An operating method for an electric heater may include heating a fluid passing the electric heater to an outlet temperature by at least one heating element and operating the electric heater in one of a normal mode or a protection mode. In the normal mode, the at least one heating element may be supplied with at least one of a direct current and a direct voltage. In the protection mode, electrical power supplied to the at least one heating element may be regulated by pulse width modulation. The electric heater may be operated in the normal mode if a reference temperature is less than or equal to a critical temperature and in the protection mode if the reference temperature is greater than the critical temperature.

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.

A system includes an actuator that produces heat or cold onboard an electric vehicle and a controller that generates an operating command to control the actuator to deliver a first average power over a predetermined time period based on one or more climatic conditions and based on a vehicle energy parameter. The vehicle energy parameter indicates whether (a) the electric vehicle or another electric vehicle is consuming electric energy or (b) the electric vehicle or another electric vehicle is producing the electric energy. The controller generates the operating command such that the first average power delivered by the actuator during the predetermined time period has substantially the same value as a second average power delivered by the actuator when the controller generates the operating command based only on the one or more climatic conditions.

The present invention relates to a control circuit, and more particularly, to a complex motor and heater driving circuit capable of separately or simultaneously controlling a three-phase motor and a heater and a control system therefor.

A power control device of the present invention controls the electric power of a vehicle which includes hot-wire heaters provided respectively in a plurality of areas which are obtained by dividing a front window. In particular, the power control device of the present invention switches between alternating control and entire surface control based on an external air temperature of the vehicle and a speed of the vehicle, the alternating control being for sequentially energizing each hot-wire heater provided in each of the plurality of areas, and the entire surface control being for simultaneously energizing all the hot-wire heaters provided in the plurality of areas.

Radiant heating systems for warming an occupant of an enclosed space. The system includes a component with a surface that faces the occupant. The surface defines an A-surface quality meaning the surface is visible and is designed with styling objectives to have an aesthetic appearance. Conductive strands are exposed at the surface and a power supply supplies electric power to the conductive strands. A controller controls the electric power supplied to the conductive strands.

The present disclosure provides a split heater apparatus and a method of manufacturing the same, the split heater apparatus being capable of dividing a heating region into zones, heating the zones individually, and having components capable of being simply assembled, such that the number of components and the number of assembly processes are reduced.

A heating wire having a first heating wire and a second heating wire. A receiving electrode is provided between the first heating wire and the second heating wire. A transmitting electrode includes a first transmitting electrode provided between the first heating wire and the receiving electrode, and a second transmitting electrode provided between the second heating wire and the receiving electrode. A distance between the first heating wire and the first transmitting electrode is defined as Dh1, a distance between the first transmitting electrode and the receiving electrode is defined as Ds1, a distance between the second heating wire and the second transmitting electrode is defined as Dh2, and a distance between the second transmitting electrode and the receiving electrode is defined as Ds2. A relationship of Dh1≤Ds1 and Dh2≤Ds2 is satisfied.

A vehicle warm-up control apparatus includes: a motor; an inverter; an electric storage device; a boost converter connected to a low-voltage-side power line and a high-voltage-side power liner; and a control unit for controlling the inverter and the boost converter, the boost converter including a first switching device as an upper arm, a second switching device as a lower arm, and a reactor. Further, the second switching device is composed of a semiconductor device variable in resistance value, and when warm-up is requested, the control unit executes warm-up control to set the resistance value of the second switching device higher than the resistance value during operation when the warm-up is not requested, and supply heat generated in the second switching device by passing current through the second switching device to a device for which the warm-up is requested.

An electric heater for a vehicle includes a heat dissipation fin for heat-exchange with air, a ceramic element to emit heat by receiving a power-supply voltage, and a housing to support the heat dissipation fin and the ceramic element. The ceramic element includes a first positive temperature coefficient (PTC) element, and a second PTC element having a heating power greater than a heating power of the first PTC element.