US3834180A

US3834180A - Heat exchange unit

Info

Publication number: US3834180A
Application number: US00319213A
Authority: US
Inventors: H French; H Smith
Original assignee: UMC Industries Inc
Current assignee: Crane Co; White Consolidated Industries Inc
Priority date: 1972-12-29
Filing date: 1972-12-29
Publication date: 1974-09-10
Anticipated expiration: 1991-09-10

Abstract

In a heat exchanging system wherein a first compartment is disposed for reception of refrigerated air from a refrigerating and condensing unit, a heat exchanging means is provided in communication with the refrigerated air in said first compartment and is arranged for reception of the air from a second compartment, whereby a first circulating member forces the refrigerated air through said heat exchanger to provide for indirect conductive chilling of the air from the second compartment also circulating through said exchanger. The refrigerated air in the first compartment may be maintained at a temperature in the vicinity of 0* F., and through its forced circulation through the heat exchanger provides for chilling of the air in the other compartment to a cooled temperature in the vicinity of 32* F. The process of performing this heat exchanging operation includes the steps of first refrigerating the air in said first compartment down to the temperature desired to provide supercooling of food or other products, while a quantity of said air is circulated by fan means through a heat exchanging means and with the concomitant circulation of the air in another compartment also through said means provides for an indirect chilling of the atmosphere in said second compartment to allow chilling of other food products, or the like, stored therein.

Description

ilnite States Patent [191 French, 111 et a1.

1 HEAT EXCHANGE UNIT [75] Inventors: Horace Edgar French, 111,

Montgomery, Ala.; Harold F. Smith, Garland, Tex.

[73] Assignee: UMC Industries, Incl, New York,

[22] Filed: Dec. 29, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 319,213

Primary Examiner-William J. Wye Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Paul M. Dcnk [1 1 58 5 [4 Sept. 10, 1974 [57 ABSTRACT In a heat exchanging system wherein a first compartment is disposed for reception of refrigerated air from a refrigerating and condensing unit, a heat exchanging means is provided in communication with the refrigerated air in said first compartment and is arranged for reception of the air from a second compartment, whereby a first circulating member forces the refrigerated air through said heat exchanger to provide for indirect conductive chilling of the air from the second compartment also circulating through said exchanger. The refrigerated air in the first compartment may be maintained at a temperature in the vicinity of 0F., and through its forced circulation through the heat exchanger provides for chilling of the air in the other compartment to a cooled temperature in the vicinity of 32F.

The process of performing this heat exchanging operation includes the steps of first refrigerating the air in said first compartment down to the temperature desired to provide supercooling of food or other products, while a quantity of said air is circulated by fan means through a heat exchanging means and with the concomitant circulation of the air in another compartment also through said means provides for an indirect chilling of the atmosphere in said second compartment to allow chilling of other food products, or the like, stored therein.

13 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures HEAT EXCGE UNIT changing, but more particularly, pertains to the exchanging or conducting of some cold temperature from refrigerated air indirectly to cool a second quantity of air.

The prior art is replete with various types of air conditioning and air refrigerating apparatuses that are constructed essentially for cooling or refrigerating a particular space. Usually, these early apparatuses draw in air from an outside source, normally the exterior, which is then exposed to the condensing unit of a refrigerating apparatus for eventual discharge into a room to chill the same, while additional air within the same room is recirculated to maintain a constant temperature.

The concept of this present invention is to supplement the use of these prior art treating inventions, and to extend their use to provide conditioning of multiple capacities of air from a single refrigerating source so that select constant temperature may be maintained in a plurality of separate spaces.

In view of the foregoing, it is the principal object of this invention to provide a multi-compartment heat exchange system wherein the refrigerated atmosphere in a first compartment can be passed through a heat exchange means to provide supplementary cooling of separate air in another compartment.

It is a further object of this invention to provide for supplementary chilling of air in a second compartment from the refrigerated air independently enclosed in a first compartment, and wherein the absolute humidity or moisture content of the air in the refrigerated air space is maintained at a relatively low level, uninfluenced by the normally higher moisture content of the chilled air space.

Another object of this invention is to provide a multieompartment heat exchange system that may be adopted for use on truck assemblies to provide means for the storage and transit of frozen products, while at the same time providing a chilled atmospheric space or additional spaces adjacent the refrigerated room that allows for transit of perishable, but unfrozen, food products.

Another object of this invention is to provide for conditioning of air in multiple compartments through the agency of a single refrigerating means.

Another object of this invention is to provide a means for conditioning the atmosphere in a plurality of rooms, with the system being so arranged to provide for efiiciency in heat transfer between said plurality of compartments without consuming too much of space.

These and other objects of this invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art in reviewing the following summary of the invention, in addition to studying the description of the preferred embodiment in view of its drawings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention contemplates the use of a single refrigerating means that is arranged for refrigerating the air on one compartment down-to a temperature in the .vicinity of F., obviously for the purpose of freezing products storedtherein, with a second compartment, maintained perhaps adjacent to said first compartment,

having its air circulated through a heat exchanging apparatus for conducting some of the low temperatures of the first compartment to chill the air in said second compartment. The heat exchange apparatus may be mounted upon a common or party wall between the two compartments, or, if the two compartments are maintained at a separated distance, at least duct work will provide for conveyance of the separate air from the two compartments to and through the heat exchange means to provide for their indirect exposure as through conducting to each other to provide for the supplemental chilling of the air in said second compartment. Through experimentation and testing, a temperature in the vicinity of 0F. established in the first refrigerated compartment will provide sufficient energy for reducing the temperature in the second and separate compartment down to a vicinity of 30F to 38F, assuming the two compartments are of approximately equivalent size. On the other hand, the two compartments may be 'of differing sizes, and the temperature regulation in the first compartment, in addition to the controlled operation of the heat exchanger, will provide an approximate temperature in the second compartment.

The heat exchange apparatus is designed having a casing provided with a major passageway arranged through its interior, with the air ingress and egress openings of said major passageway communicating into the second compartment or chill room. In addition, there are provided at least a pair of openings into the heat exchange casing from the refrigerated compartment, and these two openings are in communication with each other through the agency of a tube bundle arranged across the said major passageway, as previously described, so that refrigerated air may pass into the casing, through the tube bundle, and then be returned back into the refrigerated. room. To facilitate and induce transfer of the separate bodies of air from the two compartments and through the heat exchanger, air circulating members, such as blowers or fans, and disposed at either the entrance openings or the exits of the heat exchanger into the respective compartments, and through their operation, forced circulation of the two bodies of air are directed into and through said heat exchanger for treating the air in the second compartment.

Various means for precisely controlling the influence that the refrigerated air may have upon the chilling of the air in the second compartment, or chill room, may be achieved through thermostatic control that allows periodic and timed operation of the respective air circulating means integral of the heat exchange apparatus and as associated with each separate compartment. For example, temperaturecontrol may be provided in the refrigerating room to insure that the temperature in said room is maintained at the desired low level, as for example, at OF., and said thermostat can regulate the temperature in this compartment either by timing the operation of the refrigerating means, or, for more indirectly control, by regulating the functioning of the air circulating means that transfers the refrigerated air through the heat exchange apparatus. Obviously, if the air in the refrigerated room is continuously transferred through the heat exchange apparatus, greater heat will be absorbed from the second compartment by conduction, and eventually raises the temperature in said refrigerated room unless the functioning of the refrigerating apparatus itself is likewise, independently thermostatically controlled. In addition, the continuing operation of the air circulating means of the heat exchange apparatus associated with the second compartment can effect increasedconduction of cold temperature from the refrigerated room, also effecting its established temperatures. Hence, thermostatic controls in both compartments provide for precise coordinated operation of both of the air circulating means of the heat exchange apparatus, in addition to the condensing unit and evaporator of the refrigerating apparatus. In this manner, a precise low temperature in the vicinity of F may be established and maintained in the first compartment, while a chilling temperature in the vicinity of 30 to 38F. may be maintained in the second compartment. Desirably, the air circulating means or blower of the heat exchange apparatus associated with the refrigerated room is cycled through a timer or thermostatic control, which has been found to provide the best means for regulating moisture conditions that may arise in the heat exchange apparatus, as caused from the OF atmosphere, thereby providing continuous or near continuous operation of the air circulating means or fans associated with the second compartment. Alleviating I BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings, FIG. 1 discloses an isometric partial view of the pair of compartments of this invention having the refrigerating apparatus arranged in conjunction with the first compartment, with the heat exchange apparatus connecting to the common wall;

' FIG. 2 provides a side view of the multi-compartment heat exchange system shown in FIG. 1, also disclosing, schematically, the circuitous paths of the separately circulating air currents;

FIG. 3 provides an isometric view of the heat exchange apparatus of this invention, also disclosing the paths of the separate air currents;

FIG. 4 provides an elevational view of the heat exchange apparatus of this invention shown in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 provides a side view of the heat exchange apparatus shown in FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREP ERRED EMBODIMENT In referring to the drawings, and particuarly FIGS. 1 and 2, there are disclosed the mechanical components that provide for the performance of the teachings of this invention comprising a housing 1, which in this particular instance, is comprised of two separate: compartments 2 and 3, separated by a common or party wall 4. The first compartment 2 is in communication with a refrigerating apparatus generally identified at 5, and which includes a conventional condensing unit 6 consisting of the standard compressor, condenser coils, fan motor and blade, receiver tank, and other necessary controls. This condensing unit communicates by means of a pair of refrigerant flow lines 7 and 8 with a conventional evaporator 9, consisting of the usual finned coil, fan motor and blades, refrigerant controlling devices,

and essential means for defrost. For purposes of convenience, the condensing unit may be arranged exteriorly of the housing '1, while the evaporator coils are disposed within the compartment to be refrigerated, with the compressed refrigerant being transferred to and removed from the same by means of said flow lines 7 and 8. Obviously, this arrangement of the refrigerating apparatus provides for the chilling of the air or atmosphere within the first compartment 2 by means of its operation, and the temperature of the air maintained therein may be reduced to any degree desired, but generally, as required in the food industry, a temperature maintained in the vicinity of OF., or thereabout.

Disclosed mounted through the common wall or bulkhead 4 is the heat exchange apparatus 10 of this system, and as previously described, is devised for providing independent circulation of the air in the respective compartments 2 and 3 through its interior to provide for their indirect but conductive heat exchange relationship therein. Essentially, the refrigerated air in.

the first compartment 2 is to be conductively exposed to the circulating atmosphere in the compartment 3 to provide for its lowering of the latters temperature. The structure of this heat exchange apparatus 10 is more aptly disclosed in FIGS. 3 through 5, and is shown comprising an overall casing having a series of passageways provided therethrough for independent circulation of air, as follows. A blower 11 is operatively associated within the apparatus proximate its upward level, and is designed having an intake port or duct 12 through which the refrigerated air in the compartment 2 is drawn in, and then blown or circulated downwardly out of its outlet duct 13 for direction of its forced current of refrigerated air through the tube bundle 14 arranged transversely across the center of the apparatus 10. This blower 11 is of conventional design incorporating the usual squirrel cage or other form of fan providing for forced circulation of air. The refrigerated air, as depicted at A, moves laterally across the heat exchange apparatus, through the tube bundle l4, and exits the apparatus at the outlet side 15'for a return back into the refrigerating compartment 2.

The heat exchange apparatus 10 is preferably formed having a composite casing with the tube bundle 14 being disposed therethrough, with essentially said cas ing provided having a major passageway for forced transfer of substantial quantities of the air within the compartment 3 therethrough. This passageway, as identified generally at 16, comprises substantially the central interior of the apparatus 10, having an inlet port or duct 17 provided at its downward region, with an outlet port 18 provided at an upward location. A series of air circulating means or fans 19, of conventional design, are disposed across the outlet port 18, and are arranged for drawing under forced circulation the air from said second compartment 3 into the port 17, upwardly through the passageway 16 of the heat exchange apparatus, forcing the air to filter through the tube bundle 14 arranged transversely thereacross, and then acquiring its re-entrance back into the compartment 3 through said outlet port 18. Obviously, the forced circulation of the refrigerated air from compartment 2 through the tube bundle 14, and its plurality of individual tube conduits 20, provides its conductive exposure to the circulating air of the compartment 3. Obviously, since the air circulating from compartment 2 may be maintained at a temperature in the vicinity of 0F., the

atmosphere within the compartment 3, while passing through the passageway 16, will lower in temperature through its conductive exposure as it passes around the conduits of said tube bundle 14.

The arrangement of the various air circulating means, and preferably the blower 11, is as disclosed in the drawings, with the blower 1 1 being located at an elevation approximately in line with the refrigerated air emanating from the evaporator 9, so that a concentration of the just refrigerated air will be directed towards and absorbed into the blower 11 to provide a more effective heat exchange within the apparatus 10. In addition, various forms of controls, either'of the thermostatic or heat sensitive type, or timers, or combinations of both, may be utilized for regulating the operation of the various air circulating means of the heat exchange apparatus 10, so that the desired freezing temperature may be maintained in the compartment 2, while a particular chilling temperature will likewise be established and sustained within the compartment 3. Through thermostatic controls, the separate temperatures may be adequately maintained, and through the coordination of the operation of the various blowers andfans of the heat exchanger 10, simultaneously with the operation of the refrigerating apparatus 5, established temperatures may be-maintained in the discrete compartments. Furthermore, another advantage of this invention is that the chilling of the air in the compartment 3 may be accomplished with the minimal creation of moisture conditions in said compartment, thereby alleviating the necessity of any defrosting therein, and none or little of its moisture will be transferred into the refrigerated room, which obviously has a very low relative humidity. Likewise, since a certain capacity of the heat is obviously drawn from the air in compartment 3, through the operation of heat exchange apparatus 10, the tube bundle of this apparatus, through experimentation, does not form icing conditions that necessitates its defrosting. Preferably, the cycle of operation of the heat exchange apparatus is controlled through the periodic and timed performance of the blower 11, which avoids a continued exposure of the tube bundle 14 to constant zero temperatures, thereby avoiding the formation of ice on its tube bundle, while allowing the warmer air in the compartment 3 to continue circulation to insure and prevent ice build-up. Hence the formation of any ice within the heat exchange apparatus 10 has not been any problem, and in actual usage, the apparatus has functioned in a manner which eliminates and dispenses with its periodic defrosting. It should be noted that to insure separation of the two quantities of air described herein, a wall 21 separates the passage 16 from the refrigerated air flowing from the blower 11 into the tube bundle 14.

Preferably, the temperature in the first compartment will be maintained between about 20 to +lOF., and this type of temperature condition will sustain a temperature between 20 to F. in the second compartment. Such a temperature relationship has not required the use of the defrosting instrumentalities in the heat exchanger. But as previously summarized, this invention also contemplates the chilling of multiple compartments. For example, a first compartment may be refrigerated to the vicinity of -25F., thereby chilling a second compartment to a temperature around +10 to 38F while a third compartment, communicating with the second compartment through another heat ex- 6 changer of this invention, might be cooled to the 60 to F. range. In this instance, it might be necessary to provide some means for defrosting the heat exchangers, particularly the one associated with the first and second compartments.

Other modifications upon the structure of this invention as herein described may occur to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing disclosure. Any such modifications that encompass the principle of this invention are intended to be protected by the claims hereinafter set forth. For example, the air circulating means, such as the fans 19, might be arranged at the downward part of the heat exchange apparatus, or these fans may be operated in the reverse manner from that shown so as to draw warmer air in through the top port 18, while exiting the same out of the bottom port 17 after it filters conductively around the tube bundle 14. The described preferred embodiment is merely illustrative.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A multi-compartment heat exchange system wherein the refrigerated air in one compartment is utilized to chill the air disposed separately in a second compartment without any intermixing of the two quantities of air together and comprising, a refrigerating apparatus operatively associated with said first compartment and designed to refrigerate the air in said compartment, a heat exchange means associated with both said first and second compartments, a common wall separating said first and said second compartments and said heat exchange means mounted to said common wall to provide a heat exchange relationship between the two said quantities of air, said means including an air circulating member operating to draw in the refrigerated air of the first compartment, and said means also incorporating another air circulating member for drawing in the air from said second compartment, and through a heat exchange relationship said means conductively effecting a chilling of the air in the second compartment through its conductive exposure to the.

refrigerated air in said first compartment.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein the air in said compartments are indirectly exposed to each other in a heat transfering relationship within the heat exchange means without said discrete quantities of said becoming intermingled.

3. The invention of claim 2 wherein said air circulating members operatively associated with said heat exchange means provide for separate transfer of the discrete air in said compartments through said heat exchange means. a

4. The invention of claim 3 wherein said heat exchange means is provided with a conduit to draw in and conduct therethrough the refrigerated air from the first compartment and then return said refrigerated air to said first compartment, said means also provided with a passageway to draw in and conduct therethrough the air to be chilled from the second compartment and then return said chilled air to said second compartment, and said conduit and passageway being maintained separate but in a heat exchange relationship through said'common wall. t

5. The invention of claim 4 wherein said air circulating members comprise a first blower directing said refrigerated air through the conduit of said heat exchange means, and a second blower causing the air of said second compartment to circulate through said passageway to effect its reduction in temperature.

6. The invention of claim wherein the conduit for the refrigerated air through the heat exchange means comprises a tube bundle, and the passageway providing for circulation of the air to be chilled comprising duct work through the heat exchange means and having said tube bundle arranged therethrough in a heat transferring relationship.

7. The invention of claim 2 wherein the first and second compartments are adjacent each other and separated by said common wall, and said heat exchange means being mounted throgh said wall.

8. The invention of claim 7 wherein the compart ments of said heat exchange system comprise the enclosed trailer portion of a vehicle.

9. The invention of claim 5 wherein the air circulating member associated with the first conduit is disposed at the entrance of said conduit and when operative forcing the refrigerated air through the heat exchanger.

10. The invention of claim 9 and wherein said refrigerating apparatus operatively associated with said first compartment directs its refrigerated air into the same, the circulating member associated with said conduit being disposed in the flow of the air emanating from said apparatus to enhance the entrance of the refrigerated air into and through said heat exchanger.

11. The invention of claim 10 wherein said conduit of the heat exchanger includes a tube bundle.

12. The invention of claim-11 wherein the air circulating member associated with the passageway is arranged at the exit from the same whereby air is drawn into and through the heat exchanger and indirectly exposed to the temperature of the refrigerated air thereby conductively effecting chilling of the air in said other compartment.

13. The invention of claim 12 wherein the air in said first compartment is refrigerated to between about 25 to +10F., and the air in said other compartment is conductively chilled through the agency of said hea exchanger to between about 20 to 40F.

Claims

1. A multi-compartment heat exchange system wherein the refrigerated air in one compartment is utilized to chill the air disposed separately in a second compartment without any intermixing of the two quantities of air together and comprising, a refrigerating apparatus operatively associated with said first compartment and designed to refrigerate the air in said compartment, a heat exchange means associated with both said first and second compartments, a common wall separating said first and said second compartments and said heat exchange means mounted to said common wall to provide a heat exchange relationship between the two said quantities of air, said means including an air circulating member operating to draw in the refrigerated air of the first compartment, and said means also incorporating another air circulating member for drawing in the air from said second compartment, and through a heat exchange relationship said means conductively effecting a chilling of the air in the second compartment through its conductive exposure to the refrigerated air in said first compartment.

3. The invention of claim 2 wherein said air circulating members operatively associated with said heat exchange means provide for separate transfer of the discrete air in said compartments through said heat exchange means.

4. The invention of claim 3 wherein said heat exchange means is provided with a conduit to draw in and conduct therethrough the refrigerated air from the first compartment and then return said refrigerated air to said first compartment, said means also provided with a passageway to draw in and conduct therethrough the air to be chilled from the second compartment and then return said chilled air to said second compartment, and said conduit and passageway being maintained separate but in a heat exchange relationship through said common wall.

6. The invention of claim 5 wherein the conduit for the refrigerated air through the heat exchange means comprises a tube bundle, and the passageway providing for circulation of the air to be chilled comprising duct work through the heat exchange means and having said tube bundle arranged therethrough in a heat transferring relationship.

8. The invention of claim 7 wherein the compartments of said heat exchange system comprise the enclosed trailer portion of a vehicle.

12. The invention of claim 11 wherein the air circulating member associated with the passageway is arranged at the exit from the same whereby air is drawn into and through the heat exchanger and indirectly exposed to the temperature of the refrigerated air thereby conductively effecting chilling of the air in said other compartment.

13. The invention of claim 12 wherein the air in said first compartment is refrigerated to between about -25* to +10*F., and the air in said other compartment is conductively chilled through the agency of said heat exchanger to between about 20* to 40*F.