HVAC Systems for Electrically-Powered Vehicles

A method for heating a passenger cabin of an electrically-powered vehicle (EV) with a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system, the HVAC system including a conduit configured to carry air to the passenger cabin, a barrier that divides the conduit into a first channel leading to a first heating zone and a second channel leading to a second heating zone, and an airflow regulating device upstream of the first and second heating zones and configured to regulate a flow of air to the first channel and the second channel, the first heating zone including an electric heater, and the second heating zone including a second electric heater at least partially surrounded by a phase change material (PCM), the method comprising:

• positioning the airflow regulating device in a first position in which more of the air is directed to the first channel than the second channel while the EV is coupled to an external energy source;
• storing heat to the second heating zone while the EV is coupled to an external energy source by allowing the PCM to undergo a heat-absorbing phase change;
• positioning the airflow regulating device in a second position in which more of the air is directed to the second channel than the first channel;
• while the EV is operational, heating the air in the second channel using the second heating zone by allowing the PCM to undergo a heat-releasing phase change;
• and
• heating the passenger cabin with the heated air from the second channel.

A method for heating a passenger cabin of a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) with a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system, the HVAC system including a conduit configured to carry air to the passenger cabin, a barrier that divides the conduit into a first channel leading to a first heating zone and a second channel leading to a second heating zone, and an airflow regulating device configured to regulate a flow of the air to the first channel and the second channel, the first heating zone including an electric heater, and the second heating zone including a second electric heater and a phase change material at least partially surrounding the second electric heater, the method comprising:

• storing heat to the second heating zone while the PHEV is coupled to an external energy source by allowing the PCM to undergo a heat-absorbing phase change, the airflow regulating device being in a first position in which more of the air is directed to the first channel than the second channel while the heat is stored to the second heating zone;
• heating the passenger cabin using the second heating zone while the PHEV is operational by allowing the PCM to undergo a heat-releasing phase change, the airflow regulating device being in a second position in which more of the air is directed to the second channel than the first channel while the passenger cabin is heated using the second heating zone;
• and
• while the PHEV is operational, heating the passenger cabin using one of the first heating zone or a coolant-based heating system when the PCM has completed the heat-releasing phase change.