Climate control system for vehicles using thermoelectric devices
First Claim
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1. A climate control system for heating or cooling a passenger cabin of a vehicle during heatup of an internal combustion engine of the vehicle, the system comprising:
- a coolant conduit configured to convey a coolant therein and selectively in thermal communication with an engine coolant system, wherein the engine coolant system is in thermal communication with an internal combustion engine of a vehicle;
a heater core disposed in an air flow provided to a passenger cabin of the vehicle and in thermal communication with the engine coolant system;
a thermoelectric module including a thermoelectric element and in thermal communication with the coolant conduit, the thermoelectric element configured to transfer thermal energy between the coolant conduit and a heat transfer medium;
a heat exchanger disposed in the air flow and in thermal communication with the thermoelectric module; and
a controller configured to operate the climate control system in a plurality of modes of operation, and wherein the plurality of modes of operation comprises;
a heatup heating mode wherein the thermoelectric module is configured to heat the air flow by the thermoelectric elements transferring thermal energy from the heat transfer medium to the coolant while receiving electric current supplied in a first polarity and while the internal combustion engine is running; and
a heating mode wherein the internal combustion engine is configured to heat the air flow while operation of the thermoelectric module is ceased and while the internal combustion engine is running,wherein, in the heatup heating mode, the thermoelectric module provides heat to the air flow while temperature of the coolant from thermal energy of the internal combustion engine alone has not reached a desired temperature to heat the passenger cabin.
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Abstract
The present disclosure provides a system for controlling the climate of a vehicle. The system includes a thermoelectric module and a heat exchanger. The thermoelectric module includes thermoelectric elements powered by electric energy. The thermoelectric elements emit or absorb heat energy based on the polarity of the electrical energy provided. The thermoelectric module and the heat exchanger heat or cool the air flow provided to the cabin of the vehicle.
261 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A climate control system for heating or cooling a passenger cabin of a vehicle during heatup of an internal combustion engine of the vehicle, the system comprising:
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a coolant conduit configured to convey a coolant therein and selectively in thermal communication with an engine coolant system, wherein the engine coolant system is in thermal communication with an internal combustion engine of a vehicle; a heater core disposed in an air flow provided to a passenger cabin of the vehicle and in thermal communication with the engine coolant system; a thermoelectric module including a thermoelectric element and in thermal communication with the coolant conduit, the thermoelectric element configured to transfer thermal energy between the coolant conduit and a heat transfer medium; a heat exchanger disposed in the air flow and in thermal communication with the thermoelectric module; and a controller configured to operate the climate control system in a plurality of modes of operation, and wherein the plurality of modes of operation comprises; a heatup heating mode wherein the thermoelectric module is configured to heat the air flow by the thermoelectric elements transferring thermal energy from the heat transfer medium to the coolant while receiving electric current supplied in a first polarity and while the internal combustion engine is running; and a heating mode wherein the internal combustion engine is configured to heat the air flow while operation of the thermoelectric module is ceased and while the internal combustion engine is running, wherein, in the heatup heating mode, the thermoelectric module provides heat to the air flow while temperature of the coolant from thermal energy of the internal combustion engine alone has not reached a desired temperature to heat the passenger cabin. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification