Vehicle auxiliary hvac system using a coolant loop for cooling a component and vehicle interior

An auxiliary heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system for heating and cooling a passenger compartment and cooling a component via an auxiliary coolant loop, comprising:

• an expansion device for controlling a flow of refrigerant to a first heat exchanger;
• a second heat exchanger coupled to the auxiliary coolant loop for regulating a temperature of the component;
• a blower for creating an air flow through said first heat exchanger;
• a first blend door downstream of said first heat exchanger for directing the air flow through said second heat exchanger and/or an outlet into the passenger compartment;
• a second blend door downstream of said first blend door for directing the air flow through said outlet and/or a recirculation duct back to said blower;
• and
• a third blend door downstream of said first blend door for controlling the air flow through said recirculation duct.

A method of cooling a component in a vehicle having an auxiliary heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system including an auxiliary coolant loop, comprising the steps of:

• creating an air flow through a first heat exchanger to lower a temperature of the air flow;
• directing at least a portion of the lowered temperature air flow through a second heat exchanger;
• pumping coolant through the auxiliary coolant loop to draw heat away from the component;
• and
• changing a temperature of the coolant within the auxiliary coolant loop utilizing the second heat exchanger.