System with an internal combustion engine, a fuel cell and a climate control unit for heating and/or cooling the interior of a motor vehicle and process for the operation thereof

• US 7,055,337 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2005
• Issued: 06/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Webasto Thermosysteme International GmbH
• Original Assignee: Webasto Thermosysteme International GmbH
• Inventors: Kolb, Alexander, Khelifa, Noureddine, Horn, Oliver
• Primary Examiner(s): Tapolcai, William E.
• Application Number:
  US11/049,754
• Publication Number:
  US 20050126195A1
• Time in Patent Office: 487 Days
• Field of Search: 62199-200, 622/36, 622/44, 625/10
• US Class Current: 62/199
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00428 electric
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/03 and from a source other than the propulsion plant
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/143 the heat being derived from cooling an electric component, e.g. electric motors, electric circuits, fuel cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/3222 characterised by the compressor driving arrangements, e.g. clutches, transmissions or multiple drives B60H1/3208, B60H1/3226 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/323 characterised by comprising auxiliary or multiple systems, e.g. plurality of evaporators, or by involving auxiliary cooling devices
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2327/001 of the internal combustion type
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2400/075 with parallel compressors
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 27/00 Machines, plants or systems, using particular sources of energy F25B30/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 5/02 arranged in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/20 Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/405 Cogeneration of heat or hot water
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04014 Heat exchange using gaseous fluids; Heat exchange by combustion of reactants
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/10 Applications of fuel cells in buildings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/88 Optimized components or subsystems, e.g. lighting, actively controlled glasses
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

A system with an internal combustion engine which has a heat transfer circuit, a fuel cell and a climate control unit which is accommodated in the heat transfer circuit of the internal combustion engine. The system has a heat transfer arrangement for transferring the exhaust heat of the fuel cell to the heat transfer circuit and a bypass for bridging a segment of the heat transfer circuit which runs through the internal combustion engine so that, in the bypassed operating state, an isolated circuit is formed. In stationary operation, this enables an optimized operating mode since the internal combustion engine is no longer heated and the exhaust heat of the fuel cell is fully available for heating purposes. The climate control unit can have a fuel cell and an arrangement for transferring the heat produced by the fuel cell to the vehicle interior has a fan unit by which an air flow can be produced for cooling the fuel cell and a heating unit which is powered by the fuel cell and by which the air flow for heating the vehicle interior can be additionally heated. For cooling or heating the interior of a motor vehicle, the system can have a cooling circuit with a compressor, a condenser, an expansion element, and a first evaporator and an APU or a fuel cell to electrically power the compressor, and a second cooling circuit a second evaporator, the second cooling circuit being connected to the first cooling circuit.

Claims

1. System for cooling and heating the interior of a motor vehicle, comprising:

a first cooling circuit with a first compressor;

a condenser, an expansion element, and a first evaporator,

one of an APU and a fuel cell connected for driving the first compressor by means of electrical energy,

at least one second cooling circuit having at least a second evaporator, the at least one second cooling circuit being connected to the first cooling circuit,

a condenser common to the first cooling circuit and the second cooling circuit;

at least one flow controller for selectively directing coolant flow through only the first cooling circuit, through only the second cooling circuit or through both the first and second cooling circuits; and

a second compressor which is one of mechanical driven and a hybrid compressor,

wherein the first compressor is connected to the first evaporator, and

wherein the second compressor is connected to the second evaporator.

2. System as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first compressor is a hybrid compressor.

3. System as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second compressor is a mechanical driven compressor.

4. System as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first compressor is connected to the second evaporator.

5. System as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first evaporator is adapted for cooling a sleeping compartment of a commercial vehicle when a vehicle engine is turned off.

6. System as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second evaporator is adapted for cooling a driver'"'"'s compartment of a commercial vehicle.

7. System as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an electrical heater and wherein said one of an APU and a fuel coil is a fuel cell, said fuel cell being connected for powering the electrical heater when a vehicle engine is turned off.

8. System as claimed in claim 1, wherein said one of an APU and a fuel cell is a fuel cell, and wherein exhaust heat of the fuel cell is connected for supplying heat to a cooling circuit of an internal combustion engine for supplying heat to a vehicle interior compartment with the engine timed off.

9. System for cooling and heating an interior of a motor vehicle, comprising:

a first cooling circuit with a first compressor, a condenser, an expansion element, and a first evaporator,

one of an APU and a fuel cell connected for driving the compressor by means of electrical energy,

at least one second cooling circuit with at least a second compressor, and

at least one flow controller for selectively directing coolant flow through only the first cooling circuit through only the second cooling circuit or through both the first and second cooling circuits;

wherein the at least one second cooling circuit is connected to the first cooling circuit and

wherein a condenser is provided that is common to the first cooling circuit and the second cooling circuit.

10. System for cooling and heating an interior of a motor vehicle, comprising:

a first cooling circuit with a compressor, a condenser, an expansion element, and an evaporator for cooling of the interior of the motor vehicle during operation of an engine of the vehicle,

a second cooling circuit connected to the first cooling circuit tin cooling the vehicle interior when the vehicle engine is turned off, and

at least one flow controller for selectively directing coolant flow through only the first cooling circuit through only the second cooling circuit or through both the first and second cooling circuits;

wherein said compressor is driven by electrical energy from one of an APU and a fuel cell for cooling when the vehicle engine is turned off, and

wherein the condenser is common to the first and second cooling circuits.