U.S. patent application number 14/642070 was filed with the patent office on 2015-06-25 for method from the thermal conditioning of an internal combustion engine and/or of a passenger compartment of a vehicle, and vehicle.
The applicant listed for this patent is Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft. Invention is credited to Peter SATZGER, Felix SCHEDEL.
Application Number | 20150174986 14/642070 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 49035566 |
Filed Date | 2015-06-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150174986 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
SATZGER; Peter ; et
al. |
June 25, 2015 |
METHOD FROM THE THERMAL CONDITIONING OF AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION
ENGINE AND/OR OF A PASSENGER COMPARTMENT OF A VEHICLE, AND
VEHICLE
Abstract
Thermal conditioning of a combustion engine of a vehicle is
achieved by means of a fluid circuit or a sub-circuit of the fluid
circuit and/or the air flowing into a passenger compartment of the
vehicle by means of a heat pump circuit. In at least one
operational state of the vehicle, heat is transferred from the
fluid circuit or the sub-circuit of the fluid circuit to the heat
pump circuit.
Inventors: |
SATZGER; Peter; (Landsberg
am Lech, DE) ; SCHEDEL; Felix; (Gauting, DE) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft |
Muenchen |
|
DE |
|
|
Family ID: |
49035566 |
Appl. No.: |
14/642070 |
Filed: |
March 9, 2015 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
PCT/EP2013/067283 |
Aug 20, 2013 |
|
|
|
14642070 |
|
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
165/41 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60H 1/00921 20130101;
B60H 2001/00307 20130101; B60H 2001/00928 20130101; B60H 2001/00949
20130101; B60H 1/00314 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B60H 1/00 20060101
B60H001/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 10, 2012 |
DE |
10 2012 215 971.1 |
Claims
1. A method for the thermal conditioning of a combustion engine of
a vehicle using a fluid circuit or a sub-circuit of the fluid
circuit and/or air flowing into a passenger compartment of the
vehicle by means of a heat pump circuit, wherein, in at least one
operational state of the vehicle, heat is transferred from the
fluid circuit or the sub-circuit of the fluid circuit to the heat
pump circuit.
2. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein heat is transferred
from a first sub-circuit of the fluid circuit flowing through the
combustion engine to the heat pump circuit via a first heat
exchanger.
3. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein heat is transferred
from the heat pump circuit via a second heat exchanger to the fluid
circuit or to a second sub-circuit of the fluid circuit, and heat
is transferred from the fluid circuit or the second sub-circuit of
the fluid circuit via a heating heat exchanger to the air flowing
into the passenger compartment of the vehicle.
4. The method as set forth in claim 2, wherein heat is transferred
from the heat pump circuit via a second heat exchanger to the fluid
circuit or to a second sub-circuit of the fluid circuit, and heat
is transferred from the fluid circuit or the second sub-circuit of
the fluid circuit via a heating heat exchanger to the air flowing
into the passenger compartment of the vehicle.
5. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the combustion
engine is preheated through transfer of heat produced by the heat
pump circuit to the fluid circuit via the second heat
exchanger.
6. The method as set forth in claim 2, wherein the combustion
engine is preheated through transfer of heat produced by the heat
pump circuit to the fluid circuit via the second heat
exchanger.
7. The method as set forth in claim 3, wherein the combustion
engine is preheated through transfer of heat produced by the heat
pump circuit to the fluid circuit via the second heat
exchanger.
8. A vehicle comprising: a combustion engine; a fluid circuit that
is provided for cooling and/or preheating the combustion engine;
and a heat pump circuit, wherein at least one heat exchanger is
provided via which the fluid circuit or a sub-circuit of the fluid
circuit is thermally coupled with the heat pump circuit.
9. The vehicle as set forth in claim 8, wherein the fluid circuit
has at least one blockable fluid connection, wherein, depending on
the switching status of the at least one fluid connection, the
entire fluid circuit is a single closed circuit or subdivided into
a first sub-circuit flowing through the combustion engine and a
second sub-circuit separated therefrom.
10. The vehicle as set forth in claim 9, wherein the fluid circuit,
particularly the second sub-circuit has a heating heat exchanger
that is provided for the purpose of transferring heat from the
fluid circuit or the second sub-circuit of the fluid circuit to the
air flowing into a passenger compartment of the vehicle.
11. The vehicle as set forth in claim 8, wherein the at least one
heat exchanger is provided in a first operational state for the
purpose of transferring heat from the fluid circuit to the heat
pump circuit.
12. The vehicle as set forth in claim 9, wherein the at least one
heat exchanger is provided in a first operational state for the
purpose of transferring heat from the fluid circuit to the heat
pump circuit.
13. The vehicle as set forth in claim 10, wherein the at least one
heat exchanger is provided in a first operational state for the
purpose of transferring heat from the fluid circuit to the heat
pump circuit.
14. The vehicle as set forth in claim 8, wherein the at least one
heat exchanger is provided in a second operational state for the
purpose of transferring heat from the heat pump circuit to the
fluid circuit or a sub-circuit of the fluid circuit.
15. The vehicle as set forth in claim 9, wherein the at least one
heat exchanger is provided in a second operational state for the
purpose of transferring heat from the heat pump circuit to the
fluid circuit or a sub-circuit of the fluid circuit.
16. The vehicle as set forth in claim 10, wherein the at least one
heat exchanger is provided in a second operational state for the
purpose of transferring heat from the heat pump circuit to the
fluid circuit or a sub-circuit of the fluid circuit.
17. The vehicle as set forth in claim 11, wherein the at least one
heat exchanger is provided in a second operational state for the
purpose of transferring heat from the heat pump circuit to the
fluid circuit or a sub-circuit of the fluid circuit.
18. The vehicle as set forth in claim 8, wherein a first heat
exchanger, of the at least one heat exchangers, is arranged in a
segment of the first sub-circuit via which the fluid circuit is
thermally coupled with the heat pump circuit.
19. The vehicle as set forth in claim 18, wherein a second heat
exchanger, of the at least one heat exchangers, is arranged in a
segment of the second sub-circuit via which the fluid circuit is
thermally coupled with the heat pump circuit.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of PCT International
Application No. PCT/EP2013/067283, filed Aug. 20, 2013, which
claims priority under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.119 from German Patent
Application No. 10 2012 215 971.1, filed Sep. 10, 2012, the entire
disclosures of which are herein expressly incorporated by
reference.
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to a method for the thermal
conditioning of a combustion engine and/or of a passenger
compartment of a vehicle and to a commensurate vehicle according to
the features set forth herein.
[0003] In hybrid vehicles (e.g., "plug-in hybrid vehicles) and
electric vehicles with a so-called "range extender" (generator
driven by combustion engine), the fundamental problem arises at low
ambient temperatures that in phases in which only the electric
motor is used for driving and the combustion engine is shut off,
there is not enough "waste heat" available in order to
appropriately heat the passenger compartment. In different hybrid
vehicle designs, an electric heating device is therefore provided
for additional heating. When operated, however, it leads to a
significant reduction of the "electric range" of the vehicle. To
reduce the energy required for the "electric heating" of the
interior passenger compartment, heat pumps, among other things,
have been considered that produce greater heat output compared to
purely electric heaters with the same electrical power
consumption.
[0004] In DE 10 2010 030 746 A1, it was proposed to preheat the
combustion engine of a hybrid vehicle before commencement of travel
by means of an electric heater to be connected to the stationary
power grid and to use the combustion engine as a heat store in
order to reduce the heat output requirement immediately after
commencement of travel. The quantity of heat intermediately stored
in the combustion engine can be used during purely electric driving
operation to support the electric heater, which reduces the
electric power input and increases the range of the vehicle
accordingly.
[0005] It is the object of the invention to provide:
[0006] a) a method for the thermal conditioning of a combustion
engine of a vehicle and/or of the air flowing into a passenger
compartment of the vehicle that enables the energy efficiency of
the vehicle to be further improved, and
[0007] b) a commensurate vehicle.
[0008] This object is achieved by the features of patent claim 1 or
5. Advantageous embodiments and developments of the invention can
be found in the sub-claims.
[0009] The starting point of the invention is a vehicle with a
combustion engine, a fluid circuit ("cooling circuit") that is
provided for the cooling and/or preheating of the combustion
engine, and a heat pump circuit. The fluid circuit and the heat
pump circuit are used for the thermal conditioning of the
combustion engine and/or for the thermal conditioning of the air
flowing into the passenger compartment of the vehicle. The term
"thermal conditioning" is to be understood, for example, as a
preheating of the (cold) combustion engine before commencement of
travel or a heating of the air blown into the passenger
compartment.
[0010] The invention is based on the idea of coupling the fluid
circuit and the heat pump circuit thermally with each other and
transferring heat at least in some operational states of the
vehicle from the fluid circuit or a sub-circuit of the fluid
circuit to the heat pump circuit. In other words, the fluid circuit
or a sub-circuit of the fluid circuit is used at least in some
operational states as a heat source for the heat pump circuit. This
is worthy of consideration particularly at low outside temperatures
because, at low outside temperatures, the ambient air can be used
as a heat source for the heat pump circuit only to a limited
extent, that is, only with a relatively unfavorable overall level
of efficiency.
[0011] According to one development of the invention, heat produced
by the heat pump circuit is transferred via a heat exchanger to a
(second) sub-circuit and from the second sub-circuit via a heating
heat exchanger to the air flowing into the passenger compartment of
the vehicle.
[0012] As already mentioned above, the thermal coupling of the
fluid circuit and the heat pump circuit can also be used to preheat
the combustion engine through discharge of heat produced by the
heat pump circuit to the fluid circuit via a heat exchanger.
[0013] The invention is explained in further detail below in
conjunction with the drawings.
[0014] Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present
invention will become apparent from the following detailed
description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] FIGS. 1-5 depict various exemplary embodiments according to
the invention in which a heat pump circuit is respectively coupled
with a fluid circuit of a combustion engine.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a vehicle with a
combustion engine 1 that can be cooled by a fluid circuit 2
("cooling circuit") and can heat the vehicle interior or passenger
compartment. The fluid circuit has a coolant pump 3 that pumps
liquid coolant (e.g., water/glycol mixture) through cooling
channels of the combustion engine 1. Furthermore, a
coolant/refrigerant heat exchanger 4, hereinafter also called
"second heat exchanger" and the function of which will be explained
in further detail below, is arranged in the fluid circuit 2.
cooling fluid is pumped from the coolant pump 3 through the
combustion engine 1 and further through the second heat exchanger 4
into a heating heat exchanger 5 of an air conditioning unit 6,
which additionally has a refrigerant vaporizer 7 and a blower
8.
[0017] In the heating heat exchanger 5, the coolant heated by the
waste heat of the combustion engine 1 delivers heat to the air
flowing into a passenger compartment of a vehicle 9. The cooled
coolant flows from the heating heat exchanger 5 back to the suction
side of the coolant pump 3. In this way, the passenger compartment
can be "preconditioned" (preheated) when the vehicle is parked,
provided that an appropriate quantity of residual heat is stored in
the combustion engine 1.
[0018] If the combustion engine 1 is cold, that is, if its
temperature is equal to the ambient temperature, then the air in
the passenger compartment of the vehicle 9 and/or the combustion
engine 1 can be preconditioned or preheated by means of a heat pump
circuit 10.
[0019] The heat pump circuit 10 has a refrigerant compressor 11.
The refrigerant compressor 11 can be a "high-voltage refrigerant
compressor," i.e., a purely electrically driven refrigerant
compressor. The refrigerant compressor 11 pumps compressed
refrigerant via a valve 12 through the first heat exchanger 4. As a
result of the compression of the refrigerant, it is heated. In the
heat exchanger 4, the heated refrigerant delivers heat to the
coolant circulated by pumping in the fluid circuit 2, whereby it is
heated. A heat transfer thus takes place from the heat pump circuit
10 to the fluid circuit 2. The heated coolant flows through the
heating heat exchanger 5, thus heating the air flowing into the
passenger compartment of the vehicle 9. The coolant is then pumped
through the combustion engine 1, whereby it, too, is heated.
[0020] After flowing through the heat exchanger 4, the refrigerant
flows through a first expansion element 13, whereby the refrigerant
is cooled off. A portion of the cooled and expanded refrigerant
flows through a first branch of the heat pump circuit, which
contains the vaporizer 7 and another expansion element 14, in which
the refrigerant is further expanded and cooled. The other portion
of the refrigerant flows through a second compressor branch, which
has a compressor 15 and another expansion element 16. The
compressor 15 can be used, for example, for cooling a high-voltage
battery (not shown) of the vehicle. In contrast, in the exemplary
embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the vaporizer 7 is an integral
component of an air conditioning unit that also comprises the
heating heat exchanger 5. After the expansion of the refrigerant in
the expansion elements 14 and 16, the refrigerant flows through an
outer heat exchanger 17, in which it picks up heat from the ambient
air 18. The refrigerant flows from the outer heat exchanger 17
through a valve 19 and an accumulator 20 to the suction side of the
refrigerant compressor 11.
[0021] In the operating state shown in FIG. 1, and ambient air 18
thus serves as a heat source. The heat sink is formed by the air
flowing into the vehicle 9 and by the combustion engine 1. The
distribution of the heat between the combustion engine 1 and the
passenger compartment is done through a valve 30, a pump 20, an IR
housing (see drawing) or the control of air flaps in the air
conditioning unit and can therefore be varied between 0% and
100%.
[0022] In the system illustrated in FIG. 2, another heat exchanger
21 (referred to as a "chiller" in the figures) is additionally
provided which, in order to differentiate it from the "second heat
exchanger" 4, is referred to below as "first heat exchanger" 21 or
as "chiller." In a first possible operating state, the first heat
exchanger 21 is passive, that is, the hot coolant coming from the
combustion engine 1 flows through it. If the combustion engine 1 is
warm, the thermal energy stored therein can be used to heat the
passenger compartment of the vehicle 9.
[0023] If the combustion engine is cold, the passenger compartment
of the vehicle 9 and/or the combustion engine 1 can be
preconditioned or preheated analogously to FIG. 1 by means of the
heat pump circuit 10, in which case, analogously to the above
description, the ambient air 18 acts as a heat source of the heat
pump circuit 10 and the passenger compartment of the heat pump
circuit 10 and/or the combustion engine 1 act as a heat sink for
the heat pump circuit 10. If the combustion engine 1 acts as a heat
sink, then it serves as a heat store, in which case it is available
for heating the passenger compartment as an operationally reliable
heat source. The residual engine heat shortens the warm-up time,
which contributes to a reduction in consumption when starting the
combustion engine 1.
[0024] FIG. 3 shows an operational state in which the fluid circuit
2, through closing or blocking two fluid connections, is connected
to fluid circuits 2a, 2b that are separated from each other. The
fluid circuit 2a is referred to below as the first fluid circuit
flowing through the combustion engine 1, and the fluid circuit 2b
is referred to as the second fluid circuit flowing through the
heating heat exchanger 5.
[0025] This operational state, in which the two fluid connections
22, 23 are blocked, is worthy of consideration if the heat from the
combustion engine 1 is to be used by means of a heat pump for
heating the passenger compartment of the vehicle 9. The coolant
coming from the combustion engine 1 and circulated by pumping in
the first fluid circuit 2 first flows through the first heat
exchanger 21. In the first heat exchanger 21, the coolant delivers
heat to the refrigerant of the heat pump circuit 10. The direction
of flow of the refrigerant is indicated by arrows 24, 25. The
refrigerant heated with the heat from the first sub-circuit 2a
flows to the refrigerant compressor 11, where it is compressed and
heated. In the second heat exchanger 4, the heated refrigerant
delivers heat to the second sub-circuit 2b of the fluid circuit 2.
Another coolant pump 26 is provided in the second sub-circuit 2b
that pumps the heated coolant through the heating heat exchanger 5
and, from there, back to the second heat exchanger 4.
[0026] In this mode of operation, the combustion engine 1 acts as a
heat source. Heat stored in the combustion engine 1 is delivered to
the heat pump circuit 10 and finally fed via the second sub-circuit
2b to the air flowing into the passenger compartment of the vehicle
9.
[0027] This mode of operation is relevant in three vehicle
states:
[0028] a) The combustion engine 1 was preheated before commencement
of travel according to the mode of operation described in FIG. 1.
In the mode of operation of FIG. 3, due to the higher temperature
level, this heat source can enable more efficient heat pump
operation than the "heat source ambient air."
[0029] b) If the temperature level of the combustion engine 1 is
not or no longer sufficient during or after previous combustion
engine operation for direct heat transfer in the heating circuit
via the heating heat exchanger 5, the heat can be used via the heat
pump mode nonetheless.
[0030] c) In the event of continuous or sudden icing, the mode of
operation with the combustion engine 1 as a heat source that is
independent of the ambient temperature can be used.
[0031] FIG. 4 shows an alternative system arrangement. Analogously
to the system shown in FIG. 1, only one single fluid circuit 2 is
provided here. In addition to the arrangement shown in FIG. 1, an
electric heating device 27 is provided between the "hot side" of
the combustion engine 1 and the first heat exchanger 21 by means of
which the coolant circulated by pumping in the fluid circuit 2 can
be heated.
[0032] The combustion engine 1 can be preheated analogously to the
operational state shown in FIG. 1. Here, however, only the electric
heater 27 without heat pump operation can be used.
[0033] In a first conceivable operational state, the combustion
engine 1 is still so warm that the heat stored therein can be used
to heat the passenger compartment of the vehicle 9, the air blown
into the passenger compartment being heated via the heating heat
exchanger 5. In this case, the electric heater 27 is not
required.
[0034] In contrast, if the combustion engine 1 is cold or no longer
sufficiently warm, additional heat can be supplied by the electric
heater 27. One possibility is to have the heat fed via the electric
heater be delivered directly via the heating heat exchanger 5 to
the air blown into the passenger compartment.
[0035] Alternatively, it is also possible to use the coolant
flowing through the first heat exchanger 21 (and hence the
combustion engine 1 and/or the electric heating device 27) as a
heat source for the heat pump circuit 10. In the first heat
exchanger 21, the refrigerant circulated by pumping in the heat
pump circuit 10 absorbs heat from the coolant of the coolant pump
3. The heated refrigerant is suctioned by the refrigerant
compressor 11, compressed, and thus heated. The heated refrigerant
can be pumped via the valve 12 through a second heating heat
exchanger 28, where it delivers heat to the air flowing into the
passenger compartment of the vehicle 9. After the heating heat
exchanger 28, the compressed refrigerant is expanded in an
expansion element 29. It can then be further expanded via the two
vaporizers, i.e., in the expansion elements 14, 16. From the
expansion elements 14, 16, the expanded refrigerant flows back to
the first heat exchanger 21.
[0036] As already indicated, the combustion engine 1 and/or the
electric heater 27 acts as a heat source, and the passenger
compartment of the vehicle 9 acts as a heat sink in this
operational state.
[0037] FIG. 5 describes another conceivable system arrangement.
Here, unlike in FIGS. 1-4, only one single heat exchanger is
provided, particularly a heating heat exchanger 28 through which
refrigerant flows. Refrigerant coming from the combustion engine 1
is pumped through the electric heater 27 and the second heat
exchanger 4 back to the suction side of the coolant pump 3.
Depending on the temperature of the combustion engine, the electric
heater 27 can be switched on as needed. In the first heat exchanger
21, the coolant delivers heat to the refrigerant circulated by
pumping in the heat pump circuit 10. After compression of the
refrigerant in the refrigerant compressor 11, the compressed and
heated refrigerant is pumped through the refrigerant/air heat
exchanger or heating heat exchanger 28, where is delivers heat to
the air flowing into the passenger compartment of the vehicle 9.
Otherwise, the functionality is identical to that in the
arrangement shown in FIG. 4.
[0038] The combustion engine 1 can be preheated analogously to FIG.
4.
[0039] The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to
illustrate the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Since
modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the'
spirit and substance of the invention may occur to persons skilled
in the art, the invention should be construed to include everything
within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents
thereof.
* * * * *