Vehicle air conditioner using a hybrid compressor

• US 20030136138A1
• Filed: 01/22/2003
• Published: 07/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sanden Corporation (Hisense Home Appliances Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sanden Corporation (Hisense Home Appliances Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Kenichi, Inoue, Atsuo, Tsuboi, Masato, Imai, Tomonori
• Granted Patent: US 6,761,037 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/228.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/0075 the input being solar radiation
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/3216 for improving a change in operation duty of a compressor in a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/3222 characterised by the compressor driving arrangements, e.g. clutches, transmissions or multiple drives B60H1/3208, B60H1/3226 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/3223 characterised by the arrangement or type of the compressor B60H1/3222 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/3261 of the air at an evaporating unit
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/327 related to a compressing unit
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/3294 Compressor drive is hybrid
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 11/001 of similar working principle
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 18/0215 where only one member is moving
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 2240/45 Hybrid prime mover
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 29/0085 Prime movers

Abstract

An air conditioner for a vehicle uses a hybrid compressor (4) including a first compression mechanism driven by a first drive source (2) and a second compression mechanism driven by a second drive source (5), and a single discharge port connected to the first and the second compression mechanisms. The operation of the hybrid compressor is controlled by a controller (15) in accordance with a control mode. The controller has a first operation mode in which the first compression mechanism alone is driven, a second operation mode in which the second compression mechanism alone is driven, a third operation mode in which the first and the second compression mechanisms are simultaneously driven, and a fourth operation mode in which the first and the second compression mechanisms are simultaneously stopped. Depending upon various conditions, the controller selects, as the control mode, one of the first, the second, the third, and the fourth operation modes.

Claims

1. An air conditioner for a vehicle, comprising:

a hybrid compressor which includes a first compression mechanism driven by a first drive source, a second compression mechanism driven by a second drive source, and a single discharge port connected to said first and said second compression mechanisms;

a refrigerating cycle connected to said hybrid compressor; and

a controller connected to said hybrid compressor for controlling an operation of said hybrid compressor in accordance with a control mode,

said controller comprising;

an operation mode setting portion for setting a first operation mode in which said first compression mechanism alone is driven, a second operation mode in which said second compression mechanism alone is driven, a third operation mode in which said first and said second compression mechanisms are simultaneously driven, and a fourth operation mode in which said first and said second compression mechanisms are simultaneously stopped; and

a mode selecting portion connected to said operation mode setting portion for selecting, as said control mode, one of said first, said second, said third, and said fourth operation modes.

2. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein said controller further comprises a power estimating portion for estimating power consumption in each of said first and said second operation modes to produce an estimated power value, said mode selecting portion being connected to said power estimating portion and selecting the above-mentioned one of said first through said fourth operating modes with reference to said estimated power value.

3. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein said controller further comprises an ability estimating portion for estimating a refrigerating ability in each of said first and said second operating modes to produce an estimated ability value, said mode selecting portion being connected to said ability estimating portion and selecting the above-mentioned one of said first through said fourth operating modes with reference to said estimated ability value.

4. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein said controller further comprises a heat load estimating portion for estimating a heat load of said vehicle to produce an estimated heat load value, said mode selecting portion being connected to said heat load estimating portion and selecting the above-mentioned one of said first through said fourth operating modes with reference to said estimated heat load value.

5. The air conditioner according to claim 4, wherein said refrigerating cycle comprises a condenser and an evaporator connected to said hybrid compressor.

6. The automotive air conditioner according to claim 5, wherein said heat load estimating portion estimates said heat load with reference to at least one of a physical quantity related to the temperature of air passing through said condenser, a physical quantity related to the speed of the air passing through said condenser, a physical quantity related to the temperature of air passing through said evaporator, a physical quantity related to the humidity of the air passing through said evaporator, and a physical quantity related to the speed of the air passing through said evaporator.

7. The air conditioner according to claim 5, further comprising a blower for delivering air to said evaporator, said heat load estimating portion estimating said heat load with reference to at least one of a physical quantity related to an outside air temperature, a physical quantity related to a room air temperature in said vehicle, information related to whether said air conditioner is in an outside air introducing state or in an inside air circulation state, a physical quantity related to a running speed of said vehicle, a physical quantity related to said blower, and a physical quantity related to the humidity of air passing through said evaporator.

8. The air conditioner according to claim 4, wherein said heat load estimating portion estimates said heat load with reference to at least one of a physical quantity related to a running speed of said vehicle, a physical quantity related to solar irradiation, and a physical quantity related to an outside air temperature.

9. The air conditioner according to claim 4, wherein said heat load estimating portion estimates said heat load with reference to a physical quantity related to a refrigerant pressure in a high pressure part in said refrigerating cycle.

10. The air conditioner according to claim 4, further comprising calculating means for calculating a difference between a physical quantity related to an outside air temperature and a target value of a room air temperature in said vehicle to produce a calculated value, said heat load estimating portion being connected to said calculating means and estimating a heat load of said vehicle with reference to said calculated value.

11. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein said controller further comprises:

a heat load estimating portion for estimating a heat load upon said refrigerating cycle to produce an estimated heat load value; and

a signal detecting portion for detecting a speed signal representative of a speed related to said vehicle;

said mode selecting portion being connected to said heat load estimating portion and said signal detecting portion and selecting the above-mentioned one with reference to said estimated heat load value and said speed signal.

12. The air conditioner according to claim 11, wherein said signal detecting portion detects, as said speed signal, a signal representative of a running speed of said vehicle.

13. The air conditioner according to claim 11, wherein said signal detecting portion detects, as said speed signal, a signal representative of a driving speed of said first drive source.

14. The air conditioner according to claim 11, wherein said mode selecting portion selects said second operation mode when said speed is greater than a reference value and selects said first operation mode when said speed is not greater than said reference value and said first drive source is driven.

15. The air conditioner according to claim 14, wherein said controller further comprises a reference value selecting portion for varying said reference value in dependence upon the heat load upon said refrigerating cycle.

16. The air conditioner according to claim 15, wherein said reference value selecting portion selects said reference value which is different in an outside air introduction state where outside air is introduced into a room of said vehicle and in an inside air circulation state where inside air is circulated.

17. The air conditioner according to claim 11, further comprising:

a blower; and

an air duct for guiding air fed by said blower to the inside of a room of said vehicle;

said heat load estimating portion generating said estimated heat load value by the use of an outside air temperature, an air temperature at an outlet of an evaporator of said refrigerant cycle, and a physical quantity related to an air delivery of said blower in an outside air introduction state where outside air is introduced into said air duct;

said heat load estimating portion generating said estimated heat load value by the use of a room air temperature in said room, an air temperature at an outlet of said evaporator of said refrigerating cycle, and said physical quantity.

18. The air conditioner according to claim 11, further comprising:

an outside air temperature sensor for detecting an outside air temperature; and

a solar irradiation sensor for detecting solar irradiation;

said heat load estimating portion being connected to said external air temperature sensor and said solar irradiation sensor and estimating the heat load upon said refrigerating cycle with reference to said outside air temperature and said solar irradiation.

19. The air conditioner according to claim 1, further comprising a temperature detecting portion for detecting a room air temperature in a room of said vehicle;

said controller comprising;

a temperature difference detecting portion connected to said temperature detecting portion and said mode selecting portion for detecting, upon transition from said first operation mode into said second operation mode, temperature elevation of said room air temperature elevated after the transition with respect to said room air temperature at the time instant of transition; and

a mode forcing portion connected to said temperature difference detecting portion for forcedly changing said second operation mode into said first operation mode when said temperature elevation exceeds a predetermined value.

20. The air conditioner according to claim 19, wherein said controller comprises a time adjusting portion for reducing a time duration of said second operation mode in case where said second operation mode continues over a predetermined time duration.

21. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein said refrigerating cycle includes a cooler for cooling air to be supplied into a room of said vehicle, said air conditioner further comprising a temperature detecting portion for detecting the temperature of said cooler, said controller being connected to said temperature detecting portion and said mode selecting portion and controlling, when said mode selecting portion selects said third operation mode, an operation of said second drive source with reference to the temperature of said cooler.

22. The air conditioner according to claim 21, wherein said first drive source is a prime mover of said vehicle, said second drive source being an electric motor, said drive source control portion being for controlling the rotation speed of said electric motor.

23. The air conditioner according to claim 22, further comprising a rotation speed detecting portion for detecting the rotation speed of said prime mover, said drive source control portion being connected to said rotation speed detecting portion and controlling the rotation speed of said electric motor with reference to the temperature of said cooler and the rotation speed of said prime mover.

24. The air conditioner according to claim 23, wherein said drive source control portion controls the rotation speed of said electric motor so that the rotation speed of said electric motor is increased when the rotation speed of said prime mover is decreased and that the rotation speed of said electric motor is decreased when the rotation speed of said prime mover is increased.

25. The air conditioner according to claim 21, wherein said controller comprises a temperature target value calculating portion for calculating a temperature target value of said cooler, said drive source controller being connected to said temperature target value calculating portion and controlling the rotation speed of said electric motor with reference to said temperature target value.

26. The air conditioner according to claim 21, wherein said controller comprises an electric power detecting portion for detecting an input electric power supplied to said electric motor, said drive source controller being connected to said electric power detecting portion and restricting the rotation speed of said electric motor when said input electric power is decreased below a predetermined value.

27. The air conditioner according to claim 21, wherein said controller comprises a time setting portion for setting a predetermined time period, said drive source controller being connected to said time setting portion and varying the rotation speed of said electric motor at an interval of said predetermined time period.