JPS6343814A - Air conditioner for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To maintain the constant supplied oxygen quantity independently of the variation of the engine revolution speed by driving an auxiliary pump means separately, when the operation state of a pump means driven by an engine generates the lowering of the separation pressure over the prescribed value of an oxygen concentrating device. CONSTITUTION:In an oxygen concentrating device 70, oxygen concentrating membranes 82 are laminated between the partitioning walls 83 in a hollow body 81, and the space in the hollow body 81 communicates to the suction side of a vacuum pump 71 through an oxygen taking-out duct 77. In the above- described air conditioner, an auxiliary vacuum pump 98 equipped with an oxygen taking-out duct 97 which communicates to the inside of the hollow body 81 is installed similarly in parallel to the vacuum pump 71, and is driven by a driving device 99 equipped with a voltage adjustor 100. When the number of revolution of an engine E which is detected by a sensor 78 becomes below a prescribed value, the auxiliary vacuum pump 98 is driven by an air conditioning control unit 50. Thus, the reduction of the suction force of the vacuum pump 71 driven by the engine E is back-up-controlled.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] (Industrial application field) The present invention relates to a vehicle air conditioner.

(Prior art) In general, vehicles, especially automobiles, provide a comfortable riding environment for passengers regardless of the climate (especially temperature) and driving conditions, and also prevent fogging and frost on the windows so that the driver can see clearly. Air conditioning equipment is installed to ensure safe and comfortable driving.

By the way, recent air conditioners (hereinafter simply referred to as air conditioners) have not only conventional air conditioning functions such as heating, cooling, humidification, and dehumidification, but also the function of conditioned air supplied to the vehicle interior. Products with an oxygen enrichment function that increases the amount of oxygen in
(Refer to Publication No.-212632).

This air conditioner with an oxygen enrichment function is equipped with an oxygen enrichment device that separates and removes nitrogen from the air to produce oxygen-enriched air, and the oxygen enrichment device separates and removes nitrogen from the air to produce oxygen-enriched air. Enriched air is supplied into the vehicle interior to make the interior air oxygen-enriched, which helps occupants recover from fatigue, prevents drowsiness, and motion sickness, creating a comfortable riding environment.

Generally, as the oxygen enrichment device, for example, an oxygen enrichment membrane type or an oxygen adsorption/separation type are often used. First, an oxygen enrichment device using an oxygen enrichment membrane is provided with an external air supply path on one side of the oxygen enrichment membrane and an oxygen outlet path on the other side, and further includes a meat interface part of the oxygen enrichment membrane. A partial pressure difference forming means is provided for forming a predetermined partial pressure difference therebetween, and the pressure difference in the air supplied to the air supply path side is adjusted according to the partial pressure difference between the meat interface portions of the oxygen enriched membrane formed by the partial pressure difference forming means. Pass oxygen through the oxygen-enriched membrane"1
By transmitting the oxygen to the oxygen outlet side, oxygen-enriched air to be supplied into the vehicle interior is generated.

Next, in the case of the oxygen adsorption separation type, an air supply path is provided on one side of the oxygen adsorption cylinder containing the oxygen adsorption agent, and an oxygen outlet path is provided on the other side. A pressurizing means for applying an oxygen adsorption pressure is provided, and according to the pressurizing value of the pressurizing means, oxygen in the air on the air supply path is separated and extracted to supply oxygen-enriched air into the vehicle interior through the oxygen outlet path. supply.

Therefore, in order to extract and separate oxygen from the supplied air, whether the oxygen enrichment device is an oxygen enrichment membrane type or an oxygen adsorption separation type, the oxygen enrichment device must first carry out the separation action. specified separation pressure (partial pressure for oxygen enrichment membrane type, adsorption pressure for oxygen adsorption separation type)
It is essential to grant

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, since the above-mentioned separation pressure applying means generally uses a vacuum pump, an air compressor, etc. directly driven by an engine to form the separation pressure, It is not always easy to perform variable control for separation independently of the engine speed, and as a general rule, the final oxygen supply amount is determined according to the drive capacity of the pump means defined by the engine speed. It turns out.

Otherwise, when the engine speed decreases below a predetermined value (for example, during idling), the separation pressure of the oxygen enrichment device also decreases correspondingly. As a result, the amount of oxygen supplied also decreases significantly, causing a problem that it becomes impossible to maintain the required oxygen concentration in the vehicle interior.

(Means for Achieving the Object) The present invention was made for the purpose of solving the above-mentioned problems. An air supply path is provided on one side and an oxygen outlet path is provided on the other side, and a pump means driven by the engine to apply a predetermined oxygen separation pressure to the oxygen enrichment device is installed. In a vehicle air conditioner, the air conditioner for a vehicle is configured to supply oxygen-enriched air generated by the oxygen enrichment device according to the oxygen separation pressure into the vehicle interior through the pump means installed in parallel with the pump means. an electric auxiliary pump means having a function similar to that of the oxygen enrichment device; a pump operation state detection means for detecting the operation state of the pump means with respect to the oxygen enrichment device; and auxiliary pump drive means for driving the auxiliary pump means when an operating state is detected that reduces the separation pressure for the oxidizing device below a predetermined value.

(Function) According to the above means, the operating state of the pump means driven by the engine is detected, and the operating state of the pump means due to a decrease in engine speed, etc. causes the separation pressure to exceed a predetermined value of the oxygen enrichment device. If a situation occurs that causes a decline in
The electric auxiliary pump means is automatically driven and acts to prevent a drop in the separation pressure of the oxygen enrichment device.

(Embodiment) FIG. 1 shows a vehicle air conditioner according to a first embodiment of the present invention, which is equipped with an oxygen enrichment function.

The air conditioner first includes a cooling system device that is composed of a compressor 10, a condenser, an evaporator 12, etc., which are interconnected by refrigerant piping 14, and a hot water piping (engine cooling A heating system device consisting of a hot water valve 20, a heater core 21, etc., interconnected by a water pipe (connected to water piping) 13, a blower unit 30 for outside air intake, and an inside/outside air switching motor for outside air penderation and inside air circulation. 31, a ventilation system device consisting of a ventilation duct 32, etc., and an air conditioning temperature setting device 4
1, 42, an operation system device 40 consisting of various operation switches 43 to 50, a set temperature indicator 51, etc., an air conditioning control unit 500 having various air conditioning control functions formed by a microcomputer, and an outside temperature sensor 51
．． Inside air temperature sensor 52, water temperature sensor 53, duct inside temperature sensor 54, cabin oxygen sensor 3, various control motors (mode switching motor 61, air mix damper control motor 62)
), an oxygen concentrator 70, an engine-driven main vacuum pump 7], an electric auxiliary vacuum pump 98, an air filter 72, a blower motor 73, a duct 74 for supplying oxygen into the passenger compartment, etc. It consists of an oxygen enrichment device.

The evaporator 12 of the cooling system device and the heater core 21 of the heating system device are installed in each cooling/heating unit case 6.7 provided below the dash panel, for example, and are installed in a duct. The respective unit cases 6 and 7 are connected to each other via the portion 5 in a communicating state. A blower duct 32 of the blower unit 30 of the blower system is also connected to the cooling unit case 6 side. Further, on the side of the heating unit case 7, a heat duct 15 for heating and a vent duct 16 for ventilation and cooling are provided, respectively.

Further, reference numeral 17 is rotatably pivotally attached to one end of the heater core 2I and located within the duct portion 5, and includes a passage from the duct side passing through the heater core 21 and a passage bypassing the heater core 21. , and a branch passage that together form both of these passages. The degree is potentiometer 63
The detected value is input to the air conditioning control unit 500.

Further, reference numeral 66 is an opening/closing damper for the heat duct 15, and 67 is an opening/closing damper for the defroster 18, and the opening/closing states of these opening/closing dampers 66, 67 are interlocked with each other in inverse proportion to each other. Note that the reference numeral 19 is a radiator.

On the other hand, the oxygen concentrator 70 on the oxygen enrichment device side is
For example, an oxygen-enriched film 82 formed of a polycarbonate-silicon copolymer is placed inside the hollow casing 81 as a partition wall 83.8.
The air intake port 84 side of the hollow casing 81 is connected to the main duct 75 for air intake in which the blower motor 73 and air filter 72 are interposed. At the same time, the main vacuum pump 71 and the auxiliary vacuum pump 98 are connected to the oxygen permeation side space between the hollow housing Bll interior walls 83 and 83 from the oxygen extraction lower part through the first and second oxygen extraction ducts 77 and 97. It is configured to communicate with each suction side. Further, one end of the oxygen supply duct 74 into the vehicle interior is connected to each discharge side of the main vacuum pump 71 and the auxiliary vacuum pump 98.

The main vacuum pump 71 is driven by the engine E of the vehicle together with the cooling system compressor IO.

On the other hand, the auxiliary vacuum pump 98 is constituted by a self-driven electric pump, and is driven by the power supply voltage from the battery B, and its driving state (ON/OFF and rotation speed) is controlled by the auxiliary vacuum pump including the voltage regulator 100. Pump drive device 9
9. The auxiliary pump drive device 99 is also controlled by the air conditioning control unit 500, and when the air conditioning control unit 500 supplies a drive command signal corresponding to a decrease in engine speed, which will be described later, the auxiliary vacuum pump 99
Drive 8. That is, the engine E that drives the main vacuum pump 71 is provided with an engine rotation speed detection means 78 consisting of, for example, a crank angle sensor, and the detected value of the engine rotation speed detection means 78 is transmitted to the air conditioning control unit 500. is now entered.

Therefore, the air conditioning control unit 500 determines whether the engine rotation speed has decreased by a predetermined value or more based on the detection input, and in this case, the rotation speed of the main vacuum pump 71 will eventually fall below a predetermined value, which will be described later. It is determined that the target partial pressure ratio of the oxygen concentrator 70 cannot be sufficiently maintained, and the auxiliary vacuum pump 98 is driven as described above.
Back up the decrease in suction pressure in step 1.

"1 Main vacuum pump 71 and auxiliary vacuum pump 98
``A partial pressure difference (differential pressure) state is formed between the air supply side interface part and the oxygen extraction side interface part of the bipedal oxygen enrichment membrane 82.82..., and the permeated oxygen is supplied into the passenger compartment. It fulfills the following.

1. The oxygen enrichment membranes 82, 82, etc. of the oxygen concentrator 70 are non-porous amorphous polymer membranes, and when the main vacuum pump 71 (and auxiliary vacuum pump 98) is driven, the permeation side The interface area on the air supply side is exposed to a predetermined negative pressure state, while the air supply side interface area is exposed to a positive pressure state equal to or higher than atmospheric pressure due to the air blowing pressure from the blower motor 73 described above. As a result, oxygen molecules mainly permeate between the interfaces of the oxygen enriched films 1112, 82, etc. from the high pressure side to the low pressure side depending on the predetermined partial pressure difference at that time. This permeation specifically occurs through a combination of dissolution and diffusion.

That is, as is well known, when air comes into contact with the surface of the amorphous polymer membrane, oxygen and nitrogen molecules in the air (note that the argon component is ignored due to its small proportion) are first absorbed by the oxygen-enriching membrane 82. It adsorbs on the surface and then dissolves into the interior of the oxygen-enriched membrane 82 due to molecular movement, resulting in a dissolving action. The oxygen and nitrogen molecules that have entered the oxygen-enriched film 82 due to the dissolution action further move inside the line film 82.

That is, a diffusion effect occurs, and the gas eventually desorbs and exits from the permeation side (low pressure side) of the oxygen-enriching membrane 82, and the series of these effects causes a permeation phenomenon of gas molecules as a whole.

In this case, the permeation amount of oxygen and nitrogen gas molecules is expressed by the following equation.

Therefore, in the case of a specific oxygen enrichment module, if the operating conditions of the vacuum pump 71 (auxiliary vacuum pump 98) and blower motor 73 of the above embodiment are constant, the amount of oxygen molecules permeated is determined by the permeation coefficient and time of each gas molecule. (time to maintain the transparent state).

The above-mentioned permeability coefficient is, of course, determined by the composition of the above-mentioned oxygen enrichment membrane 82, but for example, in the case of the polycarbonate-silicon copolymer of this embodiment, the permeability coefficient of the above-mentioned oxygen molecules is generally determined. It is much larger (about 3 times) than the permeability coefficient of nitrogen molecules.

Therefore, the amount of transmission naturally increases. In addition, to explain the relationship between these in more detail, the above transmission coefficient is
It is determined by the product of the solubility coefficient, which determines the size of the above-mentioned dissolution effect, and the diffusion coefficient, which determines the size of the diffusion effect, and the latter diffusion coefficient is determined by the van der Waals diameter (molecular diameter) of the gas molecule. It is known that it will be decided. In the case of the above-mentioned oxygen molecules, first of all, the solubility coefficient is larger than that of nitrogen molecules, while the van der Waals diameter of the molecule is small, so the diffusion coefficient is large. Therefore, the transmission coefficient, which is the product of these, naturally also becomes large.

As a result, the time required for permeation of nitrogen molecules is much longer than that of oxygen molecules, and the oxygen enrichment membranes 82, 8
2. If the air flow rate between the two is set so as to obtain an effective permeation time based on the solubility coefficient of oxygen molecules, the oxygen molecules will dissolve first while the nitrogen molecules will hardly dissolve. Since the nitrogen molecules being adsorbed are swept away by the air flow toward the outlet 85, only the oxygen molecules end up being permeated. Therefore, according to the oxygen concentrator 70 having such a configuration, basically the oxygen concentration (%) taken out to the passenger compartment side is as shown in FIG. Air supply side pressure Pi
and the oxygen extraction side pressure PO (Po/Pi).

Therefore, for example, the above-mentioned air conditioning control unit 50
By arbitrarily controlling the blowing pressure by the blower motor 73 or the suction pressure by the vacuum pump 71 (auxiliary vacuum pump 78) at 0, the partial pressure ratio can be changed, and the absolute amount of oxygen supplied by the oxygen concentrator 70 itself can be arbitrarily controlled. be able to control it.

For this purpose, the blower motor 73 is provided with a current regulator 91 for arbitrarily adjusting the value of the supply current supplied from the generator 90, for example, and the adjusted value of the current regulator 91 is applied to the air conditioning control unit. 500
The rotational speed of the blower motor 73 is adjusted by controlling the blower motor 73, and the air blowing pressure is controlled.

Further, the main vacuum pump 71 is provided with an electromagnetic continuously variable transmission mechanism 92 that can arbitrarily vary the diameter of a pulley 93, for example, and this continuously variable transmission mechanism 92 can be controlled by the air conditioning control unit 500. The rotational speed of the main vacuum pump 71 is arbitrarily controlled within a predetermined range, and the suction pressure of the main vacuum pump 71 is made variable. The auxiliary vacuum pump 98 is also provided with a voltage regulator 100, and the air conditioning control unit 500 controls the voltage regulator 100 to similarly vary the suction pressure. Therefore, the blowing pressure of these blower motors 73, the main vacuum pump 71, the auxiliary vacuum pump 9
By controlling any one (or all) of the 8 suction pressures,
As a result, the partial pressure ratio between both selling surfaces of the oxygen enrichment membranes 82, 82, etc. can be arbitrarily changed within a predetermined range.

Moreover, in that case, the auxiliary vacuum pump 98 has an electric self-driving configuration, and when the rotational speed of the engine E falls below a predetermined value, the suction pressure of the main vacuum pump 71 decreases in response. As a result, the suction pressure applied to the oxygen concentrator 70 can always be maintained within a certain range regardless of fluctuations in engine speed.

In each case, the oxygen sensor 3 is provided in the vehicle interior as described above, and the oxygen concentration in the vehicle interior detected by the oxygen sensor 3 is input to the air conditioning control unit 500. Therefore, the air conditioning control unit 500 feedback-controls the blowing pressure of the blower motor 73 and the suction pressure of the main vacuum pump 71 and the auxiliary vacuum pump 98 so that the detected value is always constant.

Therefore, through this control, changes in the oxygen concentration in the vehicle interior are always suppressed within a certain range, and it becomes possible to maintain the oxygen concentration at a predetermined set value.

Next, FIG. 3 shows a vehicle air conditioner according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

That is, in the above embodiment, an oxygen enrichment module of an oxygen enrichment membrane type was used as the oxygen concentrator 70, but the device is not limited to this. For example, as a second embodiment, the oxygen enrichment module shown in FIG. It is also possible to use a nitrogen adsorption separation type oxygen enrichment module such as

This nitrogen adsorption separation type oxygen concentrator 70' uses, for example, a lot of nitrogen adsorbent made of artificial zeolite called molecular sieves (trade name of Union Carbide Company, USA).
The nitrogen adsorption cylinder 102.102 containing a built-in is first connected to the main duct 75 for air intake via the electromagnetic on-off valve 103 and the air compressor 107A, and then the electromagnetic on-off valve 105,
The oxygen supply exhaust duct 74, the nitrogen-enriched air exhaust duct 85, and the oxygen supply duct 74 are connected to each other through the oxygen supply duct 104.

The above-mentioned molecular sieves are made of a hydrated metal salt of synthetic crystalline alumino-silicate, and are formed by heating and desorbing a large amount of crystal water contained in the metal salt, and are formed by removing the crystal water. Molecules to be adsorbed are adsorbed at a predetermined adsorption pressure on the inner walls of a large number of cavities (cages) of a predetermined diameter formed by a crystal lattice. That is,
The crystal lattice is made of polyanine, and in order to electrically neutralize the polyanine, it incorporates a specific type of cation to form an electrostatic field with a specific polarity that is strongly acidic or basic. It shows a high affinity for polar molecules. Generally, nitrogen has a higher affinity for the polyanine than oxygen.

Due to the adsorption pressure applied by the main air compressor 107A, molecules to be adsorbed must first pass through a plurality of uniform pores connected from the surface into the cavity in order to reach the cavity. Therefore, only molecules (nitrogen molecules) that can pass through the pores and have a high affinity with polyanine as described above will be adsorbed (molecular sieving effect). On the other hand, oxygen is not adsorbed because it has a lower affinity with the polyanine than nitrogen.

Therefore, when the nitrogen adsorbent 101 is purged at regular intervals, the nitrogen remaining in the adsorbed state is released to the outside from the exhaust port, and only the passed and separated oxygen gas is continuously released from the oxygen take-out port. It can be taken out and supplied into the passenger compartment. Even when such an oxygen concentrator 70' is used, if the engine speed drops below a predetermined value as in the case of the first embodiment, the main air compressor 107A Since the amount of pressurized supply air decreases, the adsorption pressure decreases, and the amount of oxygen produced by the oxygen concentrator 70' decreases. An electric auxiliary air compressor 107B is provided.

If the air conditioning control unit 500 and the auxiliary air compressor drive device 110 drive the auxiliary air compressor 107B when the engine speed decreases, the decrease in the pressurization amount of the main air compressor 107A can be sufficiently compensated for. This makes it possible to prevent a decrease in the amount of oxygen produced by the oxygen concentrator 70'.

In each of the above embodiments, a decrease in the separation pressure of the oxygen enrichment device due to a decrease in engine rotation speed is directly detected by the engine rotation speed detection means. Similar control can also be performed by detecting the rotational speed of the main vacuum pump 711 and the main air compressor 107A, their suction pressure values, pressurization values, etc.

(Effects of the Invention) As explained above, the present invention has an air supply path on one side of an oxygen enrichment device that separates nitrogen in the air to produce oxygen-enriched air, and an oxygen lead-out path on the other side. A pump means is provided, which is driven by an engine and applies a predetermined oxygen separation pressure to the oxygen enrichment device. In a vehicle air conditioner configured to supply oxygen-enriched air generated accordingly into a vehicle interior, an electric auxiliary pump means installed in parallel with the pump means and having the same function as the pump means; a pump operating state detection means for detecting an operating state of the pump means with respect to the oxygen enrichment device; and an operating state in which the pump operating state detection means lowers the separation pressure of the pump means with respect to the oxygen enrichment device to a predetermined value or less. The present invention is characterized by further comprising an auxiliary pump driving means for driving the auxiliary pump means when the auxiliary pump means is detected.

-20= Therefore, according to the present invention, the operating state of the pump means driven by the engine is detected, and the operating state of the pump means due to a decrease in the engine speed, etc. increases the separation pressure to a predetermined value or higher of the oxygen enrichment device. When a condition that causes a drop occurs, the electric auxiliary pump means is automatically driven to prevent the separation pressure of the oxygen enrichment device from dropping.

Therefore, the amount of oxygen to be supplied into the passenger compartment can be maintained substantially constant regardless of fluctuations in engine speed.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle air conditioner system according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 shows the relationship between the partial pressure ratio and the oxygen separation concentration of the oxygen concentrator in the same embodiment. graph,
FIG. 3 is a system schematic diagram of a vehicle air conditioner according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 3...Oxygen sensor 70.70'...Oxygen concentrator 71...Main vacuum pump 73...Blower motor 74...Oxygen supply duct 75...Air intake main duct 77 ...First oxygen extraction duct 78 ...Engine rotation speed detection means 81 ...Hollow casing 82 ...Oxygen enrichment membrane 91 ...Current regulator 92 ... Continuously variable transmission mechanism 97...Second oxygen extraction duct 98...Auxiliary vacuum pump 101...Oxygen adsorbent 102...Nitrogen adsorption cylinders 103-105...Electromagnetic opening/closing valve 107A...Main air Compressor 107B... Auxiliary air compressor 500... Air conditioning control unit B...
Battery E・・・Engine

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An oxygen enrichment device that separates nitrogen from the air to produce oxygen-enriched air is provided with an air supply path on one side and an oxygen outlet path on the other side, and is further driven by an engine. A pump means is provided for applying a predetermined oxygen separation pressure to the air, and oxygen-enriched air generated by the oxygen enrichment device according to the oxygen separation pressure is supplied into the vehicle interior through the oxygen outlet path. In the air conditioning system for a vehicle, the pump means includes an electric auxiliary pump means installed in parallel with the pump means and having the same function as the pump means, and a pump that detects the operating state of the pump means with respect to the oxygen enrichment device. operating state detection means; and an auxiliary pump drive for driving the auxiliary pump means when the pump operating state detection means detects an operating state that reduces the separation pressure of the pump means relative to the oxygen enrichment device to a predetermined value or less. An air conditioning system for a vehicle, characterized in that it is provided with means.