US 8,037,698 B2 · Air conditioning unit for motor vehicles and method for its operation

Abstract

An air conditioning unit is disclosed for motor vehicles. The air conditioning unit includes with a compression refrigerant circuit where a refrigerant circulates, comprising comprehensively switched in series with respect to fluid flow at least one compressor upstream of a heat-delivering heat exchanger, and an expansion element upstream of a heat-absorbing heat exchanger, whereby into the flow path leading from the outlet of the heat-delivering heat exchanger to the expansion element an additional heat exchanger is integrated thermally coupled to at least one cooling means the temperature of which can be put to values below the temperature of the refrigerant in the compression refrigeration circuit at the position of the refrigerant's outflow from the heat-delivering heat exchanger, and a method for its operation.

Claims18

Dependent claims

An air conditioning refrigerant circuit for a motor vehicle comprising:

at least one compressor;
a heat-delivering heat exchanger downstream of the compressor;
an expansion element;
a heat-absorbing heat exchanger downstream of the expansion element, wherein the the compressor, the heat-delivering heat exchanger, the expansion element, and the heat-absorbing heat exchanger are in series in respect of a flow path of a refrigerant;
an additional heat exchanger disposed between the heat-delivering heat exchanger and the expansion element, the heat exchanger thermally coupled to at least one switchable cooling means, wherein a temperature of the cooling means facilitates reaching a temperature below a temperature of the refrigerant flowing from the heat-delivering heat exchanger;
and
an internal heat exchanger integrated into the flow path between the heat-absorbing heat exchanger and the compressor and into the flow path between the heat-delivering heat exchanger and the expansion element.

4 more elements

A method of operation of an air conditioning refrigerant circuit for a motor vehicle comprising the steps of:

providing an air conditioning refrigerant circuit for motor vehicles including at least one compressor;
a heat-delivering heat exchanger downstream of the compressor;
an internal heat exchanger downstream of the heat-delivering heat exchanger;
an expansion element;
a heat-absorbing heat exchanger downstream of the expansion element, wherein the compressor, the heat-delivering heat exchanger, the internal heat exchanger, the expansion element, and the heat-absorbing heat exchanger are in series in respect of a flow path of a refrigerant;
and an additional heat exchanger disposed between the heat-delivering heat exchanger and the expansion element, the additional heat exchanger thermally coupled to at least one switchable cooling means, wherein a temperature of the cooling means facilitates reaching a temperature below a temperature of the refrigerant flowing from the heat-delivering heat exchanger;
providing a temperature of the refrigerant flowing from the heat-delivering heat exchanger;
and
adjusting the temperature of the cooling means based on the provided temperature of the refrigerant flowing from the heat-delivering heat exchanger.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Air conditioning unit for motor vehicles and method for its operation

Life of this patent

Air conditioning unit for motor vehicles and method for its operation

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18