unit 30, as required, after which the refrigerant is supplied to the outdoor heat exchanger 43 via the first expansion valve 42. After this, the refrigerant which has been decompressed and expanded by the second expansion valve 44 and supplied to the passenger compartment- internal heat absorber 35 absorbs heat by heat exchange with the air in the airflow space 34, and is then returned to the compressor 41 via the accumulator 45. The refrigerant which has been decompressed and expanded by the third expansion valve 46 and supplied to the refrigerant flow path 13 of the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 1 absorbs heat by heat exchange with the liquid heating medium in the heating medium cycle 50, and is then returned to the compressor 41 via the accumulator 45.

[0078] In the heating medium cycle 50, the liquid heating medium cycles inside, and a pathway 51 reaching from the heating medium outflow port 22 of the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 1 to the heating medium inflow port 21 is provided with a first heat-generating element heat absorber 53 that absorbs heat of a first heat-generating element (e.g., a vehicle battery) 52, and a bypass junction J1 in this order. A heating medium outflow bypass flow path 54 that causes the liquid heating medium that has flowed out from the intermediate heating medium outflow port 24 to flow toward the bypass junction J1 is provided between the intermediate heating medium outflow port 24 and the bypass junction J1, and this heating medium outflow bypass flow path 54 is provided with a second heat-generating element heat absorber 56 that absorbs heat of a second heat-generating element (e.g., an inverter) 55.

[0079] A pathway 51a from the heating medium outflow port 22 to the bypass junctionJ1 and the heating medium outflow bypass flow path 54 are respectively provided with flow rate regulating valves 57a, 57b for adjusting the circulating amount of the liquid heating medium, and a pathway 51b from the bypass junction J1 to the heating medium inflow port 21 is provided with an integrated pump 58 that delivers the liquid heating medium.

[0080] Accordingly, the refrigerant which has been decompressed and expanded by the third expansion valve 46 flows into the refrigerant flow path 13 of the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 1 via the refrigerant inflow port 11, and the liquid heating medium pumped from the integrated pump 58 flows into the heating medium flow path 23 via the heating medium inflow port 21, the refrigerant that has flowed in from the refrigerant inflow port 11 and the liquid heating medium that has flowed in from the heating medium inflow port 21 therefore undergoing heat exchange when moving through the inside of the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 1, and the liquid heating medium flowing out from the intermediate heating medium outflow port 24 flowing out after having undergone heat exchange in only the outward paths of the respective heating medium circulation layers 26 inside the heat exchanger; thus, the liquid heating medium flows out as a liquid heating medium having a second cooling temperature, and the liquid heating medium that flows out from the heating medium outflow port 22 flows out after having undergone heat exchange in the outward path and return path of the respective heating medium circulation layers 26 inside the heat exchanger, hence flowing out as liquid heating medium of a first cooling temperature lower than the second cooling temperature.

[0081] Due to this, the first heat-generating element heat absorber 53 that cools the first heat-generating element (vehicle battery) 52, which has a large amount of heat generated, is supplied with a sufficiently cooled liquid heating medium (the liquid heating medium of the first cooling temperature) that has flowed out from the heating medium outflow port 22, and the second heat-generating elementheat absorber 56 that cools the second heat-generating element (inverter) 55, which has a relatively smaller amount of heat generated than the first heat- generating element 52, is supplied with the liquid heating medium of the second cooling temperature, which is higher than the first cooling temperature and flows out from the intermediate heating medium outflow port 24.

[0082] The liquid heating medium that has flowed out from the first heat-generating element heat absorber 53 (liquid heating medium that has absorbed heat from the first heat-generating element 52) and the liquid heating medium that flows out from the second heat-generating element heat absorber 56 (the liquid heating medium that has absorbed heat from the second heat-generating element 55) merge at the bypass junction J1 and thereafter flow into the integrated pump 58.

[0083] The liquid heating medium supplied to the first heat-generating element heat absorber 53 and the liquid heating medium supplied to the second heat-generating element heat absorber 56 have different outflow ports of the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 1, thereby being formed at different temperatures, but with the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 1 alone, it is not possible to adjust the heating medium flow rate to the respective heat-generating element heat absorbers in accordance with the amount of heat generated by the respective heat-generating elements. However, in the present embodiment, the respective flow rates of the refrigerant flowing through the pathway 51a from the heating medium outflow port 22 to the bypass junction J1, and the heating medium outflow bypass flow path 54 can be adjusted by the flow rate regulating valves 57a, 57b, and thus it is possible to adjust the cooling capacity of the respective heat- generating element heat absorbers (first heat-generating element heat absorber 53, second heat-generating element heat absorber 56) in accordance with the amount of heat generated of the heat-generating elements.

[0084] Therefore, with the aforementioned configuration, it is possible to use onerefrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 1 to appropriately cool two heat- generating elements (first heat-generating element 52, second heat-generating element 55) having different amounts of heat generated by a liquid heating medium having an adjusted temperature and flow rate.

[0085] Note that the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 1 shown in the present embodiment, which performs heat exchange between a refrigerant and a liquid heating medium to provide a liquid heating medium having a low temperature, is sometimes referred to as a chiller.

[0086] (Variant example of first embodiment of vehicle air conditioning system) Note that a system equivalent to the vehicle air conditioning system S described above may be formed by the system shown in fig. 10, for example. In other words, the system may be formed by removing the flow rate regulating valves 57a, 57b respectively provided to the pathway 51a from the heating medium outflow port 22 to the bypass junction J1 and the heating medium outflow bypass flow path 54, and providing an integrated pump 58, which delivers the liquid heating medium and is provided to the pathway 51b from the bypass junction J1 to the heating medium inflow port 21, and the three-way flow rate regulating valve 59 provided to the bypass junction J1.

[0087] Even in this configuration, it is possible to adjust the flow rate ratio of the liquid heating medium flowing through the first heat-generating element heat absorber 53 to the liquid heating medium flowing through the second heat- generating element heat absorber 56 with the three-way flow rate regulating valve 59, thus making it possible to obtain the same effects as the configuration shown in fig. 9.

[0088] (Other variant example of first embodiment of vehicle air conditioning system) Furthermore, as shown in fig. 11, the system may be formed by removing theintegrated pump and three-way flow rate regulating valve, and providing separate flow pumps 58a, 58b capable of adjusting flow rate to the pathway 51a from the heating medium outflow port 22 to the bypass junction J1 and the heating medium outflow bypass flow path 54.

[0089] Even in this configuration, it is possible to adjust the flow rate of the liquid heating medium flowing through the first heat-generating element heat absorber 53 and the flow rate of the liquid heating medium flowing through the second heat-generating element heat absorber 56 with the separate flow pumps 58a, 58b, thus making it possible to obtain the same effects as the configuration shown in fig. 9.

[0090] (Second embodiment of vehicle air conditioning system) In the configuration described above, an example of the vehicle air conditioning system S was shown using the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 1 in which the intermediate heating medium outflow port 24 is provided between the heating medium inflow port 21 and the heating medium outflow port 22; however, when using the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 2 in which the intermediate heating medium inflow port 25 is provided between the heating medium inflow port 21 and the heating medium outflow port 22, the vehicular air conditioning system S shown in fig. 12 may be used.

[0091] In other words, the refrigerant cycle 40 of the vehicle air conditioning system S is the same as fig. 9, the third expansion valve 46 for decompressing and expanding the refrigerant is connected to the refrigerant inflow port 11 of the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 2, and the refrigerant decompressed and expanded by the third expansion valve 46 can be circulated to the refrigerant flow path 13.

[0092] In contrast, the heating medium cycle 60 comprises, at the heating mediumoutflow port 22 of the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 2, the third heat-generating element heat absorber 62 for absorbing heat of the third heat- generating element 61, and the branch portion D1 provided on the outflow side of the third heat-generating element heat sink 62, and the branch portion D1 is connected to the heating medium inflow port 21 and the intermediate heating medium inflow port 25 by way of the branch flow paths 63a, 63b.

[0093] The heating medium cycle 60 furthermore comprises at least one of: an integrated pump 65 which is provided in a pathway 64 running from the heating medium outflow port 22 to the branch portion D1 and delivers the liquid heating medium, and separate flow pumps 65a, 65b respectively provided in the branch flow paths 63a, 63b.

[0094] In the example shown in fig. 12(a), the integrated pump 65 for delivering the liquid heating medium is provided in the pathway 64 running from the heating medium outflow port 22 to the branch portion D1, and flow rate regulating valves 66a, 66b for regulating the amount of liquid heating medium flowing through the branch flow paths 63a, 63b are respectively provided in the branch flow paths 63a, 63b.

[0095] Note that the rest of the configuration is the same as the vehicle air conditioning system shown in fig. 9, and thus the same reference characters are affixed to the same places, with explanations thereof being omitted.

[0096] In this configuration, the temperature of the liquid heating medium flowing out from the heating medium outflow port 22 can be adjusted by changing a flow rate ratio of the liquid heating medium afforded by the flow rate regulating valves 66a, 66b, and it is therefore possible to provide the third heat- generating element heat absorber 62 with the cooling capacity required for the third heat-generating element 61 by adjusting the flow rate of the liquidheating medium flowing through the branch flow paths in accordance with the amount of heat generated by the third heat-generating element 61. For example, when there is an increase in the amount of heat generated by the third heat- generating element 61, the flow rate ratio of the flow rate regulating valve 66a provided between the branch portion D1 and the heating medium inflow port 21 is increased, while at the same time the flow rate ratio of the flow rate regulating valve 66b provided between the branch portion D1 and the intermediate heating medium inflow port 25 is reduced. By this means, it is possible to increase the ratio of the heating medium flowing from the heating medium inflow port 21 to the heating medium outflow port 22 in the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 2, and the cooling capacity of the liquid heating medium afforded by the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 2 can be increased. The amount of heat absorbed by the third heat-generating element heat absorber 62 can then be increased.

[0097] (Variant example of second embodiment of vehicle air conditioning system) It should be noted that the configuration in fig. 12(a) can also be realized by means of an equivalent heating medium cycle 60. As shown in fig. 12(b), for example, the integrated pump 65 for delivering the liquid heating medium may be provided in the pathway 64 running from the heating medium outflow port 22 to the branch portion D1, and a three-way flow rate regulating valve 67 may be provided at the branch portion D1, instead of the flow rate regulating valves which were provided in the branch flow paths 63a, 63b.

[0098] By virtue of this configuration, it is possible to adjust the proportions of the amount of inflow of the liquid heating medium flowing in from the heating medium inflow port 21 and the amount of inflow of the liquid heating medium flowing in from the intermediate heating medium inflow port 25 by the three-way flow rate regulating valve 67 provided at the branch portion D1, thereby enabling adjustment of the cooling capacity of the third heat-generating elementheat absorber 62 in accordance with the amount of heat generated by the third heat-generating element 61 (enabling adjustment of the amount of heat absorbed from the third heat-generating element 61).

[0099] (Other variant example of second embodiment of vehicle air conditioning system) Furthermore, as shown in fig. 12(c), the separate flow pumps 65a, 65b may be respectively provided in the branch flow paths 63a, 63b, without a pump being provided in the pathway 64 running from the heating medium outflow port 22 to the branch portion D1.

[0100] By virtue of this configuration, it is possible to adjust the amount of delivery of the respective pumps 65a, 65b thereby enabling adjustment of the cooling capacity of the third heat-generating element heat absorber 62 in accordance with the amount of heat generated by the third heat-generating element 61 (enabling adjustment of the amount of heat absorbed from the third heat-generating element 61).

[0101] (Third embodiment of vehicle air conditioning system) Fig. 13 shows a third embodiment of the vehicle air conditioning system S employing the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 1 (heat exchanger comprising the refrigerant inflow port 11, refrigerant outflow port 12, heating medium inflow port 21, heating medium outflow port 22, and intermediate heating medium outflow port 24) shown in fig. 1.

[0102] In this example, the vehicle air conditioning system S comprises: a refrigerant cycle 70 for circulating the refrigerant to the passenger compartment-internal heat absorber 35 within the air conditioning unit 30; and a heating medium cycle 80 for heating a plurality of objects to be heated.

[0103] The refrigerant cycle 70 internally circulates the refrigerant and comprises:a compressor 71 for feeding out the refrigerant; the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 1 in which the refrigerant compressed by the compressor 71 flows into the refrigerant flow path 13 through the refrigerant inflow port 11 in order to undergo heat exchange with the liquid heating medium in the heating medium cycle 80; a first expansion valve 72 which allows the passage of the refrigerant that has undergone heat exchange with the liquid heating medium in the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 1; an outdoor heat exchanger 73 which receives an inflow of the refrigerant that has passed through the first expansion valve 72; a second expansion valve 74 for decompressing and expanding the refrigerant that has passed through the outdoor heat exchanger 73; the passenger compartment-internal heat absorber 35 for causing the refrigerant decompressed and expanded by the second expansion valve 74 to absorb heat; and a gas-liquid separator 75 for causing gas / liquid separation of a gas / liquid mixed refrigerant that has passed through the passenger compartment-internal heat absorber 35 and drawing only a gas-phase refrigerant into the compressor 71.

[0104] In contrast, the heating medium cycle 80 internally circulates the liquid heating medium and comprises, in this order, in a pathway 81 from the heating medium outflow port 22 of the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 1 to the heating medium inflow port 21, a passenger compartment-internal radiator 36 that is disposed in the airflow space 34 of the air conditioning unit 30 and enables heating of air flowing through the airflow space 34, and a bypass junction J2.

[0105] A heating medium outflow bypass flow path 82 that causes the liquid heating medium that has flowed out from the intermediate hating medium outflow port 24 to flow toward the bypass junction J2 is provided between the intermediate heating medium outflow port 24 and the bypass junction J2, and this heating medium outflow bypass flow path 82 is provided with a fourth heat-generating element heat sink 84 that releases heat to a fourth heat-generating element 83 such as an onboard battery. Note that the fourth heat-generating element 83 hascases where heat is generated due to rapid charging and cooling is required, and cases where heating is required in order to obtain stable discharge performance in a low-temperature environment.

[0106] A pathway 81a from the heating medium outflow port 22 to the bypass junction J2 and a heating medium outflow bypass flow path 82 are respectively provided with flow rate regulating valves 87a, 87b, and a pathway 81b from the bypass junction J2 to the heating medium inflow port 21 is provided with an integrated pump 88 that delivers the liquid heating medium.

[0107] Accordingly, the high-temperature high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor 71 flows into the refrigerant flow path 13 of the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 1 via the refrigerant inflow port 11, and the liquid heating medium pumped from the junction pump 88 flows into the heating medium flow path 23 via the heating medium inflow port 21; thus, the refrigerant that has flowed in from the refrigerant inflow port 11 and the liquid heating medium that has flowed in from the heating medium inflow port 21 undergo heat exchange while moving through the inside of the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 1. The liquid heating medium that flows out from the intermediate heating medium outflow port 24 flows out after having undergone heat exchange with the refrigerant only in the outward path of the respective heat medium circulation layers 26 inside the heat exchanger, and thus the liquid heating medium flows out as a liquid heating medium having a second heating temperature, while the liquid heating medium that flows out from the heating medium outflow port 22 flows out after having undergone heat exchange with the refrigerant in the outflow path and return path of the respective heating medium circulation layers 26 in the heat exchanger, hence flowing out as a liquid heating medium of a first heating temperature higher than the second heating temperature.

[0108] Due to this, the passenger compartment-internal radiator 36 requiring a larger amount of heating is supplied with a sufficiently warmed liquid heating medium (the liquid heating medium of the first heating temperature) that flows out from the heating medium outflow port 22 into the passenger compartment-internal radiator 36, and the fourth heat-generating element heat sink 84, which has an amount of heating sufficient to warm the fourth heat-generating element 83, i.e., the cooled onboard battery, to an appropriate temperature is supplied with a liquid heating medium that has a second heating temperature lower than the first heating temperature and that flows out from the intermediate heating medium outflow port 24.

[0109] The liquid heating medium that has flowed out from the passenger compartment- internal radiator 36 (the liquid heating medium that has dissipated heat to the air of the airflow space 34) and the liquid heating medium that has flowed out from the fourth heat-generating element heat sink 84 (the liquid heating medium that has dissipated heat to the fourth heat-generating element 83) flow into the integrated pump 88 after merging at the bypass junction J2.

[0110] The liquid heating medium supplied to the passenger compartment-internal radiator 36 and the liquid heating medium supplied to the fourth heat-generating element heat sink 84 have different outflow ports of the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 1, thereby being formed at different temperatures, but with the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 1 alone, it is not possible to adjust the heating medium flow rate in accordance with the required amount of heat dissipation. However, in the present embodiment, the respective flow rates of the refrigerant flowing through the pathway 81a from the heating medium outflow port 22 to the bypass junction J2, and the heating medium outflow bypass flow path 82 can be adjusted by the flow rate regulating valves 87a, 87b, and thus it is possible to adjust the heat dissipation capacity of the respective heat exchangers (passenger compartment-internal heat radiator 36, fourth heat-generating element heat sink 84) in accordance with the required amount of heat dissipation.

[0111] Accordingly, the configuration described above makes it possible to supply the required amount of heating to different objects to be heated by using a single refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 1.

[0112] Note that the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 1 shown in the present embodiment, which performs heat exchange between a refrigerant and a liquid heating medium to provide a liquid heating medium having a high temperature, is sometimes referred to as a water condenser.

[0113] (Variant of third embodiment of vehicle air conditioning system) Note that the vehicle air conditioning system S shown by fig. 13 can also be realized by an equivalent system.

[0114] In other words, as shown in fig. 14, the system may be formed by removing the flow rate regulating valves 87a, 87b respectively provided to the pathway 81a from the heating medium outflow port 22 to the bypass junction J2 and the heating medium outflow bypass flow path 82, and providing an integrated pump 88, which delivers the liquid heating medium and is provided to the pathway 81b from the bypass junction J2 to the heating medium inflow port 21, and a three-way flow rate regulating valve 89 provided to the bypass junction J2.

[0115] Even in this configuration, it is possible to adjust the flow rate ratio of the liquid heating medium flowing through the passenger compartment-internal radiator 36 to liquid heating medium flowing through the fourth heat-generating element heat sink 84 with the three-way flow rate regulating valve 89, thus making it possible to obtain the same effects as the configuration shown in fig. 13.

[0116] (Other variant of third embodiment of vehicle air conditioning system) Furthermore, as shown in fig. 15, the system may be formed by removing the integrated pump 88 and three-way flow rate regulating valve 89, and respectively providing separate flow pumps 88a, 88b capable of adjusting the flow rate to the pathway 81a from the heating medium outflow port 22 to the bypass junction J2 and the heating medium outflow bypass flow path 82.

[0117] Even in this configuration, it is possible to adjust the flow rate of the liquid heating medium flowing through the passenger compartment-internal radiator 36 and the flow rate of the liquid heating medium flowing through the fourth heat-generating element heat sink 84 with the separate flow pumps 88a, 88b, thus making it possible to obtain the same effects as the configuration shown in fig. 13.

[0118] (Fourth embodiment of vehicle air conditioning system) In the configuration described above, an example of the vehicle air conditioning system S was shown using the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 1 in which the intermediate heating medium outflow port 24 is provided between the heating medium inflow port 21 and the heating medium outflow port 22; however, when using the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 2 in which the intermediate heating medium inflow port 25 is provided between the heating medium inflow port 21 and the heating medium outflow port 22, the vehicular air conditioning system S shown in fig. 16 may be used.

[0119] Namely, the refrigerant cycle 40 of the vehicle air conditioning system S is similar to fig. 13, the discharge-side of a compressor 71 that delivers a refrigerant is connected to the refrigerant inflow port 11 of the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 2, and the high-temperature high- pressure refrigerant compressed by the compressor 71 can be circulated to therefrigerant flow path 13.

[0120] In contrast, in a heating medium cycle 90, the passenger compartment-internal radiator 36 that heats air of the airflow space 34 of the air conditioning unit 30, and a branch portion D2 provided on the outflow side of the passenger compartment-internal radiator 36 are connected in this order to the heating medium outflow port 22 of the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 2, and the branch portion D2 is connected to the heating medium inflow port 21 and the intermediate heating medium inflow port 25 via the branch flow paths 91a, 91b.

[0121] The heating medium cycle 90 furthermore comprises at least one of: an integrated pump 93 which is provided in a pathway 92 running from the heating medium outflow port 22 to the branch portion D2 and delivers the liquid heating medium, and separate flow pumps 93a, 93b respectively provided in the branch flow paths 91a, 91b.

[0122] In the example shown in fig. 16(a), the integrated pump 93 for delivering the liquid heating medium is provided in the pathway 92 running from the heating medium outflow port 22 to the branch portion Ｄ２ , and flow rate regulating valves９４ａ, ９４ｂ for regulating the amount of liquid heating medium flowing through the branch flow paths ９１ａ , ９１ｂ are respectively provided in the branch flow paths９１ａ,９１ｂ.

[0123] Note that the rest of the configuration is the same as the vehicle air conditioning system shown in fig. 13, and thus the same reference characters are affixed to the same places, with explanations thereof being omitted.

[0124] In this configuration, the temperature of the liquid heating medium flowing out from the heating medium outflow port 22 can be adjusted by changing a flow rate ratio of the liquid heating medium afforded by the flow rate regulatingvalves 94a, 94b, and thus the flow rate of the liquid heating medium flowing through each branch flow path needs merely be adjusted in accordance with the amount of heating required (requested heating capacity) by the passenger compartment-internal radiator 36. For example, when there is an increase in the amount of heat dissipated by the passenger compartment-internal radiator 36, the flow rate ratio of the flow rate regulating valve 94a provided between the branch portion D2 and the heating medium inflow port 21 is increased, while at the same time the flow rate ratio of the flow rate regulating valve 94b provided between the branch portion D2 and the intermediate heating medium inflow port 25 is reduced. By this means, it is possible to increase the ratio of the heating medium flowing from the heating medium inflow port 21 to the heating medium outflow port 22 in the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 2, and the heating capacity of the liquid heating medium afforded by the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 2 can be increased. The amount of heat dissipated by the passenger compartment-internal radiator 36 can then be increased.

[0125] (Variant of fourth embodiment of air conditioning system) It should be noted that the configuration in fig. 16(a) can also be realized by means of an equivalent heating medium cycle 60. As shown in fig. 16(b), for example, the integrated pump 93 for delivering the liquid heating medium may be provided in the pathway 92 running from the heating medium outflow port 22 to the branch portion D2, and the flow rate of the liquid heating medium flowing through the branch flow paths 91a, 91b may be adjusted by providing a three-way flow rate regulating valve 95 at the branch portion D2, instead of the flow rate regulating valves which were provided in the branch flow paths 91a, 91b.

[0126] By virtue of this configuration, it is possible to adjust the three-way flow rate regulating valve 95 provided at the branch portion D2, thereby enabling adjustment of the temperature of the liquid heating medium flowing out from theheating medium outflow port 22,, which makes it possible to obtain the required heating capacity (amount of heat dissipated by the passenger compartment- internal radiator 36).

[0127] (Other variant of fourth embodiment of vehicle air conditioning system) Furthermore, as shown in fig. 16(c), the separate flow pumps 93a, 93b may be respectively provided in the branch flow paths 91a, 91b, without a pump being provided in the pathway 92 running from the heating medium outflow port 22 to the branch portion D2, and without providing a three-way flow rate regulating valve at the branch portion D2.

[0128] By virtue of this configuration, it is possible to adjust the amount of delivery of the respective pumps 93a, 93b, thereby making it possible to obtain the required heating capacity.

[0129] (Fifth embodiment of the vehicle air conditioning system) Fig. 17 shows another example of the vehicle air conditioning system S using the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 1 shown in fig. 1 (heat exchanger comprising the refrigerant inflow port 11, refrigerant outflow port 12, heating medium inflow port 21, heating medium outflow port 22, intermediate heating medium outflow port 24).

[0130] In this example, the vehicle air conditioning system S comprises a refrigerant cycle 110 that circulates the refrigerant in the passenger compartment-internal radiator 36 inside the air conditioning unit 30, and a heating medium cycle 120 for cooling the air of the airflow space 34 in the air conditioning unit 30 and a heat-generating element (fifth heat-generating element 123) disposed outside of the air conditioning unit 30.

[0131] The refrigerant cycle 110 internally circulates the refrigerant and comprises:a compressor 111 for feeding out the refrigerant; a passenger compartment- internal radiator 36 supplied with a high-temperature high-pressure refrigerant compressed by the compressor 111; a first expansion valve 112 that can pass the refrigerant which has flowed out from the passenger compartment-internal radiator 36; an outdoor heat exchanger 113 into which the refrigerant that has passed through the first expansion valve 112 flows; a liquid tank 114 that performs gas-liquid separation of the refrigerant that has passed through the outdoor heat exchanger 113; a second expansion valve 115 that decompresses and expands the liquid-phase refrigerant from which the gas-phase refrigerant has been separated in the liquid tank 114; and a refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 1 that causes the refrigerant decompressed and expanded at the second expansion valve 115 to undergo heat exchange with the liquid heating medium of the heating medium cycle 120.

[0132] The refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 1 shown in this example is sometimes referred to as a chiller.

[0133] In contrast, the heating medium cycle 120 internally circulates the liquid heating medium and comprises, in this order, in a pathway 121 from the heating medium outflow port 22 of the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 1 to the heating medium inflow port 21, a passenger compartment-internal heat absorber 35 that is disposed in the airflow space 34 of the air conditioning unit 30 and enables cooling of air flowing through the airflow space 34, and a bypass junction J3.

[0134] The intermediate heating medium outflow port 24 and the bypass junction J3 are connected by a heating medium outflow bypass flow path 122, and this heating medium outflow bypass flow path 122 is provided with a fifth heat-generating element heat absorber 124 that absorbs heat of a fifth heat-generating element 123.

[0135] A pathway 121a from the heating medium outflow port 22 to the bypass junction J3 and a heating medium outflow bypass flow path 122 are respectively provided with flow rate regulating valves 126a, 126b, and a pathway 121b from the bypass junction J3 to the heating medium inflow port 21 is provided with an integrated pump 128 that delivers the liquid heating medium.

[0136] Accordingly, the refrigerant which has been decompressed and expanded by the expansion valve 115 flows into the refrigerant flow path 13 of the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 1 via the refrigerant inflow port 11, and the liquid heating medium pumped from the integrated pump 128 flows into the heating medium flow path 23 via the heating medium inflow port 21, the refrigerant that has flowed in from the refrigerant inflow port 11 and the liquid heating medium that has flowed in from the heating medium inflow port 21 therefore undergoing heat exchange when moving through the inside of the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 1, and the liquid heating medium flowing out from the intermediate heating medium outflow port 24 flowing out after having undergone heat exchange in only the outward paths of the respective heating medium circulation layers 26 inside the heat exchanger; thus, the liquid heating medium flows out as a liquid heating medium having a fifth cooling temperature, and the liquid heating medium that flows out from the heating medium outflow port 22 flows out after having undergone heat exchange in the outward path and return path of the respective heating medium circulation layers 26 inside the heat exchanger, hence flowing out as liquid heating medium of a fourth cooling temperature lower than the fifth cooling temperature.

[0137] Due to this, the passenger compartment-internal heat absorber 35, which requires sufficient cooling capacity, is supplied with a sufficiently cooled liquid heating medium (liquid heating medium of fourth cooling temperature) that flows out from the heating medium outflow port 22, and the fifth heat-generatingelement heat absorber 124, which can make do with a relatively smaller cooling capacity than the passenger compartment-internal heat absorber 35, is supplied with the liquid heating medium of the fifth cooling temperature higher than the fourth cooling temperature and flows out from the intermediate heating medium outflow port 24.

[0138] The liquid heating medium that has flowed out from the passenger compartment- internal heat absorber 35 (liquid heating medium that has absorbed heat from the air of the airflow space 34) and the liquid heating medium that flows out from the fifth heat-generating element heat absorber 124 (the liquid heating medium that has absorbed heat from the fifth heat-generating element 123) merge at the bypass junction J3 and thereafter flow into the integrated pump 128.

[0139] The liquid heating medium supplied to the fifth heat-generating element heat absorber 124 and the liquid heating medium supplied to the passenger compartment-internal heat absorber 35 have different outflow ports of the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 1, thereby being formed at different temperatures, but it is not possible to adjust the heating medium flow rate in accordance with the amount of heat absorbed required by the respective heat- generating elements. However, in the present embodiment, the respective flow rates of the refrigerant flowing through the pathway 121a from the heating medium outflow port 22 to the bypass junction J3, and the heating medium outflow bypass flow path 122 can be adjusted by the flow rate regulating valves 126a, 126b, and thus it is possible to adjust the cooling capacity of the respective heat exchangers in accordance with the required amount of heat absorption by each.

[0140] Accordingly, the configuration described above makes it possible to obtained the required cooling capacity for two different objects to be cooled by using a single refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 1.

[0141] (Variant of fifth embodiment of vehicle air conditioning system) Note that the vehicle air conditioning system S shown by fig. 17 can also be realized by an equivalent system.

[0142] In other words, as shown in fig. 18, the system may be formed by removing the flow rate regulating valves 126a, 126b respectively provided to the pathway 121a from the heating medium outflow port 22 to the bypass junction J3 and the heating medium outflow bypass flow path 122, and providing an integrated pump 128, which delivers the liquid heating medium and is provided to the pathway 121b from the bypass junction J3 to the heating medium inflow port 21, and a three-way flow rate regulating valve 127 provided to the bypass junction J3.

[0143] Even in this configuration, it is possible to adjust the flow rate of the liquid heating medium flowing through the passenger compartment-internal heat absorber 35 and the flow rate of the liquid heating medium flowing through the fifth heat-generating element heat absorber 124 with the three-way flow rate regulating valve 127, thus making it possible to obtain the same effects as the configuration shown in fig. 17.

[0144] (Other variant of fifth embodiment of vehicle air conditioning system) Furthermore, as shown in fig. 19, the integrated pump 128 and three-way flow rate regulating valve 127 may be removed, and the separate flow pumps 128a, 128b may be respectively provided in the pathway 121a from the heating medium outflow port 22 to the bypass junction J3 and the heating medium outflow bypass flow path 122.

[0145] Even in this configuration, it is possible to adjust the flow rate of the liquid heating medium flowing through the passenger compartment-internal heat absorber 35 and the flow rate of the liquid heating medium flowing through thefifth heat-generating element heat absorber 124 with the separate flow pumps 128a, 128b, thus making it possible to obtain the same effects as the configuration shown in fig. 17.

[0146] (Sixth embodiment of vehicle air conditioning system) In the configuration described above, an example of the vehicle air conditioning system S was shown using the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 1 in which the intermediate heating medium outflow port 24 is provided between the heating medium inflow port 21 and the heating medium outflow port 22; however, when using the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 2 in which the intermediate heating medium inflow port 25 is provided between the heating medium inflow port 21 and the heating medium outflow port 22, the vehicular air conditioning system S shown in fig. 20 may be used.

[0147] Namely, the refrigerant cycle 110 of the vehicle air conditioning system S is similar to fig. 17, an expansion valve 115 that decompresses and expands the refrigerant is connected to the refrigerant inflow port 11 of the refrigerant heating medium heat exchanger 2, and the refrigerant decompressed and expanded by the expansion valve 115 can be circulated to the refrigerant flow path 13.

[0148] In contrast, in a heating medium cycle 130, the passenger compartment-internal heat absorber 35 that cools air flowing through the airflow space 34 of the air conditioning unit 30, and a branch portion D3 provided on the outflow side of the passenger compartment-internal heat absorber 35 are connected in this order to the heating medium outflow port 22 of the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 2, and the branch portion D3 is connected to the heating medium inflow port 21 and the intermediate heating medium inflow port 25 via the branch flow paths 131a, 131b.

[0149] The heating medium cycle 130 furthermore comprises at least one of: anintegrated pump 133 which is provided in a pathway 132 running from the heating medium outflow port 22 to the branch portion D3 and delivers the liquid heating medium, and separate flow pumps 133a, 133b respectively provided in the branch flow paths 131a, 131b.

[0150] In the example shown in fig. 20(a), the integrated pump 133 for delivering the liquid heating medium is provided in the pathway 132 running from the heating medium outflow port 22 to the branch portion D3, and flow rate regulating valves 135a, 135b for regulating the amount of liquid heating medium flowing through the branch flow paths 131a, 131b are respectively provided in the branch flow paths 131a, 131b.

[0151] In this configuration, the temperature of the liquid heating medium flowing out from the heating medium outflow port 22 can be adjusted by changing a flow rate ratio of the liquid heating medium afforded by the flow rate regulating valves 135a, 135b, and thus the required cooling capacity can be obtained (the amount of heat collected by the passenger compartment-internal heat absorber 35 can be adjusted) by adjusting the flow rate of the liquid heading medium flowing through the respective branch flow paths 131a, 131b by the flow rate regulating valves 135a, 135b. For example, when there is an increase in the amount of heat absorbed by the passenger compartment-internal heat absorber 35, the flow rate ratio of the flow rate regulating valve 135a provided between the branch portion D3 and the heating medium inflow port 21 is increased, while at the same time the flow rate ratio of the flow rate regulating valve 135b provided between the branch portion D3 and the intermediate heating medium inflow port 25 is reduced. By this means, it is possible to increase the ratio of the heating medium flowing from the heating medium inflow port 21 to the heating medium outflow port 22 in the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 2, and the cooling capacity of the liquid heating medium afforded by the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 2 can be increased. The amount of heat absorbed by the passengercompartment-internal heat absorber 35 can then be increased.

[0152] (Variant of sixth embodiment of vehicle air conditioning system) It should be noted that the configuration in fig. 20(a) can also be realized by means of an equivalent heating medium cycle 60. As shown in fig. 20(b), for example, the integrated pump 133 for delivering the liquid heating medium may be provided in the pathway 132 running from the heating medium outflow port 22 to the branch portion D3, and a three-way flow rate regulating valve 136 may be provided at the branch portion D3, instead of the flow rate regulating valves which were provided in the branch flow paths 131a, 131b.

[0153] By virtue of this configuration, the required cooling capacity (amount of heat absorbed by the passenger compartment-internal heat absorber 35) can be adjusted by adjusting the three-way flow rate regulating valve 136 provided to the branch portion D3.

[0154] (Other variant of sixth embodiment of vehicle air conditioning system) Furthermore, as shown in fig. 20(c), the separate flow pumps 133a, 133b may be respectively provided in the branch flow paths 131a, 131b, without a pump being provided in the pathway 132 running from the heating medium outflow port 22 to the branch portion D3, and without providing a three-way flow rate regulating valve 136 at the branch portion D3.

[0155] By virtue of this configuration, it is possible to adjust the amount of delivery of the respective pumps 133a, 133b, thereby making it possible to adjust the cooling capacity (making it possible to adjust the amount of heat recovered by the passenger compartment-internal heat absorber 35).

[0156] (Seventh embodiment of vehicle air conditioning system) In the examples above, an example was described in which the intermediateheating medium outflow port 24 or the intermediate heating medium inflow port 25 was provided between the heating medium inflow port 21 or the heating medium outflow port 22 of the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 1, or more specifically, an example was described in which the the intermediate heating medium outflow port 24 and the intermediate heating medium inflow port 25 were formed by the same communication port communicating with the heating medium flow path 23, and the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 1, 2 in which this communication port was selectively the intermediate heating medium outflow port 24 or the intermediate heating medium inflow port 25 was used to form the vehicle air conditioning system S; however, the vehicle air conditioning system S may be constructed by using the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 3 shown in fig. 7, in which the intermediate heating medium inflow port 25 is provided between the heating medium inflow port 21 and the intermediate heating medium outflow port 24 when seen along the flow of the liquid heating medium.

[0157] For example, in the configuration shown in fig. 9, if describing a situation in which the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 3 shown in fig. 7 is used, then as shown in fig. 21, a heating medium cycle 140 of the vehicle air conditioning system S may be further branched to the outflow side of the integrated pump 58, one rebranch flow path 141a may be connected to the heating medium inflow port 21, the other rebranch flow path 141b may be connected to the intermediate heating medium inflow port 25, and flow rate regulating valves 142a, 142b may be disposed in the respective rebranch flow paths 141a, 141b, thereby making it possible to adjust the amount of heat exchange between the heating medium that has been delivered from the integrated pump 58 and the refrigerant of the refrigerant cycle 40. Note that, in fig. 21, the other portions are the same as fig. 9, and thus illustration and explanation thereof will be omitted.

[0158] In this configuration, it is possible to simultaneously handle a multiple heating medium supply mode for supplying a plurality of liquid heating mediumshaving different temperatures for handling cooling of a plurality of heat- generating elements having different cooling energy amounts or heating of a plurality of objects having different heating amounts, and a multiple heating medium receiving mode for receiving a plurality of liquid heating mediums having different temperatures for handling changes in the amount of heat generated by a heat-generating element.

[0159] Note that, in the respective embodiments described above, an example was shown in which a plate-type heat exchanger in which heat transfer plates 5 are stacked was used as the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 1, but the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 1 is not limited to this, and may be a configuration in which heat can be exchanged between the refrigerant and the liquid heating medium, or a heat exchanger of a different type may be used, such as a shell and tube-type heat exchanger or a finned tube-type heat exchanger. [Industrial Applicability]

[0160] The refrigerant / heating medium heat exchangers 1, 2, 3 of the present invention and the vehicle air conditioning system S using the same is preferably used by being installed in a passenger car. [Key to Symbols]

[0161] 1, 2, 3 Refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger 11 Refrigerant inflow port 12 Refrigerant outflow port 13 Refrigerant flow path 16 Refrigerant circulation layer 21 Refrigerant inflow port 22 Refrigerant outflow port 23 Heating medium flow path 24 Interemdiate heating medium outflow port

Claims

Intermediate heating medium inflow port Heating medium circulation layer Airflow space Passenger compartment-internal heat absorber Passenger compartment-internal radiator Refrigerant cycle Third expansion valve Heating medium cycle First heat-generating element First heat-generating element heat absorber Heating medium outflow bypass flow path Second heat-generating element Second heat-generating element heat absorber Integrated pump A, 58b Separate flow pump Heating medium cycle Refrigerant cycle Compressor Heating medium cycle Heating medium outflow bypass flow path Fourth heat-generating element Fourth heat-generating element heat sink Integrated pump a, 88b Separate flow pump Heating medium cycle 0 Refrigerant cycle 5 Expansion valve 0 Heating medium cycle 2 Heating medium outflow bypass flow path 3 Fifth heat-generating element124 Fifth heat-generating element heat absorber 125 Pathway 128 Integrated pump 128a, 128b Separate flow pump 130 Heating medium cycle 140 Heating medium cycle S Vehicle air conditioning system J1, J2, J3 Bypass junction[Document Name] Claims

1. A refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger which performs heat exchange between a refrigerant and a liquid heating medium and is characterized by comprising: a refrigerant inflow port (11) through which a refrigerant flows in; a refrigerant outflow port (12) through which the refrigerant flows out; a refrigerant flow path (13) for connecting the refrigerant inflow port (11) and the refrigerant outflow port (12); a heating medium inflow port (21) enabling a liquid heating medium to flow in; a heating medium outflow port (22) enabling the liquid heating medium to flow out; a heating medium flow path (23) which connects the heating medium inflow port (21) and the heating medium outflow port (22) and is provided so as to run alongside the refrigerant flow path (13); and an intermediate heating medium outflow port (24) which communicates with the heating medium flow path (23), is provided between the heating medium inflow port (21) and the heating medium outflow port (22) as seen along a flow of the liquid heating medium, and enables the liquid heating medium to flow out.

2. The refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger according to claim 1, characterized in that an intermediate heating medium inflow port (25), which communicates with the heating medium flow path (23), is provided between the heating medium inflow port (21) and the heating medium outflow port (22) as seen along a flow of the liquid heating medium, and enables the liquid heating medium to flow in.

3. The refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger according to claim 2, characterized in that the intermediate heating medium outflow port (24) and the intermediate heating medium inflow port (25) are formed by the same communication port communicating with the heating medium flow path (23), andthis communication port is selectively used as the intermediate heating medium outflow port (24) or the intermediate heating medium inflow port (25).

4. The refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger according to claim 2, characterized in that the intermediate heating medium inflow port (25) is provided between the heating medium inflow port (21) and the intermediate heating medium outflow port (24) as seen along a flow of the liquid heating medium.

5. The refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger according to claim 1, characterized in that the heat exchanger is constructed by alternately stacking refrigerant circulation layers (16) leading to the refrigerant inflow port (11) and the refrigerant outflow port (12), and heating medium circulation layers (26) leading to the heating medium inflow port (21), the heating medium outflow port (22), and the intermediate heating medium outflow port (24), the refrigerant flow path (13) is formed by the respective refrigerant circulation layers (16), and the heating medium flow path (23) may be formed by the respective heating medium circulation layers (26).

6. A vehicle air conditioning system using the refrigerant / heating medium heat exchanger according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that an outflow port of an expansion valve (46) that decompresses and expands the refrigerant is connected to the refrigerant inflow port (11), the refrigerant that has been decompressed and expanded by the expansion valve (46) can circulate to the refrigerant flow path (13), a first heat-generating element heat absorber (53) that absorbs heat from a first heat-generating element (52), and a bypass junction (J1) are provided in this order in a pathway (51) of a heating medium cycle (50) that runs from the

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