Air-conditioning system for a motor vehicle
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An air-conditioning system for a motor vehicle, comprising:
- a refrigerant source including a compressor for providing compressed refrigerant, and a first condenser;
a housing for routing air that is to be conditioned;
a first heat exchanger through which the air to be conditioned is capable of being selectively directed, positioned in said housing;
a first evaporator positioned in said housing upstream of the first heat exchanger, said first evaporator being connected to said refrigerant source;
a second heat exchanger positioned upstream of the first heat exchanger, said second heat exchanger being capable of being selectively connected to the refrigerant source; and
a control circuit for the air-conditioning system, said control circuit being switchable to select between any one of the following modes;
(1) a first cooling mode in which said first evaporator is selectively provided with condensed refrigerant from the refrigerant source, (2) a second cooling mode in which said first evaporator and said second heat exchanger are provided with condensed refrigerant from the refrigerant source, whereby said second heat exchanger functions as an evaporator, and (3) a heating mode in which said second heat exchanger is selectively provided with compressed refrigerant from the refrigerant source and functions as a condenser.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An air-conditioning system for a motor vehicle has a circuit (14) which is capable of being changed over from cooling to heating. The system has a heater (22), through which the air to be conditioned flows, a cooling heat exchanger (18) acting as an evaporator in the cooling mode, and an additional heat exchanger (20) capable of being selectively used for providing auxiliary heat in the heating mode. The additional heat exchanger can be advantageously utilized by operating it as an auxiliary cooling heat exchanger, acting as an evaporator, in the cooling mode.
9 Citations
15 Claims
-
1. An air-conditioning system for a motor vehicle, comprising:
-
a refrigerant source including a compressor for providing compressed refrigerant, and a first condenser;
a housing for routing air that is to be conditioned;
a first heat exchanger through which the air to be conditioned is capable of being selectively directed, positioned in said housing;
a first evaporator positioned in said housing upstream of the first heat exchanger, said first evaporator being connected to said refrigerant source;
a second heat exchanger positioned upstream of the first heat exchanger, said second heat exchanger being capable of being selectively connected to the refrigerant source; and
a control circuit for the air-conditioning system, said control circuit being switchable to select between any one of the following modes;
(1) a first cooling mode in which said first evaporator is selectively provided with condensed refrigerant from the refrigerant source, (2) a second cooling mode in which said first evaporator and said second heat exchanger are provided with condensed refrigerant from the refrigerant source, whereby said second heat exchanger functions as an evaporator, and (3) a heating mode in which said second heat exchanger is selectively provided with compressed refrigerant from the refrigerant source and functions as a condenser.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
operating said system in said cooling mode, wherein refrigerant is supplied to said second heat exchanger;
switching said system to said heating mode; and
after permitting lapse of a predetermined minimum period of time, supplying said second heat exchanger with compressed refrigerant.
-
-
9. An air-conditioning system as claimed in claim 1, wherein in said first cooling mode (1), refrigerant is not supplied to said second heat exchanger.
-
10. An air-conditioning system as claimed in claim 1, wherein in said heating mode (3), refrigerant is not supplied to said first evaporator.
-
11. An air-conditioning system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising refrigerant supply lines and flow control valves arranged and operable to enable refrigerant to be selectively supplied to said first evaporator and said second heat exchanger serially or to either of said first evaporator and said second heat exchanger individually.
-
12. An air-conditioning system for a motor vehicle, comprising:
-
a refrigerant source including a compressor for providing compressed refrigerant, and a first condenser;
a housing for routing air that is to be conditioned;
a first heat exchanger through which the air to be conditioned is capable of being selectively directed, positioned in said housing;
a first evaporator positioned in said housing upstream of the first heat exchanger, said first evaporator being connected to said refrigerant source;
a second heat exchanger positioned upstream of the first heat exchanger, said second heat exchanger being capable of being selectively connected to the refrigerant source; and
a control circuit for the air-conditioning system, said control circuit being capable of switching between (1) a cooling mode in which said first evaporator and optionally said second heat exchanger are provided with condensed refrigerant from the refrigerant source, whereby said second heat exchanger optionally functions as an evaporator, and (2) a heating mode in which said second heat exchanger is selectively provided with compressed refrigerant from the refrigerant source and functions as a condenser, wherein the control circuit in the cooling mode selectively disables the second heat exchanger at a predetermined low cooling demand level.
-
-
13. An air-conditioning system for a motor vehicle, comprising:
-
a refrigerant source including a compressor for providing compressed refrigerant, and a first condenser;
a housing for routing air that is to be conditioned;
a first heat exchanger through which the air to be conditioned is capable of being selectively directed, positioned in said housing;
a first evaporator positioned in said housing upstream of the first heat exchanger, said first evaporator being connected to said refrigerant source;
a second heat exchanger positioned upstream of the first heat exchanger, said second heat exchanger being capable of being selectively connected to the refrigerant source; and
a control circuit for the air-conditioning system, said control circuit being capable of switching between (1) a cooling mode in which said first evaporator and optionally said second heat exchanger are provided with condensed refrigerant from the refrigerant source, whereby said second heat exchanger optionally functions as an evaporator, and (2) a heating mode in which said second heat exchanger is selectively provided with compressed refrigerant from the refrigerant source and functions as a condenser, wherein the refrigerant source further comprises a second evaporator positioned outside of said housing to receive refrigerant from said second heat exchanger.
-
-
14. An air-conditioning system for a motor vehicle, comprising:
-
a refrigerant source including a compressor for providing compressed refrigerant, and a first condenser;
a housing for routing air that is to be conditioned;
a first heat exchanger through which the air to be conditioned is capable of being selectively directed, positioned in said housing;
a first evaporator positioned in said housing upstream of the first heat exchanger, said first evaporator being connected to said refrigerant source;
a second heat exchanger positioned upstream of the first heat exchanger, said second heat exchanger being capable of being selectively connected to the refrigerant source; and
a control circuit for the air-conditioning system, said control circuit being capable of switching between (1) a cooling mode in which said first evaporator and optionally said second heat exchanger are provided with condensed refrigerant from the refrigerant source, whereby said second heat exchanger optionally functions as an evaporator, and (2) a heating mode in which said second heat exchanger is selectively provided with compressed refrigerant from the refrigerant source and functions as a condenser, wherein said control circuit further comprises a control element for permitting lapse of a predetermined minimum period of time before supplying said second heat exchanger with compressed refrigerant when the control system is switched from said cooling mode, in which refrigerant is supplied to said second heat exchanger, to said heating mode.
-
-
15. A method for operating an air-conditioning system, comprising a refrigerant source including a compressor for providing compressed refrigerant, and a first condenser;
- a housing for routing air that is to be conditioned;
a first heat exchanger through which the air to be conditioned is capable of being selectively directed, positioned in said housing;
a first evaporator positioned in said housing upstream of the first heat exchanger, said first evaporator being connected to said refrigerant source;
a second heat exchanger positioned upstream of the first heat exchanger, said second heat exchanger being capable of being selectively connected to the refrigerant source; and
a control circuit for the air-conditioning system, said control circuit being capable of switching between (1) a cooling mode in which said first evaporator and optionally said second heat exchanger are provided with condensed refrigerant from the refrigerant source, whereby said second heat exchanger optionally functions as an evaporator, and (2) a heating mode in which said second heat exchanger is selectively provided with compressed refrigerant from the refrigerant source and functions as a condenser,said method comprising;
operating said system in said cooling mode, wherein refrigerant is supplied to said second heat exchanger;
switching said system to said heating mode; and
after permitting lapse of a predetermined minimum period of time, supplying said second heat exchanger with compressed refrigerant.
- a housing for routing air that is to be conditioned;
Specification