Patent classifications
B60H1/3211
Vehicular thermal management system
A vehicular thermal management system includes: an indoor-air-conditioner disposed in a first vehicle body having a passenger space and including a compressor, a first condenser, an evaporator, a blower, and a refrigerant line; and a component-air-conditioner disposed in a second vehicle body combinable with the first vehicle body and including an electrical component line for cooling an electrical component of the vehicle and a first battery line for cooling a high-voltage battery including a chiller which extends toward the first vehicle body to be disposed behind the evaporator when the first vehicle body is combined with the second vehicle body.
Transportation refrigeration system
A transportation refrigeration unit (TRU) system is provided and includes a damper assembly configured to direct air flows through first or second pathways and an evaporator disposed in the first pathway, a coil element surrounded by phase change material (PCM) and disposed in the second pathway and a routing assembly configured to direct refrigerant through the evaporator or the coil element. With the PCM pre-cooled, the damper and routing assemblies are controllable to respectively direct the air flows through the first pathway and the refrigerant through the evaporator when first conditions are met and to respectively direct the air flows through the second pathway when second conditions are met.
VEHICULAR THERMAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
A vehicular thermal management system includes: an indoor-air-conditioner disposed in a first vehicle body having a passenger space and including a compressor, a first condenser, an evaporator, a blower, and a refrigerant line; and a component-air-conditioner disposed in a second vehicle body combinable with the first vehicle body and including an electrical component line for cooling an electrical component of the vehicle and a first battery line for cooling a high-voltage battery including a chiller which extends toward the first vehicle body to be disposed behind the evaporator when the first vehicle body is combined with the second vehicle body.
REFRIGERANT SYSTEM FOR COOLING ELECTRONICS
The various implementations described herein include methods, devices, and systems for cooling a vehicular electronics system. In one aspect, a vehicular refrigerant system includes: (1) a refrigerant loop having a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant, a condenser configured to condense the compressed refrigerant, an expansion device configured to enable expansion of the condensed refrigerant, and a heat exchanger configured to transfer heat from a liquid coolant to the expanded refrigerant; (2) a liquid coolant loop configured to transfer heat from an electronics system via the liquid coolant; and (3) a controller configured to: (a) obtain operating data regarding the refrigerant, the liquid coolant, and/or the electronics system; and (b) adjust operation of the refrigerant loop and/or the liquid coolant loop based on the obtained operating data.
Temperature controlled goods vehicles
The present disclosure relates to a method for operating a temperature control system for a temperature controlled goods vehicle, wherein the temperature control system comprises: a solar panel and a temperature control unit comprising: one or more temperature control components; a battery coupled to the solar cell (200) for receiving a first charging current i.sub.1 from the solar cell; an engine operative to supply a second charging current i.sub.2 to the battery; and a controller. The method comprises: at the controller: monitoring a voltage of the battery; if the voltage of the battery exceeds a first battery voltage threshold for a first predetermined amount of time: determining a first energy count value representing an amount of energy delivered by the solar panel in a predetermined time period; if the first energy count value exceeds a first energy count value threshold: determining an average current value representing an average amount of energy delivered by the solar panel in the predetermined time period; and increasing a cycle threshold value that determines when the engine is deactivated so as to stop supplying the second charging current i.sub.2 to the battery based on the average current value.
ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL SYSTEM TRIM AIR HEAT EXCHANGER
An environmental control system includes an environmental control system pack having a trim outlet and a primary outlet. A trim medium is output from the trim outlet and a first medium is output from the primary outlet. An inlet of a mixing manifold is connected to the primary outlet of the at least one environmental control system pack. A trim heat exchanger is connected to the trim outlet and the at least one inlet of the environmental control system pack. Within the trim heat exchanger, the trim medium is arranged in a heat exchange relationship with a second medium. From the trim heat exchanger, the second medium is provided to an inlet of the least one environmental control system pack and the trim medium is mixed with a flow output from an outlet of the mixing manifold.
METHOD FOR OPERATING A COOLANT CIRCUIT OF A REFRIGERATION SYSTEM OF A VEHICLE
A method for operating a coolant circuit of a refrigeration system of a vehicle having multiple system sections. A single pressure sensor is located in each system section. A temperature sensor is arranged downstream at each component to be balanced in the system sections, such as heat exchangers and a coolant compressor. The sensor signals of the pressure and temperature sensors are supplied to a control unit for the control or regulation of the refrigeration system. Furthermore, a pressure approximation value at the position of the temperature sensor is calculated by a pressure loss value determined using a pressure loss calculation function starting from the position of the pressure sensor arranged in the system section of the component up to the position of the temperature sensor if the temperature sensor and the pressure sensor are arranged at different positions in the system section.
Method for Controlling Vehicle HVAC System
An embodiment method for controlling a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system of a vehicle includes determining a target subcooled temperature of a refrigerant based on a temperature and a pressure of the refrigerant discharged from an outlet of a compressor when the compressor operates, calculating a change in enthalpy of the refrigerant based on the determined target subcooled temperature in a process of condensing and subcooling the refrigerant, calculating a change in enthalpy of air passing over an exterior surface of a condenser based on the calculated refrigerant enthalpy change, and calculating a required fan duty of a cooling fan based on the calculated air enthalpy change, wherein the cooling fan is configured to blow the air to the condenser.
THERMOELECTRIC ENHANCED HYBRID HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS
Thermoelectric enhanced hybrid heat pump systems are provided herein. A compressor increases the pressure of refrigerant within tubing. A first heat exchanger is downstream of the compressor and changes enthalpy of first fluid flow through heat exchange with refrigerant. A second heat exchanger changes enthalpy of second fluid flow through heat exchange with refrigerant. A thermoelectric device is downstream of the first heat exchanger and reduces refrigerant temperature. Expansion valves are downstream of the thermoelectric device and first heat exchanger, respectively located on first and second sides of the thermoelectric device, and expand refrigerant and reduce refrigerant pressure while conserving refrigerant enthalpy. At least one valve reverses refrigerant flow within the tubing without changing compressor operation. A control system controls the thermoelectric device and at least one valve to switch the heat pump system from heating mode to cooling mode and from cooling mode to heating mode.
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ESTIMATING QUALITY OF REFRIGERANT AT INLET OF COMPRESSOR IN THERMAL SYSTEM OF ELECTRIC VEHICLE
A system includes a compressor outlet temperature module, a refrigerant quality module, and a correction factor module. The compressor outlet temperature module is configured to estimate a temperature at an outlet of a compressor in a thermal system of an electric vehicle. The refrigerant quality module is configured to estimate a quality of refrigerant at an inlet of the compressor based on an enthalpy at the compressor inlet and an inlet enthalpy correction factor. The refrigerant quality is a ratio of vapor refrigerant mass to total refrigerant mass. The correction factor module is configured to determine the inlet enthalpy correction factor based on the estimated compressor outlet temperature and a temperature measured at the compressor outlet.