Unidirectional climate control system

Abstract

A climate control system for a vehicle with a passenger compartment includes a heater circuit, a cooler circuit, and a primary loop, all of which have fixed flow directions. The heater circuit is filled with a first liquid medium and has a heater core, and the cooler circuit is filled with a second liquid medium and has a cooler core. The heater and cooler cores are selectively in thermal communication with the passenger compartment. The primary loop includes a compressor and an expansion valve and is filled with a refrigerant medium. No portion of the primary loop is within the passenger compartment. A liquid-cooled condenser thermally links the heater circuit and primary loop. A liquid-warmed evaporator thermally links the cooler circuit and primary loop. The primary loop is in direct heat-exchange communication with one of the first liquid medium and the second liquid medium.

1 . A climate control system for a vehicle having a passenger compartment, comprising:
 a heater circuit filled with a first liquid medium and having a heater core selectively in thermal communication with the passenger compartment;   a cooler circuit filled with a second liquid medium and having a cooler core selectively in thermal communication with the passenger compartment;   a primary loop filled with a refrigerant medium, wherein no portion of the primary loop is within the passenger compartment, and having:
 a compressor; and 
 an expansion valve; 
   wherein the heater circuit, the cooler circuit, and the primary loop each have fixed flow directions;   a liquid-cooled condenser thermally linking the heater circuit and the primary loop; and   a liquid-warmed evaporator thermally linking the cooler circuit and the primary loop, such that the primary loop is always in direct heat-exchange communication with one of the first liquid medium and the second liquid medium.   
     
     
         2 . The climate control system of  claim 1 , wherein the heater circuit further includes:
 a low-temperature radiator in thermal communication with ambient air, wherein the low-temperature radiator is disposed, in the direction of flow of the first liquid medium, between the heater core and the liquid-cooled condenser.   
     
     
         3 . The climate control system of  claim 2 , wherein the heater core and the cooler core selectively communicate with a common air stream within the passenger compartment. 
     
     
         4 . The climate control system of  claim 3 , wherein the expansion valve of the primary loop is an electronic expansion valve. 
     
     
         5 . The climate control system of  claim 3 , wherein the primary loop further includes:
 a liquid-gas separator disposed between the liquid-cooled condenser and the expansion valve, wherein the liquid-gas separator distributes gaseous portions of the refrigerant medium to the compressor and distributes liquid portions of the refrigerant medium to the liquid-warmed evaporator.   
     
     
         6 . The climate control system of  claim 3 , wherein the heater circuit further includes:
 a bypass path linking portions of the heater circuit on either side of the low-temperature radiator; and   a bypass valve selectively channeling the first liquid medium to the bypass path, such that the first liquid medium moves between the heater core and the liquid-cooled condenser without passing through the low-temperature radiator.   
     
     
         7 . The climate control system of  claim 3 , wherein the cooler circuit further includes:
 a liquid reservoir; and   a reservoir valve configured to selectively direct the second liquid medium into the liquid reservoir.   
     
     
         8 . The climate control system of  claim 3 , wherein the vehicle has a battery and the cooling circuit further includes:
 a battery path linking the cooling circuit and the battery, such that the battery is in thermal communication with the cooling circuit.   
     
     
         9 . The climate control system of  claim 3 , wherein the primary loop further includes:
 an internal heat exchanger selectively allowing direct heat-exchange communication between refrigerant flowing from the liquid-cooled condenser to the expansion valve and refrigerant flowing from the liquid-warmed evaporator to the compressor.   
     
     
         10 . The climate control system of  claim 3 , wherein the primary loop further includes:
 a subcooler in thermal communication with ambient air and disposed between the liquid-cooled condenser and the expansion valve.   
     
     
         11 . The climate control system of  claim 3 , wherein the primary loop further includes:
 an accumulator disposed between the liquid-warmed evaporator and the compressor.   
     
     
         12 . A climate control system for a vehicle having a passenger compartment, comprising:
 a heater circuit filled with a first liquid medium and having a heater core selectively in thermal communication with the passenger compartment;   a cooler circuit filled with a second liquid medium and having a cooler core selectively in thermal communication with the passenger compartment, wherein the heater core and the cooler core selectively communicate with a common air stream within the passenger compartment;   a primary loop filled with a refrigerant medium, wherein no portion of the primary loop is within the passenger compartment, and having:
 a compressor; and 
 an expansion valve; 
   wherein the heater circuit, the cooler circuit, and the primary loop each have fixed flow directions;   a liquid-cooled condenser thermally linking the heater circuit and the primary loop; and   a liquid-warmed evaporator thermally linking the cooler circuit and the primary loop, such that the primary loop is always in direct heat-exchange communication with one of the first liquid medium and the second liquid medium.   
     
     
         13 . The climate control system of  claim 12 , wherein the vehicle has a battery and the cooling circuit further includes:
 a battery path linking the cooling circuit and the battery, such that the battery is in thermal communication with the cooling circuit.   
     
     
         14 . The climate control system of  claim 13 , wherein the heater circuit further includes:
 a low-temperature radiator in thermal communication with ambient air, wherein the low-temperature radiator is disposed, in the direction of flow of the first liquid medium, between the heater core and the liquid-cooled condenser.   
     
     
         15 . The climate control system of  claim 14 , wherein the heater circuit further includes:
 a bypass path linking portions of the heater circuit on either side of the low-temperature radiator; and   a bypass valve selectively channeling the first liquid medium to the bypass path, such that the first liquid medium moves between the heater core and the liquid-cooled condenser without passing through the low-temperature radiator.   
     
     
         16 . The climate control system of  claim 15 , wherein the cooler circuit further includes:
 a liquid reservoir; and   a reservoir valve configured to selectively direct the second liquid medium into the liquid reservoir.   
     
     
         17 . The climate control system of  claim 16 , wherein the expansion valve of the primary loop is an electronic expansion valve.