Refrigerated container provided with ventilation system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Refrigerated containers face challenges in safely managing refrigerant leaks, as existing systems lack effective mechanisms to vent leaked refrigerant and maintain internal pressure within safe thresholds, potentially leading to hazards from high refrigerant concentrations.
Innovation Solution
A ventilation system equipped with a leak sensor, pressure sensor, controller, injection port, vent door, and vent port, which allows for controlled ventilation and pressure relief by opening a vent door and using a compressor to inject air, ensuring safe venting of refrigerant to the external environment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If refrigerant leaks into the interior space, then refrigerant concentration increases, but internal pressure may exceed safe thresholds creating hazards
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a ventilation system as an intermediary mechanism between the refrigerant leak source and the container interior. The system includes vent ports, fans, and controllers that actively manage refrigerant removal, preventing direct accumulation of hazardous concentrations while maintaining pressure control through regulated ventilation rather than uncontrolled leakage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback control through sensors that continuously monitor refrigerant concentration and pressure levels inside the container. These sensors provide real-time data to controllers that automatically adjust ventilation system operation, creating a closed-loop system that responds to actual conditions rather than operating on fixed schedules, thereby reliably preventing hazardous thresholds from being exceeded.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If ventilation system is activated to vent refrigerant, then refrigerant concentration is reduced, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs periodic ventilation cycles rather than continuous operation. The system activates fans and vent ports in periodic intervals based on refrigerant concentration levels and pressure conditions, allowing ventilation to occur in controlled bursts that effectively reduce refrigerant accumulation while minimizing overall energy consumption compared to continuous ventilation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent dynamically changes ventilation parameters such as fan speed, vent port opening degree, and ventilation duration based on real-time refrigerant concentration and pressure readings. The system adjusts these parameters proportionally to the detected hazard level, using minimal ventilation capacity for low concentrations and maximizing it only when necessary, thereby optimizing the balance between refrigerant removal efficiency and energy consumption.
3Stress or pressure
If pressure relief is provided through vent port, then internal pressure is controlled, but refrigerant may escape to external environment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the potentially harmful effect of pressure-driven refrigerant escape into a beneficial controlled ventilation process. By using the pressure differential as the driving force for intentional ventilation through controlled port openings, the system transforms what would be uncontrolled hazardous leakage into a managed refrigerant removal mechanism that actually reduces internal concentration while maintaining pressure safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces controlled vent ports and ventilation pathways as intermediary structures between the pressurized interior and exterior environment. These intermediaries provide regulated pathways for pressure equalization that allow refrigerant removal under controlled conditions rather than direct uncontrolled escape, enabling pressure management while minimizing harmful external release through strategic positioning and sizing of vent openings.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively mitigates refrigerant leaks by venting excess refrigerant and maintaining safe internal pressures, preventing hazards and ensuring the safe operation of refrigerated containers during refrigerant leakage events.
Implementation Method 1
a leak sensor disposed within an interior space of the refrigerated container and arranged to provide a signal indicative of a concentration of a refrigerant within the interior space
Implementation Method 2
a pressure sensor in communication with the controller and arranged to provide a signal indicative of a pressure within the interior space of the refrigerated container
Implementation Method 3
A compressor is fluidly connected to the injection port. The compressor is arranged to apply an airflow through the injection port and into the interior space to pressurize the refrigerated container with air
Implementation Method 4
The vent port is controlled to open responsive to the signal provided by the pressure sensor being indicative of a pressure within the interior space being greater than a threshold pressure
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
A ventilation system includes a leak sensor (52), a controller (56), and at least one of an injection port (70) and a vent door. The leak sensor (52) is disposed within an interior space of a refrigerated container (10) and is arranged to provide a signal indicative of a concentration of a refrigerant (18) within the interior space. The controller (56) is arranged to receive the signal. At least one of the injection port (70) and the vent door is disposed on at least one of a floor (30), a front wall (32), and a side wall (38) of the refrigerated container (10).