# US 12,600,196 B2 · Vehicle air-conditioning device

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- Number: US 12,600,196 B2
- Document ID: US12600196B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/894,426
- Filed: 2022-08-24
- Published: 2022-12-22
- Granted: 2026-04-14
- Earliest claimed: 2020-02-27
- Assignees: Denso Corporation; DENSO AUTOMOTIVE Deutschland GmbH
- Applicants: Denso Corporation; DENSO AUTOMOTIVE Deutschland GmbH
- Inventors: Kazuhiro Tada; Atsushi Inaba; Zhaoliang Xu; Patrick Horn; Shivakumar Banakar; Ariel Marasigan
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12600196B2

## CPC

- B60H 1/00821: {the components being ventilating, air admitting or air distributing devices}
- B60L 3/0023: {Detecting, eliminating, remedying or compensating for drive train abnormalities, e.g. failures within the drive train}
- B60H 1/00328: {of the liquid-air type}
- B60H 1/00921: {where the flow direction of the refrigerant does not change and there is an extra subcondenser, e.g. in an air duct}
- B60H 1/32284: {comprising two or more secondary circuits, e.g. at evaporator and condenser side}
- B60L 1/003: {to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors}
- B60L 1/08: Methods and devices for control or regulation
- B60L 58/27: by heating
- F25B 1/00: Compression machines, plants or systems with non-reversible cycle (F25B3/00, F25B5/00, F25B6/00, F25B7/00, F25B9/00 take precedence)
- F25B 47/02: Defrosting cycles
- H01M 10/613: Cooling or keeping cold
- H01M 10/625: Vehicles
- H01M 10/63: Control systems (charging or discharging in response to temperature H01M10/44 {, H01M10/443}; measurement of temperature H01M10/48 {, H01M10/486})
- H01M 10/6568: characterised by flow circuits, e.g. loops, located externally to the cells or cell casings
- H01M 10/663: the system being an air-conditioner or an engine
- B60H 2001/00928: {comprising a secondary circuit}
- B60H 2001/00961: {comprising means for defrosting outside heat exchangers}
- B60L 2240/34: Cabin temperature
- B60L 2240/662: Temperature
- H01M 2220/20: Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
- B60H: ARRANGEMENTS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS SPACES OF VEHICLES
- B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
- F25B: REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS
- H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY

## Abstract

A vehicle air-conditioning device includes a compressor, a heating unit, an outside air heat exchanger, a wind speed regulation unit, and a controller. The heating unit includes a heating heat exchanger and heats ventilation air supplied to a space to be air conditioned using a high-pressure refrigerant as a heat source. The wind speed regulation unit regulates a wind speed of air supplied to the outside air heat exchanger. The control unit performs, as a defrosting operation of defrosting the outside air heat exchanger, a dry defrosting mode for evaporating and removing frost adhering to the outside air heat exchanger in a state where the outside air is at a low temperature. In the dry defrosting mode, the controller causes the wind speed regulation unit to supply air to the outside air heat exchanger at a wind speed in a range determined to promote evaporation and removal of frost.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An air-conditioning device for a vehicle, comprising:
a compressor configured to compress and discharge a refrigerant;
a heating unit that includes a heating heat exchanger configured to condense a high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor during a heating operation for heating a space to be air conditioned, and to heat ventilation air supplied to the space to be air conditioned using the high-pressure refrigerant as a heat source;
an outside air heat exchange unit that includes an outside air heat exchanger configured to absorb heat from outside air during the heating operation;
a fan configured to regulate a wind speed of air supplied to the outside air heat exchanger; and
a controller configured to perform, as a defrosting operation of defrosting the outside air heat exchanger, a dry defrosting mode for evaporating and removing frost adhering to the outside air heat exchanger in a state where the outside air is at a temperature lower than a predetermined temperature, wherein
in the dry defrosting mode, the controller is configured to cause the fan to supply air to the outside air heat exchanger at a wind speed in a range determined to promote evaporation and removal of frost, and
the controller is configured
to specify an amount of input energy required until melting of frost adhering to the outside air heat exchanger is completed,
to calculate a necessary amount of energy required for evaporation of residual water caused by melting of frost using the amount of input energy, and
to complete evaporation and removal of frost in the outside air heat exchanger, and to end the dry defrosting mode of the defrosting operation in a case where an amount of dry input energy input for evaporating and removing the residual water is equal to or larger than the necessary amount of energy.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The air-conditioning device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to supply air, regulated by the fan to have a target wind speed determined within a range of 0.12 m/s to 1.2 m/s, to the outside air heat exchanger in the dry defrosting mode.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The air-conditioning device for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the controller determines the target wind speed within a range of 0.12 m/s to 1.2 m/s, to be lower as an outside air temperature is lower.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The air-conditioning device for a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the controller determines the target wind speed to 0.12 m/s or less, when an outside air temperature is lower than a predetermined low-temperature-side reference temperature.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The air-conditioning device for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the controller determines the target wind speed within a range of 0.12 m/s to 1.2 m/s, to be lower as an outside air humidity is higher.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The air-conditioning device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein
in the dry defrosting mode, the controller is configured
to further regulate a temperature of a refrigerant or a heat medium flowing through the outside air heat exchanger, and
to control a defrosting condition coefficient to be within a range of 1.8 to 35, which is obtained by multiplying a wind speed of air supplied to the outside air heat exchanger by a temperature of the refrigerant or the heat medium flowing through the outside air heat exchanger.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The air-conditioning device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein
the controller includes a melting determination unit configured to determine whether melting of frost adhering to the outside air heat exchanger is completed,
the controller limits a wind speed of air supplied to the outside air heat exchanger to 0.12 m/s or less by the fan, when a defrosting operation in the dry defrosting mode starts, and
the controller regulates the wind speed to fall within a range of 0.12 m/s to 1.2 m/s determined by the fan, when the melting determination unit determines that the frost adhering to the outside air heat exchanger is melted.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The air-conditioning device for a vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:
a valve configured to decompress a high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor and having passed through the heating heat exchanger and the outside air heat exchanger, during the defrosting operation; and
at least one or more evaporators configured to cause the refrigerant decompressed by the valve to be evaporated by absorbing heat, wherein
the controller is configured to have a condensation-heat defrosting mode in which the refrigerant circulates through the compressor, the heating heat exchanger, the outside air heat exchanger, the valve, and at least one or more evaporators in this order during the defrosting operation.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The air-conditioning device for a vehicle according to claim 8, wherein
at least one of the evaporators is a chiller that exchanges heat between a low-temperature-side heat medium circulating through a low-temperature-side heat medium circuit and the refrigerant,
the low-temperature-side heat medium circuit includes
a heat source that is disposed to radiate heat to the low-temperature-side heat medium,
a battery heat exchange unit that exchanges heat between a battery and the low-temperature-side heat medium, and
a low-temperature-side pump that circulates the low-temperature-side heat medium.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The air-conditioning device for a vehicle according to claim 8, further comprising:
a refrigerant flow path branched from a refrigerant outlet port of the outside air heat exchanger and connected to a suction port of the compressor; and
a liquid storage unit that is disposed in the refrigerant flow path and stores the refrigerant, wherein
the controller is configured to have, as an operation mode of the defrosting operation, a hot gas defrosting mode, and
in the hot gas defrosting mode, the controller causes a high-pressure refrigerant, discharged from the compressor and having passed through the heating heat exchanger and the outside air heat exchanger, to flow into the liquid storage unit through the refrigerant flow path and to be introduced to the suction port of the compressor.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The air-conditioning device for a vehicle according to claim 10, wherein
the controller includes a heat-amount determination unit that determines whether an amount of heat of a low-temperature-side heat medium circulating through a low-temperature-side heat medium circuit is equal to or larger than a reference heat amount, during the defrosting operation,
the controller is configured
to perform the defrosting operation in the condensation-heat defrosting mode, when the heat-amount determination unit determines that the amount of heat of the low-temperature-side heat medium is equal to or larger than the reference heat amount, and
to perform the defrosting operation in the hot gas defrosting mode, when the heat-amount determination unit determines that the amount of heat of the low-temperature-side heat medium is less than the reference heat amount.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The air-conditioning device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein
the controller is further configured to
estimate an amount of frost adhering to the outside air heat exchanger when melting of the frost adhering to the outside air heat exchanger starts in the dry defrosting mode,
estimate a necessary time required to evaporate and remove frost of the amount of frost estimated, and
complete the evaporation and removal of frost in the outside air heat exchanger and to end the dry defrosting mode of the defrosting operation, when a time elapsed from a start time of the dry defrosting mode exceeds the necessary time estimated.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The air-conditioning device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein
in the dry defrosting mode, the controller is further configured
to perform at least one of supply of air to the outside air heat exchanger by the fan or regulation of a temperature of a refrigerant flowing through the outside air heat exchanger or a heat medium flowing through the outside air heat exchanger, and
to control a defrosting condition coefficient to be within a range of 1.8 to 35, which is obtained by multiplying a wind speed of air supplied to the outside air heat exchanger by the temperature of the refrigerant or the heat medium flowing through the outside air heat exchanger.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The air-conditioning device for a vehicle according to claim 13, wherein in the dry defrosting mode, the controller is configured to regulate the temperature of the refrigerant or the heat medium flowing through the outside air heat exchanger to approach a target temperature determined within a range of 15° C. to 70° C., and to control the defrosting condition coefficient.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The air-conditioning device for a vehicle according to claim 14, wherein the controller determines the target temperature within a range of 15° C. to 70° C., to be lower as an outside air temperature is lower.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The air-conditioning device for a vehicle according to claim 14, wherein the controller determines the target temperature within a range of 15° C. to 70° C., to be lower as an outside air humidity is higher.

### Claim 17

An air-conditioning device for a vehicle, comprising:
a compressor configured to compress and discharge a refrigerant;
a heating unit that includes a heating heat exchanger configured to condense a high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor during a heating operation for heating a space to be air conditioned, and to heat ventilation air supplied to the space to be air conditioned using the high-pressure refrigerant as a heat source;
an outside air heat exchange unit that includes an outside air heat exchanger configured to absorb heat from outside air during the heating operation;
a fan configured to regulate a wind speed of air supplied to the outside air heat exchanger;
a controller configured to perform, as a defrosting operation of defrosting the outside air heat exchanger, a dry defrosting mode for evaporating and removing frost adhering to the outside air heat exchanger in a state where the outside air is at a temperature lower than a predetermined temperature;
a valve configured to decompress a high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor and having passed through the heating heat exchanger and the outside air heat exchanger, during the defrosting operation; and
at least one or more evaporators configured to cause the refrigerant decompressed by the valve to be evaporated by absorbing heat, wherein
in the dry defrosting mode, the controller is configured to cause the fan to supply air to the outside air heat exchanger at a wind speed in a range determined to promote evaporation and removal of frost,
the controller is configured to have a condensation-heat defrosting mode in which the refrigerant circulates through the compressor, the heating heat exchanger, the outside air heat exchanger, the valve, and at least one or more evaporators in this order during the defrosting operation,
at least one of the evaporators is a chiller that exchanges heat between a low-temperature-side heat medium circulating through a low-temperature-side heat medium circuit and the refrigerant,
the low-temperature-side heat medium circuit includes
a heat source that is disposed to radiate heat to the low-temperature-side heat medium,
a battery heat exchange unit that exchanges heat between a battery and the low-temperature-side heat medium, and
a low-temperature-side pump that circulates the low-temperature-side heat medium, and
the controller is configured
to perform the defrosting operation in the condensation-heat defrosting mode during charging of the battery, and
to regulate an amount of heat supplied from the heat source to the low-temperature-side heat medium in such a manner that a temperature of the low-temperature-side heat medium falls within a low-temperature-side heat medium temperature range determined based on a charging efficiency of the battery.

### Claim 18

An air-conditioning device for a vehicle, comprising:
a compressor configured to compress and discharge a refrigerant;
a heating unit that includes a heating heat exchanger configured to condense a high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor during a heating operation for heating a space to be air conditioned, and to heat ventilation air supplied to the space to be air conditioned using the high-pressure refrigerant as a heat source;
an outside air heat exchange unit that includes an outside air heat exchanger configured to absorb heat from outside air during the heating operation;
a fan configured to regulate a wind speed of air supplied to the outside air heat exchanger;
a controller configured to perform, as a defrosting operation of defrosting the outside air heat exchanger, a dry defrosting mode for evaporating and removing frost adhering to the outside air heat exchanger in a state where the outside air is at a temperature lower than a predetermined temperature;
a valve configured to decompress a high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor and having passed through the heating heat exchanger and the outside air heat exchanger, during the defrosting operation; and
at least one or more evaporators configured to cause the refrigerant decompressed by the valve to be evaporated by absorbing heat, wherein
in the dry defrosting mode, the controller is configured to cause the fan to supply air to the outside air heat exchanger at a wind speed in a range determined to promote evaporation and removal of frost,
the controller is configured to have a condensation-heat defrosting mode in which the refrigerant circulates through the compressor, the heating heat exchanger, the outside air heat exchanger, the valve, and at least one or more evaporators in this order during the defrosting operation,
at least one of the evaporators is a chiller that exchanges heat between a low-temperature-side heat medium circulating through a low-temperature-side heat medium circuit and the refrigerant,
the low-temperature-side heat medium circuit includes
a heat source that is disposed to radiate heat to the low-temperature-side heat medium,
a battery heat exchange unit that exchanges heat between a battery and the low-temperature-side heat medium, and
a low-temperature-side pump that circulates the low-temperature-side heat medium, and
the evaporator includes the chiller and an air conditioning evaporator that is connected in parallel with the chiller and absorbs heat from the ventilation air,
during the defrosting operation in the condensation-heat defrosting mode, the controller is configured
(i) to causes a low-pressure refrigerant decompressed by the valve to flow into the chiller, when a temperature of the low-temperature-side heat medium is equal to or higher than a reference low-temperature-side heat medium temperature, and
(ii) to cause the low-pressure refrigerant decompressed by the valve to flow into the air conditioning evaporator, when the temperature of the low-temperature-side heat medium is lower than the reference low-temperature-side heat medium temperature.

### Claim 19

An air-conditioning device for a vehicle, comprising:
a compressor configured to compress and discharge a refrigerant;
a heating unit that includes a heating heat exchanger configured to condense a high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor during a heating operation for heating a space to be air conditioned, and to heat ventilation air supplied to the space to be air conditioned using the high-pressure refrigerant as a heat source;
an outside air heat exchange unit that includes an outside air heat exchanger configured to absorb heat from outside air during the heating operation;
a fan configured to regulate a wind speed of air supplied to the outside air heat exchanger; and
a controller configured to perform, as a defrosting operation of defrosting the outside air heat exchanger, a dry defrosting mode for evaporating and removing frost adhering to the outside air heat exchanger in a state where the outside air is at a temperature lower than a predetermined temperature, wherein
in the dry defrosting mode, the controller is configured to cause the fan to supply air to the outside air heat exchanger at a wind speed in a range determined to promote evaporation and removal of frost, and
in a state where a refrigerant discharge capability of the compressor in the dry defrosting mode is constant, the controller is configured to complete evaporation and removal of frost in the outside air heat exchanger and to end the dry defrosting mode of the defrosting operation, when a refrigerant pressure in the outside air heat exchanger exceeds a predetermined reference pressure.

### Claim 20

An air-conditioning device for a vehicle, comprising:
a compressor configured to compress and discharge a refrigerant;
a heating unit that includes a heating heat exchanger configured to condense a high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor during a heating operation for heating a space to be air conditioned, and to heat ventilation air supplied to the space to be air conditioned using the high-pressure refrigerant as a heat source;
an outside air heat exchange unit that includes an outside air heat exchanger configured to absorb heat from outside air during the heating operation;
a fan configured to regulate a wind speed of air supplied to the outside air heat exchanger; and
a controller configured to perform, as a defrosting operation of defrosting the outside air heat exchanger, a dry defrosting mode for evaporating and removing frost adhering to the outside air heat exchanger in a state where the outside air is at a temperature lower than a predetermined temperature, wherein
in the dry defrosting mode, the controller is configured to cause the fan to supply air to the outside air heat exchanger at a wind speed in a range determined to promote evaporation and removal of frost, and
in a state where a refrigerant discharge capability of the compressor in the dry defrosting mode is regulated in accordance with a target condensation temperature determined based on an outside air temperature, the controller is configured to complete evaporation and removal of frost in the outside air heat exchanger, and to end the dry defrosting mode of the defrosting operation, when the refrigerant discharge capability of the compressor decreases to predetermined reference discharge capability.

### Claim 21

An air-conditioning device for a vehicle, comprising:
a compressor configured to compress and discharge a refrigerant;
a heating unit that includes a heating heat exchanger configured to condense a high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor during a heating operation for heating a space to be air conditioned, and to heat ventilation air supplied to the space to be air conditioned using the high-pressure refrigerant as a heat source;
an outside air heat exchange unit that includes an outside air heat exchanger configured to absorb heat from outside air during the heating operation;
a fan configured to regulate a wind speed of air supplied to the outside air heat exchanger; and
a controller configured to perform, as a defrosting operation of defrosting the outside air heat exchanger, a dry defrosting mode for evaporating and removing frost adhering to the outside air heat exchanger in a state where the outside air is at a temperature lower than a predetermined temperature, wherein
in the dry defrosting mode, the controller is configured to cause the fan to supply air to the outside air heat exchanger at a wind speed in a range determined to promote evaporation and removal of frost, and
the controller is further configured
to perform at least one of supply of air to the outside air heat exchanger by the fan or regulation of a temperature of a refrigerant flowing through the outside air heat exchanger or a heat medium flowing through the outside air heat exchanger in the dry defrosting mode, and
to perform the dry defrosting mode in such a manner that in a case where a tangent to a saturation line is drawn at a saturation point of an outside air temperature in a psychrometric chart, a state of air on an air outlet port side of the outside air heat exchanger is located in an area below the tangent in the psychrometric chart.