KR20140113062A - Apparatus for drying evaporator in air conditioner of car and method for controlling thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus for dehydrating an evaporator in an air conditioner and a method of controlling the same. The present invention provides a method of controlling dehydration of an evaporator in an air conditioner using an apparatus for dehydrating an evaporator in an air conditioner which includes determining whether to carry out a dehydration mode of an evaporator in an air conditioner when the air conditioner and a blower is turned off while an engine of a vehicle is running; when determined to carry out the dehydration mode, simultaneously moving a temperature door to a maximum heating position to block a cold air flow channel and moving a blocking door to block a warm air flow channel; operating the blower to dehydrate a surface of the evaporator by air introduced inside the air conditioner; maintaining the dehydration mode of the evaporator for a preset time; and turning off the dehydration mode of the evaporator when the air conditioner is turned on. According to the apparatus for dehydrating an evaporator in an air conditioner and a method of controlling the same, condensate water at a surface of an evaporator can be removed and comfort inside a passenger compartment can be maintained as the evaporator is efficiently dehydrated. Also, because air which dehydrated the evaporator is not introduced back to the passenger compartment, an unpleasant feeling or an odor is not generated.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention [0001] The present invention relates to an evaporator drying apparatus and an evaporator drying apparatus in an air conditioner,

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an evaporator drying apparatus and a control method thereof in an air conditioner, and more particularly, to an evaporator drying apparatus and a control method thereof in an air conditioner capable of removing condensed water remaining on a surface of an evaporator.

BACKGROUND ART Generally, in a vehicle air conditioner, an indoor air or an outside air introduced into a vehicle room by a blower is selectively passed through an evaporator through which a coolant flows or a heater core through which cooling water of a vehicle engine flows, The interior of the car is cooled or heated by distributing it to the inside of the car in a cold or warm condition through the Defrost Vent, Face Vent and Floor Vent communicated with each part of the interior of the car .

Such an air conditioner includes a semi-center mounting type in which a three-piece type evaporator unit and a heater core unit independently constituted, an evaporator and a heater core are integrated into one case, And a center mounting type in which a blower, an evaporator and a heater core are integrally formed in one case.

Generally, condensate is formed on the surface of the evaporator in the air conditioner. Since the air passing through the evaporator contains foreign substances such as dust, if foreign matter adheres to the condensed water, fungi or microorganisms may be formed on the surface of the evaporator. Such fungi or microorganisms cause malodor, which is a disadvantage that the indoor environment of the vehicle is uncomfortable.

The technique which is the background of the present invention is disclosed in Korean Patent Publication No. 2003-0032378 (published on Mar. 26, 2003).

It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for drying an evaporator in an air conditioner capable of effectively drying an evaporator in a vehicle air conditioner and a control method thereof.

The present invention relates to an evaporator E of a vehicle air conditioner that blows air that has passed through an evaporator E or a heater core H installed therein to each other through the vents 112, 113, 114a, 114b, and 119, A drying device for drying a washing machine, comprising: a blocking door (20) provided behind the heater core (H) to block heat exchange heat exchanged by the heater core (H) (100) for controlling the drying of the evaporator (E) through the evaporator (E), and an evaporator (100) mounted on a lower portion of the air conditioner for vehicle, And a drain hose (30) for drying the evaporator.

Here, the blocking door 20 may be located at a position where the heating passage P2 behind the heater core H can be blocked.

The evaporator drying control device may further include a drying mode determiner for determining execution of the drying mode of the evaporator in the air conditioner when the air conditioner is switched to the off state while the engine of the vehicle is operating and the blower is turned off, When the execution of the drying mode is determined, a flow shutoff section for shutting off the cold air flow path and moving the shutoff door by moving the tempdoor to the maximum heating position, and for shutting off the warm flow path; A blower operation unit for drying the surface of the evaporator through air; a drying mode execution unit for maintaining a drying mode of the evaporator for a predetermined time; And a drying mode releasing unit for releasing the evaporator drying mode when the air conditioner is turned on before the predetermined time elapses.

Here, the drying mode execution unit may maintain the drying mode of the evaporator for a predetermined period of time when the engine is stopped while drying the surface of the evaporator.

If the air conditioner is turned off again after the air conditioner is turned on before the predetermined time elapses and the evaporator drying mode is released, the drying mode execution unit sets the drying mode of the evaporator You can replay it.

The blower operation unit may operate the blower at a predetermined number of stages or less.

In the operation of the blower, since the air dried in the evaporator is discharged to the outside only through the drain hose mounted on the lower portion of the air conditioner, the condensed water formed on the surface of the evaporator or the drain hose is discharged to the outside of the vehicle .

According to the present invention, in the evaporator drying control method using the evaporator drying apparatus in the air conditioner, when the air conditioner is switched to the off state while the engine of the vehicle is operating and the blower is turned off, A step of moving the TEM door to the maximum heating position to shut off the cool air flow path and at the same time moving the shutoff door to shut off the warm air flow path when the execution of the drying mode is determined; A step of drying the surface of the evaporator through the air introduced into the air conditioner, maintaining the drying mode of the evaporator for a predetermined time, and before the predetermined time elapses, And releasing the evaporator drying mode when the evaporator is switched on, Thereby providing a drying control method.

Here, the evaporator drying control method in the air conditioner may further include a step of maintaining the drying mode of the evaporator for a predetermined period of time when the engine is stopped while drying the surface of the evaporator.

In the evaporator drying control method of the present invention, when the air conditioner is turned on before the predetermined time elapses and the evaporator drying mode is released, when the air conditioner is turned off again, And re-executing the drying mode of the washing machine.

In addition, the step of operating the blower may operate the blower to a predetermined number or less of the operating voltage.

The operation of operating the blower may include discharging the condensed water formed on the surface of the evaporator or the drain hose to the outside of the vehicle because the air dried by the evaporator is discharged to the outside only through the drain hose mounted on the lower portion of the air conditioner .

According to the evaporator drying apparatus and the control method thereof in the air conditioner according to the present invention, there is an advantage that the evaporator can be effectively dried to remove the condensed water on the surface of the evaporator and maintain the comfort of the interior of the car.

In addition, the present invention does not cause any discomfort or odor from the dried air due to the fact that the dried air of the evaporator does not flow into the interior of the vehicle again during the drying of the evaporator. Moreover, during the drying of the evaporator, the blower is operated at the lower end to prevent the generation of a harsh noise at the time of drying the evaporator.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is an exemplary view of a vehicle air conditioning system for an embodiment of the present invention. Fig.
2 is a configuration diagram of an evaporator drying control apparatus in an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a flowchart of a method of controlling the evaporator drying using the evaporator drying control apparatus of FIG.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily carry out the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is an exemplary view of a vehicle air conditioning system for an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. Referring to FIG. 1, a vehicle air conditioning system includes a defrost vent 112, a face vent 113, an electromotive foot vent 114a, a seated foot vent 114b, and a gusto console vent 119 formed at an outlet side thereof A console duct 120 mounted on the rear wall of the air conditioner case 110 and a defrost vent 112 and a face vent 113 installed inside the air conditioner case 110, A defrost door 115, a face door 116 and a foot door 117 for controlling the opening degree of the full seat foot vent 114a, the seat foot vent 114b and the gist console vent 119, respectively.

An air inlet 111 is formed on one side of the air conditioner case 110 and a defrost vent 112, a face vent 113, an all-purpose foot vent 114a, 114b, and a gist console vent 119 are formed. A diaphragm door 110 for controlling opening of the defrost vent 112, the face vent 113 and the seat foot vent 114a, the seated foot vent 114b and the gusto console vent 119 is provided in the air conditioning case 110, (115), a face door (116), and a foot door (117).

The air conditioning case 110 is provided therein with an evaporator E for exchanging the air blown by the blower (not shown) flowing into the inlet of the air conditioning case 110 and a heater for heat- A thermostat door (temperature control door) 10 provided in front of the heater coder H for regulating the opening of the cooling air passage P1 and the warm air passage P2 of the air conditioning case 110, and When the evaporator (E) drying mode is executed, a shutoff door (20) is provided behind the heater core (H) to block the heat exchanged by the heater core (H) from flowing out into the vehicle interior. This blocking door 20 may be placed at any position that can block the warming flow path P2 behind the heater core H. [ Further, the shape and structure of the shutoff door 20 are all possible as long as they can prevent the outflow of warmth.

The air blown from the vehicle air conditioner to the blower (not shown) is cooled by the heat exchanger in the evaporator E inside the air conditioning case 110, and becomes heat after heat exchange in the heater core H. The cool air and the warm air are supplied through the deprovis vent 112, the face vent 113 and the all-purpose foot vent 114a, the upright foot vent 114b, and the upright console vent 119, which are opened according to each mode of the air conditioner. And is discharged to the inside of the vehicle to cool / heat the inside of the vehicle.

Generally, condensation water is formed on the surface of the evaporator (E) when the outdoor air is operated at a high temperature and high humidity in summer. When foreign substances in the air passing through the evaporator (E) adheres to the condensed water, Fungi and microorganisms are generated and inhabited. Such fungi or microorganisms cause bad odors in the interior of the vehicle, which is a cause of discomfort to the passenger. Therefore, there is a need to effectively dry the evaporator E to remove condensate.

The present invention provides an evaporator drying apparatus and a control method thereof that effectively dry an evaporator in an air conditioner to remove condensed water and maintain indoor comfort.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail. The evaporator drying apparatus and the control method thereof according to the present embodiment are applicable to vehicles equipped with FATC (Full Automatic Temperature Control) A / C, that is, a full auto air conditioner.

Therefore, when the air conditioner is on, the ECU (Electronic Control Unit) collects the outside temperature signal from the outside temperature sensor of the vehicle and receives the indoor humidity signal from the ADS (Auto Defog Sensor) installed in the inside of the vehicle. Based on the information thus collected, the ECU determines whether or not condensation water is formed on the surface of the evaporator (E) at present and prepares to operate the evaporator drying mode according to the determined conditions.

Here, even when the air conditioner is in the OFF state due to arbitrary operation of the driver or the like, only the blower (blowing device) may be operated in an ON state when necessary. At this time, since the evaporator (E) is naturally dried, a separate evaporator drying mode is not executed.

2 is a configuration diagram of an evaporator drying control apparatus in an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. 3 is a flowchart of a method of controlling the evaporator drying using the evaporator drying control apparatus of FIG.

2 and 3, an evaporator drying control apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a drying mode determining unit 110, a flow shutoff unit 120, a blower operating unit 130, (140), and a drying mode releasing unit (150). The evaporator drying control apparatus 100 may be implemented in software or hardware in an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) portion in a vehicle air conditioner.

First, the evaporator drying control apparatus 100 determines whether the engine of the vehicle is operating. Thereafter, the drying mode determining unit 110 determines execution of the drying mode of the evaporator E in the air conditioner when the air conditioner is switched to the Off state while the engine of the vehicle is operating and the blower is turned off (S310 ).

As described above, in the present embodiment, when the air conditioner and the blower are both turned off in the state where the engine is operating, the evaporator drying mode is performed. Here, the blower is in an Off state, which means that the blower is turned off immediately after the air conditioner is turned off, or the blower is turned off within a predetermined time after the air conditioner is turned off.

When the execution of the drying mode is determined, the flow path shutoff unit 120 moves the tempdoor 10 to the maximum heating position to shut off the cool air flow path P1 and simultaneously moves the shutoff door 20, (S320).

Next, the blower operation unit 130 operates the blower (S330). And starts to dry the surface of the evaporator (E) through the air flowing into the air conditioner according to the operation of the blower.

Here, the blower operation unit 130 operates the blower to a predetermined number of steps or less or a predetermined operation voltage or less. For example, in the drying mode, the blower is operated in the first stage (or the operating voltage of 4 V corresponding to the first stage). According to this, even when the blower operates and performs drying, the blower operates at the lower end, so that the occupant can not feel the operation noise at all.

In the step S330, since the air that has dried the evaporator E during operation of the blower can be discharged to the outside only through the drain hose 30 mounted on the lower portion of the air conditioner, the surface of the evaporator E, The condensed water formed on the surface of the hose 30 is discharged to the outside of the vehicle. The air discharged through the drain hose 30 more smoothly discharges the condensed water remaining in the drain structure and discharges the condensed water formed on the surface of the evaporator E through the drain hose 30. In this embodiment, the air velocity of air discharged through the drain hose 30 is 5.5 to 5.8 m / s at the first stage of the blower (DC 4 V) and 12.5 to 12.8 m / s at the second stage of the blower (DC 8 V) .

 As the blower is operated, the air introduced into the air conditioner is discharged only through the drain hose 30, which is the only discharge port, and there is no path through which the introduced air can be discharged to the room of the vehicle. Accordingly, the air having dried the evaporator (E) does not flow into the interior of the vehicle again, and the occupant can not feel any discomfort or odor.

The drying mode execution unit 140 maintains the drying mode of the evaporator E for a predetermined period of time (S340). This predetermined time may correspond to a minimum time required for drying the evaporator (E) or a set arbitrary time range.

Here, the evaporator drying mode will be automatically released when the predetermined time has elapsed.

However, it may happen that the air conditioner is turned on before the predetermined time elapses (S350). In this case, the drying mode releasing unit 150 forcibly releases the evaporator drying mode (S360). This is because the cool air passage (P1) or the warm air passage (P2) must be opened when the air conditioner is in operation and the two passages must be shut off in the dry mode. Therefore, the air conditioning operation and the drying mode are not performed simultaneously.

Of course, after the evaporator drying mode is forcibly released as described above, when the air conditioner is again turned off, the drying mode of the evaporator E is restarted (S370). At this time, the re-execution time of the dry mode may correspond to the remaining time that has not been executed according to the forcible release earlier or the predetermined time.

Meanwhile, in this embodiment, when the evaporator E starts to be dried according to the blower operation in step S330, it is determined whether the engine is in operation. If it is determined that the engine is in operation continuously, do. On the other hand, however, the engine may be turned off in the middle.

In this embodiment, even when the engine is stopped while the evaporator E is being dried, the drying mode of the evaporator E is maintained for the predetermined time. This is so that even if the engine is turned off, the evaporator drying mode is continuously executed for a predetermined time, so that no water remains in the evaporator (E). Of course, even if the engine is turned off during step S340, the evaporator drying mode may be maintained for a predetermined time.

According to the present invention as described above, the evaporator can be effectively dried to remove the condensed water on the surface of the evaporator, and the comfort of the interior of the vehicle can be maintained. In addition, the present invention does not cause any discomfort or odor from the dried air due to the fact that the dried air of the evaporator does not flow into the interior of the vehicle again during the drying of the evaporator. Moreover, the blower can be operated at the lower end during the drying of the evaporator, thereby preventing the generation of a harsh noise during the drying of the evaporator.

While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Accordingly, the true scope of the present invention should be determined by the technical idea of the appended claims.

20: Blocking door 30: Drain hose
100: evaporator drying control unit 110: drying mode determining unit
120: flow shutoff unit 130: blower operation unit
140: Drying mode executing section 150: Drying mode releasing section

Claims (12)

(E) of a vehicle air conditioner for blowing air having passed through an evaporator (E) or a heater core (H) installed therein to each of the passenger compartments through respective vents (112, 113, 114a, 114b, 119) In the drying apparatus,
A blocking door (20) provided behind the heater core (H) to block the heat exchanged by the heater core (H) from flowing out;
An evaporator drying control device (100) for controlling the drying of the evaporator (E) through the shutoff door (20); And
And a drain hose (30) mounted on a lower portion of the air conditioner for driving the evaporator (E) to discharge dry air to the outside of the vehicle when the drying mode is executed. The method according to claim 1,
The blocking door (20)
Wherein the heater core (H) is located at a position where it can block the warm air flow path (P2) behind the heater core (H). The method according to claim 1,
The evaporator drying control device includes:
A drying mode determining unit for determining execution of a drying mode of the evaporator in the air conditioner when the air conditioner is turned off while the engine of the vehicle is in operation and the blower is turned off;
When the execution of the drying mode is determined, a flow shutoff unit for shutting off the cooling flow path by moving the tempdoor to the maximum heating position and moving the shutoff door to shut off the warm flow path;
A blower operating unit for operating the blower to dry the surface of the evaporator through air introduced into the air conditioner;
A drying mode execution unit for maintaining a drying mode of the evaporator for a preset time; And
And a drying mode releasing unit for releasing the evaporator drying mode when the air conditioner is turned on before the predetermined time elapses. The method of claim 3,
The drying mode execution unit may include:
Wherein the drying mode of the evaporator is maintained for a predetermined period of time when the engine is stopped while drying the surface of the evaporator. The method of claim 3,
When the air conditioner is turned on before the predetermined time elapses and the evaporator drying mode is released,
The drying mode execution unit may include:
Wherein the drying mode of the evaporator is restarted. The method of claim 3,
Wherein the blower operation unit comprises:
Wherein the blower is operated at a predetermined number of or less than an operating voltage. The method of claim 3,
Wherein the evaporator or the drain hose discharges condensed water formed on a surface of the evaporator to the outside of the vehicle because the air that is dried by the evaporator is discharged to the outside only through the drain hose mounted on the lower portion of the air conditioner, / RTI > A method for controlling an evaporator drying control using an evaporator drying apparatus in an air conditioner,
Determining execution of a drying mode of the evaporator in the air conditioner when the air conditioner is turned off and the blower is turned off while the engine of the vehicle is running;
When the execution of the drying mode is determined, moving the TEMP door to the maximum heating position to block the cool air flow path and move the shutoff door to block the warm flow path;
Operating the blower to dry the surface of the evaporator through the air introduced into the air conditioner;
Maintaining a drying mode of the evaporator for a predetermined period of time; And
And releasing the evaporator drying mode when the air conditioner is turned on before the predetermined time elapses. The method of claim 8,
Further comprising maintaining the drying mode of the evaporator for a predetermined period of time when the engine is stopped while drying the surface of the evaporator. The method of claim 8,
When the air conditioner is turned on before the predetermined time elapses and the evaporator drying mode is released,
Further comprising the step of re-executing the drying mode of the evaporator. The method of claim 8,
Wherein operating the blower comprises:
Wherein the blower is operated at a predetermined number of or less than an operating voltage. The method of claim 8,
Wherein operating the blower comprises:
And the condensed water formed on the surface of the evaporator or the drain hose is discharged to the outside of the vehicle, because the air dried by the evaporator is discharged to the outside only through the drain hose mounted on the lower portion of the air conditioner.

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