FR2696533A1 - Portable heating or cooling appts. acting on drink - uses closed tube with divider that can be opened and closed to allow chemical reaction that generates heat or cools - Google Patents

Abstract

The closed tube is inserted in a liquid to be heated or cooled and the process initiated by operating a divider between two chambers, initiating a reaction between two materials that produces a temperature differential along the tube. The tube contains water at one end and a zeolitic solid at the other. The divider can be rotated by a magnet to place the two chambers in communication. The device can be regenerated by electrically heating (7) the solid end, turning on a fan, driving the water out, then re-closing the divider. ADVANTAGE - Portable heater/cooler that can be kept at room temperature, retains its capacity indefinitely, and can be used without any external energy.

Description

 The present invention relates to a device for cooling, refrigerating or heating a liquid contained in a container of any size.

 It is known to cool the content of a liquid in a small container, in particular that intended for everyday consumption, ie a table glass, by simply introducing a piece of ice cube or, for larger containers a eutectic solution contained in a package and previously cooled.

 However, the means used come from a cold zone, for example from a refrigerator, since they are used in the solid state, that is to say that they have been brought to their freezing temperature for a time sufficient to be used. It is therefore essential to have a cooling device of the refrigerator type near its place of consumption.

 One can however overcome the drawback of the presence of such a cooling device using a thermally insulated container or enclosure intended for the transport of refrigerated products; in this case the possible duration of use of the cold depends on the quality of the insulation of such a device.

 In addition, ice has the disadvantage of adding a certain volume to the liquid intended to be cooled.

It is also possible to have a cooling device of the compressor type driven by a heat engine, or of the absorption type, heated by the combustion of a hydrocarbon, this is particularly the case for the transport vehicles constituting the chain. cold, but in this case you still need energy to keep it running
These existing devices always require a source of energy, ie a means of conservation at a determined time of use. In addition, these are generally means disproportionate to the goal: to cool a small amount of liquid.

 Likewise, wanting to heat a small amount of liquid in the absence of any energy is a problem that often arises. To be able to make a fire, you must either have fuel or find wood, which is not always compatible with the place or situation in which you find yourself.

 The object of the present invention is to remedy these various drawbacks, in particular that of an indefinite conservation of energy, and an ability to act whatever the atmosphere and the ambient temperature. Without disturbing the environment in any way by filming and having a very large amount of energy per amount transported, greater than that of water ice.

The cooling or refrigerating or heating device according to the invention is remarkable in that it can be stored indefinitely at room temperature before use.
Preferably, the cooling or refrigerating or heating device is characterized in that it consists of a single piece shaped as a cylinder or a finger intended to be placed in said liquid to be cooled or to be refrigerated or to be heated, comprising, inter alia, two materials, one liquid, the other solid, allowing the evaporation of the internal liquid or the heating of the solid part during the adsorption of the liquid by the solid. Evaporation leading to cooling, adsorption causing the solid to heat up.

 According to one embodiment of the invention, said device is preferably placed in a container containing the liquid in a vertical or substantially vertical position resting on a wall and on the bottom of said container.

 Preferably the liquid material is water and the solid material of the zeolite.

 According to a particular embodiment of the invention, said device consists of a single piece comprising two chambers intended to receive one of the zeolite, other than water, these two chambers being separated by a third chamber called " buffer".

 Preferably said "buffer zone" is a spherical space or not delimited by a seat of spherical shape or not on which can be applied a free valve or not of the same shape as the seat to achieve a seal necessary for the non communication of the two spaces , on the other side of this zone the valve will rest on a surface leaving a space for a controlled circulation of steam.

 The opposite seat will preferably be a spherical or non-spherical space, the surface of which will be traversed by channels ensuring communication between the two zones, so that, when the valve is placed on this side of the buffer zone, a passage is possible for water vapor, and that this gas flow is a determined flow. This is for the two cases where water vapor circulates in the buffer zone.

 A particular embodiment of the valve will consist of making it in whole or in part in a magnetic material, which will allow it to be moved using a magnet or an electromagnet.

 To regenerate said cooling, refrigeration or heating device of the invention described above, the invention provides a regeneration device contained in a container consisting of two compartments separated by an insulator and an orifice in which is placed or said cooling or heating devices are arranged.

 For cooling devices, preferably the upper compartment comprises heating resistors and a fan and the lower compartment comprises a fan ensuring circulation of outside air. For heating devices, the position of the fan heating and cooling means will be reversed. Any other means of heating, infrared radiation, solar concentration, microwave, may be used without departing from the scope of the present invention.

 The present invention provides a direct application of this device intended to be placed in a small container, such as, glass, cup, cups, but also in larger containers of the carafe, bottle type, intended to cool or heat the liquid content, or serve as a cold or hot source in a small transport container.

The present invention will be described in more detail with the aid of FIGS. 1 to 6:
FIG. 1 represents the cooling device in the regeneration phase,
FIG. 2 represents the device of FIG. I in the conservation phase,
FIG. 3 represents the device of FIG. 1 in the use phase,
FIG. 4 represents a schematic view of the regeneration device for the cooling devices,
FIG. 5 represents the heating device, an alternative embodiment of the invention in the conservation phase,
- Figure 6 shows the heating device in the regeneration phase.

 The present invention will first be described by the cooling device. This device as shown in the figures is intended to cool the drink contained in any table glass.

 It is in the form of a finger which is a glass tube (1) light enough not to entrain the glass (20) in a fall. It mainly consists of two chambers (21) and (22); the first (21) contains zeolite (2) and the second water (23).

 The zeolite (2) in the form of a granule is held in the first chamber (21) compactly by a glass cloth, metal or a perforated metal plate (3).

These two chambers (21) and (22) are separated by a third chamber called "buffer zone" (24): it allows, thanks to the ball (5) that it contains
The evaporation of the water (23) from the chamber (22) towards the chamber (21) during the regeneration of the device. This buffer zone (24) is constituted by a seat (4), open in a spherical shape, and a support (25) open and in a spherical shape, perforated or having grooves connected to a cane spout (6) opening into the chamber (22). The cane spout (6), the grooved seat (25) allowing water vapor to pass in a controlled manner during the regeneration or the cooling use of the device.

 Said seat (4) and said support (25) delimits a spherical space (26) (buffer zone) receiving said ball (5). This ball rests on the grooved seat (25) in the use or regeneration phase and on the seat (4) in the conservation phase.

 The cane spout mentioned above allows, during the passage of the regeneration conservation steps described below, to maintain a sufficient volume of water (23) in the chamber (22) (Figure 2). The length will be such that, during the conservation phase, the water does not obstruct the vent of the said cane beak.

 The operation of the cooling device of the invention and its regeneration will now be described in detail.

 To regenerate said cooling device of the present invention, it is necessary to have it in the regeneration device shown diagrammatically in FIG. 4. This enclosure (30) has two compartments (31) and (32) separated by an insulator (10 ). The finger or glass tube (1) is introduced into said enclosure (30) through an orifice (33). When the tube (1) is disposed in the orifice (33) of the enclosure (30) the chamber (24) is opposite with the insulator (10) making a heat seal between the chambers (30 ) and (31). The chambers (21) and (22) are respectively opposite with the compartments (31) and (30).

The compartment (31), called upper compartment, includes heating resistors (7) sufficiently powerful for the temperature of the zeolite (2) disposed in the chamber (21) of the glass tube (1) to reach 300 "C , the fan (8) ensuring a faster transfer of the heat given off by the resistors (7) to the zeolite (2).

 The compartment (30) called the lower compartment, only comprises a fan (9) intended to ensure that the lower part of the tube (1) is kept at the lowest possible temperature, that is to say to ensure the condensation of the water (23). in the chamber (22) of the tube (1). Optionally, a metal protection (40) can be added to the ends of the tube (1), this protection (40) can also be a metal glass passage allowing faster heat transmission in both directions.

 For the same reason, the speed of thermal transmission, a glass-to-metal passage can ensure thermal transmission between the chamber (21) of the tube (1) containing the zeolite (2), on either side of this passage, the those skilled in the art will give the most suitable form for good efficiency.

 As part of the regeneration phase of the heating or cooling device, the ball 5 naturally or obligatorily rests on the support allowing the free passage of water vapor.

 For good regeneration of the cooling or heating device, the heating resistors (7) of the regeneration device are put into operation as well as the fan (8) so that the temperature of the zeolite reaches 250 to 3000 C.

 Once the temperature has been reached, the heating of the resistors 7 is stopped, while simultaneously with this stop, the assembly is turned over by half a turn. All the water contained in the zeolite is then in the chamber (22). The cooling device is found in the regeneration device in the position shown in FIG. 2. The fan (8) continues to operate to cool the the zeolite (2). The chamber (22) is located in a stream of cold air due to the continuity of the action of the fan (9) of the compartment (32). The ball (5) rests on its seat (4) and therefore closes any communication between the chambers (21) and (22).

 As a result, the temperature of the assembly decreases. Once a temperature below 40 C is reached, the cooling device can then be used, or perhaps kept vertically in this state indefinitely.

 In the case of the heating device, the seal made by the ball similarly separates the chamber containing the water from the chamber containing the zeolite, but in the conservation position, the zeolite is in the high position and the water in the low position. Similarly, the regeneration device, in the case of heating devices, is reversed. That is to say the heating means is located in the lower part of the regeneration device.

 In the use phase for the cooling device, said tube (1) is again inverted in the same position as in the regeneration phase; the ball (5) then rests on the support (25) and therefore leaves a possible passage for water vapor through the nozzle (6) and the grooves of the support (25). It is placed in the container (20), resting on one of the walls. Thus the liquid to be cooled (40) is in contact with the chamber (22), containing the water (23) of the tube (1).

The zeolite (2) being dry, the partial pressure of noncondensable gases being sufficiently low, less than 10-t mm Hg, the water (23) evaporates, sucked in by the zeolite (2) which in the dry maintenance state a partial steam pressure less than 10-1 mm Hg. This causes the water (23) and therefore the liquid (40) to cool by conduction through the wall of the chamber (22).

 In the use phase for the heating device, Figure 5, storage phase, Figure 6 regeneration or use phase, there is an inversion, i.e. the duckbill (6C) is placed on the side of the support (4C) sealed ball seat (5C). During regeneration, the water vapor condenses in the chamber (22C); during the storage phase, the zeolite (2C) in the chamber (21C) is found in the high position. In the position of use, the chamber (21C) is immersed in the liquid or the product to be heated, the pressures being of the same order of magnitude as in the case of cooling applications, the water (23C) contained in the chamber ( 22C) evaporates, the adsorption by the zeolite of water vapor is an exothermic reaction, therefore, the chamber (21C) heats up and transmits heat to the product or liquid around it.

 These embodiments of the invention described above are neither exhaustive nor limiting to other possible embodiments of the invention.

 Among other things, either on the side of the chamber (21) or (21C) and / or on the side of the chamber (22) or (22C) it is possible to integrate using metal glass and / or metal ceramic welding internal and / or external metallic means passing through the wall of the chambers, making it possible to accelerate the heat exchanges.

 Another variant, the ball comprises a metallic part sensitive to magnetization. It is set in motion with the help of an electromagnet which can either maintain it in the closed position or open it. In addition, if this electromagnet is made integral with the motor described in FR 89 15952, it is possible to regulate the temperature on the use side in both cases of use.

 Another variant, the finger may be held by a bracket which can make it perform a half turn, and it is then the container containing the product to be cooled or heated which is then approached the chamber used for the product to exchange the heat. with the tip of the finger. It is then possible when the desired temperature in the product is reached to make a half turn with the finger and thus stop its operation.

Claims (9)

CLAIMS * t * A * A *} \ * t  1 / Device for cooling, refrigerating or heating a liquid contained in a container which can be kept indefinitely at room temperature before use, characterized in that the device has a reserve of heating and cooling energy which can be kept without modification when the communication between the chambers (21) and (22) is closed.  2 / A cooling, refrigeration or heating device according to claim I characterized in that it consists of a single piece shaped as a finger intended to be placed in said liquid to be cooled (40), to be refrigerated or to be heated and comprising, inter alia, two materials, one liquid (23), the other solid (2), allowing the evaporation of the internal liquid (23) in order to obtain cooling or heating of the liquid (40) if the chamber (22) is in the liquid (40), or the heating if the chamber (21c) containing the solid is immersed in the same liquid  3 / A cooling, refrigerating or heating device according to any one of claims 1 or 2 characterized in that the finger is held vertically by any system which can allow it to perform a U-turn in one direction or the other. thus allowing the finger to operate according to user demand  4 / A cooling, refrigeration or heating device according to claim 2 characterized in that the liquid material is water.  5 / A cooling, refrigeration or heating device according to claim 2 characterized in that the solid material is a zeolite.  6 / A cooling, refrigeration or heating device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it consists of a single piece comprising two chambers (21, 23) intended to receive one the zeolite (2) , the other water (23), these two chambers (21,23) being separated by a third chamber (26) called "buffer zone".  7 / A cooling, refrigerating or heating device according to claim 6 characterized in that said "buffer zone" (26) is a spherical space or not delimited by two open seats (4) and (25), of spherical shape or not receiving a spherical ball or not suitable for seats ensuring when it rests on the seat (4) the seal, and leaving the passage of water vapor in the case of use or in the case of regeneration.  8 / A cooling, refrigerating or heating device according to claim 7 characterized in that said support (25) is perforated or has grooves so as to let the water vapor pass in a determined manner during the phase of use for cooling.  9 / A cooling, refrigeration or heating device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the spherical ball or not placed in the buffer zone can be totally or include a magnetic core and can thus be moved in any position by an electromagnet or a permanent magnet external to the device.