Modular Vehicle Heat Pump HVAC for Heating and Dehumidification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current vehicle air-conditioning systems face inefficiencies in heating and dehumidification, especially in low ambient temperatures, leading to increased fuel consumption, reduced range in electric vehicles, and issues with icing and condensation, due to the limitations of existing heat pump technologies.
Innovation Solution
A modular vehicle air-conditioning unit with a refrigerant circuit including a condenser, evaporator, compressor, and expansion device, integrated in a housing with controllable air flow paths that can use fresh, recirculated, or mixed air to achieve heating and cooling, eliminating the need for refrigerant switching valves and leveraging ambient heat for efficient operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If glycol-air heat pumps are used for heating operation, then heating function is provided, but at low ambient temperatures below -10°C the cooling water temperature cannot reach the level required for comfortable heating
Solution Approach 1:
The air conditioning unit is designed to perform multiple functions: cooling, heating, and dehumidification. The same refrigerant circuit and heat exchangers are used for both cooling and heating operations, with the ability to switch between modes by changing air flow paths rather than using separate systems for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using the conventional approach where the condenser serves as the evaporator in heat pump mode, this invention uses the evaporator as the condenser and the condenser as the evaporator. This inversion allows the system to efficiently extract heat from ambient air at low temperatures and transfer it to the vehicle interior, overcoming the limitation of insufficient cooling water temperature.
2Temperature
If air-air heat pumps are used for heating, then heating function is provided, but icing of the condenser occurs which reduces usable heating power
Solution Approach 1:
The system converts the potential harmful effect of low temperatures into a benefit by using the evaporator as the condenser in heat pump mode. This prevents icing because the air flow paths and temperature distributions are optimized to avoid condensation and freezing on the heat exchanger surfaces that are actively used for heat transfer.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts air flow paths using flaps and valves to optimize performance for different operating conditions. During heating operation, the air flow is directed through the evaporator (now functioning as condenser) in a manner that prevents icing, while still maintaining high heating efficiency.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple individual components are assembled in vehicle production, then system flexibility is maintained, but the number of assembly steps and potential leaks increases
Solution Approach 1:
The condenser, evaporator, compressor, and expansion device are integrated into a single modular air conditioning unit with a unified refrigerant circuit. This merging reduces the number of external connections and assembly steps while maintaining the functional flexibility of the system through internal design features such as multiple air flow paths and controllable flaps.
4Temperature
If heat pump systems release output to the air, then heating is provided, but simultaneous dehumidification and heating cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The air flow path is segmented into multiple channels with controllable flaps that can direct air through different heat exchangers independently. This allows one air stream to be heated by the condenser while another air stream is dehumidified by the evaporator, enabling simultaneous heating and dehumidification of the vehicle interior.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses recirculated air as an intermediary medium to transfer heat between the condenser and evaporator. This allows the heat extracted from the dehumidification process to be used for heating, enabling both functions to occur simultaneously with improved overall efficiency.
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 provides a highly efficient, cost-effective air-conditioning system capable of simultaneous heating and dehumidification, reducing power consumption, minimizing complexity, and ensuring reliable operation across various vehicle configurations, including electric and hybrid vehicles.
Implementation Method 1
a refrigerant circuit including a condenser, an evaporator, a compressor, and an expansion device
Implementation Method 2
a refrigerant circuit including a condenser, an evaporator, a compressor, and an expansion device
Implementation Method 3
a refrigerant circuit including a condenser, an evaporator, a compressor, and an expansion device
Implementation Method 4
a refrigerant circuit including a condenser, an evaporator, a compressor, and an expansion device
Implementation Method 5
a condenser air flow path through the condenser formed therein
Implementation Method 6
an evaporator air flow path through the evaporator formed therein
Data Source
AI summary
A modular vehicle air-conditioning unit for heating and cooling air includes a housing having at least one blower and a plurality of flaps for setting air flow paths and a refrigerant circuit in fluid communication with the housing. The refrigerant circuit includes a condenser, an evaporator, a compressor, and an expansion device. An evaporator air flow path through the evaporator and a condenser air flow path through the condenser are formed in the housing. At least one of the evaporator air flow path and the condenser air flow path receives air from at least one of an environment, a passenger compartment of a vehicle, and any mixture of thereof.