Vehicle Cabin Heating Control for Heat Pump and Electric Heater
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing thermal management systems in motor vehicles, particularly electric vehicles, face challenges in efficiently regulating the use of electric heating elements and heat pumps below a certain temperature threshold, leading to instability and inefficiency, especially when the power supplied by the heat pump is insufficient to heat the passenger compartment.
Innovation Solution
A thermal management method that involves a loop of conduits connecting an electric heating element, a heat pump condenser, and an air heater, with a supervisor unit using PID regulators to set and adjust temperature setpoints for both the heat transfer fluid and electric heating element, ensuring reliable and efficient operation by prioritizing the heat pump's energy efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If the heat pump is used to heat the passenger compartment, then energy efficiency is improved, but heating power becomes insufficient below -10°C
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the heat pump system and electric heating element into a unified thermal management system with coordinated control. The supervisor unit integrates both heating sources and manages their operation together, allowing the system to leverage the high energy efficiency of the heat pump while supplementing with electric heating when additional power is needed below -10°C.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the operating mode based on ambient temperature and heating demands. The supervisor unit continuously monitors conditions and transitions between heat pump-only mode, combined mode, and electric heating element mode, optimizing the balance between energy efficiency and heating power according to real-time requirements.
2Power
If the electric heating element is used for additional heating, then heating power is improved, but energy efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The supervisor unit implements feedback control by continuously monitoring the ambient temperature, passenger compartment temperature, and heat transfer fluid temperature. Based on this feedback, the system intelligently determines when to activate the electric heating element and when to rely on the heat pump alone, ensuring the electric element is used only when necessary to maintain energy efficiency while providing adequate heating power.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters dynamically by adjusting the temperature setpoints for the heat transfer fluid and the electric heating element based on ambient conditions. The supervisor unit modifies these parameters to optimize the contribution of each heating source, minimizing electric heating element usage while maintaining required heating power.
3Adaptability or versatility
If both the electric heating element and heat pump are controlled simultaneously on the same heat transfer fluid circuit, then heating flexibility is improved, but regulation stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The supervisor unit acts as an intermediary control system that manages the interaction between the heat pump and electric heating element. It coordinates their operation by setting appropriate temperature setpoints for the heat transfer fluid and determining when each component should operate, thereby maintaining regulation stability while preserving heating flexibility through unified control.
Solution Approach 2:
The control strategy segments the heating function into distinct operational zones: the heat pump handles the primary heating load and the electric heating element provides supplemental heating only when ambient temperature drops below -10°C or when additional power is required. This segmentation reduces control complexity and improves regulation stability by clearly defining the role of each component.
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 stabilizes the regulation of both heating systems, reduces acoustic discomfort and temperature fluctuations, optimizes thermal management, and increases the vehicle's autonomy by effectively using the electric heating element to support the heat pump during temperature rise phases, while prioritizing energy efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a heat pump (11) comprising a condenser (111), the condenser (111) being arranged so as to allow the second heat transfer fluid to exchange heat with the first heat transfer fluid
Implementation Method 2
an electric heating element (13) placed on the heat transfer fluid circuit
Implementation Method 3
an air heater (12) arranged in the passenger compartment (2)
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
A method for managing the temperature of a motor vehicle (100) equipped with ducts arranged to allow the circulation of a heat transfer fluid in a loop successively connecting an electric heating element (13), a condenser (111) of a heat pump (11), and then an air heater (12), the method for managing the temperature comprising: - a first step (E1) of receiving a first desired temperature (T1) in a passenger compartment (2) of the motor vehicle (100), - a second step (E2) of determining a second current temperature (T2) of the passenger compartment (2) of the motor vehicle (100), - a third step (E3) of transmitting to the heat pump (11) a first setpoint (C1) for the temperature of the heat transfer fluid and transmitting to the electric heating element (13) a second setpoint (C2) for the temperature of the heat transfer fluid, the first and second setpoints being calculated as a function of the first temperature (T1) and the second temperature (T2),the difference between the first instruction (C1) and the second instruction (C2) being strictly positive.