Method for operating an air-conditioning system for a vehicle

A method for operating a climate-control system for a vehicle, whereby the climate-control system comprises:

• a heat pump with an outside-air heat exchanger, and an additional heating heat source for an interior of the vehicle, the method comprises the following steps:
• determining a heating output demand for the climate-control of the vehicle;
• determining a required heat output uptake at the outside-air heat exchanger;
• determining an outside-air state;
• determining a fluid temperature in the outside-air heat exchanger that is needed for the required heat output uptake;
• determining whether the value of the required fluid temperature falls below a dew point of the outside air at the outside-air heat exchanger;
• and selecting an operating strategy for the climate-control system from a group that comprises at least the following operating strategies:
• b) meeting part of the heating output demand by operating the heat pump at a fluid temperature whose value does not fall below the dew point, and meeting the rest of the heating output demand by operating the additional heating heat source;
• and d) temporarily meeting the heating output demand by operating the heat pump at a fluid temperature whose value falls below the dew point, followed by a thawing phase of the outside-air heat exchanger;
• whereby the selection of the operating strategy is made on the basis of criteria that comprise at least meeting the heating output demand and maximizing the overall efficiency of the climate-control system.