REFRIGERANT SYSTEM WITH FUEL CELL FOR ELECTRICITY GENERATION
A transport refrigeration/air conditioning system includes a fuel cell which is electrically connected to at least one of the compressor drive motor, evaporator fan motor or condenser fan motor to provide electrical power thereto.
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This invention relates generally to refrigerant systems and more particularly, to such systems powered by fuel cells.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThere are various types of dedicated refrigerant systems, such as refrigeration air conditioning. systems used in mobile or tray applications. That is, trucks/trailer refrigerated compartments, as well as refrigerated containers, which include associated dedicated refrigeration systems for maintaining a required temperature condition in the confines of the storage space of the vehicle or container. Similarly, buses and recreational vehicles often include associated dedicated air conditioning systems, most often located on the roofs of the vehicles, for conditioning the air Within the interior of the vehicles.
The truck trailer refrigeration systems may be of the two main types. in one arrangement, the truck trailer includes an engine, such as a diesel engine, which is drivingly connected, by a belt, a clutch, gears or the like, to the compressor, and to the evaporator and condenser (or gas cooler) fans. In another arrangement, a diesel engine may be drivingly connected to a generator/alternator which, in turn, provides electrical power to the compressor and the fans.
In refrigerated container systems, the refrigeration units are adapted to be plugged into an electrical power source, such as on land or aboard a ship, to thereby provide electrical power to The compressor and fans of the refrigeration system. However, to allow the container refrigeration system to operate when there is no direct source of electricity present, such as aboard a trailer or rail platform, or on a remote dock, a diesel engine is provided to drive a generator which, in turn provides a required source of electricity to the compressor and fans.
If no source of electricity is available, then normally an internal combustion engine is required to drive at least the generator, and possibly the compressor and the fans. Quite often, this engine would be a stand alone engine that is exclusively dedicated to run an air conditioning or refrigeration system. In this regard, there are various undesirable aspects to the use of the internal combustion engine in this manner. Firstly, it produces exhaust gases which are harmful to the environment. Secondly, it generates substantial noise during operation. As known, both issues are becoming more important in environmental considerations and are governed by various regulations and legislation requirements.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTIONIn accordance with one aspect of the invention, the generator and/or dedicated engine for a transport refrigeration/air conditioning system is replaced with a fuel cell for providing the electrical power needed for the refrigeration/air conditioning system.
In accordance with another aspect of invention, a fuel cell replaces a direct source of electric power for a transport refrigeration/air conditioning system.
In the drawings as hereinafter described, a preferred embodiment and a modified embodiment are depicted; however, various other modifications and alternate constructions can be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
In any case, as shown in
It should be understood that in the context of this invention, the heat rejection heat exchanger 15 can be of a condenser type, if it operates in a two-phase regime typical of subcritical cycles, or a gas cooler type, if it operates in a single phase gas regime typical of transcritical cycles. The transcritical cycles are common when, for example, CO2 is used as a refrigerant. The schematic shown in
Further, as shown in
In
In the case of either a truck or a truck/trailer arrangement, the internal cargo space is cooled by way of a refrigeration system 18 which is commonly attached to the front of the trailer in a conventional manner as shown. The refrigeration system 18 has components similar to the components of the refrigeration/air conditioning system 11 described hereinabove. A fuel cell 19 is installed adjacent the refrigeration system 18 and is electrically connected thereto such that the fuel cell provides electrical power to the compressor, evaporator fan and condenser fan motors within the refrigeration unit 18. In this manner, the refrigerant system 18 can be made to be fully independent of an engine, thus allowing for quiet and environmental friendly operation of the system.
An alternative embodiment is shown in
In
While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to preferred and modified embodiments as illustrated in the drawings, it will be understood by one skilled in the art that various changes in detail may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims.
Claims
1. A transport closed-loop refrigeration/air conditioning system ha mg a compressor with an associated electrical drive motor, an evaporator with an associated electrical motor driven an moving device and a heat rejection heat exchanger with an associated electrical motor driven air moving device, and further comprising:
- a fuel cell electrically connected to at least one of said associated electrical drive motors for supplying electrical power thereto.
2. A transport closed-loop refrigeration/air conditioning system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said fuel cell is a primary power source.
3. A transport closed-loop refrigeration/air conditioning system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said fuel cell is an auxiliary power source.
4. A transport closed-loop refrigeration/air conditioning system as set forth in claim 3 wherein said fuel cell provides power to the electrical drive motors simultaneously with a primary source of power.
5. A transport closed-loop refrigeration/air conditioning system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said fuel cell is at least one of a backup power source and as standby power source.
6. A transport closed-loop refrigeration/air conditioning system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said fuel cell is connected to a DC bus to convert DC current to AC current.
7. A transport closed-loop refrigeration/air conditioning system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said heat rejection heat exchanger is one of a condenser type or a gas cooler type.
8. A transport dosed-loop refrigeration/air conditioning system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising at least one of the following components: a receiver, an accumulator, an economizer heat exchanger, a liquid injection line, a vapor injection line, a liquid-suction heat exchanger and an intercooler heat exchanger.
9. A transport closed-loop refrigeration/air conditioning system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said closed-loop refrigeration/air conditioning system is part of one of a truck/trailer or a refrigerated container.
10. A transport closed-loop refrigeration/air conditioning system as set forth in claim 9 wherein said fuel cell is also located on said one of a truck/trailer or a refrigerated container.
11. A transport closed-loop refrigeration/air conditioning system as set forth in claim 10 wherein said truck/trailer includes a tractor for moving said trailer and further wherein said fuel cell is also used to power said tractor.
12. A transport closed-loop refrigeration/air conditioning system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said closed-loop refrigeration/air conditioning system is located on the roof or at the rear of the vehicle for purposes of conditioning the air within the vehicle.
13. A transport closed-loop refrigeration/air conditioning system as set forth in claim 12 wherein said fuel cell is also located on vehicle.
14. A method of providing, electrical power to a transport closed-loop refrigeration/air conditioning system having a compressor with an associated electrical drive motor, an evaporator with an associated electrical motor driven fan and a heat rejection heat exchanger with an associated electrical motor driven tan, comprising the steps of:
- providing a fuel cell; and
- electrically connecting said fuel cell to at least one of said associated electrical drive motors for supplying electrical power thereto.
15. A method as set forth in claim 14 wherein said fuel cell is a primary power source.
16. A method as set forth in claim 14 wherein said fuel cell is an auxiliary power source.
17. A method as set forth in claim 16 wherein said fuel cell provides power to the electrical drive motors simultaneously with a primary source of power.
18. A method as set forth in claim 14 wherein said fuel cell is at least one of as backup power source and a standby power source.
19. A method as set forth in claim 14 wherein said fuel cell is connected to a DC bus to convert DC current to AC current.
20. A method as set forth in claim 14 wherein said heat rejection heat exchanger is one of as condenser type or a gas cooler type.
21. A method as set forth in claim 14 wherein the closed-loop refrigerant system is a part of one of a truck/trailer or a refrigerated container.
22. A method as set forth in claim 21 wherein said fuel cell is also a part of said one of a truck/trailer or a refrigerated container.
23. A method as set forth in claim 22 wherein said truck/trailer includes a tractor for moving said trailer and further wherein said fuel cell is also used to power said tractor.
24. A method as set forth in claim 14 wherein said closed-loop refrigerant system is located on the roof or at the rear of the vehicle for purposes of conditioning the air within the vehicle.
25. A method as set forth in claim 24 wherein said fuel cell is also located on the vehicle.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 8, 2008
Publication Date: Feb 10, 2011
Applicant: CARRIER CORPORATION (Farmington, CT)
Inventors: Alexander Lifson (Manlius, NY), Michael F. Taras (Fayetteville, NY)
Application Number: 12/811,915
International Classification: F25B 1/00 (20060101); F25D 17/06 (20060101); F25B 27/00 (20060101);