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AssigneesPeugeot Citroen Automobiles SA, Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.
InventorsManuel Amaral, Franck Vouzelaud
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According to the method, heat delivered to the cabin (H) comes from a hot source (18) of a heat pump (12) comprising a main refrigerant circuit (14) taking heat from a cold source (16) to transfer it to the hot source (18). Heat taken from the cold source (16) comes from a flow of air recycled from the cabin. The cold source (16) has a refrigerant/coolant heat exchanger (24) thermally coupling the main circuit (14) to a first secondary coolant circuit (26) capable of being selectively connected to an outside heat exchanger (30) and to a cold heat exchanger (32). Air flow circuits have an inlet for admitting air recycled from the cabin, an outlet for delivering air to the outside of the vehicle, first connection means for connecting the recycled air inlet to the upstream end of the cold heat exchanger (32), and second connection means for connecting the downstream end of said cold heat exchanger (32) to the outside outlet.
1/ A method of regulating the temperature of a motor vehicle cabin, the method being of the type in which heat is delivered to the cabin (H), said heat coming from a hot source (18) of a heat pump (12) having a compression circuit (14) for a refrigerant fluid that takes heat from a cold source (16) and transfers at least part of that heat to a hot source (18), the method being characterized in that heat coming from a flow of recycled cabin air is taken from the cold source (16).
2/ Apparatus for implementing the method of claim 1, characterized in that the cold source (16) comprises a first refrigerant/coolant heat exchanger (24) thermally coupling the main refrigerant circuit (14) to a first secondary coolant circuit (26) capable of being selectively connected to an “outside” heat exchanger (30) and to a “cold” heat exchanger (32), and in that the hot source (18) comprises a second refrigerant/coolant heat exchanger (34) thermally coupling the main refrigerant circuit (14) to a second secondary coolant circuit (36) capable of being selectively connected to the outside heat exchanger (30) and to a “hot” heat exchanger (39).
3/ Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the cold and hot heat exchangers (32, 39) are coolant/air heat exchangers.
4/ Apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the cold and hot heat exchangers (32, 39) are arranged in an air conditioning unit (62) preferably disposed in the cabin, the unit defining air flow circuits passing through the cold and hot heat exchangers (32, 39).
5/ Apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that the air flow circuits comprise a “recycled” air inlet (66) for air recycled from the cabin, an “outside” outlet (68) for delivering air to the outside of the vehicle, first connection means (72) for connecting the recycled air inlet (66) to the upstream end of the cold heat exchanger (32), and second connection means (74) for connecting the downstream end of said cold heat exchanger (32) to the outside outlet (68).
6/ Apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the second connection means comprise air distribution means (74) for distributing air to the upstream end of the hot heat exchanger (39) and to the outside outlet (68).
7/ Apparatus according to claim 5 or claim 6, characterized in that the air flow circuits comprise an “outside” air inlet (64) for admitting air from outside the vehicle, a “cabin” air outlet (70) for delivering air to the cabin, third connection means (76) for connecting the outside air inlet to the upstream end of the hot heat exchanger (39), and fourth connection means (78) for connecting the downstream end of the hot heat exchanger (39) to the cabin outlet (70).
8/ Apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that the third connection means comprise air distribution means (76) for distributing air to the upstream end of the hot heat exchanger (39) and to the upstream of the cold heat exchanger (32).
9/ Apparatus according to any one of claims 4 to 8, characterized in that the air conditioning unit (62) comprises means (80) for driving air, said means being arranged upstream or downstream from the cold heat exchanger (32).
10/ Apparatus according to any one of claims 4 to 9, characterized in that the air conditioning unit (62) comprises means (82) for driving air, said means being arranged upstream or downstream from the hot heat exchanger (39).