System and method for extreme cold starting of a heating system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025178413-A1
Application number	US-202418594807-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 4, 2024
Priority date	Nov 30, 2023
Publication date	Jun 5, 2025
Grant date	—

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 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; and starting a flow of refrigerant in a refrigerant loop by starting a compressor within the refrigerant loop at a first speed.

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 5 wherein the sensed condition comprises a refrigerant temperature, and wherein the predetermined condition comprises the refrigerant temperature being above a third threshold between the first threshold and the second threshold.

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

8 . 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.

9 . 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.

10 . 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.

11 . The method of claim 10 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.

12 . The method of claim 1 further comprising 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 comprising:
a sensed condition sensor; 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; and start a flow of refrigerant in the refrigerant loop by starting the compressor within the refrigerant loop at a first speed.

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 16 wherein the sensed condition comprises a refrigerant temperature, and wherein the predetermined condition comprises the refrigerant temperature being above a third threshold between the first threshold and the second threshold.

18 . 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.

19 . 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.

20 . 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.

Assignees

• Denso Int America Inc
• Denso Corp

Inventors

• Tian Yilin

Classifications

• B60H2001/3254

  of the refrigerant at an expansion unit · CPC title

• B60H2001/3272

  to control the revolving speed of a compressor · CPC title

• B60H1/143

  the heat being derived from cooling an electric component, e.g. electric motors, electric circuits, fuel cells or batteries · CPC title

• B60H1/00921

  where the flow direction of the refrigerant does not change and there is an extra subcondenser, e.g. in an air duct · CPC title

• B60H1/32281

  comprising a single secondary circuit, e.g. at evaporator or condenser side · CPC title