A device for thermal conditioning includes a cooling fluid circuit, a heat transfer fluid circuit, and a fluid/fluid heat exchanger that is intended to enable thermal exchange between the cooling fluid and the heat transfer fluid. The cooling fluid circuit includes at least one compressor, a first outer heat exchanger through which an outer air flow passes and a first evaporator. The heat transfer fluid circuit includes at least a first inner heat exchanger, a first heat source and a second outer heat exchanger through which the outer air flow passes. The cooling fluid circuit includes a second evaporator.

A heat pump cycle apparatus includes a compressor, an upstream branch part, a heating unit, an outside air heat exchanger, an upstream decompression unit, a downstream decompression unit, a bypass passage, and a bypass-side flow rate adjusting unit. In a heating mode of heating a heating target, a refrigerant decompressed in the upstream decompression unit flows into the outside air heat exchanger, and the refrigerant is caused to absorb heat of outside air in the outside air heat exchanger. In a defrosting mode of removing frost on the outside air heat exchanger, one refrigerant branched at the upstream branch part is caused to flow into the outside air heat exchanger to dissipate heat, and the refrigerant decompressed at the downstream decompression unit and the refrigerant flowing out of the bypass-side flow rate adjusting unit are mixed and sucked into the compressor.

First circulation portions switch a flow of a heat transfer medium such that one of the heat transfer media for two systems selectively circulates through a radiator flow path or a first bypass flow path. Second circulation portions switch the flow of the heat transfer medium such that the heat transfer media for the two systems selectively circulate with respect to a second flow path group. The first circulation portions and the second circulation portions are adapted to switch the flow of the heat transfer medium so as to form a first circulation circuit for allowing the heat transfer medium to circulate among a first flow path group, the second flow path group, and a first pump, as well as a second circulation circuit for allowing the heat transfer medium to circulate among the first flow path group, the second flow path group, and a second pump.

An air conditioner for a vehicle includes: a pump configured to take in and discharge a heat medium; a first heat medium/air heat exchanger disposed to regulate a temperature of ventilation air blown into a vehicle interior by conducting sensible-heat exchange between the ventilation air and the heat medium circulated by the pump; a first heat transfer device having a passage through which the heat medium flows and disposed to conduct heat transfer with the heat medium circulated by the pump; a heat medium temperature regulator disposed to regulate the temperature of the heat medium circulated by the pump; and a heat exchanger regulator disposed to regulate a heat transfer amount with the heat medium in the first heat transfer device or heat exchange capability of the first heat medium/air heat exchanger such that a temperature associated with a temperature of the ventilation air regulated by the first heat medium/air heat exchanger approaches a first target temperature.

A heat pump circuit has the following components when seen in the flow direction: a compressor; a condenser or gas cooler; a first coolant/air heat exchanger as a sub-cooler, via which the coolant dispenses heat; a first expansion element; a first coolant/air heat exchanger, via which the coolant absorbs heat from the ambient air; a second expansion element; and a third coolant/air heat exchanger, via which the coolant absorbs heat from the ambient air. The arrangement of the heat exchanger is in front of the drive engine relative to the travel direction. The danger of the ambient heat exchanger freezing is minimized. With this arrangement

A method for initiating a defrosting process of a heat exchanger of a heat pump of a motor vehicle, wherein the heat exchanger and a coolant heat exchanger of a cooling circuit of the motor vehicle are arranged in a common air path, involves determining a coolant outlet temperature of a coolant from the coolant heat exchanger, determining a state of icing of the heat exchanger using the coolant outlet temperature, and initiating a defrosting process of the heat exchanger if icing of the heat exchanger is determined.

In a refrigeration cycle device, a heat supply unit is disposed in parallel with a heat utilization unit in a flow of a heat medium. A branching part branches the heat medium flowing out of a heat radiator into a flow flowing toward the heat utilization unit and a flow flowing toward the heat supply unit. A merging part is configured to cause the heat medium having passed through the heat utilization unit and the heat medium having passed through the heat supply unit to merge together and to flow toward the heat radiator. A switching unit switches an operation state between a first state in which the heat medium circulates between the heat radiator and the heat utilization unit, and a second state in which the heat medium circulates between the heat radiator, the heat utilization unit and the heat supply unit.

A method for initiating a defrosting process of a heat exchanger of a heat pump of a motor vehicle, wherein a fan is assigned to the heat exchanger, wherein the power consumption and/or the speed of the fan is monitored, a defrosting process is initiated when the power consumption and/or the speed exceeds and/or falls below a threshold value, and the threshold value is determined as a function of a parameter, wherein the parameter is an indicator of a current relative air speed of the ambient air in relation to the motor vehicle.

A heat management system is configured to perform heat management of a vehicle using a heat medium. The heat management system includes: a first flow passage in which a reserve tank is not provided; a second flow passage in which a reserve tank is provided; a switching device configured to switch between coupling and uncoupling of the first flow passage and the second flow passage to and from each other; and a control device configured to control the switching device. The control device is configured to, when coupling conditions including that the vehicle is stationary are met, make the heat medium flow through the first flow passage and the second flow passage that have been coupled to each other by the switching device.

A vehicle air conditioning system includes a refrigerant circuit, a heat medium circuit, a vehicle-interior heat exchanger, a vehicle-exterior heat exchanger including a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger disposed in series with respect to a flow of air generated by an air blower, a switching unit, a detection unit for detecting a degree of frost formation, and a control device. The operation mode includes a defrosting mode in which the heat medium in the high-temperature medium circuit is supplied to a defrosting target to be selected as either the first or second heat exchanger by the operation of the switching unit. The control device selects, as the defrosting target, the first heat exchanger in preference to the second heat exchanger when determined that both the first and the second heat exchangers need to be defrosted.