2217results about "Power to electric heating circuits" patented technology

An operation managing server for charging stations each of which has a charger and accepts a charging request for charging a vehicle battery of a user through the charger at a charging station, including a charging request accepting unit that accepts a charging request from a user when the user makes the charging request, and a charging time estimating unit that estimates a charging time required to charge the vehicle battery of the user on the basis of past charger using data of the user, wherein when there is any charging request from a next user, the charging request accepting unit accepts the charging request concerned while reflecting the estimated charging time of the former user.

In order to ensure that a vehicle seat, having a supporting face and incorporating microcapsules of phase-change material having a phase transition temperature between 15 and 37° C., is comfortable to use in terms of temperature, the support face is heated or cooled before the seat is used so that the phase-change material is at its transition temperature when a user subsequently sits on the seat.

A system for treating a hydrocarbon containing formation includes a steam and electricity cogeneration facility. At least one injection well is located in a first portion of the formation. The injection well provides steam from the steam and electricity cogeneration facility to the first portion of the formation. At least one production well is located in the first portion of the formation. The production well in the first portion produces first hydrocarbons. At least one electrical heater is located in a second portion of the formation. At least one of the electrical heaters is powered by electricity from the steam and electricity cogeneration facility. At least one production well is located in the second portion of the formation. The production well in the second portion produces second hydrocarbons. The steam and electricity cogeneration facility uses the first hydrocarbons and / or the second hydrocarbons to generate electricity.

An efficient thermal management system (100) that utilizes a single heat exchanger (133) is provided. A refrigeration subsystem (103) cools the heat exchanger (133). A first coolant loop (139) in thermal communication with the heat exchanger (133) is used to cool the energy storage system (137). A second coolant loop (151) corresponding to the HVAC subsystem (107) is also in thermal communication with the heat exchanger (133). Preferably a third coolant loop (109) corresponding to the drive motor cooling subsystem (101) is coupleable to the HVAC coolant loop (151), thus providing an efficient means of providing heat to the HVAC subsystem (107).

In an air conditioning apparatus for a vehicle, a water / refrigerant heat exchanger is disposed at a refrigerant discharge side of a compressor of a refrigerant cycle, and a cooling unit for cooling a heat-generating unit with refrigerant having an intermediate pressure of the refrigerant cycle is disposed at a downstream refrigerant side of the water / refrigerant heat exchanger. The air conditioning apparatus includes an evaporator and a hot-water type heater core disposed in an air conditioning duct. In a cooling water circuit, an engine, a radiator and an electrical pump are disposed in addition to the water / refrigerant heat exchanger and the hot-water type heater core. Thus, refrigerant absorbs heat generated in the heat-generating unit, and is heat-exchanged with cooling water in the water / refrigerant heat exchanger after passing through the compressor. As a result, the heat-generating unit can be cooled sufficiently even when outside air temperature is high in the summer, and heating capacity can be effectively improved using heat generated from the heat-generating unit in the winter.

A method for treating an oil shale formation comprising dawsonite includes providing heat from one or more heaters to the formation to heat the formation. Hydrocarbon fluids are produced from the formation. At least some dawsonite in the formation is decomposed with the provided heat. A chelating agent is provided to the formation to dissolve at least some dawsonite decomposition products. The dissolved dawsonite decomposition products are produced from the formation.

A method of thermal management for a thermal management system in a vehicle includes the steps of selecting a thermal management function. The method also includes the steps of adjusting a temperature within the thermal management system using the thermal management function and using the adjusted temperature within the thermal management system to control a temperature within an occupant compartment of the vehicle.

Methods and apparatus for controlling the temperature of a seat such as a vehicle seat are disclosed. The apparatus includes an electrical heater disposed in the seat, a cooling unit such as a cooling element and a fan, a detector for detecting the temperature associated with the electrical heater, and a controller for controlling the electrical heater and the cooler based upon the detected temperature and upon the humidity algorithm comprising a predetermined set of calculations of the humidity of air at different temperatures.

A HVAC and battery thermal management system for a vehicle having a HVAC portion and a battery portion, and a method of operation, is disclosed. The HVAC portion may include a main chamber, an evaporator located in the main chamber, a heater extending across a portion of the main chamber downstream of the evaporator, a battery duct extending from the main chamber adjacent to the heater and in fluid communication with the main chamber both upstream and downstream of the heater. The battery portion may include a battery pack in fluid communication with the battery duct, a battery cooling valve located in the battery duct and configured to selectively allow fluid flow from the main chamber between the evaporator and the heater, and a battery heating valve located in the battery duct and configured to selectively allow fluid flow from the main chamber downstream of the heater.

An air conditioning apparatus for a vehicle seat includes a seat blower unit disposed in a lower side of the seat, and a seat duct for leading air from an air conditioning unit to the seat through the seat blower unit. In the air conditioning apparatus, it can be determined that heat load of a passenger compartment is decreased to a predetermined value based on an operation state of a unit blower of the air conditioning unit, and the seat blower is stopped when the heat load is decreased to the predetermined value. Further, the seat blower is turned on or off according to the heat load of the passenger compartment, so that temperature of the seat can be controlled within a predetermined range. On the other hand, even when the unit blower is stopped when a water temperature of a heating unit of the air conditioning unit is lower than a set temperature, the seat blower unit and an electrical heater disposed in the seat duct are operated so that air passing through the heating unit is heated by the electrical unit and is blown into the seat by the seat blower unit.

Vacuum deposition processes such as sputter-depositing are employed to deposit electrically conductive bus bars onto thin film transparent conductor sheets. These assemblies provide efficient and durable electrical connections to the conductor sheets which can be laminated into glazing structures such as automotive windshields to provide resistance heating for defogging and deicing or the provide an electrical connection for in-window antennas and in window radiation shields.

A modular vehicle comprises a preassembled undercarriage module, a preassembled overcarriage module, and coupling means for releasably coupling the overcarriage module to the undercarriage module. The undercarriage module includes wheels for permitting travel of the vehicle on a travelling surface, means for holding a power source for supplying operating power to the vehicle, and means for directing controlled motive power from the power source to at least one of the wheels. The overcarriage module includes control means linkable with the undercarriage module for controlling operation of the vehicle. When the power source associated with a first undercarriage module is in need of maintenance service, there is provided a method of handling an overcarriage module coupled to the first undercarriage module comprising the steps of decoupling and separating the two modules; then releasably coupling the overcarriage module to a second one of such undercarriage modules, the associated power source of the second undercarriage module not being in need of maintenance service; then operating the overcarriage module and the second undercarriage module together as a vehicle while providing the maintenance service required by the power source of the first undercarriage module.

A system and method for controlling a vehicle-based source of uninterruptable power is disclosed. The vehicle-based UPS includes an energy storage system located on-board a vehicle and configured to generate DC power transferable to an external load, and an DC-AC inverter connected to the on-board energy storage system to receive the DC power therefrom and invert the DC power to an AC power useable by the external load. The vehicle-based UPS also includes a charging device located on-board the vehicle and connected to the on-board energy storage system to provide recharging power thereto and a control system. The control system is configured to determine one of a state-of-charge (SOC) and a voltage of the energy storage system and selectively operate the charging device to provide the recharging power to the energy storage system to maintain the SOC or voltage of the energy storage system within a pre-determined range.

A vehicle temperature control apparatus for controlling temperature of a temperature control object, which is at least one of inside air of a vehicle compartment and a vehicle component, includes a heat capacitive element capable of storing heat, a refrigeration cycle in which heat is absorbed from a low temperature side and is dissipated to a high temperature side, a heat exchanger that causes the heat capacitive element to exchange heat with refrigerant of the refrigeration cycle, and a heat dissipation portion which dissipates heat in the refrigerant of the refrigeration cycle to the temperature control object. Thus, a temperature control by using the heat capacitive element can be effectively performed.

An air conditioning system for use in a motor vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine is described. The system comprises an electric motor powered by a battery; a compressor arranged to be powered by at least one of the internal combustion engine and the electric motor; and a control unit that controls the driving of the compressor. The control unit is configured to execute driving the compressor by only the electric motor when the combustion engine is under an idling stop; restarting the combustion engine upon expiration of a first given time from the time when the idling stop has occurred, so that thereafter the compressor is driven by both the combustion engine and the electric motor; and stopping the driving of the compressor by the electric motor upon expiration of a second given time from the restarting of the combustion engine, so that thereafter the compressor is driven by only the combustion engine.

An electric machine for a power system is disclosed. The electric machine has a housing with a first end cap and a second end cap. The first end cap has a first fluid passageway, and the second end cap has a second fluid passageway. The electric machine also has a stator fixedly disposed within the housing, and a rotor rotationally disposed radially inward from the stator. The rotor has an axial passageway fluidly communicating the first fluid passageway with the second fluid passageway.

Described herein are improved capabilities for a system and method for wireless energy distribution across a vehicle compartment of defined area, comprising a source resonator coupled to an energy source of a vehicle and generating an oscillating magnetic field with a frequency, and at least one repeater resonator positioned along the vehicle compartment, the at least one repeater resonator positioned in proximity to the source resonator, the at least one repeater resonator having a resonant frequency and comprising a high-conductivity material adapted and located between the at least one repeater resonator and a vehicle surface to direct the oscillating magnetic field away from the vehicle surface, wherein the at least one repeater resonator provides an effective wireless energy transfer area within the defined area.

The integrated automotive HVAC / PTC system of the present invention includes a bi-fluidic heat exchanger between an air conditioning subsystem and a heating subsystem which enables heat extracted during dehumidification of the ventilation air to be transferred into dehumidified ventilation air. The HVAC / PTC system includes reconfigurable coolant loops and reconfigurable refrigerant loops, some of which act in concert and some of which may be isolated. Power train components, including the power supply, may be grouped by heat transfer requirements and may be cooled or heated as needed. Power train cooling is accomplished with coolant in the heating subsystem chilled by the air conditioning system.

A power source comprised of a first battery pack (e.g., a non-metal-air battery pack) and a second battery pack (e.g., a metal-air battery pack) is provided, wherein the second battery pack is only used as required by the state-of-charge (SOC) of the first battery pack or as a result of the user selecting an extended range mode of operation. Minimizing use of the second battery pack prevents it from undergoing unnecessary, and potentially lifetime limiting, charge cycles. The second battery pack may be used to charge the first battery pack or used in combination with the first battery pack to supply operational power to the electric vehicle.

A dual mode, thermal management system for use in a vehicle is provided. At a minimum, the system includes a first coolant loop in thermal communication with a battery system, a second coolant loop in thermal communication with at least one drive train component (e.g., electric motor, power electronics, inverter), and a dual mode valve system that provides means for selecting between a first mode where the two coolant loops operate in parallel, and a second mode where the two coolant loops operate in series.

A method includes producing formation fluid from a subsurface in situ heat treatment process. The formation fluid is separated to produce a liquid stream and a gas stream. At least a portion of the liquid stream is provided to a hydrotreating unit. At least a portion of selected in situ heat treatment clogging compositions in the liquid stream are removed to produce a hydrotreated liquid stream by hydrotreating at least a portion of the liquid stream at conditions sufficient to remove the selected in situ heat treatment clogging compositions.

A power controller controls the turbine of a turbine powered generating system regardless of the load on the system to maximize the efficiency of the turbine and maintains the turbine at a substantially constant temperature during a system load change by using an energy storage device to provide power to the load while the turbine is changing speed to meet the new load demand.

The heating device comprises electrically conducting longitudinal fibers extending substantially parallel to a leading edge of the aerofoil close to said leading edge, and means for electrically connecting the ends of the longitudinal conducting fibers to an electric power supply. The conducting fibers are grouped together in conducting rovings forming part of a hybrid fabric which furthermore includes a weft of electrically insulating fibers woven together and woven with the conducting rovings.

The invention provides an electrically heated jacket to maintain a hot beverage contained in a disposable hot-beverage container at optimum temperature for consumption. Electrical power for heating may be provided, in various embodiments, by household electric power, electric power from a motor vehicle electrical system, or batteries, which may be disposable or rechargeable. The invention also provides a method for keeping a hot beverage warm comprising providing freshly recharged batteries convenient to the point-of-sale of hot beverages.

An automotive air conditioning system has a primary hot water circuit 11 located on a side where a vehicle installed heat generator 10 is located and a secondary hot water circuit 13 which includes a hot water type heater core 12 for heating passenger compartment outlet air, whereby when in a heating mode, in the event that a coolant temperature TW1 of the primary hot water circuit is lower than a coolant temperature TW2 of the secondary hot water circuit 13, an opening and closing valve 26 is closed, whereas an opening and closing valve 23 is opened, so that a state is created in which the hot water circuits 11, 13 are separated from each other. On the other hand, in the event that the coolant temperature TW1 of the primary hot water circuit becomes higher than the coolant temperature TW2 of the secondary hot water circuit 13, the opening and closing valve 26 is opened, whereas the opening and closing valve 23 is closed, so that a state is created in which the hot water circuits 11, 13 are connected to each other.

When a current flows through a battery, a resistance loss proportional to the square of the current is produced by an internal resistance component of the current. In a case where the temperature of a heat capacity element is raised, a charging current is controlled such that prescribed thermal energy is provided to the heat capacity element by this resistance loss. Air is induced into a power supply unit through a vehicle compartment air exhaust duct. Then, the thermal energy stored in the heat capacity element is transferred to the air induced into the power supply unit. The air to which the thermal energy has been provided from the heat capacity element is blown out toward a vehicle compartment space by a fan.