Low-Temperature Storage System with Staged Anteroom Dew Point Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing low-temperature storage systems face challenges in minimizing moisture penetration into the low-temperature storage chamber from the external environment, leading to temperature rises and frost buildup, without increasing the system's size or complexity.
Innovation Solution
The system incorporates an entry/exit preparation chamber with a first anteroom maintaining a lower dew point than the external environment and a second anteroom with a dew point intermediate between the first anteroom and the low-temperature storage chamber, utilizing a single dry air generator to supply dry air with varying dew points to these areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single dry air generator is used to supply dry air to multiple anterooms, then the system size and complexity are reduced, but the ability to maintain different dew points in different areas is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making different parts of the anteroom area have different dew point characteristics. The first anteroom maintains a first dew point while the second anteroom maintains a second dew point, allowing each region to be optimized for its specific function while using a single dry air generator.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the anteroom area into multiple distinct zones (first anteroom and second anteroom) with different atmospheric conditions. This segmentation allows the single dry air generator to supply air that is then distributed and conditioned differently in each zone, resolving the contradiction between system simplicity and localized control precision.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the anteroom area is made large to accommodate equipment, then the storage system can function properly, but the dry air generator size must increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the large anteroom area into multiple smaller zones with different dew point requirements. This allows the dry air generator to be sized for the total volume while the segmented structure enables efficient air distribution and reduces the effective volume that needs high-specification dry air treatment at any one time.
Solution Approach 2:
By applying different dew point conditions to different parts of the anteroom area, the patent optimizes the dry air generator sizing. Each segmented region can be treated with appropriate dry air flow rates, preventing the need to oversize the generator for the entire anteroom volume.
3Reliability
If dry air regulation in the anteroom area is performed using conventional methods, then moisture penetration is reduced, but the process takes a long time causing increased exposure time for storage objects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-conditioning the air in the first anteroom to a first dew point before it enters the second anteroom. This pre-treatment reduces the moisture content in advance, allowing faster regulation and reducing the exposure time of storage objects while maintaining effective moisture penetration prevention.
Solution Approach 2:
By segmenting the anteroom into multiple stages with progressively different dew points, the patent enables sequential moisture removal. This staged approach is more efficient than single-stage regulation, reducing the time required to achieve the desired low-dew-point environment while maintaining storage object protection.
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
This configuration reduces moisture penetration into the low-temperature storage chamber, extends the interval between defrosting operations, and minimizes exposure time for storage objects to higher temperature atmospheres, all while preventing an increase in system size or complexity.
Implementation Method 1
a first gas supply line that supplies dry purge air having the dew point D1 to the first anteroom, a second gas supply line that supplies dry air having the dew point D1 to the first anteroom, a third gas supply line that supplies dry air having the dew point D2 to the second anteroom
Data Source
AI summary
An object of the present invention is to provide a low-temperature storage system that ensures minimal penetration of moisture into the low-temperature storage chamber from an external environment without involving an increase in size or complexity of the system configuration. The object is achieved by the configuration in this low-temperature storage system wherein a loading/unloading mechanism that carries storage objects into and out of the low-temperature storage chamber has an ancillary entry/exit preparation chamber. The entry/exit preparation chamber has a first anteroom with an interior space controlled to maintain a lower dew point than that of the external environment, and a second anteroom disposed between the first anteroom and the low-temperature storage chamber and having an interior space controlled to maintain a dew point that is between the dew point in the first anteroom and the dew point in the low-temperature storage chamber.