EP3149331A1

EP3149331A1 - Refrigeration appliance compressor having an integrated water collection receptacle

Info

Publication number: EP3149331A1
Application number: EP14727528.3A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Mustafa Arslan; Murat Ungor; Metin Kaya; Unal Adnan GULER; Tevfik Fikret Dogruyol
Original assignee: Arcelik AS
Current assignee: Arcelik AS
Priority date: 2014-06-02
Filing date: 2014-06-02
Publication date: 2017-04-05
Also published as: WO2015185090A1

Abstract

Compressor (1) with a fluid commination circuit effecting circulation of a refrigerant fluid to heat exchange unit and being configured to communicate with a defrost water discharge line (10) such that defrost water discharged through the water discharge line (10) is adapted to be receivable into a water collection receptacle (3). Refrigeration appliance having a compressor (1) with an integrated evaporation tray for collecting defrost water through defrost water discharge line.

Description

REFRIGERATION APPLIANCE COMPRESSOR HAVING AN INTEGRATED WATER COLLECTION RECEPTACLE

The present invention relates to a refrigeration appliance having a compressor with an integrated evaporation tray for collecting defrost water through the defrost water drainage line.
It is well-known that in the refrigerant cycle effected in refrigeration appliances, the thermal energy absorbed from the inner cabin of the appliance is discharged by means of a condenser. The refrigerant fluid is accordingly circulated between a condenser, a tube expander and an evaporator. The refrigerant fluid undergoes a phase transition from the liquid phase into the gas phase by way of absorbing the ambient heat of the foodstuff preserved within the cabin while passing through the evaporator. Cooling devices allowing optional use for refrigeration of perishable materials e.g. as a fresh food refrigerator or alternatively, as a deep-freeze, utilize as such an evaporator, which is usually located between the inner plastic liner of the storage compartment and the outer housing of the device.
The evaporator serves for reducing the temperature of circulating air within the cooling device. The surface temperature of the evaporator may go as low as -27° Celsius, which is way below the freezing temperature of water, eventually causing frost of the humidity contained in the air. The defrost process should therefore be performed in order to deice the frost formed on the refrigeration system. A defrost water drainage line in this respect leads to a water collection receptacle, the latter being employed for accumulating and optionally evaporating the defrost water.
The frost and particles formed around the evaporator are typically melted by a defrost system, the latter system utilizing for instance an electric heater or performing hot gas discharge method. The defrost process is therefore performed in order to deice the frost such that the defrost water is transported to a water collection receptacle in which the water is collected and evaporated.
The water collection receptacle can be disposed in the manner that the heat received from the compressor evaporates the water in the water collection receptacle.
To this end, the present invention is devised under the recognition that an improved system by which the defrost water is used to cool down the compressor and enhance its operational efficiency remains a need. Further the existing water collection receptacles are vulnerable to water overflow as their capacity has a limit, this situation having a risk of causing serious fire hazards. The present invention overcomes this vulnerability by providing an accelerated evaporation process so that depletion of the defrost water is effected faster to prevent overflowing due to the defrost water which might be continuously supplied.
Further, the existing water collection receptacles requires additional mounting work during the manufacturing processes and are prone to dirt accumulation and bacterial growth as they have an open-system structure.
Among others, a prior art patent publication relevant to the technical field of the present invention can be referred to as CN101936634, disclosing a refrigerator, wherein an evaporator, a thaw water removal device, a condenser and a water receiving tray are arranged in a refrigerator body; the thaw water removal device is arranged between the evaporator and the condenser, and comprises a thaw water drain pipe and a seal chamber; the seal chamber is communicated with the defrost water drain pipe; and the bottom of the seal chamber is provided with a drainage hole. The invention also discloses the thaw water removal device. The disclosed refrigerator with the defrost water removal device effects drainage and sealing, and simultaneously uses defrost water with lower temperature to cool the condenser.
The present invention, on the other hand, proposes a compressor having an integrated water collection receptacle ensuring accelerated evaporation of the defrost water as well as contributing to the cooling down of the compressor as provided by the characterizing features defined in Claim 1.
Primary object of the present invention is to provide a compressor for a refrigeration appliance, having an integrated water collection receptacle ensuring accelerated evaporation of the defrost water as well as contributing to the cooling down of the compressor.
The present invention proposes a compressor for a refrigeration appliance, said compressor having a fluid commination circuit effecting circulation of a refrigerant fluid to a heat exchange unit, typically a condenser providing the refrigerant fluid to be condensed in a refrigeration appliance. The compressor is also in fluid communication with an evaporator effecting refrigeration by absorbing the ambient thermal energy in the refrigeration compartment.
The compressor of the invention is adapted to communicate with a water discharge line thanks to a water collection receptacle receiving the defrost water. To this end, said water collection receptacle is installed inside the compressor’s main housing with a closed integrated structure water collection volume. Therefore an integral and separate fluid containment space in the form of an evaporation chamber is created inside the water collection receptacle.
According to the invention, said evaporation chamber is a constant depth closed space embedded within the upper part of the housing of the compressor. Its depth from the outer surface of the compressor housing towards the inner central portion of the housing is substantially constant throughout the chamber. The evaporation chamber’s internal base at least partially extends around lateral sides of the housing and it covers the compressor both from an upper side and at least from a part of the lateral sides thereof.
A discharge water inlet filter is provided between a discharge line outlet and the water collection receptacle, said filter having a lower cover and an upper cover, each of which can be removed separately so as to access said discharge water inlet filter conveniently. Further, a vapor outlet provides discharge of the generated steam.
Accompanying drawings are given solely for the purpose of exemplifying a compressor whose advantages over prior art were outlined above and will be explained in brief hereinafter.
The drawings are not meant to delimit the scope of protection as identified in the claims nor should they be referred to alone in an effort to interpret the scope identified in said claims without recourse to the technical disclosure in the description of the present invention.
Fig. 1 demonstrates an upper view of the compressor for the refrigeration appliance according to the present invention.
Fig. 2 demonstrates a cross-sectional view along lines C-C as indicated in Fig. 1 according to the present invention.
Fig. 3 demonstrates a cross-sectional view along lines B-B as indicated in Fig. 1 according to the present invention.
Fig. 4 demonstrates a perspective view of the compressor for the refrigeration appliance according to the present invention.
The following numerals are used in the detailed description:

Compressor
Housing
Water collection receptacle
Receptacle cover
Vapor outlet
Lower cover
Upper cover
Discharge water inlet filter
Evaporation chamber
Discharge line
Vapor outlet filter

The present invention proposes a compressor (1) for a refrigeration appliance, said appliance having a cooling or refrigeration compartment for preserving foodstuff. Said compressor (1) circulates a refrigerant fluid to a condenser providing the refrigerant fluid to be condensed and an evaporator placed in an evaporator interspace effects refrigeration by absorbing the ambient thermal energy in the refrigeration compartment
The evaporator is conventionally placed behind an evaporator liner or cover defining the rear wall of the refrigeration appliance’s inner compartment. For defrosting the ice deposited on the evaporator surface caused by frozen water content, a defrost system is provided such that a water discharge line (10) leading from said evaporator interspace to a discharge line (10) outlet allows drainage of the defrost water. The drained water then reaches a water collection receptacle (3) as will be delineated hereinafter.
The water collection receptacle (3) of the invention enables that the defrost water can be used to cool down the compressor (1) resulting in that a better operational efficiency is imparted to the same. Further, the system according to the present invention also provides a water collection receptacle (3) substantially effective in preventing defrost water overflow occurrences by providing an accelerated evaporation process in an evaporation chamber (9) to effect more rapid depletion of the defrost water in said water collection receptacle (3).
The water collection receptacle (3) in accordance with the invention has a closed integrated structure water collection volume in which the defrost water is received in a manner to have a substantially increased contact area with the compressor (1) housing (2). The water collection receptacle (3) provides a substantially constant depth closed evaporation chamber (9) embedded within part of the metal housing (2) of the compressor (1) such that the surface of the contact area being increased provides an enhanced thermal exchange effect, therefore fulfilling accelerated evaporation task. More particularly, the depth of the evaporation chamber (9) from the outer surface of the compressor (1) housing (2) into the curved inner base of the evaporation chamber (9) being substantially constant throughout the same ensures that heat energy is evenly distributed and transferred through an increased contact area, while at the same time cooling the compressor (1) down in an enhanced manner.
It is to be noted that the water collection receptacle (3) of the present invention performs the desired function by means of the increased surface of the contact area but as well as due to the fact that the evaporation chamber’s (9) internal base at least partially extends around the lateral peripheral surfaces of the housing (2) so as to be configured to cover the same from an upper side and at least from part of the lateral sides thereof. In this manner, the heat energy generated by the compressor (1) is transferred in a plurality of directions from the core, i.e. the internal center of the housing (2) to the evaporation chamber (9), which may enclose the upper part and also partially lateral parts of the compressor (1) housing (2) in the form of an integrally structured separate fluid containment space.
The water collection receptacle (3) of the invention communicates with the discharge line (10) outlet through a discharge water inlet filter (8) having a lower cover (6) and an upper cover (7). The two covers provides practical cleaning, individually allowing access to the discharge water inlet filter (8) while one of them remains mounted. Therefore, one needs not remove both covers to reach the discharge water inlet filter (8). Instead, any of the discharge line (10) or the compressor (1) connection may remain closed when the discharge water inlet filter (8) is to be removed for cleaning purposes. Further, a vapor outlet (5) is provided to discharge steam generated in the water collection receptacle (3). The vapor outlet (5) may also have a dedicated filter in the form of a vapor outlet filter (11).
In a nutshell, the present invention proposes a compressor (1) with a fluid communication circuit effecting circulation of a refrigerant fluid to heat exchange unit and being configured to communicate with a water discharge line (10) such that water discharged through the water discharge line (10) is adapted to be receivable into a water collection receptacle (3).
The compressor (1) has a housing (2) within which the water collection receptacle (3) has a closed integrated structure water collection volume in the housing (2).
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the water collection receptacle (3) is an integrally structured separate fluid containment space in the water collection receptacle (3).
According to a further embodiment of the present invention, the water collection receptacle (3) has a substantially constant depth closed evaporation chamber (9) embedded within part of the housing (2) of the compressor (1).
According to a still further embodiment of the present invention, the depth of the evaporation chamber (9) from an outer surface of the compressor (1) housing (2) into an inner base of the evaporation chamber (9) is substantially constant throughout the evaporation chamber (9).
According to a yet still further embodiment of the present invention, the evaporation chamber’s (9) internal base at least partially extends around lateral peripheral surfaces of the housing (2).
According to a yet still further embodiment of the present invention, the evaporation chamber (9) is configured to cover the compressor (1) from an upper side and at least a part of the lateral sides thereof.
According to a yet still further embodiment of the present invention, the water collection receptacle (3) communicates with a discharge line (10) outlet through a discharge water inlet filter (8) having a lower cover (6) and an upper cover (7), each of the covers being individually removable to allow access to the discharge water inlet filter (8).
According to a yet still further embodiment of the present invention, a vapor outlet (5) is provided to discharge steam generated in the water collection receptacle (3).
According to a yet still further embodiment of the present invention, the vapor outlet (5) comprises a vapor outlet filter (11).
The present invention therefore provides an advantageous and practical solution to the problem of water overflow that might cause serious fire hazards. The solution also substantially contributes to the operational efficiency of the compressor (1). The closed structure of the water collection receptacle (3) additionally eliminates dirt accumulation and bacterial growth.

Claims

A compressor (1) with a fluid communication circuit effecting circulation of a refrigerant fluid to a heat exchange unit and being configured to communicate with a water discharge line (10) such that water discharged through said water discharge line (10) is adapted to be receivable into a water collection receptacle (3), characterized in that a housing (2) within which said water collection receptacle (3) has a closed integrated structure water collection volume in the housing (2).
A compressor (1) as in Claim 1, characterized in that the water collection receptacle (3) is an integrally structured separate fluid containment space in the water collection receptacle (3).
A compressor (1) as in Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the water collection receptacle (3) has a substantially constant depth closed evaporation chamber (9) embedded within part of the housing (2).
A compressor (1) as in Claim 3, characterized in that the depth of the evaporation chamber (9) from an outer surface of the compressor (1) housing (2) into an inner base of the evaporation chamber (9) is substantially constant throughout the evaporation chamber (9).
A compressor (1) as in Claim 3 or 4 characterized in that the evaporation chamber’s (9) internal base at least partially extends around lateral peripheral surfaces of the housing (2).
A compressor (1) as in Claim 5, characterized in that the evaporation chamber (9) is configured to cover the compressor (1) from an upper side and at least from part of the lateral sides thereof.
A compressor (1) as in Claim 1, 3 or 5, characterized in that the water collection receptacle (3) communicates with a discharge line (10) outlet through a discharge water inlet filter (8) having a lower cover (6) and an upper cover (7), each of said covers being individually removable to allow access to the discharge water inlet filter (8).
A compressor (1) as in any of the preceding Claims, characterized in that a vapor outlet (5) is provided to discharge steam generated in the water collection receptacle (3).
A compressor (1) as in Claim 8, characterized in that the vapor outlet (5) comprises a vapor outlet filter (11).
A refrigeration appliance comprising a compressor (1) as in any of the preceding Claims.