TRANSPORTATION REFRIGERATION UNIT WITH EXTERNAL DC GENERATOR POWER SOURCE

A method of generating and directing power to a transportation refrigeration unit system (26, 40) having a compressor (58) configured to compress a refrigerant, an evaporator heat exchanger (72) operatively coupled to the compressor (58); an evaporator fan (78) configured to provide return airflow from a return air intake and flow the return airflow over the evaporator heat exchanger (72); a return air temperature sensor (142) disposed in the return airflow and configured measure the temperature of the return airflow; and a transportation refrigeration unit controller (82), the method comprising: [0002] determining an AC power requirement for the transportation refrigeration unit (26) based on at least the return air temperature; [0003] providing a second three phase AC power (162) from a generator power converter (164) that receives a first DC power (163a) provided by a DC generator (162) operably coupled to an axle or wheel hub, and configured to provide the first DC power (163a); [0004] receiving by a power management system (124) the second three phase AC power (165) , and directing another three phase AC power to the transportation refrigeration unit (26) based at least in part on the AC power requirement.