Thermoelectric-based heating and cooling system

• US 7,743,614 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2005
• Issued: 06/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentherm Incorporated
• Original Assignee: BSST LLC (Gentherm Incorporated)
• Inventors: Crane, Douglas T., Bell, Lon E., Goenka, Lakhi N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones; Melvin
• Application Number:
  US11/101,871
• Publication Number:
  US 20060225441A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,908 Days
• Field of Search: 62/32, 62/33, 62/37, 622/592, 165/104.33, 165/42
• US Class Current: 62/3.3
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 15/26 heat exchangers or the like making heat exchangers by methods covered by other subclasses B21D53/02
• 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: B60H 1/2221 arrangements of electric heaters for heating an intermediate liquid B60H1/034 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/2275 Thermoelectric converters for generating electrical energy
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 21/04 reversible
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2321/0252 by liquids or two-phase fluids
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 27/02 using waste heat, e.g. from internal-combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 30/274 using waste energy, e.g. from internal combustion engine
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

Disclosed is a heating, ventilation and air conditioning system for a vehicle that operates in a heating mode, a cooling mode or a demisting mode. The system includes a first circuit having first pump for circulating a first medium therein, a second circuit having a second pump for circulating a second medium therein and a thermoelectric module having a first surface in thermal contact with the first medium and a second surface in thermal contact with the second medium.

Claims

1. A heating and cooling system for a vehicle, the heating and cooling system comprising:

a first circuit having a first pump for circulating a first medium therethrough;

a second circuit having a second pump for circulating a second medium therethrough;

a first heat exchanger in thermal communication with the first medium;

a second heat exchanger in thermal communication with the second medium; and

a thermoelectric module having a first surface in thermal communication with the first heat exchanger and a second surface in thermal communication with the second heat exchanger, whereby the second surface is performing one of heating and cooling the second medium;

wherein the system is configured to heat a passenger compartment of the vehicle when a heating mode is selected;

wherein current flows in a first direction through the thermoelectric module such that the first surface cools the first heat exchanger and the second surface heats the second heat exchanger when the heating mode is selected;

wherein the system is further configured to cool the passenger compartment of the vehicle when a cooling mode is selected; and

wherein current flows in a second direction through the thermoelectric module such that the first surface warms the first heat exchanger and the second surface cools the second heat exchanger when the cooling mode is selected.

29. The system of claim 1, wherein the thermoelectric module transfers thermal energy from the first heat exchanger to the second heat exchanger in the heating mode, and wherein the thermoelectric module transfers thermal energy from the second heat exchanger to the first heat exchanger in the cooling mode.

30. The system of claim 1, further comprising a third heat exchanger operatively engaged with the second circuit and configured to be in thermal communication with an airflow.

2. A heating and cooling system for a vehicle, the heating and cooling system comprising:

a first circuit having a first pump for circulating a first medium therethrough;

a second circuit having a second pump for circulating a second medium therethrough;

a first heat exchanger in thermal communication with the first medium;

a second heat exchanger in thermal communication with the second medium;

a thermoelectric module having a first surface in thermal communication with the first heat exchanger and a second surface in thermal communication with the second heat exchanger, whereby the second surface is performing one of heating and cooling the second medium; and

an engine being operatively engaged with the first circuit.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising a third heat exchanger in thermal communication with the first medium.

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising a blower configured to move air through the third heat exchanger.

5. The system of claim 2, further comprising a third heat exchanger in thermal communication with the second medium.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising a blower configured to move air through the third heat exchanger.

7. The system of claim 2, further comprising a third heat exchanger being operatively engaged with the first circuit.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the third heat exchanger is a radiator.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the first circuit further comprises an at least one bypass line and an at least one valve configured to direct the first medium through one of the at least one bypass line and the first heat exchanger.

10. The system of claim 2, wherein the first circuit further comprises an at least one bypass line, wherein the first medium is circulated through the at least one bypass line, thereby preventing the first medium from being in thermal communication with the first heat exchanger.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising an at least one double switching valve configured to direct the first medium through one of the at least one bypass line and the first circuit in thermal communication with the first heat exchanger.

18. The system of claim 5, wherein the second circuit further comprises a demisting heat exchanger and an at least one valve, whereby the at one least valve directs the second medium through at least one of the third heat exchanger and the demisting heat exchanger.

12. A heating and cooling system for a vehicle, the heating and cooling system comprising:

a first circuit having a first pump for circulating a first medium therethrough;

a second circuit having a second pump for circulating a second medium therethrough;

a first heat exchanger in thermal communication with the first medium;

a second heat exchanger in thermal communication with the second medium;

a thermoelectric module having a first surface in thermal communication with the first heat exchanger and a second surface in thermal communication with the second heat exchanger, whereby the second surface is performing one of heating and cooling the second medium; and

a third circuit having a third pump, a valve and a sixth heat exchanger, the third circuit being connected to the first circuit.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising a cold generating system being operatively engaged with the third circuit.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the third circuit further comprises an at least one bypass line and an at least one valve configured to direct the first medium through one of the at least one bypass line and the cold generating system.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the cold generating system is a thermoelectric device.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the cold generating system is a cold storage system.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the cold storage system is a phase change material.

19. A heating and cooling system for a vehicle, the heating and cooling system comprising:

a first circuit having a first pump configured to circulate a first medium therethrough;

a second circuit having a second pump configured to circulate a second medium therethrough;

a first heat exchanger in thermal communication with the first medium;

a second heat exchanger in thermal communication with the second medium;

a thermoelectric module having a first surface in thermal communication with the first heat exchanger and a second surface in thermal communication with the second heat exchanger, whereby the second surface is configured to perform one of heating and cooling the second medium; and

a heat generating system being operatively engaged with the first circuit

wherein the first circuit further comprises at least one bypass line and at least one valve configured to direct the first medium through one of the at least one bypass line and the heat generating system.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the heat generating system is a battery.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the heat generating system is an electronic device.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the heat generating system is an internal combustion engine.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the heat generating system is positive temperature coefficient device.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein the heat generating system is an exhaust of the vehicle.

25. The system of claim 19, wherein the heat generating system is a fuel cell.

26. The system of claim 19, wherein the heat generating system is a thermoelectric device.

27. The system of claim 19, wherein the heat generating system is a heat storage system.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the heat storage system is a phase change material.