Refrigeration equipment

Abstract

To provide a refrigeration device capable of preventing deterioration in quality due to freezing. [Solution] The device comprises a main body 10 having a freezer space 11h in which an object to be frozen is accommodated, a cold air generator 13 having the function of generating cold air, and a control unit 30 which controls the operation of the cold air generator 13. The main body 10 comprises a circulation flow path 12 which is arranged to surround the freezer space 11h and circulates cold air around the freezer space 11h, a flow rate adjustment unit 15 which supplies the cold air in the circulation flow path 12 to the freezer space 11h through a cold air supply port 15a formed in the wall 10a of the freezer space 11h, and a cold air suction unit 20 which sucks in the cold air in the freezer space 11h through a suction port 20a formed in the wall 10b of the freezer space 11h. The control unit 30 has the function of controlling the flow rate adjustment unit 15 so that the cold air supplied from the flow rate adjustment unit 15 forms a flow along the wall 10b of the freezer space 11h where the suction port 20a of the cold air suction unit 20 is formed.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a refrigeration device, and more particularly to a refrigeration device capable of freezing an object to be frozen, such as food, to a predetermined temperature. [Background technology]

[0002] When storing food such as fresh produce for a long period of time, a method of preserving quality by freezing the food is adopted. Conventional refrigeration devices for freezing food have a storage space for storing food, and the temperature in this storage space is lowered to a predetermined temperature to remove heat from the food, thereby freezing the food. Specifically, low-temperature air (cold air) is supplied into the storage space to lower the temperature in the storage space and the temperature of the food is lowered by contact between the food and the cold air (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 9-178323 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in conventional refrigeration systems, food is frozen by bringing cold air supplied into the storage space into contact with the food, so the interface between the cold air and the food, i.e., the surface of the food, is rapidly cooled and frozen. Rapid cooling of the food surface can cause deterioration of the food's internal structure, resulting in a deterioration in the quality of the frozen food.

[0005] Patent Document 1 discloses a technology for lowering the temperature of the gas in the storage space by using cold air to cool the wall surfaces of the storage space in addition to supplying cold air into the storage space. However, the technology in Patent Document 1 for lowering the wall surfaces merely assists in lowering the temperature in the storage space by supplying cold air into the storage space. Currently, there are no refrigeration systems other than those that freeze food by directly contacting the cold air supplied into the storage space with the food, and there is a demand for a refrigeration system that can prevent deterioration in the quality of frozen food.

[0006] In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a refrigeration system that can prevent deterioration in quality due to freezing. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The refrigeration device of the first invention is a refrigeration device that freezes an object to be frozen, and comprises a main body having a freezing space in which the object to be frozen is accommodated, a cold air generating device having a function of generating cold air, and a control unit that controls the operation of the cold air generating device, wherein the main body comprises a circulation flow path that is arranged to surround the freezing space and forms a circulating flow of cold air around the freezing space, a cold air supply mechanism that supplies a portion of the cold air in the circulation flow path to the freezing space through a cold air supply port formed in the wall of the freezing space, and a cold air suction unit that sucks the cold air in the freezing space from a suction port formed in the wall of the freezing space, and the control unit has a function of controlling the cold air supply mechanism so that the cold air supplied from the cold air supply mechanism forms a flow along the wall of the freezing space where the suction port of the cold air suction unit is provided. The refrigeration device of the second invention is characterized in that, in the first invention, the suction port of the cold air suction unit is provided in the wall on which the cold air supply port is provided and / or in a wall continuous with the wall. The refrigeration device of the third invention is characterized in that, in the second invention, the control unit has a function of controlling the cold air supply mechanism so that the cold air supplied from the cold air supply mechanism forms a flow along the wall on which the cold air supply port is formed and the wall of the freezer space on which the suction port of the cold air suction unit is located. A refrigeration device of a fourth invention is the refrigeration device of the first invention, characterized in that the cold air supply mechanism includes a flow rate adjusting unit that adjusts the flow rate of cold air flowing from the cold air supply port to the freezing space. The refrigeration device of the fifth invention is the refrigeration device of the fourth invention, wherein the main body portion is provided with an isolation wall that forms a retention space between the main body portion and a wall on which the cold air supply port provided in the freezing space is provided, and the flow rate adjustment portion is provided with a swing-type opening / closing mechanism having a swing-type door that opens and closes the cold air supply port, and a sliding-type opening / closing mechanism having a sliding door that opens and closes the cold air inlet port provided in the isolation wall, and the swing-type door of the swing-type opening / closing mechanism swings so that the surface facing the retention space faces the flow direction of the cold air flowing through the circulation flow path when the cold air supply port is open. The refrigeration device of the sixth invention is the refrigeration device of the second invention, characterized in that the cold air suction section comprises a cold air suction space recessed from the wall on which the suction port is provided and communicates with the suction port, and a return flow path connecting the cold air suction space with the circulation flow path, the circulation flow path is provided with a blower controlled by the control unit to generate a flow of cold air within the circulation flow path, and the blower is provided so that the flow direction of the cold air flowing in from the suction port that sucks in the cold air is parallel to the normal direction of the wall on which the suction port is provided. The refrigeration device of the seventh invention is characterized in that, in the sixth invention, a straightening member is provided between the cold air suction space and the return flow path to straighten the cold air flowing from the cold air suction space to the return flow path. The refrigeration device of the eighth invention is characterized in that, in the first invention, two cold air suction sections are provided, and the two cold air suction sections are provided on inner surfaces facing each other in the freezing space. The 9th aspect of the refrigeration device is characterized in that, in the 1st aspect, a platform for placing an object to be frozen is provided within the freezing space of the main body, and the platform has a surface that comes into contact with the object to be frozen and is configured to have low thermal conductivity between the platform and the object to be frozen. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the first to third aspects of the present invention, the cold air supplied from the cold air supply mechanism flows along the wall surface and is sucked into the suction port of the cold air suction unit, thereby lowering the temperature in the freezing space through heat exchange between the cold air flowing along the wall surface and the gas in the freezing space. This allows the cold air supplied from the cold air supply mechanism to freeze the object to be frozen without contacting the object, preventing deterioration in quality due to freezing when the object is frozen. Furthermore, the cold air generated by the cold air generator circulates within the circulation flow path, and a portion of the cold air is supplied to the freezing space, so the cold air in the circulation flow path and the cold air supplied to the freezing space can be maintained at a stable temperature. According to the fourth to seventh aspects of the present invention, it is possible to appropriately form a gas flow along the wall surface. According to the eighth aspect of the present invention, the efficiency of lowering the temperature in the refrigerated space can be improved. According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, cooling from the surface in contact with the table can be suppressed, so that the object to be frozen can be frozen uniformly. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of a refrigeration device 1 according to the present embodiment, in which the configuration is simplified and the flow of cool air is made easier to understand. [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of a refrigeration device 1 of the present embodiment. [Figure 3] This is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of the upper part of the refrigeration device 1 of this embodiment, and is a schematic explanatory diagram of the state in which multiple swing doors 16a of the swing opening / closing mechanism 16 of the flow rate adjustment section 15 are positioned in a closed position and multiple sliding doors 18a of the sliding opening / closing mechanism 18 are positioned in a closed state. [Figure 4] This is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of the upper part of the refrigeration device 1 of this embodiment, and is a schematic explanatory diagram of the state in which multiple swing doors 16a of the swing opening / closing mechanism 16 of the flow rate adjustment section 15 are positioned in a fully open position and multiple sliding doors 18a of the sliding opening / closing mechanism 18 are positioned in a fully open state. [Figure 5] 1 is a schematic front view of a refrigeration device 1 of the present embodiment. [Figure 6]FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VI-VI in FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The refrigeration apparatus of this embodiment is an apparatus used to freeze an object to be frozen, and is characterized in that it is capable of freezing the object while maintaining its quality.

[0011] The object to be frozen by the freezing device of this embodiment is not particularly limited, and examples of the object to be frozen include fresh food such as fresh fish, raw meat, and vegetables, food such as food that is consumed uncooked, and substances having tissue containing water such as cellular tissue used in medical treatment. In particular, when food is stored for a long period of time using the freezing device of this embodiment, factors that cause quality changes can be minimized even during long-term storage. Furthermore, when food is frozen, 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 when frozen in the usual way, the state and freshness of the food after thawing can be restored to a state close to that before freezing.

[0012] <Refrigeration device 1 of this embodiment> 1 and 2, the refrigeration apparatus 1 of this embodiment includes a main body 10 having a freezing space 11h for accommodating an object M to be frozen, a cold air generator 13 having a function of generating cold air, and a control unit 30 for controlling the operation of various devices provided in the refrigeration apparatus 1, such as the cold air generator 13. The control unit 30 controls the operation of the various devices to adjust the flow state of the cold air within the freezing space 11h in order to appropriately freeze the object M to be frozen accommodated in the freezing space 11h of the main body 10; how the control unit 30 controls the operation of the various devices will be described later.

[0013] <Main body 10> As shown in Figures 1, 2, and 5, the main body 10 of the refrigeration device 1 of this embodiment has a box-like structure. This main body 10 has a general insulating structure, which is structured to prevent heat transfer between the inside and outside of the main body 10. For example, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the main body 10 has a double-wall structure with an insulating member 10i provided between the double walls. A freezer 11 is provided within this main body 10, and a hollow freezing space 11h is provided within this freezer 11 as a space for accommodating an object M to be frozen.

[0014] The freezer 11 has six walls (a ceiling wall 11a, four side walls 11b, and a bottom wall 11d) surrounding the freezer space 11h, all of which are made of a highly thermally conductive material. For example, the six walls 11a-11d of the freezer 11 are made of aluminum plates or the like. Of the four side walls 11b of the freezer 11, one side wall 11b (the left side wall 11b in FIG. 7) has an opening 11s that connects the inside of the freezer space 11h to the outside. Furthermore, of the side walls of the main body 10, a side wall 10b corresponding to the opening 11s of the freezer 11 has an opening 10s at a position corresponding to the opening 11s. The freezer 11 is provided with a door 11t that opens and closes the opening 11s of the freezer 11 (see FIGS. 5 and 7). The door 11t has a typical heat-insulating structure and is also designed to airtightly seal the opening 11s of the side wall 11b. In other words, when the door 11t is open, the object M to be frozen can be taken in and out between the freezer space 11h and the outside through the openings 10s and 11s, but when the door 11t is closed, the freezer space 11h can be kept airtight and insulated from the outside. For example, the door 11t has an insulating member 11i inside, and a seal member (not shown) is provided on the inner surface of the door 11t (the surface facing the freezer space 11h). The seal member seals between the outer surface of the wall 10b, where the opening 11s is formed, and the inner surface of the door 11t. Therefore, when the door 11t is closed, the door 11t can keep the freezer space 11h airtight and insulated from the outside. The mechanism for opening and closing the door 11t is not particularly limited, but if the mechanism is one that moves the door 11t by sliding, leakage of cold air can be suppressed when the door 11t is opened and closed, making it easier to maintain high thermal insulation.

[0015] <Circulation flow path 12> As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a circulation flow path 12, which is a flow path for flowing cold air generated by a cold air generator 13 (described later), is provided around the periphery of the main body 10. This circulation flow path 12 is a flow path provided so as to surround the periphery of the freezing space 11h. Specifically, the circulation flow path 12 is a flow path provided between the inner surface of the main body 10 and the outer surface of the freezer 11. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the circulation flow path 12 is provided so as to have a flow path located at the upper part of the freezer 11 (upper flow path 12a), a left part of the freezer 11 (left flow path 12b2), a lower part of the freezer 11 (lower flow path 12d), and a right part of the freezer 11 (right flow path 12b1). Note that a portion of the right flow path 12b1 of the circulation flow path 12 is formed by a return flow path 21 of the cold air suction unit 20 (described later).

[0016] Furthermore, the circulation flow path 12 is configured so that the outer surface of the wall of the freezer 11 forms the inner surface of the flow path in part of the circulation flow path 12. In other words, part of the circulation flow path 12 is configured so as to be shared with the wall of the freezer 11. For example, in FIG. 2, the lower wall of the upper flow path 12a of the freezer 11 and the upper wall of the lower flow path 12d of the freezer 11 in the circulation flow path 12 are respectively formed by the ceiling wall 11a and the lower wall 11d of the freezer 11. Also, in FIGS. 1 and 2, cold air suction units 20 (described later) are provided in two locations, the right side wall 11b and the left side wall 11b. However, if only one cold air suction unit 20 is provided, the side wall 11b without the cold air suction unit 20 also forms a wall of the circulation flow path 12. For example, if the left side wall 11b of the freezer 11 does not have a cold air suction unit 20, the right wall of the left flow path 12b2 is formed by the left side wall 11b of the freezer 11. Conversely, if the cold air suction section 20 is not provided on the right side wall 11b of the freezer 11, the left wall of the right flow path 12b1 is formed by the right side wall 11b of the freezer 11. With this configuration, it becomes possible to cool the freezer 11 from the surroundings by the cold air flowing through the circulation flow path 12.

[0017] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the circulation flow path 12 is provided with two blowers 6 that generate a flow of cool air within the circulation flow path 12. Specifically, the two blowers 6 are provided so as to generate a flow in the circulation flow path 12 as indicated by arrow A in FIG. 2. The two blowers 6 may be any device capable of generating a flow of cool air within the circulation flow path 12, and their installation locations and blowing methods are not particularly limited. For example, the two blowers 6 may be centrifugal blowers, such as a sirocco fan or turbo fan, that draw air in from the rotation axis direction and exhaust air in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis. The use of such a centrifugal blower allows the blowers 6 to be placed in corners of the main body 10, thereby making the device more compact and enabling cool air to be effectively drawn in from the freezer space 11h.

[0018] For example, if centrifugal blowers are used for the two blowers 6, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, blower 6a can be installed at the corner of circulation flow path 12. Specifically, it can be installed at the portion where circulation flow path 12 bends at the lower left corner in FIGS. 1 and 2, i.e., where left flow path 12b2 and lower flow path 12d are connected. Furthermore, blower 6b can be installed midway along right flow path 12b1, on the rear side (to the right of cold air suction space 20b in FIG. 2) of cold air suction unit 20 (described later) installed on the rear side of one side wall 11b (the right side wall 11b in FIG. 2). By installing blower 6b in this manner, cold air can be efficiently drawn from the freezer space 11h into right flow path 12b1 via cold air suction space 20b of cold air suction unit 20 and return flow path 21.

[0019] <Cold Air Generator 13> As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a cold air generator 13 is provided in the circulation flow path 12. Specifically, the cold air generator 13 is provided midway along the circulation flow path 12 to cool (i.e., generate) the gas (cold air) flowing through the circulation flow path 12. For example, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, when cold air is drawn into the right flow path 12b1 from the refrigeration space 11h by the blower 6b, the cold air generator 13 can be provided in the upper flow path 12a to which the gas is supplied from the right flow path 12b1. Also, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, when cold air is drawn into the right flow path 12b1 from the refrigeration space 11h by the blower 6b, the cold air generator 13 can be provided downstream of the blower 6b in the right flow path 12b1. A known cooler capable of cooling the gas (cold air) to approximately −20° C. can be used as the cold air generator 13.

[0020] <Flow rate adjustment section 15> 1 and 3, a plurality of cold air supply ports 15a are formed in the lower wall of the upper flow path 12a of the circulation flow path 12, i.e., in the ceiling wall 11a of the freezer 11. These cold air supply ports 15a are through-holes that connect the upper flow path 12a of the circulation flow path 12 with the freezing space 11h of the freezer 11. The upper flow path 12a of the circulation flow path 12 is provided with a plurality of swing doors 16a of a swing opening / closing mechanism 16 of the flow rate adjuster 15 that open and close the plurality of cold air supply ports 15a. The swing doors 16a swing when a controller operates a link mechanism or the like (not shown). Specifically, the swing doors 16a can swing between a position where their lower surfaces are in surface contact with the upper surface of the lower wall of the upper flow path 12a (closed position, see FIG. 3 ) and a position where their upstream ends (right sides in FIGS. 1 and 2 ) of the upper flow path 12a are swung upward (fully open position, see FIG. 4 ). That is, the swing doors 16a can open and close the cold air supply ports 15a by swinging. Therefore, when the swing doors 16a swing to open the cold air supply ports 15a, the lower surfaces of the opening / closing members 16 become inclined surfaces that extend from the upstream side of the upper flow path 12a of the circulation flow path 12 toward the cold air supply ports 15a that are closed by the swing doors 16a (see FIG. 4 ). Thus, when the cold air supply ports 15a are opened by the swing doors 16a, cold air can flow smoothly toward the cold air supply ports 15a. Moreover, by adjusting the swing angles of the swing doors 16a, the amount of cool air flowing into the cool air supply ports 15a can be adjusted.

[0021] 1 and 2, a partition wall 17 of the flow rate adjuster 15 is provided below the ceiling wall 11a of the freezer 11. This partition wall 17 is a wall provided above the freezing space 11h of the freezer 11 to form a retention space 17h, and is provided with a cold air inlet 17a that connects the retention space 17h to the freezing space 11h below the partition wall 17 (i.e., the space in which the object to be frozen M is accommodated; hereinafter, this may be referred to as the "storage space"). The retention space 17h is provided with a plurality of sliding doors 18a of a sliding opening / closing mechanism 18 of the flow rate adjuster 15 that respectively open and close the plurality of cold air inlets 17a. The sliding doors 18a slide when a link mechanism or the like (not shown) is operated by the controller C. Specifically, the sliding doors 18a are provided so as to be movable with their lower surfaces in surface contact with the upper surface of the partition wall 17, and are movable between a state in which the cold air inlets 17a are completely closed (fully closed state, see FIG. 3) and a state in which the cold air inlets 17a are completely open (fully open state, see FIG. 4). In other words, the cold air inlets 17a can be opened and closed by moving along the upper surface of the partition wall 17.

[0022] Since the flow rate adjusting unit 15 is configured as described above, the amount of cold air flowing into the storage space from the upper flow path 12a of the circulation flow path 12 can be adjusted by controlling the swinging of the multiple swinging doors 16a of the swinging opening / closing mechanism 16 of the flow rate adjusting unit 15 and the movement of the multiple sliding doors 18a of the sliding opening / closing mechanism 18. Moreover, since the cold air flowing in from the multiple cold air supply ports 15a is first introduced into the retention space 17h and then supplied to the storage space through the multiple cold air inlets 17a, the inflow speed of the cold air flowing into the storage space can be suppressed and the cold air can be made to flow in a state close to laminar flow, so that the cold air flowing into the storage space can form a flow along the wall of the freezer space, as will be described later.

[0023] <Cold air suction unit 20> 1 and 2, a pair of side walls 11b, 11b of the freezer 11 are provided with suction ports 20a of the cool air suction section 20. The suction ports 20a of the cool air suction section 20 have upper suction ports 20a1 and lower suction ports 20a2, and the upper suction ports 20a1 and lower suction ports 20a2 are provided with slit plates s (see FIG. 7).

[0024] The cold air suction unit 20 also has a cold air suction space 20b1 and a cold air suction space 20b2 that communicate with the upper suction port 20a1 and the lower suction port 20a2. The cold air suction space 20b1 and the cold air suction space 20b2 are spaces that communicate with the freezing space 11h through the upper suction port 20a1 and the lower suction port 20a2. That is, the cold air suction space 20b1 and the cold air suction space 20b2 are recessed from the side wall 11b on which the suction port 20a of the cold air suction unit 20 is provided. The bottoms of the cold air suction space 20b1 and the cold air suction space 20b2 (portions located on the opposite side from the freezing space 11h) communicate with the return flow path 21. The return flow path 21 is provided to return the cold air in the freezing space 11h to the circulation flow path 12, and the return flow path 21 is part of the circulation flow path 12. For example, in FIGS. 1 and 2, the return flow path 21 communicating with the cool air suction space 20b1 and the cool air suction space 20b2 of the right cool air suction part 20 is part of the right flow path 12b1 of the circulation flow path 12.

[0025] 1 and 2, the left-side cold air suction unit 20 does not have a return flow path 21, but the left-side cold air suction unit 20 may also have a return flow path 21. In this case, like the right-side cold air suction unit 20, the return flow path 21 may be part of the left-side flow path 12b2 of the circulation flow path 12, or may simply be a flow path that connects the cold air suction spaces 20b1 and 20b2 of the left-side cold air suction unit 20 to the left-side flow path 12b2.

[0026] <Control unit 30> As shown in FIG. 2, the refrigeration system 1 of this embodiment includes a control unit 30. The control unit 30 controls the operation of each device so that the freezing space 11h of the freezer 11 is in a state suitable for freezing the object M. The state suitable for freezing the object M in the freezing space 11h of the freezer 11 means a state in which the object M can be frozen by the temperature gradient of the gas in the freezing space 11h without the cold air coming into direct contact with the object M in the freezing space 11h (storage space). Specifically, the control unit 30 controls the supply and discharge of cold air into the freezing space 11h of the freezer 11 so that a flow of cold air (a layer of cold air) is formed along the side wall 11b in the freezing space 11h of the freezer 11. Furthermore, the control unit 30 controls the supply and discharge of cold air into the freezing space 11h of the freezer 11 so that the pressure in the freezing space 11h of the freezer 11 is negative relative to the pressure in the circulation flow path 12.

[0027] Specifically, the control unit 30 has the function of controlling the operation of the cold air generator 13, the swing-type opening / closing mechanism 16 and the sliding-type opening / closing mechanism 18 of the flow rate adjustment unit 15, and the two air blowers 6. The control unit 30 is also electrically connected to various sensors, such as a temperature sensor that measures the temperature of the cold air in the freezer space 11h of the freezer 11 and the circulation flow path 12, and a flow sensor that measures the flow rate of the cold air in the circulation flow path 12. The control unit 30 controls the operation of the cold air generator 13 based on signals from the various sensors to adjust the temperature of the cold air generated by the cold air generator 13. The control unit 30 also controls the operation of the two air blowers 6 based on signals from the various sensors to adjust the flow rate of the cold air flowing through the circulation flow path 12 and the flow rate of the cold air drawn in through the suction port 20a of the cold air suction unit 20. Furthermore, the control unit 30 has the function of controlling the operation of the two blowers 6 and the operation of the swing-type opening / closing mechanism 16 and the sliding-type opening / closing mechanism 18 of the flow rate control unit 15 based on signals from various sensors, thereby adjusting the amount of cold air supplied to the freezer space 11h of the freezer 11.

[0028] Since the refrigeration device 1 of this embodiment has the above-mentioned configuration, the control unit 30 can control the operation of the cold air generator 13 to adjust the temperature of the cold air generated by the cold air generator 13, the flow rate of the cold air flowing through the circulation flow path 12, and the amount of cold air supplied to and discharged from the freezer space 11h of the freezer 11, thereby adjusting the freezer space 11h of the freezer 11 to a predetermined temperature.

[0029] Moreover, the refrigeration system 1 of this embodiment has the above-described configuration, in which the cold air supplied from the cold air supply port 15a is retained in the retention space 17h and then supplied to the storage space from the cold air inlet 17a. Furthermore, the flow rate of the gas supplied from the cold air inlet 17a to the storage space (i.e., the opening ratio of the cold air inlet 17a) and the amount of cold air drawn through the suction port 20a of the cold air suction unit 20 are adjusted. This allows the cold air supplied from the cold air inlet 17a to form a cold air flow (a layer of cold air) along the underside and side wall 11b of the partition wall 17 in the freezing space 11h of the freezer 11, and the freezing space 11h of the freezer 11 can be maintained at a negative pressure relative to the circulation flow path 12. Furthermore, the cold air supplied from the cold air inlet 17a can be prevented from directly contacting the object M to be frozen in the freezing space 11h of the freezer 11. This allows the freezing space 11h to form a space with a temperature gradient in which the temperature of the object to be frozen M is the highest and the temperature of the partition wall 17 and side wall 11b (the cold air flow (cold air layer) along the partition wall 17 and side wall 11b) is the lowest, so that the object to be frozen M can be frozen in good condition and deterioration in the quality of the object to be frozen M due to freezing can be prevented.

[0030] Furthermore, the cold air generated by the cold air generator 13 is circulated within the circulation flow path 12 provided around the freezer 11. In other words, the cold air generated by the cold air generator 13 passes through the circulation flow path 12 and the freezing space 11h of the freezer 11, and returns to the cold air generator 13. Moreover, a portion of the cold air flowing within the circulation flow path 12 is supplied to the freezing space 11h of the freezer 11, and the other cold air flows through the circulation flow path 12 and is used to maintain the temperature of the freezing space 11h of the freezer 11. This makes it possible to effectively utilize the cold air and efficiently maintain the temperature of the freezing space 11h of the freezer 11. In other words, the object M to be frozen in the freezing space 11h of the freezer 11 can be frozen and the temperature of the freezing space 11h of the freezer 11 can be efficiently maintained.

[0031] By freezing the object M to be frozen using the freezing device 1 of this embodiment having the above-described configuration, the object M can be frozen in a state where no ice crystals are present in the object M and the object M maintains its state before freezing. Moreover, the frozen object M can be easily cut with a blade or the like even in the frozen state, and by thawing the object M, it is possible to obtain the object M in approximately the same state as before freezing. The reason why the freezing device 1 of this embodiment can achieve such freezing is thought to be as follows.

[0032] First, if we consider the cold air emitted from a cooling device such as an evaporator to reduce the heat (temperature) contained in the frozen object M as basic cold air, and express the temperature of that cold air in terms of calorific value, the temperature of that cold air is determined by determining the distribution of energy possessed by the particles that make up the environmental system and using the amount that serves as a guideline for its average value. In other words, the cold air emitted from a cooling device itself is considered to be in a state of temperature unevenness, as it naturally has random and wide variations in heat distribution. Therefore, when the frozen object M comes into direct contact with the cold air, the cold air with a lower temperature at the time of heat exchange first promotes intense heat exchange with the surface interface of the frozen object M, resulting in the formation of frozen areas. As a result, the temperature of the entire frozen object M never reaches below freezing, and the thermal conduction of the frozen material progresses into the frozen object M, increasing the solute concentration in the unfrozen portion of the frozen object M, which is a major cause of quality degradation of the frozen object M.

[0033] In the refrigeration system 1 of this embodiment, the cold air emitted from the cold air generator 13 is once directed into a flow path such as the circulation flow path 12 through which the cold air flows, and the circulation flow path 12 other than the freezing space 11h of the freezer 11 where the temperature of the object to be frozen M is lowered is cooled, thereby extremely narrowing the width of the heat unevenness in the circulation flow path 12. Then, the cold air in the circulation flow path 12 is supplied to the freezing space 11h, and then returned to the circulation flow path 12 via the cold air suction section 20 or the like, so that it can be used as cold air. Moreover, the cold air supplied from the circulation flow path 12 to the freezing space 11h can remove heat from the object to be frozen M and lower the temperature to the target temperature. Furthermore, while the cold air in the circulation flow path 12 is constantly subjected to forced pressure by the blower 6, the pressure in the freezing space 11h is more negative than in the circulation flow path 12, which increases the activity of thermal particles. As a result, heat exchange between the object to be frozen M and the cold air can be completed even if the incoming cold air does not come into direct contact with the object to be frozen M, and the movement of the thermal molecules in the cold air after the heat exchange is also smooth.

[0034] In the general concept of freezing food, the growth of ice crystals contained within the food is said to depend mainly on the freezing rate and the final freezing temperature. Therefore, the freezing rate of the water contained within the food changes depending on the temperature, and the unfrozen parts freeze and concentrate, greatly accelerating certain chemical reactions and causing changes in the physical properties of the food. The expansion pressure inside the food caused by freezing has been the biggest challenge in developing freezing technology to date.

[0035] On the other hand, in the refrigeration system 1 of this embodiment, the heat quantity (temperature) of the cold air is nearly constant within the circulation flow path 12. Therefore, heat is transferred from the high-temperature frozen object M to the cold air in the freezing space 11h, which is maintained at a low temperature. The cold air in the freezing space 11h to which this heat has been transferred is then supplied into the constantly flowing circulation flow path 12. Furthermore, the cold air supplied to the circulation flow path 12 is transported to the suction port of the cold air generator 13, where it is re-cooled and supplied as new cold air into the circulation flow path 12. This allows for heat exchange based on heat circulation. In other words, the refrigeration system 1 of this embodiment can create an environment within the freezing space 11h that induces uniform heat exchange by considering the entire object M as a whole. Furthermore, the refrigeration system 1 of this embodiment can minimize temperature errors in the cold air circulating within the circulation flow path 12. For example, in the refrigeration system 1 of this embodiment, if the temperature of the cold air supplied from the cold air generator 13 to the circulation flow path 12 is -25°C, the average temperature of the cold air circulating through the circulation flow path 12 and returning to the cold air generator 13 can be close to -25°C, and a more accurate and uniform average temperature can be created by repeated circulation of the cold air. Therefore, the refrigeration system 1 of this embodiment can use cold air in a very stable state, and can stably freeze the object M to be frozen in the freezing space 11h.

[0036] <Regarding the circulation flow path 12> In the above example, the circulation flow path 12 is provided to have flow paths located at the top, left, and bottom of the freezer 11, and the right side of the freezer 11 in Fig. 1, but the circulation flow path 12 may also be formed in the back region of the freezer 11 in Fig. 1 (the right region in Fig. 7) in addition to the above-mentioned positions. With this configuration, all walls of the freezer 11 except for the side wall 11b where the opening 11s is provided can be surrounded by flow paths through which cold air flows, thereby further improving the effect of maintaining the temperature in the freezer space 11h of the freezer 11.

[0037] <Regarding the suction port 20a of the cool air suction unit 20> As described above, the suction ports 20a of the cool air suction unit 20 may be provided on each of the four side walls 11b of the freezer 11 that face each other, or the suction ports 20a of the cool air suction unit 20 may be provided on only one of the side walls 11b (for example, the right side wall 11b in FIGS. 1 and 2). Furthermore, although not shown, if the circulation flow path 12 is provided outside the side wall 11b that does not have the opening 11s, that is, outside the right side wall 11b in FIG. 7, the suction port 20a of the cool air suction unit 20 may be provided on the right side wall 11b in FIG. 7, and the cool air suction space 20b and the return flow path 21 may be provided behind it.

[0039] <Regarding the flow rate adjusting unit 15> In the above example, the case where the retention space 17h is provided by the partition wall 17 has been described, but the partition wall 17 may not be provided. In that case, the flow rate adjusting unit 15 may be provided with only a swing-type opening / closing mechanism 16 that opens and closes the plurality of cold air supply ports 15a. On the other hand, a sliding-type opening / closing mechanism having a plurality of sliding doors, which has a configuration similar to the above-mentioned sliding-type opening / closing mechanism 18, may be used as the mechanism that opens and closes the plurality of cold air supply ports 15a. Note that if the partition wall 17 is not provided, the gas flowing in from the plurality of cold air supply ports 15a may flow into the object M to be cooled. Avoid direct contactTo form a gas flow along the wall surface, it may be necessary to increase the distance from the plurality of cold air supply ports 15a to the suction port 20a of the cold air suction unit 20. Therefore, in order to make the refrigeration device 1 of this embodiment compact while still allowing it to perform its intended functions, it is desirable to provide the retention space 17h by the isolation wall 17.

[0040] <About the cold air supply port 15a> As described above, the cold air supply port 15a is formed in the top wall 10a of the freezer 11, that is, in a wall continuous with the side wall 11b on which the suction port 20a of the cold air suction unit 20 is formed, but it may also be provided in the side wall 11b on which the suction port 20a of the cold air suction unit 20 is formed. If the cold air supply port 15a is provided in the top wall 10a as described above, the cold air supplied from the suction port 20a of the cold air suction unit 20 can flow smoothly along the side wall 11b, making it easier to appropriately adjust the temperature distribution in the freezer space 11h.

[0041] In this case, the cold air supply port 15a is also provided with a cold air supply mechanism that opens and closes the cold air supply port 15a so that the cold air supplied into the freezer space 11h can be adjusted. In this case, the configuration of the cold air supply mechanism is not particularly limited as long as it has a structure that can open and close the cold air supply port 15a. For example, a flap or the like may be provided at the opening of the cold air supply port 15a formed in the side wall 11b, and the opening of the cold air supply port 15a may be opened and closed by swinging the flap.

[0042] Even when the cold air supply port 15a is provided in the side wall 11b, a partition wall as described above may be provided to form a retention space separated from the storage space between the side wall 11b, and cold air may be supplied to the storage space from a gas inlet port provided in the partition wall.

[0043] Furthermore, when the suction port 20a of the cold air suction section 20 is formed on the side wall 11b on which the suction port 20a of the cold air suction section 20 is formed, it is desirable to provide the cold air supply port 15a above the suction port 20a of the cold air suction section 20 in order to allow the cold air to flow smoothly along the side wall 11b.

[0044] <About the air blower 6> In the above example, a centrifugal blower such as a sirocco fan or turbo fan that draws in air from the direction of the rotation axis and exhausts it in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the rotation axis is used as the blower 6, but the blower 6 is not necessarily limited to a centrifugal blower. A blower such as a general fan that blows air along the axial direction may also be used as long as it can form a flow of cool air that flows in one direction as indicated by the arrow within the circulation flow path 12.

[0045] When a centrifugal blower is used as the blower 6, the blower 6 can be installed so that the flow direction of the cold air entering through the suction port through which the blower 6 draws the cold air is parallel to the normal direction of the wall surface 11b on which the suction port 20a of the cold air suction unit 20 is provided (see blower 6b on the right side of Figure 2). In this case, the cold air can be effectively drawn in through the suction port 20a, and the disruption of the cold air layer formed along the wall surface 11b by the cold air drawn in through the suction port 20a can be suppressed, which is desirable in terms of the order of heat exchange. Note that a similar effect can be achieved by providing a rectifying member 21s in the return flow path 21 that rectifies the cold air flowing into the return flow path 21 through the suction port 20a and the cold air suction space 20b (see Figures 2 to 4).

[0046] It is desirable that the blower 6 has a structure that prevents cold air from leaking into the circulation flow path 12 to the outside (i.e., the space within the main body 10) or drawing in air from the outside, that is, a structure in which the flow path within the blower 6 is airtightly isolated from the outside.

[0047] <Regarding the flow rate adjusting unit 15> The structure for opening and closing the plurality of cold air supply ports 15a and the plurality of cold air inlets 17a in the flow rate adjusting unit 15 is not limited to the above structure. For example, the plurality of cold air supply ports 15a and the plurality of cold air inlets 17a may be opened and closed by simply moving a plurality of plate-like members up and down, or a single plate-like member that covers the entire plurality of cold air supply ports 15a or the entire plurality of cold air inlets 17a may be provided, and the single opening / closing plate may be moved up and down to simultaneously open and close the plurality of cold air supply ports 15a and the plurality of cold air inlets 17a.

[0048] <About the mounting table D> As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , a mounting table D on which an object M to be frozen is placed is provided within the freezing space 11h of the freezer 11 of the main body 10, and the object M is frozen while placed on the mounting table D. The material and structure of the mounting table D are preferably such that the amount of heat lost from the object M to be frozen due to thermal conduction between the mounting table D and the object M to be frozen is small. In other words, the surface of the mounting table D that comes into contact with the object M to be frozen is preferably configured to have low thermal conductivity between the mounting table D and the object M to be frozen. For example, if the mounting table D is provided with a mounting plate on which the object M to be frozen is placed, the upper surface of the mounting plate, i.e., the surface on which the object M to be frozen is placed, may have a protrusion, and only the tips of these protrusions may come into contact with the object M to be frozen. This reduces the contact area between the mounting plate and the object M to be frozen, thereby preventing heat from being lost from the object M to be frozen due to thermal conduction between the mounting plate P and the object M to be frozen. Furthermore, the same effect can be obtained by using a material with low thermal conductivity for the material of the mounting plate itself or for the material forming the upper surface of the mounting plate. [Industrial Applicability]

[0049] The refrigeration apparatus of the present invention is suitable as an apparatus for freezing food such as fresh food and medical organs. [Explanation of symbols]

[0050] 1 Refrigeration equipment 6. Blower 10 Main body 11 Freezer 11a Upper wall 11b Side wall 11h Refrigerated space 12 Circulation flow path 13 Cold air generator 15 Cooling air supply mechanism 15a Cool air supply port 16 Swing opening and closing mechanism 16a Swing door 17 Isolation Wall 17h retention space 17a Cold air intake 18 Sliding opening and closing mechanism 18 Sliding Door 20 Cool air intake section 20a1 Suction port 20a2 Suction port 20a Suction port 20b1 Cool air intake space 20b2 Cool air intake space 21 Return Channel 21s rectifying material 30 Control Unit M Frozen object D Mounting table

Claims

1. A refrigeration device for freezing an object to be frozen, a main body having a freezing space in which an object to be frozen is accommodated; a cold air generating device having a function of generating cold air; a control unit that controls the operation of the cold air generating device, The main body portion is a circulation flow path that is provided to surround the freezing space and forms a circulation flow of cold air around the freezing space; a cold air supply mechanism that supplies a portion of the cold air in the circulation flow path to the freezing space through a cold air supply port formed in a wall of the freezing space; a cold air suction unit that draws cold air from the freezer space through a suction port formed in a wall of the freezer space, The suction port of the cool air suction unit is The cold air supply port is provided on the wall on which the cold air supply port is provided and / or on a wall continuous with the wall, The control unit The cold air supply mechanism has a function of controlling the cold air supply mechanism so that a flow of cold air is formed along the wall of the freezing space where the cold air supply port is formed and the wall of the freezing space where the suction port of the cold air suction unit is provided, freezing the object to be frozen by heat exchange with the gas in the freezing space without coming into contact with the object to be frozen. A refrigeration device characterized by:

2. A refrigeration device for freezing an object to be frozen, a main body having a freezing space in which an object to be frozen is accommodated; a cold air generating device having a function of generating cold air; a control unit that controls the operation of the cold air generating device, The main body portion is a circulation flow path that is provided to surround the freezing space and forms a circulation flow of cold air around the freezing space; a cold air supply mechanism that supplies a portion of the cold air in the circulation flow path to the freezing space through a cold air supply port formed in a wall of the freezing space; a cold air suction unit that draws cold air from the freezer space through a suction port formed in a wall of the freezer space, The control unit a function of controlling the cold air supply mechanism so that the cold air supplied from the cold air supply mechanism forms a flow along the wall of the freezing space where the suction port of the cold air suction unit is provided, The cold air supply mechanism includes: A flow rate adjusting unit is provided to adjust the flow rate of the cold air flowing from the cold air supply port to the freezing space, The main body portion is a partition wall that forms a retention space between itself and a wall provided with the cold air supply port in the freezing space, The flow rate adjusting unit is a swing opening / closing mechanism having a swing door that opens and closes the cold air supply port; a sliding opening / closing mechanism having a sliding door that opens and closes the cold air inlet provided in the isolation wall, The swing door of the swing opening and closing mechanism is The surface on the retention space side oscillates so as to face the direction of flow of the cold air flowing through the circulation flow path when the cold air supply port is open. A refrigeration device characterized by:

3. A refrigeration device for freezing an object to be frozen, a main body having a freezing space in which an object to be frozen is accommodated; a cold air generating device having a function of generating cold air; a control unit that controls the operation of the cold air generating device, The main body portion is a circulation flow path that is provided to surround the freezing space and forms a circulation flow of cold air around the freezing space; a cold air supply mechanism that supplies a portion of the cold air in the circulation flow path to the freezing space through a cold air supply port formed in a wall of the freezing space; a cold air suction unit that draws cold air from the freezer space through a suction port formed in a wall of the freezer space, The suction port of the cool air suction unit is The cold air supply port is provided on the wall on which the cold air supply port is provided and / or on a wall continuous with the wall, The control unit a function of controlling the cold air supply mechanism so that the cold air supplied from the cold air supply mechanism forms a flow along the wall of the freezing space where the suction port of the cold air suction unit is provided, The cold air suction unit is a cool air suction space recessed from the wall on which the suction port is provided, the cool air suction space communicating with the suction port; a return flow path that connects the cold air suction space and the circulation flow path, The circulation flow path includes: a blower controlled by the control unit that generates a flow of cool air in the circulation flow path; The blower device is The direction of flow of the cold air flowing in from the suction port of the blower device and the normal direction of the wall of the freezing space where the suction port is provided are parallel to each other. A refrigeration device characterized by:

4. The cold air supply mechanism includes: A flow rate adjusting unit is provided to adjust the flow rate of the cold air flowing from the cold air supply port to the freezing space.

4. The refrigeration system according to claim 1 or 3.

5. A rectifying member is provided between the cool air suction space and the return flow path to rectify the cool air flowing from the cool air suction space to the return flow path.

4. The refrigeration system according to claim 3.

6. The cold air suction section is provided in two places, The two cold air suction sections are provided on the inner surfaces facing each other in the freezing space 4. The refrigeration system according to claim 1, 2 or 3.

7. Within the refrigeration space of the main body, A table is provided on which the object to be frozen is placed, The mounting table is The surface that comes into contact with the object to be frozen has a structure that reduces thermal conductivity between the surface and the object to be frozen.

4. The refrigeration system according to claim 1, 2 or 3.

Images