Control of multiple zone refrigerant vapor compression systems

A refrigeration system comprising:

• a cargo space having a plurality of temperature controlled zones;
• a refrigerant vapor compression system having a refrigerant circuit including a compression device for circulating a refrigerant mass flow through the refrigerant circuit, and a plurality of evaporators with at least one evaporator associated with each one of the plurality of temperature controlled zones a first evaporator through which a flow of air circulated from the associated one of the plurality of temperature controlled zones is passed in heat exchange relationship with a portion of the refrigerant mass flow, and a plurality of liquid flow control valves with one liquid flow control valve disposed the refrigerant circuit in operative association with each of the plurality of evaporators for regulating the flow of refrigerant therethrough;
• and
• a system control for controlling the refrigerant mass flow output of the compression device to provide a cooling capacity of the refrigerant vapor compression system in response to a collective cooling demand for the plurality of temperature controlled zones and for selectively dividing the refrigerant mass flow amongst the plurality of temperature controlled zones.

A transport refrigeration system comprising:

• a cargo space having a first compartment defining a first temperature controlled zone and a second compartment defining a second temperature controlled zone;
• a refrigerant vapor compression system having a refrigerant circuit including a variable capacity compression device for circulating a refrigerant mass flow through the refrigerant circuit, a first evaporator through which a flow of air circulated from the first temperature controlled zone is passed in heat exchange relationship with a first portion of the refrigerant mass flow, a second evaporator through which a flow of air circulated from the second temperature controlled zone is passed in heat exchange relationship with a second portion of the refrigerant mass flow, a first liquid flow control valve disposed in the refrigerant circuit for regulating the flow of refrigerant through the first evaporator and a second liquid flow control valve disposed in the refrigerant circuit for regulating the flow of refrigerant through the second evaporator;
• and
• a system control for controlling the refrigerant mass flow output of the compression device to provide a cooling capacity of the refrigerant vapor compression system in response to a collective cooling demand for the first and the second temperature controlled zones, and for selectively controlling the positioning of the first liquid flow control valve to control the mass flow of the first portion of the refrigerant mass flow passing to the first evaporator, and for selectively controlling the positioning of the second liquid flow control valve to control the mass flow of the second portion of the refrigerant mass flow passing to the second evaporator.