Temperature control systems with thermoelectric devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016355067-A1
Application number	US-201615240900-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 18, 2016
Priority date	Oct 23, 2008
Publication date	Dec 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Temperature control systems and methods can be designed for controlling the interior climate of a vehicle or other the climate of another desired region. The temperature control system for a vehicle can have a thermoelectric system providing heating and/or cooling, including supplemental heating and/or cooling. The thermoelectric system can transfer thermal energy between a working fluid, such as liquid coolant, and comfort air upon application of electric current of a selected polarity. The thermoelectric system can supplement or replace the heat provided from an internal combustion engine or other primary heat source. The thermoelectric system can also supplement or replace cold energy provided from a compressor-based refrigeration system or other primary cold energy source.

First claim

1 . A method for controlling temperature of an occupant compartment of a vehicle during a stop of an internal combustion engine of the vehicle, the method comprising:
directing an airflow through a comfort air channel; directing a coolant through an engine coolant circuit, the engine coolant circuit including an engine block coolant conduit in thermal communication with the internal combustion engine of the vehicle; directing the airflow through a heater core disposed in the comfort air channel and in thermal communication with the engine block coolant conduit; directing the airflow through a supplemental heat exchanger in thermal communication with a thermoelectric device, and wherein the thermoelectric device has a main surface and a waste surface, the main surface in thermal communication with the supplemental heat exchanger, the waste surface connected to a waste heat exchanger, wherein the waste heat exchanger is connected to a fluid circuit containing a liquid phase working fluid, and wherein the liquid phase working fluid is in fluid communication with the engine block coolant conduit or a heat sink; and supplying, in a stop cold heating mode, electric current in a first polarity to the thermoelectric device for the thermoelectric device to heat the airflow by transferring thermal energy from the waste surface to the main surface while the internal combustion engine is stopped; and wherein, in the stop cold heating mode, the thermoelectric device provides heat to the airflow while the internal combustion engine is not able to heat the airflow to a specified comfortable temperature without the heat provided by the thermoelectric device.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the supplemental heat exchanger is downstream from the heater core with respect to a direction of airflow in the comfort air channel while the airflow is flowing.

3 . The method claim 1 , further comprising restricting, in a stop heating mode, electric current to the thermoelectric device, wherein the internal combustion engine is configured to heat the airflow, and wherein the stop cold heating mode is configured to allow for a longer stop time of the internal combustion engine than stopping the internal combustion engine in the stop heating mode while heating the occupant compartment of the vehicle to a certain cabin temperature.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising supplying, in a cooling mode, electric current to the thermoelectric device in a second polarity for the thermoelectric device to cool the airflow by transferring thermal energy from the main surface to the waste surface.

5 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising restricting flow of the coolant through the engine block coolant conduit to inhibit thermal communication between the waste surface of the thermoelectric device and the internal combustion engine.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising supplying, in a stop demisting mode, electric current to the thermoelectric device in a second polarity for the thermoelectric device to cool the airflow by transferring thermal energy from the main surface to the waste surface and the internal combustion engine is configured to heat the airflow while the internal combustion engine is able to heat the airflow to a specified comfortable temperature, wherein the supplemental heat exchanger is upstream from the heater core with respect to a direction of the airflow in the comfort air channel while the airflow is flowing.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the thermoelectric device is at least partially disposed in the comfort air channel.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising supplying, in a stop cooling mode, electric current to the thermoelectric device in a second polarity for the thermoelectric device to cool the airflow by transferring thermal energy from the main surface to the waste surface while the internal combustion engine is stopped.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising, in the stop cold heating mode:
restricting flow of the liquid phase working fluid through a first conduit of the fluid circuit, the first conduit in thermal communication with the heater core; and directing the liquid phase working fluid through a first bypass conduit of the fluid circuit, the first bypass conduit configured to bypass flow of the liquid phase working fluid around the first conduit.

10 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising, in the stop heating mode:
restricting flow of the liquid phase working fluid through a first conduit of the fluid circuit, the first conduit in thermal communication with the waste heat exchanger; and directing the liquid phase working fluid through a first bypass conduit of the fluid circuit, the first bypass conduit configured to bypass flow of the liquid phase working fluid around the first conduit.

11 . A method for controlling temperature of an occupant compartment of a vehicle during a stop of an internal combustion engine of the vehicle, the method comprising:
directing an airflow through a comfort air channel; directing a coolant through an engine coolant circuit, the engine coolant circuit including an engine block coolant conduit in thermal communication with the internal combustion engine of the vehicle; directing the airflow through a heater core disposed in the comfort air channel and in thermal communication with the engine block coolant conduit; directing the airflow through a supplemental heat exchanger in thermal communication with a thermoelectric device, and wherein the thermoelectric device has a main surface and a waste surface, the main surface in thermal communication with the supplemental heat exchanger, the waste surface connected to a waste heat exchanger, wherein the waste heat exchanger is connected to a fluid circuit containing a liquid phase working fluid, and wherein the liquid phase working fluid is in fluid communication with the engine block coolant conduit or a heat sink; and restricting, in a stop heating mode, electric current to the thermoelectric device, wherein the internal combustion engine is configured to heat the airflow while the internal combustion engine is stopped.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the supplemental heat exchanger is downstream from the heater core with respect to a direction of airflow in the comfort air channel while the airflow is flowing.

13 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising, in the stop heating mode:
directing the liquid phase working fluid through a first conduit of the fluid circuit, the first conduit in thermal communication with the heater core; restricting flow of the liquid phase working fluid through a first bypass conduit of the fluid circuit, the first bypass conduit configured to bypass flow of the liquid phase working fluid around the first conduit; restricting flow of the liquid phase working fluid through a second conduit of the fluid circuit, the second conduit in thermal communication with the waste heat exchanger; and directing the liquid phase working fluid through a second bypass conduit of the fluid circuit, the second bypass conduit configured to bypass flow of the liquid phase working fluid around the second conduit.

14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising, in the stop heating mode when the internal combustion engine has cooled:
supplying electric current in a first polarity to the thermoelectric device for the thermoelectric device to heat the airflow by transferring thermal energy from the waste surface to the main surface while the internal combustion engine is stopped; directing the liquid phase working fluid through the first conduit of the fluid circuit;

Assignees

• Gentherm Inc

Inventors

• Barnhart Todd Robert
• Ranalli Marco
• Adldinger Martin

Classifications

• 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

• B60H1/00478 Primary

  Air-conditioning devices using the Peltier effect · CPC title

• B60H2001/00128

  Electric heaters · CPC title

• B60H1/00778

  the input being a stationary vehicle position, e.g. parking or stopping · CPC title

• B60H1/034

  from the cooling liquid of the propulsion plant and from an electric heating device · CPC title