Vehicle air conditioner

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a vehicle air conditioner capable of reducing the size of the entire air conditioner and reducing the cost, in the case where heat in air discharged as ventilation from a vehicle interior is recovered with a heat medium to improve efficiency of air conditioning in the vehicle interior. [Solution] A vehicle air conditioner 1 is provided with: an air conditioning case 38 through which air to be supplied to a vehicle interior 6 flows; an indoor blower 59 that causes air to flow in the air conditioning case 38; and a heat medium circuit 2 having a cooler core 18 and a heater core 19. The air conditioning case 38 has a ventilation passage 62 that is located on the upstream side of the cooler core 18 and the heater core 19 and that discharges air from the vehicle interior 6 to a vehicle exterior 7. The heat medium circuit 2 has a heat exchanger 27 for ventilation heat recovery that is provided in the ventilation passage 62 and recovers heat from air discharged to the vehicle exterior 7.

Description

Vehicle air conditioner

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle air conditioner that air-conditions the interior of a vehicle using a heat medium circuit.

[0002] Conventionally, in this type of vehicle air conditioner, a cooler core (first evaporator) and a heater core (second condenser) are arranged in an air conditioning case called an HVAC, and air is circulated through the air conditioning case by a blower to be cooled by the cooler core or heated by the heater core to cool or heat the interior of the vehicle (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Further, in the above patent document, an exhaust heat exchanger is arranged in an exhaust case provided at the rear of the vehicle, a heat medium is circulated through this exhaust heat exchanger, and air (inside air) discharged from the interior of the vehicle to the outside of the vehicle as ventilation by a blower (exhaust blower) is made to flow through the exhaust heat exchanger, and heat is recovered from the air into the heat medium and this heat is used for air conditioning in the vehicle interior to improve the air conditioning efficiency.

[0004] Japanese Patent No. 5142032

[0005] However, in such a conventional vehicle air conditioner, it is necessary to circulate a heat medium through an exhaust heat exchanger at the rear of the vehicle away from the air conditioning case, and there are problems that the entire device becomes larger and the amount of heat medium used also increases. Also, a blower for flowing air (inside air) discharged from the interior of the vehicle to the outside of the vehicle as ventilation through the exhaust heat exchanger is required, and there is a problem that the cost also increases.

[0006] The present invention has been made to solve such conventional technical problems, and an object thereof is to provide a vehicle air conditioner that can recover heat in the air discharged from the interior of the vehicle as ventilation by a heat medium, and can reduce the size of the entire device and the cost when improving the efficiency of vehicle interior air conditioning.

[0007] To solve the above problems, the vehicle air conditioning system of the present invention provides air conditioning for the vehicle interior, comprising an air conditioning case through which air supplied to the vehicle interior flows, a blower for circulating air within the air conditioning case, a heat transfer medium circuit having a cooler core for cooling air and a heater core for heating air provided within the air conditioning case, and a control device for controlling the heat transfer medium circuit, wherein the air conditioning case has a ventilation passage located upwind of the cooler core and heater core for discharging air from the vehicle interior to the outside, and the heat transfer medium circuit has a ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger provided within the ventilation passage for recovering heat from the air discharged to the outside.

[0008] The second invention of a vehicle air conditioning system is characterized in that, in the above invention, the ventilation outlet of the ventilation passage is located on the outside of the vehicle interior of the firewall provided in the vehicle.

[0009] The third invention of a vehicle air conditioning system is characterized in that, in the present invention, the air conditioning case comprises a partition plate that divides the interior into two flow paths, an outside air inlet provided in one flow path, and an inside air inlet provided in the other flow path, and the ventilation passage is provided in the other flow path.

[0010] The fourth invention provides a vehicle air conditioning system that includes a ventilation damper for controlling the amount of air discharged from a ventilation passage, and the control device controls the ventilation damper based on the amount of outside air introduced from an outside air inlet so that the amount of air discharged from the ventilation passage matches the amount of outside air introduced.

[0011] The fifth invention provides a vehicle air conditioning system comprising a refrigerant circuit having a compressor for compressing a refrigerant, a heat exchanger for dissipating heat from the high-temperature refrigerant discharged from the compressor, a pressure reducing device for reducing the pressure of the refrigerant that has been reduced by the heat exchanger, and a heat absorber for absorbing heat from the refrigerant that has been reduced by the pressure reducing device, wherein the heat transfer medium circuit comprises a heating unit for heat exchange between the heat exchanger and the heat transfer medium, a radiator for heat exchange between the outside air and the heat transfer medium, a cooling unit for heat exchange between the heat absorber and the heat transfer medium, and a valve device for switching the circulation path of the heat transfer medium.

[0012] The sixth invention of a vehicle air conditioning system is characterized in that, in the above invention, the control device controls a valve device to circulate a heat transfer medium from the heating unit to the heater core, to flow the heat transfer medium from the cooling unit to the radiator, and to flow the heat transfer medium that has come out of the radiator to a heat exchanger for ventilation and heat recovery, thereby executing a heating mode.

[0013] The seventh invention is a vehicle air conditioning system characterized in that, in the fifth or sixth invention, the control device controls a valve device to circulate a heat transfer medium from the cooling unit to the cooler core, to flow the heat transfer medium from the heating unit to the radiator, and to flow the heat transfer medium that has exited the radiator to a heat exchanger for ventilation and heat recovery, thereby executing a cooling mode.

[0014] The eighth invention is a vehicle air conditioning system that includes an air mix damper for controlling the flow of air to the heater core, wherein the control device, in cooling mode, flows a heat transfer medium from the heating unit to the heater core, flows the heat transfer medium that has exited the heater core to the radiator, and controls the air mix damper to block or restrict the flow of air to the heater core.

[0015] According to the present invention, the air conditioning case of a vehicle air conditioning system is provided with a ventilation passage located on the windward side of the cooler core and heater core to discharge air from the vehicle interior to the outside, and the heat transfer medium circuit is provided with a ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger that recovers heat from the air discharged to the outside of the vehicle through the ventilation passage. As a result, the heat in the air discharged to the outside of the vehicle is recovered by the heat transfer medium using this ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger, thereby improving the efficiency of the vehicle interior air conditioning.

[0016] In particular, by providing the ventilation passages in the air conditioning case, it is possible to miniaturize the entire device. Furthermore, by providing the ventilation passages on the windward side of the cooler core and heater core, it becomes possible to discharge air outside the vehicle compartment through the ventilation passages without the need for a separate ventilation fan, thereby reducing the number of parts and lowering costs.

[0017] In this case, as in the second invention, by positioning the ventilation outlet of the ventilation passage on the outside of the vehicle's firewall, it becomes possible to discharge air from the ventilation passage in the air conditioning case to the outside of the vehicle's interior without obstruction.

[0018] Furthermore, as in the third invention, the air conditioning case is provided with a partition plate that divides the interior into two flow paths, with an outside air inlet in one flow path and an inside air inlet in the other flow path, and a ventilation passage is provided in the other flow path. This allows outside air to be actively taken in from the outside air inlet, while the air inside the vehicle, i.e., the inside air, is smoothly discharged to the outside of the vehicle through the ventilation passage as ventilation, and at the same time, the heat in the air (inside air) can be smoothly recovered by a heat exchanger for ventilation heat recovery.

[0019] In that case, a ventilation damper is provided to control the amount of air discharged from the ventilation passage, as in the fourth invention. The control device controls the ventilation damper based on the amount of outside air introduced from the outside air inlet so that the amount of air discharged from the ventilation passage matches the amount of outside air introduced. This suppresses the increase in air pressure inside the vehicle cabin and prevents air (internal air) from leaking out from places other than the ventilation passage, and enables efficient heat recovery by the heat exchanger for ventilation heat recovery in the ventilation passage.

[0020] Here, a refrigerant circuit like that of the fifth invention is used as the heat source for cooling the heat transfer medium circulating in the cooler core of the heat transfer medium circuit and heating the heat transfer medium circulating in the heater core.

[0021] Then, as in the sixth invention, the control device controls the valve device of the heat transfer medium circuit to circulate the heat transfer medium from the heating section, which exchanges heat between the heat exchanger and the heat transfer medium of the refrigerant circuit, to the heater core, and to flow the heat transfer medium from the cooling section, which exchanges heat between the heat absorber and the heat transfer medium of the refrigerant circuit, to the radiator, and to execute a heating mode in which the heat transfer medium that has come out of this radiator is flowed to a heat exchanger for ventilation heat recovery.

[0022] When this heating mode is in operation, for example in winter, if the heated heat transfer medium that has come out of the ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger is flowed to the radiator, the difference between the heat transfer medium and the outside temperature (outside air temperature) becomes small, and the amount of heat exchanged decreases. However, as in the sixth invention, by flowing the heat transfer medium that has come out of the radiator to the ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger, this problem can be solved, and heat from the air (inside air) that is hotter than the outside air temperature discharged from the ventilation passage can be efficiently recovered to warm the heat transfer medium and heat the inside of the vehicle.

[0023] Furthermore, as in the seventh invention, the control device controls the valve device to circulate the heat transfer medium from the cooling unit to the cooler core, to flow the heat transfer medium from the heating unit to the radiator, and to flow the heat transfer medium that has exited the radiator to a heat exchanger for ventilation and heat recovery, thereby executing a cooling mode.

[0024] When this cooling mode is in operation, for example in the summer, if the cooled heat transfer medium that has exited the ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger is flowed to the radiator, the difference between the heat transfer medium and the temperature outside the vehicle (outside air temperature) becomes smaller, reducing the amount of heat exchanged. However, as in the seventh invention, by flowing the heat transfer medium that has exited the radiator to the ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger, this problem is resolved, and the recovered cold energy, which is lower than the outside air temperature, promotes the condensation of the refrigerant in the radiator, enabling efficient cooling of the vehicle interior.

[0025] Furthermore, in this cooling mode, when the control device flows a heat transfer medium from the heating unit to the heater core, and then flows the heat transfer medium from the heater core to the radiator, the control device can control the air mix damper, as in the eighth invention, to block or restrict the flow of air to the heater core. This eliminates the problem of the air blown into the passenger compartment being heated by the heater core, or being heated more than necessary.

[0026] This figure illustrates the heat transfer medium circuit, refrigerant circuit, and air conditioning case of one embodiment of the vehicle air conditioning system of the present invention. This is a functional block diagram illustrating the configuration of one embodiment relating to the control of the vehicle air conditioning system of Figure 1. This figure illustrates the heat transfer medium circuit, refrigerant circuit, and air conditioning case of the vehicle air conditioning system of Figure 1 in cooling mode. This figure illustrates the heat transfer medium circuit, refrigerant circuit, and air conditioning case of the vehicle air conditioning system of Figure 1 in heating mode.

[0027] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. (1) Configuration of the vehicle air conditioning system 1 Figure 1 shows the configuration of the heat transfer medium circuit 2, refrigerant circuit 3, and air conditioning case 38 of a vehicle air conditioning system 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 2 shows an embodiment of the functional block related to the control of the vehicle air conditioning system 1 of Figure 1. The vehicle air conditioning system 1 of the embodiment air conditions the interior of an electric vehicle (EV) such as an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle, and also cools the battery 4 and driving motor 8 mounted on the electric vehicle (EV), and is configured to include a heat transfer medium circuit 2, a refrigerant circuit 3, an air conditioning case 38, and a control device 9.

[0028] Therefore, in this embodiment, the battery 4, the passenger compartment 6 of the electric vehicle (EV), and the driving motor 8 of the electric vehicle (EV) are the targets of temperature control. In addition, other targets for temperature control may include the inverter (not shown) that drives the driving motor 8, and the power control unit 10 (PCU in Figure 2) of the electric vehicle (EV). Furthermore, the concept of battery 4 includes fuel cells.

[0029] (1-1) Configuration of the Heat Transfer Circuit 2 First, the heat transfer circuit 2 of the vehicle air conditioning system 1 of the embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 1. The heat transfer circuit 2 consists of pumps 11, 12, and 13, a heating unit 16 (heat exchanger), a cooling unit 17 (heat exchanger), a cooler core 18 (indoor heat exchanger), a heater core 19 (indoor heat exchanger), a radiator 22 (outdoor heat exchanger), and an integrated valve 23, three-way valves 24, 25, and four-way valve 26 as valve devices in the present invention. These are connected to the battery 4, the driving motor 8, and the electric heater (ECH) 33 as an auxiliary heating device by heat transfer piping 34 as shown in Figure 1.

[0030] In this case, the battery 4 and the drive motor 8 are surrounded by a jacket structure, and a heat transfer medium (water in this embodiment) flows through this jacket, allowing the battery 4 and the drive motor 8 to exchange heat with the heat transfer medium. The radiator 22 is located in the front compartment (hereinafter referred to as the exterior 7) of the electric vehicle EV, where components such as the drive motor 8 and inverter are arranged, and is ventilated by an exterior fan 36.

[0031] Furthermore, the electric vehicle (EV) is equipped with a firewall 30, which separates the exterior 7 (front compartment) from the interior 6 of the vehicle. The cooler core 18 and heater core 19 are located within the airflow passage 39 of the air conditioning case 38 (HVAC) that supplies conditioned air to the interior 6 of the electric vehicle (EV). The configuration of this air conditioning case 38 will be described in detail later.

[0032] The four-way valve 26 has four ports, I, J, K, and L, and its internal valve body is driven by a motor or solenoid to switch between switching mode 1 and switching mode 2. In switching mode 1, the heat transfer medium flowing in from port L flows to port I, and the heat transfer medium flowing in from port K flows to port J (Figure 3). In switching mode 2, the heat transfer medium flowing in from port K flows to port I, and the heat transfer medium flowing in from port L flows to port J (Figure 4).

[0033] The integrated valve 23 has eight ports, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and H, and its internal valve body is rotationally driven by a motor (servo motor). Depending on the rotational position of the valve body, it can be switched to one of several switching modes. In this embodiment, switching modes 1 and 2 are used.

[0034] In this case, in switching mode 1, ports D and E are connected, ports A and H are connected, ports C and F are connected, and ports B and G are connected (Figure 3). In switching mode 2, ports D and F are connected, ports A and H are connected, ports B and E are connected, and ports C and G are connected (Figure 4).

[0035] The three-way valve 24 has one inlet port and two outlet ports, and distributes the heat transfer medium flowing in from the inlet port to one outlet port and the other outlet port. Furthermore, the distribution amount can be adjusted within the range of 0 to 100% for one outlet port and 100% to 0 for the other outlet port.

[0036] Furthermore, the outlet of the cooling unit 17 is connected to the inlet port of the three-way valve 24, one outlet port of the three-way valve 24 is connected to the inlet of the cooler core 18, the outlet of the cooler core 18 is connected to the suction side of the pump 11, and the discharge side of the pump 11 is connected to the inlet of the cooling unit 17, all by heat transfer fluid piping 34.

[0037] The other outlet port of the three-way valve 24 is connected to port B of the integrated valve 23, port G of the integrated valve 23 is connected to the suction side of the pump 13, the discharge side of the pump 13 is connected to the inlet of the electric heater 33, the outlet of the electric heater 33 is connected to the inlet of the battery 4, the outlet of the battery 4 is connected to port C of the integrated valve 23, and port F of the integrated valve 23 is connected to the inlet port of the three-way valve 25, all by heat transfer fluid piping 34.

[0038] This three-way valve 25 has one inlet port and two outlet ports, and the inlet port and one of the outlet ports are switched to communicate. One outlet port of the three-way valve 25 is connected to the discharge side of the pump 11 and the inlet of the cooling unit 17 by a heat transfer medium pipe 34. The other outlet port of the three-way valve 25 is connected to the outlet of the cooler core 18 and the suction side of the pump 11 by a heat transfer medium pipe 34.

[0039] Meanwhile, the outlet of the heating unit 16 is connected to the inlet of the heater core 19, the outlet of the heater core 19 is connected to port L of the four-way valve 26, port I of the four-way valve 26 is connected to the inlet of the radiator 22, the outlet of the radiator 22 is connected to the inlet of the ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger 27, the outlet of the ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger 27 is connected to port A of the integrated valve 23, port H of the integrated valve 23 is connected to the inlet of the drive motor 8, the outlet of the drive motor 8 is connected to port D of the integrated valve 23, port E of the integrated valve 23 is connected to port K of the four-way valve 26, port J of the four-way valve 26 is connected to the suction side of the pump 12, and the discharge side of the pump 12 is connected to the inlet of the heating unit 16, all of which are connected by heat transfer fluid piping 34.

[0040] In the diagram, 35A to 35C are expansion tanks. Also, 40 is a grill shutter that controls the flow of outside air (airflow while driving) to the radiator 22.

[0041] (1-2) Configuration of the refrigerant circuit 3 The refrigerant circuit 3 in Figure 1 is a heat pump circuit in which a compressor 44 for compressing a refrigerant (refrigerant such as R290 in this embodiment), a heat exchanger 46 for releasing heat from the refrigerant (high-temperature refrigerant) discharged from the compressor 44, an expansion valve 47 as a pressure reducing device for reducing the pressure of the refrigerant released by the heat exchanger 46, a heat absorber 48 for evaporating and absorbing heat from the refrigerant reduced in pressure by the expansion valve 47, and an accumulator 49 are sequentially connected in a ring shape by refrigerant piping. The heat exchanger 46 of the refrigerant circuit 3 and the heating section 16 of the heat transfer medium circuit 2 are arranged in a heat exchange relationship, and the heat absorber 48 of the refrigerant circuit 3 and the cooling section 17 of the heat transfer medium circuit 2 are arranged in a heat exchange relationship.

[0042] (1-3) Configuration of the Air Conditioning Case 38 Next, the air conditioning case 38 (HVAC) of the vehicle air conditioning system 1 of the embodiment will be described. On the air upstream side of the air passage 39 configured within the air conditioning case 38, there is an outside air inlet 51 for introducing outside air into the air passage 39 and an inside air inlet 52 for drawing in air from inside the vehicle, i.e., inside air, into the air passage 39. The outside air inlet 51 is provided with an outside air damper 53 to control the amount of outside air introduced by adjusting the degree of opening of the outside air inlet 51, and the inside air inlet 52 is provided with an inside air damper 54 to control the amount of inside air drawn in by adjusting the degree of opening of the inside air inlet 52.

[0043] In the figure, 56 is a partition plate provided in the air passage 39. This partition plate 56 divides the air passage 39 of the air conditioning case 38 into two layers, a first flow path 57 and a second flow path 58. The outside air inlet 51 is provided in the first flow path 57, and the inside air inlet 52 is provided in the second flow path 58.

[0044] In the figure, 59 is an indoor blower (blower in this invention) for circulating air within the air passage 39 of the air conditioning case 38. It is located upstream of the air passage 39 and circulates air to the cooler core 18 and heater core 19 on the downstream side. The indoor blower 59 is installed across the first passage 57 and the second passage 58, but its interior is divided into the first passage 57 side and the second passage 58 side. As a result, when the indoor blower 59 is operated, outside air is introduced into the first passage 57 from the outside air inlet 51, and air from the vehicle interior 6, i.e., inside air, is drawn into the second passage 58 from the inside air inlet 52.

[0045] Reference numeral 61 in the figure is an all outside air damper provided at the boundary between the first passage 57 and the second passage 58 on the air upstream side of the indoor blower 59. When the inside air damper 54 closes the inside air inlet 52 and only outside air is introduced without suction of inside air, this all outside air damper 61 is opened and configured to communicate the first passage 57 and the second passage 58 so that outside air is introduced into both of them.

[0046] Reference numeral 62 in the figure is a ventilation passage integrally formed with the air conditioning case 38, and this ventilation passage 62 is provided in the second passage 58. Further, the ventilation passage 62 is located on the windward side of the cooler core 18 and the heater core 19, that is, between the cooler core 18 and the indoor blower 59, and the ventilation outlet 63 of the ventilation passage 62 is located and opened on the vehicle outside 7 side of the firewall 30. And the above-described heat exchanger 27 for ventilation heat recovery is provided in this ventilation passage 62. Reference numeral 64 in the figure is a ventilation damper provided at the inlet of the ventilation passage 62, and the discharge amount of air from the ventilation passage 62 is adjusted by this ventilation damper 64.

[0047] The above-described cooler core 18 is provided in the air flow passage 39 on the air downstream side (windward side) of the ventilation passage 62. This cooler core 18 is provided across the first passage 57 to the second passage 58 and is located in substantially the entire cross section of the air conditioning case 38 orthogonal to the air flow in the air flow passage 39.

[0048] Furthermore, the above-described heater core 19 is provided in the air flow passage 39 on the air downstream side of this cooler core 18. Partition plates 66 for further partitioning the first passage 57 into two layers and partition plates 67 for further partitioning the second passage 58 into two layers are provided on the windward side of the heater core 19, and the heater core 18 is provided across these partition plates 66 and 67.

[0049] The partition plate 66 extends from the heater core 19 toward the cooler core 18 side, and an air mix damper 68 is provided at the tip on the cooler core 18 side. Also, the partition plate 67 extends from the heater core 19 toward the cooler core 18 side, and an air mix damper 69 is also provided at the tip on the cooler core 18 side.

[0050] Then, when each air mix damper 68, 69 closes the flow path between the partition plate 66 and the air conditioning case 38, and closes the flow path between the partition plate 67 and the air conditioning case 38, as shown in Figure 4, all the air that has passed through the cooler core 18 flows to the heater core 19. Also, when each air mix damper 68, 69 closes the upstream side of the heater core 19, as shown in Figure 3, the flow of air to the heater core 19 is blocked. Furthermore, each air mix damper 68, 69 can also limit the amount of air flowing to the heater core 19 without blocking the flow of air. This adjusts the amount of air that flows from the cooler core 18 to the heater core 19.

[0051] Furthermore, the air conditioning case 38 on the downstream side (leeward side) of the heater core 19 has outlets formed therein: a foot outlet 71, a vent outlet 72, and a differential outlet 73. The foot outlet 71 is for blowing air to the feet of the passengers in the vehicle interior 6 and is located at the lowest position. The vent outlet 72 is for blowing air to the chest and face area of ​​the passengers in the vehicle interior 6 and is located above the foot outlet 71. The differential outlet 73 is for blowing air to the inner surface of the window glass (windshield) of the electric vehicle EV and is located above the other outlets 71 and 72, and is located at the highest position in the air conditioning case 38.

[0052] Furthermore, the foot outlet 71, the vent outlet 72, and the DEF outlet 73 are each provided with a foot outlet damper 76, a vent outlet damper 77, and a DEF outlet damper 78, respectively, to control the amount of air blown out. In this case, the DEF outlet damper 78 is configured to block the air going towards the foot outlet 71 and the vent outlet 72, allowing air to be blown out only from the DEF outlet 73.

[0053] (1-4) Configuration of the control device 9 Next, the configuration of the control device 9 will be described using Figure 2. The control device 9 is composed of a microcomputer equipped with a processor, memory, and input / output interfaces, and as shown in Figure 2, its functions include an operation mode determination unit 81, a control target value calculation unit 82, an operation mode switching control unit 83, and a control target value control unit 84.

[0054] The control device 9 of this embodiment receives detection data from sensors (represented by reference numeral 86 in Figure 2) that detect the temperature of the heat transfer medium flowing into the cooler core 18, the temperature of the heat transfer medium flowing into the battery 4, and the temperature of the outside air temperature and humidity, the temperature of the air inside the cabin of the electric vehicle (EV), the temperature of the air blown into the cabin, the temperature and pressure of each part of the refrigerant circuit 3, and the amount of solar radiation into the cabin.

[0055] Furthermore, the control device 9 is connected to the aforementioned integrated valve 23, three-way valves 24, 25, four-way valve 26, pumps 11 to 13 (represented by reference numeral 87 in Figure 2), as well as the aforementioned compressor 44, expansion valve 47, outdoor fan 36, indoor fan 59, outside air damper 53, internal air damper 54, all-outside air damper 61, ventilation damper 64, air mix dampers 68, 69, foot outlet damper 76, vent outlet damper 77, DEF outlet damper 78, electric heater (ECH) 33 (represented by reference numeral 88 in Figure 2), and these are controlled by the control device 9.

[0056] Furthermore, the control device 9 is configured to transmit and receive data (operational information such as temperature data) to and from the battery management system (BMS) 91, which controls the charging and discharging of the battery 4 via the CAN 89 of the electric vehicle (EV), and to the aforementioned power control unit (PCU) 10. The temperature of each battery cell of the battery 4 is transmitted from the battery management system 91 to the control device 9. The control device 9 also obtains necessary data (operational information such as vehicle speed) from the vehicle control unit (VCU) 90 of the electric vehicle (EV) via the CAN 89.

[0057] The operating mode determination unit 81 of the control device 9 determines the operating modes for the heat transfer medium circuit 2 and the refrigerant circuit 3, which are used for air conditioning in the vehicle cabin, such as cooling and heating, based on the detection data from the aforementioned sensor 86. The control target value calculation unit 82 calculates the control target values ​​for the operating modes determined by the operating mode determination unit 81. The operating mode switching control unit 83 controls the integrated valve 23, three-way valves 24, 25, four-way valves 26, and pumps 11-13 of the heat transfer medium circuit 2 based on the operating modes determined by the operating mode determination unit 81. The control target value control unit 84 controls the compressor 44, expansion valve 47, blowers 36, 59, electric heater (ECH) 33, and dampers 53, 54, 61, 64, 68, 69, 76, 77, 78 of the refrigerant circuit 3 based on the control target values ​​calculated by the control target value calculation unit 82.

[0058] (2) Operating Modes of Control Device 9 and Operation of Vehicle Air Conditioning System 1 Next, with reference to Figures 3 and 4, the operation of the vehicle air conditioning system 1 will be described while explaining the operating modes performed by the control device 9 of the embodiment. The control device 9 has multiple operating modes such as cooling mode, battery cooling mode, heating mode, and dehumidifying heating mode, but here only the cooling mode and heating mode related to the present invention will be explained.

[0059] (2-1) Cooling Mode First, Figure 3 shows the flow of the heat transfer medium in the cooling mode controlled by the control device 9. In this cooling mode, the control device 9 operates the compressor 44, the outdoor fan 36, the indoor fan 59, and the pumps 11 to 13, and the four-way valve 26 is set to the aforementioned switching mode 1, and the integrated valve 23 is also set to the aforementioned switching mode 1. In addition, the three-way valve 24 is set to connect the inlet port with both outlet ports, and the three-way valve 25 is set to connect the inlet port with only one outlet port.

[0060] Furthermore, the control device 9 closes the upstream side of the heater core 19 with each air mix damper 68, 69, blocking the flow of air to the heater core 19 (Figure 3). If reheating of the heater core 19 is necessary, the air mix dampers 68, 69 are used to circulate air to the heater core 19 while limiting the amount.

[0061] When the indoor fan 59 is operated, outside air is introduced into the first flow path 57 of the air passage 39 from the outside air inlet 51, and inside air is drawn into the second flow path 58 from the inside air inlet 52. These then circulate to the cooler core 18, and after bypassing the heater core 19, they are blown into the vehicle interior 6. However, some of the inside air is discharged outside the vehicle interior 7 through the ventilation passage 62 as ventilation.

[0062] At this time, the control device 9 is aware of the amount of outside air introduced from the outside air inlet 51 by the outside air damper 53, and controls the ventilation damper 64 based on this amount of outside air introduced so that the amount of air discharged from the ventilation passage 62 matches the amount of outside air introduced.

[0063] The high-temperature refrigerant discharged from the compressor 44 of the refrigerant circuit 3 dissipates heat from the heat exchanger 46 to the heat transfer medium flowing through the heating section 16, while the refrigerant, depressurized by the expansion valve 47, evaporates in the heat absorber 48 and absorbs heat from the heat transfer medium flowing through the cooling section 17. The refrigerant that exits the heat absorber 48 is separated into gas and liquid form by the accumulator 49 and then drawn back into the compressor 44.

[0064] The heat transfer medium discharged from the pump 12 of the heat transfer circuit 2 reaches the heating section 16, where it is heated by the refrigerant (the refrigerant releases heat). The heat transfer medium heated in the heating section 16 flows into the heater core 19. The heat transfer medium that leaves the heater core 19 flows into port L of the four-way valve 26, flows out from port I, and flows into the radiator 22. Here, the heat transfer medium releases heat to the outside air, and its temperature decreases.

[0065] The heat transfer fluid exiting the radiator 22 flows into the ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger 27. In the cooling mode, which is mainly used in the summer, the air inside the vehicle cabin 6 is colder than the outside temperature 7. Therefore, the heat transfer fluid in the ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger 27 recovers cool energy from the colder indoor air that is discharged as ventilation to the outside 7 through the ventilation passage 62, and its temperature becomes even lower.

[0066] The heat transfer medium exiting the ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger 27 then flows into port A of the integrated valve 23, exits from port H, and flows into the drive motor 8. The heat transfer medium cools the drive motor 8 here. The heat transfer medium exiting the drive motor 8 flows into port D of the integrated valve 23, exits from port E, and flows into port K of the four-way valve 26. The heat transfer medium that flows into port K of the four-way valve 26 exits from port J and returns to the pump 12, repeating this circulation (indicated by the arrow next to the heat transfer medium piping 34 in Figure 3).

[0067] Meanwhile, the heat transfer medium discharged from the pump 11 of the heat transfer circuit 2 reaches the cooling unit 17, where it is cooled by the refrigerant (the refrigerant absorbs heat). The heat transfer medium cooled in the cooling unit 17 flows into the inlet port of the three-way valve 24, where it is divided into one outlet port and the other outlet port. The heat transfer medium exiting from one outlet port of the three-way valve 24 flows into the cooler core 18, where it cools the air circulating in the air passage 39, causing its temperature to rise. The heat transfer medium exiting the cooler core 18 then returns to the pump 11.

[0068] The heat transfer fluid exiting from the other outlet port of the three-way valve 24 flows into port B of the integrated valve 23, exits from port G, and is drawn into the pump 13. The heat transfer fluid discharged from the pump 13 flows into the battery 4 via the electric heater 33 (which does not generate heat here). The heat transfer fluid cools the battery 4 here. The heat transfer fluid exiting the battery 4 flows into port C of the integrated valve 23, exits from port F, reaches the inlet port of the three-way valve 25, exits from one of its outlet ports, merges with the heat transfer fluid discharged from the pump 11, and then flows into the cooling unit 17, repeating this circulation (indicated by the arrows next to the heat transfer fluid piping 34 in Figure 3).

[0069] In this cooling mode, the heat transfer medium absorbs heat in the cooler core 18. Since the air blown into the passenger compartment 6 circulates through the cooler core 18, the air cooled by the cooler core 18 is blown into the passenger compartment, thereby cooling the passenger compartment 6. In addition, the heat transfer medium cooled in the cooling unit 17 is also circulated to the battery 4, so the battery 4 is also cooled.

[0070] In this case, the present invention provides a ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger 27 in the heat transfer medium circuit 2, and this ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger 27 is placed in the ventilation passage 62. As a result, the ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger 27 recovers heat (cold heat in the case of cooling mode) from the air (indoor air) discharged to the outside of the vehicle 7 using the heat transfer medium, thereby improving the efficiency of air conditioning inside the vehicle.

[0071] In particular, since the ventilation passage 62 is provided in the air conditioning case 38, it is possible to miniaturize the entire device. Also, since the ventilation passage 62 is provided on the windward side of the cooler core 18 and the heater core 19, a portion of the air blown out from the indoor fan 59 (indoor air) can be discharged to the outside of the vehicle 7 through the ventilation passage 62 without the need for a separate ventilation fan, which reduces the number of parts and lowers costs.

[0072] In this case, since the ventilation outlet 63 of the ventilation passage 62 is located on the outside 7 side of the firewall 30 provided in the electric vehicle EV, it is possible to discharge air from the ventilation passage 62 provided in the air conditioning case 38 to the outside 7 without obstruction.

[0073] In this embodiment, the air conditioning case 38 is provided with a partition plate 56 that divides the internal air passage 39 into two flow paths. An outside air inlet 51 is provided in the first flow path 57, and an inside air inlet 52 is provided in the second flow path 58. A ventilation passage 62 is also provided in the second flow path 58. This allows outside air to be actively taken in through the outside air inlet 51, while the air inside the vehicle, i.e., the inside air, is smoothly discharged to the outside of the vehicle 7 through the ventilation passage 62 as ventilation. At the same time, the heat (cold) in the air (inside air) can be smoothly recovered by the ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger 27.

[0074] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a ventilation damper 64 is provided to control the discharge of air (internal air) from the ventilation passage 62. The control device 9 controls the ventilation damper 64 based on the amount of outside air introduced from the outside air inlet 51 so that the discharge of air from the ventilation passage 62 matches the amount of outside air introduced. This suppresses the leakage of air (internal air) from sources other than the ventilation passage 62 due to an increase in air pressure inside the vehicle cabin 6, and enables efficient heat recovery by the heat exchanger 27 for ventilation heat recovery in the ventilation passage 62.

[0075] Furthermore, if the heat transfer medium exiting the ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger 27 is flowed to the radiator 22 during the summer when the cooling mode described here is in operation, the difference between the heat transfer medium and the ambient temperature outside the vehicle (outside air temperature) will decrease, resulting in a reduction in the amount of heat exchanged. However, in the heat transfer medium circuit 2 of this embodiment, the heat transfer medium exiting the radiator 22 is flowed to the ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger 27, thus resolving this problem. The recovered cold energy, which is lower than the ambient temperature, is then used to promote condensation of the refrigerant in the radiator 46, enabling efficient cooling of the vehicle interior 6.

[0076] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the control device 9 controls the air mix dampers 68 and 69 in cooling mode to block or restrict the flow of air to the heater core 19, thereby eliminating the inconvenience of the air blown into the passenger compartment being heated by the heater core 19, or being heated more than necessary.

[0077] (2-2) Heating Mode Next, Figure 4 shows the flow of the heat transfer medium in the heating mode controlled by the control device 9. In this heating mode as well, the compressor 44, outdoor fan 36, indoor fan 59, and pumps 11-13 are operated by the control device 9. On the other hand, the four-way valve 26 is set to the aforementioned switching mode 2, and the integrated valve 23 is also set to the aforementioned switching mode 2. In addition, the three-way valve 24 is set to connect only the inlet port to the other outlet port, and the three-way valve 25 is also set to connect only the inlet port to the other outlet port.

[0078] Furthermore, the control device 9 uses the air mix dampers 68 and 69 to close the airflow path between the partition plate 66 and the air conditioning case 38, and to close the airflow path between the partition plate 67 and the air conditioning case 38, thereby ensuring that all the air that has passed through the cooler core 18 flows to the heater core 19 (Figure 4).

[0079] When the indoor fan 59 is operated, outside air is introduced into the first flow path 57 of the air passage 39 from the outside air inlet 51, and inside air is drawn into the second flow path 58 from the inside air inlet 52. These then circulate to the cooler core 18, and after circulating to the heater core 19, they are blown into the vehicle interior 6, but a portion of the inside air is discharged outside the vehicle interior 7 through the ventilation passage 62 as ventilation.

[0080] In this case as well, the control device 9 controls the ventilation damper 64 based on the amount of outside air introduced from the outside air inlet 51 by the outside air damper 53, so that the amount of air discharged from the ventilation passage 62 matches the amount of outside air introduced.

[0081] Similarly, the high-temperature refrigerant discharged from the compressor 44 of the refrigerant circuit 3 dissipates heat from the heat exchanger 46 to the heat transfer medium flowing through the heating section 16, while the refrigerant, depressurized by the expansion valve 47, evaporates in the heat absorber 48 and absorbs heat from the heat transfer medium flowing through the cooling section 17. The refrigerant that exits the heat absorber 48 is separated into gas and liquid form by the accumulator 49 and then drawn back into the compressor 44.

[0082] The heat transfer medium discharged from the pump 12 of the heat transfer circuit 2 reaches the heating section 16, where it is heated by the refrigerant (the refrigerant releases heat). The heat transfer medium heated in the heating section 16 flows into the heater core 19. The heat transfer medium that leaves the heater core 19 flows into port L of the four-way valve 26, flows out from port J, and is drawn back into the pump 12, repeating this cycle (indicated by the arrows next to the heat transfer medium piping 34 in Figure 4).

[0083] Meanwhile, the heat transfer medium discharged from the pump 11 of the heat transfer medium circuit 2 reaches the cooling unit 17, where it is cooled by the refrigerant (the refrigerant absorbs heat). The heat transfer medium cooled in the cooling unit 17 flows into the inlet port of the three-way valve 24, exits through the other outlet port, flows into port B of the integrated valve 23, flows out through port E, flows into port K of the four-way valve 26, flows out through port I, and flows to the radiator 22.

[0084] The heat transfer fluid exiting the radiator 22 flows into the ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger 27. In the heating mode, which is mainly used in winter, the air inside the vehicle cabin 6 is warmer than the outside temperature 7, so the heat transfer fluid recovers heat from the warmer indoor air that is discharged as ventilation to the outside 7 through the ventilation passage 62 in the ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger 27, causing its temperature to rise even further.

[0085] The heat transfer fluid exiting the ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger 27 then flows into port A of the integrated valve 23, flows out from port H, and enters the drive motor 8. Here, the heat transfer fluid cools the drive motor 8, drawing up heat, and its temperature rises. The heat transfer fluid exiting the drive motor 8 flows into port D of the integrated valve 23, flows out from port F, and enters the inlet port of the three-way valve 25. Then, it exits from the other outlet port of the three-way valve 25 and returns to the pump 11, repeating this circulation (indicated by the arrow next to the heat transfer fluid piping 34 in Figure 4).

[0086] On the other hand, the heat transfer fluid discharged from the pump 13 flows sequentially through the electric heater 33 and the battery 4 into port C of the integrated valve 23, flows out from port G, and is sucked back into the pump 13, repeating this circulation (indicated by the arrows next to the heat transfer fluid piping 34 in Figure 4). This circulation of the heat transfer fluid heats the battery 4.

[0087] In this heating mode, the heat transfer medium is released by the heater core 19. Air that is blown into the vehicle interior 6 is circulated through the heater core 19, so the air heated by the heater core 19 is blown into the vehicle interior, thereby heating the vehicle interior 6.

[0088] Furthermore, in this invention, a ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger 27 is provided in the heat transfer medium circuit 2, and this ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger 27 is placed in the ventilation passage 62. As a result, the ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger 27 recovers heat from the air (indoor air) discharged to the outside of the vehicle 7 using the heat transfer medium, thereby improving the efficiency of heating the vehicle interior.

[0089] Furthermore, even in this heating mode, outside air is actively taken in through the outside air inlet 51, while the air inside the vehicle cabin, i.e., the interior air, is smoothly discharged to the outside of the vehicle cabin 7 through the ventilation passage 62 as ventilation, and at the same time, the heat in the air (interior air) can be smoothly recovered by the ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger 27. Moreover, even in this heating mode, the air pressure inside the vehicle cabin 6 rises, suppressing air (interior air) leakage from places other than the ventilation passage 62, and enabling efficient heat recovery by the ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger 27 in the ventilation passage 62.

[0090] In winter, when the heating mode is in operation, if the heat transfer medium exiting the ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger 27 is flowed to the radiator 22, the difference between the heat transfer medium and the ambient temperature outside the vehicle (outside air temperature) becomes smaller, reducing the amount of heat exchanged. However, in the heat transfer medium circuit 2 of this embodiment, the heat transfer medium exiting the radiator 22 is flowed to the ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger 27, thus resolving this problem and efficiently recovering heat from the air (inside air) that is warmer than the outside air temperature discharged from the ventilation passage 62 to warm the heat transfer medium. This heat from the heat transfer medium is then pumped up into the refrigerant evaporated in the heat absorber 48 in the cooling unit 17 and transported to the heat radiator 46, enabling efficient heating of the vehicle interior 6.

[0091] Furthermore, the specific configuration of the heat transfer medium circuit 2 shown in the embodiment is not limited thereto and can be modified without departing from the spirit of the present invention. In addition, although the refrigerant circuit 3 was used as a heat source for cooling / heating the heat transfer medium of the heat transfer medium circuit 2 in the embodiment, an electric heater or the like may be used instead of the radiator 46 as a heat source for heating the heat transfer medium in heating mode.

[0092] Furthermore, in this embodiment, only the ventilation outlet 63 is located on the exterior 7 side of the firewall 30, but the ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger 27, ventilation damper 63, and indoor blower 59 may also be located on the exterior 7 side of the firewall 30. In addition, the air conditioning case 38 may also be located on the exterior 7 side of the firewall 30.

[0093] EV (Electric Vehicle) 1. Vehicle Air Conditioning System 2. Heat Transfer Circuit 3. Refrigerant Circuit 4. Battery 6. Inside the Vehicle 7. Outside the Vehicle 9. Control Device 11, 12, 13. Pump 16. Heating Unit 17. Cooling Unit 18. Cooler Core 19. Heater Core 23. Integrated Valve (Valve Device) 24, 25. Three-Way Valve (Valve Device) 27. Heat Exchanger for Ventilation Heat Recovery 34. Heat Transfer Piping 38. Air Conditioning Case 39. Airflow Passage 44. Compressor 46. Radiator 47. Expansion Valve (Pressure Reducing Device) 48. Heat Absorber 51. Outside Air Inlet 52. Inside Air Inlet 56. Partition Plate 57. First Flow 58. Second Flow 59. Indoor Blower (Blower) 62. Ventilation Passage 63. Ventilation Outlet 64. Ventilation Damper 68, 69. Air Mix Damper

Claims

1. A vehicle air conditioning system that air-conditions the interior of a vehicle, comprising: an air conditioning case through which air supplied to the interior of a vehicle flows; a blower for circulating air within the air conditioning case; a heat transfer medium circuit having a cooler core for cooling air and a heater core for heating air, provided within the air conditioning case; and a control device for controlling the heat transfer medium circuit, wherein the air conditioning case has a ventilation passage located upwind of the cooler core and the heater core for discharging air from the interior of the vehicle to the outside, and the heat transfer medium circuit has a ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger provided within the ventilation passage for recovering heat from the air discharged to the outside of the vehicle.

2. The vehicle air conditioning system according to claim 1, characterized in that the ventilation outlet of the ventilation passage is located on the outside of the vehicle compartment of the firewall provided in the vehicle.

3. The vehicle air conditioning device according to claim 1, wherein the air conditioning case comprises a partition plate that divides the interior into two flow channels, an outside air inlet provided in one of the flow channels, and an inside air inlet provided in the other flow channel, and the ventilation passage is provided in the other flow channel.

4. The vehicle air conditioning system according to claim 3, further comprising a ventilation damper for controlling the amount of air discharged from the ventilation passage, wherein the control device controls the ventilation damper based on the amount of outside air introduced from the outside air inlet so that the amount of air discharged from the ventilation passage matches the amount of outside air introduced.

5. The vehicle air conditioning system according to claim 1, comprising a refrigerant circuit having a compressor for compressing a refrigerant, a heat sink for dissipating heat from the high-temperature refrigerant discharged from the compressor, a pressure reducing device for reducing the pressure of the refrigerant that has been reduced by the heat sink, and a heat absorber for absorbing heat from the refrigerant that has been reduced by the pressure reducing device, wherein the heat transfer medium circuit has a heating section for exchanging heat between the heat sink and the heat transfer medium, a radiator for exchanging heat between the outside air and the heat transfer medium, a cooling section for exchanging heat between the heat absorber and the heat transfer medium, and a valve device for switching the circulation path of the heat transfer medium.

6. The vehicle air conditioning system according to claim 5, characterized in that the control device controls the valve device to circulate the heat transfer medium from the heating unit to the heater core, to flow the heat transfer medium from the cooling unit to the radiator, and to flow the heat transfer medium discharged from the radiator to the ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger.

7. The vehicle air conditioning system according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the control device controls the valve device to circulate the heat transfer medium from the cooling unit to the cooler core, to flow the heat transfer medium from the heating unit to the radiator, and to flow the heat transfer medium that has exited the radiator to the ventilation heat recovery heat exchanger.

8. The vehicle air conditioning system according to claim 7, further comprising an air mix damper for controlling the flow of air to the heater core, wherein the control device, in the cooling mode, flows a heat transfer medium from the heating unit to the heater core, flows the heat transfer medium exiting the heater core to the radiator, and controls the air mix damper to block or restrict the flow of air to the heater core.

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