Designing Mobile Air–conditioning Systems to Provide Occupant Comfort 2000-01-1273

The designer of mobile air–conditioning systems must consider the total vehicle in order to provide occupant comfort. An effective refrigerant circuit is only one portion of the vehicle “Comfort System” and without the system's ability to deliver adequate cooling it will not meet the consumer's expectations. A significant considered is the design of the vehicle's body, including the panel outlets and the extent of window glazing surfaces. The location of the panel outlets to provide the occupant's adequate and controllable system airflow for changing weather conditions is a major factor in achieving comfort. Window glazing locations and areas have a major effect on increasing the air–conditioning thermal load by allowing direct solar radiation into the vehicle. Unfortunately, the styling of the vehicle dictates these areas and these constraints very often result in the customer having an air–conditioning system that provides an unsatisfactory level of performance. This paper provides an overview of some areas that are not always given adequate consideration during development of a new vehicle and its air–conditioning system.