Heating system for a vehicle

Abstract

A climate control system is configured to provide at least one of heating and cooling of air in an occupied space of a vehicle. The system includes a thermal energy storage device configured to receive heat from a waste heat source in the vehicle and a heat exchanger coupled between the thermal energy storage device and the occupied space of the vehicle by a coolant loop. The second heat exchanger is configured to transfer heat from at least one of the thermal energy storage device to the occupied space of the vehicle and the occupied space in the vehicle to the thermal energy storage device.

1 . A climate control system configured to provide at least one of heating and cooling of air in an occupied space of a vehicle, comprising:
 a thermal energy storage device configured to receive heat from a waste heat source in the vehicle; and   a heat exchanger coupled between the thermal energy storage device and the occupied space of the vehicle by a coolant loop, the second heat exchanger configured to transfer heat from at least one of the thermal energy storage device to the occupied space of the vehicle and the occupied space in the vehicle to the thermal energy storage device.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the waste heat source comprises at least one of a vehicle engine, exhaust gas, and the occupied space. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second heat exchanger coupled to the thermal energy storage device by the coolant loop, the second heat exchanger configured to transfer waste heat from the heat source to the thermal energy storage device.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a second coolant loop coupling the heat source to the second heat exchanger.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second heat exchanger comprises a liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger or an air-to-liquid heat exchanger. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat source is coupled to the thermal energy storage device by the coolant loop. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a valve; and   a bypass coolant line configured to bypass the thermal energy storage device and couple the heat source to the heat exchanger based on the position of the valve.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a pump configured to circulate coolant through the coolant loop; and   a fan configured to heat across the heat exchanger and into the occupied space.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an electronic controller configured to control operation of the climate control system based on electronic input from at least one sensor configured to sense a condition of the vehicle.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one temperature sensor for mounting in the occupied space or in an engine compartment. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger comprises a liquid-to-air heat exchanger. 
     
     
         12 . A method for providing at least one of heating and cooling of air in an occupied space of a vehicle, comprising:
 transferring heat from a waste heat source to a thermal energy storage device; and   transferring heat from at least one of the thermal energy storage device to the occupied space of the vehicle and the occupied space in the vehicle to the thermal energy storage device using a heat exchanger coupled between the thermal energy storage device and the occupied space.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the waste heat is transferred from at least one of a vehicle engine, exhaust gas, and the occupied space. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 transferring waste heat from the heat source to the thermal energy storage device using a second heat exchanger coupled to the thermal energy storage device by the coolant loop.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 transferring heat from the heat source to the second heat exchanger using a second coolant loop.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 transferring heat from the heat source to the thermal energy storage device using the coolant loop.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 actuating a valve to transfer heat from the heat source to the heat exchanger over a bypass coolant line to bypass the thermal energy storage device.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 receiving an electrical signal at an electronic controller from the at least one sensor; and   controlling operation of the climate control system based on the electrical signal using the electronic controller.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the electronic controller receives the electrical signal from at least one temperature sensor mounted in the occupied space or in an engine compartment. 
     
     
         20 . A climate control system configured to provide heating air in an occupied space of a vehicle, comprising:
 a first coolant loop configured to transfer waste heat away from a heat source in the vehicle, the first coolant loop comprising a first heat exchanger configured to transfer heat away from the heat source; and   a second coolant loop configured to store waste heat from the first coolant loop for use in heating the occupied space, the second coolant loop comprising:
 a thermal energy storage device configured to store heat from first heat exchanger; and 
 a second heat exchanger coupled between the thermal energy storage device and the occupied space of the vehicle, the second heat exchanger configured to transfer heat from the thermal energy storage device to the occupied space of the vehicle.