JPH04187980A - Deodorizing device for refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a device which causes no deterioration in the defrosting performance of a refrigerator by providing a deodorizing heater having thereon a catalyst-coated layer consisting of activated alumina, silica and platinum group metal, and a water droplet preventive member having a catalyst-coated layer on the surface thereof. CONSTITUTION:During the cooling operation of a refrigerator, air passing in a cooler chamber 27 is brought into contact with a deodorizing heater 33 and its cover 34, and odor components are adsorbed on catalystcoated layers 33a, 34a to be removed. When a defrosting operation is then started, the operations of a cooler 26 and a fan 28 are stopped while power is supplied to the deodorizing heater 33 which thereby generates heat. The catalyst-coated layer 33a is efficiently radiated to be heated by heat rays radiated in the entirely peripheral direction from an electric resistance wire 33d, and the odor components adsorbed is heated up to the level of an activation temperature in a short period of time to be desorbed, whereby the odor components are oxidized and decomposed to be deodorized, and the adsorbability of the catalyst-coated layer is regenerated. In addition, the catalyst-coated layer 34a of the water droplet preventive member 34 is formed into a thinly coated layer; therefore, the loss of heat transfer is small, and the upper surface of the water droplet preventive member 34 can be heated to a high temperature. As a result, a deodorizing effect can be obtained without deteriorating the defrosting performance of the refrigerator.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a deodorizing device, and more particularly to a deodorizing device having a function of removing malodorous components generated inside a refrigerator.

Conventional technology Inside a refrigerator, odors are emitted from various foods such as vegetables, meat, and fish, and as these odors are circulated in a closed system inside the refrigerator, the odors become trapped, and furthermore, these odors adhere to the food items. It was reducing the quality of food.

In order to solve these problems, for example,
There is a deodorizing device for a refrigerator as described in Japanese Patent No. 94816.

A conventional refrigerator deodorizing device will be described below.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the upper part of the refrigerator showing a state in which a conventional deodorizing device is installed in the refrigerator, FIG. 5 is an enlarged longitudinal cross-sectional view of the main part, and FIG. 6 is an enlarged cutaway front view.

First, in Figure 4, 1 is the refrigerator body, 2 and 3
are a freezer compartment and a refrigerator compartment formed therein, and 4 and 5 are doors, respectively. 6 is a cooler disposed in a cooler chamber 7 at the back of the freezer compartment 2, and 8 is a fan disposed above the cooler 6. When the fan 8 is driven, a part of the air cooled by the cooler 6 is supplied into the freezer compartment 2 from the supply port 9, and the air inside the freezer compartment 2 is transferred to the return duct 1o.
A part of the air cooled by the cooler 6 is returned to the refrigerator compartment 7 via the supply duct 11 to cool the inside of the freezer compartment 2. The air inside the refrigerator compartment 3 is supplied to the refrigerator compartment 3 through the return duct 1.
The inside of the refrigerator compartment 3 is cooled by being circulated such that it is returned to the cooler compartment T via the refrigerator compartment T. In this case, the cooler chamber 7. Freezer compartment 2 and return duct 1o
It constitutes a circulation path through which the air inside the cooler room 7 circulates.
, supply duct 11. The refrigerator compartment 3 and the return duct 12 constitute a circulation path through which air within the refrigerator compartment 3 circulates.

Reference numeral 13 denotes a defrosting heater disposed below the cooler 6 in the lower part of the cooler chamber 7, and this is a glass tube heater having a configuration in which a heater wire 13b is provided inside a glass tube 13a as shown in FIG. The energization/disconnection is controlled such that the cooler 6 is energized only when defrosting, and is otherwise energized. 14
is a water drop prevention member provided on the defrosting heater 13 so as to cover it from above, and this is made of a metal plate made of aluminum or the like having motion resistance and water resistance, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. It is formed in the shape of a shallow container with an open lower side, and prevents defrosting water from splashing onto the defrosting heater 13 when the cooler 6 is defrosted. 15 is a deodorizing body, which includes an adsorbent layer 15a made of an adsorbent such as activated carbon or silica (silicon dioxide), and a catalyst layer 15b made of platinum or nickel provided on the surface of this adsorbent layer 15a. It has a two-layer structure. Here, this deodorizing body 15 is formed by sintering an adsorbent to form a plate-shaped adsorbent layer 15a, and after immersing this adsorbent layer 15a in a catalyst solution to adhere the catalyst to the surface, heating is performed. A catalyst layer 1sb is formed on the surface of the adsorbent layer 15a by the treatment. Further, the adsorbent layer 15a and the catalyst layer 15b are each porous so that air can flow therethrough.

This deodorizing body 16 is attached to the support 1 through a heat insulating material 16 made of glass fiber or the like on the inner surface of the water droplet prevention member 14.
The defrosting heater 13 is supported and fixed by the defrosting heater 13 . Reference numeral 18 denotes a covering member, such as a wire mesh, made of a material with high thermal conductivity and having a large number of through holes, and is provided so as to cover the surface of the deodorizing body 15 .

The operation of the refrigerator deodorizing device configured as described above will be described below.

In the above configuration, during the cooling operation, the air inside the refrigerator is transferred to the cooler chamber 7 by the blowing action of the fan 8. It is circulated through the freezer compartment 2 and the return duct 10, and the cooler compartment 7
．． Supply duct 11. It is circulated through the refrigerator compartment 3 and the return duct 12.

At this time, the air passing through the cooler chamber 7 comes into contact with the deodorizing body 15 through the holes in the wire mesh 18, and the odor components contained in the air are adsorbed by the adsorbent layer 15a of the deodorizing body 15 and removed.

On the other hand, when the defrosting operation is started, the cooler 6 and the fan 8
While the operation of the defrosting heater 13 is stopped, the defrosting heater 13 is energized and generates heat. Due to the heat generated by the defrosting heater 13, the cooler 6
is heated to perform defrosting, and at the same time, the deodorizing body 15 is heated. At this time, since the surface of the deodorizing body 15 is covered with the wire mesh 18, the deodorizing body 15 is heated as uniformly as possible due to the heat conduction of the wire mesh 18. In the heated deodorizing body 15, the odor components adsorbed by the adsorbent of the adsorbent layer 15a are desorbed, and at the same time, the odor components are oxidized and decomposed in the catalyst layer 15b and removed. By heating the deodorizing body 15 in this manner, the adsorption function, that is, the deodorizing function is regenerated. At this time, the water droplet prevention member 14 plays a role of efficiently heating the deodorizing body 15 by confining the heat from the defrosting heater 13 downward, and also serves to efficiently heat the deodorizing body 15 and the defrosting heater 13 from the cooler 6. Prevents exposure to defrost water.

The heat insulating material 16 prevents the heat of the deodorizing body 15 from being radiated from the water droplet prevention member 14, and also prevents the deodorizing body 16 from being radiated from the water droplet prevention member 14 when defrosting water falls onto the water droplet prevention member 14 and the water droplet prevention member 14 is rapidly cooled. prevents heat shock. Further, the wire mesh 18 prevents the deodorizing body 15 from falling and scattering in the event that the deodorizing body 15 is damaged.

Then, when the defrosting operation is finished and the cooling operation is restarted, and the temperature of the deodorizing body 16 decreases, the odor components contained in the air in the refrigerator are adsorbed and removed by the deodorizing body 15, as described above. become.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, in the conventional configuration described above, the deodorizing body 15 and the heat insulating material 16 are inserted between the defrosting heater 13 and the cooler 6 in addition to the water droplet preventing member 14 for preventing splashing of defrosting water. In addition, since it is necessary to increase the thickness of the water droplet prevention member 14 in order to hold the deodorizing body 15, heat transfer from the defrosting heater 13 is inhibited, and the temperature of the upper surface of the water droplet prevention member 14 increases. Therefore, heat convection to the cooling chamber 7 decreases.

In addition, the activation temperature, that is, the deodorizing body 1 required for decomposing odor components.
In order to obtain a temperature increase of 6, it is necessary to bring the distance between the defrosting heater 13 and the deodorizing body 15 closer to about 1 inch, and for this reason, the defrosting heater 13 enters the shallow bottom of the water droplet prevention member 14. Therefore, the radiation space of the radiant heat of the defrosting heater 13 is obstructed by the water droplet prevention member 14 and becomes narrow.

From the above, from the removal heater to the frost forming part of the cooler (7)
It has the disadvantage that there is a large energy transmission loss and the defrosting performance of the refrigerator is reduced.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems.It decomposes odor components that raise the deodorizer to the activation temperature in a short time, and also defrosts refrigerators by reducing thermal energy transfer loss of the defrosting heater. The purpose is to provide a deodorizing device whose performance does not deteriorate.

A glass tube heater installed in an air circulation path inside a refrigerator and having a built-in electric resistor has a catalyst coating layer made of at least activated alumina, silica, and platinum group metal on the entire or part of the effective heat generating part on the surface. It is composed of a deodorizing heater and a water drop prevention member located above the deodorizing heater and having the catalyst coating layer on its surface.

Function According to this configuration, the deodorizing catalyst is a coating layer, and
Since there is no insulation material, heat transfer from the deodorizing heater is good.
As the temperature of the water droplet preventing member rises sufficiently, the temperature of the catalyst coating layer of the water droplet preventing member also becomes high. In addition, the catalyst coating layer on the surface of the deodorizing heater is coated so as to cover the outer periphery of the tubular heater, and the heat rays from the electric resistance wire are radiated to the entire catalyst coating layer, resulting in efficient radiation heating. As the temperature rises to the catalyst activation temperature, the temperature becomes high.

As a result, the distance between the deodorizing heater and the water droplet prevention member can be increased, and the range in which the radiation space of the radiant heat of the deodorizing heater is obstructed by the water droplet prevention member is reduced.

EXAMPLE An example of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

Fig. 1 shows a vertical cross-sectional view of the upper part of the refrigerator showing the state in which the deodorizing device according to the embodiment of the present invention is installed in the refrigerator, Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal cross-sectional view of the main part, and Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal cross-sectional view of the main part. FIG.

First, in FIG. 1, 21 is the refrigerator main body, 22 and 23 are the freezer compartment and refrigerator compartment formed inside the refrigerator, and 24
and 26 are doors, respectively. 26 is a cooler installed in the cooler chamber 27 at the back of the freezer compartment 22, and 28 is a fan installed above the cooler 26. The fan 28 is driven,
Then, a part of the air cooled by the cooler 26 is supplied into the freezer compartment 22 from the supply port 29, and the air in the freezer compartment 22 is returned to the cooler compartment 27 via the return duct 3o. The inside of the freezer compartment 22 is cooled by the circulation, and a part of the air cooled by the cooler 26 is supplied to the refrigerator compartment 23 via the supply duct 31, and the air inside the refrigerator compartment 23 is cooled through the return duct 32. The inside of the refrigerator compartment 23 is cooled by the circulation that is returned to the cooling compartment 27 . In this case, the cooler chamber 27. The freezer compartment 22 and the return duct 30 constitute a circulation path through which air in the freezer compartment 22 circulates, and the cooler compartment 27, the supply duct 31. The refrigerating compartment 23 and the return duct 32 constitute a circulation path through which air within the refrigerating compartment 23 circulates.

Reference numeral 33 denotes a deodorizing heater disposed below the cooler 26 in the lower part of the cooler chamber 27. As shown in FIGS. A catalyst coating layer 33a is provided on the surface of the effective heat generating portion of the tubular heater 33b. The tubular heater 33b also serves as a defrosting heater for the refrigerator, and is controlled to be energized only when defrosting the cooler 26, and shut off at other times.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, 34 is a water drop prevention member that is provided to cover the deodorizing heater 33 from above and prevents defrosting water from splashing on the deodorizing heater. It is made of a metal such as aluminum or stainless steel, and has a catalyst coating layer on the lower inner surface of a shallow container shape with an open bottom.

The operation of the refrigerator deodorizing device configured as described above will be described below.

During the cooling operation, the air inside the refrigerator is moved to the cooler chamber 27 by the blowing action of the fan 28. Freezer compartment 22 and return duct 3o
is circulated through the cooler chamber 27. Supply duct 3
2. It is circulated through the refrigerator compartment 23 and the return duct 32.

At this time, the air passing through the cooler chamber 27 comes into contact with the deodorizing heater 33 and the cover 34, and the odor components contained in the air are adsorbed by the catalyst coating layers 33a and 34a.

removed.

Next, when the defrosting operation is started, the operation of the cooler 26 and the fan 28 is stopped, while the deodorizing heater 33 is energized and generates heat. The catalyst coating layer 33 & is the glass tube 3
Since it is installed to cover the outer periphery of 3c, the electrical resistance wire s
The heat rays emitted from the sd in the entire circumferential direction provide efficient radiant heating, and the deodorizing heater 33 can be heated to its activation temperature in a short time, and the deodorizing heater 33 can be heated to a high temperature.

At this time, the odor components adsorbed on the catalyst coating layer 33a are desorbed by being heated to the activation temperature, are oxidized and decomposed by the chemical action of the catalyst substance, and become odorless, and the adsorption power of the catalyst coating layer is reduced. will be played.

On the other hand, in the catalyst coating layer 34a of the water droplet prevention member 34, the odor components that have been heated to the activation temperature by the radiant heat of the deodorizing heater 33 are desorbed and deodorized by the catalytic action, and the adsorption power of the catalyst coating layer is regenerated. Ru. At this time, the catalyst coating layer 34a is a thin coating layer, for example, coated by a spray method, and the upper surface of the water droplet preventing member 34 can be heated to a high temperature with less heat transfer loss to the water droplet preventing member. As a result, the distance between the deodorizing heater 33 and the water droplet prevention member 34 can be reduced from, for example, the conventional 1 m to about 5 to 8 meters, making it possible to widen the radiation space for the radiant heat of the deodorizing heater.

As described above, there is less heat energy transfer loss to the frost forming part of the cooler 26, and a decrease in the defrosting performance of the refrigerator can be prevented.

Further, the catalyst coating layers 33a and 34b of the present invention are manganese dioxide and perovskite metal oxide.

It is formed using a metal oxide such as hexaaluminate and a catalytic material such as a platinum group metal supported on alumina together with a suitable binder such as alumina hydroxide, alumina sol, silica gel, etc. Among these, it is most desirable to use alumina platinum group metal as the coating material from the viewpoint of heat resistance and toxicity resistance.

Further, it is desirable that the catalyst coating layers 33a and 34a of the present invention contain silica. By containing silica, the adhesion of the catalyst coating layers 33a and 34a to the exterior of the heating element such as a glass tube can be strengthened.

Effects of the Invention As described above, the present invention provides at least activated alumina and silica in the whole or part of the effective heat generating part on the surface of the tubular heater which is provided in the air circulation path inside the refrigerator and has a built-in electric resistor. The catalyst coating layer can be activated in a short time by providing a deodorizing heater having a catalyst coating layer made of a platinum group metal and a water droplet preventing member having the catalyst coating layer on the surface of the water droplet preventing member located above the deodorizing heater. The temperature is raised to decompose odor components, and the transfer loss of thermal energy of the defrosting heater is reduced, so that a deodorizing effect can be obtained without deteriorating the defrosting performance of the refrigerator.

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the upper part of the refrigerator showing the refrigerator installed in the enlarged longitudinal section of the main part of the refrigerator shown in Fig. 1; FIG. 6 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the main part of the refrigerator shown in the figure, and FIG. 6 is an enlarged cutaway front view of the refrigerator shown in FIG.

33... Deodorizing heater, 34... Cover.

Name of agent: Patent attorney Akira Okaji and 2 others 33-
Deodorizing heater prefecture 2 figure 3

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) The whole or part of the effective heat generating part on the surface of a tubular heater that is installed in the air circulation path inside a refrigerator or the like and has a built-in electric resistor is coated with a catalyst made of at least activated alumina, silica, and platinum group metal. A deodorizing device for a refrigerator comprising a deodorizing heater having a layer, and a water drop prevention member located above the deodorizing heater and having the catalyst coating layer on its surface. (2) The deodorizing heater according to claim 1, wherein the catalyst coating layer is provided in a defrosting heater of a refrigerator, and defrosting and activation of the catalyst coating layer are performed simultaneously. (3) The deodorizing device for a refrigerator according to claim (1), wherein either the tubular heater or the water droplet prevention member has a catalyst coating layer.