Air handling controller for HVAC system for electric vehicles

• US 6,077,158 A
• Filed: 11/12/1998
• Issued: 06/20/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: FCA US LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Daimler Chrysler Corporation (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: Tagliapietra, Lance C., Tuckfield, Christopher A., Ziehr, Lawrence, Lake, Barry J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tanner, Harry B.
• Application Number:
  US09/190,473
• Time in Patent Office: 586 Days
• Field of Search: 62/180, 62/160, 62/159, 62/186, 62/244, 62/176.2, 62/176.6, 236/49.3, 454/70, 454/72, 454/229, 165/202, 165/204, 165/248, 165/249, 165/42, 165/43
• US Class Current: 454/70
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00278 for the battery arrangement of batteries B60R16/04
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00392 for electric vehicles having only electric drive means
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00849 for selectively commanding the induction of outside or inside air B60H1/00842 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00907 where the flow direction of the refrigerant changes and an evaporator becomes condenser
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/3205 Control means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/3208 Vehicle drive related control of the compressor drive means, e.g. for fuel saving purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/3213 for increasing the efficiency in a vehicle heat pump
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/00307 Component temperature regulation using a liquid flow
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/00935 comprising four way valves for controlling the fluid direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/3248 related to pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/3255 related to temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/3257 of the refrigerant at a compressing unit
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/326 of the refrigerant at a condensing unit
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/3263 of the refrigerant at an evaporating unit
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/3264 of the refrigerant at an expansion unit
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/3266 related to the operation of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/3272 to control the revolving speed of a compressor
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/3277 to control the air flow
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/3282 to control the air flow
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/3285 related to an expansion unit
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 : to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/02 : to electric heating circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 : Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/28 : Door position
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/34 : Cabin temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 : Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 : Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/662 : Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/80 : Time limits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/22 : Standstill, e.g. zero speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/44 : Heat storages, e.g. for cabin heating
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/46 : Heat pumps, e.g. for cabin heating
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/003 : relating to inverters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 : characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/26 : by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

An air-flow management system for controlling the supply air to a motor vehicle passenger compartment is disclosed. The air-flow management system includes a reversible heat pump system for transferring heat energy between an outside environment and a refrigerant. Air from the outside environment, fresh air, and from the passenger compartment, recirculated air, is forced through the air-flow structure by a blower resulting in the transfer of heat energy between the refrigerant and the passenger compartment. A recirculation door provides a means for controlling the mixture of fresh air to recirculated air that flows through the air-flow structure. The position of the recirculation door is selectable by a controller to prevent fogging during the transition from cooling mode to heating mode, minimize the energy expended conditioning the passenger compartment air, and prevent the backflow of unconditioned outside air from the fresh air duct into the recirculation duct.

Claims

1. An air-flow management system for controlling a flow of air into a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle, the air-flow management system comprising:

an air-flow structure defining therein an air passageway to the passenger compartment;

a blower for forcing air through the air passageway towards the passenger compartment;

a reversible heat pump system in communication with the air-flow structure for transferring heat energy between an outside environment and the passenger compartment, said heat pump system having multiple operating modes including a cooling mode and a heating mode;

a recirculation door movable to control a mixture of recirculated air and fresh air that flows through the air-flow structure, said recirculation door having a plurality of positions ranging from a full fresh position to a full recirculation position; and

a controller for selecting the operating mode of the heat pump wherein selecting the heating mode after operating in the cooling mode results in moisture evaporating into the air flow directed into the passenger compartment, said controller additionally operable to select the position of the recirculation door such that the mixture of recirculated air to fresh air is selected so that the air pressure within the passenger is increased causing air within the passenger compartment to be purged to the outside environment, thereby reducing the possibility of fogging of the motor vehicle.

2. The air-flow management system of claim 1 wherein the controller sets the recirculation door to the full fresh position.

3. The air-flow management system of claim 1 further comprising a recirculation door selection input coupled to the controller for providing a desired door position signal, wherein the recirculation door is set to a requested position corresponding to the desired door position signal;

and

wherein in response to a fogging condition the controller overrides the desired door position signal and sets the recirculation door to the full fresh position.

4. The air-flow management system of claim 3 wherein the controller resets the recirculation door to the requested position when the fogging condition ceases.