Vehicle air-conditioning apparatus updating method and vehicle air-conditioning apparatus

Abstract

A first air-conditioning apparatus disposed in a frame mounted on a vehicle is updated to a second air-conditioning apparatus is disposed in the frame. A compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, pressure reducing means, and an indoor heat exchanger of the first air-conditioning apparatus are removed from the frame. The second air-conditioning apparatus is assembled such that a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, pressure reducing means, and an indoor heat exchanger are arranged at predetermined positions in the frame, and the second air-conditioning apparatus is charged with HFC refrigerant. An inverter driving the compressor controls the compressor on the basis of a measured value of at least one of a pressure sensor and an outside air temperature sensor arranged on a discharge side of the compressor such that the amount of refrigerant circulating in the second air-conditioning apparatus is larger than that in the first air-conditioning apparatus.

1 . A method of updating a vehicle air-conditioning apparatus such that a first air-conditioning apparatus which is disposed in a frame mounted on a vehicle and in which a first refrigerant is used is updated to a second air-conditioning apparatus using a second refrigerant and the second air-conditioning apparatus is disposed in the frame, the method comprising the steps of:
 removing at least a first compressor, a first heat source side heat exchanger, a first pressure reducing device, and a first use side heat exchanger constituting a refrigerant circuit of the first air-conditioning apparatus from the frame;   assembling the second air-conditioning apparatus such that a second compressor, a second heat source side heat exchanger, a second pressure reducing device, and a second use side heat exchanger are arranged at predetermined positions in the frame; and   charging the second air-conditioning apparatus disposed in the frame with the second refrigerant,   wherein an inverter driving the first compressor included in the first air-conditioning apparatus controls the second compressor depending on a measured value of at least one of a pressure sensor and an outside air temperature sensor arranged on a discharge side of the second compressor such that an amount of the refrigerant circulating in the second air-conditioning apparatus is larger than that in the first air-conditioning apparatus.   
     
     
         2 . The vehicle air-conditioning apparatus updating method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the removing step includes a disconnecting step for disconnecting wiring of the inverter driving the first compressor from the first compressor, and   wherein the assembling step includes:
 a connecting step for connecting the wiring of the inverter to the second compressor; and 
 a changing setting step for changing setting to change information about control of inverter control device such that while the second air-conditioning apparatus operates, the inverter is controlled so as to provide an operating frequency higher than that of the inverter driving the first compressor. 
   
     
     
         3 . The vehicle air-conditioning apparatus updating method of  claim 2 , wherein the assembling step includes a disposing step for disposing a changeover switch in either the vehicle or the second air-conditioning apparatus, the changeover switch being configured to allow the inverter control device to select the operating frequency of the inverter which drives either the first compressor or the second compressor. 
     
     
         4 . The vehicle air-conditioning apparatus updating method of  claim 2 , wherein the assembling step includes a disposing step for disposing a detecting device configured to transmit information to the inverter control device, the information indicating that the second compressor is connected to the inverter. 
     
     
         5 . The vehicle air-conditioning apparatus updating method of  claim 1 , wherein the assembling step includes a disposing step for disposing an information display device configured to display information in either the vehicle or the second air-conditioning apparatus, the information indicating that the refrigerant used is the first refrigerant or the second refrigerant. 
     
     
         6 . A vehicle air-conditioning apparatus comprising
 a second air-conditioning apparatus which is disposed in a frame mounted on a vehicle instead of a first air-conditioning apparatus, disposed in the frame, including a refrigerant circuit that includes a first compressor, a first heat source side heat exchanger, a first pressure reducing device, and a first use side heat exchanger sequentially connected to allow a first refrigerant to circulate through the refrigerant circuit,   wherein the second air-conditioning apparatus includes,
 the refrigerant circuit that includes a second compressor, a second heat source side heat exchanger, a second pressure reducing device, and a second use side heat exchanger sequentially connected to allow a second refrigerant to circulate through the refrigerant circuit, 
 an inverter connected to the second compressor instead of to the first compressor, and 
 an inverter control device connected to the inverter, and 
   wherein the inverter control device controls the inverter to provide an operating frequency higher than that used during driving of the first compressor such that an amount of a refrigerant circulating is larger than that in the first air-conditioning apparatus.   
     
     
         7 . The vehicle air-conditioning apparatus of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a changeover switch disposed in either the vehicle or the second air-conditioning apparatus,   wherein when detecting that the second compressor is connected in response to an operation of the changeover switch, the inverter control device controls the inverter at the operating frequency higher than that used during driving of the first compressor.   
     
     
         8 . The vehicle air-conditioning apparatus of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a detecting device configured to detect the second compressor,   wherein when detecting through the detecting device that the second refrigerant is used, the inverter control device controls the inverter at the operating frequency higher than that used during driving of the first compressor.   
     
     
         9 . The vehicle air-conditioning apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein information indicating that the refrigerant used is the first refrigerant or the second refrigerant is transmitted through the inverter to the inverter control device. 
     
     
         10 . The vehicle air-conditioning apparatus of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 an information display device disposed in either the vehicle or the second air-conditioning apparatus,   wherein the inverter control device outputs information about the refrigerant used to the information display device.   
     
     
         11 . The vehicle air-conditioning apparatus updating method of  claim 2 , wherein the assembling step includes a disposing step for disposing an information display device configured to display information in either the vehicle or the second air-conditioning apparatus, the information indicating that the refrigerant used is the first refrigerant or the second refrigerant. 
     
     
         12 . The vehicle air-conditioning apparatus updating method of  claim 3 , wherein the assembling step includes a disposing step for disposing an information display device configured to display information in either the vehicle or the second air-conditioning apparatus, the information indicating that the refrigerant used is the first refrigerant or the second refrigerant. 
     
     
         13 . The vehicle air-conditioning apparatus updating method of  claim 4 , wherein the assembling step includes a disposing step for disposing an information display device configured to display information in either the vehicle or the second air-conditioning apparatus, the information indicating that the refrigerant used is the first refrigerant or the second refrigerant. 
     
     
         14 . The vehicle air-conditioning apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 an information display device disposed in either the vehicle or the second air-conditioning apparatus,   wherein the inverter control device outputs information about the refrigerant used to the information display device.   
     
     
         15 . The vehicle air-conditioning apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 an information display device disposed in either the vehicle or the second air-conditioning apparatus,   wherein the inverter control device outputs information about the refrigerant used to the information display device.   
     
     
         16 . The vehicle air-conditioning apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 an information display device disposed in either the vehicle or the second air-conditioning apparatus,   wherein the inverter control device outputs information about the refrigerant used to the information display device.