REFRIGERATION CYCLE DEVICE FOR VEHICLE

• US 20160159204A1
• Filed: 07/22/2014
• Published: 06/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Katoh, Yoshiki, Makihara, Masamichi, Enomoto, Norihiko, Kuwayama, Kazutoshi, Sugimura, Kengo
• Granted Patent: US 10,220,681 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/3211 for increasing the efficiency of a vehicle refrigeration cycle
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/32284 comprising two or more secondary circuits, e.g. at evaporator and condenser side
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/326 of the refrigerant at a condensing unit
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/3272 to control the revolving speed of a compressor
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 1/00 Compression machines, plants or systems with non-reversible cycle F25B3/00, F25B5/00, F25B6/00, F25B7/00, F25B9/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/0251 with on-off operation
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/022 Compressor control arrangements

Abstract

A refrigeration cycle device for a vehicle has a compressor, a first pump, a high-pressure side heat exchanger, a heating medium-outside air heat exchanger, and a controller. The compressor draws and discharges a refrigerant. The first pump draws and discharges a first heating medium. The high-pressure side heat exchanger heats the first heating medium by exchanging heat between a high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor and the first heating medium. The heating medium-outside air heat exchanger exchanges heat between the first heating medium and outside air. The controller controls operation of the compressor and the first pump. The controller activates the first pump when an activation request of the compressor is made. The controller activates the compressor, after activating the first pump, when it is determined or estimated that a temperature of the first heating medium is lower than or equal to a first predetermined value.

Claims

1. A refrigeration cycle device for a vehicle comprising:

a compressor drawing and discharging a refrigerant;

a first pump drawing and discharging a first heating medium;

a high-pressure side heat exchanger that heats the first heating medium by exchanging heat between a high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor and the first heating medium;

a heating medium-outside air heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the first heating medium and outside air; and

a controller controlling operation of the compressor and the first pump, wherein

the controller activates the first pump when an activation request of the compressor is made, and

the controller activates the compressor, after activating the first pump, when it is determined or estimated that a temperature of the first heating medium is lower than or equal to a first predetermined value.

2. The refrigeration cycle device for a vehicle according to claim 1 further comprising:

a blower generating an air flow that flows toward inside of a vehicle cabin;

a pressure reducer reducing pressure of the high-pressure refrigerant that is after exchanging heat in the high-pressure side heat exchanger; and

an air cooler cooling the air by using cold heat of a low-pressure refrigerant that is after being decompressed by the pressure reducer, wherein

the controller activates the blower, after activating the compressor, when it is determined or estimated that a temperature of the low-pressure refrigerant is lower than or equal to a second predetermined value.

3. The refrigeration cycle device for a vehicle according to claim 1 further comprising:

a blower generating an air flow that flows toward inside of a vehicle cabin;

a pressure reducer reducing pressure of the high-pressure refrigerant that is after exchanging heat in the high-pressure side heat exchanger;

a second pump drawing and discharging a second heating medium;

a low-pressure side heat exchanger cooling the second heating medium by exchanging heat between the second heating medium and a low-pressure refrigerant that is after being decompressed by the pressure reducer; and

an air-cooling heat exchanger that cools the air by exchanging heat between the air and the second heating medium that is cooled by the low-pressure side heat exchanger.

4. The refrigeration cycle device for a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein,

the controller activates the blower, after activating the compressor, when it is determined or estimated that a temperature of the second heating medium is lower than or equal to a second predetermined value.

5. The refrigeration cycle device for a vehicle according to claim 3 further comprising:

a bypass passage through which the second heating medium flows while bypassing the air-cooling heat exchanger; and

a heating medium flow rate ratio adjustment section that adjusts a flow rate ratio between the second heating medium flowing through the air-cooling heat exchanger and the second heating medium flowing through the bypass passage, wherein

the controller, after activating the compressor, controls operation of the heating medium flow rate ratio adjustment section such that the flow rate ratio of the second heating medium flowing through the bypass passage in a case where it is determined or estimated that the temperature of the second heating medium is lower than the second predetermined value is increased to be higher than the flow rate ratio of the second heating medium flowing through the bypass passage in a case where it is determined or estimated that the temperature of the second heating medium is higher than or equal to the second predetermined value.

6. The refrigeration cycle device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

in at least one state of a state that an ignition switch of a vehicle is off and a state that an engine of the vehicle is stopped, the controller (i) activates the first pump when it is determined or estimated that the temperature of the first heating medium is higher than or equal to a third predetermined value, and (ii) stops the first pump, after activating the first pump, when it is determined or estimated that the temperature of the first heating medium is lower than or equal to a fourth predetermined value that is smaller than the third predetermined value.

7. The refrigeration cycle device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

in a state that the ignition switch of the vehicle is on, that the engine of the vehicle is actuated, and that the compressor is stopped, the controller activates the first pump when it is determined or estimated that the temperature of the first heating medium is higher than or equal to a fifth predetermined value.

9. The refrigeration cycle device for a vehicle according to claim 1 further comprising

an outside air blower blowing outside air to the heating medium-outside air heat exchanger, wherein

the controller further activates the outside air blower when activating the first pump.

8. A refrigeration cycle device for a vehicle comprising:

a compressor drawing and discharging a refrigerant;

a first pump drawing and discharging a first heating medium;

a high-pressure side heat exchanger that heats the first heating medium by exchanging heat between the first heating medium and a high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor;

a heating medium-outside air heat exchanger exchanging heat between the first heating medium and outside air; and

a controller controlling operation of the compressor and the first pump, wherein

in at least one state of a state that an ignition switch of a vehicle is off and a state that an engine of the vehicle is stopped, the controller (i) activates the first pump when it is determined or estimated that a temperature ) of the first heating medium is higher than or equal to a third predetermined value, and (ii) stops the first pump, after activating the first pump, when it is determined or estimated that the temperature of the first heating medium is lower than or equal to a fourth predetermined value that is smaller than the third predetermined value.

10. A refrigeration cycle device for a vehicle comprising:

a compressor drawing and discharging a refrigerant;

a high-pressure side heat exchanger that makes a high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor exchange heat;

a pump drawing and discharging a heating medium;

a pressure reducer reducing pressure of the high-pressure refrigerant that is after exchanging heat in the high-pressure side heat exchanger;

a low-pressure side heat exchanger that cools the heating medium by exchanging heat between the heating medium and a low-pressure refrigerant that is after decompressed by the pressure reducer;

a blower generating an air flow that flows toward inside of a vehicle cabin;

an air-cooling heat exchanger cooling the air by exchanging heat between the air and the heating medium that is cooled by the low-pressure side heat exchanger; and

a controller controlling operation of the compressor and the pump, wherein

the controller activates the compressor when an activation request of the compressor is made, and

the controller activates the blower, after activating the compressor, when it is determined or estimated that a temperature of the heating medium is lower than or equal to a predetermined value.

11. A refrigeration cycle device for a vehicle comprising:

a compressor drawing and discharging a refrigerant;

a first pump and a second pump drawing and discharging a heating medium;

a high-pressure side heat exchanger that heats the heating medium by exchanging heat between the heating medium and a high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor;

a heating medium-outside air heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the heating medium and outside air;

a switching section switching a connection of the heating medium-outside air heat exchanger between the first pump and the second pump; and

a controller controlling operation of the compressor, the first pump, and the second pump, wherein

the controller activates a pump of either the first pump or the second pump that is connected to the heating medium-outside air heat exchanger when an activation request of the compressor is made, and

the controller activates the compressor, after activating the pump that is connected to the heating medium-outside air heat exchanger, when it is determined or estimated that a temperature of the heating medium is lower than or equal to a first predetermined value.

12. The refrigeration cycle device for a vehicle according to claim 11 further comprising:

a blower generating an air flow that flows toward inside of a vehicle cabin;

a pressure reducer reducing pressure of the high-pressure refrigerant that is after exchanging heat in the high-pressure side heat exchanger; and

an air cooler cooling the air by using cold heat of a low-pressure refrigerant that is after being decompressed by the pressure reducer, wherein,

the controller activates the blower, after activating the compressor, when it is determined or estimated that a temperature of the low-pressure refrigerant is lower than or equal to a second predetermined value.

13. The refrigeration cycle device for a vehicle according to claim 11, wherein

in at least one state of a state that an ignition switch of a vehicle is off and a state that an engine of the vehicle is stopped:

the controller activates at least one pump of the first pump and the second pump when it is determined or estimated that one physical quantity of the temperature of the heating medium circulated by the first pump, the temperature of the heating medium circulated by the second pump, a refrigerant temperature, and a refrigerant pressure is higher than or equal to a third predetermined value; and

the controller stops at least one pump, after activating the at least one pump, when it is determined or estimated that the one physical quantity is lower than or equal to a fourth predetermined value that is smaller than the third predetermined temperature.

14. The refrigeration cycle device for a vehicle according to claim 11, wherein

in a state that (i) the ignition switch of the vehicle is on, (ii) the engine of the vehicle is actuated, and (iii) the compressor is stopped, the controller activates the pump of either the first pump or the second pump that is connected to the heating medium-outside air heat exchanger when it is determined or estimated that one physical quantity of the temperature of the heating medium circulated by the first pump, the temperature of the heating medium circulated by the second pump, the refrigerant temperature, and the refrigerant pressure is higher than or equal to a fifth predetermined value.

16. The refrigeration cycle device for a vehicle according to claim 11 further comprising

an outside air blower blowing outside air to the heating medium-outside air heat exchanger, wherein

the controller also activates the outside air blower when activating the pump of either the first pump or the second pump that is connected to the heating medium-outside air heat exchanger.

15. A refrigeration cycle device for a vehicle comprising:

a compressor drawing and discharging a refrigerant;

a first pump and a second pump drawing and discharging a heating medium;

a high-pressure side heat exchanger that heats the heating medium by exchanging heat between the heating medium and a high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor;

a heating medium-outside air heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the heating medium and outside air;

a switching section switching a connection of the heating medium-outside air heat exchanger between the first pump and the second pump; and

a controller controlling operation of the compressor, the first pump, and the second pump, wherein,

in at least one state of a state that an ignition switch of a vehicle is off and a state that an engine of the vehicle is stopped;

the controller activates a pump of either the first pump or the second pump that is connected to the heating medium-outside air heat exchanger when it is determined or estimated that a temperature of the heating medium is higher than or equal to a third predetermined value; and

the controller, after activating the pump that is connected to the heating medium-outside air heat exchanger, stops the pump of either the first pump or the second pump that is connected to the heating medium-outside air heat exchanger when it is determined or estimated that the temperature of the heating medium is higher than or equal to a fourth predetermined value that is smaller than the third predetermined value.

17. A refrigeration cycle device for a vehicle comprising:

a compressor drawing and discharging a refrigerant;

a pump drawing and discharging a heating medium;

a high-pressure side heat exchanger that heats the heating medium by exchanging heat between the heating medium and a high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor;

a heating medium-outside air heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the heating medium and outside air; and

a controller controlling operation of the compressor and the pump, wherein

the controller;

activates the compressor when an activation request of the compressor is made;

stops the compressor and activates the pump when it is determined or estimated that a temperature of the heating medium is higher than or equal to a first predetermined value after activating the compressor; and

activates the compressor again when it is determined or estimated that the temperature of the heating medium is lower than the first predetermined value after stopping the compressor and activating the pump.