System and method for extreme cold starting of a heating system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12594819-B2
Application number	US-202418594807-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 4, 2024
Priority date	Nov 30, 2023
Publication date	Apr 7, 2026
Grant date	Apr 7, 2026

Abstract

A method and system are provided and include determining a sensed condition. When the sensed condition is below a first threshold and above a second threshold, the second threshold being less than the first threshold, a flow of coolant is started in a coolant loop comprising a first portion of a first heat exchanger. A flow of refrigerant is started in a refrigerant loop by starting a compressor within the refrigerant loop at a first speed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of operating a vehicle comprising:
determining a sensed condition at the vehicle; when the sensed condition is below a first threshold and above a second threshold, the second threshold being less than the first threshold, starting a flow of coolant around a coolant loop comprising a first portion of a first heat exchanger and a heat mass of the vehicle; and starting a flow of refrigerant around a refrigerant loop fluidically separated from the coolant loop by starting a compressor within the refrigerant loop at a first speed and circulating the refrigerant back to the compressor through the first heat exchanger.

2 . The method of claim 1 further comprising controlling a speed of the compressor based on the sensed condition.

3 . The method of claim 1 further comprising increasing a speed of the compressor above the first speed based on the sensed condition continuously increasing.

4 . The method of claim 1 further comprising increasing a speed of the compressor above the first speed based on a continuously increasing the sensed condition until a target speed is reached.

5 . The method of claim 1 further comprising increasing a speed of the compressor when the sensed condition meets a predetermined condition.

6 . The method of claim 1 wherein starting the flow of refrigerant is performed simultaneously with or after starting the flow of coolant.

7 . The method of claim 1 further comprising increasing a speed of the compressor when a refrigerant temperature is above a third threshold and the refrigerant temperature is increasing over a time period.

8 . The method of claim 1 wherein determining the sensed condition comprises determining the sensed condition at the refrigerant loop by determining at least one of: a temperature within the compressor, a temperature within a coolant conduit, a temperature within a refrigerant conduit, an ambient temperature, and a refrigerant pressure.

9 . The method of claim 1 further comprising raising a temperature of the coolant from a heat source to form heated coolant; and
heating refrigerant in the refrigerant loop at a first heat exchanger from the heated coolant.

10 . The method of claim 9 wherein raising the temperature of the coolant comprises at least one of raising the temperature of the coolant from a waste heat source, raising the temperature of the coolant from a coolant pump, raising the temperature of the coolant from a waste heat source and a coolant pump, and raising the temperature of the coolant from a battery housing and a coolant pump.

11 . A method comprising:
determining a refrigerant temperature; when the refridgement temperature is below a first threshold and above a second threshold, the second threshold being less than the first threshold, starting a flow of coolant in a coolant loop comprising a first portion of a first heat exchanger; and starting a flow of refrigerant in a refrigerant loop by starting a compressor within the refrigerant loop at a first speed; and increasing a speed of the compressor when the refrigerant temperature is above a third threshold between the first threshold and the second threshold.

12 . A method comprising:
determining a sensed condition; when the sensed condition is below a first threshold and above a second threshold, the second threshold being less than the first threshold, starting a flow of coolant in a coolant loop comprising a first portion of a first heat exchanger; starting a flow of refrigerant in a refrigerant loop by starting a compressor within the refrigerant loop at a first speed; communicating refrigerant from the compressor through a second heat exchanger; and communicating coolant to the second heat exchanger in a second coolant loop fluidically coupled to the coolant loop.

13 . A system for a vehicle comprising:
a sensed condition sensor sensing a sensed condition at the vehicle; a coolant loop comprising a first portion of a first heat exchanger and a heat mass of the vehicle; a refrigerant loop comprising a compressor; and a controller programmed to, start a flow of coolant around the coolant loop when the sensed condition is below a first threshold and above a second threshold, the second threshold being less than the first threshold; and start a flow of refrigerant around the refrigerant loop fluidically separated from the coolant loop by starting the compressor within the refrigerant loop at a first speed and circulating the refrigerant back to the compressor through the first heat exchanger.

14 . The system of claim 13 wherein the controller is programmed to increase a speed of the compressor above the first speed based on a continuously increasing sensed condition.

15 . The system of claim 13 wherein the controller is programmed to increase a speed of the compressor above the first speed based on a continuously increasing sensed condition until a target speed is reached.

16 . The system of claim 13 wherein the controller is programmed to increase a speed of the compressor when the sensed condition meets a predetermined condition.

17 . The system of claim 13 wherein the controller is programmed to increase a speed of the compressor when a refrigerant temperature is above a third threshold and the refrigerant temperature is increasing over a time period.

18 . The system of claim 13 wherein the sensed condition sensor comprises at least one of an ambient temperature sensor, a refrigerant pressure sensor, a compressor temperature sensor, a refrigerant conduit temperature sensor and a coolant conduit temperature sensor.

19 . The system of claim 13 further comprising a heat source fluidically coupled to the coolant forming heated coolant; and
a first heat exchanger heating refrigerant in the refrigerant loop from the heated coolant.

20 . A system comprising:
a sensed condition sensor sensing a refrigerant temperature; a coolant loop comprising a first portion of a first heat exchanger; a refrigerant loop comprising a compressor; and a controller programmed to determine a sensed condition; start a flow of coolant in when the sensed condition is below a first threshold and above a second threshold, the second threshold being less than the first threshold; start a flow of refrigerant in the refrigerant loop by starting the compressor within the refrigerant loop at a first speed; and increase a speed of the compressor when the refrigerant temperature is above a third threshold between the first threshold and the second threshold.

Assignees

• Denso Int America Inc
• Denso Corp

Inventors

• Tian Yilin

Classifications

• B60H2001/00949

  comprising additional heating/cooling sources, e.g. second evaporator · CPC title

• B60H1/00885

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

• B60H1/00314

  Arrangements permitting a rapid heating of the heating liquid (B60H1/00492, B60H1/03 take precedence) · CPC title

• B60H2001/3255

  related to temperature · CPC title

• B60H2001/3248

  related to pressure · CPC title