View Single Post
  #7  
Old 07-12-2010, 11:45 AM
jcyuhn jcyuhn is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Plano, TX
Posts: 2,574
Temperature regulation in the cabin is accomplished primarily through control of the fan speed. Higher fan speeds deliver more cooling, lower fan speeds deliver less cooling. As the temperature of the cabin approaches the setpoint, the fan speed is reduced. As the fan speed is reduced, the TXV will reduce refrigerant flow through the evaporator. Eventually the evaporator temperature will approach the freezing point of water. The car will then begin cycling the compressor off&on to avoid freezing condensate on the evaporator. This control is performed by the CCU, using input from an evaporator temperature sensor in the HVAC case.

A secondary method of controlling cabin temperature is to start pulsing the monovalve to warm up the heater core. Generally this only happens at night, when there is no radiant heat from the sun and minimum fan speed still supplies too much cooling. In this situation the air is cooled - too much for comfort - by the evap, then warmed back up a little bit by the heater core. This sounds wasteful, but actually supplies the best comfort. Cooling the air as much as possible reduces the humidity to a comfortable level, then reheating prevents the cabin from becoming uncomfortably cold.

Hope this helps.
Reply With Quote