Refrigerant unit

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a refrigerant unit with which collision safety can be enhanced and a combustible refrigerant can be used safely. [Solution] Provided is a refrigerant unit in which components including a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device, an evaporator, and an accumulator are attached to a support member, the refrigerant unit being characterized in that: the support member has a bottom plate part and a standing wall; the compressor is disposed on one side of the standing wall, while the condenser, the expansion device, the evaporator, and the accumulator are disposed on the other side of the standing wall; the support member includes protrusions on a front surface and both lateral surfaces of a vehicle, the protrusions protruding further in a front direction and both lateral outer directions than the components; and the protrusions are provided on a vertically upper side and a vertically lower side of the support member.

Description

Refrigerant Unit

[0008] ,

[0007] ,

[0001] The present invention relates to a refrigerant unit.

[0002] In a general layout of the front part of a conventional vehicle that runs on electricity, such as an EV (Electric Vehicle), a PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Vehicle), or a HEV (Hybrid Electric Vehicle), as shown in FIG. 7, a firewall 110 that separates the engine room and the cabin inside the vehicle is sandwiched, a refrigerant unit 10 is provided in the front, and an HVAC 120 (a device for heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning inside the vehicle) is provided in the rear. Further, a luggage space or auxiliary equipment 130 and a radiator 140 are provided in front of the refrigerant unit 10.

[0003] As the refrigerant unit 10, a small refrigerant unit 10 in which devices (such as a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, an expansion device, refrigerant pipes, etc.) that constitute a refrigerant circuit are fixed to a support member and integrated is known.

[0004] As a refrigerant used in such a refrigerant unit 10, a refrigerant with a low environmental impact has been attracting attention in consideration of the environment (for example, see Patent Document 1). For example, R290 made from propane has a zero ozone depletion potential (ODP), a very low global warming potential (GWP), and high energy efficiency, so it has been attracting attention as a refrigerant with a low environmental impact.

[0005] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2023-181171

[0006] However, since R290 has high flammability, explosion-proof measures are required, but the structure of the conventional refrigerant unit 10 has not been sufficient.

[0007] That is, the rear part (in the vehicle reverse direction) of the refrigerant unit 10 is protected by the firewall 110, and the upper part is protected by the bonnet, but there is no shielding for protecting the refrigerant unit 10 in the front part (in the vehicle forward direction) and the side parts of the refrigerant unit 10. Therefore, when colliding with other vehicles or the like in these directions, there is a risk of fire or explosion due to the leakage of R290.

[0008] This invention was made to solve the aforementioned conventional technical problems, and aims to provide a refrigerant unit that enhances collision safety and enables the safe use of flammable refrigerants.

[0009] To solve these problems, the refrigerant unit according to the present invention has the following configuration.

[0010] A refrigerant unit comprising a compressor, condenser, expansion device, evaporator, and accumulator mounted on a support member, wherein the support member has a bottom plate and a rising wall, with the compressor on one side of the rising wall and the condenser, expansion device, evaporator, and accumulator on the other side, and the support member has protrusions that project forward and outward from the components, respectively, and the protrusions are provided on the upper and lower vertical sides of the support member.

[0011] According to the present invention, which has these features, it is possible to provide a refrigerant unit that enhances collision safety and allows for the safe use of flammable refrigerants.

[0012] This is a perspective view of the refrigerant unit according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, as seen from the compressor side. This is a top view of the refrigerant unit according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. This is a side view (accumulator side) of the refrigerant unit according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. This is a perspective view of the refrigerant unit according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention, as seen from the compressor side. This is a top view of the refrigerant unit according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. This is an example of stacking refrigerant units according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention (side view). This is a conventional layout of the front part of a vehicle.

[0013] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Each drawing is illustrative of an embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the invention. In the following description, the same reference numerals in different figures indicate parts with the same function, and redundant explanations in each figure will be omitted as appropriate.

[0014] In the drawings, the dimensional relationships of each element are for ease of understanding and are not intended to restrict actual dimensional ratios. Also, in the drawings, each direction is relative to the driver's seat, with the forward direction of the vehicle being the X direction (positive side), the side of the vehicle being the Y direction (positive side is the direction to the left when looking forward from the driver's seat), and the vertically upward direction being the Z direction (positive side).

[0015] Embodiment 1 of the refrigerant unit 10 according to the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 3. The refrigerant unit 10 according to this embodiment is a unit formed by fixing each component constituting the refrigerant circuit to a support member 12, and is used, for example, in an air conditioning system or thermal management system that is mounted on a vehicle equipped with a traction battery and performs air conditioning in the vehicle cabin and temperature control of in-vehicle equipment.

[0016] As shown in each figure, the refrigerant unit 10 comprises a compressor 20, a condenser 24, an expansion device 28 including an expansion valve, an evaporator 30, an accumulator 34, a flow path module 38, and refrigerant piping (not shown) connecting these (hereinafter, the compressor 20 and the like are collectively referred to as "all components"), and a T-shaped support member 12 that comprehensively supports each component.

[0017] The main roles of each component and the flow of the refrigerant are as follows. The refrigerant circulating in the refrigerant circuit vaporizes in the evaporator 30 and is drawn into the compressor 20, where it changes to a high-pressure, high-temperature state. The high-pressure, high-temperature refrigerant discharged from the compressor 20 releases heat and liquefies in the condenser 24, changing to a low-temperature state. The refrigerant that has liquefied and become low-temperature in the condenser 24 becomes low-pressure in the expansion device 28, absorbs heat from the surroundings and vaporizes in the evaporator 30, and is drawn into the compressor 20 again, and this flow is repeated. In this way, the condenser 24 and evaporator 30 are refrigerant-heat transfer medium heat exchangers that perform heat exchange between the refrigerant and the heat transfer medium (for example, water), and by supplying the heat of the refrigerant to the temperature-controlled object via the heat transfer medium circuit (not shown), air conditioning in the vehicle interior and temperature control of in-vehicle equipment are performed.

[0018] The accumulator 34 is installed between the evaporator 30 and the compressor 20 to prevent liquid refrigerant from flowing into the compressor 20.

[0019] The flow path module 38 has a manifold structure in which multiple refrigerant flow paths are integrally formed inside a metal body, and constitutes at least a part of the flow path through which the refrigerant circulates in the refrigerant circuit. Alternatively, individual pipes may be used instead of the flow path module 38 shown in the figure. Furthermore, an expansion device 28 is connected to the upper surface of the flow path module 38.

[0020] The support member 12 has a bottom plate portion 15 which is a substantially rectangular plate-shaped member, and a rising wall 16 which is a substantially rectangular plate-shaped member formed integrally with the bottom plate portion 15 and provided perpendicular to the bottom plate portion 15 in the center of the bottom plate portion 15. The support member 12 is made of die-cast aluminum or injection-molded hard resin.

[0021] The bottom plate portion 15 has a fixed surface (front) on the side where the rising wall 16 is provided (the positive side in the Z direction shown in the figure) where the components of the refrigerant circuit are arranged and fixed, and a mounting surface (back) on the side opposite to the rising wall 16 (the negative side in the Z direction shown in the figure) for attaching the refrigerant unit 10 to the vehicle body or the like. The refrigerant unit 10 can be attached to the vehicle body or the like by fastening the four corners of the mounting surface of the bottom plate portion 15 with fasteners via rubber bushings.

[0022] The fixed surface of the bottom plate 15 has two regions (first region 17a and second region 17b) separated by the rising wall 16. In the bottom plate 15, the compressor 20 is installed on the first region 17a side, and the condenser 24, expansion device 28, evaporator 30, accumulator 34, and flow path module 38 are installed on the second region 17b side.

[0023] Components of the refrigerant circuit are fixed to both sides of the rising wall 16. On the rising wall 16, the surface of the bottom plate portion 15 on the first region 17a side is the first rising surface 16a to which the compressor 20 is fixed. Specifically, the compressor 20 is fixed to the first rising surface 16a either directly or via a bracket (not shown). The rising wall 16 is at least higher than the vertical height of the compressor 20, and a protruding portion 50a, which will be described later, can be provided.

[0024] The side of the rising wall 16 facing the second region 17b is the second rising surface 16b for fixing the accumulator 34 and the flow path module 38. The accumulator 34 and the flow path module 38 are fixed to the second rising surface 16b either directly or via brackets (not shown).

[0025] Furthermore, the third rising surface 16c, which is the negative side in the Y direction of the rising wall 16, is flush with the third bottom plate surface 15c, which is the negative side in the Y direction of the bottom plate portion 15. Similarly, the fourth rising surface 16d, which is the positive side in the Y direction of the rising wall 16, is flush with the fourth bottom plate surface 15d, which is the positive side in the Y direction of the bottom plate portion 15.

[0026] When viewing the refrigerant unit 10 from the second rising surface 16b side, the accumulator 34, evaporator 30, and condenser 24 are arranged in the same direction (Y direction in the figure). A flow path module 38 is also positioned between the evaporator 30 and condenser 24 and the second rising surface 16b.

[0027] Looking at the arrangement relationship between the support member 12 and each component, the accumulator 34 extends laterally (negative side in the Y direction shown in the figure) from the support member 12 (the third bottom plate surface 15c of the bottom plate portion 15 and the third rising surface 16c of the rising wall 16).

[0028] The compressor 20 extends laterally (in the Y direction in the figure) from the support member 12 (the third bottom plate surface 15c and the fourth bottom plate surface 15d of the bottom plate portion 15). Also, in the direction of the vehicle forward, the compressor 20 extends forward (in the X direction in the figure) from the first bottom plate surface 15a, which is the surface of the bottom plate portion 15 in the direction of vehicle travel. Although the expansion device 28 and the like extend upward from the rising wall 16, and safety measures using the protruding portion 50 described later may be taken above the refrigerant unit 10, the above is protected by the bonnet, and considering the probability and cost of collisions from above, no special measures are required for vehicle operation. Alternatively, this can be addressed by making the height of the rising wall 16 higher than all the components of the refrigerant unit 10.

[0029] To enhance frontal collision safety, in this embodiment, at least one projection 50a is provided on the first vertical surface 16a and the first bottom plate surface 15a of the vertical wall 16, respectively, so as to sandwich the compressor 20. In the example shown in Figures 1 to 3, one projection 50a is provided on the vertically upper side of the compressor 20, and two projections 50a are provided on the vertically lower side. Alternatively, instead of providing a projection 50a on the first bottom plate surface 15a, the length of the bottom plate 15 in the vehicle-forward direction may be increased so that the bottom plate 15 is positioned further forward than all the components of the refrigerant unit 10.

[0030] It is preferable that the protruding portion 50a be provided perpendicular to the first vertical surface 16a from the viewpoint of strength against frontal collisions. However, it is not limited to this as long as sufficient strength against collisions can be ensured.

[0031] The protruding portion 50a has a length that extends further forward than all the components located in the first region 17a. By making the protruding portion 50a protrude further forward than all the components, the protruding portion 50a can act as a protective material in the event of a collision from the front (including collision with an object in front), thereby protecting the components of the refrigerant unit 10.

[0032] The protruding portion 50a is attached to the mounting surface, including the first rising surface 16a, by an appropriate method. For example, welding, riveting, or threading can be used. Alternatively, it may be die-cast integrally with the support member 12.

[0033] The shape of the protruding portion 50a may be cylindrical as shown in Figures 1 to 3, but is not limited to this. Any shape that has sufficient strength against impact is acceptable, and various shapes such as prismatic or plate-like shapes can be applied.

[0034] The material of the protruding portion 50a can be any high-strength material such as steel. Aluminum alloy is preferable due to its strength and light weight.

[0035] To ensure safety from side collisions, at least two protrusions 50c are provided above and below the third vertical surface 16c and the fourth vertical surface 16d of the vertical wall 16. The protrusions 50a and 50c are collectively referred to as "protrusions 50". Preferably, at least one protrusion 50c is provided above and below the center of the height of the vertical wall 16. More preferably, the protrusions 50c are provided at a position higher than the highest point in the vertical direction of the compressor 20 and at a position lower than the lowest point in the vertical direction.

[0036] The protrusions 50c provided on the third and fourth vertical surfaces 16c and 16d of the vertical wall 16 basically have the same structure as the protrusions 50a provided on the first vertical surface 16a of the vertical wall 16. That is, the length of the protrusions 50c provided on the third and fourth vertical surfaces 16c and 16d is such that they protrude laterally to the vehicle than all the components provided in the first region 17a and the second region 17b.

[0037] Alternatively, instead of placing one of the protrusions 50c below the third and fourth vertical surfaces 16c and 16d of the vertical wall 16, it may be placed on the third and fourth bottom surface 15c and 15d of the bottom plate 15. For example, by providing at least one protrusion 50c in the first region 17a and the second region 17b of the third bottom surface 15c, and arranging the protrusions 50c together with the protrusion 50c provided on the upper part of the third vertical surface 16c to protect the component at three points, the safety from lateral collisions can be further enhanced. The same applies to the fourth bottom surface 15d.

[0038] Furthermore, by making the width (length in the vehicle lateral direction) of the support member 12 longer in the lateral direction than all the components of the refrigerant unit 10, it may be used as a substitute for the protrusions 50c provided on the third and fourth rising surfaces 16c and 16d of the rising wall 16. Also, by making only the width (length in the vehicle lateral direction) of the bottom plate portion 15 longer in the lateral direction than all the components of the refrigerant unit 10, it may be used as a substitute for the lower protrusion 50c of the protrusions 50c provided on the third and fourth rising surfaces 16d of the rising wall 16.

[0039] (Modification of Embodiment 1) Embodiment 1 shows a case in which the refrigerant unit 10 is arranged so that the compressor 20 side of the refrigerant unit 10 (i.e., the first rising surface 16a side of the rising wall 16) faces the front of the vehicle. However, the direction in which the refrigerant unit 10 is arranged is not limited to this, and the arrangement of the refrigerant unit 10 in the front and lateral directions of the vehicle may be different from that of Embodiment 1. In that case, the protruding portion 50 is arranged as appropriate based on the arrangement of the refrigerant unit 10 in the vehicle direction as shown in Embodiment 1.

[0040] For example, if the condenser 24 and evaporator 30 are arranged to face forward of the vehicle, the protrusions 50 are arranged on the side where the condenser 24 and evaporator 30 are located (i.e., in the direction of the vehicle forward) and in the direction of the vehicle side, similar to the first embodiment.

[0041] Furthermore, for example, the first vertical surface 16a may be positioned so that it faces the side of the vehicle. This case will be explained below.

[0042] As mentioned above, the rear of the vehicle is protected by the firewall 110, so the protruding portion 50c on the firewall 110 side of the third or fourth rising surface 16c or 16d of the rising wall 16 is unnecessary. On the other hand, since both sides of the vehicle need to be protected, the protruding portion 50a is provided not only on the compressor 20 side but also on the evaporator 30 side.

[0043] Specifically, protrusions 50a are provided on the second rising surface 16b of the rising wall 16 and the second bottom plate surface 15b of the bottom plate portion 15 (the surface of the bottom plate portion 15 opposite to the first bottom plate surface 15a). Basically, the specifications are the same as those of the protrusions 50a provided in the first region 17a. The protrusions 50a provided on the second rising surface 16b of the rising wall 16 are positioned above the flow path module 38 and the evaporator 30 or condenser 24. To achieve this, appropriate configurations are possible, such as making the height of the rising wall 16 higher than these components, or making the shape of the protrusions 50a L-shaped, but considering impact resistance, it is preferable to make the height of the rising wall 16 higher than these components.

[0044] Thus, by providing the protruding portions 50a on both the first region 17a and the second region 17b, even when the first upright surface 16a is arranged to face the vehicle side direction, it is possible to improve the collision safety against the vehicle front and the vehicle side directions. In any case, it is common in that the protruding portion 50 is arranged in the vehicle front direction and the side direction.

[0045] (Embodiment 2) Embodiment 2 is the same as Embodiment 1 except that a protective wall 60 is provided on the protruding portion 50 of the refrigerant unit 10. Embodiment 1 is a form of protecting the refrigerant unit 10 at points, while Embodiment 2 is a form of protecting it in a plane.

[0046] In Embodiment 2, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a protective wall 60 joined to the tip of the protruding portion 50 is provided. The protective wall 60 may be a framework formed by combining rod-like bodies into a planar shape as shown in the figure, a porous planar body such as perforated metal, or a solid plate-like body without holes.

[0047] By providing the protective wall 60, it is possible to obtain higher collision safety. It is preferable to adjust the length of each protruding portion 50 so that the direction of the surface on which the protective wall 60 is installed is orthogonal to the X direction or the Y direction. Also, the protective wall 60 for protecting the vehicle front direction and the protective wall 60 for protecting the vehicle side direction may be separate bodies or may be in a form that shares one side. In this case, when the refrigerant unit 10 is viewed from above, the protective wall 60 is formed in a U shape.

[0048] In FIG. 5, the length of the protective wall 60 on the firewall 110 side arranged on the surface orthogonal to the first upright surface 16a of the upright wall 16 is set to the length at which the condenser 24 and the evaporator 30 are hidden when viewed from the vehicle side direction, so that the collision safety for these devices can be enhanced, which is more preferable.

[0049] (Embodiment 3) Embodiment 3 relates to a method for transporting a refrigerant unit 10. As shown in Embodiment 1 or 2, the refrigerant unit 10 is provided with protrusions 50 or protective walls 60 on three sides in the forward and lateral directions. Therefore, when transporting multiple refrigerant units 10 stacked on top of each other, the protrusions 50 or protective walls 60 protect the components of the refrigerant unit 10 from collisions caused by weight and vibration from adjacent units, thus simplifying the amount of cushioning material required for packaging (see Figure 6).

[0050] Furthermore, by making the height of the vertical wall 16 greater than all the components of the refrigerant unit 10, and by having the top of the vertical wall 16 protrude vertically upward more than all the components, the vertical wall 16 functions as a column during stacking transport, thereby preventing damage to the components and reducing the load associated with packaging. In addition, implementing collision safety measures on all four sides in the front, rear, and lateral directions is preferable in terms of improving safety during transport and reducing the load on packaging.

[0051] As described above, according to embodiments 1 and 2 of the present invention, by providing the support member 12 of the refrigerant circuit with protruding portions 50 on the front and side sides of the vehicle that protrude outward from the components of the refrigerant unit 10, the collision safety of the refrigerant unit 10 from the front or side can be improved. Furthermore, by using the structure of embodiments 1 to 3 for the refrigerant unit 10, it becomes possible to simplify the cushioning material when transporting multiple refrigerant units 10 stacked on top of each other.

[0052] The mounting positions of components such as the compressor 20 attached to the support member 12 are not limited to the above-described embodiment. For example, the accumulator 34 may be mounted in the same first region 17a as the compressor 20, or the condenser 24 and evaporator 30 may be directly mounted to the rising wall 16, and various arrangements can be applied.

[0053] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to the embodiments described above, and any design changes, etc., that do not depart from the spirit of the present invention are also included in the present invention.

[0054] 10: Refrigerant unit, 12: Support member, 15: Bottom plate section, 15a: First bottom plate surface, 15b: Second bottom plate surface, 15c: Third bottom plate surface, 15d: Fourth bottom plate surface, 16: Riser wall, 16a: First riser surface, 16b: Second riser surface, 16c: Third riser surface, 16d: Fourth riser surface, 17a: First region, 17b: Second region, 20: Compressor, 24: Condenser, 28: Expansion device, 30: Evaporator, 34: Accumulator, 38: Flow path module, 50, 50a, 50c: Protrusions, 60: Protective wall, 110: Firewall, 120: HVAC, 130: Luggage space or auxiliary equipment, 140: Radiator

Claims

1. A refrigerant unit comprising a compressor, condenser, expansion device, evaporator, and accumulator mounted on a support member, wherein the support member has a bottom plate and a rising wall, the compressor is positioned on one side of the rising wall, and the condenser, expansion device, evaporator, and accumulator are positioned on the other side, and the support member has projections on the front side and both sides of the support member that project forward and outward from the components, and the projections are provided on the vertically upper and vertically lower sides of the support member.

2. The refrigerant unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the protrusions provided on one side are provided on the vertically upper side and the vertically lower side, with the compressor in between.

3. The refrigerant unit according to claim 2, characterized in that a protective wall is provided at the tip of the protruding portion.

4. The refrigerant unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the rising wall has a top portion that protrudes vertically upward from the component.

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