Indirect Reversible Air-Conditioning Circuit for Motor Vehicles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current air conditioning circuits in electric or hybrid vehicles inefficiently manage thermal energy from batteries and electronic components, leading to increased production costs and wasted heat, which could be reused to reduce electricity consumption.
Innovation Solution
An indirect air conditioning circuit with a refrigerant fluid loop and a heat transfer fluid loop, incorporating two internal heat exchangers and a bypass system to optimize heat exchange and thermal management, allowing for the reuse of thermal energy from batteries and electronic components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If a conventional air conditioning circuit is used with separate thermal management loops, then the thermal management of batteries and electronic components is achieved, but the heat generated by these elements is lost and production costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the air conditioning circuit and thermal management circuit into a single integrated system. The refrigerant fluid loop serves dual purposes: providing air conditioning through the evaporator and condenser, and managing thermal energy from batteries and electronic components through the second heat exchanger. This eliminates the need for separate thermal management loops while recovering waste heat for heating the passenger compartment.
Solution Approach 2:
The refrigerant fluid loop is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously. It provides cooling through the evaporator, heat rejection through the condenser, and thermal management of powertrain components through the second heat exchanger. The system can operate in different modes (cooling mode, heat pump mode, thermal management mode) to serve various functions using the same refrigerant loop.
2Temperature
If the air conditioning circuit operates in heat pump mode to heat the passenger compartment, then heating is provided, but the electricity consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the waste heat generated by batteries and electronic components, which would otherwise be lost, into a useful resource for heating the passenger compartment. During thermal management operation, the refrigerant absorbs heat from these components and transfers it to the passenger compartment through the second heat exchanger, eliminating the need to operate the heat pump and reducing electricity consumption.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a second heat transfer fluid loop is added for thermal management, then thermal management of batteries and electronic components is enabled, but production costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the thermal management functionality with the existing air conditioning refrigerant loop rather than adding a completely separate heat transfer fluid loop. The refrigerant fluid itself serves as the heat transfer medium for both air conditioning and thermal management functions, reducing the number of separate loops and associated components needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The refrigerant fluid loop is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously. It provides cooling through the evaporator, heat rejection through the condenser, and thermal management of powertrain components through the second heat exchanger. The system can operate in different modes (cooling mode, heat pump mode, thermal management mode) to serve various functions using the same refrigerant loop.
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
Improves thermal management efficiency, reduces electricity consumption, and enhances the coefficient of performance (COP) in cooling modes while enabling effective heating in heat pump modes by utilizing thermal energy from batteries and electronic components.
Implementation Method 1
a first two-fluid heat exchanger arranged jointly on the first refrigerant fluid loop and on the second heat transfer fluid loop, so as to allow heat exchange between said loops
Implementation Method 2
a first internal heat exchanger, allowing an exchange of heat between the high-pressure refrigerant fluid at the outlet of the first two-fluid heat exchanger and the low-pressure refrigerant fluid
Implementation Method 3
a second internal heat exchanger allowing heat exchange between the high-pressure refrigerant fluid at the outlet of the first internal heat exchanger and the low-pressure refrigerant fluid circulating in the first bypass pipe
Implementation Method 4
a compressor
Implementation Method 5
a second expansion device
Implementation Method 6
a first heat exchanger being intended to be crossed by a flow of air inside the motor vehicle
Implementation Method 7
a second heat exchanger being intended to be crossed by a flow of air outside the motor vehicle
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
The present invention relates to an indirect air-conditioning circuit (1) for a motor vehicle, comprising: · a first refrigerant loop (A) comprising a compressor (3), a first depressurising device (7), a first heat exchanger (9), a second depressurising device (11), a second heat exchanger (13), and a first pipe (30) for bypassing the second heat exchanger (13) comprising a first stop valve (33), · a second heat-transfer fluid loop (B), · a first dual-fluid heat exchanger (5), · a first inner heat exchanger (19), · a second inner heat exchanger (19'), and · a second pipe (40) for bypassing the first depressurising device (7) and the first heat exchanger (9), comprising a third depressurising device (17) arranged upstream of a second dual-fluid heat exchanger (15) also arranged jointly on a secondary thermal management loop.