Return air intake grille de-icing method
A method ( 300 ) of de-icing a return air intake of a transport refrigeration system is provided. The method comprises using a controller for controlling the refrigeration system; determining ( 306 ) when de-icing mode is required; deactivating ( 308 ) an evaporator and an evaporator fan of the refrigeration system when de-icing mode is required; activating ( 310 ) a heater when de-icing mode is required; adjusting ( 312 ) the temperature of the heater to a selected temperature; deactivating ( 314 ) the heater when the heater has reached the selected temperature; and permitting ( 316 ) the refrigeration system to remain deactivated for a selected time period.
1. A method of de-icing a return air intake of a transport refrigeration system, the method comprising:
controlling, using a controller, a first plurality of components of the refrigeration system, the first plurality comprising at least one of a refrigerant heat absorption heat exchanger, a fan for the refrigerant heat absorption heat exchanger, and a heater;
determining, using the controller, when a de-icing mode is required;
deactivating, using the controller, a second plurality of components of the refrigeration system when the de-icing mode is required, the second plurality comprising the refrigerant heat absorption heat exchanger and the fan for the refrigerant heat absorption heat exchanger;
activating, using the controller, the heater when the de-icing mode is required;
adjusting, using the controller, the temperature of the heater to a selected temperature;
deactivating, using the controller, the heater when the heater has reached the selected temperature; and
permitting, using the controller, the second plurality of components of refrigeration system to remain deactivated for a selected time period.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
reactivating, using the controller, the second plurality of components of the refrigeration system after the selected time period.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the heater is located below the return air intake.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the heater is an electric resistance heater.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the selected temperature is about 90° F. (32.22° C.).
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the selected time period is about 10 minutes.
7. A controller of a transport refrigeration system comprising:
a processor;
a memory comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:
controlling a first plurality of components of the refrigeration system, the first plurality comprising at least one of a refrigerant heat absorption heat exchanger, a fan for the refrigerant heat absorption heat exchanger, and a heater;
determining when a de-icing mode is required;
deactivating a second plurality of components of the refrigeration system when the de-icing mode is required, the second plurality comprising the refrigerant heat absorption heat exchanger and the fan for the refrigerant heat absorption heat exchanger;
activating the heater when the de-icing mode is required;
adjusting the temperature of the heater to a selected temperature;
deactivating the heater when the heater has reached the selected temperature; and
permitting the second plurality of components of refrigeration system to remain deactivated for a selected time period.
8. The controller of claim 7 , wherein the operations further comprise:
reactivating the second plurality of components of the refrigeration system after the selected time period.
9. The controller of claim 7 , wherein:
the heater is located below the return air intake.
10. The controller of claim 7 , wherein:
the heater is an electric resistance heater.
11. The controller of claim 7 , wherein:
the selected temperature is about 90° F. (32.22° C.).
12. The controller of claim 7 , wherein:
the selected time period is about 10 minutes.
13. A computer program product tangibly embodied on a computer readable medium, the computer program product including instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
controlling a first plurality of components of the refrigeration system, the first plurality comprising at least one of a refrigerant heat absorption heat exchanger, a fan for the refrigerant heat absorption heat exchanger, and a heater;
determining when a de-icing mode is required;
deactivating a second plurality of components of the refrigeration system when the de-icing mode is required, the second plurality comprising the refrigerant heat absorption heat exchanger and the fan for the refrigerant heat absorption heat exchanger;
activating the heater when the de-icing mode is required;
adjusting the temperature of the heater to a selected temperature;
deactivating the heater when the heater has reached the selected temperature; and permitting the second plurality of components of refrigeration system to remain deactivated for a selected time period.
14. The computer program of claim 13 , wherein the operations further comprise:
reactivating the second plurality of components of the refrigeration system after the selected time period.
15. The computer program of claim 13 , wherein:
the heater is located below the return air intake.
16. The computer program of claim 13 , wherein:
the heater is an electric resistance heater.
17. The computer program of claim 13 , wherein:
the selected temperature is about 90° F. (32.22° C.).
18. The computer program of claim 13 , wherein:
the selected time period is about 10 minutes.