Dispenser Cartridge With Segmented Cold Zone For Energy-Efficient Food Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current dispenser machines for cooled storage and dispensing of liquid or semi-liquid foodstuffs require high energy consumption and large spatial requirements due to the need to cool the entire cartridge receiving space, leading to significant energy loss when replacing cartridges as ambient air replaces cooled air.
Innovation Solution
A dispenser cartridge with thermoplastic shells and integrated cooling elements, including a trough-shaped depression and metal contact plates, along with a dispenser machine design that recirculates cooled air through heat exchangers, reducing the volume of cooled air that needs to be replaced and minimizing energy consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the entire cartridge receiving space is cooled like a refrigerator, then the foodstuffs are stored at required low temperatures, but the energy consumption is high and large spatial requirements are needed
Solution Approach 1:
The cartridge receiving space is divided into two distinct zones: a cold zone containing the cooling element where cold air is generated, and a warm zone where cartridges are stored. This segmentation allows only the small cold zone to be actively cooled, while the larger warm zone remains at ambient temperature, dramatically reducing the volume of space that requires continuous cooling and thus lowering energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The cold air generation function is extracted from the entire cartridge receiving space and concentrated into a localized cooling element within a small cold zone. This extraction allows the cooling system to serve the entire receiving space indirectly through air circulation, while maintaining a small cooled volume for minimal energy input.
2Reliability
If cooled air flows around cartridges on all sides, then cooling efficiency is improved, but the spatial requirement increases and more cooled air must be replaced when door is opened
Solution Approach 1:
A fan acts as an intermediary to circulate cold air from the small cold zone throughout the larger cartridge receiving space. The fan distributes the limited cold air supply to multiple cartridges without requiring all sides of each cartridge to be surrounded by cold air, thus achieving adequate cooling efficiency with minimal spatial requirement for the cold zone.
Solution Approach 2:
The cartridges are positioned upright on their bases, allowing them to cool themselves from the bottom up through natural convection and contact with the cold air supply. This self-service cooling approach reduces the need for active cooling from all directions, minimizing the required cold air volume and spatial requirements.
3Ease of operation
If the front door is opened to replace a dispenser cartridge, then cartridge replacement is enabled, but a large proportion of cooled air flows out and is replaced by ambient air
Solution Approach 1:
The cold air generation function is extracted and concentrated in a small cold zone away from the door opening. This allows the door to be opened for cartridge replacement without exposing a large volume of cold air to the ambient environment, significantly reducing the amount of cooled air that escapes and the subsequent energy loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The fan continuously circulates cold air from the compact cold zone to the cartridge storage areas, maintaining cooling efficiency even when the door is opened. This continuous circulation ensures that the small volume of cold air is constantly replenished and distributed, minimizing the impact of door openings on overall cooling performance and energy loss.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution significantly reduces energy consumption and spatial requirements by minimizing the volume of cooled air that needs to be replaced, achieving efficient and economical cooled storage and dispensing of foodstuffs while maintaining the required temperature.
Implementation Method 1
a cooling element which cools a cold zone
Implementation Method 2
a fan, which moves the cooled air from the cold zone through the cartridge receiving space
Implementation Method 3
the waste air from the cartridge receiving space may be recirculatably cooled via heat exchangers
Data Source
AI summary
A dispenser cartridge (10) which comprises a first and a second cartridge shell (11, 12). The two cartridge shells (11, 12) are connected via a hinge (14). The two cartridge shells delimit a receiving space (25) for tubular bags. Each cartridge shell has a cooling trough (30) which, apart from an inlet port (26) and ventilation openings (33), is closed to the receiving space (25) for the tubular bags by a thermally conductive plate (18). The receiving volume of the cooling trough (30) is kept as low as possible. The depth of the cooling trough (30) corresponds to a maximum of twice the thickness of the thermally conductive plate (18). The greater the volume of the receiving space (25) for corresponding tubular bags, the greater the thickness of the thermally conductive plate (18).