Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60H—ARRANGEMENTS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS SPACES OF VEHICLES
  • B60H1/00—Heating, cooling or ventilating [HVAC] devices
  • B60H1/00007—Combined heating, ventilating, or cooling devices
  • B60H1/00014—Combined heating, ventilating, or cooling devices for load cargos on load transporting vehicles
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60P—VEHICLES ADAPTED FOR LOAD TRANSPORTATION OR TO TRANSPORT, TO CARRY, OR TO COMPRISE SPECIAL LOADS OR OBJECTS
  • B60P3/00—Vehicles adapted to transport, to carry or to comprise special loads or objects
  • B60P3/22—Tank vehicles
  • B60P3/224—Tank vehicles comprising auxiliary devices, e.g. for unloading or level indicating

Definitions

• the present invention concerns a cooling and/or heating device for the loading space of lorries or the like.
• the present invention concerns an aforesaid cooling and/or heating device consisting of a ventilating device with a blowing channel and a suction channel to make the air in the loading space circulate, whereby one heat exchanger is incorporated in the ventilating device.
• Such a cooling and/or heating device is already known, for example in the form of a single heat exchanger provided on the loading space of a lorry, and whereby air is sucked in from the loading space by means of the ventilating device via the suction channel, which is cooled or heated in the heat exchanger and is then guided to the loading space again via the blowing channel of the ventilating device so as to make the temperature in the loading space rise or drop respectively.
• cooling and/or heating devices can be obtained a higher or lower temperature in the loading space by adjusting the heat exchanger, for example by activating the heat exchanger more or less, or by making it cool or heat more or less strongly.
• a disadvantage of such cooling and/or heating devices is that in case of a loading space that is provided with several compartments, the temperature cannot be adjusted separately in every compartment.
• a known solution to this problem is to provide every compartment with a heat exchanger.
• Devices for lorries with several compartments of the type consisting of a ventilating device with a blowing channel and a suction channel to make the air in the loading space circulate with one heat exchanger incorporated therein, provided with its own thermostatic release that is activated as soon as the sucked-in air has reached a preset value are already known, whereby the compartments -can be cooled or heated with the same sole heat exchanger, to which end the blowing channel and the suction channel of the ventilating device in each compartment are provided with an outlet and an inlet respectively, of which at least the outlet (16) or the inlet (15) can be closed off by means of a controlled valve .
• Such a device is usually built in in a lorry that is already equipped with a built-in cooling or heating group, whereby partitions are provided in the loading space so as to divide the loading space in compartments, and whereby the blowing and suction channels are mounted in order to heat or cool each compartment.
• the above- mentioned controlled valves of the inlet and/or outlet of each compartment is connected to the control of the already provided cooling or heating group.
• valves are often connected in the wrong way to the control, which may result in failures of for example the available cooling or heating group and its control.
• the supplier of the cooling or heating group will often refuse to provide a guarantee if he knows that third party valves are connected to the group's control, which often results in that the owner of the lorry lays claim to the installer of the valves in case of problems.
• the present invention aims to remedy one or several of the above-mentioned and other disadvantages.
• the present invention concerns a cooling and/or heating device of the above-mentioned type whereby the controlled valve of each compartment is opened or closed by means of a separate control unit as a function of the measured temperature in the compartment concerned so as to adjust the temperature in the compartment to a desired temperature set in the control unit or to a temperature interval set in the control unit, and whereby a bypass is provided between the blowing channel and the suction channel in which is also incorporated a valve which is opened by the control unit when the temperature in all the compartments corresponds to the set temperature concerned or is situated within the set temperature interval concerned.
• a major advantage of such a cooling and/or heating device according to the invention is that it becomes possible to separately adjust the temperature in each compartment, without major investments being required to that end, for example to purchase several heat exchangers.
• cooling and/or heating device Another advantage of such a cooling and/or heating device according to the invention is that it can be built in in new as well as in existing lorries or the like in a simple manner, whereby use is possibly made of the available cooling or heating group, whereby the control of the available group must be left undisturbed, however.
• the device according to the invention indeed uses its own separate control to adjust the temperature in each compartment by controlling the control valves of the inlet and/or outlet in each compartment in an appropriate manner and, as soon as the desired temperatures have been reached in the compartments, it will close all the valves of the inlets and/or outlets and simultaneously open the bypass between the blowing channel and the suction channel to thus continuously make the air circulate, whereby, as the cooling or heating group is still activated at that time, said air is further cooled or heated until the group' s own thermostatic release is activated and switches off the group.
• the engineer does not need to have any technical knowledge of the available group's control, such that the device can be built in much faster and without any problems .
• the heat exchanger itself will quickly reach a temperature at which it can be switched off, which reduces the energy consumption.
• the compartments are mainly formed of the walls of the loading space and of partitions provided in the loading space, whereby the wal l s and part it ions are pre f erably thermal ly insulat ed and the partitions can preferably be removed, moved and/or are on wheels .
• An advantage of this embodiment of a cooling and/or heating device according to the invention is that it is highly energy-saving, as there is practically no heat transfer from one compartment to the other and from the loading space to the ambient air thanks to the good thermal insulation , and as use i s made of only one heat exchanger .
• compartments of different dimensions can be formed with the partitions that are removable , movable and/or on wheels , depending on the needs , and a lorry can be easily loaded or unloaded by simply providing or removing the partitions .
• figure 1 schematically represents a lorry in perspective, equipped with a cooling device according to the invention
• figures 2 and 3 represent sections according to line II-II in figure 1 and line III-III in figure 2 respectively.
• the cooling device 1 is designed to cool the loading space 2 of a lorry 3 and to maintain its temperature, for example to keep products 4 fresh that are stored in the loading space 2.
• the cooling device 1 itself consists, as with the known devices, of a single cooling group formed of a ventilating device 5 and a heat exchanger, which in this case is a cooler 6.
• the ventilating device 5 has been fit in the upper wall 7 of the loading space 2 and is formed of a fan 8 connected to a suction channel 9 via which air from the loading space 2 can be sucked in, and to a blowing channel 10 via which air can be blown to the loading space 2.
• the cooler 6 is incorporated in the above-mentioned channels 9 and 10, such that the air which is supplied via the ventilating device 5 flows through the cooler 6 and can thus be cooled.
• This cooler 6 can be set at varying temperatures, so that more or less heat can be taken from the air flow.
• the cooling group 5-6 is always provided with a thermostatic release with a sensor, not represented in the figures, but which is usually provided in the suction part of the group.
• a sensor not represented in the figures, but which is usually provided in the suction part of the group.
• the loading space 2 of the lorry 3, as is clearly represented in figure 3, is divided in several compartments.
• each compartment 11 to 13 is confined by the walls 7 of the loading space 2, by the walls of the channels 9 and 10, as well as by partitions 14.
• the walls 7 and the partitions 14 are thermally insulated.
• the partitions 14 can be removed, moved and/or they are on wheels .
• Typical of the invention is that the compartments 11 to 13 can be cooled by means of one and the same cooler 6.
• suction channel 9 and the blowing channel 10 of the ventilating device 5 in each compartment 11 to 13 are provided with an inlet 15 and an outlet 16 respectively.
• the outlet 15 and the inlet 16 can preferably be closed off by means of controlled valves 17, as in the given example, but it is not excluded according to the invention to provide only one of both openings 15 and 16 of each compartment 11 to 13 with such controlled valves 17.
• cooling device 1 is provided with its own separate, independently working control unit 18 which is connected to the controlled valves 17 by means of electric wires 19 so as to control these controlled valves 17, and which, in other words, is not coupled to the control of the group 5-6.
• each compartment 11 to 13 is further provided a temperature sensor 20, which temperature sensors 20 can transmit a signal to the control unit 18 via electric wires 21.
• the control unit 18 is preferably also provided with a control, whereby the control unit 18 can make use of an algorithm which makes it possible to control the shut- off valves 17 as a function of the signals of the temperature sensors 20.
• control unit 18 In order to make it possible for the user to set a number of parameters in the control unit 18 and to read these parameters again, the control unit 18 is provided with a control panel 22.
• Such an adjustable parameter may for example be a desired temperature value that the user wishes to obtain in one of the compartments 11 to 13.
• Another possibility is for example that the user sets one or several desired temperature intervals in the control unit 18 by means of the control panel 22, whereby a minimum and maximum temperature is set between which the temperature must preferably be maintained in one of the compartments 11 to 13 according to the user .
• a bypass 23 according to the invention, which in the given figures has the shape of a simple opening, but which may be for example a pipe in other embodiments.
• bypass 23 In the bypass 23 is also inserted a controllable shut-off valve 24.
• the products 4 are first stored in the loading space 2, whereby the partitions 14 are placed such that compartments 11 to 13 are created as a function of the required storage temperature of the products 4.
• a first compartment 11 may for example be created in which are stored deep-frozen products, which must be stored and transported for example at -20 0 C.
• a second compartment may serve to store for example fresh meat products, which must be transported at +6°C, whereas in a last compartment 13 for example fruits and vegetables are transported, requiring a temperature of +12 0 C.
• the desired setting temperatures for the different compartments 11 to 13, the temperatures -20 0 C, +6°C and +12°C respectively, may be set by the user in the control unit 18 by means of the control panel.
• a single temperature value may be set for example a temperature interval in the control unit 18 by inputting a minimum and maximum temperature between which the temperature in a compartment 11 to 13 must preferably be maintained.
• Such an embodiment may for example be chosen for compartment 11 for a temperature interval of -22 0 C to - 18°C.
• the user sets the cooler 6 in such a way as to reach the lowest desired temperature in the compartments 11 to 13.
• the desired temperature that was set in the control unit 18 will generally not prevail yet in the compartments 11 to 13.
• the control unit 18 receives signals from the temperature sensors 20, such that this situation is known to the control unit 18.
• the control unit 18 has an algorithm which closes off the inlet 15 and the outlet 16 of a compartment 11 to 13 when the temperature in the compartment 11 to 13 concerned corresponds or practically corresponds to a set temperature, and which opens this inlet 15 and outlet
• the ventilating device 15 will make the air in the compartments 11 to 13 circulate, whereby the air is carried through the cooler 6, so that heat stored in the air can be given to the cooler 6.
• control unit 18 will receive a corresponding signal from the temperature sensors 20 in the compartments 11 to 13.
• the above-mentioned algorithm will decide that the temperature in compartment 13 corresponds to the temperature set for that compartment 13, which in this example is 12 0 C as well, and thus the accompanying valves 17 at the inlet 15 and the outlet 16 of said compartment 13 will be closed by the control unit 18 as well.
• control unit When the temperature difference between the actual temperature in a compartment 11 to 13 and the temperature set for that compartment 11 to 13 exceeds a certain value, the control unit will open the valves 17 at the inlet 15 and the outlet 16 of the compartment 11 to 13 concerned again.
• control unit 18 makes sure that, in case all the valves 17 are closed, the bypass 23 is opened by opening the valve 24.
• the group 5-6 of the cooler 6 is automatically switched off in that case as soon as it has reached its operational temperature, without any connection being required between the control 18 and the group 5-6.
• control unit 18 closes the valve 24 of the bypass 23 as soon as one of the valves 17 of the compartments 11 to 13 is opened to cool that compartment 11 to 13.
• the temperature can be adjusted in a simple manner in different compartments 11 to 13 of the loading space 2 by means of only one cooler.
• Another alternative consists for example in additionally providing an air drier in the blowing channel 10 and/or the suction channel 9 of the ventilating device 5, an air humidifier and/or a spraying device to disinfect the compartments 11 to 13.
• a common control 18 must not necessarily be provided for adjusting the valves 17 and 24, but that it is also possible, for example, for one or several of these valves 17 and 24 to be each made as a separate thermostatic valve.
• compartments 11 to 13 can be provided in the loading space 2. These compartments 11 to 13 can be built in in the lorry 3, in the longitudinal as well as in the cross direction, or according to a combination of both directions, depending on where the access doors of the loading space 2 are provided.
• suction channel 9 and the blowing channel 10 can moreover be realised in many other shapes than those shown in the example of figures 1 to 3.
• valve 17 is sufficient to close off the air flow through a compartment 11 to 13, although there will be losses of course.
• control unit 18 may choose to realize the setting or reading of the parameters in the control unit 18 in other ways, such as for example via PDA's, PC's or all sorts of displays, whereby communication techniques such as USB connections and/or blue tooth are not excluded.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Public Health (AREA)
• Transportation (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Thermal Sciences (AREA)
• Devices That Are Associated With Refrigeration Equipment (AREA)
• Heat-Exchange Devices With Radiators And Conduit Assemblies (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

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Cited By (6)

Family Cites Families (5)

• 2006
  • 2006-05-24 BE BE2006/0297A patent/BE1017151A3/nl not_active IP Right Cessation
• 2007
  • 2007-05-24 WO PCT/BE2007/000051 patent/WO2007134412A2/en active Application Filing

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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