JP7776366B2 - Cooling device, cooling device control method, and program - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a cooling device, a control method for a cooling device, and a program.

Patent Document 1 discloses a cooling device for a hybrid vehicle that performs heat exchange between the refrigerant in the air conditioning system and the refrigerant that cools the battery. The compressor of the air conditioning system is driven by the engine.

The cooling device operates the compressor while the engine is running to store cold energy in the cold storage material, and when cooling the battery while the engine is stopped, the cold energy stored in the cold storage material is used to cool the refrigerant in the battery cooling circuit.

This allows the battery to be cooled even when the engine is stopped, such as when the vehicle is running on the motor alone, thereby preventing the deterioration of fuel economy and the driver's driving feel caused by running the engine solely to cool the battery.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-123922

The cooling device described above has the problem of increasing weight due to the inclusion of a cold storage material. Therefore, there is a need to prevent the engine from being driven solely to cool the battery without using a cold storage material, and to prevent a deterioration in the driving feel by suppressing heat generation in the battery and extending the period in which the motor can be driven.

The present invention was made in consideration of these technical challenges, and aims to prevent the engine from being driven solely for the purpose of cooling the battery without using a cold storage material, and to prevent a deterioration in driving feel by suppressing heat generation in the battery and extending the period in which the motor can be driven.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a cooling device that uses a first refrigerant to cool a battery mounted on a vehicle equipped with an engine and a motor as drive sources includes an air conditioning device that conditions the air inside the vehicle cabin using a second refrigerant, a heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the first refrigerant and the second refrigerant, and a compressor driven by the engine that compresses the second refrigerant. When the battery temperature reaches or exceeds a first predetermined battery temperature while the engine is stopped and the vehicle is running using the driving force of the motor, the cooling device circulates the first refrigerant to supply the first refrigerant to the battery and drives the engine to exchange heat between the first refrigerant and the second refrigerant. When the battery temperature reaches or exceeds a second predetermined battery temperature that is lower than the first predetermined battery temperature while the engine is running after starting, the cooling device circulates the first refrigerant to supply the first refrigerant to the battery and exchanges heat between the first refrigerant and the second refrigerant.

With this system, when the engine is running and the battery temperature reaches or exceeds a second predetermined battery temperature, the cooling device circulates the first refrigerant and supplies it to the battery. In other words, when the engine is running, the battery is cooled in advance at a lower temperature than when the engine is stopped and the vehicle is running on motor driving force, thereby suppressing the battery's temperature rise. This makes it possible to prevent the engine from being driven solely to cool the battery without using a cold storage material, and also prevents the battery from generating heat and extends the period during which the motor can be driven, thereby suppressing a deterioration in the driving feel.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a hybrid vehicle equipped with a cooling device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a cooling device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the battery cooling process. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the engine stop processing, which is a subroutine of the battery cooling processing. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the operating state of the cooling device while the engine is running.

The cooling device 60 according to an embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a hybrid vehicle 100 (hereinafter simply referred to as "vehicle 100") equipped with a cooling device 60. Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the cooling device 60.

As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle 100 includes an engine 1, a clutch 2, a motor generator 3 (hereinafter referred to as "MG3"), a transmission mechanism 4, a mechanical oil pump 5, drive wheels 6, and an integrated controller (computer) 10. The vehicle 100 also includes a cooling device 60 shown in FIG. 2.

Engine 1 is an internal combustion engine that uses gasoline, diesel, etc. as fuel and functions as a driving source for traveling. The rotational speed, torque, etc. of engine 1 are controlled based on commands from integrated controller 10.

Clutch 2 is provided between engine 1 and MG 3 in the power transmission path. Clutch 2 is, for example, a normally open hydraulic clutch. Clutch 2 is controlled based on commands from integrated controller 10, using hydraulic oil discharged from mechanical oil pump 5 as the source pressure.

MG3 is arranged in series with the engine 1 on the power transmission path. MG3 is a synchronous rotating electric machine with a permanent magnet embedded in the rotor and a stator coil wound around the stator. MG3 is controlled by applying three-phase AC generated by the inverter 21 based on commands from the integrated controller 10. MG3 operates as a motor that rotates and is driven by power supplied from the battery 22, and functions as a driving source for traveling. Furthermore, when the rotor of MG3 receives rotational energy from the engine 1 or drive wheels 6, it functions as a generator that generates electromotive force across the stator coil, allowing it to charge the battery 22.

The transmission mechanism 4 is provided in the power transmission path between the MG 3 and the drive wheels 6. The transmission mechanism 4 is configured, for example, as a continuously variable transmission mechanism that can continuously change the gear ratio in response to vehicle speed, accelerator pedal position, etc. The transmission mechanism 4 includes an oil pan (not shown) that stores hydraulic oil, and a hydraulic control valve unit (not shown) that controls the hydraulic pressure supplied to the variator (not shown) and clutch 2.

The mechanical oil pump 5 is a pump that operates when rotation from MG3 is transmitted to it. The mechanical oil pump 5 is, for example, a vane pump. The mechanical oil pump 5 draws up hydraulic oil stored in the oil pan of the transmission mechanism 4 and supplies hydraulic pressure to the hydraulic control valve unit.

In addition to the mechanical oil pump 5, an electric oil pump may be provided that operates by receiving power from the battery 22 when the amount of oil supplied by the mechanical oil pump 5 alone is insufficient.

The differential 7 is connected to the output shaft of the transmission mechanism 4 via a final reduction gear mechanism (not shown). The drive wheels 6 are connected to the differential 7 via a drive shaft 8.

As shown in FIG. 2, the cooling system 60 includes a battery cooling system 70 that cools the battery 22 using a first refrigerant, an air conditioning system 80 that conditions the air inside the vehicle cabin using a second refrigerant, and a shared system 90 that is shared by the battery cooling system 70 and the air conditioning system 80. In FIG. 2, the flow (flow path) of the first refrigerant is indicated by a dashed line, the flow (flow path) of the second refrigerant is indicated by a dashed line, and the flow of air (indoor air, outdoor air) is indicated by a dashed line.

The battery cooling device 70 includes an electric water pump 71 that circulates a first refrigerant and supplies it to the battery 22, a heat exchanger 72 that exchanges heat between the first refrigerant and a second refrigerant, an expansion valve 73 that supplies the second refrigerant to the heat exchanger 72, and an on/off valve 74 that is located upstream of the expansion valve 73 and opens and closes the flow path that supplies the second refrigerant to the heat exchanger 72. The first refrigerant is, for example, cooling water.

The electric water pump 71 and on/off valve 74 operate based on commands from the integrated controller 10.

The air conditioning system 80 includes an A/C (Air Conditioner) unit 81 that cools indoor air using a second refrigerant, an expansion valve 82 that supplies the second refrigerant to the A/C unit 81, an A/C valve 83 that is located upstream of the expansion valve 82 and opens and closes a flow path that supplies the second refrigerant to the A/C unit 81, a fan 84 that blows indoor air through the A/C unit 81, and an HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) unit 85 that controls the operation of the fan 84. The second refrigerant is, for example, HFC134a gas.

The A/C valve 83 operates based on commands from the integrated controller 10.

The HVAC unit 85 controls the operation of the fan 84 based on commands from the integrated controller 10.

The shared device 90 includes a compressor 92 that is driven by the engine 1 via a clutch 91 to compress the second refrigerant, a condenser 93 that cools the second refrigerant compressed by the compressor 92 with outside air, and a fan 94 that blows outside air through the condenser 93. The shared device 90 supplies the cooled and liquefied second refrigerant to the battery cooling device 70 and the air conditioning device 80.

The clutch 91 is, for example, a normally open hydraulic clutch. The clutch 91 is controlled based on commands from the integrated controller 10, using the hydraulic oil discharged from the mechanical oil pump 5 as the source pressure.

The fan 94 operates based on commands from the integrated controller 10.

The integrated controller 10 consists of a microcomputer equipped with a central processing unit (CPU), read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), and an input/output interface (I/O interface).

The integrated controller 10 performs various processes by having the CPU read and execute programs stored in ROM. The various programs executed by the integrated controller 10 may be stored on a non-transitory recording medium such as a CD-ROM.

The integrated controller 10 can also be configured with multiple microcomputers. Specifically, the integrated controller 10 can be configured with a transmission controller that controls the clutch 2 and transmission mechanism 4, a shift controller that controls the shift range, a hybrid controller that performs hybrid control of the engine 1 and MG4, etc.

The integrated controller 10 receives signals from a rotational speed sensor 51 that detects the rotational speed of the output shaft 41 of the engine 1 (hereinafter referred to as "engine rotational speed"), a rotational speed sensor 52 that detects the output rotational speed of the clutch 2, a rotational speed sensor 53 that detects the rotational speed of the MG3, an accelerator position sensor 54 that detects the accelerator position, an inhibitor switch 55 that detects the select position of the transmission 4 (the state of the selector lever or selector switch that switches between forward, reverse, neutral, and parking), a vehicle speed sensor 56 that detects the vehicle speed, a temperature sensor 57 that detects the temperature TB of the battery 22 (hereinafter referred to as "battery temperature TB"), a temperature sensor 58 that detects the temperature TW of the first refrigerant (hereinafter referred to as "refrigerant temperature TW"), and a temperature sensor 59 that detects the temperature of the second refrigerant. Based on these input signals, the integrated controller 10 performs various controls on the engine 1, clutch 2, MG3 (inverter 21), transmission 4, cooling device 60, etc.

The integrated controller 10 refers to the mode switching map and switches the driving mode of the vehicle 100 between engine driving mode, EV (Electric Vehicle) mode, and HEV (Hybrid Electric Vehicle) mode.

Engine driving mode is a mode in which clutch 2 is engaged and the vehicle runs using only engine 1 as a driving source. Engine driving mode is selected when the required output of vehicle 100 is relatively high.

EV mode is a mode in which clutch 2 is released and the vehicle runs using only MG3 as a driving source. EV mode is selected when the required driving force is low and the battery 22 is sufficiently charged.

HEV mode is a mode in which clutch 2 is engaged and the vehicle runs using engine 1 and MG3 as drive sources. HEV mode is selected when the required driving force is high, specifically when the required output of vehicle 100 cannot be met by output from engine 1 alone.

In the vehicle 100, it is required that the battery 22 be used within an appropriate temperature range. This is because if the battery temperature TB rises above the appropriate temperature range, the output efficiency of the battery 22 may decrease and the durability of the battery 22 may decrease. Therefore, in the vehicle 100, the battery 22 is cooled by the cooling device 60 so that the battery temperature TB remains within the appropriate temperature range.

When the engine 1 is running, the compressor 92 is operated to exchange heat between the first refrigerant and the second refrigerant, while the electric water pump 71 circulates the first refrigerant and supplies it to the battery 22, thereby cooling the battery 22.

On the other hand, if the engine 1 is driven solely to cool the battery 22 while the engine 1 is stopped, this may result in a deterioration in fuel economy and a worsening driving feel for the driver.

In contrast to this, for example, it is possible to provide a cold storage material in the cooling device 60, operate the compressor 92 while the engine 1 is running to store cold heat in the cold storage material, and then use the cold heat stored in the cold storage material to cool the first refrigerant when cooling the battery 22 while the engine 1 is stopped.

However, in this case, there is a problem that the weight of the vehicle 100 increases due to the inclusion of the ice storage material.

The integrated controller 10 of this embodiment therefore executes the battery cooling process described below to prevent the engine 1 from being driven solely for the purpose of cooling the battery 22 without using a regenerative cooling material, and to suppress heat generation from the battery 22, thereby extending the state in which the MG3 can be driven, thereby preventing a deterioration in the driving feel.

The battery cooling process executed by the integrated controller 10 will be described below with reference to Figures 3 and 4. Figure 3 is a flowchart showing the battery cooling process. Figure 4 is a flowchart showing the engine-stop process, which is a subroutine of the battery cooling process. The battery cooling process is repeatedly executed at regular intervals.

As shown in Figure 3, in step S101, the integrated controller 10 determines whether the engine 1 is running.

If the integrated controller 10 determines that the engine 1 is running, the process proceeds to step S102. If the integrated controller 10 determines that the engine 1 is not running, the integrated controller 10 executes the engine stop processing subroutine. The engine stop processing will be described later.

In step S102, the integrated controller 10 determines whether the battery temperature TB is less than a second predetermined battery temperature T1. The second predetermined battery temperature T1 is set based on the specifications of the vehicle 100, experiments, etc.

If the integrated controller 10 determines that the battery temperature TB is less than the second predetermined battery temperature T1, it proceeds to step S103. If the integrated controller 10 determines that the battery temperature TB is not less than the second predetermined battery temperature T1, it proceeds to step S104.

In step S103, the integrated controller 10 stops the electric water pump 71, thereby preventing the first refrigerant from circulating (no circulation). The integrated controller 10 also disengages the clutch 91 and stops the compressor 92, preventing the heat exchanger 72 from cooling the first refrigerant (heat exchange between the first refrigerant and the second refrigerant) (no cooling). In this state, the battery 22 is not cooled.

In step S104, the integrated controller 10 determines whether the battery temperature TB is less than a first predetermined battery temperature T2. The first predetermined battery temperature T2 is a temperature higher than the second predetermined battery temperature T1. The first predetermined battery temperature T2 is set based on the specifications of the vehicle 100, experiments, etc.

If the integrated controller 10 determines that the battery temperature TB is less than the first predetermined battery temperature T2, the process proceeds to step S105. If the integrated controller 10 determines that the battery temperature TB is not less than the first predetermined battery temperature T2, the process proceeds to step S108.

In step S105, the integrated controller 10 determines whether the refrigerant temperature TW is less than a first predetermined refrigerant temperature T11. The first predetermined refrigerant temperature T11 is set based on the specifications of the vehicle 100, experiments, etc.

If the integrated controller 10 determines that the refrigerant temperature TW is less than the first predetermined refrigerant temperature T11, the process proceeds to step S106. If the integrated controller 10 determines that the refrigerant temperature TW is not less than the first predetermined refrigerant temperature T11, the process proceeds to step S107.

In step S106, the integrated controller 10 operates the electric water pump 71 at a predetermined low rotational speed to circulate the first refrigerant and supply it to the battery 22 (small circulation amount). The integrated controller 10 also disengages the clutch 91 to stop the compressor 92, preventing the heat exchanger 72 from cooling the first refrigerant (no cooling). In this state, the battery 22 is cooled by the first refrigerant, and the first refrigerant is not cooled. The predetermined low rotational speed is set based on the specifications of the vehicle 100, experiments, etc.

In step S107, the integrated controller 10 operates the electric water pump 71 at a predetermined low rotational speed to circulate the first refrigerant and supply it to the battery 22 (small circulation amount). The integrated controller 10 also sets the engine rotational speed to an idle rotational speed (e.g., 1000 rpm) and engages the clutch 91 to activate the compressor 92, thereby cooling the first refrigerant using the heat exchanger 72 (weak cooling). In this state, the battery 22 is cooled by the first refrigerant, and the first refrigerant is cooled by the second refrigerant.

The engine speed is set to the idle speed only when there are no other requests for engine speed setting. If there are other requests for engine speed setting, those requests take priority. The same applies when setting the engine speed in subsequent processes.

In step S108, the integrated controller 10 determines whether the battery temperature TB is less than a third predetermined battery temperature T3. The third predetermined battery temperature T3 is a temperature higher than the first predetermined battery temperature T2. The third predetermined battery temperature T3 is set based on the specifications of the vehicle 100, experiments, etc.

If the integrated controller 10 determines that the battery temperature TB is less than the third predetermined battery temperature T3, it proceeds to step S109. If the integrated controller 10 determines that the battery temperature TB is not less than the third predetermined battery temperature T3, it proceeds to step S116.

In step S109, the integrated controller 10 determines whether the refrigerant temperature TW is less than the first predetermined refrigerant temperature T11.

If the integrated controller 10 determines that the refrigerant temperature TW is less than the first predetermined refrigerant temperature T11, the process proceeds to step S110. If the integrated controller 10 determines that the refrigerant temperature TW is not less than the first predetermined refrigerant temperature T11, the process proceeds to step S111.

In step S110, the integrated controller 10 operates the electric water pump 71 at a predetermined high rotational speed that is higher than the predetermined low rotational speed, thereby circulating the first refrigerant and supplying it to the battery 22 (large circulation volume). The integrated controller 10 also disengages the clutch 91 to stop the compressor 92, thereby preventing the heat exchanger 72 from cooling the first refrigerant (no cooling). In this state, the circulation volume of the first refrigerant is increased compared to step S106. Therefore, in this state, the battery 22 is cooled more strongly than in step S106. The predetermined high rotational speed is set based on the specifications of the vehicle 100, experiments, etc.

In step S111, the integrated controller 10 determines whether the refrigerant temperature TW is less than the second predetermined refrigerant temperature T12. The second predetermined refrigerant temperature T12 is a temperature higher than the first predetermined refrigerant temperature T11. The second predetermined refrigerant temperature T12 is set based on the specifications of the vehicle 100, experiments, etc.

If the integrated controller 10 determines that the refrigerant temperature TW is less than the second predetermined refrigerant temperature T12, the process proceeds to step S112. If the integrated controller 10 determines that the refrigerant temperature TW is not less than the second predetermined refrigerant temperature T12, the process proceeds to step S113.

In step S112, the integrated controller 10 operates the electric water pump 71 at a predetermined high rotational speed to circulate the first refrigerant and supply it to the battery 22 (large circulation amount). The integrated controller 10 also sets the engine rotational speed to idle rotational speed to drive the engine 1, and engages the clutch 91 to activate the compressor 92, thereby cooling the first refrigerant using the heat exchanger 72 (weak cooling). In this state, the circulation amount of the first refrigerant is increased compared to step S107. Therefore, in this state, the battery 22 is cooled more strongly than in step S107.

In step S113, the integrated controller 10 determines whether the refrigerant temperature TW is less than the third predetermined refrigerant temperature T13. The third predetermined refrigerant temperature T13 is a temperature higher than the second predetermined refrigerant temperature T12. The third predetermined refrigerant temperature T13 is set based on the specifications of the vehicle 100, experiments, etc.

If the integrated controller 10 determines that the refrigerant temperature TW is less than the third predetermined refrigerant temperature T13, the process proceeds to step S114. If the integrated controller 10 determines that the refrigerant temperature TW is not less than the third predetermined refrigerant temperature T13, the process proceeds to step S115.

In step S114, the integrated controller 10 operates the electric water pump 71 at a predetermined high rotational speed, thereby circulating the first refrigerant and supplying it to the battery 22 (large circulation amount). The integrated controller 10 also sets the engine rotational speed to an idle-up rotational speed (e.g., 1300 rpm) higher than the idle rotational speed to drive the engine 1, and engages the clutch 91 to activate the compressor 92, thereby cooling the first refrigerant using the heat exchanger 72 (strong cooling). In this state, the circulation amount of the second refrigerant is increased compared to step S112. Therefore, in this state, the first refrigerant is cooled more strongly than in step S112.

In step S115, the integrated controller 10 operates the electric water pump 71 at a predetermined high rotational speed to circulate the first refrigerant and supply it to the battery 22 (large circulation amount). The integrated controller 10 also sets the engine rotational speed to the idle-up rotational speed and engages the clutch 91 to activate the compressor 92, thereby cooling the first refrigerant using the heat exchanger 72 (strong cooling). The integrated controller 10 also stops the air conditioning device 80 by closing the flow path that supplies the second refrigerant to the A/C unit 81 using the A/C valve 83 (air conditioning stopped). In this state, more second refrigerant is supplied to the heat exchanger 72 than in step S114. Therefore, in this state, the first refrigerant is cooled more strongly than in step S114.

In step S116, the integrated controller 10 performs battery protection control to protect the battery 22. The battery protection control, for example, limits the operation of the inverter 21 to suppress the flow of current into and out of the battery 22 in order to suppress a rise in temperature of the battery 22 (to protect the battery 22).

Next, we will explain the processing that occurs when the engine is stopped.

As shown in FIG. 4, in step S201, the integrated controller 10 determines whether the battery temperature TB is less than the first predetermined battery temperature T2.

If the integrated controller 10 determines that the battery temperature TB is less than the first predetermined battery temperature T2, the process proceeds to step S202. If the integrated controller 10 determines that the battery temperature TB is not less than the first predetermined battery temperature T2, the process proceeds to step S203.

The processing content of step S202 is the same as the processing content of step S103. Furthermore, the processing content of steps S203 to S211 is the same as the processing content of steps S108 to S116.

Next, the operating state of the cooling device 60 while the engine 1 is running will be described with reference to Figure 5. Figure 5 is a diagram showing the operating state of the cooling device 60 while the engine 1 is running.

As shown in FIG. 5, when the battery temperature TB is lower than the second predetermined battery temperature T1, the cooling device 60 stops circulating the first refrigerant (no circulation) and does not cool the first refrigerant (no cooling).

This is because the second predetermined battery temperature T1 is set to a temperature at which cooling of the battery 22 is not required when the battery temperature TB is below the second predetermined battery temperature T1.

When the battery temperature TB is equal to or higher than the second predetermined battery temperature T1 but lower than the first predetermined battery temperature T2, and the refrigerant temperature TW is lower than the first predetermined refrigerant temperature T11, the cooling device 60 circulates the first refrigerant at a "small circulation rate" and supplies it to the battery 22, but does not cool the first refrigerant (no cooling).

When the battery temperature TB is equal to or higher than the second predetermined battery temperature T1 but lower than the first predetermined battery temperature T2, and the refrigerant temperature TW is equal to or higher than the first predetermined refrigerant temperature T11, the cooling device 60 circulates the first refrigerant at a "low circulation rate" and supplies it to the battery 22, and cools the first refrigerant at a "low cooling rate."

This is because if the refrigerant temperature TW becomes too high, the battery 22 cannot be cooled efficiently.

Here, while the engine 1 is stopped, if the battery temperature TB is below the first predetermined battery temperature T2, the cooling device 60 stops circulating the first refrigerant (no circulation) and does not cool the first refrigerant (no cooling).

This is because the first predetermined battery temperature T2 is set to a temperature that prioritizes avoiding a deterioration in fuel economy and the driver's driving feel caused by operating the engine 1 solely for cooling the battery 22, rather than cooling the battery 22 when the battery temperature TB is below the first predetermined battery temperature T2.

When the battery temperature TB is equal to or higher than the first predetermined battery temperature T2 but lower than the third predetermined battery temperature T3, and the refrigerant temperature TW is lower than the first predetermined refrigerant temperature T11, the cooling device 60 circulates the first refrigerant at a "high circulation rate" and supplies it to the battery 22, but does not cool the first refrigerant (no cooling).

When the battery temperature TB is equal to or higher than the first predetermined battery temperature T2, cooling the battery 22 takes priority, and therefore the cooling device 60 circulates the first refrigerant at a "large circulation rate." On the other hand, when the refrigerant temperature TW is lower than the first predetermined refrigerant temperature T11, the battery 22 can be cooled without any problems using the first refrigerant, and therefore the cooling device 60 does not cool the first refrigerant.

When the battery temperature TB is equal to or higher than the first predetermined battery temperature T2 but lower than the third predetermined battery temperature T3, and the refrigerant temperature TW is equal to or higher than the first predetermined refrigerant temperature T11 but lower than the second predetermined refrigerant temperature T12, the cooling device 60 circulates the first refrigerant at "high circulation rate" and supplies it to the battery 22, and cools the first refrigerant at "low cooling."

When the battery temperature TB is equal to or higher than the first predetermined battery temperature T2 but lower than the third predetermined battery temperature T3, and the refrigerant temperature TW is equal to or higher than the second predetermined refrigerant temperature T12 but lower than the third predetermined refrigerant temperature T13, the cooling device 60 circulates the first refrigerant at "high circulation rate" and supplies it to the battery 22, and cools the first refrigerant at "strong cooling."

The cooling power for cooling the first refrigerant increases as the refrigerant temperature TW increases because, as mentioned above, the battery 22 cannot be cooled efficiently when the refrigerant temperature TW increases.

When the battery temperature TB is equal to or higher than the first predetermined battery temperature T2 but lower than the third predetermined battery temperature T3, and the refrigerant temperature TW is equal to or higher than the third predetermined refrigerant temperature T13, the cooling device 60 circulates the first refrigerant at "high circulation rate" and supplies it to the battery 22, cools the first refrigerant at "strong cooling," and stops air conditioning.

As mentioned above, by stopping the air conditioning, the cooling power for cooling the first refrigerant can be made stronger than "strong cooling."

The main effects of the cooling device 60 configured as described above are summarized below.

(1) (6) (7) A cooling device 60 that uses a first refrigerant to cool a battery 22 mounted on a vehicle 100 equipped with an engine 1 and an MG3 as drive sources includes an air conditioning device 80 that uses a second refrigerant to condition the interior of the vehicle, a heat exchanger 72 that exchanges heat between the first refrigerant and the second refrigerant, and a compressor 92 driven by the engine 1 to compress the second refrigerant. When the engine 1 is stopped and the vehicle is running using the drive power of the MG3, if the battery temperature TB exceeds a first predetermined battery temperature T2, the first refrigerant is circulated to supply the first refrigerant to the battery 22, and the engine 1 is driven to exchange heat between the first refrigerant and the second refrigerant. When the battery temperature TB exceeds a second predetermined battery temperature T1 that is lower than the first predetermined battery temperature T2 and the engine 1 is running after starting, the first refrigerant is circulated to supply the first refrigerant to the battery 22, and heat exchange occurs between the first refrigerant and the second refrigerant.

Accordingly, when the engine 1 is running, the cooling device 60 circulates the first refrigerant and supplies it to the battery 22 when the battery temperature TB reaches or exceeds the second predetermined battery temperature T1. In other words, when the engine 1 is running, the battery 22 is cooled in advance at a lower temperature than when the engine 1 is stopped and the vehicle is running using the driving force of the MG3, thereby suppressing the temperature rise of the battery 22. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the engine 1 from being run solely for cooling the battery 22 without using a cold storage material, and also suppress heat generation from the battery 22, thereby extending the period when the MG3 can be driven, thereby suppressing a deterioration in the driving feel.

(2) When supplying the first refrigerant to the battery 22, if the battery temperature TB is equal to or higher than the first predetermined battery temperature T2, the cooling device 60 increases the amount of circulating first refrigerant compared to when the battery temperature TB is less than the first predetermined battery temperature T2.

This allows the battery 22 to be cooled efficiently according to the battery temperature TB.

(3) When the first refrigerant is supplied to the battery 22, if the refrigerant temperature TW is equal to or higher than the first predetermined refrigerant temperature T11, the cooling device 60 drives the engine 1 to perform heat exchange between the first refrigerant and the second refrigerant, and if the refrigerant temperature TW is lower than the first predetermined refrigerant temperature T11, the cooling device 60 does not perform heat exchange between the first refrigerant and the second refrigerant.

This means that the compressor 92 will not operate if the refrigerant temperature TW is at a temperature that can cool the battery 22 without any problems, thereby preventing a deterioration in fuel efficiency due to driving the compressor 92.

(4) When heat is exchanged between the first and second refrigerants, if the battery temperature TB is equal to or higher than the first predetermined battery temperature T2 and the refrigerant temperature TW is equal to or higher than the second predetermined refrigerant temperature T12, which is higher than the first predetermined refrigerant temperature T11, the cooling device 60 exchanges heat between the first and second refrigerants so that the first refrigerant is cooled more strongly than when the battery temperature TB is lower than the first predetermined battery temperature T2 and when the refrigerant temperature TW is lower than the second predetermined refrigerant temperature T12.

This allows the first refrigerant to be cooled more strongly depending on the refrigerant temperature TW, allowing the first refrigerant to appropriately cool the battery 22.

(5) When the battery temperature TB is equal to or higher than the first predetermined battery temperature T2 and the refrigerant temperature TW is equal to or higher than a third predetermined refrigerant temperature T13 that is higher than the second predetermined refrigerant temperature T12, the cooling device 60 does not perform air conditioning of the vehicle interior using the air conditioner 80.

This allows the first refrigerant to be cooled more strongly depending on the refrigerant temperature TW, allowing the first refrigerant to appropriately cool the battery 22.

The above describes embodiments of the present invention, but these embodiments merely illustrate some of the application examples of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the technical scope of the present invention to the specific configurations of the above embodiments.

100 Hybrid vehicle (vehicle)
1 Engine 3 Motor generator (motor)
10 Integrated controller (computer)
22 Battery 60 Cooling device 72 Heat exchanger 80 Air conditioner 92 Compressor

Claims (7)

A cooling device that uses a first refrigerant to cool a battery mounted on a vehicle that has an engine and a motor as drive sources,
an air conditioning device that conditions the air inside the vehicle cabin using a second refrigerant;
a heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the first refrigerant and the second refrigerant;
a compressor driven by the engine and compressing the second refrigerant;
Equipped with
When the temperature of the battery reaches or exceeds a first predetermined battery temperature while the engine is stopped and the vehicle is running using the driving force of the motor, the first refrigerant is circulated to supply the first refrigerant to the battery, and the engine is driven to exchange heat between the first refrigerant and the second refrigerant;
When the temperature of the battery becomes equal to or higher than a second predetermined battery temperature that is lower than the first predetermined battery temperature while the engine is running after the engine has started with the temperature of the battery being lower than the first predetermined battery temperature, the first refrigerant is circulated to supply the first refrigerant to the battery, and heat exchange is performed between the first refrigerant and the second refrigerant.
Cooling device. 2. The cooling device according to claim 1,
When the first refrigerant is supplied to the battery, if the temperature of the battery is equal to or higher than the first predetermined battery temperature, the amount of the first refrigerant circulated is increased more than when the temperature of the battery is lower than the first predetermined battery temperature.
Cooling device. The cooling device according to claim 1 or 2,
When the first refrigerant is supplied to the battery, if the temperature of the first refrigerant is equal to or higher than a first predetermined refrigerant temperature, the engine is driven to perform heat exchange between the first refrigerant and the second refrigerant, and if the temperature of the first refrigerant is lower than the first predetermined refrigerant temperature, the engine is maintained in a driven state and heat exchange between the first refrigerant and the second refrigerant is not performed.
Cooling device. The cooling device according to claim 3,
When heat exchange is performed between the first refrigerant and the second refrigerant, if the temperature of the battery is equal to or higher than the first predetermined battery temperature and the temperature of the first refrigerant is equal to or higher than a second predetermined refrigerant temperature that is higher than the first predetermined refrigerant temperature, heat exchange is performed between the first refrigerant and the second refrigerant so that the first refrigerant is cooled more strongly than when the temperature of the battery is lower than the first predetermined battery temperature and when the temperature of the first refrigerant is lower than the second predetermined refrigerant temperature.
Cooling device. 5. The cooling device according to claim 4,
When the temperature of the battery is equal to or higher than the first predetermined battery temperature and the temperature of the first refrigerant is equal to or higher than a third predetermined refrigerant temperature that is higher than the second predetermined refrigerant temperature, the air conditioning of the vehicle interior by the air conditioner is not performed.
Cooling device. A control method for a cooling device that uses a first refrigerant to cool a battery mounted on a vehicle that has an engine and a motor as drive sources, comprising:
The cooling device is
an air conditioning device that conditions the air inside the vehicle cabin using a second refrigerant;
a heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the first refrigerant and the second refrigerant;
a compressor driven by the engine and compressing the second refrigerant;
Equipped with
The control method includes:
When the temperature of the battery reaches or exceeds a first predetermined battery temperature while the engine is stopped and the vehicle is running using the driving force of the motor, circulating the first refrigerant to supply the first refrigerant to the battery and driving the engine to perform heat exchange between the first refrigerant and the second refrigerant;
When the temperature of the battery reaches or exceeds a second predetermined battery temperature that is lower than the first predetermined battery temperature while the engine is running after the engine has been started with the temperature of the battery being lower than the first predetermined battery temperature, the first refrigerant is circulated to supply the first refrigerant to the battery, and heat is exchanged between the first refrigerant and the second refrigerant;
A method for controlling a cooling device, comprising: A computer-executable program for a cooling device that uses a first refrigerant to cool a battery mounted on a vehicle having an engine and a motor as drive sources, the program comprising:
The cooling device is
an air conditioning device that conditions the air inside the vehicle cabin using a second refrigerant;
a heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the first refrigerant and the second refrigerant;
a compressor driven by the engine and compressing the second refrigerant;
Equipped with
The program
a step of circulating the first refrigerant to supply the first refrigerant to the battery and driving the engine to perform heat exchange between the first refrigerant and the second refrigerant when the temperature of the battery reaches or exceeds a first predetermined battery temperature while the engine is stopped and the vehicle is running using the driving force of the motor;
a step of circulating the first refrigerant to supply the first refrigerant to the battery and performing heat exchange between the first refrigerant and the second refrigerant when the temperature of the battery becomes equal to or higher than a second predetermined battery temperature that is lower than the first predetermined battery temperature while the engine is running after the engine has been started while the temperature of the battery is lower than the first predetermined battery temperature;
A program that causes the computer to execute the above.