Air conditioning method and apparatus for refrigerated vehicles
First Claim
1. A refrigeration system for a vehicle with an elongated cargo containing space formed by a roof, floor, side walls and front and rear end walls, the refrigeration system being associated with a refrigeration or heating and cooling unit mounted at one end of the cargo containing space and comprisingmeans for isolating the refrigeration unit from the cargo containing space, the refrigeration unit having an outlet in communication with the cargo containing space adjacent its roof and an inlet in communication with the cargo containing space adjacent its floor,a supply duct formed along the top of the cargo containing space adjacent the roof and in communication with the outlet,a return duct formed substantially along the length of the cargo containing space by the floor and in communication with the inlet,means for communicating gas or air from the supply duct to the return duct through and around cargo in the cargo containing space,control means arranged along the length of the cargo containing space for regulating gas or air flow into the return duct to form a generally uniform pressure differential between the cargo containing space and the return duct in order to achieve more uniform cooling throughout the cargo containing space, andthe means for communicating gas or air from the supply duct to the return duct comprising heat barrier/spacer means arranged on vertical surfaces of the cargo containing space for allowing refrigerated gas air from the supply duct adjacent the roof toward the return duct adjacent the floor to prevent or minimize heat passage from the vertical surfaces to the cargo space.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for conditioning the cargo containing space of a vehicle are disclosed wherein refrigerated or heated air is introduced into a supply duct and circulated through the cargo to a return duct. The return duct or ducts are preferably formed by movable reefer pallets or racks, controlled openings in the pallets regulating flow into the return duct to develop a uniform pressure differential between the cargo space and the return duct and achieve more uniform cooling. Heat barrier spacers are arranged on vertical walls to minimize heat passage to the cargo. A method and system are also disclosed for supplying refrigerated gas through a supply duct and returning it through a return duct, a control unit being normally responsive to a master temperature sensor arranged in an inlet, a sub-master temperature sensor being arranged for sensing freezing or chilling conditions and overriding the master temperature sensor.
16 Citations
15 Claims
-
1. A refrigeration system for a vehicle with an elongated cargo containing space formed by a roof, floor, side walls and front and rear end walls, the refrigeration system being associated with a refrigeration or heating and cooling unit mounted at one end of the cargo containing space and comprising
means for isolating the refrigeration unit from the cargo containing space, the refrigeration unit having an outlet in communication with the cargo containing space adjacent its roof and an inlet in communication with the cargo containing space adjacent its floor, a supply duct formed along the top of the cargo containing space adjacent the roof and in communication with the outlet, a return duct formed substantially along the length of the cargo containing space by the floor and in communication with the inlet, means for communicating gas or air from the supply duct to the return duct through and around cargo in the cargo containing space, control means arranged along the length of the cargo containing space for regulating gas or air flow into the return duct to form a generally uniform pressure differential between the cargo containing space and the return duct in order to achieve more uniform cooling throughout the cargo containing space, and the means for communicating gas or air from the supply duct to the return duct comprising heat barrier/spacer means arranged on vertical surfaces of the cargo containing space for allowing refrigerated gas air from the supply duct adjacent the roof toward the return duct adjacent the floor to prevent or minimize heat passage from the vertical surfaces to the cargo space.
-
6. A refrigeration system for a vehicle with an elongated cargo containing space formed by a roof, floor, side walls and front and rear end walls, the refrigeration system being associated with a refrigeration or heating and cooling unit mounted at one end of the cargo containing space and comprising
means for isolating the refrigeration unit from the cargo containing space, the refrigeration unit having an outlet in communication with the cargo containing space adjacent its room and an inlet in communication with the cargo containing space adjacent its floor, a supply duct formed along the top of the cargo containing space adjacent the roof and in communication with the outlet, a return duct formed substantially along the length of the cargo containing space by the floor and in communication with the inlet, means for communicating gas or air from the supply duct to the return duct through and around cargo in the cargo containing space, control means arranged along the length of the cargo containing space for regulating gas or air flow into the return duct to form a generally uniform pressure differential between the cargo containing space and the return duct in order to achieve more uniform cooling throughout the cargo containing space, and the return duct being formed by reefer pallet means arranged on the floor of the cargo containing space substantially along its length, the control means being formed by openings in the reefer pallet means for regulating refrigerated air flow from the cargo containing space into the return duct formed by the reefer pallet means.
-
12. A refrigeration system for a vehicle with an elongated cargo containing space formed by a roof, floor, side walls and front and rear end walls, the refrigeration system being associated with a refrigeration or heating and cooling unit mounted at one end of the cargo containing space and comprising
means for isolating the refrigeration unit from the cargo containing space, the refrigeration unit having an outlet in communication with the cargo containing space adjacent its roof and an inlet in communication with the cargo containing space adjacent its floor, a supply duct formed along the top of the cargo containing space adjacent the roof and in communication with the outlet, a return duct formed substantially along the length of the cargo containing space by the floor and in communication with the inlet, means for communication gas or air from the supply duct to the return duct through and around cargo in the cargo containing space, control means arranged along the length of the cargo containing space for regulating gas or air flow into the return duct to form a generally uniform pressure differential between the cargo containing space and the return duct in order to achieve more uniform cooling throughout the cargo containing space, and a plenum being arranged beneath the refrigeration unit for receiving air from the return duct through the inlet and further comprising turning vanes for maintaining uniform flow distribution of air from the return duct through the 5 plenum for approaching the refrigeration unit.
-
13. A method for refrigerating an elongated cargo containing space formed in a vehicle by a roof, floor, side walls and front and rear end walls, the vehicle having a refrigeration unit mounted at one end of the cargo containing space, the method comprising the steps of
directing refrigerated air from the refrigeration unit along a supply duct adjacent the roof of the cargo containing space, returning air from the cargo containing space through a return duct formed adjacent the floor to an inlet floor the refrigeration unit, arranging cargo in the cargo containing space to form passages for allowing flow of refrigerated air from the supply duct adjacent the roof toward the return duct adjacent the floor, controlling flow of the refrigerated air from the cargo containing space into the return duct along the length of the cargo containing space in order to form a generally uniform pressure differential between the cargo containing space and the return duct and thereby achieve more uniform cooling throughout the cargo containing space, and arranging the cargo in spaced apart relation from vertical surfaces of the cargo containing space by heat barrier-spacer means for allowing refrigerated air to flow therethrough from the supply duct adjacent the roof toward the return duct adjacent the floor in order to prevent or minimize heat passage from the vertical surfaces to the cargo.
Specification