WO2007125102A1

WO2007125102A1 - A cooling device

Info

Publication number: WO2007125102A1
Application number: PCT/EP2007/054165
Authority: WO
Inventors: Alper F. Soysal; Kerem A. Kurt
Original assignee: Arcelik Anonim Sirketi
Priority date: 2006-05-01
Filing date: 2007-04-27
Publication date: 2007-11-08

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cooling device (1) wherein the temperature difference between the exterior surroundings and the frame (5) is minimized, preventing the development of condensation on the frame (5) surface and the adhesion of the sealing element (4) to the frame (5) surface, without necessitating the use of an auxiliary energy source. A sealing element (4) is mounted on the door, having at least one insulation chamber (6) with phase changing material (PCM) disposed therein.

Description

Description A COOLING DEVICE

[0001] The present invention relates to a cooling device wherein condensation is prevented to develop on the surface in contact with the sealing element.

[0002] Due to the temperature difference between the interior of the refrigerant cabin and the exterior environment, condensation develops on the frame which is partially in contact with the door when the door is closed. This condensation can freeze when the door is closed and result in the gasket situated between the door and the frame to be adhered to the frame. When the door is desired to be opened by the user, quite a lot of force needs to be exerted due to adhesion and in some cases the gasket may be torn and damaged because of the excessive force exerted. In state of the art applications, this surface is heated by arranging a heater on the frame. Consequently, the condensation formed on this region and the adhesion of the sealing element to the frame is prevented. However, the heat transfer into the refrigerant cabin increases and the energy consumption of the cooling device increases since the internal thermal load of the refrigerant cabin is increased.

[0003] Gaskets and doors having different features have been designed in order to obviate the thermal load on the cabin that may result from the use of the heater.

[0004] One of the methods developed for preventing condensation on the surfaces in contact with the sealing element is to partially pass the refrigerant circulation line through the frame region. In this embodiment, the refrigerant fluid conduit leaving the compressor heads towards the frame region. The fluid conduit passing from the inner surface of the frame then goes to the condenser. The heated refrigerant fluid leaving the compressor passes through and increases the temperature of the frame region. Consequently, the condensation on the frame surface and respectively the problem of adhesion of the gasket to the frame are prevented. However, in this implementation, energy consumption is also either directly increased or indirectly by means of increasing the cabin temperature.

[0005] In the state of the art United States of America Patent no. US6666043, explanation is given about prevention of dew formation on the contact portion of a refrigerator door on the refrigerant cabin by using the waste heat generated from a compressor during the refrigerant cycle.

[0006] In the state of the art United States of America Patent no. US4009586, warm air produced by the compressor of a refrigerator or freezer unit during the refrigerant cycle is channeled there from and blown under the refrigerant cabin and the door, along the surface of the door surrounded by the exterior air. Consequently, condensation is prevented from developing on the surface of the door in contact with the refrigerant cabin. However, in this implementation the air received from the compressor casing is circulated within the cabin and the thermal load in the cabin increases.

[0007] The object of the present invention is to design a cooling device wherein condensation is prevented from developing on the frame surface without causing an increase in the thermal load.

[0008] The cooling device designed to fulfill the objective of the present invention, explicated in the first claim and the other respective claims thereof, comprises a phase changing material disposed in the sealing element, having perfect heat conductivity, made up by combining one or more substances exhibiting eutectic characteristics.

[0009] By means of disposing the phase changing material in the sealing element, the temperature of the frame surface is approximated to the temperature of the exterior surroundings without the need for a heater to heat the frame surface or without generating any thermal load. Consequently, the development of condensation on the frame surface due to the temperature difference between the exterior surroundings and the refrigerant cabin is prevented.

[0010] In another embodiment of the present invention, the sealing element comprises two side by side insulation chambers, one in contact with the exterior surroundings the inside filled with phase changing material, the other in contact with the refrigerant cabin the inside filled with air. Accordingly, the insulation chamber filled with phase changing material is provided to be minimally affected by the temperature of the refrigerant cabin.

[0011] In another embodiment, the cooling device comprises a heater situated at the region wherein the sealing element is mounted to the cooling device depending on the phase change temperature of the phase changing material disposed into the sealing element. This embodiment is implemented when a phase changing material with a high phase change temperature is used. Consequently, condensation forming on the frame surface is prevented in the case of using the cooling device in a more humid environment.

[0012] In all the embodiments, the phase change temperature of the phase changing material disposed in the sealing element can be selected in the interval of 5³C to 110⁰C.

[0013] By means of the present invention, the forming of condensation on the frame surface and respectively adhesion of the sealing element on the frame surface is prevented by minimizing the temperature difference between the exterior surrounding and the frame surface without causing any thermal load.

[0014] The cooling device designed to fulfill the objective of the present invention is illustrated in the attached figures, where:

[0015] Hgure 1 - is the perspective view of a cooling device.

[0016] Hgure 2 - is the schematic view of the frame and the sealing element.

[0017] Hgure 3 - is the schematic view of the frame, the sealing element and the heater.

[0018] Hgure 4 - is the schematic view of the slot- in sealant element.

[0019] The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:

1. Cooling device

2. Refrigerant cabin

3. Door

4. Sealing element

5. Frame

6. , 106. Insulation chamber

7. Magnet

8. Heater

[0020] The cooling device (1) comprises one or more refrigerant cabins (2) wherein items to be cooled are empkced and having an opening providing access of the user inside, one or more doors (3), preventing heat transfer between the refrigerant cabin (2) and the exterior surrounding when closed, providing access of the user to the refrigerant cabin (2) when opened and a frame (5) encircling the opening, on which the door (3) abuts when closed.

[0021] The cooling device (1) comprises a sealing element (4) mounted on the door (3), preferably made of plastic material, having at least one insulation chamber (6) with phase changing material (F) disposed therein, minimizing the heat transfer between the refrigerant cabin (2) and the exterior surrounding, covering the opening between the frame (5) and the door (3) in a leak-proof manner when the door (3) is closed in order to keep the temperature and pressure values of the refrigerant cabin (2) at the desired levels (Hgure 1 and Hgure 2).

[0022] The phase changing materials (F) exhibit eutectic characteristics - having a lower melting point than the constituent ingredients - and change phase at a certain temperature depending on their chemical properties. The phase changing material (F) either absorbs a considerable amount of heat or release heat while changing phase without changing its temperature. Salt based oil acid, paraffin or other eutectic compounds may be used as the phase changing material (F). Also depending on the phase, they can be in granule, band, liquid or powder form.

[0023] The sealing element (4) comprises one or more magnets (7) that provide the door (3) to be firmly secured on the frame (5). The insulation chamber (6) in the sealing element (4), disposed lengthwise along the sealing element (4), provides the sealing element (4) to function as an insulator between the refrigerant cabin (2) and the exterior surroundings. The magnet (7) is situated on the surface of the insulation chamber (6) in contact with the frame (5), one side of the insulation chamber (6) is in contact with the refrigerant cabin (2) and the other side with the exterior surroundings. The sealing element (4) can be used as monoblock or slot- in (Hgure 2 and Hgure 4).

[0024] The phase changing material (F) disposed in the insulation chamber (6) changes phase by absorbing the heat of the exterior surrounding and stores the heat absorbed from the exterior surroundings. The heat stored by the phase changing material (F) is conducted to the frame (5), which is relatively colder than the exterior surrounding, by means of the magnet (7). Consequently, the temperature difference between the exterior surrounding and the frame (5) is minimized and the development of condensation on the frame (5) is prevented. In this embodiment, preferably the selected phase changing material (F) has a phase change temperature at the ambient temperature.

[0025] By this embodiment, the condensation developing on the frame (5) is prevented without the need for any heating process and without making a modification on the existing sealing element (4).

[0026] In another embodiment of the present invention, the sealing element (4) comprises two insulation chambers (6 and 106) arranged side by side, one of them in contact with the exterior surrounding, filled with phase changing material (F) and the other in contact with the refrigerant cabin (2) filled with air. The insulation chamber (106) filled with air serves as an insulator between the insulation chamber (6) filled with phase changing material (F) and the refrigerant cabin (2) and the insulation chamber (6) filled with phase changing material (F) is provided to be least affected by the temperature of the refrigerant cabin (2).

[0027] In another embodiment of the present invention, the cooling device (1) comprises a heater (8) arranged at the region wherein the sealing element (4) is secured to the cooling device (1), depending on the phase change temperature of the phase changing material (F) disposed in the sealing element (4). When the cooling device (1) is expected to operate in more humid surroundings, phase changing materials (F) that change phase at a higher temperature are used. In this case, the heater (8) is utilized in order to increase the temperature around the phase changing material (F) so that the phase changing material (F) can store heat. This embodiment should be implemented when a phase changing material (F) with a higher phase change temperature is selected. Accordingly, the development of condensation on the surface of the frame (5) is prevented in cases where the cooling device (1) is used in more humid environments (Hgure 3). By means of the present invention, the temperature difference between the exterior surroundings and the frame (5) is minimized, preventing the development of condensation on the frame (5) surface and respectively the adhesion of the sealing element (4) to the frame (5) surface.

Claims

[0001] A cooling device (1) comprising one or more refrigerant cabins (2) wherein items to be cooled are emplaced and having an opening providing access of the user to the inside, one or more doors (3), preventing heat transfer between the refrigerant cabin (2) and the exterior surrounding when closed, and when opened providing access of the user to the refrigerant cabin (2) and a frame (5) encircling the opening, on which the door (3) abuts when closed, and characterized by a sealing element (4) mounted on the door (3), having at least one insulation chamber (6) with phase changing material (F) disposed therein, minimizing the heat transfer between the refrigerant cabin (2) and the exterior surrounding, covering the opening between the frame (5) and the door (3) in a leak-proof manner when the door (3) is closed in order to keep the temperature and pressure values of the refrigerant cabin (2) at the desired levels.

[0002] A cooling device (1) as in Claim 1, characterized by a sealing element (4) comprising two insulation chambers (6 and 106) arranged side by side, one of them in contact with the exterior surrounding, filled with phase changing material (F) and the other in contact with the refrigerant cabin (2) filled with air.

[0003] A cooling device (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by a phase changing material (F) that has a phase change temperature of ambient temperature.

[0004] A cooling device (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by a heater (8) arranged at the region wherein the sealing element (4) is secured to the cooling device (1), operated depending on the temperature and the relative humidity measurement values of the surroundings.