Heating, ventilation and air-conditioning unit for the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle

Abstract

A unit includes a support structure ( 2 ) with first and second intakes ( 3, 4 ) defined therein for air from inside and outside the compartment respectively, and at least one outlet ( 5 - 7 ) for conveying air treated in the unit ( 1 ) into the passenger compartment, a fan ( 10 ), arranged downstream of the said intakes ( 3, 4 ) for setting up a flow of air through the structure ( 2 ) between one of the said intakes ( 3, 4 ) and at least one outlet ( 5 - 7 ); first and second heat exchangers ( 13, 14 ) arranged downstream of the fan ( 10 ) for respectively cooling and heating the flow of air set up by the fan ( 10 ); an air heater ( 30 ) integrated into the support structure ( 2 ), including a fuel burner ( 31 ) and having an intake ( 32 ) for combustion air which is in communication with the second intake ( 4 ) of the unit ( 1 ) and an outlet ( 33 ) for evacuation of the combustion gases; the air heater ( 30 ) being arranged so that it can heat a flow of air set up by the fan ( 10 ) between a first intake ( 3 ) and at least one outlet ( 5 - 7 ) of the unit ( 1 ); and an electronic control unit (ECU) connected to sensors ( 18, 19 ) and actuators ( 15 - 17; . . . ) associated with the unit ( 1 ), to a control device operable by a user and to the said burner ( 31 ), and arranged to control operation of the unit ( 1 ) of the burner ( 31 ) in predetermined modes.

1 . A heating, ventilation and air-conditioning unit for the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle, including 
 a support structure in which at least first and second intakes are defined for air from inside or outside the passenger compartment respectively, and at least one outlet for delivering air treated in the unit into the passenger compartment;    a controlled fan, arranged in the structure downstream of the said intakes for setting up a flow of air through the structure between at least one of the intakes and the said at least one outlet;    first and second heat exchange means arranged in the structure downstream of the fan and operable respectively to cool and heat the flow of air set up by the fan;    an electronic processing and control unit connected to sensor devices and to actuator devices associated with the unit and also to control means operable by a user and provided to control operation of the unit according to predetermined mode; and    an air heater, integrated into the support structure, including a fuel burner and having an intake for combustion air, in communication with the said second intake of the unit and an outlet for the evacuation of combustion gases; the air heater being positioned so that it can heat a flow of air set up by the said fan between the first intake and the said at least one outlet of the unit;    the electronic processing and control unit being also connected to said burner and being arranged to control operation thereof in predetermined modes.    
     
     
         2 . A heating, ventilation and air-conditioning unit according to  claim 1 , in which the said air heater includes means for supplying fuel to the said burner and in which the processing and control unit is arranged to control the said means according to predetermined instructions.  
     
     
         3 . A heating, ventilation and air-conditioning unit according to claims  1 , including temperature measuring means associated with the air heater, for measuring the temperature of the heated air, said temperature measuring means being connected to the processing and control unit.  
     
     
         4 . A heating, ventilation and air-conditioning unit according to  claim 1 , in which the said heater is also operable to heat the cooling fluid of the internal combustion engine associated with the vehicle.