Air conditioning system for a vehicle

Abstract

An air conditioning system is provided for a vehicle for conditioning the air to be introduced into the interior space of a vehicle. The system has a drying unit ( 14 ), through which the air (L) can flow and by which moisture can be extracted from the air (L).

1 . An air conditioning system for a vehicle for conditioning the air to be introduced into the interior space of a vehicle, the system comprising: 
 a flow path means defining an air conditioning system air flow path for air to be introduced into the interior space of a vehicle; and    a drying means through which the air of the air flow path can flow for extracting moisture from the air flowing in the flow path.    
   
   
       2 . An air conditioning system in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein said drying means comprises a zeolite arrangement through which the to be introduced into the interior space of the vehicle can flow.  
   
   
       3 . An air conditioning system in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein said zeolite arrangement comprises a plurality of said zeolite units.  
   
   
       4 . An air conditioning system in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein said individual zeolite units or some said of said plurality of said zeolite units can be released for the flow of said air to be introduced into said interior space of the vehicle through them and blocked against such flow as desired.  
   
   
       5 . An air conditioning system in accordance with  claim 2 , further comprising a heat source for heating said zeolite arrangement and associated with said zeolite arrangement.  
   
   
       6 . An air conditioning system in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein said heat source comprises one or more of: 
 a fuel-operated burner;    an exhaust guiding system of an internal combustion engine;    a fuel cell; and    an electrically operated heater.    
   
   
       7 . Air conditioning system in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising an air conditioning unit with an evaporator arranged downstream of said drying means in the direction of air flow of said air flow path.  
   
   
       8 . An air conditioning system in accordance with  claim 7 , further comprising a heat exchanger arrangement for taking up heat being transported in the air to be introduced into the interior space of the vehicle, said heat exchanger arrangement being provided between said drying means and said evaporator.  
   
   
       9 . A vehicle air conditioning system for conditioning the air to be introduced into the interior space of a vehicle, the system comprising: 
 air conditioning system flow passage providing a flow path for the air to be introduced into the interior space of a vehicle; and    a drying unit including a drying unit body with an air inlet and an air outlet and a mass of moisture extracting substance through which the air in the flow path can flow, said drying unit body having an operative connection with said flow passage.    
   
   
       10 . An air conditioning system in accordance with  claim 9 , wherein said operative connection includes an inlet flow passage shutoff member shutting off and opening a flow connection with said flow passage at said air inlet and an outlet flow passage shutoff member shutting off and opening a flow connection with said flow passage at said air outlet.  
   
   
       11 . An air conditioning system in accordance with  claim 10 , wherein said drying unit includes another drying unit body with an air inlet and an air outlet and a mass of moisture extracting substance through which the air in the flow path can flow, said another drying unit body having an operative connection with said flow passage including an inlet flow passage shutoff member shutting off and opening a flow connection with said flow passage at said air inlet and an outlet flow passage shutoff member shutting off and opening a flow connection with said flow passage at said air outlet, said another drying unit and said drying unit forming a drying body arrangement that can be operated jointly or individually.  
   
   
       12 . An air conditioning system in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein said moisture extracting substance comprises zeolite and said drying unit comprises a zeolite arrangement.  
   
   
       13 . An air conditioning system in accordance with  claim 12 , further comprising a heat source operatively connected to said zeolite arrangement for heating said zeolite arrangement.  
   
   
       14 . An air conditioning system in accordance with  claim 13 , wherein said heat source comprises one or more of: 
 a fuel-operated burner;    an exhaust guiding system of an internal combustion engine;    a fuel cell; and    an electrically operated heater.    
   
   
       15 . An air conditioning system in accordance with  claim 9 , further comprising an air conditioning unit with an evaporator arranged downstream of said drying unit in the direction of air flow of said air flow path.  
   
   
       16 . An air conditioning system in accordance with  claim 15 , further comprising a heat exchanger arrangement for taking up heat being transported in the air to be introduced into the interior space of the vehicle, said heat exchanger arrangement being provided between said drying means and said evaporator.