abstract |
The present invention relates to a refrigeration vehicle comprising at least one refrigeration space, which can be cooled via at least one supplemental heat exchanger. The supplemental heat exchanger in the refrigeration space is connected to other components, preferably via couplings and flexible lines, establishing a heat exchange loop being able to exchange heat with an evaporator for low-temperature liquefied combustible gas. Moreover the Refrigeration vehicle comprises at least one first vehicle part and one second vehicle part being dividable and wherein the first vehicle part comprises an internal combustion engine and the evaporator for the low-temperature liquefied combustible gas. The refrigeration vehicle in addition comprises a first nitrogen tank for liquid nitrogen and a nitrogen heat exchanger as well as a boil-off device in the first vehicle part for joint storage and/or transportation of low-temperature liquefied combustible gas and liquid nitrogen by keeping the combustible gas cooled in a fuel tank indirectly or directly by the liquid nitrogen. The invention relates, furthermore, to a refrigeration method for refrigerating at least one refrigeration space of a refrigeration vehicle via at least one supplemental heat exchanger. Heat is extracted from the refrigeration space via the supplemental heat exchanger and conducted via a heat exchange loop to an evaporator, for evaporation of low-temperature liquefied combustible gas, especially liquefied natural gas, which is afterwards supplied to an internal combustion engine of the refrigeration vehicle. The present invention is especially suitable for refrigeration transporters operated with natural gas, which are used for the distribution of frozen and chilled goods to retail dealers. In particular the economic employment of a combustion engine operated with natural gas in a transporter, storing the natural gas in the liquid phase, and the combined use of this cold for cooling a refrigeration space is highly advantageous, because the amount of energy needed all in all can be explicitly lowered. Moreover, using the boil-off device in the tractor is particularly advantageous, because a simultaneous, combined filling mode for liquid nitrogen and natural gas at a corresponding filling station unit becomes possible, realizing an extraordinary increase in efficiency. |