AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLE AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE SAME

• US 20110136424A1
• Filed: 08/09/2010
• Published: 06/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: Park, Hee Sang, Kim, Hun Soo, Jeong, Hee Jun, Kim, Hyun, Park, June Kyu, Yun, Jung Hwan
• Application Number:
  US12/852,819
• Publication Number:
  US 20110136424A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 454/75
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00278 for the battery arrangement of batteries B60R16/04
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/003 Component temperature regulation using an air flow
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/04 of the electric storage means for propulsion exchanging batteries for electric propulsion of vehicles B60L53/80; for auxiliary purposes only B60R16/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/005 the electric storage means
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0053 relating to fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/26 by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/27 by heating
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/633 characterised by algorithms, flow charts, software details or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6563 with forced flow, e.g. by blowers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/663 the system being an air-conditioner or an engine
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

The present invention provides an air conditioning system for an electric vehicle and a method of controlling the air conditioning system. According to preferred embodiments, the air conditioning system includes a blower, a battery and a Motor Control Unit (MCU), and a controller.

Claims

1. An air conditioning system for an electric vehicle comprising:

a blower for blowing air;

a battery and a Motor Control Unit (MCU) installed to be supplied with interior air drawn by the blower; and

a controller for receiving detection signals from an interior temperature sensor, an exterior temperature sensor, a battery temperature sensor and an MCU temperature sensor and controlling operation of the blower so that the battery and the MCU are cooled by the interior air.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a valve which is controlled by the controller and which controls a flow direction and rate of the air so as to heat the interior air by circulating air having passed through the battery and the MCU to an interior or exterior of the vehicle.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising an electric heater which is disposed between the MCU and the valve, and which performs auxiliary interior heating by heating air having passed through the MCU and circulating the air to an interior of the vehicle.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the controller adjusts the valve to the interior of the vehicle so that the interior air heats the battery while passing over the battery.

5. A method of controlling an air conditioning system for electric vehicle, comprising:

operating a blower;

determining whether temperatures of a battery and an MCU are higher than a preset temperature; and

if the temperatures of the battery and the MCU are higher than the preset temperature, introducing interior air and cooling the battery and the MCU using the interior air.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

after cooling the battery and the MCU, determining whether a user-desired temperature is higher than an interior temperature; and

if the user-desired temperature is higher than the interior temperature, heating an interior of the vehicle by supplying the interior air, heated by heat exchange with the battery and the MCU, to the interior of the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the heating the interior of the vehicle further comprises:

determining whether the temperature of the MCU is higher than the interior temperature; and

if the temperature of the MCU is higher than the interior temperature, heating the interior of the vehicle by additionally heating the interior air, heated while passing over the battery and the MCU, using an electric heater and then supplying the heated interior air to the interior of the vehicle again.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

if the user-desired temperature is higher than the interior temperature, determining whether the user-desired temperature is higher than an exterior temperature; and

if the user-desired temperature is equal to or higher than the exterior temperature, turning off interior heating and naturally increasing the interior temperature using the exterior temperature.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising, if the user-desired temperature is equal to or lower than the interior temperature, discharging the interior air having passed through the MCU from the interior of the vehicle.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

if the user-desired temperature is equal to or lower than the interior temperature, turning off interior heating and determining whether the user-desired temperature is higher than the exterior temperature; and

if the user-desired temperature is equal to or lower than the exterior temperature, cooling the interior of the vehicle by turning on an air conditioner, and if the user-desired temperature is higher than the exterior temperature, naturally cooling the interior temperature using the exterior temperature.

11. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

if the temperatures of the battery and the MCU are equal to or lower than the preset temperature, determining whether the user-desired temperature is higher than the interior temperature;

if the user-desired temperature is higher than the interior temperature, determining whether the user-desired temperature is higher than an exterior temperature; and

if the user-desired temperature is equal to or lower than the exterior temperature, turning off interior heating and the blower and naturally increasing the interior temperature using the exterior temperature.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

if the user-desired temperature is equal to or lower than the interior temperature, turning off interior heating and determining whether the user-desired temperature is higher than the exterior temperature;

if the user-desired temperature is higher than the exterior temperature, turning off the air conditioner and the blower and naturally increasing the interior temperature using the exterior temperature; and

if the user-desired temperature is equal to or lower than the exterior temperature, turning on the air conditioner and turning off the blower.

13. An air conditioning system for an electric vehicle comprising:

a blower for blowing air;

a battery and a Motor Control Unit (MCU); and

a controller.

14. The air conditioning system for an electric vehicle of claim 13, wherein the battery and the Motor Control Unit (MCU) are installed to be supplied with interior air drawn by the blower.

15. The air conditioning system for an electric vehicle of claim 13, wherein the controller receives detection signals from an interior temperature sensor, an exterior temperature sensor, a battery temperature sensor and an MCU temperature sensor and controls operation of the blower so that the battery and the MCU are cooled by the interior air.