A heat preservation assembly for a horizontal refrigerator and a horizontal refrigerator

Abstract

This invention discloses an insulation component for a horizontal freezer and a horizontal freezer itself. The insulation component is a retractable heat insulation component, with its entire surface covered with insulation material. When heat insulation is needed, the heat insulation component unfolds to divide the horizontal freezer, with a display layer above and a storage layer below. When heat insulation is not needed, the heat insulation component retracts to one side of the horizontal freezer. The horizontal freezer includes a load-bearing shelf installed on the inner wall of the freezer, the heat insulation component, and a refrigeration and control system. The load-bearing shelf divides the interior of the horizontal freezer into multiple layers, and the heat insulation component is installed immediately below the load-bearing shelf. The refrigeration and control system includes a compressor, multiple evaporators and condensers connected in parallel, and temperature sensing elements. Each layer inside the horizontal freezer is equipped with a temperature sensing element, and the compressor's start and stop are controlled by the mixed signals from the temperature sensing elements of each layer. This invention effectively extends the compressor's service life, reduces the freezer's energy consumption, and improves the storage conditions of materials.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of commercial freezer technology, and in particular to an insulation component for a horizontal freezer and a horizontal freezer. Background Technology

[0002] In current supermarket cold chain equipment, refrigerated / frozen material display cases need to minimize operating energy consumption while satisfying the functions of intuitive product display and convenient storage. However, since the heat transfer inside the display case mainly relies on natural or forced convection driven by temperature difference, its inherent heat transfer mechanism determines a significant contradiction between display requirements and energy-saving goals. Specifically, to achieve transparent product display, display cases typically adopt open air curtain or glass door structures. Compared to the traditional sealed insulation structure of foam doors, these two designs significantly weaken the insulation performance of the cabinet, resulting in serious cold loss and a significant increase in energy consumption.

[0003] Meanwhile, to facilitate customer selection and reduce the workload of frequent restocking from cold storage, display cases are typically designed to accommodate stacking of more than five layers of materials. While this deeper vertical space increases display capacity and operational efficiency, it further exacerbates energy consumption. The root cause is that the internal temperature of the display case exhibits a clear positive gradient distribution along the height direction; that is, the higher the distance from the bottom of the case, the higher the ambient temperature. The top layer, in particular, experiences a greater cooling load due to its proximity to the glass door or exposure to the air curtain boundary layer. To maintain the required storage temperature for the top layer materials (such as packaged foods and dairy products), the refrigeration system must provide a larger cooling capacity. This "top-based" cooling strategy inevitably leads to overcooling of the lower layers: the system increases its overall cooling output to meet the temperature requirements of the top layer, resulting in the actual temperature of the lower layers being far below the minimum required for preservation.

[0004] This subcooling of the lower layer significantly increases system energy consumption through several pathways. First, the increased temperature difference between the lower layer material and the inner wall of the cabinet intensifies heat transfer through the wall, exacerbating cold loss. Second, to achieve lower evaporation temperatures, the compressor must operate at a higher pressure ratio, meaning the ratio of the compressor's discharge pressure to its suction pressure increases. This directly leads to increased compressor input power and decreased refrigeration efficiency. Furthermore, the lower surface temperature accelerates the frosting rate on the evaporator and the inner wall of the cabinet. Thicker frost further deteriorates heat exchange efficiency, causing the system to frequently enter defrost mode or prolong compressor operation time, thus creating a vicious cycle of energy consumption. In conclusion, traditional display cabinets, while balancing display depth and energy efficiency, face a system performance and efficiency dilemma caused by the vertical temperature gradient. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In order to overcome the above-mentioned problems in the prior art, the present invention proposes an insulation component for a horizontal freezer and a horizontal freezer.

[0006] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve its technical problem is: a heat insulation component for a horizontal freezer, which is a retractable heat insulation component. The heat insulation component is installed inside the horizontal freezer, and the surface of the heat insulation component is entirely covered with heat insulation material. When heat insulation is required, the heat insulation component unfolds to separate the horizontal freezer. The upper part of the heat insulation component is a display layer, and the lower part is a storage layer. When heat insulation is not required, the heat insulation component retracts to one side of the horizontal freezer.

[0007] The above-mentioned insulation component for a horizontal freezer includes an insulation airbag and a mechanical push-pull insulation baffle structure.

[0008] The above-mentioned insulation component for a horizontal freezer includes a heat-insulating airbag comprising a support component, an interface frame, an insulation film, and an inflation / deflation device. The interface frame is a square structure with a width equivalent to the inner wall of the horizontal freezer. One side of the interface frame is installed and connected to the output end of the inflation / deflation device, and the other side of the interface frame is wrapped with an insulation film. The insulation film has a width equivalent to the interface frame and a length equivalent to the inner wall of the horizontal freezer. The insulation film is supported by the support component.

[0009] The above-mentioned insulation component for a horizontal freezer includes a support component comprising a side support structure and a support plate, which divides the insulation film into n equal parts. The support plates are distributed alternately on the upper and lower sides of the insulation film, and the side support structure is provided on the side of the insulation film.

[0010] The above-mentioned insulation component for a horizontal freezer has a side support structure of a flexible folding rod. Each equally spaced unit of the insulation film has a flexible folding rod installed at an angle on its side, and n flexible folding rods are arranged in a wave-like pattern.

[0011] The above-mentioned insulation component for a horizontal freezer includes a support frame and guide blocks. The support frame is provided with at least two sets, and guide blocks are fixedly connected to both sides of the support frame. The guide blocks cooperate with the guide rails on the inner wall of the horizontal freezer.

[0012] The above-mentioned insulation component for a horizontal freezer includes a mechanical push-pull insulation baffle structure comprising a support rod, a guide block, an insulation film, and a fixing rod. The fixing rod fixes one end of the insulation film to one side of the inner wall of the horizontal freezer. At least two sets of support rods are provided, and the at least two sets of support rods are evenly distributed on the insulation film. Guide blocks are provided on both sides of the support rods, and the guide blocks cooperate with the side wall guide component of the horizontal freezer.

[0013] The above-mentioned insulation component for a horizontal freezer, wherein the guide component is a slide rail that cooperates with the guide block.

[0014] The above-mentioned insulation component for a horizontal freezer includes a guide component comprising a screw and a motor, wherein the output end of the motor is fixedly connected to one end of the screw, and the guide block slides along the screw.

[0015] A horizontal freezer includes load-bearing shelves installed on the inner wall of the freezer, insulation components as described above, and a refrigeration and control system. The load-bearing shelves divide the interior of the horizontal freezer into multiple layers, and at least one set of load-bearing shelves is provided. The insulation components are installed immediately below the load-bearing shelves. The refrigeration and control system includes a compressor, multiple evaporators connected in parallel, a condenser, and temperature sensing elements. The multiple evaporators connected in parallel are each controlled by an independent solenoid valve to control the on / off of their refrigerant passages. Each layer inside the horizontal freezer is provided with a temperature sensing element, and the compressor is started and stopped by the mixed signals from the temperature sensing elements of each layer.

[0016] The beneficial effects of this invention are: (1) Improved compressor operating conditions. The cooling time of the display layer is generally compatible with the cooling time of the storage layer. Therefore, although the two are not completely synchronized in cooling, the start-stop frequency of the compressor does not change much after they are separated. On this basis, the overall temperature inside the freezer increases, which is equivalent to reducing the compressor's pressure ratio or reducing the compressor's start-up time. Therefore, overall, the compressor's operating life can be improved.

[0017] (2) Improved material storage conditions. Traditional display cabinets require maintaining the storage conditions of materials on the top layer, resulting in a large temperature gradient within the cabinet and a significant drop in temperature for materials on the lower layers. This excessive temperature variation can cause materials at different heights to have different states; excessively cold or hot storage temperatures can easily lead to a decrease in material quality. By dividing the cabinet into layers, the display layer can provide a more sufficient supply of cooling energy, ensuring the storage conditions of the materials within it. The storage layer, due to the cold air deposited on the top layer from the display layer and the presence of well-insulated foam boxes in other directions, has an extremely low overall cooling load and similar heat dissipation in all directions. This results in a more uniform temperature field, reducing the temperature gradient and providing better storage conditions for the materials.

[0018] (3) Improve the energy efficiency of the freezer. Without affecting the display of the product, the internal volume space of the freezer is divided, which increases the overall temperature inside the freezer. This reduces the cooling load of the freezer itself and reduces the power consumption of the compressor, thus achieving the effect of energy saving. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the heat insulation airbag of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the installation of the heat insulation component of the present invention; Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the multi-layered horizontal freezer of the present invention; The components include: 1. Support plate, 2. Insulation film, 3. Interface frame, 4. Tough folding rod, 5. Insulation airbag, 6. Load-bearing shelf, 7. Display layer, and 8. Storage layer. Detailed Implementation

[0020] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solution of the present invention, the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0021] This embodiment discloses an insulation component for a horizontal freezer, the core of which is to physically divide the freezer body into two independent functional areas in the vertical direction: an upper display layer and a lower storage layer.

[0022] Example 1 The interior of the horizontal freezer cabinet is equipped with a pair of load-bearing shelves to separate the display and storage layers. An air filling / exhaust vent is located on the compressor chamber side (usually the side or back of the freezer). An air filling / exhaust device is located immediately below the shelves (between the display and storage layers), inside the compressor chamber, with its output connected to an insulated airbag.

[0023] The heat insulation airbag includes a support assembly, an interface frame 3, an insulation film, and an inflation / deflation device. The interface frame is a square structure with a width equivalent to the inner wall of the horizontal freezer. One side of the interface frame is installed and connected to the output end of the inflation / deflation device, and the other side of the interface frame is wrapped with an insulation film. The insulation film has a width equivalent to the interface frame and a length equivalent to the inner wall of the horizontal freezer. The insulation film is supported by the support assembly.

[0024] In this embodiment, the support assembly includes a side support structure and a support plate 1, which equally divides the thermal insulation film 2 into n pieces. The support plates are staggered and spaced on the upper and lower sides of the thermal insulation film. The side support structure is provided on the side of the thermal insulation film. The side support structure is a flexible folding rod 4. Each equally divided unit of the thermal insulation film has a flexible folding rod installed obliquely on its side, and the n flexible folding rods are arranged in a wavy shape. Figure 1 As shown, the support plate is a slightly thicker plastic sheet with a thickness of approximately 0.7mm, and the flexible folding rod is a relatively stiff, bendable plastic rod. This plastic rod is connected to the plastic sheet using a flexible connection method to ensure the structural stability of the airbag when folded. The rest of the main body of the airbag uses a thermal insulation membrane (soft, thin plastic film). In the actual product, the entire surface of the airbag is covered with a silver thermal insulation material to enhance the heat insulation and reflection effect.

[0025] In addition, this embodiment also provides another structure, namely, the support component includes a support frame and guide blocks. The support frame is provided with at least two sets (three sets in this embodiment). Guide blocks are fixedly connected to both sides of the support frame, and the guide blocks cooperate with the guide rails on the inner wall of the horizontal freezer.

[0026] Example 2 The insulation component disclosed in this embodiment is a mechanical push-pull insulation baffle structure, including a support rod, a guide block, an insulation film, and a fixing rod. The fixing rod fixes one end of the insulation film to one side of the inner wall of the horizontal freezer. At least two sets of support rods are provided, and the at least two sets of support rods are evenly distributed on the insulation film. Guide blocks are provided on both sides of the support rods, and the guide blocks cooperate with the side wall guide component of the horizontal freezer.

[0027] In this embodiment, the guide component is configured in two ways: one is a slide rail that cooperates with the guide block.

[0028] Another guide assembly includes a screw and a motor, with the motor output fixedly connected to one end of the screw, and the guide block sliding along the screw.

[0029] Based on the above-mentioned insulation components, this embodiment also discloses a horizontal freezer equipped with the above-mentioned insulation components. Taking the insulation components disclosed in Embodiment 1 as an example, as follows... Figure 2 As shown, the horizontal freezer is divided by load-bearing shelves 6, with the upper layer being the display layer 7 and the lower layer being the storage layer 8. The press chamber side is equipped with an air inlet and outlet, and the air inlet and outlet device is located inside the press chamber. The heat-insulating airbag 5 for air inlet and outlet is arranged next to the lower side of the shelf. It can control the rapid inflation for heat insulation, and can also quickly deflate the heat-insulating airbag to one side to facilitate the transfer of materials from the storage layer to the display layer.

[0030] The evaporators of the display layer and the storage layer are connected in parallel, and their operation is controlled independently by two solenoid valves. Two temperature probes are installed. The temperature probe of the display layer is located on the upper surface of the heat insulation bag near the angle between the front of the freezer and the side of the compressor chamber. The temperature probe of the storage layer is located in the same position as that of a general freezer, and can be directly placed at the bottom center of the front of the freezer.

[0031] Structurally, the display cabinet of this patent has two states, which can be controlled and adjusted according to needs.

[0032] For materials with small shipment volumes, the insulation airbags remain fully inflated for heat preservation. The compressor's start and stop are calculated based on a weighted average of the temperature sensors on the display layer and the storage layer. After the goods on the display layer are sold, the insulation airbags are deflated using a button, the load-bearing shelves are removed, and restocking is performed. Once restocking is complete, the materials are placed back on the load-bearing shelves, arranged, and the insulation airbags are inflated again for heat preservation.

[0033] For materials with large shipment volumes, the heat insulation airbags remain retracted, and the compressor's start and stop are entirely controlled by the temperature sensing point signal in the storage layer. As the goods are sold, after the goods in the display layer, including a portion of the goods in the storage layer, are sold, the refrigerant passage of the evaporator in the display layer is disconnected, allowing only the evaporator in the storage layer to run, thereby further saving energy.

[0034] In addition, the interior of the freezer can be divided into multiple layers, such as... Figure 3 As shown, the top layer is the display layer, and the layers below are storage layers. Inflation / exhaust vents are located on the side of the press chamber, and the inflation / exhaust device is placed inside the press chamber. Insulating airbags for inflation / exhaust are located adjacent to the lower side of the shelves. These airbags can be controlled to quickly inflate for insulation or quickly deflate to retract to one side for display of lower-layer materials. Each layer has the same shelf structure and insulating airbags. Since only the top layer is a display layer, the insulating airbags below the display layer can remain open, while the others remain closed. When the upper layer's materials are sold out, the insulating airbags retract, and the internal air is pumped to the next layer by the inflation / exhaust device, at which point the lower layer becomes the display layer. The remaining storage materials below the display layer remain in the storage layer. Correspondingly, the evaporators inside the freezer are separated according to the number of storage layers, with each layer having its own independent evaporator coil. During the process, the evaporator coils around empty shelves can be controlled to stop cooling for energy saving.

[0035] In this embodiment, the start / stop control of the horizontal freezer compressor and solenoid valve is as follows: For ease of description, the temperature signal returned by the display layer temperature probe is defined as 'a', and the temperature signal returned by the storage layer temperature probe is defined as 'b', meaning 'a' and 'b' represent the material temperatures in the display layer and storage layer, respectively. The solenoid valve in the display layer evaporator pipeline is the first solenoid valve, and the solenoid valve in the storage layer evaporator pipeline is the second solenoid valve. Simultaneously, the system operation setting value is 'c'. The 'c' signal is divided into two parts: one part is the manually set value 'c1', which is the value desired to be maintained for the materials inside the freezer; the other part is the compensation value 'c2' required by the freezer equipment. Note that 'c2' is the total compensation value; if the equipment requires it, it can be further subdivided into 'c21', 'c22', etc.

[0036] Therefore, based on the relationship between signals a, b, and c, the freezer itself can have the following four states: 1. Given a≥c and b≥c, the desired adjustment state of the compressor and solenoid valve is: The compressor is turned on, and the first and second solenoid valves are also opened. 2. a≥c, b≤c The compressor is turned on, the first solenoid valve is opened, and the second solenoid valve is closed; 3. a≤c, b≤c The compressor is off, and the first and second solenoid valves are closed. 4. a≤c, b≥c The compressor is off, and the first and second solenoid valves are open. According to normal logic, the solenoid valve can be open or closed in both states 3 and 4. However, considering that the signal switches from 1 to 2 to 3 to 4 to 1, there is only one signal change. Therefore, it is desirable that the state of the compressor and the solenoid valve change only in one way, so that the state of the solenoid valve can be determined.

[0037] The above four states have a necessary causal relationship. Generally, b ≤ a, meaning state 4 does not exist because a, as the upper-layer temperature signal, dissipates heat quickly and is generally at a lower temperature. There is only one possibility: after state 2 is executed, the upper layer cools down while the lower layer continues to dissipate heat, thus achieving state 4. Therefore, to simplify the operational logic, by slightly combining the signals from states 2 and 4, the following judgment and operational logic can be obtained: 1. a≥c, b≥c The compressor is turned on, and the first and second solenoid valves are also opened. 2. a≥c, b≤c When the compressor starts, the first solenoid valve opens and the second solenoid valve closes. Once a ≤ c, both the first and second solenoid valves open and operation continues for time T. T is added to the operating logic as a temperature controller parameter. The value of T gradually increases with the freezer's capacity and is adjustable.

[0038] 3. a≤c, b≤c The compressor is off, and the first and second solenoid valves are closed. 4. a≤c, b≥c When the compressor is off, the first and second solenoid valves are open. This state is a supplementary state and is generally not in operation.

[0039] The above embodiments are merely exemplary embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make various modifications or equivalent substitutions to the present invention within its scope and spirit, and such modifications or equivalent substitutions should also be considered to fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. An insulation component for a horizontal freezer, characterized in that, The heat insulation component is a retractable heat insulation component installed inside the horizontal freezer. The entire surface of the heat insulation component is covered with heat insulation material. When heat insulation is required, the heat insulation component unfolds to separate the horizontal freezer, with a display layer above and a storage layer below. When heat insulation is not required, the heat insulation component retracts to one side of the horizontal freezer.

2. The insulation component for a horizontal freezer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heat insulation component is a type of heat insulation airbag or mechanical push-pull type heat insulation baffle structure.

3. The insulation component for a horizontal freezer according to claim 2, characterized in that, The heat insulation airbag includes a support assembly, an interface frame, a heat insulation membrane, and an inflation / deflation device. The interface frame is a square structure with a width equivalent to the inner wall of the horizontal freezer. One side of the interface frame is installed and connected to the output end of the inflation / deflation device, and the other side of the interface frame is wrapped with a heat insulation membrane. The width of the heat insulation membrane is equivalent to the interface frame, and the length is equivalent to the inner wall of the horizontal freezer. The heat insulation membrane is supported by the support assembly.

4. The insulation component for a horizontal freezer according to claim 3, characterized in that, The support assembly includes a side support structure and a support plate, which divides the thermal insulation film into n equal parts. The support plates are distributed alternately on the upper and lower sides of the thermal insulation film, and the side support structure is provided on the side of the thermal insulation film.

5. The insulation component for a horizontal freezer according to claim 4, characterized in that, The side support structure is a resilient folded rod. Each equally divided unit of the thermal insulation membrane is inclined with a resilient folded rod, and n resilient folded rods are arranged in a wave-like pattern.

6. The insulation component for a horizontal freezer according to claim 3, characterized in that, The support assembly includes a support frame and guide blocks. The support frame is provided in at least two sets. Guide blocks are fixedly connected to both sides of the support frame. The guide blocks cooperate with the guide rails on the inner wall of the horizontal freezer.

7. The insulation component for a horizontal freezer according to claim 2, characterized in that, The mechanical push-pull type heat preservation baffle structure includes a support rod, a guide block, a heat preservation film, and a fixing rod. The fixing rod fixes one end of the heat preservation film to one side of the inner wall of the horizontal freezer. There are at least two sets of support rods, which are evenly distributed on the heat preservation film. Guide blocks are provided on both sides of the support rods, and the guide blocks cooperate with the side wall guide assembly of the horizontal freezer.

8. The insulation component for a horizontal freezer according to claim 7, characterized in that, The guiding component is a slide rail that cooperates with the guide block.

9. The insulation component for a horizontal freezer according to claim 7, characterized in that, The guide assembly includes a screw and a motor. The output end of the motor is fixedly connected to one end of the screw, and the guide block slides along the screw.

10. A horizontal freezer, characterized in that, The system includes load-bearing shelves installed on the inner wall of the freezer, insulation components as described in any one of claims 1-9, and a refrigeration and control system. The load-bearing shelves divide the interior of the horizontal freezer into multiple layers, and at least one set of load-bearing shelves is provided. The insulation components are installed immediately below the load-bearing shelves. The refrigeration and control system includes a compressor, multiple evaporators connected in parallel, a condenser, and temperature sensing elements. The multiple evaporators connected in parallel are each controlled by an independent solenoid valve to open or close their refrigerant passages. Each layer inside the horizontal freezer is provided with a temperature sensing element, and the compressor is started and stopped by the mixed signals from the temperature sensing elements of each layer.

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