Modular air conditioning assembly for a motor vehicle

摘要

An air conditioning unit for a motor vehicle is housed entirely inside a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle. The air conditioning unit includes a power generator inside an enclosure which also houses the air conditioning unit. The power generator is a small internal combustion engine that combusts the same fuel as the primary internal combustion engine which provides the motive force for the motor vehicle. The enclosure has an inlet port which allows ambient air to flow into the enclosure and an outlet port which allows the ambient air to exit the enclosure and the motor vehicle after it has been heated. The thermal energy received by the ambient air is transmitted from the internal air inside the passenger compartment and transferred to the ambient air via a fluid (refrigerant) which flows therebetween. The use of the power generator eliminates a drain of power on the primary internal combustion engine when the air conditioning unit is being used.