Air conditioner for a vehicle in which low pressure protection is accurately performed to improve reliability. A controller adjusts a number of revolution Nc of a compressor 2 so that a detected value does not decrease below a limiting target value TGTs, on the basis of the detected value of a suction temperature sensor and a limiting target value TGTs set to a suction refrigerant temperature of the compressor 2. The controller has a predetermined limiting lower limit TGTsL and a predetermined limiting upper limit TGTsH which is higher than the predetermined limiting lower limit, and adjusts the number of revolution Nc of compressor 2 so that the limiting target value TGTs is the limiting upper limit TGTsH on startup of compressor 2, and the controller gradually decreases the limiting target value TGTs toward the limiting lower limit TGTsL, when the detected value decreases to the limiting upper limit TGTsH.

A transport refrigeration unit and a method for controlling the transport refrigeration unit, wherein the transport refrigeration unit has a controller device for operating a compressor of the transport refrigeration unit with a continuously-variable speed, which allows the compressor to run continuously but with a smooth gradient range of speed variations. The controller device allows the transport refrigeration unit to have a start-stop operation stage, continuous run operation stage, and/or a cycle-sentry operation stage.

A refrigeration system includes a startup mode control module that receives an off time of a compressor and an ambient temperature, determines whether the off time and the ambient temperature indicate that the compressor is in a flooded condition, and selects, based on the determination, between a normal startup mode and a flooded startup mode. A compressor control module operates the compressor in the normal startup mode in response to the startup mode control module selecting the normal startup mode, operates the compressor in the flooded startup mode in response to the startup mode control module selecting the flooded startup mode, and transitions from the flooded startup mode to the normal startup mode after a predetermined period associated with operating in the flooded startup mode.

Hybrid-power transport refrigeration system (200) having a fixed-speed generator (202), a refrigeration compressor (204), a power bus (208) electrically connecting the fixed-speed generator (202) to the refrigeration compressor (204), an energy storage device (220) electrically connected to the power bus (208) and arranged to receive power from the fixed-speed generator (202) in an engine-operation mode and to supply power to the refrigeration compressor (204) in a battery-operation mode, and a DC/AC variable frequency drive electrically connected between the energy storage device (220) and the refrigeration compressor (204) to convert a DC power supply from the energy storage device (220) to a variable frequency power to drive the refrigeration compressor (204) when in the battery-operation mode.

Disclosed are climate systems for vehicles and methods for controlling the climate systems. In some implementations, a climate system includes: (1) a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature within the compartment of the vehicle; (2) a user interface configured to receive a desired temperature from a user; (3) a first compressor powered by an engine of the vehicle to compress a refrigerant; (4) a second compressor driven by an electric motor to compress the refrigerant; and (5) a controller electrically coupled to the first compressor and the second compressor. The controller configured to: (1) calculate a thermal load of the compartment based on a difference between a desired temperature and a measured temperature; and, (2) based on the calculated load, selectively activate: (i) the engine, (ii) the first compressor, and/or (iii) the second compressor.

An air conditioning system of a vehicle having an internal combustion engine includes a condenser configured to receive refrigerant output by an electric compressor and transfer heat from the refrigerant within the condenser to air passing the condenser. A first evaporator is configured to receive refrigerant from the condenser when a first control valve is open and transfer heat from air passing the first evaporator to the refrigerant within the first evaporator. A first blower is configured to blow air across the first evaporator to a first section of a cabin of the vehicle. A second evaporator is configured to receive refrigerant from the condenser when a second control valve is open and transfer heat from air passing the second evaporator to the refrigerant within the second evaporator. A second blower is configured to blow air across the second evaporator to a second section of the cabin of the vehicle.

A system including mode, engine, and battery modules, where the mode module determines whether to operate in an engine mode or a battery mode based on parameters. The engine module, while operating in the engine mode, runs a compressor at a first speed based on a temperature within a temperature controlled container of a vehicle and permits passage of refrigerant through eutectic plates independent of the temperature. A battery, while in the engine mode, is charged based on power received from an electrical source. The battery module, while operating in the battery mode and based on the temperature, runs the compressor at a second speed and prevents passage of the refrigerant through the eutectic plates. While in the battery mode, the battery is not being charged based on power from a shore power source and the electrical source from which power is received during the engine mode.

A parking cooler which is capable of battery powered operation during engine off operation. The parking cooler or air conditioning system may vary in cooling capacities to maximize cooling or maximize battery life. The parking cooler includes one or more condensers and a housing to accommodate such variation of cooling capacity.

Heat pump type air conditioner for a vehicle in which a noise generated in opening an opening/closing valve (a solenoid valve) during changing of an operation mode is eliminated or reduced. The air conditioner has a dehumidifying and heating mode to let a refrigerant radiate heat in a radiator 4, decompress the refrigerant, and let the refrigerant absorb heat in heat absorber 9 and outdoor heat exchanger 7, and a cooling mode to let the refrigerant radiate heat in the outdoor heat exchanger, decompress the refrigerant, and let the refrigerant absorb heat in the heat absorber. Solenoid valve 21 and solenoid valve 22 opened in the dehumidifying and heating mode. When changing an operation mode from the cooling mode to the dehumidifying and heating mode, a difference between a pressure before each solenoid valve and a pressure after the valve is reduced, and then these valves are opened.

In an air-conditioning apparatus of a so-called heat pump system, wasteful power consumption to be generated when an auxiliary heating means is disposed on an air upstream side of a radiator is decreased, and comfortable heating of a vehicle interior is also achieved. The air-conditioning apparatus includes an electric heater 57 disposed on an upstream side of air flowing through an air flow passage 3 to a radiator 4, and a controller executes a cooperative operation of heating air to be supplied to the vehicle interior by the electric heater 57 and the radiator 4, and stops a compressor 2 on the basis of establishment of a condition that an inlet refrigerant temperature Tcxin of the radiator is lower than an outlet refrigerant temperature TCI of the radiator (Tcxin<TCI).