Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Brian P Lemon

Lawrence P Ziehr

Paul S Lombardo

Mark D Nemesh

Bryan M Styles

Scott M Skelton

A thermal storage heat pump system transfers heat to a passenger compartment of a vehicle from at least one of a thermal storage device and ambient air. Heat from the thermal storage device is absorbed by a first coolant flowing through it, and is transferred to a refrigerant via a first heat exchanger. The heat is then transferred from the refrigerant to a second coolant via a second heat exchanger, and then from the second coolant to air flowing into the passenger compartment via a heater core. Heat from ambient air is absorbed by the refrigerant via a third heat exchanger. The heat source is determined by at least one of the thermal storage device temperature, ambient air temperature, and ambient air humidity. At start-up of the vehicle, heat transfer to the refrigerant and to the second coolant is controlled based on low-side and high-side pressure measurements of the refrigerant.

Method for controlling a thermal storage heat pump system

A heat pump system, including a thermal storage medium, for use in a vehicle having a passenger compartment, and a corresponding method for providing heat to a vehicle passenger compartment. The vehicle may have an electric only vehicle mode wherein the vehicle may occupy one of an active electric drive state and an inactive state. The heat pump system may include a thermal storage medium configured to store heat produced during the inactive state. The thermal storage medium may be a device which has a thermal capacity exchangeable with a fluid medium such as an Rechargeable Energy Storage System (RESS) or a phase change material. The heat stored by the thermal storage medium during the vehicle charge event may be transmitted from the thermal storage medium to the passenger compartment via the heat pump system during the active electric drive state.

Vehicle heat pump system and method utilizing thermal storage

Methods and electric vehicle diagnostic systems are provided for diagnosing performance of an active cooling system for cooling a rechargeable energy storage system (RESS) with a coolant. In one embodiment, a method includes determining, via a controller, whether the coolant temperature (T) is less than the ambient temperature plus a first calibrated value (T+V). The method also includes determining, via a controller, whether the coolant temperature (T) is less than the RESS temperature plus a second calibrated value (T+V). When the coolant temperature is less than the ambient temperature plus the first calibrated value and less than the RESS temperature plus the second calibrated value, the method provides for recording a diagnostic pass.

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Plymouth, MI, United States of America

Brian P Lemon