US 12,215,919 B2
Transportation refrigeration unit with external DC generator power source
Mary D. Saroka, Syracuse, NY (US); and Jeffrey J. Burchill, Baldwinsville, NY (US)
Assigned to CARRIER CORPORATION, Palm Beach Gardens, FL (US)
Appl. No. 15/734,162
Filed by Carrier Corporation, Palm Beach Gardens, FL (US)
PCT Filed Sep. 18, 2019, PCT No. PCT/US2019/051654
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Dec. 1, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/068502, PCT Pub. Date Apr. 2, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/738,669, filed on Sep. 28, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0213805 A1, Jul. 15, 2021
Int. Cl. F25D 29/00 (2006.01); B60H 1/32 (2006.01); F25B 41/22 (2021.01); H02J 7/00 (2006.01); H02J 7/04 (2006.01); H02M 7/04 (2006.01); H02M 7/44 (2006.01)
CPC F25D 29/003 (2013.01) [B60H 1/3226 (2013.01); H02J 7/0068 (2013.01); H02J 7/04 (2013.01); B60H 2001/3261 (2013.01); B60H 2001/3292 (2013.01); F25B 41/22 (2021.01); H02M 7/04 (2013.01); H02M 7/44 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A transportation refrigeration unit (TRU) and power system comprising:
a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant, the compressor having a compressor motor configured to drive the compressor;
an evaporator heat exchanger operatively coupled to the compressor;
an evaporator fan configured to provide a 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 a 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 sensor;
a power management system the power management system configured to receive a second three phase AC power from a generator power converter;
wherein the power management system directs power to the TRU based at least in part on the AC power requirement;
an energy storage system configured to provide or receive a three phase AC power to/from the power management system;
wherein the power management system includes a power control switching device, the power control switching device responsive to the TRU controller and configured to direct a plurality of power flows in the TRU and power system;
wherein a portion of power flows of the plurality of power flows comprises:
receiving the three phase AC power from the energy storage system and receiving the second three phase AC power;
synchronizing and combining the three phase AC power from the energy storage system and the second three phase AC power; and
directing the combined three phase AC power to the TRU in response to the TRU being operative and an energy storage device of the energy storage system exhibiting a state of charge greater than or equal to a selected threshold.