JP2013107554A - Vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vehicle which uses power generated by a solar panel to properly cool either or both of a vehicle room interior and a battery with temperatures raised by sunlight in a vehicle stop state where an air-conditioner stops.SOLUTION: The vehicle includes an air intake pipe having a battery used for traveling the vehicle, a fan operated with power generated by a solar panel, a first passage for guiding fresh air to a vehicle room, and a second passage for guiding fresh air to the battery, and a directional control valve which is disposed at a branch position for the first and second passages for switching between a first position at which the valve directs the fresh air to the first passage and a second position at which the valve directs the fresh air to the second passage.

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for adjusting the temperature of a passenger compartment or the like.

  A vehicle is usually equipped with an air conditioner for adjusting the temperature in the passenger compartment. Since this air conditioner normally does not operate when the vehicle is stopped with the ignition switch turned off, the temperature in the passenger compartment gradually increases after the vehicle stops when the environment outside the vehicle is high. And if a passenger | crew gets on in the state in which the temperature of the vehicle interior became too high, a passenger | crew will receive discomfort by the heat which was confined in the vehicle interior.

Patent Document 1 is an air conditioning system attached to an automobile, and includes a Peltier element as an air conditioning unit, a solar cell that operates the Peltier element, and a temperature detection unit that detects the temperature in the passenger compartment. An automotive air conditioning system is disclosed in which the Peltier element is cooled or heated based on a detection signal of the temperature detection means using electric power generated by a battery.
JP 11-034647 A JP-A-8-148189

  However, in the configuration of Patent Document 1, since the Peltier element is driven using the power generated by the solar cell having a low power generation capability, the room temperature may not be sufficiently lowered. Specifically, in order to lower the temperature in the passenger compartment, a cooling capacity of 1 kW class is necessary, but a small solar panel of a level that can be installed on the roof of a vehicle can only generate power of several tens of watts. In the method of Patent Document 1, the effect of cooling the room is low. On the other hand, a hybrid vehicle or the like is equipped with a battery that stores electric power for driving a motor that drives the vehicle, and this type of battery deteriorates due to a temperature rise. However, Patent Document 1 does not consider the point of protecting the battery from overheating while the engine is stopped.

  The first object of the present invention is to appropriately cool the passenger compartment and / or the battery using the electric power generated by the solar panel. Moreover, this invention sets it as the 2nd objective to cool both a vehicle interior and a battery appropriately using the electric power generated by the solar panel.

  In order to achieve the first object, a vehicle according to the present invention operates by (1) a first battery that stores electric power supplied to a motor that drives the vehicle, and electric power generated by a solar panel. An air intake pipe having a blower, a first path that conducts outside air supplied from outside the vehicle by operating the blower toward the vehicle interior, and a second path that conducts toward the first battery And a first position that is arranged at a branch position between the first path and the second path, and directs the outside air introduced into the intake pipe toward the first path, and the second path. A switching valve that switches between a second position to be directed.

  (2) In the configuration of (1), an air conditioner that adjusts the temperature in the passenger compartment and a controller that controls the operation of the blower and the switching valve are provided, and the controller stops the operation of the air conditioner. In the vehicle stop state in which the temperature in the passenger compartment rises due to heat from outside the vehicle, ventilation control is performed to operate the blower. The vehicle interior and / or the first battery can be cooled in a vehicle stop state in which the air conditioner stops and the temperature in the vehicle interior rises due to external heat.

  (3) In the configuration of (2), the occupant has a selection unit for selecting the position of the switching valve, and the controller executes the ventilation control based on selection information in the selection unit. it can. Depending on the passenger's preference, it is possible to select whether to prioritize ventilation in the passenger compartment or to protect the first battery.

  (4) In the configuration of (2) or (3), an outside temperature information acquisition unit that acquires information about the temperature outside the vehicle and a vehicle interior temperature information acquisition unit that acquires information about the temperature inside the vehicle are provided. When the switching valve is located at the first position, the controller determines that the vehicle interior temperature is equal to or higher than the vehicle exterior temperature based on the acquisition results of the vehicle exterior temperature information acquisition unit and the vehicle interior temperature information acquisition unit. Only when it is determined that there is, the ventilation control is executed. Thereby, the temperature in the passenger compartment can be reliably lowered.

  (5) In the configurations of (2) to (4), the controller includes a battery temperature information acquisition unit that acquires information related to the temperature of the first battery, and the controller has the switching valve at the second position. If it is located, the ventilation control is performed only when it is determined that the battery temperature of the first battery is equal to or higher than the outside temperature based on the acquisition results of the outside temperature information acquiring unit and the battery temperature information acquiring unit. Run. Thereby, the temperature of the first battery can be reliably lowered.

  (6) In the configurations of (2) to (5) above, the battery has a second battery for storing electric power generated by the solar panel, and the blower is configured to supply electric power from the second battery in the ventilation control. Operates by receiving supply.

  (7) In the above configurations (1) to (6), the solar panel can be provided on the roof of a vehicle. Even a small solar panel that can be installed on the roof of a vehicle can obtain sufficient power to ventilate the interior of the vehicle.

In order to achieve the second object, a vehicle according to the present invention includes (8) a first battery that stores electric power supplied to a motor that drives the vehicle, a first blower, and the first fan. A circulation path for circulating air inside and outside the battery when the blower is activated, a second blower,
A supply path for supplying air outside the vehicle into the passenger compartment when the second blower is activated, and a Peltier element for performing a heat exhaust operation for exhausting heat of the air circulating inside the circulation path to the supply path And at least one of the first blower, the second blower, and the Peltier element is operated by electric power generated by a solar panel.

  (9) In the configuration of (8), the controller includes: an air conditioner that adjusts the temperature in the passenger compartment; and a controller that controls driving of the first blower, the second blower, and the Peltier element. Ventilation control for operating the first blower, the second blower, and the Peltier element in a vehicle stop state in which the operation of the air conditioner is stopped and the temperature in the passenger compartment increases due to heat from outside the vehicle. Run. The vehicle interior and the first battery can be cooled in a vehicle stop state in which the air conditioner is stopped and the temperature in the vehicle interior rises due to external heat.

  (10) In the configuration of (9), the controller includes an outside temperature information acquisition unit that acquires information about the temperature outside the vehicle, and a battery temperature information acquisition unit that acquires information about the temperature of the first battery, Performs the ventilation control only when it is determined that the battery temperature of the first battery is equal to or higher than the outside air temperature based on the acquisition results of the vehicle outside temperature information acquisition unit and the battery temperature information acquisition unit. The vehicle interior is surely ventilated by outside air having a lower temperature, and the first battery can be cooled.

  (11) In the configuration of the above (9) or (10), the system includes a second battery that stores electric power generated by the solar panel, and in the ventilation control, the first blower, the second battery At least one of the blower and the Peltier element operates by receiving power supply from the second battery.

  (12) In the configurations of (8) to (11) above, the solar panel can be provided on the roof of a vehicle. Even a small solar panel that can be installed on the roof of a vehicle can obtain sufficient power to ventilate the interior of the vehicle.

  (13) In the configurations of (8) to (12), a Peltier module in which a Peltier module including a plurality of the Peltier elements is arranged along the circulation path and the supply path is provided. The heat exchange action in the Peltier unit is enhanced, and the cooling effect for cooling the air circulating in the circulation path can be enhanced.

  According to the configuration of (1) above, the vehicle interior and / or the first battery can be appropriately cooled. According to the configuration of (8) above, the vehicle compartment and the first battery can be appropriately cooled.

1 is a perspective view of a vehicle. It is the perspective view which looked at the vehicle interior front from the vehicle back. It is the schematic of the cooling system which cools a vehicle interior or a battery. It is a flowchart for demonstrating operation | movement of a cooling system. It is a perspective view of the vehicle of Embodiment 2. It is the schematic of the cooling system of Embodiment 2 which cools a vehicle interior and a battery. It is a perspective view of a Peltier unit. It is sectional drawing of a Peltier unit. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the cooling system of the second embodiment.

(First embodiment)
A schematic configuration of a vehicle according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle, with some elements shown in a perspective view. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the front of the vehicle interior as viewed from the rear of the vehicle. In these drawings, Fr indicates the traveling direction (front side direction) of the vehicle, Rr indicates the backward traveling direction (rear side direction) of the vehicle, and Rh is on the right side in the traveling direction (Fr direction) of the vehicle. Lh indicates the direction on the left side in the vehicle traveling direction (Fr direction). FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a cooling system that cools the passenger compartment or the battery.

  Vehicle 100 is a hybrid vehicle having a first drive path for driving a motor using the output of battery 12 (corresponding to a first battery) and a second drive path for engine 2. However, vehicle 100 may be an electric vehicle having only the first drive path among the first and second drive paths. Vehicle 100 may be a plug-in hybrid vehicle having first and second drive paths and capable of charging battery 12 using an external power supply outside the vehicle.

  The vehicle 100 has an air conditioner 3. The air conditioner 3 operates by receiving power supplied from the battery 12 and adjusts the temperature in the passenger compartment based on the set temperature set by the occupant. Therefore, in general, the operation of the air conditioner 3 is stopped in a vehicle stop state in which power supply from the battery 12 to the air conditioner 3 is cut off (hereinafter simply referred to as a vehicle stop state). For example, when the ignition switch of the vehicle is turned off, the relay provided between the battery 12 and the air conditioner 3 is turned off, so that the power supply from the battery 12 to the air conditioner 3 is cut off.

  The battery pack 1 includes a battery case 11 and a battery 12 accommodated inside the battery case 11. The battery 12 may be configured by connecting a plurality of single cells in series, or by connecting battery blocks in which a plurality of single cells are connected in parallel. The single battery may be a secondary battery such as a lithium ion battery or a nickel metal hydride battery, or a capacitor. The battery pack 1 can be installed, for example, in a luggage room formed on the Rr side of the rear seat of the vehicle 100.

  The battery case 11 of the battery pack 1 has an intake pipe 20 connected to an end on the Lh side and an exhaust pipe 30 connected to an end on the Rh side. An intake port 21 for introducing outside air into the intake pipe 20 from outside the vehicle is formed at the end of the intake pipe 20. The air inlet 21 is formed at the end of the vehicle 100 on the Lh side. A blower 22 is provided inside the intake pipe 20. The blower 22 draws outside air into the intake pipe 20 from the intake port 21 according to the rotation operation. The blower 22 may be, for example, a sirocco fan or a cross-throw fan.

  The exhaust pipe 30 communicates with the exhaust port 31 via a quarter vent (not shown). In FIG. 1, a part of the exhaust pipe 30 is omitted in order to simplify the drawing. The exhaust port 31 is provided in the vicinity of the tail lamp 36 on the Lh side of the vehicle 100. The air exhausted from the battery case 11 to the exhaust pipe 30 and the air in the passenger compartment can be discharged from the exhaust port 31 to the outside of the vehicle.

  The intake pipe 20 is formed with a ventilation port 23 protruding toward the vehicle interior. The outside air taken in from the intake port 21 can be taken into the vehicle compartment via the ventilation port 23. A switching valve 24 is provided downstream of the blower 22 in the intake pipe 20.

  The switching valve 24 directs the outside air taken in from the intake port 21 toward the ventilation port 23 and the outside air taken in from the intake port 21 toward the battery case 11. It operates between the case ventilation position (corresponding to the second position). When the switching valve 24 is positioned at the vehicle interior ventilation position, a first path is formed for conducting outside air toward the vehicle interior. When the switching valve 24 is positioned at the in-case ventilation position, a second path for conducting outside air toward the battery 12 is formed.

  Referring to FIG. 2, a selection switch (selection unit) 41 is provided on the instrument panel of vehicle 100. When the occupant operates the selection switch 41, the switching valve 24 can be operated between the vehicle interior ventilation position and the case ventilation position. The selection switch 41 may be a push button type or a touch panel type. Further, the position of the switching valve 24 may be selected with a special operation of the vehicle 100. For example, a special position that a normal occupant does not perform, such as setting the default position of the switching valve 24 to the vehicle interior ventilation position and depressing the accelerator 100 for a predetermined time or more while depressing the brake of the vehicle 100 for a predetermined time or more. Only when the operation is performed, the switching valve 24 may be moved to the in-case ventilation position. In this case, the selection unit is realized by cooperation between the accelerator and the brake.

  Here, when the vehicle 100 is left in the hot weather with the vehicle stopped, the operation of the air conditioner 3 is stopped, so that the temperature in the passenger compartment gradually increases and becomes higher than the temperature outside the vehicle. . In this case, the switching valve 24 is positioned at the vehicle interior ventilation position (hereinafter, the case where the switch valve 24 is positioned at the vehicle interior ventilation position may be referred to as vehicle interior ventilation mode), and is taken in from the intake port 21. All outside air can flow into the passenger compartment. As a result, the heat trapped in the passenger compartment can be exhausted, and the discomfort experienced by the occupant who gets in the vehicle 100 again can be reduced.

  In addition, when the vehicle 100 is left in the hot weather when the vehicle is stopped, the operation of the air conditioner 3 is stopped, so that the temperature inside the battery case 11 gradually rises to be higher than the temperature outside the vehicle. Get higher. In this case, the switching valve 24 is positioned at the in-case ventilation position (hereinafter, the case where the switching valve 24 is positioned at the in-case ventilation position may be referred to as an in-case ventilation mode). All the outside air can flow into the battery case 11. Thereby, the temperature of the battery 12 falls and the deterioration by the temperature rise of the battery 12 can be suppressed.

  Next, the configuration of the vehicle will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. Here, in FIG. 3, a dotted arrow indicates a direction in which a signal flows, a solid line arrow indicates a direction in which power is supplied, and a thick black arrow indicates a direction in which air flows.

  In addition to the above configuration, the vehicle 100 further includes a controller 10, a solar panel 40, a solar battery 50 (corresponding to a second battery), an auxiliary battery 60, a power switch 70, an outside temperature sensor 71 (outside temperature). A vehicle interior temperature sensor (corresponding to the vehicle interior temperature information acquisition unit) 72, an intake air temperature sensor 73, and a battery temperature sensor (corresponding to the battery temperature information acquisition unit) 74.

  The vehicle exterior temperature sensor 71 acquires information related to the temperature outside the vehicle 100 and outputs the acquired information to the controller 10. The temperature-related information may be a resistance value of the thermistor. In this case, the controller 10 calculates the temperature outside the passenger compartment from the change in the resistance value of the thermistor. Here, the vehicle outside temperature sensor 71 can be disposed at the end of the vehicle 100 in the Fr direction, as shown in FIG. The controller 10 executes ventilation control in a flowchart to be described later using the result obtained by the vehicle outside temperature sensor 71.

  The vehicle interior temperature sensor 72 acquires information related to the temperature in the vehicle interior and outputs the acquired information to the controller 10. The temperature-related information may be a resistance value of the thermistor. In this case, the controller 10 calculates the temperature in the passenger compartment from the change in the resistance value of the thermistor. Here, the vehicle interior temperature sensor 72 can be provided on the instrument panel as shown in FIG. The controller 10 executes ventilation control in a flowchart to be described later using the result obtained by the vehicle interior temperature sensor 72.

  The intake air temperature sensor 73 acquires information regarding the temperature of the air introduced into the battery 12 (that is, the intake air temperature), and outputs the acquired information to the controller 10. The temperature-related information may be a resistance value of the thermistor. In this case, the controller 10 calculates the intake air temperature from the change in the resistance value of the thermistor. Here, the controller 10 may execute intake air temperature check control in order to accurately acquire the intake air temperature. The intake air temperature check control is a control for detecting the intake air temperature after the air blower 22 is operated temporarily or intermittently when the intake air temperature is acquired, and the air staying in the intake pipe 20 is exhausted.

  The battery temperature sensor 74 acquires information regarding the temperature of the battery 12 and outputs the acquired information to the controller 10. The temperature-related information may be a resistance value of the thermistor. Moreover, the information regarding temperature may be acquired from each single cell which comprises the battery 12, or may be acquired from the battery block which put together the several single cell. Here, the controller 10 uses the information acquired from the battery temperature sensor 74 to estimate the amount of power stored in the battery 12, to perform cooling control of the battery 12, or to perform ventilation control in a flowchart described later.

  Here, the cooling control of the battery 12 is control for operating the blower 22 in order to maintain the battery 12 that has generated heat by charging and discharging at an appropriate temperature. In this case, the power switch 70 is connected to the auxiliary battery 60, and the blower 22 operates by receiving power supply from the auxiliary battery 60. Since the cooling control of the battery 12 is performed during charging / discharging of the battery 12, it is not performed when the vehicle is stopped. In the cooling control, the blower 22 may be operated by electric power supplied from the battery 12.

  The controller 10 performs various controls of the vehicle 100. The controller 10 may be a CPU or an MPU, or may include an ASIC circuit that executes at least a part of the processing performed in these CPUs. Further, the number of CPUs or the like may be singular or plural. Therefore, for example, the CPU that controls charging / discharging of the battery 12 and the CPU that controls driving of the blower 22 may be different.

  The solar panel 40 is built in the moon roof glass which comprises the roof of the vehicle 100, as shown in FIG. The solar panel 40 includes a plurality of solar cells. A solar cell is a kind of semiconductor made of polycrystalline silicon and directly converts light energy into electricity. When sunlight is irradiated to a solar cell composed of two types of materials, an N-type semiconductor and a P-type semiconductor, negative charges (electrons) and positive charges (holes) are generated from the solar cells. Negative charges are collected in the N-type semiconductor, and positive charges are collected in the P-type semiconductor. The electric power obtained by the solar panel 40 is stored in the solar battery 50. The solar battery 50 may be a secondary battery such as a nickel metal hydride battery or a lithium ion battery, or a capacitor.

  The auxiliary battery 60 supplies operating power to the blower 22 when supplying power to the audio device 92 illustrated in FIG. 2 or performing the cooling control of the battery 12 described above. The auxiliary battery 60 is charged by receiving power from the battery 12.

  The solar battery 50 and the auxiliary battery 60 are connected to the blower 22 via the power supply switch 70. The controller 10 outputs a drive signal (for example, a High / Low signal) to the power supply switch 70, so that the power supply switch 70 is allowed to be supplied with power from the solar battery 50 to the blower 22. It operates between a position where power supply from the battery 60 to the blower 22 is allowed.

  Next, ventilation control performed by the controller will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In step S101, the controller 10 operates the internal timer when the ignition switch is turned off. In step 102, the controller 10 determines, based on the count value of the internal timer, whether or not 5 minutes (standby time) has elapsed since the ignition switch was turned off.

  Here, the reason for setting the waiting time to 5 minutes is that the air conditioner 3 is cooled before the ignition switch is turned off, so that cooling air remains in the passenger compartment immediately after the ignition switch is turned off. This is because it is considered that the high temperature state has not been reached. Therefore, the standby time is not limited to 5 minutes, and may be, for example, 10 minutes.

  When the standby time has reached 5 minutes (YES in step S102), the controller 10 determines in step S103 whether the selection switch 41 illustrated in FIG. 2 has been operated to the side for selecting the vehicle interior ventilation position. To do. When the standby time reaches 5 minutes, the controller 10 sets the count value of the internal timer to 0.

  When the selection switch 41 is operated to select the vehicle interior ventilation position (YES in step S103), in step S104, the controller 10 connects the power switch 70 to the solar battery 50 and sets the switching valve 24. Operate the vehicle in the ventilation position. In the initial state, when the switching valve 24 is already positioned at the vehicle interior ventilation position, the controller 10 does not operate the switching valve 24.

  When the selection switch 41 is operated to select the ventilation position in the case (NO in step S103), the controller 10 connects the power switch 70 to the solar battery 50 and switches the switching valve 24 in step S105. Operate to the ventilation position in the case. In the initial state, when the switching valve 24 is already in the case ventilation position, the controller 10 does not operate the switching valve 24.

  When the switching valve 24 is moved to the vehicle interior ventilation position in step S104, the controller 10 determines whether or not the outside air temperature is equal to or lower than the vehicle interior temperature based on the acquisition results of the vehicle exterior temperature sensor 71 and the vehicle interior temperature sensor 72 in step S106. Determine whether.

  When the outside air temperature is equal to or lower than the vehicle interior temperature (YES in step S106), the controller 10 drives the blower 22 in step S107. When the blower 22 is driven, the air introduced from the intake port 21 flows into the vehicle compartment through the ventilation port 23. As the outside air flows into the vehicle interior, the temperature in the vehicle interior gradually decreases and approaches the outside air temperature. If the outside air temperature is not lower than the vehicle interior temperature (NO in step S106), the process returns to step S102.

  In Step S108, the controller 10 determines whether or not the vehicle interior temperature has become the same as the outside air temperature based on the acquisition results of the vehicle exterior temperature sensor 71 and the vehicle interior temperature sensor 72. When the vehicle interior temperature becomes the same as the outside air temperature (YES in step S108), the controller 10 stops driving the blower 22 in step S109, and proceeds to step S110. When the vehicle interior temperature is still equal to or higher than the outside air temperature (NO in step S108), the controller 10 returns to step S107 and continues to drive the blower 22.

  The controller 10 determines whether or not the ignition switch is turned on in step S110. When the ignition switch is turned on (YES in step S110), the controller 10 ends this flowchart. When the ignition switch is not turned on (NO in step S110), the controller 10 returns to step S102 and again counts the standby time.

  In this way, when the vehicle 100 is parked under hot weather, the switching valve 24 is operated to the vehicle interior ventilation position according to the passenger's selection, and the air blower 22 is driven to draw outside air into the vehicle interior. The room temperature can be lowered to the same temperature as the outside air temperature. Therefore, when the occupant gets into the vehicle 100 again, it is possible to reduce the discomfort experienced by the haze in the passenger compartment.

  In Step S111, the controller 10 determines whether or not the outside air temperature is equal to or lower than the battery temperature based on the acquisition results of the vehicle outside temperature sensor 71 and the battery temperature sensor 74.

  When the outside air temperature is equal to or lower than the battery temperature (YES in step S111), the controller 10 drives the blower 22 in step S112. When the blower 22 is driven, the air introduced from the intake port 21 flows into the battery case 11 through the intake pipe 20. As the outside air flows into the battery case 11, the temperature inside the battery case 11 gradually decreases and approaches the outside air temperature. If the outside air temperature is not lower than the battery temperature (NO in step S111), the process returns to step S102.

  In Step S113, the controller 10 determines whether or not the battery temperature is the same as the outside air temperature based on the acquisition results of the vehicle outside temperature sensor 71 and the battery temperature sensor 74. When the battery temperature becomes the same temperature as the outside air temperature (YES in step S113), the controller 10 stops driving the blower 22 in step S109. When the battery temperature is still equal to or higher than the outside air temperature (NO in step S113), the controller 10 returns to step S112 and continues to drive the blower 22.

  As described above, when the vehicle 100 is parked under the hot sun, the interior of the battery case 11 can be ventilated by operating the switching valve 24 to the in-case ventilation position and operating the blower 22 according to the occupant's selection. The battery temperature can be lowered to the same temperature as the outside air temperature. Therefore, an occupant who wants to prioritize the life of the battery 12 or an occupant who only gets into the vehicle 100 at night after the vehicle is stopped and the temperature in the passenger compartment drops is selected by selecting the in-case ventilation mode. The lifetime can be extended.

  Further, when the vehicle 100 is parked under the hot sun, power generation is performed in the solar panel 40, so the solar battery 50 can be reliably charged. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the blower 22 from being stopped due to power shortage during ventilation in the battery case 11 or the vehicle interior.

  Moreover, in ventilation control, since the air blower 22 only performs the operation | movement which draws the air outside a vehicle in the inside of the battery case 11, or a vehicle interior, it needs little drive energy. Specifically, this driving energy is sufficiently smaller than the energy required to cool the passenger compartment using the air conditioner 3. Therefore, even with a small solar panel 40 that can be installed on the roof of the vehicle 100, sufficient energy can be obtained to drive the blower 22 in ventilation control.

  In addition, when the in-case ventilation mode is set, the battery life is extended from about 6.25 years to about 8 years (estimated), compared to a vehicle that does not employ the in-case ventilation mode.

(Modification 1)
In the above-described flowchart, the temperature in the vehicle compartment and the outside air temperature are compared in step S106. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the temperature in the vehicle interior and the intake air temperature may be compared. Similarly, in step S111, the battery temperature and the outside air temperature are compared. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the battery temperature and the intake air temperature may be compared. In these cases, the controller 10 may execute the intake air temperature check control described above to acquire an accurate intake air temperature.

(Modification 2)
In the above-described embodiment, the passenger selects the vehicle interior ventilation mode and the in-case ventilation mode. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, when the vehicle is in a stopped state, the controller 10 performs the following operation. You may control to switch to ventilation mode automatically with a predetermined period.

(Modification 3)
In the above-described embodiment, the ventilation control is performed in the vehicle stop state based on the magnitude relationship among the outside air temperature, the vehicle interior temperature, and the battery temperature, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, ventilation control may be performed by monitoring the power generation amount of the solar panel 40 when the vehicle is stopped, and operating the blower 22 when the power generation amount exceeds a threshold value. When the amount of power generation exceeds the threshold when the vehicle is stopped, it is predicted that the temperature in the vehicle interior is high, and therefore the vehicle interior or the inside of the battery case 11 is ventilated at an appropriate timing. be able to.

(Modification 4)
In the above-described embodiment, the solar panel 40 is mounted on the vehicle 100, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the blower 22 is driven by the electric power supplied from the solar panel provided outside the vehicle. Also good. For example, when the battery 12 is charged at the charging stand, the air conditioner 3 of the vehicle 100 is normally stopped. Therefore, the blower 22 is operated using the power supplied from the solar panel provided at the charging stand, and the vehicle You may suppress the temperature rise in the battery 12 and / or vehicle interior in a stop state. That is, the present invention can be applied to a vehicle that does not have the solar panel 40.

(Embodiment 2)
The schematic configuration of the vehicle according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the vehicle, and shows some elements seen through. Fr indicates the traveling direction (front side direction) of the vehicle, Rr indicates the backward traveling direction (rear side direction) of the vehicle, and Rh indicates the right direction toward the traveling direction (Fr direction) of the vehicle. Lh indicates a direction on the left side in the vehicle traveling direction (Fr direction). Elements having the same functions as those of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals. FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a cooling system that cools the passenger compartment and the battery.

  Vehicle 200 is a hybrid vehicle having a first drive path for driving a motor using the output of battery 12 (corresponding to a first battery) and a second drive path for engine 2. However, vehicle 200 may be an electric vehicle having only the first drive path among the first and second drive paths. Vehicle 200 may be a plug-in hybrid vehicle having first and second drive paths and capable of charging battery 12 using an external power source outside the vehicle.

The battery pack 1 includes a battery case 11 and a battery 12 accommodated inside the battery case 11. The battery 12 may be configured by connecting a plurality of single cells in series, or by connecting battery blocks in which a plurality of single cells are connected in parallel. The single battery may be a secondary battery such as a lithium ion battery or a nickel metal hydride battery, or a capacitor. The battery pack 1 can be installed, for example, in a luggage room formed on the Rr side of the rear seat of the vehicle 200.

  The battery case 11 of the battery pack 1 is connected to a circulation duct 26 (corresponding to a circulation path) at an end on the vehicle Lh side, and a circulation blower 27 (corresponding to a first blower) at an end on the vehicle Rh side. Is provided). When the circulation blower 27 is activated, air can be circulated inside and outside the battery case 11 via the circulation duct 26. The circulation duct 26 is connected to the heat absorption side of the Peltier unit 25. The air circulating inside the circulation duct 26 is cooled by passing through the heat absorption side of the Peltier unit 25. Thereby, since the battery 12 can be cooled using the cooled air, deterioration of the battery 12 can be suppressed.

  A ventilation fan 28 (corresponding to the second blower) is provided inside the intake pipe 20 (corresponding to the supply path). A ventilation port 23 is formed at the end of the intake pipe 20 so as to protrude toward the vehicle interior. The intake pipe 20 is connected to the exhaust heat side of the Peltier unit 25. When the ventilation fan 28 is activated, the outside air taken in from the intake port 21 rises in temperature when passing through the exhaust heat side, and is taken into the vehicle compartment from the ventilation port 23.

  Here, when the vehicle 200 is left in the hot weather while the vehicle is stopped, the operation of the air conditioner 3 is stopped, so the temperature inside the vehicle compartment and the battery case 11 gradually increases, It becomes higher than the temperature. For example, when the temperature outside the vehicle is 40 ° C., the temperature inside the vehicle compartment may be 50 to 60 ° C. In this case, by operating the ventilation fan 28, outside air can be taken into the vehicle interior via the intake pipe 20, and the vehicle interior can be ventilated.

  Here, since the intake pipe 20 has exhaust heat from the circulation duct 26 due to the heat exchange action in the Peltier unit 25, the temperature of the outside air taken into the intake pipe 20 due to the exhaust heat rises. However, since the amount of heat exhausted from the Peltier unit 25 is very small, the temperature of the outside air taken into the intake pipe 20 increases only by 1 to 2 ° C. Therefore, the vehicle interior can be sufficiently ventilated by the outside air taken in through the intake pipe 20. As a result, the heat trapped in the passenger compartment can be exhausted, and the discomfort experienced by the occupant who gets in the vehicle 200 again can be reduced.

  Next, the configuration of the vehicle will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6. In FIG. 6, a dotted arrow indicates a direction in which a signal flows, and a solid arrow indicates a direction in which power is supplied. Moreover, the thick black arrow has shown the direction through which air flows.

  In addition to the above-described configuration, the vehicle 200 further includes a controller 10, a solar panel 40, a solar battery 50 (corresponding to a second battery), an auxiliary battery 60, a power switch 70, an outside temperature sensor 71 (outside temperature). A vehicle interior temperature sensor 72, a battery temperature sensor 74 (corresponding to a battery temperature information acquisition unit), switches 75 and 76, and a Peltier switch 77.

  The vehicle exterior temperature sensor 71 acquires information related to the temperature outside the vehicle 200 and outputs the acquired information to the controller 10. The temperature-related information may be a resistance value of the thermistor. In this case, the controller 10 calculates the temperature outside the vehicle from the change in the resistance value of the thermistor. Here, the vehicle outside temperature sensor 71 can be disposed at the end of the vehicle 200 in the Fr direction, as shown in FIG. The controller 10 executes ventilation control in a flowchart to be described later using the result obtained by the outside temperature sensor 71.

  The vehicle interior temperature sensor 72 acquires information related to the temperature in the vehicle interior and outputs the acquired information to the controller 10. The temperature-related information may be a resistance value of the thermistor. In this case, the controller 10 calculates the temperature in the passenger compartment from the change in the resistance value of the thermistor. Here, the vehicle interior temperature sensor 72 can be provided on the instrument panel as shown in FIG.

  The battery temperature sensor 74 acquires information regarding the temperature of the battery 12 and outputs the acquired information to the controller 10. The temperature-related information may be a resistance value of the thermistor. Moreover, the information regarding temperature may be acquired from each single cell which comprises the battery 12, or may be acquired from the battery block which put together the several single cell. Here, the controller 10 uses the information acquired from the battery temperature sensor 74 to estimate the amount of power stored in the battery 12, to perform cooling control of the battery 12, or to perform ventilation control in a flowchart described later.

  Here, the cooling control of the battery 12 is control for operating the circulation blower 27, the ventilation fan 28, and the Peltier unit 25 in order to maintain the battery 12 that has generated heat due to charging / discharging at an appropriate temperature. In this case, the power switch 27 is connected to the auxiliary battery 60, and the circulation blower 27, the ventilation fan 28, and the Peltier unit 25 are operated by receiving power supply from the auxiliary battery 60. The cooling control of the battery 12 is performed during charging / discharging of the battery 12, and is not performed in a vehicle stop state. In the cooling control, the blower 22 may be operated by electric power supplied from the battery 12.

  The controller 10 performs various controls of the vehicle 200. The controller 10 may be a CPU or an MPU, or may include an ASIC circuit that executes at least a part of the processing performed in these CPUs. Further, the number of CPUs or the like may be singular or plural. Therefore, for example, the CPU that controls charging / discharging of the battery 12 may be different from the CPU that controls driving of the ventilation fan 28, the circulation blower 27, and the like.

  The solar panel 40 is built in the moon roof glass which comprises the roof of the vehicle 200, as shown in FIG. The solar panel 40 includes a plurality of solar cells. A solar cell is a kind of semiconductor made of polycrystalline silicon and directly converts light energy into electricity. When sunlight is irradiated to a solar cell composed of two types of materials, an N-type semiconductor and a P-type semiconductor, negative charges (electrons) and positive charges (holes) are generated from the solar cells. Negative charges are collected in the N-type semiconductor, and positive charges are collected in the P-type semiconductor. The electric power obtained by the solar panel 40 is stored in the solar battery 50. The solar battery 50 may be a secondary battery such as a nickel metal hydride battery or a lithium ion battery, or a capacitor.

  The auxiliary battery 60 supplies operating power to the circulation blower 27 and the like when supplying power to the audio equipment 92 shown in FIG. 2 or performing cooling control of the battery 12 described above. Auxiliary battery 60 may store electricity using electric power supplied from battery 12.

  The solar battery 50 and the auxiliary battery 60 are connected to the ventilation fan 28, the circulation blower 27, and the Peltier unit 25 via a power supply changeover switch 70. The controller 10 allows a power supply switch 70 to output a drive signal (for example, a High / Low signal) to allow power supply from the solar battery 50 to the ventilation fan 28, the circulation blower 27, and the Peltier unit 25. It operates between a position and a position that allows power supply from the auxiliary battery 60 to the ventilation fan 28, the circulation blower 27, and the Peltier unit 25.

  The switch 75 is switched between on and off based on a drive signal from the controller 10. When the switch 75 is turned on, power supply to the circulation blower 27 from the solar battery 50 or the auxiliary battery 60 is permitted. When the switch 75 is turned off, power supply from the solar battery 50 and the auxiliary battery 60 to the circulation blower 27 is prohibited.

  The switch 76 is switched between on and off based on a drive signal from the controller 10. When the switch 76 is turned on, power supply from the solar battery 50 or the auxiliary battery 60 to the ventilation fan 28 is permitted. When the switch 76 is turned off, power supply from the solar battery 50 and the auxiliary battery 60 to the ventilation fan 28 is prohibited.

  Between the Peltier unit 25 and the power supply switch 70, a Peltier switch 77 that switches between ON and OFF based on a drive signal from the controller 10 is provided. When the Peltier switch 77 is turned on, power supply to the Peltier unit 25 from the solar battery 50 or the auxiliary battery 60 is permitted. When the Peltier switch 77 is turned off, power supply from the solar battery 50 and auxiliary battery 60 to the Peltier unit 25 is prohibited.

  Next, the Peltier unit will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the Peltier unit. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the Peltier unit cut along the X1-X2 plane. The Peltier unit 25 includes a heat absorption case 81, an exhaust heat case 82, and a Peltier module 83. The Peltier module 83 is sandwiched between the heat absorption case 81 and the exhaust heat case 82, and is arranged at predetermined intervals along the longitudinal direction of the heat absorption case 81. The number of Peltier modules 83 can be changed as appropriate. The Peltier module 83 includes a module main body 83A, a plurality of heat absorption side fins 83B, and a plurality of heat exhaust side fins 83C.

  The module main body 83A includes a plurality of P-type thermoelectric semiconductors and N-type thermoelectric semiconductors arranged in a plane including the XY plane, and copper electrodes respectively joined to both end portions in the Z-axis direction of these thermoelectric semiconductors. Including. The heat absorption side fin 83 </ b> B is formed on one copper electrode facing the heat absorption case 81, and the heat exhaust side fin 83 </ b> C is formed on the other copper electrode facing the heat exhaust case 82.

  Part of the circulation duct 26 is formed by interposing the heat absorption side fins 83B between the module main body 83A and the heat absorption case 81. A portion of the intake pipe 20 is formed by the exhaust heat side fin 83 </ b> C interposed between the module main body 83 </ b> A and the exhaust heat case 82.

  When a direct current is passed from the N-type thermoelectric semiconductor toward the P-type thermoelectric semiconductor, heat is radiated from one copper electrode facing the heat absorption case 81 to the other copper electrode facing the exhaust heat case 82. Therefore, the air flowing inside the circulation duct 26 can be cooled by flowing a direct current to the copper electrode of the module body 83A. In addition, since the plurality of heat absorption side fins 83B are provided for the module main body 83A, the heat receiving area for the air flowing inside the circulation duct 26 is increased, so that the cooling effect can be enhanced. Similarly, by providing a plurality of exhaust heat side fins 83C to the module body 83A, the heat radiation area for the outside air flowing inside the intake pipe 20 is increased, so that the heat radiation effect can be enhanced.

  Next, ventilation control performed by the controller 10 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In step S201, the controller 10 activates an internal timer when the ignition switch is turned off. In step 202, the controller 10 determines, based on the count value of the internal timer, whether or not 5 minutes (standby time) has elapsed since the ignition switch was turned off.

  Here, the reason for setting the waiting time to 5 minutes is that the air conditioner 3 is cooled before the ignition switch is turned off, so that cooling air remains in the passenger compartment immediately after the ignition switch is turned off. This is because it is considered that the high temperature state has not been reached. Therefore, the standby time is not limited to 5 minutes, and may be, for example, 10 minutes.

  If the standby time has reached 5 minutes (YES in step S202), the controller 10 determines in step S203 whether or not the outside air temperature is equal to or lower than the battery temperature based on the acquisition results of the outside temperature sensor 71 and the battery temperature sensor 74. Determine.

  If the outside air temperature is equal to or lower than the battery temperature (YES in step S203), the controller 10 connects the power switch 70 to the solar battery 50 and turns on the switches 75 and 76 and the Peltier switch 77 in step S204. Then, the Peltier unit 25, the ventilation fan 28, and the circulation blower 27 are operated. Thereby, the air which circulates the inside of the circulation duct 26 is cooled, and the battery 12 can be cooled using the cooled air. In addition, the interior of the vehicle can be ventilated using outside air drawn into the intake pipe 20.

  In step S205, the controller 10 determines whether or not the battery temperature has reached the same temperature as the outside air temperature. When the battery temperature becomes the same as the outside air temperature (YES in step S205), the controller 10 turns off the switches 75 and 76 and the Peltier switch 77 in step S206, and the Peltier unit 25, the ventilation fan 28, and the like. The operation of the circulation blower 27 is stopped, and the process proceeds to step S207.

  When the battery temperature is not the same as the outside air temperature (NO in step S205), the controller 10 returns to step S204 and continues the operations of the Peltier unit 25, the ventilation fan 28, and the circulation blower 27.

  In step S207, the controller 10 determines whether or not the ignition switch is turned on. If the ignition switch is turned on (YES in step S207), this flow is terminated. If the ignition switch is not turned on (NO in step S207), the process returns to step S202.

  Thus, when the vehicle 200 is parked under the hot sun, the temperature in the passenger compartment can be lowered simply by operating the ventilation fan 28 and drawing in outside air. Thereby, when the occupant gets into the vehicle 200 again, it is possible to reduce the discomfort experienced by the haze in the passenger compartment.

  Further, when the vehicle 200 is parked under the hot sun, the circulating blower 27 and the Peltier unit 25 are operated to cool the air circulating inside the circulation duct 26, thereby lowering the battery temperature to the same temperature as the outside air temperature. Can do. Therefore, deterioration of the battery 12 can be suppressed.

  In the ventilation control, the energy required to operate the Peltier unit 25, the ventilation fan 28, and the circulation blower 27 is sufficiently smaller than the energy required to cool the vehicle interior using the air conditioner 3. Therefore, even a small solar panel 40 that can be installed on the roof of the vehicle 200 can obtain sufficient energy to drive the Peltier unit 25, the ventilation fan 28, and the circulation blower 27 in the ventilation control.

(Modification 5)
In the above flowchart, the battery temperature and the outside air temperature are compared in step S203. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the battery temperature and the intake air temperature may be compared. In this case, the controller 10 may execute the intake air temperature check control described above to acquire an accurate intake air temperature.

(Modification 6)
In the above-described embodiment, the ventilation control is performed in the vehicle stop state based on the magnitude relationship between the outside air temperature and the battery temperature, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the amount of power generated by the solar panel 40 when the vehicle is stopped is monitored. When the amount of generated power exceeds a threshold value, ventilation control is performed by operating the Peltier unit 25, the ventilation fan 28, and the circulation blower 27. Also good. When the amount of power generation exceeds the threshold value when the vehicle is stopped, it is predicted that the temperature in the passenger compartment is high, so that ventilation of the passenger compartment and cooling of the battery 12 are performed at an appropriate timing. It can be carried out.

(Modification 7)
In the above-described embodiment, the solar panel 40 is mounted on the vehicle 200. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the Peltier unit 25, the ventilation is based on the electric power supplied from the solar panel provided outside the vehicle. The fan 28 and the circulation blower 27 may be driven. For example, when the battery 12 is charged at the charging stand, the air conditioner 3 of the vehicle 200 is normally stopped. Therefore, the Peltier unit 25 and the ventilation fan 28 are used using electric power supplied from a solar panel provided at the charging stand. Further, by operating the circulation blower 27, the temperature rise in the battery 12 and the vehicle compartment when the vehicle is stopped may be suppressed. That is, the present invention can be applied to a vehicle that does not have the solar panel 40.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Battery pack 2 Engine 3 Air conditioner 10 Controller 11 Battery case 12 Battery 20 Intake pipe 21 Inlet
22 Blower 23 Exhaust port 24 Switching valve 25 Peltier unit
26 Circulating duct 27 Circulating blower 28 Ventilation fan 30 Exhaust pipe 31 Exhaust port 40 Solar panel 41 Selection switch
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 50 Solar battery 60 Auxiliary battery 70 Power supply switch 71 Outside temperature sensor 72 Car interior temperature sensor 73 Intake air temperature sensor 74 Battery temperature sensor 75,76 Switch 77 Peltier switch 81 Endothermic case 82 Exhaust case 83 Peltier module
83A Module body 83B Heat absorption side fin 83C Waste heat side fin

Claims (13)

A first battery for storing electric power supplied to a motor for running the vehicle;
A blower that operates with the power generated by the solar panel;
An intake pipe having a first path for conducting outside air supplied from outside the vehicle by operating the blower toward the vehicle interior, and a second path for conducting to the first battery;
A first position that is disposed at a branch position between the first path and the second path and that directs the outside air introduced into the intake pipe toward the first path and the second path. A switching valve that switches between a second position;
Vehicle with. An air conditioner that adjusts the temperature in the passenger compartment,
A controller for controlling the operation of the blower and the switching valve,
2. The controller according to claim 1, wherein the controller performs ventilation control to operate the blower in a vehicle stop state in which the operation of the air conditioner is stopped and the temperature in the vehicle interior rises due to heat from outside the vehicle. The vehicle described. A selection unit for the occupant to select the position of the switching valve;
The vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the controller executes the ventilation control based on selection information in the selection unit. An outside temperature information acquisition unit for acquiring information about the temperature outside the vehicle;
A vehicle interior temperature information acquisition unit that acquires information related to the temperature in the vehicle interior;
When the switching valve is located at the first position, the controller determines that the vehicle interior temperature is equal to or higher than the vehicle exterior temperature based on the acquisition results of the vehicle exterior temperature information acquisition unit and the vehicle interior temperature information acquisition unit. The vehicle according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the ventilation control is executed only when the determination is made. A battery temperature information acquisition unit for acquiring information on the temperature of the first battery;
When the switching valve is located at the second position, the controller determines that the battery temperature of the first battery is based on the acquisition results of the outside temperature information acquisition unit and the battery temperature information acquisition unit. The vehicle according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the ventilation control is executed only when it is determined as above. A second battery for storing electric power generated by the solar panel;
The vehicle according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the blower operates by receiving supply of electric power from the second battery in the ventilation control.   The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the solar panel is provided on a roof of the vehicle. A first battery for storing electric power supplied to a motor for running the vehicle;
A first blower;
A circulation path for circulating air inside and outside the battery when the first blower is activated;
A second blower;
A supply path for supplying air outside the vehicle into the passenger compartment when the second blower is activated;
A Peltier element that performs an exhaust heat operation for exhausting heat of the air circulating inside the circulation path to the supply path;
At least one of the first blower, the second blower, and the Peltier element is operated by electric power generated by a solar panel. An air conditioner that adjusts the temperature in the passenger compartment,
A controller that controls driving of the first blower, the second blower, and the Peltier element;
The controller is configured to operate the first blower, the second blower, and the Peltier element in a vehicle stop state in which the operation of the air conditioner is stopped and the temperature in the vehicle interior is increased by heat from outside the vehicle. The vehicle according to claim 8, wherein control is executed. An outside temperature information acquisition unit for acquiring information about the temperature outside the vehicle;
A battery temperature information acquisition unit for acquiring information on the temperature of the first battery;
The controller executes the ventilation control only when it is determined that the battery temperature of the first battery is equal to or higher than the outside temperature based on the acquisition results of the outside temperature information acquisition unit and the battery temperature information acquisition unit. The vehicle according to claim 9. A second battery for storing electric power generated by the solar panel;
2. The ventilation control according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first blower, the second blower, and the Peltier element is operated by receiving power from the second battery. The vehicle according to 9 or 10.   The vehicle according to any one of claims 8 to 11, wherein the solar panel is provided on a roof of the vehicle. The vehicle according to any one of claims 8 to 12, further comprising a Peltier unit in which Peltier modules including a plurality of the Peltier elements are arranged along the circulation path and the supply path.

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