JPH11103770A - Freshness-retaining device for refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a freshness-retaining device for maintaining a high humidity environment for retaining the freshness of vegetables, fruits, flowers and the like and for supplying ozone sufficient for the removal of ozone. SOLUTION: A humidifier 60 and a device 40 for the decomposite removal of ethylene gas due to the generation of ozone are disposed in an air flow way on the downstream side of a freezing device 20 having an evaporator 30. The device for the decomposite removal of the ethylene gas is provided with an ozone concentration-detecting means 47, a means 50 for opening or closing an air flow way from the evaporator 30, an external air-taking flow way 420, a means 425 for opening or closing the external air-taking flow way, and a controller for outputting opening or closing control signals to the air flow-opening or closing means and the means for opening or closing the external air-taking flow way. The control means outputs signals for selectively opening or closing the air flow-opening or closing means or the means for opening or closing the external air-taking flow way, when the ozone concentration-detecting means detects that the concentration of ozone in the ethylene gas-decomposing and removing device is not higher than a preliminarily set lower limit or not lower that a preliminarily set upper limit, thus permitting to achieve the proper supply of ozone to the ethylene gas-decomposing device and the maintenance of a proper high humidity atmosphere in the container 10.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a freshness maintaining device having an ethylene decomposition mechanism for a refrigerator car.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In order to maintain the freshness of fruits and vegetables, flowers and the like, an ozone treatment apparatus for decomposing and removing ethylene gas which is involved in deterioration of freshness has been used. A conventional ozone treatment apparatus is composed of an ozone generator and an ozone decomposition catalyst that decomposes excess ozone after decomposing ethylene to suppress emission of harmful ozone to the outside of the apparatus.
No. 21684). Further, in order to suppress a decrease in freshness due to evaporation of moisture, temperature and humidity control is performed at a high humidity using a temperature and humidity control device. The temperature / humidity control device includes a refrigerating device, a heating device, and a humidifying device. However, in an environment of high humidity suitable for maintaining freshness of fruits and vegetables, flowers and the like, the ozone generation efficiency of an ozone generator (discharge type) is reduced, and sufficient ozone may not be supplied for removing ethylene.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the present invention provides a freshness maintaining device which maintains a high humidity environment suitable for maintaining freshness of fruits and vegetables, flowers and the like, and achieves a sufficient ozone supply for removing ethylene. Is what you do.

[0004]

According to the present invention, there is provided a freshness keeping apparatus for a refrigerator car, which comprises a humidifier and a decomposition of ethylene gas by ozone generation disposed on an air passage downstream of a refrigerating apparatus having an evaporator. A removal device is provided, the ethylene gas decomposition and removal device is disposed downstream of the evaporator and upstream of the humidifier, and includes an ozone concentration detection unit and an opening / closing unit that opens and closes an air flow path from the evaporator. , An outside air intake passage leading to outside air,
An opening / closing unit for opening / closing the outside air intake passage, a control unit for outputting an opening / closing control signal to the opening / closing unit for opening / closing the air passage and opening / closing unit for the outside air intake passage are provided. When the ozone concentration detecting means detects that the ozone concentration in the ethylene gas decomposition and removal device is equal to or less than a preset lower limit concentration or detects that the ozone concentration is equal to or greater than a preset upper limit concentration, An open / close control signal is selectively output to the opening / closing means for opening / closing the flow path or the opening / closing means for the outside air intake flow path to appropriately supply ozone in the ethylene gas decomposition and removal apparatus and maintain an appropriate high humidity environment. It has a configuration to achieve.

[0005]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a freshness keeping device for a refrigerator car according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a freshness holding device provided in a refrigerated container, and FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a device for decomposing and removing ethylene gas (ozone treatment).

[0006] The refrigeration container 10 is provided with a refrigeration apparatus 20. The refrigerating device 20 includes an evaporator 30, an ozone treatment device 40, a humidifier 60, a fan 70, and the like. The evaporator 30 takes in the air in the refrigerated container 10 to achieve dehumidification and cooling, and discharges dry cool air. The ozonizer 40 is provided downstream of the evaporator 30. The ozone processor 40 is provided with an ozone generator 42 and an ozone decomposition catalyst 45. The ozone generator 42 has an outside air intake passage 420 that opens to the outside air through the refrigeration apparatus 20 and the refrigeration container 10, and is provided with a shutter 425 that opens and closes the passage 420. An ozone decomposition catalyst 45 is disposed downstream of the ozone generator 42,
Excess ozone contained in the air passing through the inside of 0 is brought into contact with the catalyst to be decomposed. Further, an ozone concentration sensor 47 is provided in the ozone processor 40. The ozone concentration sensor 47 is provided on the downstream side of the ozone generator 42 and is configured to detect the ozone concentration in the ozone processor 40. A humidifier 60 is provided downstream of the ozonizer 40, and cool air having sufficient humidity is supplied into the refrigerated container 10 by the fan 70.

Further, the refrigeration system 20 includes an evaporator 30
A damper 50 is disposed between the ozone treatment device 40 and the ozone treatment device 40. The damper 50 is disposed rotatably, and is disposed at an open angle so as to guide the flow path of the cool air normally flowing out of the evaporator 30 to the ozone treatment device 40. Then, when rotated, the damper 50 becomes a position for closing the flow path of the cool air flowing out of the evaporator 30, and the cool air flowing out of the evaporator 30 flows into the humidifier 60 without passing through the ozone treatment device 40. . The rotation of the damper 50 and the opening and closing of the shutter 425 of the outside air intake passage 420 are executed by a control device (not shown).

When the ozone concentration sensor 47 of the ozone treatment device 40 detects a decrease in ozone concentration, the control device
Alternatively, when the ozone concentration is detected to be equal to or higher than the set concentration, the rotation of the damper 50 and the outside air intake passage 420
Of the shutter 425 is instructed.

The control of the opening and closing of the damper 50 and the opening and closing of the outside air intake passage 420 by the control device are shown in FIG.
This will be described with reference to the control flow shown in FIG. The measurement result of the ozone concentration in the ozone treatment device 40 by the ozone concentration sensor 47 has been input (step ST10). Then, in step ST11, the ozone concentration is compared with a preset lower limit value, and when the ozone concentration is not the preset lower limit value, that is, when there is no decrease in the ozone concentration, the process proceeds to step ST13. Then, the measured ozone concentration is compared with a preset upper limit value. If the ozone concentration is not at the upper limit in step ST13, the measurement of the ozone concentration in step ST10 is continuously executed.

When the ozone concentration in the ozone treatment device 40 decreases and the ozone concentration is detected to be equal to or lower than the lower limit value in step ST11, the process proceeds to step ST12, where the opening degree of the damper 50 is determined, and the opening degree is determined. When the value is the value (the state in which the damper 50 is closed), the process proceeds to step ST14, in which the shutter 425 of the outside air intake port 420 is opened, and the dry outside air is supplied into the ozone treatment device 40. Step ST
If the damper 50 has not been closed to the predetermined position in step 12, the process proceeds to step ST15, where the damper 50 is rotated and slightly closed to increase the ozone concentration. Then, the measurement of the ozone concentration is continued.

When the upper limit of the ozone concentration set in step ST13 is detected, the process proceeds to step ST16, and the open / close state of the outside air intake passage 420 is determined. If the outside air intake passage 420 is open, the process proceeds to step ST17.
To close the outside air intake channel 420, and
The measurement of the ozone concentration of 10 is continued. When the outside air intake passage 420 is closed, the process proceeds to step ST18, and the opening degree of the damper 50 is determined. If the opening degree of the damper 50 is not a sufficient opening degree (upper limit value), the process proceeds to step ST19, in which the damper 50 is rotated slightly open, and the amount of dry cool air flowing from the evaporator 30 is increased. Step ST18
When it is determined that the opening of the damper 50 is a sufficient opening,
The measurement of the ozone concentration in step ST10 is continued.

The air in the container 10 provided with the refrigeration apparatus 20 configured as described above is sucked into the refrigeration apparatus 20 by the fan 70. The air is cooled and dehumidified in the evaporator 30. The dehumidified and dried air is guided to the damper 50 and introduced into the ozone treatment device 40. While the air in the ozone treatment device 40 is flowing, ethylene is decomposed and removed by ozone generated from the ozone generator 42. Further, surplus ozone not participating in the decomposition of ethylene is decomposed by the ozone decomposition catalyst 45.
The air flowing down the refrigerating device 20 is then adjusted in humidity by the humidifier 60 and discharged into the container 10. In this manner, the air in the refrigerated container 10 is circulated, and the humidified cold air from which the ethylene gas has been removed is discharged into the container 10.

Further, since a part of the air flowing down in the refrigeration system 20 flows into the ozone treatment device 40 via the variable damper 50, the amount of air flowing into the ozone treatment device can be adjusted. . That is, the air dehumidified and dried by the evaporator 30 is caused to flow into the ozone treatment device 40, so that the capacity of the ozone generator 42 is reduced and the ozone decomposition catalyst 4
5 can be minimized, and ozone treatment can be performed efficiently. Further, when the humidity rises and the ozone generation ability decreases, the ozone concentration sensor 47 provided in the apparatus detects a decrease in the ozone concentration in the ozone treatment apparatus 20, and rotates the damper 50 to rotate the evaporator 30. The flow rate of air flowing into the ozone treatment device 20 from the air is reduced, and the ozone concentration in the ozone treatment device 20 is restored. When the ozone concentration is low even when the damper 50 is closed, the shutter 425 of the outside air intake channel 420 is opened to introduce low humidity outside air from outside the container 10 into the ozone treatment device 40. To restore ozone generation capacity.

After the ozone concentration in the apparatus 40 has recovered to a certain value or more, the outside air intake passage 420 is closed, the damper 50 is opened, and normal circulation of air is executed. When the ozone concentration in the ozone treatment device 40 becomes higher than the set concentration, the damper 50 is opened and the air flow path from the evaporator 30 is enlarged to adjust the ozone concentration.

As described above, an ozone treatment device (composed of an ozone generator and an ozone decomposition catalyst) is built in a refrigerating device having a temperature / humidity control function, and dried cold air passing through an evaporator of the refrigerating device. Is partially introduced into the ozone treatment apparatus through a damper, so that ozone sufficient for removing ethylene gas can be supplied. In addition, since the humidity is adjusted by the humidifier disposed on the downstream side and the air is returned into the container, the air released into the container is air having a proper humidity with ozone removed. .

[0016]

The freshness keeping apparatus for a refrigerator car according to the present invention can maintain a high humidity environment suitable for keeping freshness of fruits and vegetables, flowers and the like in the air in the container. Furthermore, the ethylene gas decomposition and removal apparatus always achieves sufficient ozone supply for ethylene removal and can prevent excessive supply of ozone.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a configuration of a container of a refrigerator car.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of an ethylene gas decomposition removal (ozone treatment) apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a control flowchart of a control device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Container 20 Refrigeration apparatus 30 Evaporator 40 Ozone treatment apparatus 42 Ozone generator 45 Ozone decomposition catalyst 47 Ozone concentration sensor 420 External air intake flow path 425 Shutter 50 Damper 60 Humidifier 70 Fan

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A freshness maintaining device for a refrigerated vehicle, comprising: an evaporator, a humidifier, and a device for decomposing and removing ethylene gas due to generation of ozone disposed on an air flow path. An ozone concentration detecting means, an opening / closing means for opening / closing an air flow path from the evaporator, an outside air intake flow path leading to the outside air, and an outside air intake flow provided downstream of the vessel and upstream of the humidifier. A switching unit for opening and closing the passage, a control unit for outputting an opening and closing control signal to the opening and closing unit for opening and closing the air flow passage, and a switching unit for the opening and closing unit for the outside air intake passage. When the ozone concentration is detected to be lower than a preset lower limit concentration or higher than a preset upper limit concentration, an opening / closing means for opening and closing the air flow path, or outside air intake Are channel closing means to selectively open and close control signal becomes configured to output a refrigerated vehicles freshness retaining device. 2. The control device according to claim 1, further comprising an opening determining mechanism for opening and closing means for opening and closing the air flow path, wherein the ozone concentration detecting means determines that the ozone concentration in the ethylene gas decomposition and removal device is equal to or less than a predetermined lower limit concentration. When it is detected, it is configured to output an opening / closing control signal to the opening / closing means for opening / closing the air flow path or the opening / closing means for the outside air intake flow path according to the determination of the opening degree determination mechanism of the opening / closing means for opening / closing the air flow path. The freshness keeping device for a refrigerator car according to claim 1. 3. The control device further includes an opening degree determination mechanism of an opening / closing means for opening / closing the air flow path, wherein the ozone concentration detecting means determines that the ozone concentration in the ethylene gas decomposition / removal device is equal to or higher than a preset upper limit concentration. 2. The freshness for a refrigerated vehicle according to claim 1, wherein upon detection, an opening / closing control signal is output to the opening / closing means for opening / closing the air flow path based on a determination by the opening degree determination mechanism of the opening / closing means for opening / closing the air flow path. Holding device.