Air conditioning system and operating method for a motor vehicle with heat pump and/or reheat operating mode

• US 6,843,312 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2001
• Issued: 01/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Techno Polymer Co., Ltd. (JSR Corporation), BEHR GmbH & Company KG (MAHLE-STIFTUNG GmbH)
• Original Assignee: BEHR GmbH & Company KG (MAHLE-STIFTUNG GmbH)
• Inventors: Burk, Roland, Staffa, Karl-Heinz, Mittelstrass, Hagen, Walter, Christoph, Krauss, Hans-Joachim
• Primary Examiner(s): CIRIC, LJILJANA V
• Application Number:
  US09/783,533
• Publication Number:
  US 20010013409A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,433 Days
• Field of Search: 165/42, 165/43, 165/240, 165/299, 165/202, 622/386, 621/964, 237/2.B, 237/5, 237/12.3 B, 237/12.3 R
• US Class Current: 165/240
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/025 from both the cooling liquid and the exhaust gases of the propulsion plant
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/3205 Control means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/3213 for increasing the efficiency in a vehicle heat pump
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/3217 for high pressure, inflamable or poisonous refrigerants causing danger in case of accidents
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/3229 characterised by constructional features, e.g. housings, mountings, conversion systems B60H1/3227, B60H1/3233 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/3242 of a refrigerant
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/3283 to control the refrigerant flow
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/3286 Constructional features
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/3288 Additional heat source
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/3291 Locations with heat exchange within the refrigerant circuit itself
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2309/061 with cycle highest pressure above the supercritical pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 40/00 Subcoolers, desuperheaters or superheaters
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 9/008 the refrigerant being carbon dioxide

Abstract

An air conditioning system has a refrigerant cycle, a coolant cycle, a refrigerant/coolant heat exchanger, coupling these cycles so as to transfer heat, and a valve for operating mode-dependent control of the refrigerant flow, whereby the air conditioning system can be operated not only in air conditioning mode but also in a heat pump or reheat mode. An internal combustion engine exhaust gas/coolant heat exchanger is connected upstream in series to the refrigerant/coolant heat exchanger in the coolant cycle in the heat pump mode; and/or in the reheat operating mode the refrigerant/coolant heat exchanger functions as a condenser/gas cooler, connected upstream in series on the coolant side to the supply air/coolant heat exchanger. In addition or as an alternative, a drying operating mode can be provided for drying the supply air/refrigerant heat exchanger with reversed air conveying direction.

Claims

1. Air conditioning system for a motor vehicle, which air conditioning system is designed for an air conditioning operating mode and at least one of a heat pump operating mode and a reheat operating mode, said air conditioning system comprising:

a refrigerant cycle with a compressor, a refrigerant cooler and a supply air/refrigerant heat exchanger, said supply air/refrigerant heat exchanger being disposed in a supply air channel and functioning as an evaporator in an air conditioning operating mode,

a coolant cycle for cooling a heat generating vehicle component including a first coolant cooler for cooling an internal combustion engine of said motor vehicle,

a refrigerant/coolant heat exchanger, coupling the refrigerant cycle and the coolant cycle so as to transfer heat,

refrigerant flow control valves for controlling mode-dependent flow of the refrigerant so as to be guided in an air conditioning mode from the compressor over the refrigerant cooler to the supply air/refrigerant heat exchanger, and

an internal combustion engine exhaust gas/coolant heat exchanger connected upstream in series to the refrigerant/coolant heat exchanger in the coolant cycle and connected downstream in series with the first coolant cooler of the internal combustion engine.

2. Air conditioning system for a motor vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein said air conditioning system is designed for said reheat operating mode, in which the refrigerant flow control valves guide refrigerant flow from the compressor at least in part to the refrigerant/coolant heat exchanger, functioning as the condenser/gas cooler in said reheat operating mode, and from there to the supply air/refrigerant heat exchanger, functioning as the evaporator in this reheat operating mode, and

wherein the refrigerant/coolant heat exchanger is connected upstream in series on the coolant side to a supply air/coolant heat exchanger disposed in the supply air channel.

3. Air conditioning system according to claim 2,

comprising a supply air conveying unit which exhibits two operating modes with opposite supply air conveying directions at the supply air channel, and

wherein the air conditioning system is designed for carrying out a drying operating mode, in that the supply air conveying unit conveys drying air for drying the supply air/refrigerant heat exchanger in the air conveying direction, reversed to the supply air conveying direction leading into the vehicle interior, past the supply air/refrigerant heat exchanger, whereby the drying mode is activated at least after shutdown of the vehicle in a previous air conditioning or reheat mode.

4. Air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein said refrigerant flow control valves include:

a four way valve which is connected with a first connection to the compressor output side, with a second connection to the compressor inlet side, and with a third connection to the supply air/refrigerant heat exchanger, and with a first connection of a three-way valve.

5. Air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein the refrigerant cycle includes a refrigerant high pressure side accumulator with an assigned check valve arrangement operably connecting the accumulator to the supply air/refrigerant heat exchanger, the refrigerant cooler and the refrigerant/coolant heat exchanger.

6. Air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein the refrigerant cycle includes:

a refrigerant low pressure-sided accumulator, and

an internal heat exchanger which is arranged on a low pressure side between the accumulator and the compressor and on a high pressure side is connected, on the one hand, to the supply air/refrigerant heat exchanger, and, on the other hand to the refrigerant cooler and the refrigerant/coolant heat exchanger.

7. Air conditioning system according to claim 1,

comprising a supply air conveying unit which exhibits two operating modes with opposite supply air conveying directions at the supply air channel, and

wherein the air conditioning system is designed for carrying out a drying operating mode, in that the supply air conveying unit conveys drying air for drying the supply air/refrigerant heat exchanger in the air conveying direction, reversed to the supply air conveying direction leading into the vehicle interior, past the supply air/refrigerant heat exchanger, whereby the drying mode is activated at least after shutdown of the vehicle in a previous air conditioning or reheat mode.

8. Air conditioning system for a motor vehicle according to claim 1, which air conditioning system is designed for an air conditioning operating mode and at least one of a heat pump operating mode and a reheat operating mode, said air conditioning system comprising:

a refrigerant cycle with a compressor, a refrigerant cooler and a supply air/refrigerant heat exchanger, said supply air/refrigerant heat exchanger being disposed in a supply air channel of a supply air conveying unit and functioning as an evaporator in an air conditioning operating mode,

wherein the supply air conveying unit exhibits two operating modes with opposite supply air conveying directions, and

wherein the air conditioning system is designed for carrying out a drying operating mode, in that the supply air conveying unit conveys drying air for drying the supply air/refrigerant heat exchanger in the air conveying direction, reversed to the supply air conveying direction leading into the vehicle interior, past the supply air/refrigerant heat exchanger, whereby the drying mode is activated at least after shutdown of the vehicle in a previous air conditioning or reheat mode.

9. Air conditioning system according to claim 8, wherein said refrigerant flow control valves include:

a four way valve which is connected with a first connection to the compressor output side, with a second connection to the compressor inlet side and with a third connection to the supply air/refrigerant heat exchanger, and with a first connection of a three-way valve.

10. Air conditioning system according to claim 8, wherein the refrigerant cycle includes a refrigerant high pressure side accumulator with an assigned check valve arrangement operably connecting the accumulator to the supply air/refrigerant heat exchanger, the refrigerant cooler and the refrigerant/coolant heat exchanger.

11. Air conditioning system according to claim 8, wherein the refrigerant cycle includes:

a refrigerant low pressure-sided accumulator, and

an internal heat exchanger which is arranged on a low pressure side between the accumulator and the compressor and on a high pressure side is connected, on the one hand, to the supply air/refrigerant heat exchanger, and, on the other hand to the refrigerant cooler and the refrigerant/coolant heat exchanger.

12. Air conditioning system for a motor vehicle, which air conditioning system is designed for an air conditioning operating mode and a heat pump operating mode and a reheat operating mode, said air conditioning system comprising:

a refrigerant cycle with a compressor, a refrigerant cooler and a supply air/refrigerant heat exchanger, said supply air/refrigerant heat exchanger being disposed in a supply air channel and functioning as an evaporator in an air conditioning operating mode,

a coolant cycle for cooling a heat generating vehicle component including a first coolant cooler for cooling an internal combustion engine of said motor vehicle,

a refrigerant/coolant heat exchanger, coupling the refrigerant cycle and the coolant cycle so as to transfer heat, and

refrigerant flow control valves for controlling mode-dependent flow of the refrigerant so as to be guided in an air conditioning mode from the compressor over the refrigerant cooler to the supply air/refrigerant heat exchanger,

wherein said reheat operating mode, in which the refrigerant flow control valves guide refrigerant flow from the compressor at least in part to the refrigerant/coolant heat exchanger, functions as the condenser/gas cooler, and from there to the supply air/refrigerant heat exchanger, functioning as the evaporator in said reheat mode, and

wherein the refrigerant/coolant heat exchanger is connected upstream in series on the coolant side to a supply air/coolant heat exchanger disposed in the supply air channel and connected downstream in series with the first coolant cooler of the internal combustion engine.

13. An air conditioning system according to claim 12, wherein said refrigerant flow control valves include:

a four way valve which is connected with a first connection to the compressor output side, with a second connection to the compressor inlet side and with a third connection to the supply air/refrigerant heat exchanger, and with a first connection of a three-way valve.

14. Air conditioning system according to claim 12, wherein the refrigerant cycle includes a refrigerant high pressure side accumulator with an assigned check valve arrangement operably connecting the accumulator to the supply air/refrigerant heat exchanger, the refrigerant cooler and the refrigerant/coolant heat exchanger.

15. Air conditioning system according to claim 12, wherein the refrigerant cycle includes:

a refrigerant low pressure-sided accumulator, and

an internal heat exchanger which is arranged on a low pressure side between the accumulator and the compressor and on a high pressure side is connected, on the one hand, to the supply air/refrigerant heat exchanger, and, on the other hand to the refrigerant cooler and the refrigerant/coolant heat exchanger.

16. A method of operating an air conditioning system for a motor vehicle, which air conditioning system is designed for an air conditioning operating mode and at least one of a heat pump operating mode and a reheat operating mode, said air conditioning system comprising:

a refrigerant cycle with a compressor, a refrigerant cooler and a supply air/refrigerant heat exchanger, said supply air/refrigerant heat exchanger being disposed in a supply air channel and functioning as an evaporator in an air conditioning operating mode,

a coolant cycle for cooling a heat generating vehicle component a first coolant cooler for cooling an internal combustion engine of said motor vehicle,

a refrigerant/coolant heat exchanger, coupling the refrigerant cycle and the coolant cycle so as to transfer heat,

refrigerant flow control valves for controlling mode-dependent flow of the refrigerant so as to be guided in the air conditioning mode from the compressor over the refrigerant cooler to the supply air/refrigerant heat exchanger, and

an internal combustion engine exhaust gas/coolant heat exchanger connected upstream in series to the refrigerant/coolant heat exchanger in the coolant cycle and connected downstream in series with the first coolant cooler of the internal combustion engine,

said method including controlling said refrigerant control valves to switch the air conditioning system between an air conditioning operating mode and one of the heat pump operating mode and the reheat operating mode.

17. A method of operating an air conditioning system according to claim 16,

wherein said controlling said refrigerant control valve is operable to switch the air conditioning system between the air conditioning mode and the reheat operating mode, in which the refrigerant flow control valves guide refrigerant flow from the compressor at least in part to the refrigerant/coolant heat exchanger, functioning as the condenser/gas cooler in the reheat operating mode, and from there to the supply air/refrigerant heat exchanger, functioning as the evaporator in the reheat operating mode, and

wherein the refrigerant/coolant heat exchanger is connected upstream in series on the coolant side to a supply air/coolant heat exchanger disposed in the supply air channel.

18. A method of operating an air conditioning system according to claim 16,

wherein a supply air conveying unit for supplying air at the air supply channel exhibits two operating modes with opposite supply air conveying directions, and

wherein the air conditioning system is designed for carrying out a drying operating mode wherein the supply air conveying unit conveys drying air for drying the supply air/refrigerant heat exchanger in the air conveying direction, reversed to the supply air conveying direction leading into the vehicle interior, past the supply air/refrigerant heat exchanger, whereby the drying mode is activated at least after shutdown of the vehicle when in an air conditioning or reheat mode.

19. A method of operating an air conditioning system for a motor vehicle, which air conditioning system is designed for an air conditioning operating mode and at least one of a heat pump operating mode and a reheat operating mode, said air conditioning system comprising:

a refrigerant cycle with a compressor, a refrigerant cooler and a supply air/refrigerant heat exchanger, said supply air/refrigerant heat exchanger being disposed in a supply air channel and functioning as an evaporator in the air conditioning operating mode,

a coolant cycle for cooling a heat generating vehicle component a first coolant for cooling an internal combustion engine of said motor vehicle,

a refrigerant/coolant heat exchanger, coupling the refrigerant cycle and the coolant cycle so as to transfer heat, and

refrigerant flow control valves for controlling mode-dependent flow of the refrigerant so as to be guided in the air conditioning mode from the compressor over the refrigerant cooler to the supply air/refrigerant heat exchanger, and

said method including controlling said refrigerant control valves to switch the air conditioning system between the air conditioning operating mode and the at least one of a heat pump operating mode and a reheat operating mode,

wherein said at least one of a heat pump operating mode and a reheat operating mode includes a reheat operating mode, in which the refrigerant flow control valves guide refrigerant flow from the compressor at least in part to the refrigerant/coolant heat exchanger, functioning as the condenser/gas cooler in said reheat operating mode, and from there to the supply air/refrigerant heat exchanger, functioning as the evaporator in said reheat operating mode, and

wherein the refrigerant/coolant heat exchanger is connected upstream in series on the coolant side to a supply air/coolant heat exchanger disposed in the supply air channel and connected downstream in series with the first coolant cooler of the internal combustion engine.

20. A method of operating an air conditioning system for a motor vehicle, which air conditioning system is designed for an air conditioning operating mode and at least one of a heat pump operating mode and a reheat operating mode, said air conditioning system comprising:

a refrigerant cycle with a compressor, a refrigerant cooler and a supply air/refrigerant heat exchanger, said supply air/refrigerant heat exchanger being disposed in a supply air channel of a supply air conveying unit and functioning as an evaporator in an air conditioning operating mode,

wherein the supply air conveying unit exhibits two operating modes with opposite supply air conveying directions, and

wherein the air conditioning system is designed for carrying out a drying operating mode, in that the supply air conveying unit conveys drying air for drying the supply air/refrigerant heat exchanger in the air conveying direction, reversed to the supply air conveying direction leading into the vehicle interior, past the supply air/refrigerant heat exchanger, whereby the drying mode is activated at least after shutdown of the vehicle in a previous air conditioning or reheat mode,

said method including switching the supply air conveying direction to and from the drying mode.