FR3057814A1 - FRONT PANEL MODULE FOR MOTOR VEHICLE - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a front-facing module (1) for a motor vehicle comprising: at least one air intake port (3a, 3b), at least one air duct connecting the at least one an air inlet (3a, 3b) and a compartment (8), said air duct (10) being intended to be traversed by a flow of air, said air duct (10) comprising: ▪ a first heat exchanger (5), and ▪ a second heat exchanger (7) disposed downstream of said first heat exchanger (5), said front face module (1) having at least one redirection channel (100) d wherein: • an air inlet (100a) is disposed downstream of the second heat exchanger (7), said air inlet (100a) being configured to capture a portion of the air flow downstream of the second heat exchanger of heat (7), and • an air outlet (100b) is arranged upstream of the first heat exchanger (5), said air outlet (100b) being configured to reinject s the air flow (the air captured downstream of the second heat exchanger (7).

Description

® FRENCH REPUBLIC

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY © Publication number:

(to be used only for reproduction orders) (© National registration number

057814

60388

COURBEVOIE © IntCI ⁸ : B 60 H 1/00 (2017.01)

PATENT INVENTION APPLICATION

A1

©) Date of filing: 26.10.16. © Applicant (s): VALEO THERMAL SYSTEMS (© Priority: Simplified joint stock company - FR. @ Inventor (s): NORE THOMAS and ANDRE STE- PHAN. (43) Date of public availability of the request: 04.27.18 Bulletin 18/17. ©) List of documents cited in the report preliminary research: Refer to end of present booklet (© References to other national documents ® Holder (s): VALEO THERMAL SYSTEMS related: Joint stock company. ©) Extension request (s): © Agent (s): VALEO THERMAL SYSTEMS.

fO4) FRONT PANEL MODULE FOR MOTOR VEHICLE.

FR 3 057 814 - A1 (5 /) The present invention relates to a front panel module (1) for a motor vehicle comprising:

O at least one air intake opening (3a, 3b),

O at least one air duct (10) connecting the at least one air inlet mouth (3a, 3b) and a compartment (8), said air duct (10) being intended to be traversed by a air flow, said air duct (10) comprising:

a first heat exchanger (5), and a second heat exchanger (7) disposed downstream of said first heat exchanger (5), said front panel module (1) comprising at least one redirection channel (100) of air of which:

an air inlet (100a) is arranged downstream of the second heat exchanger (7), said air inlet (100a) being configured to capture part of the air flow downstream of the second heat exchanger (7) , and an air outlet (100b) is arranged upstream of the first heat exchanger (5), said air outlet (100b) being configured to reinject into the air flow (the air collected downstream of the second heat exchanger (7).

i

Front panel module for motor vehicle

The present invention relates to a front panel module of a motor vehicle and more specifically to the management of the air flow passing through said front panel module.

Motor vehicle front panel modules generally comprise an air intake mouth disposed at the front of the vehicle and an air duct connecting said air intake mouth to a compartment disposed under the hood of the motor vehicle . This air duct comprises, in the direction of air circulation between the air inlet mouth and the compartment, a first heat exchanger, most often an evaporator of a reversible air conditioning circuit, and a second heat exchanger, arranged downstream of said first heat exchanger, most often a radiator of a thermal management circuit of a heat engine.

However, in cold weather and when the reversible air conditioning circuit operates in heat pump mode, that is to say that it absorbs heat energy at the level of the first heat exchanger to restore it in the passenger compartment. calorific energy released at the second heat exchanger is wasted because it is simply diffused in the air flow. In addition problems of icing of the first heat exchanger can occur which decreases the efficiency of said first heat exchanger in heat pump mode.

One of the aims of the present invention is therefore to propose an improved front panel module at least partially solving the drawbacks of the prior art.

The present invention therefore relates to a front panel module for a motor vehicle comprising:

° at least one air inlet mouth, for example disposed at the front of the vehicle, ° at least one air duct connecting the at least one air inlet mouth and a compartment for example arranged under the hood of the motor vehicle, said air duct being intended to be traversed by an air flow between said at least one air inlet mouth and the compartment, said air duct comprising:

a first heat exchanger, and a second heat exchanger disposed downstream of said first heat exchanger, said front panel module comprising at least one air redirection channel, of which:

• an air inlet (is arranged downstream of the second heat exchanger in the air flow, said air inlet being configured to capture part of the air flow downstream of the second heat exchanger, and • a air outlet is arranged upstream of the first heat exchanger in the air flow, said air outlet being configured to reinject into the air flow the air collected downstream from the second heat exchanger.

According to one aspect of the invention, the air inlet of the redirection channel comprises a deflector configured to redirect part of the air flow in the redirection channel.

According to another aspect of the invention, the air outlet of the redirection channel comprises a deflector configured to reinject the air passing through the redirection channel into the air flow.

According to another aspect of the invention, said at least one redirection channel comprises a device for closing said redirection channel.

According to another aspect of the invention, the shutter device for said redirection channel is a movable flap in rotation about an axis and controlled by an actuator, said flap being disposed in said redirection channel.

According to another aspect of the invention, the device for closing said redirection channel is the air inlet deflector, said air inlet deflector being movable in rotation about an axis and controlled by an actuator.

According to another aspect of the invention, the front panel module comprises at least two redirection channels disposed respectively on either side of the air duct, at its lateral sides.

According to another aspect of the invention, the front panel module comprises at least two redirection channels disposed respectively at the level of the lower and upper sides of the air duct.

According to another aspect of the invention, the air duct extends over the entire width of the heat exchangers.

According to another aspect of the invention, the front panel module comprises a fan arranged in the air duct so as to propel the air from the air inlet mouth towards the compartment.

According to another aspect of the invention, the first heat exchanger is an evapo-condenser of a reversible air conditioning circuit.

According to another aspect of the invention, the second heat exchanger is a high temperature radiator of a thermal management circuit of a heat engine.

According to another aspect of the invention, the front panel module comprises at least a third heat exchanger disposed between the first and second heat exchangers.

According to another aspect of the invention, the third heat exchanger is a low temperature radiator of a thermal management circuit for batteries and / or electrical components.

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

• Figure 1 shows a schematic representation in section and in side view of a front panel module of a motor vehicle, • Figure 2 shows a schematic representation in section and in top view of the front panel module of Figure 1 , • Figures 3 and 4 show the air circulation within the front panel module of Figure 1 in two separate cases, • Figure 5 shows a schematic sectional view and in side view of a module front face of a motor vehicle according to a particular embodiment.

Identical elements in the different figures have the same references.

The following embodiments 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 characteristics apply only to a single embodiment. Simple features of different embodiments can also be combined or interchanged to provide other embodiments.

In the present description, it is possible to index certain elements or parameters, such as 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 that are similar but not identical. This indexing does not imply a priority of an element, parameter or criterion over another and one can easily interchange such names without departing from the scope of this description. This indexing does not imply an order in time for example to assess such or such criteria.

In the present description, the term "upstream" means that one element is placed before another with respect to the direction of circulation of a fluid, here an air flow. Conversely, by "downstream" is meant that one element is placed after another with respect to the direction of circulation of the fluid.

In the various figures, a reference XYZ shows the angle of view of each of said figures in relation to each other. The axes of this reference may also correspond to the different orientations of the motor vehicle. The X axis can thus correspond to the length of the vehicle, the Y axis to width and the Z axis to its height.

Figures 1 and 2 show a schematic representation in section respectively from the side, that is to say parallel to the axes X and Z of the coordinate system, and seen from above, that is to say parallel to the axes X and Y of the coordinate system. To facilitate understanding, the location of the wheels 30 of the motor vehicle is shown in the figures.

Figures 1 and 2 show a front panel module 1 of a motor vehicle comprising at least one air inlet mouth 3a, 3b disposed at the front of the vehicle and at least one air duct 10 connecting the at least one air inlet mouth 3a, 3b and a compartment 8 disposed under the hood of the motor vehicle.

In FIG. 1, the front face module 1 comprises in particular an “high” air inlet mouth 3a and a “low” air inlet mouth 3b, separated by a bumper 41. The compartment 8 can be more particularly the engine compartment of the motor vehicle, in the case of a front motor vehicle.

The air duct 10 is intended to be traversed by an air flow 14 (visible in FIGS. 3 and 4) between the at least one air inlet mouth 3a, 3b and the compartment 8. The duct d air 10 includes in particular:

a first heat exchanger 5, and a second heat exchanger 7 disposed downstream of said first heat exchanger 5.

The first heat exchanger 5 can in particular be an evapo-condenser of a reversible air conditioning circuit. By reversible air conditioning is meant that the air conditioning circuit can operate in a heat pump mode in which the evapo-condenser can capture heat from the air flow passing through it in order to restore it in the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle.

The second heat exchanger 7 may in turn be a so-called high temperature radiator of a thermal management circuit of a heat engine. By high temperature, it is also understood that the second heat exchanger 7 is the exchanger which has the most heat to dissipate in the air flow 14.

As illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the front panel module 1 can also include a third heat exchanger 9 disposed between the first 5 and second 7 heat exchanger. The third heat exchanger 9 can for example be a low temperature radiator of a thermal management circuit for batteries and / or electrical components, in particular for a vehicle with hybrid motorization. By low temperature is also meant that the third heat exchanger 9 has a quantity of heat to be dissipated in the air flow 14 less than that of the second heat exchanger.

In general, the heat exchangers 5, 7 and 9 are arranged in the air duct 10 of the front panel module 1 so that the exchanger having the most heat to be dissipated is placed most downstream of the flow d 'air 14, and that the exchanger having the least amount of heat to be dissipated is disposed most upstream of said air flow.

Thus, in the case where the first heat exchanger 5 is an evapo-condenser of a reversible air conditioning circuit, the second heat exchanger 7 is a so-called high temperature radiator of a thermal management circuit of a heat engine and where the third heat exchanger 9 is a low temperature radiator of a thermal management circuit for batteries and / or electrical components, said second heat exchanger 7 is arranged furthest downstream so as not to heat the air flow 14 upstream of the first heat exchanger 5 which needs a relatively fresh air flow 14 so that the reversible air conditioning circuit is effective. The third heat exchanger 9 is itself disposed between the first 5 and the second 9 heat exchanger because it must dissipate a quantity of heat greater than that of the first heat exchanger 5 but less than that of the second heat exchanger 7. If the second heat exchanger 7 were placed upstream of the third heat exchanger 9, the air flow 14 would be too hot to allow the dissipation of heat from the third heat exchanger 9.

The front face module 1 may also include a fan 12 placed in the air duct 10 so as to create the air flow 14 between the air inlet mouth 3 a, 3b and the compartment 8. More particularly, the fan 12 can be non-reversible. In FIGS. 1 and 2, by non-reversible it is meant that the fan 12 is configured to generate an air flow only in one direction and more particularly in the direction going from the at least one air inlet mouth 3a, 3b towards compartment 8. This fan 12 is particularly useful when the motor vehicle is stationary or when its speed is not sufficient to obtain an air flow 14 sufficient for the first 5, second 7 and possibly third 9 heat exchangers are efficient.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, the fan is arranged, in the air flow 14, downstream of the second heat exchanger 7. It is nevertheless quite possible to imagine a different placement of said fan 12, for example upstream of the first heat exchanger 5 or even between the first 5 and second 7 heat exchangers.

The front panel module 1 also includes at least one air redirection channel 100. The air redirection channel 100 comprises:

• an air inlet 100a disposed downstream of the second heat exchanger 7 in the air flow 14, said air inlet 100a being configured to capture part of the air flow 14 downstream of the second heat exchanger 7 , and • an air outlet 100b disposed upstream of the first heat exchanger 5 in the air flow 14, said air outlet 100b being configured to reinject into the air stream 14 the air collected downstream of the second heat exchanger 7.

This at least one redirection channel 100 makes it possible to recover part of the air flow 14 which has passed through at least the first 5 and second 7 heat exchangers and which is therefore at a temperature higher than that of the air flow 14 had at least one air inlet mouth 3a, 3b. This hot air is then reinjected into the air flow 14 upstream of the first heat exchanger 5 and allows an additional heat supply, useful for example in cold weather when the reversible air conditioning circuit is in heat pump mode. The first heat exchanger 5 therefore benefits from warmer air in order to absorb the heat and return it to the passenger compartment, thereby improving the efficiency of the heat pump mode. In addition, always when the reversible air conditioning circuit is in heat pump mode, this supply of hot air makes it possible to reduce the risks of icing of the first heat exchanger 5.

This at least one redirection channel 100 can also allow, in cold weather, a faster rise in temperature of a heat engine and / or batteries and / or electronic component by reinjecting part of the heat dissipated at the level of the first 5, second 7 and possibly third 9 heat exchangers in the air flow 14 upstream of the first heat exchanger 5. The temperature difference between the air passing through said heat exchangers 5,7,9 and the the air they have evacuated is therefore reduced, which allows a faster rise in temperature.

The reinjection of hot air can in particular be carried out when the vehicle is in motion, without having to obstruct the at least one air inlet mouth 3a, 3b, because the at least one redirection channel 100 is dedicated to this function. This reinjection of hot air can also take place when the motor vehicle is stopped thanks to the air flow 14 generated by the fan 12.

The air inlet 100a of the redirection channel 100 may in particular comprise a deflector 101a configured to redirect part of the air flow 14 within the redirection channel 100. Similarly, the air outlet 100b of the redirection channel 100 may include a deflector 101b configured to reinject the air passing through the redirection channel 100 into the air flow 14. The deflectors 101a, 101b may have a concave profile as illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 5. The concave part of the deflector 101a of the air inlet 100a is oriented towards the second heat exchanger 7 in order to capture part of the air flow 14 and the concave part of the deflector 101b of the air outlet 100b is oriented towards the first heat exchanger 5 in order to reinject the air passing through the redirection channel 100 into the air flow 14 upstream of said first heat exchanger 5.

The at least one redirection channel 100 can be disposed at a lateral side 44 of the air duct 10, that is to say along the axis Y of the reference, as illustrated in FIG. 2, for example at the level on the inside of the fenders of the motor vehicle. The at least one redirection channel 100 can also be arranged on an upper side 42 of the air duct 10, that is to say its side opposite the hood of the motor vehicle, or on a lower side 43 of the duct air 10, ie its side closest to the ground, as illustrated in FIG. 1.

Preferably, the front face module 1 comprises at least two redirection channels 100 disposed respectively on either side of the air duct 10 or the heat exchangers 5, 7, 9, on its lateral sides 44 and / or at least two redirection channels 100 disposed respectively at the lower 43 and upper 42 sides of the air duct 10.

In order to control the air flow passing through the at least one redirection channel 100, the latter may include a device 103 for closing said redirection channel 100. Said closure device 103 is configured to adopt an open position allowing passage air within the redirection channel 100 or a closed position preventing the passage of air within the redirection channel 100.

FIG. 3 shows the air circulation within the front face module 1 when the shutter device 103 is in the shutter position. The air flow 14 passes through the at least one air inlet mouth 3a, 3b, and passes through the heat exchangers 5, 7, 9 before arriving at the level of the compartment 8. The air flow 14 does not pass through the at least one redirection duct 100 because the shutter device 103 is in the shutter position.

Figure 4 shows the air flow within the front panel module when the shutter device 103 is in the open position. The air flow 14 passes through the at least one air inlet mouth 3a, 3b, and passes through the heat exchangers 5, 7, 9 before arriving at the level of the compartment 8. At the outlet of the second heat exchanger heat 7, part of the air flow 14 is deflected by the deflector 101a and passes through the redirection channel 100 because its shutter device 103 is in the open position. The air flow 14 can then go back into the redirection channel 100 and be reinjected upstream of the first heat exchanger 5.

According to a first embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4, the shutter device 103 can be, for example, a movable flap rotating around an axis and controlled by an actuator. Said flap is in particular arranged in the redirection channel 100 in order to allow or not the circulation of air within said redirection channel 100.

According to a second embodiment illustrated in Figure 5, the deflector 101a of the air inlet 100a is rotatable around an axis and is controlled by an actuator. Said deflector 100a then also acts as a shutter device 103. In the open position, the deflector 101s and redirects part of the air flow in the redirection channel 100 and in the closed position, said deflector 100a closes the air inlet 100a of the redirection channel 100 and no longer obstructs to the air flow 14, which reduces the air resistance of the motor vehicle.

Thus, it is clear that the front panel module improves the efficiency of the reversible air conditioning circuit in heat pump mode, reduces the risk of icing of the first heat exchanger 5 and even allows a faster rise in temperature by cold weather.

Claims (10)

1. Front panel module (1) for a motor vehicle comprising: ° at least one air inlet mouth (3a, 3b), ° at least one air duct (10) connecting the at least one air inlet mouth (3a, 3b) and a compartment (8 ), said air duct (10) being intended to be traversed by an air flow (14) between said at least one air inlet mouth (3a, 3b) and the compartment (8), said duct air (10) comprising: a first heat exchanger (5), and a second heat exchanger (7) disposed downstream of said first heat exchanger (5), characterized in that said front panel module (1) comprises at least one redirection channel ( 100) of air of which: • an air inlet (100a) is arranged downstream of the second heat exchanger (7) in the air flow (14), said air inlet (100a) being configured to capture part of the air flow (14) downstream of the second heat exchanger (7), and • an air outlet (100b) is arranged upstream of the first heat exchanger (5) in the air flow (14), said outlet air (100b) being configured to reinject into the air flow (14) the air collected downstream of the second heat exchanger (7). 2. Front panel module (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the air inlet (100a) of the redirection channel (100) comprises a deflector (101a) configured to redirect part of the air flow (14) in the redirection channel (100). 3. Front panel module (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the air outlet (100b) of the redirection channel (100) comprises a deflector (101b) configured to reinject the air passing through the redirection channel (100) in the air flow (14). 4. Front panel module (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said at least one redirection channel (100) comprises a device (103) for closing said redirection channel (100). 5. Front face module (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the device (103) for closing said redirection channel (100) is a movable shutter in rotation about an axis and controlled by an actuator, said flap being disposed in said redirection channel (100). 6. Front panel module (1) according to claim 4 in combination with claim 2, characterized in that the device (103) for closing said redirection channel (100) is the deflector (101a) of the inlet d 'air (100a), said deflector (101a) of the air inlet (100a) being movable in rotation about an axis and controlled by an actuator. 7. Front panel module (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises at least two redirection channels (100) disposed respectively on either side of said heat exchangers (5,7) at its lateral sides (44). 8. Front face module (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises at least two redirection channels (100) disposed respectively at the lower (43) and upper (42) sides of the duct. air (10). 9. Front face module (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a fan (12) arranged in the air duct (10) so as to propel the air from the mouth of '' air inlet (3a, 3b) to the 5 compartment (8). 10. Front face module (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises at least a third heat exchanger (9) disposed between the first (5) and second (7) heat exchangers. 1/3 100a 101a 43,100 / d = 5 9 ⁷ O \ L 103 101a