Search Results

In severe - hot and humid - climates, Vehicles Air Conditioning Systems (AC systems) in use today suffers from a lack of performance and on a difficulty to efficiently meet the cooling load without causing a significant reduction in the performance of the internal combustion engine. This is especially true in applications where vehicles have long idling period and a lot of passengers, such as buses and passenger shuttles. An integrated cooling system has been implemented and tested in an Airport Passenger shuttle in order to improve fuel economy and cooling effectiveness in severe environment (up to 120 °F). The cooling system integrates a high-efficiency thermal storage technology (based on phase change materials) coupled to high performance compressors. Comprehensive performance analyses and testing of the high-performance system have highlighted many benefits of using the technology in such applications.

Intercity tractor-trailers and other vehicles with diesel engines idle a significant portion of the time. Idling also produces airborne emissions and noise; a number of cities and states have banned or restricted idling to reduce pollution and noise. Reducing idling truck idling is thus an important environmental issue. In the freight transportation industry, a large part of the idling time is due to off-road heating and air conditioning. The heating ventilating and air conditioning systems (HVAC systems) in use today on internal combustion vehicles do not lend themselves to efficient application in vehicles having long idling period, especially in the trucks market. An integrated climate control system has been developed over the past seven years. Applying a high-efficiency thermal storage technology (based on phase change of specific materials), the Climate Control System has been implemented in long haul trucks to reduce idling (for “off road and off engine” heating and cooling).