# US 12,594,815 B2 · Temperature control system

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- Number: US 12,594,815 B2
- Document ID: US12594815B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/434,882
- Filed: 2024-02-07
- Published: 2024-08-08
- Granted: 2026-04-07
- Earliest claimed: 2023-02-08
- Assignees: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Keizo Iwama
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12594815B2

## CPC

- B60H 1/00278: {for the battery}
- B60H 1/00921: {where the flow direction of the refrigerant does not change and there is an extra subcondenser, e.g. in an air duct}
- B60H 2001/00307: {Component temperature regulation using a liquid flow}
- B60H 2001/00928: {comprising a secondary circuit}
- B60H: ARRANGEMENTS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS SPACES OF VEHICLES

## Abstract

A temperature control system is mounted on a vehicle. The temperature control system includes a PU cooling circuit configured to allow a first refrigerant to flow therethrough and adjust a temperature of a power unit, a refrigeration cycle circuit, which is used for air conditioning, configured to allow a second refrigerant to flow therethrough, a first heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between the first refrigerant in the PU cooling circuit and the second refrigerant in the refrigeration cycle circuit, a gas-liquid separation device configured to separate the first refrigerant into gas and liquid, and a refrigerant cooling circuit configured to allow the first refrigerant to flow therethrough and communicate with the PU cooling circuit via the gas-liquid separation device.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A temperature control system mounted on a vehicle, the temperature control system comprising:
a PU cooling circuit configured to allow a first refrigerant to flow therethrough and adjust a temperature of a power unit;
a refrigeration cycle circuit, which is used for air conditioning, configured to allow a second refrigerant to flow therethrough;
a first heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between the first refrigerant in the PU cooling circuit and the second refrigerant in the refrigeration cycle circuit;
a gas-liquid separation device configured to separate the first refrigerant into gas and liquid; and
a refrigerant cooling circuit configured to allow the first refrigerant in a gaseous state to flow therethrough and communicate with the PU cooling circuit via the gas-liquid separation device,
wherein a second heat exchanger of the refrigeration cycle circuit is configured to take in waste heat which is discharged from the gaseous first refrigerant separated by the gas-liquid separation device to an atmosphere by a condenser of the refrigerant cooling circuit.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The temperature control system according to claim 1,
wherein the refrigeration cycle circuit includes:
a first flow path configured to allow the second refrigerant to flow through the second heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between the second refrigerant and outside air, a first expansion valve, an evaporator, a first compressor, and a first heater core in this order; and
a second flow path configured to allow the second refrigerant to flow through the second heat exchanger, the first compressor, the first heater core, the first heat exchanger, and a second expansion valve in this order, and
the first flow path and the second flow path are switchable by a valve device.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The temperature control system according to claim 2, wherein the refrigerant cooling circuit includes:
a refrigerant main flow path configured to allow the first refrigerant to flow through the gas-liquid separation device, a second compressor, the condenser, and a third expansion valve in this order; and
a refrigerant bypass flow path configured to bypass the second compressor in the refrigerant main flow path, and
the refrigerant main flow path and the refrigerant bypass flow path are switchable by a first valve.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The temperature control system according to claim 3,
wherein the first flow path passes through a second heater core disposed between the second compressor and the condenser.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The temperature control system according to claim 3, wherein the PU cooling circuit includes:
a PU main flow path configured to allow the first refrigerant to flow through a battery, the gas-liquid separation device, a pump, a radiator, a drive unit, the first heat exchanger, and a heater; and
a PU bypass flow path configured to bypass the radiator in the PU main flow path, and
the PU main flow path and the PU bypass flow path are switchable by a second valve.