JPH05296639A - Cooling apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make cooling-air drying efficient and enable drying an object for drying without using a dehumidifier by providing a subsidiary refrigerant line which branches off from the main refrigerant line at a point between the compressor and the condenser, passes through a heat exchanger for heating, and meets the main refrigerant line at a point between the condenser and an expansion valve. CONSTITUTION:A main refrigerant line ML is formed by a piping connecting a compressor 1, condenser 2, receiver tank 3, expansion valve V1, heat exchanger for cooling 4A, accumulators 5A, 5B, etc. From a point in the main refrigerant line ML between the compressor 1 and the condenser 2 a subsidiary refrigerant line SL having an open- close valve V3 upstream and a heat exchanger for heating 4B downstream is extended and connected at its downstream end to the main refrigerant line ML at a point between the condenser 2 and the receiver tank 3. When the temperature of the cooling air detected by a temperature sensor S1 has declined to the lowest limit of temperature, a controller 6 acts to open the open-close valve V3, causing part of the hot gas to flow into the heat exchanger for heating 4B, so that by heating the cooled air in, for example, a cooling-air drying chamber the temperature therein is maintained within a prescribed range.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a cooling unit,
More specifically, in addition to a normal refrigerator-freezer, a cooling that can be used for a cold air dryer for manufacturing dried fish by cooling fish, beef, etc. in a low temperature range, for example, an ice temperature zone (-1 to + 1 ° C) to dry them. Regarding the unit.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, dried fish and other dried fish have generally been manufactured by utilizing the sun. However, as a matter of course, the method using the sun is not able to be manufactured at all when it rains or snows, and the productivity is significantly reduced even in the cloudy weather. There is a problem mentioned.

In addition, since it has the drawback of being unsanitary, such as being dusted and flies being blown, hot air is circulated by a heating heater in a prefabricated drying chamber in recent years. There is an increasing number of methods of bringing in fish and drying them.

However, the method for producing dried fish in which warm air is circulated in the refrigerator has a problem in that the quality of the fish cannot be avoided because the hot air directly hits the fish or the like.

[0005]

Therefore, according to the present invention, the quality of fresh fish or the like is said to be less likely to deteriorate, and the quality of the product is prevented from being deteriorated by cooling by cooling the fish or the like in an ice temperate zone or the like. However, the present invention makes it possible to manufacture high-quality dried fish that could not be obtained by the conventional technique, and it aims to provide an optimum cooling unit for that purpose.

As a unit for controlling cooling in the ice temperature zone or other narrow temperature range, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 1-2081
The techniques proposed in Japanese Patent No. 666, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-29559, etc. are well known, but all of these refrigerating devices perform severe heater energization capacity control by a microcomputer, and because the compressor is constantly operating. However, there is a problem that running costs increase.

In particular, when it is used as a cooling unit of a large-scale prefabricated cold air drying chamber for producing a large amount of dried food, the cost burden increases with an increase in volume, and the frost adhering is thawed during the off cycle. Since the humidity rises, there is also a problem that a dehumidifier must be installed separately.

Therefore, not only the temperature can be easily controlled in an ice temperature zone where quality deterioration is unlikely to occur, the running cost is not so great, and a dehumidifying device is not required. The invention of a device having an optimal function as a unit was strongly expected.

[0009]

As a concrete means for solving the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, the present invention is mainly constituted by connecting a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, a cooling heat exchanger and the like in an annular pipe. In the cooling unit in which the refrigerant flow path is formed, the main refrigerant flow path branches from the main refrigerant flow path from the compressor to the condenser and reaches the heat exchanger for heating through the on-off valve, and further from the condenser to the expansion valve. While providing a sub-refrigerant flow path communicating with the flow path,
When the temperature of cold air is below a set temperature, a cooling unit provided with a control device that outputs an open signal to the on-off valve,

In a cooling unit in which a main refrigerant passage is formed by annularly connecting a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, a heat exchanger for cooling, etc., switching from the main refrigerant passage from the compressor to the condenser. When the temperature of the cool air falls below the set temperature while branching through the valve, passing through the heat exchanger for heating, and providing a sub-refrigerant flow path communicating with the main refrigerant flow path from the condenser to the expansion valve By providing a cooling unit characterized in that the switching valve is provided with a control device for outputting a signal for opening the sub-refrigerant flow path side, the problems of the prior art are solved.

[0011]

When the compressor is driven, the refrigerant circulates in the main refrigerant flow path, that is, in the order of compressor → condenser → expansion valve → cooling heat exchanger → compressor. Then, the refrigerant whose temperature has decreased due to adiabatic expansion and the air sucked in from the inside of the drying chamber and the like exchange heat with the cooling heat exchanger, and the cooled air, that is, the cool air is blown out from the cooling unit and the inside of the chamber again. Since it flows into the chamber, the temperature inside the chamber gradually decreases.

Since the temperature of the air sucked into the cooling unit also decreases with the decrease of the internal temperature, the temperature of the cool air that is heat-exchanged / cooled by the cooling heat exchanger and blown out further decreases.

When the temperature of the cool air blown out from the cooling unit becomes lower than a preset temperature, the control device issues a command to open the on-off valve of the sub-refrigerant flow path in the case of the invention of claim 1 so that the compressor is compressed. A switching valve serving as a branch point of a sub-refrigerant flow path in the case of the invention of claim 2, wherein a gas refrigerant (hereinafter referred to as a hot gas) in a high pressure and high temperature state also flows into a heating heat exchanger to exhibit a heating effect. Since the condenser side is closed and the heating heat exchanger side is opened, all hot gas flows into the heating heat exchanger and a strong heating action is expressed, so in any case, the cold air blown out from the cooling unit as a whole is The temperature rises.

The temperature inside the drying chamber into which the cold air whose temperature has risen rises gradually, and along with this, the temperature of the cold air blown out from the cooling unit also gradually rises, and when the temperature becomes higher than the preset temperature, the operation is performed. The on-off valve or switching valve returns to its original state, and hot gas is cooled by the condenser again.
Cooling is resumed because it is condensed and flows only to the cooling heat exchanger.

In the cooling step, the water vapor floating in the air is cooled and vigorously forms frost on the surface of the cooling heat exchanger having a low temperature of, for example, about -5 ° C, so that the cold air is dried. move on.

[0016]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A cooling unit C according to the present invention based on FIG.
Explaining one configuration example of U, the compressor 1, the condenser 2, the receiver tank 3, the expansion valve V1, the cooling heat exchanger 4A, the pressure adjusting valve V2, and the accumulators 5A and 5B are connected in a ring to form a main refrigerant. The flow path ML is formed, and the compressor 1
From the main refrigerant passage ML from the condenser 2 to the condenser 2, reaches the heat exchanger 4B for heating via the on-off valve V3, and further communicates with the main refrigerant passage ML from the condenser 2 to the receiver tank 3. The coolant channel SL is formed. Note that the symbol F
1, F2, F3 are fans for blowing air.

The opening / closing valve V3 is, for example, a motor-operated valve, and its opening / closing is automatically controlled by an opening / closing signal output from the controller 6. That is, the temperature sensor S1 is installed at an appropriate position so that the temperature of the cool air cooled by heat exchange in the cooling heat exchanger 4A and being blown out by the fan F1 can be detected, and the temperature sensor S1 detects the temperature. When the cold air temperature reaches an upper limit temperature that is set slightly higher than a preset temperature (hereinafter, referred to as a set temperature), the control device 6 outputs a signal to the on-off valve V3 to close it.
A signal to open when the temperature reaches the lower limit temperature set slightly lower than the set temperature is output to the on-off valve V3, and the flow of the refrigerant changes based on the temperature of the cool air blown from the cooling heat exchanger 4A. It is designed to be automatically controlled.

Further, after passing through the cooling heat exchanger 4A, the refrigerant can directly flow into the receiver tank 3, and the main refrigerant flow path ML is branched into two before the pressure adjusting valve V2 and the pressure adjusting valve V2. A low pressure gauge P1 is installed in the main refrigerant flow path ML between the accumulator 5A and a high pressure gauge P2 is installed in the main refrigerant flow path ML on the discharge side (high pressure side) of the compressor 1.

The flow of the refrigerant and its action will be briefly described. When the temperature of the cool air detected by the temperature sensor S1 is higher than the lower limit temperature, the on-off valve V3 is closed, so that the refrigerant is compressed as shown by a solid arrow, that is, compressor 1 → condenser 2 → receiver tank 3 → expansion valve V1 → Cooling heat exchanger 4A → pressure adjusting valve V2 → accumulators 5A, 5B → compressor 1
In the order of the main refrigerant flow path ML, adiabatic expansion is performed where the expansion valve V1 exits, and the cooling heat exchanger 4A is cooled in a state where the temperature is lowered.
To the cooling heat exchanger 4A, the cooling heat exchanger 4A exerts a cooling effect, and cools air such as a drying chamber blown by the fan F1.

When the temperature of the cool air detected by the temperature sensor S1 reaches the lower limit temperature, the on-off valve V3 is opened by the command of the control device 6, and in addition to the above-mentioned refrigerant circulation, the main refrigerant flow path from the compressor 1 to the condenser 2 is reached. A flow of the refrigerant that branches from the ML and flows through the sub-refrigerant flow path SL from the opening / closing valve V3 to the heating heat exchanger 4B to the receiver tank 3 is generated, and is compressed by the compressor 1 to generate a high pressure and high temperature hot gas. Part of the heat exchanger 4B for heating
To the heating heat exchanger 4B, the heating effect is exerted in the heating heat exchanger 4B to heat the cold air such as the drying chamber blown by the fan F2.

The above operation is illustrated in FIG.
That is, the compressor 1, the fan F of the cooling heat exchanger 4A
1, the fan F3 of the condenser 2 is constantly driven, and the temperature of the cool air detected by the temperature sensor S1 is the lower limit temperature, for example, −
When cooled to 1 ° C. or less, the on-off valve V3 is opened to supply the hot gas to the heating heat exchanger 4B, and the fan F2 of the heating heat exchanger 4B is driven. The temperature of the whole cold air blown out immediately rises, and the temperature inside the refrigerator also starts to rise with -1.2 ° C as the minimum temperature.

When the temperature of the cold air detected by the temperature sensor S1 exceeds the upper limit temperature, for example, 1 ° C., the on-off valve V3 is closed to stop the supply of hot gas to the heat exchanger 4B for heating, and at the same time the fan F2 is operated. Since the driving is also stopped, the temperature of the cool air blown out from the cooling unit CU immediately decreases, and the internal temperature also starts to decrease with + 1.2 ° C. as the maximum temperature.

Thus, the cooling unit C according to the present invention
According to U, it is easy to control the temperature inside the refrigerator to a narrow ice temperature zone of -1.2 to + 1.2 ° C.

A concrete example of the structure of the cooling unit CU will be described with reference to FIGS.
The heat exchanger 4A for cooling and the heat exchanger 4B for heating are installed to face each other in a V shape along the front panel 102 having 01B at the top and bottom, and the heat exchanger 4A for cooling and the heat exchanger 4B for heating are arranged.
Fans F1 and F2 are installed above the middle part of the above, and a drain pan 103 installed below the heat exchanger 4A for cooling and the heat exchanger 4B for heating is extended to the boundary between the air intakes 101A and 101B. , The upper air intake 101A is communicated with the air intake side 4A1 of the cooling heat exchanger 4A near the front panel 102, and the lower air intake 101B is farther from the front panel 102 for heating. 4B is communicated with the air suction side 4B1. Further, the partition plate 104 is placed on the drain pan 103, and the air sucked from the upper air intake 101A is guided to the cooling heat exchanger 4A on the front side for heat exchange. The air blown out to the outside by the fan F1 and sucked in from the lower air intake 101B is guided to the heating heat exchanger 4B in the back to exchange heat, and then the fan F2.
It is erected so that it can be blown outside.

The air suction side 4 of the cooling heat exchanger 4A
A defrost heater 105, which can be switched on and off, is installed and attached to the lower surface of the drain pan 103, when the defrost heater 105 is hung from the middle stage of A1 to the lower end and from the middle stage of the air suction side 4B1 of the heating heat exchanger 4B to the lower end. Melt frost appropriately,
The water flowing down on the drain pan 103 can be discharged to the outside.

A plurality of rectifying plates 106 (movable type, fixed type) are installed in the upper air intake 101A so that the entire surface of the cooling heat exchanger 4A is substantially evenly contacted with air for heat exchange. It can be any of).

Further, a partition plate 104A connects the upper part of the front heat exchanger 4A for cooling and the front panel 102 and divides them into upper and lower parts, and when the fan F1 is driven, it is sucked in from the upper air intake 101A. It is possible to introduce only the heated air to the front heat exchanger 4A for cooling, heat-exchange and cool it and blow it out to the outside.

Similarly, the partition plate 104B is located in the upper part of the heating heat exchanger 4B and the rear panel 102 on the cooler body side.
It can be connected to A and divided into upper and lower parts, and only the air sucked from the lower air intake 101B by the fan F2 can be guided to the inner heat exchanger 4B for heat exchange / cooling and blown out to the outside. It is like this.

A specific application example of the cooling unit CU having the above-described structure will be described with reference to FIG. 6. The entire unit is constituted by, for example, a prefabricated type heat insulating panel structure 200, which is also prefabricated type heat insulating in the substantially central portion of the inside. A cold-air type dry storage cabinet 201 for producing dried fish, for example, having a panel structure is arranged, and the cooling unit CU having the above-described configuration is arranged on one outer side of the dry storage cabinet 201.

Dry storage 201 facing the cooling unit CU
An air outlet 203 is provided on the side surface of the panel structure, an air inlet 202 is provided on the opposite side surface, and a differential pressure fan F4 is installed on the dry storage 201. Such air circulation is possible.

Reference numeral 204 indicates that cold air is in the dry storage 2.
01 is a straightening plate installed in the air inflow port 202 so as to flow in a uniform flow rate in the vertical direction.

When the cooling unit CU and the fan F4 are driven, the air sucked into the cooling unit CU from the dry storage 201 is cooled by the cooling heat exchanger 4A and becomes cool air, and the fan F1 moves above the cooling unit CU. To be blown out. This cold air is moved from the right side to the lower left side in the drawing by the fan F4 and is returned to the dry storage 201 from the air inlet 202, so that the internal temperature of the dry storage 201 gradually decreases.

When the internal temperature of the dry storage 201 continues to decrease, the temperature of the cool air blown by the fan F1 further decreases, and finally reaches the preset lower limit temperature.
Is opened, and at the same time, the fan F2 is driven. Therefore, a part of the hot gas flows into the heating heat exchanger 4B, the cold air sucked through the air outlet 203 and the air intake 101B is heated and blown out of the cooling unit CU.

As described above, when the temperature of the cold air blown by the fan F1 reaches the lower limit temperature, the heating action of the heating heat exchanger 4B is developed, and the temperature of the entire cold air blown from the cooling unit CU rises, so that the drying is performed. The internal temperature of the storage 201 gradually rises and is controlled within a predetermined temperature range.

In the temperature control step, since the surface temperature of the cooling heat exchanger 4A becomes as high as -5 ° C., for example, the steam in the air that touches it cools and vigorously forms frost, which causes drying in the refrigerator. Advances. Moreover, the cooling unit C according to the present invention
In U, the cooling heat exchanger 4A is driven not only in the cooling step but also when raising the internal temperature to a predetermined temperature, so that the drying operation is not interrupted.

Therefore, if fish or the like is put in the dry storage 201, it can be easily dried. In addition, since there is no deterioration in quality as in the conventional technique of blowing hot air and cell destruction by freezing does not occur, dried food of excellent quality can be produced.

The frost generated by coming into contact with the surface of the cooling heat exchanger 4A is melted by appropriately turning on the defrost heater 105, and is discharged to the outside of the apparatus through the drain pan 103.

A switching valve V4 is installed in place of the on-off valve V3,
It is also possible to branch the sub-refrigerant flow path SL to the heating heat exchanger 4B from the switching valve V4 as a starting point. According to the cooling unit CU having such a configuration, the heating effect can be more greatly exhibited, and thus more detailed temperature control can be performed.

Further, it is possible to repeatedly install two or more cooling heat exchangers 4A and heating heat exchangers 4B facing each other in a V shape along the front panel 102. In this case, since it is a cooling unit, it is natural that the number of cooling heat exchangers 4A installed is larger than that of the heating heat exchangers 4B, and the opposing heat exchangers are both cooling heat exchangers. In some cases, it is not necessary to install the partition plate 104 between both heat exchangers.

On-off valve V3 (or switching valve V4)
The temperature of the cold air used as the basic data when opening / closing the air may be the temperature of the cold air taken in by the cooling heat exchanger 4A (or the heating heat exchanger 4B may be used), or the temperature at the center of the refrigerator, etc. May be

The open / close valve V3 may be opened / closed by detecting whether the cool air is higher or lower than a specific temperature.

[0042]

As described above, since the cooling unit of the present invention is a cooling system that abolishes the conventional heater energization system and compresses / expands the refrigerant, the running cost is increased even when it is applied to a large-sized cold air dryer or the like. Can be kept relatively small, and moreover, the inside of the refrigerator can be dried sufficiently without installing a dehumidifying device to easily produce dried fish and shellfish, dried meat, dried grapes and the like. In addition, since no hot air is applied, quality deterioration as in the prior art does not occur, and because a narrow temperature range can be controlled,
For example, it is also possible to cool to an ice temperature zone such as -1 to + 1 ° C and dry. For this reason, it is possible to dry without causing cell destruction, and it has become possible to produce dried food of excellent quality that has never been achieved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a cooling unit.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of temperature control of one embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of an example.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of one embodiment.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram in which one embodiment is applied to a cold air drying cabinet.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Compressor 2 Condenser 3 Receiver Tank 4A Cooling Heat Exchanger 4A1 Air Suction Side 4B Heating Heat Exchanger 4B1 Air Suction Side 5A, 5B Accumulator 6 Controller F1, F2, F3, F4 Fan V1 Expansion Valve V2 Pressure Adjustment Valve V3 Open / close valve V4 Switching valve P1 Low pressure gauge P2 High pressure gauge S1 Temperature sensor ML Main refrigerant flow passage SL Sub-refrigerant flow passage CU Cooling unit 101A, 101B Air intake 102 Front panel 102A Rear panel 103 Drain pan 104, 104A, 104B Partition plate 105 defrost heater 106 straightening plate 200 panel structure 201 dry storage 202 air inlet 203 air outlet 204 straightening plate

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. In a cooling unit in which a main refrigerant passage is formed by annularly connecting a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, a cooling heat exchanger, etc., a main refrigerant passage from the compressor to the condenser. It branches further and reaches the heat exchanger for heating via the on-off valve,
Furthermore, a sub-refrigerant flow path communicating with the main refrigerant flow path from the condenser to the expansion valve is provided, and a control device that outputs an open signal to the opening / closing valve is provided when the temperature of the cool air becomes equal to or lower than a set temperature. A cooling unit characterized by that. 2. A main refrigerant passage from a compressor to a condenser in a cooling unit in which a main refrigerant passage is formed by annularly connecting a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, a cooling heat exchanger, etc. After branching through the switching valve and passing through the heat exchanger for heating, a sub-refrigerant flow path communicating with the main refrigerant flow path from the condenser to the expansion valve is provided, and the temperature of the cool air falls below the set temperature. In this case, the switching unit is provided with a control device that outputs a signal to open the sub-refrigerant flow path side.