Patent classifications
B60H2001/3282
Vehicle cabin and high voltage battery thermal management system
A vehicle thermal management system including an electric powertrain, a single thermal loop, and a controller is provided. The electric powertrain includes a high voltage battery. The single thermal loop is for managing thermal conditions of the high voltage battery and a vehicle cabin and may include a climate control system, a blower, and a front evaporator in fluid communication with the vehicle cabin. The controller is programmed to, responsive to detection of a climate control system off request, output a command to direct the blower to push air through a heater core to the vehicle cabin at a predetermined temperature such that a temperature within the vehicle cabin is maintained at a predetermined temperature and refrigerant continues to flow through the front evaporator. The system may include a vehicle cabin temperature sensor and an ambient temperature sensor, each in electrical communication with the controller.
Methods and systems of minimizing c-rate fluctuation by adjusting operation of a transport climate control system
A method of minimizing C-Rate fluctuations with an electrically powered accessory (EPA) is disclosed. The EPA is configured to be used with at least one of a vehicle, a trailer, and a transport container that has a first controller. The EPA has a second controller. The method includes determining, by the first controller, a first C-Rate of a Rechargeable Energy Storage System (RESS). Also, the method includes comparing the first C-Rate to a first predetermined threshold. The method also includes when the first C-Rate exceeds the first predetermined threshold, the first controller sending a first request to the second controller to adjust a load of the EPA. The method further includes the second controller determining a first operational mode of the EPA based on the first request. Also the method includes when the first operational mode of the EPA allows a load change, the second controller adjusting the load of the EPA.
TRANSPORTATION REFIGERATION 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.
Method for controlling the refrigerant pressure in an ambient heat exchanger of a refrigerant circuit
A method of controlling the refrigerant pressure in an ambient heat exchanger of a refrigerant circuit, particularly a heat pump circuit, for vehicles, in which the current temperature and the current humidity of the ambient air is measured, the current dew point temperature of the ambient air is determined from the measured temperature and humidity, and if the ambient air temperature is below 0° C. the refrigerant pressure in the refrigerant circuit is controlled by adjusting the rotational speed of a refrigerant compressor of the refrigerant circuit, the flow cross-section of a controllable expansion element of the refrigerant circuit and/or the ambient air volume flow flowing around or through the ambient heat exchanger, such that the temperature of the ambient heat exchanger is greater than the dew point temperature.
METHOD FOR OPERATING A DEVICE FOR THE THERMAL CONDITIONING OF A MOTOR VEHICLE INTERIOR AND DEVICE FOR IMPLEMENTING THE METHOD
The invention relates to a method for operating a device for the thermal conditioning of a motor vehicle interior, comprising: a refrigerant circuit comprising a compressor (C) and a heat exchanger (2) able to form an evaporator, the heat exchanger (2) being able to exchange heat with a flow of air intended to be conditioned, at least one bypass means (V1) able to divert from the heat exchanger (2) at least part of said air flow and which can be controlled in terms of position between the closed position in which no flow is diverted from the heat exchanger (2) and a multitude of open positions in which part of the flow is diverted from the heat exchanger (2) according to the position of opening, a mixing zone (ZM) for mixing the flow that has passed through the evaporator (2) and the flow of air diverted by the bypass means (V1) so as to obtain an air flow at a setpoint temperature.
Systems and methods for controlling a vehicle HVAC system
Disclosed are climate systems for vehicles and methods for controlling the climate systems. In some implementations, a climate system includes: (1) a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature within the compartment of the vehicle; (2) a first compressor powered by an engine of the vehicle to compress a refrigerant; (3) a second compressor driven by an electric motor to compress the refrigerant; and (4) a controller electrically coupled to the first compressor and the second compressor. The controller configured to: (1) calculate a thermal load of the compartment based on a difference between a desired temperature and a measured temperature; and, (2) based on the calculated load, selectively activate: (i) the engine, (ii) the first compressor, and/or (iii) the second compressor.
REDUCTION OF CONDENSATION IN VEHICLE HVAC SYSTEMS
A vehicle heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system can be configured to reduce and/or prevent condensation build up on one or more elements of the system. Subsequent to a power state of the vehicle being switched from an active state to an inactive state, a fresh mode air source can be selected as an intake for a blower. It can be determined whether an ambient temperature is greater than or equal to a predetermined temperature. It can then be determined whether the compressor was in operation prior to the vehicle having been switched from the active state to the inactive state. It can be determined whether a temperature of an evaporator of the HVAC system is rising. If it is determined that the ambient temperature is greater than or equal to the predetermined temperature value, that the compressor was in operation prior to the vehicle having been switched from the active state tot eh inactive state, and that the temperature of the evaporator is rising, a blower can be activated to blow air from the fresh mode air source across the evaporator.
AIR MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR CLIMATE CONTROL UNIT OF A TRANSPORT CLIMATE CONTROL SYSTEM
Technologies are provided for preventing a working fluid leak from pooling and thus diluting any leaked working fluid from air within a condenser and/or evaporator compartment of the CCU. This can include a computer-readable medium that stores executable instructions that, upon execution, prevent a working fluid leak from pooling within a climate-control unit (CCU) of a transport climate control system. This also includes detecting fulfillment of activation threshold conditions in connection with the CCU. Also, this includes activating a fan in at least one of a condenser unit and an evaporator unit included in the CCU to dilute leaked working fluid from air within the CCU. Further, this includes detecting fulfillment of de-activation threshold conditions and de-activation of an activated fan.
APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING FUEL CELL
An apparatus for controlling a fuel cell includes a cooling module that cools a fuel cell stack, a first temperature sensor that measures ambient air temperature of a vehicle, and a processor that, when a cooling fan of the cooling module is detected to be defective, determines a fail-safe control method depending on a defect situation of the cooling fan, sets a first limit level depending on the ambient air temperature, sets a second limit level depending on a state of charge (SOC) of a battery and an output requirement, and controls limitation of output of the fuel cell stack, based on at least one of the fail-safe control method, the first limit level, or the second limit level.
Systems and Methods for Controlling a Vehicle HVAC System
Disclosed are climate systems for vehicles and methods for controlling the climate systems. In some implementations, a climate system includes: (1) a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature within the compartment of the vehicle; (2) a first compressor powered by an engine of the vehicle to compress a refrigerant; (3) a second compressor driven by an electric motor to compress the refrigerant; and (4) a controller electrically coupled to the first compressor and the second compressor. The controller configured to: (1) calculate a thermal load of the compartment based on a difference between a desired temperature and a measured temperature; and, (2) based on the calculated load, selectively activate: (i) the engine, (ii) the first compressor, and/or (iii) the second compressor.