Methods and system for operating a thermal storage device of a vehicle system are provided. In one example, a method comprises estimating a temperature of a thermal battery after the battery and coolant included therein have reached thermal equilibrium, and determining a state of charge of the battery based on the estimated temperature and one or more chemical properties of two phase change materials included within the battery. Specifically, the thermal battery may include two phase change materials with different melting points for providing thermal energy to warm coolant in a vehicle coolant system.

A thermoelectric system and method provides distributed localized heating, cooling, or both heating and cooling. The thermoelectric system includes a plurality of thermoelectric assemblies. Each thermoelectric assembly comprises a plurality of thermoelectric elements, and each thermoelectric assembly is in thermal communication with a first working fluid and in thermal communication with a region corresponding to the thermoelectric assembly. Each thermoelectric assembly is selectively operable either to heat the region corresponding to the thermoelectric assembly by transferring heat from the first working fluid to the region corresponding to the thermoelectric assembly or to cool the region corresponding to the thermoelectric assembly by transferring heat from the region corresponding to the thermoelectric assembly to the first working fluid. Each thermoelectric assembly is operable independently from operation of other thermoelectric assemblies of the plurality of thermoelectric assemblies.

AMP (2-Amino-2-Methyl-1, 3-Propanediol) does not release the absorbed heat during temperature drop but releases it during temperature rise. Also, AMP keeps a solid state upon the heat release. The heat storage material which is the aggregate of AMP is arranged to exchange heat with the subject for warm-up. In the warm-up acceleration control, it is judged whether or not there is a request for warm-up to the subject for warm-up (step S10). If it is judged that there is the request for warm-up, it is judged whether or not the radiation condition of the heat storage material is satisfied (step S12). If it is judged that the radiation condition is satisfied, the heater is started to operate (step S14). By operating the heater, the heat storage material is directly or indirectly heated.

An example cooling system for an electric includes an electric motor having a supply opening for receiving coolant and a discharge opening for expelling coolant. The discharge opening is connected to the supply opening via a coolant circuit including a first return line in which a heat exchanger is arranged, a bypass line, and a second return line. The discharge opening is connected to the supply opening by both the first return line and the bypass line, and the bypass line bypasses the heat exchanger arranged in the first return line. A battery is arranged in the second return line, and the second return line is selectively connected to a short-circuit line which causes coolant to flow from a point downstream of the battery and return to the second return line upstream of the battery. Further, a heat accumulator is arranged in the short-circuit line.

The present invention relates to the field of Phase Change Material (PCM) for thermal management in different applications like for example automotive, building, packaging, garments and footwear. The cable of the present invention comprises at least two sections wherein a first section A of the cable comprises a core, a PCM layer surrounding the core and one or more layer(s) of a protective polymer surrounding the PCM layer and a section B comprising a core, a thermoplastic polymer layer and one or more layer(s) of a protective polymer surrounding the thermoplastic polymer layer wherein the PCM layer consists of a PCM composition; the core consists of a filament, yarn, strand or wire made of a natural or synthetic polymeric material or a metal; and the thermoplastic polymer layer consists of a thermoplastic polymer composition.

A waste-heat collection system for a vehicle is provided. The vehicle includes an internal combustion engine and an exhaust manifold via which exhaust manifold hot exhaust gas coming from the internal combustion engine is introduced into an engine-side segment of an exhaust system. The exhaust manifold and/or the engine-side segment of the exhaust system, an exhaust gas turbocharger and/or a catalytic converter are at least partially surrounded by a waste-heat collecting housing. Air contained in the waste-heat collecting housing is heated by waste heat of these components and the heated air is used to charge a latent heat accumulator.

Methods and system for operating a thermal storage device of a vehicle system are provided. In one example, a method comprises estimating a temperature of a thermal battery after the battery and coolant included therein have reached thermal equilibrium, and determining a state of charge of the battery based on the estimated temperature and one or more chemical properties of two phase change materials included within the battery. Specifically, the thermal battery may include two phase change materials with different melting points for providing thermal energy to warm coolant in a vehicle coolant system.

A temperature adjustment mechanism for a vehicle includes a battery-applied pump and circulation paths, and adjusts a temperature of a battery chargeable from an external power supply outside the vehicle to be within a predetermined temperature range. The temperature adjustment mechanism further includes a vacuum insulation tank in which either cold water generated by a cold energy source or hot water heated by a hot energy source is stored according to an ambient temperature during charging of the battery from the external power supply. At a time of input and output of electric power in the battery excluding a charge from the external power supply, the vacuum insulation tank is connected to the circulation paths, the cold water or the hot water stored in the vacuum insulation tank is supplied to the battery by driving the battery-applied pump, and a battery temperature is kept within the temperature range.

A phase-change energy storage air duct of an automobile air conditioning system. A phase-change energy storage unit (2) is configured inside an air duct (1) of an air conditioning system. By means of phase-change heat absorption or release, residual heat in the air is absorbed, and the heat is released to air with a lower temperature, so that energy is recycled to achieve energy saving. The temperature of air entering a room or a carriage is kept stable, and thus the user experience is improved. When the air conditioning system fails, the phase-change energy storage unit (2) can still utilize stored cooling capacity or heat to cool down or heat up air in the air duct, so that a supply of air can be kept stable for a period of time, and thus the user experience is improved. The present application also relates to an automobile air conditioning system.

A heating system for an automotive passenger cabin includes a blower fan generating an air flow; a first heater core downstream of the blower fan; a second heater core downstream of the first heater core; a coolant loop with a first branch and a second branch, wherein the first heater core is disposed in the first branch and the second heater core is disposed in the second branch; a change-over valve arrangement having a first setting establishing fluid communication between the first and second heater cores by connecting the first and second branches in two locations on opposite sides of the first and second heater cores. The change-over valve arrangement has a second setting separating the fluid communication between the first and second heater cores by disconnecting the first and second branches. The second branch or both the first and the second branch are connectable to a PCM heater.