The present invention refers to a condensing unit for a refrigerating system, usable in a vehicle used to transport perishable goods.

More specifically, the invention refers to a condensing unit for a refrigerating system of a vehicle suitable for transporting perishable goods, said condensing unit comprising a containment casing, a compressor and a condenser for causing the transition of a refrigerant fluid from a gaseous state to a liquid state, as well as a power supply system for receiving as input an AC power supply for the operation of the refrigerating system with the vehicle engine stopped, said compressor, condenser and power supply system being housed within the containment casing.

Refrigerated transport is an essential link in the cold chain for perishable goods such as vegetables, foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals and chemicals.

A significant share of global freight transports therefore concerns the road transport of perishable goods. Moreover, the overall volume of road transport of perishable products, in particular pharmaceuticals, is expected to increase in the coming years.

This poses therefore major challenges to the actors involved, and in particular to manufacturers, in terms of environmental sustainability.

One branch of research in the sector concerns in particular the construction of refrigerating transport systems that are increasingly compact, light and less impacting from the point of view of consumption. Another field of study concerns the construction of versatile systems.

An object of the present invention is in particular to make available a condensing unit that is more versatile relative to the known systems.

Another object of the invention is to provide a relatively light and compact condensing unit. For this purpose, the object of the invention is a condensing unit of the type defined above, wherein the power supply system is configured to accept as input either a single-phase power supply or a three-phase power supply.

In particular, the power supply system comprises transforming circuit means for changing current and voltage values of the input power supply and rectifying circuit means for rectifying of the input power supply.

Preferably, the transforming circuit means and the rectifying circuit means are carried by two respective blocks structurally distinct from each other and configured to be assembled together according to different mutual spatial arrangements.

Advantageously, the power supply system is configured to produce as output a high-voltage DC power supply between 200V and 400V, and a low-voltage DC power supply less than or equal to 50V.

According to a particularly advantageous embodiment, the compressor is a scroll compressor.

Further features and advantages of the unit according to the invention will become more apparent in the following detailed description of an embodiment of the invention, made with reference to the accompanying drawings, provided purely to be illustrative and non-limiting, wherein

figure 1 is a perspective view representing a commercial vehicle equipped with a condensing unit; and

figure 2 is a block diagram representing a power supply system housed in a condensing unit according to the invention.

A vehicle 10 has (fig. 1) a compartment 12 used for the storage of perishable products and to which is associated a refrigerating system.

The latter conventionally comprises a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve (or similar devices) and an evaporator connected together by a tube for the flow of a refrigerant fluid.

The evaporator (not illustrated) is conventionally placed inside a cooling unit 14 arranged inside the compartment 12 for the containment of goods.

The compressor, indicated at 16, is a compressor distinct from any service compressors provided on the vehicle. The compressor 16 and the condenser, indicated at 18, are housed in a condensing unit 19 located outside the compartment 12, for example, on the roof of the cab of the motor vehicle. In figure 1, 19a indicates a casing of the condensing unit 19.

When the vehicle's engine is active, the refrigerating system is configured to draw its power from the vehicle itself, via an alternator operatively connected to the engine.

For the operation of the cooling system with the engine stopped, a power supply system 20 is provided, housed inside the condensing unit 19, which is configured to be connected to the mains or other external power supply system.

With reference to figure 2, the power supply system 20 is configured to accept as input, in 21, either a single-phase power supply or a three-phase power supply. For this purpose, the system 20 may be equipped with switching means to switch it between a configuration wherein it is capable of receiving a single-phase power supply and a configuration wherein it is capable of receiving a three-phase power supply. In this way, the power supply system 20 may be connected to either a household power supply network or an industrial power supply network.

The system 20 then converts the input AC power supply into an output DC power supply, comprising a high- voltage output 22, preferably between 200V and 400V, and a low-voltage output 23, preferably less than or equal to 50V.

In particular, the power supply system 20 comprises transforming circuit means 24 comprising a transformer and suitable to change current and voltage values of the input power supply 21, and rectifying circuit means 25 comprising diode bridges and capacitors and suitable to rectify the input power supply.

The transforming circuit means 24 transform the single-phase power supply input, for example, at 230V and 50Hz, or three-phase, for example, at 400V and 50Hz, into a high- voltage single-phase AC output 24a, for example, at 288V, and a low- voltage single -phase AC output 24b, for example, at 12V.

The rectifying circuit means 25 receive as input the AC outputs 24a and 24b of the transforming circuit means 24 and rectify them respectively into the high-voltage DC output 22, for example, at 288V, and the low-voltage DC output 23, for example, at 12V.

From a structural point of view, the transforming circuit means 24 and the rectifying circuit means 25 may be carried by their respective support blocks 26 and 27, structurally distinct from each other. Such blocks 26 and 27 may be configured to be assembled with each other according to different mutual spatial arrangements. This may be achieved by providing such blocks with mechanical coupling means arranged on one or more sides or faces of the blocks, and/or by providing a supporting structure (not shown) to which the blocks 26 and 27 may be combined in a different way. This allows a modularity of the power supply system to be achieved, and therefore the possibility to adapt the system to different conditions of application.

For example, the inventors have designed a prototype wherein the block supporting the transforming circuit means is approximately 150x150x600mm in size and approximately 35kg in weight, and the block supporting the rectifying circuit means is approximately 100x200x600mm in size and approximately 5kg in weight.

From the point of view of the lightness and compactness of the condensing unit, it is also preferable to use a scroll compressor instead of the piston compressors conventionally used, as the former allows one to obtain a considerable reduction in weight and size compared to the latter. As is known, the scroll compressor uses two spiral fins for the compression of the fluid, one inside the other, one of which is fixed and the other with planetary movement without rotation.

The circuit details of the power supply system 20 are not the object of this invention, since one skilled in the art is capable of creating, using conventional means, a power supply system that allows the functions described above to be obtained.

It is understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments described and illustrated here, but rather may undergo modifications relating to the shape and arrangement of parts, construction and operating details according to the numerous possible variants which will appear suitable to persons skilled in the art and which are to be understood as included in the scope of the invention, as defined by the following claims.