Refrigeration apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing refrigeration apparatuses struggle to evenly distribute temperature within the cooling chamber, leading to uneven cooling, especially in larger volumes, where the temperature can vary significantly depending on the object's location, resulting in inconsistent storage conditions.
Innovation Solution
A refrigeration apparatus with a bent evaporator pipe arrangement, featuring a two-way refrigeration circuit and a specific pipe length distribution where the sum of the lengths of the top and upper side surface pipes is at least 62.5% of the total pipe length, and the bottom surface pipe length is minimized to less than 8%, ensuring even temperature distribution by concentrating cooling on the upper side surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a conventional evaporator configuration is used, then the structure is simple, but the temperature distribution inside the cooling chamber becomes uneven
Solution Approach 1:
The evaporator pipe arrangement applies local quality by concentrating more pipe sections in the upper portion of the cooling chamber (upper side surface part) compared to the lower portion (lower side surface part). This non-uniform distribution compensates for natural convection patterns where cold air sinks and warm air rises, ensuring adequate cooling coverage throughout the entire chamber volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The evaporator transitions from a simple linear or planar arrangement to a three-dimensional bent pipe configuration that contacts the top surface, upper side surfaces, and lower side surfaces of the inner box. This spatial distribution in multiple dimensions enables more uniform temperature distribution throughout the cooling chamber volume.
2Volume of stationary object
If the cooling chamber volume is increased, then the storage capacity is improved, but the temperature uniformity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The evaporator is segmented into multiple distinct parts: top surface part, upper side surface part, and lower side surface part. Each segment is strategically positioned to address specific thermal zones within the cooling chamber, ensuring that even in larger volumes, all regions receive adequate cooling attention.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the cooling chamber receive differentiated cooling attention through the segmented evaporator design. The upper side surface part with more densely disposed pipes addresses the upper regions, while the lower side surface part addresses the lower regions, maintaining temperature uniformity across the entire expanded volume.
3Productivity
If the evaporator pipes are densely disposed, then the cooling efficiency is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The evaporator is divided into manageable segments (top surface part, upper side surface part, lower side surface part) that can be manufactured and assembled separately. This segmentation maintains the benefits of dense pipe disposition for cooling efficiency while simplifying the manufacturing and installation process compared to a single complex continuous pipe arrangement.
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 allows for more uniform temperature distribution inside the cooling chamber, preventing cold air accumulation and ensuring that objects are stored at the target temperature regardless of their location, even in larger volumes.
Implementation Method 1
an evaporator that is a pipe disposed outside the inner box and is a bent pipe, the pipe including a top surface part in contact with the top surface, an upper side surface part in contact with the side surface, and a lower side surface part in contact with the side surface
Implementation Method 2
a two-way refrigeration circuit including: a high-temperature side refrigeration circuit including a high-temperature side evaporator, a heat exchanger forming a cascade heat exchanger together with the high-temperature side evaporator, and a low-temperature side refrigeration circuit including the evaporator
Data Source
AI summary
This refrigeration apparatus comprises: an inner box having a top surface and side surfaces; and an evaporator constituted by bent pipes comprising a top surface portion in contact with the top surface, an upper side-surface portion in contact with the side surfaces, and a lower side-surface portion in contact with the side surfaces below the upper-side surface portion. The pipes constituting the upper side-surface portion are more densely arranged than the pipes constituting the lower side-surface portion. The total length of the pipes constituting the top surface portion and the upper side-surface portion is 62.5% or more of the lengths of the pipes in contact with the inner box.