Pan Chiller Divider Bars for Uniform Cooling Without Condensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current pan chilling systems face inefficiencies due to condensation and food spillage, non-uniform cooling, high operating pressure, and environmental concerns related to Freon use, leading to component damage and increased maintenance costs.
Innovation Solution
A pan chiller system utilizing a glycol coolant with a modular design and continuous flow through hollow divider bars, eliminating the need for electrical components within the food well and using plastic piping, which maintains a consistent temperature and reduces pressure, ensuring efficient and uniform cooling without ice or moisture buildup.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If copper tubing cooling element is provided below food pans, then cooling function is achieved, but condensation forms on tubing causing frost buildup that reduces heat transfer efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the cooling function from the traditional copper tubing located below the food pans and relocates it to hollow divider bars that form the walls of the food well. This extraction removes the cooling element from the position where condensation and frost buildup occur, thereby maintaining heat transfer efficiency while preserving cooling function.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces an intermediary substance - a non-Freon coolant (such as glycol-based coolant) - to replace the traditional Freon system. This intermediary coolant operates at lower pressures and does not contribute to ozone depletion, while also reducing condensation issues. The hollow divider bars serve as an intermediary structure to deliver this coolant directly to the cooling surfaces.
2Temperature
If Freon system is used for cooling, then cooling performance is achieved, but high operating pressure requires expensive piping and fittings
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the operating parameters of the cooling system by using a non-Freon coolant that operates at significantly lower pressures than traditional Freon systems. This parameter change allows the use of simpler, less expensive piping materials such as plastic piping instead of expensive copper tubing and complex fittings, thereby reducing device complexity and cost while maintaining cooling performance.
3Temperature
If Freon coolant is used, then cooling efficiency is achieved, but environmental hazard occurs if leaked to atmosphere
Solution Approach 1:
The invention adopts a coolant system that prioritizes environmental safety over long-term coolant stability. The non-Freon coolant (such as glycol-based solutions) is environmentally benign even if leaked, replacing the hazardous Freon system. While Freon provides superior cooling efficiency, the environmental harm it causes leads to its phase-out, and the patent accepts a slight compromise in cooling efficiency in exchange for environmental 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
The system provides efficient, uniform cooling with reduced maintenance and capital costs, preventing component damage and environmental hazards, while maintaining a consistent temperature and minimizing energy consumption.
Implementation Method 1
a flooding-type, high-flow chilled glycol solution that is environmentally friendly, absorbs heat and experiences significantly smaller temperature changes than the Freon coolant that does change state
Implementation Method 2
each divider bar is configured for directly receiving a coolant chilled and circulated by the refrigeration package
Implementation Method 3
preventing ice or moisture buildup
Data Source
AI summary
A pan chiller system including a refrigeration package having a condensing unit, a heat exchanger and a pump for circulating a chilled liquid coolant, a pan chiller unit in communication with the refrigeration package and having an outer housing and a food well received within the outer housing and a plurality of hollow divider bars arranged within the food well. An opening is defined between adjacent divider bars, wherein each divider bar is configured for directly receiving the liquid coolant chilled and circulated by the refrigeration package.