VEHICLE AIR CONDITIONER

• US 20150298525A1
• Filed: 11/11/2013
• Published: 10/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sanden Corporation (Hisense Home Appliances Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sanden Corporation (Hisense Home Appliances Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Miyakoshi, Ryo, Suzuki, Kenichi, Takei, Hidenori, Yamashita, Kouhei
• Granted Patent: US 10,421,337 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00899 Controlling the flow of liquid in a heat pump system controlling the properties of the refrigerant liquid, e.g. pressure or temperature, B60H1/3204
• 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 1/00978 Control systems or circuits characterised by failure of detection or safety means; Diagnostic methods
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/3213 for increasing the efficiency in a vehicle heat pump
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/3225 characterised by safety arrangements, e.g. compressor anti-seizure means or by signalling devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/00957 comprising locations with heat exchange within the refrigerant circuit itself, e.g. cross-, counter-, or parallel heat exchange
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2400/0403 for the condenser
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2400/0409 for the evaporator
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2500/19 Calculation of parameters
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/01 Timing
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/0253 with variable speed
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/2501 Bypass valves
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/2513 Expansion valves
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/2519 On-off valves
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/02 Humidity
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/195 of the condenser
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/2116 of a condenser
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 40/00 Subcoolers, desuperheaters or superheaters
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 40/02 Subcoolers
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 47/022 hot gas defrosting
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/005 : of safety devices F25B49/02 and F25B49/04 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/02 : for compression type machines, plants or systems
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 5/04 : arranged in series
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 6/04 : arranged in series

Abstract

There is disclosed a vehicle air conditioner which can effectively eliminate occurrence of excess or lack of an amount of a refrigerant to be circulated in an internal cycle mode. A controller changes and executes a heating mode, a dehumidifying and heating mode, an internal cycle mode, a dehumidifying and cooling mode, and a cooling mode. When an amount of the refrigerant to be circulated is excessively large in the internal cycle mode, a controller executes a refrigerant sealing mode to seal a refrigerant in an outdoor heat exchanger 7, and when the amount of the refrigerant to be circulated is insufficient, the controller executes a refrigerant discharge mode to discharge the refrigerant from the outdoor heat exchanger 7.

Claims

1. A vehicle air conditioner comprising:

a compressor which compresses a refrigerant;

an air flow passage through which air to be supplied into a vehicle interior flows;

a radiator disposed in the air flow passage to let the refrigerant radiate heat;

a heat absorber disposed in the air flow passage to let the refrigerant absorb heat;

an outdoor heat exchanger disposed outside the vehicle interior to let the refrigerant radiate or absorb heat;

an expansion valve which decompresses the refrigerant flowing into the outdoor heat exchanger; and

control means,

the control means being configured to change and execute one of;

a heating mode in which the refrigerant discharged from the compressor radiates heat in the radiator, and the refrigerant by which heat has been radiated is decompressed and then absorbs heat in the outdoor heat exchanger;

a dehumidifying and heating mode in which the refrigerant discharged from the compressor radiates heat in the radiator, and the refrigerant by which heat has been radiated is decompressed and then absorbs heat in the heat absorber and the outdoor heat exchanger;

an internal cycle mode in which inflow of the refrigerant into the outdoor heat exchanger and outflow of the refrigerant from the outdoor heat exchanger are inhibited, the refrigerant discharged from the compressor radiates heat in the radiator, and the refrigerant by which heat has been radiated is decompressed and then absorbs heat in the heat absorber;

a dehumidifying and cooling mode in which the refrigerant discharged from the compressor radiates heat in the radiator and the outdoor heat exchanger, and the refrigerant by which heat has been radiated is decompressed and then absorbs heat in the heat absorber; and

a cooling mode in which the refrigerant discharged from the compressor radiates heat in the outdoor heat exchanger, and the refrigerant by which heat has been radiated is decompressed and then absorbs heat in the heat absorber,

wherein in the internal cycle mode, the control means executes a refrigerant sealing mode to seal the refrigerant in the outdoor heat exchanger in a case where an amount of the refrigerant to be circulated is excessively large, and executes a refrigerant discharge mode to discharge the refrigerant from the outdoor heat exchanger in a case where the amount of the refrigerant to be circulated is insufficient.

2. The vehicle air conditioner according to claim 1,

wherein the control means judges whether or not the amount of the refrigerant to be circulated is excessively large on the basis of a refrigerant subcool degree of the radiator, and judges whether or not the amount of the refrigerant to be circulated is insufficient on the basis of a discharged refrigerant superheat degree of the compressor.

3. A vehicle air conditioner comprising:

a compressor which compresses a refrigerant;

an air flow passage through which air to be supplied into a vehicle interior flows;

a radiator disposed in the air flow passage to let the refrigerant radiate heat;

a heat absorber disposed in the air flow passage to let the refrigerant absorb heat;

an outdoor heat exchanger disposed outside the vehicle interior to let the refrigerant radiate or absorb heat;

an expansion valve which decompresses the refrigerant flowing into the outdoor heat exchanger; and

control means,

the control means being configured to change and execute one of;

a heating mode in which the refrigerant discharged from the compressor radiates heat in the radiator, and the refrigerant by which heat has been radiated is decompressed and then absorbs heat in the outdoor heat exchanger;

a dehumidifying and heating mode in which the refrigerant discharged from the compressor radiates heat in the radiator, and the refrigerant by which heat has been radiated is decompressed and then absorbs heat in the heat absorber and the outdoor heat exchanger;

an internal cycle mode in which inflow of the refrigerant into the outdoor heat exchanger and outflow of the refrigerant from the outdoor heat exchanger are inhibited, the refrigerant discharged from the compressor radiates heat in the radiator, and the refrigerant by which heat has been radiated is decompressed and then absorbs heat in the heat absorber;

a dehumidifying and cooling mode in which the refrigerant discharged from the compressor radiates heat in the radiator and the outdoor heat exchanger, and the refrigerant by which heat has been radiated is decompressed and then absorbs heat in the heat absorber; and

a cooling mode in which the refrigerant discharged from the compressor radiates heat in the outdoor heat exchanger, and the refrigerant by which heat has been radiated is decompressed and then absorbs heat in the heat absorber,

wherein in the internal cycle mode, the control means closes the expansion valve which decompresses the refrigerant flowing into the outdoor heat exchanger, to inhibit the inflow into the outdoor heat exchanger, and

discharges the refrigerant from the outdoor heat exchanger every predetermined timing.

4. The vehicle air conditioner according to claim 3,

wherein the control means regulates the timing to discharge the refrigerant from the outdoor heat exchanger and/or a discharge amount on the basis of a refrigerant flow rate.

5. A vehicle air conditioner comprising:

a compressor which compresses a refrigerant;

an air flow passage through which air to be supplied into a vehicle interior flows;

a radiator disposed in the air flow passage to let the refrigerant radiate heat;

a heat absorber disposed in the air flow passage to let the refrigerant absorb heat;

an outdoor heat exchanger disposed outside the vehicle interior to let the refrigerant radiate or absorb heat;

an expansion valve which decompresses the refrigerant flowing into the outdoor heat exchanger; and

control means,

the control means being configured to change and execute one of;

a heating mode in which the refrigerant discharged from the compressor radiates heat in the radiator, and the refrigerant by which heat has been radiated is decompressed and then absorbs heat in the outdoor heat exchanger;

a dehumidifying and heating mode in which the refrigerant discharged from the compressor radiates heat in the radiator, and the refrigerant by which heat has been radiated is decompressed and then absorbs heat in the heat absorber and the outdoor heat exchanger;

an internal cycle mode in which inflow of the refrigerant into the outdoor heat exchanger and outflow of the refrigerant from the outdoor heat exchanger are inhibited, the refrigerant discharged from the compressor radiates heat in the radiator, and the refrigerant by which heat has been radiated is decompressed and then absorbs heat in the heat absorber;

a dehumidifying and cooling mode in which the refrigerant discharged from the compressor radiates heat in the radiator and the outdoor heat exchanger, and the refrigerant by which heat has been radiated is decompressed and then absorbs heat in the heat absorber; and

a cooling mode in which the refrigerant discharged from the compressor radiates heat in the outdoor heat exchanger, and the refrigerant by which heat has been radiated is decompressed and then absorbs heat in the heat absorber,

wherein when the control means shifts to the internal cycle mode, the control means delays a timing to inhibit the outflow of the refrigerant from the outdoor heat exchanger.

6. A vehicle air conditioner comprising:

a compressor which compresses a refrigerant;

an air flow passage through which air to be supplied into a vehicle interior flows;

a radiator disposed in the air flow passage to let the refrigerant radiate heat;

a heat absorber disposed in the air flow passage to let the refrigerant absorb heat;

an outdoor heat exchanger disposed outside the vehicle interior to let the refrigerant radiate or absorb heat;

an expansion valve which decompresses the refrigerant flowing into the outdoor heat exchanger; and

control means,

the control means being configured to change and execute one of;

a heating mode in which the refrigerant discharged from the compressor radiates heat in the radiator, and the refrigerant by which heat has been radiated is decompressed and then absorbs heat in the outdoor heat exchanger;

a dehumidifying and heating mode in which the refrigerant discharged from the compressor radiates heat in the radiator, and the refrigerant by which heat has been radiated is decompressed and then absorbs heat in the heat absorber and the outdoor heat exchanger;

an internal cycle mode in which inflow of the refrigerant into the outdoor heat exchanger and outflow of the refrigerant from the outdoor heat exchanger are inhibited, the refrigerant discharged from the compressor radiates heat in the radiator, and the refrigerant by which heat has been radiated is decompressed and then absorbs heat in the heat absorber;

a dehumidifying and cooling mode in which the refrigerant discharged from the compressor radiates heat in the radiator and the outdoor heat exchanger, and the refrigerant by which heat has been radiated is decompressed and then absorbs heat in the heat absorber; and

a cooling mode in which the refrigerant discharged from the compressor radiates heat in the outdoor heat exchanger, and the refrigerant by which heat has been radiated is decompressed and then absorbs heat in the heat absorber,

wherein when the control means shifts to the internal cycle mode, the control means delays a timing to inhibit the inflow of the refrigerant into the outdoor heat exchanger.