No studies have been made regarding what kinds of refrigerants should be used in a refrigeration cycle device for a vehicle. An air conditioner (1) for a vehicle includes a refrigerant circuit (10) and a refrigerant that is sealed in the refrigerant circuit (10). The refrigerant circuit (10) includes a compressor (80), a first heat exchanger (85), which serves as a heat dissipater in a dehumidifying heating mode, an outside-air heat exchanger (82), a cooling control valve (87), and a second heat exchanger (86), which serves as an evaporator in the dehumidifying heating mode. The refrigerant is a refrigerant having a low GWP.

An internal return pump is disclosed for a heat engine converting energy from a vapor source to an output device. The heat engine comprises a heat engine body having a sealed first and a second heat engine body end with a heat engine piston is located in the heat engine bore. A heat engine piston rod is connected to the heat engine piston and extending from the second heat engine body end. A first valve and a second valve assembly communicating with the heat engine bore for reciprocating the heat engine piston within the heat engine bore. A condensate pump operated by the heat engine piston rod extending from the second heat engine body end for pumping low pressure vapor to the low pressure vapor return of the vapor source. An output section connecting said heat engine piston rod extending from said second heat engine body end to the output device.

An external automotive condenser and light assembly for mounting on a body of a vehicle, the condenser and light assembly includes a condenser housing having a top portion defining at least one top opening and a bottom portion defining at least one bottom opening. The condenser housing includes a front face so as to permit at least one warning light to be affixed thereto. The condenser housing includes a right face extending rearward from the front face. The condenser housing includes a left face extending rearward from the front face. At least one warning light is affixed to an exterior of the front face.

An air conditioner for a vehicle includes: a condenser that includes a core for allowing heat exchange between a refrigerant discharged from a compressor of a refrigeration cycle and air; and a switching unit that switches a refrigerant passage in the condenser. The switching unit switches the refrigerant passage between a first refrigerant passage that allows the refrigerant to flow throughout the core, and a second refrigerant passage that allows the refrigerant to flow through a part of the core by allowing the refrigerant discharged from the compressor to flow into a middle part of the core.

There is provided a vehicle air conditioning apparatus being capable of cooling, heating, and dehumidifying the vehicle compartment. A communication path is formed to allow communication between part of the first ventilation flue downstream of the heat absorbing unit in an air flow direction and part of the second ventilation flue upstream of the heat releasing unit in the air flow direction. The communication path is opened and closed by a communication path opening and closing damper. By this means, it is possible to perform the dehumidifying operation by opening the communication path without need of devices such as a dedicated outdoor heat exchanger, and a solenoid valve and a four-way valve to switch the refrigerant flow path in the refrigerant circuit.

An air conditioner includes a circulation flow channel in which a refrigerant circulates, an evaporator provided in the circulation flow channel to cool air by heat exchange with the refrigerant passing through the circulation flow channel, a first cold storage unit provided in the evaporator at a position adjacent to a tube in which the refrigerant flows in the evaporator, and a second cold storage unit provided in the circulation flow channel at a position different from the evaporator. The first cold storage unit is configured to store therein a first cold storage material which changes in phase by the heat exchange with the refrigerant passing through the tube, and the second cold storage unit is configured to store therein a second cold storage material which changes in phase by the heat exchange with the refrigerant passing through the circulation flow channel.

An air-conditioning control apparatus includes a determiner and a controller. The determiner is configured to determine whether a subject vehicle is in a slipstream of a preceding vehicle when the subject vehicle is in autonomous control and following the preceding vehicle. The controller is configured to increase a flow rate of air flowing through a condenser for an air-conditioning of the subject vehicle when the determiner determines that the subject vehicle is in the slipstream of the preceding vehicle. According to this, even when the subject vehicle is in the slipstream and following the preceding vehicle during the autonomous control, the flow rate of the air flowing through the condenser can be increased by the controller. Accordingly, the flow rate of the air flowing through the condenser of the subject vehicle can be secured in the condition where the inter-vehicle distance from the preceding vehicle is small during vehicle platooning.

A method of mitigating refrigerant leaks within a refrigeration system that includes: detecting a leak of a refrigerant from a refrigeration system; closing a first valve to inhibit a fluid flow of the refrigerant between an evaporator and a condenser fluidly connected to the evaporator; and operating a compressor to direct another fluid flow of the refrigerant from the evaporator to the compressor.

Systems and methods for lubricant management of a compressor in an HVACR system are disclosed. A heat transfer circuit can utilize a working fluid to provide heating or cooling includes a compressor for compressing the working fluid and a heat source configured to increase a suction temperature of the working fluid entering the compressor. One or more lubricant rheological properties in a compressor system based on measurements taken at or near a bearing cavity of the compressor are determinable. A lubricant reservoir can be in thermal communication with a discharge flow path of the compressor. An internal heat exchanger can be disposed within a compressor for improving viscosity of the lubricant to be cycled back into the compressor. A heater can be located on a fluid line between a lubricant separator and a lubricant inlet. Condenser fans can be controlled.

A vehicle air conditioning system sets a deterioration determination index, which is an index for determining the degree of deterioration of an electric motor, to an integrated value of the time for which a condition continues in which the temperature of the engine cooling water for cooling an internal combustion engine is at or above a preset set temperature, or to the number of times that the temperature of the engine cooling water is at or above the set temperature, and estimates the degree of deterioration of the electric motor on the basis of a total engine speed, which is the cumulative value of the engine speed, and on the deterioration determination index.