Cab heating systems and methods for vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11407283-B2
Application number	US-201916393787-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 24, 2019
Priority date	Apr 30, 2018
Publication date	Aug 9, 2022
Grant date	Aug 9, 2022

Abstract

A cab heating system for a vehicle comprising a turbine engine, a heat exchanger, and a duct. The turbine engine generates exhaust containing waste heat. The heat exchanger comprises a first portion, a second portion, and first and second lines for carrying auxiliary working fluid between the first and second portions. The duct is operatively connected to carry exhaust from the turbine engine to the first portion of the heat exchanger. The first portion of the heat exchanger transfers waste heat of the exhaust generated by the turbine engine to the auxiliary working fluid. The first line carries the auxiliary working fluid to the second portion of the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger extracts heat from the auxiliary working fluid. The second line carries the auxiliary working fluid to the first portion of the heat exchanger.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cab heating system for a vehicle comprising a vehicle battery, a fuel tank, and a cab HVAC system comprising a main working fluid that flows through a compressor operatively connected to the vehicle battery, a condenser, and an evaporator, the cab heating system comprising:
a turbine engine operatively connected to the fuel tank, where the turbine engine is configured as a generator to burn fuel from the fuel tank to generate electricity for use by the vehicle battery, where the turbine engine generates exhaust containing waste heat;
a heat exchanger comprising a first portion, a second portion, and first and second lines for carrying auxiliary working fluid between the first and second portions;
a duct operatively connected to carry exhaust from the turbine engine to the first portion of the heat exchanger; wherein
the auxiliary fluid is circulated between the first and second portions of the heat exchanger such that
the first line carries the auxiliary working fluid to the second portion of the heat exchanger, and
the second line carries the auxiliary working fluid to the first portion of the heat exchanger;

the first portion of the heat exchanger transfers waste heat of the exhaust generated by the turbine engine to the auxiliary working fluid; and
the second portion of the heat exchanger extracts heat from the auxiliary working fluid and transfers the heat extracted from the auxiliary working fluid to the main working fluid to allow waste heat of the turbine engine to be used by the cab HVAC system.

2. The cab heating system as recited in claim 1 , in which the HVAC system operates in:
a cooling mode in which heat from the auxiliary fluid is not transferred to the main working fluid; and
a heating mode in which the heat extracted from the auxiliary working fluid is transferred to the main working fluid.

3. The cab heating system as recited in claim 2 , in which the main working fluid flows first through the compressor system and then through the second portion of the heat exchanger in the heating mode.

4. The cab heating system as recited in claim 2 , in which the main working fluid flows in parallel through the compressor and the second portion of the heat exchanger in the heating mode.

5. The cab heating system as recited in claim 1 , in which the main working fluid flows first through the compressor and then through the second portion of the heat exchanger when heat extracted from the auxiliary working fluid is transferred to the main working fluid.

6. The cab heating system as recited in claim 1 , in which the main working fluid flows in parallel through the compressor and the second portion of the heat exchanger when heat extracted from the auxiliary working fluid is transferred to the main working fluid.

7. A method of heating a cab of a vehicle comprising a vehicle battery, a fuel tank, and a cab HVAC system comprising a main working fluid that flows through a compressor operatively connected to the vehicle battery, a condenser, and an evaporator, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a turbine engine operatively connected to the fuel tank, where the turbine engine is configured as a generator to burn fuel from the fuel tank to generate electricity for use by the vehicle battery;
providing a heat exchanger comprising a first portion and a second portion;
operatively connecting a duct to carry exhaust from the turbine engine to the first portion of the heat exchanger;
operating the turbine engine to generate exhaust containing waste heat such that the first portion of the heat exchanger transfers waste heat of the exhaust generated by the turbine engine to the auxiliary working fluid;
circulating the auxiliary fluid between the first and second portions of the heat exchanger such that
the first line carries the auxiliary working fluid to the second portion of the heat exchanger, and
the second line carries the auxiliary working fluid to the first portion of the heat exchanger;

causing the first portion of the heat exchanger to transfer heat from the waste exhaust of the turbine engine to the auxiliary working fluid;
causing the second portion of the heat exchanger to extract heat from the auxiliary working fluid and transfer the heat extracted from the auxiliary working fluid to the main working fluid to allow waste heat of the turbine engine to be used by the cab HVAC system.

8. The method as recited in claim 7 , further comprising the step of operating the cab HVAC system in:
a cooling mode in which heat from the auxiliary fluid is not transferred to the main working fluid; and
a heating mode in which the heat extracted from the auxiliary working fluid is transferred to the main working fluid.

9. The method as recited in claim 7 , further comprising the steps of:
causing the main working fluid to flow through the cab HVAC system; and
causing the main working fluid to flow through the second portion of the heat exchanger when heat extracted from the auxiliary working fluid is transferred to the main working fluid.

10. The method as recited in claim 7 , further comprising the steps of:
causing the main working fluid to flow through the cab HVAC system; and
causing the main working fluid to flow through the second portion of the heat exchanger in the heating mode.

11. The method as recited in claim 7 , further comprising the step of causing the main working fluid to flow in parallel through the cab HVAC system and the second portion of the heat exchanger when heat extracted from the auxiliary working fluid is transferred to the main working fluid.

12. The method as recited in claim 7 , further comprising the step of causing the main working fluid to flow in parallel through the cab HVAC system and the second portion of the heat exchanger in the heating mode.

13. A vehicle heating and cooling system for a vehicle comprising a vehicle battery and a fuel tank, the vehicle heating a cooling system comprising:
a turbine engine generator operatively connected to the fuel tank, where the turbine engine is configured as a generator to burn fuel from the fuel tank to generate
electricity for use by the vehicle battery, and
exhaust containing waste heat;

a heat exchanger comprising a first portion and a second portion;
a compressor, where the vehicle battery is operatively connected to the compressor;
an evaporator;
an evaporator; and
a duct operatively connected to carry exhaust from the turbine engine to the first portion of the heat exchanger; wherein
auxiliary working fluid circulates between the first portion of the heat exchanger and the second portion of the heat exchanger;
the first portion of the heat exchanger transfers waste heat of the exhaust generated by the turbine engine to the auxiliary working fluid;
the second portion of the heat exchanger extracts heat from the auxiliary working fluid and transfers the heat extracted from the auxiliary working fluid to main working fluid flowing between the compressor and the evaporator to allow waste heat of the turbine engine to be used to heat at least a portion of the vehicle.

14. The vehicle heating and cooling system as recited in claim 13 , in which the compressor and the evaporator operate in:
a cooling mode in which heat from the auxiliary fluid is not transferred to the main working fluid; and
a heating mode in which the heat extracted from the auxiliary working fluid is transferred to the main working fluid.

15. The vehicle heating and cooling system as recited in claim 13 , in which the main working fluid flows first through the compressor and then through the second

Assignees

• Tiger tool int inc

Inventors

• Andrews Michael

Classifications

• B60H1/00557

  Details of ducts or cables · CPC title

• B60H1/22 Primary

  the heat source being other than the propulsion plant {(B60H1/00492 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B60H2001/2281

  Air supply, exhaust systems · CPC title

• B60H2001/2271

  Heat exchangers, burners, ignition devices · CPC title

• B60H1/20

  using an intermediate heat-transferring medium · CPC title