BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to refrigeration. More particularly, the invention relates to heat recovery refrigeration systems such as refrigerated transport systems.

A transport refrigeration system used to control an enclosed area, such as the box of a truck, trailer, intermodal container, or the like, functions by absorbing heat from the enclosed area and releasing heat outside of the box into the environment. A number of transport refrigeration units, including units currently sold by assignee, employ a reciprocating compressor to pressurize refrigerant to enable the removal of heat from the box.

A number of systems power the vapor compression system via an internal combustion engine. Some systems directly couple the engine to the compressor to mechanically drive the compressor. Others electrically power the compressor via a generator. When an engine is present, a number of systems have been proposed to use heat recovery from the engine. Several recent systems include those of US Patent Application Publication No. 2012/0116594A1 of Aidoun et al., published May 10, 2012.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One aspect of the invention involves a refrigerated transport system comprising an engine. A vapor compression system comprises: a compressor for compressing a flow of a refrigerant; a first heat exchanger along a refrigerant flowpath of the refrigerant; and a second heat exchanger along the refrigerant flowpath of the refrigerant. A heat recovery system has: a first heat exchanger for transferring heat from the engine to a heat recovery fluid along a heat recovery flowpath; and a second heat exchanger along the heat recovery flowpath. The heat recovery system second heat exchanger and the vapor compression system first heat exchanger are respective portions of a shared tube/fin package.

In one or more embodiments of any of the foregoing embodiments, a separate subcooler has respective legs along the vapor compression flowpath and the heat recovery flowpath and the heat recovery system second heat exchanger is a condenser.

In one or more embodiments of any of the foregoing embodiments, there is no separate subcooler; and the heat recovery system second heat exchanger is an evaporator.

In one or more embodiments of any of the foregoing embodiments, the heat recovery system further comprises: an ejector having a motive flow inlet, a secondary flow inlet, and an outlet; a pump; and a loop of the heat recovery flowpath passing through the pump to the heat recovery system first heat exchanger, through the motive flow inlet and from the outlet back to the pump.

In one or more embodiments of any of the foregoing embodiments, the heat recovery system first heat exchanger has a leg along a coolant flowpath of the engine.

In one or more embodiments of any of the foregoing embodiments, the refrigerated transport system further comprises: an engine radiator; and a valve along the coolant flowpath for apportioning a total coolant flow between the radiator and the heat recovery system first heat exchanger.

In one or more embodiments of any of the foregoing embodiments, the engine is coupled to the compressor to drive the compressor.

In one or more embodiments of any of the foregoing embodiments, the engine is coupled to the compressor to mechanically drive the compressor.

In one or more embodiments of any of the foregoing embodiments, the engine is mechanically coupled to an electrical generator and the electrical generator is electrically coupled to an electric motor of the compressor.

In one or more embodiments of any of the foregoing embodiments, the refrigerated transport system further comprises a refrigerated compartment in thermal communication with the vapor compression system second heat exchanger.

In one or more embodiments of any of the foregoing embodiments, the refrigerated transport is a truck or a trailer.

In one or more embodiments of any of the foregoing embodiments, the engine, vapor compression system, and heat recovery system are mounted along a front of the compartment.

In one or more embodiments of any of the foregoing embodiments, the vapor compression system refrigerant and the heat recovery fluid are different from each other.

In one or more embodiments of any of the foregoing embodiments, the refrigerant is less flammable, less toxic, and/or less harmful to the contents of the refrigerated compartment than the heat recovery fluid.

In one or more embodiments of any of the foregoing embodiments, a method for operating the refrigerated transport system comprises, in a first mode: running the engine to drive the compressor to compress the flow of refrigerant and drive the refrigerant along the refrigerant flowpath; transferring the heat from the engine to the heat recovery fluid along the heat recovery flowpath; and rejecting heat from the refrigerant in the vapor compression system first heat exchanger.

In one or more embodiments of any of the foregoing embodiments, heat is absorbed by the heat recovery fluid in the heat recovery system second heat exchanger.

In one or more embodiments of any of the foregoing embodiments, in the first mode heat is rejected by the heat recovery fluid in the heat recovery system second heat exchanger.

In one or more embodiments of any of the foregoing embodiments, a separate subcooler has respective legs along the vapor compression flowpath and the heat recovery flowpath. The method further comprises, in the first mode transferring heat from the refrigerant in the vapor compression system t to the heat recovery fluid in the heat recovery system in the subcooler via a refrigerant-refrigerant heat exchange without airflow.

In one or more embodiments of any of the foregoing embodiments, the refrigerated transport system further comprises a radiator and the method further comprises, in the first mode using a valve to apportion engine coolant between the heat recovery system first heat exchanger and the radiator.

Another aspect of the invention involves a combined cooling heating and power (CCHP) system comprising: a heat source. A vapor compression system comprises: a compressor for compressing a flow of a refrigerant; a first heat exchanger along a refrigerant flowpath of the refrigerant; and a second heat exchanger along the refrigerant flowpath of the refrigerant. A heat recovery system has: a first heat exchanger for transferring heat from the heat source to a heat recovery fluid along a heat recovery flowpath; and a second heat exchanger along the heat recovery flowpath. The heat recovery system second heat exchanger and the vapor compression system first heat exchanger are respective portions of a shared heat exchanger for rejecting heat to a heat transfer fluid. Further embodiments may variations be along the lines of the other embodiments discussed above and below.

In one or more embodiments of any of the foregoing embodiments, the heat source comprises an engine and an electric generator is mechanically coupled to the engine to be driven by the engine.

In one or more embodiments of any of the foregoing embodiments, the shared heat exchanger is a water-cooled condenser (WCC).

In one or more embodiments of any of the foregoing embodiments, the water-cooled condenser is selected from the group consisting of: a shell and tube WCC; tube-in-tube water WCC; and a brazed plate WCC.

Another aspect of the invention involves a system comprising a heat source. A vapor compression system comprises: a compressor for compressing a flow of a refrigerant; a first heat exchanger along a refrigerant flowpath of the refrigerant; and a second heat exchanger along the refrigerant flowpath of the refrigerant. A heat recovery system has: a first heat exchanger for transferring heat from the heat source to a heat recovery fluid along a heat recovery flowpath; and a second heat exchanger along the heat recovery flowpath. The heat recovery system second heat exchanger and the vapor compression system first heat exchanger are respective portions of a shared heat exchanger for rejecting heat to a heat transfer fluid and/or are in common (e.g., series or parallel) along a heat transfer fluid flowpath. Further embodiments may variations be along the lines of the other embodiments discussed above and below.

The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.

