HEAT PUMP AND AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMN FOR A VEHICLE
First Claim
1. A heating and cooling system for a vehicle having an engine and a passenger compartment, the heating and cooling system comprising:
- at least one coolant loop having a coolant outlet line and a coolant inlet line adapted to operatively engage the engine, a heater core, a first coolant/refrigerant heat exchanger, a second coolant/refrigerant heat exchanger, and at least one coolant valve for selectively directing flow of a coolant from the coolant outlet line to the coolant inlet line through at least one of the heater core, the first coolant/refrigerant heat exchanger, and the second coolant/refrigerant heat exchanger;
a pump operatively engaging the at least one coolant loop; and
a refrigerant loop having a compressor with an inlet and an outlet, a first refrigerant valve for selectively directing the flow of a refrigerant from the compressor outlet to one of a condenser and the second coolant/refrigerant heat exchanger, a first refrigerant passage connected to the condenser for directing the flow of the refrigerant from the condenser, through a first expansion device and to an evaporator, and a second refrigerant line connected to the second coolant/refrigerant heat exchanger for directing the flow of the refrigerant from the second coolant/refrigerant heat exchanger, through a second expansion device and to the first coolant/refrigerant heat exchanger.
14 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A heat pump and air conditioning system for a vehicle that has at least one coolant loop selectively connecting an engine cooling system with a heater core, a first coolant/refrigerant heat exchanger, and/or a second coolant/refrigerant heat exchanger, in order to warm a passenger compartment of the vehicle. The system also includes a refrigerant loop that includes a first expansion device between a condenser and evaporator, and a second expansion device between the first coolant/refrigerant heat exchanger and the second coolant/refrigerant heat exchanger. The refrigerant loop provides for cooling of the passenger compartment of the vehicle, as well as operating as a heat pump, together with the at least one coolant loop, to provide heat to the vehicle passenger compartment.
76 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A heating and cooling system for a vehicle having an engine and a passenger compartment, the heating and cooling system comprising:
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at least one coolant loop having a coolant outlet line and a coolant inlet line adapted to operatively engage the engine, a heater core, a first coolant/refrigerant heat exchanger, a second coolant/refrigerant heat exchanger, and at least one coolant valve for selectively directing flow of a coolant from the coolant outlet line to the coolant inlet line through at least one of the heater core, the first coolant/refrigerant heat exchanger, and the second coolant/refrigerant heat exchanger;
a pump operatively engaging the at least one coolant loop; and
a refrigerant loop having a compressor with an inlet and an outlet, a first refrigerant valve for selectively directing the flow of a refrigerant from the compressor outlet to one of a condenser and the second coolant/refrigerant heat exchanger, a first refrigerant passage connected to the condenser for directing the flow of the refrigerant from the condenser, through a first expansion device and to an evaporator, and a second refrigerant line connected to the second coolant/refrigerant heat exchanger for directing the flow of the refrigerant from the second coolant/refrigerant heat exchanger, through a second expansion device and to the first coolant/refrigerant heat exchanger. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A heating and cooling system for a vehicle having an engine and a passenger compartment, the heating and cooling system comprising:
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a first coolant loop having a coolant outlet line and a coolant inlet line adapted to couple to the engine, a heater core, a first coolant/refrigerant heat exchanger, and a first coolant valve and a second coolant valve for selectively directing flow of a coolant from the coolant outlet line to the coolant inlet line through one of the heater core and the first coolant/refrigerant heat exchanger;
a second coolant loop having a second coolant/refrigerant heat exchanger with a coolant inlet line and a coolant outlet line which are selectively connected for coolant flow through the heater core by the first coolant valve and the second coolant valve;
a pump operatively engaging at least one of the first coolant loop and the second coolant loop; and
a refrigerant loop having a compressor with an inlet and an outlet, a first refrigerant valve for selectively directing the flow of a refrigerant from the compressor outlet to one of a condenser and the second coolant/refrigerant heat exchanger, a first refrigerant passage connected to the condenser for directing the flow of the refrigerant from the condenser, through a first expansion device and to an evaporator, and a second refrigerant line connected to the second coolant/refrigerant heat exchanger for directing the flow of the refrigerant from the second coolant/refrigerant heat exchanger, through a second expansion device and to the first coolant/refrigerant heat exchanger. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of providing heating and cooling to a passenger compartment of a vehicle having an engine, the method comprising the steps of:
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selectively circulating a coolant from the engine, through at least one of a heater core and a first coolant/refrigerant heat exchanger, and back to the engine;
selectively circulating the coolant from a pump, through one of a second coolant/refrigerant heat exchanger and the heater core, through the other of the second coolant/refrigerant heat exchanger and the heater core, and back to the pump; and
selectively circulating a refrigerant from a compressor and back to the compressor through one of a first refrigerant path, having a condenser and an evaporator, and a first expansion device between the condenser and the evaporator, and a second refrigerant path, having the second coolant/refrigerant heat exchanger, the first coolant/refrigerant heat exchanger, and a second expansion device between the second coolant/refrigerant heat exchanger and the first coolant/refrigerant heat exchanger. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification