System and method for climate control within a passenger compartment of a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016361968-A1
Application number	US-201615177878-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 9, 2016
Priority date	May 25, 2007
Publication date	Dec 15, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A thermoelectric system and method provides distributed localized heating, cooling, or both heating and cooling. The thermoelectric system includes a plurality of thermoelectric assemblies. Each thermoelectric assembly comprises a plurality of thermoelectric elements, and each thermoelectric assembly is in thermal communication with a first working fluid and in thermal communication with a region corresponding to the thermoelectric assembly. Each thermoelectric assembly is selectively operable either to heat the region corresponding to the thermoelectric assembly by transferring heat from the first working fluid to the region corresponding to the thermoelectric assembly or to cool the region corresponding to the thermoelectric assembly by transferring heat from the region corresponding to the thermoelectric assembly to the first working fluid. Each thermoelectric assembly is operable independently from operation of other thermoelectric assemblies of the plurality of thermoelectric assemblies.

First claim

1 - 49 . (canceled)

50 . A climate control system with fluid conduits providing parallel and series fluid flow for localized heating or cooling, the climate control system comprising:
a fluid conduit loop configured to allow a liquid to flow in the fluid conduit loop; and a plurality of localized temperature control assemblies selectively connectable to the fluid conduit loop, at least one of the plurality of localized temperature control assemblies comprising a thermoelectric assembly, the thermoelectric assembly comprising a first side and a second side and configured to transfer thermal energy between the first side and the second side, each of the plurality of localized temperature control assemblies comprising a fluid conduit and a flow control element, and each of the plurality of localized temperature control assemblies in thermal communication with a region to be heated or cooled, wherein each flow control element is configured to selectively allow or stop fluid flow of the liquid through a corresponding localized temperature control assembly, wherein at least a portion of the liquid flows out of the fluid conduit loop into a first fluid conduit of a first localized temperature control assembly of the plurality of localized temperature control assemblies while an other portion of the liquid flows through the fluid conduit loop in parallel with the portion of the liquid flowing through the first localized temperature control assembly and back into the fluid conduit loop when the climate control system is operating, wherein, after flowing through the first fluid conduit back into the fluid conduit loop, at least a part of the portion of the liquid flows out of the fluid conduit loop into a second fluid conduit of a second localized temperature control assembly of the plurality of localized temperature control assemblies while at least a part of the other portion of the liquid flows through the fluid conduit loop in parallel with the at least a part of the portion of the liquid flowing through the second localized temperature control assembly and back into the fluid conduit loop when the climate control system is operating, and wherein the second fluid conduit connects to the fluid conduit loop downstream of the first fluid conduit such that the second fluid conduit is in series fluid communication with the first fluid conduit while the fluid conduit loop is in parallel fluid communication with the first and second fluid conduits.

51 . The climate control system of claim 50 , wherein, when the climate control system is operating, one or more of the plurality of localized temperature control assemblies is in thermal communication with air associated with the region corresponding to the one or more of the plurality of localized temperature control assemblies.

52 . The climate control system of claim 50 , further comprising a thermal storage reservoir in fluid communication with the fluid conduit loop, the thermal storage reservoir configured to receive the liquid to store thermal power.

53 . The climate control system of claim 50 , wherein each region to be heated or cooled is within a passenger compartment of a vehicle.

54 . The climate control system of claim 53 , wherein the vehicle comprises an engine and the liquid comprises engine coolant.

55 . The climate control system of claim 54 , wherein the vehicle further comprises a radiator, and wherein the engine coolant flows through the radiator, the engine, and at least one fluid conduit.

56 . The climate control system of claim 53 , wherein the vehicle comprises a battery and a heat exchanger attached to the battery, the liquid in thermal communication with the heat exchanger.

57 . A climate control system with fluid conduits providing parallel and series fluid flow for heating or cooling, the climate control system comprising:
a fluid circuit configured to circulate a first working fluid in the fluid circuit; a first thermoelectric device comprising a first side and a second side, the first thermoelectric device configured to transfer thermal energy between the first and second sides of the first thermoelectric device, the second side of the first thermoelectric device in thermal communication with a first region to be heated or cooled; a first fluid conduit configured to convey the first working fluid in the first fluid conduit, the first fluid conduit in fluid communication with the fluid circuit and in thermal communication with the first side of the first thermoelectric device to provide thermal communication between the first working fluid and the first side of the first thermoelectric device; a first flow controller in fluid communication with the fluid circuit, the first flow controller configured to selectively direct flow of the first working fluid toward the first thermoelectric device relative to the first side of the first thermoelectric device; a second fluid conduit configured to convey the first working fluid in the second fluid conduit, the second fluid conduit in thermal communication with a second region to be heated or cooled by providing thermal communication between the first working fluid and the second region; and a second flow controller in fluid communication with the fluid circuit, the second flow controller configured to selectively direct flow of the first working fluid toward the second region through the second fluid conduit, wherein at least a portion of the first working fluid flows out of the fluid circuit into the first fluid conduit, toward the first thermoelectric device while an other portion of the first working fluid flows through the fluid circuit in parallel with the at least a portion of the first working fluid flowing through the first fluid conduit, and back into the fluid circuit when the climate control system is operating, wherein, after flowing through the first fluid conduit back into the fluid circuit, at least a part of the portion of the first working fluid flows out of the fluid circuit into the second fluid conduit, toward the second region while at least a part of the other portion of the first working fluid flows through the fluid circuit in parallel with the at least a part of the portion of the first working fluid flowing through the second fluid conduit, and back into the fluid circuit when the climate control system is operating, and wherein the second fluid conduit connects to the fluid circuit such that the second fluid conduit is in series fluid communication with the first fluid conduit while the fluid circuit is in parallel fluid communication with the first and second fluid conduits.

58 . The climate control system of claim 57 , wherein the first flow controller is positioned upstream of the first thermoelectric device with respect to a direction of flow of the first working fluid through the first fluid conduit.

59 . The climate control system of claim 57 , wherein the second flow controller is positioned upstream of the second region with respect to a direction of flow of the first working fluid through the second fluid conduit.

60 . The climate control system of claim 57 , wherein the first and second regions are positioned within a passenger compartment of a vehicle.

61 . The climate control system of claim 57 , wherein the first and second regions are positioned within a same inner volume without walls forming partitions within the same inner volume to thermally isolate the first and second regions from each other within the same inner volume.

62 . The climate control system of claim 57 , wherein the first and second regions are in thermal communication with a second working fluid.

Assignees

• Gentherm Inc

Inventors

• Bell Lon E
• Lagrandeur John

Classifications

• B60H2001/00942

  comprising a plurality of heat exchangers, e.g. for multi zone heating or cooling · CPC title

• B60H2001/00949

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

• F25B2321/0251

  by a gas · CPC title

• F25B21/04 Primary

  reversible · CPC title

• B60H1/00271

  HVAC devices specially adapted for particular vehicle parts or components and being connected to the vehicle HVAC unit · CPC title