JPH11108540A - Refrigerating device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a refrigerating device that can process a large amount of drain being generated in the device by itself even when humidity is high and can be used by a user at ease without feeling uneasy about the discharge of drain. SOLUTION: In a rice bin device 1 that is a refrigerating device, a drain 30 being generated in a heat sink 13 at the heat-absorbing side of a Peltier cooling device 10 is collected by a tray 23 for evaporation. The drain 30 being collected by the tray 23 for evaporation is absorbed by a fin 32 for evaporation. Therefore, the evaporation area of the drain 30 is expanded and the capability for evaporating and processing the drain in the rice bin device 1 is improved, thus processing the drain 30 being collected in the device by itself even when humidity is high and using the device by a user at ease without feeling uneasy about the discharge of drain.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a refrigeration apparatus suitable for storing refrigerated items such as white rice and wheat. More specifically, the present invention relates to a refrigerator capable of self-processing drain generated in a heat absorbing portion of a Peltier cooling device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, in order to preserve white rice with good freshness in homes and farmers, rice coolers of the cool type as shown in FIG. 4 have been proposed. A cold-keeping rice bin device 90 shown in FIG. 4 has a vertically long rectangular parallelepiped housing 91. A housing 92 is provided inside the housing 91.
Is installed, and white rice can be stored in this storage. The storage 92 has a heat insulating material 93 around it.
Surrounded by Below the storage 92, a weighing device 94 for dispensing a desired amount of white rice from the storage 91.
Is installed below the weighing device 94.
Take-out container 9 for taking out the white rice paid out by
5 are installed. Above the storage 92, a cooling device 98 having a heat absorbing unit 96 and a heat discharging unit 97
Is provided, and cool air can be supplied from the cooling device 98 to the inside of the storage 92 to cool the inside. With this cooling device 98, an environment suitable for long-term storage of white rice in the storage is constructed.

[0003]

The rice bin device 90 shown in FIG. 4 has a storage box 92 and a cooling device 98 arranged vertically, so that the height of the rice bin device 90 becomes very large. . As a result, it cannot be easily installed at home or the like.

It is conceivable to reduce the space occupied by the cooling device by using a Peltier cooling device that does not require a refrigerant and can form a simple cooling system that does not require a compressor or an evaporator. By employing such a cooling device, the size of the rice bin device 90 can be reduced.

[0005] However, if the cooling device is arranged above the storage 92, if dew condensation occurs at the heat absorbing portion of the cooling device, it will drop onto the storage 92 and wet the white rice. As a result, white rice may not be preserved for a long time with good freshness. For this reason, even if the height dimension of the rice bin device can be kept low by adopting the Peltier cooling device, the important function of preserving white rice for a long time cannot be sufficiently satisfied.

If a mechanism capable of collecting the drain generated in the heat absorbing portion of the cooling device is prepared, the dripping of the drain into the storage can be prevented. However, when the drain is collected by such a mechanism, it is necessary to periodically drain the drain. Leaving this drainage to the user is extremely inconvenient. It is also possible to provide a mechanism for automatically draining the collected drain to the outside. However, the price of the apparatus rises, and it is necessary to prepare a pipe to the drain destination of the drain.

[0007] Therefore, as in the case of a method of treating drain by utilizing exhaust heat of a compressor, as is generally used in a refrigerant compression refrigerator or the like, electric power is supplied to the Peltier cooling device from the collected drain. By the heat dissipation of the power supply,
Self-evaporation is being considered. However, since the amount of heat radiation of the power supply device is limited, when a large amount of drain is generated such as when the humidity is high, there is a possibility that all of the drainage cannot be performed. If this state continues, the drain accumulates, so that it is necessary to periodically drain the drain. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a system having a sufficient drain treatment amount for performing the self-evaporation process using the heat radiation of the power supply device.

In the present invention, even when the humidity is high,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a refrigeration apparatus that can self-process a large amount of drain generated in the apparatus and that can be used by a user without worrying about drainage of the drain. It is another object of the present invention to develop a drain treatment system having sufficient capacity for self-treatment of drain generated in the apparatus, and to provide an inexpensive refrigeration apparatus that is easy to use at home and farms.

[0009]

Therefore, in the refrigerating apparatus of the present invention, the drain generated in the heat absorbing portion of the cooling apparatus is collected in an evaporating tray, and the evaporating process is performed using the heat radiation of the power supply as a heat source. In addition, an evaporating fin using a hygroscopic material is installed on the evaporating tray to increase the drain evaporation area, thereby greatly improving the processing capacity.

[0010] That is, the refrigeration apparatus of the present invention has a storage capable of storing the object to be refrigerated, a Peltier cooling device capable of cooling the storage, and a power supply capable of supplying power to the Peltier cooling device. In the device, an evaporation tray for evaporating the drain installed above the power supply device,
A drain recovery device for guiding the drain generated in the heat absorbing portion of the Peltier cooling device to an evaporation tray, wherein an evaporation fin using a moisture absorbing material is provided on the evaporation tray.

In the refrigerating apparatus of the present invention, the drain generated in the heat absorbing section of the Peltier cooling device is guided to the evaporating tray by the drain recovery device, and is evaporated by the heat from the power supply device. At this time, if the evaporation tray is provided with evaporation fins made of a water-absorbing material, the drain in the evaporation tray penetrates to the evaporation fins. As a result, the drain is evaporated on the surface of the evaporation fins in addition to the water surface of the drain accumulated on the evaporation tray, so that a large evaporation area of the drain is secured and the evaporation processing ability can be improved. Further, by heating the evaporating tray by the heat radiation of the power supply device, the temperature of the drain rises, so that the evaporating becomes easy, and the heat radiation of the power supply device generates an ascending airflow, which is the evaporating tray and the evaporating fins. Because it flows along
Also in this respect, the evaporation capacity is improved. For this reason, even if the refrigeration apparatus is installed in an environment with high humidity, it is possible to provide a refrigeration apparatus that has a sufficient drain processing capacity to the extent that drain generated in the apparatus can be surely evaporated, or more. Therefore, it is possible to realize a refrigeration apparatus that can be used in any environment without worrying about the drainage of the drain. According to such a refrigeration apparatus of the present invention, it is not necessary for the user to periodically drain the collected drain, so that it is possible to provide a refrigeration apparatus that is extremely easy to use and can be installed anywhere. Further, since there is no need to provide a special mechanism for automatically draining the collected drain to the outside of the apparatus, the refrigeration apparatus itself is inexpensive, and a refrigeration apparatus requiring no installation cost can be provided.

The heat absorbing portion of the Peltier cooling device is arranged along the side surface of the storage, and a heat discharging portion is provided outside the heat absorbing portion so that the heat discharging portion and the power supply device are positioned vertically. Then, it is desirable that the evaporating tray is located between the power supply device and the heat discharging unit. By arranging the heat absorbing part and the heat discharging part of the Peltier cooling device on the side surface of the storage, the height of the device can be suppressed lower, and the size can be more easily installed in a home or a farm house. Can be provided. In addition, since the evaporation tray is located between the power supply device and the heat exhaust unit, the drain evaporated by the evaporation tray and the fins is discharged to the outside air through the heat exhaust unit. Therefore, since the evaporated drain is discharged to the outside after being heated by the exhaust heat section, it is slightly dry when released to the outside even in a saturated state under the exhaust heat section, There is no fear that the outer wall of the apparatus is wet by the air discharged outside. In addition, since the evaporation tray is located between the power supply unit and the heat exhaust unit, the drain receives heat radiation of the heat exhaust unit in addition to the heat radiation of the power supply unit, further increasing the drain evaporation capacity. Can be enhanced.

Further, in order to further increase the capacity of the drain to evaporate, it is sufficient to extend one end of the hygroscopic material upward so as to reach the heat exhausting portion. In this way, the drain evaporation area can be maximized. Further, the heat radiation of the Peltier cooling device can be utilized by the evaporation of the drain. Therefore, the drain processing capacity can be further improved.

Further, if a cooling fan is provided between the evaporating tray and the heat discharging portion, the heat discharging effect of the Peltier cooling device is enhanced and the amount of circulating air is increased. Can be improved. As a result, the power consumed for storing the object to be refrigerated can be reduced, and the evaporating efficiency can be increased. Therefore, it is possible to provide a compact refrigeration apparatus that is easy to use in homes and the like with low running costs.

[0015] If a refrigerated material can be introduced from above by providing an inlet above the storage, which allows refrigerated material to be introduced, the refrigeration apparatus is suitable for keeping grains such as white rice and wheat cool. Can be realized.

[0016]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a rice refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the external shape of the rice bin device. FIG. 2A shows a schematic configuration of a rice bin device using a longitudinal sectional view. Further, FIG. 2B shows the hygroscopic material using a perspective view.

As shown in these figures, the rice bin device 1 of this embodiment has a rectangular parallelepiped housing 2 which is long vertically.
The upper part of the housing 2 is closed by a lid 3 that can be opened and closed. When the lid 3 is opened, an input port 5 through which white rice can be put into the storage 4 appears, and white rice can be put into the storage through this opening. The storage case 4 is surrounded by a metal plate having excellent heat conductivity, and a hollow space having a rectangular cross section and extending vertically is provided inside. A lower portion of the storage 4 is a tapered payout portion 6 in which a rectangular section has a gradually narrowing space, and the tip of the payout portion 6 is connected to a measuring device 7 as a payout port 6a. The weighing device 7 can be operated from the front surface 2 a of the housing 2, and can discharge desired white rice from the storage 4 by an external operation. Below the weighing device 7, a take-out container 8 for taking out the white rice discharged by the device to the outside is provided in a detachable state. Therefore, the user can easily obtain a desired amount of white rice without performing an operation such as opening the lid 3.
As described above, the rice bin device 1 of the present example has a structure suitable for putting white rice through the input port 5 provided above the storage case 4 and keeping the grains cool.

In the rice bin device 1 of the present embodiment, the periphery of the storage 4 is surrounded by a heat insulating wall 9 at a predetermined interval.
The space between the storage 4 and the heat insulating wall 9 is a Peltier cooling device 10
A layer (circulation layer) 11 through which the air cooled by the air circulates is formed. The circulating layer 11 is secured by a spacer 12 inserted between the storage 4 and the heat insulating wall 9 at a predetermined interval. In the rice bin device 1 of this example, the air cooled by the Peltier cooling device 10 serves as a medium and
Can be gradually cooled from the entire periphery to absorb the heat of the storage 4 and the white rice stored therein.

The Peltier cooling device 10 for cooling the air in the circulation layer 11
It is installed on the side of. Peltier cooling device 10 of this example
The heat-absorbing heat sink 13 extending vertically along the side surface of the storage box 4 is located inside the circulation layer 11, and is located on the rear surface 2 b of the housing 2, that is, outside the heat-absorbing heat sink (heat absorbing portion) 13. The located heat-dissipating heat sink (heat-dissipating portion) 14 is disposed. These heat sinks 13 and 14 are connected by a Peltier cooling unit 15.

In the circulating layer 11, a circulating fan 16 for improving the circulating efficiency of cool air in the circulating layer 11 cooled by the Peltier cooling device 10 is provided near the heat sink 13. With this circulation fan 16, the cool air in the entire circulation layer is evenly circulated. Thus, the storage 4 can be cooled in a more uniform state from the entire periphery, and the entire white rice put in the storage 4 can be cooled in a uniform state. As a result, the whole white rice can be stored for a long time with good freshness.

A power supply 20 capable of supplying power to the Peltier cooling device 10 is disposed below the heat-dissipating heat sink 14, and the power-supply unit 20 and the heat-dissipating heat sink 14 are arranged vertically. I have. For this reason, the rice bin device 1 of this example has a configuration in which the heat-dissipating heat sink 14 and the power supply device 20 of the Peltier cooling device 10, which are the heat-generating portions, are integrated in the same direction to facilitate ventilation. This power supply device 20
Converts AC power for home use into DC power using an AC / DC converter or the like, and supplies the DC power to the Peltier cooling unit 15 so that the Peltier cooling device 10 can be operated with a home AC power supply. It has. The converted DC power is supplied not only to the Peltier cooling unit 15 but also to the circulation fan 16 and a cooling fan 21 described later.

In the rice bin device 1 of the present embodiment, the drain 30 generated in the heat sink 13 on the heat absorbing side is removed from the lower collecting tray 22.
And is guided to an evaporating tray 23 installed between the heat-dissipating heat sink 14 and the power supply device 20 to be subjected to an evaporating process. The circulating layer 11 is shielded from the outside by the heat insulating wall 9 and the like.
When the outside air enters into the heat sink 1 and is cooled by the heat sink 13, dew condensation occurs and a drain 30 is generated. In this example,
Since the dew water (drain) 30 can be reliably collected by the collection tray 22, the drain 30 travels along the wall of the storage 4 and flows into the measuring device 7 or the discharge container 8,
It can be prevented from leaking to the floor.

The collection tray 22 has an evaporation tray 23 installed between the heat-dissipating heat sink 14 and the power supply 20.
A drain pipe 24 for guiding the collected drain 30 is connected, and a simple drain collection system is constituted by the collection tray 22 and the drain pipe 24. The evaporating tray 23 is formed of metal or the like having excellent thermal conductivity, so that the heat applied to the evaporating tray 23 is efficiently transmitted to the drain 30. Further, in the rice bin device 1 of the present embodiment, a cooling fan 21 for promoting heat removal of the heat-dissipating heat sink 14 is provided between the evaporation tray 23 and the heat-dissipating heat sink 14, and the cooling fan 21 is provided by these. Since a large amount of air flows near the tray 23 for evaporation, the drain 3
0 is easily evaporated.

In the rice bin device 1 of this embodiment, the evaporation tray 2
3 are provided with four evaporating fins 32 using a hygroscopic material. Examples of the moisture absorbent forming the evaporating fins 32 include:
Any material may be used as long as it has water absorbency, and a thin material is preferable so that an appropriate number of fins can be installed in a narrow space and the evaporation effect can be enhanced. For example, a felt cloth used as a horticultural water retention material, or a glass fiber used as a humidifier for a humidifier formed in a honeycomb shape can be used.
In addition, a polyolefin-based resin molded into a plate or a polyester-based nonwoven fabric used for humidifying a refrigerator or for draining a vending machine is suitably hard and easy to process, so that it is suitable for an evaporating fin. .

Each of the evaporating fins 32 is arranged so as to extend in the up-down direction. The drain 30 guided to the evaporating tray 23 is absorbed by these evaporating fins 32 and is placed on the surface of the evaporating fin 32. Reach. Since the drain 30 evaporates from the surface of the evaporating fin 32, the evaporation area of the drain 30 becomes very large. Fin 32 for evaporation
Among them, one end 32a of the two evaporating fins 32 extends to reach the heat-dissipating heat sink 14 of the Peltier cooling device 10, so that a larger drain evaporation area can be ensured, and the heat is dissipated by the heat-dissipating heat sink 14 so that the nearby heat sink 14 can emit heat. Since the surface temperature of the evaporating fins 32 increases, the amount of evaporation can be further increased.

The number and length of the evaporating fins 32 may be determined so as to obtain sufficient capacity to evaporate the generated drain 30. Therefore, all of the fins 32 may extend to the heat-dissipating heat sink 14. Also,
The number of the fins 32 may be three or less, or may be five or more.

FIG. 3 shows the evaporating fins 3 on the evaporating tray 23.
2 shows a difference in drain evaporation capacity between the case in which No. 2 is installed and the case in which No. 2 is installed. In the graph of FIG. 3, the amount of drain naturally evaporated when heat is not applied to the evaporation tray 23 is set to 1. Further, the power supply device 2 is provided by using an evaporation tray on which the evaporation fins 32 are not provided.
The amount of drain evaporation when the heat radiation of 0 is applied is indicated by a two-dot chain line A. Further, the amount of drain evaporation in the case where heat is radiated from the power supply device 20 using the evaporation tray provided with the evaporation fins 32 is indicated by a dashed-dotted line B. In this example, four short evaporation fins that do not reach the heat
The processing amount when installed on the evaporation tray 23 is shown as an example. Further, the solid line C indicates the amount of dehumidifying water (the amount of drain generated when cooling is performed by introducing outside air), which varies depending on the relative humidity of the outside air. However, these characteristics are those when the outside air temperature is 30 ° C.

As can be seen from FIG.
2, the evaporation area of the drain 30 is expanded,
The ability to evaporate the drain 30 is improved. For example, when the outside air relative humidity is 65%, the drain evaporation amount can be approximately doubled by installing the evaporating fins 32. For this reason, if the evaporating fins 32 are not provided, the amount of the evaporating treatment is limited when the outside air relative humidity is 75%, and the drain generated when the relative humidity rises cannot be processed. Therefore, in the region D where the outside air relative humidity exceeds 75%, the drain 30 starts to accumulate on the evaporation tray 23. On the other hand, when the evaporating tray 23 on which the evaporating fins 32 are installed is used, the limit can be shifted to the outside air relative humidity of about 82%.

As described above, the rice bin device 1 of the present embodiment can handle up to a relative humidity of 75% even when the evaporating fins 32 are not provided, and can be used without any problem in most environments. On the other hand, the evaporating fins 3
By providing 2, the amount of evaporation can be further improved, so that there is no drain leakage or the like in any environment, and the device can be used with confidence. By changing the size and number of the fins 32, the evaporation amount can be further increased as described above, and a drain processing system capable of coping with a sufficient margin even in a humid environment is realized. It is also possible. Therefore, in this example, even if a large amount of the drain 30 is generated according to the airtight state of the circulating layer 11 or the air that enters from the outside, the drain 3 collected in the apparatus
Thus, the rice bin device that can securely process the wastewater with a sufficient margin and can be used safely without worrying about the drainage of the drain 30 can be realized. Accordingly, it is not necessary to periodically drain the drain 30 collected in the apparatus, and it is possible to provide a rice bin apparatus that is very easy to use in homes and farms. In addition, since there is no need to provide a special mechanism for draining the drain 30 collected in the device to the outside, a rice bin device that can be used safely without worrying about drainage of the drain 30 can be provided at low cost.

In the rice bin device 1 of this embodiment, the power supply device 20 and the heat-dissipating heat sink 14 of the Peltier cooling device 10 are used.
The evaporating tray 23 is disposed between the evaporating fins 32 so that the drain evaporated by the evaporating fin 32 is
Is discharged to the outside through the circulating outside air. Immediately after the evaporation by the evaporation fins 32, it is in a saturated state, and if it is discharged to the outside as it is, there is a possibility that the panel of the apparatus and its vicinity will form dew. On the other hand, in the rice bin device 1 of the present embodiment, the drain evaporated as described above is further heated once by the heat-dissipating heat sink 14 and then dried and discharged to the outside. It can be used safely at home without any problems. Further, since the evaporating tray 23 is located between the power supply device 20 and the heat-dissipating heat sink 14, the evaporating fins 32 and the evaporating tray 23 have the heat-dissipating heat sink 14 There is also an advantage that the drain 30 can be subjected to the evaporating process by utilizing the heat radiation of the drain, and the evaporating capability of the drain can be further enhanced. Further, when the Peltier cooling device 10 is arranged on the side surface of the storage box 4 as in the rice bin device 1 of the present example, the height of the device can be reduced.
It is possible to realize a refrigeration device of a size that can be installed more easily in homes and farms.

In the rice bin device 1 of this embodiment, the cooling fan 21 is provided between the evaporating tray 32 and the heat-dissipating heat sink 14, so that the heat discharging effect of the Peltier cooling device 10 is enhanced and the air is cooled. The amount of circulation increases. Therefore, it is possible to construct an environment more suitable for the drain 30 to be subjected to the evaporating process. For this reason, the power consumed for preserving the white rice can be reduced, and a rice bin device that is easy to use in homes and the like with low running costs can be realized.

In the above example, the refrigeration apparatus to which the present invention is applied has been described using the rice bin apparatus 1 for refrigerated storage of white rice as an example. However, the refrigeration apparatus for refrigerated storage of not only white rice but also grains such as wheat and brown rice is described. The present invention can also be applied. In addition, the present invention is naturally applicable not only to grains but also to refrigeration apparatuses for refrigerated storage of other refrigerated items.

[0033]

As described above, in the refrigeration system of the present invention, the drain generated in the heat absorbing portion of the Peltier cooling device is collected in the evaporating tray, and the drain of the power supply device is used as a heat source. Evaporation processing is performed. In addition, evaporating fins using a hygroscopic material are provided on the evaporating tray so as to increase the area of evaporation of the drain. Thereby, the ability of the refrigerator to evaporate the drain can be enhanced, and even if the humidity is high, the drain collected in the device can be reliably self-processed. Therefore, there is sufficient room for the amount of treatment, and the user can use the apparatus without worrying about drainage, and can provide a very convenient refrigeration apparatus. Further, since there is no need to provide a special mechanism for draining the drain collected in the apparatus to the outside of the apparatus, a compact and inexpensive refrigeration apparatus can be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a rice bin device as an example of a refrigerator device to which the present invention is applied.

2 (A) is a schematic vertical sectional view of the rice bin device of FIG. 1, and FIG. 2 (B) is a perspective view of an evaporating fin.

3 is a graph for explaining a difference in drain evaporation ability between a case where a moisture absorbing material is installed on an evaporation tray and a case where no moisture absorbing material is installed in the rice bin device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of a conventional rice bin device.

[Explanation of Signs] 1 ... Rice device 4 ... Storage 5 ... Inlet 7 ... Measuring device 8 ... Removable container 9 ... Insulation wall 10 ... Peltier cooling device 11 ... Circulation layer 13 ... Heat absorption Side heat sink 14 ・ Exhaust heat side heat sink 15 ・ ・ Peltier cooling unit 20 ・ ・ Power supply 21 ・ ・ Cooling fan 22 ・ ・ Recovery tray 23 ・ ・ Evaporation tray 30 ・ ・ Drain 32 ・ ・ Evaporation fin 32a ・ ・ Evaporation One end of the fin

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing from the front page (72) Inventor Jun Takahashi 1000 Toyoshina, Toyoshina-cho, Minamiazumi-gun, Nagano Prefecture, Japan

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A refrigeration apparatus comprising: a storage capable of storing an object to be refrigerated; a Peltier cooling device capable of cooling the storage; and a power supply capable of supplying power to the Peltier cooling device. An evaporation tray for evaporating the drain disposed above the drain tray; and a drain recovery device for guiding the drain generated in the heat absorbing portion of the Peltier cooling device to the evaporation tray. A refrigeration apparatus comprising an evaporating fin using a fin. 2. The Peltier cooling device according to claim 1, comprising: the heat absorbing portion extending vertically along a side surface of the storage, and a heat discharging portion disposed outside the heat absorbing portion. A refrigeration apparatus, wherein a heating unit and the power supply device are arranged vertically, and the evaporating tray is arranged between the power supply device and the heat removal unit. 3. The refrigerating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein one end of the hygroscopic material extends upward to reach the heat exhausting portion. 4. The cooling device according to claim 2, further comprising a cooling fan for promoting heat exhaustion of the heat exhausting portion, wherein the cooling fan is disposed between the heat exhausting portion and the evaporation tray. Refrigeration equipment. 5. The refrigeration apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the storage is provided with an upper opening through which an object to be refrigerated can be introduced.