Refrigeration unit, and showcase

Abstract

To provide a refrigeration unit that can efficiently evaporate dew condensation water.SOLUTION: A refrigeration unit comprises: a heat exchanger; an air blower 42 for sending air to the heat exchanger; a first evaporating device for storing and evaporating dew condensation water; and a wind guide member arranged so as to incline with respect to the air blower 42, and for guiding the air sent from the air blower 42, to the first evaporating device.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a refrigeration unit and a showcase. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a drain water evaporation device for a cooling device that enables drain water in an evaporation tray fixed in a machine room to be disposed of in an evaporation tray that is installed so as to be freely inserted and removed as desired. The drain water evaporation device of Patent Document 1 is installed in the machine room of the cooling device and includes an evaporation tray that receives drain water from a cooler that constitutes the refrigerant circuit of the cooling device and evaporates it, and a drain water tank that is located below the evaporation tray and installed so as to be freely inserted and removed in the machine room, and the evaporation tray is provided with a drain plug that discharges the drain water in the evaporation tray into the drain water tank. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2012-52710 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The present disclosure provides a refrigeration unit and a showcase that can efficiently evaporate condensation water. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The refrigeration unit of the present disclosure includes a heat exchanger, a blower which blows air to the heat exchanger, a first evaporator which stores condensation water and evaporates it, and an air guide member which is arranged at an angle to the blower and which guides the air blown out from the blower to the evaporator tray. Effect of the Invention

[0006] According to the present disclosure, condensed water can be evaporated more efficiently. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a showcase according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] Sectional view of plane II of Fig. 1 [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a machine room main body. [Figure 4] Plan view of the machine room [Diagram 5] Front view of the machine room [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the second evaporating dish and the air guide plate. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] (The knowledge and other information that formed the basis of this disclosure) At the time the inventors came up with the idea for this disclosure, there was technology in place for a showcase equipped with a condenser, which is a heat exchanger, a blower that sends air to the condenser, and an evaporator that stores and evaporates condensed water, in which the air that had exchanged heat with the condenser was sent to the evaporator by the blower. In some showcases equipped with an evaporator, the evaporator is not disposed downstream of the blower that blows air to the condenser. In such showcases, a blower other than the blower that blows air to the condenser is provided, and the other blower blows air to the evaporator, promoting evaporation of condensation water stored in the evaporator.

[0009] However, the inventors discovered a problem in that in a showcase in which an evaporator is not located downstream of the blower that sends air to the condenser, the air that has exchanged heat with the heat exchanger cannot be utilized, and in order to solve this problem, they came up with the subject matter of the present disclosure. Therefore, the present disclosure provides a refrigeration unit and a showcase that can efficiently evaporate condensation water.

[0010] Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, more detailed explanation than necessary may be omitted. For example, detailed explanation of already well-known matters or duplicate explanation of substantially the same configuration may be omitted. This is to avoid the following explanation becoming more redundant than necessary and to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art. It should be noted that the accompanying drawings and the following description are provided to enable those skilled in the art to fully understand the present disclosure, and are not intended to limit the subject matter described in the claims.

[0011] (Embodiment 1) Hereinafter, the first embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 4. The symbol FR in each figure indicates the front of the showcase when it is installed on an installation surface and in normal use, the symbol UP indicates the upper side of the showcase, and the symbol LH indicates the left side of the showcase. In the following description, each direction is along the direction of these showcases.

[0012] [1-1. Configuration] [1-1-1. Showcase composition] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a showcase 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Fig. 1, the showcase 1 is a device that is placed on the floor of a store such as a supermarket or a convenience store, and displays items such as beverages and foods in a refrigerated or frozen state. The showcase 1 of this embodiment is a so-called open-type showcase.

[0013] Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the showcase 1 cut along a plane II in Fig. 1. Plane II is an imaginary plane that passes between the condenser 32 and the electrical equipment box 38 in the left-right direction of the showcase 1. The showcase 1 includes a case body 10. The case body 10 includes a housing structure with an opening on the front side. 2, the case body 10 includes a heat insulating wall 14. The heat insulating wall 14 is formed of various heat insulating materials such as urethane foam, polystyrene foam, etc. The heat insulating wall 14 forms the top, back, and bottom surfaces of the case body 10. The case body 10 includes side panels 16 that form the left and right side surfaces.

[0014] The case body 10 is provided with partition walls 18. The partition walls 18 are plate-like members disposed inside the case body 10 facing each of the insulating walls 14 at a predetermined interval from each of the insulating walls 14 that form the top and back surfaces. The partition walls 18 are connected to each other. A partition wall 18 extending in the vertical direction of the case body 10 is provided with a plurality of display shelves 12 on which merchandise can be placed. The display shelves 12 are arranged in a line at a predetermined interval from each other along the vertical direction. In this embodiment, the display shelf 12 located at the lowest level is arranged at a predetermined interval from the insulating wall 14 forming the bottom surface of the case body 10. Therefore, inside the case body 10, the space surrounded by each of the side panels 16, the partition wall 18, and the display shelf 12 at the lowest level functions as a display room 11 in which merchandise and other display items are arranged.

[0015] A duct space 13 is provided in the case body 10. The duct space 13 is a space surrounded by the insulating wall 14, each of the side panels 16, the partition wall 18, and the display shelf 12 at the lowest level. An air outlet 15 is provided in the case body 10. The air outlet 15 is provided at the front end of a partition wall 18 that faces the top surface of the case body 10. The air outlet 15 is an opening that connects the duct space 13 and the display shelf 12. An intake port 17 is provided in the case body 10. The intake port 17 is formed in an intake member 19 provided at the front end of the lowest display shelf 12. The intake port 17 is an opening that connects the duct space 13 and the display shelf 12.

[0016] An evaporator 34, which is a heat exchanger, and a blower 40 that blows air to the evaporator 34 are housed inside the duct space 13. The evaporator 34 is a so-called fin-and-tube type heat exchanger. The blower 40 is a so-called axial flow fan. In addition, the duct space 13 may be provided with a refrigerant pipe 31 connected to the evaporator 34 and a pressure adjustment mechanism such as an expansion valve connected to the evaporator 34 via the refrigerant pipe 31.

[0017] The showcase 1 includes a back panel 2. The back panel 2 is a plate-like member that forms the back surface of the showcase 1. The back panel 2 is disposed on the opposite side of a partition wall 18 that extends in the up-down direction of the case body 10, with a heat insulating wall 14 that forms the back surface of the case body 10 in between.

[0018] The showcase 1 is provided with an exhaust space 5. The exhaust space 5 is a space surrounded by the insulating walls 14, the side plates 16, and the back plate 2. The insulating walls 14, the side plates 16, and the back plate 2 form a duct-like structure by providing the exhaust space 5. The exhaust space 5 communicates with the outside of the showcase 1 through an opening provided in the upper part of the showcase 1.

[0019] [1-1-2. Machine room unit configuration] The showcase 1 includes a machine room unit 20. The machine room unit 20 is a unit that includes various devices and members related to cooling of the showcase 1. The machine room unit 20 includes a unit body 22 which is a housing on which the case body 10 is placed on the upper surface. Inside the unit body 22, a machine room 21 is provided which is a space for accommodating various devices and members related to cooling the display room 11. The machine room 21 communicates with the exhaust space 5 through an opening provided in the upper part of the unit body 22.

[0020] The unit body 22 includes a bottom plate 24 that forms the bottom surface of the unit body 22 and the showcase 1 . The unit body 22 includes a plate-like kick plate 26 that forms the front surface of the unit body 22. The kick plate 26 is provided with an intake port 23 that is a through-hole that penetrates in the front-rear direction. In this embodiment, the kick plate 26 is formed to be detachable from the unit body 22. In this embodiment, the rear surface of the unit body 22 is formed by the lower end portion of the back plate 2 . The machine room unit 20 corresponds to the "refrigeration unit" in this disclosure. The unit body 22 corresponds to the "housing" of the present disclosure.

[0021] Fig. 3 is a plan view of the machine room 21. For ease of explanation, the electrical equipment box 38 is indicated by a two-dot chain line in Fig. 3. For ease of explanation, the blowing direction A of the blower 42 is indicated by a one-dot chain line in Fig. 3. 3, a compressor 30 and a condenser 32, which is a heat exchanger, are disposed in the machine room 21. The compressor 30, the condenser 32, and the evaporator 34 are connected to each other by refrigerant piping 31, and form a refrigeration circuit that cools the display room 11. A refrigerant delivered by a compressor 30 flows through the refrigeration circuit. In the present embodiment, HFC (hydrofluorocarbon), propane, or the like is used as the refrigerant in the showcase 1. By using HFC or propane in the showcase 1, it is possible to reduce the amount of refrigerant charged into the refrigeration circuit. However, the showcase 1 is not limited to this, and other refrigerants such as carbon dioxide refrigerant may be used.

[0022] The compressor 30 is disposed approximately in the center in the left-right direction of the machine room 21. The compressor 30 is disposed at a position closer to the rear side of the unit body 22 than to the front side.

[0023] In this embodiment, the condenser 32 is a so-called fin-tube type heat exchanger. The condenser 32 is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. In the machine room unit 20, the condenser 32 is disposed along the kick plate 26. The condenser 32 is provided at a position overlapping with the intake port 23 and the compressor 30 when viewed from the front of the machine room unit 20.

[0024] A plurality of fans 42 for blowing air to the condenser 32 are provided in the machine room 21. A plurality of fans 42 are attached to the surface of the condenser 32 facing the rear surface of the unit body 22. The blower 42 of the present embodiment is an axial flow fan, similar to the blower 40. The blower 42 is a so-called suction type blower. When the blower 42 is driven, air outside the machine room unit 20 is drawn into the machine room 21 through the air intake 23. The air drawn into the machine room 21 passes between the fins of the condenser 32 and exchanges heat with the refrigerant flowing through the condenser 32. The blower 42 sends out the air that has passed through the condenser 32 toward the rear of the unit body 22. In the following description, the direction in which the blower 42 sends out air in this way is referred to as the blowing direction A. The blowing direction A is a direction along the front-to-rear direction.

[0025] The air that has passed through the condenser 32 is sent to the rear of the machine room 21 by the blower 42, and at least a portion of the air is blown against the compressor 30. This cools the compressor 30. That is, at least a portion of the air sent out by the blower 42 becomes cooling air for the compressor 30. The air sent to the rear of the machine room 21 by the blower 42 is exhausted to the outside of the showcase 1 through the exhaust space 5.

[0026] Fig. 4 is a front view of the machine room 21. For ease of explanation, the kick plate 26, the condenser 32, and the electrical equipment box 38 are omitted in Fig. 4. For ease of explanation, the condenser 32 is indicated by a two-dot chain line in Fig. 4. As shown in Fig. 4, the blowers 42 are disposed on the rear side of the condenser 32 in a dispersed manner with a predetermined interval between each other. The blowers 42 are arranged in a line along the left-right direction on the surface of the condenser 32 facing the rear surface of the unit body 22, and are also disposed in a plurality of rows in the up-down direction. In this embodiment, the blowers 42 are disposed in two rows, one above the other. In the row located at the bottom, the blowers 42 are disposed in a position where the lower ends of the blowers 42 approach the lower end of the condenser 32. In the row located at the top, the blowers 42 are disposed in a position where the upper ends of the blowers 42 approach the upper end of the condenser 32. As a result, air passes through the entire condenser 32 when viewed from the front, and heat exchange with the refrigerant takes place.

[0027] 3, an accumulator 36 is provided in the machine room 21. The accumulator 36, together with the compressor 30, etc., forms a refrigeration circuit. The accumulator 36 is connected to the suction side of the compressor 30 via a refrigerant pipe 31.

[0028] An electrical equipment box 38 is disposed in the machine room 21. In this embodiment, the electrical equipment box 38 is a box body disposed in a position close to the right side surface of the unit body 22. The electrical equipment box 38 is disposed to the right of the compressor 30 and the condenser 32 in the machine room 21. The electrical equipment box 38 houses a control board that controls each part of the showcase 1, a power supply device that supplies power to each part of the showcase 1, and the like. The electrical equipment box 38 is connected to each part of the showcase 1 via various wiring such as signal lines and power supply lines.

[0029] In the machine room 21, the multiple fans 42 are arranged in a concentrated manner on the surface of the condenser 32 that faces the back surface of the unit body 22. This makes it possible to concentrate and arrange the wiring connecting the multiple fans 42 and the electrical box 38 in the machine room 21, as well as to shorten the length of the wiring and simplify the routing of the wiring.

[0030] [1-1-3. Configuration of the evaporating dish] Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the machine room 21. For ease of explanation, the condenser 32 and the blower 42 are omitted in Fig. 5. As shown in Fig. 5, a drain pipe 48 is provided at the upper part of the machine room unit 20. The drain pipe 48 is a tubular member that connects the duct space 13 and the machine room 21. One end of the drain pipe 48 is connected to the lower end of the case body 10 and opens in the duct space 13. The other end of the drain pipe 48 opens downward in the machine room 21.

[0031] A plurality of legs 52 are provided in the machine room 21. The legs 52 are columnar members that stand upward with a predetermined height from the bottom plate 24. In the present embodiment, four legs 52 are arranged between the plurality of fans 42 and the compressor 30.

[0032] The multiple legs 52 support the first evaporating dish 50. The first evaporating dish 50 is an evaporating device that stores condensed water and evaporates it. As shown in Fig. 3, the first evaporating dish 50 is formed in a long box shape in a plan view. As shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the first evaporating dish 50 has a predetermined depth dimension and an opening 51 that opens the top surface.

[0033] The first evaporating dish 50 has a lower bottom portion 54 and an upper bottom portion 56 . As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the lower bottom portion 54 forms the bottom surface of the first evaporating dish 50 from one end to a position approaching the other end in the longitudinal direction of the first evaporating dish 50.

[0034] The upper bottom portion 56 is provided at the other end portion in the longitudinal direction of the first evaporating dish 50. As shown in Fig. 4, the upper bottom portion 56 forms the bottom surface of the first evaporating dish 50 at a location located at the other end portion in the longitudinal direction of the first evaporating dish 50. The upper bottom portion 56 is located higher than the lower bottom portion 54. For this reason, the first evaporating dish 50 is formed so that the location located at the other end portion in the longitudinal direction is shallower than other locations. 3, the upper bottom portion 56 is formed to be shorter than the lower bottom portion 54 in the longitudinal direction of the first evaporating dish 50. The lower bottom portion 54 and the upper bottom portion 56 are both disposed at positions overlapping the opening 51 in a plan view. The upper bottom portion 56 is provided with a drainage port 53 which is a through hole passing through in the vertical direction.

[0035] 4 and 5, the first evaporating dish 50 has side surfaces 55 rising from each of the long sides of the upper bottom portion 56 and the lower bottom portion 54. The side surfaces 55 extend along the longitudinal direction of the first evaporating dish 50 and are provided over the entire longitudinal direction of the first evaporating dish 50. The upper ends of the side surfaces 55 form the long sides of the opening 51.

[0036] The first evaporating dish 50 is attached to the upper end of each of the legs 52, and is thereby supported by the legs 52 at a position approaching the other end of the drain pipe 48 from below. In the present embodiment, each of the legs 52 is attached to the first evaporating dish 50 by fixing an upper end to any one of the side surfaces 55. In the first evaporating dish 50, the pair of legs 52 are arranged on one end of the lower bottom 54 in the longitudinal direction so as to sandwich the one end from the front-rear direction. In the first evaporating dish 50, the pair of legs 52 are arranged on the other end of the lower bottom 54 in the longitudinal direction so as to sandwich the other end from the front-rear direction. The first evaporating dish 50 corresponds to the "second evaporating device" of the present disclosure.

[0037] As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, an air guide plate 60 is provided on the leg 52. The air guide plate 60 is a member provided on the leg 52 to reinforce the leg 52 and the first evaporating dish 50 supported by the leg 52. The air guide plate 60 is a long plate-like member extending along the longitudinal direction of the first evaporating dish 50. Both ends of the air guide plate 60 are fixed to a pair of legs 52 attached to one side surface 55. In this embodiment, both ends of the air guide plate 60 are fixed to a pair of legs 52 attached to the rear side surface 55. The upper end of the air guide plate 60 is disposed in a position in contact with the lower surface of the lower bottom portion 54. That is, the air guide plate 60 is disposed below the first evaporating dish 50. The lower end of the air guide plate 60 is disposed above the lower ends of the legs 52. That is, the air guide plate 60 is disposed in a position separated from the bottom plate 24.

[0038] Fig. 6 is a plan view of the machine chamber 21. For ease of explanation, Fig. 6 shows the bottom plate 24, the first evaporating dish 50, the legs 52, the air guide plate 60, and the second evaporating dish 70, and omits other members. For ease of explanation, Fig. 6 shows the first evaporating dish 50 by virtual lines. As shown in FIG. 6, the air guide plate 60 has a first air guide surface 61 that forms a plane parallel to the side surface 55 .

[0039] The first airflow guiding surface 61 is provided with a second airflow guiding surface 63 that forms a plane extending in a different direction from the plane of the first airflow guiding surface 61. 5, in this embodiment, the second wind guiding surface 63 is formed by providing slits to the end portion of the first wind guiding surface 61 located on the upper bottom portion 56 side. Specifically, the second wind guiding surface 63 is formed by bending the area surrounded by the cuts in the plate thickness direction of the first wind guiding surface 61.

[0040] 6, in the present embodiment, the second air guide surface 63 is bent rearward in a plan view of the first evaporating dish 50. Therefore, the second air guide surface 63 extends in a different direction from the first air guide surface 61. As described above, in the present embodiment, the second wind guiding surface 63 is formed integrally with the first wind guiding surface 61. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 5, the second wind guiding surface 63 forms a plane that is continuous with the first wind guiding surface 61 along the longitudinal direction of the first wind guiding surface 61.

[0041] 3, in the machine chamber 21, the first evaporating dish 50 is disposed between the compressor 30, the condenser 32, and the blower 42. The first evaporating dish 50 is disposed such that the upper bottom 56 is located on the left and the lower bottom 54 is located on the right.

[0042] The first evaporating dish 50 is disposed so that its longitudinal direction extends along the left-right direction in a plan view of the machine room unit 20, and so as to approach the compressor 30 from right to left in the plan view of the machine room unit 20. In other words, the first evaporating dish 50 is disposed so that it moves away from the blower 42 from right to left in the plan view of the machine room unit 20. That is, the first evaporating dish 50 is disposed at an angle with respect to each of the condenser 32 and the blower 42 in the plan view of the machine room unit 20.

[0043] 3 and 6, the side surface 55, the first air guide surface 61, and the second air guide surface 63 are disposed so as to be spaced apart from the surface of the condenser 32 located on the rear side and from the blower 42 as they move from right to left. That is, the side surface 55, the first air guide surface 61, and the second air guide surface 63 extend so as to intersect obliquely with a direction perpendicular to the air blowing direction A.

[0044] In the following description, a direction perpendicular to the airflow direction A is referred to as a cross direction X. The cross direction X is parallel to the kick plate 26 and the surface of the condenser 32 facing the back surface. In this embodiment, the side surface 55 and the first air guide surface 61 are disposed so as to form an angle of about 10 degrees with respect to the intersecting direction X.

[0045] Furthermore, the second air guide surface 63 is disposed, in a plan view of the machine room unit 20, inclined with respect to the condenser 32 at an angle larger than the side surface 55 and the first air guide surface 61. In other words, in the air guide plate 60, the first air guide surface 61 and the second air guide surface 63 face the surface of the condenser 32 located on the rear side and the blower 42 at different inclination angles.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 4, the side surface 55, the first air guide surface 61, and the second air guide surface 63 are disposed so as to overlap at least a portion of any one of the fans 42 in a front view. The first airflow guiding surface 61 corresponds to the "first plane" in this disclosure. The second airflow guiding surface 63 corresponds to the "second plane" in this disclosure.

[0047] 3, a middle portion of the discharge pipe 33 is placed in the first evaporating dish 50. The discharge pipe 33 is a pipe that connects the discharge side of the compressor 30 and the condenser 32 in the refrigerant piping 31. The discharge pipe 33 extending from the discharge side of the compressor 30 enters the inside of the first evaporating dish 50. The discharge pipe 33 that has entered the inside of the first evaporating dish 50 is routed from one end to the other end on the upper surface of the lower bottom 54, then folded back at the other end, and drawn out from the one end to the outside of the first evaporating dish 50 and connected to the condenser 32. The middle portion of the discharge pipe 33 may be attached to the lower surface of the lower bottom portion 54. In this case, the discharge pipe 33 is routed around the lower surface of the lower bottom portion 54 in the same manner as when it is housed inside the first evaporating dish 50.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 3, a second evaporating pan 70 is housed in the machine chamber 21. The second evaporating pan 70 is an evaporator that stores condensed water and evaporates it. The second evaporating pan 70 is formed in a long box shape in a plan view. In this embodiment, the second evaporating pan 70 is disposed in the machine chamber 21 with its longitudinal direction aligned with the front-rear direction. The second evaporating pan 70 has a length dimension in the longitudinal direction that is approximately the same as the length dimension of the bottom plate 24 in the front-rear direction.

[0049] In the machine chamber 21, the second evaporating dish 70 is disposed in a position close to the left side surface of the unit body 22. In the machine chamber 21, the second evaporating dish 70 is disposed to the left of the compressor 30, the first evaporating dish 50, and the condenser 32. As a result, the second evaporating dish 70 is disposed in a position that is out of the air blowing direction A. Specifically, the second evaporating dish 70 is disposed on the right side with respect to the air blowing direction A.

[0050] The second evaporating dish 70 has a predetermined depth and an opening 71 that opens to the top. The upper end of the second evaporating dish 70 is disposed at approximately the same position as the lower end of the air guide plate 60 in the vertical direction. A plurality of evaporation promotion members 72 are housed inside the second evaporating dish 70. The evaporation promotion members 72 are plate-shaped members formed of, for example, paper, fibrous material, or the like. The evaporation promotion members 72 are arranged so that their planes intersect with the longitudinal direction of the second evaporating dish 70, and are arranged side by side along the longitudinal direction of the second evaporating dish 70. The upper ends of the evaporation promotion members 72 protrude above the second evaporating dish 70 through the opening 71.

[0051] At least a part of the upper bottom portion 56 is disposed in a position overlapping the second evaporating dish 70 from above in a plan view. This causes the drain outlet 53 to be disposed in a position overlapping the second evaporating dish 70 in a plan view. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the first evaporating dish 50 overlaps with the second evaporating dish 70 at approximately the center in the longitudinal direction of the second evaporating dish 70. As shown in FIG. 4, the upper bottom portion 56 is disposed above the upper end of the evaporation promotion member 72 .

[0052] The second evaporating dish 70 is formed to be slidable in the front-rear direction by being placed on a rail or the like. 1, a partition plate 74 is provided on the front surface of the second evaporating dish 70. The partition plate 74 is provided with an opening 75 and a door 76 that closes the opening 75 in an openable and closable manner. In the present embodiment, the user can remove the kick plate 26 and open the door 76 to pull out the second evaporating dish 70 from the machine chamber 21. The second evaporating dish 70 may be provided so as to be removable from any of the left and right side surfaces or the rear surface, not limited to the front surface of the machine chamber unit 20. The second evaporating dish 70 may be removable along the longitudinal direction of the second evaporating dish 70. For example, the second evaporating dish 70 may be removable along a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction. The second evaporating dish 70 corresponds to the "first evaporating device" of the present disclosure.

[0053] [1-2. Operation] [1-2-1. Cooling of the display room] Next, the operation of the showcase 1 will be described. When the showcase 1 is operated, the refrigerant is discharged from the compressor 30, condensed in the condenser 32, and then supplied to the evaporator 34. The refrigerant evaporated in the evaporator 34 is returned to the compressor 30.

[0054] The air inside the duct space 13 is sent out to the evaporator 34 by the blower 40. After being cooled by the evaporator 34, the sent out air passes through the duct space 13 and is blown out as cool air from the air outlet 15 into the display room 11. The cool air cools the inside of the display room 11 to a predetermined temperature. The cool air that has further cooled the inside of the display room 11 flows back into the duct space 13 from the air inlet 17. In this manner, the cool air generated in the duct space 13 circulates inside the showcase 1.

[0055] The flow of cool air that is blown out downward and forward from the air outlet 15 and sucked into the air inlet 17 forms an air curtain that flows along the case opening 9. In the showcase 1, this air curtain thermally insulates the outside air outside the case body 10 from the air inside the display room 11, reducing the temperature rise inside the display room 11 caused by the outside air.

[0056] [1-2-2. Evaporation of condensation water] In the duct space 13, condensation water called drain water is generated as the cool air is generated. The condensation water is sent to the machine room 21 via the drain pipe 48 and is stored in the first evaporating dish 50. The first evaporating dish 50 houses an intermediate portion of the discharge pipe 33. High-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor 30 flows through the discharge pipe 33. As a result, at least a portion of the condensed water stored in the first evaporating dish 50 evaporates, and the water is heated to a temperature range where the water evaporates easily.

[0057] When a predetermined amount or more of condensed water accumulates in the first evaporating tray 50, the condensed water flows out through the drainage port 53 into the second evaporating tray 70. The condensed water accumulated in the second evaporating tray 70 is absorbed into the evaporation promoting member 72. The condensed water absorbed into the evaporation promoting member 72 spreads over the entire evaporation promoting member 72. This allows the condensed water to evaporate due to the transpiration action of the evaporation promoting member 72.

[0058] Each of the blowers 42 sends out air that has exchanged heat with the condenser 32 to the rear side of the machine chamber 21. A first evaporating dish 50 and an air guide plate 60 are arranged on the rear side of the blowers 42. Therefore, the air sent out from the blowers 42 hits the side surface 55, the first air guide surface 61, and the second air guide surface 63 located on the front side of the machine chamber 21. Since this air has exchanged heat with the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant flowing through the condenser 32, the condensed water stored in the first evaporating dish 50 is warmed by the air hitting the side surface 55.

[0059] As described above, the air guide plate 60 provided below the first evaporating dish 50 is disposed with its lower end spaced apart from the bottom plate 24. As a result, a portion of the air sent out from the blower 42 passes between the air guide plate 60 and the bottom plate 24 and is blown to the compressor 30. Therefore, the compressor 30 is cooled by the air.

[0060] As shown in Figures 3 and 5, the first evaporating dish 50 and the air guide plate 60 are arranged in a plan view of the machine chamber unit 20 so that in their respective longitudinal directions, they become farther away from each of the fans 42 as they approach the second evaporating dish 70. The air hitting the side surface 55 is guided along the surface of the side surface 55 in the longitudinal direction of the side surface 55 and in a direction away from the blower 42. Specifically, the air flows along the air blowing direction B, which is a direction toward the left of the machine chamber 21, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The air blowing direction B is a direction that forms approximately the same angle with respect to the intersecting direction X as the predetermined angle formed by the first evaporating dish 50. The air flowing along the air blowing direction B flows toward the end portion located on the left side of the first evaporating dish 50.

[0061] The air hitting the first air guide surface 61 is guided along the surface of the first air guide surface 61 in the longitudinal direction of the first air guide surface 61 and in a direction away from the blower 42. Specifically, the air flows along air blowing direction C, which is a direction toward the left of the machine chamber 21. The air blowing direction C is a direction that forms approximately the same angle with respect to the intersecting direction X as the predetermined angle formed by the first evaporating dish 50, and is a direction that is approximately parallel to the air blowing direction B. The air flowing along air blowing direction B flows toward the end portion located on the left side of the first evaporating dish 50.

[0062] 3, the end portion located on the left side of the first evaporating dish 50 overlaps with the second evaporating dish 70 at approximately the center in the longitudinal direction of the second evaporating dish 70. Therefore, the air flowing along the air blowing direction B and the air blowing direction C flows to approximately the center of the second evaporating dish 70. The air is blown against the evaporation promotion members 72 and flows between each of the evaporation promotion members 72. This promotes the transpiration action of the evaporation promotion members 72, and promotes the evaporation of the condensation water stored in the second evaporating dish 70. That is, the first evaporating dish 50 and the air guide plate 60 function as an air guide member that guides the air sent out by the blower 42 to the second evaporating dish 70.

[0063] The air hitting the second air guide surface 63 is guided along the surface of the second air guide surface 63 in the longitudinal direction of the second air guide surface 63 and in a direction away from the blower 42. Specifically, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the air flows along an air blowing direction C' which is a direction toward the left of the machine room 21. As described above, in a plan view of the machine room unit 20, the second air guide surface 63 forms an inclination angle with respect to the intersecting direction X different from that of the side surface 55 and the first air guide surface 61. Therefore, the air blowing direction C' forms an angle with respect to the intersecting direction X that is more obtuse than the predetermined angle formed by the first evaporating dish 50, and is a direction toward the rear side more than the air blowing direction B and the air blowing direction C.

[0064] A part of the air that hits the first air guide surface 61 and flows along the air blowing direction C deviates from the air blowing direction C at the left end portion of the air guide plate 60 and flows along the surface of the second air guide surface 63. In other words, a part of the air flowing along the air blowing direction C flows along the air blowing direction C'.

[0065] The air flowing along the airflow direction C' heads toward the left end of the first evaporating dish 50. At the left end of the first evaporating dish 50, the air flowing along the airflow direction C' is blown against the evaporation promotion members 72 located rearward of approximately the center of the second evaporating dish 70, and flows between the evaporation promotion members 72. This promotes the transpiration action of the evaporation promotion members 72, and promotes the evaporation of condensation water stored in the second evaporating dish 70.

[0066] In this way, in the machine chamber 21, the air sent out from the blower 42 flows leftward along each of the airflow directions B, C, and C', so that the air can be sent out over a wider area in the longitudinal direction of the second evaporating dish 70. Therefore, in the machine chamber 21, the air is blown onto more evaporation promotion members 72, and the evaporation of the condensation water stored in the second evaporating dish 70 is further promoted. The air guided to the second evaporating dish 70 is exhausted to the outside of the showcase 1 through the exhaust space 5.

[0067] [1-3. Effects, etc.] As described above, in this embodiment, the showcase 1 includes the condenser 32, the blower 42 that blows air to the condenser 32, the first evaporating dish 50 that stores and evaporates condensed water, the second evaporating dish 70, and the air guide plate 60. The first evaporating dish 50 and the air guide plate 60 are disposed at an angle to the blower 42, and guide the air sent out from the blower 42 to the second evaporating dish 70.

[0068] As a result, in the showcase 1, air can be sent to the second evaporating dish 70 disposed at a position away from the air blowing direction A of the blower 42. Therefore, in the showcase 1, evaporation of condensation water stored in the second evaporating dish 70 can be promoted.

[0069] As in this embodiment, the air guide plate 60 may be disposed below the first evaporating dish 50. As a result, the air guide plate 60 is disposed at a position overlapping the first evaporating dish 50 in a plan view of the machine chamber unit 20. Therefore, in the machine chamber 21, it is possible to reduce the space required for arranging the air guide member.

[0070] As in the present embodiment, the air guide plate 60 may be a reinforcing member that reinforces the first evaporating dish 50. As a result, the air guide plate 60 can reinforce the first evaporating dish 50 and guide the air sent out from the blower 42 to the second evaporating dish 70. Therefore, the air guide plate 60 can reinforce the first evaporating dish 50 and promote the evaporation of condensation water stored in the second evaporating dish 70.

[0071] As in the present embodiment, the air guide plate 60 may be provided with a first air guide surface 61 and a second air guide surface 63 that face the second evaporating dish 70 and the blower 42 and extend in different directions. As a result, in the showcase 1, air can be sent over a wider range to the second evaporating dish 70 that is disposed at a position away from the air blowing direction A of the blower 42. Therefore, in the showcase 1, evaporation of condensation water stored in the second evaporating dish 70 can be promoted.

[0072] As in this embodiment, the second evaporating dish 70 may be disposed to the side in the direction in which the air sent out from the blower 42 flows. As a result, in the showcase 1, the second evaporating dish 70 can be disposed in a position that is out of the air blowing direction A of the blower 42. Therefore, in the showcase 1, the second evaporating dish 70 can be disposed in a suitable position depending on the layout of the machine room 21.

[0073] As in this embodiment, the system is provided with a machine room unit 20 that houses a condenser 32, a blower 42, and a second evaporative dish 70, and the second evaporative dish 70 may be arranged so that it can be pulled out from the front of the machine room unit 20 to the outside of the machine room unit 20. As a result, in the showcase 1, the second evaporating dish 70 can be easily removed from the machine chamber 21. Therefore, in the showcase 1, maintenance of the second evaporating dish 70 can be easily performed.

[0074] (Other embodiments) As described above, the first embodiment has been described as an example of the technology disclosed in the present application. However, the technology in the present disclosure is not limited to this, and can be applied to embodiments in which modifications, substitutions, additions, omissions, etc. are made. In addition, it is also possible to combine the components described in the first embodiment to create new embodiments. Therefore, other embodiments will be exemplified below.

[0075] In the embodiment described above, both the first evaporating dish 50 and the air guide plate 60 are disposed at an incline with respect to the blower 42. However, this is not limited thereto, and either the first evaporating dish 50 or the air guide plate 60 may be disposed at an incline with respect to the blower 42 and the other may be disposed parallel to the blower 42 in a plan view.

[0076] In the embodiment described above, the machine chamber 21 is provided with the first evaporating dish 50 and the air guide plate 60, but this is not limiting, and the air guide plate 60 may be omitted. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the middle portion of the discharge pipe 33 is attached to the first evaporating dish 50, but this is not limited thereto, and the discharge pipe 33 may be arranged to bypass the first evaporating dish 50. Also, for example, the first evaporating dish 50 may have an evaporation promoting member 72 housed therein, similar to the second evaporating dish 70.

[0077] In the embodiment described above, the air guide plate 60 is attached to the leg portion 52. However, this is not limiting, and the air guide plate 60 may be attached to, for example, the first evaporating dish 50. Furthermore, for example, the air guide plate 60 may be provided on the bottom plate 24.

[0078] In the above-described embodiment, the second air guide surface 63 is provided on the air guide plate 60 by slit processing. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the second air guide surface 63 may be provided by performing notch or hole punch processing on the end portion of the air guide plate 60 or the first air guide surface 61, and attaching another plate-like member to the edge portion of the portion where such processing has been performed.

[0079] In the embodiment described above, the air guide plate 60 is provided with the first air guide surface 61 and the second air guide surface 63. However, this is not limiting, and the second air guide surface 63 may be omitted. Furthermore, for example, in addition to the first air guide surface 61 and the second air guide surface 63, the air guide plate 60 may be provided with another air guide surface facing in a direction different from each of the first air guide surface 61 and the second air guide surface 63. For example, in addition to the first air guide surface 61 and the second air guide surface 63, the air guide plate 60 may be provided with, for example, a third air guide surface whose tip portion faces the front end portion of the second evaporating dish 70. This allows the showcase 1 to send air over a wider range in the longitudinal direction of the second evaporating dish .

[0080] Furthermore, for example, the showcase 1 may be provided with a plurality of air guide plates 60. In this case, each of the air guide plates 60 is disposed so that its plane faces the air blower 42. In addition, each of the air guide plates 60 may be disposed so that, in a plan view of the machine chamber unit 20, it becomes more distant from each of the air blowers 42 in the longitudinal direction thereof as it approaches the second evaporating dish 70. In this case, at least one of the air guide plates 60 may have an end portion located on the second evaporating dish 70 side extending in a direction different from that of the other air guide plates 60. In other words, at least one of the air guide plates 60 may be disposed so as to intersect with the other air guide plates 60 in a plan view of the machine chamber unit 20. In this case, at least one of the air guide plates 60 may be provided on a member different from the other air guide plates 60. For example, one air guide plate 60 may be provided standing up from the bottom plate 24, and the other air guide plate 60 may be provided extending downward from the lower bottom portion 54 of the first evaporating dish 50.

[0081] Also, for example, in the above-described embodiment, blower 40 and blower 42 are axial fans, but are not limited to this, and may be blowers of other types, such as a sirocco fan.

[0082] In the above-described embodiment, the showcase 1 is provided with the machine room unit 20 and the case body 10 integrally. However, this is not limited thereto, and the machine room unit 20 may be provided separately from the case body 10. For example, the machine room unit 20 can be separated as a cooling unit that does not include the evaporator 34. Also, for example, each of the mechanisms forming the refrigeration circuit, such as the compressor 30 and the accumulator 36, except for the condenser 32, may be provided outside the machine room unit 20. In the showcase 1 of the embodiment described above, the case body 10 is placed on the upper part of the machine room unit 20. However, this is not limited to the above, and in the showcase 1, the machine room unit 20 may be disposed on the upper part of the case body 10.

[0083] Also, for example, in the above-described embodiment, the showcase 1 is a so-called open-type showcase equipped with shelves, but is not limited to this, and may be a reach-in type, flat type, or other type of showcase.

[0084] In the above-described embodiment, the showcase 1 has been described as a refrigeration device equipped with the machine room unit 20. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the machine room unit 20 may be provided in various types of refrigeration devices, such as a refrigerator, an air conditioner, or a heat source device. That is, the machine room unit 20 may be provided in any device that includes a heat exchanger, a blower that blows air to the heat exchanger, and an evaporation tray that stores condensation water. For this reason, for example, the heat exchanger provided in the machine room unit 20 may function as an evaporator.

[0085] It should be noted that the above-described embodiments are intended to illustrate the technology of the present disclosure, and various modifications, substitutions, additions, omissions, and the like can be made within the scope of the claims or their equivalents.

[0086] (Additional Note) The above description of the embodiments discloses the following techniques.

[0087] (Technology 1) A refrigeration unit including a heat exchanger, a blower that blows air to the heat exchanger, a first evaporator that stores condensation water and evaporates it, and an air guide member that is inclined relative to the blower and guides air sent out from the blower to the first evaporator. According to this, in the refrigeration unit, air can be sent to the first evaporator disposed at a position away from the air blowing direction of the blower, and therefore, in the refrigeration unit, evaporation of condensation water stored in the first evaporator can be promoted.

[0088] (Technology 2) 2. The refrigeration unit according to claim 1, wherein the air guide member is a second evaporator different from the first evaporator. According to this, in the refrigeration unit, air can be sent to the first evaporator disposed at a position away from the air blowing direction of the blower, and therefore, in the refrigeration unit, evaporation of condensation water stored in the first evaporator can be promoted.

[0089] (Technology 3) 2. The refrigeration unit according to claim 1, wherein the air guide member is a plate-shaped air guide plate. According to this, in the refrigeration unit, air can be sent to the first evaporator disposed at a position away from the air blowing direction of the blower, and therefore, in the refrigeration unit, evaporation of condensation water stored in the first evaporator can be promoted.

[0090] (Technology 4) 2. The refrigeration unit according to claim 1, wherein the air guide member is made up of a plate-shaped air guide plate and a second evaporator different from the first evaporator. According to this, in the refrigeration unit, air can be sent to the first evaporator disposed at a position away from the air blowing direction of the blower, and therefore, in the refrigeration unit, evaporation of condensation water stored in the first evaporator can be promoted.

[0091] (Technology 5) 5. The refrigeration unit according to claim 4, wherein the air guide plate is disposed below the second evaporator. As a result, the air guide plate is disposed at a position overlapping with the second evaporator in a plan view of the refrigeration unit, thereby making it possible to reduce the space inside the refrigeration unit where the air guide plate is disposed.

[0092] (Technology 6) 6. The refrigeration unit according to claim 4, wherein the air guide plate is a reinforcing member that reinforces the second evaporator. With this, the air guide plate reinforces the second evaporator and can guide the air sent out from the blower to the first evaporator. Therefore, the air guide plate reinforces the second evaporator and can promote evaporation of condensation water stored in the first evaporator.

[0093] (Technology 7) 7. The refrigeration unit according to claim 3, wherein the air guide plate has a first plane facing the first evaporator and the blower, and a second plane facing the first evaporator and the blower and extending in a different direction from the first plane. This allows the freezer unit to send air over a wider area to the first evaporator that is positioned away from the blowing direction of the blower, thereby accelerating the evaporation of condensation water stored in the first evaporator.

[0094] (Technology 8) 8. The refrigeration unit according to claim 1, wherein the first evaporator is disposed on a side of the direction in which the air sent out from the blower flows. This allows the first evaporator to be disposed in a position that is out of the direction of airflow from the blower, and therefore allows the first evaporator to be disposed in a suitable position in the refrigeration unit depending on the layout of the space in which the first evaporator is disposed.

[0095] (Technology 9) 9. A refrigeration unit as described in any one of claims 1 to 8, comprising a housing in which the heat exchanger, the blower, and the first evaporator are housed, the first evaporator being arranged so as to be able to be pulled out to the outside of the housing from a front surface of the housing. This allows the first evaporator to be easily removed from the housing of the refrigeration unit, which makes it easy to perform maintenance on the first evaporator of the refrigeration unit.

[0096] (Technology 10) 10. A showcase comprising: a refrigeration unit according to any one of claims 1 to 9; and a display chamber that is cooled to a predetermined temperature by cold air sent from the refrigeration unit through a duct space provided on a rear surface of the display chamber. This allows the showcase to have the same effects as techniques 1 to 9. [Industrial Applicability]

[0097] The present disclosure is applicable to a refrigeration unit that treats condensation water by evaporating it, specifically, to a showcase, a cooling storage, etc. [Explanation of symbols]

[0098] 1 Showcase (freezing unit) 2 Back plate 5 Exhaust space 9 Case Opening 10 Case body 11 Exhibition room 12 Display shelf 13 Duct space 14 Insulated walls 15 Air outlet 16 Side Panel 17 Intake port 18 Bulkhead 19 Suction member 20 Machine Room Unit 21 Machine room 22 Unit body (chassis) 23 Air Intake 24 Bottom plate 26 Kick plate 30 Compressor 31 Refrigerant piping 32 Condenser 33 Discharge pipe 34 Evaporator 36 Accumulator 38 Electrical box 40, 42 Blower 48 Drain pipe 50 First evaporating dish (second evaporating device) 51 Aperture 52 Legs 53 Drain 54 Lower bottom 55 Side 56 Upper bottom 60 Wind guide plate 61 First wind guide surface (first plane) 63 Second wind guide surface (second plane) 70 Second evaporating dish (first evaporating device) 71 Aperture 72 Evaporation promoter 74 Partition 75 Opening 76 Door A, B, C, C' Airflow direction X cross direction

Claims

1. A heat exchanger; A blower that blows air to the heat exchanger; a first evaporator that stores and evaporates condensed water; an air guide member disposed at an angle with respect to the blower and configured to guide air discharged from the blower to the first evaporator; will be established. Refrigeration unit.

2. The air guide member is a second evaporator different from the first evaporator.

2. The refrigeration unit of claim 1.

3. The air guide member is a plate-shaped air guide plate.

2. The refrigeration unit of claim 1.

4. The air guide member is A plate-shaped air guide plate; a second evaporation device different from the first evaporation device; Consists of 2. The refrigeration unit of claim 1.

5. The air guide plate is disposed below the second evaporator.

5. A refrigeration unit according to claim 4.

6. The air guide plate is a reinforcing member that reinforces the second evaporator. A refrigeration unit according to claim 4 or claim 5.

7. The air guide plate is a first plane facing the first evaporator and the blower; a second plane facing the first evaporator and the blower and extending in a different direction from the first plane; A refrigeration unit according to any one of claims 3 to 5.

8. The first evaporator is disposed to the side in the direction in which the air sent out from the blower flows. A refrigeration unit according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

9. a housing that houses the heat exchanger, the blower, and the first evaporator; The first evaporation device is provided so as to be able to be pulled out from the front surface of the housing to the outside of the housing. A refrigeration unit according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

10. A refrigeration unit according to any one of claims 1 to 5; a display room that is cooled to a predetermined temperature by cold air sent from the refrigeration unit through a duct space provided on the rear surface of the display room; Equipped Showcase.

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