JP3149493B2 - Electric vehicle air conditioner - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an air conditioner for an electric vehicle.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional electric vehicle uses a method such as using an electric heater such as a PTC heater or a heat pump cycle to perform air conditioning in a vehicle cabin. Some use wood.

[0003]

However, when an electric heater is used as described above, power is consumed correspondingly,
An electric vehicle in which electric power is a driving source of a vehicle has a problem that a traveling distance for a single charge of a battery becomes short, which leads to deterioration of traveling performance of the vehicle.

[0004] The heat pump cycle has a higher coefficient of performance (COP) than the use of an electric heater, and therefore consumes less power. However, it is very difficult to secure a heating capacity at a considerably low outside temperature. There is a point.

[0005] There is also a method in which a heat storage material having a weight of several tens of kg is mounted on a vehicle in addition to a battery having a weight of as much as 200 to 400 kg to ensure the heating performance at low outside air temperature. Becomes heavier, which degrades driving performance.
In addition, since the heat storage material is mounted, the space in the vehicle compartment is reduced, and the comfort of the occupant is impaired.

In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide an air conditioner for an electric vehicle that does not impair vehicle running performance, secures heating capacity even in an environment where the outside air temperature is considerably low, and does not reduce the space in the vehicle interior. The purpose is to provide.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the present invention relates to a method for driving a battery mounted on a vehicle to a vehicle drive source.
Air-conditioning system for electric vehicles
Temperature control and temperature control
Air conditioning unit that blows out the exhausted air from the air outlet at the front of the cabin
And an air passage for flowing air to the battery.
If one end of this air passage is opened to the rear of the cabin,
The gist is an air conditioner for an electric vehicle , the other end of which is connected to the air conditioning unit .

[0008]

According to the present invention, it is possible to perform air conditioning in the vehicle cabin by using the heat capacity of an existing battery of an electric vehicle without using a separate heat storage material. Therefore, the separate heat storage material is mounted on a vehicle. As a result, it is possible to prevent an increase in the vehicle weight, thereby preventing the running performance of the vehicle from deteriorating. In addition , it is possible to prevent a reduction in the cabin space. Also, the battery
One end of the air passage opens to the rear of the cabin, and the other end
Is connected to the air outlet, so it can be
The blown air flows to the rear of the cabin,
It is sucked from one end of the air passage and returned to the air conditioning unit.
You. In this way, the air blown out from the air outlet extends to the rear of the cabin.
To improve the temperature distribution throughout the cabin
be able to. In addition, the air blown out from the air outlet
If the blown air is hot air,
Absorb heat from the above end with sufficient heat radiated into the cabin
Can be embedded. Therefore, the empty flowing battery
Temperature can be lowered, and the battery cooling effect is enhanced.
Can be

In the present invention, the weight is 200 kg.
By utilizing the heat capacity of the battery of up to 400 kg, the vehicle interior can be effectively heated even when the outside air temperature is considerably low.

[0010]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the running performance of the vehicle from deteriorating, and to heat the vehicle interior without consuming a large amount of power even in an environment where the outside air temperature is extremely low. can do. In addition , since it is possible to prevent a reduction in the cabin space, it is possible to improve the comfort of the occupant in the cabin. Also, in front of the cabin
The air blown out from the outlet of the car flows to the rear of the cabin
After being drawn into the air passage of the battery,
The overall temperature distribution can be improved and the
Battery cooling effect can be enhanced.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of a first embodiment of the air conditioner for an electric vehicle according to the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, an air conditioning duct 2 for housing an air conditioner for an electric vehicle is provided inside a vehicle body 1. The air conditioning duct 2 is provided with an inside / outside air switching damper 3 that switches between sucking air from the inside air suction port 3a and suctioning air from the outside air suction port 3b.

Downstream of the inside / outside air switching damper 3, an indoor heat exchanger 4 for cooling, dehumidifying or heating the air is provided. Whether the indoor heat exchanger 4 cools or dehumidifies or heats the air is determined by switching the circulation direction of the refrigerant in a refrigeration cycle including the indoor heat exchanger 4, the outdoor heat exchanger 5, a compressor and an expansion valve (not shown). Can be easily realized. A blower 12 is disposed between the inside / outside air switching damper 3 and the indoor heat exchanger 4,
The air is blown by the rotation of the blower 12.

The air whose temperature is controlled by the indoor heat exchanger 4 is blown out from a face outlet 6 or a foot outlet 7 or a defroster outlet (not shown) formed downstream of the air conditioning duct 2. Cool air is mainly blown from the face outlet 6 toward the upper body of the occupant. Warm air is mainly blown out from the foot outlet 7 toward the feet of the occupant. The air is blown from a defroster outlet (not shown) toward the windshield. In this embodiment,
Installs the indoor heat exchanger 4, the blower 12, etc. in the air conditioning duct 2.
In the configuration provided, the air conditioning unit according to the first aspect of the invention is provided.
Is configured.

Inside the vehicle body 1, one end is behind the rear seat.
There is provided an extension duct 2a which is open at the site and the other end of which is connected to the inside air suction port 3a of the air conditioning duct 2.
The duct 2a is provided to extend below the seat. Their by <br/>, the air blown from the outlets is sucked from the extension duct 2a which is formed in the suction port 8, is warmed by a number mounted on the heat battery 9 emitted was within the extended duct 2a While entering the air conditioning duct 2 again through the inside air suction port 3a, the temperature is controlled by the indoor heat exchanger 4. In the present embodiment, the battery 9
Electric power is used as the vehicle drive source. Further, the extension duct 2a of the portion in which the battery 9 is mounted a number are composed of heat insulating material in order to keep warm the heat battery 9 emitted. The intake port 8 is provided on the side of the rear seat.

In the figure, reference numeral 10 denotes a PTC heater which generates heat by supplying power from the battery 9. Next, the battery 9 will be described with reference to FIG. Here, FIG.
FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view schematically illustrating a suction port 8 of the extension duct 2a illustrated in FIG. 1 and a portion where a battery 9 is mounted. In FIG. 2, for convenience, the PTC heater 10
Are not shown.

As shown in FIG. 2, a large number of batteries 9 are mounted in the extension duct 2a, and the total weight of these batteries 9 is about 400 kg. The battery 9 is composed of approximately 68% of lead, 29% of an electrolytic solution containing sulfuric acid, and the other components of a resin or the like. The specific heat of the battery 9 is about 0.2 kcal / ° C. kg. The battery 9 has fins 9a for promoting heat exchange with an external medium.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described. In the case of winter when the outside air temperature is considerably low, the so-called heat pump cycle in which the indoor heat exchanger 4 functions as a condenser and the outdoor heat exchanger 5 functions as an evaporator is used to heat the vehicle interior. In some cases, the ability is not enough.

As described above, the battery 9 is made of lead and an electrolytic solution and has a very large specific heat.
And its weight is as big as 400kg,
Its heat capacity is very large. Since the battery 9 having such a large heat capacity can keep the heat generated by itself for a long time, if the battery 9 is charged from a home power supply at night or the like, for example, it becomes quite warm in the morning. I have. Further, since the extension duct 2a is made of a heat insulating material, its heat retaining effect is further enhanced.

Therefore, in the first embodiment, the air sucked from the suction port 8 is passed through a portion on which a large number of batteries 9 heated by the charging are mounted. The air is heated by the heat generated by the battery 9, is sucked by the blower 12, passes through the indoor heat exchanger 4, and is blown out again into the vehicle interior. As a result, warm air can be blown out immediately when the air conditioner is started in the morning. In addition, insufficient heating capacity can be compensated for by the heat pump cycle described above. Further, since the battery 9 can keep its own heat for a long time, the heating of the air by the battery 9 can be continuously repeated for a long time.

As described in detail above, in the first embodiment, since the interior of the vehicle is air-conditioned by using the heat capacity of the battery 9, it is possible to easily compensate for the shortage of heating due to the heat pump cycle even when the ambient outside temperature is extremely low. Can be. In addition, by using the heat capacity of the battery 9 as a heat source for heating, it is not necessary to separately install a heat storage material, so that an increase in vehicle weight can be prevented, and as a result, the running performance of the vehicle is improved. In addition, it is possible to prevent a reduction in the cabin space. Also, the battery
One end of the air passage opens to the rear of the cabin, and the other end
Is connected to the air outlet, so it can be
The blown air flows to the rear of the cabin,
It is sucked from one end of the air passage and returned to the air conditioning unit.
You. In this way, the air blown out from the air outlet extends to the rear of the cabin.
To improve the temperature distribution throughout the cabin
be able to. In addition, the air blown out from the air outlet
If the blown air is hot air,
Absorb heat from the above end with sufficient heat radiated into the passenger compartment
Can be embedded. Therefore, the empty flowing battery
Temperature can be lowered, and the battery cooling effect is enhanced.
Can be

As shown in FIG. 1, in the first embodiment, the PTC heater 10 is mounted in the air-conditioning duct 2. However, the PTC heater 10 is charged while the battery 9 is charged at night or the like.
If the battery 9 is warmed using, the battery 9 can be sufficiently warmed in a shorter time. Further, if the PTC heater 10 is turned on during the operation of the air conditioner, hot air having a higher temperature can be obtained.

When charging the battery 9, it is also possible to heat the battery 9 by passing warm air in the vehicle compartment obtained by, for example, a heat pump cycle through the battery 9. Also, after charging the battery 9, the vehicle is left for a long time,
When the battery cools down, the original performance of the battery 9 may not be sufficiently exhibited. However, as described above, the warm air in the vehicle interior is passed through the battery 9 and the battery 9 is discharged.
By warming, the performance recovery of the battery 9 can be promoted.

Further, the suction port 8 may be provided in the rear tray on the right side of the rear seat. In the present invention, not only the battery 9 is used as a heat storage material as in the first embodiment, but also, as shown in FIG. 3, a battery 9 and an auxiliary engine 19 are used as a heat storage material. Is also possible.

FIG. 4 shows a specific circuit configuration showing the heat system in this case. In FIG. 4, reference numeral 11 denotes a heat retaining case (see FIG. 5) for accommodating the battery 9, and reference numerals 13a to 13f denote electromagnetic valves which are opened and closed by external signals. Reference numeral 14 denotes an electric pump, and reference numeral 15 denotes a heater core disposed in the air conditioning duct 2. Reference numeral 16 denotes a water-refrigerant heat exchanger that houses a refrigerant pipe connecting the pressure reducer 18 and the compressor 17.

For example, the solenoid valve 13a is opened and the solenoid valve 13b is opened.
When the solenoid valve 13c is closed and the solenoid valve 13d is opened, the engine cooling water flows through a circulation path such as the heat retaining case 11, which accommodates the battery 9, the heater core 15, the electric pump 14, the PTC heater 10, and the heat retaining case 11. . Here, if the battery 9 is stored in advance, the engine cooling water will flow when the battery 9 flows through this circulation path.
Warmed by the heat capacity of When air is passed through the heater core 15, warm air can be blown into the vehicle interior. In this case, the PTC heater 10 may further warm the engine cooling water.

Also, the solenoid valve 13a is opened and the solenoid valve 13b is closed,
When 13c is opened and 13d is closed, the engine cooling water is supplied to the heat retaining case 11, the water-refrigerant heat exchanger 16, the electric pump 1
4. PTC heater 10 and heat retaining case 11 flow through circulation paths. Then, the solenoid valve 13e is closed and 13
When f is opened, the refrigerant flows through circulation paths such as the water refrigerant heat exchanger 16, the compressor 17, the indoor heat exchanger 4, the pressure reducer 18, and the water refrigerant heat exchanger 16.

The battery 9 in the heat insulating case 11
When the engine cooling water is heated by utilizing the heat capacity of the refrigerant, the refrigerant flowing in the water refrigerant heat exchanger 16 absorbs heat from the warm engine cooling water flowing in the water refrigerant heat exchanger 16, and as a result, the indoor heat exchanger 4 , The air heating capacity can be increased. In this case, the electromagnetic valves 13e and 13f may be opened so that the water-refrigerant heat exchanger 16 absorbs heat from the engine cooling water and the outdoor heat exchanger 5 simultaneously absorbs heat from the outside air. Further, the engine cooling water may be further heated by the PTC heater 10.

If the auxiliary engine 19 is previously warmed or heat generated when the engine is driven is stored, the auxiliary engine 19, the heater core 15, the electric motor, and the electric motor are switched by switching the solenoid valves 13a to 13f. Pump 14, PTC heater 10, and auxiliary engine 19
And the auxiliary engine 1
9, by forming a circulation path such as the water refrigerant heat exchanger 16, the electric pump 14, the PTC heater 10, and the auxiliary engine 19, the hot air can be efficiently blown into the vehicle interior by the above-described mechanism. .

In the above description, one of the solenoid valves 13a and 13b is closed in FIG. 4, but both may be opened to use the heat capacity of the battery 9 and the heat capacity of the auxiliary engine 19 simultaneously. Also in this case, P
The engine cooling water may be warmed by the TC heater 10. Further, based on the temperature signals from the temperature sensors 20a and 20b, the higher heat capacity of the battery 9 and the auxiliary engine 19 may be used.

In the second embodiment, the heater core 15
Alternatively, although the battery 9 and the auxiliary engine 19 are configured to be in parallel with the water-refrigerant heat exchanger 16, the battery 9 and the auxiliary engine 19 may be configured to be in series.

In the second embodiment, the heat capacity of the battery 9 and the auxiliary engine 19 is used for heating the engine cooling water. However, as in the first embodiment, the heat capacity of the battery 9 is used for heating the air, and the auxiliary engine 19 is used. May be used for heating the engine cooling water.

When clean outside air is introduced by the air conditioner shown in FIG. 1, this outside air is only heated by the indoor heat exchanger 4 alone. Therefore, when the outside air is at a considerably low temperature, sufficient heating air cannot be generated only by the heating capacity of the indoor heat exchanger 4. So in such a case,
As a third embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the inside / outside air switching damper 3 is set to the inside air circulation side, and the outside air introduction dedicated damper 21 is opened to introduce clean outside air to discharge air from an outlet (not shown). I do. By doing so, the low-temperature outside air is heated by the battery 9 and then further heated by the indoor heat exchanger 4, so that the clean outside air can be sufficiently warmed before being blown into the vehicle interior.

In addition to the method of circulating a medium such as air or engine cooling water through the warm battery 9 as described above, the same effect can be obtained by using a liquid circulation type battery in which the electrolyte itself circulates. Is obtained.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the description has been made of the case where the interior of the vehicle is heated by using the heat stored in the battery 9 or the auxiliary engine 19. If the temperature is lower than the temperature, the battery 9 or the auxiliary engine 19 can be used as a cold storage material.

In the above embodiment, the blower 12 blows out the air heated by the battery 9 from each outlet into the vehicle interior, the heater core 15 using the engine cooling water heated by the battery 9 as a heat source, and the battery. An outdoor heat exchanger 5 that uses the engine cooling water heated in 9 as an endothermic source,
Indoor heat exchanger 4, compressor 17, and pressure reducer 18
And a water-refrigerant heat exchanger 16 and the like constitute air conditioning means.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an overall configuration of a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing a part of the duct shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing an entire configuration of a second embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram showing a heat system of the second embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a battery and a heat retaining case accommodating the battery in the second embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing an entire configuration of a third embodiment.

[Description of Signs] 2 Air conditioning duct (Air conditioning unit) 2a Extension duct (Air passage) 4 Indoor heat exchanger (Air conditioning unit) 6 Face outlet 7 Foot outlet 8 Inlet 9 Battery 12 Blower (Air conditioning unit)

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (72) Keita Honda 1-1-1, Showa-cho, Kariya-shi, Aichi Japan Inside Denso Co., Ltd. (56) References JP-A-55-119515 (JP, A) JP-A-49 JP-A-52-35023 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B60H 1/03-1/22

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A vehicle mounted on a vehicle is driven by a vehicle.
The air conditioner used in the electric vehicle used as the source controls air temperature and controls the temperature.
Air conditioning that blows cooled air from the air outlet at the front of the cabin
A unit and an air passage through which air flows to the battery, and one end of the air passage is opened to the rear of the vehicle interior.
An air conditioner for an electric vehicle , the other end of which is connected to the air conditioning unit.