US 11,884,335 B2
Transportation refrigeration unit with energy storage system and external DC power source
Mary D. Saroka, Syracuse, NY (US); and Jeffrey J. Burchill, East Syracuse, NY (US)
Assigned to CARRIER CORPORATION, Palm Beach Gardens, FL (US)
Appl. No. 17/252,791
Filed by CARRIER CORPORATION, Palm Beach Gardens, FL (US)
PCT Filed Sep. 17, 2019, PCT No. PCT/US2019/051384
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Dec. 16, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/068475, PCT Pub. Date Apr. 2, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/738,682, filed on Sep. 28, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0260964 A1, Aug. 26, 2021
Int. Cl. B62D 33/04 (2006.01); H02J 7/00 (2006.01); B60K 25/08 (2006.01); H02J 3/32 (2006.01); H02J 7/02 (2016.01); H02J 7/14 (2006.01); B60H 1/32 (2006.01)
CPC B62D 33/048 (2013.01) [B60K 25/08 (2013.01); H02J 3/32 (2013.01); H02J 7/0048 (2020.01); H02J 7/02 (2013.01); H02J 7/1415 (2013.01); H02J 7/1438 (2013.01); B60H 2001/3261 (2013.01); B60H 2001/3292 (2013.01); H02J 2310/46 (2020.01)] 25 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A transportation refrigeration unit (TRU) and power system comprising:
a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant, the compressor having compressor motor configured to drive the compressor;
an evaporator heat exchanger operatively coupled to the compressor;
an evaporator fan configured to provide return airflow from a return air intake and flow the return airflow over the evaporator heat exchanger;
a return air temperature (RAT) sensor disposed in the return airflow and configured to measure the temperature of the return airflow;
a TRU controller operably connected to the RAT sensor and configured to execute a process to determine an alternating current (AC) power requirement for the TRU based on at least the RAT;
a generator power converter, the generator power converter configured to receive a generator three phase AC power provided by an AC generator coupled to an axle or wheel hub and transmit a second DC power;
an energy storage system configured to receive the second DC power, provide a first three phase AC power, and receive a second three phase AC power; and
a power management system configured to receive the first three phase AC power and direct at least a portion of the three phase AC power to the TRU based at least in part on the AC power requirement, the power management system generating a TRU DC power from the first three phase AC power and directing the TRU DC power to the TRU system.