JP2006347506A - Energy control device for heating and cooling - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a control device capable of enhancing the energy efficiency when heating and cooling a predetermined objective part. <P>SOLUTION: The energy control device having a means for accumulating or emitting the energy according to the situation of heating request or cooling request comprises first heat accumulators 2, 3, a first thermoelectric conversion element 1 and second thermoelectric conversion elements 7, 8 which are connected to the first heat accumulators 2, 3 in a heat-transferrable manner for converting the thermal energy and the electric energy to each other, first control means 18, 21 to energize either one of the first and second thermoelectric conversion elements 1, 7, 8 so as to accumulate the heat in the first heat accumulators 2, 3, and second control means 18, 21 to control energization of the other of the first and second thermoelectric conversion elements 1, 7, 8 so as to output the heat energy of the first heat accumulators 2, 2 as the electric power. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention is an apparatus for controlling energy for various heating and cooling such as air conditioning by an air conditioner, temperature control of intake and exhaust of an internal combustion engine, and heating and cooling using energy accompanying traveling of a vehicle. It is about.

  An air conditioner is known as a device that performs heating and cooling. In addition to cooling and heating a fixed space such as a living space, an air conditioner that is mounted on a vehicle and configured to cool and cool a passenger compartment is often used. Among the air conditioners for vehicles, in an air conditioner for vehicles using an internal combustion engine as a power source, the power source generates heat, and this can be used for heating. On the other hand, for cooling, a heat pump is generally used, and the compressor is driven by using the power source of the engine or the power of the battery or the power of the battery, and the refrigerant is compressed, radiated, expanded, and absorbed from the passenger compartment. The vehicle interior is cooled by releasing heat.

In the air conditioner using the compressor described above, since the influence of the refrigerant on the environment is not always preferable, for example, in the invention described in Patent Document 1, waste heat is converted into thermoelectric power to generate electric power, and the electric power The thermoelectric module that generates the Peltier effect and the Seebeck effect is driven to perform cooling. Further, in the invention of Patent Document 1, waste heat is stored in a heat storage device, the heat is used to generate power by a thermoelectric module, the power is stored in a battery, and the vehicle is stopped using the power. Even in this case, air conditioning can be performed.
JP 2003-175720 A

  In the invention described in Patent Document 1, heating and cooling are performed by energizing the thermoelectric module and converting the electrodes, but either cooling or heating is performed. Since the other is not executed during the operation, for example, when the thermoelectric module is energized and cooled, the heat generated in the thermoelectric module is released to the outside. Therefore, even if waste heat recovery is possible, the utilization efficiency is not necessarily high, and there is much room for improvement.

  The present invention has been made paying attention to the above technical problem, and improves the efficiency of energy use when heating or cooling various target parts as well as living spaces such as living rooms and vehicle cabins. It is an object of the present invention to provide a control device capable of performing the above.

  In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is directed to an energy control apparatus for heating and cooling provided with means for storing or releasing energy according to the situation of a heating request or a cooling request. A first thermoelectric conversion element and a second thermoelectric conversion element connected to the first heat accumulator so as to be capable of transferring heat and performing mutual conversion between heat energy and electric energy; and the first heat accumulator so as to store heat. One of the first and second thermoelectric conversion elements so as to output the thermal energy of the first heat accumulator as electric power to the first control means for energizing either one of the first and second thermoelectric conversion elements And a second control means for controlling the other energization.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the first and second thermoelectric conversion elements are in close contact with an outer peripheral portion of the first heat accumulator so that heat can be transferred. An energy control device for heating and cooling, characterized by covering an outer periphery.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the first thermoelectric conversion element in any one of the first and second thermoelectric conversion elements is disposed at a position opposite to the position connected to the first heat accumulator so as to be capable of transferring heat. The second heat accumulator is connected so as to be able to transfer heat, and a third thermoelectric conversion element capable of outputting electric power using the heat of the second heat accumulator is connected to the second heat accumulator so as to be able to transfer heat, and the first heat accumulator And either one of the second heat accumulators is energized to one of the thermoelectric conversion elements so as to store heat, and power is generated from any other thermoelectric conversion element by a temperature difference in the other heat accumulator accompanying the heat storage. An energy control device for heating and cooling, further comprising third control means for taking out.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an energy control apparatus for heating and cooling provided with means for storing or releasing energy according to the status of a heating request or a cooling request, and performs mutual conversion between heat energy and electric energy. A thermoelectric conversion element, a heat storage unit connected to the thermoelectric conversion element so as to receive heat energy so as to receive thermal energy from the thermoelectric conversion element, and maintaining a state in which the temperature is increased by the received thermal energy; and the thermoelectric conversion element A cold storage unit that is connected to the thermoelectric conversion element so as to be deprived of heat energy and maintains a state in which the temperature is lowered due to deprivation of heat energy, and cools the cold storage unit and heats the heat storage unit The first control means for energizing the thermoelectric conversion element so as to, and based on the temperature difference between the heat storage unit and the cold storage unit It is a device which is characterized in that a second control means for outputting power from the photoelectric conversion element.

  The invention according to claim 5 is the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a temperature control mechanism that heats or cools the predetermined temperature control target portion with the heat of each of the regenerators. It is an energy control device for heating and cooling.

  The invention according to claim 6 is the invention according to claim 5, further comprising selection means for selecting whether or not to heat or cool the predetermined temperature control target part with the heat of any one of the regenerators. An energy control device for heating and cooling.

  According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to sixth aspects of the present invention, a power supply unit that supplies power to at least one of the first and second thermoelectric conversion elements, and any one of the power supply unit to the power supply unit. An energy control device for heating and cooling, further comprising fourth control means for selectively supplying electric power to the thermoelectric conversion element and storing heat in at least the first heat storage section.

  The invention according to claim 8 is the invention according to claim 7, wherein the power supply unit includes any one of regenerative means for converting any one of mechanical energy, thermal energy, and light energy into electrical energy, and a power storage device. Is an energy control device for heating and cooling.

  The invention of claim 9 is the invention according to any one of claims 5 to 8, wherein the temperature control target unit is present based on at least one of an environment where the temperature control target unit exists and a target temperature of the temperature control target unit. An energy control device for heating and cooling, further comprising fifth control means for controlling a heat storage amount of at least one of the heat accumulators.

  The invention of claim 10 is the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the first heat storage unit includes a prediction unit that predicts a heat utilization state of the first heat storage unit, a power storage device, and the prediction unit. And 6th control means for generating electric power in at least one of the first and second thermoelectric conversion elements and storing electric power in the power storage device when it is predicted that the use of heat of the electric power will be interrupted. An energy control device for heating and cooling.

  The invention of claim 11 is the invention of any one of claims 1 to 10, further comprising a heat transport medium that is heated or cooled by heat exchange with the heat storage section or the cold storage section. An energy control device for heating and cooling.

  The invention of claim 12 is the invention of claim 8, further comprising a judging means for judging whether or not there is a pre-air-conditioning request for pre-accumulating or storing heat in the regenerator or the regenerator for cooling or heating. If there is, it is configured to regenerate energy by the regenerative means for converting either heat energy or light energy into electrical energy to store heat or cool, and for heating and cooling It is an energy control device.

  According to the invention of claim 1, not only the recovered heat (or cold heat) is stored in the first regenerator, but also the recovered or generated electric energy is converted into heat energy by each thermoelectric conversion element, and the first regenerator Can be stored. In that case, both heat storage and cold storage are possible. And when energizing any one of the thermoelectric conversion elements to perform heating or the like, the cold heat generated in the thermoelectric conversion element can be stored along with it. Accordingly, heat generated by the thermoelectric conversion element can be stored, so that useless heat dissipation can be avoided and energy utilization efficiency can be improved. Furthermore, when used as a device for air conditioning of a vehicle or the like, since it can be heated or cooled by each thermoelectric conversion element, there is no need to use a conventionally used compressor, and the device can be reduced in size and weight. , Fuel economy can be improved.

  According to invention of Claim 2, since each thermoelectric conversion element covers and closely_contact | connects the heat accumulator, the thermal resistance and heat loss between these can be reduced.

  According to invention of Claim 3, since the 1st heat storage part and the 2nd heat storage part are provided corresponding to the heating part and cooling part in connection with a thermoelectric conversion element having the Peltier effect or Seebeck effect, thermoelectric conversion It is possible to generate power efficiently by enlarging the temperature difference between the elements, and when energizing and generating heat or cooling, the heat generated by generating heat and the heat generated by cooling are stored in each heat storage unit. As a result, energy efficiency can be improved without wastefully dissipating heat.

  According to invention of Claim 4, it is the structure which has arrange | positioned the thermoelectric conversion element between the heat storage part and the cool storage part, It supplies with electricity to the thermoelectric conversion element, and it heats or cools it, and also generates electric power with a thermoelectric conversion element Therefore, it is possible to generate power efficiently by increasing the temperature difference in the thermoelectric conversion element. In addition, when energized to generate heat or cool, cooling and cooling associated with heat generation are performed. Can be stored in the heat storage unit and the cold storage unit, and as a result, energy efficiency can be improved without dissipating heat unnecessarily.

  According to the invention of claim 5, since the temperature control target part is heated or cooled by the heat of the heat storage part or the cold storage part, a heat pump mechanism such as a compressor or an expansion valve is omitted and compact air conditioning is provided. A device can be obtained. Moreover, if it is used for cooling the intake air of the internal combustion engine, the output of the internal combustion engine can be increased. Further, by using it for heating at the start of the internal combustion engine, the warm-up is accelerated and exhaust gas is deteriorated. Inconvenience can be suppressed.

  According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, since a heat source for heating or cooling can be selected, the energy use efficiency can be improved.

  According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, since the thermoelectric conversion element can change electric power into heat energy, and includes a power supply unit for that purpose, and a control means for selectively storing heat converted from electric power in the heat storage unit. It is possible to perform heating and cooling by this, and when surplus power is generated, it can be stored as heat.

  According to the eighth aspect of the present invention, the power supply unit includes regenerative means for converting any one of mechanical energy, thermal energy, and light energy into electric power, so that heating or cooling can be performed by the regenerated energy. Therefore, energy efficiency can be improved, and fuel efficiency can be improved when used in a vehicle.

  According to the invention of claim 9, since the amount of energy required for heating or cooling of the temperature control target part is affected by the environment, the amount of stored heat or the amount of cooling is controlled based on the environment. Therefore, since the thermoelectric conversion element is operated only when necessary, in other words, it is not operated unnecessarily excessively, the durability thereof can be improved, and at least the shortage of the heat storage amount or the cold heat amount is avoided in advance, Heating or cooling can be performed as required.

  According to the invention of claim 10, when the interruption of the use of heat is predicted, the power is generated by the heat of the heat storage unit or the cold storage unit, and the electric power is stored in the power storage device. Therefore, the energy due to the heat dissipation during the interruption Energy use efficiency can be improved by preventing or suppressing losses.

  According to the eleventh aspect of the present invention, the heat of the heat accumulator or the cold energy of the cold accumulator can be taken out by the heat transport medium. In addition to being able to improve energy utilization efficiency, an unprecedented system for heating and cooling can be obtained.

  According to the twelfth aspect of the present invention, when there is a request for pre-air-conditioning, electric energy is obtained using solar heat, sunlight, or surplus heat at an appropriate location, etc., and heat is stored using this. Or since it can store cold, in a vehicle, it is not necessary to drive an engine in the state where a passenger does not exist, Therefore Pre-air-conditioning can be performed suitably.

  Next, the present invention will be described in detail based on specific examples. The target location of “heating and cooling” in the present invention is not limited to the living space, and is not particularly limited as long as it is a location or a location that requires the temperature to be set to a predetermined target temperature. Therefore, the present invention can be applied to vehicles other than fixedly installed structures.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example in which heating / cooling is performed for a vehicle. The characteristic configuration is a structure of thermoelectric conversion and heat storage or cold storage. That is, as shown in FIG. 1, a thermoelectric conversion element 1 and a regenerator 2 and a regenerator 3 that transfer heat to and from the thermoelectric conversion element 1 are provided. The thermoelectric conversion element 1 has a widely known π-type structure in which a P-type semiconductor 4 and an N-type semiconductor 5 are combined as shown in FIG. Therefore, in this thermoelectric conversion element 1, by controlling the electrode through which the current flows and the direction of the current with a predetermined controller 6, the A surface in FIG. 2 becomes the heating portion and the B surface becomes the cooling portion, or the A surface Is a cooling part and the B surface is a heating part. Further, by appropriately heating and cooling these surfaces, electric power is generated and functions as a generator.

  The regenerator 2 is a device that receives heat from the outside and stores the heat energy, and a sensible heat regenerator or a latent heat regenerator can be used. More specifically, in order to increase the amount of heat storage per unit volume and reduce the overall configuration, a latent heat storage device made of an organic compound such as strontium hydroxide, barium hydroxide, sodium acetate trihydrate is preferable. It may be selected in consideration of the performance required as a heat accumulator. The heat accumulator 2 is provided so as to transfer heat between the A surface and the B surface of the thermoelectric conversion element 1. Since it is preferable that the thermal resistance between the one surface and the heat accumulator 2 is as small as possible, the heat accumulator 2 is preferably disposed in close contact with the one surface. However, in the present invention, the heat accumulator 2 may be connected to the one surface via a member having good thermal conductivity such as a heat pipe or a thermal joint.

  Furthermore, the regenerator 3 is a device that maintains a state in which heat is deprived to the outside and the heat energy is reduced, and a sensible heat regenerator or a latent heat regenerator can be used. More specifically, in order to increase the amount of heat storage per unit volume and reduce the overall configuration, a latent heat regenerator made of an organic compound such as water, salt water (brine), or ethylene glycol is preferable. The regenerator 3 is provided so as to transfer heat between the A surface and the B surface of the thermoelectric conversion element 1. Since the thermal resistance between the other surface and the regenerator 3 is preferably as small as possible, it is preferable to place the regenerator 3 in close contact with the other surface. However, in the present invention, the regenerator 3 may be connected to the other surface via a member having good thermal conductivity such as a heat pipe or a thermal joint.

  The 2nd thermoelectric conversion element 7 is connected with the outer surface which is not contacting the said thermoelectric conversion element 1 among the outer surfaces of said heat storage device 2 so that heat transfer is possible. The second thermoelectric conversion element 7 has the same basic structure as the first thermoelectric conversion element 1 described above. On the other hand, the third thermoelectric conversion element 8 is connected to the outer surface of the regenerator 3 that is not in contact with the thermoelectric conversion element 1 so that heat can be transferred. The third thermoelectric conversion element 8 has the same structure as the first thermoelectric conversion element 1 or the second thermoelectric conversion element 7 described above in principle. Therefore, the thermoelectric conversion elements 1, 7, and 8 are in close contact with the outer periphery of the regenerator 2 and the regenerator 3, and these thermoelectric conversion elements 1, 7, and 8 cover the outer periphery of the regenerator 2 and the regenerator 3. And the casing 9 is provided so that the outer peripheral side of these 2nd and 3rd thermoelectric conversion elements 7 and 8 may be covered, and the whole comprises the thermal storage / cold storage part 10. FIG.

  The heat energy in and out of the heat accumulator 2 and the regenerator 3 is performed by energizing at least one of the thermoelectric conversion elements 1, 7, and 8 to heat the regenerator 2 and cool the regenerator 3. Alternatively, at least one of the thermoelectric conversion elements 1, 7, 8 is functioned as a generator based on the temperature difference between the regenerator 2 and the regenerator 3 or the temperature difference between these and the outside air, and electric power is taken out. Instead of this, or in addition to such a configuration, the heat energy may be directly taken out from the regenerator 2 and the regenerator 3, or so-called cold heat may be taken out.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 3, a pipe 12 having fins 11 is passed through the inside of the regenerator 2 or the regenerator 3 and a part of the pipe 12 having the fins 11 is used for heat storage or cold storage. Embedded in the medium 13. Then, if the pipe 12 is connected to the pump 14 and the heat exchanger 15 to form a circulation flow path, and the heat transport medium Ht is circulated therein, the regenerator 2 or the regenerator 3 and the heat exchanger 15 Heat can be transported between the two, and the heat can be dissipated to the outside for heating or cooling. The mechanism shown in FIG. 3 is an example of the temperature control mechanism in the present invention.

  In addition, a switching valve (not shown) may be provided in the above circulation path so that a single circulation path is shared for heating (heating) and cooling (cooling). Further, a compressor and an expansion valve (each not shown) may be provided in the above circulation path to constitute a heat pump. When configured in this manner, electric energy can be converted into heat energy by a compressor and stored in the regenerator 2 or the regenerator 3.

  The heat exchanger 15 is disposed in a predetermined temperature control target unit 16. Specific examples of the temperature control target unit 16 include the interior of a vehicle cabin and the house of a vehicle, the intake passage of an internal combustion engine, and a storage location for beverages and foods.

  Each of the thermoelectric conversion elements 1, 7, and 8 described above is electrically connected to a power supply unit that supplies electric power to these elements or stores generated electric power. The power source is a battery 17, an alternator attached to the internal combustion engine, a motor / generator (not shown) of a hybrid vehicle, or the like. FIG. 1 shows an example of the battery 17. The battery 17 and the thermoelectric conversion elements 1, 7, 8 are connected via a step-up / step-down device 18. This step-up / step-down device 18 is for setting a voltage according to each of the cases when power is transferred between the battery 17 and each of the thermoelectric conversion elements 1, 7, 8. It is configured.

  In the example shown in FIG. 1, still another means for obtaining electric power is provided. One example thereof is the light / thermoelectric generator 19 and the thermoelectric generator 20. The photovoltaic / thermoelectric power generation element 19 is attached to, for example, a window glass (not shown), and is a means for converting sunlight into electric power and converting heat and solar heat accompanying the conversion into electric power. The thermoelectric generator 20 is an element that converts thermal energy into electrical energy. The thermal energy includes waste heat caused by driving of the internal combustion engine, waste heat of the exhaust, frictional heat at the brake, The heat generated by the motor / generator or inverter of the hybrid vehicle, the heat of the vehicle body, etc. can be used.

  The light / thermoelectric generator 19 and the thermoelectric generator 20 are electrically connected to the battery 17 and the thermoelectric conversion elements 1, 7, 8 via the step-up / step-down device 18. Therefore, these photo / thermoelectric power generation element 19 and thermoelectric power generation element 20 also constitute a power supply unit in the present invention.

  A control and monitoring device 21 is provided for collecting and storing energy and using it. This control and monitoring device 21 mainly performs data processing and outputs command signals as appropriate, and is configured mainly with a microcomputer. Therefore, the control monitoring device 21 includes data indicating the states of the heat storage device 2 and the cold storage device 3 described above, data relating to the thermoelectric conversion elements 1, 7, and 8, the battery 17, the photo / thermoelectric generation element 19, and the thermoelectric generation element. 20 is input, and command signals for these devices and the step-up / step-down device 18 are appropriately output.

  In order to efficiently collect, store, and use energy, it is preferable to use various data. For this reason, in the example shown in FIG. . That is, an engine control ECU (electronic control unit) 22 is connected to the control monitoring device 21 and is configured to transmit and receive data between them. The engine control ECU 22 is configured mainly with a microcomputer, and is configured to perform operations in accordance with input data and prestored data and programs to control the engine.

  Running environment information 23 is input as one of the input data. The travel environment information 23 is information obtained from an in-vehicle navigation system or a ground station via a sign post (infrastructure) or an artificial satellite. Specifically, the altitude of the location where the vehicle is located, the road gradient , The gradient of the surrounding roads, traffic conditions, the weather and temperature of the planned road, humidity, degree of curve, etc. Based on these pieces of information, it can be determined whether or not there is surplus power in the power output from the engine.

  Further, data mainly for air conditioning is input to the control monitoring device 21. That is, a detection signal from the outside air temperature sensor 24, a detection signal from the solar radiation sensor 25, a signal from the air conditioner operation panel 26 for setting the temperature and the air volume, a detection signal from the inside air temperature sensor 27, a pre air conditioning request switch (SW) 28 , A signal from the portable terminal 29 (mainly a pre-air conditioning setting signal) and the like are input.

  Next, the effects of heat storage and cold storage in the above-described apparatus will be described. FIG. 4 schematically shows the relative relationship between the regenerator 2 and regenerator 3 and the thermoelectric conversion elements 1, 7, and 8 in the heat storage / cold storage unit 10 described above, and (A) is driven for cooling. The state which is driving, (B) has shown the state which is driving for heating. In FIG. 4, the direction of the arrow indicates the direction of current.

  During cooling, as shown in FIG. 4A, heat is taken away by the regenerator 3 to cool the air, so that the heat energy of the regenerator 3 is obtained by the first and third thermoelectric conversion elements 1 and 8. Operate to lower. That is, a current is passed through the third thermoelectric conversion element 8 so that the portion connected to the regenerator 3 so as to be able to transfer heat serves as a cooling portion, and the opposite side serves as a heating portion. The power source therefor is any one of the battery 17, the light / thermoelectric generator 19, and the thermoelectric generator 20 described above. Similarly, in the first thermoelectric conversion element 1, the portion connected to the regenerator 3 so as to be able to transfer heat becomes a cooling unit, and the opposite side (the regenerator 2 side) becomes a heating unit. Current is passed through.

  Therefore, in the 3rd thermoelectric conversion element 8, the regenerator 3 side becomes a cooling part, takes heat from the regenerator 3, cools the regenerator 3, and the other side becomes a heating part and releases heat to the outside air. . Moreover, in the 1st thermoelectric conversion element 1, the regenerator 3 side becomes a cooling part, takes heat from the regenerator 3, and the other side becomes a heating part, heats the regenerator 2, and heat energy is supplied here. store. As a result, the temperature of the regenerator 3 decreases and so-called cold heat is stored, and cooling is performed using this. Specifically, the heat transport medium Ht flowing in the pipe 12 shown in FIG. 3 is cooled, and the heat transport medium Ht having a lowered temperature exchanges heat with the surrounding air in the heat exchanger 15 to cool the air.

  As described above, the regenerator 2 receives heat from the first thermoelectric conversion element 1 and its temperature rises. The heat can be used to warm up the engine. Moreover, since the temperature of the location where the second thermoelectric conversion element 7 is connected to the regenerator 2 is high, and the opposite side is relatively low temperature, the second thermoelectric conversion element 7 generates power by surplus thermal energy, Charge.

  In the case of performing heating in winter, as shown in FIG. 4B, the operation is performed opposite to the above-described cooling. That is, during heating, since heat is released from the regenerator 2 to heat the air, the first and second thermoelectric conversion elements 1 and 7 are operated to increase the heat energy of the regenerator 2. That is, a current is passed through the second thermoelectric conversion element 7 so that the portion connected to the heat accumulator 2 so as to be able to transfer heat serves as a heating portion, and the opposite side serves as a cooling portion. The power source therefor is any one of the battery 17, the light / thermoelectric generator 19, and the thermoelectric generator 20 described above. Similarly, in the first thermoelectric conversion element 1, a portion connected to the heat accumulator 2 so as to be able to transfer heat becomes a heating portion, and the opposite side (the regenerator 3 side) becomes a cooling portion. Current is passed through.

  Therefore, in the 2nd thermoelectric conversion element 7, the regenerator 2 side becomes a heating part, transfers heat to the regenerator 2, stores it, and the opposite side becomes a cooling part and takes heat from outside air. Further, in the first thermoelectric conversion element 1, the regenerator 2 side serves as a heating unit to store heat in the regenerator 2, and the opposite side serves as a cooling unit to store so-called cold heat in the regenerator 3. As a result, the temperature of the regenerator 2 is increased and the heat energy thereof is increased, and heating is performed using this. Specifically, the heat transport medium Ht flowing in the pipe 12 shown in FIG. 3 is heated, and the heat transport medium Ht whose temperature has risen exchanges heat with the surrounding air in the heat exchanger 15 to heat the air.

  On the other hand, the regenerator 3 is deprived of heat by the first thermoelectric conversion element 1 and its temperature decreases. Therefore, the regenerator 3 can be used for cooling the intake air of the engine. Moreover, since the temperature of the location where the 3rd thermoelectric conversion element 8 is connected with the regenerator 3 becomes low, and the other side becomes relatively high temperature, it generates electric power with surplus thermal energy, Charge.

  As described above, according to the above control device, the heat energy generated by cooling for cooling can be recovered by the regenerator 2, and further converted into electric power and stored in the battery 17, or On the contrary, a low temperature state generated by heating for heating, that is, cold heat, can be collected by the regenerator 3 and further generated based on a temperature difference from the outside air and stored in the battery 17 as electric power. Therefore, the amount of energy released to the outside can be reduced, and the energy utilization efficiency can be improved. Further, in the case of a vehicle, the heat energy generated by the engine, the energy applied to the vehicle as sunlight or solar heat, and the energy accompanying deceleration of the vehicle are regenerated, so that the energy utilization efficiency can be improved in this respect.

  Since the apparatus of the present invention includes the heat accumulator 2 or the cool accumulator 3, rapid cooling or rapid heating can be performed using the stored energy at the start of cooling or heating. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the control. First, pre-air conditioning request information is read. That is, information by the pre-air conditioning request switch (SW) 28 described above is read (step S1), and information by the portable terminal 29 for setting the pre-air conditioning is read (step S2). Based on these pieces of information, it is determined whether there is a request for pre-air conditioning (step S3). Here, the pre-air conditioning is a control or operation for storing heat energy or electric energy in preparation for cooling or heating. Therefore, if the determination is negative in step S3 due to the absence of the request, this routine is temporarily terminated without performing any particular control.

  On the other hand, if a positive determination is made in step S3 because there is a request for pre-air conditioning, information from the outside air temperature sensor 24, information from the solar radiation sensor 25, and information from the inside air temperature sensor 27 are read ( Step S4). This is to determine the amount of heat necessary to achieve the required air conditioning temperature.

  Thereafter, it is determined whether the requested air conditioning is cooling (step S5). This determination can be made based on the difference between the target temperature and the temperature detected by the internal air temperature sensor 27, or can be made based on the operation content on the air conditioner operation panel 26. If affirmative determination is made in step S5 because cooling is requested, information on the power generation state in the optical / thermoelectric generation element 19, information on the power generation state in the thermoelectric generation element 20, and the second thermoelectric conversion Information relating to power generation in the element 7 is read (step S6). That is, the state of power generation using external energy such as solar energy or power generation using waste heat as a heat source is detected.

  Based on these pieces of information, it is determined whether or not there is a power generation amount (step S7). If a negative determination is made in step S7 because there is no or little power generation due to sunlight, solar heat, or waste heat, this routine is temporarily terminated without performing any particular control. This is because energy cannot be recovered. On the other hand, if an affirmative determination is made in step S7, the first and third thermoelectric conversion elements 1 and 8 are energized (driven) so as to take heat away from the regenerator 3, and at the same time, An instruction is output to the step-up / step-down device 18 so as to perform current control for cold storage (step S8). In that case, the battery 17 and the power generating elements 19 and 20 can be used as the power source, and the extra power is charged to the battery 17 via the step-up / step-down device 18. Accordingly, sufficient cold heat is stored in the regenerator 3, and at the start of cooling, rapid cooling can be performed as required. Since the heat energy is solar energy or waste heat, the fuel efficiency of the vehicle will not deteriorate.

  On the other hand, if a negative determination is made in step S5, it is determined whether the requested air conditioning is heating (step S9). This determination can be made in the same manner as the cooling determination. If the determination in step S9 is negative, there is no need to perform air conditioning, so this routine is terminated once without performing any particular control.

  If affirmative determination is made in step S9 because heating is requested, information on the power generation state in the optical / thermoelectric generation element 19, information on the power generation state in the thermoelectric generation element 20, and the third thermoelectric conversion Information related to power generation in the element 8 is read (step S10). That is, the state of power generation using external energy such as solar energy or power generation using waste heat as a heat source is detected.

  Based on these pieces of information, it is determined whether there is a power generation amount (step S11). This is a determination step similar to the determination in step S7 described above. If a negative determination is made in step S11, this routine is temporarily terminated without performing any particular control. This is because energy cannot be recovered. On the other hand, if an affirmative determination is made in step S11, the first and second thermoelectric conversion elements 1 and 7 are energized (driven) so as to take heat away from the regenerator 3, and are also redundant. The electric power is charged in the battery 17 via the step-up / step-down device 18 (step S12). Therefore, sufficient heat is stored in the regenerator 2, and rapid heating can be performed on demand at the start of heating. Since the heat energy is solar energy or waste heat, the fuel efficiency of the vehicle will not deteriorate.

  In the configuration shown in FIG. 1 described above, the outside air temperature sensor 24, the solar radiation sensor 25, the inside air temperature sensor 27, and the like are provided, and the traveling environment information 23 is obtained. The amount of heat required for air conditioning can be obtained based on the target temperature set in step 1 above. If energy is stored in a range that does not greatly exceed the required amount of heat, excessive driving of the device can be suppressed.

  FIG. 6 shows a control example in which a process for suppressing excessive driving of devices such as thermoelectric conversion elements 1, 7, and 8 is incorporated. The routine shown here includes steps S4 and S5 of the routine shown in FIG. Steps S41 to S44 described below are incorporated between the steps. That is, in step S41 following step S4 described above, the travel environment information 23 is read. Then, based on various information including the travel environment information 23, the amount of heat necessary for cooling and heating is calculated (step S42). The traveling environment information 23 includes altitude, humidity, presence / absence of rainfall, and the like, and further includes information on the surroundings and the planned traveling route in addition to the current location. .

  Next, information such as the amount of heat stored in the regenerator 2 and the regenerator 3 is read (step S43). Then, the necessary heat amount calculated in step S42 is compared with the heat storage amount obtained in step S43 (step S44). That is, it is determined whether the required amount of heat is greater than the amount of stored heat. If a negative determination is made in step S44, that is, if the heat storage amount is greater than or equal to the necessary heat amount, this routine is once terminated. That is, since the amount of heat for heating or cooling is already stored, it is not necessary to store more heat. Accordingly, the heat storage / cold storage unit 10, the power generation elements 19, 20 and the like are stopped, and inconveniences such as the device being driven unnecessarily and the accompanying decrease in durability are avoided or suppressed.

  If the determination in step S44 is affirmative, the amount of stored heat is insufficient with respect to the required amount of heat, so the process proceeds to step S5 to step S12 described above to perform possible heat storage.

  Next, still another example of control by the control device according to the present invention will be described. FIG. 7 to FIG. 9 are flowcharts for explaining the control example. The example shown here is an example in which the operation state of the engine as the power source is further taken into account to control the heat storage and the cold storage. It is. First, it is determined whether or not the engine is operating (step S101). If an affirmative determination is made in this step S101, either the engine is idling or the vehicle is running, and therefore there is generally a passenger. In that case, setting information obtained by operating the air conditioner operation panel 26 is read (step S102), and it is determined based on the information whether there is a cooling request (step S103).

  If it is determined affirmatively in step S103 because there is a cooling request, information from the outside air temperature sensor 24, the solar radiation sensor 25, and the inside air temperature sensor 27 is read (step S104). Further, the heat amount information of the regenerator 2 and the cold heat amount information of the regenerator 3 are read (step S105). Further, in step S106 following this, the travel environment information 23 is read, in step S107, information such as the state of charge (SOC) of the battery 17 is read, and in step S108, the above-described light / thermoelectric generator. 19 and information on the amount of power generated by the thermoelectric generator 20 are read.

  Based on the read information, first, it is determined whether or not there is surplus cooling heat in the regenerator 3 (step S109). When the so-called cold heat is not sufficiently accumulated in the regenerator 3 and affirmative determination is made in step S109, the third thermoelectric conversion element 8 described above is driven to store cold heat in the third thermoelectric conversion element 8. An instruction is output, and an instruction for the step-up / step-down device 18 accompanying the instruction is output (step S110). In that case, the battery 17 and the power generating elements 19 and 20 can be used as the power source, and the extra power is charged to the battery 17 via the step-up / step-down device 18.

  When negative determination is made in step S109 by performing cold storage in this manner, that is, when there is room in the cool heat of the regenerator 3, it is determined whether or not there is a surplus (margin) in the heat storage in the regenerator 2. (Step S111). As described above, in the heat storage / cold storage unit 10, when the first thermoelectric conversion element 1 is driven to store cold heat in the regenerator 3, the opposite side to the cooling unit becomes a heating unit, and the heat of the heating unit is stored in the regenerator. 2 to receive. Therefore, in order to increase the use efficiency of energy, it is preferable that heat is received by the regenerator 2 when the first thermoelectric conversion element 1 stores heat. Therefore, in step S111, it is determined whether heat can be received by the heat accumulator 2.

  Therefore, if the determination in step S111 is affirmative, the first thermoelectric conversion element 1 is driven to store cold energy in the regenerator 3, and at the same time, an instruction is output to store heat in the regenerator 2. An instruction is output to the step-up / step-down device 18 so as to perform such an operation (step S112). The control in step S112 is continued until there is no remaining heat storage capacity of the heat accumulator 2, and as a result, when a negative determination is made in step S111, it is determined whether or not there is surplus heat in the heat accumulator 2. (Step S113). This surplus heat is the amount of heat that exceeds a predetermined threshold or the required amount of heat among the amount of heat stored in the heat accumulator 2.

  If the determination in step S113 is affirmative, there will be energy that will not be used as heat for the time being. Therefore, the second thermoelectric conversion element 7 described above is driven by the surplus heat to generate power. An instruction is output to the step-up / step-down device 18 so as to charge the battery 17 with the generated electric power (step S114). Although thermal energy is easily dissipated by heat radiation, loss can be suppressed by storing it in the battery 17 in the form of electric power. If a negative determination is made in step S113, this routine is temporarily terminated without performing any particular control.

  On the other hand, when a negative determination is made in step S103 described above, that is, when there is no cooling request, the process proceeds to step S115 shown in FIG. 8 to determine whether there is a heating request. If a negative determination is made in step S115, it is not necessary to perform either cooling or heating, so this routine is temporarily terminated. On the other hand, when a positive determination is made in step S115 because there is a heating request, various types of information are read as in the case where there is a cooling request. That is, information from the outside air temperature sensor 24, the solar radiation sensor 25, and the inside air temperature sensor 27 (step S116), heat amount information of the regenerator 2 and cold energy information of the regenerator 3 (step S117), travel environment information 23 (step S118). Information such as the state of charge (SOC) of the battery 17 (step S119) and information on the amount of power generated by the photo / thermoelectric generator 19 and the thermoelectric generator 20 (step S120) are read.

  Next, it is determined whether or not there is excess cold heat in the regenerator 3 (step S121). That is, it is determined whether there is cold energy that can be used other than air conditioning among the cold energy stored in the regenerator 3. If the determination in step S121 is affirmative, the above-described third thermoelectric conversion element 8 is operated as a generator by the cold energy of the regenerator 3, and the voltage booster 18 is charged to charge the battery 17 with the electric power. An instruction is output (step S122).

  In this way, the surplus cold heat is converted into electric power and stored in the battery 17, and as a result, if there is no surplus cold heat and a negative determination is made in step S121, whether or not the heat accumulator 2 has a heat storage capacity is determined. Determination is made (step S123). This is a determination as to whether or not the regenerator 2 can further store heat. If the determination result is affirmative, the first thermoelectric conversion element 1 is driven so as to heat the regenerator 2, and therefore In step S124, an instruction to drive the step-up / step-down device 18 is output. In this case, the power source may be either the battery 17 or the power generation elements 19 and 20.

  If the remaining heat capacity is lost by storing heat in the heat accumulator 2, a negative determination is made in step S123. In that case, it is determined whether or not there is surplus heat in the heat accumulator 2 (step S125). If the determination in step S125 is affirmative, the second thermoelectric conversion element 7 is driven so as to heat the regenerator 2, and the instruction signal is sent to the step-up / step-down device 18 so as to control the current. Is output (step S126). As a result, when surplus heat is generated in the heat accumulator 2, this routine is temporarily terminated.

  As described above, when there is a cooling request or a heating request, a large amount of heat storage and cold storage is performed within a possible range with reference to information on the heat storage amount and the cold storage amount. The surplus is converted into electric power and stored in the battery 17. Therefore, the amount of energy released to the outside is reduced, and energy efficiency can be improved. The cooling or heating is performed by taking out the cold or heat stored as described above from the regenerator 3 or the regenerator 2 by the heat transport medium Ht, and cooling or heating indoor air or the like with the heat. The

  Incidentally, if a negative determination is made in step S101 shown in FIG. 7, that is, if it is determined that the engine is stopped, the process proceeds to step S127 shown in FIG. 9 to determine whether or not the vehicle has reached the destination. To be judged. In the case where the destination is set by the navigation system, this can be performed based on the information by the navigation system, or the information by the navigation system can be used.

  If a negative determination is made in step S127, it is determined whether or not there is a possibility of engine restart (step S128). This determination can be made based on, for example, that a key (not shown) has been removed or that the driver has left the seat. If a negative determination is made in step S128 due to the possibility of restart, this routine is once terminated. This is because the routine shown in FIG. 7 or FIG. 8 is executed.

  If the determination in step S127 is affirmative, or if the determination in step S128 is affirmative, the engine is maintained in a stopped state for a while, so that loss due to heat dissipation is prevented. The following control is executed. First, information from the outside air temperature sensor 24, the solar radiation sensor 25, and the inside air temperature sensor 27 (step S129), the heat amount information of the regenerator 2 and the cold energy information of the regenerator 3 (step S130), the state of charge of the battery 17 (SOC: Information such as “State of Charge” (step S131) and information on the amount of power generated by the optical / thermoelectric generator 19 and the thermoelectric generator 20 (step S132) are read. This is the same as in the case of cooling or heating described above.

  Based on the read information, it is determined whether or not the light / thermoelectric generator 19 or the thermoelectric generator 20 has a power generation amount (step S133). If a negative determination is made in step S133, there is no electric energy due to sunlight, solar heat, or waste heat, so this routine is temporarily terminated without performing any particular control.

  On the other hand, when an affirmative determination is made in step S133, energy recovery and storage are performed. That is, it is determined whether or not there is excess cold heat in the regenerator 3 (step S134). Further, it is determined whether or not there is excess heat in the regenerator 2 (step S135). If a positive determination is made in any of these steps, one surface of the first thermoelectric conversion element 1 becomes a high temperature portion, and the opposite surface becomes a low temperature portion. The conversion element 1 is caused to function as a generator, and an instruction is output to the step-up / step-down device 18 to charge the battery 17 with the electric power (step S136).

  When the surplus heat of the regenerator 2 is eliminated by generating power using the heat of the regenerator 2 in this manner, a negative determination is made in step S135. In this case, since the cold heat of the regenerator 3 can be used for power generation, the third thermoelectric conversion element 8 connected to the regenerator 3 so as to be able to transfer heat is driven to generate power, and the battery 17 is charged with the electric power. An instruction is output to the step-up / step-down device 18 (step S137).

  On the other hand, when there is no surplus cold heat in the regenerator 3 and a negative determination is made in step S134, it is determined whether there is surplus heat in the regenerator 2 (step S138). If the determination in step S138 is affirmative, power can be generated using the heat, and the second thermoelectric conversion element 7 connected to the heat accumulator 2 so as to be able to transfer heat is driven to generate power. In addition, an instruction is output to the step-up / step-down device 18 so as to charge the battery 17 with the electric power (step S139). If a negative determination is made in step S138, there is no amount of heat that can be recovered as electric power, so this routine is temporarily terminated without any particular control.

  Therefore, by controlling as described above, when the vehicle is stopped for a long period of time, the energy is not stored in the form of heat, but the battery 17 is charged in the form of electric power, thereby suppressing the loss of energy. In addition, the restartability of the engine using the power of the battery 17 is improved.

  Here, the relationship between the above specific example and the present invention will be briefly described. The first heat accumulator in claim 1 corresponds to the heat accumulator 2 or the cold accumulator 3, and the second thermoelectric conversion element includes: The second or third thermoelectric conversion elements 7 and 8 shown in FIG. 1 correspond, and the first and second control seed means correspond to step S8 or step S12. The second regenerator in claim 3 corresponds to the regenerator 2 or the regenerator 3 shown in FIG. 1, and the third control means corresponds to step S114, step S122, step S136, step S137, and step S139. . Further, the fourth control means in claim 7 corresponds to step S114, step S122, step S136, step S137, and step S139. Furthermore, the regeneration means of claim 8 corresponds to the light / thermoelectric generator 19 and the thermoelectric generator 20, and the battery 17 corresponds to the power storage device. The fifth control means in claim 9 corresponds to step S8, step S12, step S110, and step S112. The prediction means in claim 10 corresponds to steps S127 and S128, and the sixth control means corresponds to steps S136, S137, and S139. The determination means of claim 12 corresponds to step S3.

  Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described specific examples, and the timing for storing the excess heat of the regenerator or regenerator by changing to electric power is not when there is no possibility of restart after the engine is stopped. Alternatively, it may be at predetermined intervals. In addition, the device of the present invention can be configured in combination with a conventional heat pump having a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, etc., and in that case, heating and cooling of the refrigerant, or heat recovery from the refrigerant is performed by the above heat accumulator. Or a regenerator or a thermoelectric conversion element.

It is a block diagram which shows typically the whole structure of the apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows the principle structure of the thermoelectric conversion element. It is sectional drawing which shows typically an example of the mechanism for heat-exchange between a heat | energy storage device or a cool storage device, and a heat transport medium. It is a block diagram for demonstrating the operation | movement at the time of the air_conditioning | cooling of the heat storage / cold storage part shown in FIG. It is a flowchart for demonstrating an example of the control by the apparatus of this invention. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the other example of control by the apparatus of this invention. It is a figure which shows a part of flowchart for demonstrating the further another example of the control by the apparatus of this invention. It is a figure which shows the other part of the flowchart for demonstrating the further another example of control by the apparatus of this invention. It is a figure which shows another part of flowchart for demonstrating the further another example of the control by the apparatus of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1,7,8 ... Thermoelectric conversion element, 2 ... Regenerator, 3 ... Regenerator, 10 ... Thermal storage / cold storage part, 16 ... Temperature control object part, 17 ... Battery, 18 ... Buck-boost device, 19 ... Light and thermoelectric power generation 20: Thermoelectric power generation element, 21 ... Control and monitoring device, 23 ... Driving environment information, 24 ... Outside air temperature sensor, 25 ... Solar radiation sensor, 26 ... Air conditioner operation panel, 27 ... Inside air temperature sensor, 28 ... Pre air conditioning request switch, 29 ... mobile terminal, Ht ... heat transport medium.

Claims (12)

In an energy control apparatus for heating and cooling provided with means for storing or releasing energy according to the situation of heating request or cooling request,
A first regenerator;
A first thermoelectric conversion element and a second thermoelectric conversion element connected to the first heat accumulator so as to be capable of transferring heat and performing mutual conversion between heat energy and electric energy;
First control means for energizing either one of the first and second thermoelectric conversion elements so as to store heat in the first heat accumulator;
Heating comprising: second control means for controlling energization of one of the first and second thermoelectric conversion elements so as to output thermal energy of the first regenerator as electric power And energy control device for cooling.   The said 1st and 2nd thermoelectric conversion element closely_contact | adheres to the outer peripheral part of the said 1st heat storage device so that heat transfer is possible, and has covered the outer peripheral part of the said 1st heat storage device. Energy control device for heating and cooling of the machine. A second heat accumulator is connected to the first heat accumulator in either of the first and second thermoelectric conversion elements at a position opposite to the position connected to the first heat accumulator so as to be able to transfer heat. A third thermoelectric conversion element capable of outputting electric power using heat of the two heat accumulators is connected to the second heat accumulator so as to be able to transfer heat;
Either one of the first and second heat accumulators energizes one of the thermoelectric conversion elements so as to perform heat accumulation, and one of the other thermoelectric conversion elements due to a temperature difference in the other heat accumulator accompanying the heat accumulation 3. The energy control apparatus for heating and cooling according to claim 1, further comprising third control means for taking out electric power from the apparatus. In an energy control apparatus for heating and cooling provided with means for storing or releasing energy according to the situation of heating request or cooling request,
A thermoelectric conversion element that performs mutual conversion between thermal energy and electrical energy;
A heat storage unit connected to the thermoelectric conversion element so as to receive heat energy so as to receive heat energy from the thermoelectric conversion element and maintaining a state in which the temperature is increased by the received heat energy;
A cold storage unit that is connected to the thermoelectric conversion element so as to be deprived of heat energy so that the thermoelectric conversion element is deprived of heat, and maintains a state in which the temperature is lowered due to the deprivation of heat energy;
First control means for energizing the thermoelectric conversion element so as to cool the cold storage part and heat the heat storage part;
An energy control device for heating and cooling, comprising: second control means for outputting electric power from the thermoelectric conversion element based on a temperature difference between the heat storage unit and the cold storage unit.   5. The heating and cooling device according to claim 1, further comprising a temperature control mechanism that heats or cools a predetermined temperature control target portion with the heat of each of the regenerators. Energy control device.   6. The heating and cooling according to claim 5, further comprising selection means for selecting whether or not to heat or cool the predetermined temperature control target part by the heat of any one of the regenerators. Energy control device for cooling.   A power supply unit that supplies power to at least one of the first and second thermoelectric conversion elements, and at least the first heat storage unit that selectively supplies power from the power supply unit to any one of the thermoelectric conversion elements The energy control apparatus for heating and cooling according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising fourth control means for storing heat.   8. The heating and cooling according to claim 7, wherein the power supply unit includes any one of a regeneration unit that converts any one of mechanical energy, thermal energy, and light energy into electrical energy, and a power storage device. Energy control device for.   5th control means for controlling the amount of heat stored in at least one of the heat accumulators based on at least one of the environment in which the temperature control target is present and the target temperature of the temperature control target. The energy control apparatus for heating and cooling according to any one of claims 5 to 8, wherein the energy control apparatus is provided. Predicting means for predicting a heat utilization state of the first heat storage unit;
A power storage device;
When it is predicted that the use of the heat of the first heat storage unit will be interrupted by the prediction means, power is generated in at least one of the first and second thermoelectric conversion elements to store electric power in the power storage device. The energy control apparatus for heating and cooling according to any one of claims 1 to 9, further comprising sixth control means.   The heating and cooling according to any one of claims 1 to 10, further comprising a heat transport medium that is heated or cooled by exchanging heat with the heat storage unit or the cold storage unit. Energy control device.   It further comprises a judging means for judging whether or not there is a pre-air conditioning request for pre-accumulating or storing heat in the regenerator or the regenerator for cooling or heating. 9. The energy control apparatus for heating and cooling according to claim 8, wherein the regenerative means for converting the energy into electric energy is configured to regenerate energy to store or cool.

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