The present invention relates to an energy recovery system (51), which withdraws heat from a feed medium (52) containing heat energy, and—which has a heat transfer system (53) for this purpose, in order to transfer heat energy from the feed medium to a useful medium (54). According to the invention—the heat transfer system (53) has a separation system (57) which spaces apart the two media (52, 54); the heat transfer system (53) has at least one first exchanger zone (35), which allows the transfer of heat from the feed medium (52) to the useful medium (54) as long as the temperature of the feed medium is higher than that of the useful medium (54, 54′); and—the heat transfer system (53) has at least one second exchanger zone (56), which allows the transfer of heat from the feed medium (54, 54′), even when the temperature of the feed medium is lower than that of the useful medium.

The present disclosure provides a method of determining a coolant condition of a vehicle, and more particularly, a method of accurately determining a coolant condition, e.g., a condition in which gas is present in a system and an insufficient coolant condition without a separate additional sensor in a vehicle using an electric water pump (EWP). To this end, the present disclosure provides a method of determining a coolant condition of a vehicle, including, in a vehicle including an electric water pump (EWP) for circulating a coolant, acquiring driving state information of a water pump while the water pump is driven, by a controller, calculating a ripple value of a driving state from the acquired driving state information of the water pump, by the controller, and comparing the calculated ripple value with a reference value to determine a condition of a coolant, by the controller.

A vehicle-mounted temperature controller, including: a first heat circuit having a heater core used for heating and a first heat exchanger and configured so that a first heat medium is circulated through the first heat exchanger; a refrigeration circuit having the first heat exchanger condensing the refrigerant and an evaporator evaporating the refrigerant, and configured to operate a refrigeration cycle; and a heat medium flow path of an internal combustion engine configured to communicate with the first heat circuit so that the first heat medium circulates through the heat medium flow path. The first heat circuit is configured so that an outlet of the heat medium flow path is communicated with a core downstream side part positioned downstream of the heater core and upstream of the first heat exchanger and a core upstream side part positioned downstream of the first heat exchanger and upstream of the heater core.

A vehicle-mounted temperature controller, including: a first heat circuit having a heater core used for heating and a first heat exchanger and configured so that a first heat medium is circulated through the first heat exchanger; a refrigeration circuit having the first heat exchanger condensing the refrigerant and an evaporator evaporating the refrigerant, and configured to operate a refrigeration cycle; and a heat medium flow path of an internal combustion engine configured to communicate with the first heat circuit so that the first heat medium circulates through the heat medium flow path. The first heat circuit is configured so that an outlet of the heat medium flow path is communicated with a core downstream side part positioned downstream of the heater core and upstream of the first heat exchanger and a core upstream side part positioned downstream of the first heat exchanger and upstream of the heater core.

A heat storage device includes a heat storage, a first flow passage, a second flow passage and a flow rate regulator. The heat storage stores heat released from coolant. The first flow passage is placed in a circulation path that conducts the coolant. The heat storage is installed in the first flow passage. The second flow passage conducts the coolant and bypasses the heat storage. The flow rate regulator adjusts a flow rate ratio that is a ratio of a second flow rate of the coolant, which flows in the second flow passage, relative to a first flow rate of the coolant, which flows in the first flow passage. The flow rate regulator reduces the first flow rate when a temperature of the coolant is decreased.

A heat storage device includes a heat storage, a first flow passage, a second flow passage and a flow rate regulator. The heat storage stores heat released from coolant. The first flow passage is placed in a circulation path that conducts the coolant. The heat storage is installed in the first flow passage. The second flow passage conducts the coolant and bypasses the heat storage. The flow rate regulator adjusts a flow rate ratio that is a ratio of a second flow rate of the coolant, which flows in the second flow passage, relative to a first flow rate of the coolant, which flows in the first flow passage. The flow rate regulator reduces the first flow rate when a temperature of the coolant is decreased.

A thermal system for a vehicle includes a high temperature coolant loop thermally coupled to a heater core, a low temperature coolant loop thermally coupled to at least one of an electric motor and power electronics, and a first four-way valve configured to selectively fluidly couple the high temperature coolant loop and the low temperature coolant loop such that coolant heated by the electric motor and/or the power electronics is directed to the heater core to facilitate heating of an airflow passing thereby.

A temperature control system includes a heater core utilizing heat of a heat medium; an engine heat exchanger utilizing exhaust heat of an engine to heat the heat medium; a condenser utilizing heat other than the exhaust heat to heat the heat medium; a heat circuit having the heater core and condenser; a communication flow path making the engine heat exchanger communicate with the heat circuit; and a connection state switching mechanism switching a flow state of the heat medium, between a first state and a second state. In the first state, the heat medium flows through the heat circuit, while flowing through the heater core, and in the second state, the heat medium flows through the heat circuit without flowing through the heater core. The heat circuit is arranged at a front of a passenger compartment, and the engine heat exchanger is arranged at a rear of the compartment.

A temperature control system includes a heater core utilizing heat of a heat medium; an engine heat exchanger utilizing exhaust heat of an engine to heat the heat medium; a condenser utilizing heat other than the exhaust heat to heat the heat medium; a heat circuit having the heater core and condenser; a communication flow path making the engine heat exchanger communicate with the heat circuit; and a connection state switching mechanism switching a flow state of the heat medium, between a first state and a second state. In the first state, the heat medium flows through the heat circuit, while flowing through the heater core, and in the second state, the heat medium flows through the heat circuit without flowing through the heater core. The heat circuit is arranged at a front of a passenger compartment, and the engine heat exchanger is arranged at a rear of the compartment.

A control method capable of variably applying an existing engine-on line includes: a prediction degree calculation unit to predict a degree to which a temperature of a coolant at a current point after the engine is turned off reaches a target temperature by a request of full automatic temperature control (FATC); a factor determination unit to set reference ranges divided based on an extent that the temperature is close to the target temperature, and to determine a factor value for each reference range so that a predetermined existing engine-on line or a predetermined existing engine-off line is varied by required power; and an engine on/off line determination unit configured to determine a corrected engine-on line or a corrected engine-off line by calculating the existing engine-on line or the existing engine-off line and the factor value in the reference range in which a calculation value is positioned.