Multi-source power management for a transport refrigeration system

1. A method for power management of a transport refrigeration system electrically connected to a utility power source, the transport refrigeration system including a transport refrigeration unit to climate condition an internal space of a transport unit, the method comprising:

determining climate conditioning for the internal space based on an environmental condition of the internal space and a desired environmental condition;

determining an amount of utility power available from the utility power source to the transport refrigeration system;

determining an operating mode for the transport refrigeration system from a plurality of operating modes based on the amount of utility power available from the utility power source to the transport refrigeration system, the plurality of operating modes including:

an internal energy mode that includes utilizing a primary energy source to provide power to the transport refrigeration unit to climate condition the internal space, and

a standby mode that includes supplying the utility power from the utility power source to the transport refrigeration unit to climate condition the internal space; and

operating the transport refrigeration system in the determined operating mode.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the primary energy source includes a prime mover, and the internal energy mode includes operating the prime mover to generate the power for the transport refrigeration unit to climate condition the internal space.

3. A method for power management of a transport refrigeration system electrically connected to a utility power source, the transport refrigeration system including a transport refrigeration unit to climate condition an internal space of a transport unit, the method comprising:

detecting an environmental condition of the internal space;

determining climate conditioning for the internal space based on an environmental condition of the internal space and a desired environmental condition;

determining a rate of change of the environmental condition based on multiple detected values for the environmental condition of the internal space;

determining an operating mode for the transport refrigeration system from a plurality of operating modes based on one or more of an amount of utility power available from the utility power source to the transport refrigeration system, a current cost of the utility power, and a noise or emission regulation for operating a prime mover, the plurality of operating modes including:

an internal energy mode that includes utilizing a primary energy source to provide power to the transport refrigeration unit to climate condition the internal space, and

a standby mode that includes supplying the utility power from the utility power source to the transport refrigeration unit to climate condition the internal space; and

operating the transport refrigeration system in the determined operating mode,

wherein determining the operating mode for the transport refrigeration system includes comparing the determined rate of change of the environmental condition to a threshold, and the transport refrigeration system is operated in the internal energy mode when the rate of change of the environmental condition is greater than the threshold.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the threshold is a maximum rate that the transport refrigeration unit changes the environmental condition when climate conditioning the internal space in the standby mode.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining a minimum power required by the transport refrigeration unit to provide the climate conditioning for the internal space while operating in the standby mode,

wherein determining the operating mode for the transport refrigeration system includes comparing the amount of the utility power available from the utility power source and the minimum power, and the transport refrigeration system is operated in the internal energy mode when the minimum power is greater than the amount of utility power available from the utility power source.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining a current cost of the utility power,

wherein determining the operating mode for the transport refrigeration system includes comparing the current cost of the utility power and a cost setpoint, and the transport refrigeration system is not operated in the standby mode when the current cost of utility power is greater than the cost setpoint.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

determining one or more noise or emission regulations for operating the prime mover based on a location of the transport unit,

wherein the transport refrigeration system is operated in the internal energy mode when the current cost of the utility power is greater than the cost setpoint and operating the TRS in the internal energy mode does not violate the one or more noise or emission regulations.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of operating modes includes an off mode in which the transport refrigeration unit is configured not to provide climate conditioning to the internal space, and the transport refrigeration system is operated in the off mode when a difference between the environmental condition and the desired environmental condition is less than a predetermined amount.

9. A transport refrigeration system for providing climate control to an internal space of a transport unit, the transport refrigeration system comprising:

a transport refrigeration unit for providing climate conditioning to the internal space of the transport unit, wherein the transport refrigeration unit is powered by one of a utility power source and a primary engine source; and

a controller configured to:

determine climate conditioning for the internal space based on an environmental condition of the internal space and a desired environmental condition,

determine an amount of utility power available from the utility power source to the transport refrigeration system;

determine, when the transport refrigeration system is electrically connected to the utility power source, an operating mode for the transport refrigeration system from a plurality of operating modes based on the amount of utility power available from the utility power source to the transport refrigeration system, and

operate the transport refrigeration system in the determined operating mode, wherein the plurality of operating modes include:

an internal energy mode that includes utilizing the primary energy source to provide power for the transport refrigeration unit to climate condition the internal space, and

a standby mode that includes supplying utility power from the utility power source to the transport refrigeration unit to climate condition the internal space.

10. The transport refrigeration system of claim 9 , wherein the primary energy source includes a prime mover, and the internal energy mode includes operating the prime mover to generate power for the transport unit to climate condition the internal space.

11. The transport refrigeration system of claim 10 , wherein the prime mover is disposed in or on one of the transport unit and the transport refrigeration unit.

12. The transport refrigeration system of claim 9 , further comprising:

a sensor that detects the environmental condition of the internal space,

wherein the controller is configured to determine a rate of change of the environmental condition based on multiple detected values for the environmental condition of the internal space,

wherein the controller is configured to determine the operating mode for the transport refrigeration system by comparing the determined rate of change of the environmental condition to a threshold, and to operate the transport refrigeration system in the internal energy mode when the rate of change of the environmental condition is greater than the threshold.

13. The transport refrigeration system of claim 12 , wherein the threshold is a maximum rate that the transport refrigeration unit changes the environmental condition when climate conditioning the internal space in the standby mode.

14. The transport refrigeration system of claim 9 ,

wherein the controller is configured to determine a minimum power required by the transport refrigeration unit to climate condition the internal space while operating in the standby mode, and

wherein the controller is configured to operate the transport refrigeration system in the internal energy mode when the minimum power is greater than the amount of utility power available from the utility power source.

15. The transport refrigeration system of claim 9 ,

wherein the controller is configured to determine a current cost of the utility power, and to compare the cost of the utility power to a cost setpoint, and

wherein the controller is configured to not operate the transport refrigeration system in the standby mode when the current cost of utility power is greater than the cost setpoint.

16. The transport refrigeration system of claim 15 ,

wherein the controller is configured to determine one or more noise or emission regulations for operating a prime mover based on a location of the transport unit, and

wherein the controller is configured to operate the transport refrigeration system in the prime mover mode when the current cost of the utility power is greater than the cost setpoint and operating the TRS in the internal energy mode does not violate the one or more noise or emission regulations.

17. The transport refrigeration system of claim 9 , further comprising:

a sensor that detects the environmental condition of the internal space,

wherein the plurality of operating modes includes an off mode in which the controller is configured to operate the transport refrigeration unit to not provide climate conditioning to the internal space, and

wherein the controller is configured to operate the transport refrigeration system in the off mode when a difference between the environmental condition detected by the sensor and the desired environmental condition is less than a predetermined amount.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the amount of the utility power available from the utility power source to the transport refrigeration system is determined utilizing a telematics unit of the transport refrigeration system.