So while back, I posted a question about how come TCh warms up so fast. I even thought there is some sort of a heater involved and was told, there is none.

Was cruising through some pages today and fopund this:

PTC Heater The PTC heater is located above the heater core in the air conditioning unit.
The PTC heater consists of a PTC element, aluminum fin, and brass plate. When current is applied to the PTC element, it generates that to warm the air that passes through the unit. For details, PTC heater control on page BE-57.

So she does have a preheating element. Cute. Works for me.

 

And just as idle information - we have a 2ry water pump for heater core only. Cute.

Electric Water Pump
The ’07 Camry Hybrid model uses an electric water pump for air conditioning. This provides a stable heater performance even if the engine is stopped because of a function of the THS-II.
The ’07 Camry Hybrid model uses a new type of electrical water pump in which the water flow resistance has been reduced.

 

PTC Heaters

ptcheatingelementspicPositive Temperature Coefficient (PTC) heating elements are small ceramic stones with self-limiting temperature characteristics. PTC stones have fast heating response times and plateau once the pre-defined reference temperature is reached. It is possible to form the stones into a square, rectangular, circular or ring shape. Above the reference temperature, the semiconducting and ferro-electrical properties of the ceramic are utilized to produce a rise in resistance of several orders of magnitude, and thereby creating it's self-limiting properties.

The rise in resistance is experienced within a fairly small temperature window of a few degrees centigrade. This attribute of the PTC results in a heating element that self-regulates to a pre-set temperature and automatically varies its wattage in order to maintain that pre-set temperature. In a given application, a greater degree of thermal dissipation (cooling) will result in a lower resistance being maintained by the element. This effect increases the power output of the heater, during operation in colder temperatures. Inversely as ambient temperature increases and less heat is dissipated, the resistance of the element will increase culminating in a near zero current draw at its designated temperature.

The dynamic resistance and output of PTC heaters makes them an excellent choice for providing controlled electrical heat. In many applications it is possible to do away entirely with thermostatic controls. Simplification of design and reduced energy consumption represent significant cost savings for a given application. The removal of failure prone components such as thermostats can also add significantly to the reliability of a product. Safety is an added benefit, since no matter how much current is applied to the PTC, it will never surpass its intended surface temperature.

PTC stones are doped polycrystalline ceramics based on barium titanate. The Stone is formed after a process that involves blending, milling, drying and sintering. To facilitate electrical connection, metalized contacts known as electrodes are applied to the surface of the PTC.

ptcgraph

Please refer to this brochure or contact us for further Information.

PTC Features & Benefits

Temperature limiting characteristics ensure safety
Dynamic, self regulating and energy efficient
All voltages from 12 V to 240 V; special voltage applications up to 800 V
Dual voltages 12-24 V, 100-240 V possible
PTC surface temperatures can be set from 40° C / 104° F to 280° C / 536° F
Temperature tolerances +/- 5° C
Compact design
High power density
Long lifetime
Reliable
UL, CSA and VDE recognized
Custom configurations available in regards to size, inrush current, temperature, voltage, and power output