KR20150089420A

KR20150089420A - Air conditioner for vehicle with photocatalyst module and method for controlling the same

Info

Publication number: KR20150089420A
Application number: KR1020140010016A
Authority: KR
Inventors: 김재호; 김기홍; 박지용; 이동석
Original assignee: 한온시스템 주식회사
Priority date: 2014-01-28
Filing date: 2014-01-28
Publication date: 2015-08-05
Also published as: KR102032255B1

Abstract

The air conditioning unit is provided with a photocatalytic module capable of sterilizing and deodorizing the air introduced into the air conditioning case, sterilizing and deodorizing the evaporator, and performing sterilization and deodorization of the evaporator efficiently and economically, An apparatus and a control method thereof are disclosed. An air conditioner for a vehicle having a photocatalytic module includes an air conditioning case having an air inlet formed at an inlet side thereof, an air outlet formed at an outlet side thereof, and an air passage formed therein, an evaporator provided on an air passage of the air conditioning case, A photocatalytic module is provided on one side of the air conditioning case. The photocatalytic module generates photocatalytic reaction by irradiated light to generate radicals, A catalyst part disposed to supply air into the air flow path inside the air conditioning case; at least one light source part for irradiating ultraviolet (UV) light to the catalyst part side; and a starting time point and a starting time point And controlling the operation of the light source unit in conjunction with the start On / Off point. Accordingly, it is possible to completely remove the unpleasant air remaining in the evaporator or the interior of the vehicle, to provide a pleasant environment conveniently without any additional operation, to enable the economical operation of the photocatalytic module, and to increase the durability, thereby enabling a semi-permanent use.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle air conditioner having a photocatalyst module,

The present invention relates to a vehicle air conditioner having a photocatalyst module and a control method thereof, and more particularly, to a vehicle air conditioner having a photocatalyst module for purifying the air flowing into the air conditioner case and sterilizing and deodorizing the evaporator, And a control method.

An air conditioner for a vehicle includes an evaporator for cooling the inside of the air conditioner case, an evaporator for cooling the inside of the air conditioner case, an evaporator for cooling the inside of the air conditioner case, A heater core for the heating action, and air blown or heated by the evaporator or the heater core are selectively blown to respective portions of the vehicle interior using a blowing mode switching door.

Japanese Patent Publication No. 2549032 (May 30, 1997), which was filed in the same year, discloses a cooling apparatus with a deodorizer for an automobile. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a conventional cooling apparatus with a deodorizer for an automobile.

1, a conventional air conditioner with a deodorizer for an automobile is provided with an outside air inlet 21 and an inside air inlet 22 in a case 20, and an outside air inlet 21 and an inside air inlet 22 And an intake door 23 for selectively opening and closing is rotatably provided. An actuator 30 is connected to the pivot shaft of the intake door 23 and is controlled by the control means 31.

A blower 25 for blowing the air introduced from the inside and outside air intake ports 21 and 22 to the downstream side is provided on the downstream side of the intake door 23 and the blower 25 is connected to the fan 32 and the fan 32 And a motor 33 for rotating the motor. On the downstream side of the blower 25, an evaporator 26 is installed and cools the air by exchanging heat with air passing therethrough. The air passage 28 on the downstream side of the evaporator 26 is provided with a photocatalytic filter 27 for generating active oxygen by irradiation with a long wavelength light.

The photocatalytic filter 27 generates active oxygen by irradiation of the ultraviolet lamp 29, and the active oxygen oxidizes and decomposes the substance causing the odor to a very low concentration oxidizable compound. The ultraviolet lamp 29 is disposed between the evaporator 26 and the photocatalytic filter 27. The downstream side of the photocatalytic filter 27 is provided with a metal catalyst filter 34 for removing ozone contained in the flowing air. Reference numeral 35 denotes a temperature sensor, 36 denotes a sensor for sensing the odor level, 37 denotes a fan switch, and 24 denotes an air outlet.

On the other hand, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1984-230815 (issued on December 25, 1984) discloses a vehicle air conditioner for controlling a sterilizing lamp. 2 shows a schematic configuration of a conventional automotive air conditioner.

As shown in Fig. 2, the solar cell 2 is located in the space portion at the rear position. The air conditioner 3 is located on the seat at the lower part of the front panel and the air conditioner case 4 of the air conditioner 3 has the outside air inlet 5 and the inside air inlet 6. In addition, the air blower 10 is located behind the doors 8, 9 for opening or closing the inlets 5, 6.

The sterilizing lamp 13 is located behind the air blower 10 and is fixed to the air conditioning case 4 and is located adjacent to the vacuum evaporator 11. The power terminals of the sterilizing lamp 13 and the air blower 10 are connected to the battery of the vehicle. In addition, when the main switch of the automobile is off (Off), it is connected to the solar cell 2 through the power supply means 4. As a result, the sterilizing lamp 13 and the air blower 10 are operated.

In addition, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-240260 (2003.08.27), which was previously filed, discloses an air conditioner capable of sterilizing bacteria contained in air with a simple structure. According to the publication, an ultraviolet lamp that emits ultraviolet rays to the air blown to the blower, an operation control unit that controls the operation of the blower, and a lamp sensing unit that senses whether the ultraviolet lamp is turned on or off. The operation control unit reduces the number of revolutions of the blower when the lamp detecting unit detects that the ultraviolet lamp is lit, rather than when the ultraviolet lamp is not lit.

However, there is a problem in that the ultraviolet lamp used as the light source of the photocatalyst contains mercury in the inside, and mercury is harmful to the human body and can not be applied to the vehicle due to various environmental requirements. In addition, the photocatalytic filter is disposed downstream of the evaporator to adsorb and deodorize the odor generated in the evaporator, and therefore, there is a problem that the filter must be replaced due to a decrease in the amount of dust overflow.

In addition, bacteria and odorous substances remaining in the evaporator at the beginning of the starting operation (On) cause an uncomfortable smell to the vehicle occupant. In this case, although a certain amount of odor can be removed due to the operation of the lamp after the starting operation (On), there is a problem that unpleasant odor and air having bacteria are emitted to the inside of the vehicle at the beginning of starting, .

Japanese Patent Publication No. 2549032 (May 30, 1997) Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 1984-230815 (December 25, 1984) Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-240260 (Aug. 27, 2003)

In order to solve such a conventional problem, the present invention purifies the air introduced into the air conditioning case, disinfects and deodorizes the evaporator, combines with the point of time before and after starting the vehicle to efficiently and economically sterilize the evaporator, And an object thereof is to provide a vehicle air conditioner having a photocatalyst module capable of performing deodorization and a control method thereof.

A vehicle air conditioning system equipped with a photocatalytic module according to the present invention includes an air conditioning case having an air inlet formed at an inlet side thereof and an air outlet formed at an outlet side thereof and an air passage formed therein, An evaporator and a blower for blowing air into the air conditioning case, wherein a photocatalyst module is provided on one side of the air conditioning case, and the photocatalyst module generates a radical by causing photocatalytic reaction by the irradiated light, And at least one light source unit for irradiating ultraviolet (UV) light to the catalytic unit side, and a control unit for controlling the starting time and the starting off time of the vehicle Off time point and controls the operation of the light source unit in conjunction with the start On / Off time point.

In the above, the start-on of the vehicle is controlled by the portable terminal, and the controller receives the start-on time from the portable terminal in cooperation with the portable terminal, Thereby controlling the light source unit.

In the above, the portable terminal is configured as a smart phone, and the control unit is interlocked with an application installed in the smart phone.

In this case, the controller is interlocked with navigation installed in the vehicle, receives a starting off point from the navigation, and controls the light source unit for a predetermined period of time before the starting off time.

In this case, the control unit operates the light source unit when receiving the destination arrival signal before arriving at the set destination of the navigation, and stops the light source unit at the time of vehicle startup off.

In the above, the photocatalytic module is provided on the upstream side of the evaporator, and is disposed in a direction parallel to the evaporator in the air flow direction.

Meanwhile, a control method of a vehicle air conditioner having a photocatalyst module according to the present invention includes the steps of: operating an application installed in a mobile terminal configured with a smart phone; The control unit controls the light source unit to operate for a certain period of time prior to the starting time point of ON start of the vehicle, a step of operating the blower unit, a step of turning on the starting of the vehicle, Receiving a signal and controlling the operation of the light source unit for a predetermined period of time, stopping the start of the vehicle, and stopping the light source unit when the vehicle is turned off.

The present invention provides a vehicle air conditioner having a photocatalyst module and a control method thereof, which can completely remove the unpleasant air remaining in the evaporator or the interior of the vehicle and can conveniently receive a pleasant environment without any special operation, It is possible to economically operate the photocatalytic module and increase the durability of the photocatalytic module, thereby enabling the semi-permanent use of the photocatalytic module.

1 is a cross-sectional view showing a conventional air-cooling apparatus with a deodorizer for an automobile,
2 shows a schematic configuration of a conventional automotive air conditioner,
3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a schematic configuration of a vehicle air conditioner having a photocatalyst module according to an embodiment of the present invention,
4 is a perspective view illustrating a vehicle air conditioner having a photocatalytic module according to an embodiment of the present invention,
FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing the installation state of the photocatalytic module according to an embodiment of the present invention,
6 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a vehicle air conditioner having a photocatalyst module according to an embodiment of the present invention,
FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing a mounting state of the photocatalytic module according to a modification of FIG. 5,
FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a control method of a vehicle air conditioner having a photocatalytic module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, a technical configuration of a vehicle air conditioner having a photocatalytic module and a control method thereof will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a schematic configuration of a vehicle air conditioner having a photocatalytic module according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a vehicle air conditioner having a photocatalytic module according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a perspective.

3 and 4, a vehicle air conditioner 100 having a photocatalytic module according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an air conditioning case 140, an evaporator 141 and a heater core 142, An air blowing device 110, a temperature control door 145, a plurality of mode doors 146, and a photocatalyst module 200.

The air conditioning case 140 has an air inlet 143 formed at an inlet side thereof, a plurality of air outlet ports 144 formed at an outlet side thereof, and an air passage formed therein. The evaporator 141 and the heater core 142 are sequentially disposed on the internal air passage of the air conditioning case 140 at regular intervals. The evaporator 141 performs heat exchange with the air flowing through the air passage to cool the air, and the heater core 142 performs heat exchange with the air flowing through the air passage to heat the air.

The air blowing device 110 blows air into the air conditioning case 140. The air blowing device 110 has an air inflow inlet 121 and an outside air inflow inlet 122 formed on one side and has an air inflow inlet 121 and an outside air inlet 122 And an internal / external switching door 123 is selectively provided to open / close the door. In addition, the air blowing apparatus 110 includes a blowing fan 135 for blowing the inside air or outside air to the air inlet 143 side of the air conditioning case 140 forcibly.

The temperature control door 145 is disposed between the evaporator 141 and the heater core 142 to control the opening degree of the hot air passage passing through the heater core 142 and the cold air passage bypassing the heater core 142, The discharge temperature of the discharge gas is controlled. A plurality of mode doors 146 are installed in the respective air discharge openings 144 to selectively open and close the respective air discharge openings 144 according to various air conditioning modes.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a photocatalytic module installed according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a vehicle air conditioner having a photocatalytic module according to an embodiment of the present invention .

5 and 6, the photocatalyst module 200 is provided at one side of the air conditioning case 140, and includes a catalyst unit 210, a light source unit 220, and a control unit 300. The photocatalyst module 200 may be configured such that the catalyst unit 210 and the light source unit 220 are modularized into one. Therefore, detachment and attachment of the photocatalyst module 200 is easy, which is advantageous in maintenance.

The catalytic unit 210 generates a photocatalytic reaction by the irradiated light and generates an oxygen radical 201. The catalytic part is arranged to supply the generated over-oxygen radical 201 to the air flow path inside the air conditioning case 140. The catalytic unit 210 is made of a carrier such as a ceramic or the like and is made of a material having a low air resistance so as to minimize a decrease in the air volume of the flowing air passing through the catalytic unit 210.

The catalytic unit 210 generates a photocatalytic reaction by the light emitted from the light source unit 220 to be described later and flows into the air conditioning case 140 through the oxidizing action of the oxygen radical 201 generated in the photocatalytic reaction And the odor causing substances 1411 such as microorganisms, fungus, noxious gas, various contaminants and odors in the evaporator 141 are removed.

The light source unit 220 includes one or a plurality of light sources 220 and emits ultraviolet (UV) light toward the catalyst unit 210. When the photocatalyst carrier constituting the catalytic unit 210 absorbs light by the light source unit 220, the electrons of the valence band (VB), which is filled with electrons, absorb the light energy, Conduction Band: CB. Hole, an empty electron spot in the valence band, oxidizes the water molecule on its surface, leaving it in its original state, and the oxidized water molecules form OH radicals. In addition, an excited electron excited by a conduction band reacts with oxygen to produce an oxygen-rich (O ₂ -) radical 201 with strong oxidizing power.

The structure in which the photocatalyst module 200 is composed of the catalytic unit 210 and the light source unit 220 and generates the over-oxygen radical 201 by the photocatalytic reaction is a structure in which the polluted air containing odor is adsorbed and deodorized The photocatalyst module 200 can be semi-permanently used by selecting the type of the carrier or appropriately controlling the on / off of the light source unit. That is, the photocatalyst module 200 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention has excellent lifetime.

The light source unit 220 includes a light emitting diode (LED) that emits UVA (Ultra Violet-A) light or UVC (Ultra Violet-C) light having a wavelength of 400 nm or less. Since the light source unit 220 is composed of LED, it is possible to solve the problem of mercury usage which is a problem in the conventional mercury lamp and to effectively irradiate the light with a small power. In this case, UVA is advantageous in cost because it is relatively inexpensive and effectively activates the photocatalytic reaction of the photocatalyst carrier. In addition, UVC is relatively expensive but can act to activate the photocatalytic reaction, and at the same time, perform sterilizing function on its own to improve sterilization efficiency.

As shown in Fig. 5, the air conditioning case 140 has a flow path switching portion for switching the flow direction of the air on the upstream side of the evaporator 141. [ The flow path switching portion is a section where air blown from the air blowing device 110 is switched in the 90 占 direction, and the photocatalytic module 200 is installed in the flow path switching portion. The photocatalyst module 200 is disposed on the upstream side of the evaporator 141 so that the radicals 201 generated from the photocatalyst module 200 flow to the evaporator 141 together with the flowing air and are supplied to the evaporator 141, And the odor causing substance 1411 such as noxious gas is removed. In addition, since the photocatalyst module 200 is provided on a portion where the photocatalyst module 200 is connected to the ventilator 110, that is, on a connecting duct, an operator can easily access the photocatalyst module 200.

Meanwhile, FIG. 7 schematically shows the installation state of the photocatalytic module according to a modification of FIG. As shown in FIG. 7, according to a modification, the photocatalytic module 200 can be provided in a direction parallel to the evaporator 141 in the air flow direction. That is, the photocatalyst module 200 is disposed adjacent to the evaporator 141 in a direction parallel to the width direction thereof. With this configuration, it is possible to maximize sterilization and deodorization efficiency of the evaporator 141 by reaching the side of the evaporator 141 while minimizing the loss of oxygen radicals generated by the photocatalytic reaction.

5 and 6, the controller 300 senses the start time and the off time of the vehicle, and controls the operation of the light source 220 in conjunction with the start / . As the photocatalyst module 200 operates in conjunction with the start / on time of the vehicle, unpleasant air remaining in the evaporator or the inside of the car can be removed before boarding the vehicle, thereby maintaining a pleasant car interior environment. At the same time, the photocatalyst module 200 can be operated economically by driving the photocatalyst module 200 intensively at this time, and it is possible to economically operate the module 200, .

More specifically, the start-on (On) of the vehicle is controlled by the portable terminal 310. The control unit 300 is interlocked with the portable terminal 310 and receives a start time point of ON from the portable terminal 310 and operates the light source unit 220 for a predetermined time before the start time .

As the photocatalyst module 200 is interlocked with the portable terminal 310 by the control unit 300 and is operated for a predetermined period of time before the start-up of the vehicle is turned on, the passenger of the vehicle The photocatalyst module 200 is operated for a certain period of time prior to the start-up (On) point of time when the portable terminal 310 is operated and the vehicle is started when the portable terminal 310 is operated from the outside.

Accordingly, it is possible to easily control the starting of the vehicle from outside the vehicle through the portable terminal 310, and when the photocatalyst module 200 is automatically operated for a predetermined period of time before the start-up of the vehicle, The unpleasant air remaining in the passenger compartment 141 or the passenger compartment of the vehicle is completely removed, so that a pleasant environment can be conveniently provided without any additional operation.

In this case, the portable terminal 310 is configured as a smart phone, and the controller 300 is interlocked with an application installed in the smart phone. The application installed on the smart phone may be implemented as application software, for example, Blue Link. As the control unit 300 is interlocked with the application installed in the smart phone, it is possible to set a more convenient and various use environment.

In addition, the control unit 300 is interlocked with the navigation unit 320 installed in the vehicle. The control unit 300 receives a starting off point of view from the navigation unit 320 and controls the light source unit 220 for a certain period of time before the starting off point. More specifically, the control unit 300 operates the light source unit 220 when receiving the destination arrival signal before reaching the set destination of the navigation unit 320, and stops the light source unit 220 when the vehicle is turned off do.

The navigation unit 320 operates while the vehicle is operating to guide the destination. When the destination is input, the navigation unit 320 guides the user while driving. When the vehicle is adjacent to the set destination, the navigation unit 320 informs the passenger of the destination with a voice or a separate signal. The control unit 300 can receive the destination arrival signal and predict the starting time of the vehicle.

As the photocatalyst module 200 is interlocked with the navigation unit 320 by the control unit 300 and is operated for a certain period of time before the start-off of the vehicle, the passenger of the vehicle can be photocatalysted for a certain period of time The module 200 is operated. Therefore, the photocatalyst module 200 can be operated automatically for a predetermined period of time before the start-up of the vehicle is turned off, thereby preventing the remaining bacteria and odor components from remaining in the evaporator or the vehicle interior after the start-up of the vehicle.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a control method of a vehicle air conditioner having a photocatalytic module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 8, a method for controlling a vehicle air conditioner having a photocatalytic module according to an embodiment of the present invention includes steps S11 and S12 of operating an application installed in a mobile terminal 310, which is a smart phone, , The control unit 300 recognizes the application operating point of the mobile terminal 310 as the start point of the vehicle and determines that the light source unit 220 is operated for a predetermined time before the start point The control unit 300 receives the destination arrival signal of the navigation unit 320 and receives the destination arrival signal of the navigation unit 320 for a predetermined period of time (step S13) A step S19 of turning the vehicle on and off, and a step S20 of stopping the light source unit 220 at a time point when the vehicle is turned off.

In step S11, the passenger operates the blue link, which is a type of application software, using the portable terminal 310 from outside the vehicle. The BlueLink is configured to control the starting of the vehicle, the operation of the air conditioner, and the like using the portable terminal 310 before boarding the vehicle. In step S12, the light source unit 220 is turned on to start the photocatalytic reaction of the catalytic unit 210 to generate over-oxygen radicals, and the oxygen radicals sterilize and deodorize the evaporator 141 and the vehicle interior.

The fan unit 110 is operated in step S13, and in step S14, the start of the vehicle is turned on and the navigation unit 320 is operated. In step S15, the air conditioner is operated. During operation of the vehicle, the photocatalyst module 200 may be periodically repeatedly operated or stopped (step S16). The control unit 300 receives the destination arrival signal of the navigation unit 320 in step S17 and the light source unit 220 is operated for a predetermined time in step S18 to start the photocatalytic reaction. When the start of the vehicle is turned off in step S19, the light source unit 220 is turned off in step S20.

With this configuration, the operation timing of the photocatalytic module is interlocked with the time point before and after the start of the air conditioning system and the vehicle, thereby automating the operation of the photocatalytic module and enabling economical and efficient use.

Although the vehicle air conditioner having the photocatalyst module according to the present invention and the control method thereof have been described with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings, it is to be understood that those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications and equivalent implementations You will understand that an example is possible. Accordingly, the scope of the true technical protection should be determined by the technical idea of the appended claims.

100: vehicle air conditioner 110: blower
121: Air inlet port 122: Outer air inlet
123: internal / external switching door 135: blowing fan
140: air conditioning case 141: evaporator
142: heater core 143: air inlet
144: air outlet 145: temperature control door
146: Mode door 200: Photocatalyst module
201: and oxygen radical 210: catalyst part
220: light source unit 300:
310: portable terminal 320: navigation

Claims

An air conditioning case 140 in which an air inlet 143 is formed at an inlet side and an air outlet 144 is formed at an outlet side and an air passage is formed therein; And a blowing device (110) for blowing air into the air conditioning case (140), the air conditioning device comprising:
A catalytic unit 210 arranged to generate a photocatalytic reaction by the irradiated light to generate oxygen radicals and to supply generated oxygen radicals to the air flow path inside the air conditioning case 140;
At least one light source unit 220 for irradiating ultraviolet (UV) light toward the catalyst unit 210 side; And
And a control unit (300) for detecting an on time and a starting off time of the vehicle and controlling the operation of the light source unit (220) in conjunction with the start On / Off time point of the vehicle And an air conditioner.

The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the catalytic unit (210) and the light source unit (220) are modularized to constitute a photocatalytic module (200).

The method according to claim 1,
The controller 300 controls the start of the vehicle to be turned on and the control unit 300 interlocks with the portable terminal 310 to receive a start time of the portable terminal 310, And controls the operation of the light source unit (220) for a certain period of time before the user boarding the air conditioner (On).

The method of claim 3,
Wherein the portable terminal (310) is configured as a smart phone, and the controller (300) is interlocked with an application installed in a smart phone.

The method according to claim 1,
The control unit 300 is interlocked with the navigation unit 320 installed in the vehicle and receives a starting off point from the navigation unit 320 to operate the light source unit 220 for a certain period of time prior to the start- Wherein the control unit controls the operation of the photocatalytic module.

6. The method of claim 5,
The control unit 300 operates the light source unit 220 when receiving the destination arrival signal before reaching the set destination of the navigation unit 320 and stops the light source unit 220 when the vehicle is turned off And a photocatalyst module mounted on the vehicle body.

3. The method of claim 2,
Wherein the photocatalyst module (200) is provided on an upstream side of the evaporator (141).

8. The method of claim 7,
Wherein the photocatalyst module (200) is provided in a direction parallel to the evaporator (141) in the air flow direction.

Operating an application installed in the portable terminal 310 configured as a smart phone;
The control unit 300 recognizes the operating point of the application of the mobile terminal 310 as the starting time point of the vehicle and controls the operation of the light source unit 220 for a certain period of time before the start up point of the vehicle.
Operating the blower 110;
A step of turning on the start of the vehicle;
Receiving the destination arrival signal of the navigation unit 320 and controlling the operation of the light source unit 220 for a predetermined time;
The step of turning off the vehicle;
And stopping the light source unit (220) when the vehicle is turned off. The control method for a vehicle air conditioner according to any preceding claim,