Refrigeration apparatus with exhaust heat recovery device

Abstract

A refrigeration apparatus with an exhaust heat recovery device mounted on a vehicle includes a refrigeration cycle for allowing a refrigerant for refrigeration to circulate therethrough, and a Rankine cycle for allowing a refrigerant for the Rankine cycle to circulate therethrough. The refrigeration-cycle condenser and the Rankine-cycle condenser are disposed in predetermined positions of the vehicle in series with respect to a flow direction of external air for cooling, and the refrigeration-cycle condenser is disposed on an upstream side of the external air with respect to the Rankine-cycle condenser.

1 . A refrigeration apparatus with an exhaust heat recovery device mounted on a vehicle, comprising:
 a refrigeration cycle for allowing a refrigerant for refrigeration to circulate therethrough, the refrigeration cycle including a compressor, a refrigeration-cycle condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator which are connected in a circular shape; and   a Rankine cycle for allowing a refrigerant for the Rankine cycle to circulate therethrough, the Rankine cycle including a pump, a heater using exhaust heat from a heat engine of the vehicle as a heating source, an expansion unit, and a Rankine-cycle condenser which are connected in a circular shape,   wherein the refrigeration-cycle condenser and the Rankine-cycle condenser are disposed in predetermined positions of the vehicle in series with respect to a flow direction of external air for cooling, and   wherein the refrigeration-cycle condenser is disposed on an upstream side of the external air with respect to the Rankine-cycle condenser.   
   
   
       2 . The refrigeration apparatus with an exhaust heat recovery device according to  claim 1 , further comprising control means for controlling operations of the refrigeration cycle and the Rankine cycle,
 wherein the control means controls number of revolutions of the expansion unit such that an expansion-unit pressure difference in the expansion unit of the refrigerant for the Rankine cycle is equal to or more than a predetermined value, when both the refrigeration cycle and the Rankine cycle are simultaneously operated.   
   
   
       3 . The refrigeration apparatus with an exhaust heat recovery device according to  claim 2 , wherein the control means decreases the number of revolutions of the expansion unit when the expansion-unit pressure difference is smaller than the predetermined value. 
   
   
       4 . The refrigeration apparatus with an exhaust heat recovery device according to  claim 2 , wherein the control means controls the number of revolutions of the expansion unit such that the expansion-unit pressure difference has such a value as to obtain a predetermined appropriate expansion ratio in the expansion unit. 
   
   
       5 . The refrigeration apparatus with an exhaust heat recovery device according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a high-pressure side pressure detection means located in a high-pressure side area leading from a downstream side of the pump to an upstream side of the expansion unit, the high-pressure side pressure detection means being adapted to detect a high-pressure side pressure of the refrigerant for the Rankine cycle; and   a low-pressure side pressure detection means located in a low-pressure side area leading from a downstream side of the expansion unit to an upstream side of the pump, the low-pressure side pressure detection means being adapted to detect a low-pressure side pressure of the refrigerant for the Rankine cycle,   wherein the control means controls the number of revolutions of the expansion unit based on a difference between the high-pressure side pressure and the low-pressure side pressure, the difference indicating the expansion unit pressure difference.   
   
   
       6 . The refrigeration apparatus with an exhaust heat recovery device according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a high-pressure side pressure detection means located in a high-pressure side area leading from a downstream side of the pump to an upstream side of the expansion unit, the high-pressure side pressure detection means being adapted to detect a high-pressure side pressure of the refrigerant for the Rankine cycle;   an air temperature detection means disposed between the refrigeration-cycle condenser and the Rankine-cycle condenser, the air temperature detection means being adapted to detect an air temperature of the external air passing through between the refrigeration-cycle condenser and the Rankine-cycle condenser; and   calculation means for calculating a temperature of the refrigerant for the Rankine cycle in the Rankine-cycle condenser, and further a low-pressure side pressure based on an amount of heat radiated at the Rankine-cycle condenser which is balanced with an amount of heat absorbed into the heater by exhaust heat, an amount of the external air passing through the Rankine-cycle condenser, and the air temperature detected by the air temperature detection means,   wherein the control means controls the number of revolutions of the expansion unit based on a difference, indicative of the expansion-unit pressure difference, between the high-pressure side pressure and the low-pressure side pressure.   
   
   
       7 . The refrigeration apparatus with an exhaust heat recovery device according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a high-pressure side pressure detection means located in a high-pressure side area leading from a downstream side of the pump to an upstream side of the expansion unit, the high-pressure side pressure detection means being adapted to detect a high-pressure side pressure of the refrigerant for the Rankine cycle;   an inflow air temperature detection means for detecting an inflow air temperature of the external air before flowing into the refrigeration-cycle condenser and the Rankine-cycle condenser; and   calculation means for calculating a temperature of the external air after passing through the refrigeration-cycle condenser based on an amount of heat radiated at the refrigeration radiator which is balanced with a necessary refrigeration capacity at the evaporator, an amount of the external air passing through the refrigeration-cycle condenser, and the inflow air temperature detected by the inflow air temperature detection means, the calculation means being also adapted to calculate a temperature of the refrigerant for the Rankine cycle in the Rankine-cycle condenser, and further calculating a low-pressure side pressure based on an amount of heat radiated at the Rankine-cycle condenser which is balanced with an amount of heat absorbed into the heater by the exhaust heat, an amount of the external air passing through the Rankine-cycle condenser, and the calculated temperature of the external air after passing through the refrigeration-cycle condenser,   wherein the control means controls the number of revolutions of the expansion unit based on a difference, indicative of the expansion-unit pressure difference, between the high-pressure side pressure and the low-pressure side pressure.   
   
   
       8 . The refrigeration apparatus with an exhaust heat recovery device according to  claim 1 , wherein positions of an inlet and an outlet of the refrigerant in the refrigeration-cycle condenser are positioned in the same area as those of an inlet and an outlet of the refrigerant for the Rankine cycle in the Rankine-cycle condenser as viewed from the flow direction of the external air. 
   
   
       9 . The refrigeration apparatus with an exhaust heat recovery device according to  claim 1 , further comprising an air-introduction flow path portion for allowing the external air to be introduced into the Rankine-cycle condenser from an upstream side of the external air of the refrigeration-cycle condenser through a space between the refrigeration-cycle condenser and the Rankine-cycle condenser, and
 an opening adjustment portion for adjusting an area of an opening toward the refrigeration-cycle condenser and an area of an opening toward the air-introduction flow path portion by being moved under control of the control means.   
   
   
       10 . The refrigeration apparatus with an exhaust heat recovery device according to  claim 1 , wherein an area of a front surface of the refrigeration-cycle condenser is made to be smaller than that of a front surface of the Rankine-cycle condenser, and the Rankine-cycle condenser has an area at an upstream side of the external air where the refrigeration-cycle condenser is not superimposed. 
   
   
       11 . The refrigeration apparatus with an exhaust heat recovery device according to  claim 10 , wherein a dimension of the refrigeration-cycle condenser in a flow direction of the external air is set larger than that of the Rankine-cycle condenser. 
   
   
       12 . The refrigeration apparatus with an exhaust heat recovery device according to  claim 1 , wherein an inlet and an outlet of the refrigerant for refrigeration in the refrigeration-cycle condenser is provided to be opened toward an upstream side in a flow direction of the external air. 
   
   
       13 . The refrigeration apparatus with an exhaust heat recovery device according to  claim 1 , wherein an inlet and an outlet of the refrigerant for the Rankine cycle in the Rankine-cycle condenser is provided to be opened in a direction perpendicular to a flow direction of the external air. 
   
   
       14 . The refrigeration apparatus with an exhaust heat recovery device according to  claim 1 , wherein the refrigeration-cycle condenser and the Rankine-cycle condenser are disposed on an upstream side of the external air with respect to a radiator located in a radiator circuit of the vehicle, and
 wherein the refrigeration-cycle condenser, the Rankine-cycle condenser, and the radiator are disposed at predetermined positions of the vehicle in series with respect to a flow direction of the external air for cooling.   
   
   
       15 . The refrigeration apparatus with an exhaust heat recovery device according to  claim 14 , wherein the refrigeration-cycle condenser, the Rankine-cycle condenser, and the radiator are disposed on a front side in an engine room, at a rear side of a vehicle grill.