Method of controlling a climate control system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10343497-B2
Application number	US-201614995828-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 14, 2016
Priority date	Mar 13, 2012
Publication date	Jul 9, 2019
Grant date	Jul 9, 2019

Abstract

A method of controlling a climate control system. The method may include positioning a valve to block airflow from a desiccant to a port, permit airflow from the port to a blower, and circulate air through the desiccant and then through a trim component. The valve may be disposed between the port and the blower. The desiccant may be disposed between the blower and the valve.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of controlling a climate control system comprising:
positioning a valve in a first position to block airflow from a desiccant to a port and permit airflow from the port to a blower via the valve and circulate air through the desiccant and then through a trim component, wherein the valve is disposed between the port and the blower and the desiccant is disposed between the blower and the valve.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein air enters the port and is circulated by the blower through a heat exchanger that is fluidly connected to the blower and the desiccant via an air duct and through the desiccant, and then exhausted through the trim component when the valve is in the first position.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the heat exchanger cools air received from the blower to remove moisture from air that is provided to the desiccant.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein air enters the trim component and is circulated by the blower through the desiccant to the heat exchanger and is then exhausted through the port when the valve is in an intermediate position.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the blower circulates air in a first direction when the valve is in the first position and the blower circulates air in a second direction that is disposed opposite the first direction when the valve is in the intermediate position.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the desiccant is volcanic rock.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the trim component is an interior trim panel.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the trim component is a headliner.

9. A method of controlling a climate control system comprising:
enabling airflow through a trim component to a desiccant and then to a blower while blocking airflow through a port with a first valve that is disposed between the port and blower, and blocking airflow from the blower to the desiccant with a second valve that is disposed between the blower and the desiccant, wherein the desiccant is disposed between the first and second valves.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the desiccant is volcanic ash and is disposed adjacent to a spacer material that is disposed between the desiccant and openings in the trim component.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the first valve is disposed in an inlet air passage that is disposed between the blower and an HVAC heat exchanger that is provided with an HVAC system;
a heat exchanger is disposed between the first valve and the desiccant; and
the second valve is disposed in an outlet air passage between the desiccant and the HVAC system;
wherein air is circulated from the HVAC system through the desiccant and the trim component when the first valve is open.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the blower is provided with the HVAC system and pulls air through the trim component and the desiccant via the outlet air passage when the first valve is closed and the second valve is open.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein air is recirculated through the desiccant when the first and second valves are open.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein humidity is removed from the desiccant when the first valve is open and the heat exchanger heats air received from the HVAC system.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the inlet air passage receives air that is conditioned by the HVAC heat exchanger.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the inlet air passage does not receive air that is conditioned by the HVAC heat exchanger.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Line Johnathan Andrew
• Kolich Michael
• Hoke Paul Bryan

Classifications

• B60H3/024

  for only dehumidifying the air · CPC title

• B60H1/241

  characterised by the location of ventilation devices in the vehicle · CPC title

• B60H2003/028

  the devices comprising regeneration means · CPC title

• B60H3/02 Primary

  Moistening {; Humidity control} · CPC title