Tissue cooling device

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a tissue cooling device that can appropriately store an object to be cooled while maintaining the quality of the object to be cooled. [Solution] The present invention comprises: a first cooler having a function for generating first cold air; and a second cooler that is supplied with gas from the first cooler and adjusts the gas into second cold air, wherein the second cooler has a heat exchange unit having a surface with which the gas supplied from the first cooler is brought into contact, and an adjustment substance supply unit that supplies an adjustment substance for adjusting the temperature of the heat exchange unit to the surface of the heat exchange unit, and the adjustment substance supplied from the adjustment substance supply unit has a coagulation point which is higher than the temperature of the first cold air.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a tissue cooling device, and more particularly to a tissue cooling device that maintains a cooling target, such as food, at a predetermined temperature. [Background technology]

[0002] The main method for preserving the quality of food, such as fresh produce, is to store the food in a device such as a refrigerator. This method prevents deterioration of food by keeping the temperature of the gas inside the device (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the environmental temperature) low.

[0003] Conventional refrigerators and other devices typically maintain a predetermined ambient temperature by supplying low-temperature cold air to the device (the space where food is stored). Specifically, refrigerators and other devices are equipped with a temperature sensor that detects the ambient temperature within the device. When the temperature detected by the temperature sensor reaches a preset temperature, the device stops the cooling operation and stops supplying cold air to the device. When the ambient temperature within the device subsequently rises and the temperature detected by the temperature sensor exceeds the preset temperature, the device resumes the cooling operation and resumes supplying cold air to the device. In other words, conventional refrigerators and other devices perform the cooling operation (i.e., stopping the supply of cold air) by a circulation cycle (i.e., ON / OFF control). With this type of control, the temperature of the gas inside the device that comes into contact with food fluctuates. According to the inventor's findings, the ambient temperature within conventional refrigerators and cooling devices fluctuates by 4°C or more, affecting the quality of the food.

[0004] To solve these problems, the technology described in Patent Document 1 has been developed. The temperature management device in Patent Document 1 includes a storage unit that stores an object under temperature control, a basic cold air generation unit that generates basic cold air, which is cold air at a temperature lower than the target temperature, a cold air temperature change unit that changes the basic cold air to a target temperature of approximately 0°C, which is higher than the freezing point of the object under temperature control and appropriate for storage, an ice crushing unit that produces crushed ice and supplies the crushed ice to the cold air temperature change unit, a first air blowing unit that sends the basic cold air generated by the basic cold air generation unit to the cold air temperature change unit, and a second air blowing unit that sends the target temperature cold air generated by the cold air temperature change unit to fill the storage unit. The cold air temperature changing unit is equipped with a cylindrical heat exchanger (i.e., a heat exchanger with a vertical axis) that has an opening at the top and holes on the side with an ice crushing passage space formed inside, and is configured to generate target temperature cold air by supplying crushed ice from the ice crushing unit to the ice crushing passage space and bringing the basic cold air sent from the first blowing unit into contact with the crushed ice present in the ice crushing passage space.

[0005] With this configuration, the object under temperature control can be cooled by bringing target temperature cold air, which has a target temperature of about 0°C, which is higher than the freezing point of the object under temperature control and is appropriate for storing the object under temperature control, into contact with the object under temperature control. This has the effect of preventing the object under temperature control from becoming frozen, with the object being able to be stored appropriately while maintaining its quality.

[0006] Similar to the technology of Patent Document 1, Patent Document 2 discloses a technology that uses ice to maintain the temperature inside a food storage cabinet at approximately 0°C. Patent Document 2 discloses that the temperature inside the storage cabinet is maintained at approximately 0°C by circulating the gas inside the storage cabinet through an evaporator. Specifically, Patent Document 2 discloses that the gas inside the storage cabinet is sent as a first airflow to a temperature regulator and adjusted to -5 to -10°C, and then introduced into a cold air temperature and humidity changing unit and returned to the storage cabinet as a second airflow at approximately 0°C. The cold air temperature and humidity changing unit has a cylindrical heat exchanger (i.e., its axis is vertical (z-axis)) with an opening at the top and holes formed on the side. It is disclosed that by supplying crushed ice into this cylindrical heat exchanger, the first airflow can be converted into a second airflow with a desired temperature and humidity when it comes into contact with the heat exchanger and the crushed ice.

[0007] Furthermore, Patent Document 3 discloses a device for humidifying the inside of a refrigerator, which humidifies air adjusted to -18 to 0°C in a cooling section. This humidifier forms icicles on the surface of an ice block forming section that extends vertically, and the air adjusted to -18 to 0°C comes into contact with these icicles, thereby humidifying the air. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0008] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-162967 [Patent Document 2] WO2022 / 102674 publication [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-26047 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] However, the technologies of Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose that the second gas (target temperature cool air or second airflow) supplied to the space containing food or the like is adjusted to the temperature of the first gas (target temperature cool air or first airflow) by bringing it into contact with the side wall of a cylindrical heat exchanger or heat exchanger or with crushed ice through holes in the side wall. However, because the holes formed in the side wall are small, it is difficult to actually bring the first gas into contact with the crushed ice through the holes in the side wall, and the first gas essentially only comes into contact with the side wall of the heat exchanger or heat exchanger, making it difficult to appropriately adjust the temperature of the second gas as described in Patent Documents 1 and 2. Furthermore, the humidifier in Patent Document 3 forms icicles and brings gas into contact with these icicles, and the ice blocks are formed from supercooled water, making it difficult to properly control their temperature. For this reason, although the humidifier in Patent Document 3 can increase the humidity of the gas being supplied, it is difficult to properly adjust the temperature of the gas that has come into contact with the ice blocks. As described above, the technologies of Patent Documents 1 to 3 can adjust the temperature of gas to a certain temperature range by bringing the gas into contact with a heat exchanger, heat exchanger, or ice block, and can cool food, etc., but with the technologies of Patent Documents 1 to 3, it is difficult to create a cooling environment that can maintain the quality of food, etc. when cooling food, etc.

[0010] In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a tissue cooling device that can appropriately preserve an object to be cooled while maintaining its quality. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] The tissue cooling device of the first invention includes a first cooler having a function of generating a first cool air, and a second cooler that receives gas from the first cooler and cools the gas into a second cool air, the second cooler including a heat exchanger having a surface that comes into contact with the gas supplied from the first cooler, and a blower that supplies gas from the first cooler to the second cooler; heat exchange section Corresponding and an adjusting substance supply unit that supplies an adjusting substance for adjusting the temperature of the heat exchange unit, and the adjusting substance supplied from the adjusting substance supply unit has a freezing point higher than the temperature of the first cold air. The heat exchange unit is a laminated structure formed by arranging a plurality of plate-like members parallel to each other at intervals along the vertical direction, and the surfaces of the plate-like members are horizontally arranged so that the adjusting substance can be held on the surface, and the air blowing unit is provided so that gas is supplied from the first cooler to the space between the adjacent plate-like members of the heat exchange unit.It is characterized by: The tissue cooling device of the second invention is the tissue cooling device of the first invention, characterized in that the conditioning substance is alkaline water. The tissue cooling device of the third invention comprises: First Invention In In the laminated structure, a storage space for storing the adjusting substance is provided by through holes formed in the plurality of plate-like members. It is characterized by: The tissue cooling device of the fourth invention comprises: First Invention In the present invention, the laminated structure of the heat exchange section has a first laminated structure consisting of a plurality of plate-shaped members formed so that its width narrows toward the side where gas is supplied from the first cooler, and a second laminated structure consisting of a plurality of plate-shaped members formed so that its width widens toward the side where gas is supplied from the first cooler, and is characterized in that the first laminated structure and the second laminated structure are arranged alternately along a direction intersecting the direction where gas is supplied from the first cooler to the heat exchange section. The tissue cooling device of the fifth invention is the tissue cooling device of the first invention, further comprising a storage unit having a space to which the second cold air is supplied, and an exhaust flow path that supplies gas in the storage unit to the first cooler. The tissue cooling device of the sixth invention is the tissue cooling device of the first invention, further comprising a storage section having a space to which the second cold air is supplied, and the inner wall of the storage section is formed from an aluminum material. The tissue cooling device of the seventh invention is the tissue cooling device of the fifth or sixth invention, and is provided with a storage chamber that is arranged so as to be communicatively disconnectable from the storage section, and the storage chamber has an inner shell chamber that is connected so as to be communicatively disconnectable to the space within the storage section and has a space inside that is adjusted to a lower temperature than the space within the storage section, an outer shell chamber that surrounds the inner shell chamber and has a space between it and the inner shell chamber, and a third cold air supply section that supplies a third cold air that is below the target temperature of the space within the inner shell chamber to the space between the inner shell chamber and the outer shell chamber, and the inner wall of the inner shell chamber is formed from a material with high thermal conductivity. The tissue cooling device of the eighth invention is characterized in that, in the seventh invention, the inner shell chamber is provided with an air vent that connects and blocks the space inside the inner shell chamber to the space between the inner shell chamber and the outer shell chamber. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the first aspect of the present invention, the first cold air generated by the first cooler or the gas supplied from the first cooler can be adjusted to the second cold air at a target temperature by the second cooler. Since the second cold air is adjusted to the target temperature by the first cold air or the gas supplied from the first cooler coming into contact with the heat exchanger, by supplying this second cold air to a space where an object to be cooled is stored, the object to be cooled can be adjusted to a predetermined temperature. In addition, the adjusting substance and the solidified adjusting substance can be more easily retained in the heat exchange section. According to the second aspect of the present invention, the second cool air can be appropriately adjusted. According to the third aspect of the present invention, the contact area between the first cold air or the gas supplied from the first cooler and the heat exchanger can be increased, which makes it easier to adjust the second cold air to a target temperature. Also, the adjusting substance and the solidified adjusting substance can be more easily retained in the heat exchanger. According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the second cool air can be appropriately adjusted. According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the temperature inside the storage unit can be easily maintained at a predetermined temperature, and if an object to be cooled is stored in the storage unit, the temperature of the object to be cooled can be adjusted to the predetermined temperature. According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the temperature inside the storage unit can be easily maintained at a predetermined temperature, and if an object to be cooled is stored in the storage unit, the temperature of the object to be cooled can be adjusted to the predetermined temperature. According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, the object to be cooled that has reached a predetermined temperature in the storage section can be stored at a target temperature that is lower than the temperature inside the storage section, so the object to be cooled can be stored in a more stable state. Moreover, it is easier to maintain the temperature inside the inner shell chamber at or below the target temperature. According to the eighth aspect of the present invention, the third cold air can be brought into direct contact with the object to be cooled in the inner shell chamber, thereby increasing the speed at which the object to be cooled is cooled. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic explanatory diagram of a tissue cooling device 1 of the present embodiment. [Figure 2]1A and 1B are schematic explanatory diagrams of the heat conducting portion 6, where (A) is a schematic side view of the heat conducting portion 6 and (B) is a schematic explanatory diagram of the plate-like members 7a and 8a that constitute the first laminated structure 7 and the second laminated structure 8. [Figure 3] 1A is a schematic plan view of a heat conducting portion 6, and FIG. 1B is a schematic plan view of another heat conducting portion 6. FIG. [Figure 4] 1A is a diagram showing an example of a flow path 3h of the cooling unit 3, and FIG. 1B is an example of the results of a simulation of the gas flow in the flow path 3h of the cooling unit 3. FIG. [Figure 5] 1 is a schematic explanatory diagram of a tissue cooling device 1B of this embodiment equipped with a storage chamber 20. FIG. [Figure 6] 1 is a schematic explanatory diagram of a tissue cooling device 1C of the present embodiment equipped with a storage chamber 20. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 shows experimental results of Example 1. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the experimental results of Example 2. [Figure 9] 10(A) to 10(C) are diagrams showing the experimental results of Example 3, and 10(D) and 10(E) are diagrams showing the experimental results of Example 4. FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 shows the experimental results of Example 5. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 shows the experimental results of Example 6. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 shows the experimental results of Example 7. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 shows the experimental results of Example 8. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] The tissue cooling device of this embodiment is a device used to maintain an object to be cooled at a predetermined temperature, and is characterized by its ability to store and manage the object to be cooled while maintaining its quality.

[0015] The object to be cooled whose temperature is controlled by the tissue cooling device of this embodiment is not particularly limited, and examples of the object to be cooled include fresh foods such as fresh fish, raw meat, and vegetables, foods that are consumed uncooked, and substances having tissues containing water, such as cellular tissues used in medical treatment. In particular, when food is stored for a long period of time using the tissue cooling device of this embodiment, factors that cause quality changes can be minimized even during long-term storage. Furthermore, when freezing food, the freshness of the food after thawing can be restored to a state close to that before freezing. For example, even in the case of food containing an emulsion structure that cannot maintain its pre-freezing state after thawing with normal freezing, the state and freshness of the food after thawing can be restored to a state close to that before freezing.

[0016] In the following description, the object to be cooled whose temperature is controlled by the tissue cooling device of this embodiment is food, and the case where food is cooled or frozen for storage will be described as a representative example.

[0017] <Tissue Cooling Device 1 of the Present Embodiment> As shown in FIG. 1, the tissue cooling device 1 of this embodiment includes a storage section 2 that stores food, which is an object to be cooled M, a cooling section 3 that cools the inside of the storage section 2 to a predetermined temperature, and a control section 10 that controls the operation of each device.

[0018] <Control unit 10> The tissue cooling device 1 of this embodiment includes a control unit 10 that controls the operation of each component based on the temperature inside the storage unit 2. Specifically, the control unit 10 controls the operation of each component based on information from a temperature sensor 2s that detects the temperature inside the storage unit 2 so that the temperature inside the storage unit 2 remains within a predetermined range. More specifically, the control unit 10 controls the operation of the first blower 3b and the second blower 3a to adjust the flow rate of the gas circulating between the storage unit 2 and the cooling unit 3. The control unit 10 also controls the temperature of the second cold air to adjust the temperature inside the storage unit 2 to remain within a predetermined range. Specifically, the control unit 10 controls the generation and stopping of the first cold air by the first cooler 4 of the cooling unit 3 and the temperature of the first cold air when the first cold air is generated, and also controls the temperature and flow rate of the adjusting substance supplied to the second cooler 5 of the cooling unit 3 to control the temperature of the second cold air, thereby adjusting the temperature inside the storage unit 2 to remain within a predetermined range. By performing these controls, the control unit 10 maintains the temperature inside the storage unit 2 within a predetermined range.

[0019] <Containment Unit 2> As shown in FIG. 1 , the storage section 2 has a space (hereinafter sometimes referred to as storage space 2h) in which temperature-controlled food is placed. The storage section 2 is designed so that food can be placed in and removed from the storage space 2h by opening and closing a door (not shown). The storage section 2 is designed so that, when the door is closed, the storage space 2h is isolated from the outside in an airtight and insulated state. The storage section 2 may have outer and inner walls made of metal such as aluminum or stainless steel, with a thermal insulator such as a foam material provided between the outer and inner walls. In this design, the space surrounded by the inner wall constitutes the storage space 2h. Therefore, by adjusting the temperature of the second cool air supplied to the storage space 2h, it is possible to maintain the temperature of the gas inside the storage space 2h (hereinafter sometimes referred to as ambient temperature) at a predetermined temperature, for example, an average temperature of approximately −0.75°C.

[0020] The accommodation space 2h of the accommodation unit 2 is provided with a temperature sensor 2s that measures the environmental temperature within the accommodation space 2h (i.e., the temperature of the gas within the accommodation space 2h). The temperature sensor 2s transmits information related to the detected environmental temperature within the accommodation space 2h to the control unit 10. The control unit 10 controls the operation of each component of the tissue cooling device 1 of this embodiment based on the information (i.e., the environmental temperature) from the temperature sensor 2s. The locations and number of temperature sensors 2s installed within the accommodation space 2h are not particularly limited, and it is sufficient to install the temperature sensors 2s at locations and in numbers that allow the environmental temperature within the accommodation space 2h to be appropriately determined.

[0021] The structure of the storage unit 2 that isolates the storage space 2h from the outside in an airtight and thermally insulating manner is not particularly limited. A general structure (for example, a structure used in a general refrigerator or freezer) can be adopted. Specifically, the storage unit 2 may have a structure that can maintain a constant temperature within the storage space 2h for a certain period of time regardless of the outside air temperature without supplying cold air, as long as the storage space 2h is kept airtight from the outside.

[0022] <Cooling section 3> 1, the tissue cooling device 1 of this embodiment includes a cooling unit 3 that supplies second cold air to the storage space 2h of the storage unit 2. The cooling unit 3 includes a first cooler 4 that generates the first cold air and a second cooler 5 that generates the second cold air, and includes a flow path 3h in which a heat exchanger 4x of the first cooler 4 and a heat exchanger 5x of the second cooler 5 are installed (see FIG. 4(A)).

[0023] The flow path 3h is a space that communicates with the accommodation space 2h of the accommodation unit 2 via the supply flow path 2a and the exhaust flow path 2b, and has a structure that allows gas to flow from the exhaust flow path 2b toward the supply flow path 2a (see FIG. 4). In this flow path 3h, the heat exchange unit 4x of the first cooler 4 and the heat exchange unit 5x of the second cooler 5 are provided so as to be lined up in this order from the upstream side (i.e., so as to be lined up from the exhaust flow path 2b toward the supply flow path 2a).

[0024] The inner wall of this flow path 3h is formed of a material with high heat storage capacity, such as an aluminum plate, and a heat insulating material is provided on the outside of the inner wall (for example, between the inner wall and the outer wall of the device). In other words, flow path 3h is structured to maintain the temperature of the internal gas at a predetermined level while preventing it from being affected by the outside (such as outside air). Specifically, when first cold air of a predetermined temperature is generated in the heat exchange section 4x of the first cooler 4, flow path 3h is structured to allow the first cold air generated by the first cooler 4 to flow to the heat exchange section 5x of the secondary cooler 5 while maintaining the first cold air at the predetermined temperature (see FIG. 4). Furthermore, when second cold air of a predetermined temperature is generated in the heat exchange section 5x of the secondary cooler 5, flow path 3h is structured to allow the second cold air generated by the secondary cooler 5 to flow to the supply flow path 2a while maintaining the second cold air at the predetermined temperature.

[0025] <First blower section 3b and second blower section 3a> As described above, the flow path 3h is connected to the storage space 2 of the storage section 2 by the supply flow path 2a and the exhaust flow path 2b, and the supply flow path 2a and the exhaust flow path 2b are provided with the second blower section 3a and the first blower section 3b, respectively.

[0026] The first blower 3b is, for example, a known blower such as a general fan, and supplies gas in the storage space 2 of the storage unit 2 to the heat exchanger 4x (see Figure 4) of the first cooler 4 in the flow path 3h through the exhaust flow path 2b.

[0027] The second blower section 3a is, for example, a known blower such as a general fan, and supplies the second cold air generated by the heat exchange section 5x (see Figure 4) of the second cooler 5 through the supply flow path 2a and from the flow path 3h into the storage space 2 of the storage section 2.

[0028] Since the first blower 3b and the second blower 3a are provided, by operating the first blower 3b and the second blower 3a, it is possible to circulate the gas between the accommodation space 2h of the accommodation unit 2 and the flow path 3h of the cooling unit 3. In other words, it is possible to circulate the gas in the order of the accommodation space 2h of the accommodation unit 2 → the exhaust flow path 2b → the flow path 3h of the cooling unit 3 → the supply flow path 2a → the accommodation space 2h of the accommodation unit 2 (see FIG. 4).

[0029] The flow path 3h may be formed in a structure that allows the gas to circulate as described above, and the structure is not particularly limited. For example, as shown in Fig. 4, a portion that reverses the flow of gas may be provided midway, so that the flow path in which the heat exchange unit 4x of the first cooler 4 is provided (the lower flow path in Fig. 4) and the flow path in which the heat exchange unit 5x of the second cooler 5 is provided (the upper flow path in Fig. 4) are aligned vertically or horizontally. Alternatively, both ends of a linear flow path may be connected to the exhaust flow path 2b and the supply flow path 2a, respectively, and the heat exchange unit 4x of the first cooler 4 and the heat exchange unit 5x of the second cooler 5 may be aligned in the linear flow path.

[0030] Furthermore, when first cold air is generated in the heat exchange section 4x of the first cooler 4, the first blower section 3b and the second blower section 3a can be operated to blow the generated first cold air toward the heat exchange section 5x of the second cooler 5. On the other hand, even when the heat exchange section 4x of the first cooler 4 does not generate first cold air, the first blower section 3b and the second blower section 3a can be operated to blow the gas discharged from the accommodation space 2 toward the heat exchange section 5x of the second cooler 5. Therefore, the above-mentioned first blower section 3b and second blower section 3a correspond to the blower section referred to in the claims. Hereinafter, the first blower section 3b and the second blower section 3a may be collectively referred to as the blower section.

[0031] On the other hand, only one of the first blower 3b and the second blower 3a may be provided. In other words, as long as the gas can be circulated as described above (in other words, as long as the gas can be blown from the first cooler 4 to the second cooler 5), it is not necessary to provide both the first blower 3b and the second blower 3a; only one of them may be provided. However, providing both the first blower 3b and the second blower 3a stabilizes the gas circulation described above and makes it easier to adjust the gas flow. Furthermore, since each component can be made smaller, it also contributes to the miniaturization of the device itself. Furthermore, to adjust the gas flow in the flow path 3h more stably and accurately, in addition to the first blower 3b and the second blower 3a, a blower or the like that blows gas from the first cooler 4 to the second cooler 5 may be provided between the first cooler 4 and the second cooler 5.

[0032] <First cooler 4> The first cooler 4 has a function of cooling the gas supplied from the accommodation space 2 of the accommodation unit 2 to generate first cold air. The first cooler 4 may be any cooler as long as it has a function of cooling the gas supplied from the accommodation space 2 of the accommodation unit 2 to a predetermined temperature, and the mechanism or method for cooling the gas is not particularly limited. For example, a commonly used evaporation compression type refrigeration cycle can be used for the first cooler 4. In other words, a refrigerator having an evaporator, a compressor, an expansion valve, and a condenser can be used as the first cooler 4.

[0033] When such a refrigerator is used as the first cooler 4, the first cool air can be generated as follows. First, a room-temperature, high-pressure liquid is decompressed using an expansion valve, and the liquid is converted into a low-temperature, low-pressure gas-liquid mixed refrigerant (i.e., a refrigerant in a mixed state of gas and liquid). The low-temperature, low-pressure gas-liquid mixed refrigerant is supplied to an evaporator, where the low-temperature, low-pressure gas-liquid mixed refrigerant absorbs heat and evaporates. If the surface temperature of this evaporator (corresponding to the heat exchange section 4x of the first cooler 4 described above) is lower than the gas supplied from the storage space 2 of the storage section 2, the gas can be brought into contact with the surface of the evaporator to cool the gas and generate first cold air of the desired temperature.

[0034] The operation of this primary cooler 4 is controlled by the control unit 10. Specifically, the control unit 10 controls the operation of the primary cooler 4 so as to generate primary cool air at a target temperature based on information from the temperature sensor 2s and the flow rate of gas in the flow path 3h (in the case of an evaporation compression type refrigeration cycle, the control unit 10 controls the operation of the compressor). The control of the primary cooler 4 by the control unit 10 is carried out as follows.

[0035] First, when the temperature sensor supplies the control unit 10 with the ambient temperature within the accommodation space 2h of the accommodation unit 2, the control unit 10 determines whether the ambient temperature is equal to or higher than a set temperature. If the ambient temperature is equal to or higher than the set temperature, the control unit 10 operates the first cooler 4 to generate the first cool air, thereby enabling the first cool air to be generated by the first cooler 4. On the other hand, if the ambient temperature is lower than the set temperature, the control unit 10 stops the operation of the first cooler 4, thereby stopping the generation of the first cool air by the first cooler 4.

[0036] Note that even when the first cooler 4 is not generating the first cold air, the gas supplied to the first cooler 4 from the storage space 2h of the storage unit 2 is supplied to the second cooler 5 by the blower. In other words, when the first cooler 4 is not generating the first cold air, the gas at the ambient temperature in the storage space 2h of the storage unit 2 or the gas at a temperature close to the ambient temperature in the storage space 2h of the storage unit 2 (hereinafter, both may be collectively referred to simply as gas at ambient temperature) is supplied to the second cooler 5 by the blower.

[0037] <Second cooler 5> The secondary cooler 5 has a function of generating a second cool air by adjusting the temperature of the gas (for example, the first cool air or the gas at the ambient temperature) supplied from the primary cooler 4. More specifically, the secondary cooler 5 has a function of adjusting the temperature of the gas supplied from the primary cooler 4 and generating a second cool air adjusted to a target temperature from this gas.

[0038] The second cooler 5 has a heat exchange section 6 having a surface that comes into contact with the gas supplied from the first cooler 4, and an adjustment substance supply section 9 that supplies an adjustment substance to the heat exchange section 6.

[0039] <Adjustment substance supply section 9> The adjusting substance supply unit 9 has a function of adjusting the adjusting substance to a predetermined state and supplying the adjusted adjusting substance to the heat exchange unit 6. The adjusting substance is a liquid (adjusted liquid), such as alkaline water or salt water, that has been adjusted to have a freezing point that is lower than the freezing point of water. More specifically, the adjusting liquid is a liquid that has been adjusted to have a freezing point that is higher than the target temperature of the first cold air (for example, −0.3 to −1° C.). If the adjusting liquid is salt water, it can be used as an adjusting liquid having a freezing point within the above range by adjusting its salt concentration to 0.05% by mass or more and 1% by mass or less.

[0040] The adjusting substance supply unit 9 is not particularly limited in configuration as long as it has the function of supplying an adjusting liquid adjusted to a predetermined state to the heat exchange unit 6. For example, as shown in Fig. 1, the adjusting substance supply unit 9 can have a configuration including a raw liquid supply unit 9a, a mixing unit 9b, a cooling unit 9c, and a liquid distribution unit 9d.

[0041] The stock solution supply unit 9a stores the stock solution of the adjusting liquid. If the adjusting liquid is salt water, salt water with a higher concentration than the adjusting liquid can be used as the stock solution. If the adjusting liquid is alkaline water, naturally occurring alkaline water can be used as the stock solution.

[0042] The mixing unit 9b mixes the stock solution supplied from the stock solution supply unit 9a with a mixed liquid such as water or an adjusted substance to prepare an adjusted liquid of a predetermined state. The mixed liquid and adjusted substance are liquids or reagents that can be mixed with the stock solution to adjust the concentration of a predetermined component (e.g., salt) in the stock solution, the pH, etc. For example, if the adjusted liquid is salt water, water can be used as the mixed liquid. Also, if the adjusted liquid is alkaline water, water can be used as the mixed liquid. Note that one or more mixed liquids and adjusted substances may be used to prepare the adjusted liquid.

[0043] The cooling unit 9c is capable of cooling the adjusted liquid adjusted by the mixing unit 9b to a predetermined temperature (for example, −0.5 to −1° C.). The structure and mechanism of the cooling unit 9c are not particularly limited, and any known cooler can be used as long as it can cool the adjusted liquid to the predetermined temperature.

[0044] The liquid distribution unit 9d supplies the adjusting liquid supplied from the cooling unit 9c to the first laminate structures 7 and the second laminate structures 8 of the heat exchange unit 6. Specifically, the liquid distribution unit 9d supplies a predetermined amount of adjusting liquid to the surfaces of the first laminate structures 7 and the second laminate structures 8 (specifically, the surfaces of the first laminate structures 7 and the second laminate structures 8 that come into contact with the gas supplied from the first cooler 4) at a predetermined timing. The liquid distribution unit 9d includes a sensor (e.g., a flow meter) that measures the supply amount and a communication cutoff device such as a valve that starts and stops the supply of the adjusting liquid. The communication cutoff device is, for example, a well-known device such as an automatic valve that operates in response to a command from the control unit 10. By providing such a sensor and communication cutoff device, the control unit 10 can control the start and stop of the supply of the adjusting liquid to the first laminate structures 7 and the second laminate structures 8 in accordance with the states of the first laminate structures 7 and the second laminate structures 8. The communication cutoff device may be one that operates automatically in response to an instruction from the control unit 10 as described above, or one that is operated by an operator in response to an instruction from the control unit 10.

[0045] The liquid distribution section 9d is not particularly limited in configuration as long as it is configured to supply the conditioning liquid to the surfaces of the plurality of first laminate structures 7 and the surfaces of the plurality of second laminate structures 8. For example, the conditioning liquid may be dropped from above the plurality of first laminate structures 7 and the plurality of second laminate structures 8 so that the conditioning liquid flows from above downward over the surfaces of the plurality of first laminate structures 7 and the surfaces of the plurality of second laminate structures 8. Alternatively, the conditioning liquid may be sprayed onto the surfaces of the plurality of first laminate structures 7 and the surfaces of the plurality of second laminate structures 8 using a nozzle or the like.

[0046] Furthermore, in the adjusting substance supply unit 9, it is desirable to provide a sensor for measuring the state of the adjusting liquid (e.g., the concentration, pH, temperature, etc. of various components) in the flow path that supplies the adjusting liquid from the cooling unit 9c to the heat exchange unit 6. If such a sensor is provided and information from the sensor is supplied to the control unit 10, the state of the adjusting liquid can be adjusted to an appropriate state by adjusting the amounts of the stock solution, adjusting liquid, mixed liquid, and adjusting substance supplied to the mixing unit 9b based on that information, and the temperature of the adjusting liquid can also be adjusted to an appropriate temperature. Note that adjustment of the amounts of the stock solution, adjusting liquid, mixed liquid, and adjusting substance supplied to the mixing unit 9b may be performed automatically by known devices such as automatic valves operated by commands from the control unit 10, or may be adjusted by an operator based on instructions from the control unit 10.

[0047] Furthermore, the adjusting substance may be composed solely of the adjusting liquid as described above, or may contain a solid, i.e., a coagulated substance of the adjusting liquid. In other words, the "adjusting substance" referred to in the claims includes both a substance composed solely of liquid (i.e., the adjusting liquid) and a substance in which the coagulated substance of the adjusting liquid exists in the adjusting liquid (i.e., the adjusting liquid in a solid-liquid two-phase state).

[0048] Furthermore, the adjusting substance supply unit 9 may be configured to supply only the solidified product of the adjusting liquid to the first laminate structures 7 and the second laminate structures 8. In this case, the solidified product cannot be flowed or sprayed onto the surfaces of the first laminate structures 7 and the second laminate structures 8, as with the adjusting liquid. However, when the adjusting substance is supplied to the first laminate structures 7 and the second laminate structures 8, it is possible to supply the solidified adjusting substance so that it contacts the surfaces of the first laminate structures 7 and the second laminate structures 8, or to supply the solidified adjusting substance so that it contacts the surfaces of the first laminate structures 7 and the second laminate structures 8 after supply. In this way, supplying the solidified adjusting substance so that it contacts the surfaces of the first laminate structures 7 and the second laminate structures 8 is also included in the claims of "supplying an adjusting substance that adjusts the temperature of the heat exchange unit to the surface that comes into contact with the gas supplied from the first cooler in the heat exchange unit." The solidified adjusting substance is also included in the claims of "adjusting substance."

[0049] <Heat exchange section 6> The heat exchanger 6 is supplied with an adjusting substance from an adjusting substance supplying unit 9. The heat exchanger 6 is also supplied with gas blown from the first cooler 4. The heat exchanger 6 includes a plurality of first laminate structures 7 and a plurality of second laminate structures 8. The plurality of first laminate structures 7 and the plurality of second laminate structures 8 of the heat exchanger 6 correspond to the heat exchanger 5x of the second cooler 5 described above.

[0050] <First laminated structure 7> As shown in FIG. 2(A), the first laminate structure 7 is a structure formed by stacking multiple plate-like members 7a in the vertical direction. The multiple plate-like members 7a are formed to have the same shape and thickness and are made of a material with high thermal conductivity, such as a metal, such as aluminum or stainless steel. Specifically, the multiple plate-like members 7a are formed so that their widths narrow from one end to the other. In the first laminate structure 7, the multiple plate-like members 7a are arranged so that their narrower ends are located on the side where gas is supplied from the first cooling unit 4 (the right side in FIGS. 2 and 3) (see FIGS. 2(B) and 3). That is, in the first laminate structure 7, the multiple plate-like members 7a are arranged so that their widths narrow toward the side where gas is supplied from the first cooling unit 4. Furthermore, the multiple plate-like members 7a are arranged so that gaps are formed between adjacent plate-like members 7a in the vertical direction via spacers or the like, allowing the gas supplied from the first cooling unit 4 to flow through these gaps. That is, the first laminate structure 7 is provided with a plurality of plate-like members 7a such that the surfaces (upper and lower surfaces in FIG. 2(A)) of the plurality of plate-like members 7a are surfaces that come into contact with the gas supplied from the first cooler 4. Note that, hereinafter, this gap may be referred to as a gas flow path 7h.

[0051] <Second laminate structure 8> As shown in FIG. 2(A), the second laminate structure 8 is a structure formed by stacking multiple plate-like members 8a in the vertical direction and has substantially the same structure as the first laminate structure 7. Specifically, the multiple plate-like members 8a forming the second laminate structure 8 are formed to have substantially the same shape and thickness as the multiple plate-like members 7a and are made of a highly thermally conductive material such as a metal, such as aluminum or stainless steel. Similar to the multiple plate-like members 7a of the first laminate structure 7, the multiple plate-like members 8a are also formed so that their widths narrow from one end to the other. Furthermore, the multiple plate-like members 8a are arranged so that gaps are formed between adjacent plate-like members 8a in the vertical direction via spacers or the like, allowing the gas supplied from the first cooling unit 4 to flow through these gaps. In other words, the multiple plate-like members 8a of the second laminate structure 8 are arranged so that the surfaces of the multiple plate-like members 8a (the upper and lower surfaces in FIG. 2(A)) come into contact with the gas supplied from the first cooling unit 4. In the following, this gap may be referred to as a gas flow path 8h. Meanwhile, in the second laminate structure 8, unlike the first laminate structure 7, the ends of the plurality of plate-like members 8a where the width is narrow are all arranged to be located on the side opposite to the side where the gas is supplied from the first cooling section 4 (the right side in FIG. 2) (see FIGS. 2(B) and 3).

[0052] 3, the plurality of first stacked structures 7 and the plurality of second stacked structures 8 are arranged alternately along a direction (vertical direction in FIGS. 3A and 3B) intersecting with the direction (direction of the arrows in FIGS. 2A, 3A, and 3B) in which gas is supplied from the first cooling section 4. More specifically, the plurality of first stacked structures 7 and the plurality of second stacked structures 8 are arranged so that each second stacked structure 8 is located in a wedge-shaped space formed between adjacent first stacked structures 7.

[0053] <Dish d> 1 and 2(A), a tray d is provided below the plurality of first laminate structures 7 and the plurality of second laminate structures 8. This tray d is a member for holding an adjusting substance such as an adjusting liquid supplied to the plurality of first laminate structures 7 and the plurality of second laminate structures 8.

[0054] The control unit 10 controls the supply and stop of the adjusting substance via the liquid distribution unit 9d in accordance with the states of the first laminate structures 7 and the second laminate structures 8. If the receptacle d has a certain capacity, the adjusting substance will not overflow from the receptacle d. However, if the adjusting liquid is continuously supplied to the first laminate structures 7 and the second laminate structures 8, or if there is a possibility that the adjusting substance will be supplied in excess of the capacity of the receptacle d due to a malfunction, the heat exchange unit 6 may be provided with a return unit 6c having the receptacle d. For example, the return unit 6c may be provided with the receptacle d and a return pipe p connecting the receptacle d to the raw liquid supply unit 9a and / or the mixing unit 9b. By providing such a return unit 6c and providing a pump or the like in the return pipe p for delivering the adjusting substance (adjusting liquid) from the receptacle d to the raw liquid supply unit 9a and / or the mixing unit 9b, the adjusting substance can be prevented from overflowing from the receptacle d.

[0055] <Adjustment of secondary cool air by cooling unit 3> Since the cooling section 3 has the structure described above, the second cold air can be adjusted to the target temperature by supplying gas from the first cooling section 4 to the multiple first laminate structures 7 and multiple second laminate structures 8 of the heat exchange section 6 while supplying an adjustment substance from the adjustment substance supply section 9 to the multiple first laminate structures 7 and multiple second laminate structures 8 of the heat exchange section 6. Hereinafter, a mechanism for adjusting the second cool air to the target temperature in the cooling unit 3 will be described.

[0056] First, the adjusting substance is supplied to the first laminate structures 7 and the second laminate structures 8 from the liquid distribution section 9d of the adjusting substance supply section 9. The adjusting substance then flows downward along the surfaces of the plate-like members 7a of the first laminate structures 7 and the plate-like members 8a of the second laminate structures 8 (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as the plate-like members 7a, 8a) (see CL in FIG. 2(A)). When the adjusting substance comes into contact with the surfaces of the plate-like members 7a, 8a, the plate-like members 7a, 8a reach approximately the same temperature as the adjusting substance when the first cold air is not being supplied, because the plate-like members 7a, 8a are made of a material with high thermal conductivity. Note that when the adjusting substance is a coagulated substance or a solid-liquid two-phase adjusting liquid, the plate-like members 7a, 8a reach approximately the same temperature as the coagulated substance when they come into contact with the coagulated substance.

[0057] In this state, when first cold air is supplied from the first cooling section 4 to the first laminate structures 7 and the second laminate structures 8 of the heat exchange section 6, the surfaces of the plate-like members 7a, 8a come into contact with the first cold air. If the target temperature of the first cold air is, for example, about −3°C to −10°C, the plate-like members 7a, 8a are formed from a material with high thermal conductivity, and are cooled by the first cold air in a short time. Furthermore, by coming into contact with the plate-like members 7a, 8a, the first cold air absorbs heat from the plate-like members 7a, 8a, raising the temperature of the first cold air. This generates cold air with a temperature higher than the target temperature of the first cold air that has come into contact with the plate-like members 7a, 8a.

[0058] Meanwhile, the adjustment substance exists on the surfaces of the plate-like members 7a, 8a (i.e., the surfaces that come into contact with the first cold air supplied from one cooling unit 4) (or the adjustment substance exists in contact with the surfaces), but since the plate-like members 7a, 8a are made of a material with high thermal conductivity, when the plate-like members 7a, 8a come into contact with the first cold air and are cooled, the adjustment substance is also cooled in a short time. Then, the heat of the adjustment substance is taken away by the plate-like members 7a, 8a, and the temperature of the adjustment substance drops, and part of the liquid adjustment substance (i.e., the adjustment liquid) solidifies and becomes a solid (see LS in Figure 2(A)). In other words, when the first cold air comes into contact with the surfaces of the plate-like members 7a, 8a, it not only absorbs the heat of the plate-like members 7a, 8a, but also the heat of the regulating substance through the plate-like members 7a, 8a, so that the second cold air generated from the first cold air is adjusted to a target temperature that corresponds to the number and temperature of the plate-like members 7a, 8a and the amount of regulating substance present on the surfaces of the plate-like members 7a, 8a. At this time, the temperature of the plate-like members 7a, 8a and the target temperature of the second cold air become approximately the same temperature.

[0059] Meanwhile, as the second cold air continues to be supplied, the ambient temperature within the storage space 2h of the storage unit 2 drops below a predetermined temperature. When the temperature sensor 2s detects this temperature change, the control unit 10 stops the operation of the first cooler 4 based on that information, thereby halting the generation of the first cold air by the first cooler 4. Then, the first cooler 4 supplies ambient temperature gas to the first laminate structures 7 and the second laminate structures 8 of the heat exchange unit 6 of the second cooler 5. Because the ambient temperature is higher than the target temperature of the first cold air and the target temperature of the second cold air, when the ambient temperature gas contacts the surfaces of the plate-like members 7a and 8a, heat is transferred from the ambient temperature gas to the plate-like members 7a and 8a. In other words, the plate-like members 7a and 8a absorb heat from the ambient temperature gas (and, of course, the adjusting substance in contact with the ambient temperature gas also absorbs heat from the ambient temperature gas). Here, when the multiple plate-shaped members 7a, 8a absorb heat from the gas at ambient temperature, the multiple plate-shaped members 7a, 8a are made of a material with high thermal conductivity, so that heat is quickly supplied to the adjusting substance and used to raise the temperature of the adjusting substance and melt the solidified adjusting substance. The multiple plate-shaped members 7a, 8a absorb heat from the gas at ambient temperature without changing their temperature much, so the multiple plate-shaped members 7a, 8a are maintained in approximately the same state (i.e., approximately the same temperature) as when they were in contact with the first cold air. This allows the gas at ambient temperature in contact with the multiple plate-shaped members 7a, 8a to generate a second cold air adjusted to the target temperature (i.e., approximately the same temperature as the temperature of the multiple plate-shaped members 7a, 8a).

[0060] Furthermore, as the second cold air is prepared from the ambient temperature gas, the temperature of the conditioning substance present on the surfaces of the plate-shaped members 7a and 8a rises and the amount of solidified material decreases. This causes the temperature of the plate-shaped members 7a and 8a to rise, reducing the amount of heat absorbed from the ambient temperature gas. This causes the temperature of the prepared second cold air to be higher than the temperature of the second cold air prepared from the first cold air (i.e., the target temperature), raising the temperature within the storage space 2h of the storage unit 2. Furthermore, if the object to be cooled contained within the storage space 2h of the storage unit 2 changes (e.g., the number of objects to be cooled increases) while the second cold air is being prepared from the ambient temperature gas, the temperature within the storage space 2h of the storage unit 2 also rises. When the temperature sensor 2s detects this temperature rise, the control unit 10 restarts the operation of the first cooler 4 based on that information, and the first cooler 4 resumes generating the first cold air. Then, the temperature of the prepared second cool air drops (that is, the second cool air is prepared at the target temperature), so the temperature inside the accommodation space 2h of the accommodation part 2 can also be lowered.

[0061] As described above, by supplying gas in the storage space 2h of the storage unit 2 to the cooling unit 3, second cold air of the target temperature can be prepared and returned to the storage space 2h of the storage unit 2, thereby maintaining the environmental temperature in the storage space 2h of the storage unit 2 within a predetermined temperature range.

[0062] Although the adjusting substance also comes into contact with the first cold air, the cooling of the adjusting substance is mostly achieved by contact with the surfaces of the multiple plate-like members 7a and 8a, so it can be assumed that the adjusting substance is not directly involved in the phenomenon of generating the second cold air from the first cold air. In other words, even if the first cold air comes into contact with the adjusting substance, the temperature of the first cold air only drops slightly, and it can be assumed that the second cold air is not generated simply by the first cold air coming into contact with the adjusting substance.

[0063] As described above, if the inner wall of flow path 3h, i.e., the entire inner surface that comes into contact with the gas flowing through flow path 3h, is made of a material with high thermal conductivity (e.g., aluminum) and the inner wall has a certain volume (i.e., heat capacity), the function of adjusting the secondary cool air to the target temperature can be enhanced. In this case, when gas at ambient temperature comes into contact with the inner wall of flow path 3h while the operation of first cooler 4 is stopped, the inner wall of flow path 3h absorbs heat from the gas, thereby lowering the temperature of the gas. In other words, the inner wall of flow path 3h can also function to adjust the temperature of the gas supplied to the multiple first laminate structures 7 and multiple second laminate structures 8 of the heat exchange section 6 of the secondary cooler 5. Even if the inner wall of flow path 3h is made of a material with low thermal conductivity, the temperature of the gas at ambient temperature can be lowered by installing a panel made of a material with high thermal conductivity (e.g., aluminum) with a certain heat capacity on the inner surface.

[0064] Furthermore, if the first cold air is supplied from the first cooler 4 for a certain period of time, even if the storage space 2h of the storage chamber 2 is at an appropriate environmental temperature (i.e., the temperature at which the first cooler 4 operates), a large amount of solidified material of the adjusting substance may form on the plate-like members 7a, 8a. If the amount of solidified material becomes too large, the gas flow paths 7h, 8h become narrower, increasing the flow resistance of the first cold air passing through the first laminated structures 7 and the second laminated structures 8. Furthermore, if the surfaces of the plate-like members 7a, 8a are covered with solidified material, the contact area between the first cold air and the plate-like members 7a, 8a becomes smaller, reducing the ability of the plate-like members 7a, 8a to remove heat from the first cold air, which may make it impossible to generate second cold air at the target temperature. Therefore, to prevent such problems, it is desirable that the control unit 10 of the cooling unit 3 has a function to reduce the amount of coagulated adjustment substance on the surfaces of the multiple plate-like members 7a, 8a when the amount exceeds a predetermined amount. For example, the multiple plate-like members 7a, 8a may be provided with heaters or the like, and the control unit 10 may be configured to operate the heaters 10 to melt the coagulated adjustment substance. Furthermore, if the adjustment liquid is supplied to the multiple plate-like members 7a, 8a continuously to some extent, the control unit 10 may reduce the amount of coagulation by stopping the supply of the adjustment substance to the multiple first laminate structures 7 and the multiple second laminate structures 8 or by changing the state of the adjustment substance. In this case, when the amount of coagulated adjustment substance on the surfaces of the multiple plate-like members 7a, 8a becomes less than a predetermined amount, the control unit 10 controls the system to return to its normal state.

[0065] Furthermore, repeated supply and stop of the first cold air from the first cooler 4 causes a phenomenon in which the adjusting substance present in the first laminate structures 7 and the second laminate structures 8 decreases. The decrease in the adjusting substance reduces the ability of the adjusting substance to adjust the temperature of the plate-like members 7a, 8a, so when the decrease in the adjusting substance decreases, the control unit 10 controls the operation of the liquid distribution unit 9d to supply the adjusting substance to the first laminate structures 7 and the second laminate structures 8. This ensures that the first laminate structures 7 and the second laminate structures 8 always have an appropriate amount of adjusting substance to adjust the temperature of the plate-like members 7a, 8a, making it possible to stably generate second cold air at the target temperature.

[0066] To perform the above-described control, it is necessary to grasp the amount of coagulated adjusting substance present on the surfaces of the several plate-like members 7a, 8a. The method for grasping the amount of coagulated substance is not particularly limited, and the amount of coagulated substance may be grasped, for example, using an infrared sensor. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, an infrared irradiation unit RL and an infrared sensor LD are provided to sandwich the first laminate structures 7 and the second laminate structures 8 from the sides (as if sandwiching them from above and below in FIG. 3). The infrared irradiation unit RL and the infrared sensor LD are positioned so that the infrared IF emitted by the infrared irradiator RL passes through the gaps between the adjacent plate-like members 7a, 8a of the first laminate structures 7 and the second laminate structures 8, i.e., through the gas flow paths 7h, 8h (see FIG. 2(A)), and the infrared IF that has passed through the gas flow paths 7h, 8h is received by the infrared irradiator RL. The amount of coagulated adjusting substance present on the first laminate structures 7 and the second laminate structures 8 can then be grasped based on the amount of infrared IF detected by the infrared sensor LD. In other words, when the amount of infrared rays IF detected by the infrared sensor LD is a predetermined amount, it can be determined that an appropriate amount of adjustment substance is present for temperature adjustment of the plurality of plate-like members 7a, 8a. Furthermore, when the amount of infrared rays IF detected by the infrared sensor LD is less than a predetermined amount, it can be determined that there is too much adjustment substance, and the control unit 10 can operate a heater or the like to melt the solidified adjustment substance. Conversely, when the amount of infrared rays IF detected by the infrared sensor LD is more than a predetermined amount, it can be determined that there is too little adjustment substance, and the control unit 10 can operate the liquid distribution unit 9d to supply the adjustment substance to the plurality of first laminate structures 7 and the plurality of second laminate structures 8.

[0067] If the tissue cooling device 1 of this embodiment has the storage unit 2 and cooling unit 3 described above, it can constantly supply second cold air at a target temperature into the storage space 2h of the storage unit 2, thereby maintaining the object to be cooled M stored in the storage space 2h at a predetermined temperature. For example, if the target temperature of the second cold air is an average of -0.75°C, the ambient temperature within the storage space 2h can be maintained at an average temperature of approximately -0.75°C, thereby maintaining the object to be cooled M at a predetermined temperature. For example, the tissue cooling device 1 of this embodiment can precisely control the temperature of even difficult-to-store foods such as leafy vegetables and soft vegetables, maintaining them at a temperature within the critical temperature range (-0.1 to -1°C) at which freezing is unlikely to occur inside them.

[0068] Furthermore, if the object M to be cooled is food, supplying second cold air with an average target temperature of -0.75°C can maintain the temperature of the object M in the storage space 2h of the storage unit 2 at approximately -0.75°C, and the object M can be cooled to a substantially uniform state (within ±0.2°C of temperature difference from location to location) from its surface to its center. In other words, since the object M to be cooled can be maintained at a temperature below freezing and its internal temperature can be maintained uniformly, cooling perishable foods using the tissue cooling device 1 of this embodiment can maintain the quality of the perishable foods. For example, because temperatures below freezing are the temperature at which fungi are dormant, deterioration of food quality caused by fungi can be prevented. In other words, storing food in the storage unit 2 can mitigate the effects of microbial action (i.e., spoilage and fermentation), decomposition by enzymes in the food, chemical actions such as oxidation, physical actions such as drying, and physiological activities of the food itself such as absorption and transpiration, thereby extending the period during which the quality of the food can be maintained.

[0069] Furthermore, in the tissue cooling device 1 of this embodiment, if the object to be cooled M is food, setting the target temperature of the second cold air to an average of -0.75°C allows the ambient temperature within the storage space 2h to be maintained at an average temperature of approximately -0.75°C. This allows the heat contained in the object to be cooled M itself to be uniformly maintained at a temperature below 0°C. Because amino acids, minerals, and other substances are dissolved in the moisture contained in food, freezing occurs within the food itself at temperatures between -5°C and -1°C. However, even when the temperature of the object to be cooled M drops below -0.5°C, the tissue cooling device 1 of this embodiment can prevent freezing from occurring within the food itself while maintaining a uniform temperature below freezing throughout the entire food product, thereby maintaining the high quality of, for example, fresh food.

[0070] If the object M to be cooled is cooled using the tissue cooling device 1 of this embodiment having such a function, it becomes possible to preserve the object M for a long period of time even if the object M is a vegetable or fruit.

[0071] For example, one problem with soft foods such as strawberries is that they lose their freshness quickly, so they must be packed (wrapped, packaged) and shipped on the same day they are harvested. This leaves little time for sorting based on size and quality, making it difficult to standardize quality values. In contrast, storing soft foods such as strawberries in the storage space 2h of the storage chamber 2 of the tissue cooling device 1 of this embodiment allows for an extended quality maintenance period, allowing for more time for sorting. By reliably sorting soft foods such as strawberries, reliability in terms of quality is improved and the shelf life of the products after shipping is maintained. This provides many benefits, including easing restrictions on logistics.

[0072] Furthermore, in the case of fruits and vegetables, harvesters independently decide the timing of harvesting and subsequent processing. The optimal period for the taste and nutritional value of each vegetable or fruit varies from one individual to another. The peak season is roughly divided into four seasons over a period of approximately one year, although this varies depending on the region. Maintaining the quality of in-season produce for 30 to 90 days would enable the supply of fresh, delicious vegetables and fruits in the necessary and appropriate amounts. This would be extremely beneficial as a measure to reduce waste, given Japan's low self-sufficiency rate of 4%. Storing such fruits and vegetables within the storage space 2h of the storage chamber 2 of the tissue cooling device 1 of this embodiment would allow the quality of the fruit and vegetables to be maintained for 30 to 90 days, enabling the supply of fresh, delicious vegetables and fruits in the necessary and appropriate amounts.

[0073] <Design principle of the tissue cooling device 1 of this embodiment> Here, the design principle of the tissue cooling device 1 of the present embodiment described above, that is, the idea of temperature control realized in the tissue cooling device 1 of the present embodiment, will be described.

[0074] First, the behavior of moisture is one of the important factors in the quality change of all foods. By mitigating the change in specific gravity of water due to temperature, the behavior of moisture within food substances can simplify food handling methods.

[0075] When handling food, safety is the most important thing. Furthermore, when storing food, the food's inherent nutritional value and its effects on the five senses, such as color, taste, and texture, must be preserved. However, because the low temperature range that is effective for constant temperature storage of food and the temperature range that restricts the behavior of moisture in food overlap, it is believed possible to achieve long-term storage and ultra-long-term storage by freezing while maintaining high quality.

[0076] It has traditionally been thought that the quality of frozen foods can be improved by rapidly lowering the temperature of the food and quickly passing it through the temperature range of -5°C, known as the maximum ice crystal formation zone, thereby minimizing the growth of ice crystals inside the food, and many technologies have been developed to achieve this. Even in the literature of specialist academics, it is stated that when aiming to improve the quality of food when frozen, it is important to minimize the growth of ice crystals inside the food by rapidly lowering the temperature of the food and quickly passing through the maximum ice crystal formation zone. The document also describes methods for rapidly lowering the temperature of food, such as 1) increasing the temperature difference between the food and the heat transfer medium, 2) increasing the heat transfer coefficient between the food and the medium, and 3) increasing the contact surface area with the medium.

[0077] However, in order to maintain the quality of food during storage after freezing, it is not possible to expect results simply by improving the cooling capacity to increase the speed of passage through the maximum ice crystal formation zone.

[0078] Water is the most abundant component of food and is considered to control its physical properties. Water in food is closely related to the food's shape, texture (color and luster), taste, texture, nutritional content, and more. Furthermore, water is a medium that transmits various effects, affecting the quality of food at each stage: before freezing, during freezing, during frozen storage, thawing, and after thawing. High-quality frozen food must be in the same or similar state after thawing as it was before freezing. To achieve this, it is necessary for the moisture content and moisture content after thawing to be the same as before freezing.

[0079] To achieve the above-described state, it is important to consider that removing heat from food to cool it also removes moisture from the food itself. Therefore, the inventors conceived the idea of binding the water in food by cooling it to a critical temperature range where freezing does not occur and achieving a uniform temperature throughout the food. Specifically, by keeping food below 0.0°C, but within a temperature range where freezing does not occur, the proportion of water molecules with ice structures in the food increases, resulting in an increase in density and volumetric shrinkage. By achieving a uniform temperature throughout the food, the specific gravity of the water also becomes uniform, increasing its binding strength and allowing the water in the food to be bound.

[0080] In this specification, the term "thermal equilibrium state" refers to a state in which the entire food is at a uniform temperature. In addition, even if the entire food is not at a uniform temperature, the term "thermal equilibrium state" may also refer to a state in which adjacent cells, etc., are at a uniform temperature within a certain range.

[0081] Here, the behavior of water within a solid food (such as the binding of water within the food) is determined by the temperature and for how long that state is maintained. Furthermore, volume fluctuations occur depending on the behavior of water, making it difficult to bind water within the food. In other words, it is difficult to achieve thermal equilibrium throughout the entire food product. However, in the temperature range of -0.5 to -1.0, it is possible to bind water within the food. In other words, within this temperature range, it is possible to achieve thermal equilibrium throughout the entire food product. The reason it is possible to achieve thermal equilibrium within this temperature range is that it is within the temperature range in which water absorbs latent heat to turn into ice, and yet ice molecules can form within the food moisture, although no ice crystals form.

[0082] When thermal equilibrium is reached across the entire food product, the food being frozen can be considered to be a single mass, improving the thermal conductivity of the entire food product. This allows the food product to effectively accumulate cold heat, achieving a uniform temperature across the entire food product, with no temperature error.

[0083] In the tissue cooling device 1 of this embodiment, the temperature within the storage space 2h of the storage unit 2 can be maintained at an average temperature of, for example, approximately -0.75°C. Under these temperature conditions, for example, for a food product such as a melon, the entire food product can be cooled to -0.5°C or below, allowing the entire food product to reach thermal equilibrium. Note that when the entire food product is able to reach thermal equilibrium, it can be considered that the storage space 2h of the storage unit 2 and the entire food product are all in a state of thermal equilibrium.

[0084] The thermal equilibrium of a solid food product is a matter of heat conduction within the solid food product and depends on the contents of the food product, including carbohydrates and lipids. Therefore, the temperature at which thermal equilibrium occurs varies slightly depending on the variety, quality, and properties of each food product. Therefore, to achieve thermal equilibrium for the entire food product, it is necessary to maintain the temperature within the storage space 2h of the storage unit 2 within a temperature range appropriate for that food product. Therefore, the temperature range within which the food product will achieve thermal equilibrium can be determined in advance through preliminary testing, and when cooling or storing that food, the control unit 10 can adjust the operating state of the cooling unit 3, i.e., the temperature of the second cold air supplied into the storage space 2h of the storage unit 2, so that the temperature within the storage space 2h of the storage unit 2 falls within the temperature range within which the food product will achieve thermal equilibrium.

[0085] <About Storage Unit 2> As mentioned above, the structure can have outer and inner walls, with insulation made of foam or the like provided between the outer and inner walls. However, using a metal panel with a certain volume for the inner wall can enhance the temperature regulation function of the storage space 2h. In other words, when the second cool air is being supplied, the temperature fluctuation range within the storage space 2h can be maintained within a narrow range. For example, forming the inner wall with an aluminum panel with a thickness of 1.5 mm or more, or installing an aluminum add-on panel with a thickness of 1.5 mm or more on the inner wall, enhances the function of suppressing temperature fluctuations due to the components facing the storage space 2h (i.e., the inner wall or add-on panel), thereby reducing the temperature fluctuation range within the storage space 2h. The components facing the storage space 2h are not particularly limited, and aluminum panels (plates) or stainless steel panels can be used.

[0086] <About the heat exchange section 6> As described above, the adjusting substance supplied from the liquid distribution unit 9d to the first laminate structure 7 and the second laminate structure 8 does not have to be in a completely liquid state (i.e., only the adjusting liquid). It may contain a portion of the adjusting liquid that has solidified, or the adjusting substance may be completely solidified. If there is a possibility that the adjusting substance may contain a solid, it is desirable that the first laminate structure 7 and the second laminate structure 8 be provided with storage spaces 7g, 8g for storing the solid (see Figures 2(B) and 3). That is, it is desirable that the first laminate structure 7 and the second laminate structure 8 be provided with storage spaces 7g, 8g for storing the solid contained in the adjusting substance supplied from the adjusting substance supply unit 9. If the solid of the adjusting substance is stored in such storage spaces 7g, 8g, it becomes easier to bring the solid into contact with the multiple plate-like members 7a, 8a. Furthermore, if the adjusting substance contains a solid and the solid of the adjusting substance is stored in the storage spaces 7g, 8g, the amount of heat that can be removed from the multiple plate-like members 7a, 8a can be increased. This means that even when gas at ambient temperature is supplied to the second cooling section 5, it may be possible to continue supplying second cold air at a specified temperature for a relatively long period of time, which may shorten the operating time of the first cooling section 4 and reduce power consumption.

[0087] For example, if the first laminate structure 7 and the second laminate structure 8 are formed from a plurality of plate-like members 7a, 8a as described above, by providing through holes 7c, 8c in each plate-like member 7a, 8a, the first laminate structure 7 and the second laminate structure 8 can be formed with storage spaces 7g, 8g that penetrate in the vertical direction.

[0088] As described above, when the first laminate structure 7 and the second laminate structure 8 have storage spaces 7g, 8g, it is also possible to supply all or most of the adjustment substance as a solidified substance to the first laminate structure 7 and the second laminate structure 8 by the cooling section 9c of the adjustment substance supply section 9. However, if the adjustment substance cooled by the cooling section 9c of the adjustment substance supply section 9 is entirely in a liquid state or in a liquid state with a small proportion of solidified substance, it becomes easier to control the amount and timing of the adjustment substance to be supplied to the first laminate structure 7 and the second laminate structure 8. Furthermore, since the contact area between the multiple plate-like members 7a, 8a and the adjustment substance can be increased, heat exchange between the multiple plate-like members 7a, 8a and the adjustment substance can be more quickly carried out.

[0089] Furthermore, there are no particular limitations on the positions and number of the storage spaces 7g, 8g provided in the first laminate structure 7 and the second laminate structure 8. Only one storage space 7g, 8g may be provided in the center of the first laminate structure 7 and the second laminate structure 8 (see FIGS. 2(B) and 3), or multiple storage spaces 7g, 8g may be provided in the first laminate structure 7 and the second laminate structure 8. In this case, through holes that form the multiple storage spaces 7g, 8g when the first laminate structure 7 and the second laminate structure 8 are formed may be provided in the multiple plate-like members 7a, 8a that form the first laminate structure 7 and the second laminate structure 8, respectively.

[0090] Furthermore, in the above example, a case where a plurality of first laminate structures 7 and a plurality of first laminate structures 8 are provided has been described, but there is no particular limitation on the number of first laminate structures 7 and first laminate structures 8 provided. Only one first laminate structure 7 may be provided, or only one first laminate structure 7 and one first laminate structure 8 may be provided.

[0091] Furthermore, the shape of the heat exchanger 6 is not particularly limited as long as it has a surface that comes into contact with the gas supplied from the first cooling unit 4 and that allows the flow of the adjustment substance. For example, a columnar member or a hollow cylinder may be used for the heat exchanger 6. However, if the structure has multiple plate-like members as described above, the contact area between the gas supplied from the first cooling unit 4 and the multiple plate-like members can be increased, making it easier to adjust the gas supplied from the first cooling unit 4 to the second cool air at the target temperature.

[0092] Furthermore, the multiple plate-like members 7a constituting the first laminate structure 7 do not all have to have the same shape or thickness, and the gaps between adjacent plate-like members 7a may all have the same spacing or the spacing may vary depending on the position. Similarly, the multiple plate-like members 8a constituting the second laminate structure 8 do not all have to have the same shape or thickness, and the gaps between adjacent plate-like members 8a may all have the same spacing or the spacing may vary depending on the position. However, if the multiple plate-like members 7a constituting the first laminate structure 7 and the multiple plate-like members 8a constituting the second laminate structure 8 all have the same shape and thickness and the spacing between adjacent plate-like members 7a and adjacent plate-like members 8a is all the same, the gas supplied from the first cooling unit 4 can be stably adjusted to the second cool air at the target temperature.

[0093] <Tissue Cooling Device 1B of the Present Embodiment Having Storage Chamber 20> First, there was no conventional cooling device or freezing device that could cool the object to be cooled M in a thermal equilibrium state. Naturally, therefore, there was no device that could cool the object to be cooled M to a predetermined temperature (for example, about -0.5°C) while maintaining the thermal equilibrium state, and therefore the phenomenon described above was not understood.

[0094] However, with the tissue cooling device 1 of the present embodiment described above, it is possible to cool the object to be cooled M to a predetermined temperature (for example, about -0.5°C) while maintaining thermal equilibrium. It has been confirmed that if the object to be cooled M is cooled to a thermal equilibrium state and about -0.5°C and then frozen, the object to be cooled M can be stored frozen for a long period of time while remaining in a thermal equilibrium state, and even if thawed, the quality of the object to be cooled M can be restored to approximately the same state as before freezing.

[0095] Specifically, it was confirmed that when the object to be cooled M is cooled to a thermal equilibrium state and a temperature of about -0.5°C using the tissue cooling device 1 of this embodiment, subsequent freezing can be performed using a conventional general freezing method while maintaining the thermal equilibrium state and lowering the temperature to a predetermined level (see FIG. 11). Furthermore, it was confirmed that the quality of the object to be cooled M cooled to a thermal equilibrium state can be restored to approximately the same state as before freezing after thawing, even if the object to be cooled using a general freezing method (see FIG. 9).

[0096] In other words, it was confirmed that if the object to be cooled M is cooled and then frozen using the tissue cooling device 1 of this embodiment, the quality of the thawed object to be cooled M can be restored to approximately the same state as before freezing, regardless of the freezing method or thawing method.

[0097] As described above, the object to be cooled M cooled in a thermal equilibrium state by the tissue cooling device 1 of this embodiment can be thawed to have substantially the same quality as before freezing, even if it is frozen using a normal freezing method, but in order to further improve the quality of the object to be cooled M after thawing, it is desirable that the tissue cooling device 1 of this embodiment be equipped with a storage chamber 20 as described below. In other words, it is desirable that the object to be cooled M cooled in the storage space 2h of the storage chamber 2 of the tissue cooling device 1 of this embodiment be moved to the storage chamber 20 as described below, frozen, and stored. The tissue cooling device 1B of this embodiment, which is provided with a storage chamber 20, will be described below.

[0098] The storage chamber 20 described below can also be used as a standalone storage chamber 20. In other words, it is possible to provide a storage chamber 20 separate from the storage section 2, and place the object M to be cooled that has been cooled by another device in this storage chamber 20 and freeze it. In other words, the storage chamber 20 having the following structure can also be used as an independent refrigeration device that freezes the object M to be cooled.

[0099] FIG. 5 shows a tissue cooling device 1B of this embodiment that includes a storage chamber 20. 5 shows a tissue cooling device 1B of this embodiment in which the storage unit 2, cooling unit 3, and storage chamber 20 are all contained within a single chamber (device chamber 1h in FIG. 5) surrounded by an outer device wall 1w, and the tissue cooling device 1B of this embodiment equipped with the storage chamber 20 will be described based on the configuration in FIG. 5. However, the tissue cooling device 1 of this embodiment equipped with the storage chamber 20 does not necessarily have to have the storage unit 2, cooling unit 3, and storage chamber 20 all contained within a single chamber.

[0100] 5, a storage chamber 20 is provided adjacent to the storage unit 2 within the device chamber 1h surrounded by the device outer wall 1w. This storage chamber 20 is a chamber for freezing and storing the objects to be cooled M cooled in the tissue cooling device 1, and is configured to receive the objects to be cooled M cooled within the storage space 2h of the storage unit 2 and to supply the objects to be cooled M within the storage chamber 20 to the storage space 2h of the storage unit 2.

[0101] Specifically, the accommodation unit 2 is provided with a loading / unloading opening 2w that connects the accommodation space 2h with the relay chamber 25, and is provided with a heat-insulating door 2d that opens and closes the loading / unloading opening 2w. Also, a transport device 2c such as a known conveyor that automatically loads and unloads the object to be cooled M is provided within the accommodation space 2h. Meanwhile, the storage chamber 20 is provided with a loading / unloading port 20w that connects the relay chamber 25 and the storage space 21h of the inner shell chamber 21, and a heat-insulating door 20d that opens and closes the loading / unloading port 20w. The storage space 21h of the inner shell chamber 21 is also provided with a transport device 20c, such as a known conveyor, that automatically loads and unloads the object to be cooled M. The top surface of the transport device 20c, i.e., the surface on which the object to be cooled M is placed, is formed at approximately the same height as the top surface of the transport device 2c in the storage space 2h of the storage unit 2, i.e., the surface on which the object to be cooled M is placed. Furthermore, an intermediary chamber 25 surrounded by an outer wall 1w of the device is provided between the storage unit 2 and the storage room 20. This intermediary chamber 25 is provided with an elevating and lowering conveying device 25c that conveys the object to be cooled M supplied from the storage unit 2 or the storage room 20 to the other side. This elevating and lowering conveying device 25c is configured so that when it is raised, its upper surface, i.e., the surface on which the object to be cooled M is placed, is at approximately the same height as the upper surfaces of the conveying devices 2c and 20c (this state is called the conveying state), and when it is lowered, its upper surface is lowered to a height that does not interfere with the opening and closing of the insulating doors 2d and 20d (this state is called the retracted state).

[0102] With the above-described configuration, by lowering the lifting and conveying device 25c to a retracted state and opening the insulating door 2d and the insulating door 20d, the storage space 2h of the storage unit 2 and the storage space 21h of the inner shell chamber 21 of the storage chamber 20 can be placed in a state of communication via the relay chamber 25. In this state, by raising the lifting and conveying device 25c to a conveying state and operating the conveying device 2c, the conveying device 20c, and the lifting and conveying device 25c, the object to be cooled M can be moved from the storage space 2h of the storage unit 2 to the storage space 21h of the inner shell chamber 21 of the storage chamber 20, or from the storage space 21h of the inner shell chamber 21 of the storage chamber 20 to the storage space 2h of the storage unit 2.

[0103] The timing for moving the object to be cooled M from the storage space 2h of the storage unit 2 to the storage space 21h of the inner shell chamber 21 of the storage chamber 20 is not particularly limited. After the temperature of the object to be cooled M in the storage space 2h of the storage unit 2 reaches 0.00°C or below and a state of thermal equilibrium, the object to be cooled can be transported to the storage space 21h of the inner shell chamber 21 of the storage chamber 20. The timing at which the temperature of the object to be cooled M reaches 0.00°C or below and a state of thermal equilibrium varies depending on the shape and properties of the object to be cooled M. Therefore, the timing for moving the object to be cooled can be determined based on the shape of the object to be cooled M and data obtained from preliminary experiments, etc., measuring the temperature fluctuations within the object to be cooled M over time.

[0104] Furthermore, the method for carrying the object to be cooled M in and out between the storage space 2h of the storage section 2 and the storage space 21h of the inner shell chamber 21 of the storage chamber 20 is not limited to the above method, and various methods can be adopted. Furthermore, without providing a transport device as described above, the object to be cooled M may be moved by hand by an operator.

[0105] In addition, in the above example, a relay chamber 25 is provided between the storage section 2 and the storage room 20, but instead of providing a relay chamber 25, a blocking mechanism 26 may be provided to block communication between the loading / unloading opening 2w of the storage section 2 and the loading / unloading opening 20w of the storage room 20 (see Figure 6).

[0106] <Storage room 20> 5, the storage chamber 20 is provided so as to store the object M to be cooled at a predetermined temperature or below, specifically, at a temperature of −18° C. or below, which is the temperature for freezing and storing the object M. The storage chamber 20 has an inner shell chamber 21 that forms the above-mentioned storage space 21 h, and an outer shell chamber 22 that is provided so as to surround the inner shell chamber 21.

[0107] <Inner shell chamber 21> The inner shell chamber 21 is formed by an inner wall 21a made of a material with high thermal conductivity, such as a stainless steel or aluminum plate, and has an internal storage space 21h surrounded by the inner wall 21a.

[0108] The outer shell chamber 22 is formed by a highly insulating outer wall 22a, which is arranged to surround the periphery of the inner shell chamber 21. The outer wall 22a of the outer shell chamber 22 is arranged so that a certain space (hereinafter referred to as a cold air retention space 22h) is formed between it and the inner wall 21a of the inner shell chamber 21. A third cold air having a temperature equal to or lower than the target temperature in the storage space 21h of the inner shell chamber 21 is supplied to this cold air retention space 22h from the cooling device 23. For example, if the target temperature in the storage space 21h of the inner shell chamber 21 is -20°C, the third cold air adjusted to a temperature equal to or lower than -20°C is supplied to the cold air retention space 22h. The device for adjusting the third cold air is not particularly limited, and a known cold air generating device can be used.

[0109] Furthermore, the cool air holding space 22h is provided with a blower 22f that moves the third cool air inside along the inner wall 21a, causing the gas to flow so that the third cool air comes into even contact with the outer surface of the inner wall 21a. In other words, by providing the blower 22f, the condition inside the cool air holding space 22h is adjusted so that the temperature of the inner wall 21a is approximately the same at any position.

[0110] As described above, in the storage chamber 20, the third cold air having a temperature equal to or lower than the target temperature in the storage space 21h of the inner shell chamber 21 is supplied to the space 22h between the inner wall 21a of the inner shell chamber 21 and the outer wall 22a of the outer shell chamber 22, so that the environmental temperature in the storage space 21h of the inner shell chamber 21 can be maintained at or below the target temperature. In other words, when the third cold air having a temperature equal to or lower than the target temperature is supplied to the space 22h, the third cold air comes into contact with the outer surface of the inner wall 21a of the inner shell chamber 21, and the inner wall 21a of the inner shell chamber 21 is cooled by the third cold air. When the temperature of the inner wall 21a of the inner shell chamber 21 decreases, the temperature of the gas and the object M to be cooled in the inner shell chamber 21 decreases due to radiation and heat transfer. Therefore, the environmental temperature in the storage space 21h of the inner shell chamber 21 can be lowered to or below the target temperature, and the object M to be cooled can be frozen and lowered to the same temperature as the environmental temperature in the frozen state. Moreover, since the third cold air is not directly supplied into the accommodation space 21h of the inner shell chamber 21 to lower the temperature, the third cold air does not come into contact with the object to be cooled M in the accommodation space 21h of the inner shell chamber 21. This makes it easier to maintain a thermal equilibrium state of the object to be cooled M, and prevents excessive loss of moisture from the surface of the object to be cooled M that would occur if the third cold air came into direct contact with the object to be cooled M.

[0111] In addition, the inner wall 21a of the inner shell chamber 21 is made of a material such as aluminum that has excellent properties for absorbing and storing cold air and for thermal conductivity, thereby improving the stability of the cold energy stored in the storage space 21h, that is, the ability to maintain a constant environmental temperature within the storage space 21h.

[0112] <Ventilation hole 22g> The above-described effects can be achieved when the third cold air is not directly supplied into the storage space 21h of the inner shell chamber 21 to lower the temperature. On the other hand, if the third cold air is directly supplied into the storage space 21h of the inner shell chamber 21, the environmental temperature in the storage space 21h can be quickly lowered to a temperature close to that of the third cold air. Furthermore, since the third cold air can directly cool the object M to be cooled, the object M can be quickly frozen. Therefore, if the object M to be cooled is one whose quality will not be deteriorated even if the third cold air is directly applied to it, or if the object M to be cooled is housed in a case and is not directly exposed to the third cold air, the third cold air may be appropriately supplied into the storage space 21h from the space 22h. For example, an openable / closable vent 22g may be provided in the inner wall 21a of the inner shell chamber 21, and the vent 22g may be opened or closed depending on the temperature in the storage space 21h and the object M to be cooled.

[0113] <Unzip> First, for foods that have been cooled and then frozen using the tissue cooling device 1 of this embodiment, regardless of the thawing method, the water and other nutrients inside the frozen food can be brought into a state similar to the tissue structure before freezing during the temperature rise process. In other words, for foods that have been cooled and then frozen using the tissue cooling device 1 of this embodiment, regardless of the thawing method, the environment inside the tissue of the thawed food can be made stable and substantially equivalent to the state before freezing.

[0114] On the other hand, the tissue cooling device 1 of this embodiment can maintain the object to be cooled M stored in the storage space 2h of the storage unit 2 at a predetermined temperature, and therefore can quickly heat frozen objects that are at a temperature lower than the environmental temperature within the storage space 2h to approximately the environmental temperature within the storage space 2h while maintaining a uniform internal temperature. In other words, the tissue cooling device 1 of this embodiment can also be used as a thawing device that heats the temperatures of all low-temperature stored items, from frozen foods and living organisms to cooked and processed foods, to temperatures very close to the freezing point of 0°C or below, while maintaining a uniform temperature distribution.

[0115] Specifically, the tissue cooling device 1 of this embodiment can quickly heat stored items, such as food stored at -18°C or below, or at ultra-low temperatures of -50°C or below, from a frozen state to the ambient temperature within the storage space 2h while maintaining a uniform internal temperature. Furthermore, even if the heated stored item is food, the temperature of the food can be uniformly adjusted from the surface to the center. Note that "uniform" here means that the temperature difference between each part is within ±0.3°C.

[0116] The tissue cooling device 1 of this embodiment has such a function, and therefore can prevent deterioration in quality when thawing even food frozen using a general freezing device. The reason for this will be explained below.

[0117] First, when food is frozen using a standard freezer, solid expansion occurs due to the solidification of water during freezing. When food frozen using a standard freezer is thawed using a standard thawing device, the frozen water contained in the food begins to leak out of the food as it melts. In other words, dripping occurs. For example, in the case of a 10kg block of beef, if the core temperature reaches -5°C during heating, the surface temperature will rise above 0°C, causing dripping from the beef.

[0118] However, with the tissue cooling device 1 of this embodiment, the environmental temperature inside the storage space 2h of the storage unit 2 can be maintained at an average temperature of approximately -0.75°C, based on temperatures below freezing, making it possible to uniformly adjust and raise the temperature of the entire food item. In other words, with the tissue cooling device 1 of this embodiment, the temperature of the entire food item can be raised to approximately -0.8°C, which is close to 0°C. This makes it difficult for water to melt within the food, allowing the temperature of the entire food item to be raised uniformly. Therefore, when thawing with the tissue cooling device 1 of this embodiment, dripping can be prevented even for foods frozen using a general freezer, and deterioration in the quality of the food during thawing can be prevented.

[0119] As described above, when thawing using the tissue cooling device 1 of this embodiment, not only foods that have been cooled and then frozen using the tissue cooling device 1 of this embodiment, but also foods that have not been cooled and then frozen using the tissue cooling device 1 of this embodiment can suppress dripping and the environment inside the tissue of the thawed food can be restored to a state similar to that before freezing. In other words, even foods that have been frozen using a conventional method can be thawed using the tissue cooling device 1 of this embodiment to suppress dripping and restore the environment inside the tissue of the thawed food to a state similar to that before freezing. For example, the effects of the thawed food on the human five senses, such as color, taste, and texture, can be restored to nearly the state before the food was frozen.

[0120] In particular, thawing foods that have been cooled and then frozen using the tissue cooling device 1 of this embodiment can provide superior results for the aging (ripening) process of large fish and meat, which has become a hot topic among fresh foods recently. Foods that have been cooled and then frozen using the tissue cooling device 1 of this embodiment have a uniform temperature throughout the food, allowing the temperature of the entire food to be raised evenly. This prevents the movement of water within the food during thawing, allowing the enzyme reaction to proceed slowly. This alleviates problems such as discoloration of the food, moisture loss, and the growth of foreign bacteria, and also has favorable effects such as improved cooking yield. [Example]

[0121] It has been confirmed that the tissue cooling device of the present invention can cool an object to a predetermined temperature and can maintain a uniform temperature within the object. In the experiment, the tissue cooling device used had the following specifications:

[0122] 1) First layered structure (3 units) Height: H1=395mm Height: H2=8mm Plate material: Aluminum, thickness 5mm L1 = 43 mm, R1 = 98 mm, R2 = 50 mm (see Figure 3(B)). 2) Second laminated structure (3 units) Height: H1=395mm Height: H2=8mm Plate material: Aluminum, thickness 5mm L1 = 43 mm, R1 = 98 mm, R2 = 50 mm (see Figure 3(B)). The distance D between the adjacent first and second stacked structures is 165 mm (see Figure 3(B)), and the projected area seen from the side where the first cold air is supplied is 117,100 mm 2 That's about it.

[0123] 3) First cold: average -3℃ 4) Secondary cold air: average target temperature -0.75℃, average flow rate within the containment space 3m / s

[0124] 5) Storage section: Volume of containment space: 3.47m 3 (Height 1885mm, width 1535mm, depth 1200mm) Insulation: Insulated structure (6 sides) with thermal conductivity of 0.04W / (mk)

[0125] Example 1 In Example 1, it was verified whether the tissue cooling device of the present invention can achieve uniform thermal equilibrium with the liquid at temperatures of −5 to 50° C., that is, whether the entire liquid can be cooled to the same temperature.

[0126] In Example 1, 2 liters of tap water was placed in a glass beaker (volume: 2 liters, body diameter x total height φ135 x 200 mm) in the storage space of the storage unit, and the water was cooled using the tissue cooling device of the present invention. The temperature of the tap water was measured at the following three points using a temperature data logger (manufactured by Fujita Electric Works, Ltd.: Model No. KT-255FP) (Figure 7(A)). A. Upper part (near the surface of the water, 25 mm from the top of the beaker) B Middle (near the center, 65 mm from the top of the beaker) C Lower part (near the bottom, 135 mm from the top of the beaker)

[0127] 7(B) and (C), in the experiment, cooling was started from a water temperature of 15°C. After about 200 minutes of cooling, the temperature error between the three data loggers reached a maximum of 1°C. After 260 minutes, the temperatures measured by the three data loggers were nearly the same (maximum temperature error: 0.1°C). This confirmed that the tissue cooling device of the present invention was able to cool tissue to a stable temperature within the set temperature range (i.e., 0.1°C).

[0128] From the above results, it was confirmed that by using the tissue cooling device of the present invention, it is possible to create thermal equilibrium within the water depth range (within 155 mm) without temperature error due to position, even under conditions where temperature control is difficult, such as using air with low thermal conductivity and cooling water through a glass container with low thermal conductivity.

[0129] <Examples 2 and 3> In Examples 2 and 3, it was verified whether uniform thermal equilibrium could be achieved in food, that is, whether the entire food could be cooled to the same temperature.

[0130] In Example 2, the process of temperature change of a pork shoulder loin was observed when the pork shoulder loin was placed in the storage space of the storage unit and cooled. The pork shoulder loin used weighed just over 2 kg and had a minimum width of approximately 100 mm. Three data loggers were attached to the pork shoulder loin to observe its temperature change.

[0131] The temperature of the pork shoulder loin was measured at the following three points by inserting the temperature detection needle (approximately 50 mm long) of a temperature data logger (manufactured by Fujita Electric Works, Ltd.: model number KT-255FP) into the pork shoulder loin (Figure 8(A)). 1) Center of pork shoulder loin (about 50mm from the surface) 2) Lean pork shoulder (about 25mm from the surface to the inside) 3) Pork shoulder loin under the fat (about 17mm from the surface to the inside)

[0132] In Example 3, the temperature change process of chicken breast meat was observed when it was placed in the storage space of the storage unit and cooled. The chicken breast meat used was broiler breast meat, weighing 316 g. According to the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan, broiler breast meat contains 72% water, 21% protein, and 6% fat, and also contains some minerals and vitamins.

[0133] The temperature of the chicken breast was measured at the following two points by inserting the temperature detection needle (approximately 50 mm long) of a temperature data logger (manufactured by Fujita Electric Works, Ltd.: model number KT-255FP) into the chicken breast (see Figure 9(A)). A. The center of the 20mm thick part of the chicken breast B. The center of the 40mm thick part of the chicken breast

[0134] As shown in Figures 8(B) and (C), the temperature difference of the pork shoulder loin was small throughout the cooling period, and it was confirmed that the temperature was almost uniform throughout the 2 kg pork shoulder loin (i.e., from the surface to the center) in the temperature range where no freezing occurred. Furthermore, it was confirmed that the pork shoulder loin was able to be maintained at a temperature below freezing.

[0135] As shown in Figures 9(B) and (C), it can be seen that the temperature of the chicken breast does not stagnate at either position A or B, and the temperature drops rapidly to the target temperature along the heat conduction within the solid. In other words, it can be seen that the temperature of the chicken breast drops equally quickly even if the thickness (in other words, the distance from the surface) is different.

[0136] From the above results, it was confirmed that even for food, by using the tissue cooling device of the present invention, it is possible to create a state of thermal equilibrium inside the food, eliminating temperature errors due to position, and that the food can be maintained at a predetermined temperature in a thermal equilibrium state, and can also be quickly cooled to the predetermined temperature.

[0137] Example 4 In Example 4, it was confirmed that food quality can be maintained when it is cooled using the tissue cooling device of the present invention and then frozen, and that quality can be maintained even after thawing when it is thawed using the tissue cooling device of the present invention.

[0138] In Example 4, chicken thigh meat was placed in the storage space of the storage unit of the tissue-cooling device of the present invention, cooled, frozen, and then thawed in the storage space of the storage unit of the tissue-cooling device of the present invention, and the state of the chicken thigh meat was confirmed. The state of the chicken thigh meat was confirmed by cutting the chicken thigh meat before freezing and the chicken thigh meat that had been frozen and thawed, and examining the cross section under a microscope. As a comparative example, chicken thigh meat was frozen from room temperature in a general freezer, and then thawed in the usual way. The chicken thigh meat was then cut and the cross section was examined under a microscope.

[0139] The results are shown in Figures 9(D) and (E). Even among chicken thighs, those that contain over 30% skin and subcutaneous fat, and are also high in unsaturated fatty acids, are said to oxidize more quickly. As a result, they are more susceptible to deterioration when frozen than chicken breasts, and generally, when frozen, the emulsion structure is physically destroyed due to volume expansion caused by a phase change in the water content of the food and crystallization of fats and oils, causing partial separation and a change in taste from before freezing.

[0140] As shown in Figure 9(D), in the comparative example, normal freezing caused changes and destruction of the lipid emulsification state, resulting in the loss of lipid components. Such changes lead to oxidation of the thigh meat and changes in texture.

[0141] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 9(E), it can be seen that the chicken thigh meat in Example 4 has large muscle tissues and retains a large amount of lipid components. In other words, it can be seen that in Example 4, even after thawing, the chicken thigh meat can be maintained in a state almost equivalent to that before freezing.

[0142] From the above results, it was confirmed that the quality of food can be maintained before and after freezing by using the tissue cooling device of the present invention.

[0143] <Example 5> In Example 5, it was confirmed that if food cooled by the tissue cooling device of the present invention is frozen, the food can be frozen while maintaining a thermal equilibrium state even when frozen in a general freezing device.

[0144] In Example 5, sweet potatoes (Naruto Kintoki), which have a thermal conductivity almost the same as that of water, were placed in the storage space of the storage section of the tissue cooling device of the present invention, which was maintained at an average environmental temperature of -0.75°C, and cooled to thermal equilibrium.The sweet potatoes were then frozen in a freezer to -18°C, and the temperature change inside the sweet potatoes was confirmed.

[0145] The temperature inside the sweet potato was measured by inserting a temperature detection needle (approximately 50 mm long) of a temperature data logger (Fujita Electric Works, Ltd.: model number KT-255FP) into the sweet potato at three points 10 mm, 20 mm, and 30 mm from the surface (see Figure 10(A)).

[0146] The results are shown in Figure 10(B). As shown in Figure 10(B), when freezing begins, the temperature of the sweet potato drops slightly faster near the surface, but the maximum temperature difference between adjacent temperature measurement points is 3°C. Moreover, the temperature drops at almost the same rate at all three points, and after six hours the entire sweet potato is at -18°C. This result confirms that the inside of the sweet potato is in thermal equilibrium within the storage space of the storage unit, and so even if it is stored in a storage room with an average ambient temperature of -18°C, the inside can be cooled to the ambient temperature with an almost uniform temperature.

[0147] In Figure 10(B), the temperature of the sweet potato at the start of freezing is about 4°C. This is because the sweet potato was exposed to outside air when it was moved from the storage space of the storage unit to the freezer. However, even though the temperature rose to about 4°C, the temperature difference between the positions of the sweet potato at the start of freezing was within 0.5°C at three points, and the temperature dropped to below 0°C at all points within a few minutes of the start of freezing, and then showed the temperature change described above. This is considered to prove that the sweet potato had reached thermal equilibrium within the storage space of the storage unit, and that this state of thermal equilibrium was maintained for a certain period of time.

[0148] Example 6 In Example 5, it was confirmed that if food cooled using the tissue cooling device of the present invention is frozen, the food can be frozen while maintaining thermal equilibrium, and even if the food is thawed naturally after freezing, the food can be thawed while maintaining thermal equilibrium. Note that freezing was performed in a general freezer.

[0149] In the experiment, chicken breast meat was used. The chicken breast meat was cooled using the tissue cooling device of the present invention, then frozen in a general freezer. The frozen chicken breast meat was then stored in a storage container at -20°C, after which the chicken breast meat was removed from the storage container and allowed to thaw naturally at room temperature. During this process, the temperature fluctuations over time of the internal temperature of the chicken breast meat were measured. The temperature fluctuations over time of the internal temperature of the chicken breast meat were measured using a temperature detection needle (approximately 50 mm in length) and a temperature data logger (Fujita Electric Manufacturing Co., Ltd.: Model KT-255FP). The temperature was measured using the temperature detection needle at two points, 5 mm and 15 mm from the surface of the chicken breast meat.

[0150] For comparison, the change in the internal temperature of chicken breast meat over time was measured in the same manner, except that the chicken breast meat was refrigerated in a general refrigerator.

[0151] The results are shown in Figure 11. When the chicken breast meat was transferred from the tissue cooling device of the present invention or a general refrigerator to the freezer, and when the chicken breast meat was transferred from the freezer to the storage room, it was transferred in the open air at room temperature without being particularly refrigerated. For this reason, in Figure 11, the temperature of the chicken breast meat temporarily rises when it is transferred.

[0152] As shown in Figure 11, in the case of food cooled by the tissue cooling device of the present invention (food A in Figure 11), the temperatures at two points, 5 mm and 15 mm, were almost uniform from the start of cooling to the end of thawing, and were confirmed to be within 2°C at most. On the other hand, in the comparison, the temperature difference between the two points at 5mm and 15mm is relatively small from the start of cooling to the start of freezing, but once freezing begins, a temperature of over 5°C occurs. Once freezing is complete, the temperature difference between the two points becomes small, but once thawing begins, the difference increases, and by the end of thawing, there is a temperature difference of nearly 9°C.

[0153] As described above, it has been confirmed that if food is cooled using the tissue cooling device of the present invention, the temperature inside the food can be made uniform when the food is thawed after freezing, regardless of the freezing method or thawing method.

[0154] Example 7 In Example 7, it was confirmed that the tissue cooling device of the present invention can achieve thermal equilibrium even in a relatively heavy and large object.

[0155] In Example 7, a yellowfin tuna weighing 26 kg (see FIG. 12(A)) was placed in the storage space of the storage unit of the tissue cooling device of the present invention, which was maintained at an average environmental temperature of −0.75° C., and cooled to thermal equilibrium, and the temperature change during this time was observed. The temperature inside the yellowfin tuna was measured by inserting a temperature detection needle (approximately 50 mm long) of a temperature data logger (manufactured by Fujita Electric Works, Ltd.: model number KT-255FP) into the yellowfin tuna, and measuring the temperature at two points 5 cm and 9 cm from the surface (see FIG. 12(A)).

[0156] The results are shown in Figure 12(B). As shown in Figure 12(B), when cooling begins, there is a temperature difference of about 1°C between the two measurement points at 5 cm and 9 cm for a certain period of time after cooling begins, but as time passes, the temperature difference between the two measurement points becomes smaller, and it was confirmed that the temperatures at the two measurement points eventually become almost the same.

[0157] As described above, it has been confirmed that the tissue cooling device of the present invention can maintain a uniform internal temperature even in a relatively large and heavy device.

[0158] Example 8 In Example 8, it was confirmed that the temperature fluctuation range of the storage space of the tissue cooling device of the present invention can be narrowed by installing an aluminum panel (thickness 1 mm) on the inner surface of the storage space. In the experiment, with no object placed inside the storage space, the temperature inside the storage space was controlled to an average environmental temperature of -0.3°C, and temperature fluctuations inside the storage space were measured.

[0159] For comparison, the temperature fluctuations within the storage space were measured when no aluminum panels were installed, i.e., when the inner surface of the storage space was exposed, and the ambient temperature within the storage space was controlled to an average of -0.3°C.

[0160] The results are shown in Figure 13. As shown in Figure 13, even without the aluminum panels installed, the fluctuations in the ambient temperature could be kept to within approximately 1°C, but it can be seen that there were situations where the temperature suddenly fluctuated significantly (situations where the difference from the target temperature was 1°C or more), and the range of fluctuations became larger. On the other hand, when aluminum panels were installed, although there were temperature fluctuations, there were no sudden large temperature fluctuations, and it was confirmed that the overall difference from the target temperature was kept within ±0.6°C.

[0161] As described above, it has been confirmed that the tissue cooling device of the present invention can stably maintain the environmental temperature within the storage space within a narrow range by installing an aluminum panel on the inner surface of the storage space. [Industrial Applicability]

[0162] The tissue cooling device of the present invention is suitable as a device for storing objects to be cooled, such as fresh food and medical organs, at an appropriate temperature. [Explanation of symbols]

[0163] 1 Tissue cooling device 2. Storage section 2h Containment Space 2a Supply channel 2b Exhaust passage 2w loading / unloading exit 3 Cooling section 3a Second blower section 3b First ventilation section 4 First cooler 5 Second cooler 6 Heat exchange section 7 First laminated structure 7a Plate-shaped member 7c through hole 7g storage space 8 Second laminated structure 8a Plate-shaped member 8c through hole 8g storage space 9 Adjustment substance supply section 9a Stock solution supply section 9b Mixing section 9c Cooling section 9 9d Liquid distribution part 10 Control Unit 20 Storage room 20a Loading / unloading exit 9d Liquid distribution part 10 Control Unit 20 Storage room 20a Loading / unloading exit 21 Inner shell chamber 21a Inner wall 21h accommodation space 22 Shell Chamber 22a Exterior wall 22h space M Cooling object

Claims

1. a first cooler having a function of generating first cold air; a second cooler to which gas is supplied from the first cooler and which cools the gas into a second cool air; The second cooler comprises: a heat exchange section having a surface that comes into contact with the gas supplied from the first cooler; a blower that supplies gas from the first cooler to the second cooler; an adjusting substance supply unit that supplies an adjusting substance to the heat exchange unit to adjust the temperature of the heat exchange unit, The adjusting substance supplied from the adjusting substance supply unit has a freezing point higher than the temperature of the first cold air, The heat exchange unit is A laminated structure formed by arranging a plurality of plate-like members parallel to each other and spaced apart along the vertical direction, and each plate-like member has its surface horizontally arranged so that it can hold an adjusting substance on its surface; The blower unit is The heat exchanger is provided so that gas is supplied from the first cooler to the space between the adjacent plate-like members.

10. A tissue cooling device comprising:

2. The conditioning substance is alkaline water.

2. The tissue cooling device of claim 1.

3. The laminated structure includes: The through holes formed in the plurality of plate-like members provide storage spaces for storing the adjusting substance.

2. The tissue cooling device of claim 1.

4. The laminated structure of the heat exchanger is a first stacked structure including a plurality of plate-like members formed so as to narrow in width toward a side to which a gas is supplied from the first cooler; a second stacked structure made up of a plurality of plate-like members formed so as to increase in width toward a side to which gas is supplied from the first cooler, The first stacked structure and the second stacked structure are arranged alternately along a direction intersecting a direction in which gas is supplied from the first cooler to the heat exchange section.

2. The tissue cooling device of claim 1.

5. a storage section having a space to which the second cool air is supplied; an exhaust passage that supplies the gas in the accommodation portion to the first cooler.

2. The tissue cooling device of claim 1.

6. a storage section having a space to which the second cold air is supplied, The inner wall of the housing is made of aluminum.

2. The tissue cooling device of claim 1.

7. a storage chamber that is provided so as to be communicatively disconnectable from the storage section; The storage room is an inner shell chamber having a space therein that is connected to the space within the storage portion so as to be communicatively disconnected and that is adjusted to a lower temperature than the space within the storage portion; an outer shell chamber surrounding the inner shell chamber and having a space between the outer shell chamber and the inner shell chamber; The space between the inner shell chamber and the outer shell chamber is heated to a temperature equal to or lower than the target temperature of the space in the inner shell chamber. a third cold air supply unit for supplying third cold air; The inner shell chamber is The inner wall is made of a highly thermally conductive material 7. The tissue cooling device according to claim 5 or 6.

8. The inner shell chamber is The inner space is provided with a vent that connects and blocks the space between the inner shell chamber and the outer shell chamber.

8. The tissue cooling device of claim 7.

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