REFRIGERATION DEVICE USES PHASE CHANGE MATERIAL FOR COOLING AIR

Abstract

A refrigeration device has a condenser coil that has periodic access to outside air. A time-activated thermostat controls the operation of an evaporator coil that is in thermal contact with a reservoir containing phase change material. A thermally conductive pipe containing antifreeze fluid is connected to a pump that circulates the antifreeze fluid inside the pipe. A first portion of the pipe is inside the reservoir in thermal contact with the phase change material and a second portion of the pipe is near an air fan or connected to a fan coil unit to exchange heat through the pipe between the reservoir and the air blown by the fan or the fan coil unit. The evaporator coil produces a phase change in the phase-changing material in the reservoir at night when outdoor temperature is colder than during day and the phase-change material is used during day to cool air blown by the air fan or the fan coil unit. The air fan and a portion of the pipe can be outside of the refrigeration device and be detached.

Claims

1. A refrigeration device comprising an evaporator coil, a time-activated thermostat, a reservoir, a condenser coil, a pipe, wherein the condenser coil has periodic access to outside air, the evaporator coil is in thermal contact with the reservoir, said reservoir is thermally insulated and further contains phase-change material inside the reservoir, and wherein said pipe is thermally conductive, contains antifreeze fluid and is connected to a pump that circulates said antifreeze fluid through the pipe, a first portion of the pipe is contained within the reservoir and in thermal contact with the phase change material inside said reservoir, a second portion of the pipe being at least near an air fan so that the second portion of the pipe can intercept a portion of air being blown by the air fan or said second portion of the pipe connects to a fan coil unit to enable an exchange of heat through the pipe between the reservoir and the air blown by the air fan or the fan coil unit and the time-activated thermostat controls the operation of the evaporator coil to produce a phase change in the phase-changing material in the reservoir at night when ambient temperature outdoors is colder than during day and the phase-change material will later be used to cool air blown by said air fan or air blown by said fan coil unit during day when ambient outdoor temperature is warmer than during night.

2. The refrigeration device of claim 1, wherein the second portion of said pipe intercepting the air blown by said air fan, coils or zigzags.

3. The refrigeration device of claim 1 wherein a portion of said pipe is outside of said refrigeration device.

4. The refrigeration device of claim 3, wherein said portion of the pipe outside of the refrigeration device can be disconnected from said pipe and detached from said refrigeration device.

5. The refrigeration device of claim 4 wherein said air fan is outside of the refrigeration device and can be disconnected and detached from the refrigeration device.

6. The refrigeration device of claim 5 wherein said refrigeration device has no internal air duct and no internal air fan.

7. The refrigeration device of claim 1 wherein the outside is outdoor.

8. The refrigeration device of claim 1 wherein said reservoir is inside said refrigeration device.

9. The refrigeration device of claim 1 further including a container having said pump and said antifreeze fluid inside said container, wherein the pump is inside the antifreeze fluid, and said pipe is an open loop with both ends of the pipe inside said container, one end of said pipe connected to said pump at the bottom portion of said container and the second end of the pipe at the top portion of said container.

10. The refrigeration device of claim 9 wherein said container is inside the reservoir.

11. The refrigeration device of claim 1 wherein said air fan or said fan coil unit blow air into a refrigerator, a freezer or an icemaker compartment.

12. The refrigeration device of claim 11 wherein said refrigeration device has an ice compartment, said phase change material is water and said ice compartment is said reservoir.

13. The refrigeration device of claim 1 wherein said air fan or said fan coil unit blow air indoors.

14. The refrigeration device of claim 13 wherein said refrigeration device is a window air conditioner, a through-wall air conditioner or a portable air conditioner.

15. The refrigeration device of claim 1 wherein said condenser coil exchanges heat with outside air through an air duct.

16. The refrigeration device of claim 1 wherein said phase change material and said antifreeze fluid are thermally conductive.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0041] FIG. 1 is a side-view of one embodiment of the present invention containing a freezer, a refrigerator and an air cooler between the freezer and the refrigerator compartments.

[0042] FIG. 2 Is the front view of an embodiment having the air cooler between the freezer and the refrigerator compartment.

[0043] FIG. 3 is the back view of FIG. 2.

[0044] FIG. 4 is the inside view of FIG. 2 without front door and front panel.

[0045] FIG. 5 is an angled view of FIG. 4 showing the refrigerator and air cooling fan coils.

[0046] FIG. 6 is front view of FIGS. 4 and FIG. 5 showing the inside of the phase change material reservoir.

[0047] FIG. 7 is magnified view of the inside of the phase change material reservoir of FIG. 6.

[0048] FIG. 8 is a front view of yet another embodiment having the indoor air cooling pipe partially outside and on top of the refrigeration device.

[0049] FIG. 9 is a side view of FIG. 8 having an air fan (not shown in FIG. 8) positioned behind the pipe on top of the refrigeration device.

[0050] FIG. 10 is a side view of the inside of phase change material reservoir 50 of FIG. 9

[0051] FIG. 11 is a portable version of the refrigeration device that is attached to a hole in the wall or a window through an air duct.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0052] FIG. 1 is a side-view of one embodiment with its back (right side of drawing) having access to outside air and its front (left side of drawing) having access to indoor air. On top is the freezer compartment 200, at the bottom, the refrigerator compartment 300 and in between is an air duct 17 and the phase change material reservoir. As shown, the refrigeration device contains a thermally insulated phase change material reservoir 50 and an air duct 17 above it between indoor (left side) and outside air (right side). Two gates (louvers or shutters) 30 open and close access to indoor and/or outside air. The meandering (zigzagging or coiling) pipe in front or behind the air fan 12 forms or creates a fan coil 10. As shown, there are two fan coils 10 at both ends of the air duct.

[0053] One fan coil 10 (towards outside, right side) pulls hot outside air into the air duct 17 and the second fan coil 10 (towards indoors, left side) ejects cold air out of the air duct 17 into indoor space. The arrows indicates the direction of air flow generated by the fan coil 10. There is another fan coil 10 inside the refrigerator compartment 300, ejecting cold air into the refrigerator compartment 300. All 3 fan coils 10 may use the same pipe 11 or each using a separate pipe 11. Antifreeze or heavily salted water can be used as the liquid coolant pumped around the system through the pipe 11. Any circulation pump (like aquatic pump, not shown) can be used to move the coolant (antifreeze fluid) around a loop through the pipe 11.

[0054] In operation, during summer nights (when outdoor is colder than during day), an evaporator coil (not shown) cools the phase change material reservoir 50 to freeze the phase change material (for example freeze water to ice) inside the reservoir 50, cooling the pipe 11 zigzagging, twisting inside the phase change material reservoir 50. During the day, when the fan coil 10 inside the refrigerator is turned on, the chilled pipe 11 meandering or coiling in front of the air fan 12 (forming a fan coil 10) cools the air blown into the refrigerator compartment 300.

[0055] Similarly, during hot summer days, the user will turn on the air cooler. That opens the two gates (louvers or shutters) 30 at both ends of the air duct 17 connecting indoor to outside air and also turns On (activates) the two fan coils 10 at the two ends of the air duct 17. The hot outside air entering the air duct 17 loses some of its heat to the chilled pipe 11 meandering or coiling in front of the air fan 12 (forming a fan coil) and cools the air blown indoors. As shown there is a thick insulation 60 between the freezer 200 (normally at around 0 F) and the air duct 17 to prevent the freezer compartment 200 gaining heat due to its proximity to the air duct 17.

[0056] FIG. 2 is the front view of an embodiment having the indoor air cooler between the Freezer 200 and the phase change material reservoir 50 above the refrigerator compartment 300.

[0057] FIG. 3 is the back view of FIG. 2. For simplification, the condenser exposed to or having access to outside the desired cooling area or outdoors directly or through an air duct attached to a window is not shown. Depending on the difference between indoor and outside temperature, the refrigeration device can take (pull) air from indoor (sides of the refrigeration device , not shown) or outside if it's back is exposed to outside air directly or through an air duct attached to a window or an opening through the wall. For example, if indoor temperature is 80 F. and outside is 110 F, it is much faster and more energy efficient to take (pull) air from indoor rather than outside for cooling.

[0058] FIG. 4 is inside view of FIG. 2 without front doors and front panels. As shown on top is the freezer compartment 200. Under that is the air duct 17 and under that is the phase change material reservoir 50 above the refrigerator compartment 300 with shelves 310 for food placement.

[0059] FIG. 5 is an angled view of FIG. 4 showing the refrigerator 300 and air cooler's fan coils 10 blowing cold air into the refrigerator compartment 300. As shown, it has two pipes. One is used for cooling the refrigerator compartment 300 and the other for cooling indoor air. As shown the top two fan coils 10 (front circular view) blow cold air indoors and the bottom 2 fan coils 10 blow cold air into the refrigerator compartment 300.

[0060] FIG. 6 is similar to FIG. 5 showing the inside of the phase change material reservoir 50. As shown one or more pipes 11 meander (zigzag twist and turn or coil) inside phase change material reservoir 50 so that the antifreeze liquid circulating inside the pipe 11 lose their heat to the phase change material reservoir 50. An evaporator coil 60 adjacent (shown at the bottom) to the reservoir 50 freezes the phase change material fluid inside the reservoir 50 at night or before sunrise when outdoor temperature is low to save energy. As the temperature rises (usually between 10 AM to 3 PM) the evaporator coil 60 is turned off by a time activated thermostat (not shown) to allow the solidified phase change material inside the reservoir 50 to gradually melt using the thawing for cooling indoor air.

[0061] FIG. 7 is magnified view of the inside of the phase change material reservoir 50 of FIGS. 5 and 6. In this embodiment there are two independent heat conducting pipes 11. The pipes 11 exchange heat between the phase change material reservoir 50 and the air exiting or blowing out of the fans 12. The pipes 11 meander (zigzag twist and turn or coil) in front or behind the fans 12 (perpendicular to the direction of the air flow) in effect forming a fan coil 10. The pipes 11 also meander inside the phase change material reservoir 50 to exchange their heat with the phase change material inside the reservoir 50. Alternatively the pipe 11 may be connected to a commercially available fan coil unit (instead of forming a coil in front of the fan). The pipes 11 meander inside the reservoir 50 to quickly lose their heat to the phase change material (for example water/ice) reservoir 50 solidified or frozen during night or around sunrise. The two bottom fan coils 10, cool and circulate air (replace warmer with colder air) through the refrigerator compartment 300 (in this embodiment no new air is added to the refrigeration compartment). And the two top fan coils 10 blow cold air indoors.

[0062] FIG. 8 is a front view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention having the heat conducting pipe 11 partially outside and on top of the refrigeration device above the phase change material reservoir 50. Under the phase change material reservoir is the freezer 200 and under that is the refrigerator 300 compartment. The pipe 11 is attached to and supported by support rod 42. As shown, the pipe 11 meanders (zigzags, twists and turns or coils) in front or behind the fan 12 (perpendicular to the direction of the air flow) in effect forming a fan coil 10. Or alternatively a commercially available fan coil unit may be connected to the two ends of the pipe with a commercially available pipe connector 47. That is so that the meandering pipe (or the fan coil unit) can intercept the air being blown by the air fan. The air fan 12 in front or behind the pipe 11 is not shown.

[0063] Optionally a fluid pipe connector 47 may enable the user to disconnect the outside portion of the pipe 11 so that it can be removed during cold seasons when air cooling is not needed. In this case the antifreeze fluid inside the pipe 11 must first be drained. To remove the outside portion of the pipe, the pump circulating antifreeze in the pipe must be turned off. Then the air inlet valve or vent 49 is opened so that the antifreeze can drain into an antifreeze container (not shown) under the pipe. The antifreeze container can be inside the reservoir 50, it can be outside the reservoir 50 or near it. Alternatively, the connector 47 may be hinged (or a small section of the pipe 11 at the connector location made of flexible material such as plastic) to allow the pipe 11 to lay or bend horizontally on top of the refrigeration device when cooling of indoor air is not needed.

[0064] FIG. 9 is the side view of FIG. 8. An air fan 12 is placed behind the pipe 11. The air fan 12 can be an ordinary fan of any size or shape and need not be attached or part of the refrigeration device. During hot days, the user turns the fan 12 on. A fluid circulating pump (not shown) circulates cold antifreeze fluid inside the heat conducting pipe 11. As a result the pipe 11 is cold. The fan 12 blows warm indoor air on the cold pipe 11 meandering (zigzagging, twisting or coiling) in front or behind the air fan 12 perpendicular to the direction of air flow. That is, the pipe can intercept a portion of air being blown by the air fan. Alternatively the outside portion of the pipe is connected to a fan coil unit. The warm often humid indoor air cools as it passes through the cold pipe 11 in front of (or behind) the air fan 12. As the antifreeze fluid inside the pipe 11 reenters the refrigeration device (not shown) it is immersed again in phase change material reservoir 50 frozen at night so that the pipe 11 cools down again as it loops back out of the refrigeration device.

[0065] FIG. 10 is a side view of the inside of phase change material reservoir 50 of FIG. 9 and FIG. 8. It shows the bottom portion of the pipe 11 inside the refrigeration device. As shown the two fluid pipe connectors 47 stick out of the top of the refrigeration device. The pipe 11 meanders (zigzag, twists or coils) inside the phase change material reservoir 50 to exchange heat with phase change material. The pipe 11 enters an antifreeze container 80 and has a fluid circulating pump 82 attached to it's end. The pump 82 circulates antifreeze fluid 84 into the pipe 11. There is enough empty space in the antifreeze container 80 (not full of antifreeze) to drain all of the antifreeze fluid 84 in the top outer portion of the pipe 11 outside the refrigeration device so that when the top portion of the pipe 11 is disconnected, no antifreeze fluid sips out of the pipe 11.

[0066] FIG. 11 is a refrigeration device that has wheels 19 and can be moved. It is attached to a hole in the wall or a window through an air duct 17 so that the condenser coil 92 can have access to outside air to expel hot air outside the desired cooling area.

[0067] A big disadvantage of portable air conditioners is that their portability is restricted by an air duct 17 that during operation must be attached to the condenser 92 to expel condenser coil's hot air outside. Applicant's portable air conditioner only during night to sunrise (when outdoor is cold and often air conditioner is not used) is attached to an air duct to expel hot air produced by the condenser coil outside.

[0068] During hot day time hours (usually in the afternoon) it can be moved (rolled) to any location that cooling is needed and used without an air duct (can run ductless). It can be moved while cooling (the only needed attachment is the electric wire). It can run wirelessly (without electric wire) if the needed power is stored by a battery during night when the portable air conditioner is not used and the phase change material is being solidified.

[0069] Most window air conditioners have built-in fans (inside the refrigeration device) which generally have smaller surface area and are weaker than ordinary household air fans. Not having a built-in fan, not only reduces manufacturing cost but also enables the user to buy a separate more powerful air fan or use an existing air fan.

[0070] This embodiment of invention also works well with a conventional indoor refrigerator (with the condenser coil exchanging hot air with indoor air rather than outdoor. In this case, the air fan 11 on top of the refrigeration device pulls air from behind the refrigerator where the condenser coil usually is located. As a result air ventilates the fridge's condenser coil, cooling the condenser coil and thereby increasing energy efficiency of the indoor refrigerator.

[0071] While the invention has been described in connection with a preferred embodiment, it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to the particular form set forth, but on the contrary, it is intended to cover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.