US2381796A - Refrigerator car and method of using - Google Patents

Refrigerator car and method of using Download PDF

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Publication number
US2381796A
US2381796A US491594A US49159443A US2381796A US 2381796 A US2381796 A US 2381796A US 491594 A US491594 A US 491594A US 49159443 A US49159443 A US 49159443A US 2381796 A US2381796 A US 2381796A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
car
space
wall
product
chamber
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US491594A
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English (en)
Inventor
Beverly E Williams
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Industrial Patents Corp
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Ind Patents Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority to FR962531D priority Critical patent/FR962531A/fr
Application filed by Ind Patents Corp filed Critical Ind Patents Corp
Priority to US491594A priority patent/US2381796A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US2381796A publication Critical patent/US2381796A/en
Priority to GB4911/48A priority patent/GB642475A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B61—RAILWAYS
    • B61D—BODY DETAILS OR KINDS OF RAILWAY VEHICLES
    • B61D27/00—Heating, cooling, ventilating, or air-conditioning
    • B61D27/0072—Means for cooling only
    • B61D27/0081—Means for cooling only of wagons for transporting refrigerated goods
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02T—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
    • Y02T30/00—Transportation of goods or passengers via railways, e.g. energy recovery or reducing air resistance
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10S62/00—Refrigeration
    • Y10S62/13—Insulation

Definitions

  • This invention relates to an insulated vehicle and more particularly to a-refrigerated vehicle.
  • An object of the invention is to provide a refrigerated car having insulation so perfect that the expensive and troublesome operation of initial icing and, also, the reicing of such cars in transit, may be avoided.
  • Another object of the invention ls to provide a. multiple wall refrigerated car employing heat insulation between the outer and inner walls of the body and having a space in the wall for the circulation of a chilling or heating medium,l which space can be vacuumized after the temperature of the car has been adjusted.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide a multiple wall refrigerator car wherein substantially the entire inner wall of the car. may form a primary chilling or heating surface completely surrounding the product stored in the car.
  • a further object of the invention is to' provide an improved method of prechilling or preheating a multiple walled refrigerator car.
  • the present day refrigerator car provides a i compartment within a solid insulated wall structure and a. brine tank is generally provided at each end of the compartment to receive the refrigerant for cooling the car.
  • AThe brine tank is provided with a heat transmitting wall against which the atmosphere of the car flows so that it is cooled, and the cold airA falls from this wall of the brine tank onto the oor of the car.
  • the brine solution is controlled to have a temperature from 0 F. to 4 F. and this temperature differential maintained at the cooling wall is effective to produce a temperature of about 35 F. at the center of the car with the temperature varying ⁇ from 35 F. t0 about 10 F. in the Zone adjacent to the cold brine wall.
  • a car After a car has completed a trip, it is generally delivered to a siding to be cleaned and await a new assignment. While standing on a siding, the internal temperature may build up to ap proximately 100 F. and when an empty car is delivered from the siding to an icing station,l the standard 36' car ls initially loaded with approximately 3 to 4 tons of ice and salt. The car must then stand about 12: hours until it has been cooled downto a temperature of about 35 F. and it is then reiced to make up for the ice which has been melted.
  • the cooled car is then delivered to the loading station and, while being filled, the inside temperature of the car may go up to beply of refrigerant for the cooling chamber in order to make up for the heat which has been permitted to enter the car during loading.
  • the jcar After and the large weight of ice which must be carried l in addition to-the weight of the meat product, the jcar must be moved with slow freight trains. During such a slow trip, particularly in the summer time, much of the ice melts long before the journey is completed and, therefore, the yice in the brine tanks must be replenished several times throughout the trip.
  • the ordinary practice
  • a refrigerator car making this trip is generally three to four days in transit and must be reiced two or three times.
  • a standard 36 refrigerator car has a capacity of from 5600 pounds to 8000 pounds and usually carries an average oi' 6000 pounds of ice and salt.
  • a 40' refrigerator car requires from 9000 pounds to 13,000 pounds of ice. In either the standard car or the 40 car, this considerable weight of material must be hauled in addition to the weight of the load of meat in order merely to maintain the product refrigerated during the trip.
  • the most common application of this invention may best be exemplified in the well known refrigerator type of car, and it comprises three or more spaced walls in the form of a shell within a shell.
  • outer wall of the car may be covered with a white heat-reflective surface which serves to reflect the heat and the rays of the sun rather than to absorb the same.
  • the inner wall surface of the car body is polished or japaned in order to cut down the radiation of any heat from that wall to the product in the car.
  • an insulating means such as cork, rock wool, spun glass or any other well known form of heat insulator, and between the inner wall and the intermediate wall, the wall construction provides a fiuidtight but substantially free space.
  • This construction further makes possible the performance of a novel method for prechilling the interior of the car prior to loading, which method contemplates the circulation of a refrigerant in the free space between the inner wall and the intermediate wall.
  • the space there provided is adapted to be subsequently evacuated to serve additionally as a part of the insulating means.
  • the space in which the refrigerant is circulated extends substantially all around the inner Wall of the car and makes available means such that the perishable product is almost entirely surrounded by a primary chilling surface. In so increasing the effective chilling. surface, the average temperature differential between the refrigerant and the product can be reduced thus resulting in substantially reducing the dehydration or desiccation of food products caused by circulating an extremely cold atmosphere over the product as has been the practice in the past.
  • the present invention further renders the distribution of perishable meat products more rapid and efficient in the disclosure of a refrigerated car having such improved refrigerating and insulating means as to permit freshly slaughtered meat to be loaded directly into the car while warm and to become thoroughly chilled or frozen while stored therein.
  • a refrigerated car having such improved refrigerating and insulating means as to permit freshly slaughtered meat to be loaded directly into the car while warm and to become thoroughly chilled or frozen while stored therein.
  • the 4unchilled or partly chilled product may be loaded directly into the car and it canjbe further cooled while en route to its destination.
  • the refrigerator car of the present invention will be described as an improvement in railway ⁇ rolling stock. It will be understood, however, that this is only by way of illustration since the novel features of the present invention are "equally adaptable to other forms of transportation for shipping a perishable product in an enclosed chamber, such as trucks, trailers and other forms.
  • Figure 1 is a perspective view, partlyfbrokenl away ofthe refrigerator car of the present vention, i Figure 2 is a sectional view of .the wall structure;
  • Figure 3 is a plan View of the car shown in Figure 1.
  • the refrigerator car of the present invention may be and preferably is constructed of any suitable metal such as the lighter aluminum alloys,v stainless steel, or the like.
  • the walls of its body are formed of spaced walls 2, 3 and 4.
  • the disposition of the walls 2, 3 and 4 is ⁇ such .as to provide a plurality of spaces 6 and 1, the outer space of whicn is adapted to be filled with an insulating material, for example, cork. rock wool, spun glass etc., while the inner space is left substanl tially free for a purpose that will appear below.
  • the outer surface of the car is preferably covered with a white heat-reflective surface which serves to reflect the suns rays and other heat impinged upon the car.
  • 'I'he walls ⁇ 2 vand 3 may be braced from each other in any conventional manner as is usual in the insulation art.
  • the wall 4, however, is interbraced with wall 3 in such a manner that a sulation against the transfer of heat with respect plurality of intercommunicating channels 8 fill i pattern in space 1 and are designed to carbon-l the circulation of a heat transfer medium through the space 1. It is seen that, with this wall cone struction, an insulated layer '6 is provided around space 1 and, thus, if a refrigerant is circulated in ⁇ space 1, a refrigerated zone may be efficiently established within the confines of the wall 4.
  • the channels 8 may extend from end to end of the car to -distribute the refrigerant over the wall 4 to cool it. or they may extend transversely around the cary to circulate the refrigerant through a shorter path as shown in Figure 1. It is desirable, however, that each channel 8 be of substantially the same length and capacity as every other channel l, insofar as possible, so that the refrigerant being circulated in each channel will have an equal opportunity to absorb heat whereby a uniform cooling action is accomplished. Also, the channels should pass around substantially all the walls of the zone to be cooled.
  • the channels 8 all communicate with a header II through which refrigerant or other medium may be supplied to them and the medium after flowing through the channels 8 passes into a common collecting header I2.
  • a header II Any convenient connection as ⁇ lead I3 may connect to header Il so that themedium may be delivered thereto and valve I4 is provided to seal this entrance passage.
  • An outlet I5 leads from header I2 to the side of the car for practical operation and valve I6 controls the flow through outlet pipe I5.
  • the space 1 is adapted to b e evacuated and outlet means I5 and I6 are, therefore, adapted for connection to any well known form of vacuum pump.
  • the medium is first run off, of course, and after valve I4 is closed, as perfect a vacuum is drawn as is possible in space 1, whereupon the uidtight space may be sealed by closing valve I6.
  • Automatic pressure control means such as are well known, may be provided to automatically eifect connectionand disconnection of the vacuum producing means with space 1.
  • the vacuum produced in space 1 serves, in coto the confined body of the car and it is contemplated that the vacuum shall be reestablished from time to time, if necessary, to insure the best insulation possible.
  • I'he insulating layer 6 serves initially to protect the car against the loss of refrigeration while the car is being cooled and, when space 1 is later evacuated, layer 6 and vacuum chamber 1 provide a most efficient insulatingf structure for the controlled space.
  • the refrigerant that is to' be circulated in channels 8 may take the form of -a brine solution, an expansible gas which may be released into the space 1, .or a liquid which evaporates within the space 1.
  • the vacuum producing means is selected to handle either a gas or liquid depending upon the choice .of refrigerant used.
  • the refrigerant can be supplied from any conventional means I1 and a flexible pipe I8 may be located at the loading platform so that the car can be chilled while the loading thereof proceeds, or the refrigerant supply canbe taken lfrom any other convenient source.
  • the vacuum producing means may have and preferably ⁇ does include a pumping unit I9 mounted upon the car and driven from an axle of the car. x
  • the vacuum means I9 is connected into header I2 through pipe 20 and outlet I5.4
  • the initial vacuum may be produced in chamber 1 by a centrally disposed means if desired, however, the unit I9 carried on the car itself should be of such a capacity that it can maintain the low pressure produced therein.
  • Suitable entrances into the body must be provided and a hatch 2
  • Cork, rock wool, or similar insulation may be used to insulate the cover 23 for the top opening and also for the side doors 22.
  • the edges of the openings cooperating with the hatch cover and doors should be provided with a suitable sealing engagement.
  • the interior of the car is chilled by pumping cold air into the car or by circulation of refrigerant in space 1.
  • the side doors are left closed and the top hatch is opened.
  • the product is delivered into the car from chute 24 through hatch 2l and this procedure minimizes the loss of cold air.
  • Prechilled products may be delivered into the car in this manner withoutV the accompanying loss of refrigeration, and furthermore, as there is no substantial inflow of new air car to cause precipitation of moisture on the cold surface of the chilled product is precluded.
  • the top opening door of the car is tightly closed and, if need be, a' refrigerant is again introduced into the space 1 between the inner and intermediate walls of the car.
  • the chilling medium is withdrawn from the space 1 through outlet I5.
  • this construction can be I used for cooling a product stored in the car and, in this instance, the entire inner surface of the car forms a primary reirigerating surface for the atmosphere circulating over the product.
  • the provision of such a large cold surface for chilling the atmosphere circulating over the stored product makes possible proper cooling with a smaller temperature differential between the product being stored and the circulating atmosphere. Because of the very large primary refrlgerating surface provided, the circulating atmosphere may be passed over it more frequently or, in other words, a larger volume of gases may be cooled thereby,
  • space 'I may be used for heating ⁇ the car during extremely cold weather. This may be readily accomplished by pumping warm water, steam, or other heating medium into the spacesubstantially in the manner as described in connection with circulating a refrigerating fluid through this space.
  • space 1 may be evacuated by means of the pump I9 and line 20 and the increased heat insulation of the combined vacuum l and layer 6 is had.
  • This new structure serves not only as a structure to prevent the transmission of heat through the walls of the car, whereby the goods may be shipped while being maintained at substantially a constant temperature, but also includes within the same elements means for ad- Justing the temperature of the connned body of the car.
  • the insulating means and the herein disclosed method of loading s. precooled car cooperate, as described, to substantially prevent condensation upon the product oi' the water vapor which otherwise might be entrained in the air.
  • the disclosed invention is also operative to eliminate, to a great extent. they conditions which cause Vthe dehydration oi' moisture containing meat and food products.
  • a body for a vehicle adapted to transport perishable products which must be preserved under substantially constant temperature conditions comprising a storage chamber, an enclosing wall surrounding the chamber, said wall being formed of a layer'of insulation overlaying a substantially free space, means for enclosing said against heat exchange through the wall.
  • a body for a vehicle adapted to transport perishable products which must be preserved under substantially constant temperature condi'- tions comprising a storage chamber, an enclosing wall surrounding the chamber. said wall being formed of a layer of insulation overlaying a substantially free space, means for enclosing said free space on all sides to form a.
  • iiuidtight chamber substantially surrounding said storage chamber, said free space being divided into a plurality of flow channels, a pair'of headers disposed to be connected to each of said channels, one of said headers being connected to said channels at one end and the other of said headers being connected to said channels at the other end, means for connectingone of said headers to a refrigerant supply whereby refrigerant may be delivered into said channels, and means for connecting the other of said headers to a vacuumizing means whereby said free space may be vacuumized, the construction being provided so that the chamber may be first cooled and thereafter insulated against heat exchange.
  • a body for a vehicle adapted to transport perishable productsl which must be preserved under substantially constant temperature conditions comprising a longitudinally extending storage'chambenran enclosing wall surrounding the chamber, said wall being formed of a layer of insulation overlaying a substantially free space.
  • a method of loading a refrigerated vehicle with a plurality 0f packages of a prechilled product comprising prechilling the packaged product, chillingl the storage chamber of saidvehicle before loading, closing all openings to said storage chamber except an unobstructed opening through the ceiling, loading the packages containing the product to be stored into the chilled storage chamber through said opening in the ceiling of the chamber, and thereafter closing the opening .in the ceiling.
  • a refrigerated means for transporting perishable products having an insulated refrigerated space and including a chamber substantially surrounding the Yrefrigerated space, which chamber is VVadapted to serve the ⁇ function of receiving a refrigerant to cool the space and after cooling the space, of adding to its insulation comprising:
  • a storage space to receive the product 'to be ,storedz a chamber substantially surrounding the storage space: a layer of insulation surrounding said chamber; means for dividing said chamber into a plurality of iiow passages: means connected to the chamber to supply a refrigerant to said iiow passages at one time and thereafter to connect -said fiow passages to vacuumizing means; and a door through said chamber and layer whereby a product may be delivered into and withdrawn from the space; said construc tion being provided so that the storage space may be cooled upon introduction of refrigerant to said chamber and, after being cooled, said storage space may be further insulated from the surrounding atmosphere by having a vacuum produced in said iiow passageswhich adds to the insulating effect of said layer in shielding the lproduct in the storage space against a transfer of heat through the wall.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Devices That Are Associated With Refrigeration Equipment (AREA)
US491594A 1943-06-21 1943-06-21 Refrigerator car and method of using Expired - Lifetime US2381796A (en)

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Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR962531D FR962531A (en(2012)) 1943-06-21
US491594A US2381796A (en) 1943-06-21 1943-06-21 Refrigerator car and method of using
GB4911/48A GB642475A (en) 1943-06-21 1948-02-19 Improvements in or relating to refrigerator car

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US491594A US2381796A (en) 1943-06-21 1943-06-21 Refrigerator car and method of using

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Cited By (16)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2496189A (en) * 1947-04-03 1950-01-31 Beverly E Williams Refrigerator car
US2526398A (en) * 1947-09-16 1950-10-17 Thermal Liquids Inc Cooling system
US2570415A (en) * 1949-02-11 1951-10-09 Swift & Co Refrigerated transit van
US2586893A (en) * 1949-02-23 1952-02-26 Lester L Westling Method and apparatus for transporting and storing frozen comestibles
US2645521A (en) * 1949-04-15 1953-07-14 Victor J Judson Trailer coach roof structure
US2702458A (en) * 1951-08-11 1955-02-22 Douglas Aircraft Co Inc Isothermal shipping container
US2812643A (en) * 1955-03-01 1957-11-12 Worschitz Federico Container
US2863584A (en) * 1955-07-05 1958-12-09 Little Inc A Evacuating a mass of powdery insulation
US2907177A (en) * 1955-10-04 1959-10-06 Air Prod Inc Container and method of dispensing liquefied gases therefrom
US2931192A (en) * 1957-11-15 1960-04-05 Vilter Mfg Co Fishing boat refrigeration
US2942428A (en) * 1957-10-23 1960-06-28 Liquefreeze Company Inc Method of shipping frozen food
US3063248A (en) * 1958-10-30 1962-11-13 Liquefreeze Company Inc Method of shipping frozen food
US3079762A (en) * 1959-01-02 1963-03-05 Liquefreeze Company Inc Method of cooling frozen food to sub-zero temperatures
US3147877A (en) * 1958-01-09 1964-09-08 Union Carbide Corp Liquefied gas container
US6138578A (en) * 1998-02-17 2000-10-31 General Electric Railcar Services Corporation Freight container ventilation system
US20080141685A1 (en) * 2005-02-16 2008-06-19 Slagteriernes Forskningsinstitut Method, Apparatus And Cooling Element For Cooling Carcass Parts

Families Citing this family (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2354061B (en) 1999-09-13 2001-08-08 Ian David Wood Cold-storage appliance
GB2367353B (en) * 2000-09-13 2003-10-29 Ian David Wood Improvements in or relating to cold storage
IL157835A0 (en) 2001-03-13 2004-03-28 Applied Design & Eng Ltd Drawer storage
RU2376231C2 (ru) * 2006-05-17 2009-12-20 Белостоцкий Юрий Григорьевич Способ выгрузки из цистерны высоковязких или хрупких веществ и устройство для реализации такого способа
CN109835361B (zh) * 2017-11-28 2020-07-24 中车齐齐哈尔车辆有限公司 风道系统

Cited By (16)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2496189A (en) * 1947-04-03 1950-01-31 Beverly E Williams Refrigerator car
US2526398A (en) * 1947-09-16 1950-10-17 Thermal Liquids Inc Cooling system
US2570415A (en) * 1949-02-11 1951-10-09 Swift & Co Refrigerated transit van
US2586893A (en) * 1949-02-23 1952-02-26 Lester L Westling Method and apparatus for transporting and storing frozen comestibles
US2645521A (en) * 1949-04-15 1953-07-14 Victor J Judson Trailer coach roof structure
US2702458A (en) * 1951-08-11 1955-02-22 Douglas Aircraft Co Inc Isothermal shipping container
US2812643A (en) * 1955-03-01 1957-11-12 Worschitz Federico Container
US2863584A (en) * 1955-07-05 1958-12-09 Little Inc A Evacuating a mass of powdery insulation
US2907177A (en) * 1955-10-04 1959-10-06 Air Prod Inc Container and method of dispensing liquefied gases therefrom
US2942428A (en) * 1957-10-23 1960-06-28 Liquefreeze Company Inc Method of shipping frozen food
US2931192A (en) * 1957-11-15 1960-04-05 Vilter Mfg Co Fishing boat refrigeration
US3147877A (en) * 1958-01-09 1964-09-08 Union Carbide Corp Liquefied gas container
US3063248A (en) * 1958-10-30 1962-11-13 Liquefreeze Company Inc Method of shipping frozen food
US3079762A (en) * 1959-01-02 1963-03-05 Liquefreeze Company Inc Method of cooling frozen food to sub-zero temperatures
US6138578A (en) * 1998-02-17 2000-10-31 General Electric Railcar Services Corporation Freight container ventilation system
US20080141685A1 (en) * 2005-02-16 2008-06-19 Slagteriernes Forskningsinstitut Method, Apparatus And Cooling Element For Cooling Carcass Parts

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FR962531A (en(2012)) 1950-06-14
GB642475A (en) 1950-09-06

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