U.S. patent application number 13/428421 was filed with the patent office on 2012-10-04 for vehicle air conditioner.
This patent application is currently assigned to KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKI. Invention is credited to Hirokuni AKIYAMA, Hirohisa KATO, Masakazu MURASE, Norihiko NAKAMURA, Naoya YOKOMACHI.
Application Number | 20120247126 13/428421 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 45936903 |
Filed Date | 2012-10-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120247126 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
MURASE; Masakazu ; et
al. |
October 4, 2012 |
VEHICLE AIR CONDITIONER
Abstract
A vehicle air conditioner includes a thermoelectric conversion
module, a first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger, a first
air-conditioning heat exchanger, a second air-conditioning heat
exchanger, a radiator, a first circuit connecting the first heat
exchanger and the first air-conditioning heat exchanger and a
second circuit connecting the second heat exchanger, the second
air-conditioning heat exchanger and the radiator. The second
circuit includes a bypass passage that bypasses the second
air-conditioning heat exchanger and a first switching device
switching selectively between a first position where heat exchange
medium flows through the bypass passage without allowing the heat
exchange medium to flow through the second air-conditioning heat
exchanger and a second position where the heat exchange medium
flows through the second air-conditioning heat exchanger.
Inventors: |
MURASE; Masakazu;
(Aichi-ken, JP) ; YOKOMACHI; Naoya; (Aichi-ken,
JP) ; KATO; Hirohisa; (Aichi-ken, JP) ;
AKIYAMA; Hirokuni; (Aichi-ken, JP) ; NAKAMURA;
Norihiko; (Aichi-ken, JP) |
Assignee: |
KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA
JIDOSHOKKI
Aichi-ken
JP
|
Family ID: |
45936903 |
Appl. No.: |
13/428421 |
Filed: |
March 23, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
62/3.3 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60H 1/00478 20130101;
B60H 1/00885 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
62/3.3 |
International
Class: |
F25B 21/02 20060101
F25B021/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 31, 2011 |
JP |
2011-080254 |
Claims
1. A vehicle air conditioner comprising: a thermoelectric
conversion module including a thermoelectric conversion element,
wherein flowing direction of electric current applied to the
thermoelectric conversion element can be controllably reversed, the
thermoelectric conversion module further including a first surface
and a second surface, a first heat exchanger provided on the first
surface side; a second heat exchanger provided on the second
surface side; a first air-conditioning heat exchanger; a second
air-conditioning heat exchanger; a radiator; a first circuit
connecting the first heat exchanger and the first air-conditioning
heat exchanger; and a second circuit connecting the second heat
exchanger, the second air-conditioning heat exchanger and the
radiator, wherein the first circuit including: a first passage
extending from the first heat exchanger to the first
air-conditioning heat exchanger; and a second passage extending
from the first air-conditioning heat exchanger to the first heat
exchanger, wherein heat exchange medium flows through the second
circuit, wherein the second circuit includes: a third passage
extending from the second heat exchanger to the second
air-conditioning heat exchanger; a fourth passage extending from
the second air-conditioning heat exchanger to the radiator; a fifth
passage extending from the radiator to the second heat exchanger; a
bypass passage connecting the third passage and the fourth passage;
and a first switching device switching selectively between a first
position where the heat exchange medium flows through the bypass
passage that bypasses the second air-conditioning heat exchanger
and a second position where the heat exchange medium flows through
the second air-conditioning heat exchanger.
2. The vehicle air conditioner according to claim 1, further
comprising: a power source driving a vehicle and provided in the
second circuit.
3. The vehicle air conditioner according to claim 2, wherein the
second circuit further including: a second switching device
switching selectively between a third position where the heat
exchange medium flows through the third passage, the fourth passage
and the fifth passage in this order and a fourth position where the
heat exchange medium flows through the fifth passage, the fourth
passage and the third passage in this order.
4. The vehicle air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the
thermoelectric conversion module, the first heat exchanger, the
second heat exchanger and the radiator are disposed outside a
compartment room of a vehicle, wherein the first air-conditioning
heat exchanger and the second air-conditioning heat exchanger are
disposed in the compartment room.
5. The vehicle air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the
first switching device is a three-way valve and disposed at a
connection between the bypass passage and the third passage or
between the bypass passage and the fourth passage.
6. The vehicle air conditioner according to claim 3, wherein the
second switching device is an electric pump and disposed in the
second circuit.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle air
conditioner.
[0002] Japanese Patent Application Publication H10-35268 discloses
a vehicle air conditioner that includes a waste heat recovery
device, a radiator, a thermoelectric conversion module having a
first surface and a second surface, a first heat exchanger on the
first surface of the thermoelectric conversion module, a second
heat exchanger on the second surface of thermoelectric conversion
module, and a circuit through which water can circulate on the
second heat exchanger side.
[0003] The waste heat recovery device recovers waste heat generated
by a motor and the like for driving a vehicle. The thermoelectric
conversion module is operable to make the first and the second
surfaces to change between the heat absorption side and the heat
release side. The waste heat recovery device, the radiator and the
second heat exchanger are connected in the circuit.
[0004] The above vehicle air conditioner air-conditions the vehicle
compartment room by switching the thermoelectric conversion module
between the heat release side and the heat absorption side and also
by changing the connections in the circuit.
[0005] In heating the compartment room, the first surface of the
thermoelectric conversion is set for the heat release side and the
second surface for the heat absorption side, respectively.
Furthermore, the waste heat recovery device and the second heat
exchanger are connected with each other, and the radiator is
disconnected from the waste heat recovery device and the second
heat exchanger. In this state of the air conditioner, water in the
circuit is heated by the heat in the waste heat recovery device.
The heat of water is absorbed by the second surface of the
thermoelectric conversion module in the second heat exchanger and
the absorbed heat is released into atmosphere in the first heat
exchanger. Air heated by the released heat is supplied into the
compartment room thereby to heat the compartment room.
[0006] In cooling the compartment room, on the other hand, the
first surface of the thermoelectric conversion module is set for
the heat absorption side and the second surface for the heat
release side, respectively. The radiator is connected with the
second heat exchanger, and the waste heat recovery device is
disconnected from the radiator and the second heat exchanger.
Therefore, heat of the air around the first heat exchanger is
absorbed by the first surface of the thermoelectric conversion
module, so that the surrounding of the first heat exchanger is
cooled. The cooled air is supplied into the compartment room
thereby to cool the compartment room. Water heated by the heat
released from the second surface of the thermoelectric conversion
module is cooled in the radiator by heat exchange with air outside
the compartment room.
[0007] When heat in the air is absorbed by the thermoelectric
conversion module for cooling, the humidity of the cooled air is
decreased. The cooled air may be supplied to the compartment room
so as to dehumidify the air in the compartment room. However, the
air in the compartment room is cooled. Therefore, when the
compartment room is dehumidified by the above air conditioner under
a cold environment, the heating of the compartment room may be
affected.
[0008] To solve the above problem, a vehicle air conditioner may be
provided which has two sets of thermoelectric conversion module,
first and second heat exchangers, wherein air is dehumidified and
cooled by one of the first heat exchangers of the two sets and the
dehumidified air is heated again in the first heat exchanger of the
other set.
[0009] In such an air conditioner, however, the number of the
thermoelectric conversion modules and the second heat exchangers is
increased and, moreover, the respective second heat exchangers need
be connected to the waste heat recovery device and the radiator, so
that the circuit on the second heat exchanger side becomes
complicated. Therefore, the structure of the vehicle air
conditioner becomes complicated and the manufacturing cost thereof
will increase.
[0010] The present invention is directed to providing a vehicle air
conditioner which provides a comfortable air-conditioning of a
compartment room and allows to reduce its manufacturing cost.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] A vehicle air conditioner includes a thermoelectric
conversion module, a first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger,
a first air-conditioning heat exchanger, a second air-conditioning
heat exchanger, a radiator, a first circuit connecting the first
heat exchanger and the first air-conditioning heat exchanger and a
second circuit connecting the second heat exchanger, the second
air-conditioning heat exchanger and the radiator. The second
circuit includes a bypass passage that bypasses the second
air-conditioning heat exchanger and a first switching device
switching selectively between a first position where heat exchange
medium flows through the bypass passage without allowing the heat
exchange medium to flow through the second air-conditioning heat
exchanger and a second position where the heat exchange medium
flows through the second air-conditioning heat exchanger.
[0012] Other aspects and advantages of the invention will become
apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with
the accompanying drawings, illustrating by way of example the
principles of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] The features of the present invention that are believed to
be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims.
The invention together with objects and advantages thereof, may
best be understood by reference to the following description of the
presently preferred embodiments together with the accompanying
drawings in which:
[0014] FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a
vehicle air conditioner according to a preferred embodiment of the
present invention;
[0015] FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of the vehicle
air conditioner of FIG. 1, showing a state of the vehicle air
conditioner while heating a vehicle compartment room;
[0016] FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram of the vehicle
air conditioner of FIG. 1, showing another state of the vehicle air
conditioner while heating the compartment room;
[0017] FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram of the vehicle
air conditioner of FIG. 1, showing a state of the vehicle air
conditioner while cooling the compartment room; and
[0018] FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram of the vehicle
air conditioner of FIG. 1, showing a state of the vehicle air
conditioner while dehumidifying and heating the compartment
room.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0019] The following will describe the vehicle air conditioner
according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention with
reference to the accompanying drawings. The vehicle air conditioner
for heating, cooling and dehumidifying the compartment room
indicated by CR is mounted on a vehicle. In the present invention,
the compartment room CR is not limited to a vehicle interior for
passengers. It is noted that the term compartment room used herein
means a space of a vehicle for passengers separated by any wall or
the like from the engine compartment EC.
[0020] As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle air conditioner includes a
thermoelectric conversion module 3, a first heat exchanger 5, a
second heat exchanger 7, a first air-conditioning heat exchanger 9,
a second air-conditioning heat exchanger 11, a radiator 13, a first
circuit 10 including first and second passages 15, 16, and a second
circuit 20 including third, fourth and fifth passages 17 through
19. A bypass passage 21, a three-way valve 23, a motor 25 and a
power control unit PCU 27 are provided in the second circuit
20.
[0021] The thermoelectric conversion module 3 includes a pair of
substrates 30A, 30B forming a first surface 3A and a second surface
3B of the thermoelectric conversion module 3, respectively, and a
plurality of thermoelectric conversion elements 30C that are held
between the substrates 30A, 30B and electrically connected to
electrodes provided in respective substrates 30A, 30B. The
structure of the thermoelectric conversion module 3 is
substantially the same as that of known thermoelectric conversion
modules and, therefore, the description of the structure thereof
will be omitted. The electrodes of the thermoelectric conversion
module 3 are omitted from the illustration in FIG. 1 and FIGS. 2
through 5.
[0022] Referring to FIG. 1, each thermoelectric conversion element
30C of the thermoelectric conversion module 3 is electrically
connected to a control device (not shown) through the electrode.
The thermoelectric conversion module 3 is operable to switch
between heat absorption by the first surface 3A and heat release by
the second surface 3B by controllably reversing the flowing
direction of the electric current applied to the thermoelectric
conversion elements 30C. The control device is electrically
connected to a battery (not shown) mounted on the vehicle.
[0023] The first heat exchanger 5 is provided on the first surface
3A side of the thermoelectric conversion module 3 and configured so
that water as heat exchange medium flows through the first heat
exchanger 5. The second heat exchanger 7 is provided on the second
surface 3B side of the thermoelectric conversion module 3 and
configured so that that water flows through the second heat
exchanger 7. The thermoelectric conversion module 3 and the first
and the second heat exchangers 5, 7 are provided in the engine
compartment EC that is separate from the compartment room CR.
Coolant such as long life coolant LLC other than water or gas such
as air may be used as heat exchange medium.
[0024] The first air-conditioning heat exchanger 9 and the second
air-conditioning heat exchanger 11 are disposed in the compartment
room CR. Water flows through the first air-conditioning heat
exchanger 9 and the second air-conditioning heat exchanger 11,
respectively, and heat exchange occurs between the water in the
first air-conditioning heat exchanger 9 and the air in the
compartment room CR and also between the water in the second
air-conditioning heat exchanger 11 and the air in the compartment
room CR. Electric fans 9A, 11A are provided for the first and the
second air-conditioning heat exchangers 9, 11, respectively. These
electric fans 9A, 11A are electrically connected to the control
device (not shown).
[0025] The radiator 13 is disposed in the engine compartment EC.
Water flows through the radiator and heat exchange takes place
between the water in the radiator 13 and the air outside the
compartment room CR. An electric fan 13A is provided adjacent to
the radiator 13 and electrically connected to the control device
(not shown).
[0026] The motor 25 and the power control unit PCU 27 are disposed
in the engine compartment EC and function as the drive source of
the vehicle. The power control unit PCU 27, i.e. a drive device for
driving the motor 25, includes a known inverter or a known
converter and is electrically connected to the control device (not
shown). The motor 25 and the power control unit PCU 27 have formed
therein water jackets (not shown) through which water flows so as
to cool the motor 25 and the power control unit PCU 27. An engine
may be used as the power source instead of the motor 25 and the
power control unit PCU 27 or a combination of the motor 25, the
power control unit PCU 27 and an engine may serve as the drive
source.
[0027] The first heat exchanger 5 and the first air-conditioning
heat exchanger 9 are connected through the first circuit 10. The
first circuit 10 includes the aforementioned first passage 15
extending from the first heat exchanger 5 to the first
air-conditioning heat exchanger 9 and the second passage 16
extending from the first air-conditioning heat exchanger 9 to the
first heat exchanger 5. Water flows through the first and the
second passages 15, 16. The second passage 16 includes a reservoir
29A storing therein water, a passage 31A extending from the first
air-conditioning heat exchanger 9 to the reservoir 29A and a
passage 31B extending from the reservoir 29A to the first heat
exchanger 5. A first electric pump P1 is provided in the first
passage 15 and electrically connected to the control device (not
shown). As shown in FIG. 1, the first electric pump P1 is disposed
in the engine compartment EC. The reservoir 29A is also disposed in
the engine compartment EC. Alternatively, the reservoir 29A may be
provided in the first passage 15 and the first electric pump P1 may
be provided in the second passage 16.
[0028] The second heat exchanger 7, the second air-conditioning
heat exchanger 11, the radiator 13, the motor 25 and the power
control unit PCU 27 are connected in series in the second circuit
20. The second circuit 20 includes a third passage 17 extending
from the second heat exchanger 7 to the second air-conditioning
heat exchanger 11, a fourth passage 18 extending from the second
air-conditioning heat exchanger 11 to the radiator 13 and a fifth
passage 19 extending from the radiator 13 to the second heat
exchanger 7 through the motor 25 and the power control unit PCU 27.
Water flows through the third through the fifth passages. A
three-way valve 23 is provided in the third passage 17 and a
reservoir 29B is provided in the fourth passage 18. In the present
embodiment, the three-way valve is provided in the third passage 17
at the connection between the third passage 17 and the bypass
passage 21 which bypasses the second air-conditioning heat
exchanger 11 and allows an upstream passage to be in communication
with one of two downstream passages and to be disconnected from the
other one of the two downstream passages. The reservoir 29B storing
therein water has substantially the same structure as the reservoir
29A. A second electric pump P2 is provided in the fifth passage 19.
The three-way valve 23 and the second electric pump P2 are
electrically connected to the control device (not shown) and the
second electric pump P2 is operable to change the discharging
direction of water as required. The three-way valve 23 is provided
in the compartment room CR and the reservoir 29B and the second
electric pump P2 are provided in the engine compartment EC. The
three-way valve 23 and the second electric pump P2 correspond to
the first switching device and the second switching device of the
present invention, respectively.
[0029] The following will describe the third through the fifth
passages 17-19 more in detail. The third passage 17 includes a
passage 33A extending from the second heat exchanger 7 to the
three-way valve 23 and a passage 33B extending from the three-way
valve 23 to the second air-conditioning heat exchanger 11. The
fourth passage 18 includes a passage 35A extending from the second
air-conditioning heat exchanger 11 to the reservoir 29B and a
passage 35B extending from the reservoir 29B to the radiator 13.
The fifth passage 19 includes a passage 37A extending from the
radiator 13 to the motor 25, a passage 37B extending from the motor
25 to the power control unit PCU 27, and a passage 37C extending
from the power control unit PCU 27 to the second heat exchanger 7.
In the present embodiment, the second electric pump P2 is provided
in the passage 37A. However, the second electric pump P2 may be
provided in any one of the passages 37A, 37B and 37C or in some
place in the second circuit 20. The reservoir 29B may be provided
in either the third passage 17 or the fifth passage 19.
[0030] The bypass passage 21 is connected at one end thereof with
the three-way valve 23 and at the other end thereof with the
passage 35A. In other words, the bypass passage 21 connects the
third passage 17 and the fourth passage 18 and bypasses the second
air-conditioning heat exchanger 11. In the present embodiment, the
three-way valve 23 is provided at the connection between the bypass
passage 21 and the third passage 17 in the embodiment. However, the
three-way valve 23 may be provided at any connection between the
bypass passage 21 and the fourth passage 18.
[0031] While the motor 25 drives the vehicle, the vehicle air
conditioner operates to heat, cool and dehumidify the compartment
room CR in the respective states shown in FIGS. 2 through 5. In
FIGS. 2 through 5, the water flowing direction in the first and the
second circuits 10, 20 and the heat-transfer direction are
indicated by solid arrows and broken arrows, respectively.
[0032] The following will describe the heating operation of the
vehicle air conditioner with reference to FIG. 2. As shown in FIG.
2, the control device (not shown) causes an electric current to
flow through the thermoelectric conversion elements 30C of the
thermoelectric conversion module 3 in such a direction that the
first surface 3A of the thermoelectric conversion module 3 acts as
the heat releasing side and the second surface 3B as the heat
absorption side, respectively. The control device causes the
three-way valve 23 to be set in a first position where the passage
33A is in communication with the bypass passage 21 and the passage
33B is disconnected from the passage 33A and the bypass passage 21.
The control device also operates the first and the second electric
pumps P1, P2 so that water flows in the first and the second
circuits 10, 20 in arrow directions, respectively. The control
device causes the second electric pump P2 to be set in a third
position, in other words, the control device controls the operation
of the second electric pump P2 so that the water pumped by the
second electric pump P2 flows in the second circuit 20 through the
third, the fourth and the fifth passages 17, 18, 19 in this order.
Therefore, the motor 25 and the power control unit PCU 27 are
located upstream of the second heat exchanger 7 with respect to the
water flowing direction in the second circuit 20. Water also flows
through the bypass passage 21. Additionally, the control device
operates the electric fans 9A, 13A.
[0033] Thus, the heat of water in the second heat exchanger 7 is
absorbed by the second surface 3B of the thermoelectric conversion
module 3, thus the water in the second heat exchanger 7 being
cooled, while the heat of water in the first heat exchanger 5 is
released from the first surface 3A of the thermoelectric conversion
module 3, thus the water in the first heat exchanger 5 being heated
by the released heat. The water in the second heat exchanger 7 has
been already heated by the heat generated by the motor 25 and the
power control unit PCU 27, so that the thermoelectric conversion
module 3 can absorb heat efficiently from water in the second heat
exchanger 7 and release the heat efficiently from the first surface
3A, accordingly. Therefore, the water in the first heat exchanger 5
can be heated with high efficiency.
[0034] The heated water in the first heat exchanger 5 flows to the
first air-conditioning heat exchanger 9 through the first passage
15. The heat of the heated water is released from the first
air-conditioning heat exchanger 9 thereby to heat the air in the
compartment room CR. The heated air is supplied positively to the
compartment room CR by the electric fan 9A for heating the
compartment room CR.
[0035] Because the second air-conditioning heat exchanger 11 is
bypassed by the bypass passage 21, no water in the second circuit
20 flows into the second air-conditioning heat exchanger 11.
[0036] Referring to FIG. 3, there is shown another way of heating
the compartment room CR. In this case, the control device causes
the three-way valve 23 to be set in a second position where the
passage 33A is in communication with the passage 33B and the bypass
passage 21 is disconnected from the passage 33A and the passage
33B. The second electric pump P2 operates in the same way so that
the water in the second circuit 20 flows in the same direction as
in the case of FIG. 2 and the water in the first circuit 10 flows
in arrow direction, as shown in FIG. 3. In other words, the control
device causes the second electric pump P2 to be set in the third
position. Additionally, the control device operates the electric
fans 11A, 13A and stops the thermoelectric conversion module 3, the
first electric pump P1 and the electric fan 9A.
[0037] In this case, the water that is heated by the heat generated
by the motor 25 and the power control unit PCU 27 flows to the
second air-conditioning heat exchanger 11 through the third passage
17 without flowing into the bypass passage 21. In the second
air-conditioning heat exchanger 11, the heat of the heated water is
released to air in the compartment room CR so as to heat the
compartment room CR. Thus, the heated air can be supplied
positively to the compartment room CR by the electric fan 11C for
heating the compartment room CR.
[0038] The following will describe the cooling operation of the
vehicle air conditioner. As shown in FIG. 4, the control device
(not shown) causes an electric current to flow through the
thermoelectric conversion elements 30C of the thermoelectric
conversion module 3 in such a direction that the first surface 3A
of the thermoelectric conversion module 3 acts as the heat
absorption side and the second surface 3B as the heat releasing
side, respectively. The control device causes the three-way valve
23 to be set in the first position where the passage 33A is in
communication with the bypass passage 21 and the passage 33B is
disconnected from the passage 33A and the bypass passage 21. The
control device also operates the first and the second electric
pumps P1, P2 so that water flows through the first and the second
circuits 10, 20 in arrow directions, respectively. The control
device causes the second electric pump P2 to be set in a fourth
position, in other words, the control device controls the operation
of the second electric pump P2 so that the water pumped by the
second electric pump P2 flows in the second circuit 20 through the
fifth, the fourth and the third passages 19, 18, 17 in this order.
Therefore, the second heat exchanger 7 is located upstream of the
motor 25 and the power control unit PCU 27 with respect to the
water flowing direction. Water also flows through the bypass
passage 21. Additionally, the control device operates the electric
fans 9A, 13A.
[0039] Thus, the water in the second heat exchanger 7 is heated by
the heat released from the second surface 3B of the thermoelectric
conversion module 3, while the heat of water in the first heat
exchanger 5 is released from the first surface 3A of the
thermoelectric conversion module 3, thus the water in the first
heat exchanger 5 being cooled. Since the water in the second heat
exchanger 7 has not been heated by the motor 25 and the power
control unit PCU 27, the thermoelectric conversion module 3 can
release heat efficiently to the water in the second heat exchanger
7 and adsorb heat efficiently from the first surface 3A
accordingly. Therefore, the water in the first heat exchanger 5 can
be cooled sufficiently.
[0040] Cooled water in the first heat exchanger 5 flows to the
first air-conditioning heat exchanger 9 through the first passage
15 thereby to cool the compartment room CR. Thus, the cooled air is
supplied positively to the compartment room CR by the electric fan
9A for cooling the compartment room CR.
[0041] As in the case of heating the compartment room CR, the
second air-conditioning heat exchanger 11 is bypassed by the bypass
passage 21, so that no water flows through second air-conditioning
heat exchanger 11. The water heated while flowing through the
second heat exchanger 7 by receiving heat released from the
thermoelectric conversion module 3 and further heated by the heat
generated by the power control unit PCU 27 and the motor 25 is
subsequently cooled in the radiator 13 by heat exchange.
[0042] The following will describe the dehumidifying operation of
the vehicle air conditioner. In the state of cooling the
compartment room CR as described above, as shown in FIG. 5, the
control device sets the three-way valve 23 in the second position
as in the case of FIG. 3 for heating so that the passage 33A is in
communication with the passage 33B and that the bypass passage 21
is disconnected from the passage 33A and the passage 33B. The
control device also causes the second electric pump P2 to be set in
the third position. Therefore, the control device controls the
discharging direction of the second electric pump P2 so that water
flows through the third, the fourth and the fifth passages 17, 18,
19 in this order. Additionally, the control device operates the
electric fans 11A. Thus, the water heated in the second heat
exchanger 7 by the heat released from the second surface 3B of the
thermoelectric conversion module 3 flows to the second
air-conditioning heat exchanger 11 without flowing through the
bypass passage 21.
[0043] The heat of the heated water flowing through the second
air-conditioning heat exchanger 11 is released therefrom.
Therefore, temperature adjustment of the air in the compartment
room CR is performed in such a way that the air that has been
cooled and dehumidified by the first air-conditioning heat
exchanger 9 is heated by the second air-conditioning heat exchanger
11. The temperature adjusted air is supplied to the compartment
room CR by the electric fans 9A, 11A, so that air in the
compartment room CR can be dehumidified.
[0044] According to the vehicle air conditioner of the
above-described embodiment wherein air that is dehumidified can be
adjusted in temperature, the air-conditioning is hardly
deteriorated when the compartment room CR is dehumidified. The
compartment room CR can be dehumidified even when the first surface
3A and the second surface 3B of the thermoelectric conversion
module 3 are set to the heat release side and the heat absorption
side, respectively. In this case, air is cooled and dehumidified in
the second air-conditioning heat exchanger 11 and heated in the
first air-conditioning heat exchanger 9. Additionally, when the
compartment room CR needs not be heated for dehumidification, the
compartment room CR can be dehumidified only by the cooling
operation of the air conditioner without using the first
air-conditioning heat exchanger 9.
[0045] The reservoirs 29A, 29B function to adjust the pressure of
water flowing through the respective first and the second circuits
10, 20 by using the water stored in the respective reservoirs 29A,
29B, so that water flows smoothly through the first and the second
circuits 10, 20 during the heating, cooling or dehumidifying
operation for the vehicle air conditioner. Therefore, the vehicle
air conditioner of the present invention can improve the
air-conditioning performance in the compartment room CR.
[0046] As described above, the vehicle air conditioner of the
embodiment of present invention can heat, cool or dehumidify the
compartment room CR by switching the direction of electric current
applied to the thermoelectric conversion elements 30C of the
thermoelectric conversion module 3 and also changing the water
flowing direction by the three-way valve 23 and the second electric
pump P2, so that the structure of the vehicle air conditioner can
be simplified.
[0047] Therefore, the vehicle air conditioner of the present
invention can achieve comfortable air-conditioning of the
compartment room CR and also reduce the manufacturing cost of the
vehicle air conditioner.
[0048] Particularly, the simplified structure of the vehicle air
conditioner helps to reduce the restriction on mounting the vehicle
air conditioner on a vehicle. Therefore, the degree of freedom in
mounting the vehicle air conditioner on a vehicle increases.
Additionally, the vehicle air conditioner can be made small because
of its simple structure.
[0049] In the vehicle air conditioner according to the embodiment
of the present invention, the thermoelectric conversion module 3,
the first heat exchanger 5, the second heat exchanger 7 and the
radiator 13 are disposed in the engine compartment EC that is
outside the compartment room CR. On the other hand, the first
air-conditioning heat exchanger 9 and the second air-conditioning
heat exchanger 11 are disposed in the compartment room CR. The
structure of the elements of the vehicle air conditioner that are
disposed in the compartment room CR is simplified, so that the
structure of the vehicle air conditioner as a whole may be
simplified. Therefore, the manufacturing cost of the vehicle air
conditioner can be reduced and the mounting of the vehicle air
conditioner on a vehicle can be facilitated.
[0050] Additionally, the motor 25 as the power source of the
present invention is provided in the second circuit 20 in the
embodiment. When the motor 25 is disposed upstream of the second
heat exchanger 7 with respect to the flowing direction of water as
the heat exchange medium in the second circuit 20, the water is
heated by the heat generated by the motor 25, so that heat can be
absorbed efficiently from the second surface 3B of the
thermoelectric conversion module 3 through the water in the second
heat exchanger 7 during heating of the compartment room CR.
Therefore, heat can be released efficiently from the first surface
3A of the thermoelectric conversion module 3 thereby to heat
further the water in the first heat exchanger 5, with the result
that the compartment room CR can be heated more efficiently.
[0051] When the motor 25 is disposed downstream of the second heat
exchanger 7 with respect to the flowing direction of the water in
the second circuit 20, the water in the second heat exchanger 7 is
cooled by the heat absorption from the second surface 3B of the
thermoelectric conversion module 3 during heating of the
compartment room CR. Therefore, the motor 25 can be cooled more
efficiently.
[0052] The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment
but may be variously modified within the scope of the invention, as
exemplified below.
[0053] A heat storage device may be provided in the first and the
second circuits 10, 20. In this case, the air-conditioning
operation for heating and cooling the compartment room CR can be
performed more efficiently by the heat stored in the heat storage
device.
[0054] In cooling the compartment room CR, water may flow through
the third passage 17, the fourth passage 18 and the fifth passage
19 arranged in this order with respect to the water flowing
direction. In this case, the motor 25 and the power control unit
PCU 27 are disposed upstream of the second heat exchanger 7 in the
second circuit 20 with respect to the water flowing direction. In
such arrangement, the motor 25 and the power control unit PCU 27
can be cooled more efficiently by water cooled by the radiator
13.
[0055] A battery such as the one mounted on a vehicle and the like
may be provided in the second circuit 20.
[0056] In the embodiment, the thermoelectric conversion module 3
includes a pair of substrates. However, a skeleton-type
thermoelectric conversion module without substrates may be
used.
[0057] In the embodiment, water serves as the heat exchange medium.
However, gas such as air may serve as the heat exchange medium.
[0058] The present invention can be applied to a vehicle driven by
a motor, an engine or a combination of an engine and a battery.
* * * * *