Thermo King Corporation

Jiri Zita

Michal Kolda

Petra Stavova

Martin Vojik

Lubos Forejt

Radim Cermak

A method is provided for operating an active controlled atmosphere (CA) system to regulate the atmosphere in a cargo storage space. The controlled atmosphere system comprises: a plurality of gas exchange modules, each being operable to vary the level of a respective component gas in the cargo storage space, and/or at least one gas exchange module operable in a plurality of different modes to vary the level of a respective component gas in the cargo storage space; and a control module configured to control operation of each gas exchange module according to a plurality of different predetermined atmospheric control logics. Each atmospheric control logic defines operational gas exchange modules and/or operational modes for use over respective operational ranges of atmospheric conditions, and each atmospheric control logic is configured to cause operation of a different combination of gas exchange modules and/or modes over a comparable operational range, independently of any setpoints for gas component levels. The method comprises: the control module selecting an operational atmospheric control logic from the plurality of different predetermined atmospheric control logics for atmospheric control of the cargo storage space; and the control module controlling operation of each gas exchange module dependent on the selected operational atmospheric control logic to regulate the atmosphere in the cargo storage space.

Active controlled atmosphere systems

A method is provided for operating a controlled atmosphere (CA) system to regulate the atmosphere in a cargo storage space. The CA system comprises a gas exchange module operable to vary the level of a component gas in the cargo storage space, a control module to control operation of the gas exchange module, and at least one of an oxygen sensor and a carbon dioxide sensor, each being operable to measure a parameter indicative of a level of oxygen or carbon dioxide respectively in the cargo storage space. The method comprises: the control module determining a respiration parameter value indicative of the rate of change of oxygen level and/or the rate of change of carbon dioxide level in the cargo storage space due to respiration of goods in the cargo storage space; and the control module controlling operation of the gas exchange module based on the determined respiration parameter value to target an oxygen level setpoint and/or a carbon dioxide level setpoint.

Method and system operating a controlled atmosphere system

A method for obtaining a desired atmosphere within an interior space during an initial startup phase of a CAS is provided. The method includes a controller starting the CAS while keeping the air compressor OFF. The method also includes the controller calculating an atmosphere change rate while the air compressor OFF, and determining whether the interior space can reach a desired atmosphere set point with the air compressor OFF based on the atmosphere change rate. Further, the method includes the controller maintaining the air compressor OFF until the interior space reaches the desired atmosphere set point when the controller determines that the interior space can reach the desired atmosphere set point with the air compressor OFF, and switching the air compressor ON when the controller determines that the interior space cannot reach the desired atmosphere set point with the air compressor OFF.

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Jedovnice, Czechia

Jiri Zita