Spatial control of conditioned gas delivery for transport refrigeration system to include cargo spatial temperature distribution, and methods for same

Abstract

Embodiments of systems, apparatus, and/or methods can provide a supply air delivery system to modify delivered supply air responsive to a sensed condition. Embodiments of transport refrigeration systems, air delivery chutes, plenums in containers, containers and methods for using same according to the application can maintain a prescribed environment for an operatively coupled cargo or a container.

1 . A transport refrigeration unit for regulating temperature of an enclosed volume, the transport refrigeration unit comprising:
 a refrigeration module including:
 a supply port to output air at a supply temperature; 
 a return port to return air to the refrigeration module at a return temperature; 
 at least one plenum extending away from the refrigeration module, the at least one plenum to include at least one configurable port to operate in a plurality of positions; and 
 a controller coupled to regulate operations of said at least one configurable port responsive to a prescribed temperature. 
   
     
     
         2 . The transport refrigeration unit of  claim 1 , comprising at least one temperature sensor unit to provide a cargo temperature, said controller to selectively operate said at least one configurable port responsive to said cargo temperature. 
     
     
         3 . The transport refrigeration unit of  claim 2 , said at least one temperature sensor unit to include a network of cargo temperature sensor units, said controller to determine localized temperatures or temperatures for grids from said network of cargo temperature sensor units, said controller to operate a plurality of configurable ports to control a flow therethrough or to control a direction of the flow therethrough responsive to readings of the network of cargo temperature sensor units. 
     
     
         4 . The transport refrigeration unit of  claim 3 , said at least one temperature sensor unit is wirelessly connected or has a wired connection to the refrigeration module, wherein the network of cargo temperature sensor units and the plurality of configurable ports have a prescribed relationship. 
     
     
         5 . The transport refrigeration unit of  claim 2 , said controller to selectively operate said at least one plenum in a first mode of operation or in a second mode of operation responsive to said cargo temperature or responsive to said supply temperature and said return temperature. 
     
     
         6 . The transport refrigeration unit of  claim 5 , wherein the first mode of operation and the second mode of operation have different positions for at least two of a plurality of different configurable ports or the first mode of operation and the second mode of operation provide different spatial distributions of air leaving the at least one plenum. 
     
     
         7 . The transport refrigeration unit of  claim 1 , said controller to selectively operate said at least one configurable port in a first mode of operation or in a second mode of operation responsive to a cargo temperature or responsive to said supply temperature and said return temperature. 
     
     
         8 . The transport refrigeration unit of  claim 1 , said at least one plenum is operatively coupled to one of the supply port or the return port. 
     
     
         9 . The transport refrigeration unit of  claim 1 , said at least one configurable port is configured to operate in a plurality of positions between a first closed position and a second open position, said at least one configurable port coupled to an actuator to reciprocally move between said plurality of positions, said actuator wirelessly connected or has a wired connection to the controller. 
     
     
         10 . The transport refrigeration unit of  claim 1 , said refrigeration module including:
 a compressor having a discharge port and an input port;   a heat rejection heat exchanger unit operatively coupled to said discharge port;   an heat absorption heat exchanger unit operatively coupled to said input port;   a first fan disposed proximate to said heat rejection heat exchanger unit; and   a second fan disposed proximate to said heat rejection heat exchanger unit, said controller to regulate said compressor, said first fan, and said second fan.   
     
     
         11 . The transport refrigeration unit of  claim 1 , said controller to operate said refrigeration module responsive to a humidity, cargo respiration, presence of gases, presence of chemicals, schedule, or species concentration of the enclosed volume or ambient conditions outside the enclosed volume. 
     
     
         12 . The transport refrigeration unit of  claim 1 , comprising a container coupled to the refrigeration module, said container to include a first plenum extending along a surface of the container between a front end adjacent to the refrigeration module and an opposite end, said surface to be at least one of a top surface and side surfaces of the container or to include a second plenum having a U-shape to extend along the top surface of the container and partially down the side surfaces between the front end adjacent to the refrigeration module and the opposite end. 
     
     
         13 . The transport refrigeration unit of  claim 1 , where said at least one plenum has a prescribed configuration to include at least a split into a plurality of first sub-plenums, joinder between at least two sub-plenums, or a plurality of second sub-plenums coupled to corresponding portions of the supply port. 
     
     
         14 . Apparatus for controlling a transport refrigeration unit for delivering conditioned air to a container, said apparatus including:
 a supply air plenum extending rearward from the transport refrigeration unit toward the rear of the container that is arranged to receive supply air from said transport refrigeration unit, the supply air plenum to provide a continuous passageway through said container;   a plurality of discharge ports positioned along a length of the supply air plenum, the plurality of discharge ports to move between a first position to output air in a first direction and a second position to output the air in a second direction or in a different amount, and   a plurality of temperature sensors positioned within the container to provide a temperature distribution in a spatial relationship to said plurality of discharge ports; and   a controller to determine when to move at least one of the plurality of discharge ports between the first position and the second position responsive to temperature provided by the plurality of temperature sensors.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a second supply air plenum extending rearward from the transport refrigeration unit toward the rear of the container along one sidewall of the container arranged to receive the supply air from said transport refrigeration unit, the second supply air plenum being spaced apart from an adjacent first sidewall of said container;   a second plurality of discharge ports positioned along the second supply air plenum, said second plurality of discharge ports to move between the first position capable of allowing air to pass therethrough and the second position to block air from passing therethrough;   a third supply air plenum extending rearward from the transport refrigeration unit toward the rear of the container along an opposite sidewall of the container arranged to receive the supply air from said transport refrigeration unit, the third supply air plenum being spaced apart from an adjacent second side wall of said container;   a third plurality of discharge ports positioned along the third supply air plenum, said third plurality of discharge ports to move between the first position capable of allowing air to pass therethrough and the second position to block air from passing therethrough.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the supply air plenum has a U-shape and is connected at a first end to one of a supply air port or a return air port of the transport refrigeration unit. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the container is separated into modular units having sidewalls extending up from a bottom surface over halfway to a top surface; each of said modular units corresponding to at least one discharge port; said each of said modular units to include at least one temperature sensor. 
     
     
         18 . A method of operating a transport refrigeration system, comprising:
 receiving identifying information including location for a network of sensors;   receiving identifying information including location and air flow settings for discharge ports, the discharge ports to be operationally coupled to a transport refrigeration unit;   receiving information related to a distributed cargo characteristic using the network of sensors; and   modifying at least one airflow setting for the discharge ports responsive to the received information related to the distributed cargo characteristic.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , comprising:
 providing the discharge ports along a length of an air passageway, the air passageway to extend away from the transport refrigeration unit;   determining the location of each of a network of temperature sensors; and   determining the location of each of the discharge ports.