Multi-temperature transport refrigeration system
AssigneeThermo King Corporation
InventorsMarkéta KOPECKA, Michal KOLDA, Václav RAJTMAJER, Michal HEGAR, Pavel HOUDEK
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Abstract
A multi-temperature transport refrigeration system (TRS) for a refrigerated transport unit having an interior space divided into a plurality of zones is disclosed. The multi-temperature TRS includes a thermal accumulator in a first of the plurality of zones. The thermal accumulator includes a phase change material in a first state to absorb thermal energy from the first of the plurality of zones of the interior space during transformation to a second state. The first of the plurality of zones is maintained at a first temperature and a second of the plurality of zones is maintained at a second temperature.
Claims16
A multi-temperature transport refrigeration system (TRS) for a refrigerated transport unit having an interior space divided into a plurality of zones, comprising:
- a thermal accumulator in a first of the plurality of zones, wherein the thermal accumulator includes a phase change material in a first state to absorb thermal energy from the first of the plurality of zones of the interior space during transformation to a second state;
- and
- wherein the first of the plurality of zones is maintained at a first temperature and a second of the plurality of zones is maintained at a second temperature.
A refrigerated transport unit, comprising:
- a transport unit including:
- an interior space and a partition dividing the interior space into a first and a second zone, the first zone configured to be maintained at a first set point temperature and the second zone configured to be maintained at a second set point temperature;
- a transport refrigeration system, including:
- a thermal accumulator in the first zone, wherein the thermal accumulator includes a phase change material in a first state to absorb thermal energy from the first zone of the interior space during transformation to a second state;
- and
- wherein the first zone is maintained at a first temperature and the second zone is maintained at a second temperature.
A method of providing controlling temperature within a multi-zone transport unit using a multi-temperature transport refrigeration system (TRS), comprising:
- providing a thermal accumulator including a phase change material in a first state in a first of a plurality of zones of the multi-zone transport unit;
- heating or cooling the first of a plurality of zones of the multi-zone transport unit with the thermal accumulator to a first temperature;
- transferring thermal energy from the first of the plurality of zones of the multi-zone transport unit to the thermal accumulator;
- absorbing, by the thermal accumulator, thermal energy as the phase change material changes to a second state;
- and
- heating or cooling a second of the plurality of zones of the multi-zone transport unit to a second temperature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.