New Energy Cars Heating System 2
There are two main types of electric vehicle air conditioning heating systems: PTC thermistor heaters and heat pump systems. The working principles of these systems are very different.
Heat pump system
PTC heating converts electrical energy into thermal energy, which creates heat. In extreme cases, it can only achieve 100% energy conversion, consume 1 joule of energy, and provide 1 joule of heat at most. Heat pumps, on the other hand, transport heat. They can use 1 joule of energy to move more than 1 joule of energy from a colder place, so they can save a lot of power consumption.
The basic principle of heat pumps is the same as that of household air conditioners. The low-boiling-point refrigerant evaporates after being decompressed by the throttle valve, absorbs heat from a lower temperature (outside the car), and then compresses the vapor through the compressor to increase the temperature. When passing through the condenser, it releases the absorbed heat and liquefies, and then returns to the throttle valve. Such a cycle can continuously transfer heat from a lower temperature place to a higher temperature place (where heat is needed).
In addition to reducing the energy consumption of heating in the car, the use of heat pumps can also help with the thermal management of other components of electric vehicles. At present, many electric vehicles combine the air conditioning of the cockpit with the thermal management of the battery pack and the thermal management of the electric drive system. For example, Tesla and Geely can transfer the heat generated by the motor to the heating of the cockpit.
