JP2000130875A - Stirling refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a Stirling refrigerator enabling attainment of compactness and having a high cooling performance. SOLUTION: In the lower part of the main body of an electric refrigerator wherein three cooling chambers 1, 2 and 3 are incorporated, two relatively small-sized Stirling coolers 4 and 5 are disposed as cooling devices so that heat absorbing parts 4a and 5a are opposed to each other. The heat absorbing parts 4a and 5a of the Stirling coolers are fitted with heat exchangers 4b and 5b respectively, and these heat exchangers are disposed inside a duct 6 communicating with each cooling chamber. Chilled air obtained by the heat exchangers 4b and 5b is sent to each cooling chamber by a chilled air sending device 7 and let out into each cooling chamber from chilled air outlets 8a, 8b and 8c. The chilled air circulating through each cooling chamber is sucked in from chilled air sucking parts 9a, 9b and 9c and returns to a heat exchange part again through the duct 6. A Stirling refrigerator is so constituted that cold heat is supplied to each cooling chamber by this serial chilled air circulating cycle.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a Stirling refrigerator.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, a refrigeration cycle apparatus such as a refrigerator employs a vapor compression refrigeration cycle. In such a vapor compression refrigeration cycle, chlorofluorocarbon is used as a refrigerant as an operating medium of the electric refrigerator, and a required cooling effect is obtained by utilizing the condensation and evaporation of the chlorofluorocarbon.

Freon used as a refrigerant is almost non-toxic, harmless and very safe up to a considerable concentration compared to other refrigerants such as ammonia. That is, it has no flammability, no explosive property, no irritating property, no odor, good electrical insulation, and little corrosiveness. On the other hand, CFC has very high chemical stability,
It has been pointed out that when released into the atmosphere, it reaches the stratosphere and destroys the ozone layer. For this reason, in recent years, the use and production of specific fluorocarbons have been regulated worldwide.

In view of this, a Stirling refrigerating apparatus has recently attracted attention as a cooling technique replacing a vapor compression type refrigerating cycle using CFCs as a refrigerant. The Stirling refrigerating apparatus is provided with a Stirling cooler having a heat absorbing part and a heat radiating part as a cooling means, and adopts a gas such as helium gas, hydrogen gas, or nitrogen gas as an operating medium, which has a smaller effect on the global environment than Freon, A low temperature is obtained in the heat absorbing section by a Stirling cycle.

[0005]

However, in the reverse Stirling cycle using helium gas or the like as the working medium, it is easy to obtain a very low temperature, but in order to obtain a cooling capacity of several hundred watts, it is necessary to transfer the heat through the heat absorbing portion. There is a problem that the heat area is small and cold heat cannot be efficiently extracted.

Further, if a Stirling cooler having a high cooling capacity becomes large and is incorporated in a home electric refrigerator which is required to be miniaturized, the size of the cooling room must be reduced, which is disadvantageous in terms of volumetric efficiency. In addition, if a dedicated Stirling cooler is properly used according to the capacity of the refrigerator, inventory management of parts becomes complicated and there is a problem in cost.

An object of the present invention is to provide a Stirling refrigerator which can be made compact and can take out cold heat efficiently.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, the Stirling refrigerator according to the first aspect is characterized by comprising a plurality of Stirling coolers for performing cooling by a reverse Stirling cycle.

According to this configuration, by dispersing the arrangement of the plurality of Stirling coolers, the dead space of the machine room can be reduced while maintaining the capacity of the cooling room.

The Stirling refrigerator according to the second aspect is the Stirling refrigerator according to the first aspect,
The Stirling coolers have different cooling capacities, and are individually operated and stopped to adjust the cooling power.

According to this configuration, by combining Stirling coolers having different cooling capacities, the cooling capacity of the Stirling cooler can be finely adjusted according to the capacity of the cooling chamber and the set temperature.

A Stirling refrigerator according to a third aspect of the present invention is characterized by comprising a plurality of cooling chambers, and a Stirling cooler for cooling each of the cooling chambers by an independent reverse Stirling cycle. .

According to this configuration, there is no need for a flow path branching mechanism for branching the duct, which is a passage of the cool air, on the way and blowing the cool air to each cooling chamber.

The Stirling refrigerator according to a fourth aspect is the Stirling refrigerator according to the third aspect,
The Stirling coolers have different cooling capacities.

According to this configuration, the cooling efficiency can be improved by providing a Stirling cooler suitable for each cooling chamber according to the set temperature and capacity of each cooling chamber.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a Stirling refrigerator comprising a plurality of cooling chambers, a Stirling cooler for performing cooling by a reverse Stirling cycle, a cool air passage communicating the Stirling cooler with the cooling chamber, and the cold air passage. And a damper for adjusting a flow rate of the cool air to each of the cooling chambers.

According to this configuration, the temperature of each cooling chamber can be finely controlled by adjusting the amount of cool air sent to each cooling chamber by the damper.

The Stirling refrigerator according to a sixth aspect of the present invention is a Stirling refrigerator having a Stirling cooler having a heat absorbing portion and a heat radiating portion and performing cooling by an inverse Stirling cycle, wherein a part of the cool air obtained by the heat absorbing portion is provided. Is guided to the heat radiating section.

According to this configuration, a part of the cold heat extracted from the heat absorbing portion of the Stirling cooler is guided to the heat radiating portion of the Stirling cooler, so that the heat radiation in the heat radiating portion can be promoted.

In a Stirling refrigerator according to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a Stirling refrigerator including a plurality of Stirling coolers each having a heat absorbing portion and a heat radiating portion and performing cooling by a reverse Stirling cycle. A part of the obtained cool air is guided to the heat radiating portion of another Stirling cooler.

According to this configuration, a part of the cooling heat extracted from the heat absorbing portion of the Stirling cooler is led to the heat radiating portion of another Stirling cooler, so that the cooling efficiency of the Stirling cooler can be improved.

[0022]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

<First Embodiment> FIG. 1 is a view showing a first embodiment of the present invention, and is a side sectional view of an electric refrigerator provided with two Stirling coolers as a cooling device. FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line AA in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 1, the electric refrigerator body includes:
A first cooling chamber 1, a second cooling chamber 2, and a third cooling chamber 3 are provided. As shown in FIG. 2, heat absorbing portions 4 a and 5 a of two first Stirling coolers 4 and a second Stirling cooler 5 disposed below the main body respectively include:
A first heat exchanger 4b and a second heat exchanger 5b are attached, and the first heat exchanger 4b and the second heat exchanger 5b are arranged so as to face each other. Note that the two Stirling coolers used in the present embodiment have the same cooling capacity and size.

The first heat exchanger 4b and the second heat exchanger 5b are disposed inside a duct 6 communicating with each cooling chamber.
The cool air cooled by these heat exchangers is blown toward the respective cooling chambers by the cool air blower 7, and the first cooling chamber 1,
The cooling air is blown out from each of the cooling air outlets 8a, 8b, and 8c provided in each of the second cooling chamber 2 and the third cooling chamber 3 to each cooling chamber. The cool air circulated in each cooling chamber is the first cooling chamber 1,
The air is sucked from the cool air suction sections 9a, 9b and 9c provided in the second cooling chamber 2 and the third cooling chamber 3, respectively, and returns to the heat exchange section again through the duct 6.

<Embodiment 2> FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention, and is a side sectional view of an electric refrigerator in which one cooling chamber is cooled by one Stirling cooler. FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line AA in FIG.

The electric refrigerator main body shown in FIG. 3 is provided with a first cooling chamber 21, a second cooling chamber 22, and a third cooling chamber 23, and each cooling chamber is cooled below the main body as shown in FIG. 1st Stirling cooler 2
4, a second Stirling cooler 25 and a third Stirling cooler 26 are provided corresponding to the first cooling chamber 21, the second cooling chamber 22, and the third cooling chamber 23, respectively.

Heat exchangers 24b, 25b and 26b are attached to the heat absorbing portions 24a, 25a and 26a of the first Stirling cooler 24, the second Stirling cooler 25 and the third Stirling cooler 26, respectively. The cool air cooled by each heat exchanger is sent to each cooling chamber through ducts 21a, 22a and 23a communicating with the first cooling chamber 21, the second cooling chamber 22 and the third cooling chamber 23, respectively. The ducts 21a, 2a,
In the middle of 2a and 23a, a damper 21b for adjusting the amount of cold air,
22b and 23b are provided, respectively, and the flow rate of the cool air is adjusted based on the temperature of each cooling chamber detected by a temperature sensor (not shown) of each cooling chamber.

In the present embodiment, the three Stirling coolers have the same cooling capacity, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, in a general household electric refrigerator, the setting temperature and volume of each cooling room are different depending on the application such as a freezing room, a refrigerator room, a vegetable room, etc., and a Stirling cooler having a cooling capacity suitable for each cooling room. By adopting it, it is possible to reduce operating costs and improve cooling efficiency.

<Embodiment 3> FIG. 5 is a view showing a third embodiment of the present invention, in which an electric refrigerator in which the cooling capacity is varied by a combination of operation of three Stirling coolers having different cooling capacities. FIG. FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line AA in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 6, a first Stirling cooler 34, a second Stirling cooler 35, and a third Stirling cooler 36 are arranged in a row below the main body of the electric refrigerator. You can stop it.

For example, these Stirling coolers 3
The output (cooling capacity) of each of 4, 35 and 36 is 30 W,
In the case of 50 W and 100 W, the cooling capacity can be set in seven ways within the range of 30 W to 180 W by individually operating and stopping these Stirling coolers. That is, by operating only one of the three Stirling coolers, 30 W, 50 W, 10 W
By operating two units in three ways of 0W, 80W, 1
By operating all three units at 30 W and 150 W, seven types of cooling capacity can be obtained at 180 W in total.

The cool air is blown to each cooling chamber by a cool air blower 38 attached to a duct 37 as shown in FIG. In addition, the first cooling chamber 31,
The amount of cool air blown to each cooling chamber is adjusted by the cool air amount adjusting dampers 37a, 37b and 37c provided in the middle of the duct 37 branched in three directions toward the second cooling chamber 32 and the third cooling chamber 33, respectively. The required cooling capacity can be finely adjusted by combining the adjustment of the amount of cold air with the setting of the cooling capacity of the Stirling cooler described above.

<Embodiment 4> FIG. 7 is a view showing a fourth embodiment of the present invention, in which a plurality of cooling chambers are cooled by one Stirling cooler having a relatively large cooling capacity. It is a side sectional view of a refrigerator. FIG.
FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 7.

The electric refrigerator shown in FIG.
1, a second cooling chamber 42 and a third cooling chamber 43, and a Stirling cooler 44 for cooling is disposed below the main body.

The heat absorbing portion 4 of the Stirling cooler 44
A heat exchanger 45 is attached to 4a, and the heat exchanger 45 is disposed in a duct 46 communicating with each cooling chamber. Further, a cool air blower 47 is provided in the duct 46 near the heat exchanger 45, and the cool air blown by the heat exchanger 45 by the cool air blower 47 is blown to each cooling chamber.

As shown in FIG. 8, the duct 46, which is a passage of the cool air, branches in three directions from the cool air blower 47 to each of the cooling chambers, and the first cooling chamber 41, the second cooling chamber 42, On the way until reaching the third cooling chamber 43, the cool air amount adjusting dampers 46a, 46b and 4 for adjusting the cool air amount.
6c are provided respectively. These cooling air amount adjusting dampers 46a, 46b and 46c are respectively provided in the cooling chamber 4
The amount of cool air blown to each cooling chamber is changed as needed based on the temperature inside each cooling chamber detected by the temperature sensors (not shown) provided in 1, 42 and 43.

In this embodiment, the temperature of each cooling chamber is automatically controlled individually as described above.
It is not limited to this. For example, dampers 46a, 46b and 46c can be used to concentrate the cooling capacity of the Stirling cooler in one cooling chamber when rapid cooling is needed.
Can also be controlled.

<Embodiment 5> The cooling performance of a Stirling cooler largely depends on whether or not heat is efficiently dissipated in the heat dissipating portion. Since the heat radiation in the heat radiation section is performed smoothly, the operation of the Stirling cooler can always be stably performed. Heat radiation in the heat radiating section is promoted by keeping the heat radiating section at a low temperature. Therefore, if the radiator is cooled, the cooling performance of the Stirling cooler can be significantly improved.

FIG. 9 is a view showing a fifth embodiment of the present invention, in which an electric refrigerator in which the heat radiation part of the Stirling cooler is cooled by a part of the cold heat extracted from the heat absorbing part of the Stirling cooler. It is principal part sectional drawing.

A first Stirling cooler 51 is provided inside the machine room of the refrigerator body.
A first heat exchanger 53 is attached in contact with the upper surface of one heat absorbing portion 51a. The heat exchanger 53 is arranged in a duct 55, and the cool air cooled by the heat exchanger 53 is sent to the cooling chamber through the duct 55, circulates through the cooling chamber, and then heats again through the duct 55. Come back to the exchange department.

A part of the cold heat extracted from the heat exchanger 53 is sent to the heat radiating portion 51b of the Stirling cooler 51 through the branch duct 57 branched from the duct 55, and cools the heat radiating portion 51b. The cool air that has taken heat from the heat radiating portion 51b passes through the branch duct 57 and passes through the heat exchanger 53 of the duct 55.
Is returned to the part immediately before. This cool air circulation cycle promotes heat radiation in the heat radiating section 53, and can improve the cooling efficiency of the Stirling cooler 51.

<Embodiment 6> FIG. 10 is a view showing a sixth embodiment of the present invention, in which, out of two Stirling coolers, a heat radiating portion of one Stirling cooler is connected to a heat absorbing portion of the other Stirling cooler. It is principal part sectional drawing of the electric refrigerator made to cool with some taken-out cold heat.

A first Stirling cooler 51 and a second Stirling cooler 52 are disposed adjacent to each other in the same direction in the machine room of the refrigerator body. The first heat exchanger 53 and the second heat A heat exchanger 54 is attached. Further, the first and second heat exchangers 53 and 54 are arranged in ducts 55 and 56 communicating with separate cooling chambers, respectively, and the cool air cooled by these heat exchangers is supplied to a cool air blower, respectively. After being sent to the cooling chambers (not shown) and circulating through the respective cooling chambers, they return to the heat exchange section again through the ducts 55 and 56.

A part of the cool air cooled by the heat exchanger 54 on the second Stirling cooler 52 side is sent to the heat radiating portion 51b of the first Stirling cooler 51 through a branch duct 57a branched from the duct 56. . Further, the branch duct 57a is provided with a damper 58 for adjusting the amount of cool air on the way from the branch point to the heat radiating part 51b. It can be cooled efficiently. The cool air, which has taken heat from the heat radiating portion 51b, passes through the branch duct 57b communicating with the duct 56, and is returned to just before the second heat exchanger 54 on the second Stirling cooler 52 side.

[0046]

Since the present invention is constructed as described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a plurality of relatively small Stirling coolers are used as cooling means, so that one large Stirling cooler is used. The dead space in the machine room can be reduced by dispersing the arrangement of the plurality of Stirling coolers as compared with the case where the air conditioner is provided.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, a plurality of Stirling coolers having different cooling capacities are used as the cooling means. By combining them, the Stirling cooler can be finely adjusted according to the capacity of the cooling chamber and the set temperature. The cooling capacity of the can be adjusted.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, a dedicated Stirling cooler is provided for each cooling chamber, and each cooling chamber is individually cooled, so that one or more Stirling coolers are set. As described above, a duct branching mechanism for branching the duct midway and blowing cool air to each cooling chamber is not required, and the cost can be reduced.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, a Stirling cooler having a cooling capacity suitable for each cooling chamber is provided in correspondence with the cooling chambers having different set temperatures and different capacities.
Cooling efficiency is improved, and operating costs can be reduced.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, since the flow rate of the cool air to be sent to the plurality of cooling chambers having different set temperatures and capacities is adjusted by the damper, the temperature can be finely controlled.

According to the invention of claim 6, a part of the cool air in the heat absorbing portion of the Stirling cooler is led to the heat radiating portion of the Stirling cooler, and the heat radiating portion is self-cooled. Heat dissipation is promoted, and the temperature of the heat absorbing portion can be lowered.

Also, According to the invention of claim 7, since the cool air in the heat absorbing portion of the Stirling cooler is led to the heat radiating portion of another Stirling cooler to cool the heat radiating portion, the cooling efficiency of the Stirling cooler can be further improved. .

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of an electric refrigerator according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line AA in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of an electric refrigerator according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a side sectional view of an electric refrigerator according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line AA in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a side sectional view of an electric refrigerator according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of a main part of an electric refrigerator according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of a main part of an electric refrigerator according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 21, 31, 41, 51 First cooling chamber 2, 22, 32, 42, 52 Second cooling chamber 3, 23, 33, 43 Third cooling chamber 4, 24, 34, 44 First Stirling cooler 5, 25, 35 Second Stirling cooler 26, 36 Third Stirling cooler 4a, 24a Heat absorbing portion of first Stirling cooler 5a, 25a Heat absorbing portion of second Stirling cooler 26a Heat absorbing portion of third Stirling cooler 4b, 24b First heat exchanger 5b, 25b Second heat exchanger 26b Third heat exchanger 6, 21a, 22a, 23a, 37, 46, 55, 56
Duct 57 Branch duct 7, 38, 47 Cold air blower 21b, 22b, 23b, 37a, 37b, 37c, 4
6a, 46b, 46c Damper for adjusting cool air amount 8a, 8b, 8c Cooling air outlet 9a, 9b, 9c Cooling air suction unit

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A Stirling refrigerator comprising a plurality of Stirling coolers for cooling by a reverse Stirling cycle. 2. The Stirling refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the Stirling coolers have different cooling capacities, and are individually operated and stopped to adjust the cooling capacity. 3. A Stirling refrigerator comprising: a plurality of cooling chambers; and a Stirling cooler for cooling each of the cooling chambers by an independent reverse Stirling cycle. 4. The Stirling refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein the Stirling coolers have different cooling capacities. 5. A plurality of cooling chambers, a Stirling cooler for performing cooling by a reverse Stirling cycle, a cool air passage communicating the Stirling cooler with the cooling chamber, and each of the cooling chambers arranged in the cool air passage. And a damper for adjusting a flow rate of cold air. 6. In a Stirling refrigerator having a Stirling cooler having a heat absorbing portion and a heat radiating portion and performing cooling by a reverse Stirling cycle, a part of cool air obtained in the heat absorbing portion is guided to the heat radiating portion. A Stirling refrigerator characterized by the following. 7. A Stirling refrigerator having a plurality of Stirling coolers each having a heat absorbing section and a heat radiating section and performing cooling by a reverse Stirling cycle, wherein a part of cold air obtained by the heat absorbing section of one Stirling cooler is replaced by another Stirling. A Stirling refrigerator characterized by being guided to the heat radiating part of a cooler.