US2392628A - Defrosting arrangement - Google Patents

Description

Jan. s, 194e'. A

c. Mi ASHLEY y DEFROSTING ARRANGEMFIT 2 Sheets-Sheet'l Filed May 2o, 194:5

FIG. I

FIG. 2

INVENTOR ATTORNEY.

Jan. 8, 1946. c. M. ASHLEY l 2,392,528

l I DEFROSTING ARRANGEMENT Filed May 20, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.3

INVENTOR. BY i ATTQRNEY.

. drainage by gravity from the water coils.

Patented Jan.8, 194

nEmo'sTING ARRANGEMENT Carlyle M. Ashley, Syracuse, N. Y., assignor to Carrier Corporation, Syracuse, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application May 20, 1943, Serial No. 487,746

8 Claims..

This inventionvrelates to defrosting by the use of water and more particularly to yrefrigeration and other systems wherein it is desired to remove accumulations of lice and frost from a series of coils. j

A feature of the invention resides in the provision of a series of channels in a top or cover plate of an evaporator casing or the like. A Water coil positioned within each channel directs a ilow of water for defrosting against the body of the channel. The water then flowsy toward and down the legs of the channel, dropping upon the coils to be defrosted, which are positioned below and in vertical alignment with the legs.

A further feature resides in providing for Since the coils have their discharge openings at the top, drainage 4by gravity will leave a space in the coils at the top, eventhough gravity drainage is incomplete. Consequently, when the ilow of water for defrosting is resumed, sufiicient water will be circulated in such space to assure resumption of defrosting operations, and to clean out such ice as may have formed because not all of the water had been drained at the conclusion of the previous defrosting operation',

These and other features and advantages will be more apparent from the following description of one form of the invention to be read in connection with accompanying drawings in which: l

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic View, in section, showing a series of coils adapted to be defrosted by a water defrosting arrangement in accordance with applicants invention;

Fig. 2 is a detailed view of a channel-member with a Water coil positioned therein; and

Fig.A 3 shows, diagrammatically, a piping armay be done by cutting tem serving coils 5,.,assuming a direct expansion system is used, or Where brine is circulated, the circulation may be stopped. Such shut-down is undesirable, sincethe temperature in the area served by the coils will undesirably rise. Therefore, it has been the aim of those skilled in the art to provide a system for defrosting speedily. Such attempts as have been made for defrosting by use of water have provided expensivevalve and vent arrangements, as well as complications in operation. Applicants simple arrangement avoids such devices and eliminates substantially the use of methods of operation which are subject to failure.

Since the use of afan, refrigerant feed arrangement for coils, and details of the casing 4, form I vertical rows numbered 6, l, 8, 9, i0, and lI are shown. These may be in casings, or otherwise positioned Within '4.

rangement adapted to serve the channels used for with many such units for circulating air over the "cold coils. The temperature of coils 5 is often below the freezing point, with the' result that ice or frost will accumulate uponthe coils, as is well known in the art.

Since the eiiiciency of the system in which such units may be employed is impaired when the accumulations of frost become excessive, it is necessary to remove the frost periodically. This Channels I2 are suitably aiilxed to cover plate I3 arranged to fit over casing. d, in watertight' manner. A Water defrosting coil or pipe @Il is positioned within each channel l2. At the top of each pipe i is provided a series ofvvater discharge openings I5. As shown in Fig. v2, the openings may be in the form of smallV holes, or shaped as desired, through which water from pipes I4 is discharged upwardly against the inner surface of the top or channel portion of i2, spaced preferably not more than an inch abovethe pipes. Each channel has a center channel portion IS and two legs il, as shown in Fig. 2. The water discharged from pipes i4 upwardly against center portion I6 mushrooms in a plurality of directions,

spreading longitudinally as well as transversely, and impinging against both legs Il, to form continuous` vertical sheets dropping from the legs.

hecoils to be defrosted, 5are positioned in line with legs Il. A sumcient ilow of Water is provided over 'the frosted surfaces of coils 5 so that the 1 surfaces will be raised in temperature and the frost rapidly melted away.

As shown in Fig-3 pipes I4 may be provided inI out the refrigeration sysv vdead ended so that a maximum pressure of discharge'through orifices I5 will result upon opening valve I9. Pipe coil I4 may be amxed to the inside of the cover plate I3 as by brackets 22, and spaced therefrom so that the pipes may depend as illustrated, below the channel members Pipes I4 have one or more drainage openings 23 at the bottom, so that when valve I9 is closed and the supply of water shut off, drainage of such water as remains in the pipes will take place,4 at least in appreciable part, through drainage openings 2'3.

In Fig. 2.a dash dot line is shown within pipe I4. This is intended to illustrate a condition where subsequent to a frosting operation, pipes I4 have drained only partially. The result is that residue of water in the bottom of pipes i4 is shown frozen, asT would take place during refrigeration periods between the times when defrosting takes place. However, when defrosting is desired, and valve I 9 opened, the surge of water in the open space above the ice, within pipes I4, will be sufcient to carry on the defrosting operation. The water will be discharged through openings I upwardly and` then flow down -the legs I'I, drop- `ping upon the accumulations on coils 5. Since the water is much higher in temperature than the ice in pipes I4, it will soon cause the ice to be melted away, thus freeing the whole interior area of the pipes for flow of water. The drainage openings 23 will also be cleared so that at the conclusion ofthe defrosting operation they will be free to discharge water by gravity from the.- pipes, as aforesaid.

Since various changes may be made Without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter set forth in the description, or shown inthe drawings be regarded as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A method of defrostingcoils by the use of water and eiecting'drainage of water subsequent to defrosting consisting in supplying water up' frost will be removed from the surfaces, draining Y upward discharge, said water being drained by gravity.

2. In combination a casing, aA plurality of refrigerated coils positioned within said casing',

a top member in the casing, a plurality of channels integral with the top member, coils within the channels, means for discharging water from said last mentioned coils upwardly against the channels, said channels having legs positioned above the coils in the casing in such manner that water discharged upwardly in the channels will flow from the legs downwardly upon the coils in the casing, and means for draining the coils in kthe channels. p

3. In combination, a casing, coils to be defrostedf positioned within the casing, a plurality of in# verted channels, said .channels being positionedv above said coils with the-legs of said channels charged upwardly from the coils into the channels flowing from the channels downwardly upon the coils in the casing to be defrosted.

4. In a combination of apparatus of the character described a casing, a top cover sheet for the casing, a plurality of channels integral with said sheet, a series of defrosting coils positioned within said channels, orifices `in the upper sides of said coils facing said channels, an orifice in the lower side of said coils vfor enabling liquid in the coils to drain by gravity, each of said channels 'having a plurality of legs pointing-downwardly, a plurality of coils adapted to berefrigerated positioned in said casing below and in vertical alignment with said legs, and means for supplying liquid to said defrosting coils. v

5. A defrosting system of the character -de scribed for removing frost from a series of refrigerated coils, comprising a'series of defrosting coils, means for supplying water to the defrosting coils, a plurality of channel members positioned above the defrosting coils, said members having a body portion and two legs, means for dischargf ing water from the defrosting coils upwardly against the body portion, said water owing downwardly from the legs,l said refrigerated coils being positioned with respect to said legs so that *water flowing from the legs will fall upon and wash away accumulationsy of frost from the re` frigerated coils. y

6. A method of defrosting 'refrigerated surfaces by the use of water and eifecting drainageA of Y water subsequent to defrosting, consisting in supplying water to a point of discharge, discharging said water at said point upwardly against a target, repelling water from the target upon the refrigerated surfaces whereby accumulations of said water and melted frost by gravity from the area in which the refrigerated surfaces are located, discontinuing the supply of water to said point, and draining by gravity water remaining at said point of discharge after defrosting has been completed. v

A 7. A method of supplying water for defrosting refrigerated surfaces and for draining water to prevent freezing 'at points of discharge of such water, consisting in supplying water to a tube having orifices at the top thereof, discharging water from the orifices against targets, repelling the Water from the targets upon refrigerated surfaces to remove fro'st therefrom, draining by gravitythe water and melted frost leaving the refrigerated surfaces, discontinuing the supply of the water tothe t e, and draining the tube by gravity at least at one point thereof so that the water le'vel in the tube will lrecede from the orifices andleave a space between the orices and the level to which the Water in the tube recedes.

8. A method of defrosting refrigerated surfaces by theuse of water and draining such water without the use of a positive vent .consisting in supplyin-gswater to a tubeA having a series of orifices above the center line of the tube, discharging water from the tube through 'saidorices against targets, repelling water from said targets upon a vseries of frosted coils, draining by gravity water and melted frost leaving the coils, discontinuing the supply of water'to the tube and draining through orifices in the bottom' of the tube such water as'will escape by gravity whereby the waterv in the tube will recede to avlevel below the oriiices. y

CARLYLE M. ASHLEY.

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