Transportation Refrigeration System with Integrated Power Generation and Energy Storage

Abstract

A thermal energy storage system that enables the discharge of refrigerated air for cooling cargo or passengers in large compartments, such as the trailer of a semi-truck, for a period of time well in excess of several hours. The thermal energy storage system is able to provide refrigeration without operating a conventional VCC unit, the truck engine, or the TRU diesel APU engine during all or a significant portion of the period of the typical range of time that a 53 foot refrigerated the truck is traveling over the road. The thermal energy storage system includes a phase change material reservoir, a cooling system-to-working fluid heat exchanger in fluid communication with the phase change material reservoir, and a phase change material-to-target heat exchanger in fluid communication with the phase change material reservoir. The phase change material reservoir contains a phase change material, a working fluid and a working fluid-to-phase change material heat exchanger.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An integrated power generation, energy storage and refrigeration system comprising:
 a plurality of wheels;   an axle affixed to at least one of the plurality of wheels;   an electric power generator that converts the rotational motion of the wheels into electric power; and   a thermal energy storage unit having a heat exchanging fluid and a cooling unit to thermally charge the fluid, the cooling unit powered by the electric power generator.   
     
     
         2 . The integrated power generation, energy storage and refrigeration system according to  claim 1  further comprising a constant output velocity device coupled at a first end to the axle and at a second end to the generator, wherein the constant output velocity device maintains the rotational power delivered to the generator within a prescribed rotational velocity range according to the efficient operating parameters of the generator. 
     
     
         3 . The integrated power generation, energy storage and refrigeration system according to  claim 2  wherein the constant output velocity mechanical device is selected from the group consisting of a constant velocity continuously variable transmission and a hydraulic pump and motor set. 
     
     
         4 . The integrated power generation, energy storage and refrigeration system according to  claim 1  wherein the electric power generator is a wheel motor generator. 
     
     
         5 . The integrated power generation, energy storage and refrigeration system according to  claim 1  further comprising a DC-DC converter or an AC-DC inverter and a thermal energy storage low power battery electric system, the converter or inverter adapted to facilitate powering of thermal energy storage components and charging of the thermal energy storage low power battery electric system by the electric power generator and the thermal energy storage low power battery electric system adapted to supply auxiliary power to components of the thermal energy storage unit or an auxiliary low voltage cooling unit to charge the thermal energy storage system. 
     
     
         6 . The integrated power generation, energy storage and refrigeration system according to  claim 5  wherein the thermal energy storage unit further comprises components selected from the group consisting of an electronic control unit adapted to regulate the thermal energy storage unit, a temperature sensor adapted to monitor the temperature of the heat exchanging fluid, a fan adapted to circulate air in a cargo or passenger space, one or more pumps adapted to circulate the heat exchanging fluid and diverters adapted to route the flow of the heat exchanging fluid through a heat exchanger, wherein the components are powered by the thermal energy storage low power battery electric system. 
     
     
         7 . The integrated power generation, energy storage and refrigeration system according to  claim 1  further comprising a solar energy collecting unit adapted to supply auxiliary power to the thermal energy storage unit or to supply auxiliary power to an auxiliary low voltage cooling unit configured to charge the thermal energy storage system or cool a conditioned space. 
     
     
         8 . The integrated power generation, energy storage and refrigeration system according to  claim 7  further comprising a thermal energy storage low power battery electric system adapted to be selectively charged by the solar energy collecting unit and the electric power generator, the thermal energy storage low power battery electric system adapted to supply auxiliary power to components of the a thermal energy storage unit. 
     
     
         9 . The integrated power generation, energy storage and refrigeration system according to  claim 7  further comprising a controller module adapted to manage the supply of power between to the solar energy collecting unit and the electric power generator. 
     
     
         10 . An integrated power generation, energy storage and refrigeration system comprising:
 a chassis;   a wheel rotatably coupled to the chassis and adapted for contact with a road surface;   a constant output velocity unit in rotational communication with the wheel;   an electric power generator in rotational communication with the constant output speed drive unit, wherein the constant output velocity unit supplies rotational power to the electric power generator within a prescribed range of rotational velocity and whereby the generator converts the rotational motion of the wheels into electric power; and   a thermal energy storage unit having a heat exchanging fluid and a cooling unit to charge the fluid, the cooling unit powered by the electric power generator.   
     
     
         11 . The integrated power generation, energy storage and refrigeration system according to  claim 10  wherein the chassis is a trailer chassis adapted to be pulled by a tractor. 
     
     
         12 . The thermal energy storage system according to  claim 10  wherein the heat exchanging fluid is a phase change material. 
     
     
         13 . The integrated power generation, energy storage and refrigeration system according to  claim 10  further comprising a solar energy collecting unit adapted to supply auxiliary power to the thermal energy storage unit or to supply auxiliary power to an auxiliary low voltage cooling unit configured to charge the thermal energy storage system or provide cooling to a conditioned space. 
     
     
         14 . The integrated power generation, energy storage and refrigeration system according to  claim 13  further comprising a thermal energy storage low power battery electric system adapted to be selectively charged by the solar energy collecting unit and the electric power generator, the thermal energy storage low power battery electric system adapted to supply auxiliary power to components of the a thermal energy storage unit. 
     
     
         15 . The integrated power generation, energy storage and refrigeration system according to  claim 10  wherein the thermal energy storage unit further comprises components selected from the group consisting of an electronic control unit adapted to regulate the thermal energy storage unit, a temperature sensor adapted to monitor the temperature of the heat exchanging fluid, a fan adapted to circulate air in a cargo space, one or more pumps adapted to circulate the heat exchanging fluid and diverters adapted to route the flow of the heat exchanging fluid through a heat exchanger, wherein the components are powered by the thermal energy storage low power battery electric system. 
     
     
         16 . The integrated power generation, energy storage and refrigeration system according to  claim 10  further comprising an axle coupling the wheel to the constant output velocity unit. 
     
     
         17 . The integrated power generation, energy storage and refrigeration system according to  claim 10  wherein the constant output velocity mechanical device is selected from the group consisting of a constant velocity continuously variable transmission and a hydraulic pump and motor set. 
     
     
         18 . A hybrid-powered regenerative mobile thermal energy storage system comprising:
 a chassis;   a wheel rotatably coupled to the chassis and adapted for contact with a road surface, wherein the wheel has a wheel motor generator for the conversion of rotational mechanical energy of the wheel into electrical power; and   a thermal energy storage unit having a heat exchanging fluid and a cooling unit to charge the fluid, the cooling unit powered by the wheel motor generator.   
     
     
         19 . The hybrid-powered regenerative mobile thermal energy storage system according to  claim 18  further comprising a DC-DC converter or an AC-DC inverter and a thermal energy storage low power battery electric system, the converter or inverter adapted to facilitate powering of thermal energy storage components and charging of the thermal energy storage low power battery electric system by the wheel motor generator and the thermal energy storage low power battery electric system adapted to supply auxiliary power to components of the a thermal energy storage unit or an auxiliary low voltage cooling unit to charge the thermal energy storage system.