RU2552085C1 - Evaporator module for refrigerating device - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: heating.

SUBSTANCE: evaporator module for refrigerating devices, in particular for household refrigerating devices, comprises an evaporator with tubing through which the coolant flows, and a set of plates that are in heat-conducting contact with this tubing, and the tubular heating device intended for thawing of the evaporator. The heating device, at least, by sections contacts the plates. The section of the heating device, at least, by its most part passes along edge area of intermediate space.

EFFECT: use of this invention allows to provide fast thawing of the evaporator at low temperature gradient between the heating device and the tubing for coolant with plates.

12 cl, 6 dwg

Description

Technical field

The present invention relates to an evaporator module for a refrigeration apparatus, in particular for a domestic refrigeration apparatus.

State of the art

In refrigerators made using No Frost technology, the evaporator module is located in the evaporator chamber, which is separated from the storage chamber, and the storage chamber is cooled by air exchange with the evaporator chamber. In this case, the moisture contained in the air coming from the storage chamber settles in the form of hoarfrost and forms ice on the evaporator over time, which prevents heat exchange. When the heat exchange between the storage chamber and the evaporator chamber is turned off, it becomes possible to thaw ice that is not accompanied by simultaneous strong heating of the storage chamber.

DE 202005014373 A1 describes a refrigeration apparatus with No Frost technology, in which, firstly, an evaporator is located in the evaporator chamber, which includes a tube through which refrigerant flows and a plurality of plates consisting of heat-conducting contact with this tube, and secondly, a heating device designed to thaw the evaporator. The heating device is made in the form of a tubular heater and mounted on a holder that simultaneously forms the walls of the evaporator chamber. The gap between the underside of the evaporator and the holder facilitates convection of the air heated by the heating device through the gaps between adjacent plates.

In order to minimize heating of the storage chamber during defrosting, it is desirable, on the one hand, to minimize the time required for defrosting, or the time during which the temperature of the evaporator chamber exceeds the temperature of the storage chamber, and heat can be transferred through the walls from the evaporator chamber into the storage chamber. On the other hand, a shorter thawing time requires an increase in the temperature gradient between the heating device and the evaporator so that heat from the heating device is quickly transferred to the evaporator. However, a high temperature gradient leads, in turn, to an increased outflow of heat into the storage chamber.

Patent application WO 03/099487 A1 describes an evaporator for a refrigeration apparatus comprising a plurality of plates that intersect both with a refrigerant pipe and a tubular heating device. Since the cross section of the tubular heating device and the cross section of the cutouts in the plates into which the heating device tube cannot be exactly the same, in those sections of the heating device that intersect the plates, in any case there will be point contact between the heating device and the plates, and those areas of the heating device that pass between the two plates, no contact at all. Therefore, the heat generated by the heating device, in any case, is transferred directly to the plates only in small quantities.

Disclosure of invention

The objective of the invention is to develop an evaporator module for a refrigeration apparatus, which will provide quick defrosting at a low temperature gradient between the heating device, the refrigerant pipe and the plates.

The problem is solved by the evaporator module with the features disclosed in paragraph 1 of the claims.

A particularly efficient heat transfer from the heating device to the plates is possible throughout the portion of the heating device.

Preferably, a portion of the heating device extending in the intermediate space between two adjacent plates is in contact with both plates defining the intermediate space. Although such a portion of the heating device can substantially block convection in the intermediate space, efficient heat transfer through direct contact of the heating device and the plates compensates for this drawback.

Preferably, a similar portion of the heating device in contact with the plates extends in the direction of the air stream that circulates through the housing of the evaporator module from the inlet to the outlet.

In addition, to simplify the design, it is advisable to fix the heating device on the carrier plate in sections and to allow moving the heating device sections passing in the intermediate space between two adjacent plates on the surface of the carrier plate, so that during assembly there is the possibility of matching the heating device and successive plates.

To make possible such a displacement of the portion of the heating device passing between the plates, it is advisable to give the shape of an arc to the sections of the heating device connecting the sections passing between the plates and fastened to the carrier plate.

The heating device may be mounted on the carrier plate using fingers cut from the carrier plate and preferably engaged with arched portions.

The at least one portion of the heating device extending between the two plates preferably contains at least one protruding region that extends into the intermediate space between the plates from the edge side. Such a protruding region helps to facilitate the placement of a portion of the heating device between the plates, since with the introduction of the protruding region between the two plates, the overcome resistance will be much less than when the entire section is introduced into the space between the plates over its entire length.

Preferably, the refrigerant tube crosses the plates, fixing them at a certain distance from each other and giving the evaporator the required structural stability.

When the protruding region enters the space between two adjacent sections of the refrigerant pipe, it contributes to the reproducible arrangement of the heating device on the evaporator module in the longitudinal direction of the plates or sections of the heating device located between them.

If the protruding area is in contact with sections of the tube passing next to each other, this contributes to additional heat transfer from the heating device to the sections of the tube.

Preferably, two adjacent sections of the tube are located in the same plane lying close to the edge region of the intermediate space, and are connected in series by the third section of the tube, which is removed from the edge region of the intermediate space by a greater distance than the specified plane. Thus, the protruding region, despite the small curvature, can deeply enter the evaporator and reliably set the position of the heating device relative to the evaporator.

The extremity of the protruding region may be in contact with the third portion of the tube for the purpose of direct heating.

Other features and advantages of the invention are disclosed in the following description of embodiments taking into account the attached figures. From this description and figures follow, including signs of embodiments not mentioned in the claims. Such signs may also occur in combinations other than those stated herein. The fact that several of these features are mentioned in one sentence or in another textual relationship does not mean that they can be used only in this claimed combination; it should be understood that some of these features can be omitted or modified, if this does not lead to a malfunction of the device according to the invention.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The figures depict:

Figure 1: is a perspective view of a tubular heating device for use in the evaporator module of the invention.

Figure 2: a tubular heating device (see figure 1) mounted on a carrier plate.

Figure 3: side view of the tubular heating device and the evaporator before assembly.

Figure 4: tubular heating device and evaporator after assembly.

Figure 5: tubular heating device and evaporator, perspective view.

Figure 6: mounting the evaporator module in the refrigeration unit.

The implementation of the invention

The figure 1 presents a perspective view of a tubular heating device 1, intended for thawing the evaporator in a domestic refrigerator, made using No Frost technology. The heating device 1 comprises a continuous tube, which is formed in the form of a meander with a plurality of parallel and substantially straight sections of the tube 2 and arcs 3 connecting them to substantially uniformly fill a rectangular area. The tube can be hollow, which allows the coolant to circulate inside it, or it can be a protective shell inside which an electric heating wire passes. Arcs 3 and the predominant part of all sections of 2 tubes are located in the same plane. A protruding region 4 is formed in the middle of each tube portion 2, which projects upward perpendicular to said plane.

Figure 2 shows a heating device according to figure 1 mounted on a carrier plate 5. The carrier plate 5 is a substantially rectangular portion of the sheet, which is stiffened by two bent edges 6. In the carrier plate 5 are cut adjacent to two other edges two rows of fingers 7, each of which covers the arc 3 of the heating device 1. The sections 2 of the tube run along the supporting plate 5, essentially freely, parallel to the edges 6. The fingers 7 fix the heating device 1, essentially y, only in a direction perpendicular to the carrier plate 5 and in the longitudinal direction of the tube portions 2. In the direction parallel to the carrier plate 5, and in the direction perpendicular to the sections 2 of the tube, some freedom of movement is maintained.

The figure 3 presents a side view of the carrier plate 5 with the heating device 1 and the evaporator 8 mounted on it. The evaporator 8 contains a pipe 9 with a refrigerant, which, leaving the inlet fitting 10, enters the evaporator 8 on the end side facing the observer, and contains in this area a first straight section of the tube 12 extending in the first plane 11 located near the heating device 1, parallel to the carrier plate 5 and the direction of view of the observer. To this section, by means of an arc 13 on the side of the evaporator 8, remote from the observer, a tube section 14 adjacent to the observer and lying in the plane 15 parallel to the plane 11 and remote from the heating device 1 is greater than plane 11. The arc 13 is visible through the oblique slot of the plate 16 of the evaporator. The slot allows you to mount the plate 16 of the evaporator on the pipe 9 with the refrigerant by fitting the plate 16 on the arc 13 from the side remote from the observer. The plate 16 and other plates hidden by it in FIG. 3 are fixed to sections 12, 14 of the tube at regular intervals, for example, by soldering. An arc 17 protruding above the plate 16 towards the observer connects the tube section 14 to another tube section 12 in the plane 11. Thus, along the refrigerant tube, the tube sections 12 lying in the 11 plane are replaced by the tube sections 14 lying in the 15 plane forming a zigzag design.

In the presented example, there is another pair of planes 18, 19, in which additional straight pipe sections are located one after another, extending to the outlet fitting 20. The number of pairs of planes can be one or more than two.

The protruding region 4 of the heating device 1 contains a rounded tip 21, which enters the space between the two sections 12 of the tube lying in the lowest plane. The diameter of the sections 2 of the tube corresponds to the distance between the two plates 16 of the evaporator, fixed on sections 12, 14 of the tube in large numbers and at regular intervals. The distance between the two sections 2 of the tube corresponds essentially to an integer multiple of this distance, so that the ends 21 of the heating device 1, when the evaporator unit 8 is installed on the heating device 1, completely enter the intermediate space between the two plates 16. Slight deviations between the distances between the sections 2 tubes and the distance between the plates 16 are automatically compensated by the elastic displacement of sections 2 of the tube when the evaporator block 8 is planted on the heating device 1.

Since the protruding regions 4 first enter the space between the plates 16 only a small part, the force required to introduce the regions 4 into the space between the plates 16 is limited. At the end of this action, sections 2 of the tubes are correctly positioned relative to the gaps between the plates 16, as a result of which the evaporator 8 can be completely seated on the heating device 1 as shown in figure 4.

In the configuration shown in figure 4, the lower edges of the plates 16 of the evaporator rest on the carrier plate 5, and sections 2 of the tube (possibly with the exception of the sections on the edge of the carrier plate 5) are completely clamped along their entire length between the plates 16. The openings to the edge of the cutouts 22 on the lower edges of the plates, only a small part is visible behind sections 2 of the tube of the heating device. Curved sections 23 of the protruding regions 4 are pressed against adjacent sections of the tube 12 lying in the plane 11, and thereby precisely set the position of the evaporator unit 8 relative to the heating device 1, including in the longitudinal direction of the tube sections 2.

In Fig. 5, the design of the evaporator module is again shown in perspective, with most of the plates 16 of the evaporator 8 shown only partially to open a view of the protruding areas 4 of the heating device 1. In fact, all the plates 16 (as shown in figure 5 are only for plates with end plates sides) extend across the entire width of the evaporator block 8. The width of the gaps 31 between adjacent plates 16 corresponds to the diameter of the tube sections 2, and between the two spaces 31, which include the tube sections 2, there is one or more gaps 31, which do not include the tube sections 2.

Due to its flat design, the evaporator module shown in FIG. 5 is well suited for installation in a No Frost refrigerated appliance, in which the evaporator chamber, designed to install the evaporator module, is located, for example, in a known manner under the lid of the refrigerator or in a horizontal a partition between two storage chambers.

The figure 6 presents an exemplary installation diagram of the evaporator module in the chamber 24 of the evaporator, located between the camera 25 for storage and the cover 26 of the housing of the refrigeration apparatus. A fan 27 circulates air between the inlet and outlet openings 28, 29 of the storage chamber 25. The air flow inside the storage chamber is oriented parallel to the plates 16 and the carrier plate of the heating device 1, that is, sections of the tube 2, although they completely fill the gaps between the plates 16, do not interfere with air circulation.

The evaporator module is mounted with a slight slope back, so that the melt water generated during thawing can drain to the rear wall 32 of the housing and be discharged in this area to a known evaporator. 6 clearly shows that, since the tube section 2 completely blocks the intermediate space between the two plates 16 from below, the protruding region 4 could prevent meltwater from draining in the region 30 of the intermediate space adjacent to the protruding region 4. This danger is eliminated by cutouts 22 on the lower the edges of the plates 16, which allow water from the region 30 to flow into the adjacent intermediate space between the plates 16, in which there is no section 2 of the tube, and therefore freely to drain onto the carrier plate 5 and further to its lower edge.

Claims (12)

1. The evaporator module for a refrigeration apparatus, in particular a domestic refrigeration apparatus, comprising an evaporator (8) with a pipe (9) through which refrigerant flows and a plurality of plates (16) in heat-conducting contact with said pipe (9), and a tubular heating a device (1) for thawing the evaporator (8) and at least in places (2) in contact with the plates (16), and at least one portion (2) of the heating device (1) enters the intermediate space (31) between two adjacent plates (16 ), characterized in that the section (2), at least for the most part, extends along the edge region of the intermediate space (31). 2. The evaporator module according to claim 1, characterized in that the portion (2) of the heating device (1) is in contact with both plates (16) defining the intermediate space (31). 3. The evaporator module according to claim 1, characterized in that the heating device (1) is secured to the carrier plate (5) by sections, while the sections (2) of the heating device (1) extending in the intermediate space (31) between two adjacent plates (16), can move along the carrier plate (5). 4. The evaporator module according to claim 3, characterized in that the heating device (1) contains arched sections (3) that connect the sections (2) passing in the intermediate space (31) between two adjacent plates (16), and fixed on the carrier plate (5). 5. The evaporator module according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the heating device (1) is mounted on the carrier plate (5) by means of fingers (7) cut from the carrier plate (5). 6. The evaporator module according to claim 1, characterized in that the section (2) contains at least one protruding region (4), which enters into the intermediate space (31) from the edge side. 7. The evaporator module according to claim 6, characterized in that the pipe (9) with the refrigerant crosses the plate (16). 8. The evaporator module according to claim 7, characterized in that the protruding region (4) enters the space between two sections (12) of the pipe (9) with refrigerant passing adjacent to each other. 9. The evaporator module according to claim 8, characterized in that the protruding region (4) is in contact with sections of the tube (12) passing next to each other. 10. The evaporator module according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the two pipe sections (12) passing next to each other are located in the same plane (11) lying near the edge region of the intermediate space (31) and are connected in series by the third section ( 14) a tube that is removed from the edge region of the intermediate space (31) a greater distance than the plane (11). 11. The evaporator module according to claim 10, characterized in that the tip (21) of the protruding region (4) is in contact with the third portion (14) of the tube. 12. The evaporator module according to claim 1, characterized in that the evaporator (8) is surrounded by a housing with inlet and outlet openings (28; 29), which specify the direction of air flow through the evaporator (8), while sections (2) of the heating device ( 1) in contact with the plates (16) are oriented in the direction of air flow.

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