Fire detection inside a transport refrigeration unit
AssigneeCarrier Corporation
InventorLoic Renault
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A transport refrigeration unit (TRU) fire detection and mitigation system is provided for use with a TRU that includes a housing and components supportively disposed within the housing that are configured to condition an interior of a container. The TRU fire detection and mitigation system includes a fire detection sub-system and a mitigation sub-system. The fire detection sub-system is partially disposable within the housing and configured to detect a thermal event therein. The mitigation sub-system is coupled to the fire detection sub-system and configured to take a mitigation action responsive to the thermal event being sensed by the fire detection sub-system.
Claims20
A transport refrigeration unit (TRU), comprising:
- a housing;
- components supportively disposed in the housing and configured to condition an interior of a container;
- and
- a fire detection and mitigation system comprising:
- a fire detection sub-system which is partially disposable within the housing and configured to detect a thermal event therein;
- and
- a mitigation sub-system coupled to the fire detection sub-system and configured to take a mitigation action responsive to the thermal event being sensed by the fire detection sub-system,
- wherein:
- the fire detection sub-system comprises a loop within the housing with a nominal pressure which is increasable responsive to a thermal event within the housing and a switch which is actuatable by an increased pressure in the loop to activate the mitigation sub-system and the loop comprises piping charged with gas that begins and terminates at the switch and follows a serpentine configuration with multiple hairpin turns, and
- the mitigation sub-system comprises a safety controller and the mitigation action comprises a modification of gas flow to the components by the safety controller.
A transport refrigeration unit (TRU) fire detection and mitigation system, comprising:
- a fire detection sub-system;
- and
- a mitigation sub-system coupled to the fire detection sub-system,
- the fire detection sub-system comprising a loop disposable within a housing of a TRU with a nominal pressure which is increasable responsive to a thermal event within the housing and a switch which is actuatable by an increased pressure in the loop to activate the mitigation sub-system, and
- the mitigation sub-system being configured to take a mitigation action responsive to activation by the switch and the loop comprises piping charged with gas that begins and terminates at the switch and follows a serpentine configuration with multiple hairpin turns, and
- the mitigation sub-system comprises a safety controller and the mitigation action comprises a modification of gas flow to TRU components by the safety controller.
A transport refrigeration unit (TRU), comprising:
- a housing in which components are disposed and configured to condition a container interior, the housing comprising hot spot locations proximal to each component;
- and
- a detection system configured to detect a thermal event in the housing;
- and
- a mitigation system coupled to the detection system and configured to take a mitigation action responsive to the thermal event being sensed by the detection system,
- the detection system comprising a loop within the housing with a nominal pressure which is increasable responsive to the thermal event and a switch which is actuatable by an increased pressure in the loop to activate the mitigation system, and
- the loop comprising gas-charged piping beginning and terminating at the switch and following a serpentine configuration with multiple hairpin turns proximate to the hot spot locations,
- wherein the mitigation system comprises a safety controller and the mitigation action comprises a shutting off of gas flow to the components by the safety controller.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.