US 12,215,903 B2Granted

Refrigeration cycle device

AssigneeDenso Corporation

InventorsTatsurou Kyuto, Yasuhiro Yokoo, Yoshinori Yanagimachi

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Abstract

A refrigeration cycle device includes: a switching valve configured to switch between a battery mode in which refrigerant flows to a battery heat exchanger and a non-battery mode in which the refrigerant bypasses the battery heat exchanger; and a controller controlling a compressor and the switching valve. The controller includes an estimation unit configured to estimate an oil stagnation amount, which is an amount of lubricating oil accumulated in the battery heat exchanger in accordance with execution of the non-battery mode. The controller includes a determination unit configured to determine whether lubricating oil in the battery heat exchanger needs to be recovered on the basis of the oil stagnation amount. The controller includes an execution unit configured to execute an oil recovery mode for recovery of lubricating oil in the battery heat exchanger when the determination unit determines that lubricating oil needs to be recovered.

Claims7

Dependent claims

A refrigeration cycle device comprising:

a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant containing lubricating oil;
a radiator configured to radiate heat from the refrigerant compressed by the compressor;
an exterior heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between outside air and the refrigerant;
an interior heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between inside air and the refrigerant;
a battery heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between a battery device and the refrigerant;
a refrigerant pipe connecting the compressor, the radiator, the exterior heat exchanger, the interior heat exchanger, and the battery heat exchanger to form a refrigerant flow path;
a switching valve configured to switch between a battery mode in which the refrigerant flows to the battery heat exchanger and a non-battery mode in which the refrigerant bypasses the battery heat exchanger;
a controller configured to control the compressor and the switching valve, wherein
the controller includes
an estimation unit configured to estimate an oil stagnation amount, the oil stagnation amount being an amount of lubricating oil accumulated in the battery heat exchanger in accordance with execution of the non-battery mode,
a determination unit configured to determine whether lubricating oil in the battery heat exchanger needs to be recovered based on the oil stagnation amount, and
an execution unit configured to execute an oil recovery mode for recovery of the lubricating oil in the battery heat exchanger when the determination unit determines that lubricating oil needs to be recovered, and
a counter configured to measure an oil stagnation time, the oil stagnation time being a drive time for which the compressor is driven in the non-battery mode, wherein
the estimation unit estimates that the oil stagnation amount becomes larger as the oil stagnation time becomes longer.

11 more elements

A refrigeration cycle device comprising:

a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant containing lubricating oil;
a radiator configured to radiate heat from the refrigerant compressed by the compressor;
an exterior heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between outside air and the refrigerant;
an interior heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between inside air and the refrigerant;
a battery heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between a battery device and the refrigerant;
a refrigerant pipe connecting the compressor, the radiator, the exterior heat exchanger, the interior heat exchanger, and the battery heat exchanger to form a refrigerant flow path;
a switching valve configured to switch between a battery mode in which the refrigerant flows to the battery heat exchanger and a non-battery mode in which the refrigerant bypasses the battery heat exchanger;
a controller including at least one processor and a memory, and configured to control the compressor and the switching valve, wherein the controller is configured
to estimate an oil stagnation amount, the oil stagnation amount being an amount of lubricating oil accumulated in the battery heat exchanger in accordance with execution of the non-battery mode,
to determine whether lubricating oil in the battery heat exchanger needs to be recovered based on the oil stagnation amount, and
to execute an oil recovery mode for recovery of the lubricating oil in the battery heat exchanger when the determination unit determines that lubricating oil needs to be recovered;
a switch device configured to switch between a state where the compressor is driven and a state where the compressor is stopped;
and
a counter configured to measure a number of times of oil stagnation, corresponding to a number of times at which the switch device is switched off during execution of the non-battery mode, wherein
the controller estimates that the oil stagnation amount becomes larger as the number of times of oil stagnation becomes larger.

12 more elements

A refrigeration cycle device comprising:

a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant containing lubricating oil;
a radiator configured to radiate heat from the refrigerant compressed by the compressor;
an exterior heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between outside air and the refrigerant;
an interior heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between inside air and the refrigerant;
a battery heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between a battery device and the refrigerant;
a refrigerant pipe connecting the compressor, the radiator, the exterior heat exchanger, the interior heat exchanger, and the battery heat exchanger to form a refrigerant flow path;
a switching valve configured to switch between a battery mode in which the refrigerant flows to the battery heat exchanger and a non-battery mode in which the refrigerant bypasses the battery heat exchanger;
a controller including at least one processor and a memory, and configured to control the compressor and the switching valve, wherein the controller is configured
to estimate an oil stagnation amount, the oil stagnation amount being an amount of lubricating oil accumulated in the battery heat exchanger in accordance with execution of the non-battery mode,
to determine whether lubricating oil in the battery heat exchanger needs to be recovered based on the oil stagnation amount, and
to execute an oil recovery mode for recovery of the lubricating oil in the battery heat exchanger when the determination unit determines that lubricating oil needs to be recovered, wherein
the radiator includes
a first radiator configured to exchange heat between the refrigerant compressed by the compressor and air-conditioning water,
a second radiator configured to exchange heat between inside air and air-conditioning water,
an air-conditioning water pump configured to cause air-conditioning water to circulate, and
an air-conditioning water pipe connecting the first radiator, the second radiator, and the air-conditioning water pump to form an air-conditioning water flow path, and
the controller executes the oil recovery mode in a state with a heating of a vehicle compartment when a heating request is present, and executes the oil recovery mode in a state without heating the vehicle compartment when the heating request is absent, the refrigeration cycle device further comprising
a radiator sensor configured to measure a temperature of the second radiator, wherein
the controller is configured
to execute the oil recovery mode in the state with the heating of the vehicle compartment when the temperature of the second radiator is a warming-up completion temperature or higher and there is the heating request, and
to execute the oil recovery mode in the state without heating the vehicle compartment even if there is the heating request when the temperature of the second radiator is lower than the warming-up completion temperature.

18 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/947,935Filed 19 Sep 2022 · continuation
Priority: JP 2020-05151923 Mar 2020
Published: US 2023/0019047 A119 Jan 2023
Granted: 4 Feb 2025
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification19 codes

F25B 41/42
Fluid line arrangements: arrangements for diverging or converging flows, e.g. branch lines or junctions
F25B 43/02
Arrangements for separating or purifying gases or liquids ; Arrangements for vaporising the residuum of liquid refrigerant, e.g. by heat: for…
B60H 1/32
Heating, cooling or ventilating devices: cooling devices
F25B 5/02
Compression machines, plants or systems, with several evaporator circuits, e.g. for varying refrigerating capacity: arranged in parallel

Family

PCT/JP2021/006819Parent of this continuation · filed 24 Feb 2021
US 2023/0019047 A1Pre-grant publication · published 19 Jan 2023
US 12,215,903 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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