EP1291594B1 - Automatic supplying device for refrigerating compartment of an isothermal container - Google Patents

Abstract

The face of the supply box (10) which contacts the refrigerator compartment of the insulated container has gripping pads (15a-15c) connected to a vacuum pump and meter (23,24), tubes (6a,6b) with electro-valves (17) which enter refrigerator compartment orifices to supply liquid carbon dioxide from a reservoir (22) and contact sensors (16). An extractor pump (32) and pipe (30) applies a small vacuum at the time of connection

Description

The invention relates to isothermal containers internally divided into a lower storage compartment and an upper compartment refrigerant containing a cryogenic fluid or a coolant.

To be able to transport fresh or frozen products in good conditions, and at the temperatures imposed by the regulations in force, Isothermal containers are generally equipped with a refrigerant system ensuring the maintaining the temperature of the products they contain.

These systems can be based on cryogenic fluid, such as gas carbonic acid, nitrogen or heat transfer fluid, such as a monophasic fluid at low temperature or diphasic, fluids which, whatever their nature, must be introduced into the cooler compartment before the container is loaded and used for the transport and preservation of frozen or fresh products.

EP-A-826 600 discloses a container whose compartment refrigerant is equipped with a drawer including a mass storage chamber cryogenic and a gas expansion chamber, the first communicating with a means of connection to an external source of carbon dioxide, and the second with means for connection to an external gas suction duct carbonic.

In a variant of the drawer, the storage chamber is itself divided into two parts by a partition wall, namely a part with a bottom diffusing metal, intended to receive the cryogenic mass for the preservation of frozen products, and a portion with an insulating bottom, charged with cryogenic mass for preserving fresh produce. Each of these parts of the room cryogenic system comprises, in the front wall, connection means with a external source of carbon dioxide.

The loading of the cryogenic mass is ensured by a device injection device comprising, as described in US-A-5657642, at least a liquid phase carbon dioxide distribution cannula, and a conduit suction of carbon dioxide. In WO99 / 43996, the cannula and the suction ducts are arranged parallel and protruding from the face of a housing of distribution connected by flexible ducts to a feed station controlled by a control cabinet and this housing is provided with connecting means, magnetic or electromagnetic, cooperating with metal washers fixed against the face front of the refrigerant compartment.

This mode of connection, more convenient than mechanical means to manual actuation, proves to be very sensitive to frost, which in use continuous, is formed on magnetic or electromagnetic means, and reduces their attraction force. As a result, during the injection and by reaction to the force injection of carbon dioxide in the liquid phase, of the order of 21 bar, the injection device can be separated from the front wall of the compartment with the risk, by its violent recoil of hurting the operator by contact, but also by burning by carbon dioxide at a temperature in the range of -40 ° C to -70 ° C escaping into the atmosphere. Moreover, and even in the absence of frost, the link requires flat and smooth faces, even though metal washers carried by the cooler compartment are subject to positional changes resulting from dilations and contractions of the wall door. As a result, sometimes it is impossible to liaise with one of the washers and that the housing retainer is insufficient during the injection and can cause the separation of the injection box and the compartment with the risks indicated above.

The present invention aims to provide a feeding device automatic device to ensure the securing of the power supply unit with the refrigerant compartment to be filled, irrespective of the conditions of temperature and hygrometry, while improving staff safety during positioning, injection or filling-emptying maneuvers.

For this purpose, in the device according to the invention, the connecting means Temporary power supply box with the front wall of the compartment refrigerant are constituted by at least one suction cup protruding from the wall of the housing facing the front wall of the cooler compartment, this or these cups being disposed outside the area or areas with a cannula and being powered by a vacuum circuit equipped with a device measuring the value of the depression, this device reacts on the control cabinet to interrupt vacuum feeding and fluid transfer if depression is insufficient, while that at least one protruding contact sensor housing detects the correct positioning of the supply box relative to the front wall opposite and reacts on the control cabinet so that it controls the supply or the stop means generating the vacuum and thus feeding or stopping the means distributing the fluid refrigerant.

With this arrangement, after the power supply has been positioned vertically and transversely by engagement of its cannula in the connecting means of the front wall, moving the housing towards the compartment, first brings the positioning sensor into contact with the wall frontal allowing the triggering of the supply of the means generating the vacuum in the suction cups. Of course, if the sensor does not react, which indicates a bad positioning of the power supply box, the suction cups are not vacuum and the compartment feeding process is stopped. during the operation of the suction cups, if the value of the depression does not reach the threshold detected by the measuring apparatus, the means generating the vacuum are no longer powered electrically to prompt the operator to examine the reasons for the leak. On the other hand, if the value of the depression corresponds to the operating threshold, the process continuous supply by triggering the supply of the solenoid valve arranged on the injection cannula. In the event of a fall in the vacuum during fluid injection, the Feeding process is interrupted.

The arrangement of the suction cups, out of the zone of the cannulas, that is to say of the area that can be covered with frost by continuous operation, releases these means of linking the disadvantages of frost and allows, for a positioning normal power supply box relative to the refrigerant compartment, to obtain excellent bonding during injection Moreover, the combination of this link by suction cup with sensors prevents coolant or cryogenic liquid can be diffused into the atmosphere in case of poor coupling of the housing feeding with the compartment.

In an embodiment intended to cooperate with a compartment refrigerant which can be supplied with cryogenic fluid and whose front wall is equipped with a means of connection to a suction duct, the power supply box is associated to a suction box whose mouth opens out facing the front wall of the refrigerant compartment and has substantially the same shapes and dimensions as the mouth connecting means of this compartment, this box being connected by a flexible duct to a stationary suction group whose operation is regulated by the control and control cabinet.

In this application, the suction group is started as soon as the positioning sensors and the vacuum sensors indicate, at the housing of command and control, that everything is in order so that the prior aspiration into the refrigerant compartment is prior to fluid injection and creates a slight depression promoting relaxation of the cryogenic fluid. This depression attracts, in the suction box, the carbon dioxide resulting from the relaxation of carbon dioxide in the liquid phase and therefore prevents any diffusion of this gas into the atmosphere and close of the operator.

Another advantage of this arrangement is that it does not require equipping the drawer means ensuring its perfect seal with the compartment receiving it, which simplifies its construction and reduces its cost.

Advantageously, the electric motor of the fixed suction group or its power supply circuit is equipped with a connected operating sensor electrically to the control and control cabinet to trigger closing of the solenoid valve in operation, in case of stopping the suction.

This arrangement provides additional security for the personal and the environment.

In another embodiment, the power supply housing comprises two female hydraulic couplers with self-locking valve transversely spaced and each adapted to cooperate with a male hydraulic coupler with self-locking valve, carried by the front wall of the refrigerant compartment, one of the female couplers being connected, with interposition of a solenoid valve and by a filling duct with a pump, a reserve of refrigerant maintained in condition refrigerant, while the other female coupler is connected, with the interposition of a solenoid valve and via a drain line with pump, to another reception tank fluid from the refrigerant compartment of the container.

In this application, the suction-control link combination by contact and vacuum sensors avoids costly refrigerant losses and projection of this fluid on the floor of the workstation.

Figure 1 est une vue en perspective d'une première forme d'exécution du dispositif d'alimentation, lorsqu'il est à un poste de travail chargé d'alimenter un conteneur en fluide cryogénique,

Figure 2 est une vue en perspective du dispositif d'alimentation de figure 1 avec un schéma de ses circuits,

Figure 3 est une vue en perspective d'une forme d'exécution du boítier d'alimentation,

Figure 4 est une vue en perspective éclatée montrant une autre forme d'exécution du boítier d'alimentation.

Other features and advantages will emerge from the description which follows with reference to the appended schematic drawing showing two embodiments of the device according to the invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the feed device, when it is at a workstation charged with supplying a container with cryogenic fluid,

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the feed device of Figure 1 with a diagram of its circuits,

Figure 3 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the power supply housing,

Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view showing another embodiment of the power supply housing.

It will first be proceeded, with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, to the description of a first embodiment of the feed device for container 2 having a lower storage compartment A and a refrigerant upper compartment B. This is, for example, constituted by a removable drawer 3 divided into two internal compartments suitable, each, to receive the dry ice and including, the one intended for the conservation of the fresh products, an insulating base, and that intended for the preservation of frozen products, a metallic. A drawer of this type does not need to be represented or described further, because it is well known to those skilled in the art.

The front wall 4 of the drawer 3 is provided, with regard to each internal compartment, a connecting means 5a, 5b with one of the two cannulas 6a, 6b fitted to the feeding device. In this embodiment, the connecting means are constituted by openings whose shutter is ensured by a seal carried by the container door and bearing against the wall 4 when this door is in the closed position. Each cannula is tubular and smooth and able to penetrate into the corresponding opening of the wall.

As shown in Figure 1, the drawer 3 comprises, or is juxtaposed to an opening 8 which is formed between it and the upper wall of the container 2, and which is intended to pass the carbon dioxide gas phase, not converted into snow when injecting carbon dioxide into the cooler compartment.

As shown in FIG. 2, the two cannulas 6a, 6b are identical, spaced transversely and protrude from the wall of a distribution box 10 coming opposite the front wall 3 of the refrigerant compartment. This case, from parallelepipedal general shape, is arranged in a structure of portage and handling 12, also carrying a suction box 13 whose outlet mouth 14 has substantially the same shapes and dimensions as the mouth 8 opposite which she is destined to come.

The connection means between the distribution box 10 and the wall of the refrigerant compartment are constituted by three suckers 15a, 15b, 15c which are arranged on either side of the cannulae 6a and 6b, and in any case outside the zone of these cannulas likely to frost, following continuous use of the device Power. Above each cannula is a contact detector 16 adapted to come into contact or to detect the front wall 4 of the cooler compartment. Each cannula 6a, 6b is powered by a solenoid valve 17a, 17b, itself connected by an internal circuit 18 to a fitting 19, protruding from the housing 10. This connection is connected by an outer pipe 20, partly flexible, to a cryogenic fluid reservoir 22, for example liquid phase carbon dioxide.

Each of the suction cups 15a to 15c is connected by an internal circuit common to a vacuum generator 23, type vacuum pump or VENTURI, equipped of a device 24 for measuring the vacuum in the circuit going to the suction cups. This apparatus is connected by an electrical circuit 25 to a control cabinet and control 26, arranged at the workstation, out of the housing. Similarly, solenoid valves 17a, 17d are connected to this cabinet 26 by electrical circuits 27a, 27b. Finally, the contact sensors 16 are connected by electrical circuits 28 to the cabinet 26. In practical, the various electrical circuits of the housing lead to a terminal of common connection 29 on which is connected a flexible multi-strand cable in the cabinet 26.

The suction box 13 is provided with a chimney 13a on which is connected a flexible conduit 30 to an extraction installation 32 comprising a electric motor 33 driving a turbine 34. The electric motor, or its circuit power supply 35, coming from the command and control cabinet 26, is equipped with an operating detector 36 which is itself connected to the cabinet 26 by a circuit 37. When a container 2 is brought to the dispensing station, the supply box 10 is brought in front of its refrigerant compartment B and positioned manually so that the cannulas 6a, 6b coincide with the connecting means 5a, 5b. The engagement of the cannulas in the bores of this medium position vertically and horizontally the housing 10. As soon as one of the sensors 16 comes into contact with the front wall 4, the housing 26 command feeding the suction cups 15a to 15c. Under the effect of the depression that runs through them, these suckers come to press against the front wall with a force that is sufficient to retain the housing, even when it is subjected to a force of reaction opposing the injection pressure which is of the order of 15 to 21 bar. The plating of the suction cups is checked, on the one hand, by the device 24 for measuring the vacuum in the vacuum circuit, and secondly, by the contact of the second sensor 16. If both sensors do not emit a contact signal, and / or if the vacuum circuit is subject to insufficient vacuum, the control and control cabinet 26 interrupts the feeding procedure, in order to force the operator to check the reasons justifying these defects.

If, at this point, everything is in order, the control cabinet 26 the power supply of the electric motor 32 to drive the extraction unit, so that the suction box is traversed by a suction flow generating, in the refrigerant compartment B, a slight depression, then immediately after that, controls the supply of the relevant solenoid valve 17a or 17b, previously selected on the control box by means of a two-position selector 38.

If during the injection, the sensors 16, the measuring device of the depression 24, or the suction operation sensor react on the cabinet 26, it controls the closure of the solenoid valve in use and puts safe installation.

At the end of the injection which, in known manner, has a limited duration, determined according to various parameters, and in particular, the differential of temperature with the outside, predictable shelf life, and, possibly the load of the container, the solenoid valve used is closed before stopping the extraction group 33, 34 so that the carbon dioxide, not transformed into snow, either completely removed from the refrigerant compartment B, before disconnection of the power supply box.

It follows from the above that the multiplication of securities on the housing ensures the proper functioning of the feeding device and especially avoids that carbon dioxide, in the liquid or gaseous phase, is injected or distributed in the atmosphere with the risk of hurting the operator. The arrangement of the suction cups out cannulas protect them from frost. The deformability of their skirts allows these to be fixed satisfactorily on any smooth surface and, in Consequently, suppresses any search for perfect flatness and parallelism of the wall front of the refrigerant compartment coming into contact with it.

In addition, the suction cups ensure a perfect fit of the injection box with a force that can be adjusted by adjusting the suction flow rate applied.

In case of failure of the electric motor 32 of the extraction unit, the detector 36 reacts on the control and control cabinet 26, so that it does not does not control the supply of the solenoid valve 17a, 17b in service, if the failure at the beginning of the cycle or stops feeding, if the failure occurs in cycle course. Preferably, and as shown in Figure 3, the suction mouth 14 of the box 13 is bordered by a sealing lip 40, elastically deformable, such as flexible elastomer, for example silicone. Thanks to its elasticity, this lip comes into perfect contact with the front wall of compartment B, whatever the parallelism of this wall, its surface appearance or the coincidence of the mouth 8 with that 14.

Preferably, and as shown in FIG. 2, the device supply includes an additional solenoid valve 42 disposed on the circuit supply 20 from the cryogenic fluid reservoir 22 to the housing 10. This solenoid valve is arranged downstream of the manual valve of safety 43, compulsorily arranged at the outlet of the tank. It is connected by a electrical circuit 44 to the control and control cabinet 26. This solenoid valve 42 is brought into the closed position, as soon as the feeding device passes into emergency stop, at the request of one of the sensors or detectors, or at the request of the operator. For this purpose and as shown in Figure 1 the device is equipped with a button 45a emergency stop arranged on the front face of the housing with a button 46 of cycle start, and another emergency stop button 45b disposed on the housing 26. In the event of an anomaly, and in particular in the event of a leak or incident on the carbon dioxide feed circuit 20, the operator no longer to go actuate the manual valve 43 at the outlet of the tank, and sometimes located at more 100 meters from the place of loading of the containers.

This multiplication of securities considerably reduces the risks of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and, as a result, improves the protection of the operator and the environment.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the structure of portage and handling 12 is composed of two side rings 12a, connected one to the other by an upper cross 12b and a lower cross 12c. The crossing upper 12b is provided with a ring 47 for hanging the device feeding means to a suspension means such as an arm 48, shown in FIG. suction box 13 is fixed on this cross member 12b by welding or by bolts 48. As for the housing 10, it is placed and fixed in a removable and interchangeable manner on legs 49 carried by each of the rings 12a. The housing 10 is disposed below of the box 13 and with a space E which, on the one hand, thermally isolates the box 10 frost forming in the box by the gas at - 40 ° C, and secondly, facilitates the interchangeability of the casing by reducing the time required for its replacement. Figure 2 shows that connectors 19 and 29 with cryogenic and electrical fluid, are arranged in an area of the housing all the more easy to access at this location, the box 13 has sections.

Finally, by its shape, the structure 12 provides a good grip and provides reliable mechanical protection of connectors, buttons, cannulas and suction cups, against possible shocks with containers being handled.

In the following description, the means identical to the form previous execution will carry a reference plus 100, and the new ones means and elements will be referenced from 50.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 4 differs from the previous in that it concerns the distribution of a coolant, monophasic or diphasic. In this application, instead of performing the functions injection and suction, the feeding device ensures the filling function and draining a tray 50 disposed in the compartment B and dimensioned for receive a quantity of fluid corresponding to the conservation needs.

The connection means of this tray 50 with the distribution box 110 are constituted by two hydraulic couplers 52a, 52b, of male type and equipped with shut-off valves 53a, 53b. Of course, each of these flaps communicates directly with the interior of the tray 50, whether or not it includes one or more partitions or baffles.

These couplers are intended to cooperate with two female couplers 54a, 54b, protruding from the front face of the housing 110. These two couplers are also equipped with self closing shutters. As in the previous embodiment, the couplers 54a, 54b are juxtaposed with suction cups 115a, 115b, 115c and with contact sensors 116 and are connected to solenoid valves 117a and 117d fed, the first, by a filling line 55 and the second by a drain line 56. The different suction cups 115a, 115b, 115c are connected by an internal network 57 to 123 means generating vacuum, and for example, to a pump to vacuum or a venturi, this means being equipped with a measuring device 124 of the pressure in the circuit 57. The various electrical circuits of the solenoid valves, power sensors of the means 123 are connected to a connector 129, itself connected by a flexible link to a control and control cabinet 126. The filling line 55 is connected by a flexible connection 58 and to a pipe 60, to a tank 59 holding the coolant in refrigerant condition. The pipe 60 is equipped with a manual valve 143 and a connected solenoid valve 142 by a circuit 144 to the control and control cabinet 126. Finally, the conduit 60 is equipped with a pump 62 whose supply circuit is controlled by the cabinet 126.

The emptying duct 53 is connected by a flexible duct 63 to a duct rigid 64, equipped with a pump 65 circulating the fluid towards a reservoir 66. It is obvious that the pump 65 is also controlled by the cabinet 126.

This form of execution differs from the previous one by the fact that housing 110 is not associated with a suction box. Like before, the coupling of the housing 110 with the tank 50 of the refrigerant compartment B, is performed with the security provided by the contacts 116, with the plating force provided by the suction cups 115a to 115c with control of the plating force by measuring device 124. All the emptying and filling functions are controlled by the control and control cabinet 126, so that the emptying starts slightly before filling and ends a few moments after him.

Preferably, the drain line 56 is equipped with a sensor of temperature 67 which is connected to the control and control cabinet 126 by a circuit 68 to trigger the stop filling and emptying when the fluid through the conduit 56 reaches a given temperature, close to the temperature of the fluid contained in the reservoir 59.

It follows from the foregoing that in both forms of execution the feeding device has many safeguards that allow a operator, trained or not, to use it safely to inject into the compartment refrigerant of a container, either liquid phase carbon dioxide or a fluid coolant. Security management in the control and control cabinet 26, 126 is provided, depending on the applications, by a PLC or a computer card programmable, with the management of a database for calculating times injection.

Claims (11)

1. Automatic secure feed device for a refrigerating compartment (B) of an insulated container in which, on the one hand, the front wall (4) of the refrigerating compartment is provided with at least one means (5a, 5b) of connection to a source of coolant fluid, and, on the other hand, the device comprises a supply module (10) provided with means projecting from its front surface for temporary connection to the said front wall (4) of the compartment and at least one tube (6a, 6b) for interacting with the connecting means of the refrigerating compartment, this tube being connected to a coolant fluid supply circuit (18, 20) equipped with a solenoid valve (17a, 17b) controlled by an operating and control console (26), characterized in that the means for temporarily connecting the supply module (10) to the front wall (4) of the refrigerating compartment (B) consist of at least one suction cup (15a to 15c), projecting from the wall of the module which is to face the front wall of the refrigerating compartment, this suction cup or these suction cups being positioned outside the area or areas having a tube or tubes (6a, 6b) and being supplied by vacuum generating means (23) and being equipped with an apparatus (24) for measuring the level of the vacuum, this apparatus (24) feeding back to the operating console (26) to interrupt the vacuum supply and/or the transfer of fluid if the level of vacuum is insufficient, while at least one contact sensor (16) projecting from the module (10) detects the correct positioning of this supply module with respect to the front wall (4) facing it and feeds back to the operating console to make it cause the supply to take place or to make it stop the vacuum generating means (23) and thus open or close the solenoid valve (17a, 17b) distributing the coolant fluid.
2. Automatic secure feed device according to Claim 1, characterized in that, with a refrigerating compartment (B) which can be supplied with cryogenic fluid and whose front wall (4) is equipped with a means (8) of connection to a suction pipe, the supply module (10) is associated with a suction tank (13) whose mouth (14) opens opposite the front wall (4) of the refrigerating compartment and has substantially the same shape and dimensions as the mouth (8) of the connecting means of this compartment, this tank (13) being connected by a flexible pipe (30) to a fixed suction unit (32) whose operation is controlled by the operating and control console (26).
3. Automatic secure feed device according to Claim 2, characterized in that the electric motor (33) of the suction unit, or its electrical power supply circuit (35), is equipped with an operation sensor (36), connected electrically to the operating and control console (26) to trigger the closing of the solenoid valve (17a, 17b) in operation if the suction stops.
4. Automatic secure feed device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the supply module (110) comprises two female fluid couplings (54a, 54b) with self-locking valves, spaced apart transversely and each capable of interacting with a male hydraulic coupling (52a, 52b), with a self-locking valve, carried on the front wall (50) of the refrigerating compartment, one of the female couplings (54a) being connected, with the interposition of a solenoid valve (117a), via a filling pipe (55, 58, 60) with a pump (62), to a reservoir (59) of coolant fluid kept in the cooling condition, while the other female coupling (54b) is connected, with the interposition of a solenoid valve (117b), via a drainage pipe (56, 63, 64) with a pump (65), to another reservoir (66) for collecting the fluid discharged from the refrigerating compartment of the container.
5. Automatic secure feed device according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the cryogenic or coolant fluid supply circuit (20, 60), running from a reservoir (22, 59) to the solenoid valve for supply (17a) or filling (117a), is equipped, near the reservoir, with an emergency shut-off solenoid valve (42, 142) operated by the operating and control console (126) and/or by an emergency stop button (45a, 45b).
6. Automatic secure feed device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the tube (17a, 17b) is tubular and smooth and penetrates into the cryogenic compartment through a closable opening formed in the front wall (4) of this compartment.
7. Automatic secure feed device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the supply module (10) comprises two identical tubes (6a, 6b), spaced apart transversely and each associated with a solenoid valve (17a, 17b), the two solenoid valves being supplied with cryogenic fluid by the same circuit (18) but each having an electrical operating circuit (27a, 27b) connected to the operating and control console (26), while the said operating and control console (26) is equipped with a tube selector (36) having two positions, corresponding to each of the two storage chambers formed in the cryogenic compartment (B), one of which is used for preserving fresh products while the other is used for preserving frozen products.
8. Automatic secure feed device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the supply module (10, 110) is generally parallelepipedal in shape and is fixed removably and interchangeably to the lugs (49) of a carrying and handling structure (12).
9. Automatic secure feed device according to the combination of Claims 1, 2 and 8, characterized in that the module (10) is independent of the suction tank (13) which is fixed to the carrying and handling structure (12), the said module being positioned under the tank (13) with a vertical spacing (E) for thermal insulation to protect it from frost.
10. Automatic secure feed device according to Claim 2, characterized in that the mouth (14) of the suction tank is edged with an elastically deformable lip (40) which can come into resilient contact with the front wall (4) of the refrigerating compartment (B).
11. Automatic secure feed device according to Claim 2, characterized in that the supply module (10, 110) comprises two independent contact sensors (16) spaced apart transversely, each connected by an electrical circuit to the operating console (26), and in that this console comprises means which trigger the supply of coolant or cryogenic fluid only if both of the aforesaid electrical circuits are closed and indicate that the supply module (10, 110) is correctly positioned with respect to the front wall (4) of the refrigerating compartment.

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