Vehicle air conditioner

Abstract

A vehicle air conditioner for a passenger compartment includes a power source, a radiator provided outside the passenger compartment, a heat medium passage through which heat medium is circulated between the power source and the radiator, a first peltier module having a first peltier device and a first heat exchanger, and a second peltier module having a second peltier device and a second heat exchanger. The first and second peltier devices each has a first surface and a second surface, one of the first surface and the second surface serves to release heat, the other of the first surface and the second surface serves to absorb heat. The first heat exchanger is thermally coupled to the first surface. The second heat exchanger is thermally coupled to the first surface. The heat medium passage is thermally coupled to the second surfaces of the first and second peltier devices.

1 . A vehicle air conditioner for a passenger compartment of a vehicle, comprising:
 a power source for driving the vehicle;   a radiator provided outside the passenger compartment;   a heat medium passage through which heat medium is circulated between the power source and the radiator;   a first pettier module having a first pettier device and a first heat exchanger, the first pettier device having a first surface and a second surface, one of the first surface and the second surface serving to release heat, the other of the first surface and the second surface serving to absorb heat, the first heat exchanger being thermally coupled to the first surface; and   a second pettier module having a second pettier device and a second heat exchanger, the second pettier device having a first surface and a second surface, one of the first surface and the second surface serving to release heat, the other of the first surface and the second surface serving to absorb heat, the second heat exchanger being thermally coupled to the first surface,   wherein the heat medium passage is thermally coupled to the second surface of the first pettier device and the second surface of the second pettier device.   
     
     
         2 . The vehicle air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein the first surface of the first pettier device serves to release heat and the second surface of the first pettier device serves to absorb heat so that the first pettier module provides heating of the passenger compartment, and the first surface of the second pettier device serves to absorb heat and the second surface of the second pettier device serves to release heat so that the second pettier module provides cooling of the passenger compartment. 
     
     
         3 . The vehicle air conditioner according to  claim 2 , wherein the second pettier module is provided downstream of the first pettier module as seen in heat medium flowing direction in the heat medium passage. 
     
     
         4 . The vehicle air conditioner according to  claim 2 , wherein the first peltier module and the second peltier module are provided in a duct communicating with the passenger compartment, the duct being provided with a selector that allows selective supply of outdoor air or indoor air to the passenger compartment.