Vehicle Compressor Control for Cooling and Torque Trade-offs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current air conditioning systems in vehicles face challenges in balancing cooling performance, fuel efficiency, and power performance due to inadequate compressor control, leading to frequent A/C CUT phenomena and suboptimal engine torque management based on driving patterns and heat loads.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method that actively and variably control the compressor using operation information from sensors, with a controller adjusting the compressor's operation rate based on driving patterns and heat loads through a series of maps to optimize starting acceleration control, ensuring maximum cooling performance and improved fuel efficiency without additional hardware costs or weight.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the accelerator opening condition for A/C CUT control is set upward to improve cooling performance, then cooling performance is improved, but power performance of the engine is degraded due to A/C ON under climbing condition requiring lots of engine torque
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the A/C CUT control threshold dynamic rather than fixed. The accelerator opening threshold is adjusted based on vehicle operating conditions (climbing vs. flatland). When climbing is detected, the threshold is raised to prevent A/C CUT and maintain engine torque; when flatland is detected, the threshold is lowered to enable A/C CUT and improve fuel efficiency. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between cooling performance and power performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of accelerator opening threshold based on vehicle condition. By detecting climbing conditions and adjusting the threshold parameter accordingly, the system optimizes both cooling performance and power performance. The threshold parameter is modified according to vehicle state, allowing the system to adapt to different operating scenarios and resolve the trade-off between these two performance aspects.
2Loss of energy
If the accelerator opening condition for A/C CUT control is set downward to improve fuel efficiency, then fuel efficiency is improved, but cooling performance is degraded due to frequent A/C CUT generation
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the A/C CUT threshold based on vehicle condition. On flatland where cooling demand is lower, the threshold is lowered to enable frequent A/C CUT and improve fuel efficiency. On climbing where cooling demand is higher, the threshold is raised to maintain continuous A/C operation and ensure cooling performance. This dynamic approach resolves the contradiction between fuel efficiency and cooling performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The accelerator opening threshold parameter is changed based on vehicle operating conditions. By detecting whether the vehicle is on flatland or climbing, the system adjusts the threshold parameter to optimize the balance between fuel efficiency and cooling performance, preventing both excessive A/C operation and insufficient cooling.
3Loss of energy
If the compressor operation is excessively limited according to driving pattern to improve fuel efficiency, then fuel efficiency is improved, but cooling performance is degraded due to frequent A/C CUT
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the A/C CUT threshold parameter based on detected driving patterns. For aggressive driving patterns with frequent acceleration, the threshold is adjusted to prevent excessive A/C CUT and maintain cooling reliability. For gentle driving patterns, the threshold is set to allow more A/C CUT and improve fuel efficiency. This parameter adaptation resolves the contradiction between fuel efficiency and cooling reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from driving pattern detection to adjust A/C control parameters. By monitoring accelerator operation patterns and vehicle conditions, the system feeds this information back to adjust the A/C CUT threshold, optimizing the balance between fuel efficiency and cooling performance based on actual driving behavior.
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 effectively addresses tradeoffs among cooling, fuel efficiency, and power performance by maximizing cooling when heat loads are high and optimizing engine torque according to driving patterns, enhancing passenger comfort and fuel efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
the compressor serves to suck a refrigerant from the evaporator, compress the refrigerant, and then discharge the compressed refrigerant to the condenser
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for controlling a compressor includes: an operation information detector which detects operation information from various sensors according to an operation of a vehicle; a compressor which compresses a refrigerant for operating an air conditioner; and a controller which performs starting acceleration control of momentarily decreasing an operation rate of the compressor, which uses engine power in an acceleration situation of the vehicle, in which the controller stores a first map, in which a starting acceleration entry condition according to a driving pattern and a heat load of the vehicle is defined in a plurality of levels, sets a starting acceleration entry condition having a final level corresponding to the driving pattern according to a starting acceleration entry frequency of a driver for a predetermined unit time within a limited level range of the first map, and adjusts a starting acceleration control frequency of the compressor.