Dynamic Performance Measurement Method Integrated With Cabin Model

In measuring the dynamic behavior of automotive climate control systems, the vehicle is placed in a full-scale environmentally controlled wind tunnel. This conventional test method demands considerable effort and cost. To improve the shortcomings of the conventional method, a new technique that requires only the tested climate control system and a simplified facility is proposed. The technique consists of a control program, a numerical cabin model, a small size environmentally controlled closed air loop, its controller, and the climate control system. The cabin model is a transient set of linear ordinary differential equations, which account for the latent and sensible loads and the infiltration and ventilation loads. The solution is obtained numerically and the control program uses the model to predict the conditions of the air inside the cabin of the car and adjusts the set points of the controller of the air loop accordingly. To verify the cabin model, it was compared to experimental data available in the literature. The proposed method provides a realistic and simple dynamic testing of the automotive climate control systems at various climate conditions and operational settings.