EP3658833A1

EP3658833A1 - Method for managing a reversible air-conditioning circuit of a motor vehicle

Info

Publication number: EP3658833A1
Application number: EP18755871.3A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jin-ming LIU; Régis BEAUVIS; Jugurtha Benouali
Original assignee: Valeo Systemes Thermiques SAS
Current assignee: Valeo Systemes Thermiques SAS
Priority date: 2017-07-28
Filing date: 2018-07-26
Publication date: 2020-06-03
Also published as: WO2019020953A1; FR3069625A1; CN111051798A; FR3069625B1; CN111051798B

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for managing an indirect reversible air conditioning circuit (1) in which a refrigerant circulates, said reversible air conditioning circuit (1) being able to operate in a heat-pump mode in which the refrigerant passes in succession into : a compressor (3), a condenser (5), a first expansion device (7), an evaporator (9), a second expansion device (11), and an evaporator-condenser (13), said air conditioning circuit (1) comprising a central control unit (40) able to control the opening of the first expansion device (7), said management method comprissing: a step of determining: the opening Cestim of the first expansion device (7), a reference superheating SHcomp_in_sp, SHcomp_in_sp being comprised between a minimum superheating SHcomp_in_sp_min and a maximum superheating Shcomp_in_sp_max, a step of opening the expansion device (7) according to Cestim and of controlling the superheating SHcomp_in by varying the opening of the expansion device (7) so as to achieve the reference superheating SHcomp_in_sp and keep SHcomp_in between SHcomp_in_sp_min and SHcomp_in_sp_max.

Description

METHOD FOR MANAGING AN INVERSIBLE AIR CONDITIONING CIRCUIT

MOTOR VEHICLE

The invention relates to the field of motor vehicles and more particularly to a motor vehicle air conditioning circuit and its heat pump mode management method.

Today's motor vehicles are increasingly equipped with an air conditioning system. Generally, in a "conventional" air conditioning circuit, a refrigerant fluid passes successively in a compressor, a first heat exchanger, called a condenser, placed in contact with an air flow outside the motor vehicle to release heat, a device and a second heat exchanger, called evaporator, placed in contact with a flow of air inside the motor vehicle to cool it.

There are also more complex air conditioning circuit architectures that make it possible to obtain an invertible air-conditioning circuit, that is to say that it can use a heat pump operating mode in which it is able to absorb heat. heat energy in the outside air at the first heat exchanger, then called evapo-condenser, and restore it in the passenger compartment including a third dedicated heat exchanger.

Generally, the expansion device is a thermostatic valve whose bulb is disposed downstream of the evaporator. The expansion device can also be an electronic expansion valve controlled by a central control unit. In this type of case, it is necessary to have a control strategy of the air conditioning circuit to determine and control the opening of the electronic expansion valve in particular to obtain an overheating of the refrigerant at the outlet of the evaporator. This overheating is particularly useful for improving the heating power of the reversible air conditioning circuit.

One of the aims of the present invention is therefore to at least partially overcome the disadvantages of the prior art and to provide a method for managing an improved inverter cooling circuit, particularly in heat pump mode. The present invention therefore relates to a method for managing an indirect reversible air conditioning circuit in which a refrigerant circulates, said invertible air conditioning circuit being able to operate in a heat pump mode in which the refrigerant fluid successively passes into:

⁰ a compressor,

⁰ a condenser for releasing heat energy from the refrigerant in a first heat transfer fluid,

⁰ a first expansion device in which the refrigerant undergoes a first pressure loss,

⁰ an evaporator for also release heat energy of the coolant in an internal air flow to the motor vehicle,

⁰ a second expansion device in which the refrigerant undergoes a second pressure loss, and

An evapo-condenser for recovering the heat energy of a second heat transfer fluid and transferring it to the cooling fluid, said air conditioning circuit comprising a central control unit able to control the opening of the first expansion device,

said management method comprising:

· A step of determining:

⁰ CESTIM the opening of the first expansion device based on the difference between the Pcomp_out pressure of the refrigerant fluid at the compressor outlet and the Pevap_out pressure of the refrigerant fluid leaving the evaporator, depending on the temperature Text of the second heat transfer fluid prior to its evapo-condenser feedthrough and compressor speed,

⁰ of an overheating setpoint SHcomp_in_sp as a function of the temperature Text of the second heat transfer fluid before it passes through the evapo-condenser, SHcomp_in_sp being included between a minimum superheat SHcomp_in_sp_min and a maximum superheat Shcomp_in_sp_max, • a step of opening the expansion device according to Cestim and control of the superheat SHcomp_in by varying the opening of the expansion device so as to reach the set superheat

SHcomp_in_sp and maintain SHcomp_in between SHcomp_in_sp_min and SHcomp_in_sp_max.

According to one aspect of the management method, SHcomp_in is calculated according to the following formula:

SHcomp_in = Tcomp_in - Tsat (Pcomp_in) in which Tcomp_in is the refrigerant temperature at the input of the compressor (3) and Tsat (Pcomp_in) is the saturation temperature of the refrigerant at the pressure Pcomp_in at the inlet of the compressor (3).

According to another aspect of the management method:

• if (Pcomp_out - Pevap_out) is lower than a value XI, Cestim is of the order of its estimated maximum opening Cestim_max of the first expansion device,

• if (Pcomp_out - Pevap_out) is greater than XI and smaller than a value X2, Cestim decreases towards its estimated minimum opening Cestim_min as (Pcomp_out - Pevap_out) increases,

• if (Pcomp_out - Pevap_out) is greater than X2, Cestim increases as (Pcomp_out - Pevap_out) increases,

XI being a value of (Pcomp_out - Pevap_out) determined experimentally below which frost forms on the evapo-condenser,

X2 is a value of (Pcomp_out - Pevap_out) determined experimentally for which the first expansion device is at its minimum opening Cestimynin. According to another aspect of the management method, the determination of the superheat set SHcomp_in_sp is such that:

Shcomp_in_max = Tcomp_in_max_estim - Tsat (Pcomp_in) in which Tsat (Pcomp_in) is the saturation temperature of the coolant at its pressure Pcomp_in at the input of the compressor,

Tcomp_in_max_estim is the maximum estimated coolant temperature at the inlet of the compressor:

Tcomp_in_max_estim = K3 * (273.15 + Tcomp_out_max) I [(Pcomp_out I

Pcomp_in) ((K - 1) / K)]

K3 is an experimentally determined correction coefficient for which

K3 = Tcomp_in I Tcomp_in_estim,

Tcomp_in being the measured temperature of the coolant at the inlet of the compressor and Tcomp_in_estim the estimated temperature of the refrigerant at the inlet of the compressor,

Tcomp_out_max is the maximum temperature of the refrigerant at the outlet of the compressor,

Pcomp_out is the pressure of the refrigerant at the outlet of the compressor, Pcomp_in is the refrigerant pressure at the inlet of the compressor, and K is the cooling coefficient of the refrigerant determined experimentally and variable according to the refrigerant.

According to another aspect of the management method, SHcomp_in_sp_min is between 3 and 10 ° K and SHcomp_in_sp_max is between 8 and 15 ° K.

According to another aspect of the management method, during the step of controlling the superheat SHcomp_in: if SHcomp_in is lower than SHcomp_in_sp_min or greater than SHcomp_in_sp_max, the increase or decrease of the opening of the expansion device is carried out by an integral proportional controller, if SHcomp_in is between SHcomp_in_sp_min and SHcomp_in_sp_max, the increase or decrease of opening of the expansion device is performed by a proportional controller.

According to another aspect of the management method, it comprises a step of protecting the evaporator against the overpressure of the refrigerant:

0 if Pevap_out is between PI and P, the central control unit continues the control of Cestim, with P being an operating pressure limit value of the evaporator εί Ρ1 = Ρ - μ1, μΐ being a pressure value included between 0.1 and 1 bar,

if Pevap_out is greater than P, the central control unit compares Cestim (t), which is the Cestim opening at a time t, with Cestim (tl), which is the Cestim opening at time t-1, if Cestim (t) is superior to Cestim (tl), in a first step, the central control unit stops the control of the superheat SHcomp_in and maintains the opening of the first expansion device to the value Cestim (tl), in a second time, the central control unit decreases Cestim so that Pevap_out is less than P.

According to another aspect of the management method, the calculation of Cestim (t) during the decrease of Cestim so that Pevap_out is less than P, is carried out according to the following formula:

Cestim (t) = Cestim -ΣK1 * (Pevap_out - P)

with Kl being a gain of integral type calculated according to KI = AC / Pevapo_out with AC being the variation of the opening of the expansion device and APevapo_out the variation of Pevapo_out measured during experimentation where the opening of the relaxation device. According to another aspect of the management method, it comprises a step of protecting the compressor against the overpressure of the refrigerant:

if Pcomp_in is between P2 and P3, the central control unit continues the Cestim control, with P3 being a compressor operating limit pressure value and P2 = P3 - μ2, where μ2 is a pressure value between 0, 01 and 0.2 bar,

if Pcomp_in is greater than P3, the central control unit compares Cestim (t), which is the Cestim opening at a time t, with Cestim (tl), which is the Cestim opening at time t-1, if Cestim (t) is greater than

Cestim (tl), in a first step, the central control unit stops the control of the superheat SHcomp_in and maintains the opening of the first expansion device to the value Cestim (tl), in a second step, the central unit control decreases Cestim so that Pcomp_in is less than P3.

According to another aspect of the management method, the calculation of Cestim (t) during the decrease of Cestim so that Pcomp_in is less than P3 is carried out according to the following formula:

Cestim (t) = Cestim - ΣΚ2 * (Pcomp_in - P3)

with K2 being an integral type gain calculated according to AC / Pcomp_in with AC being the variation of the opening of the expansion device and APcomp_in the variation of Pcomp_in measured during experimentation where the opening of the device of relaxation.

Other features and advantages of the invention will emerge more clearly on reading the following description, given by way of illustrative and nonlimiting example, and the appended drawings among which:

FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of an inverter cooling circuit in heat pump mode, FIG. 1b shows a pressure / enthalpy diagram of the air conditioning circuit of FIG.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of a variant of the reversible air-conditioning circuit in heat pump mode of FIG.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic representation of an air conditioning circuit according to a particular architecture,

FIG. 4 shows a diagram of the evolution of the opening of the first expansion device as a function of a pressure difference; FIG. 5 shows a diagram of the evolution of various parameters as a function of time during operation of the air conditioning circuit.

In the different figures, the identical elements bear the same reference numbers.

The following achievements are examples. Although the description refers to one or more embodiments, this does not necessarily mean that each reference relates to the same embodiment, or that the features apply only to a single embodiment. Simple features of different embodiments may also be combined and / or interchanged to provide other embodiments.

In the present description, it is possible to index certain elements or parameters, for example first element or second element as well as first parameter and second parameter or else first criterion and second criterion, etc. In this case, it is a simple indexing to differentiate and name elements or parameters or criteria close but not identical. This indexing does not imply a priority of one element, parameter or criterion with respect to another, and it is easy to interchange such denominations without departing from the scope of the present description. This indexing does not imply either an order in time for example to appreciate this or that criterion.

In the present description, the term "placed upstream" means that one element is placed before another relative to the direction of flow of a fluid. Conversely, "downstream" means that one element is placed after another relative to the direction of fluid flow.

FIG. 1 shows an inverter air conditioning circuit 1, in particular for a motor vehicle, in which circulates a refrigerant fluid operating in a heat pump mode in which the refrigerant fluid successively passes into:

⁰ a compressor 3,

⁰ 5 a condenser for releasing heat energy from the refrigerant in a first heat transfer fluid 50,

A first expansion device 7 in which the coolant undergoes a first loss of pressure, for example an electronic expansion valve,

⁰ a 9 evaporator also for releasing the thermal energy of the coolant in an internal air flow to the motor vehicle 100, 0 a second decompressing device 11 in which the refrigerant undergoes a second pressure loss, e.g. tube orifice, and

⁰ an evapo-condenser 13 for recovering the heat energy of a second heat transfer fluid 130 and transfer it to the refrigerant. The condenser 5 is in particular intended to release heat energy of the refrigerant fluid in a first coolant 50. This first coolant 50 may for example be an internal air flow to the passenger compartment when the second heat exchanger is for example disposed in a heating, ventilation and air conditioning device. Another possibility may also be that the first heat transfer fluid 50 is a fluid flowing in another temperature management loop, for example when the first heat exchanger is a two-fluid exchanger, this is particularly the case in the context of an indirect air conditioning circuit. The evapo-condenser 13 is meanwhile for recovering the heat energy of a second coolant 130 and transfer it to the refrigerant. This second heat transfer fluid 130 may for example be an external air flow to the vehicle when the second heat exchanger is for example disposed on the front of the motor vehicle.

The reversible air-conditioning circuit 1 also comprises a central control unit 40. This central control unit 40 is notably connected to the compressor 3 in order to control its speed and thus to control the pressure of the refrigerant. The central control unit 40 is also connected to the first expansion device 7 to control and control its opening and thus control the loss of pressure of the refrigerant when it passes through.

The central control unit 40 can also be connected to a first sensor 41 of the temperature Text of the second heat transfer fluid 130 before it passes through the evapo-condenser 13. More precisely, Text can correspond to the external ambient temperature of the air.

The central control unit 40 may be connected to a second sensor 42 of the pressure Pcomp_out of the refrigerant at the outlet of the compressor 3. This second sensor 42 may in particular be disposed downstream of the compressor 3 between said compressor 3 and the condenser 5 .

The central control unit 40 may be connected to a third sensor 43 of the pressure Pcomp_in of the refrigerant before entering the compressor 3. This third sensor 43 may in particular be arranged upstream of the compressor 3, between the evapo-condenser 13 and said compressor 3.

The central control unit 40 may be connected to a fourth sensor 44 of the temperature Tcomp_in of the refrigerant before it enters the compressor 3. This fourth sensor 44 may in particular be arranged upstream of the compressor 3, between the evapo-condenser 13 and said compressor 3.

The third 43 and fourth 44 sensors may more particularly be only one pressure / temperature sensor disposed upstream of the compressor 3, between the evapo-condenser 13 and said compressor 3.

The central control unit 40 can be connected to a fifth sensor 45 of the temperature Tevapo of the internal air flow 100 after it has passed through the evaporator 9.

The central control unit 40 can be connected to a sixth sensor 46 of the temperature Tcond_out of the first heat transfer fluid 50 after it has passed through the condenser 5.

The central control unit 40 may be connected to a seventh sensor 47 of the pressure Pevap_out of the refrigerant at its outlet from the evaporator 9. This seventh sensor 47 may in particular be arranged downstream of the evaporator 9, between said evaporator 9 and the second expansion device 11.

In operation, in heat pump mode, as shown in FIG. 1b, the refrigerating fluid is in the low pressure gas phase before entering the compressor 3. When passing through the compressor 3, the refrigerating fluid undergoes an increase in its pressure and passes through high pressure as shown by the arrow 300. The refrigerant then passes through the condenser 5 and transfer of the enthalpy to the first heat transfer fluid 50 as shown by the arrow 500. the refrigerant first passes its saturation curve X and goes into a biphasic state. The refrigerant can also cross a second time its saturation curve X to go into the liquid phase. The difference between the temperature of the refrigerant at the outlet of condenser 5 and its saturation temperature at this pressure is called subcooling SC.

The refrigerant then passes through the first expansion device 7 and undergoes a first loss of pressure to switch to intermediate pressure, as shown by the arrow 700. The refrigerant again crosses its saturation curve X and goes into a two-phase state . The refrigerant then flows through the evaporator 9 in which the refrigerant transfers heat energy to the internal air flow 100, as shown by the arrow 900. The refrigerant passes through its saturation curve X and then returns to the liquid phase.

The refrigerant then passes through the second expansion device 7 and undergoes a second loss of pressure to pass at low pressure, as shown by the arrow 110. The refrigerant reaches its saturation curve X and goes into a two-phase state. The refrigerant then passes through the evapo-condenser 13 in which the refrigerant recovers heat energy from the second heat transfer fluid 130, as shown by the arrow 131. The refrigerant passes through its saturation curve X and then returns to the gas phase . The difference between the temperature Tcomp_in of the refrigerant before it passes through the compressor 3 (measured by the fourth sensor 44) and its saturation temperature at this pressure Tsat (Pcomp_in), corresponds to an overheating SHcomp_in of the refrigerant.

Thus, Shcomp_in = Tcomp_in - Tsat (Pcomp_in).

According to a variant illustrated in FIG. 2, the reversible air-conditioning circuit 1 may also comprise an internal heat exchanger 20 adapted to allow exchanges of heat energy between the refrigerant at the outlet of the bifluid heat exchanger 5 and the cooling fluid in This internal heat exchanger 20 comprises, in particular, an inlet and a refrigerant fluid outlet coming from a two-fluid heat exchanger 5, as well as an inlet and a coolant outlet coming from the outlet of the evapo-condenser. evapo-condenser 13.

In operation, the steps are similar to those of FIGS. 1a and 1b, with the difference that the internal heat exchanger absorbs from the enthalpy to the refrigerant fluid at the outlet of the bifluid heat exchanger and transfers it to the refrigerant at the outlet of the The subcooling SC of the refrigerant before it passes through the expansion device 7 and the superheat SHcomp_in of the refrigerant before it enters the compressor 3 are both increased by the effect of internal heat exchanger 20. This allows an increase in the coefficient of performance of the air conditioning circuit 1. The air conditioning circuit 1 may for example be an indirect reversible air conditioning circuit 1 as shown in Figure 3. This indirect reversible air conditioning circuit 1 can operate in different modes of operation including a heat pump mode.

This indirect reversible air conditioning circuit 1 comprises in particular:

A first coolant loop A in which the refrigerant circulates,

A second loop of coolant B in which the first coolant 50 circulates, and

A two-fluid heat exchanger corresponding to the condenser 5 arranged jointly on the first refrigerant fluid loop A and on the second heat transfer fluid loop B, so as to allow exchanges of heat between said first refrigerant loop A and said second loop heat transfer fluid B.

The first coolant loop A, shown in solid line in FIG. 3, comprises more particularly in the direction of circulation of the refrigerant fluid:

⁰ a compressor 3,

0 the two-fluid heat exchanger 5, disposed downstream of said compressor 3,

⁰ a first expansion device 7, more specifically an electronic expansion valve,

⁰ an evaporator 9 being intended to be traversed by the inner air stream 100 to the motor vehicle towards the passenger compartment,

A second expansion device 11, for example a tube orifice,

⁰ an evapo-condenser 13 being intended to be traversed by a second coolant, here a flow of air outside the motor vehicle, and

⁰ a bypass duct 30 of evapo-condenser 13. The bypass line 30 can more specifically connect a first connection point 31 and a second connection point 32.

The first connection point 31 is preferably arranged, in the flow direction of the coolant, downstream of the evaporator 9, between said evaporator 9 and the evapo-condenser 13. More particularly, and as illustrated in FIG. the first connection point 31 is arranged between the evaporator 9 and the second expansion device 11. It is, however, entirely possible to imagine that the first connection point 31 is arranged between the second expansion device 11 and the evapo-condenser 13 as long as the refrigerant has the ability to bypass the second expansion device 11 or to pass through without suffering loss of pressure.

The second connection point 32 is, for its part, preferably disposed downstream of the evapo-condenser 13, between the said evapo-condenser 13 and the compressor 3.

The first coolant loop A may comprise a desiccant bottle 18 disposed downstream of the bifluid heat exchanger 5, more precisely between said two-fluid heat exchanger 5 and the internal heat exchanger 20. Such a desiccant bottle 18 disposed on the high pressure side of the air conditioning circuit, that is to say downstream of the compressor 3 and upstream of an expansion device, has a smaller footprint and a reduced cost compared to other separation solutions phase as an accumulator which would be disposed on the low pressure side of the air conditioning circuit, ie upstream of the compressor 3, in particular upstream of the internal heat exchanger 20.

The first refrigerant fluid loop A may comprise an accumulator disposed upstream of the compressor 3, more precisely between the second connection point 32 and said compressor 3 in replacement of the desiccant bottle 18.

The indirect reversible air conditioning circuit 1 also comprises a device for redirecting the refrigerant fluid from the evaporator 9 to the evapo-condenser 13 or to the bypass line 30. This device for redirecting the refrigerant fluid from the evaporator including:

a first stop valve 22 disposed downstream of the first connection point 31, between said first connection point 31 and the second expansion device 11,

a second stop valve 33 disposed on the bypass line 30, and a non-return valve 23 disposed downstream of the second heat exchanger 13, between said evapo-condenser 13 and the second connection point 32. Another alternative (not shown ) may also be to have a three-way valve at the first connection point 31.

By stop valve, check valve, three-way valve or expansion device with stop function, here means mechanical or electromechanical elements that can be controlled by the central control unit 40.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the first refrigerant fluid loop A may comprise, in addition to an internal heat exchanger 20, a second internal heat exchanger 20 'allowing a heat exchange between the high-pressure refrigerant at the exchanger outlet. internal heat 20 and the low-pressure refrigerant circulating in the bypass line 30, that is to say from the first connection point 31. By high-pressure refrigerant fluid is meant by a refrigerant fluid that has undergone a pressure increase at the compressor 3 and that it has not yet undergone pressure loss because of the first expansion device 7. This second internal heat exchanger 20 'comprises in particular an inlet and a coolant outlet from the first connection point 31, as well as a high-pressure refrigerant inlet and outlet from a heat exchanger internal heat 20. At least one of the two internal heat exchangers 20, 20 'may be a coaxial heat exchanger, that is to say comprising two coaxial tubes and between which heat exchanges take place.

Preferably, internal heat exchanger 20 may be a coaxial internal heat exchanger with a length of between 50 and 120 mm while the second internal heat exchanger 20 'may be a coaxial internal heat exchanger with a length of between 200 and 700mm.

The second heat transfer fluid loop B, shown in a line comprising three dashes and two dots in FIG. 3, may comprise:

⁰ two-fluid heat exchanger 5,

⁰ a first circulation pipe 70 of the first heat transfer fluid 50 having an internal heater 54 intended to be traversed by the inner air stream 90 to the motor vehicle, and connecting a first junction point 61 arranged downstream of the heat exchanger bifluid 5 and a second junction point 62 arranged upstream of said bifluid heat exchanger 5,

⁰ a second circulation pipe 60 of heat transfer fluid having an external radiator 64 to be crossed by the outside air flow 200 to the motor vehicle, and connecting the first junction point 61 arranged downstream of the heat exchanger two-fluid 5 and the second junction point 62 disposed upstream of said bifluid heat exchanger 5, and

⁰ 17 a pump arranged downstream or upstream of the heat exchanger two-fluid 5 between the first junction point 61 and the second junction point 62.

The indirect reversible air-conditioning circuit 1 comprises, within the second heat-transfer fluid loop B, a device for redirecting the coolant from the two-fluid heat exchanger 5 to the first circulation pipe 70 and / or to the second water pipe. circulation 60. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the device for redirecting the heat transfer fluid from the two-fluid heat exchanger 5 can in particular comprise a fourth stop valve 63 arranged on the second circulation pipe 60 in order to block or not the first fluid. coolant and prevent it from circulating in said second circulation pipe 60.

The indirect reversible air conditioning circuit 1 may also include an obstruction flap 310 of the interior air flow 100 passing through the third heat exchanger 54.

This embodiment makes it possible in particular to limit the number of valves on the second heat transfer fluid loop B and thus makes it possible to limit the production costs.

According to an alternative embodiment, not shown, the device for redirecting the heat transfer fluid from the two-fluid heat exchanger 5 may in particular comprise a fourth stop valve 63 disposed on the second circulation pipe 60 in order to block the fluid or not. coolant and prevent it from circulating in said second flow line 60, and a fifth stop valve disposed on the first flow line 70 to block or not the heat transfer fluid and prevent it from circulating in said first pipe of circulation 70.

The second heat transfer fluid loop B may also include an electric heating element 55 of the heat transfer fluid. Said electric heating element 55 is in particular disposed, in the direction of circulation of the coolant, downstream of the bifluid heat exchanger 5, between said two-fluid heat exchanger 5 and the first junction point 61.

In heat pump mode, the coolant does not pass through the bypass line 30 because the first stop valve 22 is closed. The refrigerant fluid thus passes successively in the compressor 3, the condenser 5, the first expansion device 7, the evaporator 9, the second expansion device 11 and the evapo-condenser 13.

It is quite possible also to imagine another architecture of the air conditioning circuit 1 without departing from the scope of the invention as long as in heat pump mode, the refrigerant passes successively by a compressor 3, a condenser 5, a first expansion device 7, an evaporator 9, a second expansion device 11 and an evapo-condenser 13.

The present invention relates in particular to a method of managing the reversible air conditioning circuit 1 in heat pump mode and more specifically to the management of the control of the opening of the expansion device 7 and therefore of the pressure loss of the refrigerant when crosses said expansion device 7. The management method comprises:

A step of determining:

⁰ CESTIM the opening of the first expansion device 7 as a function of the difference between the Pcomp_out pressure of the refrigerant outlet of the compressor 3 and the Pevap_out pressure of the refrigerant fluid leaving the evaporator 9, depending on the temperature Text of the second fluid coolant 130 before passing through the evaporator 13 and the speed of the compressor 3,

⁰ of a set superheating SHcomp_in_sp as a function of the temperature Text of the second heat transfer fluid 130 before passing through the evapo-condenser 13, SHcomp_in_sp being between a minimum superheat SHcomp_in_sp_min and a maximum superheat Shcomp_in_sp_max,

A step of opening the expansion device 7 according to Cestim and superheating control SHcomp_in by varying the opening of the expansion device 7 so as to achieve the set superheat SHcomp_in_sp and maintain SHcomp_in between SHcomp_in_sp_min and SHcomp_in_sp_max.

The central control unit 40 determines the Cestim opening of the first expansion device 7 according to the protocol illustrated in the diagram of FIG. 4:

If (Pcomp_out - Pevap_out) is lower than a value XI, Cestim is of the order of the maximum estimated opening Cestim_max of the first expansion device 7. It is understood here that Cestim is here greater than or equal to 90% of its opening Cestimjnax maximum estimated to limit the loss of pressure of the refrigerant and thus reduce the risk of frost formation on the evapocondenser 13,

• if (Pcomp_out - Pevap_out) is greater than XI and lower than a value X2, Cestim decreases towards its minimum opening C_min as (Pcomp_out - Pevap_out) increases,

"If (Pcomp_out - Pevap_out) is greater than X2, Cestim increases as (Pcomp_out - Pevap_out) increases.

XI corresponds to a value of (Pcomp_out - Pevap_out) determined experimentally below which frost is formed on the evapo-condenser 13, X2 corresponds to a value of (Pcomp_out - Pevap_out) determined experimentally for which the first expansion device 7 is at its minimum opening Cestimjnin.

Cestimjnax and Cestimjnin correspond to extreme opening values of the first expansion device 7 established experimentally for given utilization parameters, such as Text and the speed of the compressor 3.

The central control unit 40 determines the set superheat SHcomp _in_sp so that: Shcompjnjnax = Tcomp_injnax_estim - Tsat (Pcompjn) Tsat (Pcomp_in) corresponds to the saturation temperature of the refrigerant at its pressure Pcomp_in at the inlet of the compressor 3.

Tcomp_in_max_estim corresponds to the estimated maximum temperature of the refrigerant at the inlet of the compressor 3. Tcomp_in_max_estim is calculated according to the following formula:

Tcomp_in_max_estim = K3 * (273.15 + Tcomp_out_max) I [(Pcomp_out I

Pcomp_in) ((K - 1) / K)] is an experimentally determined correction coefficient for which

K3 = Tcomp_in I Tcomp_in_estim.

Tcomp_in corresponds to the measured temperature of the refrigerant at the inlet of the compressor 3 and Tcomp_in_estim to the estimated temperature of the refrigerant at the inlet of the compressor 3.

Tcomp_out_max corresponds to the maximum temperature of the refrigerant at the outlet of the compressor 3. For example, Tcomp_out_max can be 130 ° C. Beyond this temperature Tcomp_out_max the compressor 3 may be damaged and it can get safe, that is to say stop working.

Pcomp_out corresponds to the pressure of the refrigerant at the outlet of the compressor 3 and Pcomp_in at the pressure of the refrigerant at the inlet of the compressor 3.

K corresponds to a coefficient of cooling of the refrigerant fluid determined experimentally and variable according to the coolant. For a refrigerant such as R134a, this cooling coefficient is 1.15.

For example, for a refrigerant such as R134a, SHcomp_in_sp_min can be between 3 and 10 ° K and SHcomp_in_sp_max between 8 and 15 ° K. SHcomp_in_sp_min and SHcomp_in_sp_max are variable depending on the nature of the refrigerant and the architecture of the air conditioning circuit 1.

During the second step of controlling the superheat Shcomp_in, if SHcomp_in is lower than SHcomp_in_sp_min then the control unit 10 will decrease the opening of the expansion device 7 to increase the superheat SHcomp_in. If SHcomp_in is greater than SHcomp_in_sp_max then the control unit 10 will increase the opening of the expansion device 7 in order to reduce the superheat SHcomp_in. The increase or decrease in the opening of the expansion device 7 is preferably performed by an integral proportional controller.

If SHcomp_in is between SHcomp_in_sp_min and SHcomp_in_sp_max, the increase or decrease of the opening of the expansion device 7 is preferably carried out by a proportional controller.

The fact of having a mixed control by an integral proportional controller and a proportional controller makes it possible to arrive quickly at the set superheat SHcomp_in_sp and to effectively maintain and stabilize SHcomp_in between SHcomp_in_sp_min and Shcomp_in_sp_max.

FIG. 5 shows a diagram showing in full lines the evolution as a function of time, expressed in minutes, of:

The temperature of the internal air flow 100 at the outlet of the internal radiator 54, illustrated by the curve 101a,

The opening 102a, expansion device 7, expressed in pulses / 100.

•

These curves in solid lines are performed after startup for an air conditioning circuit according to the prior art.

In broken lines are shown the evolution of the temperature of the internal air flow 100 at the outlet of the internal radiator 54 (curve 101b) and the opening of the expansion device 7 (curve 102b) after starting for an air conditioning circuit using a management method according to the invention. For this diagram of Figure 5, the refrigerant chosen is the R1234yf and the temperature Text is -18 ° C. These results are nevertheless also valid for a refrigerant such as RI 34a.

It should be noted that the management method according to the invention makes it possible, during the ramping up of the compressor 3, for a faster closing of the expansion device 7 which arrives at an opening of 130 pulses after 8 min, whereas according to the prior art the expansion device does not reach this opening until after 25 min. Therefore, according to the prior art, the superheat Shcomp_in at 20 min according to the prior art is 0 ° K whereas, thanks to the management method according to the invention, Shcomp_in is of the order of 4 ° K (more or minus 2 ° K). Thus, at 20 min, the temperature of the internal air flow 100 at the outlet of the internal radiator 54 according to the prior art and of the order of 22 ° C. whereas with the management method according to the invention it is the order of 27 ° C is about an increase of 12% of the heating power. The management method can also include a step of protecting the evaporator 9 against the overpressure of the refrigerant to avoid damaging said evaporator 9.

During this protection step, if Pevap_out is between PI and P, the central control unit 40 continues the control Cestim. P corresponds to an operating limit pressure value of the evaporator 9. PI is meanwhile calculated according to the formula PI = P - μΐ with μΐ corresponding to a pressure value between 0.1 and 1 bar.

If Pevap_out is greater than P, the central control unit 40 compares Cestim (t), which is the Cestim opening at a time t, with Cestim (tl), which is the Cestim opening at time t-1. If Cestim (t) is greater than Cestim (tl), in a first step, the central control unit 40 stops the control of the superheat SHcomp_in and maintains the opening of the first expansion device 7 to the value Cestim (tl) . In a second step, the central control unit 40 decreases Cestim so that Pevap_out is less than P. The calculation of Cestim (t) during the decrease of Cestim so that Pevap_out is less than P is carried out according to the following formula:

Cestim (t) = Cestim -ΣK1 * (Pevap_out - P)

K1 being a gain of integral type calculated according to AC / Pevapo_out with AC being the variation of the opening of the expansion device 7 and APevapo_out the variation of Pevapo_out measured during experimentation where the opening of the device of relaxation 7.

Similarly, the management method may comprise a step of protecting the compressor 3 against the overpressure of the refrigerant fluid in order to avoid damaging said evaporator 9.

During this protection step, if Pcomp_in is between P2 and P3, the central control unit 40 continues the Cestim control. P3 here corresponds to a pressure limit value of the compressor 3. P2 is meanwhile calculated according to the formula P2 = P3 - μ2 with μ2 being a pressure value between 0.01 and 0.2 bar.

If Pcomp_in is greater than P3, the central control unit 40 compares Cestim (t), which is the Cestim opening at a time t, with Cestim (t-1), which is the Cestim opening at time t-1. If Cestim (t) is greater than Cestim (tl), in a first step, the central control unit 40 stops the control of the superheat SHcomp_in and maintains the opening of the first expansion device 7 to the value Cestim (tl) . In a second step, the central control unit 40 decreases Cestim so that Pcomp_in is less than P3.

The calculation of Cestim (t) during the decrease of Cestim so that Pcomp_in is less than P3 is carried out according to the following formula:

Cestim (t) = Cestim - ΣΚ2 * (Pcomp_ K2 being an integral type gain calculated according to AC / APcomp_in with AC being the variation of the opening of the expansion device 7 and APcomp_in the variation of Pcomp_in measured during experimentation where the opening of the device of relaxation 7.

Thus, it is clear that the management method according to the invention allows good management and good control of the opening of the expansion device 7 allowing increased heating power in heat pump mode.

Claims

1. A method for managing an indirect reversible air-conditioning circuit (1) in which a refrigerant circulates, said invertible air-conditioning circuit (1) being able to operate in a heat pump mode in which the refrigerant fluid successively passes into:

⁰ a compressor (3),

⁰ a condenser (5) for releasing heat energy from the refrigerant in a first heat transfer fluid (50),

⁰ a first expansion device (7) wherein the refrigerant fluid undergoes a first pressure loss,

⁰ an evaporator (9) for releasing heat energy also the coolant in an internal air flow (100) to the motor vehicle,

⁰ a second expansion device (11) wherein the refrigerant fluid undergoes a second pressure loss, and

⁰ an evapo-condenser (13) for recovering the heat energy of a second heat transfer fluid (130) and the transfer to the coolant,

said air conditioning circuit (1) comprising a central control unit (40) able to control the opening of the first expansion device (7), said management method comprising:

A step of determining:

⁰ CESTIM the opening of the first expansion device (7) according to the difference between the Pcomp_out pressure of the refrigerant fluid at the compressor outlet (3) and the Pevap_out pressure refrigerant output from the evaporator (9), as the temperature Text of the second heat transfer fluid (130) before its passing through the evapo-condenser (13) and the compressor speed (3),

⁰ of an overheating setpoint SHcomp_in_sp as a function of the temperature Text of the second heat transfer fluid (130) before it passes through the evapo-condenser (13), SHcomp_in_sp being between a minimum superheat SHcomp_in_sp_min and a maximum superheat Shcomp_in_sp_max,

a step of opening the expansion device (7) according Cestim and superheating control SHcomp_in by varying the opening of the expansion device (7) so as to achieve the set superheat SHcomp_in_sp and maintain SHcomp_in between SHcomp_in_sp_min and SHcomp_in_sp_max.

A method of managing an air conditioning circuit (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that SHcomp_in is calculated according to the following formula:

Method for managing an air conditioning circuit (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that:

if (Pcomp_out - Pevap_out) is lower than a value XI, Cestim is of the order of its estimated maximum opening Cestim_max of the first expansion device (7), if (Pcomp_out - Pevap_out) is greater than XI and smaller than a value X2, Cestim decreases towards its estimated minimum aperture Cestim_min as (Pcomp_out - Pevap_out) increases,

if (Pcomp_out - Pevap_out) is greater than X2, Cestim increases as (Pcomp_out - Pevap_out) increases,

XI being a value of (Pcomp_out - Pevap_out) determined experimentally below which frost forms on the evapo-condenser (13),

X2 being a value of (Pcomp_out - Pevap_out) determined experimentally for which the first expansion device (7) is at its minimum opening Cestim _min.

A method of managing an air conditioning circuit (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the determination of the superheat set SHcomp_in_sp is such that:

Shcomp_in_max = Tcomp_in_max_estim - Tsat (Pcomp_in) in which Tsat (Pcomp_in) is the saturation temperature of the coolant at its pressure Pcomp_in at the input of the compressor (3),

Tcomp_in_max_estim is the estimated maximum temperature of the refrigerant at the inlet of the compressor (3):

Tcomp_in_max_estim = K3 * (273.15 + Tcomp_out_max) I [(Pcomp_out I

Pcomp_in) ((K - 1) / K)]

K3 is an experimentally determined correction coefficient for which

K3 = Tcomp_in I Tcomp_in_estim, Tcomp_in being the measured temperature of the refrigerant at the inlet of the compressor (3) and Tcomp_in_estim the estimated temperature of the refrigerant at the inlet of the compressor (3),

Tcomp_out_max is the maximum temperature of the refrigerant at the outlet of the compressor (3),

Pcomp_out is the pressure of the refrigerant at the outlet of the compressor (3), Pcomp_in is the pressure of the refrigerant at the inlet of the compressor (3), and

K is the cooling coefficient of the refrigerant fluid determined experimentally and variable according to the refrigerant fluid,

A method of managing an air conditioning circuit (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that SHcomp_in_sp_min is between 3 and 10 ° K and SHcomp_in_sp_max is between 8 and 15 ° K.

A method of managing an air conditioning circuit (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that during the step of controlling the superheat SHcomp_in:

if SHcomp_in is smaller than SHcomp_in_sp_min or greater than SHcomp_in_sp_max, the increase or decrease of the opening of the expansion device (7) is carried out by an integral proportional controller, if SHcomp_in is between SHcomp_in_sp_min and SHcomp_in_sp_max, the increase or decrease the opening of the expansion device (7) is reduced by a proportional controller.

7. A method for managing an air conditioning circuit (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a step of protecting the evaporator (9) against the overpressure of the refrigerant: if Pevap_out is between P1 and P, the central control unit (40) continues the control of Cestim, with P being an operating pressure limit value of the evaporator (9) and PI = P - μΐ, μΐ being a pressure value of between 0.1 and 1 bar,

if Pevap_out is greater than P, the central control unit (40) compares Cestim (t), which is the Cestim opening at a time t, with Cestim (tl), which is the Cestim opening at time t-1 if Cestim (t) is greater than Cestim (tl), in a first step, the central control unit (40) stops the control of the superheat SHcomp_in and maintains the opening of the first expansion device (7) to the value Cestim (tl), in a second step, the central control unit (40) decreases Cestim so that Pevap_out is less than P.

A method for managing an air-conditioning circuit (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the calculation of Cestim (t) during the decrease of Cestim so that Pevap_out is less than P, is carried out according to the following formula:

Cestim (t) = Cestim -ΣK1 * (Pevap_out - P)

with K1 being a gain of integral type calculated according to K1 = AC / Pevapo_out with AC being the variation of the opening of the expansion device (7) and APevapo_out the variation of Pevapo_out measured during experimentation where the variation is made opening of the expansion device (7).

9. A method of managing an air conditioning circuit (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a step of protecting the compressor (3) against the overpressure of the refrigerant: if Pcomp_in is between P2 and P3, the central control unit (40) continues the Cestim control, with P3 being an operating pressure limit value of the compressor (3) and P2 = P3 - μ2, μ2 being a pressure value between 0 , 01 and 0.2 bar, if Pcomp_in is greater than P3, the central control unit (40) compares Cestim (t), which is the Cestim opening at a time t, with Cestim (tl), which is the Cestim opening at time t-1 if Cestim (t) is greater than Cestim (tl), in a first step, the central control unit (40) stops the control of the superheat SHcomp_in and maintains the opening of the first expansion device (7) to the value Cestim (tl), in a second step, the central control unit (40) decreases Cestim so that Pcomp_in is less than P3. 10. A method of managing an air conditioning circuit (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the Cestim (t) calculation during the Cestim decrease so that Pcomp_in is lower than P3 is made according to the following formula :

Cestim (t) = Cestim - ΣΚ2 * (Pcomp_in - P3)

with K2 being an integral type gain calculated according to AC / Pcomp_in with AC being the variation of the opening of the expansion device (7) and APcomp_in the variation of Pcomp_in measured during experimentation where the opening is varied the expansion device (7).