System and method for climate control within a passenger compartment of a vehicle

摘要

A climate control system and method controls climate at selected regions within a passenger compartment of a vehicle. The thermoelectric system includes a plurality of thermoelectric assemblies. The system includes at least one fluid conduit configured to allow a liquid to flow in the at least one fluid conduit. The system further includes a plurality of thermoelectric assemblies. At least two thermoelectric assemblies of the plurality of thermoelectric assemblies are in thermal communication with the liquid and each of the at least two thermoelectric assemblies has a corresponding region within the passenger compartment. The at least two thermoelectric assemblies are selectively operable to transfer heat between the corresponding region and the liquid, wherein the at least two thermoelectric assemblies are each operable independently from one another.

主权项

1. A seat system for a passenger compartment of a vehicle, the seat system comprising:
at least one fluid conduit loop configured to allow a liquid to flow in the at least one fluid conduit loop; one or more seat portions; and a plurality of thermoelectric assemblies located in the one or more seat portions, wherein at least two thermoelectric assemblies of the plurality of thermoelectric assemblies each have a first side and a second side and are configured to transfer thermal energy between the first side and the second side, wherein the at least two thermoelectric assemblies of the plurality of thermoelectric assemblies are in selective fluid communication with the liquid via a corresponding fluid flow controller of each of the at least two thermoelectric assemblies, the corresponding fluid flow controller configured to stop fluid flow of the liquid relative to the first side or to allow fluid flow of the liquid relative to the first side to place the first side in thermal communication with the liquid flowing through the at least one fluid conduit loop, wherein when the corresponding fluid flow controller allows the liquid to flow relative to the first side, the liquid thermally connects the first side to a heat source or a heat sink, wherein each of the at least two thermoelectric assemblies has a region corresponding to the thermoelectric assembly, wherein the at least two thermoelectric assemblies are selectively operable to heat the region corresponding to the thermoelectric assembly by the thermoelectric assembly transferring heat from the liquid via the first side to the region corresponding to the thermoelectric assembly via the second side, wherein the at least two thermoelectric assemblies are each operable independently from one another, and wherein the second side is in thermal communication with the region corresponding to the thermoelectric assembly and is configured to control the temperature of the region.