A cooling system for containers holding chilled foods and beverages within chilled water, is defined by a thermally insulated cooler or other chilling vessel including a quantity of ice, water, food, and/or beverages, and a safely comestible liquid having a lower freezing point than water mixed in the water, the chilling vessel having an input conduit and an output conduit originating in the vicinity of the chilling vessel. In thermal communication with input and output conduits of the chilling vessel is an endothermic element for removal of heat from a defined ambient geometry about the endothermic element, the ambient geometry forming a part of a liquid loop including liquids within the chilling vessel and the endothermic element. Also included is a thermostat in thermoelectric communication between the chilling vessel output conduit and a compressor within the refrigeration circuit, the thermostat for regulating a power input to the compressor to control a temperature of re-circulated liquids to the chilling vessel to a temperature suitable for comestibles stored within liquids in the chilling vessel.

A merchandiser for storing at least one product for purchase by a customer is provided. The merchandiser includes: a housing defining a cavity configured to receive the at least one product; a door coupled to the housing and movable between a first position and a second position; a lock configured to lock the door in the first position; a door position sensor coupled to at least one of the door or the housing, and configured to monitor a contact area where the door selectively contacts the housing; and a control system coupled to the lock. The control system is configured to actuate the lock to an unlocked position when the door position sensor indicates that an object is present in the contact area and to selectively actuate the lock to a locked position based on the door position sensor indicating that no object is present in the contact area.

A merchandiser for storing at least one product for purchase by a customer is provided. The merchandiser includes: a housing defining a cavity configured to receive the at least one product; a door coupled to the housing and movable between a first position and a second position; a lock configured to lock the door in the first position; a door position sensor coupled to at least one of the door or the housing, and configured to monitor a contact area where the door selectively contacts the housing; and a control system coupled to the lock. The control system is configured to actuate the lock to an unlocked position when the door position sensor indicates that an object is present in the contact area and to selectively actuate the lock to a locked position based on the door position sensor indicating that no object is present in the contact area.

A refrigerator having a quick-freezing function includes: a main body; at least one freezing chamber disposed in the main body and comprising at least one quick-freezing chamber; a freezing evaporator disposed in the main body, and spaced apart from the at least one freezing chamber via a freezing air duct cover plate; a freezing fan corresponding to the at least one freezing chamber and a quick-freezing fan corresponding to the at least one quick-freezing chamber, and configured to blow cold air generated by the freezing evaporator into the at least one freezing chamber and the at least one quick-freezing chamber respectively; and a controller configured to control the freezing fan and the quick-freezing fan. The refrigerator can maintain the taste and nutrition of foods through quick-freezing, and prolong the fresh period of vegetables and fruits.

A refrigerator having a quick-freezing function includes: a main body; at least one freezing chamber disposed in the main body and comprising at least one quick-freezing chamber; a freezing evaporator disposed in the main body, and spaced apart from the at least one freezing chamber via a freezing air duct cover plate; a freezing fan corresponding to the at least one freezing chamber and a quick-freezing fan corresponding to the at least one quick-freezing chamber, and configured to blow cold air generated by the freezing evaporator into the at least one freezing chamber and the at least one quick-freezing chamber respectively; and a controller configured to control the freezing fan and the quick-freezing fan. The refrigerator can maintain the taste and nutrition of foods through quick-freezing, and prolong the fresh period of vegetables and fruits.

A refrigerator includes a main body in which a first storage compartment is defined, and a heat exchange chamber defined in the main body. An evaporator received in the heat exchange chamber. A second storage compartment is provided in the first storage compartment and a quick cooling module to cool an inside of the second storage compartment is provided, where the quick cooling module heat-exchanges with a refrigerant pipe of the evaporator. The quick cooling module includes a thermal conductive unit in thermal conduction with the refrigerant pipe, and a thermoelectric device having a first surface in thermal conduction with the thermal conductive unit to heat-exchange with the thermal conductive unit when current is supplied and a second surface facing the second storage compartment.

A refrigerator may have an ultra-low temperature cooling module for cooling an ultra-low temperature compartment that includes a thermoelectric element having a heating surface and a heat absorption surface disposed to oppose the heating surface and a heat conduction unit evaporation part whose one side is in contact with the heating surface of the thermoelectric element and the other side is connected to a refrigerant pipe of an evaporator to transmit heat emitted from the heating surface of the thermoelectric element to the refrigerant. An amount of heat exchange between a central portion of the heating surface having a relatively high temperature and a refrigerant of the heat conduction unit evaporation part may be greater than an amount of heat exchange between a peripheral portion of the heating surface surrounding the central portion and the refrigerant.

A refrigerator may have an ultra-low temperature cooling module for cooling an ultra-low temperature compartment that includes a thermoelectric element having a heating surface and a heat absorption surface disposed to oppose the heating surface and a heat conduction unit evaporation part whose one side is in contact with the heating surface of the thermoelectric element and the other side is connected to a refrigerant pipe of an evaporator to transmit heat emitted from the heating surface of the thermoelectric element to the refrigerant. An amount of heat exchange between a central portion of the heating surface having a relatively high temperature and a refrigerant of the heat conduction unit evaporation part may be greater than an amount of heat exchange between a peripheral portion of the heating surface surrounding the central portion and the refrigerant.

This invention consists in portable cryostat capsules built in several materials, dimensions and configurations according to the size of the biological refrigeratable samples to be cryopreserved and its cold storage requirements of these biological materials including umbilical cord blood, cells, semen, oocytes, tissues and bigger biological units such as organs for transplantation, entire animals or plants, including human organs or entire bodies in the cryo-medical practice. These capsules are all built in a form of thermoplastic cryostat with a cold source that is in contact with a myogenic tank, a cryo-liquid generator, a cryo-coolant unit and/or an hybrid unit (combination of an external cryogen supply in continuous flow with a closed cycle unit) and includes an outer casing and an inner vessel covered by a thermal insulating material consisting of vacuum, perlite or similar thermal insulator to inhibit the transfer of heat for the correct vitrification of the biological materials.

A refrigeration device includes: a refrigerant circuit in which a compressor, a condenser, a decompressor, and an evaporator are connected circularly in the stated order; and a regenerative refrigerator including a heat dissipation portion that compresses a working fluid enclosed in a chamber and dissipates heat produced by compression, and a heat absorption portion in which the working fluid compressed in the heat dissipation portion is expanded. A refrigerant in the condenser is cooled by heat exchange between the condenser and the heat absorption portion.