AU2006245951A1

AU2006245951A1 - Apparatus for maintaining the temperature of food

Info

Publication number: AU2006245951A1
Application number: AU2006245951A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Hans Bedien; Wolfgang Bust
Original assignee: Linde GmbH
Current assignee: Linde GmbH
Priority date: 2005-05-10
Filing date: 2006-05-09
Publication date: 2006-11-16
Anticipated expiration: 2026-05-09
Also published as: DE102005021533A1; UA88375C2; ATE497136T1; DE502006008811D1; EP1880150A1; BRPI0608983A2; RU2007145526A; DK1880150T3; CN101198832A; ECSP077966A; RU2371644C2; CN100557350C; AU2006245951B2; WO2006119969A1; EP1880150B1

Abstract

The invention describes an apparatus for maintaining the temperature of refrigerated food in a food container which is in the form of a meal transporting cart, for example. A refrigerating module (6) which can be charged with a coolant is provided in the food container. In order to achieve the most uniform distribution of cold in the food container possible, the invention proposes connecting the refrigerating module (6) to cavities in the partition walls (4, 5) or outer walls of the food container. The coolant can flow into the food container via openings in the partition walls or outer walls and uniformly cool said food container.

Description

3ox 259, Hyneton. Vic 3444 AUSTRALIA o www.academyXL.com o Info@academyXL.com o a business of Tenco Services Pty Ltd o ABN 72 892 315 097 Free M 1800 637 640 Inter +61 3 54 232558 Fox 5 03 54 232677 Inter A +61 3 54 232677 TRANSLATION VERIFICATION CERTIFICATE This is to certify that the attached document is an English translation of the -- German-language PCT Application PCT/FR2006/004335 and Academy Translations declare that the translation thereof is to the best of their knowledge and ability true and correct. November 5, 2007 fRcodemy Tr tion PO Box 259, K n AUSTRALIA Date Stamp/Signature: AT Ref.: sf-1977 Multilingual Technical Documentation Translation from German of PCT Application PCT/EP2006/004335 Apparatus for maintaining the temperature of food 5 The invention describes an apparatus for maintaining the temperature of refrigerated food in a food container for storing the food and a refrigerating module which can be charged with a coolant. 10 In order to maintain the quality of food, it is common to refrigerate it. When transporting food, in particular, care must be taken to ensure that certain temperatures are not exceeded. Containers with dry ice are commonly used for this purpose, which, however, allow the temperature to be 15 maintained for only a limited period of time, and additionally are difficult to use due to availability in blocks. A thermal container system is described in DE 199 19 934 Al which allows the temperature of food to be maintained using a 20 carbon dioxide snow. A refrigerating module is installed in a food container, into which liquid carbon dioxide can be fed. Carbon dioxide snow is generated in the refrigerating module, whereby cold gas arises through sublimation. The refrigerating module consists of an inner and an outer chamber, whereby the 25 outer chamber features perforated layers that allow the cold gas to diffuse into the food container. The refrigerating module is conveniently installed in the upper area of the food container, so that the cold gas sinks to the bottom of the food container and cools the food contained therein. 30 If fixtures are present in the food container, such as partition walls, trays, brackets, etc., then sufficient distribution of the cold gas throughout the entire container is not ensured, so that there is always a risk of insufficient 35 cooling in certain areas of the container contents.

2 It is the object of the present invention to design an apparatus as described initially, such that the food container is provided with coolant as uniformly as possible in a cost effective manner. 5 This object is achieved according to the present invention in that the refrigeration module is connected to a hollow cavity in at least one wall of the food container, and the wall features penetrations on the inside of the food container from the cavity into the interior of the food container, to allow 10 the coolant to enter the food container. During operation of the apparatus, the refrigeration module is filled with the coolant, especially with liquid carbon dioxide. The refrigeration module is conveniently designed 15 such that the cold gas that arises during the filling process, especially carbon dioxide gas generated via sublimation of carbon dioxide snow, is stored. The coolant, in particular the cold gas, flows into the cavity in the wall of the food container, and can be introduced into the interior of the food 20 container through the openings in the wall, in a controlled and measured manner. The invention can be used especially advantageously for meal transporting carts that consist of several separate chambers. 25 Trays with food are typically laid in each chamber and must be kept cold. Currently, such tablet carts are chilled in a cold air unit, whereby the cooling power is not always sufficient. Here the invention presents an economical solution which makes a conventional chilling system, which must be installed in the 30 tablet cart with some difficulty, no longer necessary. The refrigeration module, advantageously installed in a food container, acts as a cold reservoir, whereby cold transfer takes place in the partition walls and/or outer walls of the 35 food container. The coolant can be introduced through openings directly into the food container from the cavities in the 3 partition walls or outer walls, in a controlled and measured manner. The partition walls advantageously feature openings on both sides to allow the chambers to be evenly supplied with coolant. If the walls have brackets for food trays, then the 5 openings are advantageously located above the brackets. This introduces the cold gas above the food, which ensures even heat transfer. To supply the refrigeration module with coolant, a coolant 10 supply can conveniently be connected to the refrigeration module, which has a line for fluid gas that is connected to a fluid gas reservoir. The fluid gas reservoir is advantageously designed as a fluid gas container for carbon dioxide. Additionally, a throttle/baffle system is advantageously 15 installed in the refrigeration module, through when the coolant flows when the coolant supply is connected, whereby coolant snow and coolant vapour are generated. The cold gas that is generated in the filling process can be used as a partial flow to pre-chill the food container. 20 The significant advantage of the invention consists mainly in uniform distribution of the cold in the interior of the food container. Especially for food containers with separate chambers, the invention presents a clear advantage over 25 typical solutions. The use of an apparatus, as is described in DE 199 19 934 Al, is problematic for this type of food container. Because the solution suggested there has the cold simply falling onto the food arranged in the food container from the refrigeration module installed in the top area of the 30 food container, a refrigeration module would need to be installed in each chamber. With the solution according to the invention, however, a single refrigeration module is sufficient to chill all the chambers. Due to the connection between the refrigeration module and the cavities in the 35 partition walls and/or outer walls of the food container, and the openings in the partition walls and/or outer walls, all 4 the chambers can be supplied uniformly by one refrigeration module. It is also advantageous, with the solution according to the invention, that the partition wall and/or outer wall surfaces 5 are moderately chilled, which generates additional convection transfer of the cold. When used in tablet carts, uniform distribution of the cold in the interior is also ensured, because the cold gas advantageously flows between the tablet holders. 10 The invention is described in more detail in the following, using the application examples schematically represented in the illustrations. Shown are 15 Figure 1 a meal transportation cart with three chambers Figure 2 a principle sketch for cooling a chamber of a meal transport cart The meal transport cart shown in Figure 1 comprises three 20 chambers 1, 2, 3, which are separated by partition walls 4, 5. In each chamber, trays (not shown) with meals can be placed on brackets (not shown). The meals are to be kept cold in the meal transport cart. To this end, a refrigeration module 6 is located at the top of the meal transport cart and can be 25 filled with liquid carbon dioxide using an adapter 7 for a filling gun. A throttle/baffle system (not shown) is installed in the refrigeration module 6, so that C02 snow is generated in the refrigeration module 6. The refrigeration module 6 can thus also be described as the snow box. Through sublimation, 30 C02 gas is generated from the C02 snow. The gas flows through a wire cloth 8 and cold gas transitions 9 from the refrigeration module 6 into the hollow partition walls 4 and 5. There, the cold gas enters the chambers 1, 2, and 3 through a distributed number of holes at the sides of the partition 35 walls 4 and 5. The inlet locations are each above the tablet 5 height, that is, above the meals, such that the heat transfer is evenly distributed in the chambers and tablet holders. In Figure 2, the principle of the cold retention is shown in a 5 detail view of the meal transport cart, applied to the middle chamber. The refrigeration module 6 (snow box) is supplied with liquid carbon dioxide via the adapter 7. After filling with sufficient carbon dioxide snow, the filling gun is removed. The carbon dioxide sublimate flows into the cavities 10 in the partition walls 4 and 5. The carbon dioxide sublimate can enter the chambers of the meal transport cart via holes in the partition walls 4 and 5. The flow of the cold gas is shown with arrows 11 and 12. Brackets for the meal trays are provided on the partition walls 4 and 5. These brackets can, 15 for example, be made as flanges in the partition walls 4 and 5. The holes for cold gas inlet are provided above the brackets 10.

Claims

1. Apparatus for maintaining the temperature of 5 refrigerated food in a food container for storing the food and a refrigerating module 6 which can be charged with a coolant, characterised in that the refrigeration module 6 is connected to a cavity in at least one wall 4,5 of the food container, and the wall 4,5 features penetrations on the inside of the 10 food container from the cavity into the interior of the food container, to introduce coolant into the food container.

2. Apparatus as in claim 1, characterised in that the wall features holders for food trays, and the penetration openings 15 are provided above the holders.

3. Apparatus as in claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the food container is divided into chambers 1, 2, 3 by at least one dividing wall 4,5, the refrigeration module 6 is connected 20 to a cavity in the partition wall 4,5, and the partition wall 4,5 features openings on both sides to introduce the coolant into the chambers 1,2,3 of the food container.

4. Apparatus as in one of the claims 1 through 3, 25 characterised in that the coolant is connected to cavities in the outer walls of the food container.

5. Apparatus as in one of the claims 1 through 4, characterised in that a coolant supply can be connected to the 30 refrigeration module 6, featuring a line for fluid gas that is connected to a fluid gas reservoir.

6. Apparatus as in one of the claims 1 through 5, characterised in that a throttle/baffle system is provided in 35 the refrigeration module 6, through which the coolant flows 7 when the coolant supply is connected, whereby coolant snow and coolant vapour are generated.