A heat pump system for a vehicle includes a water cooled condenser that uses a coolant as a heat exchange media and uses waste heat generated from a motor and an electronic device to improve heating performance, efficiency, and dehumidifying performance. A control method is also described.

Heat pump system for vehicle

A dual mode, thermal management system for use in a vehicle is provided. At a minimum, the system includes a first coolant loop in thermal communication with a battery system, a second coolant loop in thermal communication with at least one drive train component (e.g., electric motor, power electronics, inverter), and a dual mode valve system that provides means for selecting between a first mode where the two coolant loops operate in parallel, and a second mode where the two coolant loops operate in series.

Thermal management system with dual mode coolant loops

The invention provides a power supply device for a vehicle, for driving a motor which is mounted on a vehicle and makes the vehicle travel. The power supply device for a vehicle includes: a battery unit having a plurality of secondary batteries; a battery temperature sensor for detecting temperature of a secondary battery included in the battery unit; a heat insulating mechanism for controlling the temperature of the secondary battery; an outside air temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of air on the outside of the vehicle; an intake port for taking the outside air to the battery unit in the vehicle; an intake valve for opening/closing the intake port; and a temperature controller for controlling opening/closing of the intake valve on the basis of the temperature difference between the outside air temperature detected by the outside air temperature sensor and the battery temperature detected by the battery temperature sensor.

Power supply device for vehicle

A battery thermal system for use in a vehicle having a power plant, an air conditioning system and a battery pack, and a method of operation, is disclosed. The battery thermal system may include a refrigerant-to-coolant heat exchanger that selectively receives a refrigerant from the vehicle air conditioning system; a battery radiator located adjacent to a cooling fan; a valve that receives a liquid coolant from the battery pack and selectively redirects the liquid coolant to the refrigerant-to-coolant heat exchanger and the battery radiator; and an electric pump for pumping the liquid coolant through the battery pack, the valve, the refrigerant-to-coolant heat exchanger and the battery radiator. The battery thermal system may also include a battery coolant heater for selectively heating the coolant that flows into the battery pack.

Battery Thermal System for Vehicle

An HVAC system for a vehicle having a battery pack, and a method of operation, is disclosed. The HVAC system may comprise a refrigerant loop having a first leg and a second leg, and a refrigerant compressor in the refrigerant loop. In the first leg, an evaporator provides cooling to a passenger cabin of the vehicle, an evaporator shut-off valve selectively blocks the flow of refrigerant through the evaporator, and an evaporator thermal expansion valve is upstream from the evaporator. In the second leg, a battery heat exchanger receives the refrigerant, a battery thermal expansion valve is located upstream from the battery heat exchanger, and a battery cooling shut-off valve selectively blocks the flow of refrigerant through the battery heat exchanger. The shut-off valves and compressor are controlled to control the cooling of the passenger cabin and the battery pack.

Vehicle HVAC and Battery Thermal Management

The passenger compartment air-conditioning apparatus has a second heat exchanger disposed adjacent to and in front of a first heat exchanger for cooling a cooling liquid of a battery. When the temperature of the battery is increased at the time the battery is charged in a quick charge mode, a compressor of the passenger compartment air-conditioning apparatus is actuated by a coaction of a battery ECU and an air-conditioning ECU to supply a refrigerant to the second heat exchanger. A fan is rotated to cool external air with the second heat exchanger. The cooled external air is introduced into the first heat exchanger, which cools the cooling liquid of the battery.

Vehicle battery cooling apparatus

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To cool a battery intensely when needed using an air conditioner inside a vehicle. SOLUTION: In front of a first heat exchanger 72 that cools cooling liquid for a battery 20, a second heat exchanger 40 that constitutes an in-vehicle air conditioner 12 is arranged adjacent to the heat exchanger 72. When the temperature of the battery 20 rises in rapid charging and the like, for instance, a compressor 24 of the air conditioner 12 is driven under the condition that a battery ECU 18 and an air conditioner ECU 16 work together to supply a coolant to the second heat exchanger 40. By keeping a fan 80 rotated, air 78 is cooled by the second heat exchanger 40. The cooling liquid for the battery 20 is cooled more intensely by the first heat exchanger 72 into which the cooled air is introduced.

Battery cooling device for vehicle

A control apparatus controls a vehicular air-conditioning system to control a fuel-combustion heater for producing combustion heat to heat a heating medium in a heating medium circuit which heats air flowing through a duct having air outlets openable into a passenger compartment, through heat exchange between the heating medium and the air with a heat exchanger disposed in the duct. The control apparatus has a shutdown controller for temporarily shutting down the fuel-combustion heater and an extinguishing controller for extinguishing the fuel-combustion heater based on a signal from the shutdown controller. The shutdown controller includes a shutdown signal entering unit for entering a shutdown signal to temporarily shut down the fuel-combustion heater and a shutdown signal canceler for canceling the shutdown signal in response to a canceling signal entered to cancel the shutdown of the fuel-combustion heater within a predetermined period of time after the shutdown signal has been entered. Even if an erroneous attempt is made to turn off the fuel-combustion heater, the fuel-combustion heater can quickly and reliably resume its operation to heat the passenger compartment.

Method of and apparatus for controlling vehicular air-conditioning system

Disclosed is a remaining fuel alarm for a vehicular fuel-combustion heater, comprising a thermistor for detecting whether or not a predetermined amount of fuel is stored in a fuel tank, a remaining fuel alarm lamp for displaying the fact that a remaining amount of fuel in the fuel tank is not more than a predetermined amount, and a relay for enabling the remaining fuel alarm lamp to operate only when a signal to request operation of a fuel-combustion heater is inputted.

Remaining fuel alarm for vehicular fuel-combustion heater

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perform the display by a warning display means only when a combustion heater is operated, and to simplify the structure, by operating the warning display means only when an operation requirement signal of the combustion heater is input. SOLUTION: A remained fuel warning system 10 comprises a thermistor 190 for detecting whether a specific amount of fuel is stored in a fuel tank 112 or not, a remained fuel warning lamp 192 for displaying that the remained amount of the fuel is less than the specific amount, and a relay 194 for making the operation of the fuel warning lamp 192 possible only when the operation requirement signal of the combustion heater is input. In the remained fuel, warning device 10, whether the operation requirement signal, of the combustion heater is input or not, is judged, the relay 194 is switched OFF when the operation requirement signal is not input, and the impossibility of the operation of the remained fuel warning lamp 192 is kept. Whereby the lighting of the remained fuel warning lamp 192 in a condition that the fuel does not exist in the fuel tank 112, can be prevented during a period when the combustion heat is not used, such as summer and the like.

Masahiro Kimishima

Papers

Vehicle battery cooling apparatus

Battery cooling device for vehicle

Method of and apparatus for controlling vehicular air-conditioning system

Remaining fuel alarm for vehicular fuel-combustion heater

Remained fuel warning system of combustion heater for vehicle