• Transactions of the Korean Society of Automotive Engineers
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.150-157
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• 2008

The main objective of this paper is to investigate the performance characteristics of a $CO_2$ air conditioning system for fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV). The present air conditioning system for FCEV uses the electrically driven compressor and electrically controlled expansion valve for $CO_2$ as a working fluid. The experimental work has been done with various operating conditions, which are quite matching the actual vehicle's driving conditions such as different compressor speed and high pressure to identify the characteristics of the system. Experimental results show that the cooling capacity and coefficient of performance (COP) were up to 6.3kW and 2.5, respectively. This paper also deals with the development of optimum high pressure control algorithm for the transcritical $CO_2$ cycle to achieve the maximum COP.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Automotive Engineers
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.124-132
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• 2007

The main objective of this work is to investigate the characteristics of a heat pump system for fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV). The present heat pump system adopts an electrically driven compressor running with R134a and uses the heat from the fuel cell stack as the heat source for the exterior heat exchanger. The experimental work has been done with various operating conditions such as different compressor speeds, fuel cell stack coolant temperatures and flow rates. The heating capacity was measured to be from 4 to 10 kW at $-20^{\circ}C$ ambient temperature, and the outlet temperature of interior heat exchanger was up to $70^{\circ}C$. After 30 seconds from start-up, the system reached a steady state and the heating capacity of 6.8 kW was acquired, and after 90 seconds, the air outlet temperature of interior heat exchanger became $35^{\circ}C$.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Automotive Engineers
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.18-24
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• 2015

In this study, a $CO_2$ air-conditioning system was investigated with different types of electrically driven compressors, parallel flow type gas cooler, four-pass type evaporator, internal heat exchanger integrated with accumulator, and electric expansion valve. The experimental study was conducted under various operating conditions (ie., different rotational compressor speeds, air inlet temperatures and air velocity coming into heat exchangers). The experimental results showed the cooling capacity was 3.5kW at $35^{\circ}C$ ambient temperature when the vehicle was idle (ie., the worst condition for cooling off the gas cooler). In terms of performance effect of the compressor, the e-RP model had a slightly better cooling capacity and coefficient of performance than the e-GR model under the same test conditions. An experimental equation for optimum cooling-performance control was also suggested based on the results. A high-pressure control algorithm for the super critical cycle was determined to achieve both maximum cooling performance and efficient energy consumption. The results from the experimental equation coincided with those of previous experimental studies.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.282-290
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• 2014

This paper discusses the development of a 3.5 kW switched reluctance motor (SRM)-based electric air-conditioning (AC) compressor, focusing primarily on the design aspects of the SRM and the integrated controller. In addition to the increased price of rare-earth magnets, SRM's operation capability at high speed and high temperature makes the SRM a viable alternative to the permanent magnet motor for electrically driven automotive air conditioning compressors. A compact and energy efficient scroll compressor is designed and constructed. Two feasible SRM topologies are considered, in terms of efficiency, torque ripple, and acoustic noise. Compact drive electronics are designed and employed to drive the SRM-based compressor. The static and dynamic performance is validated by simulation and experiment.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Automotive Engineers
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• v.22 no.7
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• pp.57-62
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• 2014

This study presented the feasibility of a coolant heat-source heat pump system as an alternative heating system for electrically driven vehicles. Heat pumps are among the most environmentally friendly and efficient heating technologies in residential buildings. In various countries, electric mobiles devices such as EV, PHEV, and FCEV, have been mainly concerned with heat pumps for new mobile markets. The experiments herein were conducted for various ambient temperatures and coolant temperatures to reflect the winter season. The system, a coolant heat-source heat pump, consisted of an inside heat exchanger, an outside heat exchanger, a motor driven compressor, an electronic expansion valve, and plumbing parts. For the experimental results, the maximum heating capacity and air discharge temperature are up to 6.3 kW and $62^{\circ}C$ respectively at an ambient temperature of $10^{\circ}C$, and coolant at $10^{\circ}C$. However, at $-20^{\circ}C$ ambient temperature and $-10^{\circ}C$ coolant temperature, conditions were insufficient to warm the cabin as the air discharge temperature was $13^{\circ}C$.

• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.7-14
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• 2016

This study explores the feasibility of a cold storage system to provide thermal comfort for idle stop and go (ISG) vehicles. ISG function is the most valuable and environmental friendly technology in the current automobile industry. However, when an ISG vehicle stops, meaning when the engine standstill, the air-conditioning system does not work, because the compressor also stops. Therefore, passenger thermal comfort is not maintained, as cold air is not provided in the cabin. Consequently, many automakers have studied electric air-conditioning systems based on electrically-driven compressors or cold storage systems using phase-change materials. The experiments herein were conducted for the feasibility testing of different types of cold storage heat-exchangers, cold storage mediums, and thermo-expansion valves with current air-conditioners. The auxiliary cold storage system, filled with phase-change materials, was located behind the evaporator and almost stacked on top of it. In the experimental results, the air discharge temperature rate of increase was better than the conventional air-conditioning system when the compressor stopped and thermal comfort was maintained with $1.9{\sim}4.3^{\circ}C$ decreases within 60 seconds. The #1 cold storage heat-exchanger (CSH), #2 thermo-expansion valve (TXV) and #2 phase change material (PCM) were chosen because of the best temperature rise delay. It was concluded that a cold storage system is an effective solution for ISG vehicles to maintain thermal comfort during short engine stops.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.206-214
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• 2019

This study investigates alternative refrigerants and refrigerant oils as well as the tendency of protecting the global environment in view of automobile air-conditioning systems. Since decades, the R12 refrigerant is not used in automobile air-conditioners because of the ozone depletion potential (ODP) problem, and for the last 20 years, the ODP-free R134a refrigerant is leading the new automotive air-conditioning market. However, owing to its high global warming potential (GWP), the R134a refrigerant use in automobile air-conditioning system is also prohibited by law, and alternative refrigerants with a low GWP need to be proposed. Therefore, recently, the application of R1234yf, R152a, or other alternative refrigerants has started worldwide. By contrast, natural refrigerant R744 was introduced in the market several years ago by VDA (Verband Der Automobilindustrie), which is a German association in the automotive industry. This study also deals with refrigerant oils. For a long time, polyalkylene glycol (PAG) oil has been traditionally used with automobile air-conditioners, and polyolester (POE) oil is suitable for HEV, PHEV, and EV air-conditioning systems, where it is used by the electrically driven compressor owing to its excellent electrical insulation properties. Finally, PAG is an excellent lubricant for all the R134a, R152a, R1234yf, and R744 refrigerants, and has the advantage that it can be applied rapidly to alternative refrigerant air-conditioning systems.