VEHICULAR HEAT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Abstract

A vehicular heat management system for individually cooling and heating a plurality of air conditioning regions of a vehicle includes a plurality of refrigerant circulation lines configured to cool and heat the air conditioning regions individually shared by the refrigerant circulation lines. The refrigerant circulation lines are provided with one or more air conditioning units for individually cooling and heating the respective air conditioning regions, and are configured to supply a refrigerant to the corresponding air conditioning units to individually cool and heat the air conditioning regions corresponding to the air conditioning units.

Claims

1. A vehicular heat management system for individually cooling and heating a plurality of air conditioning regions of a vehicle, comprising: a plurality of refrigerant circulation lines configured to cool and heat the air conditioning regions individually shared by the refrigerant circulation lines, wherein the refrigerant circulation lines are provided with one or more air conditioning units for individually cooling and heating the respective air conditioning regions, and are configured to supply a refrigerant to the corresponding air conditioning units to individually cool and heat the air conditioning regions corresponding to the air conditioning units.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the refrigerant circulation lines include a first refrigerant circulation line for cooling and heating a front seat part in a passenger compartment and cooling electric components of the vehicle, and a second refrigerant circulation line for cooling and heating a rear seat left part and a rear seat right part in the passenger compartment.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the first refrigerant circulation line includes a compressor a high-pressure side heat exchanger, a heating mode expansion valve, an outdoor heat exchanger, a plurality of cooling mode expansion valves, and a plurality of low-pressure side heat exchangers corresponding to the cooling mode expansion valves, and the first refrigerant circulation line is configured to, in an air conditioner mode, generate cold air in the low-pressure side heat exchangers to individually cool the front seat part and electric components corresponding to the low-pressure side heat exchangers.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the second refrigerant circulation line includes a compressor, a high-pressure side heat exchanger, a heating mode expansion valve, an outdoor heat exchanger, a plurality of cooling mode expansion valves, and a plurality of low-pressure side heat exchangers corresponding to the cooling mode expansion valves, and the second refrigerant circulation line is configured to, in an air conditioner mode, generate cold air in the low-pressure side heat exchangers to individually cool the rear seat left part and the rear seat right part corresponding to the low-pressure side heat exchangers.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the electric components cooled by the first refrigerant circulation line include a battery module, the first refrigerant circulation line includes a battery module side cooling water circulation line for transferring the cold air generated in the low-pressure side heat exchanger to the battery module to cool the battery module in a water-cooled manner, and the battery module side cooling water circulation line is configured to circulate cooling water between the low-pressure side heat exchanger and the battery module to transfer the cold air received from the low-pressure side heat exchanger to the battery module.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the second refrigerant circulation line further includes a heat exchanger side cooling water circulation line for cooling the high-pressure side heat exchanger in a water-cooled manner, and the heat exchanger side cooling water circulation line is configured to circulate cooling water between the high-pressure side heat exchanger and a radiator so that heat on the side of the high-pressure side heat exchanger is transferred to and dissipated from the radiator.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the battery module side cooling water circulation line further includes a radiator for cooling the cooling water circulated to the battery module.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising: an electric component module side cooling water circulation line configured to circulate cooling water between an electric part module and a radiator to cool the electric component module, wherein the radiator of the battery module side cooling water circulation line the radiator of the heat exchanger side cooling water circulation line, and the radiator of the electric component module side cooling water circulation line have a common body.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the common body includes an electric component module cooling region through which the cooling water of the on the electric component module side cooling water circulation line can be circulated, a battery module cooling region through which the cooling water of the battery module side cooling water circulation line can be circulated, and a heat exchanger cooling region through which the cooling water of the heat exchanger side cooling water circulation line can be circulated.

10. A vehicular heat management system, comprising: a water-cooled cooling device configured to individually cool a plurality of cooling target objects of a vehicle in a water-cooled manner, wherein the water-cooled cooling device includes cooling water circulation lines for circulating cooling water between the cooling target objects and radiators, and the cooling water circulation lines have independent cooling water circulation structures provided in a corresponding relationship with the cooling target objects so as to independently cool the cooling target objects having different heat generation temperatures.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the water-cooled cooling device includes a battery module side cooling water circulation line for circulating cooling water between a battery module and a radiator to cool the battery module, and an electric component module side cooling water circulation line for circulating cooling water between an electric component module and a radiator to cool the electric component module, and the battery module side cooling water circulation line and the electric component module side cooling water circulation line have independent cooling water circulation structures provided in a corresponding relationship with the battery module and the electric component module so as to independently cool the battery module and the electric component module, respectively.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the radiator of the battery module side cooling water circulation line and the radiator of the electric component module side cooling water circulation line have a common body, and the common body includes an electric component module cooling region through which the cooling water of the electric component module side cooling water circulation line can be circulated, and a battery module cooling region through which the cooling water of the battery module side cooling water circulation line can be circulated.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the battery module side cooling water circulation line is configured to receive a cold air generated in a low-pressure side heat exchanger of an air conditioner in a water-cooled manner, and circulates the received cold air through the battery module in a water-cooled manner to cool the battery module.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising: a cooling water flow control part configured to control a flow of the cooling water of the battery module side cooling water circulation line so as to circulate the cooling water between the battery module and the low-pressure side heat exchanger or between the battery module and the radiator, wherein the cooling water flow control part is configured to allow one of the cooling water circulating through the low-pressure side heat exchanger and the cooling water circulating through the radiator to selectively cool the battery module.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the cooling water flow control part includes a bypass valve configured to bypass the cooling water of the battery module side cooling water circulation line passed through the battery module toward the radiator, and a return line configured to return the cooling water passed through the radiator toward the battery module, and the bypass valve is configured to, when the air conditioner is turned on, allow the cooling water passed through the low-pressure side heat exchanger to be introduced into the battery module so that the cooling water is circulated between the low-pressure side heat exchanger and the battery module, and is configured to, when the air conditioner is turned off, bypass the cooling water passed through the battery toward the radiator so that the cooling water is circulated between the battery module and the radiator.

16. The system of claim 4, wherein the electric components cooled by the first refrigerant circulation line include a battery module, the first refrigerant circulation line includes a battery module side cooling water circulation line for transferring the cold air generated in the low-pressure side heat exchanger to the battery module to cool the battery module in a water-cooled manner, and the battery module side cooling water circulation line is configured to circulate cooling water between the low-pressure side heat exchanger and the battery module to transfer the cold air received from the low-pressure side heat exchanger to the battery module.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the battery module side cooling water circulation line is configured to receive a cold air generated in a low-pressure side heat exchanger of an air conditioner in a water-cooled manner, and circulates the received cold air through the battery module in a water-cooled manner to cool the battery module.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0044] FIG. 1 is a view showing a conventional vehicular heat management system.

[0045] FIG. 2 is a view showing a vehicular heat management system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0046] FIG. 3 is a view showing a common body of radiators that constitute the vehicular heat management system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0047] FIG. 4 is a view showing a vehicular heat management system according to another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0048] Preferred embodiments of a vehicular heat management system according to the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0049] Referring first to FIG. 2, the vehicular heat management system according to one embodiment of the present invention includes an air conditioner 100 for cooling and heating air conditioning regions and cooling target objects of a vehicle, wherein the air conditioner 100 includes a plurality of refrigerant circulation lines 200 and 300 for cooling and heating the air conditioning regions and the cooling target objects individually shared by the refrigerant circulation lines 200 and 300.

[0050] The refrigerant circulation lines 200 and 300 include a first refrigerant circulation line 200 for cooling and heating a front seat part in a passenger compartment, and an electric component of a vehicle, for example, a battery module B, and a second refrigerant circulation line 300 for cooling and heating a rear seat left part and a rear seat right part.

[0051] The first refrigerant circulation line 200 is of a heat pump type, and includes a compressor 202, a high-pressure side heat exchanger 204, a heating mode expansion valve 206, an outdoor heat exchanger 208, a front seat air conditioning unit 210 and an electric component air conditioning unit 220, wherein the front seat air conditioning unit 210 and the electric component air conditioning unit 220 are installed in parallel with each other.

[0052] In particular, the front seat air conditioning unit 210 and the electric component air conditioning unit 220 are used for cooling and heating a front seat part in a passenger compartment and a battery module B of vehicle, respectively, and include cooling mode expansion valves 210a and 220a and low-pressure side heat exchangers 210b and 220b, respectively.

[0053] The first refrigerant circulation line 200 opens the heating mode expansion valve 206 in an air conditioner mode, so that the refrigerant can be circulated without passing through the heating mode expansion valve 206.

[0054] By way of this refrigerant circulation, a low-temperature cold air is generated in each of the low-pressure side heat exchangers 210b and 220b of the front seat air conditioning unit 210 and the electric component air conditioning unit 220. The generated cold air is supplied to the front seat part in the passenger compartment and the battery module B to cool the front seat part and the battery module B.

[0055] In particular, the electric component air conditioning unit 220 transfers the cold air generated in the low-pressure side heat exchanger 220b to the battery module side cooling water circulation line 230 to indirectly cool the battery module B.

[0056] In this regard, the battery module side cooling water circulation line 230 circulates cooling water between the low-pressure side heat exchanger 220b of the electric component air conditioning unit 220 and the battery module B, and transfers the cold air received from the low-pressure side heat exchanger 220b of the electric component air conditioning unit 220, thereby cooling the battery module B.

[0057] Meanwhile, the battery module side cooling water circulation line 230 is further provided with a radiator 232 for cooling the cooling water discharged from the battery module B.

[0058] When the compressor 202 of the first refrigerant circulation line 200 is turned off, the radiator 232 serves to cool the battery module B instead of the electric component air conditioning unit 220 of the first refrigerant circulation line 200.

[0059] In this regard, the radiator 232 of the battery module side cooling water circulation line 230 is configured to include a common body 400 shared by the radiator 242 of the electric component module side cooling water circulation line 240 for cooling an electric component module C.

[0060] At this time, as shown in FIG. 3, the common body 400 includes an electric component module cooling region 402 through which the cooling water of the electric component module side cooling water circulation line 240 can circulate, and a battery module cooling region 404 through which the cooling water of the battery module side cooling water circulation line 230 can circulate.

[0061] The common body 400 individually cools the cooling water of the electric component module side cooling water circulation line 240 and the cooling water of the battery module side cooling water circulation line 230 through the respective regions 402 and 404, respectively.

[0062] In some cases, as shown in FIG. 4, the radiator 232 of the battery module side cooling water circulation line 230 may be configured as a separate body with respect to the radiator 242 of the electric component module side cooling water circulation line 240.

[0063] Referring again to FIG. 2, the vehicular heat management system according to one embodiment of the present invention further includes a cooling water flow control part 500 that selectively circulates the cooling water from the battery module side cooling water circulation line 230 to the radiator 232 as needed.

[0064] The cooling water flow control part 500 includes a bypass valve 502 for bypassing the cooling water of the battery module side cooling water circulation line 230 discharged from the battery module B, an introduction line 504 for introducing the bypassed cooling water to the radiator 232, and a return line 506 for returning the cooling water passed through the radiator 232 back to the inlet side of the battery module B.

[0065] In particular, the bypass valve 502 bypasses the cooling water of the battery module side cooling water circulation line 230 toward the radiator 232 when the refrigerant of the air conditioner 100 cannot be used, for example, when the air conditioner 100 is turned off.

[0066] Accordingly, when the refrigerant of the air conditioner 100 cannot be used, the cooling water of the battery module side cooling water circulation line 230 is cooled while being circulated toward the radiator 232, and the cooling water cooled in this way is introduced into the battery module B to cool the battery module B.

[0067] Meanwhile, the bypass valve 502 stops the bypassing of the cooling water toward the radiator 232 when the refrigerant of the air conditioner 100 can be used, for example, when the air conditioner 100 is turned on.

[0068] Therefore, when the refrigerant of the air conditioner 100 can be used, the cooling water of the battery module side cooling water circulation line 230 is allowed to cool the battery module B while circulating only between the low-pressure side heat exchanger 220b of the electric component air conditioning unit 220 and the battery module B.

[0069] Referring again to FIG. 2, the second refrigerant circulation line 300 includes a compressor 302, a high-pressure side heat exchanger 304, a rear seat left air conditioning unit 310 and a rear seat right air conditioning unit 320, wherein the rear seat left air conditioning unit 310 and the rear seat right air conditioning unit 320 are installed in parallel with each other.

[0070] In particular, the rear seat left air conditioning unit 310 and the rear seat right air conditioning unit 320 are used for cooling and heating the rear seat left part and the rear seat right part in the passenger compartment, respectively, and include cooling mode expansion valves 310a and 320a and low-pressure side heat exchangers 310b and 320b, respectively.

[0071] The second refrigerant circulation line 300 circulates the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 302 in the air conditioner mode to generate a low-temperature cold air in the low-pressure side heat exchangers 310b and 320b of the rear seat left air conditioning unit 310 and the rear seat right air conditioning unit 320. The generated cold air is supplied to the rear seat left part and the rear seat right part in the passenger compartment to cool the rear seat left part and the rear seat right part.

[0072] Meanwhile, the second refrigerant circulation line 300 further includes a water-cooled cooling device 330 for cooling the high-pressure side heat exchanger 304.

[0073] The water-cooled cooling device 330 includes a heat exchanger side cooling water circulation line 332. The heat exchanger side cooling water circulation line 332 includes a water pump 334 and a radiator 336.

[0074] The heat exchanger side cooling water circulation line 332 circulates cooling water between the high-pressure side heat exchanger 304 of the second refrigerant circulation line 300 and the radiator 336. Accordingly, the heat of the high-pressure side heat exchanger 304 can be dissipated through the radiator 336, thereby cooling the high-pressure side heat exchanger 304.

[0075] In this regard, the radiator 336 of the heat exchanger side cooling water circulation line 332 is configured to include a common body 400 shared by the radiator 242 of the electric component module side cooling water circulation line 240 and the radiator 232 of the battery module side cooling water circulation line 230.

[0076] At this time, as shown in FIG. 3, the common body 400 includes a heat exchanger cooling region 406 through which the cooling water of the heat exchanger side cooling water circulation line 332 can circulate. The cooling water of the heat exchanger side cooling water circulation line 332 is cooled through the heat exchanger cooling region 406.

[0077] In some cases, as shown in FIG. 4, the radiator 336 of the heat exchanger side cooling water circulation line 332 may be formed as a separate body with respect to the radiator 242 of the electric component module side cooling water circulation line 240 and the radiator 232 of the battery module side cooling water circulation line 230.

[0078] With the vehicular heat management system according to one embodiment of the present invention having such a configuration, the cooling water of the battery module side cooling water circulation line 230 and the cooling water of the electric component module side cooling water circulation line 240 are independently cooled through the separate radiators 232. Therefore, it is possible to cool the battery module B and the electric component module C having different heat generation temperatures with the independent cooling water circulation structures.

[0079] In addition, since the battery module B and the electric component module C having different heat generation temperatures can be cooled with the independent cooling water circulation structures, unlike the conventional technique in which the battery module B and the electric component module C are cooled at the same time through a single cooling water circulation structure, it is possible to significantly improve the cooling efficiency of the battery module B and the electric component module C.

[0080] In particular, the battery module B having a relatively low heat generation temperature is cooled by the independent cooling water circulation structure. Therefore, the cooling of the battery module B is not affected by the electric component module C having a relatively high heat generation temperature. Accordingly, it is possible to efficiently cool the battery module B regardless of the electric component module C.

[0081] In addition, the plurality of refrigerant circulation lines 200 and 300 for cooling and heating the air conditioning regions of the vehicle is individually shared by the refrigerant circulation lines 200 and 300. Therefore, the supply of the refrigerant of the air conditioning units 210, 220, 310 and 320 for individually cooling and heating the respective air conditioning regions can be shared by the refrigerant circulation lines 200 and 300.

[0082] In addition, since the supply of the refrigerant of the air conditioning units 210, 220, 310 and 320 is shared by the refrigerant circulation lines 200 and 300, it is possible to supply a sufficient amount of refrigerant to the respective air conditioning unit 210, 220, 310 and 320.

[0083] In addition, since the sufficient amount of refrigerant can be supplied to the respective air conditioning units 210, 220, 310 and 320, it is possible to improve the cooling and heating performance of the respective air conditioning units 210, 220, 310 and 320, thereby improving the cooling and heating performance of the respective air conditioning regions of the vehicle.

[0084] In addition, since the supply of the refrigerant to the air conditioning units 210, 220, 310 and 320 is shared by the respective refrigerant circulation lines 200 and 300 and the sufficient amount of refrigerant can be supplied to the respective air conditioning units 210, 220, 310 and 320, it is possible to reduce the operation load applied to the compressors 202 and 302 of the respective refrigerant circulation lines 200 and 300 without reducing the cooling and heating performance of the respective air conditioning units 210, 220, 310 and 320.

[0085] In addition, since the operation load applied to the compressors 202 and 302 of the respective refrigerant circulation lines 200 and 300 can be reduced without reducing the cooling and heating performance of the respective air conditioning units 210, 220, 310 and 320, it is possible to improve the durability of the compressors 202 and 302, thereby reducing the risk of malfunction and damage to the compressors 202 and 302 and prolonging the lifespan of the compressors 202 and 302.

[0086] While the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. Various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention defined in the claims.