JP5370453B2 - Automotive temperature control system - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided is a vehicle temperature regulation system which, when the refrigeration load has exceeded the capacity of a refrigeration device, compensates for the shortfall with other cold heat. In this vehicle temperature regulation system (10), a control unit (70) selects depending on the refrigeration load and runs a stored heat utilization mode which utilizes the heat of a vehicle-mounted battery (80) for air conditioning, or a normal operation mode which does not utilize the heat of the vehicle-mounted battery (80) for air conditioning. For example, if the refrigeration load increases due to the travel conditions of the vehicle and exceeds the maximum capacity of the vehicle temperature regulation system (10), heat stored in the vehicle-mounted battery (80) can be utilized.

Description

  The present invention relates to an automotive temperature control system, and more particularly to an automotive temperature control system in which an air-conditioning refrigerant circuit also serves as a battery cooling refrigerant circuit.

  Conventionally, an air conditioner as disclosed in Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-23081) is widely known as a temperature control system for electric vehicles and the like. The air conditioner includes a high pressure side electric expansion valve that depressurizes the high pressure refrigerant to an intermediate pressure, a low pressure side electric expansion valve that depressurizes the intermediate pressure refrigerant to a lower pressure, and a cooler installed between the two electric expansion valves. The cooling motor cools the traveling motor, the motor inverter, and the battery.

  However, the air conditioners as described above tend to design refrigeration equipment so as to cope with even the maximum refrigeration load that cannot occur frequently, which is a factor in increasing the size and cost of the equipment. Yes.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a temperature control system for an automobile in which when the refrigeration load exceeds the capacity of the refrigeration apparatus, the deficiency is compensated by other cold heat.

An automotive temperature control system according to a first aspect of the present invention is an automotive temperature control system that performs at least air conditioning and battery temperature control using a single refrigerant circuit, and the target temperature of the battery is a predetermined appropriate value. A control unit that controls the flow of the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit so as to be within the temperature range is provided. The refrigerant circuit has a battery temperature adjusting refrigerant path between the air-conditioning evaporator and the radiator. The battery temperature adjustment refrigerant path includes a battery heat exchanger for adjusting the temperature of the battery. The control unit selects and executes a heat storage use mode in which the amount of heat of the battery is used for air conditioning and a normal operation mode in which the amount of heat of the battery is not used for air conditioning according to the refrigeration load. Furthermore, a control part sets target temperature in the 1st range in an appropriate temperature range, when heat storage utilization mode is selected. In addition, when the normal operation mode is selected, the control unit sets the target temperature within a proper temperature range and a second range different from the first range.

  In this automotive temperature control system, the amount of heat stored in the battery can be used when the refrigeration load increases due to the driving conditions of the vehicle and exceeds the maximum capacity of the automotive temperature control system. Therefore, it is not necessary to increase the size of the device in preparation for the maximum refrigeration load that cannot occur frequently, and the device can be reduced in size and weight. Moreover, since a battery is used as a heat storage source, it is not necessary to provide a separate heat storage source, and cost reduction is achieved.

  Furthermore, in this temperature control system for automobiles, the target temperature of the battery is set to a temperature range in which heat storage to the battery is performed when the normal operation mode is executed. It is not necessary to provide a separate heat storage means, and the size, weight, and cost can be reduced.

The automotive temperature control system according to the second aspect of the present invention is the automotive temperature control system according to the first aspect , and the heat storage use mode includes a heat storage cooling operation mode and a heat storage heating operation mode. The heat storage and cooling operation mode is a mode in which the cooling operation is performed using the amount of heat of the battery. The heat storage heating operation mode is a mode in which the heating operation is performed using the amount of heat of the battery. The normal operation mode includes a normal cooling operation mode and a normal heating operation mode. The normal cooling operation mode is a mode in which the cooling operation is performed without using the amount of heat of the battery. The normal heating operation mode is a mode in which the heating operation is performed without using the amount of heat of the battery. In addition, when the normal cooling operation mode is selected, the control unit sets the second range to a range including the lowest limit value of the appropriate temperature range. Further, when the normal heating operation mode is selected, the control unit sets the second range to a range including the maximum upper limit value of the appropriate temperature range.

  In this automobile temperature control system, it is possible to prepare for switching to the heat storage cooling operation mode by adjusting the temperature of the battery so as to be the lowest limit of the appropriate temperature range during the cooling operation. In addition, during the heating operation, the temperature of the battery is adjusted so as to be the maximum upper limit value of the appropriate temperature range, thereby preparing for switching to the heat storage heating operation mode.

An automotive temperature control system according to a third aspect of the present invention is the automotive temperature control system according to the second aspect , wherein the control unit adjusts the refrigerant pressure in the battery heat exchanger to control the temperature of the battery. To do.

  In this automotive temperature control system, air conditioning and battery temperature control are performed using a single refrigerant circuit, so the refrigerant pressure in the battery heat exchanger inevitably depends on the high pressure side pressure and the low pressure side pressure of the refrigerant circuit. Is adjusted to any intermediate pressure between. That is, since the degree of freedom of setting the target temperature range of the battery is ensured by the temperature range between the evaporation temperature and the condensation temperature, it is easy to set the target temperature range for each of the heat storage use mode and the normal use mode.

The automotive temperature control system according to the fourth aspect of the present invention is the automotive temperature control system according to the third aspect , wherein the battery temperature control refrigerant passages are arranged at two opening positions on both sides of the battery heat exchanger. It further includes a variable pressure reducer. A control part adjusts the opening degree of two decompressors, and controls the refrigerant | coolant pressure in a battery heat exchanger.

  In this temperature control system for automobiles, the refrigerant pressure in the battery heat exchanger can be adjusted with high accuracy, so that, for example, the temperature of the battery can be maintained in the vicinity of the lower limit value or the upper limit value of the appropriate temperature range. .

The automotive temperature control system according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is the automotive temperature control system according to the fourth aspect , further comprising a fan for blowing air to the condenser during heating operation. The controller performs the defrost operation when detecting or estimating the frost formation of the evaporator during the heating operation. In the defrost operation, the fan is stopped, the refrigerant flow is switched to the same refrigerant circulation cycle as in the cooling operation, the opening of the decompressor upstream of the battery heat exchanger is reduced, and the downstream of the battery heat exchanger The operation is to fully open the opening of the decompressor.

  In this automotive temperature control system, first, the high-pressure gas refrigerant flows into the frosted evaporator and dissipates heat, so the evaporator is heated and the frost melts. The high-pressure refrigerant that has dissipated heat and is condensed is decompressed by the decompressor on the upstream side of the battery heat exchanger, and flows into the battery heat exchanger. Since the refrigerant in the battery heat exchanger evaporates using the battery as a heat source, the gas refrigerant having a temperature close to the temperature of the air-conditioning space enters the condenser (during heating operation), and the fan is stopped. For this reason, it is possible to prevent an unpleasant situation such as cold air hitting the user.

An automotive temperature control system according to a sixth aspect of the present invention is the automotive temperature control system according to the fifth aspect , and performs a defrost-time dehumidifying operation when the controller receives a dehumidification command during the defrost operation. The defrosting dehumidifying operation is an operation in which the opening of the decompressor on the upstream side of the battery heat exchanger is opened and the opening of the decompressor on the downstream side of the battery heat exchanger is reduced.

  In this automotive temperature control system, the control unit can throttle the opening of the decompressor on the downstream side of the battery heat exchanger and adjust the throttle amount, so that it is necessary to dehumidify the refrigerant in the evaporator. The amount can be evaporated.

An automotive temperature control system according to a seventh aspect of the present invention is the automotive temperature control system according to the fourth aspect , and includes a first fan that blows air to an evaporator during heating operation, and a condenser during heating operation. And a second fan for blowing air. The controller performs the defrost operation when detecting or estimating the frost formation of the evaporator during the heating operation. In the defrost operation, the first fan is stopped, the refrigerant flow is the same refrigerant circulation cycle as in the heating operation, the opening of the decompressor upstream of the battery heat exchanger is throttled, and the downstream of the battery heat exchanger is The operation is to fully open the opening of the decompressor.

  In this automotive temperature control system, the refrigerant in the battery heat exchanger evaporates using the battery as a heat source and becomes superheated gas refrigerant and enters the evaporator. As a result, the frost attached to the evaporator is melted.

The automotive temperature control system according to the eighth aspect of the present invention is the automotive temperature control system according to the seventh aspect , wherein the control unit reduces the rotational speed of the second fan during the defrost operation.

  In this automotive temperature control system, the refrigerant enters the battery heat exchanger while maintaining a high amount of heat by reducing the rotational speed of the second fan and suppressing heat dissipation in the condenser of the refrigerant. Therefore, when it flows into the frosted evaporator, the evaporator is quickly heated to melt the frost.

The automotive temperature control system according to the ninth aspect of the present invention is the automotive temperature control system according to any one of the fifth to eighth aspects, and the control unit performs a defrost preparation operation. The defrost preparation operation is an operation in which the temperature of the battery is held at a predetermined temperature higher than the current temperature for a predetermined time before the defrost operation is executed.

  In this automotive temperature control system, the refrigerant in the battery heat exchanger evaporates using the battery as a heat source, becomes superheated gas refrigerant, enters the evaporator, heats the evaporator, and melts frost. The larger the amount of heat, the better. Therefore, it is effective to increase the amount of heat of the battery before the defrost operation by the defrost preparation operation.

  In the automotive temperature control system according to the first aspect of the present invention, the amount of heat stored in the battery is used when the refrigeration load increases due to the driving conditions of the vehicle and exceeds the maximum capacity of the automotive temperature control system. Can do. Therefore, it is not necessary to increase the size of the device in preparation for the maximum refrigeration load that cannot occur frequently, and the device can be reduced in size and weight. Moreover, since a battery is used as a heat storage source, it is not necessary to provide a separate heat storage source, and cost reduction is achieved.

  In addition, since the target temperature of the battery is set to a temperature range in which heat is stored in the battery when the normal operation mode is executed, there is no need to separately provide a heat storage means for the battery (for the heat storage use mode). , Size reduction, weight reduction, and cost reduction can be achieved.

In the automotive temperature control system according to the second aspect of the present invention, during the cooling operation, the temperature of the battery is adjusted so as to be the lowest limit of the appropriate temperature range, thereby preparing for switching to the heat storage cooling operation mode. Can do. In addition, during the heating operation, the temperature of the battery is adjusted so as to be the maximum upper limit value of the appropriate temperature range, thereby preparing for switching to the heat storage heating operation mode.

In the automotive temperature control system according to the third aspect of the present invention, air conditioning and battery temperature control are performed using a single refrigerant circuit, so that the refrigerant pressure in the battery heat exchanger is inevitably high in the refrigerant circuit. It is adjusted to any intermediate pressure between the side pressure and the low pressure side pressure. That is, since the degree of freedom of setting the target temperature range of the battery is ensured by the temperature range between the evaporation temperature and the condensation temperature, it is easy to set the target temperature range for each of the heat storage use mode and the normal use mode.

In the automotive temperature control system according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the refrigerant pressure in the battery heat exchanger can be accurately adjusted. For example, the temperature of the battery is close to the lower limit value or the upper limit value of the appropriate temperature range. It is also possible to maintain.

In the automotive temperature control system according to the fifth aspect of the present invention, first, the high-pressure gas refrigerant flows into the frosted evaporator and dissipates heat, so the evaporator is heated and the frost melts. The high-pressure refrigerant that has dissipated heat and is condensed is decompressed by the decompressor on the upstream side of the battery heat exchanger, and flows into the battery heat exchanger. Since the refrigerant in the battery heat exchanger evaporates using the battery as a heat source, the gas refrigerant having a temperature close to the temperature of the air-conditioning space enters the condenser (during heating operation), and the fan is stopped. For this reason, it is possible to prevent an unpleasant situation such as cold air hitting the user.

In the automotive temperature control system according to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the controller can throttle the opening of the decompressor on the downstream side of the battery heat exchanger and adjust the throttle amount. Thus, the refrigerant can be evaporated by an amount necessary for dehumidification.

In the automotive temperature control system according to the seventh aspect of the present invention, the refrigerant in the battery heat exchanger evaporates using the battery as a heat source and becomes superheated gas refrigerant and enters the evaporator. As a result, the frost attached to the evaporator is melted.

In the automotive temperature control system according to the eighth aspect of the present invention, by reducing the rotational speed of the second fan and suppressing heat dissipation in the refrigerant condenser, the refrigerant retains a high amount of heat while exchanging battery heat. Since it enters the vessel and becomes overheated there, when it flows into the frosted evaporator, the evaporator is quickly heated to melt the frost.

In the automotive temperature control system according to the ninth aspect of the present invention, the refrigerant in the battery heat exchanger evaporates using the battery as a heat source, becomes superheated gas refrigerant, enters the evaporator, and heats the evaporator to melt frost. Therefore, the larger the amount of heat of the battery, the better. Therefore, it is effective to increase the amount of heat of the battery before the defrost operation by the defrost preparation operation.

The block diagram of the temperature control system for motor vehicles which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. The refrigeration cycle during normal cooling operation represented on the pressure-enthalpy diagram. The refrigeration cycle during the regenerative cooling operation shown on the pressure-enthalpy diagram. The lineblock diagram of the temperature control system for other vehicles concerning a 1st embodiment. The graph showing the change of vehicle-mounted battery temperature from the end of defrost to the start of the next defrost operation through the defrost preparation operation. The refrigerating cycle at the time of the defrost operation represented on the pressure-enthalpy diagram in the temperature control system for motor vehicles which concerns on a 1st modification. The block diagram of the temperature control system for motor vehicles which concerns on a 2nd modification. The block diagram of the other temperature control system for motor vehicles which concerns on a 2nd modification. The refrigerating cycle at the time of the defrost driving | operation represented on the pressure-enthalpy diagram in the temperature control system for motor vehicles which concerns on a 2nd modification. The block diagram of the temperature control system for motor vehicles based on 2nd Embodiment of this invention.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The following embodiments are specific examples of the present invention and do not limit the technical scope of the present invention.

<First Embodiment>
(1) Overview of Automotive Temperature Control System 10 (1-1) Overall Configuration FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an automotive temperature control system 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, the temperature control system 10 for an automobile is an air conditioning system that can perform a cooling operation and a heating operation, and includes a refrigerant circuit 40, an outside air fan 50, an inside air fan 60, and a control unit 70.

(1-2) Refrigerant circuit 40
In the refrigerant circuit 40, the compressor 11, the four-way switching valve 13, the outside air heat exchanger 15, and the inside air heat exchanger 23 are connected in a ring shape. The refrigerant circuit 40 has a battery temperature adjustment refrigerant path 42 that connects the outside air heat exchanger 15 and the inside air heat exchanger 23, and the battery temperature adjustment refrigerant path 42 is connected to the first from the outside air heat exchanger 15 side. A decompressor 25, a battery heat exchanger 27, and a second decompressor 29 are connected.

  Further, the refrigerant circuit 40 has a drive part cooling refrigerant path 47. Specifically, a refrigerant branch point O exists between the first pressure reducer 25 and the outside air heat exchanger 15, and a refrigerant branch point exists between the second pressure reducer 29 and the internal air heat exchanger 23. P is present. The drive part cooling refrigerant path 47 connects the branch point O, the branch point P, and the discharge pipe of the compressor 11. A first check valve 31, a refrigerant pump 33, an inverter heat exchanger 35, and a motor heat exchanger 37 are connected in series from the branch point O side to the drive part cooling refrigerant path 47. Further, the intermediate point Q between the first check valve 31 and the refrigerant pump 33 and the branch point P are connected by a refrigerant path including the second check valve 32.

(1-3) Outside air fan 50
The outside air fan 50 is arranged so as to face the outside air heat exchanger 15, rotates to take in outside air and blow it to the outside air heat exchanger 15, and the refrigerant and outside air in the outside air heat exchanger 15 Promote heat exchange.

(1-4) Inside air fan 60
The inside air fan 60 is a blower generally called a blower. The inside air fan 60 is located on the upstream side of the air passage where the inside air heat exchanger 23 is installed, and blows air from the upstream side of the inside air heat exchanger 23 toward the inside air heat exchanger 23.

(1-5) Control unit 70
The control unit 70 rotates the four-way switching valve 13, the first pressure reducer 25, the second pressure reducer 29, and the electric expansion valve 21, the compressor 11, the refrigerant pump 33, the inside air fan 60, and the outside air fan 50. By controlling the number, the flow of the refrigerant circulating in the refrigerant circuit 40 and the heat exchange amount of the inside air heat exchanger 23, the outside air heat exchanger 15, and the battery heat exchanger 27 are controlled.

(2) Detailed configuration (2-1) Compressor 11 and four-way switching valve 13
The compressor 11 sucks and compresses the gas refrigerant. The four-way switching valve 13 switches the direction of the refrigerant flow when switching between the cooling operation and the heating operation. During the cooling operation, the four-way switching valve 13 connects the discharge side of the compressor 11 and the gas side of the outside air heat exchanger 15 and connects the suction side of the compressor 11 and the gas side of the internal air heat exchanger 23. . That is, this is the state indicated by the solid line in the four-way selector valve 13 of FIG.

  Further, during the heating operation, the four-way switching valve 13 connects the discharge side of the compressor 11 and the gas side of the internal air heat exchanger 23 and connects the suction side of the compressor 11 and the gas side of the outside air heat exchanger 15. Connecting. That is, this is the state indicated by the dotted line in the four-way selector valve 13 of FIG.

(2-2) Outside air heat exchanger 15
The outside air heat exchanger 15 is a stacked heat exchanger, and can condense (heat radiate in the case of a supercritical refrigerant) or evaporate the refrigerant flowing inside by heat exchange with outside air. Since there are many documents on the stacked heat exchanger, description thereof is omitted here. The outside air heat exchanger 15 is not limited to the stacked heat exchanger, and may be another heat exchanger.

(2-3) Inside air heat exchanger 23
The inside air heat exchanger 23 is installed in an air passage that communicates with the air outlet in front of the passenger compartment. The inside air heat exchanger 23 is a stacked heat exchanger, and condenses the refrigerant flowing inside by heat exchange with air taken from the outside of the vehicle or air taken from the passenger compartment (in the case of a supercritical refrigerant, heat is dissipated). Or it can be evaporated. The inside air heat exchanger 23 is not limited to the stacked heat exchanger, and may be another heat exchanger.

(2-4) Battery heat exchanger 27
The battery heat exchanger 27 is a heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the in-vehicle battery 80 that is a power source of a traveling motor of the electric vehicle and the refrigerant circulating in the refrigerant circuit 40. The battery heat exchanger 27 is connected in the middle of a battery temperature adjusting refrigerant path 42 that connects between the outside air heat exchanger 15 and the inside air heat exchanger 23. A first decompressor 25 and a second decompressor 29 are connected to both sides of the battery heat exchanger 27.

(2-5) First decompressor 25
The first decompressor 25 is a variable opening electric expansion valve, and is connected between the battery heat exchanger 27 and the outside air heat exchanger 15 in the battery temperature adjusting refrigerant path 42. The first decompressor 25 decompresses the high-pressure refrigerant from the outside air heat exchanger 15 to an intermediate pressure between the high pressure and the low pressure during the cooling operation. Further, during the heating operation, the first pressure reducer 25 reduces the refrigerant pressure to a pressure that can be evaporated by the outside air heat exchanger 15.

(2-6) Second decompressor 29
The second decompressor 29 is an electric expansion valve with a variable opening, and is connected between the battery heat exchanger 27 and the internal air heat exchanger 23 in the battery temperature adjusting refrigerant path 42. The second decompressor 29 decompresses the high-pressure refrigerant from the internal air heat exchanger 23 to an intermediate pressure between the high pressure and the low pressure during the heating operation. Further, the second pressure reducer 29 reduces the refrigerant pressure to a pressure at which the internal air heat exchanger 23 can evaporate during the cooling operation.

(2-7) First check valve 31 and second check valve 32
The first check valve 31 passes the refrigerant going from the branch point O to the driving part cooling refrigerant path 47 but does not pass the refrigerant going from the intermediate point Q to the branch point O. Similarly, the second check valve 32 passes the refrigerant from the branch point P to the driving unit cooling refrigerant path 47 but does not pass the refrigerant from the intermediate point Q to the branch point P.

(2-8) Refrigerant pump 33
The refrigerant pump 33 is configured to pressurize and discharge the refrigerant sucked by the rotation of the rotor. The controller 70 can control the amount of refrigerant flowing through the inverter heat exchanger 35 and the motor heat exchanger 37 by changing the output of the refrigerant pump 33, and as a result, the cooling capacity can be adjusted. . In addition, the refrigerant pump 33 can cause the refrigerant that has undergone heat exchange in the inverter heat exchanger 35 and the motor heat exchanger 37 to flow to the discharge pipe side of the compressor 11. That is, since the refrigerant is guided not to the compressor 11 but to the discharge pipe, the compressor power does not increase.

(2-9) Inverter heat exchanger 35 and motor heat exchanger 37
The inverter heat exchanger 35 is a heat exchanger for adjusting the temperature of the inverter 85. The inverter 85 supplies the traveling motor 87 with an AC output controlled to have a predetermined waveform. The motor heat exchanger 37 is a heat exchanger for adjusting the temperature of the traveling motor 87.

  If the inverter 85 and the traveling motor 87 are not cooled, the temperature continues to rise and breaks. However, if the temperature is kept below 100 ° C., for example, the inverter 85 and the traveling motor 87 are not broken. Therefore, the refrigerant pump 33 controls the flow rate so that the outlet refrigerant of the motor heat exchanger 37 becomes superheated gas refrigerant. The inverter heat exchanger 35 and the motor heat exchanger 37 may be an integrated heat exchanger.

(3) Operation of Temperature Control System 10 for Automobile (3-1) Normal Cooling Operation Mode In FIG. 1, during normal cooling operation, the four-way switching valve 13 is the gas on the discharge side of the compressor 11 and the outside air heat exchanger 15. And the suction side of the compressor 11 and the gas side of the internal air heat exchanger 23 are connected. The first decompressor 25 decompresses the high-pressure refrigerant from the outside air heat exchanger 15 to an intermediate pressure between the high pressure and the low pressure. Further, the second pressure reducer 29 reduces the pressure of the intermediate pressure refrigerant to a pressure at which the internal air heat exchanger 23 can evaporate. As a result, the outside air heat exchanger 15 functions as a refrigerant condenser, and the inside air heat exchanger 23 functions as a refrigerant evaporator. Further, the refrigerant pump 33 is output-controlled so that the refrigerant of about 20% of the refrigerant amount circulating in the refrigerant circuit 40 flows from the branch point O into the driving unit cooling refrigerant path 47.

  FIG. 2 shows a refrigeration cycle during normal cooling operation represented on a pressure-enthalpy diagram. In FIG. 2, the positions of the letters a to g correspond to the positions of the letters a to g in FIG. 1. Hereinafter, the refrigerant flow during the normal cooling operation will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

  In the refrigerant circuit 40, the low-pressure refrigerant is sucked into the compressor 11 and discharged after being compressed to high pressure (between a and b in FIG. 2). The high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor 11 is sent to the outside air heat exchanger 15 through the four-way switching valve 13.

  The high-pressure refrigerant sent to the outside air heat exchanger 15 is condensed by exchanging heat with outside air there (between bc in FIG. 2). About 80% of the high-pressure refrigerant condensed in the outside air heat exchanger 15 is sent to the first pressure reducer 25 and reduced to an intermediate pressure (between cd in FIG. 2), and then the battery heat exchanger. Enter 27.

  The refrigerant that has decreased to the intermediate pressure flows through the battery heat exchanger 27 as a two-phase refrigerant. This two-layer refrigerant exchanges heat with the in-vehicle battery 80 via the battery heat exchanger 27 (between lines de in FIG. 2). The in-vehicle battery 80 is cooled by the battery heat exchanger 27 and adjusted to a predetermined temperature. In the present embodiment, the opening of the first pressure reducer 25 is appropriately controlled to adjust the intermediate pressure so that the refrigerant temperature in the battery heat exchanger 27 is 25 ° C. The refrigerant exchanges heat with the in-vehicle battery 80 in the battery heat exchanger 27. By this action, the in-vehicle battery 80 is maintained at approximately 30 ° C.

  The intermediate-pressure refrigerant that has exited the battery heat exchanger 27 is decompressed by the second decompressor 29 to a pressure at which it can evaporate in the interior air heat exchanger 23 (between FIGS. 2e-f) and enters the interior air heat exchanger 23. The low-pressure refrigerant that has entered the inside air heat exchanger 23 evaporates by exchanging heat with the air supplied to the passenger compartment (between fa in FIG. 2). The air cooled by the inside air heat exchanger 23 is blown out into the passenger compartment and cools the passenger compartment. The low-pressure refrigerant evaporated in the inside air heat exchanger 23 is again sucked into the compressor 11 through the four-way switching valve 13 (a in FIG. 2).

  On the other hand, about 20% of the high-pressure refrigerant condensed in the outdoor air heat exchanger 15 flows from the branch point O into the drive unit cooling refrigerant path 47. This high-pressure liquid refrigerant is increased to the discharge pressure of the compressor 11 by the refrigerant pump 33 and enters the inverter heat exchanger 35 and the motor heat exchanger 37. This refrigerant exchanges heat with the inverter 85 and the traveling motor 87 (c-g in FIG. 2), and maintains the temperatures of the inverter 85 and the traveling motor 87 at temperatures that are not damaged. The refrigerant that has exited the motor heat exchanger 37 enters the discharge pipe side of the compressor 11 (g in FIG. 2).

(3-2) Thermal storage cooling operation mode For example, when the electric vehicle climbs a steep slope during normal cooling operation, the rotational speed of the traveling motor 87 is increased, so that the cooling capacity for the inverter 85 and the traveling motor 87 is increased. There is a need.

  In such a case, the control unit 70 switches the operation mode from the normal cooling operation to the heat storage cooling operation. In the regenerative cooling operation, the control unit 70 controls the refrigerant pump 33 in the same refrigerant circulation cycle as that in the normal cooling operation, and about 40% of the refrigerant circulating in the refrigerant circuit 40 is the refrigerant passage 47 for driving unit cooling. Adjust to flow into. In the regenerative cooling operation, the control unit 70 fully opens the opening of the first pressure reducer 25.

  FIG. 3 shows a refrigeration cycle during the heat storage cooling operation shown on the pressure-enthalpy diagram. Hereinafter, the refrigerant flow during the normal cooling operation will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 3.

  In the refrigerant circuit 40, the low-pressure refrigerant is sucked into the compressor 11 and is discharged after being compressed to high pressure (between a and b in FIG. 3). The high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor 11 is sent to the outside air heat exchanger 15 through the four-way switching valve 13.

  The high-pressure refrigerant sent to the outside air heat exchanger 15 is condensed by exchanging heat with outside air there (between bc in FIG. 3). About 60% of the high-pressure refrigerant condensed in the outside air heat exchanger 15 is sent to the first decompressor 25, but the battery is not decompressed because the opening of the first decompressor 25 is fully open. It is sent to the heat exchanger 27.

  The vehicle-mounted battery 80 is maintained at 30 ° C. until immediately before the operation mode is switched from the normal cooling operation to the regenerative cooling operation. Since the vehicle-mounted battery 80 has a weight of 200 kg, it is a 30 ° C. heat storage source. Therefore, the vehicle-mounted battery 80 is supercooled by exchanging heat with the refrigerant in the battery heat exchanger 27 while maintaining approximately 30 ° C. for a short time (between c and e in FIG. 3).

  The refrigerant that has exited the battery heat exchanger 27 is depressurized by the second decompressor 29 to a pressure at which it can be evaporated by the inside air heat exchanger 23 (between ef in FIG. 3), and enters the inside air heat exchanger 23. The low-pressure refrigerant that has entered the inside air heat exchanger 23 evaporates by exchanging heat with the air supplied to the passenger compartment (between fa in FIG. 3). The air cooled by the inside air heat exchanger 23 is blown out into the passenger compartment and cools the passenger compartment. The low-pressure refrigerant evaporated in the inside air heat exchanger 23 is again sucked into the compressor 11 through the four-way switching valve 13 (a in FIG. 3).

  On the other hand, about 40% of the high-pressure refrigerant condensed in the outside air heat exchanger 15 flows from the branch point O into the driving part cooling refrigerant path 47. That is, in the regenerative heating operation, the amount of refrigerant twice that in the normal cooling operation is caused to flow into the drive portion cooling refrigerant passage 47 to cool the inverter 85 and the travel motor 87.

  This high-pressure liquid refrigerant is increased to the discharge pressure of the compressor 11 by the refrigerant pump 33 and enters the inverter heat exchanger 35 and the motor heat exchanger 37. This refrigerant exchanges heat with the inverter 85 and the traveling motor 87 (c-g in FIG. 3), and maintains the temperatures of the inverter 85 and the traveling motor 87 at temperatures that are not damaged. The refrigerant that has exited the motor heat exchanger 37 enters the discharge pipe side of the compressor 11 (g in FIG. 3).

(3-3) Normal Heating Operation Mode In FIG. 1, during the heating operation, the four-way switching valve 13 connects the discharge side of the compressor 11 and the gas side of the internal air heat exchanger 23 and at the suction side of the compressor 11. And the gas side of the outside air heat exchanger 15 are connected. The second decompressor 29 decompresses the high-pressure refrigerant from the internal air heat exchanger 23 to an intermediate pressure between the high pressure and the low pressure. The first decompressor 25 decompresses the intermediate pressure refrigerant to a pressure at which the outside air heat exchanger 15 can evaporate. As a result, the inside air heat exchanger 23 functions as a refrigerant condenser, and the outside air heat exchanger 15 functions as a refrigerant evaporator. Further, the refrigerant pump 33 is output-controlled so that the refrigerant of about 20% of the amount of refrigerant circulating in the refrigerant circuit 40 flows from the branch point P into the driving unit cooling refrigerant path 47.

  In the refrigerant circuit 40 in such a state, the low-pressure refrigerant is sucked into the compressor 11 and discharged after being compressed to high pressure. The high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor 11 is sent to the internal air heat exchanger 23 through the four-way switching valve 13.

  The high-pressure refrigerant sent to the inside air heat exchanger 23 condenses by exchanging heat with the air supplied to the passenger compartment. The air heated by the inside air heat exchanger 23 is blown into the passenger compartment and warms the passenger compartment. About 80% of the high-pressure refrigerant condensed in the inside air heat exchanger 23 is sent to the second pressure reducer 29 and reduced to an intermediate pressure, and then enters the battery heat exchanger 27.

  The refrigerant that has decreased to the intermediate pressure flows through the battery heat exchanger 27 as a two-phase refrigerant. This two-layer refrigerant exchanges heat with the in-vehicle battery 80 via the battery heat exchanger 27. In the present embodiment, the opening of the second decompressor 29 is appropriately controlled so that the intermediate pressure is adjusted so that the refrigerant temperature in the battery heat exchanger 27 is 25 ° C. The refrigerant exchanges heat with the in-vehicle battery 80 in the battery heat exchanger 27. By this action, the in-vehicle battery 80 is maintained at approximately 30 ° C.

  The intermediate-pressure refrigerant that has exited the battery heat exchanger 27 is reduced by the first pressure reducer 25 to a pressure at which the outside air heat exchanger 15 can evaporate, and enters the outside air heat exchanger 15. The low-pressure refrigerant that has entered the outside air heat exchanger 15 evaporates by exchanging heat with air outside the vehicle. The low-pressure refrigerant evaporated in the outside air heat exchanger 15 is sucked into the compressor 11 again through the four-way switching valve 13.

  On the other hand, about 20% of the high-pressure refrigerant condensed in the internal air heat exchanger 23 flows from the branch point P into the drive unit cooling refrigerant path 47. This high-pressure liquid refrigerant is increased to the discharge pressure of the compressor 11 by the refrigerant pump 33 and enters the inverter heat exchanger 35 and the motor heat exchanger 37. This refrigerant exchanges heat with the inverter 85 and the traveling motor 87, and maintains the temperatures of the inverter 85 and the traveling motor 87 at temperatures that do not break. The refrigerant that has exited the motor heat exchanger 37 enters the discharge pipe side of the compressor 11.

(3-4) Thermal storage heating operation mode For example, when the electric vehicle climbs a steep slope during normal heating operation, the rotational speed of the traveling motor 87 is increased, so that the cooling capacity for the inverter 85 and the traveling motor 87 is increased. There is a need.

  In such a case, the control unit 70 switches the operation mode from the normal heating operation to the regenerative heating operation. In the regenerative heating operation, the control unit 70 causes the refrigerant to flow about 40% of the amount of refrigerant circulating through the refrigerant circuit 40 through the refrigerant pump 33 in the same refrigerant circulation cycle as in the normal heating operation, and flows into the refrigerant cooling passage 47 for driving unit cooling. Control to do. Moreover, in the heat storage heating operation, the controller 70 fully opens the opening of the second decompressor 29.

  In the refrigerant circuit 40 in such a state, the low-pressure refrigerant is sucked into the compressor 11 and discharged after being compressed to high pressure. The high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor 11 is sent to the internal air heat exchanger 23 through the four-way switching valve 13.

  The high-pressure refrigerant condenses by exchanging heat with the air supplied to the passenger compartment in the interior air heat exchanger 23. The air heated by the inside air heat exchanger 23 is blown into the passenger compartment and warms the passenger compartment. About 60% of the high-pressure refrigerant condensed in the internal air heat exchanger 23 is sent to the second pressure reducer 29. However, since the opening of the second pressure reducer 29 is fully open, the battery is not decompressed. It is sent to the heat exchanger 27.

  The vehicle-mounted battery 80 is maintained at 30 ° C. until immediately before the operation mode is switched from the normal heating operation to the regenerative heating operation. Since the vehicle-mounted battery 80 has a weight of 200 kg, it is a 30 ° C. heat storage source. Therefore, the vehicle-mounted battery 80 is supercooled by exchanging heat with the refrigerant in the battery heat exchanger 27 while maintaining approximately 30 ° C. for a short time.

  The refrigerant that has exited the battery heat exchanger 27 is depressurized by the first decompressor 25 to a pressure at which it can evaporate in the outdoor air heat exchanger 15, and enters the outdoor air heat exchanger 15. The low-pressure refrigerant that has entered the outside air heat exchanger 15 evaporates by exchanging heat with air outside the vehicle. The low-pressure refrigerant evaporated in the outside air heat exchanger 15 is sucked into the compressor 11 again through the four-way switching valve 13.

  On the other hand, about 40% of the high-pressure refrigerant condensed in the inside air heat exchanger 23 flows from the branch point P into the drive unit cooling refrigerant path 47. That is, in the regenerative heating operation, the amount of refrigerant twice that in the normal heating operation is caused to flow into the drive portion cooling refrigerant passage 47 to cool the inverter 85 and the travel motor 87.

  This high-pressure liquid refrigerant is increased to the discharge pressure of the compressor 11 by the refrigerant pump 33 and enters the inverter heat exchanger 35 and the motor heat exchanger 37. This refrigerant exchanges heat with the inverter 85 and the traveling motor 87, and maintains the temperatures of the inverter 85 and the traveling motor 87 at temperatures that do not break. The refrigerant that has exited the motor heat exchanger 37 enters the discharge pipe side of the compressor 11.

(3-5) Defrosting operation mode When the controller 70 detects or estimates that the outside air heat exchanger 15 is frosted during the heating operation, the controller 70 switches the four-way switching valve 13 to the cooling side and performs the defrosting operation. . That is, during the defrost operation, the four-way switching valve 13 connects the discharge side of the compressor 11 and the gas side of the outside air heat exchanger 15 and connects the suction side of the compressor 11 and the gas side of the inside air heat exchanger 23. Connecting.

  Further, since the controller 70 fully opens the opening of the second pressure reducer 29, the outside air heat exchanger 15 functions as a refrigerant condenser, and the battery heat exchanger 27 and the inside air heat exchanger 23 evaporate the refrigerant. It functions as a vessel. The first decompressor 25 decompresses the high-pressure refrigerant from the outside air heat exchanger 15 to a pressure at which the battery heat exchanger 27 and the inside air heat exchanger 23 can evaporate.

  Further, the control unit 70 controls the output of the refrigerant pump 33 so that the refrigerant of about 5% of the refrigerant amount circulating in the refrigerant circuit 40 flows into the driving unit cooling refrigerant path 47 from the branch point O. Further, the control unit 70 stops the outside air fan 50 and the inside air fan 60.

  In the refrigerant circuit 40 in such a state, the low-pressure refrigerant is sucked into the compressor 11 and discharged after being compressed to high pressure. The high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor 11 is sent to the outside air heat exchanger 15 through the four-way switching valve 13.

  Originally, the high-pressure refrigerant sent to the outside air heat exchanger 15 condenses by exchanging heat with outside air, but since the outside air fan 50 is stopped, the outside air heat exchanger rather than outside air. 15 is condensed by heat exchange with the frost adhering to the frost. Therefore, most of the heat quantity at the time of refrigerant condensation is used for the heat of frost melting, and the frost melts quickly.

  About 95% of the high-pressure refrigerant condensed in the outside air heat exchanger 15 is decompressed by the first decompressor 25, and the controller 70 opens the first decompressor 25 so that the refrigerant temperature becomes 5 ° C. The temperature is appropriately controlled and enters the battery heat exchanger 27. The refrigerant takes heat from the in-vehicle battery 80 in the battery heat exchanger 27 and evaporates. Since the vehicle-mounted battery 80 has a weight of 200 kg, it is a 30 ° C. heat storage source. Therefore, the in-vehicle battery 80 is maintained at approximately 30 ° C.

  The refrigerant exiting the battery heat exchanger 27 rises to 15 ° C. and enters the inside air heat exchanger 23. At this time, since the inside air fan 60 is stopped, the air cooled by the heat exchange with the refrigerant in the inside air heat exchanger 23 is not blown out to the passenger compartment. The refrigerant that has exited the indoor air heat exchanger 23 passes through the four-way switching valve 13 and is sucked into the compressor 11 again.

  On the other hand, about 5% of the high-pressure refrigerant condensed in the outdoor air heat exchanger 15 flows from the branch point O into the driving unit cooling refrigerant path 47. This high-pressure liquid refrigerant is increased to the discharge pressure of the compressor 11 by the refrigerant pump 33 and enters the inverter heat exchanger 35 and the motor heat exchanger 37. This refrigerant exchanges heat with the inverter 85 and the traveling motor 87, and maintains the temperatures of the inverter 85 and the traveling motor 87 at temperatures that do not break. The refrigerant that has exited the motor heat exchanger 37 enters the discharge pipe side of the compressor 11.

(3-6) Defrosting dehumidifying operation mode When dehumidifying action is required during the above defrosting operation, the amount of evaporation in the battery heat exchanger 27 is reduced, and the amount of evaporation necessary for dehumidification is generated in the internal air heat exchanger 23 Let

  Specifically, the control unit 70 opens the opening of the first pressure reducer 25 more than that during the defrost operation, increases the refrigerant temperature, reduces the evaporation amount in the battery heat exchanger 27, and reduces the second pressure reducer 29. The opening is reduced from the fully open state during the defrost operation to a pressure at which the refrigerant can evaporate in the internal air heat exchanger 23.

  Thereby, defrosting of the outside air heat exchanger 15, temperature control of the in-vehicle battery 80, and dehumidification of the passenger compartment in the vehicle are performed.

(3-7) Defrost preparation operation mode Since the above-mentioned defrost operation uses the in-vehicle battery 80 as a heat source, it is preferable to perform a defrost preparation operation for heating the in-vehicle battery 80 before the defrost operation. For example, in the normal heating operation, the in-vehicle battery 80 is adjusted to 30 ° C., but in the defrost preparation operation, the in-vehicle battery 80 is heated to a preparation temperature (for example, 40 ° C.).

Specifically, since the temperature of the in-vehicle battery 80 rises due to an internal chemical reaction during charging and discharging, the cooling amount by the refrigerant in the battery heat exchanger 27 may be reduced or stopped. As a result, the in-vehicle battery 80 rises in temperature due to an internal chemical reaction during charging / discharging.
Therefore, as a first measure, the second decompressor 29 is fully opened, the temperature of the refrigerant entering the battery heat exchanger 27 is increased, and the cooling amount is decreased.

  As a second measure, as shown in FIG. 4A (a configuration diagram of another automobile temperature control system according to the first embodiment), the second decompressor 29 is fully closed, and the refrigerant is supplied to the battery heat exchanger 27. The cooling of the in-vehicle battery 80 is stopped so as not to flow. Further, when the second pressure reducer 29 is fully closed, the refrigerant does not flow to the outside air heat exchanger 15 (evaporator), and therefore a bypass passage 49 having an on-off valve 491 is provided here. The on-off valve 491 may be controlled to open during the defrost preparation operation.

  When the temperature of the in-vehicle battery 80 reaches the preparation temperature before the start of the defrost operation, the cooling of the in-vehicle battery 80 is resumed so as to keep the temperature of the in-vehicle battery 80 at the predetermined value.

  The defrost preparation operation is determined by calculating the time until the defrost operation is started and the time until the vehicle-mounted battery 80 is heated to a predetermined value. In addition, it is good also considering the value of the evaporation saturation temperature Te in the external air heat exchanger 15 with a high correlation with the amount of frost formation as a trigger.

  FIG. 4B is a graph showing a change in in-vehicle battery temperature from the end of defrost to the start of the next defrost operation through the defrost preparation operation. Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 4B, an operation when an operation at an outside air temperature of 2 ° C. is assumed will be described.

  The control unit 70 starts the normal heating operation at the evaporation saturation temperature Te = −4 ° C. after the defrost operation is completed. The evaporation saturation temperature Te gradually decreases with the growth of frost. And when frost grows to some extent, the evaporation saturation temperature Te falls rapidly.

  Using the above feature, the control unit 70 starts a defrost preparation operation, which is a temperature raising process for the in-vehicle battery 80, when the evaporation saturation temperature Te falls below the first predetermined value. The first predetermined value is a value that satisfies Te <outside air temperature −10 ° C. and Te <−5 ° C. In the defrost preparation operation, the second decompressor 29 is fully closed while the heating operation is being performed. However, when the temperature of the in-vehicle battery 80 reaches the first predetermined value, the opening degree of the first decompressor 25 is adjusted to keep the in-vehicle battery 80 cooled so as to keep the temperature of the in-vehicle battery 80 at the first predetermined value. Resume.

  The controller 70 starts the defrosting operation when the evaporation saturation temperature Te further decreases and falls below the second predetermined value. The second predetermined value is a value satisfying Te <outside air temperature −15 ° C. and Te <−10 ° C. When the fin temperature Tdef of the outside air heat exchanger 15 exceeds the third predetermined value, the defrost operation is terminated and the normal heating operation is resumed. The third predetermined value of the fin temperature Tdef of the outside air heat exchanger 15 is 10 ° C. At that time, if the temperature of the in-vehicle battery 80 does not reach the appropriate temperature (for example, 30 ° C.) during the normal heating operation, the same control as the defrost preparation operation is performed, and if the temperature becomes the preparation temperature (for example, 40 ° C.) or more. Cooling of the in-vehicle battery 80 is started.

(4) Features of the first embodiment (4-1)
In the temperature control system 10 for an automobile, the control unit 70 performs a heat storage use mode in which the amount of heat of the in-vehicle battery 80 is used for air conditioning and a normal operation mode in which the amount of heat of the in-vehicle battery 80 is not used for air conditioning according to the refrigeration load. Select and execute. For example, the amount of heat stored in the in-vehicle battery 80 can be used when the refrigeration load increases due to the driving conditions of the automobile and exceeds the maximum capacity of the automotive temperature control system 10. Therefore, it is not necessary to increase the size of the device in preparation for the maximum refrigeration load that cannot occur frequently, and the device can be reduced in size and weight. Moreover, since the vehicle-mounted battery 80 is used as a heat storage source, it is not necessary to provide a separate heat storage source, and costs can be reduced.

(4-2)
In the automotive temperature control system 10, since the target temperature of the in-vehicle battery 80 is set to a temperature range in which heat storage to the in-vehicle battery 80 is performed when the normal operation mode is executed, the in-vehicle (for the heat storage use mode) It is not necessary to separately provide a heat storage means for the battery 80, and the size, weight, and cost can be reduced.

(4-3)
The automotive temperature control system 10 can be prepared for switching to the regenerative cooling operation mode by adjusting the temperature of the in-vehicle battery 80 so as to be the lowest limit of the appropriate temperature range during the cooling operation. In addition, during the heating operation, the temperature of the battery is adjusted so as to be the maximum upper limit value of the appropriate temperature range, thereby preparing for switching to the heat storage heating operation mode.

(4-4)
In the automotive temperature control system 10, air conditioning and temperature control of the in-vehicle battery 80 are performed using one refrigerant circuit 40, so that the refrigerant pressure in the battery heat exchanger 27 inevitably is the high pressure side pressure of the refrigerant circuit 40. And any intermediate pressure between the low pressure and the low pressure. As a result, since the degree of freedom in setting the target temperature range of the in-vehicle battery 80 is ensured by the temperature range between the evaporation temperature and the condensation temperature, it is easy to set the target temperature range for each of the heat storage use mode and the normal use mode. is there.

(4-5)
In the automotive temperature control system 10, the control unit 70 controls the refrigerant pressure in the battery heat exchanger 27 by adjusting the opening of the first decompressor 25 and the second decompressor 29. Therefore, the refrigerant pressure in the battery heat exchanger can be adjusted with high accuracy. For example, the battery temperature can be maintained in the vicinity of the lower limit value or the upper limit value of the appropriate temperature range.

(4-6)
In the automotive temperature control system 10, when the controller 70 detects or estimates the frost formation of the evaporator during the heating operation, the internal air fan 60 is stopped and the refrigerant flow is switched to the same refrigerant circulation cycle as that during the cooling operation. A defrost operation is performed in which the opening of the first pressure reducer 25 on the upstream side of the battery heat exchanger 27 is narrowed and the opening of the second pressure reducer 29 on the downstream side of the battery heat exchanger 27 is fully opened. Since the refrigerant in the battery heat exchanger 27 evaporates using the in-vehicle battery 80 as a heat source, gas refrigerant having a temperature close to the temperature of the air-conditioning target space enters the inside air heat exchanger 23, and the inside air fan 60 stops. Therefore, it is possible to prevent an unpleasant sensation such as cold air hitting the user.

(4-7)
In the automotive temperature control system 10, when the controller 70 receives a dehumidification command during defrost operation, the controller 70 opens the opening of the first decompressor 25 that is upstream of the battery heat exchanger 27, and A defrosting dehumidifying operation is performed to reduce the opening of the second pressure reducer 29 on the downstream side. Therefore, the refrigerant can be evaporated in the inside air heat exchanger 23 by an amount necessary for dehumidification.

(4-8)
In the automotive temperature control system 10, the controller 70 performs a defrost preparation operation in which the temperature of the in-vehicle battery 80 is held at a predetermined temperature higher than the current temperature for a predetermined time before executing the defrost operation. The refrigerant in the battery heat exchanger 27 evaporates using the in-vehicle battery 80 as a heat source, becomes a superheated gas refrigerant, enters the evaporator and heats the evaporator to melt frost, and thus the in-vehicle battery 80 has a large amount of heat. Moderate. Therefore, it is effective to increase the amount of heat of the battery before the defrost operation by the defrost preparation operation.

(5) Modified Example of First Embodiment (5-1) First Modified Example In the automotive temperature control system 10 according to the first embodiment, the defrost operation is performed by temporarily changing the refrigerant circulation cycle to the circulation cycle during the cooling operation. However, the present invention is not limited to this. In the air conditioning indoor unit according to the present modification, when the controller 70 detects or estimates that the outside air heat exchanger 15 has been frosted during the heating operation, the controller 70 performs the defrost operation while maintaining the circulation cycle during the heating operation. .

  Specifically, the control unit 70 controls the output of the refrigerant pump 33 so that the refrigerant of about 5% of the refrigerant amount circulating in the refrigerant circuit 40 flows into the driving unit cooling refrigerant path 47 from the branch point P. Further, the control unit 70 stops the outside air fan 50 and reduces the rotational speed of the inside air fan 60. Further, the control unit 70 restricts the second pressure reducer 29 to a pressure at which the refrigerant can be evaporated by the battery heat exchanger 27. Furthermore, the control unit 70 fully opens the opening of the first pressure reducer 25.

  FIG. 5 is a refrigeration cycle at the time of defrost operation represented on the pressure-enthalpy diagram in the automotive temperature control system according to the first modification. Hereinafter, the defrost operation according to the modification will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 5.

  In the refrigerant circuit 40, the low-pressure refrigerant is sucked into the compressor 11 and discharged after being compressed to high pressure (ab in FIG. 5). The high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor 11 is sent to the internal air heat exchanger 23 through the four-way switching valve 13.

  The high-pressure refrigerant sent to the inside air heat exchanger 23 is condensed by exchanging heat with the air supplied to the passenger compartment (between b and f in FIG. 5). However, since the rotation speed of the inside air fan 60 is reduced, the heating capacity is lowered.

  About 95% of the high-pressure refrigerant condensed in the inside air heat exchanger 23 is decompressed by the second decompressor 29 (between fe in FIG. 5), enters the battery heat exchanger 27, and enters the onboard battery 80. Evaporates by heat exchange (between ec in FIG. 5). That is, the refrigerant takes heat from the in-vehicle battery 80 in the battery heat exchanger 27 and evaporates to become a superheated gas refrigerant. In addition, the steam saturation temperature for defrosting is 5 degreeC or more, and 20 degreeC is preferable in order to maintain the vehicle-mounted battery 80 at appropriate temperature.

  The superheated gas refrigerant exiting the battery heat exchanger 27 enters the outside air heat exchanger 15. At this time, since the inside air fan 60 is stopped, heat exchange is performed with frost adhering to the outside air heat exchanger 15 rather than outside air. Therefore, the frost melts quickly. Part of the superheated gas refrigerant condenses due to heat exchange with frost (between c and a in FIG. 5). The refrigerant that has left the outside air heat exchanger 15 passes through the four-way switching valve 13 and is sucked into the compressor 11 again.

(5-2) Second Modification Note that it is not preferable for the compressor 11 to suck the refrigerant partially condensed in the outside air heat exchanger 15 as described above. It is preferable to arrange an accumulator in front of the suction port for gas-liquid separation and return only the gas refrigerant to the compressor 11.

  FIG. 6A is a configuration diagram of an automotive temperature control system according to a second modification. FIG. 7 shows a refrigeration cycle at the time of defrost operation shown on the pressure-enthalpy diagram in the temperature control system for an automobile according to the second modification.

  Hereinafter, the defrost operation according to the second modification will be described with reference to FIGS. 6A and 7. In FIG. 6A, the refrigerant circuit 40 of the second modification differs from the first modification in that the accumulator 20 is disposed in front of the suction port of the compressor 11. Therefore, the flow of the refrigerant is the same as that in the first modification until the superheated gas refrigerant exiting the battery heat exchanger 27 enters the outside air heat exchanger 15, and therefore the overheated gas refrigerant is the outside air heat exchanger. The flow after entering 15 will be described.

  The superheated gas refrigerant exchanges heat with the frost adhering to the outside air heat exchanger 15, and a part of the refrigerant is condensed (between c and a in FIG. 7). The refrigerant leaving the outside air heat exchanger 15 is separated into gas and liquid by an accumulator 20 disposed in front of the suction pipe of the compressor 11, and only the gas component is sucked into the compressor 11 (a in FIG. 7).

  Note that about 5% of the high-pressure refrigerant condensed in the outside air heat exchanger 15 flows from the branch point O into the driving unit cooling refrigerant path 47. Since the operation control of the refrigerant in the drive unit cooling refrigerant path 47 is the same as that in the heating operation, the description thereof is omitted here.

  As described above, in the automotive temperature control system 10 according to the first modification and the second modification, when the control unit 70 detects or estimates frost formation in the outside air heat exchanger 15 (evaporator) during heating operation, The outside air fan 50 is stopped, the refrigerant flow is the same refrigerant circulation cycle as in the heating operation, the opening of the second pressure reducer 29 on the upstream side of the battery heat exchanger 27 is throttled, and the downstream side of the battery heat exchanger 27 The defrost operation is performed with the opening of the first pressure reducer 25 being fully open. Therefore, the refrigerant in the battery heat exchanger 27 evaporates using the in-vehicle battery 80 as a heat source and becomes superheated gas refrigerant and enters the outside heat exchanger 15 (evaporator). As a result, the frost attached to the evaporator is quickly melted.

  Moreover, the control part 70 reduces the rotation speed of the inside air fan 60 at the time of defrost operation. The heat release of the refrigerant in the internal air heat exchanger 23 (condenser) is suppressed, and the refrigerant enters the battery heat exchanger 27 while retaining a high amount of heat, and is overheated there, so that the frosted outdoor air heat exchanger 15 When flowing into the (evaporator), the outside air heat exchanger 15 is quickly heated to melt frost.

Second Embodiment
(1) Overview of Automotive Temperature Control System 100 (1-1) Overall Configuration FIG. 8 is a configuration diagram of an automotive temperature control system 100 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 8, the automobile temperature control system 100 is an air conditioning system capable of cooling operation and heating operation, and includes a refrigerant circuit 140, an outside air fan 50, an inside air fan 60, and a control unit 170. Note that the outside air fan 50 and the inside air fan 60 are the same as those described in the first embodiment, and thus description thereof is omitted here.

(1-2) Refrigerant circuit 140
In the refrigerant circuit 140, the compressor 11, the four-way switching valve 13, the outside air heat exchanger 15, and the inside air heat exchanger 23 are connected in an annular shape. Further, two refrigerant paths are formed between the outside air heat exchanger 15 and the inside air heat exchanger 23, one being an air conditioning refrigerant path 41 as a first refrigerant path, and the other being Is a battery temperature adjusting refrigerant path 42 as a second refrigerant path. The battery temperature adjustment refrigerant path 42 is connected in parallel with the air conditioning refrigerant path 41.

  A main expansion valve 17, a dehumidifying heat exchanger 19, and a dehumidifying expansion valve 121 are connected to the air conditioning refrigerant path 41 from the outside air heat exchanger 15 side. Further, the first pressure reducer 25, the battery heat exchanger 27, and the second pressure reducer 29 are connected to the battery temperature adjusting refrigerant path 42 from the outside air heat exchanger 15 side. For convenience of explanation, among the connection points between the air conditioning refrigerant path 41 and the battery temperature adjusting refrigerant path 42, the outside air heat exchanger 15 side is referred to as a branch point R, and the inside air heat exchanger 23 side is referred to as a branch point S. Call.

  The refrigerant circuit 140 further includes a drive unit cooling refrigerant path 147 as a third refrigerant path. The driving portion cooling refrigerant path 147 is a refrigerant path that connects the branch point T provided between the branch point S and the second decompressor 29 and the discharge pipe of the compressor 11. In the drive part cooling refrigerant path 147, the first check valve 131, the refrigerant pump 33, the inverter heat exchanger 35, and the motor heat exchanger 37 are connected in series from the branch point T side.

  The air conditioning refrigerant path 41 and the drive unit cooling refrigerant path 147 are connected by a second check valve 132, and a part of the refrigerant flowing between the branch point R and the main expansion valve 17 is 1 The check valve 131 and the refrigerant pump 33 are joined together.

(1-3) Control unit 170
The controller 170 includes the four-way switching valve 13, the first pressure reducer 25, the second pressure reducer 29, the valve openings of the main expansion valve 17 and the dehumidifying expansion valve 121, the compressor 11, the refrigerant pump 33, the inside air fan 60, By controlling the rotation speed of the outside air fan 50, the flow of the refrigerant circulating in the refrigerant circuit 140 and the heat exchange amount of the inside air heat exchanger 23, the dehumidifying heat exchanger 19, the outside air heat exchanger 15, and the battery heat exchanger 27 are adjusted. Control.

(2) Detailed configuration Compressor 11, four-way switching valve 13, outside air heat exchanger 15, dehumidifying heat exchanger 19, inside air heat exchanger 23, first decompressor 25, battery heat exchanger 27, second decompressor 29, the refrigerant pump 33, the inverter heat exchanger 35, and the motor heat exchanger 37 are the same as those described in the first embodiment, and thus detailed description thereof is omitted here.

(2-1) Main expansion valve 17
The main expansion valve 17 is a variable opening-type electric expansion valve, and is connected between the dehumidifying heat exchanger 19 and the outside air heat exchanger 15. The main expansion valve 17 reduces the refrigerant pressure to a pressure that can be evaporated by the dehumidifying heat exchanger 19 and the internal air heat exchanger 23 during the cooling operation. Further, the main expansion valve 17 reduces the refrigerant pressure to a pressure at which the outside air heat exchanger 15 can evaporate during the heating operation.

(2-2) Expansion valve 121 for dehumidification
The dehumidifying expansion valve 121 is an electric expansion valve with a variable opening, and is connected between the dehumidifying heat exchanger 19 and the internal air heat exchanger 23. Further, the dehumidifying expansion valve 121 adjusts the amount of pressure reduction so that a predetermined dehumidifying amount is obtained during the heating and dehumidifying operation.

(3) Operation of Temperature Control System 100 for Automobile (3-1) Normal Cooling Operation Mode In FIG. 3, during the cooling operation, the four-way switching valve 13 is the discharge side of the compressor 11 and the gas side of the outside air heat exchanger 15. And the suction side of the compressor 11 and the gas side of the internal air heat exchanger 23 are connected.

  In addition, the dehumidifying expansion valve 121 has its opening degree expanded to such an extent that the opening degree is fully opened or the refrigerant is not depressurized. The opening of the main expansion valve 17 is adjusted so that the refrigerant pressure is reduced to a pressure that can be evaporated by the dehumidifying heat exchanger 19 and the internal air heat exchanger 23.

  The first decompressor 25 decompresses the high-pressure refrigerant from the outside air heat exchanger 15 to an intermediate pressure between the high pressure and the low pressure. Further, the second pressure reducer 29 reduces the pressure of the intermediate pressure refrigerant to a pressure at which the internal air heat exchanger 23 can evaporate. As a result, the outside air heat exchanger 15 functions as a refrigerant condenser, the air conditioning refrigerant path 41 functions as the dehumidifying heat exchanger 19 and the inside air heat exchanger 23 as a refrigerant evaporator, and the battery temperature adjusting refrigerant path 42. Then, the inside air heat exchanger 23 functions as a refrigerant evaporator.

  In the refrigerant circuit in such a state, the low-pressure refrigerant is sucked into the compressor 11 and discharged after being compressed to high pressure. The high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor 11 is sent to the outside air heat exchanger 15 through the four-way switching valve 13.

  The high-pressure refrigerant sent to the outside air heat exchanger 15 is condensed by exchanging heat with outside air there. The high-pressure refrigerant condensed in the outside air heat exchanger 15 flows at two branch points R in two directions: an air conditioning refrigerant path 41 and a battery temperature adjusting refrigerant path 42.

  The high-pressure refrigerant that has flowed into the air conditioning refrigerant path 41 is depressurized by the main expansion valve 17 and enters the dehumidifying heat exchanger 19 and the internal air heat exchanger 23. The dehumidifying heat exchanger 19 and the inside air heat exchanger 23 function as one evaporator because the dehumidifying expansion valve 121 is almost fully open.

  On the other hand, the high-pressure refrigerant that has flowed into the battery temperature adjusting refrigerant path 42 is sent to the first pressure reducer 25 to be reduced to an intermediate pressure, and then enters the battery heat exchanger 27. The refrigerant that has decreased to the intermediate pressure flows through the battery heat exchanger 27 as a two-phase refrigerant. This two-layer refrigerant exchanges heat with the in-vehicle battery 80 via the battery heat exchanger 27. The in-vehicle battery 80 is cooled by the battery heat exchanger 27 and adjusted to a predetermined temperature. In the present embodiment, the intermediate pressure is adjusted and the refrigerant temperature is adjusted by appropriately controlling the opening of the first pressure reducer 25. With this action, the in-vehicle battery 80 is adjusted to an arbitrary temperature within the range of 20 ° C to 40 ° C. The intermediate-pressure refrigerant that has exited the battery heat exchanger 27 is decompressed by the second decompressor 29 to a pressure at which it can evaporate in the interior air heat exchanger 23, and enters the interior air heat exchanger 23.

  The low-pressure refrigerant that has entered the dehumidifying heat exchanger 19 and the inside air heat exchanger 23 evaporates by exchanging heat with the air supplied to the passenger compartment. The air cooled by the inside air heat exchanger 23 is blown out into the passenger compartment and cools the passenger compartment. The low-pressure refrigerant evaporated in the inside air heat exchanger 23 is again sucked into the compressor 11 through the four-way switching valve 13.

  Further, a part of the high-pressure liquid refrigerant flows from the air conditioning refrigerant path 41 through the second check valve 132 into the driving section cooling refrigerant path 147. The high-pressure liquid refrigerant is boosted to the discharge pressure of the compressor 11 by the refrigerant pump 33 and enters the inverter heat exchanger 35 and the motor heat exchanger 37. This refrigerant exchanges heat with the inverter 85 and the traveling motor 87, and maintains the temperatures of the inverter 85 and the traveling motor 87 at temperatures that do not break. The refrigerant that has exited the motor heat exchanger 37 enters the discharge pipe side of the compressor 11.

(3-2) Thermal storage cooling operation mode For example, when the electric vehicle climbs a steep slope during normal cooling operation, the rotational speed of the traveling motor 87 is increased, so that the cooling capacity for the inverter 85 and the traveling motor 87 is increased. There is a need.

  In such a case, the control unit 170 switches the operation mode from the normal cooling operation to the heat storage cooling operation. In the regenerative cooling operation, the control unit 170 causes the refrigerant pump 33 to partially flow into the drive unit cooling refrigerant path 147 through the refrigerant pump 33 in the same refrigerant circulation cycle as in the normal cooling operation. Control. Moreover, in the heat storage cooling operation, the controller 170 fully opens the opening of the first pressure reducer 25.

  In the refrigerant circuit 140 in such a state, the low-pressure refrigerant is sucked into the compressor 11 and is discharged after being compressed to a high pressure. The high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor 11 is sent to the outside air heat exchanger 15 through the four-way switching valve 13.

  The high-pressure refrigerant sent to the outside air heat exchanger 15 is condensed by exchanging heat with outside air there. The high-pressure refrigerant condensed in the outside air heat exchanger 15 flows at two branch points R in two directions: an air conditioning refrigerant path 41 and a battery temperature adjusting refrigerant path 42.

  The high-pressure refrigerant that has flowed into the air conditioning refrigerant path 41 is depressurized by the main expansion valve 17 and enters the dehumidifying heat exchanger 19 and the internal air heat exchanger 23. The dehumidifying heat exchanger 19 and the inside air heat exchanger 23 function as one evaporator because the dehumidifying expansion valve 121 is almost fully open.

  On the other hand, the high-pressure refrigerant that has flowed into the battery temperature adjusting refrigerant path 42 is sent to the first pressure reducer 25. However, since the opening of the first pressure reducer 25 is fully open, the battery heat exchanger 27 is not decompressed. Sent to.

  The vehicle-mounted battery 80 is maintained at 30 ° C. until immediately before the operation mode is switched from the normal cooling operation to the regenerative cooling operation. Since the vehicle-mounted battery 80 has a weight of 200 kg, it is a 30 ° C. heat storage source. Therefore, the vehicle-mounted battery 80 is supercooled by exchanging heat with the refrigerant in the battery heat exchanger 27 while maintaining approximately 30 ° C. for a short time.

  The refrigerant that has exited the battery heat exchanger 27 is depressurized by the second decompressor 29 to a pressure at which it can evaporate in the inside air heat exchanger 23, and enters the inside air heat exchanger 23.

  The low-pressure refrigerant entering the inside air heat exchanger 23 evaporates by exchanging heat with the air supplied to the passenger compartment. The air cooled by the inside air heat exchanger 23 is blown out into the passenger compartment and cools the passenger compartment. The low-pressure refrigerant evaporated in the inside air heat exchanger 23 is again sucked into the compressor 11 through the four-way switching valve 13.

  Further, a part of the high-pressure liquid refrigerant flows from the air conditioning refrigerant path 41 through the second check valve 132 into the driving section cooling refrigerant path 147. The high-pressure liquid refrigerant is boosted to the discharge pressure of the compressor 11 by the refrigerant pump 33 and enters the inverter heat exchanger 35 and the motor heat exchanger 37. This refrigerant exchanges heat with the inverter 85 and the traveling motor 87, and maintains the temperatures of the inverter 85 and the traveling motor 87 at temperatures that do not break. The refrigerant that has exited the motor heat exchanger 37 enters the discharge pipe side of the compressor 11.

(3-3) Flow of Refrigerant During Heating Operation In FIG. 8, during the heating operation, the four-way switching valve 13 connects the discharge side of the compressor 11 and the gas side of the internal air heat exchanger 23 and the compressor 11. Are connected to the gas side of the outside air heat exchanger 15.

  In addition, the dehumidifying expansion valve 121 has its opening degree expanded to such an extent that the opening degree is fully opened or the refrigerant is not depressurized. The opening of the main expansion valve 17 is adjusted so that the refrigerant pressure is reduced to a pressure that can be evaporated by the outside air heat exchanger 15.

  The second decompressor 29 decompresses the high-pressure refrigerant from the internal air heat exchanger 23 to an intermediate pressure between the high pressure and the low pressure. The first decompressor 25 decompresses the intermediate pressure refrigerant to a pressure at which the outside air heat exchanger 15 can evaporate. As a result, the internal air heat exchanger 23 functions as a refrigerant condenser in the battery temperature adjusting refrigerant path 42, and the internal air heat exchanger 23 and the dehumidifying heat exchanger 19 function as a refrigerant condenser in the air conditioning refrigerant path 41. . The outside air heat exchanger 15 functions as a refrigerant evaporator.

  In the refrigerant circuit in such a state, the low-pressure refrigerant is sucked into the compressor 11 and discharged after being compressed to high pressure. The high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor 11 is sent to the internal air heat exchanger 23 through the four-way switching valve 13.

  The high-pressure refrigerant sent to the inside air heat exchanger 23 condenses by exchanging heat with the air supplied to the passenger compartment. The air heated by the inside air heat exchanger 23 is blown into the passenger compartment and warms the passenger compartment.

  The high-pressure refrigerant condensed in the inside air heat exchanger 23 flows in two directions at the branch point S: an air conditioning refrigerant path 41 and a battery temperature adjusting refrigerant path 42.

  The refrigerant that has flowed into the air conditioning refrigerant path 41 passes through the dehumidifying expansion valve 121 that is substantially fully opened and enters the dehumidifying heat exchanger 19, where it further dissipates heat and enters a supercooled state. The refrigerant exiting the dehumidifying heat exchanger 19 is decompressed by the main expansion valve 17 and enters the outside air heat exchanger 15.

  On the other hand, the high-pressure refrigerant that has flowed into the battery temperature adjusting refrigerant path 42 is sent to the second decompressor 29 and decompressed to an intermediate pressure, and then enters the battery heat exchanger 27. The refrigerant that has decreased to the intermediate pressure flows through the battery heat exchanger 27 as a two-phase refrigerant. This two-layer refrigerant exchanges heat with the in-vehicle battery 80 via the battery heat exchanger 27. The in-vehicle battery 80 is cooled by the battery heat exchanger 27 and adjusted to a predetermined temperature. In the present embodiment, the intermediate pressure is adjusted and the refrigerant temperature is adjusted by appropriately controlling the opening of the second pressure reducer 29. With this action, the in-vehicle battery 80 is adjusted to an arbitrary temperature within the range of 20 ° C to 40 ° C. The intermediate-pressure refrigerant that has exited the battery heat exchanger 27 is reduced by the first pressure reducer 25 to a pressure at which the outside air heat exchanger 15 can evaporate, and enters the outside air heat exchanger 15.

  The low-pressure refrigerant that has entered the outside air heat exchanger 15 evaporates by exchanging heat with air outside the vehicle. The low-pressure refrigerant evaporated in the outside air heat exchanger 15 is sucked into the compressor 11 again through the four-way switching valve 13.

  Furthermore, a part of the high-pressure liquid refrigerant flows from the branch point T through the first check valve 131 into the drive part cooling refrigerant path 147. The high-pressure liquid refrigerant is boosted to the discharge pressure of the compressor 11 by the refrigerant pump 33 and enters the inverter heat exchanger 35 and the motor heat exchanger 37. This refrigerant exchanges heat with the inverter 85 and the traveling motor 87, and maintains the temperatures of the inverter 85 and the traveling motor 87 at temperatures that do not break. The refrigerant that has exited the motor heat exchanger 37 enters the discharge pipe side of the compressor 11.

(3-4) Heating / Dehumidifying Operation Mode In the heating / dehumidifying operation, the controller 170 fully opens the main expansion valve 17 and adjusts the opening degree of the dehumidifying expansion valve 121 in the same refrigerant circulation cycle as in the heating operation. The high-pressure refrigerant flowing from the branch point S to the air conditioning refrigerant path 41 is depressurized. The dehumidifying expansion valve 121 reduces the refrigerant pressure to a pressure that can be evaporated by the dehumidifying heat exchanger 19 and the outside air heat exchanger 15, and evaporates by absorbing heat from the surroundings in the dehumidifying heat exchanger 19 and the outside air heat exchanger 15. Note that the amount of depressurization is adjusted to adjust the dehumidification amount by appropriately controlling the opening of the dehumidifying expansion valve 121.

  Since the dehumidifying heat exchanger 19 cools the air passing therethrough, moisture in the air is condensed and dehumidified. Since the dehumidified air is heated by the inside air heat exchanger 23, the dehumidified warm air is blown out into the passenger compartment.

  On the other hand, the high-pressure refrigerant that has flowed into the battery temperature adjusting refrigerant path 42 is sent to the second decompressor 29 and decompressed to an intermediate pressure, and then enters the battery heat exchanger 27. The refrigerant that has decreased to the intermediate pressure flows through the battery heat exchanger 27 as a two-phase refrigerant. This two-layer refrigerant exchanges heat with the in-vehicle battery 80 via the battery heat exchanger 27. The in-vehicle battery 80 is cooled by the battery heat exchanger 27 and adjusted to a predetermined temperature. In the present embodiment, the in-vehicle battery 80 is adjusted to an arbitrary temperature within the range of 20 ° C. to 40 ° C. by appropriately controlling the opening degree of the second decompressor 29. The intermediate-pressure refrigerant that has exited the battery heat exchanger 27 is reduced by the first pressure reducer 25 to a pressure at which the outside air heat exchanger 15 can evaporate, and enters the outside air heat exchanger 15.

  The low-pressure refrigerant that has entered the outside air heat exchanger 15 evaporates by exchanging heat with air outside the vehicle. The low-pressure refrigerant evaporated in the outside air heat exchanger 15 is sucked into the compressor 11 again through the four-way switching valve 13.

  Furthermore, a part of the high-pressure liquid refrigerant flows from the branch point T through the first check valve 131 into the drive part cooling refrigerant path 147. The high-pressure liquid refrigerant is boosted to the discharge pressure of the compressor 11 by the refrigerant pump 33 and enters the inverter heat exchanger 35 and the motor heat exchanger 37. This refrigerant exchanges heat with the inverter 85 and the traveling motor 87, and maintains the temperatures of the inverter 85 and the traveling motor 87 at temperatures that do not break. The refrigerant that has exited the motor heat exchanger 37 enters the discharge pipe side of the compressor 11.

(3-5) Thermal storage heating operation mode For example, when the electric vehicle climbs a steep slope during normal heating operation, the rotational speed of the traveling motor 87 is increased, so that the cooling capacity for the inverter 85 and the traveling motor 87 is increased. There is a need.

  In such a case, the control unit 170 switches the operation mode from the normal heating operation to the regenerative heating operation. In the regenerative heating operation, the control unit 170 causes the refrigerant pump 33 to partially flow into the drive unit cooling refrigerant path 147 through the refrigerant pump 33 in the same refrigerant circulation cycle as in the normal heating operation. Control. Moreover, in the heat storage heating operation, the controller 170 fully opens the opening of the second pressure reducer 29.

  In the refrigerant circuit 140 in such a state, the low-pressure refrigerant is sucked into the compressor 11 and is discharged after being compressed to a high pressure. The high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor 11 is sent to the internal air heat exchanger 23 through the four-way switching valve 13. The high-pressure refrigerant condenses by exchanging heat with the air supplied to the passenger compartment in the interior air heat exchanger 23. The air heated by the inside air heat exchanger 23 is blown into the passenger compartment and warms the passenger compartment.

  The high-pressure refrigerant condensed in the inside air heat exchanger 23 flows in two directions at the branch point S: an air conditioning refrigerant path 41 and a battery temperature adjusting refrigerant path 42.

  The refrigerant that has flowed into the air conditioning refrigerant path 41 passes through the dehumidifying expansion valve 121 that is substantially fully opened and enters the dehumidifying heat exchanger 19, where it further dissipates heat and enters a supercooled state. The refrigerant exiting the dehumidifying heat exchanger 19 is decompressed by the main expansion valve 17 and enters the outside air heat exchanger 15.

  On the other hand, the high-pressure refrigerant that has flowed into the battery temperature adjusting refrigerant path 42 is sent to the second pressure reducer 29. However, since the opening of the second pressure reducer 29 is fully open, the battery heat exchanger 27 is not decompressed. Sent to.

  The vehicle-mounted battery 80 is maintained at 30 ° C. until immediately before the operation mode is switched from the normal heating operation to the regenerative heating operation. Since the vehicle-mounted battery 80 has a weight of 200 kg, it is a 30 ° C. heat storage source. Therefore, the vehicle-mounted battery 80 is supercooled by exchanging heat with the refrigerant in the battery heat exchanger 27 while maintaining approximately 30 ° C. for a short time.

  The refrigerant that has exited the battery heat exchanger 27 is depressurized by the first decompressor 25 to a pressure at which it can evaporate in the outdoor air heat exchanger 15, and enters the outdoor air heat exchanger 15. The low-pressure refrigerant that has entered the outside air heat exchanger 15 evaporates by exchanging heat with air outside the vehicle. The low-pressure refrigerant evaporated in the outside air heat exchanger 15 is sucked into the compressor 11 again through the four-way switching valve 13.

  Furthermore, a part of the high-pressure liquid refrigerant flows from the branch point T through the first check valve 131 into the drive part cooling refrigerant path 147. The high-pressure liquid refrigerant is boosted to the discharge pressure of the compressor 11 by the refrigerant pump 33 and enters the inverter heat exchanger 35 and the motor heat exchanger 37. This refrigerant exchanges heat with the inverter 85 and the traveling motor 87, and maintains the temperatures of the inverter 85 and the traveling motor 87 at temperatures that do not break. The refrigerant that has exited the motor heat exchanger 37 enters the discharge pipe side of the compressor 11.

(3-6) Defrosting operation mode When the controller 170 detects or estimates that the outside air heat exchanger 15 has formed frost during the heating operation, the controller 170 switches the four-way switching valve 13 to the cooling side and performs the defrosting operation. . That is, during the defrost operation, the four-way switching valve 13 connects the discharge side of the compressor 11 and the gas side of the outside air heat exchanger 15 and connects the suction side of the compressor 11 and the gas side of the inside air heat exchanger 23. Connecting.

  Further, the controller 170 fully opens the opening of the dehumidifying expansion valve 121 or expands the opening to such an extent that the refrigerant is not decompressed. The opening of the main expansion valve 17 is adjusted so that the refrigerant pressure is reduced to a pressure that can be evaporated by the dehumidifying heat exchanger 19 and the internal air heat exchanger 23. Further, the control unit 170 fully opens the opening of the second decompressor 29. The first decompressor 25 decompresses the high-pressure refrigerant from the outside air heat exchanger 15 to a pressure at which the battery heat exchanger 27 and the inside air heat exchanger 23 can evaporate. Therefore, the outside air heat exchanger 15 functions as a refrigerant condenser, and in the air conditioning refrigerant path 41, the dehumidifying heat exchanger 19 and the inside air heat exchanger 23 function as a refrigerant evaporator, and the battery temperature adjusting refrigerant path 42. Then, the battery heat exchanger 27 and the inside air heat exchanger 23 function as a refrigerant evaporator.

  Further, the control unit 170 controls the output of the refrigerant pump 33 so that a part of the refrigerant amount circulating in the refrigerant circuit 140 flows into the driving unit cooling refrigerant path 147 from the branch point R. Further, the control unit 170 stops the outside air fan 50 and the inside air fan 60.

  In the refrigerant circuit 140 in such a state, the low-pressure refrigerant is sucked into the compressor 11 and is discharged after being compressed to a high pressure. The high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor 11 is sent to the outside air heat exchanger 15 through the four-way switching valve 13.

  Originally, the high-pressure refrigerant sent to the outside air heat exchanger 15 condenses by exchanging heat with outside air, but since the outside air fan 50 is stopped, the outside air heat exchanger rather than outside air. 15 is condensed by heat exchange with the frost adhering to the frost. Therefore, most of the heat quantity at the time of refrigerant condensation is used for the heat of frost melting, and the frost melts quickly. The high-pressure refrigerant condensed in the outside air heat exchanger 15 flows at two branch points R in two directions: an air conditioning refrigerant path 41 and a battery temperature adjusting refrigerant path 42.

  The high-pressure refrigerant that has flowed into the air conditioning refrigerant path 41 is depressurized by the main expansion valve 17 and enters the dehumidifying heat exchanger 19 and the internal air heat exchanger 23. The dehumidifying heat exchanger 19 and the inside air heat exchanger 23 function as one evaporator because the dehumidifying expansion valve 121 is almost fully open.

  On the other hand, the high-pressure refrigerant that has flowed into the battery temperature adjusting refrigerant path 42 is decompressed by the first decompressor 25 and enters the battery heat exchanger 27. The refrigerant takes heat from the in-vehicle battery 80 in the battery heat exchanger 27 and evaporates. At that time, the opening of the first pressure reducer 25 is controlled as appropriate by the controller 170 so that the refrigerant temperature becomes 5 ° C. By this action, the in-vehicle battery 80 is maintained at approximately 30 ° C.

  The refrigerant exiting the battery heat exchanger 27 rises to 15 ° C. and enters the inside air heat exchanger 23. At this time, since the inside air fan 60 is stopped, the air cooled by the heat exchange with the refrigerant in the inside air heat exchanger 23 is not blown out to the passenger compartment. The refrigerant that has exited the indoor air heat exchanger 23 passes through the four-way switching valve 13 and is sucked into the compressor 11 again.

  Further, a part of the high-pressure refrigerant condensed in the outside air heat exchanger 15 flows from the branch point R into the driving unit cooling refrigerant path 147. This high-pressure liquid refrigerant is increased to the discharge pressure of the compressor 11 by the refrigerant pump 33 and enters the inverter heat exchanger 35 and the motor heat exchanger 37. This refrigerant exchanges heat with the inverter 85 and the traveling motor 87, and maintains the temperatures of the inverter 85 and the traveling motor 87 at temperatures that do not break. The refrigerant that has exited the motor heat exchanger 37 enters the discharge pipe side of the compressor 11.

(3-7) Defrost preparation operation mode The defrost preparation mode in 2nd Embodiment applies the defrost preparation mode in 1st Embodiment.

  However, when applying the 2nd policy of 1st Embodiment demonstrated previously, as shown to FIG. 6B (configuration diagram of the other temperature control system for motor vehicles based on a 2nd modification), it is the 2nd decompressor. 29 is fully closed so that the refrigerant does not flow to the battery heat exchanger 27, and cooling of the in-vehicle battery 80 is stopped. Further, when the second pressure reducer 29 is fully closed, the refrigerant does not flow to the outside air heat exchanger 15 (evaporator). Therefore, in FIG. 6B, a bypass passage 49 having an on-off valve 491 is provided. The on-off valve 491 may be controlled to open during the defrost preparation operation.

(4) Features As described above, the automotive temperature control system 100 according to the second embodiment includes the refrigerant circuit 140 in addition to the features of the automotive temperature control system 10 according to the first embodiment. In addition to 41, the battery temperature adjusting refrigerant path 42 is provided. Therefore, separately from the air conditioning, the temperature of the battery heat exchanger 27 can be adjusted to any temperature between the evaporation temperature and the condensation temperature, and the in-vehicle battery 80 can be adjusted to an appropriate temperature.

  As described above, according to the automotive temperature control system of the present invention, when the refrigeration load exceeds the capacity of the refrigeration apparatus, the shortage is compensated for by the cold heat of the in-vehicle battery. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide a separate heat storage source, and the cost can be reduced. Therefore, it is useful not only for electric vehicles but also for hybrid vehicles.

10,100 Automotive temperature control system 25 First decompressor 27 Battery heat exchanger 29 Second decompressor 40,140 Refrigerant circuit 41 Refrigerant path for air conditioning 42 Refrigerant path for battery temperature control 50 Outside air fan (first fan)
60 shy fan (second fan)
70,170 Control unit 80 On-board battery

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-23081

Claims (9)

An automotive temperature control system that performs at least air conditioning and temperature control of a battery (80) using one refrigerant circuit (40),
A controller (70) for controlling the refrigerant flow in the refrigerant circuit (40) so that the target temperature of the battery (80) is within a predetermined appropriate temperature range ;
The refrigerant circuit (40) includes a battery temperature adjustment refrigerant path (42) including a battery heat exchanger (27) for adjusting the temperature of the battery (80) between an air conditioning evaporator and a radiator. Have
The control unit (70) selects a heat storage use mode in which the amount of heat of the battery (80) is used for air conditioning and a normal operation mode in which the amount of heat of the battery (80) is not used for air conditioning according to the refrigeration load. to run,
Furthermore, the control unit (70)
When the heat storage use mode is selected, the target temperature is set within a first range within the appropriate temperature range,
When the normal operation mode is selected, the target temperature is set to a second range within the appropriate temperature range and different from the first range;
Temperature control system for automobiles (10). The heat storage use mode is
A regenerative cooling operation mode in which a cooling operation is performed using the amount of heat of the battery (80);
A regenerative heating operation mode in which heating operation is performed using the amount of heat of the battery (80);
Including
The normal operation mode is:
A normal cooling operation mode in which the cooling operation is performed without using the amount of heat of the battery (80);
A normal heating operation mode in which the heating operation is performed without using the amount of heat of the battery (80);
Including
The control unit (70)
When the normal cooling operation mode is selected, the second range is set to a range including the lowest limit value of the appropriate temperature range,
When the normal heating operation mode is selected, the second range is set to a range including the maximum upper limit value of the appropriate temperature range.
The vehicle temperature control system (10) according to claim 1 . The controller (70) adjusts the refrigerant pressure in the battery heat exchanger (27) to adjust the temperature of the battery (80).
The automotive temperature control system (10) according to claim 2 . The battery temperature adjustment refrigerant path (42) further includes two variable-pressure decompressors (25, 29) disposed on both sides of the battery heat exchanger (27),
The controller (70) controls the refrigerant pressure in the battery heat exchanger (27) by adjusting the opening of the two pressure reducers (25, 29).
The automotive temperature control system (10) according to claim 3 . A fan (60) for blowing air to the condenser during heating operation;
When the controller (70) detects or estimates frost formation of the evaporator during heating operation, the controller (70) stops the fan (60), switches the refrigerant flow to the same refrigerant circulation cycle as during cooling operation, and the battery The opening of the decompressor (25) on the upstream side of the heat exchanger (27) is throttled, and the opening of the decompressor (29) on the downstream side of the battery heat exchanger (27) is fully opened. Perform defrost operation,
The automotive temperature control system (10) according to claim 4 . When the controller (70) receives a dehumidification command during the defrost operation, the controller (70) opens the opening of the decompressor (25) on the upstream side of the battery heat exchanger (27), and the battery heat exchanger ( 27) The depressurization dehumidifying operation is performed to reduce the opening of the pressure reducer (29) on the downstream side of 27).
The automotive temperature control system (10) according to claim 5 . A first fan (50) for blowing air to the evaporator during heating operation;
A second fan (60) for blowing air to the condenser during heating operation;
Further comprising
When the controller (70) detects or estimates frost formation of the evaporator during heating operation, the control unit (70) stops the first fan (50), and the refrigerant flows in the same refrigerant circulation cycle as in heating operation. The opening of the decompressor (29) on the upstream side of the battery heat exchanger (27) is throttled, and the opening of the decompressor (25) on the downstream side of the battery heat exchanger (27) is fully opened. , Defrost operation,
The automotive temperature control system (10) according to claim 4 . The controller (70) reduces the rotational speed of the second fan (60) during the defrost operation.
The automotive temperature control system (10) according to claim 7 . The control unit (70)
Before performing the defrost operation, a defrost preparation operation is performed in which the temperature of the battery (80) is maintained at a predetermined temperature higher than the current temperature for a predetermined time.
The temperature control system (10) for automobiles according to any one of claims 5 to 8 .

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