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.

Heat exchanger exchanging heat between coolant and refrigerant of different kinds in one device and providing an effective heat exchange ratio between the coolant and the refrigerant. The heat exchanger includes a refrigerant flow path having a refrigerant inlet and a refrigerant outlet, and a coolant flow path through which coolant flows to exchange heat with the refrigerant. The coolant flow path includes a first coolant flow path where first coolant flows, and a second coolant flow path where second coolant with a different kind flows. The heat exchanger is partitioned into a first heat exchange section, in which the first coolant exchanges heat with the refrigerant and a second heat exchange section, in which the second coolant exchanges heat with the refrigerant, so that the heat exchange in the first heat exchange section and the heat exchange in the second heat exchange are carried out independently.

A system and method for protecting against low refrigerant charge of a refrigerant subsystem in a vehicle includes a controller configured to control a component of the vehicle in response to detecting a low refrigerant charge based on an ambient temperature of the refrigerant subsystem, a suction pressure of refrigerant entering a compressor of the refrigerant subsystem, and a speed of the compressor.

During operation under fuel cutoff control, the fuel cutoff control is interrupted when a decrease in temperature of cooling water from a temperature of cooling water that is detected at a start of the fuel cutoff control reaches or exceeds a second specified value under conditions that a degree of opening of an air mix door is greater than or equal to a predetermined opening degree and that a temperature setting is not raised in an operation unit.

A method for determining a heating load of a hybrid electric vehicle includes determining an SOC of a high-voltage battery through a controller, determining whether or not there is a heating request, based on a travel pattern input, through the controller when the SOC of the high-voltage battery is normal, calculating a required heating load according to the travel pattern input when there is the heating request, calculating an environmental condition according to an environment of the vehicle when there is the heating request, calculating a final heating load value through a combination of the calculated required heating load and the environmental condition of the vehicle, and adjusting a basic request engine torque according to the travel pattern input, taking into consideration the calculated final heating load value, and controlling driving of an engine based on the adjusted basic request engine torque.

The invention relates to an auxiliary engine system (AES) for heating an electric car comprising a heating system and a rechargeable power source powering an electric motor. The AES comprises an internal combustion engine (ICE) producing heat to heat the electric car. The AES can heat people transported in the electric car and/or the rechargeable power source. The ICE can be coupled with an electric energy generator. The ICE can be air and/or liquid cooled which systems can heat the electric car. The ICE can be fueled by defined types of fuel. The ICE can be a two-stroke engine, a four-stroke engine, a turbine. The rechargeable power source can be coupled with a defined electrocomponent. The AES can be provided in a modular system. A heating method for an electric car is proposed.

A method of controlling heating of a hybrid electric vehicle is provided. The method includes receiving a heating request from a driver; determining whether an entry condition of pre-FATC engine ON request (PFEOR) control is satisfied; checking whether the vehicle is capable of entering a HEV mode; determining whether the vehicle enters an idle mode for the PFEOR control; issuing a command for a target engine torque value and a target revolutions per minute for the idle mode to an engine control unit (ECU) from a hybrid control unit (HCU); and performing an engine idle speed control along with engine ON based on the command.

Methods and systems are provided for heat sanitizing a vehicle. In one example, a method may include, while receiving power from an external power source and responsive to receiving a request for cleaning an interior of a vehicle, operating an electric heater of a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system to heat the interior above an upper threshold temperature for a first threshold duration using the power received from the external power source. In this way, the HVAC system may be advantageously used to expose the vehicle interior to temperatures that kill or inactive microbes while vehicle battery power and fuel are conserved by using power supplied from the external power source.

Vehicle control apparatus and vehicle control method are described. The vehicle control apparatus may include a compressor and a controller. The controller may determine a thermal load level at one or more of: a first time point at which an engine is switched to an ON state from an OFF state, a second time point at which a first discharge amount of the battery exceeds a first reference value while the engine is in the OFF state, or a third time point at which a second discharge amount of the battery exceeds a second reference value smaller than the first reference value and a discharge rate associated with the battery exceeds a third reference value while the engine is in the OFF state. The controller may control the compressor using a control value corresponding to the thermal load level.

An in-vehicle temperature adjustment system includes: a refrigeration circuit including an inter-medium heat exchanger and a vaporizer that vaporizes the cooling medium to achieve a refrigeration cycle by circulating a cooling medium; a thermal circuit including a heater core, the inter-medium heat exchanger, an engine thermal circuit, and a radiator to circulate the heating medium; and a controller that controls a distribution state of the heating medium. The thermal circuit includes: a first branch portion at which a coolant flowing out of the engine thermal circuit and the inter-medium heat exchanger is divided into coolants flowing into the heater core and into the radiator; a second branch portion at which a coolant flowing out of the heater core is divided into coolants flowing into the inter-medium heat exchanger and into the engine thermal circuit; a first adjustment valve and a second adjustment valve.