JP7208066B2 - transportation refrigeration machinery - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to transport refrigeration machines.

BACKGROUND ART Transportation machines such as refrigerated trucks that transport cargo in a state of being cooled by a refrigeration system are widely used. Conventionally, this type of refrigeration system has generally been driven by electric power extracted from the truck engine through an alternator. On the other hand, in order to save energy, a configuration in which a refrigerating device is driven by electric power supplied from a battery in addition to electric power from a driving engine has been put to practical use. As a specific example of a truck (refrigerating truck) having such a configuration, one described in Patent Document 1 below is known. A refrigerator vehicle described in Patent Document 1 includes an alternator that extracts power from an engine, a battery, and a solar panel that generates power for charging the battery.

JP-A-2003-97873

However, in the configuration described in Patent Literature 1, the charging amount of the battery is limited by the performance of the solar cell and the weather. In addition, since the battery is also used to drive the auxiliary equipment of the truck, the electric power that can be used by the refrigeration system is limited. Therefore, there is an increasing demand for a refrigeration system that can be operated more stably and with less energy consumption.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a transportation refrigeration machine that can be operated more stably and with energy saving.

A transport refrigeration machine according to an aspect of the present invention is a transport refrigeration machine for cooling a freezer compartment provided in the transport machine, comprising: a refrigeration unit having a compressor for compressing a refrigerant; A first generator that generates electric power to drive, a power generation engine that drives the first generator, a regenerative electric power generating section capable of generating electric power that drives the compressor, the first generator, and the a control device for switching power supplied from a regenerative power generation unit to the compressor, wherein the regenerative power generation unit is capable of supplying power to the compressor and is capable of being charged and discharged; A charge amount measuring unit that measures the charge amount of the battery, and a second generator that charges the battery, and the control device determines that the charge amount measured by the charge amount measurement unit is determined in advance. When it is equal to or greater than the first threshold, electric power is supplied from the regenerative power generation unit to the compressor, and when the charged amount is less than the first threshold, electric power is supplied from the first generator to the compressor. supply.

According to the above configuration, the compressor of the refrigeration unit can be driven not only by the power from the first generator driven by the power generation engine, but also by the power from the battery charged by the second generator. there is Furthermore, when the charge amount of the battery is equal to or greater than the first threshold, i.e., when there is a margin in the charge amount, the control device drives the compressor by the regenerative power generation unit (battery), and the charge amount is the first If it is less than the threshold, that is, if there is no margin in the charge amount, the compressor is driven by the first generator. In this manner, the power supply source for driving the compressor is switched according to the amount of charge in the battery, so that the refrigeration unit can be operated more stably.

In the transport refrigeration machine, the control device charges the battery with the second generator when the charge amount is less than the first threshold, and the charge amount is greater than the first threshold. is equal to or greater than the second threshold, power may be supplied from the regenerative power generation unit to the compressor.

According to the above configuration, when the charge amount is less than the first threshold, the charging of the battery is started, and thereafter, when the charge amount reaches the second threshold larger than the first threshold, the compressor is operated by the battery. supply power. That is, the compressor is not driven by the battery until the amount of charge in the battery reaches a value greater than the first threshold. On the other hand, when the compressor is driven by the battery immediately after the charged amount becomes equal to or greater than the first threshold, charging is started immediately after the charged amount falls below the first threshold. As a result, the power supply source for driving the compressor is frequently switched, and there is a possibility that the refrigeration system cannot be stably operated. However, according to the above configuration, such possibility can be reduced.

In the refrigeration machine for transportation, the power generating engine is driven at a constant number of revolutions to cause the first generator to generate constant drive power, and the control device controls the power required by the compressor. If it is smaller than the drive power, the battery may be charged by supplying part of the drive power to the battery.

According to the above configuration, the first generator constantly generates constant drive power by driving the power generation engine at a constant rotation speed. Therefore, for example, when the power (load) required by the compressor is smaller than this driving power, part of the driving power becomes redundant. In the above configuration, the battery is charged with this surplus power. As a result, the electric power generated by the first power generator is effectively used, and energy saving can be achieved. Moreover, since an engine that operates at a constant number of revolutions is used as the power generation engine, the structure of the device can be simplified and the cost can be reduced.

In the transport refrigeration machine, the power generation engine is a diesel engine, the transport machine has a position information acquisition unit that acquires position information of the transport machine, and the control device controls the use of the diesel engine. a storage unit for storing restricted area information indicating the restricted area in which the transport machine is located; a determination unit, wherein the control device stops the power generating engine when it is determined that the transportation machine is located within the restricted area, and the regenerative power generation unit causes the A compressor may be driven.

In the transport refrigeration machine, the transport machine has a position information acquisition unit that acquires position information of the transport machine, and the control device includes regulated area information indicating a regulated area in which noise tolerance is regulated. and a position determination unit that compares the position information and the restricted area information to determine whether or not the transport machine is located within the restricted area, wherein the control The device may stop the power generation engine and drive the compressor by the regenerative power generation section when it is determined that the transportation machine is located within the restricted area.

In the transport refrigeration machine, the transport machine has a position information acquisition unit that acquires position information of the transport machine, and the control device has a regulation indicating a regulation area where operation of the power generation engine is regulated. a storage unit that stores area information; and a position determination unit that compares the position information with the restricted area information to determine whether the transportation machine is located within the restricted area, When it is determined that the transportation machine is located within the restricted area, the control device may stop the power generation engine and drive the compressor by the regenerative power generation unit. .

Here, for the purpose of environmental conservation, some urban areas may have areas where the use of engines including diesel engines and the permissible value of noise are regulated. According to the above configuration, the position determination section determines whether or not the transportation machine is in the restricted area. When it is determined that the transportation machine is located within the restricted area, the diesel engine (power generation engine) is stopped and the regenerative power generator drives the compressor. This makes it possible for the transport machine to run more smoothly without the need for the driver to check each time whether the transport machine is located within the restricted area or to switch the drive source of the compressor by himself/herself. . As a result, the time required for transportation can be shortened, and further energy saving can be achieved.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a transportation refrigeration machine that can be operated more stably and with energy saving.

1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a transportation machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. It is a figure which shows the structure of the refrigerating unit which concerns on 1st embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the electric power system of the refrigerating machine for transportation which concerns on 1st embodiment of this invention. 1 is a functional block diagram showing the configuration of a control device for a transportation refrigeration machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram showing the configuration of a control device for a transportation refrigeration machine according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

[First embodiment]
A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. FIG. A transportation refrigeration machine 2 according to the present embodiment is mounted on a refrigeration transportation vehicle 100 as shown in FIG. 1 as an example. A refrigerated transport vehicle 100 includes a vehicle body 1 (transport machine) and a transport refrigeration machine 2 .

The vehicle body 1 has a cab 11 including a cab and an engine 15 for running, and a trailer 12 installed behind the cab 11 . The trailer 12 is provided with a freezer compartment 14 for keeping the cargo to be transported at a low temperature. The transport refrigeration machine 2 is provided to lower (cool) the temperature inside the freezer compartment 14 below the outside air temperature.

The transportation refrigeration machine 2 has a refrigeration unit 21, a first generator 22, a power generation engine 23, a regenerative power generator 24, and a control device 90 (see FIG. 4).

The refrigerating unit 21 exchanges heat between refrigerant and air by a refrigerating cycle. As shown in FIG. 2, the refrigerating unit 21 includes a refrigerant pipe P filled with refrigerant, a compressor 41 provided on the refrigerant pipe P, a condenser 42, a receiver 43, an expansion valve 44, an accumulator 45, and an evaporator. 46, a condenser fan 51, an evaporator fan 52, and a power system Sp (see FIG. 3).

The refrigerant pipe P is a pipe member for circulating a refrigerant, and the refrigerant is filled inside. The refrigerant pipe P has a first pipe P1, a second pipe P2, a third pipe P3, a fourth pipe P4, a fifth pipe P5, and a sixth pipe P6. The first pipe P1 connects the discharge side of the compressor 41 and the condenser 42 . The second pipe P2 connects the downstream side of the condenser 42 and the receiver 43 . The third pipe P3 connects the downstream side of the receiver 43 and the expansion valve 44 . The fourth pipe P4 connects the downstream side of the expansion valve 44 and the upstream side of the evaporator 46 . A fifth pipe P<b>5 connects the downstream side of the evaporator 46 and the accumulator 45 . The sixth pipe P6 connects the downstream side of the accumulator 45 and the suction side of the compressor 41 .

The compressor 41 compresses the high-temperature, low-pressure vapor-phase refrigerant sucked from the sixth pipe P6 side to generate a high-temperature, high-pressure vapor-phase refrigerant. This high-temperature, high-pressure vapor-phase refrigerant flows into the condenser 42 through the first pipe P1. Condenser 42 is provided outside freezer compartment 14 described above. The condenser 42 exchanges heat between the outside air and the refrigerant. A condenser fan 51 is provided to blow outside air toward the condenser 42 . The condenser fan 51 is driven by the first fan motor M1. As a result, the gas-phase refrigerant is condensed in the condenser 42 to generate a low-temperature, high-pressure liquid-phase refrigerant.

The low-temperature, high-pressure liquid-phase refrigerant flows into the receiver 43 through the second pipe P2. The receiver 43 is used to remove moisture contained in the refrigerant and to separate the refrigerant into liquid phase components and gas phase components. Of the refrigerant separated in the receiver 43, only the liquid phase component is sent to the expansion valve 44 through the third pipe P3. The low-temperature, high-pressure liquid-phase refrigerant that has flowed from the receiver 43 through the third pipe P3 is reduced in pressure by passing through the expansion valve 44, and becomes a low-temperature, low-pressure liquid-phase refrigerant.

The liquid-phase refrigerant that has passed through the expansion valve 44 and has become low temperature and low pressure flows into the evaporator 46 through the fourth pipe P4. The evaporator 46 is provided inside the freezer compartment 14 . In the evaporator 46, heat is exchanged between the air in the freezer compartment 14 and the refrigerant. An evaporator fan 52 is provided to send the air in the freezer compartment 14 to the evaporator 46 . The evaporator fan 52 is driven by the second fan motor M2. The heat in the freezer compartment 14 is absorbed by the low-temperature liquid-phase refrigerant, so that the temperature in the freezer compartment 14 decreases. Along with this, the temperature of the liquid-phase refrigerant rises and changes from the liquid phase to the gas phase, becoming a high-temperature, low-pressure gas-phase refrigerant.

The gas-phase refrigerant, which has passed through the evaporator 46 and has become high temperature and low pressure, flows into the accumulator 45 through the fifth pipe P5. The accumulator 45 is provided to temporarily store refrigerant and stably supply a fixed amount of refrigerant to the compressor 41 . The high-temperature, low-pressure gas-phase refrigerant that has passed through the accumulator 45 is sucked into the compressor 41 again through the sixth pipe P6. By continuously performing such a cycle, the temperature in the freezer compartment 14 is adjusted to a desired value.

As shown again in FIG. 1, the compressor 41 is driven by a compressor motor Mc. The compressor motor Mc is driven by a first generator 22 provided on the trailer 12 . The first generator 22 is connected to a power generation engine 23 provided on the trailer 12 and driven by the power generation engine 23 . In this embodiment, the first generator 22 generates constant power (driving power) at a constant number of revolutions. A diesel engine is preferably used as the power generation engine 23 . The power generation engine 23 is provided separately from the running engine 15 provided in the cab 11 . In addition, it is possible to adopt a configuration in which the power generation engine 23 and the running engine 15 are driven by the same fuel (light oil).

The regenerative electric power generator 24 is driven by the running engine 15 of the cab 11 to generate electric power for driving the compressor motor Mc. That is, the refrigerating unit 21 according to this embodiment can be driven by at least one of the first generator 22 and the regenerative power generation section 24 described above. The regenerative power generator 24 has a second generator 31 , a battery 32 , and a charge amount measuring section 33 .

The second generator 31 is connected to the running engine 15 . The second generator 31 supplies power to the battery 32 by being driven by the rotational force generated by the running engine 15 . The battery 32 is a rechargeable secondary battery, and a lithium ion battery is preferably used as an example. The battery 32 is charged with power supplied from the second generator 31 . Although the details will be described later, the battery 32 drives the refrigerating unit 21 (compressor motor Mc) when the battery 32 has a sufficient amount of charge. The charge amount of the battery 32 is measured by the charge amount measurement unit 33 and sent to the control device 90 as an electric signal.

As shown in FIG. 3, the power system Sp includes an electrical box 70 provided between the compressor 41, the first generator 22, and the regenerative power generation unit 24, a first contactor C1, a second and a contactor C2. The electrical equipment box 70 is an electric circuit for switching between the power supplied from the first generator 22 and the power supplied from the regenerative power generation section 24 and supplying the power to the compressor motor Mc. The electrical box 70 has an AC/DC converter 71 , an inverter 72 and a DC converter 73 .

The AC/DC converter 71 converts the AC current supplied from the first generator 22 to DC and steps down the voltage to a lower voltage, and supplies the inverter 72, the first fan motor M1, the second fan motor M2, and the DC converter. 73. Inverter 72 adjusts power supplied to compressor motor Mc that drives compressor 41 . The first fan motor M1 drives the condenser fan 51 described above, and the second fan motor M2 drives the evaporator fan 52 described above. DC converter 73 further steps down the DC current supplied from AC/DC converter 71 and supplies it to control device 90 . Although details will be described later, the control device 90 changes the open states of the first contactor C1 and the second contactor C2 according to the charge amount of the battery 32 .

The first contactor C<b>1 is a switching element provided between the first generator 22 and the AC/DC converter 71 . By opening and closing the first contactor C1, the state of power supply from the first generator 22 to the AC/DC converter 71 is switched. A second contactor C<b>2 is a switching element provided between the battery 32 and the DC converter 73 . By opening and closing the second contactor C2, the power supply state from the battery 32 to the DC converter 73 is switched.

The control device 90 switches the power supplied to the refrigerating unit 21 from the first power generator 22 and the regenerative power generation section 24 according to the charge amount of the battery 32 . Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4 , the control device 90 has a charge amount determination section 91 . The charge amount determination unit 91 switches the open/close state of the first contactor C1 and the second contactor C2 based on the charge amount of the battery 32 acquired from the charge amount measurement unit 33 described above. When the charge amount is equal to or greater than a predetermined first threshold value (50 V as an example), the charge amount determination unit 91 opens (OFF) the first contactor C1 and closes (OFF) the second contactor C2. ON). Thereby, a DC current is supplied from the battery 32 to the inverter 72 through the second contactor C2. This DC current drives the compressor motor Mc.

On the other hand, when the charge amount of the battery 32 is less than the first threshold value, the charge amount determination unit 91 closes (ON) the first contactor C1 and opens (OFF) the second contactor C2. ). As a result, alternating current flows from the first generator 22 to the AC/DC converter 71 through the first contactor C1. After being stepped down through the AC/DC converter 71 and the inverter 72, the DC current is supplied to the compressor motor Mc. This DC current drives the compressor motor Mc.

Furthermore, when the charge amount of the battery 32 is less than the first threshold, the second generator 31 is driven by the rotational force extracted from the running engine 15 . Electric power generated by the second generator 31 is supplied to the battery 32 to charge the battery 32 . When a certain amount of time has passed since the charging of the battery 32 was started and the amount of charge has reached a second threshold value (60 V as an example) that is larger than the first threshold value, the control device 90 again opens (OFF) the first contactor C1 and closes (ON) the second contactor C2. Thereby, a DC current is supplied from the battery 32 to the inverter 72 through the second contactor C2. This DC current drives the compressor motor Mc.

Further, in a state where the first contactor C1 is closed (ON) and the second contactor C2 is open (OFF), the power (load) required by the compressor 41 is the first power generation If it is smaller than the power (driving power) generated by the machine 22 , the control device 90 supplies part of the driving power to the battery 32 . As a result, the battery 32 is charged with part of the drive power (surplus power). In addition, the state in which the load of the compressor 41 is small refers to, for example, a state in which the temperature in the freezer compartment 14 is the same as or close to a predetermined set temperature.

Note that the control device 90 also controls the operation of the cooling fan motor M3 shown in FIG. The cooling fan motor M3 is a motor for driving a cooling fan (not shown) for cooling the generator engine 23 . An auxiliary battery 32B is used as a power supply source for the cooling fan motor M3.

According to the above configuration, the compressor 41 of the refrigerating unit 21 is powered by the power from the battery 32 charged by the second generator 31 in addition to the power from the first generator 22 driven by the power generation engine 23. can also be driven. Furthermore, when the charge amount of the battery 32 is equal to or greater than the first threshold, that is, when the charge amount has a margin, the control device 90 drives the compressor 41 by the regenerative power generation unit 24 (battery 32), When the charge amount is less than the first threshold, that is, when the charge amount has no margin, the compressor 41 is driven by the first generator 22 . In this manner, since the power supply source for driving the compressor 41 is switched according to the amount of charge in the battery 32, the refrigeration unit 21 can be operated more stably.

Furthermore, according to the above configuration, charging of the battery 32 is started when the charge amount is less than the first threshold, and then when the charge amount reaches the second threshold larger than the first threshold (equal to or greater than the second threshold ), power is supplied to the compressor 41 by the battery 32 . That is, the compressor 41 is not driven by the battery 32 until the charge amount of the battery 32 reaches a value greater than the first threshold. On the other hand, when the compressor 41 is driven by the battery 32 immediately after the charged amount becomes equal to or greater than the first threshold, charging is started immediately after the charged amount falls below the first threshold. As a result, the power supply source for driving the compressor 41 is frequently switched, and there is a possibility that the refrigeration system cannot be stably operated. However, according to the above configuration, such possibility can be reduced.

In addition, according to the above configuration, the first generator 22 always generates constant drive power by driving the power generation engine 23 at a constant rotation speed. Therefore, for example, when the power (load) required by the compressor 41 is smaller than the driving power, part of the driving power becomes redundant. In the above configuration, the battery 32 is charged with this surplus power. As a result, the electric power generated by the first generator 22 is effectively used, and energy saving can be achieved. Moreover, since an engine that operates at a constant number of revolutions is used as the power generation engine 23, the configuration of the device can be simplified and the cost can be reduced.

The first embodiment of the present invention has been described above. Various changes and modifications can be made to the above configuration without departing from the gist of the present invention. For example, the configuration of the circuit elements provided in the electrical equipment box 70 is an example, and other circuit elements can be appropriately provided according to the design and specifications. Further, in the above configuration, an example in which the second generator 31 is driven by the running engine 15 has been described. However, the driving source of the second generator 31 is not limited to the driving engine 15. For example, a regenerative braking system may be used to drive the second generator 31 with the rotational energy of the tires during braking.

[Second embodiment]
Next, a second embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to FIG. In addition, the same code|symbol is attached|subjected about the structure similar to said 1st embodiment, and detailed description is abbreviate|omitted. As shown in FIG. 5, in this embodiment, the configuration of a control device 290 is different from that in the first embodiment. The control device 290 has a position determination section 92 and a storage section 93 in addition to the charge amount determination section 91 . In addition, in this embodiment, the transport machine is provided with a position information acquisition unit 34 (GPS antenna) for acquiring its own position information.

The storage unit 93 stores, for example, restricted area information indicating restricted areas where the use of diesel engines is restricted. As the regulated area, an area where the allowable value of noise is regulated or an area where the operation of engines including diesel engines is regulated may be stored. The position determination unit 92 collates the position information acquired by the position information acquisition unit 34 with the restricted area information, and determines whether or not the transport machine is located within the restricted area. When it is determined that the transport machine is located within the restricted area, the control device 90 stops the generator engine 23, which is a diesel engine, and turns off the first contactor C1 to open (OFF) the second contactor C1. C2 is closed (ON). Thereby, the compression motor is driven by the electric power supplied from the regenerative electric power generator 24 .

For environmental purposes, some urban areas may have areas with restricted use of engines, including diesel engines, and noise tolerances. According to the above configuration, the position determination section 92 determines whether or not the transportation machine is within such a restricted area. When it is determined that the transportation machine is located within the restricted area, the diesel engine (power generation engine 23) is stopped and the regenerative power generator 24 drives the compressor 41. FIG. As a result, the transport machine can be run more smoothly without the need for the driver to check each time whether the transport machine is positioned within the restricted area or to switch the drive source of the compressor 41 by himself/herself. can. As a result, the time required for transportation can be shortened, and further energy saving can be achieved.

The second embodiment of the present invention has been described above. Various changes and modifications can be made to the above configuration without departing from the gist of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Vehicle main body 2... Refrigeration machine for transportation 11... Cab 12... Trailer 13... Chassis 14... Freezer compartment 15... Engine for traveling 21... Refrigerating unit 22... First generator 23... Engine for power generation 24... Regenerative electric power generation part 31 ...second generator 32...battery 32B...auxiliary battery 33...charge amount measuring unit 34...position information acquisition unit 41...compressor 42...capacitor 43...receiver 44...expansion valve 45...accumulator 46...evaporator 51...capacitor fan 52... Evaporator fan 70 Electrical box 71 AC/DC converter 72 Inverter 73 DC converter 90 Control device 91 Charge amount determination unit 92 Position determination unit 93 Storage unit 100 Refrigeration transport vehicle 290 Control device C1 First contactor C2 Second contactor M1 First fan motor M2 Second fan motor M3 Cooling fan motor Mc Compressor motor P Refrigerant pipe P1 First pipe P2 Second pipe P3 Third pipe P4 Fourth pipe P5 Fifth pipe P6 Sixth pipe Sp Power system

Claims (6)

A transport refrigeration machine for cooling a freezer compartment provided in the transport machine,
a refrigeration unit having a compressor for compressing a refrigerant;
a first generator that generates electric power to drive the compressor;
a power generation engine that drives the first generator;
a regenerative power generator capable of generating power for driving the compressor;
a control device for switching power supplied from the first generator and the regenerative power generation unit to the compressor;
with
The regenerative power generation unit is
a rechargeable and dischargeable battery capable of supplying power to the compressor;
a charge amount measuring unit that measures the charge amount of the battery;
a second generator for charging the battery;
has
The control device supplies electric power from the regenerative power generation unit to the compressor when the charge amount measured by the charge amount measurement unit is equal to or greater than a predetermined first threshold value, and the charge amount is A transportation refrigeration machine that supplies power from said first generator to said compressor when less than said first threshold. The control device charges the battery with the second generator when the charge amount is less than the first threshold, and the charge amount is greater than the first threshold and is equal to or greater than a second threshold. 2. The refrigeration machine for transportation according to claim 1, wherein electric power is supplied to said compressor from said regenerative electric power generation section when the time comes. The power generation engine is driven at a constant rotation speed so that the first generator generates constant drive power,
3. The control device according to claim 1, wherein when the power required by the compressor is smaller than the drive power, the controller charges the battery by supplying part of the drive power to the battery. Transport refrigeration machinery. The power generation engine is a diesel engine,
The transport machine has a position information acquisition unit that acquires position information of the transport machine,
The control device compares the location information and the restricted area information with a storage unit that stores restricted area information indicating restricted areas where the use of diesel engines is restricted, and determines whether the transportation machine is within the restricted area. and a position determination unit that determines whether the position is located in
2. When it is determined that the transportation machine is located within the restricted area, the control device stops the power generation engine and drives the compressor by the regenerative power generation section. 4. The transportation refrigeration machine according to any one of 3. The transport machine has a position information acquisition unit that acquires position information of the transport machine,
The control device compares the location information and the restricted area information with a storage unit that stores restricted area information indicating a restricted area where the allowable value of noise is restricted, and determines whether the transportation machine is within the restricted area. and a position determination unit that determines whether the position is located in
2. When it is determined that the transportation machine is located within the restricted area, the control device stops the power generation engine and drives the compressor by the regenerative power generation section. 4. The transportation refrigeration machine according to any one of 3. The transport machine has a position information acquisition unit that acquires position information of the transport machine,
The control device compares the location information and the restricted area information with a storage unit that stores restricted area information indicating a restricted area in which the operation of the power generation engine is restricted, so that the transport machine is in the restricted area. a position determination unit that determines whether or not the device is located within an area;
2. When it is determined that the transportation machine is located within the restricted area, the control device stops the power generation engine and drives the compressor by the regenerative power generation section. 4. The transportation refrigeration machine according to any one of 3.

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