U.S. patent application number 12/849653 was filed with the patent office on 2010-12-16 for cooling warehouse and air refrigerant type cooling system.
This patent application is currently assigned to MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.. Invention is credited to Shigemitsu KIKUCHI, Seiichi OKUDA.
Application Number | 20100313596 12/849653 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35786009 |
Filed Date | 2010-12-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100313596 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
KIKUCHI; Shigemitsu ; et
al. |
December 16, 2010 |
COOLING WAREHOUSE AND AIR REFRIGERANT TYPE COOLING SYSTEM
Abstract
The object of the present invention is to cool an inside space
of cooling warehouse uniformly by using a air refrigerant type
cooling apparatus. A piping for taking in air in the cooling
warehouse is installed. The air taken in by the piping (higher
temperature) is mixed by the air sent from the air refrigerant type
cooling apparatus (lower temperature) and blown off to the cooling
warehouse. The temperature of the mixed air is closer to the
temperature inside of the cooling warehouse than the air sent from
the air refrigerant type cooling apparatus so that the inside of
the cooling warehouse is cooled more uniformly. Furthermore, the
amount and speed of the air blown off into the cooling warehouse
are increased so that the inside space of the cooling warehouse is
more uniformly cooled.
Inventors: |
KIKUCHI; Shigemitsu;
(Yokohama-shi, JP) ; OKUDA; Seiichi;
(Yokohama-shi, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
KANESAKA BERNER AND PARTNERS LLP
1700 DIAGONAL RD, SUITE 310
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314-2848
US
|
Assignee: |
MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES,
LTD.
Tokyo
JP
INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY
TRANSFER
Mie
JP
|
Family ID: |
35786009 |
Appl. No.: |
12/849653 |
Filed: |
August 3, 2010 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10524631 |
Mar 29, 2007 |
|
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PCT/JP05/00107 |
Jan 7, 2005 |
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12849653 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
62/402 ;
165/104.34 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F25D 17/06 20130101;
F25B 9/004 20130101; F25D 11/04 20130101; F25D 2317/0665
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
62/402 ;
165/104.34 |
International
Class: |
F25D 9/00 20060101
F25D009/00; F28F 13/12 20060101 F28F013/12 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 30, 2004 |
JP |
224953/2004 |
Claims
1. A cooling warehouse comprising: a first cooled air introducing
pipe introducing a first cooled air cooled by an air refrigerant
type cooling apparatus, a second cooled air introducing pipe taking
in second cooled air in said cooling warehouse; and an air
introducing port introducing a mixed air in which said first cooled
air and said second cooled air are mixed into said cooling
warehouse:, wherein said second cooled air introducing pipe is set
to an outside of said cooling warehouse and one end of said second
cooled air introducing pipe is opened on a wall face of said
cooling warehouse.
2. A cooling warehouse according to claim 1, wherein said air
introducing port is opened on a duct set in said cooling
warehouse.
3. (canceled)
4. A cooling warehouse according to claim 1, wherein said second
cooled air introducing pipe is set inside said cooling
warehouse.
5. An air refrigerant type cooling system comprising: an air
refrigerant type cooling apparatus; and a cooling warehouse,
wherein said air refrigerant type cooling apparatus includes: a
compressor compressing a refrigerant air coming out of said cooling
warehouse, a heat exchanger cooling said refrigerant air coming out
of said compressor; and an expansion turbine expanding said
refrigerant air coming out of said heat exchanger and supplying
said refrigerant air to said cooling warehouse, and said cooling
warehouse includes: a first cooled air introducing pipe introducing
said refrigerant air coming out of said expansion turbine, a second
cooled air introducing pipe disposed within said cooling warehouse
and configured to take in air from said cooling warehouse; and a
connective portion disposed in the cooling warehouse and configured
to mix first cooled air introduced by said first cooled air with
air from said second cooled air introducing pipe.
6. A transporting apparatus comprising: an air refrigerant type
cooling apparatus, a cooling warehouse; and a carriage mounting
said air refrigerant type cooling apparatus and said cooling
warehouse, wherein said air refrigerant type cooling apparatus
includes: a compressor compressing an refrigerant air coming out of
said cooling warehouse, a heat exchanger cooling said refrigerant
air coming out of said compressor; and an expansion turbine
expanding said refrigerant air coming out of said heat exchanger
and supplying said refrigerant air to said cooling warehouse, and
said cooling warehouse includes: a first cooled air introducing
pipe introducing said refrigerant air coming out of said expansion
turbine, a second cooled air introducing pipe disposed entirely
within said cooling warehouse and configured to take in air from
said cooling warehouse; and a connective portion disposed in the
cooling warehouse and configured to mix first cooled air introduced
by said first cooled air with air from said second cooled air
introducing pipe.
7. A cooling warehouse comprising: a first cooled air introducing
pipe introducing a first cooled air cooled by an air refrigerant
type cooling apparatus, a second cooled air introducing pipe taking
in second cooled air in said cooling warehouse, wherein said second
cooled air introducing pipe is set inside said cooling warehouse; a
duct in the cooling warehouse; and a connective portion inside the
cooling warehouse connecting the first cooled air introducing pipe
to the duct in the cooling warehouse at a downstream side of the
connective portion with the second cooled air introducing pipe,
wherein the connective portion is configured to mix said first
cooled air and said second cooled air.
8. The cooling warehouse according to claim 7, further comprising:
a cooled-air feeding fan disposed in the warehouse and configured
to supply the second cooled air to be mixed with the first cooled
air at the connective portion
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a cooling apparatus using
an air refrigerant and a cooling warehouse cooled by the cooling
apparatus.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] A cooling apparatus using air as a refrigerant has been
developed in recent years instead of a conventional cooling
apparatus using chlorofluorocarbon as a refrigerant. This type of
the cooling apparatus using a refrigerant air generally uses a
system for performing cooling by directly blowing the air used as a
refrigerant into a cooling chamber.
[0003] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 8-61821 (1996)
discloses a low-temperature freezer for cooling a cooling space to
a target temperature by a circulation equipment for circulating
low-temperature air in the cooling space between the cooling spaces
in a cooling portion outside of the cooling space, in which the
circulation equipment for circulating the low-temperature air is
systematized by arranging an air compressor, compressed-air cooler,
expander, and cooler in order of air flow in a circulation route,
and constituted by including a main unit for expanding compressed
air and generating low-temperature air, a mixing-injecting nozzle
for mixing low-temperature air which is dried low-temperature air
sufficiently dehumidified with the air in the cooling space and
thereby directly injecting the mixed air into the cooling space,
and an air intake hole for attracting the air from the cooling
space and directly returning the air to the main unit.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
[0004] In the case of the cooling of the cooling warehouse by the
cooling apparatus using the air refrigerant, generally the amount
of the airflow and wind speed are smaller than the case of a system
using chlorofluorocarbon as a refrigerant. Therefore, when the
vessel is large, it is difficult to sufficiently circulate
low-temperature air in the warehouse and uniform the temperature in
the vessel. In the case of a food warehouse, it is requested that
the temperature distribution in the warehouse is controlled within
2.degree. C. above and below a target temperature. Therefore, this
problem is important.
[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide a
technique for further uniforming cooling of the cooling warehouse
using the air refrigerant type cooling apparatus.
[0006] The cooling warehouse of the present invention has a first
cooled-air introducing pipe introducing a first cooled air cooled
by an air refrigerant type cooling apparatus, a second cooled-air
introducing pipe taking in second cooled air in the cooling
warehouse, and an air introducing port introducing the mixed air in
which the first cooled air and second cooled air are mixed into the
cooling warehouse.
[0007] In the case of the cooling warehouse of the present
invention, the air introducing port is opened on a duct set in the
cooling warehouse.
[0008] In the case of the cooling warehouse of the present
invention, a second cooled air introducing pipe is set to the
outside of the cooling warehouse and one end of the second cooled
air introducing pipe is opened on the wall face of the cooling
warehouse.
[0009] In the case of the cooling warehouse of the present
invention, the second cooled-air introducing pipe is set inside the
cooling warehouse.
[0010] The air refrigerant type cooling system of the present
invention has the air refrigerant type cooling apparatus and the
cooling warehouse. The air refrigerant type cooling apparatus has a
compressor compressing the refrigerant air coming out of the
cooling warehouse, a heat exchanger cooling the refrigerant air
coming out of the compressor, and an expansion turbine expanding
the air refrigerant coming out of the heat exchanger and supplying
the refrigerant air to the cooling warehouse. The cooling warehouse
has a first cooled-air introducing pipe introducing the refrigerant
air coming out of the expansion turbine, a second cooled air
introducing pipe taking in cooled air in the cooling warehouse, and
an air introducing port introducing mixed air in which the
refrigerant air introduced by the first cooled-air introducing pipe
and the cooled air are mixed into the cooling warehouse.
[0011] A transporting apparatus of the present invention has the
air refrigerant type cooling apparatus, the cooling warehouse, and
a carriage mounting the air refrigerant type cooling apparatus and
the cooling warehouse. The air refrigerant type cooling apparatus
has the compressor compressing the refrigerant air coming out of
the cooling warehouse, the heat exchanger cooling the refrigerant
air coming out of the compressor, and the expansion turbine
expanding the refrigerant air coming out of the heat exchanger and
supplying the refrigerant air to the cooling warehouse. The cooling
warehouse has the first cooled-air introducing pipe introducing the
refrigerant air coming out of the expansion turbine, the second
cooled-air introducing pipe taking in the cooled air in the cooling
warehouse, and the air introducing port introducing the mixed air
in which the refrigerant air introduced by the first cooled-air
introducing pipe and the cooled air are mixed into the cooling
warehouse.
[0012] The present invention provides a technique for further
uniforming cooling of the cooling warehouse using the air
refrigerant type cooling apparatus.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 shows a configuration of the air refrigerant type
cooling apparatus of a background technique.
[0014] FIG. 2 shows the flow of air in a cooling warehouse.
[0015] FIG. 3 shows the flow of air in the cooling warehouse.
[0016] FIG. 4 shows a configuration of the air refrigerant type
cooling apparatus.
[0017] FIG. 5 shows an air refrigerant type cooling apparatus
mounted on a carriage.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0018] The best mode for carrying out the present invention is
described below by referring to the attached drawings.
[0019] A configuration of an air refrigerant type cooling apparatus
is shown in FIG. 1. The cooling apparatus includes a freezer, a
cooler, and an air-conditioning cooler (the same is applied to the
cooling warehouse). This is because it is possible to apply the air
refrigerant type cooling apparatus to freezing, cooling, and
air-conditioning cooling by changing the temperature and pressure
level of a system. The air refrigerant type cooling apparatus 1 has
a compressor 2 to be driven by a motor 4. The compressor 2 is
connected to a first cooled-air-type heat exchanger 6. It is also
allowed to use a heat exchanger which is not the air cooling type
as the first cooled-air heat exchanger 6. The first cooled-air heat
exchanger 6 is connected to a second cooling heat exchanger 10. The
second cooling heat exchanger 10 is connected to an expansion
turbine 12 to be driven by the motor 4. The expansion turbine 12 is
connected to the cooling warehouse 14. The cooling warehouse 14 is
a warehouse having a door which can be opened and closed to form a
space closed by closing the door inside. The cooling warehouse 14
is connected to the second cooling heat exchanger 10. The second
cooling heat exchanger 10 is connected to the compressor 2.
[0020] In the above air refrigerant type cooling apparatus 1, the
air discharged from the cooling warehouse 14 is introduced into the
compressor 2 through the second cooling heat exchanger 10. The air
is brought into a high-temperature high-pressure state by the
compressor 2. The air discharged from the compressor 2 is
air-cooled due to outside air by the first cooling heat exchanger
6. The outside air is circulated through the first cooling heat
exchange 6 by a fan 8. The air coming out of the first cooling heat
exchanger 6 is further cooled by performing heat exchange with the
air discharged from the cooling warehouse 14 in the second cooling
heat exchanger 10. The air coming out of the second cooling heat
exchanger 10 becomes lower-temperature cooled air by being
adiabatically expanded by the expansion turbine 12. The cooled air
is introduced into the cooling warehouse 14 to cool the cooling
warehouse 14.
[0021] A cooling apparatus using an refrigerant air generally has a
larger temperature difference between a refrigerant (cooled air)
and the inside of a cooling warehouse than the case of a cooling
apparatus using chlorofluorocarbon as a refrigerant. Therefore, the
air-refrigerant cooling apparatus requires smaller quantity and
speed of the cooled air to be supplied to the cooling warehouse
14.
[0022] The flow of air nearby the cooling warehouse is shown in
FIG. 2. The cooled air produced by the air refrigerant type cooling
apparatus 1 is sent up to a portion nearby the cooling warehouse 14
by a cooled-air introducing pipe 26. A hole is formed on the wall
face of the cooling warehouse 14 and an in-warehouse-air taking-in
pipe 22 is connected to the hole. The other end of the
in-warehouse-air taking-in pipe 22 is connected to the cooled-air
introducing pipe 26. A cooled-air feeding fan 24 to be rotated in
the direction for supplying air to the connective portion with the
cooled-air introducing pipe 26 from the hole on the wall face of
the cooling warehouse 14 is set in the in-warehouse-air taking-in
pipe 22.
[0023] The cooled-air introducing pipe 26 is connected to a duct 28
set in the cooling warehouse 14 at the downstream side of the
connective portion with the in-warehouse-air taking-in pipe 22. A
plurality of cooled-air blow-off ports 30 are formed on the duct
28.
[0024] Also, an another supplying mechanism for supplying mixed air
containing air from the cooled-air introducing pipe 26 and the
in-warehouse-air taking-in pipe 22 can be included instead of the
duct 28 or with the duct 28. Such a supplying mechanism is
preferred to distribute air to the wide range of the cooling
warehouse 14. The supplying mechanism is, for example, a guiding
plate guiding air to the number of places of the cooling warehouse
14. Also, a fan distributing air to the wide range of the cooling
warehouse 14 is preferred to be used in addition to the duct 28 or
the supplying mechanism.
[0025] In the case of this cooling warehouse 14, the cooled air
produced by the air refrigerant type cooling apparatus 1 flows to
the cooled-air introducing pipe 26. The temperature of the cooled
air is, for example, -60.degree. C. The air in the warehouse 14 is
taken into the in-warehouse-air taking-in pipe 22 by the cooled-air
feeding fan 24. The temperature of the air is, for example,
-30.degree. C. The air incoming from the cooled-air introducing
pipe 26 and the air incoming from the in-warehouse-air taking-in
pipe 22 are mixed at the downstream side of the connective portion
between the pipes 26 and 22. The temperature of the mixed air 32
is, for example, -40.degree. C. The mixed air 32 is blown off from
the cooled-air blow-off ports 30 of the duct 28 into the cooling
warehouse 14.
[0026] In the case of an air-refrigerant cooling apparatus, the
quantity and speed of the air blown off is small comparing with a
cooling apparatus using a chlorofluorocarbon refrigerant. In the
case of the cooling warehouse of this embodiment, however, the air
in the warehouse is suctioned and added to the cooled air sent from
the air refrigerant type cooling apparatus 1. Therefore, the
quantity and speed of the air are increased. Therefore, the air in
the cooling warehouse 14 is agitated and the temperature
distribution becomes flatter. Moreover, because the difference of
the temperature between the mixed air 32 and the cooling warehouse
14 is smaller than the difference of the temperature between the
cooled air sent from the air refrigerant type cooling apparatus 1
and the cooling warehouse 14, the temperature distribution in the
cooling warehouse 14 becomes flatter.
[0027] Furthermore, in this embodiment, because the cooled air
feeding fan 24 is placed at the outside of the cooling warehouse 14
and thereby, a motor for rotating the cooled-air feeding fan 24 is
set to the outside of the cooling warehouse 14, the heat produced
by the motor is not discharged into the cooling warehouse 14 and
thereby, cooling is efficiently performed.
[0028] FIG. 3 shows the flow of air in the vicinity of a cooling
warehouse of another embodiment of the present invention. The
cooled air produced by the air refrigerant type cooling apparatus 1
is sent up to the inside of the cooling warehouse 14 by a
cooled-air introducing pipe 38. An in-warehouse-air taking-in pipe
34 is set in the cooling warehouse 14. One end of the pipe 34 is
opened at the inside of the cooling warehouse 14. The other end of
the in-warehouse-air taking-in pipe 34 is connected to the
cooled-air introducing pipe 38 in the cooling warehouse 14. A
cooled-air feeding fan 36 to be rotated in the direction for
supplying air to the connective portion with the cooled-air
introducing pipe 38 from one end opened in the cooling warehouse 14
is set in the in-warehouse-air taking-in pipe 34.
[0029] The cooled-air introducing pipe 38 is connected to the duct
28 set in the cooling warehouse 14 at the downstream side of the
connective portion with the in-warehouse-air taking-in pipe 34. A
plurality of cooled-air blow-off ports 30 are formed on the duct
28.
[0030] In the case of the cooling warehouse 14, cooled air produced
by the air refrigerant type cooling apparatus 1 flows to the
cooled-air introducing pipe 38. The temperature of the cooled air
is, for example, -60.degree. C. The air in the cooling warehouse 14
is taken into the in-warehouse-air taking-in pipe 34 by the
cooled-air feeding fan 36. The temperature of the air is, for
example, -30.degree. C. The air incoming from the cooled-air
introducing pipe 38 and the air incoming from the in-warehouse-air
taking-in pipe 34 are mixed at the downstream side of the
connective portion between the cooled-air introducing pipe 38 and
the in-warehouse-air taking-in pipe 34. The temperature of the
mixed air 40 is, for example, -40.degree. C. The mixed air 40 blows
off into the cooling warehouse 14 from the cooled-air blow-off
ports 30 of the duct 28.
[0031] This embodiment also has a large quantity and speed of air
similarly to the case of the embodiment described by referring to
FIG. 2. For this embodiment, advantages are expected that agitation
of the air in the cooling warehouse 14 is accelerated and the
temperature distribution become more uniform. Moreover, because the
temperature of the mixed air 40 is closer to the temperature in the
cooling warehouse 14 than the temperature of the cooled air sent
from the air refrigerant type cooling apparatus 1, there is an
advantage that the temperature distribution in the cooling
warehouse 14 becomes flatter.
[0032] Moreover, in the case of this embodiment, it is unnecessary
to perform the construction of opening a hole for setting the
in-warehouse-air taking-in pipe 22 to the wall face of the cooling
warehouse 14, setting the in-warehouse-air taking-in pipe 22 to the
outside of the wall face of the warehouse 14, and setting the
cooled-air feeding fan 24 as shown in FIG. 2. The in-warehouse-air
taking-in pipe 34 and the cooled-air feeding fan 36 are set in the
cooling warehouse 14. Therefore, when remodeling and forming an
existing warehouse into a cooling warehouse of this embodiment,
construction is easily completed.
[0033] In the case of this embodiment, an object to be cooled by
the air refrigerant type cooling apparatus 1 is a cooling warehouse
to be closed by closing the door. Moreover, it is possible to apply
the present invention to a semi-closing-type cooling warehouse in
which frozen food is prepared when food passes through a space
cooled by the air refrigerant type cooling apparatus 1 by a belt
conveyer. Furthermore, the present invention can be applied to a
medical product reactor for cooling medicinal products in their
manufacturing process.
[0034] The another embodiment of the air refrigerant type cooling
apparatus of the present invention is shown in FIG. 4. The same
number is put on the component similar to FIG. 1, and those
explanations are omitted.
[0035] The defrosting machine 42 is intermediately connected
between the expansion turbine 12 and the cooling warehouse 14. The
outlet of the defrosting machine 42 is connected to the inlet of
the cooling warehouse 14 through a piping 43. The piping 44
connected to the outlet of the cooling warehouse 14 diverges to a
piping 46 and a piping 48 through a three way valve. The piping 46
is connected to the inlet of the defrosting machine 42. The piping
48 is connected to the lower temperature side piping of the second
cooling heat exchanger.
[0036] When this type of the air refrigerant type cooling apparatus
is driven, low temperature cooled air is exhausted from the
expansion turbine 12. After moisture is removed, the cooled air is
introduced to the inside in the cooling warehouse 14. The air
inside in the cooling warehouse 14 is extracted by the piping 44.
The air flowing in the piping 44 diverges to the piping 46 and the
piping 48. The temperature of the air flowing in the piping 46 is
equal to or a little higher than the temperature of the air inside
in the cooling warehouse 14. The air flowing in the piping 46 is
introduced to the defrosting machine 42, mixed with air exhausted
from the expansion turbine 12, and flows in the cooling warehouse
14.
[0037] This embodiment also has a large quantity and speed of air
similarly to the case of the embodiment described by referring to
FIG. 2 and FIG. 3. For this embodiment, advantages are expected
that agitation of the air in the cooling warehouse 14 is
accelerated and the temperature distribution become flatter.
Moreover, because the temperature of the mixed air 40 flowing in
the piping 43 is closer to the temperature in the cooling warehouse
14 than the temperature of the cooled air supplied by the expansion
turbine 12, there is an advantage that the temperature distribution
in the cooling warehouse 14 becomes flatter. The air flowing in the
piping 46 is introduced to the cooling warehouse 14 after defrosted
by the defrosting machine 42, the frost inside in the cooling
warehouse 14 decreases.
[0038] FIG. 5 shows an air refrigerant type cooling system applying
the air refrigerant type cooling apparatus 1 to a container. The
air refrigerant type cooling system includes a vehicle 51 (freight
car of railroad or ship are included) and a container 50 mounted on
the vehicle 51. The container 50 loads the air refrigerant type
cooling apparatus 1 and the cooling warehouse 14. The vehicle 51
loads a battery 52. The motor 4 and the fan 8 of the air
refrigerant type cooling apparatus 1 and the cooled-air feeding fan
24 or 36 of the cooling warehouse 14 are fed by the battery 52 and
driven. The freight in the container is cooled and transported by
the air refrigerant type cooling system.
* * * * *