System and method of mode-based compressor speed control for refrigerated vehicle compartment
First Claim
1. A system comprising:
- a mode module configured to determine whether to operate in a shore power mode, an engine mode, or a battery mode based on a plurality of parameters;
a shore power module configured to, while operating in the shore power mode, set a compressor at a speed based on a temperature within a temperature-controlled container of a vehicle and limit the speed of the compressor to a first speed, wherein a first battery is charged based on power received from at least one of a utility power source and a solar power source while in the shore power mode;
an engine module configured to, while operating in the engine mode, set the speed of the compressor based on the temperature and limit the speed of the compressor to a second speed, wherein the first battery, while in the engine mode, is charged based on power received from at least one of an electrical source driven by an engine of the vehicle or the solar power source, wherein the second speed is less than or equal to the first speed, and wherein the electrical source is an alternator or a generator;
a battery module configured to, while operating in the battery mode, set the speed of the compressor based on the temperature and limit the speed of the compressor to a third speed, wherein, while in the battery mode, the first battery is not being charged based on power from (a) a shore power source, and (b) the electrical source from which power is received during the engine mode, and wherein the third speed is greater than 0 and less than the first speed and the second speed; and
a control module configured to (i) determine whether the system is operating in the shore power mode, the engine mode, or the battery mode, (ii) based on which one of the shore power mode, the engine mode, or the battery mode the system is operating in, perform at least one operation to determine whether to permit passage of a refrigerant through an evaporator and to determine whether to permit passage of the refrigerant through eutectic plates, and (iii) based on a result of the at least one operation, control passage of the refrigerant through at least one of the evaporator or the eutectic plates.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system is provided that includes mode, shore power, engine, and battery modules. The mode module determines whether to operate in a shore power, engine, or battery mode based on parameters. The shore power module, while in the shore power mode, runs a compressor at a speed based on a temperature within a container of a vehicle and limits the speed to a first speed. A battery is charged based on utility power while in the shore power mode. The engine module, while in the engine mode, limits the compressor speed to a second speed. The battery, while in the engine mode, is charged based on power received from an alternator/generator. The battery module, while in the battery mode, limits the compressor speed to a third speed. While in the battery mode, the battery is not being charged based on power from a shore power source and the alternator/generator.
113 Citations
41 Claims
-
1. A system comprising:
-
a mode module configured to determine whether to operate in a shore power mode, an engine mode, or a battery mode based on a plurality of parameters; a shore power module configured to, while operating in the shore power mode, set a compressor at a speed based on a temperature within a temperature-controlled container of a vehicle and limit the speed of the compressor to a first speed, wherein a first battery is charged based on power received from at least one of a utility power source and a solar power source while in the shore power mode; an engine module configured to, while operating in the engine mode, set the speed of the compressor based on the temperature and limit the speed of the compressor to a second speed, wherein the first battery, while in the engine mode, is charged based on power received from at least one of an electrical source driven by an engine of the vehicle or the solar power source, wherein the second speed is less than or equal to the first speed, and wherein the electrical source is an alternator or a generator; a battery module configured to, while operating in the battery mode, set the speed of the compressor based on the temperature and limit the speed of the compressor to a third speed, wherein, while in the battery mode, the first battery is not being charged based on power from (a) a shore power source, and (b) the electrical source from which power is received during the engine mode, and wherein the third speed is greater than 0 and less than the first speed and the second speed; and a control module configured to (i) determine whether the system is operating in the shore power mode, the engine mode, or the battery mode, (ii) based on which one of the shore power mode, the engine mode, or the battery mode the system is operating in, perform at least one operation to determine whether to permit passage of a refrigerant through an evaporator and to determine whether to permit passage of the refrigerant through eutectic plates, and (iii) based on a result of the at least one operation, control passage of the refrigerant through at least one of the evaporator or the eutectic plates. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 33, 34, 35, 36, 38, 40)
-
-
10. A system comprising:
-
a mode module configured to determine whether to operate in a shore power mode, an engine mode, or a battery mode based on a plurality of parameters; a shore power module configured to, while operating in the shore power mode, set a compressor at a speed based on a temperature within a temperature-controlled container of a vehicle and limit the speed of the compressor to a first speed, wherein a first battery is charged based on power received from at least one of a utility power source and a solar power source while in the shore power mode; an engine module configured to, while operating in the engine mode, set the speed of the compressor based on the temperature and limit the speed of the compressor to a second speed, wherein the first battery, while in the engine mode, is charged based on power received from at least one of an electrical source driven by an engine of the vehicle or the solar power source, wherein the second speed is less than or equal to the first speed, and wherein the electrical source is an alternator or a generator; and a battery module configured to, while operating in the battery mode, set the speed of the compressor based on the temperature and limit the speed of the compressor to a third speed, wherein, while in the battery mode, the first battery is not being charged based on power from (a) a shore power source, and (b) the electrical source from which power is received during the engine mode, and wherein the third speed is greater than 0 and less than the first speed and the second speed, wherein the shore power module is configured to, while in the shore power mode and based on a suction pressure of the compressor, operate in a pulldown maintenance mode to pulldown a temperature of eutectic plates; and the pulldown maintenance mode comprises, based on the temperature of the temperature-controlled container, switching between (i) preventing passage of a refrigerant to the eutectic plates and an evaporator, (ii) permitting passage of the refrigerant through the eutectic plates and preventing passage of the refrigerant through the evaporator, and (iii) permitting passage of the refrigerant through the eutectic plates and the evaporator. - View Dependent Claims (37)
-
-
19. A method comprising:
-
determining whether to operate in a shore power mode, an engine mode or a battery mode based on a plurality of parameters; while operating in the shore power mode, setting a compressor at a speed based on a temperature within a temperature-controlled container of a vehicle and limiting the speed of the compressor to a first speed, wherein a first battery is charged based on power received from at least one of a utility power source and a solar power source while in the shore power mode; while operating in the engine mode, setting the speed of the compressor based on the temperature and limiting the speed of the compressor to a second speed, wherein the first battery, while in the engine mode, is charged based on power received from at least one of an alternator, a generator or the solar power source, and wherein the second speed is equal to or less than the first speed; while operating in the battery mode, setting the speed of the compressor based on the temperature and limiting the speed of the compressor to a third speed, wherein, while in the battery mode, the first battery is not being charged based on power from (i) a shore power source, and (ii) the alternator or the generator from which power is received during the engine mode, and wherein the third speed is greater than 0 and less than the first speed and the second speed; determining whether a system is operating in the shore power mode, the engine mode, or the battery mode; based on which one of the shore power mode, the engine mode, or the battery mode the system is operating in, performing at least one operation to determine whether to permit passage of a refrigerant through an evaporator and to determine whether to permit passage of the refrigerant through eutectic plates; and based on a result of the at least one operation, controlling passage of the refrigerant through at least one of the evaporator or the eutectic plates. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 39, 41)
-
Specification