Vehicle air conditioner
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Solution Overview
Problem
In hybrid and electric vehicles, pre-heating the interior before running while plugged in leads to frosting on the outdoor heat exchanger, reducing heat exchange performance and requiring auxiliary heating, which increases power consumption and shortens the vehicle's running distance.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle air conditioner with a compressor, radiator, heat absorber, outdoor heat exchanger, and control means that includes frosting estimation to predict and prevent frosting by using auxiliary heating when plugged in, and adjusts the refrigerant evaporation temperature to maintain efficient heating and prevent frosting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the compressor is operated during plug-in to execute heating mode, then the vehicle interior can be heated before running, but frosting occurs on the outdoor heat exchanger which deteriorates heat exchange performance
Solution Approach 1:
The control means executes heating by auxiliary heating means before the compressor is operated during plug-in, performing preliminary heating to warm the vehicle interior while preventing frosting on the outdoor heat exchanger by avoiding compressor operation that would cause refrigerant evaporation at temperatures below freezing
Solution Approach 2:
The control means acts as an intermediary that selects between different heating methods (auxiliary heating means versus compressor-based heat pump heating) based on outdoor temperature conditions, thereby preventing direct contact between the refrigerant cycle and the outdoor heat exchanger when frosting conditions exist
2Power
If the compressor operation time is extended to compensate for reduced heating capability due to frosting, then the heating capability is maintained, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control means performs preliminary heating using auxiliary heating means during plug-in before the vehicle runs, ensuring the vehicle interior reaches the target temperature without requiring extended compressor operation during running, thereby avoiding increased power consumption
3Power
If auxiliary heating means is used to compensate for reduced heating capability, then the heating capability is maintained, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control means executes heating by auxiliary heating means during plug-in as a preliminary action, storing thermal energy in the vehicle interior before running begins, thereby eliminating the need for additional auxiliary heating during running and optimizing overall power consumption
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 allows for comfortable interior heating during running while extending the vehicle's distance by preventing frosting on the outdoor heat exchanger, reducing power consumption, and ensuring efficient heating capabilities.
Implementation Method 1
a compressor which compresses a refrigerant
Implementation Method 2
a radiator which lets the refrigerant radiate heat to heat the air to be supplied from the air flow passage to the vehicle interior
Implementation Method 3
a heat absorber which lets the refrigerant absorb heat to cool the air to be supplied from the air flow passage to the vehicle interior
Implementation Method 4
an outdoor heat exchanger disposed outside the vehicle interior to let the refrigerant radiate heat or absorb heat
Implementation Method 5
water in outdoor air adheres as frost to the outdoor heat exchanger depending on conditions of a temperature/humidity of the outdoor air
Data Source
AI summary
There is disclosed a vehicle air conditioner of a heat pump system in which there is prevented or inhibited frosting to an outdoor heat exchanger when heating in a vehicle interior is beforehand performed during plug-in, thereby realizing comfortable heating in the vehicle interior during running and also extending a running distance. The vehicle air conditioner includes a heating medium circulating circuit 23 to heat air to be supplied from an air flow passage 3 to a vehicle interior, a controller has frosting estimation means for estimating frosting to an outdoor heat exchanger 7, and when a heating mode is executed in a state where a power is supplied from an external power source to a compressor 2 or a battery which supplies the power to drive the compressor 2, the controller executes the heating by a heating medium circulating circuit 23, in a case where the frosting to the outdoor heat exchanger 7 is predicted on the basis of the estimation of the frosting estimation means.