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US 2024/0286458 A1Published application
Energy Management Unit
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsPaul D. Kaufhold, John M. Kearney, Kegan J. Connick, Nils Fredrik Magnus Wallin, Scott Wujek, Siddharth Jain
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An integrated energy management unit includes a housing defining a housing cavity, an accumulator-separator positioned within the housing cavity, an ejector positioned within the housing cavity and in communication with the accumulator-separator, and an internal heat exchanger positioned within the housing cavity and in fluid communication with the accumulator-separator.
Claims22
A vehicle thermal conditioning system, comprising:
- a housing defining a housing cavity;
- an accumulator-separator positioned within the housing cavity and configured to separate a gaseous phase from a liquid phase of a refrigerant, the accumulator-separator being in fluid communication with an external heat exchanger for exchanging heat between the refrigerant and a flow of air within a cabin of a vehicle;
- an ejector positioned within the housing cavity and in fluid communication with the accumulator-separator and configured to lower a temperature or raise a pressure of the refrigerant;
- and
- an internal heat exchanger positioned within the housing cavity and in fluid communication with the accumulator-separator, the internal heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between a flow of the refrigerant entering the internal heat exchanger and a flow of the refrigerant exiting the internal heat exchanger.
2 more elements
A vehicle refrigeration cycle thermal system, comprising:
- an integrated energy management unit including a housing defining a housing cavity configured to store a refrigerant, an accumulator-separator positioned within the housing cavity and in fluid communication with a first heat exchanger for exchanging heat between the refrigerant and a flow of air within a cabin of a vehicle and a second heat exchanger for exchanging heat between the refrigerant and the flow of air within the cabin of the vehicle, an internal heat exchanger positioned within the housing cavity and in fluid communication with the accumulator-separator, and an ejector positioned within the housing cavity and configured to lower a temperature or raise a pressure of the refrigerant transferred to the accumulator-separator;
- a compressor in fluid communication with a vapor outlet line of the accumulator-separator and configured to transfer the refrigerant under pressure;
- and
- a valve positioned in a liquid outlet line of the accumulator-separator and configured to regulate a flow of the refrigerant to the second heat exchanger.
1 more element
A vehicle thermal system, comprising:
- a compressor;
- a pressure vessel defining a vessel cavity;
- an accumulator-separator positioned within the vessel cavity and configured to separate a liquid phase of a refrigerant from a gaseous phase of the refrigerant, the accumulator-separator being in fluid communication with a first heat exchanger for exchanging heat between the refrigerant and a flow of air within a cabin of a vehicle and a second heat exchanger for exchanging heat between the refrigerant and the flow of air within the cabin of the vehicle;
- an ejector positioned within the vessel cavity and configured to lower a temperature or raise a pressure of the refrigerant;
- an internal heat exchanger positioned within the vessel cavity and in fluid communication with the accumulator-separator and configured to exchange heat between a flow of the refrigerant entering the internal heat exchanger from the first heat exchanger and a flow of the refrigerant exiting the internal heat exchanger and directed to the first heat exchanger;
- a first ejector supply line that supplies the refrigerant from the first heat exchanger to the ejector;
- a second ejector supply line that supplies the refrigerant from the second heat exchanger to the ejector;
- a gas cooler supply line that supplies the refrigerant from the compressor to the first heat exchanger;
- an evaporator supply line that supplies the refrigerant from the accumulator-separator to the second heat exchanger;
- and
- a compressor supply line that supplies the refrigerant from the accumulator-separator to the compressor.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.