Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60H—ARRANGEMENTS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS SPACES OF VEHICLES
  • B60H1/00—Heating, cooling or ventilating [HVAC] devices
  • B60H1/32—Cooling devices
  • B60H1/3204—Cooling devices using compression
  • B60H1/3205—Control means therefor
  • B60H1/3214—Control means therefor for improving the lubrication of a refrigerant compressor in a vehicle
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60H—ARRANGEMENTS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS SPACES OF VEHICLES
  • B60H1/00—Heating, cooling or ventilating [HVAC] devices
  • B60H1/32—Cooling devices
  • B60H2001/3236—Cooling devices information from a variable is obtained
  • B60H2001/3238—Cooling devices information from a variable is obtained related to the operation of the compressor
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60H—ARRANGEMENTS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS SPACES OF VEHICLES
  • B60H1/00—Heating, cooling or ventilating [HVAC] devices
  • B60H1/32—Cooling devices
  • B60H2001/3236—Cooling devices information from a variable is obtained
  • B60H2001/3266—Cooling devices information from a variable is obtained related to the operation of the vehicle
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60H—ARRANGEMENTS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS SPACES OF VEHICLES
  • B60H1/00—Heating, cooling or ventilating [HVAC] devices
  • B60H1/32—Cooling devices
  • B60H2001/3269—Cooling devices output of a control signal
  • B60H2001/327—Cooling devices output of a control signal related to a compressing unit

Definitions

• TITLE "A METHOD OF OPERATING A VEHICLE AIR CONDITIONING
• the present disclosure is related to a mobile air conditioning (MAC) system.
• the present disclosure relates to a method of operating a vehicle AC system to avoid seizure/failure of an AC compressor.
• AC compressor is a critical component in a mobile heating ventilating air conditioning (HVAC) system.
• HVAC mobile heating ventilating air conditioning
• the AC compressor in a vehicle is driven by the engine of the vehicle.
• the AC compressor operates at high speed in the vehicle. Being operational at high speed, the AC compressor is filled with lubricating oil.
• Polyalkylene glycol (PAG) oils were developed as lubricants for automotive air conditioning systems and mainly incorporated in the AC system for the purpose of AC compressor lubrication.
• PAG Polyalkylene glycol
• the AC compressor lubrication oil gets settled at the bottom of the compressor because of which most of the internal parts of the AC compressor parts free from lubrication oil film/layer and they are almost in dry condition.
• the operator/user/driver tends to accelerate the engine and at the same time starts the AC system.
• the speed RPM of the AC compressor becomes high, due to the AC system drive pulley ratio.
• the instantaneous starting of the AC compressor at high speed after a long time does not provide a chance to the internal moving parts of the AC compressor to get lubricated sufficiently and hence results in seizure/ failure of the AC compressor.
• One objective of the present disclosure is to avoid seizure /failure of the AC compressor when the AC compressor is operated after a long duration.
• a second objective of the present disclosure is to eliminate the complexity of using a preliminary lubricating device when vehicle is idling.
• a third objective of the present disclosure is to improve reliability of the AC system in the vehicle.
• the present disclosure provides a method of operating an Air Conditioning (AC) system.
• the method comprises measuring current time of activation of an AC switch by a control unit configured in the air conditioning system when speed of the vehicle is greater than a first predetermined speed range.
• the control unit compares the measured current time of activation of the AC switch with previous time when the AC switch was activated to determine time difference between the measured current time of activation of the AC switch and the previous time when the AC switch was activated. If the time difference is greater than a first predetermined time interval, the control unit determines whether the RPM of the vehicle is within a second predetermined speed range.
• the control unit activates the AC compressor relay for a second predetermined time interval if the RPM of the vehicle is within the second predetermined speed range.
• the present disclosure provides an air conditioning system.
• the air conditioning system comprises an AC compressor relay, an AC switch, an AC compressor and a control unit.
• the AC compressor relay is configured to perform at least one of activating and deactivating the AC compressor.
• the control unit measures current time of activation of an AC switch when speed of the vehicle is greater than a first predetermined speed range and compares the measured current time of activation of the AC switch with previous time when the AC switch was activated to determine time difference between the measured current time of activation of the AC switch and the previous time when the AC switch was activated. If the time difference is greater than a first predetermined time interval, the control unit determines whether speed of the vehicle is within a second predetermined speed range. The control unit activates the AC compressor relay for a second predetermined time interval if the RPM of the vehicle is within the second predetermined speed range.
• Fig.l illustrates a block diagram of a vehicle air conditioning system in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
• Fig.2 illustrates a method of operating a vehicle air conditioning system in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
• the present disclosure is related to a method of operating an air conditioning system of a vehicle.
• Fig.l illustrates block diagram of an air conditioning (AC) system 100 of a vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
• the AC system 100 comprises an AC switch 103, a control unit 105, an AC compressor relay 107 and an AC compressor 109.
• the control unit 105 is at least one of an electronic control unit (ECU), body control modules (BCM), fully automatic temperature control electronic control unit (FATC ECU) and any other control unit for the purpose of controlling the operation of the AC system 100 of the vehicle.
• the control unit 105 comprises of one or more sensors to detect revolutions per minute (RPM) of the vehicle.
• the control unit 105 also comprises a timer circuit to preconfigure time intervals for activation and deactivation of the AC compressor relay 107.
• an activation signal is provided to the control unit.
• the control unit measures current time of activation of the AC switch 103.
• the control unit 105 compares the measured current time of activation of the AC switch 103 with previous time when the AC switch was activated.
• the AC switch was activated scenario covers the aspect of when the AC switch was last activated.
• the control unit 105 keeps track of activation time of the AC switch 103. If the time difference is less than a first predetermined time interval the control unit 105 activates the AC compressor relay 107 which in turn activates the AC compressor 109 continuously.
• the first predetermined time interval is in the range of 15-20 days.
• the control unit 105 determines Revolutions per Minute (RPM) of the vehicle.
• the one or more sensors configured in the control unit 105 detect the RPM of the vehicle. In one embodiment, if the detected RPM of the vehicle is within a first predetermined speed range, the control unit 105 activates the AC compressor relay 107 for a second predetermined time interval. The AC compressor relay 107 in turn activates the AC compressor 109 for the second predetermined time interval during which the internal parts of the AC compressor is lubricated. After the second predetermined time interval the control unit 105 activates the AC compressor relay 107 continuously.
• the first predetermined speed range is 500-1000 RPM. In one embodiment the first predetermined speed range is the idle speed of the vehicle.
• the second predetermined time interval is in the range of 20-30 seconds.
• the control unit 105 determines if the RPM of the vehicle is within a second predetermined speed range.
• the second predetermined speed range is 1000-1500 RPM. If the RPM of the vehicle is within the second predetermined speed range, the control unit 105 activates the AC compressor relay 107 for the second predetermined time interval.
• the activation of the AC compressor relay 107 for the second predetermined time interval is performed for a predetermined number of times. The time interval between each activation of the AC compressor relay 107 is in the range of 10-20 seconds.
• the second predetermined time interval is in the range of 20-30 seconds. The predetermined number of times is in the range of 2-3.
• the AC compressor relay 107 When the AC compressor relay 107 is activated for the second predetermined time interval, the internal parts of the AC compressor 109 is lubricated and thus the failure/seizure of the AC compressor 109 when the AC compressor 109 is operated at high speed is avoided when the AC compressor relay 107 is activated as described above for the predetermined number of times for better lubrication.
• control unit 105 deactivates the AC compressor relay 107 and waits till the RPM of the vehicle falls within the second predetermined speed range.
• the control unit 105 determines whether the vehicle is in operation or stationary. If the vehicle is stationary i.e RPM of the vehicle is less than 1000 RPM, the control unit 105 activates the AC compressor relay 107 for 30 seconds. The AC compressor relay 107 keeps the AC compressor 109 in activation for 30 seconds. During the activation period of the AC compressor 109, the internal parts of the AC compressor 109 is lubricated. Then, the AC compressor relay 107 is activated continuously by the control unit 105. If the vehicle is in operation and the AC switch 103 is activated after 15 days, the control unit 105 determines RPM of the vehicle.
• the control unit 105 activates the AC compressor relay for 30 seconds.
• the activation of the AC compressor relay 107 for 30 seconds is performed three times so that the internal parts of the AC compressor 109 are lubricated within the activation time period.
• the time interval between each activation of the AC compressor relay 107 is 20 seconds.
• the control unit 105 activates the AC compressor relay 107 continuously. If the RPM of the vehicle is above 1500, the control unit 105 deactivates the AC compressor relay 107 and waits till the RPM of the vehicle is within 1000-1500 RPM range to activate the AC compressor 107.
• Fig.2 illustrates a method of operating an air conditioning system 100 of a vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
• the control unit 105 measures current time of activating the AC switch 103.
• the control unit 105 determines time difference between the measured current time of activating of the AC switch 103 and previous time when the AC switch 103 was activated at step 203.
• the previous time when the AC switch 103 was activated is stored in the control unit 105.
• the control unit 105 determines whether the time difference is greater than or equal to a first predetermined time interval. If the time difference is greater than or equal to the first predetermined time interval, the control unit determines RPM of the vehicle at step 211.
• the control unit 105 activates the AC compressor relay 107 at step 207.
• the control unit 105 determines whether the RPM of the vehicle is greater than a first predetermined speed range. If the RPM of the vehicle is greater than the first predetermined speed range and within the second predetermined speed range, the control unit 107 activates the AC compressor relay 107 for a second predetermined time interval at step 215. The AC compressor relay 107 is activated for a predetermined number of times. If the RPM of the vehicle is less than the first predetermined speed range, the control unit 105 activates the AC compressor relay 107 for the second predetermined time interval at step 217.
• Air conditioning system 100 Air conditioning system 100
• the present disclosure increases reliability of the AC system of a vehicle by avoiding seizure/failure of the AC compressor.
• the present disclosure eliminates the use of a preliminary lubricating device for lubricating AC compressor during idle RPM of the vehicle.

Landscapes

• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Thermal Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Air-Conditioning For Vehicles (AREA)

Priority Applications (4)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=50628869

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (8)

Cited By (1)

Citations (3)

• 2014
  • 2014-03-28 IN IN1207MU2013 patent/IN2013MU01207A/en unknown
  • 2014-03-28 AP AP2015008787A patent/AP2015008787A0/xx unknown
  • 2014-03-28 WO PCT/IB2014/060268 patent/WO2014155355A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2014-03-28 AU AU2014240782A patent/AU2014240782B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 2014-03-28 MY MYPI2015002454A patent/MY174614A/en unknown
• 2015
  • 2015-09-25 CL CL2015002864A patent/CL2015002864A1/es unknown
  • 2015-09-28 TN TN2015000438A patent/TN2015000438A1/en unknown
  • 2015-10-02 SA SA515361255A patent/SA515361255B1/ar unknown

Patent Citations (3)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events