Vehicle Heat Pump Refrigerant Loop for Battery Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional air conditioners for vehicles with heat pump systems suffer from deteriorated cooling performance due to the need for an additional cooling system to cool the battery, which also affects heating performance.
Innovation Solution
An integrated refrigerant circulation system that selectively exchanges heat between refrigerant and a coolant pipe to enhance heating performance and cool the battery without requiring an additional cooling system for the battery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an additional cooling system is added to cool the battery, then the battery cooling function is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The evaporator is designed to perform dual functions: cooling the vehicle interior during air conditioning operation and cooling the battery during charging. The battery cooling pump selectively directs refrigerant to the battery cooling heat exchanger when battery cooling is needed, allowing one system to serve multiple purposes without requiring separate dedicated cooling systems for each function.
2Device complexity
If refrigerant is used for battery cooling instead of additional cooling system, then the device complexity is reduced, but the heating performance may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs dynamic control through the battery cooling pump and associated valves to adjust refrigerant flow paths based on real-time operational requirements. During heating mode, the pump and valves are configured to direct refrigerant through the condenser for interior heating while preventing refrigerant leakage to the battery cooling heat exchanger, thereby maintaining optimal heating performance while retaining the capability for battery cooling when needed.
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 prevents deterioration of cooling performance, enhances heating performance, and effectively cools the battery by using refrigerant, eliminating the need for indoor cold air usage.
Implementation Method 1
an evaporator for exchanging heat between the liquefied refrigerant of low pressure throttled by the expansion valve and air blown to the interior of the vehicle and evaporating the refrigerant to cool the air discharged to the interior of the vehicle due to heat absorption by evaporative latent heat
Implementation Method 2
a condenser for condensing the refrigerant of high pressure discharged from the compressor
Implementation Method 3
a first refrigerant pipe exchanging heat with a battery system of the vehicle in sequence to selectively exchange heat between refrigerant of the refrigerant circulation system and a coolant of the first coolant pipe
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to an air conditioner for a vehicle which includes an integrated heat pump system having an electronic part waste heat recovery device to enhance heating performance and which can cool a battery of an electric vehicle using refrigerant in a cooling mode. The air conditioner for a vehicle includes a refrigerant circulation system for performing cooling or heating of the interior of the vehicle by circulating refrigerant. The air conditioner further includes a first refrigerant pipe exchanging heat with a battery system of the vehicle in sequence to selectively exchange heat between refrigerant of the refrigerant circulation system and a coolant of the first coolant pipe.