MULTI-MODE HVAC SYSTEM WITH THERMOELECTRIC DEVICE

• US 20100101239A1
• Filed: 10/23/2009
• Published: 04/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Gentherm Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Gentherm Incorporated
• Inventors: Goenka, Lakhi Nandlal, LaGrandeur, John, Bell, Lon E.
• Application Number:
  US12/605,240
• Publication Number:
  US 20100101239A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/3.300
• 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: F25B 21/04 reversible
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49359 Cooling apparatus making, e.g., air conditioner, refrigerator

Abstract

Disclosed embodiments include systems for heating and cooling the interior climate of a vehicle. In some embodiments, the system comprises a conduit having a first fluid channel, a second fluid channel, a fluid diversion channel configured to divert fluid flow between the first and second channels, and a thermoelectric device operatively connected to the fluid conduit. In certain embodiments, the thermoelectric device comprises a plurality of thermal zones. In some embodiments, the plurality of thermal zones comprises a first thermal zone connected to a first electric circuit switchable between a first polarity and a second polarity and a second thermal zone connected to a second electric circuit switchable between the first polarity and the second polarity independent of the polarity of the first electric circuit.

Claims

1. A system for controlling temperature in a region, the system comprising:

a first fluid channel;

a second fluid channel at least partially separated from the first fluid channel by a partition;

a cooling apparatus operatively connected to cool air in the first fluid channel;

a heater core operatively connected to heat air in the second fluid channel;

a thermoelectric device operatively connected to the second fluid channel downstream from the heater core;

a flow diversion channel disposed between the first fluid channel and the second fluid channel, the flow diversion channel configured to selectively divert air that the cooling apparatus has cooled in the first fluid channel to the second fluid channel such that the air flows past at least one of the heater core and the thermoelectric device after passing through the flow diversion channel; and

a controller configured to operate the system in at least a cooling mode, a heating mode, and a demisting mode, wherein the controller causes the flow diversion channel to divert air from the first fluid channel to the second fluid channel during the demisting mode.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the flow diversion channel comprises a diversion blend door configured to move between at least a first position and a second position,

wherein air is diverted from the first fluid channel to the second fluid channel when the diversion blend door is in the first position, and

wherein air is permitted to flow without diversion through the first fluid channel when the diversion blend door is in the second position.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising an inlet blend door configured to direct fluid to at least one of the first fluid channel or the second fluid channel, wherein the inlet blend door is operable to move between a first position, a second position, and all positions in between the first and second positions, and wherein movement of the inlet blend door is independent of the position of the diversion blend door.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the cooling apparatus absorbs thermal energy from a fluid flowing through the first fluid channel and the thermoelectric device transfers thermal energy to a portion of a fluid flowing through the second fluid channel during the demisting mode.

5. The system of claim 4, the system further comprising an inlet channel selection apparatus configured to direct at least a portion of the air entering the system to at least one of the first fluid channel and the second fluid channel.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the inlet channel selection apparatus is configured to direct an airflow into the second fluid channel and the thermoelectric device is configured to transfer thermal energy to at least a portion of the airflow during the heating mode.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the cooling apparatus is configured to absorb thermal energy from a fluid and the thermoelectric device is configured to absorb thermal energy from the fluid during the cooling mode.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the flow diversion channel comprises an aperture formed in the partition, wherein the aperture is configured to be at least partially selectively blocked.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the thermoelectric device is subdivided into a plurality of thermal zones, the plurality of thermal zones comprising:

a first thermal zone configured to heat a fluid flowing in the second fluid channel upon application of electrical energy in a first polarity and to cool the fluid upon application of electrical energy in a second polarity; and

a second thermal zone switchable between the first polarity and the second polarity independent of the polarity of the electrical energy applied to the first thermal zone.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the heater core is in thermal communication with power train coolant during at least the heating mode, and wherein the heater core is not in thermal communication with power train coolant during at least the cooling mode.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one surface of the thermoelectric device is connected to at least one heat exchanger in thermal communication with the second fluid channel.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the cooling apparatus is connected to at least one heat exchanger in thermal communication with the first fluid channel.

13. A method of delivering temperature controlled air to a region using an HVAC system, the method comprising:

operating the system in one of a plurality of available modes to provide an airflow to the region, the plurality of available modes comprising a first mode, a second mode, and a third mode;

delivering air to the region during the first mode of operation by;

directing an airflow into at least a first fluid flow channel;

cooling at least a portion of the airflow in the first fluid flow channel with a cooling apparatus;

subsequently diverting at least a portion of the cooled portion of the airflow from the first fluid flow channel to a second fluid flow channel; and

subsequently heating at least a portion of the diverted portion of the cooled portion of the airflow in the second fluid flow channel with a heater core, with a thermoelectric device, or with both the heater core and the thermoelectric device;

delivering air to the region during the second mode of operation by;

directing an airflow into at least the second fluid flow channel; and

heating at least a portion of the airflow in the second fluid flow channel with the heater core, with the thermoelectric device, or with both the heater core and the thermoelectric device;

and

delivering air to the region during the third mode of operation by;

directing an airflow into at least one of the first fluid flow channel and the second fluid flow channel; and

cooling at least a portion of the airflow in the first fluid flow channel with the cooling apparatus, cooling at least a portion of the airflow in the second fluid flow channel with the thermoelectric device, or cooling at least a portion of the airflow in the first fluid flow channel with the cooling apparatus while cooling at least a portion of the airflow in the second fluid flow channel with the thermoelectric device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein delivering the air during the third mode further comprises:

determining whether a first amount of energy to be provided to the thermoelectric device to cool the airflow to a desired temperature using the thermoelectric device is less than a second amount of energy to be provided to the cooling apparatus to cool the airflow to the desired temperature using the cooling apparatus; and

cooling the airflow in the second fluid flow channel with the thermoelectric device when it is determined that the first amount of energy is less than the second amount of energy.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein delivering the air during the second mode further comprises:

determining whether the heater core is prepared to heat the airflow to a desired temperature;

heating the airflow in the second fluid flow channel with the heater core when it is determined that the heater core is prepared to heat the airflow to the desired temperature; and

heating the airflow in the second fluid flow channel with a thermoelectric device when it is determined that the heater core is not prepared to heat the airflow to the desired temperature.

16. A method of manufacturing an apparatus for conditioning air, the method comprising:

providing an air flow channel divided at least partially into a first air conduit and a second air conduit;

operatively connecting a cooling apparatus to the first air conduit;

operatively connecting a heater core to the second air conduit;

operatively connecting at least one thermoelectric device to the second air conduit such that the at least one thermoelectric device is downstream from the heater core when air flows through the channel; and

providing a fluid diversion channel between the first air conduit and the second air conduit such that the fluid diversion channel is positioned downstream from the cooling apparatus and upstream from the heater core when air flows through the channel, wherein the fluid diversion channel is configured to at least partially selectively divert air from the first air conduit to the second air conduit.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein operatively connecting a cooling apparatus comprises disposing the at least one heat exchanger in the first fluid channel and connecting the at least one heat exchanger to the cooling apparatus.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein operatively connecting a heater core comprises disposing at least one heat exchanger in the second fluid channel and connecting the at least one heat exchanger to the heater core.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein operatively connecting a thermoelectric device comprises disposing at least one heat exchanger in the second fluid channel and connecting the at least one heat exchanger to the thermoelectric device.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising providing a channel selection apparatus, wherein the channel selection apparatus is disposed near the inlet of the first air conduit and the second air conduit.