EP2049852B1 - Cooling station - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a cooling station for at least one container to be cooled with a housing which surrounds a receiving space for receiving a refrigerated goods,
the cooling station
at least one fan for generating a recirculating air flow through the container,
at least one cooler for cooling the circulating air flow and at least one docking place with at least one first docking point for discharging the recirculating air flow from the container to be cooled and with at least one second docking point for supplying the circulating air stream to the container to be cooled.

Such a cooling station is from the FR 2 442 035 A1 known. This cooling station comprises a recirculating air channel which connects the two docking points of the docking station and is permanently open.

This has the disadvantage that warm ambient air can enter the cooling station and heat the interior of the same.

The FR 2 716 871 A and the US 5 513 500 A disclose cooling stations according to the preamble of claim 1.

The FR 2 689 222 A discloses a cooling system with a cooling station and a container to be cooled, which has a housing with a closure element.

The JP H09 269175 A discloses a cooling station for a container to be cooled with a housing which surrounds a receiving space for receiving a product to be cooled,
wherein the cooling station comprises a fan for generating a recirculating air flow through the container, a cooler for cooling the recirculating air flow and a docking station with a first docking location for discharging the circulating air flow from the container to be cooled and with a second docking location for supplying the circulating air flow to the container to be cooled ,

The present invention has for its object to provide a cooling station of the type mentioned, which works very energy efficient.

This object is achieved by a cooling station according to claim 1.

Due to the presence of such a closure element, the loss of cold during a phase in which the container to be cooled is not docked to the cooling station, kept as low as possible, which increases the energy efficiency of the cooling station according to the invention.

Such a cooling station is particularly easy to operate in that, when the container to be cooled is undocked, the closure element is automatically moved by the cooling station from an open position in which the closure element releases the docking position into a closed position in which the closure element closes the docking location / or that the closure element when docking a container to be cooled to the cooling station automatically from a closed position in which the closure element closes the docking, in an open position in which the closure element releases the docking, is movable.

The closure element for closing the docking point can be designed, for example, as a slide.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, however, it is provided that the closure element is rotatably held at the cooling station.

Furthermore, it is favorable if the closure element can be moved by the action of gravity into a closed position in which the closure element closes the docking location.

If the receiving space of the container to be cooled via an access opening, preferably at the top of the container for the introduction of refrigerated goods or for the removal of refrigerated goods from the receiving space is accessible, the cooling station advantageously comprises a closure cap for closing this access opening, while the cooling container is docked to the cooling station.

Such a closure lid can in particular be held pivotably at the cooling station.

In principle, the cooler of the cooling station can be configured as desired and the cooling effect of the cooler can be achieved in any desired manner.

For example, it could be provided that the cooler is designed as an evaporator of a refrigeration unit.

However, the cooling station according to the invention is particularly simple in design and easy to manufacture and yet enables effective and energy-efficient cooling of the recirculating air flow through the container to be cooled, when the cooler is designed as a heat exchanger, the cold side contains a multiphase, flowable brine.

The multiphase brine, which may in particular contain a solid ice phase suspended in a liquid phase, is flowable, in particular pumpable, and therefore can be supplied from an external brine source to the cooling station, so that no refrigeration unit is present within the cooling station got to.

A multiphase refrigerant can absorb heat from the recirculating air stream and convert it to latent heat by melting a portion of the solid phase of the refrigerant without altering the temperature of the refrigerant, at least as long as the solid phase of the refrigerant has not completely melted.

Such a latent cold carrier has a comparatively high specific energy density.

By using a multi-phase refrigerant, which has a defined Abschmelztemperatur, on the cold side of the radiator of the cooling station can be dispensed with a temperature control of the circulating air flow.

In principle, another cooling medium, for example a water-brine mixture or a conventional refrigerant, can also be used in the cooler of the cooling station.

Basically, the cold side of the heat exchanger could be formed as a brine storage tank in which the once filled refrigerant rests until its heat capacity is exhausted.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, however, it is provided that the cooling station is associated with a device for circulating the refrigerant through the radiator. This ensures that the cold side of the heat exchanger always has a particularly high heat absorption capacity.

Furthermore, it is preferably provided that the cooling station can be connected to an external source of brine, so that the multiphase flowable Refrigerant can be obtained from the external source of brine and does not need to be made or regenerated in the cooling station itself.

In particular, it may be provided that the cooling station is associated with a consumer circuit of the refrigerant, in which the refrigerant circulates through the radiator of the cooling station, the consumer circuit is connected to a brine supply system, from which fresh refrigerant can be supplied to the consumer circuit if necessary.

Such a coolant supply system may in particular comprise a process tank for storing a large amount of refrigerant and a circulation line for supplying the stored refrigerant to at least one consumer circuit.

Furthermore, it is preferably provided that the multiphase, flowable refrigerant is a binary ice.

Binary ice (also known as Flow Ice or Smart Ice) is a flowable and pumpable two-phase mixture of a solid ice phase and a liquid water / alcohol phase (which thus contains water and an alcohol freezing point depressant) in which the ice phase is suspended ,

The melting temperature of the ice phase depends on the type of alcohol used (for example, ethanol) and the selected alcohol content.

When this binary ice is used to cool the recirculating air stream, the binary ice absorbs heat from the circulating air stream and converts it to latent heat of the binary ice by melting part of the ice phase of the binary ice is, without this, the temperature of the binary ice changed, at least as long as the ice phase of the binary ice is not completely melted.

Binary ice is due to these properties and because of its pumpability ideally suited to be used in the cooling station according to the invention as latent cold carrier.

Due to its content of ice, the binary ice also has a comparatively high specific energy density.

In order to be able to simultaneously cool a plurality of containers by a circulating air stream, it is advantageous if the cooling station comprises a plurality of docking sites for simultaneously docking a plurality of containers to be cooled. Such a cooling station with several docking stations can serve in particular as a central cooling station for a portioning system of a commercial kitchen.

Claim 11 is directed to a combination of a cooling station according to the invention and at least one can be docked to the cooling station to be cooled container with a housing which surrounds a receiving space for receiving a refrigerated goods.

Such a container having a housing which surrounds a receiving space for receiving a refrigerated goods to be cooled, wherein the container is dockable to a cooling station and at least a first docking point for discharging circulating air from the container and at least one second docking point for supplying cooled circulating air to the Contains container, has a particularly low heat loss after undocking from the cooling station, when the container comprises at least one closure element for closing a docking point of the container with the container undocked by the refrigeration station.

Due to the presence of the closure element, the cold losses are reduced from the receiving space of the container during a phase in which the container is not docked to the cooling station.

In this case, it is particularly easy to use if, when the container is undocked, the closure element is automatically movable by the cooling station from an open position in which the closure element releases the docking position into a closed position in which the closure element closes the docking point of the container.

For reasons of user-friendliness, it is also advantageous if the closure element during docking of the container to the cooling station automatically from a closed position in which the closure element closes the docking of the container, in an open position in which the closure element releases the docking of the container is movable ,

The closure element occluding the docking point can be designed, for example, as a slide.

In a preferred embodiment of the container, however, it is provided that the closure element is rotatably held on the container.

Particularly reliable is the container when the closure element is moved by the action of gravity in a closed position in which the closure element closes the docking of the container. In this way, no external drive energy is needed to move the closure element in the closed position.

If the container has an access opening to the receiving space for the refrigerated goods through which refrigerated goods in the receiving space can be introduced or removed from the receiving space, the container is preferably provided with a closure lid for closing this access opening in docked to the cooling station state of the container to pass the cooled circulating air stream through the receiving space of the container as loss-free as possible.

Such access opening is preferably arranged at the top of the container.

If the closure lid is at least partially transparent, this offers the advantage that it can be easily determined by glancing through the closure lid which refrigerated goods are contained in the relevant container, so that the correct container can be selected with ease, for example a food transport belt is to drive, especially when just a plurality of containers to be cooled are docked to the cooling station.

The container to be cooled is preferably designed as a dispenser with a height-adjustable stage, which carries the refrigerated goods.

Such a stage can in particular be displaceably guided on at least one guide rod.

The refrigerated goods received in the receiving space of the container preferably comprise food and / or drinks and / or crockery.

The cooling station according to the invention, the container and the inventive combination of a cooling station according to the invention and a container to be cooled are particularly suitable for use as components of a portioning system for a commercial kitchen.

In addition to the cooling station and the container which can be docked to the cooling station, such a portioning system can also comprise further components, in particular a food conveyor belt, at least one rack trolley and at least one cooling station adapted to the trolley with a receiving space for the complete accommodation of the rack trolley.

The inventive concept offers the advantage that the container to be cooled can be moved to a desired location without having to move any cooling device with the container.

The container to be cooled can therefore be small, light and handy with a relatively high capacity.

Because no cooling unit is required in the cooling station according to the invention, the cooling station according to the invention does not generate any waste heat. The environment of the cooling station is therefore not burdened with dissipated waste heat.

The cold from the multiphase, flowable brine is supplied by the circulating air cooling the item to be cooled in the receiving space of the container to be cooled pinpoint, so that large areas of a Portionierzentrums, in which such a cooling station is arranged, can remain uncooled. This saves energy and avoids exposing the operator of the portioning center to the cold.

The resulting in the receiving space of the container to be cooled temperature is correct for the design of the cooler and an adequate ratio of cooling capacity to cooling demand when using binary ice and a Binary temperature of about -3 ° C always in the range between 0 ° C and 10 ° C.

Due to the high energy density of the binary ice over conventional liquid refrigerants only a significantly lower volume flow must be circulated through the cooler when using ice, which has a positive effect on the energy balance of the system.

By means of the cooling station according to the invention, the temperature of the product to be cooled in the receiving space of the container to be cooled can both be kept (for example in the case of covered and already portioned cold food) and lowered (for example in the case of dishes after a rinsing process).

If necessary, the cooled by the cooling station containers are undid from the cooling station and brought to their place of use, for example, pushed to a food transport belt, where trays are loaded with the refrigerated goods from the receiving space of the cooled container.

It is particularly favorable when the recirculation cooling of the container to be cooled is started only when required, namely when the container is docked to the cooling station.

The refrigerated goods in the receiving space of the container to be cooled is directly flowed by the circulating air and therefore cooled in a very efficient manner, so that short cooling cycles can be realized.

The containers to be cooled are designed to be small and agile, since they do not contain their own cooling technology.

The containers to be cooled can function as cold store replacement.

If there is no need for cooling, since no container to be cooled is docked to a docking station of the cooling station, the circulating air cooling of the respective docking station is switched off by means of a switch.

The use of binary ice as a multiphase, free-flowing refrigerant has the advantage that this refrigerant absorbs heat from the circulating air as latent heat and thus always cold in the cooler of the cooling station prevails an optimal cooling for food temperature of about -3 ° C. without that this temperature control is required, which allows a very simple construction of the cooling station according to the invention.

Only when a container docked to the cooling station is to be permanently cooled, a cyclic defrost must be activated.

The amount of heat that can be absorbed by binary ice, without affecting the cooling effect of the binary ice, is significantly higher than with refrigerants without phase transition. The required for the cooling of the circulating air volume flow of the refrigerant through the cooler of the cooling station is therefore significantly lower when using binary ice.

The cooling station according to the invention and the container are particularly suitable for use in food portioning in the public catering, especially in central kitchens, large hospitals, etc.

Further features and advantages of the invention are the subject of the following description and the drawings of exemplary embodiments.

Fig. 1

eine schematische Draufsicht von oben auf ein Portioniersystem für eine Großküche mit einer zentralen Kühlstation und einem Speisentransportband, längs dessen ein Tablettstapelwagen, ein Servierwagen, mehrere Geschirr- und Speisenspender, eine niedrige mobile Kühlstation mit einem eingeschobenen niedrigen Regalwagen, eine hohe mobile Kühlstation mit einem eingeschobenen hohen Regalwagen und ein Tabletttransportwagen angeordnet sind;

Fig. 2

eine schematische Darstellung eines Binäreis-Versorgungssystems für die zentrale Kühlstation, für eine hohe mobile Kühlstation und für eine niedrige mobile Kühlstation;

Fig. 3

eine schematische Draufsicht von oben auf eine zentrale Kühlstation mit sechs Andockplätzen für fahrbare Spender;

Fig. 4

einen schematischen vertikalen Schnitt durch einen Andockplatz einer zentralen Kühlstation;

Fig. 5

einen schematischen vertikalen Längsschnitt durch einen fahrbaren Spender mit einem aufgelegten Verschlussdeckel;

Fig. 6

einen schematischen vertikalen Schnitt durch einen Andockplatz einer zentralen Kühlstation mit einem daran angedockten, fahrbaren Spender;

Fig. 7

eine vergrößerte Darstellung des Bereichs I aus Fig. 6;

Fig. 8

einen schematischen Längsschnitt durch eine zweite Ausführungsform eines fahrbaren Spenders, dessen Andockstellen mit Verschlussklappen versehen sind, wobei die Verschlussklappen sich in einer Schließstellung befinden;

Fig. 9

eine vergrößerte Darstellung des Bereichs II aus Fig. 8, wobei die dargestellte Verschlussklappe sich in einer Offenstellung befindet;

Fig. 10

einen schematischen Schnitt durch eine dritte Ausführungsform eines fahrbaren Spenders, auf den ein Verschlussdeckel aus Plexiglas aufgelegt ist;

Fig. 11

einen schematischen vertikalen Schnitt durch einen Andockplatz einer zentralen Kühlstation und einen daran angedockten fahrbaren Spender, auf den kein Verschlussdeckel aufgelegt ist, wobei ein Verschlussdeckel schwenkbar an der zentralen Kühlstation gehalten ist und sich in einer Offenstellung befindet, in welcher eine obere Zugangsöffnung des fahrbaren Spenders offen ist;

Fig. 12

einen der Fig. 11 entsprechenden schematischen vertikalen Schnitt durch einen Andockplatz einer zentralen Kühlstation und einen daran angedockten fahrbaren Spender, wobei der an der zentralen Kühlstation schwenkbar gehaltene Verschlussdeckel in eine Schließstellung geschwenkt worden ist, in welcher der Verschlussdeckel eine obere Zugangsöffnung des fahrbaren Spenders verschließt;

Fig. 13

eine schematische perspektivische Darstellung einer hohen mobilen Kühlstation, in welche ein hoher Regalwagen einschiebbar ist;

Fig. 14

eine schematische Draufsicht von vorne auf die hohe mobile Kühlstation aus Fig. 13, wobei ein Teil der Rückwand der Kühlstation entfernt worden ist, um die Kühlschlangen eines Kühlers der Kühlstation zu zeigen;

Fig. 15

eine schematische perspektivische Darstellung eines hohen Regalwagens;

Fig. 16

eine schematische perspektivische Darstellung einer Kombination aus einer hohen mobilen Kühlstation und einem in die Kühlstation eingeschobenen hohen Regalwagen;

Fig. 17

eine schematische Draufsicht von vorne auf die Kombination aus der hohen mobilen Kühlstation und dem in die Kühlstation eingeschobenen hohen Regalwagen;

Fig. 18

eine schematische, teilweise geschnittene Draufsicht von unten auf die Kombination aus der hohen mobilen Kühlstation und dem in die Kühlstation eingeschobenen hohen Regalwagen, in welcher ein die Kühlstation und den Regalwagen durchsetzender Umluftstrom durch Pfeile schematisch dargestellt ist;

Fig. 19

eine schematische perspektivische Darstellung einer niedrigen mobilen Kühlstation;

Fig. 20

eine schematische perspektivische Darstellung eines niedrigen Regalwagens; und

Fig. 21

eine schematische perspektivische Darstellung der niedrigen mobilen Kühlstation aus Fig. 19, in welcher zusätzlich der bei eingeschobenem niedrigen Regalwagen den Regalwagen durchsetzende Umluftstrom durch Pfeile dargestellt ist.

In the drawings show:

Fig. 1

a schematic plan view from above of a portioning system for a large kitchen with a central cooling station and a food transport belt along which a tray stacking cart, a trolley, several dishes and food dispensers, a low mobile cooling station with an inserted low rack cart, a high mobile cooling station with an inserted high rack cart and a tray dolly are arranged;

Fig. 2

a schematic representation of a binary ice supply system for the central cooling station, for a high mobile cooling station and for a low mobile cooling station;

Fig. 3

a schematic plan view from above of a central cooling station with six docking stations for mobile donors;

Fig. 4

a schematic vertical section through a docking of a central cooling station;

Fig. 5

a schematic vertical longitudinal section through a movable dispenser with an applied cap;

Fig. 6

a schematic vertical section through a docking of a central cooling station with a docked thereto, movable dispenser;

Fig. 7

an enlarged view of the area I from Fig. 6 ;

Fig. 8

a schematic longitudinal section through a second embodiment of a mobile dispenser, the docking points are provided with flaps, wherein the flaps are in a closed position;

Fig. 9

an enlarged view of the area II from Fig. 8 wherein the illustrated flap is in an open position;

Fig. 10

a schematic section through a third embodiment of a movable dispenser, on which a closure lid made of Plexiglas is placed;

Fig. 11

a schematic vertical section through a docking of a central cooling station and a docked thereto movable dispenser, on which no closure lid is placed, wherein a closure lid is pivotally supported at the central cooling station and is in an open position, in which an upper access opening of the movable dispenser open is;

Fig. 12

one of the Fig. 11 corresponding schematic vertical section through a docking of a central cooling station and a docked thereto movable dispenser, wherein the at the central cooling station pivotally held closure lid has been pivoted into a closed position in which the closure lid closes an upper access opening of the movable dispenser;

Fig. 13

a schematic perspective view of a high mobile cooling station, in which a high rack car is inserted;

Fig. 14

a schematic plan view from the front of the high mobile cooling station Fig. 13 wherein a part of the rear wall of the cooling station has been removed to show the cooling coils of a radiator of the cooling station;

Fig. 15

a schematic perspective view of a high rack car;

Fig. 16

a schematic perspective view of a combination of a high mobile cooling station and a pushed into the cooling station high rack car;

Fig. 17

a schematic plan view from the front of the combination of the high mobile cooling station and the inserted into the cooling station high rack car;

Fig. 18

a schematic, partially sectioned plan view from below of the combination of the high mobile cooling station and the inserted into the cooling station high rack car, in which a circulating air flow passing through the cooling station and the rack trolley is schematically represented by arrows;

Fig. 19

a schematic perspective view of a low mobile cooling station;

Fig. 20

a schematic perspective view of a low rack car; and

Fig. 21

a schematic perspective view of the low mobile cooling station Fig. 19 , in which in addition the inserted with low shelf trolley the shelf trolley passing through air flow is shown by arrows.

Identical or functionally equivalent elements are denoted by the same reference numerals in all figures.

An in Fig. 1 Portioning system 100 shown as a whole for portioning food and / or drinks in a canteen kitchen comprises a convection-cooled food transport belt 102, whose passage direction is indicated by arrows 104.

In an initial area 106 (in the illustration of FIG Fig. 1 below) trays, which are taken from a standing at the point 108 operator a tray stacking cart 110, placed on the food transport belt 102 and equipped with uncooled food, drinks or crockery from a trolley 112.

On the conveyed by the food transport belt 102 in the direction of passage 104 trays are cooled by a standing at the point 114 operator food, drinks and / or crockery from a standing next to the food conveyor 102 mobile dispenser 116, the upper access opening 118 is freely accessible, placed.

On the along the direction of passage 104 of the food transport belt 102 further promoted trays are portioned from an operator located at the location 120 food from Gastronormbehängt which are hung on a low rack carriage 122.

The low rack cart 122 is inserted into a low mobile refrigeration station 124, which generates a cooled circulating air flow through the low rack cart 122.

Further trays, drinks and / or crockery items from a second mobile dispenser 116 ', the upper access opening 118 of which is freely accessible, are placed on the trays which are further conveyed in the direction of passage 104 of the food transport belt 102.

On the further conveyed in the direction of passage of the food transport belt 102 trays are cooled by an operator located at the point 128 food from Gastronorm containers, which are mounted on a high shelf trolley 130, portioned.

The high shelf cart 130 is inserted into a high mobile cooling station 132, which generates a cool circulating air flow through the high shelf cart 130.

In an end region 134 of the food transport belt 102, the fully stocked trays are removed from the food transport belt 102 by an operator located at the location 136 and introduced into the receiving chamber of a tray transport carriage 138 pre-cooled by means of binary ice.

Disposed at a distance from the food transport belt 102 is a central cooling station 140 that includes a plurality of, for example, docking stations 142 for docking mobile dispensers 116, wherein the central cooling station 140 generates a cool circulating air flow through each of the docked mobile dispensers 116, respectively.

The cooling required for cooling or cooling is supplied to all the cooling elements of the portioning system 100 by means of a multiphase, flowable refrigerant, in particular in the form of a binary ice.

The binary ice supply system 144 of the portioning system 100 is shown in FIG Fig. 2 schematically and includes a process tank 146, which serves as a main memory for the binary ice and in which the binary ice is continuously circulated by means of motor-driven rotors 148 in order to obtain the most homogeneous binary mesa mixture in the process tank 146.

In a primary cycle 150, binary ice from the process tank 146 is conveyed by a primary pump 152 to an ice maker 154 with a motor driven mixer 156 which simultaneously scrapes frozen ice from the ice maker 154 inner wall and from there back into the process tank 146.

The ice maker 154 is cooled by a conventional refrigeration device 158 that includes a refrigerant circuit 160 including a refrigerant compressor 162, a condenser 164, and an expansion throttle 166.

The ice cream generated in the ice maker 154 by the refrigeration device 158 and stored in the process tank 146 is circulated in a secondary circuit 168 and from there to local consumer circuits 174 of the low mobile refrigeration station 124, the high mobile refrigeration station 132, and the central refrigeration station 140 issued. Molten binary ice from these local consumer circuits 174 is received by the secondary circuit 168 and delivered to the process tank 146.

The secondary circuit 168 comprises a circulation line 170 which, starting from the process tank 146, leads past the places of the low mobile cooling station 124 and the high mobile cooling station 132 along the food transport belt 102 and from there to the central cooling station 140 and back into the process tank 146. In the circulation line 170, a secondary pump 172 is arranged, which circulates the binary ice from the process tank 146 through the circulation line 170.

Each of the consumer circuits 174 is connected to the circulation line 170 via a branching branch line 176 thereof, which is connected to a first input 178 of a three-way valve 180.

From an output 182 of the three-way valve 180, a binary ice feed line 184 leads to a binary ice feed connection of the respective cold consumer, for example the low mobile cooling station 124.

Within the respective consumer, a line system is provided which directs the binary ice from the binary ice supply connection by a refrigeration consumer, in particular a cooler, and leads back to a binary ice return connection of the respective consumer.

The binary ice return port is connected to a binary ice return line 186 which leads to a branch 188.

From the branch 188, a binary ice return line 190 leads to a second input of the three-way valve 180, resulting in a closed consumer circuit 174.

Further, from branch 188, a binary ice discharge line 192 leads back to the circulation line 170 of the secondary circuit 168.

For supplying fresh binary ice from the secondary circuit 168 to the respective consumer circuit 174, the respective three-way valve 180 is switched to a state in which the first input of the three-way valve 180 is connected to its output, so that fresh binary ice is fed via the branch line 176 into the binary ice Flow line 184 passes.

In the binary ice supply line 184, a pump 194 is arranged, which promotes the binary ice from the binary ice supply line 184 in the respective consumer, for example in the low mobile cooling station 124.

Since in this filling state of the consumer circuit 174, the second input of the three-way valve 180 to which the binary ice return line 190 is connected, is closed at the same time with the supply of fresh binary ice over the branch line 176, molten binary ice through the binary ice discharge line 192 in the circulation line 170 of the secondary circuit 168 and from there back into the process tank 146.

When the desired amount of fresh binary ice has been supplied to the consumer circuit 174, the three-way valve 180 is switched to a state where its second input is connected to the output and the first input 178 of the three-way valve 180 is closed.

In this state, the binary ice is circulated by means of the pump 194 in the closed consumer circuit 174 by the respective consumer, for example the low mobile cooling station 124.

The switching of the three-way valve 180 between its two states can be triggered, for example, on the basis of the signal of a temperature sensor which measures a temperature within the cold consumer or the temperature of the binary ice at a point of the consumer circuit 174.

Since the branch 188 of the consumer circuit 174 is lower than the circulation line 170 of the secondary circuit 168, due to the gravitational effect substantially no binary ice from the consumer circuit 174 occurs into the circulation line 170 of the secondary circuit 168 as long as the consumer circuit 174 is closed by the three-way valve 180 and binary ice from the branch 188 can pass through the binary ice return line 190 back into the binary ice supply line 184.

The consumer circuits 174 of the low mobile refrigeration station 124, the high mobile refrigeration station 132, and the central refrigeration station 140 are all substantially the same and operate as described above.

The binary ice advance lines 184 and binary ice return lines 186 leading to the mobile cooling stations 124 and 132 are preferably flexible in order to be able to arrange the mobile cooling stations 124 and 132 in different positions relative to the circulation line 170 of the secondary circuit 168.

In addition to the aforementioned refrigeration consumers, other consumers 196, such as the food transport belt 102, another refrigerated portioning or conveyor belt, one or more refrigerators, one or more refrigerators, etc., can be supplied with circulating binary ice by means of a consumer circuit 174 and via a respective branch line 176 and a binary ice discharge line 192 may be connected to the circulation line 170 of the secondary circuit 168.

The structure of the central cooling station 140 will be described below with reference to FIGS Fig. 3 to 7 explained in more detail.

The central cooling station 140 includes a plurality of docking sites 142 for docking each of a movable dispenser 116, as in the Fig. 5 and 6 is shown.

It can, such as in the Fig. 1 and 2 is shown, a plurality, for example, five, docking 142 may be arranged linearly side by side.

In the Fig. 1 and 2 For example, in each case three of the docking sites 142 are occupied by docked dispensers 116, while two further docking sites 142 are free.

It is also possible to provide two docking sites 142 with their backs against each other, so that they can be approached from opposite directions, each with a dispenser 116, as in Fig. 3 is exemplified for a total of six docking 142, of which two are each paired with their backs against each other.

How best Fig. 4 it can be seen, each docking station 142 of the central cooling station 140 includes a support frame 198 with supports 200, with which the central cooling station 140 is supported on a substrate, and with substantially horizontal and transverse to a longitudinal direction 230 of the central cooling station 140 cross members 202, which serve as guide means for a donor 116 to be brought to the docking station 142.

Two substantially horizontal and perpendicular to the cross members 202 extending longitudinal beams 204 carry a substantially cuboidal housing 206, which has a bottom wall 208, a vertical rear wall 210, a vertical Front wall 212, not shown vertical side walls and a vertical ceiling wall 214 includes.

All of the walls of the housing 206 are each provided with an inner liner 216 and an outer liner 218 of a metallic sheet metal and a heat insulation 220 disposed between the inner liner 216 and the outer liner 218.

The each docked dispenser 116 facing front wall 212 has a first docking point 222 in the form of an air inlet 224 and an underlying second docking point 226 in the form of an air outlet 228.

Both docking points 222, 226 each comprise a substantially rectangular air passage opening extending in the longitudinal direction 230 of the central cooling station 140, which can be closed by means of a respective closure flap 232 when no dispenser 116 is docked at the respective docking station 142.

Each of the closure flaps 232 is rotatably supported on the housing 206 about a rotation axis extending horizontally and parallel to the longitudinal direction 230 of the central cooling station 140 such that the closure flap 232 is separated from the one in FIG Fig. 4 shown closed position in which the closure flap 232 closes the passage opening of the respective docking point 222 and 226, inwardly in the in Fig. 7 shown open position in which the closure flap 232, the passage opening of the respective docking point 222 and 226 releases, is rotatable.

So that the closure flap 232 is automatically rotated during the docking of the dispenser 116 from the closed position to the open position, each closure flap 232 is provided with two actuating protrusions 234 which are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the closure flap 232 and which in the closed state of the closure flap 232 is slightly above the opening cross section of the air passage opening protrude outward and are displaced by the dispenser 116 into the interior of the housing 206 when the dispenser 116 is moved against the front wall 212 of the docking station 142 (see Fig. 6 and 7 ).

As a result of this displacement of the actuating projections 234, the respective closure flap 232 is rotated about its axis of rotation from the closed position into the open position.

When the moveable dispenser 216 is removed from the docking station 142, each closure flap 232 rotates, under the force of gravity, from the open position to the closed position, in which the closure flap 232 closes the passage opening of the respectively associated docking point 222 or 226.

How best Fig. 4 can be seen, in the interior of the housing 206 each Andockplatzes 142 between the upper first docking point 222 and the lower second docking point 226, an air baffle 236, a fan 238 and a radiator 240 are arranged.

The radiator 240 is formed as a heat exchanger and contains heat exchanger coils which are cold-side filled with binary ice, in which the central cooling station 140 associated consumer circuit 174 is circulated through the central cooling station 140.

In this case, the coolers 240 of the various docking sites 142 can be connected in series or connected in parallel with one another.

In order to be able to discharge and collect condensed water formed on the radiator 240 from the housing 206 of the docking station 142, a collecting trough 242 is arranged at the bottom of the housing 206, the bottom surface of which is inclined towards an orifice of a collecting pipe 244, whereby the collecting pipe 244 is inclined through the Bottom wall 208 of the housing 206 extends through a mounted on the support frame 198 condensate collection tank 246, which may be formed for example as a Gastronorm food container.

The dockable to the docking 142 of the central cooling station 140 dispenser 116 is in detail in Fig. 5 illustrated and formed as a mobile container 247 and includes a substantially cuboid, heat-insulated housing 248, which is provided on its underside with rollers 250, by means of which the dispenser 116 is movable over a ground.

The receiving space 252 surrounded by the housing 248 for receiving a product to be cooled is accessible via an access opening 118 at the top of the dispenser 116 in order to introduce goods to be cooled into the receiving space 252 or to remove them from the receiving space 252.

This upper access opening 118 can be closed by means of a heat-insulated closure lid 254 which can be placed on the housing 248.

In the receiving space 252 a carrying the Kühlgut stage 256 is arranged, which is guided vertically displaceable on a plurality of vertical guide rods 258.

A front wall 260 of the housing 248 of the dispenser 116 facing the docking station 142 of the central cooling station 140 in the docked state of the dispenser 116 is provided with a first docking location 262 in the form of an air outlet 264 and with an underlying second docking location 266 in the form of an air inlet 268.

Each of the docking locations 262, 266 of the dispenser 116 includes an air passageway through which the receiving space 252 is connected to the exterior of the housing 248 of the dispenser 116.

At the in Fig. 5 illustrated embodiment, these air passageways are permanently open.

The dispenser 116 is equipped with crockery, cold meals or cold drinks and then docked to a free docking station 142 of the central cooling station 140 by being driven forward with the front wall 260 of its housing 248 against the front wall 212 of the housing 206 of the docking station 142.

To push and control the movable dispenser 116 is a push handle 270, which is disposed on a rear wall 272 of the housing 248 of the dispenser 116, which faces away from the front wall 260.

When the dispenser 116 moves into the docking station 142, the first docking station 262 of the dispenser 116 comes into contact with the first docking station 222 of the docking station 142 and the second docking station 266 of the dispenser in contact with the second docking station 226 of the docking station 142, so that the environment sealed air ducts are formed by which the interior of the housing 206 of the Andockplatzes 142 is connected to the receiving space 252 of the movable dispenser 116.

During docking, the actuation protrusions 234 on the closure flaps 232 of the docking locations 222 and 226 of the docking station 142 are displaced by the docking locations 262 and 266 of the dispenser 116, respectively, so that the closure flaps 232 are moved from their closed position to their open position and the air conduction channels between the dispenser 116 and the docking 142 are open.

When the dispenser 116 is docked to the docking station 142, a circulating air flow is generated by the blower 238 which flows from the blower 238 through the radiator 240 and through the second docking locations 226 and 266 into a region between a bottom wall 274 of the housing 248 of the dispenser 116 and a base plate 276 arranged above it and from there into the rear wall 272 of the dispenser 116.

Through air passage openings 278, which are distributed over the entire height of the rear wall 272, the circulating air over the entire height of the receiving space 252 passes into the receiving space 252 in order to cool the refrigerated goods located there.

Through air passage openings 280, which are distributed over the entire height of the front wall 260 of the housing 248 of the dispenser, the circulating air passes from the receiving space 252 in the front wall 260 of the dispenser 116 and from there via the first docking point 262 of the dispenser 116 and the first docking point 222 of Andockplatzes 142 back to the fan 238, whereby the recirculation loop is closed.

The circulating air flow is in Fig. 6 schematically represented by the arrows 282.

The cooling of the circulating air takes place by heat in the heat exchanger designed as radiator 240 to the radiator 240 cold side flowing through binary ice.

The use of binary ice as a refrigerant does not require any circulating air temperature control. The binary ice circulates permanently through the radiator 240 of the docking station 142.

The dispenser 116 remains docked to the docking station 142 of the central cooling station 140 with continued circulating air cooling until it is pushed against the food transport belt 102 to remove the chilled goods contained therein.

The fact that the access opening 118 of the dispenser 116 is covered by the thermally insulated closure lid 254 in the docked state, an energy-efficient cooling operation is ensured.

As a rule, no further cooling of the dispenser 116 is necessary on the food transport belt 102 since the refrigerated goods, in particular the cooled dishes, have stored enough cold due to their high specific heat capacity, to remain sufficiently cold during the relatively short period of portioning on the food transport belt 102, that is, at a temperature of less than 8 ° C.

For the portioning on the food transport belt 102, the closure lid 254 is removed in order to be able to access the refrigerated goods in the receiving space 252 through the access opening 118.

One in the Fig. 8 and 9 illustrated second embodiment of a movable dispenser 116 differs from that described above and in the Fig. 5 and 6 illustrated embodiment in that the air passageways of the first docking 262 and the second docking 266 are not permanently open, but in the undocked state by means of a respective closure flap 284 are closed.

Each of the closure flaps is rotatably supported on the housing 248 about a rotational axis extending horizontally and parallel to the front wall 260 of the housing 248 of the dispenser 116, such that the closure flap 284 is made of the in Fig. 8 shown closed position in which the closure flap 284 closes the air passage channel of the respectively associated docking 262 and 266, in the in Fig. 9 shown open position is rotatable, in which the closure flap 284 releases the respective air passageway.

In order to achieve that the closure flaps 284 automatically rotate from the closed position to the open position when the dispenser 116 is docked to the central cooling station 140, each of the closure flaps 284 is provided with one or more actuating protrusions 286 which, at least in the closed state, are slightly above the opening cross section the respective associated air passage channel protrude outward and docking of the dispenser 116 to the central cooling station 140 are displaced from the respectively associated docking point 222 or 226 of the docking station 142 of the central cooling station 140 into the interior of the dispenser 116, whereby the respective closure flap 284 is automatically rotated from the closed position to the open position.

As the dispenser 116 is undocked from the docking station 142, the closure flaps 284 rotate back from the open position to the closed position due to gravity so that the air passageways of the docking stations 262, 266 of the dispenser 116 are closed when the dispenser 116 is in the central position Cooling station 140 is undocked.

Moreover, the right in the Fig. 8 and 9 illustrated second embodiment of a dispenser 116 in terms of structure and function with in the Fig. 5 and 6 illustrated in the first embodiment, reference is made to the above description in this regard.

This second embodiment of a dispenser 116 with shutters 284 may be used in conjunction with a central cooling station 140 which also has shutters 232 at its docking points 222, 226 or with an alternative central cooling station 140 whose air inlets 224 and air outlets 228 are permanently open ,

An in Fig. 10 illustrated third embodiment of a movable dispenser 116 differs from the two embodiments described above in that instead of an opaque closure lid 254 of a sheet metal cladding and arranged in the interior of the cladding heat insulation, a closure lid 254 'made of a transparent material, such as Plexiglas on the housing 248 of the Dispenser 116 is placed to close the upper access opening 118 in docked to the central cooling station 140 state.

The use of a transparent closure lid 254 'offers the advantage that, by looking through the closure lid 254', it can be easily determined which refrigerated product is contained in the respective dispenser 116, so that it is easy to select the correct dispenser 116 which can be selected Food transport belt 102 is to drive when just a plurality of mobile dispensers 116 are docked to the central cooling station 140.

For the rest, the in Fig. 10 illustrated third embodiment of a movable dispenser 116 in terms of structure and function with in the Fig. 5 and 6 illustrated in the first embodiment, reference is made to the above description in this regard.

One in the Fig. 11 and 12 illustrated second embodiment of a central cooling station 140 differs from that in the Fig. 3 . 4 . 6 and 7 illustrated first embodiment in that it additionally comprises a thermally insulated closure cover 288 which is held about a horizontal and parallel to the longitudinal direction 230 of the central cooling station 140 aligned pivot axis 290 pivotally mounted on the upper side of the housing 206 of a Andockplatzes 142.

This closure cap 288 serves to close the upper access opening 118 of a dispenser 116 docked to the central cooling station 140 if the dispenser 116 in question does not have its own closure cap 254.

Prior to docking such a dispenser 116, the closure lid 288 is in the position shown in FIG Fig. 11 illustrated open position in which the closure lid 288 access to the Andockplatz 142 releases a dispenser 116 to be inserted.

After docking of the dispenser 116, the closure lid 288 is moved from its open position to the in Fig. 12 pivoted closed position in which the closure lid 288 rests on the housing 248 of the dispenser 116 and the upper access opening 118 of the dispenser 116 closes, so that the guided through the receiving space 252 of the dispenser 116 circulating air can not escape into the environment.

Moreover, the right in the Fig. 11 and 12 illustrated second embodiment of a central cooling station 140 in terms of structure and function with in the Fig. 3 . 4 . 6 and 7 illustrated in the first embodiment, reference is made to the above description in this regard.

Construction and function of the high mobile cooling station 132 will be described below with reference to FIGS Fig. 13 to 18 explains:
The high mobile refrigeration station 132 comprises a substantially parallelepiped housing 292 having a thermally insulated vertical left side wall 294a, a thermally insulated vertical right side wall 294b, a heat insulated vertical rear wall 296 interconnecting the two side walls at their rear ends and one on the upper edges of the side walls 294a , 294b and the rear wall 296 resting thermally insulated horizontal ceiling wall 298th

The housing 292 thus surrounds on four sides, namely from the left, from the right, from behind and from above, a receiving space 300 for receiving a movable frame 302 in the form of a high rack 130.

The housing 292 of the high mobile cooling station 132 has neither a bottom wall nor a front wall, so that the receiving space 300 is open downward and towards the front and the high rack 130 can be moved from the front into the receiving space 300.

The housing 292 is provided on its underside with a plurality, for example four, rollers 304, by means of which the high mobile cooling station 132 can be moved over a substrate.

The left side wall 294a of the housing 292 is provided on its inside facing the receiving space 300 with a bleed-side air baffle 306 having a plurality, for example two, over substantially the entire height of the side wall 294a extending rows of exhaust ports 308.

Accordingly, the right side wall 294b of the housing 292 is provided on its inside facing the receiving space 300 with a suction side air guide plate 310 having a plurality, for example two, extending over substantially the entire height of the right side wall 294b extending rows of suction ports.

On the front end side of the right side wall 294b, a switch 312 is further arranged, by means of which the below to be described Recirculation cooling device of the high mobile cooling station 132 can be switched on or off.

As an alternative to such a manually operated switch 312, it may also be provided that the high mobile cooling station 132 has a magnetic switch comprising a reed contact, which closes an electrical contact when the shelf trolley 130 is retracted due to the presence of a magnet arranged on the trolley 130 the circulating air cooling device of the high mobile cooling station 132 is activated.

The circulating air cooling device of the high mobile cooling station 132 is arranged in its rear wall 296 and comprises a plurality of, for example four, circulating air blowers 314 and a cooler 316 arranged downstream of the circulating air blowers 314, which is designed as a heat exchanger and comprises a cooler pack comprising one or more cooling coils 318, which can be traversed by binary ice and are connected via a binary ice delivery pipe 320 to a binary ice supply port 322 and a binary ice return pipe 324 to a binary ice return port 326.

The binary ice feed connection 322 is arranged on the outside of the right side wall 294b, designed as a quick-action closure valve and connectable to the binary ice supply line 184 of a consumer circuit 174 of the binary ice supply system 144 assigned to the high mobile cooling station 132.

The binary ice return port 326 is also located on the outside of the right side wall 294b, configured as a quick release valve and with the binary ice return line 186 of the high mobile cooling station 132 associated consumer circuit 174 of the binary ice supply system 144 connectable.

Since the high mobile cooling station 132 is movable on the rollers 304, the binary ice supply line 184 and the binary ice return line 186 of the consumer circuit 174 associated with the high mobile cooling station 132 are preferably flexibly configured to position the high mobile cooling station 132 in different positions relative to the high mobile cooling station 132 Circulation line 170 of the secondary circuit 168 of the binary ice supply system 144 to order.

Below the radiator 316, a condensed water collecting tank 328 is mounted on the rear wall 296 of the housing 292 of the high mobile cooling station 132, which condenses condensed water on the radiator 316 and may be formed, for example, as a Gastronorm food container.

The high rack 130 to be pushed into the receiving space 300 of the high mobile refrigeration station 132 is in FIG Fig. 15 shown individually.

The rack trolley 130 comprises a first frame 330a and a second frame 330b each composed of two vertical beams 332 and three horizontal beams 334 interconnecting the vertical beams 332, and a plurality of vertical beams 332 of the first frame 330a and 330b, respectively the second frame 330b interconnecting horizontal hanger strips 336, which are opposite to each other in pairs and on which trays and / or food containers and / or beverage containers can be hung.

At the lower ends of the vertical support 332, a roller 350 is arranged in each case in order to be able to move the high shelf trolley 130 over a substrate.

The high shelf cart 130 is equipped with the refrigerated goods and stored in a cold room or cold store.

For portioning, the high shelf trolley 130 with the refrigerated goods arranged thereon is moved from the cold room or the cold store to the food conveyor belt 102 and moved into the receiving space 300 of the high mobile cooling station 132.

After activation of the recirculation cooling of the high mobile cooling station 132 by means of the switch 312, the circulating air blowers 314 generate a recirculating air stream, which is cooled by means of the cooler 316.

Like from the Fig. 17 and 18 , in which the circulating air flow is shown schematically by the arrows 329, can be seen, the cooled circulating air from the radiator 316 enters the left side wall 294a, from there through the exhaust openings 308 in the outlet side air guide plate 306 in the receiving space 300 and thus to the refrigerated goods suspended from the high shelf trolley 130, from the receiving space 300 through the intake openings in the intake side air guide plate 310 into the right side wall 294b of the housing 292 of the high mobile cooling station 132 and from there back to the circulating air fans 314 so that the recirculation circuit is closed.

Through the cold air curtain thus produced in the receiving space 300, the refrigerated goods hung on the high shelf trolley 130 are sealed off from the warm environment.

Further, the high shelf cart 130 inserted into the receiving space 300 is on four sides, namely, left, rear, right, and upward, through the heat-insulated walls 294a, 294b, 296, and 298 of the housing 292 of the high mobile cooling station 132 from the warmer Environment sealed off.

From the front of the high mobile cooling station 132, however, the high rack 130 is freely accessible for the removal of refrigerated goods by an operator, so that an ergonomic work is possible.

The in the Fig. 19 to 21 shown low mobile cooling station 124 differs from that in the Fig. 13 to 18 shown high mobile cooling station 132 in that it has no ceiling wall, so that the low mobile cooling station 124 surrounds the low storage compartment 122 to be inserted into the receiving space 300 of the low mobile cooling station 124 only from three sides, namely from the left, from the right and from behind , while the inserted shelf carriage 122 is freely accessible to the front and up for the removal of refrigerated goods by an operator.

Further, at the low mobile cooling station 124, the cooled circulating air is blown through discharge openings 338 on both side walls 294a and 294b into the receiving space 300 and thus, with inserted rack carriage 122, onto the refrigerated goods and through suction openings 340 on the inside of the Rear wall 296 sucked out of the receiving space 300 (see Fig. 21 in which the circulating air flow is shown schematically by the arrows 329).

Accordingly, in the rear wall 296 of the housing 292 of the low mobile cooling station 124 there are two recirculating air cooling fans and one recirculating air cooling device, namely a recirculating air cooling device between the suction ports 340 and the exhaust ports 348 of the left side wall 294a and a recirculating air cooling device between the suction ports 340 and the exhaust ports 338 in the right side wall 294b.

The low rack 122 to be pushed into the low mobile refrigeration station 124 is in FIG Fig. 20 and a first frame 342a and a second frame 342b each composed of two horizontal beams 344 and four vertical beams 346 interconnecting the horizontal beams 344, and a plurality of hanger rails connecting the first frames 342a and the second 342b 348, which each face each other in pairs and serve for hanging trays, food containers and / or beverage containers.

On its underside of the rack carriage 122 is provided with four rollers 350, by means of which the rack carriage 122 is movable over a ground.

At its top the rack carriage 122 carries a stand 352 with a tilted against the horizontal support frame 354 for placing trays, food containers and / or beverage containers in a tilted to the horizontal position, which is the removal of food to be cooled and / or drinks from the placed on the support frame 354 containers easier.

Moreover, the right in the Fig. 19 to 21 illustrated low mobile cooling station 124 in structure and function with in the Fig. 13 to 18 illustrated high mobile cooling station 124, to the above description insofar reference is made.

Claims (12)

1. Cooling station for at least one container (247) that is to be cooled and has a housing (248) surrounding a receiving space (252) for receiving a product to be cooled,
   wherein the cooling station (140) comprises
   at least one fan (238) for generating a circulating air flow through the container (247),
   at least one cooler (240) for cooling the circulating air flow and
   at least one docking place (142) having at least one first docking point (222) for removing the circulating air flow from the container (247) to be cooled and having at least one second docking point (226) for feeding the circulating air flow to the container (247) to be cooled,
   characterized in that
   the cooling station (140) comprises at least one closure element (232) for closing a docking point (222, 226) of the cooling station (140) in the absence of a container (247) to be cooled,
   wherein the closure element (232) during undocking of a container (247) to be cooled from the cooling station (140) is movable automatically from an open position, in which the closure element (232) frees the docking point (222, 226), into a closed position, in which the closure element (232) closes the docking point (222, 226), and/or
   wherein the closure element (232) during docking of a container (247) to be cooled with the cooling station (140) is movable automatically from a closed position, in which the closure element (232) closes the docking point (222, 226), into an open position, in which the closure element (232) frees the docking point (222, 226).
2. Cooling station according to claim 1, characterized in that the closure element (232) is mounted rotatably on the cooling station (140).
3. Cooling station according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the closure element (232) is movable under the effect of gravity into a closed position, in which the closure element (232) closes the docking point (222, 226).
4. Cooling station according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the cooling station (140) comprises at least one closure cover (288) for closing an access opening (118) to the receiving space (252) of a container (247) to be cooled.
5. Cooling station according to claim 4, characterized in that the closure cover (288) is mounted pivotably on the cooling station (140).
6. Cooling station according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the cooler (240) is configured as a heat exchanger that at the cold side contains a multiphase, flowable coolant.
7. Cooling station according to claim 6, characterized in that a device for allowing the coolant to circulate through the cooler (240) is associated with the cooling station (140).
8. Cooling station according to one of claims 6 or 7, characterized in that the cooling station (140) is connectable to an external coolant source (144).
9. Cooling station according to one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that the multiphase, flowable coolant is a binary ice.
10. Cooling station according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the cooling station (140) comprises a plurality of docking places (142) for the simultaneous docking of a plurality of containers (247) to be cooled.
11. Combination of a cooling station (140) according to one of claims 1 to 10 and at least one container (247) to be cooled, which is dockable with the cooling station (140) and has a housing (248) surrounding a receiving space (252) for receiving a product to be cooled.
12. Portioning system for a large-scale catering establishment, comprising at least one cooling station (140) according to one of claims 1 to 10, and/or at least one combination according to Claim 11.

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