JP2015094260A - Vehicle warm-up system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vehicle warm-up system which uses a latent heat storage material, allows a water capacity of an entire engine to be reduced and can improve fuel efficiency.SOLUTION: A vehicle warm-up system comprises: a heat storage material line 4 which is installed so as to diverge from an engine cooling water line 2; a heat storage tank 6 which is installed on the heat storage material line 4, has a latent heat storage material 5 stored therein and is configured to exchange heat between engine cooling water flowing in the heat storage material line 4 and the latent heat storage material 5; a solenoid valve 7 which is installed at a point where the heat storage material line 4 diverges from the engine cooling water line 2; and a control section 8 which controls whether or not to introduce the engine cooling water into the heat storage material line 4 by controlling the solenoid valve 7. The vehicle warm-up system also has a coagulation sensor 21 which is installed in the heat storage tank 6 and detects whether or not the latent heat storage material 5 is coagulated. The control section 8 controls the solenoid valve 7 on the basis of a temperature of the engine cooling water and a detection result of the coagulation sensor 21.

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle warm-up system.

  In order to improve engine warm-up, a vehicle warm-up system using a latent heat storage material has been developed.

  In a vehicle warm-up system using a latent heat storage material, a heat storage material line is provided so as to branch from an engine cooling water line that returns from the engine to the engine via a radiator, and an electromagnetic valve is provided at the branch point. It is configured to be able to switch whether or not to flow engine cooling water through the material line.

  The heat storage material line is provided with a heat storage tank that contains the latent heat storage agent.When the engine is warmed up, engine cooling water is introduced into the heat storage material line by controlling the solenoid valve so that Heat is exchanged with the latent heat storage material to heat the engine coolant and promote warm-up.

  In addition, after the engine is sufficiently warmed up, high-temperature engine cooling water is again introduced into the heat storage material line to heat and store the latent heat storage material.

  As prior art document information related to the invention of this application, there are Patent Documents 1 and 2.

JP 2010-144636 A JP 2012-002469 A

  However, in the conventional vehicle warm-up system, it is impossible to determine what state the latent heat storage material is in. Therefore, after the engine is sufficiently warmed up, the engine coolant is not supplied to the heat storage material line. It was normal to leave it in the introduced state. For this reason, there is a problem that the water capacity of the entire engine is increased and the controllability of the temperature of the engine cooling water is deteriorated.

  In recent years, for example, the engine cooling water temperature is controlled as high as around 100 ° C. during partial loads to reduce friction and improve fuel efficiency, or engine cooling to suppress overheating and improve reliability during high loads. It has been practiced to control the temperature of the engine cooling water according to the engine load by controlling the temperature of the water as low as 80 to 90 ° C, but if the controllability of the temperature of the engine cooling water deteriorates These controls may not function sufficiently. Therefore, in the vehicle warm-up system using the latent heat storage material, it is required to reduce the water capacity as much as possible.

  In addition, if the engine coolant is introduced into the heat storage material line, the piping distance through which the engine coolant flows increases, so the water flow resistance increases and the work of the water pump that circulates the engine coolant increases. There is also a problem that fuel consumption deteriorates.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle warm-up system that can solve the above-described problems and can reduce the water capacity of the entire engine and improve fuel efficiency in a vehicle warm-up system using a latent heat storage material. is there.

  The present invention was devised to achieve the above object, and is provided in the heat storage material line provided to branch from an engine cooling water line that returns from the engine to the engine via a radiator and returns to the engine. And a heat storage tank configured to exchange heat between the engine cooling water flowing through the heat storage material line and the latent heat storage material, and the engine cooling water line and the heat storage material. A vehicle warm-up comprising: a solenoid valve provided at a branch point with the line; and a control unit that controls whether the engine coolant is introduced into the heat storage material line by controlling the solenoid valve. In the system, provided with a solidification sensor provided in the heat storage tank to detect whether the latent heat storage material is solidified, the control unit, the temperature of the engine cooling water, Based on the detection result of the serial coagulation sensor, a vehicle warm-up system configured to control the solenoid valve.

  There may be provided a trigger provided in the heat storage tank for stimulating the latent heat storage material in the supercooled liquid phase to start solidification, and the solidification sensor may be provided in the vicinity of the trigger.

  When the solidification sensor detects that the latent heat storage material has not solidified, and the temperature of the engine coolant is lower than a preset first threshold temperature, the trigger causes the latent heat storage material to It is preferable to perform warming-up promotion control for controlling the solenoid valve so as to start solidification and introduce the engine coolant into the heat storage material line.

  The control unit detects that the latent heat storage material is solidified during the warm-up promotion control, or when the temperature of the engine cooling water is equal to or higher than the first threshold temperature. The warm-up promotion control may be terminated by controlling the solenoid valve so as not to introduce the engine coolant into the heat storage material line.

  The control unit detects that the latent heat storage material is solidified after the warming-up acceleration control for heating the engine cooling water by the latent heat storage material is completed, and detects the engine cooling water. When the temperature is equal to or higher than a preset second threshold temperature, heat storage control may be performed by controlling the solenoid valve so as to introduce the engine coolant into the heat storage material line to melt the latent heat storage material.

  When the solidification sensor detects that the latent heat storage material is not solidified during the heat storage control, the control unit controls the solenoid valve so as not to introduce the engine coolant into the heat storage material line. The heat storage control may be terminated.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, in the warming-up system for vehicles using a latent heat storage material, the water capacity of the whole engine can be made small and a fuel consumption can be improved.

(A) is a schematic block diagram of the warming-up system for vehicles which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention, (b) is a schematic block diagram of the thermal storage tank. It is a flowchart which shows the control flow of the warming-up system for vehicles of FIG.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  Fig.1 (a) is a schematic block diagram of the warming-up system for vehicles which concerns on this embodiment, FIG.1 (b) is a schematic block diagram of the thermal storage tank.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a vehicle warm-up system 1 includes a heat storage material line 4 provided so as to branch from an engine cooling water line 2, a heat storage tank 6 provided in the heat storage material line 4, and engine cooling water. An electromagnetic valve 7 provided at a branch point between the line 2 and the heat storage material line 4; and a control unit 8 that controls whether the engine coolant is introduced into the heat storage material line 4 by controlling the electromagnetic valve 7; It is equipped with.

  The engine cooling water line 2 is configured to return from the engine cooling water outlet of the engine E to the cooling water inlet of the engine E via the radiator 3.

  A thermostat 9 is provided in the engine coolant line 2 from the engine E to the radiator 3. The thermostat 9 is connected to a bypass line 10 that bypasses the radiator 3 and passes engine cooling water downstream of the radiator 3, and the temperature of the engine cooling water is lower than a preset valve opening temperature (for example, 85 ° C.). Sometimes, the passage to the radiator 3 is closed and the engine cooling water is led to the bypass line 10, the engine cooling water is returned to the engine E without passing through the radiator 3, and the warming-up performance is promoted by promoting the temperature rise of the engine cooling water. Improve and prevent engine E overcooling. When the temperature of the engine cooling water becomes equal to or higher than the valve opening temperature, the passage to the radiator 3 is opened to supply the engine cooling water to the radiator 3, and the engine cooling water is cooled with outside air to prevent overheating of the engine E.

  The engine coolant is circulated by a water pump (W / P) 11 provided in the engine coolant line 2. A bypass line 10 extending from the thermostat 9 is connected to the engine coolant line 2 upstream of the water pump 11.

  Most of the engine coolant discharged from the water pump 11 is returned to the engine E through the oil cooler 16. Further, an EGR cooler cooling line 12 is connected to the water pump 11, and after introducing a part of the engine cooling water discharged from the water pump 11 to the EGR cooler 13, the engine cooling water on the upstream side of the water pump 11. It is configured to return to line 2.

  A heater heating line 14 is connected to the engine E, and after supplying a part of high-temperature engine cooling water to the heater 15 for heating and air conditioning, the heater E is connected to the engine cooling water line 2 upstream of the water pump 11. It is configured to return.

  The electromagnetic valve 7 is provided in the engine cooling water line 2 on the downstream side of the joining point of the bypass line 10 to the engine cooling water line 2 and on the upstream side of the water pump 11. One end of the heat storage material line 4 is connected to the engine cooling water line 2 via the electromagnetic valve 7, and the other end is connected to the engine cooling water line 2 downstream of the electromagnetic valve 7 and upstream of the water pump 11. Connected.

  As shown in FIG. 1 (b), the heat storage tank 6 is provided with a plurality of containers 17 containing the latent heat storage material 5, and by flowing engine cooling water into a space 19 around the container 17, the container 17 Heat exchange is performed between the internal latent heat storage material 5 and the engine coolant. The configuration of the heat storage tank 6 is not limited to this.

  As the latent heat storage material 5, sodium acetate may be used. Sodium acetate does not solidify even when cooled from the liquid phase to a temperature below the freezing point (60 ° C.), and has a property of being supercooled in the liquid phase. When a physical stimulus is applied to the supercooled liquid phase sodium acetate, solidification begins and exotherm begins.

  Each container 17 of the heat storage tank 6 is provided with a trigger 18 for stimulating the liquid phase latent heat storage material 5 in a supercooled state to start solidification. In the present embodiment, a heating wire (nichrome wire) is used as the trigger 18, and a current is passed through the heating wire to stimulate the latent heat storage material 5 to start coagulation. The configuration of the trigger 18 is not limited to this.

  The control unit 8 controls the electromagnetic valve 7 to perform switching control of the flow path, and performs energization control of the heating wire that is the trigger 18. The control unit 8 is mounted on an ECU (electronic control unit) 20 of the vehicle.

  Now, in the warming-up system 1 for vehicles which concerns on this embodiment, the thermal storage tank 6 is provided with the solidification sensor 21 which detects whether the latent heat storage material 5 is solidified, and the control part 8 is engine cooling water. The solenoid valve 7 is controlled on the basis of the temperature and the detection result of the coagulation sensor 21.

  The coagulation sensor 21 is configured by arranging a light emitting element such as a light emitting diode and a light receiving element such as a phototransistor facing each other. The solidification sensor 21 detects whether or not the latent heat storage material 5 is solidified using the fact that the latent heat storage material 5 between the light emitting element and the light receiving element has different light transmittances between the liquid phase and the solid phase. It is.

  When sodium acetate is used as the latent heat storage material 5, the light transmittance is high in the liquid phase and the light transmittance is low in the solid phase, so that the light intensity received by the light receiving element is higher than a predetermined value. Sometimes it can be judged as a liquid phase, and when it is below a predetermined value, it can be judged as a solid phase.

  Here, the case where the coagulation sensor 21 is provided in one of the containers 17 is shown, but the coagulation sensor 21 may be provided in each container 17. The coagulation sensor 21 is desirably provided in the vicinity of the trigger 18 so that the coagulation of the latent heat storage material 5 can be reliably detected.

  The control unit 8 is configured to control the electromagnetic valve 7 based on the temperature of the engine coolant at the electromagnetic valve 7 and the detection result of the coagulation sensor 21.

  More specifically, after the engine E is started, the control unit 8 detects that the latent heat storage material 5 is not solidified, and the engine cooling water temperature is set to a first threshold temperature (preset) When the temperature is smaller than 50 ° C., for example, the trigger 18 starts the solidification of the latent heat storage material 5 and performs warm-up promotion control for controlling the electromagnetic valve 7 so as to introduce engine cooling water into the heat storage material line 4. The fact that the latent heat storage material 5 has not solidified means that the heat storage of the latent heat storage material 5 has been completed, and the trigger 18 stimulates even if the latent heat storage material 5 is in a supercooled state. Heating starts when given.

  In addition, when the control unit 8 detects that the latent heat storage material 5 is solidified during the warm-up promotion control, or when the temperature of the engine coolant becomes equal to or higher than the first threshold temperature, The solenoid valve 7 is controlled so as not to introduce the engine coolant into the heat storage material line 4 and the warm-up promotion control is terminated. The fact that the latent heat storage material 5 is solidified means that the phase change has ended and heat generation has ended, and even if engine cooling water is introduced into the heat storage material line 4 in this state, the effect of promoting warm-up is achieved. Is not obtained, the warm-up promotion control is terminated when the latent heat storage material 5 is solidified. When the temperature of the engine cooling water is equal to or higher than the first threshold temperature, it is determined that the engine cooling water is sufficiently heated and the warm-up is finished, and the warm-up promotion control is finished.

  Further, after the warm-up promotion control is completed, the control unit 8 detects that the latent heat storage material 5 is solidified by the solidification sensor 21, and the engine cooling water temperature is set to a second threshold temperature (for example, When the temperature is 60 ° C. or higher, the electromagnetic valve 7 is controlled so as to introduce engine cooling water into the heat storage material line 4, and heat storage control for melting the latent heat storage material 5 is performed. That is, when the temperature of the engine cooling water becomes sufficiently high, heat storage is performed by melting the solidified latent heat storage material 5 into a liquid phase.

  Furthermore, when the solidification sensor 21 detects that the latent heat storage material 5 is not solidified during the heat storage control, that is, when the latent heat storage material 5 becomes a liquid phase and the heat storage is finished, The solenoid valve 7 is controlled so as not to introduce the engine coolant to the line 4 and the heat storage control is finished.

  Next, the control flow of the vehicle warm-up system 1 will be described with reference to FIG. The vehicle warm-up system 1 is configured to execute the control flow of FIG. Hereinafter, a case where the first threshold temperature is 50 ° C. and the second threshold temperature is 60 ° C. will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 2, first, in step S <b> 1, the solenoid valve 7 is not energized so that the heating wire as the trigger 18 is not energized (hereinafter, the trigger 18 is turned off) and the engine coolant is not introduced into the heat storage material line 4. Is an initial state in which control is performed (hereinafter, the heat storage circuit is referred to as OFF).

  Thereafter, in step S2, the control unit 8 determines whether the latent heat storage material 5 is solidified based on the detection result of the solidification sensor 21. If YES is determined in step S2, the latent heat storage material 5 is not storing heat (or has finished generating heat) and cannot be subjected to warm-up promotion control, so the process proceeds to step S7.

  When it is determined NO in step S2, in step S3, the control unit 8 determines whether the temperature of the engine coolant is lower than 50 ° C. that is the first threshold temperature. If NO is determined in step S3, the temperature of the engine cooling water is sufficiently high and it is not necessary to perform the warm-up promotion control, so the process proceeds to step S7.

  When YES is determined in step S3, that is, when the solidification sensor 21 detects that the latent heat storage material 5 is not solidified and the temperature of the engine coolant is lower than the first threshold temperature, in step S4, The heating valve that is the trigger 18 is energized (hereinafter, the trigger 18 is turned on) to start the solidification of the latent heat storage material 5 and the electromagnetic valve 7 is controlled so as to introduce the engine coolant into the heat storage material line 4 (hereinafter referred to as “cooling valve”). The warm-up promotion control for turning on the heat storage circuit is performed.

  Thereafter, in step S5, the control unit 8 determines whether or not the temperature of the engine cooling water is lower than 50 ° C. which is the first threshold temperature. If NO is determined in step S5, it is determined that the engine coolant has been sufficiently heated, and the process proceeds to step S7.

  When YES is determined in step S5, in step S6, the control unit 8 determines whether the latent heat storage material 5 is solidified based on the detection result of the solidification sensor 21. If YES is determined in step S6, the heat generation of the latent heat storage material 5 is completed, and thus the process proceeds to step S7. If NO is determined in step S6, that is, if the engine coolant temperature is lower than the first threshold temperature and the latent heat storage material 5 is not solidified, the process returns to step S5 and the warm-up promotion control is continued. To do.

  In step S7, the control unit 8 turns off the trigger 18 and turns off the heat storage circuit, and ends the warm-up promotion control.

  Thereafter, in step S8, the control unit 8 determines whether the latent heat storage material 5 is solidified based on the detection result of the solidification sensor 21. If NO is determined in step S8, the process returns to step S8.

  When YES is determined in step S8, in step S9, the control unit 8 determines whether or not the temperature of the engine coolant is equal to or higher than 60 ° C., which is the second threshold temperature. If NO is determined in step S9, the process returns to step S8.

  When YES is determined in step S9, that is, when the latent heat storage material 5 is solidified and the temperature of the engine cooling water is equal to or higher than the second threshold temperature, in step S10, the control unit 8 controls the heat storage circuit. Turn on and perform heat storage control. At this time, the trigger 18 remains off.

  Thereafter, in step S11, the control unit 8 determines whether the latent heat storage material 5 is solidified based on the detection result of the solidification sensor 21. If NO is determined in step S11, the latent heat storage material 5 becomes a liquid phase and the heat storage is completed, and thus the process proceeds to step S15.

  When YES is determined in step S11, in step S12, the control unit 8 determines whether the temperature of the engine coolant is equal to or higher than 60 ° C., which is the second threshold temperature. If NO is determined in step S12, the control unit 8 turns off the heat storage circuit in step S13, and then returns to step S12. That is, the heat storage control is temporarily suspended until the temperature of the engine cooling water reaches 60 ° C., which is the second threshold temperature.

  If YES is determined in step S12, the control unit 8 turns on the heat storage circuit in step S14, and then returns to step S11 to continue the heat storage control. In step S14, when the heat storage circuit is on, the heat storage circuit is kept on.

  In step S15, the control unit 8 turns off the heat storage circuit and ends the heat storage control. At this time, the trigger 18 remains off. Thereafter, the control is terminated.

  As described above, the vehicle warm-up system 1 according to the present embodiment includes the solidification sensor 21 that is provided in the heat storage tank 6 and detects whether or not the latent heat storage material 5 is solidified. The electromagnetic valve 7 is controlled based on the temperature of the engine cooling water and the detection result of the coagulation sensor 21.

  By providing the solidification sensor 21, it is possible to determine what state the latent heat storage material 5 is in, and if the latent heat storage material 5 becomes a solid phase during warming up and heat generation ends, the heat storage circuit It is possible to perform control according to the state of the latent heat storage material 5 such as turning off the heat storage circuit 5 or turning off the heat storage circuit when the latent heat storage material 5 becomes a liquid phase and the heat storage is completed during the heat storage.

  That is, in the vehicle warm-up system 1, it is possible to turn off the heat storage circuit when there is no need for warm-up or heat storage, and the water capacity of the entire engine can be reduced. Controllability can be improved.

  Further, by turning off the heat storage circuit when there is no need for warm-up or heat storage, it becomes possible to improve fuel efficiency by suppressing an increase in the resistance of water flowing through the engine cooling water.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it is needless to say that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

  For example, in the above embodiment, sodium acetate is used as the latent heat storage material 5, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and other materials may be used as the latent heat storage material 5.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Vehicle warm-up system 2 Engine cooling water line 3 Radiator 4 Thermal storage material line 5 Latent heat thermal storage material 6 Thermal storage tank 7 Electromagnetic valve 8 Control part 21 Solidification sensor

Claims (6)

A heat storage material line provided to branch from an engine cooling water line returning from the engine to the engine via a radiator;
A heat storage tank configured to be provided in the heat storage material line, to store a latent heat storage material, and to exchange heat between the engine cooling water flowing through the heat storage material line and the latent heat storage material;
A solenoid valve provided at a branch point between the engine coolant line and the heat storage material line;
In the vehicle warm-up system comprising: a control unit that controls whether to introduce engine cooling water into the heat storage material line by controlling the electromagnetic valve;
A solidification sensor that is provided in the heat storage tank and detects whether the latent heat storage material is solidified;
The control unit is configured to control the solenoid valve based on a temperature of the engine cooling water and a detection result of the coagulation sensor. Provided in the heat storage tank, provided with a trigger to start solidification by stimulating the latent heat storage material in the liquid phase in a supercooled state,
The vehicle warm-up system according to claim 1, wherein the coagulation sensor is provided in the vicinity of the trigger. When the solidification sensor detects that the latent heat storage material has not solidified, and the temperature of the engine coolant is lower than a preset first threshold temperature, the trigger causes the latent heat storage material to The vehicle warm-up system according to claim 2, wherein solidification is started and warm-up promotion control is performed to control the electromagnetic valve so as to introduce the engine coolant into the heat storage material line. The control unit detects that the latent heat storage material is solidified during the warm-up promotion control, or when the temperature of the engine cooling water is equal to or higher than the first threshold temperature. The vehicle warm-up system according to claim 3, wherein the warm-up promotion control is terminated by controlling the solenoid valve so as not to introduce the engine coolant into the heat storage material line. The control unit detects that the latent heat storage material is solidified after the warming-up acceleration control for heating the engine cooling water by the latent heat storage material is completed, and detects the engine cooling water. 2. When the temperature is equal to or higher than a second threshold temperature set in advance, the electromagnetic valve is controlled to introduce the engine coolant into the heat storage material line to perform heat storage control for melting the latent heat storage material. The vehicle warm-up system according to any one of? When the solidification sensor detects that the latent heat storage material is not solidified during the heat storage control, the control unit controls the solenoid valve so as not to introduce the engine coolant into the heat storage material line. The vehicle warm-up system according to claim 5, wherein the heat storage control is terminated.

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