Vehicle heating and cooling system and control method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10486494-B2
Application number	US-201816173003-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 29, 2018
Priority date	Apr 27, 2017
Publication date	Nov 26, 2019
Grant date	Nov 26, 2019

Abstract

A vehicle having a heating and cooling system includes a refrigerant loop having first and second heat exchangers, and a coolant loop. The coolant loop is connected to allow a first flow of coolant to be directed through at least one of a plurality of air-to-coolant heat exchangers and at least one component for regulating a temperature of the at least component, and to allow a second flow of coolant to be directed through at least one other of the plurality of air-to-coolant heat exchangers and the at least one component for regulating the temperature of the at least one component dependent upon a mode of operation. A control module, control unit, controller, or the like commonly used in vehicles controls the first and second flows of coolant dependent upon the mode of operation.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A vehicle heating and cooling system, comprising:
a refrigerant loop having at least first and second refrigerant-to-coolant heat exchangers, a compressor, and an expansion valve through which a refrigerant flows;
a coolant loop connected to allow a first flow of coolant to be directed through at least one of a plurality of air-to-coolant heat exchangers and at least one component for regulating a temperature of the at least component, and to allow a second flow of coolant to be directed through at least one other of the plurality of air-to-coolant heat exchangers and the at least one component for regulating the temperature of the at least one component dependent upon a mode of operation; and
a control module for controlling the first and second flows of coolant dependent upon the mode of operation.

2. The vehicle heating and cooling system of claim 1 , wherein the coolant loop includes a first reservoir and a first manifold for directing the first flow of coolant and a second reservoir and a second manifold for directing the second flow of coolant.

3. The vehicle heating and cooling system of claim 1 , wherein the coolant loop includes a plurality of valves for directing the first flow of coolant and the second flow of coolant.

4. The vehicle heating and cooling system of claim 1 , wherein the coolant loop includes an auxiliary coolant loop including a first component of the at least one component.

5. The vehicle heating and cooling system of claim 4 , further comprising a pump and a valve for circulating coolant through the auxiliary coolant loop in a temperature equalization mode of operation.

6. The vehicle heating and cooling system of claim 4 , wherein the auxiliary coolant loop includes a heater.

7. The vehicle heating and cooling system of claim 4 , wherein the coolant loop includes a second component of the at least one component.

8. The vehicle heating and cooling system of claim 7 , wherein the second component of the at least one component is connected between a second refrigerant-to-coolant heat exchanger of the refrigerant loop and a third air-to-coolant heat exchanger of the coolant loop.

9. The vehicle heating and cooling system of claim 7 , wherein the second component of the at least one component is connected between a first air-to-coolant heat exchanger of the coolant loop and a second refrigerant-to-coolant heat exchanger of the refrigerant loop.

10. The vehicle heating and cooling system of claim 4 , wherein the coolant loop includes first and second bypass valves for at least partially directing coolant around a first component of the at least one component.

11. A vehicle heating and cooling system, comprising:
a refrigerant loop having at least first and second refrigerant-to-coolant heat exchangers through which a refrigerant flows;
a coolant loop connected to allow a first flow of coolant to be directed through at least one of a plurality of air-to-coolant heat exchangers and a first component within an auxiliary coolant loop for regulating a temperature of the first component, and to allow a second flow of coolant to be directed through at least one other of the plurality of air-to-coolant heat exchangers and a second component dependent upon a mode of operation; and
a control module for controlling the first and second flows of coolant dependent upon the mode of operation.

12. The vehicle heating and cooling system of claim 11 , wherein a second component is connected between a first air-to-coolant heat exchanger of the coolant loop and a second refrigerant-to-coolant heat exchanger of the refrigerant loop.

13. A method of heating and cooling a passenger compartment in a vehicle, comprising the steps of:
cycling a refrigerant through a refrigerant loop;
routing a first coolant flow through at least one of a plurality of air-to-coolant heat exchangers and at least one component for regulating a temperature of the at least component;
routing a second coolant flow through at least one other of the plurality of air-to-coolant heat exchangers; and
controlling the routing steps dependent upon a mode of operation.

14. The method of heating and cooling a passenger compartment in a vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the first and second flows of coolant are routed through a plurality of valves and an auxiliary coolant loop for heating or cooling a first component of the at least one component dependent upon the mode of operation.

15. The method of heating and cooling a passenger compartment in a vehicle of claim 13 , further comprising the step of circulating coolant through the auxiliary coolant loop in a temperature equalization mode of operation.

16. The method of heating and cooling a passenger compartment in a vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the auxiliary coolant loop includes a heater.

17. The method of heating and cooling a passenger compartment in a vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the second coolant flow is further routed through a second component of the at least one component.

18. The method of heating and cooling a passenger compartment in a vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the first coolant flow is routed through an auxiliary coolant loop including a first component of the at least one component.

19. The method of heating and cooling a passenger compartment in a vehicle of claim 18 , wherein the second coolant flow is further routed through a second component of the at least one component.

20. The method of heating and cooling a passenger compartment in a vehicle of claim 19 , wherein the second component of the at least one component is connected between a second refrigerant-to-coolant heat exchanger of the refrigerant loop and a third air-to-coolant heat exchanger of the coolant loop.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Koberstein Manfred
• Patti Angelo
• Lohmeyer Iii Loren John
• He Jing
• Jackson Kenneth J
• Huang Daniel C

Classifications

• B60H1/32284

  comprising two or more secondary circuits, e.g. at evaporator and condenser side · CPC title

• B60H1/00885 Primary

  Controlling the flow of heating or cooling liquid, e.g. valves or pumps (B60H1/00899 takes precedence; constructions of valves B60H1/00485) · CPC title

• B60H1/004

  for vehicles having a combustion engine and electric drive means, e.g. hybrid electric vehicles · CPC title

• B60H1/00899 Primary

  Controlling the flow of liquid in a heat pump system (controlling the properties of the refrigerant liquid, e.g. pressure or temperature, B60H1/3204) · CPC title

• B60H1/00392

  for electric vehicles having only electric drive means · CPC title