METHOD FOR DIGITALLY CONTROLLING A HEATING ARRANGEMENT AND THE HEATING ARRANGEMENT

Abstract

A method for digitally controlling a heating arrangement may include receiving a temperature value with a control device, the temperature value reflecting a current outside temperature. The method may also include determining via the control device, based on the received temperature value, a limit output of the heating arrangement that is smaller than a maximum output of the heating arrangement. The method may further include dividing the determined limit output into a plurality of output stages via the control device, a number of the plurality of output stages corresponding to a digital resolution of the control device. The method may additionally include controlling the heating arrangement between a minimum output and the limit output to one of the plurality of output stages.

Claims

1. A method for digitally controlling a heating arrangement, comprising: receiving a temperature value with a control device of the heating arrangement, the temperature value reflecting a current outside temperature; determining via the control device, based on the received temperature value, a limit output of the heating arrangement that is smaller than a maximum output of the heating arrangement; dividing the determined limit output into a plurality of output stages via the control device, a number of the plurality of output stages corresponding to a digital resolution of the control device; and controlling the heating arrangement via the control device between a minimum output and the limit output to one of the plurality of output stages.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: comparing the received temperature value with a threshold value via the control device; setting the limit output to be smaller than the maximum output via the control device when the received temperature value is higher than the threshold value; and setting the limit output equal to the maximum output via the control device when the received temperature value is smaller than the threshold value.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising assigning the received temperature value to one of a plurality of predefined temperature ranges via the control device, wherein the determined limit output is one of a plurality of predefined limit outputs which each correspond to a respective predefined temperature range of the plurality of predefined temperature ranges.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein a number of the plurality of predefined temperature ranges and a number of the plurality of predefined limit outputs is 2 to 4.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein at least one of: the plurality of predefined limit outputs differ from one another by one of an equal value and an unequal value; and the plurality of predefined limit outputs each amount to a fraction of the maximum output of the heating arrangement.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein, when the control device receives a comparatively high temperature value, a comparatively small limit output of the heating arrangement is determined.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determined limit output is divided into 256 output stages or less corresponding to a digital resolution of 8-bit.

8. A heating arrangement for one of a hybrid vehicle and an electric vehicle, comprising a control device configured to digitally control the heating arrangement via a method including: receiving a temperature value reflecting a current outside temperature; determining a limit output of the heating arrangement that is smaller than a maximum output of the heating arrangement based on the received temperature value; dividing the determined limit output into a plurality of output stages, a number of the plurality of output stages corresponding to a digital resolution of the control device; and controlling the heating arrangement between a minimum output and the limit output to one of the plurality of output stages.

9. The heating arrangement according to claim 8, wherein one of: the control device is provided as a component of the heating arrangement; and the control device is provided as a component of an air conditioning control.

10. The heating arrangement according to claim 8, wherein the heating arrangement is structured as an air-side PTC heating arrangement.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the maximum output of the heating arrangement is 3 kW to 8 kW.

12. The method according to claim 2, further comprising assigning the received temperature value to one of a plurality of predefined temperature ranges via the control device, wherein the determined limit output is one of a plurality of predefined limit outputs which each correspond to a respective predefined temperature range of the plurality of predefined temperature ranges.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein a number of the plurality of predefined temperature ranges and a number of the plurality of predefined limit outputs is 2 to 4.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the plurality of predefined limit outputs differ from one another by an equal value and the plurality of predefined limit outputs each amount to a fraction of the maximum output of the heating arrangement.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the plurality of predefined limit outputs differ from one another by an unequal value and the plurality of predefined limit outputs each amount to a fraction of the maximum output of the heating arrangement.

16. The method according to claim 2, wherein a comparatively small limit output of the heating arrangement is determined when the control device receives a comparatively high temperature value.

17. The method according to claim 2, wherein the determined limit output is divided into 256 output stages or less corresponding to a digital resolution of 8-bit.

18. The method according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of predefined limit outputs differ from one another by an equal.

19. The method according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of predefined limit outputs differ from one another by an unequal value.

20. The method according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of predefined limit outputs each amount to a fraction of the maximum output of the heating arrangement.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] The FIGURE shows a schematic sequence of a method for digitally controlling a heating arrangement.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017] The FIGURE shows a schematic sequence of a method 1 according to the invention for digitally controlling a heating arrangement 2. Here, a control device 3 of the heating arrangement 2 receives a temperature value T.sub.1 or T.sub.2 or T.sub.3, which each reflect a current outside temperature T.sub.A1, or T.sub.A2 or T.sub.A3. Dependent on the received temperature value T.sub.1 or T.sub.2 or T.sub.3, the control device 3 then determines a limit output P.sub.G1 or P.sub.G2 or P.sub.G3 of the heating arrangement 2 that is smaller than a maximum output P.sub.MAX and higher than the minimum output P.sub.MIN of the heating arrangement 2. The control device 3 then divides the determined limit output P.sub.G1 or P.sub.G2 or P.sub.G3 into output stages 4, the number of which corresponds to a digital resolution of the control device 3. In this example, the control device 3 has the digital solution equal to 8-bit. Accordingly, the number of the output stages 4 is equal to 256. Following this, the control device 3 controls the heating arrangement 2 between the minimum output P.sub.MIN and the limit output P.sub.G1 or P.sub.G2 or P.sub.G3 to one of the output stages 4. Here, the heating output of the smallest output stage 4 is equal to the minimum output P.sub.MIN and equal to zero and the heating output of the highest output stage 4 is equal to the limit output P.sub.G1 or P.sub.G2 or P.sub.G3.

[0018] The temperature value T.sub.1 is below a threshold value T.sub.0, so that the control device 3 sets the limit output P.sub.G1 equal to the maximum output P.sub.MAX. The temperature value T.sub.2 is above the threshold value T.sub.0, so that the control device 3 sets the limit output P.sub.G2 smaller than the maximum output P.sub.MAX. The output stages 4 in this case differ by a smaller value than with the limit output P.sub.G1, which is equal to the maximum output P.sub.MAX. The temperature value T.sub.3 is above the threshold value T.sub.0 and more over is greater than the temperature value T.sub.2, so that the control device 3 sets the limit output P.sub.G3 smaller than the maximum output P.sub.MAX and smaller than the limit output P.sub.G2. In this case, the output stages 4 differ by a smaller value than with the limit output P.sub.G1 and also P.sub.G2.

[0019] In the method 1 according to the invention, the heating output of the heating arrangement 2 can be more finely controlled, which can be advantageous in particular in higher outside temperatures.