WO2008058373A1

WO2008058373A1 - Rapid chilling apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO2008058373A1
Application number: PCT/CA2007/001993
Authority: WO
Inventors: Markus Hess; Peeter Nielander; Sam Chiusolo
Original assignee: Icefloe Technologies Inc.
Priority date: 2006-11-16
Filing date: 2007-11-07
Publication date: 2008-05-22
Also published as: CA2604687A1

Abstract

The invention provides a chamber into which one or more glasses may be inserted. An airflow path is provided from an inlet plenum fluidly communicating with a first face of the chamber and an outlet plenum for air to exit the chamber. A fan is provided to maintain fluid flow from the inlet plenum through the chamber into the outlet plenum and back into the inlet plenum. A cooling coil (heat exchanger coil) is located in the airflow path between the inlet and outlet plenums to cool the air as it maintains its recalculating path. A combination of adequate airflow with the use of a appropriately sized and positioned jet(s) and continuing recirculation provides for very rapid chilling at a given air temperature.

Description

TITLE: RAPID CHILLING APPARATUS

Field of the Invention

[0001] This invention generally relates to refrigeration equipment. More particularly, this invention relates to apparatus for quickly chilling items placed therein.

Background of the Invention

[0002] Chilled glasses are popular with many drinkers of cool beverages. Chilled glasses enable a beverage to stay cool particularly with beverages such as beer in which the use of ice to keep the beverage cool is generally considered undesirable as it melts thereby diluting the beverage.

[0003] In establishments, which serve chilled beverages, the usual way of chilling glasses is to put them in a refrigerator or a freezer. A typical refrigerator or freezer unit will take in the order of twenty minutes to chill a glass. Accordingly, a large refrigerator unit is required in order to have a suitable number of chilled glasses available. Furthermore, a significant inventory of glasses is required in order to allow enough residence time in the refrigerator unit to chill the glasses.

[0004] It is an object of this invention to provide a refrigeration unit, which is compact, compared to traditional refrigerator or freezer units and which have a significantly higher throughput rate than such previous units.

Summary of the Invention

[0005] The invention provides a chamber into which one or more glasses may be inserted. An airflow path is provided from an inlet plenum fluidly communicating with a first face of the chamber and an outlet plenum for air to exit the chamber. A fan is provided to maintain fluid flow from the inlet plenum through the chamber into the outlet plenum and back into the inlet plenum. A cooling coil (heat exchanger coil) is located in the airflow path between the inlet and outlet plenums to cool the air as it maintains its recalculating path. A combination of adequate airflow with the use of a appropriately sized and positioned jet(s) and continuing recirculation provides for very rapid chilling at a given air temperature.

[0006] One or more further chambers may be provided to either maintain already chilled items cold or to chill a further batch of items. [0007] The items to be chilled may be beverage glasses.

[0008] The items may be placed into the chamber in a tray as a batch.

[0009] Alternatively, at least one of the cooling chambers may be provided with convening means, such as a turnstile for presenting an item for use and receiving a further item in exchange and moving it into the chamber.

[0010] The refrigeration system may include a compressor unit and a condenser coil which fluidly communicate with the heat exchanger coil. The refrigeration unit may be either remotely mounted, or preferably, mounted within a further chamber in the chilling apparatus.

Description of Drawings

[001 1 ] Preferred embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying illustration in which:

[0012] Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a rapid chilling apparatus according to the present invention;

[0013] Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the rapid chilling device shown in

Figure 1 incorporating a dispensing carrousel;

[0014] Figure 3 is a cross sectional view of a jet located above a beverage glass;

[0015] Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the rapid chilling device shown in

Figure I incorporating defrost vents that are shown in an open configuration; and,

[0016] Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the rapid chilling device shown in

Figure 1 incorporating defrost vents that are shown in a closed configuration.

Description of Preferred Embodiments

[0017] A rapid chilling apparatus according to the present invention is generally illustrated by reference 10. The rapid chilling apparatus 10 has a housing 12. The housing 12 has a chilling chamber 14, a holding chamber 16 (optional), an inlet plenum 18, an outlet plenum 20, door 81 for access to the chilling chamber, door 82 for access to the holding chamber and a refrigeration unit chamber 22. [0018] The chilling chamber 14 has inlet passages 24 for admitting chilled fluid such as air into the chilling chamber 14. Preferably each of the inlet passages 24 coincides with an item 26 in the chilling chamber 14 so as to direct chilled fluid directly at the item 26. The items 26 illustrated are beverage glasses on a tray 17. Other items 26 may be utilized instead. Outlet passages 28 are provided which fluidly communicate between the outlet plenum 20 and the chilling chamber 14 to receive the chilled fluid after it has passed through the chilling chamber 14. Preferably the inlet passages 24 and outlet passages 28 will be placed on opposite faces of the chilling chamber 14 to ensure that the chilled fluid passes all the way through the chilling chamber 12 rather than short circuiting directly between the inlet passages 24 and outlet passages 28.

[0019] The inlet plenum and outlet plenum fluidly communicate both through the chilling chamber 14 and through an heat exchanger coil 30 in the fluid flow path illustrated by arrows 32. Fluid flow direction is maintained by a fan 34 in the fluid flow path as illustrated by arrows 32. It will be appreciated from the above description and the illustration that fluid flow is in a continual circuit from an outlet side 36 of the heat exchanger coil to an inlet side 38 of the heat exchanger coil 30. This in combination with an appropriate fan speed and placement of the items 26 directly in the fluid flow path produces exceptionally quick chilling. Typically a room temperature beverage glass may be chilled to about 4 degrees C in 2 to 3 minutes. Lower temperatures are also feasible.

[0020] A refrigeration unit 39 mounted in the refrigeration unit chamber 22 supplies refrigerant to heat exchanger coil 30 and maintains the air temperature within the circuit with controller 42. The refrigeration unit may be located remotely and the refrigerant piped to the heat exchanger coil in insulated tubes so that noise or heat from the refrigeration unit does not disturb bar patrons.

[0021 ] The refrigeration unit 39 may chill a coolant such a glycol/water mixture. The coolant is pumped into the heat exchanger coil 30 to chill a fluid such as air as it passes through the heat exchanger coil 30.

[0022] An optional holding chamber 16 is located above the air circuit to store glasses that have been previously chilled in chilling chamber 14. Inlets 42 are provided in the lower face of chamber 16 to allow for an appropriate amount chilled air to flow over the beverage glasses in this chamber and maintain their temperature. Outlets 43 are provided to allow for the air in the holding chamber to return to the inlet plenum 18.

[0023] Figure 2 shows a longitudinal view of a rapid chilling apparatus according to the present invention incorporating a dispensing carrousel 59 divided radially into pie shaped wedge sections by dividers 47. A rotary actuator 41 rotates the carrousel 59 by one section at a time to bring a chilled beverage glass to the door 81 of the rapid chilling apparatus. Chilled beverage glasses are dispensed one at a time from the door 81. Each time a chilled glass is dispensed, it is replaced by a warm glass, which allows for continuous dispensation of chilled glasses.

[0024] A controller 42 controls the temperature inside the chilling chamber to a predetermined temperature. It may also be used to control the rate of airflow 32. The flow rate may be increased during the time that the glasses are being chilled to the desired temperature. Once the glasses have been chilled to the desired temperature, the rate of air flow may be decreased as less flow is needed to maintain the glasses at that temperature.

[0025] The controller may also measure the rate of airflow 32 through many different accepted means to determine if the heat exchanger coil 30 has frosted over and initiate a defrost cycle. The defrost cycle may also be initiated on a timed basis where it turns on for a predetermined length of time at a preset frequency

[0026] The jets 24 that direct airflow onto each glass individually are typically 15 to

20 percent smaller in diameter than the diameter base of the glass and located approximately '/2 of a jet diameter away from the base of the glass. As shown in Figure 3, the airflow impinges upon the base of the glass and separates at the edge of the base as it begins to travel down the sides. As it travels down the sides of the glass, the air re-attaches to the side, which increases convective heat transfer.

[0027] In humid environments, the heat exchanger coil 30 may frost and restrict airflow therethrough. To overcome this, defrosting provisions may be provided. As show in Figures 4 and 5, an inlet vent 90 may be provided through the housing 12 into the outlet plenum 20 (i.e. upstream of the heat exchanger coil 30). An outlet vent 93 may be provided through the housing 12 out of the inlet plenum 18, downstream from the heat exchanger coil 30 but upstream from the inlet passages 24. [0028] The air inlet vent 90 is provided with an inlet flap 96 which is movable by an actuator 92 between a closed configuration blocking the inlet vent 90 as illustrated in Figure 5 and an open configuration admitting ambient air therethrough as illustrated in Figure 4. The inlet vent 90 may also act as a blocking means in the open configuration as shown in Figure 4 to block airflow along the outlet plenum 20. An actuator 92 such as the fluid pressure responsive piston/cylinder illustrated may be provided to move the inlet flap 96 between its closed and open configurations.

[0029] It will be appreciated that apparatus other than the flap 96 may be utilized to block the inlet vent 90. Also blocking means separate and remote from the flap 96 may be utilized to block airflow through the cooling chamber 14 during defrost. For example the inlet plenum 18 may be blocked upstream of the inlet passages 24.

[0030] An outlet flap 95 is provided at the outlet 93. The outlet flap 95 is movable between an exhaust configuration as shown in Figure 4 and a closed configuration as illustrated in Figure 5. In the exhaust configuration air passing through the heat exchanger coil 30 is allowed to exhaust through the outlet vent 93. An actuator 91 such as the fluid pressure responsive piston/cylinder illustrated may be provided to move the outlet flap 95 between its closed and exhausting configurations. As with the inlet flap 96, means other than a flap may be used to block/open the outlet vent 93.

[0031] As illustrated in Figure 4, during defrost ambient air is admitted through the inlet vent 90, drawn through the heat exchanger coil 30 and exhausted through the outlet vent 93. During this time the refrigeration unit 39 may be switched off allowing the heat exchanger coil 30 to warm up and any ice thereon to melt. Circulation through the chilling chamber 14 is blocked by the flap 96 being positioned so as to block the outlet plenum 20. Accordingly defrost air is substantially kept out of the chilling chamber 14 to avoid warming of the chilling chamber 14 during defrost.

[0032] Subsequent to defrost the inlet vent 90 is blocked by the inlet flap 96, the outlet vent 93 is blocked by the outlet flap 95 and the refrigeration unit 39 is restarted. At this stage the ordinary chilling operation described above is resumed.

[0033] To augment defrosting a heater 97 may be provided upstream of the heat exchanger coil 30 (such as illustrated by the inlet vent 90) to heat the ambient air in advance of its entering the heat exchanger coil 30. [0034] Representative performance specifications of a rapid chilling apparatus are shown in Table 1.

[0001] The above invention is described in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. Variations may be apparent to persons skilled in such arrangements without departing from the spiπt and scope of the invention as defined by the claims set out below.

Claims

Claims:

1. A rapid chilling apparatus comprising:

a chilling chamber for receiving items to be chilled;

an inlet plenum fluidly communicating with said chilling chamber through a plurality of inlet passages to provide chilled fluid to said chilling chamber and direct it at said items to be chilled;

an outlet plenum fluidly communicating with said chilling chamber through at least one outlet passage for receiving said chilled air from said chilling chamber once it has passed over said items to be chilled;

said inlet and outlet plenums further fluidly communicating with one another outside of said chilling chamber to define a fluid flow circuit from said inlet plenum, through said chilling chamber, into said outlet plenum and back into said inlet plenum;

a fluid conveying means in said fluid flow circuit for acting upon said fluid to cause it to flow through said circuit;

a heat exchanger in said fluid flow circuit for cooling said fluid as it passes through said circuit to cool said fluid; and,

refrigeration means fluidly communicating with said heat exchanger for removing heat from said heat exchanger.

2. The rapid chilling apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

each of said inlet and outlet passages is positioned to direct a respective jet of said fluid directly at a respective of said items to be chilled.

3. The rapid chilling apparatus of claim 2 wherein:

said inlet passages and said outlet passages are on opposite faces of said chilling chamber to cause said fluid to flow across said chilling chamber.

4. The rapid chilling apparatus of claim 3 wherein: said inlet passages are dimensioned and positioned a distance from said items to cause said fluid to flow over said items.

5. The rapid chilling apparatus of claim 4 wherein:

said inlet passages are approximately 15% to 20% smaller than a portion of said items facing said inlet passages and spaced from said portion by a distance corresponding to approximately half a breadth of said passages.

6. The rapid chilling apparatus of claim 5 wherein said items are glasses and said portion is a base of said glasses.

7. The rapid chilling apparatus of claim 6 wherein:

said fluid is air;

said refrigeration means, said chilling chamber, said inlet plenum, said outlet plenum and said heat exchanger are all housed within a common housing with a portion of said refrigeration means which generates heat being insulated from a remainder of said chilling apparatus.

8. The chilling apparatus of claim 7 wherein said heat exchanger is an heat exchanger coil of said refrigeration apparatus.

9. The chilling apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 8 further comprising defrost means for defrosting said heat exchanger, said defrost means comprising

an ambient air inlet vent for admitting ambient air into said inlet plenum to pass through said cooling coil;

an air outlet vent for exhausting said ambient air after it passes through said cooling coil;

blocking means in said inlet plenum movable between a defrost position for blocking said fluid flow during defrosting to avoid warming said chamber and a cooling position allowing said airflow when said defrosting isn't taking place; said inlet vent being reconfigurable between an open configuration admitting said ambient air into said inlet vent and a closed configuration blocking said ambient air;

said outlet vent being reconfigurable between an exhaust configuration having said exhausting of said ambient air and a non-exhaust configuration blocking airflow therethrough.