US 9,389,007 B1 · Transportation refrigeration system with integrated power generation and energy storage · patentgrep

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Abstract

A thermal energy storage system (TESS) that enables the discharge of refrigerated air for cooling cargo or passengers in large compartments, such as the trailer of a semi-truck, for a period of time well in excess of several hours. The TES system is able to provide refrigeration without operating a conventional VCC unit, the truck engine, or the TRU diesel APU engine during all or a significant portion of the period of the typical range of time that a 53 foot refrigerated the truck is traveling over the road. The TES system includes a phase change material (PCM) reservoir, a cooling system-to-WF heat exchanger in fluid communication with the PCM reservoir, and a PCM-to-target heat exchanger in fluid communication with the PCM reservoir. The PCM reservoir contains a phase change material, a working fluid (WF) and a working fluid-to-PCM heat exchanger.

Claims77

Dependent claims

An integrated power generation, energy storage and refrigeration system comprising:

a plurality of wheels;
an axle affixed to at least one of the plurality of wheels;
an electric power generator that converts the rotational motion of the wheels into electric power;
a thermal energy storage unit having a heat exchanging fluid and a cooling unit to thermally charge the fluid, the cooling unit powered by the electric power generator;
and
a control logic and control unit to manage state of charge of the thermal energy storage or battery energy storage systems based on operational parameters of the vehicle provided from an on-board diagnostics or general controller area network link or other available vehicle data device, wherein deceleration energy use is managed to address charging of the thermal energy storage system over the road to maintain a base state of charge such that the thermal energy storage unit is charged during deceleration events and partially discharged during normal road use to manage energy conservation.

3 more elements

An integrated power generation, energy storage and refrigeration system comprising:

a chassis;
a wheel rotatably coupled to the chassis and adapted for contact with a road surface;
a constant output velocity unit in rotational communication with the wheel;
an electric power generator in rotational communication with the constant output speed drive unit, wherein the constant output velocity unit supplies rotational power to the electric power generator within a prescribed range of rotational velocity and whereby the generator converts the rotational motion of the wheels into electric power;
a thermal energy storage unit having a heat exchanging fluid and a cooling unit to charge the fluid, the cooling unit powered by the electric power generator, and
a phase change material reservoir containing a phase change material, a working fluid and a working fluid-to-phase change material heat exchanger, the working fluid-to-phase change material heat exchanger in contact with the phase change material and the working fluid;
a phase change material-to-target heat exchanger in fluid communication with the phase change material reservoir, wherein the phase change material circulates between the phase change material reservoir and the phase change material-to-air heat exchanger;
a first pump to circulate the phase change material between the phase change material reservoir and the phase change material-to-target heat exchanger;
a vapor compression cycle system;
a vapor compression cycle-to-working fluid heat exchanger adapted to remove heat from the working fluid and in fluid communication with the phase change material reservoir, wherein the working fluid circulates between the phase change material reservoir and the vapor compression cycle-to-working fluid heat exchanger;
a second pump to circulate the working fluid between the phase change material reservoir and the vapor compression cycle-to-WF heat exchanger;
and
a state of charge detection system to monitor the charge of the phase change material.

10 more elements

An integrated power generation, energy storage and refrigeration system comprising:

a plurality of wheels;
an axle affixed to at least one of the plurality of wheels;
an electric power generator that converts the rotational motion of the wheels into electric power;
a thermal energy storage unit having a heat exchanging fluid and a cooling unit to thermally charge the fluid, the cooling unit powered by the electric power generator;
and
resistive heating coils powered by the electric power generator adapted to heat an enclosed cargo or passenger space or to defrost the thermal energy storage unit.

3 more elements

An integrated power generation, energy storage and refrigeration system comprising:

a plurality of wheels;
an axle affixed to at least one of the plurality of wheels;
an electric power generator that converts the rotational motion of the wheels into electric power;
a thermal energy storage unit having a heat exchanging fluid and a cooling unit to thermally charge the fluid, the cooling unit powered by the electric power generator;
a high temperature battery;
an high temperature battery heat exchanger;
and
a fan, the fan adapted to circulate air from a cargo or passenger space across the high temperature battery heat exchanger.

5 more elements

An integrated power generation, energy storage and refrigeration system comprising:

a plurality of wheels;
an axle affixed to at least one of the plurality of wheels;
an electric power generator that converts the rotational motion of the wheels into electric power;
a thermal energy storage unit having a heat exchanging fluid and a cooling unit to thermally charge the fluid, the cooling unit powered by the electric power generator;
a phase change material reservoir containing a phase change material, a working fluid and a working fluid-to-phase change material heat exchanger, the working fluid-to-phase change material heat exchanger in contact with the phase change material and the working fluid, wherein the phase change material is the heat exchanging fluid;
a cooling unit-to-working fluid heat exchanger adapted to remove heat from the working fluid, the cooling unit-to-working fluid heat exchanger in fluid communication with the phase change material reservoir, wherein the WF circulates between the phase change material reservoir and the cooling unit-to-working fluid heat exchanger forming a charging loop;
and
a phase change material-to-target heat exchanger in fluid communication with the phase change material reservoir, wherein the phase change material circulates between the phase change material reservoir and the phase change material-to-air heat exchanger forming a discharging loop.

5 more elements

An integrated power generation, energy storage and refrigeration system comprising:

a plurality of wheels;
an axle affixed to at least one of the plurality of wheels;
an electric power generator that converts the rotational motion of the wheels into electric power;
a thermal energy storage unit having a heat exchanging fluid and a cooling unit to thermally charge the fluid, the cooling unit powered by the electric power generator;
a phase change material reservoir containing a phase change material, wherein the phase change material is the heat exchanging fluid;
a cooling unit-to-phase change material heat exchanger adapted to remove heat from the phase change material, the cooling system-to-phase change material heat exchanger in fluid communication with the phase change material reservoir, wherein the phase change material circulates between the phase change material reservoir and the cooling system-to-phase change material heat exchanger forming a charging loop;
and
a phase change material-to-target heat exchanger in fluid communication with the phase change material reservoir, wherein the phase change material circulates between the phase change material reservoir and the phase change material-to-air heat exchanger forming a discharging loop.

5 more elements

An integrated power generation, energy storage and refrigeration system comprising:

a chassis;
a wheel rotatably coupled to the chassis and adapted for contact with a road surface;
a constant output velocity unit in rotational communication with the wheel;
an electric power generator in rotational communication with the constant output speed drive unit, wherein the constant output velocity unit supplies rotational power to the electric power generator within a prescribed range of rotational velocity and whereby the generator converts the rotational motion of the wheels into electric power;
a thermal energy storage unit having a heat exchanging fluid and a cooling unit to charge the fluid, the cooling unit powered by the electric power generator;
and
resistive heating coils powered by the electric power generator adapted to heat an enclosed cargo or passenger space or to defrost the thermal energy storage unit.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/266,828Filed 1 May 2014 · continuation in part
Priority: 9 Jan 2013
Granted: 12 Jul 2016
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification17 codes

F25B 27/00
Machines, plants or systems, using particular sources of energy
B60P 3/20
Vehicles adapted to transport, to carry or to comprise special loads or objects: refrigerated goods vehicles
F25B 27/002
Machines, plants or systems, using particular sources of energy: using solar energy
F25B 27/005
Using solar energy: in compression type systems

Family

Application61/750,789Us provisional application · filed 9 Jan 2013
Application14/151,653Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 9 Jan 2014
US 9,389,007 B1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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