REFRIGERATED DISPLAY CABINET AND METHOD OF DISPERSING A BUILDUP OF REFRIGERANT GAS

Abstract

A refrigerated display cabinet includes a refrigeration loop including a compressor, a condenser, a throttling element and an evaporator; a main body comprising a storage space, the evaporator is for cooling the storage space and at least one of the compressor, condenser and throttling element are located outside of the storage space; and a fan arrangement located outside of the storage space, configured to direct air to disperse any build-up of gases located in a region surrounding the bottom of the refrigerated display cabinet.

Claims

1. A refrigerated display cabinet, comprising: a refrigeration loop comprising a compressor, a condenser, a throttling element and an evaporator; a main body comprising a storage space, wherein the evaporator is for cooling the storage space and wherein at least one of the compressor, condenser and throttling element are located outside of the storage space; and a fan arrangement located outside of the storage space, configured to direct air to disperse any build-up of gases in a region surrounding the bottom of the refrigerated display cabinet.

2. A refrigerated display cabinet according to claim 1, wherein the region surrounding the bottom of the refrigerated display cabinet comprises a volume extending at least 50 mm outwards from an edge of the bottom of the refrigerated display cabinet and at least 50 mm upwards from a surface on which the refrigerated display cabinet stands during use.

3. A refrigerated display cabinet according to claim 1, wherein the main body comprises a base panel and the fan arrangement is also configured to direct air to disperse a build-up of gases located in a space beneath the refrigerated display cabinet, defined as the volume between the base panel and a surface on which the refrigerated display cabinet stands during use.

4. A refrigerated display cabinet according to claim 1, comprising a kick-plate positioned at a bottom edge at the front of the refrigerated display cabinet, wherein the kick-plate is perforated to allow air directed by the fan arrangement to pass therethrough.

5. A refrigerated display cabinet according to claim 1, wherein the refrigeration loop comprises a flammable refrigerant that is denser than ambient air.

6. A refrigerated display cabinet according to claim 1, comprising a duct, wherein the duct is arranged to direct air from the fan arrangement to the region surrounding the bottom of the refrigerated display cabinet.

7. A refrigerated display cabinet according to claim 6, wherein the fan arrangement is located at one end of the duct, and the other end of the duct is positioned in or at an edge of a space beneath the refrigerated display cabinet.

8. A refrigerated display cabinet according to claim 1, wherein the duct is located on an exterior surface of the refrigerated display cabinet.

9. A refrigerated display cabinet according to claim 1, wherein the fan arrangement is located above the main body of the refrigerated display cabinet, the fan arrangement is located in a space beneath the refrigerated display cabinet, or wherein the fan arrangement is located on a side of the refrigerated display cabinet.

10. A refrigerated display cabinet according to claim 1, wherein the fan arrangement is powered separately to the refrigeration loop and/or the remainder of the refrigerated display cabinet.

11. A refrigerated display cabinet according to claim 1, comprising a container, wherein the container contains at least one of the compressor, condenser and throttling element, the container comprises part of the refrigeration loop and is configured to draw gas from inside of the container through the vent to discharge any build-up of gases within the container.

12. A method of dispersing a build-up of refrigerant gas in a region surrounding the bottom of a refrigerated display cabinet, the method comprising: directing a flow of air from a fan arrangement to the region surrounding a bottom of the refrigerated display cabinet.

13. A method of dispersing a build-up of refrigerant gas beneath a refrigerated display cabinet as claimed in claim 12, wherein the fan arrangement is powered separately to a refrigeration loop of the refrigerated display cabinet and/or the remainder of the refrigerated display cabinet, and the method comprises: powering the fan arrangement to direct air to the region surrounding the bottom of the refrigerated display cabinet regardless of the power status of the refrigeration loop of the refrigerated display cabinet and/or the remainder of the refrigerated display cabinet.

14. A method of manufacturing a refrigerated display cabinet, the method comprising: providing a refrigerated display cabinet including: a refrigeration loop comprising a compressor, a condenser, a throttling element and an evaporator; a main body comprising a storage space, wherein the evaporator is for cooling the storage space and wherein at least one of the compressor, condenser and throttling element are located outside of the storage space; and a fan arrangement located outside of the storage space, configured to direct air to disperse any build-up of gases located in a region surrounding the bottom of the refrigerated display cabinet.

15. A method of manufacturing a refrigerated display cabinet as claimed in claim 14, the method comprising: retrofitting the fan arrangement to an existing refrigerated display cabinet.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0039] Certain preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in greater detail, by way of example only and with reference to the following figures, in which:

[0040] FIG. 1 shows a refrigerated display cabinet;

[0041] FIG. 2 shows the top of the refrigerated display cabinet of FIG. 1;

[0042] FIG. 3 shows an exploded view of a fan arrangement;

[0043] FIGS. 4a and 4b show a duct;

[0044] FIG. 5 shows the bottom of the refrigerated display cabinet of FIG. 1; and

[0045] FIG. 6 shows an alternative placement of the fan arrangement in a refrigerated display cabinet.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0046] FIG. 1 shows an example of a refrigerated display cabinet 10. The refrigerated display cabinet 10 includes a main body 12 which comprises a refrigerated storage space 14 including a plurality of shelves 16. The refrigerated display cabinet 10 also includes a container 18 located on top of the main body 12.

[0047] The refrigerated display cabinet comprises a refrigeration loop which includes at least a compressor, a condenser and a throttling element which are connected to one another (not visible in FIG. 1). The refrigeration loop contains a flammable refrigerant that is denser than air; propane.

[0048] In the example shown in FIG. 1 the condenser and compressor are housed within the container 18. In this example the condenser is a liquid cooled heat exchanger which receives cooling fluid from an external source via cooling supply pipes 22.

[0049] The refrigerated display cabinet 10 also comprises a fan arrangement 24 and a duct 26. The duct 26 is fitted to the rear surface of the main body 12 and runs along its length. The fan arrangement 24 is positioned at a top end of the duct 26 and the duct 26 terminates below a bottom edge of the main body 12, in a space 28 beneath the cabinet.

[0050] The fan arrangement 24 is configured to draw in air from the region at top of the display cabinet and direct it, via the duct 24, to disperse any build-up of gases located in a region 29 surrounding the bottom of the refrigerated display cabinet and in a space 28 beneath the refrigerated display cabinet. In this way, any propane that leaks from the refrigerant loop and collects in the region 29 or space 28 beneath the cabinet (due to its density) is dispersed, thus minimising fire risk.

[0051] The fan arrangement 24 is powered separately to the refrigeration loop and the remainder of the refrigerated display cabinet so that it can function independently. This means the dispersing of gas in the region 29 surrounding the bottom of the cabinet and space 28 beneath the cabinet can always be performed regardless of the functioning of the rest of the refrigerated display cabinet, which is important as refrigerant can still leak even when the refrigerant loop is not powered.

[0052] The main body 12 of the refrigerated display cabinet comprises a base panel 30 and the space 28 beneath the refrigerated display cabinet is defined by the volume between the base panel 30 and a surface on which the refrigerated display cabinet stands during use.

[0053] The refrigerated display cabinet 10 comprises four legs 32 for bearing the weight of the refrigerated display cabinet 10; these pass through the space 28 beneath the refrigerated display cabinet 10 and rest on the surface on which the refrigerated display cabinet 10 stands during use.

[0054] It should be appreciated that alternatively, or in addition to the arrangement described above, the fan arrangement 24 may be connected to a vent of the container 18 to draw gas from inside of the container 18 through the vent to discharge any build-up of gases within the container 18, as shown in FIG. 6. This is advantageous as the refrigerant loop components within the container 18 carry flammable refrigerant and so a leak of refrigerant may result in a build-up of flammable gas in the container 18. It has been realised that a single fan arrangement 24 can discharge build-up of gas within the container 18 and disperse gas in the space 28 beneath the refrigerated display cabinet 10.

[0055] A method of dispersing a build-up of refrigerant gas in a region surrounding the bottom of a refrigerated display cabined and beneath a refrigerated display cabinet can be performed using the display cabinet 10 of FIG. 1 by directing a flow of air from the fan arrangement 24 to the region 29 surrounding the cabinet and space 28 beneath the refrigerated display cabinet.

[0056] A method of manufacturing a refrigerated display cabinet may 28 be performed to provide the refrigerated display cabinet 10 of FIG. 1.

[0057] The fan arrangement 24 and duct 26 can be retrofitted to an existing refrigerated display cabinet in order to minimise fire risks associated with leaked refrigerant.

[0058] Fire 2 shows the top of the refrigerated display cabinet of FIG. 1. Here, the fan arrangement 24, container 18, and cooling fluid supply line 22 can be seen more clearly.

[0059] FIG. 3 shows an exploded view of the fan arrangement 24. Here it can be seen that the fan arrangement 24 composes five fans 36 positioned adjacent to one another at one end of the duct 26. Each fan 36 is seated within its own housing 38 and each housing may also hold a filter. In this figure the brackets 40 used to mount the duct 26 can also be seen. These can be used to retrofit the duct 26 to an existing refrigerated display cabinet 10.

[0060] FIGS. 4a and 4b show the bottom opening of the duct 26. It can be seen that the duct 26 terminates in a fanned section 42 that is configured to extend beneath the cabinet at a right angle to the main body 44 of the duct. This fanned section 42 helps to disperse air more effectively to the entire space 28 beneath the refrigerated display cabinet and region 29 surrounding the bottom of the cabinet.

[0061] FIG. 5 shows the bottom of the refrigerated display cabinet 10. Here, the legs 32 and fanned section 44 of the duct can be seen more clearly. It will be appreciated that air flow from the fanned section 44 of the duct will pass through the kick plate 46 (which is perforated) positioned at the front of the cabinet to aid in the dispersal of gas in the portion of region 29 surrounding the bottom of the cabinet at its front. In addition to this, air would exit the space 28 to enter the region 29 surrounding the bottom of the cabinet at the left and right via the left 48 and right 50 side openings, as well as out the rear of the space 28 to disperse gas in region 29 behind the bottom of the cabinet.