JP2017198375A - Refrigerant amount shortage detection device and refrigeration cycle device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To properly determine shortage of a refrigerant in a refrigeration cycle device including an accumulator.SOLUTION: In a refrigerant detection device for detecting shortage of a refrigerant in a refrigeration cycle device 10 including a compressor 11 having a compression mechanism 11a sucking, compressing and discharging the refrigerant, a radiator 12 radiating heat from the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 11, a decompressing portion 14 for decompressing the refrigerant from which the heat is radiated by the radiator, evaporators 15, 20 for evaporating the refrigerant by making the refrigerant decompressed by the decompressing portion 14 absorb heat, and an accumulator 21 separating the refrigerant absorbing heat in the evaporators 15, 20 into gas and liquid, accumulating the separated liquid-phase refrigerant inside thereof, and making the separated gas-phase refrigerant flow out to a suction side of the compressor 11 with a lubricant mixed in the liquid-phase refrigerant, a determination portion 40 is further disposed to determine whether an amount of the refrigerant is insufficient or not on the basis of temperatures of heating elements 11b, 50 cooled by the refrigerant flowing out from the accumulator 21 and flowing into the compression mechanism 11a.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a refrigerant shortage detection device that detects refrigerant shortage in a refrigeration cycle, and a refrigeration cycle device including the same.

  Conventionally, Patent Documents 1 and 2 describe a refrigerant quantity shortage detection device that detects a refrigerant shortage in a refrigeration cycle.

  According to the prior art of Patent Document 1, when the evaporation pressure of the evaporator is controlled to be constant by the evaporation pressure adjusting valve, when the temperature of the air immediately after passing through the evaporator becomes higher than a predetermined temperature, Judged as insufficient refrigerant.

  According to the prior art of Patent Document 2, when the refrigerant pressure in the high pressure portion of the refrigeration cycle is equal to or lower than the set pressure, it is determined that the refrigerant is insufficient.

JP 10-185372 A JP-A-8-313123

  In the refrigeration cycle apparatus provided with an accumulator, when the prior arts of Patent Documents 1 and 2 described above are applied to detect refrigerant shortage, the operational reliability of the compressor of the refrigeration cycle apparatus cannot be secured under a low temperature environment such as winter. There's a problem. The reason will be described below.

  An accumulator is a gas-liquid separator which isolate | separates the gas-liquid of the refrigerant | coolant heat-exchanged with the evaporator of the refrigerating-cycle apparatus. The accumulator stores the separated liquid-phase refrigerant and causes the separated gas-phase refrigerant to flow out to the refrigerant suction port side of the compressor. Liquid compression in the compressor is suppressed by the accumulator.

  Refrigerating machine oil is mixed in the liquid phase refrigerant stored in the accumulator. The refrigerating machine oil is a lubricating oil that lubricates the compressor. The accumulator returns the refrigeration oil mixed in the liquid phase refrigerant to the compressor together with the gas phase refrigerant. At this time, a small amount of liquid-phase refrigerant is also returned to the compressor together with the refrigerating machine oil.

  When the liquid phase refrigerant stored in the accumulator decreases, the concentration of the refrigerating machine oil increases in the accumulator. For this reason, if the liquid refrigerant stored in the accumulator decreases in a low temperature environment where the viscosity of the refrigerating machine oil increases, the refrigerating machine oil cannot be returned to the compressor.

  On the other hand, in the prior arts of Patent Documents 1 and 2, it is determined whether or not the refrigerant is insufficient based on the temperature of the air immediately after passing through the evaporator or the refrigerant pressure in the high pressure part of the refrigeration cycle. The remarkable change in the temperature of the air immediately after and the refrigerant pressure in the high pressure part of the refrigeration cycle appears after the refrigerant in the refrigeration cycle is considerably reduced.

  That is, the refrigerant amount that can detect refrigerant shortage in the prior arts of Patent Documents 1 and 2 is smaller than the refrigerant amount that makes it impossible to return the refrigeration oil from the accumulator to the compressor due to viscosity. Therefore, since there is a possibility that the refrigeration oil cannot be returned to the compressor before the refrigerant shortage is detected, the operational reliability of the compressor cannot be ensured.

  An object of this invention is to determine appropriately the refrigerant | coolant shortage in a refrigerating-cycle apparatus provided with an accumulator in view of the said point.

In order to achieve the above object, the refrigerant shortage detection device according to claim 1,
A compressor (11) having a compression mechanism (11a) for sucking and compressing and discharging refrigerant;
A radiator (12) for radiating the refrigerant discharged from the compressor (11);
A decompression section (14) for decompressing the refrigerant radiated by the radiator;
An evaporator (15, 20) for absorbing the heat of the refrigerant decompressed by the decompression unit (14) and evaporating the refrigerant;
The gas-liquid of the refrigerant absorbed by the evaporator (15, 20) is separated, the separated liquid-phase refrigerant is stored inside, and the separated gas-phase refrigerant is mixed with the lubricating oil mixed in the liquid-phase refrigerant together with the compressor (11 In the refrigeration cycle device (10) provided with an accumulator (21) that flows out to the suction side of the refrigerant detection device,
Based on the temperature of the heating elements (11b, 50) cooled by the refrigerant flowing out of the accumulator (21) and flowing into the compression mechanism (11a), a determination unit that determines whether or not the amount of refrigerant is insufficient ( 40).

  According to this, since it is determined whether or not the amount of the refrigerant is insufficient based on the temperature of the heating element (11b, 50), it is appropriately determined whether the refrigerant is insufficient in the refrigeration cycle apparatus (10) including the accumulator (21). it can. This is because the temperature of the heating element has a correlation with the amount of the liquid-phase refrigerant stored in the accumulator (21) (see FIGS. 5, 6, and 7 to be described later).

In order to achieve the above object, in the refrigeration cycle apparatus according to claim 8,
A compressor (11) having a compression mechanism (11a) for sucking and compressing and discharging refrigerant;
A radiator (12) for radiating the refrigerant discharged from the compressor (11);
A decompression section (14) for decompressing the refrigerant radiated by the radiator;
An evaporator (15, 20) for absorbing the heat of the refrigerant decompressed by the decompression unit (14) and evaporating the refrigerant;
The gas-liquid of the refrigerant absorbed by the evaporator (15, 20) is separated, the separated liquid-phase refrigerant is stored inside, and the separated gas-phase refrigerant is mixed with the lubricating oil mixed in the liquid-phase refrigerant together with the compressor (11 An accumulator (21) that flows out to the suction side of
A temperature detection unit (43) for detecting the temperature of the heating element (11b, 50) cooled by the refrigerant flowing out from the gas-phase refrigerant outlet in the accumulator (21) and flowing into the compression mechanism (11a);
And a determination unit (40) that determines whether or not the amount of the refrigerant is insufficient based on the temperature of the heating element (11b, 50) detected by the temperature detection unit (43).

  Thus, the same effect as that of the first aspect can be achieved.

  In addition, the code | symbol in the bracket | parenthesis of each means described in this column and the claim shows the correspondence with the specific means as described in embodiment mentioned later.

It is a whole lineblock diagram of the refrigerating cycle device in a 1st embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the control processing which the control apparatus of the refrigerating-cycle apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment performs. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the other control processing which the control apparatus of the refrigerating-cycle apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment performs. It is a control characteristic figure used when the control apparatus of the refrigerating cycle device concerning a 1st embodiment calculates a temperature threshold. It is a graph which shows the relationship between the refrigerant | coolant amount in an accumulator in the refrigerating-cycle apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment, and a liquid back amount. It is a graph which shows the relationship between the liquid back | bag amount and heat generating body temperature in the refrigerating-cycle apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is a graph which shows the relationship between the cycle refrigerant | coolant amount and heat generating body temperature in the refrigerating-cycle apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is a whole block diagram of the refrigerating-cycle apparatus in 2nd Embodiment.

  Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following embodiments, the same or equivalent parts are denoted by the same reference numerals in the drawings.

(First embodiment)
A vehicle air conditioner 1 shown in FIG. 1 is an air conditioner that uses a vehicle interior as a space to be air conditioned. The vehicle air conditioner 1 is mounted on a hybrid vehicle. A hybrid vehicle is a vehicle that obtains driving force for vehicle travel from an engine and a travel electric motor.

  The vehicle air conditioner 1 has a refrigeration cycle apparatus 10. The refrigeration cycle apparatus 10 functions to cool or heat the air blown into the passenger compartment.

  The refrigeration cycle apparatus 10 is configured to be capable of switching between a cooling mode refrigerant channel, a dehumidifying and heating mode refrigerant channel, and a heating mode refrigerant channel.

  In the cooling mode, a cooling operation for cooling the passenger compartment is performed. In the dehumidifying heating mode, a dehumidifying heating operation is performed in which the vehicle interior is heated while dehumidifying. In the heating mode, a heating operation for heating the vehicle interior without dehumidifying is performed.

  The refrigerant of the refrigeration cycle apparatus 10 is a fluorocarbon refrigerant. The refrigeration cycle apparatus 10 constitutes a subcritical refrigeration cycle in which the pressure of the high-pressure refrigerant does not exceed the critical pressure of the refrigerant. Refrigerating machine oil is mixed in the refrigerant. The refrigerating machine oil is a lubricating oil that lubricates the compressor 11. A part of the refrigerating machine oil circulates in the cycle together with the refrigerant.

  The compressor 11 is disposed in the engine room of the vehicle. The compressor 11 sucks the refrigerant in the refrigeration cycle apparatus 10, compresses it, and discharges it. The compressor 11 is an electric compressor. The compressor 11 has a compression mechanism 11a and a drive mechanism 11b.

  For example, the compression mechanism 11a is a fixed capacity compression mechanism with a fixed discharge capacity. For example, the compression mechanism 11a is various compression mechanisms such as a scroll-type compression mechanism and a vane-type compression mechanism.

  The drive mechanism 11b is a drive unit that drives the compression mechanism 11a. The drive mechanism 11b has an electric motor and an inverter.

  The rotation speed of the electric motor is controlled by a control signal output from the control device 40. The electric motor is an AC motor. The refrigerant discharge capacity of the compression mechanism 11a is changed by controlling the rotational speed of the electric motor. The electric motor is a discharge capacity changing unit of the compression mechanism 11a.

  The inverter is a power conversion device that converts DC power supplied from a vehicle battery into AC power and outputs the AC power to an electric motor. The electric motor and the inverter are heating elements that generate heat when operated. The electric motor and the inverter are cooled by a low-temperature refrigerant sucked into the compressor 11.

  The inlet side of the indoor condenser 12 is connected to the discharge port side of the compressor 11. The indoor condenser 12 is disposed in the casing 31 of the indoor air conditioning unit 30. The indoor condenser 12 is a heat radiating part that radiates heat from the high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor 11. The indoor condenser 12 is a heat exchanger for heating that heats the air that has passed through the indoor evaporator 20.

  A first refrigerant passage 13 is connected to the outlet side of the indoor condenser 12. The first refrigerant passage 13 is a passage that guides the refrigerant flowing out of the indoor condenser 12 to the outdoor heat exchanger 15. A first expansion valve 14 is disposed in the first refrigerant passage 13. The first expansion valve 14 is a first throttle portion that can change the passage area of the first refrigerant passage 13.

  The first expansion valve 14 is a decompression unit that decompresses the refrigerant heat-exchanged by the indoor condenser 12. The first expansion valve 14 is an electric variable throttle mechanism having a valve body and an electric actuator. The valve body is configured to be able to change the throttle opening. The electric actuator is a stepping motor that changes the throttle opening of the valve body.

  The first expansion valve 14 is a variable throttle mechanism with a fully open function. The first expansion valve 14 fully opens the first refrigerant passage 13 when the throttle opening is fully opened. The first expansion valve 14 can prevent the refrigerant from depressurizing by fully opening the first refrigerant passage 13. The operation of the first expansion valve 14 is controlled by a control signal output from the control device 40.

  The inlet side of the outdoor heat exchanger 15 is connected to the outlet side of the first expansion valve 14. The outdoor heat exchanger 15 is a refrigerant outdoor air heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the refrigerant and the outside air. The refrigerant circulates inside the outdoor heat exchanger 15. Outside air is air outside the passenger compartment. Outside air is blown from the blower fan 23 to the outdoor heat exchanger 15.

  The outdoor heat exchanger 15 functions as an evaporator that evaporates the refrigerant in the heating mode or the like. The outdoor heat exchanger 15 functions as a heat absorption part that causes the refrigerant decompressed by the first expansion valve 14 to absorb heat from the outside air in the heating mode or the like. The outdoor heat exchanger 15 functions as a condenser that condenses the refrigerant in the cooling mode or the like. The outdoor heat exchanger 15 functions as a radiator that radiates the refrigerant in the cooling mode or the like.

  A second refrigerant passage 16 and a third refrigerant passage 18 are connected to the outlet side of the outdoor heat exchanger 15. The second refrigerant passage 16 guides the refrigerant flowing out of the outdoor heat exchanger 15 to the suction side of the compressor 11 via the accumulator 21. The third refrigerant passage 18 guides the refrigerant flowing out of the outdoor heat exchanger 15 to the suction side of the compressor 11 via the second expansion valve 19, the indoor evaporator 20, and the accumulator 21.

  The second refrigerant passage 16 is a parallel refrigerant passage through which refrigerant flows in parallel with the second expansion valve 19. A first on-off valve 17 is disposed in the second refrigerant passage 16. The first opening / closing valve 17 is an opening / closing part that opens and closes the second refrigerant passage 16. The first on-off valve 17 is a solenoid valve. The operation of the first on-off valve 17 is controlled by a control signal output from the control device 40.

  When the first on-off valve 17 is open, the pressure loss that occurs when the refrigerant passes through the second refrigerant passage 16 is smaller than the pressure loss that occurs when the refrigerant passes through the third refrigerant passage 18. This is because the second expansion valve 19 is disposed in the third refrigerant passage 18.

  Therefore, when the first on-off valve 17 is open, the refrigerant flowing out of the outdoor heat exchanger 15 flows to the second refrigerant passage 16 side, and when the first on-off valve 17 is closed, the refrigerant flows out of the outdoor heat exchanger 15. The refrigerant that has flowed flows to the third refrigerant passage 18 side.

  The first on-off valve 17 functions to switch the cycle configuration by opening and closing the second refrigerant passage 16. The first on-off valve 17 functions to switch the flow path of the refrigerant circulating in the cycle by opening and closing the second refrigerant passage 16. The first on-off valve 17 constitutes a refrigerant flow switching unit that switches a refrigerant flow.

  A second expansion valve 19 is disposed in the third refrigerant passage 18. The second expansion valve 19 is a decompression unit that decompresses the refrigerant. The second expansion valve is a second throttle portion configured to be able to change the passage area of the third refrigerant passage 18.

  The second expansion valve 19 is an electric variable throttle mechanism having a valve body and an electric actuator. The valve body is configured to be able to change the throttle opening. The electric actuator is a stepping motor that changes the throttle opening of the valve body.

  The second expansion valve 19 is a variable throttle mechanism with a fully open function. The second expansion valve 19 fully opens the third refrigerant passage 18 when the throttle opening is fully opened. The second expansion valve 19 can prevent the refrigerant from depressurizing by fully opening the third refrigerant passage 18. The operation of the second expansion valve 19 is controlled by a control signal output from the control device 40.

  The inlet side of the indoor evaporator 20 is connected to the outlet side of the second expansion valve 19. The indoor evaporator 20 is arranged in the casing 31 of the indoor air conditioning unit 30 on the upstream side of the air flow of the indoor condenser 12.

  The indoor evaporator 20 is an evaporator that evaporates the refrigerant by exchanging heat with the air before passing through the indoor condenser 12. The indoor evaporator 20 is an endothermic heat exchanger that cools air by exerting an endothermic action.

  The inlet side of the accumulator 21 is connected to the refrigerant outlet side of the indoor evaporator 20. The accumulator 21 is a gas-liquid separator that separates the gas-liquid refrigerant flowing out of the indoor evaporator 20 and stores excess refrigerant of the refrigeration cycle apparatus 10.

  The suction port side of the compressor 11 is connected to the gas phase refrigerant outlet of the accumulator 21. The accumulator 21 functions to suppress the liquid phase refrigerant from being sucked into the compressor 11 and suppress the liquid compression in the compressor 11.

  The refrigerant flowing out of the accumulator 21 is sucked into the compression mechanism 11a of the compressor 11 after cooling the drive mechanism 11b (that is, the electric motor and the inverter) of the compressor 11.

  The liquid refrigerant stored in the accumulator 21 is mixed with refrigerating machine oil that lubricates the compression mechanism 11a. The accumulator 21 is formed with an oil return hole (not shown) for returning the refrigeration oil mixed in the liquid refrigerant to the compression mechanism 11a. The refrigerating machine oil mixed in the liquid refrigerant is returned to the suction side of the compression mechanism 11a through the oil return hole.

  The indoor air conditioning unit 30 is arranged inside the instrument panel at the forefront of the vehicle interior. The casing 31 forms an outer shell of the indoor air conditioning unit 30. A blower 32, the indoor condenser 12, and the indoor evaporator 20 are accommodated in the casing 31.

  The casing 31 forms an air passage. The casing 31 has a certain degree of elasticity and is formed of a resin that is excellent in strength. For example, the casing 31 is formed of polypropylene.

  An inside / outside air switching device 33 is arranged on the most upstream side of the air flow in the casing 31. The inside / outside air switching device 33 introduces switching between inside air and outside air. The inside air is air in the passenger compartment.

  The inside / outside air switching device 33 is formed with an inside air introduction port and an outside air introduction port. The inside air introduction port introduces inside air into the casing 31. The outside air introduction port introduces outside air into the casing 31. An inside / outside air switching door is disposed inside the inside / outside air switching device 33. The inside / outside air switching door continuously adjusts the opening area of the inside air introduction port and the outside air introduction port to change the air volume ratio between the inside air volume and the outside air volume.

  A blower 32 is arranged on the downstream side of the air flow of the inside / outside air switching device 33. The blower 32 blows air introduced through the inside / outside air switching device 33 toward the vehicle interior. The blower 32 is an electric blower having a centrifugal multiblade fan 32a and an electric motor 32b.

  The centrifugal multiblade fan 32a is a blower that blows air into the passenger compartment. The centrifugal multiblade fan 32a is a sirocco fan. The electric motor 32b drives the centrifugal multiblade fan 32a. The rotation speed of the electric motor 32 b is controlled by a control voltage output from the control device 40. The air volume of the blower 32 is controlled by the control device 40.

  On the downstream side of the air flow of the blower 32, the indoor evaporator 20 and the indoor condenser 12 are arranged in this order with respect to the air flow. The indoor evaporator 20 is disposed upstream of the indoor condenser 12 in the air flow direction.

  A cold air bypass passage 35 is formed in the casing 31. The cold air bypass passage 35 is a passage through which the air that has passed through the indoor evaporator 20 flows through the indoor condenser 12.

  An air mix door 36 is disposed on the air flow downstream side of the indoor evaporator 20 and on the air flow upstream side of the indoor condenser 12. The air mix door 36 is an air volume ratio adjusting unit that adjusts the air volume ratio between the air that has passed through the indoor evaporator 20 and the air that passes through the indoor condenser 12 and the air that passes through the cold air bypass passage 35. The air mix door 36 adjusts the ratio between the air volume heated by the indoor condenser 12 and the remaining air volume in the air volume of the blower 32.

  A mixing space is provided on the air flow downstream side of the indoor condenser 12 and the air flow downstream side of the cold air bypass passage 35. The mixing space is a space for mixing the air that has passed through the indoor condenser 12 and the air that has passed through the cold air bypass passage 35.

  An air outlet is disposed on the most downstream side of the air flow in the casing 31. The air outlet blows out the conditioned air mixed in the mixing space toward the passenger compartment. A blower outlet is a face blower outlet, a foot blower outlet, and a defroster blower outlet. The face air outlet blows conditioned air to the upper body of the passenger in the passenger compartment. The foot outlet blows conditioned air toward the passenger's feet. The defroster outlet blows conditioned air toward the inner surface of the front window glass of the vehicle.

  The air mix door 36 adjusts the air volume ratio between the air that passes through the indoor condenser 12 and the air that passes through the cold air bypass passage 35, thereby adjusting the temperature of the conditioned air mixed in the mixing space. The temperature of the conditioned air blown out from the outlet is adjusted.

  The air mix door 36 is driven by a servo motor 37. The operation of the servo motor 37 is controlled by a control signal output from the control device 40. When the control device 40 controls the operation of the servo motor 37, the opening degree of the air mix door 36 is adjusted in the range of 0% to 100%.

  When the opening degree of the air mix door 36 is adjusted to 0%, the maximum cooling state is achieved. That is, when the opening degree of the air mix door 36 is adjusted to 0%, the air mix door 36 fully opens the cold air bypass passage 35 and fully closes the air passage on the indoor condenser 12 side. When the opening degree of the air mix door 36 is adjusted to 100%, the maximum heating state is achieved. That is, when the opening degree of the air mix door 36 is adjusted to 100%, the air mix door 36 fully closes the cold air bypass passage 35 and fully opens the air passage on the indoor condenser 12 side.

  A face door, a foot door, and a defroster door are arranged on the upstream side of the air flow of the face outlet, the foot outlet, and the defroster outlet. The face door adjusts the opening area of the face outlet. The foot door adjusts the opening area of the foot outlet. The defroster door adjusts the opening area of the defroster outlet.

  The face door, foot door, and defroster door are air outlet mode switching units that switch the air outlet mode. The face door, foot door, and defroster door are driven by a servo motor via a link mechanism or the like. The operation of the servo motor is controlled by a control signal output from the control device 40.

  The control device 40 is composed of a well-known microcomputer including a CPU, ROM, RAM, and its peripheral circuits. The control device 40 performs various calculations and processes based on the control program stored in the ROM, and controls the operation of various control devices connected to the output side.

  The control device 40 constitutes a refrigerant shortage detection device that detects a shortage of refrigerant in the refrigeration cycle apparatus. The control device 40 is a determination unit that determines whether or not the amount of refrigerant is insufficient.

  Various air conditioning control sensor groups such as an inside air sensor, an outside air sensor 41, a solar radiation sensor, an evaporator temperature sensor, a discharge temperature sensor, a high pressure sensor, and an outlet refrigerant temperature sensor 42 are connected to the input side of the control device 40. ing.

  The inside air sensor detects the passenger compartment temperature Tr. The outside air sensor 41 detects the outside air temperature Tam. The solar radiation sensor detects the solar radiation amount Ts in the passenger compartment. The evaporator temperature sensor detects the temperature of the air blown from the indoor evaporator 20 (evaporator temperature) Te. The discharge temperature sensor detects the temperature Td of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 11. The high pressure sensor detects the refrigerant pressure Ph of the indoor condenser 12. The outlet refrigerant temperature sensor 42 detects the temperature of the refrigerant on the outlet side of the outdoor heat exchanger 15.

  Further, a heating element temperature sensor 43 is connected to the input side of the control device 40. The heating element temperature sensor 43 is a heating element temperature detection unit that detects the temperature of the drive mechanism 11 b of the compressor 11. Specifically, the heating element temperature sensor 43 detects the temperature of the electric motor or inverter in the drive mechanism 11b. Hereinafter, the temperature detected by the heating element temperature sensor 43 is referred to as a heating element temperature.

  Operation signals from various operation switches are input to the control device 40. Various operation switches are provided on the operation panel. The operation panel is arranged near the instrument panel in the front part of the vehicle interior.

  The various operation switches are an air conditioner switch, a temperature setting switch, and the like. The air conditioner switch is an operation switch for setting whether or not to cool the air in the indoor air conditioning unit 30. The temperature setting switch is an operation switch for setting a set temperature in the passenger compartment.

  The control device 40 is configured integrally with a control unit that controls the operation of various control devices connected to the output side. Software and hardware for controlling the operation of each control device in the control device 40 constitutes a control unit for controlling the operation of each control device.

  For example, software and hardware that control the electric motor of the compressor 11 constitutes a discharge capacity control unit. Software and hardware for controlling the first expansion valve 14 constitute a first throttle control unit. Software and hardware for controlling the second expansion valve 19 constitute a second throttle control unit. Software and hardware for controlling the first on-off valve 17 constitute a flow path switching control unit. Software and hardware for controlling the servo motor 37 for driving the air mix door 36 constitute an air mix door control unit.

  Next, the operation of the vehicle air conditioner 1 of the present embodiment having the above configuration will be described. As described above, the vehicle air conditioner 1 of the present embodiment can be switched to the cooling mode for cooling the passenger compartment, the heating mode for heating the passenger compartment, and the dehumidifying and heating mode for heating while dehumidifying the passenger compartment.

  Switching control processing for each operation mode will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3 are flowcharts showing a flow of control processing executed by the control device 40 of the vehicle air conditioner 1 of the present embodiment.

  In the flowchart of FIG. 2, the cooling mode, the dehumidifying heating mode, and the heating mode are switched. In the flowchart of FIG. 3, it is determined whether or not the refrigerant is insufficient.

  2 and 3 are executed as a subroutine for the main routine of air conditioning control. Each control step in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 constitutes various function realization units that the control device 40 has.

First, in step S10 in the flowchart of FIG. 2, the control device 40 reads the detection signal of the sensor group and the operation signal of the operation panel. In step S20, based on the read detection signal and operation signal values, the target blowing temperature TAO is calculated based on the following mathematical formula. The target blowing temperature TAO is the target temperature of the blowing air blown into the vehicle interior.
TAO = Kset * Tset-Kr * Tr-Kam * Tam-Ks * Ts + C
Tset is the vehicle interior set temperature set by the temperature setting switch, Tr is the vehicle interior temperature (inside air temperature) detected by the inside air sensor, Tam is the outside air temperature detected by the outside air sensor 41, and Ts is detected by the solar radiation sensor. The amount of solar radiation. Kset, Kr, Kam, Ks are control gains, and C is a correction constant.

  In step S20, the control device 40 determines the target outlet temperature TAVO of the indoor condenser 12 with reference to the control map stored in advance based on the target outlet temperature TAO.

  In step S30, it is determined whether or not the air conditioner switch on the operation panel is turned on. As a result, when it is determined that the air conditioner switch is off, the process proceeds to step S40, and the operation mode is determined to be the heating mode. When it is determined that the air conditioner switch is on, the process proceeds to step S50.

  In step S50, it is determined whether the target condenser outlet temperature TAVO is lower than the cooling reference temperature α. The cooling reference temperature α is determined in advance and stored in the control device 40. When it is determined that the target condenser outlet temperature TAVO is lower than the cooling reference temperature α, the process proceeds to step S60, and the operation mode is determined to be the cooling mode. When it is determined that the target condenser outlet temperature TAVO is equal to or higher than the cooling reference temperature α, the process proceeds to step S70, and the operation mode is determined to be the dehumidifying heating mode.

  In this way, each operation mode can be appropriately switched between the heating mode, the cooling mode, and the dehumidifying heating mode according to the operating environment of the vehicle air conditioner 1.

  Next, operations in the heating mode, the cooling mode, and the dehumidifying heating mode will be described.

(A) Heating Mode In the heating mode, the control device 40 opens the second refrigerant passage 16 with the first on-off valve 17. Thereby, in the refrigerating cycle apparatus 10, as shown by the black arrow in FIG.

  With this refrigerant flow path configuration, the control device 40 operates the various control devices connected to the control device 40 based on the target blowing temperature TAO, the target condenser blowing temperature TAVO, the detection signal of the sensor group, and the like (various types). Control signal to be output to the control device).

  For example, the rotational speed of the compressor 11, that is, the control signal output to the electric motor of the compressor 11 is determined as follows. First, based on the deviation between the target condenser blowout temperature TAVO and the condenser blowout air temperature TAV, the compressor 11 is used so that the blowout air temperature blown into the passenger compartment approaches the target blowout temperature TAO using a feedback control method. A control signal to be output to the electric motor is determined. Thereby, the rotation speed of the compressor 11, in other words, the refrigerant discharge capacity of the compressor 11 is determined.

  Regarding the opening degree of the first expansion valve 14, that is, the control signal output to the first expansion valve 14, the degree of supercooling of the refrigerant flowing into the first expansion valve 14 causes the coefficient of performance COP of the cycle to approach the maximum value. Is determined so as to approach a predetermined target supercooling degree.

  Regarding the opening degree of the air mix door 36, that is, the control signal output to the servo motor of the air mix door 36, the air mix door 36 closes the cold air bypass passage 35 and the total flow rate of air after passing through the indoor evaporator 20. Is determined to pass through the air passage of the indoor condenser 12. That is, in the heating mode, the opening degree of the air mix door 36 is determined to be 100%, and the air mix door 36 is operated to the maximum heating state position.

  The air volume of the blower 32, that is, the control signal output to the electric motor 32b of the blower 32 is determined according to the condenser blown air temperature TAV.

  Then, the control signal determined as described above is output to various control devices. Thereafter, until the operation stop of the vehicle air conditioner 1 is requested by the operation panel, a control routine such as operation mode determination processing → determination of operation states of various control devices → output of control signals and the like is repeated at predetermined intervals. . Such a control routine is repeated in the other operation modes.

  Therefore, in the refrigeration cycle apparatus 10 in the heating mode, the high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor 11 flows into the indoor condenser 12. The refrigerant that has flowed into the indoor condenser 12 exchanges heat with the air that is blown from the blower 32 and passes through the indoor evaporator 20 to dissipate heat. Thereby, the air blown into the passenger compartment is heated.

  The refrigerant flowing out of the indoor condenser 12 flows into the first expansion valve 14 through the first refrigerant passage 13 and is decompressed and expanded at the first expansion valve 14 until it becomes a low-pressure refrigerant. The low-pressure refrigerant decompressed by the first expansion valve 14 flows into the outdoor heat exchanger 15 and absorbs heat from the outside air blown by the blower fan. The refrigerant that has flowed out of the outdoor heat exchanger 15 flows into the accumulator 21 through the second refrigerant passage 16 and is separated into gas and liquid.

  The gas-phase refrigerant separated by the accumulator 21 is sucked from the suction side of the compressor 11 and is compressed again by the compressor 11. Note that the liquid-phase refrigerant separated by the accumulator 21 is stored in the accumulator 21 as surplus refrigerant that is not necessary to exhibit the refrigeration capacity for which the cycle is required. Since the third refrigerant passage 18 is closed by the second expansion valve 19, the refrigerant does not flow into the indoor evaporator 20.

  As described above, in the heating mode, the heat of the high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor 11 by the indoor condenser 12 can be radiated to the air, and the heated air can be blown out into the vehicle interior. Thereby, heating of a vehicle interior is realizable.

(B) Cooling Mode In the cooling mode, the control device 40 closes the second refrigerant passage 16 with the first on-off valve 17. Further, the first refrigerant passage 13 is fully opened by the first expansion valve 14. Thereby, in the refrigerating cycle device 10, as shown by the white arrow in FIG.

  With the configuration of the refrigerant flow path, the control device 40 controls the operation state of various control devices connected to the control device 40, that is, outputs to the various control devices, based on the target blowing temperature TAO, the detection signal of the sensor group, and the like. Determine the signal.

  For example, the refrigerant discharge capacity of the compressor 11, that is, the control signal output to the electric motor of the compressor 11 is determined as follows. First, based on the target blowing temperature TAO, a target evaporator blowing temperature TEO of air blown from the indoor evaporator 20 is determined with reference to a control map stored in the control device 40 in advance. Therefore, in the control routine executed by the control device 40, the control step for determining the target evaporator outlet temperature TEO constitutes the target evaporator outlet temperature determining unit.

  Then, based on the deviation between the target evaporator blowout temperature TEO and the detected value of the evaporator temperature sensor, the temperature of the air that has passed through the indoor evaporator 20 using the feedback control method approaches the target blowout temperature TAO. A control signal output to the electric motor of the compressor 11 is determined.

  The control signal output to the second expansion valve 19 is such that the degree of supercooling of the refrigerant flowing into the second expansion valve 19 approaches a target supercooling degree that is set in advance so that the COP approaches the maximum value. To be determined.

  Regarding the control signal output to the servo motor of the air mix door 36, the air mix door 36 closes the air passage of the indoor condenser 12, and the total air flow after passing through the indoor evaporator 20 is the cold air bypass passage. 35 is determined to pass.

  Therefore, in the refrigeration cycle apparatus 10 in the cooling mode, the high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor 11 flows into the indoor condenser 12. At this time, since the air mix door 36 closes the air passage of the indoor condenser 12, the refrigerant flowing into the indoor condenser 12 flows out of the indoor condenser 12 with almost no heat exchange with the air.

  The refrigerant that has flowed out of the indoor condenser 12 flows into the first expansion valve 14 through the first refrigerant passage 13. At this time, since the first expansion valve 14 fully opens the first refrigerant passage 13, the refrigerant flowing out of the indoor condenser 12 is not decompressed by the first expansion valve 14, and is transferred to the outdoor heat exchanger 15. Inflow. The refrigerant flowing into the outdoor heat exchanger 15 radiates heat to the outside air blown from the blower fan in the outdoor heat exchanger 15.

  The refrigerant flowing out of the outdoor heat exchanger 15 flows into the second expansion valve 19 via the third refrigerant passage 18 and is decompressed and expanded at the second expansion valve 19 until it becomes a low-pressure refrigerant. The low-pressure refrigerant decompressed by the second expansion valve 19 flows into the indoor evaporator 20, absorbs heat from the air blown from the blower 32, and evaporates. Thereby, the air blown into the passenger compartment is cooled.

  The refrigerant flowing out of the indoor evaporator 20 flows into the accumulator 21 and is separated into gas and liquid. The gas-phase refrigerant separated by the accumulator 21 is sucked from the suction side of the compressor 11 and is compressed again by the compressor 11. Note that the liquid-phase refrigerant separated by the accumulator 21 is stored in the accumulator 21 as surplus refrigerant that is not necessary to exhibit the refrigeration capacity for which the cycle is required.

  As described above, in the cooling mode, the air passage of the indoor condenser 12 is closed by the air mix door 36, so that the air cooled by the indoor evaporator 20 can be blown out into the vehicle interior. Thereby, cooling of a vehicle interior is realizable.

(C) Dehumidification heating mode In the dehumidification heating mode, the control device 40 closes the second refrigerant passage 16 by the first on-off valve 17. Then, the first and second expansion valves 14 and 19 are set to the throttle state or the fully open state. Thereby, the refrigeration cycle apparatus 10 is switched to the refrigerant flow path through which the refrigerant flows, as indicated by the white horizontal arrow in FIG. 1, as in the cooling mode. In the dehumidifying heating mode, the outdoor heat exchanger 15 and the indoor evaporator 20 are connected in series with respect to the refrigerant flow.

  With this refrigerant flow path configuration, the control device 40 operates based on the target outlet temperature TAO, the target condenser outlet temperature TAVO, the detection signal of the sensor group, etc., that is, the operating states of various control devices connected to the controller 40, that is, Control signals to be output to various control devices are determined.

  For example, the control signal output to the electric motor of the compressor 11 is determined similarly to the cooling mode. Regarding the control signal output to the servo motor of the air mix door 36, the air mix door 36 closes the cold air bypass passage 35, and the total flow rate of air after passing through the indoor evaporator 20 is the air of the indoor condenser 12. It is determined to pass through the passage.

  The first expansion valve 14 and the second expansion valve 19 have throttle openings corresponding to the target condenser outlet temperature TAVO calculated based on the target outlet temperature TAO that is the target temperature of the outlet air that is blown out into the passenger compartment. Be changed. Specifically, the control device 40 reduces the passage area of the first refrigerant passage 13 by the first expansion valve 14 and increases the second expansion valve 19 by the first expansion valve 19 as the target condenser blowout temperature TAVO increases. 3 The passage area of the refrigerant passage 18 is increased. Thereby, in the dehumidifying heating mode, the four-stage mode from the first mode to the fourth mode is continuously executed.

  In the first mode, the first expansion passage 14 makes the first refrigerant passage 13 fully open, and the second expansion valve 19 is in the throttle state. That is, with respect to the cycle configuration, the refrigerant flow path is exactly the same as in the cooling mode, but the air mix door 36 fully opens the air passage on the indoor condenser 12 side.

  Thereby, in the indoor condenser 12, the high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor 11 exchanges heat with the air cooled and dehumidified by the indoor evaporator 20 to dissipate heat. Thereby, the air blown into the passenger compartment is heated.

  Therefore, in the first mode of the dehumidifying and heating mode, the air cooled and dehumidified by the indoor evaporator 20 can be heated by the indoor condenser 12 and blown out into the vehicle interior. Thereby, dehumidification heating of a vehicle interior is realizable.

  In the second mode, the first expansion valve 14 is set to the throttle state, and the throttle opening of the second expansion valve 19 is set to the throttle state increased from that in the first mode. Therefore, in the second mode, the temperature of the refrigerant flowing into the outdoor heat exchanger 15 can be lowered compared to the first mode. Therefore, the temperature difference between the temperature of the refrigerant in the outdoor heat exchanger 15 and the outside air temperature can be reduced, and the heat radiation amount of the refrigerant in the outdoor heat exchanger 15 can be reduced.

  As a result, the heat radiation amount of the refrigerant in the indoor condenser 12 can be increased with respect to the first mode, and the temperature of the air blown out from the indoor condenser 12 can be increased.

  In the third mode, a throttle state in which the throttle opening of the first expansion valve 14 is reduced compared to that in the second mode, and a throttle state in which the throttle opening of the second expansion valve 19 is increased than in the second mode; To do.

  Accordingly, in the third mode, the refrigerant that has flowed out of the indoor condenser 12 flows into the first expansion valve 14 via the first refrigerant passage 13 and is depressurized until it becomes an intermediate pressure refrigerant having a temperature lower than the outside air temperature. . Then, the intermediate pressure refrigerant decompressed by the first expansion valve 14 flows into the outdoor heat exchanger 15 and absorbs heat from the outside air blown from the blower fan.

  That is, in the third mode, the outdoor heat exchanger 15 is caused to function as a heat absorber that absorbs heat from the refrigerant by reducing the throttle opening of the first expansion valve 14, so that the indoor condenser is more than in the second mode. The temperature blown from 12 can be raised.

  As a result, the heat release amount of the refrigerant in the indoor condenser 12 can be increased with respect to the second mode, and the temperature of the air blown out from the indoor condenser 12 can be increased.

  In the fourth mode, the throttle opening of the first expansion valve 14 is set to a throttle state that is smaller than that in the third mode, and the third refrigerant passage 18 is fully opened by the second expansion valve 19.

  Therefore, in the fourth mode, the refrigerant evaporation temperature in the outdoor heat exchanger 15 can be lowered compared to the third mode, and the heat absorption amount of the refrigerant in the outdoor heat exchanger 15 can be increased.

  As a result, the temperature of the blown air blown out from the indoor condenser 12 can be increased more than in the third mode.

  As described above, in the dehumidifying heating mode, the throttle opening degree of the first expansion valve 14 and the second expansion valve 19 is changed according to the target condenser outlet temperature TAVO calculated based on the target outlet temperature TAO. The temperature of the blown-out air blown into the room can be adjusted over a wide range from the low temperature range to the high temperature range.

  In other words, in the dehumidifying heating mode, the amount of heat released from the refrigerant in the outdoor heat exchanger 15 is changed while the outdoor heat exchanger 15 is switched from a state in which it functions as a radiator that radiates the refrigerant to a state in which it functions as an evaporator that absorbs heat from the refrigerant. Alternatively, the endothermic amount can be adjusted.

  Therefore, the heat radiation amount of the refrigerant in the indoor condenser 12 can be adjusted in a wide range, and the temperature adjustment range of the blown air blown into the air-conditioning target space during the dehumidifying operation can be expanded.

  Next, in step S100 in the flowchart of FIG. 3, the control device 40 reads the detection signal of the sensor group and the operation signal of the operation panel.

  In step S110, it is determined whether or not the refrigeration cycle is stable based on the value of the read detection signal. Specifically, it is determined whether or not the refrigeration cycle is stable based on the degree of fluctuation in refrigerant pressure or refrigerant temperature. For example, when the fluctuation amount of the refrigerant pressure or the refrigerant temperature is a predetermined value or less, it is determined that the refrigeration cycle is stable.

  If it is determined that the refrigeration cycle is not stable, it is determined that the refrigerant amount cannot be appropriately determined, and step S110 is repeated. If it is determined that the refrigeration cycle is stable, it is determined that the refrigerant amount can be appropriately determined, and the process proceeds to step S120.

  In step S120, a temperature threshold value is calculated. The temperature threshold is used as a determination threshold when determining whether or not the refrigerant is insufficient. The temperature threshold value increases as the cooling capacity of the refrigerant with respect to the heating element 11b decreases. Moreover, it becomes a larger value, so that the emitted-heat amount of the heat generating body 11b is large.

  The temperature threshold is calculated based on the temperature of the refrigerant flowing out of the accumulator 21, the pressure of the high-pressure side refrigerant in the refrigeration cycle, and the rotation speed of the compressor 11.

  For example, the characteristic map shown in FIG. 4 is stored in the control device 40 in advance, and based on the temperature of the refrigerant flowing out of the accumulator 21, the pressure Ph of the high-pressure side refrigerant, and the rotation speed Nc of the compressor 11, FIG. The temperature threshold value is calculated with reference to the characteristic map shown.

  The higher the temperature of the refrigerant that has flowed out of the accumulator 21, the higher the temperature of the refrigerant that cools the heating element 11b and the lower the cooling capacity of the refrigerant with respect to the heating element 11b. As the pressure Ph of the high-pressure side refrigerant is higher, the compressor 11 works and the amount of heat generated by the electric motor or inverter that is the heating element 11b increases, so the temperature threshold value is increased. The lower the rotation speed Nc of the compressor 11, the smaller the flow rate of the refrigerant that cools the heat generating element 11b and the lower the cooling capacity of the refrigerant with respect to the heat generating element 11b.

  In the characteristic map shown in FIG. 4, the temperature of the refrigerant sucked into the compressor 11 or the temperature of the outside air may be used instead of the temperature of the refrigerant flowing out from the accumulator 21.

  For example, a calculation formula may be stored in the control device 40 in advance instead of the characteristic map shown in FIG. That is, a calculation formula for calculating the temperature threshold based on the cooling capacity of the refrigerant with respect to the heating element 11b and the amount of heat generated by the heating element 11b may be stored in the control device 40 in advance.

  In subsequent step S130, it is determined whether or not the temperature of the heating element 11b detected by the heating element temperature sensor 43 is higher than the temperature threshold value calculated in step S120.

  If it is determined that the temperature of the heating element 11b detected by the heating element temperature sensor 43 is not higher than the temperature threshold value calculated in step S120, it is determined that the refrigerant is not insufficient, and the process returns to step S110.

  When it is determined that the temperature of the heating element 11b detected by the heating element temperature sensor 43 is higher than the temperature threshold calculated in step S120, it is determined that the refrigerant is insufficient, and the process proceeds to step S140 to stop the system. Notify crew of system abnormality.

  That is, as shown in FIGS. 5, 6, and 7, the temperature of the heating element 11 b has a correlation with the amount of the liquid-phase refrigerant stored in the accumulator 21. Therefore, it can be estimated based on the temperature of the heat generating body 11b whether the refrigerant is insufficient.

  Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, the amount of liquid back decreases as the amount of liquid-phase refrigerant stored in the accumulator 21 decreases. The liquid back amount is the amount of liquid phase refrigerant returned from the accumulator 21 to the suction side of the compressor 11. In other words, the amount of liquid back decreases as the liquid level of the liquid-phase refrigerant stored in the accumulator 21 decreases.

  And as shown in FIG. 6, the cooling capacity of the refrigerant | coolant with respect to the heat generating body 11b becomes low, and the temperature of a heat generating body becomes high, so that liquid back amount is small.

  Further, since the amount of liquid-phase refrigerant stored in the accumulator 21 decreases as the amount of cycle refrigerant decreases, the temperature of the heating element 11b is correlated with the amount of cycle refrigerant as shown in FIG. Therefore, it can be estimated whether the refrigerant | coolant of a cycle is insufficient based on the temperature of the heat generating body 11b.

  5 to 7 show a relationship when it is assumed that the temperature of the refrigerant, the pressure of the refrigerant, and the amount of heat generated by the heating element 11b are constant for the sake of simplicity.

  In the present embodiment, the heating element 11 b is cooled by the refrigerant that flows out of the accumulator 21 and flows into the compression mechanism 11 a of the compressor 11. And the control apparatus 40 determines whether the quantity of a refrigerant | coolant is insufficient based on the temperature of the heat generating body 11b.

  Thereby, a refrigerant shortage can be judged appropriately. This is because the temperature of the heating element 11b has a correlation with the amount of the liquid-phase refrigerant stored in the accumulator 21, as described above with reference to FIGS.

  In the present embodiment, the control device 40 determines the amount of refrigerant based on the cooling capacity of the refrigerant with respect to the heating element 11b, the physical quantity related to at least one of the heating values of the heating element 11b, and the temperature of the heating element 11b. It is determined whether or not there is a shortage.

  According to this, it is determined whether or not the amount of the refrigerant is insufficient in consideration of at least one of the cooling capacity of the refrigerant with respect to the heating element 11b and the amount of heat generated by the heating element 11b. it can.

  The physical quantity related to at least one of the cooling capacity of the refrigerant with respect to the heating element 11b and the heating value of the heating element 11b is, for example, the temperature of the refrigerant flowing out of the accumulator 21, the pressure of the refrigerant flowing out of the accumulator 21, and the compressor 11 or the like.

  The physical quantity related to at least one of the cooling capacity of the refrigerant with respect to the heating element 11b and the heat generation amount of the heating element 11b may be, for example, the temperature of the refrigerant sucked into the compressor 11 or the temperature of the outside air.

  Specifically, the control device 40 stores a characteristic map representing the relationship between the physical quantity and the threshold, calculates the threshold based on the physical quantity and the characteristic map, and the temperature of the heating element 11b is higher than the threshold. When it is low, it is determined that the amount of the refrigerant is insufficient.

  The control device 40 may store a calculation formula for calculating a threshold value based on a physical quantity instead of the characteristic map. That is, the control device 40 may calculate a threshold value based on the physical quantity and the calculation formula, and may determine that the amount of the refrigerant is insufficient when the temperature of the heating element 11b is lower than the threshold value.

  In the present embodiment, the heating element 11 b is a motor or an inverter that constitutes the drive mechanism 11 b of the compressor 11. Thereby, the refrigerant shortage can be determined using the existing drive mechanism 11 b and the heating element temperature sensor 43 in the refrigeration cycle apparatus 10.

(Second Embodiment)
In the above embodiment, it is estimated whether or not the refrigerant is insufficient based on the temperature of the heating element 11b (that is, the electric motor or the inverter) included in the compressor 11, but in this embodiment, based on the temperature of the electric heater 50. Thus, it is estimated whether or not the refrigerant is insufficient.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the electric heater 50 is disposed in the refrigerant flow path between the gas-phase refrigerant outlet of the accumulator 21 and the refrigerant inlet of the compression mechanism 11 a of the compressor 11. The electric heater 50 is a heating element that generates heat when electric power is supplied. The electric heater 50 is cooled by the refrigerant that flows out from the gas-phase refrigerant outlet of the accumulator 21 and is sucked into the compressor 11.

  In the present embodiment, the heating element temperature sensor 43 detects the temperature of the electric heater 50. And the control apparatus 40 estimates whether the refrigerant | coolant is insufficient based on the temperature of the electric heater 50 which the heat generating body temperature sensor 43 detected.

  Also in this embodiment, the same operational effects as those in the above embodiment can be obtained.

(Other embodiments)
The above embodiments can be combined as appropriate. The above embodiment can be variously modified as follows, for example.

  (1) In the above embodiment, the example in which the heating mode, the cooling mode, and the dehumidifying heating mode are switched by the operation signal of the air conditioner switch has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, an operation mode setting switch for setting each operation mode may be provided on the operation panel, and the heating mode, the cooling mode, and the dehumidifying heating mode may be switched according to an operation signal of the operation mode setting switch.

  (2) In the refrigeration cycle apparatus 10 of the above embodiment, a chlorofluorocarbon refrigerant is used as the refrigerant, but the type of refrigerant is not limited to this, and natural refrigerant such as carbon dioxide, hydrocarbon refrigerant, etc. It may be used.

  (3) Although the refrigeration cycle apparatus 10 of the above embodiment constitutes a subcritical refrigeration cycle in which the high-pressure side refrigerant pressure does not exceed the critical pressure of the refrigerant, supercritical refrigeration in which the high-pressure side refrigerant pressure exceeds the critical pressure of the refrigerant You may comprise the cycle.

  (4) In the above embodiment, the vehicle air conditioner 1 is mounted on a hybrid vehicle. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the vehicle air conditioner 1 may be mounted on various vehicles such as an electric vehicle.

  (5) In the said embodiment, although the refrigeration cycle apparatus 10 is applied to the vehicle air conditioner 1, it is not limited to this, For example, the refrigeration cycle apparatus 10 is applicable to a stationary air conditioner.

11 Compressor 11a Compression mechanism 11b Drive mechanism (heating element)
12 Indoor condenser (heat radiator)
14 1st expansion valve (pressure reduction part)
15 Outdoor heat exchanger (evaporator)
20 Indoor evaporator (evaporator)
21 Accumulator (gas-liquid separator)
40 Control device (determination unit)
43 Heating element temperature sensor (temperature detector)

Claims (8)

A compressor (11) having a compression mechanism (11a) for sucking and compressing and discharging refrigerant;
A radiator (12) for radiating heat from the refrigerant discharged from the compressor;
A decompression section (14) for decompressing the refrigerant radiated by the radiator;
An evaporator (15, 20) for absorbing the heat of the refrigerant decompressed by the decompression unit and evaporating the refrigerant;
The refrigerant gas-liquid absorbed by the evaporator is separated, the separated liquid-phase refrigerant is stored inside, and the separated gas-phase refrigerant is mixed with the lubricating oil mixed in the liquid-phase refrigerant and the suction side of the compressor A refrigerant amount shortage detection device for detecting a shortage of the refrigerant in a refrigeration cycle device (10) comprising an accumulator (21) that flows out into
A determination unit (40) for determining whether or not the amount of the refrigerant is insufficient based on the temperature of the heating element (11b, 50) cooled by the refrigerant flowing out of the accumulator and flowing into the compression mechanism. A refrigerant quantity shortage detection device comprising:   The determination unit has an insufficient amount of the refrigerant based on a cooling capacity of the refrigerant with respect to the heating element, a physical quantity related to at least one of the heating values of the heating element, and a temperature of the heating element. The refrigerant quantity shortage detection device according to claim 1 which judges whether it is.   The determination unit stores a characteristic map representing a relationship between the physical quantity and the threshold, calculates the threshold based on the physical quantity and the characteristic map, and the temperature of the heating element is higher than the threshold. The refrigerant shortage detection device according to claim 2, wherein when it is low, it is determined that the amount of the refrigerant is short.   The determination unit stores a calculation formula for calculating a threshold value based on the physical quantity, calculates the threshold value based on the physical quantity and the calculation formula, and a temperature of the heating element is lower than the threshold value. In this case, the refrigerant quantity shortage detection device according to claim 2, wherein it is determined that the quantity of the refrigerant is short. A temperature detector (43) for detecting the temperature of the heating element;
The compressor has an inverter that converts DC power into AC power;
The refrigerant shortage detection device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the heating element (11b) is the inverter. A temperature detector (43) for detecting the temperature of the heating element;
The compressor has a motor for driving the compression mechanism,
The refrigerant quantity shortage detection device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the heating element (11b) is the motor. The heating element (50) is an electric heater that generates heat when electric power is supplied;
The refrigerant quantity shortage detection device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the temperature detection unit detects a temperature of the electric heater. A compressor (11) having a compression mechanism (11a) for sucking and compressing and discharging refrigerant;
A radiator (12) for radiating heat from the refrigerant discharged from the compressor;
A decompression section (14) for decompressing the refrigerant radiated by the radiator;
An evaporator (15, 20) for absorbing the heat of the refrigerant decompressed by the decompression unit and evaporating the refrigerant;
The refrigerant gas-liquid absorbed by the evaporator is separated, the separated liquid-phase refrigerant is stored inside, and the separated gas-phase refrigerant is mixed with the lubricating oil mixed in the liquid-phase refrigerant and the suction side of the compressor An accumulator (21) for draining into
A temperature detector (43) for detecting the temperature of the heating element (11b, 50) cooled by the refrigerant flowing out from the gas-phase refrigerant outlet in the accumulator and flowing into the compression mechanism;
A refrigeration cycle apparatus comprising: a determination unit (40) that determines whether the amount of the refrigerant is insufficient based on the temperature of the heating element detected by the temperature detection unit.

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