Vehicular cooling system with thermal storage

• US 5,735,133 A
• Filed: 04/12/1996
• Issued: 04/07/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Modine Manufacturing Company
• Original Assignee: Modine Manufacturing Company
• Inventors: Stevenson, Joseph R., Voss, Mark G., Meissner, Alan P.
• Primary Examiner(s): TAPOLCAI, WILLIAM E
• Application Number:
  US08/631,477
• Time in Patent Office: 725 Days
• Field of Search: 62/59, 62/185, 62/201, 62/216
• US Class Current: 62/185
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/005 Regenerative cooling means, e.g. cold accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00892 Devices specially adapted for avoiding uncomfortable feeling, e.g. sudden temperature changes B60H1/00885 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/32281 comprising a single secondary circuit, e.g. at evaporator or condenser side
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/00928 comprising a secondary circuit
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 16/00 Devices using a combination of a cooling mode associated with refrigerating machinery with a cooling mode not associated with refrigerating machinery

Abstract

Uncomfortable air temperatures in an air conditioned vehicle immediately following start up of the air conditioning system or when the air conditioning system compressor is being driven at low speeds are avoided in a cooling system including a blower (22) for blowing air into a compartment (10). An air/liquid heat exchanger (30) is located at the outlet (34) of the blower (22) for cooling air received from the blower (22). The system includes a compressor (50), an expansion device (58), a condenser (54) and a liquid/refrigerant evaporator (64) for expanding refrigerant and cooling a liquid coolant which is circulated through a thermal storage device (92) and the heat exchanger (30) by a pump (86). Upon system start up, or when the compressor (50) is being driven at low speed, the coolant is cooled by the thermal storage device (92) to provide a means of cooling air from the blower (22). At all other times, the coolant is cooled by expansion of refrigerant within the evaporator (64) to not only provide a coolant for use in the heat exchanger (30), but a coolant for recharging the thermal storage device (92) as well.

Claims

1. A cooling system for a compartment of a vehicle comprising:

a blower having an outlet for directing air into a compartment;

an air/liquid heat exchange having a first heat exchange fluid flow path connected to said outlet and a second heat exchange fluid flow path in heat exchange relation to said first flow path;

a refrigerant compressor;

an expansion device;

a condenser connected between said compressor and said expansion device;

a liquid/refrigerant evaporator connected between said expansion device and said compressor oppositely of said condenser, said evaporator having a refrigerant flow path receiving refrigerant from said expansion device and a liquid flow path in heat exchange relation with said refrigerant flow path;

means connecting said liquid flow path in circuit with said second heat exchange fluid flow path to establish a coolant circuit;

means for circulating a liquid coolant in said coolant circuit;

a rechargeable thermal storage device in said coolant circuit, said storage device absorbing heat form said coolant when said coolant is above a predetermined temperature and rejecting heat to said coolant when said coolant is below a predetermined temperature;

an air/refrigerant evaporator having a refrigerant flow path connected to receive refrigerant from said condenser and to discharge refrigerant to said compressor at an airflow path in heat exchange relation with said refrigerant flow path connected to receive air from said outlet and discharge it into the compartment;

a bypass loop in said coolant circuit for bypassing said air/liquid heat exchanger;

a valve for selectively opening or closing said bypass loop;

a pressure sensor located between said compressor and said evaporators; and

a means responsive to said pressure sensor for operating said valve.

2. The cooling system for a compartment of a vehicle of claim 5 further including a coolant reservoir connected to said coolant circuit.

3. The cooling system for a compartment of a vehicle of claim 1 wherein said valve is a three-way valve.

4. The cooling system for a compartment of a vehicle of claim 1 wherein said predetermined temperatures are different temperatures.

5. The cooling system for a compartment of a vehicle of claim 1 wherein said pressure sensor is a pressure switch connected to the suction side of said compressor.

6. The cooling system for a compartment of a vehicle of claim 5 wherein said pressure switch is operable to operate said valve to close said bypass loop for relatively high pressures at the suction side of said compressor and further operable to open said bypass loop and halt flow through said air/liquid heat exchanger for relatively low pressures at the suction side of said compressor.