A cooling system for a motor vehicle has an electrical energy storage device for driving the motor vehicle; a chiller through which a refrigeration circuit and, fluidically separated therefrom, a main cooling circuit can flow; one or more control elements; at least one heat source, and one or more ambient air coolers. In a first mode, the control elements form the main cooling circuit such that the main cooling circuit can flow through the chiller, the energy storage device and none of the ambient air coolers. In a second mode, the control elements form the main cooling circuit such that the main cooling circuit can flow through the chiller, the energy storage device and at least one of the ambient air coolers. In a third mode, the control elements form the main cooling circuit such that the main cooling circuit can flow through the chiller, at least one of the ambient air coolers and the heat source.

A wind powered cooling system, including a windmill including a transmission rotatably coupled to at least one vane, wherein wind moving past the vane causes the vane to rotate and transmit rotational energy to the transmission; and a cooling system including: a compressor system including a compressor mechanically coupled to the transmission, the compressor including a first member for translating rotational energy of the transmission to movement of the first member with respect to a second member so as to compress a refrigerant fluid stored therein; and an evaporator system including an evaporator in fluid communication with the compressor for expanding and evaporating compressed refrigerant fluid into cold refrigerant gas, wherein the cold refrigerant gas cools air surrounding the evaporator system by convection.

A wind powered cooling system, including a windmill including a transmission rotatably coupled to at least one vane, wherein wind moving past the vane causes the vane to rotate and transmit rotational energy to the transmission; and a cooling system including: a compressor system including a compressor mechanically coupled to the transmission, the compressor including a first member for translating rotational energy of the transmission to movement of the first member with respect to a second member so as to compress a refrigerant fluid stored therein; and an evaporator system including an evaporator in fluid communication with the compressor for expanding and evaporating compressed refrigerant fluid into cold refrigerant gas, wherein the cold refrigerant gas cools air surrounding the evaporator system by convection.

An electrochemical direct heat to electricity converter includes a primary thermal energy source; a working fluid; an electrochemical cell comprising at least one membrane electrode assembly including a first porous electrode, a second porous electrode and at least one membrane, wherein the at least one membrane is sandwiched between the first and second porous electrodes and is a conductor of ions of the working fluid; an energy storage reservoir; and an external load. The electrochemical cell operates on heat to produce electricity. When thermal energy available from the primary thermal energy source is greater than necessary to meet demands of the external load, excess energy is stored in the energy storage reservoir, and when the thermal energy available from the primary thermal energy source is insufficient to meet the demands of the external load, at least a portion of the excess energy stored in the energy storage reservoir is used to supply power to the external load.

An electrochemical direct heat to electricity converter includes a primary thermal energy source; a working fluid; an electrochemical cell comprising at least one membrane electrode assembly including a first porous electrode, a second porous electrode and at least one membrane, wherein the at least one membrane is sandwiched between the first and second porous electrodes and is a conductor of ions of the working fluid; an energy storage reservoir; and an external load. The electrochemical cell operates on heat to produce electricity. When thermal energy available from the primary thermal energy source is greater than necessary to meet demands of the external load, excess energy is stored in the energy storage reservoir, and when the thermal energy available from the primary thermal energy source is insufficient to meet the demands of the external load, at least a portion of the excess energy stored in the energy storage reservoir is used to supply power to the external load.

A transport refrigeration unit system (26) for cooling a trailer compartment (24) is provided. The transport refrigeration unit system (26) includes an engine for controlling a cooling rate capacity, the engine operable at a nominal high speed and a nominal low speed. Also included is a controller (50) in operative communication with the engine to control an engine speed of the engine. Further included is a user interface (52) in operative communication with the controller (50), the user interface (52) providing a high capacity cooling mode to a user, wherein initiation of the high capacity cooling mode includes the engine operating at a speed greater than the nominal high speed to result in a high capacity cooling rate.

A transport refrigeration unit system (26) for cooling a trailer compartment (24) is provided. The transport refrigeration unit system (26) includes an engine for controlling a cooling rate capacity, the engine operable at a nominal high speed and a nominal low speed. Also included is a controller (50) in operative communication with the engine to control an engine speed of the engine. Further included is a user interface (52) in operative communication with the controller (50), the user interface (52) providing a high capacity cooling mode to a user, wherein initiation of the high capacity cooling mode includes the engine operating at a speed greater than the nominal high speed to result in a high capacity cooling rate.

A transportation refrigeration unit is provided. The transportation refrigeration unit comprising: a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant; a compressor motor configured to drive the compressor; an evaporator heat exchanger operatively coupled to the compressor; an energy storage device for providing power to the compressor motor; and an evaporator fan configured to provide return airflow from a return air intake and flow the return airflow over the evaporator heat exchanger, wherein the return airflow thermodynamically adjusts a temperature of the energy storage device.

A transportation refrigeration unit is provided. The transportation refrigeration unit comprising: a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant; a compressor motor configured to drive the compressor; an evaporator heat exchanger operatively coupled to the compressor; an energy storage device for providing power to the compressor motor; and an evaporator fan configured to provide return airflow from a return air intake and flow the return airflow over the evaporator heat exchanger, wherein the return airflow thermodynamically adjusts a temperature of the energy storage device.

A transport refrigeration system is provided. The refrigeration transportation system comprising: a refrigerated cargo space; a refrigeration unit in operative association with the refrigerated cargo space, the refrigeration unit providing conditioned air to the refrigerated cargo space; a battery system configured to power the refrigeration unit; and an auxiliary power unit configured to charge the battery system when the power level of the battery system is equal to or below a first selected power level.