System and method of controlling passage of refrigerant through eutectic plates and an evaporator of a refrigeration system for a container of a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018001746-A1
Application number	US-201715635483-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 28, 2017
Priority date	Jun 30, 2016
Publication date	Jan 4, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system is provided that includes mode, engine, and battery modules. The mode module is configured to determine whether to operate in an engine mode or a battery mode based on parameters. The engine module, while operating in the engine mode, runs a compressor at a first speed based on a temperature within a temperature controlled container of a vehicle and permits passage of refrigerant through eutectic plates independent of the temperature. A battery, while in the engine mode, is charged based on power received from an electrical source. The battery module, while operating in the battery mode and based on the temperature, runs the compressor at a second speed and prevents passage of the refrigerant through the eutectic plates. While in the battery mode, the battery is not being charged based on power from a shore power source and the electrical source from which power is received during the engine mode.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system comprising:
a mode module configured to determine whether to operate in an engine mode or a battery mode based on a plurality of parameters; an engine module configured to, while operating in the engine mode, (i) run a compressor of a vehicle at a first speed, and (ii) permit passage of refrigerant through eutectic plates independent of the temperature; and a battery module configured to, while operating in the battery mode and based on a temperature within a temperature controlled container of the vehicle, (i) run the compressor at a second speed, and (ii) prevent passage of the refrigerant through the eutectic plates, wherein the second speed is less than or equal to the first speed, wherein, while operating in the engine mode, a battery of the vehicle is charged based on power received from an electrical source driven by an engine of the vehicle, wherein the electrical source is an alternator, a generator or a solar panel, and wherein, while operating in the battery mode, the battery is not being charged from either the electrical source or a shore power source.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the engine module is configured to, while operating in the engine mode, run the compressor at the first speed based on the temperature within the temperature controlled container of the vehicle.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the engine module is configured to, while operating in the engine mode, (i) if the temperature is within a predetermined temperature range, prevent the refrigerant from passing through an evaporator, and (ii) if the temperature is outside the predetermined temperature range, permit passage of the refrigerant through the evaporator.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of parameters comprise (i) a first parameter indicating whether shore power is disconnected, and (ii) a second parameter indicating whether the electrical source is ON and charging the battery.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of parameters comprise a parameter indicating whether a door of the temperature controlled container is open.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the plurality of parameters comprise a state of charge or voltage of one or more batteries; and the one or more batteries include the battery.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the engine module is configured to:
if the plurality of parameters satisfy a plurality of conditions and the temperature is within a predetermined range, (i) shut off an evaporator fan, (ii) run a condenser fan, (iii) permit passage of the refrigerant through the eutectic plates, and (iv) prevent passage of the refrigerant through the evaporator; and if the plurality of parameters satisfy the plurality of conditions and the temperature is outside the predetermined range, (i) run the evaporator fan, (ii) run the condenser fan, and (iii) permit passage of the refrigerant through the eutectic plates and the evaporator.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the battery module is configured to:
if the plurality of parameters satisfy a plurality of conditions and the temperature is within a predetermined range, (i) shut off an evaporator fan and a condenser fan, and (ii) prevent passage of the refrigerant through the eutectic plates and the evaporator; and if the plurality of parameters satisfy the plurality of conditions and the temperature is outside the predetermined range, (i) run the evaporator fan and the condenser fan, (ii) prevent passage of the refrigerant through the eutectic plates, and (iii) permit passage of the refrigerant through the evaporator.

9 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a control module configured to, while in at least one of the engine mode or the battery mode:
shut off an evaporator fan in response to a door of the temperature controlled container being in an open state; and run the evaporator fan based on the temperature when the door is in a closed state.

10 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
the compressor; the eutectic plates; an evaporator; an evaporator fan; a condenser fan; a plurality of valves; and a control module configured to, based on whether the system is operating in the engine mode or the battery mode, control operation of the evaporator fan and the condenser fan and states of the plurality of valves, wherein controlling states of the plurality of valves controls flow of refrigerant through the eutectic plates and the evaporator.

11 . A method comprising:
determining whether to operate in an engine mode or a battery mode based on a plurality of parameters; while operating in the engine mode, (i) running a compressor of a vehicle at a first speed, and (ii) permitting passage of refrigerant through eutectic plates independent of a temperature within a temperature controlled container of the vehicle, wherein a battery, while in the engine mode, is charged based on power received from an electrical source driven by an engine of the vehicle; and while operating in the battery mode and based on the temperature, (i) running the compressor at a second speed, and (ii) preventing passage of the refrigerant through the eutectic plates, wherein, while in the battery mode, the battery is not being charged based on power from (a) a shore power source, and (b) the electrical source from which power is received during the engine mode, wherein the electrical source is an alternator, a generator or a solar panel, and wherein the second speed is less than or equal to the first speed.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein while operating in the engine mode, the compressor is run at the first speed based on the temperature within the temperature controlled container of the vehicle.

13 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising, while operating in the engine mode, (i) if the temperature is within a predetermined temperature range, preventing the refrigerant from passing through an evaporator, and (ii) if the temperature is outside the predetermined temperature range, permitting passage of the refrigerant through the evaporator.

14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of parameters comprise (i) a first parameter indicating whether shore power is disconnected, and (ii) a second parameter indicating whether the electrical source is ON and charging the battery.

15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of parameters comprises a parameter indicating whether a door of the temperature controlled container is open.

16 . The method of claim 11 , wherein:
the plurality of parameters comprise a state of charge or voltage of one or more batteries; and the one or more batteries include the battery.

17 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising while operating in the engine mode:
if the plurality of parameters satisfy a plurality of conditions and the temperature is within a predetermined range, (i) shutting off an evaporator fan, (ii) running a condenser fan, (iii) permitting passage of the refrigerant through the eutectic plates, and (iv) preventing passage of the refrigerant through the evaporator; and if the plurality of parameters satisfy the plurality of conditions and the temperature is outside the predetermined range, (i) running the evaporator fan, (ii) running the condenser fan, and (iii) permitting passage of the refrigerant through the eutectic plates and the evaporator.

18 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising while operating in the battery mode:
if the plurality of parameters satisfy a plurality of conditions and the tempera

Assignees

• Emerson Climate Technologies

Inventors

• Vehr Shawn W
• Rozsnaki Joseph J
• Siefker Louis

Classifications

• B60H1/3226 Primary

  Self-contained devices, i.e. including own drive motor · CPC title

• B60H1/3205

  Control means therefor · CPC title

• B60H2001/3272

  to control the revolving speed of a compressor · CPC title

• B60H1/005

  Regenerative cooling means, e.g. cold accumulators · CPC title

• B60H2001/3289

  Additional cooling source · CPC title