SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CLIMATE CONTROL WITHIN A PASSENGER COMPARTMENT OF A VEHICLE

• US 20100052374A1
• Filed: 11/06/2009
• Published: 03/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentherm Incorporated
• Original Assignee: BSST LLC (Gentherm Incorporated)
• Inventors: LaGrandeur, John, Bell, Lon E.
• Granted Patent: US 9,366,461 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/180.120
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00271 HVAC devices specially adapted for particular vehicle parts or components and being connected to the vehicle HVAC unit
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00278 for the battery arrangement of batteries B60R16/04
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00285 for vehicle seats vehicle seats with heating or ventilation means independent from the HVAC system of the vehicle B60N2/56
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00478 Air-conditioning devices using the Peltier effect for air-conditioning in general F24F5/0042; for refrigeration F25B21/02; electric devices exhibiting the Peltier effect H10N10/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00492 comprising regenerative heating or cooling means, e.g. heat accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00885 Controlling the flow of heating or cooling liquid, e.g. valves or pumps B60H1/00899 takes precedence; constructions of valves B60H1/00485
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/034 from the cooling liquid of the propulsion plant and from an electric heating device
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/00942 comprising a plurality of heat exchangers, e.g. for multi zone heating or cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/00949 comprising additional heating/cooling sources, e.g. second evaporator
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5614 by liquid
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 21/04 reversible
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2321/0251 by a gas
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2321/0252 by liquids or two-phase fluids
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2400/24 Storage receiver heat

Abstract

A climate control system and method controls climate at selected regions within a passenger compartment of a vehicle. The thermoelectric system includes a plurality of thermoelectric assemblies. The system includes at least one fluid conduit configured to allow a liquid to flow in the at least one fluid conduit. The system further includes a plurality of thermoelectric assemblies. At least two thermoelectric assemblies of the plurality of thermoelectric assemblies are in thermal communication with the liquid and each of the at least two thermoelectric assemblies has a corresponding region within the passenger compartment. The at least two thermoelectric assemblies are selectively operable to transfer heat between the corresponding region and the liquid, wherein the at least two thermoelectric assemblies are each operable independently from one another.

Claims

1. A seat system for a passenger compartment of a vehicle, the seat system comprising:

at least one fluid conduit configured to allow a liquid to flow in the at least one fluid conduit;

one or more seat portions; and

a plurality of thermoelectric assemblies located in the one or more seat portions, wherein at least two thermoelectric assemblies of the plurality of thermoelectric assemblies are in thermal communication with the liquid and each of the at least two thermoelectric assemblies has a region corresponding to the thermoelectric assembly, wherein the at least two thermoelectric assemblies are selectively operable to heat the region corresponding to the thermoelectric assembly by transferring heat from the liquid to the region corresponding to the thermoelectric assembly, wherein the at least two thermoelectric assemblies are each operable independently from one another.

2. The seat system of claim 1, wherein the at least two thermoelectric assemblies are each in thermal communication with air within the region corresponding to the thermoelectric assembly.

3. The seat system of claim 1, wherein the at least two thermoelectric assemblies each comprises a plurality of thermoelectric elements, a liquid heat exchanger in thermal communication with the plurality of thermoelectric elements and configured to allow the liquid to flow through the liquid heat exchanger, and an air heat exchanger in thermal communication with the plurality of thermoelectric elements, the air heat exchanger configured to allow air to flow through the air heat exchanger.

4. The seat system of claim 1, wherein the at least two thermoelectric assemblies are selectively operable either to heat the region corresponding to the thermoelectric assembly by transferring heat from the liquid to the region corresponding to the thermoelectric assembly or to cool the region corresponding to the thermoelectric assembly by transferring heat from the region corresponding to the thermoelectric assembly to the liquid.

5. The seat system of claim 4, wherein the at least two thermoelectric assemblies are configured to deliver heating, cooling, or both heating and cooling to one or more occupants within the passenger compartment.

6. The seat system of claim 5, wherein each of the at least two thermoelectric assemblies operates in heating mode by pumping heat from the liquid to the air, and operates in cooling mode by pumping heat from the air to the liquid.

7. The seat system of claim 5, comprising at least one seat, wherein the one or more occupants are sitting in the at least one seat or behind the at least one seat.

8. The seat system of claim 1, wherein the liquid comprises water.

9. The seat system of claim 8, wherein the liquid further comprises ethylene glycol.

10. The seat system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle comprises an engine and the liquid comprises engine coolant.

11. The seat system of claim 10, wherein the vehicle further comprises a radiator, and the engine coolant flows through the radiator, the engine, and the at least one fluid conduit.

12. The seat system of claim 11, wherein the vehicle further comprises an auxiliary radiator, and the engine coolant flows through the radiator, the engine, the auxiliary radiator, and the at least one fluid conduit.

13. The seat system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle comprises a plurality of fluid loops and a plurality of flow controllers configured to switch the liquid flow between the fluid loops.

14. The seat system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle comprises a powertrain, and the liquid comprises a powertrain coolant.

15. The seat system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle comprises a battery and a heat exchanger attached to the battery, the liquid in thermal communication with the heat exchanger.

16. The seat system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle comprises a fuel tank and a heat exchanger attached to or encased within the fuel tank, the liquid in thermal communication with the heat exchanger.

17. The seat system of claim 1, wherein the one or more seat portions comprises one or more seat cushions.

18. The seat system of claim 1, wherein the one or more seat portions comprises one or more seat backs.

19. A climate control system for a passenger compartment of a vehicle, the climate control system comprising:

at least one fluid conduit configured to allow a liquid to flow in the at least one fluid conduit; and

a plurality of thermoelectric assemblies, wherein at least two thermoelectric assemblies of the plurality of thermoelectric assemblies are in thermal communication with the liquid and each of the at least two thermoelectric assemblies has a corresponding region within the passenger compartment, wherein the at least two thermoelectric assemblies are selectively operable to heat the corresponding region by transferring heat from the liquid to the corresponding region, wherein the at least two thermoelectric assemblies are each operable independently from one another.

20. The climate control system of claim 19, wherein the at least two thermoelectric assemblies are selectively operable either to heat the corresponding region by transferring heat from the liquid to the corresponding region or to cool the corresponding region by transferring heat from the corresponding region to the liquid.

21. The climate control system of claim 19, wherein the vehicle comprises a headliner and at least one thermoelectric assembly of the at least two thermoelectric assemblies is located in the headliner.

22. The climate control system of claim 19, wherein the vehicle comprises one or more pillars and at least one thermoelectric assembly of the at least two thermoelectric assemblies is located in the one or more pillars.

23. The climate control system of claim 19, wherein the vehicle comprises a steering wheel and at least one thermoelectric assembly of the at least two thermoelectric assemblies is located in the steering wheel.

24. The climate control system of claim 19, wherein the vehicle comprises one or more seat cushions and at least one thermoelectric assembly of the at least two thermoelectric assemblies is located in the one or more seat cushions.

25. The climate control system of claim 19, wherein the vehicle comprises one or more seat backs and at least one thermoelectric assembly of the at least two thermoelectric assemblies is located in the one or more seat backs.

26. A climate control system for a passenger compartment of a vehicle, the climate control system comprising:

at least one fluid conduit configured to allow a liquid to flow in the at least one fluid conduit; and

a plurality of thermoelectric assemblies, wherein at least two thermoelectric assemblies of the plurality of thermoelectric assemblies are in thermal communication with the liquid and each of the at least two thermoelectric assemblies has a corresponding region within the passenger compartment, wherein the at least two thermoelectric assemblies are selectively operable to cool the corresponding region by transferring heat from the corresponding region to the liquid, wherein the at least two thermoelectric assemblies are each operable independently from one another.

27. The climate control system of claim 26, wherein the vehicle comprises a headliner and at least one thermoelectric assembly of the at least two thermoelectric assemblies is located in the headliner.

28. The climate control system of claim 26, wherein the vehicle comprises one or more pillars and at least one thermoelectric assembly of the at least two thermoelectric assemblies is located in the one or more pillars.

29. The climate control system of claim 26, wherein the vehicle comprises a steering wheel and at least one thermoelectric assembly of the at least two thermoelectric assemblies is located in the steering wheel.

30. The climate control system of claim 26, wherein the vehicle comprises one or more seat cushions and at least one thermoelectric assembly of the at least two thermoelectric assemblies is located in the one or more seat cushions.

31. The climate control system of claim 26, wherein the vehicle comprises one or more seat backs and at least one thermoelectric assembly of the at least two thermoelectric assemblies is located in the one or more seat backs.

32. A method for controlling climate at selected regions within a passenger compartment of a vehicle, the method comprising:

providing a climate control system comprising;

at least one fluid conduit configured to allow a liquid to flow in the at least one fluid conduit; and

a plurality of thermoelectric assemblies, wherein at least two thermoelectric assemblies of the plurality of thermoelectric assemblies are in thermal communication with the liquid and each of the at least two thermoelectric assemblies has a corresponding region within the passenger compartment, wherein the at least two thermoelectric assemblies are selectively operable to heat the corresponding region by transferring heat from the liquid to the corresponding region, wherein the at least two thermoelectric assemblies are each operable independently from one another; and

operating the at least two thermoelectric assemblies independently from one another to selectively control climate at the regions corresponding to the at least two thermoelectric assemblies.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the at least two thermoelectric assemblies are selectively operable either to heat the corresponding region by transferring heat from the liquid to the corresponding region or to cool the corresponding region by transferring heat from the corresponding region to the liquid, and operating the at least two thermoelectric assemblies independently from one another comprises selectively heating, cooling, or both heating and cooling the regions corresponding to the at least two thermoelectric assemblies

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the vehicle comprises one or more seat portions and at least one thermoelectric assembly of the at least two thermoelectric assemblies is located in the one or more seat cushions.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein the at least two thermoelectric assemblies are each in thermal communication with air within the region corresponding to the thermoelectric assembly.

36. The method of claim 32, wherein the at least two thermoelectric assemblies each comprises a plurality of thermoelectric elements, a liquid heat exchanger in thermal communication with the plurality of thermoelectric elements, and an air heat exchanger in thermal communication with the plurality of thermoelectric elements, the method further comprising flowing the liquid through the liquid heat exchanger and flowing air through the air heat exchanger.

37. The method of claim 32, wherein the liquid comprises water.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the liquid further comprises ethylene glycol.

39. The method of claim 32, wherein the vehicle comprises an engine and the liquid comprises engine coolant.