Portable phase change cold storage air conditioner and its refrigeration method

Abstract

This invention discloses a portable phase change cold storage air conditioner and its refrigeration method, including a housing, a phase change cold storage material pack, a closed-loop system, a heat exchanger, an airflow drive device, an insulated connecting pipe, and an air outlet device. The housing is equipped with a thermally conductive baffle, which divides the housing cavity into a refrigerant cavity and a gel cavity to achieve dry isolation. The heat transfer medium flows through the external heat exchanger through the closed-loop system. The ambient air is cooled and dehumidified by the heat exchanger and then sent to the air outlet device through the insulated connecting pipe for cooling. This invention has the advantages of light weight, low noise, dry and cool air outlet, long battery life, and convenient replacement of the phase change cold storage material pack.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention pertains to refrigeration equipment, specifically a portable phase change cold storage air conditioner and its refrigeration method that utilizes phase change cold storage materials for refrigeration. Background Technology

[0002] There are three main types of portable personal cooling devices currently available:

[0003] 1. Evaporative fans: They absorb heat through the evaporation of water, but they are very ineffective in high humidity environments and produce damp air.

[0004] 2. Semiconductor cooling chip fan: requires a large heat sink and fan, has high power consumption (10-30W), high noise (>40dB), and low cooling efficiency.

[0005] 3. Portable air conditioners with compressor cooling (such as Zero Breeze): weigh more than 4kg, are noisy, and are expensive.

[0006] In addition, there are some simple devices that put ice packs in a backpack and blow them with a fan, but the ice packs are in direct contact with the air, resulting in a serious waste of cooling capacity, short battery life (usually less than 1 hour), and no way to deal with the condensation.

[0007] Therefore, there is a need for a lightweight, quiet, dry and cool air supply with a long battery life for portable phase change air conditioning. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The purpose of this invention is to provide a portable phase change cold storage air conditioner and its refrigeration method, which solves the problems of large weight, high noise, humid air outlet and short battery life in the prior art.

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, the portable phase change cold storage air conditioner implementing the present invention includes:

[0010] The housing has an internal cavity;

[0011] A phase change cold storage material package is disposed within the receiving cavity;

[0012] A closed-loop system includes a heat transfer medium, a circulating pump, and circulating piping.

[0013] A heat exchanger is installed on the outside of the housing, and the heat exchanger has a refrigerant passage and an air passage;

[0014] An airflow drive device is installed on the air inlet side or air outlet side of the heat exchanger;

[0015] The insulated connecting pipe is connected at one end to the air passage outlet of the heat exchanger and at the other end to an air outlet element.

[0016] The cavity is provided with a thermally conductive partition, which divides the cavity into a refrigerant cavity and a gel cavity that are sealed to each other. The phase change cold storage material is placed in the gel cavity, and the heat transfer medium and the circulation pump are located in the refrigerant cavity. The refrigerant cavity and the gel cavity exchange heat indirectly through the thermally conductive partition.

[0017] Preferably, the heat transfer medium is a food-grade propylene glycol aqueous solution or an ethanol aqueous solution.

[0018] Preferably, the thermally conductive partition is an aluminum plate or a copper plate, and at least one side of the thermally conductive partition is coated with thermally conductive silicone grease.

[0019] Preferably, a condensate collection tray is provided below the heat exchanger, and a guide pipe is connected to the lowest point of the collection tray. The guide pipe leads to the outside of the housing or is connected to a detachable water collection bottle.

[0020] Preferably, the wall of the insulated connecting pipe has a double-layer structure, with heat insulation material filling the middle.

[0021] Preferably, the housing is provided with a heat insulation layer consisting of EPP foam, vacuum insulation board, aerogel felt or aluminum foil composite film.

[0022] Preferably, the phase change cold storage material package has a phase change temperature of -6℃ to 0℃ and is encapsulated in a waterproof container.

[0023] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a method for refrigeration using the aforementioned portable phase change cold storage air conditioner, the method comprising the following steps:

[0024] The phase change cold storage material is encapsulated in a waterproof container and placed in the gel cavity of the housing.

[0025] A heat transfer medium is filled in the refrigerant cavity containing the housing, and the gel cavity and the refrigerant cavity are thermally coupled through a thermally conductive partition.

[0026] The heat transfer medium is driven by a circulating pump to flow through a heat exchanger installed on the outside of the housing.

[0027] The ambient air is driven to flow through the heat exchanger, thereby cooling and dehumidifying the air;

[0028] The cooled and dehumidified air is delivered to the air outlet element through an insulated connecting pipe.

[0029] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a portable phase change cold storage air conditioner, characterized in that the portable phase change cold storage air conditioner comprises:

[0030] The housing has an internal cavity;

[0031] A phase change cold storage material package is disposed within the receiving cavity;

[0032] A closed-loop system, including the heat transfer medium and the circulation piping;

[0033] A heat exchanger is installed on the upper side of the housing, and the heat exchanger has a refrigerant passage and an air passage;

[0034] An airflow drive device is installed on the air inlet side or air outlet side of the heat exchanger;

[0035] The insulated connecting pipe is connected at one end to the air passage outlet of the heat exchanger and at the other end to an air outlet element.

[0036] The cavity is provided with a thermally conductive partition, which divides the cavity into a refrigerant cavity and a gel cavity that are sealed to each other. The phase change cold storage material is placed in the gel cavity, and the heat transfer medium is placed in the refrigerant cavity. The refrigerant cavity and the gel cavity exchange heat indirectly through the thermally conductive partition.

[0037] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a method for refrigeration using the aforementioned portable phase change cold storage air conditioner, the method comprising the following steps:

[0038] The phase change cold storage material is encapsulated in a waterproof container and placed in the gel cavity of the housing.

[0039] A heat transfer medium is filled in the refrigerant cavity containing the housing, and the gel cavity and the refrigerant cavity are thermally coupled through a thermally conductive partition.

[0040] The heat transfer medium flows through a heat exchanger installed on the outside of the housing using the pumpless thermosiphon principle.

[0041] The ambient air is driven to flow through the heat exchanger, thereby cooling and dehumidifying the air;

[0042] The cooled and dehumidified air is delivered to the air outlet element through an insulated connecting pipe.

[0043] Compared with existing technologies, this invention has the following superior effects: 1. Dry isolation design: The phase change material and the heat transfer medium do not come into direct contact, avoiding contamination of the heat transfer medium and blockage of the water pump after the gel bag is damaged. Moreover, replacing the gel bag does not require draining, which is extremely convenient; 2. Using propylene glycol or ethanol aqueous solution as the heat transfer medium, it is non-toxic, non-flammable, non-corrosive, and has a freezing point below -15℃, making it suitable for low-temperature environments; 3. The heat exchanger is located outside the housing and combined with an insulated connecting pipe structure, thus avoiding the loss of cold energy and extending the operating time to 4-6 hours; 4. By actively draining the condensate, the relative humidity of the outlet air is reduced to below 50%, thereby ensuring a dry feeling. Attached Figure Description

[0044] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the overall structure of the portable phase change cold storage air conditioner for implementing the present invention.

[0045] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of a second embodiment of the portable phase change cold storage air conditioner for implementing the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0046] Please refer to the following: Figure 1 The diagram shown is a structural schematic of a portable phase-change cold storage air conditioner implementing the present invention. The portable phase-change cold storage air conditioner implementing the present invention includes:

[0047] The housing 1 has an internal cavity 10.

[0048] Phase change cold storage material package 2 is disposed within the receiving cavity 10;

[0049] The closed-loop system 3 includes a heat transfer medium 30, a circulation pump 31, and a circulation pipeline 32;

[0050] Heat exchanger 4 is installed on the outside of the housing, and the heat exchanger has a refrigerant passage and an air passage;

[0051] The airflow drive device 5 is installed on the air inlet side or air outlet side of the heat exchanger;

[0052] The heat-insulating connecting pipe 6 is connected at one end to the air passage outlet of the heat exchanger and at the other end to an air outlet device 7.

[0053] The cavity 10 is provided with a heat-conducting partition 10, which divides the cavity 10 into a refrigerant cavity 11 and a gel cavity 12 that are sealed to each other. The phase change cold storage material package 2 is placed in the gel cavity 12. The heat transfer medium 30 and the circulation pump 31 are arranged in the refrigerant cavity 11. The refrigerant cavity 11 and the gel cavity 12 exchange heat indirectly through the heat-conducting partition 10.

[0054] In specific implementation, the housing 1 is molded from EPP foam (density 0.1 g / cm³) with a wall thickness of 20 mm, wrapped with aluminum foil tape on the outside, and the internal dimensions can be 200×150×100 mm. Alternatively, the housing can be molded from other materials and have a heat insulation layer inside or outside, which is composed of EPP foam, vacuum insulation board, aerogel felt or aluminum foil composite film, with a total thermal conductivity ≤0.05 W / (m·K).

[0055] The thermally conductive partition 10 is made of 2mm thick 6061 aluminum alloy plate, with thermally conductive silicone grease applied to the surface, dividing the cavity into a refrigerant cavity (volume of about 1.5L) and a gel cavity (volume of about 1.0L).

[0056] The phase change cold storage material is PCM-6 (phase change point -6℃, latent heat 220kJ / kg), weighing 1.2kg, and is packaged in a waterproof container, such as a waterproof flexible bag. The waterproof flexible bag is a PE bag of 200×150×30mm and is placed in the gel cavity 12.

[0057] The heat transfer medium is a food-grade propylene glycol aqueous solution or an ethanol aqueous solution, for example, a combination of 20%-40% food-grade propylene glycol and pure water, with a volume of 1.2L, which is injected into the refrigerant chamber 11. The food-grade propylene glycol is preferably 30%, and the ethanol aqueous solution is a combination of ethanol and pure water.

[0058] The circulating pump 31 is a miniature diaphragm pump with a voltage of 12V, a power of 1.5W, and a flow rate of 250mL / min. It is placed at the bottom of the refrigerant chamber.

[0059] The heat exchanger is a copper tube and aluminum fin structure, measuring 80×80×30mm. It is installed on the outer top of the backpack, and the inner diameter of the refrigerant side interface is 4mm.

[0060] The airflow drive device 5 is a centrifugal fan, model 4020, with a voltage of 12V, a power of 1.2W, an air volume of 8CFM, and a noise level of 26dB. It is installed close to the air inlet of the heat exchanger.

[0061] The inner diameter of the thermal insulation connecting pipe 6 is 12mm and the length is 1m. It uses double-layer silicone tubing and is filled with thermal insulation material (such as sponge) in the middle.

[0062] The air outlet device 7 is a handheld air outlet nozzle, which is made of 3D printed ABS, with an air outlet size of 30×5mm and an internal guide vane (not shown).

[0063] Additionally, a condensate collection tray 42 is provided at the bottom of the heat exchanger 4. The condensate collection tray 42 has an internal ramp (not shown), with a 2mm inner diameter guide pipe (not shown) connected to its lowest point. The guide pipe leads to the outside of the housing (e.g., directly discharged to the outside) or connects to a detachable water collection bottle (not shown). Furthermore, the portable phase-change cold storage air conditioner implementing the present invention may also include a power supply unit (not shown) to provide the electrical energy required for the operation of the airflow drive device 5 and the circulation pump 31. The power supply unit may be a mobile power supply or a voltage conversion device for connection to a 220V power supply.

[0064] In use, first freeze the phase change gel bag in a -18°C freezer for 8 hours, then fill it into the gel chamber and close the sealing cap. Turn on the circulation pump and fan. The refrigerant circulates in the refrigerant chamber, absorbing the cold energy of the gel through the heat-conducting baffle, and then enters the heat exchanger. Ambient air is drawn in by the fan, passes through the heat exchanger fins, and is cooled to 14-16°C. Simultaneously, water vapor condenses into water droplets that flow into the water collection tray and are discharged. The cold air is blown towards the human body through the insulated connecting pipe and the air outlet element (such as a handheld air outlet nozzle). For example, when the ambient temperature is 30°C and the humidity is 70%, after cooling by the portable phase change cold storage air conditioner implementing this invention, the outlet air temperature can be set to 15°C and the humidity to 45%, and it can operate continuously for 4.5 hours.

[0065] The present invention also provides a method for refrigeration using the above-mentioned portable phase change cold storage air conditioner, the method comprising the following steps:

[0066] The phase change cold storage material is encapsulated in a waterproof container and placed in the gel cavity of the housing.

[0067] A heat transfer medium is filled in the refrigerant cavity containing the housing, and the gel cavity and the refrigerant cavity are thermally coupled through a thermally conductive partition.

[0068] The heat transfer medium is driven by a circulating pump to flow through a heat exchanger installed on the outside of the housing.

[0069] The ambient air is driven to flow through the heat exchanger, thereby cooling and dehumidifying the air;

[0070] The cooled and dehumidified air is delivered to the air outlet element through an insulated connecting pipe.

[0071] Please see Figure 2 The diagram shown is a structural schematic of a second embodiment of the portable phase-change cold storage air conditioner implementing the present invention. The second embodiment employs a pumpless thermosiphon principle. Unlike the first embodiment, the second embodiment eliminates the circulation pump and installs the heat exchanger 4 at a certain height (e.g., 100mm) on top of the housing 1, utilizing the thermosiphon principle for natural circulation. The inner diameter of the circulation pipe 32 is increased to 8mm, and the entire system maintains a slight positive pressure. Testing showed an outlet air temperature of 17°C, a runtime of up to 3.8 hours, and no noise.

[0072] The method for refrigeration using the aforementioned portable phase change cold storage air conditioner includes the following steps:

[0073] The phase change cold storage material is encapsulated in a waterproof container and placed in the gel cavity of the housing.

[0074] A heat transfer medium is filled in the refrigerant cavity containing the housing, and the gel cavity and the refrigerant cavity are thermally coupled through a thermally conductive partition.

[0075] The heat transfer medium flows through a heat exchanger installed on the outside of the housing using the pumpless thermosiphon principle.

[0076] The ambient air is driven to flow through the heat exchanger, thereby cooling and dehumidifying the air;

[0077] The cooled and dehumidified air is delivered to the air outlet element through an insulated connecting pipe.

[0078] In practical implementation, the portable phase-change cold storage air conditioner of the present invention can be made into a backpack-style design, such as by providing shoulder straps on both sides of the housing, allowing the user to carry it on their shoulder and use the handheld air outlet nozzle to spray cool air onto the face, thereby achieving a cooling effect. Alternatively, the portable phase-change cold storage air conditioner of the present invention can also be made into a desktop or portable design, with the corresponding condensing capacity increased as needed. Simultaneously, the power of the heat exchanger and centrifugal fan is also increased accordingly, and the air outlet device can be a fan to accelerate the expulsion of cool air, achieving a better cooling effect.

[0079] Compared with existing technologies, this invention has the following superior effects: 1. Dry isolation design: The phase change material and the heat transfer medium do not come into direct contact, avoiding contamination of the heat transfer medium and blockage of the water pump after the gel bag is damaged. Moreover, replacing the gel bag does not require draining, which is extremely convenient; 2. Using propylene glycol or ethanol aqueous solution as the heat transfer medium, it is non-toxic, non-flammable, non-corrosive, and has a freezing point below -15℃, making it suitable for low-temperature environments; 3. The heat exchanger is located outside the housing and combined with an insulated connecting pipe structure, thus avoiding the loss of cold energy and extending the operating time to 4-6 hours; 4. By actively draining the condensate, the relative humidity of the outlet air is reduced to below 50%, thereby ensuring a dry feeling.

[0080] It is understood that those skilled in the art can make equivalent substitutions or modifications to the technical solution and inventive concept of the present invention, and all such substitutions or modifications should fall within the protection scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A portable phase change cold storage air conditioner, characterized in that, The portable phase change cold storage air conditioner includes: The housing has an internal cavity; A phase change cold storage material package is disposed within the receiving cavity; A closed-loop system includes a heat transfer medium, a circulating pump, and circulating piping. A heat exchanger is installed on the outside of the housing, and the heat exchanger has a refrigerant passage and an air passage; An airflow drive device is installed on the air inlet side or air outlet side of the heat exchanger; An insulated connecting pipe is connected at one end to the air passage outlet of the heat exchanger and at the other end to an air outlet element. The cavity is provided with a thermally conductive partition, which divides the cavity into a refrigerant cavity and a gel cavity that are sealed to each other. The phase change cold storage material is placed in the gel cavity, and the heat transfer medium and the circulation pump are located in the refrigerant cavity. The refrigerant cavity and the gel cavity exchange heat indirectly through the thermally conductive partition.

2. The portable phase change cold storage air conditioner as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The heat transfer medium is a food-grade propylene glycol aqueous solution or an ethanol aqueous solution.

3. The portable phase change cold storage air conditioner as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The thermally conductive partition is an aluminum plate or a copper plate, and at least one side of the thermally conductive partition is coated with thermally conductive silicone grease.

4. The portable phase change cold storage air conditioner as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The heat exchanger is provided with a condensate collection tray at the bottom, and a guide pipe is connected to the lowest point of the collection tray. The guide pipe leads to the outside of the housing or to a detachable water collection bottle.

5. The portable phase change cold storage air conditioner as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The insulated connecting pipe is an insulated flexible tube with a double-layered wall structure and filled with heat-insulating material in the middle.

6. The portable phase change cold storage air conditioner as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The housing is provided with a heat insulation layer, which is composed of EPP foam, vacuum insulation board, aerogel felt or aluminum foil composite film.

7. The portable phase change cold storage air conditioner as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The phase change cold storage material package has a phase change temperature of -6℃ to 0℃ and is encapsulated in a waterproof container.

8. A method for refrigeration using the portable phase change cold storage air conditioner as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The method includes the following steps: The phase change cold storage material is encapsulated in a waterproof container and placed in the gel cavity of the housing. A heat transfer medium is filled in the refrigerant cavity containing the housing, and the gel cavity and the refrigerant cavity are thermally coupled through a thermally conductive partition. The heat transfer medium is driven by a circulating pump to flow through a heat exchanger installed on the outside of the housing. The ambient air is driven to flow through the heat exchanger, thereby cooling and dehumidifying the air; The cooled and dehumidified air is delivered to the air outlet element through an insulated connecting pipe.

9. A portable phase change cold storage air conditioner, characterized in that, The portable phase change cold storage air conditioner includes: The housing has an internal cavity; A phase change cold storage material package is disposed within the receiving cavity; A closed-loop system, including the heat transfer medium and the circulation piping; A heat exchanger is installed on the upper side of the housing, and the heat exchanger has a refrigerant passage and an air passage; An airflow drive device is installed on the air inlet side or air outlet side of the heat exchanger; The insulated connecting pipe is connected at one end to the air passage outlet of the heat exchanger and at the other end to an air outlet element. The cavity is provided with a thermally conductive partition, which divides the cavity into a refrigerant cavity and a gel cavity that are sealed to each other. The phase change cold storage material is placed in the gel cavity, and the heat transfer medium is placed in the refrigerant cavity. The refrigerant cavity and the gel cavity exchange heat indirectly through the thermally conductive partition.

10. A method for refrigeration using the portable phase change cold storage air conditioner as described in claim 9, characterized in that, The method includes the following steps: The phase change cold storage material is encapsulated in a waterproof container and placed in the gel cavity of the housing. A heat transfer medium is filled in the refrigerant cavity containing the housing, and the gel cavity and the refrigerant cavity are thermally coupled through a thermally conductive partition. The heat transfer medium flows through a heat exchanger installed on the outside of the housing using the pumpless thermosiphon principle. The ambient air is driven to flow through the heat exchanger, thereby cooling and dehumidifying the air; The cooled and dehumidified air is delivered to the air outlet element through an insulated connecting pipe.

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