System for regulating temperature of water within a food, ice, beverage cooler, or the like

Abstract

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.

Claims

1. A system for chilling beverages disposed within a container having a liquid disposed therein, said liquid in direct contact with said beverages, said system comprising: (a) a refrigeration circuit including an evaporator defining an internal volume, one or more coils of the refrigeration circuit disposed within said internal volume of said evaporator,said volume pressurized, said evaporator having a fluid-tight inlet and a fluid-tight outlet in communication with said internal volume of said evaporator, external to said one or more coils; (b) a first liquid conduit having a first end and a second end, the first end of the first liquid conduit in communication with said pressured internal volume of the evaporator, the second end of the first liquid conduit adapted for positioning with respect to said container positioned physically remotely from said evaporator, liquid entering the first liquid conduit from the evaporator flowing out of the second end of the first liquid conduit and into a liquid storage region of said container, said second end delivering reduced temperature liquid from the evaporator external of said one or more coils to the container such that the reduced temperature liquid is in fluid communication with and continuously available for chilling a plurality of beverages that are disposed in the liquid storage region of the container, said liquid entering said first conduit defining a volume substantially equal to said internal volume of the evaporator external to said one or more coils; and (c) a liquid return line for returning liquid disposed within the liquid storage region to the evaporator, said liquid return line including a second liquid conduit having a first end and a second end, the first end of the second liquid conduit positioned within the liquid storage region of the container closer to a bottom of the liquid storage area than to a top of the liquid storage region; wherein said second end of said first liquid conduit positioned with respect to the storage region of a container to permit the reduced temperature liquid traveling through the first liquid conduit to the liquid storage area of the container above a current liquid surface level of the liquid already disposed within the liquid storage region.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, in which said liquid further comprises: a lower-than-water freezing point comestible liquid including a glycol.

3. The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising: a liquid pump within a liquid loop defined by the first liquid conduit and said return line to enhance re-circulation of said liquid within said liquid loop.

4. The system as recited in claim 1, in which said liquid return line comprises a selectable segment.

5. The system for chilling beverages of claim 1, wherein the first end of the second liquid conduit is positioned within the liquid storage region of the container and submerged under a surface of the liquid disposed within the liquid storage region.

6. The system for chilling foods or beverages of claim 5, wherein said evaporator is mechanically independent of the container, the evaporator neither contacting the container and the evaporator nor secured to the container.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising: a float disposed within the container, said float for monitoring and maintaining an amount of liquid disposed within the container through control of liquid flowing through the first liquid conduit.

8. The system for chilling beverages of claim 1 wherein said liquid return line further comprises: a pump; the second end of the second liquid conduit in fluid communication with the pump; and a third conduit having a first end and a second end, the first end of the third liquid conduit in communication with the pump and the second end of the third conduit secured to the liquid inlet of the evaporator, the third conduit in liquid communication with the internal volume of the evaporator, delivering the liquid returning from the liquid storage region of the container back to the internal volume of the evaporator, external of said ones or more coils.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a conceptual view illustrating the general principles of a refrigeration circuit.

(2) FIG. 2 is a flow diagrammatic view of the invention and its liquid and refrigeration circuits. This represents a stand-alone unit, requiring only a power input to the compressor.

(3) FIG. 3 is a conceptual schematic view of the interior portions of an endothermic heat exchanger such as a barrel chiller suitable for use in the present system.

(4) FIG. 4 is a flow diagrammatic view of an embodiment of the invention which provides an air cooling capability to the system

(5) FIG. 5 is a flow diagrammatic view of a variation of the embodiment of FIG. 4.

(6) FIG. 6 is a flow diagrammatic view of a multiple chilling vessel embodiment of the system of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(7) With reference to FIG. 1, there is shown a conceptual view of a refrigeration circuit. Therein is shown a compressor 10 which, on the high pressure side of the circuit is shown condenser 12 which typically takes the form of a condensing coil 14 and associated fan (see FIG. 2). From condenser 12, a liquefied refrigerant 15 proceeds to expansion valve (EV) 16 to an evaporator 18 which, in a preferred embodiment, takes the form of a barrel chiller. A barrel chiller is an endothermic heat exchanger which is offered by various vendors inclusive of RK2 Systems, Pentair, Aqua Logic, and Standard Refrigeration. It is however to be understood that other forms of heat exchangers may be employed as equivalents of a barrel chiller. From barrel chiller 18 a refrigerant line 30 supplies compressor 10 with refrigerant.

(8) A representative barrel chiller is shown schematically in FIG. 3. As may be noted, the barrel chiller contains a plurality of internal coils 20 which may be spiral or essentially flat and within which is low pressure, low temperature refrigerant, causing an absorption of heat Q (shown schematically in FIG. 3) from circulated water or liquid. That is, barrel chiller 18, filled with low temperature coils 20, will absorb heat Q from liquid or water 22. The liquid is typically provided to barrel chiller 18 from liquid input 26. (See FIG. 2). Liquid 22 then exits chiller 18 at output 24 to transport liquid 22 to a cooler 21 via conduit 25 to locations where chilled water or liquid is required to maintain a desired temperature of food or beverages in chilling vessel 21. Also shown in FIG. 1-3 is a typical location of a refrigerant outlet 30 between barrel chiller 18 and compressor 10.

(9) In regard to FIG. 2, the present system and method preferably employ a mixture of glycol and water as the liquid chilling medium within a re-circulating liquid circuit including insulated cooler 21, output conduits 23A/23B, pump 27, conduit 23 though chiller inlet 26, to the interior of the barrel chiller 18 but external to coils 20, and cooler input conduit 25 from chiller outlet 24. Thereby, liquid 22 may be maintained at temperatures well below freezing, such as 28 degrees Fahrenheit because of the lower specific heat of glycol relative to water. That is, glycol is able to absorb more heat per unit volume than can water and, by the same token, it is capable of expelling more heat per unit volume to the cooling coils 20 within the geometry of the barrel chiller as shown in FIG. 3. A result of the addition of an FDA approved liquid such as glycol or ethanol is that barrel chiller 18 is able to cool the chilling liquid 22 of the open loop liquid circuit as above-described, to temperatures below freezing which otherwise would not be possible in a cooler vessel without high water flow, regardless of how efficiently refrigerated, since liquid water can never fall to a temperature below 32 degrees F. at atmospheric pressure.

(10) A particular advantage of the present system is that the need to keep extra ice that often occurs at picnics and outdoor events, as well as on marine craft, is completely eliminated since an endless supply of liquid at, near, or below freezing is herein provided. Certain foods and beverages are tastier at temperatures slightly above freezing, (e.g., are optimal in flavor at about 34 degrees F. for beer). However, sufficient melting of ice in an insulated ice cooler presents a constant issue, as does ambient temperature when the covering of the cooler is open, that inevitably will cause enough ice to melt to cause the temperature of beer, soda, foods, and other temperature-sensitive comestibles to either lose their flavor or become completely unsafe for human consumption. Accordingly, through use of the present invention, as above described, the need to continually re-fill insulated ice-holding coolers with ice is completely obviated. Further, if one wishes to preserve the solid condition of ice, one may place smaller containers of ice within a larger insulated chilling vessel of the type above-described to prevent ice or ice cubes within such containers from melting as quickly. At many social events, mixed drinks are served which require conventional ice cubes. Accordingly, by confining such ice cubes to a sub-container within a larger chilling vessel, one can assure that ice will never be wasted through unwanted melting thereof.

(11) It should be appreciated that the input and output conduits 26 and 24 respectively may readily be reversed in a given configuration of a barrel chiller. For example, the barrel chiller may be inverted relative to the position shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 and, as well, can function in a horizontal orientation. Similarly, a supplemental pump, similar to pump 27, may be added to the input line 25 of the chilling vessel 21.

(12) It is also noted that the use of glycol may be eliminated by increasing the flow of the interior of the outer geometry of the endothermic heat exchanger or barrel chiller 18 external of the internal coils 20. See FIG. 3. This will alter the thermodynamics of the barrel chiller such that the coils within the chiller can absorb enough heat from the water to hyper-chill the water while still in a liquid state, that is, without freezing. Thereafter, hyper-chilled water is pumped through outlet 24 into conduit 25 and then into chilling vessel 21, substantially chilling water 22 in the chilling vessel, although crystals of ice may form as the hyper-chilled water is exposed to atmospheric pressure.

(13) In FIG. 4 is shown a further embodiment of the invention. Therein, input conduit 25 to the chilling vessel 21 splits into a further liquid line 34 and therefrom, following solenoid 9, to liquid line 34A and into thermal contact about external evaporator 36 and fan 38 which draws air from the local ambient air and removes heat therefrom. Air is cooled, then re-introduced through a small duct, cooling the immediate surrounding area and providing a significant cooling capability. Liquid output 40 is then connected to cooler output line 23B which, through pump 27, is then re-introduced into barrel chiller by line 23A.

(14) In FIG. 5 is shown a variation of the embodiment of FIG. 4 in which there is provided a second pump 44 which powers a second water loop through conduit 46 from water 22 in vessel 21, to said pump 44, via conduit 41 through evaporator 36, and output line 40 back to vessel 21. By this method enhanced chilling may be provided to water 22 in vessel 21, as well as the benefit of external cooling by evaporator 36.

(15) In FIG. 6 is shown an embodiment of the system of FIG. 2 adapted for commercial use in which multiple chilling vessels 21A and 21B are employed. As may be seen, this embodiment functions off of liquid lines 48 and 50 of the basic system off of line 25, which supplies vessels 21A and 21B with water 22A and 22B respectively. Outputs from vessels 21A and 21B are accomplished through lines 52 and 54 and, through manifolds 56A and 56B, return to vessel output line 23B, through an anti-germicidal cartridge 43 and to pump 27 which supplies water through line 42 to barrel chiller 18. The function of input line 25 remains unchanged from prior embodiments.

(16) Also shown in FIG. 6 is float 45 by which the level of water 22, 22A and 22B in vessels 21, 21A, and 21B may be monitored and maintained by control of input lines 25, 48 and 50 by the use of solenoid 9. (See FIG. 4.) Such a float may be employed in all embodiments of the invention.

(17) While there has been shown and described above the preferred embodiment of the instant invention it is to be appreciated that the invention may be embodied otherwise than is herein and that, within said embodiment, certain changes may be made in the form and arrangement of the parts without departing from the underlying ideas or principles of this invention as set forth in the Claims appended herewith.