Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
  • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
  • F24F6/00—Air-humidification, e.g. cooling by humidification
  • F24F6/12—Air-humidification, e.g. cooling by humidification by forming water dispersions in the air
  • F24F6/14—Air-humidification, e.g. cooling by humidification by forming water dispersions in the air using nozzles
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
  • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
  • F24F6/00—Air-humidification, e.g. cooling by humidification
  • F24F6/12—Air-humidification, e.g. cooling by humidification by forming water dispersions in the air
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES A21D OR A23B-A23J; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OF NUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL
  • A23L3/00—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs
  • A23L3/34—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs by treatment with chemicals
  • A23L3/3409—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs by treatment with chemicals in the form of gases, e.g. fumigation; Compositions or apparatus therefor
  • A23L3/3445—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs by treatment with chemicals in the form of gases, e.g. fumigation; Compositions or apparatus therefor in a controlled atmosphere comprising other gases in addition to CO2, N2, O2 or H2O
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES A21D OR A23B-A23J; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OF NUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL
  • A23L3/00—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs
  • A23L3/36—Freezing; Subsequent thawing; Cooling
  • A23L3/363—Freezing; Subsequent thawing; Cooling the materials not being transported through or in the apparatus with or without shaping, e.g. in form of powder, granules, or flakes
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
  • F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F25D17/00—Arrangements for circulating cooling fluids; Arrangements for circulating gas, e.g. air, within refrigerated spaces
  • F25D17/04—Arrangements for circulating cooling fluids; Arrangements for circulating gas, e.g. air, within refrigerated spaces for circulating air, e.g. by convection
  • F25D17/042—Air treating means within refrigerated spaces
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
  • F25B—REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS
  • F25B2700/00—Sensing or detecting of parameters; Sensors therefor
  • F25B2700/02—Humidity
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
  • F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F25D2317/00—Details or arrangements for circulating cooling fluids; Details or arrangements for circulating gas, e.g. air, within refrigerated spaces, not provided for in other groups of this subclass
  • F25D2317/04—Treating air flowing to refrigeration compartments
  • F25D2317/041—Treating air flowing to refrigeration compartments by purification
  • F25D2317/0413—Treating air flowing to refrigeration compartments by purification by humidification
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02B—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS
  • Y02B30/00—Energy efficient heating, ventilation or air conditioning [HVAC]
  • Y02B30/54—Free-cooling systems

Definitions

• This invention relates to a high humidity refrigerated enclosure and means to control the humidity in a refrigerated enclosure.
• Vegetable transportation is therefore frequently carried out in refrigerated bulk containers, and more recently in such containers where the atmosphere within the container is modified in order to maintain a high humidity.
• the present invention sets about to provide an effective high humidity refrigerated enclosure such as a refrigerated storage room or a refrigerated transport room container.
• the present invention can be said to provide means to control the humidity in a refrigerated enclosure
• a condensate collector adapted to be positioned relative to a cooling coil present in the refrigerated enclosure so as to collect condensate produced on the coil during cooling operation of the refrigerated enclosure
• a condensate storage unit in liquid connection with the collector unit so as to receive and store the condensate
• a water spray device which in operation draws water from the condensate storage unit and delivers the water in a spray into the moving air at the exit side of the coil
• a control unit adapted to measure the relative humidity of the air at the entry side of the coil and to - 2 -
• the present invention provides a refrigerated enclosure including: a cooling coil; a condensate collector positioned relative to the coil so as to collect condensate produced on the coil during cooling operation of the refrigerated enclosure; a condensate storage unit in liquid connection with the collector unit so as to receive and store the condensate; an air circulation device which in operation causes air to circulate from an entry side of the coil, past the coil to an exit side of the coil and thence through the enclosure; a water spray device which in operation draws water from the condensate storage unit and delivers the water in a spray into the moving air at the exist side of the coil; and a control unit measuring the relative humidity of the air at the entry side of the coil and controlling the water spray so as to maintain the measured relative humidity within a preset range.
• a further broad aspect of the invention provides a humidity modified refrigerating unit including: an air passage with an inlet adapted to receive circulating air from a volume to be refrigerated and an outlet adapted to return the circulating air into said volume; a cooling coil intermediate and fixed generally across the cross-section of said air passage; a condensate collector positioned relative to the coil so as to collect condensate produced on the coil during cooling operations; a condensate storage unit in liquid connection with, or being an integral part of, the collector unit so as to receive and store the condensate; an air circulation device which in operation causes the circulating air to move from said inlet, past the coil and to discharge through said outlet; a water spray device which in operation draws water from the condensate storage unit and delivers a water spray into the moving air at the outlet side of the coil; and a control unit measuring the relative humidity of the circulating air at the inlet side of the coil and controlling the water spray so as to maintain the measured relative humidity within a preset range or at about a preset level
• a particular preferred form of the invention provides a method of curing potatoes and like curable vegetables comprising the storage of the vegetables in a refrigerated enclosure as described above for a predetermined time period while maintaining the interior temperature and humidity at about predetermined levels.
• the refrigeration plant 1 is contained in an integral unit which is easily attached to, or carried within, a suitable storage or transport container (not shown).
• the plant includes cooling coils 2 which are part of a conventional heat pump used in cooling air circulating about the container.
• the cooling coils 2 extend generally - 4 -
• the air circulation fans 3 force the passage of air upwardly through the air duct 4 drawing the air in at an air entry point 5 connected to the container interior and forcing the exit of the air out through an air exit side 6 to return back to the container.
• a condensate collector 7 is placed under the cooling coils 2 so as to collect runoff condensate.
• the condensate collector 7 is sufficiently sized to further act as a condensate reservoir holding a predetermined volume of condensate before it commences drainage through the overflow tube 8.
• a 10-15 litre volume is practical but larger volumes might be necessary in some plants while smaller volumes might be feasible in others.
• a water atomizer 9 is positioned within the air duct 4 at the air exit side 6 of the cooling coils 2.
• the atomizer 9 is supplied with compressed air and draws water from the condensate collector/reservoir 7 in order to produce a water-air mist of fine water droplets within the cold part of the circulating air flow, so that the droplet size (Mean Number Diameter) is about 20 microns or less.
• the water flow rate during misting is in the range 10-30 mis per minute.
• atomiser is positioned vertically above the reservoir by substantial amount it may be necessary to deliver pressured water to the atomiser by a suitable pump so as to ensure satisfactory operation.
• Sprays other than atomisers might also be used.
• the air and water lines feeding the atomiser are enveloped in insulation so as to prevent their partial or complete freezing which would adversely affect atomiser operation.
• a relative humidity sensor 10 is positioned on the warm side of the cooling coils 2, that is on the air entry side 5 of the coils 2, the sensor 10 being connected to a humidity controller 11 which in turn processes the sensor 10 information and controls accordingly air supply to the atomizer 9 so as to maintain the sensed relative humidity within a predetermined range.
• a relative humidity range of a few percent within the range 88-98% (depending upon the performance of sensor 10) is practical,
• the controller 11 has a programmed hysterisis of about 2-4% rel. humidity.
• rel. humidity for a set point rel. humidity of say 96%, the atomiser will commence operation whenever the sensed rel. humidity falls below say 93% and will cease operation whenever it exceeds 96%.
• the high humidity refrigeration plant be capable of maintaining the internal atmosphere of the refrigerated enclosure at adjustable levels within a predetermined range of temperatures and/or rel. humidities.
• the invention can also be used to modify an existing refrigerated container or refrigerated room design, so as to enable maintenance of a high or controlled humidity atmosphere.
• all components excepting the water atomiser and sensor can be placed internally or externally to the refrigerated enclosure and it is not restricted to a vertically upward air flow past the coils.
• Alternative arrangements such as proprietary downdraft refrigeration plant may be equally well adapted to receive the humidity control unit.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Nutrition Science (AREA)
• Dispersion Chemistry (AREA)
• Food Science & Technology (AREA)
• Polymers & Plastics (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Thermal Sciences (AREA)
• Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
• General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Cold Air Circulating Systems And Constructional Details In Refrigerators (AREA)
• Devices That Are Associated With Refrigeration Equipment (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

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ID=3773679

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (5)

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Citations (4)

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• 1989
  • 1989-03-03 WO PCT/AU1989/000083 patent/WO1990008925A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1989-03-03 KR KR1019910700817A patent/KR920701761A/ko not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1989-03-03 EP EP19890903051 patent/EP0455633A4/en not_active Ceased
• 1990
  • 1990-01-23 NZ NZ232188A patent/NZ232188A/en unknown
  • 1990-02-02 CA CA002009243A patent/CA2009243A1/en not_active Abandoned

Patent Citations (4)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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