Heat exchange apparatus and method for controlling heat exchange apparatus

Abstract

A heat exchange apparatus that exchanges heat between a refrigerant and a temperature-regulated section has: a compressor; a first heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the refrigerant and outside air; a second heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the refrigerant and air for air conditioning; an opening-adjusting valve that adjusts a degree of opening of a path of the refrigerant between the first heat exchanger and the temperature-regulated section; an expansion valve that is disposed in a path of the refrigerant between the temperature-regulated section and the second heat exchanger, and that reduces a pressure of the refrigerant; and an ECU that controls a degree of opening of the opening-adjusting valve. The ECU increases the degree of opening of the opening-adjusting valve to thereby heat the temperature-regulated section, and reduces the degree of opening of the opening-adjusting valve to thereby cool the temperature-regulated section.

1 . A heat exchange apparatus that exchanges heat between a refrigerant and a section to be temperature-regulated, comprising:
 a compressor configured to compress the refrigerant and to cause the refrigerant to circulate in the heat exchange apparatus;   a first heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between the refrigerant and outside air;   a second heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between the refrigerant and air for air conditioning;   an opening-adjusting valve configured to adjust a degree of opening of a path of the refrigerant between the first heat exchanger and the section to be temperature-regulated;   an expansion valve that is disposed in a path of the refrigerant between the section to be temperature-regulated and the second heat exchanger, the expansion valve being configured to reduce a pressure of the refrigerant; and   a controller configured to control a degree of opening of the opening-adjusting valve to increase the degree of opening of the opening-adjusting valve to thereby heat the section to be temperature-regulated, and to reduce the degree of opening of the opening-adjusting valve to thereby cool the section to be temperature-regulated.   
     
     
         2 . The heat exchange apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a detection device configured to detect a temperature of the section to be temperature-regulated, wherein   the controller controls the degree of opening of the opening-adjusting valve on the basis of the temperature of the section to be temperature-regulated as detected by the detection device.   
     
     
         3 . The heat exchange apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the controller increases the degree of opening of the opening-adjusting valve when the temperature of the section to be temperature-regulated, as detected by the detection device, is below a target temperature range, and reduces the degree of opening of the opening-adjusting valve when the temperature of the section to be temperature-regulated, as detected by the detection device, is above the target temperature range.   
     
     
         4 . The heat exchange apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the controller controls a degree of opening of the expansion valve on the basis of a temperature of the section to be temperature-regulated.   
     
     
         5 . The heat exchange apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the controller increases the degree of opening of the expansion valve when the temperature of the section to be temperature-regulated is above a target temperature range.   
     
     
         6 . The heat exchange apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the controller controls a heat exchange amount between the refrigerant and outside air in the first heat exchanger on the basis of a temperature of the section to be temperature-regulated.   
     
     
         7 . The heat exchange apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the controller reduces the heat exchange amount between the refrigerant and the outside air in the first heat exchanger when the temperature of the section to be temperature-regulated is below a target temperature range.   
     
     
         8 . A method for controlling a heat exchange apparatus that exchanges heat between refrigerant and a section to be temperature-regulated, wherein
 the heat exchange apparatus includes:   a compressor configured to compress the refrigerant and to cause the refrigerant to circulate in the heat exchange apparatus;   a first heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between the refrigerant and outside air;   a second heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between the refrigerant and air for air conditioning;   an opening-adjusting valve configured to adjust a degree of opening of a path of the refrigerant between the first heat exchanger and the section to be temperature-regulated; and   an expansion valve disposed in a path of the refrigerant between the section to be temperature-regulated and the second heat exchanger, the expansion valve being configured to reduce a pressure of the refrigerant, the method for controlling the heat exchange apparatus comprising:   determining a temperature of the section to be temperature-regulated;   heating the section to be temperature-regulated by increasing a degree of opening of the opening-adjusting valve when the temperature of the section to be temperature-regulated is below a target temperature range; and   cooling the section to be temperature-regulated by reducing the degree of opening of the opening-adjusting valve when the temperature of the section to be temperature-regulated is above the target temperature range in determining the temperature of the section to be temperature-regulated.   
     
     
         9 . The method for controlling the heat exchange apparatus according to  claim 8 , further comprising:
 controlling a heat exchange amount between the refrigerant and outside air in the first heat exchanger on the basis of the temperature of the section to be temperature-regulated in determining the temperature of the section to be temperature-regulated.   
     
     
         10 . The method for controlling the heat exchange apparatus according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 reducing the heat exchange amount between the refrigerant and the outside air in the first heat exchanger when the temperature of the section to be temperature-regulated is below the target temperature range in determining the temperature of the section to be temperature-regulated.   
     
     
         11 . The method for controlling the heat exchange apparatus according to  claim 8 , further comprising:
 controlling a degree of opening of the expansion valve on the basis of the temperature of the section to be temperature-regulated in determining the temperature of the section to be temperature-regulated.   
     
     
         12 . The method for controlling the heat exchange apparatus according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 increasing the degree of opening of the expansion valve when the temperature of the section to be temperature-regulated is above the target temperature range in determining the temperature of the section to be temperature-regulated.