Cooling And Climate Conditioning System For A Vehicle

Abstract

A cooling system for a vehicle comprises a compressor for compressing refrigerant, the compressor being adapted to be driven by a power source installed in the vehicle, a condenser for receiving compressed refrigerant from the compressor, an expansion device for expanding refrigerant from the condenser, and a liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger for receiving refrigerant from the expansion device and exchanging heat between the refrigerant and a liquid. The liquid may comprise a coolant, and a pump may be provided for pumping the coolant through the heat exchanger to a point of use such as a cooling garment to cool personnel on board the vehicle. Alternatively, the liquid may be a drinkable liquid which is pumped through the heat exchanger to a suitable dispensing system to provide an on-board supply of cool drinking liquid.

1 . An apparatus comprising: a compressor for compressing refrigerant, said compressor being adapted to be driven by a power source installed in a vehicle; a condenser for receiving compressed refrigerant from the compressor; an expansion device for expanding refrigerant from the condenser; a heat exchanger for receiving refrigerant from said expansion device and for exchanging heat between said refrigerant and a liquid; and one or more garments coupled to said heat exchanger to receive liquid from said heat exchanger; 
     
     
         2 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said garments are provided for passing liquid coolant adjacent the body of a wearer for cooling thereof. 
     
     
         3 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said heat exchanger has one or more an outlet port(s) for supplying liquid therefrom. 
     
     
         4 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 3 , further comprising a respective connector associated with one or more outlet port(s) for releasably connecting the outlet port to said garment. 
     
     
         5 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein each said respective connector comprises one or more auto-release quick disconnect fluid coupler(s) that disconnect at a predetermined tensile force such as a force that would occur if an occupant wearing the garment were to flee from the vehicle without manually disconnecting said coupling. 
     
     
         6 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said heat exchanger comprises a membrane for transferring heat between said liquid and said refrigerant, said membrane having opposed surfaces, one of said surfaces for contacting said refrigerant, and the other of said surfaces for contacting said liquid. 
     
     
         7 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each garment comprises a conduit having an inlet port for receiving liquid from said heat exchanger and an outlet port for returning liquid to said heat exchanger. 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising another heat exchanger having an evaporator for receiving refrigerant and arranged for exchanging heat between said refrigerant and air. 
     
     
         9 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the refrigerant for said other heat exchanger is supplied by said compressor. 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the refrigerant for said other heat exchanger is supplied from said condenser. 
     
     
         11 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 8 , further comprising a receiver between said condenser and said expansion device for receiving refrigerant from said condenser, and wherein refrigerant for said other heat exchanger is supplied from said receiver. 
     
     
         12 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 8 , further comprising a fluid impeller for providing a flow of air in heat exchange relationship with refrigerant in said other heat exchanger. 
     
     
         13 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 8 , further comprising a pump for pumping liquid through said heat exchanger and a controller for controlling operation of said pump in response to a parameter of said refrigerant and/or a parameter of said liquid. 
     
     
         14 . An apparatus as a claimed in  claim 13 , wherein said parameter is based on at least one of pressure of said refrigerant, temperature of said refrigerant, and temperature of said liquid. 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein said parameter is based on at least one of the temperature of said refrigerant and the pressure of said refrigerant at or near the outlet of said evaporator. 
     
     
         16 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a supply for supplying liquid to said heat exchanger for exchanging heat with said refrigerant. 
     
     
         17 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein said supply comprises one or more storage container(s) for storing said liquid. 
     
     
         18 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein one or more container(s) comprises a variable volume chamber for containing said liquid. 
     
     
         19 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein one or more of said variable volume containers comprises a flexible wall for varying the volume of said chamber. 
     
     
         20 . A method of heat exchange between fluids comprising the steps of: compressing refrigerant by means of a compressor driven from a power source of a vehicle; exchanging heat between refrigerant from said compressor and a liquid that is in the liquid state before exchanging heat with said refrigerant; supplying said liquid to one or more heat exchangers;
 wherein one or more of said heat exchanger(s) comprises a garment for exchanging heat with a user.   
     
     
         21 . A method as claimed in  claim 20 , further comprising condensing said refrigerant from said compressor. 
     
     
         22 . A method as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the step of exchanging heat between said refrigerant and a liquid comprises expanding said refrigerant and passing said refrigerant through an evaporator. 
     
     
         23 . A method as claimed in  claim 20 , further comprising passing a portion of said refrigerant to a heat exchanger for exchanging heat between said refrigerant and air. 
     
     
         24 . A method as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the liquid comprises a drinkable liquid. 
     
     
         25 . A vehicle comprising a body having an interior space; a power source; a compressor for compressing refrigerant, said compressor being adapted to be driven by said power source and a heat exchanger having an evaporator arranged to pass said refrigerant adjacent a liquid for heat exchange therewith.
 and one or more garments coupled to said heat exchanger to receive liquid from said heat exchanger;   
     
     
         26 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 25 , wherein said garments are provided for passing liquid coolant adjacent the body of a wearer for cooling thereof. 
     
     
         27 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 25 , wherein said heat exchanger has one or more an outlet port(s) for supplying liquid therefrom. 
     
     
         28 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 27 , further comprising a respective connector associated with one or more outlet port(s) for releasably connecting the outlet port to said garment. 
     
     
         29 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 28 , wherein each said respective connector comprises one or more auto-release quick disconnect fluid coupler(s) that disconnect at a predetermined tensile force such as a force that would occur if an occupant wearing the garment were to flee from the vehicle without manually disconnecting said coupling.