A thermal management system comprises a first coolant loop with a first pump, a second coolant loop with a second pump, and a refrigerant loop. A four-way valve is selectively configurable to maintain the first and second coolant loops separate, or to combine the first and second coolant loops in a single coolant loop operable with one of the first pump and the second pump. The refrigerant loop includes an inside condenser for conditioning air, and a chiller for extracting heat from coolant. The thermal management system is capable of operation in a plurality of modes depending on the thermal state of components heated and cooled by the thermal management system.

Provided is a vehicle thermal management system, including: an HVAC subsystem thermally connected to a passenger compartment; and a powertrain cooling subsystem thermally connected to a powertrain component. The HVAC subsystem includes a compressor, an interior condenser disposed on the downstream side of the compressor, a heating-side expansion valve disposed on the downstream side of the interior condenser, an exterior heat exchanger disposed on the downstream side of the heating-side expansion valve, a first distribution conduit extending from a downstream point of the heating-side expansion valve to an upstream point of the compressor, a water-cooled heat exchanger disposed on the first distribution conduit, a first control valve disposed on the upstream side of the exterior heat exchanger, a second control valve disposed on the first distribution conduit, a third control valve disposed on the downstream side of the exterior heat exchanger, a cooling-side expansion valve disposed on the downstream side of the third control valve, and an evaporator disposed on the downstream side of the cooling-side expansion valve. The water-cooled heat exchanger transfers heat between the first distribution conduit and the powertrain cooling subsystem.

A method for controlling a thermal comfort control system for ride share vehicles includes providing a plurality of occupant seats in a vehicle cabin and controlling a cabin set temperature using a cabin comfort control system configured to adjust a plurality of HVAC functions. At least one thermal comfort parameter is adjusted at a number of the plurality of occupant seats using at least one seat comfort control system. Adjusting the at least one thermal comfort parameter causes the cabin control module to adjust the set temperature of the vehicle cabin.

Systems and methods for heating and cooling a vehicle using a heat pump are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a system for heating and cooling the vehicle includes a heat pump having: a compressor located in an engine compartment of the vehicle, and an evaporator located in a sleeper or a cab of the vehicle. The system also includes a controller for selecting a cooling mode or a heating mode for the heat pump. In one embodiment, the system includes a clutch for engaging the compressor with a transmission of the vehicle.

A heat management system includes a high-temperature heat medium circuit, a low-temperature heat medium circuit, a circuit connection part, and a circuit switching part. The high-temperature heat medium circuit connects a heat medium and refrigerant heat exchanger and a heater core. The low-temperature heat medium circuit connects a radiator and a heat generation equipment. The circuit connection part connects the high-temperature heat medium circuit and the low-temperature heat medium circuit such that the heat medium can flow in and out. The heat management system is switched by the circuit switching part between an operation mode in which the heat medium heated by the heat medium and refrigerant heat exchanger is circulated through the heater core and an operation mode in which the heat medium heated by the heat generation equipment and the heat medium and refrigerant heat exchanger is circulated through the heater core.

A thermoelectric system and method provides distributed localized heating, cooling, or both heating and cooling. The thermoelectric system includes a plurality of thermoelectric assemblies. Each thermoelectric assembly comprises a plurality of thermoelectric elements, and each thermoelectric assembly is in thermal communication with a first working fluid and in thermal communication with a region corresponding to the thermoelectric assembly. Each thermoelectric assembly is selectively operable either to heat the region corresponding to the thermoelectric assembly by transferring heat from the first working fluid to the region corresponding to the thermoelectric assembly or to cool the region corresponding to the thermoelectric assembly by transferring heat from the region corresponding to the thermoelectric assembly to the first working fluid. Each thermoelectric assembly is operable independently from operation of other thermoelectric assemblies of the plurality of thermoelectric assemblies.

A heat circulation system for a vehicle includes: an energy supply circuit that supplies heat energy supplied from a heat source to at least a vehicle cabin heater or a battery heater and cooler; and an energy absorption circuit that supplies cold energy supplied from a heat pump mechanism to at least a vehicle cabin cooler or the battery heater and cooler. The heat circulation system for a vehicle further includes a water circulation circuit, and the water circulation circuit includes at least one of a first heat exchanger that generates hot water by exchanging heat with the energy supply circuit and a second heat exchanger that generates cold water by exchanging heat with the energy absorption circuit.

A heat pump includes a refrigerant loop. The refrigerant loop includes a first heat exchanger, a first region of a second heat exchanger, a third heat exchanger, a fourth heat exchanger, a compressor, a vapor generator, and a four-way valve. The compressor includes a low-pressure inlet, a mid-pressure inlet, and an outlet. The vapor generator is positioned downstream of the outlet of the compressor and upstream of both the low-pressure inlet and the mid-pressure inlet. The four-way valve is positioned immediately upstream of the first heat exchanger. At least one component chosen from the first heat exchanger, the second heat exchanger, and the vapor generator is free from compressor-driven flow of the first heat exchange fluid during a first predetermined set of heating modes of operation of the heat pump and a first predetermined set of cooling modes of operation of the heat pump.

The invention relates to a refrigeration installation (1), to a method for same, and to a refrigeration installation system, for controlling the temperature of air, comprising at least one compressor (3), at least one expansion element (39) , and at least one first (5) and a second (7) heat exchanger, each of which can be operated as a condenser or a gas cooler, wherein at least one of the heat exchangers can be operated as an evaporator or at least one additional heat exchanger is provided which can be operated as an evaporator. A refrigerant line is equipped with a first valve (11) downstream of at least one compressor (3) at or downstream of a branch (9) and upstream of or at the condenser or gas cooler inlet (15) of the first heat exchanger (5), and a second valve (19) is arranged at or downstream of the condenser or gas cooler outlet (17) of the first heat exchanger (5) and upstream of or as an expansion element. The refrigeration installation (1) contains at least one valve controller (13) for the first (11) and second valve (19) with at least one first and second possible valve set-up in order to displace the refrigerant, wherein the first Valve (11) is open while the second valve (19) is closed at the same time in the first set-up and vice versa in the second set-up. The valve controller (13) comprises an automatic regulator which sets the first valve switch set-up for at least one heat exchanger (5, 7) which is not being used as a with refrigerant flowing through condenser or gas cooler at the moment when a specified refrigerant quantity is exceeded in the refrigerant circuit through which refrigerant is flowing.

A waste heat utilization system may include an air conditioning circuit for air conditioning a vehicle interior of the electric vehicle, wherein a working medium may circulate in the air conditioning circuit, which may have arranged therein a compressor for compressing the working medium, a condenser for condensing the working medium, and an evaporator for evaporating the working medium. The system may also include a cooling circuit for cooling at least one of the electric motor and the battery, wherein a coolant may circulate in the cooling circuit, which may have arranged therein the electric motor in a first branch and the battery in a second branch fluidically connected in parallel with the first branch, a first heat exchanger for discharging heat from the coolant into surroundings of the waste heat utilization system, a first delivery device for driving the coolant in the cooling circuit, a first chiller via which heat may be transferrable from the first branch into the air conditioning circuit, and a second chiller via which heat may be transferrable from the second branch into the air conditioning circuit. The system may further include a heating circuit, in which a heating medium circulates, and in which a second delivery device for driving the heating medium and a second heat exchanger for giving off heat from the heating medium into the vehicle interior may be arranged. The condense may be an indirect heat exchanger via which heat is transferrable from the air conditioning circuit into the heating circuit.