A control system includes a refrigerant recovery module and at least one of a valve control module and a compressor control module. The refrigerant recovery module is configured to generate a refrigerant recovery signal to initiate a recovery of refrigerant from a first heat exchanger of a thermal system for an electric vehicle, and to stop the refrigerant recovery based on a temperature of refrigerant circulating through the first heat exchanger. The valve control module is configured to open a first valve to allow refrigerant to flow through the first heat exchanger in response to the refrigerant recovery signal. The compressor control module is configured to increase a speed of a compressor disposed upstream from the first heat exchanger in response to the refrigerant recovery signal.

The disclosure herein provides a heat management system for a vehicle, comprising: a first heat circuit in which first heat medium flows; a second heat circuit in which second heat medium flows; and a main heat exchanger configured to transfer heat from the second heat medium to the first heat medium. The first heat circuit comprises: a compressor; a cabin heater; a first air heat exchanger; an evaporator; a first bypass channel configured to allow the first heat medium to bypass the main heat exchanger; and a first switching valve by which one of the main heat exchanger and the evaporator is selected as a flow destination of the first heat medium flowing out from the first air heat exchanger. A single heat circuit (the first heat circuit) can achieve both heating and cooling of the air in the cabin.

Presented are joint active thermal management (JATM) systems with heat exchanger storage of surplus refrigerant, methods for making/operating such systems, and vehicles equipped with such systems. A JATM system includes a coolant loop that fluidly connects to a vehicle battery system for pumping thereto coolant, an oil loop thermally coupled to the coolant loop and fluidly connected to a vehicle powertrain system for pumping thereto oil, and a refrigerant loop thermally coupled to the coolant loop and operable to circulate refrigerant for heating/cooling a passenger compartment. An electronic controller determines if a current amount of refrigerant in the refrigerant loop exceeds a calibrated threshold for the current operating mode of the JATM system. If so, the controller determines if one of the refrigerant loop's heat exchangers is available to store excess refrigerant. If the heat exchanger is available, the refrigerant loop stores excess refrigerant in the available refrigerant heat exchanger.

A heat pump includes a refrigerant loop. The refrigerant loop includes a compressor, a first condenser, a vapor generator having a first region and a second region, a first expansion valve, a second expansion valve, and a first evaporator. A branching point is positioned between the first condenser and the vapor generator. The branching point diverts a portion of a first heat exchange fluid circulating through the refrigerant loop to the vapor generator. The first expansion valve is positioned between the branching point and the vapor generator. An outlet of the vapor generator is coupled to a mid-pressure inlet port of the compressor.

A thermal management system control method for a vehicle, may include: (A) a process in which a controller determines whether a pre-cooling mode is selected according to data detected from a data detector before track driving of the vehicle, and operates an air conditioner; (B) a process in which the controller, when the process (A) is completed, operates a battery chiller expansion valve to cool a battery module according to the data detected from the data detector; and (C) a process in which the controller, when the process (B) is completed, determines whether the evaporator is frozen and then thaws the evaporator or controls an evaporator expansion valve, and terminates the control.

When a temperature of a coolant is a first predetermined temperature or higher, an air conditioner ECU executes a first control that sets a target evaporation temperature higher by a predetermined temperature and the air conditioner ECU executes a second control that changes the target evaporation temperature in accordance with a cooling load inside the vehicle cabin. When the second control is executed after the first control is executed, the air conditioner ECU sets a first target evaporation temperature set by the first control as the target evaporation temperature, and calculates a second target evaporation temperature that is changed by the second control based on the target evaporation temperature immediately before the first control is executed. When the second target evaporation temperature becomes larger than the first target evaporation temperature, the air conditioner ECU sets the second target evaporation temperature as the target evaporation temperature.

A vehicular air-conditioning device includes an inside air temperature detector, an inside air-conditioning portion, and an air-conditioning controller. The inside air-conditioning portion includes a temperature adjuster and a blower. The air-conditioning controller includes an auto control portion, an open signal detector, a thermal load determiner, and a power saving control portion. The auto control portion is configured to perform an auto control. The open signal detector is configured to detect an open signal. The thermal load determiner is configured to determine whether a thermal load on the passenger compartment exceeds an air-conditioning capacity of the auto control. The power saving control portion is configured to perform a power saving control to limit an increase of a power consumption regardless of the inside air temperature when the open signal is detected and it is determined that the thermal load exceeds the air-conditioning capacity of the auto control.

A vehicle air conditioner installed in a vehicle includes: an evaporator that is provided on a ceiling of the vehicle and causes heat exchange between air in an interior of a passenger compartment and a coolant; a condenser that causes heat exchange between the coolant and outside air; a spray nozzle that sprays water to a portion near the condenser; a water tank that is provided in a lower portion of the vehicle and stores the water to be sprayed; and a drain hose that guides condensed water generated in the evaporator to the water tank. The drain hose is provided through a pillar.

Provided is a refrigerator for a vehicle. The refrigerator for the vehicle may include a cavity or compartment accommodating a product, a machine room disposed at a side of the cavity, a compressor accommodated in the machine room to compress a refrigerant, a condensation module or assembly accommodated in the machine room to condense the refrigerant, an evaporation module or assembly accommodated in the cavity to evaporate the refrigerant and thereby to cool the cavity, a machine room cover defining an inner space of the machine room, and a controller mounted on an outer surface of the machine room cover.

A cooling system for a vehicle is provided. The cooling system includes a condenser having a first inlet header, a first outlet header, and a plurality of first tubes connecting between the first inlet header and the first outlet header. Additionally, a radiator of the system includes a second inlet header, a second outlet header, and a plurality of second tubes connecting between the second inlet header and the second outlet header. A fan assembly is disposed in front of or behind the condenser and the radiator and includes at least one cooling fan. The condenser and the radiator are arranged side by side on the front of the vehicle.