阅读说明：本技术 用于运输制冷单元气体发动机的冷却回路管理 (Cooling circuit management for gas engine of transport refrigeration unit ) 是由 L·雷诺 于 2018-01-26 设计创作，主要内容包括：提供一种发动机冷却剂控制系统的管控系统,在发动机冷却剂控制系统中,冷却剂的第一部分和第二部分分别从发动机被泵送到调节器并且泵送回到发动机和从发动机被泵送到散热器并且泵送回到发动机。管控系统包括：发动机的温度传感器,其用以感测冷却剂温度；散热器的环境温度传感器,其用以感测环境温度；加热元件,其设置成在调节器的上游的位置和调节器中的一个处对冷却剂的第一部分进行加热；阀,其沿着冷却剂的第一部分从发动机流到调节器所通过的管道的区段可操作地设置；以及控制器,其根据发动机的温度传感器的读数和环境温度传感器的读数而控制加热元件和阀的操作。(A management system for an engine coolant control system is provided in which first and second portions of coolant are pumped from an engine to a regulator and back to the engine and from the engine to a radiator and back to the engine, respectively. The management and control system comprises: a temperature sensor of the engine to sense a coolant temperature; an ambient temperature sensor of the heat sink to sense an ambient temperature; a heating element disposed to heat a first portion of the coolant at one of a location upstream of the regulator and the regulator; a valve operatively disposed along a section of the conduit through which the first portion of the coolant flows from the engine to the regulator; and a controller that controls operation of the heating element and the valve based on readings from a temperature sensor of the engine and readings from an ambient temperature sensor.)

1. A management system of an engine coolant control system in which first and second portions of coolant are pumped from an engine to a regulator and back to the engine and from the engine to a radiator and back to the engine, respectively, the management system comprising:

a temperature sensor of the engine to sense a coolant temperature;

an ambient temperature sensor of the heat sink to sense an ambient temperature;

a heating element disposed to heat the first portion of the coolant at one of a location upstream of the conditioner and the conditioner;

a valve operatively disposed along a section of a conduit through which the first portion of the coolant flows from the engine to the regulator; and

a controller that controls operation of the heating element and the valve based on readings of the temperature sensor of the engine and readings of the ambient temperature sensor.

2. The management and control system of claim 1, wherein the heating element comprises a glow plug or a heater resistor.

3. The management system of claim 1 or 2, wherein the valve comprises a throttle valve.

4. The management system of claim 3, wherein the signal sent from the controller to the throttle valve to control operation of the throttle valve comprises a Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) signal.

5. An engine coolant control system comprising:

an engine;

a temperature sensor of the engine to sense a coolant temperature;

a heat sink including an ambient temperature sensor to sense an ambient temperature;

a regulator through which gas flows before flowing to the engine;

a conduit system through which first and second portions of coolant are pumped from the engine to the regulator and back to the engine and from the engine to the radiator and back to the engine, respectively; and

a management system that manages a temperature of the first portion of the coolant and an amount of the first portion of the coolant allowed to flow from the engine to the regulator according to a reading of the temperature sensor of the engine and a reading of the ambient temperature sensor.

6. The engine coolant control system of claim 5, wherein the engine comprises a Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) engine.

7. Engine coolant control system according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the radiator comprises a heat exchanger in which the second portion of the coolant thermally interacts with an ambient air flow.

8. Engine coolant control system according to any one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the regulator comprises a secondary regulator and is placed in flow communication between a primary regulator of a gas tank and a mixer of the engine.

9. The engine coolant control system of claim 8, wherein the secondary regulator receives gas from the primary regulator along a gas conduit on the order of 1-10 meters in length.

10. The engine coolant control system according to any one of claims 5 to 9, characterized in that the piping system includes:

a coolant pump configured to pump the first and second portions of the coolant toward the regulator and the radiator, respectively; and

a coolant thermostat that moderates the relative amounts of the first portion and the second portion.

11. The engine coolant control system according to any one of claims 5 to 10, characterized in that the management system includes:

a heating element disposed to heat the coolant at one of a position upstream of the regulator and the regulator;

a valve operatively disposed along a conduit disposed between the engine and the regulator; and

a controller that controls operation of the heating element and the valve based on readings of the temperature sensor and readings of the ambient temperature sensor.

12. The engine coolant control system of claim 11 wherein the heating element comprises a glow plug or a heater resistor.

13. The engine coolant control system of claim 11 or 12 wherein the valve comprises a throttle valve.

14. The engine coolant control system of claim 13 wherein the signal sent from the controller to the throttle valve to control operation of the throttle valve comprises a Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) signal.

15. A method of operating an engine coolant control system, the method comprising:

pumping a first portion and a second portion of coolant from an engine to a regulator and back to the engine and from the engine to a radiator and back to the engine, respectively;

sensing a temperature of the coolant at the engine;

sensing a temperature of ambient air at the heat sink; and

regulating a temperature of the first portion of the coolant and an amount of the first portion of the coolant permitted to flow from the engine to the regulator according to the respective temperatures of the coolant and the ambient air.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the regulating of the temperature includes activating a heating element at one of a location upstream of the regulator and the regulator.

17. The method of claim 15 or 16, wherein the regulating of the amount of the first portion of the coolant permitted to flow from the engine to the regulator includes proportionally opening or closing a valve disposed between the engine and the regulator.

18. The method according to any one of claims 15-17, characterized in that said regulating comprises reducing said amount of said first portion of coolant allowed to flow from said engine to said regulator relative to an amount of said second portion of coolant according to said temperature of said ambient air being relatively high compared to a predefined temperature.

19. The method of any of claims 15-18, wherein the governing comprises heating the first portion of the coolant permitted to flow from the engine to the regulator according to the temperature of the ambient air being relatively low compared to a predefined temperature.

20. The method of any one of claims 15-19, wherein said regulating of said temperature of said first portion of said coolant and said amount of said first portion of said coolant permitted to flow from said engine to said regulator is according to:

the respective temperatures of the coolant and the ambient air, an

An optimal operating temperature range of the regulator.

Technical Field

The following description relates to Transport Refrigeration Units (TRUs), and more particularly to a system for a cooling circuit management system for a TRU using a compressed gas engine or a liquefied gas engine.

Background

Trucks powered by Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) are typically equipped with a gas tank suspended below the frame and a primary pressure regulator. This results in a certain distance between the primary and secondary pressure regulators, which in turn increases the risk of providing liquefied gas instead of evaporated gas inside the gas conduit. The risk of providing liquefied gas inside the gas duct requires that the secondary regulator warming process be performed forcibly in cold weather conditions or even in normal weather conditions. The primary and secondary regulators are designed such that a direct engine fluid heating source (such as engine coolant) may be necessary.

Disclosure of Invention

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a management (govern) system of an engine coolant control system is provided in which first and second portions of coolant are pumped from an engine to a regulator and back to the engine and from the engine to a radiator and back to the engine, respectively. The management and control system comprises: a temperature sensor of the engine to sense a coolant temperature; an ambient temperature sensor of the heat sink to sense an ambient temperature; a heating element disposed to heat a first portion of the coolant at one of a location upstream of the regulator and the regulator; a valve operatively disposed along a section of the conduit through which the first portion of the coolant flows from the engine to the regulator; and a controller that controls operation of the heating element and the valve based on readings from a temperature sensor of the engine and readings from an ambient temperature sensor.

According to additional or alternative embodiments, the heating element comprises a glow plug (glow plug) or a heater resistor.

According to an additional or alternative embodiment, the valve comprises a throttle valve.

According to an additional or alternative embodiment, the signal sent from the controller to the throttle valve to control operation of the throttle valve comprises a Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) signal.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, an engine coolant control system is provided. The engine coolant system includes an engine, a radiator, a regulator through which gas flows before flowing to the engine, a conduit system, and a management system. The engine coolant system further includes a temperature sensor of the engine to sense the coolant temperature. The heat sink includes an ambient temperature sensor to sense an ambient temperature. A conduit system is provided such that first and second portions of coolant are pumped from the engine to the regulator and back to the engine and from the engine to the radiator and back to the engine, respectively. A management system manages a temperature of the first portion of coolant and an amount of the first portion of coolant allowed to flow from the engine to the regulator as a function of a reading of a temperature sensor of the engine and a reading of an ambient temperature sensor.

According to additional or alternative embodiments, the engine comprises a Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) engine.

According to an additional or alternative embodiment, the radiator comprises a heat exchanger in which the second portion of the coolant thermally interacts with the ambient air flow.

According to an additional or alternative embodiment, the regulator comprises a secondary regulator and is placed in flow communication between the primary regulator of the gas tank and the mixer of the engine.

According to an additional or alternative embodiment, the secondary regulator receives gas from the primary regulator along a gas conduit on the order of 1-10 meters in length.

According to additional or alternative embodiments, the conduit system comprises: a coolant pump configured to pump first and second portions of the coolant toward the regulator and the radiator, respectively; and a coolant thermostat that moderates the relative amounts of the first portion and the second portion.

According to additional or alternative embodiments, the governing system comprises: a heating element disposed to heat the coolant at one of a position upstream of the regulator and the regulator; a valve operatively disposed along a conduit disposed between the engine and the regulator; and a controller that controls operation of the heating element and the valve based on readings from the temperature sensor and the ambient temperature sensor.

According to additional or alternative embodiments, the heating element comprises a glow plug or a heater resistor.

According to an additional or alternative embodiment, the valve comprises a throttle valve.

According to an additional or alternative embodiment, the signal sent from the controller to the throttle valve to control operation of the throttle valve comprises a Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) signal.

In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, a method of operating an engine coolant control system is provided. The method comprises the following steps: pumping a first portion and a second portion of the coolant from the engine to the regulator and back to the engine and from the engine to the radiator and back to the engine, respectively; sensing a temperature of the coolant at the engine; sensing a temperature of ambient air at the heat sink; and regulating the temperature of the first portion of coolant and the amount of the first portion of coolant permitted to flow from the engine to the regulator according to the respective temperatures of the coolant and the ambient air.

According to an additional or alternative embodiment, the regulating of the temperature comprises activating a heating element located at one of a location upstream of the regulator and the regulator.

According to an additional or alternative embodiment, the regulating of the amount of the first portion of coolant allowed to flow from the engine to the regulator comprises proportionally opening or closing a valve disposed between the engine and the regulator.

According to an additional or alternative embodiment, the regulating comprises reducing the amount of the first portion of coolant allowed to flow from the engine to the regulator relative to the amount of the second portion of coolant according to the temperature of the ambient air being relatively high compared to a predefined temperature.

According to an additional or alternative embodiment, the regulating comprises heating the first portion of the coolant admitted to flow from the engine to the regulator according to the temperature of the ambient air being relatively low compared to a predefined temperature.

According to additional or alternative embodiments, the regulation of the temperature of the first portion of coolant and the amount of the first portion of coolant allowed to flow from the engine to the regulator is according to the respective temperatures of the coolant and the ambient air and the optimal operating temperature range of the regulator.

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

Drawings

The subject matter which is regarded as the disclosure is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other features and advantages of the disclosure are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

fig. 1 is a schematic illustration of a vehicle having a Transport Refrigeration Unit (TRU) according to an embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of an engine coolant control system according to an embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of an engine coolant control system according to an alternative embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating components of a controller of the engine coolant control system of FIGS. 2 and 3; and

FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating a method of operating an engine coolant control system according to an embodiment.

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

Detailed Description

As will be described below, variable management of gas systems in Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) powered trucks for use in cold or hot weather is provided. Variable management is provided by a Transport Refrigeration Unit (TRU) equipped with an ambient air temperature sensor and an engine coolant temperature sensor to allow monitoring of the ambient air temperature and the engine coolant temperature by an electronic controller. In addition, the gas regulator coolant hose is equipped with an electric heater and an electric throttle valve (as a variant, the heater may also be integrated inside the body of the regulator). The heater allows the coolant to warm across the regulator independently of the engine coolant temperature. The valve allows for management of the flow of coolant moving across the regulator. The electronic controller is configured to monitor the temperature. In low ambient conditions, the electronic controller turns the heater on and closes the valve. Under normal operating conditions, the electronic controller shuts off the heater and opens the valve. In high ambient conditions, the controller shuts off the heater and manages the valve to shut off the flow of coolant across the regulator.

Referring to FIG. 1, a vehicle 10 is provided for transporting and delivering certain items that require environmental control during shipment. The vehicle 10 may be configured as a truck 11, the truck 11 having an engine 12, a passenger compartment 13, a chassis and truck bed (bed)14, wheels 15, and a container 16, the container 16 containing items requiring environmental control during shipment. The vehicle 10 may further include a Transport Refrigeration Unit (TRU) 20. The TRU 20 is coupled to the container 16 and is configured to provide the environmental control required of the items within the interior of the container 16 during shipment.

With continuing reference to fig. 1, and with additional reference to fig. 2 and 3, TRU 20 includes an engine system and an exhaust system. The engine system includes an engine 21, a mixer 22, an air supply section, and a fuel supply section, the engine 21 may include or be configured as a Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) engine that is powered by vaporized natural gas and is liquid cooled. During operation of the engine 21, air and fuel are drawn into the mixer 22 through the air supply portion and the fuel supply portion, respectively. Within the mixer 22, air and fuel are mixed for combustion within the engine 21, whereupon the engine 21 drives operation of the TRU 20 through generation of high temperature and high pressure exhaust gases. The exhaust gas flows through the exhaust system and is exhausted outside of the TRU 20.

As shown in fig. 2 and 3 (in which the engine 21 is a CNG engine), the fuel supply section includes a gas tank 40, and the gas tank 40 is equipped with a primary regulator 41. The primary regulator 41 is fluidly coupled to a gas conduit 43, and the gas conduit 43 is fluidly coupled to a secondary regulator 44. In some examples, such as those where the vehicle 10 is a truck 11 and the engine 21 is a CNG engine (hereinafter, it will be understood that the engine 21 is a CNG engine powered by vaporized natural gas and is liquid cooled), the primary and secondary regulators 41 and 44 are separated by a distance, and the gas conduit 43 has a length L on the order of about 1-10 meters. This length L results in the following possibilities: even if the primary regulator 41 is operated to reduce the pressure (e.g., from 1 Mpa to 0 or negative pressure) of the gas supplied from the gas tank 40 to the gas conduit 43, the gas flowing through the gas conduit 43 may liquefy before reaching the secondary regulator 44 due to the exposure of the gas conduit 43 to low ambient temperatures. As such, the secondary regulator 44 is typically provided with a heat source to vaporize a liquid or liquefied gas, such as heated engine coolant from the engine 21.

With the configuration provided hereinabove, the engine coolant control system 50 is provided to variably manage the engine coolant of the engine 21 used by the secondary regulator 44.

The engine coolant control system 50 includes: the engine 21 and the temperature sensor 51 of the engine 21 or the temperature sensor 51 provided at the engine 21; an ambient temperature sensor 53 serving as a radiator 52 and a radiator 52 of the heat exchanger for the engine 21 or an ambient temperature sensor 53 provided at the radiator 52; and a regulator 44 through which the gas flows before flowing to the engine 21. The engine coolant control system 50 further includes a conduit system 60 and a management system 70, with first and second portions of coolant being pumped through the conduit system 60 from the engine 21 to the secondary regulator 44 and back to the engine 21 and from the engine 21 to the radiator 52 and back to the engine 21, respectively. The management system 70 manages the temperature of the first portion of coolant and the amount of the first portion of coolant allowed to flow from the engine 21 to the secondary regulator 44 according to the reading of the temperature sensor 51 and according to the reading of the ambient temperature sensor 53.

The radiator 52 may include or be provided as a heat exchanger through which a second portion of the coolant flows for thermal interaction with the ambient air flow. Moreover, as described hereinabove, the secondary regulator 44 is fluidly interposed between the primary regulator 41 of the gas tank 40 and the mixer 22 of the engine 21 such that the secondary regulator 44 receives gas from the primary regulator 41 along a gas conduit 43 on the order of 1-10 meters in length L.

The piping system 60 includes: a coolant pump 61 configured to pump a first portion and a second portion of the coolant toward the secondary regulator 44 and the radiator 52, respectively; and a coolant thermostat 62 that moderates the relative amounts of the first portion and the second portion based on the heated condition of the coolant. The pipe system 60 further comprises a first line 63, a second line 64, a third line 65 and a fourth line 66. A first line 63 extends from the coolant thermostat 62 to the secondary regulator 44, whereby a first portion of the coolant flows from the coolant thermostat 62 to the secondary regulator 44 through the first line 63. A second line 64 extends from the secondary regulator 44 to the engine 21 (upstream of the coolant pump 61), whereby a first portion of the coolant flows from the secondary regulator 44 to the engine 21 through the second line 64. The third line 65 extends from the coolant thermostat 62 to the radiator 52, whereby the second portion of the coolant flows from the coolant thermostat 62 to the radiator 52 through the third line 65. A fourth line 66 extends from the radiator 52 to the engine 21 (upstream of the coolant pump 61), whereby a second portion of the coolant flows from the radiator 52 to the engine 21 through the fourth line 66.

The management system 70 includes a heating element 71, a valve 72, and a controller 73. The heating element 71 may comprise or be provided as a glow plug or heater resistor and is arranged to heat the coolant at one of a location along the first line 63 upstream of the secondary regulator 44 (see fig. 2) and a location at the secondary regulator 44 (see fig. 3). The valve 72 may include or be provided as a throttle valve and is operatively disposed along the first line 63 between the engine 21 and the secondary regulator 44. The controller 73 controls the operation of the heating element 71 and the valve 72 based on the reading of the temperature sensor 51 and based on the reading of the ambient temperature sensor 53.

According to embodiments, the signals sent from controller 73 to heating element 71 and valve 72 to thereby control the operation of heating element 71 and valve 72 may include Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) signals PWM1 and PWM2 or be provided as PWM signals PWM1 and PWM 2. PWM signal PWM1 may be configured to cause heating element 71 to gradually heat up or cool down proportionally, while PWM signal PWM2 may be configured to cause valve 72 to gradually open or close proportionally. The PWM signals PWM1 and PWM2 may be sent sequentially or separately from each other as determined by the controller 73 from readings of the temperature sensor 51 and from readings of the ambient temperature sensor 53 in order to meet the demands of the engine coolant control system 50.

In an exemplary situation where the ambient temperature sensor 53 reading indicates that the temperature of the ambient air is relatively high compared to a predefined temperature (e.g., during a relatively hot day when the risk of vapor gas becoming liquid in the gas duct 43 is relatively low), the controller 73 may determine that a relatively small amount of coolant heated in the engine 21 is needed to vaporize the gas in the secondary regulator 44. Thus, the controller 44 may send the PWM signal PWM2 to the valve 72 such that the valve 72 is proportionally closed to reduce the amount of the first portion of the coolant allowed to flow from the engine 21 to the secondary regulator 44 along the first line 63 relative to the amount of the second portion of the coolant.

In contrast, in an exemplary situation where the reading of the ambient temperature sensor 53 indicates that the temperature of the ambient air is relatively low compared to a predefined temperature (e.g., during relatively cold days when the risk of vapor gas becoming liquid in the gas duct 43 is relatively high), the controller 73 may determine that the normal amount of coolant heated in the engine 21 will not be sufficient to vaporize the gas in the secondary regulator 44. Thus, the controller 44 may send the PWM signal PWM1 to the heating element 71 such that the heating element 71 heats up proportionally to heat the first portion of the coolant that has been heated by the engine 21.

In still other cases, the regulation of the temperature of the first portion of coolant and the amount of the first portion of coolant permitted to flow from the engine 21 to the secondary regulator 44 is performed in accordance with or in accordance with the respective temperatures of the coolant and the ambient air as sensed by the temperature sensor 51 and the ambient temperature sensor 53, respectively, and the optimal operating temperature range of the secondary regulator 44.

Referring to fig. 4, the controller 73 may be provided or configured as a security controller and may include a processing element 401, a memory unit 402, and a networking unit 403. The processing element 401 communicates with the temperature sensor 51 and the ambient temperature sensor 53 and with the heating element 71 and the valve 72 through the networking unit 403. The memory unit 402 has stored thereon executable instructions that, when executed, cause the processing element 401 to effectively operate as a Central Processing Unit (CPU) of the controller 73 such that the controller 73 operates substantially as described herein. The memory unit 402 may also have operating temperature range information stored thereon for governing according to, for example, an optimal operating temperature range of the secondary regulator 44.

Referring to FIG. 5, a method of operating an engine coolant control system 50 as described herein is provided. As shown in fig. 5, the method comprises: pumping a first portion and a second portion of the coolant from the engine 21 to the secondary regulator 44 and back to the engine 21 and from the engine 21 to the radiator 52 and back to the engine 21, respectively (block 501); sensing a temperature of the coolant at the engine 21 (block 502); sensing a temperature of ambient air at the heat sink 52 (block 503); and regulating the temperature of the first portion of coolant and the amount of the first portion of coolant permitted to flow from the engine 21 to the secondary regulator 44 according to the respective temperatures of the coolant and the ambient air (block 504).

According to an embodiment, the governing of the temperature of block 504 may include activating a heating element 71 located at one of a location upstream of the secondary regulator 44 and a location at the secondary regulator 44 along the first line 63, and the governing of the amount of the first portion of the coolant permitted to flow from the engine 21 to the secondary regulator 44 of block 504 may include proportionally opening or closing a valve 72 disposed between the engine 21 and the secondary regulator 44.

According to further embodiments, the governing of block 504 may include reducing an amount of the first portion of the coolant permitted to flow from the engine 21 to the secondary regulator 44 relative to an amount of the second portion of the coolant according to the temperature of the ambient air being relatively high compared to a predefined temperature. Alternatively, the governing of block 504 may include heating the first portion of the coolant permitted to flow from the engine 21 to the secondary regulator 44 according to the temperature of the ambient air being relatively low compared to a predefined temperature. Still further, the governing of block 504 may be in accordance with the respective temperatures of the coolant and the ambient air as sensed by the temperature sensor 51 and the ambient temperature sensor 53, respectively, and the optimal operating temperature range of the secondary regulator 44.

The systems and methods described herein allow for optimizing cooling and warming of the regulator depending on ambient operating conditions, ensuring that coolant flow is properly used according to ambient conditions (e.g., optimized radiator coolant flow at high ambient conditions results in optimized engine cooling), ensuring that the regulator operates in the correct temperature range (minimum and maximum), ensuring that gases are properly supplied to the engine regardless of ambient conditions, and providing rapid warming of the regulator (e.g., in very cold ambient operating conditions).

While the disclosure has been presented in detail in connection with only a limited number of embodiments, it should be readily understood that the disclosure is not limited to such disclosed embodiments. Rather, the disclosure can be modified to incorporate any number of variations, alterations, substitutions or equivalent arrangements not heretofore described, but which are commensurate with the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Additionally, while various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described, it is to be understood that the exemplary embodiment(s) may include only some of the described exemplary aspects. Accordingly, the disclosure is not to be seen as limited by the foregoing description, but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims.