Thermo King Corporation

Martin Vojik

Michal Kolda

Petra Stavova

Jiri Zita

Miguel Angel Ferrer Blas

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

The disclosure relates to an activated carbon scrubber apparatusand a method of its operation for carbon dioxide (CO) removal from a controlled environment. The scrubber apparatus is configured to switch between: an adsorption configuration in which it is configured to provide CO-rich gas from the controlled environment to a sorbent bedcomprising activated carbon for COadsorption, and to return the treated gas to the controlled environment; and a regeneration configuration in which it is configured to provide a regenerating gas from outside of the controlled environment to the sorbent bed to desorb COand regenerate the activated carbon, and to discharge CO-rich gas outside of the controlled environment. The method comprises alternately operating the scrubber apparatus in the adsorption configuration and the regeneration configuration over a plurality of cycles, wherein the scrubber apparatus is operated at a cycle frequency of between 4 and 30 cycles per hour. A heateris controlled to heat the sorbent bed in the regeneration configuration.

Scrubber apparatus for carbon dioxide removal and controlled atmosphere operating method

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.

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Prague, Czechia

Martin Vojik