TRU Fan and Sensor Control for Uniform Reefer Container Conditions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Trailer refrigeration units (TRUs) fail to effectively monitor and maintain a homogeneous conditioned environment throughout a container, particularly in the rear section, leading to non-compliance with product storage requirements.
Innovation Solution
An air conditioning and refrigeration system equipped with a variable speed fan, sensors to monitor temperature, humidity, and airflow, and a controller that adjusts fan speed and cooling capacity based on real-time data to maintain a predefined environment across the container, including the rear section.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a traditional TRU with fixed monitoring is used, then the system structure is simple, but the environment monitoring coverage is insufficient especially in the rear section
Solution Approach 1:
The container is divided into multiple monitoring zones (front, middle, rear sections) with sensors strategically positioned in each zone. This segmentation allows comprehensive environmental monitoring throughout the entire container, particularly addressing the previously under-monitored rear section, while maintaining a modular and manageable system structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The monitoring system transitions from a single-point or limited-area measurement approach to a multi-dimensional spatial distribution of sensors. By positioning sensors at different locations (front, middle, rear) and heights within the container, the system achieves three-dimensional environmental coverage, ensuring homogeneous conditioning throughout the entire storage space.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the TRU operates with fixed cooling capacity, then the system operation is simple, but the environment homogeneity across the container is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The TRU control system transitions from a static, fixed cooling capacity operation to a dynamic, adaptive control mode. The controller continuously receives real-time temperature and humidity data from multiple sensors positioned throughout the container, including the rear section, and dynamically adjusts the cooling capacity and fan speed to maintain homogeneous environmental conditions across all zones.
Solution Approach 2:
A feedback control loop is established where sensors continuously monitor environmental conditions at various locations within the container, and the controller uses this feedback information to adjust the TRU operation. This closed-loop system ensures that temperature and humidity remain homogeneous throughout the container by compensating for local variations, particularly in the rear section where conditioning was previously insufficient.
3Ease of operation
If the fan operates at fixed speed, then the energy consumption is low and simple, but the conditioned air distribution to the rear section is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The fan operation transitions from a fixed-speed mode to a variable-speed mode controlled by the controller. Based on real-time environmental data from sensors positioned throughout the container, the controller dynamically adjusts fan speed to optimize conditioned air distribution. This ensures sufficient cooling reach to the rear section while avoiding unnecessary energy consumption when maximum fan speed is not required.
Solution Approach 2:
The fan speed parameter is changed dynamically based on environmental conditions and spatial requirements. The controller adjusts the fan speed parameter in response to temperature and humidity readings from multiple zones, optimizing the balance between air distribution effectiveness (particularly to the rear section) and energy consumption. This parameter adjustment allows the system to maintain ease of operation while improving air distribution coverage.
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
Ensures a homogenous and conditioned environment throughout the container, meeting product compliance regulations by effectively monitoring and adjusting the refrigeration unit's performance to maintain consistent temperature, humidity, and airflow rates.
Implementation Method 1
The controller is operatively coupled to a vapor compression system associated with the TRU, wherein the controller controls the operation of the vapor compression system to adjust the cooling capacity of the TRU
Implementation Method 2
a variable speed fan configured with the TRU
Data Source
AI summary
An air conditioning and refrigeration system for a container equipped with a transport refrigeration unit (TRU) is disclosed. The system comprises a variable speed fan configured with the TRU, and one or more first sensors positioned at predefined positions at a rear section of a conservation space associated with the container. The one or more first sensors are configured to monitor one or more first attributes associated with the rear section. The system further comprises a controller in communication with the one or more first sensors and the fan. The controller is configured to adjust speed of the fan and/or adjust cooling capacity of the TRU based on the monitored first attributes of the rear section, to maintain a predefined environment at the rear section or across the conservation space.