A method, system, and apparatus are provided for optimizing control of the rotational speed of a fan in a vehicle so as to reduce the aerodynamic drag of a vehicle in a given operating parameter, and accordingly, to improve fuel efficiency of operation of the vehicle. Certain exemplary embodiments include determining an optimized speed of rotation of a cooling fan of the vehicle for reducing overall fuel demand in given operating conditions, and controlling rotation speed of the fan at the optimized speed in order to minimize fueling demand of a prime mover of the vehicle.

A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system including an HVAC assembly, a set of pins, mode doors, a mode plate, an actuator, and an HVAC control module. The mode doors control airflow from the HVAC assembly. A position of each mode door is controlled by a corresponding pin of the set of pins. The mode plate includes (i) a set of grooves, (ii) a first adjustment path and (iii) a second adjustment path. The first adjustment path causes a first pin of the set of pins to move toward a center. The second adjustment path causes the first pin to move away from the center of the mode plate. An HVAC module selectively actuates the actuator to causes the mode plate to rotate in at least one of a passive direction and the active direction in response to receiving a mode request.

An airflow turning device with airflow control channels for an outlet of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) case that directs airflow to a plurality of different vehicle outlets. The airflow control channels extend from an inner upstream side of the outlet to an outer downstream side of the outlet. Different ones of the plurality of channels have different lengths to generate a varied pressure drop at the outer downstream side in response to airflow blown into the plurality of channels from the inner upstream side.

Agricultural machines such as sprayers can be improved by providing pressure sensors inside and outside of the operator cab, a cab sensor for sensing an open or closed state of the operator cab, and a controller configured to activate/deactivate an airflow system according to the pressure sensors and the cab sensor. Accordingly, the controller can activate the airflow system to provide a positive pressure differential in the operator cab (higher pressure in the operator cab/lower pressure external to the operator cab), and deactivate the airflow system when the operator cab is in the open state to maximize the life of the system.

A cooling fan device uses a cooling fan coupled to an engine via a fan clutch to generate cooling air flow for a radiator. The cooling fan device includes an electronic control unit configured to control an engagement rate of the fan clutch. The electronic control unit is configured to execute a first calculation process, a second calculation process, and an upper limit guarding process, thereby controlling the engagement rate based on a value of a coolant temperature requested engagement rate that has been subjected to an upper limit guarding process. A first upper limit rotation speed is set to a lower speed when a vehicle speed is relatively low than when the vehicle speed is relatively high.

A method for conditioning the air of the passenger compartment of an electric vehicle, which includes: a preliminary step conditioning the air in at least one portion of the passenger compartment by an air-conditioning device supplied with power by a power source external to the vehicle, when the vehicle is linked to the external power source; and a main step conditioning the air in the at least one portion of the passenger compartment, by an air-conditioning device supplied with power by a vehicle fossil power source during use of the vehicle; the preliminary step conditioning the air giving priority to the conditioning of the air, in a driver area of the vehicle. A system implementing such a method and an electric vehicle, in particular, an electric bus, implementing such a method or system is also provided.

An exemplary vehicle climate control operating method includes in a cooling mode, moving a valve to a first position and initializing the valve without moving the valve to a second position. In a heating mode, the method moves the valve to a second position and initializing the valve without moving the valve to the first position. The first position permits more flow than the second position.

A computer-implemented air quality amelioration method, computer program product, and system for a self-driving vehicle, the method including detecting a value of an air quality within a cabin of the self-driving vehicle and performing an amelioration action to improve the value of the air quality based on the detection of the value of the air quality being less than a predetermined value.

The present invention relates to an air conditioner for a vehicle, which includes a cold air passageway and a warm air passageway, and two blowers disposed in the air passageways, thereby rapidly ventilating the interior of the vehicle using the two blowers.

A thermal management system for a vehicle includes a heat exchange unit coupled with a compartment of the vehicle via an interface in the compartment. A container is moveable between a first position and a second position. The container is configured to be in fluid communication with the heat exchange unit via the interface in the first position.