KR-20260065164-A - METHOD FOR CONTROLLING HEAT PUMP HEAT SOURCE MODE OF VEHICLE AND DEVICE THEREOF

KR20260065164AKR 20260065164 AKR20260065164 AKR 20260065164AKR-20260065164-A

Abstract

A method for controlling the heating mode of a heat pump of a vehicle and a device thereof are disclosed. A method for controlling a heat pump heating mode of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a) a step in which a controller collects real-time driving information while the vehicle is in operation and, if the heat pump operating conditions are satisfied, operates the heat pump mode; b) a step in which, based on the driving information, a first refrigerant pressure (P1) flowing into the compressor of the heat pump exceeds a target low pressure (A); and c) a step in which, based on the driving information, a second refrigerant pressure (P2) discharged from the compressor of the heat pump and supplied to the condenser exceeds a target high pressure (B); wherein, if the first refrigerant pressure (P1) does not exceed the target low pressure (A) or the second refrigerant pressure (P2) does not exceed the target high pressure (B), it is determined that there is a waste heat source shortage and a waste heat generation logic is initiated to operate at least one of the compressor, an electric water pump (EWP), and a heating heater in a heating mode.

Inventors

정성빈
임태웅
오동석
박중하
손지완
김태희
조찬웅
박종일
박우진
차용웅

Assignees

현대자동차주식회사
기아 주식회사

Dates

Publication Date: 20260508
Application Date: 20241101

Claims (14)

In a method for a controller to control the heating mode of a vehicle's heat pump, a) A step of collecting real-time driving information while the vehicle is in operation and operating the heat pump mode when the heat pump operating conditions are satisfied; b) a step of determining whether the first refrigerant pressure (P1) flowing into the compressor of the heat pump based on the above operating information exceeds the target low pressure (A); and c) a step of determining whether the second refrigerant pressure (P2) discharged from the compressor of the heat pump and supplied to the condenser based on the above operating information exceeds the target high pressure (B); and A method for controlling the heating mode of a heat pump in a vehicle, characterized by determining that there is a lack of waste heat source when the first refrigerant pressure (P1) does not exceed the target low pressure (A) or the second refrigerant pressure (P2) does not exceed the target high pressure (B), and initiating a waste heat generation logic to operate at least one of the compressor, electric water pump (EWP), and heating heater in a heating mode.
In paragraph 1, Between steps b) and c) above, A method for controlling the heat pump heating mode of a vehicle, comprising the step of increasing the pressure of the compressor when it is determined that the first refrigerant pressure (P1) exceeds the target low pressure (A).
In paragraph 1, The waste heat generation logic in the case where the first refrigerant pressure (P1) in step b) above does not exceed the target low pressure (A) is, b-1) A step of operating the compressor and EWP in heat generation mode first when entering the waste heat generation logic; b-2) A step of measuring the first refrigerant pressure (P1) currently flowing into the compressor and checking whether the condition of being less than or equal to the target low pressure (A) is satisfied; b-3) A step of additionally operating the heating heater to heat the cooling water when the condition is satisfied that the first refrigerant pressure (P1) is less than or equal to the target low pressure (A); and b-4) A step of maintaining the waste heat generation logic while continuously monitoring until the condition that the first refrigerant pressure (P1) is below the target low pressure (A) is not satisfied; A method for controlling the heating mode of a heat pump of a vehicle including
In paragraph 3, After step b-2) or step b-4) above, A method for controlling the heat pump heating mode of a vehicle, comprising the step of operating the pressure of the compressor upward when the condition that the first refrigerant pressure (P1) is lower than or equal to the target low pressure (A) is not satisfied.
In paragraph 1, The waste heat generation logic in the case where the second refrigerant pressure (P2) in step c) above does not exceed the target high pressure (B) is, c-1) A step of operating the compressor and EWP in heat generation mode first when entering the waste heat generation logic; c-2) A step of measuring the second refrigerant pressure (P2) currently flowing into the compressor and checking whether the condition of being below the target high pressure (B) is satisfied; c-3) A step of additionally operating the heating heater to heat the cooling water when the condition is satisfied that the second refrigerant pressure (P2) is less than or equal to the target high pressure (B); and c-4) A step of maintaining a waste heat generation logic while continuously monitoring until the condition that the second refrigerant pressure (P2) is below the target high pressure (B) is not satisfied; A method for controlling the heating mode of a heat pump of a vehicle including
In paragraph 5, After step c-2) or step c-4) above, A method for controlling the heat pump heating mode of a vehicle, comprising the step of stopping the ongoing waste heat generation logic if the condition that the second refrigerant pressure (P2) is less than or equal to the target high pressure (B) is not satisfied.
In paragraph 1, After step c) above, A step of determining that there is no shortage of waste heat source when the second refrigerant pressure (P2) exceeds the target high pressure (B); and A step of stopping the operation of at least one of the compressor, electric water pump (EWP), and heating heater in a heating mode when the above waste heat generation logic is in operation; A method for controlling the heating mode of a vehicle heat pump, further including
In paragraph 1, A method for controlling the heating mode of a heat pump of a vehicle, characterized in that the above target low pressure (A) is set by adding a certain value (+α) greater than the negative pressure (0 kPaG), and the above target high pressure (B) is set to follow 14 bar.
A heat pump that provides a heat pump (HP) mode and an air conditioner (AC) by utilizing the high and low temperatures, respectively, generated during the refrigerant circulation process in the refrigerant line passing through the compressor, condenser, expansion valve, and chiller within the vehicle; A cooling device that exchanges heat with a refrigerant passing through the chiller using heat absorbed during the flow of cooling water passing through a WBP (Electric Water Pump), a waste heat source, a heating heater, and a chiller along a cooling water line; and A controller characterized by determining that there is a waste heat source shortage when at least one of the first refrigerant pressure (P1) and the second refrigerant pressure (P2) measured at the front and rear ends of the compressor do not satisfy the corresponding target pressure according to driving information collected during vehicle operation in heat pump mode, and performing a waste heat generation logic to operate at least one of the compressor, EWP, and heating heater in a heating mode; A heat pump heating mode control device for a vehicle including
In Paragraph 9, The above heat pump is, A pressure detection sensor installed in a low-pressure refrigerant line into which low-pressure refrigerant flows into the compressor to measure the first refrigerant pressure (P1); and A high-pressure sensing sensor installed in a high-pressure refrigerant line through which high-pressure refrigerant is discharged from the compressor above to measure the second refrigerant pressure (P2); A heat pump heating mode control device for a vehicle including
In Paragraph 9, The above-mentioned heating heater is, A heat pump heating mode control device for a vehicle, characterized by selectively operating (ON) when the above heating mode is operated and heating the coolant circulating through the above coolant line.
In Paragraph 9, The above controller is, A heat pump heating mode control device for a vehicle characterized by initiating the waste heat generation logic when the first refrigerant pressure (P1) flowing into the compressor does not exceed the target low pressure (A).
In Article 9 or Article 12, The above controller is, A heat pump heating mode control device for a vehicle characterized by initiating the waste heat generation logic when the second refrigerant pressure (P2) discharged from the compressor and supplied to the condenser does not exceed the target high pressure (B).
In Paragraph 12, The above waste heat generation logic is, A heat pump heating mode control device for a vehicle, characterized by first operating the compressor and EWP in a heating mode when entering the above-mentioned waste heat generation logic, and subsequently operating the above-mentioned heating heater if it is determined that there is a shortage of waste heat sources.

Description

Method for controlling heat pump heat source mode of vehicle and device thereof The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for controlling a heat pump heating mode of a vehicle, and more specifically, to a method and apparatus for controlling a heat pump heating mode of a vehicle for generating waste heat required for heat pump mode operation. Generally, the air conditioner (AC) applied to the climate control system of internal combustion engine vehicles provides cooling and heating functions that maintain the interior at a comfortable temperature through refrigerant circulation, regardless of external temperature changes. For example, an air conditioner (AC) provides cool air indoors using refrigerant cooled by passing through a compressor and condenser (i.e., low-temperature refrigerant), and conversely, releases heat through the outdoor unit using refrigerant heated by passing through an expansion valve and evaporator (i.e., high-temperature refrigerant). In addition, the air conditioner utilizes a significant amount of thermal energy generated by the engine for indoor heating mode. However, various electric vehicles (xEVs) capable of driving using a motor and a high-voltage battery (hereinafter referred to as "battery" for convenience) must operate a heater (heating mode) without an engine heat source, and thus use electrical energy stored in the battery. In addition, electric vehicles also use stored electrical energy to cool the battery, which is vulnerable to high temperatures. These conventional electric vehicles have had a problem in that their driving range (electric efficiency) is reduced due to the loss of electrical energy consumed for operating the heater and/or cooling the battery during winter. Meanwhile, a vehicle heat pump system has been developed as a conventional technology to solve the problem of reduced driving range of electric vehicles in winter. Unlike conventional air conditioners, which discharge the heat of the refrigerant heated through the expansion valve and evaporator via the outdoor unit, conventional heat pump systems utilize it as a heater. In other words, heat pump systems can simultaneously operate as a heater (hereinafter referred to as HP mode) and an air conditioner (hereinafter referred to as AC mode) by utilizing the high-temperature and low-temperature refrigerants generated during the refrigerant circulation process, in which the refrigerant undergoes compression, condensation, expansion, and evaporation. Furthermore, heat pump systems improve the issues of battery consumption and reduced driving range by recovering waste heat generated from the outside air source and the vehicle's electrical components (Power Electric, PE) and utilizing it for heating. Meanwhile, when a battery cooling request is input in HP mode, the heat pump system utilizes the battery's heat source by absorbing heat (i.e., recovering waste heat) rather than switching to AC mode. Typically, since battery cooling requests are input under conditions where the battery temperature is high, the available heat source is very high. In conventional heat pumps, the waste heat source of PE components is used for only about 1 to 2 kW, and at this time, the maximum pressure (COMP Max rpm) and control logic are selected to target a compressor pressure of about 12 to 14 bar. However, when a high waste heat source of 2 kW or more is introduced, there is a problem in that the low pressure (refrigerant pressure in the low-pressure section) at the front of the compressor increases, and the air-cooled condenser at the rear of the compressor often tends to dissipate heat rather than absorb heat from the air heat source. In addition, when too much heat is supplied to the compressor while the vehicle's heating is stabilized, it is not necessary to use the heat source at its maximum level, so the HP usage must be reduced. However, if the HP usage is reduced in this case, the battery's waste heat recovery cannot be actively performed, resulting in reduced cooling performance. Furthermore, since a situation arises where switching from HP mode to AC mode is required again, there is a problem of mode switching delay time and difficulty in efficient control. The matters described in this background technology section are written to enhance understanding of the background of the invention and may include matters that are not prior art already known to those skilled in the art to which this technology belongs. Figure 1 schematically shows the configuration of a vehicle heat pump system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a control configuration for a method to control the heat pump heating mode of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 shows a direct type condenser and an indirect type condenser applicable according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a flowchart schematically illustrating a method for controlli