Centrifugal machine air cooling system with efficient refrigeration function

Abstract

The centrifugal machine air cooling system is used for air cooling in a centrifugal machine, a centrifugal chamber and a motor are arranged in the centrifugal machine, a rotor used for installing a test tube is arranged in the centrifugal chamber, the rotor is controlled by the motor to rotate, and the centrifugal machine air cooling system comprises a semiconductor refrigeration device, an air inlet channel and an air outlet channel, the refrigeration side of the semiconductor refrigeration device is arranged in the air inlet duct, the heat dissipation side of the semiconductor refrigeration device is arranged in the air outlet duct, and a heat insulation structure is arranged between the air inlet duct and the air outlet duct. The air flow formed by the air pressure difference generated by the linear speed difference of the inner ring and the outer ring of the rotor is used as kinetic energy, an additional air flow power device is not needed, and compared with natural air cooling, the air flow in the air inlet duct and the air outlet duct is cooled, so that the temperature of the air flow in the air inlet duct is lower than that of the external environment; the air flow in the air outlet channel takes away high-temperature air on the heat dissipation side of the semiconductor refrigeration device, the air cooling effect is greatly improved, the change of the external environment can be ignored, and the continuity of air cooling is prolonged.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of centrifuge technology, and more specifically to a high-efficiency air-cooled centrifuge system. Background Technology

[0002] A centrifuge is a machine that uses centrifugal force to separate components in a mixture of liquids and solid particles or liquids. Centrifuges are mainly used to separate solid particles from liquids in suspensions, or to separate two immiscible liquids with different densities in emulsions (e.g., separating cream from milk); they can also be used to remove liquid from wet solids, such as spinning wet clothes in a washing machine; special high-speed tubular centrifuges can also separate gas mixtures of different densities; taking advantage of the different settling velocities of solid particles of different densities or sizes in liquids, some sedimentation centrifuges can also classify solid particles according to density or particle size.

[0003] Centrifuges generate heat during normal operation. High ambient temperatures, poor internal heat dissipation, or improper operation can all cause them to malfunction or malfunction due to overheating. This is especially true for ultracentrifugation separations of viruses, organelles, and protein complexes, which can take 10-20 hours or even longer; or for obtaining high-purity components, separation times are typically long; and in large-scale production of vaccines and protein drugs, industrial centrifuges often need to run continuously for 24 hours to process fermentation broths and other applications. If the high heat generated during prolonged high-speed operation is not dissipated in time, it can affect the normal operation of centrifuge components or potentially damage the centrifuged substances in test tubes. Therefore, the centrifuge's heat dissipation structure is particularly important.

[0004] Existing centrifuge heat dissipation structures include: Air-cooled centrifuges: This type of centrifuge uses a rotating rotor to draw air into the centrifuge chamber and expel hot air from it. Air-cooled centrifuges are simple in structure, low in cost, and easy to maintain. Most benchtop low-speed and high-speed centrifuges, as well as some small refrigerated centrifuges, use air-cooled centrifuges and are widely used. However, their heat dissipation efficiency is limited and easily affected by ambient temperature. Long-term operation will lead to a decrease in heat dissipation efficiency, so they cannot be used for long-term centrifugation processes.

[0005] Water cooling: This method uses circulating cooling water (connected to an external cooling tower or chiller) to flow through a water-cooled jacket surrounding key heat sources such as the motor or centrifuge chamber, directly transferring heat. Water cooling has the advantages of extremely high and stable heat dissipation efficiency, and is unaffected by drastic fluctuations in laboratory ambient temperature, enabling long-term centrifugation programs. However, its system is complex and costly, especially requiring additional maintenance of the external water supply / cooling system, as well as waterproofing and leak prevention, resulting in high maintenance requirements.

[0006] Compressor refrigeration: Compressor refrigeration directly cools the centrifugal chamber by winding refrigeration pipes. It has a good cooling effect, but it is large in size, expensive, and complex.

[0007] Magnetic levitation bearings: There is no mechanical contact, which fundamentally reduces frictional heat generation, but their cost is extremely high and their application range is very small, only used in high-end ultracentrifuges.

[0008] In summary, there is a need in the field for a centrifuge heat dissipation structure that is low in cost but provides stable heat dissipation efficiency over a long period of time. Summary of the Invention

[0009] This invention provides a high-efficiency centrifuge air-cooling system. Based on the characteristics of semiconductor heat dissipation structure, it is perfectly integrated with the centrifuge air-cooling structure to solve the problem of unstable heat dissipation efficiency of existing air-cooling structures, and to provide a centrifuge heat dissipation structure with low cost but stable heat dissipation efficiency over a long period of time.

[0010] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: A high-efficiency centrifuge air-cooling system is provided for air cooling within the centrifuge. The centrifuge includes a centrifuge chamber and a motor. The centrifuge chamber contains a rotor for mounting test tubes, and the rotor's rotation is controlled by the motor. The system includes a semiconductor refrigeration device and an air inlet and outlet duct connected to the centrifuge chamber. The cooling side of the semiconductor refrigeration device is located in the air inlet duct, and the heat dissipation side is located in the air outlet duct. A thermal insulation structure is provided between the air inlet and outlet ducts.

[0011] Furthermore, the air inlet duct and the air outlet duct are respectively connected to different side walls of the centrifuge chamber.

[0012] Furthermore, the air outlet of the air inlet duct connected to the centrifuge chamber is located at the center of the centrifuge chamber, and the air inlet of the air outlet duct connected to the centrifuge chamber is located on one side wall of the centrifuge chamber.

[0013] Furthermore, the air inlet of the air inlet duct and the air outlet of the air outlet duct are both located on the outer casing of the centrifuge, and the air inlet of the air inlet duct and the air outlet of the air outlet duct are located on different sides of the centrifuge; or, the air inlet of the air inlet duct and the air outlet of the air outlet duct are located on the same side of the centrifuge, and the distance between them is not less than 10cm.

[0014] Furthermore, the cooling side of the semiconductor cooling device is provided with a cooling element, which is located inside the air inlet duct.

[0015] Furthermore, the heat dissipation side of the semiconductor cooling device is provided with a heat sink, which is located inside the air outlet duct.

[0016] Furthermore, a vortex-shaped air duct is provided between the air inlet duct and the centrifuge chamber. The vortex-shaped air duct is located at the top or bottom of the centrifuge chamber. The outer side of the vortex-shaped air duct is provided with a heat insulation layer, and the inner side is a heat exchange layer.

[0017] Furthermore, the air outlet of the vortex-shaped air duct is located directly above the rotor inside the centrifugal chamber.

[0018] Furthermore, a variable diameter air duct is provided between the air outlet duct and the centrifuge chamber.

[0019] The present invention has the following advantages: This invention provides a high-efficiency centrifuge air-cooling system. This technology perfectly combines the refrigeration cycle characteristics of a semiconductor refrigeration device with the internal air pressure characteristics of the centrifuge chamber during operation. The centrifuge rotor acts as the kinetic energy for the airflow, eliminating the need for an additional airflow power unit to achieve airflow from the inlet to the outlet. Furthermore, the refrigeration side of the semiconductor refrigeration device is located in the inlet duct, while the heat dissipation side is located in the outlet duct. A thermal insulation structure is provided between the inlet and outlet ducts. Compared to natural air cooling, this structure achieves simultaneous cooling of the airflow in both the inlet and outlet ducts. The airflow temperature in the inlet duct is lower than the external ambient temperature, while the airflow in the outlet duct carries away the high-temperature gas from the heat dissipation side of the semiconductor refrigeration device. This significantly improves the air-cooling effect and extends the duration of air-cooling regardless of changes in the external environment. Attached Figure Description

[0020] To more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are merely exemplary, and those skilled in the art can derive other embodiments based on the provided drawings without creative effort.

[0021] The structures, proportions, sizes, etc. illustrated in this specification are only for the purpose of assisting those skilled in the art in understanding and reading the content disclosed herein, and are not intended to limit the conditions under which the present invention can be implemented. Therefore, they have no substantial technical significance. Any modifications to the structure, changes in the proportions, or adjustments to the size, without affecting the effects and objectives that the present invention can produce, should still fall within the scope of the technical content disclosed in the present invention.

[0022] Figure 1 An internal structural diagram of a high-efficiency refrigeration centrifugal air-cooled system provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 for Figure 1 Product structure diagram of semiconductor refrigeration equipment; Figure 3 A structural diagram of a tapered air inlet duct in a high-efficiency centrifugal air-cooled system provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a structural diagram of a vortex-type air duct in a high-efficiency centrifugal air-cooling system provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 For comparison, see the temperature-time trend graph of Experiment 1; Figure 6 For comparison, see the temperature-time trend graph of Experiment 2; Figure 7 For comparison, the temperature-time trend graph of Experiment 3 is shown.

[0023] In the picture: 11. Centrifuge; 12. Centrifuge chamber; 13. Rotor; 14. Motor; 21. Semiconductor refrigeration device; 22. Thermal insulation structure; 23. Cooling element; 24. Heat sink; 31. Air inlet duct; 32. Air inlet of air inlet duct; 33. Air outlet of air inlet duct; 34. Vortex-shaped air duct; 41. Air outlet duct; 42. Air outlet duct outlet; 43. Air outlet duct inlet; 44. Variable diameter air duct. Detailed Implementation

[0024] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present application, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0025] like Figure 1 As shown, a high-efficiency centrifuge air-cooling system is used for air cooling in a centrifuge 11. The centrifuge 11 is provided with a centrifuge chamber 12, and a rotor 13 for mounting test tubes is provided in the centrifuge chamber 12. The rotor 13 is surrounded by a rack for mounting test tubes, and the test tubes are mounted on the rack. The rotor 13 is controlled to rotate by a motor 14, which is located outside the centrifuge chamber 12. The shaft of the motor 14 is fixedly connected to the bottom plate of the centrifuge chamber 12 through bearings. The motor 14 drives the rotor 13 to rotate at high speed, causing the liquid in the test tube to separate into solid and liquid due to centrifugal force.

[0026] The centrifuge 11 air-cooling system includes a semiconductor refrigeration device 21 and an air inlet duct 31 and an air outlet duct 41 connected to the centrifuge chamber 12. The air inlet duct 31 and the air outlet duct 41 are both located on the outer casing of the centrifuge 11. If the air inlet duct 32 and the air outlet duct 42 are too close, hot air discharged from the air outlet duct 42 will re-enter the air inlet duct 32, thus raising the ambient temperature at the air inlet and reducing the air-cooling effect of the centrifuge 11. Therefore, in this technology, the air inlet duct 31 and the air outlet duct 41 are connected to the centrifuge chamber 12. A certain distance is provided between the air inlet 32 ​​and the air outlet 42. Preferably, the air inlet 32 ​​of the air inlet duct and the air outlet 42 of the air outlet duct are located on different sides of the centrifuge 11. For example, the air inlet 32 ​​of the air inlet duct is located on the top cover of the centrifuge 11, and the air outlet 42 of the air outlet duct is located on the side wall of the centrifuge 11. If the two are on the same side of the centrifuge 11, that is, both are located on the same side wall of the centrifuge 11, then the distance between the two is not less than 10cm. Alternatively, based on the characteristic that hot air will rise and cold air will fall, the air outlet 42 of the air outlet duct is located above the air inlet 32 ​​of the air inlet duct.

[0027] The cooling side of the semiconductor cooling device 21 is located in the air inlet duct 31, and the heat dissipation side is located in the air outlet duct 41. A heat insulation structure 22 is provided between the air inlet duct 31 and the air outlet duct 41. When the motor 14 drives the rotor 13 to rotate at high speed, the test tubes in the centrifuge chamber 12 rotate at high speed due to the rotor 13. As a result, the air pressure distribution in the centrifuge chamber 12 increases from the center to the periphery, causing air to be drawn in from the center and pushed outward from the periphery. Since the air pressure is different at different locations in the centrifuge chamber 12, this technology connects the air inlet duct 31 and the air outlet duct 41 to different side walls of the centrifuge chamber 12, so that the gas entering the centrifuge chamber 12 through the air inlet duct 31 can pass through the rotor 13 and the test tubes before entering the air outlet duct 41, thereby achieving the technical effect of cooling the rotor 13 and the test tubes. Furthermore, the air inlet outlet 33 of the air inlet duct 31 connected to the centrifuge chamber 12 is located at the center of the centrifuge chamber 12, that is, the air inlet outlet 33 is located directly above the rotor 13, and the air outlet inlet 43 of the air outlet duct 41 connected to the centrifuge chamber 12 is located on one side wall of the centrifuge chamber 12, which can meet the air pressure characteristics inside the centrifuge chamber 12 to the greatest extent and ensure the maximization of airflow power.

[0028] like Figure 2As shown, the semiconductor cooling device 21 has a cooling element 23 on its cooling side, which is located inside the air inlet duct 31. The cooling element 23 is made of a high thermal conductivity material such as aluminum profile, and its shape is customized according to the shape of the air inlet duct 31 to meet different shape requirements. The cooling element 23 has a planar structure that fits the cooling side of the semiconductor cooling device 21, and several fins are provided on the planar structure to maximize the contact area between the cooling element 23 and the airflow in the air inlet duct 31, ensuring maximum heat exchange efficiency.

[0029] like Figure 2 As shown, the semiconductor cooling device 21 has a heat sink 24 on its heat dissipation side, which is located inside the air outlet duct 41. The heat sink 24 is made of a high thermal conductivity material such as aluminum profile, and its shape is customized according to the shape of the inlet and outlet ducts to meet different shape requirements. The heat sink 24 has a planar structure that fits the heat dissipation side of the semiconductor cooling device 21, and the planar structure has several fins to maximize the contact area between the heat sink 24 and the airflow in the air outlet duct 41, ensuring maximum heat exchange efficiency.

[0030] like Figure 3 As shown, the air inlet duct 31 adopts a narrow-mouth air duct from the inlet to the outlet, that is, the air inlet side opening is large on the side of the heat sink 23, and the air outlet 32 ​​of the air inlet duct is small. This structure can ensure that the cold air transformed by the outside natural airflow after passing through the heat sink 23 can all enter the air outlet 32 ​​of the air inlet duct. In addition, the distance from the heat sink 23 to the air outlet 32 ​​of the air inlet duct 31 is short, which can avoid the cold air from warming up.

[0031] like Figure 4 As shown, due to the small size of the centrifuge chamber 12, the airflow path within the centrifuge chamber 12 is short, resulting in limited airflow heat exchange efficiency. Figure 3 As shown, a vortex-shaped air duct 34 is provided between the air inlet duct 31 and the centrifuge chamber 12 in this technology. The vortex-shaped air duct 34 is located at the top of the centrifuge chamber 12, preferably with its outlet located at the center of the top of the centrifuge chamber 12, that is, directly above the rotor 13. Since the temperature of the airflow in the air inlet duct 31 passing through the cooling side is lower than the external ambient temperature of the centrifuge 11, and the vortex-shaped air duct 34 is relatively long, this technology provides a heat insulation layer on the outer side of the vortex-shaped air duct 34 and a heat exchange layer on the inner side to avoid reducing the cooling efficiency of the centrifuge chamber 12 due to heat exchange between the low-temperature airflow in the air inlet duct 31 and the external ambient temperature. The inner side of the vortex-shaped air duct 34 is the inner side of the top cover of the centrifuge chamber 12, which is in direct contact with the airflow inside the centrifuge chamber. When the low-temperature airflow on the air inlet side flows in the vortex-shaped air duct 34, it will cool down the heat exchange layer inside it, that is, cool down the top cover of the centrifuge chamber 12. This allows the low-temperature airflow to undergo pre-heat exchange before entering the centrifuge chamber 12, and then enter the centrifuge chamber 12 for air cooling, so as to achieve a high-efficiency cooling effect.

[0032] A variable diameter air duct 44 is provided between the air outlet duct 41 and the centrifuge chamber 12. The variable diameter air duct 44 is a gradually expanding air duct. Figure 1 (as shown in the diagram) or a tapered duct. Since the airflow velocity entering the outlet duct 41 can reach 50~120m / s (50m / s is equivalent to a Category 15 hurricane), if the variable diameter duct 44 adopts a tapered channel, a larger and wider heat sink 24 can be used, without wasting the internal space of the centrifuge 11. Furthermore, a larger heat sink 24 can reduce noise and increase the heat dissipation area. If the variable diameter duct 44 adopts a tapered duct, when the airflow passes through the duct with a gradually decreasing diameter, its flow velocity will inevitably increase, and the static pressure will decrease. A tapered duct is more advantageous for structures with critical heat dissipation nodes, such as the heat dissipation side of the semiconductor refrigeration device 21 in this technology, as it can accelerate the airflow velocity at that heat dissipation node, thereby improving the overall heat dissipation effect. Moreover, a tapered duct is less prone to flow separation, does not form vortices, has good airflow adhesion, and high effective heat exchange efficiency. This technology determines whether to use a tapered or tapered duct based on the internal structure and space conditions of the centrifuge 11.

[0033] Comparative Experiment 1 Comparison Sample 1: A conventional centrifuge used in college and university laboratories, with a specification of 24 x 2 ml angle rotation and a relatively high rotation speed (15,000 rpm = 15,000 revolutions per minute), is used for chemical or biological research.

[0034] Comparison steps: Start the comparison sample 1 and the machine 1 of the same specification and technical structure at the same speed. Install temperature sensors inside the side walls of the centrifuge chambers of the two centrifuges to detect the temperature, and collect data once every 39 seconds to create a temperature vs. time comparison chart.

[0035] Conclusion: Figure 5 As shown, the testing time is approximately 30 minutes. In comparison, the temperature of prototype 1 rises rapidly in the first 9 minutes, then increases slowly, with the highest temperature approaching 40°C. In contrast, the temperature of machine 1 with this technical structure rises rapidly in the first 4 minutes, then increases slowly from 4 to 9 minutes before stabilizing, with the highest temperature not exceeding 30°C.

[0036] Comparative Experiment 2 Comparison Sample 2: A conventional centrifuge for blood separation is used, with a standard 4x200ml horizontal rotation speed. The rotation speed is relatively slow (4000rpm = 4000 revolutions per minute), and the centrifuge is relatively large.

[0037] Comparison steps: Start the comparison sample 2 and the machine 2 of the same specification and technical structure at the same speed. Install temperature sensors inside the side walls of the centrifuge chambers of the two centrifuges to detect the temperature, and collect data once every 39 seconds to create a temperature vs. time comparison chart.

[0038] Conclusion: Figure 6As shown, the testing time was approximately 30 minutes. The temperature of both centrifuges rose rapidly in the first 3 minutes, and then increased slowly. The highest temperature of the comparative sample 2 was slightly higher than 40°C, while the highest temperature of the machine 2 with this technical structure was slightly higher than 30°C.

[0039] Comparative Test 3 Comparison Sample 3: A standard professional centrifuge used in hospitals and medical testing, with a specification of 12 x 10 ml at an angle and a relatively low speed (4500 rpm = 4500 revolutions per minute).

[0040] Comparison steps: Start the comparison sample 3 and the machine 3 of the same specification and technical structure at the same speed. Install temperature sensors inside the side walls of the centrifuge chambers of the two centrifuges to detect the temperature, and collect data once every 39 seconds to create a temperature vs. time comparison chart.

[0041] Conclusion: Figure 7 As shown, the testing time was approximately 30 minutes. The temperature of both centrifuges increased at a fixed rate throughout the test, with the temperature increasing over time. The highest temperature of the comparative sample 3 was slightly higher than 40°C, while the highest temperature of the machine 3 with this technical structure was slightly higher than 30°C.

[0042] Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working process of the systems, devices, apparatuses, modules or units described above can be referred to the corresponding process in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0043] The terms “first,” “second,” “third,” “fourth,” etc. (if present) in the specification and accompanying drawings of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such quantities can be interchanged where appropriate so that the embodiments of this application described herein can be implemented, for example, in orders other than those illustrated or described herein. Furthermore, the terms “comprising” and “having,” and any variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion; for example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that comprises a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units explicitly listed, but may include other steps or units not explicitly listed or inherent to such processes, methods, products, or apparatus.

[0044] It should be understood that in this application, "at least one (item)" means one or more, and "more than" means two or more. "And / or" is used to describe the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, "A and / or B" can represent three cases: only A exists, only B exists, and both A and B exist simultaneously, where A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects are in an "or" relationship. "At least one (item) of the following" or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or plural items. For example, at least one (item) of a, b, or c can represent: a, b, c, "a and b", "a and c", "b and c", or "a and b and c", where a, b, and c can be single or multiple.

[0045] The above-described embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and are not intended to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application.

Claims

1. A high-efficiency centrifuge air-cooling system for cooling the centrifuge interior, wherein the centrifuge contains a centrifuge chamber and a motor, the centrifuge chamber contains a rotor for mounting test tubes, and the rotor's rotation is controlled by the motor, characterized in that: It includes a semiconductor refrigeration device and an air inlet duct and an air outlet duct connected to a centrifuge chamber. The refrigeration side of the semiconductor refrigeration device is located in the air inlet duct, and the heat dissipation side of the semiconductor refrigeration device is located in the air outlet duct. A heat insulation structure is provided between the air inlet duct and the air outlet duct.

2. The centrifuge air-cooled system for high-efficiency refrigeration according to claim 1, characterized in that: The air inlet and air outlet are respectively connected to different side walls of the centrifuge chamber.

3. The centrifuge air-cooled system for high-efficiency refrigeration according to claim 2, characterized in that: The air inlet of the air inlet duct, which connects to the centrifuge chamber, is located at the center of the centrifuge chamber, while the air outlet of the air outlet duct, which connects to the centrifuge chamber, is located on one side wall of the centrifuge chamber.

4. The centrifuge air-cooled system for high-efficiency refrigeration according to claim 1, characterized in that: The air inlet of the air inlet duct and the air outlet of the air outlet duct are both located on the outer shell of the centrifuge, and the air inlet of the air inlet duct and the air outlet of the air outlet duct are located on different sides of the centrifuge. Alternatively, the air inlet of the air inlet duct and the air outlet of the air outlet duct are located on the same side of the centrifuge, and the distance between them is not less than 10cm.

5. The centrifuge air-cooled system for high-efficiency refrigeration according to claim 1, characterized in that: The semiconductor refrigeration device has a cooling element on its cooling side, and the cooling element is located inside the air inlet duct.

6. The centrifuge air-cooled system for high-efficiency refrigeration according to claim 1, characterized in that: The semiconductor cooling device has a heat sink on its heat dissipation side, and the heat sink is located inside the air outlet duct.

7. The centrifuge air-cooled system for high-efficiency refrigeration according to claim 1, characterized in that: A vortex-shaped air duct is provided between the air inlet duct and the centrifuge chamber. The vortex-shaped air duct is located at the top of the centrifuge chamber. The outer side of the vortex-shaped air duct is provided with a heat insulation layer, and the inner side is a heat exchange layer.

8. The centrifuge air-cooled system for high-efficiency refrigeration according to claim 7, characterized in that: The air outlet of the vortex-shaped air duct is located directly above the rotor inside the centrifuge chamber.

9. The centrifuge air-cooled system for high-efficiency refrigeration according to claim 1, characterized in that: A variable-diameter air duct is provided between the air outlet duct and the centrifuge chamber.

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