Vehicle Air Conditioner Valve Logic for Coil Disconnection Failures
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Solution Overview
Problem
Air conditioner devices for vehicles face reliability issues due to disconnection failures in solenoid valves, particularly in high outdoor temperatures, leading to uncontrollable refrigerant flow and system inoperability.
Innovation Solution
The vehicle air conditioner system is designed to continue operation by switching to a cooling mode when all solenoid valves are non-energized, using auxiliary heating means to maintain comfort during failures, and incorporating a solenoid valve that closes in a non-energized state to prevent refrigerant movement and noise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If solenoid valves are used to control refrigerant flow in different operation modes, then the air conditioner can execute heating, dehumidifying, and cooling modes, but disconnection failures in solenoid valve coils cause uncontrollable refrigerant flow and system inoperability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional solenoid valve behavior by configuring them to close automatically when non-energized, rather than opening. This inversion ensures that under coil disconnection failure (non-energized state), the valves close to prevent uncontrollable refrigerant flow, allowing the system to default to a safe cooling mode rather than becoming inoperable
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameter state of solenoid valves from normally-open to normally-closed configuration. By altering the default state parameter, the system ensures that failure conditions (non-energized) lead to a controlled closed state that maintains refrigerant flow control and system operability
2Reliability
If solenoid valves are energized in high outdoor temperature environments, then refrigerant flow control is maintained, but coil durability deteriorates due to high ambient temperature
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the energization logic for solenoid valves in high temperature conditions. Instead of energizing valves to maintain control (traditional approach), the inverted approach uses non-energized (de-energized) state as the default, which closes the valves and prevents harmful refrigerant flow while avoiding coil exposure to high temperature stress, thus extending coil lifespan
3Use of energy by moving object
If solenoid valves are left non-energized during vehicle stop, then power consumption is reduced, but refrigerant or oil may move unintentionally impairing restart reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the expected behavior of non-energized solenoid valves. By configuring valves to close when non-energized, the system ensures that during vehicle stop (low power consumption mode), the closed valves prevent unintentional refrigerant or oil movement, thereby maintaining restart reliability without requiring continuous energization
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution ensures continued air conditioning performance, prevents solenoid valve deterioration, and enhances reliability by maintaining comfortable interior conditions during disconnection failures and high temperatures.
Implementation Method 1
a compressor which compresses a refrigerant
Implementation Method 2
a radiator which lets the refrigerant radiate heat to heat the air to be supplied from the air flow passage to the vehicle interior
Implementation Method 3
a heat absorber which lets the refrigerant absorb heat to cool the air to be supplied from the air flow passage to the vehicle interior
Implementation Method 4
an outdoor heat exchanger disposed outside the vehicle interior to let the refrigerant radiate or absorb heat
Implementation Method 5
a plurality of solenoid valves to change a flow of the refrigerant, and control means
Data Source
AI summary
There is disclosed a vehicle air conditioner device which is capable of continuing an air conditioning operation also in a case where a disconnection failure occurs in a solenoid valve to change a flow of a refrigerant in each operation mode. Respective solenoid valves 17, 20, 21 and 22 to change the respective operation modes of a vehicle air conditioner device 1 are constituted so that the flow of the refrigerant changes to a cooling mode when all the solenoid valves 17, 20, 21 and 22 are non-energized. The vehicle air conditioner device executes a cooling mode during failure in which a controller adjusts all the solenoid valves 17, 20, 21 and 22 to be non-energized and operates a compressor 2, in a case where the disconnection failure occurs in one of the solenoid valves 17, 20, 21 and 22.