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US 2014/0230470 A1Published application
Vehicle Idle Time Reduction System and Method
AssigneeCity of Tallahassee
InventorJonathan W. Cook
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for reducing idle time in service vehicles such as police patrol cars. A bank of auxiliary batteries is provided. An electrically-powered auxiliary air conditioning compressor is also provided. The auxiliary air compressor is connected to the discharge and suction lines of an existing an conditioning system so that it can propel refrigerant through an existing refrigerant circulation loop. When the vehicle's internal combustion engine is switched off, the auxiliary batteries are selectively used to power the auxiliary air-conditioning compressor in order to provide cooling for the vehicle's cabin. The auxiliary batteries are also used to provide electricity to the vehicle's other electrical loads—such as emergency lights.
Claims20
A method of reducing idle-time for a motor vehicle, comprising:
- a. providing a main air-conditioning system for circulating a refrigerant through a main refrigerant loop, said main refrigerant loop including,
- i. a main compressor having a high-pressure side and a low-pressure side, said main compressor being driven by an internal combustion engine in said motor vehicle,
- ii. a condenser,
- iii. an expansion valve,
- iv. an evaporator,
- v. a main discharge line, connecting said high-pressure side of said compressor to said condenser, and
- vi. a main suction line, connecting said low-pressure side of said main compressor to said evaporator;
- b. providing at least one auxiliary battery;
- c. providing an auxiliary compressor having a high-pressure side and a low-pressure side;
- d. providing a first split in said main discharge line;
- e. providing an auxiliary discharge line connecting said high-pressure side of said auxiliary compressor to said first split;
- f. providing a first flow control valve in said auxiliary discharge line, wherein said first flow control valve is able to regulate flow in said auxiliary discharge line;
- g. providing a second split in said main suction line;
- h. providing an auxiliary suction line connecting said low-pressure side of said auxiliary compressor to said second split;
- i. providing a second flow control valve in said auxiliary suction line, wherein said second flow control valve is able to regulate flow in said auxiliary suction line;
- j. selectively connecting said at least one auxiliary battery to said auxiliary compressor in order to energize said auxiliary compressor, so that said auxiliary compressor,
- i. forces pressurized refrigerant through said auxiliary discharge line, through said first flow control valve, and through said first split into said main refrigerant loop,
- ii. retrieves expanded refrigerant from said main refrigerant loop, through said second split, through said second flow control valve and through said auxiliary suction line, and
- iii. whereby said auxiliary compressor drives refrigerant through said main refrigerant loop and provides cooling to said motor vehicle even when said internal combustion engine is not running.
16 more elements
A method of reducing idle-time for a motor vehicle, comprising:
- a. providing a main air-conditioning system for circulating a refrigerant through a main refrigerant loop, said main refrigerant loop including,
- i. a main compressor having a high-pressure side and a low-pressure side, said main compressor being driven by an internal combustion engine in said motor vehicle,
- ii. a condenser,
- iii. an expansion valve,
- iv. an evaporator,
- v. a main discharge line, connecting said high-pressure side of said compressor to said condenser, and
- vi. a main suction line, connecting said low-pressure side of said main compressor to said evaporator;
- b. providing at least one auxiliary battery;
- c. providing an auxiliary compressor having a high-pressure side and a low-pressure side;
- d. providing a first split in said main discharge line;
- e. providing an auxiliary discharge line connecting said high-pressure side of said auxiliary compressor to said first split;
- f. wherein said main compressor permits flow from said main suction line to said main discharge line, but prevents flow in the opposite direction;
- g. providing a second split in said main suction line;
- h. providing an auxiliary suction line connecting said low-pressure side of said auxiliary compressor to said second split;
- i. wherein said auxiliary compressor permits flow from said auxiliary suction line to said auxiliary discharge line, but prevents flow in the opposite direction;
- j. selectively connecting said at least one auxiliary battery to said auxiliary compressor in order to energize said auxiliary compressor, so that said auxiliary compressor,
- i. forces pressurized refrigerant through said auxiliary discharge line, through said first flow control valve, and through said first split into said main refrigerant loop,
- ii. retrieves expanded refrigerant from said main refrigerant loop, through said second split, through said second flow control valve and through said auxiliary suction line, and
- iii. whereby said auxiliary compressor drives refrigerant through said main refrigerant loop and provides cooling to said motor vehicle even when said internal combustion engine is not running.
16 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.