TRANSPORTATION REFRIGERATION UNIT

Abstract

Operating a transportation refrigeration unit (15) powered by a gas engine includes vaporising liquefied natural gas; and combusting the vaporised liquefied natural gas in the gas engine to power the transportation refrigeration unit (15). The transportation refrigeration unit (15) is used to refrigerate a cargo space (7) onboard a transportation refrigeration system (1).

Description

Claims

1. A method of operating a transportation refrigeration unit (15) powered by a gas engine, the method comprising: vaporising liquefied natural gas; andcombusting the vaporised liquefied natural gas in the gas engine to power the transportation refrigeration unit (15).

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of vaporising the liquefied natural gas comprises heating the liquefied natural gas by exchanging thermal energy from refrigerant in a refrigeration circuit (21) of the transportation refrigeration unit (15) to the liquefied natural gas using a heat exchanger (24; 31).

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transportation refrigeration unit (15) comprises a (the) refrigeration circuit (21), and wherein the refrigerant circuit comprises one or more of: a refrigerant compressor (29), a condenser (23) and optionally one or more associated condenser fans (23a), an expansion device (25), an evaporator (27) and optionally one or more associated evaporator fans (27a); and wherein the step of combusting the vaporised liquefied natural gas in the gas engine to power the transportation refrigeration unit (15) comprises providing power to the one or more components of the refrigeration circuit (21).

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transportation refrigeration unit (15) comprises the gas engine.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transportation refrigeration unit (15) is mounted to a transportation refrigeration system (1) and is in operative association with a cargo space (7) defined within the transportation refrigeration system (1), and wherein the method comprises, subsequent to the step of combusting the vaporised liquefied natural gas in the gas engine to power the transportation refrigeration unit (15), refrigerating a cargo space (7) of the transportation refrigeration system (1) with the transportation refrigeration unit (15).

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, comprising combusting compressed natural gas in the gas engine to power the transportation refrigeration unit.

7. An apparatus comprising: a transportation refrigeration unit (15);a gas engine configured to power the transportation refrigeration unit; anda vaporiser (24; 31) in fluid communication with the gas engine;wherein the vaporiser (24; 31) is configured to vaporise liquefied natural gas into a gaseous state; andwherein the gas engine is configured to combust natural gas in a gaseous state that is received from the vaporiser to power the transportation refrigeration unit (15).

8. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the transportation refrigeration unit (15) comprises the gas engine.

9. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the vaporiser comprises a heat exchanger (24; 31) that is arranged to heat the liquefied natural gas to vaporise the liquefied natural gas into a gaseous state, wherein the heat exchanger (24; 31) is comprised as part of a refrigeration circuit (21) of the transportation refrigeration unit, and wherein the heat exchanger (24; 31) is arranged to exchange thermal energy from refrigerant in the refrigeration circuit (21) to the liquefied natural gas to thereby heat and vaporise the liquefied natural gas.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the gas engine is configured to combust compressed natural gas to power the transportation refrigeration unit (15).

11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7, comprising a liquefied natural gas storage tank (17) in communication with the vaporiser (24) and configured to supply liquefied natural gas thereto.

12. A transportation refrigeration system (1) comprising an apparatus in accordance with claim 7.

13. A transportation refrigeration system (1) according to claim 12, wherein the transportation refrigeration system is a refrigerated vehicle (1) or a refrigerated trailer (5) of a vehicle.

14. A transportation refrigeration system (1) according to claim 12, wherein the gas engine configured to power the transportation refrigeration unit (15) is a first engine and the transportation refrigeration system (1) comprises a second engine (9) that is a primary, motive engine for powering motion of the transportation refrigeration system (1).

15. A cold chain distribution system comprising one or more transportation refrigeration systems (1) in accordance with claim 12.