Patent ID: 8316659

Claim:
A thermal energy management device for a vehicle equipped with an electric generator associating a fuel cell and hydrogen reformer, said device comprising: a thermal source ( 2 ), at least one primary circuit ( 20 ) for circulating a first heat-conducting fluid, a plurality ( 24 - 27 ) of thermal exchangers, said primary circuit enabling heat to be collected from said thermal source ( 2 ) and transported to at least one of said thermal exchangers ( 24 - 27 ), wherein said at least one thermal exchanger is a sorption exchanger, a plurality of chamber cavities each of which cavities is associated with but separate from one of said plurality of thermal exchangers, said primary circuit comprises a closed loop having a plurality of side outlets, said side outlets being positioned in series within the loop, each of said plurality of thermal exchangers connected to one of said side outlets for supplying heat conducting fluid to the cavity associated with that thermal exchanger for thereby heating that thermal exchanger, each side outlet having a valve capable of directing said first heat-conducting fluid through the outlet and capable of causing all of said first heat-conducting fluid to completely bypass the outlet.