Cooling device and method of controlling cooling device

Abstract

A cooling device capable of achieving cooling performance suitable for an amount of generated heat from a heat source is provided. A cooling device cooling HV equipment includes a compressor for circulating a coolant; a heat exchanger performing heat exchange between the coolant and outside air; an expansion valve decompressing the coolant; a heat exchanger performing heat exchange between the coolant and air-conditioning air; a cooling unit provided on a route of the coolant flowing between the heat exchanger and the expansion valve, and cooling the HV equipment using the coolant; a bypass route bypassing the expansion valve and the heat exchanger; and a switching valve selectively switching between a flow of the coolant flowing from the cooling unit toward the expansion valve and a flow of the coolant flowing through the bypass route.

1 . A cooling device cooling a heat source, said cooling device comprising:
 a compressor for circulating a coolant;   a first heat exchanger performing heat exchange between said coolant and outside air;   a decompressing said coolant;   a second heat exchanger performing heat exchange between said coolant and air-conditioning air;   a cooling unit provided on a route of said coolant flowing between said first heat exchanger and said decompressor, and cooling said heat source using said coolant;   a bypass route bypassing said decompressor and said second heat exchanger; and   a route selection unit selectively switching between a flow of said coolant flowing from said cooling unit toward said decompressor and a flow of said coolant flowing through said bypass route,   said route selection unit selecting the flow of said coolant flowing through said bypass route when an amount of generated heat by said heat source is increased.   
     
     
         2 . The cooling device according to  claim 1 , comprising a temperature lowering unit lowering a temperature of said coolant, wherein
 said temperature lowering unit lowers the temperature of said coolant flowing through said cooling unit when said route selection unit selects the flow of said coolant flowing through said bypass route.   
     
     
         3 . The cooling device according to  claim 2 , comprising an electronic expansion valve provided on a route of said coolant flowing between said first heat exchanger and said cooling unit. 
     
     
         4 . The cooling device according to  claim 1 , comprising a gas-liquid separator provided on a route of said coolant flowing between said second heat exchanger and said compressor, wherein
 said coolant flowing from said cooling unit through said bypass route flows into said gas-liquid separator.   
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The cooling device according to  claim 1 , comprising a communication passage allowing communication between a route of said coolant flowing between said compressor and said first heat exchanger, and a route of said coolant flowing between said cooling unit and said decompressor. 
     
     
         7 . The cooling device according to  claim 6 , wherein said route selection unit can form a flow of said coolant flowing from said cooling unit toward said communication passage. 
     
     
         8 . A method of controlling a cooling device cooling a heat source,
 said cooling device including   a compressor for circulating a coolant,   a first heat exchanger performing heat exchange between said coolant and outside air,   a decompressing said coolant,   a second heat exchanger performing heat exchange between said coolant and air-conditioning air,   a cooling unit provided on a route of said coolant flowing between said first heat exchanger and said decompressor, and cooling said heat source using said coolant,   a bypass route bypassing said decompressor and said second heat exchanger, and   a route selection unit selectively switching between a flow of said coolant flowing from said cooling unit toward said decompressor and a flow of said coolant flowing through said bypass route, said method comprising:   the step of determining an amount of generated heat by said heat source; and   the step of cooling said heat source by forming the flow of said coolant flowing through said bypass route when it is determined in said step of determining an amount of generated heat that the amount of generated heat is equal to or higher than a threshold value.   
     
     
         9 . The method of controlling a cooling device according to  claim 8 , wherein
 said cooling device includes an electronic expansion valve provided on a route of said coolant flowing between said first heat exchanger and said cooling unit, and   in said step of cooling said heat source, an opening degree of said electronic expansion valve is decreased to cool said heat source.   
     
     
         10 . The method of controlling a cooling device according to  claim 8 , comprising:
 the step of determining an operation state of said compressor when it is determined in said step of determining an amount of generated heat that the amount of generated heat is equal to or higher than the threshold value; and   the step of starting said compressor when it is determined in said step of determining an operation state that said compressor is being stopped.   
     
     
         11 . The cooling device according to  claim 2 , comprising a gas-liquid separator provided on a route of said coolant flowing between said second heat exchanger and said compressor, wherein
 said coolant flowing from said cooling unit through said bypass route flows into said gas-liquid separator.   
     
     
         12 . The cooling device according to  claim 2 , comprising a communication passage allowing communication between a route of said coolant flowing between said compressor and said first heat exchanger, and a route of said coolant flowing between said cooling unit and said decompressor. 
     
     
         13 . The cooling device according to  claim 12 , wherein said route selection unit can form a flow of said coolant flowing from said cooling unit toward said communication passage. 
     
     
         14 . The cooling device according to  claim 3 , comprising a gas-liquid separator provided on a route of said coolant flowing between said second heat exchanger and said compressor, wherein
 said coolant flowing from said cooling unit through said bypass route flows into said gas-liquid separator.   
     
     
         15 . The cooling device according to  claim 3  comprising a communication passage allowing communication between a route of said coolant flowing between said compressor and said first heat exchanger, and a route of said coolant flowing between said cooling unit and said decompressor. 
     
     
         16 . The cooling device according to  claim 15 , wherein said route selection unit can form a flow of said coolant flowing from said cooling unit toward said communication passage. 
     
     
         17 . The cooling device according to  claim 4 , comprising a communication passage allowing communication between a route of said coolant flowing between said compressor and said first heat exchanger, and a route of said coolant flowing between said cooling unit and said decompressor. 
     
     
         18 . The cooling device according to  claim 17 , wherein said route selection unit can form a flow of said coolant flowing from said cooling unit toward said communication passage. 
     
     
         19 . The method of controlling a cooling device according to  claim 9 , comprising:
 the step of determining an operation state of said compressor when it is determined in said step of determining an amount of generated heat that the amount of generated heat is equal to or higher than the threshold value; and   the step of starting said compressor when it is determined in said step of determining an operation state that said compressor is being stopped.