Thermal storage for co2 system

Abstract

A climate control system may include a cooling system having a compressor in fluid communication with a condenser and a evaporator and circulating a first fluid therebetween; a first heat exchanger in fluid communication with the cooling system and operable to remove heat from a second fluid; a reservoir in fluid communication with the first heat exchanger and adapted to receive the second fluid; a pump in fluid communication with the first heat exchanger and the reservoir and circulating the second fluid therebetween; a second heat exchanger in selective fluid communication with the first heat exchanger, the reservoir and the pump; and a valve movable between a first position allowing fluid communication between the reservoir and the second heat exchanger and a second position preventing fluid communication between the reservoir and the second heat exchanger, wherein heat is absorbed by the second fluid flowing through the second heat exchanger.

1 . A thermal storage system comprising:
 a cooling system including a condenser, an evaporator and a compressor, the compressor in fluid communication with the condenser and the evaporator and circulating a first fluid therebetween;   a first heat exchanger in fluid communication with the cooling system and operable to remove heat from a second fluid;   a reservoir in fluid communication with the first heat exchanger and adapted to receive the second fluid;   a pump in fluid communication with the first heat exchanger and the reservoir to circulate the second fluid therebetween;   a second heat exchanger in selective fluid communication with the first heat exchanger, the reservoir and the pump; and   a valve movable between a first position allowing fluid communication between the reservoir and the second heat exchanger and a second position preventing fluid communication between the reservoir and the second heat exchanger,   wherein heat is absorbed by the second fluid flowing through the second heat exchanger.   
     
     
         2 . The thermal storage system of  claim 1 , wherein the second fluid flowing through the second heat exchanger supplements the cooling capacity of cooling system. 
     
     
         3 . The thermal storage system of  claim 1 , further comprising a fan adapted to force air across the evaporator and the second heat exchanger. 
     
     
         4 . The thermal storage system of  claim 1 , wherein the valve allows the second fluid to the second heat exchanger in response to deactivation of the compressor. 
     
     
         5 . The thermal storage system of  claim 1 , wherein the first heat exchanger is an accumulator. 
     
     
         6 . The thermal storage system of  claim 1 , wherein the first heat exchanger is an internal heat exchanger. 
     
     
         7 . The thermal storage system of  claim 6 , wherein the internal heat exchanger is adapted to simultaneously receive the first fluid and the second fluid to facilitate heat transfer therebetween. 
     
     
         8 . The thermal storage system of  claim 7 , wherein the internal heat exchanger is adapted to simultaneously receive the first fluid from the condenser in a first state and the first fluid from the evaporator in a second state. 
     
     
         9 . The thermal storage system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the cooling system is installed in a hybrid vehicle,   the first fluid is carbon dioxide,   the second fluid is engine coolant, and   the valve allows the second fluid to flow to the second heat exchanger in response to deactivation of an internal combustion engine of the hybrid vehicle.   
     
     
         10 . A climate control system comprising:
 a first fluid circuit including an evaporator, an accumulator and a compressor circulating a first fluid through the first fluid circuit;   a second fluid circuit including a coil, a reservoir, a pump circulating a second fluid through the second fluid circuit, and a heat exchanger in selective fluid communication with the second fluid circuit, wherein the coil is disposed in the accumulator and the first fluid in the accumulator absorbs heat from the second fluid flowing through the coil;   a valve movable between a first position, allowing the second fluid to flow through the heat exchanger, and a second position causing the second fluid to bypass the heat exchanger; and   a fan adapted to force air across the evaporator and the heat exchanger.   
     
     
         11 . The climate control system of  claim 10 , wherein the second fluid is cooled and stored while the valve is in the second position and the second fluid cools the air forced across the heat exchanger while the valve is in the first position. 
     
     
         12 . The climate control system of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the valve moves between the first and second positions based at least partially upon operation of the compressor and a demand for cool air, and   the first fluid is carbon dioxide.   
     
     
         13 . A climate control system comprising:
 a first fluid circuit including an evaporator, a first tube and a compressor circulating a first fluid through the first fluid circuit;   a second fluid circuit including a second tube, a reservoir, a pump circulating a second fluid through the second fluid circuit, and a second heat exchanger in selective fluid communication with the second fluid circuit;   a valve movable between a first position allowing the second fluid to flow through the second heat exchanger and a second position causing the second fluid to bypass the second heat exchanger; and   a fan adapted to force air across the evaporator and the second heat exchanger, wherein the first tube and the second tube are substantially coaxial and the first fluid flowing through the first tube absorbs heat from the second fluid flowing through the second tube.   
     
     
         14 . The climate control system of  claim 13 , wherein the second fluid is cooled and stored while the valve is in the second position and the second fluid cools the air forced across the heat exchanger while the valve is in the first position. 
     
     
         15 . The climate control system of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the valve moves between the first and second positions based at least partially upon operation of the compressor and a demand for cool air, and   the first fluid is carbon dioxide.   
     
     
         16 . A thermal storage system comprising:
 a cooling system including a condenser, an evaporator and a compressor, the compressor for forcing a first fluid through the condenser and the evaporator;   a first heat exchanger in fluid communication with the cooling system and operable to remove heat from a second fluid;   a reservoir for storing the second fluid, the reservoir in fluid communication with the first heat exchanger via the second fluid;   a pump that circulates the second fluid through the first heat exchanger and the reservoir;   a second heat exchanger that is filled with the second fluid and receives the second fluid from the reservoir;   a valve movable between a first position, which allows the second fluid to flow into the second heat exchanger from the reservoir, and a second position, which allows the second fluid to bypass the second heat exchanger and flow into the pump to prevent fluid communication between the reservoir and the second heat exchanger; and   a fan for blowing air through the evaporator and the second heat exchanger, wherein   the evaporator and the second heat exchanger are arranged parallel to each other in a serial fashion so that the air blows through the evaporator first and then second heat exchanger, and   heat is transferred from the air to the second fluid flowing through the second heat exchanger.   
     
     
         17 . The thermal storage system of  claim 16 , further comprising a controller, wherein upon deactivation of the compressor, the controller switches valve position to permit the second fluid to flow into the second heat exchanger. 
     
     
         18 . The thermal storage system of  claim 17 , wherein:
 the first heat exchanger is an internal heat exchanger,   the internal heat exchanger is adapted to simultaneously receive the first fluid and the second fluid to facilitate heat transfer therebetween, and   the internal heat exchanger is adapted to simultaneously receive the first fluid from the condenser in a first state and the first fluid from the evaporator in a second state.   
     
     
         19 . The thermal storage system of  claim 18 , wherein:
 the thermal storage system is installed in a hybrid vehicle,   the first fluid is carbon dioxide, and   the second fluid is a liquid.