Auxiliary Vehicle Air Conditioning Using Exhaust Heat Pumping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing auxiliary air conditioning systems for motor vehicles face inefficiencies, such as high consumption and emissions when parked, and issues like ice formation on external heat exchangers at low temperatures, as well as reduced thermal power output at lower outside temperatures.
Innovation Solution
An auxiliary air conditioning system with an internal unit and external unit, featuring a heating device that uses auxiliary engine exhaust gases as a fluid in heat pump mode, eliminating the need for external ice formation and enhancing thermal power independence from outside temperatures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If an auxiliary air conditioning system with external heat exchanger is used, then energy consumption is reduced compared to main system, but ice formation occurs on external exchanger at low temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the heating function from the external heat exchanger and relocates it to an internal heating device. The external heat exchanger is removed from the heat pump circuit, eliminating the ice formation problem while the internal heating device provides the necessary heating function using engine exhaust heat.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediate heating device as a mediator between the engine exhaust and the internal heat exchanger. This intermediate device captures waste heat from engine exhaust gases and transfers it to the refrigerant circuit, providing heating without requiring the external heat exchanger to operate in cold conditions.
2Ease of operation
If heat pump mode is used at low outside temperatures, then heating function is provided, but thermal power output decreases as outside temperature decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the system self-service by using waste heat from engine exhaust as a free heat source. The heating device automatically captures and utilizes the thermal energy already present in the exhaust gases, eliminating the need for external heating sources and maintaining thermal power output independent of outside temperatures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the heat source parameter from ambient air (temperature-dependent) to engine exhaust gases (temperature-independent). By switching the heat source to exhaust gases which maintain relatively constant high temperature regardless of outside conditions, the system maintains stable thermal power output across varying ambient temperatures.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If electrical heater is added to prevent ice formation, then ice formation is prevented, but system complexity and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the heating function from the external heat exchanger assembly and places it internally. This eliminates the need for additional heating components like electrical heaters on the external unit, simplifying the overall system while maintaining ice formation prevention capabilities through the internal heating device.
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 reduces energy consumption and emissions by utilizing exhaust gases for heating, preventing ice formation, and maintaining thermal power regardless of outside temperatures, thus improving efficiency and reducing system complexity.
Implementation Method 1
a heating device and circuit means for cutting out said second heat exchanger and for circulating the operative fluid through said heating device when said switching means are set in said heat pump operating mode
Implementation Method 2
the heating device is an external heat exchanger using the exhaust gases of said auxiliary thermal engine as the auxiliary fluid
Data Source
AI summary
An auxiliary air conditioning system (7) for a motor vehicle (1), comprising a first heat exchanger (17) adapted to be installed inside a passenger compartment (4) of the motor vehicle and an external unit (43) comprising an auxiliary engine (8), an auxiliary compressor (12) driven by the auxiliary engine (8) and a second exchanger (17). The system comprises a switching valve (20) for selectively setting a first refrigerating cycle operating mode in which the first heat exchanger (17) serves as an evaporator and the second heat exchanger (14) serves as a condenser, and a second heat pump operating mode, in which the first heat exchanger (17) serves as a condenser and the fluid of the second heat exchanger (14) is cut off and the operative fluid is allowed to flow through a heating device (30) to receive thermal power independently from the outside environment temperature.