# US 2014/0196485 A1 · Method for controlling a thermal storage heat pump system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0196485 A1 - Document ID: US20140196485A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/742,735 - Filed: 2013-01-16 - Published: 2014-07-17 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-16 - Assignees: GM Global Technology Operations LLC - Applicants: GM Global Technology Operations LLC - Inventors: Paul S. Lombardo; Lawrence P. Ziehr; Brian P. Lemon - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140196485A1 ## CPC - F25B 30/02: of the compression type - B60H 1/00899: {Controlling the flow of liquid in a heat pump system (controlling the properties of the refrigerant liquid, e.g. pressure or temperature, B60H1/3204)} - B60H 1/32284: {comprising two or more secondary circuits, e.g. at evaporator and condenser side} - F24H 4/06: Air heaters - F24H 15/176: Improving or maintaining comfort of users - F24H 15/208: Temperature of the air after heating - F24H 15/242: Pressure - F24H 15/258: Outdoor temperature - F24H 15/305: Control of valves (of heat pumps F24H15/385, F24H15/39) - F24H 15/335: Control of pumps, e.g. on-off control (control of compressors of heat pumps F24H15/38) - F24H 15/38: Control of compressors of heat pumps - F25B 5/02: arranged in parallel - F25B 6/02: arranged in parallel - F25B 49/02: for compression type machines, plants or systems - B60H 2001/00928: {comprising a secondary circuit} - B60H 2001/00949: {comprising additional heating/cooling sources, e.g. second evaporator} - F24D 2200/123: Compression type heat pumps - F25B 7/00: Compression machines, plants or systems, with cascade operation, i.e. with two or more circuits, the heat from the condenser of one circuit being absorbed by the evaporator of the next circuit (F25B9/00 takes precedence) - F25B 2313/004: Outdoor unit with water as a heat sink or heat source - F25B 2500/26: characterised by the startup of the refrigeration cycle - F25B 2700/02: Humidity - F25B 2700/1931: Discharge pressures - F25B 2700/1933: Suction pressures - F25B 2700/2106: of fresh outdoor air - Y02T 50/60: Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft - F25B: REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS - B60H: ARRANGEMENTS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS SPACES OF VEHICLES - F24H: FLUID HEATERS, e.g. WATER OR AIR HEATERS, HAVING HEAT-GENERATING MEANS, e.g. HEAT PUMPS, IN GENERAL (steam generation F22) - F24D: DOMESTIC- OR SPACE-HEATING SYSTEMS, e.g. CENTRAL HEATING SYSTEMS; DOMESTIC HOT-WATER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; ELEMENTS OR COMPONENTS THEREFOR (using steam or condensate extracted or exhausted from steam engine plants for heating purposes F01K17/02) - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A thermal storage heat pump system transfers heat to a passenger compartment of a vehicle from at least one of a thermal storage device and ambient air. Heat from the thermal storage device is absorbed by a first coolant flowing through it, and is transferred to a refrigerant via a first heat exchanger. The heat is then transferred from the refrigerant to a second coolant via a second heat exchanger, and then from the second coolant to air flowing into the passenger compartment via a heater core. Heat from ambient air is absorbed by the refrigerant via a third heat exchanger. The heat source is determined by at least one of the thermal storage device temperature, ambient air temperature, and ambient air humidity. At start-up of the vehicle, heat transfer to the refrigerant and to the second coolant is controlled based on low-side and high-side pressure measurements of the refrigerant. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for operating a thermal storage heat pump system of a vehicle having a passenger compartment, during start-up of the vehicle, the thermal storage heat pump system having a compressor, a first coolant pump, and a second coolant pump, the compressor having an inlet and an outlet and being configured to compress a refrigerant, the method comprising: receiving, by at least one controller, a low-side pressure measurement of the refrigerant at the inlet of the compressor; receiving, by the at least one controller, a high-side pressure measurement of the refrigerant at the outlet of the compressor; comparing, by the at least one controller, the low-side pressure measurement to a minimum low-side pressure value, and the high-side pressure measurement to a maximum high-side pressure value to obtain at least one condition; operating at least one of the compressor, the first coolant pump, and the second coolant pump based upon the at least one condition; wherein the minimum low-side pressure value and the maximum high-side pressure value are stored in the at least one controller. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the operating of at least one of the compressor, the first coolant pump, and the second coolant pump comprises setting the first coolant pump to a maximum speed, and setting the compressor to a minimum speed when the at least one condition is that the low-side pressure measurement is below the minimum low-side pressure value. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2 wherein the operating of at least one of the compressor, the first coolant pump, and the second coolant pump further comprises maintaining the first coolant pump at the maximum speed, increasing the speed of the compressor to a maximum speed, and setting the second coolant pump to a minimum speed when the at least one condition is that the low-side pressure measurement is above the minimum low-side pressure value, and the high-side pressure measurement is below the maximum high-side pressure value. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3 further comprising receiving, by the controller, an input for a desired temperature for the passenger compartment, and increasing the speed of the second coolant pump based on the desired temperature. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the low-side pressure measurement is taken and transmitted to the at least one controller by a low-side pressure sensor located at the inlet of the compressor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the high-side pressure measurement is taken and transmitted to the at least one controller by a high-side pressure sensor located at the outlet of the compressor. ### Claim 7 A method for operating a thermal storage heat pump system of a vehicle having a passenger compartment, the thermal storage heat pump system having a first coolant circuit configured to circulate a first coolant through a thermal storage device configured to store thermal energy, a second coolant circuit configured to circulate a second coolant through a heater core configured to heat air flowing into the passenger compartment, and a refrigeration circuit in thermal communication with the first coolant circuit and the second coolant circuit via a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger, the refrigeration circuit being configured to circulate a refrigerant through a third heat exchanger configured to draw heat from ambient air, the method comprising: receiving, by at least one controller, at least one measurement of a parameter; determining a heat source from which the second coolant receives heat to be transferred to the passenger compartment via the heater core based on the at least one measurement; and operating the thermal storage heat pump system to draw heat from the heat source; wherein the heat source is at least one of the thermal storage device and ambient air via the third heat exchanger. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7 wherein the parameter comprises at least one of a temperature of the thermal storage device, ambient air temperature, and ambient air humidity. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8 wherein the at least one measurement is a thermal storage device temperature measurement taken and transmitted to the at least one controller by a first temperature sensor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8 wherein the at least one measurement is an OAT measurement taken and transmitted to the at least one controller by a second temperature sensor. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8 wherein the at least one measurement is an ambient air humidity measurement taken and transmitted to the at least one controller by a humidity sensor. ### Claim 12 A thermal storage heat pump system of a vehicle having a passenger compartment, the system comprising: a first coolant circuit having a first coolant pump configured to circulate a first coolant; a second coolant circuit having a second coolant pump configured to circulate a second coolant; a refrigeration circuit configured to circulate a refrigerant, the refrigeration circuit being in thermal communication with the first coolant circuit and the second coolant circuit via a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger, respectively; a thermal storage device located in the first coolant circuit, the thermal storage device being configured to store thermal energy; a heater core located on the second coolant circuit, the heater core being configured to transfer heat from the second coolant to air flowing across the heater core to warm up the passenger compartment; a compressor having an inlet and an outlet, the compressor being located on the refrigeration circuit and being configured to compress the refrigerant from a low-side pressure to a high-side pressure; a third heat exchanger configured to transfer thermal energy from ambient air to the refrigerant; a plurality of flow control valves in the refrigeration circuit, the flow control valves being configured to control the flow of refrigerant in the refrigeration circuit; and at least one controller configured to control the operation of at least one of the first coolant pump, the second coolant pump, the compressor, and the plurality of flow control valves based on at least one parameter. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The thermal storage heat pump system of claim 12 further comprising a heater located in the first coolant circuit, the heater being configured to heat the first coolant to store heat in the thermal storage device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The thermal storage heat pump system of claim 12 wherein the at least one parameter comprises at least one of ambient air temperature, ambient air humidity, temperature of the thermal storage device, low-side and high-side pressure of the refrigerant, and desired temperature of the passenger compartment. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The thermal storage heat pump system of claim 14 wherein the thermal storage device comprises a first temperature sensor configured to measure the temperature of the thermal storage device to obtain a thermal storage device temperature measurement, and to transmit the thermal storage device temperature measurement to the at least one controller. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The thermal storage heat pump system of claim 14 further comprising a second temperature sensor configured to measure the ambient air temperature to obtain an ambient air temperature measurement, and to transmit the ambient air temperature measurement to the at least one controller. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The thermal storage heat pump system of claim 14 further comprising a humidity sensor to measure the ambient air humidity to obtain a humidity measurement, and to transmit the humidity measurement to the at least one controller. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The thermal storage heat pump system of claim 14 further comprising a low-side pressure sensor configured to measure a low-side pressure of the refrigerant at the inlet of the compressor to obtain a low-side pressure measurement, and to transmit the low-side pressure measurement to the at least one controller. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The thermal storage heat pump system of claim 14 further comprising a high-side pressure sensor configured to measure a high-side pressure of the refrigerant at the outlet of the compressor to obtain a high-side pressure measurement, and to transmit the high-side pressure measurement to the at least one controller. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The thermal storage heat pump system of claim 14 further comprising an input module configured to receive and transmit to the at least one controller a desired passenger compartment temperature input.