EP3318827A1 - Ultra-low temperature freezer - Google Patents
Ultra-low temperature freezer Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP3318827A1 EP3318827A1 EP16839026.8A EP16839026A EP3318827A1 EP 3318827 A1 EP3318827 A1 EP 3318827A1 EP 16839026 A EP16839026 A EP 16839026A EP 3318827 A1 EP3318827 A1 EP 3318827A1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- insulated
- ultra
- low temperature
- case
- refrigerant
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
- 239000011810 insulating material Substances 0.000 claims description 18
- 239000003507 refrigerant Substances 0.000 description 85
- 238000011144 upstream manufacturing Methods 0.000 description 12
- 238000009835 boiling Methods 0.000 description 11
- MSSNHSVIGIHOJA-UHFFFAOYSA-N pentafluoropropane Chemical compound FC(F)CC(F)(F)F MSSNHSVIGIHOJA-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 9
- 238000001816 cooling Methods 0.000 description 7
- 239000007791 liquid phase Substances 0.000 description 7
- 229910052782 aluminium Inorganic materials 0.000 description 6
- XAGFODPZIPBFFR-UHFFFAOYSA-N aluminium Chemical compound [Al] XAGFODPZIPBFFR-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 6
- 238000005259 measurement Methods 0.000 description 6
- 239000012071 phase Substances 0.000 description 6
- 230000015556 catabolic process Effects 0.000 description 5
- 238000006731 degradation reaction Methods 0.000 description 5
- 239000007788 liquid Substances 0.000 description 5
- 230000006866 deterioration Effects 0.000 description 4
- 238000001704 evaporation Methods 0.000 description 4
- 238000009413 insulation Methods 0.000 description 4
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 4
- 230000002093 peripheral effect Effects 0.000 description 4
- RYGMFSIKBFXOCR-UHFFFAOYSA-N Copper Chemical compound [Cu] RYGMFSIKBFXOCR-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 3
- XPDWGBQVDMORPB-UHFFFAOYSA-N Fluoroform Chemical compound FC(F)F XPDWGBQVDMORPB-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 3
- 229910052802 copper Inorganic materials 0.000 description 3
- 239000010949 copper Substances 0.000 description 3
- 238000010586 diagram Methods 0.000 description 3
- 230000008020 evaporation Effects 0.000 description 3
- 239000000203 mixture Substances 0.000 description 3
- 235000013611 frozen food Nutrition 0.000 description 2
- 229910052751 metal Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- 239000002184 metal Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 2
- IJDNQMDRQITEOD-UHFFFAOYSA-N sec-butylidene Natural products CCCC IJDNQMDRQITEOD-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 229920003002 synthetic resin Polymers 0.000 description 2
- 239000000057 synthetic resin Substances 0.000 description 2
- TXEYQDLBPFQVAA-UHFFFAOYSA-N tetrafluoromethane Chemical compound FC(F)(F)F TXEYQDLBPFQVAA-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 238000009423 ventilation Methods 0.000 description 2
- 229910000831 Steel Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 238000009833 condensation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000005494 condensation Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000004794 expanded polystyrene Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000011491 glass wool Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000010438 heat treatment Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000012856 packing Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000035699 permeability Effects 0.000 description 1
- 229920005749 polyurethane resin Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 238000004321 preservation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000005057 refrigeration Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000010959 steel Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000009834 vaporization Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000008016 vaporization Effects 0.000 description 1
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 238000003466 welding Methods 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F25D11/00—Self-contained movable devices, e.g. domestic refrigerators
- F25D11/04—Self-contained movable devices, e.g. domestic refrigerators specially adapted for storing deep-frozen articles
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F25D23/00—General constructional features
- F25D23/02—Doors; Covers
- F25D23/026—Doors; Covers for open-top cabinets
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F25D23/00—General constructional features
- F25D23/06—Walls
- F25D23/062—Walls defining a cabinet
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F25D23/00—General constructional features
- F25D23/06—Walls
- F25D23/065—Details
- F25D23/066—Liners
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F25D2201/00—Insulation
- F25D2201/10—Insulation with respect to heat
- F25D2201/12—Insulation with respect to heat using an insulating packing material
- F25D2201/126—Insulation with respect to heat using an insulating packing material of cellular type
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F25D2201/00—Insulation
- F25D2201/10—Insulation with respect to heat
- F25D2201/14—Insulation with respect to heat using subatmospheric pressure
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F25D2400/00—General features of, or devices for refrigerators, cold rooms, ice-boxes, or for cooling or freezing apparatus not covered by any other subclass
- F25D2400/10—Refrigerator top-coolers
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F25D2500/00—Problems to be solved
- F25D2500/02—Geometry problems
Definitions
- the present disclosure relates to an ultra-low temperature freezer.
- Ultra-low temperature freezers have been developed, which are each configured to cool the interior of the freezer to an ultra-low temperature, for example, -80°C or lower to preserve body tissues or store frozen food for a long period of time.
- Such an ultra-low temperature freezer is required to have high insulation performance to maintain the interior of the freezer at an ultra-low temperature, and accordingly, various techniques have been developed (for example, see Patent Literature 1).
- the ultra-low temperature freezer particularly has a low temperature in the freezer.
- the ultra-low temperature freezer is required to have high reliability. Thus, even though moving in and out of a storage item is facilitated, it is still important to minimize deterioration of strength of the ultra-low temperature freezer.
- the present disclosure has been made in view of the above, and an aspect thereof is to provide an ultra-low temperature freezer capable of moving a storage item in and out more easily, while minimizing deterioration of strength thereof.
- An ultra-low temperature freezer includes: an insulated case defining a storage compartment having an opening in an upper face; and an insulated door configured to be able to open and close the opening so that the storage compartment can be seen from the front face side of the insulated case, the front face of the insulated case having a thickness smaller than thicknesses of both side faces and a back face of the insulated case.
- an ultra-low temperature freezer capable of moving a storage item in and out more easily while minimizing deterioration of strength thereof.
- An ultra-low temperature freezer 1 is a refrigeration apparatus capable of cooling an interior of a storage compartment 4, which will be described later, to a predetermined temperature or lower (for example, -80°C or lower) of an ultra-low temperature.
- the ultra-low temperature freezer 1 is suitable for the preservation at the ultra-low temperature of a stored item, such as frozen food or body tissue and specimen to be preserved at a low temperature for a long period of time.
- Fig. 1 is an external perspective view illustrating the ultra-low temperature freezer 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
- Fig. 2 is an external perspective view illustrating a state where an insulated door 13 of the ultra-low temperature freezer 1 is opened.
- Fig. 3 is a perspective front view illustrating the storage compartment 4 of the ultra-low temperature freezer 1.
- Fig. 4 is a perspective plan view illustrating the storage compartment 4 of the ultra-low temperature freezer 1.
- Fig. 5 is a perspective side view illustrating the storage compartment 4 of the ultra-low temperature freezer 1.
- a direction from left to right when facing a front face of the ultra-low temperature freezer 1 is defined as a forward direction of an X-axis
- a direction from the front to the rear is defined as a forward direction of a Y-axis
- a vertically upward direction is defined as a forward direction of a Z-axis.
- the ultra-low temperature freezer 1 includes: a substantially rectangular parallelepiped insulated case 2 that defines the storage compartment 4 having an opening on an upper face; the insulated door 13 configured to be able to open and close the opening of the storage compartment 4 so that the storage compartment 4 can be seen from the front face side of the insulated case 2; and a machinery compartment 3 disposed on a side of the insulated case 2.
- the insulated case 2 includes a front insulated wall (front face) 2A, a rear insulated wall (back face) 2B, a right insulated wall (side face) 2C, a left insulated wall (side face) 2D and an insulated bottom 2E, and forms the storage compartment 4 in the interior thereof.
- Fig. 2 illustrates a state where a storage rack 50 is stored in the storage compartment 4.
- the storage rack 50 includes, as illustrated in Fig. 9 , storage shelves 51 stacked in a multiple manner.
- the storage shelves 51 each capable of storing a container not shown that stores a sample of body tissue and/or the like. A worker lifts up the storage rack 50 holding a handle 52, and moves the storage rack 50 into and out of the storage compartment 4.
- the worker needs to lift up the storage rack 50 to the height at which the front insulated wall 2A of the insulated case 2 can be cleared.
- the front insulated wall 2A is formed such that a thickness T1 thereof becomes smaller than a thickness T2 of the rear insulated wall 2B, a thickness T3 of the right insulated wall 2C, and a thickness T4 of the left insulated wall 2D, to facilitate moving of the storage rack 50 into and out of the storage compartment 4.
- the insulated case 2 is configured into such a shape.
- a worker when moving a storage item such as the storage rack 50 in and out of the storage compartment 4, a worker can lifts up and down the storage rack 50 at a position closer to the worker's standing place. This can facilitate moving in and out of the storage rack 50. Accordingly, it becomes possible to move the storage rack 50 in and out of the storage compartment 4 in a short period of time, thereby being able to reduce a period of time in which the insulated door 13 should be kept open. This can minimize an increase in temperature within the storage compartment 4.
- the storage rack 50 can be lifted up and down at a position closer to a worker's standing place. Thus, it becomes possible to move the storage rack 50 in and out in a posture with less strain, thereby being able to enhance safety of the work.
- the thickness T1 of the front insulated wall 2A is set to be equal to or smaller than 2/3 of the thickness T2 of the rear insulated wall 2B.
- the thickness T1 of the front insulated wall 2A is set to be equal to or smaller than 1/3 of the thickness T2 of the rear insulated wall 2B.
- the thickness T1 of the front insulated wall 2A that is set to be equal to or greater than 1/4 of the thickness T2 of the rear insulated wall 2B can minimize degradation in cooling performance of the insulated case 2 as well as degradation in mechanical strength of the insulated case 2.
- Fig. 2 illustrates a state where the single storage rack 50 is stored in the storage compartment 4.
- a plurality of the storage racks 50 can be stored within the storage compartment 4 in a range of the capacity of the storage compartment 4. Accordingly, reduction in the thickness T1 of the front insulated wall 2A to be smaller than the thickness T2 of the rear insulated wall 2B as described above increases the capacity of the storage compartment 4, and also enables storage of more storage racks 50.
- the insulated door 13 is configured using a plurality of (5 pieces in an embodiment of the present disclosure) pivot members 14 that are disposed side by side along an upper end part of the rear insulated wall 2B, by pivoting on or being pivotally supported by these pivot members 14.
- the insulated door 13 is configured to open and close the opening of the insulated case 2 by pivoting on a central axis formed along the upper end part of the rear insulated wall 2B.
- a handle portion 16 is provided to the insulated door 13, and a worker operates the handle portion 16 to open and close the insulated door 13.
- the insulated case 2 includes an inner case 7 whose upper face is configured to be opened, and an outer case 6 surrounding the inner case 7, a breaker 8, an insulating material 9, and a vacuum insulated panel 12.
- the outer case 6 is configured with a board material made of a steel plate, and is open on the upper side and constitutes outer wall surfaces and outer bottom surface of the insulated case 2.
- the inner case 7 is configured with a board material made of metal having high thermal conductivity, such as aluminum, and similarly is open on the upper side and constitutes inner wall surfaces and inner bottom surface of the insulated case 2.
- the breaker 8 is a member made of a synthetic resin, and is mounted to connect between the outer case 6 and the inner case 7.
- the insulating material 9 is a polyurethane resin filled in a space surrounded by the outer case 6, the inner case 7, and the breaker 8.
- the insulating material 9 is filled in each of the front insulated wall 2A, the rear insulated wall 2B, the right insulated wall 2C, the left insulated wall 2D and the insulated bottom 2E of the insulated case 2.
- the vacuum insulated panel 12 is a member having insulating properties configured such that glass wool is stored in a casing constituted by a multi-layer film, such as aluminum and a synthetic resin, having no air permeability, the air in the casing is discharged by a predetermined vacuum discharge means, and an opening of the casing is joined by thermal welding, or the like.
- the vacuum insulated panel 12 is mounted between the outer case 6 and the aforementioned insulating material 9 filled between the inner case 7 and the outer case 6.
- the vacuum insulated panel 12 has insulating properties higher than that of the insulating material 9.
- the combined use of the insulating material 9 and the vacuum insulated panel 12 can achieve insulating properties higher than insulating properties in the case where only the insulating material 9 is used.
- the vacuum insulated panel 12 and the insulating material 9 are used in combination for the front insulated wall 2A. More specifically, in an embodiment of the present disclosure, the vacuum insulated panel 12 is mounted between the inner case 7 and the outer case 6 only in the front insulated wall 2A.
- Figs. 4 and 6 illustrate a state where the ultra-low temperature freezer 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure has the vacuum insulated panel 12 only in the front insulated wall 2A.
- the front insulated wall 2A is able to ensure insulating properties equivalent to the insulating properties of the rear insulated wall 2B, the right insulated wall 2C and the left insulated wall 2D. Accordingly, it becomes possible to restrain power consumption that is necessary for cooling the interior of the storage compartment 4 to a predetermined temperature or lower (for example, -80°C or lower).
- a configuration is made such that only the thickness of the front insulated wall 2A is reduced while the thicknesses of the rear insulated wall 2B, the right insulated wall 2C, and the left insulated wall 2D are made greater than the thickness of the front insulated wall 2A.
- This can minimize degradation of strength of the insulated case 2. Accordingly, reliability, such as failure tolerance and durability, of the ultra-low temperature freezer 1 can also be maintained.
- a configuration is made such that the vacuum insulated panel 12 is mounted between the insulating material 9 and the outer case 6 in the front insulated wall 2A.
- the vacuum insulated panel 12 is mounted such that the insulating material 9 is interposed between the vacuum insulated panel 12 and the inner case 7.
- This can minimize reduction in temperature of the vacuum insulated panel 12 caused by the inner case 6 which is cooled to such a degree equivalent to the degree of cooling the interior of the storage compartment 4, thereby being able to minimize degradation of insulation performance caused by damage, such as crack, fracture, and rupture, occurring in the vacuum insulated panel 12. Consequently, reliability, such as failure tolerance and durability of the ultra-low temperature freezer 1 can be maintained.
- an inner cover 15 (inner cover A 15A, inner cover B 15B) can be mounted in a portion on the inner peripheral side of the breaker 8.
- the inner cover 15 is constituted by a board material having insulating properties, such as expanded polystyrene.
- the opening on the upper side of the storage compartment 4 can be closed by the inner cover 15. This can minimize intrusion of the outside air into the storage compartment 4, and minimize an increase in the temperature within the storage compartment 4.
- the ultra-low temperature freezer 1 is configured such that the storage compartment 4 can be opened and closed using a plurality of the inner covers 15 (a single inner cover A 15A and two inner covers B 15B in an example illustrated in Fig. 8 ).
- the inner cover 15 at a location where the cover does not need to be opened to move the storage rack 50 in and out of the storage compartment 4, is not required to be opened. This can minimize intrusion of the outside air into the storage compartment 4, thereby being able to minimize an increase within the temperature in the storage compartment 4.
- the interior of the storage compartment 4 is cooled by a first refrigerant circuit 100 and a second refrigerant circuit 200.
- the first refrigerant circuit 100 includes a first compressor 101, condensers 102, 104, a decompressor 108, and a first evaporator 111, and is configured to cool the interior (storage compartment 4) of the insulated case 2 to a predetermined temperature or lower by circulating a refrigerant in this order.
- the second refrigerant circuit 200 includes a second compressor 201, condensers 202, 204, a decompressor 208, and a second evaporator 211, and is configured to cool the interior (storage compartment 4) of the insulated case 2 to a predetermined temperature or lower by circulating a refrigerant in this order.
- the first evaporator 111 constituting the first refrigerant circuit 100 and the second evaporator 211 constituting the second refrigerant circuit 200 are mounted, to enable heat exchange, so as to surround the storage compartment 4 on a circumferential surface on the insulating material 9 side of the inner case 7 (outer circumferential surface of the inner case 7).
- a heat exchanger 109 constituting the first refrigerant circuit 100 and a heat exchanger 209 constituting the second refrigerant circuit 200 are provided, as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 7 , within the rear insulated wall 2B of the insulated case 2, while being covered with the insulating material 9. Then, a portion of a rear wall 6B where the heat exchangers 109, 209 are provided is covered with a plate-shaped rear surface cover 6D.
- first compressor 101 constituting the first refrigerant circuit 100 and the second compressor 201 constituting the second refrigerant circuit 200 are housed in the machinery compartment 3 together with various devices such as a control circuit of the ultra-low temperature freezer 1.
- the control circuit includes a Central Processing Unit (CPU) and memory, and is configured to execute a control program for controlling the ultra-low temperature freezer 1.
- CPU Central Processing Unit
- the machinery compartment 3 includes, as illustrated in Fig. 1 , a front panel 3A, a rear panel 3D, and a side panel 3B constituting a side face opposite to the side on which the insulated case 2 is provided. Ventilation slits 3C are formed in the front panel 3A and the side panel 3B.
- an operation panel 21 for operating the ultra-low temperature freezer 1 is provided.
- a measurement hole passes through between the machinery compartment 3 and the insulated case 2.
- This measurement hole is formed to pass through the outer case 6 constituting the insulated case 2, the insulating material 9, and the inner case 7, so as to communicate between the storage compartment 4 and the machinery compartment 3. It is possible to insert a temperature sensor through the measurement hole from the machinery compartment 3 to the interior of the storage compartment 4.
- a cable is drawn from the temperature sensor, which is inserted into the storage compartment 4, to the machinery compartment 3 through the measurement hole.
- This cable is coupled to a control circuit in the machinery compartment 3.
- a gap formed with the cable is closed with a plug made of a spongelike deformable material having insulating properties. Note that, in a state where the temperature sensor is not mounted, the measurement hole is closed in an insulating manner with this plug.
- Fig. 10 is a circuit diagram illustrating an example of the refrigerant circuit 150 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
- the refrigerant circuit 150 includes two substantially identical refrigerant circuits, that is, the first refrigerant circuit 100 and the second refrigerant circuit 200.
- the first refrigerant circuit 100 includes the first compressor 101, the upstream condenser 102 and the downstream condenser 104, a shunt 107 configured to separate gas and liquid, the decompressor 108 and the heat exchanger 109, and a decompressor 110 and the first evaporator 111.
- the first refrigerant circuit 100 is configured in an annular manner so that that a refrigerant discharged from the first compressor 101 is returned to the first compressor 101 again.
- a zeotropic refrigerant mixture hereinafter, simply referred to as the "refrigerant" containing four types of refrigerants, which will be described later, is sealed.
- an oil cooler 101a is provided at an oil reservoir within the first compressor 101, a pipe 103 is provided between the upstream condenser 102 and the oil cooler 101a, a dehydrator 106 is provided between the downstream condenser 104 and the shunt 107, a buffer 112 is provided between the first compressor 101 on the intake side and the heat exchanger 109.
- the first refrigerant circuit 100 includes a first fan 105 to cool the upstream condenser 102 and the downstream condenser 104.
- the first fan 105 is a propeller blower including a fan motor 105a.
- the first compressor 101 is configured to compress and discharge the intake refrigerant to the upstream condenser 102.
- the upstream condenser 102 is configured such that, for example, a copper or aluminum tube to radiate the heat of the refrigerant discharged from the first compressor 101 is formed into a meander shape.
- the downstream condenser 104 is configured such that, for example, a copper or aluminum tube to further radiate the heat of the refrigerant outputted from the upstream condenser 102 is formed into a meander shape.
- upstream condenser 102 and downstream condenser 104 are integrally configured in a single tube sheet.
- the shunt 107 is configured to separate the refrigerant outputted from the downstream condenser 104 into the refrigerant in the liquid phase and a refrigerant in a gas phase, and decompress the refrigerant in the liquid phase through the decompressor (capillary tube) 108, and thereafter evaporate the decompressed refrigerant in an outer tube 109a of the heat exchanger 109.
- the heat exchanger 109 is, for example, a metal or aluminum double tube including the outer tube 109a and an inner tube 109b.
- the refrigerant in the gas phase from the shunt 107 flows through the inner tube 109b, and the refrigerant in the gas phase, which is obtained by evaporating the refrigerant in the liquid phase, flowing through the inner tube 109b is cooled at the outer tube 109a.
- the decompressor 110 is, for example, a capillary tube, configured to decompress the refrigerant having entered the liquid phase by being cooled at the inner tube 109b of the heat exchanger 109, and output the decompressed refrigerant to the first evaporator 111.
- the first evaporator 111 is, for example, a copper or aluminum tube to evaporate the refrigerant decompressed by the decompressor 110. As described above, the first evaporator 111 is, for example, attached to the outer faces except the upper opening of the inner case 7 so as to thermally contact the outer faces. Note that such attachment of the first evaporator 111 is not limited to this, as long as a configuration allowing thermal contact.
- the refrigerant is configured to cool an interior of the inner case 7 by cooling action when being evaporated (vaporized) in the first evaporator 111.
- This refrigerant having entered the gas phase by evaporation is taken into the compressor 101 in the heat exchanger 109 together with the previously evaporated refrigerant.
- the pipe 103 is provided inside the peripheral portion of the upper face opening of the outer case 6.
- This peripheral portion of the upper face opening is a portion where packing (not illustrated) mounted to the insulated door 13 closely contact in a state where the aforementioned insulated door 13 is closed, and the high-temperature refrigerant discharged from the compressor 101 flows in the pipe 103.
- heating by this refrigerant prevents condensation which is caused by cooling from the low-temperature inner case 7 side. This can enhance hermeticity within the outer case 6.
- the dehydrator 106 is configured to remove moisture contained in the refrigerant.
- the buffer 112 includes a capillary tube 112a and an expansion tank 112b, and the amount of the refrigerant that circulates in the first refrigerant circuit 100 is maintained appropriate by taking the refrigerant in the gas phase on the intake side of the first compressor 101 into the expansion tank 112b through the capillary tube 112a.
- the second refrigerant circuit 200 includes, similarly to the above, the second compressor 201, the upstream condenser 202 and the downstream condenser 204, a shunt 207 configured to separate gas and liquid, the decompressor 208 and the heat exchanger 209, and a decompressor 210 and the second evaporator 211.
- the second refrigerant circuit 200 is configured in an annular manner so that a refrigerant discharged from the second compressor 201 is returned to the second compressor 201 again. In the second refrigerant circuit 200, the refrigerant similar to the above is sealed.
- this second refrigerant circuit 200 includes, similarly to the above, an oil cooler 201a, a pipe 203, a dehydrator 206, and a buffer 212.
- the heat exchanger 209 includes an outer tube 209a and an inner tube 209b.
- the buffer 212 includes a capillary tube 212a and an expansion tank 212b.
- a second fan 205 is provided to cool the upstream condenser 202 and the downstream condenser 204.
- the second fan 205 is a propeller blower including a fan motor 205a.
- the aforementioned pipe 103 and pipe 203 are provided inside the peripheral portion of the upper face opening of the outer case 6, for example, so as to overlap each other.
- the aforementioned first evaporator 111 and second evaporator 211 are, for example, attached in such a manner as to thermally contact the outer faces except the upper face opening of the inner case 7, for example, so as not to overlap each other.
- the refrigerant according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is, for example, a zeotropic refrigerant mixture containing R245fa, R600, R23, and R14.
- R245fa indicates Pentafluoropropane (CHF 2 CH 2 CF 3 ), and has a boiling point of +15.3°c.
- R600 indicates normal butane (n-C 4 H 10 ), and has a boiling point of -0.5°C.
- R23 indicates Trifluoromethane (CHF 3 ), and has a boiling point of -82.1°C.
- R14 indicates Tetrafluoromethane (CF 4 ), and has a boiling point of -127.9°C.
- R600 has a high boiling point (evaporation temperature), and easily contains oil, water, etc.
- R245fa is a refrigerant to be made noncombustible by being mixed with R600, which is combustible, at a predetermined ratio (e.g., R245fa and R600 are in the ratio of 7:3).
- the refrigerant compressed in the first compressor 101 radiates heat in the upstream condenser 102 and the downstream condenser 104, and is condensed to enter the liquid phase. Then, the refrigerant in the liquid state is subjected to a moisture removal process in the dehydrator 106, and thereafter is separated, in the shunt 107, into the refrigerant in the liquid phase (mainly R245fa, R600 having a high boiling temperature) and the refrigerant in the gas state (R23, R14).
- the refrigerant having radiated heat in the upstream condenser 102 cools the oil within the first compressor 101 at the oil cooler 101a, and thereafter radiates heat again in the downstream condenser 104.
- the refrigerant in the separated liquid state (mainly R245fa, R600) is decompressed in the decompressor 108, and thereafter is evaporated at the outer tube 109a in the heat exchanger 109.
- the refrigerant in the separated gas state (R23, R14) is cooled and condensed by the heat of evaporation of the aforementioned refrigerant (R245fa, R600) evaporated in the outer tube 109a and the refrigerant in the gas phase (R23, R14) returned from the first evaporator 111, while passing through the inner tube 109b of the heat exchanger 109, resulting in the refrigerant in the liquid state. At this time, the refrigerant having not been evaporated in the first evaporator 111 is evaporated.
- the second refrigerant circuit 200 is similar to the above.
- R245fa has a boiling point of about 15°C
- R600 has a boiling point of about 0°C
- R23 has a boiling point of about -82°C
- R14 has a boiling point of about -128°C. Accordingly, in the first refrigerant circuit 100 and the second refrigerant circuit 200, R23 and R14 in the zeotropic refrigerant mixture are cooled through vaporization action of R600, and R23, R14 having entered in the liquid phase are guided to the first evaporator 111 and the second evaporator 211, and evaporated.
- a temperature corresponding to a boiling point of R23 and R14 e.g., about -82°C to -128°C.
- the ultra-low temperature freezer 1 is configured to cool the interior of the storage compartment 4 to an ultra-low temperature of a predetermined temperature or lower (for example, -80°C or lower).
- the ultra-low temperature freezer 1 is formed such that the thickness of the front insulated wall 2A in the insulated case 2 becomes smaller than the thicknesses of the rear insulated wall 2B, the right insulated wall 2C, and the left insulated wall 2D.
- the ultra-low temperature freezer 1 is configured such that the insulating material 9 is filled between the inner case 7 and the outer case 6, as well as the vacuum insulated panel 12 is mounted between the inner case 7 and the outer case 6 only in the front insulated wall 2A which has a thickness smaller than thicknesses of the rear insulated wall 2B, the right insulated wall 2C, and the left insulated wall 2D.
- the front insulated wall 2A can ensure insulation performance equivalent to the rear insulated wall 2B, the right insulated wall 2C, and the left insulated wall 2D.
- a predetermined temperature or lower for example, -80°C or lower.
- a configuration is made such that only the thickness of the front insulated wall 2A is made smaller, while the thicknesses of the rear insulated wall 2B, the right insulated wall 2C, and the left insulated wall 2D are made greater than that of the front insulated wall 2A.
- This can minimize deterioration of the strength of the insulated case 2. Accordingly, reliability, such as failure tolerance and durability, of the ultra-low temperature freezer 1 can also be maintained.
- the ultra-low temperature freezer 1 is configured such that the insulating material 9 is mounted between the vacuum insulated panel 12 and the inner case 7 in the front insulated wall 2A.
- Such an embodiment can minimize reduction in the temperature of the vacuum insulated panel 12 caused by the inner case 6 which is cooled to such a degree equivalent to the degree of cooling the interior of the storage compartment 4, thereby being able to minimize degradation of insulation performance caused by damage, such as crack, fracture, and rupture, occurring in the vacuum insulated panel 12. Consequently, reliability, such as failure tolerance and durability of the ultra-low temperature freezer 1 can be maintained.
Abstract
Description
- The present disclosure relates to an ultra-low temperature freezer.
- Ultra-low temperature freezers have been developed, which are each configured to cool the interior of the freezer to an ultra-low temperature, for example, -80°C or lower to preserve body tissues or store frozen food for a long period of time.
- Such an ultra-low temperature freezer is required to have high insulation performance to maintain the interior of the freezer at an ultra-low temperature, and accordingly, various techniques have been developed (for example, see Patent Literature 1).
- [PTL 1] Japanese Patent No.
5026736 - Meanwhile, the ultra-low temperature freezer particularly has a low temperature in the freezer. Thus, in order to minimize an increase in temperature within the freezer, it is preferable to open and close a door in as short a period of time as possible, when moving in and out a storage item. It is also required to move a storage item in and out as easily as possible in order to ensure work safety when a storage item is moved in and out.
- In addition, the ultra-low temperature freezer is required to have high reliability. Thus, even though moving in and out of a storage item is facilitated, it is still important to minimize deterioration of strength of the ultra-low temperature freezer.
- The present disclosure has been made in view of the above, and an aspect thereof is to provide an ultra-low temperature freezer capable of moving a storage item in and out more easily, while minimizing deterioration of strength thereof.
- An ultra-low temperature freezer according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes: an insulated case defining a storage compartment having an opening in an upper face; and an insulated door configured to be able to open and close the opening so that the storage compartment can be seen from the front face side of the insulated case, the front face of the insulated case having a thickness smaller than thicknesses of both side faces and a back face of the insulated case.
- According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide an ultra-low temperature freezer capable of moving a storage item in and out more easily while minimizing deterioration of strength thereof.
-
-
Fig. 1 is an external perspective view illustrating an ultra-low temperature freezer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. -
Fig. 2 is an external perspective view illustrating a state where an insulated door of an ultra-low temperature freezer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is opened. -
Fig. 3 is a perspective front view illustrating a storage compartment of an ultra-low temperature freezer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. -
Fig. 4 is a perspective plan view illustrating a storage compartment of an ultra-low temperature freezer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. -
Fig. 5 is a perspective side view illustrating a storage compartment of an ultra-low temperature freezer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. -
Fig. 6 is an external perspective view illustrating a vacuum insulated panel of an ultra-low temperature freezer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. -
Fig. 7 is an exploded perspective view illustrating an ultra-low temperature freezer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure when viewed from a back side thereof. -
Fig. 8 is a diagram illustrating a state where an inner cover is mounted to an ultra-low temperature freezer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. -
Fig. 9 is an external perspective view illustrating a storage rack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. -
Fig. 10 is a diagram illustrating a refrigerant circuit of an ultra-low temperature freezer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. - At least the following matters will be made clear from the present description with reference to the accompanying drawings.
- An
ultra-low temperature freezer 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is a refrigeration apparatus capable of cooling an interior of astorage compartment 4, which will be described later, to a predetermined temperature or lower (for example, -80°C or lower) of an ultra-low temperature. Theultra-low temperature freezer 1 is suitable for the preservation at the ultra-low temperature of a stored item, such as frozen food or body tissue and specimen to be preserved at a low temperature for a long period of time. -
Fig. 1 is an external perspective view illustrating the ultra-lowtemperature freezer 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.Fig. 2 is an external perspective view illustrating a state where an insulateddoor 13 of the ultra-lowtemperature freezer 1 is opened.Fig. 3 is a perspective front view illustrating thestorage compartment 4 of the ultra-lowtemperature freezer 1.Fig. 4 is a perspective plan view illustrating thestorage compartment 4 of the ultra-lowtemperature freezer 1.Fig. 5 is a perspective side view illustrating thestorage compartment 4 of the ultra-lowtemperature freezer 1. - Note that, in the following description, a direction from left to right when facing a front face of the
ultra-low temperature freezer 1 is defined as a forward direction of an X-axis, a direction from the front to the rear is defined as a forward direction of a Y-axis, and a vertically upward direction is defined as a forward direction of a Z-axis. - The
ultra-low temperature freezer 1 includes: a substantially rectangular parallelepiped insulatedcase 2 that defines thestorage compartment 4 having an opening on an upper face; the insulateddoor 13 configured to be able to open and close the opening of thestorage compartment 4 so that thestorage compartment 4 can be seen from the front face side of the insulatedcase 2; and amachinery compartment 3 disposed on a side of the insulatedcase 2. - The insulated
case 2 includes a front insulated wall (front face) 2A, a rear insulated wall (back face) 2B, a right insulated wall (side face) 2C, a left insulated wall (side face) 2D and an insulatedbottom 2E, and forms thestorage compartment 4 in the interior thereof.Fig. 2 illustrates a state where astorage rack 50 is stored in thestorage compartment 4. - The
storage rack 50 includes, as illustrated inFig. 9 ,storage shelves 51 stacked in a multiple manner. Thestorage shelves 51 each capable of storing a container not shown that stores a sample of body tissue and/or the like. A worker lifts up thestorage rack 50 holding ahandle 52, and moves thestorage rack 50 into and out of thestorage compartment 4. - Thus, when the
storage rack 50 is moved in and out of thestorage compartment 4, the worker needs to lift up thestorage rack 50 to the height at which the front insulatedwall 2A of the insulatedcase 2 can be cleared. - In the
ultra-low temperature freezer 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, as illustrated inFig. 4 , the frontinsulated wall 2A is formed such that a thickness T1 thereof becomes smaller than a thickness T2 of the rear insulatedwall 2B, a thickness T3 of the right insulated wall 2C, and a thickness T4 of the left insulatedwall 2D, to facilitate moving of thestorage rack 50 into and out of thestorage compartment 4. - The insulated
case 2 is configured into such a shape. Thus, when moving a storage item such as the storage rack 50 in and out of thestorage compartment 4, a worker can lifts up and down thestorage rack 50 at a position closer to the worker's standing place. This can facilitate moving in and out of thestorage rack 50. Accordingly, it becomes possible to move thestorage rack 50 in and out of thestorage compartment 4 in a short period of time, thereby being able to reduce a period of time in which the insulateddoor 13 should be kept open. This can minimize an increase in temperature within thestorage compartment 4. - Further, the
storage rack 50 can be lifted up and down at a position closer to a worker's standing place. Thus, it becomes possible to move thestorage rack 50 in and out in a posture with less strain, thereby being able to enhance safety of the work. - It is more preferable that the thickness T1 of the front
insulated wall 2A is set to be equal to or smaller than 2/3 of the thickness T2 of the rear insulatedwall 2B. With such an embodiment, the aforementioned work of moving thestorage rack 50 in and out of thestorage compartment 4 can be further facilitated. - It is further preferable that the thickness T1 of the front
insulated wall 2A is set to be equal to or smaller than 1/3 of the thickness T2 of the rear insulatedwall 2B. With such an embodiment, the work of moving thestorage rack 50 in and out of thestorage compartment 4 can be still further facilitated. - Note that the thickness T1 of the front
insulated wall 2A that is set to be equal to or greater than 1/4 of the thickness T2 of the rear insulatedwall 2B can minimize degradation in cooling performance of the insulatedcase 2 as well as degradation in mechanical strength of the insulatedcase 2. - Further,
Fig. 2 illustrates a state where thesingle storage rack 50 is stored in thestorage compartment 4. However, needless to say, a plurality of thestorage racks 50 can be stored within thestorage compartment 4 in a range of the capacity of thestorage compartment 4. Accordingly, reduction in the thickness T1 of the front insulatedwall 2A to be smaller than the thickness T2 of the rear insulatedwall 2B as described above increases the capacity of thestorage compartment 4, and also enables storage ofmore storage racks 50. - The insulated
door 13 is configured using a plurality of (5 pieces in an embodiment of the present disclosure)pivot members 14 that are disposed side by side along an upper end part of the rear insulatedwall 2B, by pivoting on or being pivotally supported by thesepivot members 14. The insulateddoor 13 is configured to open and close the opening of the insulatedcase 2 by pivoting on a central axis formed along the upper end part of the rear insulatedwall 2B. Ahandle portion 16 is provided to theinsulated door 13, and a worker operates thehandle portion 16 to open and close theinsulated door 13. - Further the
insulated case 2 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes aninner case 7 whose upper face is configured to be opened, and anouter case 6 surrounding theinner case 7, abreaker 8, an insulatingmaterial 9, and a vacuum insulatedpanel 12. - The
outer case 6 is configured with a board material made of a steel plate, and is open on the upper side and constitutes outer wall surfaces and outer bottom surface of theinsulated case 2. Theinner case 7 is configured with a board material made of metal having high thermal conductivity, such as aluminum, and similarly is open on the upper side and constitutes inner wall surfaces and inner bottom surface of theinsulated case 2. Thebreaker 8 is a member made of a synthetic resin, and is mounted to connect between theouter case 6 and theinner case 7. - The insulating
material 9 is a polyurethane resin filled in a space surrounded by theouter case 6, theinner case 7, and thebreaker 8. The insulatingmaterial 9 is filled in each of the frontinsulated wall 2A, the rearinsulated wall 2B, the right insulated wall 2C, the leftinsulated wall 2D and theinsulated bottom 2E of theinsulated case 2. - The vacuum insulated
panel 12 is a member having insulating properties configured such that glass wool is stored in a casing constituted by a multi-layer film, such as aluminum and a synthetic resin, having no air permeability, the air in the casing is discharged by a predetermined vacuum discharge means, and an opening of the casing is joined by thermal welding, or the like. - The vacuum insulated
panel 12 is mounted between theouter case 6 and the aforementioned insulatingmaterial 9 filled between theinner case 7 and theouter case 6. - The vacuum insulated
panel 12 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure has insulating properties higher than that of the insulatingmaterial 9. Thus, the combined use of the insulatingmaterial 9 and the vacuum insulatedpanel 12 can achieve insulating properties higher than insulating properties in the case where only the insulatingmaterial 9 is used. - Accordingly, in the
ultra-low temperature freezer 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the vacuum insulatedpanel 12 and the insulatingmaterial 9 are used in combination for the frontinsulated wall 2A. More specifically, in an embodiment of the present disclosure, the vacuum insulatedpanel 12 is mounted between theinner case 7 and theouter case 6 only in the frontinsulated wall 2A.Figs. 4 and6 illustrate a state where theultra-low temperature freezer 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure has the vacuum insulatedpanel 12 only in the frontinsulated wall 2A. - With such an embodiment, even in the case where the front
insulated wall 2A is formed to have a thickness that is smaller than the thicknesses of the rearinsulated wall 2B, the right insulated wall 2C, and the leftinsulated wall 2D, the frontinsulated wall 2A is able to ensure insulating properties equivalent to the insulating properties of the rearinsulated wall 2B, the right insulated wall 2C and the leftinsulated wall 2D. Accordingly, it becomes possible to restrain power consumption that is necessary for cooling the interior of thestorage compartment 4 to a predetermined temperature or lower (for example, -80°C or lower). - Further, a configuration is made such that only the thickness of the front
insulated wall 2A is reduced while the thicknesses of the rearinsulated wall 2B, the right insulated wall 2C, and the leftinsulated wall 2D are made greater than the thickness of the frontinsulated wall 2A. This can minimize degradation of strength of theinsulated case 2. Accordingly, reliability, such as failure tolerance and durability, of theultra-low temperature freezer 1 can also be maintained. - Further, in the
ultra-low temperature freezer 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, as illustrated inFig 4 , a configuration is made such that the vacuum insulatedpanel 12 is mounted between the insulatingmaterial 9 and theouter case 6 in the frontinsulated wall 2A. - Accordingly, the vacuum insulated
panel 12 is mounted such that the insulatingmaterial 9 is interposed between the vacuum insulatedpanel 12 and theinner case 7. This can minimize reduction in temperature of the vacuum insulatedpanel 12 caused by theinner case 6 which is cooled to such a degree equivalent to the degree of cooling the interior of thestorage compartment 4, thereby being able to minimize degradation of insulation performance caused by damage, such as crack, fracture, and rupture, occurring in the vacuum insulatedpanel 12. Consequently, reliability, such as failure tolerance and durability of theultra-low temperature freezer 1 can be maintained. - Further, as illustrated in
Figs. 3 ,5 ,8 , and the like, in theultra-low temperature freezer 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, an inner cover 15 (inner cover A 15A,inner cover B 15B) can be mounted in a portion on the inner peripheral side of thebreaker 8. Theinner cover 15 is constituted by a board material having insulating properties, such as expanded polystyrene. - With such an embodiment, even while an
insulated door 2 is open, the opening on the upper side of thestorage compartment 4 can be closed by theinner cover 15. This can minimize intrusion of the outside air into thestorage compartment 4, and minimize an increase in the temperature within thestorage compartment 4. - Further, as illustrated in
Fig. 8 , theultra-low temperature freezer 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is configured such that thestorage compartment 4 can be opened and closed using a plurality of the inner covers 15 (a singleinner cover A 15A and twoinner covers B 15B in an example illustrated inFig. 8 ). With such an embodiment, theinner cover 15 at a location where the cover does not need to be opened to move thestorage rack 50 in and out of thestorage compartment 4, is not required to be opened. This can minimize intrusion of the outside air into thestorage compartment 4, thereby being able to minimize an increase within the temperature in thestorage compartment 4. - Further, it is only necessary to open only the
inner cover 15 at a location where the cover needs to be opened to move thestorage rack 50 into and out of thestorage compartment 4. This can facilitate demounting of theinner cover 15, thereby being able to reduce workload. - Note that, when the
insulated door 13 is closed, theinner cover 15 is pressed from above by theinsulated door 13, so that thestorage compartment 4 can be tightly sealed in an insulated state. - The interior of the
storage compartment 4 is cooled by a firstrefrigerant circuit 100 and a secondrefrigerant circuit 200. - Although the details will be described later, the first
refrigerant circuit 100 includes afirst compressor 101,condensers decompressor 108, and a first evaporator 111, and is configured to cool the interior (storage compartment 4) of theinsulated case 2 to a predetermined temperature or lower by circulating a refrigerant in this order. - Similarly, the second
refrigerant circuit 200 includes asecond compressor 201,condensers decompressor 208, and asecond evaporator 211, and is configured to cool the interior (storage compartment 4) of theinsulated case 2 to a predetermined temperature or lower by circulating a refrigerant in this order. - Then, the first evaporator 111 constituting the first
refrigerant circuit 100 and thesecond evaporator 211 constituting the secondrefrigerant circuit 200 are mounted, to enable heat exchange, so as to surround thestorage compartment 4 on a circumferential surface on the insulatingmaterial 9 side of the inner case 7 (outer circumferential surface of the inner case 7). - Further, in the
ultra-low temperature freezer 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, aheat exchanger 109 constituting the firstrefrigerant circuit 100 and aheat exchanger 209 constituting the secondrefrigerant circuit 200 are provided, as illustrated inFigs. 4 and7 , within the rearinsulated wall 2B of theinsulated case 2, while being covered with the insulatingmaterial 9. Then, a portion of arear wall 6B where theheat exchangers rear surface cover 6D. - Note that the
first compressor 101 constituting the firstrefrigerant circuit 100 and thesecond compressor 201 constituting the secondrefrigerant circuit 200 are housed in themachinery compartment 3 together with various devices such as a control circuit of theultra-low temperature freezer 1. - The control circuit includes a Central Processing Unit (CPU) and memory, and is configured to execute a control program for controlling the
ultra-low temperature freezer 1. - The
machinery compartment 3 includes, as illustrated inFig. 1 , afront panel 3A, arear panel 3D, and aside panel 3B constituting a side face opposite to the side on which theinsulated case 2 is provided. Ventilation slits 3C are formed in thefront panel 3A and theside panel 3B. - Further, in the
front panel 3A of themachinery compartment 3, anoperation panel 21 for operating theultra-low temperature freezer 1 is provided. - Further, although not illustrated, a measurement hole passes through between the
machinery compartment 3 and theinsulated case 2. This measurement hole is formed to pass through theouter case 6 constituting theinsulated case 2, the insulatingmaterial 9, and theinner case 7, so as to communicate between thestorage compartment 4 and themachinery compartment 3. It is possible to insert a temperature sensor through the measurement hole from themachinery compartment 3 to the interior of thestorage compartment 4. - A cable is drawn from the temperature sensor, which is inserted into the
storage compartment 4, to themachinery compartment 3 through the measurement hole. This cable is coupled to a control circuit in themachinery compartment 3. Then, in this measurement hole, a gap formed with the cable is closed with a plug made of a spongelike deformable material having insulating properties. Note that, in a state where the temperature sensor is not mounted, the measurement hole is closed in an insulating manner with this plug. - Next, a
refrigerant circuit 150 of theultra-low temperature freezer 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference toFig. 10. Fig. 10 is a circuit diagram illustrating an example of therefrigerant circuit 150 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. - As indicated in an example in
Fig. 10 , therefrigerant circuit 150 includes two substantially identical refrigerant circuits, that is, the firstrefrigerant circuit 100 and the secondrefrigerant circuit 200. - The first
refrigerant circuit 100 includes thefirst compressor 101, theupstream condenser 102 and thedownstream condenser 104, ashunt 107 configured to separate gas and liquid, thedecompressor 108 and theheat exchanger 109, and adecompressor 110 and the first evaporator 111. The firstrefrigerant circuit 100 is configured in an annular manner so that that a refrigerant discharged from thefirst compressor 101 is returned to thefirst compressor 101 again. In the firstrefrigerant circuit 100, for example, a zeotropic refrigerant mixture (hereinafter, simply referred to as the "refrigerant") containing four types of refrigerants, which will be described later, is sealed. - Further, in this first
refrigerant circuit 100, an oil cooler 101a is provided at an oil reservoir within thefirst compressor 101, apipe 103 is provided between theupstream condenser 102 and theoil cooler 101a, adehydrator 106 is provided between thedownstream condenser 104 and theshunt 107, abuffer 112 is provided between thefirst compressor 101 on the intake side and theheat exchanger 109. - Further, the first
refrigerant circuit 100 includes afirst fan 105 to cool theupstream condenser 102 and thedownstream condenser 104. Thefirst fan 105 is a propeller blower including afan motor 105a. - The
first compressor 101 is configured to compress and discharge the intake refrigerant to theupstream condenser 102. - The
upstream condenser 102 is configured such that, for example, a copper or aluminum tube to radiate the heat of the refrigerant discharged from thefirst compressor 101 is formed into a meander shape. - The
downstream condenser 104 is configured such that, for example, a copper or aluminum tube to further radiate the heat of the refrigerant outputted from theupstream condenser 102 is formed into a meander shape. - These
upstream condenser 102 anddownstream condenser 104 are integrally configured in a single tube sheet. - The
shunt 107 is configured to separate the refrigerant outputted from thedownstream condenser 104 into the refrigerant in the liquid phase and a refrigerant in a gas phase, and decompress the refrigerant in the liquid phase through the decompressor (capillary tube) 108, and thereafter evaporate the decompressed refrigerant in anouter tube 109a of theheat exchanger 109. - The
heat exchanger 109 is, for example, a metal or aluminum double tube including theouter tube 109a and aninner tube 109b. The refrigerant in the gas phase from theshunt 107 flows through theinner tube 109b, and the refrigerant in the gas phase, which is obtained by evaporating the refrigerant in the liquid phase, flowing through theinner tube 109b is cooled at theouter tube 109a. - The
decompressor 110 is, for example, a capillary tube, configured to decompress the refrigerant having entered the liquid phase by being cooled at theinner tube 109b of theheat exchanger 109, and output the decompressed refrigerant to the first evaporator 111. - The first evaporator 111 is, for example, a copper or aluminum tube to evaporate the refrigerant decompressed by the
decompressor 110. As described above, the first evaporator 111 is, for example, attached to the outer faces except the upper opening of theinner case 7 so as to thermally contact the outer faces. Note that such attachment of the first evaporator 111 is not limited to this, as long as a configuration allowing thermal contact. - The refrigerant is configured to cool an interior of the
inner case 7 by cooling action when being evaporated (vaporized) in the first evaporator 111. This refrigerant having entered the gas phase by evaporation is taken into thecompressor 101 in theheat exchanger 109 together with the previously evaporated refrigerant. - Note that the
pipe 103 is provided inside the peripheral portion of the upper face opening of theouter case 6. This peripheral portion of the upper face opening is a portion where packing (not illustrated) mounted to theinsulated door 13 closely contact in a state where the aforementionedinsulated door 13 is closed, and the high-temperature refrigerant discharged from thecompressor 101 flows in thepipe 103. Thus, heating by this refrigerant prevents condensation which is caused by cooling from the low-temperatureinner case 7 side. This can enhance hermeticity within theouter case 6. Further, thedehydrator 106 is configured to remove moisture contained in the refrigerant. Further, thebuffer 112 includes acapillary tube 112a and anexpansion tank 112b, and the amount of the refrigerant that circulates in the firstrefrigerant circuit 100 is maintained appropriate by taking the refrigerant in the gas phase on the intake side of thefirst compressor 101 into theexpansion tank 112b through thecapillary tube 112a. - The second
refrigerant circuit 200 includes, similarly to the above, thesecond compressor 201, theupstream condenser 202 and thedownstream condenser 204, ashunt 207 configured to separate gas and liquid, thedecompressor 208 and theheat exchanger 209, and adecompressor 210 and thesecond evaporator 211. The secondrefrigerant circuit 200 is configured in an annular manner so that a refrigerant discharged from thesecond compressor 201 is returned to thesecond compressor 201 again. In the secondrefrigerant circuit 200, the refrigerant similar to the above is sealed. Further, this secondrefrigerant circuit 200 includes, similarly to the above, an oil cooler 201a, apipe 203, adehydrator 206, and abuffer 212. Here, theheat exchanger 209 includes anouter tube 209a and aninner tube 209b. Further, thebuffer 212 includes acapillary tube 212a and anexpansion tank 212b. - In the second
refrigerant circuit 200, asecond fan 205 is provided to cool theupstream condenser 202 and thedownstream condenser 204. Thesecond fan 205 is a propeller blower including afan motor 205a. - Note that the
aforementioned pipe 103 andpipe 203 are provided inside the peripheral portion of the upper face opening of theouter case 6, for example, so as to overlap each other. The aforementioned first evaporator 111 andsecond evaporator 211 are, for example, attached in such a manner as to thermally contact the outer faces except the upper face opening of theinner case 7, for example, so as not to overlap each other. - The refrigerant according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is, for example, a zeotropic refrigerant mixture containing R245fa, R600, R23, and R14. Here, R245fa indicates Pentafluoropropane (CHF2CH2CF3), and has a boiling point of +15.3°c. R600 indicates normal butane (n-C4H10), and has a boiling point of -0.5°C. R23 indicates Trifluoromethane (CHF3), and has a boiling point of -82.1°C. R14 indicates Tetrafluoromethane (CF4), and has a boiling point of -127.9°C.
- Note that R600 has a high boiling point (evaporation temperature), and easily contains oil, water, etc. Further, R245fa is a refrigerant to be made noncombustible by being mixed with R600, which is combustible, at a predetermined ratio (e.g., R245fa and R600 are in the ratio of 7:3).
- In the first
refrigerant circuit 100, the refrigerant compressed in thefirst compressor 101 radiates heat in theupstream condenser 102 and thedownstream condenser 104, and is condensed to enter the liquid phase. Then, the refrigerant in the liquid state is subjected to a moisture removal process in thedehydrator 106, and thereafter is separated, in theshunt 107, into the refrigerant in the liquid phase (mainly R245fa, R600 having a high boiling temperature) and the refrigerant in the gas state (R23, R14). Note that, in an embodiment of the present disclosure, the refrigerant having radiated heat in theupstream condenser 102 cools the oil within thefirst compressor 101 at theoil cooler 101a, and thereafter radiates heat again in thedownstream condenser 104. - The refrigerant in the separated liquid state (mainly R245fa, R600) is decompressed in the
decompressor 108, and thereafter is evaporated at theouter tube 109a in theheat exchanger 109. - The refrigerant in the separated gas state (R23, R14) is cooled and condensed by the heat of evaporation of the aforementioned refrigerant (R245fa, R600) evaporated in the
outer tube 109a and the refrigerant in the gas phase (R23, R14) returned from the first evaporator 111, while passing through theinner tube 109b of theheat exchanger 109, resulting in the refrigerant in the liquid state. At this time, the refrigerant having not been evaporated in the first evaporator 111 is evaporated. - Note that the second
refrigerant circuit 200 is similar to the above. - Further, as described above, R245fa has a boiling point of about 15°C, R600 has a boiling point of about 0°C, R23 has a boiling point of about -82°C, and R14 has a boiling point of about -128°C. Accordingly, in the first
refrigerant circuit 100 and the secondrefrigerant circuit 200, R23 and R14 in the zeotropic refrigerant mixture are cooled through vaporization action of R600, and R23, R14 having entered in the liquid phase are guided to the first evaporator 111 and thesecond evaporator 211, and evaporated. This can cause an item to be cooled, for example, to a temperature corresponding to a boiling point of R23 and R14 (e.g., about -82°C to -128°C). Note that the refrigerant having not been evaporated in the first evaporator 111 and thesecond evaporator 211 is evaporated in theheat exchangers - As described above, the
ultra-low temperature freezer 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is configured to cool the interior of thestorage compartment 4 to an ultra-low temperature of a predetermined temperature or lower (for example, -80°C or lower). - Then, as described above, the
ultra-low temperature freezer 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is formed such that the thickness of the frontinsulated wall 2A in theinsulated case 2 becomes smaller than the thicknesses of the rearinsulated wall 2B, the right insulated wall 2C, and the leftinsulated wall 2D. - With such an embodiment, when moving the
storage rack 50 in and out of thestorage compartment 4, it becomes possible for a worker to lift up and down thestorage rack 50 at a position closer to his/her standing place. This can facilitate moving thestorage rack 50 in and out of thestorage compartment 4. - In addition, it becomes possible to move the
storage rack 50 in and out of thestorage compartment 4 in a short period of time, thereby being able to reduce a period of time in which theinsulated door 13 should be kept open. This can minimize an increase in the temperature within thestorage compartment 4. - Further, it becomes possible to lift up and down the
storage rack 50 at a position closer to a worker's standing place, thereby being able to move in and out thestorage rack 50 in a less strain posture, and also enhance work safety. - Further, the
ultra-low temperature freezer 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is configured such that the insulatingmaterial 9 is filled between theinner case 7 and theouter case 6, as well as the vacuum insulatedpanel 12 is mounted between theinner case 7 and theouter case 6 only in the frontinsulated wall 2A which has a thickness smaller than thicknesses of the rearinsulated wall 2B, the right insulated wall 2C, and the leftinsulated wall 2D. - With such an embodiment, even if the thickness of the front
insulated wall 2A is made smaller than the thicknesses of the rearinsulated wall 2B, the right insulated wall 2C, and the leftinsulated wall 2D, the frontinsulated wall 2A can ensure insulation performance equivalent to the rearinsulated wall 2B, the right insulated wall 2C, and the leftinsulated wall 2D. Thus, it becomes possible to restrain power consumption to cool the interior of thestorage compartment 4 to a predetermined temperature or lower (for example, -80°C or lower). - Further, a configuration is made such that only the thickness of the front
insulated wall 2A is made smaller, while the thicknesses of the rearinsulated wall 2B, the right insulated wall 2C, and the leftinsulated wall 2D are made greater than that of the frontinsulated wall 2A. This can minimize deterioration of the strength of theinsulated case 2. Accordingly, reliability, such as failure tolerance and durability, of theultra-low temperature freezer 1 can also be maintained. - Further, the
ultra-low temperature freezer 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is configured such that the insulatingmaterial 9 is mounted between the vacuum insulatedpanel 12 and theinner case 7 in the frontinsulated wall 2A. - Such an embodiment can minimize reduction in the temperature of the vacuum insulated
panel 12 caused by theinner case 6 which is cooled to such a degree equivalent to the degree of cooling the interior of thestorage compartment 4, thereby being able to minimize degradation of insulation performance caused by damage, such as crack, fracture, and rupture, occurring in the vacuum insulatedpanel 12. Consequently, reliability, such as failure tolerance and durability of theultra-low temperature freezer 1 can be maintained. - It should be noted that the above embodiments of the present disclosure are simply to facilitate the understanding of the present disclosure and are not in any way to be construed as limiting the present disclosure. The present disclosure may variously be changed or altered without departing from its scope and encompass equivalents thereof.
-
- 1
- ultra-low temperature freezer
- 2
- insulated case
- 2A
- front insulated wall
- 2B
- rear insulated wall
- 2C
- right insulated wall
- 2D
- left insulated wall
- 2E
- insulated bottom
- 3
- machinery compartment
- 3A
- front panel
- 3B
- side panel
- 3C
- ventilation slits
- 3D
- rear panel
- 4
- storage compartment
- 6
- outer case
- 6A
- front wall
- 6B
- rear wall
- 6C
- side wall
- 6D
- rear surface cover
- 7
- inner case
- 8
- breaker
- 9
- insulating material
- 12
- vacuum insulated panel
- 13
- insulated door
- 14
- pivot member
- 15
- inner cover
- 15A
- inner cover A
- 15B
- inner cover B
- 16
- handle portion
- 21
- operation panel
- 50
- storage rack
- 51
- storage shelves
- 52
- handle
- 100
- first refrigerant circuit
- 101
- first compressor
- 101a
- oil cooler
- 102, 202
- upstream condenser
- 103, 203
- pipe
- 104, 204
- downstream condenser
- 105
- first fan
- 105a, 205a
- fan motor
- 106, 206
- dehydrator
- 107, 207
- shunt
- 108, 110, 208, 210
- decompressor
- 109, 209
- heat exchanger
- 109a, 209a
- outer tube
- 109b, 209b
- inner tube
- 111
- first evaporator
- 112, 212
- buffer
- 112a, 212a
- capillary tube
- 112b, 212b
- expansion tank
- 150
- refrigerant circuit
- 200
- second refrigerant circuit
- 201
- second compressor
- 205
- second fan
- 211
- second evaporator
Claims (5)
- An ultra-low temperature freezer comprising:an insulated case defining a storage compartment having an opening in an upper face; andan insulated door configured to be able to open and close the opening so that the storage compartment can be seen from the front face side of the insulated case,the front face of the insulated case having a thickness smaller than thicknesses of both side faces and a back face of the insulated case.
- The ultra-low temperature freezer according to claim 1, wherein
the insulated case includesan inner case whose upper face is configured to be opened,an outer case that surrounds the inner case,an insulating material filled between the inner case and the outer case, anda vacuum insulated panel mounted between the inner case and the outer case,the vacuum insulated panel being mounted only to the front face of the insulated case. - The ultra-low temperature freezer according to claim 2, wherein
the vacuum insulated panel is mounted to the front face of the insulated case such that the insulating material is interposed between the inner case and the vacuum insulated panel. - The ultra-low temperature freezer according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein
the front face has a thickness equal to or greater than 1/4 and equal to or smaller than 2/3 of the thickness of the back face. - The ultra-low temperature freezer according to claim 4, wherein
the front face has a thickness equal to or smaller than a half of the thickness of the back face.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
JP2015167042 | 2015-08-26 | ||
PCT/JP2016/072588 WO2017033679A1 (en) | 2015-08-26 | 2016-08-02 | Ultra-low temperature freezer |
Publications (3)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP3318827A1 true EP3318827A1 (en) | 2018-05-09 |
EP3318827A4 EP3318827A4 (en) | 2018-07-25 |
EP3318827B1 EP3318827B1 (en) | 2019-07-10 |
Family
ID=58100056
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP16839026.8A Active EP3318827B1 (en) | 2015-08-26 | 2016-08-02 | Ultra-low temperature freezer |
Country Status (5)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US20180180344A1 (en) |
EP (1) | EP3318827B1 (en) |
JP (1) | JP6437660B2 (en) |
CN (1) | CN107923696A (en) |
WO (1) | WO2017033679A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US11079163B2 (en) * | 2018-06-27 | 2021-08-03 | Standex International Corporation | Method for controlling defrost in refrigeration systems |
US11434677B2 (en) * | 2019-07-24 | 2022-09-06 | Haier Us Appliance Solutions, Inc. | Freezer with releasable door hinges |
USD947257S1 (en) * | 2019-10-11 | 2022-03-29 | Hefei Hualing Co., Ltd. | Refrigerator |
DE102022125137A1 (en) | 2022-09-29 | 2024-04-04 | Liebherr-Hausgeräte Ochsenhausen GmbH | Refrigerator and/or freezer |
DE102022125163A1 (en) | 2022-09-29 | 2024-04-04 | Karlsruher lnstitut für Technologie, Körperschaft des öffentlichen Rechts | Freezer |
Family Cites Families (17)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2664716A (en) * | 1954-01-05 | Refrigeration apparatus and method employing | ||
US2411296A (en) * | 1943-07-30 | 1946-11-19 | Gen Motors Corp | Refrigerating apparatus |
JPS57169978U (en) * | 1981-04-20 | 1982-10-26 | ||
JPS60149862A (en) * | 1984-01-17 | 1985-08-07 | 三洋電機株式会社 | Two tank type low temperature box |
GB2180921B (en) * | 1985-09-25 | 1990-01-24 | Sanyo Electric Co | Refrigeration system |
JPH0267855U (en) * | 1988-11-08 | 1990-05-23 | ||
US5950450A (en) * | 1996-06-12 | 1999-09-14 | Vacupanel, Inc. | Containment system for transporting and storing temperature-sensitive materials |
JPH10300330A (en) * | 1997-04-25 | 1998-11-13 | Sanyo Electric Co Ltd | Low temperature storage cabinet |
US6260377B1 (en) * | 1999-03-05 | 2001-07-17 | Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. | Refrigerating apparatus |
JP3733079B2 (en) * | 2002-03-29 | 2006-01-11 | 三洋電機株式会社 | Cold storage |
WO2005003658A2 (en) * | 2003-07-04 | 2005-01-13 | Electrolux Home Products Corporation N.V. | Cabinet refrigerating system |
JP4231826B2 (en) * | 2004-08-20 | 2009-03-04 | ヤンマー株式会社 | Refrigeration container |
JP4566111B2 (en) * | 2005-10-13 | 2010-10-20 | 三洋電機株式会社 | Cold storage |
JP2007107858A (en) * | 2005-10-17 | 2007-04-26 | Sanyo Electric Co Ltd | Refrigerator |
KR20070091465A (en) * | 2006-03-06 | 2007-09-11 | 삼성전자주식회사 | Refrigerator |
JP5026736B2 (en) * | 2006-05-15 | 2012-09-19 | パナソニックヘルスケア株式会社 | Refrigeration equipment |
US20100287974A1 (en) * | 2009-05-15 | 2010-11-18 | Whirlpool Corporation | Insulation panels applied to or as a feature module |
-
2016
- 2016-08-02 CN CN201680046753.3A patent/CN107923696A/en active Pending
- 2016-08-02 JP JP2017536711A patent/JP6437660B2/en active Active
- 2016-08-02 EP EP16839026.8A patent/EP3318827B1/en active Active
- 2016-08-02 WO PCT/JP2016/072588 patent/WO2017033679A1/en active Application Filing
-
2018
- 2018-02-20 US US15/900,569 patent/US20180180344A1/en not_active Abandoned
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
WO2017033679A1 (en) | 2017-03-02 |
EP3318827B1 (en) | 2019-07-10 |
JP6437660B2 (en) | 2018-12-12 |
EP3318827A4 (en) | 2018-07-25 |
US20180180344A1 (en) | 2018-06-28 |
CN107923696A (en) | 2018-04-17 |
JPWO2017033679A1 (en) | 2018-04-26 |
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