detention center

Abstract

To reduce temperature variations within the room and avoid various problems that can arise from such variations. [Solution] A cooling storage unit 1 for cooling articles P stored in an article storage compartment 20 inside the storage unit, comprising: a cooling unit 30 provided near the side wall 22 on one end of the storage unit body 10, which cools the air in the article storage compartment 20 by bringing it into contact with water; an air intake 28 provided on the side wall 22, which takes in air from the article storage compartment 20 and supplies it to the cooling unit 30; an upper chamber 60 to which the cold air cooled by the cooling unit 30 is sent; a partition member 70 separating the upper chamber 60 from the article storage compartment 20; and a plurality of ventilation holes 72 provided in the partition member 70.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a storage.

Background Art

[0002] When storing or transporting articles such as fruits and vegetables in a cooled state, a cooling container capable of cooling the articles stored in an article storage chamber is used (see, for example, Patent Document 1). As the cooling container, for example, a container body having a shape extending along the longitudinal direction, an opening / closing port and a container door provided at one end side in the longitudinal direction, a cooling device provided at the other end side, etc. have been widely used in the past.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, the conventional cooling container as described above may present the following problems because the temperature in the room is likely to be uneven. · The cooling device side is likely to freeze. Also, low-temperature damage may occur due to this. · Since the temperature near the ceiling is relatively high, spoilage may occur. Also, it is important to suppress the respiratory action as soon as possible after harvesting in order to keep the freshness of fruits and vegetables for a long time, but deterioration of freshness due to an increase in respiration may occur in the cooling container. · In the case of using an electric field, in addition to the peak value on the low-temperature side of the temperature fluctuation range inducing supercooling release, it is also induced by the up and down movement of the temperature.

[0005] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a storage facility that can suppress temperature variations inside the room and avoid various problems that may arise due to temperature variations. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] One aspect of the present invention is a cooling storage unit for cooling articles stored in an article storage compartment within the unit, A cooling unit is provided near the side wall at one end of the main body of the storage container, which cools the air inside the storage compartment by bringing it into contact with water. An air intake section is provided on the side wall, which takes in air from inside the article storage compartment and supplies it to the cooling unit, The upper chamber through which the cooled air from the cooling unit is sent, A partition member that separates the upper chamber and the article storage chamber, Multiple ventilation holes provided in the partition member, It is a storage facility equipped with [a certain feature].

[0007] Several problems with conventional cooling containers were thought to stem from the structure in which cold air is blown out from the opposite side of the container door (the side with the cooling device), and in some cases from below (closer to the floor). In other words, under such a structure, the blowing out of cold air, and consequently the temperature inside the container, inevitably becomes uneven, which can lead to various problems. Based on the knowledge gained by the inventors who have focused on these points and conducted various studies, the present invention makes it possible to avoid such problems. Specifically, in a storage container according to one aspect of the present invention, the cold air sent to the upper chamber is dispersed through multiple ventilation holes in a partition member located in the ceiling of the storage compartment and sent into the storage compartment, thereby suppressing temperature unevenness inside the container and avoiding various problems caused by temperature unevenness.

[0008] Furthermore, in conventional cooling containers that have a structure that sends out cold air from one end in the longitudinal direction (the side with the cooling device), in order to sufficiently cool the opposite side (the side with the container door), the flow rate and airflow of the cold air must be increased, which can be a contributing factor to further temperature unevenness. In this regard, in a storage container according to one aspect of the present invention, cold air can be sent into the article storage compartment while slowly descending through multiple ventilation holes in the partition member, making it possible to send cold air more uniformly into the article storage compartment while suppressing the flow rate and airflow of the cold air, and further suppressing temperature unevenness inside the room.

[0009] Furthermore, in conventional cooling containers, where temperature unevenness is prone to occur as described above, and the flow rate and airflow of cold air must be increased, a device (defroster) or operation (such as periodically raising the temperature several times) is required to remove frost that may form around the refrigeration unit. In this regard, in a storage container according to one aspect of the present invention, by suppressing temperature unevenness inside the room, or by allowing water vapor in the air to be absorbed into the water tank, it becomes possible to eliminate the need for a defroster or even reduce the frequency of defrosting. In this regard, the storage container according to one aspect of the present invention has a double ceiling structure, so to speak, in which the upper chamber through which cold air is supplied and the article storage room are separated by a partition member, which also contributes to eliminating the need for a defroster or reducing the frequency of defrosting. In other words, according to a storage container according to one aspect of the present invention, the fundamental cause of conditions that make freezing likely around the cooling unit is eliminated, thereby making it possible to avoid low-temperature damage.

[0010] In the above-described storage facility, the cooling unit may include a cold air circulation fan that circulates air drawn in from an air intake, a cooling water circulation pump that circulates cooling water, and a cooler that cools the air by bringing it into contact with water.

[0011] In the above-described storage facility, the ventilation holes may be evenly distributed among the partition members.

[0012] In the storage as described above, the ventilation holes may be arranged in a staggered pattern.

[0013] In the storage as described above, the ventilation holes may be arranged such that the spacing gradually widens or narrows along one direction of the storage body.

[0014] In the storage as described above, the pore diameters of all the ventilation holes may be equal.

[0015] In the storage as described above, the ventilation holes may be composed of a plurality of holes arranged such that the pore diameter widens or narrows along one direction of the storage body.

[0016] In the storage as described above, the height of the upper chamber may be 100 [mm] to 500 [mm].

[0017] In the storage as described above, the aperture ratio of the ventilation holes in the partition member may be at most 5%.

[0018] In the storage as described above, the flow velocity of the cold air in the upper chamber may be 1 [m / sec] or less, and the flow rate may be 0.9 [m3 / sec] to 1.67 [m3 / sec].

[0019] In the storage as described above, the temperature difference ΔT between the high and low temperatures of the air inside the storage may be 0.5 [°C] or less.

[0020] In the storage as described above, a catalyst for absorbing ethylene gas in the air may be provided.

[0021] The storage as described above may be provided with an ethylene gas discharge device for discharging ethylene gas in the air to the outside of the storage.

[0022] In the storage as described above, the catalyst may be coated or impregnated on the air intake part or a catalyst plate material arranged in the air intake part.

[0023] The storage container as described above may have a storage tank for temporarily storing cooling water and a partition wall for partitioning the storage tank into a plurality of cells.

[0024] In the storage container as described above, the partition wall may be formed in a shape or size such that the water in the cell does not overflow from the cell until the inclination angle of the storage tank reaches 40[°].

[0025] The storage container as described above may be provided in the upper chamber and have a plenum plate that acts as a baffle for the cold air flowing in the upper chamber.

[0026] In the storage container as described above, a plurality of plenum plates configured to gradually decrease as they move away from the cooling unit may be provided in the upper chamber.

[0027] The storage container as described above may be a substantially rectangular parallelepiped-shaped cooling container extending along the longitudinal direction of the storage container body.

Advantages of the Invention

[0028] According to the present invention, it becomes possible to suppress unevenness in the room temperature and avoid various problems that may occur due to the temperature unevenness.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0029] [Figure 1] It is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a cooling container which is an example of the storage container. [Figure 2] It is a side view explaining the outline of the cooling container and the flow of cold air. [Figure 3A] It is a diagram explaining the outline of the upper chamber of the cooling container and the flow of cold air. [Figure 3B] It is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the upper chamber and its periphery in a cooling container in which a plurality of plenum plates are provided in the upper chamber. [Figure 4] It is a side view showing the schematic configuration of the cooling container. [Figure 5] This is a plan view showing the general configuration of the cooling container. [Figure 6] (A) A schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of a storage tank for a cooling container, and (B) A schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of a conventional storage tank. [Figure 7] This is a plan view of the cooling container, schematically showing the placement of the thermometer in the example (comparative experiment). [Figure 8] This is a side view of the cooling container, schematically showing the placement of the thermometer in the example (comparative experiment). [Figure 9] This graph shows the temperature changes in Case 1 of the Example (Comparative Experiment). [Figure 10] This graph shows the temperature changes in Case 1 of the Example (Comparative Experiment). [Figure 11] This graph shows the temperature changes in Case 2 of the Example (Comparative Experiment). [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0030] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings (see Figure 1, etc.).

[0031] [Overview of Cooling Containers] The cooling container (storage) 1 according to the present invention is designed to solve several problems in conventional cooling containers, stemming from the observation that these problems are caused by the structure in which cold air is sent from the opposite side of the container door (the side with the cooling device), and in some cases from below (closer to the floor). Its most notable feature is a structure in which the cold air sent to the upper chamber 60 is dispersed through multiple ventilation holes 72 in a partition plate (partition member) 70 located on the ceiling of the article storage compartment 20 and sent into the article storage compartment 20 (see Figure 2). This suppresses temperature unevenness inside the room and makes it possible to avoid various problems caused by temperature unevenness. Furthermore, the article storage compartment 20 is cooled by a cooling principle that cools the air inside the container by bringing it into direct contact with water. By cooling according to this principle, the following features are realized, for example. (1) A low temperature (around 0°C) and high humidity (95% or more) atmosphere can be obtained inside the chamber. (2) It has a high air purification effect. (3) Non-defrost (no defrosting required). (4) Achieves stable temperature control. For example, it is possible to control the temperature by ±0.15℃ from the set temperature. (5) Independent control of temperature and humidity is achieved. For example, the set temperature range is -2°C to 25°C. (6) As a ceiling-discharge and floor-suction type, it achieves high volume of air circulation at a low flow rate. (6.1) It is possible to load cargo up to the ceiling (volume utilization rate of 80% or more). (6.2) There is no strong draft, so it is less likely to damage the product. (6.3) Because a large amount of air can be circulated, there is little temperature unevenness. Specifically, the temperature difference ΔT of the air inside the chamber is below a predetermined value, preferably 0.5℃ or less. Specific configuration examples for achieving these features are described below.

[0032] [Example configuration of a cooling container] The cooling container 1 is an example of a cooling storage container that cools articles P stored in an article storage compartment 20 inside the container. It is designed to maintain the freshness of fresh produce such as vegetables and fruits as much as possible, or to transport the entire cooling container 1 in a state that facilitates freshness preservation, whether by land or sea. The cooling container 1 of this embodiment has a rectangular parallelepiped shape that is long in one direction (longitudinal direction 10X) (see Figure 5), and is equipped with an article storage compartment 20, a cooling unit 30, an upper chamber 60, a partition plate (partition member) 70, etc. (see Figure 1, etc.).

[0033] The goods storage compartment 20 is formed inside the container body (storage body) 10 as a space for storing goods P such as fresh produce (see Figure 1). An opening / closing door 12 is provided on one side of the goods storage compartment 20 in the longitudinal direction 10X (the side with the opening 11 on the front side) (see Figure 5), and a cooling unit 30 is provided on the back side of the side wall 22 on the opposite, rear side (see Figure 1). The side wall 22 is provided with an air intake section 28 for taking in air from inside the goods storage compartment 20 and supplying it to the cooling unit 30. This air intake section 28 is located on the side wall 22 close to the floor surface 21 of the goods storage compartment 20 (see Figure 1). The floor surface 21 is made of, for example, a floor flat T-rail. In addition to such a floor flat T-rail, the floor surface 21 may also be a block floor type, such as a KU board type.

[0034] The cooling unit 30 is a unit for cooling the air inside the storage area while adjusting the temperature and humidity. In this embodiment, the cooling unit 30 in the cooling container 1 includes a cold air circulation fan 32, a cooling water circulation pump 38, a cooler 40, a chiller unit 42, a control device 44, a communication device 46, etc. (see Figure 1). The cold air circulation fan 32 is located in or near the air intake section 28 and functions as a fan to take in air from the article storage compartment 20 and send it to the cooling unit 30. The cooling water circulation pump 38 is a pump that sends cooling water (brine) from the chiller unit 42 to the cooler 40 and circulates it. The cooler 40 is a direct contact type cooling device that cools the air by contacting it with water and blows the low-temperature, high-humidity air towards the upper chamber 60 from the outlet 48. The chiller unit 42 is a device that cools water and supplies cooling water as a medium that has cold and hot properties to cool the air. The control device 44 controls the operation of the cold air circulation fan 32, the cooling water circulation pump 38, the cooler 40, etc., and enables independent control of temperature and humidity. It consists of a CPU, sensors, an imaging device, etc. Although not specifically shown in the diagram, the sensors consist of, for example, five temperature sensors, one humidity sensor, a human presence sensor, and a GPS sensor. The imaging device consists of a fixed-point camera that takes still images or videos inside the item storage room 20. The communication device 46 is a device for communicating with the outside world through the control device 44. It transmits information about the storage state, temperature, humidity, etc., of items P, such as fresh produce, stored in the item storage room 20, using, for example, GSM, and also receives signals transmitted from the outside.

[0035] The upper chamber 60 is provided in the ceiling of the container body (storage body) 10 as a space through which cold air cooled by the cooling unit 30 is sent from the outlet 48. The upper chamber 60 and the article storage room 20 are separated by a partition plate (partition member) 70 (see Figure 1). In the cooling container 1 of this embodiment, a cooling system is constructed that sends cold air from above the stored articles P from the upper chamber 60, which is provided as a ceiling duct, to the article storage room 20 below. The partition plate 70 is provided with a plurality of ventilation holes 72 for passing cold air through (see Figure 1, etc.).

[0036] [Example of specifications for a cooling container] The specific specifications of the cooling container 1 with the configuration described above are not particularly limited, but the specifications of the cooling container 1 in this embodiment are listed below as an example (see Figures 4 and 5). • Internal temperature conditions -2℃ to +25℃ • Interior humidity conditions 75%~95% • External dimensions Dimensions in the long direction (10X) are approximately 12m, width approximately 2.4m, and height approximately 2.8m. • Internal dimensions (dimensions of item storage compartment 20) Dimensions in the long direction (10X) are approximately 11m, width approximately 2.3m, and height approximately 2.5m. • Loadable dimensions (the dimensions of the space in which goods can be stored) Dimensions in the long direction (10X) are approximately 11m, width approximately 2.2m, and height approximately 2.2m. • Load capacity Approximately 50 m³

[0037] [Specific examples and characteristics of upper chambers, partition plates, and ventilation holes] In order to achieve the features described above, in this embodiment, various problems, challenges, and required functions of the cooling container (storage area) were examined, and based on the insights gained from the results, the configuration of the upper chamber 60, partition plate 70, ventilation holes 72, etc. is as follows.

[0038] In other words, generally, if a ceiling duct is installed in the ceiling of a storage compartment to create a double ceiling, a contradictory problem arises: the volume of goods P that can be stored (cargo loading capacity) is limited accordingly. There are two approaches (methodologies) to address this problem from the so-called pressure type and velocity type. Of these, the former uses pressure as a parameter and focuses on applying pressure evenly to eject cold air uniformly, while the latter uses velocity as a parameter and focuses on ejecting cold air uniformly. However, in either case, if the ceiling duct is raised and the airflow velocity (wind speed) is increased, the pressure will not be uniform, and the air inside the goods storage compartment 20 may be sucked in from the vent on the front side (closer to the cold air outlet 48), so the cold air flow velocity must be kept to a certain extent. From this perspective, one possible way to prevent air from being drawn into the item storage compartment 20 is to reduce the diameter of the ventilation holes on the front side (closer to the cold air outlet 48). Another option is to reduce the airflow velocity (flow rate). However, since reducing the airflow also tends to reduce humidity (generally, humidity decreases as the amount of heat inside and outside increases), it is difficult to reduce the airflow velocity while maintaining high humidity.

[0039] Considering this, it becomes clear that reducing the height of the ceiling duct (and thereby increasing its capacity) and reducing the flow velocity are precisely conflicting elements. Specifically, raising the height of the partition plate 70 by just a few millimeters reduces the height of the ceiling duct (upper chamber 60) by the same amount, relatively increasing the flow velocity of the cold air inside the ceiling duct. Taking these phenomena and the results of the investigation into this matter, in order to reduce the flow velocity of the cold air and ensure that the cold air is uniformly blown from the upper chamber 60 to the item storage room 20, there are two approaches (methodologies) from which the so-called pressure type and velocity type were described above. In addition, one approach that can be considered is to use a certain flow velocity as a base and then gradually reduce the value from there to find the optimal value. As mentioned above, reducing the height of the ceiling duct and reducing the flow velocity are conflicting factors. Therefore, linking these two factors and using "flow velocity of 1 m / sec" and "duct height of 500 mm" as a base, and then finding suitable values ​​by lowering the flow velocity or raising the ceiling (reducing the duct height), could be considered a rational and innovative approach based on the considerations discussed so far.

[0040] Now, the reason for using "flow velocity of 1 m / sec" as the basic value is as follows. First of all, determining the flow velocity is inherently difficult. That is, even if the humidity of the cold air near the outlet 48 is close to 100%, after that, it will be affected by heat (outside temperature, heat of item P, etc.) and there will be a cooling load, causing the humidity to gradually decrease. In this respect, it is possible to increase the humidity by increasing the flow velocity (flow rate), but if the cooling load is high, the humidity will decrease more easily. Therefore, even if the flow velocity (flow rate) is reduced, it is preferable to maintain a humidity level of, for example, around 95% to 99%. Considering these points, as well as the insulation properties of so-called 20-40 foot containers, the heat content of cargo such as flowers and produce, and the results of field tests and simulations conducted under various conditions, including the summer to winter outside air temperature ranges experienced when the container is loaded onto a ship and sailed to various countries, a flow velocity of "1 m / sec" can be derived as an example of a basic value for flow velocity. An example of simulation results is the data (numerical value) obtained as shown below, which is also taken into consideration as one of the conditions. • When the flow velocity is 0.9 m / sec, the humidity is 93%. • When the flow velocity is 1.0 m / sec, the humidity is 99%. • When the flow velocity is 1.1 m / sec, the humidity is 94%.

[0041] Now, after further investigation using "flow velocity of 1 m / sec" as the basic value, it was found that when the height (duct height) of the upper chamber 60 is 500 [mm] and the length in the longitudinal direction 10X is 11 [m], 90% of the cold air blown out from the outlet 48 passes through the vent holes 72 and is ejected into the article storage chamber 20 in the first 1 m, and then about 1 / 5 of the remaining air is ejected into the article storage chamber 20 in the next 1 m, indicating that the flow velocity can slow down relatively suddenly. Taking these aspects into consideration, suitable specific examples of the partition plate 70 and vent holes 72 are as follows.

[0042] The partition plate 70 is made of, for example, an aluminum plate. It is preferable to provide ventilation holes 72 such that the opening rate (occupied area rate) of the partition plate 70 is 2% or more per 1 m2, preferably 3% or more, more preferably 4% or more, so that the flow velocity of the cold air can be appropriately reduced. On the other hand, based on previous studies and knowledge, the opening rate of the ventilation holes 72 shown in the partition plate 70 should be a maximum of about 5%. By utilizing the installation position of such a partition plate 70 (distance from the ceiling of the cooling container 1) and the difference in air pressure between the upper side (upper chamber 60 side) and the lower side (article storage room 20 side) of the partition plate 70, it is possible to make the cold air flow appropriately from top to bottom. According to the simulation, when cold air is allowed to flow through the ventilation holes 72 at a flow rate of approximately 1.6 m / sec, the calculation results show that the air inside the item storage compartment 20 is replaced approximately 40 to 60 times per hour.

[0043] The arrangement and size of the ventilation holes 72 in the partition plate 70 are not particularly limited as long as they can realize the above-described features. For example, multiple ventilation holes 72 may be arranged uniformly, or they may be arranged in a staggered pattern. Alternatively, multiple ventilation holes 72 may be arranged so that the spacing between them gradually widens or narrows along the longitudinal direction 10X of the container body 10. Furthermore, focusing on the size of the ventilation holes 72, the diameters of all multiple ventilation holes 72 may be the same, or conversely, the diameters of the multiple ventilation holes 72 may be arranged so that they widen or narrow continuously or in stages along the longitudinal direction 10X of the container body 10. The arrangement of multiple ventilation holes 72 so that the diameter widens as they move away from the outlet 48 is consistent with the above-described velocity-type approach. Alternatively, the opposite approach could be taken: the diameter of the ventilation holes 72 could be increased in the area of ​​the upper chamber 60 closest to the outlet 48, allowing some of the cold air to be blown into the article storage compartment 20 through these ventilation holes 72, thereby slowing down the flow velocity of the cold air in the area of ​​the upper chamber 60 beyond that point. Alternatively, the flow velocity of the cold air could be sufficiently slowed down, and then the diameter of the ventilation holes 72 could be reduced in a predetermined area (for example, from the front of the cooling unit 30 side to about 3 / 4 of the way through), while the diameter of the ventilation holes 72 in the area closest to the opening / closing door 12 could be increased, allowing the cold air to be effectively blown into the article storage compartment 20 through the ventilation holes 72 on the opening / closing door 12 side, which tend to warm up more easily.

[0044] As illustrated above, the cooling container 1 of this embodiment, which consists of an upper chamber 60, a partition plate 70, and its ventilation holes 72, allows for the suppression of the flow velocity of cold air while enabling the cold air to be ejected into the article storage chamber 20 from multiple ventilation holes 72 in a more uniform manner than before. At this time, the cold air ejected from the ventilation holes 72 collapses before hitting the stored article P, and integrates with the cold air ejected from adjacent ventilation holes 72, forming a layer of cold air that descends at a predetermined flow velocity (for example, about 50 cm / sec), flows along the longitudinal direction 10X on the floor surface 21, and is drawn in from the air intake section 28, thus circulating inside the cooling container 1 (see Figure 1). In this way, the cooling container 1 of this embodiment ejects cold air into the article storage chamber 20 in a uniform manner and circulates the air at an appropriate flow velocity, resulting in a small high-low temperature difference ΔT of the air inside the container (below a predetermined value, preferably about 0.5°C or less). The ability to maintain high humidity while minimizing temperature variations is desirable from the perspective of preserving the freshness of fruits and vegetables.

[0045] Now, in light of the considerations and knowledge so far, the height (duct height) of the upper chamber 60 partitioned by the partition plate 70 is preferably in the range of 100 [mm] to 500 [mm], more preferably 100 [mm] to 400 [mm], and more preferably 100 [mm] to 300 [mm] (see Figure 4). Also, when the flow velocity of the cold air in the upper chamber 60 is about 1 [m / sec] or less, the flow rate of the cold air will be about 0.9 [m3 / sec] to 1.67 [m3 / sec]. The flow rate of the cold air is preferably within a predetermined range, for example, 0.5 [m3 / sec] to 2.0 [m3 / sec], preferably 0.8 [m3 / sec] to 1.8 [m3 / sec].

[0046] Up to this point, the explanation has been given using illustrations of a partition plate 70 that is a single plate (however, it is composed of multiple plate-like members combined together) (see Figure 2, etc.), but this is only one example of a preferred configuration of the partition plate 70. Although not specifically illustrated, for example, the installation height of the partition plate 70 may be changed to widen the space of the ceiling duct on the opposite side of the air outlet 48 (the side closer to the opening / closing door 12) (increasing the height of the upper chamber 60). Changing the installation height of the partition plate 70 in this way includes combining partition plates 70 that are inclined from a certain point, or arranging multiple partition plates 70 in a stepped manner so that they gradually get lower as they move away from the air outlet 48.

[0047] As explained above, in the cooling container 1 of this embodiment, the height of the ceiling duct (upper chamber 60) is kept relatively shallow, and in order to maintain or increase the amount of goods P loaded in the goods storage compartment 20, cold air is evenly distributed from the upper side of the goods storage compartment 20 through the upper chamber 60, so that the inside of the goods storage compartment 20 can be cooled evenly. In this case, the upper chamber 60 functions as an air distribution chamber, and is configured to make the pressure inside the upper chamber 60 as uniform as possible while also making the amount of air blown out from the vent holes 72 uniform.

[0048] [plenum board (obstacle board)] As explained above, reducing the height of the upper chamber (ceiling duct) 60 and reducing the flow velocity of the cold air inside the upper chamber 60 are conflicting factors, so how to achieve both is one of the key points. In this case, one method to further reduce the height of the upper chamber (ceiling duct) 60 is to use a plenum plate 74. The plenum plate 74 is installed inside the upper chamber 60 and acts as a baffle for a portion of the cold air inside the upper chamber 60, allowing the air to circulate and helping to make the pressure inside the chamber more uniform. In other words, if the height of the ceiling duct is reduced and made thinner as in this embodiment, it will be difficult to make the pressure uniform, but in such cases, adopting a plenum plate 74 is preferable in terms of pressure equalization. Generally, a fluid (cold air in this embodiment) flowing along a certain surface (in this embodiment, the ceiling surface of the upper chamber (ceiling duct) 60) has the phenomenon of being attracted to that surface as it flows (Coanda effect). The plenum plate 74 acts to "peel off" the fluid (cold air) that flows clinging to the ceiling surface due to this phenomenon, thereby distributing the cold air evenly and equalizing the pressure inside the upper chamber 60, and thus causing the cold air to be uniformly blown out from the multiple vents 72 of the partition plate 70. The specific installation method of such plenum plates 74 is not particularly limited, and for example, two plenum plates 74, each about 1 / 3 to half the height of the chamber, can be used, with one placed behind the outlet 48 and the other placed upright on the partition plate 70 with a certain distance (for example, about 1000 to 1500 mm) between them (see Figure 3A). Furthermore, in order to make the pressure inside the upper chamber 60 more uniform and cause the cold air to be blown out more uniformly from the vents 72, it is also preferable to have multiple plenum plates 74 that gradually decrease in height (see Figure 3B).In other words, by arranging multiple plenum plates 74 such that their height (indicated by the symbol h in Figure 3B) gradually decreases as they move from the outlet 48 side along the longitudinal direction 10X toward the side with the opening / closing door 12 (or, in other words, gradually decreases as they move away from the cooling unit 30), it is possible to make the pressure more uniform in response to the chamber pressure which may change (decrease) along the longitudinal direction 10X. In this case, the spacing between the plenum plates 74 in the longitudinal direction 10X is not particularly limited and can be a constant spacing or an irregular spacing. Furthermore, the manner in which the height of the plenum plates 74 changes (decrease) is not particularly limited and can be a mode in which they decrease by a constant difference, a mode in which they decrease by a constant rate, or a mode in which the height of each plenum plate 74 is set according to the spacing between the plenum plates 74.

[0049] [Control of DC motors] In the cooling container 1 having the above-described features, when driving the DC motor (not shown) provided in the cooling unit 30, it is preferable to drive it at a rotational speed within a suitable range (for example, in the range of 3000 to 3600 revolutions per minute, or in the case of a 48V DC motor, in the range of 3000 to 8600 revolutions per minute, etc.). The DC motor is used in, for example, a cold air circulation fan 32, a cooling water circulation pump 38, a direct contact type cooler 40, etc.

[0050] [Ethylene gas / Carbon dioxide (CO2)] It is even better if the cooling container 1, having the above-described characteristics, is also equipped with a mechanism for decomposing, absorbing, or discharging ethylene gas from the air. When fresh produce is stored as the goods P, decomposing the ethylene produced by the respiration of the fresh produce will allow the freshness to be maintained for a longer period. Such a mechanism can be constructed or built, for example, by the following examples using conventional methods. A catalyst is applied to or impregnated onto a catalyst plate installed at the intake of the ventilation fan in the cooling container 1 (for example, the air intake section 28 where the cold air circulation fan 32 is located and its surroundings), thereby absorbing ethylene gas from the circulating air and decomposing it into water and CO2. The catalyst can be one that adsorbs onto porous materials such as zeolite or activated carbon. Alternatively, the strong oxidizing power of potassium permanganate (KMnO4) can be used to oxidize ethylene. The storage facility (article storage room 20) is equipped with an ethylene gas discharge device that discharges ethylene gas from the air to the outside. This can be constructed, for example, by using porous stone or by using ethylene gas adsorption and decomposition materials (such as ethylene gas adsorption and decomposition materials made by mixing natural zeolite with a small amount of potassium permanganate). Alternatively, it may be configured to decompose or remove ethylene by incorporating an ethylene gas decomposition filter, as has been used in the past.

[0051] In the cooling container 1 of this embodiment, a mechanism can be constructed to reduce the concentration of ethylene gas / CO2 by utilizing the cooling water (brine) flowing through the cooling unit 30. Generally, the amount of CO2 dissolved in water increases as the water temperature decreases, and therefore, as the water temperature rises, some of the dissolved CO2 is released from the water. As described above, the cooler 40 in the cooling container 1 of this embodiment is a direct contact type cooling device that cools the air by bringing the air inside the container into contact with water (brine), so CO2 dissolves in the water during such direct contact. In the subsequent stage, this water is heated to release some of the CO2 from the water, thereby reducing the concentration of CO2 inside the container. The heat discharged from the cooler 40 or chiller unit 42 can be used to heat the water, thereby increasing energy efficiency.

[0052] [Mechanism for maintaining a constant refrigerant concentration] Brine (antifreeze) containing salts is commonly used as a coolant (refrigerant). However, if the concentration of the coolant becomes too low, the freezing point will rise, making it prone to freezing. Therefore, it is necessary to maintain a constant concentration by moderately evaporating the water. In the cooling container 1 of this embodiment, the concentration of the coolant can be adjusted using a concentrator 50 provided, for example, near the cooler 40 in the cooling unit 30 (see Figure 1).

[0053] [Shipping containers] The cooling container 1 described above can also be used when transporting goods to various countries by being loaded onto a ship. However, considering that ships may experience rolling (side-to-side motion) and pitching (up and down motion) when encountering rough weather, it is preferable that the container be able to withstand the motion during sea transport. One example of a preferred configuration in this regard is that when the cooling container 1 has a storage tank 34 for temporarily storing cooling water (indicated by the symbol W in Figure 6), a bulkhead 36 is provided to divide the storage tank 34 into multiple cells 34s (see Figure 6). During sea transport, a maximum tilt of 40° is expected. Based on this assumption, the bulkhead 36 should be shaped or sized so that the water in the cells 34s does not overflow from the cells 34s until the tilt angle of the storage tank 34 reaches 40°. Assuming the same amount of water is stored in storage tanks 34 of the same shape and size, let's consider the case where the interior is partitioned into multiple (for example, three) cells 34s by a bulkhead 36 (Figure 6(A)) and the case where the interior is not partitioned (Figure 6(B)), and both are tilted by 40°. It can be seen that the maximum water level when the interior is partitioned into multiple cells 34s by a bulkhead 36 (Figure 6(A)) (for example, 1250mm) is lower than the maximum water level when the interior is not partitioned (Figure 6(B)) (for example, 1340mm). This is because, in the latter case, even if there is movement of water between cells 34s, at least some of the water remains in each cell 34s (especially the cells 34s located on the upper side when tilted), and in this way, even if the ship experiences rolling or pitching, it is possible to create a structure that makes it easier to prevent cooling water from overflowing from the storage tank 34. It should be noted that the angle explained here (40°) is merely one example derived from a single assumption (simulation) for maritime transport, and by changing the assumption conditions, it can be replaced with other values ​​(for example, a maximum of 42.5°, or even a maximum of 45°, etc.).

[0054] The unique functions or effects (advantages) that the cooling container (storage) 1 of this embodiment, as described above, can provide will be explained below in comparison with the various problems remaining in conventional technology, once again identified.

[0055] <Challenges and their solutions or advantages (i)> The factors that hinder the preservation of fresh produce (the causes of deterioration) are drying and ethylene and CO2 produced by respiration. Ethylene is released through respiration, and this ethylene ripens the produce, thus hindering its freshness. In this respect, existing containers can be said to have made efforts to maintain freshness by taking the following measures, but they still have the following challenges. Specifically, some existing CA containers (Controlled Atmosphere Containers) employ methods to suppress respiration by controlling the air composition with nitrogen, etc., and / or by suppressing respiration by lowering the oxygen concentration in the air, thereby maintaining freshness (for example, filling the container with nitrogen and lowering the oxygen concentration to about 5% to suppress respiration and maintain freshness). However, even if respiration is suppressed, transpiration from the surface of produce such as food and flowers is unavoidable, and when this occurs, it wilts and deteriorates in freshness. In addition, not taking measures to prevent drying (or taking measures that are insufficient) also leads to deterioration of freshness.

[0056] According to the cooling container 1 of this embodiment, it is possible to optimally maintain a high humidity state inside the container to prevent drying and thus solve the aforementioned problem (i).

[0057] <Challenges and their solutions or advantages (ii)> All existing types of refrigerated containers employ measures to suppress respiration and maintain freshness by lowering the internal temperature. However, they fail to eliminate temperature variations, and therefore, they cannot completely prevent deterioration of freshness.

[0058] According to the cooling container 1 of this embodiment, as described above, it is possible to eliminate temperature unevenness inside the container and thus solve the above problem (ii).

[0059] <Challenges and their solutions or advantages (iii)> As stated in (ii) above, the fact that temperature variations can occur inside any type of existing refrigerated container could lead to problems such as "inducing chilling injury (even if the set temperature inside the container is appropriate for fresh produce, the actual temperature inside the container will fluctuate above or below the appropriate temperature due to temperature variations)" and "making it difficult to mix items that require different temperatures for freshness preservation (for example, asparagus requires 0°C and bell peppers require 13°C), reducing the amount that can be loaded onto refrigerated trucks and refrigerated containers, increasing transportation costs, requiring more refrigerated trucks and refrigerated containers, exacerbating the shortage of truck drivers, and ultimately leading to an increase in greenhouse gas emissions."

[0060] In this regard, the cooling container 1 of this embodiment makes it possible to achieve the following. First, in the high-humidity environment of a storage facility with no temperature unevenness, the wet-bulb temperature when water evaporates becomes close to the normal temperature, which raises the perceived temperature for people and fruits and vegetables. This makes it possible to further lower the appropriate temperature for maintaining freshness. In this way, the range of appropriate temperatures in which freshness can be maintained is widened, making it possible to create an environment in which different types of fruits and vegetables can be mixed together at the same temperature range. For example, if asparagus and bell peppers are to be mixed at 0°C, the storage facility that eliminates temperature unevenness will help solve the above-mentioned problems, namely, "induction of the occurrence of chilling injury" and the resulting problem of "difficulty in mixing items with different appropriate temperatures for maintaining freshness, a decrease in the amount that can be loaded onto refrigerated trucks and cooling containers, higher transportation costs, the need to prepare more refrigerated trucks and cooling containers, which exacerbates the shortage of truck drivers, and as a result causes an increase in greenhouse gas emissions," and thus make it possible to solve the above problem (iii). In fact, experiments using a cooling container (high-humidity storage) 1 like the one in this embodiment have demonstrated that it can maintain the freshness of asparagus and bell peppers for one month under conditions of 0°C and 95% humidity inside the container.

[0061] <Challenges and their solutions or advantages (iv)> One way to address the increase in ethylene and CO2 inside all types of existing refrigerated containers is to remove them through ventilation. However, ventilation makes it difficult to maintain a high-humidity environment, which can easily lead to spoilage. Furthermore, an increase in CO2 can cause potatoes and other produce to blacken, which is another important factor. As a guideline, it is known that spoilage occurs when the CO2 concentration inside the container reaches a certain level (for example, around 2000 ppm). Also, the specific gravity of carbon dioxide (CO2) is approximately 1.529 compared to air (a mixture of N2 and O2), meaning CO2 is heavier than air. In this regard, conventional ethylene removal technologies (for example, the technology described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 6907421) focus on the fact that ethylene, being lighter than air, rises to the top of the container, and create a ventilation system at the top of the container. However, on the other hand, this makes CO2 removal difficult.

[0062] In this regard, the cooling container 1 of this embodiment maintains freshness while keeping in mind the difficulty of removing CO2, by "maintaining high humidity" and "decomposing and discharging ethylene and CO2" without ventilation, thereby solving the aforementioned problem (iv).

[0063] <Challenges and their solutions or advantages (v)> In conventional high-humidity shipping containers, if one attempts to create a double ceiling structure (a structure where the upper chamber to which cold air is supplied and the cargo storage compartment are separated by a partition), it inevitably leads to limitations on the height of cargo that can be loaded into the storage compartment, resulting in higher transportation costs. On the other hand, raising the ceiling creates another problem: it becomes difficult to maintain a high-humidity environment.

[0064] In this regard, according to the cooling container 1 of this embodiment, keeping in mind that reducing the height of the ceiling duct (and thereby increasing the capacity) and reducing the flow velocity are precisely conflicting elements, and because reducing the height of the ceiling duct (upper chamber 60) and reducing the flow velocity are conflicting elements, these are linked together, and a rational and innovative approach is taken to achieve high humidity while reducing the height of the ceiling duct (upper chamber 60), thereby solving the loading quantity problem (the problem of increased logistics costs) and the aforementioned problem (v).

[0065] <Challenges and their solutions or advantages (vi)> In conventional high-humidity shipping containers, water leaks from the tanks that create the high-humidity environment when the container ship tilts, which can hinder the creation of a stable high-humidity environment.

[0066] In this regard, according to the cooling container 1 of this embodiment, as described above, by providing a structure in which the storage tank 34 is divided into a plurality of cells 34s by partition walls 36 (see Figure 6), even if the ship experiences rolling (side-to-side motion) or pitching (up and down motion), it is possible to prevent the cooling water from overflowing from the storage tank 34 and thus solve the aforementioned problem (vi).

[0067] <Challenges and their solutions or advantages (vii)> Conventional high-humidity storage facilities (such as shipping containers) have a problem in that it is difficult to maintain a constant refrigerant concentration, which can lead to freezing and thus make it difficult to create a stable high-humidity environment. In addition, raising the ceiling of the storage room to increase the amount of goods that can be loaded, such as fruits and vegetables, makes it difficult to maintain a high-humidity environment.

[0068] In this regard, the cooling container 1 of this embodiment can solve this problem by having a mechanism to maintain a constant refrigerant concentration as described above, and it is also possible to increase the stacking capacity by keeping the height of the ceiling duct low while maintaining a high humidity environment as described above.

[0069] <Challenges and their solutions or advantages (viii)> Conventional cooling containers that attempted to achieve a high-humidity environment inside the storage area using mist (liquid water) had the following problems: • Cardboard boxes used to pack produce and other goods in the warehouse become damp and lose their strength, causing them to collapse when stacked, leading to damage to the cargo and compromising safety. • Mold grows and spreads. • Maintaining a consistently high-humidity environment requires a large amount of water, which increases the weight of shipping containers and limits the number that can be loaded. • Defrosting occurs, resulting in uneven temperature distribution.

[0070] In this regard, the cooling container 1 of this embodiment uses water vapor (gas) instead of mist (liquid) to create a high-humidity environment inside the container, which makes it possible to eliminate the need for a defroster or reduce the frequency of defrosting, thereby solving the aforementioned problem (viii).

[0071] The embodiments described above are merely examples of preferred implementations of the present invention, and are not limited thereto. Various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, the embodiments described above describe a cooling container 1 intended for ship mounting, in which the storage compartment is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape extending along the longitudinal direction of the storage compartment body. However, this is merely a preferred example, and the present invention can also be applied to storage compartments other than cooling containers intended for ship mounting, such as storage compartments for land transport mounted on trucks. [Examples]

[0072] An experiment was conducted to compare and contrast the following two cases (Case 1 and Case 2). Case 1: Cooling (Electric Field) Container Case 2: Cooling (electric field) container that sends cool air from the ceiling.

[0073] The conditions for the experiment were as follows: <Set temperature> Both are -4.5℃ <Period> Case 1) Approximately 300 hours (To match Case 2 below, we decided to compare results from 47 hours out of the 300 hours.) Case 2) Approximately 47 hours <Outside temperature> Both locations have an average temperature of 10.75℃ in November. <Thermometer installation location (measurement point)> The coolers were installed in 12 locations: (a) above the door, (b) in the middle of the door, (c) below the door, (d) upper middle, (e) middle middle, (f) lower middle, (g) upper cold, (h) middle cold, (i) lower cold, (j) lower wet, (k) middle wet, and (l) lower wet. "Door" refers to a location near the opening / closing door 12 inside the item storage compartment 20, the first character "Middle" refers to a location approximately in the middle of the longitudinal direction 10X inside the item storage compartment 20, and "Cool" refers to a location near the cooling unit 30 inside the item storage compartment 20. The second characters "Upper," "Middle," and "Lower" refer to the height (upper, middle, and lower parts) inside the item storage compartment 20, respectively (see Figures 7 and 8).

[0074] The results of the experiment were as follows: <Temperature transition results> In Case 1), the results were as shown in Figures 9 and 10. In Case 2), the situation was as shown in Figure 11.

[0075] We discussed the results of a comparison of temperature trends between a standard (electric field) cooled container (Case 1) and a temperature fluctuation suppression (electric field) cooled container (Case 2). • It was found that the method in Case 2) resulted in a more reliable decrease in the internal temperature to the set temperature -4.5°C, and the temperature fluctuations at each of the nine measurement points remained within a range of 0.5°C or less. We found that by setting the temperature to the desired internal temperature (the optimal temperature for fresh produce) and then lowering the temperature accordingly, we could maintain freshness. Furthermore, in Case 2, the reason there were areas where the temperature rose was that the storage location was exposed to direct sunlight, and as a result, it was affected by the outside temperature during the day. However, compared to Case 1, the temperature fluctuation was less, and the average internal temperature was found to have dropped firmly to near the set temperature.

[0076] In addition, in Case 1) and Case 2), three pieces of commercially available fresh fish were stored in each container. After the first 47 hours in each case, the condition of the fresh fish was checked. In Case 1), 2 / 3 of the fresh fish was frozen and 1 / 3 was partially frozen. In Case 2), two-thirds of the fresh fish was partially frozen, and one-third was not frozen. This also shows that, in the case of electric field containers, temperature fluctuations are suppressed, thus creating a situation where supercooling caused by fluctuations in internal temperature is minimized. [Industrial applicability]

[0077] This invention is particularly suitable for application to storage containers, including cooling containers. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0078] 1…Cooling container (storage) 10…Container body (storage unit) 10X... Longitudinal direction (one direction) 12…Opening and closing doors 20…Storage Room 21... Floor surface 22…Side wall 28...Air intake section 30…Cooling unit 32...Cold air circulation fan 34…Storage tank 34s... Cell 36...Bulkhead 38…Cooling water circulation pump 40…(Direct contact type) cooler 42... Chiller unit 44...Control device 46…Communication devices 48...Air vent 50...Concentrator 60…Upper Chamber 70... Partition plate (partition component) 72...Ventilation holes 74... Frenum board (obstruction board) P…Fruits and vegetables (goods) W…Water

Claims

1. A cooling storage unit for cooling articles stored in an article storage compartment within a warehouse, A cooling unit is provided near the side wall at one end of the storage compartment body, which cools the air inside the article storage compartment by bringing it into contact with water, An air intake section is provided on the side wall and takes in air from the article storage chamber and supplies it to the cooling unit, The upper chamber through which the cooled air from the cooling unit is sent, A partition member that separates the upper chamber and the article storage chamber, Multiple ventilation holes provided in the partition member, A storage tank for temporarily storing cooling water, A partition wall divides the storage tank into multiple cells, Equipped with, A storage facility in which the partition wall is formed in a shape or size such that the water in the cell does not overflow from the cell until the inclination angle of the storage tank reaches 40°.

2. A cooling storage facility for cooling articles stored in an article storage compartment within the facility, A cooling unit is provided near the side wall at one end of the storage compartment body, which cools the air inside the article storage compartment by bringing it into contact with water, An air intake section is provided on the side wall and takes in air from the article storage chamber and supplies it to the cooling unit, The upper chamber through which the cooled air from the cooling unit is sent, A partition member that separates the upper chamber and the article storage chamber, Multiple ventilation holes provided in the partition member, A plenum plate is provided within the upper chamber and acts as a baffle plate against the cold air flowing within the upper chamber, Equipped with, A storage container in which a plurality of plenum plates are provided in the upper chamber, configured to gradually decrease in height as they move away from the cooling unit.

3. The storage unit according to claim 1 or 2, comprising: a cooling unit comprising: a cold air circulation fan for circulating air drawn in from the air intake; a cooling water circulation pump for circulating cooling water; and a cooler for cooling air by bringing it into contact with water.

4. The storage container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the ventilation holes are arranged uniformly on the partition member.

5. The storage container according to claim 4, wherein the ventilation holes are arranged in a staggered pattern.

6. The storage unit according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the ventilation holes are arranged such that the spacing between them gradually widens or narrows along one direction of the storage unit body.

7. The storage container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein all of the vent holes have the same diameter.

8. The storage unit according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the ventilation holes consist of a plurality of holes arranged such that their diameter widens or narrows along one direction of the storage unit body.

9. The storage container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the height of the upper chamber is 100 mm to 500 mm.

10. The storage container according to claim 9, wherein the opening ratio of the ventilation holes in the partition member is a maximum of 5%.

11. The storage container according to claim 10, wherein the flow velocity of the cold air in the upper chamber is 1 [m / sec] or less, and the flow rate is 0.9 [m³ / sec] to 1.67 [m³ / sec].

12. The storage cabinet according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the temperature difference ΔT of the air inside the cabinet is 0.5 [°C] or less.

13. The storage container according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a catalyst for absorbing ethylene gas from the air.

14. The storage facility according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising an ethylene gas discharge device for discharging ethylene gas from the air to the outside of the storage facility.

15. The container according to claim 13, wherein the catalyst is applied to or impregnated on the air intake section or a catalyst plate material disposed in the air intake section.

16. The storage facility according to claim 2, comprising a storage tank for temporarily storing cooling water and a partition wall for dividing the storage tank into a plurality of cells.

17. The storage tank according to claim 16, wherein the partition wall is formed in a shape or size such that water in the cell does not overflow from the cell until the inclination angle of the storage tank reaches 40°.

18. The storage container according to claim 1, further comprising a plenum plate provided in the upper chamber and acting as a baffle plate against the cold air flowing within the upper chamber.

19. The storage container according to claim 18, wherein a plurality of the plenum plates, configured to gradually decrease in height as they move away from the cooling unit, are provided in the upper chamber.

20. The storage container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the storage container is a cooling container in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape that extends along the longitudinal direction of the storage container body.

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