Air conditioner for vehicle

Abstract

In a vehicle air conditioner, a heating heat exchanger is disposed in an air passage of a casing to heat air to be blown toward a vehicle compartment by performing heat exchange between air and a heating fluid, a heat radiation portion is disposed to radiate heat to the heating fluid before being heat-exchanged in the heating heat exchanger, a heat absorption portion is disposed to absorb heat from the heating fluid after being heat-exchanged in the heating heat exchanger, and a Peltier element is disposed between the heat radiation portion and the heat absorption portion to pump heat from the heat absorption portion to the heat radiation portion. Furthermore, the heat radiation portion is disposed in the air passage of the casing, in which the heating heat exchanger is disposed. Thus, heat discharged from the Peltier element can be effectively used.

1 . An air conditioner for a vehicle, comprising:
 a casing defining an air passage through which air flows into a vehicle compartment;   a heating heat exchanger disposed in the air passage of the casing to heat air to be blown toward the vehicle compartment by performing heat exchange between air and a heating fluid;   a heat radiation portion disposed to radiate heat to the heating fluid before being heat-exchanged in the heating heat exchanger;   a heat absorption portion disposed to absorb heat from the heating fluid after being heat-exchanged in the heating heat exchanger; and   a Peltier element disposed between the heat radiation portion and the heat absorption portion to pump heat from the heat absorption portion to the heat radiation portion, wherein the heat radiation portion is disposed in the air passage of the casing, in which the heating heat exchanger is disposed.   
     
     
         2 . The air conditioner for a vehicle according to  claim 1 , wherein the heat radiation portion, the Peltier element and the heat absorption portion are formed integrally with the heating heat exchanger. 
     
     
         3 . The air conditioner for a vehicle according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the heating heat exchanger includes a passage forming member defining a heating fluid passage in which the heating fluid flows,   the heat radiation portion is configured by a heating-fluid inlet side portion of the passage forming member,   the heat absorption portion is configured by a heating-fluid outlet side portion of the passage forming member, and   the Peltier element is arranged between the heating-fluid inlet side portion and the heating-fluid outlet side portion of the passage forming member.   
     
     
         4 . The air conditioner for a vehicle according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the heat radiation portion configured by the heating-fluid inlet side portion of the passage forming member is a part of a heat-exchanging portion in which the heating fluid is heat-exchanged with air.   
     
     
         5 . The air conditioner for a vehicle according to  claim 3 , wherein the passage forming member is formed in a serpentine shape. 
     
     
         6 . The air conditioner for a vehicle according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the heating heat exchanger includes a fin member that is arranged on an outer surface of the passage forming member in the heat exchanging portion to facilitate heat exchange between air and the heating fluid,   the fin member is arranged with different fin pitches at a heating-fluid upstream side of the passage forming member and at a heating-fluid downstream side of the passage forming member, and   the fin pitch of the fin member at the heating-fluid upstream side of the passage forming member is larger than the fin pitch of the fin member at the heating-fluid downstream side of the passage forming member.   
     
     
         7 . The air conditioner for a vehicle according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the heating-fluid inlet side portion used as the heat radiation portion and the heating-fluid outlet side portion used as the heat absorption portion have therein a passage height that is smaller than 1 mm.   
     
     
         8 . The air conditioner for a vehicle according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the heating heat exchanger includes a first heating heat exchanger, and a second heating heat exchanger disposed to heat air after passing through the first heating heat exchanger, and   the heat radiation portion, the Peltier element and the heat absorption portion are provided at least at the second heating heat exchanger, in the first and second heating heat exchangers.   
     
     
         9 . The air conditioner for a vehicle according to  claim 8 , wherein
 the heat radiation portion and the heat absorption portion are configured such that the heating fluid flowing out of the first heating heat exchanger is joined to the heating fluid flowing in the heat absorption portion or the heating fluid before flowing into the heat absorption portion.