Abstract: A refrigeration system for cooling a refrigeration compartment. The refrigeration system comprises a cooling reservoir for cooling refrigerant in a first loop using energy recovered from an engine exhaust stream and a refrigeration circuit comprising a compressor drivable by an internal combustion motor, the compressor circulating refrigerant in a second loop. The refrigeration system comprises at least one heat exchanger in communication with the first and second loops to receive cooled refrigerant, and at least one blower for forcing air over the at least one heat exchanger. A controller selectively activates the internal combustion motor based on a temperature of the cooling reservoir.

Abstract: A system is provided for capturing energy from heat expelled in an exhaust of an engine of a motor vehicle and storing the captured energy. The system comprises a generator, a condenser, an evaporator, and an absorber. The generator captures heat from the exhaust of the engine and may be configured for circulating a first solution having a solute that is vaporizable by heat captured by the generator. The condenser may be coupled to the generator for receiving vaporized solute and condensing the vaporized solute to a liquid. The evaporator may be coupled to the condenser and have an orifice between the condenser and the evaporator. The evaporator may have a first fluid passage for circulating the solute and a second fluid passage for circulating a second solution. The first and second fluid passages may be configured such that solute running through the first fluid passage is vaporizable by heat absorbed from the second solution running through the second fluid passage, thereby cooling the second solution.