Patent Application
20150297000
The present application and the resultant patent relate generally to modular refrigeration systems and more particularly relate to a refrigerated display case with temperature controlled shelves using a phase change material for a substantially uniform temperature distribution thereacross.
The modern supermarket may have any number of refrigerated display cases to store and display different types of frozen and refrigerated products. Many different types of refrigerated display cases may be used, including multi-deck coolers, reach-in coolers, and the like. Refrigerated display cases generally are modular in nature such that a number of individual units may be combined to create a display case of any suitable size or length.
Generally described, the products in a refrigerated display case are refrigerated based on (1) an airflow distribution from the rear wall of the case towards the front and (2) an air curtain extending down the front to limit infiltration therein. Such a configuration, however, may not provide for a substantially homogenous temperature distribution from the back to the front of the product shelves. Rather, the air is warming as the airflow cools the products in the back and flows towards the front. Specifically, the temperature of the airflow may have risen by the time the airflow reaches the products in the front of the case. A substantially uniform temperature distribution, however, may be desired by customers and may be required for certain types of products. Similarly, such a configuration may not allow for different temperature regions within a single case.
There is thus a desire for an improved refrigerated display case. Such a refrigerated display case may provide a substantially uniform temperature distribution across each shelf and/or allow for shelves of different temperature regions within a single case. The refrigerated display case may provide such a substantially uniform temperature distribution and/or different temperature regions without decreasing overall efficiency or increasing costs.
The present application and the resultant patent thus provide a refrigerated display case. The refrigerated display case may include a refrigeration component, an air plenum in communication with the refrigeration component, a shelf in communication with the air plenum, a phase change material tank positioned about the shelf, and a phase change material positioned within the phase change material tank such that a substantially uniform temperature is maintain across the shelf
The present application and the resultant patent further may provide a refrigerated display case. The refrigerated display case may include a refrigeration component, an air plenum in communication with the refrigeration component, a number of shelves in communication with the air plenum, a number of phase change material tanks positioned about the shelves, and a number of phase change materials positioned within the phase change material tanks such the shelves may include a number of different temperature zones.
The present application and the resultant patent further may provide a refrigerated display case. The refrigerated display case may include a number of shelves, a number of phase change material tanks positioned about the shelves, and a number of encapsulated phase change materials positioned within the phase change material tanks such the shelves may include a number of different temperature zones.
These and other features and improvements of the present application and the resultant patent will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art upon review of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the several drawings and the appended claims.
Referring now to the drawings, in which like numerals refer to like elements throughout the several views,
In the case of the reach-in cooler 15, the refrigerated display case 10 also may include a number of door panels 30. The door panels 30 may have any suitable size, shape, or configuration. The door panels 30 may be transparent in whole or in part. In the case of the multi-deck cooler 30, the refrigerated display case 10 may be largely open to the consumer given the use of the air curtain as described above.
As is shown in
An aft wall 50 may be positioned adjacent to the tub assembly 35. The aft wall 50 may include an inside back panel 55, an outer foam panel 60, and an air plenum 65 therebetween. The aft wall 50, and the components thereof, may have any suitable size, shape, or configuration. The air plenum 65 may be in communication with the refrigeration unit 40. The inside back panel 55 may have a number of back panel apertures 70 therein. The back panel apertures 70 may be in communication with the air plenum 65 such that a flow of refrigerated air 75 from the refrigeration unit 40 may flow through the air plenums 65 and into the refrigerated space 25. A number of shelves 80 may be positioned adjacent to the inside back panel 55 and supported thereon. Any number of the shelves 75 may be used herein in any suitable size, shape, or configuration. A ceiling panel 85 may be mounted on the aft wall 50. A portion of the air plenum 65 may continue into the ceiling panel 85 so as to direct a flow of air as an air curtain 90 downward along the front of the refrigerated display case 10. The refrigerated display case 10, and the components thereof, are described herein for the purposes of example only. Many other and different refrigerated display case designs and configurations may be used.
The refrigerated display case 100 also includes a number of shelves 150 positioned on the aft wall 120 within a refrigerated space 155. Any number of the shelves 150 may be used in any suitable size, shape, or configuration. Any number or type of products may be positioned on the shelves 150. A flow of refrigerated air 160 thus extends from the refrigeration components 115 through the air plenum 130, and along the shelves 150 to chill the products thereon. An air curtain flow 170 also may extend downwardly from the ceiling panel 140 downward so as to limit infiltration into the refrigerated space 155. Other components and other configurations may be used herein.
One or more of the shelves 150 of the refrigerated display case 100 may include a phase change material tank 180 positioned thereabout. The phase change material tanks 180 may be positioned on top of, underneath, within, or otherwise adjacent to or about each of the shelves 150. The phase change material tank 180 may have any suitable size, shape, or configuration. The phase change material tank 180 may extend along all or part of each shelf 150. Each shelf 150 also may have multiple phase change material tanks 180. Phase change material tanks 180 of differing sizes and configuration may be used herein together.
Each of the phase change material tanks 180 may have a phase change material 190 therein. In this example, the phase change material 190 may be an encapsulated phase change material 200. As is shown in
The phase change material 190 may be a natural substance based on, for example, vegetable feedstock, or a petroleum based products such as a paraffin wax and the like. The phase change material 190 also may include various types of water based substances as well as various types of mineral based substances such as salt hydrates and the like. Suitable phase change materials may be provided by Entropy Solutions, Inc. of Plymouth, Minn. under the “PURE TEMP” mark, RG Energy Efficient Systems, LLC, of Ashville, N.C. under the “savEnrg” mark, Microtek Laboratories, Inc. of Dayton, Ohio, Rubitherm Technologies GmbH of Berlin, Germany, and other sources. Other types of phase change materials 190 may be used herein.
By placing the phase change material tank 180 under or adjacent to each or some of the shelves 150, the overall temperature gradient from the front to the back of the shelf may be eliminated or reduced. Specifically, the extent of the temperature distribution may be reduced based upon the extra thermal capacitance of the phase change material 190 in that the phase change material works as a latent thermal storage at a single temperature. Given such, the temperature may be substantially uniform across the shelf once the evaporators are set to operate at a single evaporator temperature. Moreover, such a constant temperature does not rely on the flow of refrigerated air 160 to meet a given temperature target. Rather, the phase change material 190 has a temperature target designed to melt at a designated temperature. Other components and other configurations may be used herein.
The refrigerated display case 100 described herein thus provides a substantially uniform temperature distribution across each shelf 150. Moreover, the use of the phase change material tanks 180 may be independent of the overall refrigeration system. As such, the use of the phase change material tanks 180 may be original equipment or part of a retrofit. Although the refrigerated display case 100 has been described in context of a multi-deck cooler 20, it will be understood that reach-in coolers, other types of refrigerated display cases, and other types of refrigeration devices also may be used herein. Other components and other configurations may be used herein.
It should be apparent that the foregoing relates only to certain embodiments of the present application and the resultant patent. Numerous changes and modifications may be made herein by one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the general spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims and the equivalents thereof.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61982409 | Apr 2014 | US |
