At least one inverter is heated by causing an inverter heat generation control unit to pass a predetermined current through the inverter for a predetermined time, and heating of the at least one inverter causes a high-voltage battery (storage battery) to warm up via a cooling circuit. Accordingly, control for warmup of the high-voltage battery (storage battery) is simply performed by passing the predetermined current through the inverter for a predetermined time. This inverter heat generation control can also be applied to a vehicle not including a step-up converter.

Methods and systems are provided for diagnosing an engine thermal encapsulation positioned around a powertrain of a vehicle. In one example, degradation of the thermal encapsulation may be determined by comparing a temperature sampled via a sensor during engine off condition with an expected temperature.

A heat storage device includes: a heat storage material that absorbs or release latent heat with a phase transition between a liquid phase and a solid phase; and a heat conduction member that includes a contact surface contacting the heat storage material. The heat conduction member has a thermal conductivity higher than a thermal conductivity of the heat storage material. The contact surface includes an upstream region and a downstream region that is located at downstream side of the upstream region in a flowing direction of a heat medium. A wettability of the contact surface with respect to the heat storage material is higher in the downstream region than in the upstream region.

An air conditioning system for a vehicle. The air conditioning system includes a cooling line adapted to transport a coolant fluid and a first heat-exchanging arrangement connected to the cooling line. The air conditioning system includes a first liquid container being arranged to hold a first liquid heat exchange medium and the first heat-exchanging arrangement is arranged inside the first liquid container for exchanging heat between the coolant fluid and the first liquid heat exchange medium.

A heat pump in which an increased temperature rise is achieved, including heat accumulators behind one another in a cascade; caloric accumulator elements positioned alternatingly in thermally conducting contact with one of the heat accumulators; and at least one drive method or mechanism for changing the position of the accumulator elements between the heat accumulators, at least one of the heat accumulators is in contact with a component to control the temperature of this component, a last one of the heat accumulators in the cascade is in heat exchange with surroundings. An intermediate accumulator is formed from at least one of the heat accumulators for transmitting heat between a heat accumulator in contact with a component to be temperature-controlled and the last heat accumulator.

Systems and methods are described herein for controlling heat flow between systems of an electric automotive vehicle. An automotive electric vehicle system includes a high voltage battery system including an enclosure, an electric powertrain system, a radiator, coolant lines that permit coolant flow between the high voltage battery system, the power train system and the radiator, one or more valves for routing coolant along the coolant lines, and a controller. The controller is configured to control the one or more valves to control the flow of coolant among a plurality of different, selectable coolant flow states involving the high voltage battery system, the powertrain system and the radiator.

A cooling system is disclosed so that an operator cabin can be cooled even if the engine is off. An accumulator can be used to store high-pressure refrigerant until its release. When the compressor is off, the accumulator can release the high pressure refrigerant through the pressure reducer and to the evaporator where heat in the operator cabin can be removed by the refrigerant. An absorption bed with activated carbon can be used to adsorb the refrigerant from the evaporator in order to create a pressure gradient in A/C system. The refrigerant in the accumulator can also be used to subcool a refrigerant in the condenser through a heat exchanger. This allows the operator cabin to be cooled faster up on engine start up. The adsorption bed can also be used to create a pressure gradient in the cooling system.

A transportation trailer having a moving floor including a plurality of reciprocating slats for loading/unloading materials into the trailer. The trailer includes a system for warming the moving floor when the materials transported in the trailer freeze on the slats in cold weather. Using the pre-existing hollow structure of the slats, a stream of hot fluid or a hot fluid pipe is run inside the slats for thawing the frozen materials for unloading the trailer. The hot fluid may be provided from a hot fluid source on board of the trailer, for thawing the frozen materials while the trailer is on its way to the unloading site, or may be provided separately at the unloading site.

A cooling system is disclosed so that an operator cabin can be cooled even if the engine is off. An accumulator can be used to store high-pressure refrigerant until its release. When the compressor is off, the accumulator can release the high pressure refrigerant through the pressure reducer and to the evaporator where heat in the operator cabin can be removed by the refrigerant. An absorption bed with activated carbon can be used to adsorb the refrigerant from the evaporator in order to create a pressure gradient in A/C system. The refrigerant in the accumulator can also be used to subcool a refrigerant in the condenser through a heat exchanger. This allows the operator cabin to be cooled faster up on engine start up. The adsorption bed can also be used to create a pressure gradient in the cooling system.

Systems and methods are provided for determining, by processing circuitry, a vehicle occupant has left a seat of a vehicle (or the seat is unoccupied), and in response to determining the vehicle occupant has left the seat (or the seat is unoccupied), causing a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system of the vehicle to thermally store energy in the seat.