Vehicle air-conditioning apparatus

Abstract

An air conditioning apparatus cools air sent to a passenger compartment by using a cooling machine which is a vapor compression heat pump. Heating of the air may be implemented by utilizing the heat of an internal combustion engine or via a Peltier element. As the cooling machine, a cooling machine provided in a conventional air conditioning apparatus may be utilized, thus eliminating the need for significant modification of the structure of the air conditioning apparatus. The air sent to the passenger compartment can be heated with the Peltier element so that the passenger compartment can be air-conditioned (heated), even when it is difficult to utilize the internal combustion engine as a heat source for air-conditioning the passenger compartment, such as when the vehicle is travelling solely on the motor generator. Thus, the passenger compartment can be air-conditioned in vehicles in which it is difficult to utilize the internal combustion engine as a heat source for air-conditioning the passenger compartment, without requiring significant structural changes.

1 . A vehicle air-conditioning apparatus for adjusting a temperature in a passenger compartment by cooling or heating air sent to the passenger compartment, the vehicle air-conditioning apparatus comprising:
 a cooling device that cools the air sent to the passenger compartment; and   a Peltier element that heats the air sent to the passenger compartment.   
     
     
         2 . The vehicle air-conditioning apparatus according to  claim 1 , comprising a circulation circuit that circulates coolant performing heat transfer with an internal combustion engine mounted on a vehicle, and heats air sent to the passenger compartment by the coolant,
 wherein the Peltier element includes a heating portion that heats the coolant in the circulation circuit, the Peltier element heating the air sent to the passenger compartment through the heating operation by the heating portion.   
     
     
         3 . The vehicle air-conditioning apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the circulation circuit includes a first path that allows the coolant circulating in the circulation circuit to pass through the internal combustion engine and a second path that allows the coolant to bypass the internal combustion engine, and   either one of the first path and the second path is used as a path for circulating the coolant.   
     
     
         4 . The vehicle air-conditioning apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the circulation circuit includes a radiator,   when the temperature of the coolant circulating in the circulation circuit is greater than or equal to a predetermined determination value, the radiator allows to flow therein to perform heat transfer between the coolant and ambient air,   the Peltier element includes a cooling portion that performs heat transfer with the coolant circulating in a coolant circuit, and   when the internal combustion engine is stopped and the heating operation of the heating portion of the Peltier element is performed, the coolant circuit guides the coolant circulating therein to the radiator and performs heat transfer between the coolant and ambient air at the radiator.   
     
     
         5 . The vehicle air-conditioning apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the Peltier element includes a cooling portion that performs a heat transfer with the coolant circulating in a coolant circuit, and   the coolant circuit cools an electric device mounted on the vehicle by the coolant circulating therein.   
     
     
         6 . The vehicle air-conditioning apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the coolant circuit includes a heat exchanger that allows the coolant circulating in the coolant circuit to flow in the heat exchanger, thereby performing heat transfer between the coolant and ambient air. 
     
     
         7 . The vehicle air-conditioning apparatus according to  claim 3 , comprising a control unit, wherein
 when the passenger compartment is warmed in a case where the vehicle runs with the internal combustion engine stopped, the controller switches the path for circulating the coolant in the circulation circuit to the second path and causes the heating portion of the Peltier element to be heated, and   when the passenger compartment is warmed in a case where the vehicle runs with the internal combustion engine being operated, the control unit switches the path for circulating the coolant in the circulation circuit to the first path and stops the heating operation of the heating portion of the Peltier element.