Claims
- 1. In an air cooling and water condensate removal structure of the type in which the air to be cooled contacts the structure essentially only on its exterior surface without flowing into the structure to any considerable degree so that substantially all of the air remains on the outside of the structure, said structure having:
- (1) a heat absorbing cold plate,
- (2) means for cooling the cold plate,
- (3) a porous sheet closely adjacent to and covering the broad face of the cold plate but with a thin broad lateral passageway space provided for on the cold plate side of the porous sheet said passageway space communicating with the pores in the porous sheet over the broad area of the porous sheet,
- (4) a discharge conduit communicating with the thin passageway space to remove water condensate drawn through the porous sheet and into the thin passageway space from the outside exposed face of the porous sheet on which moisture from the cooled air has condensed, the water removal means being separate from the means for cooling the cold plate,
- (5) suction pumping means communicating with the discharge conduit for producing a reduced pressure in the thin passageway space whereby condensate water is readily drawn into the thin passageway space and discharged into the discharge conduit,
- the improvement residing in
- a suction reducing means associated with the discharge conduit and the thin passageway space and located at or near the juncture of the discharge conduit and the thin passageway space for reducing the suction in the thin passageway space.
- 2. The improved air cooling and water condensate removal structure according to claim 1, wherein
- the suction reducing means is a suction regulating means.
- 3. The improved air cooling and water condensate removal structure according to claim 1, wherein
- the thin porous sheet is a thin perforated sheet having many small perforations with the perforations being so spaced that water which has condensed on the outside surface of the perforated sheet tends to be drawn into the perforations rather than dropping off of the perforated sheet.
- 4. The improved air cooling and water condensate removal structure according to claim 2, wherein
- the thin porous sheet is a thin perforated sheet having many small perforations with the perforations being so spaced that water which has condensed on the outside surface of the perforated sheet tends to be drawn into the perforations rather than dropping off of the perforated sheet.
- 5. In an air cooling and water condensate removal structure of the type in which the air to be cooled contacts the structure essentially only on its exterior surface without flowing into the structure to any considerable degree so that substantially all of the air remains on the outside of the structure, said structure having
- (1) a heat absorbing cold plate,
- (2) means for cooling the cold plate,
- (3) a thin porous sheet that is closely adjacent to and covering the broad face of the cold plate but with a thin broad lateral passageway spaced provided for on the cold plate side of the porous sheet, said passageway space communicating with the pores in the porous sheet over the broad area of the porous sheet,
- (4) one or more outlets communicating with the thin passageway space to permit water condensate drawn through the porous sheet into the thin passageway space from the outside exposed face of the porous sheet on which moisture from the cooled air has condensed to be drained away, the outlets for draining away the water being separate from the means for cooling the cold plate,
- (5) suction pumping means communicating with the passageway space for creating a reduced pressure in the thin passageway space whereby condensate water is readily drawn into this thin passageway space,
- the improvement wherein
- the thin porous sheet is unattached to the cold plate over much of the broad central cooling area of the porous sheet and the sheet is forced toward the cold plate in the unattached areas whereby the thermal paths between the cold plate and the thin porous sheet are improved.
- 6. The improved air cooling and water condensate removal structure according to claim 5, wherein
- the porous sheet is mechanically stressed laterally in tension and the outer surface of the porous sheet is at least slightly convex so that the sheet presses inwardly toward the cold plate.
- 7. The improved air cooling and water condensate removal structure according to claim 5, wherein
- the porous sheet is mechanically stressed laterally in compression and the outer surface of the porous sheet is concave so that the sheet presses inwardly toward the cold plate.
- 8. The improved air cooling and water condensate removal structure according to claim 5, wherein
- the porous sheet before its mounting onto the main body of the structure having had natural unstrained curvatures which became flattened out upon the mounting of the porous sheet onto the main body of the structure thereby mechanically stressing the porous sheet in a manner to cause the outer surface of the porous sheet to be in a general state of tension and the inner surface of the porous sheet to be in a general state of compression whereby the porous sheet in its unattached areas is forced toward the cold plate.
- 9. The improved air cooling and water condensate removal structure according to claim 5, wherein
- the porous sheet is very light and thin and has sufficient flexibility to that the suction within the panel causes the sheet to press inwardly toward the cold plate sufficiently to make reasonably good thermal connections to the cold plate over the broad central cooling area of the porous sheet.
- 10. The improved air cooling and water condensate removal structure according to claim 5, wherein
- the porous sheet is magnetically attracted toward the cold plate whereby the porous sheet makes reasonably good thermal connections with the cold plate over the broad central cooling area of the porous sheet.
- 11. The improved air cooling and water condensate removal structure according to claim 5, wherein
- The thin porous sheet is a thin perforated sheet having many small perforations with the perforations being so spaced that water which has condensed on the outside surface of the perforated sheet tends to be drawn into the perforations rather than dropping off of the perforated sheet.
- 12. The improved air cooling and water condensate removal structure according to claim 11, wherein
- the perforated sheet is mechanically stressed laterally in tension and the outer surface of the perforated sheet is at least slightly convex so that the sheet presses inwardly toward the cold plate.
- 13. The improved air cooling and water condensate removal structure according to claim 11, wherein
- the perforated sheet is mechanically stressed laterally in compression and the outer surface of the perforated sheet is concave so that the sheet presses inwardly toward the cold plate.
- 14. The improved air cooling and water condensate removal structure according to claim 11, wherein
- the perforated sheet before its mounting onto the main body of the structure having had natural unstrained curvatures which became flattened out upon the mounting of the perforated sheet onto the main body of the structure thereby mechanically stressing the perforated sheet in a manner to cause the outer surface of the perforated sheet to be in a general state of tension and the inner surface of the perforated sheet to be in a general state of compression whereby the perforated sheet in its unattached areas is forced toward the cold plate.
- 15. The improved air cooling and water condensate removal structure according to claim 11, wherein
- the perforated sheet is very light and thin and has sufficient flexibility so that the suction within the panel causes the sheet to press inwardly toward the cold plate sufficiently to make reasonably good thermal connections to the cold plate over the broad central cooling area of the perforated sheet.
- 16. The improved air cooling and water condensate removal structure according to claim 11, wherein
- the perforated sheet is magnetically attracted toward the cold plate whereby the perforated sheet makes reasonably good thermal connections with the cold plate over the broad central cooling area of the perforated sheet.
- 17. The improved air cooling and water condensate removal structure according to claim 11, wherein
- the perforated sheet is a compound perforated sheet comprising two perforated sheets coextensive with one another and in close contact with one another and with many of the perforations in the one sheet not coinciding with the perforations in the second sheet so that substantial amounts of the water that is drawn up through the compound sheet must in the water's passage through the compound sheet seep laterally between the two sheets that comprise the compound sheet.
- 18. The improved air cooling and water condensate removal structure according to claim 5, wherein
- the porous sheet is an undulating porous sheet.
- 19. The improved air cooling and water condensate removal structure according to claim 18, wherein
- the undulating porous sheet is stressed chiefly in tension and in a direction that is generally lateral to the face of the cold plate.
- 20. The improved air cooling and water condensate removal structure according to claim 18, wherein
- the undulating porous sheet is stressed chiefly in compression and in a direction that is generally lateral to the face of the cold plate.
- 21. The improved air cooling and water condensate removal structure according to claim 11, wherein
- the perforated sheet is an undulating perforated sheet.
- 22. The improved air cooling and water condensate removal structure according to claim 21, wherein
- the undulating perforated sheet is stressed chiefly in tension and in a direction that is generally lateral to the face of the cold plate.
- 23. The improved air cooling and water condensate removal structure according to claim 21, wherein
- the perforated sheet is stressed chiefly in compression and in a direction that is generally lateral to the face of the cold plate.
- 24. The air cooling and water condensate removal structure according to claim 5, wherein the improvement further resides in
- springy thermally conductive spacing means providing thermal paths between the porous sheet and the cold plate over the broad cooling area of the porous sheet.
- 25. The air cooling and water condensate removal structure according to claim 11, wherein the improvement further resides in
- springy thermally conductive spacing means providing thermal paths between the porous sheet and the cold plate over the broad cooling area of the perforated sheet.
- 26. The air cooling and water condensate removal structure according to claim 5, wherein the improvement further resides in
- a springy undulating thermally conductive spacing sheet being positioned between the cold plate and the porous sheet.
- 27. The air cooling and water condensate removal structure according to claim 11, wherein the improvement further resides in
- a springy undulating thermally conductive spacing sheet being positioned between the cold plate and the perforated sheet.
- 28. In an air cooling and water condensate removal structure of the type in which the air to be cooled contacts the structure essentially only on its exterior surface without flowing into the structure to any considerable degree so that substantially all of the air remains on the outside of the structure, said structure having:
- (1) a heat absorbing cold sink comprising one or more cooling tubes winding back and forth over a broad area, said area tending to be relatively flat, so as to form a broad grid like cold sink with one of the broad sides of the sink providing a cold face,
- (2) means for removing heat from the cold sink,
- (3) a thin porous sheet that is closely adjacent to and covering the cold face of the sink and with a thin broad lateral passageway space provided for on the cold face side of the porous sheet, said passageway space communicating with the pores in the porous sheet over the broad area of the porous sheet,
- (4) one or more outlets communicating with the thin passageway space to permit water condensate drawn through the porous sheet into the thin passageway space from the outside exposed face of the porous sheet on which moisture from the cooled air has condensed to be drained away, the outlets for draining away the water being separate from the means for cooling the cold sink,
- (5) suction pumping means communicating with the passageway space for creating a reduced pressure in the thin passageway space whereby condensate water is readily drawn into this thin passageway space,
- the improvement wherein
- the thin porous sheet is unattached to the cold sink over much of the broad central cooling area of the porous sheet and the sheet is forced toward the cold sink whereby reasonably good thermal connections with the cold sink are made over the broad central cooling area of the porous sheet.
- 29. The improved air cooling and water condensate removal structure according to claim 28, wherein
- the porous sheet is mechanically stressed laterally in tension and the outer surface of the porous sheet is at least slightly convex so that the sheet presses inwardly toward the cold sink.
- 30. The improved air cooling and water condensate removal structure according to claim 28, wherein
- the porous sheet is mechanically stressed laterally in compression and the outer surface of the porous sheet is concave so that the sheet presses inwardly toward the cold sink.
- 31. The improved air cooling and water condensate removal structure according to claim 28, wherein
- the porous sheet before its mounting onto the main body of the structure having had natural unstrained curvatures which became flattened out upon the mounting of the porous sheet onto the main body of the structure thereby mechanically stressing the porous sheet in a manner to cause the outer surface of the porous sheet to be in a general state of tension and the inner surface of the porous sheet to be in a general state of compression whereby the porous sheet in its unattached areas is forced toward the cold sink.
- 32. The improved air cooling and water condensate removal structure according to claim 28, wherein
- the thin porous sheet is a thin perforated sheet having many small perforations with the perforations being so spaced that water which has condensed on the outside surface of the perforated sheet tends to be drawn into the perforations rather than dropping off of the perforated sheet.
- 33. The improved air cooling and water condensate removal structure according to claim 32, wherein
- the perforated sheet is mechanically stressed laterally in tension and the outer surface of the perforated sheet is at least slightly convex so that the sheet presses inwardly toward the cold sink.
- 34. The improved air cooling and water condensate removal structure according to claim 32, wherein
- the perforated sheet is mechanically stressed laterally in compression and the outer surface of the perforated sheet is concave so that the sheet presses inwardly toward the cold sink.
- 35. The improved air cooling and water condensate removal structure according to claim 32, wherein
- the perforated sheet before its mounting onto the main body of the structure having had natural unstrained curvatures which became flattened out upon the mounting of the perforated sheet onto the main body of the structure thereby mechanically stressing the perforated sheet in a manner to cause the outer surface of the perforated sheet to be in a general state of tension and the inner surface of the perforated sheet to be in a general state of compression whereby the perforated sheet in its unattached areas is forced toward the cold sink.
- 36. The improved air cooling and water condensate removal structure according to claim 32, wherein
- the perforated sheet is very light and thin and has sufficient flexibility so that the suction within the panel causes the sheet to press inwardly toward the cold sink sufficiently to make reasonably good thermal connections to the cold sink over the broad central cooling area of the perforated sheet.
- 37. In an air cooling and water condensate removal structure of the type in which the air to be cooled contacts the structure essentially only on its exterior surface without flowing into the structure to any considerable degree so that substantially all of the air remains on the outside of the structure, said structure having:
- (1) a heat absorbing cold sink having an outer side facing the air to be cooled,
- (2) means for cooling the cold sink,
- (3) a thin broad perforated sheet having many small perforations, the perforated sheet being closely adjacent to and covering the outer side of the cold sink but with a thin broad lateral passageway space provided for on the cold sink side of the perforated sheet, said passageway space communicating with the perforations in the perforated sheet over the broad cooling area of the perforated sheet
- (4) one or more outlets communicating with the thin passageway space to permit water condensate drawn through the perforated sheet into the thin passageway space from the outside exposed face of the perforated sheet on which moisture from the cooled air has condensed to be drained away, the outlets for draining away the water being separate from the means for cooling the cold sink
- (5) the perforations in the perforated sheet being so spaced that water which has condensed on the outside surface of the perforated sheet tends to be drawn into the perforations rather than dropping off the perforated sheet,
- (6) suction pumping means communicating with the passageway space for creating a reduced pressure in the thin passageway space whereby condensate water is readily drawn into this thin passageway space,
- the improvement residing in
- the perforated sheet being a compound perforated sheet comprising two perforated sheets coextensive with one another and in close contact with one another and with many of the perforations in the one sheet not coinciding with the perforations in the second sheet so that substantial amounts of the water that is drawn up through the compound sheet must in the water's passage through the compound sheet seep laterally between the two sheets that comprise the compound sheet.
- 38. In an air cooling and water condensate removal structure of the type in which the air to be cooled contacts the structure essentially only on its exterior surface without flowing into the structure to any considerable degree so that substantially all of the air remains on the outside of the structure, said structure having:
- (1) a heat absorbing cold plate,
- (2) means for cooling the cold plate,
- (3) a porous sheet closely adjacent to and covering the broad face of the cold plate but with a thin broad lateral passageway space provided for on the cold plate side of the porous sheet said passageway space communicating with the pores in the porous sheet over the broad area of the porous sheet,
- (4) one or more outlets communicating with the thin passageway space to permit water condensate drawn through the porous sheet into the thin passageway space from the outside exposed face of the porous sheet on which moisture from the cooled air has condensed to be drained away, the outlets for draining away the water being separate from the means for cooling the cold plate,
- (5) suction pumping means communicating with the passageway space for creating a reduced pressure in the thin passageway space whereby condensate water is readily drawn into this thin passageway space,
- the improvement residing in
- a thin undulating flexible sheet situated between the cold plate and the perforated sheet to absorb the expansive forces of freezing water.
- 39. The improved air cooling and water condensate removal structure according to claim 38, wherein
- the improvement further resides in the thin undulating flexible sheet having good thermal conductivity and being generally coextensive with the perforated sheet with the aforesaid thin broad lateral passageway space for conducting away water from the perforated sheet being between the undulating sheet and the perforated sheet and with the space between the undulating sheet and the cold plate constituting an air buffer zone, said undulating sheet being free to flex into the air buffer zone when the water in the thin broad lateral passageway space freezes.
- 40. The improved air cooling and water condensate removal structure according to claim 39, wherein
- the improvement further resides in the undulating sheet being firmly bonded to both the cold plate and the perforated sheet at numerous points along the undulating sheet, said bonding providing good thermal conduction between the cold plate and the perforated sheet.
- 41. In an air cooling and water condensate removal structure of the type in which the air to be cooled contacts the structure essentially only on its exterior surface without flowing into the structure to any considerable degree so that substantially all of the air remains on the outside of the structure, said structure having:
- (1) a heat absorbing cold plate,
- (2) means for cooling the cold plate,
- (3) a porous sheet closely adjacent to and covering the broad face of the cold plate but with a thin broad lateral passageway space provided for on the cold plate side of the porous sheet said passageway space communicating with the pores in the porous sheet over the broad area of the porous sheet,
- (4) one or more outlets communicating with the thin passageway space to permit water condensate drawn through the porous sheet into the thin passageway space from the outside exposed face of the porous sheet on which moisture from the cooled air has condensed to be drained away, the outlets for draining away the water being separate from the means for cooling the cold plate.
- (5) suction pumping means communicating with the passageway space for creating a reduced pressure in the thin passageway space whereby condensate water is readily drawn into this thin passageway space,
- the improvement wherein
- the porous sheet is a flexible thermally conductive undulating sheet having crests and troughs.
- 42. The improved air cooling and water condensate removal structure according to claim 41, wherein
- the improvement further resides in the tops of many of the crests of the undulating porous sheet being firmly bonded to the cold plate with said bonding areas having a high thermal conductivity and with the space between the troughs of the undulating porous sheet and the cold plate providing the passageway space for the lateral conduction of the water drawn up through the porous sheet, said undulating porous sheet being flexible enough to absorb the expansive forces of the water freezing in the inner passageways.
- 43. The improved air cooling and water condensate removal structure according to claim 42, wherein
- many of the neighboring bonded crests are separated by at least one unbonded crest and two troughs, said unbonded crests being free to flex away from the cold plate when pushed by the expansive forces of freezing water thus reducing the mechanical stresses at the bonding areas of the bonded crests.
- 44. A freezer having a compartment for containing products and for maintaining temperatures in the compartment below the freezing point of water over long time periods, including
- (1) a cooling panel in the compartment, the panel being of the type having a porous surface exposed to the air to be cooled and having a network of thin drainage channels behind the exposed porous surface for the removal of moisture entering the channels through the pores of the porous surface,
- (2) means for intermittently cooling the cooling panel to maintain the cooling panel below freezing temperatures,
- (3) one or more outlets communicating with the thin drainage channels to permit water condensate drawn through the porous surface into the thin drainage channels from the outside exposed face of the porous sheet on which moisture from the cooled air has condensed to be drained away, the outlets for draining away the water being separate from the means for cooling the cooling panel, and
- (4) means for defrosting the cooling panel after a long freezing period by applying heat for a short period of time to melt the frost accumulated on the porous surface over the long freezing period,
- the improvement residing in
- (5) an air circulating fan,
- (6) a programmed sequencer for controlling the operation of the fan and the defrosting means, said sequencer being programmed to defrost the compartment after long intervals by causing the fan to circulate air relatively rapidly for a prolonged period in which the cooling panel is substantially colder than the non-cooling surfaces in the compartment and causing said prolonged period of air flow by the fan to end relatively shortly before heat is applied to the cooling panel to melt the frost, said sequencer causing said relatively rapid circulation of the air for a prolonged period to occur only after many intermittent coolings of the cooling means to maintain the temperature in the compartment below freezing had occurred, and
- (7) air flow directing means for causing the fan to blow a substantial quantity of the air within the compartment adjacent to the cooling panel whereby at least a sizeable portion of the frost on the non-cooling surfaces in the compartment is transferred onto the cooling panel.
- 45. In a freezer compartment for the storage of products at a temperature below the freezing point of water in which some of the interior surfaces of the compartment are cooled by cold producing means having a cold sink directly behind the cooling surfaces and at least some of said cooling surfaces being porous, said freezer compartment being of the type that depends to a large degree for its cooling effect upon thermal convection air currents flowing between the cooling surfaces in the compartment and the stored products, the method for defrosting comprising the steps of
- (1) intermittently activating the cold producing means in response to a temperature sensor to thereby cool and maintain the compartment below the freezing point of water,
- (2) after many such intermittent activations of the cold producing means, forceably circulating by mechanical means the air within the compartment for a prolonged period in a manner to cause a substantial portion of the air to flow adjacent to the cooling porous surfaces to thereby transfer at least a sizeable portion of any frost deposits on the non-cooling surfaces, said forced circulation of air being caused to occur at approximately those times that the cooling surfaces are substantially colder than the non-cooling surfaces in the compartment,
- (3) stopping the forced circulation of air,
- (4) thereafter defrosting the accumulated frost deposits on the cooling porous surfaces by applying heat to the porous surfaces to melt the accumulated frost on the porous surfaces,
- (5) at approximately the same time sucking into the porous surfaces the melted frost,
- (6) terminating the application of heat to the porous surfaces, and
- (7) then resuming the normal activation of the cold producing means.
- 46. A method for defrosting a freezer compartment in which products are stored at a temperature below the freezing point of water and in which the compartment is cooled by cold producing means providing cold cooling surfaces in the compartment, said cold producing means removing heat from the cooling surfaces by drawing the heat inwardly into the cooling surfaces and said freezer compartment being of the type that depends to a large degree for its cooling effect upon thermal convection air currents flowing between the cold cooling surfaces in the compartment and the stored products, the method for defrosting comprising the steps of
- (1) intermittently activating the cold producing means in response to a temperature sensor to maintain the cooling surfaces and the stored products below the freezing point of water,
- (2) after many such intermittent activations of the cold producing means, forceably circulating the air within the compartment for a prolonged period to cause circulating air to flow adjacent to the cooling surfaces to transfer at least a sizeable portion of any frost deposits on the non-cooling surfaces in the compartment to the cooling surfaces, said forced circulation of air being caused to occur at approximately those times that the cooling surfaces are substantially colder than the non-cooling surfaces in the compartment,
- (3) stopping the forced circulation of air,
- (4) thereafter defrosting the accumulated frost deposits on the cooling surfaces by applying heat to the accumulated frost on the cooling surfaces,
- (5) at approximately the same time collecting the melted frost,
- (6) terminating the application of heat, and
- (7) thereafter resuming the normal activation of the cold producing means.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation-in-part of my application Ser. No. 100,266 which was filed on Dec. 4, 1979, now abandoned. My application Ser. No. 100,266 is a continuation-in-part of my earlier application Ser. No. 920,242 which was filed on June 29, 1978 and was later abandoned. That earlier application is a continuation-in-part of my prior application Ser. No. 811,765 which was filed on June 20, 1977 and was later abandoned. That prior application, in turn, is a continuation-in-part of my parent application Ser. No. 611,864 which was filed on Sept. 10, 1975 and was later abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (7)
Continuation in Parts (4)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
100266 |
Dec 1979 |
|
Parent |
920242 |
Jun 1978 |
|
Parent |
811765 |
Jun 1977 |
|
Parent |
611864 |
Sep 1975 |
|