JP2001033140A - Stirling refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a Stirling refrigerator in which machine article units are separable, it can be mounted on a refrigerator body with space saving, and cold heat can be taken out from a Stirling machine. SOLUTION: The present refrigerator is adapted such that a machine article unit 9 is mounted separately on a refrigerator body, the unit 9 including a Stirling refrigerator 13, a duct 12 with its one end connected and communicated with a lower end of an air fan pipe line 21 and with its other end connected and communicated with a suction hole 25, an air fan 18 for circulating cold air through the air fan pipe line between a storage chamber 8 provided in a duct 12 and the duct 12, and a condenser 16 provided in the duct 12 and connected with a cold head 13a on a tip end of the Stirling freezer 13 for storing cold heat to transmit it to cold air.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a Stirling refrigerator and, more particularly, to a structure in which mechanical components constituting a refrigerating cycle engine are unitized and mounted on a refrigerator main body in a separable manner.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, the problem of environmental pollution has become more serious, and there has been a strong demand for measures to prevent the leakage of CFC gas and to treat and recycle waste such as home electric appliances. In addition, while the capacity of refrigerators has been increasing, the housing situation has been increasing due to the trend of higher condominiums and narrower stairs. Is attracting attention.

[0003] As for large refrigerators, developments are being pursued in which a machine room portion and a refrigerator main body are unitized so as to be separable and connectable. Having a structure that makes it easy to separate metal objects such as machine rooms and urethane insulation members of the main body part will provide eco-friendly products suitable for resource recycling, so-called recycling, as well as easy disposal. The needs are big. Therefore, for example, JP-A-6-82145 has a structure in which a refrigerator machine unit containing a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, a fan in a refrigerator, and the like is connected to an upper portion of a refrigerator main body. There is disclosed a refrigerator that is guided outside the refrigerator to positively and efficiently evaporate the same.

[0004]

However, in this conventional refrigerator, a mechanical unit is mounted so as to protrude into the outer space above the refrigerator main body, so that not only the appearance is impaired, but also the upper surface of the refrigerator main body is damaged. There was a problem that it could not be used for storeroom use.
In addition, there was also a type that combines machine parts in a neat form without protruding from the refrigerator body,
The wire-shaped condensing pipe that is folded back at the end and formed in a meandering form is exposed, and the condensing pipe may be damaged or deformed during the manufacturing process or transportation of the machine unit, and care must be taken for handling. Care had to be taken and it wasn't easy to use. Moreover, in such a vapor-compression refrigerator using Freon as a working medium,
The number of components that make up the mechanical unit is large, and the increase in the size of the mechanical unit due to the increase in the capacity of the refrigerator is inevitable.In order to ensure sufficient mounting space for the mechanical unit in the refrigerator box body, There was a contradiction that the storage room had to be smaller.

[0005] In recent years, a Stirling engine has attracted attention as a next-generation cooling technology that replaces a vapor compression refrigeration cycle using chlorofluorocarbon as a working medium. Stirling engines extract cryogenic cold using a thermodynamic cycle known as a reverse Stirling cycle,
Since an inert gas such as helium is used as the working medium, it has almost no effect on the global environment compared to chlorofluorocarbons, and moreover, compared to the conventional vapor compression refrigeration cycle,
There is also an advantage that the number of parts is small and the size and weight are small. However, there has not been proposed a structure in which such a Stirling engine is unitized as a refrigerator mechanical product and is removably incorporated in a main body of a large refrigerator.

According to the present invention, when a Stirling engine is applied to a mechanical component unit, the mechanical component unit can be separated and can be attached to the refrigerator body in a space-saving manner, and large cold heat is efficiently extracted from the Stirling engine. It is an object of the present invention to provide a Stirling refrigerator capable of performing the following. Further, the present invention provides a Stirling refrigerator capable of efficiently preventing frost formation on a portion where frost formation is likely to occur, or capable of positively discharging defrost water generated by eliminating already generated frost to the outside of the refrigerator. The purpose is to do.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, the cold storage obtained by driving a Stirling engine that generates cold by a reverse Stirling cycle is transmitted to the air in the refrigerator to store the stored goods. In a Stirling refrigerator to be cooled, the Stirling engine is removably incorporated in the refrigerator body. According to this, since the refrigerator main body and the Stirling engine are assembled separately and finally combined, a finished product is obtained, so that the manufacturing process is simplified. Further, since the Stirling engine can be detached from the refrigerator body and separately carried into a house or the like, the installation work of the Stirling refrigerator becomes easy.

Further, in the present invention, a Stirling refrigerator for generating cold heat by a reverse Stirling cycle, a cold air blowing pipe standing upright along a back surface of the refrigerator body and communicating with a storage room, and an opening formed in the storage room. The Stirling refrigerator having a cold air suction port, wherein the Stirling refrigerator has a duct connected at one end to a lower end of the air duct and the other end connected to the suction port, and the duct A blower fan provided in the storage chamber and the duct for circulating the cool air through the blower conduit, and connected to a low-temperature portion at the tip of the Stirling refrigerator provided in the duct. A unit accommodating the cooler that accumulates the cold heat and transmits the cool air to the cool air is separably mounted on the refrigerator body. According to this, even if a failure occurs in various mechanical parts stored in the unit, the unit can be separated from the refrigerator body,
Repair and inspection of the mechanical parts are facilitated.

As the cooler, a honeycomb-shaped space extending in the vertical direction is formed inside a cylindrical substantially rectangular parallelepiped frame whose top and bottom are open, or a cylindrical substantially rectangular parallelepiped whose top and bottom are open. A plurality of substantially rectangular parallelepiped spaces of equal size extending in the vertical direction are formed inside the frame body, and meandering corrugated fins are disposed in the space, or a flat portion in which a working fluid is sealed in a hollow portion. A vibrating heat pipe that is folded at the end and meanders at equal intervals and connected at both ends and sealed under high vacuum, and is disposed between the opposing surfaces of the vibrating heat pipe except for the folded part and is arranged vertically. A corrugated fin extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the facing surface and a protection plate disposed so as to sandwich the folded portion of the vibrating heat pipe can be suitably used. According to this, the surface area of the cooler itself is increased, and the efficiency of transmitting the accumulated cold to the air passing through or around the cooler is improved.

The Stirling refrigerator has a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature in the storage chamber, and a control device for controlling the driving of the Stirling refrigerator and the blower fan based on the output of the temperature sensor. According to this configuration, for example, even if the temperature in the storage room temporarily rises due to opening and closing of the door of the storage room, the control device increases the input to the Stirling refrigerator and the blowing fan based on the output of the temperature sensor, and , The temperature in the storage room is immediately lowered to the set temperature.

In addition, there is provided a temperature sensor for detecting a temperature in the vicinity of the cooler, a heat generating means disposed in the cooler, and a control device for controlling energization to the heat generating means based on an output of the temperature sensor. The configuration is a Stirling refrigerator. According to this configuration, frost generated on the surface of the cooler due to normal operation is prevented by the control device energizing the heat generating means based on the output of the temperature sensor.

A temperature sensor for detecting a temperature in the vicinity of the cooler; a heating means provided in the duct and located upstream of the cooler; and a power supply to the heating means based on an output of the temperature sensor. A Stirling refrigerator including the blower fan and a control device for controlling the driving of the Stirling refrigerator. According to this configuration,
The frost generated on the surface of the cooler due to the normal operation is prevented by the control device energizing the heat generating means based on the output of the temperature sensor.

A temperature sensor for detecting a temperature near the cooler, a heating means provided in the duct and located on the upstream side of the cooler, and an upstream and a downstream side of the cooling means communicate with each other. A short-circuiting line, a ventilation-line switching means for switching so that cool air is blown to the blowing line or the blowing line and the short-circuiting line, and energizing the heating means based on an output of the temperature sensor; A Stirling refrigerator having a blower fan and a control device for controlling the driving of the Stirling refrigerator and the switching operation of the ventilation path switching means is provided. According to this configuration, the frost generated on the surface of the cooler due to the normal operation is supplied to the heat generating means by the control device based on the output of the temperature sensor, and the inputs to the blower fan and the Stirling refrigerator are reduced to drive them. At the same time, the ventilation path switching means is switched, and the cool air heated by the heating means is circulated in the duct via the short-circuit pipe,
By repeatedly passing through the cooler, frost formation is quickly prevented.

A drain provided at the bottom of the duct to discharge defrost water generated by defrosting frost adhering to the cooler by heat generated by energizing the heat generating means to the outside of the duct; An evaporating dish is provided at a position lower than the drain port and guides the defrost water to evaporate the defrost water based on an output of the control device. According to this configuration, the defrost water generated by eliminating the frost generated in the cooler by the heat generating means is dropped and discharged from the drain port at the bottom of the duct as needed, and is guided to the evaporating dish to evaporate.

A drain port provided at the bottom of the duct for discharging defrost water generated by defrosting frost adhering to the cooler with heat generated by energizing the heat generating means to the outside of the duct; A sprinkler nozzle for spraying the defrost water to a radiator of the Stirling refrigerator; a dewatering nozzle provided between the drain port and the sprinkler nozzle for guiding the defrost water to the sprinkler nozzle based on an output of the controller; A Stirling refrigerator having frost water conveying means is provided. According to this configuration, the defrost water generated by eliminating the frost generated in the cooler by the heating means is dropped and discharged from the drain port at the bottom of the duct at any time, and guided to the water spray nozzle by the defrost water transport means. Sprayed toward the radiator of the Stirling refrigerator.

Further, a temperature sensor for detecting an external temperature, a humidity sensor for detecting an external humidity, and a circulating pipe constituting a closed circuit arranged so that the hydraulic fluid circulates along the opening of the refrigerator body. A heat transfer means for transmitting heat generated from a heat radiating portion of the Stirling refrigerator to the working fluid in the closed circuit; and a circulation disposed in the circulation pipe to circulate the working fluid in the closed circuit. A Stirling refrigerator including a pump and a control device that controls the operation of the circulation pump based on the outputs of the temperature sensor and the humidity sensor. According to this configuration, since the opening of the refrigerator body is exposed to outside air, dew condensation easily occurs due to a temperature difference.However, in a saturated state based on the outputs of the temperature sensor and the humidity sensor, the control device drives the circulation pump to heat the refrigerator. The dew condensation is prevented by circulating the hydraulic fluid in a circulation pipe buried in the opening and forming a closed circuit.

[0017] Further, a temperature sensor for detecting an external temperature, a humidity sensor for detecting an external humidity, an electric heater disposed along an opening of the refrigerator body, and outputs of the temperature sensor and the humidity sensor. And a control device for controlling energization to the electric heater based on the above. According to this configuration, since the opening of the refrigerator body is exposed to outside air, dew condensation easily occurs due to a temperature difference. However, in a saturated state based on the outputs of the temperature sensor and the humidity sensor, the control device is embedded in the opening. By supplying electricity to the electric heater, dew condensation is prevented.

[0018]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS <First Embodiment> A first embodiment of the present invention
An embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. First, the configuration of the Stirling refrigerator according to the present embodiment will be described.
FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective front sectional view of the refrigerator. As shown in FIG. 1, the Stirling refrigerator 1 has a refrigerator main body composed of an outer box 2 and an inner box 3, a heat insulating material 4 filled between the two boxes 2 and 3, and a separable bottom part of the main body. The interior of the inner box 3 is partitioned by partition walls 5a and 5b in the height direction, and the set temperatures of the refrigerator compartment 6, the freezer compartment 7, the vegetable compartment 8 and the like are set in order from the top. A plurality of different storage compartments are formed.

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the mechanical product unit. As shown in FIG. 2, the mechanical component unit 9 includes a lower bottom plate 10 that forms a part of the bottom surface of the Stirling refrigerator 1 when the mechanical component unit 9 is mounted on the refrigerator main body, and a mechanical chamber 11 above the lower component. Is done. In the machine room 11, L for circulating cool air between each storage room of the refrigerator body.
A duct 12, a Stirling refrigerator 13 for generating cold heat by a reverse Stirling cycle,
2 A cooler 16 which is joined to the Stirling refrigerator 13 via a cold head 13a of the Stirling refrigerator 13 protruding inside and located inside the duct 12
And a blower fan 18 located above the cooler 16 inside the duct 12 and an electrical box 15 mounted with a control device 14 for controlling the operation of the Stirling refrigerating engine and the like.
And are arranged. Both ends of the duct 12 are tapered, and each opening serves as a cooling air blowing port 19 and a return port 20. Stirling refrigerator 13
The cooler 16 and the cooler 16 are detachably joined by bringing the cold head 13a of the Stirling refrigerator 13 and the side surface of the cooler 16 into close contact with heat transfer grease or the like.

Next, a procedure for mounting the mechanical component unit 9 having the above-described configuration on the refrigerator body will be described. First, the machine component unit 9 is arranged in a mounting space of the machine unit 9 formed in the lower part at the back of the refrigerator body so as to extend in the width direction. At this time, as shown in FIG. 3, the lower end portion 21 of the cool air ventilation pipe 21 erected along the back surface of the refrigerator main body.
a, a cold air inlet 25 formed at the bottom of the back wall of the storage room (vegetable room 8 in this figure) located at the bottom of the main body.
Then, after fitting a portion of 30 to 50 mm from the front end of the ventilation port 19 and the return port 20 of the duct 12, a sponge-like flange (not shown) made of urethane or the like is used to bring the connection portions into close contact. Then, screw holes (not shown) provided at several places of the machine component unit 9 are aligned with corresponding screw holes on the refrigerator main body side, and the screws are fastened to this portion to fix them. Thereby, it is possible to securely and separably attach the mechanical component unit 9 to the refrigerator main body while preventing leakage of cool air.

Next, as described above, the mechanical product unit 9
FIG. 3 shows the operation of the Stirling refrigerator 1 equipped with
This will be described with reference to FIG. The arrows in the figure indicate the flow of cool air. Cold heat generated by driving the Stirling refrigerator 13 is transmitted to the cooler 16 via the cold head 13a, and cools the cooler 16 and its surrounding air.
Incidentally, the cooler 16 preferably used in the present embodiment is used.
Is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped with an open top and bottom,
It is assumed that the upper and lower open ends are oriented substantially vertically so that cold air can pass through the inside. The cooler 16 is made of a metal material such as aluminum or copper in consideration of the efficiency of accumulating cold heat, but the shape and material are not limited thereto.

When the air flow generated by the drive of the blower fan 18 passes through the inside of the cooler 16 and its surroundings, it is cooled by the cold accumulated in the cooler 16 or the cool air around the cooler 16. It becomes cold and the air outlet 1
The air is blown from 9 to a blower duct 21 in the main body. Blast line 2
1 has a cool air outlet 22 communicating with each storage room (that is, the refrigerator room 6, the freezer room 7, and the vegetable room 8).
The outlet 22 is provided with a damper 23 for adjusting the amount of cool air blown out, facing the storage room. Then, the control device 14 controls the opening and closing of the damper 23 based on a temperature difference between the temperature in the storage room detected by the temperature sensor 24 disposed at an arbitrary part of the storage room and the set temperature of the storage room. By adjusting the amount of cool air blown to the storage chambers in each storage chamber, each storage chamber is maintained near a set temperature. The cool air circulating in each storage room finally descends to the vegetable room 8, is sucked from the suction port 25 by the blower fan 18, and flows again into the duct 12 via the return port 20. By repeating this series of cycles, cool air is circulated and a desired cooling effect can be obtained in each storage room.

<Second Embodiment> A second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, the same members as those in the above embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a cooler according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In the above-described first embodiment, a cylindrical approximately rectangular parallelepiped is used as the cooler 16. However, in order to improve the transmission efficiency of the cold heat accumulated by the cooler 16, the heat exchange portion of the heat exchange portion that comes into contact with the air flow is used. It is required to increase the surface area. Therefore, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, as the cooler 16, a hollow space in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped frame 27 having an open top and bottom is formed by a plurality of lateral ribs 28, 28. Vertical ribs 29, 29 ...
A plurality of honeycomb-shaped spaces 3 extending in the vertical direction in the frame 27 by partitioning at equal intervals and in parallel with
.. Are formed. The cooler 16 can be easily formed by extruding a metal lump made of a material having good heat conductivity such as aluminum or copper.

The cooler 16 having such a structure is provided by the first
Similarly to the embodiment, when the Stirling engine is driven by joining the cold head 13a of the Stirling refrigerator 13 with heat conduction grease or the like inside the duct 12 so that the upper and lower open ends are substantially vertical, the blower fan 18 A part of the air sucked into the duct 12 by the wind is passed through the cooler 16, is efficiently heat-exchanged (cooled) by the honeycomb-shaped space 30, and is sent to the air duct 21. Therefore, even if the input for driving the Stirling refrigerator is lowered,
Since a sufficient cooling effect can be obtained in each storage room, the running cost of the Stirling refrigerator can be reduced accordingly.

<Third Embodiment> A third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, the same members as those in the above embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a cooler according to a third embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 5, the cooler 16 used in the present embodiment partitions a cavity in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped frame 27 on a vertically open cylinder with a plurality of horizontal ribs 28 at equal intervals and in parallel. As a result, a plurality of substantially rectangular parallelepiped spaces 3 extending vertically in the frame 27
Are formed, and corrugated fins 32, 32 meandering in a direction perpendicular to the lateral ribs 28 and extending in the vertical direction are arranged in the space 31. Note that the corrugated fins 32 are connected to the frame 27.
And the same material as the lateral ribs, and are arranged in the substantially rectangular parallelepiped space 31 by welding or welding. The lateral ribs 28 can be easily formed by extruding a metal block made of a material having good heat conductivity such as aluminum or copper.

The cooler 16 having such a structure is provided by the first
Similarly to the embodiment, when the Stirling engine is driven by joining the cold head 13a of the Stirling refrigerator 13 with heat conduction grease or the like inside the duct 12 so that the upper and lower open ends are substantially vertical, the blower fan 18 A part of the air sucked into the duct 12 by the blast passes through the cooler 16 and comes into contact with the corrugated fins 32 disposed in the rectangular parallelepiped space 31 to efficiently exchange heat (cool). Then, the air is blown to the blower duct 21. Also,
If the fin pitch of the corrugated fins 32 formed in a meandering shape is reduced, the surface area of the heat exchange portion with the air flow further increases,
The efficiency of transferring cool heat to the airflow by the cooler 16 can be greatly improved. Therefore, even if the input for driving the Stirling refrigerator is lowered, a sufficient cooling effect can be obtained in each storage room, and the running cost of the Stirling refrigerator can be reduced accordingly.

<Fourth Embodiment> A fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, the same members as those in the above embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a cooler according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. 33 is a vibration type heat pipe, for example, a flat pipe obtained by extruding a material having good heat conductivity such as aluminum or copper is meandered at equal intervals while being turned at an end portion, and the working fluid is injected into a hollow portion. Are connected to each other, and sealed under a high vacuum to form a ring. The facing surface 33a is located between the facing surfaces 33a excluding the folded portion.
A corrugated fin 32, 32,... extending in the vertical direction meandering in a direction perpendicular to a is arranged, and the heat exchange portion is sandwiched from the folded portion of the vibration heat pipe 33 and welded or welded. The cooler 16 according to the present embodiment is composed of the attached protection plates 34, 34.

The operating principle of the vibrating heat pipe 33 is that the working fluid sealed in the tube in a high vacuum state is in a gas-liquid equilibrium state in which a liquid phase and a gas phase coexist, and heat energy is absorbed from outside the tube. As a result, nucleate boiling (bubbles) is generated, which causes an intermittent pressure change in the pipe, and becomes an oscillating wave, causing the working fluid to vibrate. The heat energy is conveyed in the horizontal or downward direction along with the axial vibration of the hydraulic fluid.

The cooler 16 having such a configuration is connected to the first
Similarly to the embodiment, when the Stirling engine is driven by joining the cold head 13a of the Stirling refrigerator 13 with heat conduction grease or the like inside the duct 12 so that the upper and lower open ends are substantially vertical, the blower fan 18 A part of the air sucked into the duct 12 by the wind is passed through the cooler 16, heat is taken away by the above-mentioned vibrating heat pipe 33, and heat is efficiently exchanged by coming into contact with the corrugated fin 32. (Cooled) and blown to the blower duct 21. Further, the corrugated fin 32 formed in a meandering manner
If the fin pitch is reduced, the surface area of the heat exchange portion with the air flow is further increased, and the efficiency of transferring cool heat to the air flow by the cooler 16 can be greatly improved. Therefore, even if the input for driving the Stirling refrigerator is lowered, a sufficient cooling effect can be obtained in each storage room, and the running cost of the Stirling refrigerator can be reduced accordingly.

<Fifth Embodiment> A fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, the same members as those in the above embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a control device according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 7, the temperature sensor 2
The Stirling refrigerator 13 and the blower fan 18 are connected to one output side.

The Stirling refrigerator 13 itself is known, and its operation will not be described in detail here. However, the displacer and the piston disposed in the cylinder are reciprocated with a predetermined phase difference by an external power such as a motor. Let
The working gas such as helium is repeatedly moved between the compression space and the expansion space formed in the cylinder by the pulsation accompanying with it, and it is configured to generate cryogenic cold heat by adiabatic expansion in the expansion space. Things. Therefore, by controlling the driving of the external power (for example, PAM control or the like), it is possible to change the amplitude and the moving speed of the displacer and the piston, thereby changing the moving amount of the working gas. The amount of cold generated by the machine 13 can be controlled. That is, the refrigerating capacity of the Stirling refrigerator 13 can be made variable.

As shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of (three in this figure) storage rooms such as a refrigerator room 6, a freezing room 7, and a vegetable room 8 are formed in the refrigerator main body. Doors (not shown) are provided in each of the storage rooms, and these doors are opened and closed as necessary when taking in and out of the storage items. By the way, with the opening and closing operation of the door, outside air flows into the storage room, and in some cases, the temperature in the storage room may be rapidly increased. In this case, it is necessary to rapidly cool the storage room to a set temperature in order to suppress an adverse effect on the stored object due to the increase in the temperature inside the storage room.

At this time, based on the output of the temperature sensor 24, the control device 14 judges that the temperature difference between the temperature in the storage room and the set temperature is large, and controls the external power of the motor or the like for driving the Stirling refrigerator 13. By setting the input high and increasing the input of the blower fan 18 to increase the air volume, cooling in the storage room is promoted. still,
It goes without saying that the same control mechanism operates even in a high load state such as a pull-down from a normal temperature or a rapid freezing mode. In a low load state where the door is hardly opened and closed, the input to the motor of the Stirling refrigerator 13 is reduced to a certain level, and the blower fan 18 is turned on and off at a fixed cycle with a rated input. Then, each storage room is maintained at the set temperature.

<Sixth Embodiment> A sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, the same members as those in the above embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. FIG. 8 is a side sectional view of a main part around a mechanical component unit of a Stirling refrigerator according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention. As mentioned above, duct 1
The cooler 16 disposed in the Stirling refrigerator 13
As a result, the cold heat generated in the cold head 13a is accumulated and the temperature of the cold head 13a becomes low, so that the moisture contained in the airflow passing through the duct 12 freezes and frost easily adheres to the surface. When frost is formed on the cooler 16, the contact area with the airflow generated by the blower fan 18 is significantly reduced. For this reason, there is a possibility that cold heat cannot be efficiently transmitted to the airflow.

Therefore, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, at least one outer peripheral surface of the substantially rectangular parallelepiped cooler 16 excluding the surface on which the cold head 13a is in close contact (FIG. 8).
The flat heating element 4 is provided on the surface facing the cold head 16).
1 is attached by bonding or the like. As the planar heating element 41, a mica heater in which the periphery of a heater wire that generates heat when energized is covered with an insulator is used, but a ceramic heater may be used. The flat heating element 41 is electrically connected to the control device 14, and the control device 14 is configured to control ON / OFF of the power supply to the heater wire of the flat heating element 41 as necessary. I have. That is, the temperature of the cooler 16 is constantly monitored by the temperature sensor 17,
When it is determined by the control device 14 that the cooler 16 is overcooled based on the output of the temperature sensor 17 and frost formation may occur, the flat heating element 41 is energized. Thereby, the frost which is going to occur on the surface of the cooler 16 is
The heat generated by the flat heating element 41 is prevented beforehand, or the already generated frost is eliminated. Then, when the temperature of the cooler detected by the temperature sensor 17 rises above a predetermined value, the control device 14 cuts off the power supply to the planar heating element 41.

As described above, in the present embodiment, power is supplied to the flat heating element 41 in a state where frost may occur, and in a state where there is no danger of frost formation, the flat heating element 4 may be energized.
The energization to 1 is stopped. Therefore, it is possible to prevent frost formation without hindering the transmission efficiency of the cold heat accumulated in the cooler 16 to the airflow, and to realize significant energy saving.

<Seventh Embodiment> A seventh embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, the same members as those in the above embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. FIG. 9 is a side sectional view of a main part around a duct according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 9, below the cooler 16 inside the duct 12, an umbrella for protecting red heat heater 35 from defrost water dripping from the cooler 16 due to defrost on the surface of the cooler 16 is arranged. It is provided. Usually, a quartz glass tube heater is used as the red heat heater 35, but a ceramic heater may be used. Further, the blower fan 18 and the duct 12
A three-way valve 36 for switching the air blowing path is provided in the middle of the cold air blowing port 19. Furthermore, this three-way valve 3
The other end of the bypass pipe 37 is connected to one end of the bypass pipe 37, and the other end of the bypass pipe 37 is connected to the duct 12 on the upstream side of the red heater 35. Reference numeral 38 denotes a check valve provided near the cool air return port 20 of the duct 12.

A drain port 39 is formed at the lowest position at the bottom of the duct 12, and one end of a drain hose 40 is connected to the drain port 39. The other end of the drain hose 40 is connected to an evaporating dish 42 arranged at a position lower than the drain port 39. The bottom surface of the evaporating dish 42 is a flat surface, and the flat heating element 41 described above is attached to the back side thereof by bonding or the like.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described. FIG. 10 is a block diagram of the control device of the Stirling refrigerator according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 10, the output of the temperature sensor 17 is connected to the input side of the control device 14, and the Stirling refrigerator 13, the flat heating element 41, the red heater 35, the blower fan 18, and the three-way valve are connected to one output side. 36 are connected. The temperature sensor 17 is a cooler 16
And outputs it to the controller 14.
When the surface temperature of the cooler 16 is lower than the set value,
The control device 14 determines that frost has occurred in the cooler 16 and reduces the amount of cold heat generated by reducing the drive input of the Stirling refrigerator 13. Then, the controller 14 energizes the red heater 35 and rotates the blower fan 18 at a low input. Further, by switching the three-way valve 36, the control device 14 guides a part of the air flow generated by the blower fan 18 to the bypass pipe 37, and passes the duct 12 between the upstream side and the downstream side of the cooler 16. Circulate within.

The heat energy generated by the red heater 35 is efficiently transmitted to the cooler 16 by the flow of air.
The frost formed on the surface of the cooler 16 is eliminated. In addition, since a part of the air heated by the red heater 35 passes through the cooler 16 repeatedly via the bypass pipe 37, the time required for defrosting the cooler 16 can be reduced. In this state, the temperature sensor 17 detects that the surface temperature of the cooler 16 has become equal to or higher than a set value, or a timer in the control device 14 detects that a predetermined time has elapsed from the start of energization of the red heater 35. Continue until you do. Thereafter, the controller 14 increases the input to the Stirling refrigerator 13 again to increase the amount of generated cold. As a result, the surface temperature of the cooler 16 gradually decreases. Then, when the surface temperature of the cooler 16 detected by the temperature sensor 17 becomes equal to or lower than a predetermined value, the bypass pipe 37 side of the three-way valve 36 is closed. Further, the control device 14 increases the input of the blower fan 18 to correspond to the cooling operation mode of each storage room of the refrigerator main body.

By the way, the defrost water generated by the defrost of the cooler 16 is dripped and discharged from the drain port 39 at the bottom of the duct 12 to the outside of the duct 12 as needed, flows through the drain hose 40 and is guided to the evaporating dish 42. I will Then, when the power supply to the red heater 35 is cut off, the control device 14
Is started to the flat heating element 41 attached to the back side of the bottom surface. As a result, heat is generated from the planar heating element 41 to heat the evaporating dish 42, and the defrost water collected in the evaporating dish 42 evaporates. The power supply to the flat heating element 41 is automatically turned off by a timer in the control device 14 after a certain time has elapsed. Further, a mechanism for guiding such defrost water to the outside of the duct and evaporating the same may be provided in the configuration described in the sixth embodiment.

<Eighth Embodiment> An eighth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, the same members as those in the above embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. FIG. 11 shows an eighth embodiment of the present invention.
It is a principal part side sectional view of the periphery of the duct which concerns on 1st Embodiment.
This embodiment differs from the seventh embodiment in the method of treating defrost water, and the other defrosting methods and the like are the same as in the seventh embodiment, and therefore description thereof is omitted. I do.

In FIG. 11, reference numeral 13b denotes a heat radiating portion formed adjacent to the compression space of the Stirling refrigerator 13, and the heat radiating portion 13b becomes considerably hot due to the compression stroke of the working gas. By efficiently lowering the temperature of the heat radiating section 13b, the refrigerating performance of the Stirling refrigerator 13 is improved, and a large amount of cold can be extracted from the low temperature section 13a. In general, the heat radiating portion 13b is cooled by blowing air from a fan, and depending on the specifications of the refrigerator, is set to an allowable range of the rated operation up to a temperature higher than the surroundings by about 20 to 30 ° C. . However, it is ideal to lower the temperature of the heat radiating portion 13b as much as possible for the above-described reason, and for that purpose, at present, it is necessary to take measures such as replacing the fan with a large air volume type. In addition, the large air volume type fan itself is not only large and difficult to save space, but also has a problem that loud wind noise leaks and is annoying.

In this embodiment, the defrost water is supplied to the heat radiating portion 13b.
With this configuration, a sufficient cooling effect on the heat radiating portion 13b can be obtained with a fan having a standard air volume. Hereinafter, the specific configuration will be described.
A drain port 39 is formed at the lowest position at the bottom of the duct 12, and one end of a drain hose 40 is connected to the drain port 39. The other end of the drain hose 40 is connected to a drain tank 43 provided at a position lower than the drain port 39. Reference numeral 46 denotes a watering nozzle, and the watering nozzle 46 and the drain tank 43 are connected to each other by a pipe 45 via an electromagnetic pump 44.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described. In the same manner as in the seventh embodiment, the defrost water generated by the defrost of the cooler 16 is dripped, discharged from the drain port 39 at the bottom of the duct 12 as needed, flows through the drain hose 40, and flows into the drain tank 43. Be guided. The defrost water collected in the drain tank 43 is pumped by an electromagnetic pump 44 and conveyed to a water spray nozzle 46 via a pipe 45, and is directed from the water spray nozzle 46 to the heat radiating portion 13b of the Stirling refrigerator 13. Sprayed. The sprayed defrost water evaporates quickly, and at that time, it takes away heat of vaporization from the radiator 13b and cools it. Thereby, the heat dissipation in the heat radiating portion 13b is further promoted in combination with the cooling action of the normal fan, so that the Stirling refrigerator 13 can always obtain stable refrigeration performance. It should be noted that a mechanism for introducing such defrost water to the heat radiating portion of the Stirling refrigerator and spraying the same may be provided for the configuration described in the sixth embodiment.

<Ninth Embodiment> A ninth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, the same members as those in the above embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. FIG. 12 shows a ninth embodiment of the present invention.
1 is a schematic external perspective view of a Stirling refrigerator according to an embodiment. In this figure, the door of each storage room is omitted. As shown in FIG. 12, a circulation pipe 47 is buried along the opening at the opening side of the Stirling refrigerator main body. The circulation pipe 47 is guided to the back in the lower part of the main body, and forms a closed circuit together with the heat exchange plate 50 and the circulation pump 52 provided on the main body side as shown in FIG. Further, a working fluid (for example, alcohol or the like) that does not easily coagulate or evaporate in a normal use condition of the Stalin refrigerator 1 is sealed in the closed circuit.

A heat radiating plate 51 is attached to the heat radiating portion 13b. When the mechanical product unit 9 is mounted in the mounting space of the refrigerator main body, the bottom of the heat exchanging plate 50 on the main body side and the heat radiating plate 51 are mounted. The upper surface is in a positional relationship of being in surface contact with each other. Therefore, heat released from the heat radiating portion 13b can be transmitted to the heat exchange plate 50 via the heat radiating plate 51. Further, the temperature sensor 48, 48, 48 for detecting the temperature of the outside air around each storage room and the humidity of the outside air around each storage room as shown in FIG. Humidity sensors 49, 4 to detect
9, 49 are provided. Note that the arrangement positions of the temperature sensor 48 and the humidity sensor 49 shown in FIG. 12 are merely examples, and it is a matter of course that the present invention is not limited to this.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described. FIG. 14 is a block diagram of the control device according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 14, the temperature sensor 48 and the humidity sensor 49
Of the circulating pump 5 is connected to one output side.
2 are connected. By the way, the portion of the refrigerator body that comes into contact with the outside air on the opening side has a large temperature difference from the surrounding atmosphere. Therefore, when the surrounding humidity is high, moisture in the outside air is condensed and dew condensation easily occurs. If this condensation is left undisturbed, there is a problem that water drops run down the outer surface of the refrigerator body and wet the floor. Therefore, based on the outputs of the temperature sensor 48 and the humidity sensor 49, the controller 14 energizes and drives the circulation pump 52 in a saturated state. Thereby, since the heat transmitted to the hydraulic fluid through the heat exchange plate 50 is conveyed by the hydraulic fluid circulating in the closed circuit, it is possible to prevent dew condensation on a portion where dew condensation easily occurs, Alternatively, the condensation that has already occurred can be eliminated.

As a method of controlling the circulating pump 52 by the control device 14, a condition for determining the occurrence of dew condensation is set in the control device 14 in advance in accordance with the outputs of the temperature sensor 48 and the humidity sensor 49, and under that condition, What is necessary is just to drive the circulation pump 52. As the determination conditions, for example, the temperature and humidity of the surrounding atmosphere are 80% or more at 10 ° C or more and less than 20 ° C, and 70% or more at 20 ° C or more and less than 30 ° C, respectively.
60% or more at 30 ° C or higher and lower than 35 ° C, 50% at 35 ° C or higher
% Or more. This eliminates the need to constantly drive the circulating pump 52, can reduce power waste due to useless input, and can achieve significant energy savings.

<Tenth Embodiment> A tenth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, the same members as those in the above embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. FIG. 15 is a schematic external perspective view of a Stirling refrigerator according to a tenth embodiment of the present invention. The present embodiment differs from the ninth embodiment in that an electric heater 53 is laid around a main body opening as shown in FIG. 15 instead of the circulation pipe 47 forming a closed circuit. This electric heater 5
Numeral 3 is guided to the back at the lower part of the refrigerator main body, and is connected to the output side of the control device 14 in the mechanical unit 9.

As the electric heater 53, a general lead wire heater can be suitably used. This is, for example, a copper-nickel resistance wire spirally wound around a polyethylene core yarn, and the outer periphery thereof is covered with a coating material. However, a thin coating material is used, and the heat generated is designed not to accumulate in the core yarn portion of the heater but to diffuse in the outer peripheral direction. The method of controlling the energization of the electric heater 53 by the control device 14 conforms to the ninth embodiment, and will not be repeated here. That is, in the present embodiment, the power supply to the circulation pump 52 in the ninth embodiment is
The same effect can be obtained by replacing the electric heater 53.

[0052]

As described above, according to the present invention, a Stirling engine that generates cold heat by a reverse Stirling cycle is unitized, and the unit is detachably mounted on the refrigerator body. Since the assembly is completed and the final product is assembled only, the manufacturing process is simplified, and the weight is dispersed if the components are separated from each other. Transport to the installation location becomes easy. Further, the processing cost associated with the disposal of the refrigerator can be reduced, and the recycling by sorting and collecting can be sufficiently performed. Further, even if a failure or malfunction occurs in the Stirling engine or a control device associated therewith, the unit can be separated from the refrigerator body and the inside thereof can be inspected, so that the time and effort required for maintenance can be greatly reduced. Further, the cool heat obtained from the Stirling refrigerator is temporarily accumulated in the cooler, and the cool heat is transmitted to the airflow blown from the cooler to the storage room,
By devising various structures to increase the surface area of the cooler, the heat exchange efficiency in the cooler is improved, and a large amount of cold heat can be efficiently extracted from the Stirling refrigerator. An appropriate cooling effect can be obtained for the stored material.

Further, even if frost is formed on the cooler, the frost formation is eliminated, so that it is possible to prevent a reduction in the efficiency of transmitting cold heat from the cooler to the air flow. In addition, since the defrost water generated by the defrost is guided outside the ventilation path of the cool air and evaporated, the re-freezing in the ventilation path of the defrost water can be prevented, thereby improving the reliability of the Stirling engine. I do. Furthermore, if this defrost water is sprayed on the heat radiating portion of the Stirling refrigerator to cool it, not only can the defrost water be effectively used, heat radiation in the heat radiating portion is promoted, but also the Stirling refrigerator can be cooled. Refrigeration performance can be improved. Further, by providing a means for heating a portion on the opening side of the refrigerator body that comes into contact with the outside air, even if the surrounding atmosphere becomes saturated, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of dew condensation at the portion that comes into contact with the outside air.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective front sectional view of a refrigerator according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of an example of a mechanical product unit separably mounted on the refrigerator.

FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of a main part around the mechanical product unit of the refrigerator.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a cooler according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a cooler according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a cooler according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a control device according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a side sectional view of a main part around a mechanical product unit of a Stirling refrigerator according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a side sectional view of a main part around a duct according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a control device of the refrigerator.

FIG. 11 is a side sectional view of a main part around a duct according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a schematic external perspective view of a Stirling refrigerator according to a ninth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a side sectional view of a main part around the mechanical product unit of the refrigerator.

FIG. 14 is a block diagram of a control device of the refrigerator.

FIG. 15 is a schematic external perspective view of a Stirling refrigerator according to a tenth embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Stirling refrigerator 2 Outer box 3 Inner box 4 Insulation material 5a, 5b Partition wall 6 Refrigerator room 7 Freezer room 8 Vegetable room 9 Machinery unit 10 Bottom plate 11 Machine room 12 Duct 13 Stirling refrigerator 13a Cold head 13b Radiator 14 Control device Reference Signs List 15 electrical box 16 cooler 17, 24, 48 temperature sensor 18 blower fan 19 blower port 20 return port 21 blower duct 22 outlet 23 damper 25 inlet 27 frame body 28 horizontal rib 29 vertical rib 30, 31 space 32 Corrugated fin 33 Vibrating heat pipe 34 Protective plate 35 Red heater 36 Three-way valve 37 Bypass pipe 38 Backflow prevention valve 39 Drain port 40 Drain hose 41 Flat heating element 42 Evaporating dish 43 Drain tank 44 Electromagnetic pump 45 Pipe 46 Sprinkler nozzle 47 Circulation pipe 49 Humidity Capacitors 50 heat exchanger plate 51 the radiator plate 52 circulation pump 53 electric heater

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) F25D 21/14 F25D 21/14 Q F term (Reference) 3L045 AA02 AA07 BA01 BA03 CA02 DA02 EA01 FA01 JA15 KA09 LA05 LA09 MA02 PA02 PA04 3L046 AA02 AA07 BA04 CA05 FB01 JA05 JA09 JA12 KA02 LA15 MA02 MA04 3L048 AA02 AA08 BA01 BB03 BC02 BD01 CA02 CB02 DA03 DB04

Claims (13)

[Claims] 1. A Stirling refrigerator that cools a stored product by transmitting the cold heat obtained by driving a Stirling engine that generates cold heat by an inverse Stirling cycle to a refrigerator air, wherein the Stirling engine is detachably attached to a refrigerator body. A Stirling refrigerator characterized by incorporating it. 2. A Stirling refrigerating machine that generates cold heat by an inverse Stirling cycle, a cool air blowing pipe standing upright along a back surface of the refrigerator main body and communicating with a storage room, and the cold air opening formed in the storage room. In the Stirling refrigerator having a suction port, the Stirling refrigerator, a duct having one end connected to and communicated with the lower end of the air duct and the other end connected to and communicated with the suction port, provided in the duct. A blower fan that circulates the cool air between the storage room and the duct through the blower duct, and is connected to a low-temperature portion at the tip of the Stirling refrigerator provided in the duct and stores the cool heat. And a unit accommodating the cooler for transmitting the cool air to the refrigerator main body so as to be separable. 3. The Stirling refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein the cooler is formed with a honeycomb-shaped space extending in the vertical direction inside a cylindrical, substantially rectangular parallelepiped frame whose top and bottom are open. . 4. The cooler has a plurality of substantially rectangular parallelepiped spaces of equal size extending in the up-down direction inside a cylindrical substantially rectangular parallelepiped frame whose top and bottom are open, and corrugated fins meandering in the space. 3. A Stirling refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein 5. A vibrating heat pipe, wherein the cooler is formed by folding a flat pipe in which a working fluid is sealed in a hollow portion at an end, meandering at equal intervals, connecting both ends, and sealing under high vacuum; A corrugated fin that is disposed between the opposing surfaces of the vibrating heat pipe, excluding the folded portion, and extends vertically and meanders in a direction substantially perpendicular to the facing surface, and is disposed to sandwich the folded portion of the vibrating heat pipe. The Stirling refrigerator according to claim 2, comprising a protected plate. 6. A temperature sensor for detecting a temperature in the storage chamber, and a control device for controlling driving of the Stirling refrigerator and the blower fan based on an output of the temperature sensor. A Stirling refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 5. 7. A temperature sensor for detecting a temperature in the vicinity of the cooler, a heat generating means disposed in the cooler, and a control device for controlling energization to the heat generating means based on an output of the temperature sensor. The Stirling refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein: 8. A temperature sensor for detecting a temperature in the vicinity of the cooler, a heat generating means provided in the duct and located upstream of the cooler, and energizing the heat generating means based on an output of the temperature sensor. 3. The Stirling refrigerator according to claim 2, further comprising a control device for controlling the temperature of the Stirling refrigerator. 9. A temperature sensor for detecting a temperature in the vicinity of the cooler, a heat generating means provided in the duct and located on the upstream side of the cooler, and an upstream side and a downstream side of the cooler communicating with each other. A short-circuiting line, a ventilation-line switching means for switching so that cool air is blown to the blowing line or the blowing line and the short-circuiting line, and energizing the heating means based on an output of the temperature sensor; The Stirling refrigerator according to claim 2, further comprising a blower fan, a control device that controls driving of the Stirling refrigerator and switching operation of the ventilation path switching unit. 10. A drain port provided at the bottom of the duct to discharge defrost water generated by defrosting frost attached to the cooler with heat generated by energizing the heat generating means to the outside of the duct; 8. An evaporating dish provided at a position lower than the drain port to guide the defrost water and evaporate the defrost water based on an output of the control device.
The Stirling refrigerator according to any one of claims 9 to 9. 11. A drain port provided at the bottom of the duct to discharge defrost water generated by defrosting frost adhering to the cooler with heat generated by energizing the heat generating means to the outside of the duct; A sprinkler nozzle for spraying the defrost water to a radiator of the Stirling refrigerator; a dewatering nozzle provided between the drain port and the sprinkler nozzle for guiding the defrost water to the sprinkler nozzle based on an output of the controller; The Stirling refrigerator according to any one of claims 7 to 9, further comprising frost water conveying means. 12. A temperature sensor for detecting an external temperature,
A humidity sensor that detects external humidity, a circulation pipe that is buried so that the working fluid circulates along the opening of the refrigerator main body and forms a closed circuit, and heat generated from a radiator of the Stirling refrigerator. A heat transfer means for transmitting to the working fluid in the closed circuit, a circulation pump disposed in the middle of the circulation pipe to circulate the working fluid in the closed circuit, and a heat pump based on outputs of the temperature sensor and the humidity sensor. The Stirling refrigerator according to any one of claims 2 to 5, further comprising a control device that controls operation of the circulation pump. 13. A temperature sensor for detecting an external temperature,
A humidity sensor for detecting an external humidity, an electric heater buried along the opening of the refrigerator main body, and a control device for controlling energization to the electric heater based on outputs of the temperature sensor and the humidity sensor. The Stirling refrigerator according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the Stirling refrigerator has: