JP2007313923A - Vehicular air conditioner controller and vehicular air conditioner device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vehicular air conditioner controller and a vehicular air conditioner device suitably protecting a compressor. <P>SOLUTION: The vehicular air conditioner controller 60 for controlling the compressor 10 for pressurizing a coolant of a refrigeration cycle determines requirement of protection control operation in which ability is restricted as compared with usual control operation based on a passing time from completion of former operation of the compressor at activation of the compressor 10. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle air conditioner control device and a vehicle air conditioner device.

An air conditioner device for a vehicle such as an automobile includes a refrigeration cycle using a refrigerant such as HFC. In such a refrigeration cycle, a refrigerating machine oil having compatibility with a refrigerant is enclosed in the refrigeration cycle as a lubricating oil, and the sliding portion of the compressor is lubricated.
However, if the air conditioner device has not been operated for a long period of time, the lubricating oil will move from the compressor to the condenser side. It may be damaged.

Conventionally, it is known that the compressor cannot be started by removing the wiring when the vehicle is stored for a long period of time, and the operator connects the wiring and performs a running-in operation by manual operation before using the vehicle. Is complicated.
On the other hand, conventionally, when the engine coolant temperature is equal to or lower than a predetermined value, a compressor is driven at a predetermined rotation speed or lower for a predetermined time to recover the lubrication state (for example, Patent Document 1). reference).
JP 2005-178675 A

If the compressor is not operated for several weeks to several months, such as during vehicle inventory or sea transportation, the compressor is likely to be in a non-lubricated state. Such a problem is unlikely to occur.
However, in the above-described prior art, since it is determined whether or not the protection control that restricts the maximum number of revolutions is necessary according to the engine coolant temperature, even if the operation is stopped for a short time such as several hours to one day. Protection control is performed, and the comfort in the passenger compartment is impaired by restricting the air conditioning capacity each time.
An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle air conditioner control device and a vehicle air conditioner device that appropriately protect a compressor.

The present invention solves the above-described problems by the following means.
According to the first aspect of the present invention, in the vehicle air conditioner control device for controlling the compressor that pressurizes the refrigerant in the refrigeration cycle, the normal control is performed based on the elapsed time from the end of the previous operation of the compressor when the compressor is started. A vehicular air conditioner control device that determines whether or not a protection control operation is required in which the ability is limited rather than the operation.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an air conditioner control device for a vehicle that controls a compressor that pressurizes a refrigerant in a refrigeration cycle. An air conditioner control device for a vehicle that determines whether or not a protection control operation with a capability that is more limited than a normal control operation is necessary based on environmental history information that includes a history of parameters that correlate with each other.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the vehicle air conditioner control device according to the second aspect, the environmental history information includes a history of parameters correlated with atmospheric pressure. It is.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the vehicle air conditioner control device according to any one of the first to third aspects, an operation unit is provided for allowing a user to input a selection operation for operating or stopping the compressor. The vehicle air conditioner control device performs the protection control operation only when the operation of the compressor is selected in the operation unit.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a compressor that pressurizes a gas-phase refrigerant, a capacitor that cools the refrigerant discharged from the compressor and converts the refrigerant into a liquid phase, and an expansion valve that decompresses the liquid-phase refrigerant discharged from the capacitor. A vehicle comprising: an evaporator that evaporates a liquid-phase refrigerant discharged from the expansion valve and converts the refrigerant into a gas phase; and the vehicle air conditioner control device according to any one of claims 1 to 4. It is an air conditioner device.

According to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) By determining whether or not the protection control operation is necessary based on the elapsed time from the previous operation stop of the compressor, it is possible to perform appropriate protection control according to the change in the lubrication state due to the elapsed time.
(2) By determining the necessity of protection control operation based on the history of parameters correlating with the elapsed time and outside air temperature, the necessity of protection control operation is properly determined even in situations where the temperature change is large and the lubrication is severe. Can be determined.
(3) The determination reliability can be further improved by determining whether or not the protection control operation is necessary in consideration of the history of parameters correlated with the atmospheric pressure.
(4) By performing the protection control operation only when the operation of the compressor is selected in the operation unit, it is possible to prevent the user from performing the protection control operation of the compressor even though the user does not require air conditioning. As well as ensuring the comfort of the vehicle, the energy efficiency of the vehicle can be improved.

  The present invention protects the problem of providing a vehicle air conditioner control device or the like that appropriately protects the compressor based on the elapsed time since the end of the previous operation and the degree of fluctuation of the outside air temperature during the operation stop. It was solved by determining the necessity of control operation.

Hereinafter, a first embodiment of an air conditioner apparatus including a vehicle air conditioner control apparatus to which the present invention is applied will be described.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the air conditioner device according to the first embodiment.
The air conditioner (air conditioning) device 1 includes a compressor 10, a condenser 20, a liquid tank 30, an expansion valve 40, an evaporator 50, and a controller 60.

The compressor (compressor) 10 pressurizes and discharges the refrigerant circulating in the refrigeration air conditioning cycle in the air conditioner device. For example, the compressor 10 engages a fixed scroll (not shown) and a movable (turning) scroll to form a working chamber therebetween, and performs suction, compression, and discharge by turning the movable scroll with respect to the fixed scroll. It is. The compressor 10 includes a pulley (not shown) on an input shaft (not shown) connected to the orbiting scroll, and this pulley is driven via a belt by a crank pulley (not shown) provided at the end of the crankshaft of the engine 70. . Here, the refrigerant of the refrigeration cycle is, for example, HFC134a or the like, and refrigeration oil having compatibility with the refrigerant is enclosed as lubricating oil in the refrigeration cycle. The lubricating oil lubricates the sliding portion of the compressor 10 while circulating in the refrigeration cycle with the refrigerant.
The compressor 10 includes a magnet clutch 11 that cuts off power transmission from the engine 70 in accordance with a control command from the controller 60. The magnet clutch 11 is provided on a pulley on the compressor 10 side.

The condenser (condenser) 20 cools and liquefies the high-temperature and high-pressure gas-phase refrigerant discharged from the compressor 10 with the traveling wind of the vehicle.
The liquid tank 30 is a container that temporarily stores a low-temperature and high-pressure liquid-phase refrigerant that has come out of the capacitor 20.
The liquid tank 30 includes a pressure switch 31 that detects the pressure on the high pressure side of the refrigerant. The pressure switch 31 includes a high pressure switch and a low pressure switch (not shown) that are operated at an abnormally high pressure and an abnormally low pressure, respectively, to stop the operation of the compressor 10.

  The expansion valve (expansion valve) 40 expands the liquid phase refrigerant discharged from the liquid tank 30 by reducing the pressure. The expansion valve 40 sprays the decompressed refrigerant into the evaporator 50, and includes a thermal cylinder (not shown) that maintains a predetermined degree of superheat by adjusting the spray amount of the refrigerant according to a temperature change.

The evaporator (evaporator) 50 evaporates the low-temperature and low-pressure liquid phase refrigerant sprayed by the expansion valve 40 and cools the surface portion by latent heat of vaporization.
The evaporator 50 includes a blower 51. The blower 51 blows out the air cooled by the evaporator 50 into the vehicle interior, and the evaporator 50 and the blower 51 constitute an HVAC unit 52 together with a heater core and various outlet switching doors (not shown). is there.

The controller 60 includes a CPU that comprehensively controls the operation of the air conditioner device 1. The controller 60 includes an outside sensor 61, an in-vehicle sensor 62, and an air conditioner switch 63.
The vehicle outside sensor 61 detects the outside air temperature of the vehicle using, for example, a thermistor and sends a signal corresponding to the outside air temperature to the controller 60.
The in-vehicle sensor 62 includes a room temperature sensor for detecting the room temperature in the vehicle interior by an aspirator and thermistor for detecting negative pressure generated by driving the blower 51, and a solar radiation sensor having a photodiode for converting the intensity of sunlight or the like into a change in current. These outputs are sent to the controller 60.
The air conditioner switch 63 is an operation unit in which a user such as a driver inputs a manual selection operation for turning on / off (driving / stopping) the compressor 10. For example, a push button switch provided on an instrument panel in the vehicle interior is used. I have.
When the air conditioner switch 63 is turned on, the controller 60 performs a known on / off operation of the compressor 10 and adjustment of the output of the blower 51 so that the room temperature becomes a predetermined set temperature according to the outputs of the outside sensor 61 and the inside sensor 62. Auto mode is provided.

In addition, the controller 60 samples the outside air temperature detected by the outside sensor 61 at a predetermined cycle when the compressor 10 is not in operation, for example, when parking, for example, and information on the atmosphere around the vehicle It has a function of recording as environmental history information which is a history of
The controller 60 also has a timer function for counting the operation time of the compressor 10, which will be described in detail later, a setting function for determining whether or not protection control is necessary, and a setting function for setting the protection control operation end time.

The vehicle also includes an engine 70. The engine 70 is, for example, a 4-stroke gasoline engine, and includes an engine control unit (ECU) 71. The engine 70 is used as a driving power source for the vehicle and supplies driving force to the compressor 10 via the magnet clutch 11.
The ECU 71 comprehensively controls the operation of the engine 70. For example, various operation parameters such as the intake air amount, intake temperature, throttle position, rotation speed, crank position, water temperature, exhaust gas composition of the engine 70 are input. In response to this, a control command signal such as a fuel injection signal and an ignition signal is output.
Moreover, ECU71 is provided with the function to transmit each of these parameters to the controller 60 of the air conditioner apparatus 1 via the CAN communication system which is a kind of vehicle-mounted LAN.

The air conditioner device 1 according to the first embodiment performs a protection control operation in which the maximum number of rotations is limited for a predetermined time when the compressor 10 is restarted according to the elapsed time from the end of the previous operation of the compressor 10.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an operation during the protection control operation in the air conditioner device according to the first embodiment. Hereinafter, the steps will be described step by step.

<Step S01: Engine and air conditioner switch on determination>
The controller 60 communicates with the ECU 71 to detect whether or not the engine 70 is in the run state, and detects whether the air conditioner switch 63 is on or off.
If the engine 70 is in the run state and the air conditioner switch 63 is on, the process proceeds to step S02. In other cases, it is determined that the protection control operation is unnecessary, and the process is terminated.

<Step S02: Determination of elapsed time after compressor off>
The controller 60 compares the elapsed time from the previous stop of the compressor 10 with a protection control necessity determination time obtained by correcting a preset fixed time according to the history of the outside air temperature, and the elapsed time is the protection control. If it is longer than the necessity determination time, it is determined that the protection control operation is necessary, and the process proceeds to step S03. In other cases, it is determined that the protection control operation is not necessary, and the process ends.
The correction of the protection control necessity determination time is performed by shortening the fluctuation of the temperature in the history of the outside air temperature when the fluctuation of the temperature is large.
The controller 60 holds a protection control necessity determination time map in which data of protection control necessity determination time according to fluctuations in the outside air temperature is accumulated.

FIG. 3 is a graph showing a method of correcting the protection control necessity determination time based on the history of the outside air temperature, where the horizontal axis shows the time and the vertical axis shows the outside air temperature.
As shown in FIG. 3, the outside air temperature rises during the day, and periodically fluctuates as it falls at night.
The controller 60 detects the number of cycles of temperature change of a predetermined temperature difference Td or more from the previous compressor off to the current compressor restart, and determines whether or not protection control is necessary according to the increase in the number of cycles. Reduce time.

<Step S03: Determination of Engine Speed>
The controller 60 determines whether or not the rotational speed of the engine 70 sent from the ECU 71 is equal to or lower than a predetermined rotational speed limit (compressor-off rotational speed) in the protection control operation. If the rotational speed limit is exceeded, the process proceeds to step S05.
The speed limit of engine 70 is set by multiplying the speed limit of compressor 10 by the reciprocal of the speed reduction ratio when engine 70 drives compressor 10.
The limit rotational speed of the compressor 10 is such that when the compressor 10 is started in a state where the lubricating oil is insufficient, the lubricating oil is supplied along with the refrigerant before being damaged (dry lock), and the normal lubricating state. Is set lower than this in consideration of safety based on the upper limit number of rotations that can be restored.

The limit rotation speed of the compressor 10 is set to, for example, about 1000 rpm to 1500 rpm, and the limit rotation speed of the engine 70 is set to, for example, about 1400 rpm to 2000 rpm.
FIG. 4 is a graph showing the transition of the limit rotational speed in which the drive of the compressor is permitted in the air conditioner device of the first embodiment. The speed limit a of the engine 70 during the protection control operation is set lower than the speed limit b during the normal control operation. The limit rotational speed b during normal control operation is set in consideration of durability against high-speed rotation of the compressor 10 in a normal lubrication state.

<Step S04: Compressor ON>
The controller 60 connects the magnet clutch 11 to drive the compressor 10 by the engine 70, and proceeds to step S06. At this time, the controller 60 counts the operation time of the compressor 10 with a timer.
The operation time counted by this timer is when the air conditioner switch 63 is turned off without satisfying the protection control release condition in step S06, which will be described later, or when the operation of the compressor 10 is terminated by stopping the engine 70. However, it is held for a certain period without being reset. In this case, when the compressor 10 is activated next time, the controller 60 determines whether or not the timer needs to be reset based on date and time information provided from a navigation device (not shown), for example. For example, when the stop period of the compressor 10 is sufficiently short relative to the time when the lubricating oil is taken out, the timer is not reset and the count is continuously increased after the compressor 10 starts operating. On the other hand, if the stop period is long, the timer is reset and the process is started again from step S01.

<Step S05: Compressor off>
The controller 60 disconnects the magnet clutch 11, stops the driving of the compressor 10 by the engine 70, interrupts the operation of the compressor 10, returns to step S03, and repeats the subsequent processing. Thereby, when the rotation speed of the engine 70 exceeds the limit rotation speed, the compressor 10 is prevented from being driven at a rotation speed exceeding the limit rotation speed. As described above, when the operation of the compressor 10 is interrupted, the controller 60 also interrupts the operation time counting described in step S04.

<Step S06: Judgment of condition for canceling protection control operation>
The controller 60 determines whether or not the operation time by the protection control operation of the compressor 10 counted in step S04 is equal to or longer than the protection control operation end time t. If the operation time is equal to or longer than the protection control operation end time t, step S07 is performed. Otherwise, the process returns to step S03, and the subsequent processing is repeated. The protection control operation end time t is a time obtained by adding a correction time set based on the magnitude of the fluctuation of the outside air temperature to a base time set based on the elapsed time from the previous operation stop to the current restart. However, the longer the elapsed time and the greater the variation in the outside air temperature, the longer it is set.
The controller 60 holds a protection control operation end time map in which data of the protection control operation end time corresponding to the elapsed time and the change in the outside air temperature is accumulated.

<Step S07: Transition to normal control operation>
The controller 60 changes the speed limit of the engine 70 to a speed limit b higher than the speed limit a during the protection control operation, ends the protection control operation, shifts to the normal control operation, and ends the process. .

According to Example 1 demonstrated above, the following effects can be acquired.
(1) By comparing the elapsed time from the previous operation stop of the compressor 10 with the protection control necessity determination time to determine whether or not the protection control operation is necessary, the protection control is performed after a long-term operation stop where the lubrication state deteriorates. The operation can be performed to protect the compressor 10, and after a relatively short period of operation stop, the normal control operation can be started immediately without performing the protection control operation, thereby improving the comfort in the passenger compartment.
(2) By correcting the protection control necessity determination time according to the fluctuation cycle of the outside air temperature, if the temperature fluctuation is so strong that the lubricating oil is likely to be taken out from the compressor 10, the elapsed time is relatively short. Also, the protection control operation can be performed to protect the compressor 10 more reliably.
(3) By performing the protection control operation only when the compressor 10 is selected to be turned on by the air conditioner switch 63, the protection control operation of the compressor 10 is prevented from being performed even though the user does not require air conditioning. In addition to ensuring comfort in the passenger compartment, it is possible to improve the energy efficiency of the vehicle and improve the fuel consumption rate.
(4) Even if the operation of the compressor 10 is stopped without the protection control operation being released, if the stop period is short, the operation time count value is held, so that the short-time operation is frequently performed. Even if it is a case where it carries out by, protection control driving | operation can be cancelled | released appropriately.

Next, a second embodiment of an air conditioner apparatus including a vehicle air conditioner control apparatus to which the present invention is applied will be described. In each of the embodiments described below, the same parts as those in the first embodiment described above are denoted by the same reference numerals, description thereof is omitted, and differences are mainly described.
The air conditioner device according to the second embodiment is different from claim 1 described above in that the maximum rotational speed of the compressor 10 during the protection control operation increases linearly according to the operation time of the compressor 10.

FIG. 5 is a graph showing a transition of the limit rotational speed during the protection control operation in the air conditioner device of the second embodiment. In FIG. 5, the horizontal axis indicates the operation time after restarting the compressor, and the vertical axis indicates the limit rotational speed.
As shown in FIG. 5, the limited rotational speed during the protection control operation increases linearly in proportion to the time from the rotational speed a at the start-up to the rotational speed b at the end of the protection control operation (operation time t). .
According to the second embodiment described above, in addition to the same effects as those of the first embodiment described above, the air-conditioning during the protection control operation is performed by gradually increasing the limit rotational speed according to the operation time after the compressor 10 is restarted. The capacity can be improved, and the comfort in the passenger compartment can be improved while protecting the compressor.

In the air conditioner device of the third embodiment, the end of the protection control operation is determined based on the operation time after the restart of the compressor 10 in the first embodiment, whereas the engine 70 after the restart of the compressor 10 is determined. The end of the protection control operation is determined based on the accumulated rotational speed.
FIG. 6 is a graph showing the transition between the engine speed limit and the actual engine speed in the third embodiment.
In the third embodiment, the controller 60 counts the cumulative number of revolutions of the engine 70 during the protective control operation of the compressor 10 (corresponding to the area of section A in FIG. 6), and the cumulative number of revolutions reaches a preset value. When this is done, the protection control operation is terminated, the limit rotational speed of the engine 70 is increased from the rotational speed a to the rotational speed b, and the routine proceeds to the normal control operation. Further, when the rotational speed of the engine 70 exceeds the limit rotational speed a during the protection control operation, the magnet clutch 11 is disconnected and the above-described counting of the cumulative rotational speed is interrupted.
According to the third embodiment described above, in addition to the same effects as those of the first embodiment described above, when the engine speed changes near the limit speed, the protection control operation is terminated early to improve the comfort in the vehicle interior. Can be improved.

The air conditioner device of the fourth embodiment corrects the protection control necessity determination time according to the first embodiment based on the number of fluctuation cycles of the outside air temperature, whereas the protection control necessity determination time is determined by the method described below. It is to correct.
FIG. 7 is a graph illustrating a method for correcting a protection control necessity determination time based on an outside air temperature history in the fourth embodiment.
The controller 60 sets a predetermined reference temperature, and integrates the difference between the reference temperature and the actual temperature with time over a period from the previous compressor off to the current compressor restart (in FIG. 7, part B). Equivalent to the area). Then, according to the increase of the obtained integral value, correction for shortening the protection control necessity determination time is performed.
Also in the fourth embodiment described above, the same effects as those of the first embodiment described above can be obtained.

(Modification)
The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications and changes are possible, and these are also within the technical scope of the present invention.
(1) In each embodiment, the protection control necessity determination time is corrected based on the history of the outside air temperature. However, the protection control necessity determination time may be set to a constant value without performing such correction. In addition to the correction based on the history of the outside air temperature, the history of the atmospheric pressure may be referred to, and correction for reducing the protection control necessity determination time may be performed when the variation in the atmospheric pressure is large. Further, the same result can be obtained by correcting the elapsed time compared with this instead of correcting the protection control necessity determination time.
(2) Although each embodiment directly detects the outside air temperature, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a parameter correlated with the outside air temperature such as the cooling water temperature while the engine is stopped is detected, and the protection control operation is performed based on the history. Whether or not it is necessary may be determined.
(3) In each embodiment, the protection control operation limits the rotation speed of the fixed-capacity scroll compressor, but in the case of a variable capacity compressor, instead of the rotation speed during the protection control operation. Alternatively, the capacity may be limited together with the rotational speed.
(4) In each embodiment, the compressor is driven by an engine. However, in the case of an electric vehicle, an electric hybrid vehicle, or the like, an electric compressor driven by an electric motor may be used.
(5) The engine and compressor rotation speed limits in the protection control operation are not limited to constant values as in the first embodiment or linear changes as in the second embodiment, but may be set by other methods. Good. For example, a map in which the operation time of the compressor and the limit rotation speed are associated may be prepared, and the limit rotation speed according to this map may be set.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure in Example 1 of the vehicle air conditioner apparatus containing the vehicle air conditioner control apparatus to which this invention is applied. It is a flowchart which shows the operation | movement at the time of the protection control driving | operation in the air conditioner apparatus of FIG. It is a graph which shows the correction method of the protection control necessity determination time by the history of the outside temperature in the air conditioner device of FIG. 2 is a graph showing a transition of a limit rotational speed in which driving of a compressor is permitted in the air conditioner device of FIG. 1. It is a graph which shows transition of the limit rotation speed at the time of the protection control driving | operation in Example 2 of the vehicle air conditioner apparatus to which this invention is applied. It is a graph which shows transition of the engine speed limit and actual rotation speed in Example 3 of the vehicle air conditioner apparatus to which the present invention is applied. It is a graph which shows the correction method of the protection control necessity determination time by the history of the outside temperature in Example 4 of the air conditioner device for vehicles to which the present invention is applied.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Air conditioner apparatus 10 Compressor 11 Magnet clutch 20 Condenser 30 Liquid tank 31 Pressure switch 40 Expansion valve 50 Evaporator 60 Controller 61 Outside sensor 62 In-vehicle sensor 63 Air conditioner switch 70 Engine 71 Engine control unit

Claims (5)

In a vehicle air conditioner control device that controls a compressor that pressurizes refrigerant in a refrigeration cycle,
A vehicle air conditioner characterized in that, when the compressor is started, whether or not a protection control operation with a capacity limited in comparison with a normal control operation is necessary based on an elapsed time from the end of the previous operation of the compressor. Control device. In a vehicle air conditioner control device that controls a compressor that pressurizes refrigerant in a refrigeration cycle,
Protection control with limited capability compared to normal control operation based on environmental history information including the elapsed time from the end of previous operation of the compressor and at least a history of parameters correlated with outside air temperature when the compressor is started A vehicle air conditioner control device that determines whether or not driving is required. The vehicle air conditioner control device according to claim 2,
The vehicle air conditioner control device, wherein the environmental history information includes a history of parameters correlated to atmospheric pressure. In the vehicle air conditioner control device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A user has an operation unit for inputting a selection operation for operating or stopping the compressor,
The vehicle air conditioner control device, wherein the protection control operation is performed only when the operation of the compressor is selected in the operation unit. A compressor for pressurizing a gas-phase refrigerant;
A condenser that cools the refrigerant discharged from the compressor and converts it into a liquid phase;
An expansion valve for depressurizing the liquid refrigerant from the condenser;
An evaporator for evaporating and converting the liquid phase refrigerant from the expansion valve into a gas phase;
A vehicle air conditioner device comprising: the vehicle air conditioner control device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

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