A vehicle includes a thermal energy management system with first and second thermal fluid loops. The first thermal fluid loop includes a coolant pump configured to circulate a coolant through a vehicle battery and a chiller. The second thermal fluid loop is configured to circulate a refrigerant through the chiller, a compressor, and at least one condenser. The controller is configured to control the thermal energy management system according to a passenger compartment cooling mode and a battery cooling mode. In the passenger compartment cooling mode the compressor is operated at a first power setting. In the battery cooling mode the compressor is operated at a second power setting and the chiller is controlled to transfer thermal energy from the first thermal fluid loop to the second fluid thermal loop. The second power setting is less than the first power setting.

A thermal system for an electrified vehicle including a thermal loop and a controller is provided. The thermal loop may include a rear evaporator and a compressor fluidly connected thereto, a conduit to distribute oil throughout the thermal loop, and an evaporator valve. The controller may be programmed to, responsive to receipt of a signal indicating evaporator valve shut-off and detection of a vehicle plug-in event, cycle the compressor to promote oil movement through the compressor. The controller may be further programmed to, responsive to receipt of the signal, open the evaporator valve to force oil back to the compressor. The thermal loop may further include a first expansion valve up stream of a chiller fluidly connected to the compressor, a second expansion valve between the evaporator valve and the rear evaporator, and a third expansion valve up stream of a front evaporator fluidly connected to the compressor.

Vehicle control apparatus and vehicle control method are described. The vehicle control apparatus may include a compressor and a controller. The controller may determine a thermal load level at one or more of: a first time point at which an engine is switched to an ON state from an OFF state, a second time point at which a first discharge amount of the battery exceeds a first reference value while the engine is in the OFF state, or a third time point at which a second discharge amount of the battery exceeds a second reference value smaller than the first reference value and a discharge rate associated with the battery exceeds a third reference value while the engine is in the OFF state. The controller may control the compressor using a control value corresponding to the thermal load level.

A refrigeration system for cooling a refrigeration compartment. The refrigeration system comprises a cooling reservoir for cooling refrigerant in a first loop using energy recovered from an engine exhaust stream and a refrigeration circuit comprising a compressor drivable by an internal combustion motor, the compressor circulating refrigerant in a second loop. The refrigeration system comprises at least one heat exchanger in communication with the first and second loops to receive cooled refrigerant, and at least one blower for forcing air over the at least one heat exchanger. A controller selectively activates the internal combustion motor based on a temperature of the cooling reservoir.

It is an object to improve the reliability of a temperature adjusting device which cools an in-vehicle device such as a battery by using a refrigerant. A device temperature adjusting device 61 that is an in-vehicle device temperature adjusting device adjusts the temperature of a battery 55 mounted on a vehicle and includes a refrigerant circuit R having a compressor 2 which compresses a refrigerant, an outdoor heat exchanger 7 for letting the refrigerant radiate heat, and a refrigerant-heat medium heat exchanger 64 for cooling the battery 55 by letting the refrigerant absorb heat, and a control device 11. The control device 11 stops the compressor 2 on the basis of the fact that the refrigerant circuit R is blocked.

A vehicle thermal management system includes a vehicle heat pump system, a battery system coolant loop, a drive train coolant loop, and control electronics. The vehicle heat pump system includes a compressor, a cabin condenser, a cabin evaporator, a cabin blower, and a chiller. The battery system coolant loop is in thermal communication with a battery system and with the chiller and selectively in thermal communication with the drive train coolant loop. The control electronics control the components of the vehicle thermal management system to heat the cabin, cool the cabin, heat the battery system, cool the battery system, and cool the drive train. The control electronics may control the compressor to operate in an efficient mode or a lossy mode in which the compressor generates heat. The control electronics may also control the components of the vehicle thermal management system to precondition the battery.

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.

A system includes a motor-driven component, a motor configured to operate the motor-driven component, and a motor drive circuit configured to power the motor. The motor drive circuit includes at least one complementary stage, where each stage includes a first transistor and a second transistor. During operation of the motor drive circuit, the first transistor is switched on when the second transistor is switched off. The system includes a controller communicatively coupled to the motor drive circuit. A load condition associated with the component is monitored. Based on the load condition, the controller determines whether the component is operating at a light load condition. If the component is operating at the light load condition, a switching frequency of each of stages is changed from a first switching frequency to a second switching frequency, which is less than the first switching frequency.

A method for controlling pressure in a vehicle thermal management system, includes: determining, by a controller, whether only the battery pack is cooled when cooling of a passenger compartment is desired; stopping, by the controller, the compressor when it is determined that only the battery pack is cooled; determining, by the controller, whether a noise generation condition is satisfied after stopping the compressor.

A vehicle includes a thermal energy management system with first and second thermal fluid loops. The first thermal fluid loop includes a coolant pump configured to circulate a coolant through a vehicle battery and a chiller. The second thermal fluid loop is configured to circulate a refrigerant through the chiller, a compressor, and at least one condenser. The controller is configured to control the thermal energy management system according to a passenger compartment cooling mode and a battery cooling mode. In the passenger compartment cooling mode the compressor is operated at a first power setting. In the battery cooling mode the compressor is operated at a second power setting and the chiller is controlled to transfer thermal energy from the first thermal fluid loop to the second fluid thermal loop. The second power setting is less than the first power setting.