Abstract: A climate-control system for a vehicle includes a refrigerant subsystem having a chiller and an electronic expansion valve (EXV) arranged to selectively route refrigerant to the chiller. The vehicle further includes a coolant subsystem having conduit arranged to circulate coolant through a traction battery and the chiller. The coolant subsystem further includes a first temperature sensor configured to measure coolant circulating into an inlet side of the chiller and a second temperature sensor configured to measure coolant circulating out of an outlet side of the chiller. A vehicle controller is configured to, in response to the battery exceeding a threshold temperature and cabin air conditioning being requested, command opening of the EXV to a predetermined position and adjust the position based on a measured coolant temperature difference between the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor.

Abstract: A climate-control system for a vehicle includes a refrigerant subsystem having a chiller and an electronic expansion valve (EXV) arranged to selectively route refrigerant to the chiller. The vehicle further includes a coolant subsystem having conduit arranged to circulate coolant through a traction battery and the chiller. The coolant subsystem further includes a first temperature sensor configured to measure coolant circulating into an inlet side of the chiller and a second temperature sensor configured to measure coolant circulating out of an outlet side of the chiller. A vehicle controller is configured to, in response to the battery exceeding a threshold temperature and cabin air conditioning being requested, command opening of the EXV to a predetermined position and adjust the position based on a measured coolant temperature difference between the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor.

Abstract: A brazing furnace includes a housing defining an interior environment having an inlet and an outlet, a plurality of heating elements mounted within the housing and adapted to heat the interior environment to an elevated temperature, and a conveyor belt extending through the housing and supported on a plurality of driven rollers whereby an object placed upon the conveyor belt at the inlet is transported through the inlet into the interior environment and out through the outlet. The conveyor belt includes a plurality of interconnected metal links and a thermal barrier coating applied to the metal links, thereby insulating the metal links and restricting the amount of thermal energy that is absorbed by the conveyor belt as the conveyor belt moves through the interior environment.

Abstract: A brazing furnace includes a housing defining an interior environment having an inlet and an outlet, a plurality of heating elements mounted within the housing and adapted to heat the interior environment to an elevated temperature, and a conveyor belt extending through the housing and supported on a plurality of driven rollers whereby an object placed upon the conveyor belt at the inlet is transported through the inlet into the interior environment and out through the outlet. The conveyor belt includes a plurality of interconnected metal links and a thermal barrier coating applied to the metal links, thereby insulating the metal links and restricting the amount of thermal energy that is absorbed by the conveyor belt as the conveyor belt moves through the interior environment.

Abstract: A heat exchanger assembly that includes a tube having an internal surface and an external surface. An aluminum-based component is disposed adjacent to the tube, the aluminum-based component has an aluminum-based material that has a magnesium content that is above 0.3%, wherein the aluminum-based component is joined to the tube using a brazing flux applied during a controlled atmosphere brazing process.

Abstract: A gettering system for a CAB furnace includes a nitrogen gas source to supply a nitrogen gas to a controlled atmosphere brazing (CAB) furnace and an active metal getter source disposed within the CAB furnace and being a sheet to remove oxygen and water vapor in the nitrogen gas, whereby heat exchangers are brazed during a controlled atmosphere brazing (CAB) process in the CAB furnace.

Abstract: The invention is a method of forming a conversion coating on an aluminum surface. According to the method, the aluminum surface is conversion coated by first treating the surface with thermal degreasing or aqueous alkaline degreasing and then contacting the treated surface with an aqueous bath solution of KF. The concentration of KF in the solution is 2.0-25.0 wt. % and the temperature is 90-212° F. for at least 5 seconds.

Abstract: The invention involves a heat exchanger assembly comprising at least one aluminum based tube including magnesium, an aluminum based cladding, and at least one aluminum based component disposed adjacent the cladding. A brazing flux is applied to a joint between the cladding and the component to facilitate brazing in an ambient atmosphere. An aluminum based lithium enriched layer is disposed between the tube and the cladding to scavenge sufficient oxygen from the ambient atmosphere to form an effective barrier against the defusion of magnesium from the tube.

Abstract: A method is disclosed of making a braze sheet for a brazed assembly. The method includes the steps of providing a sheet of a core material and a composition cladding and mechanically embedding a flux into the sheet.

Abstract: An open-air brazing method for manufacturing an assembly including at least one aluminum based tube having an internal surface and an external surface, applying an Aluminum Association 4XXX aluminum based filler material to at least a portion of the external surface of the tube, disposing at least one aluminum based component adjacent the filler material, and applying a modified aluminum brazing flux to a joint between the at least one tube and the at least one component to form a precursor assembly, said brazing flux comprising cesium fluoride, lithium fluoride, or their mixture added into a potassium fluoaluminate flux in an amount of at least about 1% by weight of the modified flux. The method further comprises joining the at least one tube and at least one component together in an open-air brazing furnace whereby the temperature is raised from about 450.degree. C. to about 600.degree. C. in about 15 to 20 seconds.

Abstract: A heat exchanger assembly including at least one aluminum based tube having an internal surface and an external surface, an aluminum based lithium-magnesium composition cladding applied to either one of the internal surface and external surface of the tube, and at least one aluminum based component disposed adjacent the cladding, a modified aluminum brazing flux applied to a joint between the surface and one component. The modified aluminum brazing flux comprises cesium fluoride, lithium fluoride, or both. Preferably, the cladding further comprises cesium. To manufacture the heat exchanger assembly, the tube and component are joined together with flux applied in the area of the joint using a controlled atmosphere brazing (CAB) process.