JP4655311B2 - Combined cooling device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a composite cooling apparatus that enables vacuum cooling and cold air cooling.

  As this kind of conventional composite cooling device, the one described in Patent Document 1 is known. In this composite cooling device, the decompressor of the vacuum cooling means is constituted by a steam ejector, a heat exchanger and a water-sealed vacuum pump, and the cooling water of the heat exchanger is cooled by a cooling tower and a refrigerator. Yes. In this conventional apparatus, equipment is required to obtain a high vacuum such as a steam ejector.

JP 2002-318051 A

The problem to be solved by the present invention is to simplify the configuration of the composite cooling device, effectively cool the object to be cooled without increasing the cooling capacity of the vacuum cooling means, and perform the second vacuum cooling step. Is to do it effectively .

This invention was made in order to solve the said subject, and the invention of Claim 1 is the air in the said cooling chamber cooled by the cooling chamber which accommodates the to-be-cooled object, and the heat exchanger for cooling. A cool air cooling means for cooling the object to be cooled by means of, a vacuum cooling means for cooling the object to be cooled by reducing the pressure in the cooling chamber, and a control means for controlling the operation of the cold air cooling means and the vacuum cooling means. In the combined cooling device, the vacuum cooling means includes a steam supply valve that supplies steam or hot water to the cooling chamber, a decompressor in a decompression line connected to the cooling chamber, and the cooling chamber and the decompressor. The control means opens the steam supply valve and supplies steam or hot water into the cooling chamber while operating the decompressor, thereby supplying air in the cooling chamber. Eliminate the cooling chamber And air exclusion step filled with steam, the after air purging step to close the supply蒸弁open the on-off valve, the first vacuum cooling step for reducing the pressure of the cooling chamber by the operation of the pressure reducer, the first vacuum cooling step as sealed the cooling chamber under low pressure by Rukoto closing the on-off valve after stops the operation of the pressure reducer, is operated the cooling heat exchanger, the cooling chamber of the steam the cooling heat is condensed on the surface of the exchanger is characterized by performing the second vacuum cooling step that maintain a low pressure state of the cooling chamber.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the cooling heat exchanger used for cooling the cold air is also used for vapor condensation at the time of vacuum cooling, a conventional steam ejector for obtaining a high vacuum is used. A device is not required, and the configuration of the vacuum cooling means can be simplified. In addition, the first vacuum cooling step by the operation of the pressure reducer, and closing the on-off valve after the first vacuum cooling step to bring the cooling chamber into a sealed state under a low pressure, stopping the operation of the pressure reducer, Since the cooling heat exchanger is operated and the second vacuum cooling step is performed in which the vapor in the cooling chamber is condensed on the surface of the cooling heat exchanger to maintain the low pressure state in the cooling chamber, the vacuum cooling means Therefore, it is possible to effectively cool the object to be cooled without increasing the cooling capacity. Furthermore, an air exhausting step of opening the steam supply valve and supplying steam or hot water into the cooling chamber while operating the pressure reducer to exclude air in the cooling chamber and fill the cooling chamber with steam. Since it is performed before the first vacuum cooling step, the second vacuum cooling step can be effectively performed.

According to the invention described in claim 2, in addition to the effect by claim 1, it is possible even if frost on the cooling heat exchanger in the cooling step defrosting by the defrosting means, there is an effect that it is possible to perform the cooling process effectively.

According to the present invention, the structure of the composite cooling device can be simplified, and the object to be cooled can be effectively cooled without increasing the cooling capacity of the vacuum cooling means, and the second vacuum There exists an effect that a cooling process can be performed effectively.

  Next, an embodiment of the composite cooling device of the present invention will be described. The embodiment of the present invention is applied to a composite cooling device capable of cooling an object to be cooled by cold air cooling and vacuum cooling.

  This embodiment will be specifically described. In this embodiment, a cooling chamber that houses an object to be cooled, cold air cooling means that cools the object to be cooled by air in the cooling chamber cooled by a cooling heat exchanger, and decompressing the cooling chamber. A combined cooling apparatus comprising: a vacuum cooling means for cooling an object to be cooled; and a control means for controlling the operation of the cold air cooling means and the vacuum cooling means, wherein the control means is a vacuum cooling by the vacuum cooling means. The cooling heat exchanger is sometimes operated.

In the first embodiment, when the cold air cooling means is operated by the control means, a cold air cooling process is performed. In this cold air cooling step, the air in the cooling chamber is cooled by the cooling heat exchanger, and the object to be cooled is cooled by the cooled air. This cold air cooling is cooling by exchanging heat with the surrounding air on the surface of the object to be cooled. For this reason, the object to be cooled cannot be uniformly cooled in a short time.

Further, when the vacuum cooling means is operated by the control means, a vacuum cooling process is performed. In this vacuum cooling step, the cooling chamber is depressurized and the object to be cooled is cooled by vacuum cooling. In this vacuum cooling, by setting the pressure around the object to be cooled to a pressure corresponding to the temperature of the object to be cooled (hereinafter referred to as the product temperature), the water in the object to be cooled is evaporated, It is to be cooled. This cooling is uniform cooling with a small temperature difference between the surface and the center of the object to be cooled.

  The feature of this embodiment is that the cooling heat exchanger is operated in the vacuum cooling step. The operation of the cooling heat exchanger includes the following three modes. In the first operation mode, after the cooling chamber containing the object to be cooled is depressurized by a decompressor to be in a decompressed state, the decompression by the decompressor is stopped, and the cooling chamber is closed and the cooling chamber is closed. This is a mode in which the heat exchanger performs a cooling action. In this aspect, the steam generated from the object to be cooled moves to the cooling heat exchanger and condenses, and accelerates moisture evaporation of the object to be cooled, thereby performing a cooling action. Therefore, the cooling heat exchanger functions as a cold trap that condenses the steam.

  The second operation mode is a mode in which the cooling heat exchanger performs a cooling action while reducing the pressure in the cooling chamber. Also in this aspect, the cooling heat exchanger functions as a cold trap for condensing steam. The third operating mode is an operating mode combining the first operating mode and the second operating mode.

  Thus, according to this embodiment, since the cooling heat exchanger used for cooling the cold air is also used as a cold trap for cold cooling, it is possible to omit the conventional heat exchanger for condensation and the steam ejector. The configuration of the vacuum cooling means can be simplified.

  Next, each component of this embodiment will be described. The object to be cooled is preferably a food, but is not limited thereto. The cooling chamber may be of any type, type, and size as long as it forms a sealed space for accommodating the object to be cooled and can take in and out the object to be cooled. This cooling chamber can be referred to as a cooling chamber, a cooling compartment, a cooling container, or the like.

  The cold air cooling means includes an air circulation means for circulating the air in the cooling chamber, and a circulation path that constitutes a circulation path so that the object to be cooled and the cooling heat exchanger are positioned in the circulation flow by the air circulation means. It shall be provided with the structural member. The circulating means is composed of a fan. The circulation path is preferably formed in the cooling chamber by arranging the heat exchanger and the fan in the cooling chamber, and the cooling heat exchanger and / or the fan is disposed outside the cooling chamber. The circulation path can be configured by arranging them and connecting them to the cooling chamber with ventilation ducts.

  The cooling heat exchanger may be any heat exchanger that can be cooled to a low temperature (for example, −10 ° C. or lower) that can cool the object to be cooled to the chilled region by cooling with cold air. And an evaporator that evaporates the liquefied refrigerant supplied from the cooling unit and cools the air in the cooling chamber by indirect heat exchange. However, the heat exchanger for cooling can be a heat exchanger that uses cold water supplied from a cold water production apparatus (chiller) or brine supplied from a branler as a refrigerant.

  By the way, the cold air cooling process by the cold air cooling means is not a heat exchanger cold air cooling using the cooling heat exchanger, but introduces outside air into the cooling chamber, and applies this outside air to the object to be cooled and then discharges it. A combination of the outside air cooling and the heat exchanger cooling can be performed.

  The circulation path constituting member may be constituted by a partition wall that divides the cooling chamber into a first region and a second region, and communicates the first region and the second region by a communication opening. Such a configuration simplifies the configuration of the circulation path.

  Further, the first region and the second region are arranged vertically, the object to be cooled is accommodated in the first region, the cooling heat exchanger is disposed in the second region, and the second region A vacuum line of the vacuum cooling means can be connected to the bottom. According to this configuration, air is heavier than steam and moves downward, so that air can be smoothly removed in the air removal step described later.

  Further, the partition wall can be configured to be detachable. With this configuration, when the partition wall is removed and the cooling chamber door is opened, the cooling heat exchanger can be exposed, so that the cooling heat exchanger can be easily cleaned. .

  Furthermore, the drain stored in the said cooling chamber can be discharged | emitted by operating the pressure reduction device which comprises the said pressure reduction line and comprises a vacuum cooling means. According to such a configuration, it is not necessary to provide a dedicated drain discharge means for discharging the drain that has occurred in the cold air cooling step and the defrosting operation described later and accumulated in the cooling chamber.

The vacuum cooling means includes the first vacuum cooling means for performing a first vacuum cooling process and the second vacuum cooling means for performing a second vacuum cooling process, and the first vacuum cooling process is performed after the first vacuum cooling process. it can be configured to perform about two vacuum cold 却工. That is, the first vacuum cooling means is configured to execute the first vacuum cooling step by the operation of a decompressor provided in a decompression line connected to the cooling chamber. Further, the second vacuum cooling means is configured to perform the second vacuum cooling step by condensing the vapor from the object to be cooled by the cooling heat exchanger with the cooling chamber sealed under a low pressure. be able to.

  The decompressor of the first vacuum cooling means can be a vacuum pump or a water ejector. The vacuum pump is preferably a water ring vacuum pump.

  As a component for sealing the cooling chamber of the second vacuum cooling means, an open / close valve is provided between the cooling chamber and the decompressor in a decompression line including the decompressor. By closing the on-off valve when the second vacuum cooling means is operated, the cooling chamber can be sealed. The on-off valve is preferably a valve that performs two opening and closing operations, such as an electromagnetic valve, but may be a check valve.

  The operation of the first vacuum cooling means is to open the on-off valve and operate the pressure reducer, and the operation of the second vacuum cooling means is after the cooling chamber is in a low pressure state. The on-off valve is closed and the cooling heat exchanger is operated, that is, the refrigerant is supplied to perform the cooling action.

  In the second vacuum cooling step, steam is generated from the object to be cooled in a sealed space under reduced pressure, and the generated steam is condensed on the surface of the cooling heat exchanger to evaporate from the object to be cooled. Facilitate. In order to ensure the action of the second vacuum cooling step, it is important that there is no air in the cooling chamber that prevents vapor condensation. For this reason, it is desirable to provide an air exclusion process before the first vacuum cooling process.

  In this air exclusion step, preferably, air is exhausted by supplying steam (steaming) to the cooling chamber or supplying warm water (supplying water) and operating the decompressor to fill the cooling chamber with steam. To be configured. Moreover, this air exclusion process can be configured to be performed in the order of the exhaust gas → the steam supply → the exhaust gas, and this can be performed once or a plurality of times.

  The second vacuum cooling step is performed using the cooling heat exchanger not only for cooling cold air but also as a cold trap for condensing steam from the object to be cooled. As a result, it is not necessary to provide a steam ejector as the decompressor, and in some cases, a steam condensation heat exchanger (condensation heat exchanger) provided on the upstream side of the decompressor can be omitted. The configuration of the cooling means can be simplified.

  By the way, the first vacuum cooling means may be a mode in which a heat exchanger for condensation is provided on the upstream side of the decompressor in the decompression line. In this case, the first vacuum cooling step is performed by operating the decompressor and the heat exchanger for condensation. In this aspect, the on-off valve is provided between the cooling chamber and the condensation heat exchanger.

  In this embodiment, a defrosting unit for the cooling heat exchanger can be provided. In the second vacuum cooling step, the cooling heat exchanger is frosted (including icing) depending on conditions. Then, since condensation of steam is not performed, the defrosting means is operated to perform defrosting.

  When the cooling heat exchanger is an evaporator of a refrigerator, the defrosting means is a so-called hot gas defrost that defrosts by flowing hot gas from the compressor of the refrigerator to the cooling heat exchanger. Can be configured. Moreover, this defrosting means can be used as a heater for heating the cooling heat exchanger. By defrosting the cooling heat exchanger, defrosting can be started by detecting the temperature or pressure of the evaporator. In addition, the pressure and the product temperature in the cooling chamber do not reach the set values, or the temperature or pressure of the evaporator, the pressure in the cooling chamber and the amount of change in the product temperature do not reach the set values. It can comprise so that defrosting may be started by detecting.

The cooling heat exchanger can be configured to flow hot gas to dry and sterilize the cooling heat exchanger. Furthermore, when performing the said air exclusion process by a steam supply means, the said cooling chamber can be sterilized as about 80 degreeC high temperature by supplying a vapor | steam from the said steam supply means to the said cooling chamber.

  Hereinafter, a specific embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of the composite cooling device 1 according to the first embodiment, and FIGS. 2 to 6 are flowcharts for explaining a main part of a control procedure according to the first embodiment.

  The composite cooling device 1 is a cooling device that can perform vacuum cooling and cold air cooling, can selectively execute various cooling patterns, and has an object temperature to be cooled (hereinafter referred to as a product temperature) in a chilled region. It has the characteristic that the to-be-cooled object 3 can be cooled in a short time so that it may become low temperature.

The composite cooling device 1 includes a cooling chamber 2, a vacuum cooling means 4 for cooling the object 3 in the cooling chamber 2 in a vacuum, a cold air cooling means 5 for cooling the object 3 in cold air, and the vacuum cooling means. 4 and a controller 6 as control means for controlling the cold air cooling means 5 are provided as main parts.

  The controller 6 is provided with a timer 7 by software. The controller 6 is configured to control the vacuum cooling means 4, the cold air cooling means 5, and the like based on a cooling program composed of first to fifth programs stored in advance.

The first to fifth programs are the properties of the object to be cooled 3 (whether the food is suitable for vacuum cooling), the product temperature at the beginning of cooling (hereinafter referred to as initial product temperature), and the product to be reached (cooled). It is selected according to the temperature (hereinafter referred to as the set cooling temperature). That is, the property condition of the object to be cooled 3 as to whether the object to be cooled 3 is a food suitable for vacuum cooling, and the initial product temperature is the first temperature set value (for example,
0 ° C.) or lower, and the program depending on the cooling temperature condition that the set cooling temperature is the second temperature set value (for example, 10 ° C.) or lower. It is configured so that it can be selected. The set cooling temperature can be referred to as a target cooling temperature or an ultimate cooling temperature.

  Next, each component of the composite cooling device 1 will be described. The cooling chamber 2 forms a sealed space in which the object to be cooled 3 is accommodated, and includes an opening for taking in and out the object to be cooled 3 and a door for opening and closing the object (both not shown). The cooling chamber 2 is divided into an upper first region 81 and a lower second region 82 by a partition wall 8. In the first area 81, the object to be cooled 3 is accommodated, and in the second area 82, the cooling heat exchanger 9 constituting a part of the cold air cooling means 5 is arranged. The to-be-cooled object 3 is the foodstuff accommodated in the container.

  The cooling heat exchanger 9 is a well-known evaporator that performs a cooling action by evaporating the liquefied refrigerant supplied from a condensing unit 11 having a condenser (not shown) that liquefies the refrigerant of the refrigerator 10. Has been.

  The refrigerator 10 includes defrosting means for defrosting the cooling heat exchanger 9. This defrosting means has a well-known configuration called hot gas defrost for defrosting by flowing hot gas from the condensing unit 11 to the cooling heat exchanger 9 by reversing the refrigerant flow.

  The partition wall 8 is configured to be detachable with respect to the cooling chamber 2. When the door is opened and the partition wall 8 is removed, the cooling heat exchanger 9 takes in and out the object to be cooled in the cooling chamber 2. It is comprised so that it may expose from the opening for use. In order to clean the cooling heat exchanger 9, the partition wall 8 is removed and exposed so that a cleaning machine (not shown) provided with the cooling heat exchanger 9 in the composite cooling device 1 is used. Can be used to wash.

  The cold air cooling means 5 cools the object 3 to be cooled with cold air. The cold air cooling means 5 includes a cooling heat exchanger 9 for cooling the air in the cooling chamber 2, and a fan 13 as an air circulation means driven by a motor 12 disposed outside the cooling chamber 2. including. Then, by providing openings (or gaps) 14 and 14 between the constituent wall of the cooling chamber 2 and the partition wall 8 to form an air circulation path (reference number omitted) in the cooling chamber 2, It is configured to have a cold air cooling function. In this embodiment, the partition wall 8 constitutes the circulation path constituting member with the constituent wall of the cooling chamber 2.

  The vacuum cooling means 4 has a first vacuum cooling means 41 having a first vacuum cooling characteristic in which the vacuum cooling speed in the previous period is high and the vacuum cooling speed becomes slow in the latter period, and the vacuum cooling speed in the previous period is fast and the vacuum cooling in the latter period. It is comprised from the 2nd vacuum cooling means 42 which has the 2nd vacuum cooling characteristic in which a speed | rate becomes slow.

  Specifically, the first vacuum cooling means 41 and the second vacuum cooling means 42 are configured as follows. That is, the first vacuum cooling means 41 includes a decompression line 15 connected to the cooling chamber 2, a water-sealed vacuum pump 16 as a decompressor provided in the decompression line 15, the cooling chamber 2 and An opening / closing valve 17 is provided between the vacuum pumps 16 and keeps the cooling chamber 2 hermetically closed when closed.

  The decompression line 15 is connected to the central portion of the bottom wall of the cooling chamber 2 as shown in FIG. Since the bottom wall is inclined downward from the peripheral end portion toward the center portion, the decompression line 15 is connected to the lowest portion of the bottom wall. With this configuration, drain can be quickly discharged in the drain discharge operation described later.

  The first vacuum cooling means 41 is configured to perform the first vacuum cooling step by operating (operating) the vacuum pump 16 with the on-off valve 17 open. The on-off valve 17 is a valve that only opens and closes, but can be a valve whose opening degree can be adjusted. The decompression line 15 may be provided with a check valve (not shown) for preventing the flow in the direction of the cooling chamber 2 as necessary. The first vacuum cooling characteristic of the first vacuum cooling means 41 having such a configuration is such that the vacuum cooling rate in the previous period is fast and the vacuum cooling rate is slowed in the latter period.

  The second vacuum cooling means 42 has a function of condensing steam from the object to be cooled by the cooling heat exchanger 9 with the inside of the cooling chamber 2 sealed under a low pressure, and a second vacuum cooling step Configured to perform. Elements constituting the second vacuum cooling means 42 are constituent elements of the cooling chamber 2, the cooling heat exchanger 9, the on-off valve 17, and the first vacuum cooling means 41. Closing the inside of the cooling chamber 2 under a low pressure is realized by closing the on-off valve 17 after the first vacuum cooling step. As with the first vacuum cooling characteristic, the second vacuum cooling characteristic of the second vacuum cooling means 42 having such a configuration is such that the vacuum cooling rate in the previous period is high and the vacuum cooling rate is slowed in the latter period.

  And the cold wind cooling characteristic of the cold wind cooling means 5 is the characteristic of the temperature range above the first temperature set value (first cold wind cooling characteristic) from the object to be cooled 3 in the temperature range above the first temperature set value. Since the natural evaporation of the air is dominant, the characteristics of the temperature region (second cold air cooling characteristic) that is faster than the vacuum cooling rate and lower than the second temperature set value (second cold air cooling characteristic) are the same. It is assumed that it is slower than the vacuum cooling rate in the first half of the second vacuum cooling means 42 and faster than the slowed vacuum cooling rate in the second half.

In the first embodiment, in order to ensure the operation of the second vacuum cooling step, an air exclusion step is provided and executed before the first vacuum cooling step. In this air exhausting step, the first steam supply means 18 to the cooling chamber 2 is operated while the vacuum pump 16 is operated.
The steam is supplied and the cooling chamber is filled with the steam so as to exclude air. Specifically, the steam supply means 18 includes a first steam supply line 19 for supplying steam into the cooling chamber 2, a steam supply source 20, and a first steam supply valve 21 for controlling steam supply. Is provided.

  The cooling chamber 2 is provided with a return pressure means 22 for returning the pressure in the cooling chamber 2 from negative pressure to atmospheric pressure after the vacuum cooling step. The return pressure means 22 includes a return pressure line 23 connected to the cooling chamber 2, and a return pressure valve 24 and a sterilization filter 25 provided in the middle of the return pressure line 23. The return pressure valve 24 is a valve whose opening degree can be adjusted in order to adjust the return pressure speed, but can be a valve only for opening and closing. Further, the return pressure line 23 can be provided with a check valve (not shown) that prevents the outward flow from the inside of the cooling chamber 2.

  The first vacuum cooling means 41, in addition to the exhaust function for discharging the gas in the cooling chamber 2, condensate water (drain) generated in the cooling heat exchanger 9 during the cold air cooling process. It is configured to have a drain discharge function for discharging to the outside. That is, the on-off valve 17 is opened during the cold air cooling step, and the operation of operating the vacuum pump 16 is performed intermittently.

  The controller 6 is configured to control the operation of the first vacuum cooling means 41, the second vacuum cooling means 42, the steam supply means 18, the cold air cooling means 5 and the like according to the cooling program stored in advance. ing.

In order to control the cooling program, the product temperature sensor 26 that detects the product temperature of the object 3 to be cooled, the indoor pressure sensor 27 that detects the pressure (temperature) in the cooling chamber 2, and the refrigerant of the refrigerator 10 refrigerant pressure sensor 28 for the pressure and temperature of the circuit its Resolution Re detection, and a refrigerant temperature sensor 29. These sensors are connected to the controller 6 to control the condensing unit 11, the motor 12, the vacuum pump 16, the on-off valve 17, the first steam supply valve 21, the return pressure valve 24, and the like. .

  The cooling program includes a first cooling pattern for sequentially performing a first cold air cooling process by the cold air cooling means 5, a vacuum cooling process by the vacuum cooling means 41 and 42, and a second cold air cooling process by the cold air cooling means 5. A program for executing a second cooling pattern for performing the second cold air cooling process after performing the vacuum cooling process (second program), and performing only the cold air cooling process by the cold air cooling means 5 A program for executing a third cooling pattern (third program), a program for executing a fourth cooling pattern for performing only the vacuum cooling step (fourth program), a first cooling air cooling step, and a vacuum cooling step for sequentially performing the first cooling air cooling step A program (fifth program) for executing the five cooling patterns is included.

  As described above, the first to fifth programs are configured so that they can be selected according to the property condition of the object 3 to be cooled, the initial product temperature condition, and the cooling temperature condition.

  That is, the initial product temperature is the first temperature under the condition that the object to be cooled 3 is a food suitable for vacuum cooling, that is, a food that contains water and can be evaporated, and it is desired to cool to a chilled region in a short time. When the temperature is equal to or higher than the set value, the first program is selected and executed. When the initial product temperature is lower than the first temperature set value, the second program is selected and executed. When the initial product temperature is equal to or higher than the first temperature set value under the condition that the object to be cooled 3 is a food suitable for vacuum cooling and it is desired to cool in a short time to a temperature range higher than the chilled range. The fifth program is selected and executed. If the initial product temperature is lower than the first temperature set value, the fourth program is selected and executed. Further, if the object to be cooled 3 is a food material that is not suitable for vacuum cooling or a food material in which the contained water cannot evaporate, the third program is selected and executed.

  Next, switching timing from the first cold air cooling step to the first vacuum cooling step in the first program and the second program (hereinafter referred to as first vacuum switching timing), from the first vacuum cooling step to the above Switching timing to the second vacuum cooling process (hereinafter referred to as second vacuum switching timing) and switching timing from the second vacuum cooling process to the second cold air cooling process (hereinafter referred to as cold air switching timing) will be described. .

  That is, the first vacuum switching timing is set when the detection value of the product temperature sensor 26 as the detecting means becomes the first switching set value.

  In addition, the second vacuum switching timing and the cold air switching timing are obtained in advance by experiments based on the first vacuum cooling characteristics and the second vacuum cooling characteristics, respectively. The second vacuum cooling switching timing is an elapsed time (cooling time) from the start of the first vacuum process until the vacuum cooling rate in the latter stage of the first vacuum cooling process reaches the vicinity of the cold air cooling rate of the second cold air cooling process. Is obtained as the second switching set value, and the measured value by the timer 7 serving as the detecting means becomes the second switching set value. The cold air switching timing is the elapsed time (cooling time) from the start of the second vacuum cooling process until the latter vacuum cooling rate of the second vacuum cooling process reaches the vicinity of the cold air cooling speed of the second cold air cooling process. Is obtained as the third switching set value, and the measured value by the timer 7 becomes the third switching set value.

The second switching set value and the third switching set value reach the pressure in the cooling chamber 2, the temperature in the cooling chamber 2, and the vicinity regardless of the cooling time (measurement time by the timer 7). The temperature can be determined by any one of the temperatures of the object to be cooled 3 or the amount of change in the pressure in the cooling chamber 2, the temperature in the cooling chamber 2, or the temperature of the object to be cooled 3. Then, when the indoor pressure sensor 25 detects the indoor pressure or the indoor temperature, or the product temperature sensor 7 detects the product temperature, when the detected value becomes the second switching set value, Switching from the vacuum cooling process to the second vacuum cooling process can be configured to switch from the second vacuum cooling process to the second cold air cooling process when the detected value reaches the third switching set value. . When the first to third switching setting values are set according to the product temperature, the first switching setting value, the second switching setting value, and the third switching setting value are set to the first temperature setting value and the second switching value, respectively. The temperature set value can be the third set temperature. The first switching set value can also be set by time other than the product temperature, room pressure, room temperature, or the like.

  The operation of the first embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS.

<Preparation stage>
The user opens the door, accommodates the object to be cooled 3 in the cooling chamber 2, and closes the door to make it sealed. In this state, the on-off valve 17, the first steam supply valve 21, and the return pressure valve 24 are all closed, and the motor 12, the vacuum pump 16, and the condensing unit 11 are all stopped (operated). State. The steam generation source 20 can be in an operating state in advance.

<Cooling program selection>
In this state, the user selects the first to fifth programs after starting operation with an operation switch (not shown). This selection can be performed according to the initial product temperature, the set cooling temperature, and the type of the object to be cooled 3.

With this selection, referring to FIG. 2, when the first program to the fifth program are selected in the processing step S1 (hereinafter, the processing step SN is simply referred to as SN), the processing proceeds to S2 to S6, respectively. Then, the first program to the fifth program are executed. Hereinafter, the operation of each operation program will be described.

<First program: cold air cooling → vacuum cooling → cold air cooling switching>
The first program is suitable for cooling foodstuffs having an initial product temperature of about 70 ° C. or higher and a set cooling temperature of 10 ° C. or lower, and the object to be cooled 3 contains moisture, and the moisture can evaporate. Now, the initial product temperature is 90 ° C. and the set cooling temperature is 3 ° C.

(First cold air cooling process)
When this first program is selected, the processing procedure of FIG. 3 is executed. In the first cold air cooling step S21, the on-off valve 17, the first steam supply valve 21 and the return pressure valve 24 are closed, the vacuum pump 16 is stopped, and the condensing unit 11 and the fan 13 are operated. . As a result, in the cooling chamber 2, the fan 13 → the cooling heat exchanger 9 → the opening 14 → the object to be cooled 3 → the opening 14 → the cold air circulation flow as indicated by the one-dot broken line arrow is formed. The Due to this circulating flow, the air in the cooling chamber 2 is cooled by the cooling heat exchanger 9 and the temperature is lowered, thereby cooling the object 3 to be cooled. By such cold air cooling, the product is cooled until the product temperature reaches about 70 ° C. When the product temperature sensor 26 detects that the product temperature has decreased to 70 ° C., the first cold air cooling step S21 is terminated.

The first cold air cooling step S21, the condensing unit 11 without actuating the said opening the pressure recovery unit 2 2 Contact and the on-off valve 17, by actuating the vacuum pump 16, the cooling chamber outside air By being discharged through the pressure reducing line 15 while being introduced into the air-cooling unit 2, the object to be cooled 3 can be cooled by outside air (outside air introduction cooling). In this case, the operation of the fan 13 can be performed as necessary.

(Air exclusion process)
When the first cold air cooling step S21 ends, the process proceeds to the air exclusion step S22. This air exclusion process S22 is performed as follows. The steam generation source 20 is set in a state in which steam can be supplied, the on-off valve 17 and the first steam supply valve 21 are opened, the return pressure valve 24 is closed, and the vacuum pump 16 is operated. Then, steam is supplied from the steam generation source 20 into the cooling chamber 2, and the air in the cooling chamber 2 is discharged outside the room through the decompression line 15 together with the supplied steam. Eventually, the inside of the cooling chamber 2 is filled with steam. At the end of this air exclusion process, the inside of the cooling chamber 2 is at a low pressure below atmospheric pressure. In this air evacuation step, exhaust by the operation of the vacuum pump 16 and steaming by opening the on-off valve 21 are performed simultaneously, but exhaust → steaming → exhaust is performed in this order, and this is repeated once to several times. Can be configured to do.

(First vacuum cooling process)
When the air exclusion step S22 is completed, the process proceeds to S23, where the first vacuum cooling step is performed. This first vacuum cooling step S23 is performed as follows. The on-off valve 17 is opened, the first steam supply valve 21 is closed, the return pressure valve 24 is closed, and the vacuum pump 16 is operated. Then, the gas in the cooling chamber 2 is discharged to the outside through the decompression line 15. The pressure in the cooling chamber 2 decreases along with the first vacuum cooling characteristic, and the temperature of the object to be cooled 3 decreases from 70 ° C. due to evaporation of the vapor from the object to be cooled 3 according to this pressure decrease. go. This product temperature decrease rate is rapid in the initial stage, and becomes slower in the later stage as the temperature decreases. When the time measured by the timer 7 reaches the second switching set value, the process proceeds to the second vacuum cooling step of S24. The vacuum cooling rate at the time of this transition is lower than the cooling rate due to the cold air cooling characteristics of the cold air cooling means 5. The product temperature at the time of this transition is about 20 ° C.

(Second vacuum cooling process)
In the second vacuum cooling step S24, the on-off valve 17, the first steam supply valve 21, and the return pressure valve 24 are closed, the vacuum pump 16 is stopped, and the condensing unit 11 is operated. By the operation of the condensing unit 11, the temperature in the cooling heat exchanger 9 is set to about −10 ° C. Since the temperature reduction of the cooling heat exchanger 9 by the condensing unit 11 requires a predetermined time from the start, the condensing unit 11 may be started a predetermined time before the first switching set value. desirable.

  In this second vacuum cooling step S24, the inside of the cooling chamber 2 is sealed at a low pressure, and the steam in the cooling chamber 2 moves to the cooling heat exchanger 9, where it condenses, The pressure in the chamber 2 maintains a low pressure state. As a result, steam is continuously generated from the object 3 to be cooled, and the product temperature decreases. This product temperature decrease is made in accordance with the second vacuum cooling characteristic, and is rapidly performed in the initial stage, and the rate of decrease is slowed down in the later stage as the temperature decreases. When the time measured by the timer 7 reaches the second switching set value, the process proceeds to the pressure recovery step of S25. The vacuum cooling rate at the time of the transition is lower than the cooling rate due to the second cold air cooling characteristic of the cold air cooling means 5. Moreover, the product temperature at the time of this transition is about 10 ° C.

  In the second vacuum cooling step S24, when the cooling heat exchanger 9 is frosted, the controller 6 performs a defrosting operation. The frost formation is performed by detecting the pressure or temperature on the low pressure side of the refrigerator 10 by the refrigerant pressure sensor 28 or the refrigerant temperature sensor 29, and when the detected value becomes a set value that can be determined as frost formation, The defrosting is performed by supplying the heat exchanger 9 for cooling. By this defrosting operation, the condensation action of the cooling heat exchanger 9 can be maintained satisfactorily, and the cooling by the second vacuum cooling step can be effectively performed without being affected by frost formation.

(Return pressure process)
The return pressure step S25 is performed by opening the return pressure valve 24. As a result, outside air is introduced into the cooling chamber 2 through the return pressure line 23, and the inside of the cooling chamber 2 returns to atmospheric pressure. The return pressure process is detected by the indoor pressure sensor 27. When the atmospheric pressure is detected, the return pressure process is terminated, and the process proceeds to the second cold air cooling process in S26. In the first embodiment, the operation of the condensing unit 11 is continued and the operation of the fan 13 is stopped during the decompression process. However, if necessary, the operation of the condensing unit 11 can be stopped and the fan 13 can be operated.

(Second cold air cooling process)
In the second cold air cooling step S26, as in the first cold air cooling step S21, the on-off valve 17, the first steam supply valve 21, and the return pressure valve 24 are closed, and the vacuum pump 16 is stopped. The condensing unit 11 and the fan 13 are operated. As a result, in the cooling chamber 2, the fan 13 → the cooling heat exchanger 9 → the opening 14 → the object to be cooled 3 → the opening 14 → the cold air circulation flow as indicated by the one-dot broken line arrow is formed. The Due to this circulating flow, the air in the cooling chamber 2 is cooled by the cooling heat exchanger 9 to lower the temperature, and the object to be cooled 3 is cooled by indirect heat exchange. By such cold air cooling, the product temperature is cooled to about 3 ° C. When the product temperature sensor 26 detects that the product temperature has decreased to 3 ° C., the second cold air cooling step S26 is terminated.

In the second cold air cooling step, condensed water (drain) is generated from the surface of the object to be cooled 3 and the cooling heat exchanger 9 and is stored in the inner bottom of the cooling chamber 2. This drain is discharged as follows. The on-off valve 17 is opened and the vacuum pump 16 is operated. Then, the drain is discharged out of the cooling chamber 2 through the decompression line 15. When the drain is discharged, the drain pressure can be discharged smoothly by opening the return pressure valve 24.
The drain generated in the first cold air cooling step S21 is also discharged out of the cooling chamber 2 in the same manner. In the first embodiment, the drain discharge operation is intermittently executed by the controller 6. However, the drain discharge operation can be performed by detecting the storage of drain.

(End of cooling operation)
When the second cold air cooling step S26 is completed, the user can operate the operation switch to stop the cooling operation and take out the object 3 to be cooled in the cooling chamber 2. Of course, the second cold air cooling step can be continued for refrigeration of the object 3 after the second cold air cooling step.

  As described above, in the first program, the object 3 to be cooled is removed by the first cold air cooling step S21. When the product temperature is about 70 ° C. or higher, the temperature of the object to be cooled 3 is high, and natural evaporation from the object to be cooled 3 is dominant, so that the vacuum cooling by operating the vacuum cooling means 4 is effectively performed. I will not. In this first program, rough heat removal is performed not by vacuum cooling but by cold air cooling, so that the object to be cooled 3 can be effectively cooled and the total cooling time can be shortened.

<Second program: Switching from vacuum cooling to cold air cooling>
The second program has an initial product temperature of about 70 ° C. or less, a set cooling temperature of about 10 ° C. or less, and the object to be cooled 3 contains moisture, and is suitable for cooling foods that can evaporate the moisture. . Now, the initial product temperature is 70 ° C. and the set cooling temperature is 3 ° C.

  When this second program is selected, the processing procedure shown in FIG. 4 is executed. That is, the air exclusion step S31 → first vacuum cooling step S32 → second vacuum cooling step S33 → return pressure step S34 → cold air cooling step S35 is sequentially executed.

  The second program is different from the first program in that the first cold air cooling step S22 in FIG. 3 is deleted.

  The air exclusion step S31, the first vacuum cooling step S32, the second vacuum cooling step S33, the return pressure step S34, and the cold air cooling step S36 in FIG. 4 are respectively the air exclusion step S22, the first vacuum cooling step S23, and the first vacuum cooling step S23 in FIG. Since this corresponds to the two vacuum cooling step S24, the return pressure step 25, and the second cold air cooling step S26, the description thereof is omitted. The switching timing from the first vacuum cooling step to the second vacuum cooling step and the switching timing from the second vacuum cooling step to the cold air cooling step (including the return pressure step) are respectively set in the first program. Since it is the same as the second vacuum switching timing and the cold air switching timing, description thereof is omitted.

<Third program: Cool air cooling>
The third program is suitable for cooling foodstuffs that do not contain moisture, or foodstuffs that are packaged so that the moisture cannot evaporate even if they contain moisture.

  When this third program is selected, the cold air cooling step S4 of FIG. 2 is executed. This cold air cooling step S4 is similar to the first cold air cooling step S21 of the first program (FIG. 3), and the on-off valve 17, the first steam supply valve 21 and the return pressure valve 24 are closed, and the vacuum pump 16 is stopped, and the condensing unit 11 and the fan 13 are operated. In other words, a cold air circulation flow as indicated by the dashed line in FIG. 1 is formed, and the object to be cooled 3 is cooled by this cold air circulation flow. The cold air cooling step S5 ends when the value detected by the product temperature sensor 26 reaches the set cooling temperature.

<Fourth program: Vacuum cooling>
The fourth program is suitable for cooling an ingredient having an initial product temperature of about 70 ° C. or lower, the set cooling temperature of about 10 ° C. or higher, the object to be cooled 3 containing moisture, and the moisture can be evaporated. Yes. Now, the initial product temperature is set to 70 ° C., and the set cooling temperature is set to 10 ° C.

  When this fourth program is selected, as shown in FIG. 5, the air exclusion step S51 → the first vacuum cooling step S52 → the second vacuum cooling step S53 → the return pressure step S54 is sequentially executed.

  The fourth program is different from the first program in that the first cold air cooling step S21 and the second cold air cooling step S26 in FIG. 3 are deleted, and the end of the second vacuum cooling step 53 is 10 ° C. It is a point that has become the timing.

  In the following description, the air exclusion step S51, the first vacuum cooling step S52, the second vacuum cooling step S53, and the return pressure step S54 in FIG. 5 are respectively the air exclusion step S22, the first vacuum cooling step S23, Since this corresponds to the second vacuum cooling step S24 and the return pressure step 25, description thereof will be omitted. The second vacuum switching timing from the first vacuum cooling step S52 to the second vacuum cooling step S53 is the same as the second vacuum switching timing of the first program, and the description thereof is omitted. In the following, the parts of the fourth program that are different from the first program will be mainly described.

  In FIG. 5, the air exclusion step S51, the first vacuum cooling step S52, and the second vacuum cooling step S53 are performed in the same manner as the first program in FIG. In the second vacuum cooling step S53, when the value detected by the product temperature sensor 26 reaches 10 ° C., the second vacuum cooling step S53 is terminated, and the return pressure step S54 is executed as in the first program. The cooling operation is finished.

<Fifth program: Cool air cooling → Vacuum cooling>
The fifth program is suitable for cooling foodstuffs having an initial product temperature of about 70 ° C. or higher and a set cooling temperature of 10 ° C. or higher, and the object to be cooled 3 contains moisture, and the moisture can evaporate. Now, the initial product temperature is 90 ° C. and the set cooling temperature is 10 ° C.

  When this fifth program is selected, the processing procedure shown in FIG. 6 is executed. That is, the cold air cooling step S61 → the air exclusion step S62 → the first vacuum cooling step S63 → the second vacuum cooling step S64 → the return pressure step S65 is sequentially executed.

  The fifth program is different from the first program in FIG. 3 in that the second cold air cooling step S26 in FIG. 3 is deleted.

  In the following description, the cold air cooling step S61, the air exclusion step S62, the first vacuum cooling step S63, the second vacuum cooling step S64, and the return pressure step S65 of FIG. Since this corresponds to the air exclusion step S22, the first vacuum cooling step S23, the second vacuum cooling step S24, and the return pressure step S25, description thereof is omitted. The switching from the cold air cooling step S61 to the air exclusion step S62 and the switching from the first vacuum cooling step S63 to the second vacuum cooling step S64 are the same as the first program of FIG. Description is omitted.

  According to the first embodiment configured as described above, the following operational effects are obtained. Since the cooling heat exchanger 9 for cooling cold air is also used as a cold trap for vapor condensation of the second vacuum cooling means 42, the equipment for the vacuum cooling means can be simplified and the initial cost of the combined cooling device can be reduced. Can be reduced.

  Further, since the vacuum cooling process is performed in two stages, the first vacuum cooling process by the first vacuum cooling means 41 and the second vacuum cooling process by the second vacuum cooling means 42, the vacuum cooling means 4 Therefore, it is not necessary to make the cooling equipment large in order to increase the cooling capacity. In addition, the energy required for the operation of the vacuum cooling means can be reduced compared to the one that starts vacuum cooling with an excessive cooling capacity from the beginning of vacuum cooling, and the quality of the object to be cooled becomes a problem due to rapid cooling. Then, deterioration of quality can be suppressed.

  Furthermore, when it is desired to cool the foodstuff 3 suitable for vacuum cooling to the chilled region in a short time, the first program and the second program are selected and executed according to the initial product temperature. Thus, the object to be cooled 3 can be cooled in a short time. In addition, when the object to be cooled 3 is a food suitable for vacuum cooling and it is desired to cool in a short time to a temperature range higher than the chilled range, the fourth program and the fifth program according to the initial product temperature By selecting and executing this, the object to be cooled 3 can be similarly cooled in a short time. Furthermore, when the object to be cooled 3 is not suitable for vacuum cooling and the state in which the contained moisture cannot evaporate, the third program can be selected and executed to cool in a short time. As described above, by selecting the first to fifth programs, it is possible to realize cooling according to the property, initial product temperature, and set cooling temperature of the object 3 to be cooled. Cooling can be realized with high quality in a short time.

Next, a composite cooling device 1 according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The second embodiment is the same as the first embodiment in that the vacuum cooling means 4 includes the first vacuum cooling means 41 and the second vacuum cooling means 42. The part will be mainly described.

  The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in the configuration of the first vacuum cooling means 41. In the first embodiment, the components of the first vacuum cooling means 41 are the decompression line 15, the on-off valve 17, and the vacuum pump 16. In the second embodiment, in addition to these components, The heat exchanger 31 for condensation is provided on the upstream side of the vacuum pump 16. The on-off valve 17 is provided between the condensation heat exchanger 31 and the cooling chamber 2. A water supply line 32 is connected to the condensation heat exchanger 41. The water supply to the condensation heat exchanger 31 is controlled by opening and closing the water supply valve 33 provided in the water supply line 32, and the operation of the condensation heat exchanger 31 is controlled. The water supply valve 33 is controlled by the controller 6.

  The first vacuum cooling means 41 of the second embodiment opens the on-off valve 17 and operates the condensation heat exchanger 31 and the vacuum pump 16 to execute the first vacuum cooling step. The first vacuum cooling characteristic of the first vacuum cooling step is the same as that of the first vacuum cooling of the first embodiment, but the vacuum cooling capacity is the first vacuum cooling means by the cooling action of the condensation heat exchanger 31. In addition, the cooling chamber 2 can be efficiently excluded from the air.

  As described above, in the second embodiment, the configuration different from the first embodiment has been described. Also in the second embodiment, the first to fifth programs are executed in the same manner, so that the description thereof is omitted.

The present invention is not limited to the first embodiment. In the first embodiment, the first to fifth programs can be selectively executed. However, any cooling program including at least a program for performing the second vacuum cooling process may be used. For example, the cooling program can be configured as follows. Only the first program is executed. Further, only the first and second programs are selected and executed. Further, only the first to third programs are selected and executed. Further, only the first to second programs and the fourth to fifth programs are selected and executed.

It is explanatory drawing explaining schematic structure of Example 1 of this invention. It is a flowchart figure explaining the cooling program of the Example 1. FIG. It is a flowchart figure explaining the other cooling program of the Example 1. FIG. It is a flowchart figure explaining the other cooling program of the Example 1. FIG. It is a flowchart figure explaining the other cooling program of the Example 1. FIG. It is a flowchart figure explaining the other cooling program of the Example 1. FIG. It is explanatory drawing explaining schematic structure of Example 2 of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Composite cooling device 2 Cooling chamber 3 Object to be cooled 4 Vacuum cooling means 5 Cold air cooling means 6 Controller 41 First vacuum cooling means 42 Second vacuum cooling means

Claims (1)

A cooling chamber for storing the object to be cooled, a cool air cooling means for cooling the object to be cooled by the air in the cooling chamber cooled by a heat exchanger for cooling, and the object to be cooled by depressurizing the cooling chamber. A combined cooling apparatus comprising: a vacuum cooling means for controlling; and a cooling air cooling means and a control means for controlling the operation of the vacuum cooling means,
The vacuum cooling means includes a steam supply valve for supplying steam or hot water to the cooling chamber, a decompressor on a decompression line connected to the cooling chamber, and an open / close valve between the cooling chamber and the decompressor. And
The control means opens the steam supply valve and supplies steam or hot water into the cooling chamber while operating the pressure reducer, thereby eliminating air in the cooling chamber and filling the cooling chamber with steam. A first vacuum cooling step of closing the steam supply valve and opening the on-off valve after the air exclusion step, and depressurizing the cooling chamber by operation of the decompressor; and the on-off valve after the first vacuum cooling step. as sealed the cooling chamber under low pressure by Rukoto closed, the stops the operation of the pressure reducer, said actuates the cooling heat exchanger, the surface of the cooling chamber of the steam the cooling heat exchanger in is condensed composite cooling device and performs the second vacuum cooling step that maintain a low pressure state of the cooling chamber.

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