Patent Application
20240359904
The present invention relates to a refrigeration system, and particularly to a hydrogen temperature controlling system, a refrigerated containing device, and a divisional temperature controlling method for the refrigerated containing device.
Refrigerated transport has been a fast-developing industry since the past few years. By disposing a refrigerated container on the truck, all kinds of commodities needing to be kept cold and fresh can be stored inside the container, which allows downstream suppliers or consumers to receive commodities with better quality.
In a primitive refrigerated truck, a compressor of a refrigeration system is connected to an engine of the truck via a connector such as a belt. The compressor is driven by the engine to compress refrigerant, and then the refrigerant is led to a refrigerating module of the refrigeration system. The refrigeration system thus runs a refrigeration cycle to lower the temperature inside the container and provide an effect of refrigeration. However, since the compressor is driven by the engine, the refrigeration system stops working when the truck stops for traffic signals or during discharge of the commodities. Moreover, the efficiency of the refrigeration system continually changes as the operating situation of the engine, i.e. the driving circumstances of the truck. Thereby, the commodities may not be stably kept in refrigeration.
In light of the above-mentioned problems of the original refrigerated truck, researchers in the industry developed the way of the compressor being driven by an external electricity module instead of the engine. Specifically, the external electricity module supplies electricity for driving the compressor via a motor, which helps the refrigeration system to run the refrigeration cycle. Thereby, when the truck stops, the refrigeration system may still operate. Otherwise, the commodities in the container can be stably kept in refrigeration without being influenced by the driving circumstances of the truck since the compressor is driven by the electric motor. However, capacity and weight of the external electricity module all need to be considered thoroughly, and the capacity of the external electricity module is limited and cannot allow the truck to transport for a long distance. Furthermore, the external electricity module needs a period of time to be recharged after running out of electricity, which interferes with trucks' schedule of the refrigerated transport.
With the trend of the hydrogen energy in recent years, many technics of fuel cell electric vehicles are gradually developed. Also, many researchers in this industry try to replace the external electricity module with the fuel cell system for supplying the motor with electricity, and the refrigeration system can run the refrigeration cycle to cool the interior of the container. However, according to the current cost of purchasing fuel cell electric vehicles and latter refueling of the hydrogen gas, the cost-effectiveness of applying the fuel cell system for running the refrigeration cycle to cool the interior of the container is at a low level. As a result, the applicant develops the present invention to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.
The main objective of the present invention is to provide a hydrogen temperature controlling system, a refrigerated containing device, and a divisional temperature controlling method for the refrigerated containing device that May control temperature divisionally by heat absorption capacity of decompressed gas, increase application of the fuel cell system, and improve the cost-effectiveness of the fuel cell system.
The hydrogen temperature controlling system is applied for supplying hydrogen gas and simultaneously controlling temperature of multiple containing spaces via the hydrogen gas. The hydrogen temperature controlling system has an expansion valve, multiple temperature controlling modules, and a control unit. The expansion valve is configured to allow the hydrogen gas to flow through to lower pressure and temperature of the hydrogen gas. Each one of the multiple temperature controlling modules has a control valve, a heat exchanger, and a thermal sensor. The control valve is configured to allow the hydrogen gas from the expansion valve to flow through. The heat exchanger is connected to the control valve and is configured to be disposed to a respective one of the multiple containing spaces. The thermal sensor is configured to be disposed to a respective one of the multiple containing spaces and measure temperature of the corresponding containing space. The control unit is electrically connected to the control valve and the thermal sensor of each one of the multiple temperature controlling modules. The hydrogen temperature controlling system is configured for the hydrogen gas to flow through the expansion valve and said temperature controlling module to an outlet pipeline, and the control unit is configured to operate the control valve of each one of the multiple temperature controlling modules according to temperature of the corresponding containing space so as to allow the hydrogen gas to flow to the corresponding heat exchanger, so the heat exchanger exchanges heat with the corresponding containing space.
The refrigerated containing device has the hydrogen temperature controlling system described above, a container, a storage tank, a fuel cell, an actuator, and a refrigeration system. The container has the multiple containing space disposed therein. The storage tank is configured to store the hydrogen gas and supply the hydrogen gas to the expansion valve of the hydrogen temperature controlling system. The fuel cell is configured to receive the hydrogen gas from the outlet pipeline of the hydrogen temperature controlling system and generate electricity. The actuator is configured to operate with the electricity generated by the fuel cell, and the refrigeration system is drivable by the actuator to cool an interior of the container.
The divisional temperature controlling method for a refrigerated containing device has the following steps. Allow hydrogen gas to flow through an expansion valve to lower pressure and temperature of the hydrogen gas; measure temperature of a first containing space inside a container, and determine whether a difference between the temperature of the first containing space and a first target temperature is within a range. When the difference between the temperature of the first containing space and the first target temperature is within the range, actuate a first control valve to allow the hydrogen gas to flow through a first heat exchanger so as to exchange heat with the first containing space via the first heat exchanger. Measure temperature of a second containing space inside the container, and determine whether a difference between the temperature of the second containing space and a second target temperature is within the range. When the difference between the temperature of the second containing space and the second target temperature is within the range, actuate a second control valve to allow the hydrogen gas to flow through a second heat exchanger so as to exchange heat with the second containing space via the second heat exchanger.
Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
A hydrogen temperature controlling system of a first preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention is applied for supplying hydrogen gas and simultaneously controlling temperature of multiple containing spaces via the hydrogen gas. With reference to
The expansion valve 10 is configured to allow the hydrogen gas to flow through to lower pressure and temperature of the hydrogen gas. Specifically, the hydrogen gas is throttled by the expansion valve 10, which lowers pressure and temperature of the hydrogen gas and makes the hydrogen gas have the capability of heat absorption to exchange heat with a space having a higher temperature.
With reference to
The thermal sensor 23 of each one of the two temperature controlling modules 20 is configured to be disposed in anywhere of a respective one of the two containing spaces. With reference to
With reference to
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With reference to
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After running the first containing space cooling step S4, repeat the first containing space temperature measuring step S2 and the first containing space temperature determining step S3 until the temperature of the first containing space 51A reaches or is lower than the first target temperature. In other words, re-measure the temperature of the first containing space 51A and re-determine whether the difference between the first target temperature and the temperature of the first containing space 51A is within the range until the difference is determined out of the range, and a next step is then run.
With reference to
Specifically, the second containing space temperature measuring step S5 and the second containing space temperature determining step S6 are similar with the first containing space temperature measuring step S2 and the first containing space temperature determining step S3. The temperature of the second containing space 51B is measured by the thermal sensor 23 of the second temperature controlling modules 20B; with reference to
With reference to
After running the second containing space cooling step S7, repeat the second containing space temperature measuring step S5 and the second containing space temperature determining step S6 until the temperature of the second containing space 51B reaches or is lower than the second target temperature. In other words, re-measure the temperature of the second containing space 51B and re-determine whether the difference between the second target temperature and the temperature of the second containing space 51B is within the range until the difference is determined out of the range, and a next step is then run.
With reference to
Specifically, when the cooling of the first containing space 51A and the cooling of the second containing space 51B are both finished or when the temperature of the first containing space 51A and the temperature of the second containing space 51B are both too high, the difference between the temperature of the first containing space 51A and the first target temperature and the difference between the temperature of the second containing space 51B and the second target temperature are both out of the range. With reference to
In practice, in the refrigerated containing device applying the hydrogen temperature controlling system, the refrigeration system 82 driven by the actuator 81 powered by the fuel cell 70 is the main cooling means. When the temperature of the interior of the container 50 rises slightly due to opening of the container 50 for loading or discharge of commodities or due to factors of weather and transport, the hydrogen temperature controlling system can be adopted for cooling. When the hydrogen gas flows through said heat exchanger 22, the capability of heat absorption of the hydrogen gas after decompression enables the heat exchange between said heat exchanger 22 and the corresponding containing space in the container 50, which provides effects of slight cooling and accurate temperature control.
In the industrial application, the refrigerated containing device applying the hydrogen temperature controlling system of the first preferred embodiment can be a warehouse at a fixed spot, or the refrigerated containing device can be disposed on a truck 90 as a truck container of the truck 90, and with reference to
According to the above description, for the refrigeration container powered by the fuel cell system, the present invention provides the hydrogen temperature controlling system and the refrigerated containing device applying the above system which are applicable to containers with multiple regions having different temperature. While the hydrogen gas being supplied from the storage tank 60 to the fuel cell 70, the hydrogen temperature controlling system divisionally cools the interior of the container 50 via the capability of heat absorption of the hydrogen gas after decompression. For the refrigeration container powered by the fuel cell system, the present invention broadens the application of the fuel cell system and thus improves the cost-effectiveness of the fuel cell system.
The present invention further provides the divisional temperature controlling method for the refrigerated containing device, which monitors the temperature of each containing space inside the container 50 at all times and can adjust flow of the hydrogen gas according to difference between the temperature of each containing space and the corresponding target temperature so as to cool the containing space slightly heated up and accurately control the temperature of each containing space. For the containing space having the temperature much higher than the target temperature, the fuel cell 70 supplies electricity for the refrigeration system 82 to operate and cool said containing spaces, which ensures better cooling efficiency.
In the divisional temperature controlling method for the refrigerated containing device of the present invention, the hydrogen supplying step S1 is first run, and the first containing space temperature measuring step S2 and the first containing space temperature determining step S3 are run next in the first preferred embodiment. In other embodiments, the first containing space temperature measuring step S2 and the first containing space temperature determining step S3 may be run first, and then the hydrogen supplying step S1 is run to allow the hydrogen gas to flow through the expansion valve 10 for the following first containing space cooling step S4. Order of the hydrogen supplying step S1, the first containing space temperature measuring step S2, and the first containing space temperature determining step S3 is not limited by the description in the first preferred embodiment.
Moreover, in the divisional temperature controlling method for the refrigerated containing device of the present invention, the first containing space temperature measuring step S2, the first containing space temperature determining step S3, and the first containing space cooling step S4 are run first, and the second containing space temperature measuring step S5, the second containing space temperature determining step S6, and the second containing space cooling step S7 are run next in the first preferred embodiment. In other embodiments, the steps concerning the first containing space 51A and the steps concerning the second containing space 51B may be run simultaneously. The order of the steps in the divisional temperature controlling method for the refrigerated containing device is according to the configuration of the corresponding hydrogen temperature controlling system and the corresponding refrigerated containing device and is thus not limited by the description of the first preferred embodiment.
In the first preferred embodiment, the hydrogen temperature controlling system has the two temperature controlling modules 20, and the container 50 has the two containing spaces. In other embodiments, the number of the temperature controlling modules 20 in the hydrogen temperature controlling system may be decided according to the number of the containing spaces with different target temperatures in the container 50. The number of the temperature controlling modules 20 and the number of the containing spaces are not limited by the first preferred embodiment.
With reference to
In the first preferred embodiment, said control valves 21 of the multiple temperature controlling modules 20 are connected in series. In other embodiments, said control valves 21 of the multiple controlling modules 20 can be in parallel connection, which still enables the hydrogen temperature controlling system to control the temperature divisionally. In the first preferred embodiment, when the containing space corresponding to the heat exchanger 22 of a forward temperature controlling module 20 needs not be cooled, the hydrogen gas is all led to the control valve 21 of a next temperature controlling module 20. When any one of the multiple containing spaces in the container 50 needs to be cooled, the hydrogen gas from the expansion valve 10 all flows through the corresponding control valve 21 and the corresponding heat exchanger 22 so as to exchange heat with the corresponding containing space via the corresponding heat exchanger 22, and then the hydrogen gas flows to the outlet pipeline 41. The capability of heat absorption of the hydrogen gas after decompression can be totally and properly performed. Otherwise, compared to the parallel connection, the serial connection can have a simpler pipeline configuration, which is convenient for design and assembly of the hydrogen temperature controlling system, decreases the total length of the pipeline, and thus decreases leaking risk of the hydrogen gas, and improves the safety in use.
With reference to
Furthermore, with reference to
In the first preferred embodiment, the hydrogen temperature controlling further has the heat exchanger 22 of the two temperature controlling modules 20 connected in series. In other embodiments, said heat exchangers 22 of the multiple temperature controlling modules 20 may be in parallel connection and then be connected to the outlet pipeline 41, and the hydrogen gas can still flow through the outlet pipeline 41 to the fuel cell 70 after flowing through the heat exchanger 22. In the first preferred embodiment, the serial connection of said heat exchangers 22 of the multiple temperature controlling modules 20 decreases the total length of the pipeline of the hydrogen temperature controlling system, decreases leaking risk of the hydrogen gas, and thus improves the safety in use.
In addition, the hydrogen temperature controlling system has multiple second check valves 44. Each one of the multiple second check valves 44 is disposed between said heat exchangers 22 of the two temperature controlling modules 20 or the heat exchanger 22 of a respective one of the two temperature controlling modules 20 and the outlet pipeline 41. The multiple second check valves 44 prevent the hydrogen gas from flowing backwards and ensure that the hydrogen gas flows to the outlet pipeline 41 and to the fuel cell 70 from the outlet pipeline 41 for the fuel cell 70 to generate electricity.
With reference to
In the first preferred embodiment, said fans 24 force convection between the periphery of the heat exchanger 22 and the corresponding containing space, which enables all air in the corresponding containing space to flow to the periphery of the heat exchanger 22 to exchange heat with the heat exchanger 22. Thereby, the temperature of every portion in the corresponding containing space can be more consistent, and temperature difference between the portions respectively near the heat exchanger 22 and away from the heat exchanger 22 can be decreased. Also, the heat transfer can be speeded up, and the heat exchange's efficiency of the heat exchanger 22 can be improved.
With referenced to
In the refrigerated containing device applying the hydrogen temperature controlling system of the first preferred embodiment, said fans 24 and the frame are disposed to generate convection in the corresponding containing space and improve efficiency of heat transfer. In comparison, in the refrigerated containing device of the second preferred embodiment, the heat exchanging pipeline 220 is attached to the internal wall 502, and since the internal wall 502 is made of metal material having great thermal conductivity, the efficiency of heat exchange between the heat exchanger 22 and the corresponding containing space 51 inside the container 50 can be improved, and the corresponding containing space 51 inside the container 50 can be cooled faster.
Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and features of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made in the details, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.
