Thermochemical Boosted Refrigeration System

A method for operating a transport refrigeration system (20), the system comprising:

• a compartment (22);
• and
• a vapor compression refrigeration system (30) including:
• a compressor (32);
• a first heat exchanger (34) downstream of the compressor along a refrigerant flowpath in a cooling mode;
• an expansion device (36);
• a second heat exchanger (38) downstream of the expansion device along the refrigerant flowpath;
• and
• a fan (42) for driving air along an air flowpath across the second heat exchanger for cooling the compartment in the cooling mode,
• further comprising:
• a thermochemical refrigeration system (100) coupled to the vapor compression refrigeration system downstream of the first heat exchanger and upstream of the second heat exchanger along the refrigerant flowpath in the cooling mode, the method comprising:
• operating in a first said cooling mode wherein:
• refrigerant is compressed in the compressor and passed to the first heat exchanger;
• the refrigerant is cooled in the first heat exchanger;
• the refrigerant cooled by the first heat exchanger is further cooled by the thermochemical refrigeration system;
• the refrigerant further cooled by the thermochemical refrigeration system is expanded by the expansion device;
• and
• the expanded refrigerant is heated in the second heat exchanger and returned to the compressor;
• and
• operating in a second said cooling mode wherein:
• refrigerant is compressed in the compressor and passed to the first heat exchanger;
• the refrigerant is cooled in the first heat exchanger;
• the refrigerant cooled by the first heat exchanger bypasses the thermochemical refrigeration system and is expanded by the expansion device;
• and
• the expanded refrigerant is heated in the second heat exchanger and returned to the compressor.

A transport refrigeration system (20) comprising:

• a compartment (22);
• and
• a vapor compression refrigeration system (30) including:
• a compressor (32);
• a first heat exchanger (34) downstream of the compressor along a refrigerant flowpath in a cooling mode;
• an expansion device (36);
• a second heat exchanger (38) downstream of the expansion device along the refrigerant flowpath;
• and
• a fan (42) for driving air along an air flowpath across the second heat exchanger for cooling the compartment in the cooling mode,
• further comprising:
• a thermochemical refrigeration system (100) coupled to the vapor compression refrigeration system downstream of the first heat exchanger and upstream of the second heat exchanger along the refrigerant flowpath in the cooling mode and comprising a reactor (130);
• and
• a heat source (220) for delivering heat to the reactor, the heat source being an internal combustion engine.