JP2002130904A - Cold storage cabinet - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a cold storage cabinet capable of holding a low constant temperature for a long time without influence to supply of a cold gas. SOLUTION: The cold storage cabinet comprises a housing having an openable/closable door, cover or drawer at least formed of a member having a heat insulation, and a partition wall for dividing at least into two sections in the housing. In this case, the wall is formed of a member having good thermal conductivity and containing a cold storage agent therein. The cabinet also comprises an air duct for circulating the cold gas supplied out of the housing to one side in the housing partitioned by the wall in contact with the partition wall.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cool storage for cooling the inside of a housing by supplying cold air supplied from outside to the inside of the housing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The prior art of such a cold storage is as follows.
There was one described in JP-A-8-301365. In this publication, cold air discharged from a vehicle-mounted cooler (car air conditioner) is guided to a cool box to cool the inside of the cool box.

[0003]

This cool box simply cools what is stored inside. After the supply of cold air is cut off, the heat inside the cool box keeps the inside temperature low. Therefore, the temperature in the cool box could not be kept low for a long time.

[0004] In addition, cold air directly hits the internal storage,
Depending on the supply state of the cool air, the stored items may fluctuate in temperature.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems and provides a cold storage which can keep the internal temperature low and constant for a long time without being affected by the supply of cool air.

[0006]

According to the present invention, there is provided a refrigerator having a housing formed of a heat insulating member and having at least one of a door, a lid and a drawer which can be opened and closed, and a partition for dividing the housing into at least two sections. A wall having a good thermal conductivity in which a cold storage agent is housed inside, and cool air supplied from outside the housing to one of the housings partitioned by the partition wall is provided. The air path circulates in contact with the air, and cools the cold air obtained from the cool air in the partition wall to cool the inside of the cold storage.

Further, the surface of the partition wall which is in contact with the cool air is provided with a plurality of irregularities or projections for increasing the surface area to improve the heat exchange efficiency.

Further, a plurality of ribs connected from the inside to the surface where the cold air is in contact with the inside of the partition wall improve heat exchange efficiency of the regenerator.

Further, the partition wall member is made of a metal having good thermal conductivity such as aluminum or copper, and improves the heat exchange efficiency of the regenerator.

Further, the member of the partition wall is a synthetic resin having good heat conductivity and improves the heat exchange efficiency of the regenerator.

[0011] Further, the solidification temperature of the regenerator is 5 to 20 degrees Celsius.
Temperature, the temperature inside the refrigerator
It can be kept at 20 degrees.

Further, the solidification temperature of the regenerator is 5 to 10 degrees Celsius.
Temperature, the temperature inside the refrigerator
It can be maintained at 10 degrees.

Further, a passage connecting the spaces defined by the partition walls is formed in the housing, and the passage is provided with an openable / closable damper or an opening / closing member. Ability to increase ability.

Further, by supplying the cool air generated in the heat absorption step of the refrigeration cycle including at least a refrigerant compression step, a refrigerant heat release step, a pressure reduction step, and a refrigerant heat absorption step, the cold heat obtained in the refrigeration cycle is reduced. It can be used.

In the heat absorbing step, at least two heat exchangers are provided with a refrigerant branch for selectively controlling the flow of the refrigerant based on the state of the regenerator, and the cold air generated by one of the heat exchangers is provided. Is supplied, the amount of generated cold air can be controlled.

Further, since the heat exchanger is housed in a single unit, installation convenience is obtained.

[0017]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the present invention, in which 1 is a hot water storage tank, which is connected to city water 3 via a manual valve 2 for adjusting water pressure, and the water pressure in the hot water storage tank 1 is adjusted by the manual valve 2. Pressure has been reached.

Reference numeral 4 denotes a pressure control valve, which is an indoor hot water supply pipe 5.
The hot water whose pressure has been adjusted by the pressure adjusting valve 4 is supplied to the heater. Since city water is supplied from the lower part of the hot water supply tank 1 and hot water is supplied from the upper part of the hot water supply tank 1, the inside of the hot water supply tank 1 is separated into two layers of water on the lower side and hot water on the upper side. By detecting this separation position with a temperature sensor or the like, the amount of hot water in the hot water supply tank 1 can be measured.

Reference numeral 6 denotes a hot water circulation pump,
After the water (or low-temperature hot water) taken out from the lower part is heated to nearly 90 degrees by the water heat exchanger 7, it is supplied to the upper part of the hot water tank 1, and the amount of hot water in the hot water tank decreases. The operation is performed when the temperature of the hot water in the upper portion of the hot water supply tank 1 decreases.

The water heat exchanger 7 forms a part of a refrigeration cycle 10 described below, and uses the heat of the refrigerant which has been compressed by the compressor 11 and has a high temperature to remove water circulated by the hot water circulation pump 6. It is to be heated. It should be noted that the temperature of the hot water heated by the water heat exchanger 7 is a predetermined temperature (about 90 ° C.).
The degree of water circulation is varied so as to be in degrees.

The refrigeration cycle 10 mainly includes a refrigerant compressor (compression step) 11 for performing two-stage compression, and a water heat exchanger (radiation step).
7, a supercooler 14, a decompression device (decompression process) 18, and an evaporator (heat absorption process) 19 are connected in a ring shape by a refrigerant pipe.
More specifically, the output of the first stage of the refrigerant compressed by the refrigerant compressor 11 is cooled by the cooler 12 and then output to the refrigerant compressor 11.
After being input to the second stage and compressed again, it is output to the water heat exchanger 7.

A part of the refrigerant whose temperature has decreased in the water heat exchanger 7 evaporates in the subcooler 14 via the pressure reducing device 13 to further lower the temperature of the remaining refrigerant. The evaporated refrigerant is drawn into the second stage of the refrigerant compressor 11 and compressed.

One of the refrigerants cooled by the supercooler 14 is 3
After being gasified by an evaporator (acting as an evaporating step, endothermic effect) 19 through the one-way valve 15 and the pressure reducing device 16, the three-way valve 2
0, it is sucked into the first stage of the compressor 11 again. After the other refrigerant becomes gaseous by performing an endothermic action in the evaporator 21 via the three-way valve 15 and the pressure reducing device 16, the three-way valve 2
0, and is sucked into the compressor 11 again as described above.

A blower 27 circulates the air cooled (absorbed heat) by the evaporator 21 to a cool storage 30 (having an opening / closing door) through an insulated cool air duct 28.
The partial flow rate of the three-way valve 15 (and the three-way valve 20) is adjusted according to the cold storage state of the cold storage agent provided in the cool storage 30.

The partial flow rate of the refrigerant to the evaporator 21 of the three-way valve 15 is 0% (or almost 0%) in a state where the regenerator has sufficiently stored cold energy.
%), The partial flow rate of the refrigerant increases as the temperature of the regenerator increases.

For example, the cold storage state of the cold storage agent is determined based on the temperature of the cold storage agent, and "solidification temperature + 5 degrees> temperature of the cold storage agent> solidification temperature−
In this case, the refrigerant flow rate of the three-way valve 15 is controlled in a range of 100% to 0% in the range of "2 degrees".

Also, the state of cold storage of the regenerator is determined from the temperature difference between the temperature of the cool air supplied to the cool storage 30 and the temperature of the cool air returning from the cool storage 30, and the divided flow rate of the three-way valve 15 is controlled in the same manner as described above. May be. In addition, the throttle amount of the pressure reducing device 16 is
Is controlled so that the temperature of the air cooled at the temperature (the temperature of the cool air supplied to the cold storage 30) is, for example, about 7 degrees.

By controlling the three-way valve 15 and the pressure reducing device 16, when the regenerator does not sufficiently cool the refrigerant, the refrigerant actively flows toward the evaporator 21 and the regenerator is sufficiently cooled. Thereafter, the refrigerant is caused to flow toward the evaporator 19 so that the operation efficiency of the refrigeration cycle 10 is not reduced.

The generation of cold air to be supplied to the cold storage 30 is as follows:
It is not limited to the exhaust heat from the water heater as described above, but may be any as long as it can generate cold heat (cold air).

FIG. 2 shows a hot water storage tank 1, a refrigeration cycle 10,
It is explanatory drawing which shows the installation state of the cool storage. In this figure, reference numeral 31 denotes a unit provided on a predetermined foundation, which mainly accommodates a hot water storage tank 1, a hot water circulation pump 6, and a water heat exchanger 7. A unit 32 houses the compressor 11 and the like.
It houses the direction valves 15, 20, the evaporators 19, 21, the blower 29, and the like. This unit is connected to a cool storage 30 via a cool air duct 28. The cool storage 30 is housed or integrated below the system kitchen 33 provided indoors. The cold storage 30 is roughly composed of a housing having a heat insulating material, and the inside is divided into two sections of spaces 38a and 38b using the cold storage material 34 as a partition wall. The cool storage 30 is configured to put stored items on a drawer provided from the front. The cold storage is not limited to the one having such a structure, and may be one having a door or a lid that can be opened and closed, or one having the entire lower part of the system kitchen configured as a cold storage.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the cool storage 30 shown in FIGS. In this figure, the cold storage material 34 is sandwiched between a lower wall 36 having a communication hole 36a at a lower portion and an upper wall 37 having a communication hole 37a at an upper portion to constitute a partition wall for dividing the inside of the cold storage 30 into two sections.

A pair of cool air ducts 28 is connected to the space 38a divided by the partition wall, and one of the cool air ducts 28 discharges cool air in a direction to directly apply cool air to the cool storage material 34, and the other cool air duct 28 It is arranged so as to collect (suck) cool air from a direction not facing the material 34.

The space 38b has drawers 35a to 35d which are constructed so as not to impede the circulation of cool air (such as a roughly knitted basket) and which can be opened and closed from the front side of the cool storage 30. The contents are kept cool in this drawer.

The communication holes 36a and 37a connect the spaces 38a and 38b, and have a damper (a device using gas pressure, an electric device, etc.) that opens when the temperature of the space 38b becomes higher than a predetermined temperature. ing. Therefore, when the temperature in the space 38b rises due to the opening and closing of the drawers 35a to 35d, the damper opens and the cool air in the space 38a flows into the space 38b via the communication hole 36a and the communication hole 37a, and the space 3b.
8b is to improve the cooling efficiency.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing the internal structure of the cold storage material 34. The cylindrical case 40 is provided inside (from the surface 40a) of the space 38a (the side where cold air supplied through the cold air duct comes into contact). A plurality of ribs 41 protrude toward (side 40b). The rib 41 is configured to be able to flow when the regenerator stored therein is in a liquid state without being in contact with the surface 40b. By projecting the ribs 41 from the side of the surface 40a, the heat exchange efficiency between the cold air supplied through the cool air duct and the regenerator is increased so that the regenerator is cooled in a short time. After that, it is configured to cool down over time.

The configuration of the regenerator is not limited to the configuration shown in FIG. 4. Any configuration may be used as long as the regenerative storage is performed quickly during regenerative storage, and is allowed to take place over time during regenerative cooling.

The cold storage material 34 is composed of a cylindrical case 40 and a lid 42 for closing both ends of the case 40 (only one is shown in FIG. 4 and the other is removed to make the inside easy to see). Have been.

The case 40 is formed by extruding a metal having good thermal conductivity, such as aluminum or copper, and has ribs 41 formed at the time of extrusion. Alternatively, a molded article integrally formed of a synthetic resin having good heat conductivity may be used. The lid 42 is not limited to metal and may be made of a synthetic resin. The lid 42 may be any lid that can seal the inside of the case 40 regardless of the thermal conductivity.

A regenerator is stored in the regenerator 34 and its amount is, for example, about 90% of the volume. A space for accommodating the volume expansion of the regenerator during solidification may be left in the case 40. . As the regenerator, paraffin-based squalane hydrate or sodium acetate hydrate can be used. In this case, the solidification temperature is about 5 to 20 degrees, and the temperature in the refrigerator can be maintained at 20 + α. In order to keep the temperature inside the refrigerator at around 15 degrees, the solidification temperature of the regenerator is 5 degrees to 10 degrees.
It may be set to about degrees. In any case, it is possible to maintain the temperature in the cold storage at about the condensation temperature of the cold storage agent + α, and α
Is determined by the temperature outside the cold storage and the heat insulating capacity of the cold storage.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing another embodiment of the cold storage material 34. The difference from the cold storage material 34 shown in FIG. 4 is that the cylindrical case is provided on the side of the space 38a (via a cool air duct). The point is that the surface 40c (on the side where the supplied cool air comes in contact) is corrugated. By making the surface 40a corrugated, the contact area with cold air increases, and the cooling of the internal regenerator can be accelerated.

Therefore, the shape of the cold storage material 34 on the side in contact with the cool air is not limited to those shown in FIGS.
Any structure that promotes heat exchange with cold air, such as a shape in which the fins 43 project vertically as shown in FIG.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory view of a single unit mounting the portion surrounded by the dashed line shown in FIG. In this figure, the inside of the unit is first divided vertically into two parts, and the lower part is further divided into two parts left and right, one of which is an evaporator 19 and a blower 19a.
The compressor 11 and the electrical box 50 are stored in the other.
Are stored. Evaporator 2 at the top of the unit
1. A blower 27 and the like are housed, and a cool air duct 28 is connected to the space above the cooler, and the air cooled by the evaporator 21 is circulated to the cool storage 30 through the cool air duct 28 by the blower 27. Have been.

In the upper space, a cool air duct 28 is further provided.
A duct opening / closing mechanism (not shown) such as a damper for controlling the flow of cool air into and out of the air conditioner is provided, and is configured to close when the blower 27 is stopped.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory view showing another embodiment. Components which can use the same components as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted. Reference numeral 51 denotes a cylindrical air passage, which is provided with shutters 52 and 53 formed of a plurality of rotary flaps at front and rear open ends.
Mesh-shaped protection nets (such as resin grills and wire nets) 54 and 55 are provided outside the bases 2 and 53 to prevent foreign substances from entering. Note that an evaporator 19 and a blower 19a are provided in this air passage.

When the shutters 52 and 53 are in the state shown in the figure (open state), the blower 19a is operated to blow air to the evaporator 19 via the protection nets 54 and 55, thereby promoting the evaporation of the refrigerant. . In the state (closed state) where the shutters 52 and 53 are rotated 90 degrees from the state shown in FIG. 8 (closed state), the air in the cool storage 30 is evaporated through the cool air duct 28 by the operation of the blower 19a.
Is to be circulated. Therefore, the shutters 52, 5
When 3 is closed, cool air is supplied to the cold storage 30.

The cold air duct 28 has shutters 52 and 53
An auxiliary damper that closes when is open may be provided to prevent cold air or outside air from flowing to the cold storage 30 side.

Similar to the control of the three-way valve 15 shown in FIG. 1, the opening and closing control of the shutters 52 and 53 closes when the cold storage material 34 has a small amount of cold storage, and closes when the cold storage material 34 has been cooled to a predetermined amount. It is configured to open.

FIG. 9 shows that the shutters 52 and 53 are connected to the evaporator 19.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a state in which the protection net is removed (in a state where a protection net is removed). In this figure, 56 is an external unit,
It is mounted outside the unit containing the evaporator 19, the blower 19a and the pressure reducing device 18. By covering the external unit 56, the external unit 5
Spaces 57 and 58 are formed in 6. The cool air duct 28 is connected to the spaces 57 and 58, respectively, and the outer case 57 is provided with a damper 53 (the shutter 52 is not shown).

By closing the shutters 52 and 53, cool air circulates between the cold storage 30 and the external unit 56 via the cold air duct 28, and the cold storage material 34 in the cold storage 30 can be cooled. With the above configuration, the cold storage 30 is continuously cooled by the cold storage heat stored in the cold storage material 34.

In the cold storage constructed as described above, the cold storage agent is cooled by the cool air obtained through the duct, and the inside of the cold storage is kept within the temperature by cooling from the cold storage. Even in the case where the supply is performed intermittently, it is possible to keep the cold during the intermittent period by selecting the heat storage capacity of the regenerator.

[0051]

In the cold storage constructed as described above, by cooling the regenerator with cold air, the temperature in the cold storage can be maintained at a predetermined temperature even when cold air is intermittently supplied. Things.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing an installation state of a hot water storage tank, a refrigeration cycle, and a cool storage;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the cool storage 30 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing an internal structure of a regenerator.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing another embodiment of the regenerator.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view showing another embodiment of a heat storage material having a shape in which fins are projected vertically.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a single unit on which a portion surrounded by a dashed line shown in FIG. 1 is mounted.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory view showing another embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a state where the shutter is attached to the evaporator (a state where the protection net is removed).

[Explanation of symbols]

 15, 20 Three-way valve 16, 18 Pressure reducing device 19, 21 Evaporator 19A Blower 28 Cold air duct 30 Cold storage 34 Cool storage agent 41 Rib

Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Haruyuki Yoshida 2-5-5 Keihanhondori, Moriguchi-shi, Osaka Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 3L044 AA04 BA01 CA11 DC03 DD07 FA03 KA04 KA05 3L045 BA01 CA02 DA02 KA16 PA04 PA05 3L102 JA10 LB13

Claims (11)

[Claims] 1. A housing having a door, a lid, or a drawer which is formed of a member having heat insulating properties and has at least one of which can be opened and closed, and a partition wall which divides the housing into at least two sections, wherein the partition wall is provided inside. Constructed by a member having good thermal conductivity containing a regenerator, and forming an air passage through which cold air supplied from outside the casing is circulated in one of the casings partitioned by the partition wall in contact with the partition wall. Cold storage characterized by doing. 2. The cold storage according to claim 1, wherein a surface of the partition wall in contact with the cold air is provided with a plurality of irregularities or protrusions for increasing a surface area. 3. The cold storage according to claim 2, further comprising a plurality of ribs connected from the inside to a surface where the cold air contacts the inside of the partition wall. 4. The partition wall member is made of aluminum,
The cold storage according to claim 3, wherein the metal is a metal having good thermal conductivity such as copper. 5. The cool storage according to claim 4, wherein the partition wall member is made of a synthetic resin having good thermal conductivity. 6. The cool storage according to claim 1, wherein a solidification temperature of the cool storage agent is set to 5 to 20 degrees Celsius. 7. The cool storage according to claim 1, wherein a solidification temperature of the cool storage agent is set to 5 to 10 degrees Celsius. 8. The air conditioner according to claim 6, wherein a passage connecting the space defined by the partition wall is formed in the housing, and a damper or an opening / closing member that can be opened and closed is provided in the passage. Cold storage as described. 9. The method according to claim 1, wherein cool air generated in the heat absorption step of the refrigeration cycle including at least a refrigerant compression step, a refrigerant heat release step, a pressure reduction step, and a refrigerant heat absorption step is supplied. Cold storage. 10. The heat-absorbing step includes a refrigerant branch for selectively controlling the flow of the refrigerant in at least two heat exchangers based on a state of the regenerator, and the heat-generating step is performed by one of the heat exchangers. The cold storage according to claim 9, wherein cold air is supplied. 11. The cool storage according to claim 10, wherein the heat exchanger is housed in a single unit.