Vehicle heating and cooling system and control method

1. A vehicle heating and cooling system, comprising:

a refrigerant loop having at least first and second refrigerant-to-coolant heat exchangers, a compressor, and an expansion valve through which a refrigerant flows;

a coolant loop connected to allow a first flow of coolant to be directed through at least one of a plurality of air-to-coolant heat exchangers and at least one component for regulating a temperature of the at least component, and to allow a second flow of coolant to be directed through at least one other of the plurality of air-to-coolant heat exchangers and the at least one component for regulating the temperature of the at least one component dependent upon a mode of operation; and

a control module for controlling the first and second flows of coolant dependent upon the mode of operation.

2. The vehicle heating and cooling system of claim 1 , wherein the coolant loop includes a first reservoir and a first manifold for directing the first flow of coolant and a second reservoir and a second manifold for directing the second flow of coolant.

3. The vehicle heating and cooling system of claim 1 , wherein the coolant loop includes a plurality of valves for directing the first flow of coolant and the second flow of coolant.

4. The vehicle heating and cooling system of claim 1 , wherein the coolant loop includes an auxiliary coolant loop including a first component of the at least one component.

5. The vehicle heating and cooling system of claim 4 , further comprising a pump and a valve for circulating coolant through the auxiliary coolant loop in a temperature equalization mode of operation.

6. The vehicle heating and cooling system of claim 4 , wherein the auxiliary coolant loop includes a heater.

7. The vehicle heating and cooling system of claim 4 , wherein the coolant loop includes a second component of the at least one component.

8. The vehicle heating and cooling system of claim 7 , wherein the second component of the at least one component is connected between a second refrigerant-to-coolant heat exchanger of the refrigerant loop and a third air-to-coolant heat exchanger of the coolant loop.

9. The vehicle heating and cooling system of claim 7 , wherein the second component of the at least one component is connected between a first air-to-coolant heat exchanger of the coolant loop and a second refrigerant-to-coolant heat exchanger of the refrigerant loop.

10. The vehicle heating and cooling system of claim 4 , wherein the coolant loop includes first and second bypass valves for at least partially directing coolant around a first component of the at least one component.

11. A vehicle heating and cooling system, comprising:

a refrigerant loop having at least first and second refrigerant-to-coolant heat exchangers through which a refrigerant flows;

a coolant loop connected to allow a first flow of coolant to be directed through at least one of a plurality of air-to-coolant heat exchangers and a first component within an auxiliary coolant loop for regulating a temperature of the first component, and to allow a second flow of coolant to be directed through at least one other of the plurality of air-to-coolant heat exchangers and a second component dependent upon a mode of operation; and

a control module for controlling the first and second flows of coolant dependent upon the mode of operation.

12. The vehicle heating and cooling system of claim 11 , wherein a second component is connected between a first air-to-coolant heat exchanger of the coolant loop and a second refrigerant-to-coolant heat exchanger of the refrigerant loop.

13. A method of heating and cooling a passenger compartment in a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

cycling a refrigerant through a refrigerant loop;

routing a first coolant flow through at least one of a plurality of air-to-coolant heat exchangers and at least one component for regulating a temperature of the at least component;

routing a second coolant flow through at least one other of the plurality of air-to-coolant heat exchangers; and

controlling the routing steps dependent upon a mode of operation.

14. The method of heating and cooling a passenger compartment in a vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the first and second flows of coolant are routed through a plurality of valves and an auxiliary coolant loop for heating or cooling a first component of the at least one component dependent upon the mode of operation.

15. The method of heating and cooling a passenger compartment in a vehicle of claim 13 , further comprising the step of circulating coolant through the auxiliary coolant loop in a temperature equalization mode of operation.

16. The method of heating and cooling a passenger compartment in a vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the auxiliary coolant loop includes a heater.

17. The method of heating and cooling a passenger compartment in a vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the second coolant flow is further routed through a second component of the at least one component.

18. The method of heating and cooling a passenger compartment in a vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the first coolant flow is routed through an auxiliary coolant loop including a first component of the at least one component.

19. The method of heating and cooling a passenger compartment in a vehicle of claim 18 , wherein the second coolant flow is further routed through a second component of the at least one component.

20. The method of heating and cooling a passenger compartment in a vehicle of claim 19 , wherein the second component of the at least one component is connected between a second refrigerant-to-coolant heat exchanger of the refrigerant loop and a third air-to-coolant heat exchanger of the coolant loop.