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US 10,458,682 B2Granted
Air-conditioning system
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsMichael Levin, Furqan Zafar Shaikh
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An air-conditioning system includes first and second PCM vessels, a heat recovery circuit, and a conduit and valve system. The heat recover circuit includes a third PCM vessel. The conduit and valve system operably couples i.) a first heat exchanger to the first PCM vessel and a radiator, ii.) a second heat exchanger to a core and the second PCM vessel, and iii.) the heat recovery circuit to the first heat exchanger.
Claims20
An air-conditioning system, comprising:
- a first PCM vessel;
- a second PCM vessel;
- a heat recovery circuit comprising a third PCM vessel;
- and
- a conduit and valve system that operably couples:
- i. a first heat exchanger to the first PCM vessel and a radiator,
- ii. a second heat exchanger to a core and the second PCM vessel, and
- iii. the heat recovery circuit to the first heat exchanger, wherein the conduit and valve system comprises a first valve, a second valve, a third valve, a fourth valve, a fifth valve, a sixth valve, a seventh valve, and an eighth valve, and wherein the seventh valve is downstream of the first PCM vessel and upstream of the radiator and the eighth valve is downstream of the first PCM vessel, downstream of the radiator, and upstream of a first pump.
5 more elements
An air-conditioning system, comprising:
- a first PCM vessel;
- a second PCM vessel;
- a heat recovery circuit comprising a third PCM vessel that is configured to store heat;
- and a conduit and valve system that operably couples:
- i. a first heat exchanger to the first PCM vessel and a radiator, wherein a first heat exchange fluid is cooled by at least one of the first PCM vessel and the radiator, and wherein a valve is positioned downstream of the first PCM vessel and upstream of the radiator, wherein the valve directs the first heat exchange fluid to the radiator when the valve is in a first open position, and wherein the valve diverts the first heat exchange fluid to bypass the radiator when the valve is in a second open position,
- ii. a second heat exchanger to a core and the second PCM vessel, which together are configured to cool a second heat exchange fluid such that the core provides cooled air, and
- iii. the heat recovery circuit to the first heat exchanger.
4 more elements
A method of operating an air-conditioning system, comprising the steps of:
- circulating a first heat exchange fluid through a first heat exchanger, a first PCM vessel, and a valve during a first mode of operation, the valve being positioned between the first PCM vessel and a radiator;
- diverting the first heat exchange fluid to bypass the radiator by adjusting the valve from a first open position to a second open position;
- circulating a second heat exchange fluid through a second heat exchanger, a core, and a second PCM vessel during the first mode of operation;
- circulating the first heat exchange fluid through the first PCM vessel during a second mode of operation;
- and
- circulating a third heat exchange fluid through a heat recovery circuit that comprises a third PCM vessel during the second mode of operation.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.