U.S. patent application number 16/029935 was filed with the patent office on 2018-11-01 for cold storage arrangement and related methods.
The applicant listed for this patent is SolerCool Ltd.. Invention is credited to Mohsen Rezayat.
Application Number | 20180313595 16/029935 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 63916517 |
Filed Date | 2018-11-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20180313595 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Rezayat; Mohsen |
November 1, 2018 |
COLD STORAGE ARRANGEMENT AND RELATED METHODS
Abstract
A cold storage arrangement and related methods include an
insulated end wall, a rear end wall, and a pair of lateral walls
defining a chamber therein. An insulated partitioning wall extends
through the chamber to partition the chamber into an insulated
compartment and a utility room. First and second refrigeration
cabinets configured to receive respective first and second
refrigeration units are positioned within the utility room. A first
inlet vent and a first outlet vent are configured to fluidly
connect the first refrigeration cabinet to the atmospheric air for
receiving atmospheric air into the first refrigeration cabinet and
discharging a first exhaust air from the first refrigeration
cabinet. A second inlet vent and a second outlet vent are
configured to fluidly connect the second refrigeration cabinet to
the atmospheric air for receiving atmospheric air into the second
refrigeration cabinet and discharging a second exhaust air from the
second refrigeration cabinet.
Inventors: |
Rezayat; Mohsen;
(Cincinnati, OH) |
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Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
SolerCool Ltd. |
Cincinnati |
OH |
US |
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|
Family ID: |
63916517 |
Appl. No.: |
16/029935 |
Filed: |
July 9, 2018 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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14439331 |
Apr 29, 2015 |
10072882 |
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PCT/US2013/067291 |
Oct 29, 2013 |
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16029935 |
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62531075 |
Jul 11, 2017 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F25D 13/04 20130101;
F25D 17/005 20130101; F25D 19/04 20130101; F25D 23/12 20130101;
F25B 27/005 20130101; F25D 13/02 20130101; F25D 23/003 20130101;
F25D 17/06 20130101 |
International
Class: |
F25D 13/04 20060101
F25D013/04; F25D 17/00 20060101 F25D017/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 29, 2012 |
IN |
3121/MUM/2012 |
Claims
1. A cold storage arrangement, comprising: an insulated end wall
positioned opposite from a rear end wall and a pair of lateral
walls extending therebetween, wherein the insulated end wall, the
rear end wall, and the pair of lateral walls at least partially
define a chamber therein; an insulated partitioning wall extending
through the chamber partitioning the chamber into an insulated
compartment toward the insulated end wall and a utility room toward
the rear end wall, wherein the insulated partitioning wall extends
vertically within the chamber such that the insulated compartment
is horizontally opposed from the utility room; an insulated door
positioned on the insulated end wall and configured to selectively
access the insulated compartment therethrough; a rear end door
positioned on the rear end wall and configured to selectively
access the utility room therethrough; a first refrigeration cabinet
positioned within the utility room and configured to receive a
first refrigeration unit for cooling the insulated compartment; a
first inlet vent and a first outlet vent configured to fluidly
connect the first refrigeration cabinet to the atmospheric air for
receiving atmospheric air into the first refrigeration cabinet and
discharging a first exhaust air from the first refrigeration
cabinet; a second refrigeration cabinet with the utility room and
configured to receive a second refrigeration unit for cooling the
insulated compartment; and a second inlet vent and a second outlet
vent configured to fluidly connect the second refrigeration cabinet
to the atmospheric air for receiving atmospheric air into the
second refrigeration cabinet and discharging a second exhaust air
from the second refrigeration cabinet.
2. The cold storage arrangement of claim 1, wherein each of the
first and second refrigeration cabinets are configured to fluidly
seal from a remainder of the utility room.
3. The cold storage arrangement of claim 1, wherein the first inlet
vent and the second inlet vent extend through the rear end wall in
fluid communication with the first refrigeration cabinet and the
second refrigeration cabinet.
4. The cold storage arrangement of claim 3, wherein the first
outlet vent extends through one of the pair of lateral walls in
fluid communication with the first refrigeration cabinet, and
wherein the second outlet vent extends through the other of the
pair of lateral walls in fluid communication with the second
refrigeration cabinet.
5. The cold storage arrangement of claim 1, wherein the first
refrigeration cabinet is at least partially defined by the rear end
wall and one of the lateral side walls, and wherein the second
refrigeration cabinet is at least partially defined by the rear end
wall and the other of the lateral side walls.
6. The cold storage arrangement of claim 5, wherein the first
refrigeration cabinet is further defined by a first interior
sidewall positioned within the utility room, and wherein the second
refrigeration cabinet is further defined by a second interior
sidewall positioned within the utility room.
7. The cold storage arrangement of claim 6, wherein the first and
second interior sidewalls are removably connected within the
utility room for access within the first and second refrigeration
cabinets.
8. The cold storage arrangement of claim 5, wherein the first and
second refrigeration cabinets are each further defined by a shelf
wall configured to support the first and second refrigeration units
thereon.
9. The cold storage arrangement of claim 1, further comprising a
powering system at least partially positioned within the utility
room and configured to generate an electrical power for powering
the first and second refrigeration units.
10. The cold storage arrangement of claim 9, further comprising a
roof covering the chamber, and wherein the powering system further
includes a plurality of solar panels secured to the roof.
11. The cold storage arrangement of claim 1, further comprising a
collection system at least partially positioned within the utility
room and configured to collect a liquid condensate from the first
and second refrigeration units.
12. The cold storage arrangement of claim 11, further comprising a
treatment system configured to treat the collected liquid
condensate.
13. The cold storage arrangement of claim 1, further comprising a
portable computer unit mounted on the insulated partitioning wall,
wherein the insulated partitioning wall is configured to
conductively cool the portable computer unit from a cooled air
within the insulated compartment.
14. The cold storage arrangement of claim 13, wherein the rear end
door has a window aligned with the portable computer unit to
visualize the portable computer unit through the window.
15. The cold storage arrangement of claim 1, further comprising a
first refrigeration unit and a second refrigeration unit positioned
respectively in the first and second refrigeration cabinets.
16. A cold storage arrangement, comprising: an insulated end wall
positioned opposite from a rear end wall and a pair of lateral
walls extending therebetween, wherein the insulated end wall, the
rear end wall, and the pair of lateral walls at least partially
define a chamber therein; a roof covering the chamber; an insulated
partitioning wall extending through the chamber partitioning the
chamber into an insulated compartment toward the insulated end wall
and a utility room toward the rear end wall, wherein the insulated
partitioning wall extends vertically within the chamber such that
the insulated compartment is horizontally opposed from the utility
room; an insulated door positioned on the insulated end wall and
configured to selectively access the insulated compartment
therethrough; a rear end door positioned on the rear end wall and
configured to selectively access the utility room therethrough; a
first refrigeration cabinet positioned within the utility room and
configured to receive a first refrigeration unit for cooling the
insulated compartment; a first inlet vent and a first outlet vent
configured to fluidly connect the first refrigeration cabinet to
the atmospheric air for receiving atmospheric air into the first
refrigeration cabinet and discharging a first exhaust air from the
first refrigeration cabinet; a second refrigeration cabinet with
the utility room and configured to receive a second refrigeration
unit for cooling the insulated compartment; and a second inlet vent
and a second outlet vent configured to fluidly connect the second
refrigeration cabinet to the atmospheric air for receiving
atmospheric air into the second refrigeration cabinet and
discharging a second exhaust air from the second refrigeration
cabinet; and a powering system at least partially positioned within
the utility room and configured to generate an electrical power for
powering the first and second refrigeration units, wherein the
powering system further includes a plurality of solar panels
secured to the roof, wherein each of the first and second
refrigeration cabinets are configured to fluidly seal from a
remainder of the utility room, wherein the first inlet vent and the
second inlet vent extend through the rear end wall in fluid
communication with the first refrigeration cabinet and the second
refrigeration cabinet, wherein the first outlet vent extends
through one of the pair of lateral walls in fluid communication
with the first refrigeration cabinet, and wherein the second outlet
vent extends through the other of the pair of lateral walls in
fluid communication with the second refrigeration cabinet.
17. The cold storage arrangement of claim 16, wherein the first
refrigeration cabinet is at least partially defined by the rear end
wall and one of the lateral side walls, and wherein the second
refrigeration cabinet is at least partially defined by the rear end
wall and the other of the lateral side walls.
18. The cold storage arrangement of claim 17, wherein the first
refrigeration cabinet is further defined by a first interior
sidewall positioned within the utility room, and wherein the second
refrigeration cabinet is further defined by a second interior
sidewall positioned within the utility room.
19. The cold storage arrangement of claim 18, wherein the first and
second interior sidewalls are removably connected within the
utility room for access within the first and second refrigeration
cabinets.
20. A method of cooling products in a cold storage arrangement,
wherein the cold storage arrangement includes an insulated end wall
positioned opposite from a rear end wall and a pair of lateral
walls extending therebetween, wherein the insulated end wall, the
rear end wall, and the pair of lateral walls at least partially
define a chamber therein; an insulated partitioning wall extending
through the chamber partitioning the chamber into an insulated
compartment toward the insulated end wall and a utility room toward
the rear end wall, wherein the insulated partitioning wall extends
vertically within the chamber such that the insulated compartment
is horizontally opposed from the utility room; an insulated door
positioned on the insulated end wall and configured to selectively
access the insulated compartment therethrough; a rear end door
positioned on the rear end wall and configured to selectively
access the utility room therethrough; a first refrigeration cabinet
positioned within the utility room and configured to receive a
first refrigeration unit for cooling the insulated compartment; a
first inlet vent and a first outlet vent configured to fluidly
connect the first refrigeration cabinet to the atmospheric air for
receiving atmospheric air into the first refrigeration cabinet and
discharging a first exhaust air from the first refrigeration
cabinet; a second refrigeration cabinet with the utility room and
configured to receive a second refrigeration unit for cooling the
insulated compartment; and a second inlet vent and a second outlet
vent configured to fluidly connect the second refrigeration cabinet
to the atmospheric air for receiving atmospheric air into the
second refrigeration cabinet and discharging a second exhaust air
from the second refrigeration cabinet, the method comprising:
withdrawing a first inlet air through the first inlet vent and into
the first refrigeration cabinet in a first direction; withdrawing a
second inlet air into the second inlet vent and into the second
refrigeration cabinet in the first direction; discharging the first
exhaust air through the first outlet vent from the first
refrigeration cabinet in a second direction transverse to the first
direction; discharging the second exhaust air through the second
exhaust vent from the second refrigeration cabinet in a third
direction transverse to the first direction; and discharging a
cooled air into the insulated compartment to thereby cool the
products contained therein.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority to Provisional Patent
Application Ser. No. 62/531,075 filed on Jul. 11, 2017 entitled
"Cold Storage Arrangement and Related Methods," and is a
continuation-in-part of Non-provisional patent application Ser. No.
14/439,331 filed on Apr. 29, 2015 entitled "Solar Powered Thermally
Conditioned Space," which is a U.S. National Phase of International
Application No. PCT/US2013/067291 filed on Oct. 29, 2013 entitled
"Solar Powered Thermally Conditioned Space," which claims priority
to Indian Patent Application No. 3121/MUM/2012 filed on Oct. 29,
2012, the disclosures of which are hereby expressly incorporated by
reference herein, in their entireties.
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to the field of
thermally conditioned space and more particularly to the use of
solar power to provide cooled space.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Often it is desirable to maintain items at a desired
temperature or within a desired temperature range. When the ambient
temperatures are different than the desired temperature or
temperature range, whether the ambient temperature is variably or
constantly different, such items are typically placed in a
thermally conditioned space. Depending upon the difference between
the desired temperature or temperature range and the ambient
temperature, the thermally conditioned space may either have heat
removed or added to it.
[0004] The need for such cool or cold space may arise in areas
within which there is not a reliable source of electrical power to
run the equipment or components necessary or required to cool the
space. For example, there are many areas in the world which do not
have any access to the power grid. There are others which have
access, but the power grid is too expensive and/or unreliable with
power being unavailable during periods of time.
[0005] While many different items may beneficially be kept within
cool or cold spaces, one use of thermally conditioned spaces is to
maintain perishable commodities, such as, milk, meat, eggs,
vegetables, fruits, ornamental flowers and other floricultural
products, which tend to perish when stored in natural environmental
condition. When the prevailing natural environmental condition has
high temperature, it is favorable for growth of micro-organisms.
Hence, perishable commodities are required to be stored at a low
temperature in order to retard the growth of micro-organisms and
thus increasing their shelf life. This is because low temperature
retards the activity and growth of micro-organisms and thus enables
preserving perishable commodities in their natural state for a
certain period of time. The degree to which the temperature is
required to be lowered is dependent on storage time and the type of
commodity to be stored.
[0006] In order to cater to the problem of storing perishable
commodities, a storage space maintained at a low temperature is
used for storing the perishable commodities. Conventionally, a
storage room is formed within a thermally insulated housing having
a cold air discharge port and a warm air return port provided at
the base of the thermally insulated housing. The thermally
insulated housing communicates with a machine room located under
the thermally insulated housing through the cold air discharge port
and the warm air return port. A cooling unit, having a cooler, a
blower and a compressor is mounted in the machine room and helps in
maintaining the temperature of the storage space at a desired low
temperature. However, conventional arrangement of the storage room
involves increased maintenance due to leakage of cold air between
the thermally insulated housing and the machine room through
openings provided for the cold air discharge port and the warm air
return port. Further, the conventional storage room involves
complicated mounting operations. The conventional storage room
involves extensive usage of electrical energy and hence in areas
where there is shortage of electrical energy, the working of the
conventional storage room is required to be stalled until the
supply of electrical energy is restored or is not a viable option.
This results in commodities stored within the conventional storage
room to perish or the cold storage facility to be unavailable or
unsuitable for storing the perishable commodities. Also, the
conventional spaces may not be located in the desired locations,
such as a location of production for agricultural goods.
[0007] There is thus a need for a cool or cold thermally
conditioned space which overcomes the drawbacks and deficiencies of
conventional spaces.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS
[0008] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and
constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of
the invention, and, together with the general description of the
invention given above, and the detailed description of the
embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the
present cold storage arrangement
[0009] FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of a first exemplary cold
storage arrangement in accordance with the present disclosure;
[0010] FIG. 2 illustrates a front view of the cold storage
arrangement of FIG. 1;
[0011] FIG. 3A illustrates a rear view of the cold storage
arrangement of FIG. 1;
[0012] FIG. 3B illustrates a front view of a product discharge door
defined on an insulated door of the cold storage arrangement of
FIG. 1;
[0013] FIG. 4 illustrates a sectional side view of the cold storage
arrangement of FIG. 1 with an insulated compartment and a
non-insulated compartment;
[0014] FIG. 5 illustrates an internal cold-air venting assembly of
the cold storage arrangement of FIG. 1;
[0015] FIG. 6 illustrates various components located within the
non-insulated compartment of FIG. 4;
[0016] FIG. 7 illustrates a powering system of the cold storage
arrangement of FIG. 1;
[0017] FIG. 8 illustrates a perspective view of a second exemplary
cold storage arrangement in accordance with the present
disclosure;
[0018] FIG. 9 illustrates a rear view of the cold storage
arrangement of FIG. 8;
[0019] FIG. 10 illustrates a sectional view of the cold storage
arrangement of FIG. 8 having various features hidden for
clarity;
[0020] FIG. 11 illustrates a treatment system of the cold storage
arrangement of FIG. 8 having a liquid pump and a sterilizer;
[0021] FIG. 12 illustrates a top view of the liquid pump of FIG.
11; and
[0022] FIG. 13 illustrates a side elevational view of the
sterilizer of FIG. 11.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0023] The following description of certain examples of the
invention should not be used to limit the scope of the present
invention. Other examples, features, aspects, embodiments, and
advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled
in the art from the following description, which is by way of
illustration, one of the best modes contemplated for carrying out
the invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of
other different and obvious aspects, all without departing from the
invention. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions should be
regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive.
[0024] I. First Exemplary Cold Storage Arrangement
[0025] With respect to FIGS. 1-7, a first exemplary cold storage
arrangement (10) includes a chamber (12), a refrigeration unit (28)
(see FIG. 4) and a powering system (32) (see FIG. 7). The chamber
(12) has an insulated compartment (14) and a non-insulated
compartment (16), as shown in FIG. 4, insulatingly separated from
each other by an insulating partition wall (13). The insulated
walls, ceiling and floor of the chamber (12) may have any suitable
R value selected based on achieving the desired design cooling load
for the insulated compartment (14) based on ambient environment
design criteria. The insulated compartment (14) is located on the
operative front side of the chamber (12), as illustrated in FIG. 4,
while the non-insulated compartment (16) is located on the rear
side of the chamber (12). The chamber (12) is provided with a roof
(18) which may form the ceiling for the chamber (12). The roof (18)
enables supporting a plurality of solar panels (20) arranged in at
least one array. In one embodiment, the plurality of solar panels
(20) is arranged on a frame so as to define an adjustable
inclination angle (.theta.) with the roof (18) at the end of the
non-insulated chamber (16). The solar panels (20) are oriented
relative to north and south to maximize the incident solar
radiation. The cold storage arrangement (10) may be arranged in any
orientation relative to the solar panels (20). For example, the
cold storage arrangement (10) may be oriented to minimize the
amount of solar energy impinging the walls of the insulated
compartment (14) and, overall, impinging any surfaces the cold
storage arrangement (10) other than the solar panels (20), so as to
minimize the cooling load. In the northern hemisphere, the
non-insulated chamber (16) may be oriented to face southward. The
inclination angle (.theta.) is approximately equal to the latitude
angle of the location wherein the cold storage arrangement (10) is
mounted, such as a latitude angle of approximately +15 degrees in
winter months and approximately -15 degrees in summer months. The
solar panels (20) utilize solar energy for charging a plurality of
batteries in a battery bank (34) of the powering system (32) during
daylight hours. The batteries are sufficiently charged during the
daylight hours so as to operate the cold storage arrangement (10)
during night hours. A battery back-up system is provided to run the
refrigeration unit (28) over an extended period of time to cater to
unavailability of adequate sunlight. Additionally, alternate
provision is provided to operate the refrigeration unit (28) on
generator power or electrical energy form the mains supply
line.
[0026] The insulated compartment (14) provides a storage space for
storing of perishable commodities at a predetermined temperature,
typically lower than ambient. The perishable commodities are
accommodated within the insulated compartment (14) using stacking
bins or shelves depending on the necessity of the perishable
commodities. The insulated compartment (14) is provided with an
insulated door (22), illustrated in FIG. 2, for accessing the
insulated compartment (14) and allows easy movement of commodities
into and out of the chamber (12). Additionally, a product discharge
door (23), illustrated in FIG. 3B, may be installed with the
insulated door (22) in order to allow movement of the commodities
into and out of the insulated compartment (14). This helps in
preserving the cold air within the insulated compartment (14) as
the insulated door (22) is not required to be kept open for a
longer period of time. Further, the insulated compartment (14) may
be provided with an LED lighting arrangement which may be run by
the powering system (32), illustrated in FIG. 7.
[0027] Non-insulated compartment (16) may be provided, and may
house components such as the powering system (32), the
refrigeration unit (28) and the air filtration unit (30). In the
depicted embodiment, the refrigeration unit (28) houses a
condenser, a compressor and an evaporator, enclosed within a
high-density polyethylene shell which provides protection thereto.
The structural and functional configuration of the refrigeration
unit (28) may be as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,809,789, the
disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein. In the
embodiment depicted, the refrigeration unit (28) is a cabinet
partitioned into a cold cell and a warm cell by an insulated wall.
The evaporator coil and the evaporator fan are situated within the
cold cell and surrounded by the insulated wall while the
compressor, the condenser and the evaporator fan motor are situated
within the warm cell which is located outside the insulated wall.
The refrigeration unit (28) being a compact self-contained cabinet
enables easy installation, replacement and servicing.
[0028] The non-insulated compartment (16) provides security and
protection against the environment, such as the weather, to the
powering system (32), the refrigeration unit (28) and the air
filtration unit (30). The solar panels (20) are located on the roof
(18) of the chamber (12). The battery bank (34) is positioned
within the non-insulated compartment (16) so as to be in close
proximity to the solar panels. The proximity of the solar panels
(20) to the battery bank (34) minimizes the losses involved in the
length of the electrical wiring involved and hence reduces the
losses involved in transmitting electrical power from the solar
panels (20). The non-insulated compartment (16) is provided with an
entry door (26) to allow secure and easy access to the
non-insulated compartment (16), thus, facilitating maintenance of
the powering system (32), the refrigeration unit (28) and the air
filtration unit (30).
[0029] The non-insulated compartment (16) includes a pair of spaced
apart vents (11) for fluidly communicating atmospheric air into and
out of the non-insulated compartment (16). The pair of opposing
vents (11) may be positioned on opposite walls of the non-insulated
compartment (16) to enable cross flow of the atmospheric air. The
air filtration unit (30) is positioned in the path of the
atmospheric air coming in through one of the vents (11) to enable
filtering of the incoming atmospheric air of dust and debris before
being admitted into the condenser of the refrigeration unit (28).
Partitions may be included to separate the air inlet side of the
condensing coils from the air outlet side so that only filtered air
is drawn into the inlet. This helps in eliminating a potential
build-up of dust and debris on the condenser and thus maintains the
heat transfer efficiency of the refrigeration unit (28) for an
increased time period and prevents the compressor from being
damaged due to overheating.
[0030] The refrigeration unit (28), powered by the powering system
(32), receives filtered atmospheric air from the air filtration
unit (30) to transfer heat from the condenser and thereby cooling
the refrigerant within the refrigeration unit (28). In a
refrigeration cycle, the refrigerant is expanded downstream of the
condenser, dropping the temperature of the refrigerant so that the
refrigerant can absorb heat from the air flowing across the
evaporator coils as the refrigerant flows therethrough. The air
within the insulated compartment (14) is continuously cooled by
being circulated, by a fan, across the evaporator coils of the
refrigeration unit (28), hence forming refrigerated dehumidified
air. If necessary, any moisture which condenses out of the air on
the evaporator coils or other components of the refrigeration unit
(28) may be directed to flow to any suitable location.
[0031] The refrigerated dehumidified air is recirculated through
the refrigeration unit (28) so as to maintain the temperature
within the insulated compartment (14) at a desired level. The
refrigerated dehumidified air flowing from the evaporator coils of
the refrigeration unit (28) is guided to the insulated compartment
(14) via a duct (15), illustrated in FIG. 5, thermally conditioning
insulated compartment (14) which preserves perishable commodities
stored therein. The duct (15) may be of any suitable configuration.
In the embodiment depicted, duct (15) includes a cold air discharge
portion (15a) and a warm air return portion (15b). The cold air
discharge portion (15a) receives the refrigerated dehumidified air
from the refrigeration unit (28) downstream of the evaporator
coils, and directs the refrigerated dehumidified air upward along
the wall and along the ceiling (18), to be dispersed into the
insulated compartment (14) from the exit (15b). The refrigerated
dehumidified air flows by convection within the insulated
compartment (14), thereby maintaining the insulated compartment
(14) and any contents at the desired temperature or temperature
range. The convective flow path of the refrigerated dehumidified
air may flow from the exit (15a) along the ceiling (18), down along
the walls, and back to an entrance of the warm air return of the
refrigeration unit (28) to be recirculated and cooled across the
evaporator coils. The cycle of recirculation is continued until the
temperature within the insulated compartment (14) is reduced to the
desired level. A temperature controller (24) communicates with the
refrigeration unit (28). The temperature controller (24) enables
setting the temperature to be maintained within the insulated
compartment (14) at the desired level. Further, the temperature
controller enables operating the refrigeration unit (28) in a cycle
so as to maintain the insulated compartment (14) at the desired
level.
[0032] The structural and functional configuration of the
refrigeration unit (28) enables separation of heated portions and
cold portions of the refrigeration unit (28) which capacitates the
refrigeration unit (28) to deliver refrigerated cold air into the
insulated compartment (14) with increased efficiency. The cold cell
of the refrigeration unit (28) may be positioned within an opening
provided on the insulating partition wall (13), and may extend
partially into the insulated compartment (14), while the warm cell
of the refrigeration unit (28) may be positioned within the
non-insulated compartment (16). The separation of heated portions
and cold portions of the refrigeration unit (28) results in
reduction of energy consumption by 25% in comparison to traditional
refrigeration systems, thus maximizing the use of the solar
electric power generated by the solar panels (20). Further, the
high-density polyethylene shell and the components of the
refrigeration unit (28) housed therein are substantially
recyclable, making the refrigeration unit (28) ecofriendly and
affordable.
[0033] Non-insulated compartment (16) may be provided, and may
house components such as the powering system (32), the
refrigeration unit (28) and the air filtration unit (30). In the
depicted embodiment, the refrigeration unit (28) houses a condenser
(33a), a compressor (33b) and an evaporator (33c), enclosed within
a high-density polyethylene shell which provides protection
thereto. The structural and functional configuration of the
refrigeration unit (28) may be as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.
5,809,789, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by
reference. In the embodiment depicted, the refrigeration unit (28)
is a cabinet (35a) partitioned into a cold cell (35b) and a warm
cell (35c) by an insulated wall (35d). The evaporator coil (35e)
and the evaporator fan (35f) are situated within the cold cell
(35b) and surrounded by the insulated wall (35d) while the
compressor (33b), the condenser (33a) and the evaporator fan motor
(35g) are situated within the warm cell (35c) which is located
outside the insulated wall (35d). The refrigeration unit (28) being
a compact self-contained cabinet enables easy installation,
replacement and servicing.
[0034] The battery bank (34) supplies the required power for
operation of the refrigeration unit (28) through an inverter (38).
The output of inverter (38) may be of any surge, continuous power,
output voltage and waveform suitable for the refrigeration unit
(28). One such inverter suitable for the embodiment depicted is a
Samlex America model SAM-2000-12 with 10.5 v to 15 v input, 115 VAC
pure sine wave output, 2000 watts continuous and 4000 watts surge.
Or a Samlex America PST-200S-12A may be used. Inverter (38) is a
pure wave form inverter, also known as a true sine wave, and has
low idle current drain of less than 1 amp, providing peak
efficiency of 85%.
[0035] The non-insulated compartment (16) includes a pair of spaced
apart vents (11) for fluidly communicating atmospheric air into and
out of the non-insulated compartment (16). The pair of opposing
vents (11) may be positioned on opposite walls of the non-insulated
compartment (16) to enable cross flow of the atmospheric air. The
air filtration unit (30) is positioned in the path of the
atmospheric air coming in through one of the vents (11) to enable
filtering the incoming atmospheric air of dust and debris before
being admitted into the condenser (33a) of the refrigeration unit
(28). Partitions may be included to separate the air inlet side of
the condensing coils (35e) from the air outlet side so that only
filtered air is drawn into the inlet. This helps in eliminating a
potential build-up of dust and debris on the condenser (33a) and
thus maintains the heat transfer efficiency of the refrigeration
unit (28) for an increased time period and prevents the compressor
(33b) from being damaged due to overheating.
[0036] The refrigeration unit (28), powered by the powering system
(32), receives filtered atmospheric air from the air filtration
unit (30) to transfer heat from the condenser (33a) and thereby
cooling the refrigerant within the refrigeration unit (28). As is
known with a refrigeration cycle, the refrigerant is expanded
downstream of the condenser (33a), dropping the temperature of the
refrigerant so that the refrigerant can absorb heat from the air
flowing across the evaporator coils (35e) as the refrigerant flows
therethrough. The air within the insulated compartment (14) is
continuously cooled by being circulated, by a fan, across the
evaporator coils (35e) of the refrigeration unit (28), hence
forming refrigerated dehumidified air. If necessary, any moisture
which condenses out of the air on the evaporator coils (35e) or
other components of the refrigeration unit (28) may be directed to
flow to any suitable location.
[0037] The refrigerated dehumidified air is recirculated through
the refrigeration unit (28) so as to maintain the temperature
within the insulated compartment (14) at a desired level. The
refrigerated dehumidified air flowing from the evaporator coils
(35e) of the refrigeration unit (28) is guided to the insulated
compartment (14) via a duct (15), illustrated in FIG. 5, thermally
conditioning insulated compartment (14) which preserves perishable
commodities stored therein. The duct (15) may be of any suitable
configuration. In the embodiment depicted, duct (15) includes a
cold air discharge portion (15a) and a warm air return portion
(15b). The cold air discharge portion (15a) receives the
refrigerated dehumidified air from the refrigeration unit (28)
downstream of the evaporator coils, and directs the refrigerated
dehumidified air upward along the wall and along the ceiling (18),
to be dispersed into the insulated compartment (14) from the exit
(15a). The refrigerated dehumidified air flows by convection within
the insulated compartment (14), thereby maintaining the insulated
compartment (14) and any contents at the desired temperature or
temperature range. The convective flow path of the refrigerated
dehumidified air may flow from the exit (15a) along the ceiling
(18), down along the walls, and back to an entrance of the warm air
return of the refrigeration unit (28) to be recirculated and cooled
across the evaporator coils (35e). The cycle of recirculation is
continued until the temperature within the insulated compartment
(14) is reduced to the desired level. A temperature controller (24)
communicates with the refrigeration unit (28). The temperature
controller (24) enables setting the temperature to be maintained
within the insulated compartment (14) at the desired level.
Further, the temperature controller enables operating the
refrigeration unit (28) in a cycle so as to maintain the insulated
compartment (14) at the desired level.
[0038] The structural and functional configuration of the
refrigeration unit (28) enables separation of heated portions and
cold portions of the refrigeration unit (28) which capacitates the
refrigeration unit (28) to deliver refrigerated cold air into the
insulated compartment (14) with increased efficiency. The cold cell
(35b) of the refrigeration unit (28) may be positioned within an
opening provided on the insulating partition wall (13), and may
extend partially into the insulated compartment (14), while the
warm cell (35c) of the refrigeration unit (28) may be positioned
within the non-insulated compartment (16). The separation of heated
portions and cold portions of the refrigeration unit (28) results
in reduction of energy consumption by 25% in comparison to
traditional refrigeration systems, thus maximizing the use of the
solar electric power generated by the solar panels (20). Further,
the high-density polyethylene shell and the components of the
refrigeration unit (28) housed therein are substantially
recyclable, making the refrigeration unit (28) ecofriendly and
affordable.
[0039] II. Second Exemplary Cold Storage Arrangement
[0040] FIGS. 8-13 illustrate a second exemplary cold storage
arrangement (110) that includes chamber (12), roof (18) with solar
panels (20) thereon similar to those discussed above as well as a
powering system (150), a collection system (152), a treatment
system (154), and a cooling system (156) with a pair of
refrigeration units (28). Cold storage arrangement (110) is
generally similar to cold storage arrangement (10) (see FIG. 1)
except for various differences discussed below. To this end, like
numbers indicate like features described above in greater
detail.
[0041] With respect to FIGS. 8 and 9, chamber (12) (see FIG. 1) is
surrounded by opposing lateral walls (157) and opposing end walls
(158) with roof (18) thereabove. Powering system (150) includes
solar panels (20) discussed above for providing electrical power to
systems (152, 154, 156) (see FIG. 10), in whole or in part, as
discussed herein. In addition, powering system (150) includes an
exterior electrical access (159) having an AC power outlet (160)
and a DC power outlet (162) mounted on rear end wall (158) and
operatively connected to battery bank (34) (see FIG. 10). AC power
outlet (160) may also include a powered USB port (161). Each AC and
DC power outlet (160, 162) further includes a movable cover (163)
for protecting AC and DC power outlets (160, 162) from the
environment and/or inadvertent contact by a user.
[0042] An electrical breaker (not shown), such as a fuse or breaker
switch, is electrically connected to AC and DC power outlets (160,
162) and configured to inhibit electrical draw from the AC and DC
power outlet (160, 162) greater than a predetermined maximum limit
to preserve sufficient power for cooling system (156). Electrical
breaker (not shown) is positioned within a utility room (164) (see
FIG. 10), which is similar to non-insulated compartment (16) (see
FIG. 4). Admission to utility room (164) (see FIG. 10) is
restricted by a lockable entry door (126) configured to provide
selective access from the environment into utility room (164) (see
FIG. 10). Thus, the user that inadvertently or intentionally
overloads electrical breaker (not shown) may be required to contact
a manager of cold storage arrangement (110) to selectively open
entry door (126) with a key or code to reset electrical breaker
(not shown) for further use of AC and/or DC power outlets (160,
162). Entry door (126) further includes a viewing window (166)
horizontally and vertically aligned with a solar power conditioning
unit (PCU) (168) for viewing information related to one or more
systems (150, 152, 154, 156) from outside of utility room (164)
(see FIG. 10). Again, such visual access provides the user with
additional information that may be provided to the manager as
desired without granting every potential user with physical access
to utility room (164) (see FIG. 10). The particular position of PCU
(168) in the present example will be discussed below in greater
detail. In the present example, PCU is an integrated system
consisting of a solar charge controller, an inverter, a
grid/generator charger, an output selector mechanism, and control
algorithms for operation. PCU is configured to charge the battery
bank through either a solar or grid/generator set. The PCU also
continuously monitors and reports the state of battery voltage,
solar power output, and the load, and can automatically switch
between primary solar and secondary grid/generator power
sources.
[0043] Cooling system (156) includes a pair of inlet vents (170)
mounted through rear end wall (158) and a pair of outlet vents
(172) mounted through lateral walls (157) for respective
refrigeration units (28) shown with respect to FIGS. 9 and 10 in
greater detail. Relatively cooler, ambient air is drawn into
refrigeration units (28) through inlet vents (170) during use, as
indicated by reference numeral (174), while relatively warmer
exhaust air is discharged from refrigeration units (28) through
outlet vents (172), as indicated by reference numeral (176).
Ambient air thus flows forward into inlet vents (170), whereas
exhaust air flows transversely outward from outlet vents (170)
relative to the ambient air flow.
[0044] FIG. 10 illustrates the arrangement of the pair of
refrigeration units (28) within utility room (64) in greater
detail. Each refrigeration unit (28) is contained within a
refrigeration cabinet (178) defined in the present example by
lateral wall (157), partition wall (13), an interior sidewall
(180), a shelf wall (182), and end wall (158), which is hidden in
FIG. 10 for greater clarity of refrigeration units (28). Shelf wall
(182) in the present example laterally extends along utility room
(164) and is common to both refrigeration cabinets (178). Interior
sidewall (180) is removable from the remainder of refrigeration
cabinet (178) in order to access an inner cabinet space (186) that
contains a refrigerated air duct (188), air filtration unit (30),
and refrigeration unit (28).
[0045] Within each inner cabinet space (186), inlet and outlet
vents (170, 172) as well as air filtration unit (30) are positioned
for direct fluid communication with refrigeration unit (28) while
inhibiting air leakage into the remainder of inner cabinet space
(186). Thereby, each refrigeration unit (28) pulls ambient air from
the environment through inlet vent (170) rather than from inner
cabinet space (186) and similarly discharges exhaust air directly
back into the environment through outlet vent (176) rather than
into inner cabinet space (186). An intermediate wall (190) is shown
in the present example to extend between refrigeration unit (28)
and lateral wall (157) to further fluidly seal in exhaust air
(176). Such direct venting of ambient and exhaust air improves the
efficiency and increases the useful of refrigeration units (28). In
the present example, each refrigeration cabinet (178) is fluidly
sealed from a remainder of utility room (164) to further increase
efficiency and the useful life of refrigeration units (28),
particularly given that some cooling occurs within inner cabinet
space (186) through partition wall (13) for cooling refrigeration
unit (28) during use.
[0046] Each refrigerated air duct (188) fluidly connects
refrigeration unit (28) to duct (15) (see FIG. 4) within insulated
compartment (14) (see FIG. 4). The present example of cold storage
arrangement (110) thus includes two such respective ducts (15).
Given the modularity of refrigeration units (28), cold storage
arrangement (110) is configured to operate with one or two such
refrigeration unit (28). One refrigeration unit (28) provides
similar cooling capacity and requires similar power consumption to
cold storage arrangement (10) (see FIG. 1) discussed above in
greater detail. Two refrigeration units (28) operated
simultaneously provide relatively greater cooling capacity, but
also require additional power consumption. Powering system (150) is
configured to provide a maximum power output of approximately 3 kW
for powering refrigeration units (28), which simultaneously operate
at less than 3 kW. Thus, additional power capacity remains for
other systems (152, 154) discussed herein. However, in the present
example, each refrigeration unit (28) and its supporting powering
system requires greater than approximately 1.5 kW on startup, and,
thus, startup of the pair of refrigeration units (28) is staggered
so as not to exceed the maximum power output of 3 kW. More
particularly, powering system (150) includes a relay timer switch
(192) operatively connected between refrigeration units (28) that
is configured to stagger startup of refrigeration units (28) in
succession so as to inhibit exceeding the maximum power output of
powering system (150).
[0047] In the event that only one refrigeration unit (28) is
provided within utility room (164), each refrigeration cabinet
(178) remains fluidly sealed from the remainder of utility room
(164). In addition, a plug (not shown) is positioned within
refrigeration air duct (188) that is not connected to refrigeration
unit (28) to inhibit leakage for cooled, refrigerated air from
within insulated compartment (14) (see FIG. 4) into inner cabinet
space (186) and to the environment through one or both of vents
(170, 172).
[0048] As discussed briefly above, PCU (168) is aligned with
viewing window (166). More particularly, PCU (168) positioned
inward and between refrigeration cabinets (178) and on partition
wall (13). Partition wall (13) thereby cools PCU (168) during use
as cooling within insulated compartment (14) (see FIG. 4) passes
through partition wall (13). Alternatively, PCU (168) and viewing
window (166) may be cooperatively repositioned for alternative
viewing and operation.
[0049] A lower compartment (194) within utility room (164) includes
battery bank (34) of powering system (150) as well as collection
and treatment systems (152, 154) shown in FIGS. 10-11. Additional
batteries (not shown) may be added to battery bank (34) to increase
capacity for the pair of refrigeration units (28) and systems (152,
154). Collection system (152) has a storage tank (210) fluidly
connected to one or both refrigeration units (28) to receive and
store water condensate generated by refrigeration units (28) during
use. In the present example, the conduits (not shown) direct water
condensate into storage tank (210), which is configured to store a
predetermined amount of liquid, such as 5 gallons. More
particularly, storage tank (210) is positioned below refrigeration
units (28) to thereby gravity feed water condensate into storage
tank (210) via conduits (not shown). In any case, the water
condensate collects within storage tank (210) as a source of liquid
water. Any excess liquid water greater than the storage tank
capacity (210) may simply be drained to the environment.
[0050] Collection system (152) further includes a spigot valve
(212) mounted on lateral wall (157) and a liquid conduit (214) in
fluid communication between spigot valve (212) and storage tank
(210). Spigot valve (212) selectively opens to drain liquid water
from storage tank (210) for any desirable use by the user. By way
of example, the liquid water collected in storage tank (210) may be
used for washing products to be refrigerated and/or maintenance of
cold storage arrangement (110), such as for cleaning solar panels
(20) of dust and other debris that may otherwise reduce the
effectiveness of solar panels (20). A liquid pump (216) may also be
fluidly connected to liquid conduit (214) between spigot valve
(212) and storage tank (210) to deliver liquid water at increased
pressure relative pressure for use. Liquid pump (216) shown with
respect to FIG. 10 and FIG. 12 is operatively connected to powering
system (150) via a DC voltage regulator (217) for pumping liquid
water on approximately 24 volts and approximately 3.5 amps and
further includes a PC board (218). More particularly, liquid pump
(216) of the present example is a brushless, three phase, 24-volt
DC water pump operatively driven on approximately 3.5 amps with a
static water head up to 12 meters and static flow rate up to 35
liters per minute. Liquid pump (216) in another example may be
further configured to deliver liquid water directly to solar panels
(20) via a conduit (not shown) for cleaning solar panels (20) with
greater automation.
[0051] In addition to providing liquid water that is untreated from
collection system (152), treatment system (154) is also fluidly
connected to collection system (152) and thereby configured to
provide treated water for use. With respect to FIGS. 11-13, liquid
pump (214) is fluidly connected to a sterilizer (220) configured to
treat liquid water by effectively terminating and/or removing
contaminants, such as harmful bacteria and/or viruses, from the
liquid water pumped from storage tank (210) via liquid pump (216).
In addition, an upstream sensor (222) and a downstream sensor (224)
are positioned respectively upstream and downstream of sterilizer
(220) for sensing the presence of contaminants before and after
treatment with sterilizer (220). Sensors (222, 224) are configured
to provide data to the user, such as via a computer application on
a smartphone or other computer device, regarding the safety of such
treated water for drinking and/or medicinal uses. Following
treatment, the treated liquid water may be simply accessed by
another spigot (226) mounted to another lateral wall (157) as shown
in FIG. 10.
[0052] FIG. 13 illustrates one exemplary sterilizer (220), such as
an ultraviolet (UV) sterilizer (220). UV sterilizer (220) includes
a compact fluorescent UV lamp (228) with a wavelength of
approximately 253.7 nanometers and a pair of spiral fins (230)
configured to disrupt the flow of liquid water for treatment. In
one example, UV sterilizer (220) has a flowrate up to 253 gallons
per hour, whereas the collection and treatment systems (152, 154)
have a cooperative limit of approximately 24 gallons per hour in
the present example. In addition, UV sterilizer (220) is
operatively powered by approximately 9 watts from powering system
(150).
[0053] It should be understood that any one or more of the
teachings, expressions, embodiments, examples, etc. described
herein may be combined with any one or more of the other teachings,
expressions, embodiments, examples, etc. that are described herein.
The above-described teachings, expressions, embodiments, examples,
etc. should therefore not be viewed in isolation relative to each
other. Various suitable ways in which the teachings herein may be
combined will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the
art in view of the teachings herein. Such modifications and
variations are intended to be included within the scope of the
claims.
[0054] It should be appreciated that any patent, publication, or
other disclosure material, in whole or in part, that is said to be
incorporated by reference herein is incorporated herein only to the
extent that the incorporated material does not conflict with
existing definitions, statements, or other disclosure material set
forth in this disclosure. As such, and to the extent necessary, the
disclosure as explicitly set forth herein supersedes any
conflicting material incorporated herein by reference. Any
material, or portion thereof, that is said to be incorporated by
reference herein, but which conflicts with existing definitions,
statements, or other disclosure material set forth herein will only
be incorporated to the extent that no conflict arises between that
incorporated material and the existing disclosure material.
* * * * *