Computer Simulation of an Automotive Air-Conditioning in a Transient Mode

The cool-down performance after soaking is very important in an automotive air-conditioning system and is considered as a key design variable. Therefore, transient characteristics of each system component are essential to the preliminary design as well as steady-state performance. The objective of this study is to develop a computer simulation model and ostinato theoretically the transient performance of an automotive air-conditioning system. To do that, the mathematical modelling of each component, such as compressor, condenser, receiver/drier, expansion valve, and evaporator, is presented first of all. The basic balance equations about mass and energy are used in modelling. For detailed calculation, condenser and evaporator are divided into many sub-sections. Each sub-section is an elemental volume for modelling. In models of expansion valve and compressor, dynamic behaviors are not considered in this analysis, but the quasisteady state ones are just considered, such as the relation between mass flow rate and pressure drop in expansion device, polytropic process in compressor, etc. Also it is assumed that there are no heat loss and no pressure drop in discharge, liquid, and suction lines. The developed simulation model is validated by comparing with the laboratory test data of an automotive air-conditioning system. The overall time-tracing properties of each component agreed well with those of test data in this case.