Vehicular air-conditioning device

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a comfortable environment in the interior of a vehicle for occupants onboard while reducing air-conditioning energy consumption. [Solution] The present invention pertains to a vehicular air-conditioning device comprising: an air-conditioning unit having a blower, a moisture-absorbing material into which air blown by the blower flows, and a heat exchange part into which air having moisture absorbed therefrom by the moisture-absorbing material flows; and a control device capable of performing control to automatically start pre-air conditioning on the basis of satisfaction of a start condition. The control device can perform first control to cause the temperature in the interior of the vehicle to reach a target value after regeneration of the moisture-absorbing material has completed, and second control to regenerate the moisture-absorbing material after the temperature of the interior of the vehicle has reached the target value, and performs, when the start condition for pre-air conditioning is satisfied, a control of either the first control or the second control on the basis of the difference between a predicted end time of pre-air conditioning and a boarding time of an occupant.

Description

Vehicle air conditioning system

[0001] The present invention relates to an air conditioning system for a vehicle.

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, desiccant vehicle air conditioners have been known that use a moisture absorbent material in an air conditioning unit to reduce energy consumption and thereby dehumidify the vehicle.

[0003] For example, the desiccant-type vehicle air conditioner disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes an air introduction path that connects an air intake from outside the vehicle with an air exhaust port into the vehicle cabin, a regeneration path that takes in air from inside or outside the vehicle and exhausts it to the outside of the vehicle, and a moisture absorbent material located adjacent to the air introduction path and the regeneration path. The moisture absorbent material absorbs moisture in the air at a location located in the air introduction path to dehumidify it, and then moves to the regeneration path and exhausts moisture from the air passing through the regeneration path, thereby restoring its moisture absorption performance.

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-240573

[0005] In the desiccant-type vehicle air conditioner of Patent Document 1, the rotation of the moisture absorbent material to simultaneously perform dehumidification and regeneration is performed periodically or irregularly, without taking into consideration the timing of when the occupant gets in the vehicle. Therefore, depending on when the occupant gets in, it is possible that the moisture absorbent material may be in an advanced moisture absorption state. In this case, in order to dehumidify the humid air, the air must be sufficiently supercooled and then heated to a comfortable temperature, which increases the air conditioning energy consumption. This also creates a problem of not being able to provide a comfortable environment inside the vehicle even when the occupant is in the vehicle.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a comfortable environment inside the vehicle cabin for passengers while reducing air conditioning energy consumption.

[0007] The present invention provides a vehicle air conditioning system including an air conditioning unit having a blower, a moisture-absorbing material into which air blown by the blower flows, and a heat exchanger into which air humidified by the moisture-absorbing material flows, and a control device capable of controlling to automatically start pre-air conditioning based on the establishment of a start condition, wherein the control device is capable of performing a reheat operation in which the air humidified by the moisture-absorbing material is dehumidified and heated by the heat exchanger, and the dehumidified and heated air is sent into the vehicle compartment, and the air sent into the vehicle compartment is introduced upstream of the moisture-absorbing material to regenerate the moisture-absorbing material, and after the reheat operation is performed, and a second control for regenerating the moisture absorbent material after the temperature in the passenger compartment has reached the target value by performing the reheat operation. When a condition for starting the pre-air conditioning is met, the vehicle air conditioning system acquires an estimated end time of the pre-air conditioning and an occupant boarding time, and executes the first control if the difference between the acquired estimated end time of the pre-air conditioning and the occupant boarding time is a first predetermined time, and executes the second control if the difference between the acquired estimated end time of the pre-air conditioning and the occupant boarding time is a second predetermined time that is shorter than the first predetermined time.

[0008] In addition, the air conditioning unit has an air damper that closes the air inlet through which outside air is introduced, and the control device is capable of controlling the opening and closing of the air damper, and when performing reheat operation, it is preferable to control the air damper to close and close the air inlet.

[0009] In addition, if the control device determines that the regeneration of the absorbent material is complete when the temperature inside the vehicle cabin reaches the target value during the second control, it may terminate the second control without performing control to regenerate the absorbent material.

[0010] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a comfortable environment inside the vehicle cabin for passengers while suppressing air conditioning energy consumption.

[0011] A diagram showing an example of the system configuration of a vehicle air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. A diagram showing a control device of a vehicle air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. A diagram showing the configuration of a control device and the like in an electric vehicle (EV) according to an embodiment of the present invention. A diagram showing a process controlled by a control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. A diagram showing a process controlled by a control device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0012] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same reference numerals in different drawings denote parts with the same functions, and duplicated descriptions in each drawing will be omitted as appropriate.

[0013] [System Configuration Example of a Vehicle Air Conditioner] Fig. 1 shows a configuration example of a vehicle air conditioner 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The configuration example shown here is just an example, and is not particularly limited to a specific configuration.

[0014] The vehicle air conditioner 1 includes a refrigerant circuit 10, a heat medium circuit 30, and an air conditioning unit 20. The air conditioning unit 20 includes a blower 23 that introduces air from the interior of the vehicle cabin (indoor) or the exterior of the vehicle cabin (outdoor), a moisture absorbent 52 that absorbs moisture from the air introduced by the blower 23, an indoor heat exchanger 22 (for cooling the air) through which the air absorbed by the moisture absorbent 52 passes, an indoor heat exchanger 21 (for heating the air) through which the air cooled by the indoor heat exchanger 22 passes, and an air damper 24 that adjusts the proportion of air passing through the indoor heat exchanger 21. The air conditioning unit 20 also includes an air damper 25 that is located upstream of the blower 23 in the air inflow direction and that switches the air introduced into the blower 23 between indoor and outdoor air. The indoor heat exchanger 22 (for cooling the air) and the indoor heat exchanger 21 (for heating the air) constitute a heat exchanger.

[0015] In the air conditioning unit 20, air introduced by the blower 23 passes through the indoor heat exchangers 21 and 22 before being blown into the room. When the air damper 24 shown in Fig. 1 is fully open, the air introduced by the blower 23 passes through the indoor heat exchanger 22 and then the indoor heat exchanger 21 before being blown into the room. When the air damper 24 is fully closed, the inlet side of the indoor heat exchanger 21 is blocked, and the air introduced by the blower 23 passes only through the indoor heat exchanger 22 before being blown into the room.

[0016] In the air conditioning unit 20, air can be taken in from either the air inlet 25A connected to the outside or the air inlet 25B connected to the inside of the room by selectively closing the air damper 25. In addition, in the air conditioning unit 20, the control device 100 can use the air damper 25 to position the air damper 25 at a desired position between the air inlet 25A and the air inlet 25B (opening / closing control), thereby allowing outdoor or indoor air to be taken in at a desired ratio from both the air inlet 25A and the air inlet 25B.

[0017] In addition, performing air conditioning operation with air inlet 25A closed corresponds to the well-known inside air operation, and performing air conditioning operation with air inlet 25B closed corresponds to the well-known outside air operation.

[0018] The moisture absorbent 52 is configured by providing a desiccant (e.g., silica gel or zeolite) on a circular rotor (desiccant rotor), with the upper half facing downstream of the blower 23 and the lower half facing the ventilation passage 45. The circular rotor (desiccant rotor) is rotatable by a motor 51 and can be moved between a position facing downstream of the blower 23 and a position facing the ventilation passage 45. By providing the moisture absorbent 52 to absorb moisture, the dehumidified air can be directed to the indoor heat exchanger 22 (for cooling the air) and the indoor heat exchanger 21 (for heating the air), thereby reducing the energy required for cooling and heating compared to when the moisture absorbent 52 is not provided. When the vehicle is stopped and the outside air is low temperature and humid, the moisture absorbent 52 will absorb more moisture when the air inlet 25B is closed (outside air) than when the air inlet 25A is closed (inside air). Also, even if the moisture absorbent 52 has absorbed more moisture, if the outside air becomes high temperature and low humidity, the moisture will evaporate and the moisture absorbing function can be naturally restored.

[0019] The vehicle air conditioner 1 includes a control device 100 shown in Fig. 2. The control device 100 controls the air conditioning unit 20 and the motor 51 based on various input signals 60 (such as an air conditioning instruction signal and a charger connection signal) and detection signals from the sensor unit 40.

[0020] The sensor unit 40, which inputs detection signals to the control device 100, includes, for example, an outdoor air sensor 41 that detects outdoor conditions such as outdoor temperature and outdoor humidity, a humidity sensor 42 that detects the amount of moisture in the air immediately after it has been absorbed by the hygroscopic material 52, a temperature sensor 43 that detects the temperature of the air immediately after it has been cooled by the indoor heat exchanger 22, and an indoor air sensor 44 that detects indoor conditions such as indoor temperature and indoor humidity.

[0021] The vehicle air conditioner 1 is capable of performing a known pre-air conditioning. Specifically, the pre-air conditioning is performed when a signal related to the operation setting of the pre-air conditioning is input as an input signal 60 to the control device 100. The pre-air conditioning is a function that automatically starts the operation of the air conditioning unit 20 before a preset time so that the indoor temperature reaches the set temperature at that time. This makes it possible to provide a comfortable indoor environment when the occupants get in the vehicle.

[0022] The vehicle air conditioner 1 is also capable of performing a reheat operation. Specifically, the air damper 25 is operated to close the air inlet 25A to prevent outside air from being drawn in, performing inside air operation. The blower 23 is set to a maximum airflow rate to send air to the absorbent 52, which absorbs moisture in the air. The air that passes through the absorbent 52 is then cooled by the interior heat exchanger 22. This cooling converts the moisture in the air into droplets, which are then discharged, for example, outside the vehicle. The dehumidified air is then heated by the interior heat exchanger 21. The dehumidified and heated air is then introduced into the vehicle cabin. This allows the interior environment to be adjusted before the passenger gets in. Furthermore, by introducing the air introduced into the vehicle cabin upstream of the absorbent 52, the dehumidified and heated air flows into the absorbent 52. This causes the moisture in the absorbent 52 to evaporate, restoring its moisture absorption function. The operation for circulating the dehumidified and heated air in the room and through the moisture absorbent material 52 corresponds to the reheat operation.

[0023] By repeatedly circulating the air through the reheating operation, dehumidified and warmed air is introduced into the room, creating a comfortable indoor environment. Furthermore, as the dehumidified and heated air flows into the absorbent material 52, the material 52 dries, restoring its moisture absorption function. By operating the air damper 25 to close the air inlet 25A and preventing outside air from being drawn in, the drying efficiency of the absorbent material 52 can be improved. When the dehumidified and heated air flows into the absorbent material 52, the motor 51 may be rotated to dry the entire absorbent material 52. To improve drying efficiency, the outlet of the ventilation passage 45 may also be closed with an air damper.

[0024] [Configuration of Control Device in Electric Vehicle (EV)] As shown in Fig. 3 , the control device 100 provided in the vehicle air conditioner 1 is configured as a single ECU connected to various ECUs (Electronic Control Units) that control the electric vehicle EV via an in-vehicle network L. The control device 100 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 101, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 102, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 103, an I / F (Interface) 104 for input / output, an I / F (Interface) 105 for in-vehicle communication, and the like, and each piece of hardware is connected to one another via a bus 106.

[0025] The CPU 101 controls the control device 100 by executing various programs stored in the ROM 102. The ROM 102 is a non-volatile memory. For example, the ROM 102 stores programs executed by the CPU 101, data necessary for the CPU 101 to execute the programs, etc. The RAM 103 is a main storage device such as a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) or a static random access memory (SRAM).

[0026] For example, RAM 103 functions as a work area used by CPU 101 when executing a program. Input / output I / F 104 is connected to various sensors and monitors installed in the EV, and inputs data to CPU 101 and outputs data processed by CPU 101. In-vehicle communication I / F 105 is connected to an in-vehicle network L, and controls data transmission and reception with other ECUs set in the EV.

[0027] The control device 100 controls the above-mentioned vehicle air conditioning device 1 by a program executed by the CPU 101 when data related to the surrounding environment or data related to the driving status of the EV is input via the input / output I / F 104 and the in-vehicle I / F 105.

[0028] The EV is equipped with a battery B. The battery B is charged by connecting a charger plug PS to a battery plug BP, and power is supplied to the vehicle air conditioner 1 via the battery B. The state in which the plug PS is connected to the battery plug BP is transmitted to the control device 100 via the in-vehicle network L as a charger connection signal.

[0029] Furthermore, when the plug PS is connected to the battery plug BP, the control device 100 can receive signals transmitted from external communication means (e.g., a portable terminal carried by a passenger, a keyless entry system, etc.) An example of the transmitted signal is the aforementioned signal related to the operation settings of the pre-air conditioning (e.g., a signal including information such as the operation start time, operation duration, and set temperature).

[0030] [Processing Controlled by the Control Device] When the control device 100 receives a signal related to the operation setting of the pre-air conditioning as the input signal 60, the control device 100 can control the vehicle air conditioner 1 to perform pre-air conditioning after completing the regeneration of the moisture absorbent 52 (first control prioritizing regeneration), control to complete the regeneration of the moisture absorbent 52 after performing the pre-air conditioning (second control prioritizing pre-air conditioning), and control to perform only pre-air conditioning (normal pre-air conditioning control). More precisely, the control can be divided into three types: first control prioritizing regeneration (with reheat operation), second control prioritizing pre-air conditioning (with reheat operation), and normal pre-air conditioning control (without reheat operation). These will be described in detail below.

[0031] Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4 , in step S11, when the charger plug PS is connected to the battery plug BP and charging is occurring, and power is being supplied to the automotive air conditioner 1 via the battery B (charging in progress), the control device 100 proceeds to step S12, where it receives a signal related to the operation setting of the pre-air conditioning. If the signal related to the operation setting of the pre-air conditioning is received, it is determined that the start condition for the pre-air conditioning is met, and the process proceeds to step S13. That is, the control device 100 receives the signal related to the operation setting of the pre-air conditioning only when charging is in progress. Note that the signal may be preset by a timer, received in real time from a mobile terminal, keyless entry, or the like, or may be automatically received by accumulating the daily entry times of occupants.

[0032] In step S13, the control device 100 determines whether a predetermined time has elapsed since the start point. Examples of possible start points include the last time a passenger boarded the vehicle, the last time a passenger disembarked the vehicle, or the last time the air conditioning was used. For example, the predetermined time is assumed to be five hours. If five hours have elapsed since the last passenger disembarked, it is determined that the predetermined time has elapsed, and the process proceeds to step S14. If five hours have not elapsed since the last passenger disembarked, it is determined that the predetermined time has not elapsed, and the process proceeds to step S14. The last time a passenger boarded the vehicle, the last time a passenger disembarked the vehicle, or the last time the air conditioning was used may be stored in RAM 103. When making the determination in step S13, the stored information may be read and compared with the current time as a start point. The predetermined time may also vary depending on the season. For example, the predetermined time may be shorter in winter than in summer.

[0033] In step S14, the control device 100 determines whether the environment outside the vehicle cabin is low temperature and high humidity based on the outside air temperature information and outside air humidity information input from the outside air sensor 41. If the environment is low temperature and high humidity, the process proceeds to step S15. If the environment is not low temperature and high humidity, the process proceeds to step S19. Note that low temperature and high humidity is assumed to be, for example, a temperature of 10° C. or less and a humidity of 80% or more. Furthermore, if the vehicle does not have an outside air sensor 41, the determination of low temperature and high humidity may be made using a raindrop sensor provided on the wipers, or if the vehicle is a connected car, the determination of low temperature and high humidity may be made by obtaining weather information around the vehicle.

[0034] In step S15, the control device 100 acquires the outside air temperature information and the outside air humidity information at the predicted end time of pre-AC of the vehicle air conditioner 1. Then, after acquiring the outside air temperature information and the outside air humidity information at the predicted end time of pre-AC of the vehicle air conditioner 1, the process proceeds to step S16.

[0035] Here, an example will be given to explain how the predicted end time of pre-AC in the automotive air conditioner 1 varies depending on the outdoor temperature and humidity of the day. For example, assume that an occupant uses the vehicle every morning at 7:00 a.m. The target temperature for the interior of the vehicle for pre-AC in the automotive air conditioner 1 is set to 27°C, and the timer is set to start pre-AC at 6:30. Assume that the outdoor temperature is 10°C and the outdoor humidity is 80% at 6:30 on one day, and the outdoor temperature is 15°C and the outdoor humidity is 80% at 6:30 on another day. In this case, if pre-AC is started at the same time at 6:30, it will take longer to reach the target temperature of 27°C in the former case than in the latter case. If pre-AC is performed under the current outdoor conditions (outdoor temperature and humidity) at 6:30, the time required to reach the target temperature is calculated and used as the predicted end time of pre-AC. In this way, the predicted end time of the pre-air conditioning of the vehicle air conditioner 1 becomes variable, and the control device 100 acquires the predicted end time of the pre-air conditioning, which can vary depending on the outside air temperature and humidity of the day.

[0036] Returning to the explanation of Fig. 4, in step S16, the control device 100 acquires outdoor air temperature information and outdoor air humidity information at the predicted end time of pre-air conditioning, and determines, based on the acquired information, whether the moisture absorbent 52 is in a state requiring regeneration (a state in which the moisture absorbent function has been lost). For example, if the outdoor air temperature information and outdoor air humidity information are not significantly different from the current state at the predicted end time of pre-air conditioning, it is determined that the moisture absorbent 52 is in a state requiring regeneration, and the process proceeds to step S17. If a rapid temperature rise occurs before the predicted end time of pre-air conditioning is reached, and the temperature is likely to be high and humidity will be low at the predicted end time of pre-air conditioning, it is determined that regeneration of the moisture absorbent 52 is not required, and the process proceeds to step S19.

[0037] In step S17, the control device 100 determines whether the time (difference) calculated using the predicted pre-AC end time and the occupant's entry time (7:00 in the above example) is equal to or greater than a first predetermined time (i.e., whether the time is long). If it is determined that the time is long, the control device 100 proceeds to step S31. If the time is not long, the control device 100 proceeds to step S18. The first predetermined time is assumed to be, for example, 20 minutes. The occupant entry time may be a predetermined time (e.g., 30 minutes) after the reception of a signal related to the pre-AC operation setting, or may be an average value of the daily entry times accumulated.

[0038] In step S18, the control device 100 determines whether the time (difference) calculated using the predicted pre-AC end time and the occupant's entry time (7:00 in the example described above) is shorter than the minimum value of the second predetermined time (whether the time is short). If it is determined that the time is short, the process proceeds to step S19. If the time is neither long nor short, the process proceeds to step S21. The minimum value of the second predetermined time is assumed to be 5 minutes, for example. In other words, a case in which the results of steps S17 and S18 are negative is assumed when the difference is 5 to 19 minutes, and 5 to 19 minutes corresponds to the second predetermined time.

[0039] In step S19, the control device 100 executes normal pre-AC control to set the temperature to the set temperature set by the occupant. When the set temperature set by the occupant is reached and the normal pre-AC control ends, the flow chart of FIG. 4 ends.

[0040] In step S21, the control device 100 starts the execution of the second control that prioritizes pre-air conditioning. Specifically, in step S22, the above-mentioned reheating operation is started, and in step S23, it is determined whether the target value (for example, the above-mentioned target set temperature of 27 degrees) has been reached. If the target value has not been reached, the process of step S22 and the process of step S23 are repeatedly executed, and if the target value has been reached, the process proceeds to step S24.

[0041] In step S24, the control device 100 determines whether or not regeneration of the moisture absorbent 52 is complete. For example, if the humidity information input from the humidity sensor 42 exceeds a predetermined threshold, the control device 100 determines that regeneration of the moisture absorbent 52 is not complete and proceeds to step S25, whereas if the humidity information does not exceed the predetermined threshold, the control device 100 determines that regeneration of the moisture absorbent 52 is complete and proceeds to step S37.

[0042] Note that even when the processes of steps S21 to S23 are being performed, the reheating operation is still circulating the inside air, and dehumidified and heated air is flowing into the absorbent material 52. Therefore, it is possible that regeneration of the absorbent material 52 is complete when it is determined in step S23 that the target temperature (for example, the aforementioned target set temperature of 27 degrees) has been reached. In this case, the process proceeds to step S37 without performing the processes of steps S25 to S26 even once. This makes it possible to prevent the control load on the control device 100 from increasing due to unnecessary reheating operation.

[0043] In step S25, the control device 100 continues to perform the reheating operation, and when the elapse of the regeneration time is measured in step S26, the control device 100 again proceeds to step S24, and repeatedly executes the processes of steps S25 and S26 until it is determined in step S24 that the regeneration of the moisture absorbent 52 is completed. The regeneration time is assumed to be, for example, 10 minutes.

[0044] In step S31, the control device 100 starts the execution of the first control that prioritizes regeneration. Specifically, in step S32, the control device 100 starts the reheat operation described above, and when the elapse of the regeneration time is measured in step S33, the control device 100 proceeds to step S34.

[0045] In step S34, the control device 100 determines whether or not regeneration of the moisture absorbent 52 is complete. For example, if the humidity information input from the humidity sensor 42 exceeds a predetermined threshold, the control device 100 determines that regeneration of the moisture absorbent 52 is not complete and proceeds to step S32, whereas if the humidity information does not exceed the predetermined threshold, the control device 100 determines that regeneration of the moisture absorbent 52 is complete and proceeds to step S35.

[0046] In step S35, the control device 100 continues to perform the reheating operation, and in step S36, it determines whether the target value (for example, the aforementioned target set temperature of 27 degrees) has been reached. If the target value has not been reached, the process of step S35 and the process of step S36 are repeated. If the target value has been reached, the process proceeds to step S37. Then, in step S37, the reheating operation of the automotive air conditioner 1 is terminated, completing pre-air conditioning, and the flowchart of Fig. 5 is terminated. Note that in step S35, the reheating operation may be omitted and normal pre-air conditioning control (without reheating operation) may be performed.

[0047] In this way, the predicted end time of pre-AC is acquired in step S15, and if the time (difference) calculated using the predicted end time of pre-AC and the occupant's boarding time (7:00 in the example described above) is equal to or greater than the first predetermined time, the processes of steps S31 to S36 are performed. If the time (difference) calculated using the occupant's boarding time (7:00 in the example described above) is equal to or greater than the second predetermined time, the processes of steps S21 to S26 are performed. In other words, if there is sufficient time until the occupant's boarding time, the process related to the regeneration of the moisture absorbent material 52 is performed first with priority, and after completion of that process, the process related to pre-AC is performed. On the other hand, if there is not enough time until the occupant's boarding time, the process for raising the cabin temperature to the target temperature is performed first with priority, and after completion of that process, the process related to the regeneration of the moisture absorbent material 52 is performed.

[0048] As a result, if there is sufficient time until the occupants' boarding time, the state of the moisture absorbent material 52 can be optimized while providing a comfortable interior environment in accordance with the timing of the occupants' boarding, thereby suppressing an increase in air conditioning energy consumption. Furthermore, if there is not enough time until the occupants' boarding time, providing a comfortable interior environment in accordance with the timing of the occupants' boarding can be prioritized, thereby suppressing discomfort to the occupants. Furthermore, while prioritizing the provision of a comfortable interior environment, the reheat operation allows dehumidified and heated air to flow into the moisture absorbent material 52, thereby restoring the moisture absorption function of the moisture absorbent material 52 and suppressing an increase in air conditioning energy consumption. Furthermore, suppressing an increase in air conditioning energy consumption can extend the vehicle's cruising range.

[0049] In steps S24 and S34, humidity information input from the humidity sensor 42 is acquired to determine whether regeneration of the moisture absorbent 52 is complete. However, if the humidity sensor 42 is not provided, another sensor may be used instead. For example, the cooling and heating by the reheating operation may be stopped, and only air may be blown by the blower 23. The blown air may then be detected by the temperature sensor 43 or the inside air sensor 44, and whether regeneration of the moisture absorbent 52 is complete may be determined based on the detected temperature information. This reduces the cost of installing the humidity sensor 42 and determines whether regeneration of the moisture absorbent 52 is complete. On the other hand, as described above, if humidity information input from the humidity sensor 42 is acquired to determine whether regeneration of the moisture absorbent 52 is complete, there is no need to stop the cooling and heating by the reheating operation, which reduces time and simplifies the control process.

[0050] The embodiments of the present invention have been described above in detail with reference to the drawings, but the specific configurations are not limited to these embodiments, and the present invention also includes design changes and the like that do not deviate from the gist of the present invention.

[0051] 1: Vehicle air conditioning device, 10: Refrigerant circuit, 20: Air conditioning unit, 30: Heat medium circuit, 21, 22: Indoor heat exchanger, 23: Fan, 24, 25: Air damper, 25A, 25B: Air inlet, 41: Outside air sensor, 42: Humidity sensor, 43: Temperature sensor, 44: Inside air sensor, 51: Motor, 52: Moisture absorbent, 60: Input signal, 100: Control device

Claims

1. An air conditioning system for a vehicle comprising an air conditioning unit having a blower, a moisture-absorbing material into which air blown by the blower flows, and a heat exchange section into which air absorbed by the moisture-absorbing material flows, and a control device capable of controlling to automatically start pre-air conditioning based on the establishment of a start condition, wherein the control device is capable of executing a reheat operation in which the air absorbed by the moisture-absorbing material is dehumidified and heated by the heat exchange section, the dehumidified and heated air is sent into the vehicle cabin, and the air sent into the vehicle cabin is introduced upstream of the moisture-absorbing material to regenerate the moisture-absorbing material, a first control in which the temperature in the vehicle cabin reaches a target value after the reheat operation is completed, and a second control in which the moisture-absorbing material is regenerated after the temperature in the vehicle cabin reaches a target value, when the reheat operation is established, and obtains an expected end time of the pre-air conditioning and a time when a passenger gets in, when the start condition of the pre-air conditioning is established, An air conditioning system for a vehicle, which executes the first control when the difference between the acquired estimated end time of pre-air conditioning and the passenger's boarding time is a first predetermined time, and executes the second control when the difference between the acquired estimated end time of pre-air conditioning and the passenger's boarding time is a second predetermined time that is shorter than the first predetermined time.

2. An air conditioning system for a vehicle as described in claim 1, wherein the air conditioning unit has an air damper that closes an air inlet through which outside air is introduced, and the control device is capable of controlling the opening and closing of the air damper, and when the reheat operation is performed, controls the air damper to close and close the air inlet.

3. A vehicle air conditioning system as described in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein, when the control device determines in the second control that regeneration of the moisture absorbent is completed when the temperature inside the vehicle cabin has reached a target value, the control device terminates the second control without executing control to regenerate the moisture absorbent.

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