EP1445559B1 - Refrigerating device for a load stored and/or transported in a cooling chamber of a vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The arrangement has a heat exchanger (5) acted upon by a coolant (3) and by a fan (4), whereby the coolant cools the cold chamber (1) air. At least one storage container (7) mounted on the vehicle contains the coolant and the fan and heat exchanger are arranged inside the cold chamber. At least one battery-powered fan is installed for circulation of the air (6) in the cold chamber through the heat exchanger.

Description

The invention relates to a motor vehicle or trailer with
a refrigerated box for cargo to be stored therein and / or transported, in particular from foods such as meat, a heat exchanger acted upon on the one hand by a coolant and on the other hand by a fan with cooling air contained in the refrigerated box,
one or more arranged on the bottom of the motor vehicle or trailer storage container (s) for the coolant, said fan and heat exchanger are disposed within the refrigerated box. Such a vehicle is out of the EP-A-0 399 449 known.

The object underlying the invention is seen to provide a simpler and more economical refrigeration even for smaller vehicles, with no energy required for refrigeration while driving and during a Zwischenhalts. Furthermore, the refrigeration should be particularly economically feasible.

This object is achieved in a device according to the preamble of the main claim according to the above document by the characterizing features of claim 1, namely the fact that the formation of the heat exchanger or the storage container is traversed by sealed by the coolant passing through heat exchanger tubes or are, which have open ends communicating with the air of the interior of the refrigerated box, the heat exchanger tubes having their open ends through each other opposite open walls of the storage container or the storage tank pass and the open ends on the one hand inlet openings for internal air to be cooled and on the other hand exit openings for cooled indoor air form that the or the storage container is disposed on the inner bottom of the refrigerated box or are that his or her , the openings having the heat exchanger tubes, walls have a distance from the respective opposite walls of the refrigerated box, that the outlet openings of the heat exchanger tubes open into a leading to the ceiling of the refrigerated box air duct, in which the fan is arranged and under the ceiling of the refrigerated box an outlet for the cooled indoor air has and that the fan is battery operated.

Before commencing storage or transport, the coolant in the storage tank (s) can be cooled down to about minus 20 ° C to about minus 30 ° C, which can be done in various ways, as will be explained in more detail below.

During transport and / or during intermediate or more or less short storage no energy expenditure for cooling is required because the coolant is provided in such an amount that it for hours, for example, over a whole day, absorb enough heat or can absorb to keep the contents of the cooling chamber at a desired cooling temperature, which is suitably between 0 ° C and plus 2 ° C.

By appropriate arrangement of the or the fan can thereby cause a circulation of the internal air within the cooling chamber, which ensures a flow through the heat exchanger tubes from its inlet side to the outlet side.

In addition, a removable shelf can be arranged on the top of the storage container or the storage container, which has openings for the access of internal air to be cooled to the inlet openings of the heat exchanger tubes.

Suitably, the width of the storage container or the entire width of the storage container about the width of the cooling chamber correspond and its or its length by one hand, the depth of the arranged on a front wall of the cooling chamber air duct and on the other hand by the distance of the inlet openings of the heat exchanger tubes from a rear wall be limited to the cooling chamber.

In the region of this distance of the inlet openings of the rear wall of the cooling chamber, the openings can provide in the bottom shelf.

For cooling the coolant contained in the or the storage container (s) to about minus 20 ° C and 30 ° C may be provided outside the cooling chamber mounted on the vehicle cooling unit with plate heat exchanger and circulating pump, which contains a second coolant in the form of a liquid Cooling tubes in a closed circuit through the first coolant of the or the storage container (s) are passed. The refrigeration unit can thereby operate at standstill of the vehicle, whether overnight or even during the day, via a network connection, such that the storage container is then charged, so to speak, and for a refrigeration of many hours, for example. of meat in the cooling chamber is sufficient.

Further, the or the coolant reservoir, possibly after removing an insert base, if present, can be removed from the cooling chamber of the vehicle, be cooled down in an external refrigerator and be brought back into the cooling chamber if necessary. In this case it is not required that the coolant contained in the storage container is liquid, but it may also be in this case, for example, a gel.

The function of the or optionally also a plurality of fans may be appropriately controlled in dependence on an adjustable thermostat, precisely with regard to compliance with a preferred for the respective charge temperature interval of the interior air of the refrigerator, for example from 0 ° C to plus 2 ° C, as already mentioned above.

A second solution of the invention task according to the same inventive principle is characterized in that the or the storage tank is or are arranged under the vehicle floor and connecting pipes for the coolant through the vehicle floor are passed through upwards to the heat exchanger located under the refrigerated ceiling,
in that the heat exchanger and the fan together form an aggregate arranged inside the refrigerated box, that the storage container is or are connected to the heat exchanger via connecting pipes equipped with a battery-operated circulating pump, and that the ventilator is also battery operated and circulates the inside air of the refrigerated box through the heat exchanger for the purpose of cooling the same provides.

Also in this case, the circulation pump and / or the fan may be thermostat controlled.

Again, can be provided for cooling the in the storage container (s) containing coolant down to about minus 20 ° C to minus 30 ° C outside the cooling chamber mounted on the vehicle cooling unit with plate heat exchanger and circulating pump, containing a second coolant cooling tubes in a closed circuit through the Coolant of the or the coolant tank (s) are passed.

Appropriate methods for operating the motor vehicle or trailer are the subject of Anprüche 9 and 10.

A particular advantage of the invention according to both solutions is that it can be retrofitted into all existing cooling chambers or refrigerated cases of existing transport vehicles. Furthermore, the cooled filling of the storage container, for example by night-time charge, can be provided very inexpensively, regardless of whether the coolant remains in the respective storage container and is cooled down there by a cooling unit, whether a storage container together with the contents as a whole or only the coolant of one in the vehicle permanently installed storage container spent after pumping into a transport container in a freezer and where they are charged, so to speak. It is crucial that, regardless of whether a cooling unit on the vehicle is present or not, during a transport journey and thereby becoming intermediate stages, even if they take longer, no cooling by on-board energy is required. Only the or the fan and possibly existing circulation pumps require electrical power from the 12V electrical system, which, however, means a relatively small amount of energy, which can be temporarily provided even from a powerful vehicle battery alone, without any engine power.

The invention and its advantageous embodiments are explained in more detail below with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings.

• Fig. 1
  einen senkrechten Längsmittelschnitt durch einen Fahrzeuganhänger gemäß einer ersten Ausführungsform der Erfindung, und zwar längs der Linie B-B der Fig. 2;
• Fig. 2
  einen Querschnitt längs der Linie A-A der Fig. 1;
• Fig. 3
  einen der Fig. 1 entsprechenden Längsmittelschnitt durch eine zweite Ausführungsform der Erfindung, und zwar längs der Linie C-C in Fig. 4;
• Fig. 4
  einen Querschnitt längs der Linie C-C in Fig. 3;
• Fig. 5
  einen Längsmittelschnitt durch einen Fahrzeuganhänger gemäß einer dritten Ausführungsform der Erfindung;
• Fig. 6
  einen Längsmittelschnitt durch eine vierte Ausführungsform der Erfindung, und zwar längs der Linie E-E in Fig. 7; ;
• Fig. 7
  einen Querschnitt längs der Linie F-F in Fig. 6;
• Fig. 8
  einen Längsmittelschnitt durch einen Fahrzeuganhänger gemäß einer fünften Ausführungsform der Erfindung, und zwar längs der Linie G-G in Fig. 10;
• Fig. 9
  einen der Fig. 8 entsprechenden Längsmittelschnitt durch eine sechste Ausführungsform der Erfindung, und zwar ebenfalls längs der Linie G-G in Fig. 10;
• Fig. 10
  einen Querschnitt längs der jeweiligen Linie H-H in den Fig. 8 und 9.

It shows:

• Fig. 1
  a vertical longitudinal center section through a vehicle trailer according to a first embodiment of the invention, along the line BB of Fig. 2 ;
• Fig. 2
  a cross section along the line AA of Fig. 1 ;
• Fig. 3
  one of the Fig. 1 corresponding longitudinal center section through a second embodiment of the invention, along the line CC in Fig. 4 ;
• Fig. 4
  a cross section along the line CC in Fig. 3 ;
• Fig. 5
  a longitudinal center section through a vehicle trailer according to a third embodiment of the invention;
• Fig. 6
  a longitudinal center section through a fourth embodiment of the invention, along the line EE in Fig. 7 ; ;
• Fig. 7
  a cross section along the line FF in Fig. 6 ;
• Fig. 8
  a longitudinal center section through a vehicle trailer according to a fifth embodiment of the invention, along the line GG in Fig. 10 ;
• Fig. 9
  one of the Fig. 8 corresponding longitudinal center section through a sixth embodiment of the invention, also along the line GG in Fig. 10 ;
• Fig. 10
  a cross section along the respective line HH in the Fig. 8 and 9 ,

Fig. 1 shows a first embodiment of a device for cooling a stored in a cooling chamber 1 of a vehicle 2 and / or transported, not shown, in particular food such as meat, by means of a one hand by a cooling medium or coolant 3 and on the other hand acted upon by a fan 4 heat exchanger 5, wherein the coolant 3 cools the cooling chamber air 6 contained in the cooling chamber.

According to the invention, at least one storage vessel 7 containing the coolant 3 and possibly isolated in a manner not shown is arranged on the vehicle 2 according to a first embodiment, with only one coolant tank 7 being shown in the present case. In addition, fan 4 and heat exchanger 5 are within the cooling chamber 1, wherein at least one battery-powered fan 4 is installed such that is provided for a circulation of the inner air 6 of the cooling chamber 1 through the heat exchanger 5 through.

Advantageously, in this embodiment, the storage container 7 to form the heat exchanger 5 penetrated by sealed by the coolant 3 passing heat exchanger tubes 8, which have open ends 9 and 10, which are in communication with the air of the interior of the cooling chamber 1.

It is understood that the battery used is usually an alternator-powered storage battery or a battery.

In the present case, the storage container 7 is disposed inside the cooling chamber 1 of the vehicle 2, the heat exchanger tubes 8 come with their open ends 9, 10 by opposing free walls 11, 12 of the storage container. 7 through and the open ends form on the one hand inlet openings 9 for the internal air to be cooled 6 and on the other hand outlet openings 10 for the cooled interior air. 6

In the embodiment shown, the storage container 7 is arranged on the inner bottom 13 of the cooling chamber 1 (see insulating walls 14) and has two intermediate walls Z for supporting, according to Fig. 2 Passages Z 'for the coolant 3 have. Its the inlet openings 9 and outlet openings 10 of its heat exchanger tubes 8 having end walls 11, 12 each have a distance from the opposite walls 15, 16 of the cooling chamber. The outlet openings 10 of the heat exchanger tubes 8 open into a leading to the ceiling 17 of the cooling chamber 1 air shaft 18, in which the fan 4 is arranged and under the ceiling 17 of the cooling chamber 1 has an outlet 18 'for the cooled interior air 6.

On the upper side of the storage container 7, a removable shelf 19 is arranged with transverse supports 19 ', the openings 20, not shown, for the access of internal air to be cooled 6 to the inlet openings 9 of the heat exchanger tubes 8 has.

The width b of the coolant tank 7 corresponds to FIG Fig. 2 the width of the cooling chamber 1, its length L is bounded on the one hand by the depth T of the arranged on the front wall 16 of the cooling chamber 1 air duct 18 and on the other hand by the distance D of the storage container 7 of the rear wall 15 of the cooling chamber 1.

In the region of the distance D, the apertures 20, not shown, are provided in the insert bottom 19.

In the embodiment shown, to cool the coolant contained in the storage tank 7 to about minus 20 ° C. to minus 30 ° C mounted outside the cooling chamber 1 on the vehicle 2 cooling unit 22 with plate heat exchanger 23 and circulating pump (not shown) provided, which cool a second coolant in the form of a liquid, not shown cooling tubes in a closed circuit cool down the coolant 3 of the storage container 7 which is supplied to the cooling unit 22 by a supply line 24 with circulation pump 25 from the storage tank 7 and after cooling by a derivative 26 from the cooling unit and the storage tank is fed again.

In the other embodiments, the same parts are provided with the same reference numerals as in the first embodiment.

At the in Fig. 3 shown second embodiment of the storage container 7 'as a result of its own lower floor 42, which can slide on rails 42' easier, removable from the cooling chamber 1 of the vehicle 2, in a not shown, external, stationary cooling cell be moved there, cooled down and back on demand can be brought into the cooling chamber 1. In this embodiment, a separate refrigeration unit 22 (FIG. Fig. 1 ) on the vehicle 2 dispensable.

Although not shown separately, it will be understood that the rear wall 15 of the cooling chamber 1 is not shown here in each case a loading rear wall, which can be opened for loading and unloading of the cargo.

The function of the fan 4 is controlled in response to an adjustable thermostat, which is not shown.

At the in Fig. 5 illustrated third embodiment of the invention is a device for cooling a stored in a cooling chamber 1 of a vehicle 2 and / or transported, not shown charge, in particular from food such as meat, by means of a one hand by a coolant 29 and on the other hand acted upon by a fan 27 heat exchanger 28, wherein the coolant 29, the cooling chamber 1 containing cooling chamber or internal air 6 cools.

According to the invention, the heat exchanger 28 with its fan 27 forms an aggregate arranged inside the cooling chamber 1. Further, at least one arranged on the vehicle 2, the coolant 26 containing, storage container 30 is provided, in the present case, in turn, only a storage container 30 is shown, although it is of course possible, as in the previously described embodiments, a plurality of storage containers next to or above each other provided.

The storage tank 30 is connected to the heat exchanger 28, which is expediently arranged with the fan 27 in the region of the ceiling 17 of the cooling chamber 1, via connecting pipes 33, 34 (FIG. 2) equipped with a battery-operated circulating pump 32. Fig. 7 ) connected. Further, the fan 27 is battery operated and provides for circulation of the inner air 6 of the cooling chamber 1 through the heat exchanger 28 for the purpose of cooling the same.

In the embodiment shown, the circulation pump 32 and / or the fan 27 are thermostat-controlled in a manner not shown.

Furthermore, the storage container 30 is expediently arranged on the inner bottom 13 of the cooling space 1.

In the embodiment shown, a depositor base 19 is arranged on the storage container 30, which has not shown recesses for the passage of the connecting pipes 33, 34 from the storage container 30 to the heat exchanger 28.

For cooling the coolant 29 contained in the coolant tank 30 down to about minus 20 ° C to minus 30 ° C mounted outside the cooling chamber 1 on the vehicle 2 cooling unit 36 is provided with plate heat exchanger 37 and not shown circulating pump, as in the embodiment according to Fig. 1 supplied with inlet and outlet pipes 24, 26, the coolant 29 of the storage container 30 and the coolant is discharged from the after cooling again and returned to the storage tank.

In Fig. 6 a fourth embodiment is shown, which differs from the one in Fig. 5 illustrated third embodiment essentially differs in that the separate cooling unit 36 is omitted. Instead, the storage container 30 'after removing the Einlegerbodens 19 and after releasing not shown screws between it and the connecting tubes 33, 34 removed from the cooling chamber 1 of the vehicle 2, in a not shown, external, stationary refrigerator be moved, there herunterkühlbar and when needed back into the cooling chamber 1 zurückbringbar and reconnected.

Fig. 7 shows the section along the line FF in the Fig. 6 ,

The two other embodiments according to the Fig. 8 . 9 and 10 correspond substantially to the embodiments of the Fig. 5 and 6 , with the difference that two connected by lines 41 coolant tank 38 and 39 are arranged below the vehicle floor 40 and the coolant leading connecting pipes 33, 34 are guided through the vehicle floor 40 up to below the cooling chamber ceiling 17 arranged heat exchanger 28.

In addition, in the embodiment according to Fig. 8 a separate cooling unit 36 with its functions already described provided while the embodiment according to Fig. 9 , Thus, the sixth embodiment, such a cooling unit 36 does not have.

So far, the possibilities have been explained, on the one hand by a vehicle 2 arranged on the cooling unit and on the other hand by removing the or the storage container 7 'and with appropriate design also otherwise trained storage container, the removal by using the respective coolant tank instead of the vehicle floor 13 down final floor (See, for example, the bottom 42 of the storage container 7 'in Fig. 2 ) and moving into an external, stationary cooling cell to carry out the processing of each cooling liquid contained therein. Optionally, the removal of an approximately existing shelf 19, a loosening of fittings between storage tanks, z. As storage tank 30, and connecting pipes 33 and 34, and after cooling down as needed, the return to the cooling chamber or attaching to the vehicle underside and each connection by re-screwing with the connecting pipes 33, 34th

However, it should also be pointed out the possibility of pumping out the cooling liquid, if it is flowable, from the storage container (s) into a separate transport container, not shown, in the transport container into an external, stationary, not shown, stationary deep-freezing cell to spend, there to prepare or deep-freeze and then bring back in the transport container and from the same again in the or to fill the storage container in or on.

It may also be appropriate, on the one hand the or the storage container and / or on the other hand the Each transport container to equip itself with an insulation.

Claims (10)

1. Motor vehicle (2) or trailer with
   a cooling chamber (1) for a load to be stored and/or transported therein, in particular comprising foodstuffs such as meat,
   a heat exchanger (5; 28) impinged by on the one hand a coolant (3; 26) and on the other hand by a ventilator (4; 27) with cooling chamber air (6) contained in the cooling chamber (1),
   one or more reserve container(s) (7) arranged on the floor of the motor vehicle (2) or trailer for the coolant (3; 26), whereby the ventilator (4) and heat exchanger (5) are arranged within the cooling chamber (1),
   characterized in that
   to form the heat exchanger (5) the reserve container(s) (7) is/are interspersed by sealed heat exchanger pipes (8) that run through the coolant (3), which comprise open ends (9, 10) that are in communication with the air in the interior space of the cooling chamber (1), wherein the heat exchanger pipes (8) extend with their open ends (9, 10) through free walls (11, 12) of the reserve container(s) (7) positioned opposite to each other, and the open ends form on the one hand intake openings (9) for the interior air (6) to be cooled and on the other hand exhaust openings (10) for refrigerated interior air (6),
   [and in that] the reserve container(s) (7) is/are arranged on the interior floor (13) of the cooling chamber (1), so that its/their walls (11, 12) comprising openings for the heat exchanger pipes, have a separation distance from the respective opposite walls (15, 16) of the cooling chamber (1),
   that the exhaust openings (10) of the heat exchanger pipes (8) lead into an air channel (18) guiding to the ceiling (17) of the cooling chamber (1), in which the ventilator (4) is arranged, and which comprises an exhaust port (18) under the ceiling (17) of the cooling chamber (1) for the refrigerated interior air (6), and
   that the ventilator (4) is battery-powered.
2. Motor vehicle (2) or trailer according to claim 1,
   characterized in that
   a removable inlaid floor (19) is arranged on the upper side of the reserve container(s) (7), which comprises gaps (20) for access to the entrance openings (9) of the heat exchanger pipes (8) by the interior air to be cooled (6).
3. Motor vehicle (2) or trailer according to claim 1 or 2,
   characterized in that
   the width (b) of the reserve container (7) or the entire width of the reserve containers corresponds to the width of the cooling chamber (1) and its/their length (L) is limited by on the one hand the depth (T) of the air channel (18) arranged on a front wall (21) of the cooling chamber (1) and on the other hand by the separation (D) between the reserve container (7) and the back wall (15) of the cooling chamber (1).
4. Motor vehicle (2) or trailer according to claim 3,
   characterized in that the gaps (20) in the inlaid floor (19) are provided in the region of the separation (D).
5. Motor vehicle (2) or trailer according to claim 1,
   characterized in that
   to cool the coolant contained in the reserve container(s) (7) to about -20°C to -30°C a refrigeration device (22) arranged on the vehicle (2) outside of the cooling chamber (1) is provided with a plate heat exchanger (23) and a circulation pump, whose cooling pipes containing a second coolant in the form of a fluid in closed circulation within the plate heat exchanger (23) cool the coolant (3) of the reserve container(s) (7), which is/are connected via inlet (24) and outlet (26) to the plate heat exchanger (23).
6. Motor vehicle (2) or trailer according to claim 1,
   characterized in that
   the functionality of the ventilator (4) is controlled depending upon a settable thermostat.
7. Motor vehicle (2) or trailer with
   a cooling chamber (1) for a load to be stored and/or transported therein, in particular comprising foodstuffs such as meat,
   a heat exchanger (5; 28) impinged by on the one hand a coolant (3; 26) and on the other hand by a ventilator (4; 27) with cooling chamber air (6) contained in the cooling chamber (1),
   one or more reserve container(s) (7) arranged at the floor of the motor vehicle (2) or trailer for the coolant (3; 26), whereby the ventilator (4) and heat exchanger (5) are arranged within the cooling chamber (1),
   characterized in that
   the reserve container(s) (38, 39) is/are arranged under the vehicle floor (40) and connecting pipes (33, 34) for the coolant (3; 26) lead through the vehicle floor (40) upwards to the heat exchanger (28) arranged under the cooling chamber ceiling (17),
   that the heat exchanger (5; 28) and ventilator (4; 27) together form a unit arranged within the cooling chamber (1), that the reserve container(s) (7) is/are connected to the heat exchanger (5) via connecting pipes (33, 34) equipped with a battery-powered circulation pump (32), and
   that the ventilator (4; 27) is also battery-powered and provides circulation through the heat exchanger (5) of the interior air in the cooling chamber (1) for the purpose of cooling said air.
8. Motor vehicle or trailer according to claim 1 or 7,
   characterized in that
   to cool the coolant (29) contained in the reserve container(s) (30) down to about -20°C to -30°C, a refrigeration device (36) arranged on the vehicle (2) outside of the cooling chamber (1) is provided with a plate heat exchanger (37) and a circulation pump, whose cooling pipes (24, 25) containing a second coolant in closed circulation are led through the coolant (29) of the reserve container(s) (30).
9. Method to operate the motor vehicle or trailer according to claim 1 or 7,
   characterized in that
   the reserve container(s) (30), possibly after removal of an inlaid floor (19) and after loosening of screws between reserve container (30) and connecting pipes (33, 34), is/are to be removed from the cooling chamber (1) of the vehicle (2) or taken from the underside of the vehicle floor, brought into an external stationary cooling chamber, cooled down there, and when needed returned into the cooling chamber (1) or fastened to the underside of the vehicle, and connected.
10. Method to operate the motor vehicle or trailer according to claim 1 or 7,
    characterized in that
    the cooling material is a coolant fluid, which is pumped from the reserve container(s) into a special transport container, [and] is placed in the transport container into an external, stationary deep-freeze chamber, prepared or deep-frozen there, and subsequently returned in the transport container and re-filled from there into the reserve container(s) in or on the vehicle (2).

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