Circuit/System Description

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2019 Chevrolet Malibu. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

The AC compressor function is to provide refrigerant flow in the AC refrigerant loop to help cool down the cabin and help dehumidify the air in a defrost mode. Rather than a more-typical pulley, the A/C compressor uses a 3-phase alternating current, high voltage electric motor to operate. It has an on-board inverter that takes High Voltage direct current from the vehicle's High Voltage Battery and inverts it to alternating current for the motor.

The Hybrid Powertrain control module 2 uses values from the A/C refrigerant pressure transducers, A/C refrigerant thermistor, duct temperature sensors, ambient air temperature sensor, passenger compartment temperature sensor, and evaporator temperature sensor to determine the speed at which the compressor will operate. This speed request message is sent from the Hybrid/EV Powertrain Control Module 2 to the A/C compressor control module via serial data message.