Hybrid cooler

Abstract

We offer a more user-friendly hybrid cooler. [Solution] The hybrid cooler comprises a main body case 20 having a water tank 21, a heat exhaust port 28, and a cold air supply port 29, and a cooling cycle component that circulates refrigerant within the main body case. The cooling cycle component comprises a compressor 22, a first heat exchanger refrigerant pipe 23 that exchanges heat between the refrigerant supplied from the compressor and outside air taken in from the outside, and lowers the temperature of the refrigerant by heat dissipation, and a second heat exchanger refrigerant pipe 24 that exchanges heat between the refrigerant supplied from the first heat exchanger refrigerant pipe and outside air taken in from the outside, and raises the temperature of the refrigerant by heat absorption before leading it to the compressor. The hybrid cooler further comprises a water jacket 30 for cooling the first heat exchanger refrigerant pipe by bringing it into contact with water, and a pump 25 for sucking water stored in the water tank and sending it to the water jacket.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a hybrid cooler that includes a cooling cycle component in which a refrigerant circulates in a main body case, and cools the air taken into the main body case from the outside and sends out cold air.

Background Art

[0002] A hybrid cooler is a type of spot cooler. Many spot coolers having various structures are known, and are described in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 64-41735, Utility Model Laid-Open No. 6-69621, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2019-152381, and the like.

[0003] Among them, what the inventor of the present application has paid the most attention to is a spot cooler of another company currently on the market. Since the patent document of this spot cooler was not found, its schematic diagram is shown in FIG. 1.

[0004] The known spot cooler shown in FIG. 1 includes a main body case 1 with wheels and a cooling cycle component provided in the main body case 1. The cooling cycle component circulates a refrigerant and includes a compressor 2, a condenser 3, and a heat exchanger 4.

[0005] A water tank 5 is provided at the lower part of the main body case 1, and water is always stored therein. The condenser 3 is a steel pipe placed in the water of the water tank 5, and condenses the refrigerant in the state of high-temperature and high-pressure gas sent from the compressor 2 to a low temperature. The heat exchanger 4 exchanges heat between the air taken in from the outside and the low-temperature refrigerant to lower the temperature. In the heat exchanger 4, the refrigerant in the liquid phase state absorbs heat and vaporizes. The refrigerant that has passed through the heat exchanger 4 is in the state of low-temperature and low-pressure gas, and is changed to the state of high-temperature and high-pressure gas by the compressor 2.

[0006] The feature of the known spot cooler shown in FIG. 1 seems to be that two water tanks are provided in the main body case 1. That is, the main body case 1 has a water tank 5 in the lower region and an upper water tank 6 in the upper region.

[0007] The water stored in the lower water tank 5 is used not only to cool the steel pipe that acts as a condenser 3, but also to cool the air taken in from the outside to cool the electrical components inside the main case 1. As shown in Figure 1, a first vaporization element 8, supplied with water from a pump 7 located in the lower water tank 5, is installed at the outside air intake. In the first vaporization element 8, the water exchanges heat with the air taken in from the outside and vaporizes through endothermic action, lowering the temperature of the air. This cooled air suppresses the rise in temperature of the electrical components inside the case body 1. The air that has been heated inside the main case 1 is sent to the outside through the heat exhaust port by the first fan 9.

[0008] In the upper region of the main case 1, a second vaporization element 10 is provided between the outside air intake and the heat exchanger 4. Water supplied from a pump located in the upper water tank 6 is supplied to the second vaporization element 10, cooling the air taken in from the outside. The air, which has become somewhat cooler after passing through the second vaporization element 10, is further cooled by heat exchange in the heat exchanger 4 and then sent to the outside by the second fan 12. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0009] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 64-41735 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 6-69621 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2019-152381 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0010] The potential advantages of the publicly known spot cooler shown in Figure 1 are thought to be the following:

[0011] Firstly, since the temperature of the air taken in from the outside to cool the electrical components inside the main case 1 is cooled by the vaporization of water, the temperature rise of the electrical components can be efficiently suppressed, and the temperature of the hot air discharged from the main case 1 can be kept relatively low.

[0012] Secondly, by placing a vaporization element 10 between the heat exchanger 4 of the cooling cycle component and the outside air intake, the air taken in from the outside is cooled by the vaporization of water, and this cold air is further cooled by the heat exchanger 4, so that even colder air can be sent out.

[0013] The inventor of this invention confirmed the following disadvantages after actually using the spot cooler shown in Figure 1.

[0014] Firstly, the water in upper tank 6 disappears in a short time, about 1.5 hours.

[0015] Secondly, since the upper tank 6 is located at a height of, for example, about 1 meter above the ground, it is difficult to access the upper tank 6 while it is in use.

[0016] Thirdly, the temperature difference between when water was supplied to the second vaporization element 10 and when water was not supplied was less than 1°C, and therefore not significantly different.

[0017] Fourthly, since the condenser 3, which constitutes the cooling cycle, is water-cooled in the water tank 5 to condense the refrigerant, if the water in the water tank 5 runs out, it will no longer be usable as a spot cooler.

[0018] The purpose of this invention is to provide a more user-friendly spot cooler.

[0019] In the preferred embodiment of this invention, since it does not have ducts for guiding cool air or ducts for guiding heat exhaust, the term "spot" is not used, and the name "hybrid cooler" is used consistently. However, it should be noted that the term "hybrid cooler" in this invention is not intended to be restrictive, but rather includes general spot coolers. [Means for solving the problem]

[0020] The hybrid cooler according to this invention comprises a main body case and a cooling cycle component. The main body case has a water tank at the bottom and has a heat exhaust port for discharging hot air and a cold air outlet for sending out cold air on its side. The cooling cycle component is located inside the main body case and circulates a refrigerant to cool the air taken in from the outside.

[0021] The cooling cycle component comprises a compressor that compresses the refrigerant to high temperature and pressure, a first heat exchanger refrigerant pipe, and a second heat exchanger refrigerant pipe. The first heat exchanger refrigerant pipe exchanges heat between the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant sent from the compressor and outside air taken in from the outside, lowering the temperature of the refrigerant through its heat dissipation action to make it a low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant. The second heat exchanger refrigerant pipe exchanges heat between the low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant sent from the first heat exchanger refrigerant pipe and outside air taken in from the outside, raising the temperature of the refrigerant through its endothermic action and leading it to the compressor.

[0022] The hybrid cooler further includes a water jacket for cooling the first heat exchanger refrigerant pipes by bringing them into contact with water, a pump for drawing water stored in a water tank and sending it to the water jacket, a first fan for passing the air between the first heat exchanger refrigerant pipes into the main case, absorbing heat from the electrical components and sending the hot air to the outside through a heat exhaust port, and a second fan for passing the air between the second heat exchanger refrigerant pipes and sending the cool air to the outside through a cold air outlet.

[0023] The hybrid cooler according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention can select a mode of using water and a mode of not using water. When the pump is operating, the refrigerant in the refrigerant pipe of the first heat exchanger exchanges heat with the outside air taken in from the outside and the water provided from the water jacket to lower the temperature (mode of using water). On the other hand, when the pump is not operating, it exchanges heat with the outside air taken in from the outside to lower the temperature (mode of not using water).

[0024] Preferably, the water jacket includes a bottom plate having a number of through holes located above the refrigerant pipe of the first heat exchanger. The water sent from the pump drops from the through holes of the bottom plate of the water jacket to cool the refrigerant pipe of the first heat exchanger.

[0025] In a preferred embodiment, the main body case is a hexahedron. Wheels such as casters are attached to the bottom surface of the main the main body case. The refrigerant pipe of the first heat exchanger and the water jacket are configured in an L-shaped form along two adjacent side surfaces of the main body case, and the refrigerant pipe of the second heat exchanger is configured in a form along one side surface of the main body case.

Advantages of the Invention

[0026] According to the hybrid cooler of the present invention, either a mode of using water or a mode of not using water can be selected, which improves the usability.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0027] [Figure 1] It is an illustrative view of a known spot cooler commercially available. [Figure 2] It is an illustrative view of a hybrid cooler according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] It is a perspective view of a hybrid cooler according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] It is a side view of a hybrid cooler according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5]This is a perspective view showing the central and lower regions of a hybrid cooler according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] This is a perspective view showing the refrigerant pipes and water jacket of the first heat exchanger. [Figure 7] This is a perspective view showing the refrigerant pipes of the second heat exchanger. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0028] Figure 2 is an illustrative diagram showing a hybrid cooler according to one embodiment of the present invention. The hybrid cooler comprises a main body case 20 and a cooling cycle component disposed within the main body case 20. The main body case 20 is preferably hexahedral and has multiple wheels (for example, four) such as casters attached to its bottom surface. Therefore, the hybrid cooler can be moved to any location.

[0029] The main body case 20 can be divided into a lower region 20a, a central region 20b, and an upper region 20c. The lower region 20a has a water tank 21, the central region 20b has a heat exhaust port 28 for discharging hot air, and the upper region 20c has a cold air outlet 29 for sending out cold air.

[0030] The cooling cycle component circulates the refrigerant within the main body case 20 and includes a compressor 22 located in the central region 20b, a first heat exchanger refrigerant pipe 23 located in the central region 20b, and a second heat exchanger refrigerant pipe 24 located in the upper region 20c.

[0031] The compressor 22 compresses the gaseous refrigerant sent from the second heat exchanger refrigerant pipe 24 into a high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant. This high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant is sent to the first heat exchanger refrigerant pipe 23, where it exchanges heat with air taken in from the outside, releasing heat and becoming a low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant. The low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant sent from the first heat exchanger refrigerant pipe 23 is typically sent to the second heat exchanger refrigerant pipe 24 via an expansion valve (not shown in the figure), where it exchanges heat with air taken in from the outside, increasing the temperature of the refrigerant through endothermic action. Typically, the refrigerant that has passed through the second heat exchanger refrigerant pipe 24 is in a gaseous state and sent to the compressor 22.

[0032] To efficiently cool the refrigerant flowing through the first heat exchanger refrigerant pipe 23 using water in the water tank 21, and to suppress the temperature rise of the air taken in from the outside, a pump 25 is installed in the water tank 21, and the water pumped up by this pump 25 is sent to a water jacket located above the first heat exchanger refrigerant pipe 23. This water jacket will be explained in detail later, but the water supplied to the water jacket falls downward, comes into contact with the first heat exchanger refrigerant pipe 23 and vaporizes, lowering the temperature of the refrigerant pipe and the refrigerant flowing inside it. At the same time, the air taken in from the outside absorbs heat and is cooled as it passes between the first heat exchanger refrigerant pipes 23. The air thus cooled and taken into the main unit case 20 suppresses the temperature rise of the electrical components inside the main unit case 20.

[0033] The hot air that has risen in temperature due to the heat from electrical components, etc., is sent to the outside through the heat exhaust port 28 by the first fan 26.

[0034] In the upper region 20c of the main case 20, air taken in from the outside exchanges heat with the refrigerant in the refrigerant pipe 24 of the second heat exchanger. The refrigerant absorbs heat from the air passing between the refrigerant pipes 24 of the second heat exchanger and vaporizes. The air from which heat has been removed is cooled, and this cold air becomes cold air and is sent out to the outside through the cold air outlet 29 by the second fan 27.

[0035] Figures 3 to 7 show a hybrid cooler embodying one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 is a perspective view of the hybrid cooler, with one side panel removed to show the interior. Figure 4 is a side view seen from the side with the removed side panel. Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the lower region 20a and the central region 20b of the main body case 20. Figure 6 shows the first heat exchanger refrigerant pipe 23 and water jacket 30, and Figure 7 shows the second heat exchanger refrigerant pipe 24.

[0036] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the main case 20 is hexahedral, and a grid-shaped cold air outlet 29 is provided on one side panel of the main case 20. A heat exhaust outlet 28 is provided on the side panel opposite to the side panel on which the cold air outlet 29 is located. In Figures 3 and 4, the side of the first heat exchanger refrigerant pipe 23 is visible in the central region 20b of the main case 20, and the side of the second heat exchanger refrigerant pipe 24 is visible in the upper region 20c of the main case 20. Multiple wheels, such as casters, are attached to the bottom surface of the main case 20.

[0037] As shown in Figure 6, the first heat exchanger refrigerant pipe 23 is a pipe through which the refrigerant flows that is meandered in multiple stages. The figure is simplified and does not accurately illustrate the structure, but the first heat exchanger refrigerant pipe 23 is equipped with a fin group 34 in which numerous thin, elongated fins are densely arranged with small gaps in the width direction, and the pipe through which the refrigerant flows extends through the fin group. Since there are gaps between adjacent fins, the passage of air is not obstructed.

[0038] As shown in Figure 6, a water jacket 30 is positioned above the first heat exchanger refrigerant pipe 23. The water jacket 30 comprises a bottom plate 35 located above the first heat exchanger refrigerant pipe 23 and a frame plate 36 rising from the periphery of the bottom plate 35. The bottom plate 35 is provided with numerous through holes 31. The through holes 31 are small holes and are provided so as to extend along the entire longitudinal direction of the upper surface of the first heat exchanger refrigerant pipe 23.

[0039] The first heat exchanger refrigerant pipe 23 and water jacket 30 are configured to have an L-shape along two adjacent sides of the main body case 20. As shown in Figure 6, the frame plate 36 of the water jacket 30 is provided with two hose connection ports 32a and 32b.

[0040] Figure 5 shows the compressor 22, the pump 25 located inside the water tank 21, and the suction hose 33 that guides the water sent from the pump 25. Furthermore, it can be confirmed that the suction hose 33 is connected to the hose connection ports 32a and 32b of the water jacket 30 via the branch joint 37.

[0041] Water supplied from the pump 25 to the water jacket 30 accumulates on the bottom plate 35 and falls through numerous through holes 31 into contact with the first heat exchanger refrigerant pipe 23. The water that comes into contact with the high-temperature first heat exchanger refrigerant pipe 23 absorbs heat from the first heat exchanger refrigerant pipe 23 and the air passing through it, vaporizing and lowering the temperature of the refrigerant and the air passing through it.

[0042] The second heat exchanger refrigerant pipe 24 shown in Figure 7, like the first heat exchanger refrigerant pipe 23, has a refrigerant pipe that meanders through multiple stages. The figure is simplified and does not accurately illustrate the structure, but the second heat exchanger refrigerant pipe 24 is equipped with a fin group 38 consisting of numerous thin, elongated fins arranged densely with small gaps in the width direction, and the pipe through which the refrigerant passes extends through the fin group. Since there are gaps between adjacent fins, the passage of air is not obstructed.

[0043] The second heat exchanger refrigerant pipe 24 is configured to be a flat plate along one side of the main body case. This second heat exchanger refrigerant pipe 24 does not have a water jacket attached. The air passing between the second heat exchanger refrigerant pipes 24 loses heat as it passes through the pipes and becomes cold. This cold air is then sent to the outside through the cold air outlet 29 by the second fan 27.

[0044] According to the hybrid cooler of this invention, it is possible to perform a cooling operation using the water in the water tank 21, and it is also possible to perform a cooling operation without using water.

[0045] When water is used, the temperature of the refrigerant and the temperature of the intake air can be lowered in the first heat exchanger refrigerant pipe 23 by the vaporization of water falling from the water jacket 30. When water is not used, the refrigerant in the first heat exchanger refrigerant pipe 23 becomes cold through heat exchange with the air taken in from the outside.

[0046] Using water allows for more efficient cooling, but the ability to continue cooling even when the water in the tank is depleted makes it extremely convenient to use.

[0047] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above with reference to the drawings, the present invention is not limited to the illustrated and described embodiment, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the present invention. [Industrial applicability]

[0048] This invention can be advantageously used as a user-friendly spot cooler. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0049] 1 Main case, 2 Compressor, 3 Condenser, 4 Heat exchanger, 5 Water tank, 6 Upper water tank, 7 Pump, 8 First vaporization element, 9 First fan, 10 Second vaporization element, 11 Pump, 12 Second fan, 20 Main case, 20a Lower area, 20b Central area, 20c Upper area, 21 Water tank, 22 Compressor, 23 First heat exchanger refrigerant pipe, 24 Second heat exchanger refrigerant pipe, 25 Pump, 26 First fan, 27 Second fan, 28 Heat exhaust port, 29 Cold air outlet, 30 Water jacket, 31 Through hole, 32a, 32b Hose connection port, 33 Water supply hose, 34 Fin group, 35 Bottom plate, 36 Frame plate, 37 Branch joint, 38 Fin group.

Claims

1. The main body case has a water tank at the bottom and a heat exhaust vent on the side for discharging hot air and a cold air vent for sending out cold air, The system includes a cooling cycle component that circulates a refrigerant within the main body case, The cooling cycle component comprises a compressor that compresses the refrigerant to high temperature and high pressure; a first heat exchanger refrigerant pipe that exchanges heat between the high temperature and high pressure refrigerant sent from the compressor and outside air taken in from the outside, lowering the temperature of the refrigerant to low temperature and low pressure through heat dissipation; and a second heat exchanger refrigerant pipe that exchanges heat between the low temperature and low pressure refrigerant sent from the first heat exchanger refrigerant pipe and outside air taken in from the outside, raising the temperature of the refrigerant through endothermic action and leading it to the compressor; further A water jacket for cooling the first heat exchanger refrigerant pipe by bringing it into contact with water, A pump for drawing water stored in the aforementioned tank and sending it to the aforementioned water jacket, A first fan passes through the refrigerant pipes of the first heat exchanger and enters the main body case, and blows out the air that has become hot after absorbing heat from the electrical components through the heat exhaust port. A hybrid cooler comprising a second fan for sending air that has been cooled by passing through the refrigerant pipes of the second heat exchanger to the outside through the cold air outlet.

2. The hybrid cooler according to claim 1, wherein the refrigerant in the first heat exchanger refrigerant pipe lowers its temperature by exchanging heat with outside air taken in from the outside and water provided from the water jacket when the pump is operating, and lowers its temperature by exchanging heat with outside air taken in from the outside when the pump is not operating.

3. The water jacket is provided with a bottom plate having a number of through holes located above the first heat exchanger refrigerant pipe, The hybrid cooler according to claim 2, wherein the water supplied from the pump falls through a through hole in the bottom plate of the water jacket to cool the first heat exchanger refrigerant pipe.

4. The aforementioned main case is hexahedral, Wheels are attached to the bottom of the main body case. The first heat exchanger refrigerant pipe and the water jacket are configured to have an L-shape along two adjacent sides of the main body case. The hybrid cooler according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the second heat exchanger refrigerant pipe is configured to be in the form of a flat plate along one side of the main body case.

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