Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Franco Ragazzi

James George Gebbie

Thomas George Leone

Clay Wesley Maranville

Timothy Noah Blatchley

Mark G Smith

William Stewart Johnston

Alan Douglas Wallington

Donald Peter Schneider, Iii

A vehicular climate control system may include a coolant subsystem configured to circulate coolant between an engine, a thermal generator, and a cabin heat exchanger, and a controller. The controller may be configured to, responsive to an air inlet temperature of the heat exchanger exceeding a threshold, retard engine spark timing to increase heat generation. The threshold may be defined by a quotient of (i) a difference between a discharge temperature target and the air inlet temperature and (ii) a thermal effectiveness parameter that is based on an air flow rate and a coolant flow rate.

Vehicular climate control system

Methods and system for providing de-icing a heat pump heat exchanger and heating a vehicle passenger cabin are presented. In one example, a heat pump that experiences icing of exterior heat exchanger fins may be operated in a cooling mode where a passenger cabin heat exchanger operates as an evaporator to improve de-icing of the exterior heat exchanger fins.

System and method for de-icing a heat pump

Methods and system for providing heat to a vehicle are presented. In one example, a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) heater provides heat to a passenger cabin and an engine via heating engine coolant. Additionally, a heat pump may supply heat to the passenger cabin via heating the engine coolant.

Method and system for heating a vehicle

Methods and system for operating a vehicle climate control system comprising a heat pump and one or more coolant loops are described. In one example, the heat pump sends fluid to high and low temperature coolant loops based on operating mode. The systems and methods may be incorporated into electric, hybrid, and internal combustion engine propelled vehicles.

Method and system for vehicle climate control

A method according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, controlling a climate control system of an electrified vehicle by shutting off refrigerant flow to a rear portion of a heat pump subsystem in response to a defrost request.

Maximizing defrost mode in electrified vehicle having dual evaporator and dual heater core climate control system

Methods and systems for reducing the possibility of heat pump evaporator fin freezing are described. Evaporator fin temperature is compared to a threshold temperature that varies with vehicle operating conditions. Actions to mitigate evaporator fin freezing may be taken if evaporator fin temperature is less than the threshold temperature.

Method and system for reducing the possibility of vehicle heat exchanger freezing

A climate control system having a coolant subsystem, a heat pump subsystem, and an intermediate heat exchanger. The intermediate heat exchanger may transfer thermal energy from the heat pump subsystem to the coolant to increase the temperature of the coolant when the climate control system is in a heating mode.

Climate control system

Methods and system for managing lubricant within a vapor compression heat pump are presented. In one example, lubricant may be flushed from selected areas of a heat pump to other areas of the heat pump where lubricant is desired. The lubricant may be flushed in full flushing mode or in a partial flushing mode.

System and method for managing lubricant within a vapor compression heat pump

A method including controlling a climate control system of an electrified vehicle to cool a coolant of a coolant subsystem with a refrigerant of a heat pump subsystem in response to a temperature of the coolant exceeding a predefined threshold.

Heat pump assisted engine cooling for electrified vehicles

Methods and systems for de-icing an exterior heat exchanger of a vehicle's heat pump are presented. In one example, a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) heater provides heat to refrigerant that de-ices the exterior heat exchanger. In some examples, an additional PTC heater provides heat to engine coolant to warm a vehicle's passenger cabin when the vehicle's exterior heat exchanger is being de-iced.

Method and system for de-icing a heat exchanger

Methods and system for providing heat to a vehicle are presented. In one example, a heat pump supplies thermal energy to an engine to reduce engine emissions during engine starting. Further, heating the engine via the heat pump may also reduce engine friction at colder ambient temperatures where oil viscosity may be increased.

Vehicle heating system and method

Methods and system for operating a vehicle climate control system are described. In one example, the vehicle climate control system includes high and low temperature coolant loops that operate in conjunction with a heat pump. The systems and methods may be incorporated into electric, hybrid, and internal combustion engine propelled vehicles.

A system off configuration for an automotive climate control system is provided. The climate control system includes a compressor having two downstream flow paths. The two downstream flow paths may be selectively used to provide multiple modes of operation. When the compressor moves to an off condition the valves found in each flow path immediately downstream from the compressor are closed so that a refrigerant oil blend is kept in the compressor.

Growing community of inventors

Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America

Franco Ragazzi