GB2589833A

GB2589833A - Mobile refrigerator

Info

Publication number: GB2589833A
Application number: GB1915236.2A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Andrews Simon
Original assignee: Quickfreeze Ltd
Current assignee: Quickfreeze Ltd
Priority date: 2019-10-22
Filing date: 2019-10-22
Publication date: 2021-06-16
Also published as: GB201915236D0

Abstract

A mobile refrigerator comprises a trailer 12 towable by a vehicle. The trailer comprises a housing 14 with access means moveable between an open and a closed condition. The housing defines an enclosed space 16 when the access means is in a closed condition. The mobile refrigerator further comprises an 80 Bar pressure rated CO2 refrigerator system 18 comprising an evaporator 19 located within the housing, a condensing unit 20 located outside the housing, and an expansion valve (22, fig 2). The trailer may be a box trailer. The condensing unit and a control panel 24 may be located on a front outer surface 26 at the front of the trailer. The control panel may be located above the condensing unit. The refrigeration system may comprise a fan 30 integrated with the evaporator and the temperature in the space may be controlled from 5 Celsius to minus 20 Celsius. A method of cooling an enclosed space is also described.

Description

TITLE

Mobile refrigerator

TECHNOLOGICAL FIELD

Examples of the disclosure relate to mobile refrigerators, and particularly mobile refrigerators comprising a carbon dioxide refrigeration system.

BACKGROUND

Carbon dioxide (CO2) refrigeration system are known for cooling an enclosed space, for instance in a refrigerator. The refrigeration circuit typically comprises an evaporator, a condensation unit, and an expansion valve. The CO2 is the refrigerant in such systems and is contained within a 'closed circuit loop'.

In use, liquid CO2 in the evaporator located in the enclosed space absorbs heat from the enclosed space causing it to evaporate to a gas and superheat. The superheated CO2 gas is then drawn into the condensing unit located outside the enclosed space through a suction line.

Inside the condensing unit the superheated CO2 gas is compressed and forced through a heat exchanger, e.g. a heat exchanger coil, condensing it into a liquid and rejecting the heat previously absorbed from the enclosed space. The condensing units heat exchanger is generally cooled by a fan blowing outside air through it.

The liquid CO2 then passes through the expansion valve back to the evaporator via a liquid line. On passing through the expansion valve the liquid CO2 undergoes an abrupt decrease in pressure resulting in an adiabatic flash evaporation and auto-refrigeration returning the CO2 to its original state to repeat the cycle.

There is a desire to provide mobile refrigerators comprising a CO2 refrigeration system.

BRIEF SUMMARY

According to various, but not necessarily all, examples of the disclosure there is provided a mobile refrigerator, wherein the mobile refrigerator comprises: a trailer towable by a vehicle, wherein the trailer comprises a housing with access means moveable between an open and a closed condition, the housing defining an enclosed space when the access means is in a closed condition; and a CO2 refrigerator system, wherein the CO2 refrigerator system comprises: an evaporator located within the housing; a condensing unit located outside the housing; and an expansion valve; wherein the CO2 refrigerator system is pressure rated to at least 80 bar.

The trailer may be towable by a car. The trailer may be a box trailer.

The condensing unit may have a height dimension of less than 15°0 mm, a width dimension of less than 1300 mm, and a depth dimension of less than 600 mm. The condensing unit may have a height dimension of less than 1000 mm, a width dimension of less than 900 mm, and a depth dimension of less than 400 mm.

The condensing unit may be located outside the housing at the front of the trailer. The condensing unit may be located on a front outer surface of the trailer.

The mobile refrigerator may comprise a control panel located outside of the housing. The control panel may be located outside the housing at the front of the trailer. The control panel may be located on a front outer surface of the trailer. The control panel may be located on a front outer surface of the trailer above the condensing unit.

The CO2 refrigerator system may be configured to cool the enclosed space to a selected temperature of from 5°C to about -20°C. The temperature may be selected using the control panel.

The refrigerator may comprise a fan located within the housing to circulate air. The fan may be comprised in the evaporator.

According to various, but not necessarily all, examples of the disclosure there is provided a method comprising: cooling an enclosed space defined by a housing of a trailer towable by a vehicle when an access means into the housing is in a closed condition, wherein the enclosed space is cooled by a CO2 refrigerator system, wherein the CO2 refrigerator system comprises: an evaporator located within the housing; a condensing unit located outside the housing; and an expansion valve; wherein the CO2 refrigerator system is pressure rated to at least 80 bar.

The method may comprise cooling the enclosed space to a selected temperature of from 5°C to about -20°C. The method may comprise selecting the required temperature using a control panel.

The apparatus may comprise any of the features described in any of the preceding statements or following description.

The methods may comprise any of the features described in any of the preceding statements or following description.

According to various, but not necessarily all, examples of the disclosure there may be provided examples as claimed in the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

For a better understanding of various examples that are useful for understanding the detailed description, reference will now be made by way of example only to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 diagrammatically illustrates a mobile refrigerator; and Fig. 2 schematically illustrates the CO2 refrigerator system of the mobile refrigerator of Fig. 1

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Fig. 1 diagrammatically illustrates a mobile refrigerator 10. The mobile refrigerator 10 comprises a trailer 12 towable by a vehicle. In some examples, the trailer is towable by a car. Accordingly, the trailer is of a size, shape and weight such that it may legally be towed by a car. In the illustrated example, the trailer is a box trailer.

The trailer 12 comprises a housing 14 with access means (not illustrated) moveable between an open and a closed condition. The housing may comprise shelving, for instance to locate perishable goods to be kept cool.

The access means may be an access door or doors at the rear of the housing 14, as is conventional. The access doors may be double access doors. Alternatively, the access means may be a rear ramp door, i.e. a door which opens to provide a ramp into the housing 14. The housing 14 defines an enclosed space 16 when the access means is in a closed condition. The enclosed space 16 may be substantially sealed when the access means is in a closed condition.

The mobile refrigerator 10 comprises a CO2 refrigerator system 18. The CO2 refrigerator system 18 comprises an evaporator 19 located within the housing 14, a condensing unit 20 located outside the housing 14, and an expansion valve 22 (only illustrated in Fig. 2). In the illustrated example, the refrigerator 10 comprises a fan 30 located within the housing to circulate air (as indicated by arrows 32). The fan 30 may be comprised in the evaporator 19, i.e. the fan may be integral with the evaporator 19.

The CO2 refrigerator system 18 is pressure rated to at least 80 bar. A pressure rating to at least 80 bar means that the system is able to withstand internal pressure of at least 80 bar.

Mobile refrigerators 10 according to examples of the disclosure may be used infrequently without the requirement to discharge CO2 from refrigerator system 18 after use and to subsequently recharge the refrigerator system 18 with CO2 before next use because the CO2 refrigerator system 18 is pressure rated to at least 80 bar. Expanded CO2 has a pressure below 80 bar at 35 °C, and so the system 18 is able to operate even at the upper limits of temperature which may be experience.

The condensing unit 20 may have a height dimension of less than 1500 mm, a width dimension of less than 1300 mm, and a depth dimension of less than 600 mm. Preferably, the condensing unit has a height dimension of less than 1000 mm, a width dimension of less than 900 mm, and a depth dimension of less than 400 mm.

In the illustrated example, the condensing unit 20 is located outside the housing at the front of the trailer 12, and on a front outer surface 26 of the trailer 12.

In some examples, the mobile refrigerator 10 comprise a control panel 24 located outside of the housing 14. In the illustrated example, the control panel 24 is located outside the housing 14 at the front of the trailer 12, and on a front outer surface 26 of the trailer 12. The control panel 24 may be located on a front outer surface 26 of the trailer 12 above the condensing unit 20, as illustrated in Fig. 1.

The CO2 refrigerator system 18 is configured to cool the enclosed space 16 to a selected temperature of from 5°C to about -20°C. The temperature may be selected using the control panel 24, for example by a user inputting a required value.

Fig. 2 schematically illustrates the CO2 refrigerator system 18 of the refrigerator 10 of Fig. 1.

The refrigeration circuit of the 002 refrigerator system 18 comprises the evaporator 19, the condensation unit 20, and the expansion valve 22. CO2 is the refrigerant in such systems.

In use, liquid CO2 in the evaporator 19 located in the enclosed space 16 absorbs heat from the enclosed space 16 causing it to evaporate to a gas and superheat. The superheated CO2 gas is then drawn into the condensing unit 20 located outside the enclosed space 16 through a suction line 34. The suction line 34 may be copper pipe.

Inside the condensing unit 20 the superheated CO2 gas is compressed and forced through a heat exchanger, for example a heat exchanger coil (not illustrated), condensing it into a liquid and rejecting the heat previously absorbed from the enclosed space 16. Accordingly, the process cools the temperature of the enclosed space 16. The condensing unit's 20 heat exchanger is cooled by a fan (not illustrated) blowing outside air through it.

The liquid 002 then passes from the condensing unit 20 through the expansion valve 22 back to the evaporator 19 via a liquid line 36. The liquid line 36 may be copper pipe.

On passing through the expansion valve 22 the liquid CO2 undergoes an abrupt decrease in pressure resulting in an adiabatic flash evaporation and auto-refrigeration returning the CO2 to its original state to repeat the cycle.

Examples of the disclosure also provide a method of using the refrigerator according to examples of the disclosure.

There is thus described a system and method with a number of advantages as described above. Furthermore, a mobile refrigerator 10 according to example of the disclosure is relatively environmentally friendly. Furthermore, a mobile refrigerator 10 according to examples of the disclosure is relatively compact because it comprises a towable trailer, and thus avoids the logistic challenges of delivering a refrigerator via an articulated HGV lorry.

Although embodiments of the present invention have been described in the preceding paragraphs with reference to various examples, it should be appreciated that modifications to the examples given can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as claimed Features described in the preceding description may be used in combinations other than the combinations explicitly described.

Although functions have been described with reference to certain features, those functions may be performable by other features whether described or not.

Although features have been described with reference to certain embodiments, those features may also be present in other embodiments whether described or not.

The term "comprise" is used in this document with an inclusive not an exclusive meaning. That is any reference to X comprising Y indicates that X may comprise only one Y or may comprise more than one Y. If it is intended to use "comprise" with an exclusive meaning then it will be made clear in the context by referring to "comprising only one..." or by using "consisting".

In this brief description, reference has been made to various examples. The description of features or functions in relation to an example indicates that those features or functions are present in that example. The use of the term "example" or "for example" or "may" in the text denotes, whether explicitly stated or not, that such features or functions are present in at least the described example, whether described as an example or not, and that they can be, but are not necessarily, present in some of or all other examples. Thus "example", "for example" or "may" refers to a particular instance in a class of examples. A property of the instance can be a property of only that instance or a property of the class or a property of a sub-class of the class that comprise some but not all of the instances in the class. It is therefore implicitly disclosed that a feature described with reference to one example but not with reference to another example, can where possible be used in that other example but does not necessarily have to be used in that other example.

Whilst endeavoring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A mobile refrigerator, wherein the mobile refrigerator comprises: a trailer towable by a vehicle, wherein the trailer comprises a housing with access means moveable between an open and a closed condition, the housing defining an enclosed space when the access means is in a closed condition; and a CO2 refrigerator system, wherein the CO2 refrigerator system comprises: an evaporator located within the housing; a condensing unit located outside the housing; and an expansion valve; wherein the CO2 refrigerator system is pressure rated to at least 80 bar.
2. A mobile refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the trailer is a box trailer.
3. A mobile refrigerator according to claims 1 or 2, wherein the condensing unit has a height dimension of less than 1500 mm, a width dimension of less than 1300 mm, and a depth dimension of less than 600 mm.
4. A mobile refrigerator according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the condensing unit has a height dimension of less than 1000 mm, a width dimension of less than 900 mm, and a depth dimension of less than 400 mm.
5. A mobile refrigerator according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the condensing unit is located outside the housing at the front of the trailer.
6. A mobile refrigerator according to claim 5, wherein the condensing unit is located on a front outer surface of the trailer.
7. A mobile refrigerator according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the mobile refrigerator comprises a control panel located outside of the housing.
8. A mobile refrigerator according to claim 7, wherein the control panel is located outside the housing at the front of the trailer.
9. A mobile refrigerator according to claim 8, wherein the control panel is located on a front outer surface of the trailer.
10. A mobile refrigerator according to claim 9, wherein the control panel is located on a front outer surface of the trailer above the condensing unit.
11. A mobile refrigerator according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the CO2 refrigerator system is configured to cool the enclosed space to a selected temperature of from 5°C to about -20°C.
12. A mobile refrigerator according to claim 11 when dependent on claim 7, wherein the temperature is selected using the control panel.
13. A mobile refrigerator according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the mobile refrigerator comprises a fan located within the housing to circulate air.
14. A mobile refrigerator according to claim 13, wherein the fan is comprised in the evaporator.
15. A method comprising: cooling an enclosed space defined by a housing of a trailer towable by a vehicle when an access means into the housing is in a closed condition, wherein the enclosed space is cooled by a CO2 refrigerator system, wherein the CO2 refrigerator system comprises: an evaporator located within the housing; a condensing unit located outside the housing; and an expansion valve; wherein the CO2 refrigerator system is pressure rated to at least 80 bar.
16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the method comprises cooling the enclosed space to a selected temperature of from 5°C to about -20°C.
17. A method according to claim 16, wherein the method comprises selecting the required temperature using a control panel.