Chilled water tank assembly and method for manufacturing the same

Abstract

To provide a cold water tank assembly capable of enhancing a user's satisfaction by increasing a cold water extraction amount by maximizing heat exchange efficiency while downsizing, completely shielding intrusion of a foreign material into purified water extracted, and optimally performing an original function of the cold water tank, and a method for manufacturing the same.SOLUTION: A method for manufacturing a cold water tank assembly related to one embodiment of the current invention may include: a cold water tank preparation step; an evaporator preparation step; a partition wall part preparation step; a first assembly step; a second assembly step; and a third assembly step. The cold water tank assembly may include: a cold water tank provided with a body part and a cap part; an evaporator which has a spiral shaft pipe and a spiral tube that forms N first spirals at a set pitch around the spiral shaft pipe and extends; and a partition wall part having a shaft body and a partition that extends while forming N second spirals at pitch around the shaft body.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a cold water tank assembly and a method for manufacturing the same, and more particularly, to a cold water tank assembly and a method for manufacturing the same that can maximize heat exchange efficiency while miniaturizing and increase the cold water extraction amount.

Background Art

[0002] Generally, water purifiers, carbonated water machines, cold and hot water dispensers, etc. are equipped with a cold water tank so that purified water at room temperature can be cooled to generate low-temperature purified water (water) and supplied to users.

[0003] Taking a water purifier as an example, such a cold water tank includes an inlet pipe and an outlet pipe so as to communicate with the internal space, and purified water at room temperature that has passed through one or more filters flows in and is stored in the internal space.

[0004] Then, the purified water (water) at room temperature stored through an evaporator (cooling pipe) provided in the cold water tank is cooled to a set temperature and extracted as low-temperature purified water (water) so that users can drink or use purified water (water) at a temperature lower than room temperature.

[0005] As an example, Korean Registered Patent No. 10-1658496 discloses a structure for cooling purified water stored in a form in which an evaporator (cooling pipe) wraps around the outer peripheral surface of a cylindrical cold water tank in an indirect cooling method.

[0006] However, such a cold water tank has a problem in that the cold air of the evaporator is not only transmitted to the cold water tank but also discharged to the outside due to the evaporator being arranged to wrap around the outer peripheral surface of the cold water tank, resulting in a decrease in cooling efficiency.

[0007] Furthermore, ice forms around the evaporator as the temperature drops, and this ice can sometimes form outside the chilled water tank. When the ice melts, the resulting water can flow outside the chilled water tank, potentially affecting other components (modules) of the water purifier.

[0008] On the other hand, in order to solve these problems, a structure has been disclosed, such as Korean Published Patent No. 10-2020-0008263, in which a cooling unit (evaporator, cooling pipe) is installed in the internal space of a chilled water tank to cool the stored purified water.

[0009] However, in such chilled water tanks, the cooling unit is positioned in an internal space that is expanded without partitions, resulting in a problem where the purified water in close proximity to the cooling unit cools at different rates than the purified water further away from the cooling unit, thus reducing the overall cooling efficiency.

[0010] Furthermore, while current water purifiers strive for miniaturization, these cold water tanks have poor cold water efficiency (the value obtained by dividing the amount of cold water extracted by the tank capacity), making it difficult for users to quickly obtain the desired low-temperature purified water (cold water), which leads to decreased user satisfaction.

[0011] On the other hand, evaporators, which are placed inside or outside the chilled water tank, are usually made of metal and their shape is determined through a bending process before they are coupled to the chilled water tank. After their shape is determined, they undergo an electropolishing process for surface polishing before being placed in the chilled water tank.

[0012] This electrolytic polishing process removes minute scratches and contaminants from the outer surface of the evaporator while simultaneously acting as a coating, preventing any foreign matter from entering the internal space of the chilled water tank and preventing rust formation in the evaporator.

[0013] However, in conventional chilled water tanks, a process of bending the evaporator section again after the electropolishing process is sometimes performed to ensure stable placement within the internal housing space of the evaporator and to maintain connection with other external connecting channels.

[0014] At this time, cracks can occur in the bent (folded) section of the evaporator, and scratches and fine foreign matter caused by these cracks can penetrate into the chilled water tank and be contained in the purified water.

[0015] Furthermore, in the case of evaporators located within the internal space of a chilled water tank, the crack initiation point is constantly in contact with the purified water, which can lead to problems such as rust formation along with the penetration of foreign matter.

[0016] Therefore, there is a pressing need for a chilled water tank assembly and its manufacturing method that can be miniaturized while maximizing heat exchange efficiency to increase the amount of chilled water dispensed, thereby improving user satisfaction, and that can completely prevent foreign matter from entering the purified water dispensed, allowing the chilled water tank to perform its intended function optimally. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0017] [Patent Document 1] Korean Registered Patent Publication No. 10-1658496 [Patent Document 2] Korean Published Patent Publication No. 10-2020-0008263 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0018] The present invention aims to solve the above-mentioned problems, and the objective of the present invention is to provide a chilled water tank assembly and a method for manufacturing the same that can increase the amount of chilled water extracted by maximizing heat exchange efficiency while miniaturizing the assembly, thereby increasing user satisfaction, and that can completely prevent foreign matter from entering the extracted purified water, thereby optimally performing the original function of the chilled water tank.

[0019] Furthermore, in the case of an evaporator placed inside a chilled water tank, the objective is to provide a chilled water tank assembly and a method for manufacturing the same that eliminates the need for a post-bending process, thereby preventing cracking and rusting of the evaporator.

[0020] Furthermore, the objective is to provide a chilled water tank assembly and a method for manufacturing the same that can maximize the amount of chilled water extracted by applying a spiral evaporator and a spiral partition structure inside the chilled water tank, while reducing the size compared to conventional chilled water tanks in terms of capacity.

[0021] Furthermore, the objective is to provide a chilled water tank assembly and a method for manufacturing the same that can be miniaturized while maximizing the chilled water efficiency relative to the chilled water tank capacity (the value obtained by dividing the amount of chilled water extracted by the tank capacity), thereby minimizing the design space required for the water purifier.

[0022] The problems addressed by the present invention are not limited to those described above, and other problems not mentioned can be clearly understood by a person ordinary to the art in which the present invention pertains from the following description. [Means for solving the problem]

[0023] According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for manufacturing a chilled water tank assembly is provided.

[0024] The manufacturing method of the cold water tank assembly is a method for manufacturing a cold water tank assembly in which normal temperature purified water passes through N heat exchange chambers having a spiral orbit and is extracted as low temperature purified water. The method includes a cold water tank preparation step including a step of preparing a cylindrical body portion having an open inlet and an accommodation space inside, and a step of preparing a cap portion for sealing the open inlet of the body portion. An evaporator preparation step including a step of preparing a spiral shaft tube having a predetermined length, bending one side of the spiral shaft tube to form N first spirals at a set pitch along the length around the spiral shaft tube, and preparing an evaporator provided with a spiral tube having an extension line that extends without bending so that the end portion has a directionality in the first direction or the second direction. An evaporator preparation step including a step of performing an electrolytic polishing process on the evaporator. A partition wall portion preparation step including a step of preparing a tubular shaft body having a predetermined length and a partition wall portion having a plate shape expanded in the first direction and the second direction around the shaft body and forming a partition wall that extends in the third direction while forming N second spirals at a set pitch. A position setting step of positioning a lower hole of the shaft body at an upper end portion of the spiral shaft tube. A first assembly step of assembling a first assembly including a rotation assembly step of rotating the evaporator or the partition wall portion so that the spiral shaft tube passes through the shaft body and the spiral tube passes between the partition wall and the partition wall adjacent to the second direction. A flange fastening step of thermally fusing a flange to one side of the spiral shaft tube and the spiral tube. A second assembly step of assembling a second assembly including a cap portion assembly step of assembling the cap portion to the first assembly so that the spiral shaft tube and the spiral tube penetrate through the cap portion and are exposed to the outside. A third assembly step of assembling a cold water tank assembly including an insertion step of inserting and arranging the second assembly in the accommodation space of the body portion so as to form N heat exchange chambers in the accommodation space of the body portion. [[ID=;1]]

[0025] And a sensor mounting step of mounting a temperature sensor on the cap portion of the cold water tank assembly, and a post-assembly step including a bending step after bending one side of the extension line of the spiral shaft tube and the spiral tube disposed outside the cold water tank through the cap portion.

[0026] At this time, in the rotational assembly process of the first assembly step, the extension line of the spiral tube is assembled while sequentially passing between the partition forming the second spiral and the partition adjacent to the partition in the second direction.

[0027] At this time, in the first assembly step, the spiral tube is assembled such that the first interval between the partition disposed at the lower part of the heat exchange chamber and the second interval between the partition disposed at the upper part are equal or smaller.

[0028] At this time, the cap portion includes a first hole into which a first flange fused to the spiral shaft tube is closely fitted, and a second hole into which a second flange fused to the spiral tube is closely fitted.

[0029] And in the second assembly step, it further includes a screw fastening step of coupling fastening screws to the threads formed on the outer peripheral surfaces of the first flange exposed outside the first hole and the second flange exposed outside the second hole, respectively.

[0030] According to another aspect of the present invention, a cold water tank assembly is provided.

[0031] The cold water tank assembly is cylindrical with an inlet pipe and an outlet pipe through which purified water flows, and includes a body portion that forms an accommodation space with an inlet expanded in the first and second directions and having a set length in the third direction, a cold water tank provided with a cap portion for sealing the inlet, a spiral shaft tube disposed in the third direction in the accommodation space, a spiral tube whose one end extends in the third direction while forming N first spirals with a set pitch around the spiral shaft tube, an evaporator through which a refrigerant flows, a shaft body disposed to surround the spiral shaft tube, and a partition wall portion provided with a partition that has a plate shape expanded in the first and second directions around the shaft body and extends in the third direction while forming N second spirals with a set pitch.

[0032] In this configuration, the partition is positioned so that its edge is in close proximity to the inner circumferential surface of the storage space of the chilled water tank, forming N heat exchange chambers in the storage space with flow paths that communicate with the inlet pipe and outlet pipe in a third direction.

[0033] The spiral tube is then arranged to pass through the N heat exchange chambers in succession, forming the Nth first spiral, after which an extended line extending without bending, with its end having a directionality in either the first or second direction, is exposed to the outside of the chilled water tank.

[0034] In this case, the body portion includes an inner cylinder that houses the evaporator and the partition wall portion, and an outer cylinder that surrounds the inner cylinder and forms a space.

[0035] In this case, the body portion may have a circular cross-section, or a closed cross-sectional shape having a major axis in a first direction and a minor axis in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

[0036] In this case, the extension line is formed to be longer than the radius of the second helix of the partition and is exposed to the outside of the chilled water tank.

[0037] At this time, the pitch of the spiral tube and the pitch of the partition are formed to be the same.

[0038] In this case, the cap portion includes a first hole into which a first flange fused to the helical shaft tube is tightly fitted, and a second hole into which a second flange fused to the helical tube is tightly fitted. The first flange and the second flange further include a sealing member along one side that is in contact with the cap portion.

[0039] On the other hand, the partition is formed in part or entirely of a soft material, and its edges are positioned to press against the inner circumferential surface of the storage space in the body.

[0040] On the other hand, the chilled water tank further includes a separation spacer having a plurality of support ribs and positioned to be spaced apart from the lower bottom surface of the containment space, with the end of the evaporator and one side of the upper part in contact with it.

[0041] In this case, as an example, the separation spacer may include a ring-shaped first support base, a ring-shaped second support base that encloses the first support base, and a plurality of plate-shaped support ribs that connect the first support base and the second support base and are arranged radially.

[0042] On the other hand, the cap portion may include a plate sized to cover the opening of the body portion, a first wall projecting downward in a third direction such that a portion of the plate contacts the upper inner surface of the body portion, and a second wall projecting downward in a third direction such that another portion of the plate is spaced apart from the first wall and contacts the upper outer surface of the body portion.

[0043] At this time, the cap portion is joined so as to seal the opening of the body portion from a third direction. The first wall, the upper edge of the body portion, and the second wall form a sealing space between them, and a packing member may be provided in the sealing space.

[0044] In this case, the plate can have a convex rounded surface formed on its upper part in the third direction.

[0045] In this case, the cap portion further includes a temperature sensor that is bonded to one side so as to penetrate the plate body and seal it.

[0046] In this configuration, the temperature sensor has a certain length and is positioned downward from the upper part of the body in a third direction, passing through a set number of partitions.

[0047] On the other hand, the cap portion includes an inlet pipe on one side through which purified water at room temperature flows in and communicates with the first heat exchange chamber of the containment space.

[0048] Furthermore, the body portion includes a water outlet pipe at its bottom that communicates with the Nth heat exchange chamber of the containment space and from which low-temperature purified water is extracted. [Effects of the Invention]

[0049] With the above configuration, the chilled water tank assembly and its manufacturing method according to the present invention have the effect of preventing cracks and rust caused by post-bending, as the evaporator, which is placed inside the chilled water tank that comes into contact with purified water, is connected in its initial manufacturing state, and there is no post-bending process inside the chilled water tank after connection.

[0050] Furthermore, by dividing the internal storage space of the chilled water tank into multiple (N) heat exchange chambers that are continuously connected using a spiral evaporator and spiral partitions, the incoming purified water passes through the N heat exchange chambers sequentially, performing heat exchange and maximizing heat exchange efficiency. This has the effect of cooling the purified water at room temperature to low-temperature purified water (chilled water) at a set temperature in a short amount of time.

[0051] Furthermore, by forming multiple (N) heat exchange chambers with a spiral shape through a spiral evaporator and spiral partition wall within the cylindrical storage space, it is possible to maximize the amount of chilled water extracted while reducing the size of the chilled water tank.

[0052] Furthermore, the N heat exchange chambers formed by the spiral evaporator and spiral partition wall above the storage space of the chilled water tank each have a spiral trajectory and form a continuous flow path, guiding the purified water flowing into the storage space via the inlet pipe to flow naturally without collision or blockage, thereby increasing the chilled water production rate while maintaining a constant cooling rate.

[0053] Furthermore, the structure forms multiple (N) spiral heat exchange chambers within the chilled water tank's storage space through a spiral evaporator and spiral partitions, which has the effect of minimizing the overall chilled water tank size while maximizing the chilled water efficiency relative to the chilled water tank capacity (the value obtained by dividing the amount of chilled water extracted by the tank capacity), thereby minimizing the design space required for the water purifier.

[0054] The effects of the present invention are not limited to those described above, but should be understood to include all effects that can be inferred from the detailed description of the present invention or the configuration of the invention as described in the claims. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0055] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing a chilled water tank assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This figure shows the internal structure of a chilled water tank assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention, viewed through a cross-section of I-I'. [Figure 3] This figure shows the arrangement of the evaporator and the partition wall section through a cross-section II-II' in a chilled water tank assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] This figure shows the arrangement of the evaporator and partition wall and the structure of the cap portion at a different angle from Figure 3, through a cross-section of III-III' in a chilled water tank assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] A block diagram showing a method for manufacturing a chilled water tank assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] This is a block diagram showing the evaporator preparation steps in Figure 5. [Figure 7] This is a block diagram of the first assembly step in Figure 5. [Figure 8] This is a schematic diagram showing the first assembly step in Figure 5. [Figure 9] This figure shows the first assembly assembled through the first assembly step in Figure 5. [Figure 10] This figure shows an example of a cap portion applied to a chilled water tank assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] This figure shows an example of a separation spacer applied to a chilled water tank assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] This graph compares the chilling efficiency of a conventional chilled water tank assembly with that of a chilled water tank assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0056] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings so that they can be easily implemented by a person with ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains. The present invention may be realized in a variety of different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. For the purpose of clearly illustrating the present invention, parts of the drawings that are not relevant to the description have been omitted, and the same or similar components are denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the specification.

[0057] The words and terms used herein and in the claims shall not be construed to be limited to their ordinary or dictionary meanings, but shall be interpreted as meanings and concepts consistent with the technical idea of ​​the present invention, in accordance with the principle that a person skilled in the art may define terms and concepts in order to best describe their own invention.

[0058] Therefore, the embodiments described herein and the configurations shown in the drawings constitute a preferred embodiment of the present invention and do not represent the entire technical idea of ​​the present invention; thus, there may be various equivalents and modifications that can be substituted for these configurations at the time of filing of the present invention.

[0059] In this specification, terms such as “includes” or “have” are intended to describe the presence of features, figures, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification, and should be understood not to preemptively exclude the possibility of the presence or addition of one or more other features, figures, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0060] To say that one component is "in front of," "behind," "above," or "below" another component includes, unless otherwise specified, not only cases where it is directly in contact with another component and positioned "in front of," "behind," "above," or "below," but also cases where another component is positioned in between. Furthermore, to say that one component is "connected" to another component includes, unless otherwise specified, cases where it is directly connected to one another, as well as cases where it is indirectly connected to one another.

[0061] The terms "X-axis," "Y-axis," and "Z-axis" used in this explanation should be understood in reference to the coordinate system shown in the diagram. In this explanation, the X-axis direction is referred to as the first direction, the Y-axis direction as the second direction, and the Z-axis direction as the third direction. However, this is merely an example from a relative perspective, and the first to third directions and the coordinate axes (X, Y, and Z axes) are introduced only to describe the relative positions between the components, and do not limit the absolute position of each component.

[0062] In describing the present invention, specific descriptions of related known functions or configurations will be omitted in order to avoid obscuring the essence of the present invention.

[0063] In describing the present invention, it will be made clear in advance that the spiral structure formed by the spiral tube 220 of the evaporator 200 will be referred to as the first spiral, and the spiral structure formed by the partition 320 of the partition wall 300 will be referred to as the second spiral. It will also be made clear in advance that N or n, as described later, means an integer of 1 or more.

[0064] The following describes a chilled water tank assembly and a method for manufacturing the same according to one embodiment of the present invention, with reference to the drawings.

[0065] As shown in Figures 1 to 11, a method for manufacturing a chilled water tank assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention presents a method for manufacturing a chilled water tank assembly 1 in which purified water at room temperature passes through N heat exchange chambers H / A having a helical orbit and is extracted as low-temperature purified water.

[0066] In this case, the method for manufacturing a chilled water tank assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention involves connecting the evaporator 200, which is placed in the internal storage space S (Figures 1 and 3) of the chilled water tank 100 and is constantly in contact with purified water (water), to the chilled water tank 100 in the same state as the initial manufacturing state after the electrolytic polishing step S22 (Figure 6). Since there is no post-bending process for the portion of the evaporator 200 that is placed in the internal storage space S of the chilled water tank 100 after the evaporator 200 and the chilled water tank 100 are connected, cracks and rust caused by post-bending can be prevented.

[0067] Furthermore, it can prevent foreign objects from entering the containment space S in the event of a crack occurring.

[0068] On the other hand, the chilled water tank assembly 1 produced through this process divides the internal storage space S of the chilled water tank 100 into multiple (N) heat exchange chambers H / A (H / A1 to H / A) that are continuously connected using a spiral evaporator 200 and a spiral partition wall 300. As the incoming purified water passes through the N heat exchange chambers H / A sequentially, heat exchange is performed, maximizing the heat exchange efficiency and allowing the purified water at room temperature to be cooled to a low temperature purified water (chilled water) with a set temperature in a short amount of time.

[0069] First, the structure and configuration of the chilled water tank assembly 1, which was manufactured using the manufacturing method for chilled water tank assemblies according to one embodiment of the present invention, are as follows.

[0070] As shown in the figure, the chilled water tank assembly 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention broadly includes a chilled water tank 100, an evaporator 200, and a partition wall 300.

[0071] In this configuration, the evaporator 200 has a spiral shape, and the partition wall 300 also has a spiral shape corresponding to the evaporator 200.

[0072] The spiral evaporator 200 and the spiral partition wall 300 are joined together through the first assembly step S40 to form a single assembly (hereinafter referred to as the "first assembly"), which is then placed on the internal storage space S of the chilled water tank 100 via the third assembly step S60, forming N (N is an integer of 1 or more) heat exchange chambers H / A that are connected to the storage space S of the chilled water tank 100 as spiral flow paths.

[0073] In this case, the N heat exchange chambers H / A also have a spiral structure, consisting of a spiral evaporator 200 and a spiral partition wall 300.

[0074] First, the chilled water tank 100, which constitutes the chilled water tank assembly 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention, includes a body portion 110 having an internal storage space S such that an evaporator 200 and a partition wall portion 300 are arranged, and an inlet 114 (Figure 3) of the body portion 110 is connected to the inlet 114 (Figure 3) in an openable and closable manner.

[0075] As an example, the body portion 110 of the chilled water tank 100 has an inlet that extends in a first direction and a second direction on one side, the upper side in the illustration, and such an inlet extends with a length set in a third direction to form a storage space S.

[0076] Furthermore, the chilled water tank 100 preferably has a cylindrical shape in order to improve heat exchange efficiency and to enable miniaturization.

[0077] For this reason, the body portion 110 preferably has a cylindrical shape. However, it goes without saying that it is not limited to a cylindrical shape and may have a polygonal cylindrical shape as needed. Depending on the shape of the body portion 110, it goes without saying that the inlet may also be circular or polygonal in shape.

[0078] In other words, it goes without saying that the body portion 110 may have a circular cross-section or a closed cross-sectional shape having a major axis in a first direction and a minor axis in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction (for example, an ellipse, a rectangle, etc.).

[0079] On the other hand, as shown in Figures 2 to 4, the body portion 110 of the chilled water tank 100 has a double structure consisting of an inner cylinder 111 and an outer cylinder 112.

[0080] The inner cylinder 111 forms a housing space S so that the spiral evaporator 200 and the spiral partition wall 300 can be housed and arranged, and the outer cylinder 112 is positioned with a gap between it and the outer surface of the inner cylinder 111, forming a space V / A and enclosing the inner cylinder 111.

[0081] In this case, the space V / A formed by the inner cylinder 111 and the outer cylinder 112 preferably forms a vacuum-insulated space.

[0082] In other words, the vacuum-insulated space V / A formed by the inner cylinder 111 and the outer cylinder 112 blocks heat transfer by creating an insulating space by making the wall surface of the body 110 a vacuum lower than atmospheric pressure, thereby preventing the generated low-temperature cold water from increasing in temperature through heat exchange with the outside.

[0083] On the other hand, the space V / A formed by the inner cylinder 111 and the outer cylinder 112 does not necessarily have to be a vacuum-insulated space, and it goes without saying that insulating material can be filled into the aforementioned space V / A as needed.

[0084] While heat transfer can be blocked through processes such as heat insulation, in this embodiment of the present invention, the space V / A formed by the inner cylinder 111 and the outer cylinder 112 is formed as a vacuum-insulated space in order to enhance the heat transfer blocking effect.

[0085] On the other hand, while the body portion 110 of such a chilled water tank 100 is made of stainless steel, which has strong corrosion resistance, it is not limited to this, and it goes without saying that it can be made of a variety of materials such as metals or plastics that have high rigidity and corrosion resistance.

[0086] The open upper inlet of the body portion 110 in the third direction is then sealed through the cap portion 120.

[0087] Such a cap portion 120 is joined to the first assembly through a second assembly step S50, which will be described later. The assembly joined through this (hereinafter referred to as the "second assembly") is then joined to the body portion 110, and the cap portion 120 has a structure that seals the opening of the body portion 110.

[0088] On the other hand, the cap portion 120 has an inlet pipe 130 formed so as to communicate with the housing space S of the body portion 110, and can be configured to include a temperature sensor 160 and an air vent pipe 150.

[0089] As described above, the cap portion 120 has a structure that allows it to seal the housing space S of the body portion 110 while providing heat insulation.

[0090] Referring to Figure 10 along with Figures 2 to 4 as one embodiment for this purpose, the cap portion 120 includes a plate 121 sized to cover the entrance of the body portion 110, a first wall 122 projecting downward in a third direction such that a part of the plate 121 contacts the upper inner circumferential surface of the body portion 110 - the inner circumferential surface of the inner cylinder 111, and a second wall 123 projecting downward in a third direction such that another part of the plate 121 contacts the upper outer circumferential surface of the body portion 110 - the outer circumferential surface of the outer cylinder 112.

[0091] Such a cap portion 120 is supported and fixed through the body portion 110 and the fixing bracket 113.

[0092] On the other hand, the body portion 110 and the cap portion 120 include a sealing structure that allows for heat insulation while sealing the storage space S.

[0093] In other words, when the cap portion 120 is joined to seal the inlet 114 of the body portion 110 of the cold water tank 100 from a third direction, the first wall 122 of the cap portion 120 and the upper edge 115 (Figure 4) of the body portion 110 and the second wall 123 of the cap portion 120 form a sealing space S / A between them, and a rubber or silicone packing member 124 is provided in the sealing space S / A.

[0094] The cap portion 120 is joined to the body portion 110 while applying pressure from above to below in a third direction, completely sealing the inlet 114 of the body portion 110. The housing space S of the body portion 110 can be made into a vacuum state through the packing member 124 that blocks such a sealing space S / A.

[0095] On the other hand, while the housing space S of the body portion 110 is in a vacuum state, pressure can only be generated in the cap portion 120 in the third direction upward.

[0096] To maintain the shape of the cap portion 120 while counteracting such pressure, preferably the plate 121 (Figure 4) of the cap portion 120 has a convex rounded surface on the upper part in the third direction.

[0097] As described above, the chilled water tank 100, which constitutes the chilled water tank assembly 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention, is composed of a body portion 110 and a cap portion 120.

[0098] As an example, as shown in Figures 1 to 3, an inlet pipe 130 is formed in the cap portion 120 so as to communicate with the storage space S of the body portion 110, and an outlet pipe 140 is formed at the lower part of the body portion 110 in the third direction so as to communicate with the storage space S.

[0099] In other words, the cap portion 120 includes an inlet pipe 130 on one side through which purified water at room temperature flows in and communicates with the first heat exchange chamber H / A1 (Figure 2), which will be described later, of the containment space S. The body portion 110 has a structure that includes an outlet pipe 140 on its bottom surface, which communicates with the last, i.e., the Nth heat exchange chamber H / An, of the containment space S, and through which low-temperature purified water is extracted.

[0100] The inlet pipe 130 is a flow path that allows purified water at room temperature to flow into the containment space S. The inlet pipe 130 has an end that penetrates the cap portion 120 and communicates with the first heat exchange chamber H / A1 located at the topmost position in the third direction, so that the purified water at room temperature flowing in can sequentially pass through the N heat exchange chambers H / A described later.

[0101] In the illustration, the water inlet pipe 130 is shown as having a structure in which only the plate body 121 penetrates the cap portion 120, but it is not limited to this, and it goes without saying that it may also have a set length in which the end extends into the interior of the first heat exchange chamber H / A1.

[0102] The outlet pipe 140 is a flow path through which low-temperature purified water, cooled by sequentially passing through N heat exchange chambers H / A formed in the containment space S, is discharged to the outside. The outlet pipe 140 is positioned on the bottom surface of the third direction lower part of the body portion 110 of the chilled water tank 100 so as to discharge the purified water that has been cooled to the lowest temperature to the outside. At this time, the outlet pipe 140 has a position where its end is in communication with the last heat exchange chamber located at the bottommost part of the containment space S, i.e., the Nth heat exchange chamber H / An.

[0103] As a result, in the chilled water tank assembly 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention, purified water at room temperature flows into the storage space S via the inlet pipe 130, passes through N heat exchange chambers H / A, is cooled to a set temperature by the evaporator 200 (described later), is produced as low-temperature purified water, and is then discharged to the outside via the outlet pipe 140.

[0104] As described above, the chilled water tank assembly 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention is configured to maximize the amount of chilled water dispensed while reducing the size compared to the capacity of a conventional chilled water tank.

[0105] For this purpose, a spiral evaporator 200 and a spiral partition wall 300 are arranged in the internal storage space S of the chilled water tank 100.

[0106] Referring again to Figures 1 to 4, the spiral evaporator 200 broadly includes a spiral shaft tube 210 and a spiral tube 220.

[0107] The spiral shaft tube 210 is positioned in a third direction on the housing space S of the body portion 110, but it is preferable that it extends into the housing space S while passing through the cap portion 120, extends in a straight line in the third direction, and that its end extends to near the bottom surface of the body portion 110.

[0108] The spiral tube 220 is formed when one end of the spiral shaft tube 210, specifically the end extending to near the bottom surface of the body portion 110, extends again in a third direction, forming a first helix N times (where N is an integer greater than or equal to 1) at a pitch h1 (Figure 4) with the spiral shaft tube 210 as the central axis. The extended end of the spiral tube 220 then passes through the cap portion 120 and exits to the outside of the body portion 110 again.

[0109] Ultimately, the spiral evaporator 200 is constructed with a single extended tube of the same diameter forming the spiral shaft tube 210 and the spiral tube 220. The spiral shaft tube 210 extends through the cap portion 120 into the containment space S, and its end passes through the cap portion 120 to the outside, forming a first spiral in the spiral tube 220.

[0110] Then, refrigerant flows into the spiral shaft pipe 210 and spiral pipe 220 that make up the spiral evaporator 200, and the evaporator 200 cools the purified water at room temperature that flows into the containment space S of the body section 110 to the low temperature purified water of the set temperature.

[0111] On the other hand, the end of the spiral tube 220 on the second direction side is positioned with a gap between it and the inner circumferential surface of the inner cylinder 111 of the body portion 110, so that the spiral tube 220 is located in the space of the heat exchange chamber H / A described later.

[0112] On the other hand, preferably, the helical shaft tube 210 of the evaporator 200 applied to the chilled water tank assembly 1 of the present invention has an extension line 210a (Figure 8) at the top in the third direction that can extend outward through the cap portion 120, and the helical tube 220 has an extension line 220a (Figure 8) that extends without bending so that its end portion has a directionality in the first or second direction, so that it extends outward through the aforementioned cap portion 120. The extension line (210a) is of length a1 of the setting, and the extension line (220a) is of length a2 of the setting.

[0113] The helical shaft tube 210 and helical tube 220 of the evaporator 200 are subjected to electrolytic polishing in the evaporator preparation step S20 described later, through the electrolytic polishing process execution step S22, so as to remove fine scratches and dirt from the outer surface while being coated.

[0114] The parts are then connected to the partition wall 300, which will be described later, through the first assembly step S40. However, since the axial extension line 210a has a straight shape in the third direction without bending, and the extension line 220a has a straight shape in the first or second direction, the parts can be smoothly connected to the partition wall 300 through the rotational assembly step S42.

[0115] In other words, the evaporator 200 to which the present invention is applied comprises a helical shaft tube 210 having a predetermined length, and a helical tube 220 having an extension line 220a that extends without bending so that one side of the helical shaft tube 210 is bent to form a first helix N times along the length of the helical shaft tube 210 at a set pitch, and the end portion has a directionality in a first or second direction.

[0116] On the other hand, the extension line 210a of the spiral shaft tube 210 and the extension line 220a of the spiral shaft tube 220 extend outside the body portion 110 of the chilled water tank 100, passing through the cap portion 120 that constitutes the chilled water tank 100, as described above, and undergo a post-bending process outside the chilled water tank 100 as necessary through the post-assembly step S70.

[0117] In this case, the extension line 220a is preferably formed to be longer than the radius r1 (Figure 4) of the second helix formed by the partition 320 of the partition wall 300, which will be described later, so that it can extend to the outside of the chilled water tank 100 and be exposed.

[0118] In this configuration, the axial extension line 210a of the spiral shaft tube 210 and the extension line 220a of the spiral shaft tube 220 are connected via the flange 10 so as to be sealed to the cap portion 120.

[0119] To this end, referring to Figures 2 to 4 and Figure 10, the cap portion 120 includes a first hole 121a (Figure 10) into which a first flange 11 (Figure 4) fused to the helical shaft tube 210 is tightly fitted, and a second hole 121b (Figure 10) into which a second flange 12 (Figure 2) fused to the helical tube 220 is tightly fitted.

[0120] In this case, the first hole 121a has a directionality toward the upper direction in the third direction, similar to the axial extension line 210a of the helical shaft tube 210, and the second hole 121b has a directionality toward the first or second direction, similar to the extension line 220a of the helical tube 220.

[0121] On the other hand, the flanges 10 - first flange 11 and second flange 12 - described above include a sealing member 13 along the side that contacts the cap portion 120 to enhance airtightness. In this case, it goes without saying that the sealing member 13 may preferably be in the shape of an O-ring, or may have a planar shape as needed.

[0122] Then, the flange 10 described above is fastened with fastening screws 20 by connecting them to the threads 10a (Figure 4) formed on the outer circumferential surfaces of the first flange 11 exposed to the outside of the first hole 121a and the second flange 12 exposed to the outside of the second hole 121b, respectively, through the second assembly step S50.

[0123] Next, referring to the drawings again, the spiral partition wall portion 300 applied to the chilled water tank assembly 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention divides the housing space S of the body portion 110 into a plurality of heat exchange chambers H / A.

[0124] For this purpose, the spiral partition section 300 includes the shaft body 310 and the partition 320.

[0125] The shaft body 310 of the partition wall 300 has a tubular shape with a predetermined length so as to enclose the helical shaft tube 210 of the evaporator 200 described above.

[0126] In this case, the shaft body 310 may have various cross-sectional shapes, such as circular or elliptical, as long as it encloses the helical shaft tube 210.

[0127] Furthermore, the partition 320 of the bulkhead section 300 has a plate shape that extends in a first and second direction around the shaft body 310, but also has a structure that extends in a third direction while forming a second helix N times at a set pitch h2 (Figure 4).

[0128] In other words, the partition wall 300 has a structure in which multiple plate-shaped partitions 320 extend in a third direction around the shaft body 310, forming a second helix N times.

[0129] Preferably, the partition 320 constituting the spiral partition wall 300 is positioned so that its end edge 321 is in close proximity to the inner circumferential surface of the storage space S of the chilled water tank 100, i.e., the inner circumferential surface of the inner cylinder 111 (see Figure 4).

[0130] Furthermore, the pitch h2 of the partition 320 that forms the N-fold second helix is ​​preferably formed to be the same as the pitch h1 of the spiral tube 220 of the evaporator 200 that forms the N-fold first helix.

[0131] Furthermore, by positioning the end of the spiral tube 220 on the second direction side with a gap between it and the inner circumferential surface of the inner cylinder 111 of the body portion 110, the radius of the first helix of the spiral tube 220 is formed to be smaller than the radius of the second helix of the partition 320.

[0132] As a result, the partition 320 is formed so that N heat exchange chambers H / A have a spiral structure and are flow paths that communicate with the inlet pipe 130 and outlet pipe 140 in a third direction within the storage space S of the chilled water tank 100, and the spiral tube 220 of the spiral evaporator 200 is arranged to pass through each of these N heat exchange chambers H / A in a continuous manner (see Figure 3).

[0133] On the other hand, the partition 320 of the aforementioned bulkhead 300 is formed in part or entirely of a soft material, and the edge 321 of the partition 320 is positioned while pressurizing the inner circumferential surface of the storage space S of the cold water tank 100 (see Figure 4).

[0134] As a result, purified water flowing into the heat exchange chamber H / A is completely prevented from escaping downwards through the gap at the edge of the partition 320, and the N heat exchange chambers H / A form a continuous spiral flow path. Then, the purified water flowing in via the inlet pipe 130 flows while being cooled to the set temperature, always exchanging heat with the spiral pipe 220 of the heat exchange chamber H / A.

[0135] Thus, the chilled water tank assembly 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention maximizes heat exchange efficiency and can cool purified water at room temperature to purified water at a set temperature in a short amount of time.

[0136] As described above, the chilled water tank assembly 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a spiral evaporator 200 and a spiral partition wall 300 in the storage space S of the chilled water tank 100. The spiral tube 220 of the evaporator 200 forming the first helix and the partition 320 of the partition wall 300 forming the second helix form N heat exchange chambers H / A having a flow path in a third direction, while having a spiral structure, in the storage space S.

[0137] Then, in each heat exchange chamber H / A, the spiral tube 220 of the evaporator 200 is arranged to form a spiral, so that the purified water at room temperature flowing in via the inlet pipe 130 passes through the N heat exchange chambers H / A in a spiral pattern and undergoes heat exchange in the evaporator 200.

[0138] As a result, the chilled water tank assembly 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention discharges rapidly cooled, low-temperature purified water through the outlet pipe 140 while reducing the cooling time compared to a conventional chilled water tank of the same size.

[0139] Then, ice forms on the outer surface of the evaporator 200, which is installed in the storage space S within the chilled water tank 100. The incoming purified water at room temperature is purified to a low temperature by the evaporator 200 as it passes through the heat exchange chamber H / A. As the ice formed on the outer surface of the evaporator 200 melts, it is extracted to the outside along with the low-temperature purified water, resulting in a larger amount of chilled water being extracted compared to the amount of purified water supplied at room temperature. This immediately demonstrates that the chilled water efficiency is high.

[0140] On the other hand, referring again to Figures 2 to 4, the chilled water tank 100 includes a temperature sensor 160 that measures the temperature within the containment space S.

[0141] As described above, the cap portion 120 of the chilled water tank 100 is arranged so that the water inlet pipe 130 and the spiral shaft pipe 210 and spiral pipe 220 of the evaporator 200 are in communication with the outside.

[0142] Furthermore, the cap portion 120 includes a temperature sensor 160 on one side, the temperature sensor 160 having a set length and being positioned to penetrate one side of the plate 121 of the cap portion 120 and extend to one side of the storage space S of the cold water tank 100.

[0143] Such a temperature sensor 160 is positioned while being supported through a sensor mounting base 125 (Figures 1 and 10) provided on one side of the cap portion 120.

[0144] Preferably, the temperature sensor 160 is positioned close to the spiral tube 220 of the evaporator 200 so that temperature changes in the containment space S can be measured quickly.

[0145] As an example, the temperature sensor 160 may have a set length and be positioned from the top of the body portion 110 downward in a third direction, penetrating a set number of heat exchange chambers H / A.

[0146] In this case, the partition 320 of the partition wall 300 forms a through hole 322 (Figure 9) that penetrates the temperature sensor 160. Preferably, the through hole 322 is formed to be smaller than the diameter of the temperature sensor 160, and since the partition 320 is made of a soft material, it is preferable that it is in close contact with the temperature sensor 160 so that purified water does not leak into any minute gaps.

[0147] On the other hand, if the distance between the temperature sensor 160 and the evaporator 200 is too close, the rapid temperature changes near the evaporator 200 will be measured by the temperature sensor 160, making accurate temperature control difficult.

[0148] As a result, the temperature sensor 160 is positioned within the heat exchange chamber H / A with a certain distance between it and the evaporator 200 so that it can accurately measure the temperature change in the containment space S created by the evaporator 200, i.e., within the heat exchange chamber H / A, and easily perform temperature control based on the temperature change.

[0149] For this purpose, in the chilled water tank assembly 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention, the spiral tube 220 constituting the evaporator 200 is arranged to pass through the center of the heat exchange chamber H / A, preferably such that the first gap d1 between the spiral tube 220 and the partition 320 located at the bottom of the heat exchange chamber H / A is equal to or smaller than the second gap d2 between the spiral tube 220 and the partition 320 located at the top (see Figure 4).

[0150] When the first interval d1 is smaller than the second interval d2, the temperature sensor 160 has its end positioned within the second interval d2, and has a distance from the ice generated in the evaporator 200, so as not to come into direct contact with the ice, and can measure temperature changes more stably.

[0151] When the first interval d1 and the second interval d2 are the same, a predetermined gap is created between the upper and lower parts of the spiral tube 220 and the partition 320. Ice is formed on this gap, and the incoming purified water comes into contact with the upper and lower parts of the ice formed in the heat exchange chamber H / A created by the partition 320. As a result, the temperature of the purified water decreases more quickly, which can lead to a faster generation rate of low-temperature purified water.

[0152] On the other hand, the cap portion 120 may include the air vent pipe 150 as described above.

[0153] Such an air vent pipe 150 adjusts the air inside the body 110 to be discharged to the outside of the body 110 according to the water level of the purified water contained in the body 110 of the cold water tank 100.

[0154] For example, the air vent pipe 150 is closed to prevent cold air from flowing out, so that the air inside the containment space S of the body part 110 is not discharged to the outside of the body part 110. When the water level of the purified water contained in the body part 110 rises, the air inside the containment space S of the body part 110 is discharged to the outside of the body part 110, thereby preventing damage to the body part 110 due to internal pressure.

[0155] On the other hand, it goes without saying that the air vent pipe 150 may also have a hole shape.

[0156] On the other hand, the chilled water tank assembly 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a water outlet pipe 140 for extracting the low-temperature purified water cooled in the internal storage space S of the chilled water tank 100 to the outside, as described above.

[0157] As an example, the outlet pipe 140 may be provided on the bottom surface of the body portion 110 and be configured to communicate with the Nth heat exchange chamber H / An, which has a storage space S formed above it in the third direction.

[0158] In this way, since the water outlet pipe 140 is located at the bottom of the body section 110, the chilled water tank 100 can be manufactured in a smaller size.

[0159] On the other hand, as described above, in the chilled water tank assembly 1 according to the present invention, the evaporator 200 and the partition wall 300 are inserted and arranged inside the housing space S of the body portion 110 of the chilled water tank 100.

[0160] Typically, the temperature inside the containment space S decreases due to the evaporator 200, and ice is first formed on the underside of the evaporator 200. The formed ice then expands outward from the evaporator 200, including on its outer surface.

[0161] As a result, the ice generated in the evaporator 200 in the last heat exchange chamber, i.e., the Nth heat exchange chamber H / An, which is located at the bottom of the housing space S of the body section 110, may expand downwards and come into contact with the bottom surface of the body section 110.

[0162] As a result, the outlet 141 (Figure 3) of the outlet pipe 140 located in the Nth heat exchange chamber H / An may become clogged with ice generated in the evaporator 200, or the flow of purified water (chilled water) may be obstructed.

[0163] Although the length of the evaporator 200 is set so that the end of the evaporator has a set distance from the bottom surface, the chilled water tank assembly 1 is becoming smaller, and due to manufacturing tolerances of the evaporator 200, the partition wall 300, and the cap 120, it can sometimes be difficult to position the bottom surface of the body 110 and the end of the evaporator 200 at the most optimal distance.

[0164] Furthermore, in the third assembly step S60, which will be described later, force is applied as the cap portion 120 of the chilled water tank 100 is assembled to the evaporator 200, which may change the position of the end portion of the evaporator 200 in the third direction.

[0165] Therefore, the chilled water tank assembly 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention further includes a separation spacer 400 such that the end of the evaporator 200 in the third direction and the bottom surface of the storage space S are positioned at a precise distance from each other.

[0166] As an example, referring to Figures 2, 3, and 11, the separation spacer 400 has a plurality of support ribs 410 and is positioned to be spaced apart from the lower bottom surface of the accommodation space S. It is then positioned so that one side of the upper part of the separation spacer 400 is in contact with the end of the evaporator 200 passing through the Nth heat exchange chamber H / An (see Figures 2 and 3).

[0167] In other words, the worker inserts and connects the assembly of the evaporator 200 and the partition wall 300 into the body 110, inserting it until the end of the evaporator 200 contacts the separation spacer 400, so that the end of the evaporator 200 always has a set gap with the bottom surface.

[0168] Such a separation spacer 400 may be in the shape of a square or polygonal pallet having a plurality of support ribs 410, or it may be in the shape of a circular or elliptical base.

[0169] As an example, as shown in Figure 11, the separation spacer 400 may have a structure that includes a ring-shaped first support base 420, a ring-shaped second support base 430 that encloses the first support base 420, and a plurality of plate-shaped support ribs 410 that connect the first support base 420 and the second support base 430 and are arranged radially.

[0170] However, since the shape of such a separation spacer 400 is not predetermined, it goes without saying that a variety of shapes and structures can be applied as long as they can maintain the distance between the end and bottom surface of the evaporator 200.

[0171] On the other hand, the ice generated in the evaporator 200 expands first by traveling along the outer surface of the separation spacer 400, which is in contact with the end of the evaporator 200, thereby preventing the outlet 141 of the outlet pipe 140 located in the Nth heat exchange chamber H / An from becoming clogged with the ice generated in the evaporator 200 and facilitating the flow of purified water (chilled water).

[0172] This allows for a smaller chilled water tank (100) while maximizing the chilled water efficiency relative to the chilled water tank capacity (the amount of chilled water extracted divided by the tank capacity), thereby minimizing the design space required for the water purifier.

[0173] On the other hand, as described above, the chilled water tank assembly 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention connects the evaporator 200, which is placed inside the chilled water tank 100 that comes into contact with purified water (water), in its initial manufacturing state, and since there is no post-bending process inside the chilled water tank 100 after connection, it is possible to prevent cracks and rust caused by post-bending.

[0174] Referring again to Figures 1 to 11, the above-described method for manufacturing the chilled water tank assembly is a method for manufacturing a chilled water tank assembly 1 in which purified water at room temperature passes through N heat exchange chambers H / A having a helical orbit and is extracted as low-temperature purified water, and broadly includes a chilled water tank preparation step S10, an evaporator preparation step S20, a partition wall preparation step S30, a first assembly step S40, a second assembly step S50, and a third assembly step S60.

[0175] First, the cold water tank preparation step S10 is a step of producing and preparing the components that make up the cold water tank 100, including the body portion 110 and the cap portion 120.

[0176] In other words, the process includes preparing a cylindrical body portion 110 having an open inlet and an internal storage space S, and preparing a cap portion 120 that seals the open inlet of the body portion 110.

[0177] Such a body portion 110 and cap portion 120 can be manufactured through various molding methods and can be made from various materials such as stainless steel, which has high thermal insulation properties and corrosion resistance, or plastic.

[0178] The evaporator preparation step S20 includes an evaporator preparation step S21 having a helical shaft tube and a helical tube, and an electrolytic polishing step S22 (see Figure 6).

[0179] At this time, the evaporator preparation step S21 prepares an evaporator 200 which includes a helical shaft tube 210 having a predetermined length and a helical tube 220 having an extension line 220a that extends without bending so that the end portion has a directionality in a first or second direction, by bending one side of the helical shaft tube 210 to form a first helix N times along the length of the helical shaft tube 210 at a set pitch.

[0180] Such an evaporator 200 is made of a metal material such as copper or stainless steel, and the structure of a helical shaft tube 210 and a helical tube 220 having a first helix is ​​prepared by a bending process.

[0181] Then, such an evaporator 200 is coated while removing fine scratches and dirt from its outer surface through the electrolytic polishing process S22.

[0182] On the other hand, the partition wall preparation step S30 includes a step of preparing a partition wall 300 which has a tubular shaft body 310 having a predetermined length, and a plate shape that extends in a first and second direction around the shaft body 310, and which forms a partition 320 that extends in a third direction while forming a second helix N times at a set pitch.

[0183] In this case, the partition wall 300 can be manufactured through various molding methods, can be made using silicone or rubber, and can be made partially or entirely from a soft material as needed.

[0184] Next, the evaporator 200 and the partition wall 300, prepared as described above, are assembled into a first assembly shape through the first assembly step S40 in order to connect with the chilled water tank 100.

[0185] For this purpose, the first assembly step S40 includes a positioning step S41 and a rotational assembly step S42, as shown in Figure 7.

[0186] Referring to Figures 8 and 9, first, the positioning step S41 is the step of positioning the lower hole 312 of the shaft body 310 that constitutes the partition wall 300 at the upper end 211 of the helical shaft tube 210 that constitutes the evaporator 200.

[0187] In this configuration, the helical shaft tube 210 may be contained within the internal hollow of the shaft body 310, including the shaft extension line 210a.

[0188] The rotational assembly process S42 is a process of rotating the evaporator 200 or partition wall section 300 in one direction so that the helical shaft tube 210 passes through the shaft body 310 and the helical tube 220 passes between the partitions 320.

[0189] Needless to say, such a rotary assembly process S42 can be performed automatically or manually, and through such a rotary assembly process S42, the evaporator 200 and the partition wall 300 have the shape of the first assembly as shown in Figure 9.

[0190] In this case, the extension line 220a has a directionality in the first or second direction, similar to the direction in which the partition 320 forms a spiral, and has a straight shape without bending. Therefore, the extension line 220a can be connected to the partition wall 300 while rotating along the shape of the second spiral during the rotational assembly process S42 without getting caught or jammed on the partition 320.

[0191] In other words, the extension line 220a of the spiral tube 220 is assembled by sequentially passing between the partitions 320 that form the second spiral.

[0192] In this case, the spiral tube 220 is assembled such that the first spacing d1 (Figure 4) between it and the partition 320 located at the bottom of the heat exchange chamber H / A is equal to or smaller than the second spacing d2 (Figure 4) between it and the partition 320 located at the top, as described in the chilled water tank assembly 1 structure above.

[0193] Next, the second assembly step S50 is the step of joining the cap portion 120 (Figure 10) to the first assembly to assemble it into the shape of the second assembly.

[0194] To this end, the second assembly step S50 includes a flange fastening step of heat-welding the flange 10 to one side of the helical shaft tube 210 and the helical tube 220, and a cap assembly step of assembling the cap portion to the first assembly such that the helical shaft tube 210 and the helical tube 220 penetrate the cap portion 120 and are exposed to the outside.

[0195] The cap portion 120 includes a first hole 121a (Figure 10) into which a first flange 11 (Figure 4) fused to the helical shaft tube 210 is tightly fitted, and a second hole 121b (Figure 10) into which a second flange 12 (Figure 2) fused to the helical tube 220 is tightly fitted.

[0196] In this case, the first hole 121a has a directionality toward the upper direction in the third direction, similar to the axial extension line 210a of the helical shaft tube 210, and the second hole 121b has a directionality toward the first or second direction, similar to the extension line 220a of the helical tube 220.

[0197] In the process of assembling the cap portion, the first flange 11 and the second flange 12 are heat-fused together through the flange fastening process, and the cap portion is assembled to the first assembly so that the helical shaft tube 210 and the helical tube 220 penetrate the cap portion 120 and are exposed to the outside. The first flange 11 is fitted into the first hole 121a and sealed, and the second flange 12 is fitted into the second hole 121b and sealed.

[0198] The second assembly step S50 further includes a screw fastening step of fastening screws 20 to the screw threads 10a formed on the outer circumferential surfaces of the first flange 11 exposed to the outside of the first hole 121a and the second flange 12 exposed to the outside of the second hole 121b, respectively, thereby constituting the second assembly.

[0199] Next, the third assembly step S60 includes an insertion step in which the second assembly is inserted and positioned into the housing space S of the body portion 110 so as to form N heat exchange chambers H / A in the housing space S of the body portion 110, thereby completely assembling the chilled water tank assembly 1.

[0200] At this time, the partition 320 of the bulkhead section 300 is positioned such that its edge 321 pressurizes the inner surface of the housing space of the body section 110 (see Figure 4).

[0201] Next, the method for manufacturing a chilled water tank assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention further includes a post-assembly step S70 to facilitate connection with other external connecting channels that constitute the water purifier, while stably arranging the chilled water tank assembly 1 that has undergone the third assembly step S60 in the internal storage space S.

[0202] Such a post-assembly step S70 includes a sensor mounting step of attaching a temperature sensor 160 to the cap portion 120 of the chilled water tank assembly 1, and a post-bending step of bending one side of the axial extension line 210a of the spiral shaft pipe 210 and the extension line 220a of the spiral shaft pipe 220, which have passed through the cap portion 120 and are located outside the chilled water tank 100, as shown in "a" of Figure 2.

[0203] The axial extension line 210a of the helical shaft tube 210 and the extension line 220a of the helical shaft tube 220, which are post-bent in this manner, are located outside the chilled water tank 100. Since they do not come into contact with the purified water (water) during the process of extracting low-temperature purified water (chilled water), post-bending can completely prevent foreign matter from entering the chilled water tank 100 due to crack formation.

[0204] As described above, the chilled water tank assembly 1 manufactured by the chilled water tank assembly manufacturing method according to the present invention has an evaporator 200, which is placed inside the chilled water tank 100 that comes into contact with purified water (water), connected in its initial manufacturing state. Since there is no post-bending process on the internal housing space S of the chilled water tank 100 after connection, it is possible to prevent cracking and rusting caused by post-bending.

[0205] Furthermore, by dividing the internal storage space S of the chilled water tank 100 into multiple (N) heat exchange chambers H / A that are continuously connected using a spiral evaporator 200 and a spiral partition wall 300, the incoming purified water passes through the N heat exchange chambers H / A sequentially, performing heat exchange and maximizing heat exchange efficiency, allowing the purified water at room temperature to be cooled to a low temperature purified water (chilled water) at a set temperature in a short amount of time.

[0206] Furthermore, by forming a cylindrical storage space through a spiral evaporator 200 and a spiral partition wall 300, and creating multiple (N) heat exchange chambers that also have a spiral shape, the size of the chilled water tank 100 can be reduced while maximizing the amount of chilled water extracted.

[0207] Furthermore, the N heat exchange chambers H / A formed by the spiral evaporator 200 and the spiral partition wall 300 on the storage space S of the chilled water tank 100 each have a spiral trajectory and form a continuous flow path, guiding the purified water flowing into the storage space via the inlet pipe 130 to flow naturally without hitting or clogging, thereby increasing the chilled water production rate while maintaining a constant cooling rate.

[0208] Furthermore, the structure forms multiple (N) spiral heat exchange chambers H / A within the storage space S of the chilled water tank 100 through a spiral evaporator 200 and a spiral partition wall 300, thereby minimizing the overall size of the chilled water tank 100 while maximizing the chilled water efficiency relative to the chilled water tank capacity (the value obtained by dividing the amount of chilled water extracted by the tank capacity), and minimizing the design space of the water purifier.

[0209] Tables 1 and 2 compare the chilling efficiency of a conventional chilled water tank assembly and chilled water tank assembly 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 12 is a graph comparing the chilling efficiency of a conventional chilled water tank assembly and chilled water tank assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0210] Conventionally, for comparison, the chilled water tank assembly had a rectangular tank structure with an evaporator. Cooling time is the time it takes to extract purified water at a temperature of 10°C or lower, the minimum chilled water temperature is the lowest temperature of the extracted purified water, and the number of chilled water extracts is the number of chilled water extracts at a temperature of 10°C or lower, based on a standard extraction volume of 129 ml. Chilled water efficiency is the value obtained by dividing the amount of chilled water extracted by the tank capacity (tank water volume).

[0211] [Table 1]

[0212] [Table 2]

[0213] Referring to [Table 1], [Table 2], and Figure 12, it can be seen that the conventional chilled water tank assembly has a tank water volume of 1L, and the cooling time required to extract chilled water (low-temperature purified water) below 10°C by operating the evaporator is 58 minutes, at which time 5 cups of chilled water can be extracted. It can also be seen that the minimum temperature of the chilled water is 4.4°C. On the other hand, the chilled water tank assembly according to the present invention has a tank water volume of 0.545L, which is 45.5% less than the conventional one, and when the cooling time is 38 minutes (Invention 1), it can extract 5 cups of chilled water, the same number as the conventional one, and at this time the minimum temperature of the chilled water is 1.6°C. Furthermore, it can be seen that the chilled water tank assembly according to the present invention, when the cooling time is 43 minutes (Invention 2), can extract 6 cups of chilled water, one more than the conventional one, and at this time the minimum temperature of the chilled water is 1.5°C. This confirms that the chilling efficiency of a conventional chilled water tank assembly is 65.5%, the chilling efficiency of the chilled water tank assembly of Invention 1 is 118.3%, and the chilling efficiency of the chilled water tank assembly of Invention 2 is 142%.

[0214] Thus, it can be seen that the chilled water tank assembly 1 manufactured by the manufacturing method of the chilled water tank assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention has a tank capacity (tank water volume) that is 45.5% less than that of a conventional chilled water tank assembly, yet the tank chilling efficiency is clearly improved.

[0215] As a result, the chilled water tank assembly 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention can be made smaller in size than conventional models, thereby minimizing the design space required for the water purifier.

[0216] Furthermore, the chilled water tank assembly 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention has a minimum temperature of 1.5°C for low-temperature purified water, and can extract low-temperature purified water at a lower temperature than conventional methods more quickly, which goes without saying that can improve user satisfaction.

[0217] While embodiments of the present invention have been described, the concept of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments presented herein. Those skilled in the art who understand the concept of the present invention can easily propose other embodiments within the same concept by adding, changing, deleting, or adding components, and these too can be said to be within the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0218] 1: Chilled water tank assembly 100: Chilled water tank 110: Body section 111: Inner cylinder 112: Outer cylinder 113: Fixing bracket 120: Cap part 121: Plate body 122: 1st wall 123: 2nd wall 130: Inlet pipe 140: Outlet pipe 150: Air vent pipe 160: Temperature sensor 200: Evaporator 210: Spiral tube 220: Spiral tube 300: Partition wall part 310: Shaft body 320: Divider 321: Edge 400: Separation spacer S: Containment space S / A: Ceiling space V / A: Space H / A: Heat exchange room h1: Pitch of spiral tube h2: Pitch of partition

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a chilled water tank assembly in which purified water at room temperature passes through N heat exchange chambers having a spiral orbit and is extracted as low-temperature purified water, A preparation step for a cold water tank includes the steps of preparing a cylindrical body portion having an open inlet and a storage space inside, and preparing a cap portion to seal the open inlet of the body portion, Evaporator preparation step, which includes the steps of preparing an evaporator comprising a helical shaft tube having a predetermined length, and a helical shaft tube having an extension line that extends without bending so that the end portion has a directionality in a first or second direction, by bending one side of the helical shaft tube to form a first helix N times along the length with a set pitch around the helical shaft tube, and performing an electrolytic polishing step on the evaporator, A partition wall preparation step includes preparing a tubular shaft body having a predetermined length, and a partition wall having a plate shape that extends in a first and second direction around the shaft body, and forming a partition in a third direction while forming a second helix N times at a set pitch, and A first assembly step includes a positioning step of positioning the lower hole of the shaft body at the upper end of the helical shaft tube, and a rotational assembly step of rotating the evaporator or the partition wall so that the helical shaft tube passes through the shaft body and the helical tube passes between the partition and the partition adjacent to the partition in the second direction, thereby assembling the first assembly, A second assembly step includes a flange fastening step of heat-welding a flange to one side of the helical shaft tube and the helical tube, and a cap assembly step of assembling the cap portion to the first assembly such that the helical shaft tube and the helical tube penetrate the cap portion and are exposed to the outside, thereby assembling the second assembly, A method for manufacturing a chilled water tank assembly, comprising: a third assembly step of assembling a chilled water tank assembly, which includes an insertion step of inserting and positioning the second assembly into the housing space of the body portion so as to form N heat exchange chambers in the housing space of the body portion.

2. A sensor mounting step involves attaching a temperature sensor to the cap portion of the chilled water tank assembly, A method for manufacturing a chilled water tank assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a post-assembly step including a post-bending step in which one side of the spiral shaft tube and the extension line of the spiral tube, which are located outside the chilled water tank after passing through the cap portion, are bent.

3. In the rotary assembly step of the first assembly step, The extension line of the aforementioned spiral tube is, A method for manufacturing a chilled water tank assembly according to claim 1, wherein the assembly is assembled by sequentially passing between the partitions that form a second helix and partitions adjacent to the partition in the second direction.

4. In the first assembly step, The aforementioned spiral tube is A method for manufacturing a chilled water tank assembly according to claim 1, wherein the assembly is configured such that the first distance between the heat exchange chamber and a partition located at the bottom is equal to or smaller than the second distance between the heat exchange chamber and a partition located at the top.

5. The aforementioned cap portion is It includes a first hole into which a first flange fused to the helical shaft tube is tightly fitted, and a second hole into which a second flange fused to the helical tube is tightly fitted, In the second assembly step, A method for manufacturing a chilled water tank assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a screw fastening step of fastening screws to screw threads formed on the outer circumferential surfaces of a first flange exposed to the outside of the first hole and a second flange exposed to the outside of the second hole.

6. A cold water tank having a cylindrical shape with an inlet pipe and an outlet pipe through which purified water flows, a body portion that forms a storage space with an inlet that expands in a first direction and a second direction and has a set length in a third direction, and a cap portion that seals the inlet, An evaporator through which a refrigerant flows includes a helical shaft pipe arranged in a third direction within the aforementioned containment space, and a helical pipe extending in a third direction with one end of the helical shaft pipe forming a first helix N times at a set pitch around the helical shaft pipe, It includes a shaft body that encloses the aforementioned spiral shaft tube, and a partition wall portion having a plate shape that extends in a first and second direction from the shaft body and is provided with a partition that extends in a third direction while forming a second spiral N times at a set pitch, The partition is positioned so that its inner circumferential surface and edge are closely arranged within the storage space of the chilled water tank, and N heat exchange chambers are formed within the storage space by flow paths that communicate with the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe in a third direction. A chilled water tank assembly wherein the spiral tube is arranged to pass through the N heat exchange chambers in succession, forming the Nth first spiral, and then an extended line extending without bending, with its end having a directionality in a first or second direction, is exposed to the outside of the chilled water tank.

7. The aforementioned body portion is An inner cylinder housing the evaporator and the partition wall, The chilled water tank assembly according to claim 6, further comprising an outer cylinder that encloses the inner cylinder and forms a space.

8. The aforementioned body portion is The cross-section is circular, or The chilled water tank assembly according to claim 6, having a closed cross-sectional shape with a major axis in a first direction and a minor axis in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

9. The aforementioned extension line is, The chilled water tank assembly according to claim 6, wherein the partition is formed to be longer than the radius of the second helix and is exposed to the outside of the chilled water tank.

10. The chilled water tank assembly according to claim 6, wherein the pitch of the spiral tube and the pitch of the partition are formed to be the same.

11. The aforementioned cap portion is It includes a first hole into which a first flange fused to the helical shaft tube is tightly fitted, and a second hole into which a second flange fused to the helical tube is tightly fitted, The first flange and the second flange are The chilled water tank assembly according to claim 6, further comprising a sealing member along one side that is in contact with the cap portion.

12. The aforementioned partition is, The chilled water tank assembly according to claim 6, wherein part or all of it is made of a soft material and its edges are positioned to pressurize the inner circumferential surface of the housing space of the body portion.

13. The aforementioned cold water tank is The chilled water tank assembly according to claim 6, further comprising a plurality of support ribs, and further comprising a separation spacer positioned to be spaced apart from the lower bottom surface of the containment space, such that the end of the evaporator and one side of the upper part are in contact.

14. The aforementioned separation spacer is A ring-shaped first support base, A ring-shaped second support base encloses the first support base, The chilled water tank assembly according to claim 13, further comprising a plurality of support ribs in a plate shape that connect the first support base and the second support base and are arranged radially.

15. The aforementioned cap portion is A plate that is sized to cover the entrance of the body, A first wall protrudes downward in a third direction such that a part of the plate body contacts the inner circumferential surface on the upper side of the body portion, The chilled water tank assembly according to claim 6, further comprising a second wall projecting downward in a third direction such that another portion of the plate body is spaced apart from the first wall and in contact with the outer peripheral surface on the upper side of the body portion.

16. The aforementioned cap portion is The opening of the body portion is sealed from a third direction, and the first wall, the upper edge of the body portion, and the second wall form a sealing space between them. The chilled water tank assembly according to claim 15, wherein a packing member is provided in the sealing space.

17. The aforementioned plate body is The chilled water tank assembly according to claim 15, wherein a convex rounded surface is formed on the upper part in the third direction.

18. The cap portion further includes a temperature sensor that is bonded to one side so as to penetrate the plate body and be sealed, The chilled water tank assembly according to claim 15, wherein the temperature sensor has a length and is positioned downward from the upper part of the body portion in a third direction, passing through a set number of partitions.

19. The cap portion includes the water inlet pipe through which purified water at room temperature flows in on one side and which communicates with the first heat exchange chamber of the containment space, The chilled water tank assembly according to claim 6, wherein the body portion includes the outlet pipe at the bottom surface which communicates with the Nth heat exchange chamber of the storage space and from which low-temperature purified water is extracted.

20. The aforementioned spiral tube is The chilled water tank assembly according to claim 6, wherein the first distance between the heat exchange chamber and the partition located at the bottom is equal to or smaller than the second distance between the heat exchange chamber and the partition located at the top.

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