Abstract: A vehicle air-conditioning system limits electric power used by an electric motor for a compressor in a prescribed fashion that quickly removes fog from the windows when a defroster mode is selected. When the defroster mode is selected, the limit on the electric power used by the electric motor is lifted, and the number of revolutions of the compressor is set to a high level to raise the dehumidifying and cooling capability to quickly remove moisture from the windows.

Abstract: A hot water heating apparatus for an electric vehicle and a hybrid vehicle has a compact heat source apparatus not requiring a wide space for setting. A communication pipe, in which water as a heat medium flows, and an electric heater are embedded in a heat conductor metal in proximity in a row arrangement to form a flat-shaped heat conductor. A heat source apparatus is constructed by stacking multiple flat-shaped heat conductors while the communication pipes are connected to each other in series. Further, the communication pipe and the electric heater are embedded in the heat conductor metal in proximity in a row arrangement, and the communication pipes are connected in series. Therefore, water flowing in the communication pipes is rapidly heated, and heating efficiency is extremely high.

Abstract: In an air conditioner for a hybrid vehicle, when a residual charging degree of a battery becomes equal to or lower than a target degree, the electrical motor generator is driven by a vehicle engine so that the battery is charged through the electrical motor generator. When the engine is driven, the target degree of the battery is set higher than that when the engine is stopped so that a charging operation tends to be required while the engines driven. Accordingly, the frequency for starting the engine only for charging the battery is reduced.

Abstract: An air-conditioner for use in an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle includes an electric heater for heating water circulating through a heater core and a compressor for compressing refrigerant in a refrigeration cycle. The electric heater is powered by an on-board battery, and the compressor is also driven by the same on-board battery. When a voltage of the on-board battery abnormally increases to a first predetermined level, the electric heater is switched off to prevent the electric heater from being overheated. When the voltage further increases to a second predetermined level, operation of the compressor is also terminated. Thus, the electric heater is properly protected from the abnormally high voltage while properly keeping performance of the air-conditioner.

Abstract: In an electrical load controller, a thermal fuse is blown at an abnormal heating of an electrical load, so that an electrical circuit of the electrical load is disconnected. The controller controls a work amount of the electrical load by intermittently controlling electrical power to be supplied thereto. The power supply to the electrical load is intermittently stopped even when the work amount of the electrical load is controlled at a maximum amount. Therefore, an arc, generated when the thermal fuse is blown, disappears while the power supply is stopped, so that the thermal fuse can be accurately operated.

Abstract: In a vehicle air conditioner where air blown into a passenger compartment is heated in a heater core using cooling water for cooling a fuel cell system as a heating source, a flow amount of cooling water flowing into the heat core is controlled by a control valve based on a surplus heat quantity of the fuel cell system and a necessary heat quantity of the passenger compartment. Further, when the surplus heat quantity of the fuel cell system is smaller than the necessary heat quantity, an insufficient heat quantity is supplemented by a supplementary heater.

Abstract: In a vehicle air-conditioning system, a supply of electric power to a first electric heater and a supply of electric power to a second electric heater are duty controlled at the same duty ratio in such a manner that the supply of the electric power to the second electric heater is phase shifted by one half of a period from the supply of the electric power to the first electric heater.

Abstract: In an air conditioner for a hybrid vehicle, when a residual charging degree of a battery becomes equal to or lower than a target degree, the electrical motor generator is driven by a vehicle engine so that the battery is charged through the electrical motor generator. When the engine is driven, the target degree of the battery is set higher than that when the engine is stopped so that a charging operation tends to be required while the engine is driven. Accordingly, the frequency for starting the engine only for charging the battery is reduced.

Abstract: A temperature sensor detecting a temperature of fluid flowing through a fluid passage is disposed at a bent portion located at an upper side of the fluid passage in an area close to a fluid outlet. Particularly, the temperature sensor is disposed at a position far from the fluid inlet by half or more of an entire length L of the fluid passage. Thus, it is possible to prevent the detected temperature of the temperature sensor from being remarkably different from an actual temperature and to prevent the electric heater from being thermally damaged.

Abstract: In a vehicle air conditioner where air blown into a passenger compartment is heated in a heater core using cooling water for cooling a fuel cell system as a heating source, a flow amount of cooling water flowing into the heat core is controlled by a control valve based on a surplus heat quantity of the fuel cell system and a necessary heat quantity of the passenger compartment. Further, when the surplus heat quantity of the fuel cell system is smaller than the necessary heat quantity, an insufficient heat quantity is supplemented by a supplementary heater.

Abstract: A plate type heat exchanger has a plurality of tube units and a plurality of corrugated fins. Each of the tube units is formed by a pair of plates, namely a pair of plates are connected to each other by a brazing material at a connecting portion at an outer periphery of the plate and a center rib at a center axis of the plate. The center rib has an enlarged portion at the top end thereof in order to gather the molten brazing material toward the enlarged portion. The brazing at the center rib is started from the enlarged portion. Therefore a brazing defect is prevented from occurring at the top end of the center rib. Since the tube unit is effectively connected by brazing, the tube unit of the present invention has enough anti-pressure strength.