Device for heating and/or air-conditioning the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle

• US 20010020529A1
• Filed: 03/12/2001
• Published: 09/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valeo Climatisation
• Original Assignee: Valeo Climatisation
• Inventors: Karl, Stefan
• Granted Patent: US 7,182,129 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 165/202
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00007 Combined heating, ventilating, or cooling devices control systems or mechanisms B60H1/00642
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00914 where the flow direction of the refrigerant does not change and there is a bypass of the condenser
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00921 where the flow direction of the refrigerant does not change and there is an extra subcondenser, e.g. in an air duct
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/025 from both the cooling liquid and the exhaust gases of the propulsion plant
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/20 using an intermediate heat-transferring medium
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/3204 using compression B60H1/3233 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/32284 comprising two or more secondary circuits, e.g. at evaporator and condenser side
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/00928 comprising a secondary circuit
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/00949 comprising additional heating/cooling sources, e.g. second evaporator

Abstract

A device for air-conditioning a motor vehicle has an engine-cooling loop, a heat-pump loop containing a compressor, an evaporator as cold source of the heat pump and a condenser as hot source of the heat pump. The condenser is integrated into the engine-cooling loop upstream of the air heater. An air-conditioning branch has a condenser and an evaporator with an upstream end connected to the heat-pump loop downstream of the compressor, and a downstream end connected to the heat-pump loop upstream of the compressor. Switching means make it possible to make the refrigerant fluid circulate either in the heat-pump loop, or in the heat-pump branch, in such a way as to form a heat-pump loop.

Claims

1. A device for heating and/or air-conditioning the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle, comprising an engine-cooling loop in which a heat-carrying fluid circulates for taking up heat from the engine and returning the heat to an air heater;

a heat-pump loop in which a refrigerant fluid circulates, this loop containing a compressor, an evaporator constituting a cold source of the heat pump at which the refrigerant fluid takes up heat from the surroundings, and a condenser constituting a hot source of the heat pump at which the refrigerant fluid gives up heat, the condenser being integrated into the engine-cooling loop upstream of the air heater, the device further comprising an air-conditioning branch containing a condenser and an evaporator, the air-conditioning branch an upstream end connected to the heat-pump loop downstream of the compressor, and a downstream end connected to the heat-pump loop upstream of the compressor, and a switching device making it possible to make the refrigerant fluid circulate either in the heat-pump loop, or in the heat-pump branch, in such a way as to form a heat-pump loop.

2. The device of

claim 1

, wherein the evaporator of the heat-pump loop is integrated into the cooling loop, upstream of the engine.

3. The device of

claim 1

, wherein the evaporator takes up heat from surroundings external to the engine-cooling circuit.

4. The device of

claim 1

, wherein the cooling loop includes control means which make it possible to control the quantity of heat-carrying fluid which passes through the evaporator.

5. The device of

claim 4

, wherein the control means which make it possible to control the quantity of heat-carrying fluid which passes through the evaporator consist of at least one valve.

6. The device of

claim 1

, wherein the cooling loop includes control means which make it possible to control the quantity of heat-carrying fluid which passes through the condenser.

7. The device of

claim 6

, wherein the control means which make it possible to control the quantity of heat-carrying fluid which passes through the condenser consist of at least one valve.

8. The device of

claim 1

, wherein the air-conditioning branch includes a refrigerant-fluid accumulator.

9. The device of

claim 8

, wherein the evaporator constitutes a refrigerant-fluid accumulator common to the air-conditioning loop and to the heat-pump loop.

10. The device of

claim 1

, wherein the air-conditioning branch includes an anti-return valve.

11. The device of

claim 1

, wherein the heat-pump loop includes pressure-reducing means for reducing the pressure of the refrigerant fluid between the condenser and the evaporator.

12. The device of

claim 1

, and further comprising a modular casing containing the evaporator, control means of the evaporator, the anti-return valve, the condenser, the control means of the condenser, the switching means and the pressure-reduction means of the heat-pump loop.

13. The device of

claim 1

, wherein the engine is an internal-combustion engine.

14. The device of

claim 1

, wherein the engine is an electric motor.