Transportation-use refrigerating apparatus

Abstract

This transportation-use refrigeration apparatus is provided to a vehicle having a chassis and a container, and comprises: a high-voltage circuit unit including a high-voltage circuit; a low-voltage circuit unit including a low-voltage circuit; a compressor unit including a compressor; and a condenser unit including a condenser. The high-voltage circuit unit, the low-voltage circuit unit, the compressor unit, and the condenser unit are arranged distributed in a lower part of the chassis and / or a front wall facing forward in the container.

Description

Transport refrigeration equipment

[0001] This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-061780, filed on April 5, 2024, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] A vehicle, such as a refrigerated truck, that transports cargo at low temperatures is equipped with a transport refrigeration machine. The transport refrigeration machine includes a refrigeration cycle device that mainly includes a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator. Conventionally, the components that make up the refrigeration cycle device have generally been disposed under the floor of the vehicle, i.e., below the chassis (see, for example, Patent Document 1 below).

[0003] In recent years, the practical application of electric vehicles that use battery units (storage batteries) to generate power for driving has progressed. However, these types of battery units tend to be large in size in order to ensure a long driving distance. For this reason, the battery units are generally housed and fixed below the chassis of the vehicle.

[0004] Special Publication No. 2004-526120

[0005] However, if the battery unit becomes larger as described above, there is a possibility that a sufficient space for accommodating the refrigeration cycle device cannot be secured below the chassis.

[0006] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a transport refrigeration machine that can be laid out with a high degree of freedom while avoiding interference with a battery unit.

[0007] The transport refrigeration machine according to the present disclosure is a transport refrigeration machine installed on a vehicle having a chassis and a container that can be mounted on the chassis, and comprises: a high-voltage circuit unit including a high-voltage circuit having an inverter that converts power from a battery unit and supplies it to a compressor, and a DC converter that generates a DC current for driving auxiliary equipment; a low-voltage circuit unit including a low-voltage circuit that generates or controls the DC current for driving the auxiliary equipment based on power from the battery unit; a compressor unit including a compressor that compresses refrigerant; and a condenser unit including a condenser that condenses the refrigerant, and the high-voltage circuit unit, the low-voltage circuit unit, the compressor unit, and the condenser unit are arranged in a distributed manner below the chassis and on at least one of the front walls of the container that face forward.

[0008] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a transport refrigeration machine that can be laid out with a high degree of freedom while avoiding interference with a battery unit.

[0009] 13 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a vehicle and a transport refrigeration machine according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 13 is a transparent plan view showing the configuration below the chassis in a vehicle according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a compressor unit according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a high-voltage circuit unit according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 13 is a rear view showing the configuration of a high-voltage circuit unit according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a low-voltage circuit unit according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a condenser unit according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a condenser unit according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 13 is a refrigerant circuit diagram showing the configuration of a refrigeration cycle device according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 13 is an electrical circuit diagram showing an electrical system of a transport refrigeration machine according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a vehicle and a transport refrigeration machine according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 13 is a transparent plan view showing the configuration below the chassis in a vehicle according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a vehicle and a transport refrigeration machine according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 13 is a view taken along the arrow A-A in FIG.

[0010] First Embodiment A transport refrigeration machine 1 according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 10 .

[0011] (Configuration of Transport Vehicle) First, the transport vehicle 90 on which the transport refrigeration machine 1 is mounted will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. As shown in the figures, the transport vehicle 90 includes a vehicle body 91, the transport refrigeration machine 1, a battery unit 2, and an electric circuit system 3.

[0012] The vehicle body 91 has a chassis 92, a plurality of wheels 93, a container 94, and a cabin 95. The chassis 92 is shaped like a girder extending in the traveling direction of the transport vehicle 90. As shown in FIG. 2 , the chassis 92 is, for example, a ladder frame. The plurality of wheels 93 are provided in pairs on both sides of the width direction of the chassis 92. At least some of the plurality of wheels 93 are driven to rotate by the driving force of an engine mounted on the chassis 92. A cabin 95 is attached to the front portion of the chassis 92. The cabin 95 is a housing that houses a driving device, a driver's cab, etc. A container 94 is provided behind the cabin 95. The container 94 is, for example, shaped like a rectangular parallelepiped, and a space serving as a freezer compartment V is formed inside the container 94.

[0013] 1 or 2, in addition to the devices that make up the transport refrigeration machine 1, a battery unit 2 is mounted below the chassis 92. As will be described in detail later, this battery unit 2 is a storage battery that supplies power to the devices, for example, to generate power for running the transport vehicle 90 and to drive the transport refrigeration machine 1.

[0014] 2, the ladder-frame chassis 92 has a pair of frames 96 that extend in the traveling direction and are spaced apart in the vehicle width direction. These frames 96 are connected to each other by beams (not shown) that extend in the vehicle width direction. The battery units 2 are distributed and arranged on both sides of the frames 96 in the vehicle width direction.

[0015] Furthermore, some of the devices (described later) that make up the transport refrigeration machine 1 are mounted in the spaces between the battery units 2 .

[0016] (Configuration of transport refrigeration machine) Next, the configuration of the transport refrigeration machine 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 9. As shown in the figure, the transport refrigeration machine 1 includes a refrigeration cycle device 4.

[0017] (Configuration of the refrigeration cycle device) The refrigeration cycle device 4 has a compressor 41, a condenser 42, an expansion valve 43, an evaporator 44, a condenser fan 45, an evaporator fan 46, a receiver 47, an accumulator 48, an oil separator 49, and a refrigerant line L.

[0018] The refrigerant line L is filled with refrigerant. The refrigerant line L is a closed, circular pipe as a whole. A compressor 41, a condenser 42, an expansion valve 43, and an evaporator 44 are arranged in this order on the refrigerant line L. The compressor 41 compresses the refrigerant and discharges high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant. The condenser 42 is a heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the compressed refrigerant and external air. Specifically, a fin-and-tube or plate-type heat exchanger is preferably used as the condenser 42. The expansion valve 43 expands the refrigerant to reduce its pressure and temperature. The evaporator 44 cools the air in the freezing chamber V by exchanging heat between the low-temperature refrigerant and the air in the freezing chamber V. The evaporator 44 is attached to the ceiling of the freezing chamber V (see FIG. 1). The refrigerant heated by the heat exchange in the evaporator 44 flows back into the compressor 41. The refrigeration cycle device 4 operates by continuously performing the above cycle.

[0019] The condenser fan 45 is a blower device provided in addition to the condenser 42. Driving the condenser fan 45 promotes efficient supply of outside air to the condenser 42. The evaporator fan 46 is a blower device provided in addition to the evaporator 44. Driving the evaporator fan 46 promotes supply of air from the freezing compartment V to the evaporator 44. The accumulator 48 and the receiver 47 are provided to separate the refrigerant into gas and liquid. The accumulator 48 is provided between the evaporator 44 and the compressor 41, and the receiver 47 is provided between the condenser 42 and the expansion valve 43. The oil separator 49 is a device that removes lubricating oil (grease) contained in the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 41 from the refrigerant and returns the refrigerant to the compressor 41.

[0020] (Configuration of Electrical Circuit System) The refrigeration cycle device 4 is driven by an electrical circuit system 3. As shown in Fig. 10 , the electrical circuit system 3 has a battery unit 2, a high-voltage circuit 31, and a low-voltage circuit 32.

[0021] The battery unit 2 has a high-voltage battery 33 and a low-voltage battery 34. The high-voltage battery 33 generates a direct current with a higher voltage than the low-voltage battery 34. A high-voltage circuit 31 is connected to the high-voltage battery 33. The high-voltage circuit 31 has an inverter 51 and a DC-DC converter 52 (direct current converter).

[0022] The inverter 51 generates an AC current having a predetermined frequency and voltage from the DC current supplied by the high-voltage battery 33. This AC current is supplied to the electric motor 100 which is the drive source of the compressor 41.

[0023] The DC-DC converter 52 is a device for converting the voltage of the direct current supplied from the high-voltage battery 33. Specifically, the DC-DC converter 52 is a step-down converter. The direct current whose voltage has been converted is supplied to the low-voltage circuit 32.

[0024] The low-voltage circuit 32 has a main circuit 61, a communication circuit 62, and a relay circuit 63. The main circuit 61 executes processing for controlling the operation of the inverter 51 based on a pre-stored program. The main circuit 61 receives input signals such as a set temperature for the freezer compartment V from a cabin controller 64 provided in the cabin 95. The main circuit 61 outputs a control signal for operating the inverter 51 so that the temperature in the freezer compartment V is maintained at the set temperature based on detection signals from temperature sensors (not shown) provided inside and outside the freezer compartment V. The control signal output from the main circuit 61 is transmitted to the inverter 51 via the communication circuit 62.

[0025] The relay circuit 63 is electrically connected to the main circuit 61. Based on signals output from the main circuit 61, the relay circuit 63 controls the operation of the condenser fan 45 and the evaporator fan 46, as well as the open / closed states of various sensors, various valves, and the expansion valve 43.

[0026] (Configuration of each unit) The compressor 41 and the condenser 42 included in the refrigeration cycle device 4 configured as above, and the high-voltage circuit 31 and the low-voltage circuit 32 included in the electric circuit system 3, can be disposed as independent units in various parts of the transport vehicle 90. Note that the term "unit" here refers to an article including each of the above devices and a casing that houses the devices. The casing may be box-shaped with a top surface 81a, etc., as described below, or may be configured with a frame that forms each side.

[0027] 1 or 2, in this embodiment, these units are mounted in the spaces between the battery units 2 below the chassis 92. In the following description, the unit including the compressor 41 will be referred to as the "compressor unit 71," the unit including the condenser 42 will be referred to as the "condenser unit 72," the unit accommodating the high-voltage circuit 31 will be referred to as the "high-voltage circuit unit 73," and the unit accommodating the low-voltage circuit 32 will be referred to as the "low-voltage circuit unit 74."

[0028] 2, the high-voltage circuit unit 73 and the low-voltage circuit unit 74 are disposed in a front portion of the left frame 96 facing the direction of travel so as to overlap in the vehicle width direction. The compressor unit 71 and the condenser unit 72 are disposed in a rear portion of the left frame 96 facing the direction of travel so as to overlap in the vehicle width direction.

[0029] (Compressor Unit) As shown in FIG. 3 , the compressor unit 71 includes a compressor unit casing 71a and a compressor 41 (not shown in FIG. 3 ), an accumulator 48 (not shown in FIG. 3 ), and an oil separator 49 (not shown in FIG. 3 ) housed therein. The compressor unit casing 71a is shaped like a rectangular parallelepiped and has a top surface 81a, a bottom surface 82a, a pair of side surfaces 83a, a front surface 84a, and a back surface 85a. In addition to the compressor 41, the accumulator 48 and the oil separator 49 are housed therein. Furthermore, of the surfaces of the compressor unit 71, at least the top surface 81a (i.e., the surface facing upward), the side surfaces 83a (the surface facing horizontally), and the back surface 85a preferably have fixed portions 201 (bolt holes) formed therein for bolting the unit to the frame 96. More specifically, when the compressor unit 71 is disposed below the chassis, the fixed portion 201 on the top surface 81a is essential, but the fixed portion 201 on the side surface 83a and the back surface 85a does not necessarily have to be provided. On the other hand, when the compressor unit 71 is attached to the front wall 94a of the container 94, the fixed portion 201 on the back surface 85a is essential, but the fixed portion 201 on the top surface 81a and the side surface 83a does not necessarily have to be provided. The fixed portion 201 is also similarly provided on the high-voltage circuit unit 73, the low-voltage circuit unit 74, and the condenser unit 72, which will be described later.

[0030] (High-Voltage Circuit Unit) As shown in FIG. 4 or 5 , the high-voltage circuit unit 73 includes a high-voltage circuit unit casing 73a and a high-voltage circuit 31 (not shown) housed therein. The high-voltage circuit unit casing 73a is rectangular and has a top surface 81c, a bottom surface 82c, a pair of side surfaces 83c, a front surface 84c, and a back surface 85c. The front surface 84c (i.e., the surface with the largest area among the six surfaces) of the high-voltage circuit unit casing 73a is flat. Meanwhile, a recess 202 is formed in the back surface 85c, which faces the opposite side from the front surface 84c. The recess 202 is recessed in a direction from the back surface 85c toward the front surface 84c. A heat sink 203 is housed within the recess 202 to dissipate heat generated by the internal resistance of the high-voltage circuit 31 to the outside.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 5 , the recess 202 extends through the rear surface 85c in a direction connecting the rear surface 85c and a pair of adjacent side surfaces 83c. In other words, the heat sink 203 is exposed to the outside from the side surfaces 83c as well. The heat sink 203 includes a plate-shaped main plate and a plurality of fins or pins (not shown) protruding from the main plate. The heat sink 203 is integrally formed from a metal material with a relatively high thermal conductivity, such as aluminum or copper. The heat sink 203 is thermally connected to a heat-generating element within the high-voltage circuit 31.

[0032] 6, the low-voltage circuit unit 74 includes a low-voltage circuit unit casing 74a and a low-voltage circuit 32 (not shown in FIG. 6) housed therein. The low-voltage circuit unit casing 74a is rectangular and has a top surface 81d, a bottom surface 82d, a pair of side surfaces 83d, a front surface 84d, and a back surface 85d. The low-voltage circuit unit casing 74a has a smaller volume than the high-voltage circuit unit 73 and the compressor unit 71.

[0033] (Condenser Unit) As shown in FIG. 7 , the condenser unit 72 includes a condenser unit casing 72a and a condenser 42 (not shown) housed therein. Like the other units, the condenser unit casing 72a has a rectangular parallelepiped shape with a top surface 81b, a bottom surface 82b, a pair of side surfaces 83b, a front surface 84b, and a back surface 85b. Air intake holes 204 for drawing in external air are formed in the front surface 84b (i.e., the surface with the largest area among the six surfaces) of the condenser unit casing 72a and one of the pair of side surfaces 83b adjacent to the front surface 84b. Although not shown in detail, each of the air intake holes 204 is covered with a mesh member to prevent the intake of foreign matter. Furthermore, blowout holes 205 for discharging air inside the unit (air that has exchanged heat with the refrigerant by the condenser 42) to the outside are formed in the other four surfaces, excluding the front surface 84b and the one side surface 83b. 7, external air flows into the interior from the front surface 84b and one side surface 83b through the intake holes 204. The air that has exchanged heat with the refrigerant in the internal condenser 42 is discharged to the exterior through the outlet holes 205 on the remaining four surfaces.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 8 , the condenser unit casing 72a accommodates a condenser 42, two condenser fans 45, and a receiver 47. When viewed from the top surface 81b, the condenser 42 curves from the front surface 84b to one side surface 83b, forming an L-shape. More specifically, the condenser 42 has a first portion 42a facing the front surface 84b from the inside and a second portion 42b facing the one side surface 83b from the inside. The first portion 42a and the second portion 42b are continuously connected, allowing the refrigerant to flow freely within the first portion 42a and the second portion 42b.

[0035] Two condenser fans 45 are disposed further inside the condenser 42. One of the condenser fans 45 (first fan 45a) is disposed near the end of the first portion 42a of the condenser 42 opposite the second portion 42b when viewed from the top surface 81b. The first fan 45a draws in external air in a direction perpendicular to the first portion 42a (i.e., from the front surface 84b toward the rear surface 85b). The other condenser fan 45 (second fan 45b) is disposed so as to straddle the first and second portions 42a and 42b of the condenser 42 when viewed from the top surface 81b. The rotation axis of the second fan 45b extends in a different direction from that of the first fan 45a so that it can draw air toward the first and second portions 42a and 42b. Specifically, the second fan 45b is disposed obliquely from the front surface 84b toward the rear surface 85b as it moves from the first portion 42a to the second portion 42b.

[0036] It is desirable to arrange the compressor unit 71 and the condenser unit 72 close to each other so that the length of the piping can be shortened. Also, from the viewpoint of maintenance, it is desirable to arrange the high-voltage circuit unit 73 and the low-voltage circuit unit 74 close to each other.

[0037] (Operation and Effect) In recent years, electric vehicles that use a battery unit 2 (storage battery) to provide power for driving have become increasingly common. This type of battery unit 2 tends to be larger in size in order to ensure a long driving distance. For this reason, the battery unit 2 is generally housed and fixed below the chassis 92 of the vehicle. However, if the battery unit 2 becomes larger, there is a possibility that it will not be possible to secure sufficient space below the chassis 92 to house the refrigeration cycle device 4. To solve this problem, the transport refrigeration machine 1 according to this embodiment employs the above-described configurations.

[0038] According to the above configuration, the high-voltage circuit unit 73, the low-voltage circuit unit 74, the compressor unit 71, and the condenser unit 72 are disposed in a distributed manner below the chassis 92 and / or on the front wall 94a of the container 94. As a result, even if a large battery unit 2 is mounted below the chassis 92, the above-mentioned devices can be disposed in a distributed manner without interfering with the battery unit 2. Therefore, the transport refrigeration machine 1 can be easily and stably mounted on electrically driven vehicles. As a result, the versatility of the transport refrigeration machine 1 is improved, and the use of the machine is expanded, thereby realizing a reduction in the environmental impact of the logistics industry as a whole.

[0039] According to the above configuration, the high-voltage circuit unit 73, the low-voltage circuit unit 74, the compressor unit 71, and the condenser unit 72 can be arranged under the chassis 92 while avoiding interference with the battery unit 2. This allows the space under the chassis 92 to be used most effectively. As a result, the transport refrigeration machine 1 can be applied to a vehicle without encroaching on the space of the container 94 or the cabin 95. Therefore, the transport refrigeration machine 1 can be mounted on a vehicle while minimizing a reduction in the vehicle's payload and a decrease in the habitability of the cabin 95.

[0040] According to the above configuration, since the fixed part 201 is provided individually for each device, the layout of each device can be flexibly determined according to the characteristics of each vehicle and the arrangement of the battery unit 2. This improves versatility so that the transport refrigeration machine 1 can be installed regardless of the vehicle type, which can contribute to the spread of electric vehicles throughout the logistics industry. As a result, it becomes possible to significantly reduce the environmental impact.

[0041] According to the above configuration, since the fixed portions 201 are provided on at least the top surface 81 and the back surface 85, the layout of each device can be determined with a high degree of freedom without changing the vehicle's posture when installing the device. Therefore, the transport refrigeration machine 1 can be installed in any vehicle type, improving the versatility of the machine. This contributes to the widespread use of electric vehicles throughout the logistics industry. As a result, it is possible to significantly reduce the environmental impact.

[0042] According to the above configuration, the high-voltage circuit unit 73, which houses electric circuits that are prone to heat generation due to internal resistance, etc., is provided with a heat sink 203. The heat sink 203 is housed in a recess 202 formed in the rear surface 85. This allows heat from the electric circuits to be efficiently dissipated to the outside via the heat sink 203 while avoiding interference with other structures. This significantly reduces the possibility of malfunction or thermal runaway in the electric circuits, enabling the transport refrigeration machine 1 to operate stably for a long period of time.

[0043] According to the above configuration, the recess 202 that houses the heat sink 203 penetrates the back surface 85c in a direction that connects the side surfaces 83c. Therefore, the heat sink 203 is exposed to the outside even when viewed from the side surface 83c. This allows the heat dissipation performance of the heat sink 203 to be stably maintained even if the back surface 85c side is blocked by another structure, for example. This significantly reduces the possibility of malfunctioning of electrical circuits or thermal runaway, allowing the transport refrigeration machine 1 to operate stably for a long period of time.

[0044] With the above configuration, air can be supplied to the condenser 42, which exchanges heat between the outside air and the refrigerant, through the air intake holes 204 from two directions: one side surface 83b and the front surface 84b. Furthermore, outlet holes 205 are formed on the other surface other than the side surface 83b and the front surface 84b. As a result, even if one of the surfaces is blocked by another structure, air can be discharged to the outside through the outlet holes 205 on the remaining surface. Therefore, excessive consideration and adjustment of the air flow direction is not required when determining the layout of the condenser unit 72. This improves the versatility of the transport refrigeration machine 1, allowing it to be installed in any vehicle type, contributing to the widespread use of electric vehicles throughout the logistics industry. As a result, environmental impact can be significantly reduced.

[0045] The first embodiment of the present disclosure has been described above. Various changes and modifications can be made to the above configuration without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. For example, the relative positions of the high-voltage circuit unit 73 and the low-voltage circuit unit 74, and the relative positions of the compressor unit 71 and the condenser unit 72 described in the first embodiment can be changed as appropriate, as long as the respective units are distributed below the chassis 92. In any case, the same effects as those described above can be obtained.

[0046] Second Embodiment Next, a second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Fig. 11 and Fig. 12. Note that the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0047] In this embodiment, the arrangement of the compressor unit 71, condenser unit 72, high-voltage circuit unit 73, and low-voltage circuit unit 74 is different from that of the first embodiment. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 11 or 12 , the high-voltage circuit unit 73 and the low-voltage circuit unit 74 are arranged on the surface (front wall 94a) facing the front side of the container 94. As shown in Fig. 12 , the high-voltage circuit unit 73 is arranged on the center side of the front wall 94a in the vehicle width direction. The low-voltage circuit unit 74 is arranged in a dispersed manner, biased to the left of the high-voltage circuit unit 73 in the traveling direction.

[0048] The compressor unit 71 and the condenser unit 72 are arranged to overlap each other in the vehicle width direction below the chassis 92. The condenser unit 72 is arranged outward in the vehicle width direction than the compressor unit 71. This is because the condenser unit 72 is arranged outward, so that it is not blocked by the compressor unit 71, and air can be smoothly supplied to the condenser 42.

[0049] (Operation and Effect) According to the above configuration, the high-voltage circuit unit 73, the low-voltage circuit unit 74, the compressor unit 71, and the condenser unit 72 are disposed both below the chassis 92 and on the front wall 94a of the container 94. As a result, even if a large battery unit 2 is mounted below the chassis 92, the above-mentioned devices can be disposed in a dispersed manner without interfering with the battery unit 2. Therefore, the transport refrigeration machine 1 can be easily and stably mounted on electrically driven vehicles. As a result, the versatility of the transport refrigeration machine 1 is improved, and the widespread use of the machine is expanded, thereby realizing a reduction in the environmental impact of the logistics industry as a whole.

[0050] With the above configuration, the high-voltage circuit unit 73 and low-voltage circuit unit 74, which are vulnerable to water intrusion, are disposed on the front wall 94a, while the compressor unit 71 and condenser unit 72, which tend to be larger in size, are disposed below the chassis 92. If the electrical system were disposed below the chassis 92, there is a risk that these devices would be affected by water splashing from the wheels 93 while the vehicle is traveling. However, with the above configuration, these devices can be dispersed and disposed in an appropriate environment that does not interfere with the stable operation of each device. This enables the transport refrigeration machine 1 to continue operating more stably for a long period of time.

[0051] According to the above configuration, the high-voltage circuit unit 73, the low-voltage circuit unit 74, the compressor unit 71, and the condenser unit 72 can be arranged under the chassis 92 while avoiding interference with the battery unit 2. This allows the space under the chassis 92 to be used most effectively. As a result, the transport refrigeration machine 1 can be applied to a vehicle without encroaching on the space of the container 94 or the cabin 95. Therefore, the transport refrigeration machine 1 can be mounted on a vehicle while minimizing a reduction in the vehicle's payload and a decrease in the habitability of the cabin 95.

[0052] The second embodiment of the present disclosure has been described above. Various changes and modifications can be made to the above configuration without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. For example, the relative positions of the high-voltage circuit unit 73 and the low-voltage circuit unit 74, and the relative positions of the compressor 41 and the condenser unit 72 described in the second embodiment can be changed as appropriate, as long as each pair is distributed below the front wall 94a and the chassis 92. In any case, the same effects as those described above can be obtained.

[0053] Third Embodiment Next, a third embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Fig. 13 and Fig. 14. Note that the same components as those in the above embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0054] This embodiment differs from the above-described embodiments in that the units are distributed on the front wall 94a of the container 94. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 14, the compressor unit 71 and the condenser unit 72 are disposed on the upper part of the front wall 94a. When viewed from the front side, the compressor unit 71 is disposed offset to the left side in the vehicle width direction. The condenser unit 72 is disposed closer to the center in the vehicle width direction than the compressor unit 71. These units are disposed at the same height.

[0055] The high-voltage circuit unit 73 and the low-voltage circuit unit 74 are disposed in the lower part of the front wall 94a so as to be spaced downward from the compressor unit 71 and the condenser unit 72. The high-voltage circuit unit 73 is disposed toward the center in the vehicle width direction, while the low-voltage circuit unit 74 is disposed biased toward the outer side in the vehicle width direction (i.e., to the right as viewed from the front) of the high-voltage circuit unit 73. These units are disposed at the same height.

[0056] (Effects) With the above configuration, even when the space below the chassis 92 is occupied by the battery unit 2 or the like, the high-voltage circuit unit 73, the low-voltage circuit unit 74, the compressor unit 71, and the condenser unit 72 can be arranged on the front wall 94a. Furthermore, because these devices are arranged in a dispersed manner on the front wall 94a, they can be easily removed or replaced later. This improves the maintainability of the transport refrigeration machine 1, making it possible to significantly increase the operating rate of the vehicle.

[0057] According to the above configuration, the high-voltage circuit unit 73 and the low-voltage circuit unit 74, which are vulnerable to water intrusion, are located in the lower part of the front wall 94a, while the compressor unit 71 and the condenser unit 72 are located in the upper part of the front wall 94a. However, if these electrical circuits were located in the upper part of the front wall 94a, as in the above configuration, there is a risk that these devices may be affected by rainwater intrusion. However, according to the above configuration, these devices can be located in an appropriate environment that does not interfere with the stable operation of each device. In particular, the high-voltage circuit unit 73 and the low-voltage circuit unit 74 are preferably located in an area on the front wall 94a that is hidden by the cabin 95, i.e., the lower area, to avoid the effects of rainwater blowing from the front side during travel. This enables the transport refrigeration machine 1 to continue operating more stably for a long period of time.

[0058] (Other Embodiments) Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above in detail with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to this embodiment, and design changes and the like are also included within the scope that does not deviate from the gist of the present disclosure.

[0059] For example, the configuration of the refrigeration cycle device 4 described in each of the above embodiments is merely an example and can be modified as appropriate depending on the design and specifications. Specifically, the accumulator 48, the receiver 47, and the oil separator 49 can be omitted as appropriate. Even in this case, the same effects as those described above can be obtained.

[0060] In addition, in each of the above embodiments, an example has been described in which the freezer compartment V is a single space. However, depending on specifications, the freezer compartment V can be divided into two or more compartments. In this case, by installing an evaporator 44 for each compartment, it becomes possible to independently adjust the temperature of each compartment.

[0061] In addition, the application of the transport refrigeration machine 1 is not limited to vehicles traveling on land, but the transport refrigeration machine 1 can also be applied to, for example, containers 94 for ships and railroad cars. In either case, the same effects as those described above can be obtained.

[0062] Furthermore, in each of the above-described embodiments, examples have been described in which the units are distributed across at least one of the lower portion of the chassis 92 and the front wall 94a. However, the units may be distributed across a greater number of locations, including locations other than the lower portion of the chassis 92 and the front wall 94a. Even in this case, the same effects as those described above can be obtained.

[0063] Furthermore, the fixed parts 201 may be similarly arranged on other surfaces other than the top surface 81a (81b, 81c, 81d) and the side surfaces 83a (83b, 83c, 83d). As the number of fixed parts 201 increases, the degree of freedom in the orientation of each unit can be increased, which increases the degree of freedom in layout.

[0064] <Additional Notes> The transport refrigeration machine 1 described in each embodiment can be understood, for example, as follows.

[0065] (1) A transport refrigeration machine 1 according to a first aspect is a transport refrigeration machine 1 installed on a vehicle having a chassis 92 and a container 94 that can be mounted on the chassis 92, and comprises: a high-voltage circuit unit 73 including a high-voltage circuit 31 having an inverter 51 that converts power from a battery unit 2 and supplies it to a compressor 41, and a DC converter that generates a DC current for driving auxiliary devices; a low-voltage circuit unit 74 including a low-voltage circuit 32 that generates or controls the DC current for driving the auxiliary devices based on power from the battery unit 2; a compressor unit 71 including a compressor 41 that compresses a refrigerant; and a condenser unit 72 including a condenser 42 that condenses the refrigerant, and the high-voltage circuit unit 73, the low-voltage circuit unit 74, the compressor unit 71, and the condenser unit 72 are distributedly arranged below the chassis 92 and on at least one of a front wall 94 a facing forward in the container 94.

[0066] According to the above configuration, the high-voltage circuit unit 73, the low-voltage circuit unit 74, the compressor unit 71, and the condenser unit 72 are disposed in a distributed manner at multiple locations, including below the chassis 92 and on the front wall 94a of the container 94. As a result, even if a large battery unit 2 is mounted below the chassis 92, for example, it is possible to dispose the above-mentioned devices in a distributed manner without interfering with the battery unit 2.

[0067] (2) The transport refrigeration machine 1 according to the second aspect is the transport refrigeration machine 1 of (1), in which the high-voltage circuit unit 73, the low-voltage circuit unit 74, the compressor unit 71, and the condenser unit 72 are each distributedly arranged below the chassis 92 and on the front wall 94a.

[0068] According to the above configuration, the high-voltage circuit unit 73, the low-voltage circuit unit 74, the compressor unit 71, and the condenser unit 72 are disposed in a dispersed manner both below the chassis 92 and on the front wall 94a of the container 94. As a result, even if a large battery unit 2 is mounted below the chassis 92, for example, it is possible to dispose the above-mentioned devices in a dispersed manner without interfering with the battery unit 2.

[0069] (3) The transport refrigeration machine 1 according to the third aspect is the transport refrigeration machine 1 of (2), in which the high-voltage circuit unit 73 and the low-voltage circuit unit 74 are arranged on the front wall 94a, and the compressor unit 71 and the condenser unit 72 are arranged below the chassis 92.

[0070] According to the above configuration, the high-voltage circuit unit 73 and the low-voltage circuit unit 74, which are vulnerable to water intrusion, are disposed on the front wall 94a, while the compressor unit 71 and the condenser unit 72, which tend to be larger in size, are disposed below the chassis 92. This allows these devices to be disposed in an appropriate environment that does not interfere with the stable operation of each device.

[0071] (4) The transport refrigeration machine 1 according to the fourth aspect is the transport refrigeration machine 1 of (1), in which the high-voltage circuit unit 73, the low-voltage circuit unit 74, the compressor unit 71, and the condenser unit 72 are each arranged in a dispersed manner on the front wall 94a.

[0072] According to the above configuration, even if the space below the chassis 92 is occupied by a battery unit 2 or the like, the high-voltage circuit unit 73, the low-voltage circuit unit 74, the compressor unit 71, and the condenser unit 72 can be arranged on the front wall 94a.

[0073] (5) The transport refrigeration machine 1 according to the fifth aspect is the transport refrigeration machine 1 of (4), in which the high-voltage circuit unit 73 and the low-voltage circuit unit 74 are arranged in the lower part of the front wall 94a, and the compressor unit 71 and the condenser unit 72 are arranged in the upper part of the front wall 94a.

[0074] According to the above configuration, the high-voltage circuit unit 73 and the low-voltage circuit unit 74, which are vulnerable to water intrusion, are disposed in the lower part of the front wall 94a, and the compressor unit 71 and the condenser unit 72 are disposed in the upper part of the front wall 94a. This allows these devices to be disposed in an appropriate environment that does not interfere with the stable operation of each device.

[0075] (6) The transport refrigeration machine 1 of the sixth aspect is a transport refrigeration machine 1 of any one of aspects (1) to (3), in which the battery units 2 are arranged in multiple locations dispersed below the chassis 92, and at least one of the high-voltage circuit unit 73, the low-voltage circuit unit 74, the compressor unit 71, and the condenser unit 72 is arranged in the space between the battery units 2.

[0076] According to the above configuration, the high-voltage circuit unit 73 , the low-voltage circuit unit 74 , the compressor unit 71 , and the condenser unit 72 can be arranged under the chassis 92 while avoiding interference with the battery unit 2 .

[0077] (7) The transport refrigeration machine 1 of the seventh aspect is a transport refrigeration machine 1 of any one of aspects (1) to (6), wherein the high-voltage circuit unit 73, the low-voltage circuit unit 74, the compressor unit 71, and the condenser unit 72 have fixed portions 201 that can be fixed to the underside of the chassis 92 and the front wall 94a.

[0078] According to the above configuration, since the fixed portion 201 is provided individually for each device, the layout of each device can be flexibly determined according to the characteristics of each vehicle and the arrangement of the battery unit 2.

[0079] (8) The transport refrigeration machine 1 according to the eighth aspect is the transport refrigeration machine 1 of (7), wherein the high-voltage circuit unit 73, the low-voltage circuit unit 74, the compressor unit 71, and the condenser unit 72 are each rectangular parallelepipeds having top surfaces 81a, 81b, 81c, 81d, bottom surfaces 82a, 82b, 82c, 82d, a pair of side surfaces 83a, 83b, 83c, 83d, front surfaces 84a, 84b, 84c, 84d, and back surfaces 85a, 85b, 85c, 85d, and the fixed parts 201 are respectively provided on the top surfaces 81a, 81b, 81c, 81d and the back surfaces 85a, 85b, 85c, 85d.

[0080] According to the above configuration, the fixed parts 201 are provided on the top surfaces 81a, 81b, 81c, and 81d and the back surfaces 85a, 85b, 85c, and 85d, respectively, so that when installing each device in a vehicle, the layout can be determined with a high degree of freedom without changing its posture.

[0081] (9) The transport refrigeration machine 1 according to the ninth aspect is the transport refrigeration machine 1 of (8), in which a recess 202 recessed toward the front surface 84c is formed on the back surface 85c of the high-voltage circuit unit 73, and a heat sink 203 is housed in the recess 202.

[0082] According to the above configuration, the high-voltage circuit unit 73, which houses an electric circuit that is likely to generate heat due to internal resistance, etc., is provided with a heat sink 203. The heat sink 203 is housed in a recess 202 formed in the back surface 85c. This allows the heat from the electric circuit to be efficiently dissipated to the outside via the heat sink 203 while avoiding interference with other structures.

[0083] (10) The transport refrigeration machine 1 according to the tenth aspect is the transport refrigeration machine 1 of (9), in which the recess 202 penetrates the back surface 85c in a direction connecting the pair of side surfaces 83c.

[0084] According to the above configuration, the recess 202 in which the heat sink 203 is housed penetrates the back surface 85c in a direction connecting the side surfaces 83c. Therefore, the heat sink 203 is exposed to the outside even when viewed from the side surface 83c. This allows the heat dissipation performance of the heat sink 203 to be stably maintained even if the back surface 85c side is blocked by another structure, for example.

[0085] (11) The transport refrigeration machine 1 of the eleventh aspect is a transport refrigeration machine 1 of any one of the aspects (8) to (10), wherein an intake hole 204 capable of taking in air is formed on one of the pair of side surfaces 83b and the front surface 84b of the condenser unit 72, and an outlet hole 205 capable of discharging air is formed on a surface other than the surface on which the intake hole 204 is formed, and the condenser 42 is curved when viewed from the direction from the top surface 81b to the bottom surface 82b so as to face the intake hole 204 from the inside.

[0086] According to the above configuration, air can be supplied to the condenser 42, which exchanges heat between the outside air and the refrigerant, from two directions, one side surface 83b and the front surface 84b, through the air intake holes 204. In addition, blowout holes 205 are formed on a surface other than the side surface 83b and the front surface 84b. As a result, even if one of the surfaces is blocked by another structure, it is possible to exhaust air to the outside through the blowout holes 205 on the remaining surface.

[0087] According to the transport refrigeration machine of the present disclosure, it is possible to achieve a high degree of freedom in layout while avoiding interference with the battery unit.

[0088] REFRIGERATION SYSTEM 1 Transport refrigeration machine 2 Battery unit 3 Electrical circuit system 4 Refrigeration cycle device 31 High voltage circuit 32 Low voltage circuit 33 High voltage battery 34 Low voltage battery 41 Compressor 42 Condenser 42a First section 42b Second section 43 Expansion valve 44 Evaporator 45 Condenser fan 45a First fan 45b Second fan 46 Evaporator fan 47 Receiver 48 Accumulator 49 Oil separator 51 Inverter 52 DC-DC converter 61 Main circuit 62 Communication circuit 63 Relay circuit 64 Cabin controller 71 Compressor unit 71a Compressor unit casing 72 Condenser unit 72a Condenser unit casing 73 High voltage circuit unit 73a High voltage circuit unit casing 74 Low voltage circuit unit 74a Low voltage circuit unit casing 81a, 81b, 81c, 81d Top surface 82a, 82b, 82c, 82d Bottom surface 83a, 83b, 83c, 83d Side surface 84a, 84b, 84c, 84d Front surface 85a, 85b, 85c, 85d Back surface 90 Transport vehicle 91 Vehicle body 92 Chassis 93 Wheels 94 Container 94a Front wall 95 Cabin 96 Frame 100 Electric motor 201 Fixed part 202 Recess 203 Heat sink 204 Intake hole 205 Outlet hole L Refrigerant line V Freezer compartment

Claims

1. A transport refrigeration machine installed on a vehicle having a chassis and a container that can be mounted on the chassis, comprising: a high-voltage circuit unit including a high-voltage circuit having an inverter that converts power from a battery unit and supplies it to a compressor, and a DC converter that generates a DC current for driving auxiliary equipment; a low-voltage circuit unit including a low-voltage circuit that generates or controls the DC current for driving the auxiliary equipment based on power from the battery unit; a compressor unit including a compressor that compresses refrigerant; and a condenser unit including a condenser that condenses the refrigerant, wherein the high-voltage circuit unit, the low-voltage circuit unit, the compressor unit, and the condenser unit are distributedly arranged below the chassis and on at least one of the front walls of the container that face forward.

2. A transport refrigeration machine as described in claim 1, wherein the high-voltage circuit unit, the low-voltage circuit unit, the compressor unit, and the condenser unit are respectively arranged in a distributed manner both below the chassis and on the front wall.

3. A transport refrigeration machine according to claim 2, wherein the high-voltage circuit unit and the low-voltage circuit unit are disposed on the front wall, and the compressor unit and the condenser unit are disposed below the chassis.

4. The transport refrigeration machine according to claim 1, wherein the high-voltage circuit unit, the low-voltage circuit unit, the compressor unit, and the condenser unit are respectively arranged in a distributed manner on the front wall.

5. A transport refrigeration machine as described in claim 4, wherein the high-voltage circuit unit and the low-voltage circuit unit are disposed in the lower part of the front wall, and the compressor unit and the condenser unit are disposed in the upper part of the front wall.

6. A transport refrigeration machine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a plurality of the battery units are arranged in a dispersed manner below the chassis, and at least one of the high-voltage circuit unit, the low-voltage circuit unit, the compressor unit and the condenser unit is arranged in the space between the battery units.

7. A transport refrigeration machine as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the high-voltage circuit unit, the low-voltage circuit unit, the compressor unit, and the condenser unit have fixed portions that can be fixed to the underside of the chassis and the front wall.

8. A transport refrigeration machine as described in claim 7, wherein the high-voltage circuit unit, the low-voltage circuit unit, the compressor unit, and the condenser unit each have a rectangular parallelepiped shape having a top surface, a bottom surface, a pair of side surfaces, a front surface, and a back surface, and the fixed parts are provided on the top surface and the back surface, respectively.

9. A transport refrigeration machine according to claim 8, wherein a recess recessed toward the front side is formed on the rear surface of the high-voltage circuit unit, and a heat sink is housed in the recess.

10. A transport refrigeration machine according to claim 9, wherein the recess penetrates the rear surface in a direction connecting the pair of side surfaces.

11. A transport refrigeration machine as described in claim 8, wherein one of the pair of side surfaces and the front surface of the condenser unit are formed with intake holes capable of taking in air, and a surface other than the surface on which the intake holes are formed is formed with outlet holes capable of discharging air, and the condenser is curved when viewed from the direction from the top surface to the bottom surface so as to face the intake holes from the inside.

Images