Refrigeration – Intermediate fluid container transferring heat to heat... – Flow line connected transfer fluid supply and heat exchanger
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-10
2002-02-05
Bennett, Henry (Department: 3744)
Refrigeration
Intermediate fluid container transferring heat to heat...
Flow line connected transfer fluid supply and heat exchanger
C062S430000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06343485
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a cooling apparatus, in particular for the air-conditioning of a vehicle passenger compartment. The cooling apparatus includes a housing and a plurality of chambers arranged therein, sealed tightly and filled with a storage medium. The chambers are combined to form a block and at least one passage is provided between each pair of adjacent chambers. Each of the passages is connected to distribution and collection chambers formed in the housing with at least one feed port and a return port.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. Ser. No. 5,644,929 relates to a cooling apparatus for a vehicle cabin. The cooling apparatus includes a heat regenerating evaporator encased in a case and provided with a tube for a cooling medium and a heat regenerating pack arranged to be in close contact with the outer surface of the tube of the heat regenerating evaporator. The heat regenerating evaporator conducts a refrigeration cycle while a vehicle is running and cools the heat regenerating pack to freeze the heat regenerating material within the pack. When the vehicle is parked, a blower is operated to produce a current of air that is cooled by the heat regenerating pack due to heat exchange between the current of air and the frozen heat regenerating material in the heat regenerating pack. The cold air is blown out into an selected cooling area, such as a sleeping area of the vehicle, from a vent so that the selected cooling area is air-conditioned.
European Patent No. 839,679-A2 relates to a device for cooling a vehicle passenger compartment. The device includes a first coolant circuit which has a compressor, a condenser and at least one evaporator. In addition, there is a second coolant circuit which includes at least a second evaporator connected to an ice reservoir to form a structural unit. There are also valve means, by which the evaporator arranged in the ice reservoir can be operated in parallel with the evaporator of the air-conditioning unit. According to the patent, there is provision for the structural unit including the ice reservoir and second evaporator to be arranged as a sheet-like element in a wall of the vehicle passenger compartment and to provide air-guide ducts which allow direct heat exchange with the air fed to the passenger compartment of the vehicle.
The prior arrangements require considerable construction outlay, in particular with regard to the additional components of the coolant circuit, and this has an adverse effect on production costs. Moreover, it is difficult to insulate the prior cooling apparatus, owing to the air-guide ducts.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is to overcome the disadvantages of the known art. The present invention is based on the object of providing a cooling apparatus of the generic type which allows the construction outlay to be reduced and makes the accumulator more versatile.
One object of the present invention is to provide a cooling apparatus which includes a housing having a plurality of chambers arranged therein, wherein the chambers are sealed tightly and are filled with a storage medium; passages which carry a heat-transfer medium and extend between the chambers, the chambers of a group being combined to form a block; and at least one passage provided between each pair of adjacent chambers, wherein each of the passages is connected to distribution and collection chambers formed in the housing and wherein the housing includes at least one feed port and at least one return port.
In one aspect of the invention, the cooling apparatus includes components of simple structure that can be well insulated against thermal radiation. The cooling apparatus is charged and discharged by means of a single heat-transfer medium, so that only connections and feed lines for a single heat-transfer medium are required. To facilitate handling during installation in the housing and while securing its position therein, it is desired that the chambers are held at a predetermined distance apart by support means. Preferably, two or more blocks may be arranged side-by-side next to one another or above one another, according to the desired storage capacity in the housing. This arrangement of blocks leads to a modular structure of standardized components, by which it is possible to take suitable account of the conditions required. The housing preferably has a substantially cuboid-shaped and is provided with an attachment means.
In another aspect of the invention, the apparatus includes four side walls and a base of the housing that form a box-like component which, on its side opposite from the base, forms an insertion opening through which the block or blocks can be inserted. The insertion opening is closed in a sealed manner by a cover. According to one embodiment of the housing, the latter is made from aluminum sheet, while the wall parts and the base are preferably connected to one another by a material-to-material bond and are therefore sealed together. The housing may be surrounded by an insulating jacket or, in the case of a sandwich structure, may be filled with insulating material, to minimize thermal losses. As an alternative, the housing may be formed of a plastic material which, if it is of suitable wall thickness, has a thermally insulating action. A representative wall thickness is preferably between about 20 mm and about 30 mm. The housing can be easily produced in a single piece so that only the cover needs to be produced as an individual component and subsequently fitted, thereby improving manufacturing of the device.
Another object of the invention is to provide a housing which includes an end side which faces the distribution or collection chamber forming the insertion opening, while all the other sides are closed housings. In this embodiment, the outer wall of the distribution or collection chamber functions as the cover and can be fitted and sealed on the device. In the case of plastic housings, the cover and housing can be connected in a sealed manner by a suitable welding process. Possible alternatives to welding process include adhesive bonding or a mechanical connection, for example, bracing, in which case a seal may have to be added.
According to another aspect of the invention, the storage medium in the chambers is preferably tap water, in which case the chambers are to maintain, in addition to the storage medium, a residual gas volume of preferably from about 10% to about 20%. This residual volume is advantageous in view of the change in volume of the storage medium during phase transition. As an alternative, it is also possible to provide an absorbent material, such as for example a nonwoven or cellulosic material, in which case the absorbent material is completely impregnated and then placed into the chambers.
It is also an object of the invention to be able to handle the storage medium easily during manufacturing. To achieve this object, the storage medium may include a mixture of water with a gelling agent. The storage medium, which is in a gel form at room temperature, may then be introduced into the individual chambers of the containers. The thickening agent has an additional advantage in reducing the amount of steam which may be formed as a result of the introduction of heat when the cover is sealed to the frame, thereby increasing the strength of the weld or seal seam. The gelling agent used is preferably a hydrogel material and more preferably includes a crosslinked, partially neutralized polyacrylic acid. The hydrogel is preferably present in the storage medium in an amount of from about 0.5% by weight to about 30% by weight of the storage medium, most preferably between about 1% by weight and about 2% by weight of the storage medium. These ratios have proven to represent a particularly appropriate compromise between the storage capacity of the storage medium, on the one hand, and its processibility, on the other hand. However, it should be understood that the invention is not so limited.
In yet another aspect of the inventi
Duerr Gottfried
Feuerecker Guenther
Fulterer Karl
Ghussein Luay
Hinderberger Hans-Dieter
Behr GmbH & Co.
Bennett Henry
Jones Melvin
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