Study on roof-mounted radiant cooling system for LNG-fueled refrigerated vehicles

Abstract

Abstract A roof-mounted radiant cooling system incorporating a bypass structure, intended for use on liquid natural gas (LNG)-fueled refrigerated vehicles and offering stable dynamic regulation was designed. A model was established using the TRNSYS software package to simulate the operation of this system, and the effects of various factors on the refrigeration performance were analyzed. The quantitative relationship between the LNG flow rate and the ambient temperature was determined and a dynamic regulation strategy proposed. The results of this work show that, when the vehicle is operated at an economical speed, the cooling capacity provided by the system is greater than 1.2 kW, which meets the requirements for a refrigerated vehicle. The dynamic regulation approach developed in this study was found to allow use of the refrigerated vehicle under different climactic conditions and to improve the stability of the cooling system.