A refrigerated container, a system for refrigeration, and a method of refrigerating the container

Abstract

A transport vehicle having a refrigerated container and system of refrigeration is provided.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A system for refrigerating a reefer comprising:
 a reefer container having a plurality of compartments;   an energy supply unit comprising a battery;   a controller;   a system of tubes configured to circulate refrigerant to and from the unit through the reefer, and configured to place the refrigerant to be in thermal communication with the compartments; and   a refrigerant for the thermal energy exchange.   
     
     
         2 . The system as in  claim 1  wherein the energy supply unit is portable and further comprises an electrically driven compressor operationally coupled to a condenser and an evaporator,
 wherein the evaporator is in thermal communication with an internal space of a compartment of the reefer, 
 wherein the controller controls the energy supply unit thereby controlling the temperature of the space, and 
 wherein the refrigerant is circulated through the system of tubes through the electric compressor, condenser and evaporator. 
 
     
     
         3 . The system as in  claim 1  wherein the energy supply unit further comprises an electrically driven compressor operationally couple to a condenser and an evaporator, and a heat pump,
 wherein the electric condenser is configured to supply cooled refrigerant to a first compartment of the reefer, and wherein the heat pump is configured to supply cooled refrigerant to a second compartment of the reefer, 
 wherein the refrigerant is circulated through the evaporator removing heat energy from the compartments thereby maintaining the cooled air of the compartment, and 
 wherein the controller controls the energy supply unit in order to maintain the temperature of the compartments. 
 
     
     
         4 . The system as in  claim 3  further comprising a phase change material (“PCM”) panel comprising a PCM in thermal communication with the refrigerant,
 wherein the controller activates the heat pump to deliver cold thermal energy to the PCM of the PCM panel through the refrigerant in the system of tubes exiting the evaporator of the heat pump, 
 wherein the PCM of the PCM panel is also in thermal communication with the compartment of the reefer. 
 
     
     
         5 . The system as in  claim 2  further comprising an exhaust driven electric generator to convert engine exhaust energy to electric energy. 
     
     
         6 . The system as in  claim 4 , wherein the PCM of the PCM panel is selected from at least one from the group consisting of a low temperature wax, water encapsulated by hydrogel, and a PCM composite. 
     
     
         7 . The system as in  claim 4 , wherein the PCM panel further comprises a refrigerant coil through which the refrigerant travels. 
     
     
         8 . The system as in  claim 7 , wherein the PCM panel further comprises a refrigerant flow control valve at an inlet, a valve at an outlet, a valve at an inlet adaptor portion of the system of tubes, and a valve at an outlet adaptor portion of the system of tubes, for starting and stopping the flow of refrigerant through the system of tubes. 
     
     
         9 . The system as in  claim 4  wherein the system of tubes is configured to circulate refrigerant through the energy supply unit to the PCM panel whereby cold thermal energy is delivered by the refrigerant to the PCM in the PCM panel and the temperature of the compartment remains refrigerated, wherein the controller controls the circulation of the refrigerant and the operation of the energy supply unit based on readings by a plurality of temperature sensors. 
     
     
         10 . The system as in  claim 9  wherein the temperature sensors read a temperature of the compartment. 
     
     
         11 . The system as in  claim 9 , wherein the temperature sensors read the temperature of the PCM in the PCM panel. 
     
     
         12 . The system as in  claim 1  wherein the reefer further comprises a receiving portion for a PCM panel. 
     
     
         13 . The system as in  claim 12  wherein the system of tubes of the reefer are configured to deliver cooled refrigerant to be in thermal communication with the location of the receiving portion wherein a PCM panel can be received, and with a PCM in a PCM panel. 
     
     
         14 . A method of refrigerating a compartment of a reefer, comprising the steps of:
 providing a reefer having a plurality of compartments; a system of tubes; a refrigerant housed in and circulated through the system of tubes; a plurality of energy supply units comprising a battery, a condenser, and an evaporator; a controller; and a plurality of sensors;   turning on the energy supply unit;   circulating refrigerant through the energy supply units to the evaporator to cool the compartment;   measuring the temperature of the compartment by reading a temperature sensor in the compartment;   controlling the temperature of the compartment by the controller to the desired temperature thereby refrigerating the compartment of the reefer.   
     
     
         15 . The method of refrigerating wherein the energy supply unit of the reefer is portable and further comprises an electric compressor. 
     
     
         16 . The method of refrigerating as in  claim 14 , wherein the energy supply unit of the reefer further comprises an electrically driven compressor and a heat pump each coupled to a different compartment and each having its own condenser and evaporator, wherein the circulating step further comprises circulating cooled refrigerant from each of the electrical compressor to the evaporator in a first compartment and the heat pump to an evaporator in a second compartment, wherein the measuring step further comprises utilizing a sensor in each of the first and the second compartment to measure the temperature; and wherein the controlling step further comprises recognizing the measurement by the sensor in each compartment and controlling the electric compressor and the heat pump to maintaining independent temperatures in each compartment. 
     
     
         17 . The method of refrigerating as in  claim 16  wherein the reefer further comprises a receiving portion for receiving a PCM panel and is located at a location on the reefer to allow the PCM in a PCM panel to be in thermal communication with the compartment of the reefer, and further comprising the step of installing a plurality of removable PCM panels into the receiving portion of the reefer. 
     
     
         18 . The method of refrigerating as in  claim 17  wherein the location of the receiving portion of the reefer is also at a location on the reefer that allows a PCM panel to be in thermodynamic communication with the cooled refrigerant exiting the condenser of the heat pump, and further comprising the step of installing a plurality of removable PCM panels into the receiving portion of the reefer, circulating the cooled refrigerant from the condenser of the heat pump to be in thermodynamic communication with the PCM in the PCM panel. 
     
     
         19 . The method as in  claim 15  wherein the reefer further comprises an exhaust energy driven electric generator, and further comprising the step of converting energy exhaust to electricity, and supplying the electricity to recharge the battery during mobile operation. 
     
     
         20 . A reefer container comprising:
 a reefer container   a plurality of energy supply units;   a system of tubes configured to transport a refrigerant;   a receiving section configured to receive a PCM panel;   a controller; and   a plurality of internal compartments inside the reefer.   
     
     
         21 . The reefer as in  claim 20  further comprising a plurality of PCM panels comprising a PCM. 
     
     
         22 . The reefer as in  claim 21  wherein the PCM panels further comprise a refrigerant coil configured to operationally connect to the energy supply units and to thermodynamically connect to the internal compartments of the reefer and the refrigerant in the refrigerant coil. 
     
     
         23 . The reefer as in  claim 21  wherein the PCM of the PCM panels is configured to be and is located in thermodynamic communication with the internal compartments of the reefer. 
     
     
         24 . The reefer as in  claim 20  wherein the features of a unit comprise a battery, a condenser, an evaporator, and at least one from the group consisting of an electrically driven compressor and a heat pump.