# US 2019/0168580 A1 · Vehicle climate control system utilizing a heat pump > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0168580 A1 - Document ID: US20190168580A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/202,909 - Filed: 2018-11-28 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-12-01 - Assignees: International Truck Intellectual Property Company, LLC - Applicants: International Truck Intellectual Property Company, LLC - Inventors: Gerald L. Larson; Dean Oppermann - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190168580A1 ## CPC - B60H 1/2221: {arrangements of electric heaters for heating an intermediate liquid (B60H1/034 takes precedence)} - B60H 1/00321: {Heat exchangers for air-conditioning devices (B60H1/3227 takes precedence)} - B60H 1/00385: {for vehicles having an electrical drive, e.g. hybrid or fuel cell} - B60H 1/00428: {electric} - B60H 1/00885: {Controlling the flow of heating or cooling liquid, e.g. valves or pumps (B60H1/00899 takes precedence; constructions of valves B60H1/00485)} - 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 1/2215: {the heat being derived from electric heaters} - B60H 1/3213: {for increasing the efficiency in a vehicle heat pump} - B60H 2001/00942: {comprising a plurality of heat exchangers, e.g. for multi zone heating or cooling} - B60H 2001/00949: {comprising additional heating/cooling sources, e.g. second evaporator} - B60H 2001/00957: {comprising locations with heat exchange within the refrigerant circuit itself, e.g. cross-, counter-, or parallel heat exchange} - B60H 2001/2228: {controlling the operation of heaters} - B60H 2001/2271: {Heat exchangers, burners, ignition devices} - B60H: ARRANGEMENTS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS SPACES OF VEHICLES ## Abstract An electric or hybrid electric vehicle has a climate control system using a heat pump having a condenser heat exchanger that exchanges heat between refrigerant and working fluid within a hot fluid chamber, and an evaporator heat exchanger that exchanges heat between refrigerant and working fluid within a cold fluid chamber. An insulated fluid reservoir may selectively be placed in fluid communication with the cold fluid chamber, and has a Positive Temperature Coefficient (PTC) heater that may be powered by a drivetrain battery unit or by a shore power source. The hot fluid chamber provides heat to at least one cabin heat exchanger and to at least one ambient air heat exchanger. The cold fluid chamber is connected to at least one vehicle interior cooling module and to a liquid cooled heat sink that may cool an electric motor and power electronics of the vehicle. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electric or hybrid electric vehicle having a climate control system, comprising: a heat pump having a refrigerant compressor, a condenser heat exchanger, an expansion valve, and an evaporator heat exchanger; the condenser heat exchanger exchanging heat between refrigerant and working fluid within a hot fluid chamber; the evaporator heat exchanger exchanging heat between refrigerant and working fluid within a cold fluid chamber; and an insulated fluid reservoir selectively in fluid communication with the cold fluid chamber, the insulated fluid reservoir having a Positive Temperature Coefficient (PTC) heater selectively powered by at least one of a drivetrain battery unit and a shore power source. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein: the insulated fluid reservoir is further selectively in fluid communication with the hot fluid chamber. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein: the hot fluid chamber is selectively in fluid communication with at least one of: at least one cabin heat exchanger, at least one defrost/defog combination fluid heat exchanger PTC heater, and at least one ambient air heat exchanger. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein: the cold fluid chamber is selectively in fluid communication with at least one vehicle interior cooling module. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising: a liquid cooled heat sink in fluid communication with at least one of the cold fluid chamber and the hot fluid chamber, the liquid cooled heat sink being connected to at least one of an electric drive motor of the vehicle and power electronics connected to the electric drive motor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising: a shore power contactor operable to selectively connect the PTC heater to the shore power source; an insulated fluid reservoir to cold fluid chamber pump operable to pump working fluid between the insulated fluid reservoir and the cold fluid chamber; a liquid cooled heat sink pump operable to pump working fluid by way of control valves between the hot fluid chamber and a liquid cooled heat sink connected to at least one of an electric drive motor of the vehicle, power electronics connected to the electric drive motor, and a drivetrain battery unit; a hot fluid chamber to cabin heat exchanger pump operable to pump working fluid between the hot fluid chamber and at least one cabin heat exchanger; and a control system connected to the shore power contactor, to the insulated fluid reservoir to cold fluid chamber pump, to the liquid cooled heat sink pump, to the control valves, to the refrigerant compressor of the heat pump, and to the hot fluid chamber to cabin heat exchanger pump, the control system being configured to: selectively precondition the climate control system under low ambient temperature conditions by calculating a quantity of BTUs to be added to a cabin of the vehicle, connecting the PTC heater to the shore power source using the shore power contactor, activating the insulated fluid reservoir to cold fluid chamber pump, activating the refrigerant compressor, activating the hot fluid chamber to cabin heat exchanger pump, activating the liquid cooled heat sink pump, and configuring the control valves to place the liquid cooled heat sink in fluid communication with the hot fluid chamber; and selectively precondition the climate control system one of: automatically whenever the vehicle is plugged into the shore power source, using a preset timer, and upon initiation by an operator using a remote device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising: an insulated fluid reservoir to cold fluid chamber pump operable to pump working fluid between the insulated fluid reservoir and the cold fluid chamber; at least one vehicle interior cooling module selectively in fluid communication with the cold fluid chamber; a cold fluid chamber to vehicle interior cooling modules pump operable to pump working fluid between the cold fluid chamber and the at least one vehicle interior cooling module; an ambient air heat exchanger selectively in fluid communication with the hot fluid chamber; a hot fluid chamber to ambient air heat exchanger pump operable to pump working fluid between the hot fluid chamber and the ambient air heat exchanger; a liquid cooled heat sink pump operable to pump working fluid by way of control valves between the cold fluid chamber and a liquid cooled heat sink connected to at least one of an electric drive motor of the vehicle, power electronics connected to the electric drive motor, and a drivetrain battery unit; and a control system connected to the refrigerant compressor of the heat pump, to the insulated fluid reservoir to cold fluid chamber pump, to the cold fluid chamber to vehicle interior cooling modules pump, to the hot fluid chamber to ambient air heat exchanger pump, to the control valves, and to the liquid cooled heat sink pump, the control system being configured to: selectively precondition the climate control system under high ambient temperature conditions by calculating a quantity of BTUs to be removed from a cabin of the vehicle, activating the refrigerant compressor, activating the insulated fluid reservoir to cold fluid chamber pump, activating the hot fluid chamber to ambient air heat exchanger pump, activating the cold fluid chamber to vehicle interior cooling modules pump, activating the liquid cooled heat sink pump, and configuring the control valves to place the liquid cooled heat sink in fluid communication with the cold fluid chamber; and selectively precondition the climate control system one of: automatically whenever the vehicle is plugged into the shore power source, using a preset timer, and upon initiation by an operator using a remote device. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising: a drive train battery contactor operable to selectively connect the PTC heater to the drive train battery unit; an insulated fluid reservoir to cold fluid chamber pump operable to pump working fluid between the insulated fluid reservoir and the cold fluid chamber; a liquid cooled heat sink pump operable to pump working fluid by way of control valves between the cold fluid chamber and a liquid cooled heat sink connected to at least one of an electric drive motor of the vehicle and power electronics connected to the electric drive motor; a hot fluid chamber to cabin heat exchanger pump operable to pump working fluid between the hot fluid chamber and at least one cabin heat exchanger; and a control system connected to the drive train battery contactor, to the insulated fluid reservoir to cold fluid chamber pump, to the liquid cooled heat sink pump, to the control valves, to the refrigerant compressor of the heat pump, and to the hot fluid chamber to cabin heat exchanger pump, the control system being configured to: selectively operate the climate control system under low ambient temperature conditions with the vehicle operating by connecting the PTC heater to the drive train battery unit using the drive train battery contactor, activating the insulated fluid reservoir to cold fluid chamber pump, activating the refrigerant compressor, activating the hot fluid chamber to cabin heat exchanger pump, activating the liquid cooled heat sink pump, and configuring the control valves to place the liquid cooled heat sink in fluid communication with the cold fluid chamber. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising: an insulated fluid reservoir to cold fluid chamber pump operable to pump working fluid between the insulated fluid reservoir and the cold fluid chamber; an insulated fluid reservoir to hot fluid chamber pump operable to pump working fluid between the insulated fluid reservoir and the hot fluid chamber; at least one vehicle interior cooling module selectively in fluid communication with the cold fluid chamber; a cold fluid chamber to vehicle interior cooling modules pump operable to pump working fluid between the cold fluid chamber and the at least one vehicle interior cooling module; an ambient air heat exchanger selectively in fluid communication with the hot fluid chamber; a hot fluid chamber to ambient air heat exchanger pump operable to pump working fluid between the hot fluid chamber and the ambient air heat exchanger; a liquid cooled heat sink pump operable to pump working fluid by way of control valves between the cold fluid chamber and a liquid cooled heat sink connected to at least one of an electric drive motor of the vehicle and power electronics connected to the electric drive motor; and a control system connected to the refrigerant compressor of the heat pump, to the insulated fluid reservoir to cold fluid chamber pump, to the insulated fluid reservoir to hot fluid chamber pump, to the cold fluid chamber to vehicle interior cooling modules pump, to the hot fluid chamber to ambient air heat exchanger pump, to the control valves, and to the liquid cooled heat sink pump, the control system being configured to: selectively operate the climate control system under high ambient temperature conditions with the vehicle operating by activating the refrigerant compressor, activating one of the insulated fluid reservoir to cold fluid chamber pump and the insulated fluid reservoir to hot fluid chamber pump, activating the hot fluid chamber to ambient air heat exchanger pump, activating the cold fluid chamber to vehicle interior cooling modules pump, activating the liquid cooled heat sink pump, and configuring the control valves to place the liquid cooled heat sink in fluid communication with the cold fluid chamber. ### Claim 10 A climate control system of an electric or hybrid electric vehicle, comprising: a heat pump having a refrigerant compressor, a condenser heat exchanger, an expansion valve, and an evaporator heat exchanger; the condenser heat exchanger exchanging heat between refrigerant and working fluid within a hot fluid chamber; the evaporator heat exchanger exchanging heat between refrigerant and working fluid within a cold fluid chamber; and an insulated fluid reservoir selectively in fluid communication with the cold fluid chamber, the insulated fluid reservoir having a PTC heater selectively powered by at least one of a drivetrain battery unit and a shore power source. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The climate control system of claim 10, wherein: the insulated fluid reservoir is further selectively in fluid communication with the hot fluid chamber. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The climate control system of claim 10, wherein: the hot fluid chamber is selectively in fluid communication with at least one of: at least one cabin heat exchanger, at least one defrost/defog combination fluid heat exchanger PTC heater, and at least one ambient air heat exchanger. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The climate control system of claim 10, wherein: the cold fluid chamber is selectively in fluid communication with at least one vehicle interior cooling module. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The climate control system of claim 10, further comprising: a liquid cooled heat sink in fluid communication with at least one of the cold fluid chamber and the hot fluid chamber, the liquid cooled heat sink being connected to at least one of an electric drive motor of the vehicle and power electronics connected to the electric drive motor. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The climate control system of claim 10, further comprising: a shore power contactor operable to selectively connect the PTC heater to the shore power source; an insulated fluid reservoir to cold fluid chamber pump operable to pump working fluid between the insulated fluid reservoir and the cold fluid chamber; a liquid cooled heat sink pump operable to pump working fluid by way of control valves between the hot fluid chamber and a liquid cooled heat sink connected to at least one of an electric drive motor of the vehicle and power electronics connected to the electric drive motor; a hot fluid chamber to cabin heat exchanger pump operable to pump working fluid between the hot fluid chamber and at least one cabin heat exchanger; and a control system connected to the shore power contactor, to the insulated fluid reservoir to cold fluid chamber pump, to the liquid cooled heat sink pump, to the control valves, to the refrigerant compressor of the heat pump, and to the hot fluid chamber to cabin heat exchanger pump, the control system being configured to: selectively precondition the climate control system under low ambient temperature conditions by calculating a quantity of BTUs to be added to a cabin of the vehicle, connecting the PTC heater to the shore power source using the shore power contactor, activating the insulated fluid reservoir to cold fluid chamber pump, activating the refrigerant compressor, activating the hot fluid chamber to cabin heat exchanger pump, activating the liquid cooled heat sink pump, and configuring the control valves to place the liquid cooled heat sink in fluid communication with the hot fluid chamber; and selectively precondition the climate control system one of: automatically whenever the vehicle is plugged into the shore power source, using a preset timer, and upon initiation by an operator using a remote device. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The climate control system of claim 10, further comprising: an insulated fluid reservoir to cold fluid chamber pump operable to pump working fluid between the insulated fluid reservoir and the cold fluid chamber; at least one vehicle interior cooling module selectively in fluid communication with the cold fluid chamber; a cold fluid chamber to vehicle interior cooling modules pump operable to pump working fluid between the cold fluid chamber and the at least one vehicle interior cooling module; an ambient air heat exchanger selectively in fluid communication with the hot fluid chamber; a hot fluid chamber to ambient air heat exchanger pump operable to pump working fluid between the hot fluid chamber and the ambient air heat exchanger; a liquid cooled heat sink pump operable to pump working fluid by way of control valves between the cold fluid chamber and a liquid cooled heat sink connected to at least one of an electric drive motor of the vehicle and power electronics connected to the electric drive motor; and a control system connected to the refrigerant compressor of the heat pump, to the insulated fluid reservoir to cold fluid chamber pump, to the cold fluid chamber to vehicle interior cooling modules pump, to the hot fluid chamber to ambient air heat exchanger pump, to the control valves, and to the liquid cooled heat sink pump, the control system being configured to: selectively precondition the climate control system under high ambient temperature conditions by calculating a quantity of BTUs to be removed from a cabin of the vehicle, activating the refrigerant compressor, activating the insulated fluid reservoir to cold fluid chamber pump, activating the hot fluid chamber to ambient air heat exchanger pump, activating the cold fluid chamber to vehicle interior cooling modules pump, activating the liquid cooled heat sink pump, and configuring the control valves to place the liquid cooled heat sink in fluid communication with the cold fluid chamber; and selectively precondition the climate control system one of: automatically whenever the vehicle is plugged into the shore power source, using a preset timer, and upon initiation by an operator using a remote device. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The climate control system of claim 10, further comprising: a drive train battery contactor operable to selectively connect the PTC heater to the drive train battery unit; an insulated fluid reservoir to cold fluid chamber pump operable to pump working fluid between the insulated fluid reservoir and the cold fluid chamber; a liquid cooled heat sink pump operable to pump working fluid by way of control valves between the cold fluid chamber and a liquid cooled heat sink connected to at least one of an electric drive motor of the vehicle and power electronics connected to the electric drive motor; a hot fluid chamber to cabin heat exchanger pump operable to pump working fluid between the hot fluid chamber and at least one cabin heat exchanger; and a control system connected to the drive train battery contactor, to the insulated fluid reservoir to cold fluid chamber pump, to the liquid cooled heat sink pump, to the control valves, to the refrigerant compressor of the heat pump, and to the hot fluid chamber to cabin heat exchanger pump, the control system being configured to: selectively operate the climate control system under low ambient temperature conditions with the vehicle operating by connecting the PTC heater to the drive train battery unit using the drive train battery contactor, activating the insulated fluid reservoir to cold fluid chamber pump, activating the refrigerant compressor, activating the hot fluid chamber to cabin heat exchanger pump, activating the liquid cooled heat sink pump, and configuring the control valves to place the liquid cooled heat sink in fluid communication with the cold fluid chamber. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The climate control system of claim 10, further comprising: an insulated fluid reservoir to cold fluid chamber pump operable to pump working fluid between the insulated fluid reservoir and the cold fluid chamber; an insulated fluid reservoir to hot fluid chamber pump operable to pump working fluid between the insulated fluid reservoir and the hot fluid chamber; at least one vehicle interior cooling module selectively in fluid communication with the cold fluid chamber; a cold fluid chamber to vehicle interior cooling modules pump operable to pump working fluid between the cold fluid chamber and the at least one vehicle interior cooling module; an ambient air heat exchanger selectively in fluid communication with the hot fluid chamber; a hot fluid chamber to ambient air heat exchanger pump operable to pump working fluid between the hot fluid chamber and the ambient air heat exchanger; a liquid cooled heat sink pump operable to pump working fluid by way of control valves between the cold fluid chamber and a liquid cooled heat sink connected to at least one of an electric drive motor of the vehicle and power electronics connected to the electric drive motor; and a control system connected to the refrigerant compressor of the heat pump, to the insulated fluid reservoir to cold fluid chamber pump, to the insulated fluid reservoir to hot fluid chamber pump, to the cold fluid chamber to vehicle interior cooling modules pump, to the hot fluid chamber to ambient air heat exchanger pump, to the control valves, and to the liquid cooled heat sink pump, the control system being configured to: selectively operate the climate control system under high ambient temperature conditions with the vehicle operating by activating the refrigerant compressor, activating one of the insulated fluid reservoir to cold fluid chamber pump and the insulated fluid reservoir to hot fluid chamber pump, activating the hot fluid chamber to ambient air heat exchanger pump, activating the cold fluid chamber to vehicle interior cooling modules pump, activating the liquid cooled heat sink pump, and configuring the control valves to place the liquid cooled heat sink in fluid communication with the cold fluid chamber. ### Claim 19 A method of providing climate control in an occupant compartment of an electric or hybrid electric vehicle, comprising the steps of: providing a heat pump having a refrigerant compressor, a condenser heat exchanger, an expansion valve, and an evaporator heat exchanger; exchanging heat between refrigerant and working fluid within a hot fluid chamber by way of the condenser heat exchanger; exchanging heat between refrigerant and working fluid within a cold fluid chamber by way of the evaporator heat exchanger; selectively placing an insulated fluid reservoir in fluid communication with the cold fluid chamber using an insulated fluid reservoir to cold fluid chamber pump; selectively placing the insulated fluid reservoir in fluid communication with the hot fluid chamber using an insulated fluid reservoir to hot fluid chamber pump; selectively heating working fluid within the insulated fluid reservoir using a PTC heater by selectively powering the PTC heater from at least one of a drivetrain battery unit by way of a drive train battery connector and from a shore power source by way of a shore power contactor; Selectively placing the hot fluid chamber in fluid communication with at least one of: at least one cabin heat exchanger using a hot fluid chamber to cabin heat exchanger pump, at least one defrost/defog combination fluid heat exchanger PTC heater using a hot fluid chamber to defrost/defog combination fluid heat exchanger PTC heater pump, and at least one ambient air heat exchanger using a hot fluid chamber to ambient air heat exchanger pump; selectively placing the cold fluid chamber in fluid communication with at least one vehicle interior cooling module using a cold fluid chamber to vehicle interior cooling modules pump; and selectively placing a liquid cooled heat sink in fluid communication with at least one of the cold fluid chamber and the hot fluid chamber using a liquid cooled heat sink pump and at least one control valve, the liquid cooled heat sink being connected to at least one of an electric drive motor of the vehicle and power electronics connected to the electric drive motor. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, further comprising the steps of: a control system connected to the refrigerant compressor of the heat pump, to the shore power contactor, to the drive train battery contactor, to the insulated fluid reservoir to cold fluid chamber pump, to the insulated fluid reservoir to hot fluid chamber pump, to the liquid cooled heat sink pump, to the control valves, to the hot fluid chamber to cabin heat exchanger pump, to the cold fluid chamber to vehicle interior cooling modules pump, to the hot fluid chamber to ambient air heat exchanger pump, the control system being configured to selectively at least one of: precondition the climate control system under low ambient temperature conditions by calculating a quantity of BTUs to be added to a cabin of the vehicle, connecting the PTC heater to the shore power source using the shore power contactor, activating the insulated fluid reservoir to cold fluid chamber pump, activating the refrigerant compressor, activating the hot fluid chamber to cabin heat exchanger pump, activating the liquid cooled heat sink pump, and configuring the control valves to place the liquid cooled heat sink in fluid communication with the hot fluid chamber; precondition the climate control system under high ambient temperature conditions by calculating a quantity of BTUs to be removed from a cabin of the vehicle, activating the refrigerant compressor, activating the insulated fluid reservoir to cold fluid chamber pump, activating the hot fluid chamber to ambient air heat exchanger pump, activating the cold fluid chamber to vehicle interior cooling modules pump, activating the liquid cooled heat sink pump, and configuring the control valves to place the liquid cooled heat sink in fluid communication with the cold fluid chamber; operate the climate control system under low ambient temperature conditions with the vehicle operating by connecting the PTC heater to the drive train battery unit using the drive train battery contactor, activating the insulated fluid reservoir to cold fluid chamber pump, activating the refrigerant compressor, activating the hot fluid chamber to cabin heat exchanger pump, activating the liquid cooled heat sink pump, and configuring the control valves to place the liquid cooled heat sink in fluid communication with the cold fluid chamber; and operate the climate control system under high ambient temperature conditions with the vehicle operating by activating the refrigerant compressor, activating one of the insulated fluid reservoir to cold fluid chamber pump and the insulated fluid reservoir to hot fluid chamber pump, activating the hot fluid chamber to ambient air heat exchanger pump, activating the cold fluid chamber to vehicle interior cooling modules pump, activating the liquid cooled heat sink pump, and configuring the control valves to place the liquid cooled heat sink in fluid communication with the cold fluid chamber.