FR2599344A1 - Device for the hygrometric regulation of an enclosure - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates more particularly to a device for ensuring the humidification of the atmosphere inside an enclosure 10 whose temperature is likely to change between a level corresponding to a temperature for the deep freezing of products and a temperature higher than the ambient temperature, and the device is characterised in that it comprises horizontal blades 2, 3, 4, one above the other along at least part of a wall 9 of the said enclosure 10, the blades being connected to an external water supply source 24, 25 capable of covering the said blades with a layer of water in the liquid state, each of the blades comprising means allowing the flow of the excess water by gravity over the said blade towards the blade immediately.

Description

The present invention relates to a device making it possible to regulate the degree of humidification, at a point close to saturation, of an enclosure with conditioned atmosphere.

The invention relates more particularly to enclosures such as bedrooms or cupboards, the atmosphere of which is conditioned by temperature, hygrometry (and possibly by pressure) in order to ensure the processing of food products.

In many circumstances, during a specific phase of their processing, food products must undergo a process, the phases of which require the maintenance of precise parameters, in particular in temperature and humidity.

Under these conditions, such products are kept in a closed enclosure, the atmosphere of which is controlled in humidity and temperature according to predetermined cycles.

This is particularly the case for bread products, the preparation of which is today integrated into a cycle frequently comprising an industrial phase, the products frequently being subjected to a conservation phase in the frozen state and being delivered in this state to the processor. final.

At the level of the transformation of the product to reach its final state constituting a marketable product suitable for consumption, the doses of products in particular bread-making must undergo a complex cycle ensuring first of all the maintenance of their frozen state for a time necessary in a way to build up a buffer stock, then a thawing phase according to a determined cycle, followed by a rest phase and then a fermentation step to obtain a leavened product available for the final cooking side.

These various stages presuppose the maintenance of the product in one or more successive enclosures whose temperature and above all the hygrometric degree will be severely controlled.

In particular, the humidity level must, in most cases, be maintained at a point close to the saturation point, regardless of the thermal cycle.

However, it is difficult to maintain a constant degree of humidity, in particular close to the degree of saturation, while moreover the thermal cycle follows an independent curve.

It is in fact understood that the saturation point changes as a function of the temperature.

We know the devices that aim to cause a supply of moisture in the form of vapor caused from hot water and possibly water close to the boiling temperature; however, the supply of humidity in the form of hot steam interferes with the thermal cycle, which is then difficult to control; in addition, when hot steam is introduced into an enclosure, for example during heating, but the walls or mass of the products of which is still at a temperature much lower than ambient temperature, the introduction of hot steam rapidly causes condensation on the products and creation of a surface layer of water in the liquid state, while the products must breathe, the water must therefore remain in the vapor state.

It is difficult under these conditions to obtain a device which ensures at all times of the thermal cycle a controlled humidification, both in the cold period and in the hot period, the humidity being constantly maintained at a point close to the saturation point without however, generate condensation on the products from hot steam brought into contact with still cold products.

French patent No. 73 30 691 discloses, in the name of the applicants, a device integrated into a storage cabinet with ambient regulation and in which the humidity is maintained by the installation of a storage surface. of this moisture and consisting of horizontal fins capable of absorbing by condensation on their surface the moisture exuded from the products (in particular bread-making products before cooking such as dough pieces), this moisture then being returned to the interior atmosphere during transition to hot phase by warming the ambient air.

However, this device, if it is useful and effective in the context of a programmed fermentation chamber, does not meet all the needs encountered in the stages of transformation of products delivered in the frozen state.

Indeed, in the case where the dough pieces are introduced in the fresh state into the growth chamber, the humidity which they contain internally and which quickly fills the atmosphere thanks to the large exchange surface which the dough pieces represent, sufficient to provide the humidity-allowing saturation of the atmosphere, initially maintained in a cold phase to inhibit fermentation; and this moisture released by the dough pieces is absorbed by the storage device that constitutes the horizontal fins to be returned during the temperature rise phase corresponding to the period of fermentation or growth.

However in the case where the products are introduced into the enclosure in the frozen state, that is to say at a temperature in which the water which they contain is retained in the solid state within the mass of the products, there is not emitted in the enclosure any notable humidity coming from food products in the frozen state; and it may be necessary, depending on the desired cycle (humidity temperature) in order to successively cause defrosting, conservation at low temperature then fermentation) to provide a supply of humidity from the outside.

French patent No. 84 02 778 meets this object and makes it possible to ensure a source of humidity in a packaging, storage and fermentation enclosure for bread products; and the humidity made available to regulate the hygrometry of the interior atmosphere of the enclosure according to patent 84 02 778 has this advantage of being dispersed at ambient temperature; so that the humidity supply is in reality independent of any thermal contribution, the humidity being delivered into the enclosure in the form of water vapor at the temperature of the interior volume of the enclosure, therefore without risk to cause neither a contribution of calories source of disturbance in the thermal cycle, nor a parasitic condensation on the surface of the products.

French patent 84 02778 provides for this purpose a succession of water receiving tanks stepped one above the other with a slow flow circuit from one tank to another.

The present invention provides an improvement to the device known from French patents 73 30691 and 84 02778.

In fact, in the device according to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a supply of external humidity, delivered and made available within the enclosure at the ambient temperature prevailing in this enclosure without contribution of parasitic calories.

And yet the device according to the present invention makes it possible to implement the devices for dispersing calories and / or frigories constituted by the fins associated with the circuit of the coolant or coolant according to the phases of the cycle followed.

In particular within the framework of the present invention, the same device can be used at the same time - to ensure the refrigeration of the atmosphere - to ensure at a determined time the heating of this atmosphere (for example for the fermentation of the products) - and at the same time humidity regulation without interference with thermal regulation.

And the same set, integrated into the conditioning enclosure will therefore insure both the thermal cycle and the humidity cycle.

To this end, the invention relates to a device for ensuring the humidification of the interior atmosphere of an enclosure whose temperature is liable to change between a level corresponding to a freezing temperature of the products and a temperature higher than ambient temperature. , and the device is characterized in that it comprises horizontal blades staggered along at least part of a wall of said enclosure, the blades being associated with an external source of water supply capable of covering said blades a layer of water in the liquid state, each of the blades comprising means allowing the flow by gravity of the excess water on said blade to the immediately lower blade.

Preferably, the blades are made of sheets of metal sheet such as steel or aluminum.

According to another particular feature, the blades constitute the fins for dispersing calories and / or frigories and are associated with a circulation coil of a coolant or coolant connected to a source of heat and / or cold.

According to another characteristic, the blades are substantially flat and are arranged in a substantially horizontal plane, and each blade has a punctual zone of rupture in the flatness, this zone constituting the means of excess batten flow flowing by gravity on the lower blade.

For example, said rupture zone is constituted by a solution of continuity, such as a perforation or a recess in the surface of the blade and suitable for causing the flow of water downwards.

According to another embodiment, said rupture zone is constituted by a downward inclination or slope given to an edge of said blade by causing the excess moisture to flow towards the lower blade.
According to a more particular characteristic, said blades include a surface treatment capable of adjusting the solid liquid surface tension between the water flowing and the wall of the blade constituting the support receiving the circulating water.

Preferably, the device consists of a superposition of blades staggered horizontally in the bottom of the wall of the enclosure and the device thus formed is associated with means for circulating the ambient air such that this air is led to regularly and constantly lick the walls of said receiving layers of the water layer by entraining water into the atmosphere as it evaporates.

According to another characteristic, the device is associated with a water hoe connected to an external supply, for example to the city's water supply network and leading to a flow spout disposed vertically above the upper blade.

And the device comprises in the lower position a receiving tank located at the base of the lowest blade and capable of receiving the flow of the device overflow.

According to another characteristic, the upper power source includes a solenoid valve with programmed action.

And preferably the solenoid valve is associated with a central control means itself associated with a probe capable of continuously measuring the humidity of the interior atmosphere of the enclosure and of sending opening orders. to the electro-yanne according to the humidity requirements thus noted.

And according to another characteristic, said blades have, on their horizontal wall, unevenness in relief whose hollow face is turned upwards, these hollows being able to constitute water reserves on the surface of said blades.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge from the description which follows and which is given in relation to particular embodiments.

FIG. 1 represents a schematic sectional view of the device according to the invention installed in an enclosure with an conditioned atmosphere for the treatment of food products such as dough or bread products.

FIG. 2 represents a detailed perspective view of the humidity distribution and distribution blades according to the invention.

FIG. 3 represents a schematic view in front elevation of the device according to the invention and showing the distribution of the humidification fluid.

Figure 4 shows a view identical to Figure 3 but according to an alternative embodiment of the humidification blades.

According to Figures 1 and 2 we see that the device consists of horizontal blades 1,2,3,4 further constituting heat loss surfaces or frigories from the coil whose elements 5,6,7 and 8 are arranged vertically and are associated with the blades constituting the cooling / heating fins.

The device shown in partial view and enlarged in Figure 2 is arranged for example near the bottom 9 of the packaging enclosure 10 (Figure 1).

The enclosure 10 has shelves or shelves 11,12,13,14 which are stepped so as to allow the storage of food products, for example dough pieces or bread products 15,16,17,18.

The enclosure 10 can be programmed for a specific use or as a function of the thermal cycles made possible by the refrigeration / cooling system; it can be adapted to a whole succession of programmed operations from thawing, resting, fermentation, etc.

In the course of these operations the temperature can be obtained by two combined heating and cooling means respectively; the refrigerating means being in any event constituted by the coil whose vertical parts 5, 6, 7 and 8 are shown in the figure and the coil being connected in a known manner to a compressor capable of circulating the refrigerant in the coil, the dispersion and loss of frigories being obtained at the blades or fins 1,2,3 and 4.

The heat source can be constituted by a heating resistor possibly incorporated or associated with the lower blower 19.

However, it can optionally be provided that the coil is supplied from a single heating / cooling assembly so that the fluid flowing in the coil (that is to say in the vertical elements 5, 6, 7 and 8) is successively brought to appropriate negative or positive temperatures according to the desired thermal cycle and this cycle being programmed by means known per se.

The fins made up of blades or sheets (steel, aluminum) are arranged on a substantially horizontal plane.

And they comprise, according to FIG. 2, unevenness in relief, in particular hollows respectively 20, 21, 22, 23 whose concave face is oriented upwards.

These recesses can play the role of stiffener by ensuring the flatness of the blades 1,2,3,4; but they will also play the role of receptacle making it possible to contain a reserve of water under the conditions specified above.

The upper blade 1 is located vertically with one or preferably two water distributors respectively 24,25 connected to a water source from a local reserve or from the city water supply network.

These nozzles or dispensing spouts 24.25 discharge at a regulated rate a trickle of water which spreads over the upper blade 1.

The latter comprises, like all the other blades 2,3,4 one and preferably two orifices or solutions of continuity 26,27 which are arranged successively on stepped blades; according to manufacturing convenience, the perforations 26, 27 are located one vertically from the other.

Thus, the water which has been poured out by the nozzles 24 and 25 and which spreads over the whole of the blade 1 is caused to be poured drop by drop through the orifices 26 and 27 and it falls on the inner blade 2 substantially nearby. edges of the corresponding orifices of the blade 2, namely the perforations 26 ', 27'.

The blades are provided with an appropriate coating such as a paint with a surface-active effect so as to allow the solid / liquid surface tension to be adjusted between the blade and the film of water which spreads over each blade.

The streams of water coming from the spouts 24 and 25 flowing substantially continuously, the successive blades 2,3,4 are covered on the surface one after the other with a surface film which fills the capacities 22,23 and which constitute a reserve permanently maintained by the upper inlet from the spouts 24 and 25, until all the blades are covered with a film of water in the liquid state.

When all the blades have been thus coated with this film, the overflow which continues to flow from the upper blade downwards can then be received by the lower tank 28 and flows outwards at 29.

It can be seen that under these conditions a source of humidity is permanently maintained, when the interior temperature is positive, according to a large developed surface corresponding to the added surface of the blades or fins superimposed 1,2,3,4.

The air which is circulated by the blower 19 travels through the bottom 9 of the corresponding wall of the enclosure and spreads throughout the interior capacity of the enclosure, passing over and between the successive blades, consequently licking the film of moisture retained and adsorbed on the surface of each blade, charging moisture accordingly, this air then licking the products stored on the shelves or shelves and maintaining a humid atmosphere and thereby renewing the surface moisture on the products each time the internal development of the product would bring a risk of drying out on the surface with the formation of a crust; thus the air which is renewed on the surface of the products is thus a vector of moisture reincorporated superficially on the products.

This humidity is however by definition at room temperature and it does not rely on any intake of calories; the vapor thus circulated is exactly adapted to the interior temperature.

And when the coil becomes (possibly) a carrier of calories by circulating a heating fluid, there is no drying out of the atmosphere since the rise in temperature is accompanied by a greater production of humidity with elevation of the dew point consequently causing a greater flow of humidity, the degree of humidity within the enclosure therefore remaining close to the saturation point.

FIG. 24 shows a variant in which the overflow of a blade onto the lower blade is not effected by a perforation but by an inclination of a terminal edge 30 of the blade 31 whose overflow comes from '' drip towards the edge below and slightly raised 32 of the blade 33.

A circulation of the fluid is thus obtained maintaining a film on the surface of the blades according to the arrows in the figure.

Claims (12)

1 - Device for humidifying the interior atmosphere of an enclosure (10), the temperature of which is liable to change between a level corresponding to a freezing temperature of the products and a temperature above ambient temperature, characterized in that it comprises horizontal blades (2,3,4) stepped along at least part of a wall (9) of said enclosure (10), the blades being associated with an external source of water supply (24 , 25) able to cover said blades with a layer of water in the liquid state, each of the blades comprising means allowing gravity flow of the excess water on said blade to the immediately lower blade. 2 - Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the blades (1,2,3) consist of sheets of metal sheet such as steel or aluminum. 3 - Device according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the blades (1,2,3,4) constitute the fins for dispersing calories and / or frigories and are associated with a coil (8) of circulation of a coolant or coolant connected to a source of heat and / or cold.  4 - Device according to one of claims 1,2 or 2, characterized in that the blades are substantially planar and are arranged in a substantially horizontal plane, and each blade punctually has a rupture zone in the flatness, this zone constituting the means of flow of excess water flowing by gravity on the lower blade. 5 - Device according to claim 4, characterized in that the rupture zone is constituted by a continuity solution, such as a perforation or a recess (26,26 ') in the surface of the blade and suitable for causing the water flow down. 6 - Device according to claim 4, characterized in that said rupture zone is constituted by a downward inclination or slope (30) given to an edge of said blade by causing the flow by gravity of the excess of humidity towards the lower blade. 7 - Device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said blades comprise a surface treatment capable of adjusting the liquid / clide surface tension between the water flowing and the wall of the blade constituting the receptor support of the circulating water. 8 - Device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it consists of a superposition of blades staged horizontally near the wall constituting the vertical bottom of the enclosure and the device thus formed is associated with means for circulating (19) the ambient air such that this air is led to regularly and constantly lick the walls of said receiving layers of the water layer by entraining water in the atmosphere as and as it evaporates. 9 - Device according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it is associated with a source of water connected to an external supply for example to the city's water supply network and leading to a spout flow (24) disposed vertically on the upper blade. 10 - Device according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it comprises in the lower position a receiving tank (28) located directly above the lowest blade and capable of receiving the overflow of the device. 11 - Device according to claim 9, characterized in that the upper power source comprises a solenoid valve with programmed action and associated with a central control means itself associated with a probe capable of permanently measuring the hygrometry of the interior atmosphere of the enclosure and to send opening orders to the solenoid valve according to the humidity requirements thus noted. 12 - Device according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that said blades have on their horizontal wall unevenness in relief (22,23) whose hollow face is turned upward, these hollows being able to constitute water reserves on the surface of said blades.