Temperature control systems with thermoelectric devices
First Claim
1. A temperature control system for heating, cooling, and/or demisting an occupant compartment of a vehicle during startup of an internal combustion engine of the vehicle, the system comprising:
- an engine coolant circuit comprising an engine block coolant conduit configured to convey coolant in the engine block coolant conduit, wherein the engine block coolant conduit is in thermal communication with the internal combustion engine of the vehicle;
a heater core disposed in a comfort air channel of the vehicle and in fluid communication with the engine block coolant conduit;
an evaporator core of a belt driven refrigeration system disposed in the comfort air channel;
a thermoelectric device having a waste surface and a main surface, wherein the waste surface is in thermal communication with a heat source or a heat sink;
a supplemental heat exchanger disposed in the comfort air channel and in thermal communication with the main surface of the thermoelectric device, wherein the supplemental heat exchanger is downstream from the heater core with respect to a direction of a comfort airflow in the comfort air channel when the temperature control system is in operation; and
a controller configured to operate the temperature control system in a plurality of modes of operation, and wherein the plurality of modes of operation comprises;
a startup heating mode wherein the thermoelectric device is configured to heat the comfort airflow by transferring thermal energy from the waste surface to the main surface while receiving electric current supplied in a first polarity and while the internal combustion engine is running;
a heating mode wherein the internal combustion engine is configured to heat the comfort airflow while electric current is not supplied to the thermoelectric device and while the internal combustion engine is running; and
a startup demisting mode wherein the evaporator core is configured to cool the comfort airflow and the thermoelectric device is configured to heat the comfort airflow by transferring thermal energy from the waste surface to the main surface while receiving electric current supplied in the first polarity; and
wherein, in the startup heating mode, the thermoelectric device provides heat to the comfort airflow while the internal combustion engine is not able to heat the comfort airflow to a specified comfortable temperature without the heat provided by the thermoelectric device; and
wherein a coefficient of performance of the thermoelectric device increases during the startup heating mode as a temperature of the coolant increases.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Temperature control systems and methods can be designed for controlling the interior climate of a vehicle or other the climate of another desired region. The temperature control system for a vehicle can have a thermoelectric system providing heating and/or cooling, including supplemental heating and/or cooling. The thermoelectric system can transfer thermal energy between a working fluid, such as liquid coolant, and comfort air upon application of electric current of a selected polarity. The thermoelectric system can supplement or replace the heat provided from an internal combustion engine or other primary heat source. The thermoelectric system can also supplement or replace cold energy provided from a compressor-based refrigeration system or other primary cold energy source.
269 Citations
35 Claims
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1. A temperature control system for heating, cooling, and/or demisting an occupant compartment of a vehicle during startup of an internal combustion engine of the vehicle, the system comprising:
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an engine coolant circuit comprising an engine block coolant conduit configured to convey coolant in the engine block coolant conduit, wherein the engine block coolant conduit is in thermal communication with the internal combustion engine of the vehicle; a heater core disposed in a comfort air channel of the vehicle and in fluid communication with the engine block coolant conduit; an evaporator core of a belt driven refrigeration system disposed in the comfort air channel; a thermoelectric device having a waste surface and a main surface, wherein the waste surface is in thermal communication with a heat source or a heat sink; a supplemental heat exchanger disposed in the comfort air channel and in thermal communication with the main surface of the thermoelectric device, wherein the supplemental heat exchanger is downstream from the heater core with respect to a direction of a comfort airflow in the comfort air channel when the temperature control system is in operation; and a controller configured to operate the temperature control system in a plurality of modes of operation, and wherein the plurality of modes of operation comprises; a startup heating mode wherein the thermoelectric device is configured to heat the comfort airflow by transferring thermal energy from the waste surface to the main surface while receiving electric current supplied in a first polarity and while the internal combustion engine is running; a heating mode wherein the internal combustion engine is configured to heat the comfort airflow while electric current is not supplied to the thermoelectric device and while the internal combustion engine is running; and a startup demisting mode wherein the evaporator core is configured to cool the comfort airflow and the thermoelectric device is configured to heat the comfort airflow by transferring thermal energy from the waste surface to the main surface while receiving electric current supplied in the first polarity; and wherein, in the startup heating mode, the thermoelectric device provides heat to the comfort airflow while the internal combustion engine is not able to heat the comfort airflow to a specified comfortable temperature without the heat provided by the thermoelectric device; and wherein a coefficient of performance of the thermoelectric device increases during the startup heating mode as a temperature of the coolant increases. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification