US2598737A - Refrigerator having multiple temperature cooling elements - Google Patents

Description

Q June 3, 1952 G. A. GRUBB ET AL 2,598,737

REFRIGERATOR HAVING MULTIPLE TEMPERATURE COOLING ELEMENTS Filed Feb. 26, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 I j /f /J June 3, 1952 G. A. GRUBB ET AL 2,598,737

REFRIGERATOR HAVING MULTIPLE TEMPERATURE COOLING ELEMENTS Filed Feb. 26, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 3, 1952 v G. A. GRUBB ET AL 2,598,737

REFRIGERATOR HAVING MULTIPLE TEMPERATURE COOLING ELEMENTS Filed Feb. 26, 1948 5 Shets-Sheet 5 [W MW J n 3, 1952 G. A. GRUBB ETAL 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 7 w I 3 T 1 J J w a x W m z f w Z 3 9 2 f 4 4 f Filed Feb. 26. 1948 June 3 1952 a. A. GRUBB ET AL 3,

REFRIGERATOR HAVING MULTIPLE TEMPERATURE COOLING ELEMENTS Filed Feb. 26, 1948 v 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 M MW y h @w:

Patented June 3, 1952 REFRIGERATOR HAVING MULTIPLE TEM- PERATURE COOLING ELEMENTS Gunnar Axel Grubb, Stockholm, and Per Arne Backteman, Lulea, Sweden, assignors to Aktiebolaget Elektrolux, Stockholm, Sweden, a corporation of Sweden Application February 26, 1948, Serial No. 11,188 In Sweden February 28, 1947 14 Claims. (Cl. 62-1195) This invention relates to refrigeration, and is concerned with cooling separate compartments of a household refrigerator with the aid of cooling elements operable at different temperatures. More particularly, the invention is concerned with cooling subdivided compartments of a refrigerator with the aid of absorption refrigeration apparatus of the inert gas type having a low temperature cooling element and a higher temperature cooling element.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improvement for cooling separate compartments of a household refrigerator by cooling elements operable at different temperatures, particularly to efiect cooling of each compartment by a cooling element having a refrigerant passage which is disposed essentially in a single vertical plane. This may be accomplished by providing cooling elements formed of looped coils, each looped coil having straight portions and connecting bends disposed essentially in a single vertical plane, and positioning such looped coils operable at different temperatures alongside one another in separate compartments at opposite sides of a vertical partition, or one above the other in the same vertical plane at opposite sides of a horizontal partition.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved household refrigerator, having a number of compartments which are cooled by cooling elements of an absorption refrigeration system of the inert gas type, wherein one compartment serving as a freezing section is cooled by a vertically disposed cooling element which extends for a major distance of the height of such freezing section. This is accomplished by providing a low temperature cooling element for the freezing section which comprises a looped coil having straight portions and connecting bends in a single vertical plane, and desirably includes a vertical wall member in good thermal relation with the looped coil which provides a relatively extensive heat transfer surface, and also horizontal plates heat conductively connected to the coil straight portions for supporting ice trays and other matter to be frozen. The wall member of the cooling element may serve as a side wall of the freezing section and promotes maintaining a substantially constant temperature throughout all regions, thereby avoiding a steep vertical temperature gradient in the freezing section.

The above and other objects of the invention will be more fully understood upon reference to the following description and accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and of which:

Fig. 1 more or less diagrammatically illustrates an absorption refrigeration system of the inert gas type embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the coolin unit of Fig. l to illustrate the connectiOns to the upper part thereof more clearly;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of'the refrigeration system shown in Fig. l to illustrate details more clearly;

Fig. 4 is a View similar to Fig. 1 illustrating another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the cooling unit of Fig. 4 to illustrate the connections to the upper and lower ends thereof more clearly;

Fig. 6 is a view of the cooling unit taken at line 6--6 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a View similar to Figs. 1 and 4 illustrating a further embodiment of th invention;

Fig. 8 is a side vertical sectional view of a refrigerator and parts of a refrigeration system associated therewith which is generally like that shown in Fig. l; v

Fig. 9 is a front elevation of the refrigerator illustrated in Fig. 8, the front door or closure member therefor being omitted;

Fig. 10 is a side vertical sectional view of a refrigerator and parts of a refrigeration system associated therewith which is generally like that shown in Fig. 4

Fig. 11 is a front elevation of the refrigerator illustrated in Fig. 10, the front door or closure member therefor being omitted;

Fig. 12 is a side vertical sectional view of a refrigerator and parts of a refrigeration system generally like that shown in Fig. 7; and

Fig. 13 is a front elevation of the refrigerator illustrated in Fig. 12, the front door or closure member therefor being omitted.

Referring to Fig. 1, the invention i embodied in an absorption refrigeration system of a uniform pressure type in which an inert gas or auxiliary pressure equalizing fluid is em loyed. In a system of this type a refrigerant fluid, such as liquid ammonia, for example, is introduced into an evaporator structure or cooling unit M from a condenser I5 in a manner which will be explained presently. The refrigerant fluid evaporates and diffuses in cooling unit l4 into an inert gas, such as hydrogen, for example, to produce a refrigerating effect.

The resulting gas mixture of refrigerant and inert gas flows from the cooling unit I4 through an outer passage l6 of a gas heat exchanger I1 and vertical conduit l8 into an absorber comprising a vessel I9 and a looped coil 20, 'In the absorber vessel I9 and coil 20 refrigerant vapor is absorbed by a suitable absorbent, such as water,

. a conduit 23.

From the vessel l9 enriched absorption liquid flows through a conduit 24 and an inner passage 25 of a liquid heat exchanger 26 into the lower end of a vapor liquid lift tube 2'! of a generator unit 28. The generator or vapor expulsion unit 28 comprises a heating tube 29 having the vapor lift tube 21 and a boiler pipe 30 in heat conducting relation therewith, as by welding, for

example. By heating generator unit 28, as by an electrical heating element or a gaseous or liquid fuel burner (not shown), liquid is raised by vapor lift action through tube 21 into the upper part of boiler pipe 30. The liberated refrigerant vapor entering boiler pipe 30 through tube 21,

together with vapor expelled from solution in the pipe 30, flows upwardly into an air-cooled rectifier 3| and thence into the condenser l which may be air-cooled and provided with heat dissipating members (not shown). Refrigerant vapor is liquefied in the condenser l5 and returns to the cooling unit M to complete the refrigerating cycle, as will be explained presently. The weakened absorption liquid, from which refrigerant vapor has been expelled, is conducted from boiler pipe 30 through aconduit 32, outer passage 33 of liquid heat exchanger 26 and conduit 2| into the upper part of the absorber coil 23,.

In accordance with this inventionthe'cooling unit M comprises two vertically disposed cooling elements Ma and Mb which are operable at different temperatures and adapted to be positioned in a thermally insulated interior of a refrigerator cabinet for cooling several compartments therein. In the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2-, the vertically extending cooling elements Ma and Mb are in the form of looped coils positioned alongside one another and each of. which is disposed in a single substantially vertical plane.

The cooling elements Ma and Mb are connected to one anotherand to the gas heat exchanger I! in such manner that inert gas weak in refrigerant flows from the upper end of ab- Liquid refrigerant is supplied from condenser l5 to the upper ends of cooling elements Ma and Mb through conduits 36 and 31, respectively. Hence, liquid refrigerant flows downwardly in cooling element Ma in parallel flow with inert gas and downwardly in cooling ele-, ment Mb in counterfiow to inert gas passing upwardly therethrough. Refrigerantvapor from theigenerator unit 28 flows successively through condenser sections I511, b and [5a, and refrigerant vapor liquefied in condenser section l5b.

flows therefrom through conduit 36 to the upper end of cooling element Ma. Refrigerant vapor which is not liquefied in condenser section [5b .then passes into condenser section 150 and condens s therein. and such condensate .flows'therefrom through conduit 31 to the upper end of cooling element Mb.

In order to insure liquid refrigerant being supplied .to the upper end of cooling element Mb when air cooling of condenser I5 is employed and the temperature of the air is relatively low, under which conditions there is a tendency for a greater part of the refrigerant vapor to be liquefied in condenser sections l5a and l5b, a

conduit 38 is provided to divert liquid refrigerant from condenser section 15a into condenser section I50, such conduit including a trap so that a liquid seal will form therein. In this way a supply of liquid refrigerant to cooling element Mb from condenser section I50 is insured when the quantity of refrigerant vapor liquefying in thatcondenser section is substantially reduced due to" low temperature air cooling of the condenser [5.

Any unevaporated refrigerant passes from the lower ends of cooling elements Ma and Mb into one leg of a U-shaped conduit 39 whose opposite leg is connected to the absorber vessel H) at a .region which is below the normal liquid level therein. In order to insure draining of unevaporated liquid from the cooling unit M, the conduit 39 is desirably connected to the lowest point thereof which may be 'at either of the cooling e1e ments Ma or Mb or the cross connection 34 therebetween.

Since the inert gas flows successively through thecooling elements Ma and Mb, the gas in'the cooling element Ma contains a lesser amount of refrigerant vapor than in the cooling element Mb. The partial vapor pressure of the refrigerant is a gradient, so that the temperature of liquid refrigerant in the cooling elements is also a gradient, the evaporating temperature of liquid being lower in the cooling element Ma which constitutes the freezingsection of the cooling unit. In order to reduce and lower the mean or average, temperature of cooling element Map, the conduit 36 through which liquid refrigerant is supplied to that cooling'element is arranged in thermal exchange relation with the upper part of cooling element Mb, as best seen in 2. With this arrangement the relatively cool gas mixture of refrigerant vapor and inert gas, which is about to pass from the upper end of cooling element Mb, is effectively utilizedto abstract heat from liquid refrigerant in conduit 35 prior to entering the low temperature cooling element Ma. r

In order to simplify Figs. 1 to 3, the cooling unit M has been illustrated apart from a household refrigerator. One manner in which the cooling elements Ma and Mb of an absorption refrigeration system like that just described may be positioned in a thermally insulatedinterior of a household refrigerator cabinet for coolin separate compartments therein is diagrammatically illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9. In Figs. 8 and 9 the cooling unit M is disposed in a cabinet 40 having a space 4| defined by an inner liner or shell 42 which is arranged to be supported within an outer metal shell '43 and insulated therefrom with any suitable insulatin material 44. The space H is provided with a front access opening 45 which is adapted to be closedby, an insulated door or closure member (not shown) hinged to the front of the cabinet 40.

In order to position the cooling unit M in the space 4|, the rear wall 46/ of the cabinet 40. .is

having poor heat conducting properties. A cover or closure member 49 for the opening, which contains insulating material 50 and through which the gas heat exchanger- I1 and conduits 36, 31 and 39 extend,is arranged to bear against gaskets 5I and 52'of suitable insulating material and removably secured in any suitable manner (not shown) to the rear wall 46. The cabinet 40 is provided with a vertically extending compartment 53 at the rearthereof in which the generator unit 28, condenser I5, absorber vessel I9 and coil 20, and conduits connecting these parts are housed in a well known manner.

In accord with the invention, the low and higher temperature cooling elements Ma and I4!) are located at opposite sides of a vertical wall member 54 in the space 4| which subdivides the latter into compartments 55 and 56. The wall member 54 may be formed of suitable insulating material or spaced apart metallic plates having insulation therebetween and serves as a thermally insulated partition between the compartments 55 and 56.

The cooling or refrigerating effect produced by the low temperature cooling element I4a is utilized to effect cooling of the compartment 56 which may be referred to as a freezing section adapted to receive ice trays 51, frozen food packages and other matter to be frozen. In order to support ice trays in good thermal contact with the straight portions of the looped coil forming cooling element I4a, plates 56 or other structure may be arranged in heat conducting relation with such straight portions to provide suitable tray supporting surfaces. Such plates 58 may be heat conductively connected to a vertical wall member 58a which serves as a side wall of the compartment 56. The access opening of the freezing compartment 56 at the forward part thereof may be provided with a hinged door (not shown) desirably formed of transparent material which may be spring biased to its closed position in any suitable manner and readily opened by grasping a part thereof.

The cooling effect produced by the higher temperature cooling element I 4b is utilized to cool air in the compartment 55 and abstract heat from food products which may be stored therein on suitable shelving indicated in dotted lines at 59 in Fig. 9. The vertically disposed looped coil forming the higher temperature cooling element I4b desirably is provided with a housing 60 fabricated of material having good heat conducting properties to promote effective cooling of the compartment 55, and the cooling element I4b may be in good thermal contact with the side wall of the housing 60 directly opposite a side wall of the inner shell 42.

By providing vertically disposed cooling elements Ma and M1) which occupy a major portion of the heightof the compartments 55 and 56 and extend downwardly from regions closely adjacent to the top walls thereof, efficient cooling of the compartments is effected and cooling temperatures are produced therein which are more or less uniform in all parts thereof. This'is especially important in the freezing compartment 56 in which a steep vertical temperature gradient is undesirable, because all parts thereof should be made available for storing frozen food packages and the like at a sufiiciently low freezing temperature without any danger of thawing taking place.

A further advantage of the vertical disposition of cooling elements Ma and MI) in single vertical planes closely'adjacent to one another is that an opening 41 of minimum size is required at the rear wall 46 for inserting thecooling unit I4 into the storagespace 4|. In this .way the tendency for heat transfer intothe compartments 55 and 56, about the closure member 49 which closes the opening, is materially reduced and efiicient cooling by the cooling elements Ma and MD is promoted. The housing 60 for the higher temperature cooling element I4b may be removably secured thereto after the cooling unit I4 is located in the space 4|, and to this end suitable clamping means may be provided at the interior of the housing to establish a good heat conducting connection between the higher temperature coil and side wall of the housing, thereby providing a relatively extensive heat transfer surface for cooling air in the compartment 55..

In Figs. 4 to 6 another embodiment of the invention is illustrated which differs from the embodiment just described in that the lowest point of the cooling unit is substantially at the same level or immediately above the highest point of the absorber. In Figs. 4 to 6 parts similar to those shown in Figs. 1 to 3 are referred to by the same numerals increased by one hundred. 'As in the first described embodiment, the cooling elements H4a and H41) in Figs. 4 to 6 are in the form of looped coils positioned alongside one another, each coil being disposed in a single substantially vertical plane.

The cooling elements H4a and II4b are connected to one another and to the gas heat exchanger in such manner that inert gas weak in refrigerant flows from the absorber coil I20 through the inner passage I22 of the gas heat exchanger I I1 into the lower end of the low temperature cooling element I No. After flowing upwardly through cooling element H4a, inert gas passes through a conduit I34 connecting the upper ends of the cooling elements and then flows downwardly through the higher temperature cooling element I I4b. From the lower end of cooling element H4b inert gas enriched in refrigerant passes through a conduit I35 into the outer passage H6 of the gas heat exchanger, as best seen in Fig. 5.

Liquid refrigerant is supplied from condenser H5 to the upper ends of cooling elements H411 and I I 4b in the same manner that refrigerant is delivered from condenser I5 to cooling elements Ma and I4b in the embodiment first described. Accordingly, liquid refrigerant is delivered through conduit I36 to the upper end of low temperature cooling element HM, and refrigerant is conducted through conduit I31 to the upper end of higher temperature cooling element H4b. The refrigeration system being described differs from the embodiment first described in that liquid refrigerant flows downwardly in cooling element H401. in counterflow to inert gas and downwardly in cooling element I I4b in parallel flow with inert gas. Any unevaporated refrigerant. which flows from the lower ends of cooling elements H411 and H42) passes into the outer passage I I6 of the gas heat exchanger and drains by gravity back to the absorber vessel H9.

In order to effect precooling of liquid refrigerant supplied through conduit I36 to the cooling element H4a, this conduit is arranged in heat exchange relation with the upper part of cooling element H4b, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. A dam or barrier I6I is provided in the conduit I34, as shown in Fig. 4, so that liquid refrigerant suplooped coils.

I plied to each cooling element will not be diverted ;.into the other cooling element. Since the inert .gas flows successively through the cooling elements ma; and H412 and the gas in cooling element I I4a contains a lesser amount of refrigerant vapor than in cooling element 42), the cooling element 4:; will operate at a lower temperature than coolingelement H412 and constitutes the freezing section of thecooling unit II4.

One manner in which the cooling elements I Ma and I I41) of an absorption refrigeration system like that just described may be positioned in a thermally insulated interior of a household refrigerator cabinetfor cooling separate compartments therein is diagrammatically illustrated in Figs. 10 and 11. In Figs. 10'and 11 parts corresponding to'those shown in Figs. 8 and 9 are designated by the same reference numerals increased by one hundred. In Figs. 10 and 11 the space MI is divided into compartments I55 and I56 by a vertical partition I54 which extends downwardly from the top of the space and a horizontal partition I62 which extends from a side wall of the inner shell I42 and is joined to 7 The low temperaturecooling element M is located at one side of the vertical partition I54 in the compartment I56, and the refrigerating eifect produced by this cooling element is utilized I to cool compartment I56 which is employed as a freezing section. As described above in connection with Figs. 8 and 9, the compartment I56 may be provided with a hinged closure member (not shown) to gain access therein and keep the freezing section closed to maintain a low temperature therein. 1 r v The'higher temperature cooling element H4!) is located at the opposite side of the vertical partition I54 in the compartment I55, and the refrigerating efiect produced by this cooling'element is utilized to cool air and abstract heat from food products which may be disposed on shelving indicated in dotted lines at I59 in Fig. 11. As in the previously described embodiment, the cooling element I I4b= may be concealed ina shell or housing I66 and desirably in heat conducting relation therewith. 7

By locating the cooling elements I Ma and I Hi) closely adjacent to each other-at oppositesides of the vertical insulated partition I54,a compact cooling unit isprovided which occupies a minimum amount of-space and requires an opening at the rear wall [46' which is relatively small for inserting the cooling unit into the interior of the refrigerator cabinet I46. y

In Fig.7 a-furtherl.embodiment of theinvention is illustrated."in-v'vhich the. low and higher temperature cooling elements are disposed in the same-vertical plane onefahove the other for cooling separate compartments. in a thermally insulated interior of a refrigerator cahinet.-- m Fig. '1 parts correspondinggtoptliose in the first described embodiment are referred to by the" same reference numerals increasedfby two hundred. In Fig. 7 the cooling elements 2I4a-a'nd 2I'4b'are in the form of looped coilspositioned'gone above the otherin the. same vertical plane, anda gas heat exchanger 2'63;is i

' e cooling elements 2H}; andi2 l4b are the nected in the gas-circuit i n' such manner that inert gas weak in refrigerant fio'wsfromthe upper.

end of the absorber co'il 220 through a conduit nterposed between the '2 64, outer passage 2I6 of gas heat exchanger H1 and conduit 223 into the outer passage 265 'of the gas heat exchanger 263. From the gas heat exchanger passage 265 inert gas flows upwardly through low temperature cooling element 2I4a and leaves the latter through a conduit 266. The conduit 266 is in the form of a looped coil which is in the same vertical plane as the cooling elements 2 Ma and 2 I41) and a portion thereof serves as the inner passage of the gas heat exchanger 263. The lower end of conduit 266 communicates with the upper end of the cooling element 2 I41), and, after inert gas passes downwardly through such cooling element, inert gas rich in refrigerant flows through the inner passage 222 of gas heat exchanger 2I1 to the absorber vessel 2I9.

-Liquid'refrigerant formed in-the condenser 2 I 5 flows therefrom through a conduit 261 to the upper end of the cooling element 2 I411; the conduit- 261 being formed'to provide a trap 268 which is filled with liquid. Liquid refrigerant flows downwardly through cooling element 2I4a in counterflow to inert gas and is diverted by a dam or barrier 269 at the lower end of this cooling element intothe upper end of a conduit 216. From conduit 210 liquid refrigerant is introduced into the upper end of cooling element 2 I41) and flows downwardly through this cooling element in parallel flow with inert gas. In order to drain any liquid which may collect in the outer passage 265 of gas heat exchanger 263, 'a U-shaped conduit 21I is provided having one leg connected to the lowest part of I gas heatexchanger passage 265 and the other leg connected to the upper part of cooling element 2I4b. Further, a conduit 212 is provided for draining liquid from the outer passage 2 I 6- of gas heat exchanger 2I1 to the absorber vessel 219 at a region below the liquid level therein. 7

Since inert gas flows successively through cooling elements 2 Ma and 2 I41? and the gas in cooling element 2I4a contains a lesser amount of refrigerant vapor than in cooling element -2I4b, the cooling element 2I4a will operate at a low temperature and cooling element 2 I 41) at a higher temperature. By providing the gas heat exchanger- 263, inert gas weak inrefrigerant and fiowing to the low temperature cooling element 2I4a will be effectively precooled by cool gas passing fromthe low temperature cooling elemerit-2M4; to the higher temperature cooling element 2I4b. In this way the mean or average temperature of cooling element 2 Mr: is decreased and that of cooling element 2I'4b is increased due to heat transfer from inert gas flowing-in the outer passage 265 to the gas flowing in the inner passage or conduit 266 of the gas heat exchanger 263. i

One manner in which the cooling elements M411 and 2I4b of an absorption refrigeration system likerthat just describedmay be positioned in a thermally insulated interior of a household refrigerator cabinet for cooling separate compartments' therein is; diagrammatically illustrated in -Figsq1f2 and 13; 'In Figs. 12 and 13 parts corresponding tothose shown in Figs. 9 and 10' are designated by the same reference numerals increased by two hundred.

In Figs. 12 and 13- the space 241' is divided into" compartments 255 and'2'56 by a horizontal partition-2.16 which may comprise a wall member formed of suitable insulating material. The

cooling effect produced by the low temperature cooling element 2I4c is utilized to effect cooling of the chm-Daftmenl; 25B Whlll Serves its a ffezing section adapted to receive ice trays, frozen food packages and other matter to be frozen.

While ice trays 251 are diagrammatically illustrated as being supported and in thermal contact with the straight portions of the upper looped coil 2 [4a, it is to be understood that plates or other suitable structure may be provided for supporting a number of ice trays and other matter, and that such structure may be fixed in good heat conducting contact with the looped coil 2l4a after the cooling unit 2 is positioned in the space 2 through the opening 241 in the rear wall 246 of the cabinet 240. The cooling effect produced by the higher temperature cooling element 2l4b is employed to cool air in the lower compartment 255 and abstract heat from food products which may be disposed on shelving (not shown) disposed in this compartment.

As explained above in connection with the previously described embodiments, the compartment 256 may be provided with a cover (not shown) hinged to the partition 213, for example, to gain access into the freezing section and at other times keep it closed to maintain a low temperature therein. The insulating partition 213 may be formed of separate sections which interlock in any suitable manner, as indicated at 214 in Fig. 13, the separate sections being shaped to fit snugly about parts of the gas-heat exchanger 263 connecting the upper and lower cooling elements HM and 2I4b.

In view of the foregoing it will now be understood that an improved refrigerator has been provided in which low and higher temperature cooling elements are arranged to cool different compartments, such cooling elements being formed of looped coils each of which is disposed essentially in a single vertical plane. In the embodiments of Figs. 8 to 11 the cooling elements'are disposed at opposite sides of a vertical wall member, while in the embodiment of Figs. 12 and 13 the low and higher temperature cooling elements are disposed one above the other at opposite sides of a horizontal wall member and located substantially in the same vertical plane. With such disposition of the cooling elements in the insulated interior of a household refrigerator cabinet, an opening of minimum size is required in a wall of the cabinet for positioning the cooling elements therein when the latter form the cooling unit or evaporator structure of absorption refrigeration apparatus employing an inert gas as a pressure equalizing agent.

By cooling the freezing section of a household refrigerator with the aid of a low temperature I cooling element comprising a looped coil disposed essentially in a single vertical plane a steep vertical temperature gradient is avoided. Moreover, by arranging a vertical plate 58a in good heat conducting relation with the looped coil, as seen in Fig. 9, food packages can be rapidly frozen on the plates 58 and thereafter stored in the compartment 56 alongside the plate 58a for substantially the entire depth of the compartment without any danger of thawing in any part thereof. Hence, by employing a vertically extending looped coil which extends upwardly to regions above the bottom of the freezing section for a major portion of the height of this section, an arrangement is provided for effectively storing frozen food packages and other matter to be frozen.

Whi1e several embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and changes may be made without 10 departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as pointed out in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a refrigerator comprising a cabinet defining an interior and partitioning therein providing separate compartments, an absorption refrigeration system having a circuit for inert gas including cooling elements which always are in open communication with one another and operable at different average temperatures, at least one of said cooling elements being operable at a lowtemperature for freezing matter and arranged to effect cooling of one compartment at one side of said partitioning adapted to serve as a freezing section, said one cooling element including means providing a vertically extending refrigerant passage which is substantially greater in length than the vertical extent thereof and occupies a major portion of the height of said freezing section, and another of said cooling elements being arranged at another side of said partitioning to effect cooling of a different compartment.

2. An absorption refrigeration system having a circuit for inert gas including an absorber and cooling structure comprising a low temperature cooling element and a higher temperature cooling element, a circuit for absorption liquid including said absorber and a generator, each of said cooling elements comprising means providing an elongated refrigerant passage which is disposed essentially in a single vertical plane, said cooling structure being so connected and arranged in said gas circuit that inert gas enters and leaves at regions removed from the extreme lower part thereof which extends downwardly to a level between the upper part of said absorber and the liquid level therein.

3. An absorption refrigeration system having a circuit for inert gas including a plurality of gas heat exchangers, an absorber and low and higher temperature cooling elements, each of said cooling elements comprising means providing an elongated refrigerant passage which is disposed essentially in a single vertical plane, one of said gas heat exchangers having a first passage connected to receive inert gas from said absorber and a second passage connected to receive gas from said higher temperature cooling element and conduct such gas to said absorber, another of said gas heat exchangers having a first passage connected to receive gas from the first passage of said one gas heat exchanger and conduct such gas to said low temperature cooling element and a second passage connected to receive gas from said low temperature cooling element and deliver such gas to said higher temperature cooling element, said other gas heat exchanger being disposed between and substantially in the same vertical plane as said low and higher temperature cooling elements.

l. A refrigerator comprising a cabinet having the interior thereof subdivided into compartments by partition means including a vertical insulating wall, absorption refrigeration apparatus having a gas circuit including a low temperature cooling element and a higher temperature cooling element, said low temperature cooling element being disposed in one of said compartments and comprising a looped coil having straight horizontally extending portions and connecting bends disposed essentially in a single vertical plane, structure in good thermal relation with said coil providing a vertical wall having a relatively extensive heat transfer surface which extends a major portion of the distance from the bottomto the topof saidone compartment. K

5. An absorption refrigeration system having a circuit. foriinert gas including: a. low temperature cooling. element. and a higher temperature, cool.- ing element, each of said cooling elements comprising means providing an elongated passage. for refrigerantwhich is disposed essentially in a single. vertical. plane, 'means to supply refrigerant fiuidtoeach of said cooling elements for down.-

wardxflow therethrough, said cooling elements being so" connected in'said' gas circuit that gas flows in parallelwith refrigerant in one of said cooling. elements and counter-current to refrigerantin another of said cooling elements.

absorption refrigeration system as set forth-in claim in which'inert gas fiowsupwardly in said low temperature cooling element: and downwardly. in said higher temperature cooling element. 7. An absorption refrigeration system having a circuit for inert gas including an evaporator in which refrigerant evaporates in the presence of an inert gas and an absorber, a circuit for absorption liquid including said absorber and a generator, said, evaporator being so connected and arrangedin said gas circuit that inert gas enters'and leaves regions removed from. the 'extreme' lower part thereof, and means including a connection for draining liquid from the extreme lower part of, said evaporator to said absorption liquid circuit, said connection p-roviding'a path of flow for liquid through which inert. gas normally does not pass and which communicates with'the absorption liquid circuit at a region below theliquid surface level thereof.

'8. An absorption refrigeration system having a circuit for inert gas including, an evaporator in which refrigerant evaporates in the presence of an inert gas and an absorber comprising a looped coil'an'd a vessel. adapted to hold a body of liquidabsorbent, a circuit for liquid absorbent including said absorber and a generator, said evaporator being vertically disposed and so connected and arranged in said gas circuit that inert 'gas' enters and leaves regions removed from the extreme lower part thereof which is located at a level between the upper part of said looped coil and the liquid surface level in said vessel, and means including a, connection for draining liquid from: the extreme lower part of said evaporator to said absorption solution circuit, said connection providing a path of flow for liquid through which'inert gas normally does not pass and which communicates with the absorption liquid circuit at a'region below the liquid surface level thereof. '9..An absorption refrigeration system having a circ uit for inert gas including a plurality of gas heat exchangers, an absorber and low and higher temperature cooling elements, each of said cooling elements comprising means providing an elongated refrigerant passage which is disposed essentially in a single vertical plane, one of said gas heat'exchangers having a first passage connected to receive inert gas from said absorber and a second passage connected to receive gas from'said higher temperature cooling element and conduct such gas'to said absorber, and another of said gas heat exchangers having a first passage connected to receive gas from the first passage of said one gas heat exchanger and conduct such gas to said low temperature cooling element and a second passage connected to receive gas from said low temperature cooling elementand deliver such gas to saidhigher temperaturecoolf ingelement, one of said cooling elements having at least a part thereof at a level between the upper part of said absorber and the liquid level therein.

10. A refrigerator comprising a cabinet having the interior thereof subdivided into compartments by partition means including an insulating wall, absorption refrigeration apparatus having a gas circuit including a low temperature cooling element and a higher temperature cooling. element, said higher. temperature cooling element being arranged to effect cooling of one of said compartments, said low temperature cooling element being disposed in another of said compart- 'ments and comprising a looped coil having straight horizontally extending portions and connecting bends disposed essentially in a single vertical plane, and said looped coil extending a major portion of the distance from the bottom to the top of said other-compartment.

11. In a refrigerator comprising a cabinet having the interior thereof subdivided into compartments by partition means, an absorption refrigeration system including a low temperature cooling element and a higher temperature cooling element disposed at opposite sides of said partition means and arranged to effect cooling of different compartments, and each of said cooling elements comprising means forming an elongated path of flow for circulation of liquid refrigerant and inert gas therethrough to provide a relatively extensive gas and liquid contact surface between the aforementioned fluids, the elongated path of flow of each of said cooling elements being disposed in a single vertical plane.

12; In a refrigerator comprising a cabinet having the interior thereof subdivided into compartments by partition means including a vertical wall, an absorption refrigeration system including a low temperature cooling element and a higher temperature cooling element which are disposed relativelyclose to and alongside one another at opposite sides of said vertical wall and arranged to effect cooling of Idifferentcompartments, and each of said cooling elements comprising means forming an elongated path of flow for circulation of liquid refrigerant and inert gas therethrough to provide a relatively extensive gas 7 and liquid contact surface between the aforementioned fluids, the elongated path of flow of each of said cooling elementsbeing disposed in a single vertical plane.

13. Apparatus as set. forth in claim 11 in which said partition means includes a horizontal wall and said cooling elements are disposed at opposite sides of said wall and substantially in the same vertical plane for cooling different compartments. V

14. In a refrigerator comprising a cabinet having thermally insulated walls forming a space divided into several compartments by partition means, a refrigeration system comprising a condenser in which refrigerant vapor is liquefied and cooling structure, said cooling structure including a low temperature cooling element and a higher temperature cooling element which always are in open communication with one another and operable at substantially the same pressure, said low and higherv temperature cooling elements being arranged in the spaceto effect coolingrof separate compartments therein, each of said cooling elements including refrigerant passage forming means which is disposed essentially in asingle vertical plane, and conduit means connected to said condenser andto the upper parts of both of said cooling elementsatregions removed from 13 the lower ends thereof for initially introducing liquid refrigerant into both of said cooling elements at the uppermost cold producing regions thereof.

GUNNAR AXEL GRUBB. PER ARNE BACKTEMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Davenport Sept. 11, 1928 Number Re. 17,078

Number Kogel Oct. 24, 1944

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