U.S. patent application number 13/516330 was filed with the patent office on 2012-12-13 for vehicular air conditioner.
This patent application is currently assigned to SANDEN CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Nobuhiko Fujii.
Application Number | 20120312050 13/516330 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43631106 |
Filed Date | 2012-12-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120312050 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Fujii; Nobuhiko |
December 13, 2012 |
VEHICULAR AIR CONDITIONER
Abstract
A vehicular air conditioner in which a plurality of parts
comprising a refrigerant circuit are integrally provided to reduce
an occupying space and reduce the number of the parts and the
number of assembling steps. A refrigerant circuit is provided with
a cold storage internal heat exchanger having a high-pressure
refrigerant storage unit through which the high-pressure
refrigerant on the downstream side of a condenser flows, a
low-pressure refrigerant storage unit through which the
low-pressure refrigerant on the downstream side of an evaporator
flows, and a cold storage material housing unit which houses a cold
storage material therein. The cold storage internal heat exchanger
exchanges the heat between the high-pressure refrigerant in the
high-pressure refrigerant storage unit and the low-pressure
refrigerant in the low-pressure refrigerant storage unit, cools the
cold storage material stored in the cold storage material housing
unit by means of the low-pressure refrigerant in the low-pressure
refrigerant storage unit when a compressor is activated, cools the
high-pressure refrigerant in the high-pressure refrigerant storage
unit by means of the cold storage material housed in the cold
storage material housing unit after the heat exchange with the
low-pressure refrigerant of the low-pressure refrigerant storage
unit, and cools the low-pressure refrigerant in the low-pressure
refrigerant storage unit by means of the cold storage material
housed in the cold storage material housing unit when the
compressor is stopped.
Inventors: |
Fujii; Nobuhiko;
(Isesaki-shi, JP) |
Assignee: |
SANDEN CORPORATION
Isesaki-shi
JP
|
Family ID: |
43631106 |
Appl. No.: |
13/516330 |
Filed: |
December 13, 2010 |
PCT Filed: |
December 13, 2010 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/JP2010/007151 |
371 Date: |
August 23, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
62/401 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F25B 2400/24 20130101;
F28D 2020/0013 20130101; B60H 1/005 20130101; F28D 7/00 20130101;
B60H 1/32 20130101; F25B 40/00 20130101; B60H 1/00342 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
62/401 |
International
Class: |
F25D 9/00 20060101
F25D009/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 16, 2009 |
JP |
2009-285568 |
Claims
1. A vehicular air conditioner including a refrigerant circuit
having a compressor, a condenser, a decompressor, and an
evaporator, comprising: a cold storage internal heat exchanger in
the refrigerant circuit, the cold storage internal heat exchanger
including a high-pressure refrigerant passage through which a
high-pressure refrigerant on a downstream side of the condenser
flows, a low-pressure refrigerant passage through which a
low-pressure refrigerant on a downstream side of the evaporator
flows, and a cold storage material housing unit which houses a cold
storage material, the cold storage internal heat exchanger
exchanging heat between the high-pressure refrigerant in the
high-pressure refrigerant passage and the low-pressure refrigerant
in the low-pressure refrigerant passage, cooling the cold storage
material stored in the cold storage material housing unit by the
low-pressure refrigerant in the low-pressure refrigerant passage
when the compressor is activated, and cooling the low-pressure
refrigerant in the low-pressure refrigerant passage by the cold
storage material when the compressor is stopped.
2. The vehicular air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the
cold storage internal heat exchanger is structured to cool the
high-pressure refrigerant in the high-pressure refrigerant passage
using the cold storage material after heat-exchange with the
low-pressure refrigerant in the low-pressure refrigerant passage
when the compressor is activated.
3. The vehicular air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein a
low-pressure refrigerant storage unit through which the
low-pressure refrigerant on the downstream side of the evaporator
flows and which can store a predetermined amount of low-pressure
refrigerant is provided as the low-pressure refrigerant passage of
the cold storage internal heat exchanger, and an outlet for the
low-pressure refrigerant in the low-pressure refrigerant storage
unit is provided on an upper portion of the low-pressure
refrigerant storage unit.
4. The vehicular air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein a
high-pressure refrigerant storage unit through which the
high-pressure refrigerant on the downstream of the condenser flows
and which can store a predetermined amount of high-pressure
refrigerant is provided as the high-pressure refrigerant passage of
the cold storage internal heat exchanger.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicular air conditioner
including a refrigerant circuit having a compressor, a condenser, a
decompressor, and an evaporator.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] A conventional vehicular air conditioner includes a
refrigerant circuit having a compressor, a condenser, a
decompressor, and an evaporator, and cools a cabin by driving the
compressor using an engine for a vehicle as a driving source.
[0003] In such a vehicular air conditioner, the refrigerant circuit
is provided with an internal heat exchanger for exchanging heat
between a high-pressure refrigerant on the downstream side of the
condenser and a low-pressure refrigerant on the downstream side of
the evaporator so as to improve the cooling capacity.
[0004] When the air conditioner is applied for a vehicle including
an idle-stop mechanism that detects stopping of the vehicle for
waiting at traffic lights or the like and stops an engine, the
drive of the compressor is stopped simultaneously with the stopping
of the engine and thus a refrigerant is not delivered through the
refrigerant circuit. Accordingly, the cooling cannot be continued.
In order to continue the cooling while the compressor is stopped, a
cold storage material is provided in a refrigerant passage on the
downstream side of the evaporator included in the refrigerant
circuit, and is cooled by a low-pressure refrigerant during
operation of the compressor. Furthermore, a cold storage heat
exchanger is provided for cooling the low-pressure refrigerant by
the cold storage material while the compressor is stopped, and the
refrigerant is liquefied by the cold storage material while the
compressor is stopped. The time from the point when the compressor
is stopped to the point when the pressure on the high-pressure side
of the refrigerant circuit is the same as that on the low-pressure
side is delayed, so that the cooling can be continued for a
predetermined time (for example, see Patent Literature 1).
CITATION LIST
Patent Literature
[0005] Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent Publication No.
2007-1485
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
Technical Problem
[0006] The vehicular air conditioner includes many parts comprising
the refrigerant circuit, such as the internal heat exchanger and
the cold storage heat exchanger. The number of the parts and the
number of assembling steps are increased, and accordingly, the
large space is occupied and the manufacturing cost is
increased.
[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicular
air conditioner in which a plurality of parts comprising a
refrigerant circuit are integrally provided to reduce an occupying
space and reduce the number of parts and the number of assembling
steps.
Solution to Problem
[0008] To achieve the object of the present invention, the
vehicular air conditioner including a refrigerant circuit having a
compressor, a condenser, a decompressor, and an evaporator,
includes a cold storage internal heat exchanger in the refrigerant
circuit. The cold storage internal heat exchanger includes a
high-pressure refrigerant passage through which a high-pressure
refrigerant on a downstream side of the condenser flows, a
low-pressure refrigerant passage through which a low-pressure
refrigerant on a downstream side of the evaporator flows, and a
cold storage material housing unit which houses a cold storage
material. The cold storage internal heat exchanger exchanges heat
between the high-pressure refrigerant in the high-pressure
refrigerant passage and the low-pressure refrigerant in the
low-pressure refrigerant passage, cools the cold storage material
stored in the cold storage material housing unit by the
low-pressure refrigerant in the low-pressure refrigerant passage
when the compressor is activated, and cools the low-pressure
refrigerant in the low-pressure refrigerant passage by the cold
storage material when the compressor is stopped.
[0009] The high-pressure refrigerant on the downstream side of the
condenser is excessively cooled, and the low-pressure refrigerant
on the downstream side of the evaporator is liquefied when the
compressor is stopped. Accordingly, a part of the cold storage
internal heat exchanger serves as an internal heat exchanger and a
cold storage heat exchanger.
[0010] According to the present invention, the part of the cold
storage internal heat exchanger serves as the internal heat
exchanger and the cold storage heat exchanger. Thus, the space
occupied by the refrigerant circuit can be reduced, and the number
of parts and the number of assembling steps can be reduced.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 shows a refrigerant circuit of a vehicular air
conditioner according to an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0012] FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of a cold storage
internal heat exchanger.
[0013] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A'
of FIG. 3.
[0014] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B-B'
of FIG. 3.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0015] FIGS. 1 to 4 show an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0016] A vehicular air conditioner according to the present
invention is applied for a vehicle including an idle-stop mechanism
that detects stopping of the vehicle for waiting at traffic lights
or the like and stops an engine. The vehicular air conditioner
includes a refrigerant circuit 1 shown in FIG. 1.
[0017] In the refrigerant circuit 1, a commonly-known freezing
cycle including a compressor 2, a condenser 3, an expansion valve 4
as a decompressor, and an evaporator 5 is connected to a cold
storage internal heat exchanger 10 for exchanging heat between a
high-pressure refrigerant on the downstream side of the condenser 3
and a low-pressure refrigerant on the downstream side of the
evaporator 5 and exchanging heat between a cold storage material,
and the high-pressure refrigerant on the downstream side of the
condenser 3 and the low-pressure refrigerant on the downstream side
of the evaporator 5. The compressor 2 is driven by the engine of
the vehicle. When the engine is stopped by the idle-stop mechanism,
the drive of the compressor 2 is also stopped. In the vehicular air
conditioner, the evaporator 5 is provided inside of an air
conditioning unit in a cabin. Air that is heat-exchanged with the
refrigerant in the evaporator 5 is supplied to the cabin by an air
blower 5a. The compressor 2, the condenser 3, the expansion valve
4, and the cold storage internal heat exchanger 10 are provided
inside of the engine room outside the cabin. In the refrigerant
circuit 1, HFC134a is used as the refrigerant.
[0018] The cold storage internal heat exchanger 10 is shaped like a
cylinder extending in the horizontal direction. At one end side of
the cold storage internal heat exchanger 10, an internal heat
exchanger 20 is provided for exchanging heat between the
high-pressure refrigerant on the downstream side of the condenser 3
and the low-pressure refrigerant on the downstream side of the
evaporator 5. At the other end side of the cold storage internal
heat exchanger 10, a cold storage heat exchanger 30 is provided for
exchanging heat between the cold storage material, and the
high-pressure refrigerant on the downstream side of the condenser 3
and the low-pressure refrigerant on the downstream of the
evaporator 5.
[0019] The internal heat exchanger 20 includes: a first cylindrical
member 21; a second cylindrical member 22 provided on the lower
portion of the first cylindrical member 21; a first closing plate
23 that closes one ends of the first cylindrical member 21 and the
second cylindrical member; and a partition plate 24 provided on the
other ends of the first cylindrical member 21 and the second
cylindrical member 22 for partitioning between the internal heat
exchanger 20 and the cold storage heat exchanger 30.
[0020] The cold storage heat exchanger 30 includes: a third
cylindrical member 31 that houses the cold storage material
therein; a fourth cylindrical member 32 provided on the upper
portion of the third cylindrical member 31; a fifth cylindrical
member 33 provided on the lower portion of the third cylindrical
member 31; a partition plate 24 provided on one ends of the third
cylindrical member 31, the fourth cylindrical member 32, and the
fifth cylindrical member 33; and a second closing plate 34 for
closing the other ends of the third cylindrical member 31, the
fourth cylindrical member 32, and the fifth cylindrical member
33.
[0021] The first closing plate 23 includes a low-pressure
refrigerant outlet 23a at the upper portion of the one end of the
first cylindrical member 21, and includes a high-pressure
refrigerant inlet 23b at the lower portion of the one end of the
second cylindrical member 22. The partition plate 24 includes a
first communication hole 24a at the upper portion of the other end
of the first cylindrical member 21 and at the upper portion of the
one end of the fourth cylindrical member 32, and includes a second
communication hole 24b at the lower portion of the other end of the
second cylindrical member 22 and at the one end of the fifth
cylindrical member 33. Furthermore, the second closing plate 34
includes a low-pressure refrigerant inlet 34a at the upper portion
of the other end of the fourth cylindrical member 32, and includes
a high-pressure refrigerant inlet 34b at the other end of the fifth
cylindrical member 33. A high-pressure refrigerant storage unit 11,
through which the high-pressure refrigerant that flows from the
condenser 3 is delivered and which can store a predetermined amount
of high-pressure refrigerant, is provided in the second cylindrical
member 22 and the fifth cylindrical member 33. A low-pressure
refrigerant storage unit 12, through which the low-pressure
refrigerant that flows from the evaporator 5 is delivered and which
can store a predetermined amount of low-pressure refrigerant, is
provided in the first cylindrical member 21 and the fourth
cylindrical member 32. A cold storage material housing unit 13 is
provided in the third cylindrical member 31. Coolant and water for
cooling the engine as the cold storage material is housed in the
cold storage material housing unit 13.
[0022] In the vehicular air conditioner as described above, the
compressor 2 is driven during traveling of the vehicle. The
refrigerant discharged from the compressor 2 radiates heat in the
condenser 3 to be liquefied, and flows through the high-pressure
refrigerant storage unit 11 of the cold storage internal heat
exchanger 10. The refrigerant delivered from the high-pressure
refrigerant storage unit 11 of the cold storage internal heat
exchanger 10 is depressurized in the expansion valve 4, and absorbs
heat to evaporate in the evaporator 5. The refrigerant is delivered
through the low-pressure refrigerant storage unit 12 of the cold
storage internal heat exchanger 10 and then is sucked into the
compressor 2.
[0023] During travelling of the vehicle, the cold storage material
housed in the cold storage material housing unit 13 of the cold
storage internal heat exchanger 10 is cooled by the low-pressure
refrigerant flowing through the low-pressure refrigerant storage
unit 12 via the fourth cylindrical member 32. The refrigerant
flowing through the high-pressure refrigerant storage unit 11 of
the cold storage internal heat exchanger 10 is excessively cooled
by heat-exchange with the refrigerant flowing through the
low-pressure refrigerant storage unit 12 via the second cylindrical
member 22, and is further excessively cooled by heat-exchange with
the cold storage material housed in the cold storage material
housing unit 13 via the fifth cylindrical member 33. Since the
refrigerant liquefied in the condenser 3 is temporarily stored in
the second cylindrical member 22 serving as the high-pressure
refrigerant storage unit 11 of the cold storage internal heat
exchanger 10, the refrigerant is supplied to the evaporator 5
depending on the cooling load.
[0024] When the engine is stopped by detection of stopping of the
vehicle for waiting at traffic lights or the like and thus the
drive of the compressor 2 is stopped, the refrigerant is delivered
from the high-pressure side to the low-pressure side until the
pressure in the refrigerant circuit 1 becomes equalizing. The
low-pressure refrigerant in the low-pressure refrigerant storage
unit 12 of the cold-storage internal heat exchanger 10 is cooled by
the cold storage material of the cold storage material housing unit
13 and is liquefied, and accordingly, the increase of the pressure
at the low-pressure side in the refrigerant circuit 1 becomes slow.
Therefore, the time required for equalizing the pressure in the
refrigerant circuit 1 becomes long. Thus, even when the drive of
the compressor 2 is stopped, the cabin can be continued to be
cooled while the refrigerant flows in the refrigerant circuit
1.
[0025] While the drive of the compressor 2 is stopped, the
refrigerant flowing through the low-pressure refrigerant storage
unit 12 of the cold storage internal heat exchanger 10 is cooled by
the cold storage material of the cold storage material housing unit
13 to be liquefied, and remains in the fourth cylindrical member 32
of the low-pressure refrigerant storage unit 12. When the liquefied
refrigerant overflows from the fourth cylindrical member 32 of the
low-pressure refrigerant storage unit 12, the overflowed liquefied
refrigerant is delivered into the first cylindrical member 21 of
the low-pressure refrigerant storage unit 12 and is heated by the
refrigerant in the high-pressure refrigerant storage unit 12 via
the second cylindrical member 22 to be evaporated. Accordingly, the
liquefied refrigerant does not flow out of the refrigerant outlet
23a provided on the upper portion of the first cylindrical member
21 of the low-pressure refrigerant storage unit 12.
[0026] In the vehicular air conditioner according to the
embodiment, the refrigerant circuit 1 is provided with the cold
storage internal heat exchanger 10 including the high-pressure
refrigerant storage unit 11 through which the high-pressure
refrigerant on the downstream side of the condenser 3 flows, the
low-pressure refrigerant storage unit 12 through which the
low-pressure refrigerant on the downstream side of the evaporator 5
flows, and the heat storage material housing unit 13 which houses
the heat storage material therein. The cold storage internal heat
exchanger 10 exchanges the heat between the high-pressure
refrigerant in the high-pressure refrigerant storage unit 11 and
the low-pressure refrigerant in the low-pressure refrigerant
storage unit 12, cools the cold storage material stored in the cold
storage material housing unit 13 by means of the low-pressure
refrigerant in the low-pressure refrigerant storage unit 12 when
the compressor 2 is activated, and cools the low-pressure
refrigerant in the low-pressure refrigerant storage unit 12 by
means of the cold storage material stored in the cold storage
material housing unit 13 when the compressor 2 is stopped.
Accordingly, a part of the cold storage internal heat exchanger 10
can serve as an internal heat exchanger and as a cold storage heat
exchanger. Moreover, a space occupied by the refrigerant circuit 1
can be reduced, and the number of parts and the number of
assembling steps can be also reduced.
[0027] When the compressor 2 is activated, the high-pressure
refrigerant in the high-pressure refrigerant storage unit 11 after
heat-exchange with the low-pressure refrigerant in the low-pressure
refrigerant storage unit 12 is cooled by the cool storage material
in the heat storage material housing unit 13. Accordingly, after
the high-pressure refrigerant is excessively cooled by
heat-exchange with the refrigerant in the low-pressure refrigerant
storage unit 12, the high-pressure refrigerant is further
excessively cooled by heat-exchange with the cold storage material
in the cold storage material housing unit 13. Thus, the excessive
cooling of the high-pressure refrigerant can be reliably
performed.
[0028] The cold storage internal heat exchanger 10 includes the
low-pressure refrigerant storage unit 12 through which the
low-pressure refrigerant on the downstream side of the evaporator 5
flows and which can store a predetermined amount of low-pressure
refrigerant, and the refrigerant outlet 21a of the low-pressure
refrigerant storage unit 12 is provided on the upper portion of the
first cylindrical member 21. Accordingly, the low-pressure
refrigerant cooled by the cold storage material to be liquefied is
prevented from flowing out of the low-pressure refrigerant storage
unit 12. The liquid compression by the compressor 2 can be
prevented without independently providing an accumulator to the
refrigerant circuit 1.
[0029] The cold storage internal heat exchanger 10 includes the
high-pressure refrigerant storage unit 11 through which the
high-pressure refrigerant on the downstream side of the condenser 3
flows and which can store a predetermined amount of high-pressure
refrigerant. Accordingly, the refrigerant liquefied in the
condenser 3 can be temporarily stored in the high-pressure
refrigerant storage unit 11. Without independently providing a
liquid receiver to the refrigerant circuit 1, the refrigerant can
be reliably supplied to the evaporator 5 when the cooling load is
changed.
[0030] At this time, the high-pressure refrigerant in the
high-pressure refrigerant storage unit 11 after heat-exchange with
the low-pressure refrigerant in the low-pressure refrigerant
storage unit 12 is cooled by the cold storage material of the cold
storage material housing unit 13. Accordingly, even when the
internal capacity of the second cylindrical member 22 is increased
for storing the liquefied refrigerant in the high-pressure
refrigerant storage unit 11, the high-pressure refrigerant can be
excessively cooled. The accumulating function and the internal heat
exchanging function can be reliably obtained.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
[0031] The present invention is widely applicable to an air
conditioner including a refrigerant circuit having a compressor, a
condenser, a decompressor, and an evaporator.
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST
[0032] 1 . . . refrigerant circuit, 2 . . . compressor, 3 . . .
condenser, 4 . . . expansion valve, 5 . . . evaporator, 10 . . .
cold storage internal heat exchanger, 11 . . . high-pressure
refrigerant storage unit, 12 . . . low-pressure refrigerant storage
unit, 13 . . . cold storage material housing unit, 20 . . .
internal heat exchanger, 21 . . . first cylindrical member, 22 . .
. second cylindrical member, 30 . . . cold storage heat exchanger,
31 . . . third cylindrical member, 32 . . . fourth cylindrical
member, 33 . . . fifth cylindrical member
* * * * *