# US 10,118,461 B2 · HVAC systems for electrically-powered vehicles > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,118,461 B2 - Document ID: US10118461B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/873,630 - Filed: 2018-01-17 - Published: 2018-06-07 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2015-06-03 - Assignees: BorgWarner Inc. - Applicants: Borgwarner Inc. - Inventors: Andrew D. Sutherland; Steven M. Myers - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10118461B2 ## CPC - B60H 1/00492: {comprising regenerative heating or cooling means, e.g. heat accumulators} - B60H 1/00392: {for electric vehicles having only electric drive means} - B60H 1/2225: {arrangements of electric heaters for heating air} - B60L 1/02: to electric heating circuits - B60L 1/20: {Energy regeneration from auxiliary equipment} - B60L 53/14: Conductive energy transfer - B60L 53/302: Cooling of charging equipment - B60H 2001/229: {Integration into an air outlet} - B60L 2240/34: Cabin temperature - B60L 2270/44: Heat storages, e.g. for cabin heating - Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries - Y02T 10/7072: Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors - Y02T 90/12: Electric charging stations - Y02T 90/14: Plug-in electric vehicles - B60H: ARRANGEMENTS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS SPACES OF VEHICLES - B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system for an electrically-powered vehicle (EV) having an electric motor powered by at least one battery is described. The HVAC system may comprise a blower, a conduit configured to carry air from the blower to vents leading to a passenger cabin of the EV, and an electric heater positioned in the conduit and configured to heat the air. The HVAC system may further comprise a thermal reservoir heater positioned in the conduit and including a thermal storage component configured to heat the air without using power from the battery. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for heating a passenger cabin of an electrically-powered vehicle (EV) with a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system, the HVAC system including a conduit configured to carry air to the passenger cabin, a barrier that divides the conduit into a first channel leading to a first heating zone and a second channel leading to a second heating zone, and a single airflow regulating device configured to regulate a flow of the air to the first channel and the second channel, the first heating zone including an electric heater, and the second zone including a second electric heater and a phase change material (PCM) at least partially surrounding the second electric heater, the method comprising: storing heat to the second heating zone while the EV is coupled to an external energy source by causing the PCM to undergo a heat-absorbing phase change; and heating the passenger cabin using the second heating zone while the EV is operational by causing the PCM to undergo a heat-releasing phase change. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising pre-conditioning the passenger cabin with the electric heater of the first heating zone while the EV is coupled to an external energy source. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein storing heat to the second heating zone while the EV is coupled to an external energy source comprises heating the second electric heater, transferring heat from the second electric heater to the PCM, and allowing the PCM to undergo the heat-absorbing phase change. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, further comprising positioning the airflow regulating device in a first position in which more of the air is directed to the first channel than the second channel when the EV is coupled to an external energy source. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, further comprising positioning the airflow regulating device in a second position in which more of the air is directed to the second channel than the first channel when the EV is operational. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein heating the passenger cabin using the second heating zone while the EV is operational comprises extracting heat from the PCM as the PCM undergoes the heat-releasing phase change. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, further comprising, when the EV is operational, shifting the airflow regulating device to the first position when the PCM has completed the heat-releasing phase change, and heating the passenger cabin with the electric heater of the first heating zone. ### Claim 8 A method for heating a passenger cabin of an electrically-powered vehicle (EV) with a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system, the HVAC system including a conduit configured to carry air to the passenger cabin, a barrier that divides the conduit into a first channel leading to a first heating zone and a second channel leading to a second heating zone, and an airflow regulating device upstream of the first and second heating zones and configured to regulate a flow of air to the first channel and the second channel, the first heating zone including an electric heater, and the second heating zone including a second electric heater at least partially surrounded by a phase change material (PCM), the method comprising: positioning the airflow regulating device in a first position in which more of the air is directed to the first channel than the second channel while the EV is coupled to an external energy source; storing heat to the second heating zone while the EV is coupled to an external energy source by allowing the PCM to undergo a heat-absorbing phase change; positioning the airflow regulating device in a second position in which more of the air is directed to the second channel than the first channel; while the EV is operational, heating the air in the second channel using the second heating zone by allowing the PCM to undergo a heat-releasing phase change; and heating the passenger cabin with the heated air from the second channel. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein storing heat to the second heating zone while the EV is coupled to an external energy source comprises heating the second electric heater, transferring heat from the second electric heater to the PCM, and allowing the PCM to undergo the heat-absorbing phase change. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising pre-conditioning the passenger cabin with the electric heater of the first heating zone while the EV is coupled to an external energy source. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein pre-conditioning the passenger cabin with the electric heater of the first heating zone comprises heating the air in the first channel with the electric heater, and heating the passenger cabin with the heated air from the first channel. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein heating the air in the second channel using the second heating zone comprises extracting heat from the PCM as the PCM undergoes the heat-releasing phase change. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising, while the EV is operational, shifting the airflow regulating device to the first position when the PCM has completed the heat-releasing phase change. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising heating the passenger cabin using the electric heater of the first heating zone after shifting the airflow regulating device to the first position. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein heating the passenger cabin using the electric heater of the first heating zone comprises heating the air in the first channel with the electric heater, and heating the passenger cabin with the heated air from the first channel. ### Claim 16 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the airflow regulating device is a blend door. ### Claim 17 A method for heating a passenger cabin of a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) with a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system, the HVAC system including a conduit configured to carry air to the passenger cabin, a barrier that divides the conduit into a first channel leading to a first heating zone and a second channel leading to a second heating zone, and an airflow regulating device upstream of the first and second heating zones and configured to regulate a flow of the air to the first channel and the second channel, the first heating zone including an electric heater, and the second heating zone including a second electric heater and a phase change material at least partially surrounding the second electric heater, the method comprising: storing heat to the second heating zone while the PHEV is coupled to an external energy source by allowing the PCM to undergo a heat-absorbing phase change, the airflow regulating device being in a first position in which more of the air is directed to the first channel than the second channel while the heat is stored to the second heating zone; heating the passenger cabin using the second heating zone while the PHEV is operational by allowing the PCM to undergo a heat-releasing phase change, the airflow regulating device being in a second position in which more of the air is directed to the second channel than the first channel while the passenger cabin is heated using the second heating zone; and while the PHEV is operational, heating the passenger cabin using one of the first heating zone or a coolant-based heating system when the PCM has completed the heat-releasing phase change. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising pre-conditioning the passenger cabin with the electric heater of the first heating zone while the PHEV is coupled to an external energy source, wherein pre-conditioning the passenger cabin with the electric heater of the first heating zone comprises heating the air in the first channel with the electric heater, and heating the passenger cabin with the heated air from the first channel. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein storing heat to the second heating zone while the PHEV is coupled to an external energy source comprises heating the second electric heater, transferring heat from the second electric heater to the PCM, and allowing the PCM to undergo the heat-absorbing phase change. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein heating the passenger cabin using the second heating zone while the PHEV is operational comprises heating the air in the second channel using the heat released from the PCM, and heating the passenger cabin with the heated air from the second channel.