U.S. patent application number 13/315129 was filed with the patent office on 2012-10-25 for cooling apparatus.
This patent application is currently assigned to WINIX INC.. Invention is credited to Hee-Jong Yoon.
Application Number | 20120267073 13/315129 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 47020392 |
Filed Date | 2012-10-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120267073 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Yoon; Hee-Jong |
October 25, 2012 |
COOLING APPARATUS
Abstract
The cooling apparatus includes: a liquid storage tank receiving
and storing a liquid; a. cooling pipe taking heat from the liquid
stored in the liquid storage tank to cool the liquid; a
refrigerating cycle supplying a low pressure refrigerant gas to the
cooling pipe; and a fluid flow guiding unit installed within the
liquid storage tank, preventing a liquid introduced into the liquid
storage tank from being mixed with a liquid which has been
previously introduced to be cooled in the liquid storage tank, and
guiding the water such that the water sequentially flows to an
outlet of the liquid storage tank. The fluid flow guiding unit
includes a supporter placed along an internal central portion of
the liquid storage tank; and a spiral plate installed along an
outer circumferential surface of the supporter to guide the liquid
introduced into the liquid storage tank to sequentially flow toward
the outlet.
Inventors: |
Yoon; Hee-Jong; (Siheung-si,
KR) |
Assignee: |
WINIX INC.
Siheung-si
KR
|
Family ID: |
47020392 |
Appl. No.: |
13/315129 |
Filed: |
December 8, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
165/104.19 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F28D 7/026 20130101;
B67D 2210/0001 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
165/104.19 |
International
Class: |
F28D 15/00 20060101
F28D015/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 21, 2011 |
KR |
10-2011-0037490 |
Claims
1. A cooling apparatus comprising: a liquid storage tank having an
internal space for storing a liquid; an inlet pipe line supplying a
liquid to the interior of the liquid storage tank, and an outlet
pipe line for discharging water supplied to the liquid storage
tank; a cooling unit taking heat from the liquid stored in the
liquid storage tank to cool the liquid; and a fluid flow guiding
unit installed within the liquid storage tank, preventing a liquid
introduced into the liquid storage tank from being mixed with a
liquid which has been previously introduced to be cooled in the
liquid storage tank on the whole, and guiding the water such that
the water sequentially flows to an outlet of the liquid storage
tank.
2. The cooling apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fluid flow guiding
unit includes a supporter placed along an internal central portion
of the liquid storage tank; and a spiral plate installed along an
outer circumferential surface of the supporter to guide the liquid
introduced into the liquid storage tank to sequentially flow toward
the outlet.
3. The cooling apparatus of claim 2, wherein a pipe line is
insertedly positioned within the supporter in order to supply a
liquid to the interior of the liquid storage tank or discharge the
liquid from the liquid storage tank.
4. The cooling apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cooling unit is a
refrigerating cycle having a cooling pipe wound in a form of coil
in the liquid storage tank.
5. The cooling apparatus of claim 1, wherein the liquid introduced
into the liquid storage tank is any one of water, a beverage, and
alcohols.
6. The cooling apparatus of claim 1, wherein an end portion of the
inlet pipe line is positioned at a lower end within the liquid
storage tank, and an end portion of the outlet pipe line is
positioned at an upper end of the liquid storage tank.
7. The cooling apparatus of claim 1, wherein the end portion of the
inlet pipe line is positioned at the upper end within the liquid
storage tank, and the end portion of the outlet pipe line is
positioned at the lower end of the liquid storage tank.
8. The cooling apparatus of claim 7, wherein the end portions of
the inlet pipe line and the outlet pipe line are bent toward an
inner face of the liquid storage tank.
9. The cooling apparatus of claim 1, wherein a filter unit is
provided in the inlet pipe line.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority to and the benefit of
Korean Patent Application No. 10-2011-0037490 filed in the Korean
Intellectual Property Office on Apr. 21, 2011, the entire contents
of which are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] (a) Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a cooling apparatus and,
more particularly, to a rapid cooling system in which a cooled
liquid stored in a liquid storage tank and a liquid introduced to
the liquid storage tank are guided to sequentially flow to an exit,
without being mixed, to thus maximize cooling efficiency.
[0004] (b) Description of the Related Art
[0005] In general, a water purifier that purifies water upon
receiving tap water, or a chiller/heater that supplies spring water
sold in a particular container such that it can be used is
configured to cool or heat water to a certain temperature so as to
be used.
[0006] Also, in business establishments, when a certain amount of
beverages or alcohols such as draft beer is taken to a cup or a
glass and sold, the beverages or alcohols are sold after being
cooled to have a certain temperature.
[0007] In this manner, in order to cool a liquid such as water,
beverages, alcohols, or the like, to have a certain temperature, a
liquid storage tank and a cooling apparatus re provided.
[0008] The liquid storage tank includes a inlet formed to allow a
liquid to be input therethrough and a discharge hole allowing a
liquid stored in the liquid storage tank to be discharged to the
outside, and a liquid stored in the liquid storage tank is cooled
to have a certain temperature through the cooling apparatus.
[0009] A cock is installed at the discharge hole to discharge the
liquid stored in the liquid storage tank so as to be used, and when
a certain amount of the liquid stored in the liquid storage tank is
consumed, a new liquid may be supplied to the inlet.
[0010] However, the related art cooling system has the following
problem. That is, when a liquid is introduced into the liquid
storage tank through the inlet, the introduced liquid is mixed with
the cooled liquid stored in the liquid storage tank, increasing the
temperature of the liquid, so a user may use a liquid which is not
cooled.
[0011] Also, when the introduced liquid is mixed with the stored
liquid in the liquid storage tank, cooling efficiency is
degraded.
[0012] The above information disclosed in this Background section
is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the
invention and therefore it may contain information that does not
form the prior art that is already known in this country to a
person of ordinary skill in the art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0013] The present invention has been made in an effort to provide
a rapid cooling system having advantages of guiding a new liquid,
which is supplied to a liquid storage tank, to be sequentially
discharged without being mixed with a cooled liquid storage in a
liquid storage tank.
[0014] Also, the present invention provides a rapid cooling system
having the advantages of maximizing cooling efficiency of a liquid
stored in a liquid storage tank.
[0015] An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a
rapid cooling system including:
[0016] a liquid storage tank receiving and storing a liquid; a
cooling pipe taking heat from the liquid stored in the liquid
storage tank to cool the liquid; a refrigerating cycle supplying a
low pressure refrigerant gas to the cooling pipe;
[0017] and a fluid flow guiding unit installed within the liquid
storage tank, preventing a liquid introduced into the liquid
storage tank from being mixed with a liquid which has been
previously introduced to be cooled in the liquid storage tank, and
guiding the water such that the water sequentially flows to an
outlet of the liquid storage tank.
[0018] The fluid flow guiding unit includes a supporter placed
along an internal central portion of the liquid storage tank; and a
spiral plate installed along an outer circumferential surface of
the supporter to guide the liquid introduced into the liquid
storage tank to sequentially flow toward the outlet.
[0019] According to an embodiment of the present invention, in the
rapid cooling system, a liquid introduced to the liquid storage
tank is not mixed with a liquid which has been previously
introduced to be cooled in the liquid storage tank, and
sequentially stored, maintaining excellent cooling efficiency.
[0020] Also, the liquid introduced into the liquid storage tank is
guided to be sequentially flow toward the outlet and cooled,
whereby a user can constantly use the completely cooled liquid.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] FIG. 1 is a view showing the structure of a major part of a
rapid cooling system according to an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0022] FIGS. 2 and 3 are views showing the rapid cooling system in
which a supply pipeline and a discharge pipe like are disposed
differently according to an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0023] FIG. 4 is a view showing a refrigerating cycle provided to
the rapid cooling system according to an embodiment of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0024] An exemplary embodiment of the present invention will
hereinafter be described in detail with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
[0025] FIG. 1 is a view showing the structure of a major part of a
rapid cooling system according to an embodiment of the present
invention. FIGS. 2 and 3 are views showing the rapid cooling system
in which a supply pipeline and a discharge pipe like are disposed
differently according to an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0026] A rapid cooling system according to an embodiment of the
present invention includes a filter unit 10 filtering a foreign
material in a liquid supplied from various liquid supply devices
(not shown), a liquid storage tank 20 receiving the liquid which
has passed through the filter unit 10 and storing the same, a
cooling pipe 30 heat-exchanging with the liquid stored in the
liquid storage tank 20 to cool the liquid within the liquid storage
tank 20, and a refrigerating cycle supplying a low pressure
refrigerant gas to the cooling pipe 30.
[0027] As shown in FIG. 4, as the refrigerating cycle used as a
cooling unit, a general refrigerating cycle circulating a
refrigerant through a compressor 32, a condenser 34, an expansion
valve 36, and an evaporator may be used, and in the present
embodiment, the cooling pipe 30 is an evaporator.
[0028] Of course, any other types of cycles may also be used as the
refrigerating cycle, and in the present embodiment, any
refrigerating cycle may be used so long as an evaporator thereof is
configured as a thin pipe.
[0029] In the above, the liquid introduced to the liquid storage
tank 20 is described as water such as purified water, mineral
water, or the like, but the present invention is not limited
thereto and the liquid may be a beverage or alcohols.
[0030] A inlet pipe line L1 through which a liquid is supplied and
a outlet pipe line L2 through which a liquid stored in the liquid
storage tank 20 is discharged to the outside are connected to the
liquid storage tank 20. A cock C is installed at one side of the
outlet pipe line L2 to control discharging of a liquid.
[0031] An end portion 22 of the inlet pipe line L1 and an end
portion 24 of the outlet pipe line L2 are positioned within the
liquid storage tank 20. The end portions 22 and 24 are disposed in
the mutually opposite directions within the liquid storage tank 20
to lengthen the distance along which the liquid supplied into the
liquid storage tank 20 moves toward the outlet pipe line L2.
[0032] Namely, as can be understood from FIG. 1, the end portion 22
of the inlet pipe line L1 is positioned at a lower end portion
within the liquid storage tank 20, and the end portion 24 of the
outlet pipe line L2 is positioned at an upper end portion within
the liquid storage tank 20, whereby the distance along which the
liquid coming from the end portion 22 reaches the end portion 24 is
lengthened.
[0033] As shown in FIG. 2, even when the end portion 22 of the
inlet pipe line L1 is positioned at an inner upper end portion of
the liquid storage tank 20 and the end portion 24 of the outlet
pipe line L2 is positioned at an inner lower end portion of the
liquid storage tank 20, the movement distance of the liquid as
shown in FIG. 1 can be lengthened.
[0034] The inlet pipe line L1 and the outlet pipe line L2
illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 have a structure of entering from the
upper portion of the liquid storage tank 20, but as shown in FIG.
3, even when the inlet pipe line L1 is entered from the lower
portion of the liquid storage tank 20 and the end portion 22 is
positioned at the inner lower end portion of the liquid storage
tank 20, the same effect as those of FIGS. 1 and 2 can be
obtained.
[0035] In the structure illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, since the end
portion 22 of the inlet pipe line L1 is positioned at the inner
lower end portion of the liquid storage tank 20 and the end portion
24 of the outlet pipe line L2 is positioned at the inner upper end
portion of the liquid storage tank 20, a liquid has an upward flow;
the liquid flows from the inner lower end portion of the liquid
storage tank 20 to the upper end portion of the liquid storage tank
20.
[0036] Meanwhile, in the structure illustrated in FIG. 2, since the
end portion 22 of the inlet pipe line L1 is positioned at the inner
upper end portion of the liquid storage tank 20 and the end portion
24 of the outlet pipe line L2 is positioned at the inner lower end
portion of the liquid storage tank 20, the flow of the liquid is a
downward flow; the liquid flows from an upper side to a lower side
within the liquid storage tank 20.
[0037] The cooling pipe 30 used as a heat exchange unit of the
refrigerating cycle is wound in a spiral form on an outer face of
the liquid storage tank 20, thus further increasing the effect of
heat exchanging with the liquids of the liquid storage tank 20.
[0038] In general, as the refrigerating cycle illustrated in FIG.
4, a refrigerating closing cycle, which includes a compressor 32
compressing a refrigerant into a high temperature high pressure
gas, a condenser 34 receiving the gaseous refrigerant compressed in
the compressor 32 and condensing it into a liquefied refrigerant,
an expansion valve 36 lowering the pressure of the refrigerant so
that the condensed refrigerant can be easily evaporated, and an
evaporator receiving the refrigerant from the expansion valve 36
and absorbing ambient heat, may be used.
[0039] In an embodiment of the present invention, a fluid flow
guiding unit is additionally provided to prevent a liquid
introduced into the liquid storage tank 20 through the inlet pipe
line L1 from being mixed with the liquid which has been introduced
into the liquid storage tank 20 and cooled, and guide the liquid to
sequentially flow toward the outlet 24 of the outlet pipe line L2
connected to the liquid storage tank 20.
[0040] The fluid flow guiding unit includes a supporter 40 placed
along an internal central portion of the liquid storage tank 20,
and a spiral plate 42 formed along an outer circumferential surface
of the supporter 40 to guide the liquid introduced into the liquid
storage tank 20 to sequentially flow toward the outlet 24.
[0041] The supporter 40 is positioned in a lengthwise direction
within the liquid storage tank 20, and in a state in which a lower
end portion of the supporter 40 is spaced apart from the bottom of
the liquid storage tank 20, an upper end portion thereof is fixed
to the liquid storage tank 20.
[0042] The interior of the supporter 40 is formed as a space to
allow the inlet pipe line L1 or the outlet pipe line L2 to be
inserted thereinto.
[0043] Preferably, the outlet pipe line L2 is formed such that a
portion, of the outlet pipe line L2, extending to the outside of
the liquid storage tank 20 has a minimum length.
[0044] The respective end portions 22 and 24 of the inlet pipe line
L1 and the outlet pipe line L2 according to the present embodiment
may have a shape of being bent toward the inner face of the liquid
storage tank 20.
[0045] In the drawing, reference letter L3 denotes a drain pipe,
and 50 is an ice layer formed as the liquid within the liquid
storage tank 20 is frozen according to a cooling operation through
the cooling pipe 30.
[0046] In the foregoing rapid cooling system according to an
embodiment of the present invention, when a liquid such as water, a
beverage, alcohols, or the like, is supplied through the inlet pipe
line L1, the liquid is discharged from the inlet 22 so as to be
introduced into the liquid storage tank 20.
[0047] At the same time, as the refrigerating cycle operates, the
refrigerant is compressed by the compressor 32 to have a high
temperature and high pressure, cooled by the condenser 34 so as to
be changed into a low temperature liquid refrigerant, and then,
supplied to the cooling pipe 30 by way of the expansion valve
36.
[0048] Then, the refrigerant, passing through the cooling pipe 30
wound in a spiral form, takes heat from the liquid stored in the
liquid storage tank 20, performing heat exchanging, to cool the
liquid of the liquid storage tank 20.
[0049] This process may be repeated performed to cool the liquid
stored in the liquid storage tank 20 to have a certain temperature,
and in this case, as the cooling operation is continuously
performed, the liquid in the liquid storage tank 20 is frozen to
form the ice layer 50 having a certain thickness on an inner wall
of the liquid storage tank 20.
[0050] The refrigerant evaporated through heat exchanging is
returned to the compressor 32 through the end portion of the
cooling pipe 30, repeating the foregoing process.
[0051] The cooled liquid stored in the liquid storage tank 20 may
be discharged by using the cock C installed at an end portion of
the outlet pipe line L2 so as to be used, and here, when a certain
amount of the cooled liquid is used, a liquid by the used amount
may be supplied to the liquid storage tank 20 through the inlet
pipe line L1. Here, in order to charge a liquid, the user may
manually open the valve to charge a liquid, or various types of
automatic charging units may be used.
[0052] In the case of the apparatus according to the embedment of
FIG. 1, the room temperature liquid introduced into the liquid
storage tank 20 is supplied to the inner lower end portion of the
liquid storage tank 20.
[0053] Thus, the liquid within the liquid storage tank 20 is
charged by the liquid supplied to the lower end portion of the
liquid storage tank 20, and here, the supplied liquid is not
immediately mixed with the cooled liquid within the liquid storage
tank 20 due to the spiral plate 42 in terms of the liquid flow.
[0054] Namely, the room temperature liquid supplied through the end
portion 22 of the inlet pipe line L1 is mixed with the liquid
previously supplied to be positioned at the lower end portion in
the liquid storage tank 20, but the mixed liquid moves, forming a
spiral movement path along the spiral plate 42, rather than
immediately moving upward.
[0055] In this manner, the liquid having the spiral flow along the
spiral plate 42 within the liquid storage tank 20 is brought into
contact with the ice layer 50 formed on the inner face of the
liquid storage tank 20, moving upward.
[0056] When the liquid moves from the lower end portion to reach
the upper end portion within the liquid storage tank 20 according
to the upward flow, the temperature of the moved liquid is rapidly
lowered.
[0057] And, as shown in FIG. 2, when the end portion 22 of the
inlet pipe line L1 is at the inner upper end portion within the
liquid storage tank 20, the liquid coming from the end portion 22
is mixed with the liquid present at the upper end portion within
the liquid storage tank 20, and in this case, the cock C is opened
to discharge water within the liquid storage tank 20. Then, since
water present at the lower end portion within the liquid storage
tank 20 starts to be discharged, the liquid supplied from the end
portion 22 flows downward, forming a downward flow.
[0058] In this manner, the liquid having the downward flow forms a
spiral flow along the spiral plate 42 within the liquid storage
tank 20, and also in this case, the liquid having the downward flow
comes into contact with the ice layer 50 formed on the inner face
of the liquid storage tank 20, so the liquid moving from the upper
end portion to reach the lower end portion within the liquid
storage tank 20 is cooled and discharged through the end portion 24
of the outlet pipe line L2
[0059] Thus, the liquid discharged through the end portion 24 of
the outlet pipe line L2 is a completely cooled liquid, and in
particular, the liquid, which is not cooled and starts to be
introduced into the liquid storage tank 20, is guided to
sequentially move so as to be discharged by the fluid flow guiding
unit, rather than being immediately mixed with the cooled liquid
present in the liquid storage tank 20, thus maximizing the cooling
efficiency of the liquid.
[0060] As described above, in the liquid cooling apparatus
according to an embodiment of the present invention, since the
liquid which has been previously supplied and cooled and the newly
supplied liquid are not immediately mixed on the whole, the cooling
efficiency of the already cooled liquid is not degraded. In
addition, in the process of discharging the supplied liquid, since
the liquid has a spiral flow while coming into contact with the ice
layer within the liquid storage tank and has an upward or downward
flow, although new water is supplied, water discharged through the
outlet pipe line is cooled water all the time, and thus, user's
satisfaction can be further enhanced.
[0061] While this invention has been described in connection with
what is presently considered to be practical exemplary embodiments,
it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the
disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover
various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within
the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
TABLE-US-00001 <Description of symbols> 10: filter unit 20:
liquid storage tank 22: inlet 24: outlet 30: cooling pipe 2:
compressor 34: condenser 36: expansion valve 40: supporter 42:
spiral plate 50: ice layer L1: inlet pipe line L2: outlet pipe line
L3: drain pipe
* * * * *