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US 10,138,859 B2Granted
Heater and method of operation therefor
AssigneeJaguar Land Rover Limited
InventorsColin Godsall, Dominic Taylor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A heater system for preheating a vehicle and method of operating the same, wherein the method of operation is dependent upon the temperature of the coolant fluid in the vehicle coolant system.
Claims21
A control system for a heater of a vehicle for preheating vehicle components via fluid in a heat exchanger, the control system comprising a control unit configured, prior to starting of an engine of the vehicle:
- to receive a wake signal to commence heating;
- to determine, prior to commencing heating of the fluid, a parameter value indicative of a flow capability of the fluid in dependence on data received from one or more sensors;
- to select, prior to commencing heating of the fluid, a heating sequence from at least two heating profile sequences in dependence on the determined parameter value indicative of the flow capability of the fluid, the at least two heating profile sequences comprising a first heating profile sequence for use when the parameter value indicates that the flow capability of the fluid is above a predetermined threshold value and a second heating profile sequence for use when the parameter value indicates that the flow capability of the fluid is below a predetermined threshold value;
- and
- to initiate the selected heating profile sequence of the heater to commence heating of the fluid,
- wherein the control system is configured so that, in the second heating profile sequence the heater is operated such that heat is transferred to the fluid at a lower average rate for at least an initial period than when the heater is operated according to the first heating profile sequence.
3 more elements
A method of operating a heater for preheating components of a vehicle via a fluid in a heat exchanger, the method being operable prior to starting an engine of the vehicle, the method comprising:
- a) receiving a wake signal to commence heating;
- b) determining, prior to commencing heating of the fluid, a parameter value indicative of a flow capability of the fluid in dependence on data received from one or more sensors;
- c) selecting, prior to commencing heating of the fluid, a heating sequence from at least two heating profile sequences in dependence on the determined parameter value indicative of the flow capability of the fluid, the at least two heating profile sequences comprising a first heating profile sequence for use when the parameter value indicates that the flow capability of the fluid is above a predetermined threshold value and a second heating profile sequence for use when the parameter value indicates that the flow capability of the fluid is below a predetermined threshold value;
- d) initiating the selected heating profile sequence of the heater to commence heating of the fluid;
- wherein in the second heating profile sequence the heater is operated such that heat is transferred to the fluid at a lower average rate for at least an initial period than when the heater is operated according to the first heating profile sequence.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.