Abstract: A vehicle air handling system includes an air handler, a desiccant assembly and a regeneration mechanism. The air handler has an air inlet configured to receive airflow into the air handler and an air outlet configured to direct the airflow from the air handler to a passenger compartment of a vehicle. The desiccant assembly is installed in a fixed non-movable orientation within the air handler. The desiccant assembly is configured to absorb moisture from the airflow and is disposed between the air inlet and the air outlet. The desiccant assembly includes a first flow path and a second flow path separated from one another such that the airflow passes through the first flow path. The regeneration mechanism is in fluid communication with the second air flow path of the desiccant assembly and is configured to remove moisture from the airflow passing through the desiccant assembly.

Abstract: A vehicle cabin heating system is provided basically with an infrared heater, a temperature sensor and a controller. The infrared heater is aimed to heat a target surface in front of the infrared heater within a vehicle cabin interior space. The temperature sensor is disposed in front of the first infrared heater to detect a measured temperature in front of the first infrared heater. The controller is operatively coupled to the first infrared heater to selectively operate the first infrared heater to a target surface temperature within the vehicle cabin interior space whenever an estimated surface temperature of a target surface is determined based on the measured temperature by the temperature sensor falls below a prescribed temperature range below the target surface temperature.

Abstract: A vehicle heat exchanger arrangement is provided basically with a heat exchanger, a pusher fan and a power recovery device. The heat exchanger has a first side and a second side. The pusher fan is disposed on the first side of the heat exchanger to push air through the heat exchanger to the second side. The power recovery device is disposed on the second side of the heat exchanger to receive the air pushed through the heat exchanger by the pusher fan such that the power recovery device generates electricity.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for automatically adjusting the flow rate of engine coolant through a heater core in an automobile by automatically determining a temperature difference between the temperature of coolant at a first flow rate before it enters a heater core and a temperature of air exiting the heater core and automatically increasing the flow rate of the coolant to a second flow rate higher than the first flow rate if the temperature difference is greater than a first predetermined temperature difference.

Abstract: A vehicle air conditioning system includes a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, a humidity sensor and a controller. The compressor is configured to compress refrigerant and the condenser is fluidly coupled to the compressor to receive the refrigerant from the compressor. The evaporator is fluidly coupled to the condenser to receive the refrigerant from the condenser and fluidly coupled to the compressor to supply the refrigerant to the compressor. The humidity sensor is positioned proximate the evaporator to detect moisture density of air passing through the evaporator towards a vehicle passenger compartment. The controller is operatively coupled to the humidity sensor and the compressor to cycle the compressor on and off to maintain the moisture density in the air being cooled by the evaporator and sensed by the humidity sensor below a predetermined moisture density threshold.

Abstract: An air conditioning system includes an evaporator, a compressor, a condenser, a valve an energy recovery device and at least one bypass passage. The compressor is fluidly connected to the evaporator. The condenser is fluidly connected to the compressor. The valve is configured to control flow of high-pressure refrigerant exiting the condenser. The energy recovery device has an inlet and an outlet. The inlet is fluidly connected to the valve to receive high-pressure refrigerant and the outlet is fluidly connected to the evaporator to deliver low-pressure refrigerant thereto. The energy recovery device is configured to extract work from flow of refrigerant therethrough. When the valve is closed and refrigerant flow cutoff, suction power loss is reduced by introduction of one or both of high-pressure refrigerant or low pressure refrigerant via one or more bypass passages.

Abstract: An automatic climate control system for a vehicle determines actual sun load and a virtual sun load based on prescribed virtual heat load data and the external air temperature. A controller is configured to compare the actual sun load to the virtual sun load to obtain an optimized sun load value, and to control the system based on this optimized sun load value. A method for automatically controlling the climate includes determining measured sun load, determining external air temperature, comparing the measured sun load to the virtual sun load based on prescribed virtual heat load data and the external air temperature to obtain an optimized sun load value, and controlling the system based on the optimized sun load value. The virtual sun load and/or the measured sun load are used to determine the optimized sun load value depending on lighting conditions.

Abstract: An air recirculation control system is basically provided with a thermal sensing arrangement, a blower speed sensing arrangement, a recirculation door actuator and a control device. The thermal sensing arrangement detects a prescribed temperature condition. The blower speed sensing arrangement provides a prescribed blower signal indicative of a prescribed blower speed condition. The recirculation door actuator operates a recirculation door. The control device selectively activates the recirculation door actuator to switch between a normal air intake mode and a recirculation override mode based on the prescribed temperature condition detected by the thermal sensing arrangement and the prescribed blower signal received from the blower speed sensing arrangement.

Abstract: A vehicle air conditioning system is disclosed that includes a compressor, a condenser, a front evaporator and a rear evaporator. The condenser is operably coupled to the compressor. The front evaporator is operably coupled to the condenser and the rear evaporator is operably coupled to the condenser. A high pressure tube operably couples the condenser to the rear evaporator and a low pressure tube operably couples the rear evaporator to the compressor. At least a portion of the high pressure tube and at least a portion of the low pressure tube are formed as a dual conduit section having side-by-side relationship for heat exchange therebetween.

Abstract: An air conditioning system includes an evaporator, a compressor, a condenser, a valve an energy recovery device and at least one bypass passage. The compressor is fluidly connected to the evaporator. The condenser is fluidly connected to the compressor. The valve is configured to control flow of high-pressure refrigerant exiting the condenser. The energy recovery device has an inlet and an outlet. The inlet is fluidly connected to the valve to receive high-pressure refrigerant and the outlet is fluidly connected to the evaporator to deliver low-pressure refrigerant thereto. The energy recovery device is configured to extract work from flow of refrigerant therethrough. When the valve is closed and refrigerant flow cutoff, suction power loss is reduced by introduction of one or both of high-pressure refrigerant or low pressure refrigerant via one or more bypass passages.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for more accurately determining the room temperature of air in an automobile cabin by automatically determining the room temperature of air in an automobile based on one or more of a temperature value for solid mass surrounding a temperature sensor, an outlet temperature value for outlet air leaving a conditioned air outlet vent, an air temperature value for air measured by an air temperature sensor, and a blending factor value based on estimated percentages of room temperature air and outlet air present in the air measured by the air temperature sensor.

Abstract: A method for automatically controlling the climate in a plurality of climate control zones of a cabin of an automobile comprising at least a driver zone and a passenger zone having a temperature sensor located in a driver side zone and at least one conditioned air outlet vent in each of the zones, the method comprising, obtaining various values indicative of internal and external climate, determining outlet temperatures and mass flow rates of at least one of a driver zone outlet and at least one of a passenger zone outlet based at least on the above obtained values and on other factors relating to the design of the automobile, including a zone air crossover influence factor, providing conditioned air to the cabin from at least one of the driver zone outlets and at least one of the passenger zone outlets at the determined outlet temperatures and mass flow rates.

Abstract: A method for automatically controlling the climate in a plurality of climate control zones of a cabin of an automobile comprising at least a driver zone and a passenger zone having a temperature sensor located in a driver side zone and at least one conditioned air outlet vent in each of the zones, the method comprising, obtaining various values indicative of internal and external climate, determining outlet temperatures and mass flow rates of at least one of a driver zone outlet and at least one of a passenger zone outlet based at least on the above obtained values and on other factors relating to the design of the automobile, including a zone air crossover influence factor, providing conditioned air to the cabin from at least one of the driver zone outlets and at least one of the passenger zone outlets at the determined outlet temperatures and mass flow rates.

Abstract: An air conditioner has an evaporator, a main compressor, a condenser, and an energy recovery device. The condenser receives a compressed refrigerant from the compressor and condenses the refrigerant to either a liquid phase or a saturated liquid-vapor phase. The condensed refrigerant is passed through the energy recovery device to expand the refrigerant. The refrigerant passing through the energy recovery device is regulated to maintain the refrigerant in a high cavitation region within a motor, while maintaining within a predetermined refrigerant pressure range in the motor. During refrigerant regulation, sounds and vibrations are created that may be unpleasant to humans. A sound suppression device is included in the air conditioner to reduce or eliminate these sounds, and is positioned between the condenser and the energy recovery device.

Abstract: An automatic vehicle interior temperature control system and control method wherein control system outlet air temperature can be controlled automatically using a processor with stored control algorithms that rely upon data including virtual ambient air temperature and virtual sun load heat flux.

Abstract: An automatic interior temperature control system for an automotive vehicle capable of controlling heat flux in response to changes in ambient temperature, outlet temperature, sun load and air flow by taking into account the relationship between these four variables in accordance with thermodynamic principles wherein an adjustment in heat flux corrects interior temperature error.

Abstract: A rotary engine including a housing having a special planetary curved surface opening and including a drive shaft interconnected with a belt by a plurality of drive rollers. Chambers are formed between rotating planetary rollers which move within the opening and the belt. The belt has segmented lobes formed thereon which are moved about the drive rollers to compress the fluid in the chambers cyclically to perform work. An internal combustion rotary engine is disclosed in which a spark plug is secured to the housing at the point in the cycle where maximum pressure is developed in the chambers.