Transport Climate Control Current Feedback for Overload Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Transport climate control systems face challenges in efficiently managing current draw and diagnosing issues in high voltage components, leading to potential overloads and damage, particularly in systems with complex electrical architectures.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a closed loop feedback control system that uses current sensors to monitor and control current drawn by motors and provided by AC power sources, allowing for precise management of power consumption and diagnostics, thereby preventing overloads and enabling self-recovery methodologies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If current sensors and closed loop feedback control are implemented to precisely monitor and control current drawn by high voltage components, then reliability and protection against overloads are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements closed loop feedback control by monitoring current drawn by high voltage components (compressor, heaters, fans) using current sensors and adjusting their operation to prevent current draw from exceeding maximum threshold limits. The controller receives current sensor signals and sequences power delivery to multiple components based on real-time current measurements, providing active protection against overloads and component damage.
2Productivity
If precise current monitoring is implemented to optimize efficiency and detect abnormal conditions, then productivity and diagnostic capability are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-diagnosis and self-optimization by continuously monitoring current drawn by each component and automatically adjusting operation. The controller sequences power delivery to multiple high voltage components based on real-time current measurements, enabling the system to optimize its own efficiency and detect abnormal conditions without external intervention.
3Measurement precision
If current sensors are used to monitor power consumption instead of pressure sensors, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical pressure-based power consumption estimation with direct electrical current measurement. Instead of using suction and discharge pressure sensors to infer compressor power consumption through mechanical measurements, the system directly measures current drawn by the compressor motor, providing more accurate real-time power consumption data.
Data Source
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AI summary
A closed loop feedback control and diagnostics system for a transport climate control system is provided. The closed loop feedback control and diagnostics system includes a plurality of source current sensors (705a, 705b) configured to monitor current received from a high voltage three-phase AC power source (720). The closed loop feedback control and diagnostics system also includes a plurality of compressor current sensors (710a, 710b) configured to monitor current drawn by an electrically powered compressor (725) of the transport climate control system. The closed loop feedback control and diagnostics system also includes a controller (715) configured to receive source current signals from each of the plurality of source current sensors, configured to receive compressor current signals from each of the plurality of compressor current sensors, and configured to control operation of the transport climate control system based on the received source current signals and the received compressor current signals.