US2001105A - Refrigerator and temperature control device - Google Patents

Description

V. W. MOODY May l4, 193s.

Filed June 22,- 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet l May 14, 1935; v.'w. MOODY- 1 2,001,105 7 REFRIGERATOR AND TEMPERATURE CONTROL DEVICE v Filed June 22, 19s; 2 Sheets-Sheet? N I n M ,3

Patented May 14, 1935 UNITED STATES REFRIGERATOR AND TEMPERATURE CONTROL DEVICE Virginius W. Moody, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor of two-thirds to Reynolds Metals Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware, and

. one-third to Robertshaw Thermostat Company, Youngwood, Pa.,

Pennsylvania a corporation of Application June 22,1933, Serial No. 677,006

8 Claims.

Heretofore refrigerating systems operating 7 upon a principle related to that of the present invention have not been satisfactory because of inadequate means for circulating the cooling liquid or brine. In earlier related machines the gas pressure developed by gasification of a refrigerant has been used to conduct a cooling liquid by a bubbling process whereby a great amount of gas pressurevis wastefully dissipated.

The earlier devices referred to above embrace in their structure a circulatory system for a cooling fluid, comparable to a brine, having as a part thereof a slender vertical conduit. This conduit extends from the lower part of the circulatory system to the top thereof, the system being only partly filled with fluid so that fluid will normally stand at a level below the top of the vertical conduit. Circulationof the fluid is caused by the introduction of gas, which is a product of the refrigerant as it is transformed incident to cooling the fluid, into the vertical passage below the surface of the liquid. The passage, above the surface of the liquid standing therein, is of such small cross section that the bubbles formed by the gas that is dischargedin the liquid will entirely fill a transverse section of that part of the passage. As the bubbles rise, a small amount of liquid is conducted therewith to the top of the vertical passage and hence the top of the circulatory system, where the conducted liquid is spilled over the top of the vertical passage. Each bubble, as it rises through the vertical passageway, serves as a small piston to lift part of the liquid. After the liquid flows over the top of the vertical passage, it flows by force of gravity downwardly through the circulatory system; that is, through the part of the system in which there may be disposed coils for cooling a compartment for the storage of goods to be cooled; y

In this type of refrigerating unit cursorily described, it is imperative that the passage through which the liquid is conducted by means of bubbles, be truly vertical. If it were not truly vertical throughout its length the bubbles would be given an opportunity to glide past the liquid and thereby fail to conduct it. Consequently, if there are cooling coils in the circulatory system, it is necessary to place them in that part of the system that is traversed by the liquid after it has been conducted by the bubbles. It is impossible to place the cooling coils at the top of such a device if the liquid is to be circulated downwardly therethrough by the force of gravity. Then a device of that kind cannot be constructed in a manner that it will be the most satisfactory, for in most instances, a refrigerating machine to be the most effective should have its cooling coils near the top. Another disadvantage of a refrigerator operating upon the bubbling principle is that the height to which the liquid can be lifted by the bubbles is exceedingly limited. A machine of the type being discussed is not adapted for cooling a compartment that may be remote therefrom or any appreciable distance thereabove.

Neither is such a machine adapted for unusual or irregular installations because the vertical position of all sections of the passage for the bubbling process must be preserved.

Another disadvantage of a refrigerating machine using the ,bubbling process exists in sluggishness of the circulation of the cooling liquid. A great percentage of the gas passing through the vertical passageway does not function to conduct liquid, and hence is wasted so far as circulation of the cooling liquid is concerned. And, inasmuch as the amount of gas generated by the refrigerant is small, the circulation of the fluid is made even more sluggish. A device depending upon such a feeble circulatory means is not quickly responsive to cool a storage compartment or to restore the low temperature thereto after it is lost.

Among the objects of the present invention is the provision of:

A novel means, in a refrigerating system employing solidified carbon-dioxide, or other suitable refrigerant ,adapted to pass into agaseous state, for cooling a circulatory cooling fluid and for causing said fluid to circulate by a positive action of said gas.

A new refrigerating system employing a circulatory fluid and a refrigerant transmutable into a gas, for cooling such fluid and whereby such gas may be used positively to force said fluid into cooling coils at a much greater or lesser elevation than the other parts of the circulatory system.

A refrigerating system having a tract for the flow of a cooling fluid, said tract being arranged so that gas from a cooling agent may be used for forcing the fluid upwardly or downwardly or horizontally through cooling coils.

A useful combination of circulatory system for a cooling liquid and a gas-emitting agent for cooling said liquid and in which combination the fluid is caused to circulate intermittently in accordance with the temperature of a space being cooled thereby.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of a refrigerating system employing a circulatory fluid, a refrigerant for cooling such fluid and transmutable into a gas, the system being arranged for making use of the transmuted gas to circulate the fluid in a manner to progres= sive1y and intermittently store portions of the fluid in parts of a circulatory system.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a refrigerating device of the above character which is adapted for installation either remotely or proximately to a space to be cooled thereby, and which may be above or below or at any intermediate position with respect to the space to be cooled.

The manner in which the above desirable objects are accomplished. will be made apparent upon reading the following description of the invention in connection with the accompanying two sheets of drawings-hereby made a part of this specification, and in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a form of the invention; g m

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of the device shown in Figure 1 and taken along the line- 2-2 in that figure;

' Figure 3illustrates an installation of the de vice shown in Figures 1 and 2' that employs a plurality of cabinets; and

Figure 4 shows a modified form ofthe invention.

Like reference characters will be used in the drawings and throughout the following description to designate similar parts of the invention.

The first part of the description will be conflned to the joint representation of Figures 1 and eration. The opening H to the cabinet "I, which is enclosed by a door I 2, maybe of any convenient size or design. The cabinet also contains a small opening l3, at any convenient place in, a wall thereof. v,

Disposed at a suitable interior section of the cabinet Ill is a tank I4, which is preferably formed of metal. Although no such construction is shown in the drawings, the tank |4 may be encased in an insulatory covering so that the amount of heat passing thereinto from ambient medium, and hence to the body of refrigerating material 24, may be predeterminably regulated. Circumscribing the upper peripheral edge of tank I4 is a flange l5 for coacting with a flange l6 extending from a'cover H to compress a gasket member |3 for making the tank air-tight. A steel stra'p l9 may be used in conjunction with a thumbnut 20 for holding cover member IT in place to' the tank. Oppositely disposed lugs 2| are adapted to hook beneath flange l5 of the tank, whereas threaded aperture 22 provides anchorage for a thumbnut 20 so that the latter may be turned downwardly for I 4. The bottom of the refrigerant compartment may be corrugated asshown at 29 to present greater heat transfer surface between the refrigerant 24 and cooling fluid 39.

In the upper part of tank I 4 is an auxiliary reservoir 3| which is enclosed to exclude therefrom the pressure developed in tank Id. The interior of reservoir 3| communicates to the atmosphere outside of cabinet ID by means of an exhaust pipe 32, said pipe leading outwardly of the cabinet by way of opening l3. Pipe sections 33 and 34 are'connected to lead from a cooling coil 35 into the reservoir 3|. The opposite end of cooling coil 35 communicates to the lower-part of tank l4 by way of pipe sections 36, 91 and 38, the vertical section 33 terminating below the surface of the body of cooling fluid 39 within the tank.

leading from the lower side of reservoir 3| is a discharge pipe 39, which is connected to a valve mechanism 40. Valve 40' consists of a base member 4| having U-shaped passage 42 therein. In the larger of the two openings to U-shaped passages is screwed a plug 43 having a toprecess 44 with side openings 45, a central vertical opening 46 and a bearing hanger 41 depending below the vertical opening 46. A cap 48 provided with a central bearing 49 may be screwed in place over recess 44. Reciprocably held within bearing 49 and the bearing hanger 41 is a valve stem 50 fitted with avalve plate 5| adapted to close the upper end of passage 46.

The smaller and opposite end of U-shaped passage 42 is of the proper dimensions to receive the lower end of conduit 39.

Duringia certain stage of operation of the device, cooling liquid 30 from reservoir 3| is allowed'to pass downwardly through pipe 39 into passage 42, upwardly between valve plate 5| and the seat about the upper end of opening 46, thence into recess and outwardly of the recess into tank I4 by way of apertures 45.

Depending in the bottom of reservoir 3| is a "pipe 52. The upper end of said pipe is disposed at an elevation greater than that ever attained by the liquid in reservoir 3|. To the lower end of pipe 52 is a valve member 53 having a chamber 54 and arecess 55 at its top covered by a cap'56. A valve stem 51 is reciprocably journaled in cap 56 and a countersunk portion 560 of chamber 54. Fixed to stem 51 is a valve plate 53 for engaging valve seat 59 to shut off communication between chamberj54 and recess 55.

Near the'upper end of stem 51 are collars 60 and- 6|, said collars being fixed thereto with a slight space .therebetween. A compression spring 63 may be employed to exert a force between the top of cap 56 and collar 6|. Extending from a side of valve member 53 is a bracket 64 to which is pivoted a lever 65. A float 66 is attached to one end of lever 65 and the counterpart of lever 65 is apertured to reciprocably receive the section of valve stem between collars 60 and 6|.

A thermo-valve 61 may be disposed at any convenient position within the compartment for the storage of articles to be preserved by the device and may be of any suitable design. In

these drawings valve 61 comprises an element 68 that is adapted to expand when heated and contract whencooled. Attached to the movable end of the expansible element 69 by means of a rod 69 is a plunger 16 girdled by a groove 1 I. Plunger III is adapted to reciprocate within a cylinderlike recess 12 having side openings 13 and 14 with which groove H is caused to register incident to member 68 being contracted. Leading from opening 13 is a pipe 15 to empty into exhaust pipe 32. Pipe 16 leads from opening 14 to tank l4.

When the space within the storage compartment I is at as low as temperature as desired, element 68 will be contracted sufficiently to cause groove H to register with openings I3 and 14 so that a passage will be cleared from tank l4 by way of pipe 16, the said apertures 13 and I4 and groove 1|, pipe 15, and exhaust pipe 32, thus precluding the accumulation of gas pressure within tank l4; Other forms of thermostatically controlled valves may be used.

It will be assumed, for the purpose of describing the operation of the device, that the interior of the storage cabinet H) is at room temperature and that the device is being placed in operation for the first time. Cooling fluid 30 may beany heat conductive fluid that will not freeze at the temperature at which it is to operate. The operating level of the fluid 38 in tank I4 is a factor for determining its temperature and hence the frequency of pumping'cycles needed to maintain the storage compartment at the desired temperature. When it is desired to operate the device with the cooling fluid at a very low temperature, the fluid level will be brought up into contact with the bottom of the refrigerant container 23. A greater transfer of heat between the refrigerant and the cooling fluid may be had by corrugating the bottom of the tank 23. Not in all instances,however, will it be desired to operate the" device with the cooling fluid at so low a temperature. The cooling fluid will usually be maintained at a higher temperature when the storage compartment is to be allowed to remain at a higher temperature or when there is a small amount of heat to be conducted from the storage compartment. A higher operating temperature for the cooling fluid may be had by filling tank M to a lower fluid level. If the fluid is in intimate contact with but the lower sections of the corrugated bottom of tank M, if the bottom is corrugated, or if the liquid level is entirely below said tank, the transfer of heat between the refrigerant and the cooling liquid will be decreased. It follows that when the transfer of heat to the refrigerant from the cooling liquid is decreased the refrigerant will -not be dissipated so rapidly.

To further reduce the rate of transfer of heat between the refrigerant and the cooling fluid, the refrigerant may be set upon pads 18a of heat insulating material or the like. If desired, the transfer of heat to the refrigerant may be still further impeded by constructing tank 23 of insulating material.

Whatever may be the level selected for normally maintaining the height of the cooling liq- 'uid in tank M, the float 68 will be adjusted so that when a selected portion of the cooling fluid is in tank M, the float will be buoyed to a height to cause the closing of valve 53. In the beginning of the operating cycle of the device the reservoir 3| will be empty of fluid and valve 48 will be closed. It has been stated hereinabove that valve 61 is closed when the temperature within the storagecompartment is above a selected temperature. This temperature will ordinarily be below room temperature so that it may be assumed that valve 61 is closed at the stage of the operating cycle being described.

Consequently, as pressure builds up within tank l4 it can only escape by way of the cooling coil circuit, hence the cooling liquid is forced through pipe sections 38, 31, and 36, through cooling coil 35, pipe sections 34 and 33, and into reservoir 3|. As liquid continues to flow in this circuit, as it is displaced from tank M by the gas generated by the refrigerant 24, it is retained in reservoir 3 I. Before reservoir 3| becomes filled, the level of liquid 38 in tank l4 will-have been lowered sufficientlyto permit the float 68 to pivot lever 65 and thus open valve 53. Incident to the opening of valve 53 the compressed gas within tank I4 is allowed to escape by way of openings 18 in cap 56, the valve, and outwardly by way of pipe 52. A clear passage for the gas from pipe 52 to the atmosphere is had through reservoir 3| and exhaust pipe 32. In this manner the pressure in tank I4 is dissipated to permit valve 40 to open under the head pressure of the liquid in reservoir 3| to thus allow the liquid stored in reservoir 3| to pass downwardly through the valve into the tank l4. As liquid passes from reservoir 3| into tank l4 the liquid level in the latter is restored to the starting position to elevate float 66 and thus close valve 53. After valve 53 is closed the device is in order to repeat the cycle just described, such cycle being repeated until the temperature in the storage cabinet is lowered to the desired degree. At that time valve 81 will be opened to permit all gas generated by the refrigerant to escape by way of said valve 67 and the exhaust line therethrough comprising pipes 16, I5 and 32. When gas pressure is thus precluded from building up in tank I4, the circulatory system is inoperative and the storage compartment II] will start to increase in temperature.

If, however, the refrigerating device is disposed wholly within the storage compartment as-illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, there will be an absorption of heat through the walls of tank It to materially decrease the rate at which the temperature of the air within the storage compartr ment will increase in temperature.

As a safety measure, the intake end of pipe 38 is placed below the surface of the liquid in tank ||l only such a distance that reservoir 3| can receive and contain the amount of liquid that may be in tank M above such intake end. Then, if for some unforeseen reason, valve 53 fails to operate at the time the liquid level in tank i reaches a selected lower level, the reservoir 3| cannot become filled to the point of overflowing whereby liquid might be forced outwardly through exhaust pipe 32, or to cause excessive pressure in the device. In the manner pipe 38 is arranged, if valve 53 fails to open at the desired time, reservoir 3| would simply be filled a slightly greater amount than normal and thereafter gas, instead of liquid, would be forced through the circulatory system in the reservoir and outwardly by way of the exhaust pipe 32 to cause no in- Incident to the temperature in the storage cabinet increasing a selected amount after it has been cooled, valve 61 will again be closed and the required number of pumping cycles will thereafter be performed by the device to again restore the lower temperature within the-storage compartment. 1 Q

Figure 3 illustrates the, device just described, and how it'may be arranged in a separate cabinet. The motivating part of the device is housed in cabinet 89, which comprises walls of insulating material. Cover 8| is also preferably made of insulating material. Exhaust pipe '52, instead of passing through the storage compartment,

- device.

opens directly to the atmosphere through a wall oi cabinet 80.

Cooling coil 35 and thermo-valve 81 are arranged as desired inthe separate storage compartment 82, which has walls and a cover 03 of a suitable insulating material. A pipe 84 is coupled to pipe 38 and leads into cabinet 83 to cooling coil 35. Pipe 85 serves as a means for conducting the liquid from coil 35 to reservoir 3|, similarly as do pipes 33 and 34 as the device is arranged in Figures 1 and 2. In the event that cabinets and 82 are placed a considerable distance from one another, the portion of pipes 10, 84 and 85 extending therebetween may be covered with insulating material. Inasmuch as the component parts of the device are interconnected in the identical manner, in Figure 3, as in Figures 1 and 2, the operation thereoi is the same as that already described. Consequently, a description of the operation of the parts as arranged, in Figure 3 would be but redundancy.

Figure 3 shows the adaptability of the device to remote temperature control, and its adaptability to the cooling of a. plurality of independent storage cabinets, for more than one cooling coil 35 may be interposed in the circulatory circuit.

Such additional coils may be placed in different storage compartments oi the same or independent cabinets. If there be a series of cooling coils, the difierent compartments cooled thereby may be kept at different temperatures by increasing or decreasing the respective coil surfaces.

Figure 4 shows still a different manner in which the device may be arranged to adaptit for remote control. In this form of thedevice, a gas-tight tank is provided for the enclosure of a refrigerant such as solidified carbon-dioxide and a cooling fluid. The cooling fluid is confined to the lower part of the tank 90 to have the lower part of the open-topped refrigerant container 9| immersed therein. Adjacent to tank 90 is an auxiliary tank 93, there being a tube 94 for connecting the two tanks below the liquid level and a tube95 for connecting said tanks above the liquid level so that the liquid may be caused to maintain the same level in both tanks. A float 90' and valve 91 are arranged so that when the float is lowered the valve will open to permit the escape of gas therethrough from the tanks and butwardly to the atmosphere by way of pipes 98 and 99.

Another pipe, I00, having therein a thermo-, valve IOI, similar to valve-81, is for conducting gas from tank 90 during certain periods of operation of the device. Pipe I00 may connect to pipe 99 to complete an exhaust circuit to the atmosphere. A cooling coil I02 communicates to the bottom of tank 90 through a conduit I03. A

' valve III! in conduit I03 is adapted to allow liquid to flow only in the direction indicated'by the arrow thereby. The other end of the cooling coil I02 leads to a reservoir I05, which opens to the atmosphere through exhaust pipe 99. Near the bottom of reservoir I05 is connected a conduit I06, the said conduit leading to the bottom of tank 90. Disposed in conduit-I06 is a valve I01 for permitting the flow of liquid only in the direction indicated by the arrow adjacent thereto.

The whole of the apparatus just described in connection with Figure 4 may be contained in a single cabinet (a cabinet suitable for storage of products tobe kept cool).,,or separate cabinets may be used for. housing difl'erent parts of the So far as illustrating the principle of operation of the device is concerned, the number of cabinets in which it might be housed is im- In the beginning of the cycle of operation otthe device just described, all of the cooling liquid will be in tanks 90 and 93 so that float 98 will be buoyed well up to close valve 91. The tempera- V ture within storage compartment I 00 will be relatively high so that valve I M will be closed. As

the refrigerant in receptacle 9| gaslfles pursuant to absorbing heat from the cooling fluid in tank 90, the gas pressure in tanks 90 and 93 is increased to force the cooled liquid downwardly of the tank 90 through conduit I03 and valve I04, through cooling coil I 02 and into reservoir I05. Before reservoir I05 becomes fllled, float 38 will have been lowered sufliciently by the fall of the liquid level in tanks 90 and 93 to open valve 91 and allow dissipation of, the gas pressure from the two tanks to the atmosphere by way of pipes 98 and 99. Incidental to-the release of pressure in the two tanks, the pressure head of the liquid then stored in reservoir I05 will have no counterpressure and hence will open valve I01 to let the liquid pass through to tank 90 and hence into tank 93. When the liquid has drained from reservoir I05, the float 96 will again be raised to close valve 91 so that pressure may be again accumulated in tanks 90 and 93 and the cycle reenacted.

The cycle just described will be repeated until the desired low temperature in the storage comv partment is attained, at which time valve ill will automatically open to clear the exhaust, comprising pipes .I00 and 99, for tank 90. While valve IN is open the device will be inoperative because it is then impossible for the actuating pressure to be built up in the two tanks 90 and 93. When, however, the temperature in the storage compartment increases to a certain limit,

valve IOI will automatically close whereby pressure may again be built up in tanks 90 and 93 to cause circulation of the cooling fluid.

Only a few of the possible forms of the invention have been herein illustrated, hence it is to be understood that the scope of the invention is to be limited only as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed as new and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is: v

1. In a refrigerating system energized by a substance disposed to gasify when heated, a body of circulatory cooling fluid dissipating heat to said substance, a circulatory system through which said fluid circulates and having an intake end leading from said fluid body and an end discharging into said body, means for eflecting a.

pressure from said gas for forcing said liquid into the intake end of said circulatory system, and means permitting the discharge of said circulatory system into said fluid body only incident to a selected state of depletion of said fluid body.

2. A refrigerating system energized by a sub-' stance adapted to gasify when heated and com-' culatory system into said tank concurrently to the fluid in said tank being subjected to said gas pressure.

3. In a refrigerating device energized by a gasifiable refrigerant, a compartment for the storage of articles to be refrigerated, a system for the circulation of a cooling fluid through said compartment, a tank disposed in series withsaid circulatory system and for holding a portion of said fluid in heat conductive relationship to said refrigerant and for accumulating gas emanating from said refrigerant to subject a pressure upon heat from the fluid in said reservoir, a second} reservoir arranged for discharge into the first, cooling coils arranged for discharge into the s'ecnd reservoir, a conduit leading from beneath the surface of the liquid in the first reservoir to said cooling coils, means for confining the gas from said refrigerant to force a part of the liquid from the first reservoir through said conduit,

thence through'said cooling coils and into the' second reservoir, and means actuated coincidentally with a selected depletion of the liquid in the first reservoir providing for the discharge of the fluid from the second reservoir to the first.

5. In a refrigerating system energized by gas pressure produced by the sublimation 'ofa'refrigerant, a compartment for the storage of articlesto be refrigerated, confining means for a refrigerant, a tank for a cooling liquid in com-' munication with said confining means, a conduit from said tank at a point below the normal level of the cooling liquid therein andextending about said compartment, said conduit receiving liquid forced out of said tank by the sublimation of the refrigerant in said confining means, and means of a selected heat conductivity. intermediate said tank and said confining means and supporting the refrigerant out of contact with said cooling liquid.

6. In a refrigerating system energized by gas pressure produced by the sublimation of a refrigerant, a storage chamber, a confining means for a refrigerant, a container for a body of circulatory cooling liquid, means of selected heat conductivity separating the body of liquid in said container from the refrigerant in said confining means, a conduit leading from said container at a point below the surface of the body of liquid therein to said storage chamber, and means of communication between said confining means and container for transferring the gas generated in said confining means to said container for exerting a pressure upon the surface of said body of liquid in said container. 7. A refrigerating system energized by g pressure produced by sublimation of a refrigerant comprising a gas-tight container for such refrigerant, a compartment to be refrigerated, a tank for a cooling liquid in heat transfer relation with said gas-tight container, a conduit system having coils in said compartment, said conduit system having an intake end extending from said tank and a discharge end leading back thereinto, the gas pressure created by such sublimation of the refrigerant being impressed upon the cooling liquid in said tank to force the cooling liquid ,therefrom into said conduit through the intake end thereof, a breather for the escape of air and "gas trapped in said conduit system, and means "precluding movement of the coolingliquid from said tank into the discharge end of said conduit because of suchgas pressure.

8. A refrigerating system. energized by gas pressure obtained by the sublimation of a re-' frigerant, comprising a compartment for refrigerated articles, confining means for a refrigerant, a tank for a cooling liquid in heat conducting relation with the confining means for such refrigerant'and in communication with said confining means, a conduit having an intake end leadingfrom' said tank in a plane below the normal level of the cooling liquid therein and a discharge end leading back into said tank, said conduit extending aboutsaid compartment in heatwonducting relation therewith and having escape means for air and gas entrapped t erein,

and valve means at the discharge end 0 said conduit, the cooling liquid being of a temperature to impart heat to the refrigerant'to cause sublimation thereof, the gas pressure created by such sublimation extending into said tank to force the cooling liquid therefrom into said conduit through the intake end thereof, and said valve means closing the discharge end of said conduit coincidentally with the creation of pressure in said tank.

. .V'IRGINIUS W. MOODY.

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