CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a National Stage application of PCT/IB2015/000492, filed Feb. 23, 2015, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The subject matter disclosed herein relates to refrigeration systems. More specifically, the subject matter disclosed herein relates to refrigeration of truck cargo compartments utilized to store and ship cargo.

A typical refrigerated cargo container or refrigerated truck trailer, such as those utilized to transport a cargo via rail or road, is a container modified to include a refrigeration unit located at one end of the container. The refrigeration unit includes a compressor, condenser, expansion valve and evaporator serially connected by refrigerant lines in a closed refrigerant circuit in accord with known refrigerant vapor compression cycles. The evaporator is located at least partially in a compartment that requires cooling, such as a cargo compartment of a truck or trailer. The condenser and compressor are located outside of the compartment. Cargo compartment air is passed over the coils of the evaporator, boiling the refrigerant flowing through the evaporator coil, thus heat is absorbed from the air in the conditioned compartment to cool the conditioned compartment. The gaseous refrigerant is then flowed to the compressor for compression thereat. A power unit, including an engine, drives the compressor of the refrigeration unit, and is typically diesel powered, or in other applications natural gas powered. In many truck/trailer transport refrigeration systems, the compressor is driven by the engine shaft either through a belt drive or by a mechanical shaft-to-shaft link. In other systems, the engine drives a generator that generates electrical power, which in turn drives the compressor.

In a typical transport refrigeration unit, the evaporator assembly includes the evaporator coil and a number of blowing fans to blow the cargo compartment air over the housing, which are located in an evaporator housing. The evaporator housing is typically a metal enclosure, formed from many parts which are screwed together as components such as the evaporator coil and blowing fans are installed in the housing. Such a configuration is time consuming and costly to assemble and drives limitations on the type of fan, blowing fans, used in the evaporator assembly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In one embodiment, a transportation refrigeration unit to provide a flow of supply air to a selected space includes a compressor to compress a flow of refrigerant and an engine powered by a flow of fuel and operably connected to the compressor to drive the compressor. An evaporator circulates the flow of refrigerant therethrough to cool the supply air and includes a substantially unitary evaporator housing having a supply air inlet opening and a supply air outlet opening. An evaporator coil is located in the evaporator housing, the flow of refrigerant circulating across the evaporator coil. An evaporator fan is located in the evaporator housing to urge the supply airflow into the evaporator housing via the supply air inlet opening, across the evaporator coil and out of the evaporator housing through the supply air outlet opening.

Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the evaporator fan is located downstream of the evaporator coil relative to a direction of the supply airflow.

Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the evaporator fan is secured to a fan deck formed integral with the evaporator housing.

Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the evaporator fan is four evaporator fans.

Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments a removable top cover is affixed to the evaporator housing.

Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the evaporator fan is secured to a fan deck affixed to the top cover.

Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the evaporator housing is formed from a plastic or composite material.

Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the evaporator fan is located upstream of the evaporator coil relative to a direction of the supply airflow.

Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments a partition is positioned between the evaporator and the condenser, the partition formed integral to the evaporator housing.

In another embodiment, an evaporator assembly for a transportation refrigeration unit includes a substantially unitary evaporator housing having a supply air inlet opening and a supply air outlet opening. An evaporator coil is located in the evaporator housing circulating a flow of refrigerant therethrough. An evaporator fan is positioned in the evaporator housing to urge the supply air into the evaporator housing via the supply air inlet opening, across the evaporator coil and out of the evaporator housing through the supply air outlet opening.

Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the evaporator fan is located downstream of the evaporator coil relative to a direction of the supply airflow.

Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the evaporator fan is secured to a fan deck formed integral with the evaporator housing.

Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the evaporator fan is four evaporator fans.

Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments a removable top cover is affixed to the evaporator housing.

Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the evaporator fan is secured to a fan deck affixed to the top cover.

Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the evaporator housing is formed from a plastic or composite material.

Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the evaporator fan is located upstream of the evaporator coil relative to a direction of the supply airflow.

In yet another embodiment, a refrigerated truck includes a truck having a cargo compartment and a refrigeration unit operably connected to the cargo compartment to provide a flow of supply airflow to the cargo compartment. The refrigeration unit includes a compressor to compress a flow of refrigerant and an engine powered by a flow of fuel and operably connected to the compressor to drive the compressor. An evaporator circulates the flow of refrigerant therethrough to cool the supply air and includes a substantially unitary evaporator housing having a supply air inlet opening and a supply air outlet opening, an evaporator coil positioned in the evaporator housing, the flow of refrigerant circulating across the evaporator coil, and an evaporator fan located in the evaporator housing to urge the supply airflow into the evaporator housing via the supply air inlet opening, across the evaporator coil and out of the evaporator housing through the supply air outlet opening.

Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the evaporator fan is located downstream of the evaporator coil relative to a direction of the supply airflow.

These and other advantages and features will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings.

