Maximizing Defrost Mode in Electrified Vehicle Having Dual Evaporator and Dual Heater Core Climate Control System

• US 20160018153A1
• Filed: 07/16/2014
• Published: 01/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: RAGAZZI, Franco
• Granted Patent: US 10,302,346 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00392 for electric vehicles having only electric drive means
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/002 to front and rear part of passenger compartment
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/00961 comprising means for defrosting outside heat exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/023 including defroster or demisting means
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 30/02 of the compression type
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 21/002 Defroster control

Abstract

A method according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, controlling a climate control system of an electrified vehicle by shutting off refrigerant flow to a rear portion of a heat pump subsystem in response to a defrost request.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

controlling a climate control system of an electrified vehicle by shutting off refrigerant flow to a rear portion of a heat pump subsystem in response to a defrost request.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the controlling step is performed if the electrified vehicle is operating in EV mode.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the controlling step is performed if a fuel level of the electrified vehicle is below a predefined threshold.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising closing an expansion device to shut off the refrigerant flow to the rear portion.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the rear portion includes a rear evaporator of the heat pump subsystem.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising shutting off coolant flow to a portion of a coolant subsystem in response to the defrost request.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, comprising closing a valve to shut off the coolant flow to the portion, wherein the portion includes a rear heater core of the coolant subsystem.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising turning off a blower of a rear housing of a ventilation subsystem in response to the defrost request.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the controlling step includes commanding operation of the heat pump subsystem in dehumidification mode in response to the defrost request if the electrified vehicle is operating in EV mode and a fuel level of the electrified vehicle is below a predefined threshold.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the heat pump subsystem is a dual evaporator/dual heater core vapor compression heat pump system.

11. A method, comprising:

operating a heat pump subsystem of a climate control system of an electrified vehicle in a dehumidification mode; and

shutting off refrigerant flow to an evaporator of the heat pump subsystem if a defrost request has been made.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the operating step and the shutting off step are performed if the electrified vehicle is operating in EV mode and a fuel level of the electrified vehicle is below a predefined threshold.

13. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the heat pump subsystem is a dual evaporator/dual heater core vapor compression heat pump system.

14. The method as recited in claim 11, comprising actuating an expansion device to shut off the refrigerant flow.

15. The method as recited in claim 11, comprising at least one of:

shutting off coolant flow to a heater core of a coolant subsystem of the climate control system; and

turning off a blower of a ventilation subsystem of the climate control system.

16. A climate control system, comprising:

a heat pump subsystem configured to circulate a refrigerant, said heat pump subsystem including;

a front evaporator;

a rear evaporator; and

an expansion device adapted to shut off flow of said refrigerant to said rear evaporator in response to a defrost request.

17. The system as recited in claim 16, comprising a controller configured to control operation of said expansion device.

18. The system as recited in claim 16, comprising a coolant subsystem configured to circulate a coolant for cooling an engine, said coolant subsystem including a front heater core, a rear heater core, and a valve adapted to shut off flow of said coolant to said rear heater core in response to said defrost request.

19. The system as recited in claim 18, comprising an intermediate heat exchanger adapted to effectuate heat transfer between said refrigerant and said coolant.

20. The system as recited in claim 16, comprising a ventilation subsystem including a front housing that houses said front evaporator and a rear housing that houses said rear evaporator.