VEHICULAR AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM

• US 20130299129A1
• Filed: 02/21/2011
• Published: 11/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Osaka, Tadashi, Sekiya, Sachio, Matsushima, Hiroaki, Uchida, Riichi, Akiyama, Yuki
• Granted Patent: US 9,573,437 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 165/59
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00021 Air flow details of HVAC devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/0005 the air being firstly cooled and subsequently heated or vice versa
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00907 where the flow direction of the refrigerant changes and an evaporator becomes condenser
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/32281 comprising a single secondary circuit, e.g. at evaporator or condenser side
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/00178 comprising an air passage from the HVAC box to the exterior of the cabin
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/00928 comprising a secondary circuit

Abstract

A vehicular air conditioning system for saving energy includes: a first indoor cooling heat exchanger for suctioning in and cooling the air within or outside a vehicle; an indoor air conditioning heat exchanger installed on the downstream cooling heat exchanger for regulating the temperature of the applicable air, a refrigeration cycle connected to the applicable indoor air conditioning heat exchanger, a heating element mounted in the vehicle, and a circuit for the machine coolant circulating between the applicable heating element and the applicable first indoor cooling heat exchanger, and in which the air flow path for air flowing into the indoor air conditioning heat exchanger is structured by merging a flow path passing through the first indoor cooling heat exchanger to a flow path not passing through the first indoor cooling heat exchanger, and is also configured to allow switching to either of the two flow paths.

Claims

1. A vehicular air conditioning system to suction in air outside the vehicle or air within the vehicle, regulate the temperature of the applicable air and blow that air to inside the vehicle and comprising:

a machine coolant circuit for cooling or heating the heat-generating device mounted in the vehicle, an in-vehicle air conditioning device containing a refrigerating cycle circuit, a machine coolant which circulates through the machine coolant circuit, and an intermediate heat exchanger to exchange heat in the air conditioning coolant of the refrigerating cycle circuit, further comprising;

a first indoor cooling heat exchanger to cool the applicable air;

an indoor air conditioning heat exchanger installed on the downstream side of air that passed through the applicable first indoor cooling heat exchanger for regulating the temperature of the applicable air;

a refrigeration cycle connected to the applicable indoor air conditioning heat exchanger;

a heating element mounted in the vehicle; and

a circuit for the machine coolant to circulate between the applicable heating element and the applicable first indoor cooling heat exchanger,

wherein the air flow path to flow air into the indoor air conditioning heat exchanger is configured by merging a flow path passing through the first indoor cooling heat exchanger to a flow path not passing through the first indoor cooling heat exchanger in order to allow switching to either of the two paths.

2. The vehicular air conditioning system according to claim 1,

wherein one indoor unit includes the first indoor cooling heat exchanger, the indoor air conditioning heat exchanger, the flow path, and the flow path after merging.

3. The vehicular air conditioning system according to claim 1,

wherein in the machine coolant circuit, a branch circuit contains a first indoor cooling heat exchanger and a second indoor cooling heat exchanger arrayed in parallel, and the applicable second indoor cooling heat exchanger is installed on the downstream side of the indoor air conditioning heat exchanger in the air flow path.

4. The vehicular air conditioning system according to claim 1,

wherein the first indoor cooling heat exchanger is mounted outside.

5. The vehicular air conditioning system according to claim 1,

wherein an intermediate heat exchanger is installed to exchange heat between the machine coolant and the air conditioning coolant.

6. The vehicular air conditioning system according to claim 1,

wherein the flow path can be switched to release the air that passed through the first indoor cooling heat exchanger to outside the vehicle.

7. The vehicular air conditioning system according to claim 1,

wherein an electric heater is installed in the downstream air path of air passing through the indoor air conditioning heat exchanger.

8. An operating method for a vehicular air conditioning system that switches between a plurality of operating modes in a vehicular air conditioning system that along with cooling the heat-generating device mounted in the vehicle, also suctions in air from outside the vehicle or inside the vehicle, and regulates the air temperature of the applicable air and blows that air inside the vehicle, the operating method comprising:

a first step to cool the heating element mounted in the vehicle with the machine coolant;

a second step to cool the machine coolant with the suctioned air;

a third step to merge the air that passed through the second step and the air that did not pass through the second step to allow switching; and

a fourth step to adjust the temperature of the applicable air by heat exchange between the air that passed through the third step and the air conditioning coolant.

9. An operating method for a vehicular air conditioning system according to claim 8,

wherein when the selected mode is cooling air conditioning operation, in the third step the air whose temperature was raised in the second step is released outside the vehicle, and the flow path is switched so as to only supply air that was not passed through the second step.

10. An operating method for a vehicular air conditioning system according to claim 8, further comprising:

a fifth step to heat the air that passed through the fourth step with an electric heater.

11. An operating method for a vehicular air conditioning system according to claim 10,

wherein, when the selected mode is dehumidifying operation, the air is cooled in the fourth step, and heated in the fifth step.

12. An operating method for a vehicular air conditioning system according to claim 10,

wherein when the selected mode is heating air conditioning operation, the air is heated in the fourth step, and is further heated in the fifth step when necessary.