Solar radiation compensation method for a vehicle climate control

• US 6,966,498 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2004
• Issued: 11/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2004
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mahle International GmbH (MAHLE-STIFTUNG GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Huang, Lin-Jie, Kadle, Prasad Shripad
• Primary Examiner(s): Tapolcai, William E.
• Application Number:
  US10/829,543
• Publication Number:
  US 20050235668A1
• Time in Patent Office: 579 Days
• Field of Search: 62208-209, 622/44, 165/42, 165/43, 165/202, 236/51, 236/91.C, 236/91.E
• US Class Current: 236/91.00C
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/0075 the input being solar radiation

Abstract

A vehicle climate control is compensated for direct and indirect infrared heat loading due to solar radiation based on a mean radiant temperature sensor and a cabin air temperature sensor. The mean radiant temperature sensor include a temperature responsive element such as a thermistor enclosed in a hollow spherical housing that blocks visible light but absorbs infrared radiation. The difference between the mean radiant temperature and the cabin air temperature provides a measure of the total infrared heat loading on the cabin and is used to increase the cooling capacity of the climate control system.

Claims

1. A method of operation of a climate control system for a vehicle cabin, including a controller for adjusting a cooling capacity of system to condition air in said cabin, the method of operation comprising the steps of:

measuring a mean radiant temperature in said cabin;

measuring an air temperature in said cabin;

computing a difference between said mean radiant temperature and said air temperature;

estimating a solar radiation intensity according to said difference; and

adjusting said cooling capacity based on the estimated solar radiation intensity.

2. The method of operation of claim 1, wherein the cabin is bounded in part by a windshield, and the step of measuring the mean radiant temperature includes the steps of:

placing a hollow spherical or semi-spherical housing that blocks visible light but absorbs infrared radiation in the cabin under the windshield; and

measuring said mean radiant temperature according to a temperature of air inside said housing.

3. The method of operation of claim 2, including the step of:

measuring the temperature of air inside said housing with a thermistor or thermocouple.

4. The method of operation of claim 3, wherein the step of estimating the solar radiation intensity includes the steps of:

storing a predefined relationship between said difference and said solar radiation intensity; and

retrieving a stored value of radiation intensity based on the computed difference.