System and method for monitoring and purging atmosphere in a confined space
AssigneeWhiskey Lima Corporation
InventorsLionel Valentin Ortiz Santini, Nelson Juan Ortiz Santini
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A purge system for a box trailer used for overland cargo transport includes there being a exhaust vent at a front end of the trailer, and one or more fresh air vents at the rear end of the trailer. Fresh air or conditioned air is introduced into the trailer through the fresh air vents, and the interior air is exhausted through the exhaust vent. An exhaust fan at the exhaust vent is controlled by a control module, which receives information from various sensors regarding conditions inside the trailer, and initiates the purge operation in response to one or more of the monitored parameters meeting or exceeding an established threshold.
Claims20
A container fast purge system for a cargo container having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, a first end and a second end opposite the first end, wherein the first side and the second side extend from the first end to the second end, comprising:
- an exhaust vent through the first side at the first end of the cargo container and positioned adjacent a ceiling of the cargo container;
- an exhaust fan positioned at the exhaust vent to exhaust air from an interior of the cargo container directly to an ambient outdoor exterior environment without recirculation through an adjacent container or structure;
- at least one fresh air vent through a portion of the cargo container at the second end of the cargo container;
- a temperature sensor disposed inside the cargo container that is configured to provide a signal that indicates a temperature inside the cargo container;
- and
- a controller that is responsive to the signal of the temperature sensor to operate the exhaust fan until the temperature inside the cargo container has decreased by a preselected amount or to a preselected temperature, thereby purging undesirable air from the cargo container and preventing its release into an adjacent building prior to opening for worker entry.
A cargo trailer fast purge system, comprising:
- an exhaust vent through a side of the cargo trailer at a front end of the cargo trailer and positioned adjacent a ceiling of the cargo trailer;
- an exhaust fan positioned at the exhaust vent to exhaust air from an interior of the cargo trailer directly to an ambient outdoor exterior environment without recirculation or direction into an adjacent building;
- at least one fresh air vent through a portion of the cargo trailer at a rear end of the cargo trailer;
- a temperature sensor disposed inside the cargo trailer that is configured to provide a signal that indicates a temperature inside the cargo trailer;
- and
- a controller that is responsive to the signal of the temperature sensor to operate the exhaust fan until the temperature inside the cargo trailer has decreased by a preselected amount or to a preselected temperature, thereby purging undesirable air from the cargo trailer and preventing hazardous air release into a connected facility prior to opening for worker entry.
A method of replacing undesirable environmental atmospheric conditions within a closed cargo trailer with desirable environmental conditions to safeguard building spaces and worker health before opening a trailer door of the cargo trailer, the method comprising:
- monitoring at least one interior condition of the cargo trailer and obtaining a parameter value indicating a state of the at least one interior condition;
- comparing the parameter value to a preselected threshold value;
- when the parameter value meets or exceeds the preselected threshold value, automatically exhausting an interior air mass of the cargo trailer to an ambient outdoor exterior environment while simultaneously drawing into the cargo trailer a replacement air mass from outside the cargo trailer;
- automatically stopping the exhausting when the parameter value subsequently changes to a preferred value without manual intervention;
- and
- opening the cargo trailer for service by a user.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.